Comic Day Week 31 - July 29, 2009

[DoctorFinger]

http://www.colonyofgamers.com/images/JohnnyGigawatt_2_500px.jpg (http://johnnygigawatt.com/)

Sorry for the lateness, folks. We were up late recording last night, and why not? It's the post San Diego Comic Con show, featuring our own Ghostbear! All the news from the con that's fit to print, and some that isn't! As always, you can see what you'll find in stores today head over to Diamond (http://www.previewsworld.com/public/default.asp?t=2&m=1&c=6&s=428).

DC
Blackest Night Tales Of The Corps #3
Detective Comics #855
Justice League Of America #35
Justice Society Of America #29
Superman #690
Wednesday Comics #4
Wonder Woman #34

Marvel
Dark Reign Hawkeye #4
Dark Reign Young Avengers #3
Fantastic Four #569
New Avengers #55
Secret Warriors #6
Thunderbolts #134
Ultimatum #5
Ultimatum Spider-Man Requiem #2
War Of Kings Ascension #4

Picks of the Week

Justice Society Of America #29 - The Jack of Fables writing team of Bill Willingham and Matt Sturges takes the reigns of the world's first superteam. The first issue will introduce even more characters to the already huge roster, setting the stage for the JSA: All-Stars spin-off book down the road.

Thunderbolts #134 - The story which has been percolating since the start of Andy Diggle's run on the book begins here, the Old Thunderbolts versus the New Thunderbolts.

Question of the Week - A ton of announcements, reveals and news came out of the San Diego Comic Con this past week. Which if the announcements or revelations was the most interesting?

[muddi900]

Pulls:
Billy Batson And The Magic Of Shazam #6
Blackest Night Tales Of The Corps #3 (OF 3)
Dark Reign Young Avengers #3 (OF 5)
Detective Comics #855
Ignition City #4 (OF 5)
Justice Society Of America #29
New Avengers #55
Secret Warriors #6
Son Of Hulk #13
Superman #690
Ultimatum #5 (OF 5)
Ultimatum Spider-Man Requiem #2 (OF 2)
Wednesday Comics #4 (OF 12)

QOTW:
SDCC is not about news anymore. The only major news that came from the Con is the Marvelman going to Marvel.

EDIT:
Also, just for the sake of it, I think Garth Enis sucks.

[MosBen]

I think sucks is too strong a word, but he's definitely overrated. For some reason in my mind I lump Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis together as guys that are decent to good, but nowhere near their reputations. I don't know why those guys stick together in my head...

Edit: I can tell you what doesn't excite me from San Diego: World War Hulks. It just sounds boring.

[DoctorFinger]

I think sucks is too strong a word, but he's definitely overrated. For some reason in my mind I lump Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis together as guys that are decent to good, but nowhere near their reputations. I don't know why those guys stick together in my head...

Edit: I can tell you what doesn't excite me from San Diego: World War Hulks. It just sounds boring.
Because they're all Brits, maybe?

[MosBen]

Could be. It's also possible that they were the really big names in the industry when I was getting back into comics five or so years ago. I read comics through junior high and part of high school, but quit around the Onslaught saga. I hadn't heard of any of them at that time, but when I got back into comics they were all the rage.

[muddi900]

Well the problem with all Enis' books are gratuitous gore-fests. Of course, I haven't read his most acclaimed works, Preacher and Battlefields, but everything else I've have driven me away from it. Hated him on Punisher MAX. Got bored of The Boys. Also, he writes all of his main characters as complete douchebags. Butcher, in The Boys, had one panel where I actually cared about him. I am bursting out like this because untill yesterday, I thought it was only me.

Also, Ben, replace Warren Ellis with Mark Millar. He has written one and a half decent books in his career.

[Savok]

Ennis is hit and miss, a lot of miss. His best work was an in canon DC book called Hitman back in the 90s, 60 issues never sucking once. Semi-recently he did a Hitman/JLA thingy and it was awesome. He may hate superheroes but he loves Supes. Ennis on a leash - so he can't inject anal sex into every second panel - is the best Ennis.

World War Hulks.... Marvel did real well with all the love Planet Hulk got, spat out WWH which was fun enough, but that led to Loeb's Red Hulk and the general god awful fucking crap that's followed, ruining the whole damn thing.

[muddi900]

Yeah, I was excited about Pak's return to Hulk, but now I don't even care.

And:
Robot 6 did a good round up of their favorite announcements. (http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/07/sdcc-15-announcements-that-make-us-happy/)

New Dan Clowes and HC Collection of Don Rosa's Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck are what I am excited about. Oh and Astro City will continue as a monthly. Also, Gerard Way is doing more comics, which can't be a bad thing. Hate the guy's music, love his comics.

[Savok]

Well the problem with all Enis' books are gratuitous gore-fests. Of course, I haven't read his most acclaimed works, Preacher and Battlefields, but everything else I've have driven me away from it.
I couldn't actually get through Preacher, I read 12 issues then just didn't want to anymore. Dillion's art didn't help either.

Again, Hitman, it's the comic that gave us Dogwelder (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/09/28/365-reasons-to-love-comics-271/).

[muddi900]

I had this conversation on twitter with a guy on twitter about WWHulks. He asked that Loeb did a good enough job with DC, but can't seem to handle Marvel. Why is that? What do you guys think? Also, we can't blame Marvel to shove Rulk in our faces. Shit sells like hotcakes in a famine zone.

[Savok]

I'm trying to think of good Loeb stories he did for DC.... uh.... Hush had some heavy Cat/Bat stuff, wins brownie points with me.

Some people do better at certain companies though. Look at Greg Land's DC stuff, he actually fucking drew back then, as seen in his work on Birds of Prey. Now he just traces porn and wrestling and wrestling porn.

[muddi900]

I really liked The Long Halloween. It wasn't completely devoid of substance, like most of other Loeb work.

[MosBen]

I don't think with Loeb it's the company, but the type of work he's doing. I seem to like his miniseries, but dislike his ongoing work. Give him a set number of issues and keep him focused on telling a good story and I think he can be ok.

I have all of the Preacher trades and I have to say that I liked it more towards the end. It's not that it got less gorey, far from it, but at least as the story went on I started to be interested in some of the characters. I still think it's overrated and unnecessarily gorey, but I'm glad I read it. I think my issue with the gore is that I get the distinct impression that Ennis *likes* the gore when it should be something that revolts the viewer. The best example I can think of is The Boys, where carnage is presented as if it's kind of fun, or at least funny.

[Spigot]

Not a tonne of things for me this week unless my Monster vol. 14-18 shows up.

Marvel
FANTASTIC FOUR #569
MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #4
THUNDERBOLTS #134
ULTIMATUM #5

Other
PARASYTE VOL 08

I didn't really follow any of the announcements from SDCC. I did like what I saw of that trailer for Planet Hulk's animated feature treatment though. It looks like Marvel finally decided to invest more than $8 and a pack of cheezies to the animation budget.

As for the discussion of Ennis, Ellis, Etc., I enjoy some of their works but they've all put out enough books, either limited runs or long arcs of existing books, that had a cool concept but poor execution that they are far from the golden boys that their reputation makes them out to be.

[muddi900]

Hey did anyone check out that Green Lantern animated movie. The running time still is too short but the production value is top notch. Very good.

[Hawkzombie]

QOW: Planet Hulk. Planet Hulk. PLANET HULK.

[Xerxes]

Ennis is hit and miss, a lot of miss. His best work was an in canon DC book called Hitman back in the 90s, 60 issues never sucking once. Semi-recently he did a Hitman/JLA thingy and it was awesome. He may hate superheroes but he loves Supes. Ennis on a leash - so he can't inject anal sex into every second panel - is the best Ennis.

World War Hulks.... Marvel did real well with all the love Planet Hulk got, spat out WWH which was fun enough, but that led to Loeb's Red Hulk and the general god awful fucking crap that's followed, ruining the whole damn thing.

IGN Comics: Time for some fun – we'd like to know your personal favorites in this massive battle. Who is your favorite to write? Who is the strongest? Who do you think will surprise the fans?

Loeb: I've been very lucky to see the terrific response to Red, so he's the first one to come to mind.

Apparently Loeb thinks folks love Rulk.

It seems to much. I feel like I'm going to get dragged through the Rulk cause I want to read Skaar and about when he gets to Earth. His intentions for his old man. And WWHs sound like it'll be included in that journey. ~_~

She-Rulk? Really?!? Glah!.

[Hawkzombie]

I can't believe Red Hulk is as popular as that man claims. Especially with She-Rulk

[muddi900]

It is selling like its free, of course they'll expand it. I just say that if people stop buying it, they'll stop printing it. Like Captain Britain. Motherfucking BASTARDS!

[digitalErich]

Yeah, I've never understood the sales numbers around Red Hulk either. I always guessed it hit at a crest of the sine wave of new comics readers. It was a perfect storm of lots of new people in the shops and Red Hulk looking "cool."

It probably also helped that it followed up one great and one good Hulk event. Maybe people keep buying hoping they'll get Planet or WW Hulk 2 at some point.

[Xerxes]

Yeah, I've never understood the sales numbers around Red Hulk either. I always guessed it hit at a crest of the sine wave of new comics readers. It was a perfect storm of lots of new people in the shops and Red Hulk looking "cool."

It probably also helped that it followed up one great and one good Hulk event. Maybe people keep buying hoping they'll get Planet or WW Hulk 2 at some point.

Basically people got tricked. And I'm sure the son of hulk books weren't all bad. People still want to blame Loeb and not Pak, yet. So it's like you're waiting for him to come back to Hulk, but now it's like Loeb and his fucking Rulk will still be smashing around. Like someone else said maybe they should just look to keeping things in miniseries. I mean in only a year Rulk is exposed like Wolverine for no reason at all. I think he is still only in two books but he's like running up and down the Marvelverse with no purpose punching people to show, "Yeah I'm totally Extreme and Badass!!"

You know what, that shit was so bad ass, let's make a She-Rulk! And then Hulk's daughter can fight in a group too. It's like a fucking mirror grudge match of retardedness. Hulk vs Son, She-Hulk vs Hulk's daughter, and let's throw in to Red mystery jacktards to keep everyone buying a series they want to give up on!

Was Planet Hulk a fluke? :confused:

[digitalErich]

I have faith in Pak. Think back on it, he took an editorial decision (keep Hulk away while CW plays out) and turns it into one of best arcs of the last decade for the character.

Why does Red Hulk remind me of Superman Red/Blue and why do I think history will treat them about the same?

[muddi900]

Basically people got tricked. And I'm sure the son of hulk books weren't all bad. People still want to blame Loeb and not Pak, yet. So it's like you're waiting for him to come back to Hulk, but now it's like Loeb and his fucking Rulk will still be smashing around. Like someone else said maybe they should just look to keeping things in miniseries. I mean in only a year Rulk is exposed like Wolverine for no reason at all. I think he is still only in two books but he's like running up and down the Marvelverse with no purpose punching people to show, "Yeah I'm totally Extreme and Badass!!"

You know what, that shit was so bad ass, let's make a She-Rulk! And then Hulk's daughter can fight in a group too. It's like a fucking mirror grudge match of retardedness. Hulk vs Son, She-Hulk vs Hulk's daughter, and let's throw in to Red mystery jacktards to keep everyone buying a series they want to give up on!

Was Planet Hulk a fluke? :confused:

That new She-Hulk mini by Van Lente was quite good. And she's the new She-hulk for what it's worth.

[Savok]

Was Planet Hulk a fluke? :confused:
Yes and no.

It was a fluke in that Hulk got a good writer (Pak and Van Lente do Incredible Hercules, we know he's good) at a time Marvel editorial didn't want to know who Hulk was. Once editorial sticks their dicks in, it's all over at Marvel. DC is slightly better off in that regard these days, it's still a 90% chance of suck but it's not automatic.

[MosBen]

Wait, really? When was the last editorial mandate from DC that wasn't dumb? And wasn't the decision to keep Hulk off-planet during CW an editorial mandate as well? It seems to me that with both companies it's basically a crap shoot whether an editorial mandate will have good results. Hell, most of the time it's probably the results of an editorial mandate are a mixed bag, with both good stories and bad coming out of them. The best example, of course, is OMD/BND, where the editorial mandate produced OMD, which was bad, and BND which has been pretty good based on the stuff I've read.

[muddi900]

Wait, really? When was the last editorial mandate from DC that wasn't dumb?

He was saying DC is letting writers do their thing, without much interference. Example, Blackest Night, how it was setup. Or How we have Superman without Superman.

[Savok]

They didn't want Hulk there, I don't think they cared what happened to him. Good things happen when editorial doesn't care, see Annihilation for that.

While not a mandate as such, Blackest Night has editorial there in full force, and so far it's been pretty neat. Granted it comes under the WWH clause of being almost impossible to fuck up, but still, never underestimate editorial.

BND has been a clusterfuck of characterization and 90s gimmicks. Even then, most of BND's stories would of worked fine with MJ still there and Peter not an enormous tool.

[Spigot]

He was saying DC is letting writers do their thing, without much interference.That's not what McDuffie was saying...

[muddi900]

That's not what McDuffie was saying...

Well, I am not reading JLA, neither do I care.

[Savok]

That's not what McDuffie was saying...
Editorial had to stick their dick into something and fuck it.

Him along with Batman are copping the worst of it.

[muddi900]

I love the new Batman status quo. And it was due to them letting Morrison do whatever he wants.

EDIT:
The Pacheco wraparound for Ultimate Avengers #1
http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/images/articles/1248914837.jpg

[Spigot]

Well, I am not reading JLA, neither do I care.Neither am I, but I'm just saying that arguing that DC editorial isn't cocking things up while it is very apparent that they DO is a little like saying that Marvel editorial screws everything up because you don't like BND.

[Savok]

.... no one is arguing DC editorial is any good, just much less shit then Marvel's recently.

[AgtFox]

Isn't Rulk's identity pretty much assumed at this point? Yes, they didn't come out and say who it is in Hulk #600, but unless red herrings are being thrown out by Loeb, the identity is pretty clear:

Colonel Talbot back from the "dead". The guy "died" from being mentally linked to the War Wagon as it was hit by lava and ash from a volcano. The computer with Talbot said it warned him that he would feel what the War Wagon was feeling given their link as his brain was supposedly incinerated.

With that in mind, as Rulk gets more powerful he heats up...like a volcano. He knows Banner is Hulk and has deep hatred for him. He also is knowledgable of the supporting characters. Only other person it could be at this point is Quartermain, but he's never had a hard grudge against Banner or Hulk. It can't be Ross because he's been seen in panel with Rulk, can't be Sampson for the same reason, etc.

[muddi900]

Rulk is Jeph Loeb and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

[Xerxes]

That new She-Hulk mini by Van Lente was quite good. And she's the new She-hulk for what it's worth.

She's going under the title Savage She-Hulk if I'm not mistaken. I wasn't saying it wouldn't be good. I don't have much faith in She-Rulk though.

He was saying DC is letting writers do their thing, without much interference. Example, Blackest Night, how it was setup. Or How we have Superman without Superman.
But...
That's not what McDuffie was saying...
Spigot beat me too it...
Editorial had to stick their dick into something and fuck it.

Him along with Batman are copping the worst of it.
McDuffie, along with everyone else in the known world would like to be in the same category as Batman. Thing is he'll always get out of it.
Isn't Rulk's identity pretty much assumed at this point? Yes, they didn't come out and say who it is in Hulk #600, but unless red herrings are being thrown out by Loeb, the identity is pretty clear:

Colonel Talbot back from the "dead". The guy "died" from being mentally linked to the War Wagon as it was hit by lava and ash from a volcano. The computer with Talbot said it warned him that he would feel what the War Wagon was feeling given their link as his brain was supposedly incinerated.

With that in mind, as Rulk gets more powerful he heats up...like a volcano. He knows Banner is Hulk and has deep hatred for him. He also is knowledgable of the supporting characters. Only other person it could be at this point is Quartermain, but he's never had a hard grudge against Banner or Hulk. It can't be Ross because he's been seen in panel with Rulk, can't be Sampson for the same reason, etc.

I think it's him too. It fits. Weird way to come about I mean. It's like like out of nowhere.... BAM! RED HULK BITCH! <groan>

Rulk is Jeph Loeb and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Yeah, but he'll have to let Pak use him during WWHs. Pak seems interested in using She-Rulk too... <groans>

[Hawkzombie]

I love the new Batman status quo. And it was due to them letting Morrison do whatever he wants.

Shut your dirty whore mouth. Only good thing we've gotten out of the Batman fiasco is Red Robin. I'll enjoy Batman again once Bruce is back :p

[muddi900]

Shut your dirty whore mouth. Only good thing we've gotten out of the Batman fiasco is Red Robin. I'll enjoy Batman again once Bruce is back :p

OH YEAH! Well so is your FACE!

EDIT: Detective Comics has the best art is any book by DC. And Batman & Robin is awesome, you shut your whore mouth :mad: