The Pull List (12-10-08): Finally, some Action for G.I. Robot

Thanks to a cold I've been fighting for the past few days, I haven't exactly been updating as much as I'd normally want. Sorry 'bout that. But I'm ratcheting things up and carpet-bombing The Ick with the strongest over-the-counter, knock-you-on-your-ass pharmaceuticals Walgreen's provides, so hopefully things will get back to normal soon.

In the meantime, here's a bare-bones look at what I'm planning to pick up this week:

Getting ...

Action Comics #872: I'll admit it — that "New Krypton" storyline hooked me, and it's an interesting look at what makes Kal-El a Superman, and not just a super-powered jerk like those Kandorians. Plus, the Creature Commandos!

Booster Gold #15: It hasn't had the same sense of fun as it did under original writer Geoff Johns, but it's still been fun enough to stick with. This will be the first issue written by Dan Jurgens, so we'll see what direction the title takes.

Final Crisis #5 (of 7): I'm a fan of Grant Morrison, and this story has been so high-concept so far that I can't wait to see how he winds it up. Morrison's stuff can be both challenging and frustrating, but I'm choosing to trust that — it'll all make sense in the end (please make sense in the end, Grant Morrison).


Maybe ...

Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #1 (of 7): I really enjoyed the first Phonogram limited series, but I thought it worked best in trade format. Will the stand-alone story format of The Singles Club make a difference? I probably won't be able to resist the first issue, and then I'll decide whether to pick up the monthly or wait for the trade.


Trading up ...
(Titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

100 Bullets #98

Blade of the Immortal Vol. 20: Demon's Lair (manga)

The Brave and The Bold Vol. 1: Lords of Luck (trade paperback)

BPRD: War on Frogs #2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1: Legacy (hardcover)


Recommended ...

Herbie Archives Vol. 2 (hardcover)

Friday Night Fights: Bulleteer calls it 'The Silencer'

If you've been reading Final Crisis and wondering what the hell is going on, put down those back issues of Countdown. No, seriously, put them down, and pick up the Seven Soldiers maxi-series instead.

Also densely and somewhat confoundingly written by Grant Morrison, the events of the six different mini-series (that all tie in to make one series — see, even the set up in confusing) seem to lead directly into the latest Crisis storyline. Compellingly well-written, complex and ultimately rewarding, it's Grant Morrison at his Grant Morrisoningest in the DCU.

Also rewarding: Seeing how the Bulleteer deals with that home-wrecking Sally Sonic.

Click to SUV-size!

You'll take some personal responsibility, Sally, and like it. Because Batman might be famous for using a car battery in his assault on crime, but Alix Harrower will drop a whole engine block on ya.

And you don't even want to think about messing with the monster truck known as Bahlactus.

Following a link? Read more Great Caesar's Post here!

Panels from Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #4 (of 4)
Grant Morrison, writer; Yanick Paquette, penciller; Serge LaPointe, inker

The Pull List (6-25-08): I really should be working right now

So real life — or more specifically, the Real Job — has been keeping me busy lately, so this pull list is going to have be even more basic than usual. I mean, ba-sic. But if you think I'm missing something I should absolutely be picking up (or you can't believe I'm getting that comic, because, seriously, what?), let me know in the comments.

But for now — to the list!


Getting ...

Captain America #39

Conan the Cimmerian #0

Daredevil #108

Final Crisis #2

Immortal Iron Fist #16

The Nearly Infamous Zango #3




Maybe ...

Gantz Vol. 1

Madame Xanadu #1


Trading up ...
(Titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

Green Lantern #32

Jack of Fables #23

Jack of Fables Vol. 3: The Bad Prince

Wasteland #18


Recommended ...

Demo (trade paperback)

Umbrella Academy Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite

The Pull List (5-29-08): That's a whole lotta Morrison

Holy crap! Three different books by Grant Morrison coming out in the same week, along with some of my favorite ongoing titles?! Let's just say that if my weekly comic budget was a diet, I'd be stuffing my face with cupcakes and spare ribs ... delicious, delicious spare ribs.

Who else is hungry? To the list!

It's no secret Grant Morrison is one of my favorite writers, so when he's the source of three fairly significant titles coming out at the same time, it's kind of a big deal. Big enough that the only way I can wrap my mind around it is to squeeze All Star Superman #11, Batman #677 and Final Crisis #1 into one big lump of weirdo goodness.

All Star Superman has been a consistently strong title, re-energizing Superman with plenty of Morrison's hyper-modern, out-there concepts while fondly touching on iconic characters, locations and scenarios. There is nothing about AS Superman that doesn't feel as if it's solidly two minutes in the future, but at the same time it is nicely familiar and exceptionally inviting. A lot of the credit for that goes to the characterization of Superman himself, who is portrayed as the ideal hero who, essentially, is just trying to be the best person he can be. I have no idea if Morrison will revisit his version of Superman once this storyline ends with the next issue, but if not, at least I'll be able to reread and enjoy what will be considered a landmark Superman story.

As if that weren't enough, Morrison is also the writer for Batman #677 (part of the Batman R.I.P. story) and Final Crisis #1. Morrison writes an interesting Batman, and more importantly an interesting Bruce Wayne, so I'm curious to see where he takes things. Final Crisis is supposed to be the definitive wrap-up to the whole Infinite Crisis-52-Countdown thing, but really sounds more like it ties into his excellent (and mind-bending) Seven Soldiers "mega-series." Personally, that sounds A-OK to me and makes me care more about a story I might have chosen to ignore instead.


The rest ...

Giant-size Astonishing X-Men #1: The finale to Joss Whedon's big ol' X-Men in Space story.

Blue Beetle #27: Another issue written by pinch-hitters while the title transitions to a new, permanent creative team in July. Also — more Traci Thirteen.

Daredevil #107: Great crime-noir driven stuff every month about Marvel's mopiest superhero. It's the start of a new storyline, so try jumping on if you haven't already.

Immortal Iron Fist #15: Not only has the regular storyline been a fantastic blend of mystic kung-fu, superhero scenery chewing and sinister political machinations (not to mention a super-sumo named Fat Cobra), but the occasional looks at the Iron Fists of the past have been a highlight of this series. It's a clever way at deepening the legend of the Iron Fist and helps give Danny Rand an honest-to-God legacy; it also gives us titles like, "The Story of the Iron Fist Bei Bang-Wen — The Perfect Strategy Mind and his Miraculous Travels to the Dark Continent, and What Mysteries of the World and of the Self that He Learned There (1827-1860)."


Trading up ...
(Titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

Fables #73

Green Lantern #31

Thor #9


Maybe ...

Firebreather #1

Zombie Tales #1

Beyond #1


Recommended ...

Immortal Iron Fist Vol. 2: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven (hardcover)

Jack Kirby's OMAC: One Man Army Corps (hardcover)

The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus (trade paperback)