The Burton Award: 20/1/06

A decent week for comics this week. But one comic bestrides the other like a particularly smug colossus (no not that one, the historical one). Cue...

THE BURTON AWARD: 20/1/06




INFINITE CRISIS #4


Written by Geoff Johns


Art by Phil Jiminez, George Perez and Ivan Reis


The arrival of yet another superlative issue of Infinite Crisis poses a pressing question for your humble reviewer. How exactly does one articulate a full-blown, underwear soaking geekgasm? I was tempted to try sound effects. 'Uggh' perhaps? 'Ooooh-Ah'? Or how about 'jozxkkk#!g'? Easy as that would make this, people will probably just think my keyboard is broken, or that I type with the same dexterity that I apply to my guitar playing. Let's try actual words instead. Suffice it to say, this issue will leave even the most suspecting reader more wrung out and in need of a change that a 12 year old girl at a combined Blue, Westlife, Backstreet Boys concert with Justin Timberlake headlining (he's so dreamy!). There shall be no spoilers here, because with this series more than any other you really do not want this stuff spoiled. However I will say that anyone who maybe felt that not enough happened in the first 3 issues will have little cause for complaint here.

Geoff Johns, Jedi-juggling master of continuity that he is, gives us not one, not two, but three full out jaw droppers in this issue. Which, for anyone counting, is officially three times more jaw droppers than the whole of House Of M combined. Meanwhile Phil Jiminez all but assures his berth on the super-artist superliner. While there are no moments to beat 'that' Society spread in issue 1, there are a couple that come mighty close. In fact, his work continues to be of such a high standard that it will not surprise me at all if, come the finish of #7, he hurls himself from the tallest tower at DC HQ safe in the knowledge that his work here on Earth Prime is done. Hysteric? Maybe. Hyperbolic? Definitely. But this right here is the most excited I have ever been about a comic and the only thing harshing my considerable buzz is the gnawing sensation in the back of my mind that we will not see its likes again for a long, long time. While Marvel drums up it's decimating Civil War - promising us that the sky will burn, the seas will part and the internet will turn itself inside-out - DC is getting on with the business of actually doing it. For once we, the tired, huddled, embittered and hype-weary comic masses have an event that is actually living up to the hype. Bless you Mr Johns. Bless you.







PLANETARY #24

Written by Warren Ellis

Art by John Cassaday


To use a real life analogy, Planetary is the hottest friend you have. The one who 'doesn't see you that way' but every so often, gets drunk and sleeps with you. And when it's done you're not sure how you should feel. I mean your annoyed because most of the time she never even looks in your direction come closing. Months can go by without even a hint of some satisfaction. But then, just when you think you've forgotten all about it - it happens. And oh lordy it's good. If comic books are life my friends, then Planetary is that hot friend and no matter how much she mistreats us we always come back for more. Dirty little tramps that we are. More literally, we're now in the end game. The tide is indeed nigh and waiting for no man and Elijah Snow is about leave it all on the field (feel my mixed metaphors). Warren Ellis has, over the course of the last 24 maddeningly good/frustratingly tardy issues, put all the pieces in place. Yes, this issue has been counted into that for it is here we see the final preparatory moves. That's a euphemistic way of saying this is all set-up by the way. Though it helps when the set-up is this well-written and well drawn (I love you John Cassaday) not a lot really happens. To return to the analogy it's like your almost at the point of no return with your hot friend when she comes to her senses and says 'let's not do this because it would ruin our friendship'. But fear not, intrepid Planetarians, for I suspect that next time round the friendship is going right out the window.