New Comics Discussion for 12/31/2008 (Canadian), 01/02/2009 (American)

[conorkilpatrick]

Tell us what you thought of the books of the week!

Here's what Josh (http://www.ifanboy.com/users/Josh/comics), Ron (http://www.ifanboy.com/users/Ron/comics), Conor (http://www.ifanboy.com/users/Conor/comics), and Gordon (http://www.ifanboy.com/users/Gordon/comics) are reading.

This week's Pick of the Week:

http://www.ifanboy.com/comics/dc_comics/justice_society_of_america/22/cover-medium.jpg

From here on out, it's SPOILER-O-RAMA.

Don't forget to rate and review the books over at iFanboy.com (http://www.ifanboy.com/comics)!

[cenquist]

Big week, but so far....

Back To Brooklyn #3 - I really don't care for the art that much, it isn't bad but I am not a big fan of the painted look. The story is moving along nicely as we find out what is on the video tape and the reason Bob went to the cops.

Kick Ass # 4 - A quick spoiler free review. (http://www.ifanboy.com/reviews/cenquist/marvel_comics/kick_ass/5)

Incognito #1 - I have only read a little Criminal and none of Sleeper but all I hear is great things about both series so I figured I would jump on with the first issue of this one. And boy am I glad I did. Lots of seeds planted in the first issue to elaborate on. I loved the ending as well.

[matthaber1]

here is what i thought of this week:

green lantern was my POTW. Great issue.

Final crisis SECRET FILES wasn't that great. It was just a libra origin.

Superman was a fun issue. Can't wait for the next issue of New Krypton.

Batman Cacophony was a fun issue. Some funny moments in it.

Batman 684 I haven't read yet, because I never knew it was a part 2. So next week ill pick up the first part and read it then.

[cammyknoxville]

Filthy Canuck bastards!

[cenquist]

Filthy Canuck bastards!

Oh you love us!

[cammyknoxville]

Oh you love us!

It's true. :D

[humphrey-lee]

Oh you love us!

You gave us hockey, and for that I will always have your back!... FILTHY COMMIE SCUM!!! :mad:

[thenextchampion]

At least Ifanboy contributes more to society, unlike those freeloading canadians.














Canada Sucks

[gabeja]

Bah! Damn Canadians. In any case I am looking forward to a lot this week, although I am resilient to read kick ass because the next issue is never going to come out.

[sarahg42]

I need to get to my LCS tomorrow to pick up Proof #15. I am loving it so far, can't wait to see what happens next.

[ryan79]

A really good week for me.

Justice Society of America was a joy to read. The last few pages alone almost made this my pick of the week.

Incognito was good. Not great. I've never read Criminal so I don't know how it compares. It didn't totally grab me but I'll keep getting it.

Incredible Hercules was fun, but it was a bit of a misstep. Of course, the last ten or so issues have been great so I guess you can't win 'em all.

Captain America was solidly average. I really didn't have much of a reaction, positively or negatively. Not much else to say.

Avengers: The Initiative was really good. And good job on those on this board that called Mutant X's identity correctly. Ant-Man to the Thunderbolts? I didn't see that coming. Should be interesting, though. And I really could have done without seeing Trauma/Tigra give "birth". Nasty stuff.

Wolverine was my pick of the week. Not for the fantastic art. Not for the wonderful writing. Not for the Venom T-Rex (but that didn't hurt). No, I picked this because MYSTERIO took out the X-Men. I couldn't help but smile when when fish-bowl-headed afterthought Mysterio was the person to break Wolverine. Mark Millar, you magnificent bastard.

[georgexjr]

who is mutant x? i dropped initiative a while ago.

also, anyone read fantastic 4? who was that at the end? should i know or is it someone new?

[cenquist]

Mutant X is Typhoid Mary I believe.

[paper]

It was a very light week for me. I only picked up 4 books: JSA, Incognito, Green Lantern, and Superman. I rated all of them as 4 stars. Of those, GL was my POW. Really like the Blue Lanterns.

[ryan79]

Mutant X is Typhoid Mary I believe.

You are correct, sir.

[cyberauron]

Dam now I got to go back for Avengers Initiative, but Question How can Typhoid Mary be Mutant Zero.
Also, am i in the minority that feels they need to get the final crisis books out really quick so the batman books can move forward. idk about the rest of you i am getting pretty sick of the rip story

[gobo]

It's never been established how Mary actually got her powers, Mary fits the powerset perfectly.

Some artists apparently seem to have drawn her in the Hood's crew though, I'm guessing that was just an editorial slip-up though, don't know if she actually had any "lines" or if she was just in the background.

[cenquist]

Holy hell, I just read Wolverine and man o man was that fantastic! I don't know if I was suppose to see the Mysterio twist coming or not but it sure as hell blindsided me. Marvel better make this into a spiffy hardcover Absolute sized or bigger!!! Also assuming it doesn't fall off the rails coming down the stretch.

[thenextchampion]

I'm still not happy with you Canada! I'm missing my Wolverine issue, and I'm putting you on notice!

Batman #684: What a piss-poor story by O'Neil. I know the idea that Millicent is the voice of Gotham and I get it. But overall the narrator was subpar at best and the actual story with Nightwing fighting a Two-Face imposter was just boring as hell. Plus Guillem's pencils and inks were just plain terrible. Nightwing was so off-model at points I had to clean my glasses to see if I was seeing things right

Captain America #45: The worst issue Brubaker has ever done on this title. Which I'm not saying it's a highly terrible thing, it's still a good title and better then most. But this was a medicore story to begin with and this third part was not up to par and bored me to tears. Plus Luke Ross's pencil, defines medicore I believe

Green Lantern #36: Pick of the week for two reasons. A) The blue lanterns are the greatest idea to be put into comics ever. B) There is an elephant blue lantern and he made a star go from supernova to 6 billion years younger without losing any power to his ring....F***ing awesome!

The Incredible Hercules #124: Still one of the best titles Marvel is putting out right now. It gets overshadowed all the time cause bigger name titles always are ahead of this. But trust me, you are missing out on a great series issue after issue you dont buy.

JSA #22: Beautiful art from all three men in this issue. The best I've seen from Eaglesham and Massengill in the entire title. But how can I not acknowledge the perfect art of Alex Ross? Those panels showing the future of Earth-22 (and basically telling us the Legion from the year 3000 is from the Kingdom Come universe is ground breaking) just gave me shivers. Please let immortality exsist cause I never want to see Alex Ross leave me.

[optimus187prime]

Wolverine was my pick of the week. Not for the fantastic art. Not for the wonderful writing. Not for the Venom T-Rex (but that didn't hurt). No, I picked this because MYSTERIO took out the X-Men. I couldn't help but smile when when fish-bowl-headed afterthought Mysterio was the person to break Wolverine. Mark Millar, you magnificent bastard.

Holy hell, I just read Wolverine and man o man was that fantastic! I don't know if I was suppose to see the Mysterio twist coming or not but it sure as hell blindsided me. Marvel better make this into a spiffy hardcover Absolute sized or bigger!!! Also assuming it doesn't fall off the rails coming down the stretch.

After reading this issue I turned to my fiance and said "This is why I love reading comics". That was a perfect issue, it was heart wrenching and beautiful, wow. I concur that this deserves a nice spiffy HC that I would gladly double dip on.

[crippler]

Mysterio taking out all of the X-Men may be one of the best moments of the year (yes, I know we're only 3 days in). I think this could be Millar's best series ever.

[cenquist]

Mysterio taking out all of the X-Men may be one of the best moments of the year (yes, I know we're only 3 days in). I think this could be Millar's best series ever.

You mean best moment of LAST year....it came out on the 12/31/08 in Canada!!!!

[timmywood-]

Thought it was a fantastic week for comics. The last page of Superman made it the pick of the week for me although JSA was almost there.

Everything was really awesome though. Icognito, Scalped, Green Latern and if they are bringing back a certain character that was implied in Captain America that would be awesome.

[optimus187prime]

I am really excited for Incognito, but I will trade wait on it due to cost. Criminal reads extremely well in trade and I dont really care for back matter that much.

[neb]

I finally get to go get my books from the holidays tomorrow. Wahoo!!

[crippler]

What a great week for comics and a great way to start 2009! ... or finish 2008 (just for you Cenquist). This was one of the best weeks in memory with a number of standout issues and nothing that I purchased dissapointed me. My New Year's resolution is to have ALL of my weeks be like that. Here's hoping...

[cenquist]

What a great week for comics and a great way to start 2009! ... or finish 2008 (just for you Cenquist). This was one of the best weeks in memory with a number of standout issues and nothing that I purchased dissapointed me. My New Year's resolution is to have ALL of my weeks be like that. Here's hoping...

Lol, good new years resolution to have. Especially when you really can't control it.

[cenquist]

I bought Batman Cacophony #2 even though I didn't plan on. As I really didn't enjoy the first issue that much I thought I would wait for the trade if it got good buzz. But I flipped through it and decide to grab it. Smith just seems to be writing this for humour, everything comes across as a joke. I may pick up the final issue because I bought 1 and 2 but I may just wait and hear what everyone says about it first. I gave it 1 star...

[oh_caroline]

I am really excited for Incognito, but I will trade wait on it due to cost. Criminal reads extremely well in trade and I dont really care for back matter that much.

I've noticed an interesting phenomenon re: the Criminal back matter. Comics fans generally don't seem to be interested in it, but when I've tried talking it up to crime/noir fans who I *know* would like the essays, they can't understand the point of buying a monthly book (and/or wouldn't deign to go in a comic shop). I can't decide if this indicates a miscalculation on Brubaker's part (ie, the people who are most likely to buy in single issues are the least likely to care about the back matter. Or, possibly, he really doesn't care and is just using the excuse to ask people to write essays that cater to his obsessions. Works for me, either way, but I am curious.

I did like "Incognito" #1, incidentally, but I'm not sure I'll be able to say how much I like the series until we've seen a bit more. I didn't read a lot this week and made "Superman" my pick, though more or less by default. Nothing I read was bad, but nothing stood out.

[gobo]

Incognito was my POW, I loved it. There were a ton of books I loved this week like GL, JSA, Proof, Guardians and Wolverine. It was a really strong week for me and lots of stuff stood out.

[paper]

The back matter in Criminal and Incognito was designed for me, specifically, if anyone is wondering. It was the only consideration and I don't care if anyone else likes it or not.

[oh_caroline]

The back matter in Criminal and Incognito was designed for me, specifically, if anyone is wondering. It was the only consideration and I don't care if anyone else likes it or not.

You should definitely bring that up if you ever interview Ed Brubaker. But only after you've exhausted the topic of jaunty hats.

(I like the back matter, too, by the way, I'd just noticed a number of people saying it didn't interest them. Which I'm not criticizing, especially now that I realize it was only designed with Paper in mind, anyway).

[cenquist]

The back matter in Criminal and Incognito was designed for me, specifically, if anyone is wondering. It was the only consideration and I don't care if anyone else likes it or not.

Having only read a little of Criminal I always enjoed the back matter. And I enjoyed it for the first issue of Incognito as well so you definitly aren't alone.

[jon_samuelson]

I was originally kind of wishy-washy about choosing Scalped as my pick of the week last week. Last night I went back and re-read the four issues of the "Gravel in Your Guts" storyline, and holy shit. All dissembling is now gone. The issue was fantastic, and I think this storyline may have officially vaulted Scalped past Fables as my favorite comic. And the guys, both iFanboy and Around Comics, are right. Red Crow is the best character in comics.