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Requim for I, Vampire/Wish List: Joshua Hale Fialkov Edition

Hey, Sleepwalkers. Been a while, etc. Hope you’ve been enjoying my articles on Man Cave Daily. If you haven’t been reading them, you can go ahead. It shouldn’t take you too long.

Instead of another installment of “DC’s [MONTH] Solicits: Decoded!”, I thought it might be better to shine a spotlight on one of the two titles we’re losing in April: Joshua Hale Fialkov’s I, Vampire.

To be fair, we’re losing another title, DC Universe: Presents, but as much as I hate to say it, aside from the opening story by Paul Jenkins, it hasn’t really been worth it. That Deadman story was pretty great, though.

Anyway, I, Vampire is out, and that’s a shame. It was often surprisingly funny, always unsurprisingly brutal, and full of little twists, turns, and character moments that made reading it a treat month in and month out. I can even point to the exact moment I went from “This is pretty good” to “This is a must-read.” It was right here:

It was something as simple as those little identifying captions, something as irreverent as “Vampiric Horde: Murdery Jerks,” that made me realize this wasn’t something as simple as a horror comic. It was a horror comic that was bothering to take the time to build characters, establish a certain tone, and that tone was this:

It’s that kind of casual acceptance of the existence of vampires that I like. Fialkov isn’t wasting a single panel trying to justify that vampires are real. Everybody takes it as a given, and we can move on to great little moments like the one above.

I guess that was the problem with I, Vampire: you can have Batman guest-star, you can have Apollo and Midnighter guest-star, you can have big vampire vs. zombie mummy fights–but what makes the book isn’t the big moments, it’s the small ones. And I guess small moments don’t carry a book, even a book as beautiful as I, Vampire. Seriously, Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo knocked it out of the park each and every month. Just look at pages like this:

Seriously. Dude can make a Super Soaker look intimidating.

But, the numbers simply weren’t there. I mean, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. got canned, and it was selling higher than I, Vampire. The only books selling lower were Blue Beetle (cancelled with Frankenstein), DC Universe Presents (cancelled with I, Vampire), and Grifter (cancelled with Frankenstein). It’s all money, guys, and DC has a responsibility to their bottom line. I don’t blame them for culling titles that aren’t performing, even if they were this good.

So, Rest In Peace, I, Vampire. Hope the crew gets to go on to bigger and better things. Sorrentino’s already pegged to move to Green Arrow, which sounds intriguing. As for Fialkov, he got 19 issues to play around with, which is more than a lot of guys can say. As to what he should do next…

Wish List: Joshua Hale Fialkov Edition

There are only a handful of books I want to see Fialkov on (on which I want to see Fialkov?). They all play to his affinity for the shadowy corners of the DC Universe, his ability to merge the mundane with the fantastic, and his wry humor. In no particular order:

1. The Question

Okay, so the Question got turned into a crazy mouthless magic dude by the Circle of Eternity. I don’t care. You hear me? I don’t care. I don’t care if he’s magic. I don’t care if he’s immortal. I don’t care if he’s actually a lesbian cop, or if he’s the zen warrior from the O’Neil days, or if he’s the crazy tripped out shaman from the Vietch mini.

This one.

Because whatever Question it is, Fialkov would nail it, no question (pun not intended). He’s demonstrated an ability to weave magic, ritual, and history into his stories, which would come in handy for the DCNü version or the Veitch version of the Question. Even when he was dealing with superpowered vampire sorcerers, his fights had a grittiness and groundedness to them. Some of that was doubtless helped by Sorrentino (and guys, can you imagine Sorrentino on the Question?), but I think Fialkov could apply it to both Renee Montoya and Denny O’Neil’s Vic Sage. Most importantly, he has the kind of tongue-in-cheek charm that always set Denny O’Neil’s Question apart from, say Batman. So, yeah. Fialkov on The Question definitely makes the Wish List.

2. Justice League Dark

As I’ve stated previously, I really want to like JLD. I don’t need to go into too much detail here, save to say that Fialkov would be perfect for this title for the same reasons mentioned above. Plus, he’d be a temporary countermeasure while we find a way to stop Jeff Lemire from getting his tentacles all over the “Dark” family.

3. Spoiler

Okay Sleepwalkers, I’ll level with you: this post was primarily an excuse for me to talk about how much I want Joshua Hale Fialkov to write The Question and Spoiler. He’d knock it out of the park, guys, come on! If he could make Tig such a great character in the pages of I, Vampire, imagine what he could do to a young woman if she was the focus of the book! Imagine what he could do if he got to be more lighthearted, what he could do with his sense of humor without any fetters!

Guys:

If we can’t get Bryan Q. Miller on her, let’s get another triple-A triple name! Who’s with me? Anyone?

Sigh.

Until next time, Sleepwalkers.

2013: 01/16
CATEGORY: DC
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Picking On Jeff Lemire: Not A Bluegrass Cover CD

Howdy, Sleepwalkers. I have broken my long silence, not to bring any words of wisdom, but to complain. Ain’t that just how it goes?

Regular readers might recall that I once wrote an article about my problems with Jeff Lemire’s Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE. The gist was that I felt like Lemire didn’t think very hard about his dialogue; characters said things that made sense enough at the time, but upon even the most cursory further look, all internal logic collapsed. The most egregious example from the article I wrote came from Griffin, the secret agent werewolf superhero who wondered when he was going to get his chance to prove himself.

I’ll say that again: Griffin, who has not only volunteered for, but received, the training necessary to be a lethal secret agent AND the ability to turn in to a FUCKING WEREWOLF, doesn’t think he’s had a chance to prove himself.

Ultimately, it was stuff like that that led me to dropping the title, a move that saddened me at the time. I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn’t get over those little problems.

I had higher hopes for Lemire’s take on Justice League Dark, a title he inherited from Peter Milligan. By and large, everything was working out well–I thought Lemire had a pretty strong grasp on the characters, and Mikel Janin’s art has so far been enough for me to forgive any potential missteps.

Unfortunately, my patience is at an end.

Let’s take a look at Justice League Dark #10. You don’t have to look far, it’s on the first page.

You have Dr. Mist (a government agent), the JLD themselves, and Black Orchid (another government agent, currently possessed by Deadman). Zatanna makes a comment to the effect of “Wow, it’s cool Uncle Sam’s pet mages have our backs on this.” To which Dr. Mist replies:

Think about it. Mist and Orchid are colleagues, even if they aren’t necessarily friends. More than that, they’re professionals. There’s no reason–none–for Mist to wait until he’s asked to offer his opinion on Orchid’s possession, ESPECIALLY given that he’s opposed to it. Mist is a trained government agent and a powerful magician. I get the feeling he would have made his feelings very clear the moment Deadman did his little netherverse tango.

The only reason Mist said what he did, when he did, was because that’s what Lemire had on the page. And I’m sorry, but that’s sloppy writing. When your characters are reading their lines because that’s what you wrote down instead of saying what they would in that situation, you’re forcing them to go against character. It’s sloppy, like I said, and it’s clumsy. It’s the least elegant solution to a problem that needs to be solved organically, a problem called “writing.”

So that’s that.

Now take a look at JLD #13, the penultimate battle against Nick Necro for possession of the Books of Magic. There are some really cool moments in this issue, like the opening fight between Constantine, Orchid, and BLACK BORIS, CANNIBAL KING OF THE FIRE TROLLS.

But then we get to Nick himself, and everything falls apart. Let’s try a little Q&A, shall we?

Hey Nick! What do you want?

Oh, okay. That’s cool. Hey, check it out! It’s Constantine!

Oh, uh–Y’see, I thought, that, uh, maybe you wanted Constantine and Zatanna. Because, y’know, that’s what you said you wanted…Oh, Constantine said he won’t let you hurt her! Response?

But…but…I thought he was nothing? Remember, when you said it wasn’t about him, because he was nothing? And that all you wanted was the Books? Or do you really want Zatanna and Constantine?

Oh, forget it.

That’s all the time we have for today, Sleepwalkers. Be sure to check me out elsewhere on the web–I’ve got a new article up about my experience rolling around in a pit full of Jell-o.

2012: 11/02
CATEGORY: DC
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DC’s October Solicits: Decoded!

Hey Sleepwalkers! I know, it’s been a while. But I’m back! So on to the blogs. DC recently announced their solicits for October, and as always, I’m here to explain to you what’s important. What are the big changes? What am I excited about? What’s the best cover? Is Rob Liefeld still writing? All this, and more, will be revealed!

Creative Changes

Morales and his terrifying eyeballs are out of Grant Morrison’s Action Comics (again)–he’s replaced, for this issue, at least, by Travel Foreman. You’ll recall that Foreman was shifted off of Animal Man to go to Birds of Prey–Romano Molenaar draws for that title this month. And Ethan Van Sciver is totally off Firestorm for good, it seems, putting the final nail in the coffin of DC’s abortive Simone/Van Sciver run. I can’t see Dan Jurgens making the title a great deal better, but he can’t make it a whole lot worse.

The big news, of course, is in the Batman solicits, with Catwoman and Detective Comics: I mentioned last month that Judd Winick must have pulled some serious voodoo to take Green Arrow #0 from Ann Nocenti. Now, it seems that Ms. Nocenti has returned the favor, taking over the Catwoman ongoing. And it’s got a lady artist in the form of Adriana Melo, who joins the ranks of Andrea Sorrentino, Amanda Connor, and Nicola Scott in DC’s ever-growing stable of talented female artists.

Detective Comics is, as I said, and as I’m sure you’re heard, getting a major new face: Chew’s John Layman is taking over from Tony Daniel, who in turn will be taking over for Jim Lee on Justice League for two issues. I don’t have to say what a big deal it is to get Layman–to call him a superstar would be underselling things a bit. The dude exploded onto the scene, and if he can bring half the humor and intrigue from Chew to ‘Tec, it’ll be an essential pull every month.

Batman

The Batman family solicits have me excited this month, and for good reason. Layman is taking over Detective Comics, as I’ve mentioned, but take a look at what else is in store:

-Scott Snyder’s new ongoing, Talon, starts in earnest;
-Grant Morrison returns to the possible future of Batman #666 in this month’s Batman, Inc, which promises the glorious madness that’s been absent from Action Comics;
-A Batwoman/Wonder Woman team-up in the pages of Batwoman #13;
-And, perhaps most importantly, Snyder writes Joker in Batman #13.

Let me repeat that for those of you in the cheap seats: Scott Snyder is going to be writing the Joker. For those of you who didn’t read Snyder’s run on Detective Comics, this is what happens when Snyder gets his hands on the Clown Prince of Crime:

It’s absolutely chilling, psychotic, and terrifying. Now, imagine that scene drawn by Greg “Hasn’t Missed An Issue” Capullo. Very, very much looking forward to this.

Annuals

It’s good to see DC sticking with their policy of giving love to the fifth week. This month, we get Action Comics, Batgirl, Justice League Dark, and Swamp Thing. I’m tentatively excited about JLD; after all, if there’s one character I want to like more than any other in the New 52, it’s Frankenstein; my problems with that title, on the other hand, are well-documented. I’m waiting to grab some of the Kindt issues to see if they’re an improvement over Lemire’s work, but time will tell. Meantime, I’m enjoying Lemire’s work on Justice League Dark, but if he brings Frank into it, I don’t know what to think.

But Action should be interesting, if nothing else. I should mention that fact that DC seems to be really pushing Sholly Fisch–in fact, I might go so far as to leverage the original purpose of these “Decoded’s” to propose that they’re grooming him to take over the title from Morrison. If that happens, you heard it here first, and you best believe I’m going to brag about it.

Best Cover of the Month

With The Shade wrapping up in September, Tony Harris doesn’t have any entries this month. Thus, the only real choice was Adam Hughes absolutely terrific cover for Dr. Manhattan #2:

Gorgeous.

Anthologies

I am, as always, thrilled at DC’s apparent commitment to anthology titles, for a number of reasons. Separate from the backups in some of their books (a policy which I enjoyed during the brief window of time where that was the policy in every book), I love the idea that there is a slow but steady growth of dedicated non-cape books, like in the days of old. DC is now publishing a Western (All-Star Western), a “weird war” series (GI Combat), a sword and sorcery book (Sword of Sorcery, naturally), and even a cape-and-tights anthology (DC Universe Presents)–it’s just a great idea, with a lot of potential for trying out new things. Case in point? The Haunted Tank is going to be featured in an ongoing series. In 2012. It gives me hope that DC will continue to explore their massive back catalogue of interesting characters.

I enjoyed what I read of ASW, and I’m looking forward to all three of the rest–the Haunted Tank in GI Combat, Amethyst (Dan Mishkin’s misgivings notwithstanding) and post-apocalyptic Beowulf in Sword of Sorcery, and Blue Devil and Black Lightning in DC’s most consistently enjoyable and underrated title, DC Universe Presents.

And yes, DC, you can quote me on that.

Liefeld?

Yep. Still writing three ongoing series.

In 2012.

Meanwhile, Brian Clevinger’s pitches get turned down.

That’s all for today, Sleepwalkers! Keep checking back–I have some things planned!

2012: 07/11
CATEGORY: DC
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DC’s Full September Solicits: Decoded!

Well, this is a feature I’ve been looking forward to reviving. The big news this month, is, of course, the line-wide “zerofication,” which is setting every issue back to Issue #0 to explore something that happened before the title was published. The second biggest news this month is the creation and cancellation of four titles. We’ll talk about those, as well as answering a number of other questions. Who’s getting moved around? What’s the best cover of the month? What character is now the baddest mother#$%^*r in the DCnU? All those questions, and more, below!

Brand-new in September will be four ongoing titles: Talon, which follows one of the owly assassins from Scott Snyder’s Batman run; Team 7, which seeks to revamp a Wildstorm title of the same name; Phantom Stranger, which is about the eponymous Stranger; and, most intriguingly, Sword of Sorcery.

SoS is looking to be an anthology title (in the vein of GI: Combat and DC Universe Presents), but dealing with “sword and sorcery” (…wait a minute…) stories instead of “weird war” or “superhero” tales. I’m a little excited about this–the writer, as I’m sure you’ve heard, is Christy Marx, a veteran of the 80s cartoon circuit (and creator of Jem and the Holograms). Not only is it great for DC to be able to say they have another woman writer, but getting such an experienced one has to be a bit of a coup. Plus, I like the idea of anthology comics–it’s a great opportunity for DC to publish things (magical gem princesses! Post-apocalyptic vikings!) they wouldn’t normally touch. Scott Snyder’s Talon will also almost certainly be awesome, so check that out as well.

Out

Of course, getting four new titles means four have to go away so DC can maintain their nice, round 52-centric publishing schedule. Joining the previously-announced-as-cancelled Justice League International are Resurrection Man, Voodoo, and Captain Atom. That’s three of DC’s six lowest-selling titles right there, with I, Vampire, Blue Beetle, and DC Universe Presents as some stellar titles that aren’t pulling in the numbers. I’d shed a tear for I, Vampire and DCUP for sure, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how Liefeld’s little corner of the DC Universe (Hawkman, Deathstroke, and Grifter) have managed to dodge the axe for so long (in fairness, Liefeld’s previous title, Hawk and Dove, was cancelled–but he got another three to make up for it).

Creative Changes

The biggest team changes this month can be found over in the “Batman” family of solicits, where you’ll see that Chris Burnham has now become important enough to Grant Morrison’s sprawling epic to earn a co-writing credit. And DC now apparently has a way to fix poorly-reviewed Batman titles: throw Greg Hurwitz at it. Hurwitz, who was brought on to repair all the damage to goodwill David Finch caused over on Batman: The Dark Knight, is now on Tony Daniels’ Detective Comics as well.

This month is a little troublesome for women over at DC: Voodoo is gone (but it’s a net-zero loss, as Sword of Sorcery brings in a female protagonist), and two of DC’s most high-profile creators are nowhere to be seen. Nicola Scott, artist on James Robinson’s Earth 2, has been replaced by Tomas Giorello, and Ann Nocenti of Green Arrow fame is being replaced by Judd Winick (the ladies’ loss is Winick’s gain–this puts him at three ongoing titles, in addition to Catwoman and Batwing). Of course, all of these could be temporary changes; at least, I kind of hope they are. I’m a big fan of Scott’s work.

Best Cover?

Tony Harris receives a starling upset, as his phenomenal cover for The Shade #12 can’t compete with Ben Oliver’s dynamic Man of Steel.

Most Anticipated Titles?

This month is kind of weird, since it’s hard to get excited about these stories, being that they’re divorced of any ongoing events and for the most part deal with things we don’t care about. I mean, I don’t lie awake at night wondering who used the Hero Dial before Nelson, and I don’t really need to know when Jor-El discovered Krypton was unstable. But there are a couple that stand out. I’ve already mentioned Sword of Sorcery and it’s entrancing tale of post-apocalyptica, and Talon can’t be anything but great. Phantom Lady still excites me, and James Robinson will almost certainly finish Shade with a bang. Finally, DC Universe Presents is going to be a treat–a true anthology comic, a “Cancelled Comics Cavalcade,” if you will, for the characters that died too young, including Mr. Terrific and OMAC.

Baddest Mother#$%^*r in the DCnU?

That’s all the time we have for today, Sleepwalkers. Take care, and join me later in the week–I’ll have more goodies for you!

2012: 06/12
CATEGORY: DC
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DC Announces “Phantom Lady”

If you haven’t been over to The Source today, you might have missed this little announcement: An upcoming four-issue miniseries by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti about the Phantom Lady, one of the original members of Uncle Sam’s Freedom Fighters:

The series will be illustrated by one Cat Scaggs, whose covers on Smallville Season 11 remind me of nothing so much as the generall phenomenal Francis Manupul, and I’m going to go ahead and tell you, Sleepwalkers, I’m kind of excited about this. Not only because, you know, more female characters and creators (although I think if I talk about that enough, Laura Hudson might notice me and decide to give me a job), and not only because announcements like this give me hope for the Metal Men miniseries I dream about, but because Gray and Palmiotti are familiar with this character. They wrote Phantom Lady, Doll Man, and the rest of Uncle Sam’s team in the Freedom Fighters ongoing back in 2010, and included the Freedom Fighters in their Battle for Blüdhaven miniseries right after Infinite Crisis.

Of note: The Battle for Blüdhaven miniseries will be featured soon on this very blog as part of the final installment on “The Complete History of the Atomic Knights.” So there’s that.

So I’m excited about this. Gray and Palmiotti are nothing if not a consistent team, and I continue to applaud DC’s efforts to explore their B-, C-, and D-List characters. The Shade, for example, has been one of the most beautiful and entertaining titles in recent memory, and the recent announcement about National Comics gives me great hope for the future of fun, quirky one-shot stories.

So, congratulations, DC. A fan-favorite creative team? A strong female lead AND a female artist? A C-Lister just begging to burst out? A cover by Amanda Conner?

How soon can I throw my money at you?

That’s all we have for today, Sleepwalkers! Thanks for allowing me the unscheduled post. Check back on Monday for the next installment in The Complete History of the Atomic Knights, where we get to see a new version of the future!

2012: 05/11
CATEGORY: DC
Unscheduled Content
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Wow, This Happened

Holy crap.

More to come.

2012: 01/12
CATEGORY: DC
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DC’s Full February Solicitations–Decoded!

Hey Sleepwalkers. You might have been by Comics Alliance Monday and noticed that the entirety of DC’s February solicitations have been announced. But you have questions. You aren’t entirely satisfied. What are the major team changes, and what do they signify? Which cover is easily the best of the lot? What are the best TPBs coming out? Will there be a surprise at the end of this blog?

Have no fear, Sleepwalkers. All of those questions (and more!) will be answered soon!

Green Arrow #6

Another change in the art department. This time, Jurgens is relieved of co-penciller duties by one Ignacio Calero. Still no sign of Ann Nocenti. Again, I can’t help but wonder: is the ever-shifting nature of the artist on this book a sign that the title is in trouble, or a sign that DC really is committed to getting their books out on time? The uncomfortable implication of the latter is, of course, that Krul (and, to a lesser extent, Jurgens) wasn’t pulling his weight.

Mr. Terrific #6

There’s another pretty major shift here, as Gianluca Gugliotta and Wayne Faucher are replaced wholesale by Oliver Nome, a (for me) total unknown…but his DeviantArt gallery is kind of cool. This looks like the month for DC to break the status quo; along with some new information about the digital initiative, is this a sign they’re going to start looking into more unknown, freelance talents? And if so, when does Brian Clevinger get an ongoing?

DC Universe Presents #6

DC Universe Presents has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the relaunch so far. I never thought I’d get so invested in a Deadman story, but the title is currently providing supernatural action, funny moments, and bursts of truly emotional storytelling. I have no idea if it will be any good or not, but if this article on Bleeding Cool is any indication (and if you can translate what they’re actually saying through the layers of hyperbole), I might have to sit the next six issues out.

Action Comics #6

Action Comics is still $4, there’s a backup story, blah blah blah. What I really have issue with is this quote from the solicit text:
The breakneck pace of Grant Morrison’s run on ACTION COMICS continues. Breakneck? Is that really the best adjective for this? Now, I love Grant Morrison as much as the next blogger, but seriously–the only reason I would use the term “breakneck” is because trying to follow all of the jumps in scene and time might cause whiplash. I understand that Morrison is trying to evoke the feel of the 30s Superman, and by extension, the entire Golden Age–in that there’s this economy of storytelling that keeps the plot moving at incredible speeds–but he doesn’t have the omniscient narrator to help the reader keep track of what’s going on. Basically, it’s all over the place, and since Morrison is playing his cards so close to the vest, I’ve got no sense of direction or orientation.

But I’m still going to keep buying it.

Batman #6

Aside from the fact that Batman #6 claims the title of “Scariest DC Comic Cover” for the month of February, this is the first non-Justice League book available as a combo pack (Action Comics is also part of this, but I forgot to mention that part). It’s an interesting move, especially considering the recent news that all (as in, every last one) of Marvel’s Ultimate books will come with a download code at no extra cost. The digital war is heating up, and if I had to pick a winner right now, I’d put my money on the strategy that doesn’t require you to A) pay extra for something you already have and B) order a specific copy.

Batman: The Dark Knight #6

David Finch is back (at least as co-writer) on Dark Knight, rejoining Paul “DC Universe Presents” Jenkins. I don’t really have any comment beyond that except to say that I had a dream the other night that DC was cutting the current Bat-line by three books. No, I don’t remember which ones they were, but seriously. Superman has a four-title line, and he’s in two of them. Batman has a TWELVE-book line (that’s not counting Huntress, Penguin, or Batman: Odyssey), and he’s starring in four of them. I realize PROPORTIONALLY Superman is in more books, but come on. 12? That’s as many as six twos. And that’s too much.

Batwoman #6

Speaking of one of the zillion Bat-books, Batwoman’s going through a change that might be best described as “seismic.” While it’s no surprise that Amy Reed would be replacing (at least for a while) current illustrator JH Williams III. However, given that almost all of this book’s praise has been on the subject of Williams’ phenomenal art, I can’t help but sort of brace for impact when I see he’s sitting this one out. Also of note: If the solicit text is to be believed, we’re going to be seeing the supposedly axed Reeder variant covers.

Batman Beyond Unlimited #1

The second of the big bits of digital news comes in the form of Batman Beyond, which, as our good friends at Comics Alliance will tell us, is being released digitally first (part of DC’s catchily-named “Digital First” initiative). Just as I have to wonder if Batman and Action are signs of things to come, I have to wonder if Batman Beyond is merely testing the waters for a line-wide change. Also of note: this book is eight pages longer than Action Comics at the same price. But is DC merely charging again for something you already own? I mean, you can’t choose NOT to buy the digitally released copies, so if you already bought those and really want to read the Justice League Beyond stuff…I’m not too sure. I’ll have to ruminate on this.

The Shade #5

There isn’t really a joke here, except to say how excited I am about this. Shade #1 was the best work James Robinson has done in years, and if the preview DC just released is any indication, issue two is going to be part of the same wild ride. Plus: Pirates!

Jeff Lemire

I’m of two minds about Jeff Lemire. On the one hand, as I’ve mentioned before, Frankenstein is a book that I want desperately to like, but I just can’t. With issue three and a number of questionable choices (why is “nuke the alien planet” your SECOND option, AFTER you send in the strike team? If nukes are an option, and no one will miss it, WHY NOT OPEN WITH THAT?), I’ve decided to make good on my ultimatum to drop Frank from my pull list.

Animal Man, on the other hand, is creepy, heartfelt, and disturbing, and there isn’t enough dialogue for Jeff to mess it up. Add in the fact that this issue is A) a fake movie B) with “cinematography” by John Paul Leon (one of the most underused talents in comics, I tell you), and the loss of the Monster Squad stings that much less.

The Edge

I guess I’ve enjoyed Stormwatch more than I haven’t–it’s got its ups and downs, but for the most part, I like it. It seems that the current storyline is going to be continuing in Grifter, AKA “the book with the guys that illustrated the worst issue of Batman, Inc.” This article about Voodoo is interesting as well–I’ll let you read it, because Newsarama already said everything I could say.

Rob Liefield

I was going to make a joke about the fact that Rob Liefeld is both writing AND drawing this issue, but then I read this article, and then I felt bad.

Trades

The Flashpoint tie-ins get released in TPB format in March. As is per usual (or rather, as is what I cynically expect), DC has kept all of the good stories separate–if you want to read the only ones (in this humble blogger’s opinion) worth reading (Batman: Knight of Vengeance, Project: Superman, and Green Arrow Industries), you have to buy three books…but since those are the best issues, you probably already have the floppies, don’t you? Also of note: Batman, Inc is getting the deluxe treatment, and it includes the oversized (and as-yet unpublished) Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes.

THE BIBLE

DC publishes THE BIBLE.

Surprise?

Nope. Nothing. You read this whole post for no payoff. Kind of makes you think about life, doesn’t it?

2011: 11/17
CATEGORY: DC
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DC’s Full January Solicitions–Decoded!

Hey Sleepwalkers. You might have been by Newsarama yesterday and noticed that the entirety of DC’s January solicitations have been announced. But you have questions. You aren’t entirely satisfied. What are the major team changes, and what do they signify? Which cover is easily the best of the lot? What are the best TPBs coming out? How do I get sick, sick abs?

Have no fear, Sleepwalkers. All of those questions (and more!) will be answered soon!

First off, we have DC’s new flagship title, Justice League, which will be entering into its fifth issue in January. According to the solicitation text, Cyborg has finally joined the team, and everybody’s gearing up for a throwdown with Darkseid. For those keep score at home, it’s taken nearly half a year to get Vic Stone in the metal pants and for Darkseid to show up (although I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s another five issues before he actually appears). Considering this is the same book that took an entire issue to show Green Lantern and Batman being 12 years old at each other, I think they’re actually picking up the pace.

Wonder Woman #5

Cliff Chiang is off this issue, replaced by “guest artist” Tony Akins. Is this a sign of things to come, or merely further reinforcement that DC is dedicated to keeping their books on schedule? Hopefully it’s the latter–I’m not as enamored with Chiang as some of my contemporaries, but it’s certainly a unique book. I’d hate to lose that.

The Fury of Firestorm, the Nuclear Men #5

I discussed my problems with this Simone/Sciver collaboration earlier, and nothing in this solicitation is making me substantially more excited. I do want to point out the extra artist tacked on to this issue: it’s looking like Yilidray Cinar was pulling his weight (presumably in the Exotic Name Division), so DC tossed one Norm Rapmund on the issue to pick up the slack. I might be reading this wrong–could be Rapmund is just an inker, but A) when has DC ever given solicitation text over to them and B) Cinar needed Sciver (or was it the other way around?) on the first issue. I’m going to maintain neutrality about how well or ill this bodes.

Green Arrow #5

We knew Ann Nocenti was replacing JT Krul on this title, but it looks like it isn’t happening yet. Instead, we get the indefatigable team of Giffen and Jurgens, with Jurgens sticking around on art duties, this time joined by one Ray McCarthy. Fortunately, Krul still has Captain Atom to call home…at least for now.

Savage Hawkman #5

Looks like Tony Daniel has stretched himself a little too thin. Writing Savage Hawkman while writing and pencilling Detective Comics has to be a heavy workload, and DC has been good enough to lend the (presumably adequate) talents of Jim Bonny to help out. Whether this is permanent or indicative of a future shift is uncertain–DC didn’t mention anything during their NYCC panel.

Action Comics #5

DC has already let us know about this, but Andy Kubert is taking over for Rags Morales for two issues. I get the feeling DC was in “spin mode” about this–they needed somebody else, so instead of trying to brush it under the table (“Oh, by the way, the art team changed”), they’re acting like it’s a huge deal. Which, if Kubert can draw people with eyes that aren’t about to fall out of their heads, it might well be. DC also says this will guest star the Legion of Super-Heroes–whether or not that books abominable scores around the internet will hurt Action Comics has yet to be seen.

Batman: The Dark Knight #5

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Well, I guess David Finch has just given up on trying to write a monthly book. But if Jenkins brings his A-game like he did with DC Universe Presents, this could be the best thing that’s ever happened to the title.

The Dark

DC seems to have done its best to dredge up EVERY SINGLE ONE of my nightmares for the covers of January’s line of “Dark” titles. While the “Dark” and “Edge” books have been my clear favorites from Week One, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to walk into Comics Plus and pick up this…

Or this:

Or, God help me, this…

Then again, the solicitation for Stormwatch #5 has me more excited than I have been in a long time:

Not gonna lie, Sleepwalkers–to get to see the Eminence of Blades throw down with the Fightin’ Freak in Fetish Chic? That’s why I read comics. Well, that and this:

I know I’ve complained about Frankenstein before, but it’s one title where I just can’t help myself. I mean, come on: OMAC? Checkmate? Sarge Steel? It’s like someone discovered everything I’ve liked in the past year and written a comic about it. I hope Jeff Lemire’s up to the task.

Grifter/Men of War #5

With all the rumors about Men of War’s cancellation swirling about, it strikes me as a bad sign for it to get yet another artistic team. Grifter is in the same boat–no word about cancellation (for any of the titles–and I don’t wish that on any of the books, not yet at least) but Nate E is paired up this month, not with CAFU, but Scott Clark and Dave Beatty.

Trades?

Okay, I lied–there isn’t a whole lot exciting here, at least not on the level of last month’s announcement for Flex Mentallo. I was interested in the I…Vampire! collection for about as long as it took me to realize Bruce “I Ruined Checkmate” Jones was one of the writers. Although, who knows–every blogger needs a nemesis. Maybe mine is Jones.

The Best Cover?

Easy.

Tony Harris, you are too good for this world.

Sick Abs?

Sick. Abs.

That’s all we have time for today, Sleepwalkers. Got comics coming in tomorrow, so stay out of jail–they don’t let you read the funnybooks in prison.

2011: 10/18
CATEGORY: DC
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Inner Monologues: Justice League #1

Comics have an advantage over film because of their ability to accurately portray the private thoughts of characters. Through such devices as the thought balloon or caption box, comics have the uncanny talent to get in the minds of our favorite heroes. But what if the comics DIDN’T tell us what the characters were thinking? How would we know? Well, you can’t–at least, you couldn’t. But now, with the debut of “Inner Monologues,” you can!

Today we explore Batman and Green Lantern’s inner psyche in Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s Justice League #1!

Batman

Oh, come on. Guys. Guys. I’m trying…I’m trying to work here, okay? I’m trying to do my “grim urban avenger of the night” thing, and you guys aren’t helping. I know you have to enforce your nebulous, dubiously Constitutional form of martial law, but the giant spotlights are kind of killing my space right now.

@#$%! @#$%! Now you’re SHOOTING at me? Money is literally my only superpower. All those crunches in the morning will do less than nothing against bullets. And watch the cape, guys! You think that carbon nanoweave fabric comes cheap? I had to fire thirteen men—good men—to pay for appropriating this. Everyone has to make sacrifices for my obsessive one-man war on crime.

And you. You. What is your problem, guy? You’re like a green…lizard man thing? I guess? You know I’ve already got one of those, right? Killer Croc is not going to be happy when he finds out he’s got competition. And look at yourself. Goggles, cloak, hand wrappings. You’ve got no theme to bind those together. Oh man, what if he turns out to be one of the regulars? What are people going to say? I cannot be seen fighting this guy. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.

Oh, I forgot about Killer Moth. So much for my reputation.

Yeah, that’s good. Give him the growl. He’ll—oh crap, what’s—what’s going on now? Why is he glowing? What’s up with this!?

@#$%!

Green Lantern

Oh my God. Oh my God. It’s actually him. Do I—Is my hair all right? Of course it is, that’s stupid, it’s protected by a will-powered force field. I will my hair to be perfect. Oh man, I just noticed how sweaty I am. Do you think he—no, a monster just blew up in his face, he isn’t paying attention. Get a grip on yourself Hal. You’re acting like a schoolboy. Just be cool.

He knows my name. He knows my name! Oh my God, this is…gotta do something cool. What does Batman like? What would impress him? Uh…cops! Riot cops!

Crap, that was stupid. Why would Batman like cops? Stupid, Hal, stupid. Okay, no big deal. Just gotta think of something else. Batman, Batman…bats! Yeah! Oh, he’ll love that! Check it, Gotham! Green Lantern’s got this!

Oh crap, I just said that out loud.

Okay, he didn’t like the bats. That makes sense. That’s his thing, bats, right. I’m interfering. I’ll drop the space line. That always works on the ladies.

“Yeah, no big deal, I’m a space cop. Yeah, I was on Mars earlier today. Dropped by Vega earlier this week, had some Vegan cuisine. Yeah, I’m done with meat now.” Man, that’s a terrible joke. I gotta get some new material.

Batman

Lord, save me from the fanboys. What is WITH this kid? Did his parents drop him or something when he was little? Oh man, I bet he had GREAT parents. I bet they went to the movies ALL THE TIME. I bet his parents didn’t get shot ONCE. Oh, come on, and now he’s playing the “powers” card. Look buddy, I’ve got a lower-atmosphere rocket booster UNDER MY MANSION. If I felt like it, I could hire a team of supermodel astrophysicists to take care of it. I have SICK ABS. Watch yourself.

Oh, here we go. Look, does this LOOK like a bat costume to you? Have you ever SEEN a bat before? Clearly you have, you called up a giant swarm of them and made them attack a squad of helicopters. Nice job keeping a low profile, jerk. And this is not a costume, okay? This is high-tech military-grade battle armor! I’ve got so many explosives up my sleeves, the UN’s trying to put sanctions on me!

Man, I gotta get some new material.

Page 14, Panels 1-2: Oh man, the look on this punk’s face. I could do this all day. Seriously, he’s like a little kid. Like a little brother. Like the little brother I never had. Never COULD have.

I hate this kid.

Sick burns. Best part of the job.

Holy @#$%! Holy @#$%! How long have we been flying? We flew so fast I didn’t have the time to notice we were in a green jet! I think I’m going to throw up.

And now he’s making fun of my voice. I am going to cripple this jerk.

Superman

My hair…

…is perfect.

That’s all the time we have for today, Sleepwalkers, but come back tomorrow for more fun and excitement!

2011: 10/17
CATEGORY: DC
Inner Monologues
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Frankenstein: Agent of F.R.U.S.T.R.A.T.I.N.G.

Of all of the titles in DC’s New 52, Jeff Lemire’s Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. was one I was particularly excited about. It had everything I wanted–crazy sci-fi action, a legitimately badass main character, over-the-top plot ideas–it reminded me of nothing so much as Atomic Robo (albeit with more monsters), which, I believe the record will reflect, is about the highest compliment I can grant.Even though I didn’t particularly enjoy Jeff Lemire’s previous work on Frankenstein during Flashpoint, I had high hopes; after all, I think Sweet Tooth is excellent, and I liked what he did with Man-Thing in that Strange Tales issue a few moons back.

But, and it pains me to say this Sleepwalkers, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. might be the first comic I take off of my pull list.

It’s just so frustrating. The writing is the problem here, sadly; I get the feeling that Lemire is writing what sounds coolest at any given time, without giving any thought to how it fits together with the story as a whole. The effect is not unlike when a bunch of little kids play with one another–they go for awesome, not plot consistency.

(That’s not to say that awesomeness and plot consistency can’t exist simultaneously–the fact that Dr. Mcninja is a thing that you can read right now is proof of that–but, by the same token, they don’t HAVE to exist simultaneously, and the fact that Axe Cop is a thing that you can read right now is proof of that, too. My point is, awesomeness is cool and all, but unless you have something holding it together, it’s so much fluff.)

Case in point:

Pictured: A vampire. A werewolf. Fangs. Not pictured: Confidence.

Go ahead and click it if you can’t read it–if you don’t feel like making that effort, that’s okay too. The vampire man (Velcoro) is asking the werewolf man (Griffith) what’s bothering him, to which Griffith replies “How are we supposed to prove ourselves if we keep getting left behind?”

Now look. I understand conflict. I understand that you have to have two characters who don’t get along, otherwise it’s pretty boring. But seriously. Griffith is a secret agent werewolf superhero who fights giant monsters alongside the literal Frankenstein’s monster, all in the name of a top-secret organization that flies around in a three-inch sphere. I’d say he’s proven himself already.

And then there’s this:

"Quickly Nina! Downward Dog at them!"

Nina (the Creature from the Black Lagoon-looking babe up there) says the extent of her combat training is “yoga.” It’s a funny little tongue-in-cheek moment, but it just doesn’t make sense. On the one hand, like Griffith, Nina is a secret agent monster commando lady, one who, not one issue ago, was seen cutting apart hordes of monsters. On the other hand, she’s a meek genetic scientist who (for some reason) turned herself into a fish person. Aside from the fact you can’t have it both ways, it doesn’t make sense for a completely inexperienced scientist to be chosen to go to the bottom of a lake to slice up monsters.

So it’s frustrating. The lines work, but only if you don’t think about them, which I think is kind of a problem. Because if you do think about them, you realize they would never be spoken by those characters.

But them Lemire pulls this:

Not since Seanbaby introduced The Punchmaster has such a mighty blow been struck.

HE IS FRANKENSTEIN. AND HE GOES WHERE HE WILL.

And I’m tempted to forgive him for all of it.

That’s all I’ve got time for today Sleepwalkers, but keep on the lookout for some reviews as well as the latest Crunching the Numbers!

2011: 10/13
CATEGORY: DC
Reviews
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Presented by the Atomic Sleepwalker

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DC’s Full September Solicits: Decoded!

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Wow, This Happened

DC’s Full February Solicitations–Decoded!

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Inner Monologues: Justice League #1

Frankenstein: Agent of F.R.U.S.T.R.A.T.I.N.G.

Later I Will Destroy This Earth...

Micro Reviews: G.I. Joe #2

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