Just to let you know, I'm moving the blog over to continuityerror.com, where it will be powered by Wordpress instead of blogger. The new RSS feed is here.
The new site needs some serious work, especially in the design department, but I am currently making some new content, so I thought I'd let people know where they can get more Continuity Error.
The way I see it, there are three types of comic book fans.* There are those who read comics because they enjoy the medium, those who read because they like superheroes, and then there are those who are more concerned with collecting rather than actually reading anything.
Fans of the Medium: These people love comics because there is just something about them fundamentally that appeals to them. These are the people who only use "graphic novel" instead of "comic book." They've read Understanding Comics more than once. They have also read at least half of Reinventing Comics. Their pull lists always include Y: The Last Man or The Walking Dead, or both if they know that's good for them. They read some superhero comics, but they often restrict this habit to those written by Grant Morrison, Brian K. Vaughan and Niel Gaiman. They may not have read many Batman comics, but they can tell you exactly why Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns is the quintessential Batman story. They also tend to be suckers for the Marvel Essentials line, in that they can get a motherload of comic for very little money, regardless of whether the stories are at all tolerable. Despite their obvious faults, these fans do have one thing going for them: when they bring a date home, they don't need to hide their collection of hardcovers, indie graphic novels and critically acclaimed manga.
Superhero Fans: These fans read almost nothing but superhero comics. They enjoy rich, and often times ridiculous, mythologies attached to their favorite characters. The best of them can name off at least ten members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The problem they have is that anti-intellectualism seems to run wild in their ranks. They don't bother reading non-superhero comics because they think they don't like "smart comics" or "comics that make you think," even though I've told them to read It's A Bird a hundred times because I know they will love it! They also tend to get excited about things that are clearly stupid, just because they involve superheroes, like shitty movies or breakfast cereals.
The Collectors: Out of the three, these are the guys I just cannot understand. Rather than being a distinct group from the previous two, Collectors are a mutation of the Medium Fan and the Superhero Fan. Rather than buying comics to read them, Collectors buy them to have them. To see one, just wait at any comic shop on a Wednesday and wait for a guy to walk in with two dozen pre-boarded bags. Watch them grab every comic from every major publisher (regardless of quality or demographic) and place those comics neatly in the bags. Either these people are all rich or they still live with their parents, because it is insane how much money they drop on comics each week.
Of course, I'm not saying that people can't be a little of each, a lover of the medium and a superhero nerd. It's sort of like being gay or straight: it just depends on where in the spectrum to fall on. But in the case of Collectors, it's basically just sex addiction.
*Please note that I am restricting my generalizations to the American comics scene. I'm sure that the dynamics are different in other countries, especially Japan, where mainstream comics are more diverse.
ESSENTIAL PUNISHER VOL. 2 TPB
Written by MIKE BARON, ROGER SALICK, ELIOT R. BROWN & ANN NOCENTI
Penciled by KLAUS JANSON, DAVID ROSS, WHILCE PORTACIO, MARK TEXEIRA, MIKE VOSBURG, ELIOT R. BROWN & JOHN ROMITA JR.
Cover by KLAUS JANSON
Mobsters, terrorists, neo-Nazis, religious fanatics, armored killers; no one's too tough for the Punisher! Follow the trail of blood as Frank Castle's war on crime takes him across the country, south of the border, back to school and Down Under! Plus: The Man With Lots Of Guns vs. the Man Without Fear in a crossover with Daredevil! And who will live and die when the Punisher leads what might be the world's shortest-lived crime-fighting team against the Kingpin of Crime? With Typhoid Mary and a cameo by the
X-Men! Collecting PUNISHER #1-20 and ANNUAL #1, and DAREDEVIL #257
I love you again, Marvel.
Just letting you know I'm not dead yet.
Wow, it's only been a month since I last blogged. Let me think what's new in my life...
-I'm still tired of superhero comics. The only superhero comics I buy currently are World War Hulk, Batman, and Runaways (which now has a very Weadonesque release schedule). The rest I just download. I know, it's awful of me, but the major American publishers just aren't putting out much of anything I see worth putting money down for.
-The death of Bart Allen pisses me off. Not because I liked him, but rather I'm just sick and tired of characters being killed in order to a) drum up sales and b) get them out of the way without having to com up with something more creative. Death has become boring in comic books, and therefor there is very little at stake.
-I've been looking into manga lately. I used to think it was all lame but it's really kind of cool if you find the right stuff for you. This book by Paul Gravett is a really good introduction to the stuff. Astro Boy is neat, although a little too kiddie for me. Death Note is awesome, as is Battle Angel Alita. Rorouni Kenshin isn't bad. Golgo 13 is fun. Hellsing, on the other hand, is terrible.
-Oh, and I started up a satirical blog called The Fandamentalist. It's basically me doing to comics what the Cobert Report does to politics. I must be really cynical right now. It's a secret that the Fandamentalist is a joke, so don't tell anyone it's me or else I won't get anymore angry comments.
-Time for me to go to bed and cuddle up with a nice manga.
Soon after beginning the viral marketing campaign attached to The Dark Knight, the upcoming sequel to Batman Begins, Warner Bros has released an official photograph of Heath Ledger's Joker by way of ibelieveinharveydenttoo.com.
That is incredible. Of course, I wonder what parents' groups will think of such a grotesque and fundamentally violent character in what they still believe is a francise of "children's movies."
And I'm sure that the internet is tearing at the seams with fans complaining about how this is "not the real Joker" (as if there is real Joker at all) and already claiming to boycott the film. For me, the grisly, no-holds-barred approach to the Joker is perfect and will fit neatly into the new Batman film continuity.
But, I am afraid I will start thinking I'm watching Ichi the Killer at times.
Until now I have kept my blog shut on this ridiculous Mary Jane statue issue, but after this statement by Tom Hodges, defending the statue's design, I couldn't keep quiet. What really stood out to me was this part:
If you're upset she's not portraying MJ like Dunst in the movies... then you obviously have no idea who the MJ character really is. She's a supermodel, not some whiny waive thin tone deaf little girl. She's supposed to be stacked.Here's the deal: Mary Jane is not a supermodel. She is a fictional character who was written as a supermodel for a small time, but she does not in any way resemble an actual supermodel. In fact, other than plus size models and Trya Banks, most supermodels are "whiny, waif-thin little girls."
I'd love to write something cynical and witty about Countdown or World War Hulk or even Amazons Attack, but I'm not reading any of them. In fact, I haven't read too many superhero comics in the last few weeks. Instead, I've been reading Death Note
All said and done, Spider-Man 3 is the single best film to be the third installment of a superhero franchise. That action is solid, if not more impressive than the first two movies, and the consistent tone with the other films make this a good addition to the series in a genre where sequels usually become unbearable after the second film. The acting is also very good, especially Ms. Dunst, who I feel really was the star of this movie. Quite enjoyable.
The only real problem is the script. With so many intersecting story lines, the script simply stretches itself too thin while it attempts to give all its characters a sense of humanity. Perhaps another 20 minutes was necessary to flesh things out, or maybe the screen writers were just being lazy. Another problem, although less so, is that Peter's evil makeover is laughably ridiculous. So emo.
There is no arguing that Spider-Man 3 is much weaker than the first two movies and that this is mostly due to the thinned out script and use of cheap plot devices, but it still is a pretty decent movie and an above average superhero flick.
Now that the post-Infinite Crisis status quo has finally been revealed in Fifty-Two #52, I find my self wondering which of the two major fictional universes I find more attractive now that they have finished their respective "shake-up" events. I've figured that looking at how both DC and Marvel match up in some key categories will help me come to the final answer: Am I a DC or a Marvel man? Let the games begin!
New Status Quo
DC: A new multiverse. Personally I really don't care much for this idea at I felt that Hypertime was a quick and easy way to make everything work while still keeping things in one set universe. I don't really know why I would want to read anything that takes place on Earth-2 or the Faucett Earth. I like the idea of a single universe for everything, but that said, I don't really see how this will really affect me much. So really, I'm just apathetic to the multiverse.
Marvel: Ugh. I can't help but see half of Marvel's protagonists as villains now. Mrs. Marvel and Iron Man especially. Maybe this will bring about some interesting dynamics between characters, but I just don't like not being able to really care about less than half of the characters in a superhero universe. Hopefully the Hulk can help smash some of this crap back into shape.
Winner: DC, for not making their heroes either outlaws or dickheads.
Continuity
DC: A multiverse, then a single universe, then a series of interwoven timelines, then a multiverse. The post-CoIE reboot was brilliant, although necessary move but now I'm just confused by who did or didn't do what. Although I only have to wait twenty years for another reboot.
Marvel: These guys always had their shit together, although they did get a later start. Everything is in continuity, and although that means that there are decades worth of stories that "count" but no fan will have the time to read. I admire Marvel's ability to refrain from rebooting their universe and accepting that continuity is going to get fucked up now and then.
Winner: Marvel, for keeping things simple and relevant.
Old School
DC: Things were pretty goofy in the fifties and sixties for everyone in the DCU. All I can say is thank you, Baby Jesus, for Crisis on Infinite Earths. That said, DC did get their act together much sooner than the competition. Pretty much anything Neil Adams and Denny O'Neil touched in the seventies was decades ahead of its time.
Marvel: When Marvel started out, Stan Lee wrote everything and I've made my feelings on Stan's writing abilities pretty clear. That said, Jack Kirby also drew a lot of stuff and that made those ridiculous stories all the more bearable. Personally, I don't think Marvel really got its head on straight with storytelling until the late seventies, especially when Frank Miller changed Daredevil into a swashbuckling Spider-Man rip-off into a hard edged, realistic vigilante.
Winner: DC, by a nose. While the stories where Superman tricks his family and Batman died every issue were stupid, juvenile and just plain crappy, the DC books of the seventies were far more advanced than those at Marvel. That said, Jack Kirby still kicks ass.
Main "Boy Scout" Character
DC: Superman. I've always had a hard time liking Superman. As a god-like superhero, he's the template, but in the end, smashing stuff or lifting huge objects can only be so interesting. I get that there's some sort of American idealism that is supposed to be invested in Superman, but it always rings hallow to me. Maybe I just don't "get him" and need to read It's a Bird again.
Marvel: Captain America. Also hard for me to get, especially since I find nationalistic idealism often to be silly. That said, Cap has a history of standing up for what he beleives is right, even if it is in opposition to the US government. That's the sort of hero I can respect, even if he has a silly costume.
Winner: Marvel. Even anarchists can think Cap is cool, while Superman just comes off as a tool a lot of the time.
Main "Tough Guy" Character
DC: Batman. The Goddamn Batman. Don't know what else to say other than he's the coolest comic book character of all time.
Marvel: Wolverine. He can be cool, really cool, but sometimes he just gets boring. And now that he's been reduced to a skeleton only to recover in an hour or so, it's a little hard to worry about the outcomes of his stories.
Winner: DC. Batman will punch you in the neck for thinking otherwise.
Main Female Character
DC: Wonder Woman. She's always gotten the short end of the stick in the so-called "trinity" of major heroes in the DCU. I don't know much about her, but I know that she's able to kick just about anyone's ass, especially since Superman can't sometimes bring himself to do the job. That makes her cool in my book.
Marvel: Uh... who would this be exactly? Storm? Or is it Mrs. Marvel now that Ororo's married to a B-list Avenger? In any case, I can't think of a single female Marvel character that is a household name. That's sad.
Winner: DC, for simply having a woman on the A-list.
Main Superhero Team
DC: Justice League. The JLA has either been full of A-listers or stocked with silly B-listers and either way is lots of fun. Personally, I prefer to have all the best characters on the roster, but even with a few second stringers, the League is always fun.
Marvel: Avengers. Until lately the Avengers have never interested me. Other than a handful of A-list characters like Cap and Iron Man, the team seems to have always been made up of characters that no one really cares much about. The X-Men have cooler characters, but somehow the Avengers are still supposed to be "the big guns." And even when the coolest characters are on the team (as they are in the current New Avengers) it seems a little awkward and forced.
Winner: DC. Ask anyone on the street to name ten superheroes and they are likely to name mostly JLA members.
Movies (post-X-Men)
DC: Batman Begins was damn near perfect and Superman Returns was pretty fun if only a bit preachy. Catwoman is unwatchable, but is the only bad recent DC movie I can think of.
Marvel: Marvel has a bit of a head start on the superhero movie renaissance, starting with X-Men and exploding with Spider-Man. Both the X-movies and Spider-Man films have been great (even The Last Stand!) but there have been even more Marvel movies that I haven't even seen because they just look boring. Hulk, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Daredevil, all movies I would theoretically love to see, but just to not seem to look worth the effort of renting them.
Winner: Draw. While Marvel has two successful series of films under thier belt, they also have a ton of mediocre films. DC on the other hand has next to nothing but promises good stuff in the future.
Now that I've run out of categories, lets tally up the points...
And DC wins by a landslide. Really, I'm a little surprised, but the numbers don't lie. Now I just need to figure out why I read more Marvel weekly than DC.
If you haven't ready read it, do so, or else be ready to read some SPOILERS.
I just have to say that it's mighty convenient that Mr. Mind was able to eat all the parts that made the New Earth different from the Kingdom Come earth or the Wildstorm Universe. I mean, just how is it that he didn't create totally different realities, ones we've never seen before, while on his space/time eating binge?
The DCU has gone though so many shuffles and revisions that nothing makes any sense to me anymore. I mean, now that there is a new multiverse, does that mean that the first Crisis is null and void, at least for those Earths that existed back then? Does this mean that every DC/Wildstorm crossover need a dimensional travel explanation? And why even bother have the Charlton or Capt. Marvel worlds? The first Crisis didn't just erase them, it made them obsolete by integrating them into the mainstream DCU.
Sigh. I miss Hypertime.
Maybe this is a little late since Nightwing Annual #2 came out a while ago, but this One-Year-Before-One-Year-Later story has sealed the deal: I don't like Dick Grayson.
Now, I do like him as a supporting character to Batman or Tim Drake, and he seems to be cool enough as Robin, but when he is the lead character some of his less appealing traits really shine through. Namely, Dick is a whiny slut.
I've already written about how Dick can't keep it in his pants, but I forgave him for it then. After all, it was One Year Later and everyone in the DC Universe could have done with some action. But as the Annual points out, Nightwing is just a plain ol' slut. According to the Annual, Dick, in a heartbeat, started making out with Barbara and even went to bed with her only to reveal that he was engaged to Starfire at the time! I'm not too familiar with Dick and Kori's relationship, but it's just not cool to sleep around when you are engaged. And, as the ending of the Annual indicates, Dick is still in love with Babs and will return to her some day. Apparently it's okay to sleep with strange fashion designers on the way. And has Dick even talked to Babs since returning to the states? I haven't been reading Nightwing for a few months, but I'm sure he's found some other ways to slut it up along the way back to Babs.
And Nightwing is emooooooo. He's more moody than Batman now! Somehow both Bruce and Tim returned from their world tour better adjusted and more badass, but Dick just got more whiny. Maybe that's what he gets for skipping out early. It seems that Nightwing is just in a bad place and I'm not sure if he'll ever get out of it.
I wish I could blame Dick's angst and promiscuity on one writer, but this appears to be the conventions of his character and that makes me not like him at all. I'm still all about Nightwing teaming up with Robin or Batman or anyone else for that matter. Hell, I loved his role in Infinite Crisis, but on his own he repulses me.
Someone let me know when Dick gets over it.
Here is all you need to know about Giant-Sized X-Men #1 and Uncanny X-Men #94 - #104, boiled down to one panel an issue.
Giant-Sized X-Men #1: The all new, all different X-Men join together to fight for justice in a world filled with prejudice and intolerance.
Uncanny X-Men #94: Professor Xavier is voted off the island.
Uncanny X-Men #95: Thunderbird gets himself blown up and it becomes a big deal for years. But seriously, the guy was a fucking douchebag.
Uncanny X-Men #96: Nightcrawler finds Wolverine's copy of "She's All That."
Uncanny X-Men #97: Cyclops fights Havok. Again.
Uncanny X-Men #98: Nightcrawler disguises himself as a 70's porn star. He ends up nailing his foster sister.
Uncanny X-Men #99: He may have skin made of steel, but Colossus is a total wuss when when it comes to a stomach ache.
Uncanny X-Men #100: Jean uses her powers to take Corbeau's knowledge of flying spacecraft. And his credit card numbers.
Uncanny X-Men #101: Geez, that narrator is a real dick!
Uncanny X-Men #102: Behold, the larval form of "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!"
Uncanny X-Men #103: You see, originally Chris Claremont was going to have Logan be a super-evolved wolverine. But since that is completely retarded, ha came up with all the Weapon X stuff. So... this leprechaun must be absolutely fucking insane. For the sake of continuity.
Uncanny X-Men #104: The X-Men fight Magneto. That is all.
As an action movie, 300 is certainly one of the best I've ever seen and hopefully will set the bar for all other sword-and-sandal epics in the future. Also, it looks just like a classic Frank Miller book, so it is needless to say it's gorgeous.
However, it is also the biggest steaming pile of Orientalist crap I've seen since Fu Manchu.
So, either Carol is a big liar or the next issue of Captain America will reveal that Steve is not dead but simply out of commission. Makes this all more Knightfall and less Death of Superman, which is a whole lot less cheap and obnoxious.
Oh, wait. If you have been in an isolation chamber for the past 36 hours, SPOILER ALERT!!!
Now that's out the way, let's get to talking about the return of Captain America. Personally I'm betting on with the next nine months. And I'm being pretty liberal with that prediction.*
I've heard that Joe Quesada, as he makes the rounds at cable news shows, bringing attention to this fictional event, saying that "death needs to mean something in the Marvel Universe." And I call bullshit. Sorry, Joe, it just doesn't fly. Cap will be back in no time and let me tell why.
First, there's this guy:
That's the Winter Soldier, a.k.a. Bucky, a.k.a. one of the Three Forever Deads** who just so happens to not be dead anymore. You can not tell me that a superhero death is going to mean a thing when this guy appears in the same comic. If he can come back, a character who has been dead for over 40 years, then Steve's not going to be down for long at all.
Oh, and I'm also remember of this dude who showed up in Civil War #7:
Captain God Damn Marvel. Remember his death, how it shook the Marvel Universe, really made death mean something, gave such superpowerful characters a touch of mortality? Forget all that. He's back and hardly anyone even read the comic when he showed up after 25 years. Yeah, death really means something at Marvel lately.
Okay, that out of the way, let's get practical. When will Steve come back? Let's look at the facts:
Eh?
Eh?I think I may be in the minority, but I love Marvel's Essential series of trades. I don't know what it is about 500+ of stories at a bargain price that makes me wanting more. And I especially don't miss the color. In fact, I think many of the comics look damn good in just black and white.
In any case, I like 'em but sadly too many of them are unappealing to me. Pretty much anything by Stan Lee is unreadable (sorry, Stan, you're a great creator but those old issues were baaaad), who the hell is Killraven and I don't think I'll ever want to read 500 pages of Ant-Man. There are the few that I love, but they just leave me wanting more of the stuff I'm actually interested in. Here's my Essentials wishlist.
Secret Wars: You can go two ways with this. There can be a single volume version with both Secret Wars and Secret Wars II along with some essential tie-ins, or it could be a two-volume set, one for the original and one for the sequel and each with plenty of tie-ins. I think it this would be a cool Essential mostly because I'd like to see the series feature important and classic storylines, not just reprint old stuff in order.
Uncanny X-Men, vol 2343: All I'm saying is don't stop with the Essential X-Men, Marvel. Best trade series ever.
She-Hulk, vol 2: Okay, I'm not 100% sure I would buy this one, as the idea of a colorless She-Hulk kinda turns me off. I haven't picked up the first volume for this very reason. But, I think it would be neat to see more classic Shulkie. Maybe have some old team-up or guest appearances, or maybe just skip right to the graphic novels and Bryne's Sensational series.
Man-Thing, vol 2: I may be hesitant on She-Hulk, but I definitely demand more Man-Thing. Seriously.
Punisher, vol 2: The first Essential Punisher is a bit of a disappointment, only showcasing his guest appearances and the first miniseries. I say we need a volume starting with #1 of his first ongoing. Punisher in black and white. Without Spider-Man. That would fucking rock.
New Mutants: This would be so awesome. Teenage stars + unusual powers + Bill Fucking Sienkiewicz in stark black and what = HAWT!
Daredevil, vol 8: Approximately when the Frank Miller stuff gets printed. Nuff said.
Classic X-Men, vol 3: Really, the old X-Men books hold very little appeal for me since they really were quite terrible. However, right before the book became nothing but reprints until the All-New All-Different relaunch, Neal Adams had a short stint as artist. And it looked awesome. Marvel needs to make one more Essentials in this series in order to reprint the Adams stuff. There aren't enough issues of X-Men left to fill a Essentials, but I'm sure there is plenty of Marvel Team-Ups and such to fill the space.
And about those Showcase things DC has: they're cool in the same way that Marvel Essentials are cool, but they've have a terrible time picking stuff to release. And there is the fact that before the seventies, everything DC did was goofy as hell and would just bug me to no end. But here's the one thing I would love for them to do:
Showcase Presents: Post Crisis Batman: Start with the reintroduction of Jason Todd and go from there. I would buy those by the truckload.
Who needs blogging when you've just adopted the cutest hedgehog in the world?
Everyone, meet my baby Violet.
Let's take a little time away from laughing at the ridiculousness of Superman and Batman vs. Aliens and Predator, to appreciate one of the long lost crossover masterworks, Godzilla vs. Barkley.
Instead of writing up a long plot summery, I've decided to give you an abridged look at this classic piece of sequential art, presenting all the most important bits, removing unnecessary plot points and context. Enjoy.
Yesss, indeed.
I made the prediction that there was no way that Iron Man and the rest of his pro-registration goons were going to win Civil War. And I was so very wrong.
Now, it's too early for me to start bitching about this new status quo or how it will effect the next few years of stories. (I don't read that much current Marvel anyways.) Luckily, it will probably be nullified by some other huge event by 2010 at the latest.
But what I am left really thinking about is how the ending of Civil War, specifically Captain America's simple surrender, must be angering legions of fans but how it also makes a lot of sense. It was perfectly clear from the very get-go that Iron Man was the villain of the series and that Cap and his band of rebels were the one's worth rooting for. But why is that? I think that the general pro-Cap sentiment among fans was grounded in the idealism that superheroes represent for people. It is the same reason why some people get all bent out of shape about Batman killing in the movies: superheroes are good, just and should not be questioned or lowered in stature. By subverting superheroes (also mistakenly called "darkening" them) creators undermine the virtues that are projected onto the characters.
It is this and the plain fact that the Stamford accident is purely fictional that makes Iron Man's side so hard to accept and Cap to easy to root for. But let's be perfectly serious, if 9/11 were caused by superhumans (good or evil, doesn't really matter) instead of religious terrorists, you'd bet that we in the real world would all be calling for superhuman registration as well. It makes sense that a vast majority of people in the Marvel universe would side with the government and be in favor of registration and so it makes sense that a hero so dedicated to the people to surrender to such an opinion, like it or not.
Perhaps the "problem" of Civil War's resolution has less to do with flaws in the series and more with a fundamental flaw in fiction, that we can only get so close to the characters, that we can only understand their motivations to a limited extent. It is this distance from the character's reality (or even our own distance from the event Stamford is so shamelessly based on) that makes it hard to look past the idealism of Captain America and to see just how practical Iron Man and SHIELD are being. To say that the ending of Civil War sucks is perfectly reasonable, but to say that it isn't the way it should have ended is simply a fandamentalist delusion.
That being said, I am glad that the only contemporary Marvel comics I am dedicated reading are Runaways and Punisher MAX. Everything else I'm reading was published decades before Civil War.
This last week wasn't the best. I spent four days home from my job due to a lack of work, I suffered from a terrible sinus infection and northern Indiana was blanketed with inches upon inches of snow. Luckily, with the time I was snowed in, coughing, snotty and unpaid, I was able to finally read Black Hole by Charles Burns, which I had checked out from the library a month before. I read the 350+ page graphic novel in on sitting, which may not have been the best for my health, but it certainly allowed me to get the full experience of the story.
Black Hole is the story of several teenagers living in 1970's Seattle, where a strange new STI mutates those who are infected. The lucky ones are given strange yet concealable deformities, while the unfortunate are mutated beyond recognition.
The best thing about Burns' graphic novel is that it not about the disease (called The Bug), which would have limited the story to the realm of horror. Instead, Black Hole focuses on the characters, their desires and fears, and very little of the conflict has to do with the Bug directly. Black Hole is essentially a coming-to-age/love story set in a viseral and surreal world. The story telling and characterization is excellent and the artwork is both clean, precise and perfect for the dark and nostalgic tone of the story. The way Burns examines the theme of "otherness", both in terms of the perfect object of desire and the threatening opposite, is brilliant and fascinating.
According to Wikipedia, Black Hole was originally serialized over the course of ten years, which may account for the only problematic element of the story. The story seems to want to be bigger than itself, somehow universal and far-reaching, almost cosmic or mystical in stature, but that is difficult to achieve with a story that is so focused on characters unique as their individual deformities. But this is really just a minor compliant as the story only falls into this mode during a handful of sections, concentrated at the beginning and end.
I highly recommend Black Hole, as a graphic novel that is a perfect balance of darkness and nostalgic idealism. It's not a perfect book, but its without a doubt one of the best and most original books published in recent memory. And if you're a fan of Brian Wood's Demo and you still haven't read Black Hole, you have no excuse.
