My favorite lines of dialogue from this week’s comics:
- Ex Machina #8: “Sorry, I thought you two be familiar with City Hall Park from all of your late night ‘cruising.’ Kidding, of course. Everyone knows you people stick to the Rambles for that.” — Mayor Mitchell Hundred, greeting the two guys whose wedding he’s agreed to perform.
I love this comic more than anything. The artwork by Tony Harris is tremendous, but it’s really Brian K. Vaughan’s character interactions that make this series so delicious. I’m actually annoyed whenever the story turns away from the political and personal story and fills in details of the more comic-booky story happening in the background.
- Birds of Prey #79: “I went to Catholic school, Canary. One thing you learn, right away…never screw with the crazy girl.” — The Huntress, explaining why she’s trying to talk to Rose/Thorn before she gets into a fight with her.
I avoided this book for so long because it seemed like such a goofy idea, and because the loosely-related TV show looked so cheesy. I’m so glad I finally discovered the best-written female characters in the entire DC universe. I jus the artwork wasn’t always so absurdly cheesecakey.
- Teen Titans #21: “Hey, listen, if I get…hurt…just let me take care of myself, all right?” — Speedy, joining the Titans in a fight against Dr. Light before she was able to tell them that she’s HIV+. I totally sympathized with her concern.
I’d already heard about how the new Speedy was going to be dealing with HIV, and I’ve been hoping that the writers handle it gracefully. I don’t know if it’s working in Green Arrow, but the first hints of that twist in this book seem OK so far.
- Ultra #7: “Beaver Girl, I love your lips!” — unseen fan to unseen heroine on the red carpet to the Annual Super Hero Awards. Heh, beaver. Get it?
Actually, there’s endless good dialogue in this whole series, both the funny kind and the natural kind.
- She-Hulk #12: “Guys, there’s a big superhuman battle nearby. Why haven’t you taken off?” “Please! Nobody gets hurt in those things.” “Except maybe a beloved character. For added sales…and the rubber-necking factor” — Jen Walters (She-Hulk) and some guys in a comic store. On the very next page, may favorite supporting character in the book, Awesome Andy, gets his head ripped off.
- Astonishing X-Men #8: “I know you wanted to cement your standing in the group, but if that geek was sharing my bed…I think I’d try not to wake up.” — unseen entity addressing a comatose Emma Frost, as the geek looks on.
Like Ex Machina this book has sucked me in with great characters and who interact brilliantly. The action has mostly been used to propel the characters from one point in the story to the next, which is usually fine. That’s pretty much all this issue is, though, so even though this issue set up a lot of interesting story developments, it felt a bit like filler. Tsk, tsk, Joss — that’s just what ruined so many of Buffy’s last episodes. Don’t get sloppy on us now.