I'm Rick Jones Bitch! or the wonders of Busiek/Pacheo

So the other day I heard that Carlos Pacheco will be joining Kurt Busiek on Superman after this current storyline of "Up, Up, and Away" is done. Almost simultaneously my upstairs neighbor (who has two decades worth of comic collecting on me) introduced me to a little twelve-part series called "Avengers Forever". I have no idea how the comic was received during its run, although I can understand if people didn't dig it. This was one of those "and then he separated vision from human torch but then went back in time and stopped himself and instead put the body in a grave...so A goes into B but it doesn't matter because you're going to be confused anyway" time traveling stories.

However, if you sweep all that stuff aside and just look at the characters you get some actually great interaction. Disillusioned Cap, two Hank Pyms from different stages of his life, the son of Captain Marvel, Hawkeye as he switched from giant to archer and so on. Each served a purpose in the comic; each did his or her part. We know this because Busiek let us know how each character was needed. It was just done really well. Add to it Pacheco's splash pages and clean lines and you have an unbeatable team. I, for one, look forward to their upcoming work with Big Blue. Hopefully, we'll get something like this.

Can't you just see Jimmy Olsen in the driver's seat instead of Rick Jones? I know I can. Especially if he is "down, dirty an' loaded to bear".

Does anyone hear an echo?

My pick for the week of 3/15

Things were close this week. Body Bags was enjoyable. Superman #650 was spot on and fantastic. But I think my choice for the week is Teen Titans Annual. Despite the fact that they messed up the shipping order something awful and we knew the outcome of Conner and Cassie's rene wed relationship before it happened, I was still moved. Yes, the "What if this is our last night together?" stroyline can be a bit overplayed but this time around all I could think was "Yes!" Finally, those two kids finally got together and it wasn't trashy or gratuitous. It just was. What can I say? When a good writer pulls on these heartstrings I play along.

But really I think the strength of the comic is how Johns and Wolfman show the personality of the "Mini Big Three" and how their interactions with each other and the world at large differ so much from that of their mentors. Robin standing up to Superman and just giving it to Big Blue was fantastic. It speaks of the values instilled by Batman but lacks that certain Bruce Wayne "I'm a douche 'the last time you inspired anyone was when you were dead'-ness" to it. Superboy finally getting back into the game because of love (well mostly) speaks right to the classic Superman motivation, his relationship with Lois Lane. All in all I felt that comic was really solid and Ma Kent's "Do you like eggs?" was right on. I don't remember what my mother said the first time an unknown girl walked out of my room the morning after but I believe it was something along those lines. What can you say other than, "How do you take your coffee?" and then when the girl leaves you slap your son in the back of the head.

Not to detract from the comic's overall goodness I do have to bring up one page that struck me as visually ridiculous.

Either Connor is still weak from his brush with death or that is one stuck zipper. I mean he is doing a two handed fly pull and look at the strain on his face. It is true that could be the how he normally stands, with hands cupping or framing but that is just creepy then.

In the next panel he is still struggling with it, although he has gone down to one hand. Perhaps the other is thrown up in frustration or victory.

There is nothing wrong with the panel three It merely carries us over the final panel...

In which not only is Connor talking with his mouthful but as a result he has got some drip mouth going on. I'm saying you are a lucky man if you still get Wonder Girl after all that.