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Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 17/01/2016

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Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

FaithNo1

Batman: Europa #1 (DC Comics)* – Yeah, I’m three months behind here, but after dropping the lackluster Detective Comics during the last crossover, I needed some Batman this week. I was not disappointed here. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Batman/Teenage Mutant  Ninja Turtles #2  (DC/IDW)* – There is nothing wrong with this second chapter. Nothing. It’s exactly the fun comic I wanted, and I love it. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Cage Hero #3 (Dynamite) – I don’t know if this has become a  guilty pleasure for me, but I’m enjoying this series. I can’t tell if it is being deliberately tongue in cheek,or if it’s just that cheesy, but either way it’s fun. Is it worth reading? Honestly, I don’t know – the review copy is entertaining, but I wouldn’t rush out to buy it. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Faith #1 of 4 (Valiant) – My reservations on picking this comic up were utterly groundless (that of a character spun out of Harbinger – a book I’ve never read), and I should have known that before going in because it’s a Valiant comic. The first of four issues is brilliantly illustrated, with some fantastic moments within the story where Faith does what we’ve all done once or twice and imagines…. what if? This issue is fantastic, and is exactly why you need to have Valiant on your pull list. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Huck_03Holy F*cked! TPB (Action Lab) – Satan is pregnant with Jesus’ baby. But will the skate boarding son of God make it to the hospital in time, when an immortal is out to stop him? Holy F*cked! is as brilliantly wrong as it sounds, but it’s such a great collection that you can’t help but love it. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Huck #3 (Image) – Y’know I could talk about the emotional power in the largely silent opening pages, or the genuine warmth you feel when reading this, but why don’t you just buy the series so far and find out why I love this so much? Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

The Precinct #2 (Dynamite) – There’s a lot here that, in theory, I should love. Unfortunately, despite the fact that there’s a lot of boxes checked off in my “like” column this comic just didn’t do it for me. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it, but I felt it fell a bit short of the first issue. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Read

The Troop #2 (Titan) – Despite the promise shown in the first issue, I couldn’t help but feel that this comic felt familiar. The concept of a man (with a secret!) building a team of superheroes has been done before, and in enough cases it’s been done better. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Rebels #10 (Dark Horse) – Is, as far as I can tell, a standalone story. It’s also the first issue I had read, and I was impressed. Rebels is a solid offering that stands alone this week in terms of it’s setting, so if you’re looking for a comic that takes place during the Revolutionary War, then this is for you. If you’re not? Think about this anyway. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

 

Brett

Birthright13_coverAbe Sapien #30 (Dark Horse) – Beautiful art plus a new villain (at least I think he’s new), this is an issue that can be a standalone, but I’m sure will have some big impact. The Mignolaverse is one of the best out there, and this issue shows off why. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Batman ’66 Meets the Man From U.N.C.L.E. #2 (DC Comics) – The comic is campy goofy fun, capturing the two series it mashes together. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – I still go back and forth with the coloring but this series has no right being as good as it is. Didn’t think it’d work, totally does. Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

Birthright #13 (Image Comics) – The comic still continues to be entertaining, and there’s some solid twists and turns that have kept me on my toes. A fun fantasy comic set in the real world. Overall: 7.9 Recommendation: Read

Citizen Jack #3 (Image Comics) – Can’t say I saw that twist coming, or is that realistic at all, but the sniveling campaign staff is spot on. Fun political satire. Overall: 8.1 Recommendation: Buy

descender09_CoverArtDescender #9 (Image Comics) – One of the best comics out there continues on doing so. Amazing read. Amazing art. Nuff said. Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Extraordinary X-Men #5 (Marvel)* – The series is growing on me, but it’s still missing something that makes it really stand out. I’m still interested in seeing where it goes though. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Hero Hourly #2 (21 Pulp) – How aren’t more people talking about this series. The biggest surprise of 2015 also is one of the best of 2016. Holy crap is it good. Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy

Huck #3 (Image Comics) – When I think I have Mark Millar pegged, he does a series like this. Still waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me, but so far an amazing comic. Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Illuminati #3 (Marvel) – Turn your brain off fun. The comic is giving us some interesting villains and great banter. A fun comic that definitely entertains. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis #1 (Dark Horse) – I hated the first volume of Leaving Megaloppolis, and was a Kickstarter backer. The rather incomplete, abrupt ending irked me. This new volume has been so long in the making I forgot much of the series, and this new issue doesn’t give me much to care going forward. A lot feels like we’ve seen it before and little is new. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

The Massive Ninth Wave #2The Massive: Ninth Wave #2 (Dark Horse) – I’m loving this new volume of the series which shows Ninth Wave’s actions before the crash. A great comic which makes environmentalism entertaining. Plus they’re self-contained stories, even better! Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

Robin War #2 (DC Comics) – The ending isn’t too shocking, especially the twist. Still, this event was entertaining and should shake things up nicely in the Bat universe. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

The Sheriff of Babylon #2 (Vertigo)* – Great police procedural comic set in Iraq’s Greenzone. I’m hooked. Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Spirited Leaves #1 (Chapter House Comics) – It reminded me of a Miyazaki animted film in many ways. A very pretty, almost poetic story. This feels like a fairy tale you might tell your child. Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy

Squadron Supreme #3 (Marvel)* – The first issue had promise, these past two, not so much. The series is very paint by numbers in its set up after a great start. So far, one of the biggest let downs. Overall: 6.8 Recommendation: Pass

The Violent #2 (Image Comics) – Holy crap is this good. We have comic of the year material here. Just heartbreaking in so many ways. Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy

Weirdworld #3 (Marvel)* – Could be Marvel’s best All-New, All-Different comic. Great art and a real fun story. Just fantastic writing with a great look. Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy

 

Elana

Catwoman 48Catwoman #48 (DC)* It’s a good Catwoman story. It posits that NYC is a place that Gotham’s rogues steer clear of because NYC but the NYPD is just that dirty and violent (I take it the creative team’s been reading the local news). The streetscapes in this comic ring true though the grand scale of NYC’s Selina’s safe house is far too large for anyone who’s last name isn’t Wayne. The art is inky and sleek and colorist Eva De La Cruz knocks it out of the ballpark. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Princeless: Save Yourself #0. Princess Adrienne has been flying across the land on her dragon, saving other princesses and she hasn’t had much time to save herself from social norms that still weigh on her mind. This is a wonderful exploration of a girl freeing herself from beauty standards. When she chopped her hair off I absolutely cheered! Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Red Sonja #1 (Dark Horse) This is a Sonja I’ve been waiting for! Marguerite Bennett shows her in and out of her element in a great introduction. She’ll be wrestling with some interesting politics in her homeland with her fists and her brains. She’s also scoring with ladies (whoop!). Looks beginner friendly too. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy!

 

Ryan C

code pru 1Code Pru #1 (Avatar) *: Garth Ennis is back at his tasteless best here, and without the editorial constraints that hindered him from going quite as far as you know he wanted to with All-Star Section Eight (although, hey, bless him for trying, and he did manage to at least get a rapping Phantom Stranger in there). Raulo Caceres’ B&W art is superb, with richly-detailed linework and lush expressions. Not sure how the two competing/corresponding plotlines to which we’re introduced — one involving our college-age heroine, Pru, and her various roommates doing some occult dabbling and some boozing (more of the latter, of course) and the other involving an extra-dimensional Cthulhu-esque entity playing checkers and trading barbs with his captor —will come together as the series progresses, but it’ll be fun to find out. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Snow Blind #1 & #2 (BOOM! Studios)**: Ollie Masters, last seen cooking up a pretty tasty crime story with Vertigo’s The Kitchen, hops aboard the “rural noir” bandwagon that’s been growing in the wake of “Revival” with this intriguing little four-parter about a teenage kid in BF Alaska named Teddy who accidentally exposes his family to danger when posting a picture on social media leads a killer to come after them — and to the revelation that his folks have been in witness protection since before he was even born, and never bothered to mention that pesky little fact to him, even once he was old enough to understand what it meant. The first issue’s a bit of an overly-deliberate table-setter, but such is often the case with short-run books like this; in #2, the mystery really heats up and events move into a decidedly faster and more dangerous gear. The loose, sketchy art style of Tyler(“Peter Panzerfaust”) Jenkins may be an acquired taste that not everyone acquires, but I dig it and think it suits the material just fine. Overall: 6.5 (5 for issue one, 8 for issue two) Recommendation: Buy

 

Shean

manchette_fatale_coverManchette’s Fatale TPB (Titan): I am moon big sucker for Crime Noir novels and Fatale is right up that alley. The Reader is introduced to the alluring character of Melane on her many adventures throughout Europe by way of train meeting individuals of different shades of integrity. Story feels very much like a cross between a Long Kiss Goodnight and A Rage Up In Harlem. By story’s end, you not only feel for Melane but you are rooting for her to fight on for another day. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: The Interconnectedness of All Kings TPB: Supernatural detectives are everywhere in pop culture most noticeably John Constantine Jim Dresden and the greenest one, Antoine Wolfe. Dirk Gently is quite different from all these characters, as he does not take himself as seriously as he comes off as a British Lupin the 3rd. We join Dirk and his cronies as they solve a very odd case dealing with Egyptian Pharoahs. By story’s end, the reader has gone on a whirlwind trip around the world, as he realizes the world needs his skills.

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write.

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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HERO HOURLY PREVIEW PAGE 01Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Hero Hourly #2 (21 Pulp) – The first issue of the first series from new publisher 21 Pulp took me by complete surprise Telling the story of a man employed at a minimum wage company who employs superheroes, Hero Hourly is a comic that, quite frankly, you have to be reading.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – Batman and the Ninja Turtles. There’s really nothing else for me to say about why I’m looking forward to this other than the last issue was actually really good.

Huck #3 (Image) – This comic just makes feel all warm and fuzzy inside. A great feel good series from Mark Millar (at least so far) that you should look into before the inevitable movie.

 

Brett

Top Pick: The Walking Dead #150 (Image Comics/Skybound) – It’s going to be a huge issue and it’s been hinted to expect fireworks out of it. Big anniversary issues like this tend to bring huge shifts in Robert Kirkman’s series, and I’m expecting no less.

Captain Canuck #6 (Chapter House Comics) – I’ve been loving this series and continue to do so. It’s a throwback to fun superheros without the gritty darkness.

Hero Hourly #2 (21 Pulp) – The first issue was hilarious and an amazing debut for this new publisher. I’ve been awaiting the second, and it’s one of the first comics I’m reading this week.

Legend of Wonder Woman #1 (DC Comics) – I really am not a fan of the main Wonder Woman at DC, but this digital turned print series is a breath of fresh air as it looks at the early years of the Amazonians and Wonder Woman as she was growing up. Much like Superman: American Alien, this is trying to get at what makes Wonder Woman wonderful.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #0 (BOOM! Studios) – I was never a Power Rangers fan growing up. I was just a bit too old and out of the age range for the show. Still, the concept was always interesting to me and I’ve been looking forward to seeing what BOOM! does with the series as a comic.

 

Elana

All-New Wolverine #4 (Marvel) – One of Marvel comics’ bests. Complex, haunted but heroic, Laura is trying to take care of her abused clones by seeking help from Doctor Strange! I never considered this team up and I can’t wait!

Constantine the Hellblazer #8 (DC Comics) – It is DC’s best comic. It’s about the mad, bad and dangerous to know exorcist who’d left his date in a bit of a lurch. It’s going to be great!

No Mercy #6 (Image Comics) – I hate Chad. I want him to die. He is an abuser and a bully and he’s on the cover of this month’s issue with a skull imposed over his head. So maybe this most brutally harsh comic will kill someone who’s really got it coming? Maybe?

Raven Pirate Princess TP Volume 1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Teenage Lesbian Asian Pirate Princess in an all-ages comic!!! One of the year’s best new series for older-kids and tweens (and adults who like things that are funny, exciting and feminist). Get caught up with the all girl pirate crew. A perfect introductory comic to the Princeless world of diverse, feminist heroic heroines who take no guff and save the day. Here’s my review of the first two issues featured in this compendium.

 

Javier

Top Pick: Slash and Burn #3 (DC Vertigo) – This is my top pick of the week. I happen to be a Volunteer Firefighter in the town I live in, so I’m digging this one at a personal level.

Bad Moon Rising #4 (451 Media) – This one is filling my Showhole left behind by the cancellation of Sons of Anarchy.  It’s got Motorcycle Gangs (possibly Buddhist), Werewolves, and a Murder Mystery.

Hero Hourly #2 (21 Pulp) – Who can’t relate to the plight of the under-paid and under-appreciated working man with super powers? And if you can’t relate, at least have a good laugh.

Limbo #3 (Image Comics) – More Detective Work in a Dead End … oops … in Dedande City. I recommend you snack on some lizards while reading it.

The Violent #2 (Image Comics) – A violence filled tourist’s guide to Canada’s Strathcona: the Canadian Brooklyn (condos and all).

 

Logan

Top Pick: New Romancer #2 (Vertigo) – New Romancer is the crown jewel in the Vertigo Renaissance and the perfect 21st century love story for someone who uses Tinder and OK Cupid, but misses the love sonnets and romance of yore. Plus Casanova and Lord Byron facing off is going to be a blast.

Red Sonja #1 (Dynamite) – If anyone had to take over for Gail Simone on Red Sonja, it’s Marguerite Bennett, who last wrote the She-Devil with a Sword in the funny, action-packed Red Sonja and Jungle Girl miniseries. I expect nothing but the best in interesting female characters, swashbuckling action, and tongue-in-cheek humor.

Robin War #2 (DC Comics) – The most woke crossover of 2015 comes to a close in the New Year as Damian Wayne doesn’t check his privilege and joins the Court of the Owls to fight Gotham’s teen defenders, We Are Robin, and their more seasoned mentors. It will be interesting to see if there is any last political commentary from writer Tom King, and the martial arts battle will be fun to see unfold.

Secret Wars #9 (Marvel) – This crossover has been a little uneven to say the least, but the previous issue had some Return of the King worthy pitched battles and sheer badass moments, like Doom crushing Thanos’ skulls. Hopefully, Jonathan Hickman sticks the ending in his Marvel epic, doesn’t just push the reset/reboot button via a plot device or something, and gives the Fantastic Four a sendoff worthy of Marvel’s First Family.

The Violent #2 (Image) – Ed Brisson and Adam Gorham are going into some murky, moral territory in their new series The Violent from Image, and he pulls no punches showing the effect gentrification has had on the city of Vancouver. I am intrigued to see how far Mason is willing to go to be a good father while battling the spectres of his criminal past and trying to make ends meet.

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – The Dark Knight,  Shredder, Turtles. Need I say more? Nope grab a slice and set aside some time for this one!

Secret Wars #9 (Marvel) – Come see how it all ends and how it all begins again. The conclusion to Marvel’s best event in ages. I’m with Uatu on this one, just want to be ringside as it unfolds.

The Walking Dead #150 (Image Comics/Skybound) – The big one. Let’s hope much more walking than talking. Oh yeah and blood. Lots of blood. Come see where Rick Grimes goes next.

 

Patrick

Top Pick: The Walking Dead #150 (Image Comics) – Tensions have been building in Alexandria over what’s to be done with the Whisperers, a rival community that wears the flesh of walkers. Rick has been struggling to maintain control. In this issue, we find out what that means for him. Negan made a name for himself fifty issues ago, and the Governor fell fifty issues before that. I wonder what will happen tomorrow…

Hero Hourly #2 (21 Pulp) – There’s really no reason you shouldn’t be looking for this book at your local comic store. Do you like laugh? Pick it up. Do you like grabbing comics that people will be talking about for years to come? Pick it up. Do you have a rash your trying to hide while walking back to work? Maybe… maybe this would work for that. But it’s a fantastic comic if you’re just looking for something to read.

No Mercy #6 (Image Comics) – The horrors that have befallen these students continue to unfold as they live in danger of coyotes, drug cartels and even each other. Don’t pass up the chance to keep up with who kills whom.

 

Paul

Top Pick: Extraordinary X-Men #5 (Marvel) – This title has been BANG since issue 1 and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.  New school in limbo; demons attacking; Mr. Sinister is back…and the reveal from the last issue!  Where is this going??  Loving the team line up and the art.  If you aren’t reading this X book, you better get caught up….I’ll wait.

All-New X-Men #3 (Marvel) – I wasn’t really sure I would enjoy the whole road trip vibe with the time displaced X-Men (as X-Force tried this way back when and it didn’t really work), but I’m kinda digging it.  Feels a little rehashed with the Ghosts of Cyclops coming across as junior Acolytes, but they are an interesting gang to counter our band of mutants so I’ll stick along for the ride.  Not really feeling Kid Apocalypse and Oya as part of the group, so I’m hoping they gel as the series goes on, but it is fun and I do enjoy the read.  But I am really getting tired of Angel treating Wolverine as the damsel in distress….enough already.

Scarlet Witch #2 (Marvel) – Honestly, Issue 1 was just meh (you can read my review if you like), I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t wowed.  I loved the art and I do have a soft spot for Wanda, one of my favourite characters.  I’m holding out hope that this whole ‘witchcraft is broken’ story really goes somewhere different and takes Wanda in a unique direction.

Secret Wars #9 (Marvel) – END ALREADY.  You’ve already launched your All New All Different; confused the readers by hinting at things in the new titles that haven’t happened.  You started with a bang…yes, you had some great tie ins, but lets be honest, you are definitely limping to the finish line.

Uncanny Avengers #4 (Marvel) – Like the last volume of this title, I just can’t stop checking it out….not that it’s good, I just can’t stop looking.  Maybe I’m hoping it turns around, maybe I just feel sorry for it, I don’t know.  I feel there’s potential here…I just wish it could be reached.

 

Exclusive Preview: Teen Titans #15

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Teen Titans #15

Written by Scott Lobdell, Will Pfeifer
Pencils: Ian Churchill, Miguel Mendonca

A “Robin War” tie-in! With Tim Drake missing, the Teen Titans track him back to Gotham City, where the Robin War rages—but Professor Pyg stands between the team and their leader.

TT_Cv15_ds

Race in Grayson #15

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Grayson 15I’ve been enjoying Grayson overall but I need to call attention to this issue’s handling of race, especially in context of policing.

As the second part of DC Comic‘s “Robin War” storyline, the issue begins with a grid of the faces of 16 young Gothamites of various races, subcultures and levels of costuming all saying “I am Robin,” claiming a mantle and identity for themselves that empowers them to fight for justice. It is also a statement of solidarity between youth.

Cut to a page of three white dudes and one light brown kid (I think, it’s hard to tell and Damian shouldn’t be white but he’s usually drawn that way) telling the young Gothamites  “no you’re not”. Dick then modifies that statement to be “at least not yet”.

Then Grayson, Red Hood, Red Robin and Damian Wayne go to teach the kids what it means to be Robin.

What ensues should be a cool training sequence but each of Batman’s former sidekicks are written as the most cartoonish versions of themselves. Each of their personalities polished down to almost a catchphrase. I sympathize with the writer Tim Seeley here– he’s been tasked with showing the difference between the four former or current Batman-approved sidekicks and he ties each to a particular lesson. It’s a sensible approach and I don’t know what I’d suggest he do otherwise. But it just comes off as trope-y and cliche.

Dick takes Duke Thomas on a training run– I enjoy their interactions here a lot. But here’s where the record skips; In Dick’s attempt to protect the We are Robin army of self-appointed Robins,  Dick leads them all into a trap to be arrested. He explains “I control the arrests, make sure they’re safe….Make sure they’re all safe and all ready to break out, when I figure this out.” Excuse me, but you cannot ensure the safety of black or brown people while they are being arrested or incarcerated (or lgbtq people or, or, or).

Dick’s actions are disastrous and a massive display of the character’s privilege (I can’t tell if new 52 Dick is supposed to be Romani or not so I’m not going to say white privilege in this case because who knows…)

People of color are regularly hurt and even killed in the process of being arrested. Remember Sandra Bland? Eric Garner? Being arrested while brown is not at all the same as being arrested while white, especially given the long term consequences of having an arrest on your record. Even if Grayson breaks them out and wipes their records clean they have still been forced into trauma by his actions.

The image of Grayson and Duke (who’s black) perched on a gargoyle with their backs to the wall, a GCPD spotlight focused on them while the cops shout “Hands! Hands! Now!” is incredibly disturbing, especially in light of Michael Brown’s murder by the police while his hands were raised. Perhaps this disturbing image is on purpose? I hope so. It’s the most effective page in the issue.

Dick then gracefully dives off the side of the skyscraper, balletic and free while leaving Duke in the clutches of the police. Quite the metaphor for #CrimingWhileWhite.

While I’m sure that other characters in the story are going to debate over whether or not Dick was wrong to get the Robins arrested, it is crucial for the racial implications of Dick’s actions to be addressed in this specific series.

I’m going to keep reading this series in the hope that the racial implications in this issue are explicitly addressed. I hear that in other “Robin War” crossover comics the police are cruising around profiling kids on whether or not they might be a Robin and arresting them for it. That would certainly work as a metaphor for certain kinds of police profiling.

This isn’t the only time lately that Dick has behaved imperiously in ways that hurt others. The fact that the creative team introduced Helena Bertinelli as a biracial woman and that Damian looks like he’s MAYBE supposed to be a person of color gives me hope here. If the next steps in the story address the racial implications of Dick’s actions I’ll be ecstatic. It would be worthy of Snyder’s breakthrough work writing about structural racism in Batman #44. I’m waiting….

Around the Tubes

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Around the Tubes

Panels – Need More Colors in the Rainbow: Jessica Jones and LGBTQ Representation – Warning spoilers, but a good read.

Panels – Read Harder: Comics About a Religion Other Than Your Own – A cool read.

Panels – Jessica Jones and Toxic Masculinity – Another good read.

ICv2 – Barnes & Noble Closing Fewer Stores – Well that’s good news.

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

Comics Alliance – All-New X-Men #1

Panels – Daredevil #1

Comics Alliance – Daredevil #1

The Rainbow Hub – Gotham Academy #12

The Rainbow Hub – Harley Quinn’s Little Black Book #1

The Rainbow Hub – Robin War #1

Around the Tubes

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The weekend is almost here! What geeky things are folks doing this weekend?

While you decide on that, here’s some comic related news from around the web in our morning roundup.

Around the Tubes

Mirror – This MP did an interview in front of a stack of graphic novels and everyone’s freaking out  – And the comic geeks continue to take over politics.

The Rainbow Hub – It’s Canon, Not Stucky That Needs to Go  – An interesting post on canon and shipping.

The Beat – Chip Zdarsky auctions rare Vader Down variant for Syrian refugees – Awesome to see.

Comic Vine – Donate to Comics for Soldiers – Help out with some charity.

The Nation – Finally, a Comic Series As Ridiculous as the 2016 GOP Field – Cool to see this series get some higher profile notice.

Arizona Sonora News – Feminism lost in comic books – An interesting read on women in comics.

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

The Rainbow Hub – Alias #11-12

The Rainbow Hub – All-New X-Men #1

CBR – Robin War #1

The Rainbow Hub – Rocket Girl #7

CBR – Sheriff of Babylon #1

CBR – Spidey #1

Talking Comics – The Totally Awesome Hulk #1

Review: Robin War #1

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Robin War #1The Robins face the Court of Owls!

In part 1 of this new epic, it’s Robins vs. cops! Robins vs. Robins! Robins vs. Batman! And Robins vs. the Court of Owls?!

Damian Wayne returns to Gotham City, and he is not happy. There are kids all over the city calling themselves Robin, Bruce Wayne is no longer Batman and the GCPD, led by the new, armored-up Batman, is cracking down on anybody wearing the “R.” And things only get worse when Red Hood, Red Robin and Grayson all come back to Gotham City…

When launching an event, especially one that ties in a whole bunch of various series, there’s a tough balance to make it inviting to new readers, but also paying off for long time readers.

In Robin War #1, writer Tom King does the impressive task of doing both. King does that in a few ways in the comic. For new readers, the comic explains what’s going on quite well in the narrative itself without the need for a quick recap page. King also uses many societal issues going on today, such as violence by police and citizens standing up, in the story itself which makes it something we can easily relate to (at least if you watch the news and don’t live in a cave). Even the enforcer for the establishment, mecha-Batman, is given enough to make his involvement be in a gray area and the character to have depth. It’s a one two punch when combined that makes this comic an easy introduction for new readers, and it’s impressive.

For long time readers, this is the first time that many of these elements have come together. The Robins, Damian, Red Hood, Red Robin, Grayson, mecha-Batman, and the Court of Owls, are all together for this event that looks to have everything explode. For me, two of the best additions to the Batman mythological world is the Court of Owls and the Robins in We Are Robin. One is a great villain that really feels like it can give the Bat-family a run for its money, and the latter is a creation to feels like it speaks to some of today’s issues. Just the idea of the Court of Owls going up against the Robins has me excited.

The story, especially King’s writing is fantastic. Absolutely hands down how a first issue should be.

But, it’s not all perfect. A varied group of artists handle that duty and there the comic slips. While the writing is solid, the art is a mixed bag with some being amazing and some far from it. In fact I’d say the fantastic art enhances the art that is less so in a negative way, partially because you go from one to the other without a clear chapter break. None of the art is horrible, some is just better than others and the switch in styles took me out of the story briefly. The comic would have been much stronger with one artist the entire way. And remember, art is subjective so this might not be as much of an issue for you.

As a whole, this is a fantastic first issue that brings together a lot of characters in a way that’s welcoming to new readers and should excite ones who have been around for a while, it got me excited. I can’t wait to see where this event goes, hopefully it continues this first issue’s excellence.

Story: Tom King Art: Khary Randolph, Alain Mauricet, Jorge Corona, Andres Guinaldo, Walden Wong
Story: 8.7 Art: 7.4 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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JR2_CoverB_VariantWednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Howard the Duck #1 (Marvel) – Chip Zdarsky is putting out one of the most entertaining Marvel comics around with Howard the Duck. My top pick was a tough decision between this and Johnny Red #2, and that’s honestly a good problem to have.

Bigfoot: Sword Of The Earthman #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – This looks like a mix of John Carter, Gladiator and Bigfoot. Which sounds amazing.

Extraordinary X-Men #3 (Marvel) – I actually never read issue #2 due a slight snafu with Diamond not delivering it to my LCS, so I’ll be getting two issues to read on Wednesday, and based on the buzz I’ve heard about #2, I’m excited for #3 as well.

Johnny Red #2 (Titan Comics) – This Garth Ennis penned series came out of nowhere last month to be one of the best comics I ended up reading with it’s tale of a Second World War British fighter pilot facing off against the Nazi’s in Russia. I can’t wait to get my hands on this issue.

Seduction Of The Innocent #1 (Dynamite Entertainment) – looks like an old school crime comic with some modern flair. My fancy is tickled.

 

Ash

Top Pick: Spidey #1 (Marvel) – As a huge Spider-Man fan I am always excited and interested in new titles, and this is no different. A fresh take on a young web-head…well it has been done before (Ultimate Spider-Man anyone?) but you know I am really excited by this new take. It promises to be fun, action packed and completely modern (#Spidey?). The artwork is bold, bright and as fresh as the plotline promises to be. For any true-believers out there, this is an issue not to be missed!

 

Brett

Top Pick: The Private Eye Deluxe Edition (Image Comics) – It’s actually a tough week for choices and I could easily do a top twenty myself, but I have to go with the Private Eye as my top pick. First, there’s a good chance you missed this when it was first released as a digital comic. Second, it’s by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin. Third, it’s fantastic. Fourth, this series was launched as a pay what you want directly from Vaughan, and is a solid example of disrupting the system successfully, so much so it’s in print. So, pick this up in print, or go and grab it digitally. Just make sure to read it.

Carver: A Paris Story #1 (Z2 Comics) – Z2 has been putting out solid books regularly and this new series has a nice throwback to 70s European action films. There’s lots of cliches, but that’s partially what makes it all really fun. This should be creator Chris Hunt’s break out series. Do yourself a favor and give it a look.

Johnny Red #2 (Titan Comics) – Did you read the first issue? If so, that should be reason enough as to why this is on the list. Writer Garth Ennis is taking on the classic character and doing so in a brilliant way. Just completely caught me off guard int he quality, because holy crap it’s good.

Sheriff of Babylon #1 (Vertigo) – I did an early review of the issue and it’s not what I thought it’d be. At its heart, Sheriff of Babylon is a crime comic set in a warzone. What’s really impressive and fascinating is writer Tom King’s use of his real life experiences.

X’Ed #1 (Black Mask Studios) – It’d be easy to just call this Inception the comic, but there’s much more going on here than a trippy dive in to someone’s mind. The comic has some really interesting twists and turns in the first issue that kept me on my toes, and that ending is rather intriguing. Black Mask Studios has had a string of hits and I expect this to be their next.

 

Elana

Cyborg #5 (DC Comics) – Writer David F Walker is doing something significant in sci-fi with this comic. It’s a superhero series about race. I’m a huge supporter of where he’s going with this. Listen to our interview with him a few weeks back.

Gotham Academy #12 (DC Comics) – This is one of my favorite comics and I feel like its been going under the radar. Amazingly written, a diverse group of kids, art that can be both adorable and haunting as needed. I don’t even catch all of the easter eggs and references to Batman lore from ages past but that doesn’t matter.  The school is haunted both literally and metaphorically and it’s impossible to not be invested in these stories. This is the last issue of a wonderful arc.

The Humans #10 / Image Firsts The Humans #1 (Image Comics) – If you’ve been reading this kickass 1970-biker-apesploitation series then you need issue 10, the culmination of the first miniseries. This month Image Comics is also reissuing number 1 so tell the fresh meat there’s something they need to buy for good times and cheap thrills. This comic feels like an ultra-violent 1970s underground comic, it comes with it’s own online soundtrack and the art is freaking flawless. Still not convinced? Here’s my review of the first part of the series.

Papergirls #3 (Image Comics) –  This is the new Saga: very friendly to non-comics readers, totally enchanting, breathlessly exciting and full of amazing female characters. Read J9s review of issue 2. Boy, that was a “heart in your throat” cliff hanger at the end of the last issue!

Space Riders TP Vol. 1 (Black Mask Studios) – It feels like 70’s Jack Kirby filtered through many levels of Heavy Metal Magazine (think Moebius, Druillet). Only more underground and loose. A bit of a space western with a Jodorowsky-ish flying skull ship! A more Red Sonja-ish Gamora. Christy Karacas (creator of the cartoon Super Jail) levels of choas and scribble. If my description makes sense to you then you’ll probably like this. If my description doesn’t make sense to you, and you are ok with that, you may like it too. “I like my coffee like I like my space: black and infinite”- Capitan Peligro.

 

Thomas

Top Pick: Robin War #1 (DC Comics) – Perfectly timed for the winter season, DC Comics is running a small event that crosses over the various Robin titles, bookended by these one-shots. Previews and solicits make this event look like it could be a lot of fun, so it’s a definite must-read!

All-New X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Continuing Marvel’s All-New All-Different launches, this gives Dennis Hopeless the chance to write young superheroes once again. The All-New X-Men – minus Jean Grey, but with Kid Apocalypse and Idie added to their ranks – are headed for a road-trip to decide their role in the future of the Marvel Universe. All-New X-Men may not be set to headline the X-Men range as it did under Brian Bendis, but it still looks set to be one of the most fun comics out there.

Exit Generation #3 (ComixTribe) – Sam Read and Caio Oliveira have been producing an unusual but fantastic series, steeped in sci-fi and with an admirable sense of style. Independent comics don’t often get the attention they deserve, and this series is one that deserves a lot of attention!

Invincible Iron Man #4 (Marvel) – One of the strangest shifts in All-New All-Different Marvel is a change in Mary-Jane Watson’s status quo. She’s going from a member of Spider-Man’s supporting cast to a member of Iron Man’s supporting cast, and this is the issue that kicks that off. It’s going to be fascinating to see how (not to mention why) Brian Bendis pulls this off…

Spider-Gwen: Most Wanted Trade Paperback (Marvel) – The first Spider-Gwen series (shorted to a miniseries due to Secret Wars) was tremendously popular, and this is the chance to collect it as a trade paperback! Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez pull off a tremendously fun story with energy and verve, and this book is sure to impress anyone who didn’t pick up the original issues.

DC Comics Celebrates 75 Years of Robin

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This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Robin, the world’s most famous sidekick! DC Comics is celebrating the Boy Wonder all year long including five new and returning comics commemorating multiple incarnations of the iconic character.

In addition to headlining Grayson, Robin: Son of Batman, and We Are Robin, he will also be featured later this year in a new weekly series, Batman & Robin Eternal, and “Robin War,” a crossover event that will begin this winter.

Batman & Robin Eternal, the sequel to the blockbuster weekly series Batman Eternal, will begin on October 7 with weekly installments over the course of six months. Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV will act as “showrunners” for the series with Tynion as lead writer. Supporting Tynion will be Snyder, Tim Seeley, Genevieve Valentine, Steve Orlando, Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly and Ed Brisson, all scripting key issues of the weekly series. Artists contributing to the series include Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pelletier and Scot Eaton.

The month of December will see a “Robin War” where Gotham Academy, Robin: Son of Batman, and We Are Robin will crossover for five weeks. These issues will be bookended by two one-shot specials written by Tom King and story by King, Lee Bermejo, and Pat Gleason, with art by Khary Randolph and more.

In order to commemorate the various Robins throughout the years, a brand new infographic was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con. Most famous is Dick Grayson, but Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, and Carrie Kelley have all proudly carried the moniker. Furthermore, the newest iteration of Robin in The New DC Universe now appears as the We Are Robin team, a group of teens who all embody the idea of Robin and bravely save the streets of Gotham City.