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Tag Archives: Alan Moore

What’s I&N Store (8/10)

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

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Action Comics, Aftershock, Alan Moore, Ales Kot, All-Star Batman, Avatar, Black Eyed Kids, Black Monday Murders, Black Panther, Cirque American, comics, Cullen Bunn, Dark Horse, DC, Deathstroke, Detective Comics, Empress, Garth Ennis, Grabriel Hernandez Walta, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, Harrow County, horror, Image, James Robinson, Joelle Jones, Johnny Red, Jonathan Hickman, Marvel, NCBD, New Superman, Providence, Rebirth, Scarlet Witch, Superwoman, Symmetry, The Flash, The Vision, Titan Comics, Tom King, Tula Lotay, Tyler Crook, War Stories, Wonder Woman, zero

Lots of good stuff this week.  Pretty hero heavy thanks to Rebirth–and my complete rejection of the tenet of temperance.

  • Harrow County #15 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand Re: #14: Emmy’s mother’s heart everything-melting backstory frames a frightful “family” reunion, facilitated by an Old Scratchy Levi, whose serpentine smile has me thinking that at any moment his jaw’s gonna drop open and he’s going to swallow sweet little Emmy whole–and me with her!  Oh, maybe I’m just being paranoid.  No need to be; see: Cullen Bunn’s devilish dandy assures us safe passage–  Oh, come on!  Of course he does; that’s what smiling devilish dandies do!  Any reader knows there’s nothing safe about him.  Hell, there’s nothing safe about this issue or about this series.  Thanks to Tyler Crook’s ghostly gouache, every effing panel’s a gamble–like playing hopscotch in a field littered with landmines–and the bodies of hopscotchers come before.  That’s right, I&Nmates: welcome to Harrow effing County.

STL013660

  • Action Comics #961 (DC)
  • All-Star Batman #1 (DC)
  • Deathstroke: Rebirth #1 (DC)
  • Detective Comics #938 (DC)
  • The Flash #4 (DC)
  • Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #3 (DC)
  • New Superman #2 (DC)
  • Superwoman #1 (DC)
  • Wonder Woman #4 (DC)
  • Black Monday Murders #1 (Image): Just I&N Class warfare à la Jonathan Hickman.  It’s arrived just in time!  Here’s a promise: a big world that reads small thanks to writing that’s tighter than a fat cat’s money belt.

STL014236

  • Symmetry #6 (Image)
  • Black Panther #5 (Marvel)
  • Empress #5 (Marvel)
  • Scarlet Witch #9 (Marvel): I&N Demand I’m happy to report that James Robinson’s tucked his junk away for his intriguing turn on Scarlet Witch.  This book’s been monthly magic!  OK, so we celebrated Robinson’s The Shade (DC)–feels like forever ago–and celehated just about everything else since then save for his full-of-hot Airboy, which was a balls-out blast to the past that sold me on Robinson’s page-bound prickish self, particularly as he hit some notes that recalled David Duchovny’s cock(un)sure Hank Moody in the hilariously depressing Californication.  What a Wanda-full world he’s created here–with the help a different artist for each effort in order to create an interconnected series of singular experiences, which reminds of Ales Kot’s groundbreaking-and-then-standing-over-the-broken-pieces-and-gloating Zero (Image).  Issue #8 found artist Tula Lotay delivering an appropriately hypnotic performance–one that helped to sell the all-important intimacy and to deliver the Ringmasterful twist.  This month: Joëlle Jones assumes art duties.  Something tells me the lady’s gonna kill it.

STL013398

  • The Vision #10 (Marvel): I&N Demand Later, this very reader, on this very blog, would write a review of The Vision and its creators that no one has written before–and it’d go viral, leaving dancing grooms and blustery moguls dancing and blustering in the datadust.  A blurb would be bounced about the Twitterverse enough to convince some eager editor to snatch it and put it in print somewhere Marvelous.  Then and only then would the world come to realize how integral Tom King’s vision and his voice have been to the evolution of the medium during this Vibranium Age for comics.  For now: on the strength of #9, and King and Walta’s playing us like a Wakandian piano, before diving into #10, don’t forget your flak jacket, your helmet, and, for obvious reasons, your safety glasses.  This could get ugly very quickly.

STL013431

  • Black Eyed Kids #5 (Aftershock)
  • Cirque American: Girl Over Paris #2 (Jet City Comics)
  • Johnny Red #8 (Titan)
  • Providence #10 (Avatar): I&N Demand Word wizard Alan Moore’s painstakingly finger-banging my brain.  I offer it up to him again.  There’s nothing like it on the shelf.  There can’t be anything like it on the shelf.

STL013038

  • War Stories #19 (Marvel): I&N Demand More war from Garth Ennis!  Goody, goody bomb drops!

STL007288

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Disney Princesses #5 (Joe Books)

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (8/12)

12 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Tags

18 Days, Alan Moore, Americatown, Andrea Mutti, Android's Amazing Comics, Ashley Wood, Avatar Press, Beauty, Bloodshot: Reborn, BOOM!, Brian Wood, Crossed +100, Cullen Bunn, Daniel Gete, Danijel Zezelj, Dark Horse, Dave Stewart, DC Comics, Death Sentence: London, Declan Shalvey, Ed Brubaker, Elizabeth Breitweiser, Fernando Heinz, Grant Morrison, Graphic India, Harrow County, IDW, Image, Injection, Jacen Burrows, Jamie McKelvie, Jeff Lemire, Jeremy Haun, Jordie Bellaire, Kieron Gillen, Matthew Wilson, Mercury Heat, Montauk, Montynero, Nelson Daniel, Phonogram, Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl, Providence, Rebels, Robert Venditti, Scooby Doo Where Are You?, Sean Phillips, Si Spurrier, Starve, Steve Epting, String Divers, The Fade Out, Titan, Tyler Crook, Uber, Valiant, Van Halen, Velvet, Warren Ellis, X-O Manowar

Four days in the hot-spot money pit that is Montauk have me hoping I’m not going to miss some of this week’s big books.  With apologies to Van Halen:

Ain’t Montaukin’ ’bout love

Vacay will keep me from the store

Ain’t Montaukin’ ’bout love

Cash-only shopping–I’m poor, yeah, I’m poor!

Doesn’t mean I won’t get out to Android’s to pick up these books, some semi-good lookin’ and some–mostly from the increasingly impressive Avatar Press–downright I&N Demand.

  • Harrow County #4 (Dark Horse)
  • Rebels #5 (Dark Horse)
  • String Divers #1 (IDW)
  • The Beauty #1 (Image)
  • The Fade Out #8 (Image)
  • Injection #4 (Image)
  • Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image): Just I&N and I&N Demand The team of Gillen, McKelvie, and Wilson–I think they’re OK.  (OK: more than OK, really.  OK?)  If you don’t give them proper credit, you better just walk away–or I’ll slap you upside the head with a copy–I’ll make you pick your own copy, too; there’s a switch!–of The Wicked + The Divine to set your damn head straight.  Oh, baby: I’m mad–on a roll, right?  And to think: I missed the original Phonogram series; so I’m coming to this kinda like a virgin, no?
Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1

  • Starve #3 (Image): I&N Demand Through two: Starve is full of bold, assertive notes–it’s a massive success!  When Gavin–Starve‘s Top Chef–tells Sheldon, “I’m going to show you my city,” I hear Brian Wood himself, who’s so very good at cooking up deliciously diverse worlds with depth of flavor; and his art team of Danijel Zezelj and Dave Stewart (a 2015 Innie nominee for Best Colorist) are the perfect sous chefs, plating–er, paneling–with brash black lines and shadows amplified by alternating–and often blended for a striking contrast–warm and cool tones.  Hungry for more?  I sure am!
Starve #3

Starve #3

  • Velvet #11 (Image)
  • 18 Days #2 (Graphic India)
  • Americatown #1 (BOOM!)
  • Bloodshot: Reborn #5 (Valiant)
  • Crossed +100 #7 (Avatar) I&N Demand Alan Moore’s set the stage for Si Spurrier with a sick six issue arc that relied on obsessively intricate world building and long-fuse storytelling; but, damn, did it explode in the end.  What an effing payoff!  Man, Moore didn’t have to cross the Crossed line to be affective–he just went and redrew the brown out of it.  Now, Spurrier’s no stranger to Crossed.  In this case, however, he’s working off of Moore’s notes, which puts him in an odd position: he’s sort of a filter, right?  One that might miss the mark tone-wise; hell, he might languish a bit with the oft-awkward language Moore’s crafted.  It’s a risky proposition, for sure.  Spurrier–the winner of the 2014 Innie Award for Best Writer–is pretty damn great, but he’s not Moore.  Here’s hoping that he’s not much less, either.
Crossed +100 #7

Crossed +100 #7

  • Death Sentence: London #3 (Titan)
  • Mercury Heat #2 (Avatar)
  • Providence #3 (Avatar): I&N Demand Patient, potent: Providence is only two issues in, but Moore’s in deep–basement deep–and we’re right there with him.  His commitment to the book is palpable, and he demands one from us; he demands our full attention–and Cthulhu knows he’s going to take advantage of it!
Providence #3

Providence #3

  • Über #27 (Avatar): I&N Demand Kieron Gillen’s delivered some strong issues along the way, but none as powerful as #26.  Leah’s deployment was “everything [I] could have hoped for”–and more.  Sure, the German Battleships may have gotten the best of the Brits in this, “the largest enhanced confrontation on the Western Front,” but I was emotionally destroyed by the relationship between HMHs Churchill and Dunkirk.  Goddammit, Gillen’s killin’ it!
Über #27

Über #27

  • X-O Manowar #39 (Valiant)

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? #60 (DC):  Zoinks!
Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? #60

Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? #60

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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Best Books of the Spring

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in Top 5 Books of the Month

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

A Christmas Carol, Alan Moore, Ales Kot, Allen Ginsberg, Ant-Man, Archie, Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw, Avatar, Benjamin Dewey, Black Mask, BOOM!, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Chris Peterson, Crash, Curt Pires, Dan Slott, Downton Abbey, Eddie Campbell, Erica Henderson, From Hell, Garth, Giant Days, God Hates Astronauts, H.P. Lovecraft, Howard Chaykin, Ian Betram, Image, Jacen Burrows, Jeff Lemire, John Allison, Jordie Bellaire, Juan Rodriguex, Kaptara, Kurt Busiek, Lissa Treiman, Marvel, Material, Matt Fraction, Mayday, Mike Allred, Nick Spencer, Ommegang Abbey Ale, Penn State, Pete Toms, Providence, Robert Hack, Ryan North, Satellite Sam, Silver Surfer, Stathis Tsemberlidis, The Crucible, The Shining, the unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Tomas Aira, War Stories, Watchmen, Will Tempest, William S. Burroughs, zero

Summer is in full swing! As you lather up the sunscreen, fill the cooler with your beverage of choice (Ommegang Abbey Ale for me, thanks) and break out your thongs (sandals or otherwise, hey, we don’t judge) we present a list of recent comics that are well worth tracking down for your seaside, margarita-sipping, swimsuit-watching summer reading. Enjoy!

Top 5 Books of March

5. Giant Days #1 (BOOM!): OK, so, about 25 years or so ago, I made my way to The Pennsylvania State University, University Park campus; got settled in on the 4th floor of Pinchot Hall, a 10-storey sausage factory; cycled through a few roommates–smokers, snorers, and  psychopaths–during my two years on campus; fell in with a group of dorks who’d be my best buds for four blurry years; and all together, as fun as I think it was–as I remember it was–it was nothing like John Allison and Lissa Treiman’s irrepressibly jocular Giant Days #1.  Maybe that’s why I loved it so much.  Co-ed Musketeers–Daisy, Esther, and Susan–are the hyperbolically dramatic center of this university; and hilarity revolves around them in effortless ellipses, much to our benefit.  So good that I can confidently quote McGraw, the mustachioed hate interest, as I consider what the future holds for Giant Days and, fearing a sophomore slump, threaten the creators of this tasty treat: “Nothing you can do can spoil gravy for me.” (SC)

Giant Days #1

Giant Days #1

4. Autumnlands #5 (Image): Fantasy books are all about world-building. No comic in recent memory has presented a realm so fully realized as Autumnlands. Credit goes equally to writer Kurt Busiek (no stranger to this kind of thing – see Astro City) and artist Benjamin Dewey, whose lush style seems to belong to another era (it doesn’t hurt, of course, that it’s being colored by the omnipresent Jordie Bellaire, who I’m convinced at this point must be some sort of collective of robot artists). Floating cities, magical lore, calcified social strata, layer upon layer intertwine into a cohesive whole. Impressively, one doesn’t hear the awkard, behind-the-scenes clanging of this universe’s construction; rather, it’s as if it has always been there. It is merely our happy fortune to discover it, and get lost in it. Higher praise for a fantasy tale I can scarcely think of. (DM)

The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw #5

The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw #5

3. Ant-Man #3 (Marvel): I can’t even with this book. It is just too funny. I literally (and I mean that in the literal sense) have to keep putting it down because I’m laughing so hard. Literally! Nick Spencer is a comic (and I mean that in the comic sense) genius. Here’s your blurb: “The hero may be small, but the laughs are BIG!” (DM)

Ant-Man #3

Ant-Man #3

2. Silver Surfer #10 (Marvel): Dan Slott and Mike Allred are producing the definitive run of this classic character. They spent most of the first year bringing the fun, with story after story teeming with imagination and wit. But with the Silver Surfer, the piper must always be payed. They tackle the central pathos of the character head on: how can a being who played a role in the deaths of untold millions ever be redeemed? The story they come up with is so simple, so perfectly elegant, that I almost can’t believe no one’s thought of it before. Everyone knows that superhero stories from the Big Two are ‘never-ending’. That’s a shame, because this issue would serve as the perfect coda not just for this series, but for the journey that Norrin Radd has been on since Fantastic Four #48, all those decades ago. Beautiful. (DM)

Silver Surfer #10

Silver Surfer #10

1. Zero #15 (Image): The Jeff Lemire variant queries innocently enough, “What is Zero?” Answers inspired by fourteen issues of Ales Kot’s crazy, crazy calculus: Soldier.  Spy.  Hero.  Killer.  Storyteller.  Everything.  Nothing.  Open up the book, open mind, as always, as necessary with this schizophrenic series, ask again: Who is Zero?  Answer inspired by page one, panel one: I have no effing idea! <–I borrowed an exclamation point; don’t think it’ll be missed.  Kot unexpectedly offers up a figure who’s furiously fingering a typewriter and, in doing so, adds a literary layer, making the book more than Zero.  He’s gone meta, forging unforeseen relationships, crafting, out of the story thus far, a psych-session confession and a catharsis-in-progress.  This stunning thing with its wild spirit sees Kot exploiting his poetic proclivities: his words build images that build upon artist Ian Bertram’s images and affecting layouts: it’s a conscious stream of Ginsberg and guns, fathers and sons, drugs and drugs–all of it burrowing into the brain like a drunk bullet.  Stories don’t get more tragic than William S. Burroughs’, and Kot’s made magic by borrowing it–as if you couldn’t tell.

Zero #15

Zero #15

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Descender  #1 (Image)

Descender is the perfect title for this highly anticipated offering from the frustratingly inconsistent Jeff Lemire: the book, which starts off well enough, descends quickly–and dizzyingly so–to robotic schmaltz, lowlighted by the insultingly saccharine introduction of Tim-21, which bored a hole nerve-deep in my otherwise pretty resilient sweet tooth.  Anyone know a good dentist?  (SC)

Descender #1

Descender #1

 

Top 5 Books of April

5. the unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4 (Marvel): There’s a long-overdue resurgence taking place in monthly comics that are putting the ‘funny’ back in ‘funny books’. We’ve been trumpeting the aforementioned Ant-Man for a while now; add to that the likes of God Hates Astronauts, Kaptara, and East of West (ok, maybe not that last one). Enter: Squirrel Girl. Ryan North (fresh of his excellent, award-winning run on Adventure Time) and artist Erica Henderson have already established a quirky charmer through three issues. Well the fourth installment is, simply put, the funniest single comic I’ve read all year. Most books are lucky to get a chuckle; this one had me laughing out loud five times before I was even that many number of pages in (I’m laughing now, just remembering them). Or maybe I should just put it this way: Squirrel Girl Vs. Galactus. Nuts Said. (DM)

the unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4

the unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4

4. Mayday #1 (Black Mask): Curt Pires pops for real with this frenetic filet o’ film–one that drops some noms de cinéma (Kaufman, Lynch, and Bay) and goes to effing guerre with them.  Oh, yeah, man: it’s a wild ride that reads like a regiment of lines on a mirror meant to be snorted with the eyes and sorted out with a muddied mind.  Re: minds: Pires, paired with the more than competent Chris Peterson, sells a story that, in terms of comics, is “sort of like” Matt Fraction channeled through Ales Kot with Tyler Jenkins and Michael Walsh trying to one-up one another from one panel to the next.  Mayday #1 will leave you questioning your life choices–especially if most of them have sucked.  But you will not question your choice to pick it up–even if it is “just one big blur”; nor will you question whether or not you should pick up #2.  I mean, Kleio and Terrence have “just murdered two dudes.”  You totally don’t want them to come after you. (SC)

Mayday #1

Mayday #1

3. War Stories #8 (Avatar): Sounds like a given: Part 2 of “The Last German Winter” hits the mark with this icy mid-arc march through moral relativism; but let’s be honest: there’s nothing easy–nothing safe–about it.  I mean, who can take a Nazi, humanize his ass, then make you wonder all along when hell will come to pass?  Only Garth Ennis can.  Only Garth Ennis can.  (No, you’re not imagining things: go back and hum the tune as you read–heck, sing it out loud, you Sammy wannabe!)  He crafts a German hero–Gerhard the Gallant–who, considering the situation, is easy to root for; but we know better, don’t we?  Don’t we?  Just in case, Ennis reminds us, elbows us to make sure we’re paying attention; oh, but then he nudges us–so vulnerable to his charms–right back to where he wants us–seeing the man, not seeing the monster–thanks mostly to his narrative voice, the vulnerable Rachel Kohler, and to the portrayal of the even more monstrous Russians, their evil punctuated by an horrific splash from Tomas Aira.  The execution is near Nabokovian!  (No, you’re not imagining things: go back and Hum.)  Now that, dear reader, is a war story! (SC)

War Stories #8

War Stories #8

2. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 (Archie Horror): Was a long time coming–so long that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa offered up an apology to kick off the letter page!–but this second issue of Sabrina, which introduces with verve the vengeful and irredeemably evil Madam Satan, was well worth the wait.  The aforementioned writer–who not only sets a scene, he sets it on fire with his precise imagery–and artist Robert Hack, whose retro style is equal parts pillowy soft and boldly bloody, own the tone of this witches’ brew, which is bubbling over with literary allusions.  It’s campy; it’s creepy; it’s killer, kids! (SC)

 

Sabrina #2

Sabrina #2

1. Silver Surfer #11 (Marvel): Dan Slott and Mike Allred follow up the powerhouse of issue 10 with a comic that is as formalistically daring as it is emotionally satisfying. Surfer and Co. are trapped in a time loop and the question becomes not only whether they’ll escape, but whether they’ll even realize it at all. A graphic illustration of Free Will versus Determinism, a metaphor for the repetitive cycle of our everyday experience, a tale of love, forgiveness and redemption; this issue delivers all three in a thrilling marriage of form and content. I maintain that issue 10 would have provided an excellent ending to this wonderful series. But I’m glad it didn’t. (DM)

Silver Surfer #11

Silver Surfer #11

 

Top 5 Books of May

5. Zero #16 (Image): Collective unconscious, the inevitability of change, the destiny of DNA, the life sentence that is guilt–Zero‘s certainly much more than its title insists.  It’s a proving ground, of sorts; it’s Ales Kot’s firing range of ideas: it’s rhyme-free reason; it’s a game of William Tell: Kot himself is the tortured William S. Burroughs, and we’re the trusting Joan Burroughs, with an apple of expectations balanced precariously on our head.  Too.  Tempting.  BANG!  Somehow this experimental spy story became an experiment in layers deep meta-fiction; and, despite the jarring shift, the result is nothing short of spore-born brilliance.  Wherever this crazy thing ends up, rest assured, Ales Kot will not fail us–but he’ll sure as hell phallus, as evidenced by Tom Muller and Stathis Tsemberlidis’s cocky cover, which, in turn, is further proof of an air of youthful arrogance in Kot’s work, especially here in Zero.  I’m more than happy to breathe it in for as long as it lasts.  (SC)

Zero #16

Zero #16

4. Afterlife with Archie #8 (Archie Horror): Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla continue to add to their modern horror mash-up by seamlessly incorporating elements that you didn’t even know you wanted; everything from The Shining to The Crucible, even A Christmas Carol. The result is rich tapestry that continues to add texture to the story, a mix that acknowledges the high-points in the history of horror through the unlikeliest of lenses. (DM)

Afterlife With Archie #8

Afterlife With Archie #8

3. Mind MGMT #33 (Image): The ultimate showdown’s coming, but there’s no sign of a slowdown–even as Matt Kindt slows things down to foster a touching family reunion, one that frames Team Meru’s Soldiers of Fortune Cookies and their receiving and executing–with stunning efficiency–their munching–er, marching orders.  The decidedly deliberate issue ends with a Dalicious splash that promises a wild time.  With the end of the series so near, I’m excited, I’m anxious; but, no, Pipe Kid, I’m not ready–and I’m as not ready as I’m ever going to be.  (SC)

Mind MGMT #33

Mind MGMT #33

2. Providence #1 (Avatar): Avatar’s publicity department has been describing this new series by Alan Moore as “The Watchmen of horror”. But the story from Moore’s oeuvre that it more readily calls to mind is From Hell (an even more impressive achievement to this reviewer’s mind). FH brilliantly examined the underlying brutality of patriarchal hegemony through the lens of Victorian England, using the Whitechapel murders as a vehicle. Providence promises to delve into the repressed corners of American society of the past century using the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft (a passion of Moore’s for some time now) as a framework. Moore explores the Jungian implications of Lovecraft’s mythos (underlying realities masked by our limited human perception) by using them as a metaphor for aspects of the American experience that needed to remain hidden, given the times (in this case, “the love that dare not speak its name”). Yes, there is much to unpack here. Yet for all that,  this first issue is a master’s class in restrained, subtle storytelling. The deliberate pacing, the seemingly minor details that gain importance as the issue progresses, the symmetry of the opening and closing segments; Moore’s assured control of the material, when he’s on, has never been matched by another comic book writer. To say nothing of the insane amount of research that is woven throughout. Which brings us to the art. Here another comparison to FH is apt: Eddie Campbell’s nonpareil art in that tome had a scratchy looseness, a sketchy immediacy that pulled the modern reader with its irrepressible energy, despite the period setting. Here, Jacen Burrows takes the opposite approach: meticulously rendered, exhaustive research evident in every carefully placed line. The effect is polished, subdued and certainly visually impressive, but with a formal stiffness akin to watching an episode of Downton Abbey. And yet this is reflective of Moore’s otherworldly precision. Ultimately, the hyperbole of comparing this new series to the well-known Watchmen is needless. This first issue promises an epic Alan Moore tale to match or exceed, in scope, ambition and execution, anything he’s previously produced. That alone should suffice. (DM)

Providence #1

Providence #1

1. Material #1 (Image): With Material, Ales Kot’s has found his forum, the perfect space for him to keep pace with the injustices of the world.  No matter how desperate or disparate, they have a home here; and God knows he’ll never want for material as long as he never casts off the lenses–the perspective-altering critical approaches to analyzing, well, everything so relied upon by campus comrades, the arrogant academicians and their lecture-hall spawn–that help him to see the Ugly Spirit* in, well, everything.  Despite the pessimism that pervades the four narratives, which may or may not Crash into each other at some point, what Kot’s come up with–in tandem with the ironically-named Will Tempest–is beautiful.  He asserts that there’s hope in moments, in connections, and what better way to convey that point than with a comic book!  Holding its pages open is like holding hands with Kot himself as he leads the march toward enlightenment–toward Utopia.  And even if that march is born of naÏveté, it’s fueled by honesty, by brashness; and in the context of this comic, it’s something I want to follow.

*See Zero to see Burroughs to see that Kot’s got the Spirit–yes he does! (SC)

 

Material #1

Material #1

Biggest Dis(appointment)(April/May): Convergence/Secret Wars (DC/Marvel) – A bunch of heroes and villains from various alternate universes battle it out on a patchwork planet in a Secret Crisis of Ultimate Infinite blahblahblah. Yes, I’ve just described the plot of both summer blockbuster crossovers from the Big Two. In the cynical cycle of endless Events, this has to be a new low. I don’t know who’s guiltier: the company that seemingly pilfered the other’s concept, or the company that came up with such an awful idea to begin with. (DM)

Convergeance #1

Convergeance #1

Secret Wars #1

Secret Wars #1

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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What’s I&N Store (4/15)

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alan Moore, Archie Horror, Archie vs. Predator, Avatar, Bloodshot: Reborn, BOOM!, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Crossed, Cullen Bunn, David Lapham, Ed Brubaker, Giant Days, Image, Jason Aaron, Magneto, Millennium, My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic, Robert Hack, Roberto Aguirre Sacasa, Sabrina, Sean Phillips, Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses, The Fade Out, The Sixth Gun, Thor, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant

Gosh!  I’m so late with this that I’ve already read three of ’em.

I wanna read another; so…

  • Archie vs. Predator #1 (Dark Horse) Just I&N OK, so, like, well, everyone else, I pretty much discovered the Archie-verse with Afterlife and regretted not having visited Riverdale more often after reading–along with everyone else–Life With Archie #36.  (Heck of a time to jump on board, eh?)  Despite my last-second, Scotty-come-lately Archievement, I was pretty settled on passing on this one.  I mean, it sounds silly–sure, like Afterlife didn’t–and I didn’t know from Alex De Campi–until I read No Mercy (Image), which was really, really good.  So, yeah, I’ve gone from I don’t care to Just I&N–just like that!
Archie vs. Predator #1

Archie vs. Predator #1

  • BPRD: Hell on Earth #130 (Dark Horse): As solid a read as your gonna find.
  • Millennium #4 (IDW): It’s not just Jordan, folks: it’s adult Jordan!  That move’s a slam dunk in my book!   After three issues, there’s no doubt: this is for hardcore Millennium fans only.  Good thing I make a point of watching all three seasons on DVD every summer.  Heh.  Who knew that old practice would come in handy some day?  Oh, but it has: it’s kept me so very ready for the further adventures of Frank Black.
  • The Fade Out #5 (Image): Honesty: I remember liking #4, but I can’t remember what the hell happened.  Rrrrrrrrrrrr <—-That’s my avoiding using an obvious pun.
  • Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #3 (Image) I&N Demand #1 was our #3 book of February.  #2 didn’t quite reach that level, but it still scratched that itch.
Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #3

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #3

  • Magneto #17 (Marvel): Erik’s past has come back to haunt him.  No, not that past.  Not that one, either.  It’s his past-past, his waaaay past–his WWII past: a Nazi tormentor has come to Genosha; he’s murdering mutants and promising to murder more.  There’s no way Erik can abide that.  Something tells me revenge is in the offing–after he cleans off his bathroom mirror with some disinfectant spray, of course.
  • Thor #7 (Marvel): We’re getting closer to the big reveal.  Series-wise: Aaron has delivered some strong moments–some naturally powerful moments; but they’ve been routinely undermined–destroyed, even!–by awfully obvious moments–made-up girl-power moments that would make Margaret Atwood cringe.
  • Uncanny X-Men #33 (Marvel): The X-Verse has been falling apart for some time now.  Took me long enough, but I’ve finally given up on All-New.  I should’ve given up on this one, too.  So, so terrible.  #31 had Cyclops berated by some nobody student in a moment that felt as unauthentic as Harper Row’s inexplicably lighting into Batman back in Batman #whocares; #32 saw him knocked out by Gold Balls.  No, really: he was hit in the head with Gold Balls’ gold balls.  This one looks like it’s going to be another patented X-filler issue.  It’s Unnecessary X-Men #33!  Yeah, I think it’s time.
  • Bloodshot: Reborn #1 (Valiant): I’m off Descender and All-New Hawkeye after trying two of each.  Believe me: I want to love something that Jeff Lemire’s writing; I really do.  That’s why I keep trying.  And here I am, trying again.
  • Crossed +100 #4 (Avatar) I&N Demand Alan Moore’s brought a touch of Burgess to his narration and dialogue, making his take on Ennis’s mad, mad, mad, mad world read like A Crossedwork Red.  No joke: #3 was not an easy read; but there’s still something terribly compelling about it, mainly because Moore’s clearly building–and patiently so–toward something–something big, maybe something not so big at all, who knows?  Maybe he’s forging headlong into the heart of darkness, which he’s done before, and which would mean we’re in for a Conradian adventure–one that’s an exercise in superhuman patience.  Because, let’s be honest, we all know that anything worth having is worth the work–and the wait.  That’s what I skull, anyway.
  • Giant Days #2 (BOOM!) I&N Demand I had no idea what to expect from Giant Days.  Maybe that’s why I ended up loving it as much as I did.  Could also be because it’s just that good.  Damn thing’s hilarious.  Keep an eye out: I’m going to fight to include #1 in our Top 5 for March.
  • Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 (Archie) I&N Demand Man, I’ve been waiting for this.  #1 was one of my favorite single issues of 2014.  It was so good–so much better than that other, over-hyped wytch-themed book that overshadowed it; you know, the one that cast a spell with its creators’ names but ended up delivering a real wooden piece of “CHHIT.”  No, Sabrina does everything right: it’s a masterclass in storytelling–in juxtaposition, in pacing, and most important, in horror–from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa–the genius behind Afterlife With Archie–and the panel-perfect Robert Hack.  What a mind-eff, no?  Seems the comic book home of true terror is Archie Horror!
  • The Sixth Gun: Dust to Dust #3 (Oni): Yay!  I get to add another issue to my Sixth Gun pile.

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic #3 (IDW): Avery’s Grammy saw #2, read the title through Fiendship, and stopped short with an “Oh.”  I assured her that it’s a series about some of the Pony villains.  Turns out that my definition of assured isn’t the same as hers.
My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic #3

My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic #3

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (3/4)

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Action Labs, Alan Moore, All-New Hawkeye, Avatar, Blackcross, BOOM!, Brian Buccellato, Brian K. Vaughan, Chris Burnham, Crossed +100, Danger Zone, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Descender, Detective Comics, Dry Spell, Dustin Nguyen, Dynamite, Feathers, Fiona Staples, Francis Manapul, G.I. Joe, Grant Morrison, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D., IDW, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, Jamie S. Rich, Jeff Lemire, Joelle Jones, John Arcudi, Kaare Andrews, Karen Traviss, Ken Krekeler, Kieron Gillen, Lady Killer, Larry Hama, Laura Allred, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mike Mignola, Miracleman, Nameless, Neverboy, Princess Leia, Ramon Perez, Robert Venditti, Saga, Shaun Simon, Terry Dodson, Tyler Jenkins, Uber, Valiant, Warren Ellis, X-O Manowar

(Sing along.  Go on.  You know how it goes.)

There’s a hole in my heart that can only be filled by comics.

No, really.  I’ve got a hole in my heart.  As of right now, however, my cardiologist is pretty firm in his opinion that comics are not the best option with which to fill it.

I’m in the market for a second opinion.

  • Hellboy & The B.P.R.D. #4 (Dark Horse): Hellish back-grenading, murderous monkey monsters, “insane Frankenstein crap,” and an ominous mound of bones–if that’s not enough to bring a reader back for more, I don’t know what is!
  • Lady Killer #3 (Dark Horse) I&N Demand #1 was one of our Top 5 books of January.  It announced its arrival: “Killer comic calling!” and left quite an impression.  #2 didn’t have the same effect–mostly because there was no surprise this time, and expectations were high going into it–but it certainly didn’t disappoint.  Joëlle Jones’ artwork is the big draw here–it’s elegantly aggressive and sells Josie’s separate spheres very well.  (Doesn’t hurt that it’s polished off to murderous–and motherly–perfection by Laura Allred’s color palette time machine.)  Story-wise: despite Josie’s denial, there’s definitely trouble on the horizon–yeah, Jones and Jamie S. Rich aren’t kidding around with the dilemma that’s driving the plot into #3.
Lady Killer #3

Lady Killer #3

  • Neverboy #1 (Dark Horse): Shaun Simon and Tyler Jenkins are blurring the lines “between the real and the imaginary.”  That’s right up my alley, gents!  (Consider how blown away I was–still am–by the lengths Matt Kindt went to tearing down the aforementioned lines in Mind MGMT #30, our favorite book of January.  Now, that’s how you do it!)  Oh, I’ll bite all right.  Professional prognostication: I’m thinking that this particular pick’ll be positively Pan-ed!
  • Detective Comics #40 (DC): All of a sudden, my Bat-book of choice is Manapul and Buccellato’s Detective.  How the heck did that happen?  The world’s gone mad!  It’s–it’s–Anarky!
  • G.I. Joe #6 (IDW): Through #4, I was all in.  I was like, “Yo Joe!”  I was 13 again–except for the fact that this wasn’t your grandHama‘s G.I. Joe; this was an elevated–and engrossing–approach from novelist Karen Traviss.  Again, through #4.  #5?  A rather muddled mess.  Damn thing’s literally all over the place!   Suddenly, I’m left wondering how much more I can take.
  • Descender #1 (Image) Just I&N and I&N Demand Lemire’s Descender is only the second title to earn both designations!  (The first: last week’s Mister X: Razed from master builder Dean Motter.)  The blurb on previewsworld.com has me thinking Blade Runner meets Essex County.  Yes, please.  Is there any doubt that this’ll ascend to the top of our list for the month of March?  Yeah.  Didn’t think so.
Descender #1

Descender #1

  • Nameless #2 (Image): If it weren’t Morrison, I’d be off after one.  I mean, I’m totally occulted out at this point.  If this issue isn’t particularly tight, I’m going to review it this way: Morrison’s occult/sci-fi mash up is Thomas Alsloppy.
  • Saga #26 (Image): Revolution calling!
  • All-New Hawkeye #1 (Marvel) I&N Demand Hoping that Lemire is fully invested–that he’s not going to be working at a fraction of his capabilities, especially now that he’s spreading himself as thin as a bowstring.  Boy, does he have a huge quiver to fill!  Also hoping that he doesn’t miss the mark as he did with Green Arrow.
All-New Hawkeye #1

All-New Hawkeye #1

  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #10 (Marvel): I&N Demand #9 was another explosion of kinetic cartooning from Kaare Andrews.  Great splashes, great layouts–the art as a whole elevates an already solid story, solid writing.  Reads with an energy similar to Kindt’s Mind MGMT.  “Ha-ha-hee!”  That’s high praise around these parts!
Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #10

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #10

  • Miracleman #16 (Marvel) I&N Demand Classic isn’t strong enough a word to describe #15.  There are moments–impossible moments amplified by impossible choices–still gnawing at me.  It’s angels hurling mountains at each other; it’s George pulling the trigger.  It’s Alan Moore firing a canon at the superhero and building him anew. 
Miracleman #16

Miracleman #16

  • Princess Leia #1 (Marvel):  I don’t know.  I don’t really need it.  I don’t even want it.  But it is Waid and the Dodsons.  Ugh.  I haven’t loved Star Wars.  I’m even kinda cool on Darth Vader.  But it’s Waid and the Dodsons.  Damn it.  Go ahead Mr. Comic Shop Owner Guy: please ring it up.  Grumble, grumble.  Rebel scum.
  • Blackcross #1 (Dynamite): This is an Ellis buy. Recent résumé: Moon Knight was one of our Top Ten Books of 2014.  Trees, however, has been freakishly frustrating.  (He’s got to know that–he’s got to!  So there’s got to be a reason for his frustrating the hell out of us, right?  Am I too trusting?)  Even though I don’t have any experience with Project Superpowers, I’m going to give it a try.
  • Crossed +100 #3 (Avatar): I’m skulling Moore crossed with Burgess, which feels equal parts awkward and elevated. Pony me, malchicks?
  • Über #23 (Avatar): Gillen Hitlered a bunch of high notes in the most recent act of his Wagnerian war story.  “Capitulation or immolation,” indeed!
  • X-O Manowar #34 (Valiant): Remains one of the most consistent monthlies.  Never reaches rarefied air, but doesn’t need to to be effective.  The book’s biggest strength remains Aric, who has remained true to himself–and to us–thanks to Venditti’s thoughtful approach to his plight and his power.

I&Ntelligent Pick

  • Dry Spell TP (Action Labs/Danger Zone): Ken Krekeler and his brilliantly broken down Black Baron demand your attention.  Why?  Read our write up: the #3 Book of 2014.  Buy it, read it, and come back and thank us.
Dry Spell TP

Dry Spell TP

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Feathers #3 (BOOM!): My daughter is definitely down with Feathers!  Luckily, she’s not quite old enough to be down on puns.
Feathers #3

Feathers #3

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N’s Top Ten Books of 2014

15 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by dmainhart in I&N's Top Ten

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

1984, Action Labs, Afterlife With Archie, Alan Moore, Ales Kot, Archie, BOOM!, Brian Wood, Dan Abnett, Dan Slott, Danger Zone, Dark Horse, Declan Shalvey, Dry Spell, Dynamite, Francesco Francavilla, Garry Brown, Greg Rucka, Greg Smallwood, Guiu Vilanova, I.N.J. Culbard, Image, J. Michael Straczynski, Jamie S. Rich, Jordie Bellaire, Ken Krekeler, Lazarus, Madame Frankenstein, Marvel, Marvelman, Matt Kindt, Megan Levens, Michael Lark, Mike Allred, Mind MGMT, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, Roberto Aguirre Sacasa, Silver Surfer, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Massive, The New Deadwardians, The Twilight Zone, The War of the Worlds, The Wind in the Willows, Warren Ellis, Warrior, Watchmen, Wild's End, zero

Welcome to the 34th edition of I&N’s Top Ten Comics of the Year! Why, it seems like just yesterday we were bestowing our top honor to a little known comic from across the pond titled Warrior #1 (1982), solely for its inclusion of the work of a budding, young upstart named Alan Moore (who subsequently sent us a scroll with a nigh-illegible incantation, which was either a note of thanks or a curse from the Necronomicon; we could never tell which). While we dug his nascent V for Vendetta, it was his writing on Marvelman that enthralled. Happily, after a long absence, the original stories are finally being reprinted by Marvel Comics of all places (now re-titled Miracleman, due to the book’s long and tortured publishing history in which Marvel itself played an ignominious part). Viewed through the lens of history, this groundbreaking work has often been seen as Moore’s warm-up to his seminal, ubiquitous Watchmen. Visiting these stories afresh, however, it quickly becomes apparent that Moore’s initial go at “realistic” superheroes is as poetic, disquieting and masterful as his better-known oeuvre. Indeed, it’s a good thing we already recognized Marvelman’s greatness. Otherwise, despite Marvel’s awkward presentation (half of each issue is filler? and polybagged for no discernible reason?) these brilliant, essential tales would likely top our list again.

Speaking of which!

10. The Twilight Zone (Dynamite):

This is the dimension of J. Michael Straczynski’s imagination.  It is an area which we call the #10 book of 2014.  Returning to a creative comfort zone, J.M.S. has penned a series of meticulously plotted arcs that could easily stand as episodes of the iconic television show, each issue filled with tight twists, palpable fear, and ethical dilemmas that try and crush the souls of men and women alike.  Complementing Straczynski’s script is the gorgeous work of artist Guiu Vilanova, who draws out the fateful schemes in a realistic manner, making the unreal scenarios that much more believable–that much more frightening.  So while Straczynski might be going through the motions with some of his other titles, here he’s most assuredly in the zone.  We, unlike his protagonists, are the luckier for it; and Rod Serling’s somewhere out there in the timeless fifth dimension smiling, smoking–and waiting for the next issue of The Twilight Zone to hit the shelves.  Sadly, Straczynski and Vilanova’s terrific turn on this moralistic monster of a comic has but one issue left!  Ah, yet another cruel twist…(SC)

The Twilight Zone #4

The Twilight Zone #4

9. Wild’s End (BOOM!):

At this point, the mash-up is a long accepted (if not well-worn) artistic trope throughout all types of media. Indeed the initial collaboration between creators Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard yielded The New Deadwardians, a ripping Victorian detective story simply teeming with zombies and vampires wot, wot! Wild’s End’s mix of The Wind in the Willows and The War of the Worlds may seem an unlikely entry into the burgeoning genre at first (and ill-advised besides, given Alan Moore’s own memorable War of the Worlds mash-up in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). But in the end, what matters, as it always has, is the telling. Abnett fully realizes the quaint comforts of his cozy anthropomorphized village, before threatening to tear it to shreds. Culbard’s rendering is uncluttered and timeless, effortlessly evoking both 19th century fairy tales and 1950’s sci-fi cinema. Most mash-ups hold their disparate elements in stark relief. The magic of this one is that it seems utterly seamless, as though these genres had been married from the start. The result is deceptively simple and completely enchanting. (DM)

Wild's End #3

Wild’s End #3

8. Moon Knight (Marvel):

It’s an I&N first!  That’s right: we’re celebrating a book that has had two different creative teams–over the course of the title’s first ten issues, no less!  Yeah, that’s usually a bad sign.  Not here, though: the launch team of Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey rocketed this latest incarnation of the second-string, schizophrenic servant of Khonshu into lunar orbit.  In a series of connected one-offs, Ellis finds his–and Marc Spector’s–voice while favoring frugality: displaying his mastery of the craft–and enough confidence to cast a long shadow over some of his long-winded contemporaries–he wisely withdraws his words from the massive moments, not because they are unnecessary, but to allow Shalvey to shine like the fullest of moons–and shine he does, showcasing loudly his silent storytelling through striking sequences issue after issue.  Now, the news that this team was only on board for a sixer didn’t come as a surprise, but it was disappointing, especially considering what the pair had accomplished in so short a time.  The disappointment wouldn’t last long, however: the new team–Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood–came in with a clear plan and executed it with a vengeance.  They were clearly not intimidated by the work before them, and their fearlessness helped them to hit the Marc–changing the titular character to suit this new phase–one that so far reads not unlike an episode–or an arc–of The Twilight Zone.  Man, I only wish they’d gibbous more than one more issue!  (See: sticking to the motif: it’s on to a newer phase–and on to creative team number three–with #13.)  What they–both teams–have given us, however, has been superior–and vital–superhero fare; what they’ve given us is a white knight to lead us out of the dark. (SC)

Moon Knight #1

Moon Knight #1

7. Zero (Image):

Certainly the most frustrating title on our list, Ales Kot’s nihilistic super-spy thriller could range from the poetically sublime one issue to incoherent violence the next. At different points this year we named it both Book of the Month and Biggest Dis(appointment) – one thing you could never call this book was ‘predictable’. But at its best, this title (drawn by an impressive roster of rotating artists) was at once lyrically beautiful and viscerally harrowing, loosely tethered, as it was, to real life arenas of violence. This was never more true than in issue #9, a tale (an origin story it turns out) set in the Bosnian War that encompassed deceit and innocence, hope and despair, and a tragic ultimatum that yielded new life in the face of brutal murder. Told in a spare 22 pages, it was possibly the best single comic we read all year. Holding up a mirror to the darkness of recent history, and shining a light upon it, however frail, not only to remember, but also to try to render something beautiful out of it, may well be a fruitless exercise. It may also be art. (DM)

Zero #10

Zero #10

6. Afterlife with Archie (Archie):

A no-brainer, really–well, only because said brains have been exuberantly consumed by the Jughead-led undead of Riverdale.  Maestro Roberto Aguirre Sacasa and the perfectly frightening Franceso Francavilla have continued their brazen exploration into the heart of nostalgia by wearing the mask of familiarity while delivering something wholly unexpected–something undeniably challenging and zombeautiful.  And, of course, there’s issue #4–our #2 book of March and one of the best single issues of the year–which, doggone it, made me cry.  Real tears.  See: as it turns, what happens to Vegas stays with you for a long, long time–like that heartbreaking song that’s so perfectly composed that you get lost in the shadow of every sorrowful note–and hope to never be found again.  Sure, this isn’t the afterlife that they pitched in Sunday school, but if I’m being honest–and maybe a little bit blasphemous–I like this one a hell of a lot more.  (SC)

Afterlife With Archie #4

Afterlife With Archie #4

5. The Massive (Dark Horse):

Environmental degradation and societal collapse have always been the subtext in Brian Wood’s magisterial, globe-trotting mystery. Well, in its unsparing final act, (with appropriately stark visuals by Garry Brown and Jordie Bellaire) subtext became text as the Ahab-like search for a missing vessel, which previously drove the narrative, was transformed into Judgement Day, with all the biblical proportion that implies. One always suspected that Wood would get around to driving his point home; that he did so with such force contrasted sharply with earlier issues, which were told with a subtlety that sometimes veered toward the opaque. The apocalyptic ending, with its uneasy mix of hope and misanthropy, served as a case study for a failed species: humanity. The series, in the end, is an impassioned, ecological cri de guerre, but one that is packed in a masterpiece of storytelling. (DM)

The Massive #24

The Massive #24

4. Silver Surfer (Marvel):

Of the so-called “Big Two” in 2014, Marvel seemed to have the more cohesive game plan. Certainly, they thrived on the expected, event-driven, media-tie-in franchise titles. But they balanced the relentless grinding of the hype machine with some surprisingly refreshing takes on some of their lesser known characters; those B and C – listers who exist at a remove from the shenanigans of the their bread-and-butter superstars. That remove and relative obscurity allowed for a certain amount of freedom. Marvel, to their credit, brought in some top-tier talent and gave them a free hand with these characters (see Moon Knight, above). Call them the Outliers, for their success seems to be in inverse proportion to their proximity to the main goings on of the Marvel U. (Even everyone’s darling, Ms. Marvel, began to flag once she was saddled with Wolverine guest-appearances and increasing ties to Marvel’s ongoing Inhumanity storyline). What better place then for Silver Surfer to be, than on the fringes of the known universe? Dan Slott’s inspired choice of setting not only wisely removed him from the chess board, so to speak, it gives wunderkind artist Mike Allred the largest possible canvas in which to unleash imagination. Aliens, other dimensions, planet casinos; Allred brings the F-U-N to any project he’s involved in. As I’ve said before, he seems to inspire his collaborators to elevate their game, and Slott has proven up to the challenge. Together they’ve concocted the kind of absurdly sublime cosmic romp one would be hard-pressed to find anywhere this side of Terry Pratchett. And in Dawn Greenwood, small-town girl from Anchor Bay, Mass., they created the most winning new Marvel character of the year (the aforementioned Ms. Marvel notwithstanding). Finally, in pairing the Man from Beyond the Stars with the Girl Next Door, they also have the makings of the most adorable budding romance in comics. Truly they’ve producing the best monthly super-hero book on the stands. Let’s hope it survives Marvel’s Next Big Thing. (DM)

Silver Surfer #7

Silver Surfer #7

3. Dry Spell (Action Labs/Danger Zone):

Ken Krekeler’s Dry Spell is a book that kicks off with a bold promise–one in the form an artfully chosen quotation from the incomparable Alan Moore.  In fact, I bought the book because I figured anyone ballsy enough to borrow so brazenly from the best must have something to say.  Turns out that Krekeler didn’t have something to say after all–he had something to shout!  Hey, Ken: I hear you.  Loud and clear.  OK, so, it took re-releasing your book (originally published through Krekeler’s own Kinetic Press in 2011) through a more established outfit like Action Labs to finally reach me; but thank goodness for that–for the person who knew this book needed to reach me and that it could only reach me this way; otherwise, I would’ve been deprived of this superb take on the superhero genre–a canvas filled with small voices and big moments, crazy twists and smart page-turns–in total, a “Howl” for the villain in us all.  Krekeler–a previously unknown quantity–delivers on his book’s bold promise by taking advantage of the medium, particularly with his inventive dialogue and his sympathetic color palette; and he serves up a finale–the definitive finale–a perfect final issue that hits massive notes–the biggest struck by the tsunami of splash pages, the last–reminiscent of Rocky and Apollo (coincidence?) throwing punches that never quite connect at the end of Rocky III–declaring the Black Baron’s personal dry spell officially over.  Good to know that this superior series–and best mini of 2014–isn’t over: the inside back cover of #4 makes another bold promise–one that Krekeler better keep, if he knows what’s good for him–and for us: Dry Spell 2 is coming soon.  Yeah, not soon enough. (SC)

Dry Spell #4

Dry Spell #4

2. Lazarus (Image):

What would you get if 1984 was directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a screenplay written by Noam Chomsky? The answer might look a lot like Lazarus. Alternating between a macro view of a near-future worldwide economic catastrophe and a microcosm of the inner-workings of one of the powerful Families who rose to power because of it, Lazarus, like most great socially-minded science fiction, feels at once expansive and suffocating. Creators Greg Rucka and Michael Lark have hit that sweet spot of dystopian dread, where the reader is exhilarated by the sheer breadth of this brave new world, even as its does its best to debase, dehumanize and stamp out any sign of resistance from its inhabitants. No mere escapism this; its true power comes from the realization that the seeds of the future nightmare it describes are currently being planted all around us, if only we would notice. Lazarus is a visionary sci-fi masterpiece for the early 21st century. (DM)

Lazarus #9

Lazarus #9

1. Mind MGMT (Dark Horse):

There was no denying Matt Kindt’s kinetic masterpiece this time around.  Its ascension to the top spot of our annual Top Ten was as inevitable as truth and death: #3 (2012), #2 (2013), and now #1, the spot it so richly deserves for its clever cover homages (re: Rousseau [#18] and Magritte [#22]) and its ebullient barrages of images and words, which create a reading-cum-sensory experience even more unique than unique to the comic book genre.  The year flew by in a fury of frantic page turns: from Meru’s failed recruitment of Ella the Animal Kid, an inventive and intense story inspired by Kindt’s own daughter and one of our favorite single issues of the year; to the illusory introduction of the Magician; to the frustratingly thoughtful silent issue, which actually earned the ignominious title of Biggest Dis(appointment) for the month of April; to Kindt’s pushing the petal-to-the-metal to reach the speed of heartbreak, the result of the death of a major character; to the father of clichéd revelations that manages to be fresh and affecting; and ultimately, to a showdown that’s all show up, leaving us to wait a little while longer for the final throw down between Meru and the Eraser.  Kindt drives the narrative as only he can with his unexpected layouts and whitewater watercolors.  His Field Guide/Voice of God–voice of Meru!–marginalia continue to draw more into the story, allowing us to draw more out–more out of the relative reality of the universe he’s created; more out of the fiction that empowers Meru in climactic moments; more out of the memories that are either reality or fiction–or both.  There’s unquestionably more here in Mind MGMT than in any book on the shelf, which makes this our easy pick for the #1 book of 2014. (SC)

Mind MGMT #24

Mind MGMT #24

Derek’s Honorable Mentions: 20. Multiversity (DC) 19. Archer and Armstrong (Valiant) 18. Cap’n Dinosaur (Image) 17. Satellite Sam (Image) 16. The Fade Out (Image) 15. Punks: The Comic (Image) 14. Copperhead (Image) 13. Ordinary (Titan) 12. Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland (IDW) 11. Adventure Time (kaboom! – so long Ryan North & co.!)

Scott’s Honorable Mentions: 20. BPRD (Dark Horse) 19. Saga (Image) 18. Evil Empire (BOOM!) 17. Satellite Sam (Image) 16. Iron Fist: The Living Weapon (Marvel) 15. Stray Bullets: Killers (Image) 14. Southern Bastards (Image) 13. Brass Sun (2000 AD) 12. East of West (Image) 11. The Wicked & The Divine (Image)

Publisher of the Year:
This was the year that Image Comics doubled-down on its core strategy: attracting top-tier talent from throughout the industry and parlaying their success to create a space where lesser-known creators can play as well. The result was an avalanche of diversity that exemplified the boundless range of the medium (just check out how many Image titles made our Honorable Mentions, not to mention the two on our Top Ten). Were they all winners? Of course not. But each title was allowed to be its own idiosyncratic, little thing. To wit: Madame Frankenstein. Perhaps not one of the year’s best, Jamie S. Rich’s odd melange of Shelly’s classic horror story, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s milieu, Pygmalion‘s mores (stretched to their logical conclusion) and even Kafka-esque fatalism at the end, was unlike anything else on the stands, possibly ever. Furthermore, Megan Levens tackled such complex, macabre subject matter with an art style that was a cartoony blend of Jeff Smith and Ted Naifeh; in other words something one is more accustomed to seeing in a YA book. As a visual approach, it stretched the overall reading experience almost to the point of incongruity. Was Madame Frankenstein a complete success? I’m still not sure. But it sure was fascinating watching the creators try. And for giving such singular titles like this one a place to exist, I’m grateful to Image Comics. (DM)

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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What’s I&N Store (8/6)

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Aaron Ginsburg, Abstract Studio, Al Ewing, Alan Moore, Alex + Ada, Avatar, Ben Templesmith, Brian Hurtt, Brian Wood, Clone, Cullen Bunn, Daniel Gete, Declan Shalvey, Dry Spell, God Is Dead: The Book of Acts, Greg Rucka, Greg Smallwood, Harbinger: Omegas, IDW, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, Joe Infunari, Jonathan Luna, Joshua Dysart, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Juan Jose Ryp, Kaare Andrews, Ken Krekeler, Kieron Gillen, Lazarus, Loki, Marvel, Max Brooks, Michael Avon Oeming, Mike Costa, Mike Norton, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Oni Press, Original Sin, Peter Milligan, Piotr Kowalski, Raulo Caceres, Rocket Raccoon, Sarah Vaughn, Si Spurrier, SIP Kids, Skottie Young, Stangers in Paradise, Terminal Hero, Terry Moore, The Bunker, The Extinction Parade, The Sixth Gun, The Sixth Gun: Days of the Dead, The Squidder, Uber, Valiant, Warren Ellis

Lots to look forward to this week.

  • The Squidder #2 (IDW): Squids are in the air, and I’d definitely like to draw another breath of ’em as drawn by Ben Templesmith.  The story is familiar, sure, but it’s delivered well enough.
  • Alex + Ada #8 (Image): The series has been a solid read with clean images and fluid artistic transitions that speak as loudly as the words.  It’s an against the odds love story with a dark cloud hanging over it.  Waiting on the storm and worrying about Alex and Ada all along.
Alex + Ada #7

Alex + Ada #7

  • Clone #19 (Image): Continues to be one of the most kinetic comics on the shelf.  Yeah, this book cooks!  #18 offered a couple of Chubby twists that promise a checkered future for all involved.  (Sorry about that.)
  • Lazarus #10 (Image): Re: #15: Circumstances conspire and both Michael and Casey end up in the employ of the Carlyles.  Was there ever any other end?  Nah.  But Innie Award nominee (Best Writer) Greg Rucka and Michael Lark get there so well.  Yet another exercise in excellent storytelling.  Our #7 book of 2013 is well on its way to claiming a spot in the Top Ten of 2014.
Lazarus #10

Lazarus #10

  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #5 (Marvel): Re: #5: Some of the best bedroom action I’ve seen in some time.  Talk about getting laid…out.  Yeah, Kaare Andrews pricks up the pace with some passionate paneling–and one of my favorite splash pages, like, ever!  Never has a bottom lip been bitten so beautifully–in a comic book, anyway.  Go Brenda!  Love her line, “Show me some Kung-Fu.”  Throw in an iron fist-full of father-son issues and you’ve got yourself one hell of a book.  If you’re not reading this yet, you should punch yourself in the face.
  • Miracleman #9 (Marvel): Been stockpiling my Miracleman.  Gonna hafta get on that soon–or it might take a miracle to catch up.
  • Moon Knight #6 (Marvel): Warren Ellis may have earned our Biggest Dis(appointment) of June, but it certainly wasn’t for Moon Knight.  He and Declan Shalvey have been producing some excellent vignettes with the multifaceted Marc Spector.  This, sadly, is their last go ’round before giving up creative control to the talented team of Brian Wood (The Massive) and Greg Smallwood (Dream Thief).
Moon Knight #6

Moon Knight #6

  • Original Sin #5.3 (Marvel): Ack!  I missed #5.2.  Forgot I was buying an Original Sin book, you know, because of Loki.  I mean, why else would I be buying an Original Sin book?
  • Rocket Raccoon #2 (Marvel): Ain’t gonna lie: #1 was fun.  Will probably pass, though, despite what Skottie Young is bringing to the prickly procyonid–unless, of course, I don’t pass, which is far more likely.  Ugh!  I have no self control!
  • The Bunker #5 (Oni Press): I liked #4 a lot.  Thought the dialogue and the emotions were very real.  Overall, Fialkov and Infurnari are telling a terrific story with perfect timing.
The Bunker #5

The Bunker #5

  • Dry Spell #2 (Action Labs): It’s been a Dry Spell dry spell since #1 came out in May.  Oh, and, by the way, we loved, loved, loved #1–enough to make it our top book of May.
Dry Spell #2

Dry Spell #2

  • The Extinction Parade: War #2 (Avatar): I’ve enjoyed The Extinction Parade saga a lot more than I thought I would.  (It’s true: I originally started picking it up for my wife–who hasn’t touched it.)  Yes, it’s been “bottomless slaughter,” but it hasn’t been mindless slaughter.  Max Brooks is offering an elevated apocalyptic experience, amplified by undeadly detailed artwork from Raulo Caceres.
  • God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha (Avatar): Si Spurrier–the 2014 Innie Award Winner for Best Writer (Six-Gun Gorilla, Numbercruncher)–brings a little life to God Is Dead with the immortal Alan Moore.  You read that right: Spurrier and Moore.  Safe to say it’s a must buy.
God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha

God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha

  • Harbinger: Omegas #1 (Valiant): Not too sure why this couldn’t have just been Harbinger #26.  Is it rebootalism?  Guess it really doesn’t matter.  Dysart’s been telling a good story with these characters.  They certainly deserve to live on–whatever the title.
  • SIP (Strangers in Paradise) Kids #1 (Abstract Studio): Oh, why not?  Yeah, Rachel Rising has lost a lot of its shine.  But here’s Terry Moore having fun with the characters for whom he’s best known–by turning them into six-year-olds.
  • The Sixth Gun: Days of the Dead #1 (Oni Press): Anything The Sixth Gun is going to find its way into my bag.
  • Terminal Hero #1 (Dynamite): Peter Milligan had a nice run on Valiant’s Shadowman.  I’ll try him out here, where he’s teamed up with Sex‘s Piotr Kowalski.
  • Über #16 (Avatar): Über‘s riding quite a high.  Heck, I was close to dropping it around the time the Special came out.  Since then, however, it’s been terrific.  I’d go as far to say it’s Gillen’s best current work–including the wildly hyped The Wicked & The Divine.
Über #16

Über #16

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (7/2)

30 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Alan Moore, Avatar, Caliban, Clone, Cullen Bunn, David Schulner, Declan Shalvey, East of West, Ed Brisson, Extinction Parade War, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Greg Rucka, Howard Chaykin, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, J. Michael Straczynski, James Asmus, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, Juan Jose Ryp, Kaare Andrews, Kieron Gillen, Lazarus, Magneto, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Max Brooks, Michael Lark, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Nick Dragotta, Quantum and Woody, Rocket Raccoon, Satellite Sam, Scottie Young, Sheltered, Sidekick, Southern Bastards, The Twilight Zone, Tom Mandrake, Uber, Valiant, Wade McIntyre, Warren Ellis, Wilfredo Torres

As you know, our sign off is “Turning pages.” As of today, for the foreseeable future, I’ll also be “turning Paige’s” whatever it is she wants me to turn or needs me to turn. That’s right: my second daughter was born this afternoon–and still I’m making sure to get this list out on time! So here it is: What’s I&N Store: The Hospital Edition:

  • Clone #18 (Image): Clone is humming along, as solid as ever, with ethical dilemmas driving the plot–toward a collision between the clones and the coalition.  Will Luke kill the father and son?  Will Laura kidnap Luke’s son?  Gosh, I hope so.
  • East of West #13 (Image): Re: #12: the entire issue is a meeting amongst the nations.  Just a meeting, you ask?  Oh, no, not just a meeting: it’s the best damned meeting, like, ever!  Xiaolian Mao makes the case for war; and Hickman and Dragotta use some superior panel work to take us around a very tense table, giving all in attendance the opportunity to explode with rage–or with something else, you know, like, in the case of Mr. Graves, a bomb.  East of West has been very good of late, with this issue standing as one of the strongest of the series thus far.
  • Lazarus #9 (Image): #8 was one of our top books of April.  Check out why here.
Lazarus #9

Lazarus #9

  • Satellite Sam #9 (Image): Did you get your Tijuana Bible straight away?  Or did you have to ask for the insert?  Did you kinda cringe after opening it and then shove it inside Sam and place it all together on your finished pile?  Dirty distraction aside, #8 was very good.  Almost earned Top Five honors for May.  Sure, Fraction’s earning raves for the wildly overrated Sex Criminals, which I’ve dumped as of #6 after having realized that I could have this conversation with my friends for free; but his best work is right here.
  • Sheltered #10 (Image): A fist-pumping “Yes!” moment was enough to sell me on another issue.  Yeah, I’m talking about Curt’s gettin’ his comeuppance and about taking Sheltered one issue at a time.
  • Sidekick #7 (Image): I ended up liking the first arc a lot. Definitely my favorite of the Joe’s Comics offerings. Clearly my favorite, considering the fact that it’s the only one I’ve stuck with. Oh, and I haven’t been turned off by Straczynski’s borrowing from himself (see the first arc of The Twilight Zone); after the initial surprise, it was just something worth remarking.
  • Southern Bastards #3 (Image): We loved #1 and celebrated it as a Top 5 book of April. #2, while a decent single issue, suffered in comparison to such a strong opening statement. Here’s another strong statement: I’m hoping that Aaron and Latour rebound here; otherwise, I may consider pulling the Bastards from my pull list.
  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #4 (Marvel): #3 was a particularly strong issue. Hasn’t taken long for writer/artist Kaare Andrews to assume complete control over Danny Rand/Iron Fist. He’s balanced the past and present like yin and yang, and, artistically, has injected just the right amount of fantasy into this kick-ass Kung-fu tragedy.
Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #4

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #4

  • Magneto #6 (Marvel): Bunn’s Magneto–and his approach to piecing the vengeful mutant’s story together–has been attractive on a very singular level. Who needs layers, right? Not Bunn; not here. And his decision to keep it simple–employing steely page turns to great effect along the way–has been the key to his making Magneto a must read. #5, however, crashed into a cliche. Hope things return to normal here.
  • Miracleman #8 (Marvel): Still sitting on 5-7. Derek’s been raving about them. I’ll get around to ’em eventually.
  • Moon Knight #5 (Marvel): Thanks to Warren Ellis’s vision, Moon Knight‘s been weird and fun, smart and exciting. It’s also been a showcase for Declan Shalvey, as Ellis has allowed him to do some top-notch visual storytelling. #4 was particularly weird, and in its weirdness offered up some terrific transitions in the mindscape and ended emphatically on an abrupt note, one that reminds of Terry Moore’s sudden endings on Rachel Rising. Moon Knight is so much better than anything Dark Knight right now. I hope that the coming change in creative team doesn’t change that.
  • Rocket Raccoon #1 (Marvel): I’m gonna give it a shot because Derek said he’s giving it a shot on the strength of Skottie Young.
Rocket Raccoon #1

Rocket Raccoon #1

  • Caliban #4 (Avatar): I’ve enjoyed it enough for what it is: a Sci-Fi horror story with some grisly moments–see the end of #3–a la Avatar. Ennis’s writing keeps the story moving, even if it doesn’t necessarily help one differentiate among the characters; in that, his ensemble cast, so far, anyway, lacks star power. Not typical of Ennis.
  • Extinction Parade: War #1 (Avatar): It’s been a while since the first arc ended. Might have to freshen up before going to war.
  • Quantum and Woody #12 (Valiant): #10 earned a spot in our Top 5 for May because it came together on so many levels to create a terrific character study of the wild and wonderful Woody. #11 was a strong follow up with some real hot dogging by James Asmus, who has established himself as one of the best funny businessmen in comics. Hard to believe this book–at least this iteration–is coming to a close. Reason to be excited: the team-up with Archer and Armstrong. Van Lente and Asmus together on the same book? Readers may literally die from laughing so hard.
Quantum and Woody #12

Quantum and Woody #12

  • The Twilight Zone #6 (Dynamite): #5 drew us into another part of the world Straczynski created during the first arc. A much less interesting part of the world. Look out for the heavy hand!
  • Uber #15 (Avatar): I always look forward to reading Gillen’s Uber because it’s never a difficult read and because something remarkable always happens to force the story forward. What more can one ask for? Also of note: it’s very different stylistically from The Wicked & The Divine. That one read like a Hickman book. I know his latest offering is only one issue in, but as of now, I prefer what he’s doing with Uber.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (6/4)

03 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Al Ewing, Alan Moore, Avatar, Bilquis Evely, Brian Michael Bendis, Caliban, Chris Roberson, Clayton Crain, Clone, Cullen Bunn, David Marquez, David Schulner, DC Comics, Declan Shalvey, Doc Savage, Dynamite Entertainment, Facundo Percio, Garth Ennis, IDW, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, James Asmus, Jordie Bellaire, Juan Jose Ryp, Kaare Andrews, Kano, Kevin Eastman, Lee Garbett, Loki: Agent of Asgard, Magneto, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Kindt, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Quantum and Woody, Rai, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Ted McKeever, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Superannuated Man, The Wake, Tom Waltz, Valiant, Vertigo, Wade McIntyre, Warren Ellis

This’ll be my inaugural haul from the new and improved Android’s Amazing Comics.  Looks like it’ll be a grand opening, indeed!

  • The Wake #9 (DC/Vertigo): Scott Snyder’s overhyped submersible vehicle draws–drowns?–closer to its long awaited end.  By long awaited, I mean this thing could’ve been a sixer.  Am I wrong?  Of course I’m not wrong.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #34 (IDW): Any hype this one’s been getting has been well earned. The Turtles are serious business, boys and girls: Waltz and Eastman have managed the considerable cast remarkably well, all along allowing the child at the heart of the book to play innocently while the adults are getting work done–no easy task; and, speaking of getting work done, artist Mateus Santolouco lifts the lot to another level with his signature style–one that has quickly become the face of the titular freaky foursome.
  • Clone #17 (Image): Issue after issue David Schulner and co. unveil another perfectly engineered model of their fast-paced formula, taking hairpin page turns toward high-octane twists!  #16, an anxious affair, made more so by Juan Jose Ryp’s insanely detailed artwork and Andy Troy’s committed colors, delivers a real shot to the gut; and we’re left bleeding and pleading, “More, please.”
Clone #17

Clone #17

  • The Superannuated Man #1 (Image): Yeah, I don’t know.  I didn’t care for Miniature Jesus so much.  Ted McKeever’s worth a try, though, ain’t he?  No doubt the art’ll be really good.  My concern: the writing side.  I mean, you did read Miniature Jesus, right?  Rough.  Sound idea, noisy delivery.
The Superannuated Man #1

The Superannuated Man #1

  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #3 (Marvel): Kaare Andrews definitely deserves an iron fist bump or two for this randy reboot of K’Un Lun’s favorite son.  His images and words come together like yin and yang, balancing Danny’s heartbreaking backstory with the apocalyptic present.  It’s Kung Fu Theater in a comic!
  • Loki: Agent of Asgard #5 (Marvel): Loving Loki, Midgard’s most magical metrosexual!  The star of the show, though, is Al Ewing’s wit, which is sharper even than Sigurd’s Gram.  That’s right: I’m all about Asgard–and it only took four issues to bring me around!
  • Magneto #5 (Marvel): Magneto the Merciless.  Me likey.  Cullen Bunn’s already shown a knack for delivering magnetic moments, making a raging Magneto easy to root for–especially as he works in vane to cleanse a faux farm of Purifiers.  Did you notice: the death by windmill was literally–and cleverly–foreshadowed on the side of the barn over the course of three scene-shifting panels!
  • Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #2 (Marvel): #1 brought us back to what made Ultimate Spider-Man work: Bendis’s surrendering super in favor of human.  There’s magic in Miles, after all.  And, damn, how about that last page?  One of those rare times when petering out is a good thing.
Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #2

Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #2

  • Miracleman #7 (Marvel): Running a bit behind.  Still haven’t gotten around to #5.  But what I’ve read so far has been miraculous.
  • Moon Knight #4 (Marvel): Loved #3.  Just one reason: “You possess all kinds of armor and raiment for fighting the living: how can you not have garments for fighting the dead?”  I mean, duh!  Warren Ellis knows exactly how to exploit this medium: he wields his words efficiently and allows Declan Shalvey to once again spread his wings.  Together, they deliver a powerful punch and, with that narrative fist, continue to fill the cavernous Batvoid in my life.  Thanks, fellas!
Moon Knight #4

Moon Knight #4

  • Caliban #3 (Avatar): Solid sci-fi from Garth Ennis.  It’s a mash up–appropriately enough, considering–of his Red Team and Alien, ain’t it?  So, I’m still on board.
  • Doc Savage #6 (Dynamite): Starting to lose a little steam for me as it chugs its way to the present.  I bought the Annual but don’t really feel compelled to read it, you know, with the different creative team and all.  Just doesn’t inspire.  Helluva a price tag on that sucker, too.  We’re back to business–and back to Y2K–with this one.
  • Quantum and Woody #11 (Valiant): Crazy fun!  I cannot wait for the showdown with the E.R.A.  I’m telling you: if you like Rat Queens, you’ll definitely dig Q&W.  James Asmus has really found a groove–and his needle sharp wit is riding it at 78 rpm, delivering sweet, sweet music, man; and Kano, the Bono of comic book artists, has, with #10, delivered the most vocal visuals of the series to date.
Quantum and Woody #11

Quantum and Woody #11

  • Rai #2 (Valiant): I didn’t love #1, but I’m going to give it–Matt Kindt, more so, if I’m being honest–another issue.  Wasn’t going to, except for the fact that #1 read a lot like Star Wars: Rebel Heist #1, which I ended up enjoying more after I thought about it for a while.  Here’s hoping that Rai #2 will give me something to think about.  Clayton Crain’s painted art didn’t live up to expectations.  Don’t get me wrong it’s impressive for what it is; but in terms of the storytelling, it’s stiff and lifeless.  More hoping: that the images catch up to the words.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (5/7)

07 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized, What's I&N Store?

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Tags

Al Ewing, Alan Moore, Alex + Ada, Archer & Armstrong, Astro City, Avatar, Batman Eternal, BOOM!, Brian Hurtt, Caliban, Clone, Cullen Bunn, Cyclops, Dark Horse, David Schulner, DC, DC Comics, Declan Shalvey, Ed Brubaker, Facundo Percio, Fatale, Fred Van Lente, Garth Ennis, Greg Rucka, Howard Chaykin, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, James Tynion IV, Jonathan Luna, Joshua Williamson, Juan Jose Ryp, Kaare Andrews, Kurt Busiek, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Loki: Agent of Asgard, Magneto, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Nailbiter, Oni Press, Rat Queens, Roc Upchurch, Sarah Vaughn, Satellite Sam, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Sean Phillips, The Sixth Gun, The Woods, Valiant, Veil, Vertigo, Warren Ellis

Busy?  Bah!  I’ve got a list to compile!

  • Veil #3 (Dark Horse): The ante has been upped–and so has my interest in the book. It ain’t Lazarus, folks, but it ain’t bad: Greg Rucka’s going full Fatale, and Toni Fejzula’s art is pretty striking.
Veil #3

Veil #3

  • Astro City #12 (DC/Vertigo): The follow-up to a terrific #11, which you’ll see highlighted in a celebratory post in the not-so-distant future.
  • Batman Eternal #5 (DC): Into my second month of Gotham-centered gobbledygook. #4 offered up plenty of reasons to jump off–including an awful conversation between Batman and Batgirl. I mean, who talks like that?
  • The Wake #8 (DC/Vertigo): Ah, a rare double dose of Scott Snyder.  I was disappointed with #7: it didn’t quite sell what #6 so emphatically offered.  By and by, I buy.
  • Alex + Ada #6 (Image): Nothing artificial about this intelligent little tale from Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn.  Ada’s awake–let the nightmare begin!
Alex + Ada #6

Alex + Ada #6

  • Clone #16 (Image): #15 is a bit lost on me, but that’s OK; Clone‘s been a fun ride.
  • Fatale #22 (Image): No surprise here: Fatale has been nominated for an Innie in the Best Ongoing Series category!  #21 didn’t quite capture the same magic as #20–our #2 book of February–but is was still pretty darned good.  Hey: Brubaker and Phillips are competing against themselves–the ridiculously high standard they’ve set for themselves over the life of this brilliant book.  Hmm…  Would that be a fatal strength?
Fatale #22

Fatale #22

  • Nailbiter #1 (Image): I haven’t been taken by anything I’ve read from Joshua Williamson.  But I’ll take this one home, thank you very much.  It’s a #1 thing.
  • Rat Queens #6 (Image): Violently vivacious vermin with a bit o’ the ol’ va-va-voom.  Queen me!
  • Satellite Sam #8 (Image): Hawkeye is very good.  Sex Criminals is more overrated than x-rated.  Satellite Sam, however, is proving to be Fraction’s flagship.  Doesn’t hurt that Howard Chaykin’s black and white art is out of this world.
  • Cyclops #1 (Marvel): Greg Rucka–nominated for an Innie in the Best Writer category for his work on Lazarus–returns to the hot half of the Big Two and takes on one of my all-time favorite characters.  Even though we’re going to be spinning ’round in space, I’m still pretty psyched.
Cyclops #1

Cyclops #1

  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #2 (Marvel): Writer/artist Kaare Andrews impressed with an engaging #1.  Highlight: his building of Danny’s backstory.  Let’s see what he does with Danny’s frontstory.
  • Loki: Agent of Asgard #4 (Marvel): Al Ewing’s having fun and so am I; so I’m still buying.
  • Magneto #3 (Marvel): I really liked what Cullen Bunn did in #2: he crafted a tight, emotionally affecting story from the past and cradled it expertly with a tense present.
Magneto #3

Magneto #3

  • Miracleman #5 (Marvel): So, so good.  What have we learned after four issues?  Alan Moore’s the real Miracleman.
  • Moon Knight #3 (Marvel): Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey delivered a kill-shot–one after another–with #2.  If you–yeah, you–didn’t pick it up, do yourself a favor and grab it and #3 while you’re at it.
  • Archer & Armstrong #20 (Valiant): Two words: new arc.  Thank Van Lente.
Archer & Armstrong #20

Archer & Armstrong #20

  • Caliban #2 (Avatar): The first one was good enough to give this one a go.  Liked it more than I liked Pariah and the space side of Letter 44, if that tells you anything.  I’m not too sure that tells me anything.
  • The Sixth Gun #40 (Oni Press): As solid–and consistent–an ongoing as you’re bound to find.  That’s right: no peaks and valleys here: Bunn and Hurtt are brilliant from one issue to the next.
  • The Woods #1 (BOOM!): James Tynion IV goes original with some otherworldly horror.  Talk about field trips!
The Woods #1

The Woods #1

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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