Mixed Plate Thursday- Week of 7.28.2010

Whats up my ninjas!!??  A massive stack of books to catch up on since being all about SDCC coverage the last week and a half.  Of the gulp... 22 books I was able to bruise through, here is an extended version of the usual top 3 standouts that got me all psyched to be back to page-flipping life.

1   Green Lantern #56  Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke

Geoff Johns is normally on the hush at panels with regards to speaking on books that were just released as he hates dropping spoilers, but after just 2 days of this ish hitting stands-- he couldn't resist jawing with the crowd on how amped he was for this ish-- and the eventual Christmas special starring our fave Orange Lantern- Larfleeze.


Mahnke goes all out in depicting the Avarice constructs going crazy with all their stolen loot from the poor city folk and made me recall a scene from Gremlins when Spike and all his band of misfits took over the town.

GJ and Mahnke are masterfully balancing the huge cast of New Guardians and still keeping this title in my top 3 with interesting new story threads like the Lantern entities that I can't help but loving from my countless hours of playing Final Fantasy- you see the connection I am making yeah?  Nice!

Was so hyped that Johns announced how they are working on a Valentines Day one-shot featuring Dex-Starr and Krypto!!

2   Action Comics #891  Paul Cornell, David Finch, Pete Woods & Cafu

After being exposed to the scribe wizardry of Cornell only 2 books deep, I can see why so many people were hanging on every word and how he was probably the only other writer that was on the level with Morrison at various DC panels.

I never thought a book with Lex, Mr. Mind and android-Lois could be sooo dayuum good.  Cafu (who I discovered in the fab Vixen mini) and Woods have a lot to do with the deafening beauty of this book.  Throw in the cover-genius of David Finch and this really made it tough to pick my top book of the week.

GL edged out only cause of my loyalty to the emerald empire.  Love every conceptual-dream sequence and it's so delish that you won't care that it didn't actually happen...well did it if you experienced it through all of your senses, alright sorry for bringing theinception.  Cornell's intelligent and creative script-work is actually making me consider picking up Knight & Squire, which I initially was passing on due mostly to the bulk of Bat-books I already pull.

3  The Avengers #3  Brian Michael Bendis, John Romita, Jr. & Klaus Janson

Bendis, Romita Jr and Janson bring non-stop, adrenaline-induced action with the primary Avengers squad facing a time-displaced Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen. 

As usual, Bendis finds ways to drop some of his humor like with Spidey yelling out Avengers Assemble! every other minute during battle and bonding with his other insect-powered peeps-- Noh-varr and Spiderwoman chatting about how there are too many of their kind on the team.


I haven't always been the biggest fan of JRJR's style but I am really vibing off of his work in this title-- especially the visuals he creates through Iron Man and Thor-- two character that I also never was into.

Badass sequence where the Four Horsemen version of Scarlet Witch nearly takes out Tony and a save by Spidey that shows how much their dynamic has changed from Civil War, Secret Invasion and now- just after Siege.  Avengers Assemble!!!!


4  Brightest Day #6  John, Tomasi, Reis, Gleason, Clark & Prado...
The whole BD team takes it up three notches in levels of bad-assery from the last few tales and made it so necessary to talk story on more than just the 3 top titles-- that I hold up and say thank you to the comic-gods for birthing.  Did I just say all that.  Alright inside voice no more. Every panel, page and interiors can be framed and hung on your wall.  Peep this Arthur/Mera splashpage that Reis slays and gives me all the origin I need to be even more sprung on hawt mama Mera.


Props to Eddie Berganza for continually being that glue to keep all the fab creators on this big project and the other GL books all hyped in doing it, and doing it, and doing it well.  Oh did I say how fucking cool artist-extraordinaire Joe Prado is??  Really looking forward to connecting with em soon on our interview!


5  Batman: The Widening Gyre #6  Kevin Smith, Walter Flanagan & Art Thibert

In classic-fashion, Silent Bob made us twiddle our thumbs a few months before finishing up his impressive Batman tale.  But like I realized while you did, Mr. Smith really knows how to tell a story, especially about a guy that epitomizes damaged goods like Bruce Wayne.

Throughout every lovey-dovey moment between Bruce and Silver, I just couldn't help but think that this could only end badly as it usually does for the Dark Knight's love interests.

Then he gets all buddy-buddy with Baphoment-- who he sees as his way out of this life as the Batman. A gloriously, hilarious scene takes place between Deadshot, Catwoman and Bats...and I wander to a different place in my mind, forgetting this is the last ish of Gyre. Uh-oh.

Mr. Smith, eff you for going all Darren Aronofsky on us.  Oh and I will pick up volume 2 as long you promise to finish it like you did your last two Bat-books.  Okay, bye.




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big O