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 - 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 - 02/27/2017

I thought most of this week's books were okay, until I started writing all the reviews.  That's when the wheat really separated from the chaff and I remember all the good books I'd read nearly a week ago.  Which is why Honorable Mention is so stacked.

Pick of the Week

Fix #8 - The mayor is on the cover, but not in the issue.  Pretzels, however, is all up in this.  And the book still manages to inject humor even while slowly crushing your heart.  Also, are both leads independently deciding to do their jobs better?  How crazy would that be?  If you're a fan of the humor of Sex Criminals, you should be reading this book.

Honorable Mention

Black Road #7 - There's a subtitle on the cover, "A Magnus the Black Mystery."  I noticed this early on and thought it was cool - a nice indication for a hopefully long-lasting title.  But I took notice of it again this issue, specifically the "mystery" part.  'cause I gotta say, it seems pretty straightforward to me.  Christians and Northmen don't get along.  There's going to be religion and death.  I mean, clearly.  I read this last night and kept thinking about it today - cool moments in the issue and what's to come in the next.  I'm loving it.

Descender #19 - This damn book.  It's like Saga in that it's incredibly good and makes me feel feelings... except no one else is talking about it.  One of my first reads every month and one I most anticipate.

Frostbite #6 - I had no idea this was a mini series.  I've talked about how I thought this series and Unfollow could be the next breed of Vertigo titles to hit 60 issues, and now both are ending within weeks of each other.  If you were ever curious about Frostbite, I absolutely recommend picking up the trade.  I'll hold out hope for another series since I continue to think it could sustain it and the end perfectly invites additional exploration of the world.

Few #2 - I'd like this a bit better if Sherman made the characters more visually distinct.  A good chunk is tall people in masks walking around in the snow, but when the masks come off, it's dramatically more clear who's-who.  The story and world remain compelling.  Per solicits, it's only a six-issue mini series (though for some reason, called a maxi-series (because the page count is higher?)), which is unfortunate because I'm really enjoying it.

Everything Else

Belfry - This was good.  If it had been a series rather than a one-shot, I probably would have added it to my pull list.  For anyone that enjoys Hardman's art and horror, I suggest grabbing it.

Justice League Of America #1 - This was okay.  Pretty standard superhero comic, and standard hasn't been good enough for a long time.

Old Guard #1 - It's interesting enough that I'll grab the first arc to see where it's going.  The art is okay, but I don't think it's as good as it should be for a Rucka book.  A lot of that comes down to character faces which are large, weirdly proportioned, and have perspective issues.  The art is sometimes helped but frequently further hindered by the bright, simple coloring.  It's like no one on this creative team was on the same page.  Writing this, I may have just talked myself out of buying the first arc.

Teen Titans #5 - Two things: 1) I feel like the Ra's thing ended as best it could.  Which was actually pretty good; he was suitably disgusted by the outcome and his own descendant.  2) I'm pretty sure the ending here gives the Batman writers a reason not to include Damien in their books.  I mean, they weren't before, but now there's something they can point to when asked why he's never around.  I'm looking forward to Aqualad.

TMNT Universe #7 - It's hard to put too much stock into anything this series does.  Maybe I'll ultimately be proven wrong, but it feels like the Agents of SHIELD show whereas the main series as Marvel's movies.  Sure, things will get referenced back and forth, but you know where the real talent and focus are on the main stage.

Transformers Lost Light #3 - That's not Rung.  I've already written one Saga comparison this week, so why not another?  On an issue-to-issue basis, Saga isn't always amazing (I almost went with "stellar" instead of "amazing" but couldn't let myself do that).  However, each arc starts slow and builds to something phenomenal and/or crushing and great moments along the way.  More Than Meets The Eye was a lot like that, and I'm guessing Lost Light is continuing that considering it's the same creative team and all.  Good stuff happens here, but it's building toward something much greater.

The Wicked + The Divine - There's a new terrible thing and still no one can get along.  I'm less interested in the new bad that's coming for the cast and more interested in the varied and always entertaining way the cast interact with one another.  There's going to be a lot of fallout from decisions made here.  It's gonna be great.

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 - 01/30/2017

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 Comics Today - 01/24/2017

I thought about creating a special category below "Everything else" just for Black Widow and Justice League this week.  Read on to find out why.

Pick of the Week

Superman #15 - I was wrong.  Last time I said this would cross over with Action Comics, but that's the Superman Reborn arc which is coming in March.  And I'm still skipping the Action half because I don't like Jurgens.  However, this isn't that.  Multiplicity is on fire!  Writing, art, all of it's amazing.  Basically a continuation of Grant Morrison's Multiversity bookend storyline.

Honorable Mention

Black Road #6 - I got to the last page here and said, "Holy shit."  Which is, unintentionally, a little funny given the context.  Even given the break between the last arc and the new one here, there was no problem picking up where it had left off.  It's brilliant, brutal, beautiful, and if the plan on the last page is the story for this arc, I want nothing more than to be reading more right now.

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #4 - As much as I want more Powers, it's been clear for a long time that that's not where Bendis' priorities are at.  I'm extremely glad someone has put Oeming to work, since he's perfect for this book.  The character designs, fantastic settings, emotion, violence... he excels at all of it.  It's also really well written.

Descender #18 - Whaaat?  There are some surprising turns of events here.  Look, for the last 17 issues I've been writing about how great this series is.  This issue is no different.  Get it, see what all the alien/robot goodness is all about.

Kill Or Be Killed #5 - If you're not reading this, you're genuinely missing out.  It's easily one of the best written books on the market.  There's a slight time-skip from last issue in which Dylan gets better at killing people without nearly getting himself killed.  I actually winced while writing that because I remember how the issue ended.  Get it!

Trinity #5 - Things that were confusing before make sense now after the explanations given here.  This continues to be a fun read and gorgeous to look at.  Props to Manapul for pulling off both the writing and art so well.

Everything Else

Black Hammer Annual - If you like Black Hammer, read this.  It's a nice collection of stories about each of the cast members, with each one drawn by a different artist.  It's nice.

Black Widow #10 - A few things of consequence happen this issue, but those cover about three pages.  The rest of the book left me wonder, "What was the point of all that?"  If this gets cancelled and renumbered again, I'm out.

Curse Words #1 - I read this on Monday, after hearing nothing but praise about this book for days.  I don't know if that set expectations too high or what, but I don't get what all the hype was about.  It's alright, but it's basically just all character establishment.  I expected more from Soule.  The art is okay.

The Few #1 - You need to pay a tiny bit of attention here because the time jumps aren't immediately obvious.  Other than that, everything is great.  Action, interesting characters, a mission, a twist, and all told with great art.  This is getting added to my pull.

Justice League #13 - There's no reason to buy this.  No wait, even if you get this for free, there's no reason to read it.

Justice League Suicide Squad #5 - Whenever The League get taken out or possessed or incapacitated in some way, it's always Batman that's unaffected.  Because of course it's Batman.  He needs to save them to show how awesome he is.  The same is true here.  Also, the actual bad guy of the series is finally revealed -- scratch that -- finally shows up.  Because DC marketing revealed the character months ago.  Despite all of the above, it's still a fun series.  Especially Lobo.

Lucifer #14 - That's Constantine, right?  I mean, except she's a woman.  But other than that...  Anyway, new writer taking over with this issue and I was concerned at first.  Just like I was with Holly Black until I read the first issue.  The same holds true here.  All the plates are still spinning and not a step was missed.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #6 - The Turtles get a Clayface-equivalent in this Mikey-focused issue.  For reasons I won't go into for spoilers, Pitarra is an outstanding choice for artist this issue.  Which makes sense, since he had a hand in the story too.  And a nice bit of history as a back-up story.

Last Week's (ish) Comics Today - 01/02/2014

Here's a mish-mash of books from the last two weeks as I catch-up.  Expect at least one more of these as I read and figure out if I have anything to say about what's soon to be the last three week's worth of comics.

Pick of the Week

Klaus & Witch Of Winter One Shot - I get the feeling Morrison would like to write Doctor Who.  The whole formula is on display here - Klaus comes in like a whirlwind into a normal person's life at a moment of distress referencing awesome sounding events we'll likely never see.  He quickly gets to work using his bizarre abilities and the day is ultimately saved by the power of love.  It's really quite enjoyable, even if this sounds like I'm shitting on it (and Doctor Who by extension).  Dan Mora remains an incredible talent and deserving of wider recognition.

Honorable Mention

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #3 - As soon as I opened the cover I thought, "Man, I love Oeming."  Then I started reading and remembered the writing is funny and heartfelt with action and just the right amount of weird.  It's wonderful.

Trinity #4 - I'm not sure what's going on between Batman and Wonder Woman, but I hope it gets addressed and not abandoned again like that forever Evil tease that was never followed up on.  Anyway, we've seen Superman's and Batman's past the last two issues, so this issue we focus on Wonder Women.  And it's good.  Better even than he current ongoing.  The last page reveals (maybe?) who's behind this group hallucination while outside, Lois deals with the physical end of things.  Still not sure where any of this is leading, but I'm enjoying the ride.

Everything Else

All Star Batman #5 - If I'm being honest, I stuck this series out hoping a) it would end well and b) the next arc would be better.  The first didn't come true.  Here's hoping the second does.

Sidenote: A friend wanted to know my thoughts on this issue, so I opened in while still at the shop just to take a peak... and was reminded it was drawn by Romita.  So I immediately closed it again and then put off reading it for two days.

Lake Of Fire #5 - Seeing knights fight aliens was great once again.  Unfortunately, there was also a bunch of talking when characters should have been taking action.  The exact same problem in this week's TMNT Universe.  There's no indication the series will continue, but if it does, I won't be picking it up without a serious increase in alien presence.

Justice League Suicide Squad #1 - A better start to an event comic than I expected.  In recent years I've come to believe event series start great, and at about the midway or three-quarters mark, fall flat on their face.  Ultimately, time will tell here, but it's a really strong start.

Justice League Suicide Squad #2 - Clearly, Batman doesn't believe in redemption.  I've been playing Arkham Knight the recently and when combined with this, makes me wonder just what the hell Batman is accomplishing.  Nothing productive, that's for sure.  The issue features just about every member of both teams momentarily getting the upper hand on a member of the opposing team.  Then Killer Frost levels up and Waller gets the upper hand on EVERYONE.  I'm enjoying it.  It's kinda like a Geoff Johns event, but with less splash pages.

Justice League #11 - Is Batman broke?  Synder screwed him pretty hard at the end of New52, but I haven't kept up with what King and Tynion have done with him since.  The reason I ask is, following a massive brawl across a Denver suburb that resulted in many destroyed homes, he promises Wayne will pick up the tab.  Given the close continuity between the JL vs SS and Batman issues this week, this feels a little off.  (And in more ways than just Batman's wealth, which admittedly, I have have not kept up with.)

Superman #13 - A bit of a low point for an otherwise excellent series.  Maybe it's for the lack of Jon.  Superman and Lois are acting a bit too familiar in "public" while Frankenstein and his bride fight over a criminal/bounty.  With Multiplicity starting up next issue, I hope things return to their regular greatness.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #5 - A standalone issue featuring Hob, Leatherhead, and Hun.  It's alright.  A whole lot of talking when people should be taking action instead.  Also the conclusion to Leo's back-up story which you should be able to guess if you've been paying any attention at all.  Makes me question whether to continue with the series or not.

Mighty Thor #14 - Malekith is a such a dick.  I've believed for a while that he's the end antagonist for Aaron's overall run, and that eventually he'll receive the beatdown he deserves... but before that we'll have a war with Shi'ar for, I don't know, because the Shi'ar haven't received a beating in a while and someone felt they were due?

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.