Gint's 3-27-13 Pull-List Review

A pretty standard week on the old Pull-List as one book is almost wrapped up and one is just beginning.

Fifth Place:
I, Vampire #18

I've been a big supporter of this book since issue #1. Next issue is its last hurrah before it gets cancelled. What's sad is that its been so good, but its stumbling to its finish.

Joshua Fialkov has done an amazing job writing this book. He's brought life to characters that I had no prior knowledge of, and now am sad to see go. But its been the artwork these last few issues that has hobbled it. The artwork of Andrea Sorrentino was outstanding. Great work on par with some of Jae Lee's best work. Fernando Blanco has done his best these last so many issues, but he's just not Sorrentino.

The creators have done their best, but if this would be the new standard for the book, maybe its best it gets cancelled.   

Fourth Place:
Justice League Dark #18

I enjoyed this issue enough that maybe I'll keep buying it after Jeff Lemire leaves the book. Starting next issue Ray Fawkes takes over sole writing duties.

There was some cool stuff going on in this arc about the JLD being transported to another magical world where their powers don't really work. Overall this story left me wanting more. But this last issue wrapped things up in a way that makes me want to come back. Well, that and the way Mikel Janin draws Madame Xanadu. Sexy time.

And it may be Mikel Janin's name that determines whether I come back for #19. Janin's work is damn impressive, and this book has been good, but not really a must-read. Janin's work puts the book over that hump.

Come back in one month and we'll see if Justice League Dark is still on the Pull-List.

Third Place:
The Flash #18

Francis Manapul takes an issue off and Brian Buccellato takes control of the writing reigns. He also takes off art duties and leaves them for Marcio Takara.

The result is a fine issue. Its entertaining and the overall opus by Manapul and Buccellato doesn't miss a beat. Takara isn't Manapul my any stretch, but he's not a disappointment like Fernando Blanco taking over for Andrea Sorrentino.

The Flash marches on as one of the best DC has to offer.  

 

Second Place:
Guardians of the Galaxy #1

Lets start with the important stuff: Peter Quill's new helmet is a pile of dog shit compared to the old one. The old was was utilitarian, beat up and had character like it had been through the wringer. Plus, it looked cool. This new one is too slick with a clear face shield. The better to see Chris Pratt through in the movie I guess. Sorry. Too cynical?

The good news is it was a really good read. I dug it a lot. And writer Brian Bendis answered the question "is this the same Peter Quill that Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning were writing?" Yes it is. No idea why he's blonde all of a sudden, but I guess I shouldn't focus on that. He's also too handsome. Steve McNiven draws him as a square-jawed Brad Pitt. The previous Abnett/Lanning stories made him a little more humble-looking.

The main plot of the story (Quill's dad [ruler of the Spartan race] has made Earth a galactic no-fly zone making it a target and now Quill is forced to defend it) feels really forced. Like it was the best reason Bendis could think of to make this book tie closer to Earth. There's a good chance we'll get more to this story as the book unfolds. I hope so because so far that's a little weak.

Overall it was a good issue. Well written and very well drawn my McNiven. He draws a very sexy Gamora taking an interesting turn by not making her super-huge and muscular. Looking forward to #2.

First Place:
Aquaman #18

Paul Pelletier has been great in taking over the art duties on Aquaman from Ivan Reis. I already knew I liked his stuff, but I'm kind of surprised at how much I'm liking it. His layouts and the way he tells the story are really making this a good read.

Aquaman is finding life as the new King of Atlantis rather difficult. This was to be excpected. How exciting would this book be if it was all sunshine and roses for our hero? There's subterfuge as Atlantean's still loyal to the deposed King Orm plot to save him. Meanwhile, above water, Mera gets attacked by a really old sea king of some sort.

It would be nice to see Geoff Johns put in as much time and success on this book as he did on Green Lantern, but that's looking pretty far ahead. I'll be happy with the current status quo which is pretty damn good.

Panel of the Week:

Mikel Janin does his best attempt at a slow-motion Michael Bay-type action shot in Justice League Dark.

-Gint
     

Let's Get Back Together

As you may have learned from the first three episodes of the new McSoss Comic Book Podcast, I'm a big Todd McFarlane fan. Some of my first comic books featured his work on Amazing Spider-Man and cemented my love for the character. The amount of detail that he could fit into each panel was astounding and still is. 

I followed Mr. McFarlane from Marvel to his creator owned work on Image's Spawn. I loved reading those books and can still remember pouring over each issue. Around 1996 a funny thing happened, he stopped drawing. 

It sounds silly but I truly felt abandoned by someone who I idolized for a good chunk of my teenage years. I wasn't just sad... I was kind of pissed! Who did he think he was to not use his god given talent to entertain me!

As I've grown older and wiser I've realized how silly all of this was. I recently purchased the wonderful Art of Todd McFarlane coffee table book and have once again learned to appreciate the artwork of the man who always will be my quintessential Spider-Man artist. 

If I ever get the chance to meet Todd McFarlane I probably won't try to hug him... who I'm I kidding, of course I will! -Soss

Soss' Pull-List Reviews

Thor: God of Thunder #6

Damn it! I jinxed this book by praising it on the podcast this week. There was a lot of disconnect in this issue. Butch Guice handles the art duties for Esad Ribic. While I didn't expect this fill-in artist to maintain Ribic's high level of art I would have hoped that Gorr would at least be wearing the same outfit. It's like Gucie didn't read the character layout sheet and just made shit up.

The story of Gorr's origin on his home world was decent. I guess if there is going to be a fill in story it might as well be this flashback style story.

Thunderbolts #6

This first arc really dragged for me. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not sold on The Leader or his brother Mad Man (what an awful name for a villain) as the main bad guys.

There are too many characters in this story. It's like there isn't proper time to devote to each one of them. Maybe the next arc will focus in on one or two of these new Thunderbolts so the reader can settle in with this crew.

Saga #11

Oh thank god! Lying Cat lives! I have to agree with Gint's statement about Lying Cat being one of my favorite characters in comics. This character that has only said a handful of things through eleven issues truly is near and dear to me.

Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staple know how to tell an epic story. Hot sex scenes, space battles and a heart felt goodbye to Barr are all covered in these 22 pages. 

My favorite moment was one of the smaller ones. The flashback of Barr teaching Marko how to ride a giant grasshopper was touching. Even tough the dialogue is not in English the reader can still follow along with the heart warming moment between a father and his son. -Soss

Panel of the Week:

Intergalactic bike riding lessons.

McSoss Comic Book Podcast - Episode 3: Lady Squirrel

Welcome to this week's episode of The McSoss Comic Book Podcast! This week we discuss some of our favorite and not so favorite comic book inspired media. We also discuss Maria Bello's performance in A History of Violence, Batman's extracurricular activities in the desert and answer the age-old question, which movie was better Goonies or Monster Squad.

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Not To Be Trifled With

Since Mallrats had a bigger hand than it should have by shaping my late adolescence, I've been a big fan of the works of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes. By all rights, if they're involved in something, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to like it.

Well, they're involved in promoting this DC video game called Injustice which is essentially Street Fighter with DC characters. They've created a bunch of these "Vs" videos and as entertaining as this one is, the fanboy in me couldn't help but rage against the idea that Green Lantern could be defeated in such an easy and humiliating fashion.

In other promotional news, don't forget to listen to the official McSoss Comic Book Podcast. You can find it here: mcsoss.podomatic.com and if you search for McSoss in the iTunes store. Rate us if you can and post a comment. It helps our overall rating and gets us more exposure.

And if you're on the Twittersphere, look us up at @Gint_McSoss and @thesoss. Say something complementary and we'll be sure to follow you back.

-Gint   

Gint's 3-20-13 Pull-List Review

An astounding nine books on the Pull-List this week so I'm going to try to make this short and sweet.

Ninth Place:
Supergirl #18

I didn't think a book would be worse than New Guardians this week. Supergirl proved me wrong.

When I see the names of a writer and artist on the cover of a book, I expect that book to be written and drawn by those people. This issue was written and drawn by two nobodys who aren't mentioned ANYWHERE on the cover. Had I known that, I wouldn't have bought the damn book.

So Supergirl has fallen into the trap Superman is in right now: TOO MUCH SHIT!!!!! Too many supporting characters, too many bases in the core of the Earth run by a Star Labs-type place, too many bases on the Sun, too many super drones, just too much shit! This issue felt like an issue of Superman from the 90s. And apparently Lex Luthor is capable of retreating inside his own mind where he has a situation room with characters I've never heard of before.

This issue sucked big fat donkey balls. Supergirl is officially OFF the Pull-List.   

Eighth Place:
Green Lantern: New Guardians #18

B.A.D. Not in the Michael Jackson way either. Sweet Jesse Katsopolis do these Wrath of the First Lantern books bah-low. Not even the writing talent of Tony Bedard and Pete Tomasi can save these silly stories. If this is how the Geoff Johns era is going to end just get it over with.

Carol, Larfleeze and Saint Walker all get captured and shown alternate futures by Captain Nervous-system, or the First Lantern. None of the stories are interesting for as much as Bedard tries.

Three artists help out on this book. The only one that gets a pass is Jim Calafiore, and that's because he did time on Secret Six, one of my all time favorite books. The other two are clearly fill-ins. Just as I was getting used to enjoying Aaron Kuder's work, they pull him off. Whatever, DC.

Seventh Place:
Justice League of America #18

The short of it is, I don't think I like this book. For as much a fan of Geoff Johns' work as I am, I feel like this book is just an outlet for Johns to have his favorite characters all in one place. Don't believe me?

Stargirl, a character who he's based off his sister. Green Lantern Simon Baz, a character Johns created based on his own Arabic heritage. Vibe, a 90s mistake that everyone said Johns couldn't make popular. Plus a couple other B and C listers that just aren't interesting. Also, this scary, dangerous New 52 J'onn J'onzz couldn't be anymore unlikeable.

I feel like this is almost like Thunderbolts. This team walks a fine gray area line. They're the good guys, but they all have shady secrets. So far, I can't say I'm all that interested.

Sixth Place:
Voltron #11

I'd love this book if the artwork wasn't shit on a shingle. If the artwork was competent in even the slightest way, it might be bearable. Brandon Thomas is a premiere talent and his star is being brought down by someone's dirty asshole smeared on a comic page.

Planet Arus has apparently been up to some shady stuff with Planet Doom and a third mystery planet and Keith has just stumbled across this. He's tasked with keeping secrets from the team and bringing Sven out of retirement to help the cause.

It really is a well-written book and story. But I can't stress enough how god-stinking filthy awful this artowrk is.  

Fifth Place:
Wonder Woman #18

Well that ended... quickly? By the time you reach the last two pages, it doesn't really feel like you get the resolution you deserve.

After 18 issues and tons of fighting and drama over Zola's baby, this issue ends with War just taking back the baby and everyone having a few drinks at Zola's. Huh? I'm sure Brian Azzarello has more in the works and this isn't the real end, but it seemed a little easy.

What I'll take away most from this latest arc is that Azzarello has written the only version of Orion that I actually like. Normally, he and the rest of the New Gods (save Darkseid) are shitty characters. 

Fourth Place:
Justice League #18

Remember earlier when I said Justice League of America was just Geoff Johns telling stories about the characters he likes? Well, this issue turns out to be the same.

We get Cyborg at center stage, plus Element Woman, a female Latino Atom, someone called Goldrush and Platinum. The Justice League are looking to expand the team. Why do we have to do this ALL THE TIME?! Can't we just tell good stories with the Big 7? And when I say Big 7 I mean Martian Manhunter, not Cyborg. Cyborg is forever a second stringer.

Johns likes some boring characters. I'm his biggest supporter, but its starting to feel like THE story isn't as important as HIS story.  

Third Place:
Nova #2

Well, I guess I saw this coming. I really liked this issue. Jeph Loeb played a big role in my comic-reading development and its nice to be into a book he's writing again. Though I'd prefer it be a DC book.

After getting over the outrage of this Nova NOT being the Richard Rider that I knew and loved, I've accepted this book and its lead character, Sam Alexander for what they are: the cosmic version of Ultimate Spider-Man. Issue #2 was really good. Its a story that's been told a million times (kid wants more than just being a small town kid, kid finds out his dad is part of a galactic peace keeping force and gets induced himself), but Loeb and Ed McGuinness make it fresh and exciting.

This book is a really good jumping on point for any comic ready of any age.

Second Place:
Sword of Sorcery #6

World building. That's the currency I trade in. Soss is a big sucker for the ol' dystopian future. I'm a sucker for world building. From the Westeros in Game of Thrones, to a galaxy far, far away, I love getting immersed in a brand new universe that isn't boring old Earth. Sword of Sorcery offers that in spades.

Its a real shame that this book is coming to a close in May. The storytelling is great, it has a strong female lead that comic fans clamor for and Aaron Lopresti's art is fantastic. He's easliy as good as Ed McGuinness if you get him an inker.

But alas, it ends with issue #8. Way to go DC for taking something good and killing it before it gets a chance to be great.

First Place:
Saga #11

Well Lying Cat isn't dead. After last month's cliffhanger I'm relieved. That reads sarcastic, but I'm serious. Lying Cat is one of my favorite characters in this book.

Brian K. Vaughan knows how to write a story, and knows how to write likeable characters. Just as we get to learn a little more about Marko's father Barr... he gets killed. Heroically, but still killed. We also get to see a good bit of Alana in the nude this issue, so that balances the sadness over Barr.

As far as art and story go, its hard to think of a book that gives me as much bang for my $2.99 as Saga does.   


Panel(s) of the Week:

These are your panels of the week based solely on seeing the word "twat" in a (fairly) mainstream comic book.

-Gint