Playing Catch-Up: What I've Been Doing

So.

After my two-week break, I'm back to talk comics. Or to catch you up on the comics I've been talking about elsewhere at least.

Since I last posted, I reviewed a whole bunch of comics for CBR (with linkery for you to enjoy):

Daredevil Noir #1
Northlanders #16
Batman Confidential #28
Captain America #49
Punisher #4
Squadron Supreme #10
Green Lantern Corps #25
Astonishing X-Men #29
Skrull Kill Krew #1

And I tackled the career of the awesome Bernie Mireault in a two-part retrospective/interview in "When Words Collide":

Me on Mireault's Masterpieces
Me talking comics with Mireault

But you already knew that, I'm sure.

What do I have in store for the future of "Geniusboy Firemelon"? I don't know, but I'm back!

Northlanders Interview Action

I interviewed Brian Wood recently for CBR, and talked with him about how "The Viking Prince" led to "Northlanders" and what he has planned for the rest of this year, Viking-wise.

I didn't talk about his collaboration with Canadian rock-god Bryan Adams, but as this promo demonstrates, there's something brewing between Vikings, Brian Wood, and the power ballads of Adams.

I'm also just trying to see how many sentences I can write in which I use the word "viking."

Vikings!

Northlanders #8 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: Northlanders #8, about which I write the following sentences: "After the intense climax of issue #7, Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice conclude their first 'Northlanders' story arc with a calmly measured look at the consequences of one man's decisions. That one man is, of course, Sven, the protagonist of this now concluded, eight-issue arc. It was a bold move for Wood to launch a new series -- a Vertigo series -- with such a long opening story. Many Vertigo comics seem to live or die based on sales of the first trade paperback, and having to wait for eight full issues to be collected before gauging true audience reaction might have put this comic in jeopardy within its first year. I hope that's not the case. I hope DC gives this title a chance to develop an audience, and I hope you and all of your friends by the first trade when it's released because 'Northlanders' is one of the best comics on the stands and it deserves to live for years and years."

Read the entire review HERE.

Northlanders #7 Review

Recently reviewed by me at CBR: Northlanders #7, about which I write the following sentences: "If you're reading this series, you must know how good it is, but if you're waiting for the first trade, or if you're waiting to see if it lasts before investing in it monthly, how about if I throw a little high concept description at you? What if I say, "Northlanders is 300 meets Braveheart, but with vikings?" Would that interest you? Because that's not too far off from what issue #7 feels like. But it's more than that, too. "300 meets Braveheart" cheapens what Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice are doing in this series -- it's an oversimplification just to get your attention. Yet, issue #7 in particular has moments that evoke both of those films. (And, yes, I know 300 was a comic before it was a film, but let's keep our comparisons cinematical, shall we?) Northlanders #7 has a group of warriors facing impossible odds, using their shields to create a barricade -- their only hope of survival. It also features the return of the prodigal son, bent on exacting a violent revenge. It's also got plenty of blood and cursing."

Read the entire review HERE.