Martin Skidmore - Review

Winsor McCay: Early Works IX

I’ve never been as big a fan of McCay as most comic fans are. I do see their point, and his massive importance is completely obvious, but I find most of his work a slog to read.

I’ve read a few one-offs lately where the purpose of their existence is unclear. I am imagining editors deciding they want, say, a Magneto one-shot and handing the job to someone, ignoring their protests that they have zero ideas as to what to do with one issue with that character.

BPRD: Hell on Earth: Gods 1

I admitted the other day that I had never read Hellboy before, so you won’t be surprised that I was unfamiliar with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense spin-off. Actually, I don’t feel a great deal more familiar with them after reading this, since none of them appear until the final panel.

Invincible Iron Man 500.1

This is the first of Marvel’s .1 sequence of issues over the next couple of months, intended to provide jumping-on points for new readers. I plan on trying most of them, as they will be new to me. I’ll be interested to see if they really are comprehensible for someone who has been out of touch for ages on most of the Marvel Universe, and interested to see how many keep me coming back for the subsequent issues.

Wolverine Goes to Hell

Deeply unimpressed as I was by Aaron’s start on Ultimate Captain America, this bargain collection of the first three issues of his Wolverine tempted me to try again. It is better, but I am still not terribly keen.

Ultimate Avengers v3 #6

I’ve enjoyed this series. I said in a recent Shazam! review that I think writers taking on existing characters need to think about what makes them special, what their particular requirements and opportunities are. I know Mark has created most of these, but clearly the Ultimate characters are variations on established stars.

Great Teacher Onizuka

Tohru Fujisawa’s series is some of the best entertainment to be had in comics. The story is about a tough but dumb young punk becoming a teacher, sure he will be a great teacher, despite his ignorance and stupidity. And the point is, he is, even if his main motivation is schoolgirl pussy.

Hellboy: The Sleeping and the Dead 1

Strange confession time, before I start this: I have never read a Hellboy comic. I’ve seen and enjoyed both movies, and I’ve always liked Mignola’s art, so I can’t explain this. This two-issue series seemed a good way to sample it.

Shazam! 1

The first impression inside is that either some weird meta move is being pulled, or someone fucked up the colour registration, as much of it is out of focus. I am pretty sure it’s the latter. If that was the worst I could say about this dreary, vacuous comic, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad, but it’s terrible throughout.

Lone Wolf & Cub TV Series

This mustn’t be confused with the movie series. I saw one episode of this on a Channel Four Japanese night or week many years ago, and I was thrilled when I found out that these were coming out on DVD.

FA - The Comiczine