Pop! Goes the Icon

I just finished watching the first episode of the 1998 Silver Surfer animated series on YouTube. I read about the series but never had the opportunity to see any of the 13 episodes. I’m sure bouts of insomnia or spare moments here and there will find me finishing the rest of the series (assuming it doesn’t get yanked off YouTube sooner than later), because I was very impressed with the first episode. The Kirby-esque character designs were great, and Galactus represented through CGI wizardry was powerful. When Norrin Radd was transformed into the Surfer and Galactus told him they would not feed on Zenn-La because The Big G made a promise to “a being of nobility and courage” I actually got chills.

After hitting two different comic shops this week, I think I finally rounded up my regular new purchases. I could set up a pull list at my favorite shop, but I’m a little leery of that. Don’t know why. I guess it would be easier for me to just have my regulars held when they come in so I can go without worrying about issues selling out (as Fantastic Four No. 555 did at one shop), but I kinda like the hunt-and-peck method.

Either way, while the books are somewhat fresh in my head still, I’m going to share some thoughts on them. These are just “thoughts,” not reviews:

Cable No. 1: Bleh. I’m going to give this another issue, mainly because it left off with a cliffhanger (predictable as it was), but the entire first issue is exposition. Nothing really happens. It’s Cable and the mutant baby wandering around New Jersey or wherever some thirty years from now. I wont discuss the ending for anyone who is spoiler-afraid, but you wouldn’t be surprised anyway.

Fantastic Four No. 555: I hate Johnny Storm. I just hate that I watched his character grow up as a kid from the hot-headed punk into a married man learning to mature, and now he’s just an immature, arrogant jerk again. I don’t know if the entire continuity’s been thrown away or if Mark Millar is using the movie’s version of the Human Torch as his reference, but either way: annoying. However, the book is otherwise fun, interesting and the art by Bryan Hitch is mind-blowing. I don’t usually like the super-detailed, photo-realistic style, but he pulls it off in a very organic way. Staying on the buy list.

Captain America No. 35: Jackson “Butch” Guice filled in (?) for Steve Epting on pencil duties this issue, and that made me happy. Guice, like Epting, took a while to mature from standard superhero art (circa the original X-Factor) to a more realistic style (I recall it being used in one of the “Days of Future Present” crossover annuals in ‘90 or ‘91), and it worked perfectly in this issue. If Epting isn’t coming back, Guice is a great fit, but if he is, then it would be fantastic to see Guice reappear again whenever Epting needs a break.

X-Men Legacy No. 208: Oh, look, it’s Magneto. All I can say is: MORE JOHN ROMITA, JR. ART!!

Uncanny X-Men No. 496: 1. I am tired of these pin-up covers. The only person doing their own covers that actually reflect the story in the issue seems to be Ron Frenz on Amazing Spider-Girl, but of course, that’s a throwback to the classic Marvel method of storytelling anyway, isn’t it? 2. Michael Choi, while a solid illustrator, draws his characters so stiffly … this seems to speak to a larger problem with comic book art these days: The preference of fancy, pin-up style artists over solid storytellers with less refinement but more depth. That’s a whole column waiting to happen, though. I’m sticking with this title to see where it goes, though, especially with No. 500 coming up fast!

All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder No. 9: I admit. It was fun. No “Goddamn Batman” references though.

That’s it for now. I must now decide between cleaning my apartment and watching another episode of Silver Surfer. Hmm …