Welcome to the new year! We’ve now got one 1/12 of our monthly fulfillment of books for the year. So with a small portion of the year out of the way what was the best and worst of the January 2012! What comic had inadvertent allusions of penetration?! What book threw our reading experience for a literal loop?!
Click the wee link below and ye shall see!
Best Issue: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
This issue was yet another issue of this new series that tops the issue prior to it. This book literally has gotten better and better each issue. We got more snippets of the Turtles’ origins and we also saw some connections being built within the supporting cast. We also are teased that next issue we’ll meet General Krang and see the Mousers in action! I love this book and would highly recommended this issue as it is a fairly easy jumping in point.
Worst Issue: Captain America #7
This issue killed me because I love Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America and can’t wait for Winter Soldier to dropm but this issue was bland, bland, and bland. It wasn’t an awful story but it wasn’t what I’ve come to expect from one of my favorite runs. I will wholeheartedly admit it’s just a taste thing and not a quality thing but it still was the issue I read this month that left me most disappointed.
Best Artist: Leinil Yu (Superior #7)
Leinil Yu on interiors is one of my favorite things to see in a solicitation and in my comics. The finale of Superior was one of those shining examples of just why that is. The book was great and Yu’s art was a large part of that for me. His battles were intense looking and his character moments were some of his best. The work he did on this issue made him an easy selection for this category in my opinion.
Worst Artist: Greg Tocchini (Uncanny X-Force)
Uncanny X-Force this month — what happened there? That was like the art you’d see in a movie scene mock-up. You know, the ones where they are just testing out the shots and the way everything should look. I mean, I can dig the not so finished aesthetic of some artists but for me the art in this issue just felt like it hurt an otherwise fun story.
Best Cover: Batman #5 by J.H. Williams III
This cover does everything correct as far as I am concerned. It is a beautiful image that stands out from the pack and also draws the eye to it. On top of this, the incorporation of the creators names into the image without using the stock column list in the corner garners it extra props. Lastly, I enjoy that the cover is an inspired effort that provides a glimpse at the overall story you’ll be getting inside. I’m very impressed with this cover.
Worst Cover: Deathstroke #5 by Simon Bisley
That purple and pink guy…what the hell is going on there?! Both figures on the cover scream 90’s era super muscled figures with little unique flare. The whole thing is an eyesore.
Continued below
Scene That Most Looked Like Penetration: FF #5
Ok, so I know it’s supposed to look like a foot but if you take the two top panels into consideration they kind of seem like aggressive sex acts. Am I the only one that thinks that foot in the second panel sure looks like a… well…you know…
Coolest Use of The Medium: Batman #5
We’ve all heard about it and we’ve all seen it in action. If you haven’t seen it you should. It’s one of those things where even if you don’t think it’s the best issue that has ever graced your eyes and fingertips you still appreciate the workmanship of the storytelling perspective. I’ve been reading comics for almost a quarter century and it’s a rare occasion where I am delightfully surprised by a storytelling device. For the most part, whether you’re talking independent or mainstream comics, it’s usually a fairly formulaic way to do things. Batman #5 instead chooses to flip this formula on its head, side, back and ass. Props need to be given where they are deserved and thus I give it.
Beer Most Consumed While Reading This Month’s Comics: Brew Free! Or Die IPA
This stuff is exceptional. The right amount of hops to give you a solid kick while you read your favorite books. I really enjoyed it this month as a companion to my reading.
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Thanks for stopping by and reliving the first of this fresh new year. Stay tuned next month as one of my compatriots here at MC brings you the best, worst and strangest of February 2012!
