Top of the Pile 1/13/2016

Top of the pile this week is the final issue of the Secret Wars mini-series from Marvel. With delays and extensions, we finally read the conclusion of the multi universe altering storyline from Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic and Ive Scorcina. With this being the last book in the series, my explanation will have some spoilers. But I’ll try and keep them not too blatant.

I’ve always like the work of Jonathan Hickman. It’s almost always really out there in its scope. He takes huge, horrible, existential situations and boils the solutions down to individual choices and actions. And in Secret Wars, after destroying all the different universes with in the Marvel continuum, he stages a fist fight between Reed Richards and Dr. Doom for the fate of everything, That’s pretty cool.

The artwork, by Esad Ribic with color by Ive Scorcina is interesting. Certainly not the classic Marvel/Kirby style. Esad uses softer lines and the colors Ive selected are more subtle. The draughtsmanship is excellent with characters displaying strong emotions both in their facial expressions as well as their body language. But it does lack some of the kinetic feel of Marvel books. But for this story, the action pack fist fighting isn’t necessary.

I’ll ask out teen librarian to pick up the collected volume of Secret Wars for our collection since it’s the latest in the re-defining of the Marvel Universe. And I suspect it would be a popular book among our teen readers here.

Other books I picked up this week:
All-New Wolverine #4
Injection #6
Descender #9
Paper Girls #4

Top of the Pile 9/12/2012

The Manhattan Projects #6
Story by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Nick Pitarra & Jordie Bellair
Published by Image Comics

I don’t think I’m smart enough to understand all the Jonathan Hickman writes. I have read the Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus and a couple of the more accessible books by Richard Feinman. So this alternate history of the 20th century science is completely fascinating.

In issue 6, we pick up in Germany just before all the Nazi rocket scientists are picked up by the Allies. Helmut Gröttrup escapes and is grabbed by the Soviet Army and immediately put to work in Star City to build rockets. This book shifts it’s setting quickly as it we go forward and back in Gröttrup’s sad story.

And the artwork is quite good. It’s reminiscent of Geof Darrow without all the insane detail. Thick lines show all the sweat and facial stubble on the scientists faces. The drawings of his rockets are Buck Rodgers cool and even the swastika forehead branding looks painful. And I’m glad to see that Jordie Bellair gets art credit for his coloring. Using full, contrasting colors, with this Soviet focused issue, red almost becomes the obvious symbol for anything USSR. It’s not subtle, but it’s effective.

So I’m glad I put this on the top of the pile this week. It beat out Chew, which was the only other book that could have been a potential pile topper.

Top of the Pile - 7/18/12

Sorry for not having an entry last week. I was getting ready to attend the San Diego Comic Con for a couple days and didn’t make it to the shop. So I have a pretty big stack this week. What I would have picked for my top of the pile last week was I, Zombie. I thought it was the final issue of that run, but it turns out there's one more coming.

This week however goes to a Marvel book, Fantastic Four #608. There are other good books that were close to the top including Daredevil #15, Saga #5 and the new Captain Marvel #1. But the Jonathan Hickman run on the Fantastic Four book has been a fun ride for the past couple years. And another definite plus is the Frank Cho cover of three superwomen. That’s why I put this at the top of my pile.

On reading, this book is one of exposition. It’s not the most exciting, but Hickman is building the larger story. It starts with T’Challa and Reed Richards entering into the Wakandan necropolis because of dreams the T’Challa has been experiencing. While T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, the current Black Panther, along with Storm and Invisible Woman go on their own vision quest to confront the Jackal God who has been attacking Wakanda.

The art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Karl Kesel and Paul Mounts is better than good. The Egyptian motif is prevalent through the book. And with some dramatic angles and interesting facial expressions, I’m glad I put this one at the top. I suspect there are other books that would be better as a single issue this week, but I’m happy that this issue of Fantastic Four didn’t disappoint.