This Week in Comics: 09/23/09

What a week for comics: lots of great books are ending this week and one of my favorite series is being collected in trade. Also, I only made fun of two comics this week. We’re making so much progress together. Soon enough these columns will be bright and sunny like an episode of Sesame Street.

Speaking of Muppets…

Muppet Peter Pan #1

(Grace Randolph/Amy Mebberson)

BOOM! Studios

I hope BOOM! Studios is getting all the love it deserves. They publish lots of GOOD kid-friendly books like The Muppet Show Comic Book and their licensed Pixar stuff, which affords them the ability to publish more risky work like Irredeemable and Unthinkable. And some of these books are selling out, which is also exciting (assuming it’s not just due to limited print runs). The Muppet Show Comic Book under Roger Langridge is better than humanity could ever deserve, so here’s to hoping that Muppet Peter Pan, despite the different creative team, will be just as good.

Wasteland #26

(Antony Johnston/Christopher Mitten)

Oni Press

How regrettable is it that I’ve only just discovered Wasteland? Not only is it a fairly long-running (26 issues is a lot to me) post-apocalyptic series, but it’s got covers by the wonderful Ben Templesmith. If that’s not enough, Wasteland #26 starts a new story arc. Want more do you want? For me to pay for your issue?

No Hero #7 (of 7)

(Warren Ellis/Juan Jose Ryp)

Avatar Press

Of the 74 Warren Ellis comics released in a given month, No Hero is the nastiest thanks to Ellis’ sick mind and artist Juan Jose Ryp’s expressively grotesque art. The trick is that Ellis lures you in with his mainstream for-hire work, and then warps your fragile mind with his creator-owned work until you beg for more. For example, Issue 6 ended with our hero (who, as the title indicates, is no hero) ripping out the spine of an enemy and fashioning it into a giant penis.

You’re welcome.

William Shatner Presents Tek War #3, $3.99

(William Shatner/Scott Davis/Erich Owens)

Bluewater Productions

“Well, the kids have to learn about Tek War sooner or later…”

Wednesday Comics #12 (of 12)

(Brian Azzarello/Eduardo Risso/Neil Gaiman/Michael Allred/Walter Simonson/Brian Stelfreeze/Dave Bullock/Vinton Heuck/Dave Bullock/Dave Gibbons/Ryan Sook/Kyle Baker/Adam Kubert/Joe Kubert/Dan DiDio/Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez/Karl Kerschl/Brenden Fletcher/Jimmy Palmiotti/Amanda Conner/Kurt Busiek/Joe Quiñones/John Arcudi/Lee Bermejo/Paul Pope/Ben Caldwell/Eddie Berganza/Sean Galloway)

DC Comics

I can’t believe you haven’t been reading Wednesday comics. This means that you’ve missed Azzarello & Rizzo’s second shot at a noir Batman. You’ve never seen Kamandi’s Prince Valiant-styled adventures as drawn by Ryan Sook. Joe Quiñones’s beautifully-rendered Green Lantern. Gaiman & Allred’s wonderfully POP Metamorpho. The space-grunge pulp of Paul Pope’s Adam Strange. Joe Kubert’s return to Sgt. Rock. The parallel Flash/Iris West pages by Karl Kerschl & Brenden Fletcher. Kyle Baker’s Hawkman. A Supergirl that isn’t muddled in continuity.

Now you’re going to have to wait for the trade and it won’t be nearly as big or beautiful as the single newspaper-styled issues.

Eden: Its an Endless World Vol 12

(Hiroki Endo)

Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse is so underrated when it comes to their manga. It seems like they’ve been doing it the longest–long before manga even became popular–by publishing stuff like Appleed and Ghost in the Shell. They finally brought a decent version of Akira to America and publish not only popular stuff like Trigun and Oh My Goddess!, but also ballsy stuff like GANTZ and essential manga like Lone Wolf & Cub. Eden: It’s an Endless World is a welcome entry in Dark Horse’s manga library, a thoughtful post-apocalyptic manga that draws comparisons to Akira both artistically and thematically. This book looks gorgeous and my wallet suddenly feels very, very empty.

Umbrella Academy Vol 2: Dallas

(Gerard Way/Gabriel Ba)

Dark Horse Comics

I think I’ve mentioned Umbrella Academy in every article I’ve written for this site, but here I mention it again because the trade of the second series is finally out. We were all unsure of a comic written by Gerard Way but I had faith, having read him singing the praises of Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol. Say what you will about his band (I’ll start: The Black Parade is a terrific album), but Way’s a serious comic book talent. The Umbrella Academy is a wonderful superhero comic for the weird and dysfunctional.

Underground #1 (of 4)

(Jeff Parker/Steve Lieber)

Image Comics

Going off Image Comics’ ad copy, I can’t quite tell you what Underground is about except that it involves a cave explorer on an adventure in–guess what–a cave. However, it’s written by Jeff Parker, part of Marvel’s current stable of writers who thankfully also does creator-owned work. Art duties are by Steve Lieber, who drew a different threatening terrain in Greg Rucka’s Whiteout.

Superman Secret Origin #1 (of 6)

(Geoff Johns/Gary Frank/John Sibal)

DC Comics

Just what we asked for: another Superman origin story, because THAT’S not a story told far too often.

Geoff Johns can be a solid superhero writer (see: his original run of The Flash) when he doesn’t resort to continuity porn and “mature” fanboy bloodlust (see: Blackest Night), and Gary Frank is a talented artist who is currently forced on drawing Superman to look like Christopher Reeves. I’d like to see some definitive Gary Frank work, because I think the guy’s great but he hasn’t worked on anything substantial.

I’d like to establish a few rules about Superman:

     1. No more telling his origin unless you’re going to make up a completely different one.

     2. No more referencing Richard Donner’s original film. That thing is over 30 years old and its legacy makes for really boring comics and even more boring movies.  No more Krypton crystals and no more drawing Superman like Christopher Reeve. Let’s all put that silly movie behind us.

I no longer believe a man can fly.

Madman Atomic Comics #17

(Michael Allred)

Image Comics

Has it really been two years since Madman Atomic Comics started? And it’s ending already? The only comforting thing about a Madman book ending is that another one will start up soon enough. This finale features not only Madman and The Atomics, but also Red Rocket 7. Buy it and prepare for true POP bliss.