Monday, November 28, 2016

Wanted Nov 30 2016 aka my Comics pull list...

Well this may be a pretty slim shipping week according to the owner of my FLCS but for me it's a full on damn amazing group of books. It also looks to be a week where I'll make it within my twenty dollar budget. All the books on my list this week quite honestly the ones that I should use as a benchmark for what a 3.99 book should be and how exited I am when they are coming up in the shipment. The week also sees the publication of the second PaperGirls Trade that if you missed the monthlies you shoul treat yourself to.

 

Romulus 2 $3.99

I've heard both Bryan Edward Hill and Nelson Blake II interviewed separately on the IWord and together on Black Comics Chat; they now full on rate as some of my favorite comic creators because of what they had to say in general and their commitment to the comic medium. Romulus 1 impressed me story and art wise on my first read and I was for sure a fan but on a second deeper read Bryan and Nelson quite literally brought me to tears with the depth of emotion and feeling I got from some of the events in the story. Romulus is a modern kick ass action story following the revenge story of an assassin fighting against the secret society that trained and raised and then asked a bit too much of her and her guardian. It's one that I know I'd be kicking myself in a few months if I'd missed it in favor of something else. (Oh and go listen to their amazing interview here on BlackComicsChat it quite honestly gave me hope in these sometimes hopeless days)

Monstress 8 $3.99

Marjorie and Sana's brilliant beautiful fantasy horror Monstress is one of the book I look at and wonder how many crazy hours have gone into it. Sana Takada who handles all of the art chores creates pages that are not only amazing to look at but have an amazing depth of detail and character. Monstress as I'm sure I have said before is a fantasy book for people who want more then another western style book about magic and Knights. Even the word choice in the story appears to be very carefully chosen to tell just how different, non western non patriarchial this world is.

Shutter 24

In the aftermath of issue 22 no one of the surviving characters came out unscarred and the fantastic world if Shutter became outwardly a much darker foreboding place. Huckleberry turned out to be a much more complicated mixed bag of a character and more interesting because of it during her time in the book and I'm exited to see her story told in more depth. As ever I know that Joe Keating Leila Del Duca Owen Geini and John Workman have more in store then I could ever guess so I'm just looking forward to seeing more as this final story arc unfolds. The creators behind this book play a lot with the comic medium playing with different storytelling styles from across the history of comics and from various countries so it's always interesting how they tell the story as well as the story itself. I'll be very sad when it's all over to be honest.

 

This week also sees a new Ghost Rider book from Filipe Smithand the release of the DC New Talent Showcase which I've heard some interesting things about and because I have some cash leeway I'm likely to try something new or thatnive missed.

Somehow I missed this when looking through the list

 

The Skeptics 2 $3.99

Tini Howard and Devaki Neogi trip back to the sixties Cold War and an "arms" race to develope and train psychics between the US and the USSR. Mary and Max and their "teacher", the "subjects" for the US program, happen to the scamming the government so it may be interesting if the USSR subjects are the real deal. I very much enjoyed the feel of the opening issue in this four issue story, Devaki has an art style that really captures the feel of the comics of the era.

 

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Wanted November 23 2016 aka Comics Pull List

Five Wednesday months then leave me a couple of weeks that are actually under budget and this is another of those as I only have a couple of books coming that I know I'm supporting. This week I have some space in my comics budget of twenty dollars that I really should keep till next week but I may go get some of the books I've overlooked.

 

Wayward 18 $3.99

One of the first cartoons I remember loving was Speed Racer and since I was a child I have had a deep affection for the comics, animation and things Japanese in general so Wayward with its Japanese influences is something I'm glad has seemed to found an audience. Rory and Ayane are stuck in Ireland and from the looks of the cover the spirits of the so called elerald isle do not look too pleased. Urban Fantasy in the US is largely centered on the traditions of Western Europe and for me it's great to see creators not only use eastern traditions but do so with a great amount of knowledge and reverence. Wayward is a book for people who love mythology action and not just a little bit of mystery as I'm again not sure where things are going but I'm happy to take the trip which these characters I've come to love.

Jem and The Holograms 21 $3.99

Meredith has been killing it in the art in the book to be quite honest but as a fan of her own book Hinges from image I think I may just be a bit bias here. Given the very open line qualit of her style I often really impressed with the amount and depth of expression her characters faces have, they can goofy to heartbreaking between panels and I buy it all willingly. Kelly Thompson has been so lucky with the artists she has been paired with for this book.

Ultimates 2 1 $3.99

Though I have not liked a lot of the direction Marvel has been taking Captain Marvel in lately Al Ewing has been writing some truely brilliant weird cosmic level comics in Ultimates and as long as he's doing this book I'll likely pick it up. He's taken the interesting fixture of the Marvel Universe Galactus and made him into more then just a personified force of nature. All the players in this book are given a chance to have a say of their own and have real agency in the story and I'm hoping as some have their own books to shine in that Spectrum and the Blue Marvel are given more of a center stage along with the big now gold and white Kirby creation.

 

MoonGirl and Devil Dinosaur 13 $3.99

So yeah the big thing about this issue isthmus reveal that Lunella is the smartest person (not just girl) in the Marvel Universe and that says a lot given the sheer number of true creative geniuses that exist in it. This is the Marvel book that I go to when I need a lot of heart and feeling in the storytelling and I'm so happy that Amy, Brandon, Natasha and Tamara are getting to tell these stories that are not all gloom and doom as we need some hope in our hero tales. I'm also so happy that it's a small week as I'll get to catch up on this book as I'm an issue behind. Lunella is going to be seeing a lot of the Marvl regulars in the near future too so there will be more fun to look forward to I'm thinking for this bright girl and her red dinosaur pal.

 

 

A.D. After Death 1 $5.99

So though I like Scott Snyder as a storyteller about as much as I like Jeff Lemire as a storyteller so putting them together on a book about the aftermath of the end of Death would seem to be something I'd immidately go for but I was on the fence as I'm spending kind of more then I want to support all the people want to these days. What tips it for me and makes me add it to my list at the last minute is the fact that proceeds are going to the Creators for Creators fund that Image started this year and that is far too cool to pass up in my opinion. It's a fund that goes to aid new creators and I'm well all about that as I hope to be one someday even at this late date in my life.

 

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Wanted November 16 2016 aka Comics Pull List

I'll be honest this last week has seemed to have lasted a year to me but I'll leave my outrage at my fellow Americans aside to celebrate the art form I love for at least the time it takes me to write this column. So if this is for first visits I do a weekly commentary on the books I'm buying kinda keeping to a budget of twenty dollars where I can. It will be pretty obvious but I think all the things we choose to support are kind of indicative of who we are as people. To me it's now even more important the creative people behind these books...

Black Panther 8 $3.99

The complex personal stories being told by Ta-Nehisi Coates about T'Challa his family and his people continue as Black Panther and Manifold attempt to rescue his sister. Coates has created a truly wonderful Afro-futurist corner of the marvel universe built on the foundations left by Kirby, McGregor, Priest, Hudlin to name a scant few that helped build the history of the character and Wakanda. To me it's great to have titles who's mythology is not built on Western European mythology and traditions. The story mixes the complexities of dealing with being the head of a state pretty seemelesly with a deep family drama and some pretty great superhero action that has little to do with the usual suspects of comics. Between Brain Stalfreese Chris Sprouse and Carl Story with colors by The book USA real joy to look at too.

Spell on Wheels 2 $3.99

From Afro-futurism to urban fantasy we go. Taste in humor can be very personal and Kate Leth for sure appeals to my taste in humor and storytelling and I just wish I had had the time this last month to read issue 1. So what can I say other then mention that it's a book that mixes a road trip and vengeance story with three witches who are all very different from their look and style to the forms of magic that are theirs. I'm happy ill have two to read when I get to it as I need a fun trippy break from the horror show real life sometimes looks like. I will also add that the artwork by Megan Levens and Marissa Louise is so damn pretty too.

 

Southern Cross 9 $3.99

Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger's horror police procedural set on Titan has effectively won my heart eventough my favorite characters seem to be gone away. Andy Belanger's art has just the right mood and atmosphere created by his dark inks and pages to set that original Aliens/Outland kind of rusted worker space kind of tale. Becky can for sure spin a great tension filled creepy weird tale and when you add Lee Loughbridge as colorist it's a combination that Ridley Scott I'm sure would envy.

 

 

 

Slam 1 $3.99

So I mentioned this last week incorrectly so I'll repost it here today and say I'm looking forward to it even more now as I truely need great books and the little I have seen this is pretty damn great. There are three pages up at Comicosity and they I hope really set the tone and feeling of the book...I knew I love the artists work and it's great to know that the writing has some real feeling to it right on the first page.

 

And for once it looks like I'm firmly under budget so I can check out books like Horizon 4, Cave Carson 2 ( issue one I happen to have really liked a lot by the by) and get the new Silk as the new artist looks pretty cool too.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Wanted November 9 2016 Comics Pull List

Nope not going to mention the obvious things that may be on people's minds (given the day I'm posting this) I'm just here to talk comics I'm picking up today and chew bubblegum and I'm all out of bubblegum. Anyway try as I kght to keep this weeks list to twenty dollars I'm afraid it pretty much is assured to go over given two or three of this weeks books. I'll not babble on as I have a lot to say about a couple of these books and a suggestion to add to your pull list.

 

World of Wakanda 1 $4.99

This is the kind of book I look forward to; the kind that expands on the people and settings I've been reading about letting them take the stage for a while. Though I'm sad Marvel didn't look to any of the excellent women of color already writing independent and web comics I was truly exited when essayist Roxane Gay and award winning poet Yona Harvey were named to be creating Thai book with some guidance from Black Panther's current writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.The announcement at SDCC of this book of the writers made it a must for me even before the amazing art team of Afua Richardson who will work with Yona on the origin story for the rebel leader Zeni and Alitha Martinez who will do the art for Roxane's look at the love story between the Midnight Angels who broke with the protectors of the T'challa and taken up the cause of the people. Like Black Panther, World of Wakanda is the kind of book that may hit an audience outside the usual suspects of comics fandom as its bringing new voices in to tell the stories and bring new readers into this unique storytelling artform. I'm exited to see what this book has to offer in terms of both voice and art and if the promise and how they expand on the stories of the rebel leader Zeni and the love story of the Midnight Angels.

No Mercy 11 $3.99

It's a real treat to have an issue of No Mercy out this week so soon after Mayday which was also written by Alex De Campi. No Mercy follows the fall out in the lives of a group of university students who's vacation in Mexico went horribly awry in the wake of a bus crash that they didn't all come back from. Alex is interested in stories that are not comfortable, predictable, or in some cases safe; No Mercy has presented death, loss, religious conversion therapy camps and drug cartels and that is a lot for anyone to contend with let alone people who are still teens for the most part. This book that explores trauma is beautifully illustrated by longtime independent comics creator Carla Speed McNeil and colored by the highly skilled Jenn Manley Lee and manages to go from visually visceral to drug-trippy weird as the last issue reminded us, this one I suspect will be more down to earth sinister.

Island 12 $7.99

Island is a pretty special book in my mind; it's a place where creators have free reign to tell the stories that they are passionate about and need not fit into any genre, niche or particular style. There have been issues I've loved more then others and stories that interest me more but I have also been introduced to storytellers I might not have checked out on my own. It's one of the book I got into without paging through it because the surprise as to what is in there is often half the joy of it for me. Marion Churchland who's art I've been sorely missing graces the cover of this issue telling a little story of its own.

Mother Panic 1 $3.99

Looks like I am succumbing to the lure of Gotham with this book by Jody Houser but at least it may get me up to speed for when Batwoman starts next year. Reading the three page preview that is out there Mother Panic feels a bit more angry post cyberpunk adult themed comic then the rest of the Batman Family but I think I forgot it's a Young Animal title for a fee sentences. Tommy Lee Edwards heavily inked pages and the darker muted color palet really set the time for this book and given the bright and optimistic stories I've seen from Jody so far I'm exited to see what this book has to offer as a different look at the Bat family's city. Young Animal has me getting three DC titles even if they reside in the weird spectrum of the universe we'll see if they can make that four.

PowerMan and Iron Fist 10 $3.99

So normally an issue of PM&IF would usually hit near the top of the list and its position indicates no loss of love for the title as all these books are somehow things I can't pass up. David F Walker handelded that marvel crossover quite well I thought given that lately I've taken to avoiding them. The events at the prison during that story have let out a lot of the street level crime element and looking at the cover I'm thinking we're heading into a gang war kind of tale with out heroes no so much for hire yet caught in the center. Sanford Greene is back fully with this story again and that makes me pretty happy as I enjoy his line work wether it's comics or his personal art.

Doom Patrol 3 $3.99

Ah well as with a couple of their books out there I'm not quite sure what the hell is happening in this story yet but I do like the shape it's beginning to take on looking back on the story so far. I am starting to like Casey and wonder what her encounter with Dannyworld will mean for her and her partner as well as what the hell is going on with Neagtive Man in this new incarnation. Gerald Way and Nick Derringtom have got me coming back for a third time to visit their weird space so perhaps you'll come with me to keep me company as I see if I can figure out what the hell is going on.

Slam 1 $3.99

As a kid there were two "sports" I enjoyed watching mainly because they connected me to my grandparents; with my grandfather I watched pre WWF professional wrestling and hence my love of Lucha libre today and with my grandmother it was Roller Derby so seeing this book, well, I have to have it. The art previews for the book I really liked the look of even before the solicit revealed that Veronica Fish would be the artist and well that really set the hook for me...I mean, look at the expression on the cover. Though I watched a fair share of Derby matches I don't really know much about how the sport works and kind of think of it as wrestling at speed on skates; I know there is much more to it but I guess it's that feeling that stuck with me from childhood. If I hadn't been waiting for this at least I'd have known about it as Roxane Gay posted to Twitter this last weekend about it so I suspect I'm in good company in picking this up.

These get me to just about 30 so that is not near as bad as I feared it would be for a week where not only Island arrives but also another night ticket item but I can not pass on the new Black Panther title.

This week also gives us Violent Love from Frank Barbiete and Victor Santos and. Glitterbomb 3, Wonder Woman 10, Mosiac 2, a new Gotham Academy and Allstar Batman from DC and I can't for get to mention Namesake by Steve Orlando that I hope my FLCS ordered. I may add a couple to my stack given I've gone over budget already.

Oh...

And while your at your FLCS you may just want to add this book to your pull list...it's by the steampunk horror romance novelist Delilah S Dawson and drawn by Ashley A Woods who's been quite killing it on Niobe. It's a book coming from Boom called Ladycastle and the designs and preview illustrations look downright gorgeous...below is a bit of a teaser that got posted recently

 

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Wanted November 2 2016 aka Comics Pull list

Welcome to the first November edition of my weekly Pull List post and for now at least a return of the Waned title line mainly because I kind of liked it. Anyway this is my weekly share of the books I plan to pick up and try to keep to a budget of twenty dollars which sometimes is a bit of a struggle...

 

Bitch Planet 9 $3.99

So first off it's important in the world right now to prevent a horrible future please go and Vote. Bitch Planet takes a while to come out and delivers in ways that merit the wait from the story itself to the amazing backmatter essays. The BS last week that happened to Chelsea Cain proved all the more that books like this that full on takes to task the misogyny so prevelent in out world and in comics (oh yes in comics from the industry to the rabid sad puppy fans) is something we very much need. Though you can see the NC designation and this books as satire it's pretty evident it's not as far from reality as some people may thing. The people who create this book point to the real ills out there through this grind-house cinema trope filled story about a woman's prison in space and the horrors committed by a patriarchial oligarchy that takes itself far too seriously. Um I think I may have revealed my feminist agenda with that but I do so love this book.

Shade the Changeing Girl 2 $3.99

So last issue gave us the fan of Rac Shade who got a hold of his madness vest as trench and took up residence in a vacant human body on earth where his amazing weird adventures took place. The first chapter gave us just enough drama and weird to hook me and make me want to see more as well as making me wish I still had all the Milligan issues again as I don't think I remember them as well as I though. The girl our hero inhabits was a bit of a mean girl it appears and no one really wants her to be back it seems so out new Shade may have to prove her worth to both the characters in her life and to us the readers who really want to love this book.

Occupy Avengers 1 $3.99

Anyone who read this knows David F Walker is one of my favorite writers and he is one of the writers who's books I will just buy without flipping through. Occupy Avengers is at least going to start as a team up between. Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and Red Wolf and strikes me as a modern take on the old Denny Oneill and Neal Adams Hard Traveling heroes or to say it a little more pointedly SJW's. David Walker is not shy about making books that are topical and hard hitting and given there was a SJW Hawkeye book that succeeded a year or so back this may be just the book those missing Matt Fraction's take on him or those already missing Nighthawk to substitute on their pull. I don't get many Marvel books anymore but books like this will make my list. Oh and Carlos Pacheco on the art makes this one of those books that will look really great...I've been missing his art so I'm happy he's on a book I want.

 

Mayday 1 $3.99

Alex De Campi takes us back to the early seventies with two Russians "agents" sent to the US to kill a defector, and as with all the best stories they start when everything goes horribly awry. Stuck in the US now two very different people come to rely on one another to survive until they can find their contact to get out. Alex is not concerned with the action end of things but with the ways we survive in the age of horrible events. Alex has a proven record of writing great suspense spy dramas going back to Smoke/Ash that Dark Horse published several years back. Mayday promises to tap into personal morality and Cold War paranoia if your wanting a story that doesn't flinch or take the easy way out this is one to look at.

Jade Street Protection Service 2 $3.99

I posted this up months back when it was originally supposed to be out and get to post about Katy Rex's take on a magical girls school story again. Jade Street 1 was enthusiastically received as a great new take on the Magical Girl / Macial School story that has style, action and a great sense of humor brought to us by Katy Rex, the editor of Kim&Kim artist Fabian Lelay and edited by Mag's Vissagio. The girls are brought together by mutual trips to detention that leads to them discovering a secret that binds them together in a kind of Breakfast Club sort of way with magical powers and sparkly costume changes. I've so happy it's on the way finally.

 

the Wicked + the Divine 23 $3.50

So the last issue left Kieron Gullen and Kevin McKelvie with a status quo much changed and this arc looks to be another change of pace with guest artists coming on for at least parts of the story. Kevin Wada who does so many brilliant beautiful fashion influenced superhero illustrations on his tumblr and Twitter accounts I know that this book is going to look a treat no matter where the story takes us. For the initiated the Wicked + the Divine follows the lives of a group of mortals who have gained the powers of iconic gods from various pantheons and like replicants have a very limited life expectancy...now the question is are those the real facts about their new lives or not.

Animosity 3 $3.99

Ok just this weekend Marguerite Bennett posted that no one is safe in this book and that is early in the run to make that ominous statement. Animosity is a book that is one part talking animals and one part an apocalyptic uprising. Issues one and two were quite well paced and have been very unsettling as the world status quo had been toppled by animals demanding their fair share of the planet we co-inhabit.