Matt Graham
Light week. I scoured three times to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I’ll put the extra budget towards some Marvel Legends.
- Deathstroke Rebirth #1 – Christopher Priest’s Black Panther run is on e of my favourite runs to share with people, and I’m hoping Deathstroke repeats that magic.
- Vampirella #6 – I feel like this series was changed into a mini due to sales, but I hope it returns with Kate Leth at the helm.
- Empress #5 – Speaking of limited series I wish were ongoing, Empress has been some of the best sci fi pulp to come out in comics this year.
- Scarlet Witch #9 – This book isn’t immune to Civil War, and Quicksilver makes a long awaited cameo. That’s not the most important part. Not only did I get Joelle Jones in Lady Killer Vol. 2 #1 last week (buy it), she’s doing the art on Scarlet Witch with James Robinson! You can’t see it, but I pumped my fist when I read that. This book has paired well with Vision for unusual takes on Marvel characters, and I couldn’t be happier to see Wanda taken off the beaten path with the rotating art teams Robinson gets.
- AN X-Men
- Daredevil
Mike Maillaro
Last week, my friend John Babos had asked if I only was getting one DC book because the only book I had commented on was Suicide Squad Rebirth. I explained that I only pick a handful of books to talk about each week…mostly because I am worried about being repetitive. There is only so many ways I can say “I love Ms Marvel” each month. But starting in this week’s column, I am going to post the rest of my pull list each week, even the books I don’t have comments for.
- ALL-STAR BATMAN #1 – I think calling this book ALL-STAR is a bit misleading, since All-Star has a specific connotation of an “Ultimate-like” book set out of continuity. Instead, this seems to be an in-continuity Batman story by Scott Snyder with some great artists. Don’t get me wrong, I am actually looking forward to this book, I just think it’s a strange choice of titles.
- NEW SUPER-MAN #2 – Not sure of the continuity of this series. I was expecting “the Chinese Super-Man” we saw from Super-League, but this seems to be a different character entirely. What happened to the other guy? First issue was decent, but the rest of the Superman books have been so good, it’s easy for this one to get lost in the pack.
- RINGSIDE #6 – Image’s look inside the dark world of professional wrestling is back. I like that Image gives some of its books breaks until the creator is ready to do another story. It’s been than filler issues just to ensure you get an issue each month. Kind of like the BBC model of television. I will take shorter seasons to ensure more quality in each issue.
- FLASH #4 – A few weeks ago, I heard someone compare this current “lots of people in Central City got the speed force” arc as being Spider-Island. I think that’s a vast oversimplification. I’ve really enjoyed this arc, though part of me would prefer to see more of him teaming up with Batman to figure out what the hell is wrong with the DC Universe.
- VAMPIRELLA #6 (of 6) – I had no idea this was a mini-series until Matt pointed out the listing. Not sure if that was the plan all along, or maybe this is just a typo. I had not heard that it was a mini-series. I am hoping that this is just the end of the arc, and the series will be on-going. Kate Leth has done a great job with this series.
- SUPERWOMAN #1 – Another Super-series. I know that this is Lois Lane, but not sure which one. New-52 Lois, Pre-Flashpoint Lois, Crime Syndicate Lois, something else entirely. But for the most part, DC has been doing a great job with the Super-characters. So, I will checking this one out no matter which Lois it is.
- BLACK-EYED KIDS #5 – This book is so damn disturbing. Horror comics are such a rarity these days, and it’s been great to see some good ones from Aftershock. Black-Eyed Kids is probably my favorite!
- HOUSE OF PENANCE #5 – Speaking of good horror books. Dark Horse has blown me away with this book. After every issue I’ve felt completely creeped out. We need more unique comics like Black Eyed Kids and House of Penance.
- OLD MAN LOGAN #10 – Old Man Logan has been a real surprise. It felt like a way to cheat and keep Wolverine around after death, but this has provided a very unique take on the character. I really enjoy this book, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to pick it up initially. Glad for this impulse buy.
- Action Comics #961
- Deathstroke Rebirth #1
- Detective Comics #938
- Flintstones #2
- Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #2
- Red Hood And The Outlaws #1
- Wonder Woman #4
- A-Force #8
- Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. #8
- All-New All-Different Avengers #13
- All-New All-Different Avengers Annual #1
- All-New X-Men #12
- Amazing Spider-Man #16
- Daredevil #10
- Darth Vader #24
- Empress #5 (Of 7)
- Spider-Man 2099 #13
- Vision #10
- A&A The Adventures Of Archer And Armstrong #6
- Ninjak #18
James Fulton
- Black Monday Murders #1 – Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker? Sold. I don’t even need to know what it’s about. I wish Hickman would return to his Dying and the Dead, and to The Manhattan Projects though…
- Black Panther #5 – I feel like the last issue of Black Panther really threw down the gauntlet in a lot of ways, and like that this issue is coming so quickly on its heels. I also like that Chris Sprouse is going to be drawing this arc, even though I’ve loved what Brian Stelfreeze has been doing.
- Deathstroke Rebirth #1 – I don’t much care for Slade Wilson, although there have been times when I thought the character has been handled really well. Mostly, I’m interested in the fact that the great Christopher Priest is returning to regular (bi-weekly at that) comics. I’ve loved most of his work over the years, and am looking forward to seeing what he has in store.
- New Super-Man #2 – I thought that Gene Luen Yang did a great job with the first issue of this series, and I want to know a lot more about Kenan, his new powers, and the Chinese Justice League. Unlike Mike, I’m coming at this with no sense of continuity, because I haven’t read a Superman comic since Grant Morrison’s awful Action Comics run.
- Vision #10 – I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that I just know that something bad is going to happen in this issue, since something bad has happened in just about every issue so far. That’s actually what I love about this series…
John Babos
12 books this week.
- A&A: Adventures of Archer & Armstrong #6 – Enjoying this quirky book with action and humor in equal measure.
- Action Comics #961 – While I’m not totally sold on Doomsday again as THE villain for Superman, the DC Rebirth iteration rings more true for me than the Doomsdays (yes plural sadly) of the New 52.
- All Star Batman #1 – Keeping the line at… $4.99? Are 10 extra pages worth $2 more? I don’t know, but I like the creative team. #Conflicted
- Deathstroke Rebirth #1 – Am looking forward to this. With Suicide Squad, this eventual series will anchor my twice monthly reads from DC.
- Detective Comics #938 – This remains the best Rebirth book I’m reading and I didn’t expect to read it beyond its first issue. Love the Team Batman premise for the book plus the team has Red Robin (Tim Drake) and Clayface on the team. #Win
- Earth 2 Society #15 – I enjoy DC’s multiverse, but this book stands out like a lone soar thumb beyond DC’s digital comics like Injustice that chronicle tales from an alternate Earth.
- New Super-Man #2 – China’s Superman vs. China’s Batman & Wonder Woman…. Hmmm. Intriguing. #Different
- Ninjak #18 – Techo-spy shenanigans from Valiant. Always fun.
- Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 – Interested in how Bizarro and Artemis join Red Hood as DC Rebirth’s “Dark Trinity”. I think this iteration of the Outlaws shows more promise than the “misfits” premise of the New 52.
- Six Million Dollar Man: Fall of Man #2 – I’m a long-time SMDM and Bionic Woman fan so I’m in.
- Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo & Boomerang #1 – Not sure these 2 can anchor a mini-series, but we’ll see if the Suicide Squad film has comic book legs.
- Superwoman #1 – New 52’s Lois Lane as Superwoman? How’d she get these powers and how does she interact with the Superman’s wife Lois Lane of Rebirth? Interesting. I’m pretty intrigued by this one.
