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Pull list for 28/03/2012

Superman in The New 52 has been inconsistent at best. Action Comics is regularly one of my favourite books, I love the work Grant Morrison is doing, but as a ‘man of steel’ fan I can only greedily think, ‘well there are at least two good Batman books’. I’m really routing for Superman, especially with its new creative team and new arc beginning. This book deserves to be better than it is.

Don’t think I’ve overlooked the obvious big event this week. The prologue to Avengers VS. X-Men is to be released today. In all honesty I don’t have much to say about it – I read some X-Men and Spider-man but I am a total n00b when it comes to the Avengers. Still, this is gonna be big, and I wouldn’t want to miss it. My pull list this week:

Superman #7

As I said there is a new creative team on this book. Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens will be writing, with Jurgens and Jesus Merino on art. The information I’ve read about it makes it sound like it’s a real second attempt to get this book going. People aren’t that into Supes these days, but I really don’t see why his titular book can’t be awesome. There is some great Superman fan fiction out there, and while it may not be of professional quality, to me it shows there are still good ideas for this character. I want to love this…

Avengers VS. X-Men #0

Prologue to one of the most talked about and eagerly awaited Marvel events of the year. Could this be the book I need to break into the wider Marvel universe?

Aquaman #7

This book has been great. I loved the Mera-filled issue 6, and this has a lot to live up to. It’s the beginning of a new storyline so if you aren’t reading this, now is a good time to start. Aquaman will face a mysterious enemy who may have ties to the destruction of Atlantis in The New 52 universe. We can trust the art and writing of this book, now it’s time to expand on the mythology. I’m sure this will be a great issue.

Teen Titans #7

I’m a surprise new fan of the ‘young justice’ group; I was never a fan of teenage centred super-hero books but I’ve been enjoying Superboy so much that I’ve started getting this book so I can get the full story of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. – the second most exciting crossover arc at the moment for me (the first obviously involving owls). It’s up to Tim Drake and the gang to rescue Superboy. This issue promises to be great fun, and the art has been some of my favourite month after month.

Others on the pull list

Batman: The Dark Knight #7

Green Lantern: New Guardians #7

Justice League Dark #7

The Flash #7

X-Men Legacy #264

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Pull list for 21/03/2012

The big news this week on my pull list is probably the beginning of a new major Spidey event, Ends Of The Earth. Supposedly it’s ‘the Doc Ock story you’ve waited 50 years for!’ Bold claim. Obviously I haven’t been waiting that long. I’m in my 20′s. But I’m excited nonetheless. But being as I am a shameless DC fanboy, there are two books I’m looking forward to even more. My pull list this week:

Justice League #7

The universe of The New 52 is really beginning to pick up the pace, and the last issue of Justice League finally formerly introduced us to the nexus of the Flashpoint and post-52 DCU, the mysterious Pandora. I’ve heard a couple of different theories as to who she is, ranging from Donna Troy to the daughter of Darkseid. I haven’t made up my mind yet. All I know is this book is going to get real interesting. This issue also features the return of Captain Marvel, now simply called Shazam. Very excited.

Batman #7

The Court of the Owls continues to thrill, and it makes Batman one of my most anticipated books month after month. If you’re not reading this, then you really are one of the few. It’s the story of what happens when Gotham decides to turn on Batman. His greatest ally becomes his greatest enemy. Batman is no longer the don.

Amazing Spider-man #682

I was off this book for a long time, and only jumped back on board with the .1 issue afterSpider Island. I enjoyed the recent trip to space, and I had in all honestly forgotten how fun this book is. It’s probably the most consistently fun book there is. And so this is my first major event for Marvel in a while. I have no expectations, but a lot of better fans than me are expecting this to be something pretty special. Doctor Octavius is dying. It’s about time to hatch a master plan then, don’t you think?

Others on the pull list

Blue Beetle #7

Catwoman #7

DC Universe Presents #7

Green Lantern Corps (new entry) #7

Nightwing #7

Red Hood and the Outlaws #7

Star Trek – Legion of Superheroes #6

Supergirl #7

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Pull list for 14/03/2012

It's a pretty good week for comic books all in all. I'm a little angry at myself for thinking that Batman #7 was out this week. One more week won't hurt, and we do have three other Bat-books. Getting very exciting for the Night of the Owls crossover. Still, on to this weeks picks. These are the books I shall be flicking through when we're not too busy at the shop:

Batgirl #7

I've lost a little interest in this book since the first arc finished. Enjoyed the Mirror stuff, I liked the art and I've also always loved Babs Gordon, but over the last two or three issues the book has slowed right down. I have high hopes for issue #7 though, as supposedly she 'faces the demons of her past!' Will we learn how she is somehow able to walk again? And if so, will it be good enough to satisfy critics of her move back to Batgirl? We shall see...

Batman and Robin #7

I LOVED the last issue of this book. I wasn't liking it too much at first - the art was nice and everything, but I wasn't getting into Damian's character. Yeah, he's aggressive and murderous, he's one messed up son-of-a-bat, but I found his character a little flat and one dimensional. That was until issue #6 where he reveals his true colours, and they weren't the colours I was expecting. Damian took Batman, Nobody and us, the reader, for a ride and I can't wait to see the aftermath.

Batwoman #7

It's that book that's pretty and I pick up every month because it's meant to be awesome. And every month I remember I'm not a fan. And they don't even have the regular artist this week. But I'll pick it up. Because I'm an idiot.

Carnage U.S.A. #4 (NEW ENTRY)

I have nothing to say about this book, yet. I'm picking all four issues up on the recommendation of a friend, who says I ought to read more Marvel.

Green Lantern #7

I really didn't like the last issue. I thought the art style was horrible and I just didn't get into the story at all. But! I continue to have faith. Green Lantern is one of my favourite characters and I will continue to buy this book until it's really, really bad. Also I am still enjoying the Hal/Sinestro team up and that continues here.

Suicide Squad #7

I had actually dropped this book. It wasn't doing anything for me. But cast your mind back six months to the launch of the New 52, and the dramatic final page of Detective Comics #1. JOKER DONE LOST HIS FACE! And in issue #6 of this book, that was the hot topic. So, Harley Quinn, my favourite female bad-ass, has broken free of the rest of the Squad, and is looking for her boyfriend. She learns that he, the joker, has been killed - his face cut from his body. Naturally, Harley decides to go searching for said face. Last issue ends with her outside the police station where it is supposedly being held. Bring on issue #7!

Others on the pull list

Deathstroke #7

Grifter #7

Resurrection Man #7

Saga #1

Superboy #7

The Ray #4

X-Men Legacy #263

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Two 'Bat-book' fill in artists announced

Batwoman is probably the most visually acclaimed book in The New 52 line, and I've said before that in my opinion it is over-rated from a story point of view, so I'm interested to see how a shake-up of the artistic team will effect how people think about this book.

Since issue #6, co-writer and artist J.H. Williams has be taking a break from drawing, leaving the book in the capable hands of Amy Reeder. Starting with issue #9 Reeder is being replaced as fill in artist by Batman: Gates of Gotham artist, Trevor McCarthy. Perhaps an effort will be made to keep the visual style as similar as possible, as was the case in Reeder's issue #6. Or perhaps the book will suffer a dip in popularity. Either way I'm looking forward to seeing what changes follow. J.H. Williams will return as artist following issue #11.

The second of these artistic changes concerns Detective Comics. Red Lanterns artist Ed Benes will be drawing Detective from issue #10, until Tony S. Daniels returns following issue #12, after the long awaited Night of the Owls crossover.

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All-Star Superman can be seen in the new iPad commercial 

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Superman: American Comic Book Covers vs. Mexican Comic Book Covers

for whatever reason, be it copy-write, or simply an attempt to appeal to a different audience the release of comic books (not just Superman ones) in other countries often came with covers drawn by different artists entirely (not to sure about interiors). That’s not to say that these covers are bad, and in fact some of them are even better than the originals.

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Lovebot 2.0

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Red Hood by Michela Nemesi

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Supergirl #6

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Earth 2 variant cover by Ivan Reis. I'm so excited about this book

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Review: O.M.A.C. #7

I'm singling this issue out for a special mention this week, mainly just as an excuse to talk about O.M.A.C., before the series' last issue next month. I think for most people, most of the announced cancellations weren't too much of a surprise, and we're definitely getting some cool books in to replace them (Earth 2 and Batman INC have me real excited), but still I'm sad to see O.M.A.C. go.

I've read on message boards and in other reviews that people aren't really into the character of Kevin Kho - and I admit he hasn't done a huge amount for me, but I don't really care, I'm having such a good time with the old Kirby-esque O.M.A.C. character. And speaking of Kirby-esque I've really been enjoying Keith Giffen's art on this series, it's definitely a style that always appeals to me.

So onto this issue, and O.M.A.C. is brawling with a slightly strange looking Superman. He runs into a little trouble and has brother eye transport him out of the action. A now disabled Kevin Kho ends up in the middle of a zoo surrounded by talking animals, of course. At first, they don't trust the human, but eventually it's up to O.M.A.C. to save the day for these creatures, and the result is a fun, action filled adventure, nicely contained within the issue.

It's more colourful than stylish, more fun than intense, and I continue to enjoy myself reading this book, and I hope the character sticks around after his cancellation.

I'm not sure when/if a trade paperback collecting all eight is going to be released but I recommend picking it up.

4 out of 5

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Review: Action Comics #7

While SWAMP THING came very close to getting my pick of the week, I am pleased to be able to instead choose one of my favourite books, by one of my favourite writers, about my favourite mainstream super-hero.

Ever since ALL-STAR SUPERMAN I've been waiting for Supes to become 'cool' again, or for writers to have more ideas to pull him out of the stagnant story telling arena he was in. I don't think that has really happened in the SUPERMAN series. We've been given an average at best story, which I can only hope improves in the next arc.

ACTION COMICS for the most part has been in my top 3 favourite books of the relaunch. Once again, Superman is interesting – we don't know exactly what to expect, or how he will become the Superman of the present day. We're starting to find a lot of that out and I found this issue extremely satisfying for filling in bits of missing information.

OK, big spoiler alert! In this issue, Metropolis has been shrunk and put into a bottle. Sound familiar? Whilst Superman attempts to track down the alien menace responsible, he stumbles across some important revelations, mainly regarding the fate of his home planet, Krypton. Eventually he is given an ultimatum which I found very thrilling. Two bottled cities, and he can only save one. Kandor? Or Metropolis!

Oh and we find out about his armoured costume as well but if anything I found that a little anti-climactic. Overall, I found the story exciting and satisfying. The dialogue was solid and very amusing at times (“It's just like Under The Dome.. And The Simpsons movie”), and the final page has me all ready for the next issue. Shame it's not for another month, but meh.. Grant Morrsion writing Supes, it's worth the wait.

(Quick after note about the art. I don't really like Rags Morales much but lots of other people do so don't ask me)

4 out of 5