In Passing...10/20

So, I finally got around to reading all of my comics from this past week, so it's mini-review time...

Y-the Last Man #38 - Continuing the "Paper Dolls" storyline, we get to learn a little more about Agent 355, and Yorick realizes the repercussions of having his picture taken.

The Grimoire #6 - Everything comes to a head here as Amandine and her new friends face off against Medea. The first couple pages of this pretty intense battle are completely silent. It was really sort of neat. And the action was quick and exciting. This battle really exceeded my expectations, paying off the build-up.

House of M #7 - Olivier Coipel's pencils are alright on this series, but...I think his storytelling just sucks. A lot of really cool things happened in this issue, but they just didn't have the emphasis they should have in those cluttered panels. The Scarlet Witch's last three words should have been the coolest panel but...no. Coipel just couldn't pull it off. Bendis is doing a fine job writing this thing, he just needs someone a little more competent working with him.

Fables #42 - "Arabian Nights (and Days)" starts here as the Fabletown administration tries to counter all of the complaints coming in from the residents and their new Arabian guest arrive amid the chaos.

Necromancer #2 - The surprisingly good Top Cow series chugs along in this issue as we find out what happens to Abigail after her family and friends are massacred before her eyes by the demon she accidentally calls forth and her powers manifest in strange ways.

Shojo Beat: November 2005 - I don't read all of the comics in this anthology, but I'll break down the ones I do...

Nana - I really like this series when the characters are caught up in their emotions and have to face things that are hard for them to face. The last installment of the series didn't really have those moments, so I was a little disappointed, but this time around, we get to see that vulnerability again. Yay for Nana!

Absolute Boyfriend - Night costs a million dollars and there may actually be a way for Riiko to rid herself of this debt and keep her mail-order boyfriend. But Night's good intentions keep manifesting in violent ways and makes it harder for Riiko to keep the secret of Night under wraps.

Beauty Is the Beast - A special sneak preview of Beauty Is the Beast was included in this issue of the magazine. In this preview, we are introduced to the character of Eimi Yamashita as she moves into a girls' dorm to keep going to school after her parents move. She quickly bonds with her roommates, but has to complete a dare to be accepted into the dorms. So...she has to sneak into the boys' dorms and steal a name plaque, without getting caught and expelled! Meanwhile, a boy from the dorm, Taka Wanibuchi, known as a beast for going to juvie, catches her interest. This really is a fun story, although it's told in that really quick pace that some manga is told in that I don't usually care for. I could overlook it here, but I really prefer to slow things down and reflect a little more, watch the characters react to circumstances instead of just pummel along. But anyways, the first collection of this series comes out in November, so watch for it! It's a good time!