Comics That Make Me Full

In this day and age, many comic book fans often complain about the so-called "decompressed storytelling" that dominates the Big Two of Marvel and DC.

OK, in the interest of full disclosure, _I_ often complain about that. But I know I'm not alone in bemoaning the modern tendency within a title to, shall we say, stretch out a storyline that previously might have filled an issue or two so that it fills 5 or 6 issues--which conveniently provides a ready-made amount of material for a bookstore-friendly trade paperback collection.

So it's nice to grab comics from your pile and get a sense of closure or at least satisfaction after reading just one issue. Two DC titles I buy regularly almost always give me that, a feeling of being "full" after reading them, where I look forward to the next month's edition because I'm excited and caught up in things, not because nothing happened THIS month. I'm talking about "Brave and the Bold" and "Booster Gold." Each was particularly compelling this last time out.

Mark Waid has been crafting entertaining, dense stories each time up at the plate in "B&B," using the gimmick of a different hero team-up each issue to provide satisfying individual issues that still further a larger arc. It's a great example of how to make a lengthy storyline work from issue to issue without making the reader feel strung along with padded plots.

It's not just the sheer number of panels and words that make a typical issue of this latest incarnation of the team-up book work. The changing cast of characters keeps things fresh, but Waid's efficient writing meets the challenge of making chapters seem like complete issues by including a variety of threats, villians, and obstacles.

In issue 12 alone, we get the resolution of the entire Megistus story, appearances by the other heroes that have seen action in the comic over the past year, and some hints of the future. All this occurs while Waid provides a cool throughline within the issue spotlighting the Challengers of the Unknown. This single installment gives a decent conclusion to a long story and makes me care about the Challengers--enough so that I'm thinking about buying the recent DC Showcase that reprints some of their classic exploits.

I should mention the fine art on this book, as well. First the incomparable George Perez led the way. His style was a perfect match for a writing style that utilized so much story and so many characters. It was smooth storytelling that looked damn good. I was bummed when Perez stepped aside a few issues ago, but I've been a fan of Jerry Ordway since way back, and I think he's done solid work carrying on the saga.

"Booster Gold" has been similarly consistent. There are Larger Mysteries and Important Arcs being executed each month, but each issue makes you feel like--well, like something happened. And that it was fun. The creative team of Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, and Dan Jurgens are doing great work here, and as far as I know it's been rewarded with strong sales numbers.

The latest issue continued the "Blue and Gold" story which teams Booster with a resurrected Blue Beetle. They've wound up changing the timeline of the DC Universe, unsurprisingly, and are facing the consequences. Nothing is "wrapped up" in issue 8, but there is enough in there to satiate a reader and make him anticipate the next few chapters in a good way.

You get the new Freedom Fighters as Booster and Beetle try to fix what they screwed up by altering time. You get great interaction among those characters, which include Green Arrow and Hawkman and lesser-known figures like Wild Dog. You get action. You get machinations of the baddies. You get Rip Hunter explaining the stakes to everyone. I'm not doing it justice, but the whole thing both moves quickly and delivers fulfilling content--a combination increasingly rare in today's landscape.

Every so often, I'm tempted to junk the whole concept of buying the monthlies in favor of getting more trades. That's not what I really want to do, but sometimes I feel I have no choice with the way the comics are being created to fit that model. As long as comic books like "Booster" and "B&B" get the job done so often, though, I'll be glad to keep up the regular comic shop visits and follow along as it happens. But I'll keep wishing more titles can do the same.