Fat Pants is a monthly Comic Pants feature (well, at least in theory it’s a monthly feature) in which I mull over the last month’s trades and graphic novels in order to let you know which ones I feel are most worth your attention. It is far from a comprehensive list of all the good reads published in the past month, so please feel free let us know in the comments which trades and graphic novels came out in the last month that you, the reader, feel are most worth our attention. So, without further ado, here are the books I think really stood out this month.

Batman/Grendel
Writer/Artist: Matt Wagner
Company: Dark Horse Comics/DC Comics

Nick: This one is a little bit of a cheat, mainly because it actually came out at the end of March, but bollocks to all that, it’s too good not to mention. Seriously, I love most everything that Matt Wagner’s has contributed to the world of comics, from his gorgeous covers on Green Arrow to what Grendel I have read to Trinity and Batman and the Monster Men. He’s one of those rare creators that I’ll read anything that they tackle, no matter how odd or goofy the idea sounds. In all honesty though, Batman/Grendel may in fact be the best thing that he’s ever done.

Why do I say that? Because in the two stories that this trade collects, tackles the beloved concept of the superhero crossover, a concept that over time has become stale and done to death, and accomplishes the feat deftly, with both style and skill. The first story is probably the best, as it pits the original Grendel, Hunter Rose, against the Caped Crusader in not only a physical battle but also a battle of the minds. It’s almost all about the hunt, and it’s a battle that occurs on all fronts, in their true forms and in their alter-egos as Bruce Wayne and Hunter Rose. There are also some great supporting characters, two Gotham socialites in particular, that almost steal the show, and the way that they are integrated into the hunt is just one of the reasons why Wagner is so good at what he does. The second story is good, but it’s basically Batman versus the psychotic cyborg that is Grendel-Prime. There are still some good nuances to the story, but for the most part it’s straightforward in its purpose and it’s action.

The art on both of these stories is impeccable. It’s much different from his style nowadays, but Wagner still has a knack at perfectly framing scenes, be it intense action or a simple conversation between two people, and whatever it may be commands attention, and it deserves it. There’s a page towards the end of the first story that is basically a thirty three panel fight scene. It is insane, but the way the panels are structured and the way you see the fight blow by blow is amazing. All in all, if you’ve never read any Grendel and you’ve wanted to, Batman/Grendel is the perfect starting place. It gives a glimpse at what makes the character so unique and interesting, while supplying a tense and taunt collection of stories to devour. Not a bad thing in my book.

Thor Vol. 1 Premiere Hardcover
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Olivier Coipel
Company: Marvel Comics

Nick: Fist off, while I do think that most of what Marvel puts into these Premiere style Hardcovers deserves the oversized treatment (this book specifically), I have become a total format whore. I blame Randy for this part of my personality, but honestly, hardcovers of any kind are just invariably cooler than their softcover counterparts. All of those things aside though, this volume of Thor makes this list because it’s a good collection of an awesome comic. Sure, I haven’t liked everything that JMS has done over the years. In fact, some of the things he’s done have a way of inducing harsh bouts of pain upon my brain, but with Thor, his style of storytelling seems to have found the perfect stomping ground.

Yes, it’s slower than it should be, but the high fantasy that a Thor title needs is there and the characterizations of the host of Asgardians and the rest of the merry men that make an appearance are all fairly dead on. I especially think that JMS’ world-building here is impressive. The call to move Asgard to the real world and have people like Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral interacting with you’re average, everyday Oklahoman has produced some interesting and often very funny moments. There’s also the feeling of a much grander story being told, and I love the little snippets of promise that are put into play as Thor starts searching for other Asgardians.

Olivier Coipel is just as much as a draw for me as the story that’s being told. The two things both work together to make the story something more, but Coipel’s stuff is absolutely breathtaking. I’ve said it several times in reviews of the series as it was coming out, but it doesn’t hurt to say it again: Coipel is awesome. He’s stepped up and really swung for the fences with Thor, and that dedication has paid off. The level of detail and the energy of work that he provides, simply put, sings. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have such talented collaborators as Mark Morales and Laura Martin helping either. Morales’ inks and Martin’s colors do wonders to add another layer of enjoyment to the proceedings. Really, while Walt Simonson’s run will forever be the crown jewel of Thor comics, JMS’ has so far been a blast. If you feel like getting in on the ground floor of the fun, I’d suggest picking this one up.

Hellboy Library Edition Vol. 1 HC
Writer/Artist: Mike Mignola
Company: Dark Horse Comics

Nick: Got fifty bucks burning a whole in your pocket that you have no idea what to do with? Love Hellboy and love oversized hardcover editions of books? If you’ve answered yes to any of that, then this book was absolutely tailor made just for you. The specifics of this collection is as follows: It contains the first two arcs (Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil) completely, their forwards by Alan Moore and Robert Bloch intact, and all of the bonus materials that the original traded had in them, plus some additional, previously unreleased sketches by Mignola. As special features go, this release is fairly light. But that isn’t the main draw.

The main reason to pick this one up, especially if you’re a hardcore Mignola-ite or an art enthusiast of one kind or another, is the oversized nature of the thing. 9″ x 12″ is a great size for Mignola’s art (and as a bonus, it’s the same size as the Art of Hellboy book that Dark Horse released earlier), as it gives the always entertaining and jaw dropping antics even more room to breathe and give it that emotional, gut punch of awesomeness that it should.

As the two stories that are collected go, if you haven’t already read these, then shame on you. The action/horror/comedy/intrigue extravaganza that can be found in just about anything that he writes, is always a treat, but these first two stories were what solidified Hellboy as a name-stay of greatness. He fights giants snakes, frog-men, and Nazis. Can you get better than that? If you have already read these, and it’s been a few years, they both hold up extremely well. And really, seeing it biggie-sized is almost like seeing it for the first time all over. At the end of the day, THIS is the way to read Hellboy. Accept no substitutes.

Green Arrow Year One HC
Writer: Andy Diggle
Artist: Jock
Company: DC Comics

Nick: When I first heard word of this mini series, I knew that it would be good and something to look forward to. What I didn’t know was how good it would be. Let me tell you that Green Arrow Year One is one of the best, if not the actual best, mini series of last year. There are many reasons for this, but the main one has to be writer Andy Diggle. The man has proved time and time again that action is his bread and butter with things like Losers and the Adam Strange mini from a few years ago. With Year One, he has solidified that statement. The action in this book is wonderfully choreographed and written, and the story itself, while a retelling of Green Arrow’s origin, something that we’ve seen a number of times, is an update that makes perfect sense and absolutely works. It a lot of ways, it doesn’t even feel like a retread of something that I’ve read before. That’s how good Diggle is.

The second thing that makes this hardcover something that you have to buy is Jock’s art. While Diggle writes action like nobody’s business, Jock executes that action masterfully, in new and exciting ways, making each scene something to savor.

As for the collection itself, I will make one gripe about it, but it’s a small thing and in no way makes this book any less special. And that would be the quality of the paper that was used. It’s a little thin for my tastes, and feels slightly cheap. Still, the quality of the book overrules the quality of paper. For anyone seeking a good action story, or for someone who has never seen how Oliver Queen become the Emerald Archer, this book is a must buy.

X-Men Messiah Complex OHC
Writers: Mike Carey, Ed Brubaker, Peter David, Craig Kyle, & Kyle Yost
Artists: Billy Tan, Chris Bachalo, Scot Eaton, Humberto Ramos, & Marc Silvestri
Company: Marvel Comics

Nick: XXXX-MMMEEENNNN!!!! Sorry about that, my inner child, who’s still enamored with all things mutant related, got the better of me. I try to keep that part of me in check, but I think I’ll always have a soft spot for the X-Men. That said, while Messiah Complex wasn’t as strong as or as good as something like the classic stories The Dark Phoenix Saga or Mutant Massacre, this truly rose up and provided the best modern age X-Men mega crossover. And what this oversized hardcover collects is the thing in it’s entirety, all thirteen issues plus a helping of sketches, variant covers, and character breakdowns. It isn’t as chock-full of extras as say Planet Hulk was, but what there is is nothing to sneeze at.

As for the story, for those who haven’t paid attention to anything related to the X-Men lately, the gist of the matters revolves around the first mutant birth in years, a baby girl who may or may not be the savior of the mutant race. Everyone wants to possess her, and I mean everyone and everything (including the kitchen sink), and it’s a race to see which faction gets to her first. Like I said, the story isn’t exactly perfect on every level. There are times during it where you almost need an X-Men encyclopedia by your side to keep track of who the hell is on the page, but I’d say if you have any love for these characters, then you’d really take some enjoyment away from the story. Brubaker, Carey, and company banded together and created a story that not only made sense, but also held big ramifications for the X-Universe in general. It delivered something that these books needed, a new direction that made perfect sense.

But then we come to the art, which is the one aspect of this collection that feels a tad shaky. If you’ve listened to our podcast about Messiah Complex, then you might have an idea of what I’m talking about. If not, let me tell you that some of these artists, Bachalo and Ramos in particular, have a very frenetic style that plays havoc on your eyes as you try and discern what actually takes place in the countless action scenes. The pages being giant sized helps though. It actually helps out a lot, as it gives things just a bit more space. Also, while those two artists aren’t my favorites, Scot Eaton and Billy Tan turn in some impressive stuff that makes up for it. Seriously, Tan just keeps getting better and better, his style more refined, and Eaton has a knack for slick action. Honestly though, forty bucks is a hefty chunk of change to throw down on a whim. Still, like I said before, this is as good as the current run on X-Men has been, and Messiah Complex as an event provided a fun, entertaining story that in many ways, surprised me.

And For A Few Dollars More:

Jack Kirby’s New Gods Action Figures: Series 1
Company: DC Direct

Nick: What’s that you say? Action figures don’t belong here? Pish posh to that, I say. Action figures, especially these action figures, have every right to be here. Why? Because I said so, that’s why. Anyways, these really are some of the best action figures that DC Direct have released. The sculpts perfectly capture the iconic visages that the King of Comics, Jack Kirby, gave them and the accessories they each have, Mother Boxes for the good guys and a Golden Gauntlet of Utter Destruction for Darkseid, are nice additions too. Also, the articulation is downright insane, as most every portion of each 4th World character can be swiveled or moved, bet it their waist, ankles, or their hands. I am a nut about toy collecting, and let me tell you something, these are the bees knees. They are amazing, and any toy collector or 4th World fan should quickly add these to their collection. Darkseid commands it!