Friday, January 01, 2010

Christmas comics!

Not ones that I received for Christmas, for I received none this year, but instead the ones I bought on Christmas eve.  There was some comic gift giving in my home this year - I bought the boyfriend a copy of Greg Rucka's Whiteout.  I haven't read it but from reviews I'm hoping he'll like it.

I also bought Secret Six - six degrees of devastation.  I think I will review that for the New readers.. blog as it is pretty damn good.  My only worry is how accessible it is.  What do you all think?

Anyway, for this post please be warned of spoilers regarding World's Finest #3, Buffy one shot: Willow, Gotham City Sirens #7, Teen Titans: Blackest Night #78, Green Lantern: Blackest Night #45, Blackest Night: JSA #1.
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World's Finest #3
I fully intended to get the Kara cover but ended up with the Steph one instead.  I'll be buggered if I can find an image of the Steph cover online though.  At any rate, it's pretty and laid out in a similar fashion.
In this issue, Steph and Kara team up, which you'd think would be enough to make me happy, yet this issue left me a little cold.  I think it's the art.  I'm just not keen.  Kara is muscly but something seems a bit off and I don't know what.  I expect this issue will read better when read with the other issues in one go.

Buffy one shot: Willow
Oooh OOO ooh.  Sexy cover.  Beautifully drawn.  It's go bugger all to do with the story, except that both characters are involved, but they don't embrace within the pages.  Instead, Willow goes on a magical mystery wicca quest to discover her true power.
She drops her guard and we see what is under the surface, i.e. she;s not so innocent, sweet and naeive as she appears.  Sh can be cold, calculating and she has a damn sharp mind.  I think that sometimes the writers forget that Willow was one of the most intelligent people in her school.

The letters column is a whole different kettle of fish.  So much so, there will be another post taking it apart.

Gotham City Sirens #7
A Christmas issue.  Selina raises a glass with Dick, Ivy visit the rainforests and Harley visit her family.  Beautiful art and humourous storytelling that caters to the heroines strengths and associations.


Teen Titans: Blackest Night #78
Ravager, Jericho and Deathstroke fight the Black Lanterns.  Jericho discovers that they can be killed, if another Black Lantern rips out their hearts.  We're actually getting quite a number of ways these revenants can be killed, I wonder if they will all be pulled together for the final Blackest Night main issue?  Jericho's life story gets more complicated and the Wilson family dynamic is changed once more.

Mostly this issue made me question where Jericho's body goes when he jumps into someone else.  You'd think an empty husk woudl be left, but apparently not.  I'd like to read some comic box science explaining how he works.

Green Lantern: Blackest Night # 49
John Stewart faces off against the undead hordes of Xanshi.  He proves very difficult to rile, resulting in realisation of the gameplan and Black Lanterns becoming increasingly frustrated.  He then goes off planet to discover that Xanshi has sped through space and is bearing down on earth.  As SallyP has mentioned, you'd think this would affect Earth's gravity and suchlike.  Mind you, I think Mogo woulId have this affect on Oa, but maybe I don't understand how Oa works.

There's a wee backup feature focusing on Ray, Mera and Black Lantern Jean Loring (wearing a quite frankly ridiculous outfit), in a Black Lantern ring.  There we learn how Nekron came to be and see that Deadman is about to enter the fray (again).


Blackest Night: JSA #1
This would have made more sense had I known more about the history of the JSA.  As it stands, I only know Power Girl.  Peej calls Earth 2 Kal-L her cousin and her uncle, unless I'm misunderstanding of course, and Earth 2 Lois arrive looking her husband.

I'm guessing that by the end of the mini I'll like this.

4 comments:

Red said...

Willow's one of my favorite characters. She starts out a sweet geek, she gets plenty of action from boys and girls, and she becomes even more powerful than Buffy. Everyone has a dark side and it'll be interesting to see how that's shown.

question: do you follow the Angel comics too? If not, why not?

Saranga said...

Morning Red. I am not reading the Angel comics at the moment, mostly because I really hated the TV series, at least until the final season which I suspect I liked only because of Spike. His and Angel's face offs are always fun. Whereas Angel I really really loathe.
Having said that, I do intend to pick up the Angel trades once they are out in paperback.

Red said...

Happy New Year Saranga.

I'm one ep from the end of Angel season 4. Being a Whedon completist I'm watching it for the story and to see how it compares against his other shows.

Angel himself does nothing for me. I always liked Spike and Xander more (of the guys) because they're so much more expressive. Angel and Oz were too quiet for me.

What I really appreciate in Angel are Cordelia and Wesley. They grew so much from who they were when we first met them in Buffy.

Even so, I probably won't really read the Angel comics either. And am waiting for the tpb for the current Buffy arc. Just as I like watching multiple TV eps back to back I find I like reading the tpbs better than one issue at a time. Keeps the momentum going.

Regarding Firefly, I read that there's still going to be a comic to give Shepard Book's backstory and now there's going to be one about Wash. I would love to see more Firefly comics, that being my fave Whedon show. And want to see one about Zoe too.

Saranga said...

happy new year to you too!

Zoe and Shepherd Book one shots would be great. I'm not a fan of Wash, but I'd get it anyway.
Trades are sometimes better than the monthlies. some writers' books just work better read in one go.
I'm watching Dollhouse at the moment. There will be a post up in the next few days about it, but roughly speaking - I do like it.