So this week I have a couple comics from this last Wednesday and a reminder that next Saturday is Free Comics Day and I've got some suggestions for people of comics to grab.... I'll be going to More Fun Comics to get me a few.....
I missed mentioning this last week among others but Jeff Parker is one of the oft overlooked heroes of comics I'm totally loving. He is the guy that's been doing the writing on both the under appreciated Dark Avengers, Red Hulk and Red She Hulk and often he entertains me. Actually Jeff often matches the truly entertaining Rick Remender who was awesome with Uncanny Xforce; he's kind of the sleeper hero f the superhero genre much like Gail Simone on Secret Six here.
Dark Avengers took over its numbering from Thunderbolts and has continued the awesome that was Thrunderbolts from the days of the late nineties and when is was the best Avengers title on the stands starring Baron Zemo, the Beetle, Screaming Mimi to name just a few of the villains come heroes that star in this title. The old Avengers villain Moonstone is still around and is the femme fatale version of Captain Marvel.
The current storyline takes the protagonists of this book (Moonstone, Skaar the son of the Hulk, Ragnarock the replacement Thor, the six armed Spider-Man, and Trickshot) are in a twisted alternate New York rules by various parallels to 616 marvel universe heroes. Its a wickedly twisted version of gang war superhero style and is as fun as the Thor and Avengers films from the last few years. Cheers and applause to Jeff Parker Dark Avengers is something that should be around a long time....
Red She-Hulk 64 is a couple weeks old but I have to mention it again because as above Jeff Parker is a writer that people should be reading. For the uninitiated Red She-Hulk is Betty Ross from the old Hulk title who is finally in the spotlight she deserves and has now teamed up with the Machine-Man Aaron Stack. Like Dark Avengers above this great out of another Parker title Red Hulk which also deserved a bigger readership.
I have to give Marvel NOW much kudos in that lesser selling titles are given the chance to go on a practice not followed in another big comics group now a days. The writing and plotting in this and Dark Avengers above is thoughtful and plays into the history of the Marvel Universe building from what came before. These stories are longer in scope and take issues to build and grow much like Buffy and Firefly and the characters are deftly crafted and I selfishly want these stories to be around for a while so I can still read them.
Betty is a woman who cares about her world and is willing Togo to the wall to defend it. Few fans are writing about this. Title but it is worth your 2.99 a month.....
FF by Fraction and Allred I've mentioned before but I have to do so again...
FF has a huge cast both long standing and new and I have to give Fraction kudos for handling that and adding more to the mix and making the histories of these long standing people weigh and them no matter who told the tale. Some comics writers throw pasts to the curb when it doesn't suit them but seems like Antman, She-Hulk, Medusa all have the weight of the past on them Antman the most of all of them. Of the kids Alex Power seems the most tortured for his age and is really trying to be a hero, he is not in this issue but I have to mention the depth of Fractions knowledge of these characters he did not create.
This issue features Darla and her dealing with being thing girl and the Yancy Street Fallout of this. I bow to Matt's knowledge of Marvel History and his respect for it. The art for this handled by Allred and Quinones is so damn cool I think the beauty of the storytelling is reason enough along to grab it... Dragon man and the various kids of the Freedom Foundation shine in this story too right there with the adults. Great addition to the FF lexicon and by that I mean the fourty plus years of stories....
New Avengers 5 finally gives us some past for the Black Swan from the first issue of this highly tension filled book and one that has way too much testosterone for me all told. I like the tone of this series overall a bit more then the big Avengers title but they are really telling one continuous tale overall I think. The tension between Namor and Black Panther as well as the conflicts that the inclusion of Cap caused was so well played I almost forgot this book had no distaff presence.
This issue tells the past of the Black Swan and though she is still very much their prisoner its way obvious she is totally in their power level and though she likes them she holds these dick measuring fools in some personal contempt. I get a feeling her inclusion as a real player in the story will make this 3.99 title a must have as the story grows for this issue. Hickman tells a great story here maintaining the tension in this trust less team and Steve Epting proves again he is under appreciated as a solid artist these days. Dig it if you read the first issue and let it go because of cost like me grab this one and I think it may get you back....
So the last book for this week is by one of the women super heroine writers I mentioned last week, Kathryn Immonen. Journey into Mystery is no stranger to my list here at Sunday Comics and this is an issue that focuses on the secondary cast. I've long been a fan of the Warriors three and am as happy with this issue as I was with the Thor film in respect to Hogan, Fandral and Volstag. This issue expands this to their significant others making it an even bigger story.
Katheryn is someone who can tell a complete tale in the space of 22 uncluttered pages and this is heat another example of this.
I may miss the days of Balder and Beta Ray Bill but this is storytelling worthy of an Irishman ....
For Free Comics Day I've got some suggestions and I'll leave it at a few comments and images ....
The first two relate to the same mythos.... 2000AD is not all Judge Dredd but good ol Dredd is the center piece of mostly shared universe story that is England's comic sci fi fantasy magazine. If your not a follower grab up the IDW version since its all Dredd and if you like anthology collections grab up the 2000AD version. British comics tend to have a mix of totally serious and strait faced comedy with much wordplay that its a really different comics experience. I love 2000AD and have been a long time fan; I loved Zenith and Nemisis, Dredd and ABC Robot... Its an odd mix of sci fi fantasy and dark EC comic comedy... Well that's the way I'd sell it... 2000AD is available on apples magazine marketplace weekly at somewhere near 2.99 and that's the best coffee drink to skip as a comic reader..... And this one is free....
Atomic Robo has been running a good number of years now and as an action adventure scientific adventure comic that embraced the spirit of steampunk stories without the cogs and imperialism that comes with the genre.... Atomic Robo has spawned multiple comic series including multiple free self contained issue and an up comics FATE based RolePlaying game... Atomic Robo is pulp action told in four color format....
Arcana has published many books I wish I had or have has the luck to be able to grab so this is definitely on my list of should look at. Yes I'll probably go for the 2000AD comic but this is a close second or third.... I'd say if your up for Steampowered adventure you should take a look... What the hell its free.....
There is more coming that is free including a Dark Horse Anthology including a RIPD story, a DC and a Marvel issue, and a bunch of other great and worthy comics hat my appeal to you more then my limited choices... Go to your friendly local comics shop, buy something and get some free fun entertainment....
Chat up the owner and the locals.... Comics fans are a diverse and mostly accepting supportive community... Its one of the reasons I still love them..... Take care, read and share your thoughts.....
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