October was a fantastic month, for the most part. I mean, it has to be a DAMN Good month if the final issue of Planetary didn’t even make RUNNER UP. So what did I think of the month? Read on to find out. You might be surprised, but then again, you might not be. Check it.
Best Book of the Month: Invincible Iron Man #19
Last week, I was an ass. I was the only one who wasn’t reading Invincible Iron Man, so we went with one we could all easily read, which happened to be Spider-Woman. But after Wednesday came and went, I heard how absolutely amazing Iron Man was, so I picked up the entire series and read it. And I have to say…WOW. This is the book to read in Marvel right now. Hercules may still be my favorite, but Tony is gunning for him like his last name was Kennedy.
Too soon?
Runner up: Superman: Secret Origin #2 (of 6)
Worst Book of the Month: Deadpool franchise
Awful, terrible, abysmal. This franchise is just the epitome of cashing in on a character’s rising popularity. If that’s not enough to prove how bad it is, consider this: it’s SO BAD, it knocked Hulk out of the bottom spot (to be fair, Blackest Night Batman did too). THINK ABOUT THAT. Is it so much to ask for ONE good book starring Wade Wilson rather than two crappy ones?
Runner up: Blackest Night: Batman
Best Scene of the Month: Paging Dr. Blake
This scene sent chills up my spine. The tease that Marvel’s Holy Trinity is reuniting soon was enough to send my nerd senses a tinglin’. When you couple that with the sheer emotion of Tony being on his last legs, so to speak, it’s hard not to award this Scene of the Month. But I do have to say, this was probably the hardest to pick. The runners up were oh SO close. Nekron almost made the collective us poo our pants, and Thor getting a *nurp* frickin’ hilarious.
Runner Up: Nekron Rises/Thor gets a purple nurple/the end of Planetary
Worst Scene of the Month: The A.I.M. leader waxes on about kites. Really. How scandalous. ( Merc with a Mouth)
There’s nothing else to say other than it is nonsensical, which wouldn’t be so bad if it were funny. At which it fails, miserably. I could go on, but I just feel like a bully.
Runner up: Deadpool makes over 100,000 pancakes for no other reason than as a simple plot device.
Best Writer of the Month: Matt Fraction
Yup, he went from worst to best in a mere 30 days. I don’t happen to think Uncanny could ever be so bad that it could negate TWO issues of IIM. That just blows my mind. And with the ending of this arc, Fraction definitely deserves the all the accolades he can get for it.
Runner up: Fred Van Lente, Jonathan Hickman
Worst Writer of the Month: Victor Gischler
Yeah, Deadpool is ruling the negatives. I’m really running out of things to say other than Deadpool deserves better than this.
Runner up: Daniel Way
Continued belowBest Artist of the Month: Gary Frank
Was there ever any doubt? I’m a certified Gary Frank fanboy, and this month was no exception. I loved every minute of Secret Origin this month, due in no small part to Frank’s always impressive visuals. The only person who I think can even hold a candle to him in Frank Quitely on All-Star Superman. I don’t think anyone else comes close. I can’t think of anyone else.
Runner Up: John Cassaday (Planetary…no, I didn’t forget), Francis Manupal, Ivan Reis
Worst Artist of the Month: Bong Dazo
Ugh. I mean…UGH. Can you tell how much I hate Deadpool right now? It’s ridiculous. It’s not even good on a novelty level, or even despite itself, It’s just really bad. Like…really bad. And actually, the above scene is probably the most well drawn page in the book. The rest is muddled and not very clear. It’s actually not that he’s terrible, it’s just that I feel it’s a bad fit for Deadpool. Some characters had teeth like Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel. But I do like the artist’s name, Bong Dazo. I giggle just thinking it.
Runner up: Philip Tan (I’m just not feeling him on Batman & Robin)
Most Overlooked book of the Month: Chew
You guys may read it, but I’m the only one on this site that currently does* (or is at least caught up!), and that’s a damn shame! Chew is easily the most inventive crime noir series I’ve read. A guy who can read the history of things he eats? How gloriously foul. It really should be read. Anchor is another book that I had a hard time even finding.
Runner Up: Anchor
*Edit: I just found out Matt does read it, but never told me he did. I apologize Matt. It ain’t libel if you think it’s true!
