This Week In Comics: 07/11/2007

[Clayface]

Welcome to This Week in Comics for July 11th, 2007 - July 17th, 2007!

This is the place to discuss the comics you've bought this week, whether it be a brand new title or old back-issues. We also welcome and encourage talk about comics in general - news you've read on comic news sites, the state of the industry in general, upcoming issues you're excited about, etc. All we ask is that you please use spoiler brackets in the event that your comments get too detailed concerning a particular storyline. This way the book won't be ruined for anyone who hasn't read it yet.

For a list of the new items shipping this week, please consult Diamond Comics' Shipping List.

To find a comic book store near you, check out the Comic Shop Locator Service.

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Highlights of the Week!

wonderfly's Pick:


Deadpool/GLI: Summer Fun Spectacular (one-shot)

Clayface's Pick:


X-Factor #21

Ed Liu's Pick:


True Story Swear to God Vol. 1 TPB (Image)

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[wonderfly]

It's time to lighten up a bit with this week's Pick of the Week. I had to pick Deadpool/GLI: Summer Fun Special, as all of Dan Slott's "GLwhatever" comics have been hilarious! Deadpool, on the other hand, I never cared for, but still, the previews look awesome..

[Viper]

Here's what I picked up today:

Betty #165
Betty & Veronica #227
Betty & Veronica Spectacular #78
Veronica #180

What can I say? Those 2 girls are my favorite Archie characters!

[Stuckey]

I bought some trades this week for the first time in months. I picked up Goon Noir, the first two DMZ trades and the first two 100 Bullets trades.

I've read the first few stories in Goon Noir and it isn't nearly as good as the regular series since it's almost entirely handled by guest talent. It's still enjoyable, even if some of them feel more like rejected scenes from actual comics. I'm looking forward to Powell's upcoming Goon graphic novel, which I just found out about.

I've only read the frist 100 Bullets trade, but so far it's better than what I expected. I'm not sure I'd have ever given it a chance if there wasn't already a good amount in trade, but I'm glad I did. That being said, I'm not sure why it gets so much praise. Perhaps I'll find out as I get further into the story.

I haven't started DMZ, but it's been recommended more than a few times and it sounds interesting.

I almost gave Fables a try, but I flipped through the first trade and don't care for the visuals at all. I'm sure it's not the artists' intent but the art made it seem like the creators were too aware of the fact that they're telling stories about fairy tale characters.

[rggkjg1]

CHRISTOS GAGE ON DYNAMITE'S THE MAN WITH NO NAME

i've been searching for western comics that would resemble clint eastwood and the man with no name. the closest i got was jonax hex. this is going to be the only western comic out today that will matter. now if we can get a dirty harry comic, we'll all be set.

who is the man with no name you ask? this should answer all your questions:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=s2ar1OB1LSQ

(yes, thats the movie biff is watching in back to the future part ii)

[Vyse]

Got in the mail today:
-Full Frontal Nerdity: Big Book of Epic Fail GN
-Pirates VS Ninjas II: Up The Ante! #1 (both the Pirate cover and the ninja cover)

Before I read PVNII #1, I'll read the original Pirates VS Ninjas when the trade arrives.

[Stuckey]

I've only read the frist 100 Bullets trade, but so far it's better than what I expected. I'm not sure I'd have ever given it a chance if there wasn't already a good amount in trade, but I'm glad I did. That being said, I'm not sure why it gets so much praise. Perhaps I'll find out as I get further into the story.

Ok, I read the second trade this morning and "get it" now. Great series so far.

[Ed Liu]

Ok, I read the second trade this morning and "get it" now. Great series so far.

Does 100 Bullets get significantly better after the first TPB? I read it and was pretty unimpressed. There was also a Banner mini-series (reprinted at the end of the first Bruce Jones Hulk hardcover) that I didn't like too much, and the two stories together pretty much turned me off Brian Azzarello's work. I might see if I can get the 2nd TPB from the library or something.

Hey, look, I got some stuff from the past few weeks worth a paragraph or two:

Death Jr. II TPB: The first Death Jr. mini-series was one of the exceptions that proved the rule that comics based on video games suck. Death Jr. was funny, well-told, and had some really gorgeous color artwork by Ted Naifeh. I can't say that the second TPB quite hits the high water mark of the first series, but it comes close enough. In this tale, Death Jr. goes to work with Dad to learn the ropes while the rest of his oddball friends go to a summer camp run like a gulag. Much mayhem ensues. Newsarama has all of issue #1 up, if you want a free preview.

Evenfall Vols. 1 and 2: Picked these up at the MoCCA Art Festival, largely due to the positive press on the ads that were posted all over the building and partially because the heroine of what looks like a typical fantasy story is Asian Indian and there's a novelty in that alone that I thought should be
rewarded. I think the comparisons that some make to Neil Gaiman may be a bit much, but these books are quite good and really demonstrate a lot of growth and development as they go. The pitch sounds like any number of fantasy tales (troubled girl ends up in strange fantasy world and embarks on a quest with an oddball batch of characters to embrace her Grander Destin), so it's all going to boil down to the execution. It's a big creative risk to make the lead character, Phoebe Shankar, a pretty unlikeable, selfish, and self-destructive character at the start, but it makes the eventual changeover that much more satisfying. There's also a lot more raw, emotional honesty that feels genuine and grounded in reality, and in some ways I'm not sure I want to know how real these things are.

These books mix just enough new wine into old bottles to feel novel, and are worth your time. I think it takes a bit too long to really get rolling (most of book 1 is setup for book 2, and it's mostly worth it), but I'm dying to know what happens in book 3.

-- Ed

[Clayface]

Does 100 Bullets get significantly better after the first TPB? I read it and was pretty unimpressed. There was also a Banner mini-series (reprinted at the end of the first Bruce Jones Hulk hardcover) that I didn't like too much, and the two stories together pretty much turned me off Brian Azzarello's work. I might see if I can get the 2nd TPB from the library or something.

I would definitely say, don't let Banner be the reason you stay away from Azzarello's stuff. I didn't care for it either. But I'm very much enjoying 100 Bullets. It's been a long time since I've read the first few story arcs of that series, so I can't really say if it gets a lot better after the first TP, but I would say that Banner isn't the pinnacle of this writer's work.