Friday's Loot - 30 June 2006

I actually picked up these books last night. It was a pretty good week with my selection. I didn't buy a lot and was happy with what I did get.

52 Week 8
Another decent week of decent stories this time focusing more on Steel and whether or not Luthor has a conspiracy against the whole Superman mythos. I really like that idea the more I think about it. Luthor is trying to kill an idea in any manner he can, even if it means using that idea to destroy itself. That’s great supervillainy right there. There’s some nice bits off planet, in Star City and Metropolis as well.
I rate this story: Still holding my attention in a good way.

Batman #654
I kind of feel like I missed an issue in this story. It was Two-Face back in action but the ending was a bit too deus ex machina to be completely wonderful. Still, this really hit all the proper notes of a classic Batman story didn’t it? And the ending was really touching. How many super-hero comics have you read in the past year that were actually touching? Good stuff showing Batman as a man.
I rate this story: A great return to form for the franchise.

JLA: Classified #23
Things go from bad to worse for our fledgling heroes. I’m telling you, the wilds of Canada are not a place you want to spend a lot of time. Outside of mammals that can eat you they seem to be infested with card themed villains.
I rate this story: Like cigarettes and whisky in comic form.

Solo: Sergio Aragones
I think this is probably going to be my favourite single issue of 2006. This is page after page of cartoon fun. I can’t remember the last time I read any Aragones from when I was a kid reading Mad Magazine or watching TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes. This was simply a joy to read and look at. He manages to infuse every scene with a sense of pure joy. The school scenes capture our memories of the raucous classroom and the one ruled by the ash rod. I also like how every panel with a “collection” has a Groo. The two page wordless stories are simply classic Aragones fillers. They’re always good for a chuckle and show how simple a good comic can be. It’s deceptively simple. The stories he tells are all unique and self contained. Unlike some of the other Solo issues where stories felt a bit incomplete these are all wonderfully polished. If anything this is a classic cartoonist showing a new generation how things can be done with class. I’m sure his decades of experience make cartooning easier but this should be a textbook for anyone thinking they can write and draw their own funny books. Sergio simply gives a clinic as the skateboard kids say.
I rate this story: As close to perfect as an issue of Solo can be.