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Avengers: The Children’s Crusade: Young Avengers 1

This is a weird one-shot, in that it seems like issue 5 of the current Children’s Crusade series, explaining Iron Lad (aka young Kang) appearing at the end of issue 4 thereof. It’s also a weird title, in that the team and book were previously entitled Young Avengers before the bizarre new title.

Venom 1

I said of Flash Thompson in my review of Amazing Spider-Man 654.1, which may as well have been the first issue of Venom, “Why a disabled ex-corporal was chosen for this is not stated – because he’s an old pal of Spider-Man, is all I can come up with, which is a comic writer’s reason, not military intelligence’s.” I thought this might start to attempt to justify that, but in fact I now learn that Flash has had problems with alcoholism which, since they need the host to be in calm control of the Venom symbiote, pushes this even further beyond plausibility.

The Walking Bread 1

With a title like The Walking Bread, you suspect that you’re not in for an intellectually stimulating read. Yes, it’s a return to the world of lame comic parodies of other comics, in this case, if you hadn’t guessed, The Walking Dead.

Ruse 1

I’ve had to get good at not judging a comic by its cover (I assume Willie Dixon would approve of the extension): the third-rate John Buscema knock-off here, delivered by the always imagination-free Butch Guice, would be enough to put many readers off, I would think.

The Naked Artist

I was unaware this book even existed until I came across it while mindlessly browsing Amazon one day. It’s not even listed on the official Bryan Talbot page, for god’s sake! It’s a collection of anecdotes, some true, some possibly apocryphal, that recount embarrassing and sometimes near-unbelievable stories about comics creators.

Fear Itself: Book of the Skull

Fear Itself is Marvel’s big crossover event for the next few months – I can’t tell you how many months or how many comics you’ll have to read to make sense of it, because to my surprise there is no checklist included with this. This first comic in the story is also by a different writer from the main series (that’s Matt Fraction), which also surprises me.

Sir Edward Grey Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever 2

Sir Edward Grey Witchfinder is an excursion into the realms of gothic western. The western seems to be making a comeback, but it’s been infected by zombies and lycanthropes and invariably sultry witches. Why is this? Maybe it’s because it’s an era that already carries mythic overtones. Maybe it’s the looming, shadowed landscapes. Maybe it’s crass commercialism.

Takio

The first in a series of graphic novels by the team behind Powers. It’s smaller than comic format, hardback, 96 pages. The story is about two young sisters (7 and 13), who bicker with each other in convincing style, and then gain superpowers in an accident, the first people in their world to do so.

The Intrepids 1

I’ve moaned a lot recently about comics devoid of inspiration or vitality. This looked to have a decent idea, and I liked the look of the style a lot. I was quite hopeful that it would be enjoyable. I am now very disappointed.

Comic Book Comics #5

Pedagogical comics! I approve! Comics can’t all be syringes and scalpels about to be plunged into eyes, you know? I mean, those are my favorite – when, at the moment the number of exclamation marks on the page is at its most vigorous competition with the dollops of red coloring to be seen, our tale of terror gives way to a robed and snaggle-toothed framing device delivering some glorious self-cancelling moral replete with a pun groan-inducing enough to ensure that the occasional giggle punctuates my screams during the ensuing nightmares.