Welcome back to The $40 Pull List!

This was a very mixed month. There were some strong outings from the usual suspects (Nova and Iron Man), but on the other side of the coin, it was a very, very bad month for DC.

Seriously? It was almost a stabby-stabby kind of bad.

Yeah, once upon a time, DC had some seriously reliable books that you knew would be awesome month in and out. Those seem to be getting to be fewer and farther between. Time for that line of thought as the column progresses, however. For now, on to last month’s books!

FEBRUARY’S ISSUES

Bang! Tango #1, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/04/09 ON TIME

Ummm… Huh?

…yeah… this was just… man. I don’t even know.

Let’s see… your old girlfriend turned porn star from your mafia days shows up, so you decide to rape your dance partner who is really, really into rehearsals. And rape, apparently.

Love you Joe Kelly, but this is just too weird for words.

Yep. This was a mega-fail. Off with it.

Let us never speak of this again.

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #3, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 02/04/09 RELEASED 2/11/09

I found this issue a bit easier to follow than the previous two, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that it relies heavily on events from past stories – the continuity makes it a little hard for someone who hasn’t read the previous books to truly grasp and appreciate what is taking place here.

So. Totally. Lost. Seriously, I catch the odd thing here and there, because… well, you hear a lot about Hellboy and what he’s punching when you work in a comic shop, but really… I need an infusion of information, and fast.

At this point, we are around halfway, so you would think that he would be working towards the resolution now. I get that they want him to lead an army against the new Witch Queen, and that it is kind of his fault she is there (in a weird, convoluted way). I will say that how he got there from being invited to hunt giants is a total mystery to me. And that was supposed to have happened in this series…

Maybe it all comes together in the end? This is an 8 part series, after all…

Yeah, but I hate it when things “come together at the end.” This is a serial story, not a graphic novel. If you wanted it to be a graphic novel, that is how it should be released…

Jonah Hex #40, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/04/09 ON TIME

Hey Brandon – no hint of rape at all here!

This issue wasn’t half bad. The art was markedly improved from the normal – though the critic in me has to point out that I really think David Beck has a real problem with Jonah’s teeth on the right side. Yeah, he is scarred, but the bone structure isn’t deformed, just the skin really.

The story is solid. A good antagonist for Hex, a return for Tallulah Black – I am a real fan of Jonah Hex being one issue stories, but if it takes two and three parters to get consistently good stories, I suppose I will take it.

This issue was an improvement, but I’m still feeling the formula here. Someone bad comes along, beats the crap out of Jonah Hex, and then Jonah extracts his revenge. Lather, rinse, repeat, over and over and over again. Granted, we haven’t gotten to the revenge part of the story yet… but seriously? You can feel it coming.

Of course it is. To be fair – every comic has that formula, particularly superhero books. Not a lot you can do about it, it’s the genre. As long as the story is ok, then it works.

Comics are built around formulas, for sure. Unfortunately, the one here is limited due to the circumstances of the time period, and Jonah Hex’ give-a-crap attitude towards lesser crimes. “Evil” comes in the form of rape, murder, or murderous rape, in every single issue. It gets to be a whole lot of the same, especially after such a long run.

But, again, you could say the same about Superhero comics. There are only so many stories, no matter what genre you are discussing.

I still think the superhero genre allows for more variety in the formula though. I know I might be re-using some examples here, but with Jonah Hex, you could only add the stove top hat, and a bear to make it more awesome. But a superhero book can have the stove top hat, the bear, the jetpack, evil destructo robots, monkeys with Hitler brains, communist space dogs, and on and on and on. Both are stuck with their formulas, but rape and murder in this comic will not happen with a monkey that has the brain of Hitler.

I still have to disagree there. Take a look at Usagi Yojimbo, a close cousin of the Western comic. The whole Western genre throughout multimedia basically comes from Musashi Miyamoto, the basis for Usagi. Usagi has been ongoing for over 100 issues, and is strong and varied. I don’t disagree with you about the themes in Jonah Hex getting a little overused, but Usagi Yojimbo is kind of proof that a Western-type comic can last a long, long time without getting stale. Perhaps Palmiotti and Gray should give Stan Sakai a look for some theme advice. The sooner the better – you know this book is going to last at least through 2010 with the movie coming out and all…

Looks like I need to get into some Usagi.

Invincible Iron Man #10, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/04/09 ON TIME

Overall this issue was much better than the last one… talk about bouncing back. The thing with Maria Hill, well, that was weird, but ok, Tony’s kind of a playboy, so maybe I could see it.

As usual, Fraction is making a weird concept work. Having Osborne the head of HAMMER seems totally off, but for some reason he is making for one heck of an antagonist here. I can’t wait to see where he this story will end up.

Tony’s been making goo-goo boink eyes at Hill for most of this series… it made sense that they sort of hated each other so much, that they’d get together, self-loathing style. Fraction is definitely firing on all cylinders on this book – and I definitely have no clue where this story is going to go… now that Tony is being stripped of all his cash and (soon enough) his smarts. Guy is soooooo screwed.

Tony makes goo-goo boink eyes at everything female, it’s his thing.

As far as him losing everything, well, that isn’t exactly new (it has been done before), but it is certainly being handled well. Tony kind of got broken in Civil War, he wasn’t called the biggest villain in the Marvel Universe for no reason. It is interesting to see that he is redeeming himself and becoming a real hero once again by being painted the villain.

Of course, Fraction’s writing is making it work flawlessly. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Green Lantern Corps #33, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/11/09 ON TIME

A pretty good issue. Outside of the last two pages (which were totally confusing), I rather enjoyed this one. I like seeing each of the different Corps in action – having the different cultures develop so strongly is really going to contribute well to the upcoming event.

I’m glad Geoff Johns ended up “sharing” and spreading the colour love around a bit – lemme tell you, it’s caused Corps sales to uptick closer to regular Green Lantern levels… which is a good thing. But I’m not sold on these “Omens & Origins” back-ups. While they’re being handled 100% better than the previous month’s banner initiative, in most cases it seems to throw off a book’s pacing. This was definitely one of those cases.

The Origins and Omens thing frankly is a horrible idea, and I haven’t seen a single good one yet. DC needs to stop screwing around with gimmicks and get back to focusing on good storytelling. That hasn’t been their focus since Infinite Crisis finished up, and they have paid dearly for it.

For as much crap Marvel gets for their gimmicks, you have to admit, when they do one anymore, they do it right. More often than not, the only thing insteresting about the Origins and Omens pages are the page or so devoted to “The Future”… and some of those are executed pretty badly…

That’s just it. I hate it when Marvel pulls the gimmicks, but they are good at it. The thing about DC was that they were always good at just telling quality stories that spoke for themselves. They have abandoned that in favor of the Marvel mold, and it just isn’t working for them. Not in the slightest.

DC is definitely strongest when it’s not Marvel. Sounds weird, but it’s true.

Supergirl #38, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/18/09 ON TIME

Oh boy, the best I can say with this issue is meh. I couldn’t bring myself to care one bit about anything that was happening here. The tiny revelation was portrayed as huge when it was next to nothing, and the whole rest of the issue felt like padding. I am not feeling inspired to continue on this book much longer.

This book needs an infusion of jetpacks. Or talking bears. Or a talking bear wearing a jetpack. Or Abe Lincoln wearing a jetpack, fighting a talking bear. Or something else interesting. Like Craig’s saying, it’s kind’ve a bland book. Not bad… just bland.

I think a talking bear wearing a jetpack and a stove-top hat would make this title a little more interesting. But that’s just the thing – I don’t care about what is happening here one bit. Art’s good, but that’s really about all I can say about it.

A talking bear wearing a jetpack and a stove-top hat would make any title more interesting. The Adventures of Jetpack Bear and Cap’n Stove Top Hat would sell billions. Billions!

It would make it to the list, that is for sure…

Wonder Woman #29, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

Well, yawn. Seriously… I wanted Gail Simone to be great on this title, I really do. I gave her way longer than I would have given almost any other writer.

But this is just bad. I can’t muster any reason to really care about this book at all. This arc is a great example of that – there is zero focus. Each issue dances around a different plot point, which becomes totally irrelevant by the time the next issue hits. It is becoming painfully obvious that the acclaim Gail Simone is getting for this book from some camps is simply because she is Gail Simone, and little more.

You know, you covered absolutely everything I wanted to say. The only thing that’s stopping this book from being great, is just a little bit of focus – I know this is meant to be an epic, but the strands just aren’t pulling together snug enough for my liking.

You are kinder than I. This title seems like it was supposed to be a grand tapestry, but someone let a cat get in the basket of yarn.

Nova #22, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

See, this is how it is done. Real plot movement, instead of a tease wrapped in 20 pages of padding. Much, much better. Of course, we all knew there was something wrong with Worldmind, but DnA has done a great job of showing us the sights along the way. This ties into the War of Kings story fairly well, and I think we have a pretty decent explanation as to why Richard ends up with Wendell’s powers. Good stuff.

Richard ends up with what now? Truth is, other than checking the creative team notes, I haven’t been reading too deep into the solicits for Nova and Guardians and whatnot. Blerg. Aaaanyway, yeah, this issue was all kinds of awesome. Somewhere in the middle of the last issue, I was starting to wonder if Worldmind was right – because on the surface, everything did seem fine. But man, it looks like the crap’s going to hit the fan, and in a big way. And knowing DnA, this book will be readable on its own during all the War of Kings hoopla, just like it was during Annihilation: Conquest and Secret Invasion. I actually kinda’ doubt this book will leave the $40 Pull as long as they continue to write it.

Oh yeah… spoiler? Oops? Well, it is plastered all over the solicits, so I don’t feel too bad.

See, prior to this issue, DnA did a fantastic job allowing for the possibility that either could be right – Worldmind or Richard. But this issue off the bat settled it when they went through Worldmind’s recruitment process. The moment you saw that he was causing their brains to release endorphins, you knew something was up.

My gut tells me that the Nova Corps eventually will be no more. All the signs point to that. Richard’s entire body has been molecularly altered to hold the Nova Force. The Nova Corps will never be seen as anything other than a goofy-rip off of the Green Lantern Corps. And let’s face it – Nova reached its popularity peak when it was just one guy with a lot of power. Excellent fan service for those of us who have followed Nova for many years to make the ultimate end of the Corps such an awesome story. Could be wrong, but my gut says otherwise.

Avengers: The Initiative #22, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

Full circle in a single issue – here we find current events working all the way back to the first issue of the series, and the death of Michael Van Patrick. We also get some strong development for his clones, the Scarlet Spiders – all in an action-packed issue.

I will say that the styles of Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado clash horribly. Ramos’s style doesn’t work with lots of lines and shadows, and that’s what we got here. It wasn’t terrible, but it could have been better.

I still like this book, and the art didn’t bother me a whole lot. Ramos has certainly come a long way from his issues of Spider-Man with Paul Jenkins… sometimes, you could barely make out what was happening, because there was so much chaos on the page. I agree, darkness doesn’t really suit his art, but it definitely suits the tone of the script.

Oh, definitely. Though, truth be told, I liked his stuff with Jenkins on Spider-Man. Here, there was just a very pronounced clash. Again, nothing to be overly concerned with, but it was worth pointing out.

Teen Titans #68, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

This wasn’t half bad – it was focused, Kid Eternity’s inclusion made a little more sense, and we got some solid development for Red Devil. Not bad on the whole, really. Could have been better, but I get the feeling that something is preventing the plot from really moving forward. The Origins and Omens back-up kind of gave a clue about why… I fear that DC is working on yet another Mega Event. This makes me sad – it is almost as if they are intent on destroying everything good about their universe. Blackest Night is not something that needs to infect the entire DCU, and by doing so, they are going to do more harm than good.

Are you sufficiently ready for this? I, uh… I enjoyed this issue. It wasn’t spectacular, but a huge step in the right direction after last issue. There was a lot more cohesion, and a lot less with the cutesy backhanded nicknames between Blue Beetle and Red Devil. Next issue is the last before the big Titans crossover… so while this book might survive to live another month on this list, I’m afraid it won’t last much longer, if we’re only getting half the story…

Proof #17, $3.50, Image. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

If nothing else, this is an Image title that was on time two straight months in a row. That really is saying something!

In all seriousness, it wasn’t bad at all. The titular character was absent… but in a way I think that helped me. While there were references to some continuity items, they weren’t needed to understand the story at all. “Proof knows this thing, now this is its story.” I liked it. A fairly enjoyable opening story – the back-up seemed more a continuation of what was going on in the rest of the Proof-verse… which made it a little harder to follow and thus a little less enjoyable. But more than passable.

This is an Image book that’s been on time for 17 months – really, its just rock solid for shipping. I hope that the next issue (which starts the next “arc”) can be an easy pick up, because I really think this is a book you’re going to end up enjoying. One of my favourite reads each and every month.

This time around, a good chunk of the art was done by the back-up artist… and really, what a novel idea… have a guy whose already contributing to your book help out when the regular artist needs a break.

Hey, you know me. I am all for filler artists on occasion. If they have found a way to make the idea more palatable to everyone, then so be it.

Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion #4 (of 6), $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/25/09 ON TIME

The best part about this issue was the Johnny Cloud appearance… though he was in a fighter instead of a PT-boat. Actually, the change was better. I don’t know if Booth, Griffith, and the rest of the squadron were established characters in DC’s war-catalogue or not… Tucci might be drawing on something a little too obscure for me. Still – the concept is cool – I can see a 12 issue series around a fighter squadron being a real treat. Especially from an artistic standpoint.

Alas, for the meat of the issue, however, I am kind of leaning towards your side of the fence. It was pretty, for sure, but there was no meat to the story. Seemed like Tucci took a time-out to get political. Man, I hate that. Is there truth to the message he was trying to convey? Probably. But that is a deep and nuanced debate. I don’t read comics for that – I wanted the story, not the soapboxing. Basically… there is a more appropriate forum for that kind of thing. I probably wouldn’t have been as bothered by it if it wasn’t the only thing going on in this issue…

Yeah, once again, I was bored out of my mind. Very pretty, very capable, but still. The political part… unfortunately, it ends up being in a lot of war stuff. If you’re getting shot at, chances are, after a while, you’re gonna’ get sick of it.

THE CHOPPING BLOCK

This won’t be much of a surprise to you, but I think it is finally time to pull the plug on Wonder Woman. This title for several arcs has hung on based on hype. “It’s Gail Simone writing it, she is often good at the slow build, and needs a little time to establish herself… it’s Gail Simone writing Wonder Woman.” Enough is enough though. The excitement of having her on the title has worn off, and it is time to accept the fact that she just isn’t getting the job done. Her stories are all over the place, and it is even more frustrating because there is some good stuff in there, but it gets glossed over constantly in favor of things that make no sense at all. Time for Wonder Woman to go.

Agreed, actually. But only if we take Bang! Tango with it.

You think I am done cutting here? Agreed – Bang! Tango is out. And I will raise you Supergirl. My patience is done on that one. I had high hopes that the new creative team would turn things around. While it is better than it was – it still stopped being interesting once New Krypton ended.

That can be arranged. And I didn’t think I’d be saying this… but… let’s keep Teen Titans.

Agreed.

DROPPED
Wonder Woman
Supergirl
Bang! Tango

TITLES FOR MARCH

X-Men/Spider-Man #4, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/04/09
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #4, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 03/04/09
Jonah Hex #41, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/04/09
Invincible Iron Man #11, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/11/09
Green Lantern Corps #34, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/11/09
Nova #23, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/25/09
Teen Titans #69, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/25/09
Proof #18, $3.50, Image. Due Out 03/25/09
Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion #5 (of 6), $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/15/09
Avengers: The Initiative #23, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/22/09

NEW TITLES

Well, I am responsible for Bang! Tango, so I am going to punt the first selection here. What do you have in mind?

Craig? Seriously? Ghost Rider.

Jason Aaron. Tony Moore. B-movie, grindhouse hillbilly horror. Your face will love this book.

I suppose I asked for that one. I hope you are right, but do keep in mind that the last Ghost Rider comic I actually enjoyed starred Dan Ketch. So we will see.

Well, looking at the list, we have dropped three titles, and two more are not being released in March. Avengers: The Initiative is off in March, but they are releasing a one-shot, Avengers: The Initiative Featuring Reptil. Dunno what to make of that, but since we aren’t getting a regular issue, we might as well add that one.

After that, this leaves us $5.56 (before tax) to fill. Looking over the DC list, there really isn’t much there that appeals to me (what is it with DC these days?). There are two events starting up next month – Battle For The Cowl, which could be interesting, and fills the DC quotient. On the other hand, War of Kings also starts up, and from past experience, this event is probably going to be something special. Both are $3.99 books, which means we can only pick one. What do you think?

Well, if we’re going for track record, I’d stick with War of Kings. DnA have rocked the sauce with every cosmic thing they’ve touched. And honestly? While I know it’s a comic book staple, there is little to no reason why a bunch of adult heroes need to spend three issues fighting it out to see who “deserves” to be Batman.

Oh, and the Ghost Rider series? Entirely has Danny Ketch in it. See, him and Johnny Blaze totally fought it out during the last arc, with the fate of heaven hanging in the balance of their awesome motorcycle race across the earth. Of course, that didn’t go entirely well, because it was interrupted by the dude what got his hand chopped off by a cannibal in Jason Aaron’s first arc on the book…

I can’t argue with your logic there. Of the two, I wanted to get War of Kings, but somehow felt duty bound to get Battle For The Cowl. Glad to see I am not alone in my instinct, War of Kings it is.

Ghost Rider #33, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/11/09
Avengers: The Initiative Feturing Reptil #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/25/09
War of Kings #1 $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/04/09

THE MATH

$40.91 (Budget) – $36.40 (March Titles) – $2.82 (Tax) = $1.69 Banked For April

THE ARCHIVES
2007 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12
2008 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12
2009 – 1 – 2

The opinions in this article are the writer’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of X-World Comics or comiXtreme.com.

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