Last Week's Comics Today - 04/25/2017

This isn't everything I bought, nor is it even everything I read, but it is everything I was able to write about within my own self-imposed time limit.

Pick of the Week

Super Sons #3 - I love these kids.  The series is only on issue three.  If you like the current Superman title, give this a try.  And Superman, by the way, is great, if you weren't already aware.

Superman #21 - Weird things are happening in this small town and I'm very intrigued.  Batman is missing (after investigating said weirdness last issue) and --his son-- Garth teams with Superman and Jon to find him.  And that's when the giant alien squid-thing attacks a fair.  Things get surprisingly heavy for a moment and I'm left wondering how no one realizes Jon is superboy.  Clark/Superman in a city is mildly believable.  Jon/Superboy in a tiny town is really not.

Honorable Mention

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 - If you like Aliens, you should get this book.  Stokoe is a perfect fit for the technological and organic details of Giger's now classic designs.  I'm going to stop writing now so you finish reading this sooner and can go buy the book.  On sale Wednesday!  P.S. The writing is great too.

Cave Carson #7 - I didn't know Oeming drawing Superman was something I wanted.  All the violence, swearing, and trippy visuals of the previous six issues, only now with Superman.

Descender #21 - Another character gets thrown out of a hatch!  I can't be sure if they're dead or not.  It looks like it, but I expect confirmation one way or the other next issue... which starts Rise of the Robots!  I don't know what that entails (I've got a decent idea), but I expect great things as every issue is fantastic.  This series continues to be highly recommended.

God Country #4 - When this concludes with issue six, I may demand another series.  I'll wait to see how everything shakes out, but it seems like there's enough material to keep going.  Anyway, a man walks into hell to save his granddaughter and is confronted by something he wants even more.  From there, it's all consequences of one's actions.

Moon Knight #13 - Moon Knight's long, strange journey is almost over.  It's been a brilliant series and I'll miss it once it's over.  No, I will not mention anything that happens this issue.

Sex Criminals #18 - Some real heavy, deep discussions this issue, and it's all brilliant.  Then the book ends with a dick in the ear.  There's also a page with 64 panels on it, which is a sight to behold.

Shaolin Cowboy #1 - I saw at C2E2 over the weekend and had the pleasure of explaining to a friend the chainsaw bo staff used in an earlier series as we stood at Geoff Darrow's table.  The skull, the sword, the shark, the whole bit.  That issue happens to be my first exposure to Shaolin Cowboy, before I went back to get the previous issues.  I will now read any new material for as long as Darrow produces it.  No, I once again will not discuss what happens this issue.

Everything Else

Batwoman #2 - Boatloads of backstory and a good half dozen characters are introduced.  It's good, and interesting, and I get the feeling some of these characters will be in it for the medium- to long-haul while a few are all but certain to die before the end of the arc.

'Namwolf #1 - A werewolf taking part in the Vietnam war.  That either sets your curiosity on fire, or I don't think we can be friends.  Get it.  It goes on sale tomorrow.

Trinity #8 - I expected this to continue the Dark Trinity (not the one currently in Red Hood & The Outlaws) story that started last issue.  Instead we get an entire issue of Batman, Wonder Woman, and superman talking about Superman Reborn, --Dr-- Mr. Oz, and what it all means.  It's an easily skippable book.

Wild Storm #3 - I had to read the first few pages a couple times to get what was going on.  I wasn't paying close enough attention the first time through, went back, thought I knew what was going on, and then read it again just to be sure.  Anyway, after that bit of character introduction, a pretty awesome firefight breaks out just after Grifter's team meet Angela.  Granted, it's been a long time since I've read anything with Grifter in it, but he seems more awesome more than I ever remember him being.  Maybe that's Ellis' doing.  I like it.

World Reader #1 - The "story" is more of an introduction to the premise - aliens existed in the universe, but every planet we find with evidence of life is now dead.  However, the art is beautiful, there's nice character development, and the final pages interesting enough to get me to come back.  I'll see where this goes.

Last Week's Comics Today - 04/03/2017

I must have used up all my words last week as this week I'm back to my usual brevity.

Pick of the Week

Dark Knight III #8 - Damn, Wonder Woman was the shit.  Batman and Superman show up for a few pages, but this was Wonder Woman's show, and she owned it.  I still don't understand Lara, though.  Maybe her motivation will make sense next issue when this wraps up?

Honorable Mention

Aliens Defiance #10 - I saw a headline or ad this week saying the upcoming Aliens: Dead Orbit is the best thing to happen to Aliens in years.  I have no doubt it will be excellent but also feel that statement overlooks the fantastic work Brian Wood and a handful of artists have been doing for the last 10 issues.

Everything Else

Black Widow #12 - S.H.I.E.L.D. continues to be terrible at everything.  Seriously, how do they still exist?  Compassion trumps vengeance and two lines from Maria along with Tony's money sweep any lingering plot threads under the rug.

BPRD Hell On Earth v15 - I'm not ready for this to be over.  The end was suitably apocalyptic, but I was hoping for more closure.  This is all I find I'm able to say about it as I may be in denial about it being over.

Moonshine #6 - There's a whole lot of death this issue. I'm hoping someone still knows how to make the titular Moonshine, otherwise all this death is just over pride.  This issue marks the end of "Book 1", per the final page, so I'll eagerly be awaiting more as this is always one of the first I read each week it comes out.

The Sixth Gun v. 1 - I avoided this book for a long time because I had my own supernatural western comic I was working on.  Even when it became clear that comic wasn't going to happen, I still kept away.  Now, the series is complete and the team is working on their old series - which I quite enjoyed - The Damned.  This served as a reminder to me that I should finally give this series a try.

I like it and have since bought four more of the nine volume series.  Briefly, there's a set of guns, each imbued with a special power.  There's a gang in control of five of these guns, looking for the sixth, and a loosely held together group in opposition to them acquiring it.

The story moved far more quietly than I expected, and I found this quite satisfying.  Just reading it made me feel like I'd learned something about storytelling from it.

Transformers Lost Light #4 - Whirl and Cyclonus are brilliant together (as always).  Megatron is having a case of deja vu, hoping things will turn out differently this time.  Rodimus doesn't seem to care about what's going on, which seems off, but lets his true feelings known while getting into an argument with Megatron which should make for great drama down the line.  There's also a few pages with Anode and Lugnut, but I couldn't care less about them.

Transformers Till All Are One #8 - I'm lost.  There's a titan, but it's not the titan it's supposed to be.  And someone's locked up with a connection to the titan that's not supposed to be but gets out.  And necrotitans are killed, but it's not clear how many are still a threat.  And someone died (highly doubtful).  I miss the Cybertronian politics.  This extended action-sequence-with-a-twist has failed to impress.

Unfollow #17 - The cover says '40' but that's nowhere near true by the end.  The sprint to the finish continues as a whole lot more people die and Ferrell's plan is finally explained.  Those two sentences read as somewhat dismissive, but it's quite good.

Last Week's Comics Today - 01/30/2017

The Justice League / Suicide Squad ramble below could have gone much longer.

Pick of the Week

Saga #42 - This issue ends with several all-black pages.  I don't know if those are really to hammer home what just happened or to allow your brain a slight mental break before returning to the real world after what just happened.  At one point I said, "They killed [redacted]!" and then tried to explain to her both that scene and the final scene.  She was more concerned with The Stalk.  Maybe someday she'll read it and understand.  Then we can share in the goodness and sadness.  Damn this book for being so good.

Honorable Mention

Aliens Defiance #9 - I'm not sure if it's surprising or expected, but things continue to get worse for the small crew of this beleaguered ship.  When faced with very likely dying very soon vs maybe dying sometime later, they choose the latter and let loose the alien queen they've had on ice.  So now they'll have to deal with that and it won't be nearly as "easy" as it was the first time.  Once again, an amazing read.

Briggs Land #6 - This tends to be near the bottom of my weekly read pile -- not as any sort of indication of quality, as it's outstanding work, just that I need to be prepared to read it.  I'm not sure if that's been the case the entire time, but definitely since the Nazi uniforms issue.  Anyway, multiple plans are hatched or set in motion here setting the stage both short- and long-term.  This is a book that's incredibly well executed.  I'm looking forward to the forthcoming TV series so the comic can hopefully reach a wider audience.

Ether #3 - There's a hand drawn map in here that reminded me of Weirdworld.  There's enough similarities between the titles that for anyone that enjoyed the Secret Wars title, I recommend picking this up.  While that heavier on action, this is a murder mystery with a gut-punch of humanity at the beginning or end of each issue.

Frostbite #5 - The cliffhangers in this series are great by themselves, but even better is how the characters get out of them in the next issue.  It's really well done.  If last issue weren't enough, Vic shows she's nowhere near helpless.  The cast should arrive at Alcatraz next issue and what happens there will be anyone's guess but it should definitely be interesting and make for a fun read.

Everything Else

Abe Sapien v8 - The end of the series snuck up on me.  I mean, I probably read about it months ago whenever the solicits came out, but must have promptly forgotten about it.  It's been clear for a while that BPRD is building toward a finale and as much as I'd like to see it, I'm a little in denial about the whole thing.  We learn a lot in this volume about Abe's early years, about how he became Abe (even if you think you already know), and where he fits in the broader picture.  It's fantastic and makes me want to re-read the entire Mignola-verse to refresh my memory.  For anyone that read Hellboy but not BPRD or Abe, you're missing a significant chunk of the story.

Detective #949 - This two issue arc went well enough that I'm signing up for Batwoman Rebirth #1.  Kate's father is in a completely different place than when I last read, but I'm not sure I want to go back to read how all that went down.  It's good and I'm looking forward to reading more Batwoman.

Justice League Suicide Squad #6 - It's a better ending than these things usually get, and it's satisfactory in places, but my brain wouldn't stop reminding me of certain aspects.  Eclipso "unlocks the darkness within" ...which only manifests as violence, for some reason.  With all the talk of "secret desires" I kept thinking sex was being felt out, and I understand why, but there are other base instincts that could have been represented and the variety would have been nice.  The eclipse itself reminded me heavily of Forever Evil, especially given the cast similarities.  Finally, there's the large-scale destruction.  The Earth has faced a fair bit of global damage due to metahuman fighting in recent months, which reminded me of Hitch's opening Justice League arc and how - unbelievably - only one person died.  Surely more people died here, but I don't know if it will ever be addressed or even commented on in either title, especially given Hitch's detachment from this event.  All I'm saying is, it'd be nice to see some consequences.  There's constant fighting, constant destruction, but hardly any rebuilding or downtime.  For me, that's where the real fatigue of events and "widescreen" stems from.

I've gone off topic long enough.  I'm interested in Batman forming his own league and have no comment regarding the last page.

Reborn #4 - Millar gets Bonnie and her father out of the scrape from the end of last issue, then gets them into and out of two more before this issue wraps.  It's a wild ride and I love seeing Capullo draw all of the craziness.

Teen Titans #4 - I can't quite put my finger on what but something about this feels off.  It's a fine read, kinda typical monthly superhero stuff, which isn't really my usual bag.  There's just something about Damian here that makes me wish only Gleason and Tomasi would write him.  They get him in a way that makes this feel hollow.  Ra's too, if I really think about it.  Hopefully I can enjoy the book more when the entire arc isn't focused on him.  Otherwise, I'll probably drop this in a few months.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66 - Raph and Angel search for Alopex in Alaska.  It wasn't until that sentence I realized how many female character names start with "A."  It's a good read that moves Alopex forward in a significant way, even if it does seem implausible to borrow a helicopter in New York to fly to Alaska.  I'll just let that one slide.  Sophie Campbell is back and does an outstanding job illustrating everything.

Thief Of Thieves v06 - Honestly, this seemed a bit rushed.  The job within the comic, not the comic itself.  There was a lot of setup, virtually no planning, and then suddenly the plan was getting executed.  I feel like this title has historically taken more time to flesh those events out, with at least one storyline going on the side.  There was no story going on other than the job itself.  Still good, still highly enjoyable, but a minor mis-step I think.  Oh, and an ending that ensures I'll be back for more.

Last Week's (ish) Comics Today - 01/09/2017

Note: Most of the rest of the last three week's worth of books are below.  There's still two or three stragglers that will make it into next week's post.

I complain about Black Widow and the interconnectedness of Marvel's comics below, then give high praise to two nearly stand-alone Marvel books.  So it's maybe not as line-wide as I indicated, but this week also saw that pic of a few panels of Nova complaining about recent Marvel developments that leads me to think that, yes, it really is that bad and I'm just reading the exceptions.

Pick of the Week

Unworthy Thor #3 - This series is kicking ass.  Loads of unexpected characters show up, and oh my god, text boxes explaining references to past events.  TAKE NOTE, BLACK WIDOW, THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE.  Really looking forward to next issue and the eventual conclusion.

Honorable Mention
Exodus Life After #10 - I can't be sure it's intentional, but there's a tiny smiley face on the space potato god early on in the issue that brings me joy just thinking about it.  Oh, and this is the final issue.  Honestly, I'm surprised it lasted this long as it's unlike anything else on the shelves, is trying to convey a message, and has a space potato for god.  It's brilliant.  I love it.  I'll miss it.  And you should absolutely try it if you haven't already.  The only reason this isn't getting Pick of the Week is because it came out weeks ago.

Ether #2 - It's hard to talk about anything that happens in this book.  There's a lot of otherwordly fantasy going on which you wouldn't understand unless you read the book, and then there's something else going on, which I don't want to spoil but is full of emotion and hits hard.  This is only issue two.  I'm SURE you can find a copy of the first issue somewhere, and you really should.  Another candidate for Pick of the Week.

Fix #7 - Below, I comment on things going wrong in Aliens Defiance.  The kind of wrong you can practically predict from aliens, humans, and androids in space.  Things go far more wrong here.  The kind of wrong that's perfectly set up before dropping the hammer.

Frostbite #4 - Nothing is going well for the main characters.  Things are going pretty well for the antagonists, however, so that should tell you something.  I have no idea where any of this is going, but it makes a great comic.

Moon Knight #10 - I don't know when it happened, but this has become my favorite Moon Knight series.  Not that I've read a ton of Moon Knight - really only since Ellis - but this really in phenomenal.  Watching the character struggle with reality and compelling and I'm regularly questioning how much of any of this is real vs in his head.  If you haven't tried it, I can't recommend it enough.

Everything Else

Aliens Defiance #8 - Some surprisingly good things happened last issue, so to balance that out, things go wrong here.  Still, all that wrong was merely setup for things to come.  Which, will very likely involve things getting much worse.  The artist changed, once again, but Wood's script was as solid as ever.

Autumnlands Tooth & Claw #14 - Androids and a human vs a goddess.  This ends another arc, and there's a note at the back about how it will be a while before the book returns so they can get ahead and ship on-time.  But was it shipping on-time for the last few issues?  Doesn't seem like it, but maybe I just haven't been paying attention.  Still a good book, though I find I have nothing else to say about it.

Black Hammer #6 - What the hell kind of ending is that?  It's mildly infuriating, in a good way.  Most of the issue follows Madame Dragonfly and her journey to how she got to the farm, with a gut punch thrown in every few pages for good measure.  In short, it's great.

Black Widow #9 - Isn't Bucky supposed to be in space or something?  It's like if you're not reading EVERY Marvel title, you shouldn't bother reading ANY Marvel comic.  Anyway, there's a nice fight scene and characters speak vaguely about things you should remember from months ago.  The art sure is nice, though.

Dark Knight III #7 - I don't remember what happened to Hal.  Not that he's a major part of this or anything, but he makes an appearance in the main book and the mini is almost entirely him.  I'm confused by the actions of both Superman and Lara.  I've been confused by Lara this entire time and would need to go back to read her motivation.  Superman kinda makes sense, though I expect a "why?" as soon as he's able to speak.

Justice League #12 - A Justice League vs Suicide Squad tie-in not written by Hitch.  I wonder if Hitch is the new Johns in that he doesn't care what other writers are doing.  It's not essential reading, but does help flesh out Maxwell Lord specifically and the New52/Rebirth world more generally.

Justice League Suicide Squad #3 - Final page surprise!  The real surprise is the book is still good; everything is chugging along well.  It looks like next issue we'll have three teams in combat with one another, so that's sure to be interesting.  I barely noticed the artist change this time.  There's a couple panels where it's stand-out, but since everyone's been basically doing "DC style" art, it flows better than expected.

Lady Mechanika La Dama De La Muerte #3 - A whole lot of people die here.  A bunch of people died off-panel last issue, but here their deaths are seen.  It's been a fun jaunt, despite the mutilated children and a town wiped off the map.  It would have been better had this finished nearly Halloween rather than started, but still good.

Lucifer #13 - Aw, Christmas with Lucifer and Mazikeen.  This features two entirely skippable but enjoyable short stories.  I've been trying to figure out something more to say, but that really covers it.

Optimus Prime #2 - I'm stopping here.  I could maybe tolerate it for a while longer if there weren't any humans, but then we'd probably just get more Prime snark and worship and I've had enough of that too.  Ultimately, I just don't care about any of this and the only plotlines I did care about ended in the last series.

Ragnarok #11 - I don't care that this book only ships every other month, or that there's less art pages and more backmatter this issue.  It continues to be a great read, with impressive art.  I will happily endure the wait for as long as this series runs.

Superman #14 - Clark has a very real problem with changing into Superman when it would be blatantly obvious to any casual observer.  As he steps out of his own vehicle, for instance.  Anyway.  This should be an interesting crossover since I'll be skipping the Jurgen's half as I can't stand his writing style.  The beginning is interesting in a vague-threat-with-cool-guest-stars kind of way though, but suffers from people talking too much when there should be action... which I've complained about in a few different books recently.

Teen Titans #3 - Three issues in and the Teen Titans are almost, but not quite, a team.  About half of that is because of Damien's actions and the other half is in spite of them.  Things get a bit overly share-y in the middle with people admitting things to strangers that felt more forced than organic.  Other than that, this remains a fun book, in line with Robin, Son of the Batman.

Transformers Till All Are One #6 - It's not going well for Metroplex as he almost single-handedly battles an army or reanimated titans.  The fight takes a surprising and unexpected turn, however, yet once I considered the decisions being made, everything was completely in character.  I have no idea where things will go next, but it's an interesting ride.

Wonder Woman #13 - I don't know what's going on with the artists on this book, but the art here isn't done by either of the regulars.  I'd have to check, but I believe this is about as far into Azzarello's run as I made it before dropping.  It was a book I wanted to like more than I actually did and was hanging on because I liked the author and hoped things would improve.  Maybe it's time I faced reality.

Last Week's Comics Today - 12/13/2016

I've been quiet for a few weeks as a busy schedule kept me from reading my comics on a timely basis.  Below are my thoughts on last week's books, plus a couple others from prior weeks.

Pick of the Week

Aliens Defiance #7 - Double dose of Aliens this week (see below).  I was reading on lunch again, got to a particular page early on, stopped, and said, "Wait, what?!"  Because someone suggests something that's ludicrous.  And something I thought and already been proven not to work... but they try it... and it's insanity.

I almost didn't even write about this.  I missed it while making the list of all the books I got and had been struggling to select a pick of the week.  Some books were good, but nothing stood out.  Then I saw this in the pile while looking for Superman.  It's the winner by a mile.

Honorable Mention

Lake Of Fire #4 - This is what I've been waiting for - crusaders vs aliens.  It was fantastic.

Moon Knight #9 - Answers!  Anyone frustrated by this arc gets answers about what's been going on.  It's good.  I mean, it's been good this entire time.  Are you reading this?  Because you should be.

Predator Vs Judge Dredd Vs Aliens #3 - The book was living up to its title in the first two issues, but takes it to a whole new level here.  Full-on, Predator vs Judge Dredd vs Aliens.  In every combination.  I was beginning to think the series would end by setting up a sequel, but they covered a surprising amount of ground here and my sequel idea is apparently going to happen next issue.  So, even more vs action next issue!  (If there is a sequel, I'll read it.)

Unworthy Thor #2 - Thor has Owen Wilson's nose, now?  Sorry, "Odinson."  Odinson doesn't hold back.  Seriously, if you'd like to see a goat blow up a spaceship, this is the book for you.  Oh, and if you'd like to see him get a hammer again, 'cause that's going to happen.  Less Beta Ray Bill than I expected, but excellent read nonetheless.

Everything Else

Motor Crush #1 - I read this today on lunch and have been trying to figure out my feelings on it ever since.  The art's good, the story's good... but I didn't love it.  So I'm trying to figure out if I want to add it to my pull list or not.  Might grab a few more issues and see what that does for me.  The book is basically if you took Vin Diesel's Fast and Furious character, made him a woman, and set him in a near-future dominated by motorcycle racing.  30 pages, $3.99.

DC Comics Bombshells #20 - The most difficult part about reading this series is keeping all the characters straight.  The cast is entirely women, there's about two dozen of them that rotate in and out and they're all about the same shape, it basically comes down to hairstyle to tell them apart.  So when there's a flashback with a redhead, I stopped for an inordinate amount of time to wonder, "Is that supposed to be Kate?  How many other redheads could that be?"  I've honestly lost track.  Still a fun book, but I could really use some clarity.

Ghost Rider #1 - Why is surfer Hulk in half of this?  The art is fine, but the writing isn't as good as the previous two series.  Minorest of spoilers: X-23 shows up at the end, so we're only one member away from another New Fantastic Four "reunion."  Will it be Miles this time?  I won't be there to see it.

Justice League #10 - This issue forced me to re-evaluate the previous issues in this arc.  I've mentioned a few times how the opening arc of the series action-heavy and would even describe it as "wide screen."  It was very Warren Ellis-era Authority, which made sense.  This arc, especially this issue, is very street level.  Seeing the Justice League filling a suburban kitchen brings a level of reality to the book I don't often see.  It was refreshing.  Then, exposition exposed a staggering number of coincidences and the punching started again.

Transformers More Than Meets The Eye Revolution #1 - What a nutty book.  This is in no way necessary to the Revolution crossover and the only relevance to future Transformers stories may be that events here eventually lead to Grimlock doing something (really, anything) again.  On the other hand, it's a really fun, highly ridiculous store that pokes fun and peaks behind the scenes at Transformers, Dire Wraiths, and GI Joe.  While this could be easily skipped, it really shouldn't be.  The complainers that More Than Meets the Eye being too "quippy" will not be pleased.

Transformers Till All Are One #5 - I really thought the story of Windblade on Earth would last longer than it did.  I also thought it would take longer for the necro-titans to reach Cybertron.  I was wrong on both counts.  Ironhide was great, Starscream was entertaining as always, and Metroplex kicked ass.

Superman #12 - Lois once again shows how hardcore she is.  It's been a while, I don't recall if S.H.A.D.E. is supposed to be a secret organization or not, but if so, Frankenstein is pretty terrible at keeping a low profile.  Superman is here too, doing the whole flying and punching thing.  The art is good, the writing is good, but it's not as strong an issue as other recent issues.

Unfollow #14 - I was ready to tell you not to buy this issue.  If, somehow, you actually buy this series and haven't yet purchased this particular issue.  It's a flashback, with a different artist, and starring a character unrelated to the 140.  ...then I hit the final few pages and changed my mind.  It features Larry Ferrell and until shows his reasoning behind The 140.  At least you're informed now.

Wicked & Divine #24 - This was a good read, but I'm struggling to come up with something to say.  There was implied sex, a confrontation, and... no, I guess that's it.  That elipsis in the previous sentence was me flipping through the book again just to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.  I hadn't.

Wonder Woman #11 - Not the surprise I thought we were in for.  Interesting, sure, as it opens up all sorts of "What does it mean?!" questions, but at the end of the day, I'm still trying to like to Wonder Woman book instead of simply enjoying it.  Reading on inertia more than anything else.