American Vampire #23

Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

American Vampire #23 (January 25, 2012)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Dave McCaig

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

After completing my review of American Vampire #22, I was so excited to continue exploring this universe and getting my hands on as much of it as possible. Luckily, I’ve been able to receive both American Vampire graphic novels and read more of the single issues.

And then I promptly didn’t write reviews of any of them.

I almost think that I’ve been enjoying them so much that I didn’t want to write about them or delve any further into these issues. Some people argue that once you critique a work of art, it ceases being a work of art. I don’t agree with that normally but I was reluctant to view American Vampire as anything other than smart, entertaining reads. But that’s rather selfish of me.

So, I revisited American Vampire #23, and fell in love with it all over again.

Deadpool #52

Cover by Dave Johnson

Deadpool #52 (March 21, 2012)

Writer: Daniel Way

Penciller: Ale Garza

Inker: Sean Parsons

Colorist: Dommo Sanchez Amara

Letterer: Joe Sabino

My God, where have I been? Can someone volunteer to finish up my graduate work so I can get back to reading comics and writing about them? I need my own intern, damn it.

Anyway, real life has been hectic so I have been neglecting my blog/personal happy place. Oh, how I’ve missed you. In order to get back into the swing of comic book reading, I decided to return to someone as all over the place mentally as I have been lately: Deadpool.

In case you haven’t been keeping up with Deadpool’s latest run, he wants to kill himself. That isn’t particularly new but he’s getting progressively closer to actually offing himself. There’s a serum out there that can negate his healing factor and make him susceptible to death’s cold embrace, which he craves.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #21

Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Frank Martin

Daken: Dark Wolverine #21 (February 8, 2012)

Writer: Rob Williams

Penciller: Matteo Buffagni, Andrea Mutti, Riley Rossmo

Colorist: Guru-eFX, Rachelle Rosenberg, Riley Rossmo

Letterer: Cory Petit

I’ve been avoiding reading Daken: Dark Wolverine for very vague and ridiculous reasons:

• I had no idea who he was
• I don’t much like Wolverine

I know these are completely nonsensical reasons for not picking up a single issue of a unfamiliar character so finally, I took a chance on Daken: Dark Wolverine #21 (right after a quick trip to Wikipedia to see just who this guy is).

Northlanders #42

Cover by Massimo Carnevale

Northlanders #42 (July 13, 2011)

Writer: Brian Wood

Penciller: Paul Azaceta

Colorist: Dave McCraig

Letterer: Travis Lanham

I picked up Northlanders #42 mostly because it was part one of The Icelandic Trilogy and if I love anything, it’s part ones.

Also, I’ve become increasingly interested in non-superhero comics (though my first tentative forays into graphic novels were non-superhero actually) and, as a huge history buff, I was curious to see how a period of time that I know next to nothing about would be portrayed in a comic.

 

Batman: Detective Comics #879

Cover by Francesco Francavilla

Batman: Detective Comics #879 (July 13, 2011)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Frencesco Francavilla

Colorist: Francesco Francavilla

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

I knew I shouldn’t pick up this random issue without having any of the others. But my profound love for Scott Snyder’s work colored my reason. And now I have to run out and pick up the rest of his run on Detective Comics. Let me just add that to my growing to-read list.

Anyway, Snyder does not disappoint: he wrote an eerie, compelling and dark story that was fully articulated. Standing alone, this comic book had a very strong narrative with plenty of suspense and dynamic characters.