Monday, April 2, 2018
I haven’t seen many robins yet but the gold finches and woodpeckers have returned to our feeder. The snow is finally disappearing from our south facing back lawn so spring seems to be progressing as nature intended. There’s no stopping the tilt of the planet is there? I am looking forward to getting my bike out, putting on new tires and hitting the pedals.
I am currently reading Moonheart by Charles de Lint and having a grand old time. Some of it takes place in Ottawa and I get a kick out of knowing where all the locations are. One of the main characters in the story is a house located in the Glebe where I grew up. It left me scratching my head because the streets didn’t line up with the map in my head. I even used Google’s street view to clear up the confusion to stop the niggling feeling in my brain while reading. I had to beat down my inner nitpicker so that I could continue to enjoy the rest of the story. I highly recommend this fantasy.
I read a bunch of comic books Wednesday at the store between serving customers because there were no rack copies to borrow to take home. Thanks to Al, Becky, Charles and Rob for giving me permission to read their copies. I didn’t write any thoughts on these right after I read them like I do when I read comic books at home, but here is what I remember.
AVENGERS #686 – No Surrender part 11. The latest Hulk persona is established. We’ll see how long it lasts.
CHAMPIONS #18 – More major changes for Vivian Vision and the young team. This issue is also the swan song for the creative team. I look forward to seeing what the new writers and artists do.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #598 – Still looking for Tony Stark but getting real close to finding him now. Meanwhile, the Infamous Iron Man, Victor Von Doom, has his gauntlets full with the Hood and the Wrecking Crew.
JESSICA JONES #18 – This could be the final issue of Jessica Jones ever. It’s a very good one issue story where Jessica solves a missing person’s case. You should read the farewell that Brian Michael Bendis writes in lieu of a letters page. It gives a nice sense of closure.
MOON KNIGHT #193 – Marc Spector triumphant. Read it to find out how he does it.
DEMON: HELL IS EARTH #5 (OF 6) – Etrigan, Madame Xanadu, Merlin and Jason Blood keep fighting to keep Belial from opening a portal from Hell to Earth. It’s pretty boilerplate as mystical stories go but I really like the art.
HIT-GIRL #2 – Okay, this is just too freaking violent and nonsensical for me. Mindy/Hit-Girl acting the way she does in this new story made me disconnect from the character. She used to have some redeeming qualities but she’s just a homicidal maniac here.
Now back to our regularly scheduled musings.
Daredevil #600 – Charles Soule (writer) Ron Garney (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters). There are heroes and villains galore in this giant sized issue. I did not like the way the clash between Daredevil’s super friends and the Kingpin’s crime bosses bunch ended. It was too simple to have it all tied up in a neat bow by the NYPD. I was surprised by a couple of things though. Not having followed Daredevil religiously I am unfamiliar with who the Beast is. Then there was what happens to Mayor Wilson Fisk at the end. The shocking event serves to catapult the story to the next arc and is enough to keep me reading.
Doomsday Clock #4 – Geoff Johns (writer) Gary Frank (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Get close up and personal with the new Rorschach in this issue. I’m not getting the point of this story but the art is lovely.
Saga #50 – Fiona Staples (art) Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Fonografiks (letters). Sexually sensitive fans may be shocked by the first page. If they are, then the third page will give them conniptions. More adventurous fans will be Googling that poop. Life goes on for our intrepid gang of misfits following the afterglow, and we find out what’s in store for the future. Read this landmark issue to see why I am addicted to this comic book.
Detective Comics #977 – James Tynion IV (writer) Javier Fernandez, Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira (art) John Kalisz & Adriano Lucas (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). Batman Eternal part 2. They’ve given Tim Drake a more central role in this book and I like it. His connections to Batman, Batwoman and the Colony’s tech guy Ulysses makes for some very interesting plots going forward. Red Robin’s return is the main reason I kept this book on my “to read” list.
Silencer #3 – Dan Abnett (writer) John Romita Jr. (pencils) Sandra Hope (inks) Dean White & Arif Prianto (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). Code of Honor conclusion. I like this new character but it’s the familiar supporting cast that keeps me reading. Talia al Ghul always makes a story more interesting for me and the surprise guy on the last page makes next issue a must read.
The Terrifics #2 – Ivan Reis & Jeff Lemire (storytellers) Ivan Reis (pencils) Jose Luis (pencils pages 15-20) Vicente Cifuentes & Jordi Tarragona (inks) Marcelo Maiolo (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). The appearance of Tom Strong at the end of the first issue made me want to read this second issue. The last three pages of this made me decide to stop. There are many things that can motivate a group of super heroes to form a team but the one they come up with for these four characters made my eyes roll.
