Monday, November 20, 2023

Time for yet another comic that I probably should've been buying when it came out, and that probably should've run for years longer than it did...so, if my blog was a drinking game that would probably be two? I could probably make a bingo card of "nonsense I say regularly" but I leave that to you! From 2005, Solo #6: art by Jordi Bernet, featuring "Back Bone" Written by John Arcudi; "Drive" Written by Joe Kelly; "Old Dog/New Trick" Written by Andrew Helfer; "The Stalking Horse" Written by Chuck Dixon; and "Poison" Written by Brian Azzarello.
Dummy, I just had to search the blog; since I was confusing Bernet with Goron Parlov, another artist with a penchant for tough guys and gorgeous dames that are probably headed for trouble. Previously we've seen a bunch of Jonah Hex issues from Bernet, although I remember seeing little ads for his Torpedo 1936 back in the 80's and they were still striking as hell. Most of the stories here are sexier and meaner than the average DC book of the time--mean in a way a mainstream book couldn't be. Some readers, myself included, might not be entirely comfortable with Batman just outright clocking Poison Ivy. Twice!
I got this one, Darwyn Cooke's, and Teddy Kristiansen's; at the toy show recently: we glanced at the Howard Chaykin issue some time back, but the Sergio Aragonés one is the one to dig up, "I Killed Marty Feldman" alone is worth it. I should keep an eye out for the Damion Scott and Mike Allred ones, and I'm not positive I've got the Scott Hampton, either...I was also going to say it was a crime Walt Simonson didn't get to do an issue; but apparently he turned what he worked on for it into the Judas Coin graphic novel.
I was hoping that link was going to have some reason why the series didn't continue; although I suspect giving artists free rein also meant issues got done when they damn well felt like it. Looks like Solo ran more or less bimonthly, though; which I wouldn't have bet on. Still, Anthology series just seem to be DOA in America; even high-end ones like this. Of course, I say something like that, then remember like three I've bought recently off the top of my head! (Creepshow, the Kickstarter Meanwhile...A Comic Shop Anthology, and a couple Dollar Store Star Wars Adventures.)

3 comments:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Bruh, is that, is that piss or diarrhea coming out of the window in that first panel? I mean she mentions the strong smell, and based off the color, it could be either puke, piss, or poop....

I'm sure Ivy is certainly missing the "Papa Spank" version of Batman compared to the one who has no qualms straight up punching out a woman...


I see the writers of the movie version of The Dark Knight got the line "Wanna know how I got these scars?" from Jonah Hex....


That is a good point; do Anthologies sell as well in today's current American market compared to the past? Probably not as it used to, but that also probably depends on the publisher & characters contained in said anthology series.

H said...

I feel like it was never meant to be a continuing series- DC likes to do these sort of mini- and maxi-series to fill gaps in the schedule or (for a while at least) as fifth-week events. It makes for a good trade and gives talent something to do if they don’t have an assignment. I’d group this kind of thing with Wednesday Comics and possibly Bizarro Comics and its sequel.

Anonymous said...

Ahhh Wednesday Comics. Now THAT was an experiment that deserved better support, particularly by consumers, than it got.