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What’s I&N Store (2/25)

24 Tuesday Feb 2015

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This week offers up some big books–none bigger than Dean Motter’s Mister X: Razed.

Wait.  What?

You did a double-take, didn’t you?  You were expecting to read Spider-Gwen at the end of that superlative statement, weren’t you?

Ugh.

  • Colder: Bad Seed #5 (Dark Horse): Nimble Jack is back, baby!  Maybe that’ll add a little oomph to an otherwise lethargic exercise.  Tobin and Ferreyra cultivated a creepy tone early on but kind of got stuck in one place.  Man, I’d give the finger to this series, but I’d be worried about getting it back.
  • Mister X: Razed #1 (Dark Horse) Just I&N and I&N Demand It’s the first time a book has earned both enviable distinctions!  Oh, yeah, baby!  Mister X is back, and we couldn’t be any more excited!  One reason–and it’s a good one: back in 2013, Dean Motter delivered the brilliant Mr. X: Eviction, which earned the coveted #1 spot on our highly respected Top Ten list, beating out the likes of Mind MGMT, Six-Gun Gorilla, and Saga.  Now that’s gotta tell you something.  Can’t wait to see what Mr. Motter has to tell us this time around.
Mister X: Raze #1

Mister X: Razed #1

  • Bodies #8 (DC/Vertigo): Gosh.  #1 hit the shelves with such promise.  Unfortunately, the damn thing collapsed under its own weight and, as a result, has been a four-pronged slog ever since.  Glad it’s over.
  • Suiciders #1 (DC/Vertigo): Lee Bermejo’s doing his own thing.  Would be silly not to try it.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #43 (IDW): Reptilicious fun!  All sorts of backstabbing going on.  Good thing our favorite turtles have shells–and madd ninja skills.
  • Low #6 (Image): I’m still pretty high on Low.  Remender’s not ringing my bell anywhere else; but this diving bell of a book is tintinnabulous!
  • ODY-C #3 (Image): This gender-bending blitz on Homer’s epic is a damn siren’s song; it’s a party with the local lotophagi.  Didn’t dig it so much after the first issue.  Good thing I stuck around.
  • Rasputin #5 (Image): I’m riding it out ’til the end of the arc.  There isn’t much here that’s keeping my interest.
  • They’re Not Like Us #3 (Image) I&N Demand Deadly Class only wishes it was this good.  How would you act if you had superpowers?  Eric Stephenson’s got the answer.  Heck, it’s like a team full of feisty and rather petty Ozymandiases.  What’s going to happen when the stakes get raised?  Can’t wait to find out.
They're Not Like Us #3

They’re Not Like Us #3

  • The Wicked & The Divine #8 (Image) I&N Demand The book’s got attitude.  Yeah, this book’s a real bitch–a beautiful, effing bitch–one you’ve just desperate to have.  But even when you have it, you don’t really have it; it has you.
The Wicked & The Divine #8

The Wicked & The Divine #8

  • All-New X-Men #38 (Marvel): Chapter 4 of “The Black Vortex” crossover.  Yeah, I’m out of that loop.  Probably going to leave it on the shelf.  Hindsight is 22/22: should’ve done the same with the Ultimate waste of an arc.
  • Daredevil #13 (Marvel): Despite some strong work from Chris Samnee, the Stunt-Master arc wasn’t particularly exciting.  Reminds that Waid’s missed the mark some since making the move to the Left Coast.  This issue kicks off the final chapter of Waid and Samnee’s run.  I say perfect timing.  Speaking of perfect: how about Samnee’s cover:
Daredevil #13

Daredevil #13

  • Darth Vader #2 (Marvel): #1 was fine.  Was the Force with it?  Not so sure about that.  Got to give Gillen another go-round to see just how dark his helmet gets.
  • Men Of Wrath #5 (Marvel/Icon): I’ve enjoyed it enough.  Father-son stories always hit me where it hurts.  It’s like “Cat’s in the Cradle” but the cat’s been blown to furry bits by a blast of buckshot.  “When you comin’ home son, I don’t know when, but I’ll fill you full of lead, dad, you know I’ll shoot you in the head…”
  • Spider-Gwen #1: Ha!  Made you look!
  • Thor Annual #1 (Marvel): I’m leaning toward passing.  Annuals rarely offer anything of worth–and are rarely worth the inflated price.
  • The Black Hood #1 (Archie): Duane Swierczynski and Michael Gaydos (who took a great turn on Zero) go all X-rated for Archie Comics?  That’s right: the images, the synopsis–I’m thinking X, Swierczynski’s violent vigilante haunt over at Dark Horse.  I mean, right?
  • Evil Empire #11 (BOOM!) I&N Demand I love Evil Empire!  This month’s not-so-sheepish cover from Jay Shaw:
Evil Empire #11

Evil Empire #11

  • Quantum & Woody Must Die #2 (Valiant): As much as I wanted to not want to want to play this game of life and death with the Valiant brain trust, #1 wasn’t bad.
  • The Twilight Zone: Shadow & Substance #2 (Dynamite): Mark Rahner and Edu Menna have huge shoes to fill, mostly because the recently–and brilliantly–wrapped-up The Twilight Zone‘s Straczynski and Vilanova have big-ass feet.

 Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Abigail and the Snowman #3 (BOOM!): My daughter’s kind of scared of the Snowman.  She has to convince herself that it’s just a cartoon–the same way she talks herself down when Marshmallow shows up in Frozen.  Still she’s made it her pick of the week.
Abigail and the Snowman #3

Abigail and the Snowman #3

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (1/28)

27 Tuesday Jan 2015

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Snow snow snow, snow snow snow snow snow.  Snow?  Snow!  Snow snow snow snow.  Snow snow snow snow; snow snow snow snow, snow snow snow snow.

  • Colder: The Bad Seed #4 (Dark Horse): I don’t want to go pointing fingers, but…
  • Mind MGMT #30 (Dark Horse): I&N Demand Admission: I’m an Eraserhead.  Looks like this Eraser-focused offering will leave my shoulders speckled with rubbery residue.
Mind MGMT #30

Mind MGMT #30

  • Bodies #7 (DC/Vertigo): An autopsy has revealed that there’s life yet in Bodies.  Oops.  Nothing more awkward than a premature postmortem.  Sorry, Mr. Spencer et al.   Didn’t mean to doubt.  I’m believing again–and just in time, too.
  • Alex + Ada #12 (Image): So beautifully human.  Sure, the dialogue reads like it’s right out of an episode of Girlmore Girls–you know, that bizarre, hypnotic monotone that’s so damn maddening.  Thing is, it’s not off-putting here; it’s actually strangely affecting.  But most of all, I love the subtle shifts in the art from one panel to the next.  Speaks so loudly without a single word.
  • Bitch Planet #2 (Image): Ouch!  Kelly Sue DeConnick went and bitch slapped me and my low expectations for her women in prison send up.  I’m man enough to admit: in #1, she exploits exploitation expertly, reminiscent of Tarantino at times–which is a pretty deadly compliment.  Here’s another: throughout, I heard–more so, I saw with a hawk’s eye, if only in fractions, her hubby’s voice.  Heck, yeah, I’m gonna grab #2.  Doesn’t mean I’m in for life.  We’ll call it probation–with higher expectations this time around.
  • The Dying & the Dead #1 (Image): Just I&N Jonathan Hickman’s Image work has been pretty great–particularly East of West, which has been nothing short of great of late.  No reason to expect anything less here.
The Dying & The Dead #1

The Dying & The Dead #1

  • Rasputin #4 (Image): I was mostly on board through two.  #3, however, felt a little light on substance.  I’ll thumb through this one and hope for heavier.  Wouldn’t be the worst thing if I decided to drop it, if I’m being honest.
  • They’re Not Like Us #2 (Image) I&N Demand OK, so, we’ve heard this one before, right?  Of course we have.  And we’ll keep hearing it, too–but maybe not quite like this.  See: all those other X-wannabes are not like They’re Not Like Us.  Ha!  I worked it out!  Anyway…  Sure, the book read well enough: the writing’s solid; the art works.  But I wasn’t completely sold until the end note.  Yeah, that’s a damn fine way to end a familiar tune.  Hoping that Stephenson and Gane keep separating themselves from the others with a strong sophomore effort.
They're Not Like Us #2

They’re Not Like Us #2

  • Zero #14 (Image): I&N Demand One of our favorite books of 2014.  (Just how favorite?  You’ll have to wait to find out.)  After a big time low point, Kot’s found his voice–which, at times, has been splendidly silent, allowing the artiste du mois to do the real talking.  Very much looking forward to what Kot’s got in store for us to kick off 2015.
Zero #14

Zero #14

  • Thor #4 (Marvel): Despite its heavy handedness–not related to Mjolnir, mind you–#1 was a promising start.  Since then, however, the book’s reminded of Superior Spider-Man–everything I hated about Superior Spider-Man.  I should probably pass.
  • Uncanny X-Men #30 (Marvel): Uncanny‘s been a ton better than All-New of late.  And that’s all I have to say about that.
  • The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood #4 (Dynamite): Everyone loves a good ethical dilemma.  No one does ’em better in comics than J. Michael Straczynski (The Twilight Zone).  He’s not writing this.  But it’s not bad.  Credit Christina Blanch and Chris Carr for the fact that TDoCW is engaging on that “What would you do in the same situation?” kind of level.  (For the record: I’d do whatever it takes to take care of my daughters; so I feel for Charlie–and am rooting for him.)  I think my interest is amplified by the fact that good ol’ Charlie Wormwood’s an English teacher, who most assuredly has learned a lesson or two about ethical dilemmas through the novels and stories he’s read and taught through the years.  He probably never thought he’d be the one sitting across the table from the devil…
  • Evil Empire #10 (BOOM!): I&N Demand I really like what Max Bemis has been doing in his crazy country worth of comicbook.  Evil Empire is smart, aware, fearless, and, above all, entertaining as &%$@.  Happy to see Victor Santos–owner of a very distinct style–on visuals.  And, as always, Jay Shaw on cover duty:
Evil Empire #10

Evil Empire #10

  • Quantum and Woody Must Die #1 (Valiant): Yeah, I love Quantum and Woody and what Asmus has done with them, but I’m leaning toward leaving this on the shelf.  I just don’t like the games Valiant’s playing with the all-of-a-sudden minis and one-shots.  Just give me a damn series to follow!  For example:
  • X-O Manowar #32 (Valiant): I can’t believe I’m thirty-two issues in!  Credit to Robert Venditti.  He’s so good at X’s and O’s that he could probably coach a basketball team.  Hell, he could take over the Knicks right now.  Couldn’t do any worse than Derek Fisher.  Right?

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #27 (IDW): My daughter loves her ponies–and not just in comics, either.  We’re an MLP blind bag family, thanks mostly to DCTC (Disney Cars Toy Club)–otherwise known as YouTube Crack for Kids.  We opened two blind bags tonight.  Got a new one–Lucky Swirl, who looks a lot like Twilight Sparkle–and a “same duplicate,” as my daughter calls it.  Yup: another Neon Lights.  Yay.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #27

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #27

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (3/19)

18 Tuesday Mar 2014

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Can’t buy ’em all.  That’s why I narrow it down to a select many every week.

  • Dark Horse Presents #34 (Dark Horse): A pricey pick, that’s for sure; but a gotta grab because Dean Motter’s magnificent Mister X is making his much anticipated return to the DHU.  And we love us some Mister X: if you didn’t already know–and you’d be in rare company–Mister X: Eviction was our #1 book of 2013.
Dark Horse Presents #37

Dark Horse Presents #34

  • Skyman #3 (Dark Horse): Has been OK.  My interest level in this book increased exponentially after reading Joshua Hale Fialkov’s The Bunker.  Makes this a bit of a potential pick.  Thing is, as a four-issue mini, Skyman might not have the time to realize that potential.  On a positive note, I’m willing to go the distance because it’s a mini.  Wouldn’t have been so willing if it had been an ongoing.
  • White Suits #2 (Dark Horse): Toby Cypress’s art was certainly remarkable.  The story, not so much.  I’m leaning toward passing on it.
  • The Witcher #1 (Dark Horse): Capable horror scribe Paul Tobin (Colder) makes it a maybe.  The fact that it’s based on a video game makes it a maybe not.  May also pass on this one.
  • American Vampire: Second Cycle #1 (DC/Vertigo): I’ve been looking forward to this!  Oh, sure, I bashed Batman a time or two and have been mostly put to sleep by The Wake (that is until #6, which was, pretty much, in The Wake world, anyhow, the equivalent of a cold shower!).  But that doesn’t mean I’m a Snyder hater; in fact, I happen to love American Vampire.  Consumed ’em all in trade form and am ready for the next course!
  • Animal Man #29 (DC): Jumped off a while ago.  Wondering if it’s worth picking up seeing as it’s the last issue and all.  Love Lemire’s cover:
Animal Man #29

Animal Man #29

  • Batman and Aquaman #29 (DC): Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason continue to deliver the darkest of the Dark Knight books–and now, apparently, the wettest.
  • Suicide Squad #29 (DC): Hasn’t been as good as I had hoped it’d be with Kindt in command.  Riding out his run, anyway.
  • Wonder Woman #29 (DC): It’s no surprise that this is the only New 52 book I’ve stuck with–without missing an issue–from #1.  It’s no myth: Brian Azzarello has made a monthly living of being good.  Of drawing out the story, sure, but of being good, nevertheless.
  • A Voice in the Dark #5 (Image): Well, I certainly didn’t celebrate #4.  (Check out my review here.)  What I have celebrated, however, is the potential that Larime Taylor has shown–especially in a terrific #2.  Here, I’m hoping to see more than a return to form: I’m hoping to see improved pacing.  This book desperately needs to cut to the chase–and draw some blood in the process.
A Voice in the Dark #5

A Voice in the Dark #5

  • Fuse #2 (Image): #1 was an offer I could easily refuse–not re-Fuse, mind you.  Leaning toward leaving it on the shelf.
  • Lazarus #7 (Image): #6 was terrific–as always.  In it, Rucka and Lark build some serious tension, which neither slacks nor snaps.  It’s no wonder that Lazarus was our #7 book of 2013.
  • Sex Criminals #5 (Image): #4 was a bit of a rebound from a not-so-good #3, which was our Biggest Dis(appointment) of November 2013.  I’m going to go one more round and see what happens.  Let’s call this my having faith in Fraction.  Sure, he’s a mad god; he’s an effing oversexed overlord!  But when he’s good, he’s damn good.  If Fraction’s big three books were a menage a trois–ain’t they, though?–Sex Criminals would be on the bottom–and loving it, no doubt.
  • Zero #6 (image): With an arc in the books, er, trades, Zero—our #8 book of 2013–gets back to business with Vanesa Del Rey (artist on BOOM!’s quick Hit) bringing Ales Kot’s vision to life.  OK, not going to lie: still not too sure how I feel about how #5 ended.  I mean, aliens?  Really?  Going to have to trust my man Kot on this one.
Zero #6

Zero #6

  • All-New Ghost Rider #1 (Marvel): My only real exposure to Tradd Moore has been Zero #2, which is my favorite issue of the series thus far.  Honesty: I don’t give a boo about Ghost Rider; I’m grabbing this to get a little Moore.  We’ll see if the little’ll turn into a lot soon enough.
All-New Ghost Rider #1

All-New Ghost Rider #1

  • Avengers World #4 (Marvel): The series has been mostly blah.  Started off well enough, but it seems to have fallen into its “bigger” trap, leaving me asking, “What in the world?”  Consider how much bigger my bag promises to be this week, this one might find itself displaced.
  • Daredevil #1 (Marvel): Speaking of being displaced: time to see what Waid and Samnee have in store for comidom’s newest San Franciscan.
  • Ms. Marvel #2 (Marvel): I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed #1.  Reminded me of my initial experience with Miles Morales and how well Brian Michael Bendis handled–and sold–the character in the face of controversy.  In this case, I’m hoping that Wilson and Alphona can keep Kamala out of the editorial web that ultimately ensnared Miles.
Ms. Marvel #2

Ms. Marvel #2

  • Uncanny X-Men #19 (Marvel): Don’t judge me.
  • Winter Soldier: The Bitter March #2 (Marvel): Probably not.  I didn’t really care for the first one.  And after Remender’s Deadly Class #2, I’ve pretty well given up hope that he can deliver something that interests me.
  • X-Men #12 (Marvel): OK.  Now you may judge me.  You know, the series started off on such a nostalgic note, and I bought right into it.  Felt like the X-book I had been waiting for since coming back to comics.  Then came the momentum busting Battle of the Atom.  Since then, the damn thing’s been a bit of a mess.  I’ll ride out this storyline and decide from there.
  • Curse #3 (BOOM!): My curse: being unable to quit on a mini if I’m at least two issues in–even if I really don’t care very much about it. That pretty well describes this series for me.
  • Harbinger #0.2014 (Valiant): Everything you’ve wanted to know about the Bleeding Monk but were afraid to ask.
Harbinger #0.2014

Harbinger #0.2014

  • Letter 44 #5 (Oni Press): Still loving President Blades, and right now that’s all that matters to me.
  • Shadowman #16 (Valiant): A monthly mystery: I don’t care a lick about any of the characters and I’m often vexed by all the voodoo; but I still like it.  A major selling point: Roberto De La Torre’s art.  It really suits Peter Milligan’s turn on the book.
  • The Sixth Gun #39 (Oni Press): I’m almost caught up!  I’ve got three more issues to rock out.  Know what?  There’s no reason why I shouldn’t read through them tonight.  There you go: I’m going to read them tonight; and I will read this one first.  How’s that?  Oh, and, umm, just in case you didn’t know already: it’s good.  Really good.  As I’ve mentioned in recent posts: the team of Bunn and Hurtt will go down as one of the greats of the modern era–maybe even of all time–because of the terrific work they’ve done on The Sixth Gun.
The Sixth Gun #39

The Sixth Gun #39

  • X-O Manowar #23 (Valiant): Has been a solid read from the get-go.  Aric’s another one of my favorite characters, and Venditti’s shown a great command of his character in and out of the armor.

Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #3 (DC): My daughter has enjoyed the first two issues well enough.  By “enjoyed” I mean “not torn the covers off yet.”

That about does it I&Nmates!

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s I&N Store (2/19)

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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The only forecast worth a damn:

  • Skyman #2 (Dark Horse): My interest in the book has been ramped up not by #1 so much as learning more about Joshua Hale Fialkov as a writer through his book The Bunker from Oni Press, which came out in print last week.  Yeah, so, suddenly I’m like “Sky’s the limit!” for this one.
  • The White Suits #1 (Dark Horse): The new one from Frank J. Barbiere–writer of the underwhelming Five Ghosts, which I dropped after #2–is described as “violent noir,” which is right up my alley; so I’ll pick it up.
  • Batman and Two-Face #28 (DC): Best Batman of the bunch?  Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s Batman, biatch!  OK, so, it’s not Mind MGMT; very few books are.  But it is Batman: it sounds like, looks like, and feels like Batman–and that’s what’s important, isn’t it?  The turn with Two-Face has been a fun one, and it ends here.
Batman and Two-Face #28

Batman and Two-Face #28

  • Wonder Woman #28 (DC): The only New 52 book I’ve been on from the get-go.  Remarkably consistent, drawing more from myth as we go along.  Bring on the Minotaur!
  • A Voice in the Dark #4 (Image): We were lucky enough to receive a preview copy from Larime Taylor a couple of weeks back.  My review–and assessment of the series–can be found here.
  • Alex + Ada #4 (Image): If I had more time, I would’ve written up a Scottlight On post for #3–a very positive Scottlight On post.  I loved it: the dialogue, the absence of dialogue; the composition of balance, the language of juxtaposition; the slow simmer, the tempered tone; the spirit of Asimov, the sword of Damocles.  Very much looking forward to what Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn have programmed for us this time around.
Alex + Ada #4

Alex + Ada #4

  • Avengers World #3 (Marvel): Certainly isn’t a must read, but hasn’t been bad.  Certainly worth another issue.
  • Daredevil #36 (Marvel): The end–for now.  We know where it’s going from here, yet I wonder where it’s going from here.  From Hell’s Kitchen to Hells Angels?  Is DD gonna chill on Devil’s Peak?  Or drink from the Devil’s Punchbowl?
Daredevil #36

Daredevil #36

  • Uncanny X-Men #17 (Marvel): This isn’t a good sign: I don’t really remember what happened in #16.  Then again, maybe it’s the sign I’ve been waiting for all along. Maybe I should just be done with this book once and for all and put my four bucks toward something I won’t whine about every damn month.  Hmm.  Maybe save up for Rucka’s Cyclops book out in May.
  • X-Men #11 (Marvel): I swore after #10 that I was done.  That’s three times after only ten issues!  Sounds about right.
  • Curse #2 (BOOM!): I wasn’t overly impressed with #1.  Figure I’ll give it another shot.
  • Extinction Parade #5 (Avatar): I have an idea: let’s marry Max Brooks’s writing with Alex Maleev’s artwork.  That’d be something!  As it is, this is a tolerable exploration of the relationship between otherwise intolerable vampires and zombies brought to the page in the typical Avatar style.
  • The Midas Flesh #3 (BOOM!): #2 was one of our Top 5 Books of January!  Our needle’s pointing due Ryan North!
The Midas Flesh #3

The Midas Flesh #3

  • Quantum and Woody #8 (Valiant): James Asmus is keeping it crazy in his little corner of the Valiant Universe.  Always good for a laugh.
  • Unity #4 (Valiant): Outside of Mind MGMT, this is where Matt Kindt’s clearly most comfortable.  And with Kindt’s Rai reboot on the way, we’ll see just how comfortable.  Makes all the sense in the world that Valiant would be the best fit for him: he gets to remodel the house instead of simply moving the furniture around.

My daughter now expects a “present” every time I come home from the comic store.  Instead of just grabbing something off the shelf willy-nilly, I’m going in with a plan.  I’m calling it…

Avery’s Pick of the Week:

  • Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #2 (DC): There’s no doubt about it: Avery loves her superheroes.  While flipping through #1, however, she seemed to like the little villains the most.  I’m in trouble.
Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #2

Scribblenauts Unmasked: Crisis of Imagination #2

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

Top 5 Books of May: Cities, Dreams & Red Underwear

09 Sunday Jun 2013

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This was the toughest Top 5 list we’ve had to put together yet: ol’ reliables like Saga and Manhattan Projects didn’t put out an issue in May. And other stalwarts like Fatale and Nowhere Men, while solid, weren’t quite their usual, exemplary selves (hmm, looking at the above titles it seems we’re really putting the Image in images and Nerds). All these open spots generated much discussion from your intrepid reviewers about who should fill them. Change, of course, can be a good thing. Shake things up! Diversify! In the end, we’re pleased by the inclusion of three brand new #1’s on the list below, with all the promise they imply, even as we bid a fond adieu to one excellent title that seems to be ending its run.

5. Dream Thief #1 (Dark Horse): An undeserving lowlife is possessed by a mystical power that places him in hairy situations, seemingly in the name of justice. Jai Nitz’s tightly-structured occult noir hums like clockwork thanks in large part to Greg Smallwood’s beautifully designed graphic fireworks. After one issue, both of these gentlemen feel like creators to watch. And Dark Horse, with titles like this, Brian Wood’s The Massive, and Matt Kindt’s Mind MGMT (not to mention our #1 title below) is positioning itself to give Image a run for its money as the most exciting publisher around. (DM)

4. Battlefields: The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova #6 (Dynamite): It’s a bird!  In a plane!  It’s Anna Kharkova!  Garth Ennis and Russ Braun set the irrepressible Night Witch free with a Yeatsian final stanza that celebrates the unconquerable human spirit. (SC)

3. Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake #5 (kaboom!): The only regular on this month’s list, Natasha Allegri’s gender-switching fairy tale pulls off the neat trick of subtly subverting story-time expectations while also thrillingly living up to them. Truly a comic for “all-ages”. (DM)

2. Adventures of Superman #1 (DC): So what if this trio of short stories first appeared digitally? We first read them the old fashioned way – holding them in our grubby little hands as an actual comic book! Whatever the format, this is the best Superman title we’ve read in a while. Jeff Parker pens a classic story about an early Luthor encounter, made even more so by Chris Samnee’s utterly gorgeous art. We’re convinced: Samnee should draw Superman regularly. And every other superhero title. Justin Jordan and Riley Rossmo close the book with a fun Bizarro tale. But the star here is Jeff Lemire. Set in the vast expanses of rural Kansas, Lemire’s story and art are given the room to breathe that has been sorely lacking in some of his other superhero books. That may seem an odd comment for a story that’s all of ten pages, but Lemire fills them with the sense of imagination and wonder that are the essence of Superman. In the process, Lemire also reminds us what we love about him. This wonderful book has the cumulative, perhaps unintended, effect of making us long for the pre-New 52 Man of Steel. Long live the Red Trunks! (DM)

1. Mister X: Eviction #1 (Dark Horse): Amongst the standout books for the month, Dean Motter’s urbane banquet of urban anxiety stands out the most; in fact, it towers above the rest!  Mr. Motter is in complete control of the pagescape: he wields images and words with an imaginative precision that makes a penthouse reality out of street-level dreams.  All hyperbole aside, this, folks, is why we make our weekly pilgrimage to the comic shop. (SC)

The Biggest Dis(appointment): The Bounce #1 (Image):  If Joe Casey’s Sex is a tired, syphilitic muse, then his latest, The Bounce, is an adopted crack baby.  From the opening toke–a decision more desperate than daring–Casey wields his great power irresponsibly: he lazily and preposterously offers up a seemingly incorrigible pothead, one agonizingly alliterative Jasper Jenkins–an obvious Peter Parker analog–and then oddly recalls an irrelevant hero, Speedball–no, really, Speedball!–who himself was misguidedly modeled after Spider-Man, for goodness sake, all the while sticking too closely to the all-too-familiar amazing spiderweb, you know, because why futz around with a tried and true formula that’s caught villains and readers alike for fifty-plus years.  Speaking of villains: in the grandiloquent antagonist The Darling, Casey conjures his inner Mark Millar yet again (see Sex for more evidence of Casey’s indisputable infatuation with the obnoxious Scotsman); and in the Grand Design, he shows that he’s embarrassingly “behind the curve”–certainly behind Jonathan Hickman, whose The Manhattan Projects sports a curiously similar device.  Yeah: surprise.  If I’m being fair, The Fog, injected into the end of the book, does bring a tablespoon of originality to the flame; but whatever taste I’ve gotten is a bizarre, almost indescribable feeling that smacks of questionable calls–including having The Crush inexplicably use “tenacious” to describe the “pigs” that he assumes one sentence later will be “pissed” once they find out what he’s done–and tone deaf pseudo-intellectualism.  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?  Really?  So, while I did say yes to the first issue, going forward, I’m going to listen to the small voice in my head, that of the former first lady who famously said that, when facing a choice such as this, I should just say no. (SC)

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

In Scott’s Bag (3/6)

07 Thursday Mar 2013

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A formidable fascicle, indeed.  As yanked:

  • Fairy Quest #2 (I want Humberto Ramos tested for PEDs.  A simple flip through is all the evidence I need: this dude’s on fairy dust!  Pretty, pretty.)
  • Snapshot #2 (Cool cover and sweet b/w interior work by Jock.)
  • Lost Vegas #1 (Recommended by the shop guy.  Pass up an Image #1?  Never!)
Lost Vegas #1

Lost Vegas #1

  • All-New X-Men #8 (Ugh.  This may be the last nail I was hoping for.)
  • Green Arrow #18 (I see what’s happening here: Daredevil and Bullseye.  Works for me.)
  • Sex #1 (If you were expecting something else, you didn’t get it.  A more honest title you’re not likely to find.)
  • Swamp Thing #18 (Going in with an open mind–opened further by Paquette’s capable hands.)
  • Winter Soldier #16 (Love the cover.  That aside: this is the make-or-break issue.  Actually hoping for make.)
  • Daredevil: End of Days #6 (Will be one of the best books of the week.  At this point, it can’t help it.)
  • Shadowman #5 (It’s not every day that a comic makes the mainstream news.  No, wait.)
  • Bedlam #5 (I described it to my wife as “an ultra-violent book about the psychology of a serial killer.”  She seemed OK with it.  Full disclosure: she was pretty well locked into the final Wheel puzzle, so…)
  • Animal Man #18 (Well, speaking of expectations: this one comes with–right on the cover!  That, or a tragic how-to: how to effectively undermine a an otherwise suburb Jae Lee cover.)
Animal Man #18--Before

Animal Man #18 (Expectation-Free Edition!)

  • Colder #5 (This is it!)
  • Dial H #10 (I’m totally ready.)

Does my list look like your list?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s Up?

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

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I like big bags and I cannot lie.

Feeling Pullish

  • Colder #5 (Dark Horse): Glad this little Ice Age is over.
  • Animal Man #18 (DC): Almost there.  Almost over the Rot.  Looks like with #19, Lemire’s headed back to what made the book a must-read in the first place.  Just have to survive this one.
  • Dial H #10 (DC): #9 was a return to form.  Looks like a ruff ride this time around.  See for yourself.
    Dial H #10

    Dial H #10

    • Swamp Thing #18 (DC): Another Snyder superhero finale.  Expectations set to nada.
    • Bedlam #5 (Image): Last issue yanked me from the brink.
    Bedlam #5

    Bedlam #5

    • Daredevil: End of Days #6 (Marvel): This has been really good.  Probably the best Bendis going right now–and there’s a lot of Bendis going right now.
    • Shadowman #5 (Valiant): Another comic in the news?  Wouldn’t have expected Shadowman.  Lot of things I didn’t expect from Shadowman–including that I’d still be reading it through #5.

     

Feeling Plucky

  • Mara #3 (Image): Not my favorite, but I’m sticking with it–especially since it’s a mini.
  • Sex #1 (Image): Joe Casey’s new one’s had its share of hype–so much, in fact,  it’s practically been buzzed bald.  Considering, that might not be such a bad thing.
  • Snapshot #2 (Image): Might as well.
  • Green Arrow #18 (DC): Can’t bow out after one issue.  Lemire deserves at least two, maybe even a few.
  • Winter Soldier #16 (Marvel): Jason LaTour’s first issue certainly didn’t make me forget Ed Brubaker.  Surprisingly, it didn’t make me want to forget Winter Soldier.  Not yet, anyway.
Winter Soldier #16

Winter Soldier #16

  • Helheim #1 (Oni): I’m a little late to the Sixth Gun party.  Not gonna let this one slip by without a shot.
Helheim #1

Helheim #1

  • Fairy Quest #2 (BOOM!): There was something about #1 that I kinda dug.
  • All-New X-Men #8 (Marvel): Ugh.

This one’s got Bunns, hun.  So, I guess I want some.

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

In Scott’s Bag (2/13)

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

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Big stack, little time.  Here’s the rushed rundown as drawn from the sacred sack:

  • Fury: My War Gone By #9 (Read half of it at the gas station while filling up.  Full service with a smile–on my face, anyway!  Headbutts and boots to the throat’ll do that.)
  • Archer & Armstrong #7 (My sherbet!  My lychee nut!  Bring on Batman!)
  • Bloodshot #8 (Looks like it’s loaded!  And, umm, it is weird that I seem to, umm, like Gamma, umm, well, as more than just a friend?  Sigh.  I wonder if she’ll be my Valentine.)
Bloodshot #8

Bloodshot #8

  • Battlefields: The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova #4 (Yes, please!)
  • Fatale #12 (Don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it’s gonna be tough to knock it off its perch.)
  • Uncanny X-Men #1 (How can one go wrong with Bendis and Bachalo?  Yeah, I’m gonna keep telling myself that until I actually crack it open.)
  • Secret Avengers #1 (It’s no secret: my expectations are pretty darned low.  It’s just that I can’t imagine a world–or a non-reboot-reboot–without a monthly Avengers book.  But then there’s reality.  Sad, sad reality.)
Secret Avengers #1

Secret Avengers #1

  • Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth #2 (Yeah, I get the irony.  I hope that’s not all I get.  If it is, I probably won‘t get #3.)
  • Change #3 (A quick flip: an acid trip, a peyote paid vacation.  Glorious.  Can’t wait to marry words to the psychedelic imagery.)
  • Batman #17 (Don’t want to open it until I’m good and ready.  I’ve got Archer and Armstrong, just in case.)
  • Bedlam #4 (Last issue pissed me off.  This could be my jumping off point.)
  • Comedian #5 (Nothing to say.  I feel like I should apologize for buying it.)

So, that’s what was in my bag.  What was in yours?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s Up?

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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“What’s up?” you ask?  Yeah.  It’s more like what isn’t up.  Keeeeey-riced!  Check it:

Crisis of Definite Comics

  • Action Comics #17 (DC): Promises to be epic.  Either way, Morrison’s last will be mine as well.
  • Animal Man #17 (DC): Wondering where this is going to go after Rotworld.
  • Dial H #9 (DC): Didn’t kick off 2013 the way it stomped through 2012.  Expectations are still dialed up pretty high–and maybe that’s the problem.
  • Green Arrow #17 (DC): Lemire’s run begins.  Will it be a bull’s eye or another quivering misfire?
  • Swamp Thing #17 (DC): Not caring where this is going to go after Rotworld.  As with Morrison’s Action, Snyder’s last will be mine as well.
  • Daredevil: End of Days #5 (Marvel): #4 was really good.  In fact, halfway through, this mini has been surprisingly effective.
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #20 (Marvel): Venom?  Gag–unless he’s going to be used in an unexpected manner, which is totally possible.  Bendis has earned a long leash– even with a poisonous character like the toxic tongue wagger himself.
  • Harbinger #0 (Valiant): Great stuff.  So great, in fact, that I’m not worried about a zero diversion.  Not in the least.
  • Shadowman #4 (Valiant): Didn’t expect to get this far with it.
  • Snapshot #1 (Image): Looks interesting enough.  Don’t have much experience with Diggle.  I’m jumping on because of Jock, who has been doing some transcendent work on the Batman back-ups, or extensions, or whatever they are.
Snapshot #1

Snapshot #1

  • Garth Ennis’ Red Team #1 (Dynamite): Ennis is so hot right now he’s impossible to pass up.
Garth Ennis Red Team #1

Garth Ennis Red Team #1

  • Colder #4 (Dark Horse): Started off so well.  Unfortunately, has fallen faster than Declan’s body temperature.
  • Fairy Quest #1 (BOOM!): Jenkins and Ramos?  Come on: definitely worth a shot.
Fairy Quest #1

Fairy Quest #1

Is This a Comic Which I See Before Me?

  • All-New X-Men #7 (Marvel): Mainly because of Marquez.  Also because I’m an idiot.
  • Winter Soldier #15 (Marvel): Brubaker’s take is THE take, no doubt.  But why not try someone else’s take for at least an issue or two?  Can’t be worse than Remender’s Captain America for goodness sake.
  • Dia De Los Muertos #1 (Image): I’ll give it a quick flip.  Rossmo’s certainly worth a maybe.

I wonder if I’ll be able to buy some time, too; I’m gonna need it.  Yow-to-the-za!

What are you looking forward to?  Anything else I should keep an eye out for?

Turning pages,

Scott

What’s Up?

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

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After some serious cover-to-cover comic gridlock, this week–so very welcomed, indeed!–is the equivalent of a rest stop–a sweet, sweet rest stop.  I’m takin’ the exit, baby.

Who kNOWs?

  • FF #1: I’m willing to give it a shot–if only to find an offbeat replacement for Wolverine and the X-Men.  Mr. Allred may be the man for the job.

FF#1 Cover

Definitely Choosy

  • Justice League Dark #14: Lemire’s keeping it unreal–and it’s fun!  And, yes, this is the only DC book I’m definitely picking up this week.  I’m done with Batman Incorporated and The Flash.  I’m also not entirely sold on Lot 13.  But who knows: I may suffer a rack attack with so few books in my bag and may grab for a stray or two.

Image–ine That!

  • Bedlam #2: Earned another issue with a wildly violent and mildly mysterious #1.
  • Fatale #10: Where Brubaker’s been doin’ his thing–a really good thing.
  • Nowhere Men #1: If it actually goes somewhere, all the better!

Did you happen to notice?

  • Marvel=1 book
  • DC=1 book
  • Image=3 books

Huh.  Look at that.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott