Nine books this week. Nine! I feel like I'm single handedly supporting DC Comics these days.
Ninth Place:
Justice League Dark #7
Due to the crossover with I, Vampire, I was forced to pick up Justice League Dark this week to catch Part 1 of Rise of the Vampires. For my first foray into Justice League Dark, this wasn't too bad. Its yet to be seen whether I'll get it after this crossover, but this issue was solid.
I've been reading Peter Milligan's work in Red Lanterns and as far as I can tell he's doing a good job with this book. Coming in on issue seven without knowing some of these characters and their relation to each other wasn't a big deal. If you're a comic reader, you'll pick it up pretty quick.
As for the art, the first half is handled by Admira Wajaya and the second by Daniel Sampere. Unfortunately, though their styles are similar, there's a serious drop off in quality from Wajaya to Sampere.
Tune in for the critique of Part 2 of Rise of the Vampires later in this review.
Eighth Place:
Superman #7
The torturous run by George Pérez on Superman is over. I gladly welcome Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen. Jurgens and Giffen aren't top selling names like Bendis or Morrison, but they're comic vets that have had some pretty consistent careers.
So how'd they do their first run out? Well, the Daemonite's seem like your standard world-conquering aliens but Jurgens and Giffen do a wonderful job writing Clark Kent and his cast. Clark feels young and fresh. MUCH more in line with the youthening up of The New 52 than the Pérez monstrosity of the first six issues.
This book still has some work to do, but I am hopeful we're at least going in the right direction.
Seventh Place:
Teen Titans #7
One month ago I threatened to quit this book because it was so lame. Four weeks later and I'm back in. Any story and dialogue that was handled carelessly and clumsily last issue was treated with maturity and realism this month. Writer Scott Lobdell really turned it on for issue #7.
Brett Booth continues to draw a good looking if not outstanding book illustrating the Teen Titans' break in to N.O.W.H.E.R.E. to save Superboy. The more I think about it, this was probably the best issue of this book yet. Nice job by the designer of new villain Harvest as well. Much more creepy than corny, which has been an unfortunate staple of this book.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that Scott Lobdell is finding a nice groove with these characters and this success keeps up through the title's run.
Sixth Place:
The Fury of Firestorm the Nuclear Men #7
Much like Superman starting with new writers this week, Gail Simone sadly is off Firestorm, and on is Joe Harris. Ethan Van Sciver stays on the book but I know nothing about Harris. So far so good.
Van Sciver hops on art duties this issue and its good to see him doing some stuff. The Flash: Rebirth was somewhat of a letdown so seeing him just muck it up on an ongoing issue is nice.
Ronnie manages to get himself captured by some terrorists trying to crack the Firestorm code and has to be saved, begrudgingly, by Pozhar. Hell of a cliffhanger at the end too.
This isn't your father's Firestorm book. Its pretty dark. Its also pretty serious. The stakes are high and since this is a b-list character, they can kill/maim whoever they want. I've read that its not selling very well and that's a shame because its a cool book.
Fifth Place:
Green Lantern: New Guardians #7
After a few issues of help on art, it looks like Tyler Kirkham is back on art duties full time which is nice. I think I'm finally accepting of what Tony Bedard and Tyler Kirkham are bringing to the Green Lantern Universe. The current Invictus storyline continues to grow the mythology in what looks like a healthy way so far.
Bedard is exploring the personalities of our main characters and opening the boundaries of how they relate to each other. Our New Guardians are more than just fear or killing machines and Bedard is really mining that.
New Guardians has earned its place in the triumvirate core of Green Lantern books.
Fourth Place:
Voltron #4
I think not having a vested interest in the old Voltron cartoon mythology gives me an edge in really enjoying this book. I'm not tied down to any preconceived notions of who these characters are, so I can really just accept whatever Brandon Thomas throws at me. And he's been throwing some cool stuff.
The twists and turns of the characters and their motivations have been great. My only critique would be to learn more about the actual Volton pilots as this first arc is pretty much the story of King Zarkon. But that might what the upcoming Volton: Year One is for.
Ariel Padilla's art is passable at best. And goddamn does this guy NOT like drawing backgrounds. Thomas' story is really the engine that make this book move.
Each month I expect the other shoe to drop and each month I'm even more impressed with this story.
Third Place:
I, Vampire #7
Part 2 of Rise of the Vampires is better than Part 1. No offense to the Justice League Dark team that brought us the first installment. Joshua Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino have a much better handle on this vampire stuff. Just more experience.
Things rise to a head as Cain, the Primordial Evil awakens and takes control of all magic, and subsequently all vampires. The art by Sorrentino is the best work he's done on the book so far. A couple of the spreads are out of this world.
Which brings me to my last point that its honestly disappointing that this book isn't getting as many readers as it should be. I, Vampire is really a unique book in tone and art. Not a lot of books are doing what this book is and it deserves a better shake.
Second Place:
Aquaman #7
With Ivan Reis back on pencils, Aquaman is back on top of the Pull-List. Geoff Johns is doing for Aquaman what Rebirth did for Hal Jordan. He's building a world around Aquaman that we never knew existed, but feels like its been there all the time.
With adding Mera to the cast, and the shady Dr. Stephen Shin, Johns and Co. are giving Arthur a rich world to live in. And holy crap does he make Black Manta scary. Black Manta may seem like a Super Friends knock-off with that big helmet, but its an iconic image that really works.
After a slight slip up with The Flash: Rebirth, Johns is proving he's one of the best writers in the business on Aquaman.
First Place:
The Flash #7
I can't sing the praises of this book enough. Francis Manapul may by my favorite artist right now. The work he's doing on this book is just outstanding. Not to forget the color-work of Brian Buccellato. The water color look on this book works perfect.
And the story is cool. Manapul and Buccellato are building this world for Barry Allen from the ground up in a very J.K. Rowling kind of style. Dropping little stuff here and there that seems inconsequential, but will have ramifications down the line. Director Singh has a display of four flutes in his apartment? Pied Piper anyone?
When I was getting into superheroes and comics, Wally West was my Flash. From the Justice League cartoons to the whole time Barry was dead, Wally was THE Flash for me. But Manapul and Buccellato are turning that around. The Flash continues to be the book to beat.
Panel of the Week:
Andrea Sorrentino drops some Victorian artwork in this spread for I, Vampire.
-Gint
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