10.20.10 Releases: “I Think About The Loveless Fascination”

It looks like a small week, but a good week. I’m most excited for DV8: Gods & Monsters #7 (DC/Wildstorm) from Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs, with covers by Fiona Staples. It’s the penultimate issue of the series, so it looks like a dramatic conflict is in the works before any answers are revealed. I’ll be sad to see this bright spot in my recent reading habits fade away, particularly considering the fate of the imprint. Yet, with new Brian Wood projects on the horizon, hope seems to spring eternal. Also from the Wood ‘verse this week is DMZ #58 (DC/Vertigo). Maybe I spoke too soon about DV8, because this issue of DMZ has all the makings of a hit. I just attended a Shepard Fairey lecture at the museum I work at on Friday night, so I’m pleased to see the return of street artist “Decade Later” in the pages of DMZ. On art duty is none other than Croatian phenom Danijel Zezelj, and I’m sure his thick syrupy art will yield amazing results. I’ve been enjoying this arc of one-shots, and we can begin savoring these last issues of DMZ all the more, since Wood recently announced that DMZ will be concluding with issue 72, so it’s nearing its final year of publication. The last blip on the radar screen is Batman & Robin #15 (DC), which is another Frazer Irving issue, as well as the penultimate Grant Morrison issue. Apparently, issue 16 will tie into all the continuity voodoo surrounding the botched Return of Bruce Wayne, and then will become just another in the craptastic line of titles with issue 17 being written and drawn by nobody I’m particularly interested in. Oh well, we’ll always have those first three issue with Frank Quitely. I just re-read the second issue with Dick and Alfred doing the “Skull of Yorick” scene. Man, that’s good comics. Unfortunately, the series chased the high of that first three issue arc unsuccessfully for the duration of its run and is going to just whimper its way into mediocrity at the end.