Gint's 8-12-15 Pull-List Review

With Steel City Comicon last weekend, that resulted in no reviews. My deepest apologies. So here's a quick breakdown of last week's books:

Darth Vader #8 was the usual great art from Salvador Larroca. The story sees Vader and Aphra double cross some bounty hunters all for some grand scheme of Vader's that has yet to be revealed. The book's going exactly where it needs to, and that's staying away from conflicting with the Original Trilogy.

And Nailbiter #15 sees things take a turn for the worse... in the story! The book is great. The horned badguy beats up Warren and takes him captive, electrocuted by the guy he's working for. Oh, Carroll wakes up at the end too. Shit's goin' down.

And now for this week:

Third Place:

Descender #6

This book was rockin' and rollin' through the first four issues, but the last two seem to have slowed way down. While Quon is being tortured he tells the story of how he stole the tech to make the Tim-21 series of robots along with all the other robotics he became known for. It also opens plenty of doors as to why the Harvesters may have shown up in the first place.

Its a key issue that the book really hinges on. The whole story takes a turn when you realize Quon has been using something he doesn't completely understand. But that doesn't mean the issue is all that engaging.

A run of comics is naturally going to have an ebb and flow to it, so we seem to be in the quiet before the storm here.

Second Place:

Secret Wars #5

Much of the reason Secret Wars has been so enjoyable is because its been very understandable. You know all the characters, what they can do, and what they have done. Until issue #5 here. Along with Dr. Strange and Dr. Doom, some guy named Owen Reece helped them build the current Doom-run universe they're in. Now Doom keeps him prisoner... I think. The whole issue was spent hoping for a bigger explanation of who this guy is. It never really comes.

The more interesting b-story is Doom sending Valeria and The Foundation to track down Reed Richards and co. Valeria, a genius in her own right, starts asking some probing questions. Slowly, things are unraveling around Doom. In a way, you feel bad for him, because he can certainly see the end coming, but can't do much about it.

Also, Beyonder shout out this issue. I didn't realize I was wondering if they'd show up until they did. This is still a super cool book. Damn you, Marvel.

First Place:

Lando #2

I wasn't expecting too much from this book. Two issues in and it might be the best of what Marvel has produced under the Star Wars license so far. I've read how much Jason Aaron has a knack for writing Han, Luke and Leia and making them sound so much like themselves. Eh... I don't think he nails it that much. Charles Soule though GETS Lando. He gets Billy Dee Williams performance. Its only enhanced by Alex Maleev's dead on caricature of the actor.

And I've never been a Maleev fan. His work is so dark and scratchy, but he's really tightened up the ship for Lando. Everything is super solid, and his Billy Dee looks more like Billy Dee than Billy Dee.

Lando is the fun heist story that an in between movies book should be. No fights with Vader. No run ins with Boba Fett on Tattooine. Just a fun story about Lando accidentally stealing something he shouldn't have from the Emperor. And Soule is nailing it.

Panel of the Week:
Alex Maleev and Charles Soule are bringing that soul... knaamean?

-Gint