Good ole’ Charlie Brown is back, the doctor is in and another first issue featuring the X-Men are all featured this week in The Comic Stop. Read which are worth checking out and which you may take a pass on after the jump!
Peanuts #0
Written by: Charles Schulz, Ron Zorman, Vicki Scott
Illustrated by: Paige Braddock, Vicki Scott, Ron Zorman, Lisa Moore
KABOOM!
What do you call those of us that love Peanuts? Is there any sort of cool term like the Deadheads have? Are we Pea-heads? I don’t think. Charlie Brown’s Angels? Not quite. Whatever you want to call those of us that love Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and the rest of the gang, those of us that love Peanuts should be pleased that these beloved characters are back in new stories from BOOM! Stuiods’ kids imprint, KABOOM.
While some may be sceptical, even up in arms even that someone other than the late, great Charles Schulz is writing this ongoing series, there’s no question that everyone involved is paying the utmost respect to the legacy of Peanuts with the new stories featured. Both the art and writing is spot on and hold up beautifully next to Schulz’s original strips, many of which are featured alongside these new adventures. Not only is Peanuts #0 a great way for longtime Peanuts fans to revisit our childhood friends, it’s a wonderful way to introduce new readers to a world they’re sure to spend time in as they grow up.
Doc Bizarre, M.D.
Written by: Joe Casey
Illustrated by: Andy Suriano
Image Comics
I wasn’t sure what to think when I started reading the latest creator owned work by Joe Casey (X-Men, Butcher Baker: The Righteous Maker) – I’ve never been one for purely humourous storytelling, especially when the writer is working in the horror/supernatural world. Then again, I got a huge laugh out of Rob Zombie’s The Haunted Adventures of El Superbeasto, so maybe I need to just loosen up a bit. Which is exactly what I did when I lay back to read Doc Bizarre, M.D.
Truth is, I got some laughs out of Kelly’s story of a seemingly inept doctor to all sorts of monsters and things that go bump in the night, but the main reason I think you should pick up this psychedelic spook story is for Andy Suriano’s trippy artwork. It felt like reading a Ralph Bakshi film on the page – and not one of his lesser films, like Cool World (sorry animated Kim Basinger and wooden Brad Pitt). Zombies, ghosts, man made monsters – if you like any of those, you’ll probably dig Doc Bizarre, M.D.
Uncanny X-Men #1
Written by: Kieron Grant
Illustrated by: Carlos Pacheco
Marvel
Seeing as how I gave Wolverine and the X-Men #1 a shot last week, I figured it would be worth seeing how its sister title stacked up, especially as it was the first time the Uncanny X-Men had ever been restarted at issue one. In this X-title, we find the group of mutants led by Cyclops still living on the island Utopia, situated near San Francisco. Cyclops’ new plan is to have an elite team that, while continuing to serve the best interests of humanity and mutants, is doing so in a far more aggressive manner than ever before. In the meantime, we also have the return of one of the X-Men’s most formiddable foes, Mr. Sinister.
Unfortunately, Uncanny X-Men #1 doesn’t quite hold a candle to the first issue of Wolverine and the X-Men. While Carlos Pacheco’s artwork is solid, I had some defnite issues with story. There’s a real reliance on what transpired in previous X-Men stories (Schism, most notably), so if you didn’t read that, there’s some serious questions as to what’s going on, what the characters’ motivations are and why Cyclops is calling for humans to fear mutants. I just didn’t quite by the new shift in tone. That being said, Kieron Grant does get in a few “oh wow” moments throughout the issue, most notably during a battle scene involving the White Queen, so I’ll give him a hand for that.
If it’s in the budget to read two X-Men titles, than by all means, grab Uncanny X-Men to see what’s happening on the West Coast. However, if you have to pick and choose, New York and Wolverine’s X-Men are the way to go.
I was impressed by Gillen’s ambition regarding Scott’s agenda. I agree that Wolverine and the X-Men was *so good* — again, it’s Jason Aaron, so what are you gonna do — that there’s really no way to follow it other than with an absolute tour-de-force, but Gillen sets the parameters of what he’s attempting very nicely.
Cyclops touting mutant deterrence. A dark road ahead, that in many ways evokes the beginning of Whedon’s run on Astonishing. And throws back to “Marvels” – where these dudes really are earthbound gods, tired of being treated like threats.
Hey, is it just me, or did Aaron’s Wolvie/X-men strongly evoke Chew? Honestly, I really dug that issue.
One other note: Action Comics #3 came out today, and right after I read it, I checked out Superman Adventures — the Paul Dini one from back in the day — and I still see no reason not to accept the “Animated” continuity of the DC Universe as the “authoritative” one. 🙂
One other other note: Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #3 came out last week. I don’t have words for it; it was the best fleet-action-focused comic I’ve read in a decade. It could have been an anime; it was like the beginning of that show Samurai 7 with Iron Man, Thor and a fleet of Helicarriers taking on an implacable ultra-tech foe. With Nick Fury watching in horror as they lose ship after ship. Given Bucky’s resurrection this week, it really drove home how much Ultimates is a high-stakes, heroes-can-die world.
I really will have to go back and read Schism to see where this shift in Cyclops’ perspective came from. It’s hard to buy him as so hardened sometimes.