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."

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

IT'S ALRIGHT MA, I'M ONLY READING! NEW COMICS 02.22.2012

The NOW THAT'S A COMIC BOOK, OK THERE'S SOMETHING HERE and WHY'D I BUY THAT? for new comics that were shipped on 02.22.2012.  For this week: we meet the new Captain Cold, an Avenger sacrifices his life, the trial of Fantomex continues in Otherworld and George Perez says goodbye to his writing duties.


NOW THAT'S A COMIC BOOK!

FLASH #6
BEST SERVED COLD - This book continues to be executed flawlessly and is hyper intelligent.  After 6 issues THE FLASH is vital to the enjoyment of DC'S THE NEW 52 initiative.  One of the first reads I go for the week it comes out.  This is the Flash and Barry Allen we should have been enjoying for decades!

SECRET AVENGERS #23
THE DESCENDANTS PT 2 - Two issues in and  Remender (writer), Hardman (artist) and Breitweiser (colorist) haven't stopped the electric pace of this book to catch their breaths.  Possibly the most exciting AVENGERS comic I have read for awhile.  Remender has been so successful on his UNCANNY X-FORCE I could hardly wait for him to get his hands on the Secret Avenges team of:  Captain America, Hawkeye, Giant-Man, Valkyrie, Beast, Captain Britain, Ant-Man, the Black Widow and with this issue Venom (Flash Thompson).  However, an Avenger lost his life in the line of duty when Ant-Man had his skull crushed by an Adaptoid.  There is a war coming between the machines and the Avengers.  As the billboard in the city of robots says, "THE AVENGERS:  REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID TO THE MUTANTS.  This comic will soon feature the team that will be sent to confront the Phoenix Force before it reaches Earth in the upcoming A Vs. X.  Big things for this title ahead!

UNCANNY X-FORCE #22
OTHERWORLD PT 3 - I won't bang the drum for Rick Remender again in the same blog.  I just see bigger and bigger stories and titles sent this man's way from Marvel editorial.  He has an absolutely fantastic knowledge of Marvel lore.

 
OK, THERE'S SOMETHING HERE

SUPERMAN #6
THE MEASURE OF A SUPERMAN - With this issue George Perez relinquishes his writing duties on SUPERMAN to go back to the artwork he loves doing so much.  Next time we see him is probably going to be the WATCHMEN prequels hitting this summer.  Hopefully we see the artwork of Nicola Scott on more DC books to.  This story arc definitely wasn't the best Superman ever, but Mr. Perez has given us a very descent story with building blocks for the next writers of SUPERMAN, Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen.  It seems we will see that white suit teased in this issue pop up in the next issue of Action Comics #7.  Looks like it's going to be the suit Superman adapts 5 years prior into his current Supes uniform.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #7
THE BEST SPIDEY COMIC ON THE STANDS.  Bendis has more than proven HE IS the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book.  Who else could have come up with a character that improves upon Peter Parker?  I gave up on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN years ago as it had become all to predicatable, stagnant and cliched.  ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN could never be accused of those things and Miles Morales might just be the best thing to happen to Spidey in a long time.  Kaare Andrews continues to give us covers that truly convey the jaw dropping, unbelievability of the Spider-Man I remember as a kid.  The perfect comic for a father to enjoy with their son or daughter.  Sara Picelli returns as the rightful artist of this series for issue #8 and this title is ready to blow your ULTIMATE mind.  This combination of Bendis and Picelli has made myself a Spider-man fan again, because Spidey is fun again!

 
WHY'D I BUY THAT?

WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #6
MUTATIS MUTANDIS PT 2:  ALWAYS BET ON X - Being a huge Jason Aaron fan I was really stoked for this series.  I just can't get into it though.  The art has been sub-par for a newly launched series and the story is so far out in left field I don't see how many new readers who were lured in by Wolverine on the title, would stay on past a few issues.  At some point Aaron will pull out a great story in this series, but right now Wolverine (who is in too many comics anyway), Iceman, Shadowcat and a bunch of D-list X-Men are not worth my comic dollar.  UNCANNY X-MEN by Kieron Gillen has a much better X-team and a better story line, at least so far.  It just makes no sense that Wolverine is the headmaster of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, a mutant assassin with a body count continually growing with X-Force and a symbol for justice and freedom with the Avengers.  The word "stupid" comes to mind.  Strongly recommend if you want to read about Wolverine and this group to pick up Brian Wood's (writer of DMZ) current ltd series WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN:  ALPHA and OMEGA.  Two issues have been released so far, featuring Wolverine, Armor and Quentin Quire trapped in a post apocalyptic reality very similar to DMZ.  Marvel is lucky to have Brian Wood.

Cheers for reading!
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