Another big week of big books, highlighted by four titles from our Top Ten of 2013 (Wild Blue Yonder, Saga, Zero, and Archer & Armstrong) and an Archie two-fer!

• Batman and Robin #33 (DC): Robin Rises: Omega #1–a nonsensical, never-ending fight scene–was a huge disappointment.  You know what?  I’m going to pretend it never happened.  Will be tough, though: I’m not too excited about the inevitable change of scenery; Lord Darkseid knows I’ve never been a fan of Apokolips.
• Dead Boy Detectives #7 (DC/Vertigo): DBD has been very good–especially the previous Through the Looking Glass-inspired two-parter.  New story starts here.
• Superman #33 (DC): Re: #32: The new Men of Today: Geoff Johns and John Romita, Jr. have started their reign well with Men of Tomorrow.  Liked how the former twisted Supes’ origin and came up with the well-named Ulysses.  The latter proved that his style suits Superman just fine.
• Wonder Woman #33 (DC): Azzarello and Chiang are on their way out.  It’s been a helluva run–and gods know I will loyally follow them to the finish line.

Wonder Woman #33

• Wild Blue Yonder #5 (IDW): Prepare to be jealous: I’ve already read it.  Liked it a lot.  (Shouldn’t come as much of a surprise: we’ve celebrated this series from the guys at Noble Transmission since take off.)  It lives up to the standard set by issues before: it’s summer-blockbuster big with some massive art moments from Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel.  (Nobody does double-page spreads like these guys.)  I particularly like how in a relativist sense the Judge is pretty much a good guy, as he is trying to do right by his people.  Just so happens other folks–those who call The Dawn home–would have to suffer in order for his people to survive.  If I’m finding myself rooting for the Judge, it’s because Mike Raicht is selling him well–kind of like how Patricia Highsmith convinces you root for the immoral Thomas Ripley; that’s high praise, indeed!  Also sold well is the big “final” moment, which is drawn out just long enough to sell one character’s sacrifice and another’s loss.  Can’t wait to see how everything plays out.  If you can’t wait to find out more about this issue, check out Derek’s review here.

Wild Blue Yonder #5

• Saga #21 (Image): This arc hasn’t really lived up to the Saga standard.  That being said, it’s still better than most.  #20 ended on a robot strong note–even if it were a bit too robotic, too thick with politic.
• Trees #3 (Image): Hasn’t grown on me.  In fact, Derek and I agree: there’s been too much junk in the trunk; and, as a result, Trees #2 is our Biggest Dis(appointment) of June.  May have to chop this one down.  Might have trouble seeing the forest for the cover, though.

Tress #3

• Velvet #6 (Image): New arc time.  The first one rubbed me the right way.  Something very modest about it.
• Zero #9 (Image): The series started with so much promise.  That promise, however, has been broken.  Into pieces.  Tiny, tiny pieces.  We denounced #8 as our Biggest Dis(appointment) of May.  It’ll take an act of God or my typical lack of willpower to get this one into my bag,
• Supreme: Blue Rose #1 (Image): Ellis is lighting it up on Moon Knight yet is growing Trees at an pine’s pace.  Wonder what we’ll get here.

Supreme: Blue Rose #1

• Daredevil #6 (Marvel): #5 offered up my favorite line of the year: “Kudos to cancer.”  Man, I laughed; and then I was like “Ugh”; and then I laughed some more.  It’s quite clear: Mark ain’t afraid to Waid into some daring dialogue–especially if it’s meant to develop Matt further as the very best of friends and as the perfect Daredevil.
• Afterlife With Archie #6 (Archie): Roberto Aguirre Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla’s first arc was as close to perfect as can be.  Expectations are very high for the next.
• Archer & Armstrong #22 (Valiant): “American Wasteland” has been a blast!  Re: #21: I mean, ho-Lee crap: Fred Van Lente is fearless–he’s the Lone Funman!  It was so much fun, in fact, that we’ll be celebrating it as one of our Top 5 Books of June.  You know, when we get around to it.

Archer & Armstrong #22

• Life With Archie #37 (Archie): Honesty: #36 was my first issue of LWA.  (I know I’m not alone in that one.)  It won’t be my last.  It was really, really good.  Love the choices Paul Kupperberg–who wrote one of my far- from-Archie faves: Vigilante–made while walking his way through Archie’s life.  Just took one issue to make me care a whole lot about the aftermath.
• The Midas Flesh #8 (BOOM!): Mercifully comes the end.  After a strong #2, the series quickly went south and has unfortunately stayed that course–not plot-wise, per se; it’s been an execution issue, including too much in the way of leaden redundancies.  Maybe–just maybe–the end’ll be the true North we’ve been searching for.
• Ordinary #3 (Titan): Mercilessly comes to an end.  An end?  Already?  Noooooooooooooooo!  Damn, man, the first two issues have been so very good.  We celebrated #1 as one of our Top 5 Books of May, and #2 will be recognized as one of our Top Books of June, you know, eventually.  Have every expectation that this’ll be just as good–if not better!  A strong finale will bump Rob Williams from a laudable Must Try to a rare Must Buy.

Ordinary #3

• The Twilight Zone #7 (Dynamite): This second arc hasn’t been as nearly as compelling as the first.  That being said, #6 was definitely a step up from #5.  I’ll probably ride this one out, return to my home dimension and leave the key to imagination under the mat for the next guy.

Paige’s Pick of the Week

• Popeye #24 (IDW): Big Sister’s still working on her pile from last week, so Baby Sister gets her second book in three weeks–of life!  I’ve keyed in on Popeye for her because she looks like the spinach-chompin’ sailor man when she eats.  And the cover’s an appropriate hoot, too, ’cause toot toot, my baby girl is goshdarn gassy!

Popeye #24

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott