Comic Book Marathon

Bah, back in my day we didn't have blogs to discuss comics! We had IRC and UseNet! And we LIKED it! Right, onward then:

LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK TP

Back in the golden age of Usenet (say, 1994), a guy by the name of Elmo offered the following guarantee: if you buy an issue of Uncle Scrooge that includes Don Rosa's 12-part Life and Time of Scrooge McDuck serial and you don't like it, you could spit on him (Elmo, not Rosa). Fast forward 11 years later and I'm taking him up on the offer. Actually, I have read one of the albums and so I already know that it is a pretty good adventure tale, fun and exciting in a Disney Duck kind of way. Look out for it your local shop.

PLANETARY #23

You know, the funny thing about this title is that with each issue I expect to be amazed and surprised, and have not yet been disappointed. Can I say that about any other title? No, and that's why this is the one title where I cannot wait for the trade collection. This time around it's the origin of the Drummer, but the real surprises come from further filling in Elijah's history.

ART OF JOHN VAN FLEET HC

Back when Marvel's Epic imprint was still going strong, a little series called Clive Barker's Hellraiser blew this teenager's mind with gorgeous painted art by Scott Hampton, Miran Kim, Mark Chiarello, and this guy, the finest "light-n-shadows" artist of the group. Why he didn't catch on after that is beyond me*, but you can judge for yourself with this career retrospective. It collects most of his gorgeous cover work for DC, plus odds and ends from Star Wars, White Wolf, and elsewhere. Also includes his 13-page Matrix story. Absolutely gorgeous. (Published in 2001, available on discount from Bud Plant)

*Ok, maybe books with bad writing like Batman: The Chalice had something to do with it. But still . . .

ADULT SWIM SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES

FAN-tastic! But yeah, not comics, so, NEXT!

JLA CLASSIFIED #9 - I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League Part 6 (of 6)

And it comes to an end. Breakneck action, snappy banter, and heartfelt characterization, the creators of the BWAH-HA-HA-HA League go out with a bang. Simply marvelous.

THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN VOL. 2: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION

The writer of V For Vendetta and From Hell and the artist of Marshal Law present absinthe-as-comics writ super-large. It's a trip, man. Hallucinogens awaaaaaaaaay!

Other Stuff of Interest

SURROGATES #1 (OF 5) - WFTT. I've been a fan of Brett Weldele since Confessions of Cereal Eater Vol 2, so I'm hopeful on that basis alone.

RUNAWAYS #5 - WFTT

NAT TURNER #1 - WFTT

X-MEN KITTY PRYDE SHADOW & FLAME #1 (OF 5) - Paul Smith art, so WFTT? But bad reviews may convince me to just skip it altogether.

SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH #5 - WFTT. This looks like good nostalgic fun. Trade should be out soon.

BATMAN SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN TRINITY TP - Yeah, it was just too expensive this week to purchase a book that I've already read. The Matt Wagner art is quite nice, so I will add it to my collection eventually.


"Sounds like the time I stapled bologna to my face"
"No, it was more like the time I hammered the golf tee into my belly button."