Journey Into Satire

Godland #1-5 (Image): I find myself smiling a lot when I read this book. So hokey, but so enjoyable. Some really nice nods to the Fantastic Four and other 1960's Marvel tropes, as well as Kirby's 70's DC work with Mister Miracle and The New Gods. The depth of self-awareness that this book demonstrates makes it thoroughly entertaining. Casey's scripting is so intensely and deliberately representational of the genre that it marches proudly into satire and self-parody.

It reminds me of an interview I saw with the Desperate Housewives creator who said that the show was intended as a comedy because it was so saturated with mocking, self-aware jabs at the soap opera genre, but everyone missed it and took it at face value as an engaging drama. And since we’re talking TV, this series also reminds me of The Simpsons in that it can work in a dual fashion. I think that kids could really get a kick out of the kooky shenanigans going on in this series, lots of action and pseudo-science. That Kirby look that Scioli is channeling would also be seen as totally original and different to young readers. But industry veterans could appreciate the double-entendres and self-referential bits.

It cracks me up how this tongue-in-cheek homage to the Lee-Kirby era, complete with praise from Entertainment Weekly, can include the term "orgasmic" on the first page of issue 4 and take shots at Condy Rice and get away with it! But, I love how fun this is! And what the heck is Discordia doing to poor Neela on that contraption? Totally enjoying the sordid melodrama and Casey's process of introducing a new character every issue, which feels totally organic and not at all like the novelty I thought it would. I nominate Basil Cronus as the villain of the year! Don't miss this series. Grade A.

And I just have to give a shout out to the ad for Dan Brereton's Giantkiller. One of my favorite mini-series of all time, *finally* collected, courtesy of Image.