No Small Feat

I just finished reading Ant-Man #1.  Now that, my friends, is how you start off a comic book series.  Not only was this issue one of the best first issues of a series I've ever read, but it was one of the best comic book issues I've read in quite a long time.  Too long of a time.  

I've never been that interested in Ant-Man, but with the movie coming out soon, I decided to give the series and character a try.  I'm very glad I did.  Nick Spencer did a fantastic job establishing the character, his personality, and his supporting characters.  And this is coming from someone who's very unfamiliar with the Scott Lang Ant-Man.  I already feel like I know (and like) him.  He's down on his luck, but he's got a sense of humor about himself.  He's got responsibilities that he know he's ignored for too long.  He's screwed up his past and now wants to make amends.  In other words, he feels real.  And that's what's missing from most comic books today that are too focused on epic battles.  The human side is missing.  The character interaction is missing. 

In this first issue, we're given a well-written overview of Lang's origin (all new information to me), as told to a job interviewer.  It was different than your typical first-issue origin comic and better because it wasn't just a retelling-of-origin issue.  Spencer informed readers of Lang's origin, but mostly set up the series going forward.  

I'm not familiar with artist Ramon Rosanas, but after reading Ant-Man #1, I already like him, too.  His art fits well with Ant-Man, or really any comic book superhero, I would imagine.  It's clean and realistic looking. 

With only one issue under its belt, Ant-Man has quickly jumped to the top of my monthly comic book reads.  I only hope Ant-Man continues with its fine storytelling and doesn't jump on the epically boring bandwagon.

What's the Story, Morning Glories?

I typically don't stray much outside the DC and Marvel Universes (not even to Marvel's Ultimate Universe), but the premise of Image Comics' Morning Glories sounded intriguing, so I've been picking up the last 10 issues that have been released.  From Wikipedia: "The series focuses on six "brilliant but troubled" new recruits at Morning Glory Academy, a prestigious prep school hiding "sinister and deadly" secrets."

The series is written by Nick Spencer and illustrated by Joe Eisma. Fortunately, each issue is only $2.99, so I'll continue reading.  If Image was charging $3.99, I probably would have dropped the series by now.  While good, it's not fantastic.  The stories are promising, although sometimes confusing.  The characters are interesting, yet not defined enough for me to care about any of them or even keep them straight, especially when each issue focuses on someone different than the last.  I do enjoy the simple yet realistic artwork in brilliant colors, though, and that's another reason I keep reading the series.  It's extremely visually appealing. 

So, while I'm curious about the students and the school, the "big mystery" hasn't really hooked me yet.  I'm waiting for one of those guilty pleasure moments that really draws me into the series.  The series get a B- grade from me.  It has the potential to succeed and is better than average, but I think it could -- and should -- strive to be better.