Comics Stump

Micro reviews of comic books on a wooden stump.

[comicsstump]

His Last Comic

mini kus!

Noah Van Sciver

After 20 years of failure a comic book artist and his final foray in self-publishing. Funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking. Kinda hits close to home, except that I like dogs.

Grade: A     

[comicsstump]

Transformers: Unicron FCBD #0

IDW

John Barber

Alex Milne

I’m quite behind on the Transformers Universe at IDW but that is no problem here. It’s all action as a Unicron begins to eat Elonia, where the Spaceknights live. I was really surprised to see Rom in this book and the revelations of Elonia’s past. Quite a pleasing little book, tons of supplementary material, and the promise of the end as we know it for the Transformers Universe. It’s legit.

Grade: B+

[comicsstump]

Excalibur Epic Collection: The Cross-Time Caper

Collects Excalibur (1988) #12-30

Marvel

Chris Claremont

Alan Davis

Various

This is HUGE collection and as excellent as that may be it does bring down the enjoyment level as some storylines are left hanging from the previous collection. There are some unresolved plot points here as well, possibly due to the many fill in issues. The Chris Claremont and Alan Davis issues shine as you can well imagine. Gorgeous artwork, needlessly convoluted and dense narrative, and that oft misused literary device; humor! I love these issues even if 30 years later there doesn’t seem to be a purpose to the story. Good stuff, but this cumbersome collection is more of a snapshot of the era than a well-planned epic and therefore do not hold up to modern day scrutiny.

Grade : C+

[comicsstump]

You Gotta Have Art!

L.I.F.E.

David F Toste

Nice find that I got in a grab bag. Written and illustrated by a man with developmental disabilities published by a non-profit. Heartwarming thank you story to his middle school art teacher and a sci-fi jaunt.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #32-#33 (1990)

Mirage Studios

Mark Bode

Kevin Eastman

Jan Strnad

Richard Corben

There’s such great comics that you can find in the cheap bins. Case in point these two issues. I purchased simply because they were old turtle books and didn’t know the creators involved. Are you kidding me?! Mark Bode and Eastman on one issue and Strnad and Corben?! GOLD. Two completely different types of stories too. Bode and Eastman take the Turtles to Egypt where they fight mummies and Egyptian Gods that wish to destroy reality in beautiful black and white drawn on what looks to be duotone paper. Strnad and Corben take the turtles through time in a humorous story in full Corben color. Two highly entertaining issues. For a buck or two. I can’t remember if I bought both for $1 or they were $1 each. Let’s face it, a steal at five times the price.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Mighty Moe Szyslak #1

Bongo Comics

Various

Poor ol’ Moe the bartender gets his own book. If you’ve read one Simpson’s comic book, then you know what to expect. Three or four short stories that rarely disappoint. In this book you get Moe’s evil twin, the most disgusting bar rag known to mankind, time travel, and a robot that looks a whole lot like a certain bending unit from 1,000 years into the future. Fun stuff and of course it rocks one of the best covers on a comic book in a long time.

Grade: B

[comicsstump]

The Dragon Slayer

Toon Graphics

Jaime Hernandez

Alma Flor Ada

A children's book and also comics.  It's fun, it's cute, and of course it's gorgeous. You don’t need to know anything else, go on, go buy it already!

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Kamandi Challenge HC

DC Comics

With a who’s who of comic book stars and legends paying tribute to Jack Kirby via the “challenge” this 12 issue series should have been a slam dunk, 100% awesome series to be forever in print… It does start off that way but ultimately descends into less than memorable stories. I believe it all stems from the challenge itself; each team must end on a cliffhanger leaving the following team to write their way out of said predicament and each issue would tread onto a territory that Kirby had created for the original Kamandi series. Make no mistake I applaud tribute to the storytelling style of Kirby, to the man himself, and the sincere love for both found herein, but this is a book that requires such knowledge and admiration to work for the reader. Unfortunately, I do not think this book can appeal to the unconverted. Thus, my heart breaks that I did not love this book, but I am at peace knowing that many others do.

Grade: C

[comicsstump]

The 'Nam Vol. 1

Marvel Comics

Doug Murray

Michael Golden, Wayne Vansant

I finally started reading the legendary comic book series from the 1980’s regarding the Vietnam War. A quick note for those that aren’t familiar with the set up. The title is supposed to be as realistic and non-political as possible showing the true nature of war while conforming to the strict regulations of The Comics Code. Extensively researched and taking true events as told to the authors by Vietnam Veterans and filtered through the comic book visual storytelling. This ten issue collection starts with Ed Marks entering basic training through his first months in Vietnam. There’s obscene corruption, war atrocities, prostitution, child agents, human shields, everything that you have seen in all the movies BUT much more affecting. There’s one issue in this collection that not only will break your heart but grind it to dust. But life goes on for the characters, for us, and for the soldiers of the 23rd Infantry. Fear not, this isn’t propaganda, both sides are represented fairly although the focus is obviously with the United States soldiers. Required reading.

Grade: A+

[comicsstump]

Skin and Earth #1

Dynamite Ent

Lights

This looked interesting so I bought it. Then I found out that “Lights” is a band and that this is their comic book precursor to one of their albums. I started regretting immediately as I have not had any luck with band related comic book offerings, and yes, I’m including that one guy that writes a lot of popular comics. With that caveat out of the way I must admit I completely enjoyed this book. In a future where industrialism runs the city and the workers become toxic En, a woman from the toxic Pink Zone, is studying in the city where her kid are treated as lepers. There’s a potential love story here and a heavy environmental stance but really well thought out, paced, and illustrated. Hope the rest of the series is as good.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

The New 52: Future's End #0-48

DC Comics

I’ve never read a weekly event series before this. What can I say, it’s pretty fun. This one have Batman (Terry McGinnis) travelling back in time to prevent a horrific future where Brother Eye turns everything into monstrous mech organic zombies. He undershoots his goal by five years thus the events leading to the rise of Brother Eye are already in motion. By the nature of having the series be a weekly publication some storylines are non-essential, perhaps we can write them off as red herrings for the true reveal of how things meshed to give Brother Eye the autonomy and technology to become ruler of Earth. It’s fun, I doubt that it’s canon, and now that The New 52 is over I’m not too sure where Stormwatch, Grifter, and Voodoo fit in the universe. Imperfect, but a page turner.

Grade: B

[comicsstump]

Action Comics #1000

DC

Dan Jurgens

Peter J Tomasi

Marv Wolfman

Geoff Johns & Richard Donner

Scott Snyder

Tom King

Louise Simonson

Paul Dini

Brad Meltzer

Brian Michael Bendis

Dan Jurgens

Patrick Gleason

Curt Swan

Olivier Coipel

Raphael Albuquerque

Clay Mann

Jerry Ordway

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

John Cassaday

Jim Lee

  A heartwarming and worthy anniversary issue.  A great little anthology and even what appears to be a The Killing Joke tribute by Snyder and Albuquerque. I'm a bit cautious on the direction and tone Bendis introduces here though.

Grade: B

[comicsstump]

Isola #1

Image Comics

Brendan Fletcher

Karl Kerschl

  Impeccable storytelling. Great story unfolding at the perfect pace. Not one wasted page. A tiger and her servant searching for a fabled land. Recommended.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

The Highest House

IDW

Mike Carey

Peter Gross

Highest possible recommendation. Don’t wait for the collection.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Arya #3

Antarctic Press

  Sam Beck

Hannah Fisher

Flo Namur

This is one damn beautiful comic. Two stories plus design and illustrations. Gorgeous. Beck’s 11th Daughter is a short form masterpiece.

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Tinseltown #1

Alterna

David Lucarelli

Henry Ponciano

  This is the story of Abigail Moore who wishes to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a police officer. Unfortunately in the old days, while not unprecedented, it was not a common occurrence. Abigail lands a job at Utopia Studios as a police officer but the job isn’t entirely as advertised. Can't lie, I really dug this one.  Also, it feels like a comic book should feel.  Ah, newsprint

Grade: A

[comicsstump]

Drawn and Quarterly Vol 2 #2

Drawn and Quarterly

Dec 1992

David Mazzuchelli

Eric Drooker

Loustal & Fromental

Maurice Vellekoop

Jacques Tardi

   A 26 year old comic has become the best comic that I’ve read in weeks. A 50¢ purchase! A gorgeous package, impeccable production values, and a creator line up to die for. When a David Mazzuchelli story takes backseat to any story you know the content is magical. I‘m of course referring to my first experience with “It Was The War of the Trenches” by Jacques Tardi. Wow. Just; wow. I suppose that I’m just preaching to the choir and you all know the magnificence of these creators. 50¢…

Grade: A+