Beta Ray Bill

Beta Ray Bill 1-5

This is ultimately a story of self-loathing and a quest to find external solutions for something that needs to be dealt with from within.  Inevitably, when Bill succeeds and gets what he ostensibly wants, he’s no closer to loving himself, no closer to filling the emptiness he feels inside. 

It’s amazing writing by Daniel Warren Johnson, introspective work that’s somehow matched with the most batshit crazy action scenes this side of Dragonball Z.  Seriously, I can’t think of better choreographed comic book hand-to-hand combat.  

So much power on each panel.

Each strike in the sequence flows so smoothly.

Speaking of manga, Skurge is totally a manga comic relief character in this.  I love it.

And talk about epic splashes!

Lots of Beta Ray Bill's back for scale.

This is super super fun.  I love it, and may very well have to check out more stuff by Johnson.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Fire Power, Getting it Together, New Comics

New comics!

Superman: Son of Kal-El 1

Tom Taylor is amazing.  Just about every page of this has a “pause to appreciate” moment, it’s really quite impressive.  

Best bros.

New best bros.  Poor ninja.

Obvious Donner tribute here:

Ah, that smile :)

The problem is that I’m completely skeptical about the premise; I don’t see how Taylor’s going to get Jon to fix climate change or wealth inequity or any other real-world issue in any kind of believable way.  But I’m definitely on board for now, because he’s such a good writer.

Black Widow 9

Writer Kelly Thompson is totally channeling Florence Pugh through her Yelena, and I’m 100% okay with it.  What’s odd is that I’m getting no Scarlett in her Natasha.

I can't help but read this in Pugh's voice.

This too.  It's great.

And Elena Casagrande continues to own, of course.

Strange Adventures 11

The truth comes out, and it’s well written as usual.  Will see how it wraps up next month.

Love the owl creature design.

Black Cat 8

Not Jed MacKay’s most interesting caper for Felicia, but it’s entertaining enough.  And if this somehow ends up with Black Cat getting an Infinity Stone?  That’d be sweet.  

Beta Ray Bill 5

Such a fun finish to a wonderful miniseries, and with a heartache-y ending to boot.  Daniel Warren Johnson is on my radar now, after these five issues.  

Skurge has been great this whole series.

This whole sequence is glorious.

Old Guard: Tales Through Time 4

Not bad, but I'm not sure this series is good enough to justify the purchase. Kind of late now with two issues to go.

Fire Power: Prelude, 1-6

Once again, my original thoughts have not strayed from my current ones.  (That usually seems to be the case when there aren’t that many years between readings.)

The prelude remains phenomenal, slowly building up with all of the training and relationship growth until it reaches the climactic battle.  The battle itself flows with amazing pace, growing in tension and excitement until it practically explodes in the finale.  It’s a spectacular job by Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee.  

Sadly, the main title doesn’t maintain that energy.  There are some sweet moments, particularly the tension that comes from knowing that a former love will always hold a place in your spouse’s heart.  

I get where she's coming from.

Also get his POV.

But this is as good of an explanation as I've heard.

Yet for all of that, the story feels surprisingly sparse.  Not much actually happens in these six issues - One issue to set things up, then five issues of fighting that take place over 24 hours or so. It’s going far too slowly, and that’s why I quit reading.  Which isn’t to say that this is a poorly executed comic.  The craft is all excellent, it’s just not for me.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No (Yes to the Prelude)

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good (Good for the Prelude)

Getting it Together 1

Even less fun than the first time I read it.  Relationship problems for people I don’t really like reading about.  Easy cut.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Didn’t suck

Batman: White Knight, New comics

New comics!

Black Cat Annual 1

Black Cat’s enlisted to help Tiger Division, the South Korean Avengers.  It’s a perfectly fine action comic.

Beta Ray Bill 4

Daniel Warren Johnson is clearly setting up a romance between Bill and Skuttlebutt.  But first Bill must learn to love himself.  Works for me!  Johnson’s art is in that ugly Paul Pope region, but it totally works here.  His Bill is powerful and awesome.

Black Widow 8

Elena Casagrande continues to stun with her splash pages.  Kelly Thompson continues to tug at my heartstrings with Natasha’s memories of her son Stevie.

Batman: White Knight

I’m going through this again in preparation for my Curse of the White Knight re-read.  

My original review.  I felt so strongly about it that I gave it a rating on my first go-through.  Turns out I was spot on, and this came really close to Pure Joy today.  Not quite, but oh so close.  

Something about Sean Murphy’s art: He has this ability to arrest me with a beautiful image, but then I look down the page and realize that there’s more to the picture than I was capable of initially processing, blowing me away a second time with the same art.  He caught me like that twice today:

I can't explain why I love that finger placement on the table.

Stunning dress, and then I see the leg...

Other things that stood out:

Love Harley's posture on the table.

Nice Yorick moment.

Duke totally looks like Bishop with that jacket.

Great reveal from this page...

...to this.  Batman 90 Batmobile!

Batman: Officer Down, New comics

New comics!

Old Guard: Tales Through Time 1-2

Anthology series telling tales of our heroes’ pasts.  Good, solid, fun stuff.

Beta Ray Bill 1-3

I’ve always loved Beta Ray Bill.  He exudes an innate nobility and combines it w/ a badass character design and awesome hammer.  In this new series from Daniel Warren Johnson, he proves to be just as badass, even without the hammer.

It is so beautiful.

I originally passed on this series, but I came back after some iFanboy recommendations and I discovered just how funny it was, especially with the introduction of Skurge.  He’s excellent here.  

Batman 587

Robin 86

Birds of Prey 27

Catwoman 90

Nightwing 53

Detective Comics 754

Batman: Gotham Knights 13

Officer Down.  Jim Gordon gets shot by a corrupt cop.  Gordan retires.  Bullock kills the bad guy in cold blood.  It’s not bad, but I don’t know if it merits a seven-part crossover.

No way Alfred quits working for Bruce over this, it feels so contrived.  I can’t believe the Pander brothers are still getting comic gigs.  The Harlan Ellison/Gene Ha Black and White backup has a hilarious ending.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice