Quick Comic Takes

I got a chance to read a few comics this evening that I'd bought a little while back at a book chain store. So wanted to share some quick thoughts.

JLA #107 -It is the first issue of the Busiek and Garney run, so I was curious to see how they'd do with the book. It is a fairly talky issue, which is a bit of a change from the usual "summer blockbuster" approach the book usually has.

Yet it works, as it has the best portrayal of The Flash, that I've seen in quite some times. Showing in a bright, fun approach how annoying he could be because of his power's ability to make waiting for anything a pain.

I'm not entirely sure what is up with the first part, about a cosmic egg the team was obsessing over. I suppose that comes from not reading JLA/Avengers, so I hope if it is given more attention down the road then it will explained a bit more.

Still a decent start, that has me curious to see what will happen down the road for the book.

JLA Classified #1- I've always found Grant Morrison's work to be a mixed bag. One of his greatest strengths is his pure enthusiasm for the work, and ability to throw out ideas to see what sticks and doesn't. Yet that strength can also be one of his greatest weaknesses too, because it can seem quite unfocused and hard to grasp.

This book plays into that, with 90% of the issue focusing on a team called The International Ultramarines, who I vaguely recall from his original JLA run some years ago. Yet the only thing I get from this book is that they are sort of a suped up version of the old Global Guardians.

The brief glimpses into the ideas behind some of the characters seem intriguing, but
there's no depth to the idea. Without more attention paid to introducing these characters to me, I found it hard to care about any of the bad things that happen to them through out the issue.

Luckily Batman shows up near the end though, which helps save the book a little for me. I'm not sure what Grant does to make Batman act so annoyingly smug, but still likeable and just cool. Yet I wish some other writers would figure it out.

Astonishing X-Men #6 - This was the first misstep I'd really seen by Whedon in the series. As the issue doesn't use the medium to its fullest extent, with the characters standing around talking for way too much time.

Then the one action scene, Colossus tossing Wolverine fast enough to catch an alien space ship that had already launched, was just too ludicrous to be believed even in comics. All leaving just a fizzle feeling to the entire issue.

Sabrina #62 - This book just continues to get better with each issue, as the creator build upon the foundations of her previous issues. Which is quite a change for Archie Comics, which are usually quick, disposable stories that you read and forget.

Yet the themes being played with here, of selfishness and caring and/or thinking of others feelings and needs. Is just such a step up from what a lot of today's comics try for, and should be especially powerful for younger readers who might get the message in their entertainment of the story. Not as being talked down to, as these kind of things are usually done.