The Struggles of Reducing My Comic List

 

Recently, I have been successful in getting myself a new job. Now, whilst this is cause for mucho celebration, and with it comes a higher salary, it does mean, that for the next 2-3 months, my finances will be stretched like never before.

Sadly this has meant I have looked at my monthly comic list in the hope I can reduce the number to something a bit more acceptable.



Before this attempted cull, my monthly list was around 35 however this doesn’t take into account that several of these were Marvel titles that are released every 2-3 weeks. With that in mind, I was probably nearer 40 a month. Nevertheless, some had to go and here is where tough decisions had to be made. Looking through my list, I realised I was hanging on to titles out of habit and had no real reason to hold on to them.

When I first started collecting comics, I only looked at DC titles. Thankfully, I eventually opened my eyes and now pick up many others, mainly from Marvel and Image. With my selection range widening, it does mean I have to be more selective in which ones I hold on to. For example, my intention is to hold on to only the mainstream DC / Marvel titles in order to keep up to speed on their top-level story arcs. With that in mind, there were some titles that were easier than others to cut.

Each of my comics made good arguments however the following are now gone.

X-Men Legacy – this has probably been one of the better Marvel NOW titles and has benefited from doing its own thing, not being too involved with the rest of the Marvel universe. However, that has also been its downfall in that it doesn’t feel like an ‘important’ title.

Detective Comics – maybe more experienced readers could clear this up for me however I get the impression Detective is not held in as high regards as perhaps it once was. Whilst Snyder’s Batman has received deserved praise, it has resulted in Detective becoming almost insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the New 52, none of the arcs have felt compelling and these have had to be paused for tie-in issues to Snyder’s Court of Owl / Joker storylines. Even with Snyder leaving present day Batman to concentrate on Zero Year, I’ve decided Justice League can fill the hole now left by Detective.

Green Lantern: New Guardians – this was dropped a couple of weeks ago however it is back on my list after reading positive reviews of #21, the first issue under new writer Justin Jordan. It is still on shaky ground as the title has struggled to maintain any form of consistency with its direction. Team members come and go, the reason for their formation changing, it makes me forget how they all got together in the first place.

Batman & Robin – this is the second time B&R has been dropped. With Robin’s death, I thought the constant changing of companion would create interesting pairings I hadn’t seen before, creating some intriguing new dynamics. Whilst this has been the case, I can only take so much of Batman moping around, acting depressed over his son’s death. Because of his loss, the tone of the title has been dragged down for too long. The ‘silent’ issue after Robin’s death was fantastic but it has gone on for too long. 

World’s Finest – again, the second time this has been dropped. I have held on to this title waiting for the eventual coming together of Earth 1 & 2, expecting a great pay-off. Sadly, this has still to happen and I will hang on to Earth 2 to keep this part of the DC Universe in my collection. Plus, is it me or is Earth 2’s Supergirl far too arrogant and cocky to be a title character?

Suicide Risk – I bought #1 of this title purely of its premise of police fighting a losing battle against super-powered villains. It was unlike anything else in my collection and all was going well until the last few pages reveal the lead cop be infused with super powers. In my opinion, this contradicted the basic selling point of the comic. The good guys were not supposed to have powers. It may seem like a minor complaint but I lost interest after that.

Jirni – I can’t remember why I selected this in the first place. #1 was the re-telling of a generic fantasy story told a hundred times before. See ya!

Whilst I was quite happy with getting my list into the 20’s, the past few weeks have seen new additions in Image’s Sheltered and Lazarus. Image have an annoying habit of releasing a steady flow of new titles of high quality and, even though some people have criticised them given how many dystopian titles they have, this doesn’t concern me at all.

Yes, the likes of Walking Dead, East of West, Sheltered, and Lazarus have similarities however that has not prevented them from being highly creative titles that are of better quality than the majority of generic DC / Marvel titles.

Thankfully, some of my titles are mini-series (Thanos Rising / Storm Dogs) and they are due to end soon.

It was only with this recent financial clamp-down that I have seen the hard part of comic reading as the likes of crossovers and new titles make it extremely difficult to keep a lid on things.

The person I feel worst for is my comic book guy as I send him revised lists every few weeks which probably makes his life a living hell!

Vibe #2 / Justice League of America #2 Review

When the line-up of the new Justice League of America was announced, it didn’t come as a huge surprise when the likes of Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern ‘Baz’ were included. Whilst they are all essentially secondary characters in terms of DC universe ‘gravitas’, they are still well known characters that would offer a lot to the title. What was a surprise was the inclusion of lesser known characters such as Vibe and Katana. Perhaps this is why both now have their own ongoing series.

 

In terms of Vibe, his series runs very much alongside that of the JLA and, when reading #2 of each title, there is considerable overlap as both issues highlight the team slowly congregate in Washington D.C before being unveiled to the world at a press conference.

 

Whilst Vibe was initially introduced in 1984, the New 52 version is a young Hispanic teenager who, through being caught in the event horizon of a boom-tube opening during the original Darkseid attack, is able to view intruders from other dimensions. As per the original incarnation of the character, he is also able to emit vibration shockwaves.

 

Vibe’s initial role is that of the untested, unsure teenager who doesn’t feel as though he belongs in the JLA. Whilst this could have led to an emo-heavy character on a quest to prove his worth and overcome the death of his eldest brother, writer Geoff Johns thankfully has gone, so far, for an alternative approach. 

 

The comic is quite light in tone as it focuses more on the comedy side of Vibe’s attempts to fit in. Throughout #2, Vibe is constantly being shot down by his older brother Dante, ridiculing first Vibe’s superhero outfit, and then his unlikely survival chances within the JLA. This is not, however, the bullying of an elder sibling. Instead, it is two brothers joking with each other and their dialogue is definitely the highlight of the issue. Hopefully Dante doesn’t get side-lined as the comic progresses.

 

Other funny moments are also seen in JLA #2 when Vibe slowly shifts his chair away from Hawkman who joins the room dripping in blood and also when Catwoman catches him peeking at her cleavage through her admittedly ridiculous outfit.   

 

Whilst I hope this light-hearted approach continues, when appropriate, it will be interesting to see

how this fits in with the darker side of the title. Even at such an early stage, it is clear Vibe is being manipulated by A.R.G.U.S for their own agenda and he is very much an exploitable pawn who is not being told all there is. Whilst Steve Trevor seems to be looking out for the best interests of the JLA, he has been relegated to middle management with limited powers.

 

The biggest hindrance to both Vibe and the JLA is the motivation behind the team’s formation. With an increasing lack of trust in the Justice League, A.R.G.U.S want to form a team capable of taking down the ‘A-Team’ should the need arise. Each member of the JLA is effectively partnered to a Justice League counterpart with an eventual face-off in mind. For Vibe, he is ear-marked for taking on Flash. I believe the JLA could have been formed in a much better way than this as even the most casual of comic readers would struggle to imagine the JLA coming out on top if such a fight ever happened. 

 

As a character, Vibe benefits from Geoff Johns being the writer on both titles. Not only should this result in a consistent continuity for future storylines but also ensures he has one voice, instead of potentially being misinterpreted by different writers. An example of this within the New 52 is the Flash where I struggle to see any real similarities between the Justice League version and that found in his own series.

 

Where the two titles do differ is in the art. Within Vibe, the art is more appropriate to the occasional light-hearted content whereas, in JLA, artist David Finch draws the characters in a much more stressed manner, creating a difference in tone between the two titles. Additionally, one of my comic pet-hates is characters being ‘over-ripped’ and this is abundant in Finch’s work here.  

 

Despite Vibe coming in out of the blue, his debut has a lot of promise to it, not only in how his character progresses but also in how the JLA and  the actions of A.R.G.U.S impact the DC Universe, especially with the likes of the Trinity War not too far away.

 

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts on Saucer Country's Cancellation...

When launched in March 2012, Saucer Country was plugged as a hybrid between The West Wing and The X-Files. Despite it being an odd tag-line for a comic, I decided to give it a go for its intriguing premise.

Based around Governor Arcadia Alvarado of New Mexico, the comic tells the tale of her attempts to run for the presidency of the United States whilst hiding the fact she, along with her ex-husband Michael, is an alien abductee.

As Alvarado attempts to form a political team that is able to deal with her revelation, she also hires a former Harvard professor to investigate her abduction, in the hope her political status will help prepare what may eventually become an alien invasion.

From reading Saucer Country, it is evident it was intended for a fairly long run, given its slow pace, so it must be disappointing to its creative team, Paul Cornell (Wolverine) and Ryan Kelly (Lucifer) that publisher Vertigo recently decided to cancel the title after #14. 

Whilst it is certainly a shame a title with promise has been culled relatively early in its run, it is perhaps no major surprise given that the title has not built on its initial premise. From its debut issue in March 2012 to January’s #11, sales figures have dropped from 15,000 to 6,000.

Instead of dealing with the alien threat, it focuses more on UFO mythology and the historical context of alien abductions. With the use of Professor Kidd and several psychiatrist sessions for Arcadia and Michael, it essentially serves as an introduction for abductions for the uninitiated. Whilst the comic has seen progress in the political journey from governor to presidential candidate, although it has been badly paced, the abduction arc has barely moved on. Whilst it is discussed at great length between the characters, readers are still awaiting any significant exposition regarding the identity of the aliens and their motives. Whilst I appreciate the need to plan out a storyline, at some point there has to be a pay-off to keep people intrigued and this never seemed to happen with Saucer Country.

The comic also suffers from changes in tone that disrupt the flow of the story. In general, Saucer Country strikes a fairly dark, intense mood however, Professor Kidd is revealed to regularly hallucinate as he speaks to what appear to be a miniature naked couple who aid him in assisting the Governor. As one might think, this does not fit in well with the rest of the comic.

Additionally, any momentum gained is often lost during its run as it has dedicated the occasional issue to a backstory, aside from the main arc. As an example, #12 features Michael’s childhood memories of playing with imaginary fairies with a friend.

With just two more issues before cancellation, it is hard to see how much can be resolved. One assumes the alien threat will be open ended whilst the presidential race concludes. In interviews, it is hoped it will continue in some form, this is far from certain.

Rating: 2/5

Twisted Dark Vol. 1 Review

Whilst the staple part of my comic diet consists of DC, Marvel, and Image titles, there is nothing better than coming across a gem of a title like this.

Twisted Dark came my way after visiting MCM Expo at London in October last year where the writer, Neil Gibson, was signing all three volumes of the series. It is with much annoyance that it has taken me nearly three months to make a start due to a ridiculous backlog of titles. All my fault I suppose!

Onto the comic.

Twisted Dark is a collection of short comic tales, each one focused on the darker side of the human psyche, ranging from a father suffering hallucinations over a lost son to a mental patient convinced he is part of a reality TV show. Whilst these all start as separate tales here in Volume 1, there is the promise there will be later connections in future releases. To date, three volumes have been released under T Publications with at least five mentioned by Gibson in a MCM Buzz interview late last year.

As is probably evident by the comic’s title, this is not to be read if on a search for the more uplifting aspects of human behaviour. It pulls no punches as it features individuals forced to the fringes of society, each tale created to make the reader contemplate the open-ended conclusions. There is very much a global feel to what is being created here as locations include Tokyo, Colombia, Dubai, and Norway, possibly suggesting the darker side of human behaviour is not confined to any particular region but something that is not too far from all of us.

This is where Twisted Dark really hits home for me, the ability to highlight emotions that are likely to relate, to some extent, to readers. Whilst the characters take their darkness to the extreme,  traits such as attention seeking, resentment over a failed childhood, trauma over a loss in the family, a young girl’s insecurity over her looks, and achieving success through illegitimate means are common throughout society so these are not cardboard cut-out villains here. Somewhere, deep down there lurking, is a little bit of them in all of us.

Whilst most stories follow a similar path in that all is not revealed until the final few pages, it manages to avoid becoming repetitive, at least at this stage, due to the individual style of each tale. If the tales are to somehow connect in future volumes, it will be interesting to see if the stories maintain their current structure or take a different form as they progress.

Another method by Gibson in giving each story its own identity is in the use of several artists throughout the volume. Whilst the book maintains a similar twisted mentality, the differing art styles results in each tale standing on its own. In particular, the tale ‘Routine’, based in Norway, picturing the bleak, empty life of Asbjorn and his son is emphasised beautifully by Caspar Wijngaard.

In short, you should read this book. Yes, it is bleak and offers little in way of hope for the characters but in no way is it gratuitous or excessive in its depictions of human depravity. It is truly compelling due to how grounded it all seems. Of all 11 stories, only one, ‘Windopayne’ , has a somewhat grandiose revelation but, even then, does not detract from the story.

For more information on Twisted Dark and comics by Neil Gibson, go to www.neilgibsoncomics.com.

Verdict: 5/5

Christmas at The Only Way Is Geek

Got me some reading to do!!

As an appetiser before my blogging returns after a two-month hiatus, work-related sadly, I thought I would share what Santa had for The Only Way Is Geek.

Despite my love for comics, I hold my hand up and admit it has only been so for 18 months so these epic-sized encyclopedias will come in mighty handy. As for Cap, I have been looking forward to this for a while. DC once held all my affections however, possibly to be covered in a future blog, a lacking second half of 2012 has made me realise that those folk at Marvel know what they are doing...

Thoughts on DC's #0 Month...

One of the advantages of my laptop sadly being out of commission for the past few weeks is that it has given me a chance to look back on DC’s #0 month as a whole.

Like most DC fans, I was looking forward to an easy entry into titles not previously read, as well as reading up on the back stories of my regular pull list. I was also hoping it would breathe new life into titles I’ve cancelled over the last twelve months.

Whilst it is safe to say the reception has been mixed, I would say it has been for a variety of reasons, with no single factor to blame for its possible failure. Undoubtedly, some titles were plain not very good, however that had to be expected when we were dealing with over 50 titles. Even the most die-hard of DC fans must have thought that! My first problem though, after reading over 20 issues, was whether all titles actually required a #0 origin tale in the first place?

 Personally, it got to the point where many titles merged into one and became very predictable as they followed a standard storyline. Two generic plot templates emerged with the main character either experiencing a tragic event in their early years or being responsible for such an event through reckless behaviour. Through these events, their new persona is used for either vengeance or a form of redemption.

I have no problem in DC using this as an excuse to pull in new readers, using the #0 issue as an accessible entry way into a title, however  was there honestly a need for four  Batman #0’s (Batman, Detective, Batman & Robin, Dark Knight)? Granted, they concentrated on different aspects of Bruce’s early days and they were all personal high-points for Zero month, but still unnecessary. Additionally, a number of titles had concluded their arc with #12 anyway so the next issue could well be seen as a potential jumping on point for new readers.

The titles that would likely benefit the most from Zero month would be those that started back in September 2011 where the sales figures have been steadily falling. Two titles where the #0 issue has been detrimental would be World’s Finest and Earth 2. After only four issues released prior to this September, both titles were still finding their way, introducing new characters, and building a solid fan base. I think it was bad timing here for both titles to go on a two month break before their stories could resume. Staying with World’s Finest, one criticism of its #0 issue would be in the art department. For a comic that deals with the sudden loss of a parent, there was far too much of a cartoony feel which was completely out of context with what was actually going on. 

The title that has induced the most geek rage in me, ever since the re-boot in fact, was Green Arrow. As mentioned earlier, it is the feature of some titles for the main character to be on a quest of redemption for their past ill activities, however in my two years of reading comics, I’ve never seen such an unlikeable character as this interpretation of Oliver Queen as he shows no redeeming qualities whatsoever. 

When comparing him to the Oli Queen from Identity Crisis, an ageing cynical man looking to reconnect with his wife and children, it’s almost painful to read this re-booted version and it is a title that was quickly removed from my monthly list. It seems to be a homage to the Queen seen in Smallville which doesn’t sound like a bad idea on paper, however the transition to the comic book has just not worked. The #0 issue, showing him to be a rich playboy at fault for a large explosion and the possible death of a friend, was a bad choice as that’s not the kind of act someone can hope to come back from. 

Aside from the Batman titles, I found Batgirl, Swamp Thing, and Talon to be good reads but not enough to get the next issue although, with the Joker storyline featuring heavily in Batgirl over the next few months, I may quickly reverse that decision.

Perhaps the most striking point is my favourite #0 issue turned out to be Green Lantern: New Guardians and that wasn’t an origin issue, instead more of a reforming of the team prior to the Rise of the Third Army story.

On a side note, I have, over the past couple of months and done the unthinkable in reading a few Marvel titles in Avengers vs. X-Men, Gambit, and Hawkeye. As reluctant as I was, I have noted a considerable improvement in terms of character and general dialogue. From these early issues, it appears Marvel are more comfortable with their creations, developing characters without betraying their origins. This is compared where many DC titles just seem too forced in putting across their point and not giving their storylines enough time to flourish. As an example, poor old Superman has had a rough time since the reboot as he continues to find a worthwhile arc.

In conclusion, the effect of Zero month has been for me to take up some Marvel titles as well as some upcoming Image comics that are released in November so, personally, I suppose it hasn’t worked. I hope that DC looks to Batman’s Court of Owl’s storyline and see, when given plenty of time to develop, a title is more likely to succeed and I hope that happens over the next 12 months.