Karmic Comic Retribution

Ok, so last month I made a trip to the Baltimore Comic Con.  I spent too much money.  I didn't spend as much as I did last year, and I still spent too much.  Like, I've got more comics than I'll ever possibly be able to read.  I would literally have to be unemployed for six months to read the stacks and stacks of comics that I have.

And what really sucks is that in 51 weeks the Baltimore Comic Con returns, at which point I'll spend more money and have even more to read.

So I came up with a plan.  I made a reading list.  I've got a list of comics, trades and graphic novels that I've got to read in order to be able to attend next year's Baltimore Comic Con guilt free.

This week; Spider-Man Noir




Spider-Man Noir has virtually everything I look for in a comic.  It's a miniseries, so it's got a beginning, a middle and an end.  It's part of the Marvel Noir line, which means it takes Spider-Man mythos and characters and transplants them into a noir setting.  It's also an "outside the box" approach to the characters, which is always a plus.

The series starts strong, mainly because it's building the world.  The Daily Bugle and J. Jonah Jameson are present.  So are Ben Urich and Aunt May.  Uncle Ben meets an unfortunate end.  Norman Osborn, Kraven and The Vulture also show up.  It's pretty much all of the familiar faces of Spider-Man, only set in 1933.

There are twists and turns, as with any story.  David Hine's story is certainly worth reading.  The art, by Fabrice Sapolsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico takes some getting used to. It's detailed, but almost looks as though it's done in an animated style.  It feels off at first, but by the end you're used to it as it completely defines the world.

If you're tired of reading the same old comics or the same old Spider-Man stories, I recommend this tale.  It's certainly recommended if you're a fan of Marvel's What If or DC's Elseworlds.