My Recent Comics 2-8-12

With my procrastinating and lack of rest time and such, I actually went to the store(s) on three different days for these. I can't remember exactly when, but I've had them a while. They've been sitting on a table waiting to get their day in the blog spotlight. So, for the sake of getting this out of the way once and for all, I'm only going to touch on a few of these.

Simpsons Comics 183, 184, 185
Simpsons Winter Wingding 6
Simpsons Super Spectacular 14 -- The story of the musical "Radioactive Man: Turn Up The Silence." Sound familiar?
Futurama Comics 58
Veronica 209 a.k.a Veronica Presents: Kevin Keller 3 (of 4) -- As with the first two issues, I actually found this at a bookstore -- Barnes and Noble, now that Borders is gone. I never picked up issue 4, however, which is too bad because it actually had a bit of a cliffhanger. Plus they actually mention Snooki and plug her book, "A Shore Thing." Wait -- did I just plug it too? And that Barnes and Noble is also where I bought...

My...Something...In Comics 9-28-11

I had three weird Wednesdays in a row in September. I made no trips to the comic book store, trips that used to be a given. DC may have abandoned me in favor of new, younger (they hope, desperately) readers with their DCnU business and the younger Superman wearing jeans, workboots and a baby blanket cape, but I'm still interested in the Bongo Comics books I normally get (Simpsons, Futurama) and any others that might attract me. I suppose it's possible that something DC puts out might be of interest, but right now I'm just not ready to go back to them.

Instead of making a trip each week, though, I may just go once a month and pick up whatever books I need to. That's what I did this past Wednesday, with the three Bongo books and two others I was interested in, that were either released during September or a bit earlier...

Sherlock Holmes Year One 6 (of 6): This book was marred by some sort of production error, it seems. The fourth and fifth pages have the exact same word balloons in the exact same position on both pages, with different art (so on page 4 words are being spoken by the wrong characters, or no one at all). It took me a while to figure out how to read this, and it seems there is missing dialogue that would clarify what's going on. (Good thing this was the final issue of the miniseries because it would otherwise discourage me from future purchases.) Once I got through that mixup, I found a satisfying explanation for the "Twelve Casears" murders orchestrated by Professor Moriarty.

Kevin Keller 2 (of 4): No, I won't be buying Archie Comics regularly to replace DC Comics. As with the first issue, the story revolves around a celebration (this time, Kevin's dad's birthday party) and Kevin telling Veronica stories about his life before moving to Riverdale, including how he handled some bullies at his last high school. I guess the final two issues will follow the same pattern. Once again, I found this in Barnes and Noble instead of a comic book store. And again, the cover has numbering in smaller print indicating that it's an issue of the Veronica series (plus I noticed the store receipt lists it as "Veronica 208," not "Kevin Keller 2"). It seems the publisher is trying to have its cake and eat it too. (Come to think of it, what does that saying even mean?)

My Week In Comics 6-8-11: A DC-less Preview

It was an interesting week in a couple of ways. First of all, I bought no DC comics. None of my regular books were out, and I wasn't interested in any of the "Flashpoint" tie-ins. Considering DC's pending reboot and my disdain for, and concern about, much of it, this could happen much more often come September. Perhaps even weekly. Since my last post, DC put out its word on the Superman books, and at least two of them -- the books starring Superboy and Supergirl -- are very likely off my purchase lists. I haven't decided on the Action Comics and Superman books yet. There's also been confirmation that the Lois Lane-Clark Kent wedding will no longer exist in the new order.

And there was this piece of information that is just going to lead to a lot of confusion some day, when future stories are being planned out. Many of the events that have happened in recent years are still going to be considered to have taken place, in the timeline that DC has built for itself:

DC confirmed that stories like Blackest Night, Brightest Day, Identity Crisis, Death in the Family, and Killing Joke are still part of the DCU history. In fact, editors said, some events in those stories are specifically referenced in September.

So they will have to explain how Barbara Gordon is no longer paralyzed, I suppose? The thing is, if the characters are supposed to be younger (after all, they want to try and get young people to buy into the new continuity), how can so many of these events have happened in such a brief period? Word is that while most books are set in what the story calls "contemporary times," two books -- "Justice League" and "Action Comics" -- are set at the "dawning of the age of superheroes," which, from one report, is only about five years earlier. And "Identity Crisis" was, in part, about superheroes' families being in danger after one wife is murdered (and their actions as a result). A major plot twist turns on a past event that some characters kept secret from others. If at least some of that history is gone, if some of those relationships (such as the Lois/Clark marriage) don't exist now, then how does the rest of the story make sense? I'm just not sold on any of this.

So on to the two books I did buy...

My Week In Comics 10-6-10

About a week ago in this space I teased about picking up just one comic book for the week, "unless I get the second printing of something recent that I somehow missed." As it turned out, it wasn't in the comic book store I frequented (although perhaps I just missed it somehow on the shelves). However, I went into the Borders in Center City after that and, lo and behold, they have one of those spinning magazine racks full of comics. Double lo and behold, they had the issue I was looking for. Triple lo and behold, it wasn't from the second printing but from the first run that sold out. Then I had a really stupid dilemma. But first...

Who is this guy, and why was he such a problem for me?

Superman: The Last Family of Krypton 3 (of 3): I think I mentioned before -- sorry, but I don't feel like going back through my prior posts and confirming this -- that although the Elseworlds books DC has put out may take characters and put them in wildly different circumstances, eventually the status quo often wins out. Superman is still a hero. Villains are still villains. So it is with this series, which started with Jor-El and Lara coming to Earth along with baby Kal-El. This issue starts with the premise that the others destined to become Earth's greatest heroes never did so because of the Kryptonians' influence, and there are consequences for the El family as a result. But by the end of the series, a familiar character who started out good shows his true colors (and as a result, a prediction I made at the start turns out to be partially true), and his evil plans are thwarted by...well, you know...

That brings us to my strange problem...