If Robin Rises continues on the path its currently on, it could be a hardback-worthy story.
Seventh Place:
Batman #33
Zero Year is over! Man, this was a long time coming. Feels like its been decades since Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo kicked things off. And honestly, I wrap this up with more relief than a bang.
Overall this was a really cool idea, it was just too decompressed. It dragged on way too long and there were stretches that were just uninteresting. By the time we get to this finale, my attitude was "just end it already." Compared to the Batman written by Peter Tomasi and the Batman written by Geoff Johns, this seemed almost like an Elseworlds tale.
And the most disappointing story beat was the epilogue when Bruce turns down a drink with a girl from his past to go be Batman. I know he's passionate about keeping the streets of Gotham clean, but when you let Bruce's passion for being Batman give him blinders about being human too, it makes the character less interesting.
Its been a (mostly) fun ride, but this may be the last issue of Batman on the Pull-List for a while.
Futures End #12
They're not all gonna be winner, folks. This month's Futures End takes a step back highlighting some characters we've seen very little of before. Like that guy Ethan that Rampage broke out of jail. Who the fuck are those two?
The most engaging parts of the issue were Frankenstein, Hawkman and Amethyst landing on an alien planet and being beaten down by a Brainiac-Brother Eye version of Stormwatch's Engineer. Overall the issue didn't provide much, but a look into 35 years into the future where the Joker has been kept in Arkham was a huge tease. At the end, he seemingly is being prepared to have his mind merged/swapped with a grey haired Bruce Wayne.
This issue sets up more questions that it answers, and avoids most of the plots I've been most interested in. Lots going on in Futures End, and a long way to go.
Superman #33
I almost forgot to pick this up this week. And when I did, I had to trade covers with Soss because I didn't want the phoned-in cover by Erik Larsen. Instead I opted for the regular John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson cover.
Part 2 of Geoff Johns' The Men of Tomorrow storyline gets a little more intriguing. Its still about another Superman analog (this time Ulysses, the Superman from the 2nd dimension) but there's a certain humanity in Ulysses and Superman that was missing last issue. It gives me hope for this story.
As for the art, there were some subtle acting cues that were absolutely brilliant, and John Romita Jr. draws a hell of a Perry White. However, are Romita and inker Klaus Janson at the top of their games? As far as layout, and flow of the story goes, I couldn't have been happier. But some panels left me disappointed in the actual art contained within.
We could be getting the New 52 Superman story we've been waiting for, or are our expectations SO LOW right now, we'll take what we can get?
Fourth Place:
Saga #21
If the first eighteen issues were a wild, fun, Star Wars-style adventure through the galaxy (with boobies and sex and trouser snakes), this new arc is all about the saddest moments of The Empire Strikes Back (with drug use, and real world adult problems that don't have an easy fix).
For real. These last three issues have been sad. Since Hazel's narration in issue #19 of "this is the story of how my parents split up" (paraphrasing) its just been a sad march watching Alana and Marko drift farther apart. You get to see what they're up against and neither is the bad guy. But its situations we've all been through. Sad and unavoidable.
Fiona Staples art is just as amazing as ever. One of her biggest strength's is faces and facial expressions. She's amazing at drawing pretty girls. Each girl you're supposed to be attracted to, you are. Brian K. Vaughan throws everything and the kitchen sink at her and she draws it expertly.
Third Place:
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #15
Talk about underrated titles. Dan Abnett and Pop Mhan found a way to get past the rough exterior of my heart this month. They managed to invoke real emotion through a He-Man comic.
He-Man, Adora and Battle Cat enter one of Hordak's Fright Zones on Eternia. They're supposed to slip in, steal a boat, and get out. But when He-Man sees tons of Eternian people and creatures captured, waiting for death, he brings down the lightning. Literally. I don't know if this is a new power he has in this current run, but He-Man speaks the words we all know and love, and lightning rains down on the Fright Zone Shazam-style. It even puts Adora on her heels.
If Dreamwave's Transformers comics were the best reboot of that franchise, this run is that for He-Man. Its everything I want from this property as an adult, still tied to the toy and cartoon franchise I loved as a child.
Second Place:
Aquaman #33
Lots of grossness in this issue. Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier set the bar high for making Chimera a pretty gross villain. He can change shape, back to his former human self, but its really fucking gross when it happens. And I like that. Parker and Pelletier aren't taking the soft easy road of storytelling.
Aquaman is a character that has a light rogues gallery. Pretty much Ocean Master and Black Manta. Parker and Pelletier are doing their best to add to the mythology with Chimera. A man-turned-monster made up of all kinds of sealife, with limited telepathy like Arthur. He has a really cool design, and given the right time, could really be a legitimate character.
I still get jeers when I say Aquaman is one of my favorite books, but it deserves to be at the top of the Pull List.
First Place:
Batman and Robin #33
Holy shit. Just when I think this book can't get any cooler, Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason up the ante and take it there. This is my favorite kind of issue – lots of discussion between the Justice League members.
Batman wants to fly off the handle and go to Apokolips to get Damian's body back. The Justice League won't let him. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are the voices of reason with the rest of the League backing them up. Tomasi inherently knows how to write DC characters about as well, if not better, than Geoff Johns. He should really get credit with the big guns at DC when their best writers get mentioned.
Patrick Gleason is at the top of his game. What stood out to me was his portrayal of Shazam. He's a rare character that actually has a face. Meaning he looks the same no matter who draws him. Even Batman and Superman's faces change from artist to artist, but no so much Billy Batson.
This is some of best storytelling happening in comics right now, let alone just DC.
Panel of the Week:
While I never fully approve of non-traditional Batman costumes, Patrick Gleason's depiction of Superman forging Batman's suit IN THE SUN is awesome.
-Gint
Saga #21
If the first eighteen issues were a wild, fun, Star Wars-style adventure through the galaxy (with boobies and sex and trouser snakes), this new arc is all about the saddest moments of The Empire Strikes Back (with drug use, and real world adult problems that don't have an easy fix).
For real. These last three issues have been sad. Since Hazel's narration in issue #19 of "this is the story of how my parents split up" (paraphrasing) its just been a sad march watching Alana and Marko drift farther apart. You get to see what they're up against and neither is the bad guy. But its situations we've all been through. Sad and unavoidable.
Fiona Staples art is just as amazing as ever. One of her biggest strength's is faces and facial expressions. She's amazing at drawing pretty girls. Each girl you're supposed to be attracted to, you are. Brian K. Vaughan throws everything and the kitchen sink at her and she draws it expertly.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #15
Talk about underrated titles. Dan Abnett and Pop Mhan found a way to get past the rough exterior of my heart this month. They managed to invoke real emotion through a He-Man comic.
He-Man, Adora and Battle Cat enter one of Hordak's Fright Zones on Eternia. They're supposed to slip in, steal a boat, and get out. But when He-Man sees tons of Eternian people and creatures captured, waiting for death, he brings down the lightning. Literally. I don't know if this is a new power he has in this current run, but He-Man speaks the words we all know and love, and lightning rains down on the Fright Zone Shazam-style. It even puts Adora on her heels.
If Dreamwave's Transformers comics were the best reboot of that franchise, this run is that for He-Man. Its everything I want from this property as an adult, still tied to the toy and cartoon franchise I loved as a child.
Aquaman #33
Lots of grossness in this issue. Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier set the bar high for making Chimera a pretty gross villain. He can change shape, back to his former human self, but its really fucking gross when it happens. And I like that. Parker and Pelletier aren't taking the soft easy road of storytelling.
Aquaman is a character that has a light rogues gallery. Pretty much Ocean Master and Black Manta. Parker and Pelletier are doing their best to add to the mythology with Chimera. A man-turned-monster made up of all kinds of sealife, with limited telepathy like Arthur. He has a really cool design, and given the right time, could really be a legitimate character.
I still get jeers when I say Aquaman is one of my favorite books, but it deserves to be at the top of the Pull List.
Batman and Robin #33
Holy shit. Just when I think this book can't get any cooler, Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason up the ante and take it there. This is my favorite kind of issue – lots of discussion between the Justice League members.
Batman wants to fly off the handle and go to Apokolips to get Damian's body back. The Justice League won't let him. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are the voices of reason with the rest of the League backing them up. Tomasi inherently knows how to write DC characters about as well, if not better, than Geoff Johns. He should really get credit with the big guns at DC when their best writers get mentioned.
Patrick Gleason is at the top of his game. What stood out to me was his portrayal of Shazam. He's a rare character that actually has a face. Meaning he looks the same no matter who draws him. Even Batman and Superman's faces change from artist to artist, but no so much Billy Batson.
This is some of best storytelling happening in comics right now, let alone just DC.
Panel of the Week:
While I never fully approve of non-traditional Batman costumes, Patrick Gleason's depiction of Superman forging Batman's suit IN THE SUN is awesome.
-Gint
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