WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best of the past week: FF #3 – This series is really hot and it’s all down to the Mike/Laura Allred combo.  It’s tempting to give some credit to Matt Fraction, but he’s the same guy writing Fantastic Four, and that series doesn’t have 1/10th the spark that FF has.  If you’re missing FF because you perceive it to be secondary, you’re doing it wrong.  FF is really good and the Allreds can produce do a monthly book, so it shouldn’t be a case where they disappear after issue #6.  This could be a the beginning of a modern classic like X-Statix.

Most anticipated this week: 1). The Unwritten #45 – It is becoming slim pickings over at Vertigo, but at least we still have The Unwritten.  I’d assume that regardless of sales levels, this series has gotten to the point where it will be permitted to finish a 60-issue run (to better make a collection of bound volumes).  It’s no secret that I really enjoy this series and the current storyline finds our protagonist trying to find a missing friend in the underworld.  Unlike some series, this probably isn’t one to just dive into – you’ll want to start with the first collected edition – but why wait?  It’s a wonderful series that isn’t afraid to strive for greatness!

2). Mara #2 – I was a little hard on this futuristic mash-up of superpowers and volleyball when the first issue came out.  But, I do trust Brian Wood as a writer and Ming Doyle is the type of young(er) artist who can show tremendous growth in just a few issues as she settles into a series.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed for this one!

3). The Sixth Gun #28 – We’re nearing the end of this story arc focusing on our heroes being snowbound and beset by a wendigo.  Even if this arc has been a little slow-paced, it’s almost over now and the payoff is likely to be quite good.

4). Avengers #4 – I enjoy Marvel comics much more when I don’t have to review them!  I’m sure that Jonathan Hickman has some kind of grand plan for the Avengers and part of that involved the bizarre last issue where it was hard to understand what was going on.  But all you really need to take away from the first three issues is that we’ve added a lot of B-teamers and that these god-like beings are now loitering on Mars (where they’ll surely come up again).  If I had to review this issue-to-issue, I’d gouge my eyes out, but reading it for the pulp that it is–that’s another thing.  Now, whether that is consistently worth $3.99 is another story.

5). Invincible #100 – I’ve never been able to “get into” Invincible; I’ve read the first trade several times and always thought, “I don’t need any more of that.”  Perhaps I simply don’t need more superhero in my life?  However, a tip of the cap is still appropriate for any series that makes it to issue #100.  Bravo Team Invincible!

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Alex’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week:  FF #3 – A real landslide this week, as FF really hits its potential, suddenly emerging as one of Marvel’s very best books.  In both art and writing, this was pure, unadulterated fun.  Great, great stuff with Fraction and Allred doing what they do best.

Most Anticipated:  Hawkeye #7 – Another issue of Marvel’s best comic and it feels like it’s been way too long.  Hawkguy is guaranteed comics brilliance every single time.  What bumps this issue up in my stack even more is that it’s for a great cause, with Fraction donating all proceeds from the issue to the Red Cross to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy (which Hawkeye himself will also face head-on).  Given how heartfelt this book can be (look no further than the first issue), this is sure to be great stuff.  It’s also drawn by Steve Lieber, which is pretty cool; it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen him on the racks.

Aquaman #16 – I really feel like Throne of Atlantis has lit a fire under Johns’ ass.  With the fantastic, “Justice League Unlimited” type ending of last week’s issue of Justice League, I’m all in at this point.

Avengers #4 – While I’ve had mixed feelings, I’ve been generally positive on Hickman’s Avengers thus far, even if I’ve yet to really feel comfortable deciding what to make of it just yet.  So at this stage, every issue is still a curiosity to me and that doubles this week, with the start of a new story-arc and Adam Kubert handling the art, which should definitely give the book a very different feel from Opena.

Batman Incorporated #7 – Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc. really feels like the odd man out in DC’s new 52 and, honestly, I’ve started to lose track of all the moving bits and pieces.  But it’s still a rock solid comic and Chris Burnham’s art is lovely.  It’s also very different from anything else DC is currently offering and is a series moving into it’s big end-game.

Punisher: War Zone #4 – Honestly, in a bigger week, neither this nor Batman Inc. would likely make this list, but here we are.  While I’m not a fan of the art and don’t feel this has been up to the high standard of Rucka’s earlier run on the ongoing Punisher series, it’s still quality comics overall with some definite bright spots.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best of the past week: Batman #16 – This comic shows what is possible when a publisher puts a stunning level of talent on a series.  In Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion and FCO Plascencia, you have four guys who are probably Top 5 at their current positions right now.  Seriously, there is nobody in that line-up who is a “role player”.  Clearly there are no salary cap considerations on this title!   And with the exception of a single fill-in issue, these guys have been churning out monthly Batman excellence for almost a year and a half.  If you demand “excellence” from your superhero comics and “pretty good” just doesn’t cut it, Batman is the place to be.

Most anticipated this week: 1). Witch Doctor: Malpractice #3 – It’s a shame that the Witch Doctor comics can’t be a 12-issue-per-year thing because they’re really, really good.  These books are funny, have clever concepts, demons and monsters and glorious art.  Seriously, Lukas Ketner is an artist to keep both eyes on.

2). Chew #31 – After the shocking events of last issue, I’m curious to see what direction Chew goes next.  I’ve heard some speculation that this series is planned as ~60 issues and that the second half will not be as funny and frolicsome as the first half.  I hope that’s not the case because Chew is precisely the type of black and slightly mean-spirited humor that I love.

3). Mind Mgmt #7 – If you feel like it’s been awhile since we last saw Mind Mgmt, you aren’t wrong.  The last issue of Mind Mgmt dropped in late October, so we’re a couple of months late on this issue.  That’s a shame because the series was really starting to hit its stride and show how there was more to the tale than a simple plane full of passengers who developed mysterious amnesia.  Matt Kindt was bringing in weird mental powers and the CIA and sinister governmental plots.  I loved it and Kindt’s art is wholly unique in mainstream-ish comics.  Let’s hope that issue #7 pulls me right back into the series rather than leaving me confused because I’m old and don’t remember stuff very well anymore.

4). Saucer Country #11 – Man, I feel like DC is just on a mission to have none of my money.  Seriously, they just want to sell me Batman once per month?  What a shame that Saucer Country is canceled after only a few more issues!!!!!  It makes me almost want to cry seeing what Vertigo has been reduced to: Fables, on-hiatus American Vampire and a few upcoming miniseries.  That’s a far cry from a couple years ago when we had: Fables, Hellblazer, Scalped, AV, Sweet Tooth, DMZ, Northlanders and always a miniseries or two like Spaceman, New York Five or Joe the Barbarian.  Anyway, let’s enjoy the last few issues of Saucer Country and see how the very talented Paul Cornell can give the series a decent ending!

5). Bedlam #3 – Who knows what to expect from this issue?  Issue #1 was light-your-socks-on-fire awesome!  Issue #2 was good, but nowhere near as special.  Let’s hope that talented creators Nick Spencer and Riley Rossmo were just having a sophomore slump and that we dive right back into the warped and transgressive world of Madder Red in issue #3.

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Alex’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week:  Saga #9 – I really enjoyed this issue.  Vaughan’s humour was on point and once again he shows his ability to make likable, human characters.  More than that though, what marked this issue in particular for me was how one of the tools Vaughan used so effective in Y: the Last Man shows up here.  Much as in Y, it’s not as simple as our protagonists going on their own quest, it’s how that quest leads to others going on their own, related missions.  It’s a way of making the book feel larger and gives the cast more depth and it works just as well here as it did in Y.  Furthermore, it makes the mission of our lead characters feel all the more important, when it can spawn epic adventures for other characters, in other parts of the galaxy as well.

Most Anticipated:  Uncanny Avengers #3 – Holy crap, this is coming out this week?  Really?  I realize that Uncanny Avengers is actually THAT delayed.  I mean, I’m a long-standing fan of Powers.  I’m still waiting for issue 2 of Nonplayer and issue 6 of Scarlet.  I know what real delays are all about.  But with Marvel cranking out so many new books, many of them double-shipping, it makes UA look really bad by comparison.  Which is a shame, because I quite like the book.  It’s really solid all around, with great character-work and lots of fun to be had.  So perhaps this is a case of distance making the heart grow fonder.

Avengers #3 – After so many years of Bendis’ Avengers, Hickman’s Avengers is actually a bit confounding.  It’s just so different.  In fact, it’s so different from what I’m used to in terms of “the Avengers comic,” that I still haven’t wrapped my head around it.  Of course, I’ll probably be reviewing it this week, so hopefully I’ll make a little more headway!

FF #3 – The first issue gave us very little to go on, but with the second issue, I feel that FF really has just about crossed the “too early to tell” line.  I think it’s safe to say that this book is just plain fun.

Winter Soldier #14 – And so ends Brubaker’s tenure at Marvel.  As a huge fan of his pulp noir superheroics, this is a bittersweet issue for me but, judging on its rock-steady consistency, this issue of Winter Soldier is sure to be a good one.

Justice League #16 – I have no idea what the hell happened last issue, but it feels as though Geoff Johns has really turned a corner here.  The jump in quality on this book came seemingly out of nowhere and was truly exponential.  With last issue, I felt like Johns was FINALLY delivering on the potential that have had fans clamoring for him to take over the Justice League franchise for years.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Amazing Spider-Man Free Comic Book Day issue – I had a TON of books last week and many were “good” or “fine”, but I was honestly a little perplexed about which comic would get the dog bone this week until reading Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos’ FCBD entry.  It’s a must read for Spidey-fans as this wholly new story focuses on Spidey’s loss of his spider-sense and a key martial skill that he needs to learn to compensate.  Very cool and Ramos’ art is incredible (again).  Runner-up: Moon Knight #1

Most Anticipated: Amazing Spider-Man #660 – I loved #659 featuring a clever and funny script by Fred Van Lente as we saw Spidey and the FF teaming up to fight zombie pirates in the Caribbean.  But, everything got very “real” at the end of the issue when the bad guys and the FF kids showed up.  This should be a really cool issue.

Other Picks: The Unwritten #25, Elephantmen #31, FF #3, X-Men #11, Netherworld #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Secret Six #33 – In a week of giants like Fear Itself and the first issue of the Bendis/Maleev Moon Knight, it’s Secret Six, ever the “little title that could,” that takes the prize, and with surprising ease at that.  This issue showcased just why Gail Simone’s dastardly book is among the very best team books on the shelves, if not the best.  A strong team dynamic blends with strong character-work and surprising comedy to make this the big one for me.

Most Anticipated: Flashpoint #1 – Forgive me for my lack of creativity. Honestly, I’m not actually that pumped for Flashpoint.  At least, not in the traditional sense.  I’m merely incredibly curious as to what the hell Flashpoint is.  I know it’s an elseworlds thing that involves, erm, a “time anomaly” and I think the Reverse Flash is at the heart of it…but…yeah.  I have no idea what this is or what it’s about, particularly since those “Road to Flashpoint” issues of the Flash have been delayed significantly.  So yeah, I’m just looking forward to finding out what Flashpoint actually is.

It’s kind of unfair really, given just how amazing Journey into Mystery and PunisherMAX are looking, but them’s the breaks.

Other Picks: New Avengers #12, Birds of Prey #12, FF #3, The Flash #12, Journey into Mystery #623, PunisherMAX #13, Amazing Spider-Man #660