Comics Alternative

The Two Guys with PhDs are back for another round of reviews, and this week they enthusiastically plunge into three new titles. First, they look at Bryan Lee O’Malley’s new book, Seconds (Ballantine), his much-anticipated follow up to the Scott Pilgrim series. Andy and Derek comment on the expectations surrounding this new work, and they conclude that the book is worth the build up and the wait. This is a much more mature work than the Scott Pilgrim books, not only in terms of subject matter, but also with O’Malley’s displays of storytelling. The premise is clever — a unique twist on time-travel narratives — and there’s a self-conscious tone that adds to the humor. Despite the book’s “too neat” ending, at least to Derek’s mind, it’s a successful work that stands alongside (if not surpasses) O’Malley’s previous comics. Next, the guys get to Sergio Ponchione’s tribute to Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, and Wally Wood, DKW (Fantagraphics). This one-shot is a good introduction to the personas of the legendary trio, alth