Batman and Robin 1 was pretty good. I love the art by Quitely, and think that the new villains Grant has created are very interesting (if way too creepy). But I think he doesn’t really get the voice down for the new man in the Batsuit (aside from making it clear that he talks a lot more than Bruce ever did), and I have no clue at all why the boy in the new Robin suit is given that reward. There is potential here, but I am not as excited as I hoped to be, given the overall reaction.
I actually preferred last week’s Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? Fabe might not have Morrison’s warped mind, but he is a master of characterization and really seems to get the cast and setting of the Batman books. It’s a shame that he’s been assigned an Azrael revival instead one of the more important Batman titles. As much as I look forward to Dini’s Streets of Gotham, Fabe would have made as good a choice to write that.
Batman In Barcelona was also out last week or the week before. It’s not a great story, and appears to have little importance to continuity, but I was impressed with how well the story flowed, slower during some parts, and almost at breakneck speed during the fights.
Can only comment on last week’s stuff at the mo…
.
OMG. The most beautiful book on the stands just got even more beautifuller. Madame Xanadu with Kaluta art. OMG!
.
New Avengers = New Sorcerer Supreme. Woo-Hoo!
.
Herogasm #1 BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
.
Nova, always enjoyable, and has now equalled its longest previous run?
.
Wolverine #72. Despite all the bad press this has received, I’ve actually kinda enjoyed it in a guilty pleasure sorta way. It’s certainly been a lot more enjoyable than…
.
Fantastic Four – at least it’s finally going somewhere, even if it’s only a prelude for the FF to be saved at the last minute by a Doom who takes crap from NOBODY.
.
Cheers, JB
Wolverine 72 — is anyone else upset at the shameless repetive use of the MacGuffin in this story line?
why Emma frost and black bolt ? that’s right black bolt has a teleporting dog.
and common bolting on the legs and helmet of iron man?
i liked the red skull trophy room but the wolverine boot jet stunt soured the stomach
untill next time
I know it doesn’t come out until next week, PAD, but I saw the preview for X-FACTOR #44 at Newsarama, and just wanted to express appreciation and amusement to that you finally used that story title you’ve been threatening us with.
Chuck
Case Closed and Usagi Yojimbo – both highly recommended.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya manga – haven’t read it yet, but we’ll see how it compares to the anime.
Alter Ego, with an interview with golden age artist and Nazi oppression escapee Lily Renee, was good as usual.
Plus the last issue of the newly departed Wizard Anime Insider. I’m going to miss that one.
Bill, that Alter Ego was from about a month ago. The newest issue came out this week. Alter Ego #86 features the first part of a rundown of contents on a bunch of Mad Magazine type humor magazines. An interview with Frank Bolle, and thoughts on Kurt Schaffenberger.
I get my comics through a subscription service, so I just got it this week.
Am I the only one who gave up on Potato Moon after the 3rd or 4th installment? Clever idea at first but now way past its clever/cute quotient.
Sorry to rain on the parade.
Well, first of all, I don’t know why you posted this here rather than one of the PM threads, and seconds, I don’t think that someone who has not read it in 43 installments gets to claim it’s no longer clever since you really don’t know what you’re talking about.
.
PAD
Got Last week’s books on Monday:
Got Nova #25 – nice to see some resolution, but it seems a little too easy to me.
None of the rest are coming to mind, so I guess they didn’t make too much of an impression.
As a very nice surprise, I got a free Gunslinger born hardcover – apparently Marvel was shipping promos out with reorders, and my LCS got a few, and gave them out free.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Dark tower book, but enjoyed this a lot. Nice work on the scripting, PAD.
Final issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, even though it was an extra-buck, I thought the dialouge-less version actually worked. (but I do have a sneaking suspicion that it was changed to that after the art came back, but that’s just me.) Kind of a weak ending with the implied-death of Peter Parker by just finding his tattered mask, but the only thing that’s running through my head is Ult. Nick Fury’s line of “One thing you learn in this business is that if there’s no body, they’re not dead.” I can’t buy that Bendis would change it to Ultimate Spider-Woman on a twist like that, so Pete is probably banged up but will show up sometime in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (knowing how Bendis likes his decompressed style, I’d say around issue 7 or so)
I didn’t get it until today and haven’t read it yet, but Timestorm: Spider-Man has “PAD” in the neon lights of the cover.
I got two books this week:
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #151 was a lot of fun. It’s back to the ongoing storylines, features a return I *really* hope they explain, and lots of fun.
P.S. 238 #39 was not only the usual hoot — but had a cameo I’m kicking myself for not having seen coming!
I agree with James Lynch about the latest issue of Knights of the Dinner Table. I love the book even though I am not a gamer.
I also enjoyed the latest issue of the Dark Avengers. Very interesting characterization of Norman Osborn.
Mr. David,
I didn’t see an X-Factor post, so accept my apologies for posting this arbitrarily in the ‘Stash’ section. Just wanted to say I will be pre-ordering X-Factor #47 (shipping in August) because of the possibility (per the issue’s solicitation) of your exploring the Rictor/Shatterstar bisexual dynamic.
Here is a section of your recent Newsarama interview:
Peter David: Well, he’s (Shatterstar) certainly a part of the current story arc. Whether he remains beyond issue #50 is going to depend on a variety of things: How he works and plays with the other cast members, the reader reaction, etc.
NRAMA: Will there be a revelation regarding Rictor’s past with Shatterstar? In the past, it’s been alluded to that they were “more than friends”…
PAD: All I will say is that the question will definitely be addressed.
Well, this reader hasn’t picked up X-Factor since the Arcade storyline, so my reaction, as evidenced by the pre-order, is a positive one. I hope the long-lingering bisexual question will be answered in the affirmative, as there seems to be ample evidence to support such a relationship.
Batman in Barcelona, is that the city Barcelona or the planet Barcelona?
.
Sorry, but somebody had to say it.
.
I got Buffy #25 and Tales of the Vampires and <Astro City Dark Age Book Three #’s 1 & 2. I liked Buffy #25 overall, though when I saw the cover, I thought the doll looked like Willow.
. Tales of the Vampires was a pretty good “done-in-one” (and I like that it was done-in-one and not stretched out to make a mini series.
.
As to Astro City, man it’s been a long time since we last saw Charles and Royal, and while I may have forgotten some details from the previous Dark Age books, I was able to jump right back in again. I’m interested to see where the story goes.
.
I was also pleased to see Kurt Busiek’s comment in the letters page of one of the issues that he has a story in mind for the new Confessor. I’ve been wondering when we’d see him again beyond that flash forward scene from the end of the “Confessor” storyline.
.
One thing I like about Astro City is that it isn’t just a superhero book (or occasional miniseries, as the case may be). Yes, there are storylines in which superheroes play center stage; but there are also storylines (like that of Charles and Royal) where they have at best brief cameos. In most other series, I suspect that the creation of a new superhero (in this case a new (from a 1982 point of view) incarnation of Cleopatra) would get more than just a few panels. But until or unless her story intersects with that of Charles and Royal, she’s just a footnote.
.
Glad to see Astro City back and am looking forward to the next issue. And hopefully when this mini series is done, the next one (or a new monthly series) won’t be long behind.
.
Rick
Trinity has come to an end. Man, that was surprisingly disappointing! I think it would’ve been better had it been a bunch of story arcs within 52 issues versus a story that spanned 52 issues.
I am sure glad i stopped picking it up after issue 6.
Not as fast as i dropped WAR Machine, marvel must know it sucks it was getting the royal treatment in the latest Wizard.
Punisher Naked Kill one shot- I am a huge Pun fan and i thought that it was a cool interesting and an inventive use of handcuffs
Batman and Robin – IDK i think of the bruce wayne death just like steve rogers … waiting for the other shoe to fall and the inevitable return.
Mighty avengers – really cool Reed pretty much telling Pym that everything he touches goes to šhìŧ and for hank to go f himself priceless
New Mutants #2 ehhhh
Ultimatum #4 am i supposed to read this then spidey? why are these books late common now
{insert marvel “They make a nice trade when the story is finished” line here}
Avengers Int – next month dropped
World of New Krypton #4 i love this story
Dark Avengers #5 – does anyone understand the take your pills “one who flew over the cuckos nest” aspectof the dark avengers
Deadpool sucide kings #3 — CASH GRAB
does anyone else think marvel is slowly backing away from the 3.99 cover price?
It seems as if every week there are less 3.99 books
here’s to TPB’s shipping on time and endless Ultimate Universe endings (i think that is an oxymoron)
Holy crap, Spider-Man 2099 finally has a trade?? How did I miss this?
Can someone tell me what happens to Tim Drake at the end of Battle for the Cowl that gets him off the board by the time of Batman and Robin #1.
Just got Atomic Robo: Shadow From Beyond Time #2 today. So great. Atomic Robo is my favorite comic right now. I highly recommend it. Just a fun, fun, fun series. Funny too. Gotta read text backup and then re-read the first issue & the second again. Great series.
• 
Two Bat-books, one a holdover from last week.
Batman and Robin 1 was pretty good. I love the art by Quitely, and think that the new villains Grant has created are very interesting (if way too creepy). But I think he doesn’t really get the voice down for the new man in the Batsuit (aside from making it clear that he talks a lot more than Bruce ever did), and I have no clue at all why the boy in the new Robin suit is given that reward. There is potential here, but I am not as excited as I hoped to be, given the overall reaction.
I actually preferred last week’s Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? Fabe might not have Morrison’s warped mind, but he is a master of characterization and really seems to get the cast and setting of the Batman books. It’s a shame that he’s been assigned an Azrael revival instead one of the more important Batman titles. As much as I look forward to Dini’s Streets of Gotham, Fabe would have made as good a choice to write that.
Batman In Barcelona was also out last week or the week before. It’s not a great story, and appears to have little importance to continuity, but I was impressed with how well the story flowed, slower during some parts, and almost at breakneck speed during the fights.
Can only comment on last week’s stuff at the mo…
.
OMG. The most beautiful book on the stands just got even more beautifuller. Madame Xanadu with Kaluta art. OMG!
.
New Avengers = New Sorcerer Supreme. Woo-Hoo!
.
Herogasm #1 BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
.
Nova, always enjoyable, and has now equalled its longest previous run?
.
Wolverine #72. Despite all the bad press this has received, I’ve actually kinda enjoyed it in a guilty pleasure sorta way. It’s certainly been a lot more enjoyable than…
.
Fantastic Four – at least it’s finally going somewhere, even if it’s only a prelude for the FF to be saved at the last minute by a Doom who takes crap from NOBODY.
.
Cheers, JB
Wolverine 72 — is anyone else upset at the shameless repetive use of the MacGuffin in this story line?
why Emma frost and black bolt ? that’s right black bolt has a teleporting dog.
and common bolting on the legs and helmet of iron man?
i liked the red skull trophy room but the wolverine boot jet stunt soured the stomach
untill next time
I know it doesn’t come out until next week, PAD, but I saw the preview for X-FACTOR #44 at Newsarama, and just wanted to express appreciation and amusement to that you finally used that story title you’ve been threatening us with.
Chuck
Case Closed and Usagi Yojimbo – both highly recommended.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya manga – haven’t read it yet, but we’ll see how it compares to the anime.
Alter Ego, with an interview with golden age artist and Nazi oppression escapee Lily Renee, was good as usual.
Plus the last issue of the newly departed Wizard Anime Insider. I’m going to miss that one.
Bill, that Alter Ego was from about a month ago. The newest issue came out this week. Alter Ego #86 features the first part of a rundown of contents on a bunch of Mad Magazine type humor magazines. An interview with Frank Bolle, and thoughts on Kurt Schaffenberger.
I get my comics through a subscription service, so I just got it this week.
Am I the only one who gave up on Potato Moon after the 3rd or 4th installment? Clever idea at first but now way past its clever/cute quotient.
Sorry to rain on the parade.
Well, first of all, I don’t know why you posted this here rather than one of the PM threads, and seconds, I don’t think that someone who has not read it in 43 installments gets to claim it’s no longer clever since you really don’t know what you’re talking about.
.
PAD
Got Last week’s books on Monday:
Got Nova #25 – nice to see some resolution, but it seems a little too easy to me.
None of the rest are coming to mind, so I guess they didn’t make too much of an impression.
As a very nice surprise, I got a free Gunslinger born hardcover – apparently Marvel was shipping promos out with reorders, and my LCS got a few, and gave them out free.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Dark tower book, but enjoyed this a lot. Nice work on the scripting, PAD.
Final issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, even though it was an extra-buck, I thought the dialouge-less version actually worked. (but I do have a sneaking suspicion that it was changed to that after the art came back, but that’s just me.) Kind of a weak ending with the implied-death of Peter Parker by just finding his tattered mask, but the only thing that’s running through my head is Ult. Nick Fury’s line of “One thing you learn in this business is that if there’s no body, they’re not dead.” I can’t buy that Bendis would change it to Ultimate Spider-Woman on a twist like that, so Pete is probably banged up but will show up sometime in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (knowing how Bendis likes his decompressed style, I’d say around issue 7 or so)
I didn’t get it until today and haven’t read it yet, but Timestorm: Spider-Man has “PAD” in the neon lights of the cover.
I got two books this week:
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #151 was a lot of fun. It’s back to the ongoing storylines, features a return I *really* hope they explain, and lots of fun.
P.S. 238 #39 was not only the usual hoot — but had a cameo I’m kicking myself for not having seen coming!
I agree with James Lynch about the latest issue of Knights of the Dinner Table. I love the book even though I am not a gamer.
I also enjoyed the latest issue of the Dark Avengers. Very interesting characterization of Norman Osborn.
Mr. David,
I didn’t see an X-Factor post, so accept my apologies for posting this arbitrarily in the ‘Stash’ section. Just wanted to say I will be pre-ordering X-Factor #47 (shipping in August) because of the possibility (per the issue’s solicitation) of your exploring the Rictor/Shatterstar bisexual dynamic.
Here is a section of your recent Newsarama interview:
Peter David: Well, he’s (Shatterstar) certainly a part of the current story arc. Whether he remains beyond issue #50 is going to depend on a variety of things: How he works and plays with the other cast members, the reader reaction, etc.
NRAMA: Will there be a revelation regarding Rictor’s past with Shatterstar? In the past, it’s been alluded to that they were “more than friends”…
PAD: All I will say is that the question will definitely be addressed.
Well, this reader hasn’t picked up X-Factor since the Arcade storyline, so my reaction, as evidenced by the pre-order, is a positive one. I hope the long-lingering bisexual question will be answered in the affirmative, as there seems to be ample evidence to support such a relationship.
For all the pertinent 411, here is a link to a Rictor/Shatterstar website I found while Googling the pair’s history.
http://www.shatteringtheearth.com/ThePairing.html
Batman in Barcelona, is that the city Barcelona or the planet Barcelona?
.
Sorry, but somebody had to say it.
.
I got Buffy #25 and Tales of the Vampires and <Astro City Dark Age Book Three #’s 1 & 2. I liked Buffy #25 overall, though when I saw the cover, I thought the doll looked like Willow.
.
Tales of the Vampires was a pretty good “done-in-one” (and I like that it was done-in-one and not stretched out to make a mini series.
.
As to Astro City, man it’s been a long time since we last saw Charles and Royal, and while I may have forgotten some details from the previous Dark Age books, I was able to jump right back in again. I’m interested to see where the story goes.
.
I was also pleased to see Kurt Busiek’s comment in the letters page of one of the issues that he has a story in mind for the new Confessor. I’ve been wondering when we’d see him again beyond that flash forward scene from the end of the “Confessor” storyline.
.
One thing I like about Astro City is that it isn’t just a superhero book (or occasional miniseries, as the case may be). Yes, there are storylines in which superheroes play center stage; but there are also storylines (like that of Charles and Royal) where they have at best brief cameos. In most other series, I suspect that the creation of a new superhero (in this case a new (from a 1982 point of view) incarnation of Cleopatra) would get more than just a few panels. But until or unless her story intersects with that of Charles and Royal, she’s just a footnote.
.
Glad to see Astro City back and am looking forward to the next issue. And hopefully when this mini series is done, the next one (or a new monthly series) won’t be long behind.
.
Rick
Trinity has come to an end. Man, that was surprisingly disappointing! I think it would’ve been better had it been a bunch of story arcs within 52 issues versus a story that spanned 52 issues.
I am sure glad i stopped picking it up after issue 6.
Not as fast as i dropped WAR Machine, marvel must know it sucks it was getting the royal treatment in the latest Wizard.
Punisher Naked Kill one shot- I am a huge Pun fan and i thought that it was a cool interesting and an inventive use of handcuffs
Batman and Robin – IDK i think of the bruce wayne death just like steve rogers … waiting for the other shoe to fall and the inevitable return.
Mighty avengers – really cool Reed pretty much telling Pym that everything he touches goes to šhìŧ and for hank to go f himself priceless
New Mutants #2 ehhhh
Ultimatum #4 am i supposed to read this then spidey? why are these books late common now
{insert marvel “They make a nice trade when the story is finished” line here}
Avengers Int – next month dropped
World of New Krypton #4 i love this story
Dark Avengers #5 – does anyone understand the take your pills “one who flew over the cuckos nest” aspectof the dark avengers
Deadpool sucide kings #3 — CASH GRAB
does anyone else think marvel is slowly backing away from the 3.99 cover price?
It seems as if every week there are less 3.99 books
here’s to TPB’s shipping on time and endless Ultimate Universe endings (i think that is an oxymoron)
Holy crap, Spider-Man 2099 finally has a trade?? How did I miss this?
Can someone tell me what happens to Tim Drake at the end of Battle for the Cowl that gets him off the board by the time of Batman and Robin #1.
Just got Atomic Robo: Shadow From Beyond Time #2 today. So great. Atomic Robo is my favorite comic right now. I highly recommend it. Just a fun, fun, fun series. Funny too. Gotta read text backup and then re-read the first issue & the second again. Great series.
DF