The Top 5-ish Comics For The Week Of 8/3/2022
It wasn't a great week for comics. So...yeah.
Blah. This is one of those weeks where I really don’t feel like writing about the books that I read. My local comic shop was delayed in getting their indie books, so I didn’t get a chance to read any of those. That left only Marvel and DC. And, well, it wasn’t a fantastic week for either of the big two. But without further ado…
Aquaman: Andromeda #2. Written by Ram V. Art by Christian Ward.
This was the best book of the week by a country mile. Also, I have no clue what a country mile is. But, yeah. This issue was atmospheric and moody, with flawed characters and a palpable sense of danger and intrigue. Aquaman isn’t really the focus of this book, but he is there as kind of a mythic, unknowable presence. Plot-wise, not a whole lot actually happens. The crew of a sub is exploring something possibly alien and bad things happen.
Ram V pays homage to The Thing and Alien in this issue. Big, bad alien thing that fights with a crew of misfits. It’s decent. I hope it wraps up well. Christian Ward’s art is surprisingly bright and vibrant at times. It’s sketchy, moody, and at times unclear. Kind of like the plot or the purpose
Sword of Azrael #1. Written by Dan Watters. Art by Nikola Cizmesija.
Okay, so I wasn’t reading any of the Bat-books when Azrael was introduced. I’m not super familiar with this character. That said, I don't think you really need to be to get some enjoyment out of this issue. Plot-wise it’s fairly predictable but fun. Azrael is enjoying life as a monk on a far-off island. People visit the island. Bad things ensue.
I generally enjoy Watters's writing, and this issue was no different. While the plot isn’t anything special, he writes an effective first issue. There’s enough backstory that new readers aren’t lost. There’s action. There’s enough character development to keep the reader interested. It’s fine. Cizmesija’s art is generally solid. His faces and figures are sometimes oddly cartoony, and his backgrounds disappear during action sequences. That said, it’s always clear what’s going on and there are a few standout pages.
Moon Knight #14. Written by Jed McKay. Art by Alessandro Cappuccio.
McKay finally addresses one major aspect of Moon Knight that had been lacking in this run. Namely the titular character’s Dissociative Identity Disorder. It’s an internal monologue-heavy issue, but it’s done fairly cleverly. The three personalities argue the entire issue while things happen in the ‘real world’. It looks to be setting up a bit of a change to the status quo for the title.
This is the best book I read this week by McKay. He’s hit or miss for me but I’ve been enjoying his Moon Knight run. This issue is no exception. The storytelling device used in this issue was something I haven’t come across before in comics. Cappuccio’s art remains liquid and fluid. I dig his inking style and the way he draws Moon Knight. I don’t necessarily love the way he draws some of the other characters in this issue, but at least his art is never dull.
The Variants #2. Written by Stephanie Phillips. Art by Phil Noto.
Speaking of dull art. Ladies and gentlemen, Phil Noto. The art in this issue bored me to tears. Your mileage may vary. Phil draws a very clean, sparse issue. It lacks any real dynamism or excitement, though. Story-wise, this book was leaps and bounds better than the first issue. It’s not an action-heavy title, but Phillips does write an engaging Jessica Jones. She’s a lovable fuckup. Trying mostly to do the right thing. Failing spectacularly. I don’t have a whole lot else to really say about this issue. I’ll keep reading in the hopes that the title picks up some steam.
Batman #126. Written by Chip Zdarsky. Art by Jorge Jimenez.
Okay, this book has steam. Look, kids! I’m transitioning! That’s advanced writery shit right there. Anyway, Batman 126 is mostly one long action sequence. One of the bigger plot points from the last issue gets waived away almost immediately at the beginning of the book, which was rather annoying. But Zdarsky’s Batman is already a whole lot more interesting than Tyrion’s ever was. Not that that’s a huge bar to hurdle.
This is the book where I noticed that a whole lot of writers, Zdarsky included, use the internal monologue as an expositional device. It feels like an unnecessary crutch and stood out as rather annoying to me. Jimenez’s art was, as always, spectacular. He draws a highly detailed comic that’s always a treat for the eyes. That said, his character design for Failsafe is rather uninspired. I’m hoping this title gets better. It’s fine. It should be better than fine.
All right. Those were my top 5 picks for this mediocre week. Let me know if you agree with my choices or if you think I’m, well, Bat-shit crazy. As always, you can watch my reviews of every comic I read this week here - Cranky Comic Book Review
Thanks for reading,
Taylor
Not a big Marvel fan but dig The Variants. Good review!