The Pull List: September 18, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Superior Spider-Man #18 (Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman)

Doc Ock's web of control keeps unraveling.  I know I say this all the time.  There were some seriously unheroic actions undertaken in this issue though.  To the point where he violated the first rule of Spider-Man, the one of great power and responsibility.  Man, I really want the real Spider-Man back.  Spider-Man 2099 is still involved and unfortunately the little scuffle he has with Spidey/Ock is very breif and Stegman doesn't get a chance to cut loose.  Maybe next time the Spider-Men will actually fight.  

-New Avengers #10 (Jonathan Hickman, Mike Deodato)

Marvel's Infinity event is in full swing and New Avengers is along for the ride.  The two are somewhat organically tied together, but it still feels like the Illuminati's search for Thanos' son comes out of nowhere.  It's a pretty weak plot point.  There's a lot of talking in this issue which would be fine if it seemed like anything really got done.  Instead it comes across as boring with more emphasis on tell over show.

-Daredevil #31 (Mark Waid, Chris Samnee)

Look, do I really need to say that Daredevil is a great comic again?  It is.  Daredevil remains the best superhero comic around for a number of reasons.  Daredevil saves people with his own hands as well as using his quick wit to ask a my favorite scientist, Hank Pym, for help.  The way Daredevil handles the present crisis reflects the heroism of the character, because he does so while trying to throw as few punches as possible.  There's an great opening scene, but I'll let the picture tell that story.  Also, Daredevil is confronted with his greatest weakness: LED screens.  Think about that for a second.  It's not too late.  You too can find out why Waid and Samnee are two of the best storytellers around right now.

The Pull List: September 4, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Iron Man #15 (Kierron Gillen, Carlo Pagulayan)

Look, I was ready to make a crack about how this comic is currently poop, but being spared additional Greg Land interior work mellowed me out some.  This issue looks nicer than the previous couple, not that this is a hard thing to accomplish, however I very much appreciate looking at Pagulayan's power armors. It's still not a good comic as it seems this storyline has been going on forever.  Pacing and bizarre retcon choices have plagued Iron Man for a while now so I've come to just grudgingly accept them.  Introducing a giant robot and then doing absolutely nothing with it is a sin that cannot be ignored though.

-Superior Spider-Man #17 (Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman)

The Goblin subplot simmers in the background as Spider-Man 2099 decides to stop by and engage in some time shenanigans.  There's not much to say.  It's an inter-temporal crossover.  That's a concept you like or you don't, and I like.  I'm looking forward to seeing Stegman draw the inevitable fight between the two Spideys next issue.

The Pull List: August 21, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

It's been a while, but don't worry.  There'll be a post on the missing month of comics.  Right now though the focus is on the fresh stuff, if you count five days old as fresh.

Marvel

-Nova #7 (Zeb Wells, Paco Medina)

I'm a bit bitter that there's a new Nova, but Nova #7 is a great comic book.  The series has been mediocre so far, albeit fun.  Things are looking up in this issue as Nova learns some important lessons, like superheroes can't just barge into any situation and recognizing that New York City already gets too much attention in comics.  At one point I was complaining about the lack of superheroics in superhero comics, so having a book where someone is actually learning to be a hero is welcome.  This trend and the New Warriors tease are certainly reasons to celebrate.

-Superior Spider-Man #16 (Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos)

Things seem to be ramping up in the pages of Superior Spider-Man as each storyline that concludes organically flows into the next.  Doc Ock's tightening grip is also exposing more cracks in his attempts at playing hero. The capture of the Hobgoblin this issue was interesting, but I felt  the best parts of #16 were the hooks meant to get the reader interested in the next installment.

The Pull List: July 10, 2013

Welcome to the Giant Robot Week edition of the pull list.  There are two bonus entries in this edition of my weekly chronicle of the picture books I spend my money (hard-earned or ill-gotten) on.  Spoiler alert, like my previous posts on the subject hint at, giant robots are awesome.

Marvel

-Superior Spider-Man #13 (Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Giuseppe Camuncoli)

I don't want to give the impression that I'm not enjoying the current story of Superior Spider-Man, but I really wish there was a different Spider-Man storyline going on now.  In case you were unaware, the current Spider-Man is not heroic.  There's no other way to spin it.  If you want to have that debate then I welcome it, however the evidence is on my side.  That said, it's still an interesting comic book that I am happy to buy.

-Avengers Arena #12 (Dennis Hopeless, Kev Walker)

Yo, the writing in this comic is some straight garbage, like for real.  I only got to the first caption box on the 2nd page before I had to close the comic in disgust.  It's not the graphic murder of children that has got me down.  Instead it is the insinuation, however tenuous, that the reader is the bad guy for "watching (reading) to see what horrible thing might happen next."  Look, I didn't start reading this comic for the shock value.  I picked it up because characters I liked were in a comic book.  That they are being brutally killed is off-putting, so I'm concerned for their fictional wellbeing as well as the wellbeing as them as characters that continue to be published.  If Marvel wants to feed some actually interesting new characters that aren't established white males to some hack writer, that's their prerogative.  I just won't be around to give them my money for it anymore.  Poor Kev Walker, art of this caliber deserves writing that can match it.

-Daredevil #28 (Mark Waid, Javier Rodriguez)

Fortunately Mark Waid is still wrtiting Daredevil.  Unfortunately Chris Samnee didn't draw this issue.  Fortunately Javier Rodriguez makes some damn fine art.  From issue #1 Daredevil has been a comic that could get by on its art alone.  It hasn't had to do that though thanks to Waid's brilliant storytelling.  A new story arc begins this issue and it deals heavily with Daredevil's not-so-secret identity as Matt Murdock, lawyer extraordinaire.  For a comic with a lot of heart and human characters, look no further.

The Pull List: Two-In-One June 12 and 19, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Since there's a lot of ground to cover I'll try to be brief

Marvel

-Deadpool #11 (Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Mike Hawthorne)

Hijinks continue to ensue as Deadpool runs down a creep who sold his soul so that he could perv out. The comedy action remains to hit the right beats and stay fresh.

-Wolverine and the X-Men #31 (Jason Aaron, Nick Bradshaw)

We get a look inside the Hellfire Academy for future evil mutants. Wolverine will eventually get his claws into this new Hellfire Club, and the way Aaron is building to it will make that moment so much sweeter.

-Guardians of the Galaxy #3 (Brian Michael Bendis, Steve McNiven, Sara Pichelli)

Decent story. Bad characterization. Cool drawings. Not so hot redesigns.

-Uncanny Avengers #9 (Rick Remender, Daniel Acuña)

I wonder if there are people reading this that didn't read Uncanny X-Force? Read that first if you haven't and catch up on this, because Remender is in for the glorious long haul.

-Superior Spider-Man #12 (Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Giuseppe Camuncoli)

Superior is still an interesting read, and it still is something I wouldn't hand to a kid who wants to read a Spider-Man comic.  Not necessarily because it is "mature," but because I want kids to see superheroes as heroic. Setting out to end someone's life is certainly not heroic (it can still make for a great comic if that's your thing).

The Pull List: June 5th, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Age of Ultron #9 (Brian Michael Bendis, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco)

Something actually happens this issue.  Not only that but it's probably one of the better issues of the series.  That bar might've been incredibly low, but it's the small victories that you remember in life.  What actually transpires in the plot isn't necessarily the best.  Many times it is even contradictory.  Such is to be expected when you have a confused Hank Pym talking to two Wolverines about the consequences of them murdering him.

-Thanos Rising #3 (Jason Aaron, Simone Bianchi)

At this point this comic is approaching comical levels of being bad.  I'll avoid using the "R" word.  It'd be fair to use it, but there are so many things this comic does terribly that nitpicking the continuity isn't even worth it. Not that you'd need to nitpick, as the errors on that front are glaring.  Bianchi dropped the ball too.  Previously the art was unbearable which is sadly better than what got published in this issue.  Ultimatum's un-venerable status is in jeopardy.

-Iron Man #11 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)

I sincerely hope that all of this "secret origin" stuff turns out to be a ruse, that it's all a fake out our false info, because otherwise this is very very wrong.  The individual issues that make up the total story arc will either live or die based on the conclusion.

-Avengers #13 (Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer, Mike Deodato)

Last issue saw a villain capture a group of strange children that the Avengers were protecting in the Savage Land.  Now it's time for a group of Avengers to find the evildoer.  They not only avenge the wrongdoings, but they heroically save the children.  Some have criticized Hickman's Avengers for not being heroic enough.  These past two issues prove a definitive counterpoint to such thoughts.  Thor's interactions with Hyperion delved into what it means to be a hero.  Whatever it means Hyperion is surely that, which makes it one of the better Superman comics I've read.

-Superior Spider-Man #11 (Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Giuseppe Camuncoli)

Spidey/Doc Ock is called on to witness the execution of a supervillian in case something goes wrong, which it will invariably do since this is a comic.  Supervillians on death row, why isn't that seen in comics more?  For every instance of Spider-Man now being superior there are equal instances of him just being a straight douchebag.  Seeing Doc Ock foil a villain's escape plans makes for a very entertaining comic. 

-Avengers Arena #10 (Dennis Hopeless, Riccardo Burchielli)

If dead goth gothic lolitas with protruding bones and missing limbs are your thing, then man do I have a comic for you.  If not then congratulations you aren't completely weird or creepy.  I really wish a number of characters I'm fond of weren't in this series, for a number of reasons.  Mainly so that my soul isn't being sold off in twice monthly payments of $2.99.  At this point outright piracy is probably the best course of action for fans of any of the remaining sacrificial lambs.

DC

-Action Comics #21 (Andy Diggle, Tony S. Danile; Frank Hannah, Philip Tan)

Part 3 of the Hybrid storyline closes out the arc in confusing and grand fashion.  Chronologically this issue is a bit more confusing than Grant Morrison's 18 issues, an impressive feat.  Confusing or not, Superman got to do battle with power-armored Lex Luthor.  It's drawn and coreographed/plotted well, though it does seem a bit rushed and out of nowhere.

There's a back-up story that fleshes out the backstory of Superman's Kryptonian parents.  It's not bad, but I'm just not interested in it.

-Stormwatch #21 (Jim Starlin, Yvel Guichet)

What is going on in this comic?  3 issues in and I'm still confused as hell.  Sure I can piece things together enough to guess at what is really going on, but that doesn't change that it still feels like I know nothing.  Which might be part of the mystique.  That seems doubtful though.  Starlin is a storyteller I have much faith in, and I'm banking on that to really pay off in the next issue.   

Valiant

-Archer & Armstrong #10 (Fred Van Lente, Pere Pérez)

Last week I mentioned that Fred Van Lente's (and Greg Pak's) Incredible Hercules was amazing.  It gets mentioned again this week because Archer & Armstrong channels that comic a lot more than G.I. Joe.  The titular duo are comprised of an immortal adventurer and a naive assasin, and their latest quest has them infiltrating Area 51. There they come across a program led by one General Redacted, which might be the greatest name for a general since Sheep in the Big City.  The buddy action comedy genre is a narrative pinnacle.  A pinnacle that this comic finds itself at the pinnacle of.

Image

-East of West #3 (Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin)

A few more details come to light this week as Death fights through Maoist forces in New Shanghai (San Francisco) to rescue his wife and the three other horsemen are hot on Death's trail.  Despite learning much about the setting and the narrative at hand, key info is still cloaked in mystery making the world of East of West still alien and full of intrigue.  Combining the setting and the narrative results in a story that commands attention.  The art more than keeps up as it gives familiar yet bizarre life to the ideas being put forth.  It's colored beautifully too I might add.    

Boom!

-Hypernaturals #12 (Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Tom Derenick, Andres Guinaldo)

I wish there were more issues of this comic coming.  That should be indicative enough of what I thought of this particular issue and comic as a whole.  The story resolves itself in a grand fashion, and that's all I'll say for fear of spoiling the story for the one other person that might give it a try.  Saying it was too good for this world might be hyperbole, but that's part of what Hypernaturals is about.  Hopefully Abnett and Lanning have another "superheroes in SPACE" story lined up, because the world needs them now more than ever.

The Pull List: May 22, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.


A bit late, but what are you gonna do

Marvel

-Uncanny Avengers #8AU (Rick Remender, Gerry Duggan, Adam Kubert)

Here is an example of an event tie-in comic done right.  The comic works to move the actual plot of Uncanny Avengers forward while maintaining the tone and playing on the story beats of the crossover event.  This might be an alternate universe but the actions within still have ramifications for the regular 616 continuity.  Ultimately it gives more backstory for the villains the Avengers are fighting in the non Age of Ultron timeline.  It's cool to see some alternate versions of characters.  Namely the Havok present in this issue offers what some might be a counterpoint to the controversial speech he made in Uncanny Avengers #5.

-Superior Spider-Man #10 (Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman)

With the grasp of the octopus getting even tighter, things begin to slip through the cracks.  This comic is another intriguing entry in what is becoming one of the most different Spider-Man stories ever.  There's no way the true Peter Parker doesn't come back at some point, but having a slightly heroic Doc Ock offers some counterpoints to the traditional morality/ideology that we have become accustomed to with Spidey.

-Deadpool #10 (Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Mike Hawthorne)
No joke, Deadpool is a good comic right now.  It hits action and comedy beats, and neither comes at the expense of the other.  The two elements play off of each other and exist in a harmonious state that Confucius would approve of.  It also provides a less serious, but arguably more entertaining, look at Doc Ock/Spidey's new moral code.  The C-list villian spectacular of a fight is great for a number of reasons.  "I'm the Trapster bitch!" and the inclusion of Lady Stilt Man are just two examples. 

-Avengers #12 (Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer, Mike Deodato)

It's another downtime issue for Avengers.  Not that that is a bad thing mind you.  It gives time for some character work and philosophy.  Some might not be too happy with character focus being placed on historically unimportant and cast aside characters, but I don't mind a guy like Hyperion spelling out why exactly godlike beings like Thor become heroes. 

-A+X #8 (Gerry Duggan, Salvador Larroca, Christopher Hastings, Reilly Brown)

Do you like superhero team-ups?  Silly question, of course you do.  That's all this comic is.  Pure distilled action packed buddy adventures.  There are two team-ups within.  The first is Kitty Pryde and Spider-Woman, and it makes sure you don't ever forget that Kitty Pryde is a badass.  The second is a tale about Purple Arrow (Hawkeye) and Ninja Spider-Man (Deadpool) stopping sewer pirates with a submarine from unleashing Lovecraftian horrors.  Deadpool might or might not shoot off Hulk hand trick arrows.  It's a pretty good week to be a Deadpool fan:

-Daredevil #26 (Mark Waid, Chris Samnee)

Daredevil isn't necessarily my favorite superhero comic, but it is without a doubt the best one coming out right now (this is where you insult my tastes)  Waid and Samnee are masters of their craft making the story they are weaving a genuine masterpiece.  The comic appears to be rapidly approaching a conclusion to the initial two years worth of stories.  Everyone should be excited for that.

There's a small little back-up story this issue.  It is potentially the most heartwarming short story ever.  Kids with cancer make a comic about superheroes stopping a giant monster.  The metaphor within the comic is pretty obvious, which is fitting considering the creators are children.  The little twist at the end and the  take away message put this short story in contention for best of the year status.  Marvel should go ahead and make it a free digital comic, because everyone should read it.

DC

-Aquaman #20 (John Ostrander, Manuel Garcia)

Covers lie.  The stuff you see on the front is used to sell comics and at best is a very loose interpretation of an event inside.  Usually they are truthful about the creative team, but that's not the case here where Geoff Johns and Paul Pelletier are incorrectly given credit.  Ostrander is in his element in this comic writing a story about a somewhat secretive, eclectic group of people who are to varying degrees involved with ghosts/spirits/spectres.  It's a entertaining enough story, but it has the most tenuous connection to the current Aquaman meta-story.  In the end this issue is complete "filler."  I tend to enjoy filler stories though.

-Justice League #20 (Geoff Johns, Zander Cannon, Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo, Joe Prado)

So... this wasn't a very good comic, or at least it didn't deliver much entertainment.  It doesn't warrant much of a plot synopsis besides "Justice League C-listers fight Despero."  Not even a love for C-list characters, which I assure I possess, can make this a worthwhile read.  Distrust continues to ferment among the leaguers and the American government remains suspicious of the league too.  The art is all over the place as well, which is to be expected when no fewer than four people share art duties.  The Captain Marvel backup wasn't anything special this issue, but it was consistent, something I can't say about the primary story.   

-All Star Western #20 (Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Moritat)

Time for some math: Cowboy from the 1800's + goofball hero from the future = ?  "Comedy gold" and "the best buddy cop duo of all time" are both acceptable answers.  Booster Gold and Jonah hex teaming-up is definitely something the world needs more of.  Things continue to get crazier from there.  A dwarf in a cage gets involved at some point, which surprisingly doesn't actually make the comic any more kinky or depraved than it already was.  At the end of the day it's still a damn fine western and a damn fine comic in general.

There's also a back-up story illustrated by Staz Johnson were the first words spoken are "Adam, if we don't stop Nosferata from completing the ritual, all of Arizona will be crawling with Apache Vampires."  Thus proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that All Star Western is the greatest comic DC is currently publishing.

Monkeybrain

-Subatomic Party Girls #1 (Chris Sims, Chad Bowers, Erica Henderson, Josh Krach)

In this inaugral issue the all girl power pop trio "Beryllium Steel" is launched into space.  Things go awry and our heroines end up fighting space pirates.  A band fights space pirates.  This is a love-it or hate-it kind of deal.  Macross 7 is one of my favorite cartoons, so it should come as no surprise that  my $0.99 was well spent on this comic.  While story itself is truly outrageous, it's the art that really elevates the comic and makes it out of this world.

-Knuckleheads #2 (Brian Winkeler, Robert Wilson IV, Jordan Boyd, Thomas Mauer)

Man fights giant monster.  Giant monster tries to eat a hot drunk English chick.  Man's roommate borrows pepper spray and a condom from a pizza man.  Roommate throws a condom filled with pepper spray at giant monster.  If you don't want to read that comic, then we can't be friends.  

Ten comics I've been reading

I've written reviews for Ultimate Spider-Man, Batman, and Daredevil, but I've been reading a lot of other comics lately without reviewing them on the blog. Instead of writing one article for each series, I'm writing mini-reviews for all of them here.

100 Bullets

Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso

Most of the comics I'm reading are modern-day comics still in their current run, but 100 Bullets is an acclaimed neo-noir series written over the course of a decade, from 1999 to 2009. It's well-written, but I can't read this without thinking of Frank Miller's seminal Sin City, a superior series that came eight years earlier.

Hawkeye

Matt Fraction and David Aja

I'm no fan of the Avengers, so I was as surprised as anyone when the Least Interesting Avenger turned out to have the Greatest Superhero Comic on Shelves Today. Plenty has been said already about how awesome this series is. The creators understand Hawkeye is the Least Interesting Avenger, so they run with it as a story about a regular guy trying to fit into a superhero's world. David Aja's minimalist art style (look at those covers!) and Matt Fraction's satirical writing style compliment each other perfectly. Hawkguy is by far my favorite Marvel or DC comic book series.

Side note: Matt Fraction also has the Greatest Comic Creator Twitter Account of All Time.

Animal Man
Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, and Steve Pugh

As a new comic book reader, this was my first time reading a series of a superhero I'd never heard of before. Eventually I heard about Grant Morrison's original run on the series, but I started with this new reboot. And it's fantastic. The metaphysical horror aspect is what draws you in to the series, and you stay for the relatable family-man hero. The grotesque artwork is stunning. It's got a slow first few issues, but now I'm hooked.

Swamp Thing

Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette

Jeff Lemire's Animal Man does a lot of crossing over with Swamp Thing, since both characters exist in the same world. I wasn't planning on reading Swamp Thing, but Animal Man is so good that its compelling depiction of the Swamp Thing made me want to read the sister series. Unfortunately, despite great artwork by Yanick Paquette, Scott Snyder's writing doesn't live up to it. Maybe it's because Snyder is a hotshot at DC Comics right now and Batman is his main creative output. It makes sense that he's leaving the series now, since Swamp Thing is an afterthought to him. I haven't given up on the character as a whole, though, as I've heard great things about Alan Moore's vaunted Swamp Thing of years past.

Dial H

China Miéville and Mateus Santolouco

Dial H is a dark, fun, crazy story about a slacker who suddenly gains the ability to turn into random superheroes. He doesn't get to choose what he becomes--it could be anything imaginable, from Boy Chimney to Iron Snail to Open-Window Man. At first this series just seems like an excuse for the artist to design hilarious, gimmicky new superheroes, but as it goes on the story gets more complex. It feels like an indie series, not something DC Comics would put out, so of course it's being discontinued later this year. R.I.P.

Saga

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Stapes

I didn't want to buy into the Saga hype. It was called the best comic book of 2012 by basically everyone. Described as a Star Wars-style space opera about new parents, it seemed a bit too much for me. I love the complex alien galaxy of Star Wars because I was introduced to it as a small child, but as a jaded adult, I didn't think I could embrace a guy with horns and a girl with wings and a naked lady bounty hunter with no arms and eight spider legs. It was at the top of so many year-end lists, though, that I had to cave. And I'm glad I did. I called Hawkeye my favorite superhero comic book because Saga is my Favorite Comic Book. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples weave a beautiful, alien, and ultimately human tale with Saga. I hope to be delving into their world for years to come.

Captain Marvel

Kelly Sue DeConnick, Dexter Soy, and Emma Rios

Comics are mostly a sausagefest, so I was excited to read Captain Marvel: a series about female characters, with a female writer and (for many issues) a female artist. Unfortunately, the Woman Factor is the only interesting aspect of this book. Other than that, it's an incredibly generic superhero story where she flies around and blows up bad guys.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller

I finally got around to reading the most famous Batman comic of all time! The brooding, dystopian-cyberpunk-future 1986 tale by Frank Miller is credited with ushering in a whole new era of "grimdark" comics. And it's not the most fun book to read--tons of Walls of Text with many pages featuring sixteen panels each--yet it's obvious why this book was so influential. It's interesting to see a superhero at the end of his career, when he's old and weak. The ending is a bit of a cop-out, but The Dark Knight Returns is still a satisfying read. I especially like all the narration done through TV broadcasts; the local news anchor is just as much a character in the story as Bruce Wayne himself.

Batwoman

Greg Rucka, J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, Amy Reeder, and Trevor McCarthy

This is actually two separate comic book series. The "Batwoman: Elegy" story arc from Detective Comics in 2010, and the standalone Batwoman series that began in 2011. The Detective Comics story written by Greg Rucka and drawn by J.H. Williams III is absolutely fantastic. Rucka is one of the best writers in the business, and JHW3's intricate multi-page spreads are gorgeous. But when Batwoman got her own standalone series, Rucka was nowhere to be found. JHW3 pulled both writer and artist duties alone for a while, and the series suffered because of it. He's a great artist, but a subpar writer. To make matters worse, eventually JHW3 stopped doing the art altogether and enlisted a revolving door of artists to pencil his mediocre writing. I'd strongly recommend the Rucka/JHW3 run, collected as Batwoman: Elegy, but stay far away from the standalone Batwoman series.

The Massive

Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson, Garry Brown, and Dave Stewart

I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic settings and geopolitical globetrotting, so The Massive is right up my alley. It's the story of a group of environmental activists trying to survive in a post-global warming world. At first I was put off by what looked like fairly generic artwork, but if you give it a chance, The Massive is intelligent and suspenseful. I consider myself a pretty Worldly Dude, and even I had to look up some of the topics in The Massive on Wikipedia. The characters are from all over the world, travel everywhere, and deal with all sorts of real-life issues. I didn't know anything about Tamil Eelam or Unalaska before I read this series. And even the art, which I thought was unremarkable to start, hits its stride after the first issue. The Massive is a text-heavy comic book, but it's intellectually fulfilling in a way not many other comic books are today.

The Pull List: May 1, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Superior Spider-Man #9 (Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman)

Goddamn!  This is one intense issue.  One of the most important storytelling elements in superhero comics is putting the hero up against a credible threat.  The creators need to make the reader believe that the villain might triumph.  That has been a strong point of the Superior Spider-Man, but this issue takes it to an entirely different level.  Peter Parker and Doc Ock revealing their inner Spider-Men makes for a great visual.  The premise of Superior Spider-Man is still off-putting, but there is an interesting story to tell here.  

-Age of Ultron #7 (Brian Michael Bendis, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco)

Once again I find myself asking the question, "Why am I buying this comic?"  At this point I might as well see the story through to the end, even if the plot is barely paper thin.  Not even the art can save this book as it is nothing special and the lackluster set-ups don't even result in remotely interesting fights.  Overall this issue is just another mediocre entry in this horribly decompressed event.

-Thanos Rising #2 (Jason Aaron, Simone Bianchi)

After a rather disappointing first issue, I was trying to give this one a fair shake.  That's not going to happen when the first 2 pages of a 22 page comic that costs $4 is completely wasted.  The story told in those remaining 20 pages is an unnecessary mess.  There is no need to revisit and muck up Thanos' origin.  I've never been a fan of Bianchi's art.  This comic is pretty damn bad and Marvel would've been better off just reprinting old stories if they really wanted to push Thanos for movie appearances.


-Iron Man #9 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)

By the grace of some god Greg Land doesn't have art duties for this issue, so that's a plus.  However there is the banner of "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark" as well, which fills me with a sense if dread.  For the most part the comic plays to its strengths, no Land, and my tastes: robot space bounty hunters.  Eaglesham's art isn't anything groundbreaking. He draws a pretty great Death's Head though, and the panel bordering is neat.  This issue is an entirely serviceable story that tickles my fancy.  Until the end that is, when that whole "Secret Origin" bit rears its ugly head.  Hopefully my faith in Gillen is well placed and  this will all turn out to be a clever ruse.

DC

-Animal Man #20 (Jeff Lemire, John Paul Leon, Timothy Green II)

A story within a story is the premise of this one, and it all got very meta very quickly.  Lemire explores Animal Man's loss by examining his drive to be a hero while critiquing the fame for fame's sake reality television stars that dominate real-world entertainment.  The heavily inked art of the "fictional story" was well done and differed from the series' stylistic tone enough to stand out, yet not too much to be jarring.  There are stronger Animal Man issues out there, but one small road bump isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things as long as the entire story pulls together.

-Aquaman #19 (Geoff Johns, Paul Pelletier)

There are a lot of moving pieces and most of them are still being set up.  As "villainous" Ocean Master's actions were during the Throne of Atlantis crossover, his point about perspective and his actions merely being retaliatory are poignant.  It rings especially true because the majority of the time people are just straight up dicks to Aquaman.  The selling point of the book is the art.  Every underwater panel is a sight to behold as it captures the scope and subtleties of the ocean.  Also, Atlantean organ theft.

-Stormwatch #20 (Jim Starlin, Yvel Guichet)

Full disclosure: this is only the second issue of Stormwatch I've ever read (the first being #19).  Jim Starlin taking over writing duties is what drew me in.  The story is a bit confusing, but that is probably a symptom of my neophyte Stormwatcher status.  Proving that I am an equal opportunity hater of retooled origins, Lobo's new backstory is wack.  Sorry Starlin, just because Aaron messed up Thanos' origins doesn't mean you can screw with one of the greatest DC characters of all time.  As you can see below, one alien gets its head kicked clean off while on the opposite page one gets punched straight through its chest.  Stormwatch #21 is a confirmed purchase.

Stormwatch

-Action Comics #20 (Andy Diggle, Tony S. Daniel)

It's hard to live up to Grant Morrison's recently finished run on Action Comics (it concluded with #18).  Unsurprisingly, this issue fails to meet that lofty standard.  That's not to say this is a bad comic.  Coupled with the tumultuous situation with the creative team due to Diggle's premature departure means that this issue isn't as good as this series can and should be, at least from a writing standpoint.  Thankfully the book is still visually appealing.

Boom!

-Hypernaturals #11 (Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Tom Derenick, Andres Guinaldo)

This comic is at the bottom of my reading list because it never disappoints.  Hypernaturals continues to be a rock solid engaging tale of heroes protecting all of known space.  The current plot threads all seem to be coming to a climax and that invariably means things get crazy.  High concept deicide levels of crazy.  Though the art sometimes falls a bit flat during more mundane scenes it is consistent and performs beautifully once the action starts.  If big heroes fighting big threats is your thing, do yourself a favor and catch up on this book.

Daredevil breaks my heart: Black Cat and sexism in comics

As I've said before, I don't pretend to be a comics expert. I just started reading them in the past month or so. But a quick google search of "comics sexism" brings up an embarrassing 2.82 million results as of this writing, so I'm not alone in thinking it's an issue the medium must deal with.

So far in my short comic-reading career, I'd avoided anything overtly sexist. And I absolutely loved the first collected edition of Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera's Daredevil. But then I got to Daredevil's two-part crossover with Amazing Spider-Man.

The crossover revolves around Daredevil and Spider-Man teaming up to deal with the Black Cat. It's the first appearance of a female costumed character in the series, and Black Cat's depiction is utterly shameful for the twenty-first century.

Neither Spider-Man nor Daredevil have a great track record with respect for women--but that's okay with me, since it's generally presented as a character flaw for both of them. Peter Parker is a hormonal teenage boy, and we all know plenty of those in real life. I may or may not have been one myself at some point. Rich guy Matt Murdock is presented in Waid's Daredevil as a womanizer in the Mad Men vein, fitting of Paolo Rivera's retro art during his tenure working on the series. Maybe it's telling that as soon as Rivera stopped doing all the artwork for Daredevil, we got this sexist crossover.

The Avengers ruined Spider-Man for me.

I didn't grow up reading comic books. But I'm a fairly nerdy person, and all "geek" culture owes itself to comic books--the original geek culture. Although superhero movies are more popular than ever, superhero comics remain a niche market. So I decided I should start reading some.

Coming of age in the early '00s, I've got a soft spot for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy. Yes, I even thought Spider-Man 3 was decent, but that's a debate for another day. So I decided to start my comic book career with Spidey. But even narrowing it down to one superhero, how do I dive headfirst into comics' infamously complex web of multiple continuities and crisscrossing storylines?

I remember hearing back in late 2011 that Peter Parker died, and there was a new Spider-Man. Not only that, but he's a black Latino kid named Miles Morales! There have been a few minority superheroes, but the industry is still dominated by straight white men. Black superheroes like Nick Fury and the Black Panther are only peripheral characters. But Spider-Man is Marvel's trademark guy; it's a big statement that they would make their most popular character a black kid. I liked this a lot, and the series reboot would be a good place to start since I wouldn't have to worry about catching up on Miles Morales' backstory. So I decided I should start by reading Spider-Man.

But of course, I quickly discovered there's more than one Spider-Man comic. Since major superheroes are owned by corporations rather than the individual authors who created them, the most marketable characters often have more than one series by more than one author going on at any given time. Batman has dozens of concurrent series being published at this very moment. Spider-Man, by comparison, only has a handful. But of course Marvel wouldn't be ballsy enough to make the primary Spider-Man comic feature a black kid. Miles Morales is featured in the spinoff series Ultimate Spider-Man. And Miles doesn't even have the spider-suit to himself! Inevitably, there was the crossover miniseries Spider-Men last year, where Marvel came up with a dumb excuse for parallel realities to collide so Miles could meet the "real" white guy Spider-Man, Peter Parker. I'm sure fanboys were pleased.

I've watched 13 movies in the past 13 days. Here are 13 reviews in 13 sentences.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) Unless you're a hardcore David Lynch or Twin Peaks fan, stay way from this unnecessarily dark and humorless tale that's vastly inferior to the genius television show it comes from... and why'd they have to replace Donna?!