WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Picks

Best From The Past Week: East of West #4 – This series isn’t slowing down at all.  One of the best experiences as a comic reader is to be there at the ground floor and see a new series really start to take off.  I think we appreciate it because we’ve been disappointed by so many series over the years that had an interesting concept, but never developed a promising story.  EoW seems to be doing just that and it even has a regular release schedule and glorious art.  Chew #35 was pretty hot too.

Most Anticipated: 

1. 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #2 – Sometimes we get more of something we used to love… and it isn’t all that good: The Star Wars prequel trilogy, The Netflix Arrested Development episodes, etc.  I worried a little bit that Brother Lono wouldn’t be able to capture that 100 Bullets magic, but it actually did better than I hoped.  Basically, it reminded me of those early 100 Bullets issue before all the mythology of the Minutemen and The Trust.  It also had one of those dual stories the way the best 100 Bullets issues always did.  Very new reader friendly.  If you haven’t read 100 Bullets and want a sampling, you could try this without any past experience.

2. Scarlet #7 – I know not everyone loved the original 5-issue series and the release schedule is very problematic, BUT……if you have even the slightest libertarian/anarchist/anti-establishment feeling in your body, you would probably really enjoy Scarlet or at least appreciate the uncomfortable questions it asks.

3. Elephantmen #50 – Usually a series does something kinda cool for it’s 50th issue.  It’s like having a birthday party!  I’m really eager to see what we get with Elephantmen #50 because the series always is so professionally produced: nice paper, excellent printing and color matching, great art, etc.  What will happen when Richard Starkings & Co. decide to dial it up a notch?

4. X-Files: Season 10 #2 – The first issue of this series really proved that you can go home again.  When I read the first issue, I actually heard the voices of the actors.  It was almost like having an audiobook.  They really captured the essence of the TV show and I hope it’ll continue.

5. All New X-Men #14 – I can’t think of a time when I’ve enjoyed a mainline X-Men book so much.  One of the things that really pained me when I returned to comics as an adult was how lousy and pointless the X-Men comics often were; the regular series seemed to be nothing but filler between events.  I know we have an event coming up, but the story seems to be a natural progression of everything that has happened in the X-books over the last couple years.

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Hugo’s Picks

Best From The Past Week: East of West #4 – You probably all saw that coming, yet I have nothing but love for that title right now. It mixes a lot of interesting themes in a setting that begs to be developed with characters that demands to have your immersion considering how mysterious, yet full of live they are. Hickman and Dragotta have struck gold right now with that series of theirs and I do hope for their future that they’ll be able to stay on the same level of quality as it would be quite a boon for us readers if they managed to do so.

Most Anticipated:

1. Thor: God of Thunder #10 – With the absolutely amazing action issue we got last week, I do wonder how this issue will continue the conflict that is between the three Thor and the God Butcher. As long as there is that large scope and divine thematic by Jason Aaron and the wonderful and epic art by Esad Ribic, I see no reason to doubt that it will deliver.

2.Batman 66 #1 – Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case going into the craziest era of Batman’s history in order to deliver some nonsensical, yet delightful adventure? Sign me up, as I am sure those two can certainly give us something wacky and memorable.

3. Red Sonja #1 – Gail Simone can be hit or miss, yet when she is the former, boy is she amazing. Considering the fact we have a barbarian lady written by a writer who can surely deliver what can makes this certain character great, I’m sure we’re in for something special.

4. Deadpool #13 – The latest issue featuring such a concept was actually quite good, so seeing those two writers tackling the 70’s with characters like Luke Cage and Iron Fist seems like a hit to me. If they manage to give us something like the Iron Man issue in both art and laughs, it could be another classic to remember.

5. FF #9 – While I’m not exactly sure where this title is going, the ongoing shenanigans of the students and teachers of the Future Foundation are pretty entertaining. Combine this with the ultra stylistic art by both Allred that manage to homage the king of comics and this could be a pretty fun issue like all the others.