Absolute Martian Manhunter #7 - 12 by Deniz Camp
"Life if made of choices. Anti-Life is the absence of choice."
"Tyler arrives ... followed by a parade of humanity's worst ideas -- suicide, slavery, credit scores, war."
John Jones lost everything after the White Martian attack - the FBI suspended him, his wife kicked him out of their home, his son won't see or speak with him. Everything except the Green Martian still inside his head, still pushing Jones to work together to find the escaped White Martian. A moment of separation draws out others searching for Jones' companion. While the Green Martian is captured and studied, a new Martian invades Jones' mind, one that shades his thoughts with despair. Jones sets out to rescue his captured Martian using all the tricks and insights of reality the Green Martian attempted to pass along to him. The White Martian, meanwhile, begins to twist reality through Jones' son Tyler, warping the world into chaos. While others stand watch, waiting to see what may become of their world, Jones once again attempts to reconnect with his wife and son, to understand and be understood. Can their bond be enough to drive out the White Martian and dispel the Anti-Life tearing the world apart?
It's the end (for now?) of DC's Absolute Martian Manhunter, and what a ride it's been. You may have read my earlier review of issues #7-9 (the first half of the second story arc) and, first off, ewww, you actually read this thing, but second, yeah, I went back to re-read those issues before starting on the last three issues. The writing throughout the series has been superb and I do agree with other reviews I've read about how Camp pushes the boundaries of what a "superhero" story can be (and, I read Camp's "Assorted Crisis Events", so I'm not surprised at what he can do with the written word). The art, too, elevates the story - disjointed and abstract at times to blue the lines of what may or may not be real. I really liked journeying with Despair The Zero, the Blue Martian, for a bit, as it added to the complexity of Jones' situation. Despair's vision allowed Jones to still see "The Truth" but through a more ... gloomy point of view. I also enjoyed the "meta-physical" battle Jones had with the government agents seeking to capture The Martian as it presented a very, very different kind of superhero battle than I'm used to reading (and I've been reading a lot of superhero stories recently, as you'll see). It was a great follow-up to the first six issues and, though Camp has said he doesn't have plans for another story, I heard rumors that Jones and the Martian may still play a bigger, pivotal role in the Absolute Universe, so we'll see what else may come from this storyline.
Not too familiar with DC Comics lore, I needed to actually look into what the "Anti-Life" was in the regular universe, which apparently is a mathematical proof of the meaningless of life. This being DC's Absolute Universe, it was interesting to see the concept presented in a new way. As Jones becomes more and more separated from his loved ones, The Martian remarks that it sees the Anti-Life growing and spreading within him. The Martian, thus, sees life as meaningless without connections and attachments to other people as that's what makes life worth living. Even Jones' realization at the end of the story - that he cannot overcome his despair alone and requires the help of his loved ones - was a cool way to fend off the spreading Anti-Life. I like to think the message that Absolute Martian Manhunter imparts is that the opposite of life isn't simply death, but to go through life alone and empty.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Vol. 1 created by Matt Dinniman
"'Come on, Carl. Let's go find one of those bosses. And kill it ... with style.'"
In an instant, Carl's world was gone. After flattening all man-made structures around the world, the invading aliens presented those caught outside a choice: descend into their dungeons or die on the surface. In the dungeons below, Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, discover they've entered into the universe's most popular survival game show, Dungeon Crawler World! Along with the remainder of Earth's surviving population, Carl and Princess Donut must defeat a labyrinth filled with dangerous monsters, level-up their own abilities, and collect loot boxes to not only survive but rise to the top of the show's popularity charts. As they delve deeper into the dungeon, will the unlikely pair survive the horrors of this new world long enough to become Dungeon Crawler World's most popular contestants?
Finally getting into Dungeon Crawler Carl! I'd first heard about this as a book series, then as a webtoon (online comics, I guess?), then as this graphic novel, and apparently it's also being adapted into a TV show (Seth Rogan has been producing some banger comic-turned-TV show series recently, so I'm really hopeful). I'd meant to read the novel series, then I saw this for pre-order, so I decided instead on reading it this way (besides, who doesn't like pictures?). This book collects the first 13 issues of the web comic, which makes me wonder just how many of these books they're going to publish as I'm pretty sure the book series is still ongoing. One thing I do want to address with reading the story in this format is that you can clearly tell the story was not originally published this way: the binding isn't done correctly and sometimes cuts off part of the comic panel; at times, the writing in the panel is too small to read likely because it was originally published knowing the reader could simply "enlarge" the image with two fingers. That said, I'll likely keep reading the story in this format simply because it's the way I started reading it (and, maybe, one day, I'll get around to reading the novel version).
Back to the story though. When I first heard about this book, I heard it described as LitRPG where the main character "levels up" using traditional RPG mechanics. In the story, Carl and Princess Donut enter a dungeon and gain power and abilities with not only each monster they defeat, but the methods and tactics they employ to dispatch each enemy. I really liked the sarcastic "flavor text" which accompanies each box, leaning into the obvious game show host aspect of the game. Despite it sounding like a lame attempt to turn your tabletop game into a traditional story, I've also seen this type of story done well, especially in the popular "Solo-Leveling" manhwa (which I will also eventually finish). It's definitely a new and unique way to introduce character growth and "powering-up" to the story. Honestly, I'm also jealous for not writing a story like this sooner as it seems (with all of my game playing) the type of story I could've tried to put together. Meh, oh well. It's a different type of storytelling, and I'm curious if Dinneman can keep this Loot Box-leveling system fresh as the story progresses.
Ain't No Grave by Skottie Young
"'It matters not if you feel the water deserves you when it calls you back to its depths. Denial is natural ... but acceptance is inevitable!'"
Once a feared outlaw, Ryder only desires to live a long life as a mother and wife. When she is given a diagnosis that threatens to cut her new life short, she sets out to change her fate the only way she can think of - by killing Death itself. With her pistols at her side, she'll cut a path through a horde of townsfolk, guns blazing; gamble with her very life aboard a riverboat casino; and sink to depths never imaginable until she finally gets the meeting she wants. But, what will be the ultimate outcome of the gunslinger's duel with Death?
Enough time has passed since my last reading of this book that I thought it deserved another full-ish write-up. I was pretty excited to re-read this one when I saw it was picked for this month's Book Club book. As someone mentioned, we don't get a lot of Old West comics (or maybe I'm just not familiar with too many), so this was a good change of pace. Plus, I saved some money as I still had the copy I bought a couple years ago (Hooray, I'm cheap!) I did have to find it amongst all the other books I'm again beginning to horde, so that took a minute. As I hope I mentioned the last time (I wouldn't know, I try not to read my own work), I enjoyed reading this one, not just for the story, but for the amazing and detailed artwork through these five collected issues. Though I originally picked up the first issues to get a taste of the story, I think the story reads a lot better as a collection. Young captures the five stages of grief perfectly in each chapter, and I think the story flows better reading it all at once rather than waiting the standard month between individual issues.
At the Book Club, we mostly discussed Ain't No Grave's great characters. Of course, though I haven't read a lot of Old West gunslinger stories, I have seen a bunch of movies, and Ryder definitely evokes the images of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne from those old western movies, or Sharon Stone's The Lady from "The Quick and the Dead" (that feels a big more recent, at least). The detail put into Ryder's depiction, particularly her billowing coat, was particularly impressive, especially when it was pointed out how both Ryder and Death have similar outlines/frames. As someone mentioned in the group, seeing a "Cool Death", one depicted with an aura of gravitas about them, always makes a character, and the scene as a whole, better. We then spent a while naming a our favorite depictions of Death from various media. Sorry, yeah, like with the previous Book Club book, "Barbaric", we just didn't have a lot to discuss besides how much we liked the story.
Blue Moon by Lee Child
"'That's me being magnanimous in victory. Normally I kill them, kill their families, and piss on their ancestors' graves.'"
"Ten thousand generations were screaming at him to take cover, but the front part of his brain was fighting back with the new stuff, math and geometry and probabilities, calculating how likely it was that seven random guys could hit a target as small as a man's eyes and the top of his head, at range, with handguns, while agitated, and the covering fire was weak enough that the ancient reflexes lost the argument, and were boxed up and put away, leaving the modern man to do his lethal work undisturbed."
Stepping off a bus in a new city, Jack Reacher saves an elderly man from being mugged of an envelope of cash worth more than the sum of its contents. Intending to simply help the injured man deliver his envelope, Reacher instead finds himself unknowingly entering into the middle of a turf war between two mob factions, each controlling one-half of the city. Can Reacher survive long enough in a city where everyone wants him dead to punish the greedy and help the elderly man and his wife pay off a large debt?
It feels like a long time since I've read a Jack Reacher novel, and with the new season released on Prime, I figured it was time to do so again. Plus, I wanted an easy entry back into reading novels again. In my quest to read all of these books in release order, I ended up buying a used copy off Amazon, especially since I'm currently sitting on the next three books which I found at a used book sale. It's a classic Jack Reacher novel: Reacher wanders into town on a whim, investigates some form of wrongdoing and goings-on, and solves the problem with his brain, brawn, and bullets, then sets back out onto the road once more. It's a fun read, easy to follow (even between my comic reading), and self-contained so I don't feel immediately compelled to jump into the next book.
As "fantastical" as this book series has been (Reacher never works out yet still stays in peak physical condition, always manages to sleep with the attractive female character, always finds clothes his size at the Goodwill), the thing that took me out a bit in this story was just how accepting everyone of his companions became with killing. I understand that two of them have a military background, but there wasn't a hint that the other two had even handled a gun before, and suddenly their okay with firing on other human beings? I've shot guns before, and trust me, they're pretty easy to figure out the basics, and I understand people will fight when they're being threatened, but it might take more than a quick pep-talk before I start firing on a bunch of guys who may or may not want to kill me. I don't know why it bothered me so much in this story when I'm pretty sure it happened in others, but it did.
Absolute Flash #16 - 18 by Jeff Lemire
As Wally West searches for clues on how to bring his father back from the Still Point dimension, he receives a psychic distress call from his runaway friend, Grodd. He and Linda race to Grodd's location only to find Grodd's father enslaving the minds of soldiers sent to capture the two apes, including most of the Rogues. Can Wally prove to the enhanced ape that not all humans are bad and free those who may know how to get his father back home? Meanwhile, Dr. Thawne, having made a deal with the Justice League, dispatches a new team of enhanced humans to capture The Flash.
Picking up from the previous story arc and introducing the start of a new one, I thought these three issues moved particularly fast, more "monster of the week" style compared to the other Absolute titles which have moved onto longer plotlines. From the ending of the previous story arc, I was hoping for more Grodd since the psychic is a major villain in DC comics. Instead, the Gorilla City plot lasted just two issues before the Rogues lethally solved the problem. Despite The Rogues killing his father in front of him, Grodd seemingly moves on from the incident particularly fast, and I'm curious if this is supposed to be a foil to the way Wally is instead obsessed with bringing his father back? What I am looking forward to is the team-up between Dr. Thawne and the Justice League as well as the introduction of Wally's own Reverse-Flash nemesis.
Absolute Catwoman #1 - 3 by Che Grayson and Scott Snyder
With almost everything she ever wanted nearly in hand, Selina Kyle looks to retire from her life as the world's greatest burglar. But, when a figure from her past passes along her own stolen prize, it'll drag Kyle into a globe-spanning quest, reunite her with her hold crew, and possibly even lead her to save the world.
From the pages of DC's "Absolute Batman" comes a series focused on Selina Kyle, Absolute Catwoman. Loving pretty much everything published in DC's newest universe, and hearing the book co-helmed by Scott Snyder of "Absolute Batman", it was a no-brainer to pick-up this series, too. If you're looking at the image, yeah, I also wanted to show-off that I got the David Nakayama cover variant of issue #1 (hopefully he makes his way down for another convention one day). The interior art isn't as ... grim, I guess is the right word, as that of "Absolute Batman"'s art, but it lends itself well to the flashback scenes portraying Kyle and her teenage crew, The Calicos. The story jumps back and forth between the present day and Kyle's teenage years as Kyle and the remaining Calicos try to solve the mystery of the device and their kidnapped friend. I'm happy that it's a interesting heist story fitting to the character and not just another generic superhero story.
Absolute Wonder Woman #21 - 23 by Kelly Thompson
"For I have made friends with rage. Together we have made weapons. And plans. And promises. And it has kept me warm ... in the darkest night. But when? When will it consume me? Will I know? Will I care?"
Returned against her will to the Wild Isle, Diana seeks out her mother's assistance only to find her taken from their home. Running out of time, Diana will cut her way through some of the fiercest monsters in Hell until she finds her mother and frees her from her chains. Upon returning to Earth, however, she'll find her friend already gone, having escaped her captors for a price yet to be determined. Diana's interrogation of Veronica Cale is cut short by Zeus's appearance as a giant eye over Gateway City. What does the King of the Gods have planned for the Amazonian?
Following the cliffhanger of the previous story arc which rescued Diana but left her friend in the hands of her enemies, Absolute Wonder Woman begins with Diana trying to find her way back to Earth, and a bigger threat arriving to Gateway City. As much as I loved seeing Diana's combat prowess on full display against the denizen's of Hell and her rage against Cale's defenses, the aspect of the book which really kept me hooked was Diana's desperation to find her friend and Dr. Barbara Minerva's internal struggle deciding whether or not to accept The Cheetah into herself. Despite what will likely be an upcoming battle against Zeus (possibly even more gods, too), it's their friendship that I want to see more of. We also get a better look into Veronica Cale's motivation, and, while it is exactly as the reader expects (I forgot, did she actually talk about why she fights against Diana in earlier issues?), I really liked that Diana is not only able to understand the other's reasoning, but also quickly debunks all of her claims. Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be a good read and I'm excited to see what comes next.
I Hate Fairyland Vol. 10: Monsters Gonna Monster by Skottie Young
Gert has done a lot of terrifying things during her years trapped in Fairyland, but now she'll take on a role she has never done before: Mad Scientist! Before she can start creating reanimating life, however, she'll need to secure an appropriate castle, and wardrobe, and ... parts. Watch Gert bring her terrifying monster to life, and then another to care for it, and then simply abandon the project altogether only for it to come back to haunt her. Transitioning to a new career path, Gert picks up a wand and becomes a fairy godmother - maybe not the best but one that another little girl needed. Finally, Gert and Larry will swap genres and stories while their creator tries to decide where next to take the characters.
Didn't you just read a volume of I Hate Fairyland quite recently? Yeah, I mentioned I was behind on my reading, didn't I? Needing a sort-of palate cleanser after the slew of DC superhero comic I got through, I decided to pick this one off the top of my To Read pile (yes, a literal pile) and managed to sneak it in right as the month ended. Well, another volume of I Hate Fairyland in, and it looks like it might be the last for a bit as Skottie Young puts the story on hiatus while he decides where next to take Gert's adventures. The story has gone in so many crazy directions since I started reading it, I'm genuinely curious to see where Young takes it whenever he decides to start writing again. While more of the recent chapters have read as single, one-shot stories, this one contained a longer, three-issue stint revolving around Gert bringing a monster to life, and, in true Frankenstein-ian fashion, it does not go well. I also love Young making fun of himself as the "hideous face" that Gert gives her creation (at least, from the cap and beard, I'm assuming that's how he looks). Gert's stint as a fairy godmother was a fun play on the usual "guardian angel" trope with Gert instead delivering vengeance upon her ward's enemies. I also really enjoyed the "meta-ness" of the final chapter as Young tries to decide on Gert's next adventure, discussing the project with his peers, and concluding with Gert and Larry on a white page while Young decides to step away from the project, for now. It's another fun read, and was exactly what I needed before once again jumping back into the collection of superhero stories I'm sitting on.
