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| Weird Love #1 |
Let’s examine some of the gems in this first issue. “Love of a Lunatic” (Love Secrets #32, 1953) features the doomed love between Ruth and Ed. Bat-crap craziness runs in Ruth’s family, so naturally she lives in fear of ending up in the looney bin like dear old dead dad. After a major nervous breakdown caused by the return of said dead dad (don’t ask) and rejecting nice guy Ed (she didn’t want to saddle him with an insane fiancée), Ruth’s mother calls the men in white and they drag Ruth to the booby hatch. Blathering and pulling her hair out in a padded cell, Ed’s love eventually brings her back down to earth. The staff psychiatrist (probably educated in the Bahamas) saves the day by deciding Ruth is only insane because her mother planted the idea in her mind. A happy ending, as Ruth twitches her way into a picket fence and 2.5 children. I’m sure she’ll be fine!
In
“I Fell for A Commie,” (Romantic
Adventures #50, 1954) shopgirl Gladys waits on Tom and soon they are
dating. After unceremoniously dumping her, she tracks him down at a meeting at the
Communist Club. He tries to shoo her off, there’s just no room in his life for
a Mrs. Commie at the moment. Sickened by his political beliefs but smitten with
his sweltering good looks, Gladys figures, in
for a penny ... I won’t ruin the brilliant twist ending, but let’s say the
Reds get what’s coming and Gladys and Tom may have some baby Stalins after all.
You
have to love “The Taming of the Brute” (Just
Married #53, 1967). Muscle-bound Nick is a beach bum who thinks women look
best naked in the back of his VW microbus. Georgie is a no-nonsense straight
arrow who decides that, tamed, he may be good husband-fodder. Bit by bit she
breaks him down until he is serving their dinner guests in an apron and asking
her if she’d like a foot rub before bed. Tables turn as someone is spanked for
their gender-wrong ideas. As it should be! All is right with the universe after
all. Had me nervous there for a second.
That
doesn’t even cover the totally inappropriate date rape story, “Love in High
Style,” (Dear Lonely Hearts #7,
1954) or the “okay, so we’re both gross” marriage story “You Also Snore,
Darling,” (Just Married #57, 1968).
Or the magnificent one-pagers, gathered from decades of mainstream romance
comics. These brief instructional tales feature fat, bald middle-aged male
writers telling young women how to dress, eat, act and kiss properly (and
virginally).
I
have a good sense of humor, but I rarely just guffaw non-stop outloud. I did
after every story and feature in this book. An idea whose time has come—this is
the book of the week and my new favorite comic. The only negative is that Weird Love is bi-monthly—I have to wait
two months for the next issue! Torture, I tell you!
*****
out of 5 stars. Fantastic.
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| The United States of Murder #1 |
The United States of Murder, Inc.
#1:
The new book from Powers creators
Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming. In this alternate universe tale,
the Mafia is so powerful they control most of the east coast of the United
States. As the story opens, Valentine is becoming a made man and celebrates
moving up in the organization. He seems like a somewhat decent guy, although
his friend Dino is a mob psychopath, making for an effective bodyguard.
Dispatched on a train to Washington, D.C. for a simple delivery mission,
Valentine meets Jagger Rose, a hot redhead who was a childhood friend of his
sister. As events unfold it’s obvious she’s not just another passenger and not
there by accident. As the delivery job goes horribly wrong, Valentine is almost
killed and his future with the organization is placed in doubt.
This
first issue opened the story and started building Bendis and Oeming’s world. It
was a decent idea adequately executed until the twist on the last page. That
was a game changer and made me sit up and pay attention. That twist suddenly
made another mob book a story I’m interested in reading. Needless to say, I’m
in. Hopefully as this tale unfolds it will fulfill the promise of this first
issue.
***
out of 5 stars
 |
| The Royals: Masters of War #4 |
The Royals: Masters of War #4: This alternate history World War II story has a fascinating premise: all the world’s royal families have super powers, but they have all taken an oath of neutrality that none of them dare break. As WWII begins, British super-royals are forced to let Nazis bomb the hell out of Britain. When the young hotheaded Prince of Wales is in France for a royal visit, he witnesses the Germans pounding the French in a one-sided sea battle. Refusing to just stand by, he enters the battle and single-handedly destroys a good part of Hitler’s navy. From there, it’s on. Royals the world over have been itching to kill people and break things and they can’t wait to start a stately super-slugfest.
In this issue, everyone is pissed at Prince Henry for bringing the world’s royals into the war. That is, except for Winston Churchill, who looks at them as just another welcome weapon. A weapon he doesn’t hesitate to use. He sends Henry and his sister Rose flying to Russia to gather up a German defector with valuable intelligence. When they get there they have to fight on two fronts: one, dethroned Czar Nicolas, who is super powerful and not quite dead after all, and two, their icky romantic feelings for one another (which Rose rejects out of hand). Action packed with layers of interesting story, The Royals is a satisfying read. If a bit icky.
***1/2
out of 5 stars
 |
| Star Trek: The Mirror, Cracked |
This is a fun, wacky story that hits all the right buttons. Evil Kirk beams himself to our universe and strikes up an alliance with Commander Kor of the Klingons. Evil Spock turns from heel to face and comes over to warn the good Kirk and stop the bad one. He shaves his beard to disguise himself, but after he is revealed as an ally, Dr. McCoy quickly regrows it for him to tell the Spocks apart. There is intrigue and space battles aplenty, but the fun is in watching the characters play off each other and seeing bearded Spock in a standard Starfleet uniform. When they day is won, bearded Spock is back in his universe and Evil Kirk is left ... in a precarious position. A bit pricey at $7.99, but an excellent package. I look forward to more.
**** out of 5 stars
Saga #19: While
I like Saga, I’ve never known exactly what to make of it. Is it serious space
opera? Comedy soap opera? A romance? Straight science fiction? It is really all
of those things. And none of them. It is truly unique. This always
controversial book opens with another shock: A robot? cybernetic? cyborg? baby
being born. In the most graphic way possible. Meanwhile, leads Marko and Alana
are having marital and financial problems and are still hiding from the
authorities. If the last page shock ending is legitimate, there will be another
sea change in a book full of them. It’s weird; ninteen issues in, and I’m still
not sure what to make of Saga. I
don’t dislike it though. Brian K.
Vaughn is an excellent writer, but the book is sold by the gorgeous art of
Fiona Staples. I hope no one else ever touches this book.
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| Saga #19 |
***
out of 5 stars
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