Sorry it’s late, I know. It’s been an interesting couple of weeks.

Satellite Sam #11- Image

“Is that a gun?” “No, I’m just happy to see you.”  Satellite Sam returns after a lengthy delay (I’m not sure exactly how long of one, I jumped in following issue 10. I picked up all the back issues in September, though, so… at least that long? Yeah, looked it up, September.) Generally speaking, I’d throw Satellite Sam below the divide, just for the cover art (I guess so as not to shock some random visitor to my site, maybe?), but the cover on this one is pretty tame compared to usual. While much of the attention Satellite Sam gets is focused on all of the sex, office politics, and backstabbing, I actually enjoy the hole it pokes in the image of the 50’s the most. Over the years, I’ve grown thoroughly sick and tired of people glorifying the 50s- they were a vile, hateful time, and Satellite Sam wallows in some of the worst of it. Not seeing it sugar-coated for once feels pretty good. Black and white art is also something I usually avoid- I think that Satellite Sam is the first black and white miniseries I’ve had in my pull since Snapshot, and that came out a couple of years ago. I just usually don’t enjoy black and white. I’ve tried several times to get into The Walking Dead, but the black and white art just doesn’t do it for me. (Plus, I’m not especially excited about the idea of reading through the sheer amount of back-issues there.) Satellite Sam, however, manages to get past my dislike of black and white comics, largely through its use of detailed backgrounds and easily distinguishable characters.

Thor #5- Marvel

The new Thor starts to settle into her role as Thor, and we finally get to leave the Roxxon floating fortress. (Seriously, four issues in one spot? My attention span is way too short for that.) We also get to see Odin being his pissy, self-important, argumentative self, his brother, Cul Borson, god of fear, big bad of the Fear Itself crossover event (have I mentioned that I largely hate crossover events? Because I really do) has returned at his side to serve as Asgardian Minister of Justice (which can’t possibly go wrong, can it? Surely he won’t turn on Odin and be a bad guy. Surely. Also, I just bought a bridge from a trustworthy looking fellow.) Meanwhile, Thor beats up the Absorbing Man and Titania (watching her punch out Creel with a thought balloon saying “That’s for saying feminist like it’s a four-letter word, creep” was pretty satisfying) and chats with Freyja. Unworthy Thor is still trying to figure out who the new Thor is. (I’m still betting on Roz Solomon.) Also, he’s drinking a lot. Overall, I’m pretty happy that they’re finally out of that damn fortress.

Five Ghosts #15- Image

And while Thor is out of the Roxxon Fortress, Fabian Gray and Van Helsing are running around in those woods still. While there are some comics that I can handle minimal location changes in, I generally prefer (relatively) frequent setting changes. One or two issues in a single location, I can handle. Three to four? I’m going to get bored, unless the creators give me a compelling reason to tolerate it. That being said, I think a lot of my crankiness here comes from the whole Van Helsing/ creepy woods in Eastern Europe/ mysterious castle with a mad scientist stuff. I get that Five Ghosts is a pulp action comic drawing from all of those old tropes- in fact, that’s one of the reasons I like the comic so much. This particular set of tropes, though, is definitely wearing on me. I do love giant science tubes, though. They’re in everything, and these ones have bodies in them! Man, does anyone know where to buy giant science tubes?

Federal Bureau of Physics #18- Vertigo

The gang successfully used milk to survive the giant quantum tornadoes, now it’s time for them to sell out and join up with the bad guys. Also, love triangle, huge underground science base, bad guy justifying his means with the ends (to be fair, the potential end of the universe justifies a lot), shocking reveal at the end. This issue is really packing in the tropes. Also- giant science tubes! Yeah! (Man, I should just start including a giant science tube checkbox for all of my comics.) It’s not to say it’s a bad issue- it’s pushing the plot forwards rapidly, at least, which is something FBP has had trouble with for a while now. I’ve just come to expect a little more out of this series in terms of originality.