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