Folks, Harry here with the Sexiest man In Comics and the Astonishing Mutant Fanboy... AMF never gets the respect or the spread conch that the SMIC gets, but AMF is almost always no bullshit, while the SMIC is almost all bullshit, so choose your spirit comic guide wisely... Sit back and relax... read with a grin or a saber in your hand and at the end of it all... tell these two how this could be better, worse or whatever is on your mind... Enjoy...
Hi there, I’m the Sexiest Man in Comics.
And I’m The Astonishing Mutant Fanboy!
…ahem. Welcome to the first installment of Premium Pulp. Harry was kind enough to give the two of us space to warn all of you which comics you absolutely must have this coming week.
And sometimes, we’ll tell you which comics to avoid like the plague.
Like Azrael: Agent of the Bat.
Exactly.
Anyway, now that we’ve offended the great Bat-Shepherd Denny O’Neil, let’s move along and take a look at the comics coming to your store this coming Thursday, May 31.
This week, we’ve got four titles that we think are worth your hard-earned allowance money.
Well, you’ve got four, but we’ll get to that later. Let’s start out with the ones we agree upon. First up to bat is the latest issue of Batman Beyond. Put out by the able team of Hillary Barta, Rick Burchette and Dan Davis, comic followers of the young Terry McGinnis finally get to see the JLU in comic book form.
That’s right kids! The future of DC Comics is now complete in the comic book world. You’ve got your Kingdom Supes, your DC 1M Supes, and now your Batman Beyond Supes!
Well, actually, Superman doesn’t appear much in this book, but what we do get to see is some great interchanges between the rest of the leaguers and the Bat-Mantle holder.
Yeah, some of the JLU’s not too happy with Batman’s decision not to join the league. Warhawk bitches the young Bats, thinking that Bats thinks he’s too good for the league or something like that. He’s so totally wrong.
Um…yeah…anyway, it is an interesting twist given the regular DCU Batman’s roll as an outsider, but team member nonetheless. In addition, as the BB Beyond is just a teen, the whole lack of experience rant that Green Lantern usually gets is thrust up this Dark Knight, further distancing this Batman from the one we know and love.
Wouldn’t it be sweet if we actually got to see the Terry Batman and the Bruce Batman meet up with each other somehow?
Actually, I was just thinking the same thing, just not in those terms. As Batman’s progressed in his own books as a father figure to his various side-kicks, it would be an interesting and natural extension of the character to meet his true protégé face to face in some sort of Elseworlds capacity.
Yeah, and it would be sweet.
Sigh…anyway, the book centers around the introduction of a new bad guy, called Blacklight, who sports a nice black-light ring to oppose that freaky looking Green Lantern kid.
Yeah, that GL kid gives me willies. Too 2001 Star-Child mixed with the Watcher and this strange character I saw once on an episode of "The Amazing Mutant Fanboy’s Greatest Nightmares while smoking crack and downing Tequilla."
All in all, it’s a good yarn, and Rick Burchette’s pencils are as strong as ever on this book. While we both only mildly recommend that book, we both more strongly recommend another Batman book, Batman: Gotham Knights #17.
The second half of this two-parter pits Batman and Nightwing against Matatoa, an undefeated warrior who’s like a DC version of the Highlanders. Basically, everyone he beats, he gets to absorb the powers of. Of course now his goal is to take down Mr. Pointy-Ears himself, Batman.
This take down comes with a twist, though, as Matatoa pledges to defend Gotham if he indeed is able take the Dark Knight down. This gives Bats some pause, as who better to defend his city than someone who has all of Batman’s strengths as well as the combined strengths of the others Matatoa has faced.
Of course, yielding to Matatoa would involve a change to the title of this and many a Bat-book, so I think it’s safe to say without spoiling it for anyone that Batty puts the smackdown on Matatoa, but not before some heartwarming moments enter into the comic.
Yeah, Nightwing confides in Batman his current "relationship" status with Batman, to which, of course, the millionaire playboy doesn’t even bat an eye. Yet the end of the book provides Bat-fans with another movement in the direction of Batman as Bat-Family patriarach, as he provides a moving gesture for Dick that further solidifies and clarifies their relationship.
This is a trend in the Bat-books that I’ve been none too pleased with in the past year or so. Ever since NML, Batman has become a bit of a woose. First he’s going all introspective with his journals on all his Bat-minions, and now he’s telling people that he loves them as sons. Blick!
I don’t know, I’ve actually found this trend to be rather refreshing, as it’s nice to see that as Batman ages and is touched by those around him, he is made more human.
Save the "touching" for Superman.
Well, while we don’t agree on the changes Batman is going through, we do both agree on the quality of Green Arrow #4.
Kevin Smith is the man! First he invokes the spirit of Frank Miller to bring Daredevil back to being an interesting character, and now he’s combining the powers of Mike Grell and Denny O’Neil to create a definitive Green Arrow!
I certainly could agree more, but what I do agree with is the fact that Smith so far is doing an excellent job of slowly introducing Green Arrow back into the world he left a few years back.
This book picks up in the middle of the fight started with Black Manta in the last ish. A confused Aquaman battles alongside the Emerald Archer, taking down the Legion of Doom reject. That’s when the shock actually settles in for King Arthur.
Aquaman’s reaction, as well as the reactions of the other leaguers who meet up with him later in the issue are handled extremely well. Everyone is genuinely happy to see their fallen comrade again, and they express their joy, and confusion, in ways that are very human.
Thinking about that scene where they all meet up for the first time, I’m struck by how good Smith is at portraying each member of the JLA. We saw this in the first issue where Smith nailed the Batman/Superman relationship in the first few pages, and again here he nails down each character beautifully.
I agree. It’s in these quiet, non-action moments that Smith really shines. Smith’s strength in all his works has always been his mastery of dialogue and characterization, but I do want to stress that the action sequence in this issue was handled extremely well for someone who usually only does "talking" books.
Buy this book if only to read the following line: "That is, by far, the most complex sentence I’ve ever heard anyone utter."
Or the subsequent line: "Ten bucks says he’s been hiding in the shadows for the last hour, just so he could come up with a put-down that classy." While this book will thrill most comic readers as my PULP OF THE WEEK, with its artful writing and skilled art from Hester and Park, fans of the Grell turn on Green Arrow may be a bit disappointed to learn that he’s not the same Green Arrow you’ve come to know and love. Instead, he’s only got the memories of a Green Arrow from 10 years ago or so (DCU time). Thus, no recollection of Barry Allen’s death, his moving to Seattle, Connor, or anything in between. Hopefully he’ll come out of this funk slowly throughout the series, but so far nothing indicates that he’s going to suddenly remember those experiences. Others might also take issue to the very HEAVY foreshadowing going on with Stanley. He’s obviously got some problems and it seems as if Smith is pushing him as a potential candidate for the "Star City Slayer."
Moving on to my pick for the PULP OF THE WEEK, it’s the first issue of the all-new Vertigo mini-series Codename: Knockout. And boy, what a knockout it is!
First of all, before AMH goes into his little rant here, let me say that I found this book to be nothing but drivel.
May I continue?
If you must.
It’s the story of Angel St. Cloud, a super-sexy super-spy working for the agency G.O.O.D. in its never-ending battle against the evil forces of E.V.I.L.! Now I didn’t pick up the #0 issue for this book, but it looks like Angel is, surprise, actually a cyborg fighting crime. This book has everything a growing boy needs: action, action and some…um…action. Hell, the first two-thirds of the book have Angel fighting ninjas in the nude!
OK, my turn. This book is supposed to be a satire, and that title doesn’t ring true for me. The book takes itself a little too seriously for me to buy into the idea that this is supposed to be making fun of the spy genre. In my opinion, this is just the natural marriage of Tomb Raider, Witchblade and Cherry Pop-Tart.
Yeah but the interrogation scene…
Where she gets a guy off so she can get info? Please, it’s like the ultimate fanboy fantasy finally put into comic book form.
And what’s wrong with that?
She’s a doodle AMF. Stop salivating.
Well, that’s it for this week’s take on what’s new in stores. I’m the Amazing Mutant Fanboy.
And I’m the Sexiest Man in Comics. And remember to order your comics early…
…and buy comics often.
Ok, you a comic publisher? A independent? An artist or a writer or a tracer or a letterer and want your book reviewed by either of the two above guys? Then send your email to SMIC_AICN@hotmail.com
HARRY BACK... well gosh... since this is our new Comics column I figure I'd chime in with a few of my fave ishes myself... Everybody always gets all wet and stiff over a Terry Gilliam WATCHMAN series... for me, I always get wet and stiff over a Terry Gilliam NOT BRAND ECHH.... yup, it could be the greatest thing in cinema history, much like these issues were in Comics history!
Of course the biggest problem would be the casting of FORBUSH MAN... because who in this day and age could possibly be for Bush?
I highly recommend tracking these issues down...
