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 JULY 13, 2016

Vision #9

(Marvel Comics)

Many years ago, in an issue of "Stormwatch," a character named Fuji uttered the phrase, "unspeakably beautiful." He was using it sarcastically in reference to himself, but it could easily refer to this simply immaculate comic book, this artifact of wonder and impossibility that takes a very brief moment in time, intersperses it with narration that'd have the cast of "Pushing Daisies" nodding appreciatively, creating one of the most effective moments in recent comics. Writer Tom King is a monster, a talent so alarming in what he makes look effortless, and that is shown here again in shocking detail as he's taken a fairly plain jane superhero comic and turned it into a suspenseful masterpiece. The visuals from Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles are pitch perfect, capturing emotional moments of regret, desperation, petulance and despair with crisp, digital accuracy. This is diaphanous. Wow.

Power Man And Iron Fist #6

(Marvel Comics)

In a virtually impossible feat, this issue managed to make sense of the current mega-crossover by doing what many good stories do: making it personal. The argument about a prophetic Inhuman called Ulysses takes a back seat to some home grown copycats using software to practice pre-emptive predictive policing. Sounds like it could go catastrophically wrong? Of course it does, and the nuanced, effective script from David Walker coaxes out every argument, every consideration, while not sacrificing a second of the humor and action that have made this title so effective, all the way down to the emotional last few pages. The effective artwork from Flaviano, John Rauch and Clayton Cowles delivers the story beats perfectly for another winning issue in an uninterrupted stream of them in this volume of the title.

Daredevil #9

(Marvel Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile.

Any time Spider-Man teams up with someone else, allowing them to be the straight man, it exponentially increases the chances of the book being good. Here, he's flown in from his international superheroics to help Daredevil swipe a briefcase from a band of angry Triad gangsters. The interplay between the heroes is outstanding, as writer Charles Soule deftly weaves a plot element throughout the issue to make an enormously satisfying conclusion while working within the limits of continuity to deliver great entertainment. The team massaging your eyeballs -- Goran Sudzuka, Matt Milla and (again) Clayton Cowles -- make sure you catch some outstanding moments (look for the boat) while not sacrificing a smidgen of visual storytelling. Simply great stuff that would have Charlie Cox salivating for a chance to film it.

Rocket Raccoon And Groot #7

(Marvel Comics)

Jump from the Read Pile.

This issue had some great laughs and was very close to the mark in a self-contained tale of grift and gratitude that cleverly worked its narrative thrust through an almost David Letterman-esque application of repetition with minimal variation. Simple, ridiculous entertainment that clearly satisfies, thanks to Nick Kocher, Michael Walsh, Cris Peter and Jeff Eckleberry.

WHAT'S THE PROGNOSIS?

Two jumps, two almost flawless purchases ... wow, that's encouraging!

THIS WEEK'S READ PILE

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

"Civil War II Choosing Sides" #2 has as its best feature a story about Tom Foster, the nephew of the "biggest" casualty of the previous Civil War. An effective and concise tale about redemption and recognizing the complexity of people, it's simply super. The continuing Nick Fury Jr. tale is nothing special, and the "snapshots" piece of multiple heroines struggling with the major casualty of this Civil War was like a non-sequitur web comic that had great production values and outstanding characterization but a less than compelling plot.

"Satellite Falling" #3 was an issue that wasn't far from the mark as the protagonist assembles a crew to check out what seems like her dead ex-girlfriend has set up shop as a spaceborne crime lord. Lady? Anyway, it developed some fun characters but was a little too short on plot. This feels like it will make one heck of a TPB when all is said and done.

"Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D." #7 had the pacing and vibe of the show down pat. Unfortunately, it's locked in a new, largely stupid crossover, and remains under the shadow of the last largely stupid crossover, which leads to a final page that falls flat because of the ease in which it can be reversed. Circumstance without consequence sapped a decent issue of its chance to work.

"Sherlock A Study In Pink" #2, like its source material, is famously fast and fun, an Aaron Sorkin dream of patter and posturing. Unfortunately, like its predecessor, it's a wholly faithful adaptation and -- as a fragment -- not a story, just part of an episode. Best wait for them all, if you're so inclined.

"Horizon" #1 is hard sci-fi in a near future setting that sets a serious atmosphere. A super powered operative from another world has landed on earth, sacrificing years off of her own life to save her people. It did a great job of establishing tone and a visual vocabulary that is ready made for adaptation. What doesn't happen, and therefore stopped this from being a purchase, was the huge information gap between the reader and what's actually going on. "Birthright" had some of the same issues but started off with an overwhelming hook. This is a little more straight forward (based on the back matter by the writer) and as such needed a greater degree of transparency to engage the reader with the players and the stakes. Intriguing start, in the same caliber as "Symmetry" and worth following to see where it goes.

At Book Expo of America one year, Neil Gaiman told this story about a science fiction convention in China, that they opened up restrictions on fantastic stories because they felt they needed to know how to invent, not just construct. "New Super-Man" #1 holds on to that idea as the Weapon X Prog ... uh, Ministry for Self-Reliance wants to make a Kryptonian-class operative, and to do so they pick a mechanic's malcontent son who throws a soda can at China's first Worf Effect, er, super villain in a viral video. Derivative in almost every way, the story mimics China's concerns about itself. Unfortunately, along the way, it forgot to entertain, ending up a slice above "meh" due to its bright, engaging artwork alone.

If you've ever seen "Master Chef Junior," imagine it a little meaner and in space, then you'd get "Space Battle Lunchtime" #3, which has the stock characters (the mean kid, the sweet kid, the goofball, et cetera) in wacky alien forms. This has a twist in terms of the final dish, made from an actual brick, and it's a saccharine and toothless all ages romp.

"Wicked + The Divine" #21 had some breathtaking action sequences -- even some Brandon Routh in the future -- and some really new ideas about super powered melee combat. It was rushing too fast to make those characters and their fates connect, but it sure was purty.

"Nightwing Rebirth" #1 engages in "trailer park storytelling" -- stringing together a series of largely unrelated vignettes that work like movie trailers (in many cases literally, trying to steer you towards other comic books) that are tangentially referred to by characters in the "real" "story." It's not great. However. Dick Grayson is one heck of a compelling protagonist, and his charm and characterization save this book from mediocrity. Barely.

The "Meh" Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult

"Ninjak" #17, "Deadpool" #15, "Paybacks" #1, "Mirror" #5, "Reliquary Mayhem And Magic" #1, "Doctor Who The Tenth Doctor Year Two" #12, "Six Million Dollar Man Fall Of Man" #1, "Old Man Logan" #8, "Morning Glories" #50, "Kong Of Skull Island" #1, "Violent" #5, "Doctor Who The Fourth Doctor" #4, "Civil War II Gods Of War" #2, "Back To The Future" #10, "Web Warriors" #9, "Adventures Of Miru" #1, "Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior" #9, "Gwenpool" #4, "All-New X-Men" #11, "Dungeons And Dragons" #3, "Prometheus Life And Death" #2, "Insufferable On The Road" #6, "Goldie Vance" #4, "Ragnarok" #9, "Conan The Slayer" #1, "Silk" #10, "Lumberjanes Gotham Academy" #2, "Descender" #13, "Archangel" #2, "Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps Rebirth" #1, "Birthright" #17, "Flash" #2, "Star Trek" #59, "Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Grimm Tales Of Terror Volume 2" #10, "New Avengers" #13, "Earth 2 Society" #14, "Mighty Zodiac" #4, "Detective Comics" #936, "Action Comics" #959, "Bloodshot Reborn" #15, "Sabrina" #6, "Civil War II Amazing Spider-Man" #2.

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

There's a high profile trial and an allegedly big development in "Civil War II" #3, but by standard definitions this issue isn't a "story." Its core narrative conceit never gets actively resolved, the centralized methodology of the people involved borders on the stupid (which is odd given how many of them are considered geniuses) and its conclusion is inconclusive. Amazingly well depicted, but treading water with very little narrative thrust, complete with an odd feint that doesn't make much sense.

"Gold Key Alliance" #4 got very multiversal in the same way the Supremacy did, but with less coherence and more short skirts on guys. Worlds aflame and not one to care about as characters make vague pronouncements or look on confusedly. A messy, incoherent work all around.

"Wacky Raceland" #2 is a visually far too busy for its own good, despite being very good in portraiture. As a plot, it tries to hone in on Dick Dastardly (who is messed up) but makes him much less of a passable antagonist and more of a milquetoast loser that you'd neither root for nor against. A hot mess from start to finish, from conception to execution, there's no reason for this.

If "Pretty Deadly" made out with "The Discipline," it might look like "Insexts" #6 -- a prurient, meandering michegas of magic and whoring and unclear servitude. Largely unreadable.

"Wonder Woman" #2 takes a swing at being an origin story but instead is a series of snapshots, a storyboard for an actual script. Bouncing back and forth between the early career of military man and Ken doll stunt double Steve Trevor and the titular Themisciran princess herself, if you know your comics this doesn't cover much new ground aside from in Diana's early relationships. If you don't, the choice of "plotting," such as it is, could confound. This needed much more editing before it shipped.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

Five bad books? It's been a while since so much terrible material got through. Sheesh, it was almost as bad as that Riri Williams #handmedownheroes kerfluffle over the weekend ...

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Despite two valiant efforts by Brandon Thomas and the really great purchases, five bad books worked like concrete Ugg boots to pull the whole vibe down.

THE BUSINESS

Things escalate quickly in this week's web comic from this column's writer and Quinn McGowan: it's Project Wildfire: Enter Project Torrent", a free weekly web comic from the Operative Network!

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 "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 and "Executive Assistant Iris Sourcebook" #1, 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!