August 18 2010

Weekly Favorites

The Boys: Highland Laddie #1: I wasn’t sure what to expect from a side story about Hughie visiting his old home, but now that I’ve read through the first issue I’m sold.  I enjoy Hughie as a character and it’s good to see him get more face time.  Also; is this going to turn into a beer-swilling Scooby Doo/Hardy Boys/Marple parody?  Complete with transvestites and gas mask freaks? I sure hope so.

The Weird World of Jack Staff #4: The same guy who brought you Kane and Burglar Bill continues doing a tightly written and designed comic depicting what in my opinion is a smart, swirling Marvel Silver Age in Britain that never was.  There are three trades to catch up on, and they’re well worth it.  John Smith, Builder and Jack Staff, Britain’s Greatest Hero struggle to make a difference in a world about to be thrown out of balance by cosmic and occult forces!  Great character designs and story keep me hooked.

Rotten #7: Suspenseful and violent zombies-meets-frontier action.  Rotten has lots of grit and focuses on what I’ll call a ’secret agent’ in the service of the President, assigned to investigate strange outbreaks and unrest.  I especially recommend it to fans of the Deadlands RPG.

Pleasant Surprises

Marvel Universe vs Punisher #2: I skipped Marvel Zombies when it came out (and came out again [and again]).  This has been a pretty accessible way for me to read a story like it, and includes the crucial component of Punisher killing people.  Putting Wolverine’s claw on an arrow and shooting Hulk in the face with it was a nice touch.

Avengers Academy #3: ‘Scared Straight’ is a storyline that actually made me nostalgic for my school days.  While the Avengers get made out to be fuddy-duddies who can’t communicate or plan, I like the young stars, and I enjoy Quicksilver in this.

Batman Beyond #3: I’m very glad to see this series getting love.  The cartoon was classic and this is a worthy read for fans.  Tying the title in with more recent Batman events makes it all the more compelling!  Bruce Wayne of the future has quite a long history.

Trades to Watch Out For

The Child Thief: This Brom-enhanced tome of a novel is a bit less costly than expected, and casts a darker light on the Peter Pan story.

Seedless: More fun and nonsense from the guy that brought us Sharknife!  Should appeal to fans of Scott Pilgrim.