Pull List and Pick of the Week - 1/29/14

Another week, another batch of books

Aquaman #27 

When it was announced that Geoff Johns was leaving Aquaman, I had good cause to be concerned.  Aquaman isn't exactly a character DC has handled well over the years.  But now we're two issues into Jeff Parker's run, and I must say I am still enjoying it.  This issue sees Aquaman continue his fight with Atlantis's ancient defender, while the Triton organization conducts shady business in the background.  Paul Pelletier's art continues to be gorgeous.







Black Science #3

I find Rick Remender's work takes a while to kick off.  Uncanny X-Force is a good example of that; while everyone was ranting and raving I didn't really get hooked til the Dark Angel Saga.  Black Science #3 was set to be my last try with this book.  The first two issues held my interest, but did nothing for me.  Well it turns out I am going to be reading this book for a little while longer.  The slow revelations of the past and what went into the pillar project is really starting to catch my attention.  Matteo Scalera is also turning in some pretty top notch art for this book.




Earth 2 Annual #2

Admittedly Earth 2 has been pretty hit or miss since James Robinson left, and is mostly a book I read out of habit.  That being said, this issue was a really good read.  This issue detailed the origin of the second Batman in this universe, and was an interesting twist on some old Batman concepts.  I guess this is also where I knock what Snyder's been doing over in Batman.  Don't get me wrong, Snyder is my favorite writer, but Zero Year is not my cup of tea and way too drawn out.  Here in 38 pages Tom Taylor manages to tell a Batman origin (granted for a very different Batman) in a much more interesting fashion than Snyder has  so far managed.



Guardians of the Galaxy #11

I think the hate this book gets is uncalled for.  I think it's an overreaction from Bendis's many haters.  It's a flawed book, yes, and slow too, but it's a fun book.  And do I really have to say anything about how beautiful Sara Pichelli's art is?  This is the first issue of the crossover with All New X-Men, "The Trial of Jean Grey."  How much does Shi'ar justice suck really?  To punish a young Jean Grey for a crime she hasn't even committed yet, and in fact may never commit given what she now knows of her own future is absurd.  Also I continue to love how the other races speak of Earth is the worst place in the universe.




Inhumanity #2

I'm not reading all of Inhumanity, so maybe I'm missing out on something.  Maybe that's why this story just isn't doing it for me.  Or maybe Marvel just made it seem a lot more important than it was.  The Inhumanity crossover seems like little more than Marvel establishing the new status quo and setting up the Inhuman series debuting in April.  Matt Fraction himself is a very hit or miss writer.  When he hits, it's absolutely stellar.  When he misses, as he does here, it's bad, sometimes quite bad.  And then there's the art.  Art duty is split between Nick Bradshaw and Todd Nauck.  The problem lies primarily with Nauck.  The guy isn't a bad artist, but he has a much more cartoonish style that simply doesn't suit a superhero book.  It's a jarring jump from Bradshaw to Nauck and back to Bradshaw.



Justice League Dark #27
 
This book was a mess before Jeff Lemire was on it, and it's a mess now that he's gone.  J.M. DeMatteis isn't doing a bad job on the book; he's just not doing a particularly good job.  He really wrote himself into a corner with this Blight storyline.  Blight (who appears to be the New 52's version of the Great Evil Beast) couldn't be defeated, so the ending of the story was a complete cop out and completely anticlimactic.  I do believe this issue marked the first mention of the Presence in the New 52 though.  DC needs to put Mikel Janin on another book.  His immense talent is wasted here.


Miracleman #2

Another strong issue, but that is to be expected of Alan Moore before he became the guy who sat on the sidelines and complained about where the industry had gone.  I've never read Miracleman before this reprint started, and I'm quite enjoying it now.  Marvel did an amazing job recoloring this.  Keep it coming.






Thor God of Thunder #18

Sweet mother of god, this book is ugly.  I'm not familiar with Das Pastoras's other work, and after this I don't intend to get familiar with it.  Jason Aaron's been telling some fantastic stories with this book, and this issue could have been a fun one if only it didn't look like shit.







Pick of the Week

Miracleman #2 was the best book that came out this week, but it's a reprint so let's not count it.  The other real standout this week, however, was Earth 2 Annual #2 and that's my pick of the week.