Gint's 11-11-15 Pull-List Review

I'm the big DC Comics guy in the McSoss Machine, but if you look at the Pull-List's lately, I may be pushing Ian for chief Marvel Zombie.

Fourth Place:

Chewbacca #3

I'd really like to say a lot about this book, but it doesn't offer much to boast or hate about. Its your basic comic book. Take the movie Deep Blue Sea for example – ultimately its a bad movie, bit its infinitely entertaining. Chewbacca here doesn't have that kind of dichotomy of something being overly great or bad.

I suppose Marvel's Star Wars run is going to have its ups and downs. The bulk of the books have been fantastic (Lando) but some (Princess Leia) have been ultimately forgettable. Its looking more and more like Chewbacca will fall into the forgettable category.

We're halfway through and nothing of note has happened yet. Surprising coming from two creators I love (Gerry Duggan and Phil Noto). Maybe the second half has something more exciting to offer than the first.

Third Place:

Darth Vader #12

Alright, Kieron Gillen, its time to shake this book up a little. We're coming up on the Vader Down crossover, and this may be the perfect time for it. For twelve issues now we've had a really solid book, but nothing has been mind blowingly great. Its been running at the same tone consistently, but its time to shift gears.

Darth Vader reminds me of Brian Azzarello's New 52 Wonder Woman run in that it was really good, but never felt like it was getting anywhere. Like a good Hans Zimmer score, its all build and no finish. If everything that's been setup so far dovetails in Vader Down, I'll be happy.

Lets make it happen, team! I'm not ready to drop this book yet, but I don't want to get near the point where I have to think about it.

Second Place:

Descender #7

It shocks me that I spell Descender correctly every time. Honest.

There was a bit of a break between issue #6 and #7, and it had me second guessing Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. Was this book as good as I first thought? Shouldn't I be more excited about this issue? And I guess that's where my concern comes in: I'm not super excited about reading this book, but I'd like to be.

Between the intricate story and world building and Nguyen's incredible watercolors, its been a pretty fantastic story. But something is missing that's keeping me from holding this in higher regard. Well, Lemire and Nguyen may have hit on it this issue introducing a mysterious robot bounty hunter who turns out to be exactly who you think. Its a simple twist, but it hooked me right back in.

If you liked the first arc, I recommend sticking around for the second where things look like they may be really kicking into gear.

First Place:

Secret Wars #7

Dominic and I had a funny talk at the comic shop Wednesday about just when Marvel decided Secret Wars should go more than the original eight issues. Its this issue right here. I thought the #7 of 9 on the cover looked odd. That's because it used to be 8. But if that's what Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic need to really wrap this thing up properly, let them have it.

Secret Wars has been a lot of fun. Confusing at times for this non-Marvel diehard, but fun and entertaining. Hickman gets some shit for being too convoluted, but a lot of what's great about this book IS its convolution. Hickman plays it perfectly too. The setup puts everything in an understandable order, so when you get to the pure ass-kickery in this issue, you can just enjoy it.

Hickman and Ribic are taking Marvel's mandate to fold their universes together and making it entertaining, not just a reason to have Miles Morales in the same universe as Peter Parker. Well done, gents.

Panel of the Week:

Maybe its the Han Solo on Hoth similarity, but this simple panel really stood out.

-Gint