WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?
Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) grabs a whole lotta comics. These periodicals are quickly sorted (how) into two piles -- the "buy" pile (a small pile most weeks, comprised of planned purchases) and the "read" pile (often huge, often including comics that are really crappy but have some value to stay abreast of). Thursday afternoons you'll be able to get his thoughts (and they're just the opinions of one guy, so calm down, and here's some common definitions used in the column) about all of that ... which goes something like this ...
THE BUY PILE FOR MARCH 22, 2017
Deathstroke #15 (DC Comics)
Hh. This issue was an unexpected dip in quality as Slade Wilson got stuck with a superpowered teenaged genius who threw off the intricate mechanics of mercenary murder so carefully constructed by this series. The Christopher Priest script doesn't go wrong, per se, but it jogs where it could soar, especially with the Rose Wilson subplot in Minnesota. Good work that feels like it should be great. Let's see if that improves next month.
WHAT'S THE PROGNOSIS?
... that was less than exciting ...
THIS WEEK'S READ PILE
Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it's not good enough to buy
"Captain America Steve Rogers" #14 is complex. Retcons become concrete, threads become ropes pulling hard and the titular captain plays every role deftly. Had the building of a new Cobra Command, er Hydra Council been less poetic and cursory, and the whiplash flashbacks been more "Arrow" and less "Lost," this would have made it.
The bounty hunter Cad Bane is an excellent sardonic presence in "Star Wars Darth Maul" #2, and the title character's barely restrained rage are a fitting tribute to his ultimate disposition, but the quarter inch of plot didn't do much to get this to the cash register.
There was a lot to like in "Ultimates 2" #5, including the most effective T'challa in print today (sorry) and Monica Rambeau eating Carol Danvers' lunch. Unfortunately, the plot didn't connect, the action didn't progress the story and the antagonist was vague. Not bad, though.
The "Meh" Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, they just kind of happened ...
"Invincible Iron Man" #5, "Reborn" #5, "Spider-Gwen" #18, "Suicide Squad" #14, "Elektra" #2, "G.I. JOE A Real American Hero" #237, "Letter 44" #31, "Gamora" #4, "Bloodshot Reborn" #0, "Savage Dragon" #222, "Doctor Strange The Punisher Magic Bullets" #4, "Helena Crash" #1, "Uncanny Inhumans" #20, "Flash" #19, "Optimus Prime" #5, "Batgirl" #9, "Rocket Raccoon" #4, "Birthright" #23, "Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps" #17, "Empowered And The Soldier Of Love" #2, "Batman Beyond" #6, "WWE" #3, "Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows" #5, "Jem And The Misfits" #3, "Hulk" #4, "Doctor Who The Twelfth Doctor Year 2" #15, "Wonder Woman" #19, "Black Hammer" #7, "Foolkiller" #5, "X-O Manowar" #1, "Action Comics" #976, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 11" #5, "Detective Comics" #953, "Extraordinary X-Men" #20, "Circuit-Breaker" #4, "Unworthy Thor" #5, "Blue Beetle" #7, "Iron Fist" #1, "Star Trek Green Lantern Volume 2 Stranger Worlds" #4, "Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur" #17, "Doom Patrol" #5, "Black Panther" #12, "Violent Love" #5, "Beauty" #13, "Magdalena" #1, "Future Quest" #11, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency The Salmon Of Doubt" #6, "Teen Titans" #6, "Curse Words" #3, "Prowler" #6, "Anno Dracula 1895 Seven Days In Mayhem" #1.
No, just ... no ... These comics? Not so much ...
At least nothing was terrible.
SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?
The view is vast from the top of Meh Mountain.
WINNERS AND LOSERS
The week's a wash with an underperforming purchase and a lot in between that failed to inspire.
THE BUSINESS
Wanna know something funny? This column debuted on Comic Book Resources this month in 2006. The anniversary was actually weeks ago, but you know how it is. Time sure flies when you're completely insane. This train isn't stopping, and it's great to have you here for the ride.
The writer of this column writes two weekly web superhero comics: "Menthu: The Anger of Angels" and "Project Wildfire: Street Justice" -- free every week. Can't beat "free."
The writer of this column isn't just a jerk who spews his opinions -- he writes stuff too. A lot. Like what? You can get "Project Wildfire: Enter Project Torrent" (a collected superhero web comic), "The Crown: Ascension" and "Faraway," five bucks a piece, or spend a few more dollars and get "New Money" #1 from Canon Comics, the rambunctious tale of four multimillionaires running wild in Los Angeles, a story in "Watson and Holmes Volume 2" co-plotted by "2 Guns" creator Steven Grant, two books from Stranger Comics -- "Waso: Will To Power" and the sequel "Waso: Gathering Wind" (the tale of a young man who had leadership thrust upon him after a tragedy), or "Fathom Sourcebook" #1, "Soulfire Sourcebook" #1, "Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook" #1 and "Aspen Universe Sourcebook," the official guides to those Aspen Comics franchises. Love these reviews? It'd be great if you picked up a copy. Hate these reviews? Find out what this guy thinks is so freakin' great. There's free sample chapters too, and all proceeds to towards the care and maintenance of his kids ... oh, and to buy comic books, of course. There’s also a bunch of great stuff -- fantasy, superhero stuff, magical realism and more -- available from this writer on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go buy a freakin' book already!
Got a comic you think should be reviewed in The Buy Pile? If we get a PDF of a fairly normal length comic (i.e. "less than 64 pages") by no later than 24 hours before the actual issue arrives in stores (and sorry, we can only review comics people can go to stores and buy), we guarantee the work will get reviewed, if remembered. Physical comics? Geddouttahere. Too much drama to store with diminishing resources. If you send it in more than two days before comics come out, the possibility of it being forgotten increases exponentially. Oh, you should use the contact form as the CBR email address hasn't been regularly checked since George W. Bush was in office. Sorry!