Gint's 8-28-14 Pull-List Review

A rare occasion is when I burn through seven new comics in one night, which is what I did last Wednesday when I bought these. There's a very even gradation from boring to fucking awesome.

Seventh Place:

Superman #34

Aside from the kinda cool design of The Machinist, this arc's villain, there just wasn't a whole lot interesting about this issue. So far Geoff Johns and John Romita, Jr. have turned in one cool read between two duds.

Firstly, I can't get past Ulysses stupidly long hair. Its down to his fucking knees. I can't take this guy seriously. Add to that the fact that he was raised in the Fourth Dimension by... I don't know, ink people(?) and his whole story is just fucking strange. I know its comics, and things are supposed to be fantastical, but I draw the line here.

This is the second Superman book created by two current superstars that is failing to do anything but rob me of $3.99 every month. The first was Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's underwhelming Superman Unchained. Hey, Geoff Johns, can you please write a story about SUPERMAN? Because this book should just be called "Ulysses (guest starring Superman)."

Sixth Place:

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #16

There are good talky issues, and boring talky issues. This is a boring one. Things definitely happen in this issue, but it feels like it takes a long time to get there. And when you do, you're like, "meh."

He-Man and Adora make it to Anwat-Gar (the forbidden island Skeletor's blue-skinned brethren are from) and then everything goes to hell. He-Man is duped by the same trick that got King Greyskull killed; Adora is taken over by some spirit ready to slit He-Man's thoat; and Tri-Klops is behind some of it ready to reap the bounty on He-Man. Sounds like that should have been an exciting issue, right?

For as much fun as this ride has been, and as much as I trust Dan Abnett and Pop Mhan, I suppose every issue can't be out-of-control amazing. This issue is an example that sometimes an issue isn't going to click the way you think.

Fifth Place:
Futures End #17

This issue made me feel stupid. Because I feel like I have no idea what's going on in two of the stories. The new Superman is Billy Batson. Got it, check. But the rest of the issue? Question marks.

On Cadmus Island, where the Earth 2 heroes are being held prisoner, Mister Miracle has broken free and is... I think shape-shifting in to an OMAC? Or controlling the OMACs? And I think at the end he frees all the Earth 2 heroes... I think. And then there's Constantine with the two new characters Tommy and Midge. I'm pretty sure they're searching for a robot that's wiping out all life in African villages... and also looking for Kal-El? Maybe? Because I guess we see a bearded Kal come up out of the desert ground in spouts of water. Maybe?

Writers Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jeff Lemire, I'm sure know what they're doing. And we'll get answers before too long. But for the moment, these two storylines in particular haven't given us enough clues to really be able to start piecing them together.

Fourth Place:
Aquaman #34

This issue was "Guest Pencilled" by Carlos Rodriguez. I posit that we only use the term "Guest Pencilled" when its by someone of a greater caliber than the regular penciller. Like, if Doug Mahnke stepped on an issue, or J. Scott Campbell. But when you take a step back, the guest is being forced on us, and not really a guest at all.

Aquaman has been fighting Chimera for a few issues now. And Jeff Parker really lays out this issue as an entire fight between the two characters. Parker ALMOST creates Chimera to be TOO powerful. Aquaman really gets his ass kicked. But for as much space is dedicated to this fight, this issue still felt like, "well we better get this wrapped up before next month's Futures End tie-ins..."

All that said, Parker and regular artist Paul Pelletier have done a great job making this one of my favorite books to read every month. Looking forward to them picking things back up in October.

Third Place:
Saga #22

Saga used to be a really fun book to read. You loved the adventure, the wild and crazy aliens, and you loved the main characters. Now Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have taken it upon themselves to start the slow burn of watching how a real, adult relationship falls apart. The fact that they're doing it in space makes it no less sad.

The first couple arcs have been pretty dark. Lots of gruesome shit. But the overall tone of this current arc manages to be even darker. Its really the Empire Strikes Back of Saga. No one is winning when this is over. Everyone loses.

That however has not made this book any less enjoyable. I think it says quite the opposite about the world and characters Vaughan and Staples created that leaves me in a total funk after I read these latest issues.

Second Place:
Guardians of the Galaxy #18

What's this? Guardians back on the Pull-List?! Temporarily, yes. Brian Michael Bendis drove me away, but its Richard Ryder that brought me back. At least until they're done telling the story of what happened to him in the Cancerverse.

Years ago, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning wrote the DEFINITIVE run on Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. At the end, they essentially killed off Star-Lord and Richard Ryder (Nova) by trapping them in the Cancerverse, until Bendis brought back Star-Lord for his own run. They're finally getting around to telling the story of how Star-Lord got out, but not Nova.

And godamnit if this wasn't a really strong issue. I think that's partly because it features characters and costumes from the previous, beloved run. The phenomenal art of Ed McGuinness doesn't hurt either. The biggest issue is Bendis' voice still bleeds through. For all the great things he's written, I don't think Guardians or Marvel Cosmic is his strong suit. Especially since he doesn't have the knack for differentiating the subtle personality traits between Star-Lord and Nova. Abnett and Lanning did it with ease.

Bendis and McGuinness will stretch this story into at least two issues. That's a-okay with me because this one was a great blast from the no-so-past. Seeing Richard Ryder in action again almost made me teary.

First Place:
Sinestro #5

Cullen Bunn has a robust bibliography on Wikipedia. His name sounded familiar, but with limited DC jobs until now, I hadn't known his work. He's making me such a fan on this Sinestro run that I'm ready to look up more work of his.

Bunn is under pressure this issue as its Sinestro's first interaction with Hal Jordan since Geoff Johns defined those characters and their relationship on his own 9-year run. Bunn handles both characters like you'd expect. He walks the fine line of frenemies expertly. You get the sense of their past history and the weight these guys carry with each other.

Since this is Sinestro's book, he eventually mops the floor with Hal at the end. Sinestro has learned to control the Parallax entity and carry it inside himself. That's damn awe-inspiring and terrifying. If Sinestro was the only GL book on the stands right now, that would be okay with me.

Panel of the Week:

Now, I know Carlos Rodriguez was trying to make Aquaman look furious in this panel, but it struck me as so funny it had to be the Panel of the Week.

-Gint

Lets Try Something Different

My New Years resolution has been to be less stubborn. While there are those that would debate me on how well I am sticking to this, I think I’m doing a fantastic job. I’ve been trying new foods, listening to strange new music and reading different types of literature. The biggest step in my journey to a more open mind was watching a program I have long written off: Doctor Who. 

It’s difficult to watch something with as much nerd hype surrounding it as Doctor Who. A couple of episodes into Christopher Eccleston’s first season and I can honestly say it’s not that bad. The show always seemed to contain some elements that I would enjoy like time travel and aliens. I'm actually kind of excited to see what all the dorky fuss is about.

I’m still of the opinion that no self respecting hero defends himself with something as dumb as a sonic screwdriver. Come on son, get a lightsaber! -Soss

McSoss Podcast Episode 70: Tension

We continue the movie talk from last week as we discuss our favorite and least favorite DC movies. 

McSoss.com

Itunes.com

Stitcher.com

McSoss Instagram

McSoss Facebook Fan Page

50 Shades of Soul

Last summer was my best summer for tanning. I daresay I was bordering on bronze. I spent an inordinate amount of time in oceans and pools and baking in the sun. So much so that Soss and I were one Pantone shade away from being for real twinsies. And then the fall came and took it all away.

Sometimes we're not meant to reach the apex, but just glimpse it, and understand... what might have been.

-Gint

Gint's 8-20-14 Pull-List Review

Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason continue to hold court with Batman and Robin – a seriously tough book to beat.

Third Place:

Nova #20

Gerry Duggan and David Baldeon conclude the team-up between Sam Alexander and Rocket Raccoon. They handily defeat evil former Nova Adomox with a little help from Cosmo. It was awesome seeing Cosmo in the book after his cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy.

We're getting closer and closer to Sam finally bailing out his dad. This through-line has been weaving in and out of different crossovers since issue #1. Jesse Alexander is being kept on Chitauri Prime, a sort-of gladatorial world. Jesse is in deep shit.

I suppose these two issues, and the alleged dirty dealings Jesse Alexander did are what demanded the Original Sin trade dress on the cover. I see through your ruse, Marvel. This was a blatant cash grab. And yes, before Soss scolds me for taking the mickey out of Marvel, DC's September Futures End issues are ALSO a blatant cash grab.

Second Place:

Futures End #16

So, the newest member of the Justice League five years down the road is a former soldier called Stormguard. He wears the American flag and looks kind of corny, but after an official introduction to him he could be pretty cool. His haircut sucks though.

What's most interesting this issue is that we see who the big bad really is. And its Brainiac. Looks like Mr. Terrific really fucks up by using some tech he doesn't understand, which uses him at the same time to take over the Earth. Making Brainiac a world-level threat instead of just a Superman-level threat is a pretty neat concept.

Next month each DC comic jumps into a "Futures End" story, telling an Elseworlds-type tale of where each book "could be" five years into the future. There's a really good chance I will be getting very few of these books.

First Place:

Batman and Robin #34

Bruce is going to Apokolips alone to bring back Damian alive. He makes amends with Tim, Barbara, Jason and Dick before going off on what he calls a suicide mission. The bulk of the book is Bruce talking to the team in the Batcave. What makes Pete Tomasi's books great is how naturally he writes all of his characters. An issue of characters doing nothing but talking is okay with me if Tomasi is writing it.

That's not to dilute the effectiveness of Pat Gleason's pencils or Carlos Mangual's letters. Their flow of storytelling guides you flawlessly through Tomasi's words. And it doesn't hurt that Gleason draws a frightening, hung parademon corpse.

Lastly, Bruce gets a final bit of help from the newest member of the Justice League, Lex Luthor. I thought it was going to be silly having Lex in the JL, but its been quite brilliant. The back and forth between Lex and Bruce is just as amazing in Tomasi's hands as Geoff Johns'.

Panel of the Week:

A sample of Pete Tomasi's work that gave me chills this week.

-Gint

The Endor Chainsaw Massacre

The Ewoks get slammed for being the Jar Jar-like blemish on the otherwise perfect Original Star Wars Trilogy. And maybe if I was older when I first saw Return of the Jedi I'd have been like, "WTF?!" BUT, since I was at least no older than 7 when I first saw it, the Ewoks made perfect sense. That age also folds them into the land of sentimentality, which allows amnesty for poor ideas.

Though, if you're a Star Wars fan, you're left to rationalize away a lot of missteps on the part of the creator. What allows the Ewoks to exist in the Star Wars Universe is the fact that they were going to have a party around EATING PEOPLE (and a Wookie). For all their cuteness and child-marketing potential, when we first meet them, they're licking their chops at the prospect of devouring Han, Luke and Chewbacca over an open spit. So 1. they'll get burned alive and 2. their corpses will be eaten by the adorable creatures.

The fact that there's a deeper, much darker mythology involving the Ewoks makes them okay in my book. Its not so different than the idea in a horror movie of the cute, cuddly doll becoming murderous after sundown. I like to think all of that happens JUST off camera of what we see in Jedi. Like the missing scene where Han turns around a corner of the control bunker and sees two Ewoks cracking open the shell of a Biker Scout to get to his intestines.

-Gint

McSoss Podcast Episode 69: James Franco Is A Drug Dealer

This week we are joined by our buddy Wayne Wilson as we discuss our favorite and least favorite Marvel movies.

McSoss.com

Itunes.com

Stitcher.com

McSoss Instagram

McSoss Facebook Fan Page

I’ve never gotten around to watching Sucker Punch. From what Paul tells me he actually thought it was a cool film.

I have faith that it may be an entertaining flick. While I didn’t LOVE Man of Steel Zack Sndyer typical produces satisfying movies. Maybe an iTunes rental of Sucker Punch is something I’ll have to invest in. -Soss

Gint's 8-13-14 Pull-List Review

At the 11th hour of posting last week's reviews, the file got deleted. All of it. So I apologize for not posting last Monday. But the comic world doesn't stop and we're on to a whole new week of books.

Sixth Place:

Star Wars #20

The final issue of the series. The license moves to Marvel for 2015 and beyond, so Dark Horse, who has been a steward of the brand for so long is S-O-L. I haven't read a lot of Dark Horse's Star Wars series, but this one has left me thinking the move to Marvel will be a nice shot in the arm for the brand in the comics medium.

Brian Wood wraps up the series with Carlos D'Anda, telling a story of Han, Luke and Leia rescuing an undercover Rebel operative. See, I think THIS should have been the story the whole time. It only spans 2 issues, but it feels more like the Star Wars universe than the majority of Wood's run has.

The run had its ups and down, but was mostly entertaining. Still, I won't be upset spending this $2.99 elsewhere.

Fifth Place:

X-Men #18

Well folks, that'll do it for the X-Men X-periment (see what I did there). I sat though some really good stuff from Brian Wood on his run, and a few not so good things, and was prepared for Marc Guggenheim to really deliver a good book. I've read some great comics by Guggenheim in the past, and he's an Executive Producer on Arrow, so how could this go wrong?

Well, you put the X-Men in space... that's how this could go wrong. The X-Men work best at home. Dealing with personal and societal issues and locking things down on the homefront. Once you take what makes the X-Men work and dump it into their crazy space bullshit, you lose any desire I had to read about the charcacters.

Also, Guggenheim did his own best Bendis impression loading every character with snappy one-liners and zingers. Agent Brand being the worst offender of all. If that's what her character is always like, she needs a reboot. It was a nice little run, but daddy's done.  

Fourth Place:

Justice League United #4

Man, I really wanted to love this book. I was prepared to have a new favorite comic. Maybe my expectations were working against it, because this book hasn't been much more than average.

I love the cast. Animal Man, Green Arrow, Supergirl, Stargirl, Martian Manhunter. Plus Adam Strange and Hawkman... but something just hasn't clicked through this first arc. For one reason or another the stakes don't seem very high. There's also too many heroes. Pair it down to maybe four, plus the newly created Equinox and give the team a less insane plot ad maybe there's hope. There's just been a lot going on in this first arc. Lemire had a lot of balls in the air and didn't quite catch any of them. Disappointing since he's one of my favorite writers.

And since this first arc was so-so, its put this book on the bubble. I've been buying a lot of books lately and its time to cull the herd. Justice League United may be the first to go.

Third Place:
Coffin Hill #10

Alright, Coffin Hill, time to step it back up and pull me back in. The last couple issues have contained some important plot points, and move the story along, but its also slowed down a little.

The first arc had a quick pace. It was also super creepy and it carried us along the story of Eve Coffin's youth intersecting with her present. This second story, Dark Endeavors, uses a similar flashback style moving from the present Eve in prison, to the past story of how she ended up there.

Inaki Miranda's artwork is still great and even excels in some of the creepier moments. There's a lot of plot points being setup right now, and hopefully a powerful payoff will follow.

Second Place:
Futures End #15

Technically, Scot Eaton's pencils aren't perfect. But when I finished this issue I was pleasantly surprised to realize there wasn't one panel that pulled me out of the book. You expect less from a weekly, and while we're not getting Alex Ross-quality every week, Eaton and the rest of the artists are drawing a really solid book with each issue.

This week we learn a little more about the Earth 2 heroes captured on Cadmus island. Rita (presumably Earth 2's Rita Farr) and Hawkwoman let us know Cadmus implanted them with monitoring devices that are apparently growing inside them. Gross. Constantine is after what looks like a malevolent robot. And its all but spelled out that the Superman of five years later, is Shazam in a Superman costume with a mask.

The tight writing team of Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jeff Lemire have kept this story's pace slow and steady, and interesting with each issue.

First Place:

Green Lantern Corps #34

Van Jensen and Bernard Chang are making it very difficult to quit this book. I quit Red Lanterns and Green Lantern: New Guardians a long time ago. And last week Green Lantern finally bought the farm. But this team is the last reminder of why I have a Green Lantern tattoo. They just keep doing the right things with this book and with John Stewart.

John deals with the aftermath of finding out his girlfriend has been a shapeshifter for the last couple arcs. So he goes off in a rage to find the real Fatality, who has been imprisoned this whole time. When he does he learns that since it was never really her he was with, she doesn't love him. And in fact, still hates him for blowing up her planet. Its honestly a pretty heartbreaking issue.

The Green Lantern books get caught up in a war with the New Gods next, so I'm fucking NOT buying those. But maybe once the dust clears, I'll come back to this title. Its the only title (besides Cullen Bunn's Sinestro) that's been treating this mythology with the care it deserves.

Page of the Week:

This week's Green Lantern Corps was a great story and looked amazing. A lot of that is thanks to colorist Marcelo Maiolo who really brought his A-game.

-Gint

Number One Fan

In an earlier episode, this week's guest, Darcy, talked about her love for writer Neil Gaiman. I’m certain her interaction with him was nowhere near as awkward as some of the other brushes with fame the McSoss crew has been involved in. –Soss

Soss' Suggestions 08-14-14

Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #1

Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver collaborate on this DC Digital First starring everyone’s favorite Amazon. I love both of these creators and was excited for a new and fresh take on Princess Diana. What I got was a weird Elseworlds-style story. 

Batman and Robin have been defeated by Gotham’s rogues, leaving the city in a state of peril. The Oracle has a number of heroes she considers to call for aid before she settles on Wonder Woman. 

Wonder Woman swoops in and dispatches Batman’s most feared enemies with ease. She even comments on “not seeing what the big fuss is all about” as she blasts through the likes of Two-Face and Mr. Freeze. 

I was hoping to see a story that made Wonder Woman’s villains more compelling, not one that made the best rogues gallery in pop culture look like a fucking joke. This strange plot choice coupled with the hasty pencils will make me think twice before downloading another DC Digital First. -Soss 

Panel of the Week: Is there something sexual about "Would you like ice with that" that I'm missing?

      

McSoss Podcast Episode 68: James Tynion IV Likes Pizza

This week we are joined by our good friend Darcy as we discuss Star Wars: Rebels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and do a little Whatcha Been Readin’.

McSoss.com

Itunes.com

Stitcher.com

McSoss Instagram

McSoss Facebook Fan Page

The Miracle Elixer Sideshow

An Educated Perspective

For two movies neither Soss nor I have seen ONE SECOND of, man did we get a lot of miles out of this argument. Just when we think its over, someone brings it up and the vicious circle of argument starts again. For being such an inseparable duo, we remain miles apart on the subject of The Purge plot.

The Michael Bay-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premiered last week, and I thought FOR SURE I'd see it. I did not. And I am in no hurry to do so. Part of that has to do with all the bad press it's been getting. For some pretty solid trailers, and pulling in $94M worldwide, every headline I see slams it pretty good.

Strange to think the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is still the high water mark for the brand on the big screen. We'll always have the current Nickelodeon animated show - the DEFINITIVE take on the pizza-loving ninjas.

-Gint

Nitpickers of the Galaxy

If you listened to this week’s podcast you might get the impression that Matt, Paul and myself didn’t like Guardians of the Galaxy. Not the case… despite the forty-five minutes we spent complaining about it. So just to be clear, here are my notes that I made prior to the show. Seriously, I liked this movie! -Soss

- One of the most fun films in recent memory

- Loved the feel of the lived in universe

- You get the feeling that Peter Quill’s equipment doesn't always work

- Gamora was great straight woman (comedy-wise, not sexually)

- Loved the choice to make Drax so literal. Neutralized any questionable acting

- Totally bought both Rocket and Groot (if they do Justice League Dark I think they could
    make Swamp Thing work in a similar role)

- Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel did a great job

- Groot had some really touching moments. "We are Groot" was a nice emotional beat

- Quirky / loved how the soundtrack tied into the story

- Enjoyed the CG, visually stunning, vibrant film

- Reminded me of Indiana Jones (opening scene) and Star Wars (closing battle).
     Great choice by James Gunn.

- Genuinely funniest Marvel movie yet

- Loved Yondu! Arrow whistle and all 

McSoss Podcast Episode 67: Vin Diesel Is A Big Gay Nerd

This week Ian shares his experiences from San Diego Comic Con 2014 and we give our opinion's of Guardians of the Galaxy.

McSoss.com

Itunes.com

Stitcher.com

McSoss Instagram

McSoss Facebook Fan Page

Putting The Fun In Funshine

Sometimes you get a comic strip idea and it has no bearing (no pun intended) on anything going on in your life. I can't even remember the last time I saw Care Bears - but here it is. That particular Care Bear is called Funshine for those not in the know. See, you also learn things doing a twice-weekly comic when you're forced into research.

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy last weekend and dare I say I loved it. My chief fear was that it would feel more like Brian Michael Bendis' self-serving current version of the book, but instead, the characters were well developed and were truer to the Dan Abnett/Andy Lanning run on the title. Aside from the complete castration of the Nova Corps, it really surpassed all my expectations.

If you haven't seen it yet, or weren't planning on it, I recommend it. It was a huge, fun ride through the best parts of a space fantasy.

-Gint

Gint's 7-30-14 Pull-List Review

Sinestro was the big winner and Hawkeye was the big loser on this last week of July.

Seventh Place:
Hawkeye #19

I almost couldn't believe it when I saw this book in the Pull-List this week. Its been so long since we've seen an issue. And ultimately I think that hurt this one. Its been so long, that you spend most of the time reading this issue remembering all that's going on instead of just enjoying it.

Also, if you don't read sign language, its a tough puzzle to put together. Last issue Clint Barton lost his hearing. So this issue is spent mostly of his brother, and artist David Aja showing sign language hand motions through out the book. More often than not it just makes the story harder to follow. For as groundbreaking as this book has been in regards to its storytelling, this issue falls flat.

I heard a rumor writer Matt Fraction and Marvel have been at odds, and I don't expect too many more issues of this book before it wraps. With a tighter schedule, and traditional storytelling, this book could wrap up the way it started: excellent.

Sixth Place:
Aquaman Annual #2

There are few larger disappointments in comics than paying $5 for an annual and having it be a boring story. I'm not even sure why companies are still doing oversized annuals. I guess to get a couple more bucks a few times a year.

Jeff Parker and a handful of artists wrap up the story of the Giant-Born that started in Aquaman. I think this could have been a cool story to play out over the title, but here it all gets wrapped up in one annual.

What could have been some really nice moments between an Aquaman/Wonder Woman team-up in Part 1 and then a Mera/Wonder Woman team-up in Part 2 come off as rather pedestrian. Parker has been phenomenal on Aquaman but this annual felt like he just threw it together.

Fifth Place:
X-Men #17

So, for as threatening a bad guy as The Future was, he's wiped out in three quick panels, by vines of his own making... not even the X-Men? The huge throwdown for the life of baby Shogo and Jubilee never happens. No just retribution. If you wanted an anticlimactic finale to Brian Wood's time on the title, this is the book for you.

Paco Diaz and Phil Briones tag team the art, and neither stands out as being much more than adequate. The slow decline of artistic quality since the Dodson's launched the book was sorely felt. The general feel of this issue was "hey Brian, you've got a lot of balls in the air, lets wrap them all up in twenty pages."

A disappointing ending to what was ultimately a really entertaining run by Brian Wood and a host of artists.

Fourth Place:
Justice League #32

For all of Geoff Johns magic touch with revamping DC characters, he sucks at writing the Doom Patrol. If what he's going for is a team that you never want to see because they're so lame and unlikeable, then - bullseye. But if he wants you to give a shit about these characters - uber fail.

What saves this issue is the brief appearances of Lex Luthor, who Johns DOES have a knack for writing. He's also capable of telling a really good Justice League story around the shit sandwich that is his Doom Patrol.

 

I've read quite a bit of Doom Patrol in my comics-reading career. Keith Giffen's run from a few years ago was the best iteration of that team. It maintained the quirkiness of the characters but allowed them to interact so naturally with each other you couldn't help but like them. If we're going to keep seeing the New 52 Doom Patrol in this book, Johns should go back and read Giffen's run.

 

 Third Place:
Futures End #13

If its dialog you want, this is the place. Some issues of Futures End are a nice, quick weekly read. Others are a little more plodding. I understand with all the cooks in the kitchen putting this book together that organizing has got to be a logistical nightmare. Weeklies are their own beast and you're not going to get a homerun each at bat.

So what happened this week? The mystery of Fifty Sue continues as we learn she can be in two places at once to go along with her telepathy. Tim Drake beats up some bums to get a stolen necklace back. Big Barda gets captured by Deathstroke. And Terry McGinnis gets dropped by Plastique.

You'd think some G-list villains like the Key, Plastique and Coil would be the boring pages of this book. But teaming them up with Terry McGinnis has made them one of the most enjoyable reads. They're given a depth not usually given to villains of their pay grade. For the most part, the writers are taking some seldom-used or forgotten characters and breathing new life into them. 

Second Place:

The Wake #10

This is an example of when my tiny squirrel brain won't let me enjoy a larger message. What began as a small, claustrophobic horror story, The Wake eventually spilled out into a larger space and time-spanning tale about human evolution.

In this final issue, Leeward finally gets an explanation from Lee Archer about what's happened to the world in the last 200 years that the Mers have taken over. Honestly it doesn 't make a whole lot of sense to me. I could read this issue again and probably still be like, "huh?"

At the end of the day (and storyarc) I'd put issues 1-5 up against any comic out there. The back half though lost a lot of steam and my interest. My biggest take from this series is being introduced to Sean Murphy's artwork. He's made me such a fan that I'd consider picking up a new book based solely on his doing the art. Very good stuff.

An incredibly strong start, and a mediocre finish is what I will take from The Wake.

First Place:

Sinestro #4

Writer Cullen Bunn, with artists Dale Eaglesham and Rags Morales have been at this Sinestro business for 4 issues now. This was the issue that Bunn convinced me he should be part of Team Green Lantern with Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi. The current Green Lantern books are hit or miss. Mostly misses. But Bunn really seems to understand the tone and character that makes this line of books really sing.

The Sinestro Corps is under assault from The Paling, an anti-emotion religious group scouring the cosmos of Lanterns of all kinds. They're super creepy and give Sinestro all he can handle. What really impresses me is the natural way Sinestro Corps member Dez Trevius and Rigen Kale fit into this universe. They may as well me initial creations of Ethan VanSciver. Unlike some recent characters created in other GL books.

Sinestro's river runs deep. There's a lot of facets to his character to mine. So far its been about Sinestro and not about what he's up against. This book is going in all the right directions.

Page of the Week:

A sample of David Aja's ASL work on this month's Hawkeye.

-Gint