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windiebird’s Weekly Winner: Made in the Shade

by windiebird

(Cover by Tony Harris, DC Comics)

My pick of the week was Shade 2 by a landslide! I have to admit that James Robinson isn’t my favorite writer in the world. I loved that he wrote a Green Lantern/Green Arrow series (Cry for Justice) but I didn’t like the execution. I loved that he created a Justice League that had interesting and diverse characters but again, I was lost on the final product. His love of comics history and continuity always shines through in his work and that’s a trait I look for in writers.

So, to a person who has not yet read Starman but did pick up this mini-series, I assure you he is making something wonderful with The Shade! It’s pure character-driven violence and explosion the whole time and I laughed out loud at least twice this issue. There are interesting uses of Shade’s powers, some touching moments with his girlfriend and even a non-tired use of the English/French animosity cliché! All in all, this is written by a guy on a mission and he’s even swung it to be friendly to new readers! This is not to be missed!

Weekly Anticipation: Winter Bucky

by windiebird

(Cover by Ed McGuinness, Marvel Comics)

Captain America and Bucky 624 is the finale of this re-telling of Bucky Barnes’ story since World War II by Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko and it was been a masterful character study into one of the most interesting heroes to emerge from modern superhero stories. I’m not quite certain how this and the other Captain America book fit into current continuity but this has been such a great look back and enriches the new Bucky/Winter Soldier history greatly.

(Cover by Tyler Kirkham and BATT, DC Comics)

New Guardians 3 seems like it’s really going to get the series off on its new direction, forcing the members of all the corps to join together against an emotionless Ganthet and the rest of the Guardians of Oa! We get more insight into how Larfleeze isn’t, uh, totally dead floating in space right now without his ring as well. This has been a fun crash course in Kyle Rayner-ness so far but has yet to really shine on its “nU” concept. Hopefully this issue amps up the possible amazingness.

(Cover by George Perez, DC Comics)

Superman 3 will be the best book of the week if it can keep up the pace from issue 2 (though issue 1 was a bit of a let down for me). Mysteries abound that put our man of steel in a peril he can barely touch or see, let alone fight! I like the new angles being played with concerning Lois and Jimmy and the underwear-less costume for Big Blue is growing on me. All in all, I think I’m becoming a Superfan!

(The rest of my titles in this light week are Aquaman 3, Justice League Dark 3, Shade 2, Ultimate Comics Hawkeye 4 and Wolverine & The X-Men 2)

-windiebird

windiebird’s Weekly Winner: Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m Ready for My Anal Probe!

by windiebird

(Cover by Dan Duncan, Image Comics)

All of the comics this week totally pressed my happiness buttons but the one with the ending that shocked me the most (and had the requisite number of burly, hairy naked guys to earn my approval) was Xenoholics 2! The series so far has been a fantastic, strange little tale of a group of possibly-misguided alien abductees, finding each other and sharing their stories. Bob is our protagonist who has recently lost everything when he won’t relent his story of being taken by extraterrestrials. Their world is turned upside down when what appears to be an actual crop (err concrete) circle appears in the city and their group therapist vanishes. To conflate things even more, a mysterious and violent organization shows up and starts demanding answers from the Xenoholics. It’s been a blast to read with such an interesting art style by Seth Damoose; a title to check out if you’ve ever enjoyed the X-Files!

Weekly Anticipation: Guuuuuuuuurl!

by windiebird

(Cover by Mahmud Asar, DC Comics)

Supergirl 3; mmmmmmmmm, okay! You guys, if this comic were a song and we were all in a totally bangin’ club right now, I would be running onto the dance floor with my hands in the air, exactly as if I did not care! Kara will not take any guff and she’s finally on the hunt for the ship that brought her to earth (and hopefully more answers). If you like things that are interesting, you will like this comic.

(Cover by Cliff Chiang, DC Comics)

Wonder Woman 3 is sure to give us more of the delectable Greek drama with all of the action and subtle homoeroticism I’ve enjoyed in the first two issues! While I don’t personally like the twist that we’re going to learn about Diana’s birth, I trust Brian Azzarello to deliver it in a way that serves the story and brings about a more complex cast of characters. The Diana I loved does not prefer the staff, you guys, if you know what I mean.

(Cover by Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn, Image Comics)

The Walking Dead 91 gives us an Andrea/Dale cover and my heart is broken into a million little pieces right now! Some serious drama bombs are dropping all over the sometimes-safe encampment our intrepid group has been living in for a while now. After the recent loss of so many and the hope of a brighter tomorrow…of course mutiny and failure are stirring underneath it all. Is a zombie utopia too much to ask? Great series that has never let me down, so very worth the cost eternally!

(My other titles this week are Batman 3, Birds of Prey 3, DCU Presents 3, Generation Hope 13, Green Lantern Corps 3, iZombie 19, Justice League 3, New Mutants 34, Ultimate Comics X-Men 3, X-Factor 227 and Xenoholics 2)

-windiebird

windiebird’s Weekly Winner: Top Hats & Homicide

by windiebird

(Cover by Szymon Kudranski, DC Comics)

This was a week for me where my expectations were met exactly! Penguin: Pain & Prejudice continues to totally tickle the dark parts of my soul and tell a compelling story at the same time! Again, it’s a bizarre experience for me since I am exactly neutral about the art but it’s almost as if the words pull me along all on their own power. Not that the visuals don’t have some truly beautiful moments, it’s just not my thing (but not a style I hate, either).

So basically, this is a damn good comic! It’s a novel-turned-sequential-art and it’s the best of its kind; absolutely one title to be reading! 

Weekly Anticipation: Flightless Bird

by windiebird

(Cover by Szymon Kudranski, DC Comics)

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice 2 is on track to be my favorite of the week if all the well-crafted, anguished character work remains from the first issue. That was the perfect example of why a novelist can absolutely shine in the sequential storytelling medium and I have the utmost hopes for this week. Pain, revenge, guns and The Batman!

(Cover by Guillem March, DC Comics)

Again with the DC miniseries! Huntress 2 is absolutely ~my jam~! Helena gets the spotlight all to herself, kicking ass and being a totally righteous defender of the innocent. With Marcus To and John Dell on visuals, she even does it all looking entirely fashionable and fierce. Loving Guillem March for these covers as well. Guess it’s hard to hyper-sexualize someone when they wear body armor but lord knows he’s trying. Anyways, the end result is a book you should read from issue one to six (the final chapter)!

(Cover by Kaare Andrews, Marvel Comics)

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 4 marks not only what is sure to be another banner entry into the Ultimate Marvel universe with one of the most relatable characters in comics history but the first Kaare Andrews cover I really dig as well! Needless snark aside, we get more glimpses into how Miles’ powers work and more of his steps to becoming the new Spider-Man are revealed. It’s pricier than some books but this is an instance where you are absolutely paying for quality.

(My remaining pull list this week is Batwoman 3, Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Season 9 3, Demon Knights 3, Dollhouse: Epitaphs 5, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. 3, Green Lantern 3, Mister Terrific 3, Superboy 3 and Uncanny X-Force 17)

windiebird’s Weekly Winner: Hacking Up A Lung

by windiebird

(Cover by Yanick Paquette, DC Comics)

Scott Snyder, did you ever know that you’re my hero and everything I would like to be? This new Swamp Thing began as a beautifully depicted and suitably scripted series but has rapidly been upping the ante on the story side once the necessary exposition has been delivered to the reader. There are some deeply horrifying scenes in this issue and some very compelling twists in the story, as the Rot continues to show its teeth to our reluctant hero. Old flames are re-introduced and lungs are literally falling out of people’s throats! All in all, this is exactly what it sets out to be and then some, an excellent comic.

Weekly Anticipation: Red, Red In My Head

by windiebird

(Cover by Travel Foreman, DC Comics)

Animal Man 3 is going to  rock every single casbah in the universe! Travel Foreman and Jeff Lemire are doing spooky, creepy, wonderful things and this is one book you will want to say you were reading from the beginning. Our intrepid duo are making their way into the Red and something wicked is preparing to lay some serious pain on the Bakers. Such a great comic here!

(Cover by Yanick Paquette, DC Comics)

Swamp Thing 3; replace Yanick Paquette and Scott Snyder, respectively, in my Animal Man entry and you have my opinion of Swamp Thing! This is terrifying, beautiful comics at their best. Sethe is revealed as the face of the third life force (Red & Green being the other two) and he’s got a mad on that only Swamp Thing (and Buddy Baker in AM) can defend against! A must-read.

(Cover by Dale Keown, Marvel Comics)

Uncanny X-Men 1 continues my “Try All the Regenesis Things!” campaign and I’m always excited to be reading a Kieron Gillen comic. Mister Sinister is doing his thing against Scott’s newly re-shuffled deck and I can’t wait to see the outcome! I love that Emma Frost and Magik feature so prominently on the Keown cover, I hope that means a focus on those two in the issues to come. Hooray for the X-Men!

(Action Comics 3, American Vampire 20, Avengers Academy 21, Detective Comics 3, Fear Itself 7.1, Green Arrow 3, JLI 3, New Mutants 33, O.M.A.C. 3, Stormwatch 3, Sweet Tooth 27 and X-Men 20 are my other titles this week)

windiebird’s Weekly Winner: Everybody to the switch!

by windiebird

(Cover by Emma Rios, Marvel Comics)

 This was the outcome I was hoping for and I simply could not be happier that Cloak & Dagger 3 is easily my favorite comic of the week! I’m just a broken record at this point and I don’t want to spoil this series for anyone so I’ll simply say what I’ve said through all three of these issues. You should be reading this series, plain and simple. Emma Rios is working in 5 dimensions while other artists are still on 3; Nick Spencer breathed new life into these little-known but well-loved characters and crafted a strange, little story that could easily go for a hundred issues.

That was Cloak & Dagger in 2011 and I’m glad I was there for it.

Weekly Anticipation: Trenchcoat & Dirk

by windiebird

(Cover by Emma Rios, Marvel Comics)

Cloak & Dagger 3 is finally, finally getting the cover treatment it deserves! Unfortunately, it wraps around the unfortunate glory that is this series’ final issue. You guys, Emma Rios and Nick Spencer are 100% making my favorite comic here and I simply can’t stop recommending this little, limited series to anyone who likes sequential art. Digital or in person, you need to read this.

(Cover by Chris Bachalo, Marvel Comics)

Wolverine & The X-Men 1 is the first post-Schism X-book to hit stands and is the one I have the highest hopes for. I love the X-Men in their Xavier school days and spinning that idea on its head a bit with a mixed up team and Wolverine leading the new Jean Grey Institute staff is right up my alley! A great creative team as this can only help matters further and anything that cohesively resets the Marvel mutant line is alright by me! Definitely one to check out.

(Cover by Kaare Andrews, Marvel Comics)

Ultimate Comics Ultimates 3 means that drunken Tony Stark is on the way, to save the day! The Children of Tomorrow are being ~total jerks~ and the gods are falling from the skies in one frightening set of panels from last month’s comic. This one started out a little slow but came back with a killer second issue, looks like Jonathan Hickman hasn’t lost his magic yet! If you like the Ultimate Universe in any way, shape or form, you will like where this is headed now. Big changes in store for the Marvel UU!

(The rest of my titles for the week are All-Star Western 2, Angel & Faith 3, Aquaman 2, Avengers Academy 20, Avengers: Solo 1, Captain America & Bucky 623, The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men 2, New Guardians 2, Justice League Dark 2, Superman 2, Teen Titans 2 and The Walking Dead 90)

-windiebird