The Bill May 4, 2011

This week's haul was so huge, I haven't even gotten a chance to finish them all yet! But I wouldn't let something as trivial as that keep me from writing a review or two for you fine folks. Let's see what I did get around to reading...




A Fresh and New Number One:

Gladstone's School for World Conquerors # 1
Writer: Mark A. Smith
Artist: Armand Villavert



If there's one cliche in comics that will never get old with me it's the comically, over-villainous uh... SuperVillain. As I'm sure you can tell, this one was clearly written just for me. And I couldn't be happier about it.

From the fun history lesson explaining the hysterically tragic beginnings of the school, to the big schoolyard fight, this book was firing on all cylinders. The writing was deft and quippy, while the art was fun and full of energy, resulting in the perfect indie balance to my current favorite corporate book, Avengers Academy. Add in the intriguing twist at the end, and you have a series that officially holds my interests.

Also, while we're on the subject of Image Comics (even just tangentially so), can I just say how remarkable all their recent number ones have been? Between this, Jake Ellis, and Morning Glories, not to mention Skullkickers, Blue Estate (apparently), and Nonplayer (which I still can't find), it seems as though Image is going through a bit of a renaissance. Kudos to them for putting out so many fantastic and vastly different titles.

But I digress...



So Good It Hurts:


Moon Knight # 1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev



On the flip side of things, we have this most recent reboot of Marvel's answer to Gotham's dark defender. And it's... meh.

Actually, let me clarify that: It's an interesting take on the character, but the twist has been spoiled for months resulting in this reader not really caring about the first issue. Had Bendis not been so excited to talk about this crazy new take on Moonie, it probably would have been a decent first issue. Instead, I find that it all builds to a reveal that I already knew was coming. I might as well just come in with issue two.

Reveals aside, Moon Knight suffers from a little overexposure. If this was the first Moon Knight series I had seen in five to ten years, it'd be great. However, in the context of it being yet another issue one in a series of failed restarts, and a constant presence on the newsstand since 2005, I find myself bored with it being more of the same.

I think I'm gonna skip on this series. Lemme know if he starts fighting werewolves again because that's a character reboot that I wanna see.




And that's all I really had time to read. Well, not REALLY, but pretty much. Give me a day or so and I can yammer on about Herc or Avengers Academy for you if you so desire. Or I guess we could talk about Fear Itself, but I don't really know if y'all are into that...

Until then, May the Fourth be with you. (I just had to do it!)