Monthly Archives: January 2014

What’s I&N Store (1/29)

26 Sunday Jan 2014

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A light week to round out the month.

  • Furious #1 (Dark Horse): The preview was interesting enough.
  • Dead Boy Detectives #2 (DC/Vertigo): #1 was a revelation.  The narrative–comprised of three distinct voices–was constructed with a breezy brilliance that amplified the complexity of the characters and their conflict yet remained eminently readable.  Equal parts engaging and enraging, this book looks like a real winner in the venerable Vertigo style.
Dead Boy Detectives #2

Dead Boy Detectives #2

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #30 (IDW): Yup, it’s true: I’m still on board.  Seems I’ve been taken by the Turtles!  As it turns, while Mateus Sanotolouco gave me every reason to jump on board and, with the end of his run, an easy out, Ross Campbell is insisting that I stick around.  Perhaps the real credit should be given to Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz for their consistency, for their ability to elevate expertly an eternal novelty.
  • Clone #14 (Image): #13 was a bit of a backslide, a trip onto the ol’ backside.  Yeah, it didn’t kick my ass; but it all-sorts-of-other-thingsed Luke’s ass.  Yowza.  Too much?  Well, in terms of expectations, David Schulner and the gang sure as hell wrecked ’em.  Let’s hope they’re back on track this month: phallic stage, here we come!
Clone #14

Clone #14

  • East of West #9 (Image): Each issue is delivered in a decidedly deliberate manner, which is an unmistakable hallmark of Jonathan Hickman’s storytelling.  In that, the series has been solid–every issue’s been good; but it still plays like a side project compared to the atomic wedgie Hickman’s been giving to the atomic age in the expertly crafted and explosively funny The Manhattan Projects.
  • Saga #18 (Image): God, I hate Saga!  Lying.
Saga #18

Saga #18

  • Saviors #2 (Image): Not sure how “new” the story felt, but I’m going to give it another shot anyway.  What’s the draw: J. Bone, of course.
  • Inhumanity #2 (Marvel): I’ll flip through it.  The first one–eh, it was a bit of a slog.  The end, however, while predictable in one respect, hinting at cracks in Fraction’s foundation, did have a killer twist, which restored my faith in the writer, who clearly has a Karnak for keeping us on on our toes.
  • Miracleman #2 (Marvel): #1 was my first exposure to the character.  Loved hearing Alan Moore’s voice, that’s for sure.  Didn’t care so much for bonus material, though.  Despite the threat of even more bonus material, I’m up for #2.
  • Uber #9 (Avatar): Of late, has been overshadowed by Gillen’s Spartan effort on the thrilling Three.  Still, Uber‘s been mostly fascinating even with the frequent flow pas.
Uber #9

Uber #9

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N the Gutter with…Sheltered

24 Friday Jan 2014

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Welcome to our newest feature: I&N the Gutter with Scott and Derek, where we go all Siskel and Ebert on some poor, unsuspecting comic book. What you’ll find here are brief snippets of (mostly) unedited transcripts from our never-ending conversations about comics; the raw, unfiltered stuff from which the rest of our writing on the site springs. What it may lack in eloquence we hope it makes up for in spontaneity. Please let us know your thoughts and feel free to chime in!

Our first victim, I mean, entry is:

Sheltered #6

Sheltered #6. Writer: Ed Brisson. Artist: Johnnie Christmas. Colorist: Shari Chankhamma. Editor: Paul Allor. Publisher: Image Comics 

Backstory: Safe Haven is a survivalist camp, stockpiling supplies for what they believe is the imminent apocalypse. It’s a mentality the children of the camp absorbed all too well: convinced that the greatest threat to their survival are their own parents, they slaughter them. Lucas, their leader, tries to hold them all together, but tensions are growing, secrets leaking, and further blood has been shed. All very Lord of the Flies. We join events after issue 5, when the outside world has come a-knockin’.

Discussed: patricide, letters pages, narcolepsy

Derek Mainhart: So, I have to disgree with you about Sheltered.

Scott Carney: Really?

DM: I quite enjoyed it. I thought it was the strongest issue they’ve had since the first one. I really liked it cause its the beginning, the creators set something up and then they blow it up, which is what they did in the first issue. In this case they’re bringing in this guy from the outside world. And I liked his backstory. I enjoyed getting to know him and his loser friends. And then, you know, the sort of expected happens, and now he’s on the run.

SC: I found myself not caring. I fall asleep when I read comics.

DM: Never a good sign.

SC: It doesnt always mean something. Sometimes I’m just reading and I recline and I just pass out. I did fall asleep a couple of times here though, and I do think it was because I wasn’t so terribly engaged. I don’t really care about any of the characters at this point. I understand why he brought in the new characters. I mean after having gone through five issues of developing this little kid-run society after slaughtering the adults and whatnot, and all the conflicts that are extant there, and now to step out of that for a moment and bring in the adult world a little bit more – a very innocent adult world too if you compare it to where the kids are –

DM:  – Right. the guys basically an idiot. –

SC: – yeah – “hey I could use some help over here!” kinda thing. But I think if we look at it in terms of the innocence/experience thing then it starts to take on a role. But do I care about it? And if I’m measuring it that way, I didnt really care about it.

DM: Well if you don’t care about it then you don’t care about it. It’s time to drop it.

SC: Well I dont know about that.

DM: One of the things I liked about the most recent Manifest Destiny, in the letters column – it’s great, funny – but they also talk about their comic reading habits; how they stack their books and what they read first and what the read last; y’know the crap we talk about all the time. And one of them says something like “as soon as it becomes a chore, I’m done”. And I completely agree.

SC: I’ve been saying that with All-New X-Men for 21 issues.

(laughter)

DM: But I liked the switch. The way it ended last issue with the adults coming in shining lights on the camp, they seemed like a threat. But Brisson did a nice job this issue showing that they’re really not a threat at all. And now he’s going to be tracked down by, yknow, kids.

SC: True.

DM: I hope it doesnt become a five issue arc of them tracking this guy, going all Shaolin Cowboy on us yknow, five issues of them just running around in the woods.

SC: That would be awful.

DM: That would be enough to turn me off. I can deal with one issue of that. What I’m hoping happens is that somehow this will complicate things. Like, does this whole series have to be these kids in a bunker? Where does it go? If it ends up, they shoot the guy, status quo, yeah thats not good. Then theyre just spinning their wheels.

SC: Yeah, what’s the point?

DM: Like Revival

SC: Top Ten book!

(chuckle)

DM: So, the big question: Will you pick up the next issue? I’m def still in.

SC: Sure. After that, who knows?

Turning Pages,

Scott & Derek

What’s I&N Store (1/22)

20 Monday Jan 2014

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A nice balance of books–comic books, yes; checkbook, not so much.

  • The Massive #19 (Dark Horse): Brian Wood and Garry Brown have a long way to go to outdo what they did with “Longship,” the finest arc of the series thus far.  Could cut the tension with a harpoon–and just barely!  But they’ve got plenty of wind in their sails and Arkady–an even bigger threat than the great white whaler, Bors Bergsen–on deck, so I’m betting on better.
  • Mind MGMT #18 (Dark Horse): We celebrated Mind MGMT as our #2 book of 2013 and issue #17 as the Best Single Issue of 2013.  Well, wouldn’t you know, the Year of the Snake comes to a close in the jungle, the mighty jungle, where an agent sleeps tonight…
Mind MGMT #18

Mind MGMT #18

  • Batman and Two-Face #27 (DC): One of Scott Snyder’s (Batman, The Wake) favorite books of 2013!  So if you’ve discounted my opinion before, maybe you’ll believe me now: Tomasi and Gleason’s Batman is the best of bunch!  If a potent dose of the Dark Knight is what you crave, cave in and buy this book!
  • Wonder Woman #27 (DC): We’re through twenty-seven mostly solid issues and where have we gotten?  No, really: someone please tell me why I should keep buying this!  It was good just ain’t good enough anymore.  Something to consider: if I drop this and Suicide Squad–once Kindt’s run is over–I’ll be down to one New 52 book.  One.  Sad–especially with Marvel’s All-New effort to inject excitement back into their brand with big names and tempting titles.  Umm, I guess, in a way, I’m kind of calling for a Newer 52.
  • Bedlam #11 (Image): It’s taken me this long to suss Spencer out.  But now that I have, I feel fully invested in Fillmore’s story and have no good reason to ditch.
  • Dead Body Road #2 (Image): While I wasn’t blown away by #1, I like Justin Jordan enough to give it another shot.  If it doesn’t live up to expectations, I’ll bag it and tag it, put it in a box, and say good-bye.
  • Deadly Class #1 (Image): Thing is, I really don’t like Rick Remender enough to give any of his books any kind of shot.  Captain America‘s a disaster in any dimension, Uncanny Avengers was unreadable from the get-go, and Black Science gave me every reason to disbelieve in Remender and in his ability to create a world of worth.  To sharpen my point: the premise of this book sounds a lot like Five Weapons–also from Image–doesn’t it?  Ugh.  And after all that, I’ll probably still buy it.
  • Zero #5 (Image): #4 was brilliant.  In fact, it solidified Zero as one of our Top Ten Books of 2013.  Ales Kot and his coterie of artists have so far delivered four fantastic stanzas of versified violence!  And to think the epic has just begun!
Zero #5

Zero #5

  • All-New Invaders #1 (Marvel): James Robinson gave us one of our favorite books of 2012.  Steve Pugh worked on another one of our favorites from 2012.  Hope they come together to give us something to shout about in 2014.
  • All-New X-Men #22.Now (Marvel): Trial of Jean Grey?  Should I yawn.now?  We’re stuck in the All-New past!  And so am I, apparently.  There’s no other reason for my holding on.
  • Avengers World #2 (Marvel): One more try.  (If you’re humming a little Timmy T, I’ve done my job.)
  • Hawkeye #16 (Marvel): My second favorite superhero book behind Daredevil.  And easily Fraction’s sexiest offering.  Yes, I know what else he’s writing.
Hawkeye #16

Hawkeye #16

  • X-Men #9 (Marvel): The addition of the Dodsons has been a Godsend.  They’ve double-handedly drawn me back in.
  • Eternal Warrior #5 (Valiant): I’m leaning toward dropping it.  Hasn’t been bad.  Just don’t think I’m into it enough.  Feel like I’m buying it out of loyalty for Valiant.  Not a good enough reason to part with $4–not anymore.
  • The Midas Flesh #2 (BOOM!): The first issue was pure gold!  Sorry.  But, no, really: Ryan North’s clearly headed in the right direction.  Yuk, yuk.
  • The Mocking Dead #5 (Dynamite): Here it is: the final chapter of a series that can only be described as A Modest Proposal for our time!
STK629819

The Mocking Dead #5

  • X-O Manowar #21 (Valiant): I still like Aric a lot–whether he’s in the armor or not.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (1/15)

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

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And by “narrowing down,” I clearly mean this:

  • Skyman #1 (Dark Horse): It’s on my radar.  Don’t know the character; don’t know the creators–but I do know Dark Horse, our 2013 Publisher of the Year.
  • Astro City #8 (DC/Vertigo): #7 was no small Victory.  It was very, very good.  Bold statement of the week: Kurt Busiek’s the best storyteller in the DC stable.  Is anyone even close?
Astro City #8

Astro City #8

  • Suicide Squad #27 (DC): Kindt has revealed that nothing lasts Forever–including his time on Suicide Squad.  I appreciate what he’s done; but when he’s done, so am I.
  • Indestructible #2 (IDW): There was something interesting–though not nearly indestructible–about the first one.  Leaning toward passing on it.  I mean, look at this list, for goodness sake!  I can’t buy everything, folks!
  • A Voice in the Dark #3 (Image): From Larime Taylor’s mouth to our eyes.  Truly remarkable.  #2 was a compelling ask-questions-first-shoot-later follow-up to a dangerously drawn-out, extra-sized first issue.  Expectations have crept up a notch.
  • Alex + Ada #3 (Image): Most of all, I love the tone of the book.  There’s a sincere tension that’s undeniable–and beautiful.
Alex + Ada #3

Alex + Ada #3

  • Egos #1 (Image): Worth a shot, I suppose.
  • Rat Queens #4 (Image): Every page is infested with rattitude!  Wiebe and Upchurch gleefully give us a mischief of grrls, a swarm of snarky sword swingers doing their very best to make it in a man’s world!  It’s not much more than that, really; but it doesn’t need to be, does it?  Everyone needs a book like this in his or her bag.
  • Velvet #3 (Image): Bit of a slow build, sure, but Brubaker can take all the time he needs; I’ll be right here with him, Steve Epting, and their gorgeously cinematic and super smooth Velvet.
  • All-New X-Men #21 (Marvel): Well, it certainly seems like all of my complaining about the unevenness of Bendis’s writing has finally caught up to me.  OK.  No, it hasn’t.
  • Daredevil #35 (Marvel): Loved #34.  It’s a “best of,” if you think about it: everything that Waid’s done well over the course of the series is played up to some effect in the issue.  I know major changes are on the way; I just hope that Waid’s approach to handling Daredevil’s duality and crafting relationships–through lively dialogue, especially (something Bendis has struggled with on the X-titles)–is not one of them.
Daredevil #35

Daredevil #35

  • Miracleman #1 (Marvel): I have no idea what to expect with this.  I’ve never read any Miracleman–or Marvelman for that matter–but I’m certainly willing to give it a try.  Might take a miracle to keep me around, though.  Seriously: have you seen this list?!
  • Uncanny X-Men #16 (Marvel): As a whole, it’s been more engaging than All-New X-Men.  Yeah, that’s not saying much.
  • Archer & Armstrong #17 (Valiant): One of our Top Ten titles of 2013!  Can’t wait to see what Van Lente and co. have in store for us this year!  If it’s more of the same, all the better!
Archer & Armstrong #17

Archer & Armstrong #17

  • Harbinger #20 (Valiant):  Dysart’s doing with Harbinger what I wish Bendis was doing with his X-books: writing an effin’ solid team book.
  • Unity #3 (Valiant): If I’m being honest, I’m keeping on ’cause of Kindt.  I see more potential here than in any of his Marvel and DC work, which, as a whole, has been pretty blah even as he’s brought his unique narrative style into the mainstream mix.
  • Curse #1 (BOOM!): Another werewolf story?  I hope not.  I mean, Six-Gun Gorilla wasn’t just another gorilla story, was it?  No, not even close.  Time to go BOOM!
Curse #1

Curse #1

  • Imagine Agents #4 (BOOM!): This rounds out the series–which I haven’t started reading yet.  Oops.
  • God Is Dead #5 (Avatar): Definitely on the dropping block.  My interest is mostly dead–especially as Hickman’s participation in the creative process comes to its inevitable end.
  • Rover Red Charlie #2 (Avatar): As I mentioned in a prompt post-read tweet concerning an apocalyptic #1: “some really ruff moments I [couldn’t] seem to shake.”  Poor doggies.  It’s a real man-beat-man world, innit?
  • The Sixth Gun #37 (Oni Press): One of the best monthlies around.  Writing and art of the highest caliber from Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, respectively.
  • Department of Monsterology #4 (Renegade): A monstrous surprise!  I’ve really enjoyed this series so far.  Sad to see it come to a close.  Gosh, I hope Gordon Rennie and P.J. Holden have something else in store for us!
Department of Monsterology #4

Department of Monsterology #4

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (1/8)

06 Monday Jan 2014

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Back to normal, which means a big ol’ bag o’ books for me!

  • Shaolin Cowboy #4 (Dark Horse): Geof Darrow’s taken us for a ride, all right–an insanely detailed carousel ride.
  • Hinterkind #4 (DC/Vertigo): I was all set to drop it after #2.  Picked up #3 anyway, mostly because I forgot to pay my willpower bill.  Anyway, you know what: it was worth it.  The game has been changed–and so too has my mind.  It’s official: I’m Hinterkindhearted!
Hinterkind #4

Hinterkind #4

  • Fatale #19 (Image): #18 had one of my favorite moments of 2013–and I can still feel the beat!  Overall, however, Fatale‘s suffering a bit from Brubaker and Phillips’s having hit such ridiculously high notes with their series of perfectly constructed one-shots.  Don’t get me wrong: it still rocks!  It’s one of the best books around and a highlight of any week.
  • Manifest Destiny #3 (Image): Destined for greatness–especially if Dingess and Roberts can maintain the momentum and the mystery they’ve manifested thus far.  Their terrific little twistory is both epic and intimate and I’m loving every minute.
Manifest Destiny #3

Manifest Destiny #3

  • Sex Criminals #4 (Image): Last issue was our Dis(appointment) of the Month–and for good reason: Fraction’s let his ego get in the way once more–and not to a particularly positive effect.  (To be fair, though, plenty of folks are high on his hijinks.  Hey, what ever gets you off, right?)  I’m back for another, however, because I’ve never been good at break ups; I need to make sure that there’s really nothing left worth hanging on to.
  • Sheltered #6 (Image): I’m really enjoying this series from Ed Brisson and John Christmas.  It’s vital and violent and reads with a velocity that leaves my head spinning with a dizzy I totally dig.  Not kidding: if you’re a fan of Clone–particularly because of how it’s paced–you’ll definitely like this book, too.
Sheltered #6

Sheltered #6

  • Three #4 (Image): Perhaps planned: #3 was pretty perfect.  Turned Gillen’s latest twistory from a Must Try to a Must Buy.
  • All-New X-Factor #1 (Marvel): One all-important factor to consider: Peter David’s back with his funky X-bunch.  It’d be foolish not to give it a few issues.
  • Avengers World #1 (Marvel): Hickman’s an I&N Must Buy–well, his independent work is, anyway.  I haven’t been sold on any of his Marvel stuff; but I’m willing to give this one at least one because I need to fill need: I need a version of Captain America that I can buy into and buy on a regular basis.  Yup, I’m hoping Hickman and Spencer–who’s still got me buying Bedlam for some sick reason–can capture the Captain I’ve been craving since Brubaker’s transcendent turn.
Avengers World #1

Avengers World #1

  • Black Widow #1 (Marvel): Oh, why the hell not?  What’s the worst it could do?  Suck?  It’s got a tough web to climb considering what Brubaker–the bastard!–weaved for the Widow in Winder Soldier.  I hope Nathan Edmondson is up to the task.  I hope his Widow has bite!
  • Inhumanity Awakening #2 (Marvel): Kindt built some layers–a la his brilliant Mind MGMT–into the first issue.  The effect was lost on me, however, because no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t care about anything or anyone.  If I end up with #2 in my bag, it’ll be because of my loyalty to the incomparable Kindt.
  • Afterlife with Archie #3 (Archie): One of the most exciting releases of 2013!  Spot-on Archie goodness from Roberto Aguirre Sacasa and gorygeous art from the incomparable Francesco Francavilla  Can’t wait to see where this goes!
Afterlife with Archie #3

Afterlife with Archie #3

  • Letter 44 #3 (Oni Press): So far, President Blades has been the highlight of the series.  He’s an admirable character–one I took to immediately.  This issue promises to shed some more light on the astronauts and on the aliens.  Sounds good.  Gosh, I wish I could say that this book reads like Clone or Saga.  I don’t know; maybe it will at some point.  My fear, however, is that it’s going to turn out like the infuriatingly slow Revival.  We’ll see, won’t we?  I mean, it’s why we buy the books, isn’t it?
  • Quantum and Woody #7 (Valiant): James Asmus is out of control–and we’re damn lucky for it.  So very funny.
Quantum and Woody #7

Quantum and Woody #7

  • Shadowman #14 (Valiant): Milligan’s first issue showed a lot of promise–thanks, in part, to De La Torre’s art, which suits Shadowman so very well.  No doubt about it: I’m sticking around to see where this goes–and the darker, the better.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott