Just learned via Steve Niles twitter feed that
another of my favorite artists has passed on.
RIP Dan Adkins — Legendary Creepy, Eerie, & Dr. Strange Illustrator
Man, his Dr. Strange work was a big part of my formative years.
He will be sorely missed.
RIP Legendary Filipino Artist Jesse Santos.
I just learned that Jesse Santos passed away on April 27.
He was 83…
I was a HUGE fan of his work on
The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor.
He will be missed.
World’s Finest Spoof 2 by Kyle Latino
Man, what a depressing week.
From DC
Justice League Dark #17
From Marvel
Journey Into Mystery #649
From Oni Press
Courtney Crumrin #s 9 & 10
Yep. Four books this week. Three titles
Journey Into Mystery is a pretty decent book, though this issue was a bit lackluster for me. I’m not digging the whole “Superior Spider-Man” thing, so I just couldn’t muster up any excitement for this book. It ended with a bit of a jaw-dropper though, so we’ll see what shakes in the next issue.
Justice League Dark is beautifully illustrated, but what a trainwreck from the writing side of the table. I am dangerously close to dropping this one. John Constantine deserves better, especially now that he’s shuffled off the Vertigo stage.
That leaves us with one of my favorite books, Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin. I love love love this comic. Packed full of action, Naifeh’s artwork is a joy to watch and the way the story has unfolded (part Harry Potter, part Spiderwick Chronicles) has kept me on the edge of my seat. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it should be. There are some nasty twists throughout and it really fits in nicely with what Oni Press has got going on. There aren’t many books that I eagerly await. This is one of them.
Here’s the the cover for Oddfellows Serenade
by Chris Wilson & myself.
Coming soon to a comic store near you?
What an incredible week for comics. Sure there were some hiccups, but overall I snagged a dramatic and refreshing collection of titles that, above all else, reaffirmed just what is possible in this medium. All that said, there was one title I was waiting for with both a sense of dread and nervous excitement. More on that after I present this week’s pull list in all its unfettered glory —
From Dark Horse
B.P.R.D. 1948 #5
Conan the Barbarian #13
Dark Horse Presents #21
From DC Comics
Hellblazer #300
Nightwing #17
From Dynamite
Sherlock Holmes: The Liverpool Demon #2
From IDW
Locke & Key: Omega #3
From Marvel
Daredevil #23
Savage Wolverine #2
Thor: God of Thunder #5
From Oni Press
The Sixth Gun #29
Big week and a lot of hard earned coin represented. For a change, no real regrets. Sure, Conan is disappointing, but I can’t not look. The brawny barbarian is still my favorite literary character, and though it hurts to see him misrepresented (and it would make more sense to vote with my wallet and spend my money more satisfyingly elsewhere) the completist in me just won’t allow that to happen, damn it. savage Wolverine is another book that’s not quite up to snuff, but it’s so darn pretty…
Everything else was pretty freaking solid. Bunn and Hurtt are still killing it on The Sixth Gun. Hill and Rodriguez are performing miracles on Locke & Key. But this week’s showcase for me should really come as no surprise. This is the Occult Detective, after all, and no character embodies the genre more than John Constantine. And this week, the curtain is closed on Hellblazer. So, what did I think of the con man’s swan song?
I like Peter Milligan. I think that he brought a lot to the table in his 50 issue run on the title and Hellblazer #300 was a fitting end to that run. Loose threads were tidied up, which is a good thing, I suppose, but overall I think the Hellblazer series finale was ultimately disappointing. Chaotic, disjointed, Milligan’s Constantine fell flat in his final hour. Several characters were mismanaged (particularly Chas) and the slow disintegration of Gemma was nearly unbearable. I guess the point is that people connected to John Constantine just don’t get happy endings. Not even his readers.
Constantine goes out, not with a bang, but with a bloody whimper, and that’s just wrong on so many levels.
Hellblazer will be sorely and truly missed. I have serious misgivings about the upcoming Constantine relaunch. Sure, I’ll give it a chance, just as I did with Justice League Dark, but Constantine-Lite holds no appeal for me.
I want the dirt and the grit. I want the blood and black magick of the foulest sort. And I bloody want that alcohol and nicotine-fueled swagger.
Hellblazer was special.
Now, a day later, it’s a thing of the past.
Thankfully, I’ve got over 300 comics to revisit and I’m alright with that, because in my heart of hearts, I know that John Constantine is still out there. He may not be fighting the good fight, but he’s still fighting. Maybe not for the sake of your soul, but assuredly for his own… right to the bitter end, before he’s dragged down into hell, puffing on a fag all the freaking way.
I have a Friday Deadline that’s kicking my proverbial ass, so here’s a quick rundown of what I picked up this week, then I’m back to handcuffing myself to this story till it’s finished:
From Dark Horse
BPRD: Hell On Earth — The Abyss of Time #2
Star Wars #2
From DC Comics
Batgirl #17
Batman #17
Before Watchmen: Comedian #5
From Dynamite
Pathfinder #5
From IDW
The High Ways #2
From Image
Fatale #12
From Marvel
Fantastic Four #4
Uncanny x-Men #1
X-Men #41
Dropping or Dropped: All the Bat Books, Uncanny X-Men, X-Men
Not much of a chance to read through these books yet. Conn and I did read Batman #17. I wasn’t impressed. In fact, I think it made Bruce Wayne out to be an idiot, but then what do I know, I’ve only been reading Batman for 40+ years.
Slim pickings for me this week. I’m quickly losing interest in a lot of books. It’s not the medium, but more a feeling that these books aren’t being written for me anymore. Thankfully there are still some damn fine comics that keep the fire lit. I feel a blog/rant/meltdown coming on, but I will swallow it down (for now) and just get to the business at hand. Let’s take a look at what I picked up at the LCS —
From Dark Horse
Hellboy in Hell #3
From Marvel
All New X-Men #7
Avengers Assemble – Annual #1
The Fearless Defenders #1
Dropped or Dropping: All Avengers titles, Detective Comics
I’ve said it before, and it’s really important that I reiterate this — I am, unabashedly, a Cullen Bunn fan. That being said, I didn’t love The Fearless Defenders, but damn if I didn’t want to. Don’t get me wrong, Bunn has delivered a well written book. The concept alone borders on brilliant. I was less impressed with the overall look of the comic. Will Sliney’s art is merely serviceable. Sliney does shine in a few crucial scenes, but the artwork is uneven, with some panels simply jarring to the eye. Decent coloring from Veronica Gandini helps, but the lettering is simply atrocious, so artistically it’s a really mixed bag. In a visual medium, that’s not good. Not by a long shot.
Simply put, while a decent comic over all, it’s just not the book I was hoping for. It’s a little too tongue-in-cheek for my taste. I am a big fan of both Valkyrie and Misty Knight, but my interest in these characters stems from the time I spent with them in the 70′s. Nostalgia is a double-edged sword and I went into The Fearless Defenders hoping that I would get a chance to revisit old friends. Unfortunately, I just didn’t recognize them after all these years.
All that being said, I will be back for #2. I’m going to give this book and this creative team a shot. I see a lot of potential in Will Sliney’s artwork and want to watch him evolve. Plus, they’re headed for Asgardia. Like I’m not going to show up for that ride?
As for the other books I picked up this week — Hellboy in Hell is clicking on all cylinders. I’m a much bigger fan of Mike Mignola’s concepts than I am of him as an artist, but he has that Kirbyesque quality to put drama into every panel he draws, and that’s a pretty neat trick.
The Avengers Assemble Annual was a huge disappointment. Drawn by committee, this thing was an unmitigated trainwreck from cover to cover.
All-New X-Men, from Bendis, Marquez, and Garcia, is a beautiful book to look at and is one of my favorite titles right now. Seven issues in and this is the weakest thus far. Just too many continuity gaffs and too much exposition. As much as I hate to say it, a firmer editorial hand may be in order. I really dug how Bendis handles Mystique in this though. Wolverine, on the other hand, just felt like an after thought here and was totally out of character. What, he couldn’t smell Mystique? Hopefully this was just a little speed bump and next issue will see this book return to form.
So, that’s it for this week. See you back here in a mere 168 hours (give or take) for more of the same.
I have an addiction. I guess acknowledging the fact is the first step in the road to recovery. I buy comic books. Nothing inherently wrong with that, but I have a tendency to buy books even when I know they’re not for me. I buy them out of curiosity, then fume over how poorly executed they were. I should know better. I really should. What message did I send the publisher? That crap sells. You’ve got to vote with your wallet. Kill the completest mentality. Believe me, if you’re not buying then the publisher’s get the message load and clear. I’m turning over a new leaf… starting next week.
Here’s this week’s pull list —
From DC Comics:
Batman & Robin Annual #1
Justice League Dark #16
From Dynamite:
Dark Shadows #13
From Marvel:
Avengers #4
Journey Into Mystery #648
Young Avengers #1
From Oni Press:
The Sixth Gun #28
What I wanted but didn’t get: Daredevil #21, Courtney Crumrin #9
Dropping: All Avengers titles
Four of my favorite books came out this week. Well, five really, but my LCS didn’t and doesn’t order Courtney Crumrin. I’m forced to snag it online (which I’ll soon be doing with all my books). Anyway, of the four I did pick up (and yes I’m ignoring the other books I pulled, as the Avengers books are just awful and, though Batman & Robin was a fun issue, it’s not a title I follow with any real interest) one of them was a major disappointment (Justice League Dark), two were really good (Dark Shadows and Journey Into Mystery), and one was everything I ask for out of a comic book. Let’s talk about it a bit, shall we?
The “it” in question is Oni Press’ The Sixth Gun. Issue Number 28 to be precise. In May of 2011 I was asked to sit on an Alternative Markets panel at Mo*Con alongside Lucien Soulban and The Sixth Gun’s co-creator and wordsmith, Cullen Bunn. I picked up the Volume One TPB: Cold Dead Fingers and my obsession began. The Sixth Gun is a weird western, taking place shortly after the Civil War, centered around six supernatural pistols, each imbued with its own unique dark power. The story follows anti-hero Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief, wielder of The Sixth Gun, as they vie to keep these weapons out of the hands of various and nefarious villains intent on procuring the weapons and using them for their own evil purposes.
Awesome, right?
Well, in the latest issue, Part Five of their Winter Wolves arc, Bunn and Hurtt continue to deliver a solid, entertaining, and edge-of-your-seat thrill ride across the Old West. Expertly juggling a large cast of characters, split between our world and the Wendigo’s Endless Winter, Bunn’s tale is expertly complimented by Hurtt’s awesome visuals — from Asher’s two separate beatdowns on the Sword of Abraham to Gord Cantrell’s conjuring up restless spirits out of Dredmond’s Double Cross — and the breakneck pace and nail-biting tension culminates in a marvelous twist at the end that simply leaves you begging for the month to pass by quickly so you can get the next issue in your hands.
The Sixth Gun is everything a comic should be, and now that there’s word an NBC pilot is in the works… well, the world just took a grim and dark turn. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Here I sit at my desk, stack of read comics beside me. I’ve a word doc with my latest work-in-progress pulled up and it’s calling my name, but first let’s tear through this week’s pull list.
From Dark Horse:
B.P.R.D. – 1948 #4
Dark Horse Presents #20
From DC:
Nightwing #16
Red Hood and the Outlaws #16
From Dynamite:
Dark Shadows #12
From IDW:
The High Ways #1
From Image:
Revival #6
From Marvel:
Avengers #3
FF #3
Uncanny Avengers #3
From Vertigo:
Hellblazer #299
Dropping or Dropped: FF, Red Hood, and Justice League (again), on the fence regarding the Avengers issues.
I was right about the three books I missed out on last week. Dark Shadows, The High Ways, and B.P.R.D.-1948 were all outstanding books. I’m treading water with Revival, the two Marvel Avengers books were decent enough, but FF is dead to me. Nightwing was damn good, but Red Hood just didn’t cut it. Dark Horse Presents was worth its weight in gold, primarily due to the awesomeness that is Caitlín Kiernan’s Alabaster. But let’s forget all that, because there was one book that went above and beyond this week. That book was Hellblazer.
With 299 in the can, we’re left with just one issue before DC/Vertigo closes the door on John Constantine. Oh sure, I know that a brand spanking new series is set to take its place, and I’m more than willing to give Constantine a shot, but I can’t help but feel a sense of loss. As I’ve stated before, I came to Hellblazer later than most, but it wormed its way into my cruel and black heart and I will truly miss it.
Part One of “Death and Cigarettes” ended with Constantine giving up the ghost after being gut shot by a two-bit punk looking to impress Epiphany’s daddy. For Part Two we got the old bastard’s funeral to end all funerals. By issues close we were delivered the not unexpected twist, to be explained in next month’s glorious finale, but it’s all good under the sorcerer’s hood. I’m enjoying the hell out of Hellblazer’s last ride. Here’s to hoping it goes out with the gravitas it deserves.
If you’re a lapsed Constantine fan you owe it to yourself to say goodbye properly. Peter Milligan is doing right by everyone’s favorite occult detective. I just wish there were some way to have Alan Moore hammer the final coffin nail into place.
