Lost In Translation

The more I think about Preacher being adapted on a cable network, the less outraged I am about it. Granted, I think we'll see a lot of silliness like the above comic, but if its really well done and the core of the characters are the same, it might not be too bad. If done well, it could allow the creators to find creative ways to show some of the more violent aspects of the book while staying within cable regulations. Hell, maybe I'm just feeling that Thanksgiving optimism?

This Christmas season the McSoss team are donating to Toys for Tots. Please find the donate button at the bottom of our homepage and help us out. Any amount is appreciated. The goal is for myself, Soss and Image Matt to go shopping for various comic book-related merchandise to donate. Help us out if you can so we can be more than dick and fart jokes this year.

-Gint

McSoss Comic Book Podcast - Episode 34: Connor Kent Gets A Cleveland Steamer

The McSoss crew celebrates Thanksgiving by talking about the things we are each thankful for in comics. We have also started the McSoss Comic Book Podcast Toys for Tots Charity. If you go to McSoss.com and click the donate button at the bottom of the page you can help us help kids in need this holiday season. Any amount is appreciated. 

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Supreme Boredom

I've spent the better part of my adult life working jobs that absolutely bore me to tears. I think my imagination is much too vivd to deal with the slow grind of print production or internet sales. Being Spider-Man always has been much more appealing then then updating spreadsheets. Call me crazy.

My goal in the upcoming years is to find a way to make daydreaming my full time gig. -Soss

Gint's 11-20-13 Pull-List Review

Sometimes you get weeks where there isn't a standout book in the bunch. This week was different. I got to read a handful of real gems.

Eighth Place:
Wonder Woman #25

This book may as well be called Olympian Gods. Wonder Woman does NOTHING Wonder Woman-ly in this issue. Actually, if you took her out completely, it would change nothing.

Strife is planning something with a really sharp needle made by Hephaestus. Something with giving gifts and sending Wonder Woman and the gang into Chernobyl. All that excitement you see on the cover of Wonder Woman fighting Strife? Yeah, that doesn't happen in this book. Nothing like a little bait and boredom from the Wonder Woman crew.

My patience and this book's life on the Pull-List are being severely tested.

Seventh Place:
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #8

Hooo-waaah is the art bad in this book. Goddamn! Rafael Kayanan is responsible and it makes me wonder how a major company like DC Comics agrees to putting this slop on the page.

Dan Abnett's story was enough to get me through the art problems last issue, but not so much here. I guess we need to hear about Zoar and Subternia to understand why/how Randor wants to bring the Sorceress back to life. But the way its presented is super boring. It just feels like a lot of roundabout talking.

I have a lot of trust in Dan Abnett and he will be my guide through this arc until DC gets their act together and puts a real artist on this book.
 

Sixth Place:
X-Men #7

Now that the Battle of the Atom tie-in nonsense is past us, I'm going to give this book a solid go. Brian Wood and presumably Terry and Rachel Dodson are locked in for the next arc which should run until issue 12.

#7 was a pretty solid read though I'm really unfamiliar with most of the characters. Between Lady Deathstrike and Monet, Wood catches new readers (me) up on who these ladies are and what they do pretty quicky. If you bought this book to read Kitty Pryde, you're going to be disappointed. She's gone for some unexplained reason after Battle of the Atom. The Dodson's art is great. Clean and sharp, just the way I like it. If you're going to have a book about all women, pick an artist who knows how to draw women.

Issues 1-3 were pretty solid. 4-6 were garbage. #7 is hopefully back to Marvel letting Wood tell his story without any editorial interference.

Fifth Place:
Rogues Rebellion #2

Written by Brian Buccellato and drawn by Scott Hepburn, Rogues Rebellion is a fun adventure through the DC Earth that's been taken over by the Crime Syndicate.

The Rogues have turned their backs on the Syndicate after refusing to murder everyone in Central City, so the Syndicate has sent word out to all supervillains that the Rogues are to be killed. What makes this issue interesting is that they get separated from their leader, Captain Cold and Mirror Master's powers are on the fritz. There are some honestly creepy beats about the mirror world that I hope get fleshed out as the mini goes long.

Hepburn does a really nice job directing his panels and page layouts. His art isn't going to win many awards, but for a book like this, it fits pretty damn well.

Fourth Place:
Green Lantern: New Guardians #24

Justin Jordan takes us on a straight up sci-fi ride asking the question: should we make our planet a utopia if the price is making another planet a distopia?

Its a pretty neat concept fully utilizing the scope of what lies out in the far reaches of the DC Universe. The Guardians send Kyle to find out what's wrong with this seemingly perfect planet. The problem is the planet has been fixing the odds of everything going right, while on another planet the results are everything goes wrong. If The Twilight Zone did Green Lantern episodes, this would surely be one.

The only problem with this book is Jordan seems bent on making a love connection between Kyle and Carol Ferris. That's like having Lois Lane fall in love with Bruce Wayne. It shouldn't happen. Justin Jordan better watch his back.

Third Place:
The Wake #5

The first half of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy's miniseries ends on a bittersweet note: with the presumed death of the beautiful Lee Archer.

The flashforwards that Snyder and Murphy have teased through the first five issues apparently take center stage in issue #6 as the creatures have essentially sunk the mainland, driving the oceans 100 miles inland. Its a sad issue having to let go of Lee Archer and the other characters that Snyder and Murphy made so real. Leeward, our lead character in the future has a lot to live up to.

Snyder promises a lot of insane shit going down in his letter at the end of this issue promoting the second half. Its been a great series. Lets hope the last five issues keep up the tradition. 

Second Place:
Batman and Two-Face #25

I suppose this title is now officially Batman and..., but that's here nor there for now. We're here to talk about how great this issue was.

Following up Pete Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's excellent part one of this story in issue #24, part two is just as good. Its like reading a really good Batman: The Animated Series episode. Patrick Gleason's art is the perfect style for a more serious Animated Series-like tone. Tomasi writes an interesting story about Harvey Dent and the woman who scarred his face and killed Gilda, with Batman in the middle of course. We also see a little Matches Malone. I would seriously read a Matches Malone series. Maybe that's just my affinity for Magnum P.I. showing.

This issue has heart at its core hitting all the bases of what a good comic should be about. And look at that cover. Animated Series all the way.

First Place:
Animal Man #25

If I could effectively clap in this space I would do it. Bravo, Jeff Lemire and Rafael Albequerque. Bravo.

Brother Blood has infiltrated the Red. He's going after Maxine who's hiding there. Blood's congregation has taken the Oscars hostage. Buddy and Ellen break in to kick some ass and take some names. And they do just that before Buddy suddenly gets transported to some Cthulhu-like space planet.

This is an issue that reminds me why I love comic books. Some books are just a slog to get through with crappy art and/or a self-serving story. Animal Man has none of that. Lemire and Albequerque know what a comic is supposed to be about.

Panel of the Week:

Its natural to hear Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. deliver this line.

-Gint
 

Say You, Say Me

As far as spiritual guides go, Lionel Richie's not a bad choice. He's been around the block. He's seen things. He knows the words, and songs, to get you through the hard times. We should all be so lucky to have such a Fairy Godplaya of our own.

Allow me to officially endorse Fox's Almost Human. The J.J. Abrams/J.H. Wyman-created show premiered with two episodes last week and was instantly more captivating than Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. It was for real, a really solid premiere.

The characters may not be absolutely unique: the emotionally damaged lead, his android partner, the sexy tech chick back at the office, the gruff captain... you know how it goes. But the casting from Karl Urban to Minka Kelly had an early chemistry that's only going to get better.

The budget for a pilot is much larger than it is for standard episodes. The two-night premiere episodes looked amazing. From the future tech and flying cars, the creative team put together a show that looked great. We'll see if that can hold up over an entire season.

This show has plenty of room to grow. Most shows need 5-6 episodes to really find their legs. Almost Human is off to a really good start. So set your DVRs or go OnDemand and get in on the ground floor of what has the potential to be a really good sci-fi hit.

-Gint

 

Soss' Pull-List Review 11-21-13

Thunderbolts #18
I don't know why I keep subjecting myself to this book. In the beginning I really liked the quirkiness of the team. It had promise to be Marvel's answer to Secret Six or Suicide Squad. I'll chalk this up to another missed opportunity for The House of (Bad) ideas.

I know that the characters on this team are all anti-hero's, but do they have to be all so hatable? I liked Charles Soule's writing on Superman/Wonder Woman but it's doing nothing for me here.

I also would like to know how Jefte Palo got a job as a penciler at the biggest comic publisher in the world. If this type of work is acceptable I'd be happy to submit my portfolio. -Soss



Panel of the Week: Seriously folks, I'm pretty sure I'm better then this dude.

McSoss Comic Book Podcast 33: Cosmic Cake

This week we discuss the release of Star Wars VII and speculate on the rumored Preacher pilot ordered by AMC. We review Thor: The Dark World and welcome the return of Matt Casale’s Whatcha’ Been Readin’.

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All Aboard The Creeper Train

I'd like to give credit where credit is due in regards to the punchline of this comic, but I can't remember which one of my colleagues said the words. I'm sure they know who they are.

Thor: The Dark World hit theatres last week and I can tell you that I immediately loved it. Like most Marvel movies these days it was too many banana peels and cream pies, but aside from that, I rather liked it. This week's podcast will be a big Thor Spoiler Special. Make sure to check that out Wednesday

Man of Steel was also released to Blu-Ray/DVD last week. Yes, I bought it and am eager to sit down and watch it again since the dust of the theatrical release (and Metropolis' destruction) has died down. I can say with honesty that it's been taking an unnecessary beating.

Also, a vicious rumor is circulating that AMC will make Vertigo's Preacher (beloved story to Soss and I) their next TV project. I've read the entire Preacher run front to back twice. There is absolutely nothing that is fit for basic cable. I imagine HBO or Showtime would even balk and most of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's vision. If this is true, I'll be curious if not excited.

We're in the Golden Age of comic-property-turned-movies-and-TV, folks. Note to self: lets try not to be so cynical.

-Gint

Ps, Fox's Almost Human premiered last night and I thought it was quite good as far as pilots go. It has a great chance to fill the void left in my heart by Fringe's cancellation.

Gint's 11-13-13 Pull-List Review

A quick note about this week's books — Dark Horse also doesn't believe in putting cover stock on their books.

Fifth Place:
Green Lantern Corps #25

Borrrrr-innnnnng. This issue was weak sauce. One: it was an unnecessary Zero Year tie-in. John Stewart doesn't need to be in Gotham during Zero Year. Two: it was just boring. A story about John's Marine squad tasked with evacuating people from Gotham during the big blackout/storm. I'm 100% okay with John's story starting when he gets a power ring. I don't need to know all about his pre-Green Lantern Corps exploits.

Did I at least get some quality art from Bernard Chang? Nope. A handful of unimpressive artists put this book together. Even the villain of the book, the New 52-reimagined Anarky was unimpressive.

More or less, a waste of $3.99.

Fourth Place:
Justice League of America #9

Once Forever Evil is over, Justice League of America may come off the Pull-List. When Geoff Johns was writing it, it gave me a reason to buy it. But since he's left, its been a pretty mediocre book.

Stargirl and J'onn J'onzz are trapped in the Crime Syndicate's prison and need to find a way out. J'onn is guiding Stargirl through levels of said prison filled with Justice Leaguers succumbing to their own fears. Its a pretty uninspired story. The big twist ending is that J'onn hasn't been helping Stargirl at all... he's been a figment of her own imagination the entire time.

Tom Derenick's pencils were passable. He's a little bit Ed McGuinness and a little bit Patrick Gleason, but not as good as either one. Maybe this book will be better when it becomes Justice League of Canada?

Third Place:
Star Wars #11

So... Wedge and Luke snuck onto a Star Destroyer and snuck back off for nothing, because Colonel Bircher has been working for the Alliance the whole time? I'm really confused.

This may be a case of re-reading all eleven issues in one sitting, but I don't think I should have to. Brian Wood's previously good story has been thrown in disarray this issue. Everything that has been set up to this point has been turned on its head.

I don't know how long Wood plans on writing this story, but he's got some work to do explaining what just happened and refocusing a story that feels like its gone off the rails.

Second Place:
Batman #25

Another fantastic outing by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. I could seriously read a whole book of just Alfred, Bruce and Jim Gordon talking if it was done by these guys.

There's some action in this story. Bruce's first Batmobile makes an appearance and does some insane stuff. He also stops some looting and mugging. But the real good stuff is the conversations between Alfred, Bruce and Gordon. It doesn't feel like exposition. It feels natural. Each character has their own voice. And we learn Gordon did something he shouldn't have the night Thomas and Martha Wayne died.

The bulk of this issue is characters talking. And its one of the best issues this team has done.

First Place:
Superman/Wonder Woman #2

Eking out Batman for first place this week is my new favorite book. Something about the tone of Charles Soule's writing and the stellar art by Tony Daniel makes this book sing.

Superman has a showdown with Apollo... who is powered by the sun. Its a really interesting meeting. What I liked most was the way colorist Tomeu Morey gives Clark a slight glow after he gets a full blast of the sun from Apollo. Its a nice little touch that makes Clark absolutely threatening. Soule and Daniel combine to give their Superman a touch of Christopher Reeve. He's not very talkative, and he's polite, but there's an inherent strength that shows through.

I'm not sure what the plan is, or where the story is going. And I could probably do without an appearance by General Zod, but wherever Soule and Daniel want to take me, I'm in.

Panel of the Week:

I think we can all agree on Tony Daniel's Christopher Reeve inspiration.

-Gint

Back To The Monthly Grind

DC has done a fine job in reviving it's dormant franchises from the 1990's.  Scott Snyder slapped a fresh new coat of mossy paint on Swamp Thing while Jeff Lemire, Peter Milligan and Mikel Janin crafted an intriguing book using B-list magic based characters in Justice League Dark. This past month Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams III delivered their first installment of the new Sandman book. The Distinguish Competition sure knows how to use it's bench. I'm just hoping that they have the good sense to leave Jesse Custer on the sidelines.

As you all know by now Preacher is my favorite comic series of all-time. I go back and read the tale in it's entirety at least once a year. The beauty of it is that it has a beginning and an end, not too common in comic books.

I don't need any additional adventures or flashbacks or side stories. While Jesse is pissed in this strip I'm sure he'd be even more upset to find himself in a life or death battle with Gorilla Grodd or Black Manta. -Soss

Soss' Pull-List Reviews 11/14/13

Amazing X-Men #1

Let's play a game. How many titles can we cram into the X-Men universe? This game is a spin-off of the much larger game Marvel is currently playing: how lazy can we get with the titles of our books? If you are scoring at home Amazing X-Men is worth two points.

While producing a brand new X-book is excessive, the contents of said book are actually quite good. The story is a gateway to bring back fan favorite Nightcrawler to the Marvel Universe. Jason Aaron does a fine job of refreshing readers as to who Nightcrawler is and makes his lust for adventure a believable motivator to quest back to the land of the living. 

I’m also excited to see Firestar join this cast of X-Men. I’d be lying if I said I know anything about her other than her appearances on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. 

I’m not the biggest Ed McGuinness fan, but there is nothing negative I can say about his work on this book. The story is fun and lighthearted and his style is well suited to tell it. 

Panel of the Week: Lots of swash, lots of buckling.

McSoss Comic Book Podcast 32: How Deep? Balls Deep

The war for our comic book souls rages on in this second part of Marvel vs DC! We break down the movies, live action and animated television programs, the relaunches and the physical books that each company has delivered. Matt and Paul also give their opinions on the 1987 feature film classic Robocop. 

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Firestarter

I've read a lot of DC books. I've read a lot of Firestorm. Without referencing Wikipedia, I'm still not really sure how he activates his powers. Either the Ronnie/Professor Stein version or the current Ronnie/Jason version. I'm fairly certain they don't touch penises.

I watched RoboCop (1987) the other night. Image Matt has been slurping all over its nuts lately so I figured I'd watch it. What I was left with was a sense of, "that's it?" As a kid I was in awe of the half man/half robot cop. And how cool was the Ed 209 to a 9-year old? But as an adult, it doesn't hold my 80s rose-colored nostalgia.

With its weird Frank Miller-esque "I'd buy that for a dollar!" bits, and the SUPER strange all-American family playing the board game Nukem, it felt like the creators had a serious political agenda to grind. I understand their playing up of the gross opulence of big business in America, but their best vehicle for that was a movie about a robot cop?

You get a glimpse of what the movie could have been had they focused on Murphy's return to being human, but actual story and character development took a backseat to the chaotic stew of disparate ideas that comprised the film.

I thought the new RoboCop couldn't touch the first one. Now, after watching the original for the first time since 1987, it has nowhere to go but up.

-Gint

Gint's 11-6-13 Pull-List Review

Who has two thumbs and loves a 4-book week? This guy!

Fourth Place:
Batman Superman #5

Leave it to Brett Booth, king of 90s artwork to pull out a horizontal gimmick issue. That's a little harsh. Greg Pak deserves just as much derision for writing a lame story.

Horizontal format aside, this creative team dropped a big turd. I guess Hiro Okamura (Toyman) is back in the DCU, and he's nothing but an overexcited gamer. Metallo is now called Metal-Zero? Dumb. Its Part One of a boring, over-the-top story that could have been pulled from a 1995 issue. Not to mention Brett Booth's Rob Liefeld-inspired artwork which is just as uninspiring as the rest of the book.

Get over the gimmicks and just tell a good story. This was the opposite of that.

Third Place:
Superman Unchained #4

Zzzzzzzz *snort* huh? Oh, sorry. I just woke up after this issue PUT ME TO SLEEP!

Scott Snyder is quite talented. He's written a lot of good things. This book is not one of them. Maybe collected, this story will feel a lot tighter, but after five singles, this book is a confusing mess. Lex is doing something to Jimmy Olson, Supes is teaming with a guy who keeps saying he'll kill him, and Lois is after some group called Ascension. After four issues I'd like SOME idea that these stories will eventually tie together. Bummer City.

This book is just proof that two great creators (Scott Snyder & Jim Lee) don't equal a great book.

Second Place:
Forever Evil #3

Somewhere between David Finch's pencils and Richard Friend's inking, the art in this book falls apart. Most panels are passable, but there are a few that are an embarrassment.

Geoff Johns story however is some of his best work. He's showing quite a lot of depth in the three factions fighting: Batman and the good guys, the Crime Syndicate and Lex and the villains. Each are written so that you can sympathize with their motivations. Even the Crime Syndicate. Almost.

Geoff Johns is carrying this book. Its certainly not the art that can't distinguish between a bulky or too skinny Lex Luthor.

First Place:
Green Lantern #25

GAH! I HATE that the energies of the emotional spectrum (that lantern corps pull their power from) are now finite. Its bullshit and goes against ALL the great work that Geoff Johns built in his amazing run.

But if you try to not pay attention to that little detail, this is still a good book. Robert Venditti really knows how to write Hal and Kilowog. Its a great buddy-cop relationship that was established in The Animated Series. Billy Tan's art hasn't gotten better, but it hasn't gotten worse either. Its the technical that's a problem. His storytelling is fine, but every so often, you'll get a wonky face or something in a panel.

It looks like we're going to stay in space, and any stories about Hal patrolling his own sector will have to wait until I write them I guess.

Panel of the Week:

Weak story or not, Jim Lee can draw a badass Superman.

-Gint

Steve Harvey Hates White People

While waiting to watch a variety of CW shows (Arrow, Supernatural, Hart of Dixie) I've seen quite a bit of the current Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey. What I've noticed is that the majority of families on the show are black. And Steve Harvey plays to his audience. I suppose a good host has to. At least he's not the closet rapist that was Richard Dawson.

The big blockbuster news today is Marvel's exclusive live-action deal with Netflix. Read all about it here at Comic Book Resources. The long and short of it is, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist will all get individual episodes leading up to a Defenders team-up.

Cool, right? Live action heroes done by Marvel, presumably the right way? For most people, yes. But for someone like myself that don't have Netflix, and wasn't planning on it, I'm aggravated. Because this is going to force me to sign up. Its one thing missing Orange Is The New Black, but if there are big comic book goings-on on the network? channel? service?, then there's no way I'm going to be able to skip out on that action.

So cheers to you Marvel and Netflix. You've forced my hand. And my wallet.

-Gint

McSoss Comic Book Podcast - Episode 31: Candy Cigarettes

Tonight we settle an age-old dispute: which company is better, Marvel or DC? In this Part One of a two-part series, we cover the iconic characters and the creators that have made them larger than life. 

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Days of Future Past:Part 23

It's going to take a long time to convince myself that the real life Gint won't end up stabbing me to death with lightsabers. It just seems like something he would do. -Soss

Gint's 10-30-13 Pull-List Review

A little bit from each publisher this week. Its a tall order to beat Saga.

Fourth Place:
Guardians of the Galaxy #8

So, this is going to look nuts when its collected. Francesco Francavilla does the art and its a SEVERE difference from the usual Sara Pichelli... or even Steve McNiven. If their goal was to find a diametrically opposite style from Pichelli, they found it.

The book is also tied directly into Infinity, so though it tangentially follows whats been going on in Guardians, it was more an Infinity book. Nothing like pulling you out of a good story for a crossover, huh?

No offense to the parties involved, but this is clearly the weak sister of this book's run so far.

Third Place:
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #5

Like a tv show after a shaky pilot, Killjoys is starting to find its legs. The story is really starting to pull together and get moving.

What does this book have in common with The Walking Dead? They'll kill anyone. Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan make no bones about knocking off characters to further the story. The Girl gets some serious news about just what she's capable of, and the supernatural side of Killjoys rears its head.

There's some big ideas powering this book and when they're done right, as they were in this issue, it makes for a great book.

Second Place:
Green Lantern Annual #2

Throughout Robert Venditti's time as head Green Lantern writer, I've been invested. He, along with Van Jensen and Justin Jordan have naturally progressed what Geoff Johns started. Until now.

Where they've lost me is by making the amount of light in the universe finite. What Johns put in place was the theory that so long as there were living beings feeling love and greed and compassion and so on, there would be emotional energy for the color corps to pull from. Makes total sense. Well the new team has gone in pretty much the opposite direction and that doesn't sit well with me.

What it comes down to is I'm going to try to ignore that bit of new GL mythology and just try to enjoy the books.

First Place:
Saga #15

The twists and turns continue in Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples masterpiece. I wonder if Vaughan planned on The Will's story being just as compelling (maybe moreso) than the main Marko/Alana storyline?

Fifteen issues in and if this book was only about The Will, I'd still buy it. Kind of how I'd have still watched The Walking Dead if they killed Rick instead of Shane. But I guess The Will isn't supposed to be that bad.

The creative team have certainly done their job making this a must read book every month. 




Panel of the Week:

Fiona Staples really draws a nice explosion. This panel highlights how ruthless the Robot people are.

-Gint