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, our very own Bobby Shortle is keeping an updated weekly ranking of every new DC Rebirth book!!! Check it out!!!

New Comic Book Day – June 29th, 2016

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ACTION LAB COMICS

Zoe Dare vs The Disasteroid #1 – By Brockton McKinney & Andrew Herman

• Verdict: Buy! “Lung Fu Mo Shi!” Super stunt sisters Zoe and Danni Dare are recruited by freakin’ NASA to literally RIDE A FREAKIN’ ASTEROID AWAY FROM EARTH!!! Pretty wild. All is not as it seems, however, as there may be some extraterrestrial influence on that asteroid… (well, there is… like Aliens and stuff. Get ready.) McKinney and Herman tell an awesome story here with some dynamic, punchy visuals. As is often the case with Action Lab, Zoe Dare vs. The Disasteroid #1 is a ton of fun from start to finish and promises to be an exciting new series! – Joey

IDW PUBLISHING

Rocketeer at War #4 by Marc Guggenheim & J. Bone 

• Verdict: Keep buying if you’re buying, and buy the trade if you haven’t been!  This is an action-packed finale, chock-a-block with aerial derring-do, and simply just a retro-styled riot. If you’re a fan of The Rocketeer, and haven’t picked this up until now, you need to buy the trade when it comes out!–Bob

MARVEL COMICS

Captain America: Steve Rogers #2 – By Nick Spencer & Jesus Saiz 

• Verdict: Check it out – It’s going to be tough to talk about this one without spoiling the story. It’s a bit of an odd issue and whilst it’s obvious that the conspiracy theorists were way off the mark in saying it’s an issue that’s been written, drawn, inked, coloured and lettered in a month (which just doesn’t happen with comics of this scale) I do wonder whether it was intended to be one or two issues down the line. As the cover indicates for this issue, the lead from the #1 is no longer buried and it does seem unusual to clear things up so soon like this. A strange issue that doesn’t progress the actual story in any way, but if you were left scratching your head and itching to know what’s going on then this is definitely for you. – Huw

Spider-Gwen Annual #1 – By Jason Latour & divers hands

• Verdict: Buy it–if you’re flush, that is! This double-size issue does carry a $4.99 price tag, so even though Jason Latour and the various artists deliver some great short tales from across the “Spider-Gwen Experience”, it might be a budget buster. That said, if you don’t pick this one up, you’ll never know that The Watcher is a big fan of Gwen’s band The Mary Janes, or that on Earth-65, the She-Hulk is a pro wrestler, and you’ll certainly miss the introduction of that dastardly (if kinda-cuddly) super-villain, the Koala Kommander & his Drop Bears of Death!–Bob

Spider-Man #5 by Brian Michael Bendis & Sara Pichelli

• Verdict:  Buy It? I’ve never really been bothered by the wordiness of Brian Michael Bendis before, but after five issues it feels like Spider-Man should already be wrapping up his first arc, not finally meeting the villain teased from the first issue. Too much of this issue is also spent without Miles, but at least the first few pages try and make up for Ganke’s uncharacteristic move last issue. When Miles is around, though, this issue sings, and the guest appearance teased at the end has me wanting to read more…except it looks like Civil War II is incoming. Insert sad emoji. –John D.

• Check it out, tentatively – This series has me perplexed, so far. It’s got plenty of personal drama which I totally appreciate, but as it stands I really don’t feel like Miles has gone anywhere as Spider-Man so far in these 5 issues. It really is difficult to put your finger on what the overall arc as a superhero book is. As John said previously, thankfully Ganke’s silly mistake (and let’s face it, teenagers make them) was resolved but we spend far too much time away from Miles when this book sorely needs some impetus when it comes to Spidey action. The end has me really curious as to where we’re going, but I’m rolling my eyes at the thought of Civil War derailing things. Surely not EVERY book needs to tie-in?! – Huw

OTHER PUBLISHERS

Jade Street Protection Services #1 (Black Mask Studios) – By Katy Rex & Fabian Lelay

• Verdict: BUY. I picked this one up because I loved 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank so much and saw some parallels in the sort of ensemble-cast-thrown-into-a-strange-situation premise. I was right, but I was also very surprised by just how wacky Jade Street Protection Services is. Equal parts Harry Potter, Breakfast Club, Sailor Moon, and Sky High, Jade Street is all about a group of magically gifted girls at a school for magically gifted girls who decide to cut out of detention and teleport to the big city. Hilarity ensues, of course. Katy Rex & Fabian Lelay weave together a wonderfully diverse cast of young women and are clearly telling a story that relishes its strangeness. I’m excited for this one, guys. Check it! – Joey

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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