What I Bought 4/16/2018

I should have titled last Friday's post "Draw What You Want To See In The World". Unfortunately, I didn't think of it until several hours after the post went up, and it feels like cheating to go back and change it. On to actual comics!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #31, by Ryan North (writer), Erica Henderson (artist), Rico Renzi (color artist), Travis Lanham (letterer) - I think Henderson even did the multiple reflections for the logo's shadow, which is a nice touch.

Going by the cover, it looked like this was the start of the story about Doreen and Kraven being stuck in some murder house. Instead, Doreen and Nancy are zapped into "hypertime" meaning they move so fast the rest of the world appears almost stationary to them. To the extent they will live out their entire lives in the span of a single weekend. The story follows them over the decades they live, trying to build a time machine, and generally saving people's lives, since it's easy for them to avert accidents and crimes. Although notifying everyone of that was a mistake. At the end, their escape is also a reset.

It was funny and a little sweet. New Yorkers deciding to be total jerks and take advantage of Doreen and Nancy's good nature made me laugh. So did Doreen and Nancy taking advantage of Tony Stark as a source of money and resources. I can't decide if I'm supposed to be reading the story as Nancy and Doreen became a romantic couple over the decades. Seems like it, but they could be really good friends, period. I'm sure part of it is I'm conflating this issue with the final episode of Futurama , which had Fry and Leela in a similar situation. But I don't know. It can go either way, it's just something I was left wondering about, and I don't really have a lot else to say about the issue. Other than I continue to enjoy the dialogue for Brain Drain.

It's fun to see how Henderson draws the two aging over time, and it gives her a chance to explore their changing tastes in clothes over the decades. There was a nice variety in that.

Domino #1, by Gail Simone (writer), David Baldeon (artist), Jesus Arbutov (colorist), Clayton Cowles (letterer) - As Greg Land covers go, it's not bad. Although I imagine the difference in his art style from Baldeon's could give a reader whiplash if they weren't ready for it.

Domino's in a merc group with Outlaw and Diamondback, but it seems as though someone named Topaz is gunning for her. Topaz is soooo dangerous, even Deadpool and a finally slimmed-down Agent X are wary of her. As it turns out, Topaz is working with some creepy old man who has an interest in Domino dying, and the same birthday as her. And possibly something's off with her powers.

I'll establish up front I know very little about Domino's backstory. For example, I did not realize she and Colossus had been an item at some point. Or that her powers acted in such a way that they sort of hurt her to save her. I suspect Simone may tie that to Domino's apparent anger and self-loathing/pity about the traumatic experiences that brought those powers about.

Reading this, it felt like a reading Secret Six plots. The creepy old man villain. Another villain out to get the main character, who is so dangerous that even characters like Deadpool are nervous about her. Even though we've never heard of this Topaz before now. That part reminded me of Junior, the oh-so evil and terrifying mob boss from the first arc of the Secret Six ongoing (the one they took the Get Out of Hell Free card from). It would have worked better to have her show up and trounce Domino first, then she can learn about Topaz from Wade or someone else after. Show first, then flesh the new character out by telling after.

That said, I think I'd enjoy the fun merc adventures of Domino and Her Gal Pals. So if we can get some of that while dealing with this main plot, that'd be nice. Baldeon has a loose style, very expressive. Works well for the comedy bits, mostly works for the action parts. I had a little trouble following the end result of the "Fastball Special", with all the after-images, what the order was. Also, during the initial mission, Domino makes a comment about getting mud down her cleavage, but her outfit appears to cinch tightly around her neck. Although the back is open. Maybe it's her luck powers. Saved her from a speeding truck, but somehow the mud got inside her shirt.