In a world where parody reigns supreme, one might not think to find any creative juices left in comic books, but I’m here to inform those doubters that they are sadly mistaken. If you’re a fan of horror, try Boom Studio’s Hellraiser, which has been beautifully crafted by the creator himself, Clive Barker. Brain Wood (DMZ, Northlanders) has a new series from Dark Horse comics premiering this week, entitled The Massive. This new series takes place in a post-apocolytic world where an environmentalist must learn how to save a world that’s already on the verge of complete destruction. Wood is joined by the talented artist Kristian Donaldson, so if you want something other than Marvel’s Avengers vs. X-Men, then give The Massive a try.
Daredevil #11 – Story by Mark Waid / Art by Marco Checchetto
“The Omega Effect” comes to a conclusion in Daredevil #11, and if you’ve missed the previous two issues, then do yourself a favor and pick up Avenging Spider-Man #6 and The Punisher #10 to get the complete story. At the end of the previous issue, we left Daredevil in a bad situation, surrounded by enemies on all sides. It seems like The Punisher and his new ally have plans of their own for the Omega Drive, so it’s up to Spider-Man to help save the day. This has been an exciting cross-over event, and I’m glad that Marco Checchetto has illustrated all three books, which look stunning. Another reason why I like this event so much is due to the fact that it has nothing to do with the AvX story going on at Marvel, and works nicely as a self-contained arc within the Marvel Universe. If you can’t find the issues at your local comic book store, then be sure check out the Comixology app on your smartphone or tablet device.
Supercrooks #2 – Story by Mark Millar /Art by Leinil Francis Yu
There are moments when Mark Millar can impress you with his subtlety, like in his series Superior, which was basically Tom Hank’s Big meets Superman. It was a great concept, and unlike Kick-Ass 2, it wasn’t laden with large amounts of over-the-top blood, rape, and kid profanity. I’m not saying that Superior is a kid friendly book, but by Millar standards it was fairly conservative. In Supercrooks, Millar and Yu have teamed up once again, giving us another enjoyable story, which is a cross between Ocean’s Eleven and The Italian Job set in a world filled with superheroes and villains. Like Superior, this book is more subtle than many of Millar’s previous work, and reads like it was built for the movies. Some people find this style of making comics ready for the big screen a bit unnerving, but I find it quite enjoyable when it’s done well. You’re never bored while reading Millar’s snappy dialogue, and Mr. Yu’s art is some of the best in comics today. With a price tag of $2.99, which is cheaper than most Marvel books, I suggest giving Supercrooks a read. As always, let me know what you’re picking up at the store this week, and if any of these books I mentioned interest you.
Panel of the Week: Daredevil #11 – Art by Marco Checchetto
My Complete Pull List for the Week of 4/25/12:
-Hellraiser #13 (Boom Studios)
-American Vampire #26 (Vertigo)
-All-Star Western #8 (DC)
-Aquaman #8 (DC)
-Daredevil #11 (Marvel)
-SuperCrooks #2 (Marvel/Millar World/Icon)
-Ultimates #9 (Marvel)
-The Massive #1 (Dark Horse)
-David Griffin (Follow @griffinde on Twitter)
Sometimes it's nice to be able to pickup a whole arc instead of waiting. It's just hard to pick from all the choices and I keep wishing you had a Dave's All Time Favorites Pull List.
Hahaha, nice! Maybe I'll put one together sometime
Thanks for checking out the article…