Comics Rambling

Home now. Cold. Tired. Bored. Will write about the trip tomorrow. Hell of a lot of fun visiting Denver. Very cool people. Very good people actually.

But writing about comics for a moment right now.

Spider-Man is apparently getting a new costume next month in 'Amazing Spider-Man #529'. Art bits I've seen of it so far are, well, hideous. Once more reminding me why I don't read any Spider-Man title except occasionally picking up the 'Ultimate Spider-Man' trade paperbacks. Basically, it is red and yellow and was made for him by Tony Stark ( Iron Man ).

On the subject of the 'Ultimate' titles put out by Marvel I picked up 'Ultimate Extinction #1' while I was in Denver. Nice art on it, showing off once more some of the artististic talent they can draw on. Basically, it is a re-envisioning of the coming of Galactus to Earth, or rather 'Gah Lak Tus' as they call him in the comic. Written by Warren Ellis, it has promise.

Speaking of 'Ultimate' titles and Warren Ellis, did anyone take a glance as his run on 'Ultimate Fantastic Four'? He wrote what appears to be the contents of the 2nd and 3rd trade paperback collection of the series. Remember reading about him writing it as a 'sci-fi' story rather then as a 'superhero' story and was curious if it had actually turned out good.

Did anyone read 'Ultimate Nightmare'? Apparently it had sort of the pre-story to this as it introduced the Ultimate Marvel universe version of The Vision in here and I think the later parts of it might have introduced the Kree war. Actually, the more I look it appears to be a trilogy. 'Ultimate Nightmare' followed by 'Ultimate Secrets' and now 'Ultimate Extinction'.

'Ultimate Spider-Man' is still my favorite 'Ultimate' title. I got turned off of 'Ultimate X-Men' at the point it did the Legion story and the art quality / style changed. I haven't actually picked up 'Ultimate Iron Man' but I may give it a try just because the first trade was apparently written by Orson Scott Card ( of "Ender's Game" fame ) and it'd be interesting to see how his writing style got adapted to comics.

Picked up issues 1-5 of 'Desolation Jones' by Warren Ellis and published by Wildstorm ( which is apparently a DC imprint ). Interesting series. Definately not to the taste of everyone, but the art and style of it keep me amused. Think it ends with issue #6 in March though.

Fell, by Warren Ellis and from Image Comics is supposed to be pretty damned amazingly good. Like the premise of it. Can find issue #1 online here and there is a five page preview of issue #3 up here.

Other Warrren Ellis stuff coming up... Wolfskin is sort of his take on a Conan-sort of character which should be really amusing to see. It is coming out from Avatar Press. Other Avatar Press stuff he has coming up includes apparently a collected version of the four Apparat books, this is still a bit of a rumor but hoping it is true since they were apparently good little reads. Also coming up is BLACKGAS, a three-issue mini-series of zombie horror that starts this month I believe.

Next month Oni Press is releasing the second trade paperback collection of 'Queen & Country: Declassified' should be out with a bit more background on Tom Wallace in it. It appears as well that the third collection may be in March and it is about Nicholas Poole. Written by Greg Rucka, Queen & Country remains an amazingly well written and well drawn comic. Also, the second QaC novel, Private Wars is out in hardback.

I have a few issues of Gotham Central to read which is also written by Greg Rucka. Haven't gotten to it yet, but according to Dave it is worth the time.

Had more to write as I've been geeking out over comics again for the first time in a bit. But this is too long already and I badly need some rest.