Comic book word talk. The first. January. 2014. part 1 of 1.

Backs.

Comic book quickies then ? Ayes ? Cools.

I'm pretty sure these comics came out this week. But you know. Time. That whole thing. Not really sure how it works any more at the best of times. Then big x-mass hit and I have no idea. Like its Sunday as I sit here and jab my hand sausages on the keyboard to type this outs but it may as well be Tuesday or some shit for all it feels like.

So ayes. Comics. Cracking stuff. Lotta stuff going on in them. I think. Probably. Its been awhile since I did a proper run down of a weeks comics. Stuffs apparently changed man. I was operating under the impression marvel were the hated mad men . Running about naked in some field somewhere killing off beloved cultural icons and replacing them with mad scientists. But of course. I was wrongly wrongers on the most basic of basic fields. Fields of. Like. Reference . Not sure what I'm trying to say any more. Basically folk hate DC and not marvel. Well people prolly hate both. But people are hella hateful hipster fucks. So that's a given. I can kinda sorta see what folk are saying about DC . I can. They seem to have weird relations with there creative teams. And theres been a slew of cancellations. Then there's the out right dickish bat woman affair. Don't care though. Genuinely don't. Iv become something of a DC fan boy over the past few years. Not sure how or why. Probably just find there books more entertaining. Like marvels entertaining ayes. But in that special lunatic way we discussed before.

Comics !

The flash #26

low five ?

written by christos n. gage art by neil googe

Mmm. Good comic. Hella gid comic. Its got all this crazy amazing goodness all up in it. Goodness that I'm trying to explain here. The pages. They had this thing in them. Goodness ! Ill stop now. Well. No. ill still be talking what with this being the first entry. Barry. Allan. Full. Stops. Barry allan is a bloody machine of good times. He turns up. Dose SOMETHING. Anything. normally running but not always. And then things just tend to work out well. He's just the single most solid guy in comics. As iv very likely harped on about here before. Of course I have. There's not been a bad issues of the flash since the reboot. That could well change though. That cracking first run came to an end last month ish. So I had my reservations about this isssue. Those reservations were hella fucked up during the reading process thankfully. Because flash #26 is Barry Allen is the solidest guy ever- the issue. It helps that its just stand alone filler. This like evil pilot woman is aww going about being a thief and a killer and such. But like as a SKY PIRATE. Ayes. Perfect. Job done. Ima going hame. When I got hame I read on. And my word. The whole issue is basically look what the flash can do. Like aye he's super fast yeah. But he's also you know. Basically a god. With the most broken power set in the history of. Of. Of. Em. History ! Barrys cutting about running on CLOUDS. Straight up. Hella just running on clouds. To catch a plane. There's even a wee flash fact box there. Explaining that yes. Barry is basically god. Well worth a read. Not a jumping on on point what with it being stop gap filler so its more a stand alone treat for the senses. Sense ? Vision ? Senses I guess if you also make your own sound effects to go along with the comics. Which I of course. Totally do.

swim in the sky ! fight dah powah !!

aquaman #26

written by jeff parker art by paul pelletier and netho diaz

Ahh duuno. It was like aquaman. Its a comic. It has pages and panels and coulers and like lines and guff. I ain't in no frame of mind to judge the quaintly of anything right now. I'm still crazy buzzen from Dat flash issue. Like damn sons. Its kinda the prefect comic. That iv read. This month. Its a shame likes. Id totally put it high on my list of the best comics of 2014. but I totes wont remember it loikes in December and of course I wont make a best of list. I don't have that amount of dedication or effort in me. Don't be ridicules. Oh ayes. Aquaman. Big aquaman. Cool guy. Kinda gets hella fucked over as we well know. By popular culture and that. I likes him though. He's like. Got a trident. Annnnnnnnnnnnd. Hes a cool guy. Ayes. This issue big Arthur curry fight like a giant squid /kraken /cuthulu/ kanju beasty. Which. Aye. Of course he dose. Its an aquaman comic. Not much to report really. It was pretty dullish. Again. Like not really bigging up aquaman here as I prolly should. Its hard. Iv always said they should have taken the opportunity of the reboot to make the new 52 aquaman basically the same as he is in the brave and the bold cartoon. Big and brash life of the party legend of human being fish man thing. But naws. They went the acknowledging him as a joke route. Which . Ayes. Did work out pretty well for a while there. Mainly what with it being a goff johns book. But the goff lads hella left nows. It looks to be pretty stormy WATERS ahead for the new creative team. Yes. I'm very proud of the thing I just said. What of it.

patty cake ? is that what that hand game thing is called ?

superman unchained #5

written by scott snyder art by jim lee

Not sure if iv reported this here on the auld blog. If I have I'm sorry for repetition . I am truly sorry if there's repetition here. On the auld blog. But we have to talk about it. See lex luthor. The arch Nemesis of the man of steal. Lex lets cut about in green in purple power armour luthor. Lex luthors SUPER into papercraft. Like big lex was using papercraft things to explain shit to super man in issue one or two . Back then it was only like a page or mibby two of lex with like a pop up book style thing that he had obviously made during his time in prison. It was weird then. But like only kinda. It wasn't a big deal then. Like it wasn't charter defining. Then that last issue happened. And yeah. Lex luthor is SUPER into paper craft now. Like has these wee bone tools specially for it SUPER into it. Like his papercraft has articulation SUPER into it. Its kinda the most magical thing. I don't even want lex to be a villain now. I want his entire deal to be paper craft. I want him to just be cutting about the dc world. Being the go to papercraft guy. Teaching classes. training noobs. Sadly as aww fuck. Lex Luther the paper craft king isn't in this issue at all. Aww we get are plot points from the first transformers film/ overtones of the over arching plan of the reapers from mass effect. And superman being superman. Which ayes. I do hella appreciate that. Kinda just wanted an ish of lex carefully folding up his own set of justice league papercaft dolls. Always next ishh. Always have to hauld on the the hope.

I here comic sans upsets folk. Dont particularly get it myself.

Comic Book Quickies: Oh god Its April

FF # 5

written by matt fraction art by michael allred

How fun is this run ? Amazingly fun. That's my thoughts on ff. When I talk about it with the lads I'm like did you read ff ? And there like aye. And I'm like. Its still fun like ! The source of that fun comes from its modern age comic wearing the skin of a silver age comic ness. Now there's plenty of books out there that do the silver age vibe quite well. Sometimes though there compromised by the sliver ages oddness. That might sound quite wrong. You'd think you'd be aiming for oddness with a comic that's going for the silver age tone. Well ayes. You are. Sometimes that oddness gets in the way of awesomeness is the thing. And no matter what. That's a terrible thing to be. So thankfully ff avoids that trap quite nicely. Well. It did avoid it. Until this issue. Things got a little too bizarre. No. not too bizarre. Bizarre isn't necessary bad. Things just felt a little unexplained. A little not all together and as polished as previous issues. That's fine though. I'm sure things will be explained down the road at some point. Plot wise. Auld man johnny storm has gone quite mad ted. Fair play to him. He's auld. If I was auld I would probably go quite mad ted too. Medusa though. She's ALSO gone quite mad ted. Only thing is she hasn't got the being auld excuse. Ayes I guess she was a villain back in the day. Again its one of those things that will be explained down the road. It just comes off more than a little wtf at the moment. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not really complaining about things not being fully explained. I know thats no the vibe fractions going for. Its just a wee nit pick is all. Still a damn cracking read. id Possibly recommend it to folk just getting into comics. Its got that classic marvel Kirby swagger with modern writing flash !

AGE OF ULTRON BOOK 3

written by brian michael bendis art by bryan hitch

The sheer still not buying it of ultron. By the way. Seriously. Loikes. Ultron being this big bad romping stomping all conquering robit. Naw likes ? Like fair play. Its an event. You can big up whoever the fuck you want to be your big bad. I understand that. Like I can totes get it. Like maybe one day marvel will big up Howard the duck as the new world conqueror. Its fine. Its just one of those things. They did it last year with the phoenix. Now that fire bird was way bigged up. It shouldn't have been that over powered. Thing is I bought it. The phoenix is cosmicy enough to have room to big it up in that way. Ultron though. I just don't buy it. Fuck knows why actually. I'm all about robots. Robots are way cool. I'm fine with robots cutting about being god level bastards. Super robots are basically my soul. Its just ultron. I just don't believe he could take the ENTIRE marvel universe. Not for a god damn second. Now again to be fair spoilery developments in this issue make it some want debatable if its actually ultron that's been starting shite. So maybe all this wont actually be an issue. Yes. Issue ! This issue was OK ! Kinda ! Well it was really more of the same. Lets me see if I can sum up the vibe of this event so far with a wee moment from this issue. Black panther dies by falling down some stairs. Guy survives the apocalypse. Dies falling down some stairs. Yeah. That's basically age of ultron on a nut shell. Everyone's lost there plot armour. Or more accurately there ongoing universe armour. I get the feeling we're going to see a lot more folk die like punks before this is all over.

UNCANNY AVENGERS #5

written by rick remender art by olivier coipel

Wellity wellity, now here's a thing. Wasny expecting this. Its a new arc ayes. but damn son. Hella first issue vibe right here. I guess we can think of the first arc as the zero arc. And a vs x as the minus one arc. I liked it I really did. Just wasn't expecting it is all. It may make the first trade awkward and or short. Hella sunny issue though. Has to be said. Its nice the creators get that. Wonderman likes. He's still not over his shite. It sad to see really. Back at the end of bendis run he suddenly ladded up and stopped being a bastard. It was rushed and not well explained. You know what. Nobody cared. Ladness is ladness likes. Shidny let logic get in the way of it. Not at all likes. Apart from that almost everything ell's was pretty fine. Plenty of action mixed with nifty banter. And the wasp is on the team ! Yay ! I like the wasp. Mainly because of the avengers cartoon aye and its true the actual wasp can be quite the mental. Never know man. She could be fun here. Maybe. Hopefully.

BATMAN INC #9

written by grant morrison art by chris burnham and jason masters

Here we go ! The bat god UNLEASHED ! MY OH MY. THERE YOU WERE ! Just sitting there. Being a hipster bastard. Likening scott snyders batman. Thinking its the one and only. The boom ! Morrison explodes back on to the scene. Then you remember. He never went away. Your mind has just been clouded by this generations sickness. I pity you I really do. Gid comics likes. Gid comic. While this issue did have plenty of action it really was more a transnational issue. Transitioning from batman finding out demean was dead to batman fully hulking out into the unstoppable bat god. That's fine and dandy likes. Hopefully the next few issues will just be bats soloing the world. All as it should be. David cameroon makes an appearance this issue. Bizarrely. Not really sure how to react to it. What with him being written surprisingly laddishly. Still not really accepting deimans death. It just dosent feel any kind of right to me. Wells. I guess we just have sit about and see how things go. Still. Big batman inc. bloody good comic booking.

AQUAMAN #18

written by geoff johns art by paul pelletier

What's the deal with Atlantis ? Is everyone from there a bastard ? Short answer. yes. Long answer. Yes. Every single atalntian is a bit of a cunt. Even aquaman himself is quite the grumpy bear. Its a real shame. Yeah I still morn the loss of what could have been. With the full retcon of the new 52 we could have had big brave and the bold aquaman cutting about the proper dc u. being a ultra lad. Now aye. That's not a new complaint of mine. Your probably sick of me going on about it by now. Really. I bring it up again because aquaman is now king of Atlantis again. And see Atlantis. Its like waaaay drab. Its meant to be the fantastically amazing undersea kingdom. Its quite shite though. Like its all very drab and un appealing. And all the population are to a man. Cunts. Like everyone is just horrible. Not really sure what the goff is trying to say here. Foreign people are terrible ? Fish men aren't lads ? Don't trust those who ware sea shells are clothes ? That really dosent seem like something big Mr Saturday morning cartoon would normally write about. Genuinely don't know what's up with Atlantis. Its meant to be this big thing. That this mystical city actually exists. But know one cares. Because its shite.

THE FLASH #18

written for brian buccellato art by marcio takara

Big Barry Allan. Big Barry Allan the god king of humanity. Big Barry Allan the god king of humanity IS BEING A BAR TENDER AGAIN. Yes ! This is his second ever shift ! Yass likes. The world is just that little bit better now. Like I'm pretty sure barrys ladness just made the weather better here. Really cracking issue too. Which was a little surprising considering it wasn't written by big francis manapul and instead by the other co writer on the book. Hopefully manapul isny off the book forever. But I dunno guy. I could totes be fine with buccellato deaing a wee run. His banter was quite enjoyable. I'm glad likes. It could be cause for much tears. But its no ! So happy days there. It was a nice wee issue all right. For a moment there I was going to say it was self contained all done in one. But that's a lie. It dose give out that vibe though. Sort of breathery but not really. Ayes its a damn strange beast. Defiantly not complaining though. Its still damn good flash. Really I'm quite happy to be reading the flash. He's just one of them amazingly super heroy super hero's. And this is quite a key point. Not a bastard. Remember that folks. Big Barry Allan isn't a bastard !

 

TEEN TITANS #18

written by scott lobdell art by eddy barrows and rodney buchemi

So. this wasnny all that bad. As much as that pains me to say. Ayes. That's really the core evil of this book. As iv said many a god damn time before. Teen titans is one of those books I should damn well drop. But I cant. Half due to my own madness and half due to it sometimes being pretty rocking. Damn ! Now this issue wasn't that rocking. The horrible thing is. It wasn't all that bad either. Its really quite worrying. So this issue was kinda sorta a requiem issue. Kinda sorta in that lasted about four pages. Basically tim drake is quite the bastard. I think we all knew that likes. Yes maybe there's some sort of devil in him. Somehow he's made me not care in the slightest The rest of the issue wasnny bad though. Nothing utterly hateful happened. I don't think so anyway. Pretty standard stuff really but with just enough banter to keep it going. So ayes. Teen titans. Its fairly all right. Except when it isn't.

comic book quickies 30.1.13

Hey there sports fans. Light week all right. Only five books to pick up. Damn solid though is the thing. Makes a change it has to be said. Each week has been jam packed with comics for ages now. Iv been considering dropping a few things. But GOD DAMN. Every things just too damn good to let go. Quality is like way high across the board. And even the titles I should realistically drop I cant. Because of madness. Blue beetle has ended. To be fair. I think. I did here it was ending quite awhile back. Again to be fair I can see why. The beetles book just wassny living up to what it could be. It wasny overly bad. Just meh. It went with the hole jamies life is shite angle and I don't get why any one would think that's a good idea. Damn shame really. The blue beetle deserves a well written and fun book. Hopefully he'll get another chance some ware down the line.

Any way on to this week !

TEEN TITANS #16

written by scott lobdell and fabian nicieza art by brett booth

Right so here me out on this one. Actually surprisingly good. I know right. There's something about that cover that makes me feel guh. Its just weirdly meh. Enthusiasm drainingly so. BUT the actual comic was pretty damn decent. its the second teen titans issue tieing into the batman death of the family cross over arc threw the connection with red robin. We do get a few appearances from the other titans but there basically here to comment on there cross over with red hood and the outlaws and set up further plot points for latter issues of titans. Most of the meat of the issue is red robin and red hood being buddy cops. It works. Red robin is a tad unbareble for my likening. Were always told how smart he is and that's never really followed up on with anything all too memorable. Red hoods kind of a lad in comparison. Jeason todds has been getting some good press from me lately. He's been fun in actual batman and in batman inc. now there both buddy coping because thieve been kidnapped by the joker. Right so the joker likes. He references kirks fight with the gorn. That's the best use of the joker since marvel vs dc. Witch admittedly was just the other week for me. The death of the family tie ins have been pretty fine if you ask me. Almost everyone of them has been over shadowed by the actual batman book but that's been knocking it out of the park so that's to be expected.

THE FLASH #16

written francis manapul and brian buccellato art by francis manapul

I don't think it can be said enough. Francis manapuls art on the flash is fooooking amazing. It really is fooooking amazing. Right. There. I said it enough. For now. Gorilla grod continues his assault this week. That's another thing about this book. It totally just has shite like gorilla grod kicking about. I very much appreciate the super funness of this. Now stuff has been getting real for wee barry allan. Well basically stuff hasn't stopped getting real for him since issue one. I kinda like that. Normally I'm a monster/problem of the week type of guy and this sort of extended stuff happening plot turns me off a book. Not so here. Here it works. Mostly because of that super fun element. Patty now knows barry is the flash. And she's cool with it. MORE COMICS SHOULD BE LIKE THIS. Now yes the world is kind of ending thanks to grod. Well not factually ending but in a dramatic sense so patty's taking well as there sort of operating in a war footing frame of mind so the reveal is sandwiched between more crazy shite. Barry was cutting about in last weeks super girl. Being a lad. you's should go check that out likes. It has some perfect ass banter from barry. Much like barrys banter from early issues of the justice league. Barry banter. That should be a thing.

AQUAMAN #16

written by geoff johns art by paul pelletier

Quality comics happening right here people. The throne of Atlantis crossover arc continues to chug onwards. Its going well if you ask me. Its got that all important momentum behind it. Importantly its also avoiding the nasty businesses of encompassing too many books as other cross overs of this type do. I'm looking at you green lantern books. Shame on you for you many many poorly defined cross over events. AQUAMAN though. He's a bit of a on again off again lad. He as a character is sort of the most boaring thing about the book. As I've said before he's the least interesting and weakest guy on the aqua ranger team. usely being the normal guy on the team makes you awesome but he dosent carry that vibe off all that well. EVERTHING ELLE'S is awesome though. Like everything. And if its not inherently awesome then its smothered in the awesomeness of something that's near to it. The plots goat plenty packed into it. Revelations and action as well as some much needed cyborg banter. Really cyborg needs to get a whole lot more fun. Yeah it probably sucks that your a cyborg. Cant say what id do in that circumstance. Id most likely build a mech to combine with. I think we all know that actually.

 

BATMAN INC VOL 2 # 7

written by grant morrison art by chris burnham

oh Morrison. You beautiful bastard.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #2

written by dan slott art by ryan stegman

Superior is totally fine likes. Absolutely nothing rang with it. Now yes ill grant you it dose sound horrible. Doc ock taking over spider-man's body and pete being dead. Yes spoiler. Spoilers for like a month or so people. Who actually dosny know this all ready that all ready reads amazing spider-man ? So yes it may appear horrible on first or even second glance. But and this is a big but. Its totally fine. Its just exactly as well written as the rest of dan slotts run on amazing. It has the same super fun action banter with slotts trademark denseness of stuff happening. Yes ock is a bastard. But he's a fun bastard. I can see not everyone excepting that. Fine. Fair play likes. Again here's the thing. Peter parker is still kicking about as mind ghost. There SHEER utter LADNESS of yami pete. Its very difficult to put into words. There's an actual fuck ton of banter that comes from this issue and yami pete provides about 90% of it. Going out on a limb here but I'm sure I could take a year of superior. Its really no all that bad. Don't let its overtly hateful premise and adjective. scare you away

Ten or so comics you should probably take a gander at in 2013 at some point

As iv said quite a bit recently its a damn good time to be reading comics. In my humble opinion the quality of both marvel and dc's output has increased. Ayes the marvel now campaign is a pretty shameless attempt to cash in on the new 52 but fair play likes most of what I have read of it has been genuinely entertaining. The one big casualty has been the loss of high numbering for books and the loss of history that come with it. Yeah that just ain't right.

First up I have to give an honorary mention to mudman. Mundan is mind brakeingly amazing. Some the finest comics I have ever read. I don't have the words to praise it high enough. Nooooot sure if there will be an issue of it out in 2013 so I don't think it should go on the list proper. Like aye it probably should go the list now that I think about it. Nah. Its fine here. In first place. Not really. But aye.

All new x men

In its short wee life all new x-men has brought the world a truly wonderful thing. Bendis back on form. Holy fucking defoe is that a beautiful achievement. It seams being free of the avengers books has reminded auld bendis that he's actually a pretty good writer. Every things just done soo well. I admire that bendis is aware of Cyclops and his massive cuntness. Big magneto is still the voice of reason on team Cyclops. Try to understand that for a moment. Not only did mad auld Mr genocide have the moral high ground over Cyclops during A vs X. He STILL HAS IT. Now to get me to read a x men book you'd have to do something pretty special. I don't particularly hate the x men. I just don't have the time to learn about there own wee corner of the marvel universe. No one really dose. What it being a huge god damn corner. A wee universe into its self. All new x men succeed though with its quite fantastically gimmicky plot of time travelling young scot summers to to talk some sense into his future self. Cyclops being soo far off the deep end he wont listen to any reason. not even when its him self. Aye. You've hooked me. Also beast is kinda dieing. He's fine though. The production rate is wonderfully fast. Its been like a month and were at issue five. So quantity AND quality. All new x-men has a fair bit of both.

Amazing spider-man

So there's this wee book called amazing spider-man. Its had a surprisingly long run. Over the last two or so years its probably been the best thing on the shelves. Aye fair play it might just not be your thing. It has to be said though AMS has been consistently amazing for all of dan slotts run. Now that's really something for its twice a month schedule. Aye its a had a few not so amazing issues. But only a few. Like maybe three or so issues. Its a shoncky time to be singing this books praises what with amazing spider-man having controversially ended this past boxing day. Issue 700 is something you'll have to read and make up your own mind on. Personally I thought it was quite well written. Hitting all the tropes that make spider-man who he is. In bizarre and probably unnecessary way ill admit. Everything before that in slotts run though. Utter gold. Spider-man at his most spider-many-est. That's a recurring thing with me. I quite like it when characters are written as themselves. Being all there capable of being. So aye the books currently on skakey ground what with not existing so id HIGHLY recommend checking out everything from the start of the big time arc onwards.

 

 

Aquaman

Now yes. This new version of aquaman isn't the brave and the bold version. Yeah. I know that hurts to here. Its a gut kicker all right. The new 52 reboot was the perfect time to insert him into actual canon. Fuck knows what the dc big wigs were huffing. Somewhat fair play in that goff johns run has ran with the aquman is a joke thing. Aquaman isn't quite the lad he should be. If you can get past that though there's a lot in this run to like. Namely its amazingly Saturday morning cartooness. Its johns special technic to be sure but there are issues latter on that really get it across. Basically. Atlatian millennium items. Aye. See that happy soul you now have. Thank aquaman and the fact he has a book again. There's actually an aquaman event kicking off right now crossing over with justice league. Its damn niffty stuff. Epic wide screen blockbuster action movie niffty at that.

 

The flash

Now I might be incredibly wrong and if so disregard everything I'm about to say or for that matter have ever said. But I feel the current run of flash dosent get as much love as it should. Its another one of them very comicy comic book. Lots of super heroics and fun plot happenings. What really sets this book apart is the FANTASIC art. Now a lot of books out there have terrific art and a lot of them have grate writing to full that art. Flash's book is one you could probably sell on the strength of its art alone. It makes me very happy that the writing here is as fun as the art. Iv read few books ware the writing was shite but the art was melt your eyes beautiful . I'm looking at you early red hulk. Barry allan became a bar tender for an issue. I feel I speak for the human race as whole when I say this should be Barry allans default civilian job. Fuck police work. Tending bar is the man's SOUL ! It was a rogues bar to boot. See that's the kind of thing that gets you on a prestigious list like this. Also there's this gorilla invasion thing happening. But mainly its the bar tender thing. Go read it. You'll completely understand me.

Iron man

Right now iron man is basically tough act to follow: the comic. Surprisingly I think to everyone. Its been going quit well. The last run of iron man was a big deal as a far as I can tell. What can I say. I was late to the party. This marvel now run of the book has been brilliantly enjoyable in its surprisingly goodness. A sure fire way to make a wee house in my heart made of stone and discarded deary lee tubs is the monster of the week plot. Basically bolt power rangers to your book and you've got me hooked. Now yes I should probably address the poorly drawn elephant in the room. Aye greg lands on art duties. Annnnnnnnnnnnnd at the risk of being shot before the council of the internet. Ahh dinny think the arts alllll thhhhhat bad. Like it is. But I don't really care. The armour bits work fine its just the whole human thing that might be a bit off putting to human readers. If you can get past that your set. Special mention has to go to issue two. Which might just contain in its controversially drawn but fantastically written pages. The seeds of the future. Here me out on this one. Its amazingly shonen.

FF

FF is one of them new young uns iv been reading from marvel. Now aye its not really all that new as its just a renumbering. It has to be said though with the new creative team the books shooting for something completely different. That being wacky silver age fun with modern day banter. Now aye its for too early to say how that's worked out or if it will continue with that vibe in mind but I do quite like it as it stands. Plot wise its a sort of a buddy cop book to the main fantastic four book. A new fantastic four has been assembled to look after the earth as the real fours off universe hoping instead of curing cancer or working on that whole super villain problem. Fair play the true fours only meant to be away for four minutes in our time but of course something go's wrong. Its a book that had a fair bit of buzz in my local area. Mainly because of the super cool silvery age looking art. Have to say the first issue didn't really do it for me with its almost bendisie talking heads but issue two more than made up for that in my opinion. Again its one of those young books but it makes this list with the great amount of potential its shown so far.

 

Batman

What more can be said about Scott Snyder's current run on batman ? Its pretty much perfect after all. Possible the biggest barnstormer of a comic of the last two years or so. Definitely the big mainstream book to read and the one to suggest to new people just entering the world of comics. Its perfect for that actually. Its just the right level of awesome and batmmanyness to entice new readers in. It started off strong with the court of owls arc and hasn't really faltered along the way. I may have some personal grievances with it but there really not justified in any factual way. Batman really is the A bat book. Since the re launch its the best written and has the best art as well as haveing far and away the most Zeitgeist to it. Its a shame really. Synders success has taken away morrisons crown of being the head batman guy. Some would say fair play. Batman incs probably to silly for a lot of people. I get that but it is a damn shame. I had some concerns at the start of the run that this new younger rebooted batman couldn't fully live up to the bat god of the recent past. I think I was almost completely proven wrong on that about mid way threw last year when batman metaphorically / sort of kinda actually hulked out into the bat god. That was a crazy issue likes. My only concern at the moment is the current story line with the return of the joker. I'm just not digging it. I get that its well written I'm just not digging the vibe of batman actually having to try. Blisteringly good read despite that. Id advise you to pick up the run quick. The first printings are selling for silly money these days.

 

One piece

Now yes this is kinda cheating. One piece is a manga and the rest of this list is about comics. Iv betrayed you I get that. Just a except this and move on. See if your not reading one piece right now or if you've never read one piece or even if yon just not a fan of any manga. Go read one piece. Like right now. I don't mind how. Just go and read it. It'll be good for your soul. Barring that ill be good for your well being. I'm not sufficiently levelled up to describe to just how perfect one piece is. But understand this. It IS perfect. Like in every single way. Now aye I here saying its just a wee shonen manga. Nothing special Naw pal. That's amazingly wrong. The problem here is. I genuinely don't have the words to describe to you its perfection. Just go out there in to big world and find some one piece to read for yourself. And I feel like that's another important factor. I feel you need to experience it for yourselves. Own your own. Its not something I can hype up for you and make you want to read. So ether go out and find volume one or if that dosent fully absorb you, mad bastard that you might be then go out and get volume fifty. And then if you don't like it please get yourself checked out. Because you night not have a heart.

 

Green lantern new guardians

Yes. A fairly controversial choice ill give you that. From issue one iv gone on about how the lantern ranger book Is just a wee bit shite. And aye it was a bit shite to be fair. But here's the thing. It got FUCKING AMAZING. The story of New guardians fills my broken auld heart with almost pure joy. Books can change likes. They can surprise you. Just cause there shite for like a whole year dosent mean they'll be shite forever. I'm being harsh of course. For most of its run its wasn't properly shite. It just wasn't living up to its full potential as a lantern team book. That and the art while not bad was a bit generic. Which was endearing ayes. But towards the end of the first year got to me a bit and its charm sort of wore off. So id recommend you pick up new guardians from its zero issue onwards and join kyle rayner on his quest to become a master of all the lantern spectrum. It may also be worth picking up again for all of you that dropped the book early on. I thank my mad dedication for helping me endure the first arc.

Saga

Gonny just read saga. Like just gonny. No matter who you are. You'll probs love it. That's been my experience of it. For example. I love it. Concerning its more mature content I should probably hate it. But there's the thing. I do love it. Aye there's some bleak bits here and there and there's a fair few bits of it that are too far out for my likening. Its most likely because its just written so damn well. Soo much banter. Like every ware on every page. If you like banter this is the comic for you. Aye space banter. Its gid though. Now I could be wrong but I think this is my first experience of indi book doing quite well. Now aye its image so you may not call that indi. I would but your mileage may vary. Its nice though. To have a trendy wee book hitting the big time and being universally loved. I might just be speaking for my self but I think its something we as a comic book community need. From time to time at least. If this list was a proper count down saga would probably be down here at number one. Its just soo comic booky that it deservers it. Well its earned it actually. Id recommend you pick up the first trade. Its out the now and its only about seven pound. So bargain there.

Right so there you have it. My list of ten or so comics you should probably take a gander at this year. All of them are books I'm currently reading and get a kick out of. I hope you take a wee peek at a few of them. Give one a flick threw in the shop if can.

Byes !

comic book quickies 31/7/12

Gotta say this was a this was a damn satisfying and hefty week that I thinks to do with green lantern being delayed and popping up here.

THE FLASH #11

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato art by Marcus To

Barry Allan is now the bartender for a rouges bar. FUCK YES.

AQUAMAN #11

written by Geoff Johns art by Ivan Reis

Damn likes. Damn ! I get that big goff john's writes reconstructed Saturday morning cartoons with ranger teams as far as the eye can see and magufin based plots. I really love that. Aquaman has been like that but on ACID. But an inconstant acid. Not so this month. The Saturday morning cartoon ness hits you in the face like a sledge hammer this month. A blazingly sunny and warm sledge hammer. The relics held buy aquamans team are the millennium items. I never got that before. I'm so sorry. I failed you an a very basic reference level. Not digging the aquaman killed black mantas dad plot line but it wasn't as big a deal this issue. Its still a deal but not as big a deal. Still damn solid book.

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #11

written by Brain Tony Bedard art by Tyler Kirkham

Its still terrible. But I quite like it. Its shite. Not badly written shite just auld pre awesome shite. Like it be a fine ass comic if it had been released in the seventies or eighties. Its just going on. Still trucking away doing its not being a ranger team thing. I'm still buying it so that's something.

TEEN TITANS #11

written by Scott Lobdell art by Brett Booth

Aye so its still pretty middle of the road clunky stuff. That said it has been getting better every issue thought it still has a long way to go before ill call it a damn gid read. Getting there though. Getting there.

FF #20

written by Jonathan Hickman art by Nick Dragotta

Space ! I always wanted you to go there. Quite liked this issue. Some nice we bits of banter with the ff being the ff which is something I'm always wanting to see.

GREEN LANTERN #11

written by Goff Johns art by Doug Mahnke

Buddy cop based comment !

BATMAN INC VOL 2 #3

written by Grant Morrison art by Chris Burnham

So I here DC were pulling this issue from the shelf's over the Denver shooting. I don't really see why. There's one panel ware a teacher pulls a gun on a classroom. No one gets shot though so un less I'm missing something big id have to say DC are over reacting a wee bit. What can I say about the actual comic. Bat cow makes another ladish appearance. So that's nice.

THE AVENGERS #28

written by Bendis art by Walter Simonson

Gotta admit it. Bendis you magnificent bastard king. You've pulled it back. I opened up this issue and was all like BENDIS whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy !!!!!???? see there's no proper speech bubbles in this entire comic. It has like a booky thing at the side that's like narration. I knows. Its so bendis. BUT the actual content of the issue is god damn awesome. To me at least. Red hulk soldiers off to utopia to assassinate Cyclops. Gid solid plan there. The bit that pulled bendis back for me was when rulk de hulks into thunderbolt Ross and infiltrates utopia big boss style. Fuck yes. Admittedly I don't read much hulk comics so this might be a conmen thing but this just blew me away when I read it. I was all ready to rage and then ross's manly moustache pops into view. Well played bendis. Well played. Really I think I have Stockholm syndrome for bendis's avengers. I genuinely don't know how ill feel or cope when he finishes his run.

comic book quickies 28/5/12

THE FLASH #9

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato art by Francis Manapul

Now this was a hole lot of fun. Its the flash vs gorilla grod. Nice classic super hero action but at the same time it drives the plot forward quite a bit. I quite like that the writers are trying to tie the speed force into other aspects of DC continuity. Here they have gorilla city being built around the “light” which is later shown to be the speed force. Well maybe that's always been the case. Research ? What's that ! Also this issue Barry comes down with a case of explosive amnesia. He dose get over it fairly quickly but I personally found the resolution satisfying plus it had the classic sliver age vibe the comic was going for. We find out that the flash's true destiny is to run. He's literally told that he keeps the planet safe just by running. FUCK YES.

AQUAMAN #9

written by Geoff Johns art by Ivan Reis

Silly Aquaman you don't belong in the rainforest. This book is still trundling along nicely. Yeah its mainly the art that's keeping it worth reading but the story's not half bad either. Also the fact that Aquaman has his own book again is crazy cool. This issue we get a little more insight into Aquamans team. This time focusing on the prisoner. Sadly the issue wasn't spent in a welsh village with psychedelic spy action. Its nice to see that every time a new character is introduced they turn out to be a better Aquaman than Aquaman is. By that I mean Aquaman is the generic guy of the aqua family. He's got super strength, can breath underwater and can talk to fish. Cools. Have you seen the shite mera can do ? Crazy tidal wave telekinesis type shite. Not that that's a bad thing. I do like generic red ranger Aquaman but is definitely a thing that exists. Spoilers guys but at the end of the issue were told that in a fit of rage after black manta attacked his dad Aquaman killed black mantas dad. Eh naw pal. I know your trying to make Aquaman all gritty and cool but that's too far geoff. I'm willing to see ware this is going but I really don't know what to think if this is played straight.

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #9

written by Brain Tony Bedard art by Tyler Kirkham

Hmmm. Now this is tricky. I quite liked this issue. In fact it was pretty fun. So that's really cool coming from a book that's been pretty disappointing for most of its run. This issue we finally, FINALLY get the fight between the blue lanterns and the reach that was promised WAY back at the start of the current blue beetle run. And its a lot of fun. I totally forgot that the beetle suits could change form. It feels like an age since that gimmick was used in the actual blue beetle comic. I'm not really sure why but blue lanterns are just plain awesome. Dunno why. There are sort of weak and don't do all that many plot relevant things as well as being space hippies. But dammit there cool. Maybe its the combination of my favourite colour and the emotion hope. So yes the month brought a nice step up in quality that I hope continues.

TEEN TITANS #9

written by Scott Lobdell art by IG Guara

Here's the thing. I missed part three of the culling. It happened in this months issue of legion lost. Now I would have got it had I known that the culling was going to be one of those events ware you had to buy multiple books. But I didn't know soon enough so I missed it. Here's the thing though. I don't feel like I missed anything. Sure things must have happened in that legion lost issue but I'm guessing nothing major. To be fair I have quite enjoyed this wee event. Nothing really blew my mind but nothing really offended me ether and I cant accuse it of taking too long or losing it's momentum. That seams to be a thing about event comics this year. Even marvels avengers vs x-men is running every other week.

FANTASTIC FOUR #606

written by Jonathan Hickman art by Ron Garney

Damn there's no slowing down these fantastic four books likes. Last week we had an awesome if a little heavy point one issue and now just a week later we have this crazy fun fantastic voyage one and done standalone issue. That's all this issue really is, a fantastic voyage to the centre of the fantastic fours post man willie lumkins brain to kill some cancer dead. Its a simple story but its done just so damn well. Every point plot and trope you'd expect to see is here and played straight. Gloriously straight. Its one of those issues ware the fantastic four do very fantastic four-ish things and the fantastic voyage is one of those story's you or at least I Imagen happen to the four all the god damn time.

BATMAN INC SEASON 2 #1

written by grant Morrison art by Chris Burnham

This was AMAZING. I knew it would be and it more than lived up to my expectations. Which is rare. Most times I over hype things in my head. This did have a tough act to follow. The main bat book has been god damn spectacular for nine solid months. Never doubt Morrison though. This was crazy awesome. Its got batman and robin being batman and robin. Fighting crime. HELLS TO THE GOD DAMN BELLS. Plot wise leviathan is starting to take control of Gotham and has put a bounty out on the head of Damien Wayne. That's the basic plot summery but that in no way dose it justice. Every page is overflowing with STUFF happening. Both visually and with glorious dialogue. So I'm really looking forward to the months to come as we now have two dam gid bat books with both this and synders batman. Yeah I here good things about batman and robin but meh I dropped that back at issue one. I gave it a chance and it was too un fun. So Morrison's bat god is back ! Canny wait for more.

comic book quickies 26/4/12

THE FLASH #8

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato art by Francis Manapul

The flash is trapped in the speed force and dose battle with a super powered WW2 fighter pilot. Now that's some damn awesome stuff happening right there. The explanation of the speed force is a wee bit clunky though yeah I guess it is being told by a mad man but the issue sort of went back and forth on what was causing the flash's current problems and what he is in relation to the speed force. Well it felt like it did at least to me anyway. The new kinda villain turbine was pretty cool. Just a guy trying to get home to his own time. In an oddly dick move from Barry he provokes turbine in to attacking him by telling him he cant go home to the 40s. Yeah Barry gives him a timey whimey reason but still man. Dick move Barry. Dick move. And as always the art is AMAZING and really gets a chance to shine with all the weird background swirly dimension thingys happening.

AQUAMAN #8

written by Geoff Johns art by Ivan Reis

How cool is it that aquaman has his own book again ? Pretty sweet likes. So six years ago aquaman was a 90s anti hero. Cool I can dig it. Now not only was he a 90s anti hero he had his own team of 90s anti heroes. Ok fair enough. Now not only was aquaman the red ranger of that team but as shown so far he was the biggest bastard on the team. Yeah sometimes you can go to far trying to make aquaman a bad ass. Amazingly team aquaman turn out to be pretty cool guys, choosing to save civilians over taken revenge on the villain there chasing. Well played goff man. The issue still has the same problem that the book has had from the start, that being issues fly by too fast. Though I guess that's a good thing always wanting more from the comic after putting it down. Well played indeed. The best thing about the book continues to be the art. Is just so god damn warm and summery.

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #8

written by Brain Tony Bedard art by Tyler Kirkham

Its pish. But I'm still reading it. I don't know why. Tradition I guess ? Nostalgia for when the world was young and news of a lantern ranger book was world rocking ? Yeah that sounds about right. I spose you could say this issue was better than the lasts few that came before it what with it being a sort of spotlight issue for yellow lantern what's his name. Its eight months in and I DONT KNOW HIS NAME. Well we get an issue of what's his name being buddy cops with the weaponer of qward. Yeah ok that was pretty fun. And oh yeah the sinestro corps don't exist any more. That happened and I totally forgot about it. In my head I still thought they were kicking about in space some ware. But oh wells I'm sure they will be back one day. The book is still even this far in wasting it potential as the lantern rangers book. They don't feel like a team in anyway with them always bickering amongst themselves. Yeah I get that's one of the things that happen with super teams but there's a difference between bickering and banter and the team has yet to reach the fun banter stage. The lantern rangers aren't even really a team any more by the end of the issue with each member splitting off to do there own thing. Yeah wasted potential.

TEEN TITANS #8

written by Scott Lobdell art by IG Guara

Things get mind screwy this issue when the titans bring the beat down to “omen” but sadly its the annoying kind of mind screw not the interesting thought provoking kind. Well this was a struggle to get through. Now it wasny baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. Its just that the book is so mellow dramatic with everyone being so cheesy in they way they talk. Except when they don't. Which is even more annoying. Its still one of those meh middle of the road books that shows glimpse of potential that stop me from dropping it. Plus the titans new costumes all have tron lines awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww yeah.

FF #17

written by Jonathan Hickman art by Nick Dragotta

SPIDERMAN AND THE HUMAN TORCH ARE ROOMMATES. HILARITY ENSUES. !!!!!

AVENGERS VS X-MEN THE FIGHTS #1

iron man vs magneto written by Jason Aaron art by Adam Kubert

the thing vs namor written by Kathryn Immonen art by Stuart Immonen

Awww yessssssss. Finally ! A comic all about fighting. Hell the god damn yes !!! Now I know I said the fighting over in the main avengers vs x-men book were boring. Now that's because they were. Very boring even. Buts that's because they wernt really proper fights but the set up for fights. Now guess that's what the fights are like in most event comics and every event has a thousand god damn tie in comics to expand those fights but its nice to have a dedicated comic that is all just fights. The comic is split into two fights the first being iron man vs magneto. Now this went down exactly just like I thought it would what with iron man's non metallic armour though it dose get a fair bit crazier than I thought it would with mag's making his own suit of power armour out of satellite's and iron man using the magnetic POWAH of Jupiter. Yeah shit gets a little crazy all right. A damn gid fight if a little clunky in places. The second fight is the thing vs namor the submariner. Aye not the first guys that spring to mind when I think avengers or x-men but damn awesome none the less. This fight had a VERY old school feel with both combatants trading witty one liners with each other that got me genuinely laughing. Now maybe its just me but with this fight taking place in water it made it so much more summery and that's very important for an event comic at least in my opinion. So yeah the fights. SURPRISINGLY worth it.

The once again late comic book quickies 30/3/12

THE FLASH #7

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato art by Francis Manapul

So there hasn't been a B artist yet. How balls to the wall awesome is that ? dosent that just rock your soul ? That manapul is one hell of a manly artist all right. Manly like that auld aquaman artist down there. Week four is a damn fine looking week all right. DAMN fine. Those other weeks look good but they can vary wildly in quality but week four has these two fine lads leading the way. As you can see I have very little to say about the flash this week. Mainly because its so good. I know that shouldn't be a problem but there's never anything insane that happens to talk about. Like so far nothing like super adaptoid Norman Osborn pink hulk has happened. So that's a plus. Or maybe that's a negative. I'm not sure.

AQUAMAN #7

written by Geoff Johns art by Ivan Reis

So aquaman puts a team together. Or did in the past at least. There called the other's. Or at least the arc is. The comics not very clear on that. I'm not a lost man but I feel there's something going on here. This out of nowhere team malarkey dosent matter at all. LIKE AT ALL. You know why ? BECAUSE AQUAMAN PULLS A BOAT TO SHORE. That's right, anchor wrapped around him like a pimp. That aquaman. What a nautical LAD. This art by the way. Its KILLER. I mean holy god damn hell is it KILLER. You'd think that after seven long issues they'd have to have a B artist at some point. But nope there just powering on and fighting through the pain. Maybe the did change up the artist at some point and I just didn't notice. Nah that would be madness. MADNESS. There just something so ... warm about the art. Its just so cosy. Warm and cosy. Yeah.

TEEN TITANS #7

written by Scott Lobdell art by Brett Booth

Teen titans is still one of those guhhhhh books. Its not bad but its not gid. I feel like I said this last month. Well that's kind of my point. Its still not gid. No that sounds too harsh. Or harsh. Too harsh sounds too much. Its clunky. I spose that's the right way to put it. That said what gets me is that there's points in each issue ware its not clunky and actually pretty grate, like whenever bunker is genre savvy and that combined with its general not badness stops me from dropping it. This issue the titians INFILTRATE n.o.w.h.e.r.e.s base. Thats pretty rocking likes. Heh. Clunky review.

FF #13

written by Jonathan Hickman art by Nick Dragotta and Steve Epting

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

LIVES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE AVENGERS #24.1.1

written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Brandon Peterson

Right bendis. I know your that guy. That's cool, its your thing. But bendis please. Stop being that guy. I think we're all happy to just pretend that a lot of stuff never happened. Stop reopening old wounds. Since the vision is back in the world of the living we have to be reminded of avengers disassembled. Which is such a downer. We also have to deal with the visions PAIN. Because is wife sorta killed him using she hulk. Yeah. Ill let him get away with that one. Well the vision in a pretty ballsy move calls out magneto for his shit. It go's pretty well until you know, that hole master of magnetism thing kicks in. you get that the visions a robot right ? A damn kick ass 70s robot. I'm not a xmen fan and don't think anyone in the world has enough money to keep up with all the x books but id like to know two things. Why is colossus bald ? And when did magneto become solidus snake? Captain America was a total punk this issue. I don't mean that in a good way. This visions having a ruff day and caps giving him the Osborne pointy finger. Un cool bendis. Again avengers was a pretty mixed bag. It had some nice moments like the vision hugging and making up with she hulk but that gets countered with stuff like pointy finger punk cap.