Cage! #1
Writer & Artist: Genndy Tartakovsky
Inker: Stephen DeStephano
Colorist: Scott Willis
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Marvel
Around seven years after its announcement, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Luke Cage series takes us back (back to the past) to the 1970s for a tiara-and-pirate-shirted tale. Tartakovsky’s dialogue and art is quite cartoony, but the two work well together for the story. It’s ridiculous in every sense of the word, but if that’s what you want, then this is definitely the mini-series for you.
BOOK OF THE WEEK
Champions #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Marvel
Hey kids, remember last week when Jake was peeved about Civil War II? So are most of the characters in this book. So much so that Ms. Marvel essentially says “Fuck it, I’ll make my own superteam, with blackjack and hookers,” and forms the Champions with former Avenger-cohorts, Miles Morales and Sam “Nova” Alexander, Amadeus Cho (Totally Awesome Hulk) and Viv Vision (y’know Vision’s only surviving kid from that totally-not devastating Tom King book). Waid goes in with the idea that you should know these characters but gives enough info to help out new readers. Ramos brings his own exaggerated style to the pages, but, regardless of how you feel about that, the action and emotion is excellently portrayed. Special credit should go to whoever made the flashback sequences a slightly different palette than the rest of the book because they look fantastic. It’s 4.99 but its 33 pages of bringing the team together quickly and wasting little time getting to the core of the book, which is a pretty good deal if you’re looking for a new young heroes book.
Cyborg #2
Writer: John Semper Jr.
Penciller: Paul Pelletier
Inkers: Tony Kordos & Tom Palmer
Colorists: Guy Major & Hi-Fi
Letterer: Rob Leigh
DC
Under physical and mental attacks by Kilg%re (yes, that is how you spell it, and, no, I have no idea how you say it), Vic Stone must decide if he’s man or machine. Yes, it’s a bit of a retreaded plot and, no, the character work or emotion doesn’t salvage it this time, thanks mostly to some rather awful dialogue. Pelletier’s art is still great though and it’s almost enough to to take away from the villain’s overbearing monologue. Two issue’s in and Cyborg seems to have lost some of his shine.
The Autumnlands #13
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Benjamin Dewey
Color Art: Jordie Bellaire
Lettering: John Roshell & Jimmy Betancourt
Image
Stuff done blow’d up last issue, and this time we deal with the fallout and get a visit from a familiar face. It feels like we’re on the cusp of answers about the world and the characters’ place in it, which is a welcome thing, although it’s not desperately needed. The Autumnlands continues to be a rich and entertaining title.
The Woods #26
Writer: James Tynion IV
Illustrator: Michael Dialynas
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Boom! Studios
After receiving a message from the seemingly-super-powered Isaac, the group makes preparations to finally find the Black City. It certainly feels like the last arc, which has me feeling both sad and excited. The Woods has been one of the most consistently great books since I started doing this List. If you haven’t checked it out yet, please do. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
