STUMPTOWN #2: …And with issue number two, Stumptown becomes one of the best crime comics on the stands today, or at least the most purely enjoyable. Last issue, my only (faint) criticism was that Greg Rucka’s Portland set detective story felt a little by the numbers. It hit all the typical noir beats, and other than its Portland setting (hence Stumptown), and the female lead trying to balance raising her mentally challenged brother with investigating a possible kidnapping, there wasn’t anything that was blowing my mind story wise.

The true hero of the first issue was Matthew Southworth, who’s art was jaw droppingly, stunningly original. I don’t think I’ve spent quite as much time actually looking at the art in a comic in a good long while as I did with the first issue.

So what elevates this second issue beyond the first? Well, you’ve got the same superb noir art from Southworth, as well as some excellently paced cinematic sequences. And the situation progresses apace, picking up from the shocking shooting from the end of the last issue. We’re still not breaking any new noir ground. But Rucka’s dialogue is faster, quipper, and so well written, this is easily one of the most fun issues of a comic I’ve read, again, in a good long while.

Like any good mystery, the more the main character Dex finds out, the deeper the rabbit hole goes, and the more intriguing it becomes. The supporting cast is as rich and interesting as Dex, and that helps a bunch. I’d love to follow each and every one of them on a side story, but Rucka’s razor focus on Dex helps the story moving briskly along. Plus, its hilarious. The dialogue is breezy and fresh, and if someone in Hollywood doesn’t read this issue and instantly turn it into a TV show, something is wrong with the entertainment system.

That’s not to say that this is a TV pitch in comic book form, though that’s something I was mulling over while reading a few of the more deliberately paced sequences, particularly the pages of stake out that contain no dialogue, and only Southworth’s art. Turns out, those smart dudes have thought of that, and there’s a lengthy and fascinating essay in the back of the book from Southworth about the difference between shooting film and creating comics. It’s a great read, and an excellent insight into the creative process.

Plus? 30 solid pages of comic book story for only $3.99. In this day and age, that’s a bargain. Go get the first issue, get the second issue, just don’t miss this series.

RESURRECTION #6: This issue, I’ve gone from liking, to loving this title. Spoiler for the last few issues, but former President Bill Clinton has joined the cast of alien invasion survivors, and this plot twist seems to have given writer Marc Guggenheim a sort of “anything goes” pass that has cleared him from the rigid plot structure that has dogged previous issues. Actually, that’s not totally fair, as he’s been playing around with the structure of these issues ever since the series rebooted six months ago, and it’s finally paying off in spades. There’s multiple surprises in this issue, shocking twists and turns, big reveals, and as usual, the back-up stories kill. In this issue, we get a look at what a Hollywood nerd might have done in the face of global annihilation, and it’s funny and sad at the same time. This series has gone from good to great pretty quickly, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

WASTELAND #27: Honestly, I think it was a little hard to read this series for the first time with this issue, since its clearly filling in events from another perspective from the previous twenty-six. Credit series writer Antony Johnston, though, for getting that across (and some of the stakes) without having any clue who the characters are. Christopher Mittens art is nicely distressed, too, which gives it a unique sandblasted look. I don’t know that I’m intrigued enough to go back and search out the previous trades, but I’ll definitely give this at least one more issue and see if it hooks me.

[Note: The following titles are all being released by Oni Press in comic shops today, 1/6/10. Preview copies of the above issues were provided by Oni Press for review, so please blame any good reviews you disagree with on bribery.]