Last Week's Comics Today - 03/13/2017

There were a few new #1s this week, but they weren't quite as good as those from recent weeks and I'm leaning toward not adding any of them to my pull.  In any other month, they might have made the cut.

Pick of the Week

Lady Killer 2 #4 - Gorgeous art, great writing... honestly, I can't understand why more people aren't reading this.  I've said it before and will repeat it again here - I hope Lady Killer continues as a series of mini-series since I'd love to get more and this arc is nearly over.

Gotham Academy #7 - I enjoy a good mind-fuck, and this has a great one, going back to the very beginning of Second Semester.  Olive's in trouble, Colton's expulsion remains stalled for another issue, and Pomeline finds a disappointing (to me) secret.  I expect quite a lot to happen next issue.

Honorable Mention

Edena - This would have been my Pick of 2016, if I'd actually read the collection when Dark Horse published it last fall.  I had no idea how to describe the series other than using words like "mind-blowing" and "beautiful" which don't really do it justice.  So I wandered over to Wikepedia to see how they did it.  (I don't recommend doing this yourself since it gives a high-level overview of the early chapters and I think readers should go into this with as little preexisting knowledge as possible).  A spoiler-free sample describes it thusly:

Questions are posed about dreams, nutrition and health, biology and sexuality, the human desire to live in a structured society, and archetypal good and evil. All of these philosophical elements are organically embedded in deceptively 'light' stories.

It's ultimately about humanity, which seems vague and unhelpful now that I've written it out, but it really is about all those things in the quote while actually being about two people struggling their way through a wild series of adventures and unexpected turns.  The ride is just as wild for the reader, the story escalating ever more until it ultimately, couldn't support itself any longer.  The end caught me by surprise.  Within a few pages I was disappointed, confused, and finally overjoyed.  Yes, it ends well, even though I just said the story collapses in on itself at the end.  Just read it, you'll see.

Regarding the art, "Moebius restricted himself to a 'Clear Line' style (Ligne Claire), with minimal details." ... which, sure, is true, but strips the description of life.  Basically, you could take any page out of this book, frame it, and stick it on a wall.  It's gorgeous and I found my eye lingering on the art more than once.  

Highest possible recommendation.

Everything Else

Grass Kings #1 - Recommended for fans of Briggs Land.  There's something weird going on in an otherwise sleepy town.  Sleepy-ish.  Sleepy as long as they're left alone.  It's interesting but it's also entirely introduction.  There's simply not enough meat here to sink my teeth into it.  It might make a good collection, though.

Green Valley #6 - I don't believe I've spoiled this series up to this point - and I'd like it to say that way - which makes talking about anything from this issue rather difficult.  I guess I can say the cast confront the wizard again and things go even less well now than the last time.  If Landis can stick the landing on this, I'll grab the collection for my shelf.

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys #1 - I nearly forgot about this one.  I was going to publish this piece when I saw Nancy on top of the stack waiting to be filed.  If this comic were a TV show, I'd watch it.  It's very well written, but it should have had a better artist on art.

Planetoid Praxis #2 - ruh-roh.  Another time-jump and lots of new people join this planetoid.  It's good and I'd rather not say anything more than that.

Redline #1 - Minor spoiler here, but the issue ends with the main character getting hit in the head and lying on the ground with a gash in his head.  I recently read a comic where a dog gets shot at the end of one issue and it's revealed he's not dead the next... so this seems survivable, though I'm not assuming anything.  It's a mystery/comedy in a sci-fi setting with military and action elements.  It's entertaining, though not quite enough to get me to add to my pull list.

TMNT Universe #8 - The story of Metal-Don ends here... or at least for now as he's put on the shelf, hopefully to be re-visited again.  I don't really like what was done with him, but to offer my alternative would spoil all the developments.  The series continues to be nice supplemental material that's not as good as the main series.  The back-up would have been a nice article since it's interesting though the art doesn't really add anything to it.

Wicked & Divine #27 - The problem with double-page grid layouts is I always question whether I should be reading left-to-right across both pages or just the one and then move to the next row.  Sometimes glancing at the panels is enough to determine which way to read, other times it's an awkward jump in conversation that tells me I'm reading it wrong.  This issue has both, and only the background color swaths helped me figure out which was right for the given situation.  Gods here are more wicked than divine as various things are set in motion.  It's entertaining, despite the confusion.

Bonus

Logan - In short, I liked it.  The violence seemed fitting, never gratuitous.  The swearing, however, did tend to venture into gratuitous territory.  It's like once deciding the movie would get an "R" rating, the writer changed every expletive to "fuck."  I tend to favor more variety in my swears.

There's still the usual problem with the bad guy's plan not really making any sense, but I found that fairly easy to overlook until Dr. Rice showed up.  Pierce made sense.  His motivation and intent were simple.  Then there's the suspension of disbelief-breaking cell phone video that'd clearly received some post-production editing and things take a turn until the on-creeen performances of Jackman, Keen, Stewart, Holbrook, Merchant,  and a surprise appearance by Eriq La Salle captivate the audience enough to forget the details.

I'd been thinking what made the movie work so well was how it focused on people, not powers, then my wife said nearly the same thing over the weekend.  So many X-Men movies have tried to show off everyone's abilities they forget to tell a decent story.  Whenever I talk about Apocalypse, I say, "It's a great Magneto movie."  Other than a nice bit about Mystique stepping up, the heart of that movie is Magneto and Quicksilver.  Everything else is forgettable.  This should be the take-away for Hollywood, but I fear they'll see an "R" rated movie make a bunch of movie and draw the wrong conclusions.

Last Week's Comics Today - 02/13/2017

The shop didn't have any Wicked + Divine, so that'll be in next week's write-ups.

Pick of the Week

Unworthy Thor #4 - This is better than the Jane Foster led Thor title.  Where that book has a lot of storylines to juggle, this benefits from laser-focus on Odinson getting a hammer.  Everyone standing in his way of that goal is screwed.  The writing is some of Aaron's best with art from multiple artists covering different time periods, not unlike recent issues of Moon Knight.

Honorable Mention

Green Valley #5 - It's knight vs dinosaurs.  Either that sentence interests you or it doesn't.  The writing is good, the art fantastic.  There's a moment in this issue in which a log full of dinosaurs gets kicked down a hill and it's utter brilliance.  It's tense, I care about these characters, and I'd love to see the bad guy get a sword through his guts.

Moonshine #5 - Lou's activities catch up to him in a far more tangible way than previous issues where he merely woke up hungover.  Less happens here than usual, but what does happen will have significant ramifications.  This was very much a stage setting issue with seemingly next issue kicking off fireworks on multiple fronts.  This remains one of my favorite books each month.

Everything Else

All Star Batman #7 - This is only loosely related to the previous issue.  Instead of Mr. Freeze, this issue has Poison Ivy.  Instead of Jock, this is drawn by Tula Lotay.  It's okay.  The art isn't Tula's best and the writing is dense with Snyder's research notes.  He tends to over-write but there's usually enough good to off-set the bad.  That's not the case here.  It hasn't been the case this entire series.  I guess I'm just holding out for Murphy's arc at this point.

Birthright #22 - With the introduction of Lore's daughter, this book is even more about family than ever before.  There's a tiny amount of forward movement on multiple storyline fronts, and while that tends to be the case in each issue, it seems to be even less movement than usual.  Still, Lore's daughter is one hell of a wildcard and it's hard to stop thinking about how she'll throw a wench into things.  The series remains good but likely reads better in trades.

Black Widow #11 - Black Widow chases girls through a secret facility while SHIELD once again proves just how inept they are at their jobs.  The art is great and the writing is... Look, clearly Brubaker can write.  There's nothing wrong with the writing, it's the world Natasha inhabits I don't care about.  The fact that SHIELD exists at all in movie or comic form after their constant and continual failures is mind-boggling.  This is supposed to be concluded next issue.  If it gets rebooted again, I'm out.  I'd rather this team were doing an Image book.

Gotham Academy Second Semester #6 - Mysteries deepen (literally in one instance) as a new (super?) villain (?) arrives.  The gang remains split looking for Colton, looking for Pom, and Pom pursuing her own agenda.  There's no end in sight for any of these threads, though things have to end soon with as much escalation happens here.  Second Semester has been darker than the first series but remains a fun read with these characters seeming more real than most at either of the Big Two and making the DC Universe seem more real as a result.

Justice League Of America Rebirth #1 - Pretty standard setup issue as everyone on the team gets introduced.  The way team books generally work is someone will join, leave, or betray the team by the end of the first arc, so let's see if that holds true here.  If you didn't read Justice League vs Suicide Squad, everything you need to know is covered here.  I'm interested enough to grab another issue and see what the real start of the series is like.  The best part here is the one page tease at the end of things to come.

Transformers Till All Are One #7 - I don't know if I'm supposed to be familiar with the final page reveal is supposed to mean something to me, but it doesn't, so I'm just confused.  The rest of the issue is infiltration vs defense of what are supposed to be allies.  It's alright, but the journey really wasn't worth it.  Starscream and Bumblebee remain a favorite pairing of mine.

Last Week's Comics Today - 01/18/2017

I read most of these early but didn't start writing about any of them until Tuesday night.  So these will be real quick as I try to remember what all happened.  This should be fun!

Pick of the Week

Spread #18 - I don't know if anyone's paying attention, but Justin Jordan is on fire.  Spread is already an amazing book, but this issue opens a whole new door on the world and is brilliant.  Loved every second of it.  Saying anything more would spoil it.

Moonshine #4 - Lou really needs to stop blacking out.  He might have less problems if he did.  But that might also make the book less interesting as he wouldn't need to piece together the happenings of the previous night while hungover each morning.  I'm surprised this is only issue four as it seems like a considerable amount has happened in that time.  This continues to be a favorite.  The writing and art are stellar.

Honorable Mention

Detective Comics # 948 - I haven't read Detective since it was Rebirth'd.  But with Batwoman getting her own title, which I'd like to read again, I figured it's time to give this another shot.  And it's good!  Well written, good art... really can't ask for more than that.  I'm in for part two and will be checking out her new series when it launches.

God Country #1 - Well written, well drawn... interestingly colored.  I loved Cates and Shaw on The Paybacks, and both continue to impress here.  I saw a comment about the coloring not really being representative of Texas in a review last week and saw what they were talking about when I read this today.  Would I have noticed if I hadn't been primed for it already?  I don't know, and now I'm passing that mental seed downstream.  Oh, I'll also be adding this to my pull list because it's great.

Everything Else

All Star Batman #6 - It's better than the Two-Face arc!  Beyond that, it's Jock's stylized art and Snyder's ridiculous Batman.  "Better than the Two-Face arc" is such a low bar to begin with, I honestly can't tell if this is good or not.

Birthright #21 - Another flashback issue with no advancement of the present storyline.  But these tend to color the explosive ends of arcs with new information and I find them fascinating.  Since the whole series has been told with regular flashbacks, it's just part of the DNA and I don't have a problem with it.  Here, we learn much more about Rya, before, during and after Mikey's arrival and eventual departure.  It's good stuff.  Should make their inevitable reunion all the better to watch.

Gotham Academy Second Semester #5 - Colton's on trial!  AFTER getting expelled.  There's a map (which Maps wants, obviously), and several competing agendas, and a Bruce Wayne appearance.  I haven't counted panels or anything, but I believe Bruce has been in this more than Batman, and that's cool.  This issue kinda makes me wish I were reading it in trades just so I didn't have to deal with the cliffhangers and wait between issues.

Green Valley #4 - When thinking back about this, it's easy to wonder, "But what actually happened?"  While reading, however, that never crosses my mind.  The writing is slow and deliberate, but good nonetheless.  And the art is excellent.  If you'd rather wait, grab the collection once the series is done.  But one way or another, you should read this series.

Justice League Suicide Squad #4 - It would have been nice if DC marketing hadn't spoiled the big reveal here months ago.  It's still good, though the art took a dip here from previous issues.  But what should have been a major twist is what I've been waiting four issues to get to.  Hopefully the final two issues won't be spoiled by the publisher as well.

Mighty Thor #15 - I hate to even say this because of what people might read into it, but I like Unworthy Thor (as a series, not a character) better.  The benefit that title has over this is a simple, straight-forward objective and main character in the right frame of mind to pursue that single-minded objective.  Here, Aaron's juggling far more plotlines and characters.  It's still good, but... why are the Shi'ar attacking?  I still have no idea.  And there's the other war, and the cancer, and Loki's schemes... and none of it seems anywhere near concluding.  Don't get me wrong, it's still a great series, but there's a helluva lot going on.  Still, I loved seeing Kid Gladiator again.  Brought back all those Wolverine and the X-Men memories.

Suicide Squad #9 - I tried the Rebirth issue of Suicide Squad and didn't find the writing to my liking.  But with a tie-in to Justice League vs Suicide Squad and art by Rossmo, I had to check this out.  It's an interesting look at the early days of Waller's squad.  Worth it alone for Rossmo's art.  Your mileage will vary beyond that.

Last Week's Comics Today - 12/20/2016

I put Turtles at the bottom of my stack because I didn't expect much from a holiday issue.  That was good and bad.  Bad that I didn't get to such a great issue sooner and good because if I'd read it earlier, nothing after it would have stacked up.

Pick of the Week

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #65 - Fantastic issue!  Practically every character in the series shows up as the turtle brothers throw a Christmas party (which made me wonder if Splinter shouldn't celebrate some Japanese holidays).  This is packed with character moments and artistic easter eggs.  If anyone has been considering picking up the series, this would be a great one to try.  There's certainly some things that will go over your head due to referencing past events, but it's a rare done-in-one with gorgeous art.

Honorable Mention

Descender #17 - This issue has three storylines happening simultaneously, often on the same page.  It works really well and while, ultimately, not that much happens, what does happen is significant in each case.  This book continues to impress me with every issue.

Green Valley #3 - I did not see that coming.  No idea where things go from here, but that's been true for the first two issues too.  Great art, completely unpredictable (while still being good) script.  For fantasy fans looking for something new.

Moonshine #3 - In a review of Frostbite #3 I only ever wrote in my head, I said, "Only bad things happen to this character."  It seems equally true for Lou Prillo.  Still, the art and writing are phenomenal and I couldn't be happier to read this title every month.  Recommended for any 100 Bullets fans.

Everything Else

Reborn #3 - Seeing Capullo draw dragons instantly flashed me back to the Angela mini series.  Other than that?  All I remember is the art.  Like a cat-person driving a flying bike-thing.  And essentially a tree-truck getting pulled out of the ground.  And a dog going over a cliff.  Story-wise, we're getting closer to the "all hell breaks loose" phase but aren't there yet.

Gotham Academy Second Semester #4 - Stand alone issue set... well, last semester.  It's well written and drawn with just the right amount of weirdness the series is known for.  Another solid issue all-around, even if it doesn't impact current goings-on.  It felt a little Halloween-y, but maybe that's just me.

Transformers Lost Light #1 - Helpfully, there's a lengthy recap at the end of the issue that covers the previous series.  Because this is about as good a jumping on point as any and everything picks up directly where the previous series left off.  If you were reading before, you likely still are now.  If not, well like I said, it's a great jumping on point.

Transformers Optimus Prime #1 - Earlier this week I recapped the series this spun out from, and one of the things I wrote is very nearly stated by Jetfire in this issue, "One too many people told [Optimus] he's the space messiah and he started to believe them."  It's interesting watching Optimus go down a path everyone says he shouldn't for the best of intentions.  Even after all the trash I've talked about the last series, I'll try this for at least a few to see where it's gonig.  The new artist really helps.

Wonder Woman #12 - Characters creepily smile at each other and Wonder Woman stumbles her way through English.  Then there's the last page reveal.  That's about it.