Starting the Recaps

 

 

My first Comic Book Haiku of 2024 will be going over the most interesting comics of 2023. let's start with the first three issues of Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong over at The Ugly Monster.

Back on Track

I'm this week's news, baby. My Comic Book Haiku on the recently released Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 is also up now at The Ugly Monster.

New Work Up Tonight

My Comic Book Haiku on Justice League #75 is up now at The Ugly Monster.

I Had Issues! My Failed "If Comics Were Honest" Column

I was always trying to find quick ways to produce content for the site I used to work for. It never quite worked out for most of my ideas, as they always took longer than anticipated. 

As I mentioned before with my first attempt with this, I stole the idea from Tegan O'Neil, who was better at it but stopped doing it way too soon. This was my first and only attempt to do it regularly. Just as well, since I stopped reading a lot of mainstream comics and mainstream news not too long after this. I could have never maintained it. Plus I could never do my alternate text justice since I have next to no graphic design experience and no Photoshop or other programs to help me. At least you can see the kernel of a good idea that should be done more today by somebody more talented. Originally published October 19, 2012.

I Had Issues! My Fifth Comic Book Haiku

With the Shazam movie out now, I should point out that the contents in the comic lacked any of the playfulness in the film version. I think it's due to Geoff Johns' tone deaf writing mixed with Gary Frank making everyone look a little crazy. If felt kind of...hateful. I stand by what meager words I had for this book at the time. Originally published September 20, 2012.

I Had Issues! My Third Comic Book Haiku

This time I was having some fun at the expense of anyone silly enough to go nuts over the false hype of this comic. Originally published August 30, 2012. 

I Had Issues! Here's My Old Take on the New 52's Jutice League #12

I was a big fan of Tegan O'Neil's comic mashups back in the day. His take on Identity Crisis was amazing back in the day, not to mention the sole voice of reason while that miserable series was running. I really wanted to copy that, but I didn't have the resources and know-how available. Didn't stop me from trying a mashup or two. A few years back, I wanted to react to the ridiculous hype when Superman and Wonder Woman kissed in that issue of Justice League. So I did the best I could with Microsoft Paint, and below is what I came up with.

A tip: When you're trying to do something that looks quick, it often is anything but quick.

At least I know how to do a better job now. Plus next time I'll use comic sans just to be ironic.

Originally published August 29, 2012 with very minor editing. 

I Had Issues! Why I Can't Talk to My Girlfriend About Comics, Part Six

If I wasn't putting all my columns on my blog, I'd skip this one. I'm posting it just to be complete. Six columns in and this column already turned filler. Originally published on February 28, 2019. 

I Had Issues! My Old Review of Three New 52 Comics

Hope you had a good new year. My archiving continues. I called this my "Five of Kinds" for my "52 Pick Up" series of reviews. I reviewed the fifth issue of three different comics. Seemed like fun at the time. Plus I thought it was a quicker way to write reviews (as the intro below shows).
Originally published January 28, 2012. Edited for clarity.

I Had Issues! Why I Can't Talk to My Girlfriend About Comics

Kind of dreaded posting this material, but stuff like this is a big reason why I'm archiving this old work here with the hopes that I can  follow it up with new writing

This is the first of a series of columns I briefly did for the site. I was trying to find another way to use a graphics-heavy column that I could write quickly in order to help make sure the site always had content.A paltry effort, but I promise I do get funnier. Originally published January 17, 2012. Edited for clarity and to remove dead/irrelevant links. 

P.S. After this video from Tony Goldmark, I'm less angry about Robama. 

I Had Issues! My Old Review of New 52's Justice League #1-3

 

Continuing my "52 pick up' series of reviews. My numbering style continues. I only did this to help me write the article more quickly. Didn't stop me from making a ton of errors. Still, it was fun to try out for as long as I did. Originally published on December 12, 2011. Edited for spelling and clarity.

I Had Issues! My Old Review of Justice League #1

A meager offering this week. Included mostly for the continuity of future (re)postings about the New 52. The funnier one are coming, promise. Originally published September 21, 2011. Edited lightly to correct grammar errors.

I Had Issues! My Dwayne McDuffie Tribute (1962-2011)

You'll notice that it's my second article reposted from the original comic site I used to work on, and it doesn't really talk about comics, but the film and TV properties based on them. Little did I realize how this was just a shade of things to come with every comics website available.I was definitely part of the problem.

Dwayne McDuffie passed away shortly after the site took off. I knew less of his comics work in later years (I have fond memories of his Damage Control series). His TV work had an effect on me, as I saw most of it in real time, back when I still had a TV and cable. I'm glad I got this out quickly, on February 24, just days after his death. I'm even happier that I can post it here and fix the mistakes I made with the graphics. I was pretty new to WordPress at the time and had no idea how to resize or lay out graphics. Lightly edited for flow.