After going by Bankston's today (my local comic shop), I quickly realized something:  while I am finding myself getting back into comics...I'm going to need somewhere to put them all at this point.  Just between my previous collection of stuff that I still had and the new stuff I've gotten, I also quickly realized that I might need ANOTHER bookcase pretty soon.  LOL 
 
This week in "jakob187 catches up with everyone else as best as he can", I picked up the four issues of Grant Morrison's Batman & Robin as well as the Secret Invasion TPB. 
 
I gotta say that I'm really digging Batman & Robin, to the point that I'm ready for more issues to be out, like, yesterday.  I also now understand why people are saying that it's a shame to see Frank Quitely not doing the interior art on that series.  While I really liked Phillip Tan's art on issue #4, I don't feel like it does justice to the moments shared between Dick and Damian.  I really enjoy the way that Morrison has caught this underlying sadness in both of the characters:  Grayson as the one-time protege who now has to take up the mantle for his former mentor, and Damian as the "too tough to cry" kiddo.  Their exchanges are excellent, and it's nice to see Robin not being a little weenie for once!  I have to agree with the Comic Vine review:  Damian spouting the line "Whose neck to I break first?" after being captured by Pyg was PRICELESS, and for me, it really makes me feel like Robin is a must more important character than he ever felt like before.  Either way, the four issues alone were incredibly amusing, and I really want to go read Final Crisis and Battle for the Cowl just so I can kind of understand what exactly has happened through all of that in order to lead into this. 
 
This raises a question from me to the Comic Vine community:  I was about to pick up the All Star Batman and Robin TPB from Miller/Lee, but I have heard some not-so-flattering things about that.  Does it run along with this stuff, or is that a separate thing altogether?  Also...Batman R.I.P....how important is that to read compared to Final Crisis and Battle for the Cowl? 
 
Moving on...Secret Invasion.  So, last week, I finally read Civil War.  That was a mind-blower for me!  I really enjoyed Millar and McNiven's work on that...as it would seem many many MANY others have also.  This week, I decided to pick up the Secret Invasion TPB to try and catch up with the Marvel Universe a bit more.  I have to say that while there were some great twists in that, and it really had me going, I couldn't get into it as much as I could with Civil War.  This was simply due to the fact that most of the artwork was cluttered to me, and to go beyond that, I didn't enjoy Yu's take on some characters - particularly Spider-Man.  While he is a good artist and has his own unique style, I found myself kind of sneering at images of Wolverine and Spider-Man and even at one point Captain America and thinking "that's just not right".  Now, the clutter of the panels is easily understandable to me:  huge ensemble cast of characters + massive Skrull invasion destroying stuff = clutter.  It's a simple formula.  However, it made me realize that I have a very specific form of panel-style that I like:  I need something that is very character-driven rather than action-driven.  The event means less to me than how the characters react to it.  There were a few moments that I really enjoyed in the book, especially after the Skrull invasion was done with and Thor had his words with Tony, but other than that, it felt like too little talk and too much action.  There wasn't enough of a balance for me.  It was still a good read, though, so I can't complain too much...and it's getting me closer and closer to being a bit more caught-up. 
 
Aside from that, I have to say that I was excited to hear that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young found its way to #9 on the NYT Best-sellers!!!  My HC should FINALLY be in sometime this week, and then next week, I should have Mouse Guard Fall 1152 in my hands.  I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about both of these coming in!  I keep looking up Skottie Young's artwork for the Wizard of Oz stuff and just drop my jaw at how well it fits with a 109-year-old story!
 
Last but not least, I was saddened to find out that Bankston's had all the Old Man Logan stuff EXCEPT issue #68, and it was on an indefinite back order.  Therefore, it looks like I'm going to have to wait for the TPB/HC to finally come out for that.  I was also sad to find out that issues #4 and 5 for Kick-Ass weren't available at the moment, but they have them on order and they should be in next week as well, so I should be picking up all the back issues for Kick-Ass next week along with Mouse Guard Fall 1152...if my money allows me to.  =  / 
 
Comics are expensive!!!  lol 
 
Until next time, piece!