Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The Pull List (3-12-08): If you ain't got the Guts ...

Dooby dooby-dooo ... ya-ta-ta-tyaaaaa taa, mmm-mm, dooby doo — whoops!

Er ... on to the list!

Gutsville #3: I'm not sure what it is about this comic, but damn if it isn't a title that makes me squeal in delight whenever it actually comes out. (Yes, squeal. Shut up.) The art is unique, but also perfectly suited to the story it helps tell, a neat trick considering it's a story about a group of people who have lived for generations in the belly of some sort of sea monster. The art style and coloring give a combined sense of bioluminescence and a slightly unsettling mushroom trip, lending a feeling of the kind of claustrophobia you'd expect from living in a giant fish. The story itself seems well-thought out, and you can tell there's a lot of unrevealed back-story to build on. The dialogue, a blend of 19th century English and digestive tract slang, is also a highlight and the kind of detail that immerses you in the increasingly weird plot.

My only problem with Gutsville is how long it takes to get from issue to issue. This mini-series began in 2007 (May, I think) and is barely getting out issue #3? Annoying. Still, while I usually can't stand books that are this far off from anything that looks like a regular schedule, Gutsville is one of those books that seems to always be worth waiting for. Check out the (also infrequently updated) Gutsville site, where you can see some preview pages, too.


The rest ...

Atomic Robo #6

Booster Gold #7

Wonder Woman #18


Trading up ...
(Titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

Annihilation Conquest #5

Conan Vol. 5: Rogues in the House and Other Stories

Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse Vol. 2: It Only Hurts When I Pee


Maybe ...

Arab in America (trade paperback): This could be an interesting look at the kind of bigotry that's still alive and well in the U.S., especially given the current political climate.

Metro Survive Vol. 1: Manga that combines a subtle sense of Japanese horror with the "What would I do?" kind of question by putting a spineless man in charge of a group's survival after an earthquake strands them in the underground metro tunnels.

Serenity: Better Days #1: Aw crap. I love Firefly, but hated the last Serenity mini-series. Unless the writing gets better, this looks to continue the less-than-impressive history of Serenity comic books; check out the preview and judge for yourself.

Recommended ...

Comic Book Comics #1: Funny stuff by the guys who brought us Action Philosophers; if you consider yourself a comic book fan, pick it up. And look — a preview!

FLCL Vol. 1: I have an unhealthy love for the anime based on this manga, and the book might be even stranger than the nearly nonsensical cartoon that mashes together a coming-of-age story with an underlying sexual tension and giant robots. I'm not entirely sure this is a reprint of the original story, but if it is I'd say it's worth picking up. Wear a helmet, though, because your mind will be blown.

5 comments:

Eric said...

I SEEM to remember liking this series of which you speak, this Gutsville. However it has been SO DAMNED LONG since the last one, I'm not quite sure. Seriously, you undersold the whole "this thing never gets new issues." Add to that the fact that I'm waiting for trade before buying? Holy shit I'll be 90.

I ain't reading yer stinkin' preview either. I'm keeping hope alive despite all evidence to the contrary with these Serenity minis. Hopefully the damned covers will be pretty again at damned least. Maybe they willnae release ALL of the variants I want with ONE issue this time either ;-p

Anonymous said...

Ya know, I never did read all of the last Serenity series. I guess I just never got into it. I am going to pick up Better Days though because I've been pining for Firefly lately.

Maxo said...

Guy: Gutsville is excellent; it's really one of my favorite titles. I just wish it didn't take so freakin' long to come out! It's taken almost a year for three issues to come out, and that's not something I would normally put up with (but man, it's a good book).

Lisa: All I can say is, vaya con dios. I'm a huge Firefly fan, but that last mini-series was so disappointing it actually pisses me off. Either your or Guy are going to have let me know if it's any good this time around.

You know what I would love to see? An animated version of Firefly, something along the lines of the Star Wars series. That would be wicked awesome. Somebody make that happen!

Eric said...

I remember digging the vibe when I borrowed them from you, but was still hedging my bets a little bit to see where it was going, but that was sooooooo long ago now.

Yeah, I SHOULD give up. But, I'm a sucker. A total sucker.

I like the way you think buddy! Do it to it!

Anonymous said...

Ooooo an animated series would be fantabulous!