Happy Monday, geeks and geekettes! Sure, the holidays are over, and the new year is just now getting started, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have nice things, now, does it? We’ve got some of the newest titles on which to spend that money that your great aunt Gilda mailed to you over the holidays, and you’ve got to have something to read while you’re at the gym getting started on your New Years’ Resolution! We’ve got some of the newest titles, by some of the best reviewers you can find online. So let’s take a look…
“Father” #HeelSean Farrell @IAMSCFCONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 — Marvel Comics
CROM! The Northern Barbarian who is destined to be King is back on his throne in the Mighty House of Marvel! First appearing for Marvel in 1970, Robert E. Howard’s creation has been a pop culture icon of paperbacks, film, comics and television ever since he first arrived in 1932. After a brief layover at Dark Horse Comics – Conan is once again home where he belongs. This time we have Jason (Thor)Aaron and Mahmud (Avengers, X-Men) Asrar bringing us this new tale of blood, sand, sex, violence, steel and magic. Jason has a long and proven track record for knowing a thing or two about handing beer drinking /hard fighting brutes on epic journeys, where Mr Asrar is no slouch himself when it comes to action and drama.
The first twelve issues also hold a new prose story by novelist John C Hocking! Words without pictures?! What a concept! Only in America! If you’re an old fan of Conan paperbacks, comics, the original films, or you’ve only seen the last film and somehow you still want to see more? This book will satisfy that craving for Crom’s devoted follower.4/5 Bibles.
-Sean Farrell
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR #1 – MarvelKevin “Pastor” Palma @eggrollko
Daredevil is a fascinating character who’s defining quality is both his biggest strength and weakness– he’s a man without fear. He’s both a hero who won’t think twice to jump into any dangerous situation to save somebody and a man who recklessly jumps into dangerous situations that have negative consequences for himself and anyone around him. The Man Without Fear mini-series by Jed MacKay, Danilo S. Beyruth and Andres Mossa that will bridge the gap between the Charles Soule and Chip Zdarsky/Marco Chechetto runs seems to be exploring the dynamic between those two aspects of Matt Murdock and it does a fantastic job in this first issue. In general, I’m a huge fan of these deep explorations of characters though there are certainly exceptions. I just hope this continues along the same lines of some of the better examples (such as The Return of Bruce Wayne) and doesn’t become a huge missed opportunity (ironically enough like the last Daredevil story to attempt something like this, Daredevil: Reborn). 4/5 Devil Horns.
-Kevin Palma
“The Dean” Gene Selassie @GeneSelassieX-FORCE #1 — Marvel Comics
Writer Ed Brisson does a great job, in X-Force #1, in dealing with the immediate fallout from the Extermination event story. X-Force has reunited to hunt down the younger time-displaced Cable, who is responsible for murdering his older self. There is a strong political thriller vibe mixed into the high octane 90’s-style action, all with quick wit and dialogue that is snappy, but never becomes self indulgent. The backup story featuring Boom Boom, which runs parallel to the events of the main story, was hilarious. Brisson, and artist Juanan Ramirez, do their best to channel the flavor of Ellis/Immonen’s Nextwave. While the art here was pitch-perfect, we have to discuss the main story pencils.I am quite the Dylan Burnett fan. Reactor and Interceptor were the business. Cosmic Ghost Rider is one of my personal favorites. However, I’ve always believed that, no matter how good the artist is, if he doesn’t fit the tone of the story, it halts the book dead in its tracks. And that is exactly what happened here. Any moment where there’s a moment of grim violence, or when the story goes into “Tom Clancy” territory with the political intrigue, I was taken out of the narrative completely. 2/5 Bibles.
-Gene Selassie
WOLVERINE: THE LONG NIGHT #1 – Marvel“Minister” Matthew Garza
Wolverine: The Long Night is written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Marcio Takara. It starts with an interview between federal agents and the Captain of a fishing boat. The captain and his crew had checked on a second vessel adrift earlier that morning. They checked the hold, where they found mutilated bodies of the crew along with “packages” stored in there. When the agents check the boat themselves, the said packages weren’t there and were not covered in any documentation by previous investigators. The story plays out like a crime drama, coming up to an ever closer conclusion that the killer is the title character of the story. The art and color enhance the tone without making it dreary — I never took my eyes off it. I wanted to absorb the details in the recounts told by the characters as I also got invested in this small town. So now I’m left wondering, did he really do it, though? What was his motive? 3.5/5 Bibles.
These days, I’ve been keeping up on Spider-Gwen, so I’m quite aware of the Spider-Geddon, and the fight against the Inheritors, and while that crossover event plays very little in this re-introduction to Elliot Tolliver (ersatz Otto Octavius), the few references helped orient me here (this is a positive, coming from someone who otherwise hates name-dropping crossovers and events). As a quick re-introduction to the San Francisco-based superior web-slinger, though, this issue gets the job done. Writer Christos Gage does an impressive job of not only wrapping up the fallout of Spider-Geddon, but also retelling the entire origin of the Superior Spider-Man: from Doctor Octopus dying and commandeering Peter Parker’s body; his tenure of, and subsequent personal inspiration by, Spider-Man; and his prior life as Elliot Tolliver, just one of many identities he’d had stored away in case of just such an emergency.
An early appearance by Stilt-Man was a humorous inclusion, and it was interesting to see this Spidey as more “serious”, and less quippy; there’s certainly a darker edge to him, and juxtaposing that with brief history of Octavius’s personal life was also an interesting take. Being only tangentially familiar with Superior Spider-Man, it was easy to jump right in and get caught up, and the art and layouts by Mike Hawthorne was clear and expressive, if nothing too extravagant (which is not at all a problem). 3/5 Smack-dab-in-the-middle Bibles.
-J.L. Caraballo
“Saint” Timothy MarkhamMARVEL CHAMPIONS #1 — Marvel Comics
Firstly, I understand that this is probably required in all Marvel stories currently, but anything with a memorial to the great, late Stan Lee at the beginning is okay in my book! Regarding the story, Champions #1 was a roller-coaster of emotions, spending a majority catching everybody up to speed on what has happened. I appreciate the catch up as not everyone may be in the loop as to what has happened. Especially at the beginning where the writer, Jim Zub (Samurai Jack Comics, and Avengers), introduced everyone. A new reader may not know that Sam Alexander was Nova, or that Miles Morales is Spider-Man. A casual fan would probably be confused as to why it isn’t Peter Parker. It was a great introduction to the world of The Champions.
In terms of aesthetics, Steven Cummings did a great job on the art. My favorite part was Ms. Marvel’s transformation at the end. That was well communicated. Overall, Champions #1 is another great recommendation for anyone who wants a team-based comic like the Avengers, with lots of drama. Especially the newbies and casuals that are just getting into the world of comics. An easy in to the ever-growing, ever-expanding House of Ideas. 3/5 Strike Force Teams Agree.
-Tim Markham
“The Dean” Gene Selassie @GeneSelassieFREEDOM FIGHTERS #1 — DC Comics
The daunting task of reviewing this book left me perplexed. On the one hand, I was a huge fan of the criminally underrated Freedom Fighters arcs by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, and felt that run couldn’t be touched. On the other hand, Robert Venditti has become a Jack-of-All-Trades writer at DC, and he was bound to turn in a good run. “Good” undersells what this team produced. We return to Earth X, where the Nazis won WWII and rule America with an iron fist. The story opens in the past, where a post-WWII Freedom Fighters are portrayed as an underground rebellion. Some fans may have found certain elements a bit hokey or jingoistic, but given the heroes and their plight, it felt apropos. What did not feel apropos was yet another massacre in a Freedom Fighters story. DC has gone to this well a bit too much over the past 12-13 years and really should have backed away from it this time. This wasn’t enough to ruin the issue, thankfully.
Venditti, and artist Eddy Barrows, have great synergy and everything from the pacing and dialogue (except for the term “Ratzi”, which was incredibly overused) felt spot on. Venditti turned down the dialogue at times and let Barrows cut loose with some well choreographed fight scenes and splash pages. I’m completely on board and can’t wait to see where the rest of this 12 issue maxi-series takes us. 4/5 Bibles.
-Gene Selassie
“Minister” Matthew GarzaTHE WITCHER: OF FLESH AND FLAME — Dark Horse
Dark Horse’s first issue of its four issue mini series, has just been released. Written by Aleksandra Motyka, and art by Marianna Strychowska, they reintroduce us to Geralt as he enters the town Novigrad. There he takes on a contract from a friend, to identify who or what is entering his youngest daughter’s chamber at night and assess the danger they pose. The story is very simple in it’s set up and flow quickly, but as someone who isn’t familiar with The Witcher series, there is zero hand holding. One of the characters later in the issue isn’t named out loud so I’m only assuming the audience is supposed to know him, which lends a lot of expectation on the reader. If the character isn’t someone the reader should be familiar with, then for someone who plays a significant role in the events of the story, it might be important to know who he is. The assumption of familiarity might pay off for some readers, but others might be left wondering why they should care. The art has a simple animated feel when characters are at a distance and more detailed in close up. As for the tone, it kinda has the camp of a Hercules or Xena episode, so that might make or break for some readers. 2.5/5 Bibles.
Holy crap, geeks and geekettes! It’s the weekend, it’s Comic-Con out here in New York, and we have more premiere issues than we can shake a stick at today. This is one of the largest editions of the Sunday Stash that we’ve had in a hot New York minute here at GHG, so let’s dive right in– you’re only a few subway stops away.
“The Dean” Gene Selassie @GeneSelassieSHATTERSTAR #1 – Marvel Comics
From what I’d been hearing about this series prior to the lead up, I had some reservations. It felt like much of his character development over the last decade or so would be undone. But then I remembered, Tim Seeley is writing. He does an excellent job in taking the early more one dimensional Star and blending in the rich layered personality from the Peter Davis era.
The setup is unique to any Marvel title and a perfect place to see other dimensionally displaced characters. One very disappointing trope made its way into the book (which I saw coming as soon as a certain geriatric character debuted). The line work and expressiveness by Carlos Villa was exceptional. Juan Vlasco complemented the art and both were buoyed by the pitch perfect palette by Carlos Lopez. My one gripe was the flashback art by Gerardo Sandoval. It reminded me of some particularly rough fill in art from mid ’90s X-Force. Some will like it, some will loathe it, but it’s definitely a distinct look.
In all, if Seeley can avoid that one trope that nearly pulled me out of the book, he’ll have a bonafide hit on his hands. 3.5/5 Bibles.
-Gene Selassie
Felipe “The 3rd Deacon” Crespo @F7ovrdrvINFINITY WARS: SLEEPWALKER #1 – Marvel Comics
Holy shit, this is dumb.
First off, we have meh art straight outta 2007. Really basic PhotoShop 101 stuff on display. And the character design? You know how on a TV show, someone has an artistic kid, and they show crappy made-up superheroes that no one would ever think is cool, or want to read? That’s Sleepwalker. Specifically him. In every instance, in every TV show. He is every crappy superhero.
The book follows Sleepwalker assembling his own team of Amalgam universe rejects to try and save people from the Soul stone. Not kidding about the rejects, by the way. There’s Man-Thing Thang Thoom, and Scott Banner…who turns into a green powerhouse that gets smaller as he gets madder…not at all kidding about that, by the way. Not sure if Amalgam was the right universe to bring back, but back it is, I guess. This is a free book, right? They’re not charging for this? 2/5 Bibles…owed simply because of sheer “wtf is this?” factor.
-Felipe Crespo
Jason “Bad Preacher” BudDEAD RABBIT #1 – Image Comics
Martin Dobbs was a Beantown Neighborhoodlum, known to terrorize Bostonians of every taste and smell, back in the decade before the big Y2K. Dude used to claim he was a direct descendant of one of the original Gangs of New York, but the media never caught onto this becuz he only told this to his victims before he’d drop their lights out. All the same, everyone wound up knowing him as the Dead Rabbit, anywho. Sometime around ’97, Dobbs dropped out, disappeared, vanished… Ironically enough, a fistful of years after that, Scorsese dropped a joint he called Gangs of New York; which, incidentally, gave up some history of Dobbs’ ancestors that belonged to the Dead Rabbits gang – most notably, a dude named Amsterdam Vallon; and he used to hang out with a one-eyed butcher by the name of Bill Cutting…
Now…here it is twenty years on, and Marty Dobbs is back under the hoodlum again. The 12 million simoleons he lifted from the Mob’s run dry after two decades of caring for his beloved wife, Megan, and her medical needs; and playing the daily meat-n-greet to the genetic misfires that shop-and-drop at Marty’s MalWart job ain’t cutting the mustard seed… Now, if Marty was a chemist, he’d probably make like Heisenberg and batch up some Blue in the Men’s can with the Shake ‘N Bake Method, and deal it to all the stray kids drooling down those WalMart aisles; but he ain’t, and he misses the Robin Hood Juice he gets from taking what’s rightfully his, from anyone foolish enough to cross his path or carry it large… Besides, how can a Dead Rabbithead resist going full-on Dexter with some douchebag who’s buying MalWart product to dissolve a dead body with??? Looks like it just became Dead Duck Season for a Sonuvabitch named Sam…
Dead Rabbit #1’s a new offering from the gang over at Image Comics, that just hit the stands this past Weds, on October 3rd, 2018. An APB has been issued to find and apprehend the outlaws responsible for this crime: Gerry Duggan (Deadpool), Story; John McCrea(Hitman), Pictures; Mike Spicer (Extremity), Colors; and Joe Sabino (Deadpool), Letters.
At present, the whereabouts of all four fugitives remains unknown…
Maybe Marty Dobbs’ll run into ‘em…
4/5-Fingered Knuckle Dusters.
-Jason Bud
“Minister” Matthew GarzaTYPHOID FEVER: SPIDER-MAN #1 – Marvel Comics
Clay McLeod Chapman‘s Typhoid Fever takes us into the mind of Typhoid Mary, a former actress now patient. Unable to grasp reality, Mary views her world as a soap opera, struggling for control of “the story”. Her Doctor suggests he uses a cerebral inhibitor, an unorthodox method, to wall off her other personalities until there is only one left. He voices his hope that she will gain complete control of her mind and her powers; she’s a pyrokinetic and a telekinetic. It doesn’t go well, suffice it to say: it turns out she’s been skipping her meds, and set two orderlies on fire who were assaulting her. Choosing another method, Dr. Charles involves a mutant named Zachary. Zachary’s powers revolve around the ability to amplify her powers, but it doesn’t always work out. That brings us to the present, when Spider-Man leaps into the hospital, which was already under Mary’s influence, which then alters Spider-Man view of reality. Spider-Man attempts to fight off Mary’s mind altering, but ultimately loses his own memory, and leaves with Mary. Meanwhile, as Mary’s mental attack continues to spread and is covered by media, the X-Men watch and deduce this has something to do with Zachary, and they must intervene.
Stephano Landini‘s art and Rachelle Rosenberg‘s coloring are standouts in this book. From the pink tint of Mary’s soap opera POV of the world, to the harsh deep colored reality of what she’s actually doing, the two artists wonderfully capture Mary’s world, and I was uncomfortable to make the next page turn to see what was truly happening. The only thing that bothered me was the over-used multiple personality description we’ve seen so many times. Beyond that, it’s a solid trip. 3.5/5 Bibles.
Doctor Octopus fused with Peter Parker sounds like something that is either stupid or genius, with nothing in between. From the inside cover — “After dying to save the women he loved, Otto’s consciousness self-resurrected in the form of a body cloned from his and Peter Parker’s genetic material” — I was drawn into the comic from the first page. Starting off with tons of action, it starts off fast and doesn’t slow down. The rest of the story is spent filling you in on the entire “situation” that is going down, and ends with a huge exclamation.
Christos Gage (Daredevil, Law & Order) really did a great job keeping the reader interested the entire time as well as informing them of what is going on. The art, and battle scenes, by Mike Hawthorne (Deadpool, G.I. Joe) were very good. There were several panels that I just stared at for a few minutes, appreciating them. 4/5 Cloned Spider-Men agree.
-Tim Markham
“Minister” Keith Dooley @Keith_DooleyJUSTICE LEAGUE DARK: THE WITCHING HOUR #1 – DC Comics
Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, attacks our favorite magical super team in Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1. This one shot is the first volley in a five part story that runs through October and is fitting for this ghoulish season. Writer James Tynion IV has been setting this story up in the first three issues of his Justice League Dark title and gives just enough info in the beginning of this one shot to update newbies on the mysterious goings-on.
Tynion clearly loves the characters comprising this team and gives everyone moments to shine in his story. Wonder Woman, however, is clearly the star of the crossover’s first part. It’s frightening to see Hecate have such power over Diana as well as the big name cameos in the book. The Witching Hour will clearly have ramifications for the magical characters in the DC Universe, and for Diana as well. Like he did with his Detective Comics run, Tynion absolutely excels at bestowing distinct voices in a team book.
Artist Jesus Merino, and colorist Romulo Fajardo, Jr., bring a clean superhero style to the one-shot that gives the creepy events that occur a more jolting effect. From a three-headed goddess, to a room full of Swamp Things, Merino brings a simplicity to out of our world monstrosities that makes them that much more effective. Fajardo’s colors, although pretty bright, lend an air of dread.
If you love what Tynion and company are doing over in Justice League Dark, then you’ll love this first part of The Witching Hour. If you’re just in the mood for some Halloween fun, then this is definitely a treat. You don’t have to wait long for part two, since it’ll be in next week’s Wonder Woman! 4/5 Detective Chimps.
Confession time: I’m only just now discovering Iron Fist as a character. Sure, there are one or two issue of Heroes For Hire I’ve got that date back to the 1970s or so (bestowed by an uncle…I’m not THAT old), and I’m only halfway through season one of the show (I know, I know…it gets better. At this rate, I’ll be hitting up Defenders by March!) But stepping into this reintroduction is refreshing: no expository backstory, no bullshit origin, just Iron Fist getting into some weird fiction, as a demon has emerged to take on fortune-tellers and soothsayers, as well as torment Danny Rand by taking on the visage of a young boy he couldn’t save during a firefight on Coney Island.
Iron Fist: Phantom Limb features the first two issues of this story, by Clay Chapman, focuses not only on Rand’s attempts to defeat his demon villain, but also regaining his self-confidence following his aforementioned failures. For a martial-arts-based character, there is a fair amount of Cronenbergian body horror…and I’m ALL FOR IT. From the deformed bodies of psychics and fortunetellers littering the city, to Iron Fist having his…no shit…right hand chopped the hell off, which then becomes animate and fights Iron Fist himself…artist Guillermo Sanna has great fun, which means you will as well as you read. With a great sense of movement, action, and composition, the art pops off the pages. It sets a great sense of mood, brood, and action, and some of the monster designs are gnarly as hell.
Having just realized how great this B-character is, it’s great to discover how action- and mystical-packed this series can be, and the fact that Marvel provided the first two installments of this series as one is an added bonus as well. If you can, pick it up. It’s a fun, action-packed read! 4/5 Severed Iron Fists.
Your favorite Traveling Nerd has found himself in Hotlanta, doing some post-production on a film, and a great little comic shop by the name of Oxford Comics off of Piedmont Street. What a gem of a comic shop too! Encompassing everything from new comics, graphic novels to older and harder to find issues, this is definitely the be-all/end-all for your geeky needs in the Dirty South.
I also found this weeks Sunday Stash’s picks synonymous when talking HOTlanta and the Devil’s favorite tramping ground Georgie. This week, we deal with an All-New Ghost Rider, two heroes coming back from “death”, a psychedelic surf ride that takes us to planets that would give Can Emed (Renaissance painter of hell) a ride for his imagination on demons, and another Avengers comic thats so bad it deserves to burn.
So buckle up, grab your prettiest 2nd cousin and let’s tackle these All-New Marvel NOW issues deep-fried Southern style.
As a LA resident and muscle car gearhead, call me pretty excited about this new addition to the Ghost Rider saga. Rise or cancel, the All-New Ghost Rider returns to the cursed leather jacket, now having American muscle spewing out hellfire at every turn. Through the years the legacy of the pail rider has seen many variations, but quite nothing like this.
At least his headlights work.
As a fan who began with the Danny Ketch Dusaki and Spirits of Vengeance-driven 90’s, it’s been quite a shame to witness the series — aside from the massively underrated Jason Aaron run on the ol’ flamed head — hit a rapid decline. Even Rob Williams’ female Rider Alejandra was ill received, and anything tangled up in flame since was seemingly headed towards the pearly gates.
Thanks to the talents of Marvel newcomer Felipe Smith (Character Designer on Nickelodeon’s TMNT) and artist Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Deadpool) the newest rider has arrived on the line. Welcome East L.A. mechanic Robbie Reyes, who, in true Marvel fashion, is a down-on-his-out good guy who starts his journey by standing up for the downtrodden and taking a chance on fate for a better life. The latter involves pulling a Need For Speed move with racing for cash that ends in fire. Unfortunately…
War has come to the shelves of your local comic store…on all fronts. Be it a webbedwar against the green skinned goblin, one royal standing up for his beliefs during a time of national war, or a shadowy pursuit during the Cold War, this week’s titles all had a similar need: one man against all odds. With one hell of a week in comics the odds were certainly in the favor of your steady Comic Apostle, with hopefully some of the brighter choices on the shop spinning racks. With that said, it’s time for these soldiers to put up their dooks and recite the famous words of “Judge” Mills Lane and/or Marvin Gaye: “Let’s get it on!”
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27
727 issues in the making, “Goblin Nation” has risen. Long live the Goblin King! With such a possibly amazing/spectacular/superior story arc starting, the Superior Spider-Man #27 takes premise as my featured write-up this week.
Marvel’s HALLOWEEN.
Through Dan Slott’s (Ren & Stimpy) capable writing and the works of numerous artists, currently beautifully illustrated by Giuseppe Camuncoli (Avengers Academy), Doctor Spider-Pus has had his hands full in recent months. Although his egotistical self has taken precedence over most spider duties, Otto has also went web-for-web with Agent Venom, found defeat through the loss of his Superior 6 teammates, and teamed up with Punisher/Daredevil. All this– while losing control over the city unbeknownst to him by the Goblin.
“Goblin Nation” has been brewing for some time — ever since Octo-Spidey took down several criminal families — but it’s this issue that may very well be the pinnacle third arc of Slott’s well-planned run. If you have been following the Green glimpses that have been popping up over the last year, you know that “Norman” has been building an army of leftovers ever since the Arachnid started tightening his webbed fist on NYC.
Not without moments of excitement, this issue does more to set-up a likely dramatic battle for island domination than anything else.
The Goblin King makes his initial assault on Superior, amassing quite the list of generals to get his back. After a shocking turn — that attempts to “make love, not war” — Part 1 offers a double-page climatic ending that even rivals Marvel’s recent big events for chaos and panel work, with the Green Goblin finally able to put the ringer on ole’ Webhead.
As an avid Spider-fan and Slotts’s run, I loved this issue. And thank God! I have been waiting for “Goblin Nation” ever since it was hinted at Comic-Con. Plus, when you throw in the additional subplot of Friendly Neighborhood Peter Parker’s inevitable return (to which you can thank the new Spidey film for), this issue actually makes a a great jumping-on point for new readers and all fans of the web-slinger alike. I look forward to where this story goes and how the it ends.
The Man of Steel and God of Thunder didn’t just clash at the box office; no, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Brave & The Bold had their battles at local comic shops and Comixology, too. Especially, epic battles. Each of the “Big 2” had their own events, some more successful than others, but many of which altered the status quo. It was also the year Marvel went hip, Clark and Diana traded a kiss, Spider-Man remained superiorly evil, and The Batman faced far more tragedy than just a bad buzzcut. So, join our resident Marvel “Apostle” Lance Paul and the DCU “Minister” Gabe Carrasco, as they reflect on their respective Universe highlights and trade their choices for the Top 10 DC/Marvel Comics of 2013.
Lance Paul “The Apostle”: 10. Indestructible Hulk – The Green Goliath had a blockbuster year in comics. “Marvel Now” took our green baby and allied him with S.H.I.E.L.D. For more years than I can count, the Hulk comics have seemingly always had something missing. How can you have a brilliant scientist that could possible cure cancer or create new inventions continue to languish in homeless squander, while his greener self was let loose on destructive rampages? It blows my mind that it took Mark Waid (Daredevil) to come on board to create a telling Hulk storyline that takes the best of both men: Hulk Smash, Banner Build. Indestructible Hulk Special #1 — much like the purple bullseye’s “dog comic” — was arguably the run’s standout issue. Even more in relation, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. provided Banner with a “Puppy Bomb”! How else can you calm a hulk than to subdue him with his love of puppies?
“Minister” Gabe Carrasco: 10. Trinity War (Justice League/Justice League of America/Justice League Dark) – The Trinity War started off with an awesome concept: three differing Justice Leagues duke it out, with Amanda Waller (who can now be seen on the hit TV show “Arrow) building her own JLA from scratch. Her intentions? To take down the original Justice League (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc.). And after a little over a year, we finally get to see who this Pandora chick is, and what she was doing in every single issue #1 of the New 52 relaunch. Although the intended premise isn’t exactly what we get, TW still makes the Top 10 simply because you’d be hard-pressed to see another event where J-Leaguers are allowed to punch each other in the face — nevertheless witness a crossover from DC stalwarts Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire. (See more).
Maybe Thor 3…will feature THREE?
Lance: 9. Thor – God of Thunder: Godbomb – Although Jason Aaron’s current storyline of Thor: God of Thunder, “The Accursed” carries over similar events to the successful and enjoyable Thor film sequel, “Godbomb” was more the standout in 2013, with finer art and higher intrigue. I have always been a fan of Bruce Guice‘s art style, which focuses on colored pencils than mere liquid. And the creation of a baddie who labels himself the“Butcher of Gods” is hard to argue. This run also offered a chance to see the future “More grizzled than Odin” Thor! If you like Marvel Comics, this series is a must read…with plenty of mead.
Gabe: 9. Justice League: Shazam! – For a while, the Justice League books were worth the buy just for the last couple of pages where we saw little Billy Batson utter that little magic word that brought Shaquille O’Neal out of that magical boombox— oh wait, that was Kazaam. Let’s try this again… the Shazam mini-series took place in the few pages at the end of JL at the beginning of the year, with the epic finale taking place in Justice League #21. It’s almost as if DC didn’t trust Captain Marvel’s fanbase enough to buy his own ongoing title, so they just stuck him in their flagship book and kinda made us read him. I have to admit, it’s a good strategy, since I definitely wouldn’t have added Shazam to my pull-list had he came out on his own. But he is a fun character, and his dialogue and Gary Frank’s facial expressions really do read like a pre-teen in the body of a massive adult body-builder. Johns’ story is also pretty classic. Captain Marvel beats the crap outta Black Adam with a little help from his friends. (Yup, a Kazaam reference, and a Beatles reference!). Plus with the Justice League 0-issue tie in, 2013 was a good year to be a fan of SHAZAM!
Playing your PS4 for too long may cause quirky side effects.
Lance: 8. Captain America – Despite being one of the most recognized members of Marvel and the Avengers, Captain America has gone through more identity crises than a teenage girl trying to fit in. Mister Rogers has tried everything from embracing his wild side as a werewolf, ditching the star-spangled pajamas for a trench coat and shaggy hair, to rocking out a MECH suit. Which shows one of Cap’s biggest problems, seeing how he has never been fully developed beyond a figurehead for democracy. Even when the “god” that was Kirby had exclusive use as Editor/Writer/Illustrator, Cap was left needing more. In recent years, no one has done more for Cap’s character development then the legendary run of the previous writer, Ed Brubaker, which left everyone else brave enough with giant, red boots to fill. To no surprise, new Cap writer Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force) far surpassed all expectations, seeing Steve proposed to, kidnapped and then stranded in Dimension Z, and even added deeper layers to Cap’s backstory with flashbacks of an abusive father. With original Kirby baddie Armin Zola, then followed up with “American Psycho” Nuke, 2013 saw Steve go to all sorts of hell — and readers were blessed all the more for it.
Gabe: 8. Batman ’66 – Holy Adam West, Batman! The kooky old man from Walla Walla, Washington was The Batman for an entire generation. (Of course it was the generation from a few generations ago, but still!) Now DC has noticed the rise in interest for the wacky BOOM, POW, and THWACK! adventures of the World’s Greatest Detective, and gave us a bunch of brand new stories to follow! You can practically hear Mr. West’s voice coming through the pages of the strange Technicolor bendy dot covered panels. Jeff Parker‘s dialogue is true to the old tv series’ roots, overusing Robin’s “Holy (random object), Batman!”, and getting Batman out of ridiculous situations with even more ridiculous solutions. Plus, adding characters that weren’t around back then, like Dr. Harleen Quinzel, and the Red Hood is just an added bonus that lands this series at number 8!
What are “we” doing for New Year’s? “WE”? Ha.
Lance: 7. Battle of the Atom – Even with all of its blunders, Battle of the Atom is an event worth reading, if not collecting. The beginning stands out for its cool portrayal of the Original 6. The All-New X-Men actually meant something, and for that daring notion — and the strange evolution of Bobby Drake, as he molded from Ice Hulk to Gandolf the Iceman — Bendis deserved much credit. But, of course, once the crossover became a royal rumble of mutant clones, the story couldn’t help but feel bloated within its own grandeur. Still, even if BotA doesn’t stand a mutant chance of testing time like its predecessors (i.e. Mutant Massacre, Age of Apocalypse, Days of Future Past) — and its meandering mid-event sequence of no more than talking heads — the start and the end were certainly strong enough for a solid position on this list. (See more).
Gabe: 7. Aquaman: Throne of Atlantis – As Black Manta put it, “You want to know what makes Aquaman so tough? His skin is nearly bullet-proof. His muscle density is ten times that of yours or mine, and he can breathe underwater.” When Arthur Curry has a problem with the ocean, it takes the entire Justice League, and a few others on top to handle it. People seem to forget that the Earth is over 70% water, and Aquaman is king of it all! But Geoff Johns has made that point loud and clear in this story arc that spans not only Aquaman, but Justice League as well. Arthur’s brother Orm is back, and he isn’t liking the way Arthur is handling things. The surface-dwellers have disrespected the ocean for far too long, and Orm, or should we say Ocean Master isn’t letting that happen any longer! So Aqua is torn between a rock and a wet place, and, while trying to handle things as diplomatically as possible, both sides of this war are coming out of the gate swinging! It’s a definite recommended read, even if it’s just for the halibut…!
Sure beats watching re-runs of “Sex in the City.”
Lance: 6. X-Men – When this title was initially announced, Ultimate Comics X-Men scribe Brian Wood’s all X-Lady team was seen as a bit of a gimmick, or even a distraction. It’s a proven fact in the comic world, sex-starved comic-nerds buy comics full of hot chicks (don’t believe me? Just look at Moody’s “Top 10 Indie” list). But, after witnessing the new reiteration of this proven name, any triviality was out the window. This was X-Men comics done right, exploding with exciting lady-friendly/estrogen heavy, eye-popping illustrations from Olivier Coipel. X-Men #1 was also, hands down, one of the best single comics of 2013. Thankfully, the rest of the run — even during The Battle of Atom — kept up in quality. Way back in May, this Apostle bowed down to Wood and Coipel’s work and bestowed on them the worthy and extremely difficult GodHatesGeeks 5-Bibles score! Well done. (See more).
Gabe: 6. Villains Month – The Villains took over DC! We all know that Marvel may have cool heroes, and there’s no doubt that they are owning the blockbuster movie industry, but here at DC, nobody beats our villains (uh..except Batman, of course)! Bats beats the crap out of our villains pretty much nightly. For the most part, DC knows what readers want, and whether it was a Forever Evil tie-in, a back story, or just a little mini-story arc about our favorite baddies, we got a little taste of evil that month. Not to mention the awesome 3D covers! I stared at mine so long I got a headache! Some personal favorites of mine were The Riddler, Harley Quinn, and Ocean Master, but out of all the options available, everyone had their favorites (and some we definitely could have done without…) Either way, that was one month DC literally ripped open Blackgate and Arkham, and let evil rule the world!
Guess Aquaman can go back to being irrelevant again…
Lance: 5. X-Factor: OK, I’ll admit it; this spot is more an ode to the wonderful decade of the title more than anything. And, how can you not love the fact that the house that Peter David built is unending!? As far as 2013 was concerned, it was a hell of a way to go out — with the Hell on Earth War, of course — and the last few issues gave each of our favorite mutant detectives their own due. Not very often does a writer actually finish all his storylines, and with that, Mr. David, well done! Your All-New X-Factor #1 couldn’t arrive here sooner.
Gabe: 5. Lights Out (Green Lantern) – Okay, so I’m still crying over Demi-God Geoff Johns leaving the lightsmiths to Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar), but I gotta admit, Venditti did NOT pull any punches! Oa is destroyed? Using the power rings slowly destroys the universe!? The entities are dead!!? CAROL FERRIS IS IN LOVE WITH KYLE RAYNER!!?? These were not small little tweaks to the already well-established, complex Lantern universe! These decisions and events have really affected the entire corps, and continue to do so in the recent issues! Lights Out did some irreparable damage to the ring-wielding police force of the universe, and Hal isn’t happy about any of it. Losing Oa to Relic, Carol to Kyle, Kyle to the source wall (sorta), Guy to the Reds, and getting shit from every angle, Hal’s life is anything but easy right now. Whatcha got against Hal Jordan, Venditti? Whatever it is, keep it coming! It’s making for a hell of a plot! (See more).
Another Top 10 choice? AA is surely “catching fire.”
Lance: 4. Avengers Arena – This title quietly went on to be one of the best written and drawn comics on shelves each and every month. I was a fan of “Battle Royale” for years, and was a little apprehensive when it was first announced that Marvel was going to do something similar with their young avengers. After the first issues, Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker (Thunderbolts) took this comic and surpassed any expectations. Avengers Arena finished one of Marvel’s most epic and out-of-the-box stories for years, while also bringing back both obscure-to-current characters (complete with equal story time). With meaningful deaths and new characters that I grew to love, your Apostle looks forward to where Hopeless takes the surviving characters into next years follow-up comic, Avengers Undercover. With Arena, Hopeless showed us what would happen if Marvel was a Game of Hunger, a story of what happens when people — in this case teenagers, of course — are pushed to the brink beyond the emotional and deathly choices they must make to stay alive. Here’s to you Hopeless, for giving us a story that ranks on this Marvel fan’s all-time list. (See more).
Gabe: 4. INJUSTICE: Gods Among Us – “Minister, this isn’t a video game Top 10! What’s your problem?” No, man. I’m talking the comic adaptation — and why did no one tell me about this series!? I remember seeing it in stores and said “Meh, it’s based on the video game, so it’s just another DC cash-grab.” Holy crap was I wrong! Seriously. Just pick up the first issue– no, the first two issues, and I promise you’ll be hooked! It’s essentially a royally pissed-off Superman vs. an arrogant and self-righteous Batman (which is basically just regular Batman) and their rag-tag group of superheroes (Think Marvel’s Civil War, except… you know… actually good.) And just like some kind of indie publisher, they disregard what’s going on in the normal DCU, and do not mind killing off anyone they please. The writing is fantastic! Trust me when I say, THIS is the Harley Quinn, Green Arrow, and Nightwing dialogue we’ve all been waiting for!
In 2013, Superman KILLED.
Lance: 3. Infinity – Looking back, Jonathan Hickman’s solo event (there were tie-in’s, but all you ever really needed was the main story, The Avengers, and New Avengers) had plenty of dynamic moments, making it an epic tale. Who doesn’t remember the Mjolnir-sledging Thor splatter/slaughter a Builder? Or Inhuman King Black Bolt’s vocal cords destroying the floating city with a simple “NO!”? Moments like these made up for the stop-gap feel of a usual Marvel crossover. Hickman’s tenor on Avengers had already seized my attention with his “world building” abilities, and his first crossover, Infinity, continued that sweeping notion. Even if the event wasn’t perfect, you can bet the Marvel Universe is in a much better place than it had been in prior crossovers (cough, cough.. Age of Ultron). All next year, the repercussions of Black Bolt and Maximus’ Titanic tussle will be felt with in Inhumanity: a blank slate of new possibilities with Thane (Thanos’s son), as the MU is back to its full galactic potential with Skrull and Kree Empire return to dominance (See more).
Gabe: 3. Batman: Zero Year – Scott Snyder has more than proven he can handle our favorite broody dark knight, and Greg Capullo’s pencils are simple, yet engaging enough to tell the story perfectly. With Zero Year, the dyamic duo did a fantastic job of re-telling Batman’s first few shaky years under the cowl, and just how dangerous a job this could be. We saw a younger, brighter Gotham, an inexperienced brash Bruce, and a— well, an equally as insanely homicidal, Joker (except back in these days, he’s going by Red Hood-1). The genius of it was not selling it to us as a Joker story, but the Clown Prince of Crime’s infamous grin showed up anyway, and fans ate it up! The tie-ins for Zero Year, like GL Corps, Green Arrow, and Red Hood were exceptional as well, which just helps solidify Zero Year at our number 3 spot for 2013!
2013 was also the year Marvel Comics got “hip.”
Lance: 2. Hawkeye – The first Marvel series ever to be presented in Smell-O-Vision! Where else, but in the Eisner worthy Hawkeye comics, are you going to find a book from the perspective of someone who can only see three colors? Pizza Dog made Hawkeye #11 one of the best comics of 2013, courtesy of Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Matt Hollingsworth. “Pizza is my Business” is told through the eyes and nose of the most unlikely of protagonists, Pizza Dog. The whole issue revolves around one solo dog’s adventure. That’s right: an entire issue from the point-of-view of Hawkeye’s dog — a challenging endeavor for any artist, yet what David Aja does in this issue is pure genius. The team also went on to spotlight Kate Bishop, who is also Hawkeye — as opposed to “Hawkguy” — and her slippery adventures in the City of Angeles. With FF, Young Avengers, and Superior Foes of Spider-Man (which I personally didn’t like, but Moody and supposedly many others did), Hawkeye also led the charge of Marvel’s newfound corner: hipster comics. (See more).
Gabe: 2. Forever Evil – Easily the best — if not only — thing to come out of Trinity War, this crossover event is as big as the Blackest Night series back in 2009. Every inch of the DCU is feeling the heat from the villains ruling the world, and this is definitely not a quick start-to-finish story! So far, the repercussions have been pretty huge. The entire world knows Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Cyborg is hanging on to life by a thread (or, a wire?), and it’s every villain for himself in Gotham! The crossover has even spawned the mini-series Arkham War, which is essentially a more violent, Bane-centered reprise of the old series Batman: No Man’s Land. The great part about this series is how deeply DC is exploring the hidden motives and personalities of the Crime Syndicate, and it really proves that no matter how organized villains may seem, they always become their own undoing! (See more).
…through countless bad crossovers to a year with something fun.
Lance: 1. Superior Spider-Man – The joint team of Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman have created something that the non-believers said couldn’t happen, an entertaining and intriguing Spiderman without the Parker. Through Superior storytelling and exceptional art, The Superior Spider-Man has done something that Amazing hadn’t done for years: delivering fresh stories and the most dastardly webheaded adventures. 2013 was an epic year for favorite Spider-Ock too: he dealt with the mental ghost of his former arch-enemy, alienated everyone close to Peter, created (and then lost the Superior 6) and almost got himself kicked out of the Avengers! Not too bad, Octavious. Even if it’s only a matter of time before the obvious refresh — seeing how ASM 2 hits theaters this coming summer — I look forward to the next chapter of Slott’s Octspider with Goblin Nation!
Honorable Marvel Mention:
–All New X-Men (For bringing back Jean Grey as *cough* underage hottie, and Bendis’ series impressed more than it disappointed.)
–Daredevil (Quality assured. Mark Waid continues his outstanding run with Matt Murdock after next month’s #36, with an All-New #1.)
–Kick-Ass 3 (Only technically Marvel, sure, but on here for being its usual Ass-Kicking self.)
–Venom & Scarlet Spider (For showing us that you ALSO don’t have to have Parker to tell quality stories, although, sadly, some of these titles have been canceled.)
Dishonorable Marvel Mention:
–Age of Ultron (Bendis makes my list again, this time for wasting a couple of years of many True Believers’ lives with a story that was worse than toilet paper!)
We all have to find love our very own way.
Gabe: 1. Batman: Death of the Family – If you haven’t read this, stop reading this list, go to the comic book store, buy, and read this series. Seriously, go ahead, I’ll wait. Done? That is why it made the number one spot. JOKER’S BACK IN TOWN, BABY! And this time, his vendetta isn’t just against Batman, it’s against every member of the bat-family. No one’s safe from this madman, not even the Arkhamites he used to share the asylum with. Oh, and Harley… Poor, poor Harley… Everything about this series makes you shudder, feel terrible for everyone involved, have this unnerving fear of DC’s most iconic villain, and still have some strange twisted respect for just how much he can fuck up everyone in Gotham! And all without super powers!! Scott Snyder had the entire internet taking bets on who wouldn’t make it throughout the story arc. Who is DC willing to kill off? The answer? SPOILER ALERT: Absolutely no one. Joker tore the bat-family apart, and nothing has been the same since, and he did it without killing anyone in a mask. Even the subtle details, like his skin-face-mask he wore slowly becoming more and more decayed throughout the book, and we were never really able to see his face beneath it. All of it added up to hands down, the best DC story of 2013. hahHahaheheheheHAhaAHAaAHAA!!
Honorable DC Mention:
–Superman: Unchained (Snyder made it to the list twice, so why not here, too?)
–Batman: Requiem (Robin’s dead. …*yawn* again…)
–Harley Quinn (It’s too early to say how good or bad this series is gonna turn out, but after an excellent #0 issue and a nice debut #1, I have high hopes!)
Though I woke up this morning knowing I had only one panel to cover — on my favorite Superior Spider-Man— I felt the urge to show up early. And thank God I did, because I was treated to an exceptional DC 101: Essentials panel with their talented editor-in-chief, Bob Harras, and the company’s other editorial big hitters, John Cunningham and Bobbie Chase, in the same room. If you have been following my most Marvelous coverage over the last year, you know very well that I eat, breath, sweat and shit Marvel. (Wait! In no way possible does this healthy Apostle “eat shit” — even with all the Embassy’s free bacon.) Surprisingly enough, the “House that Supes built” more than opened my eyes. DC Comics discussed their latest strategies with a very tight, admirable panel that has seemingly revitalized their line since I last took a look. It’s rather arguable that DC has taken a beating in recent times, in terms of its competition with the blossoming Marvel cinematic world and their rivals’ vast array of now movie-related comic titles over the last couple years.
“If you play your cards right, I may just become Spider-Man too! Haha hehehe hahahehehe haaa hah hahahaaa!!!”
No matter which side of the fence you’re on, there’s no question each company has had its share of immense geek backlash with all the serious changes. The New 52 has been a success — despite all its pundits — and Superior Spider-Man has caught a fairly good share of solid reviews as of late and is flying off the shelves.
Maybe web-heads are starting to accept all the nonsense that is Octavio Parker.
Or not. I was smart enough to slide in the prior panel with all the potential that was picketing fangirls/boys asking for SSM writer Dan Slott’s head on a sticky stick. Within these walls, even The Marvel Apostle himself has learned all kinds of interesting facts about where DC is planning to go on all sides of the mask.
Don’t bury me with a lo on.
From: comics with their new Justice League-centered Trinity War and ForeverEvil reign, to movies and their planned rebranding of the DC animated world with the New 52 stamp. Two years have passed since the DC “realignment” took over and it has done wonders for the Warner Bros/DC pocket books as you can tell from increased comic sales and the box office-crushing Man of Steel.
The biggest event coming down DC starts off with a supervillains orchestrated Trinity War, which pits the US government’s Justice League of America vs. the classic Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman run Justice League vs the ever dapper John Constantine headed Justice League Dark. After the dust settles and capes burn, the Super-villains will have taken control of the world leading to the DC main event of the year, Forever Evil. This will begin with a Villains Month in September, with all of the New 52 books being replaced by the likes of dastardly powerhouses Lex Luthor, General Zod, Joker, and even Killer Frost (hello Injustice!).
DC is also now all New 52, from comics to animation and feature films. Sitting through the panel/Q&A though, still left me with the vibe of a company that is still shrouded in the Golden Age, paralleled with a push for more of the digital. It’s a truly twisted function. The first question on the Q&A really delved into this notion, when a young fan was asked how he read his comics: digital or print. His response elicited a roar of applause from the crowd when he preferred the traditional smell of paper — something both Marvel and DC should remember when trying to push Digital on us Fans. The lad was then awarded a Kindle FIRE for all his concerns.
Oh, the irony.
Ending the DC101 panel, can really be summed up by a noted quote from John Cunningham. “Have you seen our films? We don’t do anything fast.” The question I was left wondering at the end of all this was, if nothing is done fast will that ever be fast enough to catch up to the behemoth that is Marvel?
Sure, now you’ve got Superman/Batman in the works — with whoever the new Caped Crusader is — but Marvel just showed off 3 of their latest blockbusters on Saturday at the Con, with a more promising teaser than you fellas for a fourth.
This is Kevin Feige. Don’t tell anybody.
Imagine the probable thoughts of Bill Murray from What About Bob?.
“I’m snailing!”
After my foray back into the original capes and cowls, I was ready for the Arachnid. Unless you have been living under a rock in the past year, Peter Parker is dead and is “never coming back” (until May 2014, you know…) and the Doctor Octopus has taken his place and is here to stay. I walked into this panel equipped with full riot control gear! Thankfully, both Kidpool and an overweight Rogue sat next to me, thus my life was sure to be saved.
To all my Ock shock, the Superior panel offered both a very controlled and docile crowd thanks in part to the Alpha Dog/fratboy qualities of both Arune Singh and Nick Spencer (The Superior Foes of Spider-Man). There was barely a mention of “Peter Parker is dead and not coming back…. No ghost…. No Parker.” With charm, humor and, perhaps, suspense, Marvel detailed the future of Spidey-Ock and how the company has fully embraced the Superior attitude of their Spidey books. Despite ruffling the red spandex panties of many Marvel die-hards, there’s no doubt the controversy has resulted even more readers to the Spiled-side.
“It’s amazing to be part of a story that upset so many people. It just means that you guys care about what happens, whether you loved it or hated it,” stated Superior‘s assistant editor Ellie Pyle.
The next 18-24 issues of the Superior Spider-Man seems to have Spider-Ock maybe biting off more then he can spin. Beginning with the return of Spider-Man 2099, the editor went on to compare the impact of issue #20 of Superior (with Black Cat) to Amazing Spider-Man #698 — when all the body switching first began. Finishing up the Spider-Ock announcements was the inevitable first meeting between Superior Spider-Man and “Flash Venom” Thompson, aptly named “Darkest Hour.” The panel even teased what would happen if Parker’s favorite symbiote was to ever come home to daddy and find out…there’s a new daddy.
Octopussy’s need lovin’ too!
The rebranding of the The Superior Spider-Man Team-Up will finally tell the tale of what Spider-Ock has planned with his collection of Sinister Six ole-mates; a new bowling league, it is not. Marvel’s latest entree in the world of graphic novels will also tapper over to Spidey with some of the best news of the day for Parker fans! Peter Parker is back with a sister, co-written with Mark Waid, but, sadly, the story will not be in current continuity since the events take place before Ock plays a bad version of Big on Parker called Family Business. The question I have though, if he has a sister where is she now?
Probably joining the X-Men.
Thehe future of the Scarlett Spider and the newly minted Superior Carnage also offered that Kraven the Hunter is coming for Scarlett in October, with no shot at Trick or Treats. According to writer Chris Yost (X-Force), there’s enjoyment in “watching Kaine’s very uneasily growth into a hero. We’ve moved him to Houston. He’s got this second chance at life, and things are actually getting pretty good. So of course, this is where it all kind of goes bad.” In the pages of the limited series Superior Carnage, Kevin Shinick is building a very new and very superior Carnage that will bring him right back into the Marvel universe. Whatever that means, hopefully he will just continues his crazy killing spree.
Despite all of the (cue Kanyeezus…) flashing lights, and even the ghost-like qualities of a phone in the floating voice of the scared-for-his-life Slott (least according to a fellow conspiracy nerd behind me) answering fan questions, The Superior Spider-Manpanel left me surprisingly upbeat. It certainly helped to have a shoutout to the team Man Without Fear, for Daredevil has without a doubt become the most consistent Marvel comic to his the shelves in years.
And now I kinda like the DCU. Happens.
So, congregants, my misted-over eyes just ascertained a perplexing situation. To my left, I have two Cloud Cosplayers asking me where I got my Aquaman kicks (I have a propensity for wearing everything DC, despite…), and a, perhaps, first ever black Emma Frost manwoman who I sure PRAY has been eyeing this section of the room for the last half hour for my seat. Either/or, it’s time this writer hit the bricks and yearn a saving grace from all this madness that is Comic Con.
