Sorry we’re late kids. Brendan was house-hunting and thankfully found a place (otherwise he’d have to move back in with his parents!). Unfortunately, all that house-hunting meant he couldn’t do his thing this week, so I’m flying solo. Be gentle.

Also, I’m moving to Hong Kong very, very soon, so tune in next week for a very special BLAAPAS (and no, that acronym is not a mistake)– Adan

Batman Annual #26 Head of the Demon

Adan: I really hate that Damian “Son of the Bat” kid.

It just doesn’t matter what he’s doing, what time period he’s in, or who he’s written by, that kid is just bad news. Every time he shows up, you know you’re in for a subpar issue. And boy was this is ever subpar. Every plot twist is telegraphed about five pages before the “reveal” and the jumps back and forth in time are muddled and confusing. This is touted as the “Origin of Ra’s al-Ghul,” but we learn very little of consequence. So he fought in Waterloo against Napoleon. Who gives a damn? So he was in Whitechapel while Jack the Ripper was doing his thing. Oooh, spooky. None of this matters to the character of Ra’s. In fact, all this “origin” story really does is introduce the documents that contain Ra’s “origin” story. It’s a sort of self-perpetuating MacGuffin that does an awful job of motivating anybody to do anything. And hey, another albino bad guy. Way to be original. What happened to you, Milligan? You used to be awesome. You know what, I’m gonna say editorial got in your way, and fucked you on this. This can’t possibly be your fault.

And why is nobody all that afraid of Batman in the Outback? Why’s he even out there as Batman? You’re a little out of your jurisdiction, mate.

At least the art’s pretty cool. David and Alvaro Lopez have a style reminiscent of Darwyn Cooke body types with Gary Frank faces. Regardless, they do share the blame for timejumps as their transitions could have used work (but I did like the panel borders differentiating past from present).

You know, maybe it’s nobody’s fault that this issue sucked.

Maybe it’s just Damian.

Brit #1

Adan: Even though Kirkman isn’t writing this, it’s still pretty cool. There’s just something about watching an indestructible senior citizen beat the shit out of a bunch of Japanese midgets while two robots beat the shit out of each other right next to them that makes my day fifteen times better. I hadn’t read any Brit before this, but now I’m looking forward to the collected edition when it comes out. This book is quite awesome, so you should just keep reading it until I tell you otherwise.

Countdown to Adventure #1

Adan: A la Mystery in Space and Tales of the Unexpected, this anthology series features two completely different stories that may or may not intersect later on.

The first story features my favorite parts of 52: Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire. Adam is back on Rann with his family, enjoying life before he goes back to full-time duty as Rann’s defender. Meanwhile, Buddy has been reunited with his family, but they’ve got a houseguest in the unconscious form of Starfire. Now, that sounds like a sitcom (and maybe it is), but at least it’s a sitcom that sounds funny. C’mon, a smoking hot alien princess sleeping in your guest room while your wife tries to get you and your kids out of the house on time? That’s comedy gold!

Eddy Barrows pencils on this are just so damn gorgeous (check out the opening shot of Adam), I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this guy before. A quick search on Google reveals that he drew that Bloodhound series for DC that nobody bought. He’s also done some fill-in work for All-New Atom, Firestorm, and 52. Hurm… Either he changed his art style considerably, or I’ve just not been paying attention. Barrows is a guy to watch out for. This just might be his breakout work.

The second story features a really quite nifty origin story for the Forerunner character that was introduced in Countdown a while back. It’s way more interesting than anything that has occurred in Countdown thus far. I assume the rest of this story will deal with Monarch and his plans against the Monitors and what role the Forerunner will play.

The pencils on this story are handled by Fabrizio Fiorentino, and where Barrows in clean and crisp, Fiorentino is jagged and dark. The art doesn’t pop for me, but I will say that his character designs on the various alien races (those he created) are pretty sweet. The Mercurians are especially awesome.

Like most anthologies, one story will probably succeed while the other one crashes and burns. We’ll have to wait and see which is which on this one.

Also, note to Uncle Dan: stop tying everything in to Countdown. That book sucks and it’s just going to drag everything else down with it. You should have called this Sinestro Corps War to Adventure instead, if all you were trying to do was cash in. At least that storyarc is awesome (and don’t think I didn’t notice who the origin back-up in this week’s Countdown was).

Emily the Strange v2 Death Issue #1

Adan: This is less a comic book and more a collection of lists. Best ways to die lists. I guess there is one short story in here about re-animating a cat corpse but… Man, this is so not my scene. The art is hard to parse. I just can’t tell what’s going on most of the time.

The writing is difficult to deal with. I can’t tell if this is a book for mature kids or for immature adults. The jokes are pretty simple and would be funny only if you’re ten years old, but a lot of the subject matter is pretty adult (there is a brain on a spike for God’s sake!)

What I do know is that I don’t like it.

Ex Machina Masquerade Special

Adan: The Great Machine’s very first adventure!

The very first thing that struck me when I opened this issue of Ex Machina was: “Hey, this isn’t Tony Harris!” Now, I know he didn’t do the previous specials, but still. It’s been so long since the last issue of Ex Machina, I actually thought for a second that this was the next regular issue. I have no issues with John Paul Leon, as I actually like the dude’s art (especially that surprising last shot of Mitchell), but he’s not Tony Harris, and I need me some Tony Harris.

Well, Harris might be MIA, but BKV is still here making my heart all a-flutter. The story is set right after Mitchell gets out of the hospital after a certain explosion, pre-Great Machine. An origin story if you will. This where you find out how he came up with suit and you see him solve his first crime. You also get some hints as to what the junk in his face might be.

All in all, a solid issue of Ex Machina, although now I’m jonesing for a new storyarc.

Incredible Change-Bots GN

Adan: Oh man, this is hilarious. I’m sure there’s some kind of fable or moral or whathaveyou, but I’m too busy laughing my ass off. The Incredible Change-Bots are obvious Transfomers parodies, but Jeffrey Brown makes fun of all the little things we took for granted when we watched the show as kids: the robots’ bad aim, the fact that the Decepticons always escaped, and the nonsensical humanizing of robots. Again, I’m sure there’s a deeper message, but I’m too busy enjoying the hell out of this book.

Last Fantastic Four Story

Adan: Meh… It was alright. Stan Lee deserves a lot for all the awesome things he helped create back in the day, including the FF, but his writing is not so good, especially nowadays. Stan has this uncanny ability to describe exactly what is happening in each panel with caption boxes or characters’ speech. The first three or four pages are especially bad: “Bolts of Flame!” “Melting our weapons!” Yes, I know, terrorist guy. I can see it in the accompanying artwork. And I’m not a big fan of John Romita Jr., so this isn’t really my bag. Nonetheless, I’m sure old-school fans will get a big kick out of this, as it’s classic Stan Lee FF on a grand cosmic scale.

Mice Templar #1

Adan: So, is this just another Mouse Guard? Eh… sort of, but who cares? It’s pretty awesome too.

Imagine if the first Mouse Guard mini had ended in a much more grim fashion. Mice Templar is what could have happened a couple of generations down the line. The Templar were an order of mice pledged to defend mousedom from all threats big or small, external or internal. Unfortunately, the Templar had a disagreement over something and had a civil war, decimating them. And that’s just the back story.

The main story is about a little mouse named Karic who idolizes the memory of the Templar, even though most people think they no longer exist. He’s a believable child, playing at being Templar and getting into trouble all the time. Oeming and Bryan Glass have created a rich world with its own mythology, culture, and history.

As for Oeming’s much ballyhooed new art style, I guess it’s alright. However, there are a lot of confusing points in the text. A lot of the mice are difficult to tell apart, some characters appear and disappear with little warning, and it is difficult to tell who is talking sometimes. Hopefully, all these problems will be rectified soon, as I do enjoy the art style.

I’ll keep picking this up assuming those problems don’t get worse.

Punks the Comic Summer Special

Adan: What the fuck?

So there’s a dog-man, a Ghost Rider look-alike, a dude with a fist for a head, and Abraham Lincoln, and they all live in an apartment together while fighting off alien invasions and eating dead hookers. So, again, I ask: what the fuck?

This is too absurdist for me. I like Kody Chamberlain’s collage-style art, but even that gets really weird sometimes. Throw in the fact the comic is interrupted a few times by things like the thirteenth page missing, an interview with Rick Remender the fish, and an alien invasions PSA, and this thing is just too damn weird. Fans of The Young Ones will probably enjoy the hell out of this.

Teen Titans #50

Adan: This issue is hilarity wrapped in schmaltzy remembrance. But it’s the hilarity that will get you.

To “celebrate Kid Flash’s life,” the Titans get together and remember Bart Allen. Thankfully, this doesn’t turn into “remember when Bart did that awesome thing that time?” Instead, we’re treated to a Geoff Johns and Mike McKone tale of Bart flying the Batplane right through a “Welcome to Smallville” sign and Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck page about all the times Bart screwed up in Young Justice. Unfortunately, Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s short was a schmaltzy story about Wally as Kid Flash, and how he was insecure and blah blah blah. But hey, it’s still Wolfman and Perez, so whatever.

The only complaint I have is that the fight scene from last week’s Blue Beetle #18 was reproduced almost in toto (it may have even been the exact same art) for seven pages. Whoever bought that issue of Blue Beetle is going to feel pretty gypped.

Overall, a good anniversary issue of Teen Titans that, if nothing else, has inspired me to go find all those Young Justice back issues. How’s that for salesmanship? Dezago and Nauck do one page of story and art and I’m hooked on a series from ten years ago. Give me some trades, DC!