Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - Week of 5/24/17

Each week, Wess grabs a few issues from his stack of comics to share his thoughts with you. If you're looking for a place for brief, initial impressions, then this is it! Have questions about books that Wess didn't review? Then leave a comment below!


Action Comics #980
Credit: DC Comics
Written by: Dan Jurgens
Art by: Patch Zircher
Colors by: Hi-Fi
Letters by: Rob Leigh
Cover by: Clay Mann & Tomeu Morey
Published by: DC Comics

Growing up, Cyborg Superman was one of my favorite villains. The fact that he was a foil for Superman that had his powers plus some always intrigued me. So needless to say I was happy when they found a way to bring the "true" Cyborg Superman back for Rebirth. And to see him lead a new Superman Revenge Squad is just icing on the cake.


The best thing about Superman and Rebirth is that Peter Tomasi & Dan Jurgens each give their books a unique feel, where you don't feel like you're just reading the same Superman story week after week. Each of them brings something unique to their stories. When you read Dan Jurgens' take on Superman, it definitely seems to carry this legacy with it; and to have the guy who wrote the Death and Return of Superman to write a story with Cyborg Superman , Eradicator, & Mongul is very special. 

With this issue, Jurgens does a great job of reintroducing Cyborg Superman's origin while giving you a chance to reflect on what he has truly lost. When you really think about it, it is easy to understand how that could have an impact on Hank Henshaw and wrongly direct his anger towards Superman. The question now becomes: How will Zod respond to Cyborg Superman's leadership?

PULL LIST
DC Comics
  • Action Comics #980 by Dan Jurgens, Patch Zircher, Hi-Fi, & Rob Leigh
  • Batman/The Shadow #2 by Scott Snyder, Steve Orlando, Riley Rossmo, Ivan Plascencia, & Clem Roberts
  • Detective Comics #957 by James Tynion IV, Christopher Sebela, Carmen Carnero, Karl Story, Richard Friend, Javier Mean, & Sal Cipriano
  • Justice League of America #7 by Steve Orlando, Jamal Campbell, & Clayton Cowles
  • Kamandi Challenge #5 by Bill Willingham, Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert, Marcelo Maiolo, & Clem Robins
  • Wonder Woman #23 by Greg Rucka, Liam Sharper, Hi-Fi, & Jodi Wynne


Marvel Comics
  • Captain America: Steve Rogers #17 by Nick Spencer, Andres Guinaldo, Ramon Bachs, Rachelle Rosenberg, & VC's Joe Caramagna

Monday, May 22, 2017

​ Ep. 066 - BLADE RUNNER 2049 TRAILER, MOVIE CASTINGS & REBOOTS, & MORE!!

On this episode of Chad & Wess Make a Podcast, Chad hopes everything is good while Wess regales him of the latest geek news from the last two weeks! They also discuss the latest reactions to Wonder Woman and deliver the fastest "Versus" ever!


Friday, May 19, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - Week of 5/17/17

Each week, Wess grabs a few issues from his stack of comics to share his thoughts with you. If you're looking for a place for brief, initial impressions, then this is it! Have questions about books that Wess didn't review? Then leave a comment below!


The Flash #22
Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Howard Porter
Colors by: Hi-Fi
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover by: Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson
Published by: DC Comics

**Warning: Spoilers below**
This week's 'The Flash' rounds out the next chapter of DC Rebirth, "The Button". What started out a little slowly in 'Batman' and the previous issue of 'Flash' has ended up being a great way to move the saga forward while still having some lasting repercussions on the characters, presumedly Batman. While our heroes still don't really know where the button came from, we certainly do, as the last shot in the issue features the blue hand of certain "Dr." reaching down to pick up the button left behind by the once-again deceased Reverse-Flash.

It's interesting to see this parallel between Bruce and Barry. To see two great detectives and scientists who have had unimaginable trauma acted upon them as kids and to think about the direction each of their lives took. In a lot of ways, it makes sense that they would have some type of connection and it's a shame we don't see them becoming partners more often.

The only downside I have of the issue is more of a personal issue. I am not a fan of Howard Porter's art. Especially when it's being compared to Jason Fabok. They each have such a different feel and style that the tone of each issue seems to contrast the one before it.

You should absolutely be picking up these four issues if you're a Rebirth fan. This will be the perfect primer to get you ready for 'Doomsday Clock' coming in November!


PULL LIST
DC Comics
  • Batman #23 by Tom King, Mitch Gerads, & Clayton Cowles
  • The Flash #22 by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, & Steve Wands
  • Green Lanterns #23 by Sam Humphries, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira. Blond, & Dave Sharpe
  • Nightwing #21 by Michael McMillan, Christian Duce, Chris Sotomayor, & Carlos M. Mangual
  • Justice League #21 by Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Scott Hanna, Alex Sinclair, Richard Starkings, & Comicraft
  • Justice League/Power Rangers #4 by Tom Taylor, Stephen Byrne, & Deron Bennett
  • Super Sons #4 by Peter J. Tomasi, Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, & Rob Leigh
  • Superman #23 by Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, Dough Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Keith Champagne, Will Quintana, Hi-Fi, & Rob Leigh
  • Trinity #9 by Francis Manapul & Steve Wands

Image Comics
  • Curse Words #5 by Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Michael Garland, & Chris Crank
  • Royal City #3 by Jeff Lemire & Steve Wands

Marvel Comics
  • Secret Empire #2 by Nick Spencer, Andrea Sorrentino, Rod Reis, & VC's Travis Lanham

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - Week of 5/10/17

Each week, Wess grabs a few issues from his stack of comics to share his thoughts with you. If you're looking for a place for brief, initial impressions, then this is it! Have questions about books that Wess didn't review? Then leave a comment below!

Check out Wess' advance review of A.D. After Death Book 3 here!



All Star Batman #10
Written by: Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, & Rafael Scavone
Art by: Albuquerque, Sebastián Fiumára, & Trish Mulvihill
Words by: Steve Wands
Published by: DC Comics

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way: I love Scott Snyder's writing. Like in a definite fan-boy, man crush kind of way. At this point, I will follow a story where he takes it and I've never been disappointed. This might by the place where you expect me to write "but..."; but, that's not happening.

All Star #10 begins a new arc, "The First Ally", with artist Rafael Albuquerque providing the art on each issue. Not only that but he's also co-writing each of the back-ups with Rafael Scavone. In the main arc, Snyder continues his trend of pushing the crazy Batman envelope with trying to figure out what we haven't seen Bats do before. Up this week: driving the Batmobile through a stadium filled with people and having him eject at high speeds to catch Hush. Also, when can we get a Snyder Hush story?? 

If you're reading "The First Ally" and wondering when Dick Grayson might show up, you'd be wrong. The focus this story is on the real first ally: Alfred Pennyworth. As the story unfolds you learn a little of Alfred's background but also his inner thoughts that pertain to Bruce. One of the things many people discount is that Alfred is a father to Bruce as much as Thomas ever was. When I was reading this I kept thinking about the comparison that could be made to Clark & Pa Kent. Pa Kent pushed Clark to become the best version of himself he could be. To always put others first and to put himself out there. Alfred on the other hand is about holding Bruce back. Holding him back from letting the darkness consume him and back from the precipice that he stands on each night he dons that cowl. So here, it's great to get more insight into the butler who became the father. And that seems to be a theme that will run throughout the rest of the arc.

Snyder and Albuquerque work so well together and it seems that everything is such a good fit for each other. The best thing about each arc having different artists is that they develop their own flavor, their own feel. While the art from Albuquerque feel familiar from 'American Vampire' in never feels derivative. It still feels fresh and like someone who could stay on a book for years to come.

All Star Batman #10 continues Scott Snyder's winning streak with Batman and brings what looks to be a great look into this relationship between father and son.


Grade: A+


PULL LIST
DC Comics
  • Action Comics #979 by Dan Jurgens, Patch Zircher, Hi-Fi, & Rob Leigh
  • All Star Batman #10 by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, Jordie Bellaire, Steve Wands, Rafael Scavone, Sebastián Fiumára, & Trish Mulvihill
  • Detective Comics #956 by James Tynion IV, Marcio Takara, Marcello Maiolo, & Sail Cipriano
  • Detective Comics Vol. 2: The Victim Syndicate by James Tynion IV, Marguerite Bennett, Alvaro Martinez, Eddy Barrows, Ben Oliver, Al Barrionuevo, Carmen Carnero, Raul Fernandez, Eber Ferreira, Scott Hanna, Julio Ferreira, Szymon Kudranski, Adiano Lucas, Brad Anderson, Gabe Eltab, Hi-Fi, & Marilyn Patrizio
  • Justice League of America #6 by Steve Orlando, Andy MacDonald, Hi-Fi, & Clayton Cowles
  • Wonder Woman #22 by Greg Rucka, Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr, & Jodi Wynne

Image Comics
  • A.D.: After Death Book 3 by Scott Snyder, Jeff Lemire, & Steve Wands

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - AD: After Death Book 3 Advance Review

Come back later this week to check out your regularly scheduled 'Wess Reads Comics' to see what Wess is reading this week!


A.D. After Death
Written by: Scott Snyder
Illustrated by: Jeff Lemire
Lettered by: Steve Wands
Published by: Image Comics

Whenever Scott Snyder announces a new project he's working on, my interest is automatically piqued. He could announce that he'll be the newest writer on the Yellow Pages and that would make me stop throwing them in the recycling bin. No matter the content, Snyder has a way of bringing a maturity and complexness to any topic in a way that it makes you reflect and hold a mirror up to your own life.

A.D. After Death is no different, and Book 3 brings the entire narrative to such an incredible and surprising conclusion that most people, myself included, would have never seen coming. Whenever an author decides to write a story that involves touching on multiple points in time in a person's life, it can get a little convoluted or hard to follow. However, he and Jeff Lemire have done an incredible job of instantly changing the mood of the book, not just by the words and the incredible artwork, but by the ingenious way the book is laid out and pieced together. The combination of graphic art and prose works as a wonderful contrast that allows the reader to get their bearings when jumping from one time to another.

One of the things I love about A.D. is trying to figure out how the events of the past could be tied to the events of the future. Book 3 continues to round out Jonah Cooke's character by bringing in key moments from his past that ultimately shape and influence his decisions in the future. And while some of them may seem only loosely connected, they aren't. They are pivotal moments that act as either turning points or anchors in Jonah's very, very long life. When I finished reading it, I was left with the question of: "If I could live forever, what are the moments that I would want to stay with me throughout my life?" And that's where Snyder's writing really shines. The ability to cause to question yourself, your choices, and sometimes your reality. His prose paired with Jeff Lemire's incredibly fitting artwork are a perfect marriage and make this a work that will stand the test of time and be remembered for years to come. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

​ Ep. 065 - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 REVIEW, FINAL WONDER WOMAN TRAILER, & MORE!!

​​​This week on Chad & Wess Make a Friggin' Podcast, we discuss our thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, lots of trailers including the final Wonder Woman trailer, and discuss what we think of the Inhumans!








Monday, May 8, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - Free Comic Book Day 2017 Edition!

Each week, Wess grabs a few issues from his stack of comics to share his thoughts with you. If you're looking for a place for brief, initial impressions, then this is it! Have questions about books that Wess didn't review? Then leave a comment below!

In this, special edition of Wess Reads Comics, Wess shares his haul from Free Comic Book Day 2017!

Free Comic Book Day 2017: Secret Empire
Written by: Nick Spencer
Art by: Andrea Sorrentino

"What the what?!"

That was pretty much my reaction when getting to the end of Free Comic Book Day's 'Secret Empire'. The story takes place, presumedly, between Secret Empire #0 and Secret Empire #1. Steve Rogers, finally, steps out of the shadows as a HYDRA operative leader in order to reveal himself to the world; including many former teammates of his. This assault on the heroes ends with Cap and HYDRA somehow taking control over Vision (with technology) and Scarlet Witch (with magic). Oh yeah...and Cap picks up Mjolnir. This should open up a new can of worms debate over what the inscription on the side of the hammer means. Do you, in fact, have to be worthy, or do you just have to believe 100% that you're worthy? If it's the former, then what in the hell is Steve Rogers worthy of now?!?!

With this being Marvel's last big event for another 18 months or so, it's looking to be a big one. My only issues thus far with the 2.5 issues we have are that they aren't really telling a linear story here and so many details are dependent on your reading a lot of other books to really get what's going on. The summaries at the beginning of each issue do a decent job of telling you how Cap got to this point, but there is no primer for you to understand what's going on with Tony Stark, where the Hulk is, or the status quo of many other heroes. This issue does a good job of teasing you enough to get you interested, hopefully, if you aren't reading the series already. Let's see how they explain their way out of this one, though...

Grade: B


PULL LIST

Archie Comics
  • Riverdale by Brian E. Paterson, James Dewille, Elliot Fernandez, Thomas Pitilli, Thomas Chu, Andre Azymanowicz, & John Workman

Dark Horse Comics
  • Buffy the High School Years by Kel McDonald, Yishan Li, Rod Espinoza, Tony Galvan, Richard Starkings, & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt

DC Comics
  • Wonder Woman: Special Edition by Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, Romulo Fajardo Jr., & Jodi Wynne

IDW
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, Tom Waltz, Cory Smith, Ronda Pattison, & Shawn Lee

Image Comics
  • I Hate Image by Skottie Young, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, & Nate Piekos

Marvel
  • All-New Guardians of the Galaxy by Gerry Duggan, Aaron Kuder, Ive Svorcina, & VC's Cory Petit - The Defenders by Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, Justin Sponsor, & VC's Cory Petit
  • Secret Empire by Nick Spencer, Andrea Sorrentino, & VC's Travis Lanham - Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man by Chip Zdarsky, Paulo Siqueira, Walden Wong, Cam Smith, Jay Leisten, Frank D'Armata, & VC's Travis Lanham

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Wess Reads Comics - Week of 5/3/17

Each week, Wess grabs a few issues from his stack of comics to share his thoughts with you. If you're looking for a place for brief, initial impressions, then this is it! Have questions about books that Wess didn't review? Then leave a comment below!

Batman #22
Credit: DC Comics
Plot by: Joshua Williamson & Tom King
Script by: Williamson
Art by: Jason Fabok
Colors by: Brad Anderson
Letters by: Deron Bennett
Cover by: Fabok & Anderson

"The Button" continues this week in part 3 of 4 in the Batman/Flash crossover. This issue features a particularly gut-wrenching interaction between Bruce and Thomas Wayne; with two Batmen who should not exist simultaneously. For readers who enjoyed Flashpoint, or simply the idea of Flashpoint, this issue is a great follow-up to that series and explores what happened after the Flash came back to our universe/timeline/multiverse thingy.

The best and worst thing about this issue is that it really only now feels like it is making some headway into delving deeper into the mystery of the button. It feels more like it would have played better as the second issue of the arc to set up more of a payoff later. But that really isn't the fault of Batman #22.

For anyone who's ever lost a dad, this issue carries an extra, intense, punch in the face. You can't help but feel for Bruce and what it means for him to come to terms with the fact that he can't have his dad back, even though he's standing right in front of him.

Grade: A


PULL LIST

DC Comics
  • Bane: Conquest #1 by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, Gregory Wright, & Carlos M. Mangual
  • Batman #22 by Joshua Williamson, Tom King, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, & Deron Bennett
  • Green Lanterns #22 by Sam Humphries, Ronan Cliquet, Hi-Fi, & Dave Sharpe
  • Justice League #20 by Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Andrew Currie Paul Neary, Alex Sinclair, Jeromy Cox, Pete Pantazis, Richard Starkings, & Comicraft
  • Nightwing #20 by Tim Seeley, Javier Fernandez, Chris Sotomayor, & Carlos M. Mangual
  • Superman #22 by Peter Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Ray McCarthy, Will Quintana, & Rob Leigh

Marvel
  • Secret Empire #1 by Nick Spencer, Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten, Matthew Wilson, & VC's Travis Lanham