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

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

Astro City #8

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

Alex + Ada #3

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

Daredevil #35

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

Archer & Armstrong #17

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

Curse #1

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

Department of Monsterology #4

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott