Comics

So I started out ranting about comics and the things that were pissing me off. Not just comics but pop culture in general. I decided I don't want to do just negative things anymore. SO while all the original paragraphs are here I did ad in some thoughts on current runs I am really liking and tried to put some positivity in. So sorry if this one is long. You can skip the angry parts if you want....

Ill start pleasant. I have said it before and I will say it again AWA has become my favorite comic studio. I love the fact even if "powers" are in the comic they are usually background to good story writing and usually not much for powers anyways more dark and gritty. The truth is this whole blog post was inspired by a series of theirs New Think. It literally is the smartest written, half assed political / "woke" series I have ever read. I hate wokeness but I loved it. It really took a good hard look at humanity, showed our flaws yet not once did I say wow this is preachy and lame. Although 1 issue maybe #2 I was confused as the point but overall loved the series. Also currently have Eratic on the go. I am in my 40s you wouldn't think a comic about a teenage boy would be a good read but it is. I enjoy the story, the humor, the art. Sacrament is a space, religious horror? I dunno if that's the right category but that's what I would say. It is another good one. Genre bending. Other titles like Devils Highway (serial killing, human trafficking and a bad ass taking out bad guys), American Ronin (really cool assassins) & Casual Fling (Sex, Blackmail) have been favs of mine. I won't lie there have been some titles I have said meh, and maybe not finished but for the most part I have my store put every title that comes out in  my file. IF you like gritty comics and are not looking for capes and happy endings all the time this might be a studio to check out. Years ago I looked at Zenoscope and said I like these guys, for many years I did buy their stuff even when I wasn't collecting but I think AWA has taken over that for me. WOW this blog is old. I am hooked on Trojan now by AWA. Fantasy creatures and the dark web plus Black Tape rock and rolls and looks like devil worship?? AWA is killing it!! I will say this, I will be let down IF they end Trojan like I think they will but I have faith AWA will "Knock my socks off" Also really enjoyed the beginning of Red Zone. It is a comic that kind of read like an old 80s action movie. OH hey this guy is a a mild mannered professor who knows some Russians. Then oh look I have a room full of big ass guns!  I am starting to realize that might be why I enjoy AWA so much. It has the feel of movies or at least well written TV shows. The kind I enjoy, like cop drama or supernatural thrillers. I had an epiphany, AWA is my fav because it is like going to the movies, something I miss and enjoy! Not just saying that cause Fourth Man was laid out like a movie, but that two was a cool ass idea!!

So there is writing and then there is great writing. I write but I know I am not quite great writing yet. This is universal from comics to TV to whatever. Good writing, you want to see the next episode but it can wait a day or 2. The next issue is at the comics shop but it can wait. Great writing your watching the show as it airs, at the store on new comics day to read it that night. Good writing talks at you (Thats not even always true. Some writing that talks AT you is bad writing), great writing talks to you. Blunt writing telling you how you should feel, might be good writing but great writing makes you feel it. Instead of saying Joe was sad, a great writer will make you feel sad with Joe. I will be blunt in general comics now are just good writing, not great. They tell a story but preach what the reader should feel. I sound like an old man saying this but the metaphors in old (80s) Xmen (for example) were much stronger because they made me feel for the characters. They didn't tell me hate and discrimination were bad, they made me feel they were bad. (Side note Marvel milking the mutants right now has led to this. Tons of stories but none that REALLY get into characters and make you feel for them.) That is the difference between good and great writing. I freely admit I am right of center politically. When I started reading comics, I was left of center and in general I would say most comic readers are left of center. In great writing though the reader should have NO idea where the author lands. Sure maybe from the writers social media the reader knows "OMG she is such a terf! (What a stupid fucking word) but in good writing the reader shouldn't hear the writer. For example Image released The Scumbag a couple years ago. The first few issues I was hooked! So well written, so funny jabbing all of society. By the end I was happy to see it be gone. The great writing became preachy and boring. All I could hear was the writer.... AWA studios did the exact opposite. New Think is honestly one of the best written series I have read, probably ever. Sure I could guess where the writer lands but overall it was written showing society as is without preaching. Honestly I give it The Best Series as picked by Brer Rabbit of 2022. I am rambling now, not great writing.... My point is great writing will have values, morals, a lesson for people but it will be subtle not shoved down your throat saying if you don't think like us your bad!

I got into collecting again roughly 3 and a half years ago. I was going to jump in with my two fav lines. The Xmen and Bats! I guess big stories had just wrapped up and Alfred had died!! That's huge, I mean will he stay dead? That's hard to say BUT he has for awhile now. The problem I have had with Batman is while he has the most well known rogues gallery it is always the same. Oh no Joker did something crazy, Riddler is trying to outsmart Bats, Penguin is a gangster.... Oh they are sent away, oh they break out or are released.... However since starting collecting again things have changed. A lot of new characters have been introduced. Bruce has lost his money, mostly. The Bat fam has grown a lot on me, while I wasn't collecting. I mean in size not like I like all them.... I don't know half of them..... The writing these last few years has been amazing though, we saw Fear State, Joker War and Shadow War (A personal fav). A bunch of interesting new characters. Ghostmaker is maybe my new fav comic character. He is Bruces equal in everyway but has no problem killing. I am not a huge fan of him being in Batman Inc and really I don't know that we even need that title but this first arc is interesting. If anything I would keep him in the back, Batman that kills could be a great character if he isn't over used. Clownhunter I am 50/50 on, he has a neat story but I haven't really become attached.... Punchline is / was the biggest new character IMO and now is kind of the biggest let down. Her story has gone meh. Honestly she was a better version of Harley, not even better but more compatible with Mr. J. Harley became too likable, if your making a female Joker make her evil like he is. Not a lovable side kick. Along with that I am going to say I am worried about Lady Gaga in Joker 2. I didn't worry about broke back Joker when others did, had faith in Heath. Battison ended up being not what I expected, his Bats was okay but his Bruce was terrible and I thought it would be the opposite. I admiti n the end he did good but I worry for Joker 2. Gaga is a great actor but I feel they will turn this into some artsy flic. I do not want that and this is the first "Bat" film I have worried for in a long, long time.  Also the Joker title I am not sure what to say.... Volume 1 was a really good story. Volume to has been very hit and miss. It gets hooks in you with which is the real Joker but then lots of nothing.... Also the "bonus" stories are fucking awful. Just stop with them. Also some of the non Cape titles in Bat family have been really good. The Gotham year 1 is a great detective story, just got final issue, can't wait to read it. I hate when they write Thomas and Martha as not being good people. I think to make Bruce Bats they should be good but this showing other family not that great well that's just fine. GCPD I am liking it as well. I think that is cause I am a cop show nerd but if that is something you like this title might be for you. 

I hate re-imagined characters. Supes, he is a white honky from middle America with those values. Bats well he is a tragic rich white billionaire that beats the shit out of people rather than seek professional help. Get where I am going? (This part of the blog is months old I will be honest) I am going to use Enola Holmes 2 as an example. (Yes I get it isn't a comic but it works perfect.) Decent movie, exactly what one would expect, silly, fun adventure. What drags it down is Moriarty. Moriarty is a math professor, a middle aged white male. But in todays world that can't stand, he needs to be a black woman.... (I mean I guess he could identify as that....) NO, enough. This guy is one of literatures greatest villains. The only rival to Sherlock, who is the prototype for pretty much every detective in the last 200 years. Moriarty is the original Wilson Fisk in literature, leave Moriarty as is. Why does an icon need to change??? Here is the thing, I loved Mira Troy storyline. A black woman, who no ones notices because of who she is turns out to be a criminal mastermind. Perfect, that's great writing. It plays into the morals or lesson or whatever you want to prove PLUS it is just a great twist, great writing! So why then did she need to be Moriarty? IF this is going to be an ongoing movie series, yes Moriarty should be the "Big Bad" so why not have Mira as one of his henchmen? Loki to Thanos type shit! Sherlock (In the actual books) said Moriarty was a criminal genius and had many minions. SO why not have her be one, it legit works perfect. So they took some amazing writing and ruined it.... What's next, Hannibal the vegan? I think Disney did it right with Cpt America. Steve is gone but takes the time to explain and to give Falcon the title.... Well no we have a whole series for some reason that leads to that BUT it was done well. Instead of just saying hey, here is this icon but we don't like it. It isn't woke enough for people so we are changing it up, they wrote a story that makes it all make sense. I have no problem with characters changing up BUT at least attempt at a story leading up to it not just force something down peoples throats. I don't know how to correct that sentence properly but I am saying they didn't just say "Hey Cap is black now!" they took the time to show why and what happened. Fun side note on writing. Netflix Wednesday did an amazing job of writing. Without a doubt the metaphors to minority groups are there and so well done. Nothing is forced down anyone's throat but there are great lessons. ALSO Witcher Blood Origin I am seeing a lot of hate. "Oh its too woke" Read my posts, I hate most wokeness BUT if think Witcher has gone woke, you don't understand the source material AT ALL. It is another example of great writing, where there is a moral people learn without it being over done! So even though Netflix is horrible for it, those 2 series they actually wrote morals in properly. 

X! Krakoa has been an "interesting" run, it legit started when I started collecting again. I grabbed all the "issue 1" From New Mutants, Xmen, Fallen Angels blah blah blah whatever 100 titles they launched with it. I dropped a lot cause well there was a lot of crap. I have said it before it is awesome to have every possible mutant to write with! I am rethinking that. There is almost too much going on. Like I notice there is no real character development. (Yes Claremont 80s fanboy) Back in the day it was just better written, more development was going on where as now there is too much going on. Trying to tell a dozen stories, to sell a dozen titles but not really producing great content. Its kinda like The Walking dead on AMC were they are doing all these off shoots that take away from a really good overall product. Marvel had a great idea then they started milking it and overall it isn't great. Hellions was an awesome title, the first Marauders was good, this second one was absolute shit. Immortal Xmen has been the only real story that developed characters, with back stories and such. It sounds like I am dumping on the Mutants and I kind of am but there have been some cool story arcs just saying overall I am not really enjoying Krakoa, seems like milking more than anything. Also I hate the resurrection protocols. I have said that before as well but if they can just keep coming back from the dead why would we care. There is no real danger or anything, so ya that's lame. Sins of Sinister has been a let down as well if I am honest. I maybe should have known. I didn't realize it was going to be an alternate reality series. Guessing in the end someone will use a "Moria" reset and the whole thing will mean nothing. Or maybe an alternate mutant or something will remain (Rasputin is cool but hoping maybe not seems very OP)... Age of Apocalypse was really the only big alternate timeline I liked. I mean all of them have had cool points but then when they don't mean anything it is very meh. I love Sinister, I had big hopes for this series but it is kind of almost to over the top. I liked when he seemed to be struggling with genetics not just able to do whatever he wants.... If I was writing the MCU Xmen Sinister would be my first big bad. Or maybe Apocalypse would be but Sinister would figure in heavily in the background, where he is best. Also big X23 kick these days. I bought her first appearance way back in the day, might have bought 2 copies as I thought that it could be a big deal. Now they are reprinting her joining the main universe not just the NYX storyline and I dig it. I never read it, so even though it is a reprint happy to have it. I would honestly be okay with her being the MCU Wolverine whenever they join. I know it would make so many people mad saying Disney is so "woke" not even realizing she is an actual character so that would also be fun. Anyways I am not a fan of the Xmen vote, that teams gets changed every few months, thats what I mean when you constantly rotate them you can't really build them up. Hellions was amazing, not sure why that ended. First run Marauders was great, second one was painful. The way I am seeing it these days Marvel is milking mutants, probably to set up MCU and overall making the product not as good. Immortal Xmen is great and I am hearing good things about Xmen Red so I may buy a graphic of that. Some series like the new Inferno and X of Swords have been good, some like AXE were really nothing. Marvel had a great idea with Krakoa in my mind but it seems like it really just turned into milking.... To end the muties I gotta say I did ask to start reading Xtreme as it is Claremont so...... I guess I am feeding the milking.

Thor has been a great ride for the last few years and it introduced me to Donny Cates. He is a phenomenal writer. So that was a big part for me and I loved his run on Thor. 30 issues in though I think I am going to have to drop it. I don't want to, I want to find out this giant overall arc they have going about Thor and what he saw for the "end" but I do need to cut down some titles and while Thor is cool if it comes down to my all time fav Xmen, the amazing run Bats is on or Thor. I can drop Thor. I am thinking I may start doing a lot more trades than actual issues....

I don't know if this goes the same as the paragraph a couple above but stop cleaning up characters. Scalphunter for example... Greycrow sounds cool in the new issues he is in. I won't lie HOWEVER I keep using the name Scalphunter cause A) I know it annoys some people and B) Scalphunter sounds bad ass. Oh no Greycrow is after me isn't as scary as a guy named Scalphunter & anyone who knows old Marvel knows Scalphunter is bad ass, don't mess with him. It was a fact that people were scalped, it wasn't nice and it is scary AF. Keeping that name isn't insensitive, stop with making everything safe for "todays world". Some people are bad or say things that maybe not everyone likes, this is true whether or not people like it.... Or for example Magik in the New Mutants movie. Just listened to a pod on that movie and they complain at the beginning Magik is kind of a bitch and even makes racially insensitive comments. Then they go on to say that a hero shouldn't be like that or at least someone you want the fans to like. I completely disagree. Its called a redemption arc. Instead of lying and saying people are always good, write it realistic!!! If you want them to end the story as a knight in shining armor sure whatever, but maybe they can learn to be that on the way instead of saying they have to start out as this "woke" ideal person. 

It is too bad that Bad Idea is a shitty company because they do make good comics. Or at least some of their titles have been good. Did enjoy Werewolf and Orc Island had good moments. Now I get wanting to sell issues BUT to make people take entire "series" is a joke. I like to buy a lot of issue 1&2 some series I keep going others I drop. That's how some titles get found, in fact that's a reason to have damn good covers. I don't want to be tied to a title if I buy the first issue and am not interested. From what I hear a store purchases say 50 issue 1 of a series then they have to buy 50 of every issue after that EVEN if it isn't selling. Business degree say that's a smart plan. Comic collector says fuck that. So I wont rant on it but ya I won't buy or support a company like that. They could buy Marvel and DC and I guess I would have to drop my X and Bats titles. If your comic isn't good enough that people want to keep buying it, you shouldn't be putting that on comic shop owners. Maybe I am wrong but I don't believe comic stores are HUGE money makers. 

I am going to wrap this up with Damn Them All. So you get gritty dark crime setting and then you mix in some 72 demons? I can get behind that. I am not even sure how to pitch it, Peaky Blinders meets American Gods? Thats not bang on but as close as I can think of. If that is a mix you would be into check it out!! I am a fan of comics that don't have capes and this one is well done.

So HOPE that wasn't to bitchy. I mean a few things just bug me these days and I had to get them off my chest. The comic breakdown wasn't to deep just a few of my favs, check them out if you want!