Favorite Panel Friday: Astonishing X-Men

Some people have criticized Joss Whedon's work on Astonishing X-Men, saying he tends to shoehorn certain quirks into his characters or that his rat-tat-tat dialogue has become a repetitive trademark.

All I know for sure is that Whedon, along with series artist John Cassaday, made me fall in love with the X-Men all over again.

This isn't a blind love, though - I'm fickle, and my affection is reserved just for Astonishing. The art has been across-the-board gorgeous — just look at that panel from Astonishing X-Men #20 — with expressions and body language that work like a second layer of dialogue.

And about that dialogue: The playful banter, the quick retorts, the tough-guy posturing are all elements I remember making me an X-Men fan in the first place. I think it's pretty obvious Whedon's a fan himself, and that's not a bad thing at all, especially since he seems to not only love the X-Men, he gets them. Cyclops sounds like Cyclops, but he also sounds like Scott. In Whedon's scripts the characters not only sound like superheroes, they also sound like real people who just happen to have super-powers.

In a way, I think that's what the X-Men is supposed to be about.

So, smarty-pants, you might have noticed that after all this talk about dialogue ... there isn't any in the panel above. That's because Whedon not only writes fun patter, he also crams more raw action into a single issue than you'll find in just about any other monthly comic out there.

Aliens with blasters and eye-whiskers! Kitty goes all ninja and uses her phasing power at the same time! And Colossus hits a guy so hard he hits the ceiling!

DUDE PUNCHES A GUY INTO THE CEILING!

That pretty much speaks for itself.

Astonishing X-Men #20: Joss Whedon, writer; John Cassaday, artist

Nerdcules Unbound

Guess who got a new scanner for his birthday?




Maybe I should just apologize in advance ...

Giving up the Ghost

Ghost Rider, the latest in an apparently now-trendy line of superhero movies, is due to open Feb 16 and I have to tell you ... I'm pretty excited.

Ha! I kid! Actually, I can't stay far enough away from what already looks like a terrible movie that somehow manages to completely miss the core mechanics of what makes the character work (mostly) in comics.

Truthfully, it makes me a little sad. I remember watching a Spider-Man TV series that was awful - the webbing looked like clothesline and the eye-lenses could have been made from a colander - and I loved it. I own the Roger Corman version of The Fantastic Four, for the love of Aunt Petunia!

I'm an enormous fan of the Spider-Man movies, too, and I thought Superman Returns was everything it should have been.

But I've only seen the first X-Men movie. I haven't seen Hulk (though I loved the show). I haven't seen Fantastic Four (and I'm not really convinced I need to see Rise of the Silver Surfer). I haven't seen Daredevil. I haven't seen Elektra.

And I'm not going to see Ghost Rider.

Which brings me to a question: Why not? What is it that makes some movies - even the "bad" ones - so much fun to watch?

What makes a superhero movie good?

Holy Moley (what a great idea)!

Normally, I'm not a big fan of just linking to a post on another blog, but everyone's favorite little stuffed bull has a hell of an idea and it should be supported whole-heartedly. Go read about it, why don't you - then pick up some extra copies of Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil if you can.


And one of these days I'll tell you how I spent hours and hours in my aunt's bookstore, and how she sparked a lifelong love of comics. Thanks, Aunt Lily!

P.S.: (And thanks for the cookies!)

Sha-wha?

I've been spending a disturbing amount of time thinking about Captain Marvel lately.

Now I've been a fan of of the corny Captain for a long time, ever since I first started watching his Winnebago-powered adventures on Saturday morning-television (even though I was often wishing they'd speed it up and get to Isis already). But being a fan of Captain Marvel means you're going to have questions, especially if you've been mainlining your recently acquired copy of Showcase Presents Shazam!

Why doesn't anyone notice Billy just got struck by lightning?

Is Captain Marvel a grown-up version of Billy, or someone else altogether?

If Marvel is just an adult Billy, how much of a dick is he for referring to himself in the third-person all the time?

And what the hell is this?!?

What?

What?!?

WHAT?!?

OH, C'MON!

I mean, seriously ... Pittsburgh?

A whole new ballgame

I demand more, Zdarsky, you magnificent bastard.

Also, I now want a pork sandwich.

Favorite Panel Friday: Wholly Spirit

You know one of the things I like about The Spirit? He gets the living hell beat out of him on a regular basis.

This is certainly true of Will Eisner's celebrated run with his best-known and oh-so-human character, and it seems as if Darwyn Cooke will continue the tradition in his updated version of The Spirit. Cooke has done a good job of capturing the happy-go-lucky figure of Denny Colt's alter-ego, and in The Spirit #2 he also shows one of the attributes that makes him a hero; he may take a beating, but he never stays down.

And holy crap, does he take a beating. What kind of hoods are these anyway, handing out moral tsk-tsks with their smackdown? That's just adding insult to multiple injuries, man.

Luckily, The Spirit's pain is our reward in what continues to be a well-written, snazzily drawn tribute that still manages to be fun and original. Cooke's work on The Spirit makes me want to go back and read the Eisner stories; believe me, I can't think of a higher compliment.

The Spirit #2: Darwyn Cooke, writer/artist

The Pull-list: 1-17-07

Is being iced in for two days going to stop this week's pull-list? Hell no (but I might be getting my comics late this week, dammit)!

52 #37: I think it's been established that, unless DC pulls a Kramer or does something idiotic like bring back Jason Todd (oops), I'll be getting this title each and every week. But c'mon, DC, would it kill you to keep up to date on your gallery? Where's this weeks' cover? There's nothing online after issue #36, and I have to admit that it makes me a little nervous. If the cover isn't ready, what kind of shape is the book in? I've got my fingers crossed that it isn't a bad sign and 52 will still be on schedule.

Conan #36: King Conan, Picts and a hot witch is really all I need to sell me on this, but it doesn't hurt that this is the second part of a storyline that started strong and managed to be in perfect tune with this series' version of the mighty barbarian. Plus, I'm preeeety sure somebody will be chopped up with a big-ass sword.

Conan and The Midnight God #1: Holy crap! I'll say this for Dark Horse - they keep the Conan comin'. I've been happy with most of the Conan minis that have been released alongside the regular run (with the exception of the mostly forgettable The Jewels of Gwahlur), so it's a safe bet that this will be worth picking up. Hell, it might be worth it for the Jason Alexander covers alone.

Desperadoes: Buffalo Dreams #1: I'm glad that Western comics - grittier and a little more conscious of history - have been enjoying a resurgence, and I'm not sure how I missed Desperadoes. Especially since the title first premiered in 1997! But Buffalo Dreams sounds interesting, and I'm willing to play catch-up for something that's had enough staying power to pop up periodically for the last 10 years. It'd almost seem rude not to.


Green Lantern #16: I've gushed over this title enough that, quite frankly, I'm a little embarrassed. But the art is great, it's the character of Hal Jordan at his Hal Jordaniest and it's a straight-up superhero comic that doesn't pretend to be anything else. And, unlike Green Lantern Corps, it's almost completely Guy Gardner free (seriously, why do people love that ... er, guy?).

The Spirit #2: This updated version of Will Eisner's legendary character works for one very simple reason: creator Darwyn Cooke gets it. In every panel and layout and line of dialogue, it's easy to see that Cooke is a fan, and that love for the character makes it seem almost as if the Spirit never left. Rebooting the Spirit could have easily been screwed up in a million different and painful ways - this book goes in the much more difficult direction by creating something new with all the heart of the original.

Favorite Panel Friday: Agents of Awesome

If that panel alone, with its dynamic artwork and compact-but-muscled writing, doesn't make you want to run out and read Agents of Atlas #6 ... seriously, I don't know what to do for you.

As I mentioned in a previous post (um, right under this one), Agents of Atlas is Marvel getting something right. The writing from Jeff Parker has been pitch-perfect from the beginning, supported well by Leonard Kirk's clean, expressive art, as well as subtly effective inking and coloring.

Aaaand ... that's about all that can be said without spoiling a clever and elegantly pulled off final issue of what has been a tight limited-series. Get out there and read it for yourselves - I promise you won't be disappointed.

Agents of Atlas #6: Writer, Jeff Parker; artist, Leonard Kirk

The Pull-List: 1-10-07

Huh ... it looks like another small week for the Post, but it promises to be chock-full of kick-assery. Without further ado (but with maybe a little zoom-zoom-zoom and a boom-boom), here's what this week's pull is shaping up like.

52 #36: I just realized 52 is about two-thirds of the way through. If my math is correct - and it almost never is - then this maxi-series should be just about in the last part of the traditional three-part story arch. Try to contain your excitement! Basically what I hope this means is that 52 will now start picking up the pace, putting pieces together and unveiling the big reveals that have been sat on for 36 weeks. Oh, and I know I cased on the interior art last week, but the covers? Gorgeous and iconic.

Agents of Atlas #6: Marvel has only deepend my antipathy for its stuff with the Civil War hullabaloo (now with added delays!), but somehow the publisher has discovered a secret elixer or sacrified a virginal goat because a lot of its recent limited series have been hitting it out of the park. Agents of Atlas wraps it up with this issue, and I've been waiting for it like it was four-color crack; it's a fun, modern adventure yarn with a wry string of retro threaded in, with characters that speak to the best of what Marvel used to be. Previous issues have really, really made me want to know what happens next, and isn't that what comics are supposed to do? If you haven't been buying the singles, be sure to pick up the trade when it comes out.

Justice Society of America #2: A friend of mine from the comic shop I used to work at turned me on to the JSA, and after reading all the trades in stock I was pretty much in love. I loyally started getting the single issues. I recommended it to anyone who was interested. And then that fickle bitch turned on me. For some reason, the title started sucking hard and I had to drop it. Luckily, they launched this new JSA title and it's just kooky enough to work. Please, JSA - don't break my heart again. Oh, and I was going to post a link to the preview, but it's actually a preview for Outsiders - and nobody needs that.

Utopiates: When I heard the name "Utopiates," my first thought was, "Urgh." I was prepared all the way down to the cockles to hate this book, expecting to find art that thought "indie" meant it was OK to be "crappy," and text that went through the same cyberpunk motions a million other writers have already exhausted. Utopiates, I owe you an apology. After checking out the preview I'm cautiously jazzed (yes, jazzed, damn you!) about this title. The art is obviously lovingly and thoughtfully rendered, and the gritty, near-future sci-fi plot - while familiar - is intriguing. If it doesn't fall apart halfway through, I can see this becoming a regular on the list.

Favorite Panel Friday: A job for ... wha'?!?

What's going on?!? I'll tell you what's going on - Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely continue to deliver their love letter to the Silver Age with All Star Superman #6, thickly laying on the wacky adventure with sharp spikes of poignancy and character development usually missing from that iconic time. This series is all of the fun, updated and minus the silly.

Plus, this is an issue that features a young Clark Kent, time travel, a couple of twists and turns, the above-mentioned Superman Squad and (are you ready?) Krypto the Superdog.

Krypto!!

This panel is only one of an easy handful I could've posted, so do yourself a favor and go pick up All Star Superman and get all the Silvery-Superman goodness you're missing.

All Star Superman #6: Grant Morrison, writer; Frank Quitely, artist

The Pull-List: 1-3-06

Wow - is this week small or what? Let's kick this midget, shall we?

52 #35: I might as well tell you now; this is going to be on the list until we reach #52. It's almost out of spite at this point, and I'll be damned if this mostly-entertaining-but-sometimes-slipshod title is going to beat me. You hear that, 52? Your stapled ass is mine. But can someone get some consistent art going in this thing? I haven't picked up 52 #34 yet (let's hear it for the holidays), but #33 started strong and then slid into artwork that made me laugh - and not in a good way.

All Star Superman #6: If it seems like you've been waiting forever for this issue of All Star Superman, it's not just the anticipation that comes from waiting for a well-written and creatively drawn superhero comic. It's because the last issue came out THREE MONTHS AGO! All Star Superman is supposed to be a bimonthly, but c'mon! Is it really going to be worth the wait? Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is.

Manhunter #27: I've got a pretty solid geek-crush going for Manhunter, and I like the way they've been drawing the character deeper into the DC universe. This title has been on my list since it started, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.