PoserPoints #37--Cast a Wide Net

As noted in the conclusion of PP #36, there is no degree of consistency in the next cluster of reviews I'm going to take on, but all have been good reads thus far!

Marvel Snapshots: Fantastic Four
By: Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Benjamin Dewey, Jordie Bellaire

I loved the Sub-Mariner/Namor snapshot book, because I love the character, but also because I loved the silver age feel of a new Namor book.  I did not know what to expect when jumping into the F4 snapshot, but it had its own feel and was quite enjoyable.

Instead of a true origin of the F4, it focuses on the Storm Siblings, primarily Johnny, all focusing on a 10-year high school reunion, an interview, and everyone who has had their life touched in a positive or negative way by the Storms.  There are a couple of items of note from this book:

1. The two page spread describing "the accident" is amazing, on the new-norm of glossy paged prints, this two page spread awesomely summarizes the entirety of the F4 experience on a two page spread in what is stylized like a golden/silver age feel.

2. The Glenville museum dedicated to the four/storm siblings nails the hokey feeling of a small town museum!

3. The device of everyone talking shit on Johnny at the reunion is brilliant given the reveal at the end.  What has always been interesting with the four is the notion that they are superheroes in the open with no cover, and I think the ending is quite nice showing that the only reason everyone hates Johnny is in the facade of keeping distance to protect the town.

What should you do: I think the teams on these snapshots books are nailing it.  Two different sets of characters, two different book feels, and two massive successes in my opinion!

Punisher Soviet #6 of 6 (Marvel)
​By: Garth Ennis, Jacen Burrows, Guillermo Ortego, Nolan Woodard

All good things must come to an end...I guess.

This book goes out on a bang with classic gore-y Punisher.  From merc-ing henchmen who are digging a grave, to forcing a senator to skin someone alive, to the dope fucking insults "you rear echelon motherfucker" this is the super-deranged punisher I love! This series was the punisher-max style run we've come accustomed to from Ennis, and the back matter promises us THERE IS MORE PUNISHER MAX IN THE WORKS BY ENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this 6-issue run was a just a lovely amuse bouche, a tiny little taste to excite us for the multi-course feast of Punisher Max which is on its way.  Thank you for bringing us on this journey!

Dying is Easy #4 (IDW)
By: Joe Hill and Martin Simmonds

I love whenever I get to this book in my stack, because we get to discover how our favorite fuck-up gets himself out of a jam this time.  We ended book 3 with Shit Talk (Syd) dressed as a stuntman getting ready to jump off a building on a motorcycle (and if the cover is accurate, it ain't gonna go well..

Or..he chickens out and as someone so eloquently notes "That dickless no talent Jim Carey wannabe motherfucker is coming down the stairs on a motorcycle." After seeing him attempt to get information from his ex-wife, he's off to the next point of information collection, where he hilariously gets attacked by a pet falcon.  After some quick digging Syd identifies who the killer is...but we have to wait until the next book.

What should you do: I still think a lot of folks are sleeping on this book, but it delivers.  The dark comedic styles are a nice change of pace from other books a lot of us are reading.  The art has a sense of surrealism to it which makes it seem like no other book I've read recently, on top of it being just a good detective story.  Another piece of good quarantine reading!

I Can Sell You a Body #3 (IDW)
By: Ryan Ferrier and George Kambadais

This book continues to be bonkers in the stylings of "if John Edwards actually had powers but didn't really know how to use them."  

After our bank robber arrives in Denny's room he starts freaking out because he cannot filter the voices in his head...to the point that the wall start bleeding and a demon he apparently stole a soul from comes to his room to claim what is rightfully his.  At the same time, we learn the only thing that may help Denny calm down and use his powers is his new soul mate.  At the same time, a Priest arrives to investigate a demon, and the police do nothing but blow him off, but it leads to a long line of pretty funny bits that pick the police side of the story up!  In the end, Denny has a plan, and he's reaching out to someone to do right by the mob.

What should you do? I like this book, its wild, over the top, and another shit-show display like Dying is Easy.  My only concern, is there is a hell of a lot of unresolved issues at the end of book three.  With only one more to go, we'll see if Denny can successfully sell a body, get rid of the demon, make good with the mob, and find true love!  

In Conclusion

These four books sent me on a wild ride, have to go back to dadding, and getting ready for a "Trolls Party" since my kiddos have been well behaved all week, but expect another review tonight, and maybe even a film review of Trolls World Tour.