Feels Like the First Time

 Since March of 2019, I've bought e-comics, read comics I'd previously purchased, checked comics out from the library, ordered back issues online, and bought back-issues in-store *, but today was the first time I bought new issues from The Great Escape, brought them home, lay down on the couch, and read them. 

And it felt good.

I was just getting to the point where I was thinking, "I might be done with buying comic books. They're so expensive now...and I've got so many comic books already, and I don't want more stuff anyway...and I don't really even miss them that much." But when I saw this issue of Usagi Yojimbo and realized that it was the next one in the series after the last issue I bought (from the back issue bin at Half-Price Books), I thought, "Well, of course I need that." And when I saw Tarzan on the cover of the Groo book, I thought, "And of course I need that." I rounded it out with the new issue of Previews. ** And once I got home and hit the couch and tunneled my way through all three of those items...I felt good. I felt satisfied. 

I felt like I wanted to start buying new comic books off the stands again.

Anyway....

Usagi Yojimbo #21 just shows you that after 37 years, 6 publishers, and well over 200 issues, Stan Sakai's character still has life in him. And now that Usagi is in color, I have been enjoying it much more. This story feels a bit familiar. There's a challenge to Usagi involving his past as a defender of Lord Mifune, he tries to avoid conflict, and he ends up killing some folks. And that's my only complaint about this series: you could use that summary for a whole lot of issues of the comic book. But there's more to it than that, too...with touches of humor, multiple references to the concept of honor, and some commentary on various aspects of human behavior. So I enjoyed the story. If I could have one wish, though, it would be this: I'd like to see Usagi deal with growing old, losing his amazing sword skills, and have to deal with the world in a new way. And I'd eventually like to see him die...though not alone, unmourned, and unloved, of course. And yes, then there would be plenty of room for a new character to move into the spotlight...and there's an obvious choice for that, if you're familiar with the Usagi Yojimbo story. But I don't suppose that will happen. Still, at least for the nonce I plan on continuing to buy this book, so yes, it could be better, but it's good enough for me as it is.

And as for this so-called Groo Meets Tarzan #1...well, it's a misnomer at this point, since Groo does NOT meet Tarzan in this issue. But it looks like that will be happening next issue, so I'll wait for it. For the most part, this reads like a typical Groo adventure, with Groo coming into a new place and wreaking havoc. But this time around that's only 1/3rd of the story, since there is also a scene set in Tarzan's space (and these are illustrated by Thomas Yeates, so that's a treat) and another scene set in modern day San Diego at a comic convention where Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier wander around. (And there are some laughs therein...especially in the amazingly detailed two-page spread at the start of this issue.) There was also a two-page letters section, which in theory was nice...since it has been a long time since I read a comic book with a letters section...but in actuality wasn't that much fun, relying as it did on some pretty tired humor. But hey, those are free pages, right?

So there you have it. My first comic book review page in quite some time. Might be the first of many. Time will tell.

* Though that was just a few weeks ago.

** And I would have bought Dejah Thoris Vs. John Carter of Mars #1, but I wanted this cover

and they only had ugly, shitty covers, so I decided to hold off on that one. Sometimes the other covers come back in on re-orders...and since there were only two copies of the book left, I assume there will be re-orders. Time (and I) will tell.