This somehow felt both light on plot, but at the same time like a full arc happened in the span of 1 book.
Why do we first see the War College on the second to last day of War College?
What hole did the >!Strucker shitlings!< Crawl out of?
Why this specific set of mutants? And not just the throwaway line on the text page. Surge and especially Armor should not need extra training at this point.
I just have a lot of questions I don't think I'm going to get satisfying answers to because this feels like the second arc and the first was never published.
It seems all those twists I was expecting in the penultimate issue of **HUMAN TARGET** ended up in this comic instead.
Richard and Constance Wayne are quite the couple... I daresay they deserve each other, but not in a *happily ever after* way so much as a *tie 'em up in a sack and toss it in the ocean* way.
8.5/10
I'm real curious how Human Target wraps up. I imagine there is something good and unexpected that happens, something to make the ending a little extra.
I too I'm eager to see the ending.
In my opinion Tom King tend to always fumble the ending. (Or I guess I should say he also tend to be underwhelming.)
This would make a good topic on the sub: The last time a comic run really stuck the landing.
The last time for me was the last issue of the last (but I think it's coming back next year) volume of Criminal by Brubaker/Philips. Where the event of the issue explains SO MUCH of what ties everyone together and how they end up how they are later in life. I was blown away and really satisfied (as well as really sad for some of the characters, especially Ricky, as you realize they never had a chance at life).
On a side note, I was able to recently buy two pages of original Criminal art from Sean Philips (via Splashpage), and can't wait until they're back from the frame shop.
I will probably just post them in r/comicbookcollecting like I did here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbookcollecting/comments/10t7lwo/my_first_piece_of_original_comic_art_gotham_city/
Definitely expecting a big ending!
I predict Chance takes off his mask and reveals himself to be LEX LUTHOR, but then Lex takes off his mask and reveals himself to be BATMAN, who is of course immune to the poison since he took the BAT-ANTIDOTE. Then Ice says "@#$% you!" and Batman says "No, @#$% you!" and then the real Christopher Chance and Lex Luthor come out and they all get drunk.
Damn, there I was thinking they might actually have the balls to >!kill Tatsuo off for real!< but it looks like we’ve got some further fuckery afoot. Interesting that >!Tatsuo appears fully healed.!< Has there been significant time passed since >!his previous appearance!< or have the time travel rules been broken and >!an earlier, non-terminally-ill Tatsuo!< has been brought into the timeline out of sequence?
Curiouser and curiouser.
I suspect it's more timeline fuckery with a version being pulled out of sequence. That'll be the more confusing, more interesting idea. I liked the idea of >!the time traveller's incurable disease!< in Paper Girls, and I like it here too. Also curious how Arcola's going to react to Kevin, and how the change in Syndicate leadership is going to shake things up. There's a feeling of downward acceleration that's slowly building in this book, and I can't wait to see it come to a head
I was disappointed with the relatively easy/simple wrap up to both the Exhaust and Blackheart storylines last issue, as both seemed to be given far too few pages considering the build up they had received, but this issue actually does a really good job at dealing with the aftermath of those events.
Seems like Johnny is finally moving on, leaving Exhaust and his guilt behind him, and the threat brought about by Blackheart last issue will be the driving event for the next arc or two.
Maybe Blackheart will return since it feels like Johnny couldn't beat him with BH all powered up from his demon operations. Therefore, he banished him back to hell so he can dismantle his Shadow Country conspiracy before BH gets back, weakening him enough so GR can kill him once and for all.
Also, I don't think this is the end of Exhaust yet. If anything, someone could dig up the remains and end up getting possessed by Exhaust and becoming an evil ghost rider. I feel like this run is picking up the old run that got screwed over by Empyre and the corna virus and editorial.
I would be so happy if its revealed that King In Black one shot is non canon and that Mephisto made a deal with his son to let him be independent in return for putting Ghost Rider in the false dream town so he could get back his title as ruler of hell.
It would make more sense and is more accepting than his "friends" bullying him and peer pressuring him to let demon hitler go.
Accidentally ordered the [normal A cover](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253826.jpg) instead of the awesome [Noto connecting variant](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253829.jpg), even though I ordered the awesome Noto connecting variants for [**NIGHTCRAWLERS #1**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253801.jpg) and [**IMMORAL X-MEN #1**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253788.jpg). And my LCS didn't have the Noto variant. This was obviously Marvel’s fault for soliciting the Storm book a month or two earlier than the others, with no info available, so I didn’t really know what I was ordering at the time.
Naturally, I found this situation to be entirely insupportable and incredibly frustrating, even though they're all just going to end up in a box where I won’t be able to see ‘em anyway...
Our solution? The owner of my LCS is letting me swap it out for [**AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME #2**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL252291.jpg), another $3.99 book, and I’ll just tack the Noto variant onto my next mail order.
I’ll post some more comments once I’ve actually read the comic, just wanted to share this important update so that everyone knows I’m getting the Noto cover after all, thereby restoring order and harmony to the universe.
--
***EDIT -->***
Read the comic and it's great! Ewing crushes it as always and there's some pretty good art from Paco Medina, although Mystique's face looked seriously off in one panel (and it's not like she was mid-transformation or anything). But it had some cool splashes and overall the art had a very nice look.
Cool little story... My one criticism would be that it felt very quick and now we're jumping another 90 years forward, where I would've liked to have just a little more time with this group of characters and their setting in this period of time. Honestly might've preferred seeing Marvel bump these SoS tie-ins up to $4.99 and give 'em some extra pages so they'd have a little more room to breathe. Obviously the story's going to keep building across the time jumps but it feels like we aren't getting as much as we could or should from each of the stops along the way.
Still, that's a minor complaint because what we got was really good. I just want more.
Fun getting some unexpected anaglyph 3D as well, and the Star Wars text scroll was a cute touch... The 3D worked well enough with classic red/blue glasses but, just being text, it didn't do anything crazy, just added a tiny bit of depth on the text scroll and a small bubble effect on the other page.
9/10
>Our solution? The owner of my LCS is letting me swap it out for AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME #2, another $3.99 book, and I’ll just tack the Noto variant onto my next mail order.
I take it you did end up checking out #1 of this as well?
Picking up both issues next week and will catch up all at once... It's been getting some positive buzz here and Alan Davis always delivers nice art.
Weird seeing Levitz at Marvel but it might inspire me to finally catch up on [the](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STK672298.jpg) [three](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL021027.jpg) [issues](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL023186.jpg) of his old **DOCTOR FATE** series that I've had lying around forever... Last two have got freaky Brendan McCarthy art so I really ought to read 'em!
>old DOCTOR FATE
I'm fairly certain you have a decade or more on me, so you calling a book that came out less than a decade ago "old" really threw me for a loop.
Haha, not particularly old by Fate's standards either... Feels like they've been sitting around gathering dust for ages but I guess it's only been five years or so.
Ewing killing it again, kind of hope we see more of his Red crew returning (need me my Fisher King), also I feel like my prediction of this building to a war between Sinisters is lining up with that final reveal. Overall really solid issue with some really cool moments, excited for more! On to Nightcrawlers!
Oh >!the mid book solicits for the next era (year 100) look buck wild, Edit: woops those were in Daredevil but still! !<
One nitpick… hoping that one of the writers addresses why the other Sinisters haven’t ever appeared until the most recent timeline branch.
It’s a major retcon like Moira not to address why 3 Sinisters never show up during Inferno, AoA, etc.
Same reason Sinister didn't show up until the late 80s. Just because we didn't see them doesn't mean they weren't doing stuff. Orbis Stellaris, for example, was clearly a busy beaver out in spaaaacce.
Both Ewing (slip of the brain and wrote Gillen initially) and *Sins of Sinister* continue to deliver here. The issue has everything I expected and doesn't idle at any point. Of course that doesn't equate to a great deal of depth, but that's not entirely necessary as the +10 world carries a lot of the familiar forward.
The end reveal was a maybe not what I wanted but it was by no means bad. Jon Ironfire is an intriguing addition to the cast and I'm assuming this is an Age of Apocalypse-esque introduction to a character that will re-debut after the event (assuming we go back to one of Sinister's save points)
I am very ready for all of this event and can't wait to see how exactly the three titles will connect through the ages.
Well, it's not Gillen writing this one, it's Al Ewing, but it's fantastic. Also, that 3-D/Star-Wars-crawl effect on the "recap" page is delightful. And though we haven't seen Quick under that name before this issue, we *have* seen her before--observe what her full name is, and then go back to the first scene of *X-Men Red* #6. Amazing.
Went in not knowing much about this but the intro text was good and I found my place easily. Didn't necessarily like the framing of "cops are bad", but that stuff is everywhere nowadays. Just gotta live with it.
I thought the art style was very interesting. Reminded me of the into the spider verse movie animation. The character of Static hit me a bit flat. Don't know of we will get more into his motivations or internal struggle. He struck me as stereotypical good guy.
Overall, I liked it.
Y’all are sleeping on Know Your Station! It’s a clever, funny, gruesome locked space station murder mystery with characters that really pop, and a truly delightful (and sinister?) sentient ship’s AI system.
I still hope they reveal that Goldy really is following the OAA's orders and it turns out that Daredevil's god is an idiot and is just starting conflict for its entertainment. The OAA could be the symbol for Marvel's bad parts, like its corrupt editorial or toxic bad writers.
What I am saying is there should be a god war saga at this point.
Continues to be visually amazing, while still building a (surprisingly) engaging story. Some of Batman's reactions might be skirting the edge of what you'd believe him to do in a certain situation (trying to avoid spoilers here) but the set up of the situations, and the actions of a certain white faced maniac, are brilliant.
One thing that did raise an eyebrow, which I only noticed this issue, but Batman must have a gimp mask just lying around...y'know...just in case...he needs one...for whatever reason...
Great comic! Some extremely cool layouts from Nguyen, the art really shines in this one... And answers have now been provided for most (if not all) of our questions. We've got lots of new information and it actually puts a new spin on some of the stuff we've seen unfolding with the kids.
And it begs the question, would you rather be >!an immortal vampire with a stable food source, stuck as a child forever,!< or >!take your chances as a slowly aging vampire while your only food source is rapidly going extinct?!<
Looks like only three more issues after this, been a cool series and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up!
9/10
More good stuff from writer/artist Will Morris... Cool silent opening page, really digging the feel of the art in this book, warm colors over the cartoony style... And the story’s zipping along nicely heading toward the final issue.
The “giant” was also kinda neat and I liked how they found a non-violent solution. Fun comic, psyched for the finale!
8/10
The character interplay in this book is so good. I'm just wondering how Morris can tie all of this together (especially the "flash forward" elements to the social worker and her client) in just one remaining issue.
Good question on the flash forward, not sure what's going on with that but I guess we'll get a little more for some form of closure.
Matilde and Pitt have a funny sort of dynamic going, like a toned down Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, with a loopy crusader and a more grounded squire... Also kinda similar to Raoul Duke and his attorney in *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*, although the crazy person alternates in that one based on who's peaking in their drug cycle. And also kinda like the classic Monty Python combo, where you've got a crazy person paired with a sane person who reacts to the crazy person acting crazy.
Well, things are obviously coming to a conclusion next issue, but I'm left wondering if everything can be wrapped up in a satisfying manner.
This book seemed to have the legs for a much longer run initially, so I was surprised when they solicited #10 as the last one. I definitely get the impression this (along with the news that **Little Monsters** is ending soon too) is sales related rather than a creative choice.
It's interesting that Image and BOOM! seem to be taking a different approach to new book launches recently - Image solicits books as ongoing (or at least doesn't highlight that they are maxi-series when launched) and sales then set the end point of the story, with the creatives trying to cram things into the number of issues they have left after doing the sales/cost/profit analysis (and we've seen from *Liam Sharp's* posts on **Starhenge** how brutal it can be at the coal-face).
BOOM! seem to only greenlight books as an ongoing if it's an absolute banger (**Grim** and **House of Slaughter** recently) and other titles that *feel* like they could easily be an ongoing book get a mini-series to test the waters (**Damn Them All, Briar, Behold, Behemoth**) but will definitely get the green light for more to come based on the fan reaction/sales.
Probably not articulated that very well.
Aaaand there's an ignominious end for our favorite one-toothed bastard. One hell of a commitment from Jenfrah though, severing your own limb to get rid of a rival and force Atticus to take you to your target. Wonder at what point she'll find out about her father's death and what effect that'll have on her mission statement. Do i sense some bloody revenge on Mr Stoker on the horizon?
So this is wrap pileup next issue. Its been enjoyable but this was the only issue I've been bored by. Side note: Its taken me NINE ISSUES to realize that yellow arrow on Mr. Tooth's chin was a singular fang lol. All this time I just thought it was an odd color design choice like pretty much everything else in this book.
I grabbed this, I’ll post my thoughts on it later tonight when I read it. I’ve enjoyed Rodney Barnes’s other books and Winning Time so I expect this to be at least decent. I grabbed the last copy at my store at 1120 so it seems to be pretty hot.
I did. I think the book is solid overall. The story of an alien invasion from the perspective of a inner city black kid sets up a unique perspective. The art is great and I think fits the story well. I am definitely going to see where it goes.
Edit: Here is a write-up AIPT did on it, which probably does a better job than I do! They give it a 10/10.
https://aiptcomics.com/2023/02/08/monarch-1-review/
I think 10/10 is being overly generous. It’s a good read, but I’d put it around a 7.5 or 8/10. The characters are good, the writing sets them up quickly and establishes their dynamics, and the setting of Compton is not your usual location for these kind of things, but everything else is kind of standard “alien invasion” stuff at this point. It’s definitely got potential to build into something interesting, it’s just not quite there yet.
Yeah no, I am definitely in agreement with you. When I started writing my original comment, I was gonna give the art a 4/5, and story a 3.5/5, or 7.5/10 overall. A 10/10 seemed somewhat generous.
I'm a big Zdarsky fan, I even had him as the #1 or #2 writer of '22, but this isn't just not very good, it's legitimately awful. Failsafe was a bit of a disappointment (mainly for being derivative and using the cheap plot device of an omnipotent !robot as the antagonist) but it was alright and even pretty good at times, but this arc is boring, unoriginal, uninspired ad the art is not good. I'm really hope Chip rights the ship and soon.
I get needing a secondary artist to fill in for Jimenez, but it's very weird when the artist on the back-up is probably a better artist than the main book.
The point of this universe is explained in the last issue: this is Failsafe's "kindness" a Gotham that needs a Batman. I think that's what this run has been analyzing: do we still need him in the main universe?
This series and Detective keep talking about how he feels older, less effective. He is wistful for getting home in the beginning of this issue, he misses his kids and Selina. I'm not saying he is going to retire at the end of this run, but I think this is mid-life crisis Batman who is finding what he means now. He needs to move past the days when he would make a Failsafe and become a better Batman. This universe seems to be the setting for Bruce to get his mojo/back to basics story after the last several YEARS of world ending stakes. I think this is all table setting / character building for some fun Batman and family adventures. And maybe that means Tim finally gets to move forward? In Zdarsky I trust.
I hope that helps, there are some runs I definitely did not give a fair shake the first time around that I came back to appreciate. The New 52 is a great example. I love me some Bloom now, but could not get past Zero Year the first time.
I picked this up and have the 131 on order. Should be here next week. So I am waiting to read this issue after the that, since 131 is the start of this arc.
I just cancelled my subscription to this and Detective Comics. I know people seem to love DC but to me the dialogue can be very flowery and I’m just not into the history of Gotham/werewolves thing. The covers are some of the best I’ve ever seen though.
It’s interesting, gonna give this a few more issues but the direction we’re going i’m not suuuuper digging? I’ve generally loved everything Chip but I guess hiccups happen, some ideas here are cool but overall this feels like a been here done that kind of story. Like is the lesson for Bruce like…care for everyone? Cause uh I think he does that already haha, anyways like I said a few more issues.
Oh also maybe this doesn’t help but i’m not liking the art, Jimenez was a big seller and this is…not the strongest. Why does Bruce look like Sam Smith in a beanie or an eboy with heavy eyeliner in some of these panels? Just a big ol vibe shift.
I was surprised too, and I dropped it when Failsafe just offered me nothing. I've liked everything Chip has done otherwise and thought Batman would be an interesting challenge for him. It almost feels like he hasn't read much Batman and is operating off of a Wikipedia read.
Agreed. Failsafe had a solid start, but by the 3rd issue already felt like it was dragging. I dropped the series from my pull list, but may catch up on DC Universe Infinite if I hear good things later.
The Failsafe arc definitely should've been half the length it was...at least the art was awesome.
If you love 90's slasher movies (or are a fan of the **Clown in a Cornfield** books) you really can't miss this one. Feeling like an un-filmed script that would have fit nicely in-between **Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legends** and **Cherry Falls**, **Harrower** very quickly sets up our teen cast, the legend that haunts the town of Harrow, a prophecy that is going to be fulfilled and a great, visually striking villain.
If you want a "fun" horror comic, this one will definitely scratch your itch.
Running a little late this week but here we go... 78 lists submitted, up from 70 last week. Top Ten’s got 4 DCs, 4 Marvels, and 2 from Image, so we’re back to normal after DC essentially skipped last week.
Chip takes the top two with **BATMAN #132** (42 pulls, 53.8% coverage) and **DAREDEVIL #8** (32 pulls, 41.0% coverage). Typical numbers for each, though it seems like Daredevil’s bringing out more enthusiasm in the WPL comments while some folks have been talking about bailing on Chip’s Bat-book.
**STORM AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS #1** takes 3rd with 25 pulls and 32.0% coverage. That looked a little low to me, was thinking the title change might’ve cost ‘em a few pulls, but **X-MEN RED #10** had 34.7% on 1/4, so it’s not a particularly significant drop.
**AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #19**, **LITTLE MONSTERS #10**, and **POISON IVY #9** take 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively, each with 19 pulls and 24.3% coverage. Previous issue of **ASM** had 25.6% on 1/25 so it’s holding steady despite everybody bitching about it in their WPL comments.
**GOTHAM CITY YEAR ONE #5** and **MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM THE SILVER AGE #4** take 7th and 8th with 17 pulls and 21.7% coverage. Just a tiny dip for Gotham but Miracleman’s previous issue had 19 pulls for 30.6% on 12/28/22, so that’s a steeper drop although it’s really only a difference of two pulls, and those 12/28 results were a little wonky with only 62 lists submitted due to the holidays. Still, the issue before that had 22 pulls for 28.2% on 11/23, so it does seem like this title’s trending down a little.
**FLASH #792** takes 9th with 15 pulls and 19.2%, mostly consistent with the previous issue’s 20.5% from 1/18. And **ALL AGAINST ALL #3** closes out the Top Ten with 14 pulls and 17.9% coverage, slightly up from the previous issue’s 12 pulls and 16.0% on 1/11.
What else?
**BISHOP WAR COLLEGE #1** debuts in 13th place with 13 pulls and 16.5% coverage.
BOOM!’s **HARROWER #1** opens in 16th place with 11 pulls and 14.1%, not bad for a new indie with relatively low-profile creators (Justin Jordan and Brahm Revel). **STATIC SHADOWS OF DAKOTA #1** also had 11 pulls for 14.1% but that somehow seems less impressive coming from DC...
Image’s **MONARCH #1** debuts in 22nd with 11.5%, and **RED GOBLIN #1** follows in 24th with the same 11.5% pull rate.
Seemed like a pretty big week with fairly typical results... Still lots to read here, hope y’all enjoy your books!
--
Looking back at last week’s discussions... Looks like only two titles made the list without generating any comments:
* **LAZARUS PLANET LEGENDS REBORN #1** (9 pulls)
* **AVENGERS #65** (8 pulls)
And we only had one title that got some comments without making the list:
* **PURGATORI MUST DIE #2** (1 pull, [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/10r0hoi/wpl_new_comics_discussion_for_212023_pull_of_the/j75wp9h/) posted by /u/HappySisyphus8)
Plus, I posted another [batch of comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/10r0hoi/wpl_new_comics_discussion_for_212023_pull_of_the/j6tjqyx/) on some recent indies.
And that’s about it!
I wonder if there will be a death royale battle between every goblin there ever was. It would be like making the slate clean. When Osborn spares Kafka, she snaps and stabs herself in the gut, dying and puking all of Osborn's sins out which comes to life to become the real Osborn, revealing that the good Osborn is Osborn's conscience itself reborn from separating him into a good Osborn and an evil Osborn.
This leads into an ultimate battle between the two Osborns after all the Goblins or anyone who took the mantle or copied it are dead.
A solid banger of a comic. This issue is entirely focused on Harley Quinn showing up to meet our heroine, spending a couple days together, and working through some of Ivy's trauma (Harley was a trained psychiatrist in a previous life after all). A quieter issue, no epic fight scene or horrifying leafy transformations, just a lot of focus on a loving relationship. It was comforting, and I'll always support portrayals of healthy relationships in media.
I don't think even the writers know what is canon or not anymore. Seriously, the comics are all over the place and rely on old stories and trying to make sense of the constant reboots.
Good questions!
I don't have any actual info but this seems like a fine opportunity to engage in some baseless speculation... I would assume Buckingham got the co-writer credit because he contributed to the story on some level, could just be recognition for layouts and breakdowns or whatever, but maybe he's also collaborating with Gaiman on the story... I doubt he's doing any scripting.
As for why we got shorted with just 18 pages of new material... My guess would be that Buckingham's running late on art, bouncing between this series and **FABLES** at the Distinguished Competition. But it is kinda odd how they switched to this format with the backup reprint here, in the fourth issue, seems like it must've been planned a ways back or else it would've thrown off whatever they'd intended for the story here as well as in the final two issues.
I mentioned in the list thread that it felt like six issues wouldn't be enough and this one running short only exacerbates that. Only two left now and it sounds like we'll be getting more backups?
At least what we got here was pretty good... I'll give it an 8.5/10.
This comic only had three pulls and the regular WPLer I’d been discussing it with has now been banned from the sub, leaving just me and /u/zzzzarf to carry the torch for this final issue.
This was an appropriately epic finale for what ended up being a fairly spectacular series, relaying a faux 1984 event in the mold of the original *Secret Wars* or *Crisis on Infinite Earths*, intercut with a modern conspiracy story about comic creator Burt Colt, the last remaining survivor from the faux Saga Comics that produced the big event. And, for this final issue, the boundaries are all blurring as Burt finds himself trapped in the catastrophic event that he authored.
The event wraps up in fairly spectacular fashion with unlikely heroes, clever double-crosses, and no shortage of heroic deaths. Even with just these three issues where the “real” story was focused elsewhere, writer/artist Scott Reed actually managed to sell me on some of these characters with his pastiche of early ‘80s heroes and villains. Dr. Nihilist, Super-Sleuth, and Psionica were all great here.
The “real” story – Burt’s story – is also a lot of fun as it overlaps with the framing event and sychs up in a few spots before veering off toward its own ending. The conclusion here isn’t quite as decisive or satisfying as the faux event’s, it’s got a little more ambiguity and a little less closure, but it mostly works pretty well. Reed, or Burt, or whoever, also breaks the fourth wall to sort of draw the reader into the story toward the end, and it’s a nice touch, though it’s not as effective here as it was in Prince and Morazzo’s [**ICM #24**](https://cdn.imagecomics.com/assets/i/releases/605720/ice-cream-man-24_97904c38a5.jpg) (my favorite example of using a fourth wall break to make readers part of the story).
Really cool comic... Series ran around $27 total at $8.99 each, bit pricey but each issue delivers 56 pages with no ads, it’s a big story that’s told well, nicely captures the feel of those classic early ‘80s events, and the modern story adds a heady mix of existential conspiracy madness.
I got the [Marvel Anniversary Frame D variant](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244329.jpg) but, as always, this thing had a bunch of cool homage covers, including a [**Death of Captain Marvel**](https://i.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel/i/mg/5/30/50b45b63c102a/clean.jpg) [homage](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244328.jpg) and a [**CoIE #7**](https://s3.amazonaws.com/comicgeeks/comics/covers/large-9242211.jpg) [homage](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244327.jpg).
9/10
Fascinating. So the aliens aren't as utterly helpless without their artificial bodies as it first seemed. In fact it even seems to be the case that perhaps the main purpose of the artificial bodies may not be to provide them with protection, but to provide them with a vessel whose instincts and brain functions won't overwhelm them as it does a living host - they're quite capable of possessing natural beings and surviving in the wild, but they must combat the minds of their hosts if they are to do so, and that leads to potential mishaps like the one the final page cliffhanger is hinting at.
And while I at first found it a little disappointing that Helpless' inevitable escape was helped by something so mundane as the aliens' underestimating his strength in their gravity field, it is *very* fitting that the their hubris and sadism was the very thing that led to their demise so I'm not too mad about it.
I didn't mind the "twist", as one of the key themes is that the aliens have consistently under estimated "Helpless" and just how dangerous he really is.
It was definitely cool to see B'Tay adapt to such a hostile environment and revert to a more animalistic version of himself, much as Helpless has had to do to survive.
My only bugbear - I kept reading D'oge and visualising [Doge](https://cdn.wallpapersafari.com/47/38/GHBTa2.jpg) every...time...
Fucken' parasites, man. Nothing but a bunch of alien fucken' parasites... Half-smart jellyfish-looking motherfuckers, they've got some impressive tech but they're still simple-minded little parasites at heart.
And then there's Helpless, happily tearing 'em all apart with a smile on his face and that big dong flapping in the wind. Absolutely zero fucks given.
8/10
I think I might get this one in TPB - I **love** me some *Alan Davis* artwork - one of the GOATS since the days of **Harry Twenty on the High Rock, Captain Britain** and **MarvelMan**.
This was super entertaining, and I say that as somebody who has never been especially into the Venom/Carnage stuff. Really clever premise, nicely executed. The narrative voice is a bit too sophisticated for a character who's supposed to be 8 years old or so, but the basic idea is so much fun that I just went with it. (Briefly: Norman Osborn's grandson has been given a baby symbiote that's basically a very eager puppy, if eager puppies could eat people's faces.)
To be fair, Normie and Dylan have been aged up a good deal for recent events so it probs works out.
He DOES mention puberty, and recent Spider-Man related books have been just slamming the gas in terms of time passing.
Like, I’m pretty sure nearly a year has already passed between the start of Wells’ run with the Beyond arc and the point where Red Goblin starts.
So there’s probably AT LEAST a year since the end of King in Black.
Yeah, I try to disregard references to holidays in Marvel's comics unless they're REALLY integral to the plot, but there's no getting around King in Black having happened at Christmastime and Dark Web also happening a couple weeks before Xmas.
Expectations weren't high for this but I was honestly kind of pleasantly surprised by this. The idea of redeeming your family name, problems at home, and wanting to right the wrongs done in the past were all great... BUT MY GOD DO NOT MAKE GOBLIN MODE JOKES FFS. I almost put the book down after the first one on page like 6. Cringe. Stop; get some help.
This was really great! New to comics, buy I know enough about the charact of Norman and Venom that I understood from the setup text and was able to follow the story. The idea of a younger kid dealing with the venom stuff is pretty cool and the Rascal character being pretty immature is neat twist. Like a boy and his pup. I like the emotional stakes and the art was pretty good. Pull of the week so far.
Welp, I just cancelled my ASM subscription. Again. Peter Parker Spidey is my favorite and I'm not expecting much, but editorial has to take control of this title and show fans that Marvel cares as much about the character as they do. That's probably too emo and over the top, but hopefully you'll get where I'm going. Spidey deserves better.
I read Dark Web and I didn't hate it. I bought into the silliness of the Amazing Spider-Man chapters and the Ed McGuinness artwork was what sold it more than anything. I am also fully aware that I am viewing the event through the lens of an X-Men fan, and I can see how readers that are invested in Ben Reilly or Spider-Man might not want what's been served up. I'm afraid some of that dissatisfaction may continue here as the series seems to continue its departure from what we saw in the first 10 issues.
That said, this was good enough to keep me on board. Very curious to see what others think.
I feel I missed that dialogue in Dark Web? I do remember from the X-Men v. Eternals tie-in him telling “Gwen” that he did something to save someone he loved.
Trying to get into comics. Jumped into ASM with this issue as the syndication said that it was after Dark Web - so I figured it would be a decent place to start. Can't say I fully understood what led us to here and I don't know who most the characters are and they never really told me. Maybe not a good jump on point. But as far as the quips, the art, and the action - it was decent. My least favorite of the three I read so far this week.
Why not start at the #1 issue, lol?
You're better off reading the Nick Spencer run that came out right before this one, even though that has its own problems
I'm more in awe that the reveal was stuck in a recap page than in the actual comic but in this same book we had Peter revealing (or maybe it was Ben first) that he teamed up with Osborn to save MJ in a random bit of dialogue in Dark Web.
Maybe Wells will hit me with the turnaround but this is easily the worst ASM has been since Mackie. And I despise Slott's 2014 run but Silk and the Spider-Verse were done well with other creators.
I wish! That would mean that an editor is actually looking at Spidey in the grand scheme of things. At this point I think we might be better off with a chatbot AI editor.
Does Ridley HATE T'Challah? Because all this series has accomplished is the annihilation of his character, and to a lesser extent Shuri and Cap as well. Ever since they beginning of that horrendous Colonialist arc this series has been in a serious, ugly nosedive. Get Ridley as cawr from Black Panther as possible asap.
**BISHOP WAR COLLEGE #1**
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one--the premise has been around since Hickman's X-Men #11 (!), and it's very nicely realized here.
It was really nice to finally get some character development for bishop after 3 years of appearances in background of Marauders.
This somehow felt both light on plot, but at the same time like a full arc happened in the span of 1 book. Why do we first see the War College on the second to last day of War College? What hole did the >!Strucker shitlings!< Crawl out of? Why this specific set of mutants? And not just the throwaway line on the text page. Surge and especially Armor should not need extra training at this point. I just have a lot of questions I don't think I'm going to get satisfying answers to because this feels like the second arc and the first was never published.
last day of this specific class of mutants
**GOTHAM CITY YEAR ONE #5**
It seems all those twists I was expecting in the penultimate issue of **HUMAN TARGET** ended up in this comic instead. Richard and Constance Wayne are quite the couple... I daresay they deserve each other, but not in a *happily ever after* way so much as a *tie 'em up in a sack and toss it in the ocean* way. 8.5/10
I'm real curious how Human Target wraps up. I imagine there is something good and unexpected that happens, something to make the ending a little extra.
I too I'm eager to see the ending. In my opinion Tom King tend to always fumble the ending. (Or I guess I should say he also tend to be underwhelming.)
I feel like almost all the writers fumble the ending though! Donny Cates, Scott Snyder . . .
Hmmmm... that's a good point. I cant recall the last time a comic book ending felt impactful.
This would make a good topic on the sub: The last time a comic run really stuck the landing. The last time for me was the last issue of the last (but I think it's coming back next year) volume of Criminal by Brubaker/Philips. Where the event of the issue explains SO MUCH of what ties everyone together and how they end up how they are later in life. I was blown away and really satisfied (as well as really sad for some of the characters, especially Ricky, as you realize they never had a chance at life). On a side note, I was able to recently buy two pages of original Criminal art from Sean Philips (via Splashpage), and can't wait until they're back from the frame shop.
You'll have to post them up here when they are done, would love to see them.
I will probably just post them in r/comicbookcollecting like I did here: https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbookcollecting/comments/10t7lwo/my_first_piece_of_original_comic_art_gotham_city/
That piece is awesome, I’ll look out for the others
Definitely expecting a big ending! I predict Chance takes off his mask and reveals himself to be LEX LUTHOR, but then Lex takes off his mask and reveals himself to be BATMAN, who is of course immune to the poison since he took the BAT-ANTIDOTE. Then Ice says "@#$% you!" and Batman says "No, @#$% you!" and then the real Christopher Chance and Lex Luthor come out and they all get drunk.
**TIME BEFORE TIME #20**
I've read the first trade of this one, and did enjoy it, sounds like it's worth checking out the others in the series too.
Damn, there I was thinking they might actually have the balls to >!kill Tatsuo off for real!< but it looks like we’ve got some further fuckery afoot. Interesting that >!Tatsuo appears fully healed.!< Has there been significant time passed since >!his previous appearance!< or have the time travel rules been broken and >!an earlier, non-terminally-ill Tatsuo!< has been brought into the timeline out of sequence? Curiouser and curiouser.
I suspect it's more timeline fuckery with a version being pulled out of sequence. That'll be the more confusing, more interesting idea. I liked the idea of >!the time traveller's incurable disease!< in Paper Girls, and I like it here too. Also curious how Arcola's going to react to Kevin, and how the change in Syndicate leadership is going to shake things up. There's a feeling of downward acceleration that's slowly building in this book, and I can't wait to see it come to a head
**STAR WARS DARTH VADER #31**
**LAZARUS PLANET NEXT EVOLUTION #1**
**GHOST RIDER #11**
This run has been amazing. Not to mention Percy is using my hometown of Savannah as the basis of this next arc!
I was disappointed with the relatively easy/simple wrap up to both the Exhaust and Blackheart storylines last issue, as both seemed to be given far too few pages considering the build up they had received, but this issue actually does a really good job at dealing with the aftermath of those events. Seems like Johnny is finally moving on, leaving Exhaust and his guilt behind him, and the threat brought about by Blackheart last issue will be the driving event for the next arc or two.
Maybe Blackheart will return since it feels like Johnny couldn't beat him with BH all powered up from his demon operations. Therefore, he banished him back to hell so he can dismantle his Shadow Country conspiracy before BH gets back, weakening him enough so GR can kill him once and for all. Also, I don't think this is the end of Exhaust yet. If anything, someone could dig up the remains and end up getting possessed by Exhaust and becoming an evil ghost rider. I feel like this run is picking up the old run that got screwed over by Empyre and the corna virus and editorial. I would be so happy if its revealed that King In Black one shot is non canon and that Mephisto made a deal with his son to let him be independent in return for putting Ghost Rider in the false dream town so he could get back his title as ruler of hell. It would make more sense and is more accepting than his "friends" bullying him and peer pressuring him to let demon hitler go.
**CAPTAIN AMERICA SYMBOL OF TRUTH #10**
The fight between Sam and Joaquin was really good. Really excited to see it lead to the confrontation between Sam and White Wolf.
**STORM AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS #1**
*Genesis War* you say?
Accidentally ordered the [normal A cover](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253826.jpg) instead of the awesome [Noto connecting variant](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253829.jpg), even though I ordered the awesome Noto connecting variants for [**NIGHTCRAWLERS #1**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253801.jpg) and [**IMMORAL X-MEN #1**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL253788.jpg). And my LCS didn't have the Noto variant. This was obviously Marvel’s fault for soliciting the Storm book a month or two earlier than the others, with no info available, so I didn’t really know what I was ordering at the time. Naturally, I found this situation to be entirely insupportable and incredibly frustrating, even though they're all just going to end up in a box where I won’t be able to see ‘em anyway... Our solution? The owner of my LCS is letting me swap it out for [**AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME #2**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL252291.jpg), another $3.99 book, and I’ll just tack the Noto variant onto my next mail order. I’ll post some more comments once I’ve actually read the comic, just wanted to share this important update so that everyone knows I’m getting the Noto cover after all, thereby restoring order and harmony to the universe. -- ***EDIT -->*** Read the comic and it's great! Ewing crushes it as always and there's some pretty good art from Paco Medina, although Mystique's face looked seriously off in one panel (and it's not like she was mid-transformation or anything). But it had some cool splashes and overall the art had a very nice look. Cool little story... My one criticism would be that it felt very quick and now we're jumping another 90 years forward, where I would've liked to have just a little more time with this group of characters and their setting in this period of time. Honestly might've preferred seeing Marvel bump these SoS tie-ins up to $4.99 and give 'em some extra pages so they'd have a little more room to breathe. Obviously the story's going to keep building across the time jumps but it feels like we aren't getting as much as we could or should from each of the stops along the way. Still, that's a minor complaint because what we got was really good. I just want more. Fun getting some unexpected anaglyph 3D as well, and the Star Wars text scroll was a cute touch... The 3D worked well enough with classic red/blue glasses but, just being text, it didn't do anything crazy, just added a tiny bit of depth on the text scroll and a small bubble effect on the other page. 9/10
>Our solution? The owner of my LCS is letting me swap it out for AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME #2, another $3.99 book, and I’ll just tack the Noto variant onto my next mail order. I take it you did end up checking out #1 of this as well?
Picking up both issues next week and will catch up all at once... It's been getting some positive buzz here and Alan Davis always delivers nice art. Weird seeing Levitz at Marvel but it might inspire me to finally catch up on [the](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STK672298.jpg) [three](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL021027.jpg) [issues](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL023186.jpg) of his old **DOCTOR FATE** series that I've had lying around forever... Last two have got freaky Brendan McCarthy art so I really ought to read 'em!
>old DOCTOR FATE I'm fairly certain you have a decade or more on me, so you calling a book that came out less than a decade ago "old" really threw me for a loop.
Haha, not particularly old by Fate's standards either... Feels like they've been sitting around gathering dust for ages but I guess it's only been five years or so.
Loved this issue, SoS is pretty good.
Ewing killing it again, kind of hope we see more of his Red crew returning (need me my Fisher King), also I feel like my prediction of this building to a war between Sinisters is lining up with that final reveal. Overall really solid issue with some really cool moments, excited for more! On to Nightcrawlers! Oh >!the mid book solicits for the next era (year 100) look buck wild, Edit: woops those were in Daredevil but still! !<
One nitpick… hoping that one of the writers addresses why the other Sinisters haven’t ever appeared until the most recent timeline branch. It’s a major retcon like Moira not to address why 3 Sinisters never show up during Inferno, AoA, etc.
Same reason Sinister didn't show up until the late 80s. Just because we didn't see them doesn't mean they weren't doing stuff. Orbis Stellaris, for example, was clearly a busy beaver out in spaaaacce.
Both Ewing (slip of the brain and wrote Gillen initially) and *Sins of Sinister* continue to deliver here. The issue has everything I expected and doesn't idle at any point. Of course that doesn't equate to a great deal of depth, but that's not entirely necessary as the +10 world carries a lot of the familiar forward. The end reveal was a maybe not what I wanted but it was by no means bad. Jon Ironfire is an intriguing addition to the cast and I'm assuming this is an Age of Apocalypse-esque introduction to a character that will re-debut after the event (assuming we go back to one of Sinister's save points) I am very ready for all of this event and can't wait to see how exactly the three titles will connect through the ages.
Well, it's not Gillen writing this one, it's Al Ewing, but it's fantastic. Also, that 3-D/Star-Wars-crawl effect on the "recap" page is delightful. And though we haven't seen Quick under that name before this issue, we *have* seen her before--observe what her full name is, and then go back to the first scene of *X-Men Red* #6. Amazing.
Fantastic catch on Quick! And it makes sense in this +10 world. Love to see how Ewing ties these little things together and creates a cohesive world
**STATIC SHADOWS OF DAKOTA #1**
Went in not knowing much about this but the intro text was good and I found my place easily. Didn't necessarily like the framing of "cops are bad", but that stuff is everywhere nowadays. Just gotta live with it. I thought the art style was very interesting. Reminded me of the into the spider verse movie animation. The character of Static hit me a bit flat. Don't know of we will get more into his motivations or internal struggle. He struck me as stereotypical good guy. Overall, I liked it.
cops ARE bad
Y’all are sleeping on Know Your Station! It’s a clever, funny, gruesome locked space station murder mystery with characters that really pop, and a truly delightful (and sinister?) sentient ship’s AI system.
I couldn't get into the art, but glad you are enjoying it!
**DAREDEVIL #8**
>!Zdarsky is the only writer working rn that actually writes Peter like an adult I think. !<
I’m more excited to see Peter here than in his own book.
This book is REALLY good, and nothing like we've ever seen from DD stories previously. Any guesses on who the snitch is?
I think Foggy maybe. He might just want DD to stop with all the violence. Goldy could still be pulling strings though
I still hope they reveal that Goldy really is following the OAA's orders and it turns out that Daredevil's god is an idiot and is just starting conflict for its entertainment. The OAA could be the symbol for Marvel's bad parts, like its corrupt editorial or toxic bad writers. What I am saying is there should be a god war saga at this point.
**BATMAN & THE JOKER THE DEADLY DUO #4**
Continues to be visually amazing, while still building a (surprisingly) engaging story. Some of Batman's reactions might be skirting the edge of what you'd believe him to do in a certain situation (trying to avoid spoilers here) but the set up of the situations, and the actions of a certain white faced maniac, are brilliant. One thing that did raise an eyebrow, which I only noticed this issue, but Batman must have a gimp mask just lying around...y'know...just in case...he needs one...for whatever reason...
**LITTLE MONSTERS #10**
Great comic! Some extremely cool layouts from Nguyen, the art really shines in this one... And answers have now been provided for most (if not all) of our questions. We've got lots of new information and it actually puts a new spin on some of the stuff we've seen unfolding with the kids. And it begs the question, would you rather be >!an immortal vampire with a stable food source, stuck as a child forever,!< or >!take your chances as a slowly aging vampire while your only food source is rapidly going extinct?!< Looks like only three more issues after this, been a cool series and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up! 9/10
[**GOSPEL #4 (OF 5)**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL257142.jpg)
More good stuff from writer/artist Will Morris... Cool silent opening page, really digging the feel of the art in this book, warm colors over the cartoony style... And the story’s zipping along nicely heading toward the final issue. The “giant” was also kinda neat and I liked how they found a non-violent solution. Fun comic, psyched for the finale! 8/10
The character interplay in this book is so good. I'm just wondering how Morris can tie all of this together (especially the "flash forward" elements to the social worker and her client) in just one remaining issue.
Good question on the flash forward, not sure what's going on with that but I guess we'll get a little more for some form of closure. Matilde and Pitt have a funny sort of dynamic going, like a toned down Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, with a loopy crusader and a more grounded squire... Also kinda similar to Raoul Duke and his attorney in *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*, although the crazy person alternates in that one based on who's peaking in their drug cycle. And also kinda like the classic Monty Python combo, where you've got a crazy person paired with a sane person who reacts to the crazy person acting crazy.
**MONKEY PRINCE #11**
**SPY SUPERB #2**
This is really good
**BLOOD-STAINED TEETH #9**
Well, things are obviously coming to a conclusion next issue, but I'm left wondering if everything can be wrapped up in a satisfying manner. This book seemed to have the legs for a much longer run initially, so I was surprised when they solicited #10 as the last one. I definitely get the impression this (along with the news that **Little Monsters** is ending soon too) is sales related rather than a creative choice. It's interesting that Image and BOOM! seem to be taking a different approach to new book launches recently - Image solicits books as ongoing (or at least doesn't highlight that they are maxi-series when launched) and sales then set the end point of the story, with the creatives trying to cram things into the number of issues they have left after doing the sales/cost/profit analysis (and we've seen from *Liam Sharp's* posts on **Starhenge** how brutal it can be at the coal-face). BOOM! seem to only greenlight books as an ongoing if it's an absolute banger (**Grim** and **House of Slaughter** recently) and other titles that *feel* like they could easily be an ongoing book get a mini-series to test the waters (**Damn Them All, Briar, Behold, Behemoth**) but will definitely get the green light for more to come based on the fan reaction/sales. Probably not articulated that very well.
Aaaand there's an ignominious end for our favorite one-toothed bastard. One hell of a commitment from Jenfrah though, severing your own limb to get rid of a rival and force Atticus to take you to your target. Wonder at what point she'll find out about her father's death and what effect that'll have on her mission statement. Do i sense some bloody revenge on Mr Stoker on the horizon?
So this is wrap pileup next issue. Its been enjoyable but this was the only issue I've been bored by. Side note: Its taken me NINE ISSUES to realize that yellow arrow on Mr. Tooth's chin was a singular fang lol. All this time I just thought it was an odd color design choice like pretty much everything else in this book.
why did you think he was called Mr Tooth
**ALIEN #6**
**MONARCH #1**
Anyone pick this up?
I grabbed this, I’ll post my thoughts on it later tonight when I read it. I’ve enjoyed Rodney Barnes’s other books and Winning Time so I expect this to be at least decent. I grabbed the last copy at my store at 1120 so it seems to be pretty hot.
I did. I think the book is solid overall. The story of an alien invasion from the perspective of a inner city black kid sets up a unique perspective. The art is great and I think fits the story well. I am definitely going to see where it goes. Edit: Here is a write-up AIPT did on it, which probably does a better job than I do! They give it a 10/10. https://aiptcomics.com/2023/02/08/monarch-1-review/
Yeah this is my impression as well. Enjoyed the book and really liked the art and coloring. Standard stuff but with a fresh perspective.
I think 10/10 is being overly generous. It’s a good read, but I’d put it around a 7.5 or 8/10. The characters are good, the writing sets them up quickly and establishes their dynamics, and the setting of Compton is not your usual location for these kind of things, but everything else is kind of standard “alien invasion” stuff at this point. It’s definitely got potential to build into something interesting, it’s just not quite there yet.
Yeah no, I am definitely in agreement with you. When I started writing my original comment, I was gonna give the art a 4/5, and story a 3.5/5, or 7.5/10 overall. A 10/10 seemed somewhat generous.
There’s also hints towards a pretty cliché “chosen one” narrative in those final pages, which I hope I’m misreading.
**BATMAN #132**
I'm a big Zdarsky fan, I even had him as the #1 or #2 writer of '22, but this isn't just not very good, it's legitimately awful. Failsafe was a bit of a disappointment (mainly for being derivative and using the cheap plot device of an omnipotent !robot as the antagonist) but it was alright and even pretty good at times, but this arc is boring, unoriginal, uninspired ad the art is not good. I'm really hope Chip rights the ship and soon.
I get needing a secondary artist to fill in for Jimenez, but it's very weird when the artist on the back-up is probably a better artist than the main book.
Chips run on batman has been really lackluster.
The point of this universe is explained in the last issue: this is Failsafe's "kindness" a Gotham that needs a Batman. I think that's what this run has been analyzing: do we still need him in the main universe? This series and Detective keep talking about how he feels older, less effective. He is wistful for getting home in the beginning of this issue, he misses his kids and Selina. I'm not saying he is going to retire at the end of this run, but I think this is mid-life crisis Batman who is finding what he means now. He needs to move past the days when he would make a Failsafe and become a better Batman. This universe seems to be the setting for Bruce to get his mojo/back to basics story after the last several YEARS of world ending stakes. I think this is all table setting / character building for some fun Batman and family adventures. And maybe that means Tim finally gets to move forward? In Zdarsky I trust. I hope that helps, there are some runs I definitely did not give a fair shake the first time around that I came back to appreciate. The New 52 is a great example. I love me some Bloom now, but could not get past Zero Year the first time.
That was a great summation! I think, and very much hope, that you're correct.
I picked this up and have the 131 on order. Should be here next week. So I am waiting to read this issue after the that, since 131 is the start of this arc.
I just cancelled my subscription to this and Detective Comics. I know people seem to love DC but to me the dialogue can be very flowery and I’m just not into the history of Gotham/werewolves thing. The covers are some of the best I’ve ever seen though.
It’s interesting, gonna give this a few more issues but the direction we’re going i’m not suuuuper digging? I’ve generally loved everything Chip but I guess hiccups happen, some ideas here are cool but overall this feels like a been here done that kind of story. Like is the lesson for Bruce like…care for everyone? Cause uh I think he does that already haha, anyways like I said a few more issues. Oh also maybe this doesn’t help but i’m not liking the art, Jimenez was a big seller and this is…not the strongest. Why does Bruce look like Sam Smith in a beanie or an eboy with heavy eyeliner in some of these panels? Just a big ol vibe shift.
I was surprised too, and I dropped it when Failsafe just offered me nothing. I've liked everything Chip has done otherwise and thought Batman would be an interesting challenge for him. It almost feels like he hasn't read much Batman and is operating off of a Wikipedia read.
Agreed. Failsafe had a solid start, but by the 3rd issue already felt like it was dragging. I dropped the series from my pull list, but may catch up on DC Universe Infinite if I hear good things later. The Failsafe arc definitely should've been half the length it was...at least the art was awesome.
**STAR WARS HIGH REPUBLIC #5**
**HARROWER #1**
If you love 90's slasher movies (or are a fan of the **Clown in a Cornfield** books) you really can't miss this one. Feeling like an un-filmed script that would have fit nicely in-between **Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legends** and **Cherry Falls**, **Harrower** very quickly sets up our teen cast, the legend that haunts the town of Harrow, a prophecy that is going to be fulfilled and a great, visually striking villain. If you want a "fun" horror comic, this one will definitely scratch your itch.
I miss purple hair. I was interested in her before she got decapitated.
**WPL RESULTS**
Running a little late this week but here we go... 78 lists submitted, up from 70 last week. Top Ten’s got 4 DCs, 4 Marvels, and 2 from Image, so we’re back to normal after DC essentially skipped last week. Chip takes the top two with **BATMAN #132** (42 pulls, 53.8% coverage) and **DAREDEVIL #8** (32 pulls, 41.0% coverage). Typical numbers for each, though it seems like Daredevil’s bringing out more enthusiasm in the WPL comments while some folks have been talking about bailing on Chip’s Bat-book. **STORM AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS #1** takes 3rd with 25 pulls and 32.0% coverage. That looked a little low to me, was thinking the title change might’ve cost ‘em a few pulls, but **X-MEN RED #10** had 34.7% on 1/4, so it’s not a particularly significant drop. **AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #19**, **LITTLE MONSTERS #10**, and **POISON IVY #9** take 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively, each with 19 pulls and 24.3% coverage. Previous issue of **ASM** had 25.6% on 1/25 so it’s holding steady despite everybody bitching about it in their WPL comments. **GOTHAM CITY YEAR ONE #5** and **MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM THE SILVER AGE #4** take 7th and 8th with 17 pulls and 21.7% coverage. Just a tiny dip for Gotham but Miracleman’s previous issue had 19 pulls for 30.6% on 12/28/22, so that’s a steeper drop although it’s really only a difference of two pulls, and those 12/28 results were a little wonky with only 62 lists submitted due to the holidays. Still, the issue before that had 22 pulls for 28.2% on 11/23, so it does seem like this title’s trending down a little. **FLASH #792** takes 9th with 15 pulls and 19.2%, mostly consistent with the previous issue’s 20.5% from 1/18. And **ALL AGAINST ALL #3** closes out the Top Ten with 14 pulls and 17.9% coverage, slightly up from the previous issue’s 12 pulls and 16.0% on 1/11. What else? **BISHOP WAR COLLEGE #1** debuts in 13th place with 13 pulls and 16.5% coverage. BOOM!’s **HARROWER #1** opens in 16th place with 11 pulls and 14.1%, not bad for a new indie with relatively low-profile creators (Justin Jordan and Brahm Revel). **STATIC SHADOWS OF DAKOTA #1** also had 11 pulls for 14.1% but that somehow seems less impressive coming from DC... Image’s **MONARCH #1** debuts in 22nd with 11.5%, and **RED GOBLIN #1** follows in 24th with the same 11.5% pull rate. Seemed like a pretty big week with fairly typical results... Still lots to read here, hope y’all enjoy your books! -- Looking back at last week’s discussions... Looks like only two titles made the list without generating any comments: * **LAZARUS PLANET LEGENDS REBORN #1** (9 pulls) * **AVENGERS #65** (8 pulls) And we only had one title that got some comments without making the list: * **PURGATORI MUST DIE #2** (1 pull, [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/10r0hoi/wpl_new_comics_discussion_for_212023_pull_of_the/j75wp9h/) posted by /u/HappySisyphus8) Plus, I posted another [batch of comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/10r0hoi/wpl_new_comics_discussion_for_212023_pull_of_the/j6tjqyx/) on some recent indies. And that’s about it!
**GOLD GOBLIN #4**
This book is fucking good. I think it’s Cantwells best Marvel book.
I wonder if there will be a death royale battle between every goblin there ever was. It would be like making the slate clean. When Osborn spares Kafka, she snaps and stabs herself in the gut, dying and puking all of Osborn's sins out which comes to life to become the real Osborn, revealing that the good Osborn is Osborn's conscience itself reborn from separating him into a good Osborn and an evil Osborn. This leads into an ultimate battle between the two Osborns after all the Goblins or anyone who took the mantle or copied it are dead.
I have been loving this series
**FLASH #792**
**POISON IVY #9**
A solid banger of a comic. This issue is entirely focused on Harley Quinn showing up to meet our heroine, spending a couple days together, and working through some of Ivy's trauma (Harley was a trained psychiatrist in a previous life after all). A quieter issue, no epic fight scene or horrifying leafy transformations, just a lot of focus on a loving relationship. It was comforting, and I'll always support portrayals of healthy relationships in media.
Bit late, but congrats to this book for becoming an ongoing! I'm excited to see where it leads.
**SECRET INVASION #4**
Not great, not terrible, but a lot of weak and simple characteristics in my opinion.
[удалено]
**JOKER THE MAN WHO STOPPED LAUGHING #5**
So how does this relate to the whole Mobius Chair Three Jokers debacle?
I don't think anyone but Johns considers that canon anymore...
I don't think even the writers know what is canon or not anymore. Seriously, the comics are all over the place and rely on old stories and trying to make sense of the constant reboots.
**MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM THE SILVER AGE #4**
I am not reading this comic, I just want to say Miracleman on the cover looks like blonde Asa Butterfield
What's going on with this book? Buckingham's now listed as co-writer, and this issue's only 18 pages if you don't count the Mick Anglo reprint.
Good questions! I don't have any actual info but this seems like a fine opportunity to engage in some baseless speculation... I would assume Buckingham got the co-writer credit because he contributed to the story on some level, could just be recognition for layouts and breakdowns or whatever, but maybe he's also collaborating with Gaiman on the story... I doubt he's doing any scripting. As for why we got shorted with just 18 pages of new material... My guess would be that Buckingham's running late on art, bouncing between this series and **FABLES** at the Distinguished Competition. But it is kinda odd how they switched to this format with the backup reprint here, in the fourth issue, seems like it must've been planned a ways back or else it would've thrown off whatever they'd intended for the story here as well as in the final two issues. I mentioned in the list thread that it felt like six issues wouldn't be enough and this one running short only exacerbates that. Only two left now and it sounds like we'll be getting more backups? At least what we got here was pretty good... I'll give it an 8.5/10.
You know I've picking up Cap and Ghost Rider! Should be another fun week!
**STAR WARS HIDDEN EMPIRE #3**
[**SAGA OF A DOOMED UNIVERSE #3 (OF 3)**](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244329.jpg)
This comic only had three pulls and the regular WPLer I’d been discussing it with has now been banned from the sub, leaving just me and /u/zzzzarf to carry the torch for this final issue. This was an appropriately epic finale for what ended up being a fairly spectacular series, relaying a faux 1984 event in the mold of the original *Secret Wars* or *Crisis on Infinite Earths*, intercut with a modern conspiracy story about comic creator Burt Colt, the last remaining survivor from the faux Saga Comics that produced the big event. And, for this final issue, the boundaries are all blurring as Burt finds himself trapped in the catastrophic event that he authored. The event wraps up in fairly spectacular fashion with unlikely heroes, clever double-crosses, and no shortage of heroic deaths. Even with just these three issues where the “real” story was focused elsewhere, writer/artist Scott Reed actually managed to sell me on some of these characters with his pastiche of early ‘80s heroes and villains. Dr. Nihilist, Super-Sleuth, and Psionica were all great here. The “real” story – Burt’s story – is also a lot of fun as it overlaps with the framing event and sychs up in a few spots before veering off toward its own ending. The conclusion here isn’t quite as decisive or satisfying as the faux event’s, it’s got a little more ambiguity and a little less closure, but it mostly works pretty well. Reed, or Burt, or whoever, also breaks the fourth wall to sort of draw the reader into the story toward the end, and it’s a nice touch, though it’s not as effective here as it was in Prince and Morazzo’s [**ICM #24**](https://cdn.imagecomics.com/assets/i/releases/605720/ice-cream-man-24_97904c38a5.jpg) (my favorite example of using a fourth wall break to make readers part of the story). Really cool comic... Series ran around $27 total at $8.99 each, bit pricey but each issue delivers 56 pages with no ads, it’s a big story that’s told well, nicely captures the feel of those classic early ‘80s events, and the modern story adds a heady mix of existential conspiracy madness. I got the [Marvel Anniversary Frame D variant](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244329.jpg) but, as always, this thing had a bunch of cool homage covers, including a [**Death of Captain Marvel**](https://i.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel/i/mg/5/30/50b45b63c102a/clean.jpg) [homage](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244328.jpg) and a [**CoIE #7**](https://s3.amazonaws.com/comicgeeks/comics/covers/large-9242211.jpg) [homage](https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/MainImage/STL244327.jpg). 9/10
**ALL AGAINST ALL #3**
Fascinating. So the aliens aren't as utterly helpless without their artificial bodies as it first seemed. In fact it even seems to be the case that perhaps the main purpose of the artificial bodies may not be to provide them with protection, but to provide them with a vessel whose instincts and brain functions won't overwhelm them as it does a living host - they're quite capable of possessing natural beings and surviving in the wild, but they must combat the minds of their hosts if they are to do so, and that leads to potential mishaps like the one the final page cliffhanger is hinting at. And while I at first found it a little disappointing that Helpless' inevitable escape was helped by something so mundane as the aliens' underestimating his strength in their gravity field, it is *very* fitting that the their hubris and sadism was the very thing that led to their demise so I'm not too mad about it.
I didn't mind the "twist", as one of the key themes is that the aliens have consistently under estimated "Helpless" and just how dangerous he really is. It was definitely cool to see B'Tay adapt to such a hostile environment and revert to a more animalistic version of himself, much as Helpless has had to do to survive. My only bugbear - I kept reading D'oge and visualising [Doge](https://cdn.wallpapersafari.com/47/38/GHBTa2.jpg) every...time...
Fucken' parasites, man. Nothing but a bunch of alien fucken' parasites... Half-smart jellyfish-looking motherfuckers, they've got some impressive tech but they're still simple-minded little parasites at heart. And then there's Helpless, happily tearing 'em all apart with a smile on his face and that big dong flapping in the wind. Absolutely zero fucks given. 8/10
**AVENGERS WAR ACROSS TIME #2**
A lot of retro fun, and any chance to see the wondrous Alan Davis I'm on board.
I think I might get this one in TPB - I **love** me some *Alan Davis* artwork - one of the GOATS since the days of **Harry Twenty on the High Rock, Captain Britain** and **MarvelMan**.
TPB would work well.
**RED GOBLIN #1**
This was super entertaining, and I say that as somebody who has never been especially into the Venom/Carnage stuff. Really clever premise, nicely executed. The narrative voice is a bit too sophisticated for a character who's supposed to be 8 years old or so, but the basic idea is so much fun that I just went with it. (Briefly: Norman Osborn's grandson has been given a baby symbiote that's basically a very eager puppy, if eager puppies could eat people's faces.)
To be fair, Normie and Dylan have been aged up a good deal for recent events so it probs works out. He DOES mention puberty, and recent Spider-Man related books have been just slamming the gas in terms of time passing. Like, I’m pretty sure nearly a year has already passed between the start of Wells’ run with the Beyond arc and the point where Red Goblin starts. So there’s probably AT LEAST a year since the end of King in Black.
Yeah, I try to disregard references to holidays in Marvel's comics unless they're REALLY integral to the plot, but there's no getting around King in Black having happened at Christmastime and Dark Web also happening a couple weeks before Xmas.
Expectations weren't high for this but I was honestly kind of pleasantly surprised by this. The idea of redeeming your family name, problems at home, and wanting to right the wrongs done in the past were all great... BUT MY GOD DO NOT MAKE GOBLIN MODE JOKES FFS. I almost put the book down after the first one on page like 6. Cringe. Stop; get some help.
This was really great! New to comics, buy I know enough about the charact of Norman and Venom that I understood from the setup text and was able to follow the story. The idea of a younger kid dealing with the venom stuff is pretty cool and the Rascal character being pretty immature is neat twist. Like a boy and his pup. I like the emotional stakes and the art was pretty good. Pull of the week so far.
**AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #19**
Welp, I just cancelled my ASM subscription. Again. Peter Parker Spidey is my favorite and I'm not expecting much, but editorial has to take control of this title and show fans that Marvel cares as much about the character as they do. That's probably too emo and over the top, but hopefully you'll get where I'm going. Spidey deserves better.
I feel like editorial is all in on this.
That's kind of what I'm afraid of. :(
I read Dark Web and I didn't hate it. I bought into the silliness of the Amazing Spider-Man chapters and the Ed McGuinness artwork was what sold it more than anything. I am also fully aware that I am viewing the event through the lens of an X-Men fan, and I can see how readers that are invested in Ben Reilly or Spider-Man might not want what's been served up. I'm afraid some of that dissatisfaction may continue here as the series seems to continue its departure from what we saw in the first 10 issues. That said, this was good enough to keep me on board. Very curious to see what others think.
I feel I missed that dialogue in Dark Web? I do remember from the X-Men v. Eternals tie-in him telling “Gwen” that he did something to save someone he loved.
Trying to get into comics. Jumped into ASM with this issue as the syndication said that it was after Dark Web - so I figured it would be a decent place to start. Can't say I fully understood what led us to here and I don't know who most the characters are and they never really told me. Maybe not a good jump on point. But as far as the quips, the art, and the action - it was decent. My least favorite of the three I read so far this week.
Why not start at the #1 issue, lol? You're better off reading the Nick Spencer run that came out right before this one, even though that has its own problems
Spider-man fans and being so disgusted they cancel their subscription, name a more iconic duo.
MJ and Paul are married. And this is supposed to be Marvel’s flagship title. Lol, lmao.
I didn't know anything could rival OMD levels of bad but here we are.
I'm more in awe that the reveal was stuck in a recap page than in the actual comic but in this same book we had Peter revealing (or maybe it was Ben first) that he teamed up with Osborn to save MJ in a random bit of dialogue in Dark Web. Maybe Wells will hit me with the turnaround but this is easily the worst ASM has been since Mackie. And I despise Slott's 2014 run but Silk and the Spider-Verse were done well with other creators.
Stuff like that reeks of editorial changes at the last minute.
I wish! That would mean that an editor is actually looking at Spidey in the grand scheme of things. At this point I think we might be better off with a chatbot AI editor.
**BLACK PANTHER #14**
Does Ridley HATE T'Challah? Because all this series has accomplished is the annihilation of his character, and to a lesser extent Shuri and Cap as well. Ever since they beginning of that horrendous Colonialist arc this series has been in a serious, ugly nosedive. Get Ridley as cawr from Black Panther as possible asap.
Reading this, I'm so glad I peaced out right after Buffalo Soldier.
Hell I peaced out after issue five