Graphic Novels Read in August

Hawkeye: Little Hits (2013) Matt Fraction, David Aja, et al. 

Previously discussed

5/5

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad (2012) Nathan Hale

Previously discussed

4.5/5

Rust Vol. 1: Visitor in the Field (J-Fic 2011) Royden Lepp 

Previously discussed

4/5

10 Little Insects (J-Fic 2009/2012) Davide Cali, Vincent Pianina 

Previously discussed

3/5

The Sleeper Omnibus (2013) Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips

Previously discussed

3.5/5

Saucer Country Vol. 2: The Reticulan Candidate (2013) Paul Cornell, Ryan Kelly

Cancelled after fourteen issues (and collected in two trade paperbacks), Saucer Country had a lot of things going for it and a few that were ultimately going to kill it and did. The story of New Mexico Governor Arcadia Alvarado’s campaign for President is compelling. Is she or isn’t she the first Presidential candidate ever to have been abducted by aliens? Is she still being contacted by aliens? 

I’m afraid and saddened to say that most readers probably were not willing to follow such a story. Maybe they believed one of the cover blurbs that the comics was a combination of The X-Files and The West Wing. (It’s not.) Maybe they didn’t want to read anything political. Maybe they didn’t like a Hispanic woman running for President. Whatever the reason, Saucer Country didn’t sell, which is too bad. What those people missed was a compelling, fun story.   

4/5

The Doom Patrol Archives, Vol. 2 (1964-65/2004) Arnold Drake, Bruno Premiani

I had so much fun with the first volume of The Doom Patrol Archives, I had to pick up the second volume (collecting Doom Patrol #90-97), which is just as much goofy Silver Age fun. I hope to eventually read the Grant Morrison reboot of the series after I finish the remaining three archive volumes. 

4/5

Daredevil, Volume 5 (2013) Mark Waid, Chris Samnee

Waid and Samnee show no signs of slowing down with this title. You’ve got to hand it to ‘em: they’ve taken a character that’s been around for 50 years and made his current adventures fresh, exciting and often funny. Daredevil and Hawkeye are the best things Marvel has going right now. If you aren’t on board, you should be.

5/5