The Week In Ink: October 7, 2009

In what is quite possibly the most frightening thought you’re likely to encounter in this Spooktoberfest season, none of the comics I picked up this week involved someone getting kicked in the face. So it looks like we’re just going to have to content ourselves with the undeniable majesty of…

The Grimmstache

 

 

Straight up, you guys: That thing is fantastic.

And it’s just one of the many wonders to be found as we enter yet another round of the Internet’s Most Lemmyesque Comics Reviews! Here’s what I picked up this week…

 

 

…and here’s what I thought about ’em!

 


 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #29: For the past few months, my opinion on Buffy has been steadily inching towards the point where I just quietly stop reading it, and despite the fact that it’s got a pretty cool cover and genuinely neat ending, this one didn’t do a whole lot to stave that off. The problem is what’s between those two high points, and like the rest of the series of late, it all comes down to the fact that its just plodding.

I mean really: I didn’t like the idea of Buffy & Co. fighting the government to begin with–Season 4, where they did that the first time around, had some of the best individual episodes but the worst overall arc–but that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily bad. And yet it comes off here as not only incredibly boring, but the idea that a bunch of depowered Slayers can successfully fend off a tank squadron for long enough to engineer an almost-literal Deus Ex Machina is… well, “unrealistic” is the wrong word when you’re dealing with a comic about super-teenagers who fight vampires, but when the setup for it comes in the form of a slipshod training montage cribbed from Gymkata, I think it’s pretty clear that there’s a problem.

But far be it from me to complain without offering solutions, and while I’m loath to criticize the work of Jane Espenson, as she is certainly someone I’ve heard of, I think the problem here might be that she’s looking for inspiration in the wrong places. Perhaps she should instead turn to the most respected poet of my generation:

 

 

 

 

Think about it, won’t you?

 

Ghost Riders: Heaven’s On Fire #3: No sooner had I published my review of the last issue of this one when I got a text message from Benito Cereno informing me that the character I’d identified as Killdozer was, in fact, Trull the Unhuman, a pre-FF Marvel monster that was a shameless rip-off of Killdozer, but–as he was a Lee/Kirby creation–way more ridiculously awesome. For those of you who don’t want to click the link (a surprising number of my readers, it seems), Trull is a malevolent alien spirit who came to earth and decided that a good way to terrorize the populace was to possess a steam shovel.

That is the full extent of his plan, although to his credit, the shovel does look like it has angry eyes. And now he’s back to fight two guys who ride motorcycles while they are on fire.

Clearly, this is rad, and the fact that it’s like the third best thing to happen in this issue perfectly captures the sort of love for the crazy, awesome, and crazy-awesome that comes through so well in Jason Aaron’s work for Marvel, and especially in his tenure on Ghost Rider. He’s made the Anti-Christ fun again.

 

Sherlock Holmes #5: And now, the part of the evening where I remind you that I totally spotted the crucial clue to the mystery way back in the first issue:

Ha ha ha! I am the smartest! It is you who are the fools!

Okay, okay, enough of that. It’s not like there’s not enough of my truly boundless display of ego on this website already. Back to the flimsy premise that I refer to as a review.

This issue wraps up Leah Moore and John Reppion’s mystery starring the world’s second-greatest detective, and now that it’s all said and done, it’s been thoroughly entertaining. The idea of Sherlock Holmes having to solve a crime that he was framed for, the fact that it involved an intricate assassination plot that was wrapped up in everything from Moriarty to the international politics of the Victorian Era, the appearance by Mycroft, all of it just adds up to something that’s really fun to read, with a nicely done Big Reveal to wrap everything up. And that’s probably the best thing of all: Everything just works. I may have mentioned already that I spotted a pretty important clue on my first read-through, but the fact is that that was only part of the mystery, and I was more impressed with the fact that Moore, Reppion, artist Aaron Campbell and letterer Simon Bowland were able to put in something that could’ve only worked in comics. It all adds up to a very good package.

Which isn’t to say that the series has been without its faults, and chief among them is the fact that it’s rooted in a mildly false premise, which is that Sherlock Holmes is only taken into custody because he pulls a rank amateur move and is completely flustered when the police burst in on a locked-room mystery. They go so far as to address this in the script–Holmes actually says “contrary to Watson’s writings, I am not wholly beyond bewilderment”–but that in itself is more of a cheat than the event itself. “Watson’s writings” are, of course, the original stories which were written from Watson’s point of view, and in saying that those were wrong, Moore and Reppion are attempting to supplant Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes with their own version. I don’t consider myself much of a Holmes purist–I’m a long-time fan of the novels and I’ve got a nice set of annotated editions, but that’s about it–but if you’re explaining a plot hole by saying that Doyle got it wrong, I don’t think that’s a satisfactory explanation.

But a story about Sherlock Holmes being framed, imprisoned, and put on trial has to get him into the jail somehow, and if you can get past a slightly ham-handed way of doing it, there’s certainly quite a bit to enjoy here.

 

Spider-Man 1602 #1: I’ll be honest with you, folks: I have absolutely zero interest in the 1602 titles. The original mini-series is among Neil Gaiman’s worst work with an ending that reads like a last-minute rewrite to allow for further exploitation of the franchise, and there’s nothing to come out from it since that’s swayed my opinion on that.

But here’s the thing: A few years ago, when my mother had a heart attack, Jeff Parker–a writer that I liked but didn’t know very well at all–was the first person to leave a comment wishing her well. With that simple act of kindness, that guy earned my loyalty a hundred times over, to the point where I’ll read anything he writes. Not that that’s been a terrible chore or anything–his comics are pretty much universally awesome–but the point is that under almost any other writer, even someone whose work I enjoyed, I wouldn’t have given this one a second look.

But I did, and I’ve gotta say, it’s good stuff. Again, that’s not a surprise–Parker’s Parker, and just flipping through you can tell that Ramon Rosanas does a great job with the art–but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, with a solid story that has an actually surprising twist to set the stage for the rest of the series. Then again, it was never the premise of 1602 that bugged me as much as how it was handled. I like a good elseworlds story as much as the next guy, and to be honest, anything that adds another J. Jonah Jameson to the universe can’t be all bad.

 

ISB BEST OF THE WEEK

 

 

Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter: Beta Ray Bill is a horse from space with Thor-powers and a hammer with which he hits things.

Galactus is a big dude in a giant helmet from space who eats planets and generally makes people sad.

In this, they fight with space explosions, because Kieron Gillen knows what the people want.

 

Dark Reign: Fantastic Four: If anyone out there has decided to take my constant praise to heart and jump on Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham’s run on Fantastic Four–which you really should, as the issues that are out have been incredible–then you should probably know that Hickman’s run actually gets its start here.

The whole thing ends, as you might expect if you’ve read FF, with Reed Richards deciding to just go ahead and fix everything that’s wrong with the world, but it’s the way that he gets there that’s the focus here. I’ve mentioned before that Reed is the definite focus in the ongoing, but here he plays a far more passive role–he’s just an observer for most of the book–while the rest of the family has this huge, rollicking adventure where they’re thrown through parallel worlds with counterparts that include Sue as a Wild West gunslinger and the majesty that is Chamberlain Grimm, with the high point being Franklin and Val having a stand-off with Norman Osborn and the Dark Avengers.

Cross-dimensional introspection, clobbering, child endangerment… In four issues, it’s got pretty much everything you want to see the FF do, and while it’s not strictly necessary for enjoying what comes after, it’s well worth picking up.

 


 

And that’s the week! As always, if anyone’s got any questions about anything I read this week, like whether Criminal: The Sinners is awesome (yes, it is, but you should know that already), then feel free to ask in the comments section below!

32 thoughts on “The Week In Ink: October 7, 2009

  1. No Amazing Spider-man? Despite the return of a certain villain whom I believe you’re a (somewhat ironic) fan of? Not that I blame you, the subject matter is enough to put anyone off

    Anyway. Does the Beta Ray Bill TP include the prologue one shot?

  2. No Amazing Spider-man? Despite the return of a certain villain whom I believe you’re a (somewhat ironic) fan of? Not that I blame you, the subject matter is enough to put anyone off

    I decided not to get it and then found out who was coming back. I’ll probably end up reading it at work, because c’mon. How can I resist?

    And yes, “Green of Eden” is in there too.

  3. Wait, wait, Planetary 27 actually came out?! I thought that thing was a myth, like an issue of Anita Blake where something actually happens!

  4. Wait, wait, Planetary 27 actually came out?!

    The Apocalypse is upon us. Soon enough, Greg Land will draw a female figure that isn’t traced from a porno, and Alan Moore will write a comic for Marvel, and the Horsemen will ride out.

  5. Too much content and not enough links to other stuff. Using a mouse is the only exercise I get in a day, Chris, so why do you want me to be unhealthy?

    Lemmy, you say? My first thought was Clay Morrow. Somehow I just find Ben looking like a lovable murderer made of violence and rage reassuring.

  6. Nothing on X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas? There was double the Parker goodness this week.

  7. Hi Chris,

    firstly thanks for the great Holmes review; really glad you enjoyed the issue and the series.

    I’m going to chime in in our defence here and say that we haven’t said that “Doyle got it wrong” but that “Watson sometimes gets it wrong” which is something that Doyle (via Holmes) stated several times. In The Sign of Four, for example, Holmes makes the following comment after reading one of Watson’s accounts of their adventures:

    “I glanced over it. Honestly, I cannot congratulate you upon it. Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. You have attempted to tinge it with romanticism… The only point in the case which deserved mention was the curious analytical reasoning from effects to causes, by which I succeeded in unraveling it.”

    The fact that many of Watson’s accounts give names in cases where complete confidentiality has supposedly been assured would also seem to indicate a degree of fictionalisation. Therefore it can be argued that although Watson’s writings are based upon the real cases, their details are not 100% correct.

    What we were trying to do with the series was give a glimpse of what an un-edited story might look like. It’s not nearly as neat and tidy and, of course, Watson himself doesn’t even have all the facts. The only man who ever knows ALL the details is Holmes himself.

    Cheers

    John

  8. Since I think you read the Ellis X-book, when did Cloak & Dagger join the X-Men?

    Norman recruited them into his Dark X-Men team in the Utopia crossover, then they defected over to the Non-Dark team towards the end of the story.

  9. Nothing on your thoughts of the contents of Nick Fury’s to-do list?

    also [insert random why the fuck haven’t you read REBELS yet comment].

  10. Hey, Chris — I hope you will read this not as nerd-style picky pedantry, but instead as constructive criticism intended to make the awesome awesomer:

    You want “hie thee hither,” and not “hie thee hence,” in that alt-text.

    “Hence” means “away from here.” (“Get thee hence” is “geddowdaheah.”) “Hither” means “toward here.” (“Come-hither eyes,” &c.)

    You’re such a funny writer that I want to see you getting your Renaissance shit right.

  11. Holy %$#&, it’s John Reppion!

    And I only point out that because (not to pick sides Chris! :) ) I do agree with him, it’s not so much saying that “Doyle got it wrong”, more to say that Watson often so fanatically admires Holmes that he probably often goes overboard when recounting his awesomeness.

    Anyway, I too thought it was a worthy new chapter for the world’s second greatest detective.

  12. I’ve read a few reviews that said the post-Frank Quitely issues of B&R haven’t been as good, not only because of the new art but because Morrison’s writing hasn’t been as strong. Is it true, Chris? I haven’t picked up an issue since #3.

  13. “why do I get the feeling Planetary is being saved for WarRocket”

    because there were big red arrows on his shopping list that said it was.

  14. “I’m going to chime in in our defence here and say that we haven’t said that “Doyle got it wrong” but that “Watson sometimes gets it wrong” which is something that Doyle (via Holmes) stated several times.”

    Y’know every so often Trekies, comic fans etc scare me and then I remember what the Baker Street Irregulars are like. Hats off to all of you, your geekery puts us all to shame.

  15. Nothing on X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas?

    It didn’t ship to my store this week, as apparently there was an error with Diamond. Hopefully we’ll get ’em next time!

    What we were trying to do with the series was give a glimpse of what an un-edited story might look like. It’s not nearly as neat and tidy and, of course, Watson himself doesn’t even have all the facts. The only man who ever knows ALL the details is Holmes himself.

    Thanks for coming by, John! To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about your story being a “less tidy” version of events that would be cleaned up for publication by Watson; my reading of the orignals tends to be pretty literal to the text, and you make a good point about whether or not Watson’s a 100% reliable narrator. He did get Holmes’s death wrong in “The Final Problem,” after all. In either case, it’s like I said: “The Trial of Sherlock Holmes” was a very entertaining read, and I appreciate the clarification!

    Nothing on your thoughts of the contents of Nick Fury’s to-do list?

    Oh man, I thought it was great. It was also interesting to see Ed McGuinness draw a story that–while it still had Nick Fury and robots and super-villains and all that jazz–was less rooted in traditional super-heroics than you usually get from him. The grittier coloring on the story really made it look different from what he usually does, and the effect was very nice.

    Hey, Chris — I hope you will read this not as nerd-style picky pedantry, but instead as constructive criticism intended to make the awesome awesomer:

    It’s nice to have hopes, isn’t it?

    I’ve read a few reviews that said the post-Frank Quitely issues of B&R haven’t been as good, not only because of the new art but because Morrison’s writing hasn’t been as strong.

    I think Morrison’s writing has been just fine. It does seem a little less complex for this arc, but that could be a function of G-Mo writing for a different artist than Quitely, whose skills allow him to handle a different style of action, which–and I don’t think I’m shocking anyone here when I say this–is as task that Tan might not be up to.

    How was The Incredibles?

    Highly enjoyable. Landry Walker, of Supergirl’s Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade fame, is cowriting with Mark Waid, and there’s a lot of fun stuff going on there. I do think, however, that it’s a bad move to have a #1 issue that so directly follows a setup that they established in #0. Even though they’re sequential and meant to be read, anything with “#1” on the cover should start something rather than continuing it.

    Not a fan of Batman and Robin this week huh?

    I liked it a lot, actually. The Flamingo looks like he might just be the sensational character find of 2009.

    Just because I don’t review something doesn’t mean that I don’t like it. In fact, if there’s a Morrison issue of a Batman title that I don’t like, that’s probably unusual enough that I’ll want to mention it.

  16. A question about Savage Dragon, since you’ve pick it up every month since the Obama cameo but haven’t actually posted about it. I’ve never been that interested in it, but I picked up the FCBD book, issue 148, a while back to see if maybe I’ve been missing out on something good, and it did nothing whatsoever for me. Piles and piles of exposition combined with really contrived (if enjoyably ridiculous) twist, plus half the issue was “HEY LOOK! IT’S DAREDEVIL!”

    So, I guess my question is, was that representative of Larsen’s usual work, or should I give it another chance?

  17. I loved Dark Reign FF so much that it’s going to take a lot for Hickman’s run on the regular series to top it. Not even all the Reeds (including that one that looked like Bouncing Boy) and their Ultimate Nullifiers has quite done it yet.

    Well, that and I have very little use for Reed unless he’s in his lab creating a plot device and growing some stubble in the process, so having a whole gaggle of him appeals to me a lot less than Black Susan and Chamberlain Grimm. That said, Hickman’s FF (like pretty much everything he does) is still awesome and worth buying.

  18. re: The Incredibles #1
    “Highly enjoyable. Landry Walker, of Supergirl’s Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade fame, is cowriting with Mark Waid, and there’s a lot of fun stuff going on there. I do think, however, that it’s a bad move to have a #1 issue that so directly follows a setup that they established in #0. Even though they’re sequential and meant to be read, anything with “#1″ on the cover should start something rather than continuing it.”

    Glad to hear it. And I completely agree on the startingness of #1’s. I had actually forgotten there was a #0, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

    Thanks for the response!

  19. “Parker’s Parker”

    Do you mean Jeff Parker is Jeff Parker or Peter Parker is Peter Parker? Unless…

    Surely you aren’t insinuating that Peter Parker is Jeff Parker‽

  20. Play with your own horse online! I’m going to go write some Beta Ray Bill vacations in North of North fan fic right now.