WLG #181: My Kind of Guy!

By Michael A. Diaz

Apparently the tryptophan hit me early last week as I was good enough to get my column done early (pat on my own back) but then completely neglected to open up the message boards until Thursday.

Oops.

I don't know why, but sometimes I'm just plain stupid.

So, of course, now would be a good time to once again ask for your help. I've been looking over my picks as of late and I've noticed a severe shortage of independent books as of late. True, I did highlight Planetary Brigade recently, and sure, any time an issue of Queen and Country comes out I usually pimp it (though I admit that I didn't even realize that the latest issue was coming out until I saw it at the store - oops!) as well as any book that has Chynna Clugston in the credits (has the second issue of Strangetown come out yet?).

Don't get me wrong, I love heroes in "pervert suit" (as I believe Warren Ellis once called them) punching each other, most of us do, but I also enjoy a good indie book from time to time.

Case in point: a couple of years ago I was lucky enough to stumble upon a copy of Box Office Poison, which I loved. Recently I finished its thematic sequel, Tricked, another excellent graphic novel by Alex Robinson. Just before that I consumed Carnet De Voyage thinking I wouldn't like it nearly as much as I enjoyed Blankets yet finding that it was something special in its own right.

Didn't I mention that I needed help?

I mention all of these NOT to establish my "indie cred" but instead to give a glimpse at some of the independent books that I like so that you, the readers of this column, can help me finish up my Christmas list. That's right, I need comics, more comics, new comics, and most importantly, indie books.

Have any favorites?

Chew on that for a second while I insert this:

Standard Disclaimer: For those of you new to the WLG experience, here's how it works: Every week I check out the release schedule from the Diamond Comics Shipping List and decide which comics that I am going to spend my hard-earned money on. Yep, my money. That's good, because it helps to maintain my objectivity. If I spend money on a comic book and it turns out to be crap I'm going to be upset.So, now that you've had some time to think about it I would love to hear about indie books that you currently love and have loved, or even if there is one that is on the stands right now that people should be checking out (I hear The Mouse Guard is quite good. Anything and everything is fair game as I'd like to sink myself into something new.

Now, with that out of the way, let's take a gander at What Looks Good...

DC

GUY GARDNER: COLLATERAL DAMAGE #1 (OF 2) $5.99 (Howard Chaykin)

I fully admit that I am a fan of Guy Gardner. Not so much the hero, but the egocentric, pompous turd that I met back in the 80's during Giffen and DeMatteis's run on Justice League. I don't think that Chaykin is bringing back that depiction of the character, I'm just saying that I find that version the most entertaining.

Regardless, I'm geeked out enough to check this book out. At the very least, it will have some nice Chaykin drawings to enjoy, something I've been a fan of ever since I bought The Scorpio Connection all those years ago.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for Guy Gardner.

MARVEL

POWERS #21 (MR) $2.95 (Brian Michael Bendis / Michael Avon Oeming)

This title has been dark in the past, but this current arc is down right abysmal, and I mean that in a good way. I don't mean abysmal in that the book is poorly written or drawn, far from it, but rather that this story reads like a decent in the abyss: it's dark, it's scary, and its potential for disaster is high.

And I love it.

This book is just as good as it has ever been. Excellent stuff here.

PUNISHER XMAS SPECIAL $3.99 (Stuart Moore / C.P. Smith)

I can't say all that much about Stuart Moore as I don't think I've read anything that he has written (well, until this issue comes out) but I am just overjoyed to see that the artwork on this special is being done by none other than C.P. Smith. For those of you that have been hanging around for a while I think you'll remember that StormWatch: Team Achilles was one of my all-time favorite comics. Sadly, like most WildStorm titles that I love a bit too much it was canceled due to low sales (amongst other things). However, before the book disappeared the artist on the title for a while was C.P. Smith. Though I am sure he has done plenty of good work elsewhere my first exposure to Smith's work was within the pages of StormWatch... and I almost immediately fell in love with his style. Since then any time I get a chance to check out his work on a character that I enjoy I make strange faces and geek out, much as I am doing now.

Personally I think his chosen style is a perfect match for the dark and grim Frank Castle and I can't wait to tear into this book.

Anyone else know what other work C.P. Smith has been doing? I'd love to see more of his work.

ULTIMATE POWER #2 (OF 9) $2.99 (Brian Michael Bendis / Greg Land)

Please don't let my pithy remarks lead you to think that I am less than geeked about this book, because such is not the case. However, about the only thing I can think of saying is "Greg Land drawing the Squadron Supreme taking on the Ultimate Universe makes me want to shriek like a schoolgirl."

Yeah, I'm that geeky. It's embarrassing, I know.

What else can I say when I in the first issue I got to that last page and saw the Squadron almost literally jumping off of the page?

Geeked? You know it!

Was there something that did it for you this week? If so, stop by the What Looks Good message boards (see link below) and spread the love, my friend.

Until then,

Peace!

-Diaz