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J. Farrell wrote: On an aside, since I just read this thread for the first time and I just read The Red Wing a couple of weeks ago, gotta say I'm leaning toward your side with this one too. The art (in places) was decent, but I was actually startled by how poor some of the writing was, and how boring the whole thing was.

I may reread it again all at once to see if I like it better. I read some people say how they can't enjoy Hickmann unless they read the whole arc at once. But, I have a feeling Hickmann just doesn't write in a style that I like. We'll see though.

Severed (Image) -I think this is a perfect example of the art fitting the story. They really got the right artist and colorer and the pacing of this story was spot on as well.

Great psychological horror story and I'm looking forward for future volumes, hopefully they can keep the same artist/colorer because that really pushed this book above even the typical greatness that Synder provides. If you like Synder's writing and you're a fan of horror, even if just a little bit, check this story out.

Caligula (Avatar) - Somewhere in here is an okay story but I think the gore gets in the way. It really seems to push the envelope for no other reason than for shock value. The story is a little bogged down due to this but I still enjoyed reading it .... it's just sometimes I would think "I think I'm done with this" but by the end of the issue I wanted to know what happened next. The art was also inconsistent I felt. I liked the style for this book but sometimes people or things looked too strange.

Crossed: Psychopath (Avatar) - Just like Caligula, sometimes the gore here seemed to be excessive just for shock but then again the story did involve a psychopath and his fantasies. So I could look beyond that for this story and I loved the idea behind this book. The ending wasn't as great of a payoff as I would have liked but still okay. This series definitely had some disturbing things in it though.

The Last of the Greats (Image) - Another "superman gone bad" story but I thought there were enough things here to make it unique and I enjoyed reading it. The art could have been better and there was a thread on this forum discussing whether it was the inker or penciller. Either way, the art could have better.

The story wasn't quite as good as the beginning issues of Irredeemable [I make the comparison because they're very similar] but I still liked it and would like to read more. My favorite moment, which may make me sound like a psychopath myself, was what the 'last great' did to the kid he saved after he left the public eye. Just thought it was funny....in a horrific kind of way

abysslord wrote: Crossed: Psychopath (Avatar) - Just like Caligula, sometimes the gore here seemed to be excessive just for shock but then again the story did involve a psychopath and his fantasies. So I could look beyond that for this story and I loved the idea behind this book. The ending wasn't as great of a payoff as I would have liked but still okay. This series definitely had some disturbing things in it though.

Crossed: Psychopath The story was great (in that messed-up Crossed kind of way) up until the very end. I didn't expect a happy ending, but I expected more closure. I would have preferred a happy ending, where the villain gets his comeuppance, even though that would be out of place in the Crossed universe. It's a shame because the notion of a non-crossed person actually being more twisted than the Crossed was an interesting concept that mostly delivered.

Blue Estate (Image) I finished the second trade, and I thought I would give an evaluation. The story can be a bit confusing for this title it involves the Russian and Italian Mobs, D List movie starts, strippers, and hippies. An odd series of events links all of these people together into one big interlocking story. Although I have never seen Pulp Fiction this book seems to draw from the same Pulp source that movie digs into.

I decided to wait on evaluating the first trade because while I commend the creators for not writing for the trade the first trades ends in a very unsatisfying way. However, if you pick up both trades by the end you will get a really fun little story. If you are reading these monthly then you probably do not have a problem, except maybe keeping all the characters straight. I would recommend if your interested at all do yourself a favor and pick up both trades at once.

spid wrote: Blue Estate (Image)
If you are reading these monthly then you probably do not have a problem, except maybe keeping all the characters straight. I would recommend if your interested at all do yourself a favor and pick up both trades at once.

I've been reading it monthly & enjoying it quite a lot, but you hit the nail on the head, it's all about keeping the characters & plot threads straight. That said, I find I'm able to get back into it within the first few pages of each issue, which is a testament to the writing.

Over the long weekend I had some time to read some trades.
I read Superman/Aliens. Aside from the lame, long-hair, mullet thing Superman sported at the time, this was an enjoyable read. The intro by Claremont was very helpful since I'm not much of a Superman reader. He reminded me that Superman refuses to kill anyone, no matter how evil the villain or how desperate the situation. He even related how Superman killed some alternate universe Kryoptonians, and guilt of that action made Superman vow not to kill. The rest of the book explained the details I would need to understand the story, like how Lex was not in charge of Lexcorp, and the purpose of the space station.

I'm only recently begun enjoying Superman stories, and this was written during the 'dark '90s', but this was an enjoyable story. There was a nice mixture of Superheroics and moral dilemmas. It was definitely much more of a Superman than Aliens story, and the assumption the reader knew all about the Aliens allowed the author more time to devote to Clark's internal conflicts regarding killing. Overall I would recommend it as a simple diversionary tale that apparently has no tie to mainstream continuity.

Immediately after reading Superman/Aliens I read Mark Millar's Superior. As much as Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, etc must sacrifice to be Superheroes, it's nothing compared to what the the lead character in Superior had to sacrifice. In typical Mark Millar fashion there is gratuitous nonsense, but it fits the way the characters involved would behave. This is a nicely paced story that has twists and turns, but they're all carefully foreshadowed. Nothing just comes out of left field to surprise the wary reader.

I enjoyed this book. The writing and art combined to craft an enjoyable story that forces the reader to question what price they would be willing to pay to be a hero. What sacrifice is it reasonable for someone to be expected to pay in extreme circumstances?

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys unique takes on the Superman mythos. It's very much in he vein of Irredeemable, Supreme Power, Liefeld's Supreme, etc. It's also a complete series that can be read and enjoyed in a vacuum.

Catwoman - The Game- TPB (DC)
Writer: Judd Winnick, Art: Guillem March.
This is the first trade featuring the first six issues of Catwoman from the new 52 re-launch. This arc focuses on the personal relationships in Catwoman's life and the dangers inherent in associating with her. I thought Winnick's writing was fairly strong and I generally enjoyed the plot elements. I particulalry liked the clever way in which Selina gets revenge on a russian mob boss that wronged her in the past.
Of course, you can't talk about this run of Catwoman without mentioning the relationship between Selina and Bruce. The term "much ado about nothing" springs to mind here. After the infamous scene at the end of the first issue the story moves on, and while their "special" relationship is featured briefly throughout the arc, the gratuitous nature of it is generally ignored.
The villains in the arc are forgettable and generic. Featuring the meta-human, Reach and mid level crime boss Bone and the ever-present corrupt Gotham City cops.
This story focuses mainly on the (sometimes foolish) choices Selina makes and the repercussions of those choices to her and the people in her life.
The art. Well, to me this is the aspect of the book that I liked the least. March is certainly a capable artist but I just don't find his art particularly compelling. It's fine, just not extraordinary.
Overall, I did enjoy the arc despite a few shortcomings (mainly with the art) and I would consider getting the next trade. It should also be noted that this is a quick read. Each issue of the run is only 20 pages so you can breeze through this trade in an hour.

Dinosaurs vs Aliens
So I pre-ordered the Dinosaurs vs Alien through DCBS because it was 50% and written by Grant Morrison (and I am a HUGE fan of his work).

I was reading this book last night and it was very interesting and well done until I get to the end of the book and it says "end of part 1". The story doesn't end with this book?! There was no mentioned that this book was a series of books in the solicitations. And even with the story itself, while what I read was good, it didn't tell a complete story within the volume. It felt more like getting 3 issues of a 6 issue story arc. Not only that, while it says that the book has 144 pages, there were 30 pages of introduction and back matter. While I like back matter, I like story pages even better.

It is hard for me to recommend this book because of the fact that it doesn't tell a complete story, as solicited.

Get Jiro!
I read the new original graphical novel by Anthony Bourdian, Joel Rose, Langdon Foss and Villarrubia.

I pre-ordered the book because I am a big fan of Anthony Bourdian and a foodie. It takes place in the near future where chefs act like crime lords.

I thought the creative team did a great job establishing this futuristic world and the main character, Jiro. It was interesting that Bourdian/Rose used exposition through dialogue to explain the futuristic world, but used the actual story and art to explain the motivation of Jiro.

The real creative star of the book is Langdon Foss. His art was amazing. His style reminded me of Seth Fisher.

I would recommend the book to any comic book fan, especially someone who is a foodie.

One thing for sure, I don't think I could ever order a California roll again

King City TPB (Image) - This trade came out awhile ago and I've been meaning to post about it here. I was hesitant to read this at first, but once I had I was glad I gave it a chance. I've been enjoying Brandon Graham's writing on Prophet and that's why I read this. It's a science fiction story in a black and white and with a alternative comics stlye. It had a lots of wacky humor and sight gags that made it a lot of fun. This is a thick book with a lot content, and slightly larger page size than a regular comic book. It's black and white which helps because there's a ton of stuff going on in the backgrounds. The details in the background might have gotten lost with a lot of color. I laughed many times throughout the book and I plan on reading it again.

IanG wrote:King City TPB (Image) - It had a lots of wacky humor and sight gags that made it a lot of fun. This is a thick book with a lot content, and slightly larger page size than a regular comic book.

I read the singles, which were also larger than regular comics. The art is what really "sealed the deal" for me.

Plus that crazy cat.

Supurbia - Boom
This mini is more like the first story arc for the upcoming ongoing series. I don't think I would call it deconstructionist, per se, although it did have those elements. It featured the family members of the preeminent super team all living on the same block and their interactions with the heroes and with one another. I enjoyed the writing and the art. The pacing was a little hectic at times as a ton of characters were simultaneously introduced, but everything fit together nicely so it worked out all right. The art was of a fun, graffiti, cartoony, nature that conveyed the story nicely and was enjoyable to look at. I was never lost in panel transitions and there wasn't an overabundance of splash pages.

There was an antagonist that propelled the story and manipulated events, but a surprising protagonist who I think will rally the rest of the non-team members to eventually save the day. I think this book may surprise me by not introducing any 'surprising' plot-twists, but instead using proper foreshadowing and reasonable story elements to tell an interesting and engaging story.

Overall I recommend this book and I'm really looking forward to the ongoing series!

Guerillas (Oni Press) Volumes 1 and 2 have come out from Oni Press. I know at least the first four issues came out through Image awhile ago. The premise of the book is a group of genetically engineered Chimps are trained to fight and sent to Vietnam during the war. The premise was intriguing to me, but I decided to wait for the trade. As it turns out that was long wait.

The first volume deals mostly with how the main protagonist John Clayton ends up going to war. We do not really see the chimps until near the end of the book. John's journey into war is an interesting one, and how becomes a very reluctant warrior. There is nothing ground breaking story wise. There is the usual cast of Vietnam reluctant fighters. I will say I like most of them including the Chimps. The book isn't played for laughs, but there are some funny moments within. The trade seems like ends just as the story is kicking off.

The second volume came about partially do to a Kickstarter campaign which allowed the artist to devote the time to the project. The second volume deals with the chase of a squad sent to track down the chimps who have gone off the reservation. The book inter-cuts between the two teams, and is sort of a meditation on war. There are some great action sequences and there is a mix of the horrors of war. The second volume also does not wrap up neatly, but I think it ends in a logical point.

The art is really good. Given the subject matter everything is grounded really well.

Infinite Vacation (Image) - It took two years to tell but this mini-series is finally over. The concept is basically there are infinite universes out there and you can sell your life to another you for a price. You can either swap lives completely, at which point you get a full memory dump so you can actually live in the new universe, or you can just visit.

That's the basic setup for this story. Things happen later on that I'm not sure made complete sense with that above logic, but hey .... all time travel/parallel universe stories need to be taken with a little skepticism. I will say Nick really had some cool ideas about parallel universes, I think it was issues 3 and 4 where it gets "deep" but all made sense. Then again I love physics and things like that.

Anyway, the overall story is pretty good and Nick does a good job throwing some cool twists in, and a couple scenes in particular are pretty disturbing. The art is a little rough but it didn't bother me, and the layouts were very inventive and I also liked the real picture scenes.

The ending ... well you need some skepticism at parts but overall I was satisfied and would recommend this to anyone who loves parallel universe stories.