Boom! Wham! Pow! The ComiQuad is a column dedicated to the spandex-laden world of comics and superheroes. It goes up each Tuesday and will alternate between comic book reviews and other comic book news. Reviews shall try to be spoiler-free. Zam!
Too Much Coffee Man: Facsimile Edition #2
Much like my experience reviewing Incorruptible #1: Artist Edition, I have no experience reading the non-facsimile version of Too Much Coffee Man #2. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to matter to this satirical, over-caffeinated hero.
The comic’s very self-aware, off-beat humor resembles that of webcomic writer and artist Kate Beaton, but is also extraordinarily different from her work. TMCM’s cartoonist and creator, Shannon Wheeler, pokes (or more like jabs) at superheroes, cliches, superhero cliches, paranoia, and relationships all without being “too ironic” or “too kitschy” for the reader to handle.
The first, and arguably best, story features TMCM as he faces off against the dreaded “Cliché.” A war of words ignite between the two heroes while the audience marvels at how full-on conversations can be composed of colloquial clichés.
The following stories vary in comparative quality, but are all enjoyable nonetheless. Two couples compare film scenarios to “real life,” and TMCM explores the negative, yet addictive qualities of computers and how very easy it is to become paranoid in the terrifying world in which we live.
Strangely enough, TMCM’s art, although simplistic, is perfect for the story. The comic’s contents are not about wildly decorative fanfare and elaborate meaning; it’s about those odd and awkward moments in life that seem to transcend any social barrier to pester or annoy all human beings.
Advance Review (Coming Out 1/25) : 8.5/10
Batman #5
Everyone and their mother, father, hairdresser, long-long-lost cousin, guidette sister, and chinchilla reviewed this book last week. And every single last one of them gave it a 10/10. ComiQuad readers, I can personally promise you that no such number will grace this review. In fact, I promise to be original and give it a review like no one else has ever seen.
That rascally writer Scott Snyder thinks he’s so cool filling this comic with “clever planning,” “engrossing plotline,” and a “heart-warming look at the supporting cast.” He thinks we’re all just suckers for the most creative physical planning of a comic book to occur in years.
And who is he to think that we’d want to see an original and engaging direction for Batman? Maybe his readers just want the same old, plain, and over-abused stories that we can find in other Bat-books. And maybe we don’t want to see Batman pushed to his very limits. Maybe we just want to see Batman do those comfortably mundane, everyday tasks like filing his taxes or picking out shampoo in the grocery store.
Same goes for artist Greg Capullo. How dare he assault my eyes with chilling images from Bruce Wayne’s past, unique portraits of Batman’s friends, or the extraordinarily-detailed labyrinth within which Batman is held prisoner. Maybe I prefer my comic book art to look like it was drawn with a meat tenderizer.
These two are just selfish. How dare they make me want to throw all my money at them and DC Comics. How rude.
Review: 11/10
Steed and Mrs. Peel
The story of Steed and Mrs. Peel hails from Britain’s old television show, The Avengers. No, British The Avengers is not Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Robert Downey Jr. all speaking with a cockney accent. This story is based on the cult classic 1960s “spy-fi” (spy science fiction) television show.
Written by the very famous Grant Morrison, Steed and Mrs. Peel #1 follows the adventure of the two British detectives as they investigate a murder and the disappearance of one of their colleagues.
The prominent strength of the comic book comes from its ability to capture the very unique tone of a 1960s British spy-fi series. The coolness of the two protagonists, the retro glam style of the 1960s (color, swirls, and the alternating conservative and flamboyant backdrops made me want to dance to The Loco-Motion.
The pacing of the mystery is slow and clever enough to keep the reader engaged, and quick enough to keep from getting boring. It doesn’t suffer from the occasional problem of superhero comics where the entire plot-line becomes rushed and sloppy.
Overall, the story does a reasonable job of establishing the characters to an audience who may not be familiar to the original The Avengers, but it does need to make the two lead characters slightly more different from the dated “spy” archetype.
Review: 8/10
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