Sweet Tooth #29 – Review

By: Jeff Lemire (writer & artist), Jose Villarrubia (colors), Carlos M. Mangual (letters) & Mark Doyle (editor)

The Story: We return to the present day story of Sweet Tooth and learn some disturbing things about the refuge in the dam.

Five Things:

1. Nice to return to “normal” Sweet Tooth. – The just completed arc of Sweet Tooth was good as we flashed back in time and learned a kinda “origin” for the Sweet Tooth universe, but it’s nice to be back with Gus, Jepperd, Bobby and the other characters we’ve come to know and love over the last few years.  Even as much as I enjoyed Matt Kindt’s art, it’s nice to get back to the one-man-band that is Jeff Lemire (although he DOES bring a colorist along in this issue).

2. Knew there was something fishy about that guy! – Didn’t that guy living in the dam just seem a little creepy?  We knew something was off about him and now we know what it is.  Even though it was pretty obvious that there would be something sinister about the guy, this is not what I thought would happen so kudos to Lemire.  Lemire also does an excellent job on the reveal itself and working the reveal around the page turns and breaks in the action.  Guess this dude was just waiting Jepperd to leave so he could make his move???

3. Nice mechanism for getting the gang back together. – I don’t know about you, but I didn’t love the idea of the group splitting up when Jepperd, Singh and Gus left the dam.  I really liked the characters who were getting “left behind” and don’t know what I’d have done without getting a monthly fix of Bobby and his funny talk.  My am not like it at all!  So, the reveal of the bad guy is probably going to serve as a nice device to bring everyone back together and that’s a good thing because I think it would have damaged the storytelling to have this continue with a split narrative.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Witch Doctor: Resurrection One-Shot – It’s such a shame that the 4-issue Witch Doctor miniseries debuted right as DC was relaunching their whole universe because DC kinda sucked all the air out of the room and it’s allowed the OUTSTANDING new comic series to fly under the radar.  Witch Doctor is fun, well-written, humorous, witty and features all kinds of paranormal themes.  Plus, it has spectacular art that is very Wrightson-esque.  You really cannot go wrong with this comic and this one-shot was a perfect “try it out” issue.

Most Anticipated: Fatale #1 – Sean Phillips plus Ed Brubaker = Gold.  Have these two every collaborated on a mediocre comic?  I can’t think of one as every issue of Criminal and Incognito (and Sleeper before that) has been great.  So, I can’t wait to see how they handle a more paranomal story.

Other Picks: Sweet Tooth #29, Vescell #5, Rachel Rising #4, GI Joe #9, Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #1

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Warlord of Mars #14 – No surprise here. Nelson and Salazar totally wowed be with Warlord of Mars #14, their take on the scenes of rising action in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Gods of Mars. Lush, evocative art. Tight, action-filled adventure. Swash-buckling pulp under a hot Martian sun!

Most Anticipated: This week, it’s a toss-up. Ahhh! Flash Gordon or Dejah Thoris? I don’t know! The first issue of Flash Gordon was so cool! And yet we’re right in the middle of the Pirate Queen of Mars! Gaaah! Can I pick two? Flash Gordon – Zeitgeist #2 and Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #9. It’s going to be a pulpy week.

Other Picks: Defenders #3, Avengers: X-Sanction #2, Thunderbolts #168, Uncanny X-Men #4, X-Men #23

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: American Vampire #22 – Another installment of Scott Snyder’s always excellent series.  We get a new decade (1950s) and a completely new protagonist of the non-vampiric sort.  It’s amazing how Snyder’s series manages to have a different feel that accords with each new time period it sets itself in.  The new lead is also a really good idea all around, a grittier and more grassroots approach to the kind of perspective Snyder explored in the excellent Survival of the Fittest miniseries.

Most Anticipated:  Fatale #1 – This is an absolute no-brainer.  Any comic-related collaboration between Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is a guarantee of a very particular sort of excellence.  Throw in that this one’s got a paranormal/Lovecraftian slant, a female lead, and the fact that it’s the longest miniseries the two have ever tackled together (12 issues), and this is an absolute must-have.

Other Picks: Animal Man #5, Swamp Thing #5, The Punisher #7, Uncanny X-Men #4, Action Comics #5, Stormwatch #5, Detective Comics #5, Defenders #2, Sweet Tooth #29