What Have I Been Reading?

Actually I'm even amazed at myself at how odd an assortment of things I'm reading currently.

52 - No one is more surprised than I am to be reading this weekly series from DC Comics. For a long time I thought that I was through with the company, yet this weekly series has some how held my interest.

I can't help watching, perhaps in the way one can't help but look at a car wreck, for poor Ralph as just as it seems he's reached his lowest point they manage to drive him down even further. While Black Adam's role as a true vigilante hero in the vein of the original Nazi tossing Superman of Shuster and Siegel always draws me in.

Of course the series probably holds together better since I read 4 or 5 issues at a time since I get them through mail order.

Showcase: Elongated Man - I'd been a fan of Ralph and Sue for a long time, but hadn't read many of their individual stories. This collection going from Ralph's first appearance in the Flash to his run in Detective Comics was interesting.

The stories are a bit sappy, and just plain silly in spots, but they were still fun especially to see just how wildly Ralph used his powers. I was bummed that something as important as Ralph and Sue getting married wasn't covered in a story itself though.

Get a Life - This collection of Monsieur Jean stories even surpassed my already high expectations from reading other strips. As we get looks into Jean's single life, that never gets too sappy or wishy washy, but is heartfelt, entertainingly done stories of life in a clean easy to read style.

Arkham Asylum 15th Anniversary HC - Actually found this on a bargain rack at Books a Million for $3.58, despite the $29.95 cover price. I'd been interested in reading it for years, but I must be blasphamous here. I can't stand the art. It tries so hard to be intense and mood driven, that it fails to allow me to follow what on Earth is going on in the story.

The extras were interesting, especially to see a Morrison script, as well as discovering that Morrison could easily be an accomplished artist from the panel breakdowns he drew.