Best to Worst of Last Week

I found this to be a relatively bland week. I had some books that I did enjoy, but many more were just okay and a few disappointing duds were in the pile. To be fair in addition to writer, artist. premise and character, mood can also play a factor in my rating of a book and I was not always in the happiest place when I got around to reading this week.

Detective Comics #835 – Really well done. I loved the updating of Scarecrow by taking him totally low tech. No more fear gas, just fear. Looking forward to part 2.
Garth Ennis Chronicles of Wormwood #6 (of 6) – One of the happiest and most positive endings ever in a Garth Ennis book. Of course Garth’s hatred of religion was right up front in this book, but it was a happy ending with the Anti-Christ saving Jesus and stopping the destruction of the world.
Justice Society of America #8 – Great issue. It gave us the background story on Liberty Belle, a JSA adventure and it was all done in one issue. Really enjoyable and well done.
Exterminators #20 – The Mayan Hissers are going to take over the world.
Jonah Hex #22 – Flat out a very good series. This issue Jonah gets tied up with Edison and Tesla.
Black Canary #3 (of 4) – I loved her adopted daughter Sin and know that GA did not get her killed this issue, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out in issue #4. Most likely Sin’s death was a cover to keep her safe, Dinah can’t raise her or the League would find her, Dinah loves GA for saving Sin and says yes to getting married. Well I guess issue #4 is rather easy to see how it ends. Still an enjoyable series.
Welcome to Tranquility #9 – Good issue (more Zombies), but nice start to the story and good tie-in with the back up story giving us the origin of a character from the first half of the book.
Killing Pickman #1 (of 6) – The art hurt this book as he is trying to be a poor man’s Ben Templesmith, but the story actually was creepy and scary in a more real way then many horror titles. A strong artist would have made this book a pure winner.
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American Virgin #17 – Good issue, this series is always better then I think it will be and I really enjoyed Adam getting a tattoo that released his sexual demon, so to speak.
Faker #2 (of 6) – The first issue left me flat, but this issue gets really interesting as it appears Nick maybe a creation of the four friends and not a real person at all.
Snakewoman Tale of the Snake Charmer #2 – This new chapter in Snakewoman’s tale is interesting and she is down to 53 left to kill. Solid series.
Midnighter #10 – Giffen has started off his run in with a story about Midnighter trying to find out who he was before he was made into Midnighter. Good beginning.
Scalped #8 – A very good, tough action story. Starting to get a little too convoluted and some of the plot lines need resolution.
Daredevil Battlin’ Jack Murdock #3 (of 4) – Nice little mini-series that is doing a nice job of giving us some insights into DD’s father.
World War Hulk #3 (of 5) – I still have issues with an overly powerful and brutal Hulk. How they end this story will make or break it. At least the mini-series stands on its own.
Grimm Fairy Tales Return to Wonderland #2 (of 7) – This is an interesting story of Alice’s daughter now being trapped in Wonderland and Alice trying to help her.
Nightwing #135 – This is the best arc since Chuck Dixon was writing the book and it still is just decent and not really up to a very good. I liked the idea of someone talking up the Vigilante mantle, but did not like how he was able to hold Dick Grayson as a captive for so long.
Grimm Fairy Tales #16 – Focused on Sela, who delivers the stories to people. Way too much “good girl” art, but the underlying story is still interesting.
Fantastic Four #548 – This book is okay, but it still is not working for me. I guess I don’t like this uber-smart Black Panther. He was never a super genius from my last recollection of him.
Metal Men #1 (of 8) – Having a hard time placing exactly where this should go, it was a little dense to start, but it was better once it got started and fun to see Doc’s creations in their early stage.
Spider-Man / Fantastic Four #4 (of 4) – A nice little adventure, very old school and a lot of fun.
Outsiders Five of a Kind Boomerang / Nightwing – Fun issue giving us an insight into both characters and thought it was interesting that neither one signed on for Batman’s team of Outsiders.
Action Comics #853 – A fun issue with Busiek spotlighting Jimmy Olsen trying to be Mr. Action as he deals with his off and on super powers.
Inanna’s Tears #1 (of 5) – Nice start to a tale of an Ancient City in the midst of a transitional period involving the high priest of their goddess.
Uncanny X-Men #489 – An okay story, that at least is holding my interest. The back up is also a little better and I noticed I don’t care about the chapter I miss as I don’t get New X-Men.
She-Hulk #20 – Wow a lot of story lines wrapped up quick. Okay issue just rushed to get everything in and leave one more issue (see Ant-Man for same thing).
Ant-Man #11 – Rushed wrap up of all the story lines leaving Kirkman one last issue to play with.
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Thor #2 – Should be called Snore- again can something happen? Oh never mind its JMS after 12 issues the story will come into focus. In two issues we had Don Blake / Thor return and he builds Asgard in a blinding flash of light. I should just bag this book and wait for the trade.
Atom #14 – The weakest issue of this series so far, still an okay book, but “The Search for Ray Palmer” has been weak so far.
Supergirl #20 – An okay issue that ties into Amazon Attacks and it was all done well enough and a good read, but this book needs a direction and/or identity.
Star Trek Year Four #1 – Very cliché ridden and simplistic art, still I'll follow for one more adventure.
New Warriors #3 – Again nothing is happening. Oh wait something did happen I cut this book from my list.
New Avengers Illuminati #4 (of 5) – Meaningless fan fiction conversation in the beginning followed by meaningless retro-con. Waste of a really good artist work.
Countdown #39 – Marginally better then last issue, but still needs to have more actually happening in the book or at least some resolutions of story lines. Too much the DC weekly headline newspaper.
Awakening #1 (of 10) – An interesting story was totally undone by grade school art that photo shop and coloring could not disguise. Disappointing as I like Arachaia Studio Press and this book was an immediate drop for me.

Well this week the bottom of the list took out two books from my list. I was debating on Awakening, but the art was so poor, that I can not see supporting that book. New Warriors had 3 issues to grab me and it is moving way too slow for characters I have little invested in. Thor is also slow, but with a character I like and a solid artist it is easier to hang in there for a longer time.

Happy Trails!