Mixed Plate Comics- Week of 2.02.11

Thank you comic-gods for only keeping me limited to a handful of reads this week so I can pick up the final wave of DC Direct Blackest Night figs!  And speaking of DC Direct, I am so proud of them for finally realizing the importance of linking their toy lines closer to the release of the books!  With the upcoming Flashpoint event in the Spring/Summer, we will be getting some Flashpoint figs around the same time!  Tight right?!  These are the books that kept me company on my daily train commute :  Time Masters #6 / Secret Six #30 / Ultimate Thor  #4 / Gotham City Sirens #19 / Brightest Day #19 ...now for the top 3..


3   Gotham City Sirens  #19   Peter Calloway & Andres Guinaldo
Talia is found out by Zatanna on her dubious ploy just before pulling a mindwipe on Selina to remove all her memories between her and Bruce Wayne/Batman.  Zatanna then asks Catwoman if this is something she wants her to do.  The plotlines are emotionally amplified by us seeing a rare vulnerable side to Selina like we have only seen in maybe the Heart of Hush arc.    


Calloway creates some tender moments with Harley and Selina where she intimately opens up on her very deep connection to the Batman while Harley then enters a trance and begins thinking of her similar anguish from the Joker.  This is by far the most impressive art that has come out of Guinaldo and I can see why he was selected to take on the huge art-chores that was previously held by Guillem March.

Quinn goes from playing doctor to the crazed mental patient as she runs off to one of Joker's hideouts-- with Catwoman and Ivy following on-- and she lashes out on how the Joker must die!  To be continued...


2   The Brightest Day  ##19   Geoff Johns/Pete Tomasi &Ivan Reis/Joe Prado

Deadman and the voice of the White Ring argue on about why it was necessary to extinguish the Thanagorian lovebirds, which remains cryptic only on how it is a part of a higher cause.  Nekron's name is brought up in their squabble-- YES!  bring em back baby-- and then we learn just how out of control Boston Brand is with things connected to the mission of preserving life as he is transported elsewhere.

Aquawar begins with Arthur and Aqualad on the move to prevent an attack on the surface world.  I so love how Aquaman is still tainted with the Black Ring and only has power over the dead ocean life.  They both are vaulted out of the ocean by some force (yes, it's Brand) who unlocked the Bermuda Triangle that was protecting an assault from Mera's peeps.

The young hero- Jackson fights on against Xebel's forces and learns how he is on the wrong side of the war.  Out of nowhere Manta goes Vader and chops off Arthur's hand and of course the ish ends.  Oh what a cliffhanger!!  Damn you Tomasi, Johns and Co.  Again my hopes are that somehow after Brightest Day-- Aquaman maintains some connection to his Black Lantern alter-ego or powers that will keep him as edgy as he needs to be to keep him popular and not have to go off again into DCU purgatory.



1   Ultimate Thor #4   Jonathan Hickman & Carlos Pacheco
Thor fully realizes his rebirth to mortality with the help of his brother Balder.  They both walk on talking about the mystery of being in Midgard as mortals and what they need to do to find their connection back to Asgard.  Professor Braddock, Captain Britain and their staff share with Balder and Thor how they will use their "science" to bring back some of his Asgardian "magic."   

Love how Hickman unveils how Thor will be able to keep the power suits "charging unit" on hand-- enter Mjolnir 2.0.  Dope!

Fury attempts to recruit the awakened mortal of Thunder from his hippie sidequests, which is a hilarious scene and as we flip to the end of the book-- Cap and Iron Man are getting their ass handed by Grey Hulk...next up Hulk vs. Thor!!  What a solid read and good way to prep for the big Summer blockbuster if you are not familiar with his history/mythos.



This post was written by:
big O

Read the full story

Bedard is Killing It

Tony Bedard has thrived throughout his career as a replacement killer, stepping in no matter how big the shoes are whether it is Chris Claremont, Gail Simone, Paul Dini and Pete Tomasi.

In every situation, he has seemed to supplant his unique gift for writing the ensemble or team-books on par with the best of them-- keeping true to longtime fans of books like Exiles,

Birds of Prey, Gotham City Sirens or Green Lantern Corps-- while still throwing his well crafted sense of humor and gaining more and more notoriety amongst readers that were not before familiar with Bedard.

By now, all of that has seemed to change. 

Along with Sirens and GLC not really losing a beat since he has taken on writing duties and R.E.B.E.L.S. being the talk of shops in many ways how Secret Six was a few years ago-- Bedard has definitely arrived as a top-tier scribe. 

I jumped on R.E.B.E.L.S. during Blackest Night, well so I could get them damn lantern rings, but I was actually considering picking up the book regularly as the art and story was effing good.

I boomeranged back to read the Sons of Brainiac and boy, am I glad I did.  Since then, I have been on the hunt to fill all the holes and just need issues 1-6 to have the complete run.  Vril Dox (Brainiac-2) is a major douchebag, self-serving a**hole and outside of Starfire and Adam Strange, most of the makeup of his mercenary squad are not even E-listers in the DCU, but all of that aside-- you have one of the most engrossing reads out there.  Boom!!



This post was written by:
big O

Read the full story

Mixed Plate Comics- Week of 8.25.2010

With the official word at the shops on Comicbook Wednesday becoming Comicbook Tuesday starting sometime next year, gives us an additional day to rev books-- I was thinking, hmm.. I suppose my weekly reviews won't be out on Thursday--well even though I am usually late.  Hence the change in the column to simply- Mixed Plate Comics.

So there you go and here are the lucky books that I swooped on:  Justice League Generation Lost #8 / Action Comics #892 / Black Widow #5 / Astonishing X-Men #35 / Gotham City Sirens #15 / The Avengers #4 / Batman #702 / Fantastic Four  #582 / Time Masters: Vanishing Point #2 / Wonder Woman #602 / Superman: Secret Origin #6  / Superman Batman #75 / Secret Warriors #19

If this is your first time peeping this- we pick the top weekly reads usually 3, but sometimes 5 if there are that many more Wednesday pulls.

5  The Avengers #4  Brian Michael Bendis & John Romita Jr.

To be honest I typed in Gotham City Sirens, glanced one more time at Avengers with the rad future Tony Stark cover and decided to give both books a quick re-read.  As much as I love Bedard's crafty humor, the iconic Bendis/Romita team-up can not be denied in my top 5.

As much as we have seen the dismal future stories- Days of Future Past, Dark Knight Returns, Future Imperfect, Old Man Logan and so on-- Bendis has kept this fresh, original and not just another time-trip tale. 

I so love when creators give props to the legends like Bendis and Romita are doing by bringing back Peter David/George Perez creation- Maestro and as we can expect in any book that just so happens to have, Wolvie and Hulk collide, it's safe to say we will all be seeing more than just some bromance action like right over <-- there.

The perfect serving of action and humor served fresh monthly by this relaunched Avengers title.

4  Astonishing X-Men #35  Warren Elllis & Phil Jimenez

 I hate that this book has ended, but Ellis and Jimenez truly delivered on a finale that gives this title the respectful ending it deserves.  Not only for what was created by the original duo of Cassaday &Whedon but primarily for what Astonishing X-Men has meant to longtime fans of those fab mutants.

The title of Astonishing X-Men is like a promise that guarantees this is where you need to be if you want to read the consummate legacy tales of the X-Men.  Ellis, Bianchi, and Jimenez- thank you for doing your thing and putting your balls on the line following what are now considered the master storytellers of the X-Men (sorry Chris Claremont and John Byrne- but I think even you would agree).

I am and always will be a Emma Frost fan, Armor is a badass second coming of Kitty Pryde (oh yeah even she busted the fast ball special a few times huh?) and what a great way to end the title with the classic animosity between Cyke and Logan.  Astonishing.

3  Black Widow #5  Marjorie Liu & Daniel Acuna

The opening salvo of Black Widow has been fab and gotta love how many different ways Liu and Acuna kept us trapped in the deadly web of this book.  Effing genius that Natasha actually has some kinda killer STD that she passed off to her lovers...superfly that she got to haze in Lady Bullseye to the supervillian community.. and her link to Wolvie & Buckycap/Avengers..equals a hat-trick of geek gold!

From the teasers on the next creative team to take on the Widow-- Duane Swiercynski and Manuel Garcia and that fly Travel Foreman cover-- I am gonna see how well they continue this book that went from only a random pickup to top 10 title.

2  Action Comics #892  Paul Cornell & Pete Woods

I can't recall Deathstroke vs. Lex Luthor in all of the many iconic matchups I have read and I think to myself why?  Well, I suppose it was so Paul Cornell and Pete Woods can be the first! 

Lex's wit and genius taking on the ultimate tactical strategist was a thing of beauty to see and to connect it with any emotional trigger-- how a Black ring feeds-- kicked booty.  And how does Luthor make Slade realize how pissed he is for what goes down?  Gettin' him in the pocketbook baby!  Cha-ching!

Action Comics, since the badass creative team took over, has been a Top 3 book, only after Green Lantern & any Winick title (whether PG of JLI).  It just seems perfect that Brightest Day has in many ways allowed for so many other characters and scribes/artists to unearth the best of the DCU.  These AC Finch covers even rival some of my fave Ethan Van Sciver works.



1  Justice League Generation Lost #8   Judd Winick & Aaron Lopresti

Much love to Winick for being the only storyteller outside of Giffen & DeMatteis to blow my mind on busting a JLI book that can be taken seriously and in a whim break you down into laughter.

Lopresti is on that level with Guillem March and Adam Hughes on drawing the female anatomy like no other.  Right?!

The team dynamics have really fallen into place and I enjoy how Rocket Red and Fire are the comedy relief-- with Booster being more the leader and Beetle as the up and coming young-gun.

Generation Lost has made both of these cats go from demigods to straight comicbook immortals IMO.  It has to be one of the best things ever to be involved in work that allows for mutual growth as artists and for your audience and peers to see it.


Max Lord is being written and portrayed as well as I can remember any of the top-tier villains have been covered whether it be Luthor, Joker, Darkseid and Sinestro. 




This post was written by:
big O

Read the full story

Character Issues - "Batman isn't quite himself."

Riddler

Real name: Edward Nigma

This evil master of criminal mind games is my feature character of the week. Strike that, he's on the right side of the law this time - though he still maintains his insatiable thirst of thoughts. Coincidentally, his turn to good may be because questioning if his longtime nemesis Batman is really him. This is brilliantly captured by the writing of Scott Lobdell in Gotham City Sirens #3 (though it is odd how The Riddler is featured in a book where Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn & Catwoman are the main characters). Nevertheless, The Riddler & Batman form an unusual alliance to solve a crime in Gotham City. There is a back & forth mind battle between the 2 former foes - Riddler questioning if this Batman is genuine & Batman debating Riddler's good intentions. It's an interesting chess game between the two.

I like the crown king of conundrum's thought process' of solving a crime; it's as meticulous as when he's planning a elaborate crime. The developing relationship with Batman, as well as how long he maintains his current image, should be a good one to watch.

Read the full story

March is Killin It

Guillem March, product of Palma Spain, is a fresh up and coming artist that caught my eye during the Oracle (Battle for the Cowl) mini before the Summer.  Since then, he has taken on cover and interiors for both Power Girl and Gotham City Sirens.  Peep his shit out.

Read the full story