Daytripper #8 – Review

By: Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon (creators), oddly this issue has no credits or indicia

The Story: What if a family member leaves on a routine trip and you never see them again?

What’s Good: The Brazilian brothers found a way to mix this issue up without really straying from the same basic story that we’ve had since the first issue.  Throughout the series, our main character, Bras, has died at the end of every issue after we see a story from a day or so in his life.  Part of the reason this issue is so powerful is because Bras doesn’t make a single appearance in the entire issue; we see the story completely through the eyes of his wife and young child who are going about their days while Daddy is traveling on business.

What the creators do so well is capture the exact emotions of what being a parent and having a traveling spouse is like.  “We” all like to talk about how comics have much more mature themes than they used to have because they’re more violent or have more sexual situations, but this issue of Daytripper is the real deal.  I just cannot imagine this comic having the same impact on someone who is 22, unmarried and without kids as it does on a parent with a spouse who travels sometimes.  They nail all the emotions: missing your spouse, the disruption in your daily routine by having to do your spouse’s daily tasks, the pleasure of having a child all to yourself, the voice mails and texts going back and forth, the minor irritation that the spouse isn’t there to “help” and (at the end) that little fear in the back of your mind: What if they don’t come home?

Even though this issue is yet another gut punch, I really appreciate a work that can make me feel much of anything on an emotional level without having to resort to shock and gore.  Try getting this level of emotional reaction from an Avengers comic!

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: X-Force #28 – This is drawing from a smaller than normal sample due to some vacation time, but I really enjoyed this penultimate chapter of what has been a really good X-Men event.  I especially liked that “they” let Wolverine kill Bastion and even though it’s old hat now, isn’t it nice that Wolverine can kill a bad dude without all this “heroes don’t kill” moralizing we get in some other places (see Shadowland #1).

Most Anticipated: X-Men: Second Coming #2 – This is a really big week of non-Marvel/DC books for me, but I am most looking forward to the finale of this comic event.  For me, the world is just a nicer place when the X-Men family of books are good.

Other Top Picks: Orc Stain #4, Bulletproof Coffin #2, Sweets #1, Daytripper #8, Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine #2

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Shadowland #1 -Shadowland gets my pick of the week if only because it was the first issue of an event that actually got me excited for said event, and it’s been a while since I could honestly say that.  Everything about this book was a pleasant surprise, including the artwork.

Most Anticipated: Daredevil #508 -It’s my most anticipated issue for most of the reasons that Shadowland was my pick of the week; I really want to see where this goes and, hopefully, this issue will give a heavier focus to Matt Murdock than Shadowland #1 did.  Either way, Shadowland has my fullest attention right now.

Other Picks: Birds of Prey #3, DMZ #55, Invincible Iron Man #28, Superman #701, The Unwritten #15

Joe’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Scarlet #1 – I would’ve thought X-Force #28 would’ve had a lock on this position, but the fact that I wanted to go out and buy this comic right after reading a friend’s copy sort of sealed the deal for me.  Bendis and Maleev delivered a surprisingly engaging comic considering the politics at the heart of the plot and the fact that it’s lots of pages filled with the lead character talking and talking.  Despite all of that, I closed this issue eager to read more, and that’s all I can ask of  my funnybooks.

Most Anticipated: X-Force: Sex and Violence #1 – Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!  X-Force returns (one week after it’s last issue) for this three issue miniseries with art from Gabrielle Del’Otto.  I’ve been waiting for this mini for a long time now, and I’m hoping it’ll be a worthy swan song to Kyle’s and Yost’s X-tales.

Other Top Picks: Birds of Prey #3, X-Files/30 Days of Night#1, Absolute Planetary 2 HC, Hack/Slash My First Maniac #2, Amazing Spider-Man #637, Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #2, Avengers Academy #2, Daredevil #508, Invincible Iron Man #28, Thanos Imperative #2, Ultimate Spider-Man #12, X-MEN: SECOND COMING #2, X-MEN: REVELATIONS – HELLBOUND #3