Olympians, Ray Bradbury, King Thor, Ironheart, Batman: Universe

New Comics!

King Thor 1

I return to Jason Aaron’s Thor after Mike Del Mundo drove me away on the main title.  I have no such problems with Esad Ribic. This is epic stuff, and if this is truly how Aaron’s going to end his long run with this character, I’m happy to be back for it.  

Ironheart 10

“Shuriri.”  That is all.

Batman Universe 3

As with Tom King on Superman: Up and Away, these Walmart books are just an excuse for Brian Michael Bendis to hop around the DC universe and give his half-issue takes on any hero or villain he wants to play with.  They’re so delightful to me that I really don’t care if it’s out of character for Batman.

Back to the Misc box.

Olympians 9

Artemis.  A lot more of a collection of vignettes than some of the previous volumes.  O’Connor’s Goddess of the Hunt gets added to the list of awesome female archers that I love seeing in comics.  

Really like the moon-shaped arrowhead.

I really think I’m going to get the rest of these.  I want to share them with my kids in the future.

Speaking of kids…

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Best of Ray Bradbury

Reading the introduction, it sounds like Ray Bradbury was tickled pink by the fact that his stories were adapted into comics.  I absolutely love the man and his writing. He’s on a very short list of famous people that I completely idolize. His positive attitude and his take on the world are things that never fail to inspire me.  “In all the years since I have not once listened to any so-called friend who made fun of my hobby, my dream, my lifeblood.”

His writing is simultaneously utilitarian in its simplicity and wonderfully evocative with its perfectly balanced wordsmithing.  I practically teared up while reading “Golden Apples of the Sun” and “Picasso Summer” today, even after knowing the stories backwards and forwards.  I daresay he’s my favorite writer.  

The artists commissioned to draw these classic stories are equal to the task of matching these magical stories with art that’s just as good.  Look at this lineup: P Craig Russell, Dave Gibbons, Mike Mignola, Richard Corbe, Matt Wagner...Pretty awesome.  

This doesn’t get a higher rating because as good as it is, I find that Bradbury still reads better in short story form.  I love comics, but sometimes the purity of the word is all that’s needed.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good