This Week’s Reviews: Sept. 09 (wk4-speed mode)

How do comic bloggers do it? Every week, they have articles up, still do their jobs, and yet on Wednesday they still review a whole bunch of comics. Between work, developing my art style (I plan to have another progress report this week), and trying to make my living area livable, I don’t even have time for a life. It doesn’t help that I’ve had to review a bunch of comics at once, trying to get caught up with my pull folder.

Well, except for the Astro Boy movie adaptation that I’m sitting on until I see the film, and a few graphic novels, I’m happy to report that the folder is clear. All comics now will be brand new, barring further setbacks. So now I won’t have to review seven comics every week. Yay! Back down to the usual three.

Oh, for Pete’s sake! Yeah, seven comics, and about that much on the tentative schedule for next week. I’m going to shoot for something easy for next week’s Saturday Night Showcase (I really should look up web article etiquette concerning underlines, italics, and bold) so I can get back on format and maybe even get this done early, but for now it looks like another speed mode review. I’m not going to promise a ComiXology posting, either, partly because I’d push the other reviews right off the front page, and I’d feel bad about it when I have this shiny blog to post on but also for time. You see, occasionally I do research for these reviews, and it takes time, but worth it. I spend too much time on this as it is for unpaid work, but I enjoy it. So here’s a quick shot of the comics I snagged this week.

Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #8

DC Comics/Johnny DC (November 2009)

I can’t tell if this is the end of the arc or not, really. If it is, it ended pretty well, even if Silvana escaped. While I’m still not a fan of Captain Marvel’s character model, the rest of the art is growing on me, and I enjoyed the story. If this is the permanent writer/art team for this series, then I’m all for it.

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Buck Rogers #4

Dynamite Entertainment (2009 is all they give)

I’m going to miss the old suits, but the new ones do look cool. (Why are they wearing it on the cover, though?) This is the end of the first arc, and I rather enjoyed it. Buck makes reference to sci-fi stories he’s seen/read “leaned towards a dystopian tomorrow”. Yeah, I miss those days. However, I do enjoy those old “defend utopia” stories, but they usually involve “utopia” being created through less than utopian means. (Someone tell my spell check that they’re both words?) This comic obviously leads towards the former (rather than the latter this franchise should be about), but oddly, it doesn’t take away my enjoyment of it. I recommend picking it up. I would also welcome “Lupin” as a recurring enemy.

Sonic Universe #8

Archie Comics (November 2009)

Speaking of things I’m going to miss, I’m going to miss the “30 Years Later” timeline. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the new Freedom Fighters, although it is nice to see Knuckles and the Chaotix in action again. I’m curious what changes have taken place on Angel Island since last I’ve read this series (besides the “Floating Island” being given what I’m assuming is the game name–I first heard it on Sonic X). They are all interesting characters, but with the Dark Presence gone, I wonder who they’d fight? I suppose with Shadow still around they’re handy, but there doesn’t appear to be any Robotnik/Eggman presence here, and Shadow’s “scorched earth” goals are tough even for him without some kind of support. I don’t care, I just want to see everyone again.

The Muppet Show: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson #3

Boom Kids! (September 2009)

At least the titular storyline is finally getting some foreground play, with Gonzo actually looking up the legend of Peg-Leg Wilson and Kismet the Toad still interfering with the rats’ search for the treasure. Piggy-Bot was a neat idea I’d like to see again, and Roger still makes the skits fun. I still think it’s suffering from too many subplots going on at the same time, but at least they’re interesting, unlike a certain Transformers scribe I could mention. FURMAN!

Doctor Who: Black Death White Life

IDW Publishing (September 2009) [cover “a” shown]

Charlie Kirchoff usually does the coloring for the Doctor Who Classics series and other IDW comics, as he does here, but this is the first time I’ve seen him write one. And here’s where I miss having time to use my usual format, because while I have my faults with some of the pacing and the Doctor seems a little too talky while the alien healer tells his tale, for the most part he did a great job. I wonder why he went back to Martha, although I do love her. (I wonder why nobody’s used Rose yet at this rate? Also, the upcoming companion in the shows? Yeah, I think she’s going to give Martha a run for the title of sexiest companion, a title Peri held for a lot of years in my…mind.)

Kirchoff’s concept of the “macro-virus” and “immunoglobulins” was rather innovative, and I thought he used them beautifully. For his first time out, he did a great job.

OK, one last complaint: THE TARDIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO FLY LIKE THAT! Stop using Russell T’s bad ideas!

Muppet Peter Pan #1

BOOM! Kids (August 2004) [cover “B” shown]

With the cute nod to this series in the last issue of Muppet Robin Hood, I thought it would have the same writer. Instead it’s Grace Randolph, who is off to a good start. While I think he missed the chance to use the Muppet Babies or even these Muppet Kids I just found out about (see, research), at least for the Peter and the kids, there is some good casting. If Piggy is really going to play Tinkerbell Piggytink, however, I wondering if Wendy is supposed to be a rival for Tink (in her mind, at least), why not use Miss Mousey, although the fact that I know who she is should up my Muppet geek cred a bit. That means I’m probably the only one who thought of her, and mainstream readers might not remember her. (But they remember Bean Bunny as Michael? I know he’s recent, and even made his way into the last season or two of Muppet Babies, but why wasn’t Robin used? ) It’s off to a good start, and I like Sam taking over the story to set it in America.

But you know what I love most? The artwork. In a recent blog post, Roger Langridge, the writer and artist for the main title (now going from minis to ongoing–yes!), mention that there is going to be a guest artist for Issue #0, hinting that taking both chores plus his other work is wearing him out a bit. Well, if he needs a regular artist on the main Muppet Show title (while continuing his fun stories–DO NOT TAKE HIM OFF WRITING DUTIES, BOOM!), I strongly recommend Amy Mebberson, the artist and colorist on this series. Without a doubt, the most spot-on artistic designs on these character I’ve ever seen, and beautiful artwork on top of that. (Check out her cityscapes for London Town and ye old Boston. If somebody knows what else she’s done, please tell me now. The art is the best, and if I had time to put a “Best Scene of the Week” in, it would totally come from this book’s cityscapes. And check out the cover up there. (You do all know you can click for a larger view of all the covers, right?) I absolutely love it. One issue and I’m already a fan!

The Tekwar Chronicles #3

Bluewater Productions (August 2009–talk about being behind)

Speaking of dystopian futures that still make me want to read it, here’s another one. I think the mystery of the first arc is coming together, but following the novels won’t help. This is re-imagining done right. And remember how Buck up there was talking about depictions of the future in sci-fi? Jake does the same thing, but I don’t see this generation getting a “shining city of tomorrow” in their stories. Not enough writers seem to want to write that, sadly.

So that’s two “dark future” titles that I enjoy reading amongst a sea of “get these people some Prozac or something” stories I usually have to put up. Why can’t SOMEONE write about a utopia not built on deep, dark, secrets and still make it interesting? It’s not I’m calling for a “perfect” utopia or anything. Tension=story, and evil might not necessarily be wiped out, but how about injecting some hope into these stories?

See what happens when I go off format, kids? While I should be praising both Tekwar Chronicles and Buck Rogers for interesting stories and fantastic art (even if the colors are a bit dark on Tekwar–night looks a little TOO dark sometimes), I end up doing another “dark future” rant.

So let’s all hope I can get back into format next week. As for my blogging issues, I think I’ll do a meta post tomorrow and really clean out my system. I’m sure your as tired reading my complaints as I am making them.