Greg's Picks:
J.R. is on vacation this week so you're stuck with me, sorry!
Rorschach #1 - I'm skeptical on Tom King's writing and Watchmen in general, but this was a solid first issue. King clearly respects the source material and even gives us that 9 panel grid before he kicks it up to pages with 15 panels, which I thought was funny. The art from Jorge Forñes is stellar - very reminiscent of David(s) Aja or Mazzucchelli. This issue dumps you in the middle of the action and fills you in with a classic detective story to get you up to speed. Definitely part 1 of 12, but I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Giant-Size X-Men #1 - This one came out a couple of weeks ago but I don't think it got the attention it deserved. The classic issue that introduced the team of X-Men we know and love so well is re-told, but in a really neat way. Marvel hired one top-of-their-game artist to redraw each page. The result is something really neat that you don't see a lot of. Definitely worth your time if you like words and pictures!
Pulp OGN - Another book that came out a while back that I just got around to reading. Brubaker and Phillips are up there with the greatest duos of the last 20 years. I love all their work and am excited to see them doing more stuff in the original graphic novel form. This is a one and done, so an easy story to consume. This one isn't a straight-ahead crime book. Max Winters is a pulp writer in 1930's new York. Life imitates art when Max finds himself thrown into some seriously weird shit, and he's not having any of it. If you dig great comics, don't sleep on this one.
Diarra's Picks:
We Live #1 - The year is 2084 and the world’s completely gone to shit. Between epic natural disasters and mutated, blood thirsty creatures, the human race will soon be extinct. That’s when a savior in the sky devised a plan that could save the human race. Earth was sent a message from an alien race, the plan was a set of 5000 bracelets dropped from the sky to be given only to children. When the time came, these children would be transported from earth to a safer planet and the human race could rebuild a new. So here we follow a group of kids (don’t worry they are chaperoned) on their track to the designated teleportation site. The trip is already pretty trying and the group has experienced loss, but they are excited about their new future. I just hope the aliens keep up with their end of the bargain
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The Vain # 1 - Felix is a low level agent in the FBI and is looking to move up in the ranks. He thinks he’s found the case that will do just that in the a string of bank robberies. Robbing banks isn’t anything new, but these robberies are at blood banks! Felix knows better than to run to his boss with vampire theories, but the idea of an enemy country stealing our blood to weaken medical care was enough to warrant some digging. Felix is always one step behind our robbers, and is reassigned before he can catch up to them. That’s when the story took a turn I didn’t see coming, and Felix is far from done with these vampires.
The Devil’s Red Bride #1 - Time has come for the great samurai clan, Aragami, to chose their new leader. It won’t be overnight, but the training of the chosen heir must begin now. Two sisters (Isanosuke & Ketsuko) are up for the position, well technically, but the powers at be have made their decision. Despite Ketsuko’s desire, she is only the clan leader’s stepdaughter and as Isanosuke is blood, she gets the role. This doesn’t deter Ketsuko from her ultimate goal of being a samurai, and she decides to walk her own path. Three years later, this path leads her down a back alley where she must use her skills to save a helpless woman. She didn’t think twice before stepping to this woman’s aid, after all, Ketsuko started her path with honor in mind. She thought this was a simple good deed, turns out Ketsuko just signed up for quite the journey.
Stone's Picks:
Dark Knights Death Metal #4 – Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman each find different worlds that are powering Perpetua with different crisis energies. The three then run into more perfect versions of the Anti-Monitor, Darkseid, and Superboy Prime. Facing down these more powerful foes, the three heroes fall and are each taken prisoner. With Wally and the Flashes draining the speed force rapidly and the Robin King hunting the others back in the land of Gotham, the fate of everyone hinges on the heroes escape from their captors. And could the fight for a better world sway the heart of a reality shattering threat?
Star Wars Darth Vader #6 – Though his quest for answers into Padme's death is over, Lord Vader now ventures back towards The Emperor. Upon his arrival, Vader Is met by his master and given an unwelcome return for the rebellious nature Vader exhibited going against his master's wishes to investigate Padme. Lord Vader has grown weak and forgotten what it means to hold true power. His fear of losing Padme is what drove him to seek power and turn to the dark side. The Emperor must now break Vader’s spirit, bringing him back to a state of fear that will once again be the building block for The Dark Lord's rise to power.
The Avengers #37 – The Age of Khonshu concludes, and the power of the Moon, the power of thunder, and the power of the Phoenix collide. Marc Spector is in possession of the Phoenix force. Using his new cosmic powers, he will battle the maddening moon god Khonshu, while also battling inside himself over what his decision should be regarding the fate of the world’s future. The Avengers Vs. the forces of Khonsu in one final battle that will surely have a big effect on the greater Marvel Universe.
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