That would be weird

Read The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 1 The Faust Act. collecting issues 1-5 of the series by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, with Matthew Wilson and Clayton Cowles. I was intrigued by the premise, but had passed on picking it up for a while until I read the Vanity Fair article on Wilson & Cowles contributions to the series in an article spotlighting the work of colorists and letterers. When it was released, I passed because I had tried another series featuring mythological gods returning in the modern world (God is Dead overseen by Jonathan Hickman at Avatar) and had been disappointed, and decided to wait until I heard some reviews before trying it, but I took a little break form new comics before I ever picked it up. Reading the Vanity Fair article reminded me I had been interested in it (and catching up on Gillen's e-mail newsletter that had piled up in my inbox while I was offline recovering form surgery renewed that interest), so when I saw a copy this weekend at Half Priced Books I picked up volume 1 to try.

The premise-"Every ninety years twelve gods return as young people. They are loved. They are hated.In tow years, they are all dead. It's happening now. It's happening again." was intriguing, but in comics ideas can be a dime a dozen, it all comes down to execution. Good ideas can still result in bad comics if not done well. It's not enough to have a good idea, you still have to craft and interesting story and tell it well. This is told well. I was drawn in by the first 2 issues, 3 and 4 were a little bit of a lull, bit 5 picked things up again and ended with a twist that hooked me. Some of the characters are still a little flat and underdeveloped, more icons than characters, not even really archetypes, but icons, but I think that is intentional, part of the thematic underpinning of the series, but the protagonist, our guide character is developed and is leading us through the journey of the story.

I am interested enough to pick up at least the second volume, but bits and pieces I picked up form Gillen's newsletter lead me to believe I may be in for a longer haul reading this.

-M

I read the first 2 volumes of Sweet Tooth, Jeff Lemire's post-apocalyptic Vertigo series (collecting issues 1-11) last night and this afternoon. Really good stuff. Lemire's art is quirky in that indy comic art zone, but he is a very good visual storyteller. I picked up Vol. 1 in a $5 trade box at the last con I went to (Jim & Dan's), read it last night and was hooked. So I was out and about in Dayton today, and stopped by the shop (Maverick's) whose table I bought it from, and they still had volumes 2-6 in the $5 trade box there, so I picked up all 5 and read volume 2 this afternoon when I got home. I suspect I will make my way through volumes 3-6 rather quickly.

-M

I really dig his creator-owned stuff, but I have found his big 2 stuff hit or miss. I haven't read a lot of his recent Marvel stuff, but I was in no hurry to check it out either.

-M

Greg Smallwood did a really interesting mini series for Dark Horse a few years back based on a character cursed with an aboriginal mask that caused him to slide into the Dreamtime and wake up in other bodies. It is otherwise a crime/vengeance story. I believe Jai Nitz was the writer, but I can't recall the title offhand. I really dug his work on that, but haven't seen any of his other work.

-M

Picked up a variant of Titans #7 this week as well as Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #3. I think this issue of Titans is a key one for fans of the characters. My biggest gripe about this series has been the Brett Booth artwork which I think is unpleasant to look at. This issue however was drawn by Lee Weeks not that I'm familiar with his work but for me it was a plus. The main reason I picked this up is it features a meeting between the original Wally West and pre-Flashpoint Superman. Also notable in this issue Donna Troy admits she has no knowledge of the events from the previous volume of Wonder Woman. (If only I could forget as well.) Additionally the reintroduction of Mal and Karen Duncan, the villain Psimon and Titans East Tower.



I've included 6 out or the 8 or 9 pages that feature the Superman Wally West conversation for those interested.

Past two days ive been reading the entire Inhumans vs X Men including the tie ins from Extraordinary X Men, Uncanny X Men, and All New X Men.

Now im tired.

but I still need to wrap it up with X Men Prime then Im going back to reading old original Uncanny X Men and X Factor