#0001: 31 MAY 2004

Thanks for stopping by the relaunched Comic Book Galaxy. I'm sure we have a lot to catch up on, and we'll start with some brief thoughts on recent events in comics...

McSweeney's #13 -- An astonishingly beautiful artbook edited by Chris Ware, with new work by Ware, Dan Clowes and many others, and new and previously published works by Joe Sacco, Charles Burns, R. Crumb, Adrian Tomine and I guess dozens of others.

If your comics shop is too behind the times to carry a truly important collection like this, you can buy it off Amazon...

This gorgeous collection is all the argument you need for the superiority of artcomix for adults over corporate trademark maintenance. Buy it and bask for days in the glow of good comics.

Mike Carey on Ultimate Elektra -- Seems like he is going for a cash-in here, and I guess you can't blame him for that, but it's sad to see a writer of such quality and potential wasting his time on the second-rate fake version of a character that only one guy -- Frank Miller -- ever wrote well, and decades ago, at that.

I had been curious about Rucka's initial recreation of Elektra a few years back, but that was one of the biggest creative missteps in Rucka's career, and I don't see any reason to think this will be otherwise for Carey -- and as an added bonus, it'll have the same artist to lend his slick, disinterested imagery to the proceedings.

God damn, have I mentioned people should be buying the new McSweeneys for the GOOD comics? When will readers stop supporting zombified crap like Ultimate Frigging Elektra?

Sequential Collected -- Best comics news of the year so far. Artbomb has details. Snazzy hardcover edition collecting the early work of Paul Hornschemeier, one of our best living cartoonists.

No Longer Waiting for the Trades -- Two major recent purchases were TOM STRONG BOOK THREE and ULTIMATES VOLUME TWO, both of which I've already read and have the original issues of. I love, LOVE the ABC hardcovers, and imagine someday I'll have a blast rereading ALL of Alan Moore's Tom Strong stories in this format, but for now, it's just too soon to be able to immerse myself in them again. As for The Ultimates, I definitely want the trades of this series, because I really enjoy it and am a huge fan of Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary, but as with Tom Strong, the stories are too fresh in my mind to compel me to re-read them again this soon.

Shiny Crap -- Superman #204 by Brian Azzarello and Jim Lee. One of things I felt I "had" to buy and "might have" enjoyed -- but as is usual Azzarello's script leaves me ice cold. Lee's stuff looks good, but it seems wasted on this script. I'd love to see what he could do under a truly gifted writer, but I don't think that's EVER happened. I hoped things would improve with the next issue, so I bought it, and...How fucking boring. I've hated pretty much every Az comic I've read, and this is one more for the pile. Two issues in, I see the only reason to pick this up is for the art, and the art is mostly pictures of Superman hovering in front of a priest. "Worship ME, priest!" Come on. You hate it too, admit it.

Better Than Expected -- Daredevil: Father #1. I had been ambivalent about picking this up, but flipping through it in the store, it was nice just to see a DD story that ISN'T in the iceberg-slow Bendis/Maleev style. That said, the art was definitely better than the script...I've enjoyed Quesada's scripting before (on Iron Man), but I don't know if this one will grab me and hold me for five issues, however many years it takes for all of them to be released. Grabbed one for my daughter, too, as she loves DD since the movie.

As Good as Expected -- Batman: Harley and Ivy #1. Well, THAT was naughty. Fun, though. Dini and Timm have a great grasp of what makes all these characters tick, and Timm's artwork is incredibly solid and fun to behold.

At Last -- MINISTRY OF SPACE #3. Weston's art is even more impressive than in his first two issues way back when, but Ellis's script goes nowhere and seems to think it's very clever. This snoozer should have been a clear warning of the awfulness that was to come with Ellis's other three-issue miniseries over the past year or two. Utter shite, almost all of 'em (RED being the kind-of exception, but its ending was a huge letdown, too).

The End of Angel -- Some nice scenes -- particularly Lindsey's demise -- but there was a sense that pretty much all involved just wanted to be done with this. It's amazing to think what a hold Joss Whedon had on TV just a couple of years ago. The Firefly DVD set acquitted that series for me a bit, by the way. I still hate the concept, but the writing and acting were all mostly terrific when the series is seen in the manner Whedon intended it to be.

More Whedon -- Astonishing X-Men #1...Whedon's writing was better than I expected on this. I liked the confrontation between Logan and Cyclops and the matter of fact manner in which Scott and Emma's relationship is treated.

But, for a title that is treated as such a big deal, why is it printed on toilet paper? It's so thin and poor-quality that it crinkled up from the humidity in my bedroom, which isn't a lot. Whatever happened to decent paper stock like Wildstorm used for The Authority and Planetary? Those half-decade old issues of mine are in better condition than this fucking X-Men comic I bought yesterday. Good old Marvel, they always find a way to fuck it up.

And hey, isn't this comic by JOSS WHEDON, CREATOR OF BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER?

Y'might have mentioned that on the cover too.

Ball: Dropped.

Finally -- Here's my responses to a question on the Comics Journal message board:

1. Do you tend to go to the nearest store, the best store, any store, or does it matter?

I go to the store that is nearest me that meets my needs for quality, diversity and professionalism.

2. Ladies, what books do you tend to purchase, or what kind would you like to purchase (if you are a male please leave blank or supply what a girlfriend reads)?

My wife likes Optic Nerve and James Kochalka's stuff.

3. What one thing would you add or change about your most frequented store (i.e. What is the worst thing about the store)?

There's a pretty good variety of alternative/indy comics but they are not given equal prominence/priority with the sooperhero shite.

4. What one thing would you not change (i.e. What is the best thing about the store)?

The staff.

5. Do you read any small press comic books currently? Which one(s)? (examples: Lone Star Press, Avatar)

I try to read as many small press comics as possible. And any company that publishes Alan Moore, Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis can hardly be considered small press, however low their print run.

My favourite small press titles currently include GABAGOOL and STRANGEHAVEN, although even those are probably too big to be called small press.

6. What back issues do you buy?

Not many. Usually titles from the past year or so that I was late finding ouut about and have to scramble for back issues. The vast wasteland of crap sooperhero comics from the past century don't interest me. If I need any of that stuff, I'd rather a decent collection than crumbling ancient yellow paper. YMMV if you read Comics Buyers Guide.

7. How do you decide what comic book to buy? Writer, artist, character, word of mouth, etc?

All of those and more. What is key is why I CONTINUE to buy, which is that a given story grabs me and takes me somewhere I haven't been before. This is why I will always buy stuff from Chris Ware, Los Bros. Hernandez, Dan Clowes, James Kochalka, Charles Burns, Seth, Joe Matt, Chester Brown, Crumb -- you know, actual comics creators instead of trademark maintenance specialists.

8. Do you buy strictly current age comic books or do you buy older comic books? What kinds?

See answer to #6.

9. How do you feel about graded comic books?

The same way I feel about the current temperature on Venus. I'm sure it's all very interesting to someone, but it has no relevance to my life.

10. What comic book related merchandise do you buy?

Oh, the occasional art book, sketchbook, what have you. I buy action figures for my son frequently. A good way to ensure a strong family connection to your store (essential for long-term success) is having something for everyone, and there are a lot of cool toys out at the present moment. It's expensive, but nothing is worth more than seeing your kid happy and enjoying something that you used to love too.

11. What do you read if you are not reading comic books?

Not as much as I'd like. Non-fiction books, the occasional news magazine, sometimes ADBUSTERS.

12. What do you buy at comic book conventions?

Hardly anything. I generally bring a lot of money but there's nothing to buy. If a creator has created a small-press minicomic or something that he only sells at conventions, I'll likely throw him some coin. But I've walked past millions and millions of back issue bins at conventions, and will continue to do so. Keep your dirty old comics, I don't want 'em.

-- Alan David Doane

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