PGHHEAD’S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, PART 39
This marks the third consecutive year that I will attempt to document my comics reading by writing at least a mini-review. The goal is 1200 books read and reviewed in 2023, although I missed the mark in 2022 by 88 books. Still, I like that number as it’s easy enough to track - - - 100 books per month on average. This year I’m going to
fall short of the goal, but the effort was worth it . . . . .
# GOAL FOR November 30, 2023. . . 1,100 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 846 comics documented
#829 - #834 NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE Volume One Trade Paperback by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label,2022) Reprints Issues #1 - #6.
Add NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE to the handfuls of titles that demonstrate and serve as testament to the story-telling possibilities (both advantages and limitations) of comic books and graphic novels. This is a well-constructed book, and a premium read deserving of high praise. Alvaro Martinez Bueno’s stylish art has the look of 1960’s architectural design magazines and is the perfect compliment to Tynion’s story.
That it has accumulated over 800 reviews (but not 100% positive) on the Goodreads website is a remarkable achievement for a graphic novel. This book has received a lot of well-deserved attention. I read the first three issues in the single monthly releases as originally published, which was more than enough to convince me that this was worth reading at one time, just like a good novel which I would never read 30 days between chapters. I did read the debut issue several times, and on each repeat reading I noticed something fresh or gained renewed appreciation for certain scenes.
Much later, Ryan gets an invitation to join Walter and others at an upstate Wisconsin lake house for a getaway weekend. Ten of the invited show up, each with a connection to Walter, who has given each guest a nickname that corresponds to their professions. Soon after arrival, dinner, and relaxation the news of firestorms devastating the world reaches them.
In a stunning cliffhanger of an ending to Issue #1 and a big reveal by Walter the world ends, except for the ten at the lake who must be wondering what makes them special? It’s a brilliant set-up with intriguing characters, whose traits and peculiarities are uncovered in brief flashbacks in later issues as the story proceeds.
The various covers to the series, included in the trade paperback collection, have been evocative and very symbolic. Many focus on the horrific aspects of the storyline, almost as nightmare glimpses drawn from the characters’ worst fears. Almost every issue opens with a different narrator, who tells in flashback how they met Walter as well as some of their individual discoveries or happenings at the lake house. Each of the house guests has been given a descriptive label (the Pianist, for example) by Walter and a symbol to identify them.
Interspersed throughout the story are text pages that serve as concise summaries of incidents occurring at the lake house. For example, there’s a deadly mishap and a disappearance at the end of Issue #1. To relate what happens immediately after as the house guests scramble to sort it out and give first aid to the injured Nora (the Writer) would have required several pages to detail and illustrate. Instead, Tynion shares a page of text, a house log/transcript of the conversations. It’s a neat touch, and an economy of scale that’s all the more dreadful in that it reveals that everything is being recorded/documented. To what purpose?
Some of the Goodreads criticisms refer to the shallowness of the characters. I initially thought the same, but each chapter sheds a little more light on them. While some characters continue to revel in the holiday atmosphere (movies, boating, dinners) of the lake house (rather than the prison aspect) - -others can’t stay still or stop thinking about their confinement (experimental lab rats?). In every chapter, Tynion focuses closely on his characters, opening their heads so we readers can look inside and jot down notes. One issue focuses on Sam (the Reporter) as he explores the perimeter of the estate, discovers the boundaries, strange sculptures, and a big construct that just may be Walter’s spaceship.
As time passes, less guests accept the situation for what it is and more begin to reject it and fret. The threads of unity are starting to unravel. Walter has an itinerary for the group but rarely shows himself, except for one-on-one conversations or to simply observe the interactions from a distance. The mystery and creepiness of the title are maintained. I don’t want to spoil any of the reveals but things take a turn into science-fiction territory before the first volume concludes at a satisfactory ending point that is far from conclusive. I look forward to reading Volume Two. FIVE STARS.
#835 - #837 A trio of random reads . . . . .
ASTONISHING X-MEN #24 by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel Entertainment Inc, March 2008) I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention to this title when it was originally released. This is the penultimate issue of ASTONISHING X-MEN from the creative team of Whedon and Cassaday before Warren Ellis took over (I did pay more attention during that run, but ran out of steam after half a dozen issues). The complex story ends on a cliffhanger with a massive bullet headed towards earth and was actually concluded in GIANT SIZED ASTONISHING X-MEN #1 (I missed that one too).
Whedon is great at detailed plots and quick character reveals throughout his story. Cassaday’s art has never been better with some incredible shading and facial close-ups, with fantastic coloring by Laura Martin.
The X-Men have been battling the Powerlord Kruun on the alien Breakworld, working alongside Agent Brand’s S.W.O.R.D. forces. Beast (very catlike as depicted here) finds clues to an apocalyptic Breakworld prophecy and that spells trouble for Earth. FOUR STARS.
AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #5 of 6 by Kurt Busiek & Fabian Nicieza with art by Tom Grummett/Gary Erskine (Marvel Comics, August 2004)
Another penultimate issue that ends on a cliffhanger (who is Hawkeye aiming that fatal arrow at?) Not a half-bad story, except that Nicieza writes some of the most misplaced and trying-to-be-funny dialogue that I can spot the places where he scripted the story and where Busiek did (the better components of the story).
I don’t know if there was ever a real Marvel “house style” for the art, but this issue reminds me of the look of so many Marvel books from this period in time.
After fighting each other, the two teams have to band together to control a chaotic Moonstone. The transnormal energy she stole from the Liberator’s storage container combined with the alien gemstones insider her has turned her into a raging berserker.
The Avengers line-up: Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Wasp, Yellow Jacket, Vision. The Thunderbolts line-up: Baron Helmut Zero, Moonstone, Fixer, Songbird, Atlas, Vantage, Blackheath/Plant Man,Coblat Man (Tony Stark in disguise). THREE STARS.
THE AVENGERS (Volume 4) #7 by Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr. (Marvel Worldwide Inc, January 2011) Bendis writes an engaging story here considering that most of this is set-up for future issues. It’s more the interesting art and colors that kept me turning pages here. Romita’s blocky style works well here with an assist on inks from Klaus Janson and Tom Palmer. Despite the deceiving cover image, the Red Hulk (General Thunderbolt Ross) has not joined the Avengers.
The Hood (Parker Robbins) has braved the arctic cold to locate the abandoned Inhuman city of Attain and retrieve the yellow Infinity Gem (Reality). Meanwhile Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is in the middle of a morality crisis as regards the Avengers purpose and sets against them.
The Hood then gets his hands on the red Infinity Gem (Power) from an easily disabled Reed Richards and proceeds to test his new powers against a worthy foe, the Red Hulk. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Creators Cullen Bunn and Briant Hurtt with the SIXTH GUN series have established an epic tale set within the weird west that demonstrates world-building skills and character development at a high level. The story is fascinating and the art is a powerful depiction of these settings and events that vividly enhances and embellishes the plot.
If you've read this far into THE SIXTH GUN series, then you're as invested in these characters as I am. Sadly, not all of them will be alive by the final chapter of this volume, and some have been captured or dramatically changed in less than positive ways. Becky Montcrief, Drake Sinclair and company decide to take the fight back to the forces of darkness that have hounded them. However, the Grey Witch assembles a demonic army that is too much for them to handle, resulting in an unexpected outcome that makes the next chapters hard to determine.
In this volume, the individual powers of the six guns are revealed in explosive action scenes that demonstrate their occult abilities. There is also an intriguing backstory on the origins of the Grey Witch that occur centuries before the current battle.
I'm still optimistic but expect the next volume to be dark and grim. This is a series that does not get stuck in formulaic proceedings and continues to surprise and delight. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
I’m always interested in what Tom King is writing, but usually wait for the trade paperback collections since it can take multiple issues for his direction to become clear. The art is dynamic, visually stunning in places, and gives an overall fresh look to a long-running icon/anchor of the DC Universe (that Trinity thing with Superman and Batman).
The premise here isn’t anything new. Regular comics readers are very familiar with storylines that depict public opinion and a U.S. government against different groups (mutants, the superhero registration act, inhumans, etc). In this latest instance, it’s U.S. versus Amazons. It’s what King does with that plot in his story-telling style that makes this a compelling read.
A mysterious Amazon (later revealed as Emelie) gets in a pool-hall/bar fight with a group of thugs and wipes them out. But, it’s not just one individual being sought for murder by law enforcement. In an over-reaction that mirrors current social media/politics, Congress passes the Amazon Safety Act, banning all Amazons from United States soil. A task force, A.X.E. (Amazon Extradition Entity) is created to deport Amazons and authorized to kill any who won’t comply. Wonder Woman just wants to investigate the murders and learn how the killings happened, but finds herself an outlaw also pursued by A.X.E.
New villain The Sovereign (looking like an aging and ill Lex Luthor) is a interesting amalgam of elite, privileged, entitled, rich power-brokers who yearn for the good old days. It will be interesting to see how much influence he exerts on politics and the military. I’m reminded of Trump (although I didn’t really want to be, I read comics for escapism) because The Sovereign possesses the Lasso of Lies which he uses to corrupt the mind-set of a certain Army private.
I think I’ll follow this title monthly until I get bored, if that ever occurs. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
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