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Snapshots for 9/8
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.
DEMO #8
by Brian Wood & Becky Cloonan (AIT/Planet Lar)
 This is sort of a weird, haunting issue of Demo, with the super-power element very much downplayed and the human elements very much emphasized. Wood says at the end that it is his favorite issue, and in fact his favorite thing that he's written, and while it doesn't fit that niche for me (it's tough to topple Channel Zero and Pounded), I can see where his love comes from. This is a brutally emotional story about a young man left behind by his girlfriend's suicide, and about them spending one last day together talking about their relationship and where it went wrong. The mechanics behind this talk are a little fuzzy, but it seems that she's sort of a ghost embedded on audio tape, which is kind of a neat little notion. Cloonan impresses as always, with some wonderful beat panels that focus on little things, showing how important little things can be in the scope of the larger picture, something that is reinforced within the story itself. This is a quiet, introspective story, featuring essentially one character (OK, two, but one of them's dead), and it invites one to examine one's own relationships, past and present, as well as to empathize with the character. Unlike Wood, this isn't my favorite thing of his that he's written, but it might be my favorite issue of Demo thus far. 10/10
DISTRICT X #5
by David Hine, David Yardin & Alejandro Sicat (Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights imprint)
 I've got to admit, the six part structure that is the default at Marvel these days is starting to wear on me even with books I like, such as District X. Fortunately, while it does seem like this story is running a bit long, Hine's plot is actually two plots with a side story of introducing the characters, so there's actually enough here to justify the expansive opening arc. This issue has a lot of payoff for the setup that has gone before, making it feel more predictable than previous District X issues, but it's still got a lot of what I like, including a quiet sequence with Bishop, Ortega and his wife at their home that is replete with future story potential. The highlight of the book, though, comes near the end, when Hine, Yardin and Sicat use a progressively tighter packed set of panels to give a sense of urgency to a shocker of a cliffhanger. 8/10
THE GOON #8
by Eric Powell (Dark Horse Comics)
 Powell takes a bit of a left turn in this issue of The Goon, leaving behind the gonzo humor style and telling a story of lost love, seductive vampires and the tragic heroism of The Goon. Oh, it's still got humorous elements, but the core of the story is about a very beautiful and dangerous vampire and how The Goon defeats her mostly by being in love with someone else he can never have. Powell also really pulls out the stops on the artwork, emphasizing the ethereal, sultry beauty of the vampiress and really giving a sense of the misty graveyard at twilight as well. Never fear, though, that The Goon is going to abandon it's EC by way of Looney Tunes roots, because Powell also serves up a hilarious two-page intro that celebrates his low-brow tendencies in the wake of four Eisner nominations. 9/10
LICENSABLE BEAR #1
by Nat Gertler, Mark Lewis, Filip Sablik, Bradley Walton, Rusty Haller, Tone Rodriguez, Mark Dos Santos & Alex Grecian (About Comics)
 Novelty comics ain't easy. Oh, making one is easy, but making it funny isn't, and so it's notable that Gertler and company have created a fun comic based on a novelty concept, that being a bear that is all-too-aware that he's a cute marketing gimmick. What we have here is a treatment on the excesses of free market capitalism, the pop-culture churn of Japan and, uh, biker bars, viewed through the lens of a cute marketing icon ala the Pilsbury Dough Boy. Gertler's observation of how accepted the naked greed of corporate culture has become is visible in the first story, but he skewers the other side, the anti-capitalism activist, in an equally funny and insightful story later on, and his funniest work is probably to be found in his take on the bizarre (to American eyes) commercial practices of Japanese corporations and their consumers. The art throughout is likewise good, with particular highlights being Rusty Haller's dead-on manga riff for "Licensable Bear Goes to Japan" and Mark Lewis's comic timing on "Licensable Bear Goes On A Bus." Fun and just a touch subversive, Licensable Bear is worth a look. 8/10
SHE-HULK #7
by Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo & Marcelo Sosa (Marvel Comics)
 The notion of She-Hulk going to practice interstellar law sounded like another genius idea for the off-beat She-Hulk series, but this first issue is actually the weakest She-Hulk tale since the first issue of the series. It's still got some of the same sense of fun, particularly in the banter between She-Hulk and her new young charge, and the cases before She-Hulk's court are enjoyably wacky as well, but it's not quite as funny or as clever as the last few issues. Part of my disappointment, surprisingly, comes from the return of artists Bobillo and Sosa to the series, because while I'm a fan of their work in general, their take on the more superheroic stuff is their weakness, and that's the focus of this issue. My complaints are relatively small, like the deformed midget look Bobillo gives the Watchers, or the fact that he changes his mind as to which of the Watchers is Uatu, or that Beta Ray Bill's hammer doesn't look right, but when all these small things are combined, the result is that the look of the book just seems kind of off. Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much enjoying the series as a whole, and this issue has some key moments I quite enjoyed, but it's disappointing when compared to the last few issues. 6/10
STAR WARS: REPUBLIC #68
by John Ostrander, Jan Duursema & Sean Parsons (Dark Horse Comics)
 I continue to be impressed by the Dark Horse take on the Clone Wars, and this particular issue is a pretty good chapter of that conflict. It's all from the point of view of an Arc Trooper, the clone troops who are sort of the lieutenants of the clone army and who mix the obedient military mindset with a touch of independence and tactical thought from their originator Jango Fett. Much of what I enjoyed about the story was the narration, which shows how a pragmatic military man deals with the somewhat philosophical commands of a Jedi general. But there's a lot to like about it besides that, including an appearance in the Republic era by Timothy Zahn's deadly Noghri aliens, some terrific action courtesy of Duursema and Parsons and a little more of renegade Jedi Quinlan Vos, who is the breakout character of Ostrander's run. Ostrander has gotten considerably mileage out of the "is he evil or is he just undercover?" question regarding Vos, and I love that he's still ambiguous without it feeling like the question has been dragged out. 8/10
USAGI YOJIMBO #78
by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse Comics)
 The more I read of Usagi Yojimbo, the more I realize how Sakai has been doing this book so long and keeping it fresh. His stories for Usagi have a wider range of approach than most concepts, easily running the gamut from tragedy to comedy. Comedic is the approach taken here, as Usagi is enlisted by a horrible, self-involved woman to help her on her journey, and for all that the put-upon servant and arrogant, clueless employer is a cliche, Sakai makes it all feel fresh, if for no other reason than seeing the perpetually professional Usagi so clearly befuddled and verbally run over. Sakai's story takes a turn for the more serious later on, examining the harsh reality that a rude mother like Hayashi might face even as he shows the real affection that her son has for her, but mostly, this is a bit of fun at Usagi's expense, making him look the fool even as he also looks the patient and kind hero that we know him to be. It's a tricky balancing act, but Sakai pulls it off, as always, and in so doing, tells another highly entertaining self-contained tale. 10/10
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