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!!!

Also, check out our weekly Favorite Comic Book Covers of the Week column for more coverage of last week’s new books!

Also also, WRITE FOR TALKING COMICS!!! Apply now!!!

This week’s contributors:

• Jesse Bowden (@JesseBowden)
• Deanna Chapman (@deeechap)
• John Dubrawa (@thisjohnd)
• Bob Reyer (bobreyer@talkingcomicbooks.com)
• Max Mallet (@globetrottermax)
• Matt Iung (@iceo1000)
• Nathan Ryan (@Clown_Prince52)
• Vivek Kembaiyan (@just_Vivek)
• Lorna Maltman (maltmanlorna@gmail.com)
• Nate Mondschein (@33andMoonshine)

And lovingly edited by Joey Braccino (@joeybraccino)

New Comic Book Day – September 7, 2016

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ACTION LAB

Tomboy #7 – By Mia Goodwin & Michelle Wong

• BUY! Or catch up, do what you need to get on board this series as it truly is something special being crafted by Goodwin and Wong. I read this issue twice and couldn’t help but then instantly write this review because this is the kind of book that gets you excited to read comics again. – Lorna

[Editor’s Note: Check out Lorna’s full review of Tomboy here!!!]

AFTERSHOCK COMICS

Alters #1 – By Paul Jenkins & Leila Leiz

• Buy. It isn’t the perfect superhero origin,  but it’s cracking a door into a subject matter that needs to be addressed and using superheroes to do so. It’s both allegorical and literal in its handling of transgender and identity issues, and does so in a smart, honest, and charming way. Jenkins, Leïz, Bonvillain, and Hill have a very special platform for a wide array of issues and their approach, while heavy handed, can be accessible to comic book audiences. – Hernan

[Editor’s Note: For Hernan’s full review of Alters, click here!!!]

BOOM! STUDIOS

Skybourne #1 – By Frank Cho 

• Leaning towards skip. The art in this book by Frank Cho is top-notch: sharp, creative, and excellent at portraying the action that this comic is full of. But in a book without narrative captions, the poor quality of the dialogue, which was often offensive and/or cliche, really distracted from and dragged down the story. – Vivek

• Check it out. This is the comic equivalent of a big dumb summer blockbuster. Cho’s art and action are definitely the stand out of this comic. Whilst the dialogue is certainly lacking in areas, I overall enjoyed the comic. However I don’t know if that’s just because I am a sucker for myths and legends. – Lorna

[Editor’s Note: For Lorna’s full review of Skybourne, click here!!!]

DARK HORSE COMICS

Angel Catbird Volume 1 – By Margaret Atwood & Johnnie Christmas

[Editor’s Note: If you missed Joey’s rants and raves about Angel Catbird on Talking Comics #250 this week, you can also check out his glowing review by clicking here!!!]

Rise of the Black Flame #1 – By Mike Mignola & Christopher Mitten

• Wait and See. Rise of the Black Flame has a lot of promise but this first issue is a rather slow-burn starter. Those that have faith in Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson to deliver a worthwhile entry in the Mignolaverse should pick this issue up, but don’t expect the type of macabre craziness that is associated with both creators, at least not yet. Those with only a loose connection to the Mignolaverse might be better to wait until this title comes to trade.–John D.

[Editor’s Note: For John’s full review, click here!!] 

DC COMICS

Aquaman #6 – By Dan Abnett & Brad Walker (Arc Conclusion)

• Pass. There are aspects of this issue that are fun. Seeing Aquaman and Mera take on Superman is a neat thing to look at. However, the motivations are hard to fathom at time and to me the dialogue was over-sensationalized in parts. This is a book I doubt I drop, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if they did. – Nathan

Batman #6 – By Tom King & Ivan Reis (Epilogue to First Arc)

• Buy. King gives a touching take on how people deal with loss and shows Batman to not be just a brutal force, but compassionate which is a welcome touch to his character. Add to that the obscure wacky villains, Reis’ art and it feels like King is knocking certainly this issue out of the park. – Lorna

• Buy. I agree with everything Lorna said. This issue had a lot of heart and that made this issue worth it. My only quibble with this issue was that it was an epilogue to this arc, and it read that way. That’s not so much a bad thing, it just wasn’t what I was expecting going in. – Nathan

Cyborg REBIRTH – By John Semper Jr. & Paul Pelletier

• STRONG BUY.  This is is one of the better Rebirth issues.  The art is top-notch, the story is affecting and the creative team shows some of what Cyborg is capable of without oversaturating the pages with action sequences.  The tight art and story transitions from flashbacks to parallel scenes in the present reminds me of the Batman: Zero Year story.  That’s enough to make me want to buy the next issue. -Max
• Skip – There’s a comic for everyone. That said, this one was not for me. This issue is weighed down by a huge amount of exposition. Admittedly, it is a Rebirth issue but the painstaking detail in Vic Stone’s origin story felt laborious rather than informative.  Artistically, there was a lot of Cyborg vs. robot action that was difficult to follow.  I would love to be reading a Cyborg book but for me, this issue was a slog that I wouldn’t recommend – Jesse

• Buy. This Rebirth issue convinced me that Cyborg is definitely a character I’m interested in. I’ve only read a handful of issues on the character, so I didn’t mind the focus on the origin story since I didn’t know too much about it. It’s a great jumping on point if you want to learn more about Vic, especially with the character soon to be on the big screen. I enjoyed the art and look forward to the next issue. – Deanna

• Buy!! It’s been hard to judge what a book is going to completely look like solely on the Rebirth issue. However, this was an excellent first issue. Knowing that Semper is relatively new to the comic space, there could be some growing pains. This has the feel of a book that even if that does happen, readers should be patient. Though, judging by this issue it doesn’t feel like there will be a lot of growing pains. Semper has a plan and I look forward to seeing the growth of Victor Stone as a character. Read my full review here! -Nathan

Harley Quinn #3 – By Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and Chad Hardin 

• Buy.  A clear improvement over Harley Quinn #2.  With this third issue,Palmiotti and Conner display three storylines with obvious intersecting points that weave together with relative seamlessness.  The interactions between Harley and Ivy are humorous, flirtatious and touching.  The issue starts a little slowly, but give it time.  I’m eager to grab the next issue and get answers to a couple of lingering questions. -Max

• Buy. I agree with Max that this was a huge improvement over the second issue. Though, I also felt like my comments on that second issue were harsher after that issue set in a little more. Regardless, Poison Ivy is a great pairing with Harley and I hope that she continues to be a part of this book every week. This book had me rolling throughout. Nathan

Nightwing #4 – By Tim Seeley & Javier Fernandez

• With Dick having made a choice, let’s see where it leads him. -Matt I

• Check it out.  This was much more satisfying than the previous issue.  That said, it’s not a groundbreaking story, but is a good read nonetheless.  This fourth issue concludes the first arc in this Nightwing run.  If it’s any indication of what we can expect moving forward, Seeley and Fernandez should continue to give Nightwing fans the action, humor and feels that they crave. -Max

• Buy – This issue concludes the first arc of the series. Honestly, this is exactly what I want out of a Nightwing comic: Dick is funny, noble, and doing back flips. I am still missing the supporting cast from his Grayson days, but I am excited to keep reading this new series. And in the words of Bobby Shortle, “Dat ass doe.” – Jesse

• Buy. This was a solid ending to this arc. I am excited to see where Seeley takes this moving forward.

Supergirl #1 – By Steve Orlando & Brian Ching 

• Buy.  Initial takeaway: there’s a philosophical debate that takes place here that is a mirror of the debate in Captain America: Civil War.   That aside, this issue was deeper and more affecting than I had thought it would be.  I truly enjoyed Steve Orlando’s use of dialogue and sprinkled humor. – Max

• Buy. This is a fun issue that is full of personality. While I’m not the biggest fan of the art, the story and colors make up for it. This issue gets you ready to learn more about how Kara will find that right balance and how she’ll likely have to mature quickly enough to handle the two. This is a monthly book, so it’s not as big of a commitment as some of the other books, so definitely add it to your list if you haven’t yet. – Deanna

[Editor’s Note: For Deanna’s full review of Supergirl, click here!!!]

• Buy. Reading this issue, you understand how out of place Kara feels as a teenager on Earth, as panels of her struggling to parallel park a car or work an overhead projector in class are juxtaposed with her achievements on Krypton. I’m definitely looking forward to more great storytelling in future issues from this team. And I absolutely love Brian Ching’s art here! – Vivek

Superman #6 – By Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray

• BUY.  This is my favorite ongoing DC series, and this issue concluded the Eradicator story arc.  Tomasi and Gleason have a great grasp of Superman’s voice.  This issue is more Superman-centric than #5, but Lois, Jon and others have their moments.  I pumped my fist repeatedly in a crowded cafe when I read the final, glorious splash page.  I couldn’t be more excited for the next arc. – Max

[Editor’s Note: For Max’s full review of Superman, click here!!]

• Buy – When the team was announced for this book, I knew I would like it. I didn’t know I would love it. Superman is one of my favorite books right now; that is something I never thought I would say. – Jesse

• Buy. After reading the Rebirth one-shot, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this story since I was initially confused. Max convinced me to give it a shot and after picking it back up, it’s been enjoyable. I love the family focus it has, especially with Jon. I’m looking forward to what comes next with this story. – Deanna

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

The Great Divide #1 – By Ben Fisher & Adam Markiewicz 

• Buy! This book is well worth checking out. It didn’t have any weaknesses that stuck out in this first issue. It has a fresh concept for a post-apocalyptic story and that is a difficult thing to achieve anymore. Readers who read this issue will be excited to see what happens in the second issue. Read the full review here! – Nathan

IMAGE COMICS

Eclipse #1 – By Zachary Kaplan & Giovanni Timpano

• Buy. A sci-fi murder mystery with an innovative twist and a combination of great writing and art. If you’re looking for a quality comic book that’s new and different, you’ll want to pick it up. – Vivek

[Editor’s Note: For Vivek’s full review of Eclipse #1, click here!!!]

Glitterbomb #1 – By Jim Zub & Djibril Morisette-Phan 

• Buy – The less you know about Glitterbomb, the better. If you like your horror with a healthy dose of commentary, then this is the new series for you! – Jesse

• Buy – There’s a supernatural element to Glitterbomb, but it’s a testament to the quality of the writing and art that it would be just as strong a story without it. On top of that, the back-matter essay is the best I’ve read in a comic. – Vivek

[Editor’s Note: For Jesse’s full review of Glitterbomb, click here!!]

Nailbiter #25 – By Joshua Williamson & Mike Henderson

• Buy – As someone who bites their nails, I can tell you that it’s disgusting. However, not as disgusting as this book. It continues to be the amalgamation of so many of my favorite things. We have slashers on the loose, we’ve got bad-ass heroines, and we’ve got a creepy small town with tons of secrets. Every issue of this series has been a bloody good time. If you like Scream or Twin Peaks, you should try reading Nailbiter – Jesse

MARVEL COMICS

Daredevil #11 – By Charles Soule & Ron Garney 

• Buy. The creepy art murder mystery that started in the previous issue picks up here, as Matt has to deal with the uncomfortable legal ramifications he’s handed from the DA’s office while Daredevil tries to figure out how to stop the culprit. I appreciate that about half of the pages don’t feature Matt or DD, as the creative team builds up the story from other angles. This arc definitely has the potential to be a new classic. – Vivek
• All told, I’m going to lean towards a Stay Tuned/Trade-Wait suggestion here. It’s certainly possible things come together towards the later half of this arc that ultimately justifies what currently feels like a lack of direction, but better safe than four dollars poorer. – Nate

[Editor’s Note: For Nate’s full review of Daredevil, click here!!!]

Doctor Strange #11- By Jason Aaron & Kevin Nowlan

• EH?–Here’s the thing; this is very much a “taking a breath” issue,  allowing the reader to digest the events of the previous arc and put the wheels in motion for the next. If that finale had you eager for more, then this will be a lot of fun; as I was not thrilled by it I was hoping for some positive forward momentum, so I’m now on some shaky ground with this series, particularly if Chris Bachalo has moved on.–Bob

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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!

#READCOMICS