Monthly Pull List Oct. 2014 Part 1.

Well I am getting settled into new job and new apartment. It's been a while since I've had the time and energy to post my weekly pull list. I have quite a stack of books to catch up on. I'll keep it quick. Over at IDW I got two issues of the brand new G.I.Joe series. The first arc is the fall of G.I.Joe. New writer Karen Traviss starts off after an apparent ceasefire. Cobra has foregone all its bad things and claims it is all about peace now. G.I.Joe is about to be disbanded as they no longer have any major purpose. Espionage, betrayal, complicated family ties crossing the boundaries of Cobra and a man named Rashidov and his separatists. Art is by Steve Kurth. His work is incredible. The watercolored painting with beautifully realistic pencils. Great story so far. Looking forward to seeing more from Traviss and Kurth. Especially after reading the letters in the back of issue two. Great stuff. 4.5 out of 5.

Over at Image, Rasputin #1. A supernatural version of the tale of Russia's greatest love machine. The premise is Rasputin telling the story on the day of his death. There's flashbacks to his childhood with an abusive dad. He beats up Rasputin's mom and he uses his mystical powers to heal her. He does the same to a bear that his dad fights later on. I picked it up because I have an unhealthy obsession with this song:

Also, I like the idea of a supernatural historical figure. Written by Alex Grecian and drawn by Riley Rossmo who work together to bring out a mysterious fun story. Strong first issue. Looking forward to more. 4 out of 5. 

Image also sent out Lazarus 12. Part of the conclave story, this issue is really the calm before the storm. A world of politics and counterintelligence building up to a big explosive conflict. There's a really cool scene where three different Lazaruses train with each other. A great story is unfolding. Rucka and Lark still work like a dream to bring you one of the best series around. 3.5 out of 5 as it's kind of a filler issue. 

Lastly from Image is Velvet 8. More gritty espionage and beautiful artwork as Velvet invades the Arc-7 headquarters to access a phone and make a mysterious call. This issue reads as an excellent heist movie. Lots of twists and turns Brubaker and Epting do not disappoint in their latest excellent issue. 5 out of 5. 

Batman '66 meets the  Green Hornet 5 is next. More of the same. Lots of fun, but nothing too dramatic. Only one more book, which is fine. Still feels like this is one episode split up over 6 issues. 3 out of 5.

My other books from DC are Green Arrow 35 and 36. Issue one of the Kingdom story. Also the first issue written by CW's Arrow writers Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski. It's a perfectly fine issue. Standard Green Arrow. Biggest problem I have with the book is they try so hard to make it closer to the TV show. They introduce us to the new version of Felicity Smoak. She's a "evil" version of the show character. Hired to kill Oliver Queen. I think it should be fine. I'm still in. The new art is alright. Nothing compared to Sorrentino's work so I'm going into it with an open mind. Fun action-packed Green Arrow story. Nothing special on this front, but I will keep reading as I like Green Arrow. They should just call this book Arrow since it fits perfectly into the TV world. 2.5 out of 5.

Now over to Boom! for some Cullen Bunn action. The Empty Man 5. The calm before the storm. Everything in this book is building tension before next month's final issue. A brilliant book that creeps the heck out of me. It's been a fun ride so far and I'm confident that things will continue into the epic finale. Del Rey's art enhances the creep factor. 4 out of 5.

There were many books from Marvel over the last month or so. The new Thor #1 came out and teased the identity of the controversial, and mysterious female version of Thor and the next arc involving Malekith and frost giants. There's new art by Russell Dauterman. It's pretty great. It's not quite Ribic's smooth watery beauty, but it totally works with this new direction. I really like this direction it's going in, especially since it's still Jason Aaron. 4.5 out of 5.

The next two issues are Death of Wolverine tie in issues. They're fairly interesting as they contain some cool stories about the characters' pasts. Storm 4 has Ororo meeting up with an old friend, Yukio and helps with a secret underground mob fight. She promises to be Wolverine's replacement. It ends with a nice Cliffhanger as Storm is set up for a massive beating. Still an okay book. Probably my favorite issue so far. 3.5 out of 5

Nightcrawler 7 is pretty fun. It explores his relationship with Wolverine by revisiting some moments from the past in the danger room. This might be my last issue of this book, but it is a good issue to send off on. I like how honest it feels and think that Claremont has done some solid work with this book. It's not the best, but a solid book and I could understand people enjoying them. 4 out of 5. 

This is only about half of them. I have a bunch of stuff from Marvel in the Axis category and some stuff from Cullen Bunn and Oni Press to take a look at. 

Weekly Pull List August-September 2014

Well I moved. I have now caught up on my comics purchases and am mostly moved in out east so it's time to catch up. I will start off over at image. Velvet number 7 follows Colt and Roberts as they work counter-espionage on the official side of things. It's another brilliant issue. Brubaker and Epting are still a glorious pair. Beautifully realistic art really makes me wish it was a TV show. It would be incredibly awesome to see this on a high quality network like AMC or HBO. 5 out of 5.

Next up is Lazarus 11. Conclave part 1 has a wonderful scene exploring the politics of the world. Seeing interactions between two Lazaruses (Lazari?) is always interesting A lot of buildup and anticipation for something that I'm not sure where it's going to go. We're at the peak of the chain lift on the roller coaster getting ready to go over the edge. 4 out of 5.

Now over to DC. We have two Futures End tie-ins. The first is Justice League United which is a surprisingly interesting story. A classic "getting the band back together" story set in the future. Several members of the old JLU congregate to hunt down the Martian Manhunter, who has been captured by Gorilla Grodd and the guy behind the whole thing: Captain Atom!?! it's a decent story. I was interested enough to want to go get the next part of the story in the Justice League tie in. I want to read the main story, but I really wish it was much shorter. 52 is a lot of commitment for a mediocre story. I'll give it 3.5 out of 5 for a surprise ending, even though they just seem to be trying way too hard to find a place for Captain Atom in the New 52. 

The other tie in is Green Arrow which is a solid issue. It's a nice wrap up to this creative team. Has a few nice callbacks and such to other moments in the recent issues. Oliver fakes his own death on live TV in a fight with Deathstroke only to realize it was Magus. His sister Emiko is acting as the Green Arrow in Seattle. Not a bad issue. Sorrentino is amazing as usual. Another book that piques my interest in the Futures End story. 4 out of 5.

Last book from DC is Batman '66 meets the Green Hornet 4. Comic hilarity continues as the two teams continue to torment each other due to ill timed torment from the kings of crime. Another middle story that serves its purpose and not much else. Fun book all around, but I'm glad it's only six issues so I can get the next two and not have to worry about it any more. 3 out of 5.

Now over to Marvel! First up is Nightcrawler 6. This issue follows Kurt and the young Rico as they hunt down the mysterious mutant girl that the pirates are also after. An exciting battle ensues and they manage to rescue her. A fun story that doesn't seem to have any real impact on the world as a whole, apart from introducing the new mutant, Ziggy, and the mysterious bossman who promises his revenge. Another fun series that I will probably not be picking up anymore as it is not very exciting. It's a few minutes of joy, but I have no real connection to it and am trying to buy fewer comics. 2.5 out f 5.

Next up we have 3 issues in the Thor saga: Thor and Loki The Tenth Realm 4 and 5 and Thor God of Thunder 25. Battles rage until Loki brings Odin out of his prison in Asgard and back to the Tenth Realm. He halts the war upon realizing Angela is his long-lost daughter. Which begs the question: Have they truly never met before? Apparently not as Odin isn't around nearly as much as he seems to be and Angela showed up about 20 years ago and was mostly a Spawn character until merely a few years ago when she starting hanging out with the Guardians of the Galaxy. A mildly anticlimactic ending to the tale, but it works as a great setup to the new Thor series as Thor gets told a secret by Fury in Original Sin that makes him unworthy to wield the hammer. Making way for a lady Thor in a new upcoming series. In issue 25, King Thor's granddaughters are reading ancient stories about his past exploits when they come upon one in chains. It is revealed that this book is titled Unworthy and the book ends with Thor Odinson trying desperately to hoist Mjolnir off the surface of the moon. This book is and always has been fantastic! Looking forward to seeing where Aaron is taking us on this ride. The art on both of these series has been incredible. Different artists provide wonderful different takes on the characters as they traverse different realms or appear in different eras. These books are truly masterpieces. Overall they get 5 out of 5.

The last of my Marvel books and the first off my Cullen Bunn books is Magneto 9: A March to Axis. Eric breaks into a concentration camp of sorts in order to assassinate the Red Skull and save some of the kids in there. Everything goes to hell, of course. This issue is a setup to some massive war between the Avengers, X-Men, and the Red Skull who has apparently taken Xavier's mental powers? Interested to see where this is going. Walta does a wonderful job with the gritty looking art. Great issue that has me hooked until next issue. 4 of 5.

Now over to Boom! for the Empty Man 3. Apparently the Empty Man isn't a disease, it's an invasion! *gasp* We get a creepy scene where we see some Frankenstein seeming doctor talking to an apparent carrier of the Empty Man or something. Still a gloriously creepy mystery that promises an awesome finale to this story in a few issues. Del Ray's art is once again brilliantly murky. Love this book. 4 out of 5.

Now for the Sixth Gun 42 and Days of the Dead 2. The prequel uses Jesup to tell us some history of the Knights of Solomon and the Sword of Abraham. There's also the mysterious Yum Kimil who seems to be a cajun god of some sort. Real cool series and history. The main series is setting up the grand finale where the Grey Witch will be using Jesup and the six to recreate the world. Drake, Becky, and Nidawi are trying to plan a way to stop her, and the Knights of Solomon are doing the same. It's amazing how these two series are being released along side each other and are so entertwined. Of course I love these books. It has been well documented. 4.5 out of 5.

Monthly Pull List 8-12-14

Time to catch up a bit. I got carried away with reading other comics I borrowed from my brother: Superman: New Krypton stuff and now IDWs Ninja turtles series. I also only had one or two books most weeks. Anyways, onto the books! We will start with Marvel. First up is a new series: Storm #1 written by Greg Pak with art by Victor Ibanez. It starts with Storm rescuing Santo Marco from a tsunami. With political tensions high due to their ban on mutants Ororo argues with Beast about being there. This is the basis of the story which this issue is merely made to kickstart the series and let Storm go off on her own. It's a great start having political strife as well as a personal conflict to build up the stakes and make it an intriguing series. Art-wise, this book is pretty solid. It really shines in the darker exterior scenes while the bright interiors are oddly cartoonish. Great start to the book and I hope it continues to be a good series. 3.5 out of 5.

Next up Magneto 7. Magneto infiltrates a mutant slave ring where they are forced to fight a predator x, or a mutant hunting machine. Naturally he decimates the whole operation and frees the mutant captives. It is still an excellent book. I love the anti-spy feel of the book and the way the story is progressing. Art is still very good. The use of the overly willing sidekick is pretty cool. A single hero (or antihero as the case may be) is rarely awesome on their own and typically need another person who is the brains behind the operation. Someone to gather more information whilst the title character is off fighting their enemies or taking down slave rings. Briar Raleigh is an excellent assistant and I can't wait to see what Bunn has in store for her and where she has come from. Great book still. 4 out of 5.

To polish off Marvel I have Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm 2 and 3 where we explore the realm of Heven and at least the Angels' side of the war with Asgard. Still an incredibly intriguing story. I love the retcon happening across Marvel due to the Original Sin story. Well, I don't consider it a retcon as it gives new information more so than changing things we thought we knew. I love the dark Asgardian history though I'm not sure if I believe the queen of the angels and her version of history yet. Loki is deceptive and conniving as usual and I'm curious to see how it would play out (Which is why Loki is great, he can always go either way). Only two issues left before Thor becomes unworthy to wield Mjolnir and a female picks up the mantle (Angela?) so I am ver much looking forward to finishing the series. Great series. 4 out of 5.

On the other side we get to see Batman 66 Meets the Green Hornet 3. It continues the fun, light-heartedness of the series. It's not super great, but it's a lot of fun. I'm just very okay about the book and there's not much to discuss that hasn't been said already. I would suggest waiting for the trade as the series is very serialized, but feels like it should be read all at once. The one thing I want to say about this is that it greatly captures the feel of a TV show where each issue, while not a full story, ends on a cliffhanger. It's like you get to the commercial break in the show. Interesting way to read the comics, but it feels like the whole series would be the equivalent of at least a two episode story arc. 3 out of 5.

My other DC book is Green Arrow 34. As the conclusion of the Broken story this issue raises the bar in seriousness of tone and incredible art. Ollie gets his ass kicked by Dragon before he pierces Dragon's femoral artery and leaving him. It's an incredibly clean and solid finale to the story and sets up the direction the next story will go with Emiko agreeing to be Oliver's apprentice and Diggle agreeing to stick around. Another issue ideal for setting up where the story wants to go. Lemire is great and Sorrentino is amazing at translating his words. So, if you have any interest in picking up one of the best books at DC, grab the trades. Absolutely worth it. If you like Arrow then pick up issue 35 when show veterens Kreisberg and Sokolowski are taking over. 5 out of 5!

Now to the independent side of things. Outcast 2 comes from Robert Kirkman's side of Image: Skybound Publishing. If you want a book that'll creep you out and possibly make you lose sleep. Demon possession, rape and domestic abuse, questions of faith and possible matricide are all represented in this fantastic book. One of the creepiest things I've ever seen/read/watched/experienced. Outcast is a lot darker than anything else Kirkman has done. Although Invincible is apparently absurdly evil and vicious. Paul Azaceta's art is grim and dark, but not too vile. It helps to lighten the creepiness a bit. There's a solid cliffhanger that really seduced me. Looking forward to checking out more from this series. 5 out of 5.

Also from Image is Lazarus 10. This issue expands our knowledge of the world a bit and raises the stakes  as it sets up for a world-wide gang war. This story looks far more interesting than the last one. I hope things play out epically. It's really nice to see Rucka expand the universe appropriately and having another solid looking story. Not much else to say apart from This is my favorite issue of this series in a little while and I hope it continues. 4 out of 5.

Last Image book I picked up was Velvet 6. In this book we follow Velvet as she meets a few of her assets and decides to go on the offensive to clear her name. Brubaker doesn't disappoint with his espionage, crime thriller. Steve Epting's work is incredible gorgeous and sufficiently noir, perfectly matching the tone of this book. There's some more backstory and a couple twists. Great book! I love everything about this book! 4.5 out of 5.

Lastly, I picked up Sixth Gun: Days of the Dead 1. A new miniseries to give a little more backstory to the world of the Six and their history. It introduces us to Yum Kimil, an apparent god or embodiment of death itself who is set to be reawakened as villains tend to be in stories. If you've read any of my blog posts, you know I love anything to do with this series. Great start to the story and we'll see how what it builds into the mythology before the last streak of issues before the end in issue 50. 5 out of 5!

Weekly Pull List May Pt. 2

Time to play some catch up. Been a bit busy with moving halfway across the country so I let this get away from me. So let's begin. A lot has been happening in the DC Universe. Most of it has been fairly uninteresting to me. I will start with Justice League United 1. The crew assembled in the 0 issue are battling some giant monster that got released last issue. It changes between rock, fire, lightning, etc to battle everyone. As the creature goes to reform, they teleport for a faraway world. Meanwhile, Lobo fights Hawkman and brings him to scientists who have created "Ultra the multi-alien... The slayer of worlds." from the DNA of thousands of prisoners from across the galaxy. Still build up for a story that may be interesting, but the cosmic stuff typically doesn't do much for me. It's a fine book, but definitely nothing special. 2 out of 5.

Now the big new weekly event. Futures End issues 2-4. Issue 2 is Green Arrow's funeral where everyone is sad and it calls back to the relationship between Ollie and Animal man that we see beginning in Justice League United 1. Issue 3 is mostly Grifter researching something and Lois finding out that Red Robin is alive. Issue 4 is Red Robin realizing that Batman Beyond is here and Frankenstein invades S.H.A.D.E. and gets recruited to avenge his former lover. Plastique and some other guy recruit coil for a "last job" which involves breaking into Terrifitech. Grifter finds a lead to the same but gets zapped and knocked out. Overall, I'm bored with this story. It's a lot of characters I have almost no interest in. The one's I want to know more of (Firestorm, Batman Beyond) are all peripheral characters who have yet to take part. I will probably continue picking this up, but I started getting it thinking it was a 12 or 13 issue series and not a 52 week thing. So I don't really see myself going all the way, but it has until I miss an issue or at least a few more issues to pick up a bit before I'm out. 2 out of 5.

Next up is the conclusion of the Outsiders War in Green Arrow 31. Death, destruction, moral quandaries, etc. all wrap up this story fairly quickly. It's a good arc, but it ended rather abruptly and works out a little too nicely. It's pretty awesome how the Diggle story that we've seen bits and pieces of over the last few issues is now heading toward being the focus of the book. I wish there had been another issue of wrap up for the story. This one felt a little rushed and like everything is crammed in too tightly. Art-wise, still an excellent book. Can't wait to see what Lemire does with the gang of classic Green Arrow villains he introduces at the end. 4 out of 5.

Over on the other side I had Loki: Agent of Asgard 4. A fun little issue and a bit of a battle of wits. The twists are a little heavy handed, but didn't hurt it too badly. The dialogue is fairly painful as it feels like an older person trying to talk like the "cool kids nowadays" and it just comes off forced and awkward. Quite a bit of fun, but this story isn't the best. Solid book with pretty awesome art. 3.5 out of 5.

Nightcrawler 2 follows Nightcrawler and Amanda as they return to the circus of their childhood in hopes of finding some answers. They scuffle but the automaton Trimega shows up. Boring. The issue is a fun read, but there's no real movement in the story. There's nothing that really changes between the beginning and the end. It feels like a filler issue. Which is awful because it's number 2. I'll give it a couple more issues, but I don't think it'll last. 1.5 out of 5.

Continuing in Marvel, Amazing X-Men 7. Firestar and Bobby are going shopping for the mansion. Yes you read that correctly. That's the premise of this issue. Then a baby shows up in their cart and Spider-Man arrives chasing him. They take him back to his alien parents. This may be the dumbest comic I've ever read. Definitely this year. Art is cool, but this is obviously a filler issue as it's not Jason Aaron who wrote it. Pretty, but lame. 0.5 out of 5

Thor God of Thunder 22 wraps up my Marvel stuff so far. This is still a great book. The girls of Thunder still fight Galactus whilst Thor the Avenger and Rosalind explore Roxxon's shenanigans and find out about the Trolls under Broxton causing all the sinkholes. Heck of a fun read. I love this book. Both stories are incredibly intriguing and a lot of fun. Classic Thor tale. The end has a great call back to the first arc of the series which ties things together quite nicely. Artwrk is gorgeous as always. 5 out of 5.

Now onto the smaller sector. Serenity Leaves on the Wind 5. Fun issue. It builds up to the final issue next month in an exciting way. It looks to be a solid arc as a whole, setting up another rebellion and whatnot. Action-wise this is the issue where the art really doesn't work. There's a lot of excellent action and fighting, but the art isn't crisp enough to make things clear. There are several panels that aare just awkward and confusing to look at. It's a little disjointed as well. The flow isn't as smooth as some other issues. The jumps between character stories are a bit hard to follow. Still love this book and cannot wait to finish off the first arc. 4 out of 5.

Over at Image I got Velvet 5. This issue dives into Velvet's past and gives you more information about why what is happening is so hard on her. It is incredible character stuff and it manages to work as a declaration of intent on the future of the series. I'm excited to go back and read the first 5 issues that serve as a great introduction to this world and a hint of the main antagonist of the series: the corruption within Velvet Templeton's organization. I imagine I will likely pick this up in trade format in the future to make it easier to get people into this series. Brubaker does a great job of going into the past and making us care a lot about the situation and the characters even if they aren't the normal or most important ones. Incredible book. This series is one of my favorite. 5 out of 5.

Last up is Sixth Gun 40. Everyone knows how I feel about this book so I will keep it short. This issue leads right into the endgame. This series is supposed to end with issue 50 so Bunn and Hurtt are bringing it around towards the final conflict. This issue did feel a bit rushed, but also had some really cool character moments that were excellent to see. They also dismiss a possible time travel argument in a few lines of dialogue. It's always funny when writers acknowledge the complaints that readers will have before they happen. Anyways, good book and I'll be back for more. 4.5 out of 5.

Weekly Pull List 3-5(12)-14

Two weeks to catch up on today. I will start with a new number 1. Cullen Bunn, creator of Sixth Gun, started a new Magneto series. I picked it up because it's Bunn. Magneto hunts down a mutant killer when he turns all sentinel and tries to kill Magneto. I like the idea of a cyborg type sentinel and Magneto hunting down the people who did that to the poor kid promises to be an exciting fun ride. The creative/dark storytelling of Bunn taking on the intriguing character of Magneto is a wonderful match and I love it a lot so far. Gabriel Hernandez Walta on art is pretty good. The design of Magneto is a little odd. His face is more round and less tall than the normal look for him. It's a little jarring and feels like more of a Lex Luthor than Magneto. Otherwise the backgrounds are gritty and dark. Showing the not best side of the world. 4.5 out of 5.

Also in the Marvel villains category, Loki Agent of Asgard 2. I love this issue. It has Loki at a speed dating event. He's there talking to a human who has a power to see through any lies, including Loki's mirage. It's an extremely absurd premise for a book, but Ewing perfectly portrays Loki's charm so it shines through to the reader. A great book. It portrays a heist scene the best I've ever seen on a page. This issue sets up a plot that promises to be Loki's Eleven which is always a fun story to follow. Art is by Lee Garbett and isn't the most detailed, but when mixed with Nolan Woodard's colorization it provides a basic, flat look that works perfectly for the story. While the first issue caught my interest, this one has certainly caught my attention. 4 out of 5.

Now we'll hop over to Image for Velvet 4. Ms. Templeton attends the Carnival of Fools and hunts down an old rival from the KGB who is being hunted. After saving his life they discuss the situation he is in until he reveals a twist that turns her past upside down. More great work by Brubaker. I've been reading some of his Captain America and Winter Soldier stuff over on Comixology. They were both stellar, but don't have as excellent espionage as Velvet though. This story is still unravelling fairly slowly, but gives enough intrigue and mystery each issue to make it exhilarating. The art manages to capture the intensity of the moments and the joy and fun of the carnival only a couple pages apart. There's a 3/4 page panel that just glows with the excitement of the carnival and is 100% mesmerizing. Once again, can't wait for the next issue. 5 out of 5.

Now we will head over to DC for a bit of Green Arrow 29. Book 4 of the Outsiders War. This issue is just as good as the previous few. It does feel like it's dragging on too long to get to the actual story, but still a fun read. Oliver heads to Prague to take on Komodo and the spear clan and believes he has saved the city, but alas, he only stopped one of the four ships of sarin gas. Solid issue. I've already raved about Sorrentino's art in this book and this issue keeps up that trend. There's a lot of similarities to the Arrow show at the moment, but not in a bad way considering there's a limited number of characters who work well in a Green Arrow story. This issue is good more for the setup than for the actual events. Especially the cliff hanger which is mildly intriguing in the sense I want to know how Lemire gets out of it. Even though it's obviously a misdirection. Good, but nothing too impressive. 3 out of 5.

Now for this week. Justice League of America 13. This book is alright. Stargirl fights with Despero some more. It has possibly the worst twist I've read in a while. It's a cliched "by the way, what's been happening isn't really happening" story. It's also a story that just doesn't feel very fresh or exciting in any way. It's not horrible, just a resounding okay. 1.5 out of 5

Lastly, I got The Mercenary Sea 2. Fun book. This issue sets up the plot for the first full arc. The crew gets a job and sets off to do it. It's a very unique book and one that I never really thought I'd see. It's a beautiful book on top of it. Second issue is a whole lot of fun. Looking forward to reading the whole story. I said I was going to wait for trade on this one, but might pick up the first run in issue format. Like Loki, this book has grown in excellence. 4 out of 5.

Pull List 2014 Part 1

And we're back. I didn't get to my last batch of books last year so I'll briefly go through those as well as what I've picked up so far this year. I got Justice League of America 10. A continuation of the forever evil tie in story with Martian Manhunter and Stargirl looking for the rest of the heroes. Good book. Then in issue 11 Stargirl and J'onn travel across the U.S. to get to her parents. Fighting, flashbacks, getting jumped by Despero and ending underwater fighting to surface. Nothing too incredible, I think it will be a better story after we get a few more issues to complete the story.

Lazarus 5 and 6. War is still building between the families. I need to go back and reread these issues. It's been a while. Still good. Rucka is as good as ever. Fun story. Great world. Beautiful art. I have zero complaints about this book.

Pretty Deadly 3 and 4. Another book that will be better in its entirety. Although issue 4 was the best so far as it actually led somewhere. There was some actual development that will matter after this issue. It did feel like a lot of set up, but I wish that this is where we were after issue 2. I will be rereading this series before the next issue so I will get more in depth at that point. The art in the most recent issue took a slight step up. It's almost as if Emma Rios is getting more comfortable with the book. It's got water color style muted colors that tell the gruesome story in the best way.

Thor God of Thunder 16 and 17. The conclusion to the Accursed story. A less obvious touch on a fairly obvious twist made this not quite as good as the previous godbomb story, but it still ended fairly well. As usual the dark elves are predictable in their savagery and chaos-loving natures for a great twist which promises this won't be the last of Malekith. Very solid arc overall, probably a 8 of 10. I'm really looking forward to where the book is going.

Superman Unchained 5. Decent book, but incredibly well written. The whole story feels pretty familiar, even though I have nothing to really compare it to. Wraith is an enemy, then a friend, then he isn't, then he is, and then he fires all the nuclear missiles in the world. The flashback to the first time Clark fries is pretty sweet. It's a fun story, but not the best. I'll give it another issue or two but it's not lasting long.

Next up is Green Arrow 27. Part 1 of the Outsiders War. Decent issue. The art, as usual, is phenomenal. Not really sure how to explain it, but I'll try. Sorrentino uses smaller panels to draw emphasis on small detail or transition between bigger moments. It's amazing. Easily my favorite art of any book right now. Story wise, Oliver goes back to the island and Shado helps convince him that he was stranded there for a reason. The book ends with a pretty shocking twist. I'm kinda wary about it and am withholding judgement until I see how it plays out. I've liked Lemire's work all over the New 52 so far, so I'm hopeful. Great book. Looking forward to the rest of this story.

Velvet 3. My favorite new book from 2013. A great spy thriller set to beautiful art by Steve Epting and incredibly colored by Elizabeth Breitweiser. It's a dark gritty tale is matched by the smooth watercolored backgrounds and stunning art. This issue introduces you to a character you grow to admire in the 23 pages of this single issue. Great mystery and intrigue. The characters are great. It's like reading a James Bond movie if Bond were female. Fantastic all around. Can't wait for more.

Finally I got a few issues (35-37) of Sixth Gun. It's not my favorite story of the series, but it's still got the mysticism and action that usually comes with it. Bunn nails it with the story and Hurtt's art is still excellent. I'm with this book as long as they keep making it. So that catches us up from the holidays. I'm hoping to keep this going steadily and get more other blogging in, so keep the good vibes heading this way.