Reading Comics #134 "Bull Moose Bargains II"

The second (possibly of two) batch of comics I got for fifty cents each at my friendly neighborhood Bull Moose:

Justice League #26 (DC)
I used to have an excellent track record with this series.  I'd like to think I used to be one of its biggest fans (a statement not to be misunderstood as meaning I decided at some point I don't love it anymore).  But I lost track last year and have had a hard time getting back into it.  The whole Forever Evil event was something I failed to follow monthly, and so I skipped the majority of it.  Unfortunately that meant skipping out on a lot of Justice League, too, because throughout the event this series was directly tied into it.  So I've slowly started making my way back in.  This issue features an origin story for Power Ring, which allowed Geoff Johns to write an alternate version of the classic Green Lantern origin.  Obviously he had great fun with it.  Obviously it made me wish all over again that he was still writing Green Lantern.  The other most interesting element of the issue, for me, was the page dedicated to Deathstorm, who of course is the evil version of Firestorm.  This made me nostalgic for the great Stuart Moore Firestorm comics.  Anyway, a lot of fans had a hard time with Forever Evil.  I still don't get that.

The Mysterious Strangers #4 (Oni)
A while back I wondered whatever would become of Chris Roberson, who was part of a flood of writers who fled DC over creative rights issues.  Well, here he is again.  I have to admit, he impressed me here, turned the Beatles into accidental harbingers of a near-apocalypse, based on their Maharishi period (John Lennon receives the brunt of the blame).  The Strangers who help prevent it are a little less distinctive than that, but it was certainly interesting to read another comic based on classic 60s rock (after the Hawkeye issue that spun off from the Smile! project that was such an issue between Brian Wilson and the rest of the Beach Boys).

Nova #5 (Marvel)
You may recall how much I loved the first issue of this series, and how disappointed I was that subsequent issues didn't seem to catch the same vibe (and how I love Starlight so much in part because it does).  The cover to this issue

via IGN

strongly suggests that Jeph Loeb, before he abruptly left the series, actually did what I'd hope he would, and return to the emotional crux of Sam Alexander's quest to reconnect with his father.  But it's basically a case of bait-and-switch, alas.  There's a stronger link to Nova's appearance in the Original Sin prelude.  I suppose there's nothing wrong with the series if it doesn't have what I want to see from it.  You can enjoy it for other reasons.  But for me, if it doesn't feature what for me is clearly it best material, then I personally have no reason to read it.  And besides, Loeb left.  I don't see a point in sampling it again.  Feel free to give me a heads-up if any of that changes in the future, if you haven't given up on it like I have.

Steam Wars #2 (Antarctic)

I caught the first issue back on Free Comic Book Day and was surprised to find that I loved it a great deal.  So when the opportunity came around to read another one, I figured I might as well, right?  As the title may or may not imply to you, Steam Wars is Star Wars as steampunk.  It's from Fred Perry, who otherwise is better known for his long-running Gold Digger.  Alas, once again I am quasi-disappointed.  It's not particularly that the second issue is worse than the first, but I guess, for me, much more so than with Nova, the magic simply wore off.  But we'll always have FCBD!

The Unwritten #51 (Vertigo)

This was a series that perhaps was impossibly high-concept when it debuted.  Mike Carey envisioned Harry Potter as if Harry Potter himself were a real boy whose life inspired his author to create a fictional version of him.  The author disappears and Tom Taylor (our Harry; it strikes me as funny that DC later acquired the services of a writer named Tom Taylor, current writer of Earth 2) has to put up both with his celebrity status and the apparently very real magical life his father left behind.  As I said, almost impossibly high-concept.  When it launched I was hugely intrigued, but I wasn't sure Carey pulled it off, or I simply didn't stick around near long enough to find out if he had.  It's a series I definitely want to revisit in the trades at some point.  And it's also a series that came to an end last year without my realizing it, right around the time of a tie-in arc with the more popular Fables.  Kind of an inglorious end, being told in no uncertain terms you're not as success as that, so we'll bring that in to make the point clear, and then we'll cancel you.  It does seem as if Tom became Harry pretty literally by the end.  I guess I want to see how that happened.  As convoluted as my relationship with Unwritten was, I'm sad to have seen it go so relatively early.  Vertigo already had a Harry Potter kind of comic years ago, before Harry even existed, in Neil Gaiman and subsequent writers' Books of Magic.  Because I'm obliged to reference either Geoff Johns or Grant Morrison as often as possible, I'd love to see Morrison do an out-and-out magic series.  The dude did make himself known as a practitioner of chaos magic at one point...

Wonder Woman #22 (DC)

Clearly these bargain comics were/have been a great way for me to catch up with some series and/or creators I've been meaning to revisit.  Some of them have been ones that in other circumstances I would probably have been reading religiously.  This is one of those series.  I've been impressed with the level of quality Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang have brought to Wonder Woman, not the least for the apparent fact that this is much harder than it seems.  When Orion and/or the rest of the New Gods was brought into the mix, I was beyond intrigued, so it's nice to finally read some of that material.  This is one of those developments that seems like it should have happened a long time ago.  Maybe it's because Jack Kirby created his Fourth World with Superman in mind that someone didn't think of it sooner (although for some reason Darkseid long ago made the jump to Legion of Super-Heroes lore with the "Great Darkness Saga," while this much more logical conclusion remained ignored).  Anyway, half the reason Orion joined the narrative was as a way to link the series with the rest of DC proper, which was always the one stumbling block.  As great as Azzarello's run has been, it's also been isolated.  Orion serves as a romantic possibility, and therefore default rival for Superman, which became a thing last year and then became a whole series (Orion/Big Barda Superman/Wonder Woman).  Wonder Woman as a result also boasted the distinction of getting a jump on the New 52 version of the New Gods, which is fast expanding this year (Batman and Robin, Green Lantern, Infinity Man and the Forever People).  I skipped out initially because I didn't particularly want to see just Orion hanging around.  I wanted to see the whole line-up.  Rest assured, they're here this issue.  

X-O Manowar #13 (Valiant)

This is the series that won Robert Venditti the right to write Green Lantern.  I've meant to sample it ever since I learned he'd be succeeding Geoff Johns (a very tall order, one he's sometimes seemed up to) in that regard.  X-O is one of those heroes who keeps getting revived in the hopes he'll be a legitimate alternative to the DC/Marvel big leagues.  This does not appear to have been the best issue to sample.

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.