Hello everyone.
So, what in the world is this? I know you’re asking. Mostly because I just typed ’so, what in the world is this’, and you’d be reading it and would automatically think it in your head. Or you talk to yourself and that’s just kinda weird. This is 1/2 of The Emperor’s Picks: The comics I received this month. Well, the comics, the statues, the trade paperbacks, etc.
I figure, over time, I can comment on the direction of some titles, whether or not I plan on dropping some of them. I certainly won’t review ALL of them, but I might drop a comment here and there. Over time, you’ll get a feel for what I’m enjoying reading and why, and perhaps, if you agree or disagree, it’ll make you want to look at what you’re reading, and why. Perhaps you’ll decide to pick something up I’m reading. Or perhaps you’ll realize you hate the book I hate just as much but didn’t know why. Beats me. 
So without further ado, this is what I received this month. (Oh. For now, I’m going to be sorting by Alphabetical order, not by company. Singles, and trades/gns are seperated. If you don’t know the company, ask, and I’ll let you know. Because that’d just be too much to type. :P)
52 #48 - #51
Gotta admit, I really enjoyed this series, but I am totally miffed that I didn’t get issue #52 snuck into the shipment. Guess I’ll have to wait after all. Renee Montoya as the new Question is fantastic. Overall very impressed with the series, and looking forward to Countdown.
Avengers, New #29
Brave and the Bold #3
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #2
I am entirely miffed that I somehow missed Issue #1, because this was fantastic.
DMZ #18
Ex Machina #27
Fallen Angel #14 & #15
FELL #8
Have to say, if there’s just ONE series you aren’t reading, then you should be reading Runaways. But if there’s TWO.. then the second should definitely be FELL. Especially for that price!
Justice League of America #7 & #8
Ed Benes is unto God. Honestly leap years ahead of anything Michael Turner even dreamed of drawing, and he manages to maintain some sense of .. common sense with his women. Unsure if I like the whole LSH/JSA/JLA crossover, so far it’s just been confusing as hell, but since I’m collecting all three titles, I’m clearly going to ride it out one way or another.
Justice Society of America #5
Alex Ross’ covers are boring.
Loners #1
Mostly in it for Karl Moline, who has been one of my favorite artists since FRAY. Reading issue #1, I realize I’m _solely_ in it for Karl.
newuniversal #5
Nova #1
Runaways (vol. 2) #25
In Whedon We Trust.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28 & #29
World War III #1 - #4
Worthless. Absolutely worthless. Easily the worst 4 issues I read from the shipment. Could’ve been one issue instead of four, and that would’ve been too much. Near unending pandering from Martian Manhunter, ending with that HORRIBLE costume transformation. Blah.
White Tiger #5
TRADES
Cable & Deadpool Vol. 6
Civil War
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3: Adult Education
Brian Guay said
May 26 2007 @ 12:15 pm
What’s FELL about?
Bri
Andrew Foley said
May 27 2007 @ 7:22 pm
It’s about Detective Richard Fell, a cop who’s recently been relocated to a place called Snowtown, a “feral city” filled with various idiosyncratic characters that’s falling apart around him.
It’s almost the polar opposite of NEXTWAVE–morally complex, moody art, reasonably human characters (albeit ones with plenty of foibles), straight crime/mystery stories, and almost unrelentingly grim. That said, I put it on the same artistic level as NW, it’s just that its goals are vastly different.
As interesting as the meat of each issue is, what really strikes me about the book is its origin as an experiment with format and serial comic release. The first book out in Image’s Ellis-designed “slimline” format, each issue has a 16 page story, usually (I think always, but am not 100% on that) self-contained, with four pages of story notes by Ellis, Templesmith sketches, and various ramblings as value-added “back matter” (which I don’t think is getting reproduced in the trade). Each 24-page-in-total issue sells for $1.99 American, making it one of the best deals out there for a serial comic reader who can deal with crime/noir material that doesn’t feature men wearing their underwear on the outside.
I’ll be buying the trade, which I’ve been waiting for pretty much since the first issue.
Foley