Bye Bye Bucky: Captain America #610

Valhallahan

Well that was... Ok, I guess. Perhaps I’m being unduly harsh, but after that drawn out story that lead to exactly nothing, I’m out. Adieu James Buchannan Barnes, I hardly knew ye. Actually that’s a lie. It’s a testament to Ed Brubaker’s skill as an author that I feel like I do know Barnes inside and out. It really is impressive how much Bru got out of what initially sounds like the worst, most clichéd 90s-esque character since Cable "It’s Bucky, like from the 40s, but he’s not really dead, and he’s all dark now and used to be a secret government assassin and now he’s got a robot arm and grunge hair and he’s got like, a bunch of guns and he’s got a mysterious past with Nick Fury, Wolverine and the Black Widow and did I mention he’s Dark?" See what I mean? This could have ended up like an X-treme Captain America, like Captain Mother Freaking America Liefeld Yeah! Thankfully it didn’t. Brubaker’s Captain America run has been superhero comics at their best, but aside from the Two Captains America story, it’s been treading water for a little while now, so I’m going to quit while I’m level.

Of course it could just be that I’ve read too much of it now after 60-odd issues, and when the next trade paperback release comes around I might have has a sufficient break and be singing a different tune but I don’t think so. I give Zemo storyline three and a bit star-spangled shields out of five, it was the last thing they had to do with the character, make him face the son of the man that ruined his life in the first place but now that’s over with I just feel that the story has run its course.

I can’t actually remember what happened in the back up strip, but I’ve not been impressed by that since day one, so I really won’t be missing it. Nomad scores two mopey hoodies out of a possible gang of happy slappers.

What I Got and Why 01/10/10

Valhallahan
Howdy Folks! I must apologise for my state as I am bringing you this What I Got and Why from planet drunk! I made my way to that haven of comicdom that is Orbital on Friday eve and bought myself a real bag o' tricks; a fine haul indeed. Let me tell you all about it... I may even add pictures when I'm sober, but please enjoy my impeccably spelt drunken ramblings.

Atlas #5 - With this issue we (super hero comic book fans with taste) bid adieu to Marvel's finest super team. I must say that if you don't want to read about a Gorilla Man, an Atlantean Warrior Princess, a Roman Love Goddess, a Uranian Ubermensch named Bob and a killer Human Robot fighting crime alongside kick ass FBI agent, Jimmy Woo and his timeless untrustworthy Dragon advisor Mr Lao, then you really need to think about whether comic books are for you. Buy the first Agents of Atlas collection or I will hit you.

Captain America #610 - Here we have the resolution of new(ish) Captain America, Bucky's showdown with the son of the man who ruined his life so many years ago. I truly hold writer Ed Brubaker's run on Captain America as some of the finest super hero comic book writing this side of the new millennium, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to drop this title. I thoroughly recommend people pick up Volume One of this series in trade, but I think with this issue I'm bailing out. Don't hold me to it, but I think Brubaker's said all he has to say with the characters and has been treading water for the past 6 months or so. Adieu mon capitan!


Wetworks: Mutations #1 - After my empassioned eulogy of the Wildstorm Universe this week, I was heartened to find this title on the shipping list. I missed a Wetworks reboot a few years back, but I really loved the initial incaration of this team so I thought I'd give this one shot a go. Interestingly, it's written by the man mountain Kevin Grevioux, chief werewolf and writer of the Underworld movies, which one could argue nicked their back story wholesale from Wetworks original incarnation.


Vertigo Back Issues
Because I can't help myself, I picked up issues 2 and 3 of Millennium Fever, a romantic story written by Nick Abadzis and drawn by the inimitable genius that is Duncan Fegredo. Published in 1995.

I also picked up Elvis Must Die from the second hand section; a story with a premise so good I'll dedicate a post to it. More soon.

Magazines?
CLiNt #2 - The magazine bits of #1 were fucking awful, but there is still an abundance of comic book funtimes to be had from this periodical. A wonderful use for the money that, let's face it was burning a hole in your pocket anyway.


Dodgem Logic #5 - 2Badguys reader Nightwatchman inspired me to pick up Dodgem Logic, Alan Moore's very own glossy magazine, as a contrast to Mark Millar's CLiNT, and from flicking through, I am very pleased with this product. It looks like a great read. I do warn readers not to open pages willy nilly on public transport as fairly early on there's a graphic cock-shot which I'm sure alarmed the chap reading over my shoulder on the Piccadilly Line. Nothing to do with comics, but looks like a great magazine.

Addendum
Apparently no one has Love and Rockets: The New Stories Volume 3. This is annoying.

What I Got and Why 27/08/10

Valhallahan
Not an interesting week to write about, but a great selection of books to read. To counter, the tedium of reading "I always get it" over and over, I'm going to write this in the style of Yoda. Looking forward to getting stuck in am I...

Captain America #609 - Good Solid Comics this is! Interesting are the further adventures of Bucky. Wars not make one great, robot arm and Russian spy girlfriend help.
Heroic Age Prince of Power #4 - Loved this mini I did; See how they’re going to wrap it all up in this issue, I can not. Follow in Chaos War event it will. Laughed my tits off last issue did I.
Scalped #40 - Grim lives have they, full of misery are they. Transcendental comics are they. Proper cunt Redcrow is.

Bullet Proof Coffin #3 - An Issue from this mad looking series finally have I found! Bloody mental it looks.

Superman/Batman #75 - Curious was I. Mostly shit it was.

Valhallahan's Comic Book Fortnight!

Valhallahan

I haven't done the 'What I Got & Why' the last two weeks, partially because it's been real slim pickin's on the new books front for me, and partially because I've been as busy as a nightclub urinal. I thought by way of recompense, I'd give you lovely people my week (or two) of comics -

*Insert Theme Tune*

Well... the week before last (remember that?) I had mini Marvel week. Just four books, all from The House of Ideas. Just one company, but quite a selection; I picked up Gay Cowboys (Rawhide Kid #1), trippy insects in the astral plane (Spider-Man Fever #3), the adventures of a teenage CEO (Prince of Power #2) and the comparatively pedestrian-sounding superhero vs Nazis (Captain America #606). As I've mentioned before, I was loving Fever and it finished as it started, Cap's still going strong (remarkably, after this long a run), as is PoP. Rawhide Kid was, well... a bit shit to be honest.

Unlike the rest of the comic book reading world, I rather enjoyed the first Rawhide Kid mini that Zimmerman did a few years ago (which ridiculously earned a "Mature Readers" rating due to a bit of mild innuendo and a homosexual lead) I picked up all the issues in a bargain bin a couple of years ago and was pleasantly surprised. Here, however, Chaykin continues his descent into CG hackerey and the stunted scripting does it no favours, never feeling like flowing conversation. Even the innuendos are poorly conceived and executed, which is half the fun for something that's clearly aiming to be a mixture of A Fistful of Dollars and Carry On Camping. I'd give it two (rusty) sheriff's badges of five; one of which is solely for the Ghost Rider scene - not awful, but disappointing.

I couldn't find a copy of Jonah Hex #55, but the giant wheel of comic book karma saw fit to guide me to Oxfam in Hertford where I picked up a bunch of 70s and 80s issues for a steal. So far I've read the one about Carnies and I'm saving the rest to do some kind of Hex then and now with Action Ash in the coming weeks.

Then to Edinburgh, where I braved many bars and several portions of haggis to pick up DV8: Gods and Monsters #3, which focuses on Mr Hector Morales; the mopey Deviant; and Daytripper #7 which sees the darkest story so far (which is saying something for a book whose protagonist is an obituary writer whose death concludes each episode). Both good issues, DV8 dragging a little bit, but I'm still interested to see where the story's headed. I also learned that Forbidden Planet Edinburgh is nice but a little on the small side. Weirdly, it didn’t Have Hellblazer #267 or The Walking Dead # 73, so I picked them up elsewhere. I shouldn’t need to tell you why I got those, or that they were good at this point.

On my (long-arse) up and down journey I read Luna Park which I bought for the gorgeous fucking art of Danijel Zezelj (and wasn't disappointed) and Johnny Dynamite: Underworld which was a rip-roaring pulp adventure purchased from the bargain bin at a comic convention a month or two ago. I'll post up bits on them later. I also finished The Maltese Falcon and ate some sandwiches from M&S, but this isn't really the arena for that, 'cause there weren't no pictures.

What about Steve?

Valhallahan

Ok, so now we know how they’re resolving the Captains America dilemma; with Wee Stevie Rogers becoming a sort of clean-cut Aryan Nick Fury, and Mr. Barnes retaining the stars n' stripes, n' winged hat. I think it’ll be nice to see him as a character, not a costume for a while, but does he have a character that people want to read about? Was it worth bringing him back for? Ah, fuck it. In Brubaker we trust.

One question remains though; If Steve Rogers is opposed to the use of firearms, why is he wearing shoulder holster straps over his natty star spangled roll neck?"

What I got and why.

Valhallahan
American Vampire #2 –Vampires aint always my bag, but I’m trying this out, and it hasn’t disappointed so far.
Scalped #37 – ‘cause it’s fucking great, as always.
Detective Comics #864 - I’m getting this because of the awesome JH Williams art and Greg Rucka’s take on Bat-Woma… WTF? Someone seems to have put Arkham Reborn #4 in between the covers of my Detective Comics! Fuck that. Question back-up strip is still strong though.
Streets of Gotham #11 – Liking the stories, loving the back-up. This is going strong for me.
Captain America #605 – Steve who? Sorry I was made deaf by how awesome Bucky is. Hating the Nomad back up strip.
Avengers vs Atlas #4 – This series hasn’t set my world on fire, but the Agents of Atlas are always great fun.
The Walking Dead #71- Another series that goes from strength to strength.
Stumptown #3 - I like crime, I like Greg Rucka, I like Stumptown.