I've got my comics
After a week without them
I've got my comics
I missed some doozies, my friend
Do you have any doubts that Saga ruled?
The Will wants some action. Lying Cat big deny
Alana, Alana, Marko's a suave guy
Cut him some slack, and I've got my comics
I've got my comics
Not bad, I'm right as rain
I've got my comics
I'm stoked, Obie feels the same
Andrew and Mary battle out of love
Doom has Daredevil trapped blind in Latveria
A missed week's a cause for hysteria
I'm not sad, 'cause I've got my comics
Friday Slice of Heaven
***Possible Spoilers Below***
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| Saga #4 |
The Will has finally arrived at the pleasure planet Sextillion for some much needed r&r, although he owes Lying Cat big time for his(?) sacrifice. Marko's awake, and he has some questions to answer about who exactly this "Gwendolyn" character is. Then again, Marko has some questions of his own, namely who exactly is this pink-glowing, ripped-in-half ghost girl named Izabel who will be with Alana and him for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, The Will is not exactly finding the sort of depravity he's seeking and a Sextillion proprietor learns why walking on eggshells around a Freelancer is often a good idea.
You never know what you are going to get in an issue of Saga and that is part of the appeal for this wonderful sci-fi/fantasy/romance comic. In issue one, Vaughan succeeded in investing the reader in the plight of Marko, Alana and baby Hazel, while introducing some interesting side characters, like The Will who receives most of the focus for this particular issue. This is a good thing. The main story of Alana and Marko and answering the question of who Gwendolyn is, was handled well and gave insight into some of Marko's history, which was great. But I've been wondering about this "normal looking" The Will since the first issue and we finally get to see that he is going to be a problem for the family in the near future. Also, did anyone catch that his cape does not actually have a hood, but a superhero mask attached to it that he does not wear? Vaughan gives us another great issue, but Fiona Staples's lovely art seals the deal, with the eyes of each character telling the story in each panel while the dialogue provides the clarity. And hey, an all-nude, all-male marching bands in a human pyramid getting whipped by a bondage elf? Not my cup of tea, I'd rather hang out at the top of the stairs personally, but hey whatever floats your boat; Those fellas do look like they're having the time of their lives though. Now comes the horrendously long 30-day wait for the next stellar issue. Saga is simply the comic I have been hoping for and what it delivers is so much more. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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| Daredevil #14 |
You know how it is. You're hanging out with some friends, going to the refrigerator to grab a cold one, but then a teleportation beam comes along and bip, bop, boom...you're in Latveria. Sucks. It's like traveling to see the "world's largest mud ball" with your parents instead of going to the water slides. Imagine how much worse it is for Daredevil. Trapped in a glass box that deflects his radar with only six breathing holes to "see" out of. Much worse than a six hour car ride. At least Doom is gone at a synergy retreat, that's good news, but Beltane, minister of the Bank of Latveria, is by no means a softy. Daredevil is pumped full of nanodroids and although he escapes, and is making his way to the Latverian border, he begins to loose his remaining senses one at a time, and unfortunately Doom's guards are closing in. Meanwhile, Foggy is looking into what Matt has been up to and he's not happy with what he's finding.
Okay, yes, I was poking fun above, but this issue of Daredevil is a claustrophobic and scary ride that Waid expertly drags the reader into and keeps the action flying as Hornhead attempts to make his escape. The ticking clock aspect works well and each scene increases in tension as Samnee--an exciting, and welcome addition to the title--brings every panel to life as the situation becomes more desperate. There's a reason why Daredevil is the only Marvel book that I'm currently buying, and although it's the same character who's been around for decades, the stories are new, exciting and a heck of a good read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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| I, Vampire #10 |
Mary Queen of Blood has had it with Andrew. Here she thought that her love was a new vampire, a creature of power who shares her ideology on controlling the world, but that is not the situation. Under the gaze of 60% of the world's vampires, Mary challenges the monstrously powerful Andrew, but she doesn't stand a chance. Meanwhile, John and Tig--well, John at least--has a tense philosophical debate with the leader of the Order of Van Helsing. But as the discussion breaks down, the Order mounts a hopeless attack on Andrew and the vampire colony, but for the Order, losing is half the battle.
This issue seemed like Fialkov was finally able to get back to the story he wished to tell since the beginning of the series with little interference and it shows. John's futile attempt to talk the Order out of attacking the vampires was well-written and you could almost hear the man struggling to maintain his calm while talking to the unbending and fanatical leader. The battle with Mary, while incredibly one-sided, also showed that Andrew has changed and probably not for the better as he smirks at her attempts to harm him. The subtle acting of the characters would not be possible without Sorrentino's gorgeous art and Marcelo Maiolo's striking colors. The next issue promises to be a wild ride that I anticipate, but here's hoping that the scheduled Stormwatch crossover doesn't detract from the great story that Fialkov should be allowed to tell. RECOMMENDED!
Other Heavenly Items:
Slice Into the Woods
Airlines...Particularly United Airlines - I just got back from a trip to Ohio for my step-sister's wedding, and although being there with my family was great, the getting there and the leaving were traumatic messes. I won't break down the long painful streams of delays, just the overall numbers. Going to Ohio, I had 3 hours of delays and coming back I had a whopping 7 hours of delays. I estimate a total flying time of about 11.5 hours and total delays were 10 hours for a near 1:1 ratio of flying time to delays. In my book, that sucks, folks. None of it was due to psychotic weather or anything in particular, just scheduling problems on United's side. So, what do you do when stuck in an airport? Spend money on overpriced food and beer while you question your life and the decisions that you have made throughout it. This was also the case of three people who I saw melting down at the gate (all for different flights) and who were ultimately threatened with airport security. What happened to the good old days when flying was exciting, prestigious and reliable? I will say that I feel for the poor people trying to help the throngs of angry passengers while having their hours increased, pay cut, benefits cut and life made hell. Airline industry, c'mon!
