I have deep and analytical thoughts to think about the conclusion of Mr. Miracle – I think I like it – but their expression will have to wait until I’ve sat down and re-read the whole series. And maybe a bunch of other Seven Soldiers issues.
But there was still plenty of other good stuff this week:
Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #3: Dear god, yes. This book seems to be Morrison’s repository of ideas that were just too bizarre to use elsewhere, and it just works so well. It’s mad, crazy badness. In this issue alone, we have Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, killer cows, evil water, decapitation, and a nuclear explosion. It’s a totally over the top action extravaganza. The only visible connection to the Sheeda narrative appears to be a reason to send Frankenstein to Tibet (Frankenstein vs. Nebula Man?), but it’s just too much fun to care. And do we even need a reason for Frankenstein to go to Tibet to fight the Nebula Man? I think not. And Doug Mahnke is just awesome – everything looks so amazingly unpleasant and ugly.
American Virgin #1: Picked up mostly on a whim, thanks largely to Becky Cloonan’s gorgeous artwork. It’s a great bit of satire on religion and society – an easy target, yes, but it’s still nicely done: Adam Chamberlain, leader of a virginity movement, is afflicted by an absent fiancee, ambitious parents, jealous cousins, a pothead brother, and young girls who keep throwing themself at him. The groupies are particularly entertaining, and the cousins have an interesting approach. After a mostly light-hearted issue, Seagle comes in with a surprisingly sober ending, which leaves me wondering how on earth this can be an ongoing series. Four issues? Easy. Twenty? Dunno. Great start, anyway. Definitely the best of the latest Vertigo wave: None of DMZ, Exterminators or Testament really grabbed me.
Firestorm #23: Okay, I give up. Let’s face it: The only person who can make Firestorm interesting is John Ostrander. Okay, Alan Moore could probably do it, too, but he’d write Archie first. This is a competent story with competent art… But I don’t care. Alas. One Year Later stands at 2 for 3 right now.
Down #4: Christ, this went bad in a hurry. This series started out so well, a great dark and violent trip into the underworld. But the final two issues tried to cram in four or five issues’ worth of story, and now it just feels like a jumbled mess. To wit: Despite just meeting the man, Deanna now desperately feels the need to save Nick River’s life. Bonus points for dedication to your work, but huge minus for going completely and utterly insensible. Nice resolution to Deanna’s character – okay, yes, she is insane, but with a twist – but just way too much, way too fast. Cully Hamner’s art is also seems to take a hit with this issue. Big disappointment for Ellis, who’s been on such a roll lately.
Retro Rocket #1: Fun. Fluffy, slightly derivative and predictable, but fun. I like my giant robot stories, and this is probably one of the better entries in the genre. (I mean, really, there are a lot of crap giant robot stories out there) Though having to spend the first half of the issue trying to figure out exactly what Retro Rocket (yes, the call him that) is was puzzling: Is he a robot? A guy in a robot suit? No, he’s a brain in a robot. Which is kind of cool, but that feels like the sort of thing that should be out in the open right off the bat. Jason Orfalas has a nifty animation style that actually works quite well on the page, which makes for some cool yet still fanciful giant robots. I don’t know if I’ll bother with the second issue, but I’ve no regrets in buying the first.