The TALKING COMICS REVIEW ROUND-UP

Every week, the Talking Comics collective posts a mega-list of the comics they’re most excited to pull off the shelves that week. Check back here to see if the comics on the Pull List met the team’s expectations with reviews and quippy quotables!!! Click the links to go to full reviews and reflections!!!

Reviews for New Comics – May 18th, 2016

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ARCHIE COMICS

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #5 – By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Robert Hack 

• Verdict-BUY (Mostly): I wanted to approach this long-delayed issue of Sabrina as a new reader intrigued to try it based on our highlight, so I didn’t re-read the first four before diving in. Luckily, there was a handy and thorough re-cap on the first page which quickly had me back in the spirit of things. This was a gripping issue, with all the plot-lines picked back up and moved into interesting places, and the art is fabulous, exhibiting a Creepy/Eerie vibe evocative of the book’s setting. All this said, it’s a little difficult to recommend a book that was so late to come out without being sure when issue #6 will hit the stands, hence my “split decision”!-Bob

DC COMICS

Superman: American Alien #7 (of 7) – By Max Landis & Jock

• Verdict:  Buy, but with frustrations. Superman: American Alien #7 is a seemingly oversized finale to this great series from Max Landis, but don’t get fooled by the page-count here:  DC has decided to drown this book in ads–17 pages worth by my count (out of 41 pages total)–that really distracts from the reading experience. Landis’ script is still top-notch; his decision to include a certain unlikely character to oppose Superman (and also clue him in on the fate of Krypton) is yet another instance of Landis zigging where we expect him to zag. Jock’s artwork, meanwhile, is a mixed bag. While he certainly brings a stylized feel to the massive fight sequence that takes place throughout most of this issue, the quieter moments are kind of a mess artistically speaking. Still, if you’ve picked up the other six issues there’s no reason to skip out on this one, but if you haven’t read this series at all wait for the trade. You’ll get less ads that way.–John D.

IDW PUBLISHING

Archangel #1 – By William Gibson & Butch Guice 

• Verdict: Worth a look, especially for fans of alt-history dystopian sci-fi and/or moody World War II noir. Sound trippy? Well, because it sorta is. Archangel #1 features a time-travel conceit that sees a tyrannical Vice President transport back to WWII to tweak something in the dystopian present-day, but there is a faction within the government organization that sends back people to stop him. Meanwhile, in the WWII timeline, tough-as-nails British Intelligence Agent Naomi Givens starts putting together the pieces. The script by William Gibson is complex and pitch-perfect for the blended genre, but it’s Butch Guice’s scratchy noir aesthetic that drew me to the book. Absolutely stunning. Check it! – Joey

MARVEL COMICS

All-New Wolverine #8 – By Tom Taylor & Marcio Takara

• Verdict:  Buy it. I may not know what “Twenty-Five with Chicken” is, but I do know that Laura’s ward, Gabby, loves it as much as I love this book. The cover feels slightly misleading here (what does this have to do with the “Road to Civil War II” exactly?) but that’s okay because what’s inside is even better than an event. Don’t be turned off by the prospect of this book crossing over with Civil War II, either:  this is the perfect jumping on point for new readers. Though everyone should definitely check out last month’s issue if you want to know why Laura has a pet wolverine now. –John D.

Civil War #0 – By Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel   

• Verdict: Buy it (and hope for the best going forward!) It took a little bit of discussion with Justin for me to fully come around on this particular issue as the last few pages hit on something I wasn’t too sure about. Having talked it over I can safely say that as an issue unto itself, isolated from any feelings I pre-emptively have about what’s to come, I did enjoy it. This precursor to Civil War II mostly spends its time setting up the differing mindsets of She-Hulk and Captain Marvel and it has left me more optimistic about things being more smart and subtle, getting me about which of the opposing sides my ideals as a person lie on. I’m still concerned about rumours of deaths I’ve heard for this event, but issue #0 has got me set up to actually go ahead and read it, which I wasn’t intending to for quite some time! – Huw

Deadpool: Last Days of Magic #1 – By Gerry Duggan and Scott Koblish 

• Verdict: Buy it – I had a great time with this tie-in issue. I have to say the cover is deceptive as Doctor Strange doesn’t get any time on the page other than explaining why he isn’t there to help Deadpool and his buddies. There’s plenty of  Wade’s trademark goofy humour here and I laughed aloud on more than one occasion. Along with that this book is a feast for the eyes, I’m not familiar with the art of Scott Koblish so I wasn’t sure what to expect. He is perfect for Deadpool, there’s a lot going on in these pages and they’re drawn wonderfully. If you read this book make sure you take the time to properly look the pages over. It’s not all silly though as the ending of this has a really powerful emotional punch that I wasn’t expecting, no doubt it’ll have an impact on Deadpool’s solo book. – Huw

Silver Surfer #4 – By Dan Slott & Michael Allred & Laura Allred 

• Verdict: Buy It! Despite the dower looking cover, Silver Surfer #4 is an absolute blast as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come out in support of the fallen Silver Surfer. Much like the last issue, this one has a lot of impact on the Surfer moving forward, but with Dan Slott and the Allreds behind the wheel, there’s not a doubt in my mind that it’s going to be an entertaining ride. And could we please start a petition to get the Allreds on a She-Hulk book already? –John D.

Spider-Man #4 – By Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli 

• Verdict: Buy it – After what felt like a dog’s age away from this book, it was great to get back into seeing more of the seemingly never ending drama that is the life of Miles Morales. We finally have the seeds sown for the first real encounter with a villain that’ll play out over the next few issues and given who it is, it should be pretty interesting to see where things go. It still feels at times that the characters in this volume of Miles’ adventures are a little off-kilter compared to the days of the Ultimate Universe, Ganke does something in this issue that really didn’t seem like him. But then again, aren’t teenagers prone to doing silly things that are out of character?! As ever, Pichelli’s art is a joy to behold with Justin Ponsor’s colours adding a real pop and vibrancy. Fun times and peril lie ahead for Miles and the gang! – Huw

• Verdict:  Check It Out. While I’m not as high on this particular issue as my compatriot above, there’s still plenty of reason to at least check out Miles Morales’ latest adventure. The problem is, his “adventures” as of late have been very talky, focused too much on conversations and leaving very little room for the plot to move forward. We still have yet to see Spider-Man actually interact with Black Cat, who has been looming in the background since the start. While I do enjoy a good Miles/Ganke interaction (with some Goldballs thrown in…wait, that sounds bad), I’m starting to wonder if trade waiting for this particular title will be the better read in the long run.–John D.

OTHER PUBLISHERS

Tank Girl: 2 Girls, 1 Tank #1 (Titan) – By Alan Martin & Brett Parson 

• Verdict: BUY. Funny, dynamic, and delightful, Tank Girl: Two Girls One Tank is a reminder of how unique and totally rad the eponymous heroine is and has been for nearly 30 years. Alan Martin and Brett Parson take Tank Girl on one heck of a misadventure here, and the introduction of the Magnolia Jones character should make for some engaging and hilarious storytelling down the line. CHECK IT!!! – Joey

[Editor’s Note: Click here to check out Joey’s full review!!!]

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And that’s our Pull List for this week!!! If you happen to pick up any of these books, please join the conversation here or on twitter and let us know what you think! As we update the site with reviews and verdicts on these comics, we’d love to include your input!

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