Monday, April 25, 2016

Comics Pull List April 27 2016...

Hello, welcome to me weekly posting if my personal pull list edited down to a manageable twenty dollar budget... I do try to keep close to this but sometimes like last week it didn't quite go that way. I try to hit the books I'm both most looking forward to and Spotlight the ones I kinda can't do without. As my tastes kind of lean to the more fringe titles some weeks are bitter sweet as they represent the end of a series (like this week)

 

Angela Queen of Hel 7 $3.99

For me this book has been all aces; I loved this book in all its incarnations across the last two years but sadly I'm among a small group of fans that did it seems. Margurite Bennett, Stephanie Hans and Kim Jacinto have been creating a bit of modern pop myth infused with plenty of geeky references with these women and it's been a joy of a book to support. Books like this that recall that along with all the angst and bombast that comics are about characters loving life and the joy and fun of living and as this book mainly took place in the asgardian version of Hel it says a lot for the lust for life that the stories had. Sera, Angela and Leah tale is sadly one of those that will be short and full of wonderful unfulfilled promise. Marguerite didn't shy from the established open sexuality of the lead pair as she brought them back together across the seven issues of this book... I'd say that if you ever were wanting the book do your FLCS a solid and pick up issues of this and enjoy the glorious fun and artistry in it. I'll miss this one dearly.

Ultimates 6 $3.99

Al Ewing is doing a different bit of full on audacious in this book too I mean who else would make Galactus a regular fixture and transform him into something new after all this time. This issue is illustrated by Christian Ward who draws the sci fi gender flipped revision of the Odyssey assures that this issue will give th big former purple giant his due. Like marvel's thought that a certain armored hero is the flagship character they think of Guradians as the cosmic one but really it's this full in crazy book really playing in the way out there cosmic Kirby pool these days. Without doing any exposition about string theory Al is recklessly exploring that territory outside the multiverse by going outside. For my interest this book has the best Marvel has to offer with America Chavez, the Blue Marvel, Black Panther and Captain Marvel along with the new Lifebringer... crazy fun book inheriting the pop science Kirby tradition...

Injection nine $2.99

Perhaps I can keep the theme transition thing going as Injection is another different weird audacious book that is exploring the boundaries of creation. Warren Ellis and Declan Shelvie along with their glorious colorist have been pushing the boundaries of the real with this take or modern mythology mixed with singularity story. Injection is a book that has yet to reveal what Warren has hidden behind the curtain but we have at least a better idea of the story behind the story now, unless we don't yet and that's ok as Warren has a brilliant cast of misfits and manipulators in this twisty turn-y thriller. It's a bit of mythic X-files without all the will they won't they sexual tension to keep you watching. Shalvey and Bellaire make this compelling story irresistible as the book is one of the best looking out there and that says a lot as I love the art in so many right now.

Image + $1.99 or free with Daimond Previews....

Hold on what's this... it's been ages since the old days of Marvel Age and though most of this is just the image catalogue that they have been releasing for free online this promises to include short original comic work. I'm not sure if it's just a bit of preview of the first issue of things or if it's going to be a bit outside of that but it certainly has my interest. The first installment of this is a bit from the upcoming book from Bryan Lee O'Malley and artist Lesie Hung... it presents a girl Lottie who might be one thing or might be something else and the art looks a joy so I'm interested in seeing it. In addition to that I'm interested to see what this magazine might be other then mearly paid for in house adds. Anyway reminds me of the old Marvel Age magazine that was actually a pretty good book in addition to the hype.

Faith 4 $3.99

Got to end the list as it began with an audacious book that is not afraid to be what it is,and Jody Houser's Faith is unabashedly a superhero book. Faith is the same wonderfully geeky hero she was in the Harbinger and Unity title and this book is a great companion book to Ms Marvel as I think Jody remembers what makes for great comics. As with Ms Marvel also it's great to see a character that presents a different "face" in the medium but has a writer confident enough about the story and her readers that this aspect of the title is not a focal point or even a point of comment. As Valiant has established parts of its future history we know she is considered one of the great heroes and it's obvious as her strength of character and conviction shine through even in this initial miniseries... she is my favorite Valiant character and I'm glad to see her story getting a chance to go beyond just these four issues with the same writer.

 

As Insexts 6 was delayed so that makes this a twenty dollar week... Hope to get an other couple posts out this week... Time will tell...

Let me know what is doing it for you this week...

 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Comics Pull List April 20 2016

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the books that are on my personal pull list and that I will be spending my meager sum of twenty dollars on, ok sometimes well most times I break that budget but I do keep my list to that and try to spotlight the books I'm suspicious of getting less notice then the big names. It's an excellent group this week...

Power man and Iron fist #3 $3.99

These first two books make this a week to be really exited for and they are both penned by David F Walker who pulls no punches in his stories. Both Luke Cage and Danny Rand, the heroics duo for this book, have been favorite characters of mine in many incarnations and it's great to see them being handeled by the team of Mr. Walker and Sanford Greene. David has been delivering on his promise to honor all of the long and complicated history of Luke Cage and the weight of that history is there but does not weigh the story down in the slightest. Sanford Greene's art is expressive and a real delight... there is a sense of joy in his art at least to me. This is a book that is a lot of fun and also one that takes itself full in seriously. Marvel could do worse then to make this their flagship book. No really.

 

Shaft: Immitation of Life #3 $3.99

Here is the second of David's one two punch of the week brought to us be the vagaries of shipping schedules. As I'm an issue behind I can only go by the fact I loved the first issue of this book and the first miniseries so much. Shaft is a troubled man who's past Like Cage weighs of him but in this story we get a real feeling that he's been formed by the weight of that past and made into a fighter, a survivor because of it. If you missed the seventies look in the previous story this book takes us square into the John Shaft Private Dick era with mustache and all. I don't know how many stories David plans with him but I'm willing to say they will all be a good ride.

Mirror #3 $2.99

Mirror is a soft. gorgeously illustrated weird fantasy book that could only really have come out of today's diverse comic market the like its watercoloriish cousin book Descender is much harder a story then the art portrays. Emma Rios is one of the handful of artists moving a bit to do writing too and with her work here and in Island she's proven herself very apt. Though Emma could have done her own art working with Hwei Lim who's new to me but has immediately become a favorite for her design work and her ability to communicate emotion even in animorphic faces. The book is deep and complex with conflicted human characters.

Jem and the Holograms #14 $3.99

Sophie Campbell and Kelly Thompson I think have been having a great time with this book; not constrained by the spandex and superpower tropes they have been able to really dig deep into these characters in the last year. What I thought might be a guilty pleasure book instead is one of the books I look forward to because of how much connection I have found to the entire cast. This story arc has really let the Misfits shine as our heroes are going through a bit of a digital virus spawned Dark Phoenix story. Come for the beautiful art Sophie is doing and stay for the tale they are crafting together.

Divinity II #2 $3.99

Matt Kindt has two books out this week and I expect both to be worthy of picking up and though I may be getting Dept H frommDark Horse I'm going to spotlight Divinity II as I have more a bent towards the weird and cosmic then the weird and thriller like. Divinity last year introduced to Valient a character that has the ability to bend and twist reality and perception in ways that make him appear divine. Teaming again with the same artist Trevor Hairsine Matt this time around is going to explore the lives of the other two cosmonauts that left earth to explore an anomaly it took a lifetime to reach. Mixing existential horror ala Lovecraft with sequential art that is this detailed and rich is a thing I can't really pass up if my shop gets it. Making a character more then human to explore what it is to be human is kind of what the medium does best.

 

That makes just a buck or so short of twenty.... So I have to leave it there but I will mention that Silk by Rob Thompson and Tana Ford is out this week as is Tokyo Ghost ... I'm sure to be picking those up too...

If collections are more your bag...

Jem and the Holograms Vol 2 $19.99

This collection includes the second arc that delved more into Shanna and Aja and includes one of the more genuinely moving issues, the Holiday Special. Emma Vieceli handles most of the artwork for the book along with other special guests as Sophie had to take some time away. This arc, Viral, complicates the business and binds the two bands together for the next arc that is just coming to a close. In addition to the ongoing tale this has the special that features the movie influenced short dream sequence where Aja gets to play a bit of Furiosa/Mad Max.

 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Wanted Dispatch April 13 2016

Last week was a pretty solid week of good books... Diamond finally got my FLCS his copies of Mockingbird #1 and Power man and Iron Fist #2 so my budget got blown but finally got a couple books I was wanting for weeks. Anyway welcome to the second week of April and my pull list post; I put together a list keeping to a twenty dollar ish budget of what I'm actually picking up from my local comic shop. Let's go right to it...as there are some great choices this week...

Shutter 20 $3.99

Joe, Leila, Owen and John's book is one of the ones that I sometimes think of using as a measure for $3.99 books as its the one I often feel I get the most from. Shutter is a book that consistently surprises me with story and with the ways they have mined the comic format for ways to tell a story. Not to say other books are not as close to me heart these days but if someone were to ask what one comic they should read right now Shitter would be the one that would come to my mind first. Issue 20 looks to be expanding Kate's as yet unknown siblings one last time and shake her world yet one more time at least in this way; I heard it a long time ago that every comic is someone's first issue of a book and as I think Joe and Leila are such good story tellers I'd say go ahead and start here they won't steer you wrong. Oh and go listen to the iword podcast for a brilliant interview Joe did with David Brothers here and Leila from months ago here.

Monstress 5 $3.99

This is a magnificent book that proves what Joe Keating (see above) talked about in his interview... Marjorie had an idea for this title for a long time before teaming with Sana for it. Monstress has everything that would make for a marvelous epic fantasy novel and that is largely due to the creative conversation going on between writer and artist in this book. Marjorie talked in interviews about the origins of the book and how it came together and grew as she and Sana began working on it characters taking on a life of their own with their collaboration. I'm amazed by the intricacy of Ms Takada's art that is reminiscent of several of my favorite manga artists but like the book itself it's a blending of multiple influences and its own thing. Monstress is one of those rare books where the cover is fully representative of the richness of the story and art in the book. It's a book layered with meaning and message but it's done with a deft lightness of touch that otherwise might be too heavy handed as I've seen sometimes. Lovely book.... all round.

 

Black Canary 10 $2.99

Annie Wu is back with Brendan Fletcher for the final couple of issues of this series of Black Canary before DC Rebirth. This Black Canary has been a distinctly different book one that by and large did not do the usual suspects kind of superhero comic story and I'm hoping for a bit more of that before we go back to our previously scheduled program. The way that Annie Wu and Lee Loughbridge communicate music and action is kind of a thing of beauty on the book and this last arc looks to dig into the mysteries behind the "White Canary" who's been in the background of things. It's not the Canary that I've loved in the past but it's certainly been great seeing her star in her own book rather then be someone's partner or girl Friday....

Pretty Deadly 9 $3.50

Kelly Sue Deconnick's writing I credit for bringing me back to comics; her Captain Marvel was not the one that started my collecting again but was the one which won my heart. Her and Emma Rios are creators who's work rings with power for me and getting them working on Pretty Deadly again has been a real heartrending treat. Weird metaphysical alternate history with heart is certainly something I love wether it be a western like the first arc, The Shrike, or World War One horror like this it's a must have especially given the women behind it. Ok yes full on fan here and as both of them have other projects on the go it's great to have a bit of this when they have a story to tell.

No Mercy 9 $3.99

No Mercy is a book that is more interested in how people live after a traumatic event then in the trauma itself. Alex de Campi talked at length about her approach to storytelling on the iword here and her interest in telling stpries about how we live. It's drawn by Carla Speed McNeil whose independent comic Finder is something I am sorry I no longer have in its original editions I bought as they came out; her line work is not like anyone else out there and I love her character design. This is a book informed by a life spent traveling and relating to people from various cultures that are very other to the western white experience and it's doing something that is different and important as a comic. Give it a look... honestly too few people write about this book...

 

Insexts 5 $3.99

Ok, this book is both NSFW and totally not for a younger audiences. That said Marguerite Bennett and Ariel Kristantina have put together a great edge pushing body horror tale about women in the Victorian era, and era not known for its feminine freedoms but it's heroes are willing to do what is nessary to have what freedom they can. Knowing Marguerite's book Angela is coming to an end its a comfort to know that this one is still going on and well I have to say if a bit of salacious horror with a heart appeals to your sense of taste track this down and it's really quite good, but really do not read it at work..

 

And that just a little over does the twenty this week.... But I do have a collection to suggest too...

 

Rat Queens Vol 3 Demons

Well, to quote the title a bit... we all have our Demons and this explores the life before of our favorite necromancer Hanna. To continue a theme this week here is a link to the Kurtis Wiebe interview that was posted about two weeks back... And if your a old time pen and paper role player who loves a bit of sequential art why are you not reading this amazing book already. What appeared at the outset to be a fun romp in fantasy adventure has taken itself wonderfully seriously and become one something to be envied. Tess Fowler is a great addition to the amazing art this book has had so far and this story arc did just about the most development with the girls as we have seen and that is saying a lot given what they have already been through. Honestly got teary for this one... Tess' facial expressions alone did it towards the end... Really pick this up...wish the gaming memories I had went this deep...

 

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Wanted Dispatch...Comics Pull List April 6 2016

Welcome to April and national poetry month. Wondercon has happened and we got some pretty good news from DC overall and soon to come is ECCC and the the impending image expo with hopefully more shiny to look forward to. This week is a bit slim on books and I just may be able to keep to my twenty dollar budget. This week there are also some larger price items to look at that I will cover in length hopefully before Wednesday...

Black Panther #1 $3.99

Ok what could I have to say to add to all the press and signal boost that this book has gotten including the Atlantic monthly for which Ta-Nehisi Cotes writes. Black Panther has been one of my favorite marvel character for ages since I say Jack Kirbys drawings of him. Christopher Priest had a brilliant run with him and Al Ewing has been doing excellent things with him of late but this has been the book that I have been anticipating as much as David F Walkers PM and IF. Between the World and Me was one of the more important books I read last year and knowing Mr Cotes is a comics reader and fan makes me want this all the more. The inclusuion of Brian Stalfreeze a long time favorite artist of mine only sweetens the deal. The design work and character sheets that have been previewed have been brilliant. I expect lots of subtlety and nuance in this book but what I'm hoping for is a book that is as risky and subversive as Kelly Sue Deconnick's Bitch Planet.

The Wicked + the Divine #18 $3.50

Ok not going to spoil anything for new readers will be very hard with the this but I'm extremely curious about what this next storyline leading out of Commercial Suicide will be doing. This gorgeous cover seems to promise Persephone and since we got so little of her I'm exited to see what the delivery on this promise will be... given the end of the Fandimonium story arc. Guillen and McKelvie have been pretty surprising with direction and revelations so this issue will probably break people. Regaurdless of the story it's sure to be a gorgeous return of Jamie as regular artist...

 

Black Canary #50 $5.99

I'm going to be crushed when Babs Tarr is no longer drawing Batgirl and I honestly can't imagine why anyone would take issue with her style or the storyline she Fletcher and Cameron have been telling (well with one exection that was corrected in the first collection.) I made the assumption that. This would be connected to the new Birds of Prey but I'm now sure it is its own thing and I know I'll be getting is lots of adventure, great style (and fashions) and a wonderful collection of heroes including, I'll say it, the character who by all right should be the new Oracle. Soon we'll have an idea of what these creators will be doing elsewhere but for the moment we still have them doing the best Batgirl in a long time.... and saying that I loved Gail Simone's run it just had too many crossovers and that was not her fault.

 

 

Harley Quinn and the Suicde Squad April Fools Sp. $4.99

Rob Williams and Jim Lee put this particular joint together and I would have probably passed but I read some of Martian Manhunter, saw the extremely fun Suicide Squad movie trailer, and read a bit of Tim Seeley's new run on the title. This is the creative team that will be taking the helm when the title restarts in the fall and as a long time fan of Task Force X I have to give this a look as its one of the DC books I'm thinking about opening space for. Beyond enjoying Harley on and off since her initial animated appearance I have hopes for something special and weird. It's nice it's a small week so I can give this a go.

And that leaves me enough change for not much but it's in budget. Tomorrow you'll be getting a couple of reviews of a original graphic novel and a collection...

And today...

 

Nailbitter Vol 4

Joshua Williamson is taking over the Flash with DC Rebirth but he's been telling a cool and very creepy thriller with Nailbitter for a couple years now and this week sees the publication of the fourth volume. For the new reader Nailbitter is a book about a fictional Oregon town that has produced a suspicious number if serial killers over the years and draws the attention of the FBI's more questionable fringe investigators. It's a great character study and truly something that crime and thriller readers should give a good hard look. His name being on a major DC book now may bring more readers to this excellent book.