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!
Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9 (Pick of the Week)
Writer: Eric Trautmann & Alex Ross
Art: Ron Adrian
Cover: Alex Ross
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99
This issue is the calm before what will be a destructive storm. Ming has fallen, and Flash Gordon appears to be in control.
Dissension festers among the kingdoms of Mongo which makes Flash, Dale, and Zarkov wonder if victory was actually achieved. Eric Trautmann replaces the notion of a necessary evil with the absolute necessity of evil required to rule Mongo. You would think that beings from all walks of life: foreign, domestic and extra terrestrial would run towards peace.
But maybe peace is not the natural order of things on alien worlds.
Could it be that Flash’s efforts were all for nothing? Will Ming have the last laugh after all?
Tune in next month for the final answer.
Star Wars: Agent of the Empire-Hard Targets #4
Writer: John Ostrander, Haden Blackman, Jermey Barlow & Chuck Dixon
Art: Davide Fabbri & Christian Dalla Vecchia
Colors: Wes Dzioba
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $2.99
Gungan architecture and political espionage are all tied together in a nice little bow, courtesy of everyone’s favorite imperial agent.
Jahan Cross manages to convince a former bodyguard to help him after he relays the kind of the news that gets you thrown out of a window. Cross, who operates under the directive of the Empire, goes the personal route as he rushes to rescue a young boy who is too young to lead.
Expanded Universe stories can get a bad rap for veering off the beaten path of its name sake.
Sometimes, that can be a good thing and the “Agent of the Empire” is a perfect example of the concept in full force.
Strong visuals, great script, and excellent direction keeps this series in the hunt for best Star Wars comic on the shelves today.
Grade: B
Batman and Robin Annual #1
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Ardian Syaf & Vincente Cifuentes
Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
Cover: Mike Choi
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Peter J. Tomasi treats readers to the ultimate global scavenger hunt.
Robin is the maestro of this affair that leads Batman on a quest to learn things about his parents he never knew before. What made this such a good read was Damian’s motive to not only to be closer to his father but to prove himself as a crime fighter at the same time. While the bat’s away, the bird will play….and dress up as a bat while putting a thumping on the scum of Gotham.
There are a lot of strong visuals and excellent character work that enhance the story with every turn of the page.
Carlos M. Mangual’s lettering carried a strong presence as it relates to Damian since the pint size hero’s Batman impersonation reminds you more of Batboy than the Dark Knight. In my humble opinion, annuals suck. This one, however, is exceptional and the best one released in DC Comics new 52.
Grade: A-
Punisher: War Zone #4
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Cover: Marco Checchetto
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
Let me be Frank, (You see what I did there) I’ve never enjoyed a single Punisher book until Greg Rucka to put pen to paper. There is just something about the way he writes this character that speaks to me.
With one issue left to go, his work on this series will be tremendously missed. Spider-Man, Black Widow, and Thor have had their chance to bring in Frank Castle. Some used force while others used diplomacy.
In the end, one thing is for certain. The Punisher has run out of chances.
Rucka’s narrative is served through Steve Rogers as he devises a plan which centers on the sentencing of Rachel Cole-Alves.
Of course, this all occurs while Castle steals a particular piece of tech that you would never want him to get his hands on. Di Giandomenico produces the best artwork of the week while Checchetto puts together a chilling cover.
When it is all said and done, I have a feeling this character will never be the same again.
Grade: A-
Emily And The Strangers #1
Writer: Mariah Huehner & Rob Reger
Art: Emily Ivie
Cover: Emily Ivie & Buzz Parker
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
I didn’t think I was going to like this, and ended up loving it.
I must confess, this is the first time that I had ever heard of Emily Strange. Did you know there is a popular clothing line named after the title character?
Emily is as smart as she is Strange, and her wild imagination knows no limits. This makes her character instantly intriguing. She has three hell raising cats that help her make the best rock-n-roll song in order to win the haunted guitar of her favorite musician.
This alone makes you relate to the character even more as we all have that band or singer we desperately want to meet.
The script has a certain charm that is both captivating and fun while the art direction did an exceptional job in every facet of storytelling. This is marvelous all around and I hope you give it a chance the next time you are looking for something new.
I know I’ve been missing out on something when even my wife couldn’t believe that I had never heard of Emily Strange.
Grade: B+
Invincible #100
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Ryan Ottley & Cliff Rathburn
Colors: John Rauch
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
If you have enjoyed this series from the onset or you stopped reading it for a few, this issue will serve as the game changer you were looking for.
“The Death of Everyone” is the tag line meant to hook you into Robert Kirkman’s pages of action and insanity. The opening pages start off with a bang as Dinosaurus crushes Mark’s head – killing him – and it was televised.
Panel after panel of reactions from all over the world put into perspective how shocking this was. Invincible is filled with surprise after surprise and it serves as a reminder of how talented this creative team is.
Kudos to everyone involved as the conclusion of this arc serves as the beginning of so much more for Mark and the type of hero he wants to be.
Grade: B
Aquaman #16
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Paul Pelletier
Colors: Rod Reis
Letters: Nick J. Napolitano
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
Just like Mark Waid’s Daredevil, every month I wonder if this is going to be the issue that lets me down.
Rest assured, it’s all good with Aquaman #16 as this Justice League crossover gets kicked into high gear. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are trapped in the deepest depths of the ocean and Aquaman has to save them while fending off the dreaded Trench creatures.
On the surface, Cyborg makes a life altering decision in regards to his robotics while the backup he requested is tearing up shop.
Geoff Johns makes Hawkman and Firestorm more exciting and relevant in four panels than they have been since the launch of the New 52, fourteen months ago. This may be a sign of things to come in the new JLA series due out in February.
Last month, I wondered if Paul Pelletier’s artwork was reminiscent of Ivan Reis’s style by design. I think we got our answer. Overall, this is a strong issue with lots of water, and an ending you won’t see coming.
Grade: B+
Here are some titles that didn’t make the list but may just tickle your fancy.
Avengers #4 (Marvel Comics)
The Avengers must contain the fallout of six origin bombs that were detonated across the globe. It’s the stuff nightmares are made of.
Damsels #5 (Dynamite Entertainment)
This is Dynamite’s answer to Vertigo’s Fables book. More grounded in the fairy tale realm of things. It’s slow at times but it was fun to watch the three bears chase Rapunzel up a tree because they ran out of porridge.
Talon #4 (DC Comics)
James Tyrion continues to impress with his story of a cast away Talon looking to strike back at the Court of Owls.
