WCBR’s Picks Of The Week

Kyle’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Fantastic Four #571 –  Jonathan Hickman is a master of big ideas and the current Fantastic Four is all about a very cool big idea.

Most Anticipated: Secret Warriors #8 – Secret Warriors always brings the goods.  I fully expect the eighth issue to follow suit.

Other Top Picks: Aliens #3, Batman: Widening Gyre #2, Gotham City Sirens #4, Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #2, Amazing Spider-Man #607, Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #4, Secret Warriors #8, Thunderbolts #136, Wolverine: Weapon X #5, and X-Force #19

Rob G.’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Fantastic Four #571- It’s really astounding how great this series is. The art is exceptional and Hickman’s take on the FF, and Reed especially, is incredible. The whole thing he’s got going here with the multiple dimensional Reeds joining together to save and perfect the totality of all existence is set to be a classic. Plus, this team of Reeds’ enemy is a perfect surprise.

Most Anticipated: Green Lantern #46 – I’m not sure exactly what Johns is addressing in this issue specifically, but it’s all good, especially when it’s Johns on Blackest Night.

Other Top Picks: Hulk #15, Amazing Spider-Man #607, Dark Tower The Fall of Gilead #5, Justice League of America 80 page giant #1, Justice Society of America #31, Secret Warriors #8, Thor #603, Wolverine Weapon X #5, X-force #19

DS’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Dark X-Men: The Confession #1 – a great character story brought on by all the stuff going on in the Marvel Universe. Scott and Emma aren’t at peace with what they’ve done, but they’re at peace with each other.

Most Anticipated: Wonder Woman #36 – Gail Simone has been dropping some seriously good books on us with Wonder Woman, and this month Diana is squaring off against Achilles. (A close second is Blackest Night: Titans #2)

Other Picks: JSA #31, Ms. Marvel #45, Thor #603, Thunderbolt #136, Green Lantern #46

Alex’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Spider-Woman #1 – A beautiful, sleek, and thoroughly modern book that makes for a very promising looking series to come.  Strong character work and a great look guarantee this book’s presence on my pull list for some time to come.

Most Anticipated: Wolverine: Weapon-X #5 – No particularly strong reason, to be honest.  Looking at my pull list this week, I just realized that I wanted some good ol’ fashioned Wolverine stabbing more than anything else.

Other Picks: Secret Warriors #8, Green Lantern #46, Justice Society of America #31, Thunderbolts #136, Unknown Soldier #12, Jack of Fables #38

Tony’s Picks

Best of the Past Week: Last week’s comics were too mundane for me to endorse, but I think this week will more than make up for it.

Most Anticipated: Green Lantern #46 – Make no mistake: “Blackest Night” is THE event storyline of the year, and it continues here. Thanks to my friend Jeff for hooking me up with a promotional Black Lantern ring, I can’t wait to geek out and wear it while reading this issue. And yes, I realize how truly lame it is for me to admit that to you. Shut up.

Other Top Picks: Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Black & White One Shot – Harkening back to the days of Bruce Lee and 70’s exploitation flicks, this promising one shot features four stories of kung fu fighting in the Mighty Marvel Manner. Should be fun!

Ms. Marvel #45 – Review

By Brian Reed (Writer), Philippe Briones (Artist), and Ikari Studios (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The War of the Marvels has been entertaining enough so far, but a part of me wishes that Brian Reed had let Karla Sofen truly take over the series for a couple more issues.

The Story: Karla Sofen and Carol Danvers throw down one more time. Meanwhile, Catherine Donovan tries to figure out just what the hell is going on as her physical abilities amplify depending on the situation.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Ms. Marvel #45 is all about two things: The mystery that surrounds Catherine Donovan and the fight between the Marvels. Both parts have some positives, but unfortunately, they also have some pretty big negatives that threaten to overpower the good stuff. Allow me to explain.

As the War of the Marvels begins to draw to a close, Brian Reed throws in a twist that is sure to divide his audience. On the surface, it seems like a huge deus ex machina. And while it could definitely be considered to be one, it does sort of work in a strange way because it brings some dangling plot threads back to the forefront. The main problem is that the Catherine Donovan reveal is so weird, so bizarre that it’s pretty hard to really accept. That, my friends, is why the deus ex machina charge holds weight.

The big fight scene is something of a mess. While I like Philippe Briones style and the unique color work by Ikari Studios, the fight, as a whole, is poorly executed. Body proportions seem out of whack, faces are inconsistent, and the various poses do not tell the story or flow of the battle all that well. In addition, the banter written by Brian Reed just isn’t up to par. While some of it is enjoyable, it makes you think that Reed might be running out of banter dialogue (“fat Ms. Marvel” – Really?!).

Truth be told, the artwork is actually problematic throughout the entire comic. And for the same reasons it’s problematic during the action scenes. That said, it’s not all bad. Briones delivers one hell of a cool Iron Patriot and there is an impressive level of detail to a few scenes.

Conclusion: Ms. Marvel #45 is the weakest chapter of the War of the Marvels so far. The twist is something of a “wtf” moment and the artwork, though it has its merits, is pretty rough.

Grade: C-

-Kyle Posluszny

WCBR’s Picks Of The Week

Ray’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Blackest Night #3 – 4 words: Black Lantern Elongated Man.

Most Anticipated: Superman: Secret Origin #1 – Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are back, and we can expect the same things they gave in their run with Action Comics: compelling storylines, and amazing art. With this 48-page debut, fans and newcomers can come to expect a much-needed in depth origin of Superman.

Other Top Picks: Detective Comics #857, Madame Xanadu #15, Amazing Spider-Man Vol 2 #606, Spider-Woman #1, Wolverine Old Man Logan Giant-Size #1

Kyle’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Dark Avengers #9 – The scene between Fury and Ares was a prime example of great character work.  Also, the general strangeness of the stuff happening at Avengers Tower left me dying for more.

Most Anticipated: Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size #1 – It’s been one hell of a wait, but that hasn’t diminished my anticipation for the conclusion to Mark Millar’s Old Man Logan one bit.

Other Top Picks: Detective Comics #857, Wednesday Comics #12 (do it again DC!), Dark Reign: The List – X-Men, Avengers: The Initiative #28, Fantastic Four #571, Incredible Hercules #135, Ms. Marvel #45, New Avengers #57, Uncanny X-Men #515, Darkness/Pitt #2, Hack/Slash #26, No Hero #7

Rob G.’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: X-Men Legacy Annual #1- I have to say, this was one of the best weeks in comics in a while and it was very hard to choose this comic over the likes of Dark Avengers and The Brave and The Bold. The main reason X-Men Legacy beats out the other two is for purely subjective reasons, in that Acuna is my favorite artist and Carey is crafting old school X-Men stories.

Most Anticipated: Wolverine Giant Size Old Man Logan#1- Another tough decision as there are ton of great books coming out the is week, but will any of them be as legendary as the completion of Millar’s insanely entertaining Old Man Logan arc?

Other Top Picks: Amazing spider-man #606, Blackest Night Superman #2, Buck Rogers #4, Dark Reign List X-men One Shot, Detective Comics #857, Fantastic Four #571, Guardians of Galaxy #18, Invincible #66, New Avengers #57, Nova #29, Spider-Woman #1, Superman Secret Origin #1, Uncanny X-men #515, Wednesday Comics #12, Wolverine Origins #40

DS’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Blackest Night #3 – Black Lantern Firestorm really stole the show, even as Green Lantern and Flash tried to keep their world from crumbling around them.

Most Anticipated: Blackest Night: Superman #2 – Loonie-Toon crazy Black Lantern Psycho Pirate is billed to make an appearance, and the Golden Age Kal-L Black Lantern Superman is still on deck to cause lots of problems for Superman and Superboy.

Other Picks: Power Girl #5, JLA #37, Guardians of the Galaxy #15, Immortal Weapons #3, Ms. Marvel #45, Nova #29.

Alex’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Ex Machina #45 -With an awesome new villain, it’s clear that Vaughan is writing this series to go out not with a bang, but an outright explosion. This was an issue representative of many of the reasons Ex Machina has always been a fantastic series, and the cool layouts and solid art from Tony Harris doesn’t hurt.

Most Anticipated: Spider-Woman #1 – I loved Bendis and Maleev’s work on Daredevil and what I’ve seen of the art on Spider-Woman looks stunning and some of Maleev’s best work, which is saying a lot.  Also, at heart, I’m still a Brian Michael Bendis fan.

Other Picks: Detective Comics #857, Invincible #66, Madame Xanadu #15,Fantastic Four #571, New Avengers #57, Uncanny X-Men #515

Tony’s Picks

Best of the Past Week: Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1 – Despite a groan-inducing title, the first issue of this relaunched book was dynamic and benefited from a great creative team.  Fans of Marvel’s urban heroes like Daredevil and Punisher will want to check this one out!

Most Anticipated: Incredible Hercules #135 – I’m not sure how well an Amadeus Cho issue can hold up without having Hercules around, but I have faith that Pak and Van Lente can deliver the goods.