WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best Of The Past Week – The Manhattan Projects #4 – Well….now we know why the Einstein in this title has been a *bit* of a dick.  This series is doing some wonderfully inventive things and showing how Hickman operates best outside the confines of editors telling him where the boundaries are.  Left unfettered, he does warped things like this comic allows.  Also, this title is funny as we get a great “joke” from some aliens about how they destroyed some other civilization, ate their children and when the humans remark that the universal translator didn’t catch that last part, the alien says, “Umm…..it doesn’t translate well.”  That probably won’t turn out too well.  Runners-up: American Vampire #28 & Scalped #59

Most Anticipated This Week:

1. Mind Mgmt #2 – I LOVED the first issue of this new series from the fertile brain of Matt Kindt.  Having to do with a passenger plane where the entire plane is struck by amnesia mid-flight, this issue was the definition of fresh and new.

2. Sweet Tooth #35 – Only a few issues left on this wonderful series (I’m sick of saying that about Vertigo series, btw).  Tune in now to find out what caused the apocalyptic plague and what it all means.

3. Haunt #24 – This is a very different series than when Kirkman and Capullo were doing it, but now with some distance it has become it’s own fabulous thing.  The big attraction for me is the art of Nathan Fox.  I’m still waiting for him to draw that one special page that I MUST own.

4. Morning Glories #20 – In the last issue, Nick Spencer killed off my favorite character.  How will this series keep me so entertained without her?

5. Muppets #1 – Because sometimes you need to buy a comic for your kids!  Honestly, I have zero interest in Muppets unless someone does an alt-version of them.  But, kids love the things (my kid in particular) and there’s also a fascination with seeing how Marvel handles this property in comics.

Others: I Zombie #27 (I’m worried this won’t end as well as I’d hoped), Rocketeer Adventures 2 #4 (sure to be another outstanding anthology issue), Amazing Spider-Man #689 (love what they’re doing with Lizard), Avengers vs X-Men #7 (the last issue was actually good), Uncanny X-Men #15 (event tie-ins ruin otherwise nice runs).

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Alex’s Top Picks

Pick Of The Week: Justice League Dark #10 – Finally, FINALLY I’m getting what I want out of this title.  While I still can’t say that I’m a fan of the coloring, Lemire’s JLD is a totally different beast than Milligan’s.  It’s actually…exciting and fun to read, while still retaining that occult, dark, “Vertigo” feel.  JLD was one of the biggest disappointments for me out of the new 52 and it’s great to see it finally starting to live up to its potential.

Most Anticipated This Week:

Avengers vs. X-Men #7 – Last issue was a real game-changer of an issue, what that turned the event into something very different from what the prior issues presented.  What we have now is smarter, more thoughtful, and generally more interesting.  I’m very curious to see whether that momentum can be maintained, not to mention the role that the Scarlet Witch is going to play.

Sweet Tooth #35:  Every month, Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth is a solid read, but it’s never one I’m overly excited about, for whatever reason.  Not so this month, however.  Lemire is promising answers to some big, series-long questions: the cause of the plague and the origins of Gus and the hybrid kids.  I can’t wait!

Invincible Iron Man #520:  I’ve been banging the drum on this series for a few months now, but it’s really never been better than it is now.  This is Iron Man at its best and, frankly, I fear for the next creative team to take over after this dynamite story concludes.  Just a tremendously gripping read by a creative team that has an amazing handle on the characters.

Animal Man #11:  Really a no-brainer and one of the best, and most consistent, series at DC right now.  With the big Swamp Thing/A-Man crossover on the horizon, every issue of Animal Man is a cause for excitement.

The Punisher #13:  Another no-brainer and, in my opinion, the most overlooked Marvel comic currently being published.  Last issue was tremendous, as Rucka continues to spin a very unique take on the Punisher, one that’s intensely psychological, with Frank being, as much as anything else, a manifestation of various characters’ personal demons.  You want a smart, mature comic book?  Here it is.