Thursday Morning Superhero

I am partly saddened and relieved to be missing SXSW in Austin this week.  While I enjoy going into the belly of the best and immersing myself in seas of people and technology, it is nice to escape the chaos and check it out via my social media feed.  While Marvel and other comic book publishers seem to be moving away from SXSW this year, I am happy to report that the tabletop gaming scene continues to grow.

Pick of the Week:
Ether #5 - Matt Kindt and David Rubin delivered a stunning conclusion to the first arc of Ether this week and I am chomping at the bits for volume two. In the final issue of this arc, we learn that Ubel is attempting to open up the connection between the Earth and Ether for his own sinister means.  The arc of this series is something to behold.  What started with a straggler who appeared to be entering the Ether in the same way one would use a hallucinogen, has evolved into a story of a man who fell victim to what he thought was his purpose in life.  We meet his wife in this issue, and learn of her sacrifice dealing with her husband and his obsession with the Ether.  I felt a real emotional connection to Boone and Hazel in this issue and really appreciate how much this series has grown in five short issues.

The Rest:
Batman: Rebirth #19 - "I am Bane" part four doesn't pull any punches.  The juiced up super villain is not too pleased with how Batman and others are working against him.  Batman isn't too keen on enlisting the help of Two-Face, Hush, Solomon Grundy, and others, but is still recovering from the viscous beat down he suffered in the last issue.  If this first issue is setting the tone for things to come, then there will be a stack of bodies in the wake of Bane as he goes after the Batman.  While this series has been steadily improving as Tom King finds his voice writing the Batman, but I wonder if I should switch to All-Star Batman and hop back on the Scott Snyder bandwagon.


Daredevil #18 - It appears that The Purple Children helped Daredevil reestablish his secret identity after the cat was out in the bag.  The Purple Children, of which their are five of, are the spawn of Zebediah Killgrave, a purple man who has the power to make people do whatever he wants.  Killgrave was working on some sort of device that harnessed the power of his children, and had sent a mob to collect the final two. These two ended up on Daredevil's doorstep, and the man with no fear was able to save them and now is attempting to stop Killgrave from completing his device and save the other three children.  It remains to be seen if Daredevil has the will to withstand the abilities of someone as powerful as Killgrave.  Charles Soule's run with Daredevil is rapidly becoming one of my favorite runs of all time.


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

Thursday Morning Superhero

I am going to forego my normal intro and get right into the books!

Pick of the Week:
Ether #4 - Matt Kindt has a gift when it comes to creating intrigue and really forcing you to focus on small details throughout his books.  Ether took an unexpected turn today, when we were introduced to Hazel and learned about her journey into the Ether as a child.  With no way of telling people where she had been for five years, she had to carry this secret until she connects with Boone Dias.  Through the fantastical art of David Rubin we are reminded that the Ether can be both amazing and utterly horrifying at the same time.  I look forward to learning more about Hazel (Kindt revealed some nuggets in this issue that have me salivating) and can't recommend this series enough.

The Rest:
Dept. H #11 - Another Kindt book this week?  With double the Kindt (Sharlene is also working on this title)?  Mia is not much closer to figuring out who murdered her father, but she has uncovered some evidence and had an epiphany that should provide clarity moving forward.  She had this vision as she recounted a story her father told her when she was younger.  It was a beautiful escape from the danger that her and the crew are currently in.  It finally clicked that the art in this series reminds me of Nausicaa in the Valley of the Wind and it couldn't be more appropriate.



Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #67 - The new arc of TMNT kicked off with a bang and I am quite concerned.  Slash was recaptured by government officials and they are attempting to control his rage and use him as weapon.  Meanwhile, Leonardo is struggling to get all of the turtles on the same page given the recent string of events.  Hopefully he will get things sorted out soon, because the government's first test with Slash is on the Mutanimals and it is a doozy.

The Walking Dead #164 - I am still amazed that this series is still chugging along and even more surprised by the supposed friendship between Rick and Negan.  One thing that Robert Kirkman has done is build a deep seeded hatred and mistrust in Negan.  No matter how many times he appears to have redeemed himself, you still don't trust his intentions.  Even after learning at what may have caused him to become evil incarnate, I can't feel sorry for him or trust him.  I hope I'm wrong.





Old Man Logan #18 - We reach the exciting conclusion to the arc in which Logan went to save a crew from a ship that had been overtaken by Brood.  Seemingly pulled between two different realities, he is finally able to free Jeanie and with her help subdue the beasts.  The vision of the baby he left behind in the wastelands haunts him and will steer his next course of action.  Really excited with the direction this series is headed.

Daredevil #17 - Daredevil's new arc kicked off in exciting fashion as Matt Murdock visited a confessional in a local church!  Nothing like sharing something that you feel shamed about with a total stranger!  In all seriousness, it is a fine vehicle for Daredevil to get something off of his chest.  The secret of how he put the secret back in his secret identity.  If you didn't know, his identity became known to the public and it created all sorts of problems for him.  Somehow he was able to put the rabbit back in the hat, and it will be interesting to learn how.  I'm oddly really looking forward to this arc.




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

Thursday Morning Superhero

Since next Thursday is Thanksgiving and one of my only weeks off each year, I thought I would open this week's post with the comic book creators I am thankful for.  I am thankful for the duo of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez who introduced me to the magical world of Locke and Key.  I am thankful to Jeff Lemire for making me a better father by reading the complicated father/son relationships that tend to remain central in his stories.  I am thankful for Brian K. Vaughan for continuing to push the boundaries and for gifting us the epic that is Saga.  I am thankful for Matt Kindt and his ability to cause me to question reality and to look for hidden clues beneath the surface.  There are many other creators that I am thankful for, but I feel I am starting to ramble.  I will finally say that I am thankful that smaller publishers are continuing to thrive and companies like Image, Dark Horse, IDW, and many others have provide creators the freedom to create such wonderful works of art.

Pick of the Week:
Ether #1 - It is a happy day when we have a new Matt Kindt comic and it should come as no surprise that it involves a mystery.  In what appears to be a classic whodunit set in the magical world known as the Ether, I feel that there is much to unravel about our detective and some of the interesting characters that populate the magical city.  Boone Dias is a scientist who has been traveling to the Ether's capital city, Agartha, in an attempt to gain a scientific understanding of knowledge.  On his most recent trip, his presence is requested by the mayor who needs his help solving a murder.  We learn that Dias has solved other mysteries by using the logic that is found on Earth.  In classic Kindt form we are introduced to a series of interesting characters and magical objects.  Among them is a bird known as the bloody screecher and a bullet that can change course mid flight.  While this side of the tale is enough to capture my interest, what Kindt reveals about Dias' life on Earth is what has me intrigued.  This truly is a story about two sides of a coin and it is going to be a blast learning about them both.

The Rest:
Thanos #1 - I cannot think of a better fit for a new Thanos story than having it penned by Jeff Lemire.  In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos is a power hungry Titan and a force to be reckoned with.  This is true in comic book form, but his past is filled with unrequited love and his familial relationships are a great fit with Lemire.  Thanos has returned to the Black Quadrant to reclaim his throne and restore his order once again.  His son and a couple of other Titans, teamed up with Death of course, have a plan to take it away from him.  Lemire wastes no time demonstrating Thanos' power and setting the stage for a family throw down.  Seems fitting with Thanksgiving only one week away.


Old Man Wolverine #13 - I hope you are all feeling as happy as I am that this week's entry includes back-to-back Lemire titles.  In the fitting conclusion to this series, Logan channels his time in the wastelands after he had given up everything to live a normal life.  While I love seeing Wolverine break out the claws and go berserk, it is always a nice change of pace to be reminded about how much he craves a simple life.  By channeling that desire and how truly caring he is, Logan is able to calm the young boy who has been leading the Silent Order in one last chance at setting things right.  Despite some very intense moments, the beauty that Lemire is able to inject in this final issue is a nice way to wrap things up.  Even if everything isn't fully resolved.

Batman #11 - While I wasn't feeling the last issue when Batman and Catwoman were scheming to break Psycho Pirate out of Bane's prison, I must say that this issue provided a pleasant surprise.  Things don't quite go according to plan and Tom King provides some nice surprises for his readers.  I will say having more Catwoman is always a good thing and I am intrigued to see how the Ventriloquist will pan out in the next issue.  I will admit the last issue had me fooled thinking this was a simple heist and I thoroughly enjoyed how things panned out.  Looking forward to issue #12.




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