A chill cuts through your woolen sweater. The feeling of eyes tearing through the back of your neck makes you swivel on your heel. How did you get here? Where is here? Is this a dream? It can’t be a dream, you know that much. A loud buzz rings in your ears as if it is emanating from right beside you. You swing your body around again. Still nothing. Nothing but a dense fog closing in. Panic sets in, you can feel your heart in your hands and throat. Suddenly four words boom out of the unknown. “TOP OF THE STACK!”
Squadron Sinister #4 (Marvel)
Marc Guggenheim (W) Carlos Pacheco (A)
I’m going to be frank about this. I am kind of bored with this comic. Luckily this is the last issue, and I can’t see myself picking up Squadron Supreme when the ongoing comes out. ‘Nuff said.
Batman and Robin Eternal #6 (DC)
James Tynion IV (W) Tony S. Daniel (A)
Whenever Tynion writes an issue of this comic, it elevates everything I like about it. The last issue was pretty good, the awkwardness from the issue before cleared up. I expect some hiccups with a comic this collaborative though. It’s only natural.
Illuminati #1 (Marvel)
Joshua Williamson (W) Shawn Crystal (A)
I am curious about this comic. Honestly, if I wasn’t such a big fan of Williamson, I would have passed on this comic completely. That being said, it may not last long. I love the concept, but it feels a little like Thunderbolts, which confuses me as to why it isn’t a Thunderbolts comic. We shall see.
Spider-Gwen #2 (Marvel)
Jason Latour (W) Robbi Rodriguez (A)
This series is literally, always a pleasure. It is so refreshing to see something like this come out of the ether. I meas seriously, what a fluke. Not to discredit the team, but try explaining the character to any fan and they all twist their face in anger-disgust, but explain that she exists in a completely new universe where every character is different, their faces change to one of childlike glee. It’s a great idea that could have gotten stricken down by blind nerd-rage. I’m glad it didn’t.
8house: Yorris #5 (Image)
Helen Maier (W) Fil Barlow (A)
While I was a little lost during the last issue, I absolutely love the idea behind this comic. Like seriously, I am fiddling with something similar now. I really think that letting the world be open to completely new creators is ballsy. I enjoy ballsy.
All-New All-Different Avengers #1 (Marvel)
Mark Waid (W) Adam Kubert (A)
While I am extremely disappointed that SHIELD is ending, it gives my wallet room for another Waid endeavor. I mean seriously? How can you go wrong with Adam freaking Kubert? You don’t that’s how. I also love the idea of a bunch of young, fresh faced Avengers getting their learn on in the midst of the big guys. I think this comic will be really fun.
All-New Hawkeye #1 (Marvel)
Jeff Lemire (W) Ramon K. Perez (A)
OLD MAN CLINT. SRSLY. WHAT? YES.
Captain America White #4 of 5 (Marvel)
Jeph Loeb (W) Tim Sale (A)
God dammit. This IS you father’s Captain America comic. Loeb and Sale so perfectly capture the honesty and naivete of the pre-Avengers Captain America perfectly. It’s stunning to see how they still manage to inject a love for this character that is pure. One that is a picture of a certain time. Love.
The Goddamned #1 (Image)
Jason Aaron (W) R.M. Guéra
Post-(pre?)-apocalyptic biblical noir. I am already hooked on the summary. This series looks grizzly as hell. A man caught in the moments just before Genesis 6:13 “So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” Sounds like fun.
Constantine: The Hellblazer #6 (DC)
Ming Doyle (W) Riley Rossmo (A)
This series is fucking nuts. I am more than in love with Rossmo’s art, and Doyle can craft a deeply effective tale. The last issue made me say “Holy shit Constantine!” and that’s me knowing full well that his is a rotten piece of shit. So there!
Thors #4 (Marvel)
Jason Aaron (W) Chris Sprouse (A)
This has probably been my favorite story that has come out of Secret Wars. Aaron has a badass sense of humor and Sprouse makes every single panel pop. Seriously, this is a good stand alone story, even if you skipped out on Secret Wars.
Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw #7 (Image)
Kurt Busiek (W) Ben Dewey (A)
I am so pleased to see this back on my pull list. I kept checking, to make sure I didn’t miss when it came back from hiatus. While I think this whole “arc hiatus arc” cycle can really make the creativity flourish, I really do miss some of my favorite comics when they leave.
Secret Wars #7 of 9 (Marvel)
Jonathan Hickman (W) Esad Ribic (A)
I am really enjoying this series, but I think they screwed the pooch. This issue was delayed a couple times. Actually, after the first delay, it was supposed to come out the beginning of last month, and then they added an issue. We should be getting the final issue now, but delays have made that impossible. Unfortunately, this means the ongoings started coming out before it was even over. This is getting confusing.
Airboy #4 of 4 (Image)
James Robinson (W) Greg Hinkle (A)
Holy shit. This comic is like reading some insanely in depth, uncut journalism straight from the perverted depths of hell. It is something that I’ve never seen before. The honesty makes you cringe. I love it. Read this.
Southern Bastards #12 (Image)
Jason Latour (W) Jason Latour (A)
Hey, that isn’t a typo. Latour is taking full duty for this issue. He currently writes for Spider-Gwen, (if you can’t read a couple lines up), and has been doing the art for this series since it’s inception. Now we get a change in perspective. I’m really interested to see what happens.
Batman #46 (DC)
Scott Snyder (W) Greg Capullo (A)
Okay, so I never thought I’d live to see the day where I’d be in love with a comic where Bruce Wayne is finally happy and rid of his psychological issues, starring James Gordon. Then again, I had very pessimistic views on my life expectancy. Either way this comic has changed my opinion on many things, one of those things being my interest level in a happy Bruce Wayne.
Descender #7 (Image)
Jeff Lemire (W) Dustin Nguyen (A)
This comic is fucking gold slathered in liquid diamond and then wrapped in Google stock. Seriously, this is one of those comics that people will be talking about for a long time after all is said and done. This is a masterpiece, there is no other way of putting it that can convey exactly how fucking brilliant this series is.
The fog has cleared. You find yourself in an empty parking lot. No, a field made of asphalt. There is nothing for miles. Nary a line, or crack in the ground. Nothing. You are alone. Your eyes search desperately for anything, any evidence that the words shouted at you were real and not just a hallucination. Finally you spot something. In the distance, a half a mile or so, a comically large megaphone.
