Comics: The Meaning

com-ics (kom'iks)n. plural in form, used with a singular verb. 1. Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer.

"If Comics' spectacularly varied past is any indication, comics' future will be virtually impossible to predict using the standards of the present.... Those of you who make comics for a living - or would like to someday, probably know that keeping up with all the advances in today's comics is a full-time job. However much we may try to understand the world of comics around us, a part of that world will always lie in shadow - a mystery.... As it is, it should be kept in mind at all times that this world is only one of many possible worlds!
Our attempts to define comics are an on-going process which won't end anytime soon. A new generation will no doubt reject whatever this one finally decides to accept and try once more to reinvent comics. And so they should. Here's to the great debate."

Excerpts and paraphrased from the amazing Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art."

Monday, February 6, 2012

IT'S ALRIGHT MA, I'M ONLY READING! NEW COMICS 01.18.2012

The QUALITY, POTENTIAL and RUBBISH for comics that were shipped on 01.18.2012. 

QUALITY

BATMAN #5
Scott Snyder's story lines are really starting to remind me of the deep psychology that Grant Morrison delved into during his time on Batman.  The further mysteries of Gotham's mythology as it relates to the Wayne family and this Court of Owls is superb.  The way the panels went sideways and upside down to represent Batman's descent into exhaustion and insanity is why I love comic books.  It amazingly conveyed the hopelessness of Batman as he descends into panic.  Like Morrison, what will Snyder make Batman's saving grace?  How much can one MAN take?

DAREDEVIL #8
Mark Waid's exceptional run on Daredevil continues!  Long may he reign in Hell's Kitchen.  Watch out for the crossover coming up with Spidey and the Punisher.  Daredevil is now the most dangerous man in the Marvel Universe.  Oh, and try not to fall madly in love with the Black Cat.


GREEN LANTERN CORPS#5
Has been a better read since the 52 relaunch than the main Green Lantern book.  Ever wonder where GLs keep their power batteries?  This story about the keepers of the lanterns has added so much to the GL lore.  Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin never disappoint as a creative team.

WONDER WOMAN #5
Pulp noir, meets Greek mythology, meets the modern world.  Azzarello is weaving an in depth tale of Greek mythology smashing into the 21st century.  Obviously, his love of crime fiction is what glues this book together.  I really wish the art was the pulp style used in 100 bullets, Criminal or Brubaker's run on Daredevil. 


POTENTIAL

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #6


Really loving this series, but waiting for the plot threads to come together into something BIG.  This issue was really missing the art work of Sara Pichelli.  She is absolutely brilliant and the book would not be the same without her.  She's back for issue #8.  The covers by Kaare Andrews continue to be dynamic and breathtaking.  I really like that Bendis is pushing Miles to be better than Peter Parker as Ultimate Spidey.  Simply put, Peter died being Spider-Man so Miles has to be better.  Miles is Spider-Man.

UNCANNY X-FORCE #20

Remender is now taking Uncanny X-Force readers into territory once tread by Alan Moore and Chris Claremont.  What a great read to explore the Captain Britain Corps and Otherworld again.  the Marvel Multiverse is an amazing place, but is usually completely ignored.  Read everything Remender does.  He should be getting bigger projects soon after the epic "Dark Angel Saga," that precedes this storyline.  Plus, Fantomex is now Marvel's best character.  He is a Grant Morrison character from his New X-Men run and a huge thank you to Remender and the Uncanny X-Force team for bringing him back. 
That is it for my impressions on comics that were released 01.18.2012.  I'm playing a little bit of catch up with these reviews, so there will be a few more like this in quick succession.

Cheers!

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