Sam's Pull-List 1/15/14

X-Men, X-Men, X-Men this week with three different titles coming out from the same family. Other than that we have a good deal of other Marvel books and some assorted Image titles. Let's get to it!

All-New X-Men #21 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Brandon Peterson

First up we have All-New X-Men in its last issue pre-relaunch. A wrap-up of this super dry and boring arc, this issue really has to bring it. Although I'm not super pumped to check out this issue, I will read it and review it.

Amazing X-Men #3 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ed McGuinness

Beast mode! Absolutely can not wait for Amazing X-Men #3 to drop. There are so many storylines that have to be resolved and so many potential storylines not yet started. I will be writing about Amazing X-Men #3 on Wednesday.

Marvel Knights: Hulk #2 (of 4) (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Joe Keatnige
Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Marvel Knights: Hulk #1 was pretty damn good, naturally I'm inclined to buy this next issue. I will not be writing about this on AiPT.

Night of the Living Deadpool #1 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Ramon Rosanas

I didn't know it was a quad-rilogy... Cullen Bunn is back with yet another Deadpool mini! And if the first three were at all like this one will be, I can't wait!











Rat Queens #4 (Image Comics)
Writer: J. Kurtis Wiebe
Artist: Roc Upchurch

Rat Queens has been a lot of fun so far, how does this first story arc wrap-up? Although I have written about Rat Queens in the past, I will not be putting up a review this week, I'm just so swamped with other reviews, like...

Skyman #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Manuel Garcia

Skyman! No idea what this is going to be like, but I snatched it for review. I will be reviewing it, and if I so desire talking to the writer, Joshua Hale Fialkov.

Thor: God of Thunder #17 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Esad Ribic

Meh, not totally loving this book right now. Last we checked in with Thor, things were escalating pretty slowly, without any of the magic of the God Butcher story. I'm excited to see the end of Malekith's involvement with this book.

Triple Helix #4 (of 4) (IDW Publishing)
Writer and Artist: John Byrne

What a strange way to end the series! No spoilers: but it's insane! I have already written about this one, although I didn't love it.

Uncanny X-Men #16 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Bachalo

Love the title and the team, psyched for Uncanny! I will be writing a review for this comic!













That's it for me this week! My total comes to $34.42, $27.54 with my store's subscriber discount and $19.15 with all of my Indie books for free!

What are you getting this week? Leave me a list in the comments below!

Detective Comics: A Twenty-Seven Introspective

Detective Comics 27 was a landmark issue; the 900th issue of the series, filled with 90 pages of creator passion. And while not every story deeply resonated you could feel the creator enthusiasm practically waft off the pages. That sentiment is especially true of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy’s aptly titled contribution, Twenty-Seven. I could say that the art’s incredible, the story poignant, all of which is true; it’s definitely powerful storytelling for the allotted 12 pages. But I’m not out to review it, there are numerous outlets that can give you a review of this issue, this will not be one of them. No, what I’d like to do is analyze it. Because, in the end it truly does define what Scott Snyder has done, is doing, and will do with Batman.

For starters, Scott Snyder has said that this is the Batman he and Greg Capullo are using, it’s not a what if or elseworlds tale. It’s not a parallel world either, this is the legacy of the Batman you’ve seen in Court of Owls, Death of the Family, and Zero Year. It will likely never be “official” canon; something Scott recognizes. But in his mind “which I think is most important” this is how his Batman tale will end. And it’s as much an interpretation of the “Batman is eternal” concept, made popular by Grant Morrison, as it is an introspective look at what Batman sees in himself. And yet, you see this through a lense that seems to belong to the Bruce we know; while in fact the narrator is someone we’ve never seen before. It’s here that the genius of Twenty-Seven lies.

In some form or another we’ve seen the mantle of Batman passed on before. Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Terry Mcginnis have all had their turns as Batman. I enjoyed those stories; but they never satiated my need to see how Batman himself would cope with his death and secure his legacy. Also, from a broader narrative perspective, to see him secure the mythology of his story, since it feels like it deserves to far outlive the life of the “man” in Batman.

In this next section of this article, I go into the finer details of the story. If you haven’t already read Twenty-Seven, this is where you should stop reading, lest you find yourself spoiled.

The story begins with that iconic scene of Bruce in his study, looking at the bust of his father and muttering the iconic words “Yes father...I shall become a bat” It’s right after that moment that the Bruce we all know awakes to a world that is as bewildering to him as it is to the reader. He awakes to a cave he hasn’t built filled with futuristic technology that he doesn’t recognize. And an old man telling him (quite cryptically,)  “you’re here, you’re home.” For you see, Bruce has awoken in what is the 200th year of the Batman. As Scott Snyder wonderfully writes, “there have been many threats, but there’s also always been a Batman to fight them,” to which we are presented a glimpse to the Batmen that have served; come and gone. Yet the Bruce that awoke has no recollection of any of these other Batmen, a fact that was intended by the first Batman. Explained by the Old Bruce as a mean of “renewing” things. All the Batmen awake to the new Gotham upon the moment they swore to become Batman. Meaning, they all experienced the training and the loss that made Batman, well, Batman. And yet the allies and the villains, the kind of Batman they become. Well, that’s all the stories yet to be told.

And that’s the genius of it: Bruce is still Bruce. Never once does Scott Snyder use the word clone. As old Bruce explains, “I’m you. And your me. And we’re both Batman”. Every story before has featured the son of Batman, or the apprentice of Batman; the torch bearer if you will. But in Twenty-Seven, Scott Snyder gave me the answer I’d always been wanting and yet never knew I wanted. Which is: Bruce is Batman and Batman is Bruce, never the end.

I know now, how Bruce becomes immortal, and who knew that it began with showing how mortal he truly is. When you read this book there’s more than one throwback to past Batman writers. Visual cues that are teasers to work past, present, and very possibly future. It’s truly an inspired take on the most resonant themes of Scott’s work on Batman. His ego, His self sacrifice, and a touch of his own “personal” brand of insanity. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Sam's Pull-List 1/8/14

After all of that holiday madness of little-to-no comics I am back with a new week of comics and reviews. Here's what I'm looking at for this Wednesday:

All-New X-Factor #1 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

All-New Marvel NOW! and the first new #1 from the X-Men line. Very excited for this one, especially because I have never read much X-Factor. I will definitely be reviewing this on Adventures In Poor Taste.

 Daredevil Dark Nights #8 (of 8) (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Thony Silas

The end of a wonderful Daredevil series. Although I will not be writing about it, I will be enjoying it.

 Deadpool #22 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist: Mike Hawthorne

After a really offbeat and somewhat confusing last issue I am less than thrilled for Deadpool #22. I will not be writing about this title but I will still pick it up.

Drumheller #3 (Image Comics)
Writer: Riley Rossmo
Artist: Riley Rossmo

Although my fellow reviewer Jordan does not agree with me, I have been loving the craziness of Drumheller. Let's see what Jordan thinks of this issue as it's his turn to review it. I am very excited to see how the story continues and am hungry for more of Rossmo's gorgeous art.

Fantomex Max #4 (of 4) (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Andrew Hope
Artist: Shawn Crystal

And thus concludes yet another Marvel mini! I haven't been crazy about this 4 issue series but have really enjoyed how fun and energetic it was. Looking forward to a killer ending.

Halo Escalation #2 (Dark Horse Comics)
Writer: Chris Schlerf
Artist: Michael Atiyeh

I hadn't realized until I saw the description in the freebie list, but Halo is ongoing! I am really pumped to begin following an ongoing Halo comic as I think this creative team in particular can do great things with the universe. I will be reviewing this for AiPT.

Review of #1: http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2013/12/11/is-it-good-halo-escalation-1-review/

Manifest Destiny #3 (Image Comics)
Writer: Chris Dinges
Artist: Mathew Roberts

This series is seriously intense! With a killer cliffhanger at the end of #2 I have been waiting ever so patiently for this issue. I will not be reviewing this comic, but you bet your sweet bippy I'll be buying it!

Savage Wolverine #14.NOW (Marvel Comics)
Writer and Artist: Richard Isanove

The first issue of Savage Wolverine in All-New Marvel NOW!, and I am so ready for it! I only got a two page preview of this book but savored every panel. I will be reviewing this book on Adventures in Poor Taste and will link you when I do so!

The Walking Dead #119 (Image Comics)
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard

All Out War carries on. Blah. I probably won't review this site, unless Image figures out how to get the press copies out. I am excited by the description, however. "The war comes home" sounds pretty ominous.











So that's it! What are you getting this week? What do or don't you like about this list? Leave it all in the comments!

Images courtesy of Comixology pull-list app.

Vertigo In Other Media

2013 has been a decent year for creator owned comic titles making it into other media. This year alone we've had an action blockbuster, Red 2 from Vertigo and Tell Tales narrative, episodic point and click noir mystery game The Wolf Among Us (based on Vertigo's Fables series), as well as a confirmed Sandman movie. It's all a step in the right direction, especially when it comes to changing the broad and narrow association of comics simply being equated to super heroes.

This is an issue that stems in part from poor marketing of creator owned content and imprints. I certainly have a personal bias but I've always seen Vertigo as one of those crowned imprints when it comes to advancing the boundaries of art and storytelling in comics. With so much to be mined and creators so willing to have their titles adapted, it makes me wonder: why have we not seen more?

I can't say I have an answer as it seems to defy the very basic process of corporate logic. But I'll touch on that in a moment. In an age where networks like Showtime, HBO, and AMC dominate our televisions, it surprises me that Warner Brothers as owners of DC and hence Vertigo wouldn't want to rake in money from an audience that clearly is consuming more "mature" content than any other time in our history. If America can embrace shows like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, why Warner's doesn't embrace the idea of producing existing IP's like 100 Bullets and American Vampire for television or screen completely confounds me.

Especially since WB isn't producing content to match what these networks already produce anyways. And with fictional worlds so brilliantly crafted and creators so eager, it's one of the most wasted opportunities in recent memory. The same goes for gaming. While it's true that WB's Arkham franchise has been an absolutely massive success, it's been the audience that's driven the medium to the more mature and thought provoking titles of the last few years such as Heavy Rain and The Last of Us. And with The Wolf Among Us receiving critical acclaim, It makes you wonder if Warner's is just beginning to open the floodgate to a veritable  trove of Vertigo content or if they’re still too timid to stray away from DC's tried and true mainstream money making adaptations. Maybe they’re simply lacking the faith to branch out from something other than Superman and Batman. There's irony that a publishing company that prides itself on diversity of titles in art, tone and writing can't say the same for what it puts on our screens.

But alas, we've barely cracked open the new year so who knows what's to be announced in 2014. Lets just hope that it's a bit more than the standard Superman/Batman.

Now Accepting New Writers!

That right people, I want to write with you! If you would like to do some casual, non-commission writing for Sam's Pull-List, tell me! If you are interested send me an email at samspulllist@gmail.com with your name, what experience you have, and what you plan to write about. I am very lenient about what I will accept; if you want to send me a review, opinion, even some art, go right ahead, I'm willing to entertain a whole array of different options.

Thanks so much!

A Week of Reviews 12/18/13

Today yielded bountiful returns in the way of comics, some of which I reviewed on Adventures In Poor Taste. This week we saw the end of a phenomenal series, the penultimate issue of another great book, a brutal yet tasteful spy comic and two X-Men comics, one much better than the other. Excluding a possible Thor review coming and a Red Sonja review that may also be written, here are your weekly reviews, written by yours truly:

Buzzkill #4 (of 4) 

My review: Is it Good? Buzzkill #4 Review
Comic Book Round-Up page: List of all Buzzkill #4 reviews
Dark Horse profile: Buzzkill #4 description and preview

Zero #4

My review: Is it Good? Zero #4 Review
Comic Book Round-Up page: List of all Zero #4 reviews
Image Comics profile: Zero #4 description and preview

Never Ending #2 (of 3)

My review: Is it Good? Never Ending #2 (of 3) Review
Comic Book Round-Up page: List of all Never Ending #2 reviews
Dark Horse profile: Never Ending #2 description and preview

All-New X-Men #20

My review: Is it Good? All-New X-Men #20 Review
Comic Book Round-Up page: List of all All-New X-Men #20 reviews
Marvel Comics profile: All-New X-Men #20 description and preview

X-Men #8

My review: Is it Good? X-Men #8 Review
Comic Book Round-Up page: List of all X-Men #8 reviews
Marvel Comics profile:

Buzzkill #4: Review on Adventures In Poor Taste

Hey Pull-List people,

I've got a cool new review up on Adventures in Poor Taste; it's of Buzzkill #4, and I loved it!

In case you haven't been following my writings about the series let me fill you in:

• I didn't write a review of Buzzkill #1, so there is nothing to see there
• I did, however, review Buzzkill #2, loving it so much that it was our comic of the week that week. Here's the link: Review: Buzzkill #2
• Directly after reading this issue I requested an interview with the writer himself, Donny Cates. I was so fortunate to get an interview with him. You can see that here: Interview with Donny Cates
• Come the next month I wrote a review for the third installment. If you want to read that: Review: Buzzkill #3
• And finally this week, I wrote a review for the final issue; this can be found through this link: Review: Buzzkill #4

Closing thoughts:

I really loved Buzzkill, all of it's interesting and fresh characters, it's clever writing and most of all: it's emotionally driven finale. It enhanced the experience to be able to talk with Donny, he's a really great guy and an extremely promising writer. Geoff Shaw is one of my current favorite artists, and that is not without reason. His work with shading is uncanny and he carries action better than anyone in the industry. I have been extremely pleased with this series and am more than a little let down now that it's over.

Pull-List 12/18/13

I know: I haven't posted in a while. You can see a lot of my recent writings on Adventures In Poor Taste if you so choose. But here we are again and I have a new feature for all you fine folk. This is what I'm looking at for this Wednesday:

The Pull-List

 All-New X-Men #20 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Brandon Peterson

After a very disappointing last issue I am a little bit hesitant to see where Brian Michael Bendis is going to take X-23. Anyway, I will be reviewing this one on AiPT, I will post the link on Wednesday.

Buzzkill #4 (of 4) (Dark Horse)
Writer/Co-Creator: Donny Cates
Artist: Geoff Shaw
Co-Creator: Mark Reznicek

A couple months back I actually got an interview with writer Donny Cates, you can check that out here. This is (sadly) the final issue of Buzzkill. Although I got a free advanced review copy of this courtesy of Dark Horse I will be picking this up in my local store just to support this incredible team. I have written a review of this issue which will be posted for your viewing pleasure come Wednesday.

Zero #4 (Image Comics)
Writer: Ales Kot
Artist: Jordie Bellaire

My review of Zero #3 (my first review of the series) was actually shared by Image on both Facebook and Twitter. I'm back to review this issue and hope it will be just as good as #3. I will be writing a review, I'll post the link on Wednesday.

Deadpool #21 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Gerry Dugan
Artist: Mike Hawthorne

Deadpool vs. S.H.I.E.L.D! I have heard great things about the current Deadpool run and want to see for myself. Unfortunately I will not be reviewing this on AiPT.

Indestructible Hulk #17.INH (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Clay Mann

I'm very excited to pick this series back up after I quit a while back when Walt Simonson left. I am extremely interested in Inhumanity and expect that under the pen of Mark Waid, Bruce Banner will play an interesting part in the event.

Never Ending #2 (of 3) (Dark Horse)
Writers: Adam P. Knave and DJ Kirkbride
Artist: Robert Love

I recently got an interview with Adam and DJ, you can check that out here:

I plan to review this one as well.

Saga #17 (Image Comics)
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Artist: Fiona Staples

Saga. 'Nuff said.

I do not plan to review this for the site.

Thor God of Thunder #16 (Marvel Comics)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ron Garney

Not entirely sold on this new storyline but still enjoying it. However, with Malekith being done so much justice in the recent Thor movie maybe Jason Aaron can turn things around. Might review it if I have time.

Umbral #2 (Image Comics)
Writer: Antony Johnston
Artist: Christopher Mitten

When Dave reviewed Umbral #1 last month he gave it a ten out of ten. I was not quite as enthusiastic about the first issue but enjoyed it nonetheless. I do not have any plans to review this issue.

X-Men #8 (Marvel Comics

Writer: Brian Wood

Artist: Muertas Part 2

Very excited to get to this one, loved it last month and plan on reviewing it again for the site.

That's it for this week folks! Tune in on Wednesday to get a total recap of my week in comics!

Review: Batman and Batgirl #21

I really hate what the New 52 has done to Batgirl. She is no longer an interesting, engaging, fun, character. Rather, everyone likes to write her so she is constantly wallowing in self-pity and blaming herself for all her family's problems. This issue was no different. Although I have complete trust in Peter J. Tomasi as an author and storyteller, I think he really screwed up this issue. Batgirl is not made interesting at all and Batman is the same angry, half-insane dad we've seen throughout this entire saga. The whole issue Batgirl is building confidence to confront Bruce. When she eventually does, it's kind of underwhelming. She is just a whiny, little, complainer who says the same thing as everyone else in the Bat-Family. I am also heartily disappointed in Patrick Gleason for have leaving after 20 issues. I want you back Pat. This new guy is crap.

Review: Age of Ultron #10

Now, Marvel, you're just wasting my time. I was on board for the first four issues of AoU. I was even down with the next couple of issues. Last issue was a disgrace to humanity. I can't give this issue any higher praise.
First, let me say, I hate having art switch on me in the same book. You realized that there were ten pencilers on this book. Right? What good can come out of ten pencillers? That's right: not much. The constant art switches where a pain in the rear, and I hate Bryan Hitch in the first place.
The whole, "time capsule, message to the past, Hank Pym" narration is ok. It doesn't really make sense. But hey, who the hell cares if something makes sense? The whole issue was about some team of Avengers or faction or whatever (I hate the Avengers) so I lost interest about 4 pages in. The rest was kind of surprising if you have a giant knowledge of the entire Marvel Universe. I just know about the X-Men, so I wasn't shocked too bad. Some of the storytelling during the Universe morphing was kind of cool, but only kind of. I am so glad this series is over. I didn't understand the last pages at all; but I hope the ending doesn't affect Guardians of the Galaxy too much.

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy #3

For some reason, I just feel like nothing has gone on in this title. I really want this series to move out of this phase it's in, whatever phase that is because it isn't very interesting. The story is kind of all over the place with this issue. We see the tastefully named J-Son (I was being sarcastic) have a meltdown in front of the most powerful people in the Galaxy. Nice move Captain Wonder Name. Everyone decides their sort of sick of the guy. Of course you would only think of that now. Although I resent Steve McNivens' use of computerized art he does draw some kick-ass landscapes. All of the intergalactic hoo-ha is Star Wars-esque and quite beautifully drawn. I, however, dislike the way Mr. McNiven draws faces quite a bit. Tony Stark has a meltdown towards the beginning of the issue where he is just screaming at seemingly nothing for the Avengers to Assemble. Yeah. 'Cause that'll work Iron Man.
As we found out last issue the Guardians were imprisoned by some Baboon warship or something like that. Anyways, I kind of enjoy seeing the agents on the ship who are assigned to take all of the weapons debate over whether such "primitive" objects are considered weapons. I always like reading dialogue written by Bendis, but this isn't his best storytelling. It is nice to see the team all together at the end, especially the scenes with Groot. I will stay with this book until the next arc, but if that doesn't blow my mind I think I might be dropping it.

Review: Batman #21

Zero Year is here! But...it's not mind-blowing. A lot of people have been calling this issue "decent" and "not as good as expected" but I think they aren't giving it credit for what it was. It is really easy to start multiple story threads when you have a team or group of characters, but the Batman title doesn't have a lot of people featured in it so you can imagine why it would be considerably harder to start multiple threads at once. Nonetheless, master comic author Scott Snyder manages to deliver a very intriguing first chapter of this epic.
 I honestly would have put this issue down if once again I had to witness the death of Bruce's parents. EVERY SINGLE BATMAN ORIGIN STORY IS THE SAME. This issue instead starts in a Gotham of the past that was not at all as nice a place to live as it is in the present. Batman is not the man we are used to seeing, and his rogues gallery is not quite the same either. We are reintroduced to a villain we met briefly in the #0 issue. This would of course be Red-Hood and the Red-Hood Gang. Batman saves a truckload of hostages in the most creative and enjoyable getaway in comics. We then see Bruce talking to Alfred about some plans and whatnot and the Red-Hood Gang seem to come up more than once. What I found particularly interesting is that the gang is just a bunch of random people with guns. They could be your neighbors, spouses, or best friend. The last scene of the book was a universe building moment where Bruce and his Uncle talk about family matters. Bruce wants to "stay dead" for various reasons, but his Uncle is opposed to that. Just from that one conversation the Wayne family tree can be made just a little larger. The flashback and the backup story were also entertaining, fitting nicely as part of the Origin Story.

Review: Thor: God of Thunder #9

This book shows comics at it's best. Although it may not have been the best issue of the series, the storytelling was some of the best I have ever seen in comics. As the people consistently reading this blog know, I really hate fight scenes. I think comics can be so much more than two people punching each other. The thing that really sucks is the lack of words, therefore the lack of time I have to spend reading the book. This issue was a fascinating mix of both. There was a fast-paced, interesting fight sequence, but kept the narration consistent throughout. The issue felt a lot longer than it actually was, probably due to the fact that there weren't a ton of splash pages. Each Thor was a unique fighter on their own and they did get split-up and reunited many a time through out the book. Jason Aaron managed to invent a new power for the oldest Thor that turned out to turn the tides of the battle more than once. Esad Ribic's art shines (as always.) The art style, especially the colors, totally fit the book. I really think that when Jason Aaron wakes up in the morning and thinks about how he can torture his readers the most. Almost all of the titles he writes end up in disarray by the end of the first issue. This doesn't turn out to be for the worst at the end of this issue when it: " rains Thors." Everything is going to hell, but that's the way Mr. Aaron likes it. Anyways, I am very pleased with this installment of the best ongoing series from Marvel. I am hoping that the God bomb arc can end smoothly in two issues.

Review: Wolverine & The X-Men #31

This issue did what it was supposed to, and then a little more. The purpose of this issue was to introduce us to the Hellfire Club and Faculty of the Hellfire Academy and give us a tour of the school. I have to say; Jason Aaron is a master of creating new characters. Honestly, who else would think up a mutant named Snot who has lethal sneezes? Answer: no one. I take that back. Maybe Brian Michael Bendis. But only maybe. Anywho, I think that what Jason Aaron is doing with the school is kind of questionable. When the teacher to student ratio is 13:8 you don't want to be threatening their lives at every turn. Every. Single. Teacher. Yells at kids and tells them they're going to die. Even though Mystique is a great character and might have potential in the role of teacher, she does treat her only class a little harshly. All of the classes seem a little random as well, I mean, Xenobiology? Seriously? I think the Hellfire Saga Prologue didn't accurately reveal the Jean Grey runaways intentions all that accurately. Oya and Kid Omega are undoubtedly trying to escape the school, but not without stealing a little inside information first. My favorite part of the issue was when Kid Omega meets Kade Kilgore for the first time. They are both such great personalities and it is so much fun to see how they handle coming face to face with one another. The ending is ominous, I am really excited to see how Jason Aaron handles this one. The art is great from Nick Bradshaw, it's great to have him back on the book.
Definitely a great issue even if there weren't many appearances from the usual X-Men. I'm sorry that these reviews are coming in a little late. I had a ton of books last night and am trying to work through them all.

Review: Savage Wolverine #6

My expectations couldn't have been lower. I thought that after Frank Cho's decent run on the book would just melt into the hell we like to call a team-up book. Thankfully, it did not. I found that this title continued to be high-quality (in both art and writing) and did include some characters I was glad to see.  I found this in the front of the book: "Editor's Note: This story takes place awhile back. Like, at least, before last October. So don't get all out of sorts about continuity."
Thank you Marvel! That is the kind of thing I am looking for in comics. With all of the titles on a specific character sometimes quality is compromised for how the stories connect with one another. Marvel is basically saying: "Screw making sense! We want to give our readers a good time!" And that they have. I enjoyed all of the parts Elektra starred in during this issue; but really, can you go wrong with Elektra? Answer: no. She is silent as always but plays an interesting role in bringing Wolverine into the fray. The story of the Kingpin is equally compelling. For once Wilson Fisk is not in control. Quite the opposite: he is forced to do many things that will not benefit him at all. All of the Avenger cameos in this book were thoughtful and necessary. Almost all of the book revolves around a glimpse of a scene that I presume took place in a previous Avengers title. I really despise the Avengers but thought they were written well and got some god snark and one-liners out of Logan. I can't say I understand all of the forces at play in this situation Logan has gotten himself into, but I can say with a fair deal of certainty that a little ignorance will not keep me from enjoying this arc.

Review: Kick Ass 3 #1

I was so so so so so so so excited for this issue. But when I saw it on the top of my stack I was nervous, almost scared to pick it up and read it. I thought that it would disappoint me, I had such high expectations. God, I was so wrong. This is an awesome #1 issue. Most of the issue was devoted to Justice Forever busting Hit-Girl out of jail. Which eventually turned out to be a bust. The rest of the issue explains what is happening in the life of Kick-Ass, Marty, Todd and Justice Forever. It turns out Marty got into college and Kick-Ass and Todd are living in an apartment and working at a burger joint. Dave really needs Kick-Ass more than Dave so he is crime fighting more than usual. The one case we got to see Kick-Ass work was lots of fun to watch. It seems he has matured and become much better at, well, kicking ass. He has a sidekick and comes crashing through windows. I found the writing to be as funny and great as ever, the note Hit-Girl left Kick-Ass was brilliant. The best scene in the whole book, no doubt, was when Todd and Dave are posing at the graveyard to look badass. It is very immature and disrespectful yet at the same time funny. I think Mark Millar needs to tone it down just a smidge on the Batman references  it seems like he is just trying to piss Marvel off by using DC characters' names in his Marvel-ish book. I hope to buy all of the variants of this issue, as it was a very good issue. 

It's about 12 o'clock so I'm calling it a night. Thanks for reading all of the reviews. You guys are the best a guy can hope for!

Daredevil: Dark Knights #1

I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought this issue. When I saw that it was a series of classic-style Daredevil stories I went for it. I think it was a quite rewarding issue, and a series that should not go unnoticed. Lee Weeks does a phenomenal job telling the story both through the art and the writing. Quotes are hard things to incorporate into comics in a meaningful way. The biblical references in this book were poignant throughout. The prologue did a very nice job explaining the origin for anyone who forgot. The rest of the issue was just pure comic bliss. The author starts a story thread with a family taking a car trip and hints towards an accident. Meanwhile we see our hero, as Matt Murdock, in the hospital with no memory. During all of that we learn that there is a whiteout city wide. The rest of the story floats seamlessly between the time before Matt was in the hospital and the time he is defending the hospital. DD's radar sense was handled well too, relying mostly on sound. The way the author depicts it is unique in having words floating around Daredevil's head. He surprises all of the doctors and nurses by his heightened senses and combat abilities. Eventually by the end of the book they do find out that he is Daredevil, but he doesn't seem to care. It is a rewarding moment at the end of the book when Daredevil gets suited up and leaps off the rooftop, but sort of a fail how he crashes down immediately. Yet another thread is started in this issue as we learn about two kids barely surviving an accident and needing transplants. The first-responders during the storm are quite like those in real life. My reading buddy points out a line in particular: "Having any second thoughts?" "Nope. Same as if it was my daughter."
Great issue! If you have not already bought it head to your local comic book shop now or buy it online here: http://www.comixology.com/Daredevil-Dark-Nights-1-of-8/digital-comic/DIG004494

Thanos Rising #3

A lot of people didn't enjoy the first two issues. I was not part of that group. Still, I understand why people said what they did. I do think this issue far exceeded the first two.
Thanos's life is in complete disarray. Every time he tries to settle down and start a new life he just can't do it. That is part of the reason this issue is so messed-up. All he is doing for the first third or so of the book is having children with women then forgetting them. He does join a group of Space Pirates. I heartily enjoyed watching Thanos get treated the way he did; It's ironic to see such a big, bad villain getting teased for not wanting to kill. I always love Jason Aaron and thought his writing was particularly good in this installment. He managed to give every character a voice and dialect that seemed like it fit the character. I loved the amount of inner-monologue in this issue, making it feel like a very personal Thanos story. Although the fight scene between Thanos and his abusive captain didn't make sense it was well handled and seemed organic to the story. The ending of the book was no giant shocker but still a good ending. The very last page is as disturbing and stomach-churning as they get. I hope next issue is just as good, I would love to see some characters from the rest of the Marvel Universe come into play!

Review: Age of Ultron #9

Good issue, bad conclusion to the story-arc. I know it isn't the official conclusion, but the series could definitely end here. Thank god Wolverine hightailed it out of the Morgana Le Fey timeline. Not to say I understood that at all. I totally don't get how two Wolverines were in the same room when one of them murdered Hank Pym. And I don't get where one of them got their costume. The banter between the two Wolverines is very, very entertaining. I think they came to a reasonable solution together with Hank and Sue. As I said, it would have been enough to stop at that! I think the best part of the issue by far is when the Wolverine's decide which one of them should die at the other's hand. The result is not shocking, but kind of sad. It has been a fun ride, but I'm glad it's winding down. I can't stand it that the last three issues just got erased from Marvel history like that. Totally disappointing. I do like Carlos Pacheo's art style, but I was really loving +Brandon Peterson 's. I am really excited to meet him at Comic Con. When all is said and done, this was a fine issue. I am scared almost to think what next month will hold and will definitely not be picking up the spin-off series. Well, I've sort of run out of things to say. Until next time!

Review: All-New X-Men #12

I had absolutely no hope for this issue: Uncanny Avengers, major fights, Captain America, all things I hate in comic books. Like always, Brian Michael Bendis did not disappoint  It was not a giant fight scene like the cover might suggest, it was a diplomatic meeting in which the X-Men explained their opinions. With a little bit of fighting. But still, I was happy by the way the interactions between the two teams played out, Young Cyclops meeting Havok was an awesome conversation and Jean Grey's unhappiness with Wanda Maximoff was even better. It was very nice to see Havok meet his younger brother at the best stage in his development, and it was even better to see Cyclops meet his older brother. Of course Captain America has to be reprimanding Alex the whole time: "Alex, I told you not to. Alex, we agreed. Alex, this isn't what we came for." God, I can't stand Captain America. The drawing from one of my favorite Marvel artists, Stuart Immonen, was surprisingly sub-par this week. I thought he was very good with page layout but some of his faces looked atrocious.
Through my reading of the X-Men I haven't really "met" Jean Grey. Even if I did, I think the character is brought the most Justice under the pen of Mr. Bendis. It is really fun to watch her go snooping around in other peoples thoughts, although what she finds infuriates her. The only fighting happens right after this. I thought the fighting was well done as it sent a message to the reader: "Don't piss off Jean Grey!" She took down freakin' Thor! Captain America (of course) accuses the O5 of crimes they so clearly didn't commit. Wolverine offers up his, correct among other things, opinion that the person behind all of these crimes is Mystique. No duh! We also get a glimpse into the dynamic of Mystique's squad; something I have been enjoying quite a bit more over the past 4-5 issues. I have also been waiting for the epic moment when the O5 an Mystique and her gang clash. That promises to be a good issue. I love Wolverine taking charge at the end of the issue, the last line is extremely gratifying. But, as I have said before, Wolverine is not the solution to complicated problems. On another note, Scott Snyder is a god.

Batman: The Dark Knight Annual #1

I was very excited for this issue. As any continuous Sam's Pull-List reader knows, this series is one of my favorite Bat-Books at the moment. The writing is great, the narrative flows along nicely and the new art switch isn't half bad. This issue does not tie into the main series; so naturally I would suggest it to any reader who is not already picking this series up. It is an eerie issue at best. The whole story feels like Gregg Hurwitz was trying to write a halloween/horror story but decided he had to throw some Batman villains in at some point. This is not at all bad. The meeting of the villains is believable, they all receive a letter telling them to meet the other two. We don't get to see who the mystery-letter-sender is until the very last page, but anyone with half a brain could figure it out pretty quick. Anyways, these villains (Penguin, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter) stumble around a "haunted mansion" like fools, complaining about the goddamn Batman all the while. I think that Gregg Hurwitz's writing genius really kicked in about halfway through the issue when MILD SPOILERS Penguin trips a music player and Three Blind Mice starts playing. The paranoid bad-guys hatch a plan to escape that eventually leads them into a corn-field-type maze. The connection between the song and the situation is perfect and seems like a horror movie. The villains disband after a short mishap with Scarecrow toxin in which they all face their pasts a little bit. SPOILERS END HERE. I think this issue is hinting at a Penguin story-line after the Clayface one. All I can say is: this series is great and the sooner we get to a new arc the better. Mad-Hatter is ready to be put in jail.

Review: X-Men #1

It is nice to see an X-Book handled outside of BMB's control and even better to see an all female cast getting done justice. This book is practically soaked with plot and intrigue.  I think it is safe to assume that coming up with a really juicy first arc is mainly to get readers attention from the get-go. Well, they do get my attention as we learn about two siblings who were separated at birth. This story itself has lots of potential and we could have just explored these two mysterious characters for the rest of the issue. But then it just wouldn't be an X-Book. Jubilee, it turns out, has taken an orphaned baby off of the streets of a place where the young child wouldn't have been able to survive on her own. The X-Ladies, or at least a group of them, rendevouz on a train where they talk about this new child. Jubilee is sneaky as she senses a mysterious man stalking her but doesn't make the fact that she senses that known to her follower. Thankfully the mystery man gets caught and brought into custody by the investigative team Psylocke and Rachel Grey. This is a neat interaction. I found the art in this issue to be solid throughout and really good when it came to characters and costumes. I thought that the organization of the panels was brilliant. One too many inkers is all I have to say that is negative. I think that this book is a much needed addition to the X-Men roster of Marvel NOW. I am very excited to see where they take the story about these new siblings.

Review: Wolverine and the X-Men #30

As prologues go, this was one of the best I have ever seen in comics. The masterful Jason Aaron starts all of the story-threads that I presume will continue throughout the Hellfire Saga. Beast' trip to space with Broo was at first kind of sad, for those of us who have read the first run, and very clever for anyone reading now. The connection to the Hellfire Squad is there completely but this little episode serves as an entertaining little tale as well. Beast is one of my favorite X-Men because of his dialect and I feel as though Jason Aaron utilized that in this issue. However, I think that Jason Aaron's writing was slightly sub-par today in other areas. With so many moving parts, the writing was more re-capping events that already happened instead of writing actual, human conversations. This angers me as I think he is one of the most talented writers in the industry. I thought that what happened at the Jean Grey School with the several "transfers" to the Hellfire Academy was quite clever and entertaining but at the same time really sad. I say this because it is really unfortunate to see the school falling apart after all of the hard work Logan has put into building it. My only real complaint with this issue was the art. I didn't even care to learn the artists name I hated it so much. It looked completely goony and computerized. STAY AWAY FROM MY WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN YOU HACK! I love this book and don't want it ruined by some crap artist. I will definitely be on the Wolverine and the X-men train for as long as it keeps chugging right along. I look forward to the Hellfire Saga.