Adam West passed away and Wonder Woman opened in theaters.
1st issues I read: Cullen Bunn’s The Unsound, Donny Cates Babyteeth and the return of Bulletproof Coffin in the Thousand Yard Stare #1 (One Shot)
Rucka ended his current run on Wonder Woman. It had its fans, but I was not impressed as I found it flat and uninspired and it really didn’t say anything about truth and lies. Its end meant that he and Scott could get back to Black Magick.
Black Monday Murders was released, but while I liked the spookiness and the art at the end, it failed to make my 10 this time out (I started to doze during the talky bits and the shorter page count did it no favors)
10. Jean Grey #3 (Marvel)
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Art by Victor Ibanez * Colors by Jay David Ramos & Chris Sotomayer
Namor’s too slangy of voice, and Jean has long since proven she’s anything but weak, but the story does make clear a pivotal point -- that to beat the Phoenix, Ms. Grey is going to have to get her hands bloody.
9. Jessica Jones #9 (Marvel)
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Michael Gaydos * Colors by Matt Hollingsworth
Last month Bendis’s ‘blah, blah, blah’ bored me, this month it was fascinating. Loved seeing the family back together and the case is starting to interest me - nice mysterious ending, but did the next issue cover tease spoil it?
8. Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Bullets #24 (Image)
Written and drawn by David Lapham
In addition to the character re-defining moments (Beth learns that there’s more to a man than a mustache) we get scenes of drunkenness, death and destruction. Oh for fun!
7. Shade, the Changing Girl #9 (Young Animal)
Written by Cecil Castellucci
Art by Marley Zarcone * Colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Everything old is made new again in Gotham, Loma doesn’t just paint the town red, but in all shades of colorful madness. Meanwhile, Meta gears up for war. Love the art.
6. Mother Panic #8 (Young Animal)
Written by Jody Houser
Art by Jean Paul Leon * Colors by Dave Stewart
Love seeing Violet try to play detective without the resources and experience of the Bat, it makes her more real, relatable. I also like that we are seeing her become more altruistic, a hero –one who is hurting right now- is being born right in front of our eyes. (BTW, the Owls are mentioned. Funny, Gotham’s supposed to be Batman’s city, he knows everything. But he didn’t know about the Owls, or the House that gave birth to Mother Panic?)
5. The Wild Storm #5 (DC)
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by John Davis-Hunt * Colors by Steve Buccellato
When I saw the cover I thought, “Oh no, not those dip shits?” But the Daemonite wasn’t there to spit and fume and fight (that old saw), but to offer some cryptic advice. Plus I like Michael removing the scales his eyes and seeing what a prick his employer really is. And the scenes between Adriana and Angela were nice.
4. Black Hammer #10 (Dark Horse)
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Dean Ormston * Colors by Dave Stewart
Nifty spoof of 90s comics, with melancholic character work and mysteries that get more mysterious (and offer few answers)
3. Harrow County #24 (Dark Horse)
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art and Colors by Tyler Crook
Cullen Bunn out writes Rucka? I felt Greg forced the ‘Diana is a lover and a negotiator‘ shtick, and bungled the final battle with Phobos & Deimos in his current WW run. Bunn however takes the same angle and makes it work. Because he and his characters are sincere, because everything leading up to this point informed us that yes, this is how Emmy would act. Em has so much power she could wipe Bernice off the face of the Earth with ease. However, she doesn’t do that. She holds back and takes the blows and the pain Bernice rains down on her and keeps her cool, keeps trying to talk to Bernie… because what’s happening is breaking her heart. You feel it, you see it. Emmy truly loves her friend. That’s why this issue works, that’s why this carries such emotional weight. Whereas Rucka’s ‘defeat you with love’ hokum came off phony and contrived by comparison. (Diana is a lover, but that ending was not earned or believable to my mind.)
Fantastic story - with both Girls learning a truth, which led to a fantastic cliff hanger.
2. The Unbelievable Gwenpool #18 (Marvel)
Written by Christopher Hastings
Art and Colors by Gurihiru
Great fun as Gwen re-gains self awareness and figures out the logistics of this comic book world she’s in. But what’s up with brother, what does he know? Best arc since the first arc and she’s not even in costume!
1. Injection #13 (Image)
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Declan Shalvey * Colors by Jordie Bellaire
Damn this is good. Not only for the machinations and terrifying developments of the main story, but in the subplot that suggests that an old ally might become a new foe.
My Honorable Mentions
Spider-Gwen #21, The Unsound #1, Babyteeth #1, Black Monday Murders #6, Red Hood and the Outlaws #11, Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #9
Writer of the Month:
Warren Ellis, Injection and The Wild Storm
Warren unseats Hickman this month
Artists of the Month:
Gurihiru (Chifuyu Sasaki (pencils & inks) and Naoko Kawano (colors), Gwenpool
They do some great work here, breaking through panels, having Gwen thrown out a window by a thought box. This series has always been meta, but never like this, never so physically tangible.
To July
Back to May
Head Writer, wide awake nightmare... bids you salutations citizens of Earth!
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