I&N Store 10/17

17 Wednesday Oct 2018

Tags

aftershock comics, ahoy comics, Ales Kot, Andrea Sorrentino, andrew pepoy, antonio fabela, Batman, black badge, black barn, Black Hammer, Black Hammer: Age of Doom, boom studios, Brian Michael Bendis, captain ginger, Cemetery Beach, clayton cowles, Cover, Daredevil, Dark Horse Comics, David Mack, DC Comics, East of West, evolution, gideon falls, Heather Moore, hilary jenkins, Image Comics, Images and Nerds, Jeff Lemire, Jinxworld, joe henderson, Lee Garbett, Mark Buckingham, Matt Kindt, Michael Gaydos, patience! conviction! revenge!, pearl, rich tommaso, Simon Bowland, skyward, strangers in paradise xxv, Stray Bullets, Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses, The New World, Tom King, Tom Muller, tomeu morey, tony s. daniel, Tradd Moore, Tyler Jenkins

No time to waste! Let’s go!

Cemetery Beach #2 (Image)
East of West #39 (Image)
Evolution #11 (Image)
Gideon Falls #7 (Image): I&N Demand Re: #6: Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino have opened the dark doorway to phantasmal madness! The latter’s layouts are mind-bending, sending the narrative deep into the id of a fractured Father Fred, into the bowels of the still abstruse Black Barn. I love the insistence at the very end: Norton insists, “The Black Barn…we’re going to build it. And you’re going to help me…” See: “we,” “you”–that’s me: a boy with a farming pedigree. Let’s do it! Let’s build it! I’m ready.

The New World #4 (Image): I&N Demand I’ve loved the way Aleš Kot has manipulated time ever since Zero #1; so you know I loved #3. But there was plenty more love to go around–mostly for the Moores: the he’s Tradd-ass lines and layouts and the she’s face-melting colors; and kinda for the kitty–specifically the sneaky “SSSNNNIKT” and the cat-fu that follows. It’s a new world, indeed–full of politics and impulsivity, violence and–wait. OK, well, it’s a world. It’s the world. It’s our world. It sure as fuck is.

Skyward #7 (Image): I&N Demand Re: #6: See, now: it’s the look–that look: Willa’s face in the last panel of the second-to-last page. Her face shows everything she’s learned, everything she knows to be true about herself and the Low-G world. She’s not going to let a little girl–a lot like a little Willa–lose her dad; so, despite the big-ass bugs, she’s going out the train door, into a forest full of freakishly large dragonflies, like a goddamned superhero. Cue page turn. Beautiful work from Lee Garbett with striking colors from Antonio Fabela. Well played, Mr. Henderson. Well played.

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #39 (Image): I&N Demand Re: #38: What a fucking trip! It hit me so hard that I had to write a 22 I&N 22 like right away–and here it is: Stray, stray, gang’s all here–in sub-space! Ay mi! Mother of a race to the top, learning: to get ahead, let (e)go. God, I soooo wanted to shout Love Yourself! to the fucking moon, but, ugh, I didn’t want to spoil it for all of my fellow Love Yourself fans; I wanted them–and they’re out there, man–to experience the euphoria I felt when that dredlocked son-of-a-bitch was there on the last page turn, standing next to hospital bed-bound Beth. That’s a good dude right there; and I can’t wait to see him kill some more bad folks.

Black Hammer: Age of Doom #6 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand Re: #5: Well, spit in my eye and call me Spit Eye Guy! Everything is revealed and it all adds up to nothing. Say what? Oh, but never before has nothing been so Anti-Goddamned satisfying. Isn’t that something? Certainly expecting Rich Tommaso to do his thing–be it any, some, every, no? Oh, yes: Jeff Lemire–I&N Double Demand this week–has detonated a nostalgia bomb, leaving our displaced heroes–wallowing in the weird fallout of fate–in some super-secret, heart-crushing crisis. And I’m Spit Eye Guy! Collaterally damaged–and loving it!

Batman #57 (DC): I&N Demand Re: #56: Like most guys, I’m a sucker for father-son stories, particularly those that recount dysfunctional relationships that remind of my own effed-up relationship with my father–a really interesting fella who’s lived an enviable life, if I’m being fair–and a total shit as a dad. Yup: I’m a “Cat’s in the Cradle” kid, tears and all. But KGBeast and his dad? Why would I give a dump about that? Why did I? Why do I still? Characterization? Motivation? Juxtaposition? Sure, there’s that. (C’mon: one father who’ll do anything (take on ninjas and the cooky Kanto, the craziest baddy I ever saw), go anywhere (Volgograd–go Dad!) vs. a father who sits–yeah: a total sit as a dad!) But it’s more: it’s how Tom King tells a story–any story, really. But this one: It’s his honesty. His humanity. His fearlessness. His taking shots. A father and son taking shots. Shots to forget. Shots to remember. Add Tony S. Daniel’s best Bat-work to date, and ta da!–I&N Demand.

Cover #2 (DC/Jinxworld): I&N Demand Cover 2–my favorite defense, particularly because my team’s got two solid safeties. Throw in some top-notch corners and a hungry d-line and what’s it all mean? I’ll tell you what it means: don’t pass on Cover 2. No, really: the concept is terrific, the execution makes it matter. Bendis! is at his clever best; and David Mack is back making magic. A Con artist with a cover: artist? Fun, fun! In fact, when I met Mr. Mack at NYCC, I fancied myself in the comic as I handed him a blank sketch cover of Cover #1 and asked for a sketch to complete the cover and I got lost in the layers and loved every minute of it. I tried to explain the fantasy to my wife–about my being a part of some secret spy scheme that’ll change the course of the world–and she was like, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Well played, honey. Well played.

Pearl #3 (DC/Jinxworld)
Daredevil #609 (Marvel)
Black Badge #3 (BOOM!): I&N Demand Re: #2: Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, and Hilary Jenkins’ Black Badge is the perfect escape. It’s engaging; it’s gorgeous. It simmers and explodes, simmers and explodes–yeah, it’s quite a ride; you know, like being on a train with your fellow Black Badges and then Young Canadian Mounties show up and you’re not sure what’s going to happen and then the plans go KABOOMY! and then Bond-ing over snow mobiles and a tiger, some storytelling inside the story, and an end that’s a right riot, right? That’s one Badge-ass comic, y’all.

Captain Ginger #1 (Ahoy!)
Strangers in Paradise XXV #7 (Abstract Studio)
PATIENCE! CONVICTION! REVENGE! #2 (AfterShock)

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Store 10/3

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Store

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

a walk through hell, Aftershock, Batman, black crown, Border Town, Chris Claremont, DC Comics, dead rabbit, DIe! Die! Die!, eric m. esquivel, euthanauts, Garth Ennis, Goran Sudzuka, house amok, IDW, Image Comics, in demand, Jeff Stokely, Jordie Bellaire, lollipop kids, Magneto, marvel comics, New York Comic Con, new york comic con 2018, Oblivi8n, Paper Girls, ramon villalobos, redlands, scout comics, Six-Gun Gorilla, The Dreaming, Tom King, tony s. daniel, Uber: Invasion, united states vs. murder inc., Vanesa Del Rey, Vertigo, x-men black: magneto

New York Comic Con is coming–and I’m going! I’ve picked panels; I’ve artist alley-ooh-ed and ah-ed–and I’ve mapped it all out like a cross-eyed pirate. I’ve emptied out the ol’ backpack and have filled it back up again with enough Pro Bars to fuel a contingent of hardcore cosplayers. I am convinced that this’ll be the best Con ever!

My optimism is not unfounded: I’ve conspired with some art reps for some pre-Con commissions from a few talented fellas: Ian Bertram (Allen Ginsberg circa the acid-fueled “Wales Visitation”), Leandro Fernandez (Adrian Chase/Vigilante), and Martin Morazzo (The Ice Cream Man serving up ice cream cones to my Goosebumps-loving daughters). Can’t wait to see what they come up with!

Before the Con, however, we’ve got a notable NCBD. So here’s my weekly FYI:

Dead Rabbit #1 (Image)
Die! Die! Die! #3 (Image)
Paper Girls #25 (Image)
Redlands #7 (Image): I&N Demand NYCC memory: Back in 2013, I had the pleasure of meeting Vanesa Del Rey, mostly by accident. See: I was on the hunt for some Six-Gun Gorilla OA from Jeff Stokely–which I scored, by the way–and VDR just so happened to be seated at an adjacent table. At the time, I knew her only from Hit, which was, at the time, a hit in its own right, and I told her as much. VDR was very friendly; in fact, she asked about my I&N shirt–even asked for a card, which I, regrettably, did not have. (I’ll be cardless this time around, too. ScottNerd–where lessons go to die.) She was kind enough to allow me to take a picture, which we featured in our NYCC 2013 follow-up. And, wouldn’t you know, I’ve been a fan ever since! I enjoyed the hell out of the first arc of Redlands–featuring strong women born of strong writing (a real breath of [Jordie] Bellaire, the otherwise ubiquitous colorist) and beautiful, lush, exceedingly sexy art from VDR–and am very much looking forward to this one.

redl

Euthanauts #3 (IDW/Black Crown)
House Amok #2 (IDW/Black Crown)
Batman #56 (DC): I&N Demand Re: #55: It’s all fun and games until [fill in the blank]. It’s Tom King’s formula–and it’s spectacular. And, of course, the chemistry with Tony S. Daniel, who absolutely killed ~~him~~ it. Re: 56: The perfect foil:

batm

Border Town #2 (DC/Vertigo): I&N Demand Well, I had no idea I’d like #1 as much as I did. Had to shout it out in a 22 I&N 22, which I’ll share here because it says a lot: Bloody moving—a monster of racial relevance; tears down walls, cranks up the stereotypes to once upon a helluva good time. Arriba! You know what that means: expectations for #2 are muy alto–muy, muy alto.

bt2

The Dreaming #2 (DC/Vertigo)
United States vs. Murder Inc. #2 (DC/Jinxworld)
X-Men Black: Magneto #1 (Marvel): I&N Demand Chris Mother-effing Claremont writing Magneto. I can feel the tug, the iron in my blood nudging me westward toward my LCS.

xmbm

Lollipop Kids #1 (AfterShock)
Oblivi8n #2 (Scout)
Uber: Invasion #16 (Avatar)
A Walk Through Hell #5 (AfterShock): I&N Demand Re: the cover: An Hello to Arms–obviously a Prequel to Hemingway’s classic to-hell-and-back wartime love novel. Or maybe it’s just a disarming cover for another horrifying stretch of Ennis and Sudzuka’s A Walk Through Hell. I’m going with the ~~latter~~ ladder–of fucking arms. (Apologies available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

awth5

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Store 9/19

19 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Store

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ales Kot, Batman, batman: damned, black badge, Black Hammer, boom studios, Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome, Danijel Zezelj, Dark Horse Comics, david rubín, Days of Hate, DC Comics, Dean Ormston, eleven to eternity, ether the copper golems, evolution, hilary jenkins, ice cream man, Image Comics, Jeff Lemire, joe henderson, Jordie Bellaire, Lee Garbett, marvel comics, Matt Kindt, Mister Miracle, Mitch Gerads, pearl, skyward, strangers in paradise xxv, the amazing spider-man, The Immortal Hulk, the wild storm, Tom King, tony s. daniel, Tyler Jenkins, valiant comics, Venom

Big week of books, boys and girls! I had trouble not wielding the I&N Demand designation this time around. I ain’t complaining; but I am cutting this intro short so I can get to the good stuff. To it.

Days of Hate #8 (Image): I&N Demand #7 was brooding, heavy for the wait of it all, and, in that, emotionally affecting enough–the result of the dramatic ménage à trois of Aleš Kot, Danijel Žeželj, and Jordie Bellaire–to demand immediately a 22 I&N 22 from me, awash in a sympathetic afterglow. I want to feel that again. And again.

Evolution #10 (Image)
Ice Cream Man #7 (Image)
Eleven to Eternity #11 (Image)
Skyward #6 (Image): I&N Demand So thrown by the sacrifice, I 22 I&N 22’d #5, another high-flying, peril-full issue from Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela, and Simon Bowland. Now, it’s time to see if Willa–her father’s journal in her hands and a heavy, heavy mandate in her heart–will follow through, if she will do what she needs to do–which is to, you know, fix.the.world. #staygrounded

Black Hammer: Age of Doom #5 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand Re: #4: Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston, and Dave Stewart serve up some seriously strong women with a lop-sided sack of ineffectual men as garnish. Yeah, the bros are silly sideshows, supplementing the driving feminaction with neutered passivity. But, in the end, the fantasy world in which they’ve been living is a meticulously-plotted perversion of reality, molded by one of their own: it’s, ironically, a phallic safe space hurtling through the heavens. But now that the heroes are woke, that safe space is going to fill up mighty fast–if not with fists, certainly with equally as menacing questions that could blow the ship out of the fucking sky. Man, I can’t wait for answers!

Ether: The Copper Golems #5 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand I knew the end was coming, but that knowledge hasn’t made any softer the blow of the prospect of turning the final page of this inspired, imaginative, and innovative arc of the magical Ether mythos. David Rubín’s ever-moving map of Matt Kindt’s one-of-a-kind mind has led to this; and I, for one, will eagerly yet apprehensively turn every page, and with the last, reflecting, will find satisfaction in knowing that, in having read Ether, I’ve stood atop the comic book equivalent of Everest.

Batman #55 (DC): I&N Demand Breaking News Alert: President Trump has ordered the release of FISA documents, text messages, notes, and other goodies related to the prostate-tickling probe into Russian collusion. And, wouldn’t you know, on the heels of that order, here comes Batman #55, featuring the undeniably Russian KGBeast. Coincidence? I think so. Still, Tom King and Tony S. Daniel better be ready for a tweetstorm–one from a rapidly moving front of loyal readers celebrating what’ll probably be another undeniably brilliant issue of Batman.

Batman: Damned #1 (DC)
Mister Miracle #11 (DC): I&N Demand Mister Miracle is an emotional inter-dimensional teleportation device, and, boy, am I enjoying the ride–in spite of/especially because of the hitting so close to home with the thoughtfully-wrought family dynamic, fraught with effectually infinite frustration and nod-off-and-you’ll-miss-’em microscopic moments of joy. Toss in the, you know, high stakes of the Highfather’s suicidal stratagem, and, well, it is what it is, mister: another goddamned miracle from Tom King and Mitch Gerads. Re: #11: This cover offers up a uneasy inevitability. I’m already feeling it weighing down my arms, my legs–and I’m not even holding the damn thing. Ugh. That menacing sentence: “Darkseid is.” I mean, I know what he can be, and that’s freaking me the fuck out. But, you know–you know what? I am. I am, too. And I know what I am: I am scared. Yeah. I’m not sure I want to read this.

Pearl #2 (DC/Jinxworld)
The Wild Storm #17 (DC)
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (Marvel)
The Immortal Hulk #6 (Marvel)
Venom #6 (Marvel)
Black Badge #2 (BOOM!): I&N Demand [Due to a quirk in my reading/writing schedule, I wrote a review for BB #1 back in my I&N Store post for books out on 8/8. I’m reprinting it here because it reflects well my initial and my enduring reaction to the superlative first issue.]
- I’m kind of a Kindt junkie, and, logically, following with more figurative language, Black Badge is my next fix–oh, and how satisfying #1 was. Exploiting the same chemical formula that worked so well in the intoxicatingly agitative Grass Kings–Kindt+Jenkins^2=masterfully mature storytelling and a well-deserved Eisner nom–Black Badge bursts onto the scene like a nostalgia bomb with a perfectly-paced adventure that calls to mind the ubiquitous kidventure movies of the ’80s (Stand by Me and The Explorers were two of my faves) and mirrors those games my friends and I used to play on the farm, as we’d battle imaginary Nazis or Russians a la Where Eagles Dare or Red Dawn. These kids, however, aren’t playing a game–and neither is the creative team: this is some dark stuff; and like good little scouts, we best be prepared for more. See: “Nobody can do what [they] can do. No one can go where [they] can go.” (Hey! you say? “They”? Doubled for your pleasure, fair reader! OK, you got me: mostly for mine.) For the week [of 8/8], Black Badge #1 is #1 with a ~~bullet~~ drone strike.
- Re: anticipating #2, recalling the last page of #1: I’m all-in on the mission. I’m the Fifth Badger headed for the bus. Well, the pre-teen I–drawn out so brilliantly by Kindt and the Jenkinses–am, anyway.
- - Scott. Escape reader.* Comic book in back pocket, crinkled cover hanging on by a staple. A penchant for mud pies.

Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome #3 (Valiant)
Strangers in Paradise XXV #6 (Abstract Studio)

*That’s Scott me, not Scott Free. Just worked out that way.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Store 9/5

06 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Store

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Aftershock, Batman, Black Mask, Border Town, Breathless, Brian Michael Bendis, Captain America, clankillers, Come Into Me, Cover, David Lapham, David Mack, DC Comics, Dead Hand, Image Comics, Jinxworld, Kyle Higgins, Leviathan, Marvel, Matt Wagner, Paper Girls, Stephen Mooney, Stray Bullets, Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses, Thanos: Legacy, The Dreaming, The Immortal Hulk, The United States vs. Murder Inc., Tom King, unnatural, Vertigo

I&N Store–The Back to Work edition. You know what that means: the list may be long, but time is short. To it.

Dead Hand #6 (Image): I&N Demand In #5, Kyle Higgins, Stephen Mooney, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles ratchet up the tension by framing a highly-anticipated and well-crafted backstory with, despite the fanciful stakes, uncomfortably real family conflict. See: the stubbornly curious Harriet has been hooked up with the sitch regarding Roger, which seems reasonable–right?–especially as Renae and Carter sense the increasingly-urgent need for a contingency plan, which goes to shit–should’ve seen it coming–with a semi-automatic surprise ending. Reflection: Should. Expect. Surprises. Bookkeeping: there have been some shocking moments so far in Dead Hand. But those moments–they’re far from dead hands themselves; if anything, they’re living feet kicking me to the comic store to get my eager hands on the next issue.

deadh6

Leviathan #2 (Image)
Paper Girls #24 (Image)
Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #38 (Image): I&N Demand What. A. Trip! In #37, David Lapham revs-up a racing narrative that reflects Beth and Orson’s sex-drugs-and rock-n-roll road ~~trip~~ stumble like a shattered rear-view mirror. “This is fucking gold,” indeed. But as we all know from Frost–and as evidenced by the final ~~splash~~ crash page–“Nothing gold can stay.” Oh, I’m on pins and cactus needles waiting to crack open this one!

sbsr

Unnatural #4 (Image)
Batman #54 (DC): I&N Demand After the spectacularly-presented spiritual crisis of the finale of “Cold Days,” Tom King and guest artist Matt Wagner–of the magical Mage (God, those beautiful green bubbles drew a bubbly boy to his LCS–the original Amazing Comics–and to the rack in the back way back in the day to discover the hero, who’s still swinging, there’s no denying!)–give us something to believe in.

bat54

Border Town #1 (DC/Vertigo)
Cover #1 (DC/Jinxworld): I&N Demand David Mack interiors–sold! Bendis ain’t so bad, either; though, then, this: he’s better when he’s Mackin’, yo! And can’t cover Cover completely without this Cover cover; so here it is, you soon-to-be Cover lover, you:

covercover

The Dreaming #1 (DC/Vertigo)
The United States vs. Murder Inc. #1 (DC/Jinxworld)
Captain America #3 (Marvel)
The Immortal Hulk #5 (Marvel)
Thanos: Legacy #1 (Marvel)
Breathless #4 (Black Mask)
Clankillers #3 (AfterShock)
Come Into Me #3 (Black Mask)

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Store 8/15

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Store

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

22 I&N 22, aftershock comics, Andrea Sorrentino, antonio fabela, babyteeth, Batman, bruce wayne, Dark Horse Comics, Dave Stewart, david rubín, DC Comics, Donny Cates, Elizabeth Breitweiser, ether the copper golems, evolution, Garry Brown, gideon falls, Heart of Darkness, ice cream man, Image Comics, Images and Nerds, in demand, Jeff Lemire, joe henderson, Lee Garbett, Lee Weeks, mage: the hero denied, Matt Kindt, mr. freeze, pearl, previews, reviews, rihanna, skyward, slayer, the gravediggers union, the weatherman, the wild storm, Tom King, volition

I know, I know: you want to know which comics are worth your time and money this week. I mean, that is why you’re here, right? Don’t worry–I’ve got you covered. Without further ado, uh, don’t read too quickly–or you’ll miss the good stuff. I mean, that’s why you’re here. Right?

Evolution #9 (Image)
Gideon Falls #6 (Image): I&N Demand Five Five Five Five Five–what a fucking ride. Jeff Lemire plants more and more seeds, revealing further the investment the characters have in the still-burgeoning mystery of the Black Barn; and, in the end, he opens the door to those characters’–and to our–greatest fears; and those fears, friends, are red. Blood. Red. And the pace, the pulse, the arrhythmic beat that drives the blood, is set by the heart of the book: Andrea Sorrentino’s stunningly disorienting layouts, which, along with Dave Stewart’s palpitating palette, bring the reader into that psychotic space–into the madness, the anxiety, and, yes, into the aforementioned fear–not unlike how, in Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad exploits his overwrought prose to take his reader on a necessarily arduous journey of self-reflection; and, as we hold #6, we’ll be holding hands with the creators, with the characters–and together, we’ll head into the red.

The Gravediggers Union #9 (Image)
Ice Cream Man #6 (Image)
Mage: The Hero Denied #11 (Image)
Skyward #5 (Image): I&N Demand Look! Up in the sky! It’s a girl–and she can fly! While another comic’s she could fly, this one can, kinda, thanks to the gravity fail that befell the planet. Four issues in Joe Henderson’s shown a propensity for using the requisite twenty-two in a measured manner, keeping himself grounded in his high-sky “Low-G” world. It’s a smart approach, his pushing Willa forward, staying tethered to Willa; doing so sustains the relationship we have with her and amplifies the issue-focused–and issue-to-issue–tension, as, in this case, she continues to navigate her relationship with her father–not unlike her making her way through the city like some angelic aerialist–in the face of her accidentally selling him out. Lee Garbett’s artwork–with colors by Antonio Fabela–sells well the weightlessness of the characters yet doesn’t undermine the gravity of the situation. The best evidence: the dangerous yet beautiful double-page spread and the final page turn. Enough to take your breath away.

sky

The Weatherman #3 (Image)
The Wicked & The Divine #38 (Image)
Ether: The Copper Golems #4 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand I can’t get enough of what Matt Kindt and David Rubín are doing with Ether: The Copper Golems. It’s a gift is what it is: it’s Kindt coaxing the very best out of a game Rubín in order to emphatically express his confidence in humanity. Every page–the meticulous and magical arrangement of joyful words and vibrant colors–exudes love; each issue is a clarion call to us readers–us lucky readers–to aspire to be more because inherently we are more. There’s a legacy–it’s literary, it’s artistic, it’s philosophical, it’s spiritual–that is our burden and our destiny. I see it: it’s “sweetness and light”–and it’s beautiful. I certainly loved #3 enough to make it the subject of my inaugural 22 I&N 22. Something–wait, no, it’s someone–more: someones–certainly Kindt and Rubín, their story resonating still–are telling me that I’m going to love this one, too.

ether

Batman #53 (DC): I&N Demand At this point, there’s very little to say as to why Batman is I&N Demand. “Tom King’s at the top of his game.” “Tom King is in complete control of blah blah blah.” “Tom is the King of yada yada.” It’s all been said. For the love of all that’s holy, he’s got nothing left to prove. Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, has something to prove–he said as much at the end of #52; and I can’t wait to hear it. (To be fair, I’ll reserve my judgment until after reading; but I am inclined to believe whatever he says. I’ve been conditioned.) I can’t wait to see it, either: Lee Weeks’ work is stunning–with Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colors, it’s iceconic–with intricate panel work–that Bat vs. Freeze through the various Ice Ages is fire; and Bat’s ground and pound is bloody cold, man, reminiscent of Mark “The Hammer” Coleman–and massive splashes, each a frozen tableau that takes the temperature down, down, down, deep into the cold black of Bruce’s guilt. (Oh, those blacks tho.) So, as I initially insisted: it’s just another week in King’s run–I&N Demand, in perpetuity.

bats

Pearl #1 (DC)
The Wild Storm #16 (DC)
Babyteeth #12 (Aftershock): I&N Demand Raining blood. Raining. Goddamned. Blood. That’s so fucking metal! But right in the middle of that shit, Sadie and Clark, under an “umbrella-ella-ella ay ay ay.” Pop! Yup: that was a vessel in my brain bursting from the strain of having to reconcile this blasphemous–and pretty fucking funny–genrerational mash-up! Great, great Garry Brown cover. It shows that a mother will protect her child from the nastiest weather; and Sadie, well, she wants her baby back, baby back, baby back–and she’ll go through hell to get him. Donny Cates continues to craft Babyteeth as a fiery epic that flashes its horns and stealthily smirks at the true believers who flash ’em back in a sign of Satanic solidarity. I am “awaiting the hour of reprisal” with my horns held high. Babyteeth “shall [no doubt] reign in blood.”

teeth

Volition #1 (Aftershock)

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Store 8/1

01 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Al Ewing, Ann Nocenti, Antonio Fuso, Avatar, Batman, Black Mask, Black Mask Studios, Brian K. Vaughan, Captain America, Cliff Chiang, Daniel Gete, David Aja, David Lapham, DC Comics, Garry Brown, Image, Image Comics, Jerome Opena, Kieron Gillen, Lee Weeks, Leviathan, Marvel, Mister Miracle, Mitch Gerads, Paper Girls, Patrick Kindlon, Rick Remender, Seven to Eternity, Stray Bullets, Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses, Survival Fetish, The Immortal Hulk, The Quantum Age, The Seeds, The Wilds, Tom King, Uber: Invasion

Since it’s summertime, I’m Superdad full time; so I’m lucky enough to have my two daughters with me when I go to my favorite LCS–the great Android’s Amazing Comics, of course. The girls just love to browse the shop, to check out the comics–they really know how to handle them–and the blind bags–they certainly know how to handle them–and the–as my little one calls them–soft things: you know: a rainbow of My Little Ponies and blood-red My Murderous Deadpools–all the things kids love! Oh, it’s such a joy, especially since they let me take my time–without any distractions at all!–at the big wall of new books.

I pray I find these:

Leviathan #1 (Image)
Paper Girls #23 (Image)
Seven to Eternity #10 (Image)
Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #37 (Image): I&N Demand I loved #36! It’s easily one of my favorite single issues of the year. David Lapham emptied his clip into that one: Spanish Scott and Monster–talk about toxic masculinity! (Oooh, this issue’s a black and white Superfund site!) “Monsters are comin’,” indeed! Gotta love those bad dudes–but not as much as Love Yourself–err—himself. I fell for that fucker right away, and it’s no surprise why: on the surface, he’s sunshine and roses; but on the inside, there’s some kinda complicated shit goin’ on. The love, the pain, the humor in the bespectacled face of death–I rooted my ass off for Love. And that final page, tho. That‘s a stray bullet right through the motherfucking heart. Color me kinda nervous going into this next one. Fucking monsters.

The Quantum Age #2 (Dark Horse)
The Seeds #1 (Dark Horse/Berger Books): I&N Demand In short:David Aja–just bee cause. A maze sting! (To quote Eisner-winner Tom King, who is very I&N Demand this week: “I’m sorry.”)

Batman #52 (DC): I&N Demand Batman vs. Bruce Wayne! OK, so Bruce was a little hot after being left at the ledge. Does that mean he–as Bat–had to put the heat on Freeze? Hell yeah it does! But Bruce gets it: he knows he went too far; and now, to remedy the situation, he’s got to fight eleven fellow Gothamites–those very citizens he’s fought for all along while wearing the cape and cowl! I can’t wait to see how this plays out. Tom King–FYI: CIA BEF DC–takes his take on torture/enhanced interrogation techniques to the chilly jury room, and Lee Weeks kills it with his gritty realism. All together, #51 is powerful issue that sets up one heck of a Battle–let the deliberations begin!

Mister Miracle #10 (DC): I&N Demand I’ve never cared for the New Gods. But now–now I care about the New Gods–because through nine issues, the New King has taken us through one emotional Boom Tube after another. He–with the Eisner-winning help of Mitch Gerads–has got the gods grounded in the real and still they’re goddin’ it well enough to make it all so much more. One thing Scott Free will never escape: Tom King–they’re chained together forevermore.

Captain America #2 (Marvel)
The Immortal Hulk #4 (Marvel): I&N Demand I really liked #1. #2 was aight. It had me kinda like Do I need this? (Already droppin’ lots of green every Wednesday, so…) I picked up #3 anyway and was totally Whoa! Al Ewing won me over with the multiple-perspectives-as-offered-by-multiple-artists approach. (Excited to see Garry Brown bangin’ out Big Green.) Loved it! It was ~~incredible~~ immortal! Happy to see, too, a little Alpha Flight action there at the end. As I told someone recently–if commenting on Instagram counts as telling: Alpha Flight is the bacon of comics: they make any book better! Two gamma-irradiated biceps way waaaaay up! Hoping this one flexes its muscles, too.

Survival Fetish #3 (Black Mask): I&N Demand Through two, the all-ways moving Survival Fetish really gratifies: the premise is super sexy; Patrick Kindlon’s writing is sharp–the narration and the dialogue double-teaming to deliver an engaging read; but the star of the show is Antonio Fuso, whose black and white art scrupulously sells Saheer’s experience–his ever-evolving “movement”–and, ultimately, runs this fucking town. In fact, I’m gonna sprint to the comic shop as soon as it opens to get my hands on this one–’cause there’ll probably only be one or two on the shelf and it’d suck to miss it–especially after the wait (it’s been a while) and after having re-read #2 to get my feet under me. Damn that was good!

Uber: Invasion #15 (Avatar)
The Wilds #4 (Black Mask)

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N the Scottlight: Batman #5

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Batman, David Finch, DC Comics, Gotham, Jordie Bellaire, Tom King

Prepare to be spoiled.

STL014019

Wow.

I felt that.

Head. Gut. Heart.

A heaviness.

“Do what you can do.”

Tom King–with help from David Finch, a trio of inkers, and the ubiquitous Jordie Bellaire–did what he can do–did what he does better than anybody else: he crushed me under the weight of a twenty-two page comic book.

He’s got a knack for that, what with The Sheriff of Babylon and The Vision. But this–this is Batman. It’s different. The expectations are different. The investment is different.

Well, I got my two hundred and ninety-nine pennies worth with the first five pages, during which King delivers a dynamic duo of harrowing and hilarious as Alfred–in full Batman regalia–does what he can do to stall for time, to keep Gotham–the hero-come-Pirated villain who wants to destroy the city that inspired his name–occupied until Batman can do what he can do to get to ground zero. You know how Al rolls: he crashes the Batmobile into Gotham and then confronts him like Sugar-Substitute Ray Leonard, and high-capes it outta there once Batman lets him know he’s arrived on scene.

Too effing much!

Important to the sequence as a whole is Alfred’s sentimental soliloquy, in which the brave-ass butler recalls promising Thomas Wayne that he’d care for Bruce if the need arose–and that it’d be “more a pleasure than a chore” because of how simple life would be for the boy. Powerful stuff, Alfred’s fulfilling that promise in this instance: standing up for Bruce the man–the Batman.

Felt that.

Turned the page.

Felt the Batboot and soon the “BDDOOOM”; felt the plane and then the Justice Out-of-Their-League.

Felt the futility of it all.

Felt the fragility of Duke and Claire. Felt the damsel’s distress as she pulled back the curtain to reveal Gotham as god with a short fuse; felt her find the courage to be the hero–the courage to do what she can do–knowing full well she’d lose for winning.

Felt funny as I tried to figure out whether or not Batman ordered Gotham’s murder–whether or not I wanted him to have ordered Gotham’s murder: “Fine. Fine. Do it, then. Kill Gotham.”

Reread it over and over again.

Felt funnier each time.

Felt this before, for sure: a slice Of Mice and Men.

Sounded a hell of a lot like George’s “Gonna do it soon.”

Ended the same way.

Wow.

I felt that.

Head. Gut. Heart.

A heaviness.

That is what Tom King can do–and, man, I can’t wait for him to do it again.

Feel me?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (8/17)

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Backstagers, Batigirl and The Birds of Prey, Batman, Black Hammer, Black Road, Black Widow, BOOM!, Brian Wood, Briggs Land, Chelsea Cain, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Dean Ormston, Dynamite Entertainment, Essex County, IDW, Jamie McKelvie, Jeff Lemire, Kieron Gillen, Klaus, Marvel, Matthew Wilson, Mockingbird, My Little Pony: Friends Forever, Nightwing, Powerpuff Girls, Red Team: Double Tap, Strawberry Shortcake, Suicide Squad, Superman, The Joyners, The Massive, The Mighty Thor, Tom King

Ugh. I’m running out of vacation–and discretionary income. Rebirth is partly to blame for both, thanks to bigger weekly bags and bills. Also to blame: my love for the heroes of my childhood and my having the constitution of a totalitarian state.

DC and me!

Oh, there’s other stuff, too.

Black Hammer #2 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand Re: #1: Jeff Lemire nailed it: he delivered Essex County with superheroes. Finally. A nice way to follow up Plutonia, which lived in that realm, for sure, but leaned more on the kids than on the capes. Lemire lets loose here, trusting his instincts, as he fans the flames of familiarity, forging, with Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart’s beautiful balance between fantastic and rustic, something unflinchingly fresh. I’ve been down on Lemire’s “doing what he does” to decidedly disappointing degrees (Descender/Sweet Tooth, Trillium/Hawkeye, Bloodshot: Reborn/Moon Knight); here, however, the antecedent doesn’t drown out the current–it enlivens it.

STK676026

Briggs Land #1 (Dark Horse): Just I&N Brian Wood’s as good as it gets. His Black Road–also out this week—is a solid book: it has a Massive feel to it, and satisfies for that; but I’m hungry for more, you know, with the final course of the perfectly plated Starve having been served up far, far too soon. Expectations are very high for this one. Hey: This is a Briggs deal, I&Nmates!

STL013865

Batgirl and The Birds of Prey #1 (DC)
Batman #5 (DC): I&N Demand Re: #4: Fear has a new number: 27. Through four issues, Tom King’s got Batman doing things by the numbers–in more ways than one; oh, add ’em up yourself–but this one’s let him down. Aww, snap! The personification of Gotham makes for many wrinkles that King’ll most assuredly irony out by arc’s end. It might take a miracle, man, to put this kid down. Does Batman have it in him? I can’t wait to see how this rounds out!

STL014128-2

Nightwing #3 (DC)
Suicide Squad #3 (DC)
Superman #5 (DC)
Black Road #5 (Image)
The Wicked & The Divine #22 (Image): I&N Demand A monthly bright spot–not only because of Matthew Wilson’s way cray-cray colors. OK, mostly because of Wilson’s way cray-cray colors. Sure, Gillen’s greatness shines here, too; and McKelvie’s impeccable consistency is absolutely ambrosial. Thing is, when I think WicDiv, I get most excited about the prospect of Wilson’s wielding his nonpareil palette in yet another innovative way. (He’s also killing it over on Black Widow and hammering home The Mighty Thor, which are out this week, as well. But if you’re a Wilson enthusiast, you already know that!)

STL014345

Black Widow #6 (Marvel)
The Mighty Thor #10 (Marvel)
Mockingbird #6 (Marvel): I&N Demand Re: #5: “There’s a gift store?” Damn right, there is–and it’s well stocked with Mockingbird! Thank you, Chelsea Cain for your quirky chaos, which is clearly a clever way to, at the same time, mask and amplify your obsessive control over the story you’re telling. High praise: reminds of James Ausmus’s recent run on Quantum & Woody. Concern: these big-event tie-ins more often than not murder momentum. I’m gonna go into this one singing, “We will, we will Mock you!” So good or bad, I’m covered!

STL013393