I Die at Midnight, Magic Order, Runaways, DMZ

Finishing off the new comics from last week:

Magic Order 2

The bad magicians keep on killing the good magicians.  It’s entertaining enough to read, and Olivier Coipel continues to draw the heck out of it.  But it’s Cordelia’s origin that stole the show. I legit lolled at her first public performance.  Her youthful exuberance, the teachers’ reactions, and her classmates’ complete willingness to light her on fire cracked me up.  A+ on that sequence.

Runaways 11

Wonderful character development for Vic and Gert.  Even better was the team’s quick acceptance of the decisions that they make - Vic would rather have no body than a weaponized one, and Gert make the counter-counter-establishment decision of dying her hair back to its original color.  

They’re far less understanding of Klara’s decision to stay with her new foster family.  First of all, I’m so happy that Rainbow Rowell hadn’t forgotten about her. Second, I love that she’s found happiness and a peaceful life.  Finally, I also like that the Runaways still have their blindspots, especially when it comes to their view of adults. Their universal distrust of anyone older serves as a tragic reminder of how emotionally damaged they are from their parental woes.  

I hope this is the last we see of Klara, I want her to have a happy ending.

Doombot continues to rule.

DMZ 35-49

I borrowed these from the library.  I am glad that past me did not buy them.  With the election of Parco Delgado, Brian Wood really starts getting into the meat of what I imagine is DMZ’s main narrative.  Unfortunately, that means that Matty Roth completes his transformation from impartial journalist to Delgado shill. Once that happens, the power gets to his head, he completely fucks up, and winds up with the blood of fourteen civilians on his hands.  By the end of the last trade, he’s lost any semblance of sympathy from me. And while I still kind of want to find out how this all ends, the library doesn’t have the rest of the series, and I’m not that broken up about it. Maybe I’ll read it at a Barnes and Noble if they have it.

Returning to my second Vertigo box.

I Die at Midnight

I bought this when it came out in 2000 because I’d heard good things about Kyle Baker, but didn’t want to spend the money on any of his more famous trades, like Cowboy Wally and Why I Hate Saturn.  (College student at the time.)

He certainly lives up to the hype - His art is cartooning at its best.  It reads like an impeccably storyboarded animated movie, with lovely facial expressions and heart-pounding chase sequences.  I could barely move my eye from panel to panel fast enough as I watched all the characters racing towards their various goals.

Too bad Larry’s a complete idiot, and I was really hoping that he’d kick the bucket.  His stupidity and pride put him in this situation, and I’d have derived more satisfaction out of seeing him die with salvation at his fingertips.  One of the few times I was rooting for the clock instead of the protagonist.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice

Just love the art by Stanley Lau.