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!
All New X-Men #32
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Mahmud Asrar
Cover: Sara Pichelli
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
The displaced X-Men have found themselves displaced even farther forward in time and have landed into the Ultimate Universe.
While Beast, Iceman, and X-23 all have some interesting adventures ahead of them, the heart of the story is Jean Grey’s meeting Miles Morales. Being the writer of Morales’ Spider-Man series gives Bendis a distinct advantage in make this cross over something tangible by giving both characters time to shine as their interaction takes center stage.
This is Miles’ first interaction with someone from the 616 universe since last year’s Spider-Men event.
Jean knows that Peter Parker is kind of a big deal in her neck of the woods, so seeing Miles as a younger version of an iconic hero is almost like looking into a situational mirror.
The artwork is fun to look at and Mahmud Asrar did a great job of making the big moments count as they were stuck in different circumstances. These circumstances were illustrated nicely and called for different colors and change ups in character work. The two-page layout of Jean reading Miles’ mind captured the essence of an insecure teenager having all of his inner-most thoughts revealed.
I believe that someday, somehow, Miles Morales will takes permanent residence in Marvel proper, and seeing him interact with more of its characters is a good way to get fan used to the possibility. For those who are all in on all things X-Men, this series has truly been the definitive yarn for the mutant stable these days.
Bendis establishes an enjoyable and perilous tone setting up the characters against threats that they think they know but in this case, they really don’t.
Score: 3.5 out of 5
Purgatori #1
Writer: Aaron Gillespie
Artist: Javier Garcia Miranda
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99
The story follows Purgatori’s exile to Earth by Lucifer after being held captive in Hell. She believes that she got off easy until her demonic sentence comes to fruition.
I’m sure Purgatori has an audience but it certainly didn’t appeal to someone looking for something new. I just couldn’t get into this comic book. It was all style with zero substance and went for more shock and awe instead of telling a good story.
Javier Garcia Miranda’s blood splattering imagery and serviceable character work is hard to admire when it’s bogged down by such an obtuse narrative. The execution of key moments were sloppy and almost nonexistent. I don’t know if this was supposed to be a horror spoof or a devilishly horrifying tale.
I haven’t said this about a book in quite some time, but Purgatori is shelf-listed, meaning it’s not worth your time, money or the minimal amount of mental energy it would take to read all 32 pages.
Score: 0.5 out of 5
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches #1 (of 4)
Writer: S.M. Vidaurri
Artist: S.M. Vidaurri
Cover: Missy Pena
Publisher: Archaia
Price: $3.99
Jim Henson’s short lived TV series The Storyteller is launched through Archaia with a four issue mini-series.
Part one centers around a cursed princess who ventures into the woods to confront the Lord of the Forrest. S.M. Vidaurri weaves in all of the classic fairy tale elements such as kings, queens, witches and borrows an item or two from classic folklore. The story starts out as one thing and beautifully transitions into something else which was refreshing and done with such gravitas.
The artistry among the pages makes it feel more like a children’s book instead of a comic book.
The images tell just as much of the story as the dialog, which is a wonder to look at, and is presented with such majesty. The $3.99 price tag is worth it just for the illustrations alone.
When I think about fairy tales, I tend to think of Disney sing-alongs. I’m not harping on them, I am a Frozen fan after all, but you will not find any singing here as the narrative is rich in scope, told at a great pace, and features a strong female lead that you will read again and again.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Criminal Macabre: The Third Child #1
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Christopher Mitten
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
You can’t help but immerse yourself in a horror filled world created by Steve Niles. His uncanny ability to cleverly hook the reader from the onset is a rare commodity in the genre.
Cal McDonald is having a great deal of difficulty getting comfortable in his new skin. It’s understandable considering he has become the very thing he loathes more than anything, a monster. Niles gives new readers a brief, but effective retrospective highlighting why Cal hates monsters, and has vowed to destroy every one of them.
The emotion in Niles’ script captures the essence of a man on a mission that highlights Cal’s disdain is towards monsters of all varieties, even the human kind.
Besides misery and despair, there is also a little bit of brotherly love in the form Cal’s ghoulish pals, Adam and Mo who watch their friends downward spiral while trying to help him adjust to his new lot in life. Christopher Mitten’s artwork is a breath of fresh air for this type of series. Besides blood and guts, he perfectly complements Niles’ dramatic tone with the type of illustrations that stand out no matter what panel you are examining. From demon babies to Cal lighting a cigarette in mid-flight, Mitten’s fluidity brings to the pages to life in a world of death and darkness.
The Third Child is an intense example of how drama can work in a horror story and finds a great balance between tragedy and redemption. While this scares by nature, this is a book that all comic book fans can read with enthusiasm.
Score: 4 out of 5
George Pérez’s Sirens #1
Writer: George Perez
Artist: George Perez
Colorist: Leonard Paciarotti
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Price: $3.99
When scanning the shelves for the latest titles, I can usually skim a book before reading it in order to get a sense of the narrative.
Not this time. George Pérez goes all in on his newest endeavor taking place in a wide range of time that begins in 1104 A.D. Iceland and goes to outer space and beyond. The Sirens have no memory of their past, but things begin to seep in that proclaims their fierce reputation abroad. I like that Pérez deviated from the script and gave us an already established background instead of an origin story.
It came off extremely well and I completely bought the reputation that proceeded the Sirens.
While this isn’t the first time the legendary creator has taken the helm of a female led series, it’s nice to see that he finds it to be a viable option in 2014. More books with strong female characters are appearing on the market and this series could go a long way in making it the norm instead of an allowance. Pérez’s artwork keeps its hallmark intact by jamming in as much readable content, per panel and page as possible while Leonard Paciarotti’s coloring brings energy to the illustrations.
I have to admit, I didn’t like this book at first, but it won me over as it went along. The set up serves of a sign of things to come which could be very promising. The gloves are off as there is no cooperate editorial process stopping George Pérez from telling the story he wants to tell.
Score: 4 out of 5
