Wednesday, 1 December 2004

Godless Commies

The Authentic History Center has available online "This Godless Communism", a story that ran in the Catholic Guild's comic Treasure Chest back in 1961.



The story is an alternate history of what might happen if communists took over the United States, along with a history of communism in the Soviet Union/Russia.



Some choice excerpts:



"We should have done our thinking and praying before this happened."



"But with my wife working, who will care for the children?"



"Our latest directive from our superiors is to steal all anti-Communist books from our American city libraries."



"If the party wishes it, I will obey."



It has an introduction by none other than J. Edgar Hoover.



(link via BentleyBlog).

Quick Comic Reviews

Marvel Teap-Up; Daredevil; The Authority: Revolution



Marvel Team-Up #1-2

by Robert Kirkman & Scott Kolins

Spider-Man & Wolverine? Aren't those guys in enough comics every month already? Still, Kirkman makes this initial foray a fun read, as Wolverine is sent to New York to make contact with a new mutant, who just happens to go to the school where Peter Parker teaches. Despite the fact that this series will feature different Marvel heroes teaming up each month, it looks as though Kirkman is going to also be telling a loosely connected over-arching story as well, as evidenced by the handful of pages that foreshadow future stories. (But what the heck was up with that page of Nova?) Kirkman has been given the canvas of the Marvel Universe to play around with, and he goes about it enthusiastically. Kolins is a good fit, as he does dynamic people-in-spandex stuff well.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




Daredevil #67/447

by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev

Bendis may be stretching himself a bit too thin these days, but while it shows in his lackluster work on Avengers, it's not in evidence at all in Daredevil, where he and artist Maleev continue to tell quality enertaining stories. In part two of "Golden Age," they continue to tell the story of the original kingpin of Hell's Kitchen, Alexander Bont. In black and white we witness Bont's rise as a mob boss; Bont's fall to a rookie Daredevil is represented in pseudo-four color halftones; and Murdock's capture and torture at the hands of a just-released Bont is done in Maleev's modern style. It's only the art in each part that is different though--the story in all three sections is done in typical Bendis decompressed style.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




The Authority: Revolution #2

by Ed Brubaker, Dustin Nguyen & Richard Friend

Brubaker's revitilization of The Authority continues, as Midnighter is brought into the future by an aging Apollo, who revels--to the surprise of noone who has actually read any amount of literature--that The Authority's take-over of the U.S. has led not to a utopia, but to a world-wide distopia. Of course Midnighter must now return to his own time to prevent this future from happening, and that means disbanding The Authority. Which, if he succeeds, would be a good thing for the book, as the team features basically the same line-up as when Warren Ellis debuted it years ago. Change or Die, remember? The Authority needs new blood, and hopefully Brubaker is on his way to providing it.

Rating: 3 (of 5)

Christmas Covers - December 1





When I was a kid, every December we'd get an advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas (and when you're a kid, those days between Thanksgiving and Christmas seem like an eternity!) There would be a bunch of little paper doors numbered 1 to 25, and on the corresponding day of December we'd get to open up one of the little doors to see the picture hiding behind it.



In that spirit, for each day of December until Christmas I'm going to feature a Comic Cover Advent Calendar. Just move your mouse over the image to reveal that day's special Holiday comic cover. Click on the image to get a full-sized version from GCD.



Our first cover is a classic: 1975's tabloid-sized Limited Collectors' Edition #C-34, whose cover by Nick Cardy features Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, and the Teen Titans joining Santa Claus.



Just 24 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

Tuesday, 30 November 2004

New This Week: December 1, 2004

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:



The pick of the week is Jim Rugg & Brian Maruca's Street Angel #4 from Slave Labor. You've read all the rave reviews, now see for yourself why this is one of the most fun comics to hit this year. "Orphan of the streets and skateboarding daughter of justice, Jesse Sanchez fights a never ending battle against the forces of evil, nepotism, ninjas, and hunger as Street Angel!" Need more to convince you? Check out this preview.



In other comics:



Alternative Comics have a new printing of Bipolar #1.



Dark Horse have the sixth Chronicle of Conan collection, and Tales of the Vampires from Joss Whedon and company gets collected.



DC have David Lapham's first full issue of Detective Comics (#801); the second issue of The Intimates; and a collection of JLA: Another Nail with loverly art and a so-so story by Alan Davis.



Marvel have New Avengers (#1); New X-Men (#7); new Ultimates 2 (#1); and old Essential Iron Man (vol. 2).



Oni have the Awakening OGN (my review here--dodgy story but very pretty art).



TokyoPop have their fourth Rising Stars of Manga collection; and the first volume of President Dad.



A very short week this time. So take that extra money and buy a few presents--and what makes for better presents than comics!

Monday, 29 November 2004

It's Like an Early Christmas

A big box arrived today from DCBS; let's open it up and take a peek inside:



Egg Story

Technopriests, vol. 2

Judge Dredd: Judgment Day

Red Razors

Walking Dead, vol. 2: Miles Behind Us

Invincible, vol. 3: Perfect Strangers

30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow

Losers, book 2: Double Down

Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures, vol. 2

Boys Be, vol. 1

Musashi #9, vol. 1

Dream Gold, vol. 1

Mary Jane, vol. 1: Circle of Friends

She-Hulk, vol. 1: Single Green Female

Mister X, vol. 1: Who Is Mister X?

Hellblazer #202

Marvel Team-Up #1-2

Frank Ironwine #1

Detonator #1

Hardy Boys #1

Intimates #1

Comics Buyer's Guide #1600



That's a lot of new stuff to read. Help me out--which should I read first?

Sunday, 28 November 2004

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

From May 1953's Strange Adventures #32, Captain Comet submits to an experiment switching his mind with that of a gorilla in this cover by artist Murphy Anderson illustrating John Broome's lead story, "The Challenge of Man-Ape The Mighty." Why the good Captain would agree to an experiment run by such a sinister-looking scientist is beyond me, especially since the scientist thinks that a green lab coat goes with purple trousers (a science lab faux pas if I've ever seen one!)

(Standard disclaimer about gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)

Image is courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a full-sized version.

Friday, 26 November 2004

Quick Comic Reviews

Superman; Adam Strange; Amazing Spider-Man



Superman #211

by Brian Azzarello, Jim Lee & Scott Williams

If you're looking for a comic with pretty pictures of Superman & Wonder Woman having a smack-down in the Fortress of Solitude, then this is the book for you. If however you're looking for anything resembling a plot or characterization, the you're going to be disappointed. Lee does draw a nice Wonder Woman--muscular and feminine--but I can't help but think that Diana would have shown up for a battle with Supes wearing her battle armor, and not a skirt and long cape.

Rating: 2 (of 5)




Adam Strange #3

by Andy Diggle & Pascal Ferry

After two rather slow-moving issues, the plot starts to pick up a bit as Adam is rescued from the ruins of Rann by a Thanagarian warship that has also come to investigate what happened to the planet. The Thanagarian commander gets a couple of dimensions to her character, arrogant yet concerned about Adam, wanting to know the truth yet not willing to risk her career for it. The final scene is not much of a cliffhanger, since we know that the title character isn't going to die halfway through his own miniseries. The art by Ferry & colorist Dave McCaig remains as gorgeous as ever, and I especially appreciated the alien bird-like qualities of the Thanagarians. I'm glad to see such a good-looking comic finally moving the plot along.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




The Amazing Spider-Man #514

by J. Michael Straczynski, Mike Deodato & Joe Pimentel

If you ignaore the complete ludicrousness of the underlying plot, this is actually a rather good resolution to the "Sins Past" arc. A new Goblin faces off against a weakened Spider-Man, giving us an actual sense of peril--even though we know that Spidey won't die, it's very possible that he could be defeated (and if we hadn't seen the solicits for upcoming issues of Spectacular, then Sarah's survival wold have been in doubt). But however well done "Sins Past" has been, I imagine that most Spidey fans wish that it would just go away; and I suspect that after Straczynski is long gone this is one of those things in the character's history that will be ignored.

Rating: 3 (of 5)