Who's who in the Comics Bulletin Universe - Update 2008
Who is... Michael A. Diaz?
Michael Diaz lives in Michigan, but don't hold that against him.
There he works as a Sys. Admin. while fostering dreams of one day becoming a "real" writer.
Most importantly, Michael is seriously addicted to comics, something that his wonderful wife tolerates with the patience of a saint.
He also writes this weekly column that people occasionally read.
"[O]ne of the most positive
and entertaining columns going."
- Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Villains United)
WLG #178: Elect Good Comics!
It's Election Day here in the United States so if you live here in the States I hope you took the time to stop by your polling location and perform your civic duty.
I moved a couple of months ago and had a new place to go to vote; I leave out in the country now instead of within the city so I was HOPING that when I got to the polls this years that there wouldn't be that long of a line.
No such luck.
The line was nice and long when I showed up to vote, but luckily my lovely girlfriend was nice enough to wait for me so that we could go together so it made the hour we spent waiting and then voting go by fairly quickly. She could have gone a couple of hours earlier and avoided the crowds but still she waited, so for that she gets a gold star.
Awww....I know, I'm so sickeningly sweet.
Normally by this point I'd be watching the national news eager to find out how the polling was going but I had a column to write. Yeah, I know, I could have gotten it done last night, but I was busy getting initiated into a Polish Hall.
A what?
Yeah, I won't bore you with the details but let's just say I joined a club where the members are predominantly Polish-Americans and joining costs a small fee but allows me much access to cheap beer and alcohol. Really, who doesn't like that.
I'm rambling. I should probably insert this then:
BATMAN #658 $2.99 (Grant Morrison / Andy Kubert)I have to admit that when I first heard that Grant Morrison was going to be the new writer on Batman I thought that there was potential for him to "weird it up" a bit. I thoroughly love his take on the X-Men while he wrote New X-Men but that title was full of bizarre and wonderful ideas. It fit with the theme of the X-Men, though, but a part of me was wondering if that would fit with Batman as well.
After a few issues in I see that I have nothing to fear. Not that I was really afraid, but we've already seen a weird, bizarre, and dark Batman and I was hoping for something a little bit different. OK, maybe not completely different, but something fresh.
Needless to say I got what I wanted as Morrison has again surprised me by writing Batman in as about a traditional a manner as could be expected, and again, like he did with New X-Men he hearkens back to some of the classic elements of the series while giving them a new spin.
Now, am I convinced that this new ward of Batman's is who Talia claims him to be? Not entirely, but finding out the truth is certain to be a riveting journey, especially when the new “Robin” isn't quite so fond of the “old” Robin.
Good stuff.
GREEN ARROW #68 $2.99 (Judd Winick / Scott McDaniel)This book is consistently at the top of my “must read” pile month after month; as to why, well, one need look no further than the previous issue to watch as Ollie learned how to become a better fighter, and yes, how to fight dirty. The problem is that Ollie is supposed to be a superhero, with emphasis on the word “hero.” Will his new training and dedication to his craft force him to cross a line that he shouldn't?
This issue features Ollie, his son, and Speedy as they take on an army of scoundrels before leaving the island and returning back home. If it's anything like the last issue it is sure to be yet another solid read.
Kudos to the creative team.
STORMWATCH: PHD #1 $2.99 (Christos N. Gage / Doug Mahnke)Of the WildStorm titles that have been relaunched (sorry, soft reboot) this has been the one that I have been awaiting with the least amount of patience. When I returned to comics after my years away one of the first books that pulled me back into the fold was StormWatch as written by Warren Ellis. I fell in love with the book, the concept, and yes, the characters. Sadly, that book died (at the hands of the creatures from the movie Aliens, another all-time favorite of mine) and what little remained of the team moved on and eventually formed The Authority, which in turn became another one of my favorite comics.
Though I loved (and once again love) The Authority I always had a special place in my heart for Jackson King, aka Battalion. It was this love of the character that made me stick around with The Monarchy as long as I did, but in that title died as well (which really isn't such a bad thing; honestly, I think the book was confusing for confusing's sake, but that's me). True, the book wasn't StormWatch but with some of the remaining characters I had homed I would get a glimmer of that book that I had loved so much.
No such luck
A while after The Monarchy ended StormWatch was relaunched as StormWatch: Team Achilles, a group initially consisting of an all-human unit. Concepts and ideas that I have fallen in love with during the original run of StormWatch were turned on their heads, twisted in ways I hadn't considered, but still interesting just the same. StormWatch: Team Achilles quickly became one of my favorite books, but it too died, due to both a lack of sales and the dishonesty of the writer involved. Sadly, I never got to see how that book was supposed to end as the final issue was never published (though it was written).
I remember asking Scott Dunbier at the Wizard World Chicago Convention shortly after StormWatch: Team Achilles ended if it would ever be back. His answer was predictable, I mean, the book had just died on the sales charts so there was no hurry to bring it back, but he mentioned that maybe after a couple of years with the right concept StormWatch might just return.
Well, here it is and I couldn't be happier.
Sure, I'm happy that StormWatch is back, but I'm also thrilled with the creative team. Though Justice League Elite wasn't as amazing as I had hoped it would have been it did give me several issues to become engrossed in Dough Mahnke's art; his work is dark and sometimes uncomfortable, but in a fantastic and striking way. Personally, I love it and think that this book will be perfect with him on art chores.
Then there's writer Christos N. Gage. He took one of my all-time favorite characters, Deadshot, and captured him PERFECTLY in the the Deadshot mini-series from a year or so ago. Mr. Gage impressed me thoroughly with that book and I am thinking he's going to do the same with StormWatch: PHD.
Yeah, StormWatch is back and I, for one, couldn't be more elated.
Y: THE LAST MAN #51 (Brian K. Vaughan / Pia Guerra)There really isn't a lot that I can say about the last issue without giving too much away, so let me just say that when I got to that last page my jaw dropped.
What.
The.
Heck?!?!
Vaughan and Guerra continue to impress, and more importantly, surprise with this title even as it counts down to its final issue.
Brilliant.
'Nuff said.
ETERNALS #5 (OF 6) $3.99 (Neil Gaiman / John Romita Jr.)After not really knowing what Neil Gaiman was capable of before this series I have to say that I now see the light as it were. I've never read an issue of Sandman (though I still INTEND to do so) and though I enjoyed 1602 that title didn't really set me on fire. However, with this book Gaiman and Romita Jr. have created a true epic that believably captures the godlike power of the Eternals, an ancient group that has been on Earth almost as long as it has existed.
Honestly, I don't even know where to start when I describe this series, but man, Gaiman has created a convert of me.
Great, truly epic stuff and NEVER disappointing; a must-read month after month, hands down.
Was there something that did it for you this week? If so, stop by the What Looks Good message boards (see link below) and spread the love, my friend.
Until then,
Peace!
-Diaz
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