As is so often the case, the press I'm reading about comics is about crossovers. Blackest Night. Siege. They are, despite the hate they get — the suspect claims of "event fatigue" — the most popular thing in comics.
Technically, we're at something of a lull in crossover comics. DC just finished their Blackest Night and is at least a couple of weeks away from starting the follow-up, Brightest Day. (The checklists are already running in the comics, though, letting us know which extra comics we could maybe buy to keep up.)
Or course, crossovers are popular. Even gamers love them. Who doesn't like character A hanging out with character B? If Characters A-Z can hang out together that is, in theory, all the better. The theory is less inspiring when one reads, as I did, that a crossover I disliked both times that I read it is the favorite crossover mini-series of one of the men in charge of future crossovers. Yes, former DC Comics executive editor Dan Didio, now one of several co-publishers of the line that includes Superman, Batman and Green Lantern, loved Infinite Crisis. That would be the mini-series that "fixed" problems in DC continuity by having one character punch a representative of the multiverse, a series that made sense only when dozens of spin-off issues, spin-off mini-series and spin-off issues that spun off the spin-off mini-series, were all read together.
Everyone has their favorites of course, but it's distressing to see that the people in charge of publishing love the books you don't. Such is the danger of being a fan of comics, games or anything else and reading one too many interviews with the people in charge. Please, comics people, don't tell me your favorites. Unless, Dan Didio, you want to mention that you loved John Rogers' Blue Beetle, Tony Bedard's R.E.B.E.L.S. and Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers, three of the finest series published during your tenure at DC Comics.
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If you're looking for video game comics to read this week, there are not many new ones in the shops. Your choices are:
Street Fighter Legends: Inuki #2. Synposis via publisher Udon Entertainment:
Things get crowded as African fighter Elena joins Makoto and Ibuki in Japan! Can one high school contain three teen girl martial artists? Plus, Ibuki's ninja training gets taken up a notch! Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki is one part ninja action, one part high school antics, and 100% non-stop excitement!
or
The Guild #2. Summary via publisher Dark Horse Comics:
Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)'s hysterical extension of her multiple award-winning web series continues with this brand-new story!
Since discovering role-playing games, Cyd Sherman spends more and more time in-game as the healer Codex. As her boyfriend ignores her in favor of his fledgling band and her therapist questions whether or not she has "real" friends, Cyd decides to form her own group within the game after meeting Clara, who teaches her about reputation points, and Zaboo, who introduces her to "friending" within the game.
Detailing the never-before-told origin of The Knights of Good, this is essential reading for fans of the show, and a great jumping-on point for readers new to The Guild.
Comics fans, reading anything good this week?