Comic Book Notes (LJ) Mar 2005

03/02/05

I got home last night to find that the offer letter had not arrived yet and neither had my comic books. UPS tried to deliver the comic books, but I wasn't there and apparently there wasn't anyone else around to sign for them. Usually they just leave 'em at my door. If no one is there to sign for 'em today or tomorrow I will have to drive to Laurel on Friday evening to pick them up. *sigh*

I checked on line this morning. Mail Order Comics updated my account to indicate which comics they sent me. It looks like they only sent comic books, no trades. I wonder why? I was expecting to get two or three trades in this month's shipment.

...

Kare Kano Book 4 - I finally started reading it. I think I bought it back in December. They've introduced a bratty new character, Tsubasa, from Arima's past. So I guess in a way she isn't new, but it is her first appearance in the series. She is very cute, used to getting her way, and in the past was good friends with Arima. He thought of her as a younger sister. When Arima introduces Yukino as his girlfriend Tsubasa goes kind of nutty. So far so good. At the same time Maho is still trying to freeze Yukino out by convincing all the other girls in their class to not talk to her.

I think Tsubasa is the first serious challenge (from another girl) to Yukino's relationship with Arima. Can't wait to see how this plays out.

03/10/05

Batman: The Long Halloween - A killer starts bumping off members of Gotham's organized crime families. Batman (with help from Comissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent) investigates. Joker, Catwoman, Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and the Mad Hatter put in appearances. Nearly everyone is a suspect, including Harvey Dent.

The art, by Tim Sale, is gorgeous. I wish I knew more about the technical aspects of art so I could describe it properly.

The story is okay, it has its moments. The ending leaves me mystified and chilled. I think the writer, Jeph Loeb, put too many elements into the story. Its not a bad effort, but I think it would have worked much better if the story had been more focused. I can see how it might satisfy people if they read it one chapter at a time. It reminds me of one of those Hollywood blockbusters that has a ton of stars in it but still manages to come up short. Its fun to read but leaves me feeling less that satisfied on some levels.

03/15/05

I've been looking at the DC Comics solicitations for June. Not much jumps out at me. I figure I will buy Justice League Elite # 12, the last in this limited series. I also plan to order Breach # 6, latest issue in this ongoing series. I like what I've read so far, just the first issue. I've got # 2, I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

Kissing John Byrne

What is up with JB? Two (Doom Patrol and Blood of the Demon) of the three titles he draws for DC have characters kissing on the cover. In both cases one of the characters looks passionate and the other suprised. Well, maybe not in the case of Doom Patrol # 13. After all, how can a robot look suprised? Still I may just buy the issue based on the cover. It will probably be awful, but that passionate kiss on the cover does things for me. :P

Just for reference sake here is the other kissing cover, Blood of the Demon # 4.

What else?

Well, Solo # 5 is done by Darwyn Cooke. The only other issue in this series that I bought was the Tim Sale ish. Well worth it and I expect this one will be too. It features stories starring two non-powered types from the DCU, Slam Bradley and King Faraday, both of whom played a role in what I think was the best miniseries of 2004, DC: The New Frontier, which of course was also written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke.

That's about it, from DC. Nothing else really catches my eye. Although the new JSA/Hawkman trade that collects the Black Reign story line is tempting, but I probably won't preorder it.

Aside from DC there is a neat article over at Newarama about Phil Hester's new mini-series published by Devil's Due, The Stronghold. It won't be out until August, but it looks really cool to me.