Welcome back to the Pull-List after a week off. It feels good to read some new comics.
Red Lanterns #4
Its a good thing Ed Benes is drawing the hell out of this book because the story is draaaaaaaging. Half of every issue is Atrocitus acting like an angsty teenage girl wondering what to do if Bleez is scheming behing his back. Get over it Atrocitus. You're a fucking Red Lantern. Go be mad about shit. I thought I was getting a book about fury. Instead its a book about a teenage girl who can't control his own Corps.
Ed Benes does to a great job though. No ass-shots this issue, but everything else looks really good.
Supernatural: Caledonia #3
This book doesn't feel very... Supernatural-ie? Maybe its the lack of Dean Winchester. The first part was all Sam and it looks like this second part will be all Sam too. Its not bad, but it doesn't have the tone of the show either, which I think writer Brian Wood should do a better job of capturing.
Sam gets word that Emma from Scotland needs him, so up he goes to Scotland without telling Dean. After Sam's first foray to Scotland in Part 1, you'd think maybe taking Dean along wouldn't be a bad idea. So now Sam is alone in Scotland, pulled into the ocean by some sea witch-monster-thing.
I really like the look and tone of Grant Bond's art, but it it could be more technically sound.
And can we please get some Dean Winchester in this piece!
Voltron #1
I branched out this week with Voltron #1. Dynamite's first appearance on the Pull-List. And they didn't do too bad. I've seen worse from The New 52.
Growing up, like any normal child of the 80s, I loved Star Wars, He-Man and ThunderCats. Looking back, part of the reason I think I liked these shows was that they had nothing to do with Earth. I liked that these Universes were so far removed from our boring one. Voltron also fell in this category... kinda sorta. I can't remember if they talked about Earth or not. Voltron's anime-style kept it more on the fringes of my childhood interests.
Regardless, one of the things I like about issue number one here is that it DOES take place on Earth. Some of the promo images showed the giant robot in the middle of Times Square. This struck me as being really cool since I never remembered Voltron being in familiar places. It was a new twist on an old classic and it really worked.
The writing of Brandon Thomas worked much better than the art of Ariel Padilla. Thomas keeps the old characters familiar and looks to build in their personalities as the series goes on. He sets up a good start in a slightly different Voltron Universe.
Padilla however needs to learn a little more about storytelling and needs to lighten up on the inks. Some heavy blacks and some questionable page layouts put unnecessary hitches in what could have been smoother storytelling.
Since I'm not an ardent Voltron fan, I'm not judging this book with 80s colored glasses. It was a solid book and has the potential to follow the footsteps of the old Dreamwave Transformers series. Though that's a pretty high bar to follow.
Action Comics #4
From what I remember about Action Comics #3, I was a little let down. But #4 winds it right back up to the top of the Pull-List. This was a great issue.
Its not the depth of the story that makes it great, (its pretty much non-stop action [appropriate] and fighting) but its the way its told. Its very smooth. The issue has a flow to it between the story, dialogue and art that more comics should strive for. We've seen Superman fight giant robots before. A lot. So that in itself isn't anything new. But its the way its told that gives it that New 52 life.
Rags Morales is on his game. While some panels aren't drawn perfectly, enough of the mannerisms and body positions are to make you feel that emotion. There's a particular panel where Supes hauls off and punches Metallo in the chest and even though there's no sound effect, you can almost hear the audible "bong" of striking the metal. Morrison and Morales are quite a team.
And the back up story is pretty good too. Back up stories usually never are. But this brief tale about the DCnU's Steel is pretty solid. Despite no inks from artist Brad Walker, everything looks great. I'd love to see him on a regular title, but his work looks like he couldn't keep up with a monthly. Bummer.
Buy Action Comics, folks. Its what Superman should be.
Animal Man #4
I don't think saying Animal Man has been the runaway surprise hit of The New 52 is much of a stretch. #4 keeps the amazing madness rolling.
Buddy and Maxine come back from the Red with an avatar of life: a cat named Socks. Its so ridiculous and so perfect. Its Socks' job to teach Maxine how to use her advanced powers since she is THE avatar of life apparently. Meanwhile Mrs. Baker and Cliff unknowingly drive out to the country with one of the Hunters Three.
Jeff Lemire keeps writing a quick, smooth story. Even his brief exposition about what the Rot is doesn't feel like exposition. And Travel Foreman keeps drawing creepy fucking shit. Lots of good stuff happening in this book.
Panel of the Week:
I couldn't NOT make this the panel of the week. Fucking gross.
-Gint
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