The $40 Pull List - July 2008
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 - 02/07 - 03/07 - 04/07 - 05/07 - 06/07 - 07/07 - 08/07 - 09/07 - 10/07 - 11/07 - 12/07
01/08 - 02/08 - 03/08 - 04/08 - 05/08 - 06/08
In a word - incredible. I can’t remember a month this good since the Pull List began. Every title was on time. Every issue was outstanding. Have we just reached perfection here, or was it a lucky month? Unfortunately, all good things must end - since every book was quality this month, and we have to cut one to make room for our new title this month: well, we have a tough decision on our hands. You all see the poll - more on that later!
Manhunter #31, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/04/08 ON TIME
Well, it is officially on time, but this issue is about a year late if you ask me. Better late than never I suppose.
The issue started off well - we had a nice 2-page recap of the entire series (for those of you who haven’t been reading from the beginning), and then it was right into the action. Andreyko started this off perfectly - a nice, single-issue threat to bring you in, then some seeds of an ongoing story to hold you over until the next issue. The Blue Beetle team-up seems natural, considering the subject matter … should be a decent arc.
The only thing that was really bothersome was the injection of politics. OK - it is natural that “immigration” is going to come up when thinking of the setting, but is it possible for a writer out there to discuss it without the clichéd “Racist white people harassing the hard working Mexican people” scene? Because really - the issue is way more complicated than that, and using that scene does little more than show a vast ignorance of the issue (meaning he has no real business talking about it). Wanting a secure border does not make one an ignorant racist - there are better ways to address a sensitive issue in a comic than resorting to baseless name-calling.
That problem aside, the issue picked right up where the series last left off. A great read, and definitely safe for a while.
Status: SAFE
Jonah Hex #32, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/04/08 ON TIME
Great issue, but terrible art! I have no idea what to say about it, other than Jordi Bernet has done way, way better. It seemed like he was going for a specific look, but whenever the action on the panel got too complicated, the whole layout fell apart. I don’t know if Bernet is to blame, or Rob Schwager, who was doing the colors - I know that sometimes bad ink work can ruin otherwise passable art. I really think it was a mix here - because everything seemed really muddied and scribbled, and perhaps a little restraint in the ink and color could have saved this art. It is worth mentioning, only because bad art has plagued this title for some time. The story is unbelievably good, so that usually will carry an issue, but this title could grow by leaps and bounds with a solid ongoing artist.
Like always - story makes up for quite a bit, and another great story makes another above average issue on its own merits.
Status: SAFE
Invincible Iron Man #2, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/04/08 ON TIME
Much like last month, this issue was surprisingly good. It shouldn’t be such a shock - issue #1 was far better than I could have possibly hoped it to be, but there was still part of me that expected it to have been a fluke. Not so.
Being the cynic I am, the first thing I always do when reading a comic book is to try and find something wrong with it. Really - here, nothing comes out. Fraction covers all the bases in the story - using characters familiar to new readers coming in from the movie, yet not talking down to the long time comic readers - tells a story that isn’t dependent upon the rest of the Marvel Universe for context, while at the same time embracing “history” and the Marvel Universe as a whole with his Iron Man/Thor interaction. Add to that some great art and a nice dose of serial storytelling (resolve last issue’s cliffhanger, develop characters, finish with a cliffhanger) makes this an all around great issue. I have a feeling this book will be on the list as long as Matt Fraction is at the helm.
Status: SAFE
House of Mystery #2, $2.99, DC/Vertigo. Due Out 06/04/08 ON TIME
You almost get the feeling reading this issue that part of the genesis of this title’s resurrection was Bill Willingham’s desire to write some new Fables all his own. Not that he doesn’t do a fantastic job - in fact, I can’t think of anyone more qualified to write those interludes, but there is a definite sense that he is trying to flex his muscles within the genre. It is well done thus far in any case - both have been extremely enjoyable with the right amount of fantasy to make it special.
This is the fourth issue this month on the list, and the fourth outstanding read. Hopefully this trend keeps up!
Status: SAFE
Nova #14, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/04/08 ON TIME
In some ways, this issue was almost a letdown. Oh, not that it wasn’t good - it really was. Nova at his best. The thing was - we saw his absolute best as he tangled with the Silver Surfer. Perhaps silly, but a lot of Nova fans kind of expected his power level to be a little above “desperately giving it your all just to hang with the Silver Surfer.” Still, not too shabby for a former New Warrior.
There isn’t really much more I can say about this issue outside what has been said already. Abnett & Lanning are doing an outstanding job with Nova - this issue was thrilling, wall-to-wall action. They are really establishing Richard Rider as the kind of hero who doesn’t say no to anything, no matter how impossible the task might seem. Nova hasn’t ever gotten this much respect. It is a welcome change!
Status: SAFE
The Twelve #6, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/11/08 ON TIME
Well, we finally find out a bit about Rockman. A little bit of a let-down to be honest… but JMS seems to be going more realistic with these characters, so I can’t say it was totally unexpected. He does still seem to be focusing more on the character development than the actual plot, which is usual for him. Also, like usual, it is to the detriment of the story. I am not sure we will come out of this series with a complete classic, but it could serve as a launchpad to bring these characters into the Marvel fold, for other writers to take them up without being hampered by their old-fashioned nature.
A decent issue - at least average, on the whole.
Status: SAFE
A Red Mass For Mars #1 (of 4), $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 06/11/08 ON TIME
In this issue, mankind was devastated by a global pandemic, a nuclear terrorist strike, technology running amok, turning against mankind, an ethnocentric superhuman bent on establishing English as a global language, and an alien invasion of a strength impossible to repel. I think I got it all… talk about your post-apocalyptic superhero story! I don’t know if I like it yet - but I will say I am curious to see what happens next. Going to have to keep this one around at least another month…
Status: SAFE
Green Lantern Corps #25, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/11/08 ON TIME
Action packed - as expected - and leading to an even more explosive battle as the wounded Green Lanterns have to fight Mongul and his mutated Black Mercies in the next issue. While the Hal Jordan Green Lantern book has taken a step back and seems to be slowly introducing a few concepts that will add some depth to Darkest Night, this book has kept the action level high, and is simply chronicling the emergence of the other Power Colors. Not a bad way to handle things. Still - it keeps this title an exciting read, which is certainly what it is on the list for. Next issue’s arc climax should be a good one.
Status: SAFE
Wonder Woman #21, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/11/08 ON TIME
Last issue seemed to be a bit of a hiccup - and while Wonder Woman still isn’t totally back on stride, it has definitely taken a big step back in the right direction. I just get the sense that Simone rushed into this story a bit too quickly- there is a lot going on around this story, and the modern-era stuff mixed with the Beowolf realm do clash a bit. But that is just the critic in me. The characterizations is where Simone has always excelled, and even last issue, which I thought was a bit underwhelming, she is really molding the clay of Diana’s character, something many people thought long dried. It is easy to forgive a little confusion when you realize that in this story, Simone is taking everything “safe” away from Wonder Woman - her goddess and family, her diplomacy, her truth (the lasso not working), and if her “mutation” continues, her beauty. There is no better way to make a character grow than to take them completely out of their element, and a monstrous, killer Wonder Woman without the light of truth behind her is definitely that.
So the story is average, but the build I have come to love from Simone is there. I have a feeling the epic story is yet to come - once Diana is in the place as a character that Simone wants her to be. Looking forward to the journey.
Status: SAFE
Fear Agent #21, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08 RELEASED 06/11/08
Fear Agent #22, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 06/25/08 ON TIME
Impossible! OK, so #21 was another week late, but it came out - and #22 on time? An issue of Fear Agent actually on time? This is starting to get a little scary - never has a month gone this well since the beginning of the Pull List. Now I am truly scared… what is to come is going to have to be really, really bad to balance what a good month this has been so far…
Both issues were solid reads. #21 was the end of the Hatchet Job arc, and #22 the beginning of I Against I. If there is one thing I have come to realize about Fear Agent, its that Heath never, ever, ever catches a break. Well, beyond managing to somehow stay alive through all the crap that is tossed his way. Remender is almost cruel - he takes the hope of something good finally catching up with Heath and uses it to bludgeon him even more. Be it Mara, or Charlotte, or Eden, or simply somehow finding peace… it just never comes. That is part of what makes the title so enjoyable, but it is almost a relief to read some of these Tales of the Fear Agent back-up stories, because then at the very least Heath isn’t clinging on to his life by a thread. It is stressful to read sometimes!
Congratulations are in order for finally catching up- let’s hope that the rest of I Against I is equally prompt!
Status: SAFE
Avengers: The Initiative #14, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/25/08 ON TIME
What have I been saying since before Secret Invasion even started? 3D Man! Seriously, and Tony Stark is supposed to be some kind of prep god, and this didn’t even occur to him? Though, I very much like the situation they put him in… this has been the best installment of Secret Invasion I have read thus far, continuing Marvel’s tradition of saving the real quality for the event tie-ins, rather than the event itself. Shame Prodigy was only a one-time deal, but the issue was nonetheless good.
Status: SAFE
Ultimate Spider-Man #123, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/25/08 ON TIME
I kind of dug the twist on Forrest Gump there - it didn’t take too long to figure out that Venom was eating the people sitting on the bench next to him, but hey - the gag was a good one. Not much Spider-Man in this issue until close to the very end - but it merited giving most of the issue to Venom to re-establish him and give a little back story to those who missed earlier symbiote stories. I have a feeling this is going to be a very solid addition to the Pull List.
Status: SAFE
Teen Titans #60, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/25/08 ON TIME
A nice conclusion, though it is kind of a shame that Ravager has left. I wasn’t totally a fan of the Kid Devil/Ravager dynamic - well, as long as his crush remained unrequited it was ok, but that kind of thing never persists for long. Still - a solid arc for McKeever, and hopefully Ravager will be back once the Terror Titans mini runs its course. McKeever is helming that one as well, so the temptation is there to add that book to the list too. Sadly, considering what an amazing month this was, I doubt we are going to have the space.
Status: SAFE
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Rex Libris #12, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 08/08
TITLES CARRYING OVER
Jonah Hex #33, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/02/08
The Twelve #7, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 08/06/08
Nova #15, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 07/09/08
Teen Titans #61, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/30/08
Green Lantern Corps #26, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/16/08
Wonder Woman #22, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/09/08
House of Mystery #3, $2.99, DC/Vertigo. Due Out 07/02/08
Invincible Iron Man #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 07/09/08
Fear Agent #23, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 07/30/08
Manhunter #32, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/02/08
Avengers: The Initiative #15, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 07/23/08
Ultimate Spider-Man #124, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 07/30/08
A Red Mass For Mars #2 (of 4), $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 07/09/08
NEW TITLES
Batgirl #1, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 07/16/08
This ongoing never should have ended in the first place - and restoring Batgirl to almost her pre One Year Later status quo is one of the best moves DC has made of late. Hopefully this series will, on its own merits, restore Batgirl to her former greatness.
JULY TOTAL: $39.38
Budget = $40.00 + $0.93 (Bank) = $40.93
$40.93 (Budget) - $39.38 (July issues) - $3.05 (tax) = [solor-red]$1.50 short for August[/color]
Well, as you can see, we are over our limit for the month, which means one title must go. And I can’t decide - so I need your help. You all see the poll at the top of this column - I ask you, which title should be cut? The Twelve, as you can see, is safe, since there isn’t an issue coming out this month. All the other titles are fail game.
The poll will close on midnight on Tuesday, and whichever title receives the most votes will get the axe. Choose wisely, please! And do feel free to let us know which title you selected, and why. The more votes I get, the easier the final cut will be.
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always. If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
Post your comments in the Forum!
June 2, 2008
The $40 Pull List - June 2008
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 - 02/07 - 03/07 - 04/07 - 05/07 - 06/07 - 07/07 - 08/07 - 09/07 - 10/07 - 11/07 - 12/07
01/08 - 02/08 - 03/08 - 04/08 - 05/08
Overall, a pretty decent month. Though Ultimate Iron Man II #5 plain vanished, strong issues really buoyed this month’s selections. There were a couple disappointments, but very few surprises. Final Crisis #1 hit with a sickening thud (much like a decrepit horse finally falling to its death), and Marvel Comics Presents’ lag continues. The Hulk one shot was fantastic, as was the beginning of both Invincible Iron Man and House of Mystery.
So on to the details!
Jonah Hex #31, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/07/08 ON TIME
You’d think the ne’er-do-wells of the old west would learn that it isn’t so easy to pull the wool over Jonah Hex’s eyes. It is clear that there is very much a formula to these issues, but more often than not, Palmiotti and Gray pull it off in such a way to make the issue compelling. The twist at the end - if it could really be called that, really separates Hex from your usual hero. How many other “heroes” would kill a criminal in cold blood, just because the villain himself convinced him that justice would not come from the law? Jonah Hex continues to be a great book - usually in single-issue format, almost always a great read, and a story strong enough to overcome occasional mediocre art. There is a reason that this title has been on the list since the beginning.
Status: SAFE
The Twelve #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08 RELEASED 5/14/08
This title continues to be shockingly average. It seems to be falling victim to the usual weakness in Straczynski’s storytelling style - too much focus on the character. While strong, character-driven stories are desirable, you still need to spend some effort on that other key component of any good story - a plot. As usual with JMS, the plot withers as each issue progresses, and the Twelve is very much at risk of falling victim to the same apathy that ruined the end of Rising Stars. Namely, while you care about the characters at the end, you don’t particularly care what is happening to them. We are starting to get the same sense here - while the “refugees” are becoming very deep and complicated individuals, as a reader, I find I don’t really care about what is happening around them. If this doesn’t change soon, it will prove to be the death of this series.
Not ready to give up on it yet though. Keeping my fingers crossed that The Twelve breaks JMS’s usual pattern.
Status: SAFE
Marvel Comics Presents #9, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/28/08 ON TIME
Wow. This is a tough one to handle. As an unequivocal supporter of the anthology format, it is so painful to see this anthology done so poorly. The title is still saddled with the Vanguard and Weapon Omega stories, which have proven to be a massive liability to the book. The X-51 story is equally bad, and the Hulk(?) one shot was confusing and barely readable.
This title has hung on by a thread based on the occasional decent story and my own bias about anthologies, but it has come time to face facts - this title is a failure. Not because of a weakness in the anthology format, but rather the editors at Marvel’s complete lack of understanding about what makes a good one. It is painful, but it is time to say goodbye to this one.
Status: DROPPED
Nova #13, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08 ON TIME
After a brief official run-in with Annihilation: Conquest, this title sinks right back into its own story. And once again, this issue was outstanding. They teased more of a conflict with the Silver Surfer than we actually got, but Nova’s dealings with the rulers of a planet about to be devoured by Galactus (and his “interaction” with the big guy himself) were all well told and excellently written.
Nova remains on the top of the Marvel heap. Looking forward to a long run with this book on the Pull-List.
Status: SAFE
Teen Titans #59, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/28/08 ON TIME
This one suddenly has a really close tie to Final Crisis - and doesn’t really suffer for it. It is kind of hard to heap even more praise on this book - suffice to say that this issue was enjoyable, and the promise of what is to come makes the title even more compelling on the whole. In this issue we saw things seemingly at their worst for the team, which can only mean that we are just about at that moment where the action begins and we have our climactic conclusion. Formulaic? Sure, a little. But still fun.
Status: SAFE
Green Lantern Corps #24, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/14/08 ON TIME
This story is progressing right along. I can’t say it is brilliant - it certainly isn’t as exciting as the story we got during the Sinestro Corps War, but we are in a renewed “build-up” to Blackest Night, and between that and Final Crisis, we really can’t expect too much out of most ongoing DC continuity titles. Still, and enjoyable read - I am eager to see what happens next month.
Status: SAFE
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08 RELEASED 05/07/08
This title is in a class all its own. Really - how many titles do you read where this much happens? And that isn’t even counting the excessive dialogue that is packed on every page, thanks to an incredibly verbose cast? For the cover price, this is easily one of the most economical books on the market today. Most comics I pick up and read through casually - when I arrive at Rex Libris in my pile, I literally have to stop everything I am doing, set aside a few extra minutes, and focus my complete attention on it. This comic is intelligent and funny, and it is going to be a real shame to see it go.
Status: SAFE
Wonder Woman #20, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/14/08 ON TIME
Honestly? This issue was a little bit of a let-down to me. Compared to previous Wonder Woman issues under Simone’s pen, this issue was a bit confusing. And not in that “things will be explained later” way - I got the sense that you were supposed to understand what was happening, especially after the “reveal,” but it fell a little flat. Not horrible mind you, but less than excellent. Hopefully the storyline smoothes a bit next month.
Status: SAFE
Final Crisis #1 (of 7), $3.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/28/08 ON TIME
No bones about it - this issue was a total flop. Of course, dyed-in-the-wool DC fans might disagree, but for months Final Crisis has promised to be a manufactured event, DC’s final plunge to recover from their post Infinite Crisis falter, a hodgepodge event thrown together in such a way that Civil War would look thoughtful and well orchestrated in comparison. One issue in, and Final Crisis is delivering on that promise in spades.
If you are deep initiate of DC’s intricate Universe, you fill find a little in this story that the casual reader would not. But that is its only saving grace. It was nearly impossible to care one bit what was happening, despite the fact that as a Crisis, this was supposed to be something to rock the foundations of the DC Universe. Contrasted to Blue Beetle’s noble and heroic death in Countdown to Infinite Crisis, The Martian Manhunter’s “death” left a lot to be desired. There was no story there - it just happened, and we were all supposed to care about it. One more bad mark against an already weak issue.
I should have gone with my original instincts about this series. They were right.
Status: DROPPED
House of Mystery #1, $2.99, DC/Vertigo. Due Out 05/07/08 ON TIME
I thought this book looked like a lot of fun, and that is exactly what it turned out to be. Fun. There are many layers to this issue - the ongoing story of the House itself, and its inhabitants, the short “stories” they have to tell as a form of currency, and the story of the newest inhabitant of the House - who stumbles in on the last page. Sturges teams with Bill Willingham once again, who tells the mini story of the girl who marries a fly (and gives birth to its children!) - grotesque and horrible, to say the least.
This is going to be a great book, one that should have a long run at Vertigo. I am glad to have gotten in on the ground floor.
Status: SAFE
Invincible Iron Man #1, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08ON TIME
I could have done without the tiny bit of anti-smoking propaganda (seriously… that was way out of place), but overall it was a decent read. A good look at Tony’s character, a tangible threat, and decent superhero action. You really couldn’t expect more from this book - should be a decent story arc.
Status: SAFE
Giant-Size Incredible Hulk #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/14/08 ON TIME
This issue was fun - exactly as it promised to be. It was almost a re-introduction to the classic Hulk, without a trace of the Hulk that we saw in World War Hulk, and the Planet Hulk saga it followed. Refreshing really - it was great to go back to the Hulk’s roots, and look at him once again as the simple, divided man - one that is basically good, even with the uncontrollable rage. Uncle Rog hit a homerun with this issue - a great read.
Status: ONE SHOT
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Ultimate Iron Man II #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/21/08 DUE OUT 07/09/08
No idea what happened here - this issue was pushed back a month, seemingly to closer coincide with the release of Iron Man in theaters, but here we see it has been pushed back again two more months. Sad to say - it is well past the Two Month rule at this point, unfortunately we have no choice but to axe this issue.
Status: DROPPED
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #21 (#5), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08 DELAYED UNTIL 06/04/08
Oiy - one more delay! I suppose we can wait one more week. This title is having artistic labor problems, which has been openly acknowledged, and it is apparent that the team is working to correct them - that is good enough to get it a stay of execution.
TITLES CARRYING OVER
Jonah Hex #32, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/04/08
The Twelve #6, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/11/08
Nova #14, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/04/08
Teen Titans #60, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/25/08
Green Lantern Corps #25, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/11/08
Rex Libris #12, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 08/08
Wonder Woman #21, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/11/08
House of Mystery #2, $2.99, DC/Vertigo. Due Out 06/04/08
Invincible Iron Man #2, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/04/08
Fear Agent #21, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08 DELAYED UNTIL 06/04/08
Fear Agent #22, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 06/25/08
NEW TITLES
Manhunter #31, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/04/08
Seriously - was there anyone out there who saw this title’s return that didn’t think it would find a home on this List? I didn’t think so!
Avengers: The Initiative #14, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/25/08
I had a chance to read the last issue of this series, and I found it surprisingly good. Figured it was worth giving it a try here. Hopefully this issue lives up to the last!
Ultimate Spider-Man #123, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/25/08
Seems like good timing - we have a lot of open slots to fill, and this book is consistently good. And since it is impossible to get any other Spider-Man title on this budget (since Amazing is weekly), it is a logical choice for a Spider-fix.
A Red Mass For Mars #1 (of 4), $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 06/14/08
OK, so the list seems a little sci-fi heavy - but those are the good comics these days! And since we have something sci-fish from the other three major publishers, we might as well try out an Image effort.
JUNE TOTAL: $42.37
Budget = $40.00 + $3.22 (Fear Agent #21) + $3.22 (Ultimate Iron Man II #5) + $0.14 (Bank) = $46.58
$46.58 (Budget) - $42.37 (June issues) - $3.28 (tax) = $.93 banked for July
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always. If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
Post your comments in the Forum!
May 5, 2008
The $40 Pull List - May 2008
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 - 02/07 - 03/07 - 04/07 - 05/07 - 06/07 - 07/07 - 08/07 - 09/07 - 10/07 - 11/07 - 12/07 - 01/08 - 02/08 - 03/08 - 04/08
This month, the “mainstays” ended up being pretty good. We got a solid conclusion to the Annihilation: Conquest story, as well a nice goodbye issue from Kurt Busiek on Superman, but some of the minis faltered a bit. Both the Twelve and Young Avengers Presents seemed lacking, added to that a weak issue of Marvel Comics Presents made this month something of a downer.
This month’s read kind of made me realize how stagnant things have gotten. After a month like this, it is time to shake things up a little bit. Part of this whole experiment was to see if we could avoid getting caught in the trap of reading unenjoyable books month after month - and while it is true that some titles will have an off month here and there, a bad month overall is a good chance to shake things up a bit and let some fresh air in.
On to the specifics - April’s issues!
Jonah Hex #30, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/02/08 ON TIME
As always, Jonah Hex is a solid read. This issue was a little weak by its usual standard, but better the story falter a little on a short, simple story than on a drawn out complicated one. Not the best we have seen, but far from the worst and still ultimately passable.
The art was a solid improvement over last issue’s outing. Jordi Bennet seems to have a better handle on things than Gares did - so there is at least that. Sadly, no artistic stability anytime soon, though I am looking forward to seeing Darwyn Cooke’s take on Jonah Hex in July. That should be interesting.
Status: SAFE
The Twelve #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/02/08 ON TIME
Honestly, the most frustrating thing about J. Michael Straczynski’s writing style is the fact that he seems to give you almost nothing, but makes you want to read more. It is maddening - the promise of something awesome just over the hill, but that something awesome just never seems to come.
This issue is a good example of that. We get a little plot development - just a hair - and a few moments which could explode into something more, but they just don’t. More “it’s coming, just you wait!” In the past, I have always given Straczynski the benefit of the doubt, but as he has never come through in the end, with each passing series, it is harder and harder to show patience.
Not ready to give up on this one yet, but if we don’t start getting something of substance soon, I may just have to abandon this one.
Status: SAFE
Nova #12, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/09/08 ON TIME
You could almost insert this issue in right before Annihilation: Conquest #6, and it would be a seamless addition. If you are one of the few who aren’t following both series, this issue basically explains how the cure for the transmode virus comes about, and how Nova and the rest of the cavalry that pop up in #6 come together and begin their assault. Outside that, it was a fine issue of Nova that added a great deal to Gamora’s ongoing story. Hopefully her contributions to the series won’t be totally forgotten by the time issue #13 comes around.
Now that Annihilation: Conquest has been put to rest, hopefully we can get back to Nova’s story. I know there has been talk of his appearance in the whole Secret Invasion story - much to my dismay - with luck the impact of that story in this ongoing will be minimal
Status: SAFE
Annihilation: Conquest #6, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 04/16/08 ON TIME
Of course, this issue didn’t have Galactus laying waste to several star systems, but in its own way it was an explosive ending. As I predicted, the victory was on a much smaller scale, with Quasar finally coming to her own and delivering the killing blow. The seeds were sown for the new Guardians of the Galaxy series, and everyone rode off into the sunset. In the end, I am not sure if this series was “event-worthy,” but it was still an entertaining read. Hopefully Marvel will lay off the Annihilation concept for a while, and allow these characters time to grow in their own respective ongoing titles. Events are great - but events without solid character foundation tend to get cheap and unentertaining. It’s time to take a break!
Glad to have read this in any case, however. Looking forward to checking out Guardians of the Galaxy/
Status: SERIES CONCLUDED
Marvel Comics Presents #8, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/30/08 ON TIME
No bones about it - this issue was terrible.
The Vanguard and the Weapon Omega stories have been faltering for a long time. The former lacked any punch this issue - it just ended up being a lot of quibbling over semantics, and the revelation that there was a super-duper soldier from World War II (who is now dead) just fell flat. I am not sure where this story is supposed to be going, but I stopped caring a long time ago. The Weapon Omega story failed for the same reason - we didn’t see anything in this installment that we weren’t shown several issues ago. Things seem to be reaching a climax, but we keep retreading the same ground over and over again on our way there. Both of these stories are about twice as long as they need to be - we should have been finished with them around issue #6 and well on our way to something more.
The X-51 story was a mess - confusing and really uninteresting. Luckily we get more of that next issue. The Cyclops and Wolverine story was pretty well pointless - hate to say it, but we got nothing out of this issue that we haven’t been reading in the other X-books for the last couple months.
If I didn’t want the anthology to succeed so badly, and if there hadn’t been so many outstanding issues prior to this, I would drop it after such a bad issue. As it is - it gets another chance. Even if it is hanging by a thread. As it is, next month it looks like we are going to be saddled with 3/4 sagging ongoing stories. That does not bode well for the book as a whole.
Status: SAFE
Superman #675, $3.99, DC Comics. Due out 04/16/08 ON TIME
Boy, just when I finally get hooked on Superman, Busiek has to up and leave. The stinker!
As you already know, this issue was Busiek’s last, and he definitely went out with a bang. We had the full spectrum of angles here - lots of action, moral conflict, the big-bad villains threatening Metropolis to get to Superman, Big Blue being forced to fight with a villain, a giant, unstoppable monster, Superman winning the day with brains and brawn, and a few family moments. A great conclusion to a great run.
So what to do now? Superman has been outstanding, but sometimes when you are on a budget you don’t always drop a title just because it is bad. The end of a good run is sometimes a good time to say goodbye as well. So as good as Superman has been - instead of risking what seems like inevitable disappointment, perhaps it would be a good idea to say goodbye to Superman for now, and go out on a high note. Gives us a chance to try something else new!
Status: DROPPED
Young Avengers Presents #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08 RELEASED 04/02/08
Man, is it just me, or is it kind of contrived that both this team and the Runaways both have Skrull team members who are in homosexual relationships? I know this is great stuff for the GLAAD folks, but if you ask me, it seems a little forced. There is nothing at all wrong with homosexual relationships in comics, but in both Young Avengers and Runaways, it seems like they were added just for the “hip” factor. Those little “moments” in this issue really didn’t seem to add much to the story. There is a time and a place for this kind of thing - and it didn’t really seem like either.
Beyond that minor gripe, the story was decent. No real advancement though - just seemed like a character showcase. Which, I suppose, is all these issues are meant to be.
Young Avengers Presents #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/23/08 ON TIME
This issue was a little better than the last, but on the flip-side of the coin, I am really not interested in the whole “love” angle. These are teenagers for crying out loud! Yes, teenagers are angsty, hormone-ridden balls of lust, but they just don’t have these deep, meaningful loves that consume their very existence. To them it might feel like it, but those feelings evaporate the next time an attractive guy or girl crosses their paths.
Again, the story wasn’t bad, but there was too much sex in the middle of it. But four issues into this thing, there hasn’t been a single issue that I really enjoyed. Thus far it has ranged from horrific to barely passable, always waiting for the next issue for things to get better. Time to cut our losses, I think.
Status: DROPPED
Teen Titans #58, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/30/08 ON TIME
Well, that was kind of interesting. A lot happened in this issue - I get the sense a lot of it is going to have to be dealt with a ways down the road. McKeever has opened up a can of worms with Miss Martian that is going to take some time to unravel. Of course, these past few issues seem to be happening all at the same time - so there is a little timeline confusion, but nothing too difficult.
Robin’s reaction to her request seemed a little off though. His whole training revolves around the covert - with the experience he has, in the community he is in, would he really freak out about “forging federal documents” when really all he was being asked for was help leading a normal life? Something tells me he would understand that request a lot better than McKeever gave him credit for.
Honestly, this issue wasn’t nearly as strong as the previous two have been, but then, Miss Martian’s issues are far more complex. I am sure it will be several arcs down the line before everything in this issue is fully dealth with.
Status: SAFE
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #20 (#4), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 03/26/08 RELEASED 04/16/08
Everyone is scum! That about sums this issue up - not that it is a bad thing. Actually, the only character that really wasn’t scum was Charlotte - and strangely enough, she is the only unlikable character in the bunch. Both Mara and Heath have some heavy sins on their back, but they are by far the most sympathetic. Well, Heath anyway, since Mara kind of paid for it in the end.
Still loving this title. Hating how delayed it is, but loving it all the same. I really hope they get their production issues nailed - it seems like the art is holding things up, which is usually the case these days. Hopefully Remender and Company can come up with an artist who is willing to do the work to get this title out on time. Even if it means a rotating art team.
Status: SAFE
Green Lantern Corps #23, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/09/08
Ah, Mongul is getting quite a little collection of rings now, isn’t he? This issue finds a new core group getting together to track down the Sinestro Corps rings floating around the Vega system (which, as Green Lantern fans will note, is usually off limits to the Corps). The issue provides a nice re-introduction to the main characters, and Tomasi gives us a good and accurate look at each of them.
After the mis-fire of issue #21 on the list, #23 is a good starting out point. I don’t forsee this title leaving the list anytime soon.
Status: SAFE
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #21, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08 DELAYED UNTIL 05/29/08
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08 DELAYED
Fear Agent is once again delayed, but it seems like they are reshuffling things to make this one monthly once again. Let’s hope that is the case. As for Rex Libris - no idea when that is due out. The April release was tentative - with luck, that will hit shelves sometime this month.
TITLES CARRYING OVER
Jonah Hex #31, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/07/08
The Twelve #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08
Marvel Comics Presents #9, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/28/08
Nova #13, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08
Ultimate Iron Man II #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/21/08
Teen Titans #59, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/28/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #21 (#5), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08 [b]DELAYED UNTIL 05/29/08[/b
Green Lantern Corps #24, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/14/08
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08 DELAYED
NEW TITLES
Wonder Woman #20, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/14/08
Since we said goodbye to Superman this month, Wonder Woman seems a logical choice to fill that void. Simone’s run has received fantastic reviews, and coming off the end of a story arc, this seems an ideal time to jump aboard.
Final Crisis #1 (of 7), $3.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/28/08
I fear I may regret this, but since we gave a couple of Marvel Events a try, might as well let DC have their shot.
House of Mystery #1, $2.99, DC/Vertigo. Due Out 05/07/08
This one looks like a lot of fun. And Matt Sturges has done a fantastic job on Jack of Fables - I am curious to see what he has in mind for this old DC concept. Should be a good something different.
Invincible Iron Man #1, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/07/08
Just a little late for the Iron Man Movie, but could be worth a look. Matt Fraction is awesome these days, and I look forward to seeing what he can do with the biggest villain in the Marvel Universe today. The art end on this book looks solid - LaRocca does a fantastic job and is generally on time, so I don’t think this title will experience the same kind of delays the last Iron Man ongoing did.
Giant-Size Incredible Hulk #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/14/08
Since we don’t want to overload with too many new ongoings and minis, how about a one-shot to round things out? This should be a refreshing issue for those of you who aren’t too fond of the way things have gone for the Hulk these days - Roger Stern returns to tell a “classic” Hulk story featuring Fred Sloan. Should be some good, old-fashioned fun. Looking forward to it.
MAY TOTAL: $44.82
Budget = $40.00 + $3.22 (Fear Agent #21) + $3.18 (Rex Libris #11) + $2.03 (Bank) = $48.43
$48.43 (Budget) - $44.82 (April issues) - $3.47 (tax) = $.014 banked for June
A whole ton of new books to choose from this month - kind of takes care of that list stagnation! Let’s hope it is for the best!
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always. If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
Post your comments in the Forum!
April 1, 2008
The $40 Pull List - April 2008
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 - 02/07 - 03/07 - 04/07 - 05/07 - 06/07 - 07/07 - 08/07 - 09/07 - 10/07 - 11/07 - 12/07 - 01/08 - 02/08 - 03/08
An overall decent month with no real shockers. Late titles seemed to be the story of the month, however, with both Young Avengers Presents and Fear Agent (the latter no shock at all) both seeing delays.
No sense in dawdling - here were March’s comics!
Jonah Hex #29, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/05/08 ON TIME
Normally as a comic reader, my focus is on the story. However, comics are a medium that really relies on two different artistic forms - writing, and the art itself. This issue highlights the importance of art to a story. Palmiotti and Gray once again tell a great story, and do so in a way that really allows the artist to not only tell the story, but provide visuals that add another dimension to it. Unfortunately, Rafa Gares was not up to the task. This issue ended up being weak at best, for reasons that can all be attributed to the art. It was messy, dark, and muddled. While the dark tone was appropriate for the story, Gares made it impossible to really tell what was going on most of the time. An over emphasis on detail combined with coloring that looked more like mud killed this issue.
Jonah Hex has featured rotating artists, and thankfully the next issue will have yet another art team. It might be time for DC to pick one and stick with them though - this title is in serious need of artistic stability.
Status: SAFE
The Twelve #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/05/08 ON TIME
Overall, this issue was a little better than the last, mostly because things are finally, if slowly, starting to happen. One of the drawbacks of Straczynski’s writing - he spends a lot of time building, but usually the payoff doesn’t even come close to justifying the extreme build. On the plus side, we have had a good look at most of the Twelve at this point, and understand a little more about them in the modern context.
DC Special: Raven #1 (of 5), $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/05/08 ON TIME
Problem #1 with this issue: The cover. Finally her own “Emo” series? What? Raven is Goth. I am still waiting for the day that the old-school Goth and Emo types finally rise up and take back their identities from this weird “Whiney Dark Emo” that has surfaced in recent times.
That gripe aside, the issue itself is a little tough to discuss. The story was okay - just okay - but the art was absolutely horrific. That same horribly style that was almost the death of Batgirl while Damian Scott was working on that title. His art really needs an outstanding story to make it passable, and Marv Wolfman just dropped the ball here. I have been a huge Raven fan for a long time, and was eager to see her get a series of her own - but this was not the story for her. Sadly, I can’t inflict this title on you fine folks any longer.
Status: DROPPED
Annihilation: Conquest #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 03/12/08 ON TIME
After what can best described as an off issue, Conquest #5 recovered quite nicely. The plot advanced, answers were free flowing, and there was solid action. Star-Lord’s crew shined brightly, and where the last Annihilation really highlighted the cosmically powerful, this series is showcasing the strengths of the average heroes in the face of such tremendous power. I don’t expect we will get as explosive of a conclusion next issue as we saw when Annihilation wrapped up (unless Quasar finally steps up) - but character-wise, it should be just as good.
Status: SAFE
Marvel Comics Presents #7, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/12/08 ON TIME
A pretty decent issue - probably the first time that I really enjoyed every story as much as I did. The Vanguard and the Guardian stories are both suddenly getting a lot more interesting, which is making it easier and easier to forget earlier shortcomings. I still believe both of these stories could and should have been a lot shorter, but at least we are finally starting to get to the meat of both of them.
The Namor story was short and sweet. Not a lot to it - Namor was his normal, brooding self, this time expressing some sorrow over Namorita’s death. It was totally appropriate though - Namor wouldn’t let that kind of thing pass without marking it somehow. Though I am surprised that no one has decided to use that as an excuse for him to once again become more militant towards the surface world - but he doesn’t really have the exposure that he once did. A decent but not spectacular short.
The Savage Land finale wasn’t the jewel it had been previously, but it was a well written and enjoyable finale. All-in-all, a solid issue all around.
Status: SAFE
Superman #674, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 03/12/08 ON TIME
A smart issue, and a great start to a new arc after last issue’s fantastic conclusion. Actually, this story is better in many ways - it draws on elements from previous stories, but the story foundation is much better from the outset than the Insect Queen story. I haven’t enjoyed Superman this much in, well, ever. If Busiek keeps up this level of quality, this title is going to be on the list for a long time.
Status: SAFE
Nova #11, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/12/08 ON TIME
Still on the run from Gamora and Drax, Nova finds himself in this issue on the homeworld of the technarchy, pleading with Warlock to help him cure the transmode virus once and for all. Abnett & Lanning seem to be in a tough spot right now, needing to tell a compelling story, but not wanting to tread on Annihilation: Conquest too much. The difficulty is showing - this issue, like #10, was decent, but not really close to the standard of greatness they set in the early issues of this series.
Nova is still one of the best books Marvel has right now, though reading it makes you feel like you and they are just waiting out Annihilation, so they can finally get to the good stuff.
Status: SAFE
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #19 (#3), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 01/30/08 RELEASED 03/19/08
Finally! This issue was this close to crossing the two-month late threshold - which would have been a travesty. Not only is there a real dearth of schi-fi in comics still, but hard-core, balls-to-the-wall sci-fi? Nonexistent, even beyond comic medium. Please start putting this book out on time, and regularly! The constant lateness of this book isn’t just annoying, it is a solid disservice to the medium!
In any case, an outstanding issue. Hopefully the next is a little more timely.
Status: SAFE
Ultimate Iron Man II #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08 ON TIME
Man, I really thought this was a four issue mini for some reason. I suppose that is what I get for not paying attention. Regardless - this was a solid issue and an even better lead-up to a conclusion than the last one. It still fells as if there are some things left untold that might lead to a third mini - but that isn’t such a bad thing. This still isn’t quite the Tony Stark we have come to know in The Ultimates, but it is a compelling character story nonetheless.
Status: SAFE
Teen Titans #57, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/26/08 ON TIME
Once again, Teen Titans is proving to be one of the highlights of the month. Over the last few issues, McKeever has spent some time focusing on individual members of the team - highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and showing how the others feel about them as well. This time, Ravager got the spotlight, and once again, McKeever is telling an outstanding story.
This is the best Teen Titans has been in some time. Hopefully he can keep this up!
Status: SAFE
Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash #6, $2.99, DC/Wildstorm. Due out 03/26/08 ON TIME
Well, the comic based on the movie that never was has finally come to an end, and honestly not a moment too soon. Not that it hasn’t been an OK read, but six issues was a mite too long, and it kind of got tedious as things approached the end. The verdict is the same as it has ever been - not a terrible comic, but this would have been a thousand times better on the big screen. Still - it was good to read what might have been.
Status: SERIES CONCLUDED
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Young Avengers Presents #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08 DELAYED UNTIL 04/02/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #20 (#4), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 03/26/08 DELAYED UNTIL 04/09/08
Green Lantern Corps #23, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/09/08
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08
Not sure what was behind the late release of Young Avengers Presents #3, but I imagine that a rotating creative team will occasionally cause problems like this one. Fear Agent’s delay was expected, sadly, though with luck it will come out on its new date, and finally get back on a solid release track. Green Lantern Corps, of course, was furloughed until next month, so hopefully it will make a stronger showing in April with the regular team back on board.
TITLES CARRYING OVER
Jonah Hex #30, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/02/08
The Twelve #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/02/08
Annihilation: Conquest #6, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 04/16/08
Marvel Comics Presents #8, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/30/08
Superman #675, $3.99, DC Comics. Due out 04/16/08
Nova #12, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/09/08
Ultimate Iron Man II #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/21/08
Young Avengers Presents #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08 DELAYED UNTIL 04/02/08
Young Avengers Presents #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 04/23/08
Teen Titans #58, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/30/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #20 (#4), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 03/26/08 DELAYED UNTIL 04/09/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #21 (#5), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 04/30/08
Green Lantern Corps #23, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/09/08
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08
MARCH TOTAL: $41.83
Budget = $40.00 + $3.22 (Fear Agent #20) + $3.22 (Young Avengers Presents #3) + $.66 (Bank) = $47.10
$47.10 (Budget) - $41.83 (April issues) - $3.24 (tax) = $2.03 banked for April
As you can see, there are no new titles this month. I made this exception for a number of reasons. First - we had one deserved drop this month - there was no sense in forcing another unless we really needed to. Secondly - the list was bloated due to the inclusion of the new Rex Libris, and with the clock ticking on that title, I figured we should enjoy it while we can. Also, Annihilation: Conquest is ending in April, and Ultimate Iron Man II coming to an end in May, and Young Avengers Presents wraps up in June - it makes little sense to sacrifice good titles when we are about to have a whole ton of openings.
If you need a better justification - we kind of do have a new title this month in Green Lantern Corps #23. I consider #21 to be a false start. Hopefully that logic works for you all. The intent of the “rule” was to make certain that new titles are tried on a regular basis - and the spirit of that rule still stands here.
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always. If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
Post your comments in the Forum!
March 3, 2008
The $40 Pull List - March 2008
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 - 02/07 - 03/07 - 04/07 - 05/07 - 06/07 - 07/07 - 08/07 - 09/07 - 10/07 - 11/07 - 12/07 - 01/08 - 02/08
February was kind of a downer. While mainstays like Jonah Hex delivered, and Superman was shockingly good, there were some real disappointments. Which titles were duds? Well, you should know already, since you are religiously following the list, but if you don’t - read on to find out!
Jonah Hex #28, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/06/08 ON TIME
A pretty darned good issue. Really dark, quite bloody, but a nice examination of Jonah Hex’s complicated morals. The art was a definite step up from the previous issue - there were still some issues, but a few shining moments that really put Hex’s monstrous face on display really made up for it. The way the issue dealt with homosexuality was well done - it seemed to fit the time well, and really handled the topic with a good sense of perspective.
Hex is on a roll again. Looking forward is issue #29!
Status: SAFE
The Twelve #2, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/06/08 ON TIME
This issue seemed like a step backwards. Of course, it makes sense that Straczynski would want to develop each of the characters, he is doing so in such a haphazard way that almost none of them has any real depth. They went from being shallow Golden Age stereotypes to shallow modern ones. All of the progress from last issue seemed to die as the story shifted to a totally different set of temporal refugees. There are some good plot threads here that I want to read more of - Rock Man being separated from his people (are they real? They must be), the Phantom Reporter and the Electro robot… I get the sense that that is a match made in heaven. But we only get a couple of panels on all of these, instead most of the issue is spent with the clichéd “hero lost in time assumes a black man is a criminal, and refuses to help the mixed couple after he realizes the truth” angle. Give me a break.
This is being billed as a “book-length thriller.” That seems like an excuse for a lot of padding and some laborious exposition, something Straczynski has proven to be good at. Even the best novelist knows that you have to have something happen in the first couple chapters to hook the readers, and since the only thing of note that has happened in this series is the group waking up in the future - something we knew was going to happen anyway - this series is failing even as a graphic novel. And what was up with the Blue Blade’s death? That whole scene at the beginning of the issue made no sense at all, and was promptly forgotten. Was it supposed to be foreshadowing? A plot progression, followed by an issue-long flashback? And why should I care about his murder, when he was presumed dead anyway, and we haven’t really been introduced to him as a character anyway?
This issue proved a dire disappointment, and the way things are going, the series itself isn’t going to be much better. Going to give it one more chance, but if the solicit is true, and we are going to see zombified versions of this cast, this title is going to be dropped in a second.
Status: SAFE
Annihilation: Conquest #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 02/13/08 RELEASED 02/06/08
Yikes. Hate to say it, but the issue can only be described as a nosedive. Not that the quality of the series as a whole is suddenly terrible, but absolutely nothing happened in this issue. Nothing at all. Well, there was a bit of bickering, and some whining, and a convenient introduction of a bit of deus ex machine (Sorry, the hidden army of sentinels that were conveniently isolated from everything is a little hard to swallow). Even the art seemed just a little off this issue.
Hopefully, this is just a rare blip, and things will improve a bit next issue.
Status: SAFE
Green Lantern Corps #21, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/13/08 ON TIME
Kripes - talk about a bad time to start this issue. A fill-in arc! And a particularly poor one at that. There was so little to enjoy about this issue. The story was uninspired, the characters were two-dimensional, and all of the book’s classic cast were missing.
One more issue to this arc - it is probably best to hold off on that issue and start picking this title up again with issue #23.
Status: SAFE - HIATUS UNTIL ISSUE #23
Nova Annual #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/13/08 ON TIME
A nice homage to the cover of the first The Man Called Nova issue, a nice touch there.
This issue treated us to a retelling of Nova’s origin - slightly updated for modern times, but a great recap nonetheless for those of you who haven’t been following Nova since was back then. The bulk of the issue was a future what-if featuring a rebuild Nova Corps a few decades in the future, engaging 
the Phalanx in a final battle around their last stronghold - Earth. Finally, we get a lead-in to the next issue, with Nova battling a manifestation of the transmode virus within him. Great issue and an outstanding annual. Best read of the week bar-none.
Status: SAFE
Superman #673, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 02/13/08 ON TIME
The last issue was weak for logical reasons, but this one had to be the best Superman issue I have read in a long time. It had all the elements - Superman in danger, the normal human helping him to turn the table, and ultimately victory through a totally improbably but wholly Superman act. And a nice tug on the heartstrings at the end. An outstanding issue. If they keep up like this one, Superman will be on the list for a long time to come.
Status: SAFE
Ultimate Iron Man II #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/13/08 ON TIME
Another decent issue - and a far better example of how a novel-style story is supposed to work in a comic. Things happened! One weakness in this volume is that there really doesn’t seem to be an overarching point. There is great character development, but it doesn’t really seem like we are building to anything particular. I’ll bet that at the end of the next issue, things are just going to end again, much like they did last time around. Decent content, but no payoff. May not be the best approach, but in an industry where the build is usually lacking, instead focusing on huge payoff “moments” instead of a good story, that is acceptable for a change. Should finish up fairly well.
Status: SAFE
Marvel Comics Presents #6, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/13/08 ON TIME
The first story in this month’s issue was part 6 of the Vanguard story. We are finally starting to see a little more of the title group, but the twist that the story has suddenly taken really has put a damper on what came before. It is a little better in terms of a serial installment, which makes it a little more enjoyable, but the sudden twist is a bit jarring. The fact that we have another 6 months to go before this one wraps up makes things all the worse. Hopefully the individual parts continue to be decent reads - still doesn’t mute the disappointment of the overall structure of this story.
The second part of the three part Savage Land story was another highlight. In usual 3 act format, this time the villains gained the upper hand, leaving us with a bit of a climax heading into the final part. Gage should be applauded for his work here - this is what every story in this comic should be like.
The Captain America story was solid - a little confusing though. In one swoop Venditta managed to pay homage to the US soldiers in WWII, while at the same time making them out to be demons. Why would they beat up an unarmed man like that - another American? Made no sense at all. The sneers and the ribbing -perfectly ok. The assault, however, killed all the good the story had to offer. Worth a read, but one flaw kept it from being a perfect story.
The Weapon Omega story showed a little improvement - finally. On the whole it rounded out a pretty solid issue.
Status: SAFE
Young Avengers Presents #2, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 02/27/08 ON TIME
To say this issue was a step up from the last one would be an enormous understatement. It didn’t blow me away, but it was a solid one-shot story, and shed a lot of light on Hulkling’s character. Not much to add to that really - just a huge relief that this issue wasn’t quite so offensive as the last.
Status: SAFE
Teen Titans #56, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 02/27/08 ON TIME
“– Devil. I’m Kid Devil.” Kid Devil mopes. Ah, that opening sequence was classic. The whole issue was quite the riot. Sure, it might have seemed like a “Dump on Kid Devil” party, but it really brought out a lot of fun character traits of the whole team. Robin and Wonder Girl as the team’s leaders - burdened more with responsibility (Thanks to their “seniors” likely), Ravager upset not that he threw a party, but did it when she wasn’t there, and the Blue Beetle just laughing, a great scene. All to set up the temptation for a turn to the dark side - woven masterfully. McKeever is really on his game here. A month’s too long to wait.
Status: SAFE
Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash #5, $2.99, DC/Wildstorm. Due out 02/27/08 ON TIME
Decent issue - really little to add beyond what I have talked about before. We are getting into the climax of the story, so all three are going at it pretty much non-stop at this point. A good, mindless read. Will be wrapping up next month.
Status: SAFE
Rex Libris #10, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 01/30/08 RELEASED 02/27/08
Sad that this title comes out so infrequently - even sadder that it is coming to an end. Slave Labor is going all digital, and while there still may be some hope of that and trades, it isn’t the same as getting the occasional comic issue.
It will be missed, though there is no harm in enjoying it while it lasts. And based on this issue, it will have a comfortable home here on the Pull List until the last issue comes.
Status: SAFE
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #19 (#3), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 01/30/08 DELAYED UNTIL 03/12/08
Delayed - again. This makes me sad. It would seem that the move to Dark Horse really hasn’t done much to improve things where this title is concerned. At least they are being up front with the updated release dates. I would imagine #20 will see a delay too, sadly.
TITLES CARRYING OVER
Jonah Hex #29, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/05/08
The Twelve #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/05/08
Annihilation: Conquest #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 03/12/08
Marvel Comics Presents #7, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/12/08
Superman #674, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 03/12/08
Nova #11, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/12/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #19 (#3), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 01/30/08 DELAYED UNTIL 03/12/08
Ultimate Iron Man II #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08
Young Avengers Presents #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 03/26/08
Teen Titans #57, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/26/08
Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash #6, $2.99, DC/Wildstorm. Due out 03/26/08
Fear Agent: Hatchet Job #20 (#4), $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 03/26/08
Green Lantern Corps #23, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 04/09/08
Rex Libris #11, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due Out 04/08
New Titles
DC Special: Raven #1 (of 5), $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 03/05/08
OK, so this makes the list a little Teen Titans heavy, but it isn’t like she is a part of the current ongoing title, so why not? Plus it is Marv Wolfman, so if anyone is going to turn out a good Raven mini, it is him. Should be a solid series.
MARCH TOTAL: $39.87
Budget = $40.00 + $3.22 (Fear Agent #19) + $.40 (Bank) = $43.62
$43.62 (Budget) - $39.87 (March issues) - $3.09 (tax) = $.66 banked for April
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always. If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
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