Skyward, Mister Miracle, Pearl, Strangers in Paradise

New comics!

Pearl 2

Things are definitely on a slow burn.  Not a complaint this time around, as Bendis shows us a younger Pearl learning the tattoo craft from her mother.  Michael Gaydos does a great job in these flashbacks, and Pearl’s practice bananas are works of art in their own right.  I’m still in.

Strangers in Paradise XXV 6

Terry Moore gives us way more Francine than he has in previous issues, and it’s wonderful.  There’s nothing inherently exciting about what he shows us - Francine takes her kids to visit her ailing mother.  But the interactions ring true with their verisimilitude and the emotions are genuine. It’s a beautiful slice of life.  

It’s far more interesting than the main storyline, although stark raving furious Katchoo is laugh out loud entertaining.

Skyward 6

I’m discovering that this title is pretty much guaranteed to provide at least one or two stunning art moments every issue.  This one is no different. Lee Garbett was born to draw this series.

Beautiful eyes in the bottom panel.

Joe Henderson can also be counted on to add another cool dimension to his gravity-free world concept every month, and this time around it giant bugs.  Put the idea and the art together and you get comic magic.

Small figure amidst a stunning landscape.  Garbett's got it down.

Mister Miracle 11

Tom King and Mitch Gerads continue to mix the banal and otherworldly to perfection.  They constantly jerk around the reader’s frame of reference, and each transition is jarringly glorious.  Take a look at how much the creative team yanks us back and forth:

1. Parents packing an outing with their kid.
2. Travelling by boom tube to another planet.
3. Darkseid eating carrots from a veggie plate
4. Scott and Barda trading their kid in exchange for ending a war.
5. The kid pulling on Darkseid’s nose.  
6. Darkseid pulling his own eye out of its socket.
7. Barda crushes the eye.  
8. Barda zaps Darkseid.
9. Darkseid beats the crap out of Barda and Scott.
10. The kid cries because of the loud noises.
11. Scott stabs Darkseid in the face.
12. Barda admonishes Scott for swearing in front of the kid.

The best moments occur on that razor thin line where the mundane and the decidedly not juuust touch up on each other.  Of course I mean Darkseid munching on healthy veggies and staring at his grandson.

One issue to go, and I can’t wait to read this whole thing in one sitting.