Sunday Reading 10-30-11 Skip Scherer
It’s creepy and it’s kooky and all together spooky this edition of Sunday Reading Halloween. As you read through our offerings this week don’t forget to check behind you every once in awhile and watch out for the man with an axe. To keep you distracted while we sneak up on you… huh… give you some good recommendations this week we’re looking at: Wolverine and the X-Men #1, I, Vampire #2, Aquaman #2, Green Lantern and the New Guardians #2 and Justice League Dark #2.
To kick off this special Halloween edition we’re going to jump right in with the scariest man in the Marvel Universe Wolverine!
Wolverine and the X-Men #1
Ok, so maybe he’s not the scariest guy in the Marvel U, but the idea of Wolverine running a school is pretty frightening if you really think about it. I was a little worried about this title but in one fell swoop the creative team answered a lot of my questions. I enjoyed the review of the school happening by the educational board and the problems that arise as they tour the facilities. This also made for a nice backdrop to introduce the large cast of characters and set everything into place. It made for a good read and better than a lot of set-up first issues I have read. The art work by Chris Bachalo was a perfect fit for the story and synergy like that always ups everything a notch.
I wasn’t the only Bloc member who enjoyed this tale, as Adam Schiewe had this to say:
“This was everything I want in an X-Men book, its wild, crazy, funny, full of action and has some character moments as well. Even Toad gets a moment to shine. Jason Aaron was able to strike a perfect balance in this issue that carried over parts from Wolverine, Schism and Uncanny X-Men and made them all work. Chris Bachalo just nocks the art out of the park, the details in the new school look amazing, the characters all look like they should and no two look a like. One of my favorite things in the book is the class schedule in the back, Gambit teaches Sex Ed, as well as How to Weaponize Household Products. Amazing.”
So this may not be the scariest thing you read for Halloween, but it does have a nice monster show up and again it’s Wolverine running a school for gifted youngsters; think about it and you’ll be afraid.
Aquaman #2
Yeah, I know Aquaman’s not really known as scary kind of book, but if in your mind you substitute Aquaman with Creature from the Black Lagoon, then maybe this will fit. Or maybe just focus on the fact that this guy talks to fish, I mean now that is definitely in the scary/ weird catagory. No matter what, Bloc writer Robert McSantos has been enjoying this book and had this to say:
“As the villains of this arc communicate in a mostly nonverbal manner, artist Ivan Reis really gets to shine in this issue, displaying their pack mentality through their body language and interaction with each other. Longtime Aquaman fans who were annoyed by the disrespect he received from bit players in the previous issue will be glad to know they get their own viewpoint character in the form of Aquaman’s wife Mera.
Aquaman himself continues to come off as incredibly patient and humble, which in many ways makes him seem more heroic than his prior characterization as grouchy tough guy. And fans of Superfriends will be pleased to know that the classic sound effect of his telepathy has been preserved, regardless of how little sense it makes for telepathy to make any kind of sound at all.”
That’s what I’m talking about, spooky sounds like nails on a chalk board! …ok maybe not but it still sounds like Aquaman may be getting some first class treatment. Now if only we can have him bring back those dead fish he was using during Brightest Day… hmmm…
I, Vampire #2
Vamipires. Now that’s what this special edition needs. Nothing says Halloween quite like Vampires. I must admit I kind of passed this book off as a Twilight knock-off, but thanks to my wife wanting to read it, I did digest the first issue. It was a much darker, true Vampire tale than what I thought going in. I personally haven’t had a chance to read the second issue yet, but Adam Schiewe has stepped in once again with this to say:
“This is not your Twilight style vampire, Mary Queen of Blood is a terrifying queen who will use anyone and anything to get her way, which means the deaths of us all, as vampires feast on our blood. Fialkov is able to make her so compelling in only 2 issues that I want more of her than the title character at this point.
This is a horror romance book that is as dark and twisted as any Vertigo book, and artist Andrea Sorrentino only adds to that with his lush pencils that evoke terror and gore in a way that is not overwhelming. This is a gem of a book and one of the best of the new, though the covers still need a little work.”
Blood and terror oh my! Sounds like a great read to get into for you’re Halloween enjoyment. Now if only I can pry my wife’s copy from her dead hands… huh sleeping hands maybe I’ll get a chance to enjoy this issue also.
Green Lantern: The New Guardians #2
Aliens from outerspace is a staple to horror stories everywhere! While Green Lantern is more Sci-Fi than horror maybe if you play the sound track from Alien in the background and occasionally look at a picture of Sigourney Weaver, you can fool yourself for a moment. Or if you don’t want to go that far with it you can just sit back and enjoy this issue the same way Robert McSantos did:
“One of the challenges of writing any team book, particularly one where many of the team members have similar powers, is giving each of them a unique voice. This issue accomplishes that task masterfully. By the time you’re halfway through this book, you’ll have a clear understanding of who every character is and what they’re all about. To general Green Lantern readers, one of the plot threads from last month’s Green Lantern #1 is carried over into this issue. But don’t be intimidated! Even if you’re only reading New Guardians, you’ll be able to follow along without any confusion. (No, Glomulus isn’t in this issue either. If you read the last one, you should know why.)”
Well it may not be scary, but again the sound track will help, there are some nice moments in this book. The Guardians’ are downright scary with their treatment of Ganthet and that treatment finally makes its way into the forefront of the story. I almost feel like the Green Lantern universe is in for some problems down the line as the Guardians become more and more a problem unto themselves. Looking forward to seeing where this all leads.
Top Recommendation: Justice League Dark #2
Justice League Dark is just downright creepy at this point and that’s a good thing. This feels like a Vertigo book, but I love the fact that it is set squarely in the DCU proper. The themes being dealt with here are amazing from Constantine’s need to damage himself to the problems of being a Deadman with a girlfriend.
While it seems to be mostly a character kind of issue, the plot is still advanced with some surprises at it seems that once character may not be the help that everyone thought they were going to be. I almost wonder if a lot of people into the dark magic of the DCU might be missing out on this book because of the name Justice League in it; do yourself a favor and don’t be fooled, this book is the center of magic in the DCU and it has a nice dark twist.
Just to seal the nomination in for the top spot this week, Bob Francis goes medieval on your… huh… Comic reading and gives us this insight:
“To completely steal a quote from Tolkien: “The board is set and the pieces are moving…”
And that pretty much sums up this issue. Milligan gives us little spotlights on most of the cast, giving Deadman most of the page time, and not surprisingly a ghost with a living girlfriend has… issues. Where Issue #1 was a definite set up, JL Dark 2 suffered from a bit of wheel spin. It was still an intriguing issue with some good character moments and a surprising twist. That twist alone makes me look forward to JL Dark 3.”
JL: Dark is a scary book hitting on some dark themes while mixing in a bit of save the world heroics and the balance is perfectly handled. This book is fast becoming one of my favorite books of the new 52.
That’s it for this week and while not every book we offered this week fits in the Halloween mode, they all fit within the Sunday Reading mode of comics that got something right. Hopefully you found something good to read in your own Halloween bag and maybe if the zombies didn’t get you, you can share them with us here on the Bloc.
