Spirit #18

How the mighty have fallen. What was once one of DC's best comics has become, well, not one of DC's best comics.

Starting with the plain amazing: Paul Smith, Waldon Wong and Lee Loughridge's just mind-blowingly beautiful art. All three work together to bring a simple, animated feel to the pictures. It's a very clean, very smooth look that is right up there with the work of Eisner and Cooke on this character. And there's no skimping on the backgrounds, either - every panel is packed and conveys just what it needs to convey, whether it's a darkened warehouse or a security line in an airport. Just the splash page alone, particularly the look of the fabric on the Spirit, is easily among some of the best art in this book, and with its lineage, there's been a lot of the beautiful in this title. This ain't Golden Age Paul Smith, or Leave It To Chance Paul Smith - take that Paul Smith and ratchet him up to 10, and that's what you have. Easily the best looking book of the week.

Now, the not-so-good - Oh my stars and garters!! I've read Groo. I appreciate and enjoy Groo. But where the Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier who made Groo so enjoyable? Really, guys? A "The Rolling Stones are really old" joke? In 2008? I mean, really? A "Gee, airport security is really dumb" joke? This stuff was funny 20 years ago, but just doesn't fly anymore.

And the mystery this issue - it's another "I mean, really?" solution that I won't spoil, but let's just say, who wouldn't notice that? It's a real shame - Aragones and Evanier can and have turned out some very enjoyable, funny, smart material, but this issue - and the current state of the series - just can't live up to the precedent that's been set on the character since his creation.

I used to really enjoy this title, but it has just joined the drop pile. I'll still flip through it to check out the Smith & Co. art, but I'll be a stupid airport security guard before I try to read it again. With the movie coming out at the end of the year, DC better do something quick to turn this train wreck around.