I Have Issues Pick of the Week 12.16.2009
I Have Issues is a comic book review on the previous week’s new releases. SPOILER WARNING: if you haven’t read your books yet, read no further. These reviews will be posted a few days after comic book release day to give you time to read them so that you can throw your two cents in about what you thought of these books. The picks are currently limited, due to the small selection available in my local comic book shops, but hopefully that will change in a few months. Feel free to visit the Giggaheim.com Forums and start your non-censored, no-holds-barred thread on your favorite books. On with the review
Green Lantern Corps #43
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Pat Gleason and Rebecca Buchman
Variant cover by Ladrönn
This was a light week, with only about 7 books on my pull list. After I raced through my books Green Lantern Corps was the book that seemed to top my list. When we last left off, the Black Rings & Black Lanterns had set upon Oa to devour the green light of willpower. The corps was defending the planet and power battery with all their might, but Kyle Rayner, in a desperate attempt to repel the black rings, gave his life. Issue #43 picks right up where we left off, and We see Guy finally turn to the Red side of the spectrum, enraged by the death of Kyle. What was interesting to see was an experienced ring slinger take the red power, and wield it by making constructs and controlling all its power. Kyle’s resurrection was handled really well, as the pink lanterns (Star Sapphires) show their better half by bonding Kyle to his beloved. I’m interested in seeing the fall out of Kyle and Sinestro’s daughter after the dust settles. And of course Tomasi gives us a fun tease for next issue by having Mogo show up to this burly brawl.
Art-wise there were good and bad pages. With all the darker artwork I have been seeing latterly, I thought that this particular would be a descent into rage, and focus on a lot of red and blacks, but despite the diatonic nature of the book, the art seemed to hold a lighter feel, which could also explain the CCA symbol on the cover (Really?) And I might be getting older, but I could have used more tension with the race to resurrect Kyle before the Black rings descended upon him, but that’s just me. Perhaps some gradually darkening artwork would have helped flush out the mood. Overall, it was my pick in a light week of books, and I am curious about the next issue. Another good outing by Tomasi and Gleason.
Looks like the theme of “Walking till we get there” is continuing as the blu-ray edition of Lord of the Rings trilogy will be moved to April 6th. Originally set for the week of Black Friday, the this blu-ray set is also just the theatrical versions of the film. Suggested Retail is set at $99.99, but Amazon has already posted their lower price of $69.99. So if you want the looooonger versions of the film, you’ll have to wait even longer.
Marvel Comics announced that starting in March of 2010, they will offer some of their most popular and well received comic books for a $1 cover price. Titles such as Captain America #1, Invincible Iron Man #1, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Thor #1 by J.M. S., and Punisher Max #1. The Comic buying/Reading public can only assume this is in response to DC Comics’ follow-up venture After Watchmen that has sold such titles as Green Lantern Rebirth #1 and All-Star Superman #1, introducing a wider range of comics to the public that bought record copies of Watchmen. As far as this reader is concerned, we all win. With Watchmen leading the way in a wider awareness of Comic book/Graphic novel reading it is that much easier for comic book fans to introduce these fantastic books to the general public, and share interests. There has been no news from Image Comics at this time about any $1 introductory issues of Spawn or Savage Dragon, but I am sure that will be in the news soon.
