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Alberto Ponticelli, Ales Kot, Barry Kitson, Battle of the Atom, Bloodshot, Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, Buzzkill, China Mieville, Chris Bachalo, Chris Samnee, Christos Gage, comic books, comics, Daniel Quinn, Daredevil, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Donny Cates, Dream Thief, Emanuela Lupacchino, Frazer Irving, Geoff Shaw, Greg Smallwood, Harbinger, Image, Ishmael, Jai Nitz, James Thurber, Javier Rodriguez, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Stokely, Jim McCann, Jordie Bellaire, Joshua Dysart, Juan Ferreyra, Justice League, Justice League: Dial E, Kiss Me Satan, Lee Garbett, Mark Reznicek, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Michael Walsh, Mind the Gap, Moose Baumann, Numbercruncher, P.J. Holden, Robert Venditti, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Titan, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant, Victor Gischler, zero
- Mind the Gap #14 (The penultimate issue of Act I follows the same formula as #13: it’s another harmonious dual narrative visualized to perfection by artists Rodin Esquejo and Dan McDaid. The flashback is particularly fantastic: McDaid’s art is beautiful and emotionally effective–especially the wordless nine-panel page, which transitions terrifically on the turn from three cross-marked graves in the past to three cups of coffee in the present. No matter the time period, Jim McCann’s in complete control of the complex storyline; in fact, he’s given birth to the equivalent of a classy lady, this gorgeous Mind the Gap: it’s sexy, sure, enough to lure you in; but it doesn’t give away all its secrets; it knows it’s the mystery that brings ’em back for more.)
- Six-Gun Gorilla #4 (We’re almost to the point where words are no longer enough to describe this soon-to-be classic from Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely. These guys are putting on an absolute clinic! Consider: we’ve swung from Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” in #3 to Quinn’s Ishmael here in #4, all while wearing a classic Western motif with an “unconventional twist”–and it’s all done so damn effortlessly.)
- Numbercruncher #3 (Suddenly, Simon Spurrier’s vaulted to the top of the Must Read list. As good as Six-Gun Gorilla has been for four issues, this is as good a single issue as you’re gonna find; and Bastard Zane is as unique a voice as you’ll ever hear. Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. The artwork, too, is worth celebrating; it’s no accident: P.J. Holden and Jordie Bellaire amplify the conflict between the variables of life and the accounting for them in the after through the perfect balance of black & white and color. If you’ve missed this series, do yourself a favor: plan on picking up the trade.)
- Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps #14 (Better than I expected it to be.)
- Harbinger #16 (Harbinger meets The Matrix. Dysart’s playing mind games with the Renegades–and with us!)
- Kiss Me Satan #1 (I’m not a big werewolf guy, but I liked this. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and Colder‘s Juan Ferreyra elevates Victor Gischler’s story enough to warrant a second issue.)
- Uncanny X-Men #12 (The best issue of Battle of the Atom thus far. I know: that’s not saying much. A lot of the credit has to go to Chris Bachalo, who’s done his best work on the series here.)
- Buzzkill #1 (Biggest surprise of the week. The promise of the premise is fulfilled over twenty-two intoxicating pages. Expectations have been raised like an upside-down college kid over a keg.)
- Justice League: Dial E #23.3 (A brilliant way to say goodbye to a brilliant book: China Mieville dances with the dial and some seriously talented artists–including Mateus Santolouco, Jeff Lemire, Frazer Irving, and Alberto Ponticelli–for the last time? If so, what a dance, indeed.)
- Zero #1 (This is the Ales Kot who drew me to Change, the one I was counting on to make something of Suicide Squad. Well, that certainly didn’t happen. Here, however, Kot shows some courage while going Gaza over the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and he makes great use of time and space. All told–or story-wise, some told , anyway–this book is good therapy: took just this one issue of Zero to get me to stop thinking about Suicide.)
- Daredevil #31 (Ripped straight from the headlines and brought straight down upon our heads. Makes me long for the days of the Omega Drive.)
- Dream Thief #5 (The series started off really well. It was innovative in its design and was full of energy. And then it just got, well, stupid. Thank goodness it’s over.)
- The Sixth Gun #34 (To the pile with ye!)
- X-O Manowar #17 (Solid, as always. Aric, one of my favorite current comic characters, channels his father as he does his all-important king thing. But despite his super-powered armor, which he wears arrogantly and aggressively, he may prove powerless against Volo, the uppity upstart, who wields the power of–get this–a super market.)
Turning pages,
Scott