WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Picks

Best of past week: Saga #6 – Reading Saga is kinda like watching TV shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men (or Homeland or The Wire) in that Saga is so good that it makes other comics that you would normally enjoy seem mediocre.  Suddenly, the little flaws in The Walking Dead or Amazing Spider-Man aren’t so easy to ignore any more because you know it can be BETTER.  It’s hard to even describe, but Brian K. Vaughn’s scripts just flow better than most other writers.  The only other two writers in that same class right now are Scott Snyder and Alan Moore.  And, Fiona Staples’ art is simply splendid.  I love her economical lines.  If you haven’t been reading this, the first trade is coming out for $9.99 and there’s really no reason to miss it.

Most anticipated this week: 1). Scalped #60 – Good bye old friend!  I can’t really suggest this too much for folks who haven’t been following the series because it probably won’t make much sense to you, but for fans of the series…..I’d be surprised if any of us reads another book first on Wednesday.  Who will die?  Who will live on with the reservation?  And….what will Jason Aaron do for his next creator-owned project?

2). The Unwritten #40 – I recently went to the beach for a few days and reread the first issue of The Unwritten.  I’d encourage everyone who enjoys the series, but has felt a little left behind by this Australia story to do the same.  There are a LOT of nuggets in the first issue that shed light on recent events in the series.  It’s kinda amazing how well plotted this series has been with that first issue in mind.

3). Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom #1 – Mark Waid and Chris Samnee doing a Rocketeer miniseries?  Whoa!  That should be cool!

4). Planetoid #3 – I love alien world-building.  That was the great thing about Prophet before it descended into a big, fat pile of “Get On With It!!!”.  If you’re similarly frustrated by Prophet, check out Planetoid which has a very similar vibe to those first few issues of Prophet that everyone was so gaga about.

5). Rachel Rising #10 – This series was probably getting close to that “Get On With It!!!” point before last issue which offered up a LOT of explanations.

——-

Alex’s Picks

Pick of the Week: Fatale #7 – It’s really, really tempting to pick Saga again, but I’ll buck the trend and go with Fatale this week.  I’m loving this new cast of characters and Brubaker’s seedy, true-crim 1970s Hollywood.  It’s a really creepy period piece that has Brubaker and Phillips at their A-games.  Without a doubt, Fatale is among the very best books in comics right now.

Most Anticipated:  Scalped #60 – This is truly the end of an era.  Jason Aaron has set up all the dominoes perfectly, but it’s still going to be very sad saying goodbye to these characters and this world.  I remember chewing through the first four trades during a heatwave in a shitty apartment in England and I could literally feel the heat and dust of the Prairie Rose reservation.  I have fond memories of this book and I really do think it’s one of the best comics of all time.

The Punisher #14 – Unfortunately, not every series can be as lucky as Scalped and end on its own terms.  Greg Rucka’s Punisher has been my favourite non-MAX Punisher book of all time with a great supporting cast and a very unique use of Frank as a storytelling device.  On the plus side, it looks like Rucka and co. are going out with a bang.

Invincible Iron Man #523 – Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca’s definitive is not winding down to its close so much as winding up to it.  Every issue is a gripping read loaded with big moments and great character-work and this series, several years in, remains one of Marvel’s best books.

Justice League Dark #12 – Man, what a difference Jeff Lemire has made to this book.  Suddenly, JLD is everything I hoped it to be and is living up to its potential.  I love the use of the old Vertigo magic stuff like the Books of Magic.  Under Lemire, JLD has become the magic/mystic DC book you’ve been wanting.

The Flash #12 – One of the new 52’s biggest surprises remains consistently good fun.  It’s really a classic superhero book and one that revels in that fact.  I continue to enjoy the rapid-fire establishment of the Rogues in the new 52.  This issue is also solicited as being drawn by Francis Manapul.  I really hope this is the case as, no disrespect to Marcus To who is very good himself, but Manapul’s work is some of the best at DC.

Fatale #7 – Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Sean Phillips (art), and Dave Stewart (colors)

The Story: Josephine finds herself pulled into Miles’ and Suzy’s world of Hollywood cults and sacrifices, which may be more familiar than she thought.

The Review:  As much as I’ve been loving Fatale, two issues in, and I think this second arc is actually better than the first.  With only one time period to worry about, the series is more coherent and the plot elements easier to keep track of.

And speaking of time periods, Brubaker is knocking his creepy, occult 1970s Hollywood theme out of the park.  Hollywood has never felt seedier.  Brubaker’s use of hard to believe true stories of Hollywood cults and Sean Phillips’ art, which is portrays a world permanently stuck in a dusty, blazing hot sunset filled with desperate characters, Fatale is an immersive read that is truly evocative of the time period and location.  The best way I can describe it is that it feels as though the entire comic, its world and its characters, sweat.  The world is dark, shadowy, and seedy with horrors lurking just below the surface in a manner that is a mix of conspiracy thriller and Lovecraftian horror while characters seem to all have a vice over them, gradually crushing and closing in with every passing page.

Another aspect that, for me, has made this arc stronger is the Miles character.  Miles is very, very reminiscent of the very best characters of Brubaker and Phillips’ Criminal.  Once again, we have a bad guy finding himself doing good things.  The result is a character that is locked in a really compelling grey area, pursuing goals that completely contradict and run contrary to each other.  He’ll help out Jo, while secretly trying to profit from selling out Suzy.  The result is a character that’s in a kind of moral existential crisis – he’s a scoundrel and proudly defines himself as such, and yet he finds himself doing good things again and again, playing the hero and putting his neck out in doing so, doing things that run counter to the scoundrel he is.  So while he shoots up with heroin while plotting his betrayal of Suzy, he finds himself slinking around with Jo in graveyards filled with murderous cultists.  Miles’ narration in these situations is fantastic, as he finds himself unable to explain these contradictions.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best of last week: American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #3 – Not a huge surprise that this wins given that combining the talents of Scott Snyder and Dustin Nguyen is likely to produce very strong results, but even with high expectations the comic still delivers.  This sideline story in the AV universe is adding such depth to the overall series.

Most anticipated this week: 1). Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker #8 – Talk about a surprise!  I had just assumed this series would vanish.  I don’t remember that much about the overall story, but I can’t wait to see more of Joe Casey and Mike Huddleston’s delightfully raw look at a superhero “after the music”.

2). Saga #6 – This series is simple excellent.  Buy it!  I also liked the piece that was circulating the internet about how much more money the creators make doing Saga than they do working for Marvel/DC….made me smile.  The only bad thing about Saga is that it makes you realize how “meh” lots of your other comics are in the same way that Breaking Bad and Mad Men can ruin a lot of previously enjoyable TV shows.

3). The Walking Dead #101 – I don’t really know what to say here that won’t spoil what happened last issue, so I should merely say that I’m looking forward to it.  Or perhaps I could be vague like the solicitations for the series: “The characters try to move on from the horrible events they’ve just witnessed.”  Always captivating.

4). Saucer Country #6 – This has quietly turned into a very good series.  Folks who skipped it should keep an eye out for the first trade.

5). Avengers vs. X-Men #10 – This “event” has been a super-turd and shows you how screwed up superhero comics are that such talented creators can work so hard to make THIS, but I am anticipating it in the way that I enjoy watching a dumpster fire just to see what color smoke will come billowing out.  And what aromas!  It’s like burning diapers mixed with rotting meat.  Did Cyclops always wish that his visor covered his nose but he needed the Phoenix Force to make it happen?  Was the Phoenix Force always offended by Cyclops’ nose when he kissed Jean Grey and thought, “Someday, if I take over Scott, I’ll change his visor so that it covers his nose.”  Just remember: the creators of Scalped, Casanova, Criminal, Nightly New and Jinx worked together on this series.

——-

Alex’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week:  Venom #22 – A perfect swansong to a fantastic run, Rick Remender shows everything he brought to Flash Thompson in the span of 22 pages.  A great read with fantastic art, if you’ve not read Remender’s run on Venom, I highly recommend picking it up in trade.

Most Anticipated:  Wonder Woman #12 – A year later, this is still in my personal top 5 of the new 52.  I loved the big cliffhanger last month and this month’s issue promises a big punch-up and Zola finally gives birth, apparently.  In other words, this looks like it’s going to be a pretty big issue for Azzarello’s Wonder Woman.

Saga #6 – Saga is a must-buy and will be on this list each and every time it comes out.  Vaughan and Staples pack so much story and world-building into each issue.  Last month’s issue also ended with a truly out-of-nowhere, shocking ending, and I’m anxious to see the blowback and whether Vaughan sticks to his guns on it.

Fatale #7 – Another regular must-buy, this series is the definition of “the same, but different” with Brubaker and Phillips doing their thing…but with a horror/Lovecraftian edge.  Fatale is always a layered, brooding read that manages to also be exciting.  At times it’s hard to keep all the pieces straight in my head, but it’s certainly an immersive experience and I look forward to spending some time in its world each and every issue.

Avengers vs. X-Men #10 – While the last issue was a bit of a mixed bag, I have enjoyed AvX overall and while it may be a couple of issues too long, it’s still my favourite event by far since Blackest Night.  It’s also taken a big turn in the right direction since the Phoenix Five and now with the Phoenix Five down to the Phoenix Two, I look forward to what comes next.

Daredevil #17 – I honestly wasn’t huge on the whole Latveria saga, but now we’re back in Hell’s Kitchen.  Plus, Mark Waid introduces a new villain and Matt Murdock is newly unemployed; my interest is definitely piqued.  None of that is the big story though.  The big news that makes this a must-buy is MIKE ALLRED.  Seriously, any Allred comic is at least worth a look and Allred drawing Daredevil?  SOLD!  Better still, Mike Allred got this gig after writing in a fan letter to the series.  How cool is that?

Previews – May 2012

Maybe we’ll start this as a new feature?  I’ll flip through Previews, tell you what I think is worthwhile and you can tell me I’m a moron.  Sound like fun?

DARK HORSE

– Axe Cop: President of the World #1 – At some point, this odd comic that is written by 8 year old Malachai Nicolle and illustrated by his brother, 31 year old Ethan, will lose it’s magic.  Someday Malachai will probably “grow up” too much or become too self-aware, but until that happens we should enjoy the ride.  Here’s a link to my review of last Spring’s Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #1.

– Early issues where you can hop on before it’s too late.  Fatima: The Blood Spinners #2 by Gilbert Hernandez, Mind Mgmt #3 by Matt Kindt and The Massive #2 by Brian Wood.

– Eerie Comics #1 brings back the beloved old Warren Publishing title.  It’s really hard to go wrong with a horror anthology in black and white.  Of course, don’t miss the big brother: Creepy Comics #9.