My Escape from the DMZ (Debilitating Mucus Zone)
The Mayan Hissers tried to take me out, but I'm back and better than ever! Yes, I caught what the old people call a touch of the chest fever (pneumonia to you and me), but I'm able to once again sit in front of a computer screen without feeling like my head is going to fall off of my neck. Thanks for all of the well wishes I received. By the way, if any of you are interested in what became of last week’s usual review and preview column, I’ll give you the short version:
Best of February: Incognegro, Fables #69, & Crossing Midnight #16This is what I came up with in between massive coughing fits, so I don't know if I thought it all the way through (in retrospect, this month's 100 Bullets should have been in there somewhere), but you can talk amongst yourselves and decide. The coughing remains, but I'm a trooper, so here we go with this week's "Postcards from the Ledge." This month, the focus will be on DMZ, as we'll show you a sneak preview for this week's DMZ #29 in this installment. Then, next week, I'm going to sit down with Riccardo Burchielli for a short chat about working with Brian Wood on his terrific series. So, if you don’t like DMZ, don't bother coming for the next two weeks... Just kidding! My job is to deliver the world of Vertigo to you each and every Monday, and by God that is what I mean to do. Still, if there's a preview for an upcoming book you'd like to see or a creator you'd like me to interview, please drop me a line and I'll see what I can do. Magic man I'm not, but I have some connections...
What to look for in March: Young Liars #1, Exterminators #27, & DMZ #29
Now, because you may have missed it last week, here are the Vertigo Trends of the Week: First Issue Madness edition.
Beginnings: Of course, we have the first issue of David Lapham's Young Liars, which was just as fast-paced and full of attitude as we would have expected. I mean, Sadie Dawkins kicks all sorts of ass and has no real moral compass. What’s not to love about that? Also, Vinyl Underground begins its second story arc with a murder in London (duh!). Morrison and the gang are neck deep in pretty girls and ritualistic killings, as well as the normal cool vibe.Tough Chicks: In the aforementioned two titles, we have Sadie's furious attacks upon anyone who gets in her way and Leah's calmly efficient beatings (in high heels, no less!). Also, we have Northlanders’ Enna, who can shoot anything that moves with her bow, making her a solid match with Sven. However, the beat-down of the week has to go to the opening scene in Young Liars #1, which harkens back to memories of Mallory in Natural Born Killers and Beatrice in Kill Bill. I really think that women are a lot scarier than men when they can bring the fisticuffs. Watch some anime if you don’t believe me (Major Kusanagi scares me witless!).
Torture, Mother$#@#$: Yeah, the Wu-Tang Clan's got nothing on some of these Vertigo titles this week. Scalped #15 had one of the grisliest interrogations you're likely to see in comics, performed by a man called Mr. Brass. Gorm tortures and kills his priest in Northlanders #4, seeking some solutions to the Sven problem. Finally, on a lesser note, Young Liars delivers again as nice guy Truman gets his head dunked in a toilet by a flatulent fatty with an attitude. You read that right...
Now, let’s take a look at some artwork from this week’s DMZ #29. Heck, you could call March "Che Guevara month," as you'll see from this past week’s Exterminators #27 and the following description:
"Blood in the Game," Part 1 of 6. As yet another round of reconciliation talks begin between the U.S. government and the Free States, a new player emerges, combining political charisma and military cunning. Could the DMZ's answer to Ché Guevara be the key to healing the DMZ, or does he have other intentions?
On Sale March 12, 2008
Wow, those are some powerful images! Are you fully pumped up about this issue now? I thought it was kinda money. However, it may take a little more to get your ticker going into overdrive. Well, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Also, you can tell me what you're reading, what you're digging, and what you want to throw in the toilet. Be as blunt as you can be: I won't break. Okay, that's it for me! Next week, we'll talk to Riccardo Burchielli about DMZ, so make sure to have your questions ready. No, there's no studio audience, but you can always pretend. Hey, we all read comic books after all, so your imagination must be up to snuff. See you next week.
Thanks for reading,
Robert
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