Only five issues of Satellite Sam left and man, it's pulling out all the stops. I'm the only one that loves that shit or what?
I have to read it in chucks because its a slow burner, but Fraction's really good here and Chaykin hasn't been this good in ages. I think the central story with Michael is the most boring/narratively shaky one, but the cast as a whole is so interesting and well drawn you're ok with. I have confidence they know what they're doing, particularly after the latest issue #10.
In fact, all the books I read this week were satisfactory. Rick Remender and Jason Aaron seem pretty buddy-buddy, the way they seem to love Grant Morrison and embrace the fantastical elements of the Marvel Universe and share each other's characters like Kid Apocalypse and Deathlok. I have to imagine they planned their Captain America/Thor titles togther. Both started with a 10+ issue epic right out the gate, then there was some wtf story like man what is all this shit, then it got better if never reaching the heights of the opening story, and they end at #25 right in time for a big character change.
No Cap this week, but
Thor: God of Thunder #25 had a cool framing device of stories hyping up the incoming threats, and it was great to see Guera and Bisley on the interiors for that old Norse myth flavor. The Malekith origin in particular was nice, considering he's gonna be one of the Big Bads in the upcoming War of the Realms, its good see some development on that front. He's already more interesting than his generic Thor: The Dark World counterpart. Sadly, the backmatter confirmed that this is the last time we'll see Esad Ribic, noooooooo. Well, I hope they keep artists of Dauterman's caliber, I'd hate to go back to that Garney nadir. No offense to the man, but forklore adventure is not his calling.
And on the Remender front, if UA #22 was the climax, UA #23 the resolution, then
Uncanny Avengers #24 is the transition from this book's current state into AXIS. For all intents and purposes, when the book ends at #25 next month(another similarity to Cap/Thor's titles), AXIS will be continuing their story, and they'll come out of it as the Astonishing Avengers or something, so this is just getting all the pieces from one board to another. Or in the case of Wolverine, getting him off the board entirely, RIP in peace my nigga. Nothing too exciting, especially not from Larocoa here, hoo boy.
Muuuuch stronger art/lettering/coloring/everything on Remender's other book,
Deadly Class #7, which came back this week. Its usage of the journal to recap new and old readers on current events is more clever than it lets on considering that cliffhanger. Teen angst/depression, drugs, love triangles, bullies and nerds, people trying to fit in. Its all very high school, all very compelling to read due to Rick's punk voice and the stupidly good artwork. Craig and Loughridge are so good at just about everything. Gradually shifting moods or sudden shocks of violence, character expression and environmental detail,
the way they show Saya pulls his tie to the right in one smooth controlled motion that glides your eyes as you read left to right,
the way they'll structure a page with the tension of the bow and arrow assailant to the left about to release on the increasingly intimate scene on the right but nah Saya's got it she's just too cool.
Not as cool as Baal from
The Wicked + The Divine #4 tho. Gillen is still using the Murder Mystery Plot as an excuse for the world building, which ultimately seems to be a dead end as of now, but his characters too cool, his dialog so arch and funny, McKelvie's comedic timing and delivery too
on point, it hardly matters. Who needs substance when you have so much style?
There's a certain style David Lapham has been using on all 50 issues of Stray Bullets, dating back to its origins in 1995, and that's an 8 panel grid. 8, like the octaves of a musical scale, creates a tempo, a rhythm you get to when you're reading. He can do ANYTHING with this shit; quiet contemplative scenes between friends and lovers, hilarious set pieces, well choreographed explosions of violence, it all seems to fit together. AND when he bursts out of the rhythm for a splash page or 3 wide panels it means something because of the irregularity and gives the story a new effect. He also does all the lettering, and he's always in control of the emphasis on certain words or the speaking patterns of the cast.
Stray Bullets: Killers #7 is just the latest in line. His characters are great and feel like real people, his humor legitimately works, the violence is all at once exciting and horrifying, and he seamlessly goes through a bunch of different tones in one issue that all works together because of that 8 page rhythm I talked about. I'm so, so glad Stray Bullets is back, because its the best crime comic on the block.
Multiversity talked a lot about 8 as well, a visual motif for the music of the multiverses humming together. We get a peak at one here in
Society of Superheroes #1, which really is a #1 and not Multiversity #2. Usually, with these Elseworlds, we'll get the "definitive" story, where they create Vampire/Steampunk/1930s Hollywood Noir Batman, do some cool shit with him, and then he dies or everyone blows up. Which ya know, badass, but you kinda wasted a universe, ya know? What Grant is doing, structurally, is creating the first issue of several ongoings that he no intention of following up on. Seven universes where he'll introduce the characters and their world, have an exciting adventure with hints of a bigger Gentry plot tying them together, and then ended on a cliffhanger, because Never The End. Just one story of many. We, as the readers, get to see these universes through the prisms of these comic books, just like they get to see us in our universe through their comic books. The whole Multiverse ringing together. As for the issue itself, its good, done in a pulpy Doc Savage mold of two-fisted action, WW2 bi-planes, and Nazi zombies. Chris Spourse, who worked with Alan Moore on his own pulpy throwbacks Supreme and Tom Strong, is well-suited for the material. His men are lantern jawed heroes, his action with a cartoony lighthearted flair for even the most savage of scenes. Speaking of which, I like how Grant brought Vandal Savage back, after using him in the other Morrison/Spourse collab Return of Bruce Wayne #1. Its a fun read, dramatic heroic returns, smoking guns going off right on time, wham bam, thank you, ma'am.
You know,
COMICS!
Edit: Oops, almost forgot Daredevil, that consistent beacon of quality, that charming superhero book that can reel you in and then twist on a dime. There's a new colorist on
Daredevil #9, but his palette seems right at home with Javier Rodriguez's work on the title. The opening and closing scenes draw a lot of their supposed power from his lighting and shadows, and the purple shades of the various antagonists. Meanwhile, the Matt Murdock sections of the middle stand out because of how bright and warm Matt and Kristen's interactions are, and how his soap opera personal problems of a failing business and suspicious book deal contrast with the Purple Man bookends. As long as Waid and Samnee are on board, I can always count on Daredevil to be well crafted, I guess.