Comic Books I’ve Read Recently

I’ve been going on a non-manga reading binge recently. I think I’ve reached a certain saturation point where new twists on the same plots aren’t as entertaining as they used to be. So I’ve been taking a little bit of a break and reading some comics I’ve missed:

Starman Omnibus Volume 1 by James Robinson
– I went through a period in the 90s where I didn’t buy any comics so while I was vaguely aware of this title as involving a guy with goggles, but I didn’t know anything else about it. Starman effectively deals with father-son angst as the golden age Starman passes his power to his son Jack. I can see why this ends up being recommended to people who aren’t necessarily into superhero comics. While there’s a bit of comics continuity woven in to the plot the general focus is on a reluctant hero figuring out his new role and fighting off mysterious super-villains. While Robinson really really really likes his adjectives, I found the writing engaging and I’m looking forward to the next installment of Starman. While I suppose I could pick it up in the individual trade versions, the packaging of the the first omnibus version is very nice.

Captain America Omnibus by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting
– This was a brick of a book. You can’t lie down on the couch and rest this on your tummy, which is my preferred reading position. Maybe if you had rock-hard abs?! Maybe if you had some super-soldier serum running through your veins? While the Captain America Omnibus might be too heavy for reading comfortably while reclining, I was glad I picked this up. I’d forgotten how much fun it was to see Cap fight with the boomerang shield. Add in Nick Fury, the Red Skull, Nazis and the return of an older hotter (!) amnesiac with a missing arm from Cap’s past and you get some fantastic comics.

Y the Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
– This started out as an engaging series that shows what happens on earth after a sudden illness kills all the men except for a hapless would-be named magician named Yorick and his male pet monkey. Yorick falls in with Agent 355, a member of a secret society that is tasked to protect him and a researcher who may hold the key to figuring out why Yorick is the last man alive. Vaughn is a master of the plot twist at the end of a chapter trick, making you want to read the next installment of the story. But Y went on for 60 issues when I think it could have been over in 30. The ending seemed a little tacked on.

Immortal Iron Fist Vol. 2: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja – Iron Fist has to fight in a massive martial arts tournament of champions as seven mystical cities align. This volume also explores the background of the previous Iron Fist Orson Randall. Plenty of mysticism and kung-fu action!

When I moved out to Utah, I stopped going to the comic store for monthly issues. Going on this mini-binge of superhero comics reminded me to dial down my manga habit a little bit. I really need to make more of an effort to pick up some of the recent comic series in collected format.