Tag Archives: Mike Norton

What’s I&N Store (8/6)

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

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Lots to look forward to this week.

  • The Squidder #2 (IDW): Squids are in the air, and I’d definitely like to draw another breath of ’em as drawn by Ben Templesmith.  The story is familiar, sure, but it’s delivered well enough.
  • Alex + Ada #8 (Image): The series has been a solid read with clean images and fluid artistic transitions that speak as loudly as the words.  It’s an against the odds love story with a dark cloud hanging over it.  Waiting on the storm and worrying about Alex and Ada all along.
Alex + Ada #7

Alex + Ada #7

  • Clone #19 (Image): Continues to be one of the most kinetic comics on the shelf.  Yeah, this book cooks!  #18 offered a couple of Chubby twists that promise a checkered future for all involved.  (Sorry about that.)
  • Lazarus #10 (Image): Re: #15: Circumstances conspire and both Michael and Casey end up in the employ of the Carlyles.  Was there ever any other end?  Nah.  But Innie Award nominee (Best Writer) Greg Rucka and Michael Lark get there so well.  Yet another exercise in excellent storytelling.  Our #7 book of 2013 is well on its way to claiming a spot in the Top Ten of 2014.
Lazarus #10

Lazarus #10

  • Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #5 (Marvel): Re: #5: Some of the best bedroom action I’ve seen in some time.  Talk about getting laid…out.  Yeah, Kaare Andrews pricks up the pace with some passionate paneling–and one of my favorite splash pages, like, ever!  Never has a bottom lip been bitten so beautifully–in a comic book, anyway.  Go Brenda!  Love her line, “Show me some Kung-Fu.”  Throw in an iron fist-full of father-son issues and you’ve got yourself one hell of a book.  If you’re not reading this yet, you should punch yourself in the face.
  • Miracleman #9 (Marvel): Been stockpiling my Miracleman.  Gonna hafta get on that soon–or it might take a miracle to catch up.
  • Moon Knight #6 (Marvel): Warren Ellis may have earned our Biggest Dis(appointment) of June, but it certainly wasn’t for Moon Knight.  He and Declan Shalvey have been producing some excellent vignettes with the multifaceted Marc Spector.  This, sadly, is their last go ’round before giving up creative control to the talented team of Brian Wood (The Massive) and Greg Smallwood (Dream Thief).
Moon Knight #6

Moon Knight #6

  • Original Sin #5.3 (Marvel): Ack!  I missed #5.2.  Forgot I was buying an Original Sin book, you know, because of Loki.  I mean, why else would I be buying an Original Sin book?
  • Rocket Raccoon #2 (Marvel): Ain’t gonna lie: #1 was fun.  Will probably pass, though, despite what Skottie Young is bringing to the prickly procyonid–unless, of course, I don’t pass, which is far more likely.  Ugh!  I have no self control!
  • The Bunker #5 (Oni Press): I liked #4 a lot.  Thought the dialogue and the emotions were very real.  Overall, Fialkov and Infurnari are telling a terrific story with perfect timing.
The Bunker #5

The Bunker #5

Dry Spell #2

Dry Spell #2

  • The Extinction Parade: War #2 (Avatar): I’ve enjoyed The Extinction Parade saga a lot more than I thought I would.  (It’s true: I originally started picking it up for my wife–who hasn’t touched it.)  Yes, it’s been “bottomless slaughter,” but it hasn’t been mindless slaughter.  Max Brooks is offering an elevated apocalyptic experience, amplified by undeadly detailed artwork from Raulo Caceres.
  • God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha (Avatar): Si Spurrier–the 2014 Innie Award Winner for Best Writer (Six-Gun Gorilla, Numbercruncher)–brings a little life to God Is Dead with the immortal Alan Moore.  You read that right: Spurrier and Moore.  Safe to say it’s a must buy.
God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha

God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha

  • Harbinger: Omegas #1 (Valiant): Not too sure why this couldn’t have just been Harbinger #26.  Is it rebootalism?  Guess it really doesn’t matter.  Dysart’s been telling a good story with these characters.  They certainly deserve to live on–whatever the title.
  • SIP (Strangers in Paradise) Kids #1 (Abstract Studio): Oh, why not?  Yeah, Rachel Rising has lost a lot of its shine.  But here’s Terry Moore having fun with the characters for whom he’s best known–by turning them into six-year-olds.
  • The Sixth Gun: Days of the Dead #1 (Oni Press): Anything The Sixth Gun is going to find its way into my bag.
  • Terminal Hero #1 (Dynamite): Peter Milligan had a nice run on Valiant’s Shadowman.  I’ll try him out here, where he’s teamed up with Sex‘s Piotr Kowalski.
  • Über #16 (Avatar): Über‘s riding quite a high.  Heck, I was close to dropping it around the time the Special came out.  Since then, however, it’s been terrific.  I’d go as far to say it’s Gillen’s best current work–including the wildly hyped The Wicked & The Divine.
Über #16

Über #16

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N Scott’s Bag (9/25)

14 Monday Oct 2013

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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

What’s I&N Store (10/2)

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Kickin’ off Comictober commodiously:

  • Occultist #1 (Dark Horse): Even though I’m off Revival as of #14, I don’t see why I shouldn’t give Seeley and Norton another shot.
  • Hinterland #1 (DC/Vertigo): Now this has the hook and the look of a Vertigo book.
Hinterland #1

Hinterland #1

  • Trillium #3 (DC/Vertigo): Lemire set a high bar for himself with a remarkable #1; and wouldn’t you know it took the slacker a whole month to clear it!  That’s right: I thought #2 was even better than the now-famous flip book!  So, if I’m doing the math correctly, this one’s going to blow my mind!  And earn a bunch more exclamation points, too!
  • Bedlam #9 (Image): Unless this one leaves me feeling the way I feel after reading a top-tier book, I’m done.  No sense in hanging on anymore.
  • Lazarus #4 (Image): #3 was our #1 book for August, so you know I’m looking forward to this.  As engaging a series as you’re going to find.
Lazarus #4

Lazarus #4

  • Mara #6 (Image): Been waiting for this one for what feels like forever.  Here’s what I thought of the brilliant #5.
  • Mind the Gap #15 (Image): For the last two issues, McCann, Esquejo, and McDaid have been the comic book equivalent of Crosby, Stills, and Nash.  Masterfully layered with a twist of sublime.
  • All-New X-Men #17 (Marvel): The real battle is between my OCD and my better judgment.
  • Captain America: Living Legend #1 (Marvel): Andy Diggle hasn’t impressed me very much, but I’m going to buy this darned thing anyway.  Aaaaargh!  I’m absolutely desperate for a good Cap story.  Give it to me, man!
Captain America: Living Legend #1

Captain America: Living Legend #1

  • Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #1 (Marvel): Yet another panel of the counterpane Matt Kindt has tossed over top the industry.  Maybe–just maybe–we’ll get a good Spidey story out of the deal.
  • Codename Action #2 (Dynamite): Oh, why not?  Guess that makes me Codename Sucker.
  • The Mocking Dead #2 (Dynamite): Flesh-eating fun!  Look out, folks: no one is safe from Fred Van Lente and his biting writing!  He’s more dangerous than the undead!
The Mocking Dead #2

The Mocking Dead #2

  • Quantum and Woody #4 (Valiant): Just when I thought I was going to drop my first Valiant title, Jason Asmus and Tom Fowler hit a high note with the E.R.A.  That’s right: stupid just got clever–and just in time!  It’s got my vote!
  • Shadowman #11 (Valiant): I’m always a bit wary of a holiday special–especially a Halloween special; screams “filler issue,” dunniit?  Now that‘s scary!
  • God Is Dead #2 (Avatar): Certainly can’t say this one’s on par with The Manhattan Projects or East of West–not after one issue, anyway; that wouldn’t be fair, would it?  Well, if I can’t say it after #2, then this book, I swear to God, is dead to me.
  • Uber #6 (Avatar): Kieron Gillen is killin’ it–and everything else!  Hey, it’s OK: it’s an Avatar book.  Seriously, though: this has been very good–much better than I expected it to be.
Uber #6

Uber #6

  • Hit #2 (BOOM!): Expected baseball analogy: after one at-bat, Bryce Carlson and crew are batting 1.000.  Recalling the end of #1: this time around, let’s see how they handle the curve ball.

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (9/25)

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

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What a way to end the month!

  • Mind MGMT #15 (Dark Horse): Kindt’s got his fingers in my brain!  He’s got his fingers in my brain!
Mind MGMT #15

Mind MGMT #15

  • The Wake #4 (DC/Vertigo): #3 was signature Snyder; so, yeah, I’m looking forward to this one.
  • Wonder Woman 23.2 (DC): I’ve avoided all of the villain nonsense–until now.  Hey, there’s a first–First Born, in this case–for everything.
Wonder Woman 23.2

Wonder Woman #23.2

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #26 (IDW): “City Fall” has been one shell of a surprise!  Didn’t really expect it to be anything more than just a monthly Mateus Santolouco fix.  But it’s been more–a lot more.
  • East of West #6 (Image): Forging ahead…
  • Fatale #17 (Image): Last issue was very, very good.  No one does noirror--did I just coin that?—like Brubaker and Phillips.
Fatale #17

Fatale #17

  • Rat Queens #1(Image): I missed the Peter Panzerfaust bandwagon.  I’m not going to miss this one–Kurtis Wiebe’s latest–because that’d be stupid.
Rat Queens #1

Rat Queens #1

  • Revival #14 (Image): Hoping we get somewhere soon; otherwise, I’m off.
  • Saga #14 (Image): Everybody’s still going gaga over Saga–and for good reason.
  • Sex Criminals #1 (Image): Fraction is making some serious love over on Satellite Sam.  The orgy continues here…
Sex Criminals #1

Sex Criminals #1

  • Ultimate Spider-Man #27 (Marvel): Headed toward its ultimate end.  The way it’s been going, probably not such a terrible thing.
  • Red Team #5 (Dynamite): A strong #4 proves Ennis is in it to kill it–kinda like this:
Red Team #5

Red Team #5

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

I&N Scott’s Bag (8/21)

28 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Sorry so late: my third wedding anniversary kinda got in the way.

Say what?  Wife over comics?

Hey, what’s one week out of the year?

  • Batwoman #23 (Read it!  A lot of running in place, but it does so stylishly:  McCarthy has brought his A-game again; I mean, how terrific is the transition from dream-Maggie, who is bleeding out, to a tripping Kate, who’s still stuck in a fear toxin-induced stupor?  Stunning.)
  • Wonder Woman #23 (Read it! Wonder Woman‘s been frustratingly good–yeah, just good–for over a year now.  We’ve endured some missteps–some that thoughtlessly pushed it from my pull-list and then some that have brought me to the brink of dropping it entirely; and, remarkably, there have never really been any remarkable moments.  The series, up until now, has just been good.  And then came #23: “Goddown.”  Halle-friggin’-lujah!  So many fantastic page turns and subtle touches from Azzarello and Chiang.  Finally!  Finally, I can put good down–because this issue is great.)
Wonder Woman #23

Wonder Woman #23

  • Batman ’66 #2 (Read it!  Some fun moments, sure, but not enough to keep me around.)
  • Dream Thief #4 (Read it!  Stuck in mediocrity, which is a shame after such a strong first issue–and even more so because only one issue remains.  The end, however, is promising.  We’ll see what happens.)
  • Chin Music #2 (Read it!  Niles’ story isn’t doing anything for me yet, but Harris’s art is ridiculously good.  The layouts, the line work, the attention to detail, the coloring: it’s all pretty amazing.  It’s a rare book that I’ll pick up for the art alone; going forward, this may be one of those books.)
Chin Music #2

Chin Music #2

  • Revival #13 (Read it!  A lot going on, but still hasn’t gotten anywhere significant.  I do like how Seeley and Norton worked out Joe’s taking Dr. Weimar’s story, however.)
Revival #13

Revival #13

  • X-O Manowar #16 (Read it!  Solid back and forth between the admirably arrogant Aric and the immortally wise Gilad.)
  • Bloodshot #0 (Read it!  Kindt does a nice enough job building Bloodshot’s backstory, even if it is a bit convoluted at times.  Playing to his strength, he tells the story through a first-person narrator, which gives the book the feel of a Mind MGMT sideshow.)
  • Superman Unchained #3 (Read it!  For the most part, I like what Snyder’s developing here with the Wraith.  Unfortunately, Jim Lee’s sucking the life out of the story with his soulless, static renderings.)
Superman Unchained #3

Superman Unchained #3

  • Indestructible Hulk #12 (Read it!  Actually kind of fun!  Waid handles the troika of Kids really well, and the Hulk–with the help of Scalera’s art–does his best Six-Gun Gorilla impression while cleaning up the more-than-one dinosaur town.  And once again, I’m not hating the dinosaurs.  I’ve really evolved over the past year, no?)
  • X-Men #4 (Read it!  Four books in–ugh!–we’re left to suffer through a one-and-done filler issue that accomplishes very little basically because The Battle of the Atom’s up next.  Would it’ve made more sense to start the series alongside the mini or even after?)
  • Animal Man #23 (Read it!  The Brother Blood side of the story isn’t as terrible as I thought it’d be.  The Maxine side reads a lot like something out of John Ney Rieber’s Books of Magic monthly series from back in the day.  It all comes together well enough with some blood red betrayal–like totemly!)
  • Batman and Nightwing #23 (Read it!  A terrific extension of Morrison’s vision that culminates in a touching moment that we might not have expected but that we–and Alfred–definitely deserved.  I love how Tomasi compassionately promotes Alfred to Bruce’s peer-in-grief with a simple omission: “Oh God, Bruce…”  Cements itself as the best Batman book goin’.)
  • Daredevil #30 (Read it!  Great opening with Kirsten McDuffie.  She and Matt have great chemistry, don’t they?  The rest of the story plays out well enough–that is until Daredevil takes control of the Surfer’s board and Samnee and Rodriguez paint the town red and silver.  They absolutely soar with Waid’s wit at their backs–all the way to the bitter bookend.)

What did you get in your bag?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (8/21)

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

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  • Dream Thief #4 (Dark Horse): We celebrated #1.  Not so much the next two.  I’m just going to grin and pick this one and then ride out the series.
  • Animal Man #23 (DC): I can’t seem to find solid ground with this title.  Ideas in a single issue can run the gamut from clever to terrible; and the dialogue–ugh!–is generally a disaster.  As I am with Batman, I’m hanging on to Animal Man because I respect the writer; and, like Snyder, Lemire deserves the longest of leashes.  (I mean, come on: he’s a home run hitter: his story in Adventures of Superman #1 was so, so good–so very reminiscent of the superior Essex County.)  Thing is, with Trillium #1, I’m finally getting what I want from Lemire, and that makes Animal Man expendable.  We’ll see what bubbles up with Brother Blood.  Hope it’s not hepatitis.
Animal Man #23

Animal Man #23

  • Batman ’66 #2 (DC): The first one was fun enough, though not quite funny enough.  Here’s hoping that Jeff Parker ramps up the camp.
  • Batman and Nightwing #23 (DC): With Batman Incorporated gone the way of the most recent Robin, this stands as the best Batman title on the shelf.
  • Batwoman #23 (DC): And, wouldn’t you know, this one’s the best Batbook goin’.
Batwoman #23

Batwoman #23

  • Superman Unchained #3 (DC): #2 was a vast improvement over #1.  Still feels a little too Lobdellian for my taste, however.
  • Wonder Woman #23 (DC): Azzarello’s plugging along, and I’m still reading along.
  • Chin Music #2 (Image): Geez.  I’m gonna hafta find #1 in order to get reacquainted with the Ness Niles and Harris left behind.
  • Revival #13 (Image): Has had its moments, sure, but is starting to feel the slog of a large cast of characters.
  • Daredevil #30 (Marvel): Not a big fan of the Silver Surfer.  Never have been, really.  Even the team-up with DD doesn’t do anything for me.  Ah, but add Chris Samnee to the mix: this could be a good time.
Daredevil #30

Daredevil #30

  • Indestructible Hulk #12 (Marvel): This one’s going to test my new-found tolerance for dinosaurs.
Indestructible Hulk #12

Indestructible Hulk #12

  • X-Men #4 (Marvel): I had a bunch of problems with #3.  Still, even in its infancy, X-Men is the cream of the mutant crop.  Hey, check it out: the best Batbook stars a woman, and the best X-book is based on women.  Hmm.  Hermm.
  • Bloodshot #0 (Valiant): Matt Kindt’s takeover of the industry continues here.  Hoping with all my might that he doesn’t suffer the same fate as Snyder and Lemire, who have stumbled some outside of their creator-owned work.
Bloodshot #1

Bloodshot #1

  • X-O Manowar #16 (Valiant): Not unlike Wonder Woman, really: always good but never quite great.
  • Numbercruncher #2 (Titan): I enjoyed the first one a lot.
  • The Sixth Gun #33 (Oni Press): Got a pretty impressive pile of post-Vol. 4 The Sixth Gun taunting me from the shelf to my left.  Not to worry, though: Vol. 5 is almost here!

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

In Scott’s Bag (7/17)

20 Saturday Jul 2013

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As far as bags go, this one feels a lot like punching.

  • Animal Man #22 (Read it!  I enjoyed it–maybe more than I should have.  I like the idea of the Splinterfolk, even if Lemire’s dialogue during their page time tends toward clunky/goofy.)
Animal Man #22

Animal Man #22

  • Revival #12 (Read it!  No surprise here: another solid issue.  Love the way the kid’s cartoon was integrated into the story.)
Revival #12

Revival #12

  • Batwoman #22 (Read it!  Liked it a lot.  Maybe Menachem from Escape Pod Comics was right: it’s all good: even though J.H. Williams III isn’t drawing, he is writing.  And Trevor McCarthy is pretty bad ass in his own right.  Really dug the Batvillain rundown.)
  • Dream Thief #3 (Not quite there yet.)
  • Numbercruncher #1 (Looking forward to it.  If it’s got a Six-Gun Gorilla vibe, I’ll be very happy.)
  • Day Men #1 (I’ll get to it.)
Day Men #1

Day Men #1

  • Red Sonja #1 (Yeah,  grabbed the Staples cover.  Makes me miss Saga even more.  Will probably be the final read for the week.)
  • Half Past Danger #3 (Read it!  It’s like this: a tire that’s leaking air slowly.  Agonizingly so.  I’m considering dropping it–and not just because of the dinosaurs.)
  • The Strain: The Fall #1 (Read it!  I’ll not be picking up #2.)
  • Archer & Armstrong #11 (Read it!  As consistent as they come: great fun and filet knife sharp!  General Redacted is the —-!  And I wasn’t so turned off by the dinosaurs!)
Archer & Armstrong #11

Archer & Armstrong #11

  • Ultimate Spider-Man #25 (Read it!  It’s no secret: I like Miles more than I like Spider-Man Miles; but I’m not gonna lie: I really liked the final splash.  That’s right, true believers: I was happy–in fact, relieved–to see Miles in his costume.  What the heck is going on this week?)
  • FF #9 (Read it!  No Allred, but still plenty of fun.  Fraction’s in the zone, man.  I think I can safely say I’ve grown fond of him, what with Hawkeye and Satellite Sam and all.)
  • Batman and Catwoman #22 (Read it!  Good stuff all around.  Has cemented itself as my favorite New 52 Batman title.)
Batman and Catwoman #22

Batman and Catwoman #22

  • All-New X-Men #14 (Read it!  Kind of like last week’s Uncanny X-Men: didn’t really go anywhere or accomplish anything–other than, in the case of All-New, reveal a fiery side to Jean Gray.  No.  Really?  Burned!)
  • Wonder Woman #22 (Read it!  A decent read–as always.  And, you know: I didn’t hate New Genesis and the New Gods as I usually do.  Wait a minute.  Something’s definitely up.  First, I’m OK with dinosaurs in A&A.  Then, I’m down with Spider-Man Miles.  And, now I’m not turned off by the New Gods?  There’s only one explanation: my mutant power has finally manifested itself: I’m–I’m–tolerant.)
  • Harbinger Wars #4 (Read it!  Trying to remember…  The series was not as epic as I had hoped.  I really wanted Valiant–through this mini–to show the bigs how to do a crossover up right.  Oh well.  At least it’s over.)
  • Batman ’66 #1 (Read it!  Really captures the spirit of the TV show.  A Bat blast!)

I’m all punched out.

What did you get in your bag this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

In Scott’s Bag (6/19)

22 Saturday Jun 2013

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It’s not a bag of comics as much as it’s a bag of evidence–evidence that I have a problem.

Exhibits A-Q

  • Batwoman #21 (Looks pretty.  Francavilla’s really a perfect choice here: he brings immediate credibility to this otherwise irrelevant Killer Croc interlude.)
Batwoman #21

Batwoman #21

  • Wonder Woman #21 (Chiang brings something to the page that Akins et al cannot.  So, I’m already looking forward to it.  My expectations remain tempered, however, because of the continued presence of the New Gods–even, if for the most part, it’s just Orion.  I’ve never cared for the New Gods.)
  • Mara #5 (I’ve come to appreciate Brian Wood’s style a bit more now that I’m caught up with The Massive.  I wonder if I should go back to the beginning with this one.)
Mara #5

Mara #5

  • Ultimate Spider-Man #24 (As I mentioned: I’ve always liked Cloak and Dagger.  Looks like this one focuses on the polar-opposite pair.  Wonder what that’s all about.)
  • Indestructible Hulk #9 (I’m kinda figuring that anything–N.E. thing–would be better than the ill-timed Thor diversion.  And this isn’t just anything: it’s a
  • Animal Man #21 (An unfortunate combination of something I want more of–Buddy the reluctant celebrity–and something I want less of: Maxine in the Red–with Shepherd, for crying out loud!  Ugh.)
Animal Man #21

Animal Man #21

  • Dream Thief #2 (Carries with it some high expectations.  Always a tough position to be in.)
  • Mind the Gap Vol. 2 TP (Looking to build a little more quality into your weekly haul?  I’ll tell you one way to do it: drop the crap and Mind the Gap!)
  • Mind the Gap #11 (Soooo excited that, once through this, I’ll be all caught up!  Mr. McCann, here I come!)
  • Revival #11 (Ended well–really well, in fact.  Checked out the first page of this one.  Love the way it ends and how it sets up the page turn.  Should be good!)
Revival #11

Revival #11

  • Batman and Batgirl #21 (As I mentioned: I’ve been finding Tomasi’s Batman considerably more interesting–and authentic, considering the trail blazed by Morrison on Batman Incorporated–than Snyder’s.  Please tell me I’m not the only one.)
  • Wild Blue Yonder #1 (Worth a shot, right?)
Wild Blue Yonder #1

Wild Blue Yonder #1

  • Bloodshot #12 (So far, the Harbinger Wars have left Bloodshot a little red faced.)
  • Harbinger #13 (Plenty to like about what Dysart’s been doing.)
  • The Sixth Gun #32 (Has me looking forward to September.  Sacrilege, I know; but I need to get through Vol. 5 first!
  • The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun #4 (Has helped ease the pain.)
Sons of the Gun #4

Sons of the Gun #4

  • Extinction Parade #1 (Have never been much of a vampire/zombie guy.  We’ll see.)

Now that I’ve got nothing but time–till September, of course–the pile doesn’t look so big.  Man, I’m my own enabler.

What did you get in your bag this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

In Scott’s Bag (5/22)

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in I&N Scott's Bag, Microviews

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I got out of the shop(s) with one less, one less; I got out with one less.

A Little Too Bagalicious for Ya, Babe

  • The Massive #12 (Read it!  Brian Wood’s words trudge on with a palpably painful beauty that, thankfully, thaws most of the frozen flaws in Zezelj and Bellaire’s artwork.)
The Massive #12

The Massive #12

  • Batman Incorporated #11 (Read it.  Now, I’m not against an occasional fill-in issue, an every once in a while one-shot; but If I’m being kind: what a spectacular waste of time!  A major disappointment considering the power position this title had taken in the Batverse.  Sure, it’s not Morrison; but it’s his book, his brand; and this–if only for a month–is a stunning display of corporate arrogance.  Still can’t believe I paid for it.  It’s one book I should’ve judged by its cover.)
  • The Bounce #1 (Read it.  Wish I hadn’t.  Debilitatingly derivative and amusingly late to the extra-dimensional portal party.  Attention to detail?  Not here!  Proof: the brutishly eloquent Crunch assesses: “The pigs are tenacious”; and then he proceeds to assert: “I’m sure they’ll be pissed…”  Oh, I’m sure this’ll be worked out at some point down the road–maybe even in issue #2.  But I won’t be there to find out.  Gotta bounce, bro.)
  • Daredevil #26 (Read it.  Saving my take for a Back & Forth.  In the meantime, let’s take another look at the talk of the shop on Wednesday afternoon: the Samnee-licious cover–one the fanboys are still fawning over.)
Daredevil #26

Daredevil #26

  • The Sixth Gun #31 (Gotta play catch up first.)
  • Nowhere Men #5 (Read it.  No.  No, I didn’t.  Nowhere Men isn’t a comic at all; you don’t just read it: you experience it.  It’s a–you know what it is?  It’s the love child–the product of a miraculous coupling, really–of The Manhattan Projects and Mind MGMT.  That’s what it is.  More than any other book, you’ve got to set aside a block of time; you’ve got to make an appointment.  But it’s well worth the wait and, once inside, worth every second spent with Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde, and Jordie Bellaire’s grand design.)
Nowhere Men #5

Nowhere Men #5

  • Revival #10 (Read it.  Derek’s got something or other to say about this one.  I’ll chime in when he’s ready to purge.)
  • Mind MGMT #11 (Read it.  A sprawling epic in a tidy twenty-two.  Gorgeous as always: every panel, every page a beauty who, if roles were reversed, would never bother to look at me twice.  Noticed: Kindt rolls out another On the Road reference, this time in the back up story.  Makes me want to revisit Kerouac’s classic novel to see what other connections might be made.  Sure, I have some in mind already, but I’d manage a better claim with some reading behind me.  Thank goodness the summer’s almost here.)
Mind MGMT #11

Mind MGMT #11

Update: Went back to the shop and picked up two books, putting me plus one for the week.  Rats!

  • Uncanny X-Men #6 (Read it.  Great news!  The Limbo storyline isn’t over yet!  That means at least one more issue’s worth of Dormammu.  Hooray!  OK, so you know I don’t mean that: I’m actually pretty down on Dormammu.  [It is, however, fun to say–and to type, wouldn’t you know–Dormammu.]  But Bendis makes up for it with a dazzling final page.  Hooray!)
  • Half Past Danger #1 (Read it.  A few outstanding moments.  Definitely warrants another issue–and maybe even a few more words.  I’m going to hold off until Derek gives it a turn.)

What did you pick up this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

In Scott’s Bag (4/24)

28 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by in I&N Scott's Bag

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Planned on picking up a ton of books.  Ended up with a ton minus one.  Left me with blood pressure rising.

Big Ol’ Bags Under My Eyes

  • Helheim #2 (Score!)
Helheim #2

Helheim #2

  • Deathmatch #5 (As much as I’d like to let this one fall by the wayside, I can’t.  I just can’t!  It’s all Paul Jenkins, who is doing a fine job of combining familiar flavors with fresh ingredients.)
  • Mind MGMT #10 (My prediction: back to form.  Looks beautiful.  Kindt’s artwork has such an amazing flow to it: it’s uncannily kinetic.)
Mind MGMT #10

Mind MGMT #10

  • Lost Vegas #2 (Read it.  Once again, the art’s the star here.  Lee’s work, amplified by Sotomayor’s stunning colors, still trumps McCann’s story, which, if I’m being fair, has laid more cards–better cards–on the table.)
Lost Vegas #2

Lost Vegas #2

  • East of West #2 (Read it.  Big plans and baby steps: Hickman’s M.O.  I’m willing to stick around, though I suspect that this might read better as a trade.)
  • FF #6 (Read it already: not Allred-y at all, now is it?  Joe Quinones?  Say it ain’t so!  It is so–and isn’t even a fraction as effective.  So, no.)
  • Uncanny X-Men #5 (Two minuses from the get-go: no Bachalo and a trip to Limbo.  Just when I was getting caught up in…)
  • Fury: My War Gone By #11 (Read it.  So, so good.  The spectre of the looming finale has me feeling melancholic.)
  • Clone #6 (Read it.  Not going to complain about it anymore.  Whatever the title’s weaknesses–and there are some glaring weaknesses–Clone has earned its place as a guilty pleasure.  Gotta see what’s next!)
Clone #6

Clone #6

  • Ultimate Spider-Man #22 (Quick flip through: Oops, probably shouldn’t have flipped through.  Some gorgeous work from Pichelli.)
  • Jupiter’s Legacy #1 (Promise officially broken.  We’ll see if it’s “Shame on me” soon enough.)
  • The Massive #11 (Saving.  Gotta catch up.)
  • The Manhattan Projects #11 (Saving this one, too, for the same reason.)
  • The Answer #4 (Read it.  Now I know the question: WTF?  No, really.  Would’ve fit right in with DC’s offerings for the month.)
  • Batman Incorporated #10 (Read it.  Really good.  The source of the gravity in the Batverse.  Speaking of gravity: how ’bout a little lead rain?  Kudos Mr. Burnham.)

Missed out on Rachel Rising #16.  Yeah, can’t let that happen again.

Turning pages,

Scott