The Rest, Three Days Late

My weekend was hijacked by writing, which is why there wasn't a properly written up Rest Of on Friday.

Well, that and reviewing Sky Doll #2 keeps getting away from me and becoming intensely long. There's a lot of really, really great things to be said about this series. I'm pretty sure Kirk Warren reviews it best here. It's a fascinating read, one that's got some of the best art out there and absolutely fascinating themes lacing throughout the entire story. I'd review it, but Kirk already beat me to it with an excellent one.

Recommendation: Pick this up, definitely. And like I said last time, I'm pretty sure I'll be suckered into getting the trade for this as well as the monthlies.

Locke and Key #5 is another great issue in a series that's really knocking it out of the park for me. I've found the art to be solid and immensely enjoyable--as well as perfectly colored--and it enhances the mood of the story tenfold. The writing is poignant and in turns funny, terribly sad and immensely creepy.

The writer, Joe Hill (who I have belatedly discovered is Stephen King's son), balances the mystical aspects perfectly with horror in a story that should be more of a cliche than it is. The characters are typical archetype--older brother = guardian, middle sister = little mother to the brothers and youngest brother = too-curious-for-own good and a mother who is completely falling apart after the murder of her husband. These should be cliche--they are, goddammit, they are--but Hill has used this simplicity to snap together dynamics between them that are deep and unfolded a story that isn't just creepy, but significant.

One of the best tells of a truly good writer is how well they wield simplicity and Hill has been demonstrating the point astonishingly well so far.

Recommendation: You SHOULD have been picking this up. And now that you want to, you can't, because this has been the sleeper hit that I told everyone about, dammit, when the first issue hit the stands. And it's all sold out. Now you're going to have to wait for the trade.

I'm replacing Huntress #3 with Trinity #2 (lie, I was going to do both, but now I'm not. Nyah.)

So, Trinity #2. Alright, dammit, this issue grabbed me. From the title that had me snickering, "Personal Best At Robot Smashing" to the line "I do not swoon over costumed acrobats", I really enjoyed this issue. It was fun, dammit, in a way that Countdown never could have been and 52 definitely shouldn't have been. It's been a lot of fun reading these guys over the last two weeks.

Superman moves a solar system, Wonder Woman has a playdate with robots and Batman dissipates a mystic city with his willpower.

And this week, the second story was hysterical. I want a little Graak for myself. At the very least, I think I'll be making myself a Graak banner for something or another.

Over all? I felt this nailed it. I think that the story is progressing along a little slowly, but it's because Busiek is spending time on the characters instead, not twiddling his thumbs and wasting panels. And whenever a writer wants to over-compensate on character attention, I'm pretty much behind it.

Recommendation: It's fun. And funny. And a solid read that will help you remember why Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are fun. I'll be picking it up next week and am really, really pleased to be doing so. And as a side note, Busiek should win an award for coming up with two of the funniest titles I've read in a while. Too many writers (or editors, maybe?) forget the small joys of having a funny one.