Into the Longbox
Again, a couple weeks worth:
The Flash #233 – Waid and Eddie Williams II (backup by Waid & Rogers & Braithwaite). It’s a bad sign when the comic about the fastest man alive feels too slow. The villains are the sort of distraction that Wally would have dalt with off-panel a few years ago, and the character development is all happening too slow. Add to that an out-of-character JLA “intervention,” and I’m done. I did almost stick around for the lively back up, but the slow front doesn’t need anything stealing its focus.
Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #2 – Palmiotti, Gray, Arlem. I’m liking this quite a lot. This issue focuses on the FF’s party girl, Phantom Lady, drawing from today’s tabloid culture fascination pretty reasonably for a mainstream underwear book. That’s fainter praise than the book really deserves; this is good work. The detailed and gritty art tells the story clearly and the stroy’s interesting and well paced. This is worth reading.
Captain America #31 – Still solid. Man I live in fear that something will happen to screw up this team’s creative footing. But so far, so good. Bucky’s in the clutches of Dr. Faustus and the Skull, the Skull’s plans moving forward and S.H.I.E.L.D. playing catch-up. Everyone still behaves like they should and tensions are high. Still a great book.
Black Summer #3 – Ellis & Ryp. The point of this issue is to let us know what Tom Noir can really do, and why he’s important at all. And Ellis does it beautifully. The art’s beautiful, the pace is breakneck, and now we know who’s the really dangerous gun. Catch up while you can.
Doktor Sleepless #3 – If Black Summer is getting clearer, we’re only beginning to see all the twisty passages in Doktor Sleepless. Interconnections and magic and technology all bouncing off one another. It’s good and creepy and probably has a point. This issue is fleshing out the supporting cast some more, so it may be a bit confusing if you haven’t read the earlier two. Top notch stuff!