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Tag Archives: Mateus Santolouco

What’s I&N Store (7/16)

14 Monday Jul 2014

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

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Adam Archer, Alph, Andre Sirangelo, Antonio Campo, Archaia, Ben Templesmith, Brian Michael Bendis, C. Willow Wilson, Casey Maloney, Cullen Bunn, Dan Slott, David Lapham, DC Comics, Dicks, Doodle Jump, Dynamite Entertainment, Gabriel Iumazark, Garth Ennis, Georgia Ball, Harbinger, IDW, Image, Jake Wyatt, Jamie McKelvie, John McCrea, Josh Elder, Joshua Dysart, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Kamala, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Kris Anka, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Littlest Pet Shop, Magneto, Mario Udzenija, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Meredith Gran, Mike Allred, Ms. Marvel, Nico Pena, Patrick Gleason, Peter Tomasi, Q-bert, Rat Queens, Robin Rises: Omega, Roc Upchurch, Scribblenauts Unmasked, Silver Surfer, Stray Bullets: Killers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Devilers, The Last Broadcast, The Last Fall, The Squidder, The Wicked & The Divine, Tom Waltz, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant

A big week with some stand-out books and a few make-or-breakers, too.  Toss in a bunch of #1’s and you’ve got yourself a pretty full bag.

Oh, and a picture of a wrestler.

  • Robin Rises: Omega #1 (DC): It’s all led to this.  By it, I mean: early on, Tomasi did a terrific job of toeing the Bat-line that Morrison drew in Batman Inc.; but for the most part the post-Two Face team-ups were terribly tedious.  Stitching Batman to Frankenstein worked well, however, because of its acting as a natural segue into Robin’s resurrection–or whatever’s going to go down.  Who knows?  Maybe Robin’ll come back less human than human; maybe he’ll forevermore be known as–wait for it–Robzombie.
Robin Rises: Omega #1

Robin Rises: Omega #1

  • The Squidder #1 (IDW): Trying out some new Ben Templesmith, who’s trying out some words along with his usually stunning images.
  • The Last Fall #1 (IDW): Writer Tom Waltz has had a hand in making TMNT a must buy.  I’m willing to give him a shot here.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #36 (IDW): That’s right: TMNT is a must buy.  The story’s been solid, and Mateus Santolouco’s art has been instrumental in redefining the Turtles.
TMNT #36

TMNT #36

  • Rat Queens #7 (Image): The Unreal Queens of Comedy are back to offend our sensibilities–and, as #6 proved, to make us like ’em all a little bit more.  (Yeah, the four-panel first page snagged me but good.)  One thing that keeps me coming back for more: it reminds me of the late Drew Hayes’s Poison Elves.  (God, I loved Poison Elves!)
  • Stray Bullets: Killers #5 (Image): I agreed completely with Derek’s assessment–his very positive assessment–of SB:K #1.  Since then, however, Lapham hasn’t quite killed it.  Rooting hard for Amy Racecar.
Stray Bullets: Killers #5

Stray Bullets: Killers #5

  • The Wicked & The Divine #2 (Image): The title’s got me thinking less about the book itself and more about Kieron Gillen.  I love Uber and really liked Three (Divine!); his post-Schism Uncanny X-Men was unreadable, and Young Avengers was wildly over-hyped (Wicked!).  After #1, I’m leaning toward the latter.  One thing going for it: it read not unlike a Johnathan Hickman book–just with characters who are annoying as hell.
  • Magneto #7 (Marvel): While #5 fell a bit flat, #6 reestablished Magneto’s mojo–with a vengeance!  It’s all about vengeance, ain’t it?  Good for us.  Kudos to Cullen Bunn, who has gone a long way toward establishing himself as the master of the Master of Magnetism.
  • Ms. Marvel #6 (Marvel): #5 was the weakest issue thus far.  Not saying it wasn’t good; there was just something…inconsistent about it.  Wondering how the new artist–Jake Wyatt–will affect the book, especially considering how instrumental Adrian Alphona has been in making this book so magical from the get-go .  I’m still very high on Kamala, though.
Not this one...

Not this one…

This one.  Duh.

This one. Duh.

  • Silver Surfer #4 (Marvel): We’ve celebrated #1 and #2 as Top 5 books–of March and April, respectively.  And, not surprisingly, you’ll soon find that we liked #3 a whole lot, too.  No doubt: this last wave of Marvel books has been damn good; and of the bunch riding it–including the aforementioned Ms. Marvel and Magneto, plus the knockout Iron Fist–Slott and Allred’s Silver Surfer is the Big Kahuna.
Silver Surfer #4

Silver Surfer #4

  • Uncanny X-Men #23 (Marvel): I’ve admitted it already, but I’ll do so again; see, it needs to be emphasized–especially since I was such a tough customer: I like what Bendis is doing on both X-books.  That’s right: I’m a believer!  And not simply on the strength of one or two issues of each; no, I’d still be cautious–maybe even rude–with such a small sampling.  After several issues of each–of All-New and Uncanny–I haven’t had a single thing to complain about!  Well, it’s more than just not having something to complain about: Bendis has found the all-important balance between the serious and the silly that must be struck in order for the X-Men to work.  Works for me.
  • Black Market #1 (BOOM!): I haven’t really liked anything I’ve read from Frank Barbiere (Five Ghosts, White Suits); but, as I tried those, I’ll probably try this one.
  • Dicks: End of Time #2: I hope I score the offensive cover!  Honesty: I felt like a jerk buying it, more so while reading it, and totally after.  Yup, I’m Super Wanker!
  • Harbinger #25 (Valiant): Here comes Harada!  Doesn’t look like he’s gonna Toyo with Peter any longer.  Ouch.  Sorry for that.  Speaking of ouch: plenty of ouch potential here, right?  I mean, anniversary issues usually suck.  A gaggle of special guests usually results in an overpriced mess, doesn’t it?  Hoping for more.
  • The Last Broadcast #3 (Archaia): Thus far, The Last Broadcast has been a magical experience!  In fact, we’re going to be celebrating #2 as a top book of June, you know, when we finally get around to it.  Seriously, though, Andre Sirangelo and Gabriel Iumazark have pieced together an engrossing mystery that plays like a Polanski film (Frantic, The Ninth Gate).  (Hey, I might use that in my Top 5 review…)
The Last Broadcast #3

The Last Broadcast #3

  • The Devilers #1 (Dynamite): If I see Joshua Hale Fialkov’s name on a book, I’m going to buy the book.  Where he’s at now (The Bunker, The Life After), odds are good this’ll be hella good.

Avery’s Picks of the Week:

  • Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination #7 (DC): She’s got the first six, so there’s no stopping now–even if she has no idea what’s going on.  After all, we’re a family of completists.  Unless a book really sucks, of course.
Sribblenauts #7

Scribblenauts #7

  • Littlest Pet Shop #3 (IDW): The first two were cute enough.
  • Doodle Jump #2 (Dynamite): Oh, Avery’s going to totally jump for Doodle!  What is Doodle Jump, you ask?  It’s Q-bert on drugs.  Well, Q-bert on more drugs.
Doodle Jump #2

Doodle Jump #2

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (6/18)

17 Tuesday Jun 2014

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

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Alex + Ada, Andre Sirangelo, Archaia, Batman and Ra's al Ghul, BOOM!, Brian Azzarello, Brian Michael Bendis, Butch Guice, Chondra Echert, Chris Bachalo, Chris Samnee, Chuck Dixon, Claudio Sanchez, Corey Smith, Dan Slott, Daniel Bayless, Daredevil, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Ed Brubaker, Eye of Newt, Fatale, Fred Van Lente, Goran Sudzuka, Harbinger, IDW, Image, Jamie McKelvie, Jonathan Hickman, Jonathan Luna, Joshua Dysart, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Michael Hague, Mike Allred, Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi, Rebecca Guay, Ryan Browne, Sarah Vaughn, Sean Phillips, Silver Surfer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Last Broadcast, The Manhattan Projects, The Wicked & The Divine, Tom Waltz, Translucid, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant, Winterworld, Wonder Woman

Stirring up a pretty potent brew in my bag this week.  Naturally, I’m going to start with…

  • Eye of Newt #1 (Dark Horse): I ain’t a fan of The Hobbit and I ain’t looking to make a habit outta buying books that tease Tolkienesque quests.  But this new release from Michael Hague looks awfully pretty.  Reminds of Rebecca Guay.
Eye of Newt #1

Eye of Newt #1

  • Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 (DC): OK, so, I’ve been touting this title for over a year now, mostly because of how well Tomasi dealt with the aftermath of Morrison’s fatal calculus.  Since the Two-Face arc, however, it just hasn’t added up–that is until #31, which offered the return of Frankenstein and a breath of fresh art from guest artist Doug Mahnke.
  • Wonder Woman #32 (DC): Wanna talk about women in comics?  The conversation begins and ends with Wonder Woman.  In the Battle of the Bulging Bag, the new God of War is the clear winner.
Wonder Woman #32

Wonder Woman #32

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35 (IDW): No longer gets a bump from being a surprise–and doesn’t need it!  I think we can all agree: Mateus Santolouco owns the Turtles.  If we’re lucky, he’ll never leave.
  • Winterworld #1 (IDW): Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice?  Yes, please!
  • Alex + Ada #7 (Image): Sure, Ada only recently gained sentience; but let’s face it: this book’s been full of life from the get-go.
Alex + Ada #7

Alex + Ada #7

  • Fatale #23 (Image): #22 worked for what it was.  This one promises to be “the strangest issue […] yet.”  Guess that means a helluva lot of strange.  Aw, hell, Brubaker and Phillips may as well wring out the strange sponge on their way out.
  • The Manhattan Projects #21 (Image): Gee whiz!  An issue featuring a dog!  Haven’t read one of those in while.
  • The Wicked & The Divine #1 (Image): Kieron Gillen’s a must try.  Jamie McKelvie’s clean style will go a long way toward letting Gillen tell his story about young gods living the life–until they die.
  • Daredevil #4 (Marvel): Who?
Daredevil #4

Daredevil #4

  • Silver Surfer #3 (Marvel): #2 earned its place in our Top 5 for April.  Read about it here and discover why Silver Surfer belongs in your bag, too.
  • Uncanny X-Men #22 (Marvel): No longer fretting about my getting.  Suddenly, instead, just this: satisfied with Bendis.
  • Harbinger #24 (Valiant): Almost done.  Shame, really.  Has been one of the better superhero team books around.
  • The Last Broadcast #2 (Archaia): #1 was terrific!  Can’t wait to discover what’s next!  Hoping pretty hard that Andre Sirangelo can keep the same pace here in #2.
  • Magnus: Robot Fighter #4 (Dynamite): Fred Van Lente’s a busy man, but he’s not letting it show in his work; he writes each book as if it’s his only one.  Absolutely loved #3–especially when the Robot Fighter’s fist met a flying car’s front end in a spectacular spread by Corey Smith.  Speaking of fists:
Magnus: Robot Fighter #4

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4

  • Translucid #3 (BOOM!): #2 was the runner-up for Biggest Dis(appointment) of May.  There’s a fine line between a juvenile affect and juvenilia.  Hoping for more than a month’s worth of maturity here with #3.

Avery’s Pick of the Week:

  • Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #6 (DC): Avery likes herself some little heroes.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (6/4)

03 Tuesday Jun 2014

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

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Al Ewing, Alan Moore, Avatar, Bilquis Evely, Brian Michael Bendis, Caliban, Chris Roberson, Clayton Crain, Clone, Cullen Bunn, David Marquez, David Schulner, DC Comics, Declan Shalvey, Doc Savage, Dynamite Entertainment, Facundo Percio, Garth Ennis, IDW, Image, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon, James Asmus, Jordie Bellaire, Juan Jose Ryp, Kaare Andrews, Kano, Kevin Eastman, Lee Garbett, Loki: Agent of Asgard, Magneto, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Kindt, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, Miracleman, Moon Knight, Quantum and Woody, Rai, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Ted McKeever, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Superannuated Man, The Wake, Tom Waltz, Valiant, Vertigo, Wade McIntyre, Warren Ellis

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

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What’s I&N Store (4/23)

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

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

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Alberto Alburquerque, Ales Kot, Avatar, Batman Eternal, Braden Lamb, Brian Wood, Canaan White, Charles Soule, Chris Samnee, Danijel Zezelj, Daredevil, Dark Horse, DC, Dead Boy Detectives, Ed Brisson, Elektra, Evil Empire, Gary Erskine, Greg Rucka, Harbinger, IDW, Image, Jeff Lemire, Joe Infunari, Johnnie Christmas, Jonathan Hickman, Joshua Dysart, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Justice League United, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Lazarus, Letter 44, Mark Buckingham, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Kindt, Matt taylor, Max Bemis, Michael Lark, Mind MGMT, Nick Pitarra, Oni Press, Ransom Getty, Ryan North, Scott Snyder, Shelli Paroline, Sheltered, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Bunker, The Manhattan Projects, The Massive, The Midas Flesh, Toby Litt, Tom Waltz, Uber, Valiant, Vertigo, W. Haden Blackman, zero

Here’s what I’ll be stuffing in my bag this week:

  • The Massive #22 (Dark Horse): Brian Wood and Danijel Zezelj follow up the very strong “Bloc” arc–which earned Wood and Garry Brown I&N top book status for February and March–with “Sahara,” which promises to slake our thirst for more Mary.
The Massive #22

The Massive #22

  • Mind MGMT #21 (Dark Horse): Those of you who have been following our little blog for a while may have been surprised to see that #20 didn’t crack our Top 5 Books of March.  Believe me: after hashing out the list, we were pretty surprised, too!  Matt Kindt certainly didn’t disappoint: he drew out an issue highlighting a giant of Mind MGMT past, and did so using tall panels to accentuate, well, the agent’s giantness.  Super clever–and, more important, super effective!  Kindt’s artistic approach often results in impossibly long-limbed figures; #20 acts, then, as an ectomorphic celebration!  This new offering promises to be a silent issue, which, in Kindt’s capable hands, promises to say plenty, as his art often tells most of the story anyway.  On a nostalgic note: when I think “silent issue,” like you, I go right to G.I Joe #21.  I also think of Martin Wagner’s Hepcats because, if memory serves, there was a stunning silent issue that focused on child abuse.  Does anyone remember that?
Mind MGMT #21

Mind MGMT #21

  • Batman Eternal #3 (DC): So, I gave #2 a shot despite my not being excited about #1.  Wasn’t much of an improvement.  Some storytelling yips persist–including the agonizing, issue-long reveal of the antagonist; and the dialogue’s nothing to talk about.   And that said, I’ll probably pick this up.
  • Dead Boy Detectives #5 (DC/Vertigo): Still like the vibe and the possibilities.
  • Justice League United #0 (DC): Lemire on a hero book doesn’t excite, but I’m going to try it nevertheless.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #33 (IDW): Here’s something that does excite: Mateus Santolouco is back!  Not kidding, folks: the Turtles aren’t a novelty anymore; they’re not simply a guilty pleasure; they’re a mainstay, I’m proud to say!
TMNT #33

TMNT #33

  • Lazarus #8 (Image): Like The Massive, Lazarus has been one of our top books for February and March.  Can’t help but think of Ginsberg’s “Howl” because that’s what I think of when I think of Denver: “who journeyed to Denver, who died in Denver, who came back to Denver & waited in vain, who watched over Denver & brooded & loned in Denver and finally went away to find out the Time, & now Denver is lonesome for her heroes.”  Well, that and Dave Loggins’ “Please, Come to Boston.”
Lazarus #8

Lazarus #8

  • The Manhattan Projects #20 (Image): #19 was a tad frivolous–I mean, did we really need to see the Oppenheimer civil war?  The end presented an interesting twist, however.  Oh, I’m definitely down with dueling Einsteins.
  • Sheltered #8 (Image): Has become a bit “is what it is,” hasn’t it?
  • Zero #7 (Image): We liked #1-#4 enough to celebrate Kot’s baby as a top title of 2013.  #5 was OK, although the idea of aliens being thrust into the mix wasn’t all that thrilling.  #6 wasn’t very good at all–writing-wise or art-wise.  Yeah, unfortunately, we weren’t blown away by Vanesa Del Rey’s work, which was tough to follow at times.  Expectations have fallen to just about, well, zero.
  • Daredevil #2 (Marvel): The reboot/relaunch/rewhatever was underwhelming.  I kinda dig the whole devil out of water device; but outside of that, #1 wasn’t much of anything, really.
  • Elektra#1 (Marvel): I’ve been an Elektra junkie forever.  I’m interested in seeing how half of the former Batwoman writing duo–W. Haden Blackman–handles the deadly sairen.
Elektra #1

Elektra #1

  • The Bunker #3 (Oni Press): Has been very good.  Fialkov’s handling the time-travel aspect as if it isn’t an obstacle to the storytelling process, when, in fact, it’s like skipping through a minefield.  Impressive, indeed!
  • Evil Empire #2 (BOOM!): #1 ended on a sharp note, that’s for sure.  We’ll see if Bemis and Getty can keep the momentum going.
Evil Empire #2

Evil Empire #2

  • Harbinger #22 (Valiant): Recently read that Harbinger‘s ending as of #25.  A bit of a bummer, sure, but it does lighten the load without my having to be the one to make the dreaded decision.
  • Letter 44 #6 (Oni Press): I was planning on dropping it, but with this being the arc ender and all…
  • The Midas Flesh #5 (BOOM!): About as much fun as you’re bound to have with a finger.  #4 suffered a bit from some strained development; but overall the series has been really good.
  • Uber #11 (Avatar): Hoping for some fireworks, that’s for sure.

Which books are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N’s Top Ten of 2013

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ 27 Comments

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Abstract Studio, Adventure Time, Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake, Afterlife With Archie, Ales Kot, Archer & Armstrong, Archie, Austin Harrison, Bad Houses, Bandette, Battlefields, BOOM!, Brian K. Vaughan, Buzzkill, Clone, Daredevil, Dark Horse, Dark Horse Presents, DC, Dean Motter, Deathmatch, Dial H, Dynamite, Fiona Staples, Fred Van Lente, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Greg Rucka, Harold Gray, IDW, Image, Jeff Stokely, kaboom!, Lazarus, Manifest Destiny, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Kindt, Michael Lark, Michael Walsh, Mike Raicht, Mind MGMT, Mind the Gap, Mister X: Eviction, Mister X: Hard Candy, Morgan Jeske, Nelson Daniel, Numbercruncher, Oni, Rachel Rising, Sabretooth Swordsman, Saga, Satellite Sam, Seth, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, Star Wars, Terminator, Terry Moore, the Hernandez Bros, The Massive, The Sixth Gun, The Spirit, Thumbprint, Titan, Tradd Moore, Trillium, Valiant, Vertigo, Wild Blue Yonder, Will Eisner, Winsor McCay, Zach Howard, zero

Welcome to the 46th Annual I&N’s Top Ten Comics of the Year (aka “The Innies”)! Why it seems like just yesterday that a struggling little mag named “The Amazing Spider-Man” edged out “The Adventures of Jerry Lewis” for the top spot on our hallowed list, signaling the spectacular rise of one and the slow descent into obscurity of the other.

Each title below is testament to the fact that, even as conventional wisdom holds that print is dying, comics are in the midst of some kind of Renaissance. The persistent stereotype that this vibrant, global medium is followed by sad, middle-aged men who like to see men in tights beat each other up simply doesn’t hold water anymore, nor has it for quite some time. The fact is, the problem is no longer a lack of diversity in incredible material for any and all possible demographics; it’s that there’s too much of it to keep track of! No less than seven publishers are represented in our Top Ten, each producing catalogues of more great work than we could ever hope to encompass in our tiny alloted piece of the internet. (You’ll note we even had to expand our “Honorable Mentions” section to ten books apiece – and we could’ve used ten more!) Simply put: everyone should be reading comics.

As always, we here at I&N welcome debate – hell, that’s the whole point. Just be aware that results below have already been encrypted onto floppy discs and blasted into space for the benefit of our future alien overlords. (DM)

The List!

10. Archer & Armstrong (Valiant): When Valiant, earlier this year, began hyping up their new title Quantum and Woody as their foray into buddy-action slapstick comedy, I wanted to yell “Wait! They’ve already GOT one of those!” But Archer & Armstrong is much more than that. Fred Van Lente and Co. have taken the best of Lethal Weapon, The X-Files, ancient Sumerian mythology, Dan Brown-type conspiracy novels, Dr. Strangelove, and god knows what else, and concocted a world-spanning epic that despite its breakneck pace and impeccable comic timing, manages an intellectual underpinning that questions the very nature and origins of faith. Even at its most gleefully satirical, however, the sheer exuberance of the writing embraces an expansive view of humanity, in all its wonders and frailties. Fun in a bottle, folks. (DM)

Archer & Armstrong

9. Fury: My War Gone By (Marvel): Garth Ennis proves he’s one of the most incisive writers around (not just in comics) on the subject of war. His deconstruction of the Marvel soldier/spy icon (lately supercool due to Samuel Jackson’s sleek big screen portrayal) is the least of this title’s attributes (which is on our Top Ten for the second year running). Ennis’ story (rendered with appropriate, unblinking grit by Goran Parlov) also serves as an insider’s account through the anguished  litany of armed conflict of the second half of the 20th century. Most devastatingly, it portrays the effects of war, not on the nameless many whose lives are needlessly cut short, but on the wretched perpetrators who survive. Merciless and shattering. (DM)

Fury: My War Gone By

8. Zero (Image): Ales Kot, the enigmatic engineer behind the challenging Change (Image), a mostly on-time bullet train of thought fueled by a combustible blend of poetry and pictures, has heroically hit the brakes on the overplayed and over-parodied secret agent genre, expertly taking it from 007 to Zero in no time flat. He’s applied the same amount of poetic pressure here, but to a more successful–and coherent–end storytelling-wise: the danger is palpable, the emotion undeniable–thanks, in part, to the rather complex collaborative effort that has called for four different artists on the first four issues of the series–a move that has transcended gimmick and, instead, has proven invaluable, if only because the first four artists have been Michael Walsh (Comeback), Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode), Mateus Santolouco (Dial H, TMNT), and Morgan Jeske (Change). My experience thus far: #1 hooked me with its perfect timing and left me lying in the gutter; #2 knocked me upside-down; #3 disarmed me; and #4 made me love it–made me punch-drunk love it, damn it! What makes the book even more exciting? It defies expectations. I expect that it’ll continue defying expectations as we move into 2014. And, in that, I expect Zero to be just as good as it’s been–if not infinitely better because we’re getting the best of Kot, who’s clearly giving us everything he’s got. (SC)

Zero #4

Zero

7. Lazarus (Image): Greg Rucka’s vision of a near-future oligarchic dystopia gets under your skin because, in the tradition of Huxley and Orwell, it seems an all-too-plausible extrapolation of our current reality. The story is made even more unsettlingly concrete by Michael Lark’s stark, photorealistic visuals. Contrast the plight of the teeming masses with the power-hungry family dynamic of the ultra-privileged few, and you have a potent, volatile mix. A comic for our times. (DM)

Lazarus #2

Lazarus

6. Wild Blue Yonder (IDW): Sure, it’s only three issues in, but what a three-issue ride it’s been!  We’ve celebrated this action-packed series from its radar-arousing takeoff, with each high-speed pass earning enviable I&N accolades along the way.  (Check out the love here, here, and here.)  Top Gunners Mike Raicht, Zach Howard, Nelson Daniel, and Austin Harrison have come together in classic diamond formation to deliver one superior salvo after another, each on its own–and as a whole–a blockbuster that would humble Hollywood’s own best of 2013. (SC)

Wild Blue Yonder

Wild Blue Yonder

5. Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio): Terry Moore presents a truly American horror story: witches, serial killers, and a resurrected figure of biblical origins seeking vengeance for the sins of our nation’s past. Oh yeah, and the Devil. Moore draws you in with the quiet beauty of his artwork; his snow-covered renditions of the sleepy town of Manson enveloping you like a down blanket in front of a fireplace, before the sharp spasms of bloodletting shock you right back into his nightmare. However terrible the events depicted though, Moore seems to suggest they pale against the cruelties of history. Speaking of cruelties, let’s hope a purported television adaptation staves off recent talk of this book’s imminent demise. Because the real horror story would be a world without Rachel Rising. (DM)

Rachel Rising

4. Saga (Image): Saga is a lot of things: a superlative satire, a side-splitting sci-fi romp, a heart-wrenching romance, a critique of fiction, a controversy magnet; but most of all, it’s extraordinarily consistent; and it’s that consistency that fosters a critical expectation: to expect the unexpected.  On a monthly basis, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples serve up sublime slices of a greater story–slices that showcase razor sharp dialogue, that pitch perfect pathos, that sell sure shocks; they wisely fool with the elements of fiction and, like confident alchemists, have come up with issue after issue of 22-page gold–and we’re all the richer for it. (SC)

Saga

Saga

3. Six-Gun Gorilla (BOOM!): In the biggest surprise of the year, Si Spurrier conducts a multi-layered masterclass in metaficiton and at the same time delivers a eulogy on the dying art of escapism.  From the existential exposition of this weird, weird western to its necessarily hopeful final act, Spurrier’s imaginative muse–the Six-Gun Gorilla, himself–becomes Blue’s, and then naturally becomes ours as we consent to the writer’s every insistence; as we gladly lose ourselves in this genre-bending–and never-ending–battle between reality and fiction, good and evil, and fate and freewill, which is brought to life by rising star Jeff Stokely, whose artwork crucially complements the conflicts at the core of the story.  At the same time a celebration of a culture’s vital literary legacy and a criticism of the current collective unconscious, Six-Gun Gorilla has earned its spot in the Western Canon of Comics–and our Top Ten–with a simple but oft-neglected gesture: by making and keeping a primal promise. (SC)

Six-Gun Gorilla #2

Six-Gun Gorilla

2. Mind MGMT (Dark Horse): Matt Kindt’s magical mystery tour de force Mind MGMT—our #3 book of 2012–continues to astound, especially as its crafty creator meticulously molds the medium to suit his carefully constructed conspiratorial agenda.  As the story of the eponymous enigmatic entity has evolved, so too has Kindt’s strategy for telling it: his precise, patient prose; his layouts, enlivened by some otherworldly calculus; and his innovative brushstrokes of genius merge miraculously and challenge us to think and to feel, to be active participants in the world in which we’ve been immersed: to put beautifully painted pieces together in order to experience–along with the impressive cast of characters–confusion and loss, the conflation of time, and a higher power drawing us somewhere unprecedented in breadth and scope–drawing us in to the mind of the medium’s finest manager. (SC)

Mind MGMT #13

Mind MGMT

1. Mister X (Dark Horse): There are many approaches to creating great comics. One of them is largely collaborative, in which the creative duties are are separated and clearly defined (writer, artist, colorist, letterer, etc). Through an amalgam of traditional, action-based American comics and the more leisurely paced, lushly visual influence of manga, this approach has evolved over the last twenty years or so into what could be called a “cinematic” style; a treatment of the comic book form that seems based in the ethos of filmmaking (Lazarus, above, is an excellent example of this). Then there is another approach (let us call it the “auteur’s” approach) in which the cartoonist (let us rescue this title from the cultural dung-heap) assumes all of the above creative responsibilities to produce narratives that are singular and personal in a way that no other visual medium, not even movies, can replicate. Since they control all aspects of the work – not just writing and drawing, but page design, panel lay-out, font style and placement and all sorts of graphic elements; in short the whole package – they can, at their best, perfectly marry content and form in a manner that is unique to the comics medium. It is an approach with a history that extends at least back to Will Eisner and The Spirit. Perhaps because it takes such a concerted effort by a single individual, this type of formal, experimental approach is most often seen in the realm of the “graphic novel”. Rarely is it employed in our beloved, stapled floppies (though glimmers of hope have begun to appear on the comic racks: see Matt Kindt, above and below). And then there is Mister X. Created by Dean Motter in the early 1980’s, (when “graphic novels” barely existed as an idea) the title has long been a touchstone among independent-minded cartoonists (early contributors include the Hernandez Bros and Seth). In its latest iterations, Hard Candy and Eviction, Motter continues to seamlessly wed both approaches: there is the clear stylistic influence of German Expressionism and film noir for which the comic is known, but there are also the aforementioned design choices that reflect the themes of the narrative itself. The story involves the mysterious architect of a city in which the very buildings (in all their art deco glory) seem to respond to, and adversely influence, the psyches of its very inhabitants. This theme, played out in yarns that are at once hard-boiled, surreal and whimsical, acts as a fitting metaphor for the experience of the reader, as they interact with the “architecture” of Motter’s intricate design. Further, Motter includes delightful homages to the likes of Harold Gray (“Little Urchin Andy”), Winsor McCay (“Dream of the Robot Friend”) and the aforementioned Eisner (see cover below) which pay tribute to the comics history of which Mister X is a part, while, again, also making sense within the story itself. The overall effect is immersive and beguiling. Some comics tell great stories. Some comics celebrate their history. Some comics continue to push at the boundaries of the medium. And then there is Mister X. Book Of the Year. (DM)

Mister X:Eviction

Derek’s Honorable Mentions: 20. Dial H (DC) 19.  Afterlife with Archie (Archie) 18. Manifest Destiny (Image) 17. Thumbprint (IDW) 16. The Massive (Dark Horse) 15. Battlefields (Dynamite) 14. Adventure Time (kaboom!) 13. Numbercruncher (Titan) 12. Trillium (DC/Vertigo) 11. Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake (kaboom!)

Scott’s Honorable Mentions:

20. Battlefields (Dynamite) 19. Daredevil (Marvel) 18. The Sixth Gun (Oni) 17. Deathmatch (BOOM!) 16. Satellite Sam (Image) 15. Clone (Image) 14. Numbercruncher (Titan) 13. Mind the Gap (Image) 12. The Massive (Dark Horse) 11. Trillium (DC/Vertigo)

Best Single Issue of the Year: Mind MGMT #17 (Dark Horse)

With #17, Kindt reaches new heights, goes to greater lengths–particularly in page-busting panels of crisply-crafted and concurrent continuous narratives–to exploit the power of the medium.   As promised by the clever cover–one awash in paranoia and paronomasia–the story moves at a breakneck pace: from a locked and loaded unhappy Home Maker to a veritable orgy of violent rivers running toward a simultaneous orgasm of double-page splashes–there goes the neighborhood, indeed!–to a crack shot Meru, who, with a twist of Lyme, is ready to take the reins and restore reason to the world one agent at a time.  The whole damn thing’s a miracle, really.  Hell, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kindt could turn his watercolors to wine; his work is that divine. (SC)

Mind MGMT #17

Mind MGMT #17

Publisher of the Year: Most comics-related outfits have finally caught onto Image Comics‘ trend-setting ways and already bestowed this honor upon them (no doubt, in no small part, due to our ahead-of-the-curve naming them Publisher of the Year in 2012 😉 And with stellar debuts like Lazarus and Zero (not to mention books like Manifest Destiny and Rat Queens) the accolades are hard to dispute. But let us do just that (contrary bastards that we are). Because 2013 was the year that a bevy of other publishers took a page from Image’s playbook and produced work, much of it creator-owned, that was just as innovative, idiosyncratic, and invigorating as Image’s output. BOOM!, IDW, Oni, Dyanmite – all produced titles of creativity, breadth and distinction. But there was one publisher that rose unexpectedly, like its namesake, above the rest: Dark Horse. While never taking their eye off their bread-and-butter licensed properties (like Star Wars and Terminator) Dark Horse branched out into new territory with exciting minis from largely unknown creators (Buzzkill), original graphic novels (Bad Houses), and printed versions of high quality digital comics (Bandette, Sabretooth Swordsman). And let’s face it, Dark Horse has been doing the creator-owned, independent thing for over twenty years, as evidenced by the revival of the premiere comics anthology, Dark Horse Presents. So while Image is the current industry darling (and deservedly so), we can’t ignore the evidence of our comic-lovin’ eyes: the best overall books of 2013 (including our Top Two titles) were published by Dark Horse Comics. (DM)

Looking forward to 2014,

Scott & Derek

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What’s I&N Store (11/27)

26 Tuesday Nov 2013

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

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Alberto Alburquerque, All-New X-Men, Bedlam, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, Charles Soule, Dark Horse, David Aja, Emma Rios, Fiona Staples, Garry Brown, Hawkeye, IDW, Image, J. Michael Straczynski, Joe's Comics, Jordie Bellaire, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Kevin Eastman, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Letter 44, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Fraction, Matt Hollingsworth, Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT, Nick Spencer, Oni Press, Pretty Deadly, Rat Queens, Roc Upchurch, Ryan Browne, Saga, Sidekick, Stuart Immonen, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Massive, Tom Mandrake

The calm before the store…

  • The Massive #17 (Dark Horse): Continues to be one of my favorites.  In #11, Callum Israel, the unyielding–and anachronistic–idealist, stares down an agent of the new reality: whaler, Bors Borgsen.  “Tomorrow [they] do go to war,” and I can’t wait.
  • Mind MGMT #17 (Dark Horse): How much did I love #16?  Let me count the ways: it was our #3 book of October.
Mind MGMT #17

Mind MGMT #17

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #28 (IDW): “City Fall” comes to an end–and so too, sadly, does Mateus Santolouco’s run as the artist.  Admission: I’ve enjoyed the arc a lot, more so than I expected to.  Not much of a Turtles fan, I jumped on board because of Santolouco’s art; thing is, I just may stick around even after this one.  Never would’ve guessed that in a million years.
TMNT #28

TMNT #28

  • Bedlam #10 (Image): I’ve gone a long while with this one without feeling a connection to a single character.  I should just drop the damn thing and be done with it once and for all.  (Instead, I kinda feel like I’m the one being dropped–not unlike the fella falling to the pavement on the cover of #9.)   Big words from someone who’s not standing in a comic shop filled with shiny new books–books that seem to know that I have the constitution of an secondhand accordion.
  • Black Science #1 (Image): I’m not too sure if I’m going to bother with this.  I know, I know: it’s an Image #1, and that usually means it’s gonna end up in my bag.  But I’m carrying a pretty significant grudge: I’m not going to mince words: I hate what Rick Remender did with Captain America in the NOW!  I couldn’t read past #3.  I came back, mind you, once Remender pulled Cap out of Dimension Z.  Still, everything was wrong–so terribly wrong.  Traitorously wrong.  The only reason I might even try this one is because sometimes writers I haven’t liked very much on established characters shine while developing their own.  Yeah, that’s my science.
  • Pretty Deadly #2 (Image):  Expectations are pretty darned low after a muddled and all-too-familiar first issue.  I’m going to be fair, though, and give it a flip through.  Sometimes a series needs that second or third issue to take off and find its own space.  I usually extend that courtesy to creators I like or characters I like; that’s not the case here, however.  Maybe it’s because I’ve developed a weak spot for westerns of late.  We’ll see.
  • Rat Queens #3 (Image): The book’s got a bit of a Saga vibe, doesn’t it?  Didn’t notice it so much in #1; but in #2, it’s pretty obvious–especially in the strong final note. “Buckets” of fun!  I mean, it’s not nearly as refined, as deliberate; it’s exuberant prose, where Saga‘s poetry.  Here we go: it’s as if Wiebe’s throwing all at the wall and is keeping everything that sticks and–aw, why the hell not?–everything that doesn’t.  Despite its checkered execution, there’s plenty to like.  Queen me!
Rat Queens #3

Rat Queens #3

  • Saga #16 (Image): “Perfect, gumdrop.”  And that’s all ye need to know.
Saga #16

Saga #16

  • Sidekick #4 (Image): All that work–and for what?  Talk about the St. Louis blues!  Flyboy’s gotta be sidekicking himself!  Heh.  Mostly a solid issue.  Certainly worth another shot.
  • All-New X-Men #19 (Marvel): #18 was better than I expected it to be.  Could do without the new unis, though.  Brought me back–appropriately, I suspect–to my initial reaction to the awful uniforms donned by the very same bunch upon their “dramatic return” in X-Factor #1 (1986).
  • Hawkeye #14 (Marvel): I loved #13.  In fact, it was this close to making our Top 5 for October.  It’s Matt Fraction at his heroic best.  Doesn’t hurt that he’s got David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth affirming it all with their artistic version of the truth.  Fraction may be hitting the haystack with Sex Criminals; here, however, he’s center bull.
  • Letter 44 #2 (Oni Press): I said my peace–fighting words for some–about #1 over on our Top 5 for October.  Thing is, it wasn’t a part of the Top 5–it was our Biggest Dis.  Despite the dis–a pretty friendly one, if I’m being honest–I’m hoping that something significant happens here.  If Soule drags out the reveal of the aliens, I’m off–unless President Blades shines again.  Then I may stick around for another.  Accordion, indeed.
Letter 44 #2

Letter 44 #2

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N Scott’s Bag (10/30)

18 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Andres Mossa, Andrew Currie, Archie, Austin Harrison, Becky Cloonan, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Michael Bendis, Dark Horse, DC, Dean Haspiel, Esad Ribic, Fiona Staples, Gerard Way, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Guru eFX, IDW, Image Comics, Ive Svorcina, J.H. Williams III, Jason Aaron, Kevin Eastman, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Mike Raicht, Neil Gaiman, Nelson Daniel, Red Circle, Saga, Sandman: Overture, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Fox, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, Tom Palmer, Vertigo, Wild Blue Yonder, X-Men: Battle of the Atom, Zach Howard

Couldn’t let this little lot slip though my finicky fingers.

  • The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #5 (The cozy weirdness has gotten uncomfortably familiar.  And, wait: is that Maxine and Socks at the end?)
  • Sandman: Overture #1 (Elegant, mysterious, and impossibly beautiful.  Neil Gaiman’s got us reading out of the palm of his handsome mythology once again; and the peerless J.H. Williams makes his end of the Endless look so easy–so easy, in fact, that the experience demands one’s going back to admire his complex layouts and otherworldly attention to detail.)
Sandman: Overture #1

Sandman: Overture #1

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #27 (Another good bit of Turtle fun!  Probably won’t be enough to keep me around past “City Fall,” but certainly worth the run.)
  • Wild Blue Yonder #3 (Another high-energy installment of the year’s biggest blockbuster, this one sporting a spectacular–and perfectly peaceful–double-page spread smack dab in the middle.  I suspect we’ll have more to say about this one.)
Wild Blue Yonder #3

Wild Blue Yonder #3

  • Saga #15 (Once again, Vaughan and Staples skewer expectations!  And how about that final sequence?  A willful assault, indeed!)
  • X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 (In the end, one epilogue shy of epic brilliance.  “[R]idiculous schism,” indeed!  The most significant aftermath of this event: figuring out which of the X-books I’ll end up subtracting from my monthly haul as a result of this pointless glossover.)
  • The Fox #1 (A bit of a disappointment, considering the names attached to it.  Had to give it a shot, right?  I’m sure you did, too.  Well, after this unwieldy, unfunny offering, I’m out.  You?)

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (10/30)

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

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

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Archie Comics, Becky Cloonan, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Michael Bendis, DC Comics, Dean Haspiel, Fiona Staples, Gerard Way, IDW, Image, J.H. Williams III, Kevin Eastman, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Mike Raight, Neil Gaiman, Red Circle, Saga, Sandman: Overture, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Fox, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, Vertigo, Wild Blue Yonder, X-Men: Battle of the Atom, Zach Howard

Your eyes are not deceiving you.

  • The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #5 (Dark Horse): I’ve enjoyed the series so far.  I’m not exactly sure why.  Hey!  Maybe that’s why!
  • Sandman: Overture #1 (DC/Vertigo): Neil Gaiman on words and J.H. Williams on images: a dream match-up.  If you’re not excited about this, there’s something wrong with you.  Or maybe you’re too young to have a clue.
Sandman: Overture #1

Sandman: Overture #1

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #27 (IDW): Took me ’til my forties to take to the Turtles.  A big reason: Mateus Santolouco’s martial art.  Not sure, however, if I’ll keep on after “City Fall,” however.
  • Wild Blue Yonder #3 (IDW): We loved #1 and #2!  Seems a pretty safe bet we’ll love this one, too.  Zach Howard’s art alone is worth the price of admission.
Wild Blue Yonder #3

Wild Blue Yonder #3

  • Saga #15 (Image): So many smart touches in #14.  So many, in fact, that we celebrated it as our #2 book of September.  One thing we know about this issue: it’s kicking off with a full tank of gas.
  • X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 (Marvel): Somewhere, my future self is shaking my future head.  Sorry–in advance.
  • The Fox #1 (Archie/Red Circle): If you’re keeping track, then you know that this’ll be my second–that’s right: second–Archie Comics purchase in the past month.  With names like Mark Waid and Dean Haspiel attached to this one, I’d be a fool to pass it up.
The Fox #1

The Fox #1

 

Yup, that’s it!  And, you know what?  Thank God.

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N Scott’s Bag (9/25)

14 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Aco, Brian Azzarello, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Michael Bendis, Chip Zdarsky, Craig Cermak, Dave Stewart, David Marquez, DC Comics, East of West, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Fiona Staples, Frank Quitely, Garth Ennis, IDW, Image, Jonathan Hickman, Jupiter's Legacy, Kevin Eastman, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Mark Millar, Mateus Santolouco, Matt Fraction, Matt Kindt, Mike Norton, Mind MGMT, Nick Dragotta, Rat Queens, Red Team, Revival, Roc Upchurch, Saga, Sean Phillips, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tim Seeley, Ultimate Spider-Man, Wonder Woman

You may step off of both the pins and the needles.  Unless, of course, you’re into that sort of thing.  Speaking of…

  • Sex Criminals #1 (Matt Fraction’s put himself on the Must Buy list with fantastically felonious performances on Hawkeye, FF, and Satellite Sam.  As a result, expectations were high here.  Didn’t expect a few things, however.  I found Suzie’s sexual awakening tough to turn through at times; and her voice is a little too over the top in spots–even for Fraction.  In the end, the nod to Nabokov–to Lolita–made it all work for me.  [That’s right: Suzie’s playing with her lit.  Oh, look at the cover and get over it.]  Even still, Fraction’s got some work to do to prove that this book is “not really about sex.”  I’m definitely sticking around to find out.)
Sex Criminals #1

Sex Criminals #1

  • Saga #14 (Another standout issue.  Something tells me it’s bound for our Top 5 list for the month.  Not lying.)
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #27 (I don’t care enough to blame anyone for the mess this has become.  Will I buy #28?  Of course.  Will I follow the next chapter of the Miles Morales story?  Nope.)
  • Revival #14 (Uninspired.  Tired, even.  It’s been a long time coming, but the day has finally come: I’m off.)
  • Fatale #17 (Very good–especially the end.  Not “gonna forget this” ending.  Not the way Phillips ramps up the intensity during the assault; not the way Brubaker has Josephine take care of Skip–the piece of $#!%.)
Fatale #17

Fatale #17

  • Red Team #5 (The weakest issue yet.  Predictable, and at times indecipherable.  One panel, however, may very well go down in comic book history: it gives new meaning to getting blown away.)
  • Jupiter’s Legacy #3 (Yeah, I know: I don’t know what got into me.  Thing is, it wasn’t terrible.  Damn you, Mark Millar!)
  • Mind MGMT #15 (For the fifteenth–and certainly not the last time: Matt Kindt’s a magician; he does things on the page that no one else can do.  Love how he guides us through Meru’s Lyme-cycle and how he punishes Lyme, who’s resigned to the fact that he deserves everything coming his way.  Both brutal and beautiful–it’s brutiful!)
Mind MGMT #15

Mind MGMT #15

  • Rat Queens #1 (A lot more fun–and funnier–than I expected it to be.  I mean, come on: “Blood loss…hampering wit”?  Yeah, right!  Without a doubt, I’ll be picking up #2.)
  • East of West #6 (Best issue yet.  Fantastic flashback and return.  Hickman’s finally brought this book to the level he’s always at with The Manhattan Projects.)
East of West #6

East of West #6

  • Wonder Woman: First Born #23.2 (The only villain book I bothered with.  It is what it is.)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #26 (Another solid issue.  And wouldn’t you know: “this is only the beginning.”  Looks like a coups brewin’.  Just so happens I like coups.  [That reads right, but sounds dirty.])

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N Scott’s Bag (9/18)

29 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Alberto Ponticelli, Ales Kot, Barry Kitson, Battle of the Atom, Bloodshot, Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, Buzzkill, China Mieville, Chris Bachalo, Chris Samnee, Christos Gage, comic books, comics, Daniel Quinn, Daredevil, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Donny Cates, Dream Thief, Emanuela Lupacchino, Frazer Irving, Geoff Shaw, Greg Smallwood, Harbinger, Image, Ishmael, Jai Nitz, James Thurber, Javier Rodriguez, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Stokely, Jim McCann, Jordie Bellaire, Joshua Dysart, Juan Ferreyra, Justice League, Justice League: Dial E, Kiss Me Satan, Lee Garbett, Mark Reznicek, Mark Waid, Marvel, Mateus Santolouco, Michael Walsh, Mind the Gap, Moose Baumann, Numbercruncher, P.J. Holden, Robert Venditti, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Titan, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant, Victor Gischler, zero

  • Mind the Gap #14 (The penultimate issue of Act I follows the same formula as #13: it’s another harmonious dual narrative visualized to perfection by artists Rodin Esquejo and Dan McDaid. The flashback is particularly fantastic: McDaid’s art is beautiful and emotionally effective–especially the wordless nine-panel page, which transitions terrifically on the turn from three cross-marked graves in the past to three cups of coffee in the present. No matter the time period, Jim McCann’s in complete control of the complex storyline; in fact, he’s given birth to the equivalent of a classy lady, this gorgeous Mind the Gap: it’s sexy, sure, enough to lure you in; but it doesn’t give away all its secrets; it knows it’s the mystery that brings ’em back for more.)
Mind the Gap #14

Mind the Gap #14

  • Six-Gun Gorilla #4 (We’re almost to the point where words are no longer enough to describe this soon-to-be classic from Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely. These guys are putting on an absolute clinic! Consider: we’ve swung from Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” in #3 to Quinn’s Ishmael here in #4, all while wearing a classic Western motif with an “unconventional twist”–and it’s all done so damn effortlessly.)
  • Numbercruncher #3 (Suddenly, Simon Spurrier’s vaulted to the top of the Must Read list. As good as Six-Gun Gorilla has been for four issues, this is as good a single issue as you’re gonna find; and Bastard Zane is as unique a voice as you’ll ever hear. Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. The artwork, too, is worth celebrating; it’s no accident: P.J. Holden and Jordie Bellaire amplify the conflict between the variables of life and the accounting for them in the after through the perfect balance of black & white and color. If you’ve missed this series, do yourself a favor: plan on picking up the trade.)
Numbercruncher #3

Numbercruncher #3

  • Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps #14 (Better than I expected it to be.)
  • Harbinger #16 (Harbinger meets The Matrix. Dysart’s playing mind games with the Renegades–and with us!)
  • Kiss Me Satan #1 (I’m not a big werewolf guy, but I liked this. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and Colder‘s Juan Ferreyra elevates Victor Gischler’s story enough to warrant a second issue.)
  • Uncanny X-Men #12 (The best issue of Battle of the Atom thus far. I know: that’s not saying much. A lot of the credit has to go to Chris Bachalo, who’s done his best work on the series here.)
Uncanny X-Men #12

Uncanny X-Men #12

  • Buzzkill #1 (Biggest surprise of the week. The promise of the premise is fulfilled over twenty-two intoxicating pages. Expectations have been raised like an upside-down college kid over a keg.)
  • Justice League: Dial E #23.3 (A brilliant way to say goodbye to a brilliant book: China Mieville dances with the dial and some seriously talented artists–including Mateus Santolouco, Jeff Lemire, Frazer Irving, and Alberto Ponticelli–for the last time? If so, what a dance, indeed.)
Justice League #23.3

Justice League #23.3

  • Zero #1 (This is the Ales Kot who drew me to Change, the one I was counting on to make something of Suicide Squad. Well, that certainly didn’t happen. Here, however, Kot shows some courage while going Gaza over the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and he makes great use of time and space. All told–or story-wise, some told , anyway–this book is good therapy: took just this one issue of Zero to get me to stop thinking about Suicide.)
  • Daredevil #31 (Ripped straight from the headlines and brought straight down upon our heads. Makes me long for the days of the Omega Drive.)
  • Dream Thief #5 (The series started off really well.  It was innovative in its design and was full of energy.  And then it just got, well, stupid.  Thank goodness it’s over.)
  • The Sixth Gun #34 (To the pile with ye!)
  • X-O Manowar #17 (Solid, as always. Aric, one of my favorite current comic characters, channels his father as he does his all-important king thing. But despite his super-powered armor, which he wears arrogantly and aggressively, he may prove powerless against Volo, the uppity upstart, who wields the power of–get this–a super market.)
X_O Manowar #17

X-O Manowar #17

Turning pages,

Scott

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