Ye Olde Iowa
02-08-2008, 12:37 PM
Each week when Diamond releases the week’s shipping list, I make note of each book I need to pick up and then pre-rank them based upon how I feel they will turn out, taking into consideration the creative team, the previous issues, preview pages, and solicits. Then, after I’ve read through them all, I re-rank them based upon how I feel after actually reading them.
Below are the books I picked up this week, counting down from worst to best, creating my “power rankings” for this week. The numbers in parentheses represent where the book was pre-ranked. Let me know what you all think and feel free to post your own list. I attempt to keep everything as spoiler free as possible, but keep in mind that there may be the occasional minor spoiler that I overlook.
If you have any questions about the Rankings or just want to drop me a line, you can email me at ryanreviews@gmail.com (ryanreviews@gmail.com)or you can always PM me through the message boards. I have been asked recently if I accept review copies; I most certainly will. Any book sent to me will be reviewed. Just drop me a line if you want me to check out your book. I’d be glad to give it a look.
-Ryan “the Iowan”
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Sorry for the delay on this week’s Rankings. A massive snowstorm utterly destroyed my town, so my shop wasn’t open on Wednesday. Thankfully, outside of me nearly being hit by a city bus, everyone seems to be okay and we are back on track with this week’s Rankings. The good news is, despite the delays, I picked up 10 really good books this week with absolutely no duds. So without even further delay, here are this week’s Rankings:
10. Nightwing #141 (07)
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Rags Morales (pencils), Michael Bair (inks), and Nathan Eyring (colors)
Letters by Sal Cipriano
Cover by Rags Morales and Michael Bair
I think that perhaps the biggest problem for the Nightwing title since Chuck Dixon left is that the title has been very plot-focused, but the titular character really hasn’t had any great villains to contend with (with the exception of Deathstroke during the tail end of Devin Grayson’s run, which was marred by editorial mandates). While Peter Tomasi is clearly trying to remedy this with an ambitious villain, he is, in a very intelligent move, putting the villain in the background of the story, focusing instead on Dick’s attempts to move forward with his life. The latter is definitely making for a better story. While I’m really not feeling the whole skydiving thing, the other new twists on Dick’s life work well and should lead to bigger and better things (plus, it reminds me of the opening arc of Dixon’s run, which is a good thing). The new job, the new friends, and the new location give things a fresh feel, but also fit with Dick’s core personality. That’s not to say that this issue and story are perfect by any means, as there are plenty of things that don’t fit in this issue. Dick’s moving between Gotham and New York almost too quickly, which is jarring as it puts the timeframe of the issue into question. Beyond that, the extensive cameos, although well-written, didn’t really serve much of a purpose to me, other than to show that Dick is a popular guy in the superhero community. The real downside, and it pains me to say this, is the art. Morales is normally a consistent, expressive artist, but his work in this issue is terrible inconsistent in both designs and style (check out the conversation between Wally and Dick in comparison to the rest of the issue). To make matters worse, much of his panels are very stiff, with the characters having a very posed look. Still, overall, I like the direction of the book thus far, even with a few gripes, and I look forward to seeing where Tomasi takes things.
09. Annihilation: Conquest #4 (02)
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Tom Raney (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Frank D’Armata (colors), and Guru eFX (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Aleksi Briclot
Taking a big tumble from its preRanked position (#2), Annihilation: Conquest #4 was perhaps the week’s biggest disappointment, but was still an entertaining enough issue that fans of Marvel’s cosmic arm should enjoy. DnA (Abnett and Lanning) are building some really interesting ideas, with Ultron’s motives being revealed (its simple, but it works) and Quasar attempting to deal with the loss of Moonstone being the highlights of the issue. There is a lot of plot movement in the issue, but a lot of it feels forced (Ronan’s rag-tag group of rebels have powers that are all too convenient for their mission). Still, despite some predictability, there are enough twists and turns in the issue (with the cliffhanger being an awesome reference to Empire Strikes Back) to keep things fresh. My biggest complaint with the writing would have to be Adam Warlock. The ridiculously powerful character’s personality has yet to be established, causing all of his scenes to be awkward and disjointed; given that his role in the story is still in flux, it also makes things very disjointed. Needless to say, while I’m really liking this miniseries, I find myself caring less and less each time he comes on panel (despite sharing scenes with Quasar, one of my favorite characters in the book). The art by Tom Raney is great, with lots of energy and striking consistency, but the coloring by Frank D’Armata really brings it down. D’Armata’s colors give everything a shiny look, but also adds a really odd depth. It works on pseudo-realistic books like Captain America, but its really not the right coloring for this book at all. In the end, much like Nightwing, despite have some pretty obvious faults, this issue is a lot of fun and fans of crazy space epics should definitely check it out.
08. Detective Comics #841 (08)
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen (pencils), Derek Fridolfs (inks), and John Kalisz (colors)
Letters by Randy Gentile
Cover by Dustin Nguyen
This week’s issue of Detective Comics was definitely one of the most fun books of the week, despite being fairly inconsequential. Paul Dini crafted a creative, albeit pedestrian, story revolving around the Mad Hatter’s “Wonderland Gang” (a group of thugs and villains with a Lewis Carroll theme) and their assorted crimes. Dini’s creative approach to the villains gave Dustin Nguyen a lot of room to be playful with his designs, leading to a great looking book that looks like it was a lot of fun to put together. Nguyen took this further by being creative with his layouts and a bit looser with his style, which I think paid off well. It’s not a drastic departure from his earlier work, but its much more…whimsical. It really works for him and I hope to see him explore this style more often. In the end, this done-in-one flirts with the Silver Age in a much more successful way than Grant Morrison’s Batman and, in any other week, would have been a top five book. Bat-Fans should not miss this one.
07. Star Wars: Legacy #19 (06)
Written by John Ostrander
Story by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Art by Jan Duursema (pencils), Dan Parsons (inks), and Brad Anderson (colors)
Letters by Michael Heisler
Cover by Travis Charest
The “Claws of the Dragon” storyline comes to a close with this week’s Star Wars: Legacy and it ends with one of the title’s best issues. It’s an exciting end that takes its cues well from the slow build that the storyline had. Ostrander does a great job of handling the larger cast (as is one of his specialties) and relies less on Star Wars’ “slang” than he has in past issues (which was a major hinderence of his dialogue in other issues). The final confrontation, which sees Morrigan Corde interrupt the climactic battle between Cade and Darth Krayt is well handled, with Ostrander defaulting to Duursema’s art. This is a great move, as the art was especially good in this issue, with a ton of energy and a great sense of mood and atmosphere thanks to some strong work by Dan Parsons and Brad Anderson with their finishes over Duursema’s pencils. Unfortunately, the weakest page of the entire book is the shocking final page, where a surprising truth is revealed about Morrigan Corde’s identity. This page is uncharacteristically muddy, which really detracts from the shock value of that page, perhaps the most important page thus far in the title. It’s just not as shocking if you have to look really closely to catch the twist. Still, despite this really big snafu, this issue is great payoff for fans of the series and really jumpstarts the book going into the next arc.
06. Amazing Spider-Man #549 (05)
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Art by Salvador Larroca (art) and Jason Keith (colors)
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover by Salvador Larroca and Stephane Peru
I must say, 2008 is off to a good start for Marc Guggenheim. After never getting the credit he deserved on a really underappreciated run on Flash: Fastest Man Alive in 2007, Guggenheim is now one of the key architects in the great 3-a-month Spider-Man experiment and has a great new TV show that has recently debuted (if you haven’t seen it yet, check out Guggenheim’s Eli Stone on ABC—one of the best shows on these days). With that being said, his run on Spider-Man looks to be off to an equally as impressive start. Guggenheim has a good handle on the “down-on-his-luck” Peter Parker, with his strong dialogue and character interaction furthering this. While I’m not particularly fond of J. Jonah Jameson being replaced, the new head of the “DB” is a well-written hardnosed character and even Jackpot, a character I’m not entirely sold on, is intriguing thanks to the strong interaction she has with Spider-Man. The only real downside to the writing is that Menace seems to be a really lame villain, only being a hair or so better than the abysmal Mr. Negative from the last arc. Salvador Larroca’s art is a nice fit for the title, with his very old-school approach to Spider-Man, which Jason Keith’s colors match perfectly. The art is surprisingly fluid given Larroca’s style, but isn’t the most consistent looking book of the week. While I’m not ready to deliver a verdict on the Guggenheim/Larroca team as this issue is mostly setup, this issue is a lot of fun and they show a lot of promise and look to deliver a very entertaining Spidey story when all is said and done.
05. Uncanny X-Men #495 (04)
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Mike Choi (art) and Sonia Oback (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Mike Choi
With the incredibly impressive “Messiah CompleX” having ended, the creative teams behind the X-titles have a lot to live up to, but the first “Divided We Stand” issue looks promising. Ed Brubaker continues to write an impressive Cyclops, who spends this issue regrouping in the Savage Land with Emma Frost. The opening scene, which finds Scott trying to figure things out while subconsciously dreaming his late-father and Jean Grey was especially strong, as it was a good way of putting things into perspective, but also allowed Brubaker to show that Emma Frost is still a manipulative bitch (we really need to stop pretending that she isn’t, being a good guy doesn’t fit her character at all, even if Grant Morrison said it was okay). The secondary plot of the issue finds Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Colossus traveling across Europe in a surprisingly whimsical manner. The chemistry between the three is surprisingly natural and will make for a good “traveling buddies” storyline. The art by Mike Choi was good, especially when he is allowed to get creative (as in the opening scene), though he is inconsistent on the amount of details that he includes on each page, which makes this a step down from his recent X-23: Target X miniseries with Marvel. Still, he has a great design sense and does a great job with conveying depth and space. Overall, this is a very strong issue and a great start to the next chapter for the X-line.
04. Justice Society of America #12 (03)
Written by Geoff Johns
Story by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross
Art by Dale Eaglesham (pencils), Ruy Jose (inks), and Alex Sinclair (colors)
Letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Alex Ross
Another month, another fine issue of Justice Society of America, DC’s top super-team book. This week’s issue, somewhat building out of the last few issues, finds the JSA starting up a new recruiting drive of legacy heroes. While this makes for an enjoyable read and allows for Johns and company to create some great new heroes, it does break pace with the previous issues, which is a major reason that this book isn’t ranked any higher. While Johns does bring this back to the Kingdom Come-based storyline by the end of the issue, the playful nature of the rest of the issue doesn’t quite gel with the somber tone of the start of this storyline. That being said, the new heroes and characters that are introduced fit well with the JSA and, despite a lot of retcons, make sense in terms of the legacy of the characters. For example, the new Amazing Man’s focus is on helping victims of Hurricane Katrina, which falls in line with the original Amazing Man’s attempts to help the disenfranchised during the Civil Rights movement (which in itself is likely a retcon, but it still makes sense). Others are a bit more problematic, such as the introduction of Black Lightning’s other daughter, but Johns does his best to address any issues that may come up with his retcons. The art by Dale Eaglesham is as good as we’ve come to expect, with strong designs (Does anyone know if Alex Ross is contributing to the new character designs or not?) and energetic line work. While I’m not entirely satisfied with how this issues flows from the previous ones, it does build the “Thy Kingdom Come” storyline in the end and with Johns doing a great job of introducing the new characters, I’m willing to overlook this issues shortcomings and call this another can’t miss issue.
03. The Boys #15 (10)
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Darick Robertson (art) and Tony Avina (colors)
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Darick Robertson and Tony Avina
After a very strong start with WildStorm and a good follow up on the first Dynamite story arc, The Boys has been floundering a bit over the last few issues. Given how great this title started, this was a troubling trend, but I can say that, if this issue is any indication, expect it to reverse. This is easily the best issue the title has seen since switching to Dynamite. Ennis really shows his character writing chops in this issue, with great characterization across the board, with Starlight (Annie January—the Mary Marvel analogue) getting most of the attention as she struggles with her faith and recaps her life since joining The Seven (the Justice League analogue). Needless to say, things have not been going well and her faith has been shaking, but Ennis approaches this in a much more sympathetic light than you’d expect given his past work. It’s a surprising twist that works incredibly well and really builds reader investment in the character. The rest of the characters who appear in the issue, including the Legend, Rayner, Butcher, and Hughie get some great scenes as well, with Ennis pushing to develop the characters, but not in a forced manner (his information-rich dialogue is sharper than it has been in a long time). Of course, there is the meta-commentary that the book is known for, including a nice jab at the effectiveness of characters who have been brought back from the dead. Darick Robertson’s art continues to get sharper and more focused, which has been an issue since the series began; the inks muddy up the art on certain pages, but otherwise this is amongst his best issues on the title (and really, it’s the inking that always seems to bring the art down). I honestly wasn’t expecting much out of this issue, but Ennis and Robertson really blew me away with this one; before this issue, I had considered dropping this title and moving to trades, but after this issue, I’m more invested in The Boys than I have been since the series began. This one is can’t miss.
02. The Darkness #2 (09)
Written by Phil Hester
Art by Michael Broussard (pencils), Ryan Winn (inks), and Matt Mila (colors)
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Dale Keown, Stjepan Sejic, and Tyler Kirkham
While this week’s issue of The Boys considerably exceeded my expectations, it was this week’s Darkness #2 from Top Cow that was the week’s biggest surprise. This issue nearly took the top spot with its sharp dialogue, atmospheric art, and inventive approach to the characters. Hester is putting a new spin on The Darkness that is accessible and rewarding, while skillfully building multiple storylines and developing some great new characters. I’m still relatively new to The Darkness, so I’d love to hear what longtime fans think of the new series, but I have a feeling that they’d be pleased with the new direction Hester is taking. Michael Broussard’s art, while certainly not for everyone, is perfectly in line with the Top Cow style—lots of sketchy lines, tight inks, and varying panels. While his designs are not as exaggerated as other Top Cow artists, there is definitely a unifying style across the line. What surprises me most about this issue is how well Hester and Broussard mesh, especially given how drastically different their art styles are; however, Broussard’s dark, atmospheric art works perfectly with the intensity of Hester’s writing. This exciting issue made a strong run fro the top spot on the Rankings and while it only made it to #2, it shows what this series is capable of and for that, I’m giving The Darkness #2 a very strong recommendation.
01. Teen Titans: Year One #2 (01)
Written by Amy Wolfram
Art by Karl Kerschl (pencils), Serge LaPointe (inks), and Steph Peru (colors)
Letters by Nick J. Napolitano
Cover by Karl Kerschl
After how fantastic Teen Titans: Year One #1 was, I had very high expectations for the second issue. I was not disappointed. Amy Wolfram and Karl Kerschl have put together an insanely fun book with a very iconic understanding of the original Teen Titans. In this issue, we are fully introduced to Wolfram’s take on Aqualad and its absolutely perfect. He’s the timid, meak, “little brother” of the team, making him a great foil to the overbearing and energetic Kid Flash and the calculated and methodical Robin. Kerschl’s designs match this perefectly, as he gives Garth a very aquatic feel (really does look fishy), with Steph Peru’s colors doing a great job of setting him apart from the other Titans. While the introductions and interactions of the characters take up the main portion of the issue, Wolfram skillfully weaves the plot behind this to keep the story moving and to give the team motivation for coming together as the Teen Titans for the first time. The plot is a bit thin, harkening back to the original Titans stories, but Wolfram more than makes up for the plot with the strength of the characterization. What really makes this issue my pick for Book of the Week, however, is the way in which Wolfram and Kerschl work together on this issue. The pacing, the tone, and the approach to the characters matches perfectly between the writing and the art. There is also a considerable amount of trust between the two; when the writing is heavy, the art takes a backseat, but likewise, there are plenty of places where Wolfram let’s Kerschl tell the story, such as the incredibly effective final page, which introduces the boys of the Titans team to Wonder Girl (with predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable results). It may only be the first week in February, but I’d say we already have frontrunner for 2008’s best miniseries.
Below are the books I picked up this week, counting down from worst to best, creating my “power rankings” for this week. The numbers in parentheses represent where the book was pre-ranked. Let me know what you all think and feel free to post your own list. I attempt to keep everything as spoiler free as possible, but keep in mind that there may be the occasional minor spoiler that I overlook.
If you have any questions about the Rankings or just want to drop me a line, you can email me at ryanreviews@gmail.com (ryanreviews@gmail.com)or you can always PM me through the message boards. I have been asked recently if I accept review copies; I most certainly will. Any book sent to me will be reviewed. Just drop me a line if you want me to check out your book. I’d be glad to give it a look.
-Ryan “the Iowan”
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Sorry for the delay on this week’s Rankings. A massive snowstorm utterly destroyed my town, so my shop wasn’t open on Wednesday. Thankfully, outside of me nearly being hit by a city bus, everyone seems to be okay and we are back on track with this week’s Rankings. The good news is, despite the delays, I picked up 10 really good books this week with absolutely no duds. So without even further delay, here are this week’s Rankings:
10. Nightwing #141 (07)
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Rags Morales (pencils), Michael Bair (inks), and Nathan Eyring (colors)
Letters by Sal Cipriano
Cover by Rags Morales and Michael Bair
I think that perhaps the biggest problem for the Nightwing title since Chuck Dixon left is that the title has been very plot-focused, but the titular character really hasn’t had any great villains to contend with (with the exception of Deathstroke during the tail end of Devin Grayson’s run, which was marred by editorial mandates). While Peter Tomasi is clearly trying to remedy this with an ambitious villain, he is, in a very intelligent move, putting the villain in the background of the story, focusing instead on Dick’s attempts to move forward with his life. The latter is definitely making for a better story. While I’m really not feeling the whole skydiving thing, the other new twists on Dick’s life work well and should lead to bigger and better things (plus, it reminds me of the opening arc of Dixon’s run, which is a good thing). The new job, the new friends, and the new location give things a fresh feel, but also fit with Dick’s core personality. That’s not to say that this issue and story are perfect by any means, as there are plenty of things that don’t fit in this issue. Dick’s moving between Gotham and New York almost too quickly, which is jarring as it puts the timeframe of the issue into question. Beyond that, the extensive cameos, although well-written, didn’t really serve much of a purpose to me, other than to show that Dick is a popular guy in the superhero community. The real downside, and it pains me to say this, is the art. Morales is normally a consistent, expressive artist, but his work in this issue is terrible inconsistent in both designs and style (check out the conversation between Wally and Dick in comparison to the rest of the issue). To make matters worse, much of his panels are very stiff, with the characters having a very posed look. Still, overall, I like the direction of the book thus far, even with a few gripes, and I look forward to seeing where Tomasi takes things.
09. Annihilation: Conquest #4 (02)
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Tom Raney (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Frank D’Armata (colors), and Guru eFX (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Aleksi Briclot
Taking a big tumble from its preRanked position (#2), Annihilation: Conquest #4 was perhaps the week’s biggest disappointment, but was still an entertaining enough issue that fans of Marvel’s cosmic arm should enjoy. DnA (Abnett and Lanning) are building some really interesting ideas, with Ultron’s motives being revealed (its simple, but it works) and Quasar attempting to deal with the loss of Moonstone being the highlights of the issue. There is a lot of plot movement in the issue, but a lot of it feels forced (Ronan’s rag-tag group of rebels have powers that are all too convenient for their mission). Still, despite some predictability, there are enough twists and turns in the issue (with the cliffhanger being an awesome reference to Empire Strikes Back) to keep things fresh. My biggest complaint with the writing would have to be Adam Warlock. The ridiculously powerful character’s personality has yet to be established, causing all of his scenes to be awkward and disjointed; given that his role in the story is still in flux, it also makes things very disjointed. Needless to say, while I’m really liking this miniseries, I find myself caring less and less each time he comes on panel (despite sharing scenes with Quasar, one of my favorite characters in the book). The art by Tom Raney is great, with lots of energy and striking consistency, but the coloring by Frank D’Armata really brings it down. D’Armata’s colors give everything a shiny look, but also adds a really odd depth. It works on pseudo-realistic books like Captain America, but its really not the right coloring for this book at all. In the end, much like Nightwing, despite have some pretty obvious faults, this issue is a lot of fun and fans of crazy space epics should definitely check it out.
08. Detective Comics #841 (08)
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen (pencils), Derek Fridolfs (inks), and John Kalisz (colors)
Letters by Randy Gentile
Cover by Dustin Nguyen
This week’s issue of Detective Comics was definitely one of the most fun books of the week, despite being fairly inconsequential. Paul Dini crafted a creative, albeit pedestrian, story revolving around the Mad Hatter’s “Wonderland Gang” (a group of thugs and villains with a Lewis Carroll theme) and their assorted crimes. Dini’s creative approach to the villains gave Dustin Nguyen a lot of room to be playful with his designs, leading to a great looking book that looks like it was a lot of fun to put together. Nguyen took this further by being creative with his layouts and a bit looser with his style, which I think paid off well. It’s not a drastic departure from his earlier work, but its much more…whimsical. It really works for him and I hope to see him explore this style more often. In the end, this done-in-one flirts with the Silver Age in a much more successful way than Grant Morrison’s Batman and, in any other week, would have been a top five book. Bat-Fans should not miss this one.
07. Star Wars: Legacy #19 (06)
Written by John Ostrander
Story by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Art by Jan Duursema (pencils), Dan Parsons (inks), and Brad Anderson (colors)
Letters by Michael Heisler
Cover by Travis Charest
The “Claws of the Dragon” storyline comes to a close with this week’s Star Wars: Legacy and it ends with one of the title’s best issues. It’s an exciting end that takes its cues well from the slow build that the storyline had. Ostrander does a great job of handling the larger cast (as is one of his specialties) and relies less on Star Wars’ “slang” than he has in past issues (which was a major hinderence of his dialogue in other issues). The final confrontation, which sees Morrigan Corde interrupt the climactic battle between Cade and Darth Krayt is well handled, with Ostrander defaulting to Duursema’s art. This is a great move, as the art was especially good in this issue, with a ton of energy and a great sense of mood and atmosphere thanks to some strong work by Dan Parsons and Brad Anderson with their finishes over Duursema’s pencils. Unfortunately, the weakest page of the entire book is the shocking final page, where a surprising truth is revealed about Morrigan Corde’s identity. This page is uncharacteristically muddy, which really detracts from the shock value of that page, perhaps the most important page thus far in the title. It’s just not as shocking if you have to look really closely to catch the twist. Still, despite this really big snafu, this issue is great payoff for fans of the series and really jumpstarts the book going into the next arc.
06. Amazing Spider-Man #549 (05)
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Art by Salvador Larroca (art) and Jason Keith (colors)
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover by Salvador Larroca and Stephane Peru
I must say, 2008 is off to a good start for Marc Guggenheim. After never getting the credit he deserved on a really underappreciated run on Flash: Fastest Man Alive in 2007, Guggenheim is now one of the key architects in the great 3-a-month Spider-Man experiment and has a great new TV show that has recently debuted (if you haven’t seen it yet, check out Guggenheim’s Eli Stone on ABC—one of the best shows on these days). With that being said, his run on Spider-Man looks to be off to an equally as impressive start. Guggenheim has a good handle on the “down-on-his-luck” Peter Parker, with his strong dialogue and character interaction furthering this. While I’m not particularly fond of J. Jonah Jameson being replaced, the new head of the “DB” is a well-written hardnosed character and even Jackpot, a character I’m not entirely sold on, is intriguing thanks to the strong interaction she has with Spider-Man. The only real downside to the writing is that Menace seems to be a really lame villain, only being a hair or so better than the abysmal Mr. Negative from the last arc. Salvador Larroca’s art is a nice fit for the title, with his very old-school approach to Spider-Man, which Jason Keith’s colors match perfectly. The art is surprisingly fluid given Larroca’s style, but isn’t the most consistent looking book of the week. While I’m not ready to deliver a verdict on the Guggenheim/Larroca team as this issue is mostly setup, this issue is a lot of fun and they show a lot of promise and look to deliver a very entertaining Spidey story when all is said and done.
05. Uncanny X-Men #495 (04)
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Mike Choi (art) and Sonia Oback (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Mike Choi
With the incredibly impressive “Messiah CompleX” having ended, the creative teams behind the X-titles have a lot to live up to, but the first “Divided We Stand” issue looks promising. Ed Brubaker continues to write an impressive Cyclops, who spends this issue regrouping in the Savage Land with Emma Frost. The opening scene, which finds Scott trying to figure things out while subconsciously dreaming his late-father and Jean Grey was especially strong, as it was a good way of putting things into perspective, but also allowed Brubaker to show that Emma Frost is still a manipulative bitch (we really need to stop pretending that she isn’t, being a good guy doesn’t fit her character at all, even if Grant Morrison said it was okay). The secondary plot of the issue finds Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Colossus traveling across Europe in a surprisingly whimsical manner. The chemistry between the three is surprisingly natural and will make for a good “traveling buddies” storyline. The art by Mike Choi was good, especially when he is allowed to get creative (as in the opening scene), though he is inconsistent on the amount of details that he includes on each page, which makes this a step down from his recent X-23: Target X miniseries with Marvel. Still, he has a great design sense and does a great job with conveying depth and space. Overall, this is a very strong issue and a great start to the next chapter for the X-line.
04. Justice Society of America #12 (03)
Written by Geoff Johns
Story by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross
Art by Dale Eaglesham (pencils), Ruy Jose (inks), and Alex Sinclair (colors)
Letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Alex Ross
Another month, another fine issue of Justice Society of America, DC’s top super-team book. This week’s issue, somewhat building out of the last few issues, finds the JSA starting up a new recruiting drive of legacy heroes. While this makes for an enjoyable read and allows for Johns and company to create some great new heroes, it does break pace with the previous issues, which is a major reason that this book isn’t ranked any higher. While Johns does bring this back to the Kingdom Come-based storyline by the end of the issue, the playful nature of the rest of the issue doesn’t quite gel with the somber tone of the start of this storyline. That being said, the new heroes and characters that are introduced fit well with the JSA and, despite a lot of retcons, make sense in terms of the legacy of the characters. For example, the new Amazing Man’s focus is on helping victims of Hurricane Katrina, which falls in line with the original Amazing Man’s attempts to help the disenfranchised during the Civil Rights movement (which in itself is likely a retcon, but it still makes sense). Others are a bit more problematic, such as the introduction of Black Lightning’s other daughter, but Johns does his best to address any issues that may come up with his retcons. The art by Dale Eaglesham is as good as we’ve come to expect, with strong designs (Does anyone know if Alex Ross is contributing to the new character designs or not?) and energetic line work. While I’m not entirely satisfied with how this issues flows from the previous ones, it does build the “Thy Kingdom Come” storyline in the end and with Johns doing a great job of introducing the new characters, I’m willing to overlook this issues shortcomings and call this another can’t miss issue.
03. The Boys #15 (10)
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Darick Robertson (art) and Tony Avina (colors)
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Darick Robertson and Tony Avina
After a very strong start with WildStorm and a good follow up on the first Dynamite story arc, The Boys has been floundering a bit over the last few issues. Given how great this title started, this was a troubling trend, but I can say that, if this issue is any indication, expect it to reverse. This is easily the best issue the title has seen since switching to Dynamite. Ennis really shows his character writing chops in this issue, with great characterization across the board, with Starlight (Annie January—the Mary Marvel analogue) getting most of the attention as she struggles with her faith and recaps her life since joining The Seven (the Justice League analogue). Needless to say, things have not been going well and her faith has been shaking, but Ennis approaches this in a much more sympathetic light than you’d expect given his past work. It’s a surprising twist that works incredibly well and really builds reader investment in the character. The rest of the characters who appear in the issue, including the Legend, Rayner, Butcher, and Hughie get some great scenes as well, with Ennis pushing to develop the characters, but not in a forced manner (his information-rich dialogue is sharper than it has been in a long time). Of course, there is the meta-commentary that the book is known for, including a nice jab at the effectiveness of characters who have been brought back from the dead. Darick Robertson’s art continues to get sharper and more focused, which has been an issue since the series began; the inks muddy up the art on certain pages, but otherwise this is amongst his best issues on the title (and really, it’s the inking that always seems to bring the art down). I honestly wasn’t expecting much out of this issue, but Ennis and Robertson really blew me away with this one; before this issue, I had considered dropping this title and moving to trades, but after this issue, I’m more invested in The Boys than I have been since the series began. This one is can’t miss.
02. The Darkness #2 (09)
Written by Phil Hester
Art by Michael Broussard (pencils), Ryan Winn (inks), and Matt Mila (colors)
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Dale Keown, Stjepan Sejic, and Tyler Kirkham
While this week’s issue of The Boys considerably exceeded my expectations, it was this week’s Darkness #2 from Top Cow that was the week’s biggest surprise. This issue nearly took the top spot with its sharp dialogue, atmospheric art, and inventive approach to the characters. Hester is putting a new spin on The Darkness that is accessible and rewarding, while skillfully building multiple storylines and developing some great new characters. I’m still relatively new to The Darkness, so I’d love to hear what longtime fans think of the new series, but I have a feeling that they’d be pleased with the new direction Hester is taking. Michael Broussard’s art, while certainly not for everyone, is perfectly in line with the Top Cow style—lots of sketchy lines, tight inks, and varying panels. While his designs are not as exaggerated as other Top Cow artists, there is definitely a unifying style across the line. What surprises me most about this issue is how well Hester and Broussard mesh, especially given how drastically different their art styles are; however, Broussard’s dark, atmospheric art works perfectly with the intensity of Hester’s writing. This exciting issue made a strong run fro the top spot on the Rankings and while it only made it to #2, it shows what this series is capable of and for that, I’m giving The Darkness #2 a very strong recommendation.
01. Teen Titans: Year One #2 (01)
Written by Amy Wolfram
Art by Karl Kerschl (pencils), Serge LaPointe (inks), and Steph Peru (colors)
Letters by Nick J. Napolitano
Cover by Karl Kerschl
After how fantastic Teen Titans: Year One #1 was, I had very high expectations for the second issue. I was not disappointed. Amy Wolfram and Karl Kerschl have put together an insanely fun book with a very iconic understanding of the original Teen Titans. In this issue, we are fully introduced to Wolfram’s take on Aqualad and its absolutely perfect. He’s the timid, meak, “little brother” of the team, making him a great foil to the overbearing and energetic Kid Flash and the calculated and methodical Robin. Kerschl’s designs match this perefectly, as he gives Garth a very aquatic feel (really does look fishy), with Steph Peru’s colors doing a great job of setting him apart from the other Titans. While the introductions and interactions of the characters take up the main portion of the issue, Wolfram skillfully weaves the plot behind this to keep the story moving and to give the team motivation for coming together as the Teen Titans for the first time. The plot is a bit thin, harkening back to the original Titans stories, but Wolfram more than makes up for the plot with the strength of the characterization. What really makes this issue my pick for Book of the Week, however, is the way in which Wolfram and Kerschl work together on this issue. The pacing, the tone, and the approach to the characters matches perfectly between the writing and the art. There is also a considerable amount of trust between the two; when the writing is heavy, the art takes a backseat, but likewise, there are plenty of places where Wolfram let’s Kerschl tell the story, such as the incredibly effective final page, which introduces the boys of the Titans team to Wonder Girl (with predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable results). It may only be the first week in February, but I’d say we already have frontrunner for 2008’s best miniseries.