This Week in Comics – 9/14/2011

DC Comics’ new titles continue to dominate the sales this week, but that does not mean other great books were absent from shelves. Lil’ Depressed Boy hit the road to “feed his soul,” Sherlock Holmes continues his first year on the path toward becoming the world’s greatest detective, a new group begins their journey in Pigs #1 and Miles Morales began filling Peter Parker’s shoes in Ultimate Spiderman #1. Here is a quick roundup on some of this week’s issues.

Lil’ Depressed Boy #6 – Image – Struble; Grace – $2.99

While on the way to see the Andrew Jackson Jihad the “ragdoll dude” has been stranded in the middle of nowhere. It has been a tough time lately for LDB; the girl of his dreams broke his heart, he broke his record player, and his only friend has been arrested. He does not know how to drive and so he’s left on the side of the road while his only friend Drew is carted off to jail. He cannot call Jazz (the ex-girlfriend that never was his girlfriend) since they had a falling out. So what’s the little guy to do?

Lil’ Depressed Boy is not like any regular comic book. People who do not read comics are picking this book up for its great comics, music, movies, and video games references as well as its simple life story arc of a boy that likes a girl and has normal problems. Struble and Grace bring great talent to a book that gives people someone to relate to. We’ve all had our hearts broken or been so mad we want to break something or wanted to head out on the open road. Check it out this week. And at only 6 issues in, it’s easy to catch up on back issues of LDB’s life so far.

Sherlock Holmes: Year One #6 – Dynamite Entertainment – Beatty; Indro – $3.99

The thrilling story of Sherlock Holmes’ first big case concludes in issue 6 as Watson and Holmes close in on the culprit behind the Twelve Caesars Murders. Sherlock has figured out the clues behind the grisly murders only to be captured and about to be killed at the hands of a madman. Sherlock Holmes: Year One shows a more-reckless-than-normal detective that is just starting out, a young Watson narrates this first case he has been drawn into with Holmes, and the sleuthing team are facing the man that will become one of Holmes’ greatest foes. The brilliant detective is going to have to maintain his focus to escape death, save his friends and catch the bad guy.

I have been following this story since issue 1. I have always been a fan of the big publishers’ “year one” stories surrounding their superhero types, it was about time there was a great take on the beginning of Sherlock Holmes’ career. Daniel Indro illustrates the characters with such detail that you can see when Holmes’ is thinking/scheming and when Watson or Lestrade know they shouldn’t follow Holmes down an alley (but will anyway). Scott Beatty brings a story to life filled with all of the best Sherlock Holmes traits – historical references and facts, the thrill of a chase, and mysterious, gruesome murders. The story was complex, yet easy to follow. And the cover art by various artists has been phenomenal; worthy of framing. Check out this book if you have not done so already.

Pigs #1 – Image – Cosby; McCool; Tamura – $2.99

In the course of this first issue, Nate Cosby takes readers from present day Miami to 1960’s and present day Cuba, to future Washington D.C., and does so with smooth transition. Some sort of terrorist plot has been carried out in the U.S., federal investigators have the President’s hand in a bag, and a group of sleeper cells (from the Bay of Pigs, thus the name) are likely to blame. To complete their mission, the cells have to find one more of their team, located in the United States.

I am usually not one for stories of attacks against U.S.A. and was a bit apprehensive about this story when I first heard about it, but I gave it a chance; I am interested now. The story reminds me of a season of “24” or the Mission: Impossible movies. There is some real life history involved  and great dialogue so far. This is a series I’ll be following closely this year.

Ultimate Spiderman #1 – Marvel – Bendis; Pichelli; Posnor – $3.99

Peter Parker has died (in the biggest tear jerker of a comic since Lois held a dead Superman in her arms) and left a hole in the Marvel Universe. New York cannot be without a hero for long though; Miles Morales showed up earlier this sumer in Ultimate Fallout (telling the story of the months after Parker’s death) with a new spider suit and powers. The first issue of the all new Ultimate Spiderman takes us back 11 months where Norman Osborn discovers that one of his experiments created the original Spiderman and now he wants that ability for himself. Naturally (I say naturally because Marvel’s science labs lose radioactive spiders all the time, am I right?), one of the spiders he’s testing on ends up biting a young boy named Miles Morales. The first issue also introduces Morales’ family – a mother and father that want so badly for Miles to get into a charter school and have a better life than they did and an uncle that also wants nothing but the best life for his nephew, but has a different way of achieving that life than the boy’s parents.

I have to get 3 things off my chest right off the bat… 1. Miles gets the powers from a radioactive spider bite on his hand! 2. Miles has an uncle (that I swear looks like Snoop Dog) he goes to for guidance and support! 3. ‘Miles Morales’ – Alliteration-much! Sound like a story you’ve heard before? It’s Peter Parker all over again!!! Granted Marvel does the alliteration thing alot, I thought maybe they would get over it this time around. THAT ALL BEING SAID, I am almost completely sold (still waiting to hear about villains) on this book! Bendis and his team have maintained the look and feel of the Ultimate universe. I liked the new suit (see below) when it made an appearance in Fallout. Although they only show one power for Morales’ heroic alter ego (and it’s a new one!) and do not show the suit in this first issue, I liked the dynamic that they are laying the ground work for. This story has serious potential and I think Miles Morales may fill Peter Parker’s shoes very well. Check this one out for sure!