WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Picks

Best From The Past Week: Velvet #1 – Even though this issue was almost entirely set-up, it was a pretty enticing package.  It features spies, not superheroes.  That’s good.  It comes from a very pedigreed creative team of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.  That’s really good.  It’s set in the 1970’s.  That’s good because I love period pieces.  There’s just nothing not to like.  I’ll be shocked if this isn’t a proud member of my pull-list for the duration of its run.

Most Anticipated:

1. Saga #15 – This series is so good that it almost occupies the #1 position by default.  Brian K. Vaughn is so gifted at writing dialog that it makes all the other comics you read that week feel clumsy.

2. Infinity #5 – We’re almost to the end of the Infinity event and it doesn’t show any of those tell-tale signs of collapse yet.  No telegraphing of which notable character will die.  No sense that the ending will just trigger a new bi-weekly series that you don’t want to buy.  No using the finale as an intro of something else.  It seems like Infinity might actually be the event where Marvel learns from past mistakes….

3. X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 – So eager to see how this X-event wraps up.  I’m fairly certain that at least one of our current X-Men will get stranded in the past or future allowing their original X-Men counterpart to take their place.  That sure would be a nice way to deal with the growing problem that Cyclops has become a real ass.  Just toss him into the future (or past) and let the teenaged, idealistic Cyclops take his place.

4. Transformers: Robots in Disguise #22 – This is the final issue before Dark Cybertron.  I’m ready.  This is how you build anticipation for an event.

5. Kick Ass 3 #4 – Because Mark Millar almost always does something noteworthy.

Hugo’s Pick

Best From The Past Week: Hellboy: The Midnight Circus – It might count as cheating for some to pick a graphic novel instead of a regular issue for the top pick, but this was simply too great to put aside. It’s no secret I’m a fan of Mike Mignola’s creation, yet it’s with books like these that I can see why I love this universe and this character so much. Beautiful artwork, a gripping mythology and some good character work made this a delight for me on this week, making it earn the top spot. More of this, please.

Most anticipated this week:

1. Infinity #5 – The action in this event getting bigger and the cosmic vibes getting larger as a result, I am hyped to see where this is headed as we approach the conclusion. This is supposed to be the big ”Avengers fight back” issue and I am eager to see how Hickman will put it on the page, as well as how Opena and Weaver shall illustrate it as well.

2. Sandman Overture #1 – Yes, I am an heretic since I haven’t put this in my top spot. I have nothing but respect for Neil Gaiman and J.H Williams III and I absolutely adore Sandman as a concept and a series, but I am a bit wary considering the prequel nature of the whole thing. I’m sure all of this precaution on my part will end up being silly, yet just because of that it falls a bit short of reaching the top spot. I am still looking forward to reading it, though.

3. Avengers #22 – More Infinity is a good thing and this is exactly what we’ll end up getting in this issue. With the Avengers supposed to return to Earth in this issue, I am curious to see how Hickman will combine both fronts of his event into a single narrative.

4. Superior Spider-Man #20 – Dan Slott has teased this issue as being rather important to the whole narrative. Considering the fact that he said the same thing of issue #9 and #14 and that I ended up loving those issues, there is a high chance that this issue may end up having the same amount of quality to them. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to this book moving forward after the uneven Spider-Man 2099 arc.

5. Transformers: Robots In Disguise: The Transformers universe from IDW right now is simply fascinating. While this title is not exactly on the same level as MTMTE, it still is a pretty good title as it shows the more political implications of the end of the Autobots/Decepticons conflict. With Dark Cybertron soon coming out, I am eager to see how they will build up this event in this issue.