Check out what I checked out this week.
Whether the comics are inspiring or disappointing, I read them all.
Welcome to The Pull List.
And, as always…Spoilers ahead!
The Flash #2
Writer: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art: Francis Manapul
Color: Brian Buccellato
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
The new DCU has given the Flash brand new powers as he is able to make his brain function faster than before, making him now both mentally and physically the fastest man alive.
Francis Manapul masterfully captured the moment where Barry discovered the ability to use his new powers. Facial expressions, traffic, a bank robbery in process and birds in the sky were done with beautiful detail and is hands down the artwork of the week. Flash learns his new found abilities come at a price which is interesting because they are a game changer and will only be able to use them in the most dire straits. Barry also has some interaction with an old friend who has been cloned multiple times over which is actually kind of boring since there is little mystery and no threat.
The piece of the story regarding the new powers and the fallout of using them is the crème de la crème that will make you come back for seconds.
Grade: B+
***
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
Writer: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz
Art: Dan Duncan
Colors: Ronda Pattinson
Publisher: IDW
Price $3.99
The cartoon vernacular of “Tubular” and “Cowabunga” need not apply as this gritty version of the Ninja Turtles brings the original and yet, refreshing look to comic book fans.
A bromance has blossomed between Raphael and Casey Jones while the origin story of the Splinter and the turtles is revealed. If you are familiar with the cover of the old school Nintendo game, you noticed that all four turtles wear the red mask as opposed to different colors. The dialog and art does a great job of making sure you can tell who’s who at all times. The artwork does a fantastic job of capturing Splinter’s caring nature as he is protecting the pre-mutated turtles from capture. In my opinion, this is the dark horse (no pun intended) comic book of 2011 that will be enjoyed by all fans alike.
Grade: B
***
Wolverine and the X-Men #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsened & Jamie Mendoza
Color: Chris Bachalo
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Think about the worst person you can imagine opening a school.
Now, add to this individual the stress of trying to keep everything intact while putting on a front for the board of education.
Welcome to the first issue of Wolverine and the X-Men.
The artwork and writing are very much in sync with each other and there is one panel in particular where Logan is standing outside the gates of the school with Kitty Pryde on the first day of school while dressed in a suit and tie and wearing a “Hello My Name Is” sticker on his blazer. Logan has a “can it get any worse” moment where the Hellfire Club makes its presence felt and it brings a lot of insight into how deeply focused and committed he is to the school.
The end of the book also has a two page artistic preview of what lies ahead in the series along with a lovely brochure about the curriculum at “The Jean Grey School For Higher Learning” and a ladder chart listing the faculty, administrators and students. This is an excellent start to a series that has the juice to go a long way.
Grade: A-
***
Justice League Dark #2
Writer: Peter Milligan
Art: Mikel Janin
Color: Ulises Arreola Palomera
Publisher: DC Comics
Price $2.99
This issue focuses more on getting to know some of the characters than anything else. Deadman is incredibly horny and is looking to improve his physical relationship with Dawn by taking over the body of another man. Constantine is getting beat up by some bar hooligans and in a weird twist, Madame Xanadu finally gets some type of hold on Enchantress and commands her to do a particular task.
This was a little harder for me to get into than the last issue. The colors make the art stand out in this issue and the writing makes you wonder if this will actually end up being a Justice League type group or will it be just a bunch of supernatural people who band together to fight a common foe. That remains to be seen and the prospect either way is interesting to bring readers back for future issues.
Grade: C+
***
The Walking Dead #90
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathbum
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $2.99
Reading this issue will give the reader the impression this is the calm before the storm. Tensions are at an all time high: Rick’s emotions are deterring him from helping an emotionless Carl and Maggie has reached her boiling point with worrying about her and Glenn’s safety.
The writing hits its stride when Rick confides in Andrea some disturbing thoughts about his son and how the world is no longer a place for him. Rick wants to be strong for everyone but he just can’t do it anymore. The message here is it’s hard to feel alive in a place where everything is dead and Rick is no exception. Kirkman is setting the stage for something big on the horizon that makes you wonder if Rick will be able to withstand more unbearable horror.
Grade: B-
