Gauntlet of the Geek: Are Licensed Comic Books Good for the Industry?

“Gauntlet of the Geek” is a new featured article where two of our writers debate on hot button issues in today’s nerd industry. We’re not paid to kiss ass, so see what happens when the white gloves come off and we let you all know how we really feel. Let us know whom you agree with.

Sherif’s opinion:

For the last 30-40 years in pop culture, one thing has remained constant – franchises survive. Think of your favorite fandoms – how many of them are new to the last twenty years? Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Doctor Who, Disney…all of them have survived generations because of the way they replicate onto different mediums of consumption. Sure, tribal upbringing accounts for a fair amount of the influence, but these franchises, now corporations built off the blood money of thousands of parents desperate to immerse their offspring in the same stuff. And those blessed corporations care enough about we the consumer to keep putting out fresh material to relate one generation to the next, keeping these beloved fandoms alive. Where would TMNT be without the new Nickelodeon series? I’ll tell you where. In the retro section of a fucking Hot Topic, that’s where. Let’s not forget that the stuff kids find cool is only cool because television, movies, and toy stores tell them it’s cool. We’re just more accepting of it because we find it cool, too.

This is the blood price we have to pay to keep TMNT relevant.

One of the best side effects of licensed comic books is the amount of pull and resources that it gives the creators. For example, the mountains of merchandising money that Disney and WB give Marvel and DC, respectively, have opened up the doors for them to take chances on titles for the lesser-known titles (like Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel – both of which have had HUGE success). It’s not so much making people who watch Iron Man want to pick up Extremis, but using the resources that the Iron Man movie’s exposure brings in to reallocate and try something new (which I admit is a doey-eyed way to look at the world. We all know these corporations don’t give a crap about us). Think of it as drug dealers buying winter clothing for local school children with their drug money.

I look at licensed comic books the same way I look at the honorary torch carrier at the Olympics. They shouldn’t be regarded with the elite status they once were. X-Files and Star Trek comic books should not be competing with Saga and D4VE, nor should they be marketed as such. Licensed comic books should be designed to engage readers to narrow the gaps between fandoms. One fan who loves comics but doesn’t know anything about Ghostbusters now has input to a conversation about those who love the movies but aren’t into comic books. It’s a beautiful thing when it happens.

How can you not be excited for this?? And how is Batman not impressed??

However, the key is knowing when and how to bring some of the lesser-known books back into the spotlight. Unfortunately for us, there are some publishers out there who are filling nearly their entire catalog with 80’s franchises that just don’t fit in today, let alone in the comic book format. If you’re immediately thinking of IDW Publishing and Dynamite Entertainment, you’d be correct. A Django/Zorro crossover? A Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure 3? Escape From New York? Angry Birds?? You get the point. Since Image’s recent explosion of actual content in creator-owned titles, the smaller guys (BOOM!, IDW, Dynamite, Titan) have all resorted to making these kind of unnecessary branded titles part of their flagship titles, which can only end up giving the industry creative constipation.

Was it popular once? IDW will give it a miniseries!

With the successful integration of comic books into mainstream media, it’s only natural that these corporations would try to capitalize on the success of these franchises. Each of your favorite franchises began as a lowly “hopeful,” and while some of the crappier ones might be here for now, only the great ones remain. It’s how Buffyverse is still running. It’s how A Song of Ice and Fire will likely continue after George R. R. Martin ends the saga. Licensed comic books let creators continue telling stories even when they think nobody is listening anymore.

by Sherif Elkhatib

Montgomery’s opinion:

Let me get this out in the open right off the bat: licensed comics are terrible. It’s hard to pin down exactly why, but I’m going to see if I can narrow it down to a few easily observed facts. And before you get all uppity with me and shriek in your halting bat language, “But Montgomery! Don’t you semi-regularly gush about one or more Transformers comics?” I do. But that doesn’t mean the genre is redeemed, and it doesn’t make me a hero: it just means I’m weak, along with everyone else who bought Super Pro.

The Properties
Perhaps the most glaring issue right from the start is the properties they insist on convincing us are worth reading. I referenced Super Pro, but have you ever actually seen it? This is taking up space on Marvel’s hard drives as we speak.I mean, as someone who takes football very seriously (read: I don’t take it seriously at all), this is the thing I buy to reassure myself that I can be taken seriously as a human who breathes air on this planet. I mean, check out those cute Puritan-influenced cleats he’s wearing. This is a man’s comic, no doubt. But seriously folks, more often than not, a licensed comic is nothing but a cynical cash grab from one giant corporation to another. There’s no love of either art going into it, and then you’re forced to ask: “Who’s supposed to want to buy this?” I mean, the love fans of football have for comics is legendary, and the stereotype of the football playing comic nerd is so old it’s almost worn out (not to editor: forgot my sarcasm tags). But it doesn’t stop there. Love the music of Kiss? Well now you can enjoy their nuanced aesthetic with none of their complicated rhyme scheme.

The Writing
A misguided relative actually bought me Super Pro #1. I read it because what, am I actually going to play football? Hell to the no. It’s a story that’s nearly impossible to resurrect from the graveyard of my prepubescent memory, but one thing was painfully clear even to my eight year-old brain: this was a comic written neither for fans of football, nor fans of comics. And that’s a problem deeply inherent to the genre. Because, more often than not, the cross polinization of properties is just an attempt to capitalize on something that’s already profitable, the resultant product cannot be something the violates the spirit of either thing. It cannot offend the sensibilities of either fan base, but that almost curses it to appealing to neither fan base. Super Pro, if you care (which you almost certainly don’t) is the tragic story of a football player who gets injured nearly to death. He’s brought back from the brink courtesy of a mechanical football uniform so that he can continue… to… play football? But then realizes he’s more than just feetsballs throw man, and fights… crime? I mean, apart from about fifteen moments where I have to stop and ask, “Uh, why?”, that premise sounds like it comes straight from the mouth of that uncle we all have who hates comics and doesn’t respect us for our love. Because the end result shits on the heads of anyone who might possibly want it, every step toward that end result is just as insulting and just as steamy.Oh so, I guess I’ll just buy an adaptation of the thing I already have?!
Perhaps the most prevalent reason for licensed comics is the disease like pervasive presence of the “based on the hit movie” comic.Oh good, now I can be irritated, frustrated, and repulsed by one thing in two mediums.This is the point where I also have to stipulate that just because something sells, it does not mean it’s qualitatively good. I mean, everyone’s mom has a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey stashed under their mattress, but it’s not winning any awards any time soon. Right? God I hope not. I have to make that clear because comics are experiencing a sort of rebirth thanks to the herpes-like proliferation of comic book movies.

“Marvel: the herpes of comic books, but for movies.”

I guess on one hand I have to be thankful for terrible ideas like the Avengers movie tie-in comic, but why does such a thing exist in the first place? “Duh, Montgomery,” you might start, “because people who saw the movie might want to get into comics, and this is their way in, you dumb sack of crap,” you might finish. And very rudely, I might add. And in your very rude retort (seriously, guy), you’ve proven my point: they’ve already seen the movie. Who needs to buy this comic? Apart from the compulsive collector, is there really an audience of people who like the idea of an Avengers movie enough to buy a comic based on the movie, but not enough to buy the actual comics that have been running for 50 years or to spend the $10 to see the movie in the theater? It’s a bizarre monster we’ve lived with all our lives but haven’t really noticed.

There are other reasons why licensed comics are terrible. The fact that tie-ins are often made before the movie knows what they’re doing, so you wind up with weird anachronisms; the art is just the worst, like really, do they even care; the fact that the licensed property is fenced-in so fiercely that even if it were a good idea in the first place, they don’t have much space to play around in. Really, we could talk until all the oxygen is gone, but just these three reasons should be enough to convince you to put down that comic book prequel to Transformers 5: Planet of The Earth and invest in some stocks. Or something.

by JH Montgomery

Comic Book Power Rankings – August 2015

Nobody here at Hush Comics loves sports metrics more than I do. A die-hard NBA fan, I frequently rank players, teams and track stats every night to see who I should be picking up on the waiver wire (a term I know, but still do not understand at all) in our fantasy basketball league. It’s not really to be the best, but largely because I love the processes behind it; I love spreadsheets and systemic processes in how I arrive at these decisions. I even made a House of Quality together in order to break down which qualities I value in comic book series. This was all inspired by the creation of our Best of 2014 Comic Books collection of articles (which you should check out! A lot of hard work from our team went into those articles), when I realized that we had not been keeping track of which books were the best throughout the year.

Below is a list of what I consider the Top 20 comic books of the previous month. The opinions of these rankings is solely mine (unless noted), although they are influenced by the weekly review grades that our team doles out. I’m no expert on the ins and outs of the comic book industry, and I admittedly can’t read every book out there, but as long as I have this awesome platform to force my opinion on readers, why not use it? As always, we LOVE sparking conversations about the things we love, or even the things we don’t, so commentary is encouraged!

Rank	Book Title	Publisher	Issues In	Previous	Movement
1	Hank Johnson: Agent of Hydra	Marvel	1	–	–
	He’s just a normal family guy, trying to cut it in the blue collar goon industry. Trying to place the normal within the insanity that is Battle World creates comedy gold.
2	Prez	DC	3	–	–
	As far as political satires go, Prez is hands down the funniest, and is so hyperbolic that the fact that it’s relatable at all is appalling. Root for the little guy in one of DC’s rare non-cape books.
3	Rasputin	Image	8	–	–
	Rasputin is my favorite comic at the moment. So far it’s the only book that’s compelled me to send fan mail. It’s a well written narrative, beautifully drawn, and spectacularly colored. I get something out if every issue I read and feel satisfied. Totally in love with this series. – Jené
4	Ms. Marvel	Marvel	17	–	–
	Although Kamala briefly got caught in the web that is Secret Wars, her last issue, a heart-warming team up with Captain Marvel herself gave this book a special place on my shelf.
5	The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl	Marvel	8	–	–
	Three of the top five books are led by young women. Coincidence? Hell no! Squirrel Girl is hilarious and relatable – which says a lot since… ya know, she’s a squirrel.
6	TMNT	IDW	49	–	–
	Not even shell-shock could stop Donnie! Things are getting heavy as a battle royale contest between the turtles and Foot knock down the door of the upcoming #50 spectacular.
7	Justice League	DC	43	5	-2
	This is the best JL story since Forever Evil, and the most desparate time we’ve seen the team in of all New52. Geoff Johns continues to write an amazing book.
8	Batman	DC	43	2	-6
	This is not the same book we read with Endgame. Bruce is in identity crisis mode and Gordon has taken over as Batman. Wacky story aside, Snyder/Capullo produce.
9	We Stand On Guard	Image	3	–	–
	With the right creative team, even Canadians can be interesting. Brian K Vaughan’s new title makes you hate America more effectively than Donald Trump’s presidential run.
10	Bizarro	DC	3	–	–
	Bizarro no am good book. Bizarro am very bad book. Book no am funny. Art is very ugly. Bizarro very normal, and Jimmy Olson (Bizarro’s worstest enemy) never wear disguises. Bizarro no am have hijinks. – Montgomery
11	Superman	DC	43	8	-3
	We finally learned how Lois spilled the beans about Superman’s identity, and it’s refreshing to see Superman fight an enemy he can’t defeat by punching.
12	Old Man Logan	Marvel	4	–	–
	While I love seeing an out-of-place Wolverine wander around Battle World in a confused rage, it’s Andrea Sorrentino’s panel layout that really keeps me engaged.
13	Groot	Marvel	3	–	–
	As much as I loved the recently-retired Skottie Young Rocket Raccoon book, Groot is just as adorable. It’s good for all ages, with feel-good lessons in friendship and kindness. Aww.
14	Deadly Class	Image	15	5	-9
	While the Remender/Craig tag-team reigns champion, I can’t get over just how scathingly manic-depressive this book got this month. It’s a downer for sure.
15	Nailbiter	Image	15	16	+1
	The deeper we keep falling into the mystery, the further the bottom seems to be. It’s a phenomenal book, but I feel just as lost now as I did at square one.
16	The Walking Dead	Image	145	4	-12
	I still look forward to this book every month, but the more I read it, the more I realize that Robert Kirkman is becoming George Lucas 2.0. There’s just too much TWD in the world for me right now. That being said, this new threat is gonna bring back the funk.
17	E is for Extinction	Marvel	3	–	–
	Thank you, Chris Burnham, for making unsexy comic books cool. His raw art is perfect for this post-Morrison, Morrison-style book, which is as awesome as it is awkward.
18	Giant Sized Little Marvel AvX	Marvel	3	–	–
	This book makes me feel like vomitting rainbows with each issue. It can be formulaic, but it’s just so darn cute – how could anybody not love this??
19	Postal	Image	19	11	-8
	Mark, the autistic one-man Scooby gang, is tearing this conspiracy wide open. Although, just because it’s getting bigger doesn’t mean it’s getting better…
20	Batgirl	DC	43	–	–
	It can be silly at times, but that’s part of the charm. Babs Tarr’s art has definitely grown on me. I’m fully on-board after some post-Gail Simone withdrawals.

 

Notably absent:

Most of the Secret Wars: I’m burnt out on Secret Wars. Marvel must be murdering DC in sales as of late, but their long game is tiring fans out.

Shutter and Birthright: For books that started as two of my favorite Image titles, the convoluted stories in both books have derailed their momentum significantly. I don’t expect that too last, though, as both books have the creative teams to handle it.

Wonder Woman: David and Meredith Finch have been a refreshing addition to the book, but the last couple issues have been noticeably lacking in substance or style. Plus, Donna Troy is completely one-dimensional and incapable of independent thought.

Retired books/ Hiatuses (Hawkeye, Saga, Bitch Planet, Sex Criminals): Some of the best books in the biz took the month off, making way for some newcomers to really shine this month!

Stephen Amell Reveals that Casey Jones Will Have a New Origin Story in ‘TMNT 2’

Stephen Amell as Casey-Jones

As if the Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies didn’t have enough fans angry at them, Stephen Amell announced in an interview that there will be another change to the series.

Casey Jones, fan favorite from the comics, cartoons, and late 80’s/early 90’s films will not have the same origin story he had in the comics. Amell attributes that to this movie introducing him at a different point in his life and development. He says Jones is a normal, law abiding man with a job, who loves hockey, and after being laughed off by law enforcement, he decides to take things into his own hands.

Hopefully the change won’t make audiences too angry, although it seems people are just looking for reasons to hate these movies. Michael Bay is the worst, but if you love TMNT it’s still best to give them a chance right?

Source: The Latino Review

Image via Screen Rant

 

 

SDCC 2015 – Batman/TMNT Crossover Coming November 2015

Holy cowabunga, Batman! It looks like the Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half-Shell will be teaming up this fall in a six-issue mini-series run, announced yesterday at IDW’s San Diego Comic Con panel.

Let’s forget for a second that this is every fanboy’s fantasy. Or that it will be written by bonafide Batman writer James Tynion IV (Batman Eternal, Talon) and drawn by Freddie Williams II (Robin, Flash). Or that Kevin Eastman will be doing mother effing variant covers. This is the convergence of two of the biggest and most loved fandoms ever.

This is the second DC-IDW crossover to be announced, just days after the first issue of Stark Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War launched into stores. Hint: it was great. Thanks to IDW’s wide breadth of publishing rights, new doors are opening in the crossover world. Think about what this could mean going forward. Cyborg meets Transformers? Deathstroke takes on the G.I. Joe? Jonah Hex tries to tame My Little Pony??

Lucky for us, TMNT is a franchise with a track record proving that they play well with others (Ghostbusters, X-Files), so the ninja beat em up style will be a natural fit for the two to work in tandem. Below is the official synopsis from DC of the upcoming mini-series:

In the ongoing power struggle between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, General Krang, and the Foot Clan, allegiances have shifted and the battle lines have been drawn. Krang concocts a plan to rid himself of both the Turtles and Shredder by transporting them to another dimension, where they land in the dark and dangerous streets of Gotham City. It isn’t long before they encounter Gotham’s most famous resident, Batman.  The Caped Crusader may be their only hope of overcoming their enemies and getting back home. But not before they encounter a whole cast of Gotham’s most infamous rogues.

Look for the Batman/TMNT six-part series to hit stores this November.

Source: DC Comics

Comic Book Power Rankings – February 2015

Nobody here at Hush Comics loves sports metrics more than I do. A die-hard NBA fan, I frequently rank players, teams and track stats every night to see who I should be picking up on the waiver wire (a term I know, but still do not understand at all) in our fantasy basketball league. It’s not really to be the best, but largely because I love the processes behind it; I love spreadsheets and systemic processes in how I arrive at these decisions. I even made a House of Quality together in order to break down which qualities I value in comic book series. This was all inspired by the creation of our Best of 2014 Comic Books collection of articles (which you should check out! A lot of hard work from our team went into those articles), when I realized that we had not been keeping track of which books were the best throughout the year.

Below is a list of what I consider the Top 20 comic books of the previous month. The opinions of these rankings is solely mine, although it is influenced by the weekly review grades that our team doles out. I’m no expert on the ins and outs of the comic book industry, and I admittedly can’t read every book out there, but as long as I have this awesome platform to force my opinion on readers, why not use it? As always, we LOVE sparking conversations about the things we love, or even the things we don’t, so commentary is encouraged!

Rank	Book Title	Publisher	Issues In	Previous	Movement
1	Saga	Image	25	–	–
	There is a whole new danger afoot. I like the direction that this already-stellar series is taking our protagonists, even if it is head-first into danger.
2	Batman	DC	39	1	-1
	Joker has been playing with his food up to this point. With Batman up against the ropes, the Caped Crusader is getting desperate, and the Clown Prince of Crime is getting brutal.
3	Spider-Gwen	Marvel	1	–	–
	Who would have thought that one issue of a mini-series would launch such a cult following? Marvel really Hit the Jackpot with this one.
4	The Walking Dead	Image	137	4	–
	I’m as enthralled as I am disgusting with the eyeball-licking love session at the end of the last issue. I’m excited to see Carl grow, no matter the nasty cost.
5	Deadly Class	Image	11	6	+1
	Marcus isn’t out of the doghouse just yet. The last thrill-ride of an issue keeps the adrenaline flowing.
6	Suiciders	Vertigo	1	–	–
	There’s no better way to spend your time in a post-apocalyptic world than to see drugged up gladiators with cybernetic enhancements pummel each other to death.
7	Batman and Robin	DC	39	5	-2
	While it wasn’t as emotionally pleasing as the last issue, Robin getting a spot at the table with Batman and Superman is a big deal.
8	Superman	DC	38	16	+8
	The end of the last issue was so explosive that I’m surprised I was able to hold onto the page. In just six issues, Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr created history.
9	Amazing Spider-Man	Marvel	15	–	–
	Even though Spider-Verse winded down this month, Spider-Man has left behind a wake of Spider-lore that will continue to effect the Marvel U… until they reboot it all, anyway.
10	Bitch Planet	Image	3	–	–
	This book is extremely polarizing, but it has resonated with women in ways that no super-powered chick has. It’s very real and very original.
11	Postal	Top Cow	1	–	–
	I’ve got a fever for creepy mystery books, and this Norman Bates-ish post boy is the cowbell of creepers. After one issue, this is already among my favorites.
12	Detective Comics	DC	39	14	+2
	Anarky is afoot in Gotham, bringing an aspect to Bat-books that has been sorely missing. Add in amazing artwork and a Harvey Bullock back-story, and I’m sold.
13	Mortal Kombat X	DC	3	10	-3
	MKX is trying to build a cohesive backstory to the upcoming video game, and its doing a commendable job. Due to it being a digital first, the issues are a bit short, though.
14	TMNT: Mutanimals	IDW	1	–	–
	How can one mutant be on the same level of wicked awesomeness as Mikey? Mondo Gecko, along with Hob and the gang, are just as interesting as the TMNT – if not more.
15	Wonder Woman	DC	39	–	–
	David and Meredith Finch have done a fine job with Wonder Woman since taking over, but what has me geeked out is an inevitable showdown between Diana and Donna Troy.
16	Nailbiter	Image	10	18	+2
	Like this series could get any creepier… Finch is done doing the Hannibal Lecter dance with Nailbiter, and we are going to have quite an interesting arc coming up.
17	EI8HT	Dark Horse	1	–	–
	Time travel and dinosaurs have never NOT been a winning combination, and this new series is no exception. I haven’t enjoyed a new sci-fi series this much since Black Science.
18	TMNT	IDW	43	8	-10
	Everything is coming to a head with Shredder and Krang, but the confrontation between the two factions left more to be desired. A great book, but I wish it would stop teasing us.
19	Shutter	Image	10	17	-2
	Kate’s world has practically exploded in the last few episodes, and the epiphanies just keep on coming. I could do with some more Alarm Cat, but I’m still enjoying the ride.
20	Magneto	Marvel	15	–	–
	The Master of Magnetism got his mojo back, and he has a new scary focus that is all about his business. I bet Sabretooth is wishing he got the memo earlier.

 

Notably absent:

Birthright: Daaad! There’s something weird going on with Mikey! This fantasy book about a long-lost brother is really just now getting juicy, but there’s a dark secret lurking in here somewhere, and I’m not sure I like the path that Birthright is taking just yet.

Nameless: This book almost made the list this month if not just for the fact that two of my favorite creators are working on it (Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham). That being said, I have no idea what the hell is going on. Not even a little bit

Hawkeye: Bittersweet that one of the most underrated books in the whole industry is moving on after this month, but Matt Fraction and David Aja had such great chemistry. I can only hope we will be that lucky again.

Deathstroke: The Expendables of comic books, right here. I mean, maybe not really at all. The explosions and punny retorts are there, but this isn’t your father’s Slade Wilson. Beautiful panels by Tony Daniels don’t hurt, either.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: The first book swallowed me up so wholly that I was feeling let down by the second book. There weren’t nearly as many jokes, and the set-up for the next arc felt kind of boring. I don’t expect that to last.

 

 

Comic Book Power Rankings – January 2015

Nobody here at Hush Comics loves sports metrics more than I do. A die-hard NBA fan, I frequently rank players, teams and track stats every night to see who I should be picking up on the waiver wire (a term I know, but still do not understand at all) in our fantasy basketball league. It’s not really to be the best, but largely because I love the processes behind it; I love spreadsheets and systemic processes in how I arrive at these decisions. I even made a House of Quality together in order to break down which qualities I value in comic book series. This was all inspired by the creation of our Best of 2014 Comic Books collection of articles (which you should check out! A lot of hard work from our team went into those articles), when I realized that we had not been keeping track of which books were the best throughout the year.

Below is a list of what I consider the Top 20 comic books of the previous month. The opinions of these rankings is solely mine, although it is influenced by the weekly review grades that our team doles out. I’m no expert on the ins and outs of the comic book industry, and I admittedly can’t read every book out there, but as long as I have this awesome platform to force my opinion on readers, why not use it? As always, we LOVE sparking conversations about the things we love, or even the things we don’t, so commentary is encouraged!

Rank	Book Title	Publisher	Issues In	Previous	Movement
1	Batman	DC	38	–	–
	There just isn’t a better book out there, and starting off Joker’s 75th birthday with Endgame is a great way to ensure the top spot.
2	Sex Criminals	Image	10	–	–
	Unabashed sexuality and humor make this the most honest book on the shelves. And the freezing time with orgasms thing is great, too.
3	Unbeatable Squirrel Girl	Marvel	1	–	–
	Plenty of silly to go around, Squirrel Girl isn’t just a great new book, but has potential to bridge gaps between comic book readers of all creeds.
4	The Walking Dead	Image	136	–	–
	Carl is both a lover AND a fighter, as new dangers loom on the horizon (as always). Kudos for making this small world into a bigger, scarier place.
5	Batman and Robin	DC	38	–	–
	Damian is back from the dead – with superpowers; he may be bulletproof, but he is not immune to the human condition as he deals with his own mortality. Beautifully done.
6	Deadly Class	Image	10	–	–
	Sure, there’s the teenage angst of the 80’s, the murder, drug trips and the love triangles. But really, “That was no fart” is why this book is so high on the list.
7	Justice League	DC	38	–	–
	How could Lex Luthor create more havoc as a good guy than as a villain… In any case, a zombie Batman JL vs. Supes and WW? Get the popcorn.
8	TMNT	IDW	42	–	–
	Mutanimals attack! There is so much going on in TMNT right now, but the mounting war with Hob and Splinter interests me most.
9	Superior Iron Man	Marvel	4	–	–
	Ever think to yourself, “self, Tony Stark sure straddles the line between good guy a-hole and bad guy a-hole.” Well, self, you’re right, and this book is why.
10	Mortal Kombat	DC	4	–	–
	I’ve been waiting for a legitimate MK comic book for years. This is just as bloody and fun as the game, and will get me over til its April release.
11	SHIELD	Marvel	2	–	–
	It’s like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but worth the time investment. We still get the strategic genius of Agent Coulson, now with superheroes!
12	Star Wars	Marvel	1	–	–
	Who would I be if this on the list? In what was the most anticipated book this month, I’m already more into this run than I ever was with Dark Horse’s.
13	Multiversity	DC	?	–	–
	Seemlessly poking fun at the Multiverse while creating a cohesive story, Grant Morrison does what Grant Morrison wants. Good for us.
14	Detective Comics	DC	38	–	–
	I would never have guessed that Anarky would be the next great Batman villain. This book puts the “detective” back in Detective Comics.
15	Birthright	Image	4	–	–
	What child doesn’t wish they could go on a Jumanji-style demon-slaying adventure with their family? A really lame one, that’s for sure.
16	Superman	DC	38	–	–
	A new creative team introduced a new character, and really revived a series which has since been oerwhemingly underwhelming.
17	Shutter	Image	8	–	–
	Shutter has been suffering recently from the necessary lull of storytelling, but it’s so unique and gorgeous that I won’t dare remove it from the Top 20.
18	Nailbiter	Image	9	–	–
	Each issue has increasingly given me the heeby-jeebies. In a good way. I am not a horror comic fan but I am most definitely a fan of this book.
19	Moon Knight	Marvel	11	–	–
	Shuffle around the creative team, take away his armor, Mark Spector is still one BAMF. Moon Knight is my new underground favorite at Marvel.
20	Tooth and Claw	Image	3	–	–
	Making the list solely on the principle of curiosity, Tooth & Claw is a fantastical book of magic, anthropomorphic animals, and other ill s***.

 

Notably absent:

Saga: “What have you done for me lately” is the name of the game here. Expect Saga to knock one of these series off its high horse when the series returns from its three-month hiatus this week.

Wonder Woman: Barely missed the cut. Great panels and intriguing characters keep me coming back each month.

Spider-Verse: Another Marvel “event” has worn out its welcome and left me pining for the end. I’m done buying six books to understand one story.

Powers: Brian Michael Bendis’ soon-to-be streaming series is a whole new world (to me), but I think I need to learn more before I can really dive in.

Shaft: I expected this to read more like the comic book embodiment of Public Enemy, but it’s got more bark than bite at this point.

Injustice: Gods Among Us: I love this book, even more so since Brian Buccaletto took over, but there is just too much emphasis on “The Dark” recently for my taste.

 

 

Comic Book Reviews 01-28-15

Review Scale:

The mythical A+: Classic comic book material. Belongs next to your copy of The Notebook and The Joy of Cooking.

A: Would definitely recommend to all comic book readers. Even more so to fans of the genre or characters

B: Enjoyable read. Fans of the genre or characters will especially like.

C: Non-essential read. Can be enjoyable for fans of the genre or characters, but likely for only one or two events in the books.

D: Unenjoyable book. Read at your own risk. Might find satisfaction if major flaws are overlooked.

F: Please don’t buy this book. Donate your money to a local comic book writer’s workshop instead to inspire future generations to write something better than this trash.

Pick of the Week:

Batman #38 – A+

(A+) Snyder and Capullo do it again. I could just gush and gush, the thing is, is that no review I could ever write would be with your time to read as much as actually going and picking up a copy of Batman #38 and reading it yourself. Batman must go down in history for the sheer literary genius it is. This particular issue is packed with so much history, Gotham, Batman, Greek Mythology and word origins. Here’s what I can say: any book, comic or not, that schools me on Dionysus and the meaning of the word “tragedy” is absolute perfection. – Adrian

(A+) Beating a dead horse here, but reading Batman: Endgame is one of the smartest investments of your time you can make. You don’t need much background knowledge, and you know why that is? Because your whole world will be flipped upside down with this issue! Nothing you have ever known about the Joker is true. It’s such insanity that not even Batman has a plan for what to do about this revelation. There’s a reason that nobody has ever given Joker’s origin, and that was revealed with this issue. DC must have a lot of trust in Snyder and Capullo to allow them to cement their legacy here. Some teams make great comic books, but this team makes history. – Sherif

Other Reviews: 

DC/Vertigo Comics: 

Multiversity Guidebook #1 – A+

Holy crap, you guys. I was excited at the notion that this book would just be some nerd-style manual circa 1995 that would explore each of the 52 worlds – a simple guidebook like you might find in the lobby of a Holiday Inn. Not only is it that, but it still has a story. In fact, it has guidebook in story, in story (…in story). It starts with adorable little mini Justice League getting super-duper murdered by robots created by the legion of evil Sivanas, and mini Batman as the only survivor fleeing to a neighboring universe where he teams up with a Batman who looks like Buzz Lightyear, except Batman colors (later we find out that because of space reasons, ALL the super heroes look like Buzz). That kind of Never-ending Story whatthefuckery is enough to total overload every nerd bone in my body. Knowing one story entirely fills out everything Multiversity is, but in addition to that story, Morrison has figured out how to weave every single incarnation of DC Comics into one whole narrative. So far the only thing disappointing about this mega meta arc is that there aren’t 52 issues of it. – Montgomery

Gotham Academy #4 – B+

Can I have a Maps? Please. The kid sidekick, who is actually the smart one, is just so cute. As usual, Gotham Academy knocks it out of the park with art and coloring. I am continuously finding myself lost in the art. This issue had a panel with a ghost that had me entranced. Olive found herself encountering many aspects of her life she has been avoiding, but in the process, she found a secret passageway in the Academy where she found a very special guest star living behind the walls. Many things were answered this week, but many doors were also answered. Get into this book before it gets too far ahead of you! – Adrian

Batman Eternal #43 – C

I love Harper Row, er… I mean Bluebird. I do wonder how an outspoken teenage can hide her secret identity when her signature purple and bright-blue Mohawk are completely visible, but I can get over that. Either way, it looks like we’ve found Batman’s next ward. That was almost the only highlight of the issue, though. We do close some gaps on a scene that’s nearly a year old, but there still aren’t any hard-pressed issues addressed. We know something big and bad is coming, but we’ve also known that for 43 issues. Big win for Harper Row, though. – Sherif

Effigy #1 – C

I had a big time love affair with 90’s Vertigo (with the exception of Constantine, regardless of how hard I try…). I love the super-weird, the super-witchy, the mystical and occult: if it has curses and multiple dimensions, count me in. At some point, though, Vertigo shifted to a focus on more violent books (LeMire’s stuff being a very noteworthy exception). Reading the press materials for Effigy, it sounds like my jam: vapid Hollywood crossed with ritual murder and maybe multi-dimensional mish-mash. This first issue, though, it focuses on a former child actress as she tries to move on with her life and move into being a detective, but struggles against her glory hound mother who wants to move her back into the limelight. Which is all stuff I don’t really care about. The really interesting stuff was the space gods we just glossed over (literally two panels. They get two panels). The art is another sore spot; maybe I’m just a big dumb dinosaur that needs to lay down in a tar pit and accept my place in the world, but I loved the gritty haphazard horrific art styles of the old Vertigo. This book has that art style that looks like maybe it’s some kind of very design heavy flash sidebar ad that’s become really popular with high-concept indie books recently. It’s not that it’s bad, but when it’s, like, the third book this week you’ve seen with that art style, it gets hard to tell them apart. – Montgomery

Arkham Manor #4 – C

Alright, so I may have over-reacted when I got to the conclusion of the last issue of Arkham Manor, when it seemed like the Joker was the big bad in this mini-series. Arkham Manor holds its own just fine, and so very little of that has to do with Batman. Victor Fries takes center stage here, and wouldn’t ya know, he is the funniest person in a Bat-book not named Dick Grayson. This book won’t revolutionize anything, but it’s an interesting departure from the status quo for books focusing on the Dark Knight. – Sherif

IDW Comics:

X-Files: Season 10 #20 – B+

We continue the story of the experimental government manufactured marijuana called G-23. Now, Langly and Mulder are tripping out on the drug in the desert and neither is sure what is real and what is just a massive hallucination. In the issue, we find out the secret behind the drug, who is behind it, and become paranoid of government-regulated marijuana, but then again that is just the Mulder coming out in me. As far as art goes, I really enjoy having a different perspective, and Tom Mandrake’s style blows my mind when it comes Mulder’s hallucinations, really making you feel the effects and making me never want to take hallucinogenic drugs. I would say pick up this issue if you generally enjoy X-Files, or if you maybe want to see what X-Files could have been like if Vince Gilligan added more if his Breaking Bad ideas to the show, which I totally felt that vibe with the panic and struggle of using the drug at hand. – Jacob

TMNT/Ghostbusters #4 – B

This mini-series comes to a close this month leaving our 80’s hearts empty yet again to deal with the modern tells of both franchises. With TMNT already getting a sequel, and the all-female Ghostbusters on the horizon, it was nice to see this team-up while it was still relevant. This story in this series is much better than anything I came up with when I was five. Ultimately, the story is not integral to the main story line of each property, so despite this issue and the series as a whole being very enjoyable, it is not needed to understand anything but a small reference in the mains series. – Jacob

Powerpuff Girls Super Smash-Up #1 – B

Taking place after the events of the Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War, this new series focuses on Dexter and the Powerpuff Girls combining forces to traverse all the different worlds within the Cartoon Network brand to track down a mutated Dee Dee. We start with the intro and a short story of Courage the Cowardly Dog – setting up next month’s issue. We may get every issues like the one-shots having a prequel of sorts to the main CNSSCW story. The story so far definitely has some plot holes and things left unexplained, but then again, it is a cartoon book and anything is possible. I would say pick this book up if you are young as it is a blast and also for nostalgia reasons as one of your favorite cartoons is likely to show up at anytime and give you all sort of warm feelings as if you just ate some Oops All Berries and washed it down with some Ecto-Cooler. – Jacob

Image Comics:

Sex Criminals #10 – A

It almost feels dirty putting this book in the reviews, but I absolutely love this book. I decided to sit down in the hotel lobby I’m at, and read this book (of all books, right?) on my tablet. Of course, this had to be the issue with the most dicks and vaginas out of all of them. That experience would be equivalent to watching the salad-tossing scene in Girls, when all of a sudden your grandmother and five-year-old nephew walk in the room. To you, shirt-cocking. It’s that awkward, but I love it anyway. Sex Criminals takes the taboos of weird sex things and explains that it could get a whole lot weirder. – Sherif

Bitch Planet #2 – B+

(A) If you’re not reading Bitch Planet you are doing yourself a disservice. Kam is as badass and noncompliant as they come. She’s true to her beliefs and stands strong by them. It is only when she sees an opportunity for escape that she decides to accept the offer given to her by “the fathers.” There are still a lot of parts of this world falling into place, and we’re not 100% sure how everything operates in the Bitch Planet universe, but I am so excited that a comic like this exists. We need more of these stories and I can’t wait to see what comes next month in this story arc. Bonus: Don’t forget to read the essays at the end of these issues. This month’s was on how feminism is often misconstrued and I reread it aloud to my friend, it was so good. – Charlotte

(B) Orange is the New Black meets Hunger Games meets messed up dystopian future…and I love it! It’s raw, intense, and gritty and at time hard to read. Sure is a soccer punch to the gut. The covers art of the comic as a retro feel to it a comingling of time periods. The future is the past is definitely a theme to this book. Sexism is in its hyperbolic form and I think this does a lot to highlight how insidious, subtle, dangerous it’s become in our culture. In this book we get more info about the “male” Earth and its society and the politics of Bitch Planet. The inmates are thinking of using the brutal games to 1) let Earth think they are generating entertainment but 2) really they are going to use it to change the indoctrination of gender roles. Brilliant! Honestly, there is so much packed in visually and linguistically and I could write a paper on it. It’s a comic many will be talking about for year. Go read it! – Jené

Casanova Acedia #1 – B

So there’s a badass body guard with no memory of his past and he protects this other, old guy who also doesn’t have a memory of his past. There’s a fight scene that takes on a diving board with a hot naked girl. Uhh… there’s also bad guys that don’t have heads or faces. Oh! And the world is going to end in nine days for some reason. In much fewer words, issue #1 of Casanova Acedia is one healthy serving of “HUH?!?!” That being said – I didn’t hate it. In fact, I recommend you read it! It’s a simple and classic storyline with some really, really weird twists added in for what I assume is alluring intent. Whatever this is, I’m into it (I think…) and I plan to stick with it until the weirdness overwhelms. – Taylor

Rasputin #4 – B-

This series is hauntingly beautiful. I wish the books weren’t so short, but it seems like the art style probably takes a long time to finesse. Rasputin has finally made it to the winter palace and has healed Alexi of the bleeding disease.  What this book offers is insight into his powers and how they work. Being able to heal isn’t all fun and games. As always looking forward to the next one. – Jené

Graveyard Shift #2 – C+

 

This week, Hope, Liam’s girlfriend and now vampire, tried to kill him for 6 pages. Then it turned out she’s a good vampire and quit trying to kill him. Then for the rest of the comic, we found out she is just a classic vampire. Can’t touch crosses, or hit the sunlight. Also, she’s hungry … for blood. This book was forgettable, but the saving grace is when I flipped to the back and saw it was rated “T” for Teen. Now I realize that if this is a teen’s vampire book, they could be reading Twilight, and this is waaaaayy better than Twilight. – Adrian

They’re Not Like Us #2 – F

 

Last issue, it seemed like this book would be a little bit like an X-Men rip-off, which I was more ok with than the garbage that was this week’s issue. The specials, or whatever they are called, beat up a guy and steal all his stuff, all because he was going to graffiti, and they make it seem justified because tagging would bring the cops to the neighborhood. What the hell? Does tagging really deserve not only a whole story line that attempts to explain why they deserve what comes to them and an entire panel that says “F*ck Taggers?” I think its an abuse of power that comic writers have to convey a belief that is very closed-minded. And the main character questions the actions of the others, but then accepts it because she is “free?” This is not modern day The Awakening, this is badly written tripe. – Adrian

Marvel/Icon Comics:

Thor #4 – A

“Lady Hammer Pants.” Spider-Man FTW on picking out the Goddess of Thunder’s new name. That and an epic duel between “both” Thors made this a pretty great issue. My annoyance at not knowing the identity of lady-Thor has plateaued to the point of (nearly) no longer caring. I’m almost convinced that writer Jason Aaron doesn’t know the identity either. It’s been building up for so long now that when the reveal finally happens it will probably fizzle, like month-old Coke-a-Cola. I’ve come to accept (and expect) this reality and instead focus on the plot for primary value. The outlook is optimistic at the end of the issue. I’m very intrigued at how things were left off and I’m excited to see where it goes. That being said, Thor will have to significantly impress this critic if it want another “A” rating anytime soon. – Taylor

Uncanny Avengers #1 – A

I’m really liking the Avengers and X-Men mashups that are increasingly common these days.  My favorite musician-turned comic writer, Max Bemis, even had a hand in the AVX series, much to my delight.  The Avengers and X-Men are at it again in the newest volume of Uncanny Avengers.  In this new series, we join Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, Quicksilver, Vision, Sabretooth, and Brother Voodoo as they travel to Counter Earth.  This first issue left me with a lot of questions, but has enough action and plot to make me want to figure out what in the (Counter) world is going on.  How will the Avenger Unity Division get out of the hostile situation they have gotten themselves into?  Where are Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver?  So many questions, but I guess I’ll have to wait. – Jake

Spider-Man & The X-Men #2 – B+

Does it get much better than superheroes fighting dinosaurs?  Actually, in the case of another Avengers and X-Men team up, it does!  While this entire issue was packed full of action and awesomely lame one-liners, my favorite part was seeing our new X-Pal, Glob, transform into an adorable and transparent dinosaur.  Although the new batch of mutant heroes isn’t exactly my favorite team so far, the story-line has not been relying very heavily on the mutants, but instead seems to pave the way for a what feels like a new Spider-Man solo story.  The first two issues have been entertaining thus far, but I am eager to see the character progression of the X-Men as they begin to trust their impulsive new teacher.  On a side note, don’t fret, Shark-Girl, though you may have turned down love, there’s always other fish in the sea. – Jake

Deadpool #41 – B

Well after the events of AXIS have died down and our Roxxon flashback issue is behind us, we can get back to the regular Deadpool we all know and love. There is only one problem with that – Wade Wilson as we know him is a different man and his daughter, wife, friends and all he should hold dear are changing because of it. The main story for this series is really delving into Deadpool’s psyche. You actually sympathizing and caring more for Deadpool than you thought anyone could. I would say grab this issue to get ready for the new arc and the countdown to his inevitable death in April, as well as it has the best comic cover of the year so far in my opinion, done by Mark Brooks. – Jacob

Spider-Man 2099 #8 – B

If you haven’t heard it yet, I’ll say it for you now. I LOVE Lady Spider! This issue of Spider-Man 2099 is actually more about the sexy, female steampunk version of Spidey than it is about Miguel! I hope this attention to the character is foreshadowing and that fans (especially me) will get more of this captivating character in some other Spider-Man title following the conclusion of Spider-Verse. I’m also pumped that the Japanese Spider-Man Megazord has been re-commissioned and is geared up for the final battle. The atmosphere is critically electric leading into what will be THE final comic book issue of the Spider-Verse event. Everybody hold on tight and hope that the day will be saved!! – Taylor

Wolverines #4 – D-

I have had so much hope for things since I did really enjoy the actual Death of Wolverine story, but the changes it has made and the stories it has created have me to a point where I am very much at peace with Wolverine being dead forever, if it just meant his friends would shut up about it and stop trying to bring him back. The dynamic between the two teams of this series is pretty fun, only to see Sabretooth, Mystique, X-23, Daken, and Deathstrike working together. But in this we add Fantomelle who took the focus from last weeks issue become part of the team, and she is generally the first new character who holds any interest to me. The artwork for this issue is a little rough around the edges, but generally works for a weekly title, although the cover this month was definitely the worst cover to come from anything Death of Wolverine related. If you are the completest that I am of course you should pick up this issue, otherwise, please avoid Wolverine and most things associated with him from now until Earth 616 doesn’t exist anymore… – Jacob

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Funniest Panel:

Panel with the Most Awesomeness:

That about wraps it up for our reviews this week! Look for next week’s previews coming soon. Any comic books you didn’t see reviewed that you want reviewed? Any grades you didn’t agree on? Let us know in the comments!

All images taken from ComiXology app and the credit for them goes to the respective publishers; thanks to IDW Comics, image Comics, Dark Horse, Boom! Studios, Oni Press, Dynamite Entertainment, DC and Marvel for putting out great books.

Best of 2014: Movies – Best Comic Book Movie

Another year is in the books, and we here at Hush Comics couldn’t pass at the chance to rank our favorites of this year’s releases in all types of mediums. Some of the winners will surprise you; heck, some of the results surprised  us. The results are completely subjective, and therefore were chosen with infallible logic. We would love to hear your opinions on what we have chosen, or if you thought we missed anything. This should be a fun review before we gear up for 2015.

Click on the link to take you to the “Best of 2014” homepage.

Best Comic Book Movie

• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier
• Amazing Spider-Man 2
• X-Men: Days of Future Past
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

WINNER – Guardians of the Galaxy

There’s no way you thought it could be anything else, right? The pelvic sorcery was just too strong with this one. With Marvel constantly putting out sequels and reboots and team-ups, this film of the most rag-tag group of a-holes in the galaxy was a deep breath of fresh air for fans. It might have been a way to say, “look, we can make a movie starring a talking raccoon and a tree and you’ll love it,” or it could be a sign of Marvel’s willingness to finally look outside the box, but any movie that can take that lazy idiot from Parks and Recreation and make him an international sex symbol is worthy of some award. – Sherif

Second Place – Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier

What’s not to love here? This movie not only had awesome special effects and fight scenes, but it also had a plot element that reverberated through the entire marvel cinematic universe including the television show. If that wasn’t enough, they even cherry-picked some of the best scenes from the comic books including a snippet from the Civil War storyline where Cap breaks out of S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. While this wasn’t the first Marvel movie to follow The Avengers, it is the first one to follow more of the aftermath of that film as most of Thor was spent on Asgard (or at least dealing with that problem). We actually get to see the continuation of that plot as well as the buildup to the next Avengers movie. – Robert

Third Place – Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 came out this year. That sounds silly, but when thinking about a year in review, this movie’s premiere seems like it was ages ago.  Perhaps that’s because it felt like a classic comic movie to me.  I for one loved this movie.  It had scenes and dialogue that would appeal to all audiences, and at it’s core, that is what any Spider-Man movie should do.  While the ending was controversial, it was cannon and beautifully done.  It’s too bad that there were other films that came out this year that overshadowed this film; it may have done better last year.  However,  I think this is one will stand the test of time. – Adrian

RUNNER UP – X-Men: Days of Future Past

What can I say that anyone who’s been reading comics for more than a minute wouldn’t already know? It’s the movie of one of the best X-Men comics ever made – an apocalyptic future where sentinels readily hunt humans, and a little time travel is needed to fix it. These new X-Men movies are killin’ it, and I couldn’t handle how into this movie I was when I saw it in theaters. I do wish Kitty Pride had been the one to go back in time instead of Wolverine, but, Wolverine is apparently what the people want. Maybe the best thing about this new installment, though, is how it undid the unfortunate events of X3… by making it so that it never existed. – J.H.

RUNNER UP – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

This will be a hard one to slice, and no pizza or sword pun intended there. This movie sure received a lot of hate and skepticism before the movie ever came out, and most people never shook that. To me, though, this film may not have been the best made comic book film (which definitely goes to Guardians), but TMNT gave me a feeling harkening back to my childhood and watching the original live-action turtles, which came out when I was only two…weird… Ultimately, they did Michelangelo right and as a man who owns a winter wardrobe where I look just like Mikey I can say that was enough to earn my approval. With Bebop and Rocksteady already confirmed for the sequel, you can bet I will be first in line all dressed up and ready to go. – Jacob

Next Category: Best Straight to DVD Movie

Best of 2014: Comic Books

Another year is in the books, and we here at Hush Comics couldn’t pass at the chance to rank our favorites of this year’s releases in all types of mediums. Some of the winners will surprise you; heck, some of the results surprised  us. The results are completely subjective, and therefore were chosen with infallible logic. We would love to hear your opinions on what we have chosen, or if you thought we missed anything. This should be a fun review before we gear up for 2015.

Click on the link to take you to the “Best of 2014” homepage for all categories.

This year’s nominations are…

Best Comic Book Series (Monthly On-going)

• DC Comics – Batman (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo)
• Image Comics – Black Science (Rick Remender & Matteo Scalera)
• Image Comics – Saga (Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples)
• IDW Comics – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Tom Waltz & Mateo Santolouco/Ross Campbell)
• Image Comics – The Walking Dead (Robert Kirkman & Charlie Adlard)

Results here.

Best Story Arc

• DC Comics – Batman: Zero Year (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo)
• DC Comics – Batman: Endgame (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo)
• Marvel Comics – Spider-Verse (Various writers and artists)
• DC Comics – Forever Evil (Geoff Johns & David Finch)
• DC Comics – Multiversity (Grant Morrison & various artists)

Results here.

Best Creative Team

• Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples – Saga (Image Comics)
• John Layman & Rob Guillory – Chew (Image Comics)
• Robert Kirkman & Charlie Adlard – The Walking Dead (Image Comics)
• Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo – Batman (DC Comics)
• Tom Waltz & Mateo Santolouco – TMNT (IDW Comics)

Results here.

Best Writer

• Geoff Johns – Superman (DC Comics), Justice League (DC Comics), Forever Evil (DC Comics)
• Josh Williamson – Nailbiter, Birthright (Image Comics), Captain Midnight (Dark Horse Comics)
• Matt Fraction – Hawkeye (Marvel Comics), Sex Criminals, Satellite Sam, Ody-C (Image Comics)
• Rick Remender – Black Science, Deadly Class, Low (Image Comics)
• Scott Snyder – Batman, Superman: Unchained, The Wake, American Vampire (DC Comics), Wytches (Image Comics)

Results here.

Best Artist

• Fiona Staples – Saga (Image Comics)
• Greg Capullo – Batman (DC Comics)
• Leila del Duca – Shutter (Image Comics)
• Mateus Santolouco – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW Comics)
• Mike Henderson – Nailbiter (Image Comics)

Results here.

Best New Comic Book Series

• Image Comics – Deadly Class (Rick Remender & Wes Craig)
• Marvel Comics – Ms. Marvel (G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona)
• Marvel Comics – Moon Knight (Warren Ellis/Brian Wood & Declan Shalvey/Greg Smallwood)
• Image Comics – Nailbiter (Joshua Williamson & Mike Henderson)
• Image Comics – Shutter (Joe Keatinge & Leila del Duca)

Results here.

Best Comic Book Mini-Series

• Marvel Comics – Deadpool vs. Carnage (Cullen Bunn & Salva Espin)
• Marvel Comics – Edge of Spider-Verse (Various writers and artists)
• Marvel Comics – Hawkeye vs. Deadpool (Gerry Duggan & James Harren)
• Vertigo Comics – Sandman: Overture (Neil Gaiman & JH Williams III)
• Dark Horse Comics – Serenity: Leaves on the Wind (Zach Whedon & Georges Jeanty)

Results here.

Onto: Best of 2014 – Movies

Comic Book Reviews 12-10-14

Review Scale:

The mythical A+: Classic comic book material. Belongs next to your copy of The Notebook and The Joy of Cooking.

A: Would definitely recommend to all comic book readers. Even more so to fans of the genre or characters

B: Enjoyable read. Fans of the genre or characters will especially like.

C: Non-essential read. Can be enjoyable for fans of the genre or characters, but likely for only one or two events in the books.

D: Unenjoyable book. Read at your own risk. Might find satisfaction if major flaws are overlooked.

F: Please don’t buy this book. Donate your money to a local comic book writer’s workshop instead to inspire future generations to write something better than this trash.

Pick of the Week:

The Walking Dead #135 – A

Issue #135 of The Walking Dead pissed me off! Not because it was bad, but because Kirkman does an excellent job of writing in the most STUPID and UNGRATEFUL, idiot characters!! How did so many selfish morons survive the apocalypse?!?! I felt anger, pride, fear and anxiety all throughout this issue – for making me feel all the feelings, I gave TWD an A this month! I can feel it in my bones that we will soon know what’s become of Michonne. There was also some magnificent (just SUPERB) foreshadowing of Carl Grime’s future in this newly formed society. I felt the need to nervously pace my apartment after reading this issue. It’s one of the better “build-up” issues I’ve read. Whether things escalate or the simmer down from here it’s hard to say, but what’s for sure is the “aww shit” seed has been planted and it’s only a matter of time before it blossoms and eats your face. Maybe an undead face mask isn’t a bad idea after all… – Taylor

Other Reviews: 

Dark Horse Comics:

Prometheus: Fire & Stone #4 – B

And so concludes the first set of Fire & Stone comic series. There’s not a whole lot to say about this final chapter besides that it really drove home the best qualities of the Alien franchise. The issue was thrilling, bloody, left one with a sense of hopelessness, and open ended. It’s that last part that was also the downside to Prometheus F&S’s finale – there wasn’t any real closure. Because we all know that this story weaves into other comic arcs it didn’t really dampen anything, but compiling JUST the four issues together there’s a definite lack of simple plot structure. Minor overall and definitely overshadowed by all the happenings this issue. I’m sad to see this title go – it’s been such a fun ride! Let the gore and guts continue to spill in the sister issues!! – Taylor

DC/Vertigo: 

New 52 Futuress End #32 – B-

Now we’re getting somewhere. …Or at least it’s starting to feel like we are. There’s no action in this issue but at least we’re starting to get the set up of some sort of cohesive storyline. I’m not sure what clicked in the last issue or two, but I think I’m starting to actually care what happens here. So far my largest gripe against Future’s End has been the seemingly endless meandering of the plot. It seems as though we’re starting to get to the point; here’s hoping Future’s End keeps it up. – Moke

Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1 – C+

There are three different story arcs in this cliché holiday issue, but I only really liked the first one. The others didn’t hold much weight for me and had they been omitted, I wouldn’t have felt like the issue was missing anything. In fact, I thought the comic was over after the first story. That being said, the other two weren’t horrible, they just seemed to be supplementary to the first story line. While this issue could be a throwaway, it was nice to see the cute side of her character – sentimental, deranged, and looking for some hell raising fun – all without The Joker. But even still, this book may be one you can skip. – Charlotte

Dynamite Entertainment:

IDW Comics:

TMNT #41 – A

This series always amazes me how each week continues to be good – even the worst issues seem to be better than some of the best stuff out there. This issue continues the awesomeness with ¾ of the turtles focusing on taking out Shredder with Old Hob and the Mutanimals while Donatello sets up a meeting with Shredder. Fugitoid and Baxter Stockman join forces despite their differences to take down Krang. Things are not looking good for Krang as no one is on his side but himself, but it’s Krang so no one really cares seeing him hurt. This story arc has been really good and I absolutely love Cory Smith’s art, in fact I might say he is my favorite artist for this series overall. I would pick up here since it is the start of a new arc. – Jacob

Samurai Jack #15 – B+

Everything is on the line and there is nothing to fight with for our hero Jack. With the sword gone and him deemed unworthy, Aku sees his opportunity for attack and takes Jack by storm.  The battle takes up this whole issue and gives us one of the most action packed Samurai Jack issues we have seen. By the end, we don’t really have an idea of what is coming next but we do get one of those most exciting issues to date. It also helps that the subscription cover was done by the main man himself, Genndy Tartakovsky. – Jacob

October Faction #3 – B

This month’s October Faction somewhat made up for the previous issue’s slow start, but it still left me wanting a little more. In my opinion, this was the most interesting issue so far, but overall its hook still just hasn’t landed. There hasn’t been enough time spent really hashing out the world these characters live in so it’s hard to get excited and speculate where the story might go. So much time has been spent on the family dynamic, and while they are likable enough characters, it feels like Niles energy could be spent in better ways to get his story really rolling. I get that this book is supposed to have a heavy emphasis on the family drama, but so far they don’t feel dysfunctional, more like Leave it to Beaver, just with the whole seeing dead people and fighting monsters thing. This issue had a werewolf fighting a robot boy and a cocky assbutt getting shot for being smarmy and making threats, I want more of that! As of now, this series does not having me drooling and obsessing, but I can at least say that its most recent showing certainly kept my interest and I’m looking forward to next month’s issue. – Keriann

Image Comics:

Southern Bastards #6 – A

This week, I decided to jump into my comics mid-series. I figure that if the story is good, no matter what issue, it should generate enough interest that I’d want to check out the rest. To that end… the 6^th issue of Southern Bastards was a bad one to walk into as it’s all about football. I am so indifferent and acerbic toward sports that I make people who also don’t care about football uncomfortable. I care about high school football less, and that’s what this is all about. In huge detail. There’s even a Magical Negro™ who courageously, though blind, teaches our white protagonist how to best foot the most balls. There were points where I wasn’t sure if this story was serious or making fun of itself. The shit does get real: our hero, a boy named Euless Boss (what?) wants to impress his abusive dead beat dad by making the team. Which he does! Though his dad dismisses him because he’s mid-orgy. But when things get real (a definite spoiler), my interest was piqued, and maybe Image hadn’t lost their minds and published a football comic (who the hell would even read that? Weren’t we all beaten up by the football team in high school?), but something deeper was happening. Sure enough, I read about it online, and it’s a comic about American south small town corruption (of which football is a small-large part since they love them some football). And my interest is definitely piqued. – J.H.

Sex Criminals #9 – A-

Aside from the slight loss in momentum due to inconsistent publishing dates, this issue ends with a giant mind-f***. Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky are the cutest creative team in the industry, and you would never know it by their unabashed approach to talking about one of the most uncomfortable topics, SEX. SEXY SEX SEX. Now that I have your attention, this book is seriously great. There’s definitely a polarizing reaction to the sexual expression that the characters have, and in all honesty, this book kicks it up a notch in the debauchery department when introducing a new character. None of it is smut just for the sake of smut, because it is all tied to a mind-blowing new path for the story to take. Look, you can feel uncomfortable, you can feel ashamed that you laugh, but this book is a triumphant story for all the twenty-somethings out there who wish they could stop time with their orgasms – and that can’t just be me, right? – Sherif

Shutter #7 – B+

This hiatus that writer Joe Keatinge and artist Leila del Duca took from Shutter came right on the heels of an epic finale that made the mid-season finale of Arrow look weak (okay, just kidding. Nothing tops the Arrow/ al Ghul showdown). The series drew me in instantly with its cast of fantasy characters and complete lack of regard for the status quo. Simply put, Shutter is a new experience. Unlike other books that try to cross into uncharted territory, a book with assassin foxes riding Triceratops into battle is just called “Issue #6.” As the arc is taking a new and unexpected turn, there’s so much to pay attention to and enjoy. I’m glad this book is gearing up for a second arc; I just hope that it can hold onto the magic that has made it so special. – Sherif

Bitch Planet #1 – B

This is the start to a really interesting sci-fi social commentary on how our society treats women and especially women of color. I love it when sci-fi uses its genre to create social change and this new comic definitely has that on their agenda. This issue definitely reminded me of the Buffy episode “Anne” where the prisoners are pushed to be compliant and denounce their individuality. And much like Buffy, Kamau Kogo gives that idea a roundhouse kick to the face. I love the representation in this comic, showing women of all sizes and color. This story arc has the potential to be really influential in the comic book world and I’m super excited to see what this new feminist icon gets up to next. – Charlotte

Copperhead #4 – D

This comic needs to go somewhere. I mean that in a bad way. It’s obvious that Faerber is trying WAY too hard to get readers to care. Cooperhead is a perfect example of trying to cram 10-pounds of stuff into a 5-pound bag. Some stories just can’t have it all and be successful! The comic flips drastically from one character to the next and alters themes just as dramatically. There’s only the mildest bit of cohesion and it’s the only thing saving this review from a failing grade. Added stories elements actually take away from the whole and make me more frustrated. It’s just one big colorful mess drifting in space. In order for this series to be saved, Faerber needs to trim the fat, pick a single theme, and just work it! No more giant teddy bears stupidly falling from rooftops or pissed of alien-hillbillies beating up manual laborers. Then I might be interested. – Taylor

Marvel:

Avengers & X-Men Axis #7 – A

This series has to be my favorite of the year. Per usual, any Marvel story featuring Apocalypse will end in death and destruction. It will be interesting to see just how this happens, especially with the twist of heroes as villains and vice versa. But this issue had a major bombshell that will be sure to change the aftermath of all the carnage to ensue. – Jacob

Spider-Man and the X-Men #1 – B+

Oh, how the times have changed. Remember the times when Peter Parker was the young rapscallion causing mischief wherever he went, making wise-cracks as he went? Yeah, now he has to deal with “actual” responsibilities – not saving the world or his girlfriend, but impressing upon today’s mutant youth the values of superhero ethics. Beyond the fact that this book is hilarious – I mean, picture an adult Ferris Bueller trying to teach detention, there are actually some words of wisdom that the book imparts to discuss an actual adult topic. Very sneaky, Marvel. There is a convoluted back-story as to why Spidey is teaching the “Special Class,” but the book flows far more easily without it. Sadly, this looks to be another ploy to stuff Spider-Man in our face while he’s hot, but that doesn’t make Spider-Man and the X-Men any less entertaining; it just means the ride will be a bit shorter than warranted. This could be its own version of Dangerous Minds if it stuck around long enough. – Sherif

Amazing Spider-Man #11 – B+

Rally the troops!!!! That was pretty awesome! Tension continues to mount as the Spidey(s) continue to lack even the inklings of the beginnings of a plan. However, even in the midst of an incredibly bleak situation for our heroes, Dan Slott and Co. still manage to find moments to bring the funny. We also get to see 616-Peter begin to take a more decisive leadership role (in an extremely satisfying manner, I might add). The only reason the issue doesn’t get a higher grade is because the frequent cutaways to other happenings in Spider-verse drastically hinder the pacing of the action. Every time another group of Spiders gets sent away on a mission, I can’t help but feel I’ve seen this before and the gimmick is starting to get a little tired. That being said, I can’t wait to see where else Spider-Verse takes us. – Moke

Thor #3 – B 

(B+) What to give this book? It’s hard for me to wrap my head around. I like the art, and I like the idea of woman Thor, but the execution is so uninteresting and typical. The teaser for next month’s cover gave me an eye sprain from rolling too hard. Since I am not much of a “superhero” guy, a book of this type has to be leagues greater than the standard for me to take notice. Well, I say it’s not my bag, but a well-written superhero comic is impossible to say no to. I’d say if you know anything about Norse mythology (and highly respect it), you’ll probably give this comic a C, but if you like super hero books a whole bunch, it’s probably worth a read. – J.H.

(B) I have mixed feelings about Thor this month. At the onset of the issue I was very pleased with the attention to backstory. If you read my reviews enough, you’ll know that I mention “depth” a lot – Jason Aaron added some of this critically good stuff in this issue, which was a plus. Introducing Skrymir, King of the Frost Giants, was entertaining and smart. But — now he’s dead. Oh yeah… Spoiler alert… In three issues of Thor it seems that the plot is both rushed and slow-walked in all the wrong places. By the issue’s end, I found myself, yet again, screaming at the pages, “WHO IS SHE?!” My outbursts aren’t based in the well-crafted “this story is doing a good job at keeping suspense,” but rather the irritating, “there’s no point to keeping this a secret anymore!!” This story isn’t better because I don’t know who The Goddess of Thunder is and it bugs me that the story hasn’t moved on from that yet. That aside, this issue is my favorite thus far. I think we’re close to having a good thing here people. Just hold on a little longer. – Taylor

Rocket Raccoon #6 – B-

Despite this series always being good, this issue and the last one (which happened to be favorite of the series) have been so far removed from the story they set up it almost feels like they threw away the last two issues to rev up again for the new year. That does not mean the story isn’t good, but after loving the last issue and ready to get back into the story it was kind of a shock to not have a mention of Blackjack O’Hare, the other Anthropomorphic raccoon, or any real significant piece of the story and just have Rocket taking odd jobs. I did love the story and seeing Cosmo is great to any past Guardian fans. Skottie Young’s art is wonderful and offers a very different side to a lot of the super realistic Rockets that we usually see these days. – Jacob

Deadpool: Art of War #3- C

I have to say I am not following where this series is going much. Although very entertaining and will likely get some comic fans to seek out the actual Art of War by Sun Tzu, this series doesn’t offer that much past a light entertaining read and some awesome art. By the end of this issue, you kind of feel the whole idea is destroyed a bit and leaves you wondering if the rest of the series will follow the Art of War as much as these first 3 issues. Despite being a bit lost within itself, the idea is as fun as any Deadpool story and allows you to see some pretty awesome battles. I would say pick this issue up for the art alone as it is the highlight of the whole series for me. – Jacob

Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy #6 – C

Despite me trudging through everything Death of Wolverine related, I keep reading and yet another issue seems to be dull and offer nothing much to the story. Andy Clarke does well with the art for Mystique in this issue. The writing is not bad, but just feels unnecessary and unsatisfactory.This issue focusing on Mystique offered the most out of anyone of the characters in the series. However, in the last panel we go, “Back to the Beginning!” I actually have hope for the new series that may come from this. – Jacob

Spider-Verse Team-Up #2 – C-

Oh well, they can’t all be winners. I guess it had to happen eventually, but this was just utterly disappointing. I get the “why” of the art style for the first half of the issue… but ugh, that was bad. I, for one, am glad the Adam West campy days of super-heroism are over. Eh, different strokes for different folks, I guess. The art of the second half was marginally better, yet the self-contained story was pretty paint by numbers. I can’t help but feel like they set the bar pretty low with this one. Le sigh. Onto the next issue. – Moke

 

Funniest Panel:

Spider-Man and the X-Men #1

 

Panel with the Most Awesomeness:

Shutter #7

That about wraps it up for our reviews this week! Look for next week’s previews coming soon. Any comic books you didn’t see reviewed that you want reviewed? Any grades you didn’t agree on? Let us know in the comments!

All images taken from ComiXology app and the credit for them goes to the respective publishers; thanks to IDW Comics, image Comics, Dark Horse, Boom! Studios, Oni Press, Dynamite Entertainment, DC and Marvel for putting out great books.