Double Stuf Pull List: September 25 and October 2, 2013

Lots of comics to get through from a couple weeks ago, so only the best (and the best at being the worst) will get a lot of attention.

Marvel

-Guardians of the Galaxy #6 (Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, Olivier Coipel)

This isn't a good issue.  It's not a particularly bad one either, but it's just not good.

Some notes I made while reading the latest GotG:

• Thought Gamora's redesign was to lower sexploitation, but she's fighting Angela; so that's a dumb idea.
• They gave the previous Star-Lord helmet to Tony Stark?  Really?
• Drax's speech pattern, his lack of knowledge of the blue area of the Moon, and not realizing Thanos is close by is all sorts of wrong. 

Okay, I lied this is a bad issue, at least from a story and continuity standpoint.

Gamora is the one that is fully clothed.  Angela is the one fighting scantily clad on the Moon.

-Uncanny Avengers #12 (Rick Remender, Salvador Larroca)

Larroca taking over art duties is not what I would call ideal.  A weaker entry in a story that overall I enjoy.

-Deadpool #17 (Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Declan Shalvey)

North Korean prison camp hijinks continue to be illustrated marvelously in this issue.  One of Jake's big complaints about Marvel comics is that whenever Captain America shows up he's an asshole.  We're treated to a counterpoint within these pages as Cap's memories of WWII motivate him to act in a truly heroic fashion resulting in the line, "This can't be a an Avengers mission, but it must be a job for Captain America."

-A+X #12 (Christos Gage, David Williams, Justin Jordan, Angel Unzueta)

Part 1 is a nostalgia trip of Beast and Wonder Man's friendship, and part 2 is Captain America and Jubilee fighting a sunken U-boat full of Nazi vampires.  Rekindled bromance and good old fashioned vampire slaying/Nazi punching fusion.  These concepts either resonate with you or they don't.

-Avengers #20 (Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu)

Space Operatic elements manage to keep me enthralled even as the plot and general direction of the story lose steam and direction.

-Nova #8 (Zeb Wells, Paco Medina)

A rebirth for the New Warriors might be on the horizon if Nova can manage to not get killed by a super creepy chick that sleeps in the guts of weird space cows.  It seems Nova has moved firmly into rad superhero stories territory.  Ok, I might be riding on a high brought on by the mention of the original Nova (a favorite character of mine), still the trajectory of this series into downright fun superheroics.

-Iron Man #16 (Kieron Gillen, Carlo Pagulayan)

A big ol meh if you ask me

DC

-Justice League #23.4: Secret Society #1 (Geoff Johns, Sterling Gates, Szymon Kudranski)

Someone probably thought this was a clever story that needed to be told.  I am not that person.

-Action Comics #23.4: Metallo #1 (Sholly Fisch, Steve Pugh)

While not as bad as the Cyborg Superman entry, Metallo's story is still boring and incredibly forgettable.

-Aquaman #23.2: Ocean Master #1 (Geoff Johns, Tony Bedard, Geraldo Borges)

Any subtlety or nuance in Ocean Master's character that was present in the Justice League/Aquaman crossover "Throne of Atlantis" has been thrown out the window.  Nothing else is of note as this issue continues the disappointing, but not wholly unanticipated trend, of being another sub-par entry in the gimmick that was Villains' Month. 

-Action Comics #24 (Scott Lobdell, Tyler Kirkham)

The Psycho Pirate is back.  That's cool.  This is part 2 of a crossover that started in Superman?  That is significantly less cool, in fact that might be the exact opposite of cool.  There's a month of one-shot sidestories without Superman, and then when it's time for a "real" issue it's part 2 of a story taking place in a different comic book?  Nah, I'm cool.

Image

-Saga #14 (Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples)

Flying space sharks get hunted with a telescoping lance, and Lying Cat shares a scene with Sophie (formerly Slave Girl) that could warm even the coldest of hearts.  Stuff is kept relatively mundane, but even so Fiona Staples manages to flex her artistic might; it's just channeled into emotions and facial reactions as opposed to fantastical settings.

-East of West #6 (Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin)

A Judge Dredd/Punisher/Texas Rangers mashup?  Oh hell yeah.  The issue seems like an aside that isn't all that important, however the awesome western elements more than make up for that.  Have I mentioned how amazing the artistic design of East of West is?  Because from a design standpoint it continues to be a nearly flawless comic.

IDW

-G.I. Joe #8 (Fred Van Lente, Steve Kurth) 

Shipwreck shoots boats full of androids trying to suicide bomb the statue of liberty with a bazooka.  blah blah blah... Destro is full on crazy supervillain and has androids (of the same design as the combat ones shot by Shipwreck) dressed in maid and butler outfits as he uses failed underlings as clay discs for his routine skeet shooting.  Can someone explain to me why there isn't a G.I. Joe cartoon on my television right now?

Vertical

-Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin volume 3 (Yoshikazu Yasuhiko)

Like the two previous volumes, there is some stiff translation and different interpretations of certain iconic(memetic) lines that hold this release back somewhat.  The rest of the book more than makes up for this slight misstep, and really, Yas is such a skilled visual storyteller that the book could get by without a hint of dialog (note: I still like the words because they add a depth and insight into the characters).  Volume 3 takes its subtitle from Ramba Ral, a veteran enemy officer sent to Earth to destroy the ship and its inexperienced crew that make up the main cast.  I don't want to go into the gritty details because you either have an understanding of what great twists and turns the story takes at this point, or you don't know and I'm not going to be the asshole to spoil a 34 year old cartoon for you.  Most Gundam aficionados count Ramba Ral as a fan favorite though, and I'm no different.  There's a buttload of deep thematic elements tied to Ramba Ral that I could discuss at length, however there's also the old takeaway that war is hell.  It's worth noting again that Yas makes this hellish war look oh so good.

Please excuse my bad scanner marring otherwise beautiful art (also as a heads up only a handful of pages have full color)

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: 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: July 3, 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 #12 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.  This "secret origin" stuff is a mess in Iron Man and legitimately a very infurriating addition to the characters back story.  That said, Howard Stark going all XCOM is something I've enjoyed in the past and will enjoy in the future.  An alien also makes reference to the Fresh Prince when he spots a fake(?) UFO.  The crux of my pulled-back-inness hinges on the closing reveal.  Tony stark is going to pilot a 25,000 foot giant robot named Godkiller.  I don't think I need to explain why that has piqued my interest.  Stupid retcons can't ruin this.  There is one man who could, though, so please Dale Eaglesham draw the next couple of issues.

-Avengers A.I. #1 (Sam Humphries, André Lima Araújo)

Hank Pym is cool, and if you don't agree may I direct you to a comic from last week that might change your mind.  Naturally I'm going to buy a comic book where he leads a team of robotic heroes in an attempt to usher in a new age of human-cyborg relations while averting the rise of a hostile artificial intelligence.  The debut issue is well paced and has some nice characterization going on for it so far.  The art is crisp and has a quality about it that is perfect for the mechanical subject matter.  The colors help make it pop too.  Magnificent sound effects warrant a special mention for Clayton Cowles' lettering.

-Avengers #15 (Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer, Stefano Caselli)

In case the last issue of Avengers wasn't vague enough for your tastes, Hickman and Spencer are right back to obfuscating things.  That's okay, since Caselli gets to draw the Avengers fighting a bunch of giant bugs and the obligatory triumphant group pose.  There's definitely a splash page of concentric circles.  I don't care if it's supposed to be two separate pages or not, there are rippling concentric circles on consecutive pages.  That's got to be one of the most Hickman things ever. 

DC

-Stormwatch #22 (Jim Starling, Yvel Guichet)

For the past three months I have struggled to understand what is going on in Stormwatch.  Little has changed except that this journey has taken a turn (not an unexpected one mind you) into madness.  The previous 3 issues have merely looked longingly towards that path, and as if compelled by the voice of "a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly,rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind" Starlin has taken the comic straight off the rails.  Make of that what you will.  

-Action Comics #22 (Scott Lobdell, Tyler Kirkham, Frank Hannah, Tom Derenick)

Action Comics remains caught in a talespin of worsening comics since Grant Morrison's departure after issue #18.  The Superman and Clark Kent presented on these pages isn't the least heroic Superman of the summer, but beating out Man of Steel is not worth bragging about.  Surely this isn't the kind of stuff that Lobdell has been bringing to the plain Superman comic, because if it is, yeesh, that is not something I'd spend money on.  I have to assume that the mediocre art turned in by Kirkham is a symptom of the bizarre creative shift and poor story.  There's some stupid Kryptonian backstory in the back-up too.

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: May 29, 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

-Captain America #7 (Rick Remender, John Romita Jr.)

How do you match Ed Brubaker's astonishing run on Captain America?  By making the first story arc of the Marvel NOW! series a far-out story pitting Captain against a crazy Nazi scientist in a dimension of his own making.  Things continue to race towards the conclusion as not only does Cap have to rescue his adopted son from a fortress full of crazy mutants, but he's also got to stop Arnim Zola from infecting the Earth with a virus that implants the consciousness of Arnim Zola in the victims.  Remender's been firing on all cylinders, and JR Jr. is showing why he's a big name in comics.  His flaws are still present and rear their head occasionally during slow scenes, which is a small price to pay to see him masterfully draw grandiose settings and stunning action scenes.  From the very beginning this has been one of my favorite Captain America stories, so I can't wait to see how it finishes up.

-New Avengers #6 (Jonathan Hickman, Steve Epting)

An illuminati of the world's heroes continue to delve into the mysteries of "the wheel" as they attempt to halt the destruction of their world.  Some of them also continue to question the morality of their actions.  Interesting things occur, things that I like.  That said, the comic is still trending in the "2deep4u" direction, which is a tough and perilous path to trod.  While the comic isn't for everyone, nor Hickman's best work, it is certainly something that keeps me intrigued and coming back for more.

-Wolverine and the X-Men #30 (Jason Aaron, Pasqual Ferry, Pepe Larraz, Salva Espin)

This issue proves to be a good jumping on point for new readers as it manages to take a few of the ongoing plot threads and weave them into a single cohesive story.  In that sense, it's a comic all about setting up the coming conflict between Wolverine's Jean Grey School and the Hellfire Academy.  Wolverine vs. Hellfire (insert establishment here) is certainly a comic that I will be buying.  Nothing particularly stands out, but the previously mentioned convergence of plot points is a hallmark of X-Men comics and their ensemble cast.

DC

-Adventures of Superman #1 (Jeff Parker, Chris Samnee, Justin Jordan, Riley, Rossmo)

This is a collection of three digital first stories.  First up is Parker and Samnee's little episode of Superman taking on a guy tweaking on super meth.  The plot and story are well done, but the best part is definitely Samnee's art.  He brings the Daredevil awesomeness along with him.

Next up is Jeff Lemire pulling writing and art duties.  Two kids are playing and one pretends to be Superman and the other has to be the villain.  Not only is it a good story, but it's a cool way to have Superman battle Braniac, Bizarro, Lex Luthor, the Parasite, General Zod, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in one go.  It culminates in the kid who played the villian this time to call dibs on Superman next time.  The first concedes on the grounds that he gets to be Doomsday, the villian notorious for killing Superman.  Some more banter occurs, and then the final bit of dialogue is as follows:

-"So?  It doesn't matter if he's more powerful or not.  I still get to win!"

-"Why?"

-"Because... Superman always wins"

The final story involves Superman trying to stop Bizarro.  Eventually it turns out it's all a big misunderstanding, since Bizarro says the opposite of what he means.  Superman helps Bizarro help people and the crisis is averted.  The entire comic, all three stories, is a comic for everybody.  Those that already like Superman should greatly enjoy how the man of steel is portrayed.  Those that don't necessarily get or like Superman would probably acquire a better understanding for the last son of Krypton and all he stands for.  Part of what he stands for is hope, something this book is full of. 

IDW

-G.I. Joe #4 (Fred Van Lente, Steve Kurth)

Few things are as near and dear to me as G.I. Joe, so it pains me to admit that I've been a bit lax with keeping up with the exploits of America's daring, highly-trained special mission force.  That changes now with the latest volume of the comic.  The  Joes are currently on a mission to take back a Cobra controlled town.  Things don't go well, but man is it a good comic.  The action is well thought out and executed very nicely.  Small comedic touches enhance the dire stakes, which in turn builds on the overall intensity of the tone.  Fred Van Lente's work on Incredible Hercules is a modern masterpiece, and he is a natural fit for the G.I. Joe franchise.  Despite a few stumbles with background/crowd art this comic has reignited my love for these real American heroes.

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.  

The Pull List: May 14, 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 #8 (Brian Michael Bendis, Brandon Peterson)

A couple things happened this issue, so that's a nice switch from Age of Ultron's generally terrible pace.  Hank Pym (Ant-man, Giant-Man, Goliath, Yellowjacket, etc.) isn't treated like the biggest piece of trash for once, which is a welcome change.  AoU is still a pretty weak alternate reality story though.  The spectacle of the big mid air battle at the end would be a lot more spectacular if it didn't look like it was drawn and colored with the comic version of bad CG.  Only two issues remain.  Please heed my warning and just read the eventual Wikipedia synopsis if you're interested.

-Iron Man #10 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)
It seems my fears of "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark" are being confirmed.  The meat of the story is about the Tony Stark's father and culminates with  X-COM meets Ocean's Eleven.  Howard Stark leading a group of some of Marvel's foremost old operatives and secret agents on a heist of a Gray run casino in Las Vegas is a winning concept that honors and plays upon continuity.  Too bad this comic seems to be a cog in a retcon machine.

-Nova #4 (Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness)

Once again we get a wasted page in a cosmic Marvel book.  What a great way to start a comic that annoys me on so many levels.  Before chronicling the rest of the bad let me at least say that the makings of a fun space adventure are here, but they unfortunately don't coalesce, except for the cyborg space tiger.  The pacing of the plot is non-nonsensical and it doesn't help that the comic is completely incompetent at suggesting passage of time.  Structurally the comic is a no bueno, and to top it off, the inclusion of the Chitauri is maddening.  They're the alien race that were Skrull analogues in Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Ultimates, and more recently they were the bad guys in Avengers, the movie.  To explain why this is the least bit frustrating would take too long and result in responses that would come across as "but muh Nova".  

And now for time for something completely unrelated

To make up for the slow week and my overwhelming negativity, please to enjoy Snake Eyes being badical beyond belief

The Arashikage Mind-Set doesn't just turn Snake into a killing machine, but a dancing machine as well

Cobra might have Croc Master, but the Joes have the Shark Master

A ninja commando on a jetski is super badass, and the narration only ups the ante

The Pull List: May 8, 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.

Not only is it an Avengers kind of week, but it is a fantastic comic kind of week as well.

Marvel

-Avengers #11 (Jonathan Hickman, Mike Deodato)

Right from the get-go this is my kind of comic.  Sure, the cover might seem like a boring "heroes leaping into action" shot, but as a dude who watches Super Sentai weekly, Dustin Weaver's design modifications to the heroes in question is something I have to appreciate.  The story within is Casino Royale-esque.  Superheroes literally gambling for the fate of the world is a concept that is instantly a very fun comic.  Things go a bit smoother for 7 Avengers than they did for Hawkeye and Hawkeye when they attempted a similar feat over in Hawkeye.  Since Avengers is a team book, Hickman is able to have some of the cast revel in the fun nature of an issue like this while maintaining a level of espionage intrigue.  In many ways this feels like an early issue of Secret Avengers.  The art is similar to the other title too, as Deodato provides his typical stiff and photo reference heavy art.  Shang Chi beats up ninjas with Stark-tech nunchucks as he dispenses some esoteric kung fu mysticism, so everybody should definitely pick this up.

This might very well be page of the year  (click on images to enlarge)

-Secret Avengers #4 (Nick Spencer, Luke Ross)

Speaking of Secret Avengers, let's take a look at the inadequate follow-up to the highly enjoyable volume 1. This is an okay comic.  It just pales in comparison to its predecessors and the primary Avengers books.  Spencer crafts a story that is the proverbial smorgasbord of today's hot issues: drone strikes, definition of life, Chinese tech sweatshops, stolen weapons, state sponsors of terror, and war with a nuclear Iran.  Taking a closer look at any of these topics within the context of a world that is home to the Incredible Hulk would make for an interesting read at the least.  This book doesn't afford much time to any of these and instead continues to read like a spin-off of the Marvel movies.  I'd prefer if the movies tried to capture the essence of the comics a bit more, so making the comics more like the movies rubs me all sorts of the wrong way.

-Deadpool #9 (Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Mike Hawthorne)

There's some genuine humor in this latest Deadpool entry, and it comes in a smattering of packages.  There's the continued overt ridiculousness of Deadpool and his band of misfit supporting characters (a sassy black woman stuck in his head, a bad necromancer in a kilt, and the ghost of Ben Franklin), pop culture references (TLC really deserves being made fun of at every opportunity), subtle nods to Marvel's rich shared universe (teleporting=BAMFing), and not-so-subtle jabs at the Distinguished Competition (people are dicks to Aquaman in comics from other publishers).  If comedy and loose morals in regards to murder are your thing then why aren't you reading Deadpool?

Trips through Deadpool's psyche always prove entertaining

-Avengers Arena #9 (Dennis Hopeless, Kev Walker)

Are you a sadist who revels in watching a bunch of teenagers kill each other for rather dubious reasons?  Chances are that yes you are, if the success of Hunger Games is anything to go on.  Don't worry though.  This comic isn't derivative at all.  It's 100% original content do not steal.  You hear that Battle Royale?  Any similarities are coincidence, don't even try to say the logos are similar.  If it seems bizarre to read a comic that you don't really enjoy, then you don't know how masochistic some fans are.  I just want to read stories about some of the minor characters that have the misfortune of appearing in this meat grinder of a comic.

-Uncanny Avengers #8 (Rick Remender, Daniel Acuña)

If you haven't read Remender's Uncanny X-Force you might be a bit confused by this issue.  You should also go read those 35 issues of Uncanny X-Force.  The only other mark against this latest entry is that some of the characters continue to be way too bitchy.   It's okay for the Wasp though, because part of her character is being insufferable.  Besides that nearly all of the character voices are a great fit.  Where this comic really knocks it out of the park is the narration/inner monologue and the spectacle of the story.  If there is any justice in the world, Acuña will continue to illustrate this comic.  Words fail me.  This comic is good.

It's only a matter of time until Remender writes a Thor ongoing

DC

-Threshold #5 (Keith Giffen, Tom Raney, Phil Winslade)

This is a solid comic with themes I am quite fond of (space heroes) and a creative team I trust.  There's nothing too spectacular between the covers, but it's still a fun read.  Seedy cities in deep space mixed with The Running Man is a winning concept.  Just wait for the trade paperback though, since there are only 3 issues left anyways.

Image

-Prophet #35 (Brandon Graham, Simon Ray, Giannis Milonogiannis)

I might've hopped on the Prophet wagon a bit late, but I'm on now and there's no way I'm getting off.  It's an epic (in the most classic of definitions) space opera.  Everything is A+ from script to art.  Seriously, anything I can say about this series won't do it justice.  Go check this issue out if you don't believe me.

You tell me what's more confusing, the math or the battle

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.