Greek Street #12--DC/Vertigo
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: David Gianfelice
I can't remember the last time Greek Street actually kept my interest the way the first few issues did. The first story arc ran out of steam quickly, and the second did very little to get a fresh hold on my attention. However, as Peter Milligan starts the Ajax story arc, he finally hits something fresh and interesting after the quickly staling work on the first two arcs. In Ajax, we meet Phil Jackson, fresh from the war in Afghanistan, having flashbacks of his trials in the Middle East, and being visited by the ghosts of Spartans. It's here that I feel like Werther Dell'edera gives the series it's first strong artistic moments, where David Gianfelice could not. This tied in with Milligan's strong story telling, which has been conspicuously absent for the past arc, gives me some new faith in the series. If you fell off reading this one before, this is where you should start back. Otherwise, it might serve you better to check out the trades.
4/5
Electric Ant #3--Marvel
Writer: David Mack
Artist: Pascal Alixe
Marvel tries to impress me once again with their third issue in the adaptation of the Phillip K Dick work of the same title. Electric Ant has it's moments. The concepts about how Garson Poole tries to modify how he senses reality are intriguing, but I don't feel any reason to care about the character. His story is just interesting enough to read, but what really sells the book to me, personally, is the art. The hand painted visuals serve the future-punk visuals well, especially as Poole continues to meddle with his body. While I'm disappointed that there is little to keep me interested in the characters, I can't say it's a series worth abandoning. I hope that it picks up a little more, and the end of the third issue implies that there will be something coming in the last two issue that will provide a little bang alongside the heady speculation about reality that Dick originally wrote about. Again, it's a fascinating concept to play with, but I'm not sure how well the comic serves the story other than with the art.
3/5
I, Zombie #2--DC/Vertigo
Writer: Chris Roberson
Artist: Michael Allred
From the first moment I read about this series in Previews, I had a good feeling about it. Chris Roberson was coming off of the entertaining, but ultimately shallow, Fables spinoff Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, and and here comes an ongoing series with an interesting premise: a zombie who maintains her humanity by fulfilling the final wishes of those whose brains she eats. So, I entered the first issue with decently high expectations and was served a rather decent introduction to the characters and their personalities and issues. So, here comes issue two. And it's miles better than it's predecessor. Roberson is starting up an interesting story now, involving vampires who crave the blood of young men, and continuing to develop the interesting characters from the first story. The quirkiness of the book is what makes it so much fun, and why it is such a fulfilling departure from other stories rooted in traditional horror themes. The art in this series is rooted in a 60's pop art feel, which was obvious from the covers used for the first issue. Everything just adds to the fun that this book seems to bleed from every crevasse.
4.5/5
Serenity: Float Out (One Shot/Issue 7)--Dark Horse
Writer: Patton Oswalt
Artist: Patrick Reynolds
I don't know what is keeping Joss Whedon from indulging in an ongoing Firefly/Serenity comic series. Season Eight of Buffy wraps up with issue 40, so it's time he does something with a franchise that has an ever growing fan base. Float Out is a story about Wash, told from the point of view of three different shipmates from his past. Patton Oswalt has done well here, but it's by no means perfect. I felt that the story started a bit slowly, and the focus of the story, Wash, wasn't present enough in the story. The first story told didn't even really hold my focus as much as I would have liked. However, it improved through to the finale, which ultimately led to my desire for more. I can't say that wanting more from a comic is a bad thing except this is the only thing that we as readers will get for now. Patric Reynolds put a nice face on the book, with detailed pages, and a beautiful layout for some of the more impressive moments in the book. I chose the Jo Chen cover when I picked mine up, deciding after reading that it was actually more in line with the tale told. A pleasant surprise was the announcement that the long awaited graphic novel about Shepherd Book is going to finally release in the Fall. If nothing else, this was a nice way to help pass the time.
4.5/5
Look for reviews of Unwritten #14, Predators #1, and possibly something else next week. I'm still waiting for issue two of Captain Swing, and the second issue of The Light never came into my shop when it released last month. Until next time...
3rdstar
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