Peeping Dom

To be fair, in reality Dom is way more subtle when he's creepin'.

-Gint

$oss' Pull-List Review 9-29-11

Grifter #1

The last time I read a story featuring this character it was 1996. While he has since switched from Image to DC universes he hasn't gotten anymore interesting. From what I can gather Cole Cash is involved in a war with aliens. These aliens are disguised as ordinary people and it doesn't appear that they ever drop this disguise, even in death. Cole is basically viewed as a serial killer who is murdering soccer mom's and business men. Cafu (what the hell kind of name is that) is respectable on pencils but everything about just average. Overall just a bland book. 

Swamp Thing #1

The companion title to Animal Man. It is still kind of confusing as to how the dynamics of time work in this new universe. How does Superman know Doctor Alec Holland anyway? This book was good and in any other week it may have gotten a higher ranking. Unfortunately this week amazing versions of both Wonder Woman and Batman so I'm going to have to leave it towards the bottom. 

X-Men: Schism #4

This was it. The answer to why the X-Men will split into two separate teams following this event. Sure, Wolverine is a irresponsible drunk. Yeah, Scott is a prick. These two have very different ideas of how the students are to be used. Scott is training soldier's while Logan would like them to keep their innocence as long as possible. But in the heat of battle it was this unprovoked remark by Scott that did it "She never loved you." Queue battle to the bitter end. These dudes are so pissed at each other they totally disregard the Sentinel barring down in them.

Wonder Woman #1

I won't repeat what Gint mentioned in his review. I pretty much second all of his thoughts on this title. This was an interesting first issue with a good balance of action and mystery. 

Batman#1

Bruce Wayne's life has been pretty confusing over the past few years. After Grant Morrison dispatched of him via a time-traveling bullet I was out. I stopped reading Bat titles, well All-Star Batman doesn't count. Of all the great things that have come out of The New 52 the thing I was anticipating the most was the chance that one of the new Bat books would be worth adding to my Pull List. Tony Daniel's Detective was ok, Peter Tomasi's Batman & Robin was very good but Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have produced my favorite so far. 

Opening with an action packed escape from Arkham scene this book had everything. The book carries a theme about what "Gotham is.." that captures both the wickedness and hope of the city. Portrayals of Commissioner Gordon, Dick Grayson and a surprise team up With "The Joker" are all high points in this issue. 

I'm not ashamed to say that I'm an old school Image fanboy. I'm very familiar with Greg Capulo's work from his Spawn days. I knew his gothic style would be just what the Dark Knight ordered. Since the opening scene takes place inside of Arkham you see Capulo pull out all the stops, illustrating a handful of Batman's most notorious villains. Two Face looks absolutely disgusting in all the right ways. 

Snyder crafts a true mystery that is light on the super heroics and heavy on the personal side of things. Also, the cliffhanger is so good it is sure to bring back everyone who bought this first issue. -$ 

Panel of the Week: I've got two this week. Capulo's Batman swing's through Gotham City and Scott and Logan wrapped up in their very personal fight. 

In The Garage

I always dug the shoutout to Shadowcat in this classic Weezer song. Oh...and Nightcrawler too. -$

Gint's 9-21-11 Pull-List Review

Three books from The New 52 this week and I'm excited about all of them. While talking with some comics folks and the fine folks at my local comic shop, this first round of New 52 books seems to be doing for DC just what it wanted: its creating sales and creating excitement. The excitement is, well... the exciting part. Its been a while since I was amped to make a trip to the comic shop to get new books. Since August 31st, its been just that. And this week didn't disappoint.

In Third Place:

Supergirl #1 

Michael Green and Mike Johnson lured me in on their arc of Superman/Batman years ago. Since then I've been fans of their work. I was on the bubble as to whether or not I was going to pick up Supergirl until I saw they would be writing it.

While this issue doesn't go in the "blew me away" pile, it does go in the "I'm interested" pile.

There wasn't a whole lot in this issue. Its basically 20 pages of some Rocket Reds(?) trying to contain a newly-crashed-to-Earth Kara. What they do write well is Kara's disorientation from being in suspended animation from for what could have been years.

Mahmud Asrar is an unknown quantity on art. This is the only work I've seen of his and so far I really liked it. I would like to offer credit to Dave McCaig who really makes all the colors pop in the day and night scenes while keeping it a fairly soft palette.

This team looks great on the first issue. Looking forward to #2.

In Second Place:

Wonder Woman #1 

Wonder Woman is a title that has been in shambles for a while. Well, since the JMS arc. I was very happy with the Gail Simone/Aaron Lopresti run buy my loyalty alone wasn't enough to keep them on the book.

So we get a reboot from Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. I've read some of Azzarello's work and was never overly impressed. And I knew nothing about Cliff Chiang. So this is one of those books that I rolled the dice on, and unlike Green Arrow where I got seriously burned, this one payed off.

Most of the press and interviews for the DCnU Wonder Woman used the term "horror." For as much as that may make people nervous, it really worked in this book. There were some seriously grisly things happening, but it was much more sci-fi-horror than slasher-horror. Azzarello sets up some cool characters and a lot of questions surrounding what's going on.

What issue #1 doesn't get into is who Diana is. As far as this issue is concerned, this is the same Diana that we've been reading for years. We're going to have to keep reading to really get to know this new Wonder Woman.

It's new artist week for me. Much like Mahmud Asrar on Supergirl, I know nothing about Cliff Chiang. All I've seen of this work have been the preview pages for this issue. I was nervous it would be too sketchy and not crisp and sharp enough for yours truly. But it was damn good.

Wonder Woman #1 was a success. And she works much better without pants. She's just not the same character with them.

In First Place:

Green Lantern Corps #1 

I would like to welcome back writer Pete Tomasi to Green Lantern Corps along with artist Fernando Pasarin. While Pasarin wasn't on Tomasi's initial GL Corps run, he's a great replacement for Pat Gleason who really helped make the Corps what they are.

This issue isn't anything amazing, but its exactly what this creative team should be known for: writing good stories. Tomasi knows who the Green Lantern Corps are and Pasarin knows how to draw their world. Other artists have drawn Corps' stories and haven't been able to capture the grandeur and scope of what a space epic is about.

This issue starts with Guy Gardner and John Stewart trying to get regular jobs on Earth. But these characters have become bigger than that. Especially Guy Gardner. Gardner is a full-time GL. After a brief stop on Earth it looks like that's what we're going to get.

Great start to the new series.

Panel of the Week: 

This weeks' Panel of the Week is dedicated to DC's new dedication to gory shit. More than not during the run of New 52 books, we've seen a lot of gruesome panels like the one above. I'm not against it, its just surprising when you turn a page and get someone chopping off the head of a horse and a person growing out of the stump.

-Gint

The Caped Crusader

I watched Batman 66' last month for the first time since Gint, Brizzle and I had the infamous Bat-A-Thon in 2003. I hated this movie at the time and have talked badly about it ever since. But something funny happened when I watched it this time. I loved it! I got the stick out of my ass and enjoyed this film for the silly, live action cartoon it was meant to be. It's so ridiculous that you can't help but be amused by this clueless version of The Dark Knight and Boy Wonder.-$

$oss' Pull-List Review 9-21-11

Fear Itself #6 
What a dull read. This was 27 pages dedicated to the Avengers dragging themselves through the ruins of the city. Fear Itself already felt like it was one issue too long, and there is still one more part left of this dreadful story. What a god awful event this has been. If the goal was to put both Thor and Steve Rogers at the forefront of the Marvel Universe then I guess they have accomplished that. But it has been a long and boring journey to get there.

The Boys #58 
I was surprised to see that my local shop had put this one in a sealed bag. They had good reason to do this. This book was as graphic as I have ever seen from a mainstream comic book. Too bad it was also a shitty read. I’m numb to how depraved The Seven are. It just doesn't have the same shock value as it did after fifty issues. I’m pretty bummed with the way that Garth Ennis chose to have The Boys and The Seven finally get together for their final battle. These two super groups are going to battle to the death over a sex tape? I honestly just want this book to end. Sure, the final few issues could totally redeem this series but I have a hard time seeing that happening.

Moon Knight #5

Another fun romp with Marvel’s nuttiest hero. Cornered by the police, Echo and Moon Knight find themselves left with no choice but the battle their way out of custody. Bendis writes the conflict inside of Moon Knight’s head better than any writer ever has. Another solid effort for Alex Maleev as well. Five issues in and Moon Knight has turned itself into one of the most consistent Marvel books on the shelf.

 Batman and Robin #1 
DC has done a fantastic job with The New 52. I’ve purchased more single issues of their books over the past three weeks then I have all year. And the majority of them are really good! Batman and Robin is no exception. I loved Peter Tomasi's handling of the father-son dynamic. Damian Wayne is a refreshing change as Robin. He is a jerk towards Batman in the way that Bruce is to the rest of the DC heroes. What a little jerk! Looks like another DC book just got added to my Pull- List.

Nothing jumped out at me this week so no Panel of the Week for me. -$

Don't Stop Believing

Some people (Ginger) think $11.50 is too much money to have spent on Glee 3D. She's not entirely wrong. But despite Glee 3D not being exactly what we expected, myself and my Wonder Twin were satisfied on a certain level.

Glee enters its third season in three days and I personally can't wait.

-Gint

Gint's 9-14-11 Pull-List Review

Week 3 of The New 52 brings us four new books and one from last week that I needed convincing to buy. Overall, in my humble DC-loving opinion, the reboot has been a success. So far out of the eight books I've read, only Green Arrow sucked. 7 out of 8 isn't too shabby.

A Special (late) Review: 
Animal Man #1 

Since Animal Man is a book from last week, I'm not including it in my usual review ratings system.

I didn't pick up Animal Man because, well, its Animal Man. The percentage of comic fans who get excited about Animal Man must be fairly small. But $oss' review of this book last week illuminated the creepy/supernatural side of this book and convinced me to pick it up. And I'm glad I did.

Jeff Lemire wrote a good story during his time on Superboy though the story somehow felt handcuffed. Animal Man may be the open slate that Lemire needs to really open things up and tell an amazing story. So far so good.

He introduces Buddy Baker on the first page in a piece of a fake interview Buddy did for a magazine. Its a clever way to update the reader on who Buddy Baker is without wasting an issue on it. The rest of the issue focuses on Buddy Baker, his family, his powers and introduces us to the creepy-ass trouble to come. Its a quick, tight, sensibly written issue.

The negative? Travel Foreman's art is fucking weird. Technically its sound. Figures are drawn well. Angles are as they should be, but its his super thin lines and Lovern Kindzierski's flat colors that pulls me out of the story every so often.

I'm glad $oss inadvertently talked me into picking this up. Its one of my favorites from The New 52 so far.

In Fourth Place: 
Red Lanterns #1 

This book has me torn. On one hand, I want to support the Green Lantern Universe. On the other, the Red Lanterns don't need their own book. I understand the readers of today's comics like a good anti-hero, but the Red Lanterns aren't supposed to be anti-heroes. They're supposed to be bloodthirsty murderers and villains.

Aside from that this is a fine book. I say "fine" because I'm not prepared to say "good." It was very much a set up issue about Atrocitus and where his lot in life is. A little too much introspection from a character that's supposed to be pure rage.

Writer Peter Milligan also lets us in on the fact that before he was Atrocitus, his name was Atros. I understand the name Atrocitus is way over the top. But I don't think we need to soften him up by trying to rationalize that someone's name can't really be Atrocitus. Its OK if it is. Its a comic book.

The best part about this book is the art. Ed Benes draws the living Christ out of this book. Amazing. He also draws the living Christ out of Bleez's ass every chance he gets. Good old Ed Benes.

I fine comic. But one I wouldn't be surprised I flame out on after the first arc.

Finishing in Third Place: 
Superboy #1 

When the direction of Superboy in the DCnU was first revealed, it didn't sound like anything I wanted to read. The first solicitations seemed to take this new Superboy away from the Conner Kent we've grown to love. But surprisingly, the New 52 version is very similar to that previous incarnation.

I read a couple interviews with Scott Lobdell leading up to The New 52, and he scared the hell out of me. He was kind of nutty and I worried for Superboy and Teen Titans. Juries still out, but Superboy #1 was a good book.

Conner, though he has a slightly different base for his powers, is still Conner. He has to grow and learn who he is, but he is a likable character. All the characters are likable actually. And Lobdell really made each one step off the page into well emotionally rounded characters.

I like R.B. Silva's art. Its cartoony and comic-booky, but its crisp and clean. He designs interesting page layouts without detracting from telling the story. He's the perfect artist for this book. He's really able to draw a teenager. You don't need someone to tell you how old these characters are to know.

Bonus surprise of the issue? Rose Wilson is apparently going to be part of this book. I like it. She's sexy AND has both of her eyes again. 

Superboy #1? So far so good.

The Second Place Finisher: 
Batman and Robin #1 

This is the first Batman book I've bought in a long time. Since the end of The Black Glove (?) actually. Morrison's direction for the Dark Knight soured me on all things Batman. What it took was the former (and now current) Green Lantern Corps team of Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason to bring me back.

I would consider this book a successful return to Gotham City. Seeing Gleason's smooth lines and heavy blacks took me back to the old Corps days. And Tomasi wrote a nice quick book. No unnecessary words, just all business but still managing to give personality to characters with minimal panel time.

Of all The New 52 books I've read so far, this was the one where DCs 5-year timeline is hardest to account for. Every other book has felt like a brand new beginning. A fresh start in a brand new world. Batman and Robin doesn't. And since the Bat-books and Green Lantern titles aren't changing that much, maybe its not supposed to. But, suspension of disbelief or no, its hard to justify how there have been three Robins and how Dick has gone from Robin to Batman to Nightwing in just 5 years.

All of that aside, this was a good read with a creepy Bat-worth villain at the end.

First Place: 
Green Lantern #1 

This is the book I've been waiting for. No huge action. No Universe-destroying threats. Just Hal and Carol slowing things down and being themselves for an issue.

Having Hal Jordan discharged from the Corps was a fantastic idea. Its breathed new life into this book. Not that it was flagging, but this issue felt new. It really felt like the next chapter in Geoff Johns' Green Lantern opus.

Unlike Batman and Robin which still felt connected to the old DCU even though we're now in the DCnU, Green Lantern had none of those issues. It was a seamless step from the end of War of the Green Lanterns to this new arc.

Sinestro is now the Green Lantern of sector 2814 but has other things in mind. The guardians are hiding something and Hal and Carol are still on two separate pages. Hal also has no car, no job and nowhere to live. A great start for Green Lantern in The New 52. 

Panel of the Week

A lot of great artists have drawn Atrocitus in his short life, but few have made him look as badass as Ed Benes here.

-Gint

Brizzle's Summer Vacation

It would be a dream come true for Brizzle if he could spend the wonderful months of June, July and August knee deep in cold, miserable snow. -$

$oss' Pull-List Review 9-17-11

Two great books that reminded me how great & different comics can be: 

Wolverine: Enemy of the State

What would happen if Wolverine was a villain? That question is explored in this 6 issue arc as Logan is captured by Hydra and reprogrammed. Mark Millar writes in his usual theatrical style. These issues read like a well acted and expertly directed spy movie, fast paced and action packed. Millar lends some unexpected humor to a title that is usually too serious for it's own good. I laughed out loud when Emma Frost refers to Elektra as " that psychotic Greek assassin with the faint mustache." 

John Romita Jr. pencils are great on this arc. I love the blocky, stylized figures he produces. There are lots of cameos from all over the Marvel U in this book so the reader is treated to JRJR's take on the Avengers, X-Men, the Fantastic Four and many more. If you like James Bond or The Bourne Identity Wolverine: Enemy of the State will be a great read for you. 

Animal Man #1

The past few months I’ve set myself on a journey to read as many of Grant Morrison’s works as I can. A “Tour de Morrison” if you will. Last week I read Animal Man from 1989, his first mainstream American comic work. Issues 1-4 were very enjoyable and so good that I bought the follow up graphic novel. I found the character of Animal Man unique and engaging. With my new found appreciation for Buddy Baker I added the New 52’s Animal Man to my pull this week. 

Jeff Lemire is a talented writer, Sweet Tooth is one of the strangest books on the shelf today and that is what makes it great. While the majority of this first issue reads like a homage to Morrison’s Animal Man there is a tangibly darker tone in the second act. Buddy’s animal powers are beginning to go haywire, he is bleeding from his eyes and having visions of monstrous animals called The Rot in The Red. We also learn that his daughter has powers over animals as well, albeit dead animals. The image of Maxine sitting in the backyard surrounded by the deceased animals she summoned is eerie. This book reads like a horror book from Vertigo with a sprinkle of super heroics. I will definitely be adding this title to my monthly list. -$

Panel of the Week: Maxine is a big Pet Sematary fan. 

Kara Zor-El, Slut

What did poor, innocent Supergirl ever do to be the butt of this tasteless joke? -$

Gint's 9-7-11 Pull-List Review

The New 52 really gets underway this week, but my own pull-list only garnered two titles. While books like Batgirl and Detective Comics also debut, they still weren't interesting enough for me to drop my hard earned cash on. The books that DID earn my cash were:

The "not worth $2.99" Second Place finisher: 

Green Arrow #1 

This book sucked. Plain and simple. I had heard praise for J.T. Krul's work. I didn't like his Brightest Day Green Arrow issues but I thought that was because Brightest Day may have been handcuffing him. As it turns out, I just don't think he's a very good writer.

This story was boring. Absolute amateur hour at DC for this title. Even Dan Jurgens' art was unimpressive. I never bought a 90s Connor Hawke issue of Green Arrow (I'm not even sure they existed) but I imagine they're a lot like this.

The story was standard. But that's not what made it bad. James Patrick's issues of Green Arrow were standard, but they were entertaining. This was just generic. What was most offensive was Oliver Queen's assistants Naomi and Jax. Naomi is Oliver's "Oracle" (for lack of a better term) who's your classic urban pierced Art Institute-drop-out. I feel like I've seen this character a hundred times. And I don't even know what Jax does, but he has a stupid name.

Normally I'd be the supporter of hanging around for six issues and seeing what happens. If J.T. Krul has some good stuff in store for later issues, he should have put them in this one. I won't be coming back for issue #2.

And what's up with that facial hair on the cover? It looks like someone decided the way to sell a Green Arrow comic was to make him look like Wolverine. Dumb.

A very worthy First Place finish: 

Action Comics #1 

I loved this book. $oss was unimpressed. Once I heard his reaction I thought maybe Superman has just been bad for so long my opinion is skewed. But I'll stand by my opinion that this was a good book.

While Green Arrow didn't feel like anything different for the DCnU, Superman felt like a fresh start from the ground up. Grant Morrison effectively makes Superman a proactive badass without making him dark and gritty. He's still the light and positive role model as exhibited in his interaction with some folks he saved from a building. Morrison writes Supes as a very real person.

Rags Morales didn't blow me away with any art in particular but his storytelling was very strong. His use of what happens in certain panels really creates a sense of motion. I like Morales' work and I'm glad to see him back in a regular role.

What Morrison also did (intentionally or not) was to add nods to some previous incarnations of the character. Like when Mr. Glenmorgan yells, "Somebody! Save  me," and when Supes says, "I'm always around." Classy, unobtrusive tips of the hat to Smallville and Superman Returns. 

I wanted a sense of excitement about reading Superman. I wanted a book I couldn't wait another month to buy. With those expectations this book could have flopped, but Morrison and Morales delivered. There's plenty of time for this book to get screwed up, but so far so good. Bring on issue #2. 

Panel of the Week: 

Morales didn't knock me off my seat with any amazing panels, but Donald Sutherland here as Mr. Glenmorgan is amazing in his own right.

-Gint

From A Certain Point of View

This was a conversation that my future wife and I had while watching the new ThunderCats cartoon. It always surprises me the things non-nerds have questions about. How is the Invisible Woman invisible if she has clothes on? What happens to Optimus' trailer when he transforms? Why can't Lois Lane tell that Clark Kent is Superman? My answer is always the same, "I don't know... suspend disbelief and enjoy the story." -$

$oss' Pull-List Review 9-07-11

X-Men: Schism #3

The third installment of Schism was kind of lackluster. I normally like Daniel Acuna's artwork but it felt out of place for this story. I'm not sure if it was that the coloring was too dark or Acuna's style wasn't a match, but it wasn't very enjoyable. 

The story didn't bring us any closer the promised battle between Cyclops and Wolverine. Isn't that supposed the driving force of this arc? Hopefully this conflict will take center stage in the final two issues.

Generation Hope #10

This covers the same events as Schism #3 but from the point of view of the students of Xavier's School. Writer Kieron Gillen tells a crisp, streamlined story. I enjoyed the way he made these little used X-characters relevant and likable. Tim Seely did a good job on pencils. Nothing spectacular, just good storytelling. While it did retell events of another story, this book did a good job of adding much needed depth to Schism. 

Captain America #2

It kind of sucks being teamed up with Cap. We all know how Bucky got his arms blown off back in the day. This story introduces another one of Steve's buddies that didn't fair so well back in WW II. Steve McNiven provides his usual excellence on pencils. But the true star is colorist Justin Ponsor. Weather it was the icy Antarctic, the rain soaked battle fields of Germany or the dream world inside Agent Sharon Carter's mind, Ponsor brought each scene to life. While I loved Bucky Barnes as Cap these new adventures of the old A-head make me really appreciated Steve Rogers.

Panel of the Week: A perfectly executed layout by Steve McNiven.

Goodnight & Godspeed

Not all firings in the comic world have happy endings like Bucky Barnes or Hal Jordan. Some characters get brought back in a Special Guest Star-capacity like Gwen Stacy in JMS' Amazing Spider-Man. Uncle Ben however, has been pretty much consistently dead since the 60s. Sorry, old chum.

-Gint

Gint's 8-31-11 Pull-List Review

August 31, 2011. The day it all changed. And did the DC Universe explode into its new era with a resounding BANG? In a word: no.

Now, that's no indictment. Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1 were fine books. But I believe a little caution should be exercised as we move into the New DCU.

So, to the reviews...

Finishing in an underwhelming Second Place:

Flashpoint #5 

First off, Andy Kubert, Sandra Hope, Jesse Delperdang and Alex Sinclair hooked this book up. Flashpoint, if nothing else has been a great looking book. Unfortunately, the story doesn't keep up with it.

$oss, who was just getting the main Flashpoint title, was lost. And I can see how he would be. While the story between Flash, Batman and Reverse-Flash is interesting, there isn't enough explanation as to how this world got to be where it is. That story is in the ancillary books, but not Flashpoint-proper.

I understand Geoff Johns loves Barry Allen and wants to elevate the character. That's great, but the way he writes the Speed Force and all this time travel is confusing. It was confusing in Flash: Rebirth and its confusing here. We know what happens to lead to the rebooted DCnU, but we don't know how it happens. To paraphrase $oss, there's no A+B+DCnU going on here.

What WAS well done is the writing of the relationship between Barry and Bruce at the end of the book. In only a handful of pages left more as an epilogue than anything else, Johns really shows you that Barry and Bruce are good friends. Not just work colleagues, but they have a history together. They know each other. They're comfortable with each other. Its nice no seeing Bruce freak out because someone just walked into the Batcave.

Overall Flashpoint is a beautiful book, but leaves you hanging.

Finishing First:

Justice League #1 

With all the hype surrounding the talent writing (Geoff Johns) and drawing (Jim Lee) this book, you'd expect it to blow your mind. But it doesn't. And that's a good thing.

What this book does is start a slow build. It gives you a taste of this new, yet familiar universe and intrigues you to come back for more. Had Justice League #1 left myself and other readers with that sense of, "oh my God that was AWESOME," we'd all be in trouble. Not even talent like Johns and Lee would be able to sustain any kind of awesomeness throughout an entire run. So as far as the inaugural book of the DCnU goes, we're off to a good start.

As for the story, its a fun super hero team up. I've heard some negativity toward this, but isn't this was comics are all about? Seeing two of your favorite heroes go after the bad guy? Well, Green Lantern and Batman do. They search Gotham and Metropolis for a mysterious bad guy while taking verbal shots at each other the entire time. Its an early look at a couple new heroes learning how to be heroes.

The tone of the new DC Universe is set, and if most of the new #1s are as good as this issue was, we should be in good shape.

Panel of the Week 

With Andy Kubert and Jim Lee drawing the books in the Pull-List this week, there wasn't much shortage for Panel of the Week. But I'd like to give this week's nod to Alex Sinclair's coloring work.

-Gint

Some Needed Vagina

If comic fandom calls out for change and diversity, who are we to deny them? Just because Mc$oss isn't a major comics publisher doesn't mean we can't set a good example for those we lambaste on a regular basis.

-Gint