One of the first things you notice about Matt’s books is they are all unique. He takes every opportunity, whether it’s the die cut cover, the inner pages, etc. to tell a good story. As a graphic designer I really appreciate that. It’s more than just your average hardcover design. Another thing I think he does really well is paneling and layout design. He does a very good job of interweaving story elements and juxtaposing story lines in what Scott McCloud would call Aspect to Aspect pacing. Another story device he uses is a visual footnote. With a tiny asterix in a text balloon he indicates an additional set of panels at the bottom of the page which tell another hidden story. I think these additions are brilliant and add great depth to the overall narrative.

Another subtle device he uses that I enjoy is word play. I love the double meaning of the word “story.” It’s used both to describe the main character’s height and to define chapters in the book. Each chapter is divided into “stories” 1, 2 and 3 which also represent his current height as being 1, 2, or 3 stories tall. I love those types of clever parallels that come from careful word play. It shows how thoughtful the creator was in developing his story.

I could go on but it’s time to wrap up my little review. Great work Matt, I look forward to reading more.

This isn’t the first time I’ve tried to do this, every time I get right to the edge and before I can “jump” the collector in me talks me out of it. Your collection won’t be complete, he tells me. You’ll miss out on important stories and be behind the times, he says. The collector mentality is my Kryptonite. Every time I come to a rational and practical decision about changing my purchasing and collecting habits it comes along and forces me to do something crazy. Hey, complete run of “Web of Spiderman” I’m looking at you! Besides, it’s not like my collection is really worth anything. Rarity is what makes books valuable. This post comes out the same week that an original Superman broke all sales records at auction fetching 1.5 million. Why? Because it’s old and there are only a handful in existence. My favorite comics stored in my long boxes are anything but rare. With publication rates in the millions of copies during the 70s, 80s and 90s there are very few modern “rare” books.

If financial value isn’t the reason to collect, then what’s left is entertainment value. So it doesn’t matter what format my comics arrive in as long as they entertain me they’re worth it. Be they digital, trade hardcover, or paper backs if I enjoy them I’ll buy them and long box be damned! But wait, if I and others stop buying monthly, won’t publication rates go down and won’t that make current floppies more rare? Crap…

When I started reading comics again a few years ago it also coincided with Ed Brubaker’s now highly acclaimed run on the title. Cap has always been a top of the stack book for me. I enjoyed watching him lead the Civil War and was saddened when he fell under an assassin’s bullet. I wondered whether or not Bucky could really wield the shield, but Brubaker has continued to keep me interested. Now returned from the dead, I’m excited to see where Steve Rogers fits in the future Marvel Universe.

I think the appeal of Captain America for me is that he is more of a regular man like Batman. He doesn’t have any real super powers and has to use his enhanced strength and tactical knowledge to deal with his enemies. He’s also a leader and unlike Batman looks for opportunities to inspire others through his own willingness to stand up to a challenge. I also like the fact that he comes from the World War II era, and because of that he’s able to promote the simple values of right and wrong unlike the more tortured heroes of our day. In my mind this makes him the perfect, selfless hero. My question is, who could possibly embody that persona on screen? I’d like to think there’s the perfect actor out there to embody him, ala Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Ultimately though I don’t think anyone measures up. It looks as if Marvel has selected Chris Evans to play him. I wish him the best of luck he has very large boots to fill.

In general Slott strikes the perfect balance between adventure and fun. Also, every character is given the opportunity to shine in each issue and their personalities come through. In issue #33 for example, there is a fun exchange between Hercules and Vision. Herc decides to hurl Vision at Adsorbing man. Vision tells him that he’ll compensate for his throw and perfect his aim. Herc replies “Do that and I’ll never forgive you.” A small moment for sure but in a 24 page comic, I’m glad to see these little bits of personality and humor. Another thing Slott does well is use the Avengers as a team. Problems are usually solved and enemies defeated as they use their strengths in concert with one another. I’ve grown tired of the “disassembled” nature of the Avengers and if this is a taste of things to come in the “Heroic Age” count me in.

Ask yourself this question. When you pick up a comic book are you looking at it for the art or the writer? Of put another way, can you appreciate a good story even though the art is bad? Also, can you enjoy a bad story when the art is good? For me the answer is always art first. No matter how good the writing is I usually can’t make it through an issue if I don’t like the artwork. Also, if the story is bad I just stop reading and enjoy the pretty pictures. That’s probably why I didn’t like Secret Invasion very much, I’ve never warmed to Leinil Francis Yu’s art style.

For me Coipel is one of my favorite Marvel artists. I love how he renders anatomy and facial expressions. He is also a master of movement and action, his characters never feel posed or stiff. I’d love to learn more about his process. I wonder if he uses models or if he’s able to render these figures out of his mind. He’s got an incredible talent if he’s able to do that.

Make Mine Marvel. Nuff Said.

It’s heretical to say but, I have no special affinity or interest in Alan Moore. Sometimes I like his books and sometimes I don’t. This one seems to fire on all cylinders because of its beautiful marriage of text and art. O’Neill’s illustration style seems perfectly suited for the story. It’s a mixture of traditional pen and ink with a cartoonists flare that hits just the right note. It evokes a Victorian style while at the same time being entertaining to modern readers. In terms of the writing I’m a big fan of finding new ways to tell or retell traditional stories so it’s great to see how Moore included all of the different genres into this Victorian spy novel. I even like the tips of the hat it makes to James Bond.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 1 - Thumbs Up