Thursday Reviews: Comics Edition 2014/05/15

by Luke McCullough · May 15, 2014

Stumptown

Now, we have a lot of love on this blog and the podcast for Gotham Central and one of the writers behind it was Greg Rucka. But, there are no superheroes here, just a great crime story set in Portland, Or. The second arc, which finished up earlier this year, focuses on a search for a lost guitar that quickly spirals out of control. The world of drugs and rock and roll make a great backdrop for the detective story that is at the core of the book. Great characters and great writing push this one to the top of my reading list. Sadly, they don’t come out monthly, but pick them up when they do.

Superior Spider-man

It seems like some characters are constantly redefined, I think of Superman or Aquaman, heroes that just don’t work for one reason or another. Spider-man has never seemed like that to me. I question (and still do) the need to get rid of his marriage to MJ and the revelation of his secret identity. But, none of that prepared me for what Dan Slott has done with him lately. In an attempt to avoid a slow death in his failing body, longtime Spider-Man villain Doctor Octopus transferred his mind into Spider-man’s body, leaving Spider-man to die in his body. Taking on Spider-man’s identity Doc Ock does the unthinkable, he becomes a better Spider-man than Spider-man was. He is on track to finish his PhD., is saving the world better and more often, and manages to not miss dinner with Aunt May. Though the Avengers are a bit concerned about his new penchant for violence.

The story is intriguing, a clear villain becomes a hero, and maybe a better hero than the original in some ways, and then his struggle to stay a hero. There have been a number of books that have covered the same ground (Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts), but this is a book set squarely inside the head of the main character, his thoughts and reasoning are front and center, and drive the book. It is a twist on an old character I never thought needed a new twist.

Luke McCullough

Luke was born in a small town in western OR, and by the time he graduated high school had moved around enough to never feel like his identity was tied to anyone place. After college in PA, he worked a for a big company outside Seattle, WA doing small parts of interesting projects. And now is employed doing interesting things for a smaller company based in NY, NY. He currently lives in Arlington, MA. Reading and writing have been a passion his entire life, though it has only been more recently that writing has been a focus for him.

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