Talking Comics Presents: January 9
Remember a couple weeks ago where I just wanted to have Hawkeye as our lone representative? And then that other time where it was Batman? Was that all? I think. Anyway, the team this week seems to be very likeminded as a new book seems to bring all of us together. Well, all but Mr. Reyer and Ms. Cooke—they went rogue, but that’s kind of how we like them. Let your local shop take you to a time long ago in a galaxy far, far away. That’s right people; Star Wars themed Presents.
Action Comics #16, DC
Recommended by Sean Lamont
Sean’s doing it again. He’s putting the Jedi mind trick on me making me think this is the Superman I’m looking for (I’m enjoying this far too much). Grant Morrison will soon be leaving Action Comics, but looks to send the Man of Steel out with a bang. Superman is tasked with taking down Superdoom (a demon Superman from an alternate universe). Yep. This is definitely Morrison’s work. Can Grant and Rags finish strong, or is the coming team of Tony Daniel and Andy Diggle our only hope?
Rotworld Part 4, DC
Recommended by Tali
Swamp Thing and Animal man keep trucking along through Rotworld in each book’s 16th issue. While Jeff Lemire and Steve Pugh have no plans of leaving Butter Baker Blondie-man any time soon, Rotworld is becoming Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette’s swan song on Swamp Thing. Our heroes have battled through a great deal of Unmen so far, but will the force(s of nature) be with them as the end draws near? And how will Batman and Superman change the game for Swamp Thing?
Sweet Tooth #40, Vertigo
Recommended by Steve
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Sweet Tooth is ending! This is a tragedy. Sweet Tooth has been one of my favorite books since the very first issue. It’s deeply emotional and so heartfelt. Jeff Lemire used this book to really propel himself to the greatness that he has reached, and you can see the growth in his writing and art from issue #1 to #40. You can just feel how much Lemire cares about this book and it’s characters. The previous chapter was chocked full of emotion and pay off, and I can’t wait to see how he sends this book off into the mutated sunset. There’s a reference here, I promise.
Love and Capes: What to Expect When Expecting #6 (of 6), IDW
Recommended by Bob
Love and Capes has been a big surprise for most people. From the get go it has been a series that has received great reviews from the Talking Comics crew, and the final issue looks to continue that trend. Billed as “all your questions will be answered”, Love and Capes has a lot happening in its finale. What will the baby/babies be like? Will they inherit powers? Will their Dad try to kill their mother, fight his best friend/mentor on a volcano planet and get most of his limbs chopped off in the process leading him to become one of the greatest movie villains of all time?! All will be answered.
Ghost #3, Dark Horse
Recommended by Stephanie and Bob
Kelly Sue DeConnick is trying to convince us that spirits walk this earth, but we already know that (or at least we know that they show up to rowdy victory parties thrown by a race of teddy bears). While Ewoks are glaringly absent from Mrs. Fraction and Phil Noto’s Ghost, they are keeping things rather intriguing. This issue our supernatural lead finds out her true identity, and introduces her spectral villain—her (this was too easy) phantom menace!
I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for a Wicket cameo.
Star Wars #1, Dark Horse
Recommended by everyone. Literally almost everyone.
It would seem there is a fair bit of buzz around this title. One can only assume it is because this is the first Star Wars title from Dark Horse that can be said in one breath. All joking aside, this is something that people spanning multiple generations are anticipating. It’s a return to the original Star Wars characters with an original story. Brian Wood (The Massive) and Carlos D’Andra (Batman: Arkham City) take the helm of one of the most storied franchises in all of entertainment, and they get cover help from Alex Ross. The only thing that would make me run to get this book any faster would be if it had a John Williams original score to go with it. Not the cantina music though.
Others to Watch for
Superior Spider-Man #1
Batwing #16
Fantastic Four #3
Mind the Gap #7
End Times of Bram and Bren #1 (of 4)
Wolverine and the X-Men #23
Change #2
Womanthology: Space #4
Emails by the Fire with Bob Reyer
“With a new year having dawned, it behooves me to once again preach the gospel of the importance of creating new comic book fans. (…and no, not as our columnist Melissa and her husband Ryan, or listener Patrick McAleer and his wife did, although that method works, too!)
(Robert, please; remember there might be children reading, darling. Audrey)
I wish that were the case Audrey, but kids don’t acquire the comics “habit” in the casual way that folks who grew up in the Silver Age did. Getting books into the hands of new readers now takes a concentrated effort. (Sadly, due to a raging migraine, it’s an effort for me to concentrate, so pardon any typos, won’t you?)
(You’re not fooling anyone, you know. “Migraine”, indeed; mixing grain and grape, is more like it. Audrey)
In our little TC family, we have many parents who are bringing the four-color world into their child’s life, such as our newest contributor Sean Lamont, who makes sure to “vet” his comics so as to be certain nothing untoward gets into the stack, and I’ve discovered that our friend Luciano’s daughter Lilliana is a big fan of Thor due to her Dad’s influence. For many years, I have given comic books as gifts to children, and this holiday was an Amazon Christmas in the home of my friend Kristen, who had donned a classic Wonder Woman costume for Halloween, and whose 6-year-old daughter was fascinated by the character her Mom portrayed. Little Gia was gobbling up the Wonder Woman Storybook, and her Mom was going to help her with the Adventures 100-page Special. Let’s all make an effort this year to put some appropriate comics into the lives of those youngsters who will keep this medium alive in the future!
(Robert, be careful; you’re about to fall off your soapbox! Audrey)
On a serious note, let’s all continue to send good thoughts out to Peter and Kathleen David and their family, in particular their charmingly precocious 10-year-old daughter Caroline, who with two very creative people as parents, is quite the fan of imaginative media, and is becoming quite an artiste herself.
All of us here at Taking Comics are pulling for you, Peter!
Bob”
Go ahead, somebody tell me you love me in the comments below or on Twitter @talkingcomics using #TCPresents. (I just want to use my favorite line from all 6 of the movies, and it was adlibbed. Yea, yea I’m a nerd. I’m over it.)
The masterful John Williams aided me every step of the way on this one. His work is some of the best in movie history, and is likely going to make me watch Superman after I’m done making this look all fine and stuff.
