Well folks, we were asked to ponder WTF? We were challenged to understand what the hell was happening in “Age of Ultron.” We were subjected to some wonderful and some terrible business. This was April 2013.
Best Book: Action Comics #19
The best part about writing this column every few months is the nice surprises that pop out at your as you while reflecting on the past month. For instance, when reading it, I really enjoyed Andy Diggle and Tony Daniel’s “Action Comics” #19. I found it charming, exciting, and delightfully Superman-y, which is something entirely rare in the New 52.
But as the month went on, the book stuck with me more and more. Diggle’s sole issue of scripting “Action” has everything a Super-fan could ever want. It wasn’t until reading this issue that I realized how much I have really missed classic Superman stories. This issue had me harkening back to my childhood, and even got me extra excited for Man of Steel in a few months. No other comic this month has rattled around in my brain for half as long, or gave me goosebumps the way “Action Comics” did.
And that is all despite the horrible gatefold cover which is one of the more major WTF cop outs.
Runner Up: “The Manhattan Projects” #11
Worst Book: Age of Ultron
While I am behind on a lot of Marvel titles this month (from focusing on DC’s WTF covers each week), I kept up with “Age of Ultron,” because I really wanted to be proven wrong. I wanted the event to take off and begin to earn its hype, its delays, and its creative pedigree.
And while we may argue, internally, if it is sickeningly bad, boring, lazy, or somewhere in between, this is one of the most disappointing events in recent memory. And now, with Bryan Hitch’s work being done, the book has lost all sense of urgency. While there might have been single issues released this month that were worse comic books, taken as a whole, the month’s worth of “Age of Ultron” is the biggest waste of money for April.
Runner Up: “Katana” #3
Best Writer: John Arcudi
This month, Arcudi released two incredibly different, but equally great, books in the Mignolaverse. “Sledgehammer ‘44” #2 is one of the best war comics over the past decade, if not longer, and “B.P.R.D.” #106 was a great conclusion to the brief “A Cold Day in Hell” arc. Arcudi is one of the most consistently great writers in all of comics, and I think it is his consistency that allows him to go overlooked at times. Well, not this month, John!
Plus, although it is technically not new, the hardcover collection of Arcudi’s “The Creep,” which features fantastic art from Jonathan Case (as well as covers from Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Tonci Zonjic and Ryan Sook) and a heartbreaking, amazing story, was released on the 24th. Well worth your time and money.
Runner Up: Matt Fraction
Worst Writer: Scott Lobdell
This almost feels mean, as Lobdell is one of those guys rarely, if ever, praised for his work nowadays. However, he truly earns this distinction this month through two absolute clunkers, “Superman” #19 and “Teen Titans” #19. Lobdell takes, in my opinion, the two properties that most define DC’s style (not popularity – that would be Batman and Green Lantern) and makes them into late-90s Marvel junk.
“Teen Titans,” in particular, feels like an Elseworlds title gone awry, with every teen character (previously the optimistic, hopeful ones) being an emo asshole all over the place.
Lobdell actually did a little bit of good writing this month, penning “Superboy” #19, a book which manages to make the New 52 Superboy seem new and interesting. However, even that book is full of garbage dialogue and weird retcons.
Continued belowRunner Up: Brian Michael Bendis
Best Artist: Sebastian Fiumara
“Abe Sapien” #1 was a great introduction to the art of Sebastian Fiumara for those who missed his work on the Marvel adaptation of the Ender series, or his work on the 2011 “Loki” mini. Part surrealist, part naturalist, Fiumara’s style perfectly fits the world of Abe Sapien, a man who became a monster.
Runner Up: Mahmud Asrar
Worst Artist: Eduardo Pansica
Pansica, and anyone else to ever draw the David Zavimbe Batwing, has to live in the shadow of Ben Oliver. Pansica’s Batwing looks like a child constructed the costume out of tin foil and an old refrigerator box. When the hero of the book looks stupid, why would anyone keep reading?
Runner Up: Too many DC fill-ins to count
Best Cover: B.P.R.D. #106 by Dave Johnson
Cryptic, beautiful, and tonally perfect.
Runner Up: Saga #12
Worst Cover: Cable and X-Force #7 by Salvador Larroca
The art on this cover isn’t really so bad, but the “Daddy’s Home” phrase is laughably terrible.
Runner Up: Pick one of the many terrible WTF? gatefolds
Best Scene: Barbara does the impossible (Batgirl)
There is no way to talk about this scene without spoiling it, so I will only say this: this is a bigger change to the Batgirl mythos than Barbara walking again. I don’t know if I love this action or not, but it makes for a riveting and important scene.
Saddest Farewell: I, Vampire
While the final issue is far from perfect, seeing this book go is a real shame. Fare thee well, Andrew Bennett!
Best Hard Reboot No One Noticed: Stormwatch
While the rest of the world was caring about good comics, Jim Starlin rebooted all of Stormwatch through a really weird deus ex machina/”oh well whatever” technique. It is bizarre, off putting, and seemingly unnecessary. I mean, old Stormwatch was far from perfect, but this just feels like weird grasping at straws.
