Up From Genre City

Just Another Area

I wanted to take a moment to give you all the heads up on your two best friends; The Castle Rock Memorial Read-A-Thon and the trusty fan favorite: Wednesday's Inbox. No doubt my regular readers have mourned their absence this week.

As far as the T.C.R.M.R.A.T. goes, I've realized that unless I want the entire book spoiled for me, I'm going to have to spend the next month re-reading Books I-VI. "That doesn't make sense, Benjermin," I can hear you say (you have an odd speech inflection). "How will that keep you from getting spoiled?"

Here's the deal. We all know TheDarkTower.Net. And there is a forum, and in that forum is a section devoted solely to Dark Tower Book VII hard core spoilers. And these spoilers are out there my friends, because the ARCs are out there. And even though I'd been dutifully reading through my T.C.R.M.R.A.T. regimen (I'm 1/4th of the way through Firestarter, The Dead Zone made me cry, if you're keeping score, so far every single Stephen King novel has featured a character whose face goes "cheesy".) I could not keep away from these spoilers. The Chapter List, incriminating but vague statements about the end of the book, all swirling together in a vortex of pure book-ruinination. It had stop. But I was completely powerless to stop it as long as my fundamental DT DT's were not sated. So I'm spending the next 30 or so days until 9.20 reading the first six volumes of the Dark Tower Saga. If I finish early, I'll probably just start rereading them again or pore over the Companion (maybe pick up Tyler Hall's Towerpent?). It's for the good of everyone, and it seems to be working. Starting over with The Gunslinger is definitely securing in my mind the image of this series as one very long and very heavy book. And I've never been the type of person who skips ahead to the last page.

As far as Wednesday's Inbox goes, I've been toying with the idea of doing something later in the week after I've actually read all of the books I've bought. I went to a great seminar on Humor Writing and the topic turned, naturally, to blogs, and one very topical suggestion was made to actually spend time on blog entries. Edit, rewrite, etc. I'm still very much a fan of writing a weekly examination of the comics I've bought, but I'd like to sort of stew about it for a few days and come up with something really worth reading about them.

I have a feeling I might keep on with the Wednesday's and then post something else on Friday's or Monday's that are a bit more focused, talking about one or two things any of those comics may have piqued in my mind. For example, I'm working on a Frank Quitely article that I'm really loving, which arose from my stunned reading of a preview of We3 #1. Surely every week won't inspire me to post a multi-tiered examination of a particular artist, but it should at least give me enough juice to craft an interesting post about comics that people can read every Monday morning.

Since that seminar I've toyed with the idea of having an informal Your Week In Benjamin set-up as far as my internet based output goes, as such:

Monday: Comic Recap Thing Mentioned Above
Tuesday: New Genre City Page
Wednesday: Wednesday's Inbox
Thursday: New Genre City Page
Friday: Some Other Thing

I've never done well with this kind of completely all encompassing week-long schedule in the past, but it would give me a lot of outputs for whatever's rolling around in my head. I wouldn't put this in your palm pilot just yet, but I'd like it if there was at least something new for people to read by me here or at Modern Tales (Official Home Of Genre City).

So to sum up:
-Tune in later today for another exciting installment of Wednesday's Inbox.
-T.C.R.M.R.A.T. is on temporary hiatus.
-New Genre City pages appear on Modern Tales (and can also be read here) every Tuesday and Thursday. But you should know that by now, for God's sake.
-Friday is Pot Luck Day at Up From Genre City (I ought to cook up a logo).

Toodles!

Restating The Obvious

As if you didn't know already, this preview of We3 #1 confirms that Frank Quitely is the industry's greatest living artist. COME ON, don't try to deny it.

You can see the genesis of an extremely long-winded examination of his work that I'll farming out for publication as soon as it's done (seriously!) here.

Wednesday's Inbox: 8.4.04

Ultimate Spider-Man #63
Y The Last Man #25
Runaways #17
Ultimate X-Men #50
Ultimate Nightmare #1
Uncanny X-Men #447
DC Comics Presents Hawkman #1
DC Comics Presents Superman #1
X-Men: The End #1
Bloodhound #1
Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure #1
Detective Comics #797
Daisy Kutter: The Last Train #1
Blue Monday #2
Conan #6

Yeah, I had to start off with USM quick this week after last issue's (I wouldn't dare say last month's, because USM monthly is such a ridiculous concept) DEATH ENDING SHOCKAH. Well, I'll say it now, there is now officially too much of a good thing. It's simply not healthy to have the same creative team put out 63 issues of one book at such a blinding pace. It's still a good book, sure, but it's starting to feel less and less complete as each new issue comes out. Was I supposed to feel Peter's steely resolve and anger on these pages? MJ's remorse? I certainly hope not. I'm not saying Bagley's a bad artist. The hardcover of the first volume of this book is what made me appreciate him. It was chock full of kinetic energy and amazing splash pages. Now his talents are utilized on material that just seems way too slipshod and all over the place. Slow down, guys. It's not the worst thing in the world.

But, I think it's time for the fine wine portion of the proceedings because we've got a Solid Rock Block of Brian K. Vaughn this week. The always stalwart Runaways and Y were stalwart as always. I especially loved the resolution to this first season of Runaways and the wicked tease of the epilogue to come. The special bonus of Ultimate X-Men made even Gambit and Kubert art result in no regurgitation on my part. No small feat.

Ultimate Nightmare was really fantastic, actually, and it makes me wonder why Ellis isn't doing more of this kind of stuff (i.e. this book and UFF). He's so fucking good at crafting stories that are totally pop, yet totally fresh, new, and accessible. He's one of the only writers in comics, I think, who doesn't stamp everything he writes with a style that at points has struck me as cumbersome, annoying, or both at the same time.

Claremont double-stuff, this week, with Uncanny, which I'm loving so far, and X-Men: The End which I'm merely giving a shot. The preview I read was confusing as hell, but I was reading it awfully fast.

I also had to catch up on my DC Comics Presents, a fun little romp of a series that I am also loving the eff out of. Bloodhound, which got an intriguing write up by Rich Johnston, is getting the Birdie Shot. Kapwingg!

I'm going to come clean and say that I have serious problems avoiding Batman crossovers. I hardly ever read the individual books, but for some reason, these crossovers, the latest of which is called War Games and is represented in my lap this week by two titles, also sucker me in trying at least a couple of them. We'll see how long I stick around.

Daisy Kutter is brought to us by the brains behind Flight (which my lack of current ownership of is probably the only thing I regret about not being at SDCC this year), and the previews I saw of it looked out of control. Blue Monday and Conan? I have got some catching up to with you guys.

And those are your...Birdie Shots! Kapwinnggg!

Wednesday's Inbox: 7.28.04

Astonishing X-Men #3
Planetary #20
Powers #2
Avengers #500
Ultimate Fantastic Four #9
Superman #207
Amazing Spider-Man #510
Sleeper #2
The Walking Dead #9
The New Frontier #5
Venom/Carnage #1
Superman: Birthright #12
Catwoman #33
Losers #14
X-Statix #25

The Complete Bone

Oh, and I picked up The Last Day, the very final Cerebus collection, during the week.

This is just a nearly insurmountable week here. Nearly 2/3rds of the books up there are, like, total MUST READ NOW books, a rareity. Sure, you've got a Venom book up there (Peter Milligan wrote, okay? Lay. Off.), but damn nearly everything else is just high tone quality. And, yes, The Complete Bone is gigantic. Let the tittering commence.

Those last four books, also, are only at the bottom because I need to catch up on the previous issues. Can you belive I skipped Fantastic Four this week? That's how much I really disliked the last issue.

I read Astonishing, Planetary, and Powers already. The art on the first two is just insane. How good is John Cassaday? There's stuff in the both of them that will bleed your nose. Powers? Good. But I'm starting to realize that they read much better in chunks.

Other than that, what more is there to say? I'VE GOT SO MANY COMICS TO READ.

Wednesday's Inbox: 7.21.04

Seaguy #3
Ex Machina #2
Daredevil #62
DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern
Conversation #1
Justice League Elite #1
Human Target #12
Demo #8
Kabuki #1
Wolverine #17
Adventures Of Superman #630
Tom Strong's Terrific Tales #11

Craig Thompson's Carnet De Voyage

I set aside the new Thompson book because it really has no place in the "Pile". I will say that I've flipped through it exhausitvely and it's so impressive that it's propelled me to by a new sketchbook and dub it InkBlog. It just may show up somewhere where you can see it. Someday. If it turns out any good. Which my sketchbooks so rarely do. It's a lovely size, though, 7" x 7", a format I've never tried before. Maybe that could be the difference between use and ignominy.

So, Seaguy got read immediately, and it was downright astonishing. I have to read all three before I can say anymore, but Cameron is leaping tall buildings with this book. Really fantastic stuff. Then it was right into Ex Machina over lunch and that was also fantastic. A little less spectacular than #1, but still excellent stuff. It's really nothing at all like a super-hero book. I also managed to squeeze in the Daredevil, Azz's half of Green Lantern, and Conversation before I finished my sandwhich. Azzarello's story was just downright bizarre. I feel like I should have laughed but it actually seems to have sailed right over my head. Me!

I am so behind, though. I haven't read a good 2/3rds of last weeks books so, realistically, anything on that list that hasn't been read yet, probably won't be for a good long time. Although this Morvern Callar issue of Demo looked like the most interesting one. So that one's got a shot.

I didn't pick up Scott Morse's Spaghetti Western, as it was knocked out of the Spend-My-Free-$20-From-Midtown-Comics slot by Thompson this week. It did make me realize, though, how I could I solve the problem of Genre City's format. It came in a paper slip that has it's own spine, giving the retailer of the ability to stock it like a regular book and, thus, not throw it in a box somewhere. In fact, I just might use the design for the latest Genre City promo image as the slipcover, and mock up a Spine, Back Cover, and Outside Spine for the package. Oh, man! That's gonna be fucking hott!

Um, anyway. Yeah. I did buy some other books this week. I figured I might as well give Kabuki a shot. I didn't really like Mack's run on DD, but, who knows. It's an intriguing style and I love his illustration work.

The twin gems of this week, though, come from the pens of Craig Thompson and Cameron Stewart respectively. Long live the brush.

Wednesday's Inbox: 7.14.04

Trying something a little different this week. Let's see what happens.

100 Bullets #51
DC Comics Presents: Mystery In Space
Identity Crisis #2
Ultimate X-Men #49
She-Hulk #5
The Pulse #4
Gotham Central #21
4 #7
Captain America #29
Spider-Man #4
The Legion #35
Superman/Batman #11
Books Of Magick: Life During Wartime #1
Egg Story
District X #3
Love Fights #11
The Punisher #9
Fables #27
Bite Club #4

There you have it. My new books this week, in "Pile Order". Those of you who don't rabidly buy comics every week may not be familiar with this arcane concept, in which the buyer takes all his or occasionally her new comics and puts them in a pile in the order in which he or occasionally she wants to read them.

I was also tired of leaving space for certain comics and saying like two words about them. BO-ring. So now I'm just going to go on and on about the week's comics as a whole.

First up, big winner this week: 100 Bullets. Read this on the walk back between the store and work and holy hot damn is it good. I really wasn't expecting the story to start hurtling immediately towards massive crisis point right after the halfway point. Excellent issue, although I feel bad recommending this comic to a friend who just got back into comics, as much of this may be lost on him.

A big week for Quitely Cover fans, as both BOM: LDW started this week, and the never before solicited BC #4 cover (AND HOLY CRAP HOW DID THEY LEAVE THIS ONE OUT OF PREVIEWS IT IS SO GOOD) hit the stands. I'm pretty piqued by the BOM interior art, but BC is a pure covers only buy, hence its spot at the bottom of the barrel. Fables is just there because I still have to sit down and go through the whole series.

A new Grant Mo story hides within that Mystery In Space book, but I'd get it regardless because I loved the Batman one. Could this be the beginning of Benjamin Birdie's Silver Age renaissance? When DC starts putting out Essential TPBs, maybe. MAYBE. Also, I am liking Indentity Crisis so far, Gail Simone is writing Legion now (!), and Gotham Central is, as always, very nicely done. Superman/Batman? I don't know. DC manages to make their high profile books just reek of high profility. It's like trying to avoid, I don't know, something really important. THEY'RE SNEAKY. Kudos, DC!

I read Spider-Man #4 already, so that's why its on the bottom half of the pile, although the fact that I'm more eager to read that comic a second time before I read those other comics a first time should probably tell you something. She-Hulk, The Pulse, and 4 are those quietly good books that require little explanation (although in 4's case, I'm just staying for the art, gang). Kirkman starts Captain America this week, and I'm willing to give it a shot, even though I'll miss Morales' take on him (although what was up with getting Eddie Campbell on the art chores in those last two issues? I love Bacchus, but, whoa!). District X had a really strong #2 (so did I for that matter, yesterday, RIMSHOT) (LITERALLY), so here's hoping that the streak (OH GOD STOP) continues.

Vaughn-Watch: Ultimate X-Men. Are we getting BKV every week now? Dag, I hope so. This story is pretty enjoyable, although it seems that every writer who takes on UltXM hamstrings themselves (or someone else does it for them), by trying out a hot new spin on an established character. This time out: Mr. Sinister & Apocalypse ("WHERE MY PACCY'S AT?" - Patton Oswalt). I vote for cooling it on the new guys. I'll bet Bryan Singer won't fall into that trap. He has enough trouble making just The X-Men interesting. Oh yeah. I said it.

In the category of Inderesting (Indie Press + Interesting = I just made it up!), we've got the new Love Fights and Egg Story, with the former being establishedly good, and the latter looking pretty dang interesting. Although they are towards the bottom of my pile, showing where my true loyalties lie at last.

Wow. I like it a lot more this way. I'm great!

(Thursday's) Inbox: 7.8.04

(Note, I picked up Y: The Last Man #24 last week, in case you were curious)

Hip Flask Sketchbook
It was this or that new Weissman book this week. Lower potential print run wins out again. I'm quite keen on seeing Ladronn's stuff in sketchbook form. Because he's such a good fucking artist, you see.

Teen Titans Go #1
It was free and my sorrow at missing out on the Slave Labor FCBD book drove me to it. I missed a new Milk & Cheese AND a new Street Angel story. DAMN YOU LONG ISLAND WASTELAND OF COMIC BOOK STORES. DAAAAAAMN YOUUUUUUU.

The Milkman Murders #1
Well, Casey and Parkhouse. Looked appealing enough.

BPRD: Plague Of Frogs #5
Number 5? Really. Jesus, I've got some reading to do. Seriously.

Uncanny X-Men #446
I really have not been hating this book at all. More Excalibur vibes, please! And less actual Excalibur. Impostor? Okay.

Supreme Power #11
You ever have that one book you read kind of by default? With no real itching desire to see what happens next but just a vague sensation that this a decent book to be reading? I have like thirty.

Stray Bullets #34
Didn't this just come out? I hope I didn't buy this twice. God damn it.

Fantastic Four #515
Nothing wrong here, bro!

Ultimate Spider-Man #62
I'm done writing about this book. It comes out like friggin' weekly.

Tom Strong #27
Same as Supreme, here. I don't know. They keep throwing Chris Sprouse covers on there, I'll be prone enough to buy the book. That simple.

DC Comics Presents: Batman #1
This is the start of that great looking Julie Schwartz tribute. I'll be there every step of the way, as all this stuff looks charming as hell.

Powers #1
"AND WE'RE BACK!"
("Man in the box, get back in that box!")
Yes, at long last Powers fucking returns, and easily picks up the August-Strindberg-Out-Of-My-Way-LeBron-James-I-Don't-Care-If-You-Are-Pimping-Bubblelicious-In-Times-Square-Today-I-Got-Comics-To-Read-Right-Now Award. And holy shit this is a doozy. The Powers team bids farewell to a friend. You just might cry. Also, the premiere of the Powers Personals. Are you ready to laugh, too? After the crying? Well, just pick up this book.

Eightball #23
TOO BAD I ALREADY COPPED THIS AT MOCCA, BYITCH! It was fantastic then, it's fantastic now. I would've bought it today if I hadn't done so already.

DONE.

Wednesday's Inbox: 6.29.04

The Punisher #8
Hm. I guess, just because.

Powerless #1
This looks vaguely interesting. I'm curious what the actual story is going to be, once one gets past the hook.

Invincible #13
I have to catch up on this book, but what I've read so far, I've been surprisingly engaged by.

Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One #2
Featuring Karre Andrews' most anachronistic art to date, this comic has a pretty interesting Sale/Loeb vibe. So far...

Sleeper Vol. 2 #1
What I really want to do is reread all of last season and then dive in here. I am psyched that they're still putting this book out. As I said last week, Sean Phillips: Comics' Greatest Underdog.

Wolverine/Punisher #4
Mildly amusing. I'll stick with it.

X-Statix #24
Man, I'm way behind on this book. I haven't read an issue of this in ages. I also think Allred's at his weakest when he's collaborating with an inker or finisher. His work loses a bit of that zest.

Caper #9
New storyline. I figured it was about time I gave this book a shot.

JLA #100
I'm kind of interested in the whole Elite thing so I figured, hey, why not pick this up? The issue that totally leads up their new book!

Batman: Harley & Ivy #3
Timm. Dini. Who can deny them?

Ultimate Fantastic Four #8
I'm a sucker for all things ultimate, not that this book necessarily needs such an excuse. As it's quite good.

Ultimate X-Men #48
B. K. Vaughn! I just went through all of Y: The Last Man this week, and after Ex Mach, I am officially a devotee.

In Memory Of...
This week, I gave up on the Avengers Disassembled prologues and Winick's Batman, which I really was not feeling. Unfortunately, I also passed up The Dark Horse Book Of Witchings, which I really wanted and will probably pick up next week, since I hit my Free $20 at Midtown.

Wednesday's Inbox: 6.23.04

Superman #206
What does one even say? Good and getting better.

Astonishing X-Men #2
Winner of this week's August Strindberg Read-It-As-Soon-As-Humanly-Possible-Award, it takes the awesomeness that was issue 1, and expands upon its awesomeness significantly. Better dialogue bits ("I mean, sexually?"), spectacular art and storytelling, and the return of a little purple dragon. Not yet astonishing (leave that adjective for the glorious Ex Machina), but pretty damn close.

The Goon #7
This book sort of fell through the cracks for me, but I picked it up this week for the actual Mignola art inside.

Wanted #4
If the release schedule on this book tells us anything, it's that Creator Owned Projects Never Work. Green Lantern books for everyone. Really, what story could you possibly want to tell that couldn't be told featuring a member of the Green Lantern Corps. I'm asking you.

Excalibur #2
Should I create a new award for Book-Most-Resembling-A-Mangled-And-Horrible-Car-Wreck-There's-Simply-No-Way-You-Can-Turn-Away-From? See the fallout here.

Conan #5
Quality, man. Not much else to be said.

The Authority: More Kev #2
Meh. Why not?

The Losers #13
Odd book. I certainly don't fawn over it the way others do, but I recognize its inherent goodness. Same deal with Queen & Country, although at least I pick this book up.

Catwoman #32
Oh my crap! Sean Phillips and Stefano Gaudiano on the boards?!? Paul Gulacy, I'm sure you're a nice guy and all, but I just was not feeling you on this book. I know you'll be back, but allow me to briefly bask in the fruits of Mr. Phillips, one of comics' most unsung craftsmen.

303 Preview
Garth Ennis writes a book that looks like an entire series built off that one We3 preview image with the million zillion bullets eviscerating some dude? So there.

Astonishing X-Men #1 Director's Cut
Okay, I bought this, but don't go calling it a "Director's Cut". There's no "deleted scenes" or extra pages. Just some script and sketches. Just call it a "Special Edition" like every other publisher that puts out bloated second printings of their comics.

Marshall Law: The Day Of The Dead
YEAAAHHHHHH!!!!! THE MOTHERFUCKING SAGA CONTINUES! Okay, it's only a prose book with illustrations, but still. Marshall Law is back and he's not wearing The Mask mask. So there.

Meanwhile, Last Week...
Ex Machina. I (at long last) have no interest in spoiling this particular book because, as I eluded to above, it is astonishing in every sense of the word, and that goes double for the last page. I followed and enjoyed much of Brian K. Vaughn's work in the past, and thrilled to Tony Harris' Best Covers Ever on The Legion, but who could have been prepared for a first issue this fucking fantastic? I'm asking you that, Jimmy. Honestly, if you missed this book, there's probably no hope as it seems to have sold out, oh, everywhere, but no doubt they'll reprint it.

There has never been a first issue this strong, this intriguing, this pitch perfect. And Mr. Vaughn says #2 is even better. My nose is bleeding as I type that. So totally there.

Wednesday's Inbox: 6.16.04

Plastic Man #7
Scott Morse issue. And anyway, I was thinking about catching up on this book for some reason. I like Scott Morse.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #7
Van Damme. So, I'm the only one who hears Black Sheep songs when they hear that name?

Thor #81
Yeah, yeah...Avengers Disassembled, etcetera, etcetera.

She-Hulk #4
We all know how good this book is.

Runaways #16
Ditto.

Daredevil #61
See above.

Fantastic Four #514
ibid.

Ultimate Spider-Man #61
I like what Jimmy Sime had to say about the covers of this book. Quel boring. But this book is like some kind of crack. I'll be reading it until I'm a zillion years old and only the colorist and letterer will have changed.

Ex-Machina #1
Good buzz on this one. And Tony Harris got me back into The Legion with his amazing covers so, I'm giving it a shot.

Human Target #11
You all know how much I loved issue. I went into that already.

Gotham Central #20
S'funny. I was watching some Law & Order or other (who can remember which one) and it got me hankering for a new issue of this book. I wake up and here it is. Hoorah.

Challengers Of The Unknown #1
Hm. I'm as puzzled as you are.

Adventures Of Superman #629
Ditto.

Wolverine #16
I really wish this book were stronger. It certainly has the creative potential.

Wizard 153
Avengers Disassembled, etcetera, etcetera, blah blah blah.

Seaguy #2
This week's winner of the August Strindberg No-Way-I'm-Waiting-Until-I-Get-Back-To-The-Office-To-Read-This Award, I'll have to give it another more concentrated read, but at first pass: Verdict - AWESOME.