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The Top 5 Books of July

31 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by in Top 5 Books of the Month, Uncategorized

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This was one stacked month of comics. Consider: our #1 book from last month (Silver Surfer), despite another strong outing, didn’t crack the Top 5 this time out. Also, only one of the titles below has been featured on our hallowed list before (having been, at different times, praised and damned – see below). This speaks to the veritable title wave of new, quality work being produced in this, the New Golden Age of Comics.

#5. Bodies #1 (DC/Vertigo): Brit scribe Si Spencer–whose ambition is clearly as vaulting as a well-known Shakespearean Thane-in-the-neck–has brazenly pieced together a primo pastiche of disparate eras and artists–including a Murderers’ Row of Meghan Hetrick, Dean Ormston, Tula Lotay, and Phil Winslade–and in doing so has Doyle-d up a Holmes-ian mystery multiplied by four.  Sure, the transitions from one time period to the next are as harsh as a head on collision, but it’s entirely understandable because so is the seemingly singular homicide that links one Longharvest Lane crime scene to the next.  Lee Loughridge’s colors, too, help to both draw a distinction and create a connection among the settings, the latter established by his use of a clichéd shade of red, which is hinted at by the blood splatter on Fiona Stephenson’s vintage–and ironically vivacious–cover.  Bodies #1 is a killer first issue that executes an experimental exposition that could’ve easily succumbed to redundancy, but instead rises effortlessly to the level of required reading. (SC)

Bodies #1

Bodies #1

#4. Cap’n Dinosaur (one-shot) (Image): MORE! FUN! COMICS! Cap’n Dinosaur is just what any jaded comic book reader needs: sublime silliness distilled through a love of classic super hero tropes. A synopsis of the plot would be futile, and pointless besides (just take a gander at the cover!) Suffice it to say that writer Kek-W and artist Shaky Kane have cooked up a kooky confection of pure comic-y goodness. Kane’s absurdist Silver-Age aesthetic seems to bring out the best in his collaborators (as evidenced by another recent Image one-shot, That’s Because You’re a Robot, with writer David Quantick – also worth a look). In particular, Kane seems to inspire writers to release their buried id in order to keep up with his lunatic visions, in much the same way that Mike Allred does. In fact, with his timeless, retro style, anarchic non-sequiturs and surreal approach to pop culture, I’d say that if Mike Allred and (comic genius) Michael Kupperman had a baby, it would be Shaky Kane. So I guess what I’m saying is: Mike Allred and Michael Kupperman should have babies….Oh, just buy this book! (DM)

Cap'n Dinosaur

Cap’n Dinosaur

#3. Thomas Alsop #2 (BOOM!): The Mage. The Mystic. That mysterious Master of the Dark Arts, guarding the thin veil that protects our reality from the nefarious nether-worlds. Such figures have constituted their own archetype in comics since at least Mandrake the Magician. Curious then, that they have been underrepresented in the current comics scene since the demise of the venerated Hellblazer (What’s that you say? There’s a comic called Constantine featuring the same character? Sorry, never heard of it.) Poised to step into those considerable loafers is one Thomas Alsop. And by “step” I mean “stagger, covered in his own vomit.” Conjured from the aether by writer Chris Miskiewicz and artist Palle Schmidt, the titular magician (and voracious abuser of all sorts of substances), possesses a nice insouciance, equal parts debounair and depraved, that provides a necessary (gin and) tonic to the severity of the grave matters at hand (all puns and in-jokes are very much intended). Calling himself a “Supernatural Detective”, he shills his skills on his own reality television show (what else?). This however, is largely a cover (albeit one that pays handsomely) for his more serious work as protector of New York City. But that is not all the creators have up their sleeves; adding complexity is the story of Thomas’ ancestor Richard, the first magical protector of New York, and the dark secret that links past and present. And more still: this being very much a tale of New York, Miskiewicz has, very bravely I think, interwoven the 9/11 tragedy into his story. No small risk that, especially amidst all the fun and games. But he and Schmidt have, so far, accorded it the respectful tone it requires. All in all, this brew, seemingly light and frothy, is a lot more heady than at first it seems. Another round! (DM)

Thomas Alsop #2

Thomas Alsop #2

#2. Life With Archie #36 (Archie): Paul Kupperberg and Co.’s chocolate soda brought all the boys and girls–including yours truly–to the comic shop, and damn right it’s better than than all but one of July’s releases.  Yeah, this book–with the help of mainstream media coverage–absolutely blew up.  And I–like many other non-Archie readers–was caught in the blast radius; so even though I hadn’t touched as much as an Archie Comics Digest in 30-plus years, I just had to have it!  Mind you, this was no ordinary ordinance; this was a nostalgia bomb–one that made me feel welcome in Riverdale despite my being, for all intents and purposes, a complete stranger.

Writer Kupperberg and artists Pat and Tim Kennedy (pencils), Jim Amash (inks), and Glenn Whitmore (colors) put Archie on a path through his past, present, and future–in a lead up to the not-so-shock ending–and as I followed I was struck by just how good Archie is; in, fact, he’s not unlike Superman in his Boy Scout-ish goodness.  In the end, however, he is simply a man: he can’t fly or see through walls; he’s not bulletproof; and his sacrifice leaves us all lamenting the death of that perfect innocence embodied by Archie Andrews–which is made more affective not by the amount of blood about Archie’s body but by the final image of a chocolate soda with three straws having been knocked over during the fracas, its figurative innocence–established on a playful first page–left to melt and spill to the floor.

More that that, really, I was surprised by how good the journey through Archie’s life made me feel.  Gosh, it made me wish more than once that we could all be Archies and Jugheads and Bettys and Veronicas–that all joy could be shared and problems solved over a chocolate soda with three straws. What a world it’d be!  It was an experience I did not expect.  I had initially planned to thumb through the thing and stick it in a bag.  Who knew that “every bit of it [would] just [feel] like home”? (SC)

Life With Archie #36

Life With Archie #36

#1. Zero #9 (Image): Sonuvabitch. As you might have surmised, we here at I&N read a LOT of comics. With so much new product coming out each month, we not only have to decide which titles are worth our time, but also which titles are no longer cutting the mustard. Zero, Ales Kot’s minimalist gut-punch of a spy thriller, in particular has been quite the roller coaster ride, and not always in a good way. After naming it one of our Top Ten Books of 2013 for its innovation and unpredictability, it promptly took a nosedive, as unpredictability gave way to incoherence. In fact, it was only a couple of months ago that the previous issue (#8) was named our Biggest Dis(appointment) of the month. So yeah, this book was on the chopping block.

And then Kot does this. Set in the midst of the Bosnian War, Zero #9 tells a tale from Roman Zizek’s past. Zizek is Zero’s mentor, an American black ops agent, and a war profiteer. Unsurprisingly, he’s a double-dealer of the first order. Already knee-deep in subterfuge and complicit in some of the worst atrocity in recent history, he also has a Bosnian girlfriend who is pregnant, victimized by the war. And things go from there.

Artist Tonci Zonjic deserves special mention as his storytelling manages to be atmospheric, clean, and cartoony (in the classic sense), perfectly setting the tone with a style reminiscent of early Mazzuchelli. And Jordie Bellaire’s muted hues, perfectly navigating between harsh reality and precious memory, are, as always, flawless.

A cursory look at the news will tell you that the world is rife with new, terrible things happening every day. So much so, that the horrors of even the recent past quickly get buried. Rare is the comic that can successfully mine such tragic events for its own fictive purposes, while also shining a light on those so easily forgotten or ignored (Joshua Dysart’s Unknown Soldier comes to mind). Rarer still, one that can do so with such spare, awful beauty. With this issue, Kot and Co. have not only banished any thought of dropping this vital book; they’ve produced one of the most powerful, resonant stories of the year. (DM)

Zero #9

Zero #9

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Robin Rises: Omega #1 (DC): I’ve been pretty vocal in my support of Peter J. Tomasi’s Batman and Whoever, especially in light of its being overshadowed by the over-hyped and underwhelming Snyder books.  (I even told Mr. Tomasi as much when I met him at the 2013 NYCC.  He seemed mildly appreciative.)  Tomasi did a commendable job of following in Grant Morrison’s footsteps, when it seemed that others had no use for them–until now, that is.  Ah, and therein lies the disappointment.  This book, which starts off well enough with a Damien-Robin retrospective, descends into a chaotic disaster of day-old dialogue and stumbles–despite some solid work from Andy Kubert, Jonathan Glapion, and Brad Anderson–into a terminally anemic battle scene–an epic game of casket keep away–that only ends because it eventually reaches its $4.99 price-point page limit.  To make matters worse, it turns out that Batman’s going to have to go BOOM! if he wants to get Robin back; that’s right: he’s headed to DC’s dark side–and, boy, I’d punch Tomasi in his pursed Mother-Boxing Apokolips if I were to ever see him again for going so against the Wayne with his choice of settings for the next rung on the way toward Robin’s return.  (Heck, whom am I fooling?  I’d probably say, “Hey, Mr. Tomasi!  Love your work!  I can’t wait to see what you have in store for…Superman/Wonder Woman!”  And he’d probably be mildly appreciative.)  The New God-darned piece of shard is so distressingly disappointing that I’m seriously considering giving up entirely on Batman and Robin–no, seriously–which would leave me Bat-less for the first time since I jumped into The New 52.  Well, there’s always Moon Knight…(SC)

Robin Rises: Omega #1

Robin Rises: Omega #1

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

Top 5(ish) Books of June

02 Saturday Aug 2014

Posted by in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading, Top 5 Books of the Month

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Here’s a little secret: we, the mighty gate-keepers here at I&N, don’t always agree on who makes the cut on our monthly purview of comics excellence. But, through a complex process of behind-the-scenes negotiation, diplomacy, arm-twisting and, if need be, feats of manliness, we have always been able to whittle down the monthly title wave to our hallowed Top 5. That is, until now. And so, recklessly abandoning all sense of tradition and decorum, we present for the first time: our Top 6 Books of the Month.

#5 (tie). Mind MGMT #23 (Dark Horse): Matt Kindt–winner of the 2014 Innie for Best Artist–delivers a real punch to the gut with this well composed hit-single issue, which sees the Dusty-deadicated side notes harmonizing heroically with the cacophony of the nihilistic narrative–with the darkness Dusty so deeply despised and hoped to one day change with his music.  With the in memoriam to Dusty as the lead vocal of the book, Kindt further develops the memory motif by making the Eraser play “memory games” with an incredulous Meru, using blacked out panels to indicate the missing moments; and by putting petal to the metal in a series of flowering flashbacks featuring Bill and Meru that fan out to form a stunning centerpiece for this death-marred installment and ultimately fall from the stem, foreshadowing poor Bill’s demise and Meru’s heartbreak.  In the end, Kindt cleverly ties the margin matter to the story proper by having Meru’s falling tears look just like the music rising from the headphones that are taken from Dusty’s dead body.  That alone would’ve been enough to tattoo this issue on our Top 5!   But as a final note–or a last grain of hourglass sand–Kindt calls upon the aforementioned memory motif one last time and offers up an intimate Mad Magazine fold-in that’ll rattle around in your skull well after reading. (SC)

Mind MGMT #23

#5 (tie). The Massive #24 (Dark Horse): As Brian Wood’s near-future socioeconomic/environmental dystopia comes to a head, the enigmatic Mary stands revealed as the lynchpin. Some kind of goddess-figure, Mary’s been witness to centuries of manmade degradation of every kind: against nature, against each other, against our own history (part of the brilliance of Wood’s argument is that, throughout the series, he’s presented these as one and the same). Well now she sits in judgement, speaking in biblical terms that portend even greater disaster (or, perhaps, wrath). Even more damning, she stares out directly at the reader as she does so (indelibly rendered, as is the entire arc, by Danijel Zezelj and Jordie Bellaire). If this seems a bit heavy-handed, this particular sequence, all of two pages, stands in stark relief to twenty-three previous issues of breathtaking, world-spanning incident remarkable for the sheer depth of knowledge displayed, as well as their understated, plot-driven delivery. It also thrusts us headlong into the mysteries to be revealed in the final arc, and adds one more: could Mary have played a role in The Crash, the event that laid the world low to begin with? And, having found mankind wanting, is the worst yet to come? (DM)

The Massive #24

The Massive #24

#4. The Last Broadcast #2 (Archaia): Great magicians never reveal their secrets; and those secrets, for the compulsively curious, inevitably become the seeds of great mysteries.  Writer André Sirangelo and artist Gabriel Iumazark plant plenty of seductive seeds here in the second installment of The Last Broadcast, which puts our main man Ivan–himself a magician–on a crooked path of discovery.  His frantic search for his pal Dmitri is an off-kilter crusade–one amplified by Iumazark’s irregular panel pattern that keeps us likewise off balance as we move from page to page–that finds him courting odd characters, including an enigmatic bookshop owner and an eye-biting barfly who pleasingly smack of Polanski stock, and that leads him to a couple of urban explorers–the Backbone of the story–who themselves are missing a mate.  (I, too, am compulsively curious, and I wonder: Could Dmitri and Damon be one in the same?)  Making the story–and the story to come–even more exciting is the prospect of a very-much-alive Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s having a hand in scripting the outcome.  Believe your eyes, folks: this magic–The Last Broadcast–is for real. (SC)

The Last Broadcast #2

The Last Broadcast #2

#3. Ordinary #2 (Titan): A determined father intrepidly braves a gauntlet of nefarious characters and death-defying situations with only one thought on his mind: to find his son! This may sound like the latest Liam Neeson revenge flick, until you realize that a) the determined father is Michael, a balding, bespectacled schlub with a dead-end job; b) the nefarious characters are everyone else on the planet, who have suddenly and inexplicably been granted ridiculous super powers; and c) the death-defying situations include show-stopping Broadway musical numbers (especially frightening that). Rob Williams and D’Israeli serve up thrill-ride absurdity that at once takes the gas out of the sort of adolescent power fantasies that so many comics fans (many of whom bear more than a passing resemblance to Michael) still faithfully devour, while also slyly celebrating them. After all, if the biggest loser in the world can overcome odds like this, there’s hope for everyone. (DM)

Ordinary #2

Ordinary #2

#2. Archer & Armstrong #21 (Valiant): Our fascination with celebrities in many ways defines us as a culture.  Funny enough, our fascination with dead celebrities even more so.  Fred Van Lente knows that, and he’s clearly having a blast bringing back some long–and some freshly–dead famous folks for his satirical tour de farce “American Wasteland.”  Artist Pere Pérez brings the late lot to life around Archer and Armstrong, kicking off a game of “How many dead celebs can you name?”; and it’s a game where we’re all winners for playing along.  I was slayed by the inclusion of Jeff Hanneman and then was all “Already?” upon seeing Philip Seymour Hoffman.  The next three page turns may very well be as unforgettable as the featured figures themselves: first, it’s a father and child reunion as Bruce and Brandon Lee attack our heroes in a sole-touching moment!  (Do they win?  Of course they Jeet Kune Don’t–thanks to Archer’s, umm, stun ram.)  And, after meeting a distraught Jackie Kennedy, who isn’t long for even this world (I was like, “No he di’int!”), A & A come across more Oswalds than you can shake a Zapruder film at!  Throw in some East and West disorderly action with phat boys Biggie and Tupac, and you’ve got yourself a book where a clever contrivance becomes more the thing than the story itself–well, initially, anyway.  Because after the excitement of recognition and the well-earned laughter fall to necessary contemplation, there’s Van Lente himself laughing, “Gotcha.” (SC)

Archer & Armstrong #21

Archer & Armstrong #21

#1. Silver Surfer #3 (Marvel): There was a recent internet controversy which involved, among other things, the notion that certain aspects of super heroes were just too “goofy” and needed to be jettisoned in order for today’s audiences to take the characters seriously. The thinking behind this seems to be that the colorful, larger-than-life paragons of heroism that have populated comics since their inception need to be brought back down to earth, their vibrancy toned down to reflect our own muddled reality. One could make the case  that this view, in its cynicism, utterly misses the point of what super heroes are supposed to be. But why do that when you could just read Silver Surfer by Dan Slott and Michael and Laura Allred instead? It makes the case better than any argument ever could.

The current issue is particularly apt, as it deals with a cosmic struggle not so much of good versus evil, but of reality versus possibility. In it, a double-talking alien named the Incredulous Zed seeks to strike down an entity known as the Never Queen to ensure that the future will only ever have one possible outcome. Standing against him are the Silver Surfer and his new partner Dawn Greenwood, an especially winning creation, who runs a nice bed-and-breakfast in Anchor Bay, Mass. Slott’s wild, expansive approach to story is matched by Allred’s art, which, as always, is teeming with fantastic weirdness. There are monkey toys and stolen hearts. Space freaks and childhood memories. True love and The Three Stooges. And in Slott’s and Allred’s vision these live comfortably side-by-side. They suggest, in the sheer vitality of their storytelling, that one need not discard absurdity in the pursuit of profundity. Rather, whatever it is that is profound in these types of stories, whatever is truly wonderful, is inextricably tied to the fact that they’re so damn much FUN. (DM)

Silver Surfer #3

Silver Surfer #3

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Trees #2 (Image) – It has been a storytelling trope the last twenty years or so to juggle multiple, seemingly disparate narratives within an overall framework, and then slowly draw the separate strands together so that they all collide by the end, revealing a larger picture. It is perhaps perfectly legitimate in today’s hyper-connected world to seek meaning in the seemingly infinite byways that cyberspace allows, especially as it has simultaneously caused the world to get ever smaller. This narrative approach, depending on how it’s handled, can be insightful and profound or obtuse and annoying (Terence Malick’s The Tree of Life [no relation] for example, falls into either one or the other categories depending on your point of view). But it works best when the individual stories are compelling (as in say, Pulp Fiction). Unfortunately Trees manages to be both obtuse and uninteresting. Warren Ellis’ story, involving a bunch of giant alien trees that suddenly appear on earth (nicely rendered by Jason Howard), apparently indifferent to human activity, unwittingly provides an apt metaphor for the experience of reading it. When the various narratives are as soporific as those presented, one can’t blame the title characters for ignoring them. The back inside cover, presumably reinforcing the trees ambivalence, ends the issue with the sentence  “It doesn’t care.

Neither do I. (DM)

Trees #2

Trees #2

 

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

The 2014 Innies: The Winners!

18 Friday Jul 2014

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Here they are!  The kickoff to the 2014 comic awards season!  We proudly present the WINNERS of the 75 Annual Innie Awards!  Dark Horse had a big year, represented in no fewer than four out of the five categories.  Matt Kindt also cleaned up, winning twice (Best Ongoing & Best Artist).  Congratulations to all the winners!  See you in 2015!
  • Best Limited Series: Mister X: Eviction (Dark Horse) by Dean Motter
  • Best Ongoing Series: Mind MGMT (Dark Horse) by Matt Kindt
  • Best Writer: Si Spurrier–for Six-Gun Gorilla (BOOM!) & Numbercruncher (Titan)
  • Best Artist: Matt Kindt–for Mind MGMT (Dark Horse)
  • Best Colorist: Jordie Bellaire–for The Massive (Dark Horse), The Manhattan Projects (Image), Mara (Image), Zero (Image), Numbercruncher (Titan), and other stuff!

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Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

Top 5 Books of May: Revenge of the Superheroes!

30 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in Top 5 Books of the Month

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Oh, crow! That most foul-tasting, um, fowl. ‘Twas only a month ago I was bemoaning the continuing prevalence of superhero books on ye olde comics stand. And yet here we are, scarcely four weeks later, and no less than three such titles are being featured our hallowed list (and two taking the top slots no less!) In my defense, I did say that in the right hands, gold could still be wrought from the well-worn cape and tights set. The creators below have managed just that. To wit:

#5. Quantum and Woody #10 (Valiant): Look!  Up in the intro!  It’s a word!  It’s a phrase!  It’s Super Segue!  You bet it is!  And, so, well, this might hurt a bit: Speaking of wit: Quantum and Woody–a super duper hero book if there ever was one–has been full of it from the get-goat.  Here, though, the comic runneth over–and spiritedly so!  The Abbott and Costello of comedic crime fighting–straight man Quantum and wise-cracking Woody, respectively–find themselves in deep voodoo as Woody seemingly switches sides instead of simply splitting them, leaving Quantum in quite the buggy bind.  As the story takes shape, Woody’s questionable character is analyzed expertly by the heroes behind the heroes: creators James Asmus and Kano deliver a gay romp of painfully obvious punchlines and playful layouts–one that reaches around to the past for some insight into Woody’s relationship with the larcenous Jacklean; one that sees the images and words coming together to bust guts and gutters.  (Love, love, love how Woody–in a memorable meta moment–pushes aside the bars of his four-panel prison.)  Toss in a roundly panned appearance by the Swedish Chef and a surprising dash of sympathy for Woody, and we can’t help but confess: Quantum and Woody ain’t no joke; it’s a top book–as this super issue so heroically insists. (SC)

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Quantum and Woody #10

#4. Mind MGMT #22 (Dark Horse): After its ignominious appearance as The Biggest Dis(appointment) of last month’s list, Matt Kindt’s surreal spy masterpiece returns to rarefied form. As the plot explores the backstory of a splinter group within the overall worldwide conspiracy, the issue actually reveals itself to be a piece of art about art; the meticulous planning that goes into its creation, the frustration of failure, and its subtle, pervasive, and often unintentional influence. Kindt’s distinctly postmodern approach then, acts simultaneously as an apt metaphor for the book’s very existence, as well as catnip for art nerds (like me). The front-and-back matter that bookend the tale both take place in art museums, Marcel Duchamp is casually referenced, as is a supposed sequel to Double Indemnity (which had me immediately conducting Google searches to see if there actually was such a thing. I found nothing.) And talk about surreal – Kindt’s Magritte-inspired painting – whimsical, beautiful and oh-so-clever – is, as far as I’m concerned, already the cover of the year. (DM)

Mind MGMT #22

#3. The Massive #23 (Dark Horse): Brian Wood’s stripped down plot befits his story of survival at its most primal: at the end of the world a convoy of life-sustaining water crosses the unforgiving desert. The precious cargo, beset by thieves on all sides, is guarded by a small cadre of women led by the mysterious Mary, revealed at last to be akin to a goddess. The simplicity of the plot (matched by the bold, near woodcut-like art of Danijel Zezelj with colors by the peerless Jordie Bellaire) also belies the rich complexity of Wood’s themes: environmental degradation, the consequences of dwindling natural resources, geopolitical power and gender politics; and finally, and perhaps surprisingly, the remarkable resiliency of life in the face of devastation. (DM)

The Massive #23

#2. Ordinary #1 (Titan): But enough of this hoity-toity art stuff! Postmodernism? Gender politics? We’re here to talk superheroes! Capes! Muscles! Lasers shooting out of things! The stuff of every boy’s fantasy! And in Ordinary, by Rob Wiiliams and D’Israeli, everyone gets to be one. Everyone, that is, except Michael. A middle-aged schlemiel, eking out a pathetic living, Michael seemingly exists only to be life’s punching bag.  When a mysterious event grants superpowers to everyone on the planet, Michael is inexplicably left out. Hilarity arises as Michael suddenly has to navigate the increasing insanity around him. And this book is funny folks. Talking bears, super-beggars and cabbie-gods, all are part of the surreal, new landscape (D’Israeli, working in an exuberant Neo-Pop Art style, absolutely goes to town). But there is also pathos, including an astonishing scene involving a lonely old lady. And Michael himself is basically a decent guy: when the world goes nuts, his first thought is his son’s safety (his second thought is to get a drink). And then there’s the satiric edge: by making Michael a balding, bespectacled schlub surrounded by fantastic superpowers, Williams and D’Israeli have created a wry stand-in for the sort of middle-aged man who reads this type of story to begin with (ahem). A sad sack protagonist, absurdist humor, underlying heart: this is the comic Woody Allen would write if he wrote superheroes. (DM)

ORDINARY #1

Ordinary #1

#1. Dry Spell #1 (Action Lab): Ken Krekeler has made quite a statement with Dry Spell #1.  Good thing, too, considering his choice to start his story with someone else’s.  And that someone else just so happens to be comic book god Alan Moore, so, you know, no pressure, right?  Wrong!  Duh.  Because the quotation Krekeler has chosen as his first issue’s first words aren’t merely an epigraph that simply sets a tone for the tale to come; they are the opening salvo of a layered conversation about what it means to be an artist–about that will-o-the-wisp known as inspiration and the war that rages between activity and passivity; and, as the conversation develops, about the nature of superheroes and the duality of man, which makes sense, you know, with the whole Watchman thing that comes along with Mr. Moore.  Sure, Krekeler’s placed the burden on himself, but he’s clearly up to the challenge, just as, on page three, Apollo, the first hero to whom we’re introduced, is up to his: he’s seen carrying a passenger plane to safety–seen not just by us, but by the protagonist, Tom, as well.  He’s a cubicle jockey, who is, as we later learn, more than just some guy with an empty job, an empty relationship, and an empty canvas that’s more like a mirror that mocks him by showing him what he’s become since leaving the a super-powered life behind: nothing. His secret uncovered by a clever co-worker–who just so happens to also be a former costumed figure–Tom eventually finds himself at a club among powered peers, who seem to have designs on his ability to design things.  In a stunning psychedelic splash that stands as an exemplar of both Krekeler’s eye for color and his ear for poetry, a tripping Tom appears to fracture as two voices dance across the page: one his own, lucid voice and the other–neither still nor small–that leads him directly into temptation and into a sequence that delivers some serious tension, that is until Nightingale–a super-powered woman from the club with whom Tom has some history left a mystery–saves an unsuspecting woman from Tom and Tom from himself.  But to what end?  We’ll find out in a month’s time.  The immediate end, however, is a compelling story captained by a sympathetic character and an inspired take on the superhero set that courageously–and believably–promises Moore. (SC)

Dry Spell #1

Dry Spell #1

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Zero #8 (Image): Ales Kot’s Zero hit the scene late in 2013 and made quite the impression; in fact, it went from zero to eight–our #8 book of the year–after only four innovative issues, each a singular experience served up by an artiste du mois.  Man, we were high on this book.  Were.  Now, we’re pretty darned low.  As low as one can go, really.  Four issues into 2014 and Zero has gone from eight back to zero, coincidentally on the weakness of #8, this month’s mock minimalist offering.  See: to catch us up with Roman Zizek’s plan for Sara Cooke, Kot makes up for a rather remarkable dearth of dialogue and overall want for words by having artist Jorge Coelho pile on the panels–so many unnecessary, momentum murdering panels–and leave plenty unsaid, well, undrawn, giving us the responsibility of crawling through the gutters in order to bring some clarity to the narrative.  Comprehension be damned!  Yeah, what we’ve got here is not so much storytelling as it is story suggesting–often imploring that we suspend disbelief in order to overlook some absolutely absurd moments.  My disbelief?  Suspended from the gallows until dead, dead, dead–and buried along with my anticipation and any hopes that Kot will return to the form that forced us to take notice in the first place.  In fact, I’ll let Zero’s final words be my final words on Zero, as well: “I am here to tell you that I quit.” (SC)

Zero #8

What’s I&N Store (6/4)

03 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by in What's I&N Store?

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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

Top 5 Books of April

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Top 5 Books of the Month, Uncategorized

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#5. Astro City #11 (DC/Vertigo): A quick perusal of our past Top 5 lists will tell you that we’re generally not the biggest fans of superhero fare. Oh sure, we have a soft spot in our hearts for the cape and costume set; they were after all our gateway drug into the wider world of comics. But with such a bevy of quality non-superhero books inhabiting the current comics landscape (it really is a golden age folks), why waste our time on the cynical merry-go-round of movie tie-ins, Big Events and the never-ending, never-changing battle? Even worse are those titles which claim to be edgy by adding some nominally ‘mature’ wrinkle to the works: ‘superheroes who swear!’ ‘superheroes who have sex! (full frontal!)’ or some other such trope that was well-worn by Watchmen nearly thirty years ago. It takes something far less gimmicky to add something new to the genre (and that’s what superheroes are, fanboys; not mainstream but a genre).

Luckily, in Astro City, Kurt Busiek and Brent Eric Anderson have managed just that. Nearly a year into the title’s return after an extended hiatus, Busiek and Co. remind us of their mastery of the eye-level approach to the fantastic. This time out centers around a personal assistant, the type of capable multi-tasker who’s invisible to the public and indispensable to her boss. But of course in this case, her boss is a superhero. Like many in her profession, her duties include, but are not limited to: answering mail, keeping track of finances, scheduling appointments, etc. But because her boss is a mystical Dr. Strange type, a missed appointment can mean placating interdimensional gods who threaten our world with annihilation for their inconvenience. The story is an ode to all of the unsung, behind-the-scenes supporting players who, through sheer competence, organization and the ability to keep a cool head, keep the world running, day in, day out. The pleasure comes from watching our harried-but-never-overwhelmed protagonist put out fires, ranging from the mundane to the apocalyptic, with nothing more than a well-placed phone call or a sift through her files. That, and the loving, sideways homage Busiek and Anderson have crafted to some of the stranger Silver Age forays of Kirby, Ditko, Lee, Thomas, et al. To paraphrase, there are a million stories in Astro City. This is one of the best. (DM)

Astro City #11

Astro City #11

#4. Silver Surfer #2 (Marvel): What goes on here? Two superhero books from the Big Two crack our Top 5? Well yes, when one of them is drawn by the inimitable Mike Allred. His wild, Pop Art aesthetic (enhanced by the bold hues of wife Laura Allred) immediately brings the fun to any book it graces. And Dan Slott scripts a tale to match involving intergalactic hucksters (‘the Incredulous Zed’) extra-dimensional god-constructs (‘The Queen of Nevers’) and sensitive Plorpian digestive systems. Not to mention the true protagonist of the story, one ‘Dawn Greenwood’ of Anchor Bay, Massachusetts. Appropriately titled “Everything And All At Once”, the story owes less to typically constrictive superhero dynamics, and more to the expansive exuberance of the likes of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett (despite our American creators, there is  something distinctly British about the proceedings; a compliment, naturally.) In other words, if you’re looking for a rollicking good sci-fi bender of a time (and why wouldn’t you be?), you could do a lot worse than Silver Surfer. (DM)

Silver Surfer #2

Silver Surfer #2

#3. Lazarus #8 (Image): Greg Rucka and Michael Lark are on quite a run: this is the third month in a row that we’re celebrating Lazarus as a top book.  (It’s true: check out what we had to say about the patient perfection of #6 and #7!)  What’s keeping the book pegged to the big board issue after issue?  It’s the storytelling.  The fellas have forged themselves a winning formula–one that’s made all the more impressive by the fact that in no way does it feel like they’re going through the motions; no, they’re keeping it fresh as can be, once again to purpose employing parallelism to amplify further the conflict, which has been an eager flame burning its way through a long fuse to an explosive effect without any bombs going off–at least not quite yet, anyway.  This installment of the 2014 Innie nominee for Best Ongoing Series is once again built upon a foundation of the early days of Forever.  In this case, Forever fails to live up to expectations and misses out on a meeting–on her birthday, no less!–with her frustrated father, who leaves a very significant gift behind: White’s The Once and Future King, an insinuation that speaks to Forever’s growth and purpose–and, in that, to Rucka’s inspiration for the series.  This significant sequence comes back around when present Forever finds herself in an ethical bind, knot courtesy of a catty Daddy Carlyle, over the impending terrorist attack in Denver.  Oh, the road to Denver is paved with good intentions, innit?   Doing most of the paving: Michael Barret and Casey, who, while on their way to the Lift Selection, are willing to offer up a hand to their fellow travelers, including, at the very end, an Angel of Death.  It’s all coming to a head, folks; and the book–and we–couldn’t be in better hands. (SC)

Lazarus #8

Lazarus #8

#2. Southern Bastards #1 (Image): Oh.  Shit.  Jason Aaron and Jason Latour have made quite a splash with their merciless ode to good ol’ boys.  Now, I’m predisposed to liking it because of its being not unlike Justified, with its Southern-fried setting and tone, and even its well-defined yet ambiguous cast of characters, smacking of the late, great Elmore Leonard, and, in that, the often late, great Garth Ennis–which makes even more sense considering that it also reads a hell of a lot like Fury: My War Gone By and Mark Millar’s Starlight because of the big notes of nostalgia and, tying it all together, because Latour’s Earl is plenty Parlovian.  The story’s solid from the get-go: Jason Squared pitches the prodigal son’s return and expertly upsells pathos as the conflict grows–just as a tree grows from Earl’s father’s grave–into the final sequence, itself a grueling duel of duels–a one-two combination (punishing blows received and delivered) of violent events enlivened by the lyrical layouts–that cements this debut as a top book of the month; it’s the love shown by the creators for the South and the story inspired by it that makes it even more than that.  (SC)

Southern Bastards #1

Southern Bastards #1

#1. The Massive #22 (Dark Horse): Thus far, Brian Wood’s apocalyptic take on Moby Dick has focused on one Callum Israel, whose Ahab-like obsession with finding his eponymous ship has led him to the far corners of a world that is slowly falling apart due to a mysterious event known as The Crash. The search has allowed Wood to explore in convincing detail (with the help of an impressive cadre of artists; here Danijel Zezelj does the honors, with Jordie Bellaire on colors) the effects of environmental devastation, economic collapse, and political disintegration in such disparate locales as Iceland, Hong Kong and Mogadishu. The sheer breadth of Wood’s geopolitical knowledge and inquiry is impressive. It also pulls off the neat trick of serving as both the series’ raison d’etre and narrative backdrop to its central mysteries: Where is the Massive? What caused The Crash?

Just as the answers have eluded the increasingly obsessive Callum (did I mention he was dying of cancer?), Wood’s writing has sometimes been frustratingly vague. Many of the arcs (all consisting of three issues) have run like this: fascinating set-up, high stakes climax, baffling denouement. While there’s something to be said for not giving the reader what they want, the considerable tension inherent in the story has sometimes been undercut by endings that seem deliberately anticlimactic, and even obtuse. Well the first issue of the latest arc, “Sahara”, finally promises some resolution, beginning with the one to the other great mystery: Where the hell has Mary been?

Mary, Callum’s lover, shipmate, and conscience of his crew, seemingly abandoned him in his time of greatest need. This issue finds her, in typical Wood fashion, smack dab in the middle of a geopolitical intrigue with real-world resonance. She’s guarding a convoy of the world’s most precious post-Crash resource: water. As the spotlight shifts to her, we begin to realize what Wood has been hinting at all along: the search for the Massive is a MacGuffin. All mysteries lead to Mary. By turns the most compassionate and the most remote, she has quietly taken on an otherworldly dimension. As we watch Mary cross the desert, now with child, one cannot help but think that as the series builds to its conclusion, Wood is countering the obsession and despair of the white whale with an almost biblical hope for salvation. (DM)

The Massive #22

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Mind MGMT #21 (Dark Horse): To truly understand this choice, you have to understand that disappointment comes from expectations not being met–and in some cases, from expectations being bitch slapped by promises unfulfilled.  In this case, we were led to believe that master storyteller Matt Kindt was going to deliver a “silent issue”; and if you we’re like me, you thought immediately to the silent issue of all silent issues: G.I. Joe #21 from Larry Hama and Steve Leialoha, which blew our minds thirty years ago–yikes!  With the poison–the potent neurotoxin nostalgia–already in the wound, what chance did this stab at a silent issue have–especially after our being rudely welcomed by word one!  Wouldn’t you know: Kindt–ever the clever creator–was playing us from the promise!  His interpretation of silent: no dialogue–which means that thoughts are fair game; and to make the game more fun, those thoughts were insightful, sure, but sometimes ironic, considering the situations in which the thoughts were, umm, thought.  So, fine, it’s “silent,” I’ll buy it–and I did buy it, blissfully ignorant and high on hope; however, while the story works well within the world of Mind MGMT, Kindt has managed to both exploit and execute my innocent expectations.  The former finds me somewhat satisfied, but it’s the latter than leaves me mostly nonplussed–and this issue as our Biggest Dis(appointment) of the month.  (SC)

Mind MGMT #21

Mind MGMT #21

Turning pages,

Scott & Derek

The 2014 ‘Innie’ Awards!

05 Monday May 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

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The recent announcement of the 2014 Eisner Award nominees have occasioned much debate here at the I&N offices (located in a snug chateau high in the Swiss Alps). Needless to say we were filled with outrage! (And by ‘outrage’ I mean ‘mild disagreement’.) The choices for nominees did not exactly match our own! The temerity! This would not stand! And so, we here at I&N proudly present: the Innies!

What does ‘Innies’ stand for? Well other than an attempt at shameless self-branding, it stands for ‘independence’! Being ‘in’ the know! Part of the ‘in’ crowd! And possessing the non-freaky type of belly button.

Since we don’t have the big-time budget of the fancy-pants Eisners, we’ve limited ourselves to six categories (sorry Letterers of Archival Collections of Anthologies for Early Readers!)

If the Eisners are the Oscars, and the Harveys are the Golden Globes, then we’re the Independent Spirits! (or at least the Ace Awards)

Without further adieu:

Best Limited Series:

  • Fury: My War Gone By, by Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov (Marvel/Max)
  • Mister X: Eviction, by Dean Motter (Dark Horse)
  • Numbercruncher, by Simon Spurrier and PJ Holden (Titan)
  • Six-Gun Gorilla, by Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely (BOOM!)
  • Wild Blue Yonder, by Zach Howard, Mike Raicht, Nelson Daniel, and Austin Harrison (IDW)

Best Ongoing Series:

  • Afterlife with Archie, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla (Archie)
  • Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
  • Lazarus, by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark (Image)
  • Mind MGMT, by Matt Kindt (Dark Horse)
  • Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Writer:

  • Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT (Dark Horse)
  • Dean Motter, Mister X (Dark Horse)
  • Greg Rucka, Lazarus (Image)
  • Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla (BOOM!), Numbercruncher (Titan)
  • Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)

Best Artist:

  • Francesco Francavilla, Afterlife with Archie (Archie)
  • Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT (Dark Horse)
  • Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)
  • Dean Motter, Mister X (Dark Horse)
  • Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)

Best Colorist:

  • Laura Allred
  • Jordie Bellaire
  • Francesco Francavilla
  • Dave Stewart
  • Jose Villarrubia

Best Comic Book Related Website Run By Two High-School Teachers In Their Spare Time In The Greater NY Area: 

  • Images and Nerds

Now it’s your turn. Who did we miss?

Let the internet shouting begin!

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

 

What’s I&N Store (4/2)

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in What's I&N Store?

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I’ve been dropping books and passing on new books and have been buying more books than ever.  Sure ain’t adding up, but it sure as hell is piling up.

  • Veil #2 (Dark Horse): #1 was a bit underwhelming, somewhat annoying at times, especially as the mysterious young lady got all Seuss-ian while trying on language–like a veil between who she was and who she has become.  But it’s Rucka, sucka, mother——, so I’m trying on another.
  • Detective Comics #30 (DC): Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul take up the cowl after having pushed the pace on The Flash.  I’m interested.
Detective Comics #30

Detective Comics #30

  • Trillium #8 (DC/Vertigo): Lemire’s time-twisting, sci-fi, doppelganger-driven epic comes to a close.  Has flown by, really–so much so that I don’t feel that I’ve developed any sort of connection to the characters.  But has this series really been about the characters?  No: it’s been about the far-out layouts, which have been pretty outstanding.
  • Monster & Madman #2 (IDW): A very Steve Niles initial offering–with art from a fella with an appropriately creepy name: Damien Worm–made this one a must buy.  So did the clever strategy of making us wait for the madman.
  • The Field #1 (Image): Ed Brisson’s a must try thanks to his solid showing on Sheltered.  I haven’t read Prophet, so I don’t know much about Simon Roy.  Guess I will after this one.
  • Sidekick #6 (Image): J. Michael Straczynski has certainly been prolific of late.  How does he manage it all?  Well, for one, he’s using the same storyline for two of his current books: this one and The Twilight Zone.  Not kidding: while reading Sidekick #5, I felt like I had entered the Twilight Zone.
  • Starlight #2 (Image): #1 was really, really good.  Out of this bunch of books, I’m looking forward to this one the most.  Art-wise, it’s no surprise: Goran Parlov’s art brings me back to one of our favorites of 2012 and 2013: Fury: My War Gone By.   And it’s no secret: Mark Millar generates great ideas.  Those great ideas usually translate into great first issues–and, just as usually, not-so-great series.  Here’s hoping that this one goes all the way.
Starlight #2

Starlight #2

  • Inhuman #1 (Marvel): Will give it a flip through.  It’s got Soule, but I’m not a Souledier.
  • Loki: Agent of Asgard #3 (Marvel): Not sure how I feel about this book.  I like the voice Al Ewing is affecting; in that, it’s a fun read.  I’ve never been a fan of the Thor side of the Marvel Universe, but I could see myself sticking around because it seems Ewing smartly isn’t taking the Asgardian aspect too seriously.  But what is this, really?  Considering the page-bound Lorelei lob just prior to her appearance on Agents of Shield, it’s nothing more than a companion pamphlet–right?
  • Magneto #2 (Marvel): Credit to Bunn and Walta: in #1, they delivered three terrific page turns and developed some serious tension–between Magneto and the motel maid!  A few questionable choices plot-wise leave me wondering if mine is a fleeting attraction.
Magneto #2

Magneto #2

  • Moon Knight #2 (Marvel): The first phase of the new Moon Knight didn’t have me waxing nostalgic.  But it’s Warren Ellis.  No, yeah, that’s all I’ve got.
  • Archer & Armstrong #19 (Valiant): Best moment of #18: Armstrong doin’ a beer bong–all while Archer’s in the middle of a shoot-out with Bloodshot.  Other than that, a notch below what we’ve come to expect from one of our top books of 2013.  Some people say that there’s a crossover to blame…
  • Caliban #1 (Avatar): Garth Ennis goes sci-fi horror.  Well, OK, then.  Gonna be on the lookout for that patented Avatar–the publisher, not the movie–moment.  Come on: you know what I’m talking about: you have been reading Rover Red Charlie, right?
  • Dead Letters #1 (BOOM!): Some more noir from BOOM!  It’d be a crime not to try it!  The second #1 this week that promises a premise predicated upon some dude waking up somewhere without any clue as to who he is, where he is, etc.  Yup: that’s what The Field is offering, as well.  Every new series should start that way!
Dead Letters #1

Dead Letters #1

  • Quantum and Woody #9 (Valiant): Last issue got my goat.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (3/5)

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in What's I&N Store?

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Huge week.  And, yes, this counts as narrowing it down.

  • Veil #1 (Dark Horse): Greg Rucka’s killing it with Lazarus and has Cyclops in his sights.  On the strength of the former and in anticipation of the latter, I’m thinking that this one’s a no-brainer.
  • Trillium #7 (DC/Vertigo): Through six issues, Jeff Lemire has insisted that we turn the page on our own expectations.  As excited as I am sad, knowing that–including this one–only two issues of Lemire’s head-spinning layouts are left!
Trillium #7

Trillium #7

Wild Blue Yonder #4

Wild Blue Yonder #4

  • Clone #15 (Image): Clonetopia?  Yeah, probably not.  David Schulner and Co. have made it clear: happy endings end rather quickly in Clone–often after a single page turn.  And what terrific page turns they are: artist Juan Jose Ryp’s attention to detail is astounding–not unlike the great Geof Darrow, no?
  • Jupiter’s Legacy #4 (Image): If I’m remembering correctly, I thought #3 was all right–certainly enough for me to ignore my oath to pass over any Millar material no matter how shiny.  We all know by now that Mark Millar’s not concerned with our experiences as readers of his fine material; he’s too busy generating new ideas like…
  • Starlight #1 (Image): Of course I’m going to give Mr. Millar another opportunity to frustrate the hell out of me.
  • Velvet #4 (Image): Brubaker and Epting are taking their time, doing their thing, which is near-perfect cinematic slow-burn espionage.
Velvet #4

Velvet #4

  • Loki: Agent of Asgard #2 (Marvel): I’ve never been a fan of Thor’s corner of the Marvel Universe.  Al Ewing, however, has convinced me to extend my visit to a tidy right angle.
  • Magneto #1 (Marvel): Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun) writing one of my favorite characters?  Yes, please.
  • Moon Knight #1 (Marvel): I was crushed after the most recent–and mostly crazy–run of Moon Knight–by Bendis and Maleev–came to a close.  Now, Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey are in charge of the lunatic in white.  Can’t wait.
Moon Knight #1

Moon Knight #1

  • Uncanny X-Men #18 (Marvel): Maybe–just maybe–#17 was a hint; maybe it was the nudge I need.  See: at the end of the issue, Cyclops kicks David Bond off the team because the new mutant fails to live up to expectations.  Maybe–just maybe–I should finally cast this book aside because it hasn’t lived up to my expectations.  Then again, Marco Rudy’s art looks ridiculously good.  So, another possibility: Fate has kept me around long enough for this!
  • Afterlife With Archie #4 (Archie): The series has been so good for so many reasons.  In fact, #3 was our #5 book of January–and deservedly so: Roberto Aguirre Sacasa’s storytelling–a brilliant balance of Archie and Afterlife–is top-notch, and Francesco Francavilla’s art is a perfect fit.
Afterlife With Archie #4

Afterlife With Archie #4

  • Archer & Armstrong #18 (Valiant): #17 was a rare sideways step for Fred Van Lente.  It certainly wasn’t what we were hoping for from one of our favorite books of 2013.  Wouldn’t you know: I liked #0.2014 a lot; in fact, it turned out to be one of my favorite origin issues, like, ever.
  • The Auteur #1 (Oni): Game-time decision.  Yeah, not too sure I need another “deranged” book.
  • Day Men #3 (BOOM!): A Millaresque release schedule without–so far, anyway–the Millaresque payoff that, generally, makes it worth the wait.  I’m going to have to pull #2 to bring myself up to speed.  Yeah, that’s always a bummer.
  • Evil Empire #1 (BOOM!): Another game-time decision.  I’m not familiar with Max Bemis or Ransom Getty, so I’ll give it an earnest flip and see what happens.
  • Quantum and Woody: Goat #0 (Valiant): Maa.
Quantum and Woody: Goat #0

Quantum and Woody: Goat #0

  • Rover Red Charlie #4 (Avatar): #3 was…  Oh, I’m going to save it for a future post.
  • The Twilight Zone #3 (Dynamite): Has been surprisingly good.  Certainly Straczynski’s best work–of the current batch, anyway.  The shine, however, was taken off a bit after I read Sidekick #5.  Seems Straczynski’s borrowing from himself–and he sure as heck isn’t being subtle about it!  Sure, I’ve seen creators who have borrowed from themselves, usually from past work, but this is just silly: Sidekick and Twilight Zone are concurrent titles, for goodness sake!  OK.  OK.  Wait a sec.  Is this the Twilight Zone?  Oh, well.  Still want to see how this plays out.
Twilight Zone #3

The Twilight Zone #3

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (2/26)

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in What's I&N Store?

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A nice list of books to round out the month.

  • The Massive #20 (Dark Horse): #19 struggled a bit to to rise to the level of “Longship.”  It was to be expected, I suppose, even as expectations were expectedly ramped up as a result of the exquisite study in tension that was the showdown between Cal Israel and Bors Bergson.  In general, there is something magical about how Brian Wood gets more out of simmering than most get out of boiling.
  • Mind MGMT #19 (Dark Horse): Matt Kindt is working at a completely different  level; and, in that, he’s competing against himself–and winning, wouldn’t you know!  Oh, you know–because you’re a regular reader of Mind MGMT, right?  If you’ve been a regular reader of our humble blog, then you know that #16 was our favorite issue until #17 came along and earned our coveted Best Single Issue of 2013 award.  #18–our #1 book of January 2014–has trumped #17 as our favorite issue of Mind MGMT to date; so you know what we’re expecting: #19 is going to be better still!  It’s going to be magic!
Mind MGMT #19

Mind MGMT #19

  • Pariah #1 (Dark Horse): Sounds interesting enough; has me thinking Gravity, obviously, but that’s OK.  The creators–Aaron Warner, Phillip Gelatt, and Brett Weldele–come with some impressive credits, so I’m going to give it a try.
  • Dead Boy Detectives #3 (DC/Vertigo): A unique narrative with a decidedly Vertigo vibe.
  • The Wake #6 (DC/Vertigo): According to Scott Snyder: “#5 [was] the big game changer.”  If that means that the series is suddenly going to get interesting, a bit more challenging, then terrific.  If it simply speaks to the leap forward in time that we’ve been hanging onto since #1, then I’m bored already.  Aside from some Snyder-esque horror in #3, the series has been an absolute snoozefest.  This is a rep-read–did I just coin that?–if there ever was one.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #31 (IDW): I’m still marveling over the fact that I’m reading a Turtles book.  Thing is, it’s good.  The writing’s solid, and Ross Campbell’s art is terrific; it suits the situation in which the Turtles find themselves perfectly.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Mateus Santolouco’a return to the title is just around the corner.  Sweet!
TMNT #31

TMNT #31

  • Deadly Class #2 (Image): I’ve about reached the end of my Remender rope.  But I have just enough left for this one.  I hope I get a bit more than recycled schemes, though.
  • The Manhattan Projects #18 (Image): Clinically insane, historically hilarious.  Engaging despite its evolving at a Darwin-esque clip.  #17 ends on a Hickman high note: a heavily armed General Westmoreland flips off Einstein–easily one of my favorite characters–and fires, “F&@% your science, Doctor…I’ve got a machine gun.”  Genius!
  • Rat Queens #5 (Image): It sure as hell ain’t high art, but who gives a rat’s ass?  Wiebe and Upchurch are spreading a plague of royal merriment!  Catch it as quickly as you can!
Rat Queens #5

Rat Queens #5

  • Satellite Sam #6 (Image): All I remember of #5: lots of below the belt lip service.  Now, with the oral stage set, what’s to come, Sigmund Fraction?  I hope we get back to business–before the afterglow turns totally to aftergloom.
  • Sheltered #7 (Image): #6 offered up an interesting angle: the adult as the innocent.  Derek and I talked about it here: I&N the Gutter with…Sheltered.  I’m hoping that this series stays tight and doesn’t get tedious–like Revival, for instance.
  • Three #5 (Image): #3 was great.  #4 didn’t quite have the same impact but was a damn fine follow up with an edge of your seat cliffhanger.  Can’t wait to see how it plays out here in #5. Kieron Gillen’s got something really good going with Three. Looks like when he’s doing his own thing, as with Uber, he’s much more effective and, ultimately, more engaging. He grabs his angle, does his research, and soars.
  • Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel): James Robinson’s The All-New Invaders has been a major disappointment.  In fact, we called out #1 as our Biggest Dis(appointment) of January.  We all know that Robinson’s capable of so much more.  Well, I hope he brings that more to Fantastic Four–and I hope what he and Leonard Kirk bring together as a team to “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” justifies the reboot.
  • Hawkeye #15 (Marvel): Wouldn’t you know: a filtered Fraction is a much better–and certainly sexier–Fraction. But Fraction’s only half of the team that’s serving up the second best hero book–after Daredevil , of course–in the Marvel Universe: David Aja has a hand–a very active hand, sexually actually–in the sexification of Clint Barton, as well. Hey Derek!  Smart move jumping onto Mind MGMT–finally. Now it’s time to set your sights on some super hero action. What are you waiting for?  I’ll even lend you my trades!
Hawkeye #15

Hawkeye #15

  • Miracleman #3 (Marvel): I’m hooked on Alan Moore’s Miracleman! Gosh, I wish I had read these stories back in the day, though. But thanks to Marvel for giving me an opportunity enjoy them now.  Could do without all of the ancillary material, however.
  • Doc Savage #3 (Dynamite): On the strength of Derek’s recommendation, I’ve picked up the first two, but I haven’t gotten around to reading them yet.
  • X-O Manowar #22 (Valiant): A reliable read, though rarely remarkable.  Aric, however, remains one of my favorite characters.  I wonder whether or not Aric’s involvement in Unity will bring a little something extra to this book.  We’ll see.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott