THE WEEK IN COMICS: AUG. 15

This is the biggest week of comics I've had in quite a while. I will cover the two Countdown comics in another post, so here's some thoughts on the rest of them...

Booster Gold #1 - Confession time: I've always been a big fan of Booster Gold. The original series started back in 1986 and I bought it from the first issue; I even used the cover to #3 as an example of dynamic art during my freshman English class. Dan Jurgens did a great job writing and illustrating the series and I was sad to see it disappear after two years. Since that time, he's kicked around the DCU and has been a joke for much of that time period, something I've never been a fan of. The writers of 52 resuscitated him to the point where he played a huge role in the return of the Multiverse. This new first issue (written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz with art by Jurgens and inker Norm Rapmund) sees Booster trying to reclaim a big role by joining up with the newly-reformed Justice League. He gets the offer and ends up turning it down. Why? Rip Hunter (a master of time) has come to him and told him only he can help save the time stream from someone trying to exploit wormholes within time. Booster agrees to play the fool while working to save heroes throughout time. Time travel and all sorts of corners of the DCU? Sign me up. Johns (and Katz) repeats his trick from the first issue of Justice Society of America by giving us a teaser page of what's coming up in the first year of the title. Brainiac 5 trying to take back his Legion flight ring? Multiple Blue Beetles and Booster fighting Maxwell Lord? Yes, please!

The Flash #231 - Here's a different Flash book - Wally and Linda are parents! And, of course, their kids have super-powers (and have grown at a very fast rate). We see fun interaction between the kids and their parents, touching moments, a glimpse of where the Wests have been, and a weird mystery at the end. Mark Waid knows what he's doing. I also have to mention the art by Daniel Acuna, which is cartoony and sleek and very appealing.

Justice League of America #12 - This is Brad Meltzer's last issue, capping off his relaunch of this longstanding title. We get glimpses of all the members as they shuffle in and out of monitor duty and we learn some secrets and see some plot developments and it's all framed by two characters who aren't revealed until the end (though you can figure out who they are). It's a good issue. I am interested to see where Dwayne McDuffie goes from here; he takes over next issue.

Clash #1 - This is the first book from Moonstone I've ever bought and I probably wouldn't have bought it in the first place except for the fact it's written by my friend and local comics shop owner, Greg Karras. It's drawn by Cory Hamscher, who lives in the area and whom I've known for a long time as well. They turn in a solid story about a grim future where some super-powered people are trying to overthrow other super-powered people. There is a lot going on but you can follow it and the last page has me interested to see what else he's going to throw in there.

GEEKERY

We went and saw The Simpsons Movie this afternoon. Grant was more excited than I was, which was very cool to see. What was even cooler to see was the movie itself. It was a lot of fun with great jokes (both verbal and visual) and the heart that always beats within the show. I have no complaints.

I also bought some comics again this week...

Justice League of America #11 is a change of pace, focusing on two heroes trapped in the rubble of a building that is sinking into the water. How Red Arrow and Vixen deal with each other and try to get out is the whole of the story. And it works. Of course, that's helped by Gene Ha's art, which is not your standard super-hero fare. I know there have been many people unhappy with Brad Meltzer's run on the title but I've enjoyed it well enough. One more issue and then we'll have a real change of pace in Dwayne McDuffie; I'm looking forward to that.

Grant Morrison goes near-apocalyptic in Batman #666 with a look at a future where Barbara Gordon is police commissioner and Damian Wayne has taken over for his father in the Batsuit. Who's he? The son of Bruce and Talia (daughter of the evil Ra's Al Ghul). Anyway, the comic is grim but it's also entertaining. The Morrison and Kubert team has been turning out good comics.

Finally, I picked up Grendel: Behold the Devil #0 (which is only 50 cents). I've been a Grendel fan since way back and this is a short teaser for a new mini-series which will fill in unknown details of the original Grendel, Hunter Rose. Even if you've never read the series, I think this issue would intrigue you enough to come back for the series when it starts in November. I don't think you can go wrong with Matt Wagner.