Why I hate books
You would think that with Alan Moore dreaming up the plot, this comic would have the same quality as Watchmen or V for Vendetta. Sadly, the answer is no. I like reviving old superheroes as much as the next guy, especially British superheroes, but this comic needs some tightening up. The opening pages start slow, and it doesn't pick up until midstory. At that point, the story rushes along without any regard for pacing, so the characters simply mash together when they meet, leaving their dialogue sounding sparse and superficial. The Dave Gibbons cover is great, but Oakley's pencils look rushed and uninspired. I did notice the classic Alan Moore convention of placing a comic within a comic, and the Janus Stark mini-story was terrific.
Y: The Last Man #35 by Brian K. Vaughan, Goran Sudzuka, and Jose Marzan Jr., 16-page colour comic ($4.00)
Submarines! Saucy, drug-smuggling pirate ladies! A cutlass! This story arc covers the black market in a world where all but one man have died from a mysterious plague. We get to follow the adventures of Yorick, the last man on Earth, as he tries to navigate this new world accompanied by a scientist and a secret agent. This comic doesn't cease to amaze me. Never mind the gorgeous covers, the slick art inside, or the well-rounded, unique characters in this series, you get your money's worth by just reading how the Vaughan, Sudzuka, and Marzan team put together action scenes. Pick the first trade paperback and dive right in! It's worth the read.
Daredevil Vs. Puinisher: Means and Ends #2 by David Lapham, 18-page colour comic ($4.25)
Yes, I squealed like a frightened piglet when I heard that Lapham was going to write and illustrate a Daredevil comic, with the Punisher no less. Stray Bullets is a heady read; so seeing how he depicts two of Marvel's most prolific vigilantes is definitely squeal-worthy. I had to get accustomed to seeing Lapham's work in colour, since Stray Bullets is printed in black and white. The story still intrigued me nonetheless. Lapham's work weakens when it relies on old mafia-movie clichés (like killing off the traitor at the big ‘sit-down') and flat liners. Despite this, the characters stay well-defined throughout the read. The Punisher remains a relentless killing machine, while Daredevil tries to keep the peace, and the Professor/Hammerhead villain duo are convincing ‘wannabes' trying to work up the criminal food chain.
Oh dear God. First, he rescues a baby werewolf. Then, he fights a giant chicken wing. Somewhere along the way, he gets freaky with someone named Dynamite Girl. Welcome back, Mr. Burden. Admittedly, Burden's line work is not as tight as his earlier Flaming Carrot books, but he keeps the silliness intact and continues dropping comic book references, so readers familiar with his work will be pleased.
