The Write Stuff for April  

April presented us with all kinds of stories and all kinds of written word. Some very good and some very bad. Here in the Asylum I like to focus on the good in things. It's better for fanperson therapy to not dwell on what we don't like but to instead promote what we do enjoy. Not enough of that in fandom I think. Mini soapbox aside here are the titles I feel their writers should be applauded for.

3. Thor #601 - J. Michael Straczynski is a fantastic character writer. He proves this yet again with the latest issue of Thor. He tackles some very iconic characters and does an amazing job of nailing down their voices. He gives us a Thor who is struggling to come to terms with his current situation of being cast out of Asgard. Doom being greedy and dark. Loki being the best trickster he can be. Last, but not least he gives us drunk rage filled Volstagg!

Loki is, I think, being handled the best he has ever been that I have read. Loki in his female form is one devious ass bitch. He is playing all angles and sides. He reminds me very much so of Ben Linus from Lost. Anyone who watches Lost will see what i'm saying. Anyone who isn't watching Lost do yourself a favor and jump off a building. Well...maybe you could just buy the first season. Anyway, Straczynski's Loki is money. So money and he knows it!

If you aren't reading Thor you really need to get on board or some day your going to be picking up one of those Straczynski on Thor hardbacks with the complete series wishing you had picked this up all those years ago. I'm not playing. Go pick that shit up right now then come back and finish this column and thank me.

2. Ghost Rider #34 - Alright so Jason Aaron has consistently given us a crazy book with his run on Ghost Rider. We've had Bible quoting killers, shotgun wielding nuns on motorcycles and much much more. This issue Aaron tops himself. He brings back a trucker who has made a deal with a devil and lets him square off with one of the flame heads.

The satanic trucker is absolute gold. His killing of the hippies is classic as is his driving with a head as a hood ornament for his truck. This title has enough dark humor to make you chuckle but also enough twisted shit to make you grimace. Blending these elements is not as easy as Aaron makes it seem. Many a cheesy product has been produced in entertainment mediums trying to do just what he is doing here. Not only is he doing it but he is setting some serious standards.

This issue is one of the last for this series and I am really sad to hear about that. This is a title that I was really close to dropping early on and thank the maker every day that I didn't. This is one of those titles that sneaks up on me every month and then i'm surprised that I am surprised it did.

1. Green Lantern #40 - Mr. Geoff Johns well done sir. You have now been bringing it every issue 40 issues straight. He has also placed Hal Jordan into the role of the best superhero in the DCU. I know this is a strong statement but I think it is justifiable. Which event were you more excited for Final Crisis or Blackest Night? While Blackest Night still hasn't dropped into our laps Final Crisis has and I certainly was not impressed. So now Blackest Night is coming and the buzz for it is off the chain. It revolves around the Lantern Corps of the galaxy not Superman, not Batman, not Wonder Woman. Green Lantern.

Geoff Johns gives us a great look at the Orange Lantern(s) here and we find that as is appropriate for the Greed Corps there is but one ring bearer who creates other Lanterns out of other Corps' Lanterns. Johns has given us yet another character who is fleshed out and has a lasting ability. Another character that I am sure other writers would love to play with and use in their sandbox. Another character that DC would like to make an action figure for and that I would like to put on my shelf.

This is a great title and I am getting more and more excited for the money shot that this is building to. If Blackest Night simply stays small and keeps its focus like Johns has done all along with this title it can only succeed.