Gint's 10-3-12 Pull-List Review

Voltron offers us up some shitty art, but other than that, it was a great week of books.

Fifth Place:
Voltron #8

N. Steven Harris is still on art as amateur hour continues. Its not as hideous as last issue, but its still the worst art I've seen on a professional comic book in years. There's really nothing good about it.

Brandon Thomas' story however is pretty great. He's opening up this world and giving it the depth that the cartoon never had. He's doing a fantastic job. Zarkon is dead, and Lotor is trying to make an honest attempt at reforming Planet Doom. However, someone's pulling the strings behind him and causing trouble with a new Samurai-looking Voltron.

This would be one of my favorite books month in and month out if Dynamite could find a good artist. I've been at cons. I know there are good artists out there looking for work. Yet we're stuck with this embarrassment. Fingers crossed they find someone new soon.

Fourth Place:
Action Comics #13

If I read this book a second time, maybe Grant Morrison's particular brand of science would make sense. But I'm not going to.

The worlds of science fiction and comics have their own brand of science and physics that, when they adhere to their own rules, make sense. But this issue left a lot of questions. If Superman can get stuff out of Kandor and make it big again, why can't he bring the people out? If you're nothing but dust in the Phantom Zone, how'd they get a tangible suit in there? And how can Superman just reach in the Phantom Zone mirror and pull out Krypto? I guess this issue was just too high concept for me.

Travel Foreman was on art. The first time I've seen him since he left Animal Man. It was a very inconsistent showing. I'm not sure the sci-fi medium of Morrison's Superman is in Foreman's wheelhouse.

Third Place:
Animal Man #13

Steve Pugh and Timothy Green II bring their best disgusting artwork to the table to kick off Rotworld.

Buddy and Swamp Thing get split up and Buddy gets sent to Rotworld where he meets Black Orchid, Steel and Beast Boy. While he's gone Cliff gets abducted and the Baker clan gets taken over by the Rot. Its all really gross and really well illustrated. This is a really great story and a really great book. It doesn't feel like a superhero book and its a wonderful example of the diversity in storytelling and characters that DC brought to the table when they launched the New 52.

After looking at the garbage that was Voltron, Steve Pugh's art really makes this issue sing.

Second Place:
Swamp Thing #13

Animal Man #13 was an amazingly disgusting book. But Yanic Paquette takes it to another level this issue. The gross things he draws have put me off my dinner.

The Rotworld story continues. Alec lands in Rotworld and teams up with Deadman and Poison Ivy to fight off some hideous versions of the Teen Titans. They learn that much like the Red, the Green only has one bastion of life in the world.

All this distopian future stuff will be right up $oss' alley. And few people have drawn a sexier Poison Ivy than Paquette.

First Place:
Green Lantern #13

Geoff Johns certainly has his GL swagger back. He's writing the the hell out of this book and making me care about Simon Baz. Initially I was against his potential replacement of Hal Jordan, but the story looks like it will work out for everybody.

Amanda Waller sicks the feds and the Justice League after Baz after his new ring breaks him out of a government holding cell. Soon after the JL catch up with him to find out what's up. I guess they'll have that talk next issue.

Doug Mahnke's art is at its best. Few people are able to capture simple motion in a static panel like Mahnke. The Mahnke/Johns team continues to make a damn fine book.

Panel of the Week:

This disgusting panel by Yanic Paquette beat out all others this week for sheer "ew" quality.

-Gint