2008 Comics In Review - Part 4

This is the end, my only friend, the end. Got a bit maudlin there, didn't I? ABP had more chores and Wade is probably busy with Tiger Shark, so you just get me. That means I get to bore you with some stat stuff I wouldn't have been able to get to with the others around. Lucky you. As you might have noticed, I'm buying less than I used to from 199 comics in '06, to 144 in '08. Marvel's piece of my wallet's is shrinking, down to 68.75% in 2008 (compared to 85% in '06, and 87% in '07). As you might imagine, DC's taking up most of the vacated space, from 7.4% in '07, up to 26.4% in '08. Yeah, I have a lot of time on my hands, why?

The Punisher #54-63: Ennis' run ended, and my purchasing of the title ended a few months later. And now they're starting the book over, which they might have been better off doing immediately after Ennis wrapped up his run.

High Point: First, the beginning of #57, when the Delta boys have found Frank's base, and figure they've got him, with their tasers and tear gas. Except Frank knew they were coming, and he's got a gas mask too. And night vision goggles. And a bat. Restrained beatdown ensues. Second, the end of #54, when Frank has returned his daughter to her aunt for safekeeping, and she wants to know about O'Brien (her sister, the baby's mama). Frank tells about that morning in Afghanistan, and then says 'Memories like that, I try and kill. But you might do something with it, if you like.' That was a terribly sweet and terribly sad scene, that pretty well sums up what Frank's willingly done to himself.

Low Point: I'm thinking the end of #62, the 'And she is dead' thing. That felt overdone to me.

Robin/Spoiler Special: I think I bought it because it was a slow week for me, and because I do like Spoiler, and I'm glad she's not dead. It wasn't anything special.

Secret Six #1-4: It's weird book. I feel odd at times, rooting for this bunch, given the crap they've done in their lives. I swing between being amused by Bane's concern for Scandal, to being touched, to being disturbed. The book has action, laughs, grossouts, amusing dialogue, appealing art. I'm not sure it's a good idea for the first arc to be 7 issues long, though. Feels like it might be drawing things out too long.

High Point: I'm partial to the scene in the convenience store where Deadshot teaches the would-be robbers the proper method, then takes the money (and smokes) himself. Floyd has all kinds of issues doesn't he? After that, it might be Mammoth's turn as a trustee prison guard in #2. I didn't realize he was that stupid, but he's high comedy, I tell you.

Low Point: Eh, I can't really think of one. Sometimes I feel like the thing in #2 where Catman is trying to figure out what it was Batman ate was drug out too long, but others time I like it because it was Catman getting under Batman's skin, and we can always use more of that, right?

Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion #1: I don't think Tucci's doing anything particularly wrong, he's going for a realistic, respectful portrayal of the World War 2 soldier, but from the first issue (and the parts of subsequent issues I've skimmed in the store) it hasn't felt like Sgt. Rock. More a generic World War 2 sergeant. I saw Tucci threw the Haunted Tank in for #3, but viewed from an outside perspective, where the ghost is a "who knows?" aspect.

Suicide Squad #6-8: I canme back when there was less focus on Rick Flag, and more focus on going on missions. I think the problem was Ostrander was exploring the question of what makes a person who they are with Flag and the revelations about his past. I've seen Ostrander do this previously with GrimJack, a character I liked a lot more. No real interest in exploring it with Mr. Flag.

High Point: Flag scaring Waller a bit was nice, but I'm giving it to Captain Boomerang Jr. saving Deadshot from Maraduer. Close second actually goes to the discussion between Twisted Sister and Windfall on the way to their mission. it was twisted and a little depressing, but kind of hilarious. I may need professional help.

Low Point: Hmm, can't think of one.

Terra #1-4: Went for it on a whim. Figured Amanda Conner drawing, Power Girl guest-starring, there were many worse things to spend the money on.

High Point: I enjoyed Power Girl trying to teach Atlee some things about life on the surface. While PG should know about that stuff, she spends so little time in her civilian identity, it's probably beneficial for her too.

Low Point: The big villain fight at the start on #4 seemed almost perfunctory, like they had to have it. I think I would have preferred Faulkner working more quietly, exploring first, maybe causing problems inadvertently, rather than going nuts because his girlfriend got smashed. His curiosity, combined with a certain level of amorality, could have been interesting. Well, amybe we'll see him again.

The Last Defenders #1: I couldn't get behind the premise of the mini-series, I think. That the Defenders have always fallen apart because they've never landed on that magical, perfect lineup, and that Kyle Richmond is better off as the financier, rather than an actual superhero.

Ultimate Spider-Man #118-122: After buying the series since #3 or so, I finally dropped it for a number of reasons. One, Bendis' previous multi-issue arcs didn't feel as well paced as I'd like, with endings feeling rushed (that Goblin arc especially, he spent too much time on Carol Danvers screwing up, I thought). Two, the upcoming multi-issue arc was going to heavily involve symbiotes, and I wish Bendis had stuck to his original guns and left Venom out (I remember those early letter pages, where the fans were screaming for Ultimate Venom - no I wasn't one of them - and Bendis -or whoever was answering the letters - kept saying "no plans at this time", but then there Venom was, and then they wanted Carnage, and we got him too, and it was just, sigh). Three, Ultimatum was looming, and I wanted to get gone before Loeb destroyed everything. And I wasn't loving Immonen's art. Not that it was bad, I just didn't enjoy it as much as Bagley's.

High Point: #121, where Peter has to explain why his and Kitty's baby project got destroyed, and his reaction to the extremely generous grade they received.

Low Point: I'm a little surprised at Magneto showing up, chatting with Liz and asking her to come with him, then just leaving calmly. He wouldn't have cared if he had to fight the X-Men. Also, the X-Men seemed awfully pushy and aggressive. We'll probably find out later that Jean was manipulating Liz' mind. Sounds like what Jean would do.

X-Factor #27-32, Layla Miller, The Quick and the Dead: Messiah CompleX ended, and Layla was gone. Then Rahne left. Even bringing Arcade couldn't boost my enthusiasm. The double whammy of unfinished looking Stroman art and Secret Invasion was enough to send me running.

High Point: The Quick and the Dead. Probably because I had a lot of fun analyzing Raimondi's art, the body language of the characters' during Pietro's hallucinations. Arcade's 'Fail. Safe. Which word did you not understand?', plus Rictor's punching him in the face was kind of amusing too.

Low Point: I wasn't terribly pleased with Rahne leaving, but I think it was the end of #32, when the team has settled into life in Detroit, and things look nice, and then we see Madrox' big message to Val didn't work and all his yadda-yadda about being a step ahead was bunk. That was a tad frustrating.

Young Avengers Presents #6: It was Matt Fraction, writing Classic Hawkeye, with art by Alan Davis. Plus, we were introduced to the phrase 'Central Park Carriage Ninja', and reminded that you never tell Clint Barton that he can't make that shot.

There you go, all done. Resumption of usual posting stuff tomorrow.