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Snapshots for 5/12
There's no way that Don and I can cover all of the material we have for review in full reviews, so these capsule reviews will offer some brief comments on other recent releases.
CONAN #3
by Kurt Busiek, Cary Nord, Thomas Yeates & Dave Stewart (Dark Horse Comics)
 Blend strong characterization with exquisite, bloody action and a well-imagined fantasy setting and what do you get? Dark Horse's new Conan series, that's what. Busiek continues to deliver stories that read well on their own but which are even stronger when read together, reinforcing the threads of friendships and rivalries developing and the tales of the setting expanding the readers' knowledge of what Conan's world looks like. This issue starts and ends focused on Conan's helmet, a nice fantasy story touch, but it's more about the bonds of friendship, the price of jealousy and how xenophobia affects all of the characters, from Conan's re-appraisal of his former redheaded foe to the high price that Sjarl pays for his hatred of Conan. The soft digital colors are not quite as sharp as they were early on, but they still work pretty well, and Nord and Yeates continue to turn in gorgeous backdrops for the journeys and battles of Conan, not to mention some spectacular foes, whether it's the frost giants of the previous issue or the slavers of this one. Conan is a book that is enjoyable as standalone tales, but which also leaves the reader wondering what's going to happen next, and one of the best fantasy comics I've ever read. 10/10
FABLES #25
by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 As the Fables and the forces of The Adversary gather for battle in the midst of New York, I'm becoming convinced that "March of the Wooden Soldiers" is indeed the best story that this series has had. Willingham, Buckingham and the rest look at both sides of the battle preparations here, and what we get is an over-arcing story of the march to war, as told as a variety of short, oftentimes very funny interludes, like the extremes that The Beast (of Beauty and) goes to so he can be ready for battle or the impending contest between Grimble and Hobbes. Then there are the more serious, informative interludes such as the enlisting of the spellcasters of the Fables community, the surprising effectiveness of Prince Charming, or the talk between Jack and Pinocchio, not to mention a truly breathtaking, funny and yet scary double-page splash of the puppets of the Adversary gearing up for battle. There's a terrific build-up of tension and anxiety here, as we wonder who will die in this impending conflict, what will happen, and that unknowable future brings more excitement to the book. This feels in many ways like a culmination of all that has gone in Fables before, and I'm very excited to see the conflict that results from all this setup in the next issue. 10/10
JOHNNY RAYGUN QUARTERLY #1
by Rich Woodall & Matt Talbot (Jetpack Press)
 Lava monsters in Las Vegas! An evolved caveman with a superiority complex! A space cop with a ray gun and a somewhat short attention span! These are the things that make up the first issue of Johnny Raygun Quarterly, a fun romp through the '50s science-fiction genre with a modern twist. The most obvious comparison would be to Steve Conley's Astounding Space Thrills, but honestly, I'm put more in mind of The Goon, which also draws on '50s pulp roots for a blend of comedy and action. On top of solid artwork and a fun tone, though, this issue also features a neat idea when the creators reveal the twist behind the lava monster, and as much fun as it is to see somewhat clueless Johnny Raygun interact with the hilariously snooty Dr. Oog, I also appreciate the core of sci-fi cool that runs through the book. Johnny Raygun is a welcome burst of fun into the underserved science-fiction genre in comics. 8/10
THE PULSE #3
by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley & Scott Hanna (Marvel Comics)
 The Pulse seems to be the halfway book, somewhere between Ultimate Spider-Man and Alias in terms of seriousness and maturity, and that halfway point is somewhat compromised. Partly it's compromised by Bagley's art, because while I like his work on Ultimate Spider-Man and think he does perfectly solid storytelling on this one, his stylized, somewhat goofy characters set a lighter tone than the story calls for. Partly it's compromised by Bendis choosing to use Norman Osborn, a character who in my mind is dead and should be dead, and partly it's compromised by Millar having given away the ending in Spider-Man #2 this week. Mostly it's minor annoyances, like Ben Urich somehow knowing Peter Parker's secret identity (which is believable, I suppose, and probably canon, but I'm tired of everyone knowing Spider-Man's secret identity). However, for all my various minor issues with the book, there are also any number of moments that I really like. If the book was all about Jessica and Luke Cage's unusual love life, I'd buy it every month, because that stuff is always gold, and Bendis's take on how normal people react to the weird stuff of the Marvel Universe, like waiting for Iron Man to fly over on lunch break, is also a lot of fun. Actually, The Pulse is sort of a mirror for how I feel about Marvel in general at the moment. I love a lot of their stuff, but at the same time I wish there was more respect for their traditions and some attention paid to important continuity issues (not stuff like when Iron Man last fought the Blizzard, but important character consistency stuff). The Pulse is a very readable comic, but I'm not sure if I like it enough to call it a really great comic. 7/10
SHE-HULK #3
by Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo & Marcelo Sosa (Marvel Comics)
 As I read She-Hulk #3, I was very much reminded of another comic that I read, the quirky legal comedy Supernatural Law. In fact, I'd almost think that Batton Lash was writing the book, except with stories focusing on superhumans instead of supernatural. I'm not accusing anyone of plagiarism here, just saying that I'm definitely warming to She-Hulk, which is showing a delightful and somewhat warm sense of humor that gently pokes at the silliness of the super-hero genre and cleverly explores some of the legal downsides of the genre at the same time. I'm never too happy when Slott's story ventures into the regular Marvel Universe (his version of Jarvis and the Avengers is a bit too schtick-y for me), but when he's focusing on Jennifer Walters and her new job, the book makes me smile. Ditto for the artwork, which is detailed and fun and perfect for the book, and which also has problems with some of the superheroic stuff, as She-Hulk continues to look like a plush version of herself and Bobillo's version of the Thing looks malformed, not at all like the character that I know and love. As long as the book steers clear of the mainstream Marvel universe for the most part, and relegates itself to a clever examination of super-hero tropes in general, I think it'll be a lot of fun. Even though, really, I'd probably like the book better if it was just Superhero Law instead of She-Hulk. 7/10
JAMES KOCHALKA'S SKETCHBOOK DIARIES VOL. 4
by James Kochalka (Top Shelf Productions)
 This is the volume of Sketchbook Diaries wherein James and his wife decide to have a child, and become pregnant in pretty short order. I expected, therefore, that the stories might focus pretty heavily on that aspect of their lives, but true to standard Kochalka style, the impending birth of the child is given the same weight as burning one's mouth on a hot dog while drunk, an extended trip to San Diego, recording rock songs and little bits of day-to-day fluff like the sounds the human body (or cats) make or weird thoughts that flit through Kochalka's head. The Sketchbook Diaries are a delightful dose of weirdness mixed with some of the most honest autobiographical comics you'll find, all done up in Kochalka's distinctive style, simplistic in appearance but charming and fun at the same time. Really, after reading three other volumes, The Sketchbook Diaries don't hold any more surprises for me in terms of general tone and style, but the strips are always fun, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. 9/10
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