Not The Worst Anymore
When I was a kid, being Aquaman was the worst superhero you could be. Usually, the one that picked last got stuck with Aquaman when playing Justice League. I mean, what the fuck were you supposed to do if you were on land (which was most of time)? He couldn’t fly and was weak if he was out of water too long. It was fun if I was at my grandma’s pool but never anywhere else.
But with new series from DC, I’d be Aquaman if I got to pick first without hesitation. The main reason for this is the art of Ivan Reiss and and Joe Prado. I’ve always believed that super heroes should be drawn as huge as possible…exploding out of the panel and truly being larger than life.
And that’s just what Reiss and Prado do each and every month. Looking at their art makes me want to be Aquaman. It also helps that Geoff Johns does the stories so, even though the panels are bigger, he puts that extra special flare he has for writing in each issue.
You need to start picking this book up–now!
Feeling Like A Kid Again
Anyone who reads comics is looking for the same thing. Sure, they are all enjoyable each Wednesday…pouring and pawing over the new releases…with perhaps a small amount of saliva on the corner of your mouth and the occasional fantastic story taking you away for a few minutes. Usually, this happens every week a few times.
But really, we all read in the hope that the next comic we read will make us feel like we did the first time we read Amazing Spider-Man, for example. Or the Claremont-Byrne run on Uncanny X-Men. Or Watchmen. Or The Killing Joke. We are looking for the awe and wonder in the face of an amazing fucking book…one that just knocks your socks right on your ass!!
Recently, I bought all the back issues of Uncanny X Force based on the recommendation of a friend. Folks, I’m here to tell you that the Dark Angel saga gave me the exact feeling that I describe above.
Rick Remender’s writing harkens back to those classic X-Men arcs in the late 70s and early 80s. The artwork by Bill Tan and Jerome Opena is gorgeously detailed, making the story explode to life. In so many ways, this series makes me feel like a kid again and I’m reading about Jean Grey and Scott Summers all over again.
But that was the whole point. It’s a pastiche yet done in a such a way that it feels new. Folks, I highly recommend plunking down the extra dough and picking up this book. You may have to hunt around for the back issues or, if you like, spring for the hardcover but, believe me, it’s worth it.
The story is totally killer diller!
