WHAT IS THE BUY PILE?
Every week Hannibal Tabu (winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt/2018-2019 City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Trailblazer/blogger/novelist/poet/jackass on Twitter/head honcho of Komplicated) takes on an between seven to thirteen reviews (or so) to share his opinions with you. Thursday afternoons you'll be able to get those thoughts (and they're just the opinions of one guy, so calm down) about all of that ... which goes something like this ...
THE BUY PILE FOR FEBRUARY 6, 2019
Killmonger #4 (Marvel Comics)
Jump from the Read Pile. Oh what beautiful tragedy. In an attempt to learn the value of loyalty, the title character and his cohort and superhuman lover go to work different angles to turn an asset for spy agency SHIELD ... maybe. What ensues is a wonderful, intimate and bloody tale of trying to make things as right as one thinks they can be. This might be the finest script Bryan Edward Hill has shown us, with such power in a line ("What did you do?!"), especially with the vibrant, visceral visuals from Juan Ferreyra, Eduaedo Ferreyra and Joe Sabino. This is very effective work. RATING: BUY.
Die #3 (Image Comics)
Jump from the Read Pile. There's a part of this brilliant, sneaky issue where you might find yourself thinking, "where is this going?" What seems like a digression turns out to be one of the most effective mixes of characterization and plot development in months, as everybody gets a chance to "play" while digging into the core of concepts, dungeons and dragons. Kieron Gillen makes the most magnificent magic look effortless in this amazing script and the moody, somber, necessarily oppressive visuals from Stephanie Hans and Clayton Cowles elevate this tragedy to legend. In a word? Wow. RATING: BUY.
Green Lantern #4 (DC Comics)
Jump from the Read Pile. The Green Lantern #4 was a huge improvement in the direction of clarity, as a mystery man goes looking for the Darkstars (a lethal paramilitary space police force) while telling tales of Hal Jordan fighting what could be the most dangerous family in the universe. The framing device of the encounter between the random man and the Darkstar was brilliantly done while this issue dripped in new ideas and fascinating hot takes. Writer Grant Morrison reaches for the stars again with his inventive, impressive script, and the artwork from Liam Sharp, Steve Oliff and Tom Orzechowski makes this weird, wild tale come to life. RATING: BUY.
WWE #25 is twisted and wrong, taking things way, way farther than they need to go in the name of entertainment. Gorgeously depicted, but down deep, this is a horror story. What's worse? Some people will find this exactly what they're looking for. RATING: HONORABLE MENTION.
Female Furies #1 is as revelatory as it is sad, showing Darkseid's idiotic boys club of an inner circle and a sexist rejection of the best and brightest (which may explain why he loses so much). Granny Goodness is rearing a second generation of superior warriors stuck in a permanent underclass, forever forbidden from seizing glory by fatuous functionaries and beneficiaries of nepotism. Sound a little too real? It is, given that Granny ends up looking like Aunt Lydia from Handmaid's Tale, the saddest servant of the weakest argument. Effective in getting the point across but not entertaining. RATING: HONORABLE MENTION.
NEXT PAGE: The hits stop coming for Immortal Hulk, Justice League, Robotech and More
How the mighty fall ... Immortal Hulk #13 is a gigantic disappointment, working mightily towards a non-conclusion, accomplishing next to nothing for any of the characters. Sound and fury signifying nothing, this is a huge let down after how great this series has been. Here? RATING: MEH.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 #4 is a modest collection of chuckles and ridiculous moments, woven through what are supposed to be three pulpy stories created by machine. Like the show, it's got its charm, but at the price, that charm isn't quite enough. RATING: MEH.
Justice League #17 is a limp anti-hero retcon for a villain fans tend to love. Gorgeous production values, great application of top notch craft and execution, but the underlying ideas fall short. RATING: MEH.
G.I. Joe Sierra Muerte #1 has a plot that never lets its foot off the accelerator, nonexistent characterization and rough hewn art more likely to be found in forgotten corners of Artists' Alleys than for one of the industry's most enduring licensed properties. RATING: MEH.
Avengers #14 had some moments of somewhat predictable moxie but didn't sell its supernatural threat or its specialist of a guest star. Not bad by any leap of the imagination, but nothing special either. RATING: MEH.
The problem with Robotech #17 and many of its predecessors is that despite its willingness to tread somewhat new ground -- Abrams Trek-ing the whole franchise -- it lacks the key elements that made the animated series connect (amazing visuals) and what made the prose novels sing (a well developed undercurrent and throughline). The lack of slickness in the visuals and lack of depth for the characters keeps this from selling its inventive new direction. RATING: MEH.
WHAT'S THE PROGNOSIS?
Three jumps is one heck of a week, especially after a few rough ones. This is a big win!
THE BUSINESS
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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 Scoundrel (historical fiction set in 1981 east Los Angeles), 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 to try and review the work, 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!