Seven Soldiers of Victory

I recently read Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers. It was an ambitious project started in April 2005; 7 different unappreciated characters, each given their own 4 issue miniseries, with 2 giant-sized bookend issues. Separate stories joining together to form one giant story in the end. I didn't read it as it came out because 7*4*$2.99+$6.98= More than I want to spend on Superhero comics in a year. 52 is even worse, a new three dollar issue ever week. Thank you very much, no thank you.

I read it in trade and it was really good and I'm planning to scan some images to show it off. The one-shot bookends were drawn by J.H. Williams III, who is one of my absolute favorite artists working today. Anyway, in trying to learn more about what the hell I'd just read (a normal experience with a Grant Morrison book) I stumbled on to a blog I'd stumbled onto earlier this year. Jog - The Blog. Last time I found it I was really impressed, but let it slip through my fingers like so much internet sand. Not going to let that happen this time.

Seven Soldiers: A Short List
An index of Jog's reviews for the entire Seven Soldiers series. I read the last one, and again was really impressed. I'm planning to go through and read them all.

Batman #663
That first thing I read by Jog. A review of one of the worst comics I ever saw. Grant Morrison at his lowest. An important review for me because it backs up my rarely agreed with point that Morrison's Arkham Asylum is crap.

Actually, this issue is a little like Arkham Asylum in that way. It’s not nearly as bad, mind you, as Arkham Asylum is quite possibly the single shittiest comic Morrison has ever written on his own, a veritable catalog of his worst storytelling tendencies splashed with all the dourness and intellectual pouting the post-Watchmen superhero landscape could offer. This issue is a little too self-conscious for that. But it does share its popular predecessor’s tendency to substitute simple declaration for substantive insight - we’re told over and over what depth these characters have, yet we’re never allowed to see them demonstrate these hidden fathoms in a manner apart from the string-pulling of Grant Morrison.

Jog - The Blog
I'm also hoping his blog can be my guide out of the world of superhero comics. After Marvel's Civil War, I realized I really need to diversify my holdings in the comic book market. What I'm reading is fun, but it really needs to be supplemented with things that have not been completely infected by decompression. A single issue of Jack Kirby's Avengers had more happening in it than in the entire Civil War. I'm really enjoying the week-to-week anticipation thing, but I need my vitamins too. More on comics later.