The Pull List (7-10-08): Diana Prince should change her name to Molly Hatchet

Seriously, doesn't the cover to Wonder Woman #22 instantly make "Immigrant Song" start playing in your head? Let's crank it, throw the horns and go ... to the list!

Getting ...

Booster Gold #1000000: But seriously, can we stop being cute with the numbering?

Guardians of the Galaxy #3: Some decently mysterious goings-on, high concepts and deep space action all come together in what's become my favorite team book.

Justice Society of America #17: This should really be under the "Maybe" heading. Geoff Johns' revisiting of the Kingdom Come concept is getting tiresome, but since I still enjoy the book it'll probably become a title I pick up in trade instead.

Wonder Woman #22: Gail Simone continues to quietly reinvent the character and shows why it's worth remembering that Wonder Woman is essentially a creature of magic.


Maybe ...

BPRD: The Warning #1 (of 5): Actually an almost definite sure-thing, probably taking the place of Justice Society of America. Don't be fooled by the first-issue numbering, though. This story has been building (brilliantly) in other BPRD minis for a while now, and while you can most likely pick it up without having read the other stories first, you'll really just be cheating yourself out of the growing tension as pieces fall into place.

I Kill Giants #1 (of 7): This sounds like an interesting story about that fragile time known as childhood, and how we cope with our monsters as best we can. The art also looks as if it will be well-suited to the tone of the story, so I'll be sure to give this a look in the shop.


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

Criminal Vol. 3: Dead and Dying


Recommended ...

Comic Foundry Magazine #3: Whether you're a serious comics fan or you're just starting to give them a try, this is the best magazine about comic books on the stands. Thoughtful, informative, fun and generally a good mix of the dense and airy, Comic Foundry does an excellent job of delivering on the message that comics are for everyone. Read it.

The Pull List (4-9-08): Simone, Amazons and the royal treatment

OK, I think I'm finally kicking that addictive laziness that comes from taking a few days off from work and I just had some chips and salsa, which for me have the same affect that Super Energy Vitamin Pills had on Underdog. So what, you ask?

So ... to the list!

Wonder Woman #19: I'll admit it: I was never a big fan of Wonder Woman. Wait, that's not entirely true. I was a huge fan of the 1970s TV show, but I think that had more to do with Lynda Carter and my nascent awareness of girls than any real fondness for the character. For the most part I followed the comic book Wonder Woman through her adventures with the Justice League or by catching her during guest appearances in other titles. In the years (and years) I've been reading comics that's pretty much been the MO where the Amazon princess has been concerned, especially since most reviews of her solo books weren't usually ringing endorsements. Basically, when it came to Wonder Woman I just wasn't interested.

Gail Simone changed that.

Simone is one of the more reliable — and frankly, one of the best — writers working in comics today. Simone is known for a creative style that puts imaginative plotting and tooth-rattling action hand-in-hand with naturalistic dialog and never-too-cute humor to create books that are just fun to read. Wonder Woman is no exception, and for the first time in ever I'm buying the title on a regular basis.

There's always talk about the trouble writers have with the character of Wonder Woman, how no one seems to "get" her. It would be tempting to say that Simone gets it because she's a woman (the first ongoing female writer the title's ever had), but that wouldn't be fair to either her or the character. Simone is just a good writer who understands the complexity of this hero, and that's something Wonder Woman — and its readers — have been waiting for, for a long time.

I could go on, but I'll leave it with just four final words describing the current storyline: Wonder Woman in space. WONDER WOMAN IN SPACE. Download the preview and give it a try.


The rest ...

Booster Gold #8

Justice Society of America #14

Wasteland #16

Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse: Calamari Rising #3 (of 4)


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

BPRD: 1946 #4

Criminal #2 (but maybe the singles instead since the jam-packed extras won't be in the trade)

The Exterminators #28 (this over-the-top series ends with #30)

Suburban Glamour #4 (of 4)


Maybe ...

Aqua Leung Vol. 1: Neither the plot nor the overly familiar art style of this graphic novel grab me, but people whose opinion I trust have been talking it up so I'm curious. This is one I'll actually have to flip through in the shop before I can decide whether to pick it up or not.

Batman: Death Mask #1 (of 4): It'll seem like blasphemy to some, but I don't read any Batman titles. It didn't happen on purpose; I just sorta fell out of it. So I was thinking a nice, self-contained mini-series would be a good way to get my Dark Knight fix, but I'm not sure this will be it. The storyline of a mysterious killer who might be linked to Batman's past is played out, and the indistinct art is the kind that gives non-manga readers their ammunition when they complain that it all looks the same. They're wrong, but this ain't helping. Read the preview and let me know what you think.

Number of the Beast #1 (of 8): Superheroes and the Biblical end of the world? I love that idea, especially when you stop to ask, "Wait — why didn't these 'good guys' ascend into heaven with everyone else?" Hmmm ...

Titans #1: Y'know, I used to dig the Teen Titans, and the art on this looks sharp. Maybe it's time to give them another sho ... oh. Judd Winick? Never mind.

The Pull List (2-6-08): Counting down to OMAC

You know what's the hardest part about putting this thing together? The introduc ... to the list!

Countdown Special: OMAC: So, I haven't been reading Countdown, or any of the Countdown related one-shots, not out of any real ambivalence but mostly just out of a severe case of disinterest. When it first started I tried to figure out what exactly it was counting down to, but then decided I didn't care, especially when several reviews started detailing it as confused and aimless and — worst of all — boring.

It figures it would take something like the One Man Army Corps to break my streak.

How mind-blowing is the very concept of OMAC? Man, OMAC is a character with a name that says it all; when Jack Kirby called him a one-man army corps, he wasn't screwing around. Set sometime in the near-future, OMAC is pure, mohawked Kirby genius, pitting a relentless hero against the kind of off-the-scale action and weirdness that has to be read to be appreciated. Even though there's only one of Kirby's stories featured in this one-shot anthology (a full collection of his run is set for release soon), that alone makes it a good place to start if you're new to the world of Buddy Blank and Brother Eye.


The rest ...

Justice Society of America #12

Metal Men #6

Vinyl Underground #5

North Wind #2

Wasteland #14


Maybe ...

Incognegro: An interesting idea, but one that can either be a thoughtful starting point for discussion, or something that will deliver shallow pontificating at the end of a sledgehammer. Personally, I'm hoping for the best with this story of a black reporter investigating the arrest of his brother by using his lighter skin tone to "pass" for a white man in the early-20th century's American South. The concept is fantastic, and I'm curious to see if the story itself holds up. Curious? Check out the preview.

Gyakushu! Vol. 2: I enjoyed the first volume of Dan Hipp's sorta-samurai revenge manga, but I'm not sure it grabbed me enough to pick up the second. While a lot of interesting groundwork was laid, along with a couple of satisfying fight scenes, for the most part it left me wondering if there was really anything there. The art was great but most of the book seemed to be a series of drawn-out character introductions, and the flashback-within-flashback story structure slowed things down just when the plot seemed as if it should be ramping up. Seriously, I liked it — I just don't know if I liked it enough. (The preview, though, looks awesome.)

Scud: The Disposable Assassin: Man, I used to love Scud — 10 years ago! That is a hell of a long time to wait for a follow-up, and frankly I'm a little worried that — like that hot girl you used to dig — it just won't be the same now. It'll be hard, but I just might end up waiting for the promised omnibus instead. I just hope it doesn't take another decade.


Trading up ...
(These are titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

Abe Sapien: The Drowning #1


Recommended ...

Pantheon High Vol. 2: I pretty much like everything about the first volume of this manga written by local boy Paul Benjamin (y'know, the guy behind Marvel Adventures: Hulk, among other goodness). The art is the standard "manga-style" most people are familiar with, but the story of the children of gods from various cultures going to high school is funny, clever and peppered with just the right amount of action and panty-shots to pull it all together. I've been waiting for the second volume, and thankfully that wait is over. If you're already a fan of manga, or if you've been wondering what all the fuss is about, Pantheon High is worth adding to your list. Want to see for yourself? Read a preview of volume 1!

The Pull List (12-5-07): Whoops

A couple of busy days at work (and Becket on TCM last night — holy crap, what a great movie) means a bare-bones version of the Pull List this week. If you have questions, think I overlooked something that shouldn't be missed or just want to throw something out for discussion, hit me in the comments. For now — to the list!

This week ...

Atomic Robo #3 (of 6)

Justice Society of America #11

Lobster Johnson: Iron Prometheus #4 (of 5)

Vinyl Underground #3


Maybe ...

Infinite Horizon #1: This modern-day retelling of The Odyssey looks as if it could work, and I particularly like the characterization of the Odysseus character (The Captain) as a pragmatic soldier who decides he's no longer fighting an honorable war. And the art is fantastic, making a surprising choice in color palette work. If the preview is any indication, I think this is one I'm going to enjoy.

The Overman #1: I don't know much about it except it has something to do with the end of the world (I think), the art's not bad and it's been getting decent reviews; go to the title's site and download the preview. All in all, it could be interesting.


Recommended ...

The Brave and The Bold Vol. 1: Lords of Luck (hardcover): A pitch-perfect series so far, and the art of George Perez alone makes this worth the hardcover treatment.

The Escapists (hardcover): This was a mini-series I liked even more than I thought I would, with each issue moving organically — and seemingly inevitably — to its conclusion. Who knew a comic book about people trying to create a comic book would be as engaging as this? Genuine surprises, real emotion and even actual suspense surrounding characters you care about makes this a keeper.

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: 8-1-07

It might look like a heavy week for the superhero camp, but if you've got a little extra cash you've been wondering what to do with, you can either send it to me, or you could get yourself a nice little mix of comics. Ah hell, go ahead - get the comics (I'll just take an IOU).

To the list!

Metal Men #1 (of 8): I'm going to say something that'll probably earn scorn from fellow comic nerds, but I was never really that into the Metal Men until they showed up in 52. In that title, the Metal Men (and their creator, Doc Magnus) provided a lot of the wacky fun and Silver Age-style concepts that kept me interested week after week. Hopefully that will carry over in this mini-series, because I love the idea of a group of sentient robots being led by a bipolar inventor in a fight against science-crime. Jeez, it almost sells itself! And the crazy, almost Deco-style art gives me hope that the writing will be in the same spirit. Check it out in this preview.

Thor #2: A lot of people complained that the first issue of Thor was too slow, apparently being too short of "thees," "thines" and flying Mjolnirs to satisfy. For my part, though, I thought the issue did was it was supposed to, namely reintroduce a well-known character who was supposed to be dead. Believe me, that's the kind of thing I want comic creators to take their time with. Besides, it did a nice job of setting the stage for issue #2, which I'm betting will crank up the Thunder God aspects a little more. I'm looking forward to seeing how the return of Thor plays out, and I appreciate the avoidance of oh-so-convenient shortcuts. Too slow? I say thee nay!

The Rest ...

Justice Society of America #8

World War Hulk #3

Conan and The Midnight God #5


Maybe ...

Killing Pickman #1: Tortured cop with plans to kill a literally monstrous child-murderer? Man, I love this small revival of horror comics that seems to be happening.

Alive Vol. 1: An unknown virus is making people commit suicide, becoming a pandemic in less than a week and leaving a handful of Tokyo teens wondering why everyone else died, and why they survived. Japan, you scare me - but in a good way.


Recommended ...

Elephantmen Vol. 1: Wounded Animals (hard cover): Beautiful art, solid sci-fi storytelling.

Gutsville #1 (new printing): Be sure to pick this inventive little title if you missed it the first time; now, where the hell is issue #2 already?

Whiteout: Definitive Edition: A perfect crime-noir tale in a unique setting and with a strong female as the lead character (always nice to see). This is what made me a die-hard Greg Rucka fan, and I honestly think it's a book everyone should read. You can even start with a preview!

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: 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: 1-10-07

Huh ... it looks like another small week for the Post, but it promises to be chock-full of kick-assery. Without further ado (but with maybe a little zoom-zoom-zoom and a boom-boom), here's what this week's pull is shaping up like.

52 #36: I just realized 52 is about two-thirds of the way through. If my math is correct - and it almost never is - then this maxi-series should be just about in the last part of the traditional three-part story arch. Try to contain your excitement! Basically what I hope this means is that 52 will now start picking up the pace, putting pieces together and unveiling the big reveals that have been sat on for 36 weeks. Oh, and I know I cased on the interior art last week, but the covers? Gorgeous and iconic.

Agents of Atlas #6: Marvel has only deepend my antipathy for its stuff with the Civil War hullabaloo (now with added delays!), but somehow the publisher has discovered a secret elixer or sacrified a virginal goat because a lot of its recent limited series have been hitting it out of the park. Agents of Atlas wraps it up with this issue, and I've been waiting for it like it was four-color crack; it's a fun, modern adventure yarn with a wry string of retro threaded in, with characters that speak to the best of what Marvel used to be. Previous issues have really, really made me want to know what happens next, and isn't that what comics are supposed to do? If you haven't been buying the singles, be sure to pick up the trade when it comes out.

Justice Society of America #2: A friend of mine from the comic shop I used to work at turned me on to the JSA, and after reading all the trades in stock I was pretty much in love. I loyally started getting the single issues. I recommended it to anyone who was interested. And then that fickle bitch turned on me. For some reason, the title started sucking hard and I had to drop it. Luckily, they launched this new JSA title and it's just kooky enough to work. Please, JSA - don't break my heart again. Oh, and I was going to post a link to the preview, but it's actually a preview for Outsiders - and nobody needs that.

Utopiates: When I heard the name "Utopiates," my first thought was, "Urgh." I was prepared all the way down to the cockles to hate this book, expecting to find art that thought "indie" meant it was OK to be "crappy," and text that went through the same cyberpunk motions a million other writers have already exhausted. Utopiates, I owe you an apology. After checking out the preview I'm cautiously jazzed (yes, jazzed, damn you!) about this title. The art is obviously lovingly and thoughtfully rendered, and the gritty, near-future sci-fi plot - while familiar - is intriguing. If it doesn't fall apart halfway through, I can see this becoming a regular on the list.