5 posts tagged “comic books”

At four o'clock this morning, I was witness to what had to be the first spectacular thunderstorm of the year.  The forecast had predicted strong storms, but so often that seems to be an exaggeration, but that was not the case this time.  More than a few times there was an all encompassing flash quickly followed by ground shaking thunder.  It was a serious storm that lingered over my house for at least an hour.  Since sleep was out of the question and I couldn't seem to concentrate on what I wanted to read, I counted the lag between the flash and the thunder to pass the time.  Sometimes simple rituals from childhood are the most comforting.

Lately I have been reading some of Marvel Comics efforts from the late 1970's and early 80's.  For me this is when I started reading comics and because of that initial exposure feel more than a slight affection for this era.  Yes, many of the characters and stories feel very dated today, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them.  There is no denying that both Luke Cage and Danny Rand were products of 70's fads.  Luke came out of the blaxploitation films such as Shaft and Danny was a nod to the martial arts craze at the time.  Pairing these two characters together in a detective for hire scenario made for some great reading.  I can't say that I was an avid follower of the title Power Man and Iron Fist when it was fresh on the stands, but this gives me a wonderful vein of stories to tap today.

I may have been somewhat hostile to the anime series Bleach when I first saw it, but all of that has changed now.  Having seen the first sixteen episodes and a handful from much later in the series, I have grown to love it more than other series I have seen.  I might even put it in my top five list behind Ergo Proxy and RahXephon.  Both of the main characters, Ichigo and Rukia, have well rounded personalities and their interaction is so fun to watch.  Then there is the strong supporting cast that keeps growing and growing with each episode.  I can see why the series has lasted for so many years and I like having something so elaborate to keep my interest.

After work this morning, I was able to walk outside without wearing a coat or jacket.  This is something that I have not been able to do in weeks if not months.  The sun was shining bright and no clouds could be seen in the sky.  All but a few traces of snow surviving in the shade had disappeared leaving any and all debris on the ground visible.  It was an odd contrast.  The ground looked ugly and dead, but the air and the sky were perfect.  It was nice.  Maybe winter has finally exited the stage.

I can not remember when I first became aware of the man Jack Kirby and his impact on the comic book industry, but I do know that his style is unmistakable.  Bold, block like faces and arms that punch out through the panels filled with abstract shapes are what come to my mind.  His legacy at Marvel came to my attention first and over time I have come to know most of his DC creations.  Personal favorites of mine include Scott Free and Barda.  Visually the two of them are classic in my mind and I also appreciate their tragic and triumphant relationship.  However, not every character in the Kirby stable has been seen firsthand by me, so I was happy to have a chance to read the Kamandi Countdown Special that DC recently put together.

Now having read the first issue of Kamandi, I can say that it is very Kirby.  A world where civilization has fallen into ruins and animals have learned to talk is something very much in his style and speaks to his strengths as an artist.  I can not say that I was instantly hooked by what I read, but I can appreciate his effort to create something outside the normal super hero genre.  Plus at the time, I am certain that it was very eccentric if not ground breaking.

Having almost completed three years on the title, Ed Brubaker continues to impress me with his writing on Captain America.  Oh, there are times when I miss Steve Rogers, but what had been his supporting cast is just as interesting as he was when he was the central character.  James Barnes and Natasha make a great team and I hope that Steve does not make a miraculous return from the grave any time soon.  Another strength of the book is the solid artwork of Steve Epting and Butch Guice.

I know that I have said this many times, but I love the middle of the night.  Three in the morning is probably when I think the best in the course of the day.  Overall things are quiet and I can finally put my thoughts in order.  There are no distractions and without the sun around, one can not mistake my pondering for daydreaming.

A somewhat depressing thought crossed my mind earlier this week.  I will not be going on vacation until July.  Sigh.  Three months feels like a long time of nothing but work in my life.  I have been trying to keep my mind focused on things other than work, but sometimes I just get caught up in the day to day existence.  Suddenly all that I do is eat, sleep and work.  I find that pattern to be very dehumanizing and I can not understand how people can accept that way of life as normal.  Yes, I should not complain.  When I step back, my life is good.  I have a wife and family who love me.  I have a job that allows me to pay for two mortgages and not reduce me to eating sandwiches three times a day.  I am healthy and I have time to do things that I enjoy.

My monthly shipment from Mile High Comics arrived in the mail yesterday and inside said package was the final issue of Y The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra.  Now having read it, I have to say that I was satisfied with the ending.  Various threads from the story were tied up and final farewells were said to key characters.  Said issue  contained a few more deaths, but they were offstage and that was fine with me.  Personally, I do not think that there was any way the book could have hit me harder than when 355 died.  Reading the issue where she was shot and killed almost made me cry.  It was that emotional of a moment and I truly felt for Yorick.

For years the story of the last man on Earth and his adventures around the world was one of the first titles that I read each month.  I will miss his humor and pop culture references.  I will miss his interaction with women from around the globe, some of who hate him, some of who fear him and a few who love him.  The book could not have been better written and drawn.  Brian and Pia gave so much of themselves in the book and I thank them for their efforts.

Marvel announced that Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato will be handling the writing and art chores on the Thunderbolts in the near future.  I have mixed feelings about this upcoming change in creators.  On the one hand, I think that Warren Ellis has a great take on the super hero genre as exemplified by his creation Planetary.  However, seeing the new cast of characters that he will be using is not something that appeals to me.  Venom?  The Green Goblin?  Bullseye?  All three of those characters elicit a groan from me.  Thankfully Songbird will still be there and Moonstone will also be making a return.  As for Deodato and his pencil style, I have to say that I like it.

Thunderbolts has not been a part of my monthly reading for some time, but it is a title that always hovers on the periphery for me.  I was not there at the start, but once I became aware of the book through seeing Melissa in Avengers Forever, I gave it a try.  Plus Busiek was writing it at the time so that also sweetened the allure.  Finally there was the underlying theme of people who had made mistakes in their lives trying to be better people.  I have no idea if Ellis is going to continue this approach or go off in a new direction.

I have to wonder as others have online if this change was sparked in response to the success of the DC title The Secret Six written by the very talented Gail Simone.