FPNYC Faithful, I have a sore throat and IT IS THE WORST, PLEASE SEND HELP/A NEW THROAT.
Inhumanity #1
Matt Fraction/Oliver Coipel/Leinil Yu, Dustin Weaver/ Mark Morales/Laura Martin
Marvel, $3.99, 40 pages
THIS WEEK IN CONFESSIONS: Aside from a few (4) tie-in issues, I pretty much skipped over Infinity these past few months. HOWEVER, Inhumanity #1 recaps what you need to know quite nicely, so you can enjoy it and still wait for that pricey hardcover to drop in February.
Rumor has it the Inhumans are getting a big push due to FOX having the rights to the X-men movie franchise and Marvel needing something that can be feared and loathed on the big screen for $$$. If that’s the case, Marvel Comics has definitely assembled the right team to get that ball rolling, as Matt Fraction has been on fire for the last year, and his run on the Fantastic Four books has shown that he knows how to write those characters. Pair him with 3 of Marvel strongest artists in the form of Coipel/Yu/Weaver and chances of this book being a hit are good.
And it is! Karnak makes an excellent tragic lead, and Fraction tosses his fan base a nice little bone by throwing in some quality Iron Man and Hawkeye scenes. It’s nice seeing Matt flex some different creative muscles, as this book feels ways different than some of his recent big hits. And Coipel and friends deliver as well, offering some unique visuals and character moments that hit hard. Inhumanity is off to a strong start, and I’m hoping it can keep this level of quality going.
Burn the Orphanage: Born to Lose #2
Sina Grace/Daniel Freedman/John Rauch
Image/ $4.99/32 pages
The first issue of BtO:BTL was arguably the best comic of this year that I never asked for. Sina Grace and Daniel Freedman created a nice homage to beat ’em video games and had they ended the series there I would have been pleased. HOWEVER, issue 2 is a homage/parody to fighting games, specifically Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, and YO, I am quite BOUT that!
Everything about this 2nd issue is a step up from the already impressive debut. Grace’s art is less sketchier this time and feels a lot more finished. The script takes a few unique twists, leading to some great fight pieces, cool locales, and really solid jokes. And the fights this time are a lot more brutal, which says a lot considering the 1st book ended with some dude getting his head kicked off. Except to cringe at least twice when reading this.
However, this 2nd issue drops the ball in two area. $5 for 32 pages seem like a lot, especially since this lacks the free digital copies Marvel and DC usually offer for that price range. And the ending is more abrupt than a cliffhanger. Still a great read though, Burn the Orphanage #2 is worth the cash if you want more good indie comics that pay homage to video games.
Longshot saves the Marvel Universe #3
Christopher Hastings/Jacopo Camagni/Victor Calderon-Zurita
Marvel, $2.99, 20 pages
With this third issue, Longshot saves has gone in full Dr McNinja territory. The Marvel Universe finds itself at war with various “What-If” variants of themselves, all while the fabric of reality is threatened. Also Senile Magneto may be the character find of the year.
This month’s (or week’s, I have no idea if this mini is monthly or bi-weekly) issue sees Victor Calderon-Zurita help out on pencils, as seen on the cover. Victor’s pencils are very similar to Cagmani’s, although some characters eyes look too big for their skulls are certain times. Still, the book remains a delightful romp, as Chris Hastings knows how to balance action with comedy perfectly. The humor is this book’s strong point, but there’s some moments of badassery too. With an issue left (I think.), it’s been a very fun little mini that I hope sticks it’s landing.
