This Month In Comics: March 2011

For this month’s This Month In Comics, I won’t lie to you, Mr. or Ms. Reader – I had a very hard time doing it. There must have been some kind of magic in the air, because I was generally loving just about everything that I read. Perhaps it was all the sunshine, or the nicer weather allowing me to go outside in shorts (in Boston in March!), but I was absolutely in love with comics through the whole month even more so than I usually am.

It’s with that in mind that for This Month In Comics this month, there will be a lot of ties. I know that’s kind of a cop out, but I can’t imagine this article will be worse than that Kevin Smith movie, right?

This month’s This Month In Comics will also feature a LOT of BRAND NEW CATEGORIES! Why? Because.

Take a look after the jump for a WIDE assortment from the wild world of comics.

BEST COMIC OF THE MONTH: TIE! Secret Warriors #25 vs. the Walking Dead #83 vs Jimmy Olsen #1

This was really just a banner month for comics, but I would dare say that only 3 got me truly excited to be an active participant in the floppy medium (as opposed to trade waiting).

First up, in Secret Warriors Jonathan Hickman finally started revealing some of the cards in his hand as the first tangible connection of the SHIELD book to any other title in the Marvel Universe appeared, instantly rewarding those that had been following along in both. This also revealed the origins of Leviathan, and it started pulling together some of the grandiose threads that Hickman had been weaving through the entire title, explaining some of the mysteries of the title. In a word? Awesome.

Next we’ve got the Walking Dead, which I myself reviewed for this very website. The Walking Dead has no shortage of killer sequences (pun intended), but depending on what happens in the next issue this one could very well go down as one of the most violent and insane moments of the title. I detailed the action of events in my review, but suffice it to say: this is one of those moments that we should have seen coming, and while we might’ve to an extent, there was no way we saw that coming. In a word? Terrific.

Finally, we’ve got the collected edition of Nick Spencer and RB Silva’s Jimmy Olsen back-up, all squeezed into one issue. Split up between 7 chapters, it tells the tale of Superman’s Best Pal in an absolutely fitting tribute to the stories that preceded it back when comics were allowed to be fun all the time (instead of just in select titles, specifically marked). It’s kind of funny – when I heard Nick Spencer speak at a Writer’s Panel back at NYCC, he mentioned that when he originally tried to write comics, he was stuck in the world of “boy meets girl” and various forms of relationship milieu, and he was told by legendary editor Bob Shreck to pursue writing other stories (which you have since seen). Well, it looks like Spencer finally got the opportunity to write that story – and thanks to the FANTASTIC illustrations by RB Silva (who should really be the ongoing artist of a major book by now, in all honesty), he made an absolute homerun of a title which, if nothing else, makes me want a new Jimmy Olsen ongoing (even if the Jimmy in that title is not as bad-ass as he was in Sterling Gates’ Supergirl). In a word? Splendiforous.

Runners up: Joe the Barbarian #8, Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #1, Powers #7, Morning Glories #8, Scalped #47

WORST COMIC OF THE MONTH: First Wave #6

This is probably the most difficult spot on the list to write, because Brian Azzarello and Rags Morales are both absolutely wonderful creators. They’ve both worked on books that should be a staple in anyone’s collections, and I am fully willing to check out any title they put their name to.

That said, First Wave was pretty awful. While it’s intentions were good, the execution was flawed in so many respects, and after a considerable amount of delays we were left with a very rushed and disjointed title that did not give credit to either creator. Perhaps it’ll read better in trade, but I would pass on it. Such a shame, too.

Runners up: Titans #33, Ultimate X #4, Cyclops #1, the Deadpool Corps #12

BEST SCENE OF THE MONTH: The Great Wheel (Secret Warriors #25)

There were a LOT of cool moments in comics this month, but the Great Wheel scene was the one that had me “fanboy out” the most, so to say. Just the shot of everyone at that table was an immense treat, and the parallel nature of the page helped to really form it as a memorable one due to the placement of the additional panels. It lent a lot of credence to the various mysteries that Hickman had been inserting throughout all of Secret Warriors. The birth of the modern SHIELD, Hydra, Leviathan, and even the Zodiac group in general is nothing to snub your noses at, and anyone who is a fan of spy stories or Nick Fury should have been rather pleasantly rewarded.

I mean, not to mention Leonardo Da Vinci sitting at the head of the table. That was just awesome. Oh, and did I mention that the table looks like Captain America’s shield as well?

Runners up: Welcome to Hell! (Secret Six #31), the Many Wolverines (Wolverine #7), Carl meets the Bullet (Walking Dead #83)

WORST SCENE OF THE MONTH: All of Wolverine: The Best There Is #4

I’ll get to this more in the Worst Writer Of The Month category, but in all honesty, I can’t even pretend to go along with this anymore. I really want to support Charlie Huston because I think he’s a great creator, but I did not finish this issue. I tried and I couldn’t. With the initial issues I did my best to push through them and assumed that Huston would have a decent pay-off soon, but the deeper we get into this story the worse it gets, to the point that this comic is literally unreadable. There is no one bad scene here – they’re all bad. And as much as First Wave is the worst book of the month due to the expectations that weighed behind it and it’s inevitable let down, there is still something to be said for a book that calls itself “the best there is” and truly defines the exact opposite of that.

Runners up: “Oh, I bet you never saw that coming!” (Titans #33), “A school shooting is what we need!” (Ultimate X #4)

BEST WRITER OF THE MONTH: TIE! Jonathan Hickman (Secret Warriors/FF/SHIELD) vs Nick Spencer (Morning Glories/Iron Man 2.0/THUNDER Agents/The Infinite Vacation)

This is another one of the tough choices of the month, as both writers did some truly terrific work this month – to the extent that these two are already doing better than some of the more accomplished writers and creators who have been doing this for quite some time.

In Hickman’s corner, we’ve got the phenomenal Secret Warriors – which has won two awards already this month – and the brand new FF, following the future of the Family Fantastic post-3. Both the debut of FF and Secret Warriors have ended up being truly terrific reads, and the fact that Hickman has been writing these books as long as he has and still hasn’t missed a beat with the stories and the various collaborators is something truly special to be watching. There isn’t a Hickman title on the market that you shouldn’t be buying right now.

In Spencer’s corner, we have the busiest newcomer to comics today. Morning Glories this month? One of my favorite issues (and, incidentally, the article that helped us start up our new column, Study Hall!) and a second home run for this arc. Iron Man 2.0? It was off to a rocky start, but the second issue stepped up the game quite a bit, finally getting to the “2.0” part of the story. THUNDER Agents? Easily one of the best new titles from DC that doesn’t connect with any other DC title. The Infinite Vacation? I’ll admit, I’ve read the next issue which comes out in April, but I can tell you right now that it is leaps and bounds above the first issue – and you’ll find most people agreeing that the first issue was pretty fantastic. Oh, and don’t forget Jimmy Olsen, which has already one won award so far in This Month In Comics this month! I’d say if there is one writer you should just be giving your faith to at this point, it’s Nick Spencer, and for that we salute him.

Runners up: Jason Aaron (Wolverine, Scalped), Scott Snyder (Detective Comics, American Vampire), Kieron Gillen (Uncanny X-Men, Generation Hope, Captain America and Batroc), Matt Fraction (Thor, Invincible Iron Man, Casanova, Uncanny X-Men)

WORST WRITER OF THE MONTH: Charlie Huston

I have the utmost respect for Huston. There was a time when I would read just about anything he put out in the comic world, and his run on Moon Knight is the run that I hold all other writers too when judging their handle of the character in the modern age (here’s looking at you, Bendis). That said, Wolverine: The Best There Is is such a difficult comic to stomach trying to read that I didn’t even both finishing reading the fourth issue three pages away from the last page, and I won’t bother even looking at the next. There’s something rather tragic in that, because I definitely won’t be buying Huston’s work without question from here on out. Post-Moon Knight, we’re talking about a three for three loss in comic quality (Wolverine: TBTI, Bullseye” Perfect Game, and the Deathlok mini). So as much as I hate to do it, Huston is given the Worst Writer award.

Runners up: Jeph Loeb (Ultimate Comics X), Victor Gischler (Deadpool Corps, X-Men), Daniel Way (Deadpool), David Hine (Batman), David Finch (Batman: the Dark Knight), Paul Levitz (Adventure Comics, Legion of Super-Heroes)

BEST ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Marcos Martin (Amazing Spider-Man)

There is really not too much to be said here – Marcos Martin will make any writer look good because Marcos Martin’s art is near perfect. A truly classic artist in the modern sense, Martin’s work in Amazing Spider-Man has been some of the most celebrated art in comics, and it’s very easy to understand why when you pick up his issues. The finale to the “No More Death” arc was just as good as the first, and if you aren’t picking up Amazing Spider-Man (for some reason), you’re going to want to make sure you get #655 and #656 in your collection soon.

Runners up: Chris Burnham (Batman Inc), Patrick Gleason (Batman and Robin), Ryan Bodenheim (Halcyon), Ryan Ottley (Invincible), Alex Maleev (Scarlet)

WORST ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Guillem March (Batman)

I’ve noticed I’m in the minority opinion of this, but I really dislike Guillem March’s interiors. As far as a cover artist goes (for Gotham City Sirens), I think he makes some really interesting covers. However, when you see him spread out all over the pages, the book just has kind of a disgusting and twingy feel to it. March’s style is chaotic enough that in another era, it might have been a tad more fitting. However, say what will about his writing but Tony Daniel draws a mean Batman, and having Guillem randomly fill in for him on this issue with David Hine (seemingly as a way to tie-up Azrael threads, although I wouldn’t firmly know as I did not read Azrael), it was pretty off-putting.

Runners up: Roland Boschi (Punisher: In The Blood), Nicholas Bradshaw (Uncanny X-Men Annual)

MOST OVERLOOKED BOOK OF THE MONTH: TIE! Wonder Woman #609 vs. Hulk #30.1/#31

I can just imagine what you’re thinking right now. All things considered, this is perhaps one of the oddest picks to this category that we’ve ever had. However, I believe further examination might warrant some semblance of legitimacy to my claim (and at the very least, I can always just ramble on something about personal opinion).

In Wonder Woman’s corner, I should note that I am really unfamiliar with Wonder Woman’s personal stories. As odd as that may be for someone of my comic reading habits, I noticed a year or so ago that the only time I’d ever read Wonder Woman was when she was in a team book of some kind. I used JMS as a jumping on point for her title, assuming that a creator of that talent would be able to tell a Wonder Woman story that I could easily get into it. As it stands, the story is not that great in execution. However, when JMS left and Phil Hester came in to fill in the rest of the story, he brought the story to a much more focused pace rather quickly, removing JMS’ element of “soap box” story telling (which, to an extent, I do enjoy) and instead getting to the point – that something is wrong with reality, and it’s up to Diana to fix it. This month’s issue saw Dr. Psycho laying this all out for her, showing her all the different realities that Wonder Woman exists in because the world needs Wonder Woman. For a character as important as Wonder Woman, she gets such a bad rap in DC’s promotional line (how many Superman and Batman books do we honestly need?), and the more I choose to go forward in this controversial storyline, the more I feel like I’m rewarded for blind faith. Will this have a proper wrap-up? That remains to be seen, but as of now I am certainly enjoying this “intensely triply story”, as DC refers to it.

Then we have the Hulk book. Jeff Parker asked fans to give the book a shot before he ever came on the book, paying acknowledgement to the rather controversial two-year run by Jeph Loeb. Since coming on the book, Parker has elevated the book from a “read if you like train wrecks” status to “read if you like excellent comics” status. Hulk is literally one of my favorite books on the market right now. It features excellent art by Gabriel Hardman and is slowly pushing more and more depth in the very one-dimensional Rulk. Seeing as Rulk was revealed to be Thunderbolt Ross, that instantly made him a fully formed character in a sense, but Loeb had written that story into the ground to such an extent that it was barely readable. Jeff Parker comes in, and not only does he spend an arc featuring the Rulk getting his face smashed in, but he follows that up by developing a brand new corner for the Rulk to live in, with all new villains that represent a plausible challenge for Ross’ military background. And we haven’t even gotten to the new MODOK yet!

Runners up: The Stuff of Legend, Casanova, Halcyon

MOST OVERRATED BOOK OF THE MONTH: Xombi #1

This is another spot on this list that might gain me some ire from the proverbial masses, but while many critics enjoyed Xombi, I found that I was the only one who didn’t really care for it. I had never read the title before, and while I adore Dwayne McDuffie and his contributions to comics, I didn’t find to much to enjoy with this title. The art is rather fantastic (come on, it’s Frazer Irving!), but the story doesn’t excite too much. It’s the kind of story that is very clearly a “love it or hate it” thing as I’ve found, but while I’m curious enough to at least browse a second issue, I can’t really see this as a comic worth buying. Perhaps part of that is how great THUNDER Agents is, in that idea that DC can launch a title that doesn’t need to be outwardly supported by the mainstream DCU while also paying tribute to what came before. And while I imagine reading old Xombi might have helped to a certain degree, I ended up just reading the comic and shrugging it off.

Runners up: None that I can think of, but I’m open to suggestions

BEST NEW BOOK OF THE MONTH: TIE! The Intrepids vs FF

Another tie! Let’s get right into it.

The Intrepids was a title that I expected nothing from and grabbed merely because the cover art stood out. Talk about a reward! A great title that has a great 40’s throwback feel to it, partially due to the Darwyn Cooke art. In my notes for this column, I had literally written: “Science! Cyber bears! Darwyn Cooke-esque art! I don’t feel I need justification beyond that.” That’s still true. I’m disappointed it’s a mini-series and not an ongoing, but that doesn’t make it any less great.

Then we have FF, continuing Jonathan Hickman’s colossal Fantastic Four story. To be quite frank, Hickman has been on this list 4 times now this month alone. If that isn’t enough explanation of the powerhouse of talent that the man is, then I don’t know what is.

Runners up: Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker

BEST BETRAYAL OF THE MONTH: Max ruins EVERYTHING! (The Stuff of Legend v2 #4)

The Stuff of Legend is probably one of my favorite accidental discoveries in comic books, quickly becoming one of my favorite indie titles. I quickly found myself immediately attached to the characters and their adventure, and I’ve been following it quite rabidly as each issue comes out. So when this latest issue came out and it revealed that Max, the teddy bear, had literally screwed everything up for everyone by letting the Boogeyman in as a way to enact vengeance, it was a heartbreaking moment as a fan of the story (and apologies to those of you who just had this ruined for you, but you should be reading this book as it comes out). It was also a very Empire Strikes Back moment, as the volume ended on a tremendous down note and I was left rather taken aback that the creators would do this to me.

Runners up: None

WORST BETRAYAL OF THE MONTH: Oh, you mean the scene on the cover? (Titans #33)

Of course, if you have a “best” of something, there usually is a “worst” aspect to it – and that’s where Titans comes in. I have really wanted to like this title, as this is the book where the Shazam family will assumedly reach prominence again. However, the further we get into the book, the worse it gets – and this issue is a tremendous example of that. Featuring the “shocking betrayal” of Arsenal and Cheshire against Deathstroke, all I could think as I read the book was, “Matt, remember when these characters used to be remotely interesting?”

Also: “Hell, yes.”? Not “Hell yes.”?

Runners up: None

BIGGEST “WTF?” MOMENT OF THE MONTH: Thanos returns! (Avengers #11)

Brian Bendis is a creator who very much does what he wants at this point, and I say that in the most respectful way. Avengers: Prime was a great example of this, as he effectively told his own Asgardian story that paid no really heed to the work that Kieron Gillen had done with the Asgardian underworld in developing the extended mythology, and as much as Bendis promised “it would all make sense,” it really never did. Hela, who had very much been a chaotic neutral character with Gillen, suddenly became chaotic evil, and it just didn’t really work.

And now Bendis is at it again with the return of Thanos. Tom Brevoort has noted that Thanos would be coming back sooner than we expected, and all eyes were focused on DnA’s latest cosmic title, Annihilators. I mean, they killed Thanos, right? Or “killed” him, anyway, as Thanos Imperative closed and he was trapped in the destroyed Cancerverse with Nova and Star-Lord. Yet now, as the Infinity Gems as being reassembled by the Hood, he just happens to pop back in to say hello and confront Parker Robins about his gem collecting habits – which is the biggest WTF? moment of the month.

I hate to say it like this, but really – if DnA are going to the ones to kill him twice and do it with a clear plan in mind, I think it might be more appropriate to let them handle his “inevitable” return. If Thanos can just come back like this with no real flair or nods to the fact that he is not in our reality at the moment, what does that mean for the continued existence of Nova and Star-Lord?

Oh, and where in the world are they?

Runners up: Wait – it’s really just about Max Lord hating Wonder Woman? (Justice League: Generation Lost #22)

BEST WEEKLY BOOK OF THE MONTH: 5 Ronin

5 Ronin was Peter Milligans way of redeeming himself as a creator in my eyes (and maybe yours too) after the extremely unfortunate Greek Street. Milligan is an incredibly talented creator with an astounding imagination, as he has shown time and time again through his career, but Greek Street? Oof. So when 5 Ronin was announced, I had immediate hopes towards it’s quality. I am a huge fan of samurai films, and I had every possible finger and toe crossed that Milligan and his assortment of artists would deliver a weekly book worth following along, especially after Marvel did so well with One Month To Live. Lo and behold, I was rewarded for my faith, and the disconnected yet interconnecting tales of Hulk, Wolverine, the Punisher, Psylocke and Deadpool in the landscape of feudal Japan was just what the doctor ordered for me to get my samurai fix (until I finally sit down and read Usagi Yojimbo from the beginning like I’ve been telling myself to do for months).

Runners up: Were there any others?

BEST CD TO LISTEN TO WHILE READING THE BEST WEEKLY BOOK OF THE MONTH OF THE MONTH: Clint Mansell and Mogwai’s collaborative soundtrack to the film, The Fountain

Don’t ask questions. Just do it.

Runners up: The Battlestar Galactica by Bear McCreary soundtrack goes quite well as well, to be honest

BEST MARVEL POINT 1 ENTRY OF THE MONTH: Hulk #30.1

Marvel’s Point One initiative was created in order to give fans a new place to hop into books, offering up tales that are both stand alone but also fairly leading into what is to come in the future of any given idea. It’s a great idea on paper, but as we’ve seen it’s not the greatest idea in practice, as some of the Point One books have kind of missed the point (Invincible Iron Man, which was essentially just a Tony Stark origin story) and some have just missed (Deadpool, which was just … well, it’s Deadpool).

However, Hulk hit all the right notes. I’ve already admitted to being a tremendous fan of Parker’s run on the book, but the Hulk Point One book did exactly what you’d expect from a Point One title. It told a brand new single issue story that you can read and enjoy, and it also lead immediately into what was coming up in the Hulk book. Could this essentially just have been issue #31? Yes, to an extent – but at the same time, the issue was the entire idea of the Point One initiative wrapped up in one beautiful little package. As a reader of the series who would be buying the issues anyways, I didn’t feel like I was cheated into getting a random extra issue, but instead was delivered two issues of one of my new favorite books.

If you haven’t been reading Hulk up until now, now is the perfect time to hop in, especially if you’re even remotely a fan of what Parker is doing in Thunderbolts.

Runners up: Uncanny X-Force #5.1

BEST LONG AWAITED RETURN OF THE MONTH: TIE! Joe The Barbarian #8 vs Bad Dog #4

Another tie! This month is just nuts with books, isn’t it?

First we have Joe the Barbarian. Grant Morrison is obviously one of our favorite writers here at Multiversity, and the collaboration with Sean Murphy was one that made both die-hard Morrison fanatics happy as well as those who are “generally fans of his, but just can’t get into his Batman stuff.” Joe the Barbarian was a more forward tale akin to the Neverending Story or the Pagemaster, featuring a boy pushed between two worlds as he tried to make his way through his home and save himself from an insulin withdrawal. Delays had been seriously hurting the book though, as we all anxiously awaited the finale. Suffice it to say, when the final issue finally arrived in our pulls, it not only offered up a great excuse to read the whole book again, but it capped things off with a great finale as we saw Joe triumphant and all was well in the world again.

Then there is the return of Bad Dog. For the most part, Joe Kelly is known to us for writing some emotionally evocative stories, like I Kill Giants or even Spider-Man: Grim Hunt. Bad Dog? Bad Dog is the exact opposite. Bad Dog is a balls to the wall chaos fest akin to Sam and Max times 10, and the book hit delay hell like no other. With it’s fourth issue, it came back just as fresh and wonderful as it has ever been, keeping up it’s hilarious and over the top sequences with a trip to Vegas that is sure to be part-Fear and Loathing and part-the Hangover (if you actually saw the events of the Hangover as they happened). Granted – we might never get the 5th issue, as Joe Kelly promises to not solicit it until it’s ready to go… but hey, we can still be excited and happy about it all!

Runners up: None

COMIC MOST ENJOYED BY MY CAT OF THE MONTH: Power Man and Iron Fist #3

My cats like laying on things, or sitting in my lap/on my stomach as I read. This month was no exception. And as I lay there, trying to read Power Man and Iron Fist, my cat Trillian decided that she wanted to read it more to the point that she pushed her face in the book and kept it there. Way to go, Fred Van Lente and Wellinton Alves! You’ve created a book that any species can enjoy.

Runners up: The Sixth Gun trade paperback, which makes an excellent pillow apparently

BEST APRIL FOOLS DAY PRANK OF THE MONTH: DETECTIVE SPACE CAT!

I am incredibly proud of our April Fools joke. Last year, I wrote an article announcing a new Marvel Vs. DC by Geoff Johns and Brian Bendis, and I wrote it the day of. This year, I tried to write something that wouldn’t be so last second – and I only remembered to do so on March 30th. Cue Joe Eisma, one of my favorite artists working in comics today, coming in at the last second to offer up some art for Detective Space Cat, which may or may not be one of the oddest things I have ever written. And while it may be odd for someone to toot his own horn as much as I currently am, come on! Who wouldn’t want to read this title?

Also, not to toot my horn again, but every time I read “Blade Runner meets Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat”, I laugh out loud.

Runners up: the Multiversity Comics twitter feed gains sentience, has to be disabled (and dies while singing “Daisy”) – which, as an additional note, I can not tell if anyone actually thought was any funny, even though I’m proud of the dedication I put in on that joke!