Last Week's Comics Today - 03/27/2017

I find it amusing that I have to least to say about my Pick of the Week and more words than usual about all the other books this week.

Pick of the Week

Black Road #8 - This went about as I'd expected, and it was still brilliant to watch/read.  Magnus the Black brings a smile to my face.

Honorable Mention

Black Hammer #7 - The life and times of Black Hammer!  Further down the page I call out a book for not giving me a sufficient recap to remind me what was going on.  I read this book immediately after that one, so the crit is still fresh in my mind.  With just a couple references to what happened at the end of issue 6, I was back up to speed.  And this had a longer period between issues.  Anyway.  Some of the murky chronology of both worlds is cleared up here as well as getting a detailed look into Black Hammer's life (and death).  Also, there are New Gods/Norse Gods/Inhumans stand-ins created here that filled me with joy.  It remains one of the best superhero books going, but since it's from Lemire, that really shouldn't be a surprise.  The first collection is out soon.  I recommend getting it.

Deadly Class v5 - Multiple "oh shit!" moments throughout this as a new freshman class comes to school and the returning sophomores try to figure out where everyone stands after the last arc's finals.  Betrayal comes early and often, there are some incredible fights, a D&D game, and a three-page description of a fart.  There's a reason this is one of my favorite books - it's amazing.

Descender #20 - There's an ad at the back of the book for a five-part Descender event called Rise of the Robots.  I am, perhaps, more excited for this than I should be.  This is a great title, and this is a great issue in particular with some nice surprises, a wonderful cliffhanger, and a suspense-filled setup for next issue with a fleet arriving at the Machine Moon.  The digital collections regularly go on sale at imagecomics.com and Comixology.  I recommend grabbing them if you haven't tried the series yet.

Ghostbusters 101 #1 - Some of the panels in mine are blurry.  Never the whole page, just certain panels.  Like something was screwed up before printing.  Didn't hurt the reading experience too much, but it is unfortunate and worth mentioning.  That said, I love the IDW Ghostbusters.  When the ongoing series ended, I was bummed.  But since then we've gotten a steady stream (heh) of mini series and I'm thankful for every one.  The hook here is the two movie universes crossing over.  It's not yet clear what they'll be teaming up to capture, but I'm certain that will happen.  The B plot is pretty interesting - faced with what could be a crippling fine, Pete comes up with a new money-making plan.  Burnham and Schoening were always great at capturing the essence of the characters and putting it on the page.  It's still true for the cast of the new movie as well.

Peter Panzerfaust v5 - This was a long time coming.  I loved the concept of Peter Pan in World War II from the beginning and have thought of it often since it started back in 2012.  There was a stretch where I feared we'd never get a conclusion, but now I hold it in my hands.  The end was not what I expected and the character of John is not who I expected, yet I'm deeply satisfied by both.  Jenkins' art has always been very stylized and loose and it's evolved the the hiatus.  That's not a knock against the book, though I do think the coloring on earlier issues was better than some of the issues collected here.  But that doesn't put a damper on my enjoyment, especially seeing the big Peter/Hook battle.

Spread #20 - I'm not going to count the words, but the amount No speaks this issue might top the previous 19 issues combined.  It's a little weird seeing him as something other than a Logan-esque killing machine with occasional bouts on non-killing, but at the same time, it's nice.  While we don't learn a ton about No, what we do learn here is significant.  We also learn about Hope and that final page from last issue.  It's quite a bit, and lest you think it's an issue full of exposition, Jack gets in trouble and fills this issue's murdering requirement.

Everything Else

Birthright #23 - While torturing Mikey for information, Mastema learns some troubling new information.  She "asks" a follow-up question, but we don't get an answer.  I believe the answer to that question is going to be 'yes' and that can mean nothing good.  The whole issue reads like the second-to-last in a story arc, except that the actual end is issue 25, so expect the crazy and drama to be ramped up even higher next issue. 

The Few #3 - This addresses the problem areas of previous issues.  Out of their travelling gear, the characters are easy to distinguish from one another.  Also, given context, Hale's actions and hallucinations make far more sense.  It's still good and I still like it, but with the series now half over, I don't know if it's better to grab the three issues that are out or wait for trade.  If you can find it, and you're interested, you might as well grab the first issue and see if it tickles your fancy.

Reborn #5 - Featuring Bonnie's husband!  And he's not a piece of shit like I expected!  Spoiler?  But all that foreshadowing from earlier in the series has to be leading to some kinda pay-off and this issue had shifty eyes and mentions of Bonnie's mother, so... The reveal at the end of this wasn't a big twist -- there's still one coming.  But hey, I've gotten this far and haven't mentioned Capullo's fantastic art.  I never read his Spawn run, so reading this series actually reminds me most of the Angela mini-series from way back  (which I think I've mentioned before, but it's true every issue).  I enjoyed Batman, but seeing him cut loose on this series is a real joy.

The Spirit: Corpsemaker #2 - This is better than the first issue... but I've also forgotten about what the characters are only vaguely referring to here.  If the first issue gets its basic grammar corrected, this could be a good trade, but The Black Beetle remains superior.  I'll finish the series, but if you haven't tried The Black Beetle, get that instead.

Teen Titans #6 - This issue is better than the entire first arc.  Team established, it's time to get on with adventuring.  And now with Aqualad!  Well, featuring Aqualad, as he hasn't joined the team or even met the team yet.  Yet.  Garth + Damian banter isn't quite as good as Jon + Damian, but it's up there.

TMNT #68 - After the brutal trouncing the Mutanimals took last issue, Hob goes looking for help.  Meanwhile, the Mutanimals themselves aren't exactly helpless without him.  Pete, remains forever, comic relief.  Leo's struggle with leadership seems forced, though.  The turtles' interpersonal conflicts at home are one thing, but he shouldn't be having issues in the field.  Especially given that he just faced nearly the same situation in Universe a few issues ago.  Mateus' art is a highlight, as always.

Unworthy Thor #5 - Not the ending I was expecting.  Which could be considered a spoiler.  It makes an okay end to the mini-series, but what I'm sure will be a far more satisfying eventuality for Odinson.  Since I didn't read Original Sin, I don't know the context in which Fury whispered what he did to Thor, but learning what he said makes him look like an asshole.  The final page is a bit frustrating since we just had one of these mysteries.  Hopefully this one isn't dragged out for eight issues like the last one.  Despite these complaints, the issue was awesome.  Much ass was kicked and characters got what was coming to them.  Though I'm still not sure why Thanos got roped into this.

Last Week's Comics Today - 02/20/2017

I normally start placing these into categories as I write them knowing some will move later as the scale their judged against changes.  This week I find seven books in Honorable Mention (with more good ones in Everything Else that missed the mark by a hair).  The thought of picking a single title above the others is more daunting than I care to engage in.  So it's a 7-way tie!

Pick of the Week

Not for a lack of good books, I just couldn't pick this week.

Honorable Mention

Ether #4 - Another amazing issue full of childhood fantasy and heartbreak.  I need to buy a hardcover of the eventual collection because it's absolutely shelf-worthy and I need to be able to lend it to people at a moment's notice.  Just shove it in their hands and tell them to start reading.

God Country #2 - Another comic this week where the fighting is done with words and a brilliant last page.  I recommend jumping on board now because this is a title you're going to continue hearing about.

Invincible #133 - It's great seeing Ottley back on art; it feels like he's been gone a long time.  The issue itself was an emotional rollercoaster with multiple characters using violence to process their emotions.  Terra and Mark's parents provided the levity while a quiet moment between Mark and Eve filled me with dread.  Well done, gentlemen.

Justice League #15 - This is what I've been waiting for.  Big, mad ideas coupled with great art and loads of action.

Mighty Thor #16 - I've given this title some smack in recent months, comparing it unfavorably to Unworthy Thor.  This issue, however, kicked serious ass.  Sif vs Cul, Thor vs Shi'ar gods, Volstagg vs the Congress of Worlds, and spaceships vs arrows not only advanced multiple plotlines, but did so with clever dialogue and massive-scale action.  I didn't care about the Shi'ar War before this issue; now I need more.

Sex Criminals #16 - Long before Kill or Be Killed was stealing thoughts out of my head, there was Sex Criminals.  It chronicled all the weird, wonderful, awkward personal and relationship stuff, and it's back.  There's an extremely informative recap up front since it's been quite a while since the last issue came out.  Note: these guys haven't lost a step.

Super Sons #1 - How about that last page?!  Next issue is going to be fantastic.  right after I finished reading this I texted a friend, "Your next must-read Rebirth title is Super Sons.  Jon + Damian is amazing, hilarious, and completely ridiculous."  I want only Tomasi and Gleason to write these characters.  The art is a great pairing for these young and energetic characters.  Recommended.

Everything Else

Batwoman Rebirth #1 - If you read previous Batwoman series, there's nothing new here except teaser snippets at the back about upcoming event.  If you haven't, this is a crash course is Batwoman.  I can only hope they're done recapping and the series can actually start when it starts next month.

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #5 - I read this days ago but didn't write anything at the time.  These are "reviews" in the loosest sense of the word.  More vague summaries, first impressions, tangential anecdotes, and sometime recommendations.  So I needed to flip back through it again to refresh.  Stopped on Wild Dog's bad trip and again for the "Fuck my life" panel which brought a smile to my face.  Pretty sure I actually laughed out loud the first time I read that, which is pretty incongruous considering the situation they're in.  I still love this book.

Kill Or Be Killed #6 - Dylan is completely fucked and he doesn't have the first clue.  For the first time this series, we get an extended look at what's going on away from Dylan.  Two forces are now gunning for him (perhaps literally) and by the time he's aware, it will likely be too late.  Another great issue from a great series.

Lucifer #15 - I gotta say, again, the new writer is doing well.  Everyone's making or putting plans into action.  Nothing really to say beyond that.  Still enjoying it.  And that's absolutely supposed to be Constantine, down to the carbon-copy origin.

Spread #19 - Not a significant amount happens here but some major information is given and there's a shocking final page I immediately want to know more about.

Superman #17 - A well made done-in-one.  It was great seeing Jon again (I haven't read Super Sons yet) and it's always great seeing him with Kathy.  If this series were a TV show, this issue would be one people remember and talk about years after it went off the air.  A little monster-of-the-week, a lot of weird, and I don't think we really got any satisfactory answers... it was brilliant.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #67 - Poor Slash.  But even more than that, poor Mutanimals.  Eesh.  My nephew is talking about getting his first apartment with some friends and my response was, "That's something everyone should experience at least once."  The Turtles are going through it now with Splinter not around for the first time in their lives.  It's well written, especially the scene between Leo and Splinter.  And Santolouco is back on art, which always makes me happen.

Trinity #6 - This didn't really stick the landing.  Great opening issues, but last issue with Mongul in a dream with Poison Ivy's daughter... it didn't really work.  That all wraps up here with a hasty memory erasure since she absolutely would have had follow-up questions and that's clearly not in the cards.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next arc and Manapul coming back on after that.  I still like his work, just hope the ending works better next time.

Unfollow #16 - This week's trend of final page stunners continues!  Early on in this series I said I could see it running for 60 issues like previous Vertigo greats.  Alas, that isn't going to happen as the book closes out two issue from now.  But it absolutely could have.  There's a lot of unmined material here, though the sudden speeding up of events hasn't made it any less great.  The counter on the front of #17 will be much lower than this issue's.

Wild Storm #1 - It's okay.  A decent, albeit subtle start.  It's interesting to contract this with Justice League from Hitch also out today.  I'll stick around to see where it's going, mostly to see more characters and actually see where this whole thing is going.

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 - 10/24/2016

I start placing these into the categories below as soon as I've read enough of that week's batch to get a sense of the highs and lows.  This week, at about the halfway point, I wanted to put almost everything into Honorable Mention.  So even if a title is under 'Everything Else" it's still quite good as the separation this week was razor thin.

Pick of the Week

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #1 - This is the Young Animal comic I've been waiting for.  Where the others went heavy on weird, this is filled with substance and the weird clings to that substance.  A lot of time is spent establishing Cave and his family and the immediate effect is that I care about them.  (Crazy, right?!)  Add to that a mystery and some other interesting bits, and it's a great first issue.  Oeming's art is perfect, moving from somber to dream-like to everyday and deftly tackling it all.  Recommended.

Honorable Mention

Black Hammer #4 - Abe's girlfriend comes to dinner, and most everyone acts as expected.  Two characters deviate from the "most" in the previous sentence and they were delights to see. The other surprise?  How emotional issue was.  Everyone shows what's on their hearts and minds here and it was all brilliant.  In a week of some extraordinary comics, this was one of the best.  Any Lemire fans be reading this book, and Ormston does an outstanding job with visual storytelling even in silent panels.

The Bunker #19 - This marks the end of The Bunker, a time-travel mystery centered on five people trying to do the right thing.  It was written exceptionally well with art that impressively captured the emotional rollercoaster ever character was on.  There were certainly other things to be seen in this series, but a good deal was emotionally charged friends yelling at former friends about what to do and how everything was going to shit.  It's been an incredible series that I highly recommend.

Mighty Thor #12 - This is the perfect story to follow last issue's big reveal - the origin of Mjolnir.  It's suitably epic, highly enjoyable, and recommended for all Thor fans.  This is all I'm going to say because you should be reading the comic rather than this paragraph.  Bonus: callback locale from Aaron's earliest issues.

Rumble #15 - I can't believe they ended the issue that way... and then announce they're going on hiatus.  UGH!  Things don't look good for Rathraq, and that's a serious understatement.  The big battle that started last issue concludes here, and things don't really go well for anyone except Lerna.  The combination of writing and art on this book make it one of my favorites.  And now, I'll have a Rumble-shaped hole in my heart until it returns.

Lucifer #11 - I opened the cover, thought, "Oh that's right..." and immediately closed again so I could make a snack.  This is one I didn't want to be interrupted for, and it was fantastic.  Even better than expected.  I'm somewhat heart-broken Holly Black is leaving the title in a few issues, because this book has been exceeding my expectations from the beginning.  The writing and art are phenomenal and this is absolutely a worthy successor of the Carey title.

Spread #19 - The cover is a spoiler.  So there's that.  Inside, I continue to love No especially as he replies to people with one word answers... which is almost all the time.  Jack was amazing, and Molly gets out with Hope.  Last time I talked about not knowing how they'd get out of the pickle the cast found themselves in, and then they did!    It was brutal, rather bloody, and accompanied by absolutely brilliant narration.  Earlier today I commented how I don't read The Walking Dead because it's so depressing, yet I love this.  If I had to explain why, the only answer I have is that it's the narration.  Hope narrating gives me hope that things, ultimately, will end well.  At least for her.

Everything else

Dark Knight III the Master Race #6 - Things happen in this book that I want to talk to other people about.  I'm not going to mention any of them here... mainly because I haven't figured out my own feelings about any of it yet.  The art is the same as the rest of the series, so that's down to personal preference.  The story... I'm curious what all of it means, what's going to happen next, and where all of this is leading.  I thought I was getting a sense at the beginning of the issue, but all of that changed by the end.

Black Widow #7 - Was there a longer-than-usual break between this and issue 6?  It feels like it and I'm struggling to remember where things ended after Widow confronted Weeping Lion.  The recap page kinda covers it, but not to the level of detail I want and it's that level of detail that's demanded here right from the start.  (I really should just re-read that those final pages, but I'm probly not gonna.)  In any case, there's a mission in the present and another in the past that has consequences for the present.  Also, Natasha gets a new task that should occupy her for the rest of the arc.  After that, it's anyone's guess, but I think her new ally won't last long.  Wait and Samnee continue to knock this out of the park.

Ghostbusters International #10 - Since the last issue - which seems like only two weeks ago - an annual has been solicited for January.  So even though the series is ending next issue, I've got my fingers crossed Ghostbusters continue at IDW in some form.  As for this particular issue, the plot advanced on multiple fronts and everything is now primed for (sadly) a conclusion next issue. Schoening is back on art for the whole issue, which was great to see once again.  

Justice League #7 - Though this arc wrapped up quickly, it seems like there will be some lasting consequences.  Specifically, Aquaman and Wonder Woman do some things that can't simply be taken back with an "I'm sorry, but we were under the influence of a fear-based attack."  In fact, that would probably make things worse.  I really hope some of these threads get followed up on, but that may depend on how long Hitch is writing.  Tim Seeley is taking over in January, but is Hitch coming back?  I'm going to miss him if Hitch is gone.  The early issues had an Authority feel due to the huge action, but so does this for the personal interactions and admitted desires (intentions?) of some of the cast.  I'd very much like to see this continue.

Superman #9 - Much like Justice League, this wrapped up quickly.  Issue 8 was slow and ended just as it was getting rolling.  Things are back on track here with plenty of action and character development.  Unfortunately, there's no movement on the overall mystery, but that only makes me want to know even more.  Overall, it's a good issue, though I think it might have worked better as a single 40-something page issue instead of two singles.  But what are you gonna do?  Also: Mahnke drawing Superman smiling is just creepy.