#Geddouttahere

[wedding-shemp]

the tthing about Courtney Love is that you can defend her to an extent if you feel so inclined, but you don't have to in order to justify liking her music. You can just say "sometimes good bands have a lead singer who objectively sucks shit as a person." This is the position of every single person who likes The Smiths, and no one has ever had a problem with it

[plastic-tulips]

Deleting the ashes shortcut from my phone like someone shooing away the horse in the third act of a film about a horse

[touhouweed]

There is no discourse I'm simply just correct.

still dont get the hate for monika ddlc, like yeah she used scary ways to get your attention, but also in-context shes basically experiencing one of the most horrifying tortures I can imagine (complete isolation)

Like yes she "killed" the other girls (technically no life to take ig), but she even explains that theyre basically just 1s and 0s without anything close to the same sentience as her, so like yeah its jarring when she kills them but it ultimately amounts to destroying some animatronics in fucked up ways

[ylly22-2]

[feztheshep]

“uhh my mom does all the grocery shopping”

S1 SCOTTY MCCALL, THE BEST LINE, HEAD EMPTY, JUST A HIGH SCHOOL TEEN BOYE WHO IS SO PURE

[flibbertigiblet]

4, 10, 12, and 20 for the film ask game!

4. A film you could watch on repeat for the rest of your life? - I answered this on @esther-dot ‘s ask, but I’m happy to keep talking about the reasons why I love Back to the Future 2 so much! How about that epic hoverboard chase scene over the pond? Or that self-drying jacket? The FLYING CARS of 2015 that we really ought to have by now smdh? How about the fact that Old Biff finally schools his younger (and dumber) self on how to properly execute that “make like a tree” pun?

10. What’s your favourite movie director? - Christopher Nolan is tried-and-tested, and while I’ve liked some of his movies way more than others, I’ve never been disappointed in any of them.

12. A movie that holds a special place in your heart? - Home Alone. The pranks are hilarious, of course, but it’s more than that. For all that I get drawn into the spectacle of Christmas irl, I’m not usually into holiday movies (like, at all), but Home Alone 1 and 2 never fail to make me all sentimental and Christmas spirit-y (that bit in part 2 where he gifts the bird lady with the turtle dove ornament and tells her it means they’ll always be friends? Geddouttahere, you’re making me cry!). Also, those movies have given me my favorite holiday greeting of all time...

(...and a happy new year!)

20. Old movies or contemporary movies? - Too vague! What constitutes an “old” movie? Lest we forget, 2000 is now a S H O C K I N G twenty years ago! I do love movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood (screwball comedies like His Girl Friday are fantastically witty!) but films nowadays have the advantage of variety, technology, and realism. So...I dunno. 🤷‍♀️

[aion-rsa]

The Buy Pile: It’s Our Anniversary – with Deathstroke

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR MARCH 22, 2017

Deathstroke #15 (DC Comics)

Hh. This issue was an unexpected dip in quality as Slade Wilson got stuck with a superpowered teenaged genius who threw off the intricate mechanics of mercenary murder so carefully constructed by this series. The Christopher Priest script doesn’t go wrong, per se, but it jogs where it could soar, especially with the Rose Wilson subplot in Minnesota. Good work that feels like it should be great. Let’s see if that improves next month.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

… that was less than exciting …

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy

“Captain America Steve Rogers” #14 is complex. Retcons become concrete, threads become ropes pulling hard and the titular captain plays every role deftly. Had the building of a new Cobra Command, er Hydra Council been less poetic and cursory, and the whiplash flashbacks been more “Arrow” and less “Lost,” this would have made it.

The bounty hunter Cad Bane is an excellent sardonic presence in “Star Wars Darth Maul” #2, and the title character’s barely restrained rage are a fitting tribute to his ultimate disposition, but the quarter inch of plot didn’t do much to get this to the cash register.

There was a lot to like in “Ultimates 2” #5, including the most effective T’challa in print today (sorry) and Monica Rambeau eating Carol Danvers’ lunch. Unfortunately, the plot didn’t connect, the action didn’t progress the story and the antagonist was vague. Not bad, though.

The “Meh” Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened …

“Invincible Iron Man” #5, “Reborn” #5, “Spider-Gwen” #18, “Suicide Squad” #14, “Elektra” #2, “G.I. JOE A Real American Hero” #237, “Letter 44” #31, “Gamora” #4, “Bloodshot Reborn” #0, “Savage Dragon” #222, “Doctor Strange The Punisher Magic Bullets” #4, “Helena Crash” #1, “Uncanny Inhumans” #20, “Flash” #19, “Optimus Prime” #5, “Batgirl” #9, “Rocket Raccoon” #4, “Birthright” #23, “Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps” #17, “Empowered And The Soldier Of Love” #2, “Batman Beyond” #6, “WWE” #3, “Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows” #5, “Jem And The Misfits” #3, “Hulk” #4, “Doctor Who The Twelfth Doctor Year 2” #15, “Wonder Woman” #19, “Black Hammer” #7, “Foolkiller” #5, “X-O Manowar” #1, “Action Comics” #976, “Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 11” #5, “Detective Comics” #953, “Extraordinary X-Men” #20, “Circuit-Breaker” #4, “Unworthy Thor” #5, “Blue Beetle” #7, “Iron Fist” #1, “Star Trek Green Lantern Volume 2 Stranger Worlds” #4, “Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur” #17, “Doom Patrol” #5, “Black Panther” #12, “Violent Love” #5, “Beauty” #13, “Magdalena” #1, “Future Quest” #11, “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency The Salmon Of Doubt” #6, “Teen Titans” #6, “Curse Words” #3, “Prowler” #6, “Anno Dracula 1895 Seven Days In Mayhem” #1.

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much …

At least nothing was terrible.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

The view is vast from the top of Meh Mountain.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

The week’s a wash with an underperforming purchase and a lot in between that failed to inspire.

THE BUSINESS

Wanna know something funny? This column debuted on Comic Book Resources this month in 2006. The anniversary was actually weeks ago, but you know how it is. Time sure flies when you’re completely insane. This train isn’t stopping, and it’s great to have you here for the ride.

The writer of this column writes two weekly web superhero comics: “Menthu: The Anger of Angels” and “Project Wildfire: Street Justice” — free every week. Can’t beat “free.”

The writer of this column isn’t just a jerk who spews his opinions — he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get “Project Wildfire: Enter Project Torrent” (a collected superhero web comic), “The Crown: Ascension” and “Faraway,” five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get “New Money” #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in “Watson and Holmes Volume 2” co-plotted by “2 Guns” creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics — “Waso: Will To Power” and the sequel “Waso: Gathering Wind” (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or “Fathom Sourcebook” #1, “Soulfire Sourcebook” #1, “Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook” #1 and “Aspen Universe Sourcebook,” the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It’d be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin’ great. There’s free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids … oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff — fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more — available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin’ book already!

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!

The post The Buy Pile: It’s Our Anniversary – with Deathstroke appeared first on CBR.

http://ift.tt/2mx40vS

[placeholder-title-blog]

all the bots in the matildas tag ://////

[aion-rsa]

The Buy Pile: Super Science For The Win!

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Transformers Lost Light #2 (IDW Publishing)

Jump from the Read Pile. With amazing character moments as the guide, half of the cats is stuck in a dystopian alternate universe and the other half are at each other’s throats. This leads the story to an interesting place as the overarching quest for a lost legacy of their mechanical race continues. Watching the drastic shift in roles for Cyclonus and Tailpipe, or the exhausted nature of Megatron (perhaps, now, the most developed character in the entire property) as he sees what happened when he did not act as he did, all these moments wove an interesting parable about the nature of Cybertronian life and how it’s almost a curse unto itself. Heady stuff wrapped in whimsical trappings by James Roberts, Jack Lawrence, Joana LaFuente and Tom B. Long.

Nadia Pym is the best in “The Unstoppable Wasp” #2.

Unstoppable Wasp #2 (Marvel Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. Nadia Pym is an orphaned super genius on a mission, as unflappable as Kimmie Schmidt and smarter than Lena Luthor. When she fails to notice her own myopia — planning on using fellow genius Moon Girl as a recruiting prop without ever thinking to talk to her — it’s a moment that could be played differently but sticks to the light tone. The action is balanced with the kookiness and Jarvis makes a perfect exasperated foil for the inexorable drive of the titular character. Writer Jeremy Whitley has the tone down pat here as the visuals from Elsa Charretier, Megan Wilson and Joe Caramagna make this bouncy, energetic script come to life.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

Smart stuff to get us started, all good so far …

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy “All-New X-Men” #1.MU had some cute quotes and character moments but was stuck with a crossover-inflicted plot that’s easily forgotten.

The “Meh” Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened … “Shade The Changing Girl” #5, “Blood Blister” #1, “Champions” #5, “Everafter From The Pages Of Fables” #6, “Spider-Man 2099” #20, “A&A The Adventures Of Archer And Armstrong” #12, “Monsters Unleashed” #2, “Justice League” #14, “Nova” #3, “Star Wars Darth Maul” #1, “Invincible” #132, “Deadpool And The Mercs For Money” #8, “Green Lanterns” #16, “Big Trouble In Little China Escape From New York” #5, “Midnighter And Apollo” #5, “Karnak” #6, “Jem And The Misfits” #2, “Flintstones” #8, “Aquaman” #16, “Unbelievable Gwenpool” #11, “Vampirella” #0, “Death Of Hawkman” #5, “Jem And The Holograms Annual 2017, “Avengers” #4, “Goldie Vance” #9, “Harley Quinn” #13, “Faith” #8, “Ghostbusters Annual 2017, “Flash Gordon Kings Cross” #4, “Star Wars” #28, “Hard Case Crime The Assignment” #2, “Marvel Universe Avengers Ultron Revolution” #8, “Superman” #16, “Moon Knight” #11, “Jungle Fantasy Ivory” #6, “Deadpool” #26, “Electric Sublime” #4, “Bullseye” #1, “Fall And Rise Of Captain Atom” #2, “Assassin’s Creed Uprising” #1, “Nightwing” #14, “Planet Of The Apes Green Lantern” #1, “Old Man Logan” #17, “Walking Dead” #163, “Hawkeye” #3, “Cyborg” #9, “Back To The Future” #16, “Green Arrow” #16, “Planetoid Praxis” #1, “Batman” #16, “All-New X-Men” #18.

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much … No alarms and no surprises.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

Well, while a lot of books just muddled along (and, honestly, “Moon Knight” was a hair from being reviewed much more harshly), it wasn’t so bad as a light week.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Two jumps beat the blahs of the Meh Pile, so the week essentially wins.

THE BUSINESS

Yeah, there are now 24 pages of the astonishing new web comic “Menthu: The Anger of Angels online and ready to roll. 48 pages remain, all done already, as this web comic shares a page a week throughout 2017, alongside a monthly newsletter from the Operative Network that includes giveaways and more. Hoo hah!

The writer of this column isn’t just a jerk who spews his opinions — he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get “Project Wildfire: Enter Project Torrent” (a collected superhero web comic), “The Crown: Ascension” and “Faraway,” five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get “New Money” #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in “Watson and Holmes Volume 2” co-plotted by “2 Guns” creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics — “Waso: Will To Power” and the sequel “Waso: Gathering Wind” (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or “Fathom Sourcebook” #1, “Soulfire Sourcebook” #1, “Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook” #1 and “Aspen Universe Sourcebook,” the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It’d be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin’ great. There’s free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids … oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff — fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more — available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin’ book already!

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!

The post The Buy Pile: Super Science For The Win! appeared first on CBR.com.

http://ift.tt/2kZ9ewb

[aion-rsa]

The Buy Pile: Bad People & Bad Decisions Make For Good Comics

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR JANUARY 18, 2017

Curse Words #1 (Image Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. The lure of leisure time and scantily clad romantic partners have felled conquerors of many stripes, from the Zentraedi in “Robotech” to … well, the Invid in “Robotech.” In this crafty new book, an imperialist’s minion gets a change of heart when he experiences New York City. That part is very engaging, and when the bill inevitably comes due that leads to some solid action and the truth needing protection in an extreme fashion. Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Jordan Boyd, Michael Parkinson, Chris Crank and Shawn DePasquale turned in one entertaining work and watching this struggle between demons and slightly better angels is a great start.

“Grand Passion” #3 breaks all the rules and loves every minute of it.

Grand Passion #3 (Dynamite Entertainment)

Jump from the Read Pile. Not at all safe for work, this twisted gunpoint love story has everything you need to get engaged in the characters and resolve the plot in this issue while pushing you towards the next one. Spoilers would abound with discussing the details, but James Robinson, Tom Feister, Dave Curiel and Simon Bowland deliver a bawdy, enjoyable romp.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

New ideas getting their game face together? Gotta love that, especially with so much cool new stuff happening.

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy

Answers start to come in “Mosaic” #4 with the help of a brain significantly better than the series’ protagonist. There’s a real holodeck feel to it, as a lot of nothing happened just to transfer some information and do a bit of character work. That dragged the plot, which wasn’t so good, but the building of Morris Sackett as a character is fantastic.

Maximus the Mad is like a bored frat boy Loki in “Uncanny Inhumans” #18 where he comes up with a plan that only involves a little bit of murder and mayhem but he figures will be wholly forgiven. Hanging out with two of the worst Inhuman villains aside from himself, this has the feeling of a good crime comedy but hits the brakes sometime during the second act, leaving things unresolved. An improvement with the focus on character, but not enough to make it home.

“WWE” #1 was interestingly written, presenting the story behind the story as a story, reframing actual events in wrestling … “history,” we can call it. In any case, this behind the scenes look plays out as if the characters on the screen are the same when the cameras are off, carrying the scripted nature of the stories to a whole new level. On one hand, that’s brilliant and amazing, especially with the Seth Rollins characterization. On another hand, many of the shirtless characters herein were difficult to distinguish from each other, and that made the story seem to go by in a blur at points.

“Captain America Sam Wilson” #18 took a long time to make what seems like an obvious decision (as stated by almost everybody who matters in these pages), which made its titular character terrible even in the eyes of many people closest to him. It also had a strategy from a young hero that bordered on stupidity, so that was a problem. What was good was Steve Rogers, dancing around double entendres so much that Ben Kenobi might pause and then applaud respectfully. The ideas are better than the execution, and if this issue is right that the cause matters more than the consequences, that’s something to like.

Just when “Star Wars Doctor Aphra” #3 was getting good, after some character development (including her full name) and finding out just how dangerous a single Wookiee can be, when the page count caught up to it, cutting the story off at the climax of a second act. Written as trade bait? Maybe. This was close to making the mark, though, as each cast member did some of what makes them awesome.

The “Meh” Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened … “Harbinger Renegade” #3, “Aquaman” #15, “Revolutionaries” #1, “Trinity” #5, “Cage” #4, “Hook Jaw” #2, “Green Arrow” #15, “Squadron Supreme” #15, “Jeff Steinberg Champion Of Earth” #5, “Dollface” #1, “Lucifer” #14, “Spider-Gwen” #16, “Black Hammer Giant-Sized Annual” #1, “Venom” #3, “Superman” #15, “Deadpool And The Mercs For Money” #7, “Horizon” #7, “Ultimates 2” #3, “Justice League” #13, “Black Widow” #10, “Athena Voltaire And The Volcano Goddess” #3, “Suicide Squad Most Wanted El Diablo And Amanda Waller” #6, “Divinity III Aric Son Of The Revolution” #1, “Avengers” #3.1, “Raven” #5, “Unbelievable Gwenpool” #10, “Battlestar Galactica Gods And Monsters” #3, “Mighty Captain Marvel” #1, “Justice League Vs Suicide Squad” #5, “Gamora” #2, “Doctor Who The Ninth Doctor” #9, “Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat” #14, “Harley Quinn” #12, “Kill Or Be Killed” #5, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” #11, “James Bond Hammerhead” #4, “Nightwing” #13, “Black Panther World Of Wakanda” #3, “Generation Zero” #6, “Star-Lord” #2, “Cougar And Cub” #1, “All-New X-Men” #17, “Justice League Of America The Ray Rebirth” #1, “U.S. Avengers” #2, “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency The Salmon Of Doubt” #4, “Invincible Iron Man” #3, “He-Man Thundercats” #4, “Night’s Dominion” #5, “Green Lanterns” #15, “Few” #1, “Batman” #15.

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much …

Since “Clone Conspiracy” #4 and “Amazing Spider-Man” #23 have so many of the same story elements, they may as well have the same review. Of course, trusting maniacs and murderers goes as it inevitably has to after pages and pages of moralistic hand wringing and prevarication. These books are so predictably doomed that when the other shoe finally drops, it’s almost a relief to know there’s just the punching and attempted murder to get through now. Subpar concept, adequate execution.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

Not bad.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Those jumps, though … let’s call this week a winner.

THE BUSINESS

Well, there are 22 pages of a new 72 page web comic on line, there’s another one coming next month while a third just got collected for sale, 44 pages of story for just three bucks through Black History Month. All that and asking the question who is David Chance? It was a big weekend at the Black Comix Arts Festival in San Francisco, and if you join the mailing list there’s free stuff in it for you, to boot!

The writer of this column isn’t just a jerk who spews his opinions — he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get “Project Wildfire: Enter Project Torrent” (a collected superhero web comic), “The Crown: Ascension” and “Faraway,” five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get “New Money” #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in “Watson and Holmes Volume 2” co-plotted by “2 Guns” creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics — “Waso: Will To Power” and the sequel “Waso: Gathering Wind” (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or “Fathom Sourcebook” #1, “Soulfire Sourcebook” #1, “Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook” #1 and “Aspen Universe Sourcebook,” the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It’d be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin’ great. There’s free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids … oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff — fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more — available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin’ book already!

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!

The post The Buy Pile: Bad People & Bad Decisions Make For Good Comics appeared first on CBR.com.

http://ift.tt/2jCXIbV

[aion-rsa]

The Buy Pile: Welcome To Image Comics’ God Country

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR JANUARY 11, 2017

God Country #1 (Image Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. Whoa. This staggering new idea — and it is that, a wholly new idea — does everything right in a pitch perfect first issue. What seems like a fairly by-the-numbers if effectively presented family drama takes a big turn in the third act and becomes something magnificent. Too much to spoil, but the script from writer Donny Cates delivers characters and a plot that work and feel right while the visuals from Geoff Shaw, Jason Wordie, and John J. Hill effectively makes a desolate section of Texas come alive on the page. Where has this book been hiding? Wow.

It’s a bumpy ride but still pretty good in “Deathstroke” #10

Deathstroke #10 (DC Comics)

Warning: this issue signals a chance for this series to lose its “buy on sight” status. There were some solid developments in small doses — Rose Wilson using her gifts to bond with her mother’s relatives and a flashback for the titular character — but the story wasn’t a single cohesive narrative and meandered too restlessly. There was a lot to enjoy, but this issue didn’t stand up to the series’ standards. Had this been read before purchasing, it would be an honorable mention, so let’s see if it can find its way back to greatness next issue.

Harlem’s heating up in “Power Man and Iron Fist” #12

Power Man And Iron Fist #12 (Marvel Comics)

Despite the super powers and sometimes spectacular (or in Iron Fist’s case, laughable) costumes, this is a crime comic done so well. Three rival groups — the Black Cat and Piranha Jones on one hand, the formerly dead teen genius Alex Wilder on a second and albino crime lord Tombstone as a third — are all vying for control of the criminal underworld in Harlem. Along the way, the innocent became victims of the system and the guilty saw their crimes washed away, all with two best buds caught in the middle. David Walker’s script allows everyone a moment to shine in a harmonic smoothness that makes this book a joy to read. The visuals from Sanford Greene, Lee Loughridge and Clayton Cowles are rough hewn but fitting for the highly kinetic, rough and tumble city streets. This book is a joy to read and almost Shakespearean in its machinations.

Get into the Wayback Machine for a secret origin in “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” #16

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 (Marvel Comics)

The origin issue is a staple in comics, and with her 25th anniversary as a character (wow!) we look back at the literal origins of Doreen Green, who didn’t have to wait until puberty to begin her climb into awesomeness. From what could be the most awesome five-year-old birthday party ever (apologies to the children of this columnist) to celebrations of her birthday throughout the years this wonderfully exposed not only her great character development but also her longtime relationship with her squirrel friend Monkey Joe (no idea why he’s called that). Ryan North turns in another winning script (with Will Murray, Squirrel Girl’s creator) and the cartoony, kinetic stylings of Erica Henderson, Rico Renzi and Travis Lanham (with a Steve Ditko sketch in there, too) deliver big time.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

Even in the sole challenge, there were high points, plus that great jump from Image, so that’s a good thing …

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy

“Occupy Avengers” #3 was very close to making it home as the chemistry and banter between characters was as engaging as the clean, gorgeous artwork. Unfortunately, we were all having such a good time making new friends that the plot didn’t keep up, lacking story meat when push came to shove. Very close and the first two issues were stellar, so this will likely pick up steam next issue.

“Doctor Who The Eleventh Doctor Year Three” #1 had a lot of charm and started strong but didn’t finish or tell a complete story, as if it never had any intentions of being a single installment. Enjoyable until it was frustrating.

If the changes in Victor Creed last longer than this crossover, “Uncanny X-Men” #17 might be worth noting. As it was, too many red shirts fell and too much monologuing from Sabretooth made this a little emo even amongst all the bloodshed.

“Green Valley” #4 was running a little too slowly for its own good, but answered a number of questions about the nature of the threat and did some solid character development.

“Captain America Steve Rogers” #9 succeeded largely in its flashbacks, giving the cosmic cube-powered retcon real resonance and gravity. It failed mightily in its cover-advertised “Trial of Maria Hill,” which had procedural, scientific and logical flaws big enough to fly a helicarrier through (unless Everett K. Ross is just a really bad lawyer). This gets closer to finding its ground, but hasn’t made it there yet.

The “Meh” Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened … “Titans” #7, “Ninjak” #23, “Deadpool” #24, “All-Star Batman” #6, “Foolkiller” #3, “Dungeons And Dragons Frost Giant’s Fury” #1, “Guardians Of The Galaxy” #16, “Hard Case Crime The Assignment” #1, “Totally Awesome Hulk” #14, “Detective Comics” #948, “Spider-Man Deadpool” #13, “Birthright” #21, “Flash” #14, “Spider-Man” #12, “Hard Case Crime Triggerman” #4, “Jessica Jones” #4, “Doctor Who The Tenth Doctor Year Three” #1, “Khaal” #1, “Rocket Raccoon” #2, “Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps” #12, “James Bond Felix Leiter” #1, “Justice League Power Rangers” #1, “Silk” #16, “Samurai Brothers In Arms” #5, “Uncanny Avengers” #19, “Wonder Woman” #14, “E.V.I.L. Heroes” #4, “All-New Wolverine” #16, “Red Hood And The Outlaws” #6, “Deep” #1, “Mighty Thor” #15, “Suicide Squad” #9, “Assassin’s Creed Awakening” #3, “Superwoman” #6, “Flash Gordon Kings Cross” #3, “Motro” #3, “Violent Love” #3, “Supergirl” #5, “Marvel Universe Guardians Of The Galaxy” #16, “Mega Princess” #3, “Spawn” #269, “Groo Fray Of The Gods” #4, “Scooby Apocalypse” #9, “Savage Dragon” #219, “Namesake” #3, “Doctor Strange And The Sorcerers Supreme” #4, “New Super-Man” #7, “Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows” #3, “Doctor Who The Third Doctor” #4, “Ms. Marvel” #14, “Justice League Of America Vixen Rebirth” #1, “Motor Crush” #2, “Inhumans Vs X-Men” #2, “Gotham Academy Second Semester” #5, “Red Sonja” #1, “Star Wars Poe Dameron” #10, “Earth 2 Society” #20, “Invisible Republic” #14, “Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey” #6, “Great Lakes Avengers” #4, “Doctor Who The Twelfth Doctor Year Two” #13, “Action Comics” #971, “Daredevil” #15.

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much … … what? Nothing awful? That’s fantastic!

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

Good to have nothing to complain about.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Call this week a winner with that brilliant new idea and nothing to truly be angry about.

THE BUSINESS

The writer of this columnist will be a special guest at Black Comix Arts Festival in San Francisco, making a number of new announcements about comics projects for 2017.

The writer of this column isn’t just a jerk who spews his opinions — he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get “The Crown: Ascension” and “Faraway,” five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get “New Money” #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in “Watson and Holmes Volume 2” co-plotted by “2 Guns” creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics — “Waso: Will To Power” and the sequel “Waso: Gathering Wind” (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or “Fathom Sourcebook” #1, “Soulfire Sourcebook” #1, “Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook” #1 and “Aspen Universe Sourcebook,” the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It’d be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin’ great. There’s free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids … oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff — fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more — available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin’ book already!

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!

The post The Buy Pile: Welcome To Image Comics’ God Country appeared first on CBR.com.

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The Buy Pile: Brains Over Bluster

WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?

Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles — the “buy” pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the “read” pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you’ll be able to get his thoughts (and they’re just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here’s some common definitions used in the column) about all of that … which goes something like this …

THE BUY PILE FOR JANUARY 4, 2017

Unstoppable Wasp #1 (Marvel Comics) — Jump from the Read Pile.

Nadia Pym is indefatigable. Like a super powered Energizer Bunny, she makes Kimmy Schmidt look like Debbie Downer and laps Squirrel Girl like she was Eeyore. She dives into heroism with a lust for life that’d have Iggy Pop giving a slow clap and her infectious enthusiasm and brilliance bursts out of every panel here. “Princeless” writer Jeremy Whitley has bottled lightning with this wonderfully balanced script that does great explanations (only once going a bit heavy handed, and even there in character), has solid action based on real world science and hits Bobbi Morse in a place she thought she couldn’t be touched. The visual presentation by Elsa Charretier, Megan Wilson and Joe Caramagna is vibrant in places, intimate in others and perfect all around. This, finally, is a hero we deserve.

What does the night hold for Bruce Wayne in “Batman” #14?

Batman #14 (DC Comics) — Jump from the Read Pile.

This issue made the jump by honing in on what the Bat really does and has Catwoman both marveling at it and mocking it while a clock ticks. You see the craft Tom King puts into this work, and while from a conception standpoint the Sisyphean futility and ridiculous nature of many of these conflicts (Condiment King? Film Freak?) takes away some significance here, the craft stands up to scrutiny. Let’s also note the amazing visuals from Mitch Gerads and Clayton Cowles, which brought the Gotham City night alive.

WHAT’S THE PROGNOSIS?

With two endlessly re-readable jumps to start us off, that’s a rock solid start.

THIS WEEK’S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it’s not good enough to buy

In this episode of “Making A Murderer,” er, “Justice League” #12 Amanda Waller uses several buckets full of exposition to give us the new, much more morally flexible, bwa-ha-ha free Maxwell Lord, outlining his rise to power and rationales behind it. Not bad as a Wiki entry, or something for one of those sourcebooks everybody refers to, but not exactly prime time viewing.

“Hawkeye” #2 is closing in on being good with fantastic characterization but can’t connect on its plot. Fun art, some fun moments (extra points if you catch the meme reference) but still falling short.

“Autumnlands” #14 had some quality moments as creations defied the goddess they credit with their making. The splash page may overly titilate some more prudish readers, but this book has the vocabulary of myth down pat. It could use a little more context for its impossible characters, but it’s not bad at all.

The “Meh” Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened … “Scarlet Witch” #14, “Aquaman” #14, “Star Trek Boldly Go” #4, “U.S.Avengers” #1, “Cyborg” #8, “Black Science” #27, “Death Of Hawkman” #4, “Optimus Prime” #2, “Moon Knight” #10, “Everafter From The Pages Of Fables” #5, “Nailbiter” #28, “Flintstones” #7, “Avengers” #3, “G.I. JOE A Real American Hero” #235, “Unfollow” #15, “Saga” #41, “Green Arrow” #14, “Champions” #4, “Big Trouble In Little China Escape From New York” #4, “Unworthy Thor” #3, “Green Lanterns” #14, “Walking Dead” #162, “Spider-Man 2099” #19, “Harley Quinn” #11, “Box Office Poison Color Comics” #1, “Squarriors Volume 2 Summer” #2, “Wicked + The Divine” #25, “Justice League Of America The Atom Rebirth” #1, “Jem And The Holograms” #22, “Justice League Vs Suicide Squad” #3, “A&A The Adventures Of Archer And Armstrong” #11, “Nova” #2, “Midnighter And Apollo” #4, “Ragnarok” #11, “Nightwing” #12, “Deadpool The Duck” #1, “Faith” #7, “Shade The Changing Girl” #4, “Wynonna Earp Legends Doc Holliday” #2, “Superman” #14, “Old Man Logan” #16.

No, just … no … These comics? Not so much …

“Captain America Sam Wilson” #17 was insulting in its ham-fisted fumbling around social justice buzzwords and complex issues of racial identity, micro-agresssions and the experiences of marginalized people in the country. Also, again, most of the book had the titular character not actually doing anything or having any effect on what happened. Give Misty the shield. Let’s stop this tedious exercise.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

One bad apple can’t throw off the whole bunch.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Two jumps make the first week of 2017 a certified winner and well worth it for fans of the art form.

THE BUSINESS

Did you get the first official newsletter from the Operative Network? There was a free comic book (written by the maker of this column) offered from the newsletter and a chance to win a custom sketch worth $45 as well as the “Soulfire Definitive Edition” volume one hardcover. If you subscribe now, you can get in on what’s coming in the January edition.

The writer of this column isn’t just a jerk who spews his opinions — he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get “The Crown: Ascension” and “Faraway,” five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get “New Money” #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in “Watson and Holmes Volume 2” co-plotted by “2 Guns” creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics — “Waso: Will To Power” and the sequel “Waso: Gathering Wind” (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or “Fathom Sourcebook” #1, “Soulfire Sourcebook” #1, “Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook” #1 and “Aspen Universe Sourcebook,” the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It’d be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin’ great. There’s free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids … oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff — fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more — available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin’ book already!

Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. “less than 64 pages”) by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn’t been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!

The post The Buy Pile: Brains Over Bluster appeared first on CBR.com.

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