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.
