Thursday Morning Superhero

I wanted to open this week's post to draw your attention to the Comics Comics #1 Kickstarter.  Featuring the talent of Patton Oswalt, Paul Scheer, Megan Koester, and other comedians, this anthology pairs elite comedic and comic talent into what will hopefully become a quarterly anthology that will highly entertaining. There are still some amazing limited pledges left that are worth checking out.

Pick of the Week:
Leviathan #2 - John Layman's newest comic is an absolute delight. The U.S. government believes that something upset an underground ecosystem of dinosaurs that had been living underground peacefully for centuries.  The plan is to drive them to the surface to showcase the power and might of our military, but there is one scientist who is convinced that the Kaiju that wrecked New York City are monsters, not dinosaurs. Ryan learns his soon to be fiance was dappling with some dark magic and likely summoned something much worse than dinosaurs that have been secretly living beneath us. Sprinkled with some fun Chew Easter eggs and Layman's somewhat vulgar sense of humor, this is quickly becoming my favorite ongoing series. With each passing moment I struggle not ordering my own Leviathan plush from Skelton Crew Studio.  I have the Poyo plush and it is one of my favorite pieces and this comic features the first Chew collectible I ever had (the pink Chog).

The Rest:
Asgardians of the Galaxy #1 - Cullen Bunn's new series is a mix of Asgardian characters that I don't know a lot about and a family battle featuring characters I do know a bit about. With an intriguing cast of characters, including Valkyrie sharing a body with Annabelle (a bookworm who wants nothing to do with any fighting) and Throg, the Frog of Thunder! I have seen various collectibles of Throg and will admit that this is the first time I have enjoyed a book with him gracing the pages. It seems that there is an armada of spaceships featuring various outcast gods associated with the Ragnarok of their respective cultures. This type of power has caught the attention of Nebula and it is up to the Asgardians of the Galaxy to save the day! Packed with over the top action and humor, consider me officially on board.

Paper Girls #24 - The girls seem closer than ever to finally returning home in Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's time-traveling blast of nostalgia.  Erin is connects with the grandfather's mother (it is typical for this series) and learns that there may be a way back home. This is all happening as we learn that Mikey is suffering from a rare case of cancer created by time traveling (I think we will learn she has been time traveling for an extended period of ...time) and KJ gets gassed. I will admit that I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around all of the moving pieces in this story, but I don't think the grandfather is going to be happy that the girls are getting closer to home.

Star Wars #53 - Following Han's successful run evading Vader and his forces, Luke and the Rogue Squadron are able to join the fight somewhat evening the odds. It isn't quite enough, so Luke attempts to motivate Admiral Akbar to put together one last rally after his crushing defeat. Leia knows that this cover can help her infiltrate one of the Empire's ship, but it is difficult to put one past Vader. He seems to be connected to some sort of Force that makes it difficult to slip anything past him. Leia's plan appears to be no exception and we are setting the stage for an epic showdown in the next issue.





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

Thursday Morning Superhero

After a brief hiatus due to SDCC, our regularly scheduled Thursday Morning Superhero has returned. I am admittedly behind on my pull-list, but will work diligently to catch up. This week also marks the return of Gen Con so I am distracted by learning about what games I am currently missing out on. Keep your eyes peeled for a Gen Con post in the near future.

Pick of the Week:
Leviathan #1 - I am probably going to regret this, but John Layman's latest creation is well worth the price of admission. If you aren't on board for college aged students summoning a Kaiju that starts wrecking the place, the scene of Trump (my eyes are still hurting) being informed of the impending threat are worth the admission alone.  This book had me hooked with Layman penning a modern Kaiju tale, but knowing his take on the current administration and the additional humor that will come with that has me over the top on this book. This is not for the light of heart, but is going to be a book that is sure to entertain.

The Rest:
Paper Girls #23 - This remains one of my favorite series, but I think I have reached the point where I need to switch to reading the trades as to reading it issue by issue. Brian K. Vaughan has really woven an impressive tapestry, but due to the time I take off between issues I am not 100% on board with what is happening. I know the girls are trying to escape from the future in which they are currently in, but have lost a bit along the way. This week's issue was exciting and is setting up potential romantic futures and the return to the 80's, but I need to backtrack to remain properly current. I love the twists and turns that have been thrown to us readers along the way, but the time travel and competing factions has left me a bit confused.

Star Wars #52 - Marvel continues to do an amazing job with the Star Wars franchise and gifted us with an issue that pits Vader and Han Solo in a piloting duel! It features abandoned plans, C-3P0 being forced out in an escape pod, and a desperate message of hope. Scenes like this make me wonder what it might have been like had television and streaming had been as prominent in the early 80's. I feel all of these captivating side stories would have had a home on the small screen and would have been great filler between the films. Lacking that option, I am glad that these stories have found a home in comics and happy that both Dark Horse and Marvel have done a good job with this franchise.




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

Thursday Morning Superhero

Not a bad book in the bunch this week.  For the first time on this blog I delve into a new Monkeybrain Comic that is a great deal of fun and was treated to three new projects from three of my favorite creators.  Needless to say I had a smile on my face as I read this week's haul.


Pick of the Week:

Snapshot #1 - When Andy Diggle and Jock work together on a project, I will happily blindly throw my money at them.  Snapshot had me hooked very quickly and managed to leave me absolutely begging for more.  A comic book store employee finds himself in the middle of a murder plot simply by finding a cell phone on his bike ride to work.  For whatever reason, the killer sees value in him, but we will have to wait for issue #2 to see what is in store for Jake.  Diggle's brisk pace and knack for moving a complicated story forward with ease paired up with Jock's unmatched visual style and stunning use of black and white put this book on another level.  Not surprised my LCS was sold out and I had go the digital route with this one.

Runner-up:

Red Team #1 - Not surprisingly, Garth Ennis has created a franchise that is original and likely to be gripping and disturbing.  Red Team is a group of detectives that are very good at what they do, but like many crime stories, the drug lord that they want to take down is above the law.  It seems every time a witness is ready to testify they disappear or that his attorney gets him off with a technicality.  The Red Team does what you want the police to do in this situation, murder him.  Told through the perspective of a team member confessing his crimes, this book is smartly written and really sets the stage for what seems like a great new endeavor.



The Rest:

Phabula #1 - This week we are treated to a new title from Monkeybrain Comics, Phabula.  Written, drawn, colored, and lettered by Dalton Rose, Phabula is an exciting tale about a young sorceress who appears to be questing to rid herself of a deadly curse.  In issue one, filled with buckets of blood, she slaughters a horde of demons and Ogai, child of Gods, in her attempt to locate a map.  Rose's unique whimsical art creates a juxtaposition to the violence that is taking place on the page.  Throw in a dash of humor and you are left with a one-of-a-kind book that is sure to be highly entertaining.  Go buy it now on ComiXology for the low price of $.99!

Fearless Defenders #1 - Anyone who reads this blog knows that I greatly enjoy the writing of Cullen Bunn and the Fearless Defenders continues this tradition.  On the surface you are treated to a comic that feels like a summer blockbuster full of good looking women who kick a lot of ass.  Asgardian artifacts are stolen, vikings rise from the dead and Misty Knight, a bionic bad-ass, knocks out countless teeth.  When you dig a little deeper you see a story involving the destiny of Valkyrie and the return of the Doommaidens. With Bunn's skillful hand with wit and action and the phenomenal art of Will Sliney, Fearless Defenders should be quickly added to your pull list at your LCS.


Batman Detective Comics #17 - John Layman wraps up his Merrymaker plot as Batman uncovers the truth behind who the Merrymaker is and what his motivations were.  Layman's sense of humor shines through and his ability to script some of the most punishing panels is evident.  Reading almost like a standalone, the overarching plot involving Emperor Penguin is moved forward slightly.  I would guess that issue #18 would be a great leaping on point, but this one is enjoyable on its own accord.

Thursday Morning Superhero

For your viewing pleasure this week I tackled the conclusion of the epic Infinite Vacation, another installment of the Detective Comics, The Walking Dead and Negan, and a Star Wars comic that was quite enjoyable.  I love reading comics.

The Best:

Infinite Vacation #5 - It took 2 years, but the payoff was astounding.  Nick Spencer and Christian Ward created a beautiful book and a stunning conclusion to Infinite Vacation.  In this epic finale we learn of Mark's plan, which involved many other Marks, and his narrow escape to set things right.  What happens between him and Claire?  You should really pick up all of these books (only 5 issues!) and enjoy this twisted story with loads and loads of heart.  The design of this book alone warrants the purchase of a physical copy.  Ward outdoes himself and really delivered a stunning final book.  Click here to read my thoughts on the first 4 issues if you so desire.

Runner-up:

Star Wars #1 - Dark Horse has started a new ongoing Star Wars comic penned by Brian Wood.  If you are a fan of the original trilogy then I think you will be pleased with this debut.  Taking place following the conclusion of Episode IV, the rebellion is looking for a new location to establish a rebel base, but fear a spy is among them.  Meanwhile, the Emperor is displeased with Vader's failure and sets some things in motion that do not please Vader.  Very happy with the start of this series and I look forward to what happens next.

The not so good:
Repossessed #1 - I gave this title a shot in the dark in the hopes of discovering a new surprise book and was not successful.  The premise is an agency that, for a fee, will repossess demons from loved ones.  They are sent to pursue a client they don't feel is truly possessed and accept as it pays well.  Turns out, the demons are trying to trap them and they are in a hairy situation.  While the premise is OK, I can't say that the art or story did anything to draw me in.

The Rest:

Walking Dead #106 - Not a whole lot happened in this issue, but Kirkman is the master of delivering a final panel that leaves you begging for the next issue.  Rick finally finds where Negan's camp is and plans on finding out if Carl is there.   Some good zombie action and Carl continues to impress in a good issue, but one that left me wanting more.

Superior Spider-man #1 - After the events of Spider-man #700 I was intrigued enough to pick up this issue.  We get to experience Octavius at the helm of Parker and Spider-man and I found it quite enjoyable.  While creepy at times, when he is with Mary Jane, the internal struggle and the increase in intellect really breathed some fresh air into this franchise.  Definitely a good start to a series that I imagine a lot of people have issue with.

Detective Comics #16 - The Death of the Family event continues in this issue as Batman is trying to clean up the streets of copycat Joker gangs.  The difficulty lies in stopping the ones that are an actual threat and simply scaring the ones that are not legitimate.  This book shines in the second story in which we learn of the exploits of the new Penguin, the Emperor Penguin.  Clearly Ignatius Ogilvy is going to be a villain who will see a rise in power while Gotham is distracted by the Joker.  Well done Layman.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Thursday is here and it is time for another installment of Thursday Morning Superhero.  Another solid week of comics as we are nearing the end of 2012.  You know you are in for a fun week of reading when Deadpool and Hawkeye drop in the same week.  Two extremely different comics intended for two very different audiences that put a smile on my face while I turn the pages.  Oh yeah, and John Layman got into the "Death in the Family" event with Batman Detective Comics.  Good, good week.

The Best:
Hawkeye #5 - Matt Fraction's take on Hawkeye is quickly becoming one of my favorite reads.  The mini-story, "The Tape", concluded this week and it is just a pleasure to read this book.  Clint Barton's inner monologue is one of my favorite things in comics today.  My favorite was his "quote" from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  It went like this: "Hey, Sundance, don't jump out of windows tied up to chairs when ninjas are chasing you because you fall alone."  Fraction's unique humor that has been present throughout really carries this title.  Throw that in with the light feel that it has and Hawkeye is just plain fun.  This is quickly climbing my charts as one of the best of 2012.

Runner-up:

Deadpool #3 - Deadpool continues his quest to kill the remaining undead presidents with the help of Ben Franklin's ghost.  You read that correctly.  It is one of the reason's that I am so pleased that Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn are the current Deadpool scribes.  The duo maintains a good pace of violence, cheesy one-timers and presidential humor.  Richard "Tricky Dick" Nixon gets his in this issue which also featured an Arrested Development reference, "an illusionist Michael", and a request to Google a comedians name that provided no results for me.  Dan Travalena.  Maybe you will fare better.  Well, if you haven't already picked this book up what are you waiting for?  Didn't you hear that it involves Ben Franklin's ghost helping Deadpool kill undead presidents?

The Not So Good:
Avengers #1 - The Jonathan Hickan era of the Avengers began this week and I can't say I was too impressed.  It wasn't bad per se, but didn't really wow me.  The Avengers go to Mars to take on Ex Nihilo only to be defeated handily.  Captain America is captured and returned to earth to form a new Avengers.  That is about it for this one.

The Rest:

Batman Detective Comics #15 - John Layman and his current run with Detective Comics has its intro into the "Death in the Family" event with a bang.  The issue opens with Poison Ivy, fresh from her eco-terrorism against Penguin's empire, being buried alive.  Clayface has been duped by Ivy into thinking the two of them are in love.  The method that Ivy employs to gain control of Clayface is genius.  Batman intervenes and straighten things out, but Clayface is not a happy camper and Joker is taking Penguin to Arkham.  The end story alone is worth the purchase of this book and it looks like it might be the best title in the "Death of the Family" event.

Stumptown #4 - After reading the praise of this Oni Press title I decided to give it a go.  I must say that this felt like a good issue to jump in on as it was basically one giant car chase.  I am ok with this.  The action starts fast and heavy and is carried through till the conclusion.  The little things really add to the comic experience.  Stumptown utilizes forcing the reader to turn the page sideways and back based on the action on the page.  A gimmick that I feel works and brings me more into the story.  I am guessing there is more to the guitar they refer to as "Baby".  For the above mentioned reasons, I am in for issue #5.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Thursday morning is upon us and it is time for another recap of what comics I read this week.  That's right, it is time for Thursday Morning Superhero! My budget limited me from picking up some great comics this week, but I am quite pleased with my haul.  No real bad book in the bunch.

Pick of the Week:
 Chew #30 - Issue 30 of Chew is a landmark issue for multiple reasons.  It marks the half-way point in the series and the conclusion of the current Space Cakes arc.  This is a tough review to write because this issue features some of the humor that has sustained this excellent book, but also featured a very rare and dark moment that truly saddened me.  I can't say this book has evoked this type of emotion before, but I think it is testament to the characters and the world Layman has created.  I actually care about Tony Chu and his rag tag gang.  It appears that the path laid out ahead for Tony is going to be a rough one.  This book also featured a poster of a toilet seat at a hospital.  That is all.

Runner-up:

Uncanny Avengers #2 - Captain America and crew are still trying to deal with the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-men.  Cap wants to put together a new team that will have a strong mutant leader in an attempt to ease tensions on the homefront.  Meanwhile, Rogue, the Scarlett Witch and Professor X's body have been captured by Red Skull.  This book started a little slow, but I love me some Red Skull and his latest scheme didn't disappoint.  Really enjoying this series and can't wait for more Red Skull.

The Not so Good:
 Nowhere Men #1 - While this comic has me intrigued, I felt the story bounced around a bit too much for a first issue.  World Corp. is a group of four top scientists who are working on some pretty scary stuff, but I don't know what the true focus of the book will be.  It seems to be filled with good characters and an interesting premise, but it felt flat and didn't hook me.  This is one I will keep my eye on for future issues, but only if I hear good things.

The Rest:
FF #1 -Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four are leaving this dimension for a quest and need to find replacements to oversee FF for four minutes in their absence in case something happens.  She-hulk, Medusa, and Ms. Thing are quick to join, but Ant Man isn't so sure.  Interspersed with the kids' opinion about what FF is, Matt Fraction has a good balance of humor that keeps the pacing of the story fresh.  Something tells me that the four minutes with this crew in charge may be quite eventful.

Morning Glories #23 - More secrets are revealed about Morning Glories Academy and there are some hints about Hunter's origin.  Nick Spencer's world has grown a bit confusing with all of the flashbacks and the secrecy around MGA.  I am a happy reader as this book inspires me to reread this series from the beginning to see when the seeds were planted that lead to the payoffs in this issue.

Bedlam #2 - This issue continues the dark journey that was laid out in issue one.  We learn a little more about Mister Red, but there is a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding this serial killer.  The police have their plan, but the demented mind of this killer keeps things very fresh and interesting.  If this series continues down the path that Spencer has laid out thus far, it will quickly become one of my favorite series.