Comics You Should Be Reading

[thehefner]

Filling in for a day at the comic shop, and as I helped check in tomorrow's shipment, it occurs to me that there are some damn good comics coming out that people oughta be reading.





SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON

Superman pretends to recant Earth and humanity to join General Zod (who's shaping up to be Superman's Magneto, an enemy who genuinely cares for the welfare of his people) to live in the recently-embiggened Kryptonian city of Kandor. Two issues in, and the writing mega-pairing of James Robinson and Greg Rucka are both at the top of their game.

I'm slowly compiling a collection of books as my "Emergency SUPERMAN-hater Conversion Kit," and now I know they're gonna lead directly to this series. It's a great time to be a Superman fan, and if you're not, books like this just might finally win you over.

Now if only we could get Gary Frank to do the interior art instead of just covers:



Pete Woods is great, but Frank's SUPERMAN is sheer perfection. Power and humanity in equal measure. Tell me that first cover doesn't put even a weeny li'l smile on your face.

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON # 2 hits stores tomorrow.





God, that is one generic-ass boring cover, right? How many people will pass that by, not even noticing that it's by INVINCIBLE's Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker? It almost certainly would be getting more attention if the cover showed what the book is really about: a geriatric superhero with a bum ticker who decides to go kill all of his old enemies to make sure no one will go after his family once he's gone.

There. Interested now?

Damn straight.

DESTROYER # 1 is out now.





GREEN LANTERN and GREEN LANTERN CORPS are everything superhero comics should be. Solid, compelling, kick-ass space operatics with compelling characters and thrilling twists.

And now I dearly want an LJ icon of a FINDING NEMO seagull in an Orange Lantern costume.

GREEN LANTERN # 40, part one of "Agent Orange," hits stores tomorrow.





I know, I know... SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE? Really?

Every issue, it feels really wrong that I adore this mini-series as much as I do. It's the same guilty/dirty feeling I get whenever I watch (and love) KIM POSSIBLE and AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. But damn it, it's just so excellent! Funny as hell, great characters, and the first time I've ever cared about Supergirl!

Plus, Lena Luthor is such an all-ages VENTURE BROS character it's not even funny. Except it really is. The Monarch would be proud to have her as a daughter.

Like TINY TITANS, this feels like a really top-notch fan comic, one of those hidden all-ages gems that you'd swear DC wouldn't publish because of their "fun" embargo. And yet it exists, and is awesome! If you don't believe me, check out this review (with scans relevant to your interests!) of issue #4.

It's times like this I wish I had a daughter, just to read perform this to her. I sincerely hope young readers pick this series up, as it's a wonderful way to introduce 'em to the Superman mythos, and a delightful look for those of us who are already fans.

Total guilty pleasure. Don't you judge me.

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE # 5 (of 6) will be out tomorrow!

Comments

[icewolf010.livejournal.com]

It's times like this I wish I had a daughter, just to read perform this to her.

Hee. When she gets old enough to understand, you can borrow ours. :)

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I feel like I should apologize in advance. Call it a hunch.

[nymphgalatea.livejournal.com]

I'm doing volunteer work with kids right now, and of your my primary objective is to twist their little minds with many of the above comicbooks (that, and make sure they don't stab each other, violence starts early in Glasgow)

So far they're *loving* Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade. Tiny Titans is too babyish for most of them, but Billy Batson & the Magic of SHAZAM & my trade paperbacks of the animated Batman series are going down a treat. The surprise hit with the younger ones is All Star Superman. There's a certain rhythm to Morrisons' dialogue that is wonderful to read out loud to them. Plus, the colours are pretty, which is important when you're four years old.

I only wish they had some sort of "Little Lanterns" comic, I would love to introduce kids to GL, but the main comic is far too grown up (that Star Sapphire costume!), and GL Corps is too gruesome.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Utter awesomeness! Rock on, you! I had no idea!

That's so fantastic, kids reading and loving SUPERGIRL and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN. That really does warm my heart, it does.

LI'L LANTERNS would be magnificent. I'd say the upcoming animated GL film might be the gateway drug, but considering how violent and innuendo-filled the WONDER WOMAN animated film was, maybe not.

Clearly, this is a sign that we still have to create SUPERBOY-PRIME AND HANK HENSHAW GO FISHING AND HAVE SOME BEERS.

[nymphgalatea.livejournal.com]

Li'l Lanterns would be beautiful. It would be set in second grade, with a Guardian of Oa as the principal and Alan Scott as the teacher. Sinestro would be a fourth-grader who's a bit of a bully. A Star Sapphire would be the spoilt little princess who plays kiss-chase with a reluctant Hal Jordan (who really just wants to see if he can do a loop-the-loop on the swings and if his home-made handglider can take off from the roof).

John Stewart would wear the dorky glasses from the JLA cartoon. Guy & Kilowog would be forever trying to tunnel out of the playground at recess.

And Kyle Rayner would be a kindergarten moppet, perpetually silent & prone to eating paint, but who manages to save the day on a fairly regular basis, bless him.

Special guest appearances by Cyborg Superman: SCIENCE TEACHER FROM HELL & his adoptive son, Superboy-Prime: TRANSFER STUDENT FROM HELL

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Two responses in one! First off, that is so totally cool, getting kids to read and love comics. Absolutely, I can only imagine what it must feel like to rediscover these stories through their reactions!

Hahaha, my god, you've actually been thinking about LI'L LANTERNS. The visual of Hal on the swings. Would he be the new kid, a transfer student for Abin Sur? Kyle, haha, "Miss Tui, I need a new red crayon cuz I ated mine." Will Arisia be another kindergartner who follows Hal around all the time? And I dunno, I think Kilowog would be the gym teacher! What if Sinestro would be one of those bullies who thinks he's doing it for their benefit, that these wimps gotta be tough if they're gonna survive in the world? Like the tormenting Big Brother mentality? Maybe he was expelled and sent to the Anti-Matter Academy down the road. Really, this would have to be a private boarding school too, as opposed to TINY TITANS' public school.

Dang it, times like this I wish I could draw, and thank goodness I can't, since I'd spend hours working on things like that, just like... well, I was gonna say "Jennifer Tanner's awesome Doctor-Octopus-at-age-six webcomic BOY GENIUS," but it's gone from her site with nary a mention! Did Marvel crack down on it? The bastards! Boy, if so, that does not bode well for doing my Harvey novel as a webcomic...

I love this too much. I really, really do.

[nymphgalatea.livejournal.com]

Oh seven hells, I can't stop thinking up scenarios for this imaginary comic. I've been doing it all day.

Of course Kilowog is the gym teacher, you are absolutely correct. And yes, Sinestro goes to Anti-Matter Academy eventually. Where Parallax is the principal, the Anti-Monitor stalks the halls and Lunchlady Darkseid appears in a special crossover issue.

And Saalak is the secretary to the principal of Oa Academy (God help me, my imagination insists on cross-dressing him with a demure frilly blouse, lipstick and old-lady reading glasses on a chain)

Arisa is a hyperactive little poppet who follows Hal around like a hummingbird on crack. (perhaps one issue will have her put on Ritalin and becoming far more mature for her age...?)

I think Soranik Natu would have to be the school nurse. And Mogo...oh, Mogo is currently a little planetoid, and is *very* sensitive about that. He's always trying to increase his mass by eating a lot, in order to grow up and be a proper planet.

And you're trying to turn Kyle into Ralph Wiggum, aren't you? Poor Kyle, he's not dumb, he just marches to a different drummer. And him and his pet goldfish, Ion, are very cute.

Okay, I'll stop now.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I'm so behind all of these.

See, I was gonna say that logically the Anti-Monitor would run the Anti-Matter Academy, but the visual of the THE ANTI-HALL-MONITOR, w/ official sash... *Brilliant*

No, no, HEADMASTER Parallax! A giant evil yellow fear bug who wears a mortar board!

Or hell, maybe this should be like a Hogwarts, but with the different Corps! I could totally see Saalak as the Snape character here. Now I'm thinking of it as a mixture of Hogwarts and a child-friendly ANIMAL HOUSE style frat house rivarly vs. the stuffy Dean story. With Guy Gardner as Bluto. So many possibilities.

Poor insecure Mogo! Will he EVER be big enough? Stephen Furst will play him.

Hahahahahaha, li'l Arisa on Ritalin, magnificent! as I throw in my towel and recycle my water bottle

Hey now, Ralph Wiggum is an idiot savant! Not dumb at all! "I eated the Black Mercy! It tastes like happy! And "I found Kryptonite in my nose!"

Black Hand could be the creepy janitor. Sort of a cross between Groundskeeper Willie and Freddy Kruger in his past life.

No, no, don't stop! I'm totally turning all this into a post down the line!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Also, it just occurred to me: the visual of you reading the "Lex Luthor in prison" issue aloud. How utterly fun that must be, and how I'd love to have been there first-hand. Whenever I read that issue, I admit I have a hard time not speaking performing Lex's lines.

[nymphgalatea.livejournal.com]

They like that one. Large purple monster chasing Clark Kent through a prison is excellent fun, though I had reservations about giving it over. Nasthalthias' costume is a bit...kinky. But no worse than they see the Pussycat Dolls wearing on MTV, I suppose. The absolute favourite is the one where Lois gets superpowers. Lizardmen living in the hollow centre of the Earth is now an accepted fact.

Reading them comics gives you a new appreciation for the fun that can be had in not giving a damn about continuity or character arcs.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

I picked up the first disc of the latest VENTURE BROS release. Very pleased with it, and glad you pointed it out. It's nicely subversive.

(JOHNNY QUEST? Really? Who the hell remembers JOHNNY QUEST?)

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

You're on Season Three? Hey, excellent! I'm so glad you're digging it!

But of course! Hell, it was meant to be a JONNY (no "h") QUEST parody in the first place, and quickly became its own thing.

[treyhawk.livejournal.com]

I have thr original JQ series on DVD, if you wish to relive your childhood.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Nooooooooooooooooooo......

[nectarousness.livejournal.com]

The first comic cover looks as if Supes is about to burst into song.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Then General Zod bursts in, "NO, NO, STOP THAT! THERE'LL BE NO SINGING!"

[nectarousness.livejournal.com]

"But General... ALL I WANT TO DO IS... SING!"

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

"No, son of Jor-El! You will do nothing... but KNEEL! KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!!!"

*enter Krytonian villagers, singing*

"He's going to kneel, he's going to kneel, he's going to kneel, he's going to kneel...!"

[swimpenguin.livejournal.com]

I will definitely check out Superman World of Krypton, love Robinson's Starman work. The Destroyer sounds cool too-there was an issue of Astro City that did a similar twist where a guy in retirement decides to become a supervillain and pull off robberies that no one can solve to prove society is ageist.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I've read that one! Such a great issue. That said, smart as he is, I'd never want to face him off against the Destroyer, based on that one issue. That is one old fogie you do not fuck with. Yowza.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Erm, if you do check it out, I neglected to get the title right: it's actually WORLD OF *NEW* KRYPTON. Just in case that matters!

Kim Possible...

[american-arcane.livejournal.com]

...does kinda rock. At least all the episodes I've ever caught. It impressed me.

And the Superman Krypton book sounds very interesting, indeed. Figures it would be coming out when I am more than totally out of money.

Probably for the best, though... better that I live my comic book life vicariously through my friends than sink money into more paper products I'll have to move.

At least for now... ;)

Re: Kim Possible...

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

It's everything good about BUFFY but without the damn angst! I even like the snark! And I usually hate snark! Also, I harbor an unhealthy crush on Shego. God help me.

Hey, it's a monthly title, only about three or four bucks per issue, you can *totally* afford it. Do it. DO IT FOR ZOD!!!