Mummies to Mars

Comics Cotillion: air #7

What's a Comics Cotillion? Click Here to Find Out.

March hasn’t even passed, but I’m already comfortable in predicting that the seventh installment of air, “The Picture of Zayn Al Harrani” will make many year-end lists as one of the best single issues of 2009. G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker have delivered a fantastical, lyrical story that answers a lot of questions about Blythe’s mysterious love interest, Zayn.

The story picks up from last issue’s cliffhanger: Blythe has somehow been transported through time and space into the body of a young boy, the 10-year-old Zayn; meanwhile her compatriots aboard the mysterious flying machine are in danger of crashing into the ocean without Blythe’s hyperpract powers to fuel the engine. “The Picture of Zayn Al Harrani” spins out both these threads in an elegant fashion, weaving a tale that is equal parts moving and suspenseful. 

Spoilers, as always, after the jump:

Comics Cotillion: Young Liars #13

Writer, Artist, and Cover: David Lapham; Colors: Lee Loughridge; Letters: Jared K Fletcher

What’s a comics cotillion? Look here for the answer.

Danny Noonan might be the unluckiest protagonist of any comic book currently on the stands. Since Young Liars began, he’s set himself on fire, been castrated by a midget, and beheaded by the girl of his dreams.  Or, at least that’s what he’s telling us. The problem with Danny, of course, is that he’s a liar, and he’s certainly not above changing a detail of his past to evoke pity or horror from us, or to cast himself as the hero or the villain of his story. 

Spoilers, as always, after the jump:

Comics Cotillion: House of Mystery #11

This is not a manifesto, but rather an attempt to write the kind of comics criticism that I want to read. I’m modeling these posts on the AVClub’s television reviews, specifically on Noel Murray’s writing about LOST, which approaches the show from the perspective that everyone reading the review has seen the episode in question, and that no one is going to base their decision to watch that particular episode on the critic’s opinion.   It’s a style of criticism that fits comics well, because most readers have pull lists or subscriptions and are going to buy the new issue of their favorite series regardless of whether a reviewer liked it or not. 

So, I’ll host comics cotillions for a few of my favorite titles.  I’m going to start small, with just two titles: House of Mystery and Young Liars. If it goes well – i.e. if I like what I have to say – I’ll add Air and Northlanders. Oh, and you know how the AVClub’s television commentary goes live almost immediately after the show airs? I will never post a Comics Cotillion on Wednesday. Probably.

And there will be spoilers. Onward to House of Mystery #11!