WLG #204: Former Midnight Dynamo!

By Michael A. Diaz

I think I'm coming down with a cold.

It's not here yet, I don't think, but during my lunch at work today I nodded off for a bit. That would have been fine if I was trying to take a nap, but really, it just kind of happened and I didn't plan it. I went to bed early last night and everything but for some reason I was simply EXHAUSTED during lunch.

I'm also keenly aware of how many columns I have missed over the past few months.

Oh yes, a cold might be coming, but there is STILL much geeking out to do.

So, first 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.And now with that out of the way I'm going to ever so quickly dispense with the pleasantries and instead dive RIGHT into What Looks Good...

DC

MIDNIGHTER: ARMAGEDDON #1 $2.99 (Christos Gage / Simon Coleby)

I love the WildStorm Universe.

Really, it's just that simple and I have been waiting for what seems like YEARS now for WildStorm to final get up and running and give the other comic book companies a run for their money. For my money there simply isn't a company putting out better books than WildStorm.

WHEN they put them out.

And therein lies the problem.

I was hoping that after the Captain Atom: Armageddon series when the WildStorm Universe was “soft booted” as I heard it called that there would some cohesion and that all of the big name books from the Universe would start coming out with regularity. Everything looked good with Grant Morrison taking on BOTH Wildcats and The Authority, which were going to come out during alternating months.

“WERE” being the operative word there.

Since Summer 2006 we've seen exactly ONE issue of Wildcats and TWO issues of The Authority.

I wouldn't expect any more, what with the rumors I have heard swirling around Jim Lee (which I won't get into here; there's a rumor column for that) and the posting by Gene Ha that says (I'm paraphrasing) that the Authority reboot is dead in the water.

Yes, Midnighter comes out with regularity, but that is almost in spite of itself as Garth Ennis left the title early on; luckily, it still comes out.

And yes, I know that Wetworks and StormWatch: PHD come out regularly as well, and as much as I truly adore the latter (I like the former, just not as much as the latter), it's not the marquee name that Wildcats and The Authority were SUPPOSED to be.

Yet, I still wait for the WildStorm Universe to rock my world. I still have hope. I still have faith.

Of course, I'm also the ONLY person on the planet is still hoping for yet another Brass series (never heard of it? Yeah, no one has).

But what's this “Armageddon” event? Another chance at rekindling the flame of WildStorm?

And the first issue stars one of the few breakout stars of said universe?

And written by one of the few breakout star WRITERS as of late?

To me this is a potential light at the end of the tunnel. I don't pretend to think that I will see Wildcats #2 soon, or The Authority #3 ever, but here, within these pages, I hope, I pray, that once again the WildStorm Universe reclaims the glory that I know it can attain.

Pleasedon'tmessthisup....pleasedon'tmessthisup....please...

IMAGE

DYNAMO 5 #8 $2.99 (Jay Faerber / Mahmud A. Asrar)

I believe that I have briefly pimped this book in the past, most recently a couple of weeks ago when the trade papers of the first seven issues came out for a sweet deal of a price. If you didn't pick it up, you should, because it's $9.99 for fun comics and a GREAT price.

Let's say you haven't picked up the trade and you have no idea what the premise of this book is. Maybe you had thought about checking it out before but that price tag of $3.50 was just too much for you.

Problem solved; this issue is now just $2.99, the same price that most every other comic is priced at now.

Or, maybe you don't want to jump into a book during the middle of a story arc. Fair enough, I mean, I've been reading comics since 1986, so I feel your pain.

Again, problem solved: this is the first issue of a new story arc.

Remember, though, you didn't get that trade of any of the other issues, so still, you don't know the premise.

I could tell you the premise, or, I could just copy and past from this same column, only three weeks ago:

What's the big deal? Well, take the “Superman” and “Lois Lane” archetypes. Now, let's say that Supes and Lois were married, got old together, but at some point Supes died. It was revealed that Supes was more rock star than boy scout, spreading his super-seed around. This was found to result in five illegitimate children, each manifesting ONE of Supes' iconic powers. One is strong, one flies, etc., etc., and it is this Lois Lane-like character that decides to take the mess that her dead husband left behind and do some good with it.

In a nutshell that is the premise of Dynamo 5.

Still not sold?

Well, honestly, I don't know what else to tell you other than this is just a good, old-fashioned comic book that is lots of fun.

Check it out.

MARVEL

X-MEN: MESSIAH COMPLEX ONE SHOT $3.99 (Ed Brubaker / Marc Silvestri)

During the last several months I confess that I have gotten away from my beloved X-Men. Yes, I still BUY the books, but at some point I got off track and now I honestly don't really know what is going on in either of the two core titles (I've been able to stay up to date on the Whedon/Cassaday Astonishing... title, but the others? Not so much).

Basically I've been looking for an excuse to kick my own rear and catch up with the X-books to see what exactly is going on.

Now, thankfully, Marvel is returning to the X-book X-over and though usually I might moan and whine a bit saying something like “isn't Marvel DONE with crossovers YET?” this time I'm actually quite happy about it. Why? Well, quite simply because of the selfish reasons I mentioned above. I'm lost and I don't know what's going on, so a crossover that drops the previous story lines and forces the titles into a major thread? Well, yes, Michael is quite happy indeed.

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Ah ha!

I have outpaced the cold THIS time around. Admittedly, there were only THREE books this week that got me properly geeked, but still, I have best the cold and completed the column.

Where is my pat on the back?

Still, I know that this is a light week for me, but is it the same for you? Is there something that YOU are geeked about that perhaps I missed? With so few books awaiting me this week is there something that I SHOULD be geeked about?
If so, please visit the What Looks Good message boards (see link below) and help me out. I am not omniscient, I need the help of my fellow geeks and geekettes when it comes to comic book love. So hit the boards and let me know what YOU think.

Until then,

Peace!

-Diaz

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Were Diaz's picks on the mark?
Have your say on What Looks Good at the Looking Good message board.

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