There are few hotter writers than Charles Soule who seems to be popping out new projects like they’re PEZ. On Monday’s episode of Graphic Policy Radio, we spent over an hour talking about how he broke into comics and his current projects like Strange Attractors, Swamp Thing and upcoming projects like Red Lanterns and Thunderbolts and Letter 44.
This Monday is the latest episode of Graphic Policy Radio airing live at 10pm EDT. This episode we feature guest, writer Charles Soule. There are few hotter writers than Soule who seems to be popping out new projects like they’re PEZ.
You might know the writer from his cult indie comic Strongman by SLG, or his two volume series 27 by Shadowline/Image Comics. He was so good with that he’s recently taken over writing duties for DC‘s Swamp Thing, will be writing Marvel‘s Thunderbolts and DC”s Red Lanterns and this week saw the release of his Archaia series Strange Attractors in print. That’s on top of the series he has coming down the pipeline Letter 44 which you better believe we’ll be digging to get some scoops.
So join us this Monday to chat with one of the hottest comic book writers in the business as we chart his rise and figure out how he balances all of that with his music and more!
So call in with your questions, (619) 768-2952 or chat with us on Twitter @graphicpolicy
We’re also taking questions on Formspring!
Did you go to the comic shop yesterday? What’d you get or what do you plan to get this week when you do?
Around the Tubes
ArtsBeat – Superman Still Going (Very) Strong at 75 – Can’t wait to see what DC does to celebrate.
Around the Tubes Reviews
Comic Vine – Age of Ultron #6
Comic Vine – Bloodshot #10
Comic Vine – Daredevil #25
The Beat – Dial H Vol. 1: Into You
MTV Geek – Doctor Who #8
Comic Vine – Green Lantern: New Guardians #19
Comic Vine – Judge Dredd #6
Comic Vine – Justice League #19
Comic Vine – Nightwing #19
Comic Vine – Nova #3
Comic Vine – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Microseries #1 – Krang
Comic Vine – Thunderbolts #8
Comic Vine – Wonder Woman #19
Comic Vine – X-Factor #254
Comic Vine – X-O Manowar #12
This April, love AND betrayal are in the air as artist Phil Noto joins writer Daniel Way in Thunderbolts #7.
The Marvel Universe’s deadliest strike team take on a legion of robot menaces as the Punisher, Deadpool, Red Hulk, Elektra and Venom, paint giant targets on their back! But when the leader of these weaponized Crimson Dynamos has close ties to someone on the team, everyone is a target!
THUNDERBOLTS #7
Written by DANIEL WAY
Pencils by PHIL NOTO
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
ON SALE MARCH 2013!
It’s the first day of a new year and so that means we’re doing our “best of” listing of the top comic books for 2012. Generally these are comic books that came out in 2012, though some are from earlier times and I got around to reading them, or limited series that continued. Keep in mind, this is what I have read. If it’s not on here, I just might not have read it.
Hawkeye, Marvel Comics’ least likely hit is as cool as the minimalist covers by David Aja. Written by Matt Fraction with art by Aja, Hawkeye follows the Avenger and shows him not as his cockiest (as portrayed elsewhere), but instead as a character who isn’t totally sure of himself. The series is a deconstruction of this hero, putting him at the street level, as likely to take on Hydra as his is some petty street thugs who say “Bro” a lot.
The series shares a lot with last year’s winner Daredevil. Both have a pulp sense about them, but there’s something with Hawkeye’s simple story telling that makes it stand above the rest. The art, the story, the covers, it’s all there blending perfectly.
There’s a fantastic mix of action, humor and simple human interaction that pulls together to make it the best super hero comic I’m reading, but also one of the best debuts of the year. Hopefully the comic finds the audience it deserves as accolades are poured upon it, but if nothing else, this is a series that’ll be looked upon as at the top of it’s game, no matter the year.
Runners Up:
Writer Brian Wood‘s DMZ won last year, so is it any surprise his new series by Dark Horse is this year’s winner? This to me is not just the best non-super hero comic, but also the best “new series” and “best series” of the year. It’s that damn good. It’s the future after a massive environmental disaster and aboard a ship the Kapital is a crew of environmental activists on a mission to survive as well as find their sister ship The Massive.
The comic is as good as they come, with an amazing cast of characters that we slowly get to learn more about as layers pealed apart issue by issue. The world is destroyed and while familiar, the environmental devastation has left it so that we’re kept on our toes.
The cast of characters are some of the most realistic and interesting in any comic out there right now. It’s diverse and varied in backgrounds, motivations, attitudes, everything. There’s someone for everyone to cheer for and hiss at. We have heroes and villains and motivations that still remain murky and elusive.
The Massive is the one series I immediately read upon release no matter what I have going on. The downside is, I have to wait a month to do so between each issue.
Runners Ups:
Fairy tales are rather played out. Girl needs a prince to rescue her from the tower and to do so, the prince must defeat the dragon. Then, comes in Princeless, which takes all of that and skewers it with some of the best female empowering political/societal skewering this year. The lead is a female black princess out to save her sisters. It’s girl power and it’s awesome.
The sly commentary about society and gender roles makes this first volume and it’s two one-shots stick out. The fact it’s done in a package that’s as fun for kids as it is for adults, makes it one of the best of the year.
The comic has gotten praise, landing on a few other lists and even receiving Eisner nods, all the accolades are deserved. We get a second volume in February, and you better pre-order it to make sure you get a copy.
If you’re looking for a comic to hand to your kids, female or male, this is a great one to start, but lets be honest, it’s so entertaining, you’ll be the one reading it.
Runners Up:
Scott Snyder‘s Batman epic event Court of Owls was an amazing read, giving us a villain that seemed the equal or better of Batman. Something that hasn’t been felt in a long time. But, the story was helped by Greg Capullo‘s art. If you need evidence of how important that was, then go back to this issue. Though it came out in the beginning of the year, it’s stuck with me since.
Batman is captured and dumped in the Owls’ maze. As he’s drugged and descends in to madness, we’re taken with him. Before we know it, we’ve turned the issue on it’s side, then completely upside down as we go down the spiral with our hero. We’ve scene that sort of visual before, in movies, on television, but the tactile holding of the book, instead of the passive watching ads an element that drags us into the experience.
It’s a perfect example of the marriage of story and art and why comics are an entertainment medium unlike any other.
I’ve loved Marvel’s Thunderbolts in ever version we’ve gotten over the years. Even their latest time travel spin, while silly at times, ended well enough to justify the trip. Marvel NOW! was supposed to be the best creative teams creating some of the best comics, but this first issue is such a stinker, it’s sad and I wonder how it got approved.
The issue is the very non-creative gathering of the members of the team. In a movie, it’d maybe be 10 or 15 minutes, and possibly covered in the opening credits. Add on top of it we wonder how General Ross is getting from place to place, the entire issue is poorly plotted, thought out and just beyond boring. Add in a waste of art talent and I can only hope things get better going forward, cause this was really bad.
It’s a shame to see such cool character be used so poorly with a set-up that is predictable and at the same time, make no sense. The fact this is supposed to get people excited and draw them in since it’s Marvel NOW! just makes it even more of a travesty.
Runners Up:
Take a complicated subject of economics and most people’s eyes glaze over just before they fall asleep. What this graphic novel does, is take a complicated and dense subject and makes it easy to understand, and somehow does it in an entertaining fashion.
The graphic novel begins in the early stages of economics and follows through to modern times, including the fiscal meltdown over the last decade. Not only are the philosophies that impacted the thought of the time discussed, but the major events of the time are added in to give us a perspective as to how it all fits together.
The graphic novel isn’t preachy at all, instead it allows us to make up our own mind as to how it all works together. We’re presented with the history without the personal opinion or perspective (for the most part).
This is a graphic novel that should be a required reading in all high schools and colleges. Not only does it educated, but it also entertains. In one read, I learned more on the subject than all of my education put together. For that the graphic novel deserves accolades.
This is a prime example of how graphic novels and comics have transcended their origins and are more than silly heroes in tights.
Runners Up:
The Massive would put Wood in the running this year, but add in his run on Conan the Barbarian and his release of Mara and Brian Wood is the best writer this year. Each series is varied in topics and characters, but what they all have in common is strong characters.
Wood, throughout everything he’s written has focused on that. They voices he writes through run through the spectrum, and through it all he tackles some great socio and political commentary. His writing is a commentary in the world we live in or a world we could live in.
All three series are some of the top of the year, and with Star Wars on the horizon in 2013, there’s a good chance he’ll be towards the top of the list then too.
Runners Up:
Scott Snyder’s Batman event has given us a threat that really makes us think Batman has met his match. Talons, undead assassins are unleashed on Gotham to cleanse it and bring in the reign of the Court of Owls a secret society that’s been around since the cities’ earliest of days.
We got some retconning and wedging in of the concept, but it all works. Snyder pulled it off giving us a hell of an exciting story and one I wish went on longer. It’s only downside was it was too short, but I’m sure it’s ramifications will be felt in the long run, setting up a plot line for Batman that’ll be around for years.
Runners Up:
Is it a “genre”? We can argue about that, but lets face it, 2012 was a year we saw major creators shrug off the big two, instead launching creator owned series at other publishers, digitally or through Kickstarter. We saw more comics, in more varieties, on more subjects and more ways to consume them, than any time before. It really wasn’t the year of the Big Two, this was a year that we as consumers could find something that’d fit our tastes.
With more channels for distribution and more ways to produce comics, we’re in a golden age where the old ways of publishing no longer hold back the creativity that abounds.
Runners Up:
The game has gained numerous accolades in the video game industry. It released as episodes, mimicking comic books and the television series it built off of. You make choices and try to survive in a world filled with zombies, with your decisions impacting the story. It also was a break through for episodic video game content, something toyed with, but not really ever gaining the acceptance it deserved.
This is the video game based on a comic book that didn’t suck. Something rare when it comes to video games. A second volume is out in 2013, so expect this to make numerous lists then too.
Runners Up:
This was a juggernaut. The television series based on the Skybound/Image Comics comic dominated television, putting up ratings that haven’t been scene before in a cable television series. It crushes the competition in key demographic categories and only seems to be getting bigger and bigger.
It become a focal point between AMC and television cable companies in their battles this year. It also has driven people to pick up the source material. The Walking Dead television series has done what no other movie or television series based on comics has done, it’s driven people to buy comics. The Walking Dead trade paperbacks have been in the top ten of lists for much of the year and stores can’t keep them in stock.
Issue 100 of the series was one of the biggest selling comics of the last decade driven by the popularity of the television show. It’s back in February and I’m expecting only bigger ratings and fandom to come.
Runners Up:
Image celebrated it’s 20th anniversary this year, and it came back and kicked ass. Each released seemed to create bigger and bigger buzz with constant sell-outs. And should it be any shock this was the case? Image drew some of the biggest talent in the comic industry as creators threw off the shackles of the big two and instead released quality indie comic after indie comic.
There was something for everyone this year from Image, and they moved passed their reputation of big guns and pecks comics, instead bringing us varied titles that at times pushed the medium.
I’ll start off by saying there’s some great comics in Marvel NOW!. But, there’s also some real stinkers. We were promised the best creative teams tackling the best characters, but so far, this big shake up has seemed like business as usual. Sure, there’s solid comics, All-New X-Men, Thor, Avengers, but for each good one, there seems to be some turds too.
Add on top of that, a promise of promotion that hasn’t been scene. There was Jimmy Kimmel, but that seemed to make fun of comic books. There was Jeopardy that every contestant avoided like the plague.
What should of been a huge multi-media event instead turned into another launch point aimed at people already reading comics, offering nothing new or different. Just the same old comics, with different creative teams.
Sure there’s the Marvel augmented reality, but do I want to pull out my phone to read a comic? It’s a toy added to what should be the real draw, the comic story and art. This just feels like an accessory to the action figure that’s not needed.
We also have a release schedule that makes me slap my head. Some issues see their fifth issue out in less than two months. Some are a weekly release, some are monthly. This is overload of the worst kind when it comes to releases.
Instead of innovating and challenging what comics are and who reads them, we get what’s come before with some new polish.
Callum Israel is the main character of Brian Wood‘s The Massive. A former mercenary who worked for a Blackwater like operation, is now the leader of an environmental group trying to find their sister ship in a world destroyed by ecological disaster.
We’re still learning more and more about this character, much like everyone in Wood’s amazing read. We know were he’s from, that’s brought up a lot. We know a bit about his past and partially why he stopped his former life. There’s a gap however between then and when he became an environmental crusader and so much else we don’t know about.
A leader whose mysterious and tough. Israel is a character I want to learn more about.
Runner Up:
I thought long and hard about who should have this mantle. I decided there should be a couple of factors when choosing the “Publisher of the Year.” I wanted a “publisher” that not only put out solid comic books, but in this digital age, pushed the envelope some how. While not technically a publisher Kickstarter did both.
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform where individuals put up projects and people submit pledges to help those projects meet their goals. Pledges may contain various gifts back, like digital comics, printed comics, posters, prints, t-shirts or more.
Kickstarter is now roughly the third largest publisher in it’s output each month, but what’s more amazing is that it’s democratized the creation process. In the past the publisher was the one that decided what was printed and what the masses could read. Sure there was indie comics, but for the most part the the decision process was top down.
Instead, Kickstarter is a publishing platform, allowing creators to pitch their ideas and creations and allow the masses to decide what gets funded, and by being funded, what gets printed. It destroys the creation process and throws out the out-dated beliefs.
Comics you’d never see otherwise are now getting created and in to the hands of fans. Some of the most buzzed about projects are starting there first and then going to publishers. Some of the industry’s biggest creators are going there to get their projects out there.
Kickstarter has really gotten the ball rolling in a change that will fundamentally change the entertainment we enjoy and will eventually lead to a publishing process years from now we don’t even recognize today. What’s more amazing is, it’s just getting started.
Runners Up:
Avengers #1
I’ll start off all the reviews by saying for the most part I think Marvel NOW! is ho-hum. More of the same, but shuffling the chairs on the deck. If you wanted to know what I was looking for in these reboots/revamps/reboots, this is the comic. Avengers #1 from a solid team is the story and art I want in a comic. Holy shit is it a good first issue and one you should absolutely pick up.
The comic starts with Tony Stark coming to Steve Rogers with his idea about the Avengers. The need to go bigger to take on a big threat over the horizon. There’s lots of hints as to what’s coming and right away a small team goes up against some big baddies winding up right where that first issue should be. A large, huge team at the end waiting to kick-ass. that’s not a spoiler as everyone has said this book will have a big cast, this is the big team book. There’s also a great mix at the end with quite a few characters I couldn’t name.
The story, and how it plays out, is fantastic with sharp writing, pacing and the order of the scenes. It’s a team gathering story, but laid out in a much better way than the usual, show up and recruit the individual, you can read Thunderbolts for that. Instead, we’re thrown into the action and given some big ominous event to look forward to. The art of Opena too is amazing. This should be Marvel’s top book and it meets that high expectation, story, look, everything.
You want to know how good Marvel NOW! should be? This is the book you can judge all others by. The best debut so far of the bunch.
Story: Jonthan Hickman Art: Jerome Opena
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy
FF #1
FF was a comic I knew going into would be offbeat and a bit odd. Allred’s unique art-style was the tip-off to that. The story in the first issue plays off well from Fantastic Four #1 and it helps to have read that comic. With the Fantastic Four’s impending trip, they feel the need to put together a new FF team just in case something happens and the original FF don’t return in the four minutes they’ll be gone.
Yes, that’s right, this new FF team is being put together because something might happen in the four minutes the original FF might be gone. We all know the original FF will be gone for longer than four minutes, so it’s all a bit goofy really.
But, here, we get to meet the kids the make up the Future Foundation, perfect for new readers and each new member is recruited. It’s written for new readers, attempting to introduce them to characters they might not know. It’s all decent, but other than that, there’s not much in this first issue. It’s all set-up, which is fine, but having read Fantastic Four #1, there’s even less for me to read that feels new.
It’s just a first issue though and while the story might not be totally exciting, Michael Allred’s art is amazing. For that alone, the comic is worth checking out. He brings his usual style in what I’m sure will be the quirkiest comic in Marvel NOW!.
Story: Matt Fraction Art: Michael Allred
Story: 7.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read
Thunderbolts #1
Red Hulk, Elektra, Venom, Punisher and Deadpool, this new Thunderbolts team should be amazing. This first issue should have been full of kick-ass moments showing the down and dirty side of the Marvel Universe. Instead we get General Ross recruiting each member, who is embroiled in bizarre situations, making you wonder more why he’s talking to them in these situations and how Ross got there.
This is the “recruitment” comic I was referring to. Not much thought put into it, just discussion and an offer being extended. Yawn.
What should and could have been an explosive first issue, instead makes me want to blow it up with explosives. It’s not exciting, and is so cookie cutter in it’s execution it’s painful to read.
There’s really not much else to say. Steve Dillon’s art is exactly what I’d expect from his numerous runs with Garth Ennis on various comics.
Overall, crossing my fingers the second issue is an improvement, but really, it’s kind of hard not to be.
Story: Daniel Way Art: Steve Dillon
Story: 6 Art: 7.75 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass
This week’s pick is the return of Hellboy! Dark Horse launches a new Mike Mignola mini-series, Hellboy in Hell #1 which sees the big red guy deal with death and what comes after. I have no idea what came before, I just picked up the comic and dove right in and boy is it fun and entertaining and I want to see so much more. The story is great but Mignola pulls off his usual amazing art as well. If you’re a Hellboy fan or just a casual reader, absolutely check out Hellboy in Hell #1.
This December, prepare for a deadlier brand of justice like lightning as Thunderbolts #1 kicks offthe all-new ongoing series from the creative team of Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. As part of Marvel NOW!, Thunderbolts joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry’s top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!
Red Hulk, Venom, Elektra, Deadpool, the Punisher. Forget the courts, the jails, the system — this team of Thunderbolts fights fire with fire, targeting the most dangerous and lethal players in the Marvel Universe with extreme prejudice. Led by General “Thunderbolt” Ross, AKA the Red Hulk, this hand-picked team of like-minded operatives is going to make the world a better place…by all means necessary.
Marvel NOW! is the culmination of Marvel ReEvolution, the groundbreaking new initiative to evolve the comic book experience through innovation. With Thunderbolts, Marvel NOW! ensures fans will discover an entirely new perspective on one of the most popular super hero teams.
Each issue of Thunderbolts features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.
THUNDERBOLTS #1
Written by DANIEL WAY
Art by STEVE DILLON
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
ON SALE THIS DECEMBER!
Ok, time to kick this into overdrive and get totally caught up…..
The Avengers #25 – This was supposed to be a tie-in to Avengers Vs. X-Men, but really the connection is flimsy. It has a lot of wrapping up of the previous story arc, which for people wanting to get into Marvel’s big event throws you off. The characters are often off and the art is a bit of a let down. Overall, I finished the comic and scratched my head.
Story: 6 Art: 6 Overall: 6
Avengers Vs. X-Men #2 – The second chapter of Marvel’s big event is choppy and poorly written. I just can’t describe the issue, but the narrative just has tons of issues. It jumps around and just sets up a bunch of fights, that’s about it. For such a huge event, it really doesn’t hold up to what it should be.
Story: 7 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7
Batman #8 – The beginning of the Batman event, The Night of the Owls first issue shows off how it’s supposed to be done. Snyder’s writing is just fantastic. A solid comic in every way.
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5
Captain Atom #8 – I’m honestly shocked this series is still going and expect it to get chopped at some point. The series really steps it up a notch as there’s now a bigger story arc involving the destruction of the world and preventing it. The art is great, concepts interesting, people, you should be reading this!
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8
Fables #116 – So many story lines, so much to keep track of. The series isn’t quite as solid as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn solid. The concepts are great and I really have no idea what to expect next.
Story: 8 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8
Green Lantern Corps. #8 – Guy gets promoted and the Alpha Corps steps up. Overall a quieter story that I think is an improvement over the last few issues. Not amazing, but intriguing.
Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7
The Invincible Iron Man #515 – That was one hell of an issue. Tony is being attacked from all sides and the Mandarin sure as hell looks like he’s got a solid plan. There’s one shocker of a moment, one I wasn’t expecting and then a twist that I again wasn’t expecting. So good.
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8
Justice League #8 – Wow is the team filled with a bunch of dicks. This is a team I just don’t like. That being said, the Shazam back up story has a lot of potential actually giving us interesting characters and some emotion that doesn’t drive me away, but makes me want to find out more.
Story: 6.5 Art: 7.25 Overall: 6.75
New Mutants #41 – Wow did I not like this issue. I don’t know much about Blink, is she always this irritating of a character? It’s like an anime character I want to punch. And the art is so off. Not my cup of tea at all.
Story: 6 Art: 6 Overall: 6
Nightwing #8 – The Night of Owls starts here for this series, though it say prelude. It really jumps into the storyline. There’s a great backstory that’s told giving a lot of history of the Owls and it’s ties to Dick Grayson. I’m mix on the whole concept, but it feels like villains who can really challenge Batman and his family.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25
The Punisher #10 – The second part of the Omega Drive story, the action and banter is so good. This is how you do a solid crossover. Each character has only added to the story and brought out the best in each other.
Story: 9 Art: 8.5 Overall: 9
The Shadow #1 – I’ve like some Shadow comics, this, not so much. The story is choppy, some of it doesn’t make sense. I struggled to get through the issue. A shame, because I’ve really been digging Dynamite’s recent comics.
Story: 5 Art: 6 Overall: 5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Micro-Series: Leonardo – Leonardo meets the Foot Clan in the latest entry in this nice series of one shots that tie into the main series. So fantastic.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25
Thunderbolts #173 – The team fights their past selves and a plan to get to the present is set out. That ending, I wasn’t expecting that. But still, not a fan of the time travel story.
Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7
Uncanny X-Force #24 – Deadpool, Logan and Kurt take on the Age of Apocalypse Iceman while the Otherworld storyline gets wrapped up. The story is an absolute improvement over the last few issues, but the art is still off.
Story: 7.5 Art: 7 Overall: 7.5
Venom #16 – Venom is tasked on a mission to transfer a prisoner which goes awry. The issue is pretty solid and I definitely liked the ending. I just wish the mystery of who the assassin was went on a bit longer.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25
The Walking Dead #96 – Not a lot of action, but a very important moment as writer Robert Kirkman continues to drive the series in a whole new direction. Some major changes are under way.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25
Wolverine and the X-Men #9 – It’s a prelude to Avengers Vs. X-Men in an excellent issue that’s all set up. You can tell the tough choices being made, there’s some fantastic back and forth and great art. All of that dashed with a sense of humor. So good.
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9
Wonder Woman #8 – Wonder Woman heads to Hades to free Zola. The action is ok and take on Hades is interesting. Overall, the story is just ok. The series is definitely losing the steam it once had.
Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.5
X-Factor #234 – This is the beginning of a bigger story arc and with Jamie back, that’s the whole team. The series has always been about the interaction of folks, and that’s top notch. The art is a bit off and other than the lots of talking not a lot happens, but it’s really damn entertaining.
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75
X-Men #27 – The X-Men’s battle by the side of the vampires ends. I yawn. There’s lots of set up, but for all of the action it seems like it’s just a dangling story and not complete…. sigh.
Story: 6.75 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75
Ok, I slowed down in the whole catching up on my reviews thing… but back to it and hopefully I’ll totally be caught up by the end of June… if not sooner.
Age of Apocalypse #2 – The remaining resistance is on the run and Jean Grey and Sabretooth’s role is still up in the air. The series is solid and different, with some solid art. The series is different enough to stand out from the rest of the “X” books. I missed the original Age of Apocalypse, so this’ll do for me.
Story: 7.75 Art: 8 Overall: 7.75
American Vampire #25 – Scott Snyder’s series is amazing and this issue ties so many threads together. I can’t wait to see what he does and what he has in store for the series. I can’t get enough of this series and it absolutely shows off why Snyder is one of the best writers out there.
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5
Animal Man #8 – The battle against the Rot continues as Animal Man and Swamp Thing are going to team up and collide. The series shows that the Vertigo feel can work and work well in the modern DC universe. The art is solid on top of it. This is one of the best series to come out of DC’s relaunch.
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8
Avengers Academy #28 – The team up with the Runaways continues and there’s a bunch I like, and a lot I don’t. The series just feels like the B-team for Avengers. We’ll see where it goes, but hopefully post Avengers Vs. X-Men the series will get a nice shake-up.
Story: 7.25 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.25
Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 – This is it? There’s some great build up and tension, but the old quote about sound and fury signifying nothing stands out to me. It’s just one issue, but I hope there’s more to it all than just this. The art is pretty solid, but overall, pretty meh so far.
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75
Batman: Detective Comics #8 – While the art is pretty decent, I think the story really shows how excellent Snyder’s Batman is compared to this inferior series.
Story: 7 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7
Batwing #8 – We find out the identity of Massacre. I can’t say I’m shocked. The ending to the first arc is ok. It’s not quite the solid series it was when it started, but still a nice addition to the Bat family.
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5
Brilliant #3 – A debate rages as to how to handle the discovery as the FBI attempts to put together what happened. This series feels like a tame Mark Millar series. Without the swearing and over the top violence. Not sure if that’s a good thing… either part.
Story: 7.25 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.25
Chew #25 – Tony is captured and this series shows why it’s one of the most creative and original ones out there. The story is as off the hook as can be expected and art entertaining as usual. A series that should be on everyone’s pull-list.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25
Danger Club #1 – The adults are away and the children will play. The adult super heroes might be dead, so the kids have taken over. The series just has awesome punch to it with solid art. It’s not totally original, but it’s damn entertaining.
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5
Daredevil #10.1 – A great point one that introduces Daredevil to new readers and catches them up on information you know. I’m loving the Omegadrive story. Watching the groups after it attempt to get it is beyond entertaining. Mark Waid is at the top of his game with this series and the art is amazing.
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9
Fairest #2 – The art is fantastic and story solid in this spin-off from Fables. Two issues in and you can see the series falls more into the fantasy end of things, picking up on some threads left from the main series. It’s only two issues, but it’s two solid issues.
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.25
Fear Itself: The Fearless #12 – So, Hellstrom is a bad guy in this book, but a good guy in Circle of Four and Journey? Get the characters straight!!! There’s some interesting stuff set up here, but overall, this twelve part series was a mess.
Story: 6 Art: 6.75 Overall: 6.25
New Mutants #40 – Douglock fights Ani-Matter and I yawn…
Story: 6.5 Art: 6.5 Overall: 6.5
Red Lanterns #8 – Take this story and switch the color to a different Corps… does it make a difference? No, not really and that’s where the story fails for me. Red Lanterns should have an animalistic feel to them and here they just come off like a bland version of Yellow or Green.
Story: 6.75 Art: 7.5 Overall: 6.75
Secret Avengers #24 – A cool story still with the team taking on various cyborg like beings in the Marvel universe that have come together. It’s a somewhat original story, and the art is pretty solid. I think the series is finally finding it’s footing.
Story: 7 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7
Stormwatch #8 – The team takes on a pretty huge threat and Midnighter makes a hell of a decision. The series is finally getting good for me, and hopefully it continues on this pace.
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75
Swamp Thing #8 – A series that’s been more Vertigo and horror than superhero swings the superhero way as Swamp Thing goes after the Rot in the beginning of a hell of a battle. Compared to past issues, the issue is just ok, but it’s one piece of a much bigger and excellent story.
Story: 7 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7
Thunderbolts #172 – The renegade Thunderbolts fight the original Thunderbolts in a pretty typical battle issue. There’s some potential here, but so far it’s pretty average but still somewhat entertaining.
Story: 7 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #9 – Miles meets the police and his uncle comes calling when he runs into trouble. The series continues it’s excellence as a new Spider-Man still gets his act together. The art is great and story solid.
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8
Venom #15 – Flash must deal with the last few weeks and his getting up and heading to Vegas. His personal life is unraveling while he deals with having been attached to Venom so long. The series is getting back into the swing of things focusing on Flash’s personal life as much as the superhero. That’s when it’s great.
Story: 8.25 Art: 7.5 Overall: 8.25
Wolverine and the X-Men #8 – The kids head off to find God (not really) while Wolverine deals with his getting beaten down at the Casino. Meanwhile the Hellfire Club hires Sabretooth to give them some tips which leads to Sabretooth fighting Beast in an awesome fight. The issue is all over the place and pure amazing.
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5
