Critical Hits & Misses #244

• The Lewisville Texan Journal has in-depth and important discussion on why it's so difficult for women in abusive relationships to leave. 


• Vertigo Editor Karen Berger is launching a new line of comics! Vulture has the details on the first titles under Berger Books, and most of them sound awesome!

For today's musical hit, we have Demi Lovato and "Sorry Not Sorry"

Today's critical rolls: Indie comics! Do you read them? What do you like? What's good that we might not have heard of before?


Critical Writ has a super-duper strict comment policy that specifies a single rule above all others: we reserve the right to ban you for being a terribad citizen of the internet.

Landmarks: Astro City #41 Review

There are many independent superhero series, but while many of them are high quality, they generally explore or interrogate the genre in a manner that puts those comics clearly outside of the mainstream. They can be parodies like Empowered or grim like Kick-Ass, they can feature imperfect characters like They're Not Like Us or take a more melancholy tone like Black Hammer. In their search for genre maturity, few decide to remain as uplifting and optimistic as the works they interrogate. Astro City is one of those few.

Since 1995, when the first issue was released, Kurt Busiek's Astro City has been a wonderful mélange of influences from both Marvel and DC with Busiek's own human look at the genre he wrote in for a long and storied time and has given him a near encyclopedic knowledge. The series, set primarily in the titular city, often takes the perspective of a regular human on the regular superhero storytelling. The anthology format allows Busiek to often change perspective and tell different stories in arcs small and short or in single issues, and allows us to see the world he created and Brent Anderson (most commonly) depicts.

The very first issue, told from the perspective of the Superman-like Samaritan, has been often hailed as one of the best Superman stories ever written, and I for one gained a greater understanding and appreciation of the character's archetype thanks to it. "The Nearness of You" shows how the fallout of reality-threatening events, so common in mainstream superhero stories, would affect regular people. The two Steeljack storylines provide a more understanding look at small-time supercriminals than either of the Big Two ever tried, with only Marvel's recent Iluminati taking a stab at it in its first Titania-focused issue. One of the first stories of the current series, started in 2013, is focused on a 911-like hotline that helps superheroes find threats that need stopping and people that need help.

And now the series is celebrating its biggest landmark; while this is 45th issue of the current run of Astro City, it also is the 100th issue overall. For that occasion, Busiek and Anderson are giving us a double-sized story focused on the character that gave the titular city its name—The Astro-Naut.

In a typical Astro City we learn about the main character through the eyes of an ordinary person. In this case, it's Romeyn Falls (Astro City's original name) city council member and friend of the aforementioned character, Joseph Greenwald. The Astro-Naut himself, Roy Virgil, is a larger than life figure, molded after Howard Hughes or –to pick a more comic book example– Marvel Cinematic Universe's Howard Stark. He's a brilliant and wealthy inventor with a gigantic smile on his face for much of the issue. The story follows his early exploits as the town's favorite costumed crimefighter, and his forays into interstellar adventuring, Buck Rogers-style. And then it all changes when WW2 begins, taking a mature and thoughtful approach to how the character would be involved in the conflict and how the public would react to his choice.

The concept of presenting a science-fiction/fantasy character through the eyes of an ordinary person isn't new –and certainly not uncommon for Astro City– but if done well, it can help paint a more relatable view of the central character, without obscuring it too much with the beholder's bias. As usual for the series, it works well; we get a good understanding of who Roy Virgil is and how his journey as a hero progresses, while also getting a sense of who Joseph Greenwald is. As usual for the book, it's really well done and reminds us of how good the series is. It's like Saga; people really don't talk about how good the comic is anymore, because at this point it's obvious. Water is wet. The sky is blue. Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson put out a good issue of Astro City.

If I were to have a minor complaint to the issue's story, it'd be its connection to the overall plot-arc of the series since its 2013 return, i.e. the Broken Man's fight against the Oubor. The story generally gets told in its own issues, with the Broken Man showing the readers events from Astro City's past that tie into that story. Here, it's a quick appearance of the character, who wordlessly points out a character connected to the main mystery. It's quick, but a little disruptive to the flow and tone of the story.

The art is the usual high quality for the series. Brent Anderson has a perfect style for the comic, flexible enough that he can jump between dynamic superheroic action and quiet personal conversations, and it always look good. His designs take pulp influences and recreate them in a more humane, relatable way.

The 100th issue is a perfect celebration of the series. While the story is not entirely unusual, the size and character of it make it more special. After all, this is the first issue we get to see the origins of the most important character of the comic—the city itself. How it transitioned from being Romeyn Falls to self-described "Home of the Heroes", whose citizens are proud of their many protectors. And hopefully, there's at least half as many issues to come in the future.

Astro City #41 is written by Kurt Busiek with art by Brent Anderson, and it's published by Vertigo Comics It can be found at your local comic shop or digitally on comiXology.

Dominik Zine is a nerdy demisexual lad from northeastern Poland and is generally found in a comfy chair with a book in hand.

Make a Solicit Check: Best of September 2016 Comic Solicitations

There are many comics coming out each month, so it’s easy to lose track of something interesting coming out. That’s why we here at Critical Writ have started Make a Solicit Check – a monthly column devoted to the most interesting announcements.

In our inaugural edition, we’ve got Romantic century deities, vigilante surgeons, black superheroes and trans superheroines.

HONORABLE MENTION

Angel Catbird Volume 1 – Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas (Dark Horse)

Before we begin the list proper, let’s take a moment to talk about a comic coming out in September that isn’t mentioned in solicitations released this month. That’s called an "advance solicit," and publishers use them generally for graphic novels. So technically I shouldn’t be writing about it – but considering it’s a comic book written by Margaret freaking Atwood, I think I can bend the rules to mention it. The first volume of a humorous trilogy about a genetic engineer who accidentally spliced his DNA simultaneously with cat and owl DNA. So obviously he becomes a superhero.

It will be released on September 6.

THE LIST PROPER

12. Neverending Story

Everafter: From the Pages of Fables – Matthew Sturges, Dave Justus, Travis Moore (DC/Vertigo)

Most of the list is focused on exciting new titles and returns. But the last spot is perfect to talk about how there’s something wrong going on with Vertigo since the firing of Shelly Bond. Don’t get me wrong – there are good comics coming out from DC’s once great imprint. There’s Astro City, Gail Simone’s Clean Room, Tom King’s The Sheriff of Babylon (ending in November) and this month’s solicitations also announce Frostbite – a miniseries from Joshua Williamson set after the second ice age.

But it also brings news of the premature end of Art Pop and this comic, which shows how much of a shadow of its old self Vertigo became. I mean – a new Fables series? The comic just ended last year, and even that happened with a whimper, as the series lost its momentum long ago. But if you feel your life is empty without this series, I won’t begrudge your interest. It’s going to be set after the end of the original series, in a world with mundanes (i.e. us) aware of the existence of magic. It’ll be about The Shadow Players – a global organization made up of both humans and Fables (with returning characters Bo Peep, Peter Piper, Hansel and Connor Wolf). The first issue of Everafter will be out on September 7.

11. So Long, Howie

Howard the Duck #11 – Chip Zdarsky, Joe Quinones (Marvel)

The majority of Marvel solicitations this month are devoted to Civil War II and its tie-ins. This madness will end in October, and you can expect our summary then. Thankfully though, there are other, more self-contained titles coming out – but sadly, after September we’ll have one less Marvel comic to look forward to. Chip and Joe’s comedy series Howard the Duck is ending with issue eleven, after 16 issues total. This is the effect of the series reaching its natural end, instead of a cancellation – which should make the pain more bearable. Expect a heartfelt goodbye review from Zachary sometime in September.

10. Many Happy Returns

The only downside of Image’s creator-owned titles is that in order to allow the artist a pace of work to be certain they don’t die of exhaustion, long hiatuses between story arcs became a necessary evil.

On the plus side, every return is cause for celebration. September marks the returns of:

- Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig – a coming of age story in an assassins school with a diverse cast of characters (September 28);

- Invisible Republic by Gabriel Hardmand and Corinna Bechko – a Blade Runner/Breaking Bad resembling science fiction political thriller in space (September 21);

- Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda – an amazing steampunk fantasy (September 7);

- No Mercy by Alex de Campi and Carla Speed McNeil – a Lord of the Flies-inspired story about lost teens (September 14);

- Southern Cross by Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger – Alien-like space horror series (September 14);

- Wayward by Jim Zub and Steve Cummings – urban fantasy set in Japan, mixing American Gods and Buffy (September 28).

9. Back to School

Gotham Academy: The Next Semester – Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, Karl Kerschl

By September, DC’s Rebirth will be in full swing, with most of the announced title out, some of them finishing their opening arcs and even their very first crossover (mentioned below). One of the last additions is the return of one the most praised series DC released in recent years, Gotham Academy. Considering the writing team is the only one unchanged for the relaunch, we can pretty much expect more of the same – which is good news for the fans and groan-worthy news for the detractors. The first issue will be out on September 14.

8. It’s Crossover Time

Yep, barely a quarter of the year after it started, DC’s Rebirth will have its very first crossover event. Batman, Nightwing and Batwoman’s team will join forces (following the conclusions of their respective story arcs the same month) for Night of the Monster Men – an attack of giant monsters. It will take two issues of each comic (which means that with the twice-monthly release schedule the crossover will be over in the middle of October) and will consist of the following titles:

- Batman #7, written by Steve Orlando; and Tom King, drawn by Riley Rossmo (out on September 21);

- Nightwing #5 – written by Steve Orlando and Tim Seeley, drawn by Roge Antonio (out on September 21);

- Detective Comics #941 – written by Steve Orlando and James Tynion IV, drawn by Andy McDonald (out on September 28.

7. The Comic I Couldn’t Leave Off the List If I Wanted To

Doom Patrol – Gerard Way, Nick Derington (DC/Young Animal)

Now we’re talking! The surprise announcement for DC’s new imprint headed by the famous musician Gerard Way, Young Animal, overshadowed Rebirth in some circles. I literally have no idea what to expect from the comics that will come out under Young Animal, but I personally can’t wait. The first comic released under this imprint will be Doom Patrol, a.k.a. the proto-X-Men, a.k.a. the bonkers team Grant Morrison wrote in the 90s. The first issue will be out on September 14.

6. The Old Romantics

The Wicked + The Divine 1831 #1 (one-shot) – Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans (Image)

WicDiv’s current explosive story arc might end in August, but we’ll be getting more from Kieron Gillen in September, while Jamie McKelvie works on the next – a look at one of the previous Pantheons from the comic world’s past. The second to be shown and the first to get their own one-shot comic, the gods of the Romantic period will be drawn by the talented Stephanie Hans (who drew the Amaterasu focused issue #15), and feature among others a Byronesque Lucifer. A must have for the fans, especially since it won’t be collected in the volume 4 trade. It’s set to be released on September 21.

5. Eat the Rude

Glitterbomb #1 – Jim Zub, Djibril Morissette-Phan (Image)

September is a good moment to start releasing new horror comics – and good horror tends to put a mirror in front of our fears and obsessions. Such is the case with Glitterbomb starring Farrah Durante, a middle-aged actress looking for work in a Hollywood – the shallow, youth-obsessed place we know and (do not) love. Her frustrations open her to an entity that will help her exact revenge on the unjust system she’s been forced to live with until now. The comic is set to be released on September 7.

4. The Surgeon General

Surgeon X #1 – Sara Kenney, John Watkiss (Image)

Sara Kenney (a famed documentary, drama and animation filmmaker) joins forces with artist John Watkiss and Karen Berger – the legendary editor and founder of Vertigo – for an exciting dystopian comic. Surgeon X tells the story of a vigilante surgeon, using her skills and black market medicine to save lives in a far-right governed Britain (insert UKIP, David Cameron and Brexit reference here) after an antibiotics apocalypse. The first issue is set to be released on September 28.

3. The Women of Comics

CBLDF: She Changed Comics (Image)

This is advance preview for a book that will be released on October 5, but I’m putting it here – because it’s part of the September solicitations, and because of how important it is. This isn’t a comic book, but instead it’s a book about women writing them. It will showcase female creators changing the medium today (including Raina Tegelmeyer, Noelle Stephenson and G. Willow Wilson), and present the plights of women imprisoned and threatened for making comics – and talk about women whose comics are banned in the US. If you’re deeply interested in comics and their creators, it’s a must have. It’ll be out on October 5.

2. Black Powers

Black #1 – Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith 3, Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph (Black Mask)

When big publishers disappoint you in terms of diverse comics, turn to the indie ones. Black Mask continues its winning streak with Black – a comic successfully Kickstarted during this year’s Black History Month. It’s a story set in a world where only Black people get superpowers – and the US makes sure no one knows about it. Created by an all-Black team, the comic will explore institutional racism through the lense of a superhero comic.

1. Representation Matters

Alters #1 – Paul Jenkins, Leila Lenz, Tamra Bonvillain (Aftershock)

Here she is – the world’s first trans superheroine! Written by Paul Jenkins (the creator of Marvel’s Sentry), drawn by Leila Lenz and colored by a trans woman herself, Tamra Bonvillain (who hopefully had a hand in the comic’s handling of trans issues), it tells the story of Chalice, a trans girl just before transitioning who discovers she has gravity manipulating powers. This means she’s one of the titular Alters – a group of humans that suddenly develops superpowers (yes, just like the X-Men/Inhumans). Not out of the closet yet, she becomes the superheroine Chalice – and has to maintain two secret identities – as a heroine and as a trans girl. The (hopefully good) comic will be out on September 7.

Dominik Zine is a nerdy lad from northeastern Poland and is generally found in a comfy chair with a book in hand.