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WCBR’s Picks Of The Week

Posted on February 8, 2010 by rhilario

Alex’s Top Picks


Pick of the Week: Scalped #34 – Just a giant, momentous issue for this series and probably the most important issue the series has seen in quite a while.  Every character finds him or herself in a significantly new position, but cliffhanger’s also abound.   Red Crow has never been more of a badass, or more of a hero for that matter, while Dash has never been uglier.  It’s a subtle shift that Scalped readers will really appreciate.  Just a fantastic conclusion to a really, really good arc.  Trade-waiters are going to have a great one on their hands when this gets collected.

Most Anticipated: Unwritten #10 – While #9 was a surprisingly nasty issue, it also left this series in a very interesting place.  Carey pulled back the veil just a little bit and injected just a little more magic, and the result seems to be limitless potential.  I can’t wait to see where this series goes after the major events of last month.

Other Picks: Punishermax #4, DMZ #50, Batman & Robin #8, Secret Six #18, Amazing Spider-Man #620

DS’s Top Picks


Pick of the Week: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3 -Amid a relatively average field, Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3 took the title. Johns’ opus is showing us not only the nature of the power rings in the DCU, but the nature of the characters who wield them, including our favorite Amazon!

Most Anticipated: Batgirl #7 – Batgirl and Robin (explosive mix!) race into the devil’s Square to rescue Batman! Miller, Garbett and Scott continue to deliver a consistently strong DC series. Batman and Robin #8, guest-starring Batwoman is a close second!

Other Picks: Titans #22, Secret Six #18, Uncanny X-Men: First Class #8

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Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3 – Review

Posted on February 4, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: Greg Rucka (writer), Nicola Scott (pencils), Jonathan Glapion (inks), Nei Ruffino (colors)

The Story: Diana, just saved from being a black lantern, is guided by Carol Ferris as they go to fight the other black lanterns. Although the black lanterns are a big deal in their zombie apocalypse sort of way, a bigger piece of trouble is red lantern Mera, consumed by rage.

What’s Good: I’m loving Blackest Night not only because it expands the Green Lantern mythos, but because it really gets us into what the different colors of the spectrum are like and what it feels like to wear a power ring. In this case, we hear Wonder Woman’s monologue: “…to wear a power ring and feel emotion made manifest. To wear fear or anger of will or hope on one’s hand…” Geoff Johns’ Blackest Night is letting us see what it is to feel different emotions, what it feels like to belong to one of the other ring corps and it is cool. At the same time, the *reasons* different characters in the DCU were picked to be new lanterns is also very revealing of character. Check out what Carol says about Diana and about being a Star Sapphire.

On art, I have to say that the Greg Horn cover was pretty wow-worthy. Inside, Scott and Glapion told a pretty good visual story. I thought they hit the right level of dynamism in many poses and composed the layouts effectively. Better than that, though, were some of the full page moments, like the close-up of the star sapphire ring on the first page, the narrowing of vision around Diana and Mera with the lasso and the arrival of the cavalry on the back splash page. I also felt that the strongest piece of the art in this issue, what most jumped out at me aesthetically, was the color. I haven’t had that happen before, but the overpowering dominance of violet in the book, the hard, angry shards of red and the rainbow arrival of the cavalry really made an impact on my read. Good work Ruffino.
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Filed under: DC Comics, Green Lantern, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Red Robin #9 – Review

Posted on February 4, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: Chris Yost (writer), Marcus To (artist, despite what it says on the cover…), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Red Robin comes home, and tries to keep a low profile, but crime awaits and an old friend visits. But then, Batman’s arch-nemesis, the one Red Robin shafted last issue, reveals his plan for revenge. We all know what pay-backs are, right?

What’s Good: Yost, To, McCarthy and Major put a lot of feeling into this book. Despite the fact that Gotham is pretty much the crappiest place you can go in the DCU, Tim’s happiness is palpable, in the writing, in the half-smile he carries around and in the awe-inspiring landscapes he pauses over. Tim *loves* Gotham. This is his home, and Yost and To made us feel it. They also made us feel the teenage romance blossoming between Tim and Tam (don’t go there…). There are more than sparks, but neither has acted on it other than under near-death experiences, so the tension is high. And then, Yost hit the emotions again, when Tim is reunited with an old friend. There’s some funny dialogue, some awkward pauses and then real, real, real emotional connection. It is the mark of a good writer (and artist) to make me feel something when I read a story. Yost and To did that. And that’s without the surprise guest star at the end!

On the art, To, with McCarthy and Major, built a “noir-lite” mood in Gotham, with dark skies and falling rain splattering off of tough bodies. To and Major go for some interesting effects, speaking of the rain. With the lights in the background, they make the rain almost glow on the bodies of the hero and villain, giving this book a feel closer to the brightness of Batgirl rather than the somberness of Batman and Robin or Detective Comics. To’s art also lacks the grittiness of the Batman series – the characters and places are clean and mostly new. This also contributes to the sort of optimistic feel of the book. Tim Wayne is hopeful. He is neither hardened nor jaded, like Dick, Damian and Kate.
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Superman: World of New Krypton #12 – Review

Posted on February 3, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: Greg Rucka and James Robinson (writers), Pete Woods and Ron Randall (artists), Nei Ruffino (colorist)

The Story: Adam Strange and Kal-El are in a pickle. Adam gets them out, but not for long. Then Zod, out of nowhere, gets them out of the next pickle. Then Adam Strange is dismissed from the series as quickly as he appeared (Zeta beam = handy plot device for writers). Kal-El and Zod then set themselves to solving the ill-defined mystery.

What’s Good: For a brief time, Kal-El takes center stage and shows some backbone. The cover by Frank and Anderson is breathtaking. And the internal art and colors are bright and evocative: I loved the Zeta-beam effect (both times).

What’s Not So Good: You can tell from my summary that this issue suffers from the same lack of cohesiveness that has dogged this series all along. Things come together in the end, but the web of cause and effect is so loose, and even tenuous, that the reveal doesn’t unify this episodic story. There’s a rule in mystery stories: you have to be fair with the reader – he has to know as much as the detective, so that the reader has a chance to figure out the puzzle, even if they rarely do. The villain responsible for the illness among the laborers, the assassination of the councilors, and even the shooting of Zod, turns out to be somebody I can’t even remember having seen in the series more than a couple of times, and I’ve followed this title since issue #1. His motivation is opaque and his logic caused me to scratch my head. The writers weren’t playing fair with the mystery.
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Seige #2 – Review

Posted on February 3, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Olivier Coipel (penciller), Mark Morales (inker), Laura Martin (colorist)

The Story: Osborn has managed to start his war with Asgard pretty well. He’s got Thor down, the Asgardians are on the ropes and things look good, until Ares clues in that Osborn wasn’t entirely truthful. Divine blood is thicker than water and Osborn’s got to pay. But then, Ares has a problem: Sentry.

What’s Good: Coipel is always a treat to watch. My comic reading experience here slowed waaaay down, just to admire the beautiful pencils, inks and colors. Steve Rogers has a very definite look under Coipel’s inks. Ares, with or without helmet, is an awe-inspiring figure. The Sentry’s motion is so fast as to disappear in some panels in a style that reminds me a lot of Gene Colan’s art. The other artist that Coipel really reminds me of is Paul Smith, especially Wolverine. While Daken stalks Thor in Broxton, he looks so much like his dad did under Paul Smith in the Uncanny X-Men or in the X-Men-Alpha Flight miniseries. And for the fans of more gruesome content, you may wish to check out this issue if you want to see what Wolverine and Ares look like from the inside. I won’t explain – it’s worth the look…

The events Bendis has set in motion are a big deal. That’s good for a story and I’ll give you some examples of stuff that matters. Sentry is now a bad ass. Not only can I tolerate his presence, I actually like this brutal punisher that Osborn has on a leash. Captain America and Bucky are sorting themselves out, for the long run. They are each deciding who they will be. Osborn seems to be coming closer and closer to a comeuppance. Ares fights Sentry and it ain’t pretty. Steve rallies the divided troops. For a lot of reasons, this series is showing that it matters; events in this book will affect the rest of the MU.
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Filed under: Marvel Comics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

DS’s Top Picks

Posted on February 3, 2010 by DS Arsenault

DS’s Top Picks


Best of the Past Week: Green Lantern #50 – Green Lantern came out on top this week with another solid installment of DC’s epic Blackest Night.

Most Anticipated: Superman: Superman: World of New Krypton #12 – Robinson has delivered us an episodic, occasionally uneven year of Kal-El on New Krypton. Now, with the last issue, we will see if the destination has been worth the ride. This narrowly edged out Red Robin #9, which is the start of the new “Collision” arc.

Other Top Picks: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3, Red Robin #9, Ghost Riders: Heavens on Fire #6

Ray’s Top Picks


Best of the Past Week: Green Lantern #50 – Geoff Johns’ 50th issue might just have presented one of the most iconic moments of this year: Parallax reborn– Hal Jordan vs. the Spectre.

Most Anticipated: Superman: Sweet Tooth #6 – A new storyline begins. After being abandoned and betrayed by the man who saved him, Sweet Tooth begins the new arc in captivity. If the Coen brothers were doing comics, this would be it. Dark, depressing landscapes, ruthless and lonesome characters… Sweet Tooth has always been a pick of the week, catch up and see what the fuss about in this new first part.

Other Top Picks: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3, Red Robin #9, Demo #1, Batman: Confidential #41

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New Avengers #61 – Review

Posted on January 30, 2010 by paladinking

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Daniel Acuna (art & colors), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Dave McCaig (colors), and Albert Deschesne (letters)

The Story: The Avengers find themselves embattled against the Hood’s newly Norm stone-powered goons.

What’s Good: This issue is essentially divided into two separate, but parallel stories as the two Captain Americas battle the Corrupter and Living Laser while Spider-Woman and Spider-Man team up against Mandrill and Griffin.  All told, both sides are enjoyable and lead to an easy, readable book.

Spider-Man in particular is a joy to read.  It’s always a pleasure in New Avengers when Bendis is able to give him any form of extended attention.  The Spider-Man/Spider-Woman is certainly a surprisingly fun one.  Bendis exploits the gender dynamics, the similarity of their aliases (and surprising lack of actual similarities in abilities), and the opposition of Jessica Drew’s dour demeanor with Parker’s signature wackiness.  It makes for really fun reading, with Spider-Woman making for a very, very enjoyable straight-man.  Bendis’ use of Jessica’s Skrull detector as a kind of comic device certainly got a laugh out of me.

The Hood’s goons also show a kind of self-awareness that I appreciated.  They’re typical villains, and it’s weirdly fun to seem them trucking on, well aware of their being typical and their poor success rate.

On art, I really enjoyed both Immonen and Acuna’s work.  Both clearly have a field day with these D-list villains, giving them a campy, Technicolor sort of feel.  Immonen’s over-the-top drawings of the Corrupter are a definite highlight and his cartoonish sensibilities give the characters and actions a kind of fun vitality.  Acuna’s painted artwork is gorgeous, and does a lot to legitimize these relative no-namers.  The final splash, one of Mandrill and Spider-Woman, makes the ridiculous baboon actually appear horrifying.
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Filed under: Marvel Comics, Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Thor #606 – Review

Posted on January 30, 2010 by paladinking

by Kieron Guillen (writer), Billy Tan (pencils & inks), Batt (inks), John Raunch & Paul Mounts (colors), and Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: Thor battles the Doom-controlled Destroyer and Balder ventures into the Latverian dictator’s secret lab.

What’s Good: Guillen has done such a fantastic job in writing a comic so seamlessly linked to Straczynski’s work, if it wasn’t for the name on the cover, it feels like JMS himself actually penned it.  Given that this issue is meant to conclude  JMS’ run and tie up the loose ends, that’s a pretty big compliment.  It feels like an organic point of closure for the series and serves its purpose as a gesture to Thor’s re-integration into the larger stories of the Marvel universe.

Everything feels perfectly paced; I wasn’t left feeling that any of the major players had been brushed over or used merely as means to an end, nor did any scenes, narrative components, or subplots feel stretched or rushed.  Each conflict is more or less resolved in good, if expected, form and there really aren’t any needlessly dangling moments or deus ex machina troubles.

Guillen’s also proven that he can write some damned good bad guys.  Though a little more restrained this month, he continues to write a fantastic Dr. Doom.  Guillen has the balance of inferiority complex and arrogance down perfectly, without letting one overpower the other.  Doom never feels overpowered, nor does he feel like a whiny weakling.  He’s Doom.  Pure and simple.  Even when seemingly outdone, the issue also ends with a bit of a cliffhanger that is the specific kind of awesome that only Doom can deliver.

Loki is also as volatile and inconsistent as ever under Guillen’s hand.  At one moment, he’s working in complete cooperation with his fellow Asgardians, being a team player without being sycophantic.  Then, on the turn of a dime, he’s back to his plotting as one of the Marvel Universe’s key unsavory figures.  This night-and-day approach by Guillen is the perfect method for portraying the deceptive trickster’s nature.

Meanwhile, Balder has perhaps his most sobering moment and decision since Thor’s exile.  Guilt-ridden and increasingly conscious of the weight of the crown and, interestingly, his legacy, Balder is more intriguing a character than ever.  Guillen actually made Balder, a character I’ve at times found rather mediocre, compelling.

Finally, though I can’t remember being much of a fan of Billy Tan’s, his work on this arc has been nothing but stellar, and that remains here.  His action scenes are bombastic and loud, as befits an Asgardian comic and his Destroyer looks fantastic.
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Batman and Robin #7 – Review

Posted on January 28, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: Grant Morrison (writer), Cameron Stewart (artist), Alex Sinclair (colorist)

The Story: Blackest Knight, Part One: Pearly and the Pit: Last issue left Damian with five bullets in his body and no feeling anywhere. It also left us with the Red Hood’s rant that Dick was failing Bruce in not finding some Lazarus Pit to bring Bruce back to life. Now, Batman is in England, teamed up with Squire, beating up bad guys and on the hunt for a last, hidden, Lazarus Pit. There are explosive obstacles in the way and some surprise moments.

What’s Good: Morrison tackles one of the big plot holes in the whole death of Bruce Wayne event, which is: if there are a zillion ways to bring back heroes and villains from the dead, why aren’t they using one of them to bring Bruce back? The storylines of the death of Bruce Wayne and the Battle for the Cowl, to be realistic, had to ignore one of the central rules of comics, which is that no one stays dead except Bucky, Jason Todd and Uncle Ben (I’ll let you do the math). So now, Morrison is going to tackle this metaphysical and metafictional problem head-on (at the same time that Blackest Night is doing the same), so this will be a fun ride. On style, Morrison’s spare writing forces the reader to fill in parts of the story. He treats us like we’re intelligent and I like that. It also leaves a lot of room for the art to tell the story.

Cameron Stewart has some big boots to fill in this issue. Philip Tan and Frank Quitely both did superb jobs on Batman and Robin, and although the styles are different (most obviously, Stewart’s Batman appears shorter and heavier), he is up to the task. The early chase scenes are dynamic and clear as Batman surges through London traffic to meet up with Squire. Stylistically, Stewart is much less gritty than previous artists, maybe because they’re in a different city. The night action is bright and the walls and buildings and even the subway are all well-lit and clean. The coal mine was the big exception and it changed the mood for the better, getting Batman back to settings that suit him more.
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Justice League: Cry for Justice #6 – Review

Posted on January 28, 2010 by DS Arsenault

By: James Robinson (writer), Scott Clark (artist), Siya Oum (colors)

The Story: Supergirl has discovered out that Freddy is really Prometheus in disguise. An all-out battle follows.

What’s Good: Mauro Cascioli’s artwork was what held me to this book when everything else crumbled. You can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that Scott Clark had been subbed in on the art. However, Clark (who also helped out last issue) did a pretty good job of keeping alive the stylistic feel that Cascioli had established. Check out the gritty texture and the fine detail of Freddy changing into Prometheus. Or, look at how Clark did a brilliant job on the double splash page of stacked panels to show the JLA attacking Prometheus. Clear, dynamic and moment-to-moment. Scott Clark is welcome to pencil any series I’m reading!
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