Gint's 4-18-12 Pull-List Review

Being at the Pittsburgh Comicon all weekend has forced me to cram and read and review everything in one night. Challenge accepted.

Bonus Review:

Swamp Thing #6 & #7

Playing catch-up on Swamp Thing continues this week with issues 6 and 7. Issue #6 is drawn by Marco Rudy and #7 is done by Yanick Paquette. This is probably the most solid artist duo DC has right now. When Rudy fills in for Paquette the adjustment is minimal. The styles are so similar and they're both using the same designy page layouts. Great looking books.

Scott Snyder, after 7 issues finally introduces us to Swamp Thing. Alec Holland, under the threat of the death of Abigail Arcane and the Parliament of Trees, finally agrees to become Swamp Thing. But its okay because its his choice this time. The Green helps him make the transformation and Swamp Thing seriously murders some agents of the Rot to close the issue.

Looking forward to issue #8. Shits getting real.

 Fourth Place:

Supergirl #8

I haven't had a whole lot of good things to say about George Pérez. So when I saw he'd be drawing this issue of Supergirl I immediately expected a shitty issue. Much to my surprise, it was good.

Writers Mike Johnson and Michael Green rewrite the mythology for the Silver Banshee. I always like the old DCU Silver Banshee mythology so I was skeptical. They do a solid job but I miss the old Silver Banshee who I thought was way sexier. Sexy is very important. Also the mythology Gail Simone put into place in Secret Six with Jeanette was just genius.

A lot of my issues with George Pérez have been that his art seems to be trapped in the 1980s. Whether helped out by inker Bob Wiacek or colorist Paul Mounts, the art looked a little more modern. Granted there were some panels of straight up 80s-ness, but there were also panels that had some great detail and nice little touches to make everything feel real.

A great job by all and another successful issue of Supergirl.

Third Place:

Wonder Woman #8

There really isn't too much to say about this book other than its been incredibly consistent. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang know what's what. Chiang draws the fuck out of this book. Every panel looks amazing including his dead man on a dead horse who are all exposed muscle. Gross and terrifying.

And apparently Eros pistols can penetrate Wonder Woman's bracelets. Someone should have told her that.

This book will be an amazing read once its collected. I'm already considering getting the hardback.

Second Place:

Justice League #8

This issue is quirky. Light on the drama, heavy on the comedy. But Geoff Johns places that comedy in all the right places. Its a fun read that gives you a glimpse of the relationships between the members of the Justice League.

Green Arrow wants to join the Justice League but the League doesn't want him. Mainly because Arrow has some past with Aquaman that's inferred and they tried inviting Martian Manhunter and well, that didn't go well. (see the Panel of the Week)

Carlos D'Anda does the bulk of the pencils and does a great job. I'd read a title with him as the full-time artist. Also, the inimitable Ivan Reis pitches in for some fantastic pages at the end. Again, see our Panel of the Week.

Issues 1-6 were kind of a bust, but we now seem to be on the right track.

Oh yeah, the Shazam back-up story was pretty sweet. Gary Frank is infallible in my opinion. Johns and Frank are throwing some twists and turns into the new Shazam mythos and its totally worth the read.

First Place:

Green Lantern Corps #8

What a great issue. This was classic Pete Tomasi Green Lantern Corps. Some great Guy Gardner moments as he disagrees with storing the Sinestro Corps power battery on Oa. Peter Tomasi knows these characters, dare I say, almost better than Geoff Johns himself.

The issue is basically the setup for the Alpha War storyline. John Stewart killed another Lantern to save the Corps. Well the Alpha Lanterns (the Green Lanterns Internal Affairs) have come to arrest him which looks like its going to divide the Corps. This should play in well with the upcoming larger Third Army storyline.

Fernando Pasarin draws the fuck out of this issue as usual and should really get more credit. I'll blow the Fernando Pasarin trumpet loud and clear in this space because he's a great artist that deserves more recognition.

Unrelated, I'm sad they made Horoq Nnot an Alpha Lantern because she used to be sexy. Now she's a creepy person/Alpha/robot hybrid. Only ugly Lanterns should be Alphas.

Panel of the Week:

Ivan Reis shows the threat that an unbridled J'onn J'onzz poses.

-Gint