Nextwave v1, She-Hulk v3

Nextwave v1: This Is What They Want - and it is awesome. Finished reading it last night on the metro. I loved it and I want more, despite the fact that I thought the story lagged in chapters 2 and 3. I'm not sure why it lagged but I don't feel like going back to figure out why.

So I want more Nextwave. Hopefully v2 won't disappoint me like v2 of Young Avengers did. I thought the first six chapters of YA were really good and then it turned into an after school special in v2. Still can't figure that one out.

What worked in Nextwave v1 is the humor, the character interactions, the outrageous weapons, and the artwork (pencils, inks, and colors); or at least those are the things that come to mind most readily.

She-Hulk v3: Time Trials - Only just started reading this today. The first chapter is fun. I'm not wild about the artwork but I like the writing and the artwork isn't dog-awful. I like the comic book jokes, especially the way they used the "waiting for the trade" line. So far not much else to report on. Its fun, its light, the artwork if so-so, I want to keep reading it. Hopefully the rest of the book will be just as fun, light, etc.

recent reading

Fruits Basket v1 - Finished it for the second time. This time I want more. Gonna have to buy v2.

Nextwave v1 - Read chapters 1 - 4. I bought the first issue when it came out a couple years ago. I liked it and resolved to buy the trade. Rereading chapter 1 for the second time I was similarly impressed. It showed a lot of potential (once again) and I was primed to enjoy the next five chapters. Unfortunately I was not similarly impressed by chapters 2 and 3. They did not leave a favorable impression on me. Chapter 4 was great and restored my faith in this series. After chapter 3 I was seriously thinking that I would not buy v2: the series is just two volumes, 12 issues. I can see now that chapter 3 was a set up for chapter 4. Two more chapters to go and once again I have high hopes which hopefully won't get smashed.

So what did I like about ch 4?

*** SPOILERS ***

• Elsa Bloodstone screaming at the Captain (p. 3)
• the Captain's origin (pp. 5-7)
• Aaron's telescopic eye, Tabitha's comment on it, and what she does to it (pp. 13-14)
• how first Tabitha and then Aaron react to the discovery that Mangel is a cop (p. 19-20)
• Monica misunderstanding the intentions of the citizens who offer to "look after" of Officer Mangel (p. 21)
• lots of humor throughout, which I felt was sorely missing in chapters 2 & 3