Hello 2010, lets talk about 2009 for a bit

Well it looks like I took a bunch of time off last Fall to do anything other than blog but I have a goal/resolution. By May, I want someone out there to think of me as Doc Midnight, Comic Book Retailer/Podcaster/Blogger in addition to other positive things so in order to do that, I think I need to move some of my real life conversations to this space here on a more consistent basis.

My friend, writer, Michael Moreci asked me to send him a list of things i really enjoyed in comics in 2009 and I did and I realized it was a perfect blog post so here it is. I'm sure Michael will edit what I sent him so I think it's fine to post here.

Now you should probably know hat I read a lot of comics in 2009. This is a list of the things that sort of hit the scene and made an impact on me (and as near as I can tell, many of you)

Incognito by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips and published by Marvel Comics

The Story of a bad guy who is depowered and put into witness protection for bad guys. One day he finds out he actually has powers and, while he doesn't want to reveal his identity to the world, really likes ass kicking and is quite familiar with the concepts of treachery and retribution.

Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory and published by Image comics

The story of a guy with the power to get the history of any object he ingests. He gets a job with the FDA, in a world where chicken is outlawed and occasionally an underground chicken joint gets busted.

Irredeemable by Mark Waid and Peter Krause and published by Boom Studios

The story of a world where the Plutonian, a "Superman" like figure, goes apeshit and just starts wrecking the world and all of his super powered former friends. People have a hard time accepting that their greatest hero has become a murderous tool but they still have to figure out how to deal with him.

Olympus by Nathan Edmundson and Christian Ward and published by Image Comics
The story of brothers, Castor and Pollux, Olympians, who have been authorized by Zeus himself to come down to Earth and Mix it up with mortals in order to bring rogue Olympian elements to justice. It's like a cross between Boondock Saints and Steven Segal: Lawman. Full of Awesome.

Cowboy Ninja Viking by AJ Lieberman and Riley Rossmo and published by Image Comics

Ok there's only been 2 issues so far but bear with me.

So we have a world where agencies have figured out that if one assassin with the personality of an assassin of good, then an assassin with the personalities of a Cowboy and Ninja and a Viking would have to be 3 times as good right? Of Course!

Just wait til he fights Pirate/Gladiator/Oceanographer! What's not to likes. As far as I'm concerned this book was a winner before it was ever printed.

Now you may be wondering where the DC and Marvel books that dominate the racks are?

I'll tell you. The bulk of what is on the racks in comic shops is the same as it ever was. Much of it is just there to maintain the status quo. Marvel puts out a lot of titles that hold a place on shelves but that don';t really push the medium or envelope anywhere.

Exceptions to the rule are the Warren Ellis Astonishing X-Men run and Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four, in which you get the return of an ancient alien race of genetic hermit crabs and a council of super brains from parallel dimensions that show up and ask a protagonist how come he hasn't solved it all, already.

DC gave us a year of Zombie Super person action and a really good Batman universe devoid of Bruce Wayne. I'd probably be a ton more excited if I felt like someone over there hadn't just read Captain America Reborn and decided that this was a near perfect way to bring Bruce Wayne back.

I suppose if I consider that Marvel is currently running an Undead Super Big Bad story in some of their X-men comics, then all is fair in DNA and Power Rings.

I think you see my point.

I think my next post is going to cover what one can do to read books not published by the big 2 and still get that New Comics Smell all over you.

Terry