I first read him on the Elementals, which was very well done.

I also read his work on Robin and I have to say he brought me back to that book after some time away due to bad stories.

Fianlly, I am enjoying Fables very much. I recommend checkng out the war with the Adversary issues and the Boy Blue adventures as some good high points, but I have enjoyed the entire series so far.

Jack of Fables is also entertaining, but not quite as good as the Jack issues in Fables were when he became a movie mogul.

Then I change my reccomendation to Fantastic Four. The book isn’t particularly great, but Dwayne McDuffie is a good writer and deserves to get some readers. And he restored the characters to form after J. Michael Strangler’s realm of terror and THAT should count for something!

Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)

And the whole thing about “engaging characters” is really irrelevant to an analysis of quality. The two best superhero comics ever are arguably Miracleman and Watchmen, and what makes them so superior has nothing to do with “engaging characters.” The characters are bastards. But the storytelling is brilliant.

See, I think a lot of people confuse likable or engaging with nice. I don’t look at “engaging” or “likeable” as being the same as being “nice.” For example, the characters in Watchmen may be bastards, but I like them. I find them engaging, and I am interested in learning more about them. Sometimes we like people that aren’t nice. Look at Simon Cowell and Howard Stern’s careers for example. Look at Joker stories, when he’s done right he’s not nice at all but is totally likeable. Some characters are nice, but aren’t engaging or likeable. Justice in Busiek’s Avengers run is totally nice, but many people found him boring and unlikeable.

So while I can’t speak for Greg, for me when I ask for characters to be likeable or engaging, I’m just asking for writers to give me something to draw me into the character, to make me root for them even if I know I shouldn’t.

I tried Fables, but I gave up after 8 issues. I tried Jack of Fables because of all the Fables love from around the world. Gave up after 4 issues. I actually enjoyed Willingham’s Elementals back in the day, but I found Fables to be a fantastic concept that was executed in a flat and predictable manner. It read like Neil Gaiman’s Sandman as written by Tom DeFalco.

Yet I hear the later arcs were much better. Convince me, people!

Unfortunately, his mainstream DC work is pretty damn average.

And I was already gonna pick up FF to see what McDuffie does with Storm and Black Panther. That’s a change in status quo I’d probably love to see last a looong time, but I won’t be surprised if the roster reverts to “normal” by June when the film comes out.

Anyway, I picked Blue Beetle above, but F4, Heroes For Hire, and Pirates of Coney Island have been good so far too.

Sorry for the confusion.

Can’t wait.

’m going against the grain and say Betty & Veronic Digest #150. I think that’s one with the new artstyle that the internet honks are all getting riled about.
Review that

It’s the next issue that has the art change.

And don’t you worry, there WILL be an entry on that issue!

Just for fun, you should read last week’s 52 in the store just to see if it’s any good. (My perception may be skewed tremendously not by being a Morrison fan, but by the fact that the book has been pretty bad lately–I’d like to see what you think as a total outsider to the whole series.)

And Morrison is not identified as the driving force of the issue, anyway. The writers are purposely secretive about their collaboration, so the only evidence I have that it’s his work is the way the dialogue is written and the thematic emphasis. I’m confident that he wrote it–it’s quite apparent to me–but I don’t rate it as the best JUST because it’s his work.

Tim, I didn’t read the issue of 52, because I haven’t read any of the issues. I just wonder if you read every single book that came out last week, so you can boldly proclaim it the best, or if it was the best one you read and since Morrison was the driving force, you assume it was the best. Morrison is certainly capable of horrible missteps, just like the best of writers.