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 AUGUST 16, 2017

Star Wars #34 (Marvel Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. There are only two Black people worth noting roaming the Star Wars galaxy at large, and they team up for one of the most ambitious capers you're likely to see. Sana Starros, the "ex-wife" of Han Solo, and widely renowned scoundrel Lando Calrissian play a very, very dangerous game involving thirteen crates full of stolen Imperial blasters. This Jason Aaron-penned script is self-composed and entirely entertaining. The artwork from Salvador Larocca, Edgar Delgado and Clayton Cowles makes heavy use of reference but also creates original looks to deliver the tension and the cleverness of this story. Super enjoyable stuff here that doesn't need you to know anything more than what you see.

Astro City #46 (Vertigo/DC Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. Once in a while, a story does such a good job of covering its tracks that when its narrative twist is revealed, it makes you re-examine everything that went before. The Sixth Sense had it, and this issue breaks out just such a shock in an almost throwaway panel during an extremely metatextual section that acts as a framing device for the entire series, a moment so sweeping and clever that it makes every panel that preceded it make sense. Writer Kurt Busiek is a monster for coming up with such an amazing, deft and patient concept, and the visuals from Brent Anderson are (as always) remarkable. This is an amazing surprise.

Ultimates 2 #100 (Marvel Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile. The key to throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a story and making it work is context. This deeply enjoyable issue has no fewer than three "that's great" moments as Galactus needs help, the Black Panther figures a way to punch gods in the face and universes fight. As crazy as all of that sounds, Al Ewing weaves it together with a deft script and the visual army of Travel Foreman, Filipe Andrade, Marco Lorenzana, Scott Hanna, Dan Brown, Matt Yackey and Joe Sabino deliver all these crazy ideas (including an extradimensional group of Avengers) work together perfectly. This is a very enjoyable work.

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WHAT'S THE PROGNOSIS?

Big ideas presented effectively, that's good stuff!

THIS WEEK'S READ PILE

Honorable Mentions: Stuff worth noting, even if it's not good enough to buy

Nightwing #27 had some good moments as Nightwing rekindled his acquaintance with the spy organization Spyral. The action scenes are great and the humor is solid. Unfortunately, a digression with semi-retired mildly super villains seemed wasteful and the plot didn't connect.

If you'd like a sci-fi take on Greek myth, Hercules Wrath Of The Heavens #1 is a well drawn retelling of the basics on how the Twelve Labors started. It doesn't develop the character much, and wasn't much for depth, but it covered the basics from a new direction with very attractive artwork.

Genius Cartel #1 maintained the lethal charm of its lead Destiny Ajaye from the much-loved previous series. Unfortunately, without the clarity of purpose that the prescient previous work had, the plot lacks momentum and urgency, which makes the largely forgettable supporting characters fall flat. Fingers crossed that this one picks up the pace.

Generations Wolverine And All-New Wolverine #1 was surprisingly close to the mark by doing two things really well. First, the two adamantium-tinted warriors spend most of the issue tersely hunting and slicing through zombie ninjas -- that focuses their characterization well. Second, the emotional core of the conclusion is literally perfect. Why wasn't that enough? Well, the cliched antagonist did nothing to add to the story, and the actual mechanics of the plot remained frustratingly unexplained. Still, this was not bad at all.

No, just ... no ... These comics? Not so much ...

The much ballyhooed Dark Nights: Metal #1 is a mess. There's enough plot material for easily three comic books, but everything is all jammed in here. There was a thing with Mongul that could have been a whole Justice League book and lacked context, and the high production values can't mask the flaws in the conception and execution of this "everything but the kitchen sink" approach, failing where Ultimates suceeded.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

That wasn't so bad, after all.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Three jumps beat a single bad book to make this week a big winner.

THE BUSINESS

After the well-reviewed oversized zero issue, Irrational Numbers: Subtraction (1 of 5) is available now and the early reviews are good. Go pick up your copy now for just two bucks!

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 Irrational Numbers: Addition (a supernatural historical fiction saga with vampires), 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!