A Moment of Comics

It's 2112 ad Canada is about to be invaded by the United States in the first issue of We Stand On Guard by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Steve Skroce. Did the creators put the premise too far into the future? 

A Moment of Comics

It feels like cheating since I posted The Maxx last week, but for National Poetry Month I wanted to include this page from The Maxx #5 where Maxx is forced into speaking in rhyme as he dreams of meeting the Crappon in a Hat, an in-universe cartoon character. The Crappon dream sequence was drawn by Crappon's creator, Sam Kieth's cousin and infamous "Cow and Chicken" animator David Feiss. Tip of the hat to William Messner-Loebs for the poetry stuff.

A Moment of Comics

The amazing Sam Kieth passed away last week. It was almost impossible for me to choose a particular page to post hear as a representation of his life's work. It's like describing one part of a fever dream and hoping it conveys the whole story. Ultimately, I chose this closing page from the sixth issue of The Maxx with dialogue by William Messner-Loebs. RIP, Mr. Kieth. 

A Moment of Comics

For Valentine's Day week, I want to feature something from a love comic. What else could it be but one of my favorite pages from Saga #1. Written by Brian K. Vaughan with artwork by Fiona Staples. 

A Moment of Comics

I never heard of The Department of Truth until I leafed through the most recent issue using Pizzagate as a plot device. Still not sure what to think about this, but I'll be taking my time to read the series. Is this how people who survived the AIDS crisis felt when Grant Morrison's The Invisibles had a story where they stole a cure for the AIDS virus? A page from the recent Department of Truth #0 written by James Tynion IV with artwork by Letizia Cadonici.

A Moment of Comics

Mark Gruenwald's obsession with displaying the every day minutae of superheroes was influential to Kurt Busiek's body of work. Imagine if Gruenwald wasn't married to the Marvel method of storytelling or had  a more exceptional artist for the majority of his runs. Would he have been able to craft a story like Kurt Busiek's "In Dreams" over time? I'd like to think so. He came close at least once. Below is a page from the seminal story in Astro City #1 written by Busiek with artwork by Brent Anderson.

A Moment of Comics

Much of the comics series Revival focused around Officer Dana Cypress finding her resurrected sister Em's murderer. The prime suspect out the gate was Em's writing teacher. If I had a nickle every time this happened, I'd have one nickle, but I would always remember how I got it. The page is the end of Revival #11 with Em reciting one of her poems as other characters move to the end of this story chapter. Written by Tim Seeley with art by Mike Norton.

A Moment of Comics

If there's one thing Scott McCloud got right with his graphic novel The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln, it was predicting our present where everything is sound bites without context or understanding. A page from the graphic novel courtesy of the author's website.

A Moment of Comics

If there really was a physical, humanoid manifestation of a year, this what I would have done to 2024. From Powers #36 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

A Moment of Comics

If only Trump debating Kamala Harris could end with something like this. From the fourth issue of the infamous Bomb Queen: Trump Card by Jimmie Robinson. 

A Moment of Comics

Steamboat Willie has been making the rounds, especially in "The Secrets of Skinny People." Geoffrey Fallon's strip and Erik Larsen's recent Steamboat Willie cameo in The Savage Dragon #268 teaches us to never meet our heroes. 

Cobraaaaaa!

My Comic Book Haiku on Cobra Commander #1 is up now at The Ugly Monster.

Been Too Long

 

 

My Comic Book Haiku for Dutch #0 was published in The Ugly Monster. good to be back. 

A Moment of Comics

I had no idea The Extreme Super Christmas Special was written by Keith Giffen  What a nice surprise. In this story, the long-lived character Troll has to fetch all the items listed in the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" for the Greek sorceress Circe, who is angry at Troll for turning her magic on herself as seen in the page below with "breakdowns" by Todd Nauck and as many "finishers" as there are geese a-laying.

A Moment of Comics

For Day of the Dead time, an iconic page from The Walking Dead, issue #191. Written by Robert Kirkman, pencils by Charlie Adlard and inks by Stefano Gaudiano.

A Moment of Comics

Keith Giffen passed away two weeks ago. I read and enjoyed many of his comics over the decades. Much of his work belongs in the gross-out/splatterhouse section of horror (especially his Lobo work). One of his most unique comics was Trencher, an otherworldly agent whose job is to "repossess" souls that were reincarnated by accident. 

 

 

There was even an issue called Trencher: X-Mas Bites Holiday Blow-Out which featured a "Fart Vampire." I wish I could show you a page form that, but I didn't buy it when I had the chance. You'll have to settle for the issue where Trencher fights a super projectile vomiter. Ah, regrets. RIP, Mr. Giffen.

More Work

My Comic Book Haiku on Batman/Spawn is up now at The Ugly Monster.

New Article Up!

 

 

I reviewed the first issue of Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines for The Ugly Monster.

I Had Issues! My Old Review of The Revival #1-4

Hey, another review I should have posted last week (Day of the Dead post anyone?). This didn't turn out too bad. The review I mean. I did follow The Revival for a while but had to drop it when other life things came up.  I should catch up with it someday. Originally published November 2, 2012. Edited for clarity.

I Had Issues! My Old Review of Supreme #64-66

This was one of my favorite pieces to write for the site. Does it go downhill from here? We'll see. Of course, this review was ignored even by even the people behind the site I wrote it for. And the rest of the comics community. Not that I was promoting myself in Twitter as much as I do now, but apathy hurts nonetheless.  Originally published September 13, 2012. Slightly edited for clarity.