Mixed Plate Thursday- Week of 6.30.2010

I always prefer quality over quantity and we got that and then some with Lobo taking on the New Guardians, Wonder Woman changing clothes and the dope vampire/alien/mob noir finally hitting shelves in this week's pulls: Green Lantern #55 / Astonishing X-Men #34 / Wonder Woman #600 / Secret Avengers #2 / Flash #3 / Gotham City Sirens #13 / Turf #2 /  Justice Society of America #40 / Justice League of America #46  /  Batman Beyond #1 

1   Green Lantern #55  Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke

Oh this was a close one, but had to go with GL cause it was heaping to the rim with trademark GJ/Mahnke infused humor and adrenaline-pumping act-she-ion.

Bringing in the main-man and his pooch was a purr-fect fit to take on the Intergalactic color-guard (how cool that Dex-Starr is getting some shine!) in the very fitting locale of Vegas baby!!

GJ goes balls out on the laugh reel with Lobo's space-biker candor, pushing the rainbow bright insults to new highs- while Mahnke seems to have found even greater depths in his ability to visually capture themed-differences amongst the Lanterns with their constructs.  Especially enjoyed how Sinestro was crushing Lobo with his giant grim reaper until he threw that shit back in his face like what!!??

There is no betting against this creative super-duo when it comes to breaking the bank in page-flipping entertainment.  The Dex-Starr side story was touching, a great piece and the cherry on top to make this the most tasty grinds of the week.

2   Action Comics #890  Paul Cornell & Pete Woods

Lex Luthor is friggin awesome.  All of you Paul Cornell fanatics (hello Dr. Who groupies!!!) not into the mythos of Supes' once BFF, turned archnemesis are about to feel the same way. 

The sci-fi master in Cornell perfectly sets the stage for Lex as the crazed yet brilliant mad-scientist of the Multiverse, on his new obsession of getting his very own Black Ring.

Loved the crafty dialogue and WTF moment of the Lois-bot and just how did Pete Woods get soo damn good over the course of New Krypton to War of the Supermen...you will be stunned.  No joke.  Seriously, Woods cleans up a lot of his rough sketchiness (ala Scott Kollins) and embodies sharp, clean line-work like that Reis-dood.  Go Brazil!!!

With this new direction and stellar talent- add this to the pull-list Ryan!!! (shoutout to Comics Conspiracy)

3   Astonishing X-Men  #34  Warren Ellis & Phil Jimenez

Though Astonishing has easily had the greatest pairings in scribe/artist, it has also been plagued with major delays in it's life-cycle.  

Despite that, this title just exemplifies the best of Ellis and Jimenez.  The complexity of this arc is deconstructed and the fascinating team dynamics of the X-Men shines in classic Planetary-like spunk.

I really enjoyed each of the isolated adventures of Brand/Storm, Wolvie/Cyke/Beast and especially Armor/Emma Frost.  You gotta see how they play teacher/student in slaying one of the coolest Brood were-Pteranodon I have seen.  Man, can we please get some more of your work out there Phil!!!  Pulleease!!  Wonder Woman #600 was just edged out though the gallery collection alone is worth the 5 on it.

As for the books that left me feeling meh- Justice Society was forgettable (how lame was Willingham's gay reference to Obsidian?), the rest of Robinson/Bagley's new JLA arc will be skipped-- Jade is kinda boring and why does Alan Scott have to be a wannabe Parallax--weak sauce yo.  And finally Turf #2 was such the drop off in quality with both writing and rushed art that I gotta say-- on to the next one!!
 
Hana hou!!

This post was written by:
big O