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Dark Horse Presents 1

Does anyone bother reading anthology comics any longer? Dark Horse appear to think so, and credit to them for attempting to bolster what’s never been a particularly popular format, in the US at least. Most of the names here appeared in the original DHP when it first appeared many years back, giving this comic an aura less of a new series than of a title that’s been temporarily out of action.

Showcase Presents Green Lantern 5

They have the back cover blurb right on this: it’s the run of Neal Adams Green Lantern & Green Arrow issues, nearly 350 pages, that will sell this. They call it one of the “most celebrated runs by a creative team in the history of comic books,” and they’re right – except it was also the run that led to the cancellation of the series because of dropping sales, after which GL became a backup story in broken runs in Flash.

The Mighty Thor 1

Obviously there has been a proliferation of Thor titles lately – we’re getting a bunch of collections of recent mini-series, we’ve just had a fifth Essential volume, and so on, but Marvel must be hoping that a new Thor title out now will really hit big.

Archie 616 & 617

Alex Simmons is in the wrong job. Judging from the evidence in these two issues, he could make a lot of money as a spin doctor for America’s Republican Party.

Hate Annual 9

This is, as expected, a total delight from start to finish. Nearly all of it, 24 pages, is his first substantial new Buddy Bradley story in years. Buddy is now married to Lisa, with a son and a junkyard business in partnership with Jay, also now married. The story introduces his new life, then focusses on a visit to Lisa’s completely fucked-up family – religious mother, possibly senile dad, out of control cousin, self-righteous foster brother.

Secret Avengers 12.1

I’ve been scathing about and disappointed with some of these .1 ‘jumping-on point’ issues, and I’ve praised a couple highly. I think this is the first one that seems to lie somewhere in the middle.

Zatanna 12

Once, not too long ago, you wouldn’t see Zatanna from year to year. She might turn up in event books, Justice League of America cameos, a mini-series or special once a decade, the odd Vertigo book… how things change! This month alone we’ve seen her in the JLA 80pp Giant, Power Girl and her own book.

Super Dinosaur 1

I’m not sure that the writer’s name will attract the right audience to this: it’s aimed at a young audience, and it hits its target pretty well. It feels as much like an animated TV show as a comic, really, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes one before long.

Booster Gold 43

Ah, I’m about to read my first Booster Gold comic. Let’s read the portents. Keith Giffen? He’s done some good stuff, some bad. JM DeMatteis? Never liked his writing. All bathetic poetics or studiedly unfunny zaniness. Chris Batista? Rich Perrotta? Never heard of them, but the cover isn’t the abomination that you see on many other comics. Mmmmm – this one could go either way.

Elmer

We’re in the present day of a world where, back in 1979, chickens suddenly developed sentience, becoming the intellectual peers of humanity, and causing social and political chaos as they fought for freedom – and the humans, terrified by the revolt of a lucrative food source, fought back.