For new releases 3-23-22!
We are back with your Weekly Round-Up, our top 4 picks of the week! Will Marvel take the crown this week? What about the indies? or will it just be another DC love fest? Let's get into it!
Lauren’s Picks
DC Comics / Marvel Comics
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Benjamin Percy
Penciller: Roger Cruz / Federico Vincentini
Inker: Norm Rapmund / Federico Vincentini
Colorist: Luis Guerrero / Dijjo Lima
Letterer: ALW’s Troy Peteri / VC’s Cory Petit
Listen, what can I say, I love BOTH! I can't decide! (bonus points if you get the reference)
But seriously, both these issues were fantastic ends to their arcs. Robin #12 ended this arc with the al Ghul family and started a new one leading into the upcoming Shadow War. Listen, I'm beyond thrilled that the al Ghul family is FINALLY getting some of the attention and spotlight they deserve again. The Shadow War is going to be brutal and I'm both excited as hell and terrified as hell for it!
X Deaths of Wolverine started out as a story I could care less about when solicited, and upon opening the first issue, I became fiercely engrossed in! It's so great to see Moira's story, and her importance, continue even after Inferno. I know not all are a fan, but I LOVE seeing Moira become a villain here. She's complex, distraught, and utterly relatable in how fallible she is. I can't get enough of it. Moira and her impact are the foundation of the Krakoan era and are not going away as long as Krakoa maintains itself. Now, Hickman, come back and finish this masterpiece, please! I know Inferno wasn't your last hurrah with the Krakoan X-Men!
DC Comics
Writer and Artist: Joelle Jones
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
I have been LOVING the Trial of The Amazons event! It's the first event in a long time that's felt like an event is supposed to- real stakes that make sense, matter, and will lead to necessary changes upon completion of the event! Part 4 of this event is no exception. It continues full speed and I can't get enough of this Amazonian world. Read more about why I gave this 10/10 on The GWW: https://thegww.com/trial-of-the-amazons-wonder-girl-1-dc-comics-review/ .
DC Comics
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Penciller: Riley Rossmo
Inker: Jay Leisten
Colorist: Ivan Plascencia
Letterer: Andworld Design
This issue felt like the BIGGEST warm hug. OH my goodness. This might be my favorite issue of this Harley run so far. I've said it over and over again, but Phillips just GETS Harley. It's like Harley dances in her brain every day or something. Riley Rossmo's art style, while some take time to adjust to, is PERFECT for Harley. I feel like Rossmo's style just brings to life what is in Harley's head. I'm really excited for this next arc- now that Harley has solidified herself for 12 issues of this run, it feels like the REAL growth and development is coming. Bring it on!!
Marvel Comics
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist and Colorist: Phil Noto
Letterer: Cory Petit
I said it on Twitter, but this is one of the sexiest, best issues I've read in a LONG time, and it's certainly the sexiest Emma Frost-centric comic I've ever read. I'm personally not a big fan of Noto's art style, but that style with Duggan's script NEVER fails. We saw it in Marauders before and we see it here in this issue. Wow. After reading this, I truly am shocked that Emma Frost doesn't have her own book. Like, I get that if anyone gets their own book in the X-Men it's Wolverine, but this just proved to me that Frost could have her own series, no questions asked. For me, this is where Duggan belongs: writing character-centric stories in his own style. His X-Men run hasn't been my favorite, but this issue alone is one of the favorites I've had the pleasure of reading. Destiny of X is coming and it is going to hit. us. hard!
You can find Lauren, Your Friendly Neighborhood Bi, at all her links here:
Joe’s Picks
DC Comics
Writer: Tom King
Art & Colors: Greg Smallwood
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
This has been a fantastic read so far and I’m very excited to see it continue when it returns later in the year. The mystery developed by King has been very intriguing and a joy to see unfold over the past several issues. I know his work normally reads best in trade, but since each issue takes place over a day, I feel like it's been more structurally suited to single issues than some of his other work, and I’ve loved reading it month to month like that.
Smallwood’s artwork has of course been nothing short of gorgeous, and hopefully, this half-way hiatus as it were will give him the time he needs to make his work on the second half just as masterful. His colors in particular have had a brilliant pastel quality to them, just really effectively making this feel like the classic comic book neo-noir mystery it’s clearly meant to be.
From what I’ve seen, a week before the series returns there’s going to be a hardcover release of these first 6 issues, which I definitely recommend picking it up if you’re interested, it’s been a great read so far and I can’t wait to see where it goes!
DC Comics
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Riley Rossmo
Colorist: Ivan Plascencia
Letterer: AndWorld Design
This is one of those series that I caught up on recently and I’m so glad I did because it’s been so much fun! I loved Rossmo’s artwork on Martian Manhunter, written by Steve Orlando, which I read earlier in the year, but since that was a more serious mystery book it’s been great to see him on a more lighthearted book here. The writing, artwork, coloring and lettering, it’s all just so entertaining.
It felt like a lot happened in this issue, but not necessarily in a way that felt rushed or over stuffed, it just had that same chaotic action packed feel I've loved about this series, with some of the grounded character moments I love to see in superhero comics. It reminds me a bit of the current Nightwing run, where the characters feel so real and human and it just elevates the reading experience.
Refreshing, zany, vibrant art, fun, entertaining storyline, this was a great start to Year Two of this Harley run and I can't wait to see where it goes!
Image Comics
Writer: James Tynion IV
Art: Jorge Fornes
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
I don't know how else to describe it, but there's something almost addictive about this series. It's always just so intriguing to me. The amount of text and dialogue in these issues, in any other comic, might make for a slow and boring read, but here I'm just so gripped into what's happening and how it factors into all the things Tynion has set up over the series.
This was the last of these "Deviation" chapters for now, a fill in arc full of them while Simmonds catches up on the art and prepares for the third story arc. This one on the Moon Landing might have been one of my favorites so far, second only to the Mothman issue (which I thought was… incredibly chilling) and Fornes' style was just perfect for it.
A relatively simple but clever and effective use of the ideas and concepts established within the series, some nice setup for the next story arc to come, and a link back to one of the first Deviation chapters? This was another great read for this series, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where it goes as we get back into the main story arc next issue!
Image Comics
Writer: Wyatt Kennedy
Art & Colors: Luana Vecchio
Letterer: Brandon Graham
I liked the idea of #2 and it's chaotic nature showing Devyn jumping between the different universes and exploring them all, but for me that meant it didn't have quite the personal, emotional punch that the first issue did. Ooooohhhh boy did that emotion return for this issue and more. Like, wow.
This might have been the issue I was most excited to read last week, because this series has just been phenomenal. And I've got to be honest, while there were some fantastic books last week, absolutely none of them hit me the same way this issue did. The portrayal of moving on sometimes feeling hopeless, no matter how hard she tries. If you’ve ever had a heartbreak (and let’s be honest who hasn’t) you have to check out this series. It’s really something so special.
There was just some really great character work in this issue, no matter what Devyn does everything seems to come back around, good, bad, or otherwise, and it makes for an incredibly compelling story masterfully crafted by Kennedy and Vecchio. Her art and colors are gloriously gorgeous as always, it’s just such an experience every issue to soak them in and appreciate them and that’s no different here.
And then that ending? Very excited and intrigued to see where this series is going to go as it heads towards its finale in the next couple of issues!
What were your top picks this week? Let us know what we missed! You never know; your recommendation could end up on our lists in the future!
Come find us both on Twitter and let's talk comics and good times :)
You can find Lauren, Your Friendly Neighborhood Bi, at all her links here: beacons.ai/friendlynbhdbi
You can follow JoeLovesComics over onTwitter for (albeit shorter) thoughts on comics he loves.
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