In honor of the new Comics Bulletin, I’ve decided to try a new format for my editions of WLG. I’m hoping some proper credits will sway you to pick up a few of these choice books.
Bad Medicine #3, written by Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis, art by Christopher Mitten. I enjoy a good “fringe science” story, and so far Bad Medicine has been just that. The characters are interesting and the science has been just foggy enough to feel real. I also really like the fact that we got a complete story in the first two issues; it seems Weir and DeFilippis intend to keep the story arcs short, as this is the first of a three part story. With decompression still apparently the law of the land in comics these days, it’s nice to have a reason to pick up a single issue each month. I’ll admit that I’m a little concerned that they seem to be delving into a zombie story this quickly in the life of the series, but I’m willing to see where it goes.
The Massive #2, written by Brian Wood and drawn by Kristian Donaldson. The chapters of The Massive that appeared in Dark Horse Presents were interesting, but the first issue of this series really hit a home run. Part of the greatness of this book is that it’s not dumbed down at all; it actually respects the intelligence of its readers, which is not something that can be said for most comics these days. The first issue covered a lot of ground, but Wood and Donaldson did a nice job of conveying it quickly. This is also probably the first eco-centric comics I’ve read, as its focus lies squarely on what appears to be the manmade destruction of the planet. I’m excited to see where that goes.
Harbinger #2, written by Joshua Dysart with art by Khari Evans & Lewis LaRosa. I’m torn on this book. I’m fascinated by superhero universes that aren’t from the Big Two, so it’s got that going for it. And I really like the story behind the new Valiant. But the first issue didn’t blow me away, and I don’t know if I have it in me to become in vested in a shared universe title. That said, I’m willing to give it another shot. And, really, anything that loosens the strangle hold that the Big Two have on the industry is a good thing, even if I’d prefer it to be creator owned books.
Revival #1, written by Tim Seeley and drawn by Mike Norton. While I can’t be certain, it looks like Revival is an obvious idea that didn’t seem to occur to anyone other than Tim Seeley and Mike Norton. With zombies littering the landscape in every medium, how do you tell a story about the dead returning to life that’s unique? Well, how about not making them zombies? Imagine people returning to life that aren’t rotting corpses – raises a whole bunch of other issues. Sounds like a great comic to me, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
Hoax Hunters #1, written by Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley, art by Axel Medellin. I know very little about Hoax Hunters other than the title. I haven’t even read the #0 issue that was released already. But I’m a sucker for supernatural books and Image has established a reputation for only publishing solid material, so I’m willing to give this book a shot. At the very least, the art from Axel Medellin that I’ve seen so far looks nice.
Peter Panzerfaust #5, written by Kurtis J Wiebe with art by Tyler Jenkins. This is an important issue for Peter Panzerfaust. It’s not so much that this is the end of the first arc, but that this could be the end of the run for me. The book has been really slow so far and I’m not particularly invested in any of the characters. Honestly, I’ve been sticking with it because a) I trust Wiebe, b) I like the concept, and c) the framing sequence in the present suggests an emotional resonance that has yet to materialize. So I’m looking for something substantial to happen in this issue, or I think I’ll be jumping off.