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 6, 2014

Nothing

Nothing worth having.

WHAT'S THE PROGNOSIS?

Hh. Nothing at all? That's weird.

THIS WEEK'S READ PILE

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

"Genius" #1 is a very frustrating book because the ideas -- from dialogue to concept -- are simply riveting. Teenaged female warlord grows up and takes over a Los Angeles neighborhood -- that's an elevator pitch. However, the coloring is so muddy as to be distracting and the "calm before the storm" plot doesn't do enough heavy lifting on any of the secondary characters to make them matter. Holding out for this to shine like its brilliant (and currently free) zero issue.

"Legendary Star-Lord" #2 had a charming and affable scheme mixed in with allegations of incompetence and a surprising shift for a character. Cute, if not overwhelmingly compelling.

"Big Trouble In Little China" #2 was very funny, with diversions and one-off gags that would make the current creative team of "Harley Quinn" or "Deadpool" giggle. However, the plot barely moves an inch and the supporting characters do less than Luke Walton and Mark Madsen combined. Fans of the property will salivate, but those with less prurient senses of humor may not go along with it.

"Howtoons [Re]Ignition" #1 had some fun instructional elements that show basic ingenuity and gadgetry plus a decently entertaining take on climate change perspectives pushed to a near future setting. However, cookie cutter characters sapped some of the depth from the work. Otherwise an engaging and not very preachy all ages science romp.

"Captain Victory And The Galactic Rangers" #1 had a big splashy opening and an unabashed love for not just Kirby, but the kind of galaxy-spanning inspiration seen in the original "Star Trek" or even Morrison's "Marvel Boy." The style was rock solid, but the characters barely got time to show up and the plot fell down in the second half. Still, an intriguing concept.

A tendency of the New 52 is showing heroes being not-so-good at their jobs. "Action Comics" #34 continues that for the Man of Steel, who can't win for losing. Batman, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Lex Luthor ... a cast of guest stars as big as a desperate Batfleck-fueled sequel and sturm und drang and it all feels completely empty because it hasn't taken any time to invest in the characters, counting on decades of familiarity as shorthand in preaching to the choir. Dazzlingly depicted and as empty as a freshly built tract home.

If you read "Action Comics Annual" #3 before the aforementioned, you'll see the writers try to instill the huge battle with some brand of stakes and connect the reader to the players. The attempt, however, is hamfisted and cliche, even as the art zooms and careens and generally makes a splendid spectacle of itself. Trying, but not succeeding.

"Kick-Ass 3" #8 had what could be called a happy ending, from a certain point of view, after the requisite huge body count. Not as hateful or cynical as the finales of previous volumes and its predictable plotting managed to be mildly endearing. An affable ending, of sorts.

"G.I. JOE A Real American Hero" #205 had really effective military maneuvering as a force of jihadists struggled against four well trained and well prepared Joes on a rescue mission. Good balance for the support staff but the mission has dragged on a month too long and the conclusion was less than engaging.

Does the phrase "sex fetish Punisher" interest you? If so, you'll likely want to pick up "Jennifer Blood Born Again" #1, a murderous and stylish piece of work that puts bullets into bad guys and uses a sense of menace somewhere between Harleen Quinzel and the "Kingdom Come" version of Billy Batson, but sticking to guns. Not bad, but nothing new.

The "Meh" Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, not important enough to say much more than the title

"She-Hulk" #7, "Green Lantern" #34, "Moon Knight" #6, "Tech Jacket" #2, "Batwing" #34, "Angel And Faith Season 10" #5, "Earth 2" #26, "Nightworld" #1, "Original Sin: Iron Man vs. Hulk" #3.4, "Hack Slash Son Of Samhain" #2, "Imperial" #1, "Aquaman and the Others" #5, "Iron Fist: The Living Weapon" #5, "Terminal Hero" #1, "New Warriors" #8, "Invincible" #113, "Rocket Raccoon" #2, "Justice League 3000" #9, "Original Sin: Thor and Loki" #5.3, "Clockwork Angels" #4, "Punisher" #9, "Detective Comics" #34, "Superior Spider-Man" #32, "Angry Birds Comics" #3, "Chaos" #4, "Swamp Thing" #34, "Blood Queen" #3, "Batman Eternal" #18, "Clone" #19, "Chastity" #2, "Robocop" #2, "Painkiller Jane: The 22 Brides" #2, "New 52 Futures End" #14, "Nailbiter #4", "Black Widow" #9, "Flash Gordon" #4, "Steven Universe" #1, "Woods" #4, "Cyber Force" #10, "Shadow Midnight In Moscow" #3, "Lazarus" #10, "Alex + Ada" #8, "Superior Foes Of Spider-Man" #14, "Bunker" #5, "Grayson" #2, "Miles Morales, Ultimate Spider-Man" #4, "Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Goddess Inc" #1.

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

Re: "New Avengers" #22. As noted by the classic song, breaking up is hard to do, but it's also overdue, tedious, overwrought and needlessly melodramatic. Events from way back in "Doomwar" finally come to a head, while most of the characters here were very extraneous.

SO, HOW BAD WAS IT?

A lotta "meh" from some titles that have done better in the past.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

The week has to be seen as a losing one with nothing so strong that it demanded dollars.

THE BUSINESS

As of right now, you can spend ten bucks and get about 175,000 words worth of fiction from the writer of this column. The links that follow tell you where 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. Too rich for your blood? Download the free PDF of "Cruel Summer: The Visual Mixtape." 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!