Swamp Thing: Saga of the Swamp Thing TP (w/ Alan Moore)

Alan Moore took over Swamp Thing with issue #21 (of Volume 2) in 1984 (due to low sales), 2 years before the first issue of Watchmen was released. Moore has a knack for reviving obscure (read "shitty") DC comics characters and making them less shitty. I can't imagine Jason "Floronic Man" Woodrue ever actually being scary, but he comes pretty close in this book. Even Etrigan (who also pops up in the Sandman series) is an interesting character!

Moore reinvents the origin of Swamp Thing, although the story remains roughly the same, in theory, with a few major differences (including the appearance of Jason Woodrue). Environmentalism is a heavy theme in this series, as Floronic Man discovers the secret of Swamp Thing's power, "The Green" ("Gaia", the earth as an ecosystem of interconnected plant organisms). Woodrue's symbiotic relationship with "The Green" allows him to see (and feel) the horrors of humanity's abuse of our planet. Woodrue goes on a killing spree, fueled by The Green, and Swamp Thing attempts to save The Green, the world, and the woman he loves, from Woodrue's (naive) vendetta.

The Saga of the Swamp Thing is more important than ever, with the reality of global climate change knocking on our door. 24 years later, we need Swamp Thing more than ever.

I give Saga of the Swamp Thing 4 (out of 5) drowning polar bears,
-sandy

100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call TP (w/ Brian Azzarello, a/ Eduardo Risso)

If you read my Loveless review, you would know that I hated this book the first time around. I'm really trying to give Brian Azzarello (Sgt. Rock, Hellblazer, Superman: For Tomorrow) what is due him, as a comic writer, and I'm really glad that I am. Azzarello writes really complex stories that unravel themselves slowly and deliberately. I would recommend this book to fans of Heroes or Lost. There is even a mysterious "Agent Graves" of a mysterious (non-governmental?) organization (although he comes off a bit more benevolently than Benamin Linus or Noah Bennet)!

Eduardo Risso's art is reminiscent of Frank Miller's Sin City and it is SUPER sexy (unlike Miller's, which I find gratuitous). Azzarello and Risso do Frank Miller better than Frank Miller. There, I said it.

The plot is that "Agent Graves" appears to persons whose lives have been ruined by the negligence or brutality of other peoples' lives. Graves offers said persons an opportunity: a briefcase, containing a gun and 100 untraceable bullets, and perhaps most importantly, irrefutable evidence of their victims' connection to the event(s) that ruined their lives. They are given carte blanche, as long as they don't show anyone else the contents of the briefcase. What would you do if you knew you could get away with (justifiable?) homicide?

The stories are sad but exciting. Lots of dead babies, ruined futures, and shattered families.

I really recommend this book if you're looking for another lengthy series to commit to, or another huge mystery to sink into.

3.5 (out of 5) bible thumpers,
-sandy

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits TP (w/ Garth Ennis)

Garth Ennis is the only person I know who hates religion as much as I do. Well, I don't actually know Garth Ennis, but, if I did, I think we'd have some things in common. I wonder if he gets as many death threats as writers like Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens.

The premise of the book is that everyone's favorite alcoholic anti-hero/magician/trickster/hellion gets diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Constantine reevaluates his life to find some comfort in his death, but only finds a graveyard of friends in his wake. In order to save his soul from the clutches of the Devil himself, Constantine tries to redeem himself to his few living friends, but must ultimately face his demons alone.

This book rules. Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys, Punisher MAX) is at his most human in this story arc, as he explores the meaning of friendship--in life, and in death--in true Garth Ennis fashion (i.e. severed reproductive organs). Scoop it up!

4.275 (out of 5) dead babies,
-sandy

Loveless Vol 1-2, Vertigo (DC)

I have never really cared for Brian Azzarello. I can't say that I've read all of his work, but I suffered through the first 12 issues of 100 Bullets and could not force myself to read any further. I even tried reading the first few issues of Loveless when it first started coming out a few years ago (believe it or not I had a subscription). I liked the first 6 issues, illustrated by Marcelo Frusin (Hellblazer), but when the artist switched to Danijel Zezelj (Desolation Jones #7-8), I was turned off. I fell off with the series and would wonder, occasionally, if it would be worth picking back up.

It is.

I have come to LOVE Zezelj's work on Loveless, and I have come to love Azzarello's writing (at least on this series, but I am going to try 100 Bullets again very soon). Zezelj's work is raw and gritty and his backgrounds are elegant but minimal (there is a lot not to look at, if that makes sense). I tore these two volumes apart.

I don't generally go for Westerns (and would defer any questions about good Western comic series' to my friend, Christian); I don't really care much for the Civil War (though I am, believe it or not, distantly related to Abe Lincoln!); but this story is really raw. You love and hate everybody here and you keep turning pages to figure out who is really screwing who. The book is set in the years following the Civil War, when blacks are "free" but still enslaved by a nation of bigots, and when the South has yet to put down their arms.

The setting is volatile and the morals are ambiguous. This book is a gem!

4 (out of 5) homeless guys,
-sandy

now you're all in BIG trouble

There is some irony in the fact that I am at Vault of Midnight right now, on Day 1 of my 1 week visit to Ann Arbor. I have lived in Seattle since this past January, and despite the presence of Fantagraphics Books, the comic scene there is lacking (On an unrelated note, I shared a plane ride home with David Petersen of Mouse Guard, who is a Michigan native, and a good friend of our shop). I haven't been reading as many comics as I would like (no $$ for getting my comics shipped!), but I've been getting some 80's books from the library (can't seem to bring myself to buy comics from a shop that I don't have a tattoo of) and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm going to write up some Alan Moore titles for you sexy humans in the near future.

Anyway, I sense that a small child has committed an act of injustice against one of our display tables. Just wanted to assert my presence on this little section of the internet; I look forward to getting flamed by all of you (more so) in the near future.

-sanford c bledsoe iii
(the c is for "comics")

Immortal Iron Fist #14

HOLY F*@#ING SHIT BALLS

this is my favorite comic out

art
story
chariktors

all dope

100% awesome juice dripping down my chin

Sanford "cheatin' sandy" Bledsoe to make blog debut.....eventually.

long time comic reader,game master and former vault of midnight employee "sanford bledsoe" will make his long awaited reviewing debut on "we read comics". after an initial confusion over invites and scheduling (as per usual sanford was seeing double and was confused about his options). no exact date had been locked down but "we read comics" industry insiders expect "sometime" in 2nd quarter 2008. From all of us at "We Read Comics", welcome to the team sanford! we look forward to your constant enthusiasm for the medium, biting sarcastic wit, consistent striving for political correctness and grammar, and hugs...oh my, the hugs. Welcome to the team.
(don't fuck this up)

Pax Romana #1-2

Story and Art by Jonathan Hickman

Ah, my first blog post. Where is the fanfare? The teeming crowds of adorers? No matter...

OH!...... i see, I...uh...thanks!

Jonathan Hickman, you clever bastard. I put off reading this one for months when on perusal it seemed dense and remarkably similar to your last title, Nightly News. Not that I had a problem with that one, but I was starting to get the feeling that you were a one-trick-pony. A flash in the pan. A pretender to the whatever. I am standing, here, corrected. Let it be known that I have found correction.

This is one of the sweetest premises to a comic book, or any work of fiction, that I've read in a long time. The idea is that the Vatican (in 2053 or thereabouts) is sponsoring a trip BACK IN TIME to assert the dominance of the Catholic Church for time eternum using modern day soldiers and weaponry. Hickman uses sneaky little mechanics like transcribed minutes from meetings between Vatican officials and Private Military Contractors to explore the morality and practicality of what they want to accomplish. Brilliant. Love it. Yes.

Here's the thing: the art is way over the top. I get that every page is this meticulously crafted piece that I should hang on a wall but in terms of the narrative it's just fucking distracting. Each frame is a portrait of some dude (that looks a lot like all the other dudes) making a Lenin-stance surrounded by 75 speech bubbles. So, props for the effort, but you're not pulling it off.

Nevertheless, between this and Transhuman I will be watching you from here on in, Hickman.

Everyone else: READ THIS SHIT. 6 clever things out of 8 clever things.

Here's my list of comics this week.

Amulet: book one

w/a-kazu kibuishi
this comic was so COOL! i was emotionally involved with these characters and expressed myself aloud frequently! I laughed!I gasped! I even exclaimed "OH NO!" when drama went down!the story is about a brother and a sister who relocate to their grandfathers farm house with their mom following the death of their father.Emily the oldest child,finds her grandpappy's study/lab and a portal to a fantastical world.some strange tentacled creature kidnaps her mom,so Emily and Navin (the younger bro.) must find her mom and confront the dark overlord of this awesome world....but they get help from their new sweet robot pals!I AM FLIPPING OUT IN ANTICIPATION FOR VOLUME TWO!!!!!
-the color is phenomenal! kudos upon kudos for the great coloring team that made this book happen.
-great,slightly cartoon-y facial expressions that really made everyone's emotions clear to me.dude,..at one point navin almost gets caught by his mom doing something he shouldn't and the face he makes had me cackling and slapping my knees.
-really cool designs on the buildings and technology.robots awesome..vehicles ill.
-reminescent of "spirited away" and "totoro" but wholly original and individual.
- MR.Kibuishi stopped into our store and was a totally cool and nice gentleman.I really would like to buy him a beer.
PLUS THIS HAPPENS

HOUSE MECH!!!!
I GIVE THIS BOOK 4 OUTTA 4 KIDS IN THE BACKSEAT NOT ASKING IF WE'RE THERE YET!

Miriam Issue One

by Rich Tommaso



Random peeks into the life of Miriam Capaldi. High school fights, sibling rivalry, childhood friendships developing over time...all presented in short, semi-unrelated vignettes. A second issue would be nice.

Toupydoops

by Kevin McShane



So, the comic book industry is the movie industry. Superheroes are the celebrities, and Toupydoops is determined to become the star of his own comic. He sets off for Hollywood with hope in his heart and a twinkle in his eye. He's accompanied by his best friend, Teetereater. An all star cast of quirky characters make this book a treat to sit down with. Follow the adventures of Toupy and Teeter as they let loose on Hollywood, antics are sure to ensue.


This one's for you, X.

Noble Boy

by Scott Morse



A lushly illustrated tribute to Maurice Noble. Noble worked in the animation industry for more than 60 years. His works include classics like Duck Dodgers and What's Opera Doc? He's worked on Disney, Warner Brothers, MGM, and Doctor Seuss. This book has thick, cardboard pages and cute, whimsical rhyming verses.

Edison Steelhead's Lost Portfolio: Exploratory Studies of Girls and Rabbits

by Renee French



Renee French is OUT OF HER MIND! I love her books, they're poignant and have a tendency to send you into a more uncomfortable dimension. In this collection she sketches girls and rabbits with deformities and/or equipment attached to their heads. They're adorable and terrifying. With each sketch you get a description of surroundings, things consumed, and pencils used. Truly unique. Stick with it Renee, you're hot stuff.

Tonoharu

by Lars Martinson



A very lonely story about a man living in rural Japan as an assistant junior high school teacher. He speaks little to no japanese, shares no common interests with his co-workers, and fails several attempts to make friends with the other American in the area. The awkwardness of the character is crisp.

Anna Mercury #1

w- warren ellis a-Facundo Percio avatar press $3.99
another week,another warren ellis book! this ones about a future(?) city where a woman with huge red hair zips over the skyline and beats fools up while looking for a weapon of huge destruction.the art and panel layout is very clear from new comic homie Facundo Percio.like much of warren ellis' work everything is "mad and beautiful",but really cool and intriguing.the ending on this first ish made me re-appraise what i just read and i eagerly await issue #2 for clarification and more dual wielding of pistols.i would like to see a new issue of Black Summer first but...i'm trying to complain less so i'll just shut up.

-i give this book an "ill" out of "st(ill) taking my time to perfect a beat,and i st(ill) got love for the streets."

Logan #2

w-brian k. vaughn a-eduardo risso marvel comics $3.99
LOGAN IS EFF-ING AWESOME! literally awe is spread when this comic is read.wolverine is totally cool,he's flashing back to fighting fools in WWII japan and it's beuatiful.risso's art is top notch. logans hair looks realistic and sexy.big things go down and it's mad poetical.i'm sad this is part two of a three issue series but i am really enjoying it while it lasts, and there's no ads! check this one out or wait a couple months and get the collection when it comes out.

five outta five biscuits on the plate covered in gravy.
good work Msrs. Vaughn and Risso.

Walking Dead #48

w- robert kirkman a- charlie adlard published by Image $2.99
Now as some of you know i read the Walking Dead every month and for the last two years i don't know why.i think i'm just reading it on reflex....or possibly like a crack pipe left on the table, like " this is probably a bad idea but shit,it's there and i got nothing else going on".in this issue SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS...i know it's weird but trust me it works.it's a real nice change of pace to have some shit go down/hit the fan.at the end if this issue i said to myself "damn,i REAALLY wanna read that next issue" which hasn't happened in a long time...coincedently this marks enough issues to collect into the vol.8 collection.ohh and it's got (another) cliffhanger ending ....aaallriiight kirkman....

Highlights:
-gunbattle for 28 pages.sweet.
-characters only explain events directly to the reader once in the whole issue!
- an excerpt from Dana Sullivan's review "..i can't wait for rick to, ya know..grow a pair,and put a chiansaw on his hand stump". from the mouths of babes,good call D.
-characters getting merked out every 5 pages
- i really like ellipsis.

I"s

Created by Masakazu Katsura



This book is loaded with tender moments, misunderstood situations, and FAN SERVICE up the waz! If nothing else, this dude can really draw a young lady's bum. Two classmates crush on each other for years and years. They're both so awkward and shy that they never tell each other how they feel and constantly misinterpret the most random situations. The story is good, the humor is right on, the art is very nice to look at. Fifteen volumes later, I'm sorry to see it end.

The Piper #1 - Zenescope

Written by Mike Kalvoda, Joe Bruscha, & Ralph Tedesco. Art by Alex Medellin Machain.



I want my dollar back.

SECRET INVASION 1 of 8

HOT SAUCE HOT SAUCE HOT SAUCE

squish evan reads this hot shit
peep it suckaz

"THE MARVEL COMIC EVENT OF THE YEAR! "

this issue of world war hulk is kinda weird , the hulks not in it .WAIT this is a whole new wacky crazy EVENT that will change the marvel universe forever ------ you know what? PISS OFF!
BUT since i love the new avengers or secret avengers or whatever the one it is that i love ... skrull invasion could be a fun time , the writing was fast paced and on point ... the art is the big homie LEINIL YU mashin shit out with a lil less crosshatching but keepin it still fresh thou

shits going crazy

im reading this for fun
im givin it so far
43 dookie gold chains and a melted butterscotch in the pocket of your dapperdan fit

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8, #13: Wolves at the Gate, Part 2 - Dark Horse

Written by Drew Goddard. Art by Georges Jeanty.



This book is awesome. Also, in this issue, we see what happens after Buffy's (ahem) indiscretion from the last issue. And Dracula's a racist.

Kitty "Bdrdrdeeeeep!"
Mrs. Claws: "Mrrryes."
Sasha: *smile*

The Vinyl Underground #1-6 - Vertigo

Si Spencer writer. Simon Gane penciler.



Somewhat supernatural detective story in London featuring a bad boy ex-pop star, his ex, a virgin internet porn star, and a pervert with visions that help solve crimes. Cocaine, sex, magic, violence, meddling cops, lots of inner demons. I can't get enough.

Kitty meows repeatedly for it.
Mrs. Claws isn't allowed to read it yet.
Sasha just wants me to pet her.

Secret History of the Authority: Hawksmoor #1 - WildStorm

Writer: Mike Costa. Artist: Fiona Staples



Jack Hawksmoor battles a huge robot threatening the Golden Gate Bridge, investigates other things in the city. Uses his power to talk to and manipulate the actual, physical city of San Francisco. Awesome read. Good artwork.

Kitty loved it.
Mrs. Claws liked it.
Sasha is under the bed again.

Wolverine: First Class #1 - Marvel

Writer: Fred Van Lente. Artist: Andrea Di Vito



Kitty Pryde writes in her diary about her first days at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. She goes on a mission with a skeptical Wolverine. Kinda written for babies, but entertaining nonetheless.

Mrs. Claws can't wait for the next issue.
Kitty feels pride.
Sasha's too grown up for it.

Gunplay preview - Platinum Studios

Writer: Jorge Vega. Artist: Dominic Vivona.



An ex-Buffalo Soldier faces discrimination, and tortures some dude. Mystery appears to unravel in the upcoming graphic novel, which apparently has him having to kill a person per day because of some cursed pistol he carries. I guess he learns to use it for good.

If it were just a Western about a Buffalo Soldier, I'd be down. Reading a whole graphic novel with supernatural stuff involved, well, I'll probably still pick it up.


Kitty looked at it, put it down.
Mrs. Claws was too busy playing the Wii.
Sasha doesn't read comics, still.