House of Mystery v5: #24

Under New Management
Part 4 of 4

by Matthew Sturges (writer), Luca Rossi (penciler), José Marzán, Jr (inker), and Lee Loughridge (colors)

The pace of the story seems glacially slow. This does not feel like a complete installment. It is all aftermath. Strawberry is dead and someone has to pay for it. The images are beautiful. It is a shame that the story doesn't rise to the same level.


Romantic Comedy (with Corpses)
by Matthew Sturges (writer) and John Bolton (artist)

The middle of this story was the best part. That's where it jumped the rails and seemed to be headed somewhere different. Unfortunately, in the end, it was very standard: girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back.

House of Mystery is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics

House of Mystery v5: #23

Under New Management
Part 3 of 4

by Matthew Sturges (writer), Luca Rossi (penciler), José Marzán, Jr (inker), and Lee Loughridge (colors)

This chapter is a 'tweener. More information is provided but not much is resolved. Fig seems to admit to herself that Strawberry isn't lying about his identity but publicly maintains that she doesn't know him. The only other moment of interest is one that transpires between Cress and Poet, although it isn't entirely clear what was in that syringe.


Sucked In
by Matthew Sturges (writer) and Sam Kieth (artist)

This is a beautiful looking story which doesn't seem to have a purpose or a destination. That is mildly disappointing considering who the artist is.

House of Mystery is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics

House of Mystery v5: #22

Under New Management
Part 2 of 4

by Matthew Sturges (writer), Luca Rossi (penciler), José Marzán, Jr (inker), and Lee Loughridge (colors)

A couple seeds are planted but most of this chapter is focused on the newcomer, Fig's brother, Strawberry. Whether he actually is her brother or nor not is unclear but he seems convinced of the fact.


Fig and Strawberry's Adventure in the Cloud Kingdom
by Matthew Sturges and Farel Darymple

This is the story that Strawberry tells Fig, in his attempt to jog her memory. It doesn't come across as entirely convincing, aside from the fact that it does sound and look like the sort of story a child might tell. As with many of the side-stories in this series, this one just seems to be getting started when it ends.

House of Mystery is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics

House of Mystery v5: #21

Under New Management
Part 1 of 4

by Matthew Sturges (writer), Luca Rossi (penciler), José Marzán, Jr (inker), and Lee Loughridge (colors)

Fig and the others, but mostly Fig, cope with the changes to the management and location of the House. The main characters (Fig, Cress, Cain, Ann, Jordan) seem more more peripheral in this chapter. They are in the story but for once they don't seem to be the ones that the camera is focused on. Instead it focuses on a newcomer, a cowboy, Blind Buck.

Rossi and Marzán do possibly their best work to date on this series. Although the backgrounds are sometimes spare to nonexistent the foregrounds, especially the facial expressions, are very expressively illustrated. As always Loughridge does an outstanding job with the colors.


Abomination
by Matthew Sturges (writer) and Sergio Arragones (artist)

Blind Buck tells a story from his past. Nothing much goes on here. It is a nice showcase for Arragones art but there isn't much else to this four-pager.

House of Mystery is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics

Scalped v1: #5

Hoka Hey
Part 2 (of 2)

by Jason Aaron (writer) and R.M. Guéra (artist)

Lots going on here, both in the present and in the past. Not much can be said without giving away important information. The focal points in the past reveal more about Red Crow and Bad Horse. In the present the focus is on Bad Horse and Carol. Someone is dead before the chapter ends. The killer's identity is implied but that may just be misdirection.

Scalped is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics

DC Direct Currents #24

Books shipping in January 1990

I dug this out of a long box yesterday. I'm not sure why I kept it but I'm not going to throw it away now. I've got more promotional material from DC and other companies, most of which is from the late 80s or early 90s.

There are check marks next to the two books that I bought at the time, Firestorm #95 and Shadow Strikes #6. Several years ago I bought the trade collection of the 3-part Adam Strange prestige mini-series. Damn good read, as I recall. I should reread it one of these days. I have the issue of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen which is featured on page 8.

Scalped v1: #4

Hoka Hey
Part 1 (of 2)

by Jason Aaron (writer) and R.M. Guéra (artist)

Great chapter. Lots of visual story-telling and wordless panels. The plot thickens as more is revealed. The chapter opens with a flashback to the mid-70s. Two characters that have already been introduced are part of the flashback. A few pages in it is clear that one of them still thinks about that day, by the end of the chapter is clear that it haunts them both. It was a pivotal moment in their lives.

Scalped is published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics