(Please note: This is NOT the official cover to No Hero #3. I wasn't able to find a nice sized image of it and damn it, I needed to put something up there so you can see the pretty art)
Holy hell, I think No Hero is officially my favorite comic from the last 3 - 5 years.
When we last left The Front Line Joshua had just been given FX7, the super human drug, and locked in a room by Carrick Masterson to let it run it's initial 12 hour course. The last page of issue #2 really only offered a glimpse of the horror that he had in store. Aside from the first page of #3 which has a quick glimpse of an interview with an individual comparing the practices of Carrick Masterson to Aleister Crowley, the next 8 pages are void of any dialogue. Instead we get four separate splash pages that take us along for the ride on the FX7 journey. Despite being only two comic book weeks into 2009, it equates to probably the most awe inspiring and bizarre art you will see this year. Juan Jose Ryp's pencils continue to be detailed, imaginative and disturbing.
What else happens this ish? Another key member of The Front Line bites it, Carrick tells the rest of the team a story of what happened in Chechnya when they discovered something called Disgel that can eliminate super humans with ease by essentially dissolving human tissue and they widdle down the cause of the attacks on the team to either the Russians, the Chinese, the Russians AND the Chinese or every single person they have pissed off since their inception in the 1960's. Oh- and Joshua wakes up from his post-FX7 operation and discovers his skin is falling off and his vomiting hasn't subsided.
This issue went by very fast but the story is still moving along quite nicely. Seriously guys, I can't talk this one up enough. It gives me that tingle in my stomach that I haven't felt while reading comics since I was a kid. If you are for some reason resisting picking this series up, then you really need to reevaluate why you even read comic books in the first place.
Earlier this week, Comic Book Resources revealed the results of their contributor poll of the best 100 comics of 2008. It's an interesting list so feel free to read the whole thing, but I did want to point out a few highlights that I was happy (and maybe even a little surprised) to see them give props to.
83. CHECKMATE
This was interesting to me, because up until the point where Greg Rucka left as writer, this was one of my favorite comics to come around in a long time. It had everything- superheroes, espionage, great plot lines. The things that made Queen & Country so great but set inside the DC Universe. While I was reading it I felt like I had to be the only person in the world who was buying it because I didn't really hear anything about it. In fact I'm pretty sure my comic shop ordered only one copy each month and it was for me. While it went downhill fast when Rucka left, it's really nice to see this on CBR's year end list to maybe encourage people to check out the trades.
42. AIR
I read pretty much anything Vertigo puts out. Hell, I even collected the entirety of Crossing Midnight when I thought it was actually pretty boring from start to finish (no offense Mike Carey). For some reason, I'm not reading Air but I keep hearing good things about it. This might be something I'll pick up in a collected edition.
30. MADAME XANADU
Pretty excited to see this so high up on the list, as again it's another comic where I feel like I might be the only one reading it (although I do see it on Negative Man's pull list!). I can't really put it any better than how CBR's Andy Khouri puts it, so take it away Andy:
Arguably the most impressive debut of the year, Matt Wagner has taken a largely arcane DC Comics fortuneteller and breathed into her a whole new life. In the best Vertigo tradition, Xanadu’s magical story spans the ages, and with the help of breakout illustrator Amy Reeder Headly, readers follow the wide-eyed mystic as she rubs elbows with some of the most important figures in human history, from Kublai Khan to Marie Antoinette. With guest appearances by Etrigan the Demon, Merlin, Neil Gaiman’s Death and featuring a reinvigorated version of DC mainstay The Phantom Stranger in a co-starring and bizarrely romantic role, “Madame Xanadu” is poised to become Vertigo’s next classic series. 16. NORTHLANDERS
Ahhhh, now see- I guess this is turning into a Vertigo love fest and I didn't mean for it to be. I don't really care though, cause I love 'em. You know how we feel about Northlanders here and I am absolutely ecstatic to see someone like CBR put this book in their top 20 best comics of the year. It would probably be in my top 10, but whatever. Vikings. That's really all you need to know. Oh- and that the comic is written by Brian Wood and it kicks ten different ways of ass.
That about does it for what I wanted to point out to you all. Scalped, Criminal and All Star Superman took the top three spots and I ain't mad at any of those. A nine to five, tons of comic reading, a strong 4th Quarter showing of Xbox 360 games and travel kept me from deciding on a top 10 of my own so this list stands as a really good reference to some great stuff you might have missed out on in 2008.
Ohmygosh, friends! One of the best television shows of all time (ever, seriously) has all of it's epsiodes online to watch for free! If you've never seen the 1967 series The Prisoner, now you really have no excuse.
The site also features a fan quiz, forums, and behind the scenes goodness. Be still my Patrick McGoohan loving heart!
Your current beloved Sci-fi shows would not exist without this one, and it has all of the weirdness, suspense, and mystery you'll ever want.
Holy Warren Ellis! I have four books (count 'em!) by W waiting for me in my pull this week.
Most anticipated one out of the quartet (or my entire list of comics this week for that matter) is by far No Hero #3.
I can't find an appropriately sized image of the cover to post here, but just imagine a big basket of Awesome and you get the idea. You should really be reading this.
Here's the rest of this weeks list:
Detective Comics #852 Haunted Tank #2 (of 5) Sandman Dream Hunters #3 (of 4) Eternals #7 Invincible Iron Man #9 Sub-Mariner Depths #4 (of 5) Anna Mercury #5 (of 5) The Boys #26 Doktor Sleepless #11 Gravel #7
No really- I will be posting reviews and some more fresh content this week.
Also, many thanks to Negative Man and The Floronic Man for holding down the fort while I've been MIA.This year has already brought so much comicy goodness. For example:
Incognito #1 Holy balls is this good. Not only is Criminal getting better and better every month, but now Brubaker and Phillips give us a new series that promises to be one of the best around. I've always been a sucker for books about villains, especially when they end up the protagonist. Incognito is deliciously pulpy and full of violence and swears. Zack Overkill/Andersen is already proving to be a deep and interesting main character, and the teaser in the back of the issue mentioning future villains and sidekicks is oooooh so exciting. I cannot wait till the next issue, pick this bad boy up! The Goon #31 Phenomenal. This issue perfectly displays Eric Powell's mastery of comedy, tragedy, action, and everything in between. Labrazio's return culminates in a street fight involving most of Lonely Street's main residents. Despite victory over the Priest and Labrazio, with the death of his one true love Goon really seems ready to walk away from Lonely Street forever. Let's hope not, or at least hope he brings Franky with him. Ugh this comic is so good. Please tell me you're reading it. If not, pick up all of the trades and thank me later. Besides these, Kickass returned with issue 5 and, well, it was good. I've kind of lost a bit of passion for the title after the long delay, hopefully it will pick up again.
Back to Brooklyn is fucked up and great. I can't wait until Jimmy Palmiotti illustrates a new book.
I still have to read Northlanders, Fantastic Four, and Scalped. Plus, tomorrow brings:
Walking Dead #57 Invincible Iron Man #9 Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #2 The Boys #26
wolverine 70 kick-ass 5 fantastic four 562 incognito 1 green lantern 36 justice society of america 22 superman 683 captain america 45 final crisis secret files trinity 31 batman 684 avengers the initiative 20 madame xanadu 7 the goon 31 x-force 10batman cacophony 2 justice league of america 28 marvels eye of the camera 2 back to brooklyn 3 punisher war zone 4 punisher war journal 26 30 days of night: 30 days 'til death 2 why i killed peter
mmm, delicious mark millar-comic-book-flavored neopolitan ice cream! fantastic four tastes like complicated family bonds, insults, threats and horrible periodontal disease. kick-ass tastes like a bro-wichthats really fucking me off. wolverine tastes like blood blood blood! shit shit shit!
the 4th best comic this week: incognito. reads like a hardcore astro city noir.
i'm buying batman cacophony as an apology to kevin smith for not seeing zack and miri make a porno. thanks again for mallrats and chasing amykevin! oh, and your green arrow was awesome.
why i killed peter is charming, uncomfortable, somewhat predictable but still surprising, beautifully drawn and true. it's a story of bad parenting, free love and catholicism. no, i'm not saying anything specific. if you like the first few pages you'll love the whole book. check it out!
Happy 2009, dear readers. Looks like OMG Spoilerz, Plz! has been taking a much needed holiday break. Hope yours were/are relaxing and filled with family and friends.
What better way to start the New Year than with a straight up bitchin week of comics. While I give the below list of books my varying degrees of approval, if it has a (!) next to the title that means you really should be reading it.
Batman #684 Jack of Fables #29 Justice League of America #28 Justice Society of America #22 Madame Xanadu #7 (!) (this book is a lot of fun and probably way under appreciated) Northlanders #13 (!) Scalped #24 (!) Back To Brooklyn #3 (of 5) (!) Captain America #45 Incognito #1 (!) Kick Ass #5 (!) (fucking FINALLY) Punisher War Zone #4 (of 5) (!) Wolverine #70 (!) Wolverine Manifest Destiny #3 (of 4)
Look for regular news updates and comics reviews to return next week. We're really looking forward to taking this proud little blog of ours to the next level this year.
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