For new releases 5-11-22!
IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHERRRRRRR- Weekly Round-Up!! That's right, our top 4 picks of the week! Did Marvel come back!??!
Lauren’s Picks
Marvel Comics
Writer: Tochi Onyebuchi
Artist: R.B. Silva
Colorist: Jesus Aburtov
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
This is the first Captain America series I’ve ever pulled! I know, crazy, especially since I’m a Steve Rogers fan, but after Captain America #0, I decided to go with Sam’s book, and I’m so glad I did. This was a great start to run surely to be remembered. Action-Packed, filled with heart, and just the right amount of social/political commentary, I can’t WAIT to see where this cliffhanger goes. I’m especially interested to see how Deadpool gets involved in all this craziness!
Boom! Studios
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Flaviano Armentaro
Colorist: Rico Renzi
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Full disclosure: Stephanie Phillips is one of my favorite writers and she does NOT disappoint here! I’m so happy to see her doing some more indie books. This series about a grim reaper who doesn’t remember how she died is beautifully set up, and Armentaro’s lines and Renzi’s colors truly make one feel a part of this world. I can’t get over all the reds and purples!!!! I’m SO excited to see where this story goes, as Phillips is great with slow build-ups that truly pay off!
Image Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Tony S. Daniel
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Gosh DANGIT, this creative team keeps upping the stakes, just when I thought they couldn’t anymore! Nocterra is the best take on a dystopian world I’ve seen as of late. Yes, I know, there are SO many dystopias out there (it’s like we are starting to live one or something, oop) but Nocterra’s fresh take is everything I needed. Furthermore, I can’t get over how great a villain Blacktop Bill is. One of my favorite villains of the last few years EASILY. The stakes are at their peak at the end of this issue and I cannot WAIT to see how this arc ends. Snyder, Daniel, Maiolo, and AndWorld design are a team to be rivaled by all creative teams. Get Nocterra!
DC Comics/Image Comics
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson & Juan Gedeon / Donny Cates
Artist: Juan Gedeon / Geoff Shaw
Colorist: Mike Spicer / Dee Cunniffee
Letterer: Ferran Delgado / John J. Hill
Jurassic League is everything a nerd could want! Superheroes, dinosaurs, chaos, and just a hell of a good time! The art is FANTASTIC, the story is simple but fun as all get out, and if you’ve read anything Daniel Warren Johnson, this will feel like a warm hug home. This book was highly anticipated for a reason and I cannot WAIT to see more of our favorite heroes as dinosaurs!! I wish I had more “professional” things to say about this book, but I just adore it. This is what keeps comics going!
Speaking of keeping comics going: the good ol’ tried and true nerdy things never fail. Superheroes, dinosaurs, AND all the meta things! When I first started Crossover, I rolled my eyes at myself cause I expected this to be just another book that was popular… well, to be popular. Crossover is anything but that- Crossover is phenomenal! It knows exactly what it is and it is a true high five to any comic fan today that LIVES in comics. Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw are true geniuses here. Just when you think it can’t get more absurd, it does, and somehow it works! Kinda like one of my fav tv shows, Legends Of Tomorrow! Dee Cunniffe’s colors and John J. Hill’s letters make Crossover truly Crossover into the category of legendary comics. The twist at the end of this issue is so fun and I cannot wait for more!
You can find Lauren, Your Friendly Neighborhood Bi, at all her links here:
Joe’s Picks
DC Comics
Writer: Becky Cloonan & Michael Conrad
Artist: Jorge Corona
Colorist: Sarah Stern
Letterer: Becca Carey
I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but there are a few series from DC at the moment that I'm absolutely loving, because they're just so much fun!
Along with Robin and Nightwing, this has been another one of them. This first arc has been such an enjoyable, chaotic, fast paced and action packed ride, exemplified by the awesome storytelling and fantastic artwork and coloring by Corona and Stern. If you haven't checked out The Me You Love in the Dark or especially Middlewest with Corona's art you really need to, those are fantastic reads.
Not forgetting Becca Carey's brilliant fun letters, I always love her work over on Radiant Black at Image, so it's been awesome to see her work here on another title, and a DC title no less!
The Batgirls are probably the characters in the Batfamily I had the least experience with, so it's been great spending time with them over these last several issues, and I can't wait to see where the book goes from here!
Boom! Studios
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Flaviano Armentaro
Colorist: Rico Renzi
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
I've got to be honest, this first issue reminded me a bit of when Radiant Black first started. Not in terms of their ideas, they are of course completely different stories, but both had first issues which weren't particularly spectacular, but I could see so much potential in them which made me intrigued enough to continue.
I love some of the ideas here, I think it's a great fun overall concept and I'm looking forward to seeing where Phillips takes the story, as I am loving her and Riley Rossmo's current Harley Quinn run.
The artwork was just gorgeous, the coloring just had this brilliant, rich, deep red and ethereal tone to it that made it such a joy to soak in as I went through the issue.
Great solid first issue opening the story, can't wait to see where it goes!
#2: Jurassic League
DC Comics
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson/Juan Gedeon
Art: Juan Gedeon
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Does anyone remember that moment at the end of The Lego Movie where it's revealed that the whole thing was just a kid playing with his Lego toys? That's the sort of feeling I got from this issue and I absolutely loved it.
This is nothing new that other people haven't already said before, but this was so much fun! It was so close to being my favourite book of last week, but the way the latest arc of Crossover ended just edged it into second place!
The story was action packed, all the characters were established quickly and just generally it was really well done. There's always something satisfying when an absurd idea could just be really bad, but it's actually so well executed! The artwork was awesome, it was bright, vibrant, and also had that rough feel perfect for showcasing the different Justice League characters as dinosaurs.
Awesome stuff, really excited to see where this goes over the rest of the mini series!
Image Comics
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Geoff Shaw
Colorist: Dee Cunniffe
Letterer: John J. Hill
I've got to admit, as much as I enjoy his work, Cates can be a very hit or miss writer for me, from what I've read of his. For every God Country or Venom of his I loved, there's books like Thor, which I lost interest in, and Hulk, which I'll mention more in a bit.
But the most impressive feat of this book is how quickly it turned me around on my opinion of it. I've said this before, but by the end, that first arc was really irritating me. Too much style and just pure references and not enough story or substance, I just wanted more.
This was absolutely the more I needed. As much as Ottley's artwork on Hulk is spectacular and plain awesome, I do agree with some people complaining there isn't much there in terms of story. In that way, I always think that Cates is at his best when he's got those epic action set pieces combined with deep, emotionally resonant moments, and it's issues like this that prove that.
Like, I was enjoying the issue enough as it was going along, concluding the recent story arc, but there was a certain page in the middle where I went “Oh. Oh damn.” Without spoiling anything, the ability of Cates to use the story like that to reflect on himself as a person, in a similar way Zdarsky did with #7, just elevated the whole issue to me. Then that ending? Brilliant. So excited for the third arc to eventually come around when it does.
Great story, art, coloring, lettering, everything, great stuff, and well deserved of my pick of last week!
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 on Twitter for (albeit shorter) thoughts on comics he loves.
Comments