Wednesday, December 7, 2011

What You Should Have Read #50


Thoughts on Last Week’s Comics...

Double-Sized Foil Cover Anniversary Post!


Fables #111 – It’s really difficult to write something different each month about a consistently good comic. Fables is awesome. If you’re not reading it, start. If you’re a fan of NBC’s Grimm or ABC’s Once Upon a Time, read it. It’s better, I promise. We get a new North Wind in this issue, and it’s not who I was thinking it was going to be. There was some good misdirections, and writer Bill Willingham gives us a logical replacement.

FF #12 – I try not to read solicits or previews of comics because I don’t like to be spoiled (usually) as to where a story is going. Broad strokes are okay, but I like to find out the details for myself. So if it was announced earlier that the FF book would be focusing on the kids now that the Fantastic Four is back (which is quite the logical path, now that I think about it), I wasn’t aware. I tend to have an aversion to super-smart, know-it-all (Redundant? I guess.) kids, so I don’t think this book is going to sit too well with me. Sure, Hickman is doing a great job with the script and I like where the kids are going, but still…super-smart, know-it-all kids. At least Franklin and Leech are thrown into the mix, and they’re just average, super-powered kids.

Red Skull #5 – I really enjoyed this mini, but this panel struck me as a bit queer. It’s only ¼ of this page, a few pages into the issue. It doesn’t show any action but instead a result. There is absolutely nothing about it to make it stand out, yet the artist (Mirko Colak, who I’ve not heard of before) has decided to sign his name to it. A splash page, sure, I can understand that. If this character had been somebody important like the Skull himself or Hitler, sure, that too. But it’s a nobody, dying with blood pouring from his mouth. I just thought it was odd.


Thunderbolts #166 – As corny as it is, I’m loving the Thunderbolts bouncing through time. I’m giving a bit of an eye roll to Hyde turning out to be Jack the Ripper, because that’s not terribly inventive, but it’s still a charming story, from Boomerang’s cockney accent to Gunna being cast as Eliza Doolittle and Centurius as Henry Higgins. As corny as it is, it’s well-written and engaging. It’s still smart, and I like how writer Jeff Parker is weaving the ‘Bolts into established history.


Ultimates #4 – I think having Reed Richards as a villain is an awesome and terrifying prospect. He already seems like a better villain, a villain more worthy of the name Reed Richards, than he was in Ultimate Fallout. That ended up being somewhat embarrassing for him.


Uncanny X-Men #2 – Wow, I’m really not interested in this storyline at the moment. I think I can give this book up and, while I’ll miss my monthly dose of Carlos Pacheco art, I’ll be perfectly fine getting my mutant fix from Wolverine & the X-Men. There’s only so many times when the same character, hero or villain, can say, “I knew you were going to do that,” and it sounds clever rather than mind-numbingly repetitive. Sinister has already passed that point. And really, has it ever been that easy to get the Juggernaut’s helmet off?


Wolverine #19 – While a solid tale told by Jason Aaron, the one thing I took away from this issue is that Marvel is trying extremely hard to make Spider-Man the center of its universe. Norah Winters is now a constant presence in the Punisher’s world, and now Wolverine’s girlfriend is a reporter for the Daily Bugle. I like seeing this cross-line continuity.


X-Men: Legacy #259 – Wow, that was…disappointing. I never read the Fallen Angels mini, and I had forgotten all about Ariel’s “death” although I was reading this book when it happened. But I had no idea who the character was, and a quick check of Wikipedia didn’t have me caring any more. I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be Jean Grey, but I was still hoping for someone a little…bigger. Eh, we’ll see how this turns out.

Looking Forward To

Here’s what Previews tells me is coming out this week. I’m looking forward to the stuff in bold. What are YOU looking forward to?

 DC COMICS
OCT110178ACTION COMICS #4$3.99
OCT110212ANIMAL MAN #4$2.99
JUL110285BAD DOINGS BIG IDEAS A BILL WILLINGHAM DLX HC (MR)$49.99
AUG110242BATMAN NO MANS LAND TP VOL 01 NEW EDITION$29.99
OCT110191BATWING #4$2.99
MAY110309BLACKEST NIGHT POWER RING SPECTRUM SET$65.00
SEP110177BRIGHTEST DAY TP VOL 01$19.99
OCT110238DC COMICS PRESENTS CAPTAIN ATOM #1$7.99
APR110283DC UNIVERSE ONLINE STATUE THE JOKER$90.00
OCT110188DETECTIVE COMICS #4$2.99
OCT110171GREEN ARROW #4$2.99
OCT110231HAWK AND DOVE #4$2.99
OCT110286HELLBLAZER ANNUAL #1 (MR)$4.99
OCT110201HUNTRESS #3 (OF 6)$2.99
OCT110288IZOMBIE #20 (MR)$2.99
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OCT110274LOONEY TUNES #204$2.99
OCT110225MEN OF WAR #4$3.99
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OCT110229STATIC SHOCK #4$2.99
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IDW PUBLISHING
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OCT110368COLD WAR #3$3.99
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IMAGE COMICS
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SEP110389THOUGHT BUBBLE ANTHOLOGY #1$2.99
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MARVEL COMICS
OCT110630AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #675$3.99
JUL110710ART OF SPIDER-MAN CLASSIC HC$49.99
JUL110721AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST$34.99
JUL110722AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST DM VAR ED 80$34.99
OCT110628AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #2 WITH FREE DIGITAL CODE$3.99
OCT110721CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS TP$16.99
OCT110698CRIMINAL TP VOL 06 LAST OF INNOCENT (MR)$14.99
OCT110669DEADPOOL #47$2.99
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OCT110587DEFENDERS #1$3.99
SEP118111DEFENDERS #1 NEAL ADAMS INKED VAR (PP #995)$3.99
OCT110743ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 02 NEW ED$19.99
OCT110583FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #4 (OF 12)$2.99
OCT110653HULK #45$2.99
OCT110643MOON KNIGHT #8$3.99
OCT110646PUNISHER #6$2.99
JUL110723SHIELD NICK FURY VS SHIELD PREM HC$39.99
JUL110724SHIELD NICK FURY VS SHIELD PREM HC DM VAR ED 81$39.99
OCT110737SPIDER-MAN THROUGH DECADES TP$26.99
OCT110659THOR DEVIANTS SAGA #2 (OF 5)$3.99
OCT110622ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN MUST HAVE #1$4.99
OCT110624ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES MUST HAVE #1$4.99
OCT110627ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN MUST HAVE #1$4.99
OCT110634VENOM #10$2.99
OCT110661VILLAINS FOR HIRE #1 (OF 4)$2.99
OCT110687X-23 #18$2.99
OCT110690X-CLUB #1 (OF 5)$2.99
OCT110681X-FACTOR #228$2.99
OCT110675X-MEN #22 XREGB$3.99
OCT110741X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST TP NEW PTG$19.99
SEP110675X-MEN WITH GREAT POWER TP$19.99
JUN110719X-STATIX OMNIBUS HC$125.00

SEP110757ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #224$3.99
OCT110829ARSENIC LULLABY DEVILS DECADE TP (O/A) (MR)$29.99
SEP111133AT FULL MOON GN VOL 01$10.99
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OCT110985BOYS #61 (MR)$3.99
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OCT110842CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #6 (OF 7) TORTURE CVR (RES) (MR)$3.99
OCT110843CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #6 (OF 7) WRAP CVR (RES) (MR)$3.99
SEP111223DAMAGED #4 (OF 6) (MR)$3.50
SEP111265DAWN OF THE ARCANA TP VOL 01$9.99
SEP111219DEAD OR ALIVE #1 (OF 4)$2.99
SEP111135DELTORA QUEST GN VOL 03$10.99
SEP111077DF FF #1 HAESER REMARK ED$89.99
SEP111076DF KIRBY GENESIS SILVER STAR #1 EX VIRGIN CVR$5.00
MAY111059DF X-MEN #1 HAESER REMARK CVR CGC GRADED$129.99
OCT110908ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #6$3.99
OCT110910ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST TP VOL 01$14.99
SEP111129EYES OF THE CAT DLX HC (MR)$69.95
SEP111308FLY TP VOL 01 (MR)$15.99
JUN111005GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD #7 (MR)$3.99
AUG111285GFT DREAM EATER SAGA TP VOL 01$15.99
AUG111286GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS #10 A CVR QUALANO (MR)$2.99
AUG111287GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS #10 B CVR MOLENAAR (MR)$2.99
AUG111281GFT SINBAD SPECIAL A CVR REYES$5.99
AUG111282GFT SINBAD SPECIAL B CVR BONK$5.99
SEP111137GHOST IN SHELL STAND ALONE COMPLEX GN VOL 02 (MR)$10.99
SEP110691GLAMOURPUSS #22$3.00
SEP111268GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA TP VOL 05 (OF 5)$9.99
AUG111279GRIMM FAIRY TALES #66 A CVR QUALANO (MR)$2.99
AUG111280GRIMM FAIRY TALES #66 B CVR YANG (MR)$2.99
AUG110903HELLRAISER #8 (MR)$3.99
OCT110914HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES #3 (MR)$3.99
AUG110922I THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE FUNNIER HC (MR)$17.99
SEP111287ILL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW TP VOL 04$12.99
OCT110751INDIE COMICS MAGAZINE #4 (MR)$6.49
OCT110916IRREDEEMABLE #32$3.99
JUN111145JOHNNY HAZARD DAILIES HC VOL 01 1944-1946$49.99
SEP111315JURASSIC STRIKE FORCE 5 #0$0.99
SEP111266KAMISAMA KISS TP VOL 06$9.99
OCT110951LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #12 (MR)$3.99
OCT110952LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #12 WRAP CVR (MR)$3.99
SEP110764MEGA MAN #8$2.99
AUG110746MEN OF MYSTERY #86$29.95
SEP111276NARUTO TP VOL 53$9.99
SEP111278NURA RISE O/T YOKAI CLAN GN VOL 06$9.99
SEP111273ONE PIECE TP VOL 59$9.99
SEP111267OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB TP VOL 17$9.99
SEP111179P CRAIG RUSSELL LIBRARY OF OPERA BOX SET VOL 1-3$44.99
JUN111146PHANTOM COMP SERIES HC VOL 01 GOLD KEY YEARS$49.99
OCT110929PLANET OF THE APES #4 SDCC PHOTO VAR CVR$9.99
SEP110698PRINCELESS #2$3.99
APR111001PS238 TP VOL 09 SAVING ALTERNATE OMAHA$15.99
SEP111195RASCAL RACCOONS RAGING REVENGE HC VOL 01$24.99
AUG111426RED RASCALS WAR DOONESBURY COLL TP$19.99
OCT110930RINSE #4$3.99
SEP111270SAKURA HIME LEGEND OF PRINCESS SAKURA GN VOL 05$9.99
SEP111280SHONEN JUMP JANUARY 2012$4.99
SEP111141SHUGO CHARA CHAN GN VOL 01$10.99
OCT110760SKYSCRAPERS O/T MIDWEST HC (O/A) (MR)$19.95
SEP110765SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SELECT TP VOL 04 ZONE WARS$11.95
SEP110887STAN LEE STARBORN TP VOL 02$14.99
SEP111264TEZUKAS BLACK JACK TP VOL 17 (RES)$16.95
AUG111129THE SPIDER IRON MAN WAR GN (RES)$7.99
JUN111038TOTAL RECALL #4$3.99
OCT110899VALEN OUTCAST #1 MAIN CVRS$1.00
OCT111014VAMPIRELLA ANNUAL #1$4.99
OCT110972VOLTRON #1$3.99
SEP111222WAYWARD SONS TP VOL 01$19.95


Also, in case you've forgotten: When I can remember to add this to the bottom of my posts, I’m going to whore myself out with an impassioned plea: click on the ads. PLEASE click on the ads. I don’t care if you exit out of it immediately or actually look around. This isn’t some professional blog where I believe in the products I’m shilling. These are automatic ads placed by Google. But when you click ads, I get a little bit of money, and as a single father of three, every penny from every source helps...especially with Christmas looming on the horizon. So I’m going to keep this tiny bit of begging at the bottom of my posts, and I hope you’ll take an extra 10 seconds after reading my blog to click on an ad. The only thing it costs you is time. :) Thanks so much!

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