Comics Briefly: Avengers Academy #8, Darkwing Duck #8, Supergirl #60


Favorite Issue This Week: Darkwing Duck #8, but it was very close

All books new in stores on 1/19/11

Avengers Academy #8
Writer: Christos Gage, Penciler: Mike McKone

Yes, I caught up over the weekend, as I said I might. The writing on this series is really good, although this felt like one of the weaker issues to me. I suppose I might feel that way because this issue focused on Tigra, an established character I know nothing about, rather than expanding one of the new characters or dealing with a character I'm more familiar with. So your mileage may vary. The kids do push their limits here, and I'm looking forward to the next issue. My major problem with the book is that the art is uneven. There are plenty of good panels, but faces in some perspectives seem to be a problem for this artist.

Darkwing Duck #8
Writer: Ian Brill, Artist: James Silvani

This deserved Book of the Week just for the art alone. Wrapping up the “Crisis on Infinite Darkwings” storyline with humor, drama, and panache, the issue is full of incredibly varied geeky references, from the very first panel.
The writing is quick and clever, and every month I adore the alternate covers: all riffs on old comics, especially Batman. (I enjoy them even when I have to look up the reference, as I did today. Batman 227, FYI) This book consistently makes me smile.


Supergirl #60
Writers: Nick Spenser and James Peaty, Artist: Bernard Chang

I picked this up because I enjoyed the Jimmy Olsen feature that Spencer had been writing. It's a decent-to-good issue, with a 'ripped from the headlines' twist on villainy, and a B-plot with Lois and Cadmus. As advertised, this is a good jumping-on point. My big problem? Art, again.

In one sequence, each panel flips back and forth between two locations, following two separate conversations, but because they're done in the same color palette it's hard to follow at first glance. Also Kara looks frighteningly thin, especially about the waist. Thin is not automatically bad, and she is cute on the cover, but in my opinion she is somewhat scary looking inside.


Also Considered: 
Wolverine and Jubilee #1
This was the start of a mini-series, and I'm generally more likely to pick up an issue of a miniseries on a whim than an issue of an ongoing. I skimmed this in the store, though, and while I thought it was intriguing, and the art was nice, I frankly thought “Vampires? Since when? O-kay...” and put it back. I'm sure it makes sense with larger continuity, but I clearly don't know anything about larger X-Men continuity.

Comments

  1. Is Darkwing Duck a good book? I've heard the show doesn't really hold.

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  2. I really enjoy the book. It's an "all ages" book, so it can't get too hard-core, but the writer seems to be building off of our collective memory of the show more than what it really was. It helps that in a comic book you're not rushed by a 22-min run time past moments of potential pathos, and there isn't a zany sound effect to undercut the tone. That said, a big part of what I enjoy about it is that it makes me laugh.

    I also love that they play up the comic book origins with all the Batman references in the art. Like the cover featured here: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2010/11/10/the-duck-knight-returns/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is that Darkwing Picture from the 8th issue of the Duck Knight Returns, or some other comic book series...?

    ReplyDelete
  4. The included panel (with the references to Doctor Who and Transformers) is from Darkwing Duck #8 published by Boom!, as stated. That issue is collected in the graphic novel Darkwing Duck: Crisis on Infinite Darkwings.

    ReplyDelete

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