last week's comics this week, 2023w40/41

No new additions to the list this week, but:

  • G.O.D.S. was solid and beautiful and longer but $9.99 solid and beautiful and longer? Price point destined to be forever a mystery. 50/50 on whether I'll continue – though I do want to re-read this issue before I decide on picking up the next: can't shake the feeling that I missed something.

  • FANTASTIC FOUR and BIRDS OF PREY are utter delights and I can't wait for the next issues.

  • BATMAN 138: I've loved Zdarsky's run (Zur FTW / adore Jiminez's art) but the Vandal Savage / Ra's angle addition to GOTHAM WAR is unnecessary and, so far, makes an intriguing concept far less; each have great potential separately – especially the Bat/Cat war with Zur taking over the Bat and the familial fall-out – but the clunky combination (so far) dilutes both. Still want to see how it plays out but I'm growing dismayed with its unfolding and want to get on with whatever the next status quo that this arc is clearly setting up may be. That said, I'm most curious about where Jason ends up in the wake of what happened here.

  • Bill Morrison's YELLOW SUBMARINE graphic novel adaptation is STUNNING; K is thrilled to have it in her collection.

pull list, currently

… BATMAN (Zdarsky / Jimenez)… WORLDTR33 (Tynion IV / Blanco)… KILL MORE (Wilson / Fuchs)… NIGHTWING (Taylor / Redondo)… TITANS (Taylor / Scott)… BATMAN & ROBIN (Williamson / De Meo)… BIRDS OF PREY (Thompson / Romero)… DAREDEVIL (Ahmed / Kuder)… CAPTAIN AMERICA (JMS / Saiz)… RARE FLAVOURS (V / Andrade)… BLACKOUT BOMBSHELL (Southard / Kotz) … WONDER WOMAN (King / Sampere)… BATMAN: GARGOYLE OF GOTHAM (Grampá / Lopes)…

five quick notes on DAREDEVIL (2023) No. 1

  • Dig Matt's new employ quite a bit. Intriguing angle.

  • Kuder’s art is solid, but isn’t speaking to me yet.

  • A little rushed getting him back into (SPOILER)

  • First exposure to Elektra DD and I dig (missed the entirety of Zdarsky's run).

  • Want to know where Ahmed's going to take everything so I'll give it a few more issues, maybe the whole first arc, before deciding whether or not to continue. That being said, DD’s at its best when it rises above itself and acts as a vehicle for a unique vision– Miller, Bendis/Maleev, Waid/Martin/Samnee – and I’m not (yet) convinced that that’s the case here.

pull list, currently

Definite: BATMAN, W0RLDTR33, KILLMORE (brilliant first issue - reminds me of FELL), NIGHTWING (105 was a joyous celebration of everything comics should be), TITANS, BATMAN AND ROBIN (beautiful - if they strike this tone in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD film, we’re in for something special).

Giving a few more issues: Marvel's DAREDEVIL, FANTASTIC FOUR, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (will probably exit after this evil Spidey arc; I’m a sucker for the black costume), and DC's BIRDS OF PREY (loved the first issue), and THE PENGUIN.

Waiting to try: JMS's new CAPTAIN AMERICA series, and Tom King's WONDER WOMAN…

Wish: that the latest WEREWOLF BY NIGHT issue was more than a one-shot, because it could have been Marvel's JONAH HEX - so good and so beautiful.