Mindless Ones

Comics bought and read on Saturday the 7th of June 2008

One of those weeks, I’m afraid, so I can’t be arsed to write anything more than capsule reviews. Oh the things I buy in the name of evil science.

The Invincible Iron Man #2
Written by Matt Fraction
Drawn by Salvador Larroca
Published by Marvel Comics

Call me King Crazy, but I’m not sure whether suicide bombers and genocide are a good way of bringing the magic back to Iron Man, especially when they’re just being used to illustrate how terribly evil the sorta new iron nemesis (Ezekial Stane) is. Fraction’s at risk of cheapening some truly hideous real world horror here.

And what’s all that nonsense about Irontech 2.0, or whatever? All we’ve seen of it is a few guys blowing themselves up. Matt’s gonna have to sell that one a little harder, because so far it doesn’t look too threatening.

Detective Comics #845
Written by Paul Dini
Drawn by Dustin Nguyen
Published by Marvel Comics

I just don’t get it. What’s so good about Dini’s writing on this book? It’s not that the stories are bad, per-se, they have a degree of pulpy charm, and I recognise the appeal of a Batman book that feels a little less burdened by continuity, that has some breathing space, but what I don’t get is why anyone would want to tell these stories about Batman. They’re just a little dull for a guy that wears his pants over his tights, ya know? And they do absolutely zero to sell me on the “world’s greatest detective” concept.

Come on, someone explain!

Trinity #1
Written by Kurt Busiek
Drawn by Mark Bagley
Published by DC Comics

The title alone is heavily portentous, with its aspirations to religious grandeur, throw in DC’s big three and you hardly need an Internet swamped with reviews, features, interviews and trailers to get the idea that this should be considered A Big Deal.

Sadly what we got was a lesson in why hype should be taken with a skip of salt. Don’t get me wrong, I like Busiek on his good days, and I have a lot of time for the ever punctual Bagley and his obsession with unifaced androgeny, but this was bloody boring. Another Clark, Diana and Bruce dining table conflab, followed by an extended and superfluous Flash Family cameo, followed by the unspectacular and brief introduction of the the oh-so-mysterious force that brought our three champions together in the first place, does not compulsive reading make. Not sure where they’re going with this mainly because I can’t be bothered to generate any ideas.

Kick-Ass #3
Written by Mark Millar
Drawn by Joh Romita Jr
Published by Icon

Wherein it is made clear that the absolute opposite of being a superhero – i.e. the worst thing ever – is to be considered homosexual.

Sometimes, when I’m alone at night, I wonder if Mark Millar’s not repressing something.

Ultimate Origins #1
Written by Brain Michael Bendis
Drawn by Butch Guice
Published by Marvel Comics

I haven’t checked in on the Ultimate books much over the last couple of years, but I get the impression the elegant, clean, continuity shorn universe that we were all so in love with back in the early naughties isn’t so unsullied anymore. Which makes this something approaching a nice surprise, at least conceptually, as it brings some of the elegance back into play, and simultaneously reminds us that the Ulitmate Universe can and should have its own distinct vibe and identity. If it wasn’t for the four or five page long crib from that old Ulitmate Team-Up title, and the fact that very little actually happens in terms of plot, I could see myself recommending this unreservedly. Which is weird.