Weekly reviews

Franklin Richards: Son of A Genius

I have to applaud Marvel. They really are trying to bring kids back to comics, and here they have the perfect concept. Hopefully they can market it correctly.

My six and a half year old daughter loved this comic, and so did I. As many other commentators/reviewers have said, this is Calvin and Hobbes by way of Dennis the Menace and the Fantastic Four. With H.E.R.B.I.E. as his foil/protector, Franklin gets in mess after mess - such as shrinking down to miniature size and exploring his father's nose, or cloning himself with Jello.

Overall, this handful of short tales are pure, plain fun. The visuals perfectly complement the manic goings on, and it doesn't talk down to kids or adults. This is easily the most enjoyable comic I have read in a long time. Buy several copies and give them to your neighbor's kids, or something. This comic deserves more exposure.

Weekly Review -Dracula vs. King Arthur #2

I reviewed issue #1 here.

This is a comic that qualifies as a total, 100% guilty pleasure. I find nothing to illuminate the human condition, redress the wrongs in the world, or realize the counter-hegemonic dialectic.

That said, it's great fun. My wife is a bit bothered because fact when certain Arthurian females become vampires they start wearing rather slutty outfits, but I figure there's a reason for the term "vamp" when referred to females - this comic is just playing on that idea (and my wife still liked the comic overall).

It moves a quick place, and only Merlin gets any decent characterization. Lancelot seems wildly out of character at the end of this issue, but it does create a nice cliffhanger.

Highly recommended.