THE STRAIN #1

They always talk about the current plethora of monster stuff like there was a period in time when there were no vampire or zombie or werewolf books, movies, or TV shows. I find that hard to believe, although there are definitely a lot more these days of this "monster" genre. I'm not sure the origin of any of them in recent time, but I think 28 Days Later kicked off the current zombie surge (yes, even though it didn't feature zombies but a zombie-like virus) and of course the Twilight quadrilogy kicked off the vampire and werewolf craze. This new comic book, which Dark Horse will be putting out over three years, is about vampires. It's also, more or less, a lot like The Passage, Justin Cronin's vampire epic. Why it's become a comic after three books have already been published can be tied to the fact that film director Guillermo Del Toro co-wrote the books. He did the two Hellboy films, Pan's Labyrinth, and recently quit directing The Hobbit. The comic is in the hands of writer David Lapham (he's been writing Deadpool Max lately) and artist Mike Huddleston. An airplane shows up with a dead crew and dead passengers and a coffin at JFK. Cue the outbreak! For a buck, it's a good read, but it's literally more of the same. When the mummy craze starts, let me know. **1/2

SWEET TOOTH #28

Just admit it, Lemire; you got the idea for this book from a Fall Out Boy video. Either way, the book is at #28 already. Jesus. I didn't think it'd last let alone contain such emotion. It's also, certainly, ultra-bleak. Hell, in this issue a group of men kill a baby.
This is part 3 of 3 of the origin (maybe) of the disease that not only spawned babies being born half-animal but also killing off most of the world's population. Written by Jeff Lemire, this side story might be the best arc of the book so far. It features an Inuit tribe in Antartica and a group of English explorers in the early part of the twentieth century. The three issues have been drawn and painted (yes, painted) by Matt Kindt. It looks wonderful. But it's also very creepy, very sad, but very interesting.
Sweet Tooth, the antler-headed boy, was apparently spawned in a laboratory. So what's this business about these Inuit people unleashing a virus or demonic curse? Does it tie in? What's the deal?
This book started off great and then got a little stale after awhile. This arc has really put new life into it. It's a gorgeous looking arc that is ultimately sad but also very well written and very interesting. & it's a killer last page. ***1/2

THUNDER AGENTS #1

One of DC's better series, Thunder Agents, was unfortunately cancelled to make way for September's big "52" number-one issues. But they brought it back for a six-issue mini-series. The problems? Artist Cafu (yes, like Prince) is gone. And it's December...meaning everything that happened in the series previously I pretty much forgot (the last issue, #10, came out on August 10th). This means I was utterly confused. Yes, I know the premise; regular people get super powers to fight evil but these powers will eventually kill them. I forget who's bad and good and I forget most of the characters. This issue doesn't exactly deliver any sort of intro or summary either, so good luck! Spencer's dialogue is king as usual, but the story is confusing and bland. The art by Wes Craig is standard. Perhaps they should have just cancelled it for good? * (out of ****)

HAUNT #18

The Walking Dead TV show on AMC was one of the top rated cable TV programs last week as it always is. It was #4, behind two NFL games and a Nascar race. That means it was the highest rated "show." That's a big deal. And the problem is that Robert Kirkman may eventually quit writing comics altogether and focus on scripts, producing, and maybe even directing. We lost artist Stephen Platt to Hollywood so it does happen. & even if Kirkman continues to write comics, they might not be as good with his limited time and he probably won't continue writing new series. This issue of Haunt is his last. It will go on with a new artist, too, as Greg Capullo left to draw Batman. Most folks won't care. The critics loathed this book when it first came out and by this issue nobody really seemed to care or notice it anymore. Perhaps I was one of the few that actually liked it...albeit this final issue is mostly a mess. The premise is a hybrid of Spider-Man and Spawn. A CIA type fighter dude dies but his ghost shows up to talk and inhabit his brother. The catch is that when the ghost and brother merge they can turn into a super hero that can leap and fight and looks kind of like Spawn and Spider-Man. Kirkman introduced some interesting characters including two super-evil baddies and there were a lot of twists and turns that Kirkman is famous for. Capullo's awesome, detailed, fluid art certainly helped. He is one of the best artists out there, probably because he draws like McFarlane, who helped pencil this issue. It certainly wasn't the greatest series but it was entertaining and pretty to look at and a bit wild. & enjoy Kirkman's comics now before he's gone and us fanboys lament, "Fuck...remember Kirkman before he moved to Hollywood?" ** (out of ****)

STITCHED #1

I just finished reading Stephen King's 2008 novel, Duma Key. I started it in early 2008, got bored with it and put it down, then recently picked it back up and finished it. The premise is good but the execution is awful. It's a long book but could easily have been cut by three hundred pages. Reading it made me sad. When I was in middle school I loved King. I thought he was the greatest. I'm not sure if he got worse or I started to have better taste, but reading anything by Garth Ennis these days gives me that same sad feeling. Remember how awesome Preacher was? Picking up a new book by Ennis is exciting because you think that magic might return...until you start reading. Punisher Max, The Boys, Jennifer Blood, and now Stitched are all mediocre. They feature blood, profanity, shocking images, and insane comedy...but they just don't have that wild, engrossing, entertainment punch that Preacher had. It's sad to think that Ennis will never write another book as great as his first big series.
As for Stitched, it features walking dead people in Afghanistan and is based on Ennis' own 17 minute short film. It's bloody, semi-creepy, but mostly just stale. Like King's early stuff, I miss the thrill. *1/2 (out of ****)

SPACEMAN #1

Sure, there's been a lot of big events in the comic book world this year and a slew of new books and a hell of a lot going on. BUT...I've been anticipating this book, Spaceman, more than the rest. Why? Well, duh, it's Eduardo Risso and Brian Azzarello back together on a Vertigo title. This time it's sci-fi. If you don't remember, these two did 100 issues of 100 Bullets. Over the summer they put out a semi-cool 3-part Batman tale. They work well together. They're like the Albert and Costello or the Frazier and Ali of the comic book world. And while the first issue of nine of Spaceman isn't extraordinary, it's definitely engrossing, interesting, different, and pretty to look at. The story has a half-man half-ape dude that explored space for the government but is now retired, addicted to drugs, into cyber porn, and engulfed in a case of a missing girl amidst a bleak Dystopian future world. The dialogue by Azzarello is a lot like the future-slang of A Clockwork Orange. It's oft-putting at first, but really brings this future world to life. & the art by Risso is so unique, so flawless and fluid and dream-like. Reading this is like going to another world. Which is kind of the point. ***

THE INCREDIBLE HULK #1 + WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #1

Wow, jeez, a #1 issue of the Hulk! What'll this be worth in thirty years? Sadly, probably less than the $3.99 cover price. Unless buyers in the future are dumb enough to think that this is the "real" first ever issue of the Hulk. But I bought it, so I guess there's your reason to re-brand a long running book as a #1 issue. Will the year 2011 forever be known as that dumb year in comics with a thousand #1 issues? Or will people think comics started in 2011? It's an easy argument: if comics didn't start in 2011 then why did Superman #1, Batman #1, Detective Comics #1, Daredevil #1, The Punisher #1, Action Comics #1, The Uncanny X-Men #1, Thor #1, Captain America #1, and The Incredible Hulk #1 all come out that year? Either way, this new Hulk book has a stellar team. Jason Aaron is writing it and Marc Silvestri is co-penciling it. Yes, it's sad that Silvestri left Image and is only co-drawing this book. The art is good but he draws a bad Hulk. He draws a better Bruce Banner, who is, more or less, Dr. Moreau on his island of talking animals. That's the plot: The Island of Dr. Moreau. And while it's cool it's also a complete rip-off. Jason Aaron is also writing Wolverine and the X-Men #1. The art, sadly, is too dark and blocky. The usual awesome Chris Bachalo art is somehow missing here. The plot is more or less Wolverine giving a tour to state inspectors of his new mutant school in New York. A bad guy kid shows up and the earth rumbles and spits out monsters. Yep, totally boring. THE INCREDIBLE HULK #1 ** (out of ****) WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #1 *