kaithonks

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about DC: The New Frontier

In my quest to expand my comic knowledge, readers may know that I've been looking to the history of comics. And DC is a landmark of comic history; a lot of different comic ages are defined by what DC was doing. Of course there are a lot of debates around comic ages, particularly the more modern ages, but the strongest of DC's markers is Superman and the start of the Golden Age.

That brings me to DC: The New Frontier. This had been on my list for a while as people sang its praises to me, and well, I fully agree it's a great read. Part of that is because I feel that this story takes time to not so much modernize these characters stories but more to retell and tie them more closely to their world and ours at the times they were around for. In some ways, to me, it feels like a love letter/appreciation for those eras of comics and their rather progressive nature. The art is a combination of golden age style and more modern cartoony animation style, which gives the whole book a nostalgic feel. Especially when combined with the retro-futuristic design of the settings. The larger 3 panels per page let us appreciate that art and attention to detail.

The great thing about The New Frontier is that it simultaneously feels like a comic and also real at the same time. It sucks you in with its retelling of history, but with superheroes. Even with its rather large cast, is it well written enough that no one really feels left out? Yeah, I'm sure Green Arrow and Aquaman could have used a bit more attention, but I think the focus on Martian Manhunter and Hal Jordan was well spent, as this is about growth and transition, and Hal's takeoveras Green Lantern and Barry Allen as Flash are big markers of the Silver Age. And I am purposely being a little vague because I feel reading this is an experience and one people should try for themselves.

A good comic, in my opinion, is no different than a good book. It is something that sits with me, giving me something to think about. Especially if it's twisting my perspective on things I think I already know and reusing them, and the concept of legacy is something well established in superhero comic spaces. DC: The New Frontier really makes me think more about what that means.

It also helps that, again, it's just a beautiful book, and the style at the end of the day does have an impact on its story. In this nostalgic style, it's not afraid to show some awful things and to show loss. It's expressive, and I feel what the characters are feeling.

I may one day, after getting my own copy of the book, probably go over my thoughts again because this is a book I feel I can really stew over, and I unfortunately did not really give myself the time this week to do that. But I still really wanted to put my first thought on it out there. And when I go back, I'd like to have this to compare. Because there is always a new frontier, a way forward to unite people and build a better world.

[kaithonks]

Minor Updates

So I am shifting my post scheduled

Mondays - "So I've had some Thoughts about..."

Wednesdays - "The Hull"

I am trying to keep my self routine but I've gotten some changes in my life which would cut in my time and I need to push back my main post. The Hull will stay the same as I am trying to keep that up with new comic releases.

For anyone following this blog thank you for you support!

[kaithonks]

The Hull (Jun 18th)

So I've had some life updates, so Sunday's post may be getting pushed to Monday as I start a new position. I still plan to keep these spots up, as they are important to me and just so that I keep writing. Speaking of that, I spent the last few days rereading some books from my middle school days and then going ham over how much I still love them. I've also heard the Jason Todd news, which kind of surprised me, but I'm cautiously optimistic about it. The fighting has already started, but I've decided to just block it out for now because, as far as descriptions go, this one has given me a lot more hope than what we've gotten recently. Though I take everything with a grain of salt.

The Read:

Followers might have already seen my post about Black Hammer and my mixed feelings about it. It really is a rough spot to like something and be so close to loving it, but it doesn't quite hit the mark, so it slams into disappointment. Part of that is probably my own fault, as the series was pretty hyped up to me. At the end of the day, though, it's still a good run that I feel people should read.

Volumes 2 and 3 of Ice Cream Man were all right. I recall my thoughts on Volume 1 being that I could do with less about the Ice Cream Man being explained, and yeah, that's still true. All the parts where we get "lore" about the Ice Cream Man feel weaker, as I didn't really need him and his powers explained to me. The first story of volume 2 probably was my favorite, but I'm going to keep reading.

Oh boy. I didn't really want to talk about this, but Robin and Batman: Jason Todd is not great. I am aware that with older comics there tend to be issues with accessibility, but it's not impossible. Especially if you know you might be working for DC? Surely they have some old issues around? So that when you go to write a character, especially a character at a younger point, you can go and read what was going on at that time in the character's life. It also helps if maybe you like that character. Yeah, so with this passive aggressiveness, you probably get the picture that I don't think Lemire read Jason's Robin run, and it sort of reads like he doesn't even like Jason. Alfred having no sympathy for Jason's situation is jarring, to say the least. And a guy gets shot, and then Bruce jumping to Jason did it just makes me feel bad for Jason. Like, this 12-year-old has literally no one in his corner and thinks of himself as just a weapon? How awful is that? But! I have hope because Lemire is a skilled writer, and I'm hoping that he's just building conflict with this first issue. It's done in rather poor taste, but it can be turned around.

The Unread:

I am still working my way through New Frontier and The History of Science Fiction: A Graphic Novel Adventure. Honestly, I thought I'd have more time to get through them, but that didn't really end up happening.

From my comic shop, I fell for another Nightwing variant. But at this point I feel it's not my fault. That art just needs to stop being so good.

Speaking of variants, I got Krypto the Last Dog of Krypton Nguyen Variant. Look, Nguyen's art is amazing and was the best part of the disappointing Robin and Batman: Jason Todd #1. So when did I see it on his crypto on the shelf? I just had to get it.

I guess speaking of Lemire's Absolute Flash #4, if memory serves, we should be getting into the first real story bits. And this storyline is what's giving me a bit of hope that Robin and Batman: Jason Todd will recover.

Lastly, Zantanna #5! I am very excited for this series, but I am also a little sad that it's coming to an end soon. Well, regardless, that means I'll be talking about it soon, and I am excited for that. I haven't read much Zatanna, but this has me excited to try more. I feel that's kind of the goal of a mini-run, to tell its own story with the character and push people to try more with them.

Well, that's everything this week besides the middle school books I read, but reading is reading and writing is writing. As long as you keep at it, you keep growing and getting better.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Black Hammer

My gut reaction is to talk about Robin & Batman: Jason Todd, because while I wasn't expecting much out of it, I was still disappointed. But I am going to give Lemire a bit of credit in the hope he's setting up for a reversal, because he's not a bad writer. People who have been following this blog might know I've been trying to read more of his work kind of for this situation, and I'm glad I did. I did end up in a mixed position on him, but today I'll focus on his work in Black Hammer.

Currently Black Hammer is ongoing, and I've just finished up to Volume 7 of the paperback Black Hammer: Reborn Part III, but I am missing some parts as I read in volume order since I don't typically look up things so as not to spoil myself. The most important thing about Black Hammer, though, is that it's a love letter to that Golden Age of comic books. Part of what drew me in to those early volumes so much was that it wasn't just about superheroes, but about all comics of that time, especially with Madame Dragonfly and Colonel Weird being shout-outs to the horror comics and science fiction comics that also made up that age. And it did have the perfect setup to become more of a meta commentary on comics and their creation. My only real issue with Black Hammer as a piece of metafiction is that it still feels very contented within itself.

Now one could take this as a good thing that it keeps things consistent within its own rules, but the problem is when you try to reach out and talk about creativity and the process of story creation, it's, in my opinion, a little bit better for your story to be a little wild and not make sense. To go back to Colonel Weird, I feel he's the most missed potential of the story. I never really wanted his "weirdness" explained like how it was. I like how his lettering is very distinctive, but he's got a lot of missed potential in his panel. Yes, at one point he does get an art style change, and the paneling does change in Reborn Part I when he's showing Lucy her life. But it could do more, and it does in Reborn Part II when Colonel is in the gutter looking in on a panel and then a page letter. It looks like he steps out of the gutter into the panel. I wanted more of that. Like, I wish when he saw the Parliament of Weird's ship, it wasn't paneled just white void to emphasize that this is out of the reality of the book. Toward the end of 3, the panel does break again with a thin line, and Weird looks more focused on the read than Lucy.

The purpose of metafiction is to get the reader to question the line of where our world and the world of the story are. And while I do enjoy Black Hammer and the respect it pays to comic book history, I just can't help but feel it doesn't use all its tools as a comic book to really sell the meta narrative. To me it still feels content within its own world, even when it's relieved that the farm has become a part of the "real world." It doesn't really feel like it, because the separation wasn't visually pushed that much. And even when the imagery starts to get weird, it's still paneled, giving it a sense of structure. Now I am not saying that Black Hammer needed to be as abstract as House of Leaves, but every time I think of the scene with the "gods/creators," I sigh a little bit.

All this criticism might just boil down to my personal taste, as I like it when a story leaves room for me to bite down and come to my own conclusions. Another thing is, despite all this, I don't think it's bad by any means; I'd even say it's really good, and I enjoyed it, and I like it. But I could have loved it, and unfortunately, it just hit that space where it's a bit disappointing to me because I only like it. That ends up summing up my feeling on Lemire's work in general, and it's why I'm giving him a sliver of credit with that he can turn around the first godawful issue of Robin & Batman: Jason Todd.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (Jun 11th)

I've had an exhausting couple of weeks, but it's been refreshing reading what's been coming out as well as picking up some new stuff from the library. With Summer coming around too, there's a bunch more to look forward to. I think that's part of why I like reading so much; it's a task that forces you to slow down. Take a few breaths and just enjoy something. So it's been a busy week, but I've been remembering to breathe.

The Read:

I got around to Lady Killer, and it was a really fun read, and I talked more about it in my last post, but it's another note in my book about the importance of a comic book's art.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands was an emotional read. Not really unexpected, unfortunately, but it was good, and I really enjoy graphic nonfiction because it forces the question of perspective and bias. Because a comic is drawn and every line is intentional, Kate Beaton realizes this, and even when she's been harassed, she chooses to draw these men still just as men. Humans, whose labor is being exploited. It doesn't make what they do right but shows them as humans who have been told they don't have anything better.

And gosh dang it, I want Tate Brombal to redo the Richard Dragon Kung Fu Fighter. I feel he could make a really fun action series with Richard and the gang. But kind of more to the point, Batgirl continues to be one of my favorite ongoing series right now.

Another of my favorite ongoing Absolute Superman #8 was fun, and the more I read, the more interested I get because while it's picking up its pace, it also seems like they are going to make it the linchpin of the Absolute Universe. Like, I didn't think I'd be seeing the Omega Men here, but I guess it's here!

To the Green Lanterns, I'm still mixed on Absolute Green Lantern. As a Guy Gardener fan, I was peeved in #2, and #3 has not improved that. Of course, we are still missing Kyle, Jess, Simon, and Keli. Look of the Lanterns Hal is like one of my least favorite, and I've never seen him or Jo interact, and I don't see them having too much chemistry as characters. Anyway, the explanation of the yellow weakness is interesting, and I'm not totally sold on the alchemy angle yet in what is this specific eldritch horror. But maybe it just needs to keep cooking. After all, I'm not totally sure Guy and John are gone, gone.

Green Lantern Corps #4, on the other hand, is really starting to cook with gas. Again, I love seeing more Guy, and I haven't read much Simon and Keli, but I'm really happy to see their little adventures. It's finally starting to be more of what I wanted out of a story called "Green Lantern Corps."

The Unread:

So with finishing Lady Killer and Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, that means a new library run, and with that I picked up Volumes 2 and 3 of Ice Cream Man along with Black Hammer 5, 6, and 7. Both series I was interested in, and I'm following them cautiously, as I did have issues with them.

But with those, I picked up The History of Science Fiction: A Graphic Novel Adventure, so more graphic nonfiction because why not? I'm really interested because I know very little about science fiction and have barely read any.

Lastly, I got New Frontier, which has been on my list for a minute now, but I only just noticed was at my library. I've started it and so far am really enjoying it.

I unfortunately didn't have the time today to hit my local comic shop, but I have Robin and Batman: Jason Todd waiting for me. I am still a little nervous about his giving I liked that first Robin and Batman but didn't like everything about it, which has kind of been my thing with Lemire. I find myself enjoying most of the work, but then some little bit could have been pushed further to really make it great. Which could just be a me thing.

I might end up getting some more things while there. I mean, I probably will; I can't help it. It's been a long week, and yes, I know it's only halfway done, but it will be nice to get more to read and take a breath.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Lady Killer

I've mentioned this before, and I don't think I'll stop mentioning it any time soon, but comics are a visual medium. The art of a comic book carries the weight of the writing. I doubt anyone who looks at just a comic book script but just looking at the art could spark interest. Like, what are these people saying? What's going on? And Lady Killer by Joëlle Jones is a prime example of this.

Lady Killer's story is a pretty typical spy thriller deal, but it's elevated by its art direction. Jones says herself she was inspired by vintage advertising and illustration, and you can tell. In every scene, Josie, our titular Lady Killer, always looks like she's posing for an ad, especially when she is with her family. This isn't just an aesthetic thing; it's a reflection of Josie herself, her wants, and her understanding of the world. We do not get a lot of Josie's background, mostly that she's been pretty violent most of her life and she has several disguises and personas to put on, so it makes sense that Josie's understanding of family would come through what she's seen in advertisements. But we can also see in how she prioritizes her family, i.e., keeping them away from the killing, that it's what she wants. And the value she places on family is shown again when she doesn't kill the little boy. The plot of both books happens because people get too close to Josie's family, because her understanding of family is internally built on that image of a perfect housewife, so it's not surprising that when Gene learns everything, he leaves Josie. That panel of her on the street devastated is the most "real" Josie we get.

The inspiration for the art here isn't just some surface-level "Oh, pretty!" It's an important part that helps support the themes of the stories and motivations of the characters. We don't get a lot of time with Josie's family, but we can see how important they are to her by how she looks when she's with them and how she acts when she's not. And if this was just a written novel, or it lacked the vintage ad aesthetic, it wouldn't be nearly as interesting as it is.

To be less deep, though, the art is drop-dead gorgeous, and I ended up getting the Library hardcover edition, which not only had Lady Killer 1 and 2 in it but also extra art in the back, which is generally why I love trade paperbacks and hardcovers. The extra art is more like pictures of Josie with knives and blood, and they are all-around a visual treat even when not critical to the story of Lady Killer.

Look, the writing of a comic is important too. I don't think even if the pretty were I would have enjoyed Lady Killer as much as I did without Josie's fun and clever dialog. But the art being what it is and what it's inspired by just adds more depth to the comic. It's the combination of the art and writing that really makes comics special in my mind, and the best comics realize this and meld that writing and art into one story.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (Jun 4th)

So I didn't actually end up reading a whole lot this week, partly because I was really busy and partly because I spent a lot of this week writing. But I also got distracted by rereading some children's comics. That might sound weird, but I once took a class on children's lit, and it really fascinated me. Part of this was its evolution into its own genre and its reflective attitudes towards children. And there is a difference between things for "all ages" and specifically children. You can typically tell the difference between the two with a bit of context, but children's literature is always expanding, and I love finding things I wish I had had as a kid.

The Read:

So I've had a digital version of the 2023 Eisner Winner, Frizzy, for a minute now, and the first time I read it, I cried. Now I don't have curly hair. My hair is probably what might be called 2A, a very loose wave. So I never have had the specific struggles of having curly hair, but the core of that book isn't really about curly hair; it's about identity through hair. And as someone who isn't gender conforming, that struggle of showing identity through hair, I do understand. And the book did teach me things about curly hair. All in all, it's a great book. I might talk more about it some other time, as there is a joy, a sort of healing of the inner child, when you read different children's literature.

Another thing, for a little older audience, I read Lumberjanes Vol. 5: Band Together. Again, this was something I read back when I was a teen. I haven't read the rest of the series yet, but I do have quite a few thoughts on the Lumberjanes, as I feel it's not only a great read for representation but also for female friendship. That being said, I do have Nimona on my to-read list, as both that and Lumberjanes are by ND Stevenson.

The last of the sort of children's section I reread was Hilda and the Bird Parade. Now when Netflix came out with the Hilda cartoon, I didn't think much of it, but after reading the comic, I really wanted to check it out. Hilda feels subversively creative in ways I find trouble explaining. Maybe it's in the way all the more magical elements are normalized, but it's still such a fun read.

Absolute Wonder Woman #8 and Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 are just really continuing to be peak. The Goat, whatever you want to call them. Still the best thing currently out there. I am holding back on saying more, as I'd like to cover them in more detail later.

We're Taking Everyone Down With Us #3 was a lot better than I was expecting, but I only feel now that story has finally started to pick up the pace. So still not really worth single issues.

And Batman #160. Pretend you can hear me sighing. Because I am. I wasn't expecting much, and granted, I might be missing context, but gosh, it still managed to be disappointing.

I also reread Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi and Bone by Jeff Smith, but I speak more on those later date and time.

The Unread:

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands and Lady Killer remained unread, but I'll get to them as the return date is coming up. I am still very excited for both; I just got very distracted.

But out this week was Batgirl #8! Another one I've been really excited to keep up with. Tate Brombal has been growing as one of my favorite writers, and I am really looking forward to seeing where he's taking Cass's and, by extension, Shiva's story.

Absolute Superman #8 and Absolute Green Lantern #3 also came out this week. I am excited for Superman; Green Lantern, less so. I might end up dropping it after #5; it just depends. But Superman has who looks to be Jimmy Olsen on the cover, and after reading Kirby and Fraction's runs of Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, I got a soft spot for that goofy. I do think people need to read Fraction's Jimmy Olsen because it's hands down one of the funniest things I've ever read.

Green Lantern Corps #4 was my last pickup, and I wasn't even sure I'd be picking up more, but #3 was more about the Corps and not just John. I have read a bit of Teen Lantern but I've read nothing about Simon Baz. I am more than willing to try, though. Something I love about the Green Lanterns is how diverse the cast is at this point. I kind of wish they'd rework the Star Saphires and maybe give my boy Kyle a bit more love, but hey, I'll take what I can get. Even If it's just Hal Jordan's Justice League ID card

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Bad-Faith in Comics

Well, it's been a bit of an up-and-down week. At least for me and my little comic book space, two of my absolute favorite, well, Absolutes, came out, but then Batman #160 and then those Dynamic Duo "leaks." And I'll be honest, I was vocal about my disappointment before they got debunked. But then the person admitted they did the red-haired Jason because it would upset people, and that kind of threw me. First off, maybe it's just me, but the idea of making fake leaks to start with is… weird. I don't know why someone would do it. Then to make a bad-faith design on top of it? I don't really get it. But it got me thinking a little bit.

You can always tell when a character is written without understanding or caring. The opposite is also very true. I find Batman: Odyssey horribly written, but I can still sense a level of care for Batman in the story and a sense of passion. You don't get that absolutely batshit without a passion for what you're writing. And while I don't like the New 52 Red Hood and the Outlaws, I can tell that there is care for Jason as a character. The problem, though, is that care isn't there for all of its characters. Also, with that care and love don't equal good storytelling; sometimes it can actually be detrimental to the character, and you can see that in both Batman: Odyssey and Red Hood and the Outlaws.

Absolute Wonder Woman is a case where you can see there is not only a love for Wonder Woman but also the care and skill to not only write her well but also her supporting cast as well.

I also find myself giving a lot of comics a pass on poor characterizations of characters who've been around for ages because, well, no one can be expected to know everything about every character they want to use. But there is where we go back to Batman #160 and Hush 2. While this story isn't finished, and I don't like casting judgment, I can't help but wonder if this story was written in bad faith, with no care for any of the characters in the story. Now I had started feeling this in #159, when Bruce had picked up a gun and shot Jason in the head. Yes, thinking he was Clayface, but also Batman being so casual with a gun is weird. Shooting Jason in the head with no hesitation, even thinking it was Clayface, again weird. Then we come to #160, where Bruce learns Jason might need brain surgery and is not worried about that. With the context of other recent Batman comics, it's a little more concerning. But also with that Dick Grayson, who recently beat the crap out of Bruce for helping Jason, didn't believe Jason when he shot him. Again, weird. And I might be missing stuff for the bit because I don't read Batman and Robin, but the last thing I knew, Damian Wayne did not like Bane. Most of the Batfamily does not like Bane; Jason tried to kill him in Task Force Z. But he's here now? Helping? Damian of all people recruited him? Then the issue ends with "3 Robin will die," and not a single mention of Tim or Steph to be seen. All of this weirdness adds up. Now again, I am a spotty ready of anything mainline. I currently am only keeping up with Nightwing and Batgirl, so I might be missing context, but it still doesn't feel right. The concept of a Hush 2 was already on shaky ground to start, as it was a very isolated story, and a big part of the story was Bruce and Selina's relationship, and of course Selina isn't here either. There is just a creeping sense of "off-ness" in the writing, and I can't help but wonder if this was written because Hush too needed to be told, the character needed this development, or because of less artistic reasons.

I come back thinking about those "leaks." I've never been a person who cares much about leaks, but Dynamic Duo is something I'm genuinely looking forward to, partly because of the testing of new animation it's going to bring to the table. I'm sure I'm not alone in person who really cares about its story and the characters it's using. Just as I'm sure people care about the Hush story, I can't wrap my head around the apathy you'd need to purposefully do something without care or passion that you know people won't like. And Hush 2 might get a pass because, well, there is a certain level of fans that will always enjoy a Batman story regardless of quality, so it might not be in bad faith. It just lacks the care that the original had. Where were those leaks? They were absolutely made to do nothing more than stir drama, and well, that's that, I suppose. But for all this, there still are more people who create because they care, and I know because we have things like Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Martian Manhunter.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (May 28th)

Well It's been a busy week for me, which in a lot of ways is really good, especially since I've read a lot this week, but I'm kind of exhausted, and we are only halfway through the week. I've spent a good portion of today doing chores and stuff while debating in my head if I should pick up the new issue of Hush 2 and continue to torture myself and, by extension, my wallet. (Spoiler: I caved.)

The Read:

I finished book 3 of Saga. At the end of book 3 is where I was told the hiatus took place, and it does have me concerned. But you can read more about that in my last post. I won't bore people by repeating myself. I still really love the series; I'm cautious about what is to come and not really in much of a hurry to read the next 20 or so chapters.

With that, I also read Assorted Crisis Events #1. I probably will end up with this one, as Camp really loves his media, and you can tell. I'll probably touch on this later, but it is appropriately weird and makes use of it being a comic. That is a skill Camp has already shown me in Absolute Martian Manhunter, so I'm happy to read more of his original work.

DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 continues to be just good old-fashioned fun. I don't have much more to say on it right now, but did I know I needed an interaction to be between Lex Luthor and Knuckles the Echidna? No! But I absolutely did! And I absolutely loved it. The whole run is just full of amazing and fun little moments, and I can't wait for more.

Nightwing #126 was about what I expected. Maybe it's because Dick is coming from Batman, where there is an amazing and varied supporting cast, or maybe it's because Dick's current cast is a lot of leftovers from a run I find lacking at best, annoying at worst. But it could be so much stronger. Dick deserves that. To be honest, my next library trip might just be an all-Nightwing run so I can really dig in and better explain my quibbles.

But moving on, Absolute Flash #3 was good. I was a little shocked that Grodd was not a gorilla anymore. But honestly, I'm not a big Flash person, so I still am enjoying the story and the bit of it I do recognize. #3 was seeming like the end of this introduction arc/prologue? But I think I'll wait just a bit longer to talk about it because it moved very fast.

Breaking up my DC reads a bit, but keeping on theme with Lemire's work, I went to the library and picked up Black Hammer Vol. 2-4 and finished reading them. As mentioned above, this weird thing I'm going to talk about is "appropriately weird" because I really liked Black Hammer, but it really could have gone harder. It clearly was a love letter to golden age comics and played with themes of storytelling. But when you work with sort of meta themes like that, you need to come out of the box a little bit. And in this case, I almost mean that literally. The story was good, but it explained itself too much, and had it left itself a little more abstract, left more to the imagination, and broken its panel structure more, it would have moved from good to great in my mind.

Speaking of weird, Ice Cream Man Vol. 1 is sort of another I picked up at the library, read, and think could have been less explained. See, anthologies with a connecting character like Ice Cream Man tend to work better when you don't know too much about the character. Mostly because he's not really the driving force of the stories. That's the human emotions and choices of the other characters. And in the first issue, I feel they gave away too much about the Ice Cream Man, and in the last, it seemed they wanted to tell us more about him. That all makes me hesitant. I still really enjoyed it, and I'll read more, but I sometimes feel that people are losing the art of subtlety and knowing when to leave the audience in the dark.

For the last bit, we are returning to DC's Zatanna #4! Still going strong as expected. I don't think I have much to say on it right now. I mentioned in the last hull post I was going to talk about it when it finished, and I definitely will. And I am looking into Zatanna reading lists; she's just such a fun and interesting character.

The Unread:

With my library pickup, I got Lady Killer, which was something I had an interest in after reading Wonder Girl: Homecoming since its co-creator is the same. I will say, I am a bit of a sucker for the twist on the traditional 1940s housewife.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands might seem like an odd pick for me given most of what is here is well fictional and mostly kept to the superhero side, but biographical and non-fiction comics do really fascinate me in their use of the medium. Safe Area Goražde was one of the first nonfiction comics I read, and I read it for a class, and it opened my eyes to the intentional nature that's within comics, the best point being how the author gives himself a bit of a caricature look because he's an outsider there. And the professor who had me read that also recommended Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands to me, so I am more than willing to try it.

Of my pulls, it was a week of me giving things one more chance, so We're Taking Everyone Down With Us #3 and Batman #160 are in that group. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us isn't bad per se, but I don't think it's worth the single issues. And Batman—well, I mentioned Batman's problems with the status quo a while ago, and I wasn't happy with #159, but let it be known! I always give second chances!

That sort of makes my pulls this week sound kind of weak, but in fact, two of my favorite running series, Absolute Wonder Woman #8 and Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, are out and in my reading pile! I am still very excited for them both, which is probably why I'm so willing to try with the other two.

It may be a moment before I can actually sit down and enjoy these stories still, but it will be a nice little weekend treat, I suppose. Well, at least Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Martian Manhunter will be.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Saga

There is always a point where people's tastes differ. A respected professor of mine recommended a bunch of comics, and a lot of them I liked and really enjoyed. I will always be thankful for him recommending me things like My Favorite Things is Monsters and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? But there is a lot of difference between me and my professor. The main distinction in our tastes is with me being a DC person and him being Marvel, but we find a more common ground with Indies, so of course when I finally started reading Saga, I asked him what he thought. He responded that he enjoyed it up until the break, and he felt that it didn't come back as strong as it had left off. And well, I'm now at about where the hiatus took place, that being at the end of Book 3. And I suppose I can't say yet if I agree, but I already know there is a shift in the tone.

Saga has always been about family, building it, and how to protect it. The first two books are pretty heavily focused on Marko and Alana doing what they can to protect Hazel and make sure she grows up. And at the end of Two and into Three, Hazel has started becoming her own person, so in a way, Alana and Marko accomplished that, so the tone and focus started to shift. Particularly as Alana and Marko take a more direct conflict on Phang. Then when they leave, the journalist joins them, and Marko starts writing. The story goes more into telling their story. It feels pretty natural, but I can see how a hiatus during this time might kinda be harmful to the story because this new tone isn't fully set in.

I like Saga. It's a great read with many nuances that I'd eventually like to dig deeper into, eventually. The issue I always find myself running into, anyone who's read a few of my posts might know, is that Saga is ongoing. I had originally picked it up because when I saw three big books, I thought it was finished. It wasn't, and that was my mistake. And I have been trying to get past my feeling that "something can only be good when it's finished" because that mindset feels very limited. But at the same time, I still have a mild sense of dread for that quality dropping off. Especially given that Book Three ended with several of my favorite characters dead. Especially given how core to the story two of these characters were.

I can't help but think about something like Batman. Batman is ongoing, but I struggle less defining Batman as bad or good because it's sort of broken up into stories. And I can break the story up by their sort of ending and kind of ignoring that Batman itself isn't over. It's like a Nancy Drew book. The problem with Saga is that it feels like it is working toward something, and part of that was the tone shift in Book Three; it felt like it was starting toward that end. But with the death of Marko, it also feels like that time to that conclusion has been extended. While his death wasn't totally out of nowhere, even early on there were some faint hints that one of Hazel's parents was likely going to die. The problem for me, though, is that of the couple, Marko is more of the story's heart. While a flawed person, he was very likable. Alana, we haven't gotten the same time with the same contention of family. And that makes sense; it was Marko's mother and father who joined the family, and Alana's mother is dead and her father married her friend. And it is mostly Marko's culture that the reader and Hazel are exposed to. But now Marko ise, and so is his mother. Petrichor is still there, but even IV is gone. And IV was more connected to the Wings. So I am hoping that Saga takes this to expand more on Alana's side and history, but it would have to do a lot of family rebuilding, which might not be as enjoyable the second go-around.

Again, I like Saga, but the way it's structured and how it's going along with its narrative kind of prods at my anxious tendencies, which is on me. Having read Paper Girls, I do think Vaughan has the skill to pull this together. And the one I worry about more is production shenanigans, which are more likely to happen with longer runs and longer production times. I love My Favorite Things Is Monsters, but you can definitely see traces of the development hell it went through in the second volume. A lot of anticlimactic explanations and certain characters never show up again, and new characters are just there now? It's still a good book but definitely has more worried about a series that goes on hiatus.

This post probably feels a lot more discontent than a typical post from me, but my feelings are so mixed right now it's hard to explain. And I still am struggling to give a definitive opinion on something unfinished. All of this, I suppose, is less about Saga itself and more about me, but in a way, I feel this shows the impact this story has on me. That I'm thinking about it days after I finish reading, that has me so up in knots, and I think that maybe if it's never as strong as it is right now, it still made me feel. There is a value in that.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (May 21st)

May was a month that sort of flew by for me to the point I still feel like it's April. Like, what do you mean summer is just around the corner? What do you mean the Superman movie is going to be out in just under 2 months?

I partly mention this because I finally picked up Assorted Crisis Events #1, but also because in September this blog will officially be a year old, and I can't help but feel it's sneaking up on me despite still being 4 months away. Ah, but let's move on because I picked up some good stuff this week.

The Read:

So most of what I read in the past week was Something is Killing the Children since I had gotten, like, five of the trade paperbacks from my local library. I did end up really loving it. I'm still a bit behind, and I have some real trouble debating if I should wait for my library to get the next paperbacks or if I should just start ordering from my shop. My grandmother's passed down to me her frugality, though, and I probably will just wait. But it has been the first property ever to make me consider trying to get over my fear of needles to get a tattoo.

I did start reading book 3 of Saga as well, but that's not quite finished, so I don't really have much to talk about in this category, especially since my last post was 850+ words about how much I enjoyed Something is Killing the Children.

The Unread:

As I mentioned before, I finally picked up Assorted Crisis Events #1, which has sort of been taunting me since its release. It looked interesting, but the description seemed vague, and again the frugal spirit was possessing me. But I recently realized it was written by Deniz Camp of Absolute Martian Manhunter, and I've done nothing but sing that comic's praises, so what the hell, let's give it a shot.

With that, I did pick up my regular things. DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 is something I've been looking forward to, because while I preach on comics as an art, this run has been simple fun. Yes, the current story has some drama, but it is not being treated so heavily that the lighter tone is lost. And in its own way, DC x Sonic the Hedgehog is also art, and I really adore the design of Sonic and pals in their Justice League outfits. They do a great job of being Sonic and friends but also the Justice League. Particularly the lighting on Sonic's ears is such a great touch of blending The Flash and Sonic.

Speaking of the Flash, Absolute Flash #3 is also out. To be honest, I've been reading so much I'll probably reread #1 and #2 of Absolute Flash to jog my memory a little bit before diving into #3. I'm still generally of a mixed opinion of Lemire right now (Black Hammer, good. Minor Arcana not so much.) and still more than a little bit worried about his Robin and Batman: Jason Todd, which also comes out next month.

You know, Nightwing needs to stop having really neat variant covers. I've mentioned before I'm not much of a variant guy, but Nightwing has had some really great-looking variants. I have #123's Camuncoli Hush variant. #124's Fornés variant and now #126's Fornés variant. I'm considering putting them up on my wall. Anyway, I'm not super excited for this one, especially as Francavilla is still in the artist chair. And I don't mind his work, I just have a soft spot for Soy's work and am looking forward to him coming back. Am I just reading Nightwing for the art? Maybe….

Back to the thing I am excited for: Zatanna #4! I definitely will be talking about this run when it concludes in a couple of months, but I'll probably eventually pick up more Zatanna. She's been such a fun character to read, and I've always loved her style. Plus, it's generally nice to get out of the Batman sphere I so often find myself in. I mean, I'm still not that far off. I feel there's only, like, 2 degrees of separation. He did feature in this comic, after all, but he's not focused on here, and his cameo makes sense.

Well, that's all I picked up this week, though maybe I should mention I skimmed through DC Connect #60 and happened to see DC Finest: Batman: Red Skies, and well, I'm a bit buzzed with excitement because it's Jason and Nocturna. It doesn't look like it will have her introduction, but I'm hoping that it will include Jason's adaptation. As their relationship is a key part of that story. So a little something for me to look forward to, and I suppose, something that will likely be here before I know it.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Something Is Killing the Children Volumes 1-6

Warning: Spoilers

I feel people forget that comics are a visual medium. I don't really mean this in a condescending way, but I always hear more about the writing and writers getting criticized, while the art often is boiled down to "good" or "bad." But the art is part of the story; it's the vehicle carrying it. Good art can make up for bad writing, and personally, I find it's a lot harder for the writing to make up for bad art. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Something is Killing the Children isn't well written; in fact, the writing is really strong, but I feel part of why it is so strong is because of its art. Particularly its character designs. To focus down even more particularly on how 'eyes' play into those designs.

Currently I am caught up to Chapter 30, which is the end of Volume Six, so I'm about 10-12 chapters behind, but eyes have been a force throughout the whole run. Which makes sense for a story that is about monsters that adults can't see but children can. So it makes sense that the main character, Erica Slaughter, has distinctively large eyes, because she is able to see what other people can not. But here is the thing: Erica's eyes are much larger than everyone else's, and in several places in the series, people refer to her by pointing out her eyes. But it's more than Erica just being able to see monsters. In volume 4, chapter 16, after Jessica first picks up Erica, they are in the car together, and Erica asks, "Why do you seem nervous?" And Jessica responds, "Ha! You're perceptive." It's a small but key moment because through the first arc in Archer's Peak, part of the conflict was Erica trying to provide the survivors some sense of "closure." Erica's sight goes beyond just seeing the monsters and into seeing the people being victimized, and this is reflected in her character design with her having the big, bright green eyes. They also give her a sort of uncanny look. And while most of the other members of Saint George also have bright eyes, their eyes are more narrowed than Erica's. In chapter 20 there is a conversation between Erica and The Old Dragon, where The Old Dragon calls Erica a monster, which again is something that her slightly uncanny design plays into. But Erica isn't really a monster, and in another conversation with The Old Dragon at the end of volume 3 in chapter 15, we see the Old Dragon has narrow eyes and is also likely blind in one eye, and while he is praising Erica for caring and trying to get her to stay and change things from within, he isn't able to see things how Erica does. The only character whose eyes are close to Erica's is Bian, the child Erica saves in chapter five and whom the Old Dragon said Erica could have recruited in chapter 15.

The best contrasting design to Erica is Charlotte Cutter, who we first see in chapter 22 when she is assigned to hunt down Erica. And while, like another antagonist, Cecilia Slaughter, she has narrow red eyes, we eventually see that, like Erica, Charlotte is another Black mask, but in contrast, she wears her bandana over her eyes. This contrast is important because, unlike Erica, Charlotte clearly doesn't care for human life; in fact, in chapter 23, she goes out of her way to kill a human woman, who, while rude, was clearly not a monster. This goes further as she also ends up killing Gary Slaughter in chapter 25 and then in 27, she is actively feeding the monster to get it to look like Erica. Charlotte is truly a monster, and this is reflected in how her eyes are covered. She is totally blind to the humans and humanity around her.

Her and Erica's counterpoints bring about a great view into how Saint George works as well. In Chapter 29 older dragon and Cecilia are talking, and the older dragon points out that both Erica and Charlotte are problems for the Order, and it doesn't really matter who wins their fight because either way a problem would be solved if the other dies. But we learn more about the Old Dragon's perception as he talks about how Erica surviving would help House Slaughter. While The Old Dragon talks about emotions and caring, he is still pretty solely focused on the survival of House Slaughter, which can be reflected in his aforementioned blind eye.

These small parts of these character designs are playing massive roles within the story and helping show up in subtle ways these characters' personalities and motivations that are pushing this story along. We would have no story if Erica didn't care about people. There would be no story if Charlotte didn't. There'd be no story if the Old Dragon wasn't focused on making sure House Slaughter survived. And without the attention to detail to how the character's eyes show these motivations, Something Is Killing the Children would not be as great as it is.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (May 14th)

So I didn't have any pulls this week, but I ended up with another library trip, so I did get more to read. I got a few things to take home, but I actually ended up spending some time reading at the library itself just because I had some time to kill. It has some nice seats, and people are generally very respectful there. But I honestly felt pretty good sitting and reading there because there were so many others there reading in their own spaces. It's just nice seeing people using and supporting valuable resources like the library.

The Read:

So first on the docket was All-Star Superman, and it was generally good. It ended up as one of those stories where I like what it's going for rather than how it was executed. I liked it showing more of Clark's humanity rather than showing how all-powerful he is, and I like how being the powerful kind of backfires. But it didn't totally work for me, and it didn't quite hit as hard for me as Superman for All Seasons did. Maybe it's because Superman's core is hope and changing; I've never been for stories where he dies. Even if temporary.

Speaking of Absolute Superman #7, it kind of has me thinking that Absolute Superman is going to end up the key point that connects all the absolutes. I like the twist on Brainiac with the sort of Borg hive mind twist. I think I will end up talking more about Absolute Superman in detail because the more I read Superman, the more I like it, and the more I like Absolute Superman.

Moving on to Absolute Green Lantern #2. Let me get my quibble out of the way. I don't like cop Guy Gardener. I never had him being a social worker; it just was so much better and gave him some real depth. Also, yeah. Not happy with what happened to him. I'm starting to get the impression this one isn't really going to be "for me." I don't think it's bad, but I'm not totally sold on where it's going. Thinking more about it, while I like Jo and John, my favorite Lanterns are Kyle, Guy, and Jess. So again It just makes me feel like this isn't going to do it for me.

I already talked about Two-Face #6 in my last post, and YUP still disappointed with that. But I feel all this "there will only be one Robin" news proves part of my point in that with how DC just loves sacrificing characters on the altar of status quo. I would like to see less Damian hate, though, because let's be real, he was never going to stay in as Robin. Tim is just too much like Bruce in that he's in a perfect marketable sweet spot.

I guess we'll be talking about Batman: Batgirl #7, which, as expect still going strong. I was a little surprised in the rebuilding of Shiva's narrative. I am kind of wondering now how the David Cain stuff will be addressed and if Richard Dragon will be brought up at all.

Well, I finally got around to Midnight Society: The Black Lake,and yep, that was a comic book alright. Honestly, it reminded me vaguely of those early 2000s movies, particularly the Resident Evil ones (didn't help that the lead, Matilda, looked like blonde Jill Valentine). Honestly, the story was fine, as was the art. But it was just busy and hard to follow at times because there were just so many air bubbles all the time.

Also in my reading pile was Space Ghost/Jonny Quest: Space Quest, and yeah, it was generally about as nostalgic as I expected it to be. I'm considering adding it to my pull list. But it was in the comic I learned there is a Captain Planet comic. Wild.

We're Taking Everyone Down With Us #2 kind of cemented my thoughts that singles are just not going to be it for that story. While I find it interesting, each single doesn't really leave me feeling satisfied, only a bit frustrated that I have to wait a month for more of the story. So I probably will not pick up the next issues, but I will be getting the TB.

While I was at the library, I ended up reading Paper Girls Vol. 2-6. I read volume one a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it, so I figured since the whole collection was there, I'd just take the time to read them all. And it was very solid; anything with time travel is very tricky because you can't really afford inconsistency, and Paper Girls handled everything masterfully. The dream has probably some of my favorite parts for their weirdness yet their importance, and I'd even argue they are some of the most important foreshadowing. Really great, and because the writing is by the same person as Saga, I'm a little more excited to see where that goes.

The Unread:

When I last talked about Paper Girls, I also mentioned Something is Killing the Children, and well, I ended up taking home volumes 2-6 of Something is Killing the Children. So I would be pretty close to caught up, which is really nice. I probably will keep an eye out for more volumes as they come because, sort of like We're Taking Everyone Down With Us, the longer format I feel is a better match for the story that's trying to be told.

Speaking of catching up, Book 3 of Saga will get me to #54 of the current 72. I might see if my library has the paperbacks to catch me up further, so I don't have to wait on a 4th book. But while I love the story of Saga, I might just end up letting it sit for a long while. I am not sure I will talk more about it when I do get caught up because, well, I think I would like to wait to have my own copies so I can comb over the details of the story better.

So not much else in my to-read pile. Maybe I'll finally finish that novel I've been trying to get done, but I do have pulls next week. Things have been hard, but good things have also happened, and I saw people enjoying my local library.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Two-Face

Warning Spoilers

Two-Face's first solo mini finished this week, and, well, it's left me in a weird position because while I enjoyed the majority of the story, its ending kind of highlighted my big problems with Batman as a whole. Which is kind of sad, as Two-Face as a character has always been a highlight in Batman's stories. In a certain sense, that may be somewhat poetic. However, I cannot help but feel a sense of disappointment in its prioritization of the status quo.

But let me back up first and talk about what I do genuinely love about this run, i.e., the art. Fábio Veras' art is really great and does an amazing job of looking stable when Harvey is looking and going a little more wild when Two-Face is. And that is boosted by Ivan Plascencia's colors, using cool and dark colors for the real word and then bright bursts of purple and yellow for Harvey's mind. And a mention should also be made of Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou's lettering; the use of overlapping boxes over bubbles helps really show Harvey's mental state. The clear distinction between Harvey's and Two-Face's speaking is also very well done. And my praise of the art extents out to the variant covers as well. Every cover is an amazing work of art that I'd happily show on my walls. I end up only getting the #1 Chris Samnee variant, but never before have I considered getting multiple single issues just so I could have the art. I will also praise the paneling of this comic, particularly in how some of Two-Face's panels tend to tilt or Two-Face himself is totally out of the panel, which really is some great foreshadowing. I think #4 just showcases the best use of all these talents to tell Harvey's story and show his mental state.

Now getting to that story. I've been on record before as not really being a fan of how Havery's Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is portrayed, and I myself am not the pinnacle of knowledge regarding the condition. But I am very aware of how demonized DID is. And going back to #4 kind of shows the problem with Harvey's DID. Scarvey (or Two-Face) did help Harvey in a regard by being the one who "dealt" with the abuse from their father, and Harvey was kind of an asshole by totally ignoring Scarvey. Now he is a child in this, so there is some understanding, and I do like how it is his mother who frees Scarvey again. Because Scarvey is more than just the bad impulse everyone gets. The problems continue into issue 6, and this is kind of a long-running problem with Batman kind of being out of character. Because you're telling me Batman, Batman, who has fought so hard for Harvey, just leaves him when he asks for help. And again denying Scarvey's existence. To a side note, it also puts up a contradiction in Harvey himself, as in Issue 4 he said the choice is his and Scarvey isn't real, but with Bruce he says, "It was him!" But back to my main point, Batman then says, "Things don't change, not in Gotham. They just repeat." You're telling me Batman said that? The same Batman who's been trying to improve Gotham for 85+ real years. And yeah, that's a long time, but a key part of his character is that he hasn't given up. That he hasn't given up on people.

And in the end, yes, Scarface/Two-Face takes back over, leaving Harvey in the trauma of his own mind, playing into Batman's words, but I just find myself sighing. Neither Harvey nor Scarvey has grown, and we've ended up in a place we haven't been since before Task Force Z, I believe, so it's not really even that cyclical; we've regressed. Then again, who knows with comic book continuity?

Now we are to the meat and potatoes of my problems. For having such a mess of continuity, DC seems obsessed with returning things to a status quo. And I am not against character regression, but it has to be intentional with a story attached to it, a reason and motivation. You know, like we humans have. We are flawed creatures and sometimes do bad things, on purpose or by accident. But real humans are neither wholly good nor bad, which is a part of my problem with Scarvey being "Bad Harvey." It wants it both ways with him, for him to just be "not real," but also he can control Harvey's body, which would make him real. And that doesn't work for me. Especially when there could be a really interesting story with both Harvey and Scarvey working together, because part of Harvey's story is his loss of faith in Gotham's justice system. So Harvey and Scarvey doing bad things trying to be "better" I am not against. But when you break things down into this black-and-white, good-verse-evil mentality, it just becomes uninteresting and less human, and I can't help but return to the points in my Joker post, "Why should I care about this?" Especially when you're using a very human condition that people actually have. That's kind of in poor taste. I will give this run a little leeway because it never says directly Harvey has DID. But it seems to be going off the continuity where he did. So while there is a lot of good in this story, it's just another story that sacrifices itself on the altar of the status quo rather than actually telling a good story.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (May 7th)

There are few things I feel the need to explain about myself. I have been on a personal quest to try and be more social in my day-to-day life. Part of this has been attending more comic book shop events and trying to go out more often, even if it's just to chat. But I am a person on the spectrum, which makes parts of this goal a challenge. I mention in my last post not enjoying Free Comic Book Day because I got overwhelmed, and well, today as I picked up my new comics, I hit the other end. I was too chatty and ended up rambling about sharks for 10 minutes because of a box set up to donate to a local animal hospital, and you used money to vote for either Krypto the Superdog or Venom Jeff. It was only that short because another customer had to pay, and I left feeling a bit of guilt. But that's part of why I go, to work through those feelings. Neither the person behind me nor the worker was upset. I get passionate about stuff, and I shouldn't feel guilt about that passion, and it's another reason I started these posts. Maybe not to be more "social" but less afraid to put my thoughts about things I love out there. Sometimes self-improvement is letting yourself scream into the void about comics for over 600 words.

Anyway, to the good stuff, and there was quite a bit of good stuff this week.

The Read:

Wonder Girl: Homecoming had me kind of feel like I set myself up a little bit, which is strange. I didn't know much about Yara, yet I still feel she wasn't utilized to her full potential. Maybe I was just disappointed with only the taste of Brazilian mythology. The whole rebellion against being Hera's Champion would have hit better with me if Yara had been shown more connection with her people in Brazil. Still not bad, and I'm still glad Yara is here, but maybe we've been down this Greek myths-centered path so many times before.

Book 2 of Saga was a great continuation, but not totally sure I like how frequent the time skips were. With that thought, Hazel is actually finally starting to become her own character and less of a macguffin which is great. The thing is, in the hardbacks I got, there is a gallery section at the end with different artists talking about the story and their own comics, and I was kind of surprised how many people liked The Will. I mean, he's interesting. Saga's whole cast is strong. But what about your favorite being The Will? When there is Marko, Klara, VI, Lying Cat, Ghüs!!! Not to be judgmental, but to me, Will's arc is the flattest of the stories going on in Saga. Still good, just nothing not seen before. That, and he was out of commission for most of this book.

At Free Comic Book Day, I ended up picking Power Rangers/VR Troopers. Partly because of nostalgia, partly because of VR Troopers?! In the year of our Lord 2025? Regardless, I'll probably be getting into Power Rangers comics. There isn't a lot to say about this comic itself because it is more of a teaser for VR Troopers, and it actually ties the two stories in it in a nice little way, and generally it's really well done.

The Unread:

Saga took up most of my time between this and my last Hull post, so All-Star Superman and Midnight Society: The Black Lake are still waiting for me.

On the topic of Superman, Absolute Superman #7 is out along with Absolute Green Lantern #2. To be honest, while I'm excited for Superman, having sat on Absolute Green Lantern a bit more, the less charitable I am to it. The first issue wasn't bad by any means; just the more I think about the more I realize it wasn't about Jo. Then again, we are still building this new mythos, so I'll see where issue 2 takes us.

Keeping with DC The last issue of the Two-Face mini came out with Two-Face #6. I am interested in seeing where it wraps up, as the series has had its ups and downs, but if anything has come out of this run is some amazing covers. I'm not typically a variant cover kind of person, but it's been hard picking out which covers I want, especially for #6.

Batgirl #7 is also out, and I'm really excited for it. Brombal's writing has really been making this series such a treat for me and raising Cass up in my ranking of favorite characters.

Another thing I just found but was excited for was Space Ghost/Jonny Quest: Space Quest. Kind of like Power Rangers/VR Troopers, I picked this up out of nostalgia mostly for Jonny Quest, as my brother can likely attest I watched a lot of Boomerang and a lot of Jonny Quest (as a side note, yes, I love The Venture Bros.). So seeing this comic had me prickling with excitement.

The last thing I picked up was We're Taking Everyone Down With Us, something I have mixed feelings about. Not mixed feelings about its story. It's interesting, and I want to see where it goes, but I'm not sure it's worth it to buy the single issues. The first issue had me feeling it was incomplete, and duh, it was; it was the first issue, but not in a satisfying way. I'll probably pick up one more single because I don't see the point in not just waiting for a paperback or hardback.

Another week down, and with that it means another library trip is coming up for me, and going to the library is a lot easier for me than going to a comic book store. Maybe that's because talking to people is discouraged at the library, lol. But anyway, I'll probably be picking up more good things, and any time just doing things you like, it's time well spent.

[kaithonks]

So I’ve had some Thoughts about Free Comic Book Day

So the first Saturday of May has come and gone again, and with it, Free Comic Book Day. I'm sure most people in comic book spaces know about it. Considering the comic's history, this is a relatively new event, having started in 2002. Then again, maybe my perspective is a bit skewed considering I'm older than Free Comic Book Day. Back to the event itself, the fact that in 13 years it has become an international event is kind of amazing, but I feel it shows an amazing part of comics, and that is accessibility.

Now some people might be giving me a funny look when I say "accessibility," as they turn to stare at the wall of Batman content, wondering where in the world they should start if they want to get into comics. Here is the thing: the main consumer of comics isn't an adult. It's children. So that wall of Batman and other long-running superhero comics isn't necessarily the standard. Children's graphic novels make up a large portion of the comic market. Comics are that middle ground between picture books and novels. And I don't mean that disparagingly. It's important to have middle ground like that because ultimately it helps promote reading.

The idea that there is "good" and "bad" reading has always been aggravating to me. Especially when talking about young readers. The best thing for young readers is just to read. I myself didn't really get into reading until well into the second grade because it was hard. It wasn't until adulthood that I started investigating why reading was so hard for me. But in trying to get me to read, the adults in my life wanted me to read "good" things, so they had read/had me try and read things like Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. And it was just so boring to me. I eventually "got it" and started reading like a madman, but it was things like Artemis Fowl, Warrior Cats, Percy Jackson, and Archie Comics. All of these books promoted something in me, but upon reflection, I started drawing my own comics because I was reading Archie comics (and well, Fruits Baskets). And the sequencing of comics gave me a good start understanding narrative flow by showing me. As for today, I've read more Shakespeare, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Wright's Native Son, but I wouldn't have gotten here if I hadn't started with things that interested me. Kids may start with things people may consider "low tier," but eventually everyone develops their own tastes, and they will grow. And that is part of why I have never had an issue with comics being called a "kids thing" because comics too have developed.

Rounding back to my main point, comics are accessible because kids' comics can help kids read more by capturing interests. Comics are no different than books in that they can grow with the reader with teen comics and then adult ones. They don't get more mature in topic but style and can force the reader to really think about how the art and writing are working together. Comics are accessible, and by having a Free Comic Book Day, a day where you can show up and get a free comic book, it highlights that accessibility. I have never read a Power Rangers comic, but I picked up the VR Troopers/Power Rangers Prime comic that was offered on Free Comic Book Day, and now I'm probably going to start reading Power Rangers Prime and give VR Troopers a try when it comes out. And well intimidating superhero comic wall isn't all that impenetrable because all one needs to do is ask, and so many fans are ready with recommendations for entry places. Or you could be like me and just pick up random things from the library.

I know I am coming from a very biased place, and comics have been a core part of my reading journey, whether I really understood it or not. But honestly, I didn't really enjoy myself this Free Comic Book Day. This was my first year actually going. I went about an hour after my shop opened, and it was packed. I got overwhelmed with the noise and amount of people in my small comic book shop. I ended up not looking around that much, and I took my VR Troopers and left, then napped the rest of the day. But I can't find myself being upset about any of this. People were there. People were chatting and reading. There actually was a can drive too, and people were donating and they could get more free comics. So Free Comic Book Day not only showed the accessibility to reading comics themselves but also the accessibility into the community.

[kaithonks]

The Hull (Apr 30th)

Another week, another batch of comics as I try and remain hopeful in our capitalistic hellscape. That feels like a strange and bleak opening because, well, I read a lot of good things this week, and honestly, comics are generally going in a positive direction in my opinion, which does make things a little more hopeful. I have been thinking a bit more about what COVID did to fandom space in bringing them more mainstream and in that comics, but at the same time, I can't find the move to exposure as a total bad thing. The people who aren't truly invested will move on, and like all things, it will pass.

The Read:

I am sure in my last post people got the general impression of Batman #159, which is not good. Honestly I was not really sold on the concept. #158 had lifted my hopes a bit, but the idea of a Hush 2 never read as anything more than a cash grab. Specially as Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween is also still being released. Nothing about it really feels natural.

But back to what I was talking about in my opening, both Absolute Martian Manhunter #2 and Absolute Wonder Woman #7 were great. Absolute Martian Manhunter is still great, and I think it's on its way to being a masterpiece as it's pushing what a superhero comic can be. While Absolute Wonder Woman is reminding people why Wonder Woman is a part of the top trio. She is strong and clever but not without a deep compassion.

Still on the positivity train. Something is Killing the Children hooked me, and I've made a note to go back for more issues when next I hit up the library. Honestly, Slash is such a good genera and is ready for experimentation into what it can really do and mean. I might eventually talk more on Something is Killing the Children once I read a bit more into it, but we'll see.

Black Hammer: Secret Origins is another great read. Sort of like Absolute Martian Manhunter, it really played on the expectations of not only superhero comics but all comics. It didn't really smooth any worry I had for Robin and Batman: Jason Todd, but it did give me a little more faith that even if he goes with the angry Robin narrative, there will at least be some meaning around it and just not the regular sort of classism that comes with Robin Jason.

Paper Girls was fun, but I feel the need to hold off on really talking about it because, well, it's a time travel story, and those can either be really fun? Or totally lose themselves in their twisty narratives. I have a bit of faith in Vaughan, though, to wrap it up nicely. And well, the person who recommended it to me recommended it because it was finished, so that's also a bonus.

The Unread:

I didn't get around to All-Star Superman or Midnight Society: The Black Lake, as I try to read all my library books first while keeping on top of things currently running because I am on the west coast. If I do not keep up with current runs, I will be spoiled before noon. I literally picked up Batman #159, went home, took a break to scroll on my phone, and the first thing was a post about that issue. So I'm not joking. In that the only library books I didn't end up getting too were Wonder Girl: Homecoming and Saga Book 2. I have started Wonder Girl at the time of writing, but I'm trying to savor things and really take them in, but honestly, I just end up devouring.

I also didn't have any pulls this week, but Free Comic Book Day is on Saturday, so I'll likely be going down for that. My local place is combining with a canned food drive, so that's a little extra nice. So again, while things seem terrible, good things are still happening; we still have our communities. And it's worth the fight.