This weekend I will take my first delve into the world of Dungeons and Dragons. I don't know how I avoided this game throughout my nerdy life, but I look forward to finally going on my first adventure. The reading I have been doing has made me wonder what comics would make for a good role playing game. I didn't back the Sixth Gun rpg kickstarter, but may have to look into it. Locke and Key would be amazing, as would this week's pick of the week Chew. I just wonder if there would be enough demand for it.
Pick of the Week:
Chew #58 - What just happened? Just when I think John Layman is going to zig, he zags and keeps me in total suspense. I was convinced this was going to be a tragic issue in which Tony Chu was forced to eat his wife to save the world. As I type this I feel like Layman has been playing me like a fiddle all along. That is too simple for someone like him and I have no idea how the end of the world will be prevented. Curse you Layman!!! I think what I will miss most of all when this series reaches its end are the absurd food related abilities that Layman creates. This issue features three brothers who are vireholitoriams (derived from the Latin words for manly, vegetables, and human), individuals who get enhanced strength from specific vegetables. That may sound random, but Tony Chu has a strong connection to beets and enjoys the bite he takes out of the youngest brother who is powered by beets. Small touches like this make it one of the most bizarre and enjoyable books and one that will be missed.
The Rest:
Dept. H #6 - It feels like we are nearing the end of this mystery, as Mia appears to have her list of suspects narrowed down. Matt and Sharlene Kindt do a masterful job weaving in flash backs to really develop their characters in a condensed time frame. Through the lens of Mia as a child, we learn so much about her upbringing and her eclectic dad (whose murder she is 6 miles beneath the surface trying to solve). The design of the underwater gear remind me of the robots from Laputa, in Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky. In a stellar follow-up to Mind MGMT, the Kindt family is a force to be reckoned with.
Batman #7 - The new arc, Night of the Monster Men, kicked off to a gruesome and appropriately titled debut. In what felt like a cross between Attack of Titan and what happens to Tetsuo in Akira, Gotham is plagued by a giant baby courtesy of Hugo Strange. Enlisting the help of Clayface, who is helping out the good guys, Batman, Batwoman, and Night Wing have their hands full. On top of this surprise attack, a hurricane is hitting Gotham and many of its residents need to be evacuated from the flooding. This arc looks to be high in intensity and will hopefully be a lot of fun.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #62 - It feels to finally be current with this series and a lot has gone down. For a quick update, Splinter has taken out Shredder and is now the leader of the Foot Clan. The Foot are supposedly loyal and doing good, but Michelangelo has had his doubts. In this issue Raph was finally able to convince him to set aside his differences and rejoin his family. It was a feel-good moment that was quickly dashed as Splinter and the Foot have an all out attack planned for a rival gang. I don't like the look of the new Splinter and worry that he is being corrupted.
POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.