And … I’m back. Apart from my flat writing style and lack of innovative blog content, it is my inability to maintain a regular schedule that has hampered my desire to produce a consistent site. The worse thing is that if I miss a few days due to whatever reason, it makes me feel guilty for not posting and then anxious about my return. It’s very complicated and slightly annoying. Not that anyone cares – I know I don’t have a readership, but I’m doing this for myself more than anything else, and I do hate to let myself down.
So, to return, let’s talk about the comics I’ve been buying – at least I’ve been able to buy them and read them while I haven’t been blogging.
Ignition City #3
Jet packs! The clichéd line about people being angry about the lack of the things promised us by 1950s sci fi (‘Where’s my jet pack?!’) springs to mind, but it is appropriate in a story about what happened to those men (and women) of tomorrow from yesteryear. The jet pack belongs to the Ignition City marshal, but this issue is mostly a conversation between bar owner (and former space hero) Gayle and Mary, daughter of a recently killed space hero, with a gun fight at the end to keep things spicy. Despite the problems I had with the first issue, this is shaping up nicely and Ellis could write an ongoing series quite easily in this city. The only qualms I have are with the art – it still feels off to me – and the lettering, which is a strange font, made more noticeable by the use of upper and lower case.
The Literals #2
We’re past the halfway mark and I can’t wait for this crossover to be finished and for Fables to be back on track. I’m getting bored with Kevin Thorn and his writer’s block; this issue sees him being ‘advised’ by Sam and Hansel about what to do (before killing Writer’s Block himself, which everybody could see coming), while the story is pepped up with a gunfight between the Genres and the Page sisters, and some jokes about genres and story (‘I’ve always loathed fantasy’ as she shoots a unicorn in the head). It’s put together well but it’s all rather pointless.
Usagi Yojimbo #120
If this was published in another company, reaching issue 120 would be an excuse for a silly anniversary issue extravaganza. Not Usagi Yojimbo: it’s business as usual, with another quality issue, with great writing and art. The tale is more slender and the plot twist is more obvious than usual from Stan Sakai, but it’s told with such consummate skill and wit and exciting swordplay that you’re too busy enjoying it too notice. This is the 25th year of continuing Usagi Yojimbo stories, which means there is the scope for alternating the longer multi-chapter tales with these lighter done-in-one issues, allowing some humour and warmth to infuse into Usagi’s life. I don’t know how he keeps up the quality, but it’s an incredible achievement and Sakai deserves more credit and recognition.
