What I Bought 10/12/2016 - Part 4

If I'm really going to start buying comics weekly again, I might want to get to where I'm reviewing them that week. I bought at least one of these two the week it was released, and here we are two weeks later and the review goes up. The other one is even older

Great Lakes Avengers #1, by Zac Gorman (writer), Will Robson (artist), Tamra Bonvillain (color artist), Joe Caramagna (letterer) - The heroes sitting around a table talking, rather than dealing with the super-villains and rioting? Are we sure Bendis isn't writing this?

Through some contractual foofraw I don't understand, Flatman is able to wrangle the GLA being official Avengers, permanently. Hardly seems like a big deal considering they'll let anyone in these days. So, get the band back together. Except Mr. Immortal won't respond to their texts (because he's trapped in a coffin), and Squirrel Girl, well, she's moved on and forgotten her friends. Tsk, tsk. They're setting up shop in Detroit, where there are super-villains lurking. Well, Firebrand and Shriek, who I guess qualify. There's also a girl artist who turns into a werewolf. She hasn't met the team yet, but I'm sure that will happen soon.

There's some mystery revolving around something Mr. Immortal must have said or done to Bertha that Flatman and Doorman are tiptoeing around. Guess we'll find out about that soon. I'm sort of curious about this girl, Pansy, who had Mr. Immortal's phone. What's her deal? Can she and the werewolf girl survive being members of the team? I'm actually kind of into this thing about Doorman having been away in other realms so long he's forgotten things about earth, and all his references are dated. That bit about being pretty sure his mother's hair was the color of wet fall leaves, was creepy and sad, but in an intriguing way. I may have problems.

Robson's art reminds me of Art Adams crossed with someone I can't place. I keep wanting to say Kevin Maguire, but I don't think that's right at all. Maybe Ryan Stegman from a few years back? I don't know. The main thing that jumped out to me was how young Flatman looks in some of those panels where he's three-dimensional. He looks about 16. I like how he draws werewolves. That's pretty much how I envision them (if perhaps a bit more fearsome), so no complaints there.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #12, by Ryan North (writer), Erica Henderson (artist), Rico Renzi (color artist), Travis Lanham (letterer) - Oh look who it is, Little Ms. "I'm too Good to Respond to Texts from My old Teammates". Like she's some bigshot Avenger now. She's not even on a good Avengers team. They're sticking her on a roster with Red Hulk and frickin' Sunspot! I'd sooner be on a team with Deathcry, or one of those Jonathan Hickman characters I don't give a shit about. OK, I'll drop that now.

With Brain Drain doing a good job fighting crime, Doreen consents to going on a vacation with her mother and Nancy to Canada. There she is bored out of her mind until her mother reveals a muffin she baked has been stolen. It turns out to be the work of a bunch of little guys called Enigmo, who can form into one big guy, also called Enigmo, who defeats Squirrel Girl. Back in civilization, Enigmos have infiltrated every aspect of government, and claim they now run the world. Well sure, can't be worse than the folks doing it now.

I had a good time reading this. Both plot lines, Brain Drain dealing with a bunch of criminals that look suspiciously alike (but he can't figure out there's a problem), and Doreen being bored trapped away from any modern luxuries. I am disappointed that on the splash page of Brain Drain hefting the car, the page is cut off so you can't see Larry the Bank Robber's face as he freaks out. I know he's running off page to be grabbed by Doreen on the next page, but I wanted to see Erica Henderson's rendition of a guy freaking out about someone lifting a car. Also, Brain Drain's attempts to educate criminals on the folly of their ways is pretty great, along with the responses. 'Man I just need a new laptop, don't make this so dark!'

The cottage magazine gags are pretty great. I might need to read that painting one. There are certain images in my head I think my only chance of making look as I envision them is with paint. But I suck at painting, so it's a conundrum. If only there were a way to gain experience, possibly from another human being with more experience. But alas, no such thing exists. Back on topic. The image of Tippy with her little doll sunglasses, ready for vacation, was pretty cute. Doreen's frustration with the lack of electronic diversion, and how quickly she seized on any mystery was funny. That reaction panel when her mother mentions the mystery, and the view zooms way in on her eyes as she says, "I'm listening," that worked well for me. The extreme close-up suggested how intently focused she was on this possibility of excitement by how intently focused we were on her reaction. Seems odd when I type that, but it's how it worked with me.