Thursday Morning Superhero

I am proud to report that Abraham's Army has raised over $2,400 for the month of Movember! To check in on my sad mustache or to contribute to the cause, click here.  Not a lot of books on my pull list this week, but very pleased with the titles I picked up.  The Wake from Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy was outstanding and a new Star Wars title from Dark Horse examines the life of Han and Leia's daughter.

Pick of the Week:
The Wake #5 - Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy should work on more projects together.  Murphy's ability to elicit emotion and horror pair perfectly with the heart-filled, dark stylings of Snyder.  This was a huge turning point in the arc that delivered on all levels.  It was exciting, terrifying, emotional, and surprising.   We learn that the rig was never the target, but that the mainland is what is at stake.  An all out charge is unleashed and our group of heroes make one last ditch effort to save the world.  It sounds cliche, but this story is anything but.  An absolute gem of an issue.

The Rest:
Star Wars: Legacy #1 - Taking place 138 years after A New Hope, Star Wars Legacy looks at the Star Wars Universe through the eyes of Ania Solo, daughter of Han and Leia.  She is a scapper who stumbles upon a communications droid that is carrying some valuable information for the Empire.  The first issue sets the stage nicely as the Jedi don't swear loyalty to the new Empire and the Sith seek to regain control.  It was confusing to think of the Empire as the good guys, but something tells me that power still corrupts.  Good debut for a series I will continue to read.

Daredevil #33 - Daredevils dance with the occult continued in this issue as he sought to gain some pages from the Darkhold, a mystical book.  While I enjoyed how light and fun this issue was, the monsters post-Halloween lacked their initial appeal.  It was a fine issue with a nice ending, but the monsters seemed out of place in a Daredevil comic.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Here is my round-up of the first week of comics in 2013.  As much as I wanted to read Fatale, I am switching over to the trades to save some money and try out some new books.

The Best:
Punk Rock Jesus #6 - All hell breaks loose in the epic conclusion to Punk Rock Jesus from Sean Murphy.  Jesus Christ and the Flak Jackets prepare for their concert in Jerusalem, we learn a shocking truth from Thomas' past, and we see the end of J2 as we know it.  There are some major secrets revealed that I won't spoil, and the comic ends in the most satisfying panel in a series finale that I have ever read.  There is a reason that this was on my list of best books of 2012.  Go read this series now!

Harvest #5 - We were left with Dr. Dane having just passed out after removing a bullet from his chest.  Issue #5 picks up the action right where it left off when Mariko injects Dane full of adrenaline so they can continue their pursuit of Jason and rescue Marta.  In an issue that features more kidney transplants, missing retinas, and provides more depth into Dr. Dane, I hope that this isn't really the end for the comic.  The ending wrapped up some things nicely, but definitely leaves the door open for more.  I am hoping that Image moved enough books to allow this series to continue.

The Not So Good:
The New Avengers #1 - This may be due to my lack of history with Black Panther and Wakanda, but this debut did little to grab my attention.  I wouldn't go out and say this isn't a good book, but given the context it definitely isn't for me.  Mildly interesting story with a very predictable final page.

The Rest:

Batman: The Dark Knight #15 - The fight between Batman and Scarecrow come to an epic conclusion in which we see Batman shoot his own blood into the streets of Gotham in order to counter the effects of the Scarecrow's latest toxin.  Fun book with a nice conclusion to this arc.

Morbius #1 - I gave this one a try on a whim and thought a vampire comic could be fun right now.  It turns out that I was right and I enjoyed the return of Morbius.  He just broke out of prison and is laying low in a town that is full of crime and corruption.  A fresh take on vampires that dispels many of the typical vampire myths (garlic, wooden stake, etc.) in the first issue.  Looks like Morbius is a character that wants to do the right thing, but ends up making things worse.  I will be on board for issue #2.

Top Comics of 2012

With a new year upon us and another great year of comics ahead, it is time to reflect back on what quality books were produced in 2012.  Without further ado, here are the top comics of 2012 in no particular order.

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf

Derf Backderf is an award winning political cartoonist who grew up an acquaintance of Jefrey Dahmer.    Backderf provides first-hand accounts of spending time with Dahmer at school and hanging around town.  While an amazing book, it is truly disturbing.  The insight that Backderf provides of the lonely and troubled Dahmer made this one of the most captivating books I have ever read.  This is without question a must read that I can't recommend enough.

Batman by Scott Snyder
When the New 52 launched I hopped on board and picked up quite a few titles.  As the year progressed, Batman was the only title that remained as a must purchase title.  The Court of the Owls arc is one of the best Batman stories that I have ever read and Death in the Family is off to a great start.  Another title that appears to be able to do no wrong.

Cow Boy by Nate Cosby
Without a doubt one of my favorite titles, and my son's favorite titles, of the year.  The playful art of Chris Eliopoulos and the writing of Cosby had me hooked when I read part 1 on www.cowboycomic.net.  Ten-year old Boyd Linney is a bounty hunter that is rounding up his entire outlaw family.  As a parent, anything that you and your children are excited about reading together is a wonderful thing, and Cow Boy is fun for everyone in the family.  I can't wait for the next Cow Boy title in 2013!

Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy
This mini-series from Sean Murphy was one of the best surprises of the year.  It is nice when a concept works better than you expect.  Punk Rock Jesus is about the clone of Jesus Christ being born to a virgin for the sake of reality tv.  This series concludes this week!  Definitely worth your time.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan's latest masterpiece has been named the top comic of 2012 and I can't disagree.  The star crossed lovers plot is easy to mess up, but with the rich world and characters he created, backed by the brilliant art of Fiona Staples, this book is one for the ages.

Locke and Key by Joe Hill
Quite possibly my favorite comic on the market today.  I have such mixed feelings about this comic ending its main story in 2013, but the world that Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have created is one of the most fascinating worlds that it has been a pleasure to journey through.  I have a bad feeling at least one of the Locke children will die, and that thought saddens me to no end. The fact that I can't stop pushing this title on my friends and have legitimate concerns for the characters should speak to the depth and love that Hill and Rodriguez have put into Keyhouse.

Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire
The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire is a haunting tale of fatherhood and family that connected with me on the first page.  In a story that draws comparison to the Twilight Zone, Lemire maintains a great deal of mystery, tension and elicits great compassion from his readers throughout this must read title.  A very quick, but very satisfying read.

Honorable Mention:
Walking Dead, Morning Glories, Sixth Gun, Deadpool, Daredevil, and many others I am forgetting right now.

Thursday Morning Superhero

The two big publishers both dropped bombs on comic readers this week.  DC launched its Death in the Family crossover event and Marvel began its post Avengers vs. X-men with multiple titles, including the belle of the ball, the Uncanny Avengers.   My LCS had a small launch party for Uncanny Avengers but it wasn’t enough to propel it into the top 2 of the week.  Enjoy this week’s installment of Thursday Morning Superhero and drop me a line at @newhousebailey.

Pick of the Week:

Punk Rock Jesus #4 – Yet again this gem from Sean Murphy is my pick of the week.  This issue is rife with tragedy, but we see Jesus embrace rebellion and truly become the Punk Rock Jesus the title has been implying.  At times I felt that Murphy was a little preachy (get it?), but the gritty, black and white art invokes empathy with this tragic figure created by TV executives and his struggles.   Seeing Jesus grow emotionally and begin to be inspired and inspire others was very satisfying as a reader.  The ultraviolence is this in this issue as we learn more about Thomas and his IRA past and in a memorable scene in which Gwen attempts to rescue her son.   Murphy delivers on his ability to blend action, drama, and humor in what has been a delight to read.  My only complaint is that there are only two issues left.

Runner-up:

Batman #13 – The death in the family story line begins with the return of the Joker.  Scott Snyder continues his brilliant run at guiding the Batman ship.  Joker returns to the Gotham City Police Department to steal his face back and continue his assault on Gotham and ultimately Batman.  With over a year since anyone in Gotham has seen Joker, even Harley Quinn is concerned with how he is acting.  I won’t spoil the cliffhanger, but it is going to be hard to wait until issue #14 to see what transpires next.  Clearly the best DC title on the market today.

The Not as Good:

MacGyver #1 – When I saw that MacGyver was back, in comic form, I was stoked.  MacGyver dazzled me as a kid with his ability to create a bomb out of endless combinations of 3 or 4 items.  The book begins with a mysterious email from an old college professor who is in need of help from the Phoenix Foundation and MacGyver.  From there a pretty ho-hum tale about a seed that grows in saltwater, corporations wanting to profit instead of ending world hunger, and with MacGyver probably saving the day, I will have to miss on issues 2-5.  I was hopeful, but disappointed.  If they want me back on the series I want a photo variant cover featuring Richard Dean Anderson.  Issue 2 really needs a Jack Dalton cameo as well.

The Rest:

Uncanny Avengers #1 – The aftermath of the Avengers vs. X-men begins with the formation of the Uncanny Avengers.  In a book that featured the funeral of Charles Xavier and the emergence of Red Skull seeking to wipe out the mutant race, it seems that this series may make up for the lackluster Avengers vs. X-men event.

Morning Glories #22 – Oh what a complicated tale Nick Spencer can weave.  I wonder if he has binders and binders full of the backstory of all of the characters at Morning Glory Academy.  When you think he can’t push you further as a reader, he introduces time travel into the series and a major character is shot.  I need to go back and reread to keep everything in line, but it is an enjoyable read so I am happy to.  

What I should have read:

Transfusion #1 – IDW released a new series this week about a dystopian future in which both robots and vampires need human blood for survival.   It follows the remaining humans and their struggle to reclaim normalcy.  Intriguing plot + good initial reviews = my weekend read.

Hoax Hunters #4 – The Hoax Hunters discover real life monsters and such and then convince the world they are a hoax.  Not a bad premise, but nothing I was too interested in.  Turns out the book is a lot of fun with likable characters and good action.  It has been well reviewed from the get go, but from what I read about the conclusion of its first arc I will have to check it out.