Variant Covers: All of Asgard Hates Us Negligent Bastards
This is Variant Covers. Keep your fucking fingers off the cover. Mind the spine, yo. The comic book column where I spit with vitriol, glee, and mostly confusion about the books dropping this week. Hit the comments section with derisive, witty, or contributory recommendations and comments.
Shazam.
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Thor: The Mighty Avenger #6
My friends, we have failed. As comic book reading collective, we have failed. Failed hard. Last weekend news leaked out that Thor: The Mighty Avenger was getting axed. This is nothing sort of a calamitous disregard for one of the most wondrous, beautiful mainstream titles hitting shelves. Canned, canned, canned. While other titles are hitting the shelves, depleted of quality, offering nothing new to existing mythos. I am significantly bummed out about this. Half of me wants to recommend nothing more than this title. A militant stance. But alas, there’s other worthwhile shit dropping, and that would be unfair to them.
But!, please, check this shit out tomorrow. The good news is that apparently they’ve been given the ability to wrap up the storyline by the final installment in January. You’re only six issues behind. It’ll cost you nothing more than something like twenty-four Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers. It’s a refreshing take on an existing origin. The dialogue is great, the artwork is gorgeous. Both of these creators, Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee will assuredly continue on doing dope work somewhere else.
But still. Hit this while you can.
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Elsewhere In the Marvel Universe:
Thankfully, I don’t think we’re failing in regard to following Hickman’s current work on the Fantastic Four. Tomorrow sees the release of Fantastic Four #585, which promises to work towards the conclusion of the “Three” storyline. I have a good idea that someone is going to die. I think maybe the storyline’s name gives that away. Hickman’s continues Reed Richard’s desire to solve everything while grounding it with a thunderous round of heart and humor. Last month when Ben Grimm got his one-week of humanity back, and went to see Alicia? I teared up. I know, fuck me.
Also dropping is Captain America #612 which follows Bucky as he goes on trial for his crimes as the Winter Soldier. While I like the story, and generally everything Brubaker does, I’m wondering how long he’s going to examine Bucky’s guilt over his past. Fair enough it’s been introspective to this point, and now he’s dealing with the public outrage regarding it. As I said, I still dig it. And finally, Invincible Iron Man #32 promises to be a slobberknocker, as Iron Man throws down with Detroit Steel. Fraction penned action scenes being realized by Salvador Larroca? I’m there.
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Action Comics #895
I rolled the dice on Action Comics last month. Lobbed a blind recommendation at you guys. Did you fucking hate it? Mea culpa, mea culpa! Me oh? I dug the shit out of it. It starred Luthor having a witty metaphysical conversation with good ole Emo Kid Favorite, Death. The comic was fun, self-contained, and inserted itself into my monthly pull list. This month? Our boy Luthor is coming under attack from Vandal Savage! Oh snap! It’s pulpy, easy-going fun. It doesn’t hurt that the Jimmy Olsen story in the back pages is as damn good as the main event.
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Elsewhere In The DC Universe:
There’s a fucking buttload of Bat-Books dropping this week. Like, an entire goddamn collection of them. There’s Neal Adams’ weird, metafictional ride through the Batverse in Batman: Odyssey #5. The comic is something of an oddball for me. It feels so unlike the other works being done regarding the Bat that I’ve come across. Be it courtesy of Mr. Miller or Grant Morrison. Then there’s Batman and Robin #17, with Paul Cornell taking over for the aforementioned Morrison. I have no idea how you follow up Morrison’s run on the comic, which was a continuation of something like five years of plotting and intertextual references.
My guess? Stamp your own mark on the son of a bitch. I got faith. There’s also Justice League #99 coming out. I’d say something about it, but I haven’t read it in years, but I felt like I should throw something else out there.
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Things I Wish I Was Snagging:
I suppose these are a list of blind buys that I’m throwing out there. If you’re checking them out and you can say nay or yay on them, hit me the fuck up. I’m way behind on DMZ. I read it only in trades, and stupidity and cash issues have prevented me from picking them up. But issue #59 drops tomorrow, and I don’t feel worried by recommending it. Brian Wood’s work on his creation has been nothing short of stellar. Scalped #43 drops tomorrow, and its another title I’ve been wanting to begin collecting in trade paperbacks. Anyone checking this out? I’d like to know if it’s worth it, given the good buzz I’ve read surrounding it.
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Those are my titles of the week? What are you guys checking out? Hit me.