Three Thoughts for Tuesday

1. The final page of Air #4 changes everything.
I'm a big supporter of G. Willow Wilson, and I think she's a refreshing new voice in comics (and, of course, I'm one of the mods on her discussion board), but I haven't been sold on Air after the first handful of issues. It's mostly M. K. Perker's art which really turns me off, but Wilson's strange characterizations -- her people don't act or react the way people normally would or should -- has baffled me. But the dreamlike aspect of the series has been growing stronger and stronger, and the final page of the newest issue puts everything in a strange and wonderful new context. It's definitely the best page Perker has drawn for the series so far, and now I'm looking forward to the next issue, definitely.

2. Joe Pokaski has come in as the writer of Ultimate Fantastic Four and, in a single issue (and an Ultimatum crossover issue, to boot) he's nailed the team better than anyone since Mark Millar.
Even Tyler Kirkham's artwork looks better (now that he actually has an inker), but Pokaski delivers a strong story in his opening salvo and he's great with pacing and dialogue. Forget the Mike Carey-written Ultimate FF of the past year or so -- this is now a comic worth reading again. Pokaski started with a bang on Secret Invasion: Inhumans, and it's nice to see him continue to produce quality work here. He is, by far, the best Heroes writer working in comics today.

3. I've always liked Amanda Conner's linework, but she's leveled-up in her work on Terra.
I can't believe how great Terra looks. It's a nice little series so far, decently written, but the art is fantastic. I think it's actually the best-looking comic of the last month. Amanda Conner has amped up her style, and it now looks to have echoes of Adam Hughes and Cameron Stewart or something. I know a veteran like Conner probably isn't aping other artists, but whatever she's done to her work has improved it dramatically. Maybe it's just because she's inking herself here, I don't know, but it looks gorgeous. I'd love to see her draw a regular DC title, though her upbeat style probably wouldn't fit the dreadful seriousness of most superhero comics these days. She's really, really good.

Standard Attrition: Where It's At

I'm not a big message board guy. I pop into Barbelith now and then, and go to the CBR forums sometimes (and once I get my "When Words Collide" board, I'll be there a lot more), and post here and there if people link to this blog, just so I keep up appearances. But the board I visit most often is the Standard Attrition board, started by Jason Aaron, but now featuring a bevy of Vertigo creators like Brian Wood, Azz, Davis Lapham, Cliff Chiang, Jock, and G. Willow Wilson.

Willow's board--with newly appointed Co-Moderator, Tim Callahan--is now, officially, where it's at. Whatever "it" is, come and talk about it with Willow. Let's get the discussion going about it. Let's run it into the ground and then resurrect it only to mock it. Let's discuss why it's so important. Let's talk comics, life, politics, fear, lightsabers, Derrida, and why it all matters/doesn't matter at all.

Join us, won't you?

Willow's Standard Attrition Message Board: Meeting Your Discussion Needs Since 2008.