Thursday Morning Superhero

With the Secret Empire event behind us Steve Rogers is back behind Captain America's shield. While I enjoyed the twist of him working with Hydra, I feel Marvel is sending a signal with this week's issue that they are moving forward with a new chapter. I don't know if that has anything to do with Mark Waid's return to the series, but it feels like an olive branch has been extended to "fans" who haven't been reading as of late.

Pick of the Week:
Paper Girls #17 - Thanks to the friendly teachings of Charlotte, the girls finally learn some key facts about the mess they have found themselves in and the readers can rejoice. While it isn't clear why they were selected and what their role will be, they are in the middle of a time war called The Battle of the Ages. After the invention of time travel men called the old-timers vowed to stop anyone trying to interfere with the past or peacefully explore it. Not everyone agrees with this notion, hence the conflict, giant robots, weird aliens, etc. The question remains whether or not the girls should trust Charlotte and the information she keeps on hear orange iMac. Love the nostalgia in this series and really like how we are starting to see the bigger picture. While there is still a lot to unfold, a big weight is lifted for readers of this series and it has me really excited about this series again.

The Rest:
Darth Vader #7 - Now that Darth Vader is in charge of the Inquisitors, the hunt for the few remaining Jedi is in full swing. Sadly Jocasta Nu, the librarian of the Jedi, has been given extra attention. Without spoiling anything, the Emperor has a special plan for her and one that requires Vader's direct attention. One of the tidbits I really enjoyed in this issue is that Vader considers the Inquisitors weak and pathetic due to their lives as former Jedi. He considers their teachings to be a great weakness, but feels he can change them through the force. Even the Emperor considers them severely flawed and is clearly using them solely for his own gains. Charles Soule is doing a wonderful job with this series and it remains one of my top books.

Captain America #695 - It has been a long time since Captain America wielded the shield and a long time since I have read a Mark Waid title. This isn't intentional as he is one of my favorite authors, but something that hit me when I decided to return to this series. Waid pairs up with Chris Samnee for this issue, a one-shot that highlights what Captain America stands for and the importance of helping those in need. A nice touching issue that will move us past the "evil" Captain America who was a sleeper Hydra Agent. I admittedly enjoyed that twist, but am happy to see a return to roots.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Pick of the Week:
Southern Bastards #18 - I love how this series has evolved and continues to tackle some of the ugly issues of society that has reared its head as of late. While I agree with author Jason Latour that it is unfortunate that this book is more relevant given recent events, it makes it all the more important to shine a spotlight on some of the issues with race that we don't want to admit are still a major issue in our country. This issue pulls no punches and gives me a lot of joy knowing that Earl Tubbs' daughter is going to ensure that his killer's suffer a similar fate. An absolutely brutal issue with stunning visuals from Chris Brunner, Southern Bastards remains one of my favorite books.

The Rest:
Redneck #6 - The first arc of this surprisingly good series ended with a bang. The Bowman family finally gets closure on the death of Slap, but it comes with a huge cost and one that has me completely clueless as to where this series is headed. It serves as a grim reminder about the history of this family and the skeletons in its closet that it must continue to fight in addition to the stigma of where ever they end up. Now that I have the full arc in hand, I look forward to sitting down and reading it from the beginning. If you missed this series, I cannot recommend picking up the first trade when it comes out enough. Fantastic series that I hope continues to do well.


Rick and Morty #30 - As someone very late to jump on the Rick and Morty bandwagon, I am very happy that the Oni Press book is a lot of fun and will do a good job filling the void that will be left in us all after the season finale next week. This issue gave us a day in the life of Beth and the frustrations she faces on a daily basis. No respect for her career, a husband who is helpless, and a father who is constantly bringing in horrors from other dimensions and threatening the lives of her family members. At moments it was very heartwarming, but the unexpected ending brought us right back to the Rick and Morty universe and serves as a great reminder on why Beth is so stoic and able to deal with so much. Really funny issue.

Duck Tales #1 - The rush of nostalgia that I felt when I heard Duck Tales was coming back made me feel like a kid again and had me craving a big bowl of sugary cereal. IDW comics launched a Duck Tales book this week penned by Joe Caramagna and it is an absolute delight. The first issue featured two self-contained short stories that have the same humor and feel of the television series. Definitely recommend it to the younger readers and also recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the original series and is excited to return to Duckberg.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.