Wednesday, September 27, 2017

NCBD post for September 27, 2017 aka my Comics Pull List

Hello, welcome to my weekly coverage of the books that I'll be picking up come the end of the week and I get to go to my friendly local comic shop. I try to keep myself to somewhere around twenty dollars and often go over it...there are so many artists colorists and writers that I think are worth supporting these days.

Zodiac Starforce: Cries of the Fire Prince 2 $3.99

I have been saving the first issue of Paulina Ganucheau and Kevin Panetta's new Zodiac Starforce so I can read a couple in a row and it's seems that it's been a long wait for this issue to come out. This issue promises to reveal that not only will the girls winter break not be relaxing because a Nephros creature has been summoned to the town they learn there is another active Starforce team around that they have to sus out. The magical girl team thing I've been missing is back and I'm happy I'll have two to look forward to reading now.

 

Mother Panic 11 $3.99

Looks like Jody Houser's anti-hero Violet Page is back and may have another gather house project to deal with even if it's someone who was once a friend. At least Violet is back in good fighting shape after the surgery and upgrades this time around. Though I've heard some people has issues with Shawn Crystal on the book I particularly love his artistic take on the cast and his storytelling I think flows in a way that clicks reallly well with me as a reader. This is the Gotham book for me and at least it's got one issue left before the coming hiatus....perhaps the Mother Panic crossover will be with Black Canary I think that might just rock.

Rockstars Children of the Beast 7 $3.99

I got hooked into getting this book at one of the RCCC Image panels where both Joe Harris and Megan Hutchison appeared on and I'm glad I gave it a shot and got issue 6 signed by both of them. Kelly Fitzpatrick is the colorist on this and that made it necessary to grab it as I dig her style of adding her touch to the storytelling. As a metal fan, expecally during the eighties, this story arc hits me in another fandom and makes me want to listen to some of my old favorites. Rockstars if your like me and missed it is a book that puts the demonic back into music in a literal sense and has a couple of cool young adults investigating into the truth of it.

Lazarsus X+66 3 $3.99

Greg Rucka is joined in the storytelling in this by the writer Neil Bailey and his artistic partner on Stumptown Justin Greenwood. The co-creators so far on these side-stories have been pretty solid as the books have been throughly entertaining and accessible even though I have only read spotty issues of the regular Lazarsus series, a mistake I'll remedy come the new year. I was interested in this mainly because Bilquis Eveley will be drawing one of the six issues. My interest was further peaked by Greg Rucka talking about the series in general and about this series of one shots at RCCC this year.

I'll also be picking up Jem and theHolograms Infinity 3 and Image +2 and am likely to be grabbing Batman Murder Machine, Justice League of America 15, American Way #3 and Black Magick 8

 

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

NCBD September 20, 2917 aka my Comics Pull List.

Hello and welcome to me weekly look at the books that are likely to help me break me twenty dollar weekly comics budget. This week there is a new all ages book that I have been awaiting, one of the series I have been awaiting for makes an appearance and one of the ones I've been enjoying a lot hits it's last issue before a several month hiatus. In addition to the books listed I will for sure be getting

Si Spurrier (off panel) and Casper Wijngard (off panel) both went on the Off-Panel podcast to talk about the origin, story and the creative process behind their new image series Angelic. Mankind weaponized the animals then passed from existence leaving the world full remade species. Both Spurrier and Wijngard say that the story is Wall-e mixed with Watership Down. What they both stressed is that it is an all ages book and somehow it strikes me a bit like Kamandi minus any humans left in the world. Angelic looks bright and colorful and sound to have a lot of heart from both interviews.

B

 

Mirror 8 $3.99

Emma Rios and Hwei Lim return with another chapter in the second volume of the science fiction/fantasy story Mirror. The first volume "The Mountain" leaned more into the fantasy heroes quest and this volume looks to be leaning more into social SF. Though it's been a while since issue 7 the both writing and art in this book is brilliant and unique. I'd reccomend it anyway but getting the pleasure to meet Emma Rios and her her talk about both Mirror and Pretty Deadly at at RCCC make me more exited to either read or see her work.

 

Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye 12 $3.99

Of the weird comics coming out of Young Animal Cave Carson has been probably the weirdest and that actaully says a lot. Cave is a regular guy scientist who stole an exceptional vehicular, did some crazy things and has a daughter with a non-surface Human queen. This book has taken us beneath the earths surface and across multiple dimensions. It's involved sentient fungus, hallucinations and of all characters, WildDog. Gerald Way, Jon Rivera, Michael Avon Oeming and Nick Filardi created a book I really really like and included some of my favorite ignored heroes the Metal Men is the process. Can't wait for the hiatus to be over to see more of this kind of nutso storytelling.

Wayward 23 $3.99

As I don't live near a city with an active Japanese supermarket( i.e. an Uwajimaya) it's hard for me to get untranslated manga so I'll make due with this cool manga inspired comic about modern gods or spirits displacing the ones of old. A couple issues back Jim Zub ended the life of my favorite character Ayana and now my next favorite Ohara is having issues with her supernatural abilities that allow her to take on aspects of modern materials. I'm looking forward to spending time with these heroes that nothing like the ones in corporate American comics.

Black Hemmer 13 $3.99

Jeff Lemire is finall telling the tale of the battle against the Anti-God that ended with the dissapearance of the Black Hammer, Captain Weird, Madame Dragonfly, Golden Gail, Barbalian and Abraham Slam from Spiral City. Jeff is being joined by David Rubin who has done several fill in issues thus far. Wether this story will being our heroes back to their original home or not has yet to be seen but reguardless the righ familiar superhero universe created by Lemire and Ormston is sure to be continueing in some way after the reveals in this pivotal 'event' retelling.

Head Lopper 7 (or 3 of 4) $5.99

Andrew MacLean's nameless swordwielding hero Head Lopper fills my need for a sword and sorcery comic in ways that Conan sometimes didn't manage to do. MacLean's story sits squarely between the weird multiversal fantasy of Elric and the sword and sorcery of Conan square in the spot that Kirby created in Thor. Head Lopper is a book where gods and monsters mix with humans heroes and witches (even if the're just a disembodied purple head). It's fun and crazy and right up my alley.

Bitch Planet Tripple Feature 4 $3.99

All the Triple Feature issue thus far have had at least one creator that has made me exited for the issue and this time around it's seeing that Mindy Lee contributed art for one of the stories. At RCCC this year I was talking with Kelly Sue Deconnick and Valentine De Landro at the Image booth and asked them how the anthology has been doing. Kelly Sue said it had been a good experience to open the world up for more stories and it was interesting that most of the pitches they received were kind of relentlessly grim. dark and depressing. Surely Bitch Planet is that but it's always also been satire too. Triple Feature is well worth picking up though the stories reveal more of the world and the book has all the usual excellent backmatter features.

Mister Miracle 1-18 collection

Again I'll mention it would have been Jack the King Kirby's 100th Birthday this year and it's very cool that one of the big two is re-printing some of his contributions to comics. I used to own the earlier B&W collections of this but sadly no longer are they mine...this year I have another chance to get them. The story of Scott Free and Big Barda ran the longest of any of the New Gods titles and it's great to see them all in one place again. (Going so over my budget if I grab this this week.)

Bug the Forager 4 $3.99

Though a little in the late side Bug has been a fun and beautiful tribute to Kirby also. The Allreds have done a brilliant job in delivering a book that is really equally faithful to exuberant creativity of Jack Kirby and most obviously a Michael and Laura Allred joint. Like Mirror well worth waiting the extra time for.

This week in addition to all the rest Declan Shalvey's book with Philip Barrett and Jordie Bellaire Savage Town a crime story set in Limerick Ireland comes out too.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

NCBD September 13, 2017 aka my Comics Pull List

Hello, and welcome to me slightly late new comic book day Pull List post for September 13th. I've been working on a long post summing up my memories of Rose City Comic Con which was as always an amazing time and among other comic related commentary writing I have had to wait in finishing this post. Every weeek I put together this list with the intent to keep to around twenty dollars but often go over. I try to spotlight books that might get overlooked in the flood of good comics out there right now.

 

Mister Miracle 2 $3.99

I'm a bit of a fool for Kirby's Fourth World and the first issue of Tom King and Mitch Gerards' Scott Free story delivered a emotional punch in the gut I was not expecting. The first issue of Mister Miracle presented a a Scott Free I have not seen before really. Scott supporting loss and trauma to the point of making a possibly very permanent decision. Kirby's characters depicted by an artist who goes towards realism are pretty damn physically impressive, particularly Barda, and Mitch can communicate real pathos with his facial expressions. I'm not sure where Misters King and Gerards will head but I'm happy to pay for the ride to see this story.

The Realm 1 $3.99

I nearly went and bought one of the $10 Realm convention tour cover at RCCC last weekend and a part of me regrets not doing it but I decided to wait for this week. Nick Filardi who is coloring it was the first one I heard mention the book months back on the Girl with the Curls podcast(here). I'm a sucker for cool sounding genre mash-up concepts and fantasy by way of Mad Max Fury Road is what I'm hoping for here. Seth M Peck is someone I have yet to read but I heard lots of good about Saints and I know I dig Jeremy Haun and Nick Filardi's artwork so I'm sure it will be worth giving a shot. The character designs, particularly the masked woman that makes my think Phantom of the Paradise, are very appealing so yeah it's money spent. If your thinking about it listen to this podcast with Jeremy Haun.

Sacred Creatures 3 $3.99

Klaus Janson and Pablo Raimondi's mystical/occult modern crime story had been a real gorgeous book to look at and it's been a solidly intrigueing read. This issue I think will start to being in the historical flashbacks which will be drawn by Klaus Janson and reveal more about the supernatural nature of the characters in this story. I was initially interested because of the podcast i heard with Klaus talking about their plans for the book. It's a book that really oozes depth and richness in art and backstory. I'm curious what this first story arc will tell us.

 

 

Redlands 2 $3.99

This book had my money pretty much at Jordie Bellaire, Vanesa Del Rey and Clayton Cowles as they are a team I'd trust to deliver a great book. They delivered a book that appeals to the angry frustrated person inside me. One of the characters in the book said, "...rather it (the town) was run by monsters rather then murders.". It a book that starts with a group of witches killing the white good'ol'boy cops who have been running the town. It was cathartic and at the same time it was a nightmare.

 

 

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

NCBD picks September 6, 2017 aka my Comics Pull List

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the books that will be in my buying pile. I try to keep myself to a rational budget of twenty dollars but some weeks like this one staying under that total seems beyond me. For my tastes in comics there is something of a golden age at the moment and my wallet suffers.

 

Shade the Changing Girl 11 $3.99

Cecil Castellucci, Marley Zarcone and Kelly Fitspatrick have made this ride into the madness as cool a time as the original weird Shade run by Milligan and Bachalo. The last issue featured a near death experience, another weird body swap, a day out in Los Angeles and a mysterious pregnancy. Cecil's story about Loma Shade has been a neat cool exploration of character and humanity as only an outside can reveal. Everything is building to a conclusion of this first year of storytelling as this is the second to last issue before the coming four month hiatus. I'll miss Loma and her friends but it will give me time to go back and re read the whole thing.

 

Doom Patrol 8 $3.99

Though I live the Allred's and enjoyed the last issue this is the story I have been looking forward to. What happened to Lotion the cat. Nick Darington's cover for this issue tells a story all in its own...such a marvelous piece of artwork. Gerald Way's first story arc took a while to click in but it's from the beginning been a Doom Patrol riff taking its lead from the Grant Morrison era and heading into its own direction. I have pretty much always loved the more off beat characters in the DCU and they don't get more down that road then the Doom Patrol. I'm glad we still have four issues to look forward to before the break and the coming crossover issues.

Motor Crush 6 $3.99

Issue 5 left me with a shock, I was not really expecting the story to head in this direction. It's nice to be shocked and to do so with the beautiful art of Babs Tarr is doubly a treat. Motor Crush really captures for me the feeling I got from Japanese Manga back before there were a lot of translations. So, where do they go from the surprise ending reveal that Don is something more then human, possibly?

 

Seven to Eternity 9 3.99

Rick Remender when he's allowed to really stretch his creative wings writes stories with deeply felt emotional resonance. Here he's been doing a second world fantasy western with brilliant art and designs of Jerome Opena and fill ins by James Harren all colored by Matt Hollingsworth. The journey across the world with the Mudking as their prisoner has gone oh so very wrong. It al seems to be going pear shaped and it's the end of the current story arc....

Jem the Misfits 2 $3.99

The Misfits book for my money has been one of the prettiest books on the shelves, Jenn St.Onge and M Victoria Rabado are a killer art team. Kelly Thompson has been killing it with her amazing, heartfelt writing of these amazing women across the last several years. This last story arc before the beginning of the coming anthology is a bit like her last hurrah. I've come to love them all wether they are Misfits, Holograms or Stingers. It's all been fabulous.

Elsewhere 2 $3.99

Jay Faerbrer played me as a reader in a way that amused me in the first issue of Elsewhere and it's a twist I so much do not want to ruin if you have not read the issue yet. Amelia Earhart as the hero of a portal fantasy is a clever story idea but it all comes down to execution and well Faerbrer, Kesgin, Riley and Maurer deliver in ways I didn't expect. They are telling a story of a rebellion against a despot in a fantasy setting and Earhart falls into the role of rebel very easily and seamlessly. The collaboration between Jay Faebrer and Sumeyye Kesgin created something that has layers and depth beyond the hook of the elevator pitch. Amelia is likeable out of the gate as she's hanging from her parachute in issue one and I want to see where this tale will take this world.

Rocket Girl 9 $3.99

Amy Reeder has returned with a vengeance to her drawing table and delivering brilliant kinetic sequential storytelling. Dayoung Johansson, the epinominous Rocket Girl, is a future teen cop from one where adults f'd up the world pretty badly stuck in 1986 trying to be a cop still. There are some deeper stories going on here as well plots about fixing or manipulating the past and the friendship that has developed between Johansson and the founders of the big corporation that dominates her world. This is the penultimate issues of the first story arc and it's great to have this fun dynamic comics that like Motot Crush above reminds me of reading manga in the (nothing is translated yet) ninties.

 

Deathstroke 23 $3.99

There was a Deathstroke book back in the ninties that was actually pretty good in my memory but it was one that did pllay close to the redemption angle. Christopher Priest's approach to Slade Wilson takes him to be what he's always been, he's a fundamentally flawed person to say the least. Priest's Deathstroke is a killer for hire and a bad father, he's self centered and manipulative, he's clever and at times does the right thing. Deathstroke comes of f as complex and compelling I think because Priest has such a clear vision of him and does not compromise that to make us like Slade. The supporting cast is handeled with the same level of careful approach, I like and believe in all these characters. It would be remiss of me to not mention the storytelling prowess of Diogenes Neves, Jason Paz who sell the depth of these characters on every page.

On top of all of those I'm likely to pick up Scales & Scoundrels 1 too.