The Pull List (8-11-09): That's! In! Credible!!

After hearing almost nothing but good things about this series, and after only casually flipping through the trades (hey, I'm way behind on trades — gimme a break), I may finally be jumping on the Incredible Hercules bandwagon.

I've always liked Marvel's version of Hercules, but never enough to want to read about him on a regular basis. Mostly he's come across to me as a lovable doofus who gets drunk, hits on women and likes to flex his pecs in between missions with the Champions. But somewhere in the middle of World War Hulk, Herc started getting interesting. And the deeper exploration of a long superficial character (not to mention some of the most creative sound effects in comic book history) was carried on into The Incredible Hercules, a move so audacious it began with kicking the Hulk out his own book.

Ever since then it's been a steady drumbeat of "Hercules good! Must buy Hercules!" and dammit, I'm only human. Add the fact The Incredible Hercules #132 is being touted as a good jumping on point, that it's written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, and it apparently involves Hercules picking up the winged helmet and filling in for Thor ... well, I think I just talked myself into it. And this is despite the title going bi-monthly for the next three months, which really just seems like you're taking advantage of my flirtatious nature, Marvel!


What else is on the list

Action Comics #880

Blackest Night #2

Booster Gold #23

Grimjack: Manx Cat #1


And maybe ...

Adventure Comics #1

Dogs, Bullets & Carnage Vol. 1

Red Circle Inferno #1

Starstruck #1


Waiting for the trade

BPRD 1947 #2

Fables #87

Fables Vol. 12: The Dark Ages (trade paperback)

Unwritten #4


Waiting for the library

Charlatan Ball (TPB)

Battle of Genryu Origin Vol. 1

Old Man Winter and Other Sordid Tales (graphic novel)

X-Men First Class: Finals (TPB)


What are you getting this week? Share your picks in the comments!

Reviews: Do androids dream in the blackest night?

Sorry about the recent silence, kids (yeah, I know, "what silence?"), but things have been especially busy at the day job, my allergies are killing me and wah-wah-wah I need a big ol' towel so I'll have something to cry in. Let's talk comics!

Agents of Atlas #8: Is it me, or is this comic coming out like every two weeks or something? Granted, I'm not complaining. Writer Jeff Parker continues to just nail it with every issue, giving readers what sounds on paper like a ragtag team of misfits but in execution is a tight gang of bad-asses who manage to be happy-go-lucky about the whole "good guys pretending to be bad guys and screwing with Norman Osborn" thing.

Parker is particularly adept at telling stories that feel like done-in-ones but hold onto a thread of story continuity tying each successive issue together. Issue #8 pays off by giving the reader naturally developing team dynamics, quiet references to earlier issues, and of course, the FREAKIN' HULK. And it's nice to see the Agents going into the field without the help of their leader or the seemingly unstoppable M-11, while at the same time Jimmy Woo finally catches up to his past. Oh, and at one point everyone shares a soak in the High Council Hot Tub. It's all good stuff, especially if you've been wondering where the ol' fashioned "SMASH!" version of the Hulk has been hiding. (And can Atlas artist Carlo Pagulayan draw every instance of the Green Goliath from now on? Please?)


Blackest Night #1: I've noticed some squawking around the 'tubes about how violent and gory this first issue of the long-awaited Green Lantern crossover event is and my first reaction to that is — well, you gotta sac up.

Now look, I've complained about writer Geoff Johns' tendency to go overboard with unneccessary bloodshed. Seriously, sometimes that shit's just ridiculous. But in the case of Blackest Night, which for quite a while now has been built up to be a universe-spanning war between the embodiments of all that's best and worst about living beings, it really shouldn't come as any surprise. Plus, it's been well-known that the rise of the Black Lanterns was essentially going to be DC's foray into zombie territory, and guess what? Zombies aren't nice. And they tend to do things like rip people's hearts out.

That said, I was pleasantly surpised by Blackest Night #1. It wasn't as good as last week's Green Lantern #43, but it put all the necessary pieces in place, hit the ground running, and even put an interesting spin on the tired zombie trope. For that matter, it puts an interesting spin on the concept of charging a power ring.

After waiting sooooo long for this story to actually get started, I appreciated that the Black Lantern appearances — while mostly unsurprising — weren't drawn out and weighted down with a lot of overbearing portentousness. It felt like it should have; the sudden and panic-inducing sense that Things Aren't Right and are only going to get worse, and fast.

Artist Ivan Reis, while lacking the sheer, chilling ickiness of Doug Mahnke, ups the creep-factor with some key scenes and brings home some fantastic character redesigns and believable staging. All in all Blackest Night is delivering on some of it's hyped-up promise with this first issue, so it's really up to Johns to make sure it doesn't slip in later chapters.

And for the record? The return of a certain beloved couple and the subsequent beat-down of another (nice mirroring, by the way) that has twisted some knickers here and there? Probably my favorite scenes in the book, precisely because it WAS icky. It's SUPPOSED to be.


Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? #1: I'll need to write something more in depth soon, but for now just let me say that reading this made me feel as if I was experiencing something new for the medium.

Transferring Philip K. Dick's novel word-for-word to comics works better than one might think (even if the art by Tony Parker sometimes seems to have trouble keeping up), and really is a prime example of the old saw about something being more than the sum of its parts. More than an illustrated story, Electric Sheep is an impressive alchemy of art and literature I'm not sure I've ever really seen before: what I do know is I want to see more. Highly recommended.

Reviews: Wednesday Comics hits the tabloids

Don't you love it when some surprisingly good stuff turns up in your comics stack? Me too! Let's take a quick look at some titles that hit the stands this week.

Wednesday Comics #1: Of course, this is the title a lot of people are talking about this week. Printed on a mid-grade, non-glossy paper (think along the lines of a high-grade newsprint), this folded, tabloid anthology draws its inspiration from traditional Sunday comics. And for the most part, it works.

Looking at the cover, I was worried the art and color would be muddier than I'd hoped, but opening it up to the first feature (Batman, by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso), my first thought was, "Beautiful." On the other hand, those big panels do make me concerned that full-page installments don't necessarily mean readers won't be getting a small overall panel count, and because of that less overall content. (The exception was Ben Caldwell's Wonder Woman, which was cramped and hard to read). And at $3.99 an issue, Wednesday Comics feels a bit more expensive than it should. Still, since the strips are in the spirit of the old-school Sunday funnies, I'm willing to shift gears and go along for the ride.

Favorite features: Paul Pope's Adam Strange, which struck just the right balance between zany adventure and high-concept Golden Age derring-do; and Karl Kerschl and Brenden Fletcher's Flash Comics (especially the clever romance-strip inspired secondary-feature, Iris West — loved it).

Booster Gold #22: This issue was much better than the previous one, which read like an over-extended piece of place-setting. Instead, this time we got a story from writer and artist Dan Jurgens that moves right along and continues to develop a mystery in the middle of all the action. I especially appreciated the way Booster was less mopey and characterized with more intelligence and initiative than before, and there's a brief, one-word exchange that is heartbreaking in the way it sums up the hero's desperate need for acceptance. Throw in some humor and a couple of decent fight scenes, and now I've got a comic I enjoyed and will be looking forward to picking up next month.

The Blue Beetle back-up story was, as usual, a ton of fun. It really feels as if writer Matthew Sturges has found his groove with Beetle, and the story flows naturally with characters that are familiar but not static. The art by Mike Norton is great — energetic and clean — and you can tell both he and Sturges are having fun (there's that word again). And am I the only who hears the Dalek's "Exterminate!" whenever a Unimate says, "Imperfect! Imperfect!" The Blue Beetle universe continues to expand, and it's a treat to watch it develop with every chapter.

Plus, even with all the punching, blasting and exploding going on, Brenda still manages to deliver the cruelest blow of all.

Green Lantern #43: OK, how freaking creepy is Black Hand?! Also, I was really happy to see Doug Mahnke as the regular artist on this title; his work is perfect for the dense, atmospheric tone of Geoff Johns' story, and his talent for expressive characters and detail-packed panels makes this a great-looking comic. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Johns is essentially writing a horror story, and if he can keep up the uneasy tension he achieves in this issue he'll be giving Green Lantern readers a weird, creepy comic tinged with cold menace. I was interested in this crossover before, but now I'm actually eager to see where Johns and Mahnke take it.

Who will be back in 'Black?'

Free Comic Book Day is next week, and DC has been ramping up the PR machine by releasing some splash pages from Blackest Night #0. I'm fairly burned out on big "event" series and crossovers from both DC and Marvel, but the Green Lantern fan in me can't help but look forward to the big galactic Rainbow War that's being promised. Whether that promise is met or not is a whole other discussion, but for now I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Of course, one of the biggest questions revolves around the Black Lanterns, the so-called "Zombie Lanterns" led by Black Hand and a renegade Guardian whose mascara keeps running. Any character that is currently "dead" in the DCU is a potential Death Lantern, so there's been plenty of debate about just who will come crawling out of the grave. Aquaman looks like a sure bet, but there are still numerous candidates to choose from and this Doug Mahnke page (man, what a great artist) offers some clues.


I recognize Aquaman's glove there in the middle and ... nobody else. Many of the designs are right on the edge of my memory, but I can't put a finger on any. Like that blue and red cuff at the mid-right? I know I know that design, but my brain won't tell me. And I think the knitted blue sleeve directly opposite is supposed to be Earth-2 Superman, but I'm not sure.

Recognize (or think you recognize) any of the soon-to-be Black Lanterns sprouting from the earth? Give me your guess in the comments.

Between here and there

I'll be on the road most of today, but regular posting will pick up again tomorrow. So it's a date? Awesome!

As usual, whenever we here at GCP HQ are gearing up for a road trip, we like to remember the words of that highway philosopher and asphalt poet ... Mr. Oliver Queen:


You said it, Ollie ... you said it.

Back tomorrow, kids!

Reviews: A messy end for Blue Beetle

Things have been busy at work the last few days, which is why posting has slowed to a crawl lately (NOT THAT I BLOG FROM WORK). Hell, I haven't even been able to read all of the comics I got this week. I have managed to squeeze in a few though, so here are a few quick thoughts on some of this week's books:

Blue Beetle #36: This was the last issue of the now-canceled series, and instead of crossing the finish line with arms raised in triumph, it more or less staggered with a noticeable limp. You can't really fault writer Matthew Sturges, though; the obviously compacted and rushed issue blew by plot points and ideas likely meant to be explored more fully across several storylines, and it's easy to get the feeling he was trying to get as much out there as he could before the door closed on the title.

It's a shame Sturges won't be able to more fully flesh out the future of Blue Beetle as a rapidly maturing young superhero now touched by tragedy, because I think he would have some interesting stories to tell. Instead we have to be satisfied with a pretty big clue about who probably becomes the future Black Beetle and an ambiguous ending to what had been one of the better superhero comics on the rack.

Green Lantern #38: Well, it seems pretty obvious Hal's going to end up wearing a ring from every corps there is before this story is through — and I'm OK with that. It seems a little contrived (just like Carol joining the Star Sapphires ... again), but seeing Hal go through dramatic Wolf-Man-like transformations while his uniform turns into a patchwork quilt is so Silver Age goofy it's fun.

I still don't get the whole blood-rage-vomit thing (and I'm not sure how I feel about basically the same effect being used for Scar's Black Lantern tears o' death), but I'm trying to ignore it in favor of electric chair-Sinestro and flying elephant men.


Umbrella Academy #4 (vol. 2): This comic amazes me every issue with its ability to make me like it even more than I did the month before. Weird, clever and smart, Umbrella Academy is also gleefully violent and action-packed (even when nothing is really going on besides people standing in a room talking). I especially like how smart this title is, unraveling some horrible mystery you both dread and welcome because, dammit, how's it going to end?!

Say what you will about his band, but it has nothing to do with this comic; Gerard Way is writing a great book here, with characters you care about and an outcome you become fully invested in. And the art by Gabriel Ba? If I could I would eat it, it's that good. This is currently one of my favorite books, and you should be reading it. (preview)

Unknown Soldier #5: Brutal, unrelenting and a damn-near perfect war book about a war that's gone largely unnoticed by most people. Writer Joshua Dysart has updated the Unknown Soldier character by putting him in the middle of 2002 Uganda — a country that has spent years tearing itself apart with violence, corruption and atrocity — and making him a product of that battered and blood-caked nation.

It works incredibly well, and a reader can tell Dysart is using his story to both entertain and educate (his monthly background essays on Uganda's strife should be required reading). This title is mean in all the right ways. Likewise, the frenetic art by Alberto Ponticelli has that "Vertigo" style to it, but it completely suits the characters and the chaotic tone of the script. Since he's drawing a character who is fast becoming a bogeyman of war, it's appropriate that his Unknown Soldier is scary as hell.

All that important galactic info

Not too long ago, being a comic book nerd was the sort of thing you kept to yourself — unless you were a fan of the atomic wedgie or the dreaded purple nurple. Thankfully we're moving past those dark days, and even writing letters to city newspapers to proudly show off just what huge geeks we are.

Take hero to the cause Russ Forbus of Buda, Texas, who was recently published in the Austin-American Statesman:


I might quibble with Russ' description of the Lantern's "magic" ring, but I give him big thumbs up for pointing out the difference between a pulp, crime-busting hero and a corps of space cops patrolling the universe. ESPECIALLY since the mayor was totally wearing a Green Lantern T-shirt. (I have no idea why the paper's Web site didn't include it, particularly since it was in the print edition.)

The headline on the letter seems to be a pretty obvious crack, but I'd like to think Russ Forbus doesn't care, having long since become invulnerable to melvins and wet willies.

Reviews! Blue Beetle soars, The Spirit slips

I flaked on doing a pull list again, so let's take a look at some of the books I read this week:

Blue Beetle #25: Hands down, the best comic I read this week. John Rogers does an outstanding job of wrapping up this hero-defining story arc, and hits all the right buttons with every single character to make an appearance. And brother, that’s a lot of characters. Just about anybody who’s made an appearance in this title shows up, and many of them make an active contribution to the plot or dialogue. Normally you’d expect that to end up being clunky, or to at least feel a little forced here and there, but the story is smooth, quick-moving and practically sparks with energy. Rafael Albuquerque’s art is top-notch, and in the same way that I picture Curt Swan’s version when I think of Superman, Albuquerque’s Blue Beetle will always be my Blue Beetle.

I’m sorry that Rogers is leaving the title (hopefully just temporarily), because between the two of them Rogers and Albuquerque have created what is damn near the perfect superhero comic.

All Star Superman #10: Speaking of the Big Red S, Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely continue to pull off the impressive balancing act of bringing everything people love about Superman front and center while presenting it all in completely novel and imaginative ways. And when I say “imaginative ways” I mean, “freakin’ Morrison — how does he come up with this stuff?!” Combined with what’s turning out to be some of Quitely’s best work, the title is thoroughly modern without giving in to the lazy cynicism that might lead other writers to churn out more “grim-‘n’-gritty.” Morrison seems to be on track toward creating another milestone run, and for the first time in a long time, I care about what happens to Superman. Freakin’ Morrison.

Daredevil #106: Sometimes a fill-in issue really feels like a fill-in, and that’s the case with this issue of Daredevil. I know Ed Brubaker never seems to write anything that isn’t part of a bigger picture, but after the intensity of the last story arc this wound up feeling flabby and slow. The art by Paul Azaceta didn’t help, often distracting with a look that came off as unfinished and, in a few panels, flat and amateurish. Believe it or not, I don’t hate it — I just don’t think it’s a good fit for this book.

One more thing: I love the Ben Urich character and I think he’s an important part of the Daredevil family, but he and the rest of the supporting cast just came across as ineffectual and added to the sense that this issue didn’t really go anywhere. Honestly, I thought things were moving toward Matt Murdock’s friends staging some sort of intervention, and I was strangely disappointed when it didn’t happen. I don’t know if that says something about the story or me, but I ended this issue with a shrug.

Green Lantern #29: I’ve liked what writer Geoff Johns has done with Green Lantern (the book and the character), and Ivan Reis is the perfect artist for this title. But I really don’t need to read about Green Lantern’s origin. Again. I know it helps newer readers (I’m all for that) and it also helps cement the latest status quo in terms of continuity, but I almost felt like I was flipping through the book more than reading it. I’m not sure how many issues it’s going to take to rehash the origin story, but I hope it’s wrapped up lickety-split.

DROPPED! The Spirit #15: The idea was to give this title one more shot after the new team’s disappointing debut last issue, but while flipping through it in the shop I decided it was over. The art by Mike Ploog was solid enough, but not very distinctive and close enough to Will Eisner’s style that it comes across as unoriginal. The killer, though, was thumbing through the title to see if the same problems with characterization popped up again and finding Dolan smoking a bubble pipe. Which I could’ve lived with (I know how much writers Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragones love their little sight gags), but then there was a whole scene where the usually stoic police commissioner is pompously giving a press conference before breaking down into vaudevillian-style bluster because The Spirit is getting the credit for a bust. That’s not Dolan, who has always treated Denny Colt as a partner and even a surrogate son, and this kind of mischaracterization is more frustrating than fun.

The Pull List (12-28-07): A holiday update

The holidays are still wreaking havoc on the schedule here at Great Caesar's Post, but just to let you know comics haven't been lost in the shuffle, here are the books I picked up this week:

Blue Beetle #22

The Brave and The Bold #9

Captain America #33: This issue has one of the greatest, funniest and most outright awesome fight scenes I've seen in a long time. Calling it unarmed combat seems to be both an incredibly accurate statement and an irresistible pun.

Los 4 Fantasticos: Isla de la Muerte (one-shot): Was it a pretty clever idea for Marvel to release the Spanish-language version of this issue, and did I manage to snag the last copy at my comic shop? Si, buey! (Also, Juan Doe's retro-animated art style is gorgeous to look at, and nicely complements the all-ages story — read the six-page preview and see for yourself.)

Daredevil #103

Green Lantern #26


A couple of titles were bumped to "wait-for-the-trade" status (man, there's got to be an easier way to say that), including Conan and Uncle Sam and The Freedom Fighters. Conan has been consistently excellent, but with a relaunch planned for April 2008 and a steady stream of overlapping limited series, it's just become a little too unwieldy. I'm replacing the individual issues with the trades anyway, so consider this a case of cutting out the middle man.

And Uncle Sam? This limited series has some keen-o concepts, but somehow it's just not providing enough oomph to keep me interested. If it turns out that the book pulls it all together in the end, I might pick it up in trade. As it stands, though, it's time to drop it.

Finally, if you've got a few spare bucks be sure to grab yourself copies of the Queen and Country Definitive Edition Vol. 1 and Wasteland Book 2: Shades of God. Queen and Country should be considered essential reading, especially if you have any love of the spy genre, Brits or strong female characters. This is one of my favorite series ever, and I can't recommend it enough.

Wasteland is well-written, drawn in a style that is both sketchy and richly rendered, and hints at a back-story that's been obviously well thought-out. It takes the tired idea of a post-apocalyptic world and somehow makes it fresh all over again — you won't go wrong picking it up.

Have a happy New Year, everyone!

The Pull List: 10-10-07

After some fairly heavy weeks, it looks as if things have slowed down with only four, count 'em FOUR, titles on the pull list. Granted, it's all good stuff but after weeks of having to trim the list down to something realistic (I'm on a budget, people!) it's a little weird — like going from a buffet to bistro dining. These sandwiches are so small!

Yikes. Before I get any more esoteric — to the list!

Atomic Robo #1 (of 6): When I first went through the solicits for the week, this one went into the "maybe" column. But then I read a little more about it and realized it's about a smart-alecky robot fighting Nazis! Plus, it has nice, clean art that's both cartoony and perfectly suited to the tone of the writing. Then I saw the preview and read this little exchange between Robo (I don't know if that's actually his name), some Nazi soldiers, and a gang of even more Nazis who are trying to dog-pile Robo into submission:

Nazi: Move and we shoot!

Robo: I'm comfortable with that.

(Nazis clinging to Robo commence to freaking out)

If I wasn't already almost guaranteed to pick up this book, that kind of dialogue pushed me right over. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I like the style of art being used - it reminds me of Robert Kirkman's stuff in Invincible, as well as some of Evan Dorkin's work. In other words, it looks like fun stuff and I'm looking forward to reading it.


The rest ...

Booster Gold #3

BPRD: Killing Ground #3

Green Lantern #24


Maybe ...

Simon Dark #1: I don't know - I'm just not convinced. It looks pretty, but I can't see the story being maintained over time. Maybe if it was under the Vertigo imprint I'd have more faith, but for now the "creepy, neighborhood boogey-man who's also a superhero" vibe isn't clicking. And it's set in Gotham, which means there's going to be the inevitable Batman cameo; I'll come right out and put my money on issue five.

Deadlander #1: I really, really want to have more enthusiasm for this one, but I'm also really, really tired of undead/zombie titles. Still, I'm torn between my ambivalence for zombie books and my love for westerns, even if the concept for the hero reminds me of both Preacher's Saint of Killers and Gunwitch from Nocturnals. And the art looks great, so this one will come down right to the minute I take it off the rack. Take a look at the preview and let me know what you think.


Recommended ...

Gyo Vol. 1 (2nd ed.): I don't know what happened to the Japanese (OK, I have an idea), but they've got to have the most imaginative and seriously screwed-up collective subconscious ever. How else do you explain something like Gyo, a horror tale that centers around ... hell, I don't even know where to begin. Let's just say it starts with bloated fish sporting mechanical legs skittering out of the ocean, carrying with them a bacteria that begins to spread very quickly. And then it gets worse. Sooo much worse. Just thinking about what goes on in Gyo gives me the creeps and honestly makes me slightly queasy, so of course it's one of my favorites. Want to get into the Halloween mood and then not sleep until Christmas? Read Gyo.


(No, it won't ...)

The Pull List: 9-12-07

There are a lot of interesting titles out this week, so let's get to it!

Cthulhu Tales: Tainted (one-shot): I should say right up front that Kevin Church, one of the contributing writers featured in Cthulhu Tales: Tainted (as well as this week's Cover Girl), is one of my favorite comics bloggers. Because of that, it's not a surprise that I tend to enjoy his scripts as well, which is one of the reasons I'm looking forward to this third installment in the Mythos-based anthology series from Boom Studios. While the second volume (Cthulhu Tales: The Rising) wasn't as strong as the first, it was still a solid offering with a couple of stand-outs, one of which was Church's "The Art of Noises." Church is back for Tainted, along with a bunch of writers I believe are new to the anthology, so I'm looking forward to another well-written, moodily drawn creepfest that gives the Great Old Ones some much deserved love. Pick this up and support Church's booze and Pet Shop Boys habit and get some quality horror stories as a bonus.


The rest ...

Booster Gold #2

BPRD: Killing Ground #2

Daredevil #100

Green Lantern #23

Justice Society of America #9


Maybe ...

Drafted #1: Aliens draft all of mankind into a battle against other aliens or they'll destroy Earth? Someone's been reading my wish-book.

Parade (With Fireworks): Once again, Image surprises me with what looks like a well-done, non-spandex title. I'm a sucker for post-World War I era settings and the art looks great, so this is almost a sure thing.

Poison Candy: It's a manga, but if you thought this was an emo-heavy romance story, you'd better think again since this is more along the lines of a worldwide pandemic giving teens telekinetic powers and then killing them sort of thing.

Thor #3: This is real close to getting cut off completely. First, there's so much decompression I'm getting the bends. Then I read the preview pages that featured full-on Katrina exploitation and another scenery-chewing portrayal of Iron Man, and it managed to suck my interest almost completely dry. I really didn't mean for that last part to sound as dirty as it did.


Recommended ...

Action Philosophers #9: The Lightning Round: If you've been curious what all the fuss has been about, this is your last chance to pick up an issue of Action Philosophers before it closes up shop. OK, there'll still be the trades (which you should also be grabbing), but if you want to satisfy your craving for knowledge and smart-assery in a floppy format, you'd better do it now.

Groo 25th Anniversary Special: I'm not even going to explain why. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO explain why.

The Pull List: 8-8-07

This seems to be one of those times when it can either be a small week for the pull list, or it can be a little more respectably sized if I decide to give in to temptation. Yeah, I think we all know how this is going to end up - to the list!

BPRD : Killing Ground #1: This latest BPRD series picks up where the last mini, Garden of Souls, left off, which is fairly exciting since Garden was pretty kick-ass. Creator and writer Mike Mignola can seemingly do no wrong - especially when it comes to his Hellboy universe - and I'm looking forward to seeing where he and co-writer John Arcudi go with the snappy momentum they built up with the last storyline. The potential for new directions has been mapped out, new characters have been introduced, and the artwork by Guy Davis lends a nicely organic feel to the whole thing. If for some insane reason you haven't been reading BPRD, now would be a good time to get on board with what is consistently one of the best titles out there.


The Rest ...

Daredevil #99

Green Lantern #22


Maybe ...

Avengers Classic #3: This wasn't originally on the list, but a retelling of the Hulk's first fight with the Avengers? I'm not even sure it should be a "maybe."

Black Adam: The Dark Age #1 (of 8): Honestly, I'm a little burned out on Black Adam. The idea of a depowered Teth-Adam trying to resurrect his murdered wife Isis is interesting (even if it was already done with Ralph and Sue in 52), but I'm worried it's a concept that will be dropped early in this eight-part mini series. I'm willing to bet Adam will get powered up pretty quick, and nobody needs a repeat of World War III. Check out a preview and see what you think.

Black Metal Vol. 1: I've been hearing good things about it, and the preview is awesome. It looks like it will deliver on all those promises made by the heavy metal album covers I grew up with, and I'm fairly sure it will lead to me throwing the goat with obnoxious frequency. Everybody wins!

Un-Men #1: Looks cool, but I'll probably wait. It's a concept that could either come off great, or really, really blow.


On The Block ...

Criminal #8: I know this is widely regarded as one of the better titles on the shelves right now (and it is very solid on all counts), but I'm wondering if this might work better in trade. Would that be the way to go, or should I be patient and stick with the monthly?

The Pull-list: 7-11-07

Is it just me, or does it drive you crazy knowing that the week's comics are usually already sitting in your favorite shop on Tuesday night - hot, fresh and ready to go - but you still have to wait one more day? Oh, well - I guess we'll have to satisfy ourselves by looking at the menu instead: On to the list!

Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen #1: No matter what political stripe you may be, I think we can all agree Stephen Colbert is not only a really funny guy, but he's also an enormous geek. He makes regular Lord of the Rings references, asssigns D&D stats to various situations and has a Captain America shield on his wall of honor. Normally I worry when celebrities decide to indulge in vanity projects, but in this case I think it'll all be in good hands. Colbert is a guy who knows comics and he knows how to make fun of himself; I've got unreasonably high expectations, Colbert!


The Usual ...

BPRD: Garden of Souls #5

Green Lantern#21

Justice Society of America #7

Madman Atomic Comics #3


Maybe ...

Green Arrow: Year One #1: Honestly, I'm a little burned out on retellings of rebooted origin stories ... but I did think the first arc of Losers was fairly awesome. And the art looks preeeetty.

I Hate You More Than Anyone, Vol. 1: Based almost on the title alone. Also, Love Hina has given me a soft spot for light romance manga. Shut up.

Martha Washington Dies - One Shot: Here's the dilemma; the original Martha Washington stories were great and the art on this is fantastic, but I still don't know whether Frank Miller is an insane genius or just insane.

Samurai Commando Mission 1549, Vol. 1: The description somehow manages to be just as awesome as the name.


Recommended ...

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters (trade): I liked this mini-series more than I probably should have, but in spite of often ham-handed dialogue and sometimes muddy plotting it turned out to be solid superhero fun. And Black Condor? Total bad-ass.

The Pull-list: 6-27-07

There aren't really any surprises in this week's pull-list, so this will feel shorter than usual. But I think you'll still be able to feel the love, and isn't that what's important? So let's see what's on this week's pull-list ... together.

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1: The regular Green Lantern monthly has been a consistently fun read (even if I'm not completely sold on the recent change in art style), and I really like the way the GL backstory has been expanding and gaining depth. The concept of a Green Lantern Corps particularly feels more like what it's supposed to be - an universe-wide law enforcement and rescue organization, rather than a gang of cowboys run by a bunch of floating Smurfs. So set up the ultra-evil Sinestro and his own army of scary sumbitches as the opposite numbers to the GL Corps and I'm sold. Not to mention I get a kick out of the fact Sinestro looks like an evil butler. Specifically, an evil Alfred with a power ring, which is a concept that blows my mind.

Marvel Adventures Avengers #14: I've heard a lot of good things about the Marvel Adventures line, mostly along the lines of the titles being where all the fun is hiding. And while I've been interested, I was content to wait for the collections instead of picking up any monthly titles. Jeff Parker swatted that idea away with two things; 1. He's Jeff Parker, and, 2. he wrote an Avengers story featuring the Agents of Atlas! Agents of Atlas was one of the best mini-series of the past 12 months (if you haven't already, go get it), and since then Parker has been shoe-horning the team into any title he can. This is a good thing. I don't know if I'll be picking this up on a monthly basis, but I will absolutely pick it up this month.

EDIT: So, I pick up this title, and guess what? No Agents of Atlas. Instead, judging from a quick flip through the comic, it looks to be a story set in medieval times (no, not the restaurant, though I'd buy that in a second). Apparently Marvel lies, which I suppose shouldn't be a shocker. Still, it's Jeff Parker so I'll forgive ... this time.

The Usual ...

Blue Beetle #16

Criminal #7

Crossing Midnight #8

Daredevil #98


Maybe ...

Subculture #1: Meta-humor!


Recommended ...

Conan Vol. 4: Hall of The Dead & Other Stories

Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust (hardcover)

The Pull-list: 5-31-07

This week's comics are a day late thanks to the federal holiday seemingly set aside for department store sales and low, low prices, so I'm a day late, too. OK, I'm two days late, but meh! Let's go shopping!

Blue Beetle #15: I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Pound for pound, this is my favorite superhero comic. The writing has been top-notch since the beginning, and gets noticeably better with almost every issue (particularly the diaglogue). The art is unique and always solid, and helps give Blue Beetle its own vibe while putting it smack-dab in the middle of the DC universe. And that leads to one of the things I like most about this title: Through Jaime Reyes, a new character thrown into an entirely new environment, readers get to experience everything as if it's new to us, too. It's fun, it's smart and it should be on your list.

Crossing Midnight #7: Vertigo has been winning back my interest with some of its new titles lately, and Crossing Midnight has had a lot to do with it. It features interesting characters, a familiar-but-different culture as a background, and a plot that makes me wonder what's going to happen next; in other words, some of the things a good comic is supposed to have. And that stuff that happened with the mom? Creepy.

Justice Society of America #6: Soooooo much better than JSA Classified! Seriously, it reminds me of what made me dig the JSA books in the first place. The ongoing story of a powerful, yet entirely human, team that ultimately functions as an extended family touches me in just the right spot (y'know ... the cockles), and this title manages it without being shmaltzy. The team producing it could stand to ease off on the whole "setting an example to the next generation" bit, but I've got to admit I like the way they handle the interaction between the older and younger heroes. And the way "guest stars" like Superman, Batman and that jerk Geo-Force have been used has been perfect.


The Usual ...

Green Lantern #20

Daredevil #97


Maybe ...

Ray Harryhausen Presents Wrath of the Titans #1: I loved the movie. I still love the movie. Shut up. (I just hope I don't hear that stupid owl in my head.)


Recommended ...

Fun Home (trade paperback): This memoir about growing up in the family funeral home, questions of sexuality and the complicated relationship between child and parent has been earning glowing reviews, and now it's been released in a softcover format selling for less than 15 bucks. Seriously, what are you waiting for?

The Pull-list: 1-17-07

Is being iced in for two days going to stop this week's pull-list? Hell no (but I might be getting my comics late this week, dammit)!

52 #37: I think it's been established that, unless DC pulls a Kramer or does something idiotic like bring back Jason Todd (oops), I'll be getting this title each and every week. But c'mon, DC, would it kill you to keep up to date on your gallery? Where's this weeks' cover? There's nothing online after issue #36, and I have to admit that it makes me a little nervous. If the cover isn't ready, what kind of shape is the book in? I've got my fingers crossed that it isn't a bad sign and 52 will still be on schedule.

Conan #36: King Conan, Picts and a hot witch is really all I need to sell me on this, but it doesn't hurt that this is the second part of a storyline that started strong and managed to be in perfect tune with this series' version of the mighty barbarian. Plus, I'm preeeety sure somebody will be chopped up with a big-ass sword.

Conan and The Midnight God #1: Holy crap! I'll say this for Dark Horse - they keep the Conan comin'. I've been happy with most of the Conan minis that have been released alongside the regular run (with the exception of the mostly forgettable The Jewels of Gwahlur), so it's a safe bet that this will be worth picking up. Hell, it might be worth it for the Jason Alexander covers alone.

Desperadoes: Buffalo Dreams #1: I'm glad that Western comics - grittier and a little more conscious of history - have been enjoying a resurgence, and I'm not sure how I missed Desperadoes. Especially since the title first premiered in 1997! But Buffalo Dreams sounds interesting, and I'm willing to play catch-up for something that's had enough staying power to pop up periodically for the last 10 years. It'd almost seem rude not to.


Green Lantern #16: I've gushed over this title enough that, quite frankly, I'm a little embarrassed. But the art is great, it's the character of Hal Jordan at his Hal Jordaniest and it's a straight-up superhero comic that doesn't pretend to be anything else. And, unlike Green Lantern Corps, it's almost completely Guy Gardner free (seriously, why do people love that ... er, guy?).

The Spirit #2: This updated version of Will Eisner's legendary character works for one very simple reason: creator Darwyn Cooke gets it. In every panel and layout and line of dialogue, it's easy to see that Cooke is a fan, and that love for the character makes it seem almost as if the Spirit never left. Rebooting the Spirit could have easily been screwed up in a million different and painful ways - this book goes in the much more difficult direction by creating something new with all the heart of the original.