PULL! Mithrandiel's Comic Reads - Week of 9/1 & 9/8
By: Mithrandiel
After our trip to PAX West, I had some catching up to do! So here are my thoughts on some recent comic reads!
Dark Ages #1 [Tom Taylor]
Lights out, suckers! Tom Taylor's Dark Ages has arrived and, true to its title, plunges our heroes into a fresh hell at the hands of an enemy so powerful that its last opponent was the friggin' Living Tribunal. Hopelessly outmatched, Dr. Strange and a strike team of heroes are able to halt the dreaded Unmaker's attack, but at a terrible cost.
I saw a lot of buzz and hype around this series in the weeks leading up to its release, including a particularly impressive cover by Ryan Stegman that puts the main antagonist front and center. With all of the chatter, I had high expectations when I picked up this issue, and I was pleased to see that it cleared those expectations with room to spare. I particularly liked Taylor's take on the Spider-family in the opening pages. Iban Coello provides some killer art in this issue as well, including a fantastic, emotionally charged shot of The Vision as he squares off against their new foe.
Overall, a fantastic kickoff to a large-scale event. Looking forward to seeing more from Taylor and Coello in the coming weeks! 9/10
Static: Season One #3 [Vita Ayala]
Static continues to be one of my favorite runs currently - with fantastic writing, great narrative pacing and impressive art. As Virgil is led to an experimental facility headed up by Dr. Metcalf, he's greeted by technology that helps to unlock even more potential of his nascent powers. I'm really enjoying the way that Ayala is able to slow down on the action and spend some time in quiet moments with the characters - there's a scene with Virgil and his dad that's particularly poignant that drives this point home.
A fantastic run so far - highly recommended! 9/10
Basilisk #4 [Cullen Bunn]
Really enjoyed this latest entry of Basilisk, particularly the allusion to the "prophecy" in the closing pages that seems to indicate the narrative has a bit more steam in it before Cullen wraps it up. Also was glad to see Hannah give the Chimera a run for their money when it came to the confrontation. Was expecting a bloodbath, and was pleasantly surprised at her ability to hold her own. A great read! 9/10
Geiger #6 [Geoff Johns]
One chapter closes, and another begins with Johns' 6th entry in Geiger. This issue features the climactic confrontation with the deranged King and his money as Geiger works tirelessly to save his newfound "family" from experimentation and death. A fitting conclusion, with some moments of Michael Bay-levels of bombastic action to boot. 8/10
Nice House On The Lake #4 [James Tynion IV]
Holy shit this series is good. I don't know how Tynion manages to balance multiple, top-tier series the way that he does but Nice House on the Lake is quickly shaping up to compete with my other favorite running series at the moment, Department of Truth. The growing tension within the house, the utilization of ingenious "props" in the comic, and of course all of it complemented by aesthetically complementary art helps construct a powerful narrative. Superb. 10/10
Ordinary Gods #3 [Kyle Higgins]
The drama continues to unfold as Higgins' expansive narrative just barely begins to give us all a peek behind the curtain. With Dominic still struggling to understand his place in the broader struggle, new foes and potential allies enter the picture. The closing pages were particularly striking to me, mainly in its ability to excite the reader for where the story is headed next...and of course the art by Watanabe continues to impress. Very close to Nice House on the Lake for me this week... 9/10
Avengers: Tech-On Avengers [Jim Zub]
Okay, I'm gonna be upfront here. I gave Zub and the Tech-On Avengers series a lot of grief after its first issue came out. After a re-read and picking up the 2nd issue, I would like to retract my initial thoughts and offer a revised opinion: it's a fun series. It really is. The art by Chamba is certainly eye-catching, and while the story isn't going to be winning any Eisners, it's an approachable run that's great for kids and preserves a Saturday morning cartoon feeling. 7/10
The Me You Love In The Dark #2 [Skottie Young]
Closing out my wrap-up is Skottie Young's continuing series about an artist who has retreated into a haunted mansion for inspiration. After discovering that she was not alone, Ro spends a good amount of time in this issue conversing with the unseen shadow. The issue spends a lot of time on panels sparse with dialogue or mainly focusing on the environment, and the slow pacing does a lot of good in the issue.
I'm honestly very impressed with where the series is headed, and am morbidly curious where Skottie is going to take it next month. Absolutely on my pull list. 9/10
