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Wayne Markley
by Wayne Markley
I read too many comic books. It is true. I read around fifty books a week and a few graphic novels thrown in for good measure. This is simply too much. So I am considering dropping some titles, but I need your help. I am on the fence over a number of titles that I once really liked at one time but I have lost interest in and I am asking you, the reader, if I should continue to read these books. I am doing this as there have been a number of times I have dropped a title only to be told how good it is by a friend (or reader of this column) so I go back and pick up the title and sure enough, it is good and I was not giving it a fair shake. So please, let me know what you think about these titles.
Batman #48
Batman. I have read Batman consistently since the mid 1960s and the book has had its good and bad moments. but the recent storyline with Commissioner Gordon as Batman and Mr. Bloom as the villain has left me completely cold and I am ready to stop reading this book. To be fair, I love the art by Greg Capullo, but the storylines since the start by Scott Synder have done little for me. I enjoyed the first one with the introduction of the Court of Owls, but to me it has gone downhill since then. I really Iiked Synder’s run on Detective with Gordon’s son, prior to the Detective Comics relaunch (Black Mirror is the collection’s name) It was some of the best Batman storytelling I had read in years, but since the relaunch of Batman I am still waiting to be thrilled. All I get is stories that are flashbacks or fleshing out history, and none of these stories are as good as Brian Bendis’ or James Robinson’s history re-fits. What am I missing that makes this one of DCs bestselling books?
Secret Wars #9
Secret Wars committed the ultimate sin to me. It was late. and late. and late. I cannot stop reading this book because it is over. but I might skip the next event. To be fair, I enjoyed secret Wars, even if I do not think I fully understood it. I suspect it will read better as a single collection. The art by Esad Ribic was great and the story was very typical Jonathan Hickman. It was a very complicated story that was at times great, but also at times boring and confusing. I have discussed the end with a number of people and read the Wiki entry and I am still not completely clear on the end. That is not the way to end a story. I am also befuddled by why it took almost three years of Avengers titles to set up this story which ends up as basically a fantastic four story. I have two final thoughts about this book. One, I wish publishers, marvel and all the others. would focus on telling good stores and avoid these massive events. That includes the next event, Civil war II, which is written by one of my favorites, Brian Bendis. Secondly, I will say I have really enjoyed a lot of the All new All different titles that have come out of secret Wars so there was some benefit to it.
The woods Vol. 3
The woods by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas is published by BOOM! Studios. When this book first came out I loved it. It was an original story about a high school that gets transferred to an alternate dimension and it was heavily driven by characters (the students and the teachers) from different perspectives and backgrounds. As the book has gone on it has become more fantasy filled with monsters and warring armies, and it seems to me like it is being padded and the writer has lost track of the story he was trying to tell. Or the book did better than expected so they are padding it out without forethought. I really want to like this book even though the art does not appeal that much to me. It is a lot like Letter 44 from Oni in that it is a small press book with art that it so-so, but the story is so good I cannot wait for the next issue. but unlike Letter 44 which still is full of surprises and twists and turns, The woods seems to have veered off course. Why should I keep reading this book?
Birthright Vol. 1
Birthright by Joshua Williamson and Andrei Brascan and Adriano Lucas is published by Image. It started out very strong and really had me hooked, but now I feel like it also has wandered off the path. I loved the early issues as they were story driven and were turning in different directions every few pages. You did not know where the story was going but as it unfolded it was brilliant. As it has gone along, the story is still evolving but at a much slower pace and it is becoming more fantasy oriented issue by issue. While I am not a big fantasy fan per se, I do not mind it. but this book went from a page turner mystery about a brother who vanished into a fantasy world and suddenly reappeared years later to a Dungeon and Dragons quest and the change has not done it for me. The art continues to be very good, just the story direction has notworked for me. Am I wrong? should I keep reading this book? What do you think?
Superman #41
I have stuck with Superman as I try and read the big three from DC as I have for almost 50 years. I hate to stop, but the recent storyline has driven me to call it quits. It is written gene Lune Yang with art by John Romita Jr and Howard Porter. Clark has given up being Superman (and his identity has been revealed) and he is fighting in a underground super-powered fight Club. There is more to this storyline than just that, and it just wrapped up with the last issue. I fully understand what a difficult character Superman is to write, and how you need to try different things at times, but this story for me was the cherry on top of four years of horrible stories. I know a number of people who still read the book that say I am not being fair and they list why they think this is a great book, but none have made an arguementthat has convinced me to change my mind yet. Can you? I am aware that DC is promising a back to the basics to both Batman and Superman with issue 50 of both titles, but it took over four years to get here? I am not asking for the 1960s Weisinger era Superman, but I would like to read something resembling the man of Steel I once read.
Spider-Gwen #1
Spider-Gwen by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez is published by marvel and is a peculiar case for me. I really liked this book pre-Secret Wars. since the restart I have not cared for it. It is the same creative team as before but to me there is something missing. maybe it is because the story is a bit slow to develop? I am going to stick with this book through the end of the current Goblin storyline but after that I am afraid I am going to have to say goodbye. Or can you convince me that I should keep with it?
Alley Oop: The complete Sundays Vol. 1
On to something completely different. one of my favorite things is the alley Oop Sundays from the 1930 and 1940s. The bottom of the strip had a one row panel called odds and ends and featured current day news (from the time period) from science, pop culture, the news, or whatever V.T. Hamlin wanted to write and draw about. I am amazed reading about what was new and outstanding in the late 1930s and early 1940s and how some of these are still true today and some are laughable. It is a great insight to what was happening in the world at the time and how things have changed. There are some things even today we discuss and wonder about (the Pyramids) or uses for vegetable oil, or animal behavior, and there are things such as current (at the time) fashion trends, or new cars which seem silly in today’s world. I would argue that little Orphan Annie has the same effect of offering a window into the past, but in the realm of politics and social culture (And IDW is slowly collecting all of Annie’s strips in very nice hardcovers) .Alley Oop is worth reading for the stellar storytelling and breathtaking art, but these odd and ends extras add so much to the my enjoyment of the adventure that take place above it. You can check out these Sunday pages in Comics Revue in color and Dark horse has done two collections of alley Oop Sundays in full color at the original size,(meaning they are huge) starting from the beginning. Well worth checking out.
That is all for this time. I really would like to hear from you as to what books you have dropped and why. Do you think any of the books I have discussed deserves a second chance? Why? Let’s talk about it, ether here, on Facebook, or in person at the Westfield retail stores. everything I have written here is my opinion and in no way reflects the thoughts of Westfield or their employees. I do appreciate your feedback, even when you disagree with me or correct me. I can be reached at MFBWAY@AOL.COM. As always,
Thank you.