Comics Briefly 12/2/10: American Vampire #9, Chip 'N' Dale Rescue Rangers #1, DC Presents Batman Beyond

It's a lucky week for me.  Due to Thanksgiving, New Comic Day was pushed to Thursday this week, which is great because I had to work for 12 hours straight on Wednesday. Also, it's a good crop of books.

And of course, I don't see any contradictions in buying and loving an issue “suggested for mature readers” and one targeted for “All Ages” on the same day. The wide range is what I love about reading comic books.

Favorite Book this week: Too Close to Call!

All comics were new in stores on 12/2/10


American Vampire #9 (Devil in the Sand: Conclusion)
Written by Scott Snyder
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

A great wrap-up to this storyline. Well plotted, well drawn, with some kick-ass moments, awesome lines and new revelations. The ending was dark and lovely, and the little flashback at the top of the issue ties this entire arc together. Great issue!


Chip 'N' Dale Rescue Rangers #1
Writer: Ian Brill
Artist: Leonel Castellani, Colorist: Jake Myler

After leading me in with Darkwing Duck, you're going to release a comic based on my other favorite Disney Afternoon show? Yes, please! The art was slightly shaky here and there, but overall I loved this issue. I loved the opening flashback, I loved expanding the universe, I loved the writing... With a comic like this (and the Darkwing Duck series), the writer can put a character beat into a single panel.  That allows it to breathe more, for the emotion to carry a bit more weight than it can in a 22 minute cartoon when you always have to be moving on to the next thing. I think that's part of why I enjoy these so much.


DC Presents Batman Beyond: 100-Page Spectacular
Writer: Hilary Bader
Pencils: Min S. Ku, Rick Burchett

I had been avoiding the 8 dollar “DC Presents” books, but I had to flip through this one. I knew in a few pages that it was coming home with me. It turns out it's a reprint of a selection of issues of the previous Batman Beyond comic. Can we bring that series back? I liked the 6-issue mini that just wrapped up, but I liked this so much more. Great guest stars, clever plotlines, good character moments, and the animated style art that I far prefer. Etrigan! More with the future Justice League! (In a plotline that clearly predated the recent changes to Green Lantern cosmology...) Plus the first story is based on one of the single best episodes of B:TAS. If I had bought the original issues (ten years ago), I would have been sorry about the reprint, but I didn't, so I am quite happy with this book.