Pick of the Week-- Last Week

The last two weeks I've only had 3 books to choose from. It's pretty lean and not much to choose from. Last week there were two that I really liked but they didn't make me scream OMG!

Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse #2

The book was really quite good and I like Ron Lim's art. It's just that I know these early stories of Laurell K. Hamilton's books like the back of my hand. I can almost say the dialog before I see the word balloon. It's just really nice to see what has been in my imagination all these years. There is a weird juxtaposition in my head though. I'm also currently reading the latest novel which will probably never make it to comic due to the adult parts that are pretty integral to the story in this and previous books. In the comics, she's new to this world of vampires and trying to avoid Jean-Claud. In the book, she loves him dearly and she's his human servant.


Batman and Robin #1

Dick Grayson takes on the mantle of Batman with Damien (the son of Bruce Wayne and R'as al Guhl's daughter) as Robin. Dick is still a little unsure of his choice but he knows it's the right one. Damien is arrogant and has a rather self-important image of himself. Dick has no problem putting him in his place. One time he even offers to give Tim Drake his old job back. ;) I honestly wish it could have been Tim Drake. He's a little shit and I don't like him. I haven't since his introduction. It seems to me that Jason Todd was a shit as well and they killed him off.

The next big change to the universe is the new Bat Mobile. It flies!! It's a Bat Mobile for the 21st Century! My dh is not so fond of the idea. I think it's cool. Even Dick says that he wished for one when he was Robin. The thing that's keeping it from being uber-cool is that it kinda looks like the Hall of Doom from the Superfriends cartoon when it's in flight mode.

Frank Quietly is the artist on this book and usually I'm a fan of his artwork. It's a clean lined style but doesn't look like an animation style. In this book his pencil work is not so clean. It's more of a sketchy style even in the ink. I'm not a great fan of that style.

And so those are my two choices for last week. I'm still in the middle of my 3 books this week.

More later

Comic Pick of the Week-Spoiler Alert!

This is something new I'd like to try. I've been wanting to do it for a couple of weeks now. I'm picking one of my comics this week and tell you why I like it. I may talk about a few others as to why they didn't make the cut. Speaking of which... The reason I haven't done it sooner is because there hasn't been a book that knocks my socks off. Wonder Woman who is my all time fave has been good, interesting but not "oh my god you have to read this!" This arc has been somewhat confusing and a bit convoluted. Bruce Wayne is dead. I'm really not sure how I feel about this.

On to the one that knocked my socks off.
Wolverine #72

Nearly all of the worlds heroes are dead. With the exception of the few who kept their heads down or made a deal with the devil. When the villains unite and take over the country Wolverine is in the former category. At the beginning of the story we find a broken man. Wolverine is no more and Logan is just getting by. Wolverine is no more. Bit by bit we find out what it takes to break a man who up until now seemed unbreakable. In this conclusion to the arc we find out what it takes to make a man.

In this final chapter of this arc Logan having been recruited by Hawkeye to take a package across country to the President's Quarter. He arrives to find the Red Skull as president. Nutsy as ever Logan finds him wearing the Captain America uniform that he took off of Bucky's body. That was possibly the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Swastika's hang from the White House balcony and the Red Skull wearing the bloody uniform.

The moment that really struck me is when Logan gets home to his family to find them all dead. A kindly neighbor is telling him that the best thing is to bury them, grieve and move on.

Logan is silent for a very long moment. The man looks at him and says"Logan?"

"The name isn't Logan, bub." There is a close up of his eyes going dark.

You turn the page and it's a large 2 page spread of a bloody red "Snikt!"

"It's Wolverine!"

He pops his claws. The skin around where they come out of his hands is bloody. It looks like he hasn't popped them in years. All through this story he hasn't popped his claws. He gave up being Wolverine years before when he was tricked into thinking his fellow Xmen were the enemy and killed them all.

The whole story arc has been a satisfying roller coaster ride of what it takes to make and unmake a hero. I don't often read Marvel stories that aren't by Brian Bendis. I just don't find those stories satisfying. This story made me want to go back for more. As long as Millar is writing it.
It'll be interesting to see where they go with the new special continuing in this world.