Variant Covers: Peter Parker The G’Damn Murderer!
December, and the winter smiles upon us. Its dark bitter smile. Unless you’re one of those fuckers blessed with place of residence that keeps the climate balmy. For the rest of us? Let us escape into the panels, dialogue bubbles, and yes, even the occasional splash page to escape. Ah, escape. Much like I’m escaping into this list of comics that caught my eye this week, to abstain from writing a term paper.
Grab my hand and let’s fly.
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Strange Tales #3
The final issue of the second volume of Strange Tales comes out this week. Just buy this comic book, okay? It’s a collection of indie artists spinning their own unique take on the Marvel characters you’ve come to know. And love. And probably, to an extent, become apathetic to. I don’t usually say this, but even if it’s shitty, it’s probably worth buying. Show some love, so Marvel continues to allow some outside voices to spout off on the characters.
Consider it a dorky political move.
It doesn’t hurt that the comics themselves are generally well done. Some clunkers, but even then, they’re trying. I sound like a little league coach.
Onwards.
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Vertigo Resurrected Hellblazer #1
DC continues their Vertigo Resurrected series with a reissuing of two rare two-part Hellblazer stories. One of the stories is courtesy of Jason Aaron and Sean Murphy, and it details documentary crew trying to find out what happened to Constantine’s old punk band.
Haven’t read it, but I dig the creative crew.
The other storyline is by the crushing super-group of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillion. I’m a fluid-covered fanboy of Ennis’ run on Hellblazer, and thusly I recommend this bullshit to you. Strongly. I wistfully recall the days when Ennis was one of my favorite writers. I know he’s got a legion of followers for Boys and Crossed, but nothing will ever come close to his run on Hellblazer parlayed into Preacher. God bless. If you never got to see the two of these in action on this title, hop aboard.
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What If: Spider-Man Killed Kraven The Hunter?
The title for this comic book caught me. Sometimes dammit, you just have to roll with what catches your eye. Will I buy this comic book? Probably not. But what would happen if Peter Parker killed Kraven? Maybe I’d give a fuck. Amazing Spider-Man #650 also comes out this week, and continues Dan Slott’s run on the title. They’re currently in the midst of the Big Time storyline, and fuck I’m intrigued. I can’t afford to buy the title every other week, or I’d give it a swing.
Aside, Spider-Man’s new dayglo costume is eerily reminiscent of Tim Burton’s barftastic Superman garb.
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Meta 4 #4
I covered Meta 4 back when the first issue was coming out. I haven’t been reading it, but I want to. I could bullshit you, and pretend I am. I have a feeling that the title is right up my alleyway. Odd subtexts, metaphorical layerings, and straight-out oddity. Douglas Wolk over at Comics Alliance describes the series as “Ted McKeever’s new “I’m just going to draw whatever the hell I feel like and call it a story” miniseries, which happens to work just fine because, hello, he’s Ted McKeeve”, and dammit I want some.
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Batman and Robin #18
I miss my binky on Batman and Robin. No one can quite tweak my rotting brainstem like Grant Morrison, and it’ll take a while before I accept my Scottish master has left the premises. Thankfully, Paul Cornell brought the heat with his first issue on B&R, and I’m looking forward to this release.
He has such a distinct flavor to his writing, and that’s a good thing. If someone wanted to trip the mindfuck fantastic like Morrison does, it would come off as a carbon-copy disappointment. Cornell is cutting his own swagger, and I can feel that.*
(I have no idea what those last few sentences mean. I’m in the midst of a final paper in my MA program, and I operating at best on caffeine and stupidity. Which sounds like usual. Fuck.)
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DMZ #60
I was previously ignorant to the fact that DMZ had a finite amount of issues. This gladdens me. Gladdens me deeply. While I haven’t caught up to the current storyline, everything I’ve read has been fucking righteous. Hell yeah, righteous. This week’s issue kicks off the title’s final year, and I have it in my mind to desperately sprint to catch up so I can follow this as it takes on its swan song.
Here’s hoping.
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What are you guys checking out this week? Hit me.