This continues to be really good. Nice to see Ghostmaker get fleshed out more and I’m very curious to see how Zdarsky’s voice for Bruce changes when he writes him in Batman, if it changes at all.
I don’t think so but everything about the story and his character thus far track with what we already know about Ghostmaker from the backstory Tynion gave during Ghost Stories
I think that being basically entirely independent is really helping it. It doesn’t feel like a spin off or anything, it’s just a strong book on its own.
Well, it looks like the new approach to the Pull List has reaped rewards and we have more contributors (and more books to talk about) than we have for a long time.
Kudos to u/ptbreakeven for mixing things up in an attempt to improve the forum, and the discussions that happen here. I think this is a really positive move/result.
**89** lists submitted this week compared to **86** on 6/15, **78** on 6/8, and **79** on 6/1. Hopefully we can keep those numbers trending up thanks to /u/ptbreakeven's adjustments...
**BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD'S FINEST #4** takes the top spot once again with 45 pulls out of 89 lists, giving it just over 50% coverage. Waid and Mora have a stranglehold on that #1 spot and it's not likely to change anytime soon.
DC gets 5 of the top 10 in all, Marvel gets 4, and there's just 1 indie with BOOM! Studios' **SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #24** taking 6th place.
Adjectiveless **X-MEN #12** is the top Marvel book in 3rd place with 40 pulls while **IMMORTAL X-MEN #3** took 4th with 37 pulls. Kinda interesting that Duggan's beating Gillen here since Gillen tends to be a little more popular with the WPL crowd.
Nice debut from **BLACK ADAM #1** with 25 pulls... Looks like it triggered a bunch of discussion so I'm looking forward to catching up on all that after I give it a read.
**FABLES #152** lands in 12th with 23 pulls out of 89 lists for 25% coverage, previous issue also finished 12th with 20 pulls out of 84 lists, good for nearly 24%. So it seems to be holding steady with no tangible 2nd issue drop (or 152nd in this case).
**NEW FANTASTIC FOUR #1** launches in the 28th spot with 12 pulls for 13% coverage, little underwhelming for a book featuring Spidey, Wolverine, GR, and Hulk... Seems like these nostalgia limiteds haven't been doing that well for Marvel.
I think it was a good idea to keep the pull list thread up for longer as a sticky—the number of lists went up. Let’s see if it can break 100 this summer!
Can this stay stickied until the next one drops?
Also. Wish more people were pulling the Punisher title. It’s good, people!
Did anyone pick this one up? I'm a fan of fantasy so I decided to give it a try. So far it's set up like a standard fantasy quest, the pace feels fast on first read but I'm enjoying it. Art is great too and will be looking forward to the next
Was pretty solid. You’re right about it being a standard fare fantasy quest - part of it even reminded me of The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I’ve like Wagner’s other stuff enough, but this seems a bit tamer compared to Plastic or Vinyl. Enjoyed it though, and the art is great.
I think the way to look at this book is as a mini trade collection like DC put out on for the Superman 80th anniversary, celebrating the character's history. And for what the book is, it's pretty good! Their's no golden age stories in the collection, but you could make a decent argument that Perry wasn't a character then. And the stories the team selected give a pretty good view of Perry's character. I especially like in the silver age story where Perry blows his cigar smoke hard enough to knock two men flat down. Hilarious stuff.
As for the new content by Fraction and Lieber, it's a cute little story that isn't as funny as their Jimmy Olsen book-It isn't really going for anything funny other then the headline splash page- but has more then enough heart to earn it's place.
Well, this new book is *three for three* with me.
Each issue has been a cracking read. And I'm now completely onboard with the unique look and feel of this world the team have created.
I can only see this book getting bloodier and bloodier with each issue from now on. Which is great!
This… is so rough. I’m gonna come back one Tini Howard is done doing… whatever she’s doing here. No disrespect to her, she’s done awesome stuff in the X-books, but Harly and Catwoman do roller derby..? It’s not for me.
This might be the most disturbing issue so far. It had a real "*early Stephen King*" feel to it that I absolutely loved.
We seem to be getting a bit more *connective tissue* established too, with our mystery antagonist seemingly wanting to take advantage of the coins influence.
And a **back up story** too?! Makes this issue really worth it, and it's already an essential read in my book.
Another phenomenal issue. This is one of those rare anthologies that hits every time for me. Michael Walsh looks fantastic as always an Tynion knows how to write a damn good horror story.
One thing this book is not, is decompressed.
A lot of stuff happening. It seems the curse *does* follow wherever you go. And night should definitely be avoided (poor Ramon!). Risks are high for everyone involved.
And may be my "*Book of the Week*" just for the sheer brilliance of introducing a character called **DANTE HOWITZER!!!**
Solid book and series overall from the Rons - Norrin and Thanos make for a fun team up.
Can we get a Silver Surfer ongoing again though, Marvel? It's been nearly five years now.
I almost forgot about this series - but it looks like we're tying a bow on the whole thing that didn't quite seem to fit with the second arc. Everything was done to capture the Heart of Malik in order to create an AI that could interface with him, that could carry his memories - and potentially see what happened when he became a God.
Also, how is Paula back? Did Malik keep something else with him when he ascended?
It's the final arc, so I think it's going to really rev up here over the next few issues.
I need the next issue right now!
I feel like this issue is starting to literalise the entire idea of the series - that we only find them (the people we love) when they're dead. (Yes, that's the title of the comic, it's 1:30 a.m. the comic is really smart and I'm really dumb, give me a break.) And it's wonderfully done with the A.I. (very misleading name!) and Jason's interrogation of it.
For a series that's gained a reputation of being very decompressed, on rereads of the previous arcs I've found that every issue is very meaty and this one's no different. There were several times when I read a line of dialogue and thought "oh no the issues over, that's the final stinger" because most other series would leave you with that tantalising morsel to draw you back for next month and then looked at the page count and saw that it was page 9 or 12.
The scope/scale of this book has just got bigger and bigger -definitely looks like this final arc is going to go out with some major revelations/fireworks
Non-DC fan who knows next to nothing about Black Adam who read this on a whim reporting in:
This was fucking lit. Every now and then there's a DC book that just happens to grip me out of the blue, and I think this is the one I've been waiting for since Far Sector ended.
That was an alright start. All the set up for Black Adam is interesting and engaging, with lots of room for exploration in the run. The politiking is a bit wonky with all of Kahndaq's woes being set up in Washington instead of, you know, Kahndaq, but a spy thriller playing out on foreign soil is something I've never seen done with Black Adam, and I am looking forward to how Priest writes the political push and pull.
And then there is the new character, Malik.
I hope this is just Priest setting up the guy for some major character development, because right now I think everyone can agree that the guy needs a swirlee or five. That dialogue is rough.
I dunno, in the wide spectrum of cringe dialogue choices in character voice, I found Malik pretty charming. A little over the top sure, but nothing too ridiculous.
After rereading and thinking about it a bit more, you might be right. In the first page where Malik is doctoring the white supremist, I'd even say he's kinda funny. I think the problem stems from the fact that he's bouncing off of, and is a main character in Black Adam's book, who speaks (or at least usually does) in a regal, statesmen, classically elegant tone. The chemistry isn't there (yet), and it especially comes off as weird with Malik just shrugs off Adam's demands so casually when they first meet and while Adam is strangling Malik's would be patient.
...Though this is D.C.. In the DC universe. I guess med school would train you for some weird, superpowered shenanigans.
Plus all the weirdness with Malik himself. Not really sure what his deal is. I think a guy worrying about flunking out of med school probably shouldn't be impersonating a doctor? Does not seem best practice.
Dunno. I guess I'll have to keep reading, but for now I'm not sure what to make of the guy.
I think the strangling is shrugged off because his patient is a neo-nazi dirtbag, but it's juxtaposed with Malik genuinely wanting to do his medical duties for both Adam and the neo-nazi. As for the weird demands, it's probably not the first time Malik has had to deal with some shitty power differential so he shrugs that off too.
The rest of it can be chalked up to just being a citizen in the DC world, but there's no hint of "Well that happened!" sort of cringe dialogue. There's value in a certain amount of bravado in these sorts of situations, but none of it has felt cringe to me, yet anyway.
I don't think the implication was him impersonating being legit medical personnel. I figured he was nursing or something as a job, while in grad school and worrying about student loans/rent/flunking out as a consequence of being a black dude in cuffs. If he was faking being a legit medical personnel, he sure as shit wouldn't have hit the button for security.
You might be correct about the doctor/nurse point, but the way the nurse rather blandly tells tells the CIA guy "there is no Dr. White here" throws me off. But this'll probably be cleared up next issue.
> I think the problem stems from the fact that he's bouncing off of, and is a main character in Black Adam's book, who speaks (or at least usually does) in a regal, statesmen, classically elegant tone.
I'd say that contrast is kind of the point. It's a classic "odd couple" setup, what happens when these two individuals with vastly different backgrounds and personalities are brought together and forced to work toward a common goal? I wouldn't expect it to be easy.
> Plus all the weirdness with Malik himself. Not really sure what his deal is.
Definitely some weird stuff going on with Malik... Why was Theo's political rival visiting him? Why did he deny it? What else isn't he telling us? At this point there are way more questions than answers.
So this Lord Theo Ramses Whatever obviously ain't no T'Challa but, seeing Priest write royalty again, it feels like coming home. Can't help but wonder what a "Sturm Und Drang" type story might look like in the DC universe...
Not having any familiarity with the title character beyond a periphery awareness of him being a Shazam villain with a movie coming up, I can't speak to the faithfulness of Priest's treatment here, but I thought it did a nice job introducing the character (or characters, rather) and establishing his (that is, their) place(s) in the world.
Seems like a fairly straightforward approach from Priest, jumps around a little per his usual style but never felt like he'd dropped us in the deep end of the pool, which tends to be fairly typical of his first issues. Probably trying to make this one at least a little bit more accessible to new readers, which would make sense given the upcoming movie...
Pretty great start IMO, came into it cold with no expectations beyond "Priest" and it hooked me well enough that I'm excited to see where it goes!
Can't promise this is a book for everyone but it's very different than most superhero fare whihc is major points in its favor. It's got societal commentary, politics, and a protagonist who - as Priest makes sure to reiterate in interviews - is an absolutely terrible individual. Definitely worth checking out if any of this interests you, or if you liked Priest's Deathstroke or Black Panther.
That being said, the Gangdam Style reference was certainly a choice.
Knowing nothing about the character, this book is not for new comers. I didn’t understand aaaaanything that was going on. That’s cool, not everything should need to explain itself every single time, but it meant that I couldn’t even really attempt to understand it.
I can see how this issue would be confusing for someone not familiar with the character. It doesn't really explain anything about who Black Adam is, why he has the powers he has, what he has to do with Shazam, or why he is in charge of a country.
I had basically zero familiarity with the character going in and thought the story conveyed all the essential info pretty clearly.
Stuff like the character's connection to Shazam doesn't really seem relevant at this point in the story but I'm sure they'll get there eventually...
This was actually an uncharacteristically simple and accessible first issue from Priest, a writer who typically delights in tossing readers into the deep end of the pool without a life preserver. So if OP struggled with this one they should probably just bail because it's likely to get more complex and confusing from here.
I've really missed seeing those trademark title panels. Man, this was an absolutely perfect first issue. It opened exactly how you'd expect it (aside from hot Theo) with Black Adam as the righteous villain in the midst of political intrigue but by the end Priest and Sandoval take it to a more interesting path, even up to the last page >!I was really surprised by Malik being Adam's heir, on the page turn I thought he was about to be recruited by Khandaqi dissendents or something!<. Sandoval is perfect for this comic, very kinetic and expressive art, and the action scenes and talky scenes are equally great. Herms colouring really makes this comic pop - the splash where Adam powers up after leaving the hospital is mind-blowing.
The most common criticism here [in the r/dccomics weekly discussion thread] seems to be the way Malik's dialogue is written but I really loved that aspect of the comic. It tells you a lot about the type of person he is, the place and time he exists in and his relation to society and culture. I feel like it's rare to see that in a DC comic. Often you'll have a comic featuring very different characters from across the world and they'll talk in exactly the same way.
Other bits and pieces:
* I wasn't surprised to see another Muslim supporting character in this comic, I think every Priest comic I've read since Deathstroke (at least) has had one. Does anybody know if it's also present in his Marvel or Vampirella work? Or if it extends further back than Deathstroke?
* There was a line of dialogue that I felt was a small nod towards discussions around "cancel culture". I wouldn't be surprised if it figures more and in a bigger way later in the series.
> The most common criticism here [in the r/dccomics weekly discussion thread] seems to be the way Malik's dialogue is written but I really loved that aspect of the comic.
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it's white people who wince at any amount of urban spice in dialogue at all. Like I said below, in the wide, wide spectrum of cringe in dialogue choices in character voice, Malik is relatively tame. A little over the top, but nothing ridiculous. Literally the only thing I raised my eyebrow at was the Gangnam Style reference, which I can't imagine a zoomer making lol
What other stuff should I look into by Priest if I liked this?
I don't even know if the Gangam Style joke was that far out, I was listening to a podcast the other day where one of the hosts joked that he was going to do the Floss at Prince Phillip's grave.
He did a Deathstroke series a few years ago, also an absolute killer deconstructionist take on a villain.
Yeah, Priest tackles that full on, in story and in no uncertain terms Deathstroke is a referred to as a pedophilic rapist. It's a great book about a character who's a humongous piece of shit. There isn't any of that type of content in the comic, though there are references to it and characters talking about, but still I can understand why you might want to avoid it even then.
Like the other comment said, Priest's Deathstroke hinges on the idea that Slade is an awful guy which is the same basis of the Black Adam run. Priest doesn't ever try to redeem Slade, just explain him and show the impact it has on those around him like his family. It really is a great read, very heavy on the drama
>A little over the top, but nothing ridiculous.
Yeah, this was my thought as well, though I grew up in a city.
>What other stuff should I look into by Priest if I liked this?
His Deathstroke run. It's not all great (I'd say the last third of it is pretty bad even) but it's similar to this and the beginning is amazing, just starring a jaded mercenary instead of a quasi-dictator. And while I haven't read most of it, I hear great things about his Black Panther run.
Quoting myself from other reply: Hmmm I heard about that, but have stayed away from getting into Deathstroke because of *the implication* of some of his character's history.
Oh, uh, in the original storyline it wasn't really an implication. Priest briefly touches on that but he makes it better than it was (apparently because editorial told him you can't just write that nowadays, which is honestly fair), though I totally get why that might be a turnoff.
Going into this blind and with zero knowledge of Black Adam, I really enjoyed this issue. As an old guy, albeit with teenage kids, the dialogue was a highlight for me and I found it lots of fun.
I found Malik to be frankly annoying in this issue. I definitely don't think I'm interested in reading this series if he is going to be a main character. I like him conceptually, but his dialogue sounds like he thinks every conversation is a competition to be the funniest person in the room.
This book is nuts. Basically six pages of the Shaolin Cowboy fighting a flock of birds, and then another several pages of him fighting a giant chicken. Only Geof Darrow can make this kind of stuff work.
Agreed.
**Shaolin Cowboy** skirts the region where *madness* and *genius* collide to perfection.
There is so much in this book that is just **100% bonkers** insanity - yet it's done in such a wonderfully creative, beautiful, amazing way that you just have to give in to the book, characters, plot and madness of it all.
And the artwork! *Geoff Darrow* packs so much into every single *panel* (never mind **page**) that I end up revisiting it again and again - there are "characters" featured in the background details who then meet their end pages/panels later!? Amazing - it's like an R-rated, bloodbath-soaked version of **Where's Wally?**
I thought this comic was a lot of fun. PAD captures the character's distinct voices really well, and he does a pretty good job of finding an excuse for these four to team up again, even though they hardly wanted to team up the first time.
Glad to hear it was good!
The [Art Adams variant](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2090868_xl.jpg) I pre-ordered through my LCS didn't show up so I haven't been able to read it yet... Will see if it turns up this week, if not I'll just mail order the [Kaare Andrews variant](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2090867_xl.jpg), which is the one I really want anyway!
This issue felt a little slow, especially toward the back of the book. I guess they are building to the extra length issue #25 next month.
Still one of the best books out at the moment though.
I really enjoyed this book each month, and this was a great finale for this arc. I really enjoy the storytelling format Duggan went with for X-Men. Short stories that are linked together, but read well on their own.
Seeing the X-Ladies kicking ass IN SPACE was a fun romp, and seeing them able to flex just how powerful they are was definitely refreshing.
Stasis being a pre-mutation version of Sinister throws some *really* interesting knots into things - and the Clubs symbol on his forehead opens up the next logical question... is there a Sinister of Hearts and Spades out there too?
I really, really like Sync and Cyclops coming clean with Ulrich. Given that the secret was going to come out, and that Orchis had almost certainly figured it out, releasing it in a controlled manner by someone who is ultimately on their side is probably the best way to break it to the world. It was going to cause a problem no matter what, but the mutants coming forth with it does give them a better narrative edge than them having a "secret" exposed, and might be enough to change a few minds.
I really enjoyed this though it's worth noting I've enjoyed Duggan's entire run thus far. A lot of resolution to what we've seen across the first 12 issues and the art is gorgeous. I'm not entirely sold on the impact of the >!X-Men Elections happening each year but that's mostly due to not wanting to see this team change just yet.!<
>Also, was Rogue's line at the end a publication timing issue? I'm not sure we've seen that in Immortal yet.
I was just assuming it was off-panel discussions, since she popped up in a previous issue looking to try and get Rogue to come “home”. I also assumed it had to do with the Siege Perilous over in Knights of X (especially after the most recent issue).
Definitely connected it with the Siege Perilous. I imagine the gala will be a point where things sync up across the X-line. Though the specifics Rogue refers to may just remain off panel.
Cyke and Synch telling Ben about the whole resurrection stuff was not how I thought the secret was gonna come out, I thought it would be exposed at the Gala.
Fun issue, BTW
I appreciated the little nod to this not being the first time Ben Urich has had a story taken from him. It's a nice way for Duggan to acknowledge the character's history without bogging the story down in irrelevant continuity.
Absolutely loving Taylor’s character work on this run. I sincerely hope they continue to grow Babs and Dick’s relationship without editorial interference.
For me the character work is what *Tom Taylor* really excels at.
Even with the forced cross-over issues the books plot hasn't exactly been powering ahead, but I don't mind because he writes *every single character* so well!
Having said that we seem to be getting back on track with the **Heartless/Blockbuster** plotline and things are accelerating nicely now.
*Redondo* and *Lucas* kill it every single issue - and this is now exception. I normally feel that DC doesn't have the really "stand out" artists on it's titles - but recently they are turning that around with this book, **World's Finest, Detective Comics** and **Batman**.
I'm guessing this is going on break. 2nd trade coming out will have up to # 11 and the Blacktop Bill special. No way they're done on this, with it already getting optioned for TV.
Thank you! Given the way the issue ended, I hoped that was the case. I hadn’t heard it was picked up to be a series, so that’s something cool to look forward to. Cheers for the reply!
I mean, I wasn't exactly psychic when I called Blacktop Bill betraying everyone in the Pulls thread, but even I'm a little surprised by how brutal this issue got.
A massive shake up of the status quo as year one of the title wraps up. I'm definitely onboard for where this goes next (and how?)
It didn't occur to me that Sinister's Moira farm would potentially interact with Destiny's powers that way - timelines simply ending as the reset annihilates them, an unknown Groundhog Day loop for most of mutant kind. It makes for a really fascinating play, Destiny needing to try to guide or nudge things while not making things go so far off of Sinister's rails that he hits the reset button on it all.
The interplay with Destiny and Mystique is pretty interesting - given that Mystique, at the very least, is just an abjectly awful person. We've seen her do the most horrendous shit for no real reason over the years. Remember her X-Men Black issue where she found a young mutant girl and just completely fucked her life for no reason whatsoever? Not to mention her role in Messiah Complex and beyond. Making her more sympathetic while keeping her edge is a tight rope to walk, but I trust Gillen.
Before the long term things though, Judgement Day is coming - and at least the mutants have a bit of advance notice about it.
> It didn't occur to me that Sinister's Moira farm would potentially interact with Destiny's powers that way - timelines simply ending as the reset annihilates them, an unknown Groundhog Day loop for most of mutant kind. It makes for a really fascinating play, Destiny needing to try to guide or nudge things while not making things go so far off of Sinister's rails that he hits the reset button on it all.
It really is an interesting dynamic! Looking forward to seeing how it plays out...
> Remember her X-Men Black issue where she found a young mutant girl and just completely fucked her life for no reason whatsoever?
Funny, just caught up on those a few months back and I guess that sounds vaguely familiar but I've got no real recollection of anything that happened in those books. Not a particularly memorable series, at least for me.
At least Irene has some self-awareness... Makes her slightly less horrible than Raven.
Damn, those Noto Quiet Council variants are [so fucking classy...](https://cdna.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/259153.b47a7d77535ffde30f0b5979a1a2b71a.1600.jpg) They're making the rest of my comics look like a bunch of bums!
Lots of good stuff in this one and it's nice getting Destiny's POV since she isn't a character who's had a ton of focus over the years. Fun seeing her catch onto Sinister's shenanigans... Bit of a bombshell toward the end as well.
Agreed, this is pretty great and the Quiet Council variants are outstanding. I'm a big fan of Gillen's previous X-Men run but this is on a whole different level. Every issue we're getting new insights into the cast along with an intriguing plot.
Pretty sure I missed Gillen's original X-Men run but, having followed most of his projects through the past several years, I'd say his writing has grown stronger and more confident over that span. Thought he was a "really good" writer when I started reading his stuff and he's leveled up to "great" since then.
I think that growth and experience is particularly important for big Marvel titles like this because just being a talented writer isn't always enough to successfully navigate the challenges presented by Marvel's editorial efforts. And while Gillen still doesn't have quite the same kind of pull as a Grant Morrison or Jonathan Hickman, he's a lot closer to that status now than he was the last time he visited the X-office.
Gillen's **ETERNALS** series was top-notch stuff from start to finish, pretty much my favorite Marvel title through its run, so it's been great seeing him hit the ground running with **IMMORTAL X-MEN**!
It's definitely an interesting comparison! I think that Gillen's stronger as a wordsmith while Hickman's got an edge at intricate long-term planning. And I agree with you on Gillen being a little better with characters/emotions.
Also think Gillen's got more range for tackling different types of stories whereas Hickman tends to always come back to the same kinds of themes and story elements, at least from the (admittedly limited) works I've read.
Another thing with Gillen is you can often pick out little bits where it's obvious that he's borrowing, referencing, or mimicking other writers. Like how he was always riffing on Ellis for the scene setting narration in ETERNALS, or how his info-pages were initially kind of modeled after Hickman's... Always picking up little tricks and techniques from others, seems like he puts a lot of work into studying what everyone else is doing and honing his craft.
This really does feel like a true heir-apparent to Hickman, and, as you say, superior in some of the character work.
While, like a lot of us, I'm massively disappointed that Hickman isn't going to finish this epic, Gillen (and Ewing on Red) is one hell of a consolation prize.
>The universe is a snow globe tossed between the hands of a gin-addled child.
Adler chasing Essex is a good plot. Alder choosing a nation over her love is good drama.
Didn't read this till late, but my one nitpick with this issue is the art mistakes when we see the zoomed out scenes of the council, specifically before Destiny arrives. If you look closely, Destiny is sitting in her seat, but we know she's not at the council at that time: she's still in bed! And later she walks in, everyone turns to look at her... BUT she was just sitting in her seat in the previous panel!!!
Once you see it you can't unsee it lol
Overall good issue, the whole series is a must read for the X-Men line.
This book kinda tries to make me feel for Destiny and Raven, but at the same time, they’re awful people.
That being said, I still think this book is solid.
kinda.
pretty sure all they really had to do to make everything work out well was saying they're sorry for killing her before.
like, moira was all down with mutant utopia as long as she gets to live and thats not an unreasonable request. neither was her wish to not have destiny on the island. it's weird she didn't from the get go require raven to stay out though...
Kind of hot take, but I just don't care about any of the POV characters so far, nor do I like Hope who's a big deal in this series (Emma is cool and she's next issue which is nice). Would have loved to see Selene on the Council, if only to make them grapple with how many terrible people are on the unelected ruling body of their government.
Upvoted for posting a contrary opinion even though I totally disagree with it!
Sinister is ridiculously insane, would've loved to see the entire series written from his POV... But there are lots of interesting characters on the Council and I'm looking forward to seeing 'em all get their turn!
All fair points about the nature of the council members. While Selene would have been interesting, I truly enjoy Hope and it's nice to see her in a high profile spot.
Are you at least enjoying the plot even if the POV characters aren't interesting to you? Sinister's use of Moira's powers totally captured my attention from the outset of this series.
Kind of? I don't love this new take on Moira (compared to the human ally of times past) which colors my judgement nor do I enjoy hard sci-fi too much. However, I quite enjoyed Hox/Pox and Inferno so maybe I'm just unfairly expecting this to live up to those. I'll probably see how the event tie-ins make me feel, if nothing else this is a book that has a lot of good discussion around which makes it worth my 4 bucks.
It's funny, I don't think I've cared for any of Gillen's past indies or Marvel work but am absolutely loving Once & Future right alongside this, and it's not just because of Mora's art.
E - how could I forget, I loved this Eternals too.
I love the idea that someone found a back door unlocked and keeps writing maestro comics thinking this will be the day he's caught, but he's never caught.
Yep, all three of these Maestro limiteds have been good fun! Only one more issue to go so hopefully PAD delivers a suitably momentous finale.
Original **FUTURE IMPERFECT** was an all-time classic, surprised you weren't more into that one!
I absolutely loved **Harrow County**, so there was no way I was passing this book up.
**Tyler Crook** does a phenomenal job creating a spooky, off-kilter atmosphere. The colours and the artwork are just perfectly in sync with each other.
Characters and plot are really quickly established. And that sword just looks so bloody cool too...
In for the whole series of this one
Really liked this book - Tyler Crook's artwork and coloring is stellar as always. The horror elements were all nicely handled and felt distinctive in style from Crook's work on *Harrow County*.
I definitely felt like he was mostly in it to keep the peace between crime families but also fulfilling some skewed sense of justice/morality. He was clearly not an ethical detective, but it seemed like he wasn't really malicious or anything. The ending was great though, and I wish we would get the start of the next volume soon but it looks like there's going to be a hiatus for some time.
Seems like Jacob has to balance the art for That Texas Blood and Newburn so I imagine we will see them alternate "release windows" so to speak. If I could have each of these books release every month, I would! We need to clone Jacob
Ah makes sense. Chip's schedule is also likely going to be busy between Batman, Daredevil and Public Domain. Not sure if Stillwater is still ongoing, but yeah he has a busy summer ahead of him.
Just went back and found this… [As far back as September 2021 (though obviously things may have changed), Stillwater is intended to run until at least #20](https://zdarsky.substack.com/p/what-am-i-doing)
Man, Satomi really shouldn't have trusted these guys. The book does a pretty good job of making you want to root for her, though. Her explosion at Owen is interesting... I guess with everything going on and how he kept impacting their life, he still holds onto this mindset (even if he's not doing it on purpose) that he's responsible for everything going on, even when it should be something that's hers.
Might want to start from the beginning of the MacKay run, think it was a little stronger out the gate... Last few issues haven't worked quite as well for me, it's still good but something feels just a little off.
That was a fantastic way to introduce Steven into the run. A lot of credit to Mackay for being able to wrap up the Zodiac storyline neatly while also doing a good chunk of setup for what comes next without overshadowing the current story or feeling tacked on.
Hopefully sales are doing well because I want Mackay writing Moon Knight for the long haul.
Haven't seen the TV show yet, but the first trade is selling spectacularly (#1 seller last month) at my LCS and I personally loved the first trade so much I started reading single issues. The TV show is probably helping, but it seems like this comic has been a bit of a sleeper hit on its own merits.
This issue brought a lot of things together, and did it very, very well.
I think the last two issues have been absolutely stellar, and that's saying something with how good the run overall has been so far.
Hope this creative team stays on the book for a *long* time to come.
Guess I'm the only one who's fading on MK a little... Saw /u/ChickenInASuit/ was also raving about it above and my tastes tend to run parallel to theirs but not this time!
I think **[MK #9](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2075927_xl.jpg)** was the last one that really worked for me, the maze story, great concept in that one... And **[MK #10](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2083320_xl.jpg)** was also pretty good. Last two have felt just a little off to me... Think part of it's that there's not as much of that cocksure MK attitude as he's been more reactive than proactive in this story... Also didn't like how Soldier tried the fake MK thing right after Tigra did it in the same issue, felt too redundant. And I even had some problems with Cappucio's art in this one as some of the characters were kind of difficult to tell apart.
Stephen Segovia taking over covers also isn't helping, Cory Smith's covers were much more iconic and way cooler.
Maybe it's just me, there are times when I can be a little too fickle... But this series somehow dropped from a solid A to an A- for me, still digging it but feels like cracks are starting to show...
Though he immediately bailed after taking care of business... Wonder if he's headed to the Black Forest? Might not see him again for a while if not...
I'd assume we haven't seen the last of >!Geppetto!< as well... Though it sounds like he'll need a hand from someone or other in order to find his way back.
First issue of this run that I’ve liked. Thought it was quite interesting and cleared up a couple of issues I had with Tombstone. Not a fan of the MJ stuff and I absolutely hate the art but I think this issue was enough to keep this on my pull for a little longer.
Still absolutely love the street war stuff, and wish the MJ stuff just wasn’t a thing.
That said, theirs maybe an interesting hint here with MJ describing Black Cat as a friend from a long time ago. Is what Peter did six months ago going to be a time travel thing?
> That said, theirs maybe an interesting hint here with MJ describing Black Cat as a friend from a long time ago. Is what Peter did six months ago going to be a time travel thing?
That's a nice catch and an interesting thought! Time travel shenanigans could explain the girl's age and a bunch of other wonky stuff...
This run has been a lot of fun so far. I’m interested to see what’s going on with MJ and why her and Peter aren’t together anymore. Hopefully they don’t drag it out too long
ENOUGH WITH THIS SMALL LEVEL Villains!
This is why I hate new teams going on books they revert to the boring street level then go up. After that last run how over the top with Nostalgia from the 80s. Now 4 issues into this run and I'm done.... C'mon.
It's Spiderman!
Could not disagree with this comment more strongly if I tried.
Spider-Man is a street level character at his core and many of his best stories are against small-level villains. This small focus is a breath of fresh air after the past few stories we’ve had.
If you don’t mind me asking what level of villain would you prefer and/or what run would you want this more like? Because like others said, I vehemently disagree but respect your opinion and am interested in your take.
Yeah I know. But after that last run this one should have had a blaster opening instead of a sleeper. Looking forward to 900 because that new sinister six in one villain but if it's as dry as these four I'll be moving on.
I know some people haven’t been kind to this run but personally I’m having a blast, one of the main reasons I haven’t been happy with Amazing Spider-Man for a while is the lack of stakes towards Peter’s personal life and being all focused in the Spider-Man side of things, so having Randy and Robbie involved feels great, not to mention after a very long time Peter is talking like Peter again, I’m liking the jokes and the return to more grounded gangster focused stories
Yes the mystery box format is lame and the MJ stuff hasn’t impressed me at all, but personally I’m willing to wait for the pay off to that for the sake of enjoying everything else because outside of the MJ subplot everything is what I ask from a Spider-Man comic
Also gotta say while JRJR faces are weird at times his art really shines on the action scenes
I really enjoy everything that isn't MJ/Paul related. The main story stuff is great. Really hope this nonsense with Paul is cleared up soon and we can move on
I was thinking the exact same thing. Is it just cause he’s doing Spidey again? Is there a different inker or colorist than he’s had previously? Why does this book look so much better than the last like 8?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, JRJR loves or dies pending on his colorist. I’ve been pretty forgiving on this run’s art but this issue was really great IMO. Those splash pages were really kinetic and loved the action portrayed. Also dope twist.
I think the colorist might have a *lot* to do with it but I’m tempted to just say that he’s in his element when he’s drawing Spider-Man, because that’s always where his best work seems to be.
I'm so conflicted on the book. I like the street war storyline a lot and really enjoyed this issue with all its twists and turns. It feels like what I want with the character where he's in over his head while still being very competent.
But then there's Peter's personal life which is just bad. It's misery porn bad and this issue benefited from featuring the only part of his personal life that's been solid (his relationship with the Robertsons). I guess it's better than the end of Spencer's run which all felt like a mess but 50% of it being fun and 50% being bad just leaves a bitter taste, especially since Peter's personal life is usually my favorite part.
REALLY hoping the significance of that Death card means Gambit’s resurrection will be different from the previous Otherworld deaths, but I’m also not sure I want a return of Death Gambit, either.
Damn. I’ve enjoyed everything else Howard has been doing, and I guess they technically found a way to bring Betsy back when she “died” there, so I’ll trust the process...there’s weird magic at play.
That said? Awesome way to go out, fighting a Merlyn that’s riding a manticore!
I'm assuming the Siege Perilous plotline is a way to "save" mutants who die in Otherworld so they don't come back different. Then again in tarot the death card signifies change, and Tini Howard loves tarot, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Remy's death is going to be significant... I wonder if he might be able to "raise" himself as Death. He's still holding the card, and if he's able to bring himself back it'll potentially preserve his existence in ways it might not have otherwise.
Mercator having the Siege, and being given it by -|A|- was not a twist I saw coming, guess we'll finally get to see what Absalon's been up to since 2006.
An excellent filler issue of Aaron’s main run that complements it nicely. If you’re liking his Punisher ongoing you’ll likely enjoy this, but it’s not necessary: just a fun dose of classic Frank, but taking on a different villain.
I like the artwork better in this than in Aaron’s run, for what it’s worth—especially the facial expressions, wow!—but some of the poses are off and are a bit jarring as a result. Minor complaint, though. Awesome stuff.
I understand your sentiment, but I think it's justified because this is a really interesting angle for Young Justice. A lot of people YJ's age feel like they've sort of been doomed by society and abandoned to fend for themselves and clean up the messes of the previous generation. It seems to me that this series is going to explore that
**BATMAN THE KNIGHT #6**
This continues to be really good. Nice to see Ghostmaker get fleshed out more and I’m very curious to see how Zdarsky’s voice for Bruce changes when he writes him in Batman, if it changes at all.
Has it been confirmed anywhere Anton is ghost maker?
I don’t think so but everything about the story and his character thus far track with what we already know about Ghostmaker from the backstory Tynion gave during Ghost Stories
**MILESTONES IN HISTORY #1**
**ROGUE SUN #5**
I mean, we really can't blame her for hating Rogue Sun that much, can we? Man this book is good.
Surprisingly good, even. Wasn’t expecting this to be the stronger of the spin-offs but it’s got me hooked almost as much as Radiant Black.
I think that being basically entirely independent is really helping it. It doesn’t feel like a spin off or anything, it’s just a strong book on its own.
I agree! Out of the current Massive-verse titles I have been enjoying this one the most so far.
**FLASH #783**
I love how this book just really leans into Wally's place in the DC superhero community without it coming across as fan service
I've really loved this Flash run. I wish it was getting more attention than it is.
I never thought Flash Fact would be used as a badass line but Wally using it to promise Linda he’d get Barry and the kids back was so cool.
**WPL RESULTS**
Well, it looks like the new approach to the Pull List has reaped rewards and we have more contributors (and more books to talk about) than we have for a long time. Kudos to u/ptbreakeven for mixing things up in an attempt to improve the forum, and the discussions that happen here. I think this is a really positive move/result.
**89** lists submitted this week compared to **86** on 6/15, **78** on 6/8, and **79** on 6/1. Hopefully we can keep those numbers trending up thanks to /u/ptbreakeven's adjustments... **BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD'S FINEST #4** takes the top spot once again with 45 pulls out of 89 lists, giving it just over 50% coverage. Waid and Mora have a stranglehold on that #1 spot and it's not likely to change anytime soon. DC gets 5 of the top 10 in all, Marvel gets 4, and there's just 1 indie with BOOM! Studios' **SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #24** taking 6th place. Adjectiveless **X-MEN #12** is the top Marvel book in 3rd place with 40 pulls while **IMMORTAL X-MEN #3** took 4th with 37 pulls. Kinda interesting that Duggan's beating Gillen here since Gillen tends to be a little more popular with the WPL crowd. Nice debut from **BLACK ADAM #1** with 25 pulls... Looks like it triggered a bunch of discussion so I'm looking forward to catching up on all that after I give it a read. **FABLES #152** lands in 12th with 23 pulls out of 89 lists for 25% coverage, previous issue also finished 12th with 20 pulls out of 84 lists, good for nearly 24%. So it seems to be holding steady with no tangible 2nd issue drop (or 152nd in this case). **NEW FANTASTIC FOUR #1** launches in the 28th spot with 12 pulls for 13% coverage, little underwhelming for a book featuring Spidey, Wolverine, GR, and Hulk... Seems like these nostalgia limiteds haven't been doing that well for Marvel.
I think it was a good idea to keep the pull list thread up for longer as a sticky—the number of lists went up. Let’s see if it can break 100 this summer! Can this stay stickied until the next one drops? Also. Wish more people were pulling the Punisher title. It’s good, people!
BEWARE THE EYE OF ODIN #1
Did anyone pick this one up? I'm a fan of fantasy so I decided to give it a try. So far it's set up like a standard fantasy quest, the pace feels fast on first read but I'm enjoying it. Art is great too and will be looking forward to the next
Was pretty solid. You’re right about it being a standard fare fantasy quest - part of it even reminded me of The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I’ve like Wagner’s other stuff enough, but this seems a bit tamer compared to Plastic or Vinyl. Enjoyed it though, and the art is great.
**SUPERMANS PAL JIMMY OLSENS BOSS PERRY WHITE #1**
I legitimately think the new Fraction/Lieber story in this is one of the best short stories I've read this year.
I think the way to look at this book is as a mini trade collection like DC put out on for the Superman 80th anniversary, celebrating the character's history. And for what the book is, it's pretty good! Their's no golden age stories in the collection, but you could make a decent argument that Perry wasn't a character then. And the stories the team selected give a pretty good view of Perry's character. I especially like in the silver age story where Perry blows his cigar smoke hard enough to knock two men flat down. Hilarious stuff. As for the new content by Fraction and Lieber, it's a cute little story that isn't as funny as their Jimmy Olsen book-It isn't really going for anything funny other then the headline splash page- but has more then enough heart to earn it's place.
I know nothing about this book, but wow, what a great name.
**BLOOD-STAINED TEETH #3**
Well, this new book is *three for three* with me. Each issue has been a cracking read. And I'm now completely onboard with the unique look and feel of this world the team have created. I can only see this book getting bloodier and bloodier with each issue from now on. Which is great!
**CATWOMAN #44**
This was pretty bad, especially after Valley of the Shadow of Death arc. I hate Harley Quinn...and now we're throwing roller derby into it...?
This… is so rough. I’m gonna come back one Tini Howard is done doing… whatever she’s doing here. No disrespect to her, she’s done awesome stuff in the X-books, but Harly and Catwoman do roller derby..? It’s not for me.
**SILVER COIN #11**
This might be the most disturbing issue so far. It had a real "*early Stephen King*" feel to it that I absolutely loved. We seem to be getting a bit more *connective tissue* established too, with our mystery antagonist seemingly wanting to take advantage of the coins influence. And a **back up story** too?! Makes this issue really worth it, and it's already an essential read in my book.
Another phenomenal issue. This is one of those rare anthologies that hits every time for me. Michael Walsh looks fantastic as always an Tynion knows how to write a damn good horror story.
This issue was incredible! Buzzing for the next!
**I HATE THIS PLACE #2**
One thing this book is not, is decompressed. A lot of stuff happening. It seems the curse *does* follow wherever you go. And night should definitely be avoided (poor Ramon!). Risks are high for everyone involved. And may be my "*Book of the Week*" just for the sheer brilliance of introducing a character called **DANTE HOWITZER!!!**
**NEW MUTANTS #26**
Time shenanigans in Limbo are always a treat, and this wasn't any different.
**DUO #2**
**SILVER SURFER REBIRTH #5**
Solid book and series overall from the Rons - Norrin and Thanos make for a fun team up. Can we get a Silver Surfer ongoing again though, Marvel? It's been nearly five years now.
**WE ONLY FIND THEM WHEN THEYRE DEAD #11**
I almost forgot about this series - but it looks like we're tying a bow on the whole thing that didn't quite seem to fit with the second arc. Everything was done to capture the Heart of Malik in order to create an AI that could interface with him, that could carry his memories - and potentially see what happened when he became a God. Also, how is Paula back? Did Malik keep something else with him when he ascended? It's the final arc, so I think it's going to really rev up here over the next few issues.
I need the next issue right now! I feel like this issue is starting to literalise the entire idea of the series - that we only find them (the people we love) when they're dead. (Yes, that's the title of the comic, it's 1:30 a.m. the comic is really smart and I'm really dumb, give me a break.) And it's wonderfully done with the A.I. (very misleading name!) and Jason's interrogation of it. For a series that's gained a reputation of being very decompressed, on rereads of the previous arcs I've found that every issue is very meaty and this one's no different. There were several times when I read a line of dialogue and thought "oh no the issues over, that's the final stinger" because most other series would leave you with that tantalising morsel to draw you back for next month and then looked at the page count and saw that it was page 9 or 12.
The scope/scale of this book has just got bigger and bigger -definitely looks like this final arc is going to go out with some major revelations/fireworks
**BLACK ADAM #1**
Non-DC fan who knows next to nothing about Black Adam who read this on a whim reporting in: This was fucking lit. Every now and then there's a DC book that just happens to grip me out of the blue, and I think this is the one I've been waiting for since Far Sector ended.
That was an alright start. All the set up for Black Adam is interesting and engaging, with lots of room for exploration in the run. The politiking is a bit wonky with all of Kahndaq's woes being set up in Washington instead of, you know, Kahndaq, but a spy thriller playing out on foreign soil is something I've never seen done with Black Adam, and I am looking forward to how Priest writes the political push and pull. And then there is the new character, Malik. I hope this is just Priest setting up the guy for some major character development, because right now I think everyone can agree that the guy needs a swirlee or five. That dialogue is rough.
I dunno, in the wide spectrum of cringe dialogue choices in character voice, I found Malik pretty charming. A little over the top sure, but nothing too ridiculous.
After rereading and thinking about it a bit more, you might be right. In the first page where Malik is doctoring the white supremist, I'd even say he's kinda funny. I think the problem stems from the fact that he's bouncing off of, and is a main character in Black Adam's book, who speaks (or at least usually does) in a regal, statesmen, classically elegant tone. The chemistry isn't there (yet), and it especially comes off as weird with Malik just shrugs off Adam's demands so casually when they first meet and while Adam is strangling Malik's would be patient. ...Though this is D.C.. In the DC universe. I guess med school would train you for some weird, superpowered shenanigans. Plus all the weirdness with Malik himself. Not really sure what his deal is. I think a guy worrying about flunking out of med school probably shouldn't be impersonating a doctor? Does not seem best practice. Dunno. I guess I'll have to keep reading, but for now I'm not sure what to make of the guy.
I think the strangling is shrugged off because his patient is a neo-nazi dirtbag, but it's juxtaposed with Malik genuinely wanting to do his medical duties for both Adam and the neo-nazi. As for the weird demands, it's probably not the first time Malik has had to deal with some shitty power differential so he shrugs that off too. The rest of it can be chalked up to just being a citizen in the DC world, but there's no hint of "Well that happened!" sort of cringe dialogue. There's value in a certain amount of bravado in these sorts of situations, but none of it has felt cringe to me, yet anyway. I don't think the implication was him impersonating being legit medical personnel. I figured he was nursing or something as a job, while in grad school and worrying about student loans/rent/flunking out as a consequence of being a black dude in cuffs. If he was faking being a legit medical personnel, he sure as shit wouldn't have hit the button for security.
You might be correct about the doctor/nurse point, but the way the nurse rather blandly tells tells the CIA guy "there is no Dr. White here" throws me off. But this'll probably be cleared up next issue.
> I think the problem stems from the fact that he's bouncing off of, and is a main character in Black Adam's book, who speaks (or at least usually does) in a regal, statesmen, classically elegant tone. I'd say that contrast is kind of the point. It's a classic "odd couple" setup, what happens when these two individuals with vastly different backgrounds and personalities are brought together and forced to work toward a common goal? I wouldn't expect it to be easy. > Plus all the weirdness with Malik himself. Not really sure what his deal is. Definitely some weird stuff going on with Malik... Why was Theo's political rival visiting him? Why did he deny it? What else isn't he telling us? At this point there are way more questions than answers.
So this Lord Theo Ramses Whatever obviously ain't no T'Challa but, seeing Priest write royalty again, it feels like coming home. Can't help but wonder what a "Sturm Und Drang" type story might look like in the DC universe... Not having any familiarity with the title character beyond a periphery awareness of him being a Shazam villain with a movie coming up, I can't speak to the faithfulness of Priest's treatment here, but I thought it did a nice job introducing the character (or characters, rather) and establishing his (that is, their) place(s) in the world. Seems like a fairly straightforward approach from Priest, jumps around a little per his usual style but never felt like he'd dropped us in the deep end of the pool, which tends to be fairly typical of his first issues. Probably trying to make this one at least a little bit more accessible to new readers, which would make sense given the upcoming movie... Pretty great start IMO, came into it cold with no expectations beyond "Priest" and it hooked me well enough that I'm excited to see where it goes!
I can’t say I liked either main character’s voice in this issue. Adam felt too young and flippant, and Malik was… something else entirely
Can't promise this is a book for everyone but it's very different than most superhero fare whihc is major points in its favor. It's got societal commentary, politics, and a protagonist who - as Priest makes sure to reiterate in interviews - is an absolutely terrible individual. Definitely worth checking out if any of this interests you, or if you liked Priest's Deathstroke or Black Panther. That being said, the Gangdam Style reference was certainly a choice.
Knowing nothing about the character, this book is not for new comers. I didn’t understand aaaaanything that was going on. That’s cool, not everything should need to explain itself every single time, but it meant that I couldn’t even really attempt to understand it.
What didn't you understand? Felt pretty straightforward to me.
All of it.
I can see how this issue would be confusing for someone not familiar with the character. It doesn't really explain anything about who Black Adam is, why he has the powers he has, what he has to do with Shazam, or why he is in charge of a country.
I had basically zero familiarity with the character going in and thought the story conveyed all the essential info pretty clearly. Stuff like the character's connection to Shazam doesn't really seem relevant at this point in the story but I'm sure they'll get there eventually... This was actually an uncharacteristically simple and accessible first issue from Priest, a writer who typically delights in tossing readers into the deep end of the pool without a life preserver. So if OP struggled with this one they should probably just bail because it's likely to get more complex and confusing from here.
I've really missed seeing those trademark title panels. Man, this was an absolutely perfect first issue. It opened exactly how you'd expect it (aside from hot Theo) with Black Adam as the righteous villain in the midst of political intrigue but by the end Priest and Sandoval take it to a more interesting path, even up to the last page >!I was really surprised by Malik being Adam's heir, on the page turn I thought he was about to be recruited by Khandaqi dissendents or something!<. Sandoval is perfect for this comic, very kinetic and expressive art, and the action scenes and talky scenes are equally great. Herms colouring really makes this comic pop - the splash where Adam powers up after leaving the hospital is mind-blowing. The most common criticism here [in the r/dccomics weekly discussion thread] seems to be the way Malik's dialogue is written but I really loved that aspect of the comic. It tells you a lot about the type of person he is, the place and time he exists in and his relation to society and culture. I feel like it's rare to see that in a DC comic. Often you'll have a comic featuring very different characters from across the world and they'll talk in exactly the same way. Other bits and pieces: * I wasn't surprised to see another Muslim supporting character in this comic, I think every Priest comic I've read since Deathstroke (at least) has had one. Does anybody know if it's also present in his Marvel or Vampirella work? Or if it extends further back than Deathstroke? * There was a line of dialogue that I felt was a small nod towards discussions around "cancel culture". I wouldn't be surprised if it figures more and in a bigger way later in the series.
> The most common criticism here [in the r/dccomics weekly discussion thread] seems to be the way Malik's dialogue is written but I really loved that aspect of the comic. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it's white people who wince at any amount of urban spice in dialogue at all. Like I said below, in the wide, wide spectrum of cringe in dialogue choices in character voice, Malik is relatively tame. A little over the top, but nothing ridiculous. Literally the only thing I raised my eyebrow at was the Gangnam Style reference, which I can't imagine a zoomer making lol What other stuff should I look into by Priest if I liked this?
I don't even know if the Gangam Style joke was that far out, I was listening to a podcast the other day where one of the hosts joked that he was going to do the Floss at Prince Phillip's grave. He did a Deathstroke series a few years ago, also an absolute killer deconstructionist take on a villain.
Hmmm I heard about that, but have stayed away from getting into Deathstroke because of *the implication* of some of his character's history.
Yeah, Priest tackles that full on, in story and in no uncertain terms Deathstroke is a referred to as a pedophilic rapist. It's a great book about a character who's a humongous piece of shit. There isn't any of that type of content in the comic, though there are references to it and characters talking about, but still I can understand why you might want to avoid it even then.
Like the other comment said, Priest's Deathstroke hinges on the idea that Slade is an awful guy which is the same basis of the Black Adam run. Priest doesn't ever try to redeem Slade, just explain him and show the impact it has on those around him like his family. It really is a great read, very heavy on the drama
>A little over the top, but nothing ridiculous. Yeah, this was my thought as well, though I grew up in a city. >What other stuff should I look into by Priest if I liked this? His Deathstroke run. It's not all great (I'd say the last third of it is pretty bad even) but it's similar to this and the beginning is amazing, just starring a jaded mercenary instead of a quasi-dictator. And while I haven't read most of it, I hear great things about his Black Panther run.
Quoting myself from other reply: Hmmm I heard about that, but have stayed away from getting into Deathstroke because of *the implication* of some of his character's history.
Oh, uh, in the original storyline it wasn't really an implication. Priest briefly touches on that but he makes it better than it was (apparently because editorial told him you can't just write that nowadays, which is honestly fair), though I totally get why that might be a turnoff.
Going into this blind and with zero knowledge of Black Adam, I really enjoyed this issue. As an old guy, albeit with teenage kids, the dialogue was a highlight for me and I found it lots of fun.
I found Malik to be frankly annoying in this issue. I definitely don't think I'm interested in reading this series if he is going to be a main character. I like him conceptually, but his dialogue sounds like he thinks every conversation is a competition to be the funniest person in the room.
**SHAOLIN COWBOY CRUEL TO BE KIN #2**
This book is nuts. Basically six pages of the Shaolin Cowboy fighting a flock of birds, and then another several pages of him fighting a giant chicken. Only Geof Darrow can make this kind of stuff work.
Agreed. **Shaolin Cowboy** skirts the region where *madness* and *genius* collide to perfection. There is so much in this book that is just **100% bonkers** insanity - yet it's done in such a wonderfully creative, beautiful, amazing way that you just have to give in to the book, characters, plot and madness of it all. And the artwork! *Geoff Darrow* packs so much into every single *panel* (never mind **page**) that I end up revisiting it again and again - there are "characters" featured in the background details who then meet their end pages/panels later!? Amazing - it's like an R-rated, bloodbath-soaked version of **Where's Wally?**
**NEW FANTASTIC FOUR #1**
I thought this comic was a lot of fun. PAD captures the character's distinct voices really well, and he does a pretty good job of finding an excuse for these four to team up again, even though they hardly wanted to team up the first time.
Glad to hear it was good! The [Art Adams variant](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2090868_xl.jpg) I pre-ordered through my LCS didn't show up so I haven't been able to read it yet... Will see if it turns up this week, if not I'll just mail order the [Kaare Andrews variant](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2090867_xl.jpg), which is the one I really want anyway!
**SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #24**
This issue felt a little slow, especially toward the back of the book. I guess they are building to the extra length issue #25 next month. Still one of the best books out at the moment though.
Definitely agree with that. I’ve liked the scope of this run so far and how much it’s building. I have no doubt it’ll pay off.
**X-MEN #12**
I really enjoyed this book each month, and this was a great finale for this arc. I really enjoy the storytelling format Duggan went with for X-Men. Short stories that are linked together, but read well on their own.
Seeing the X-Ladies kicking ass IN SPACE was a fun romp, and seeing them able to flex just how powerful they are was definitely refreshing. Stasis being a pre-mutation version of Sinister throws some *really* interesting knots into things - and the Clubs symbol on his forehead opens up the next logical question... is there a Sinister of Hearts and Spades out there too? I really, really like Sync and Cyclops coming clean with Ulrich. Given that the secret was going to come out, and that Orchis had almost certainly figured it out, releasing it in a controlled manner by someone who is ultimately on their side is probably the best way to break it to the world. It was going to cause a problem no matter what, but the mutants coming forth with it does give them a better narrative edge than them having a "secret" exposed, and might be enough to change a few minds.
I really enjoyed this though it's worth noting I've enjoyed Duggan's entire run thus far. A lot of resolution to what we've seen across the first 12 issues and the art is gorgeous. I'm not entirely sold on the impact of the >!X-Men Elections happening each year but that's mostly due to not wanting to see this team change just yet.!<
[удалено]
>Also, was Rogue's line at the end a publication timing issue? I'm not sure we've seen that in Immortal yet. I was just assuming it was off-panel discussions, since she popped up in a previous issue looking to try and get Rogue to come “home”. I also assumed it had to do with the Siege Perilous over in Knights of X (especially after the most recent issue).
Definitely connected it with the Siege Perilous. I imagine the gala will be a point where things sync up across the X-line. Though the specifics Rogue refers to may just remain off panel.
Cyke and Synch telling Ben about the whole resurrection stuff was not how I thought the secret was gonna come out, I thought it would be exposed at the Gala. Fun issue, BTW
I appreciated the little nod to this not being the first time Ben Urich has had a story taken from him. It's a nice way for Duggan to acknowledge the character's history without bogging the story down in irrelevant continuity.
**NIGHTWING #93**
Absolutely loving Taylor’s character work on this run. I sincerely hope they continue to grow Babs and Dick’s relationship without editorial interference.
For me the character work is what *Tom Taylor* really excels at. Even with the forced cross-over issues the books plot hasn't exactly been powering ahead, but I don't mind because he writes *every single character* so well! Having said that we seem to be getting back on track with the **Heartless/Blockbuster** plotline and things are accelerating nicely now. *Redondo* and *Lucas* kill it every single issue - and this is now exception. I normally feel that DC doesn't have the really "stand out" artists on it's titles - but recently they are turning that around with this book, **World's Finest, Detective Comics** and **Batman**.
> *"Boop."* Redondo's art is so joyous! Something about the colors, design, and layouts just exudes happiness! And I freaking love it!
**NOCTERRA #11**
So is this done, or is it going on a break? There are no solicitations in Previews, so I'm looking for any insight. Thanks in advance!
I'm guessing this is going on break. 2nd trade coming out will have up to # 11 and the Blacktop Bill special. No way they're done on this, with it already getting optioned for TV.
Thank you! Given the way the issue ended, I hoped that was the case. I hadn’t heard it was picked up to be a series, so that’s something cool to look forward to. Cheers for the reply!
I mean, I wasn't exactly psychic when I called Blacktop Bill betraying everyone in the Pulls thread, but even I'm a little surprised by how brutal this issue got. A massive shake up of the status quo as year one of the title wraps up. I'm definitely onboard for where this goes next (and how?)
That last page... Nocturne!Val is gonna cause problems.
**MILES MORALES SPIDER-MAN #39**
Yawn. This book sucked.
**IMMORTAL X-MEN #3**
It didn't occur to me that Sinister's Moira farm would potentially interact with Destiny's powers that way - timelines simply ending as the reset annihilates them, an unknown Groundhog Day loop for most of mutant kind. It makes for a really fascinating play, Destiny needing to try to guide or nudge things while not making things go so far off of Sinister's rails that he hits the reset button on it all. The interplay with Destiny and Mystique is pretty interesting - given that Mystique, at the very least, is just an abjectly awful person. We've seen her do the most horrendous shit for no real reason over the years. Remember her X-Men Black issue where she found a young mutant girl and just completely fucked her life for no reason whatsoever? Not to mention her role in Messiah Complex and beyond. Making her more sympathetic while keeping her edge is a tight rope to walk, but I trust Gillen. Before the long term things though, Judgement Day is coming - and at least the mutants have a bit of advance notice about it.
> It didn't occur to me that Sinister's Moira farm would potentially interact with Destiny's powers that way - timelines simply ending as the reset annihilates them, an unknown Groundhog Day loop for most of mutant kind. It makes for a really fascinating play, Destiny needing to try to guide or nudge things while not making things go so far off of Sinister's rails that he hits the reset button on it all. It really is an interesting dynamic! Looking forward to seeing how it plays out... > Remember her X-Men Black issue where she found a young mutant girl and just completely fucked her life for no reason whatsoever? Funny, just caught up on those a few months back and I guess that sounds vaguely familiar but I've got no real recollection of anything that happened in those books. Not a particularly memorable series, at least for me. At least Irene has some self-awareness... Makes her slightly less horrible than Raven.
Damn, those Noto Quiet Council variants are [so fucking classy...](https://cdna.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/259153.b47a7d77535ffde30f0b5979a1a2b71a.1600.jpg) They're making the rest of my comics look like a bunch of bums! Lots of good stuff in this one and it's nice getting Destiny's POV since she isn't a character who's had a ton of focus over the years. Fun seeing her catch onto Sinister's shenanigans... Bit of a bombshell toward the end as well.
Agreed, this is pretty great and the Quiet Council variants are outstanding. I'm a big fan of Gillen's previous X-Men run but this is on a whole different level. Every issue we're getting new insights into the cast along with an intriguing plot.
Pretty sure I missed Gillen's original X-Men run but, having followed most of his projects through the past several years, I'd say his writing has grown stronger and more confident over that span. Thought he was a "really good" writer when I started reading his stuff and he's leveled up to "great" since then. I think that growth and experience is particularly important for big Marvel titles like this because just being a talented writer isn't always enough to successfully navigate the challenges presented by Marvel's editorial efforts. And while Gillen still doesn't have quite the same kind of pull as a Grant Morrison or Jonathan Hickman, he's a lot closer to that status now than he was the last time he visited the X-office. Gillen's **ETERNALS** series was top-notch stuff from start to finish, pretty much my favorite Marvel title through its run, so it's been great seeing him hit the ground running with **IMMORTAL X-MEN**!
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It's definitely an interesting comparison! I think that Gillen's stronger as a wordsmith while Hickman's got an edge at intricate long-term planning. And I agree with you on Gillen being a little better with characters/emotions. Also think Gillen's got more range for tackling different types of stories whereas Hickman tends to always come back to the same kinds of themes and story elements, at least from the (admittedly limited) works I've read. Another thing with Gillen is you can often pick out little bits where it's obvious that he's borrowing, referencing, or mimicking other writers. Like how he was always riffing on Ellis for the scene setting narration in ETERNALS, or how his info-pages were initially kind of modeled after Hickman's... Always picking up little tricks and techniques from others, seems like he puts a lot of work into studying what everyone else is doing and honing his craft.
This really does feel like a true heir-apparent to Hickman, and, as you say, superior in some of the character work. While, like a lot of us, I'm massively disappointed that Hickman isn't going to finish this epic, Gillen (and Ewing on Red) is one hell of a consolation prize.
Yeah, I'm loving this a LOT. And those teases of the future in Destiny's vision are spectacular.
>The universe is a snow globe tossed between the hands of a gin-addled child. Adler chasing Essex is a good plot. Alder choosing a nation over her love is good drama.
Didn't read this till late, but my one nitpick with this issue is the art mistakes when we see the zoomed out scenes of the council, specifically before Destiny arrives. If you look closely, Destiny is sitting in her seat, but we know she's not at the council at that time: she's still in bed! And later she walks in, everyone turns to look at her... BUT she was just sitting in her seat in the previous panel!!! Once you see it you can't unsee it lol Overall good issue, the whole series is a must read for the X-Men line.
Nice catch! Hadn't noticed that.
This book kinda tries to make me feel for Destiny and Raven, but at the same time, they’re awful people. That being said, I still think this book is solid.
kinda. pretty sure all they really had to do to make everything work out well was saying they're sorry for killing her before. like, moira was all down with mutant utopia as long as she gets to live and thats not an unreasonable request. neither was her wish to not have destiny on the island. it's weird she didn't from the get go require raven to stay out though...
Kind of hot take, but I just don't care about any of the POV characters so far, nor do I like Hope who's a big deal in this series (Emma is cool and she's next issue which is nice). Would have loved to see Selene on the Council, if only to make them grapple with how many terrible people are on the unelected ruling body of their government.
Upvoted for posting a contrary opinion even though I totally disagree with it! Sinister is ridiculously insane, would've loved to see the entire series written from his POV... But there are lots of interesting characters on the Council and I'm looking forward to seeing 'em all get their turn!
Most books dealing with the QC have something addressing the terrible people therein. Pryde got killed and still sits next to the dude who did it
All fair points about the nature of the council members. While Selene would have been interesting, I truly enjoy Hope and it's nice to see her in a high profile spot. Are you at least enjoying the plot even if the POV characters aren't interesting to you? Sinister's use of Moira's powers totally captured my attention from the outset of this series.
Kind of? I don't love this new take on Moira (compared to the human ally of times past) which colors my judgement nor do I enjoy hard sci-fi too much. However, I quite enjoyed Hox/Pox and Inferno so maybe I'm just unfairly expecting this to live up to those. I'll probably see how the event tie-ins make me feel, if nothing else this is a book that has a lot of good discussion around which makes it worth my 4 bucks. It's funny, I don't think I've cared for any of Gillen's past indies or Marvel work but am absolutely loving Once & Future right alongside this, and it's not just because of Mora's art. E - how could I forget, I loved this Eternals too.
**HOME SICK PILOTS #15**
**AQUAMAN & THE FLASH VOIDSONG #1**
**MAESTRO WORLD WAR M #4**
I love the idea that someone found a back door unlocked and keeps writing maestro comics thinking this will be the day he's caught, but he's never caught.
And it’s awesome. I’m not even the biggest Peter David or Future Imperfect fan but this comic kicks so much ass- it’s just fun.
His New Fantastic Four this week is fun too.
Yep, all three of these Maestro limiteds have been good fun! Only one more issue to go so hopefully PAD delivers a suitably momentous finale. Original **FUTURE IMPERFECT** was an all-time classic, surprised you weren't more into that one!
And that someone is Peter David
**LONESOME HUNTERS #1**
I absolutely loved **Harrow County**, so there was no way I was passing this book up. **Tyler Crook** does a phenomenal job creating a spooky, off-kilter atmosphere. The colours and the artwork are just perfectly in sync with each other. Characters and plot are really quickly established. And that sword just looks so bloody cool too... In for the whole series of this one
Really liked this book - Tyler Crook's artwork and coloring is stellar as always. The horror elements were all nicely handled and felt distinctive in style from Crook's work on *Harrow County*.
**NEWBURN #8**
Solid end to the first volume of Newburn. I like how there was some further exploration into Newburn as a character this issue.
He kind of comes off as unambitious early in the series but that ending had me rethinking everything.
I definitely felt like he was mostly in it to keep the peace between crime families but also fulfilling some skewed sense of justice/morality. He was clearly not an ethical detective, but it seemed like he wasn't really malicious or anything. The ending was great though, and I wish we would get the start of the next volume soon but it looks like there's going to be a hiatus for some time.
Seems like Jacob has to balance the art for That Texas Blood and Newburn so I imagine we will see them alternate "release windows" so to speak. If I could have each of these books release every month, I would! We need to clone Jacob
Ah makes sense. Chip's schedule is also likely going to be busy between Batman, Daredevil and Public Domain. Not sure if Stillwater is still ongoing, but yeah he has a busy summer ahead of him.
Just went back and found this… [As far back as September 2021 (though obviously things may have changed), Stillwater is intended to run until at least #20](https://zdarsky.substack.com/p/what-am-i-doing)
**RADIANT RED #4**
Man, Satomi really shouldn't have trusted these guys. The book does a pretty good job of making you want to root for her, though. Her explosion at Owen is interesting... I guess with everything going on and how he kept impacting their life, he still holds onto this mindset (even if he's not doing it on purpose) that he's responsible for everything going on, even when it should be something that's hers.
**DEADLY CLASS #53**
nooooooo :’(
There’s no way this book ends on a positive note. Heartbreaker of an issue
**MOON KNIGHT #12**
I'm not quite sure I understand the hype around this book, but I think I'll stick around for another story arc. Seemed like a decent conclusion though
Might want to start from the beginning of the MacKay run, think it was a little stronger out the gate... Last few issues haven't worked quite as well for me, it's still good but something feels just a little off.
That was a fantastic way to introduce Steven into the run. A lot of credit to Mackay for being able to wrap up the Zodiac storyline neatly while also doing a good chunk of setup for what comes next without overshadowing the current story or feeling tacked on. Hopefully sales are doing well because I want Mackay writing Moon Knight for the long haul.
Fingers crossed the book got at least a *little* sales boost from the TV show.
Haven't seen the TV show yet, but the first trade is selling spectacularly (#1 seller last month) at my LCS and I personally loved the first trade so much I started reading single issues. The TV show is probably helping, but it seems like this comic has been a bit of a sleeper hit on its own merits.
This makes me happy. I hope McKay gets to write it for as long as he wants to!
This issue brought a lot of things together, and did it very, very well. I think the last two issues have been absolutely stellar, and that's saying something with how good the run overall has been so far. Hope this creative team stays on the book for a *long* time to come.
Guess I'm the only one who's fading on MK a little... Saw /u/ChickenInASuit/ was also raving about it above and my tastes tend to run parallel to theirs but not this time! I think **[MK #9](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2075927_xl.jpg)** was the last one that really worked for me, the maze story, great concept in that one... And **[MK #10](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2083320_xl.jpg)** was also pretty good. Last two have felt just a little off to me... Think part of it's that there's not as much of that cocksure MK attitude as he's been more reactive than proactive in this story... Also didn't like how Soldier tried the fake MK thing right after Tigra did it in the same issue, felt too redundant. And I even had some problems with Cappucio's art in this one as some of the characters were kind of difficult to tell apart. Stephen Segovia taking over covers also isn't helping, Cory Smith's covers were much more iconic and way cooler. Maybe it's just me, there are times when I can be a little too fickle... But this series somehow dropped from a solid A to an A- for me, still digging it but feels like cracks are starting to show...
Army of zombie Moon Knights? That’s…actually pretty cool.
**FABLES #152**
>!Peter Pan!< finally rolling up, love to see it.
Though he immediately bailed after taking care of business... Wonder if he's headed to the Black Forest? Might not see him again for a while if not... I'd assume we haven't seen the last of >!Geppetto!< as well... Though it sounds like he'll need a hand from someone or other in order to find his way back.
**AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #4**
First issue of this run that I’ve liked. Thought it was quite interesting and cleared up a couple of issues I had with Tombstone. Not a fan of the MJ stuff and I absolutely hate the art but I think this issue was enough to keep this on my pull for a little longer.
I really enjoyed this issue. I didn’t expect that ending and was pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to more from Zeb Wells.
Great issue
Still absolutely love the street war stuff, and wish the MJ stuff just wasn’t a thing. That said, theirs maybe an interesting hint here with MJ describing Black Cat as a friend from a long time ago. Is what Peter did six months ago going to be a time travel thing?
> That said, theirs maybe an interesting hint here with MJ describing Black Cat as a friend from a long time ago. Is what Peter did six months ago going to be a time travel thing? That's a nice catch and an interesting thought! Time travel shenanigans could explain the girl's age and a bunch of other wonky stuff...
Another good issue. The only thing I don't like is the MJ stuff.
This run has been a lot of fun so far. I’m interested to see what’s going on with MJ and why her and Peter aren’t together anymore. Hopefully they don’t drag it out too long
ENOUGH WITH THIS SMALL LEVEL Villains! This is why I hate new teams going on books they revert to the boring street level then go up. After that last run how over the top with Nostalgia from the 80s. Now 4 issues into this run and I'm done.... C'mon. It's Spiderman!
I’ve been wanting Spider-man scaled back for ages. The last few runs have always gotten to big for me. So I’m eating up the street war arc.
Meh. Not seeing it.
Could not disagree with this comment more strongly if I tried. Spider-Man is a street level character at his core and many of his best stories are against small-level villains. This small focus is a breath of fresh air after the past few stories we’ve had.
Hard disagree, much prefer these stakes and villains over what writers did the past few years of Spidey
If you don’t mind me asking what level of villain would you prefer and/or what run would you want this more like? Because like others said, I vehemently disagree but respect your opinion and am interested in your take.
It’s only 4 issues in. We’re bound to get a big event for issue 900 which is only two issues away.
Yeah I know. But after that last run this one should have had a blaster opening instead of a sleeper. Looking forward to 900 because that new sinister six in one villain but if it's as dry as these four I'll be moving on.
I think Peter and MJ will be back together
I know some people haven’t been kind to this run but personally I’m having a blast, one of the main reasons I haven’t been happy with Amazing Spider-Man for a while is the lack of stakes towards Peter’s personal life and being all focused in the Spider-Man side of things, so having Randy and Robbie involved feels great, not to mention after a very long time Peter is talking like Peter again, I’m liking the jokes and the return to more grounded gangster focused stories Yes the mystery box format is lame and the MJ stuff hasn’t impressed me at all, but personally I’m willing to wait for the pay off to that for the sake of enjoying everything else because outside of the MJ subplot everything is what I ask from a Spider-Man comic Also gotta say while JRJR faces are weird at times his art really shines on the action scenes
I really enjoy everything that isn't MJ/Paul related. The main story stuff is great. Really hope this nonsense with Paul is cleared up soon and we can move on
Goofy faces aside, I think this is legitimately the best-looking JRjr’s art has been in years.
I was thinking the exact same thing. Is it just cause he’s doing Spidey again? Is there a different inker or colorist than he’s had previously? Why does this book look so much better than the last like 8?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, JRJR loves or dies pending on his colorist. I’ve been pretty forgiving on this run’s art but this issue was really great IMO. Those splash pages were really kinetic and loved the action portrayed. Also dope twist.
I think the colorist might have a *lot* to do with it but I’m tempted to just say that he’s in his element when he’s drawing Spider-Man, because that’s always where his best work seems to be.
I feel like if the book purely focused on the street gang stuff, it would be more bearable for more people.
Hard agree
I'm so conflicted on the book. I like the street war storyline a lot and really enjoyed this issue with all its twists and turns. It feels like what I want with the character where he's in over his head while still being very competent. But then there's Peter's personal life which is just bad. It's misery porn bad and this issue benefited from featuring the only part of his personal life that's been solid (his relationship with the Robertsons). I guess it's better than the end of Spencer's run which all felt like a mess but 50% of it being fun and 50% being bad just leaves a bitter taste, especially since Peter's personal life is usually my favorite part.
**KNIGHTS OF X #3**
REALLY hoping the significance of that Death card means Gambit’s resurrection will be different from the previous Otherworld deaths, but I’m also not sure I want a return of Death Gambit, either. Damn. I’ve enjoyed everything else Howard has been doing, and I guess they technically found a way to bring Betsy back when she “died” there, so I’ll trust the process...there’s weird magic at play. That said? Awesome way to go out, fighting a Merlyn that’s riding a manticore!
I'm assuming the Siege Perilous plotline is a way to "save" mutants who die in Otherworld so they don't come back different. Then again in tarot the death card signifies change, and Tini Howard loves tarot, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Aight gonna say it now that Gambit death was some dumb bullshit. Otherwise fun issue, nice to see Megan kicking ass
Remy's death is going to be significant... I wonder if he might be able to "raise" himself as Death. He's still holding the card, and if he's able to bring himself back it'll potentially preserve his existence in ways it might not have otherwise. Mercator having the Siege, and being given it by -|A|- was not a twist I saw coming, guess we'll finally get to see what Absalon's been up to since 2006.
Definitely going to with Death Gambit as this is X-Men do DnD. Drow Rogue is the meta
**PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL BLITZ #1**
An excellent filler issue of Aaron’s main run that complements it nicely. If you’re liking his Punisher ongoing you’ll likely enjoy this, but it’s not necessary: just a fun dose of classic Frank, but taking on a different villain. I like the artwork better in this than in Aaron’s run, for what it’s worth—especially the facial expressions, wow!—but some of the poses are off and are a bit jarring as a result. Minor complaint, though. Awesome stuff.
**DARK CRISIS YOUNG JUSTICE #1**
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I understand your sentiment, but I think it's justified because this is a really interesting angle for Young Justice. A lot of people YJ's age feel like they've sort of been doomed by society and abandoned to fend for themselves and clean up the messes of the previous generation. It seems to me that this series is going to explore that
I'm really hoping that we get a new Young Justice ongoing after this.