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Tag Archives: Mister X: Eviction

Top 5 Books of February

11 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in Top 5 Books of the Month

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Ant-Man, Brian Wood, Dan Slott, Dark Horse, David Lapham, Dean Motter, Edgar Allan Poe, Greg Smallwood, Howard Chaykin, Image, Jordan Boyd, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Mike Allred, Mister X: Eviction, Mister X: Razed, Moon Knight, Nick Spencer, O. Henry, Radiant City, Ramon Rosanas, Satellite Sam, Silver Surfer, Spanish Scott, Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses

For all of you keeping score, here it is: our Top 5 Books of February!

5. Satellite Sam #11 (Image): Waking life–and death!  Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin are as masterful as ever as alarm bells go off, eyes open, and metaphors deliver their lines with ironic conviction.  This thickly-themed and perfectly-timed issue sees the largely unlikable ensemble cast dissembled and reassembled, self-serving agendas selflessly serving as the common thread that binds the lot together on this very, very good morning. (SC)

Satellite Sam #11

Satellite Sam #11

4. Ant-Man #2 (Marvel): How did this book, easily dismissed as a cynical corporate media tie-in, make it into our bag, much less our hallowed Top 5? Well, one could mention the appealing heart in a story about a down-on-his-luck divorced father who’s willing to do anything to be near his daughter. Or one could point to the clean, appealing art by Ramon Rosanas and Jordan Boyd. All true, but what separates this book from the congested, middle of the road superhero pack is that it is so. Damn. Funny. We mean it folks: not LOL funny, but quite literally Laugh-Out-Loud funny. People on the train giving me strange looks as I’m guffawing at a freaking comic book funny. Any comic, hell anything, that can engender such a visceral reaction is aces in my book. So let’s just come out and say it: Nick Spencer is the funniest writer working in funny books today. (DM)

Ant-Man #2

Ant-Man #2

3. Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #1 (Image): With a sly “Hi,” David Lapham welcomes us back to the next round of Bullets: a lone gunman–a coldly fetching Kretchmeyer–is hunted down by series vet, the brooding Spanish Scott, a calculating killer himself, who is, let’s be honest, more siesta than fiesta.  Scott’s lethargic inevitability–you know, like death itself–is integral to the development of the issue-spanning tension, especially as it mirrors the dangerously direct and determined Kretchmeyer’s own semisomnambulistic nature.  Lapham brings the two together, guns drawn, in an unforgettable–and emphatically phallic–panel that finds Beth, one seriously distressed damsel, an extremely interested party who quite literally doesn’t want to lose her head.  Yeah, it’s vintage Stray Bullets, folks: it’s fun; it’s violent, and it’s tight–it’s “another [effing] hole-in-one.” (SC)

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #1

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #1

2. Silver Surfer #9 (Marvel): The little engine that could.  The ant with high apple-pie-in-the-sky hopes.  Buster Douglas.  Life.   Yeah, we’ve got a thing for the underdog; it’s hardwired; heck, it’s about survival–our own survival that we fight for vicariously through whatever odds-against scenario we’re privy to in the moment.  That’s what makes this issue of Silver Surfer so affective–so blisteringly painful.  Dan Slott and Mike Allred do more than just continue the brilliant course set in #8, our #2 book of January; they ride it to greater emotional heights, selling the Surfer’s inspirational effort of “surfing the moon,” only to–in the blast of an eye–reveal the tack’s ultimate value: none.  Yeah, seems Galactus is no Goliath, and the Surfer–stripped of the power cosmic–is the Surfer no more.  But his defeat doesn’t leave us feeling defeated.  Oh, no it doesn’t.  Despite the bleak ending–maybe because of the bleak ending–we’re built up even more; we’re even more defiant, more hopeful.  See: hope is our heroin, and thanks to the low note struck at the end, we are super high and primed for the return of our hero in a month’s time–primed for victory–because the little guy always wins–right? (SC)

Silver Surfer #9

Silver Surfer #9

1. Mister X: Razed #1 (Dark Horse): We honored Dean Motter’s previous installment Mister X: Eviction with the 2014 Innie Award for Best Limited Series. So expectations were high for his new collection. Well, we’re happy to report those expectations have been met and surpassed. In a book that already wears such stylish influences as Will Eisner and Fritz Lang, this issue boasts a gorgeous ensemble of O. Henry with just a dash of Edgar Allan Poe (in the undergarments) to weave a seamless, pulpy dream. You won’t find a better looking (or reading) book this season!

Seriously, Motter has spent years building up the fantastic, darkly surreal playground that is Radiant City. Now we get the supreme pleasure of just sitting back and watching the master play. (DM)

Mister X: Razed #1

Mister X: Razed #1

Biggest Dis(appointment): Moon Knight #12 (Marvel) – Brian Wood takes a fascinating, morally fraught premise – Khnoshu abandons Marc Spector and bestows the mantle of Moon Knight on someone who’s willing to murder a head of state for his past crimes against humanity – and ends it with a cop out. Spoiler alert! Turns out the new Moon Knight was just after his money! A weak ending that invalidates a riveting, timely premise. A true let-down. (DM)

Moon Knight #12

Moon Knight #12

Turning pages,

Scott & Derek

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I&N Print!: Mister X: Razed #2

08 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Print

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Tags

Dark Horse, Dean Motter, Innie Awards, Mister X, Mister X: Eviction, Mister X: Razed

Hey I&Nmates!  How’s this for cool:

In the back Motter of the most recent issue of Mister X: Razed (Dark Horse)…

Mister X: Razed #2

Mister X: Razed #2

…Mr. Motter himself was kind enough–and ostensibly flattered enough–to make reference to a little honor that we bestowed upon his perfectly built Mister X: Eviction, our #1 book of 2013.

Check it out:

FullSizeRender-4

What a surprise, right?  As it is, I’m not much of a back matter reader; so you might imagine my reaction as I happened upon “Innie Award.”

You’d be correct if you imagined that I erupted in expletives–very holy expletives.

Speaking of holy: we’d like to thank the godly Mr. Motter for giving us a shout out–and, of course, for his bar-razing follow-up to Eviction, which is already positioning itself for a run at our Top Ten of 2015!

Turning pages–all of them from now on!

Scott

 

 

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The 2014 Innies: The Winners!

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

BOOM!, Dark Horse, Dean Motter, Eisners, Harveys, Innie Awards, Innies, Jordie Bellaire, Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT, Mister X: Eviction, Numbercruncher, Si Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, Titan

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!

little-logo.png

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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The 2014 ‘Innie’ Awards!

05 Monday May 2014

Posted by dmainhart in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Abstract Studio, Afterlife With Archie, Archie, Austin Harrison, BOOM!, Brian K. Vaughan, Dark Horse, Dave Stewart, Dean Motter, Ed Brubaker, Eisner Awards, Fatale, Fiona Staples, Francesco Francavilla, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Greg Rucka, Harvey Awards, IDW, Image, Jeff Stokely, Jordie Bellaire, Jose Villarrubia, Laura Allred, Lazarus, Marvel, Matt Kindt, Michael Lark, Mike Raicht, Mind MGMT, Mister X, Mister X: Eviction, Nelson Daniel, Numbercruncher, PJ Holden, Rachel Rising, Roberto Aguirre Sacasa, Saga, Sean Phillips, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, Terry Moore, Titan, Wild Blue Yonder, Zach Howard

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

 

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I&N’s Top Ten of 2013

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ 27 Comments

Tags

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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Top 5 Books of July

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, Captain Video, Chris Bachalo, Cyclops, Dark Horse, Dean Motter, His Girl Friday, Howard Chaykin, IDW, Image, Jason Ciaramella, Jeff Stokely, Joe Hill, L.A. Confidential, Mad Men, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Mike Raicht, Mister X: Eviction, Mystique, Nelson Daniel, Satellite Sam, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, Stuart Immonen, Thumbprint, Vic Malhotra, Wild Blue Yonder, Will Eisner, Winsor McCay, Zach Howard

5. Satellite Sam #1 (Image): Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin take us back to the dawn of television for a behind-the-scenes look at the type of low-fi, sci-fi program that nostalgists pine for as evidence of a simpler, more innocent time. But what Fraction and Chaykin show us is anything but: murder, sex, and best of all the breathless pacing and snappy dialogue of such stylish, seedy media sneak-peeks as L.A. Confidential, Mad Men and His Girl Friday. Captain Video this ain’t. Rather, with its mature themes and sophisticated storytelling, this is the kind of comic to give to people who don’t read comics. We need more like this. (DM)

Satellite Sam #1

Satellite Sam #1

4. Thumbprint #2 (IDW): Jason Ciaramella and Vic Malhotra deftly continue their adaptation of Joe Hill’s tour-de-force story about the horror that has seemingly followed a disgraced Iraqi War veteran back home. Emphasis on force: this issue largely concerns a flashback to a wartime episode of breathtaking cruelty. Hill’s accomplishment is not in the depiction of the act itself, but in the implicit conveyance that, as bad as this is, there were things that went on that were much, much worse. (DM)

Thumbprint #2

Thumbprint #2

3. Wild Blue Yonder #2 (IDW): Regular readers might remember that I celebrated the series’ opening salvo as a summer blockbuster.  Yeah, well, this issue takes all of the itty-bitty block bits left over from the initial blockbusting and busts them into even itty-bittier pieces!  Mike Raicht scripts the light fantastic as he slides from the Dawn to the dark side; as he builds bonds and, just like that, breaks them.  Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel come in heavy, bringing each scene to life or death with their gorgeously gritty artwork.  That’s right: grab your popcorn and pick the perfect seat: when it comes to high-flying fun, Wild Blue Yonder can’t be topped.  Two issues in and it’s quite clear: the sky’s the limit. (SC)

Wild Blue Yonder #2

Wild Blue Yonder #2

2. Six-Gun Gorilla #2 (BOOM!): Duck Dynasty ain’t got a damn thing on this simply “perfick” reality show from Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely.  Attention must be paid!  Hell, it’s “the name of the game.”  And if you’re not paying attention to this wild, wild western–if you’re not runnin’ with the ‘rilla by now–you’re clearly of questionable taste.  But, hey, it’s Goodall–I mean, it’s all good.  Sure, it’s possible–but not likely–you’re just not that into action-packed satires that co-star cigar-chomping simians who sell their lines like they’re looking to earn enough scratch to buy a big ol’ bunch of bananas before Blazetime. Yeah, that’s what I thought.  We ostentatiously tossed roses at the dusty knuckles of #1 (it was our Book of the Month for June), but Spurrier and Stokely very well may have raised the monkey bar with this one. (SC)

Six-Gun Gorilla #2

Six-Gun Gorilla #2

1. Mister X: Eviction #3 (Dark Horse): Dean Motter’s contender for Book of the Year is not just a compelling story with beautiful art; it is also a love-letter to the medium itself. From the Will Eisner-inspired cover to the delightful Winsor McCay interlude, this book is just catnip for comics enthusiasts. If Satellite Sam is recommended for people who don’t read comics, this is a gift for people that do. Book of the Month. (DM)

Mister X: Eviction #3

Mister X: Eviction #3

Biggest Dis(appointment): Brian Michael Bendis’s X-Mess

Both Uncanny and All-New versions of the X-Men this month–#8 and #9 of the former and #14 of the latter–are X-ercises in the ol’ rhetorical runaround.  Oh, they’re perfectly pretty–thanks to Chris Bachalo and Stuart Immonen, respectively–but what do they accomplish, really?  That’s right: be honest with yourself and with the world: the answer’s disgracefully obvious: not much at all.  Now, I know we’re headed toward the big Battle of the Atom crossover and maybe the jogging in place is related to that.  As it is, Bendis’s X-titles have been X-tremely disappointing for some time now; yeah, sadly this isn’t the first month where I’ve been like Why am I still buying these damn things?  But I’m still buying ’em–because I still believe in Bendis and because I’m not quite ready to be an ex-X-Men reader.  See: I’m a sucker for Cyclops.  So, on one eye, I’m like, to hell with it; and on the other, I’m sure that something’s going to happen–and soon!–to justify my loyalty.  I just know it!  After all, Bendis himself  promises–through Mystique–that “[t]here’s a bigger picture” here.  And, if, in the end, all of these pointless little pieces fit together to form it, well, then shame on me for doubting.  And if they don’t, whom do I ask for a refund? (SC)

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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Microviews: Winning Over Hearts and Minds

26 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in Microviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

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

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

Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

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

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

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

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

Batman Incorporated

Batman Incorporated

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

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

Mister X: Eviction #3

Mister X: Eviction #3

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

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

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

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

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

Satellite Sam #1

Satellite Sam #1

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

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

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

Turning pages,

Scott

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Top 5 Books of June 2013: Dig Comics!

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

American Vampire, Batman, Batman: Gates of Gotham, BOOM!, Brian Wood, Dark Horse, Dave Johnson, Dean Motter, Dig Comics!, Fleischer Brothers, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, German Expressionism, Goran Parlov, Greg Rucka, Harold Gray, IDW, Image, Jason Ciaramella, Jeff Stokely, Joe Hill, Katsuhiro Otomo, Lazarus, Marvel, Michael Lark, Mister X: Eviction, New 52, Severed, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, Superman Unchained, Swamp Thing, The Massive, Thumbprint, Vic Malhotra, Zero Year

Three stellar debuts and one astonishing finale. And the latest Mister X. Even as folks breathlessly scramble to prevent the Death of Comics, the medium is producing a broader range of excellent material than at any time in its history. Spread the word true-believer: everyone should be reading them. The List:

5. Lazarus #1 (Image): This book immediately stakes its ground alongside Brian Wood’s The Massive as a vital, involving piece of speculative science fiction. Whereas the former primarily deals with the effects of all-too-credible environmental disaster, Lazarus extrapolates our current economic debacle by asking ‘What happens when the 1% becomes the .0001%?’. Greg Rucka’s vision of a tech-saturated medievalism is compelling not only because of the verisimilitude of Michael Lark’s art, but precisely because it doesn’t feel as far-fetched as perhaps we’d like. A gripping debut. (DM)

Lazarus #1

4. Thumbprint #1 (IDW): Jason Ciaramella’s and Vic Malhotra’s excellent adaptation of Joe Hill’s novella involves a disgraced female soldier whose return home from Abu Ghraib is disturbed by an apparent stalker with knowledge of her dark past. Even as her privacy and safety are compromised, the reader is left to wonder who the real monster is. Adaptations of other media are tough to do; what works well in prose doesn’t always necessarily translate to comics. So far, Ciaramelia and Malhotra are pulling it off with aplomb. (DM)

Thumbprint #1

3. Mister X: Eviction #2 (Dark Horse): Hands down the most stylish book on the stands: retro-futurist, German Expressionist, neo-noir, New Wave, Pop Art. Dean Motter makes it ALL work, and then gives comics nostalgists an unexpected gift in the backup feature “Little Urchin Andy”, which is like Harold Gray’s classic as re-imagined by Katsuhiro Otomo and filmed by the Fleischer Bros. To call it a ‘mash-up’ would be to trivialize it. It is rather, a glorious orchestration, with Motter holding the conductor’s stick. Or is it a magic wand? (DM)

Mister X: Eviction #2

2. Fury: My War Gone By #13 (Marvel): A fitting finale for a series that has gone by far too quickly.  In this issue of reconciliation and resignation, the point of Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov’s hard-hitting history lesson–as seen through the aged eye of Nick Fury–is hammered home by George Heatherly’s grand-daughter during a conversation with the weathered warhorse: “most of it had been completely pointless.”  Our experience, however, tracing all of the lines on Fury’s face (see Dave Johnson’s terrific cover below), has been anything–everything–but. (SC)

Fury: My War Gone By #13

Fury: My War Gone By #13

1. Six-Gun Gorilla #1 (BOOM!): Easily our favorite book of the month.  And to think I thought it’d be no more than a one-note guilty pleasure!  Silly me.  In all actuality, Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely have cooked up something far more complex.  From one panel to the next, I was awed; I oft guffawed; and each turn of a page–and commensurate peel of a layer–cemented this sucker as a Book of the Week.  And as the month played out–and it was a heck of a month–what was left standing head and hairy shoulders above the rest?  A gorilla with a gun and a come hither “Howdy.” (SC)

Sixth-Gun Gorilla #1

Sixth-Gun Gorilla #1

Biggest Dis(appointment): Scott Snyder

Severed.  American Vampire.  Gates of Gotham.  Most of Batman‘s Court of Owls arc.  Most of his run on Swamp Thing.  Great stuff.  No hesitation at all: Scott Snyder’s the goods.  But as good as he’s been, he’s been pretty underwhelming of late.  Yup: he’s shown some cracks in the ol’ armor–especially with the superhero books he’s headlining.

Now, I don’t know how to explain it; I mean, I’m just the consumer; I don’t claim to have the answers.  But he seems to have become a victim of his prior success–success that translates directly–fairly or not–to expectations.  Super high expectations.

This is how I envision it:  Snyder’s a damsel in distress tied to the tracks, and the hype train that bears his name is bearing down on her–err, him.  And, you know what?  He needs a hero!  He’s holding on for a hero till the end of the night.  Sadly, neither Batman nor Superman was able to save him.

Just think about it for a minute.  Wash the hype from your eyes.  You know–you know it in your bones–that Batman #21 isn’t what you were hoping for when you first started salivating over the ubiquitous Zero Year adverts.

Batman #21

Batman #21

Really, now: what does it offer?  Another Death of the Family scenario?  Instead of the Batfamily, we’re looking at a Kane/Wayne war?  And the antagonist this time?  No, not the Joker: it’s the Riddler!  Really?  The Riddler?  There’s something funny about that, isn’t there?  Ugh!  Doubtless, we’ve seen Snyder borrow effectively from his previous work.  But this?  Come on!  This is almost insulting to us readers!  We deserve better, don’t we?

Well, we sure as hell didn’t get better with Superman Unchained #1.

Superman Unchained #1

Superman Unchained #1

Sure, the thing sold a ton; but what does that really mean?  I’ll tell you one thing it doesn’t mean: it doesn’t mean that the book is good–because it isn’t.  It’s a muddled mess that recalls the awkward wordiness of George Perez’s New 52 Superman and, inexplicably, the frivolousness of Scott Lobdell’s.  You know what it is?  It’s a special-effects laden blockbuster that, for all it’s blockbusting, fizzles out once the smoke clears.  (I am still talking about the comic, by the way.  No, really, I am.)  We all know that Scott Snyder’s better than this, don’t we?

Isn’t he?

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (7/3)

05 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alberto Ponticelli, Avatar, Batman Incorporated, Ben Templesmith, BOOM!, Canaan White, Carlos Magno, China Mieville, Chris Burnham, Dan Green, Daredevil: Dark Nights, Dark Horse, DC, Dean Motter, Deathmatch, Dial H, Emily and the Strangers, Grant Morrison, Howard Chaykin, Image, J. Michael Straczynski, Justin Jordan, Kieron Gillen, Lee Loughridge, Lee Weeks, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Mister X: Eviction, Neil Edwards, Paul Jenkins, Roberto De La Torre, Satellite Sam, Shadowman, Ten Grand, Uber, Valiant

Stuck to the script: showed love to the list and said ciao to Green Arrow and Suicide Risk.

I’m getting better at good buys.

  • Deathmatch #7 (Read it!  As I mentioned: it’s no longer a guilty pleasure: it’s a solid book that borrows often–and well–to its own end.  Without being obnoxious about it, Jenkins reveals what he needs to and teases what he wants to.  Sounds easy, but it’s not.)
  • Dial H #14 (The end is closer and, as a result, much more real–especially now that we’re an issue away from hanging up on Mieville, Ponicelli, and Green for good.)
Dial H #14

Dial H #14

  • Shadowman#8 (Read it!  Pretty much an issue’s worth of set up.  Roberto De La Torre’s work–his deathly dark Deadside–is the highlight here.)
  • Ten Grand #3 (Hoping that this one’ll win me over.)
  • Satellite Sam #1 (Looks like a book that I should like, mostly because of Howard Chaykin’s terrific black and white work.  We’ll see.)
  • Emily and the Strangers #3 (Striking the final chord.)
Emily and the Strangers #3

Emily and the Strangers #3

  • Mister X: Eviction #3 (Quick flip: yeah, I think we have our book of the year.)
  • Batman Incorporated #12 (Read it!  No one can rush his way to the end like Grant Morrison.  He’s so damn good.)
  • Daredevil: Dark Nights #2 (Read it!  Much better than I expected it to be.  Lee Weeks and Lee Loughridge push Daredevil to his limits and bring an certain elegance to his exertion–even on page 6, a snow-blind splash where DD is but a red speck on a bluish-white background.)
Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

Daredevil: Dark Nights #2

  • Uber #3 (Read it!  Glad I gave Gillen another chance.  For one, his Hitler is effing crazy!  I’m definitely sticking around for more.)

What did you get in your bag?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

02 Tuesday Jul 2013

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alberto Ponticelli, Avatar, Batman Incorporated, Ben Templesmith, Canaan White, Carlos Magno, China Mieville, Chris Burnham, Daredevil: Dark Nights, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Dean Motter, Deathmatch, Dial H, Emily and the Strangers, Grant Morrison, Howard Chaykin, Image, J. Michael Straczynski, Justin Jordan, Kieron Gillen, Lee Weeks, Matt Fraction, Mister X: Eviction, Neil Edwards, Paul Jenkins, Satellite Sam, Shadowman, Ten Grand, Uber, Valiant

A welcome break from the heatwave.

  • Emily and the Strangers #3 (Dark Horse): Finally, the finale!
  • Mister X: Eviction #3 (Dark Horse): I’m pretty confident that this series will make our Top Ten List for 2013.  Oh, and another stunning cover:
Mister X: Eviction #3

Mister X: Eviction #3

  • Batman Incorporated #12 (DC): #11 was a flipping disaster.  Good news: looks like we’re back to the all-important business of Bat vengeance.
Batman Incorporated #12

Batman Incorporated #12

  • Dial H #14 (DC): It pains me to say this: it’s the penultimate issue.
  • Satellite Sam #1 (Image): May as well give it a shot.  I’ve enjoyed FF and Hawkeye enough.  Oh, and, by the way, Howard Chaykin.  Hope it doesn’t prove as unfulfilling as Casey’s Sex.
Satellite Sam #1

Satellite Sam #1

  • Ten Grand #3 (Image): Yeah, sure: on the strength–a stronger word than I wanted to use, really–of #2, it’s earned another.  Why not, right?
  • Daredevil: Dark Nights #2 (Marvel): #1 delivered some interesting moments with extra cheese.  I’m not entirely sold on it; but I’m willing to lease.
  • Deathmatch #7 (BOOM!): I dunno, man.  I still dig it.
Deathmatch #7

Deathmatch #7

  • Shadowman #8 (Valiant): Behind the first batch of Valiant books, sure; but, by golly, its darned good.  Strange: at the end of each issue, I’m still surprised by how much I like what I’ve read.
  • Uber #3 (Avatar): I figure, since I’m killing off Suicide Risk, I can suffer another one of these.

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

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