Wednesday Pickups 2/9/11

It's new comic book day again but can one truly appreciate new comics if they don't learn from the old ones? No, so as an invaluable service to you the reader here are last week's comics and what I thought of them.


First up this week is Widowmaker #4 of 4. This sordid-spy tale comes to a conclusion as Black Widow faces her ex-husband while Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Fortune are left to deal with an active volcano and an army of nationalist ninjas. Did not care to much for this issue as both writing and art felt very bland which I mainly attribute to this creative team handling issues 2 and 4 while a different one handled 1 and 3. I am holding out some hope for the next Hawkeye mini (entitled Blind Spot) since I think it will have a steady creative team or at least only Jim McCann writing it. If you were going to pick this up in trade, I have to recommend passing on it as the book just never blends into one solid story.

Next up from Marvel is Ultimate Captain America #2. Steve wakes up after having his butt handed to him by Frank Simpson (aka Vietnam Era Captain America) last issue and doesn't exactly play by the rules when he's told to stay on the bench and let the black ops team handle Simpson. I really like how Jason Aaron handles Ult. Cap, writing him as more of an arrogant jerk than his regular universe counter part, giving him a unique flavor. Ron Garney's art goes well with it, presenting some strongly defined close ups but leaving it a little rougher for the action sequences. Looking forward to the rest of this mini and the different kind of Cap story it's telling.

Staying in the Ultimate Marvel U, we have Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #1 (its also under the Ultimate Death of Spider-Man event banner but since nothing in the book seems to be related to him I'll just leave that be.) The New Ultimates (with two new additions to the main team) stop a train supposedly carrying stolen super soldier information but what they find is something a bit darker. I've never been a huge fan of Lenil Yu's art but once again it manages to work on these ultimate characters, the grittiness of it complimenting the style of the world. Mark Millar's overall story has been building nicely since the first volume of Ultimate Avengers but to someone just picking up this issue it probably seems like an excuse for a hero vs hero fight. Definitely going to pick up the next issue but if I continue to just find it ok, I might try to drop the title before getting sucked into this arc.

Heading over to DC, we have Justice League: Generation Lost #19. Max continues to torture and experiment on Jaime (the Blue Beetle) while the rest of our band of outsiders finally tracks down his location. Another fantastic issue from writer Judd Winick, the way he is handling these character keeps me chomping at the bit for more every time. Not to be outdone though, Fernando Dagnino's art (and Dustin Nguyen's stylish cover) provide the book with some compelling and action packed visuals. Going to be interesting to see where the books moves from the ending of this issue.

Rounding out DC comics is Red Robin #20. Crossing over with Teen Titans, Tim fails to stop Catman from recovering Unternet access and has to call in the reinforcements when he discovers a world-wide network of Calculator androids. I enjoyed Marcus To's pencils, as always, with Guy Major's colors filling them out nicely. The story here, written by Fabian Nicieza, seems like it could really be handled in one title and doesn't need the crossover gimmick, but we will have to wait and see how it wraps up in J.T. Krul's Teen Titans.

Getting into the non-capes and tights books, we have Uptight #1 from Fantagraphics Books. Written and drawn by Jordan Crane, this anthology title features two stories (Below the Shade of Night and Keeping Two) dealing with the loss of loved ones. Overall, I enjoyed Crane's illustrated shorts. While I wasn't too crazy about the art the stories were interesting enough to keep me going and I really like the cover design. I think my local shop had the next few of Uptight so you might see those make an appearance here soon.

From Image we have Hack/Slash jumping from mini-series to full blown on-going with Hack/Slash #1. Cassie and Vlad have been tracking slashers without rest leading them to Louisiana and a meeting with an old friend while Cat Curio's investigation leads her to Emience, Indiana and the man who put her into a coma. Great start for the series, even for readers like myself who aren't caught up on all the prior Hack/Slash mini-series. As usual with a Hack/Slash book, we are treated to some great cheesecake art (this time done by Daniel Leister) and Tim Seeley's deadly yet funny universe. Hoping this series has a long run.

Moving over to Image's Shadowline department, we have Twenty-seven #3. Will Garland further explores what the magical box in his chest can do and meets up with a famous rocker to learn more about the 27 club. Still enjoying the story in this book (written by Charles Soule) and its take on the whole "9" thing but I can't say the same for the art of Renzo Podesta. Its alright but sometimes it's loose backgrounds and emotionless faces just distract me from really getting into the book. I know their is more comics to be set in this universe after the mini but I don't think I will be sticking around for them if their drawn by Podesta.

Taking to the high seas, we have The Unwritten #22. Tommy continues his search for Moby Dick but finds a different "monster" while Lizzie and Savoy begin playing parts in someone else's plans. Initially I thought there was a large gap missing between this and last issue until I realized I missed #21 (whoops). Still consistently great, like The Unwritten always has been, Mike Carey and Peter Gross world of "real" and powerful literature is among the top books on the stand. If you still haven't checked it out, you really should.

Pick of the week should be no surprise, Matt Fraction and Fabio Moon's Casanova: Gula #2. Zephy begins taking down her assigned targets very sexily, while the Casanova's crew continue their search for him. I've written a lot about this series in previous post so I won't rehash it all but I love pretty much everything about this book. The sci-fi/spy world, the oddball references, the multiple WTF moments, and the art done by Fabio Moon (or Gabriel Ba from the first volume) are all fantastic. Hopefully with the rising popularity of all three, this book will get into the hands of more fans soon enough.

That is it for this week. You know the usual routine; comments, criticisms, or suggestions can all be left below or set to talesofthegeeklanterncorp@gmail.com Now if you'll excuse, I am off to search for the illusive The Unwritten #21.

Wednesday Pickups 1/26/11

Another large stack of comics this week, so let's dive right into them:


Kicking things off (sorry I couldn't resist the easy set up) is Skull Kickers #5, the conclusion to its first arc One Thousand Opas and a Dead Body. Baldy and Shorty do battle with the demonic horde, which turns into battle with a giant ugly demon! Spectacular letters by Marshall Dillion and great pencils by Edwin Huang lead this title but Jim Zub's story isn't to shabby either. Keeping with the humorous and outrageous tone it's set so far, the book finishes it first arc in good fashion and even plants a seed or two for the future. Really looking forward to next issue, a collection of short stories about our two favorite warriors but put in the hands of other creators besides Zub and Huang.

Heading over to DC, we have Justice League: Generation Lost #18. Max Lord continues his experiments on the Blue Beetle while his new mind control minion, Power Girl, takes the rest of the league down a peg or two, seeing them Superman and crew turned evil. Another fantastic issue from writer Judd Winick, this time with pencils by Aaron Lopresti, that leaves us craving the next issue. Really enjoying how Winick opens each issue with a scene from the past that informs readers where these heroes are coming from but also relates to what their about to face. Still keeping my fingers crossed that this book turns into a regular monthly title after Brightest Day concludes.

Finishing the DC titles for the week is Teen Titans #91. Most of the titans face off against the genetically altered teens who took their school hostage while Ravager and Robin are left to deal with the remain student body that have been turned into mindless thugs. Solid issue by J.T. Krul (writer) and Nicola Scott (penciler) that wraps up their beginning story-line on the book nicely. Nothing too flashy or epic but good character development and interaction, something I have always enjoying Teen Titans books. Next up is a cross over with Red Robin which, being a huge fan of that book, I am really looking forward to.

Concluding the non-Marvel books is Vertigo's American Vampire #11. The two part The Way Out finishes up here as Pearl and Henry battle some bootlegging blood suckers while Hattie tracks them down for a not so friendly reunion. Not my favorite issue of the book but still a good one none the less. Mateus Santoluco's art keeps it visually interesting but isn't quite as dynamic as series regular Rafael Albuquerque. Scott Snyder's tale continues to be the best regular does of vampire around.

First up from a large selection Marvel books this week is Ultimate Avengers 3 #6. The finale of Blade Versus The Avengers is here, as the two stand together against an overwhelming force of vampires. While I voiced my doubts about this volume of the series, this issue brought it all together for me. The book straddles the line between over the top hilarity and groan-worthy cliches until this final issue where it sets its self firmly on the side of the former. I could sell this issue to you in one sentence, SPOILERS: Someone get stabbed with a plane! So if you skipped out on this series, make sure to correct that when it gets collected in TPB form.

Continuing with the avengers, but moving over the regular marvel universe, we have Secret Avengers #9. Steve Rodgers and crew cook up a plan to get Sharon Carter back from the Shadow Council but will they be able to do so without losing another member? The art by Mike Deodato and Will Conrad compliments Brubaker's shadow ops story well, filling tons of panel space with shadows but still conveying action convincingly. Not sure how the arc is going to wrap up next issue, but I am definitely looking forward to it.

Special addition this week, is the book most comic fans are talking about, Fantastic Four #587. Spread out and all in dangerous situations, one of the fantastic four members meets their end in the conclusion of the Three arc. Not going to say which member it is (in case you have somehow managed to avoid spoilers from major media services and the online comic-fan community) but I will say I enjoyed the issue. Been meaning to check out Jonathan Hickman's FF since it started but kept pushing it off and then never grabbed the trades. Definitely going to rectify that soon though, after seeing the quality of his writing on this book matched with Steve Epting's great art.

This brings us the the huge amount of mutant books this week (yeah, I might be a mutantholic), and we'll start them off with Age of X: Alpha one-shot. Written by Mike Carey (and with art from and army of talent) this book drops us in the world of Age of X and hits the ground running. Instead of taking the usual approach and showing how the world got this way, this first entry just gives us the back story of a few of the main mutants and promises to reveal over time why this world is different from the one we know. Digging the story so far and looking forward to more when it takes over some of the regular X titles in February.

Next up is Namor: The First Mutant #6 with a fantastic cover from Phil Noto. Starting a new arc titled Namor Goes to Hell well... Namor goes to hell or at least his own version of it while his allies work on trying to bring him back but end up getting a visit from one of Namor's oldest friends. Surprise surprise, another spectacular issue from Stuart Moore (writer) and Ariel Olivetti (artist.) These two just manage to get everything about the character and his surroundings/supporting cast right. It might be a little early to call it, but I think there run is my favorite out of any Namor title.

Getting into the team books we have X-Men #7. In their new initiative to make every one love mutants, Cyclops sends a team to New York to deal with a problem some might classify as street level. After the first arc, Curse of the Mutants, being barely satisfying and this new one, To Serve and Protect, not seeming to interesting I think I'm going to take a break from this book. While I love the Terry & Rachel Dodson covers, I never really liked Chris Bachalo's art (interior artist) and Victor Gischler's writing isn't helping either.

Rounding out the regular X-men books is Uncanny X-Men #532. Emma, Kitty, and Fantomex continue to deal with Sebastian Shaw; Angel's group tackles the Collective Man and Sublime's Designer X-Men; and everyone back on Utopia continues to suffer from the mutant flu. Featuring splendid art (both inside and out) by Greg Land, this issue brings the title back a little bit from the past few crowded and convoluted issues. While Matt Fraction and Kieron Gillen (the writers) still have a lot going on here, its improved a lot in presentation and pacing making for a more enjoyable read.

The penultimate book this week, missing the top spot just barely, is New Mutants #21, the conclusion to Rise of the New Mutants. General Ulysses has released the Elder Gods spelling doom for both Limbo and our world but Magick hasn't performed her last trick yet and may still have a shot at stopping them. This issue brings a fitting end to they story the Zeb Wells has been telling since the book started and manages to send us out on a bang but also with a few new story-lines hanging to be pulled on later. Not sure if Wells and partner in crime, artist Leonard Kirk will be returning to the book after Age of X but I certainly hope so as they have proved they can make it one of the best titles Marvel has to offer every month.

Pick of the week should come as no surprise since its been here a couple times already, Uncanny X-Force #4. The Apocalypse Solution concludes as Archangel and crew decide the final fate of Kidpocalypse. Another frakking awesome X-conclusion and another awesome issue from Rick Remender and Jerome Opena, this issue brings a perfect ending to this new groups first adventure with many more to come. I seriously can't recommend this book enough, both for its great story and art, and if you missed out on the single issues make sure to grab it when its collected in TPB.

And thus brings us to another thrilling conclusion of Masterpiece Myster... I mean Wednesday Pickups. Any comments, critiques, suggestions, or questions can be left below or sent to talesofthegeeklanterncorps@gmail.com . I know it's a little late this week but that was actually a test. Everyone should have been so busy checking out Multiplex (see the article below this one) that they shouldn't have had time to read this till now. Most of you passed, barely.

Wednesday Pickups 1/19/11

Very small stack this week but still some good comics, so lets get to it:



First up is Brightest Day #18. Hawkman and Hawkgirl are finally free of the curse but their troubles aren't over yet as the latter's mother now battles them with the Zamaron's entity. Back on earth, Boston's ring's power level begins rising and it isn't necessarily a good thing. Another good issue from the BD crew, that offers both touching and heart-breaking moments. Don't want to get into spoilers on exactly what happened but this will definitely be remember as one of the key issues of the series.

Only other DC book this week, as evidenced by the symbol covers above, is Green Lantern Corps #56. The Sinestro Corps show up to the party on Qward, and things get a little dicey trying to maintain the truce between them and the GLC. More spectacular art from Tyler Kirkham while Tony Bedard's story keeps things fun read. Nothing really new to say about the title but its maintains its high quality month in and month out.

Heading over to Image, we have Memoir #1 of 6. Written by Ben McCool (great name) and illustrated by Nikki Cook, this mini-series follows jaded journalist Trent MacGowan as he goes on assignment to investigate the small town of Lowesville. What makes Lowesville so special? Ten years ago everyone in town had a mysterious lapse in memory and Trent is here to find out why. I really like the premise but the comic just seems ok and doesn't really live up to it. Going to pass on the rest of this mini but if I ever see it collected and on sale, I might give it another try.

Branching into the Marvel creator-owned imprint, Icon, we have Scarlet #4. Scarlet pulls the trigger on this revolution and takes to the streets, first the digital ones and followed by the real ones. Meanwhile, the police are hot on her trail but in no hurry to bring her in alive if you catch my drift. Another solid issue from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, sort of like a modern-day V for Vendetta that feels believable. Really recommend checking out this title for the rable rowser deep inside everyone.

Part two of our Icon double feature is Superior #4. Madeline Knox, star television reporter, does everything short of dancing naked in the street (much to this reviewer's dismay) to get an exclusive interview with Superior but does she take one-fatal step to far? Still enjoying this book, while I don't necessarily agree with its advertising tag line of "The Best Book On The Stands" it is an enjoyable read.

Last up and pick of the week is Cyclops #2 of 8 from Archaia, making it 2 for 2 on taking the top spot. New recruit Douglas Pistoia gets into the thick of things on his first mission out, causing the nation (and the CEOs counting on him as a symbol) to hold their breath. Loving this book from Matz (writer) and Luc Jacamon (illustrator.) Its balance of battlefield action and home viewer response/television host critiques makes for a great read. Looking forward to the 6 remaining issues and if you haven't checked this book out yet do so immediately.

That is it for the week, not the greatest one but not the worst either. Usual routine; questions, comments, or critiques can be left below or sent to me at talesofthegeeklanterncorps@gmail.com Next week features a ton of mutant books and a certain fantastic four issue that is making headlines.

Wednesday Pickups 1/12/11

Great week of floppies, so lets dive right into them:


Kicking it off is Justice League: Generation Lost #17. Max now has Blue Beetle, and given his track record on having someone with that name in his possession, it doesn't look good. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang tries to track him down only to get a visit from an old friend who was definitely built for speed and comfort. Another solid issue from Winick and crew, that gets into what Max has been planning but doesn't give it all away just yet. Next issue, looks to be a battle of DC heavyweights and I for one can't wait to see.

Moving right into it's solo character connected title, we have Booster Gold #40. Titled "The Life and Times of Michael Jon Carter", this issue examines the high jinks of Booster through the eyes of one of his recent enemies. From his lackluster beginnings up through his "cash for Gold" days, this issue presents a fun re-telling of his origin but also manages to begin a new story. Bang up job by Keith Griffen, J.M. DeMatteis (writers), Pat Olliffe, and Rich Perrotta (artists) who manage to create a great jumping on point for the title as well as tackle an issue of Booster's past that seems obviously overlooked through out the years (or at least to my limited knowledge.) If you've been thinking about giving the book a try, now is the perfect time.

Taking a break for a friendly meal, we head over to Red Robin #19 (Yum!) Tim and the gang wake up in a world that isn't quite right, granting the readers a chance to dive in and take the Red Robin pill. Writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Marcus To bring us a wonderfully whimsical issue that is certainly one of their best yet. Even if your not a regular reader of the title, you may want to give this issue a shot as it is a slice of golden age fun set in the modern DCU.

Last up from DC is T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #3. This issue tells the back story of NoMan, the invisible/immortal member of the original T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, who has come out of retirement for this rescue mission. Making him out to be part Dr. Manhattan and part The Vision, Nick Spencer (writer) and Cafu (artist) give us another wonderful issue of this series that examines what is sure to happen when "people" like that live long enough. Looking forward to next month's issue, which I have a sneaking suspicion will focus on the new Lightning.

First and only book from the Marvel universe this week is Widowmaker #3 of #4. Mockingbird and Dominic Fortune infiltrate a Russian army base while Black Widow and Hawkeye go the more traditional route of intel gathering and hit up a Japanese Geisha brothel. A descent issue, that had a few laughs and cool moments, but overall I have been less impressed by this mini-series the more I see of it. Still going to pick up the final issue but not really expecting a whole lot out of it and would definitely recommend passing on the series.

From Image comes Hack/Slash: Me Without You one-shot. Featuring great art by Daniel Leister along with Tim Seeley's awesome narrative, this comic tells the tragic origin of Vlad right up until the moment he first met Cassie and became her slasher killing partner. The perfect companion piece to the recent My First Maniac mini-series, this great one shot gives just the right amount of personality and history to the character without over doing it. While it might be more enjoyable for fans of the Hack/Slash series, I think it can still be fun for those new to the book or who have never read it.

Runner up this week comes from the Marvel imprint Icon, Casanova: Gula #1. Starting another chapter in this wacky/sci-fi spy world, writer Matt Fraction (along with artist Fabio Moon this time) brings us almost more absurdity than a reader could handle. Almost. After a mission gone wrong (maybe?) Casanova Quinn is missing in time and everyone, including a sexy sometimes six-armed blue woman from the future, is looking for him. Meanwhile, his alternate reality sister, Zephyr makes new criminal friends who have some sweet digs and hair styles. Its is hard to explain what exactly I love about the Casanova books but a big part of it is Matt Fraction's bravado to make the story whatever he wants it to be, most of the time fighting against a sensible narrative. In addition to that, it is consistently well drawn (whether by Gabriel Ba or Fabio Moon) and is the one comic that has me choking out "WTF?" in between the constant laughs. Normally I would recommend tracking down the first mini-series (and you definitely should at some point) before jumping into this one, but this series is so twisted you won't be much more lost than every other reader if you just start here.

Pick of the week goes to the latest comic from Image, The Infinite Vacation #1. This comic is about a guy named Mark, or many Marks depending how you look at it, as he sells and buys his way through the lives of his doppelgangers throughout alternate realities. Everything is going... well... not great but ok until suddenly a lot of the alternate Marks Mark has been start dying. This comic blew me away! Spectacular art by Christian Ward with a unique and bizarre story by Nick Spencer, this one has sunk its hooks in and is pulling me deeper into the rabbit hole as I write this and flip through it again. I think the advertisement that got me in called it a blend of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, (500) Days of Summer, and Inception which after reading it I completely agree with. So if you some how skipped this book last week make sure to pick it up this time, as we need awesome comics like this to sell through the rough.

That it for this week. Usual deal leave comments, critiques, suggestions either below or email them to me at talesofthegeeklanterncorps@gmail.com. Now if you'll excuse me I off to search eBay for an alternate reality Geek Lantern that is either shacked up with Tricia Helfer, Taylor Swift, or both.

Wednesday Pickups 10/6/10

Really small stack this week but it is full of some awesome comics.


First up from Veritgo is American Vampire #7. I have already gushed about this book in previous posts and this issue maintains that level of deserved praise, so just pretend I wrote it all again. Something I don't think I have mentioned yet is how great this book is at blending vampire stories into a time period. In the first arcs it was early Hollywood and "The West" while the current story line takes a look at the beginnings of sin city and the Hoover Dam being built. Overall this book is just another perfect example of the work Vertigo puts out every month.

Next up is DC's Brightest Day #11. Art is still awesome and the narrowing down to two story-lines per comic, something that has been solidifying over the last few issues, has really helped the flow of the overall narrative. This issue brings us the return of a few familiar faces, which I am not really excited about but don't hate either so I am willing to see where it goes.

Heading over to Marvel, we kick their books off with Hawkeye & Mockingbird #5. It has been said many places but this comic just oozes fun and you should definitely be giving it a shot. In addition to the fun factor, David Lopez's art every issue has been great especially the action sequences. Again the books leaves us with a great cliff hanger anxiously awaiting next's month's installment.

Moving into my new books, with this one only getting picked up after flipping through it at the shop, we have Ultimate Thor #1. Never been a big Thor fan and Ultimate Marvel books haven't been great recently so this should have been an easy pass for me. At the shop though the cover caught my eye, which got me to flip through it, which got me to buy it, which resulted in me really enjoying it. The combination of Jonathan Hickman's story and Carlos Pacheco's art has a real epic and grand feel that fits the Norse god of thunder, especially the battle scenes. Definitely going to pick up the next issue, hoping they keep it up.

Lastly and pick of the week is Uncanny X-Force #1. I was little hesitant when I first read about this comic as I had really come to enjoy the previous X-Force team, have no love for Deadpool, and haven't read anything from Rick Remender or Jerome Opena. It was inevitable that I would pick it up though since I couldn't miss Archangel and Psylocke being back together in the same book (and bed coincidentally.) Long story short: I Love This Book! It holds on to that the feeling of X-Force but Remender and Opena also manage to put their own personal touch on it that makes it feel unique. Can't wait to see where they these two creators go with two of my favorite x-men and one of my favorite x-villains. So if you were holding back or didn't want to pick up another x-book, I implore you to give Uncanny X-Force a shot. They even manage to make Deadpool bearable.

Closing time once again and while you don't have to go home, you do have to go out to your local shop and pick up next week's comics since I do as well. See you back in here in 7 days or less or the next post is free.

Wednesday Pickups 9/29/10

Not a huge amount of books this week, but all were awesome save the one I was expecting not to like. Really hard to narrow it down to a pick of the week but through a number of coin flips, die rolls, and games of rock-paper-scissors (with myself) I was able to do just that. So with out further ado, the usual suspects:

Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, Teen Titans #87. If you've been reading regularly, you know this title has been a disappointment as of late. The art isn't bad but the story and characters just seem shallow, boring, predictable, and humorless. Basically everything I liked about a Titans book has slowly been stripped away. All that said, I promised to (and still plan on) sticking around for the creative team change coming with the next issue. Hopefully with some fresh blood and some returning/new characters, this book can get back on track.

Heading over to the Marvel Universe, we have Namor: The First Mutant #2. I am enjoying everything about this book! The phenomenal art and cover art (by Ariel Olivetti and Jae Lee with June Chung respectively), the way the story ties into the other Curse of the Mutants branded books but can also be read by itself, and perhaps most of all the character development of Namor. While a lot of creators just write him off as the eternally pissed off king of the sea, Stuart Moore is doing a tremendous job of building personality back into the character. Instead of just letting his fury come out at the drop of a at as is his standard operating procedure, Namor instead restrains himself saving it for the heat of battle. Being the long time Sub-Mariner fan that I am, I am glad he is back in his own book under a great creative team.

Next up is part one in the duo of death both coming to a conclusion today, 1 Month 2 Live #5 of 5. This issue brings a nice and fitting end to this mini, which had me on the fence for a while but am now firmly on the side of liking it. It had its moments that I didn't like, but overall presented a great story which is a feat considering how many different creators were working on the title. I don't want to give away the ending here suffice to say that I really enjoyed it and that people should definitely pick this up when it gets collected.

Part 2 is little well less covered by most, coming from IDW, but is just as good, 5 Days to Die #5 of 5. In this final issue Andy Schmidt and Chee bring their bloody noir tale to its ultimate conclusion. While it was a bit predictable, that didn't effect the emotional or visual payoff when Ray finally caught his man and paid the price for doing his duty. Also, the cover of the final issue was worth the price of admission alone, perfectly summarizing this entire mini-series in one single image. If you get the chance, and this does get collected, I definitely recommend giving it a read.

Continuing with just a little more death, we have Crossed: Family Values #4. Now I am a huge fan of the Crossed books and this issue just builds on what is already a great series with a bit of a curve ball. The big story here is how this issue was very toned down in comparison to every other issue, with less blood and gore and almost no sexual content, shocking the audience this month with what wasn't in the book. Upon a second reading though, I found even more interesting the bulk of violence was normal humans against each other instead of the crossed wreaking havoc on them. While I know a lot of zombie/apocalyptic books broach this subject, I am really interested to see where David Lapham takes it in the crossed universe. All that said, art is still great from Javier Barreno and if you are a guts and gore fan, you need to be picking this book up. Really close to being pick of the week along with our next book, but both just barley fell short.

Venturing into the world of toys and the boogeyman, we have The Stuff of Legend Volume:II The Jungle, Part 2. Its been a while since the last issue, so for those who don't know this book it follows a group of toys loyal to their master who are trying to rescue him from the Boogeyman. Something of a cross between Toy Story and The Never Ending Story, this book continues to wow with spectacular art and design as well as interesting story with compelling characters. A perfect example of what non-superhero comics can be and why more people should be giving them a chance.

Last up and the pick of the week is Icon's Casanova: Luxuria III by Matt Fraction and Gabriel Ba. Casanova is a humor filled spy story that keeps me wanting more each month. From fantastic locals gorgeous robotic women, this one has it all. I'm a huge fan of Ba's art, whose work is not stranger to the pick of the week coming off of Daytripper, and am becoming a bigger fan of Fraction every issue, with his writing on this book as well his recent X-Men work. In addition to this being another great issue, it also features a little story/interview by Matt that was personal, touching, and inspiring. Even if the concept of the book doesn't sound like your kind of thing, check out this issue for a little insight in to Matt Fraction's life.

That wraps up another week of comics. Next week is looking a little light so I might finally get around to reviewing some of the recent indie comics I have been checking out. Until next time keep flopping those floppys.

Wednesday Pickups 9/22/10

Not a ton of new pick ups this week but still a bunch of good reads. Decided to change up the usual routine this week and start with everything non-superhero.


First up is Image's latest fantasy tale Skull Kickers #1 by Jim Zubkavich, Chris Stevens, and Edwin Huang. Two nameless mercenaries, one a gun wielding barbarian the other a quick tempered dwarf, embark on a journey to well... have fun and get paid. Skull Kickers presents a fantasy tale with over the top humor and graphic cartoon-like battles, it has sucked me and had me laughing quite a bit. Looking forward to more of this series.

Also from Image, I finally decided to check out the $1 reprint of Chew #1. Being a series that has received critical acclaim in addition to being recommended by my friends, I tried to keep my expectations from getting to high on this one. In the end that didn't really matter since this book is awesome! Chew, written and lettered by John Layman while drawn and coloured by Rob Guillory, follows detective Tony Chu who has the unique ability of being a cibopathic, meaning anything he eats gives him information about where it came from. Gore, illegal chicken, great one liners make this book a must read especially at a dollar. Probably going to invest in the trades of the series when I get the chance as well.

Moving into are weekly duo of death, we have 5 Days to Die #4 of 5. Not much more to add about this series besides what I have covered over the past three weeks. Still loving the combination of story and art, and can not wait to read the finale next week. Part two of the duo is none other that 1 Month 2 Live #4 of 5. Same goes for this one, really covered it over the past three weeks leaving little more to say till its finished. Interesting moment towards the end of this issue when they stayed true and didn't take the easy way out but the finale issue is really going to make or break this one for me.

Heading into the capes and tights department we have Uncanny X-Men #528. Interesting developments in every story line, and even a new one or two, except for Hope's visit to the newest mutant. I really think Matt Fraction is doing good job of handling the X-Men stable in showcasing some people, giving others a minor appearance or two, and letting others stay in the rest of the x-books. Had some problems with some of Whilce Portacio's art (there is a panel or two where Emma looks very manly) but over all it was still enjoyable.

Next up from Marvel is Secret Avengers #5. This issue explains how Nick "Max" Fury got into bed with the Shadow Council that is out to take down Steve and his covert ops team. Really enjoyed the art collaborating artists David Aja, Michael Lark, and Stefano Gaudiano; it gave the book that old-school/spy story feel which is perfect for the character. The story was good once you read the entire issue, starting out it feels like one of a dozen Fury stories I have read in the past. Still loving this series, never been a huge Avengers fan but Ed Brubaker is turning that around in a hurry.

Venturing over to DC we have Green Lantern Corps #52. The conclusion of Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns wasn't as great as the rest of the arc but still descent. My big problem with it was how the story seemed to take the easy way out of the corner it had been written in to and gets a happy ending. I was kind of hoping for something big that would have a lasting impact on the characters but it kind of went the safe way. Ardian Syaf's art was still fantastic through and made up for a less than stellar ending.

This brings us to the pick of the week, Justice League: Generation Lost #10. If you read my comments before you know I love everything about this book and that just continues into this issue. Also, loving the way it is tying into past DC stories (ala Kingdom Come) even if that is probably more of an editorial decision that Winick's alone. Joe Bennett is still bringing his A-game with the art and this issue features a nice cover by Cliff Chiang. If your not reading this book, start immediately!

That's it for this week's books, leave comments/recommendations/critiques through the usual means.

Wednesday Pickups 9/15/10

This week's books (plus a few from previous weeks) were amazing! Add those to a few other goodies and it going to be quite lengthy post today, so grab your beverage of choice and turn on some Dido to set the mood.


First up is our fortnightly does of brightness, Brightest Day #10. This issue focuses on Aqualad and one of my favorite new odd couples, Firestorm. Both stories begin to heat up and boil (double bad pun useage for the win) as one pulls a semi-Darth Vader while the other brings back one of the best characters from Blackest Night (hint: his new name is so stupid its awesome.) Keeping up with quility of work this series has been putting out can't be easy task of this band of artists but they some how manage it. Art is still awesome, with a particularly striking cover, and going with only two story lines per issue is really helping the writing to shine.

Staying in the DCU but heading into a future (the future is a lot harder to get to), we have Batman Beyond #4 of 6. Terry meets up with a former partner of Bruce's and sees the real cost of the working with him while the new Catwoman shows she is not a one trick pussycat. Oh yeah, and the new Hush reveals his or her identity! I am going to reserve judgment on that till the end of the mini but still really enjoying the book. One (of the many) things the creative team, lead by Adam Beechen at the type writer and Ryan Benjamin on the pencils, is good at is subtly making references to the TV show. Both in the story and in the visuals it is their for long time fans to appreciate but doesn't exclude those who may just be getting into the Batman Beyond world.

Moving from the dark and grim future of Gotham City to the dark and grim future of the Marvel universe we have Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher #4 of 4. While I was some what skeptical about this mini at first it really ended up being an enjoyable read. Part dark comedy, part "true" Punisher story, this tale doesn't try to redefine Frank but show him in his true light in another world. This final issue really brings it all together nicely and satisfies with out making you desire a sequel. However, I do hope Jonathan Maberry and Goran Parlov team up for something else soon.

Meanwhile back in the current Marvel universe things are going almost as badly for our favorite band of young mutants in New Mutants #17. Illyana feels "a disturbance in the force" and realizes young Pixie has been kidnapped by General Ulysses, his unit, and "the babies." Taking charge, she leads the team against these Limbo-hardened warriors and by issue's end things are going so well. Have to start off by saying how much I love this cover! Not sure if it is how strong and colorful the image looks or my obsession with young Russian women with awesome names but Dave Wilkins gives us a cover you can't help but notice on the stands. As for everything inside the cover, awesome as usual. Can't wait to see what happens with these "babies" when everything is said and done. Also loved how Cypher nonchalantly translates everything said in limboese in the book, just adds to my fondness for him and Magick and gratefulness at having them both back in the X-verse.

Last up from Marvel is 1 Month 2 Live #3 of 5. This week Dennis Sykes, or Flux as he was recently dubbed, goes adventuring with Marvel's first family while his family drift further apart. Really liked Shane White's art in this issue, has that classic Fantastic Four feel to it and goes with the adventure. An interesting guest-star of the week type tale, this book is consistently fun and the creative team changes keep the reader vested as well, but I am not sure how its going to finish up in two issues with out feeling rushed or losing impact. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised.

Changing companies to other dying protagnist, we have 5 Days To Die #3 of 5. Contiuing this weekly noir tale Ray confronts Mr. Hoverman but doesn't get his revenge just yet. Is revenge really warranted though, is Frank even seeing reality anymore after his injury? Meanwhile, in the hospital his daughter wakes up and is not to thrilled about his absence. Really digging the art on this book, its dark tones with occasional red splashed panels creates a feel not available anywhere else on the stands. While I feel like I know where right where this one is going, there still might be a surprise or two in store, and I am sticking around to see it to its bloody finale.

From one bloody tale to another, we have Hack/Slash: My First Maniac #3 & 4 of 4 (missed 3 at some point resulting in this little double feature this week.) Cassie Hack gets to the bottom of the happenings at the old Fig Farm and finds her place in this monster filled world. For my first venture into the Hack/Slash books this mini really pulled me in. Full of sexy babes, horror film humor, and character development this book delivers on all fronts. Already looking at picking up some of the collected editions and I can tell by the covers I am in for a treat. If you like horror movies or like to laugh at them, I can't recommend this book enough. I am sure it will be out in trade paper back soon enough, and be showcasing a provocative new cover no doubt.

Next up is another $1 preview comic from Radical, Mata Hari. A fictional tale based on the real person, famous during World War I as a performer turned "double agent" or government scapegoat depending on who you ask. Not only does this comic feature beautiful art but its page and panel layout is amazing. Busy pages line up and flow perfectly with out seeming crowed and over stuff. The story of this book is interesting as well, featuring an article at the end of the comic by the author and why he had to write this tale. Mata Hari is set as a hardcover graphic novel release in spring 2011 and I will definitely be picking it up then. The only problem I see with it is their release of this preview so early, closer to the release of the actual book would seemingly have gotten them much more sales from buzz about it.

Last to books of this week both come Vertigo and both are awesome, yes I realize saying something is from Vertigo and is awesome is redundant but some people don't know this yet and need to be converted. First up is Joe the Barbarian #7 of 8. In this penultimate chapter, Joe finally gets to the item that could make every thing right again but will it work for both worlds? I've said it before but this mini-series is just chock full of awesomeness! From all the classic heroes we see doing battle to the the mirroring of the real world in his world to the humorous mythical names given to locations, this one has all the makings of a great dream-scape adventure. Can't wait to see how it all wraps up in the next and final issue.

Last book, and no suprise as pick of the week since its no longer competing with Day Tripper, is The Unwritten #17. Taking a different approach with this issue, Mike Carey and Peter Gross present us with a choose your own adventure comic. Complete with non-sequential pages and choices that lead to different endings, this is just another example of how special and unique this comic is. It goes places other haven't or won't all while telling an engrossing narrative. The art, both interior and covers, is amazing as well of which this month's cover is a fine example. If your not already reading this comic, seriously stop reading and go check out the first collected volume!

That brings us to the end of my comics for the week but I also bought a few other things which you might find of interest.


First up is the Halo Reach Limited Edition set. I wouldn't call myself a huge Halo fan but I do enjoy the campaigns as well the multiplayer modes of all the ones I have played. The real reason I wanted to pick this up/showcase it here (besides playing it obviously) is how sweet this set really is. First is all comes in a black box type case which goes well with this game being about the fall of Reach In addition to the case it comes with a journal of one of the supporting characters in the game that dives deep into the creation of the Spartans as well as the research happening on reach. Now they could have just produced it like a normal book and it would have been fine but it is made to look like an actual journal down to the page feel and sketches inside! Going even beyond that, tons of little news stories or memos are stuffed into the journal and can be taken out, some of which I arranged in the picture below but I couldn't even fit all of them on the table. As some of you might now, I have a fondness for movie or game collector's editions I can easily say this is one of the finest I have ever seen.

Next to Halo Reach is an impulse buy graphic novel/memoir from this week, Drinking at the Movies by Julia Wertz. Can't say to much about this one, as I haven't gotten around to reading it yet but the cover and title really drew me in. Flipping through it in the store really sold, while it was simply illustrated I just got this cool personal feel from the writing. Looking forward to sitting down with it in the next few days, maybe even tonight.

Last is yet another example of my sickness in collecting collector's editions, the Alan Wake Limited Edition. I haven't tired the game at all and actually no very little about it outside its comparisons to Twin Peaks but just couldn't pass up this awesome looking edition on sale. This one, all shown in the picture below, comes with a novel "written" by the main character in the game about the happenings in the game, the soundtrack of the game, some bonus downloads for your Xbox 360, not to mention the game itself. On top of that, it comes packed in what looks like an over sized book (the protagonist is a writer.) Not quite as awesome as the Reach set but very cool indeed.


Well, that is it for this week. You know the routine, any comment is greatly appreciated. Suggestions, critiques, and even off color jokes are all accepted. If your not the type to comment email is also an option, send them to talesofthegeeklanterncorps@gmail.com Untill next time, stay literate my friends.

-The least interesting comic reader in the world

Thursday Pickups 9/9/10

Huge bunch of books this week so lets jump right in.


First up is 5 Days To Die #2 of 5 from IDW. Continuing with the same black & white (and red) noir feel they started with, Andy Schmidt and Chee's tale of the dead and dying goes even further down the rabbit hole. These action scenes are spectacularly drawn and colored while the story gets darker and darker. I'm sold on the rest of the series but a smart man might wait for a trade since its only 5 issues.

Sticking with dying protagonists we have 1 Month 2 Live #2 of 5. Marvel opts go a different route and change up the creative team for each issue. Digging the art of Koi Turnball & Shawn Moll over that of the first issue's team. Not the best book out there but the story and art team changing are enough to keep me with the book for the remaining three issues. Still can't believe Marvel and IDW managed to put these similar concept books out at the same time, some one had to pull some shenanigans.

Getting into the regular books, we start with Ultimate Avengers 3 #2. While Steve Dillion's art is better than that of (season) 2, it still doesn't have that "Ultimate U feel" in my opinion. The solid, bright colors just seem to go against what the universe and this book are primarily about. I am still sticking on the book however since the story line is grabbing me with everyone turning into a vampire, now if only they manage to keep them that way it would be a true ultimate universe.

As for my review of X-Men #3 a lot of the same comments can be copied and pasted, except about the art. Enjoying this art for the X-Men: Curse of the Mutants storyline, had the right mix of color for varying personnel and locations and makes some really dynamic panels pop that much more. I am a little worried the story is just for event shock and awe, and will have no lasting effects what so ever but I guess we will have to wait and see on this one.

Staying with our favorite mutants we have X-Force: Sex + Violence #3 of 3. Think I wrote it pretty clearly in the review of the last two issues, but I love every thing about this mini. The art, story, covers, dialogue, sex appeal, ect are all of the charts for awesomeness. Seems like a fitting good bye to this X-Force and time to start praying that Deadpool doesn't make me hate the new book.

Moving over to DC we'll start off with Batman and Robin #14. Definitely starting to warm up to Frazer Irving's art. While I still don't love it his panels of the Joker, Black Mask, and Professor Pyg are really eye catching and iconic. Morrison's story is still my favorite part of this book and keeps me coming back for more each month. How he has Dick filling Batman's cowl, just nails the character spot on for me and can't wait to see how he handle's Bruce's return.

Changing birds we have Red Robin #16. Still my favorite bat-book and character, Fabian Nicieza and Marcus To have really been doing great things on this book. The core of Tim Drake to me is that he is constantly growing, most of the time it is emotionally with all that he goes through but his skills and plans are right up there as well. Nicieza creates a perfect story atmosphere for this while To art shows it perfectly. Probably the most under-rated bat-book as well, so if your a bat fan and not reading it please give it a chance. Looks like #17 in two months will make for a good jumping on point *hint hint*.

Switching gears and going all intergalactic planetary we have Green Lantern #57, a Brightest Day tie-in. Art is still amazing! Mahnke pencils are being handled very well by a team of inkers to bring us this vibrant book each month and it is well worth the price for that alone. Johns story while still pretty good has been waning a little bit in this title but I am holding out hope that it could really change right back around any issue now.

Moving on to the shining star of Brightest Day, we have Justice League: Generation Lost #9. If you've been reading the blog, you know I love this title. Great humor, characters, story, and art all in one team book. While a lot of DC team's have been sliding off my pull list, this one is standing firm at the top. If your in the same spot, fill the gap with this book. You won't regret it.

Last book of the DCU this week is Booster Gold #36. A great companion read to Generation Lost (sharing a main character and all) this one delivers on a lot of the same cylinders but goes delightfully over the top on the humor. Probably starting to sound like a broken record, but this is yet one more super hero book you should be checking out.

From Bongo Comics we have Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #3 of 5. Classic Simpsons art with some great nerd humor. Still not as memorable as the first issue but descent enough to finish out the mini.

First Vertigo book of the week is American Vampire #6. Shifting the locale a bit from the first arc but Scott Snyder is still delivering in the story department. Rafel Albuquerque's art is great as always. Strange deaths begin happening in the growing Sin City of Vegas in the 1930s and newly appointed police Chief Cashel McCogan is hot on the trail (that is an awesome character name by the way.) It does feel a little shorter with out a co-feature from King but I am Snyder will have us all forgetting about those days in no time at all.

Coming it at runner up this week is Kill Shakespeare #5. Still loving everything about this book! Despite not knowing the in depth stories of all Shakespeare's characters, this book manages to present enough of them for new readers to get the character and still enjoy the book. Andy Belaner's art flows seamlessly from panel to panel, demanding your attention until the last page. I think this book would look even better in a slightly over-sized hardcover collected edition, hope one of those comes out soon.

Last and best is the pick of the week, Daytripper #10 of 10. In this final chapter of Bras' life Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba leave us and him with the perfect ending. While I hate for this book to end, all great things must at some point and I am glad the book did hear. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a comic this much every single time it came out, as evidenced in being my pick of the week every time its available. Now to start the wait for the collected edition which I am sure I will be buying in mass to give out to people. If you still have managed to some how not check out this book, GET ON THAT!!!

Well that is it for this week, a little later than normal but I think the massive size allows for that. Be sure to comment with and thoughts, critiques, or recommendations. Always up for trying out new comics.

Wednesday Pickups 9/1/10

Not a ton of books this week but all were pretty solid with no disappointments, which always makes for a good week.


Jumping right in with out only helping of DC this week, we have Brightest Day #9. Turning into solid book every other week, not sure if I just grew accustomed to the pace or they picked it up a bit but it works. Really liked the art and both main story lines of the issue (Martian Manhunter meeting up Smokey the Bear in guise of Green Arrow and Black Manta becoming Darth Vader) are getting better. Still not on the level of 52 but it is a good Bimonthly book none the less.

Next up is Five Days To Die #1 of 5 from IDW. An interesting Noiresque thriller in which our protagonist (Ray Crisara) gets a unofficial expiration date in the first issue. Really enjoyed the art (done by Chee, don't ask me) and looking forward to where the story goes. Hopefully we will get some more splash pages like the ones in this first issue, gorgeous destruction.

Over at Marvel we have a somewhat similar concept in 1 Month 2 Live #1 of 5, but takes it in a drastically different direction. After an being exposed to bio-hazardous materials Dennis Sykes seems to have only a short time left to live but on the plus sides, he seems to have developed a special power as a well. This book looks to feature a who's who of marvel characters and talent, hopefully making for a unique collaborative experience and not a train wreck. First issue was enough to keep me interested and eventually pick up #2, not to much more than that though. Looking forward to what the other writer's and artist's bring to the table.

From death to death to death, we head over to Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher #3 of 4. We find out why Patient Zero wanted to meet with Frank and the story takes a few interesting turns at the end of the issue. I am enjoying this book, while it may not be the best one it is a fun little survivor tale. Some nice visuals in this issue from when the virus first broke out (except for Lady Deathstrike being drawn how she appeared in X-Men 2, that really bugged me for some reason.) Also wondering how this is all going to get wrapped up in the last issue, I am putting my money on a high body count.

Continuing out mini marathon of Marvel mini-series we have Avengers: The Children's Crusade #2 of 9. Still digging the book. In this issue, a bit of a battle ensues between friendlies (never saw it coming), another relative makes a quick appearance, and cliff hanger that definitely changed where I think the book is going. Only complaint is that Wolverine's character seems a little off but other than that, its a great read.

Moving over to Marvel's imprint Icon, we have Scarlet #2. Still really digging this book as well. The breaking of the fourth wall in this book just draws me in more than the comedy books its traditionally done it. Alex Maleev's art is gorgeously textured bringing out the grungy details of every person and location. Only second issue so still time to jump on this one before it takes off. Very close to being my pick of the week but the next title just barely edged it out.

Hawkeye & Mockingbird #4 is the top of the stack this week, and well deserved it is. Loving this book more and more each issue! A fun spy/action book that more people really need to check out. Jim McCann is handling ever character expertly while David Lopez's pencils glue your eyes to every page with their classic yet solid feel. Predicable? A bit, but that isn't always a bad thing. It keeps the book enjoyably entertaining rather than try to throw the reader off with multiple twists and shocking moments. If your a fan of either character or just in the market for a fun read I strongly urge you to give this dynamic duo a chance.

Well that is it for this week's books. Got tons of other posts I am working on so be on the lookout for those soon and better stack up on the snacks for next week's reviews, the list is currently at 13 books and could still rise.

Wednesday Pickups 8/18/10

Still back logged from Wizard World Chicago but I was finally able to finish last weeks books.


First up is Brightest Day #8. Spectacular art as usual but more of slow burn issue focusing on Martian Manhunter and the Hawks. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the last couple, I do see the necessity in advancing these stories in one lump some to advance the all encompassing story. Looking forward to the next issue in two weeks which will feature the return of Black Manta, although I have read very little involving the character I always liked him for some reason.

Next we head off world with Green Lantern Corps #51, a Brightest Day tie-in. I can't get enough of Adrian Syaf's art in this book, he is really knocking it out of the park each month. On the story side Bedard is holding is own as well making me anxiously await the final chapter of Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns. He just better not pull what he did on Exiles and lure me in with some good stories only to end up killing off a great in a weak story.

Heading into DC's future we have Batman Beyond #3 of 6. Still an awesome read! Love everything about returning to the Beyond world, the new characters as well as some old friends including one I don't was ever featured in the TV show. Adam Beechen and Ryan Benjamin are putting out an awesome mini, hopefully sales will convince DC to make it a regular monthly. Can't recommend this enough if you liked Batman Beyond when it was on.

Over as Bongo Comics, we have Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #2 of 5. Not as much of a laugh out loud issue at the first one but it was still descent. Next issue looks like its going to pick back up though with a geek/nerd civil war.

First up from Marvel is Secret Avengers #4. The conclusion to Secret Histories and what a fantastic one it is. Brubaker and Deodato Jr. are handling this motley crew of characters very well and are keeping me coming back for more each issue. Also looking forward to finding out more about this Thorndrake character.

In 28 Days Lat... I mean Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher #2 of 4, Frank takes down one heavy hitter only to be visited by the dreaded "Patient Zero". An fun read despite it similarities to other stories.

Starting off the X-books and making its first appearance on the blog is Wolverine: Weapon X #16. Not a series I am regularly reading but this issue is a stand alone story focusing on Wolverine dealing with Nightcrawler's death. Examines their odd couple friendship over the years in a delightful manner, really glad I ended up picking it up.

Up next is Uncanny X-Men #527. Keeping the awesomeness rolling from Second Coming Uncanny is building its way back up to one of my favorite X-books (despite still being behind the pick of the week.) Art and story are both great with Terry Dodson's covers complimenting both quite well. Looking forward to finding out what Shaw is up to.

Pick of the week is New Mutants #16 written by Zeb Wells and drawn by Leonard Kirk. This issue tells the origins of General Ulysses and his unit, why they were limbo in the first place, and how they ended up stranded their for 26 years. Love this little back story issue and looking forward to where they are going from here. Was also pleased to see that it tied in to X-Infernus a little bit but not to much to throw of someone who never read that mini. If you kept reading one X-book after Second Coming, I sure hope this was it.

Well that is it for this week but I should have a lot more posts up in the next few days covering all that was Wizard World Chicago, except for Blaggo's hair. Leave some feedback or suggestions below if you feel like it.

Wednesday Pickups 8/11/10

Not a huge stack this week but do to a busy weekend posting this a little late once again. Hope either next week or the week after I will get back to a regular posting, somewhere between Sunday and Monday night. To make up for that however I have arranged this week's comics in perfect order for overlapping segues!

First up is ultra foxy and graphic X-Force: Sex+Violence #2 of 3. After dispensing with their attackers from the end of last issue, Domino comes clean about the whole reason they are after her which leads to Wolverine and her shacking up. Reallying digging this mini series. Perfectly self con tainted from the rest of the X-Universe and shows in spectacular detail the blood, gore, and sex the other X-books only hint at to remain available for most ages. Not an X-Men comic you would give to a child but a fun read for the older fans. SPOILER: Wolverine and Domino don't have as much class as Batman and Black Canary, they take the costume and masks off.

Staying in the X-World we move over to X-Men #2, Curse of the Vampires Part 2. A good issue but I (among others from what I've read) find Blade not hesitant enough about a crazy scheme to take down vampires. Art is still a bit fun and dark, a good mixture for the plot, and it should be an interesting ride to see exactly how this "plan" works. One complaint though with this being billed as the book that puts the X-Men in more of the mainstream Marvel U, it actually just lumps it in with the another sectioned off part ala Vampires.

Making the switch from Blade hunting down vampires to Ultimate Blade doing so we have Ultimate Avengers 3 #1. I am digging Steve Dillion art on this season... I mean volume a lot more than Leinil Yu's from the last volume. Story-wise it has picked up a lot (but I have always dug the vampire stuff as opposed to Ghost Rider) and it should be interesting to see if the people shown as vamps/bitten by vamps in this issue remain so.

Jumping through universes, dimensions, and time we have Booster Gold #35. What can I say, I am loving the funny and old-school adventuring feel of this book. A DC fastball special, yet another person realizing this isn't the right Booster from this time period, and a gun that hurls moons are just a few of the fantastic elements that make this book a must read. While I didn't really get into Booster Gold till these last couple years I picture this as the type of comic JLI was and why people liked it so much.

Going on another adventure with the man in blue and gold we move over to Justice League: Generation Lost #7, a Brightest Day tie-in. A perfect double feature with the previous comic, the crew attempt to infiltrate the CHECKMATE headquarters but of course they seem to lack the A-Team factor where the plan comes together. Just another solid, funny book with Max Lord as the perfect villain.

Sticking with Brightest Day, we have it's latest tie in Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #1. Great GL style art, excellent inking from Cam Smith, mixed with a ominous first issue makes for an interesting new Lantern book. Will definitely be adding it to the regular rotation, mostly for the art but also to see where this mission takes Guy, Ganthet, Atrocitus, and hopefully Sodam Yat.

Hoping over to one of my favorite comic double features we have Vertigo's The Unwritten #16. Bringing some of the resolution we have been looking for since the beginning of the book, it also tacks on a few new questions for the future. Can't say enough great things about this book! Art is great with fantastic covers such as this one and the story just sucks you in. Also another great page full of fictional Internet articles and social networking about the events, I always love that in a comic for some reason.

Part two of the Vertigo double feature and pick of the week is Daytripper #9 (tear, tear, only one issue left.) What can I wrote that I haven't already, I love this book! Phenomenal art, themes, story, characters, etc. I can't wait till this is collected so I can force everyone I know to read it easily. The final issue will be interesting though, with the issue almost seeming like the perfect ending. While that is it for comics, one additional pick up was made which I talked about in my last post.


Got an awesome Blu-Ray/DVD combo in the mail from Oscilloscope Labs, The Messenger. Last post has my more complete thoughts about the film and distribution company but in short I love them both, check them out if you get a chance. That is it for this week but next week is sure to be a monster stack with all my weekly books and all the goodies I pick up at Wizard World Chicago. Might do a post about the event itself as well, hoping to see some awesome films, get into great panels, and see some great cos-play. I will be going as Shadowcat.

Just kidding...



but seriously I will be.

Wednesday Pickups 7/28/10

Greeting again my comic book nerd friends, nice improvement over last week's books. Also got a few other pickups this week, so lets get to it.


Starting off we have Teen Titans #85. Art is solid, not the best work ever on titans but still enjoyable. The story has improved a little bit, just enough for me to stick it out till a creative team change in issue #88 and Damien Wayne showing up. The second feature is getting worse in my opinion. Not only have I lost practically all interest in the story but the art has deteriorated. Hopefully that ends soon and we get a price cut or they get a better second feature.

Next up is Brightest Day/Green Lantern double feature with Green Lantern #56 and Green Lantern Corps #50. A lot of cool stuff going on in GL proper. Larfleeze is back and trying to get on a certain some one's good list, Saint Walker gives The Question some hope, and Hector Hammond finds a new friend in Ophidian (the avarice entity). Doug Mahnke put some solid work into this issue, with all the constructs and entities looking spectacular. Green Lantern Corps was the better GL book of the week but I am bias towards Kyle and Cyborg Superman so that could be the reasoning. I am really enjoying Bedard's Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns story arc, matched with Syaf's pencils it really is one of the top DC books for me right now. Could this finally be the time Henshaw gets his wish? I doubt it but he is always a fun/sadistic character to see in action.

Last DC book of the week is Brightest Day Justice League Generation Lost #6. Interesting little tale set a few issues previous when Captain Atom absorbs an explosion. Loved this issue for helping me to understand Captain Atom a little bit more. Never read much of his history (brief retelling of it here) so he has always seemed a bit one dimensional and this issue really expanded him a bit.. Art is sweet as well keeping this book at the top of my Brightest Day tie ins.

Next up is another $1 preview from Radical Comics, The Rising. Art is pretty much the usual fare from Radical but still pretty enjoyable. The gist of this one is an alien race has come to earth and "helped us" by pretty much taking over with pockets of human resistance (including our protagonist) here and there. Somewhat of a generic sci-fi story but the dialogue about religion, god, and Darwin got me really involved. This three issue mini starts up in early 2011 and I think I will be checking it out.

Moving over the Marvel Universe we have a double feature from our favorite merry mutants. First up is Uncanny X-Men #526. Great issue! Coming off the heels of Second Coming, Hope goes looking for her biological family and starts meeting with the five lights (the five new mutants that appeared on Cerebro at the end of second coming.) Also featured a back up tale that acts as a prologue to the first issue of Avengers: The Children's Crusade. Art is solid on both (coming from Whilce Portacio and Oliver Coipel respectively.) Looks like Uncanny might be returning to its rightful place as the flagship title of the X-Books. Part 2 comes from X-Men Legacy #236. To be honest the book left me a bit colder than the rest of the X-stuff since Second Coming. It seems to just be the combination of not caring much about Rogue (the main character in the book), a story that has potential but could also suck, and art that is just ok. I will probably check out the next issue but so far this is looking to be cut from the list.

Last entry from Marvel is Secret Avengers #3. Have to say, I am enjoying this book more than I have enjoyed an Avengers book in quite a while. Story and art are both phenomenal so far and neither shows signs of slowing down. Looking at this character line up months ago I would have never guessed I would be loving this book. While I am normally not a huge fan of the intergalactic happening in comics (except for the Shi'ar) this one is totally drawing me in. Highly recommend checking out the first couple issues even if you don't think it sounded like something you would normally read from the previews.

Heading over to Vertigo we have American Vampire #5. Both tales come to somewhat of a conclusion while still leaving plenty of room for the book to continue. Rafael Albuquerque's distinct bloody art for each tale continues to wow, while Snyder and King's tales finally catch up teach other. Can't wait to see what comes next from American Vampire.

Finally, pick of the week is the final issue of 7 Psychopaths from Boom! Studios. Epic conclusion to this three part mini-series. Yeah, some aspects of the ending were predictable but the ride getting there was a great one. Disbursed through out Germany each psycho attempts to kill Hitler in their own way, meeting with quite a few interesting results. Pick this up when it comes out collected, I think I might just so it will be easier to let people borrow

That's it for regular comic this week but I have quite a few other pickups to discuss.



Starting us off is the first volume of Scott Pilgrim. Really enjoyed it and I plan on trying to read the rest before seeing the film but we will see how successful I am at that. Filled with tons of laughs and a few panels I can't wait to see on the big screen. Hopefully the film does not pull a Kick-Ass and lose its awesomeness.

Next is The Walking Dead vol. 12. Don't even know where to start with this one, just another solid volume from Kirkman and the crew. If you haven't checked out The Walking Dead, stop reading this and do so immediately! For those of you who have, you know you can't wait to read this latest volume as well.

Going back to Vertigo (can't get enough of this imprint) we have graphic novel title The Alcoholic. Did a review for it already on the blog so check that out if you want to know more, a solid read.

Last up is the two Blu-Rays I got from Barnes & Noble's Criterion sale, both at half price! Chungking Express is an interesting little film out of Hong Kong that I was turned on to in college. Can't wait to watch this newly restored version with updated subtitles. The film that really put Wong Kar-wai in the international spotlight. Second film is Hunger, a 2008 film out of the UK that examines the life of and IRA member in prison. A pretty powerful film if you have the patience for it (there is one dialogue scene between two character that last around a half an hour), this is probably the best film I have seen on the Irish Republican Army (of which I have seen more than my fair share.) Both films have great cinematography and are packing some special features I am looking forward to checking out.

Well, that's all folks. Come back for more soon and be sure to tell your friends who would also be interested in reading fair to poor comic reviews riddled with terrible grammar. (I actually misspelled "grammar" just now, wow.) Leave some comments below with questions, suggestions, or rants.

Wednesday Pickups 7/21/10

In an attempt to get back to a steady routine, going to knockout last week's books today and get this week's up on Thursday but I am sure something will throw a wrench in that plan somewhere. Without further ado, a much leaner stack than the last few weeks both in number and quality.


First up we have another one of DC's "After Watchmen... What's Next?" $1 reprints, Transmetropolitan #1. Decided to pick it up so I didn't only read superhero books this week and it is certainly pretty far from those. Brought to us by Warren Ellis (writer) and Darick Robertson (artist) Transmetropolitan focuses on a writer pulled back into the fray of the city and its politics from his secluded cabin he had grown quite a custom to. Not a bad book over all, art is good while the writing is a bit different from most of the Ellis' stuff I've read but maintains his intellect. The reason I don't think I will be picking up any more of it (at least not for a while) is its immense level of political and social criticism, which seems to almost suffocate any other aspect in it. I could definitely see myself picking it up at some point and enjoying the hell out of it but right now its just not what I am looking for in a comic.

Over in the Ultimate Marvel U, we have a double feature of Ultimate New Ultimates #3 and Ultimate Avengers 2 #5, and lets add ultimate to this sentence one more time just so I can assure myself the Guinness World Record. UNU has me torn. On one side I liked a somethings about it (the art, Valkyrie's back story, Hawkeye used the bow again) but on the other hand there was a lot I didn't like (a weird series of panels featuring preggo Hela, the generic regrouping after getting demolished last issue and elements like that, pretty much any conversation involving Danvers, etc). Feels like its getting harder and harder to justify this one to myself every month, probably going to make a decision after the next issue. UA2 is a bit better. Still interested in this Ghost Rider story but it definitely could have been a smaller arc because ts moving at a snail's pace! The characters are the big pull for me on this one, they just clash so well with each other you want to be around to see it. Only real complaint about the book (besides the stretching of the arc) is the look of Ghost Rider's last target. If you take a look inside the book you'll figure it out but lets just say demon variation is a good thing.

Shifting over to the 616 we have New Mutants #15, the first issue after second coming. Kicking of the arc "Fall of the New Mutants" we find the team going on a little vacation to rest and regroup after everything they went through. We find out they are not the only ones to recently return from limbo and that yet another person may have a bone to pick with Magick. Loved Leonard Kirk's art, that man can draw one hell of an mutated soldier, but a few of the main cast looked a bit wrinkled. Story is solid as well giving us a taste of where Warlock and Magick's minds are but I could use a bit more insight into the effects of Second Coming on Doug. Beers are downed and there may or may not be a drunken make out followed by the soldier's strike. I think this story could be a jumping on point for those who have been staying away from our favorite second class mutants*. (*Lame joke about them being Professor X's second class but depending on how you define each group that passed through Xavier's doors they could be anywhere from second to fourth.)

Jumping across town to the Distinguished Competition the Brightest Day banner strikes gain with a double feature. First up is Brightest Day proper #6. In this issue good ole detective JJ goes searching for "the other martian", our favorite odd couple pop some bubble gum while suffering a hangover, Deadman discovers something tasty to live for, and Mera spills her guts about her people and their hatred for the Atlanteans. I know I have been down on this book for being slow but I think it is coming into its stride. Sure we still aren't getting every character in every issue but you don't miss them to much and some of these developments are really getting interesting. Art is still awesome, this week showcasing a nice panel of "the other martian" feasting and a splash page of Arthur and Mera's life together. Looking forward to the next issue and hopefully them getting to Osiris at some point. Next is JSA #41, part 2 of the JSA/JLA crossover. Mark Bagley's art is good, has a sort of classic JLA feel in my opinion. Robinson's story on the other hand brings to mind the image of a bar bathroom on a weekend night. With the big casts of both books its hard to really get much enjoyment out of the few panels most of them get and the one word balloon they get to put their view in perspective, except for Wildcat who got a good couple pages at the beginning. Going to flip through the next chapter at the shop but I am betting I will take a pass.

Finally we finish off with two DC books utlizing characters from THE FUTURE!!! First is Time Masters: Vanishing Point #1 of 6. Good art and while I am a big fan of Booster Gold and Rip, I am going to wait for the rest of this in trade paperback if I ever get it. Rip is the only character that seems interestingly written in the book, even Booster who Dan Jurgens (the writer) has experience with seems one dimensional. Add that to it being $3.99 an issue and it has been put on the back burner. Lastly is Batman Beyond #2 of 6, my pick of the week. Kept the awesomeness of last issue moving at full steam with the addition of a new Catwoman and explanation of how Hush "died". Art is keeping it up as well, with the flashback fight between Bruce and Hush and the future day Catwoman and Terry's ariel show hold your gaze steadily. Like I mentioned before I am probably a little biased because I love the characters and era but this mini-series is all kind of sweetness.

That is all for this week, not as great as the last few but still some gems in there. Usual routine, leave any comments or suggestions below. What book do I need to check out that hasn't made an appearance yet? Hoping to get some game and tpb reviews up soon, so be on the look out for those.

Wednesday Pickups 7/14/10

Huge week based on more than a few impulse buys and recommendations. So large in fact I couldn't fit is all on the table in one photo, so lets get right into it:

First up we have the first three issues of Kill Shakespeare. Now a normal person would probably try the first issue (or just one issue) to see if they like the book before picking them all up but the collector inside took control when I saw it was the last issue of numbers one and two on the stands. Enjoying this book from cover to cover, starting with the title (ala Kill Bill). Although I am not the most familiar with the bard's tales, only read Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sonnets, the story stands on its own while still paying homage to his great plays and stories. After the murder of his Father and his own bloody soaked deed sweet prince Hamlet, our protagonist, is banished to England but his after mysterious visions and a pirate attack ends up on the shores of the land belonging to King Richard the III (a real historical character who I always thought got the shaft in Shakespeare's play after reading The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey, but that is a tale for another time.) Richard explains to Hamlet the prophecies of his land that claim The Shadow King (Hamlet) is going to save them from the tyranny of William Shakespeare, and lures him to his cause of assassination with promises of resurrecting Hamlet's father. Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col (the writers) breath new life and alternate stories into these age old characters which any reader can enjoy and coupled with Andy Belanger's art make for one fine comic series, definitely a new addition to the monthly pull list.

Moving on to another impulse buy we have the $1 reprint of Jonah Hex #1. This was my first taste of the character and while it was good and ok, nothing really makes me want to pick up the book regularly. The art showcases the old west quite nicely and the story was decent. Reminiscent of and "Old West" Punisher, Johan sticks to his guns and makes those committing monstrosities pay the ultimate price. While I see the appeal to most the book just isn't for me. If that sounds like something you might be interested in though you should not hesitate to shell out one buck for this book.

Next up is the latest book from the Icon imprint of Marvel, Scarlet #1. In this new book Bendis and Maleev introduce us to innocent runaway turned armed savior Scarlet. While I initially passed on picking up the book, I am glad I went back and checked it out. With a breath of fresh air, the story is told by our protagonist narrating and breaking the fourth wall all while questioning her own very sanity. Drawn a bit grittier than my usual picks, it fits the story well and I for one can't wait to pick up the issue (the bi-monthly schedule is going to be annoying though.) Also if you read reviews comparing it to Kick-Ass, I have to almost entirely disagree. Despite liking both I was not reminded of Kick-Ass at all while reading this.

Going for dark and gritty to bright and yellow we have Comic Book Guy The Comic Book #1. While its been years since I have really enjoyed anything Simpsons I decided to give this one a shot and was pleasantly surprised. This one had me cracking up at every turn of the page and the alternate covers (all recreations of famous comic death covers) featured inside instead of shipping with 4 different ones was a great move. Filled with mockery nerd humor in vintage Comic Book Guy fashion this one is sure to entertain those who remember those great Simpsons episodes of yesteryear (and who knows maybe some descent ones from recent history if you've seen any.)

My largest pick up of the week was the awesome one-shot/prelude The Man With The Getaway Face. Another one I hadn't planned on getting till I saw that over sized bad boy sitting on the shelf and for only two bucks. This adaptation of Richard Stark's Parker novel of the same name is amazingly well handled by Darwyn Cooke, who did both the illustrations and the adapting of the story. Covering one heist this comic is perfect for those looking to get into Parker's world or just enjoy a single comic. I think Cooke and IDW's ploy of putting this out as a slick one shot is going to get me to check out the previous graphic novel or the one soon to be released.

Going straight from this week's tallest book to the smallest we have The Stuff of Legend Vol. 2 The Jungle, Part 1. I was originally going to wait for this to be collected but couldn't resist the temptation to check back in with our favorite toys on a mission. This title follows a group of toys set to the task of tracking down their master in the dark, closet world of the sinister Boogeyman. After narrowing escaping the town of Hopscotch our favorite play things are going to have to pass through the Boogeyman's army as well as the creatures that inhabit this jungle. Can't say enough good things about this book. The first collected edition I have of volume one was a book I could not put down and could not stop talking about when asked what I was reading. If you get the chance definitely pick up the first TPB of this book, you will not be disappointed.

Over at Marvel we have an X-Men quadruple feature! Kicking things of with Second Coming Revelations: Hellbound #3 of 3, we find Sam's strike force failing at their mission but providing a nice little bonus tale to Second Coming none the less. Not necessary reading for the even but it does provide a little more story/set up for the ongoing Magick/Pixie soul-feud. Besides the spectacularly drawn limbo the highlight of this issue are some killer burns from Cannonball towards Gambit. Concluding this epic X-Event, next is X-Men: Second Coming #2 (Chapter 14.) A fitting end to great crossover, split into four chapters to allow all the creators working on the event to each get their own little wrap up. I had planned on leaving a lot X-books behind after this event but think I will be at least checking out how all our merry mutants begin their next chapters. Almost as a second conclusion The Heroic Age: Uncanny X-Men One-shot offers us a bit more perspective in to Cyclops, Beast, and Hope through their conversations with Steve Rodgers, Molly Hayes, and Reed Richards respectively. All three make for interesting tales but I really enjoyed the dialogue between two of Marvel's greatest leaders. Last of the X-titles but certainly not least we have X-Force: Sex and Violence #1 of 3. Showcasing some spectacularly bloody art work from Gabriele Dell'Otto, we find Domino in a bad situation facing off against the assassin's guild. Making her way back to the safe house to get healed by Elixer and interrogated by Wolverine, she begrudgingly picks up the former to help her out and more than mentions the recent sexual tension between the two. Can't wait for the next issue as I am slowly falling in love with everything modern X-force.

Hopping over to sexy and violent I checked out the second issue of Hack/Slash: My First Maniac. Just as gorgeous as the first issue in this issue Cassie makes some new friends and edges closer to meeting Farmer Fig and his gore tactics of dealing with promiscuous teens. I know I said it when I pick up the first issue of this but I really need to check out some of the TPBs of the ongoing series.

From lady slayers to lady spies we move over to Frenemy of The State #2. Still digging this book although this issue did seem to drag a little. Humor was a little more on the stale side as well, hopping next issue picks both up a bit.

Jumping into my DCU books for the week we have Justice League Generation Lost #5 and Booster Gold #34. Not to much action over in JLGL but this issue really solidifies the guys and girls as a team, as they start getting all up in each others' business. The art is still awesome and the beginning and ending scenes of Booster's past were a great story addition. This book is quickly rising up the ranks as one of my favorites out of DC. In Booster's solo book he continues his quest to get evidence of Maxwell Lord from the past but get sidetracked and roped into and adventure with Ted Kord (the former Blue Beetle.) Wasn't exactly thrilled with Chris Batista's art on this one but the story and humor are still keeping me around. Well that and you have got to love a villain named Hieronymous, The Under-Achiever!

Saving the best for last (although a lot of books were really amazing this week) we have the monthly Vertigo double feature of The Unwrittern and Daytripper. In The Unwritten #15 Count Ambrosio makes his play for Tommy, Lizzie gets back to her roots, and the question some of the questions surrounding Wilson Taylor are answered. This book is still running strong and shows no signs of slowing down and the latest opening passage from the "Taylor novels", this latest being from the new fake one, has got to be my favorite. Pick of the week should come as no surprise to anyone I have talked comics with in the last few months, Daytripper #8 is just as (if not more) amazing than its previous issues. Bras' career as an author is going well and in this issue he is no where to be seen due to work related travel. Despite being absent except for emails, phone calls, and old fashion letters his presence and effect on Ana and little Miguel's lives are tremendously felt. Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (the Brazilian creator duo responsible for this master piece, who also happen to be brothers) consistently put out a book with more soul than 90% of the stuff on the market! Anxiously awaiting the final two issues of this limited series knowing full well I am that I am going hate this ride ending.

That is it for last week, but you know the deal. Leave and comments, suggestions, lewd remarks below and I will be happy to comment back. This week's stack is significantly shorter so look for that in next few days so I can back to a regular posting routine.