"I was wrong": The Return of John LockeEpisode 3:02 ;The Glass BallerinaEpisode 3:03; Further Instructions

In a clip aired in the preview for Further Instructions (but not, I believe, a moment that made it to the final airing, unless I missed it. Tim, help me out here!), John Locke holds a hunting knife in his grimy hands and says, "I missed this."

So did we, John. So did we.

There was a hint (ok, more than a hint) of 'give 'em what they want already' about 3:03. Didn't like the hatch? It's a crater now. Been missing the snarky hobbit (Beth Sweeney, I'm looking in your direction)? Here he is, in rare sarcastic form. Missed the John Locke whose faith in the island carried the castaways through Season One? Got 'im. Oh, and missed the polar bear? Yup. He's here too, horrid CGI and all.

Locke episodes are almost always good. This was good, if a bit rushed. I love that we're getting the mystical John again. But what I will say in defense of the way he was presented last year is that without his loss of faith, this episode wouldn't have felt so special. Like the retun of an old friend.

Speaking of old friends, Boone was back, and apparently Ian Sommerhalder couldn't be bothered to cut his friggin' hair for the guest appearance. Well, I guess your hair and nails do continue to grow after you're dead. I always loved the way that John and Boone played off each other in Season One. I had hoped to see a bit of Boone hauntings last season, but I guess this will do. I liked the airport hallucination, and I liked the hippie commune flashback. But really, did you think for a minute that John was going to pull that trigger?
But once again, we have a John Locke who gets betrayed by someone he tried to help, and being rejected by those he calls 'family'. This is why Locke works so well as a character. For all his mystical bravado, Locke is merely a lost little boy seeking daddy's approval (like every other male island resident, come to think of it). But still, it's very, very nice to have the hunter back.

Oh, and let me say this: Desmond is Jesus. Told. You. So.

I'm one to find some sort of religious symbolism in damn near anything (I was raised Catholic, that's what we do), but really:
That's a halo, people. And he sees the future now? Miracles! Hope! Where the hell is Penny?

Oh, and where have Nikki and Paolo been all this time? Are they staying in Cousin Oliver's tent?

Meanwhile:


I love that moment. But I don't believe that will be enough to make Jack pull a Michael and betray his friends. But with this show? You just never know.
And again, mad love for Michael Emerson as, apparently, Benjamin Linus. He's more fun to watch than any other actor on television. His delivery, his expressions, he's brilliant.

The Glass Ballerina was good. The more we see of Sun, the less we're able to sympathize with her. She got the MAID fired, for Chrissakes! And she's lied the her husband about every...single...thing. Quite an interesting turaround from the Sun we were first presented with, way back in the Pilot, who we felt sorry for because her husband was yelling at her to button her top button. Jin, you don't know the half of it! She can't keep her clothes on at all.

I doubt the efficiency of Sayid's 'let's build a bonfire and shoot whoever shows up' plan. But let's not forget that Sayid is operating out of revenge for Shannon's death (remember Shannon? I know we're all trying to forget). Even though it was Ana's fault and Michael took care of that a mere four days ago in island time. But when The Others did show up, it wasn't Sayid or Jin doing the shooting. There are other, better, websites tracking the amount of island residents who've taken a life either before or after the crash. Suffice to say: a LOT of them have now.

Sawyer is right, by the way: no matter how peaches and cream she is to Jack, Juliet would have plugged Kate in a second. This is a woman what loves her job. Does anyone else think that Sawyer might...die this year? Just a feeling, don't get all teary-eyed now.

In other news, Kate Austen tastes like strawberries. I knew it. I just knew it.


Season Three is on the right track. We're getting a return to the strengths of some of our heroes and we're playing on the weaknesses of others (Jack really, really wants to go home...). Everybody's all heroic and desperate.
But, please, can Charlie start using again? He was so much more interesting then. Don't choose life, Charlie! Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? And give Evangeline Lilly something to do as well, other than play the damsel in distress. Girl's got chops, let her show them off.
Boy, marry a couple of actors off and their characters get all the life sucked out of them.

'Tis the East: The Evolution of LOSTEpisode 3:01;A Tale of Two Cities

We're back in business and true to form we open with a dodge. This is the problem with the modern era of fandom: obsessives knew it was a Jack flashback episode, even by avoiding any major spoilers. So Juliet HAD to be on the island. And she is, along with apparent former lover 'Ben', otherwise known as the twitchy, squirmy Henry Gale. Interesting to see Henry as a calm, collected leader, not as a captive scrambling to stay ahead of his story.

The opener was different from the norm in many ways, but the most essential was the fact that none of our captured regulars had any contact with each other until Sawyer and Kate had their moment in the cages. Which was sweet. And after all that time without our usual banter, we were just as relieved as Kate to hear Sawyer call her "Freckles" again. And really, the moment in the cages showed exactly why Kate is attracted to Sawyer, had that been Jack across from her he would have been moody and intense, desperately plotting a way out (as he spent all of his time in the aquarium), not cracking wise to ease a girl's mind.
But the producers know that as much as we love Sawyer, we love to see him get hurt even more. So here comes Juliet (who's frigging everywhere on that island, apparently) with the taser.

J.J. Abrams was back with Damon Lindelof for the first time since the pilot episode, and Jack Bender was directing, as he did with last year's Desmond bookends. Last season, our focus was shuffled onto the tail section survivors, but only after we'd learned the fate of the raft crew and the scret of the hatch. This season we're having new characters integrated into the cast AS we find out the fate of those who were either kidnapped or potentially magnetically blown up. Or whatever.
This, I think was the cause of some of the negative online response to this episode, and a lot of female Juliet bashing seems to be out there.
But you know what? I'm an Elizabeth Mitchell fan. From as far back as Frequency, and Gia before that. I think she brings an intelligent sweetness to Juliet that grounds her. Of course this woman's favorite book is The Stand by Stephen King.
I also think they're setting her up well as Jack's romantic interest, she is after all a "woman of Science" and argues for free will right before 815 goes down. She's not going to be an ultimately useless 'Libby'. I'm looking forward to her flashbacks, and I think she works. So there.

But Jack. Poor, poor Jack. The further down his story we get, the more we realize that the Jack we've known is a man with little to no grip on himself. How far removed from attacking his father at a frigging AA meeting was the doctor when he crashed anyway? And he's hallucinating daddy again (I know, I know...or...is he?). I'm still waiting for the mid-season Thailand era flashback. I bet I'm right about the good doctor chasing the white horse.
But man oh man, can Jack not give up (like the childhood bully said, "You should've stayed down, Jack."). I thought Matthew Fox did his usual Matthew Fox job in this one. I think he works as Jack because he brings with him an unassuming nature. The whole point is that Jack doesn't want to be the center of attention, but always will be. And I thought he did a great job at episode's end, when instead of asking for the name of the man that stole his wife he simply asks, "Is she happy?"
Maybe an old dog can learn a few tricks after all.
If you had problems with this one, watch it AGAIN. It was disorienting, and strange, but it was also very good.

GEEK u.s.a: Back on the air

Ok, so how did you all spend your summer vacations? Mine was clearly not spent blogging, as the lack of posts since Spidey's big trailer debut shows.

I had many reasons for the lack of posting, but keep in mind that I was posting a ridiculous three times a week at my peak. My current job does not allow for that, not in the slightest. I've been working twelve hour days and barely buying comics or watching things geek.

Oh, but that all changes on October 4th, doesn't it?




Yes, kids, I am posting again because LOST is soon to be back on the air. And if there's one thing worth blogging about, it's America's favorite sci-fi soap opera. Year Three is big. We lost a few viewers last season, but so did Desperate Housewives, so there. Those that stuck around got some genuine shockers and some brilliant episodes (ok, LOST geeks, how many times have you watched Live Together, Die Alone since it aired?).







Here is the preview for the premiere, featuring Sawyer all angry and stuff behind bars and Jack staring down a wall of water with very Jack-like earnestness and integrity.



Oh, fun. Anyway, I have to keep Matt's mom happy, so I'll be posting episode recaps again. I promise, Mrs. Gill, that I'll keep the swearing to a minimum. You know, until Michael shoots someone again.

I'll also be getting around to a few things I've wanted to post for awhile, most notably high praise for some recent comics, especially the always amazing All-Star Superman (also, I've been meaning to post a public apology to Joss Whedon for some time. I hate admitting I'm wrong).

But, careful attention will show that the REVIEWS is gone from the blog title. That's because I've decided that, in general, I'm a bit judgemental in life. Why carry that over to the geek world I love so dearly?
So: the commentary remains, the letter grades are gone. Dig?

I look forward to hearing from all of you again. Excelsior!, as the man says.

-Matthew Guerrero

Yes! Just...I mean...yes!

Take notes, Brian Singer: this is how you handle a superhero franchise.

Spider-Man 3 looks awesome, the fan-boy in me in squealing like a Beatlemaniac. I'm glad they're going with the black suit story, and I think Topher Grace is the perfect 'bad twin' to Tobey Maguire.
After the jaw-dropping brilliance of #2, I trust Raimi to the ends of the earth with Spidey, and I think he may be able to pull out an interesting Venom.
I can't wait.

Gill throws a Frosty gauntlet

In his comment to my review of Astonishing X-Men #15, Matt "you down with SPP?" Gill said the following:

"We have an entire page devoted to Emma Frost forcing her tears. Stan Lee could have gotten the same thing across in one alliterative caption."

First of all, I agree with Matt that the scene is dull and that information could be conveyed either more simply, or more dynamically by any number of comic writers.
However, I think that Matt is perhaps forgetting Mr. Lee's long winded nature.
One panel? I'm sure he'd devote at least half a page to Emma's internal struggle, something the more 'subtle' Whedon has only hinted at.

So! What's that caption, dear reader? What would Stan the Man put in Emma's beautiful, wicked head? Extra points for alliteration, per Matt's suggestion.


The challenge is before you, now bring it!

New Comic Reviews:Eternals, Astonishing X-Men, All-Star Superman

First off, a quick word about my selections this week.

I had intended to pick up copies of All-Star Superman #4, Astonishing X-Men #15, and the re-launch of The Flash. I even checked out Flash artist Ken Lashley on the Gallery of Comic Art, just to see what I could expect. I liked what I saw, and actually got a little excited about picking up the book.
Then I saw what they did to his art.
Flash #1 is without a doubt one of the ugliest comics I've ever seen (and I own a few Rob Liefeld books). I don't blame Lashley at all. Here's an example of his uninked work:

Not flawless, but kind of dynamic. Certainly not the screaming mess that it turned out to be. Coloring, since it all went digital, is a hit or miss proposition in comics these days. When done well (Jamie Grant, for instance in All-Star Superman), it can really propel a book's art into another realm of realism or fantasy. But when done this poorly, it can ruin a book completely. I'm not the only person that left Flash on the shelves because of it.

ETERNALS #1

This is what I bought with the money I'd planned to spend on Flash, and I think I made the right choice. I'm not familiar with Neil Gaiman much beyond 1602 (which is just ok), I never read Sandman or any of the other billion things he's written on his way toward becoming one of the most respected names in the business. So I picked up Eternals not because of his contributions, but because even on a cursory flip-thru read in the store, I was impressed with John Romita Jr.'s artwork. The Eternals are a Jack "King" Kirby creation, which was quite obvious even as I cracked the book open in the middle. You can tell a Kirby character immediately, even through another artist's vision. One thing I'll love forever about the King was that he was a cigar chomping New Yorker who created a pantheon of space age gods and goddesses. Here was a guy that appreciated how deeply the thread of mythology runs in our lives, and used it to create some of the most memorable characters in comics history, side by side with Stan Lee. But I'd never heard of The Eternals, which was Kirby doing for Marvel upon his return what he'd done at DC with the New Gods. Wikipedia tells me it ran for what looks like two years under The King's hand, starting in 1976, then popped up sporadically through the decades.

This version of The Eternals, anyway, is off to a good start. Gaiman has a good grip on Kirby's world, distilling a lot of information (and I mean a lot) but making it all fairly digestible. Again, not being a long term reader of the Eternals, I don't know if they were always trapped in these modern day lives, having forgotten their true identities as immortals. If not, this move by Gaiman is more than a little similar to Grant Morrison's treatment of DC's Kirby crew, the New Gods, over in the Mister Miracle mini. Though when it comes right down to it, that may be the only way to introduce these kind of characters in a modern context.

Regardless, this is a good issue, and the art is stunning in places. I can't quite tell if it's Romita's pencils I'm responding to, or if if Danny Miki's inking, but the whole operation strikes that balance between Kirby homage and something brand new. If Romita Jr. still resides under the shadow of Kirby and his father, it's no great knock against him, as practically every comic artist since those two has been aping one of them. This is a book with energy and life. I'm not sure I could see this world existing past the six-issue mini Gaiman's planned, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.

ETERNALS #1: B


ASTONISHING X-MEN #15

As anyone who saw Serenity (and is being totally honest with themselves) knows, Joss Whedon has a tendency to spin his wheels a bit. His storylines are set up like a sitcom, set-up:punchline, set-up:punchline, drama, set-up:punchline, climax. Which is all well and good when you're on the punchline or the drama or the climax. But when he's setting up, sometimes your patience wanders. This issue seems rushed is what I mean. Everything, right down to John Cassaday's art, feels like we're just doing this to get to there. On whatever end, also, whether it's Cassaday or Whedon's fault, this is a poorly "directed" issue as well, in that scenes begin before we need them to and end before we need them to. This is disorienting, when we've got several strands of story to follow: Emma's turn, Scott's coma, Kitty sinking down to the abyss, the X-kids and their dire predictions, Wolvie and Beast's fight, the rise of Hellfire, the return of Danger (the sentient Danger Room from Whedon's last Astonishing arc which will interesting, but poorly executed), and the imminent peril of Breakworld.
Whedon's X-Universe is bursting at the seams, and it doesn't always seem like he has it under control.

There are fun moments as well, who doesn't love seeing Logan making paper dolls?
And the last page in the book is a nice reference back to Claremont and Byrne's Dark Phoenix/ Hellfire run. Again, though, Whedon's cramming this whole 'Kitty Pryde as potential badass' thing down our throats. Buffy she will never be, Joss. I half expected her, as she turned to 'camera' to be saying, "Do you know who I am? I'm Shadowcat, bitch."

Get it together, guys.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #15: B-


ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #4

Thankfully, some things in this world you can count on. All-Star Superman delivers, issue after glorious issue.

This time, our focus is on Jimmy Olsen (Superman's Best Friend, as the silver age title told us); here transformed from naive, freckled sidekick to ultra-modern, metrosexual adventurer. Everything about Jimmy, his hair, his apartment, his luscious gal-pal, seem like a culmination of what people in the 60's thought people would be like in the new millennium.

To contrast specifically to Astonishing X-Men, here we have an issue that deviates from the central storyline of Superman's seemingly unavoidable death and doesn't feel like mere filler, but an expanding of the universe (wanna bet Krypto gets his own issue somewhere down the line?). Superman appears in the issue, but only as a Super-foil for Jimmy's adventures. While running Leo Quintim's P.R.O.J.E.C.T. for a day, Jimmy stumbles across Black Kryptonite which, they soon discover, turns Superman evil.
I love the way the effects are revealed, with Superman carving his symbol into the desk like a truculent teenager in detention:Evil Superman was the kind of thing that happened every other week in the silver-age, and everything about the fight is exciting. To go back to what I said above, just look at what Jamie Grant adds to these scenes with his coloring: One thing I'm loving about Quitely's layouts in this series is that even though he doesn't deviate from the standard 'block' format panels, his pages feel expansive, unlimited, because of the composition within the panels, a valuable lesson for most modern comic artists. Instead of trying to make the page look dynamic with jagged and ugly panels and exaggerated musculature, just learn solid anatomy and motion, fellas. What you end up with is so much more elegant.
Grant is unloading every silver-age fantasy he ever had into this series. This another title bursting at the seams, but Grant is able to make it all run smoothly. He knew going in exactly what he wanted this book to be, and his vision is being carried out phenomenally by his collaborators. As usual, this is the best book on the stands right now.

ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #4: A

Even tho it don't make no...sense!

We have our winner, and it's regular reader/commenter Jason Carlin aka the2scoops, who runs his own excellent blog as has fabulous taste in music.

Jason, hit me with your address at geekusablog@yahoo.com and you'll receive the prize which is...(drumroll)...



A barely read copy of Green Lantern #10 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Yes, this lovely issue is the only thing to receieve a failing grade (to find the review, scroll to the very bottom of the page) in the short history of this site.
Seriously, scoops, I want this the hell out of my house.

But, actually seriously, thanks for being a regular, 2 scoops and anyone else paying attention in the bloggosphere.

Between my new job and an upcoming move my posts will probably be a little less frequent in the next month or so (I have no idea if I'm gonna get those Sequart columns in on my already irregular twice a month schedule), and I look forward to having the time to really expound on all that is glorious and geeky soon.
It's a hell of a thing buying a copy of All-Star Superman or Astonishing X-Men when you're saving up for a deposit and first month's rent. So if I don't review those books for a month, you know why.

BB

Comic Book Meme Episode III

Part One here
Part Two here
Part Three below...


CAPTAIN AMERICA
Writer & Artist: Frank Miller

It's perfect, isn't it?
Just imagine what gloriously sacrilegious things Miller could do with Ol' Cap. I'm picturing a very Dark Knight Strikes Again type book, a bitingly funny mix of politics and supervillains.
Imagine Miller taking on Red Skull!
Get Marvel on the phone, this is brilliance...


HAWKMAN
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee

If there's one thing Geoff Johns is good at, it's straightening out tangled continuity, and no character right now features a more intricate and pointless history than Carter or Katar or whatever in the hell he's called right now. But I have a weak spot for the Hawk, so I'd have faith in Geoff to bring him back to Kubert-era glory.
I put Jim Lee on this title 'cause he can draw bare chested barbarians and big-chested valkyries like nobody's business.
Besides, he sells, sells, sells.


JLA
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Carlos Pacheco
Darwyn Cooke is the obvious choice here, and he's brilliant, but Brubaker's great at combining old characters with modern surroundings (see the resurrection of Bucky over in Captain America).
Pacheco is one of the underrated talents in comics today, when he's solidly inked, he represents the best the current era of comics has to offer. Never showy, always strong.

Roster: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, The Atom, Hawkgirl, Hourman, Booster Gold


THE AVENGERS
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Cameron Stewart

Cameron Stewart's bound to burst into stardom at any moment, why not give him a boost towards that by putting him on a classic title with a classic roster?
Cap and Iron Man are gimmes, and I miss Thor in the Marvel U, let's make him work again. Hawkeye returns from the dead, Black Widow hangs around for a little Iron Curtain sex appeal, and we'll keep the Spider-people from New Avengers but kick out Wolvie and Luke Cage.
Peter David is the ideal collaborator for Stewart, this would be another fun book.

Roster: Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Panther, Black Widow


SEVEN SOLDIERS
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Jaime Hernandez

Oh yeah. I think that Jaime could do an amazing superhero comic, and I think that given the schizophrenic nature of the Seven Soldiers and the varying artistic styles throughout the minis that Jaime is one of the few artists capable of bringing them together in a way that truly works.
I think working with Jaime would be great for Grant, also. I really would love to see what these guys would push each other towards.

Comic Creator Meme Part Two Contest Update

Part One here. Now to continue:



FANTASTIC FOUR
Writer: Tom Peyer
Artist: Rags Morales

These guys must be brought back together, and I think they'd do well on Marvel's First Family. Peyer was always great at using sentimentality without getting too saccharine, and would have an absolute blast with the self-pitying Ben Grimm.
Morales would be a natural for Mr. Fantastic, after the great job he did with Elongated Man over in Identity Crisis. Since the Richards are probably about to be split up in Civil War, this is the perfect team to being them back together.


THE FLASH
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Mike Wieringo

Ringo's done Flash before, but he's matured since then, and between his kinetic art and Millar's wicked sense of humor, they could make this book the most fun of any on our imaginary roster.


DAREDEVIL
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Artist: Moebius

I considered making this a silent book with Moebius on art, since a concept as goofy as a blind superhero is perfect sci-fi artist territory. Also, Moebius is brilliant with shade and texture, and could make the back alleys of Hell's Kitchen alive with danger.
I put Vaughn on this book because I think he deserves work, frankly, and I think he could do a wonderful job with Matt Murdock, a character not unlike the central figure of Ex Machina in his guarded nature.


GREEN LANTERN
Writer: Alan Moore
Artist: J.H. Williams III

This book would cover all members of the Green Lantern Corps, and I'm sure Alan Moore could do amazing things with the physics of the Lanterns, and the nature of their powers.
Williams does his best, most far-reaching work with Moore, and I think they could turn this book into the next Swamp Thing, mysterious and cosmic.


THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely


I want to see these guys take on the Hulk for the very reason that they've made Superman soar: the Hulk, as is, is boring. Not with this team on board.
While Grant's delving into the intense dual psychology of Banner/Hulk, Frank gives Hulk the wide open spaces he needs to express his boundless rage.
With Quitely's gift of emotion and Grant's brilliant prose, this could be the Hulk project that Ang Lee was trying to accomplish. I have no doubt this would be the best book of the 15.


That's it for the meme post today. Look for the thrilling conclusion soon. Will I put R. Crumb on Birds of Prey? Hup!
In contest news: Reading's off the clock, and our next candidate is from Ontario, Canada, and was referred by good old Site Meter. 2scoops, is that you?
2 days to write, buddy.

Wherein I join a comic book meme already in progress...

Hypothetical situation: Due to diminished readership and rising paper costs, it has been decided only fifteen comic titles will be published from this day forward. You have been charged with the decisions of which titles shall be printed and what creative teams will be assigned to them.

Artists may only draw one title; writers may script up to four (unless the writer is also the artist, in which case he's limited to one). Also, while it would be awesome to have Art Adams drawing a monthly NFL SuperPro book or Alex Ross painting the further adventures of the TRS-80 Computer Whiz Kids, we all know that's not going to happen, though feel free to use them for a few issues a year as fill-in artists or to take advantage of other such loopholes.

You may also set a creative direction, tone, or other details if you see fit (i.e. choose the Avengers or JLA members who would appear should you decide to have those titles make the final cut).

This comes from a meme thread posted on Ye Olde Comick Booke Blogge several months ago. I just now saw it, and will weigh in with my choices, five at a time. So!

SUPERMAN

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Phil Jimenez

Since people are just going to insist on keeping Superman going, why not throw big daddy Grant Morrison on it, and see if he can bring the kind of off-the-wall fun to the title that he's bringing to All-Star. No one's had a better take on the Man of Steel in almost 70 years. While I'm at it, I'm going to reunite Grant with his artist through the bulk of his Volume 2 of the Invisibles, Phil Jimenez. Phil did a good job with the various Super-people of Infinite Crisis, but we'll get a better inker on him this time.

BATMAN

Writer: Alan Moore
Artist: Joe Kubert

For the all-time best DC character, we're giving you the all-time best DC artist: big Joe Kubert, whose two sons are tragically unemployed in this alternate universe. Thinking about it now, I'm surprised that they never tried Kubert on the mean streets of Gotham. We'll fix that. And for writer, why not bring Alan Moore, who's written some excellent Batman stories through the years and has the darkness that the title requires.

SPIDER-MAN

Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: John Cassaday

Mark isn't here because I think he did a particularly good job the last time he took on Spidey, but because I think that he can do better. With Cassaday as a partner, I think his imagination would be unlimited. What I like about putting Cassaday on this title is he brings a weight to his art, a realism that would work well with Millar, since Mark never really gets spacey.


X-MEN

Writer: Peter David
Artist: Steve Mc Niven

McNiven is good with teams, and David has the ability to keep things fun, and both would suit the X-Men well. The roster is: Cyclops, Wolverine, Phoenix (Rachel or Jean, writer's choice), Shadowcat, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Iceman. Emma Frost and Magneto are both evil, as is Quicksilver. Also: we're killing Professor X off right away.

WONDER WOMAN
Writer: Joss Whedon
Artist: Ryan Sook

Whedon's great with women that kick ass and take names, and Sook is maybe the most dynamic artist working today. I think having a partner with those capabilities would open up new worlds for Joss. Also in this alternate universe, Ryan Sook would be capable of bringing a book in on time every month.


Ok, dear readers: it's your turn. You don't have to pick fifteen, you don't have to agree with my choices (except for Kubert on Batman, I mean come on).
If you want to put Chris Ware on The Flash (think about it, the most static artist teamed up with the most fluid character.), that's totally cool with me.
Comment away.

Spidey Column, Hard Luck for Italy

Not only does Italy have to suffer the indignation of a tie with the United States in the World Cup, but the three days are up and my Italian visitor has not e-mailed me to claim this fershlugginer No-Prize. So we move on.

Our next potential winner comes from the UK (Oi!), specifically The University of Reading. He or she was referred by Matt Gill's The Silent Penultimate Panel Watch. You've got two days, Reading. I hope to hear from you at geekusablog@yahoo.com

Also, another Sunday edition of the Black Hole is up over at Sequart.com.
Today, the first in a four part series examining the recent "Spider-Man: The Other" cross-over that, to use a Phil Hendrie quote, went down like a freaking Piper Cub. See where it went wrong here:

The Other: Part One

Spider-Man Unmasked:Marvel's Civil War #2

Let's not waste any time here:

Every one of these blockbuster events promises to shake its respective universe to its very core. Usually that means a minor character is bumped off, a team or two splits up, but the status quo is held intact. But this.

Peter Parker is defined by his outsider status. Keeping his secret identity is central to everything he holds dear in his life. How many times did they play the 'Oh no, someone's going to learn Peter's secret and that puts ______ (Aunt May, Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, etc.) in grave danger!' card back when people actually read Spider-Man comics?

Do I think they should have done it? Absolutely not. Do I think it's in Peter's best interests? Oh hell no it's not. Do I think it works?

Yes.

It works, it's brilliant, I actually love it. Even though I hate it, I love it. Even though I think someone very close to Peter is dead, rotting meat now, I love it. Even though this would appear to put Pete in Tony's camp, I love it.
Because it takes guts. Because it's something real. Because it represents a genuinely life-changing moment for one of our most beloved comic book icons.
Make no mistake about it: I love this move.

And I love this book. In my review of Civil War #1, I said I hope that this book would finally give the company a solid identity for the first time in the remarkably scattershot Joe Quesada era. It's living up to that promise for me.

I'm completely gripped by the action scenes. Here's where Steve McNiven really excels. Take the scene where Patriot of the Young Avengers is chased by S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopters:It's an extremely cinematic scene, but at the same time it works in the language of comics, something that many other artists can't seem to get the hang of. Especially that second panel above, with Patriot leaping from building to building: you feel the silence, you feel time slow down for the terrified young man. This book is Steve McNiven's coming out party.

And I like Mark Millar's writing, and his dialogue especially. He creates scenes that feel real but-again-still belong to the world of comics.
He's great with Tony Stark's confusion, just like he was with Captain America's last issue. If there's a glaring weakness to this book so far, it's that Millar and the editorial crew are so clearly on Cap's side. But that makes the plight of Tony Stark all the more compelling as he's swept along by his own self-doubt into battle against his brothers.

I love the sad moments with Sue and Reed in the Fantastic Four's headquarters as well. This is what you always figured their marriage was like: Sue, neglected and pining for attention, and Reed completely absorbed with his equations and gadgets. The only time he takes any notice of her is when she reaches for his disk marked '42' (is Millar giving a nod here to Hitchhiker's Guide?) and Reed grabs her wrist (not her hand, her wrist) and says "I'm sorry Susan. But I'm afraid that's classified information."

There's a lot of internet fuss about Joey Q bitching about how writing for married couples is boring, and perhaps the unmasking and Reed's coldness are calculated to split both super-marriages up. I think Joe's interview was a great big red herring, and if not it ultimately says more about his own personal issues than anything else. Pete, Reed, Mary Jane, and Sue function perfectly as married folk. If your writers are having trouble with that, get better writers. If you don't like marriage, Quesada, get counseling and leave Spidey alone.

But regardless of that kind of wild speculation, whether or not Reed and Sue are torn apart by this crisis, we're only two issues in and we've gotten something as big as the Spidey reveal. Who lives? Who dies? Who can guess after this?

For the first time in years, I'm proud as hell to say: Make Mine Marvel.

CIVIL WAR #2: A