Who's who in the Comics Bulletin Universe - Update 2009
Who is... Michael A. Diaz?
Michael Diaz lives in Michigan, but don't hold that against him.
There he works as a Sys. Admin. while fostering dreams of one day becoming a "real" writer.
Most importantly, Michael is seriously addicted to comics, something that his wonderful wife tolerates with the patience of a saint.
He also writes this weekly column that people occasionally read.
"[O]ne of the most positive
and entertaining columns going."
- Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Villains United)
WLG #276: I See A Black Moon Rising!!!
No jibber-jabber, just a quick dive into the comics coming out this week and What Looks Good...
BLACKEST NIGHT #3 (OF 8) $3.99 (Geoff Johns / Ivan Reis)Yes, you knew I was going to hype something/anything to do with the "Blackest Night" event, but really, I'm not going to say too much about it.
How come?
Let's face it, this is a huge event that is getting plenty of comics press, so if you don't know what is happening (as well as the positive press it is getting) it is most likely because you don't want to know about it, that it just isn't your cup of tea. And really, that's fine.
It just so happens that this is EXACTLY my cup of tea and I have loved every single issue of both this main book, but also every ancillary comic.
By now either you're loving it too or you're avoiding it for your own reasons. It's no secret that I love it and froth at the mouth for every issue.
'Nuff said.
EX MACHINA #45 $2.99 (Brian K. Vaughan / Tony Harris)Man, do I feel like a heel.
I remember loving this book for a good chunk of its run, and then, somewhere between getting engaged, buying a house, and getting married I lost my way with this book.
I mean, I still have all of the single issues, but at some point I got so horribly behind that I don't even know where to pick up again, and yet, here we are in the last six-issue arc. I want to jump back into the book, but there is so much that I have missed that I feel like the big ending it going to be lost on me.
At this point I am seriously thinking of going back and buying up all of the trades and re-reading the beginning and catching up on this wonderful title again.
Yeah, I suck, I know, but honestly, this book is/was so good.
I really need to catch back up.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #18 $2.99 (Matt Fraction / Salvador Larroca)Other than "Blackest Night" the title that I am loving the most right now is this one. If you haven't been following along the last few months the story goes something like this: Tony Stark was the head of SHIELD after the "Civil War" event and was charged with protecting the U.S. from super-powered threats. Little did he know that for years the Skrulls had been infiltrating the superhero community and eventually they made their attack during the "Secret Invasion" event. Thought it was not his fault, because he was the head of SHIELD when the Skrulls attacked the buck stopped with him. Through maneuvering Norman Osborn had first become head of the Thunderbolts, and later, when Tony Stark took the fall, he was given the reigns of the HAMMER, the successor to SHIELD. Tony Stark then became a wanted man and Osborn wanted his powered suit technology. Tony realized that everything that was most important concerning the Iron Man armor was in his mind, so if he really wanted to erase all of the data that would include what he knew about the armor.
Along the way there have been lots of fights and explosions, all of which have been pretty sweet.
Stark has escaped HAMMER's clutches yet again, but Pepper Potts appears to be dead, her "Rescue" armor is with Osborn, and Lady Masque doesn't appear to be quite done; what's going to happen next?
I have no idea, but I'm loving every second of it.
ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #1 (OF 4) $3.99 (Warren Ellis / Steve Kurth)Thus far I've only read two of the titles from the Ultimate Comics line and they have been everything that I had hoped them to be and then some. As such, I would expect more of the same from this title. The fact that it is being written by Warren Ellis as well, heck, that pretty much just seals the deal, doesn't it? I mean, come on, Warren knows what he's talking about when it comes to technology, especially how science technology can almost be magical.
This book sounds like perfection to me.
VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #1 $3.99 (Gregg Hurwitz / Leinil Francis Yu)If you've been into comics for a significant length of time then there is a good chance that there is at least one comic or character that you are drawn to for some reason, inexplicable or not. Sure, most everyone can see the appeal in characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Superman, Batman, or Captain America. People tend to get that, and as such that is why those characters sell better than most.
But for every A-list character there are almost countless B-list characters that may not be setting the sale charts on fire, but for some reason are just as popular as Wolverine or Batman to select readers.
I have my loves, like any good comic book fan should. I love the Suicide Squad, and most especially Deadshot (who is now apparently dead; wtf?). I also love old issues of the various Grifter series. I have every single issue of Mark Hazzard: Merc and love them all.
And yes, I love Moon Knight.
I may not have every single issue of every Moon Knight series that ever was, but I think I might be pretty darn close, and yeah, I'm including those books from the 80's that were drawn by Sienkiewicz that included the Satanists and their wrist guns (you might think I am making this up, but I assure, I am not; Google it).
I can't really explain why I love Moon Knight as much as I do, but I do. I realize that he's basically a Batman rip-off only he wears all white and is supposed to be the avatar of Khonsu, the Egyptian god of vengeance (though, I don't know how well that jibes with the historically portrayal of Khonsu). All I know is that when I was in middle school I thought that the character looked sweet and I could get back issues for $0.50-1.00 an issue, which I collected and read, quickly falling in love with the character. Since then I have been hooked; as such, I can't wait for this relaunch of the character, even though it is just a couple of years after the last relaunch.
Besides, he's (literally) gunning for Norman Osborn, so it HAS to be cool, right?
Can't wait!
What comics did you get geeked out about this week? Just stop by the WLG message boards (see link below) and share!
See you next week!
Peace!
-Diaz
Were Diaz's picks on the mark?
Have your say on What Looks Good at the Looking Good message board.