Reading Comics #124 "Reading FCBD 2014"

Atomic Robo (Red 5)
I'm on record for loving me Atomic Robo.  Earlier this year I read every other FCBD offering featuring the most awesome Tesla-inspired fighting robot in comics (recapped here).  In the eighth installment of this peculiar series, there is, alas, no Dr. Dinosaur (what's up with that?).  Maybe it's because I just read all those, but this time it seems a bit been there done that.  Although I still recommend Robo to any and everyone.  Red 5's other samples aren't very inspiring, either.  They be a small publisher for a reason, yo.

Bongo Free-for-All (Bongo)
Featuring nothing but the Simpsons (plus a weak nod to Futurama on the back cover that's actually nearly as much a nod to...Archie).  The first tale features Bart and Milhouse trying to accidentally gain superpowers, like they do in comics.  The one real result is Milhouse's hair becoming amazing.  Then there's a Spy vs. Spy (a classic feature of Mad Magazine) featuring Itchy and Scratchy.  Then there's a Mr. Burns story that has some fun with the idea of his being "the best boss in the world."  Then back to Bart and Milhouse, imagining the behind-the-scenes of Krusty Burger.  Then more superhero adventure-type things.  Then a "Where's Waldo" feature with Ralph from Sergio Aragones!  Simpsons comics are always good stuff!

(Help the CBLDF) Defend Comics (CBLDF)
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund helps you take comics more seriously than you every thought possible, and this handy special helps you understand exactly how!  Highlight, for me, is an excerpt from Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's excellent Comic Book Comics (later reprinted as Comic Book History of Comics) featuring the (in)famous tale of Fredric Wertham, the man who declared war on the medium in the 1950s.  Although since it takes up the bulk of the issue, this isn't such a difficult accomplishment.  The other highlight features Sergio Aragones again, as well as Mark Evanier, Tom Luth, and Stan Sakai (a sequence originally featured in CBLDF Presents: Liberty Comics #1) in a series of examples of people being silly about comics (and not in a debating-who-would-win kind of manner).

The Dumbest Idea Ever! (Graphix)
Excerpted from a longer work, this is actually...kind of...a fictional account...of how this...thing...was created...in the first place.  Not greatly impressed, but maybe the whole thing is better?

Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel)
This one is basically, with the title feature, a primer on the comic book version of the team (likely comparable to the movie version hitting theaters this summer) from Brian Michael Bendis.  Not hugely inspiring, but I guess you don't expect a lot from something like this, especially since it doesn't even get the whole issue.  The next segment belongs to Jim Starlin and Thanos, two names that historically have gone very well together, and is an excerpt from the Thanos: The Infinity Revelation graphic novel.  Either it's not the greatest excerpt, or it's not the greatest pairing of these two.  Hard to say.  Then there's a silly Spider-Verse excerpt from Dan Slott.  I just don't know what to make of Slott's overall vision for Spider-Man.  This is how he chooses to follow-up Doctor Spider-Man?  I know I'm not usually Marvel's biggest fan, but this was not a hugely inspiring FCBD offering.

The New 52: Futures End #0 (DC)
I haven't been reading the latest DC weekly series, but it's an undeniably good idea, making a whole bunch of characters who don't necessarily have viable homes in the current landscape suddenly relevant, headlined by Grifter and, especially with this special preview, Batman Beyond in his official continuity debut.  I'm a DC guy, and it's always nice when there's full-issue new material from anyone for FCBD, so it's especially nice for new material for a major new project available.  This is the way it's done.

Previews: What's @ Comic Shops (Diamond)
Ideally everyone who wasn't already familiar with reading comics as a hobby picked this one up.  It's an excellent primer.

Project Black Sky (Dark Horse)
As part of Dark Horse's latest attempt at jump-starting a superhero franchise, this is possibly also its first ever major crossover event, featuring Captain Midnight and Brain Boy in starring roles (also involved are Ghost and X, both of whom have been part of past attempts).  The writer is Fred Van Lente, who was a considerable favorite of mine back when he was working at Marvel but another of those creators who've been floating around looking for ideal context again.  Captain Midnight, by the way, is a pastiche on Captain America.  That's the hardest thing to overcome with this story.  Otherwise probably a pretty smart gamble on Dark Horse's part.

The Rise of the Magi #0 (Top Cow)
I think this is an irredeemably terrible title for the project, but the actual comic isn't too bad, finally a Top Cow idea that doesn't have anything to do with the Artifacts concept cobbled together from characters like Witchblade and the Darkness (Think Tank is the other notable attempt for the publisher to break out of its bubble).  As for what it is, Magi is a fantasy concept.

Rocket Raccoon #1 (Marvel)
It is what it is.  Groot comes off best.  Hey, did you know he's Groot???

Shigeru Mizuki's Showa: A History of Japan (Drawn & Quarterly)
Excerpted from a larger work, this was one of the best things I read from all my selections.  This special features the best look at Japan during WWII from a sympathetic point of view since Letters from Iwo Jima.  Anyone still trying to reconcile the country we know today with the one that attacked Pearl Harbor ought to consider having a look.

Steam Wars #1 (Antarctic Press)
The biggest pleasant surprise of the whole bunch, one I hesitated a great deal picking up because I feared it would be terrible.  But it's awesome, it really is, a variant on Star Wars that completely nails it.

Teen Titans Go! #1 (DC)
Yes, DC and Marvel each get two selections, one for kid readers and one for whoever reads comics otherwise.  Based on the cartoon that was actually brought back a few years ago, this was another highlight for me, unexpectedly written by Sholly Fisch of all people, the guy who was doing all those excellent backup features during Grant Morrison's run on Action Comics.  Good fun.

The Tick (New England Comics)
Aside from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Tick is the most famous indy character in comics, having successfully (to a much more limited extent) completed the leap to television both in animated and live action (a series that starred Patrick Warburton).  This latest FCBD offering details every previous release in the free series.  In a just world, The Tick would be more famous.  Good stuff.

Valiant Universe Handbook 2014 (Valiant)
Dry reading featuring bios for a set of characters who've had a thousand chances to catch on (they were among Dark Horse's previous superhero attempts, for instance).  This was perhaps not the best way to go about FCBD, but it's at least a handy reference that can be looked through later.  Just not right-now-kind-of-later.

Worlds of Aspen 2014 (Aspen)
Looks at new series Zoohunters and Damsels in Distress.  Neither look like great, per say.

2000 AD (Rebellion)
One of the longest-running comics outlets is British and an anthology that's released every week (up to nearly two thousand issues!), known as the birthplace of Judge Dredd, who is coincidentally the star of the standout story from this special.  The creator responsible is actually Chris Burnham, the artist who collaborated with Grant Morrison during the final run of both Batman Incorporated and Morrison's long Batman run as a whole.  The last pleasant surprise, as I'd never really had an opportunity to fully appreciate Dredd before; Burnham's story did an excellent job explaining the character's appeal.