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Tag Archives: Daredevil: End of Days

Microviews: Winning Over Hearts and Minds

26 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in Microviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Batman Incorporated, Bob Crane, Chris Burnham, Chris Samnee, Daredevil, Daredevil: Dark Nights, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, Dean Motter, Family Guy, George Reeves, Grant Morrison, Howard Chaykin, Image, Lee Loughridge, Lee Weeks, Mark Waid, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Mister X: Eviction, Satellite Sam

Unless you’re blind to what’s been going on in the world of comics lo these past two years, you know that Daredevil’s kind of a big deal: thanks to Mark Waid–and at present, the superb Chris Samnee–the sightless savior of Hell’s Kitchen–and Marvel’s very own messiah–is as must-see as ever. Aside from the flagship series–which has recently earned a number of Harvey nods–ol’ Hornhead has found a home in a couple of minis, including the recently wrapped up–and surprisingly effective–Daredevil: End of Days and the current Daredevil: Dark Nights (Marvel). The former has an all-star team of DD vets attached to it, both on the writing side and the art side; the latter, too, boasts a DD vet, artist Lee Weeks, who, this time around, takes quite a leap by wielding two pens: he’s the hand behind the images and the words. Daring, right?

Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

Issue #1, a serviceable offering on its own, suffered a bit for a couple of reasons, neither necessarily related to the issue itself: for one, it came out on the same day as the final issue of End of Days; and two, it’s yet another DD story predicated upon a potentially fatal medical condition. (Get well, Foggy!) In terms of the story itself, Weeks certainly delivers the danger: thing is, the danger’s doubled: yes, there’s the obvious concern for the young girl who is in need of a new heart; but a more pressing danger rears its deadly head: is Weeks tugging too hard on the ol’ heartstrings here?

With #2, we learn that the answer is a firm no: it’s clear that Weeks was simply setting us up for this fearless issue–one in which the Man Without Fear races selflessly against two indefatigable foes: time and the elements. Weeks himself wastes no time establishing an integral element to his story: Daredevil will not bet deterred. He can’t stop; he can’t help poor Jonny–“Not today”; he’s “made [his] choice”: he’s focused on “precious cargo”–on a heart with a little girl’s name on it. Art-wise, Weeks conjures up a Daredevil who is perpetual motion: as the hero strains against the snow, we feel every muscle, each a snow plow, pushing forward, beating like blood through occluded veins back to the heart; as he hangs on a light post, we sense that the post is hanging on just as tightly as he, and both are profoundly exhausted; as he swims in frigid waters, we feel the cold, the desperation, and we hold our collective breath in hopes of his finding “Hannah’s hope.” With heart in hand, Daredevil continues his treacherous trek, stopping only to clean up a small mess in his Kitchen; see: “[s]ome things can’t be ignored.” And one of those things is: he’s a hero. His choice to save the young woman from an attacker–perhaps the easiest challenge he’s faced this night–comes with a price, however; undoubtedly worn from the effort that got him this far–and so agonizingly close to his goal!–he collapses, leaving him defenseless against time, a tireless antagonist–and he’s in no shape to hold back the hands that so heartlessly hold Hannah’s fate with every tick, tick, tick.

Sure, a cliche hangs over this arc like a threatening cloud, but Weeks transcends it with solid storytelling and gorgeous artwork (with an assist from color artist Lee Loughridge) and guides us on a wintery journey into the heart and mind of a true guardian angel.

In Batman Incorporated #12 (DC), Gotham’s guardian–the still grieving Batman–“SSKKKRRRIIIIIII”‘s himself back into the fray, and he’s unstoppable: he’s heartbroken and breaking heads–more accurately, a figurehead. Busted! Sure, it takes a while to get to that point; in fact, the extended fight sequence is not unlike the classic Family Guy battle between Peter and an ill-tempered chicken; but there’s a clear method to Grant Morrison’s madness: it showcases Batman’s untameable rage, which is as honest a response as one might expect from a father who is facing down his son’s killer; and which is only tempered by a startling revelation: his son’s killer is–“Urr.  God.  No”–his son! Well, kind of. And as startling as that is, another scene comes out ahead: Talia decapitates her monstrous progeny and then detonates him, bringing about the literal “fall [of] the house of Wayne.”

Batman Incorporated

Batman Incorporated

Despite the previously mentioned protracted sky-scraping scrap, this issue feels somewhat rushed, especially as the final page plays out. However, Morrison’s the master of making an awkward narrative come off as elevated; and, it’s no surprise, he hits the mark here in the series’ penultimate issue, as well. As he brings his own creation to an abrupt end, with an assist from the always effective Chris Burnham, we’re treated to a ballsy Batman story that continues to defy expectations–which is exactly what we expect from the enigmatic–and unapologetically unstoppable–Mr. Morrison.

A series that, sadly, does come to an end this week is Dean Motter’s brilliant Mister X: Eviction (Dark Horse). Oh, we’ve extolled the many virtues of the first two issues in previous posts: here and here; and now with #3, we’re ready to extol some more. I mean, look at this cover, for crying out loud! Pretty grate, isn’t it?

Mister X: Eviction #3

Mister X: Eviction #3

Part A of the Conclusion cock-a-doodle-doos with a robot painting a wall–yet another clever way of insinuating the title of the book into the story itself–and wakes with Rosetta’s reminding us of “the quest for” Mercedes, who is still holed up in the Municipal Purgatorium.  Motter makes his way through the remainder of the the first half of the finale by employing inventive panel-to-panel transitions, witty banter, a pair of well-placed stories (a fun one about the Ajax and a philosophical one about anatomically-themed tattoos), and by closing the the whole puppet show with a some silly symmetry: Mister X breaks the fourth wall–not the freshly painted one, much to the relief of a certain robot–as he explains how he “just happened to bring cable cutters” to the Purgatorium: he slyly states, “They were useful some pages back.”  I mean, duh.  Oh, and, uh, he and Rosetta get captured, so…

After a trippy–and an all sorts of creepy–little interlude, Motter jumps into Part B by jumping forward in time: two-thirds of the extraction team–the adult portion–face “one slight problem”: they’re bound to tables and about to be broken by “Heartbreak.”  Thing is, Rosetta knows him; in fact, “at one time, [she] called him ‘Sweetheart'” because they “dated years ago–until he fell in with the wrong crowd.”  She uses this “in” to facilitate her getting out: he satisfies her request for a drink and a smoke and ends up with a fireball to the face.  A simple “Thank you” would have sufficed!  From there, Andy, who had avoided apprehension, sets his teammates free, and the three of them liberate Mercedes and the tattooed Mr. Smith–the former, convinced that Mister X has more of a heart than he cares to advertise; and the latter, revealed to be a “doppelgandroid,” who helps Mr. X bring down the Purgatorium.  The reason for the impromptu renovation remains a mystery to Rosetta–so too do the whereabouts of Mister X–but the results are clear: things have changed in Radiant City.

And with a final toast, it seems everything’s all right–even on the aforementioned last page, where Motter juxtaposes the junked–and right-handed–Fasces of Power with Smith’s left hand, a symbol of sacrifice that rests atop some rubble and answers Mercedes’ question with an appropriately “WRONG” answer.

On its own, the issue stands as a testament to Motter’s mastery of the medium; as a part of a whole, it’s a perfectly executed exodus that leaves Mister X–and me–looking toward the future of Radiant City.

But, gosh, as much as I loved Mister X, I enjoyed Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin’s Satellite Sam #1 (Image) a touch more.  Let’s consider the cover, shall we?

Satellite Sam #1

Satellite Sam #1

What better way to break in the first issue of a series that proudly promises sex and death?  Chaykin essentially treats us to a curiously clad couple’s “first time”: in this case, however, it’s the woman–whoever she may be–who has made the man bleed, and she’s got the smoking phallus–er, gun–to prove her primacy.

Once inside–the comic, sicko–Chaykin thrusts us back in time to the ’50s with his glorious black and white artwork, which sets the stage for Fraction’s simmering television studio.  The intercourse amongst the many characters–equal parts playful and intense–is reminiscent of Fraction’s fantastically busy FF and his endearingly cavalier Hawkeye.  It works especially well here as the writer takes us behind the scenes of a live television show–in this case, one thrown for loop because of a missing star; and then he pulls the curtain back further to show us what goes on behind those scenes: not surprisingly, what ultimately makes its way into America’s living rooms is a means to an end: it’s all about politics, power, and lining the pockets of custom-made suits.

What’s made its way into our hands is a terrific pilot episode.  Fraction and Chaykin have manufactured a murder mystery worth solving–one that borrows from real-life mysteries surrounding the deaths of television personalities, including the pervy Bob Crane (Hogan’s Heroes) and the steely George Reeves (Superman)–and have introduced a sympathetic character worth following in the reluctant protagonist Michael White, a Clark Kent lookalike and heartbroken son of the deceased, and decidedly depraved, Carlyle White.  Like Michael–who extemporaneously stands in for his dad on the set of Satellite Sam and who, in the final panel, exasperatingly sits on his father’s floor with a Pandora’s Box of pop tarts–I want to know “what the hell [Carlyle] was into.”  Here’s something I do know, however: they’ve won me over: Satellite Sam‘s my Book of the Week (7/3)!

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

03 Monday Jun 2013

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alberto Ponticelli, All-New X-Men, Archer & Armstrong, Astro City, Avatar, Bedlam, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, China Mieville, comics, Craig Cermak, Daredevil: Dark Nights, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, David Mack, DC Comics, Dean Motter, Dial H, Dynamite, East of West, Elena Casagrande, Fred Van Lente, Garth Ennis, J. Michael Straczynski, Jason Latour, Jonathan Hickman, Justin Jordan, Kieron Gillen, Klaus Janson, Kurt Busiek, Lee Weeks, Marvel, Mike Carey, Mister X: Eviction, Nick Spencer, Patrick Zircher, Pere Perez, Rachel Rising, Red Team, Ryan Browne, Shadowman, Stuart Immonen, Suicide Risk, Ten Grand, Terry Moore, Uber, Valiant, Wednesday, Winter Soldier

I’ll take one of everything, please.

  • Mister X: Eviction #2 (Dark Horse): #1 was one of my favorite books of May.  Looking forward to this–and not just because of its gorgeous cover:
Mister X: Eviction #2

Mister X: Eviction #2

  • Astro City #1 (DC): I don’t have any history with this title, but I’m willing to give it–and Kurt Busiek–a shot.
  • Dial H #13 (DC): The funeral march has begun–for, arguably, DC’s best, certainly most consistently creative, monthly title.
Dial H #13

Dial H #13

  • Bedlam #7 (Image): With it comes a new artist: Ryan Browne.  And just like that, I may become a former reader of Bedlam.  Or I may love it more.  That’s why we read ’em, folks.
  • East of West #3 (Image): I’d really like this to knock my socks off the way Hickman’s own The Manhattan Projects does.  Chances are it won’t, but I’d still like to like it.  #2 was a decent step in that direction.
  • Ten Grand #2 (Image): Sure, JMS is a name, but this story seems like it could be just more of the same.  If #2 breaks away from the pack, even just a bit, I’ll stick with it.  If not, I’m off.
  • All-New X-Men #12 (Marvel): It is what it is–or even slightly less than that now that Brian Wood’s in X-Town.
  • Daredevil: Dark Nights #1 (Marvel): Just what I need: another DD mini by a DD legend–in this case, Lee Weeks.  Oy.
Daredevil: Dark Nights #1

Daredevil: Dark Nights #1

  • Daredevil: End of Days #8 (Marvel): A real surprise.  With the names on it, shouldn’t’ve been; but I don’t think anyone expected it to be this good.
  • Winter Soldier #19 (Marvel): Last issue whispered, “Don’t leave yet.”
  • Archer & Armstrong #10 (Valiant): Consistently solid.
  • Red Team #3 (Dynamite): Damn thing’s gonna take off.  I can feel it.  Check out the cover, for God’s sake.  I have a joke about it that doesn’t really work, but I’m gonna throw it out there anyway: Jesus Christ!  Talk about having someone in your cross hairs!
Red Team #3

Red Team #3

  • Rachel Rising #17 (Abstract Studio): Terry Moore’s rising, too.  No one does panel-to-panel suspense better than this guy.
  • Shadowman #7 (Valiant): No longer in the shadow of the other Valiant books.  In fact, it’s starting to cast its own, thanks to Justin Jordan and Patrick Zircher.
  • Suicide Risk #2 (BOOM!): #1 wasn’t remarkable–or if it was, it wasn’t for the right reasons.  To be fair, I’ll give it one more try.
  • Uber #2 (Avatar): Same here.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (3/6)

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Alberto Ponticelli, Alex Maleev, All-New X-Men, Andrea Sorrentino, Andy Diggle, Animal Man, Bedlam, Bill Sienkiewicz, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, China Mieville, Colder, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, David Mack, David Marquez, DC Comics, Dial H, Fairy Quest, Green Arrow, Humberto Ramos, Image, Janet Lee, Jason Latour, Jeff Lemire, Jim McCann, Jock, Joe Casey, Juan Ferreyra, Justin Jordan, Klaus Janson, Lost Vegas, Nic Klein, Nick Spencer, Patrick Zircher, Paul Jenkins, Paul Tobin, Piotr Kowalski, Riley Rossmo, Scott Snyder, Sex, Shadowman, Snapshot, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, Winter Soldier, Yanick Paquette

A formidable fascicle, indeed.  As yanked:

  • Fairy Quest #2 (I want Humberto Ramos tested for PEDs.  A simple flip through is all the evidence I need: this dude’s on fairy dust!  Pretty, pretty.)
  • Snapshot #2 (Cool cover and sweet b/w interior work by Jock.)
  • Lost Vegas #1 (Recommended by the shop guy.  Pass up an Image #1?  Never!)
Lost Vegas #1

Lost Vegas #1

  • All-New X-Men #8 (Ugh.  This may be the last nail I was hoping for.)
  • Green Arrow #18 (I see what’s happening here: Daredevil and Bullseye.  Works for me.)
  • Sex #1 (If you were expecting something else, you didn’t get it.  A more honest title you’re not likely to find.)
  • Swamp Thing #18 (Going in with an open mind–opened further by Paquette’s capable hands.)
  • Winter Soldier #16 (Love the cover.  That aside: this is the make-or-break issue.  Actually hoping for make.)
  • Daredevil: End of Days #6 (Will be one of the best books of the week.  At this point, it can’t help it.)
  • Shadowman #5 (It’s not every day that a comic makes the mainstream news.  No, wait.)
  • Bedlam #5 (I described it to my wife as “an ultra-violent book about the psychology of a serial killer.”  She seemed OK with it.  Full disclosure: she was pretty well locked into the final Wheel puzzle, so…)
  • Animal Man #18 (Well, speaking of expectations: this one comes with–right on the cover!  That, or a tragic how-to: how to effectively undermine a an otherwise suburb Jae Lee cover.)
Animal Man #18--Before

Animal Man #18 (Expectation-Free Edition!)

  • Colder #5 (This is it!)
  • Dial H #10 (I’m totally ready.)

Does my list look like your list?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alberto Ponticelli, All-New X-Men, Andrea Sorrentino, Andy Diggle, Animal Man, Bedlam, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, China Mieville, Colder, Cullen Bunn, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, David Mack, David Marquez, DC Comics, Dial H, Fairy Quest, Green Arrow, Helheim, Humberto Ramos, Image, Jason Latour, Jeff Lemire, Jock, Joe Casey, Juan Ferreyra, Justin Jordan, Mara, Marvel, Ming Doyle, Nick Spencer, Oni Press, Patrick Zircher, Paul Jenkins, Paul Tobin, Riley Rossmo, Scott Snyder, Sex, Shadowman, Snapshot, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, Winter Soldier, Yanick Paquette

I like big bags and I cannot lie.

Feeling Pullish

  • Colder #5 (Dark Horse): Glad this little Ice Age is over.
  • Animal Man #18 (DC): Almost there.  Almost over the Rot.  Looks like with #19, Lemire’s headed back to what made the book a must-read in the first place.  Just have to survive this one.
  • Dial H #10 (DC): #9 was a return to form.  Looks like a ruff ride this time around.  See for yourself.
    Dial H #10

    Dial H #10

    • Swamp Thing #18 (DC): Another Snyder superhero finale.  Expectations set to nada.
    • Bedlam #5 (Image): Last issue yanked me from the brink.
    Bedlam #5

    Bedlam #5

    • Daredevil: End of Days #6 (Marvel): This has been really good.  Probably the best Bendis going right now–and there’s a lot of Bendis going right now.
    • Shadowman #5 (Valiant): Another comic in the news?  Wouldn’t have expected Shadowman.  Lot of things I didn’t expect from Shadowman–including that I’d still be reading it through #5.

     

Feeling Plucky

  • Mara #3 (Image): Not my favorite, but I’m sticking with it–especially since it’s a mini.
  • Sex #1 (Image): Joe Casey’s new one’s had its share of hype–so much, in fact,  it’s practically been buzzed bald.  Considering, that might not be such a bad thing.
  • Snapshot #2 (Image): Might as well.
  • Green Arrow #18 (DC): Can’t bow out after one issue.  Lemire deserves at least two, maybe even a few.
  • Winter Soldier #16 (Marvel): Jason LaTour’s first issue certainly didn’t make me forget Ed Brubaker.  Surprisingly, it didn’t make me want to forget Winter Soldier.  Not yet, anyway.
Winter Soldier #16

Winter Soldier #16

  • Helheim #1 (Oni): I’m a little late to the Sixth Gun party.  Not gonna let this one slip by without a shot.
Helheim #1

Helheim #1

  • Fairy Quest #2 (BOOM!): There was something about #1 that I kinda dug.
  • All-New X-Men #8 (Marvel): Ugh.

This one’s got Bunns, hun.  So, I guess I want some.

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Action Comics, Alberto Ponticelli, All-New X-Men, Andy Diggle, Animal Man, Bill Sienkiewicz, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, China Mieville, Colder, Craig Cermak, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, David Mack, David Marquez, DC Comics, Dia De Los Muertos, Dial H, Dynamite, Fairy Quest, Garth Ennis, Grant Morrison, Green Arrow, Harbinger, Humberto Ramos, Image, Jason Latour, Jeff Lemire, Jock, Joshua Dysart, Juan Ferreyra, Justin Jordan, Klaus Janson, Marvel, Mico Suayan, Nic Klein, Patrick Zircher, Paul Jenkins, Paul Tobin, Rags Morales, Red Team, Riley Rossmo, Sara Pichelli, Scott Snyder, Shadowman, Snapshot, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, Ultimate Spider-Man, Valiant, Winter Soldier, Yanick Paquette

“What’s up?” you ask?  Yeah.  It’s more like what isn’t up.  Keeeeey-riced!  Check it:

Crisis of Definite Comics

  • Action Comics #17 (DC): Promises to be epic.  Either way, Morrison’s last will be mine as well.
  • Animal Man #17 (DC): Wondering where this is going to go after Rotworld.
  • Dial H #9 (DC): Didn’t kick off 2013 the way it stomped through 2012.  Expectations are still dialed up pretty high–and maybe that’s the problem.
  • Green Arrow #17 (DC): Lemire’s run begins.  Will it be a bull’s eye or another quivering misfire?
  • Swamp Thing #17 (DC): Not caring where this is going to go after Rotworld.  As with Morrison’s Action, Snyder’s last will be mine as well.
  • Daredevil: End of Days #5 (Marvel): #4 was really good.  In fact, halfway through, this mini has been surprisingly effective.
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #20 (Marvel): Venom?  Gag–unless he’s going to be used in an unexpected manner, which is totally possible.  Bendis has earned a long leash– even with a poisonous character like the toxic tongue wagger himself.
  • Harbinger #0 (Valiant): Great stuff.  So great, in fact, that I’m not worried about a zero diversion.  Not in the least.
  • Shadowman #4 (Valiant): Didn’t expect to get this far with it.
  • Snapshot #1 (Image): Looks interesting enough.  Don’t have much experience with Diggle.  I’m jumping on because of Jock, who has been doing some transcendent work on the Batman back-ups, or extensions, or whatever they are.
Snapshot #1

Snapshot #1

  • Garth Ennis’ Red Team #1 (Dynamite): Ennis is so hot right now he’s impossible to pass up.
Garth Ennis Red Team #1

Garth Ennis Red Team #1

  • Colder #4 (Dark Horse): Started off so well.  Unfortunately, has fallen faster than Declan’s body temperature.
  • Fairy Quest #1 (BOOM!): Jenkins and Ramos?  Come on: definitely worth a shot.
Fairy Quest #1

Fairy Quest #1

Is This a Comic Which I See Before Me?

  • All-New X-Men #7 (Marvel): Mainly because of Marquez.  Also because I’m an idiot.
  • Winter Soldier #15 (Marvel): Brubaker’s take is THE take, no doubt.  But why not try someone else’s take for at least an issue or two?  Can’t be worse than Remender’s Captain America for goodness sake.
  • Dia De Los Muertos #1 (Image): I’ll give it a quick flip.  Rossmo’s certainly worth a maybe.

I wonder if I’ll be able to buy some time, too; I’m gonna need it.  Yow-to-the-za!

What are you looking forward to?  Anything else I should keep an eye out for?

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (1/2)

02 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bill Sienkiewicz, Brian Michael Bendis, Bullseye, Colder, comics, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, Dave Stewart, David Mack, DC, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Image, Jeff Lemire, Juan Ferreyra, Justice League Dark, Klaus Janson, Marvel, Mikel Janin, Miles Morales, Paul Tobin, Ray Fawkes, Sara Pichelli, Sean Phillips, Ultimate Spider-Man, Venom, Wednesday, Zatanna

It’s a classic story: Boy gets bag.  Boy looks into bag.  Boy finds all the books he was hoping to find.  Boy closes bag.  Boy opens wallet.

B to the A to the G

  • Colder #3 (Another gorgeous cover from Juan Ferreyra.  And just underneath, a little hide and seek with Nimble Jack.  I’ve been starving for this one, so it’ll be my primo for the evening.  I mean, why wait?)
  • Fatale #11 (Gosh, I don’t think I’ve given enough credit to the colorist, Dave Stewart.  Friggin’ brilliant.  He’s just as much a part of setting the tone for this Top Ten book as the superstars whose names adorn the cover.)
  • Fury: My War Gone By #8 (Kicks off with a killer splash and a deadly hook: “You should have killed the little boy.”  Best first page of the year–so far, anyway.)
  • Justice League Dark #15 (Janin’s back and, thoughtful as always, brought a lot of Zatanna with him.   And, umm, Lemire’s got a co-writer: one Ray Fawkes.  I hope that doesn’t Fawke up the flow.)
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #19 (I just don’t care about Venom.  Thumbed through.  Still don’t care about Venom.  Potential saving grace: more Miles than Spidey-Miles.)
  • Daredevil: End of Days #4 (The promise of Bullseye is enough for me.)
Daredevil: End of Days #4 Cover

Daredevil: End of Days #4 Cover

Not a bad batch.  Might as well get to it.

What did you get in your bag today?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Brian Michael Bendis, Colder, comics, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, David Mack, David Marquez, David Mazzucchelli, DC, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Frankenstein, Fury Max, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Image, Jeff Lemire, Juan Ferreyra, Justice League Dark, Klaus Janson, Marvel, Mikel Janin, Paul Tobin, Sara Pichelli, Sean Phillips, Ultimate Spider-Man

To heck with the fancy shmancy ball: we all know that the new year doesn’t officially start until the books drop into our bags on Wednesday.  Here’s what I expect to find:

  • Colder #3 (Dark Horse): I’ve really enjoyed the first two issues–both the nimble storytelling by Paul Tobin and the crazy-good art by Juan Ferreyra.  Can’t wait to bust it out of the bag.
Colder #3 Cover

Colder #3 Cover

  • Justice League Dark #15 (DC): Jeff Lemire’s shining on the Dark.  And this arc sounds downright magical–illegally so!  Happy to know that Frankenstein has found a home, too, after his–our #6 title of 2012–was, sadly, shuttered.
  • Fatale #11 (Image): Our #5 title of 2012!  It’s showing no signs of slowing down, either.  Looks like Ed Brubaker’s going to share some secrets about Josephine.  I’m listening.
Fatale #11 Cover

Fatale #11 Cover

  • Daredevil: End of Days #4 (Marvel): It’s Daredevil, so I’m down–even if I’m not blown away by it.  I don’t think I’m too far off: the whole “Mapone” thing may be the least compelling mystery of the year.  Yet I buy, and I read.
  • Fury: My War Gone By #8 (Marvel): Our #9 title of 2012!  Garth Ennis is comicdom’s reigning war general; and he’s got two super soldiers primed to punish the Viet Cong.  Can’t go wrong.
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #19 (Marvel): After a long, hard slog through the United We Stand storyline, #18 finds Brian Michael Bendis finally returning to what makes this title swing: Miles sans mask.  (My favorite panel–wonderfully wordless–only works because we can see his face.) While I’m excited that #19 promises the return of the terrific Sarah Pichelli, I’m not exactly thrilled that it also threatens a potentially poisonous villain: the one-note Venom.  We’ll see what happens.

That ought to do it.  However…

Like most of you, I’ve read quite a few Top Ten Comics of 2012 lists over the last few days.  Now, thanks to my comrades-in-comics, I’ve got a lot of other bag-worthy books to consider.  Looks like I’ll be rackin’ it on Wednesday.

Let me know if there’s something I shouldn’t pass up.

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (12/5)

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Tags

Action Comics, Adventure Time, Amazing Spider-Man, Animal Man, Bill Sienkiewicz, Brian Azzarello, Brian Michael Bendis, China Mieville, Colder, Comedian, Dan Slott, Daniel Way, Daredevil: End of Days, David Lapham, David Mack, Dial H, Elektra, Frank Castle, Fury Max, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Grant Morrison, Humberto Ramos, Jeff Lemire, Juan Ferreyra, Klaus Janson, Marco Rudy, Paul Tobin, Rags Morales, Scott Snyder, Steve Dillon, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, Thunderbolts

I’m proud of myself.  So very, very proud of myself–mainly for what I didn’t leave with.  That, of course, doesn’t mean I got all of the books I wanted.  Here’s the super skinny:

The Gift of Bag

  • Action Comics #15
  • Animal Man #15
  • Dial H #7 (Looks like Lapham’s still on art duties.  Nothing wrong with that–especially after last month’s home run.  I thumbed through it and found some serious smile material.  Oh, Mr. Mieville, what pray-tell are you on?)
  • Swamp Thing #15 (Marco Rudy’s layouts look crazy!  I wonder how well they carry the story.)
  • Comedian #4 (Ugh.  Looks like it survived the pull list purge.  There’s a $4 oops.)
  • Fury Max #7 (Ennis shows ’em–including Azzarello on Comedian–how it’s done.)

Counterpicking

  • Daredevil: End of Days #3 (Worth the purch–if only for the spread across pages 2-3.  I’m such a slut for Elektra.)
  • Thunderbolts #1 (See previous comment.  Plus, I told Derek I’d probably buy it if, while thumbing through, I came to find Elektra stabbing someone in the face with her sai.  How about in the back of the head and out the forehead?  How about–on the same page as the aforementioned skewering–through one temple and out the other?  Close enough!)

Shelf Love

  • Adventure Time #10 (Derek really liked it, and, fortunately, my guy still had a copy sittin’ on the shelf.  Looks like a lot of fun.)
Adventure Time #10 Cover B

Adventure Time #10 Cover B

I missed Amazing Spider-Man #699 (sold out–already!), Colder #2 (none ordered for the shelf), and Secret Service #6 (possible non-ship?).  You know what that means: Fourth World here I come!  (It’s becoming a weekly thing.  Yikes!)

Oh, yeah: I passed on Avengers #1 and All-New X-Men #3.  Go me!

What did you get in your bag?

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (11/7)

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Action Comics, Batwoman, Bedlam, Bill Sienkiewicz, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Posehn, Butch Juice, China Mieville, Chris Samnee, Colder, Cully Hamner, Daredevil: End of Days, Darick Robertson, Dark Horse, Dave Lapham, David Mack, David Marquez, DC Comics, Deadpool, Dial H, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Frazer Irving, Gerry Duggan, Grant Morrison, Happy, IDW, Image, J.H. Williams III, Jason Aaron, Jeff Lemire, Juan Ferreyra, Justice League Dark, Justin Jordan, Klaus Janson, Mark Waid, Marvel, Marvel NOW!, Mikel Janin, Nick Bradshaw, Nick Spencer, Patrick Zircher, Paul Tobin, Rags Morales, Riley Rossmo, Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft, Sean Phillips, Shadowman, Sholly Fisch, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom, Tony Moore, Ultimate Spider-Man, W. Haden Blackman, Winter Soldier, Wolverine and the X-Men, Yanick Paquette

Two of the biggest weeks in a while collided–as a result of Super Storm Sandy–and blew up into a Super Bag, which I call Candy, ’cause this haul is pretty sweet.

I’m going to keep it simple so I can get to reading.  I pray you’ll understand.

A Little Heavy Reading

  • Colder #1 (This book looks hot!  No, really: it starts off with a fire, for goodness sake.)
  • Winter Soldier #12
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #16.1 (What’s the point, Mr. Bendis?  I mean, really.)
  • Swamp Thing #14 (Flipped through.  Some far-out layouts.)
  • Swamp Thing Annual #1 (Bogged down by Swampy, but in a good way–I think.)
  • Animal Man #14
  • Dial H #6 (Very different look on the book thanks to Dave Lapham.  I wonder if I’ll be so free with my thanks after reading it.)
  • Deadpool #1 (Shh.  Don’t tell DerekNerd.)
  • Batwoman #13 (A reorder.  A beautiful reorder.)
  • Fatale #9
  • Bedlam #1 (Not high on Nick Spencer, but figured why not?  I’ve come to learn from some why they did not, from others why they shouldn’t’ve.  I’ve also read a Tweet or two celebrating it.  We’ll see.)
  • Happy #2 (There’s potential here: potential for really good or for really awful.  I’m not sure Grant Morrison’s allowed this book any middle ground.)
  • The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom #3 (I don’t care what you’re holding.  This pair–Waid and Samnee–beats it.)
  • Wolverine and the X-Men #19 (The mutant of all the mutant books: it’s actually good.)
  • Action Comics #14 (Hoping for another perfect moment.  Not expecting.  Just hoping.)
  • Shadowman #1 (Are you down with the Zirch?  I am.)

Valiant Entertainment’s Shadowman #1

  • Daredevil: End of Days #2 (We’re still at the beginning of the End, so I guess it’s OK that I’m not too sure what’s going on.)
  • Justice League Dark Annual #1 (Oooh, Frankenstein!  Back in Jeff Lemire’s hands!  Now I really want to see how this war plays itself out!)
  • Action Comics Annual #1 (Oooh, Sholly Fisch.  Not Grant Morrison.  Yeah, looks like I used up all my exclamation points on the last entry.)

What did you get in your bag?

You know what?  You probably didn’t get anything in your bag.  Why?  Because I got it all.  By God, I got it all.

Turning pages–lots and lots of pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

04 Sunday Nov 2012

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

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Tags

Action Comics, Animal Man, Brian Michael Bendis, China Mieville, Colder, Daredevil: End of Days, Dark Horse, Dave Gibbons, David Lapham, David Mack, DC Comics, Deadpool, Dial H, Gerry Duggan, Grant Morrison, Greg Land, Iron Man, Jeff Lemire, Juan Ferreyra, Kieron Gillen, Klaus Janson, Mark Millar, Marvel, Marvel NOW!, Patrick Zircher, Paul Tobin, Rags Morales, Rot World, Scott Snyder, Secret Service, Shadowman, Steve Pugh, Swamp Thing, Tony Moore, Valiant, Yanick Paquette

Looking forward to this Wednesday, a couple of puns come to mind:

  • I’ll be double-bagging it.
  • I’m double booked.

That’s right: because of the storm, my shop didn’t get its books on Wednesday past.  So, I’ll be getting the books on last week’s list plus this bunch.  What’s up, indeed!

DC’s Most Wanted

  • Action Comics #14: Soaring pretty high right now.  Figures Grant Morrison’d be hitting all the right notes on his way out.  Bastard.
  • Animal Man #14: Rot.
  • Dial H #6: Gotta hand it to China Mieville: ain’t nothin’ like it.

Dial H #6 Cover

  • Swamp Thing #14: World.

Marvel SOON!

  • Daredevil: End of Days #2: Hope I get the David Mack variant.
  • Secret Service #5: Here’s a secret: I can’t wait till this is over.
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #17: #16 was awful.  I’m worried about this one, too.  United We Stand?  More like United We Suck.

Yes or NOW!

  • Deadpool #1: What are the odds that this will be any good?
  • Iron Man #1: I hated–hated–what Kieron Gillen did on the most recent incarnation of Uncanny X-Men.  A big “We’ll see.”

Dark Horse

  • Colder #1: Preview pages (on Comixology’s Pull List) look pretty good.  I hope my guy gets it in.

Colder #1 Cover

Darker Horse

  • Shadowman #1: Worth a try, I suppose.  After all, Valiant’s been doing a darned good job, and Patrick Zircher’s a swell Tweeter.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages–soon,

Scott

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