This Week’s Comics

by Jesse

After a couple painfully light weeks, it’s nice to have a hefty stack of comics to pick up this week.  Surprisingly, there are a good number of Image titles.  Marvel and DC, you’re on notice: Image is the publisher to beat right now.

  • ADVENTURE TIME #4 - I think I missed #3 somewhere along the line, but it continues to be a solid, fun read.
  • ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #2
  • DAREDEVIL #13 - Another book where I think I missed the last issue.  I obviously need to make some additions to my pull list so I stop spacing out when I go to my LCS.
  • FANTASTIC FOUR #605.1
  • GLORY #26 - After all’s said and done, Glory is the best book of the Image relaunch.  It’s not too dense (Prophet), doesn’t rely too much on back continuity (Bloodstrike), and isn’t a complete kick in the teeth (Supreme).  It’s just a fun, straightforward read.
  • MANHATTAN PROJECTS #3 - And since we’re discussing the best of things, I find this to be Jonathan Hickman’s best (creator-owned) title right now.  Science Madness at it’s weirdest!
  • SAGA #3
  • SAUCER COUNTRY #3 - It’s perhaps a little too obvious to call Saucer Country an X-Files/West Wing mash-up, but it’s an apt description.  It dives into the sci-fi of the aliens and the politics of a presidential campaign.  So far it’s doing both extremely well.
  • THIEF OF THIEVES #4
  • THUNDERBOLTS #174

So, Supreme #64.  Now that Alan Moore’s scripts have run out, it’s Erik Larsen’s turn to move the story forward.  (SPOILERS ahead!)  In a text piece at the back he talks about taking over after some epic runs during his time at Marvel, and how he feels it’s a cheat to start from scratch or ignore what’s come earlier.  Therefore, he decided to use Moore’s story as a jumping off point for his own stint on the book.  So far so good, and I completely agree with him on all those points.  Too often these days, a new creative team means a new direction and focus because the incoming team has their own ideas.  But my issue with this is that Larsen kicks off his tenure by putting an end to everything Alan Moore built.  Sure, this is comics, and a new writer wouldn’t have to work very hard to re-establish Mouse Supreme or Lion Supreme, but it wasn’t to my taste, so off the pull list it goes.

That’s enough ranting for this week.  What looks good to you?

DAMN, Emma Frost!

by Jesse

I’m glad the days of Fredrick Wertham are behind us, where paranoids found dirty drawings in every nook and cranny.  And I really have no problem with the realism in comic art today, where artists take it to draw every zipper and seam in a costume (or uniform, if you’d prefer).

But I was reading Uncanny X-Men #534.1 and came across this panel…

…and I can’t help but think that’s no seam.  I have no idea how this made it into a Marvel comic.

Free Comic Book Day Rarities

by Jesse

Free Comic Book Day is one of the greatest comic-reading days of the year, but it’s not just

Looking for IDW’s Hostess Artist’s Edition? Get there early!

the free comics.  Sometimes publishers take the opportunity to introduce a new character, kick off a huge event (like this year’s Age of Ultron), or experiment with something new.  It’s always these experimental books that are the hardest to find. For this week’s LIST we present Rare Free Comic Book Day Issues.

  • Archie Presents: Moose and Reggie -

    The jock and the stomach get their own title at last!  But the real draw for this book was the rediscovery of the lost 1948 character Mr. Winklefarthing.

  • Geoff Johns’ The Darkening (Fanfic press, 2004)

  • Things We Found Digging in Alan Moore’s Rubbish Bin (Avatar)

  • The Liefeld Podiatric Sketchbook (Image)

  • Spider-Man: Night of the Lepus #0

  • The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, A Gentleman # 0.5 of 50 -

    Dynamite Entertainment continues their unrelenting acquisition of public domain properties with this graphic novel translation of the most incomprehensible novel in the English language. Written and drawn by Tony Daniel with inks by Wade von Grawbadger.

  • Ben Grimm’s Man vs Food (2005)

  • Blinded by Scientology! The L. Ron Hubbard Story  (Bluewater Comics) -

    This marks the first in a series of bio-comics exploring the lives of famous figures in Scientology.

  • Cerebus, the one-volume edition -

    All 300 issues of the indie comic, in one free volume!

  • Portraits of Famous Beards (Arctic Press)

  • Bone: Year One -

    a fresh new take on a stale old classic!

  • The Cathy Sampler (IDW) -

    ahead of the release of Cathy vol. 1 (Nov. 1976 – April 1977), IDW presents The Cathy Sampler revisiting everyone’s favorite shopa-choco-holic. This 40 pg. sampler includes the controversial arc where-in Cathy ate pot laced brownies, ACK!

Loki… SECRETS!

by Matt

I got yer Norn Stones right here.

secret…

My proudest moment to date would have to be winning a local day-time Emmy for hard hitting investigative reporting into corrupt Asgardians.

Secret…

Asgardian hair is made of what you mortals call “cotton candy.” It’s delicious.

SECRET…

Sure I tricked Thor to turn into a woman and a frog, and I convinced Odin to banish him to Earth, but I’m most proud of the time I tricked Thor into getting a job at Burger King. “Verily thou hast had it thine way!”

SECRET…

Embarrassing trends and goofy turns of phrase have always been my specialty.

SECRETS!

Today’s Comics

by Jesse

Due to some traveling, this week’s This Week’s Comics is late, but I almost needn’t have bothered with as little is coming out.

  • ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 06 GHOST OF STATION X - I picked up the individual issues, but this was a really fun series, and issue 2 starts out with a punch in the stomach I’ve only experienced a handful of times in mycomic-reading. Highly recommended.
  • TICK #100 TICK MEETS INVINCIBLE - I haven’t read The Tick since the series started relaunching in the late 90′s, but this promises to be an all-out extravaganza that may get me back on-board. I’m looking forward to meeting back up with the big blue bug.

So, unfortunately it’s a light week, but that will give me a chance to catch up on and report back on this year’s FCBD offerings. What looks good to you this week?

The LIST – Fill the bubble

by Matt

Because no one demanded it, this week we’re bringing back the cover caption. Up for consideration is Excalibur #54.

 

No bag needed, I’ll wear it out of the store.

Does Marcellus Wallace LOOK like a bitch?

First one of you that says something gets Union Jacked Up.

This isn’t the only big red ball I’m wearing.

…then the seal says, you otter know, he’s my brother!

Oh no, this is my everyday clown nose.

Now where’s my Klondike Bar?

I *AM* smiling.

Buy this book or we ALL wear clown make-up.

Stan Lee has a lot to answer for.

This Week’s Comics

by Jesse

A ridiculously light week this time around.  Here are this week’s new and noteworthy titles…minus Garfield, of course.

  • MIND THE GAP #1 - Not that I know what it’s about, but MtG is running the risk of being dangerously over-hyped.  However, coming out during such a light week (and backed by Image’s insanely good track record lately) I may still give it a shot.
  • PIGS #7
  • SUPREME #64 - Here’s where we really see if I keep Supreme on my pull list.  Alan Moore’s scripts have run out and Erik Larsen takes over the writing details and goes back the “Superman as a dick” mode.  Either he finds a novel new angle or I drop the book.
  • DAREDEVIL #12 - The best comic out right now, hands down.  The only downside is that the crossovers have included $3.99 comics I haven’t picked up yet, so there are still a few issues I haven’t read.
  • TEEN BOAT HC GN - The ANGST of Being a Teen…The THRILL of Being a Boat!  Sign me up!

No reviews this week, but don’t forget this Saturday is Geek Christmas, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!