I’ve spent most of last night and today catching up on comics – it’s been very relaxing. What’s been most surprising is how disappointing a lot of the comics have been. I mean, sure there’s always going to be one or two that aren’t that great1, but there seems to be a preponderance of them recently. Granted, it might be that I read all the good ones when they came out and the ones that are building up are the less interesting ones, but who knows?
The one that surprised me the most is the recent return of the Elseworlds imprint with Superman: Last Family of New Krypton. The second issue of this three issue mini series came out this week, but I just now had a chance to read the first issue. I was surprised that Kris wasn’t bothering to pull the rest of it after the first issue2. Now having read the first issue, I completely understand.
The premise for Last Family of Krypton is that instead of Superman’s parents, Jor-El and Kara, sending their infant son in a spaceship away from their dying planet, all three of them escape together. The family ends up on Earth and this tale would show how Superman’s life would be different if he was actually raised by his parents instead of the Kents. Once on Earth, Jor-El starts a fancy technology corporation to help spread Kryptonian technology to humans and Lara goes on the book circuit, spreading the fundamental teachings of the Kryptonian religion to the backwards apes she now calls neighbors. With all of this work, who has time to raise a baby and teach that baby how to grow up to be an upstanding citizen in their adopted planet? Well, clearly they can’t do it, so instead they find some convenient couple to take care of him and ship him off to live with the Kents. So, what we’re basically saying is that if Superman was raised by his family instead of the Kents, they’d send him to go be raised by the Kents. Sorry, you lost me on that one.
On the other hand, I’ve been really enjoying Paul Cornell’s run on Action Comics that follows Lex Luthor on his search to harness the residual power of the Black Lantern Rings. Cornell excels on characterization and character driven stories and every issue has Lex either working with or against someone else in the DC Universe, so he really shines here. I’m most looking forward to his issue in October, where he brings Death of the Endless into the DCU continuity. His run on Action makes me hopeful that his Knight & Squire book will be good as well.
Kris is off visiting his nephew this week, which means I got to read his comics before he has3, so it’s an all-Travis edition of What’s on your pull list.
Travis, what’s on your pull list?
- Secret Six #25 – Secret Six faces off against Secret Six. I love King Shark!!
Travis, what’s on Kris’s pull list?
- Brightest Day #9 – This issue was nothing but Aqualad and Martian Manhunter. Loved it!!
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #36 – The final arch of this “season” starts. Looks like everything is going full circle.
- Cowboy Ninja Viking #8 – More plot heavy and less funny then previous issues, but still very good.
- Freedom Fighters #1 – Not sure why we need another team book, but it was definitely a solid start. Wish there was a little more background provided for newbie readers.
- Red Hood: Lost Days #4 -Judd Winick continues to make Jason Todd a compelling anti-hero. I’m seriously thinking of picking this one up in trade when it finishes.
- Secret Six #25 – Did I mention there’s dinosaurs?