Top Five Fridays 5/25/07
Some of you may have noticed on the sidebar, we have our “Top Five of the Moment” listed. These are the five books that are most clicking with each Pants writer. It may or may not represent the best books we’ve read all month, year, or just what we’re digging that week. We generally try to update it with books from that week, but there are no hard and fast rules. Inspired by an email from one of our readers, we’re going to post every Friday with the most recent Top Five from each member of the Panteon, and hope for your comments on our lists, or maybe even your own “Top Five of the Moment.”
Also, just as the Wednesday Number Ones feature is generally our spot for folks to talk about the comics of the week, we hope that Top Five Fridays is where you’ll come to talk about what’s going on in comics in general. News in the comics world, thoughts on comics you’ve recently read, talk about comic-related movies that release this weekend and more are welcome in the comments thread for Top Five Fridays.
This week, the Top Five Books of the Moment are:
Nick Budd
- Criminal
- Storm Shadow
- Madman: Atomic Comics
- Dynamo 5
- The Spirit
Dave Farabee
- American Virgin
- Criminal
- Gutsville
- Transformers: Escalation (TPB)
- Warhammer 40K: Damnation Crusade
Dan Grendell
- Gutsville
- Criminal
- Warhammer 40K: Damnation Crusade
- Captain America
- Fantastic Four
Randy Lander
- Criminal
- Dynamo 5
- The Spirit
- Fantastic Four
- Fell TP
David Martindale (D3)
- Criminal
- The Spirit
- Countdown
- Birds of Prey
- Gutsville
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1. The Spirit
2. Criminal
3. Dynamo 5
4. The Irredeemable Ant-Man
5. She-Hulk
25 May 2007 at 11:36 am
QuoteMinus the name, Gutsville was the best of the week and one of the more novel stories in a while. Granted, it had the look and feel of the decendants of the Jamestown crew in Morrion’s Klarion books. But it was such a fun premise it still worked for me. Then the last page hit and the fun really began. I hope the book keeps up the fun and creative ideas.
As for the name, it didn’t fit. Jonahkin or something taken more from the book would have worked better for me. Maybe the name gets more relevance, as the ending will really take this story in a new direction.
25 May 2007 at 1:49 pm
Quote1. The Spirit - What more can I say about this book? It’s been my favourite book since it launched. Last month’s issue didn’t make my top 5 then but only because I was judging it by it’s previous standards. Superb as always.
2= Criminal
2= Captain America - Couldn’t separate these 2 books this week. The slightly different focus of the new Criminal arc makes it feel different while retaining all the elements that made the book a great read in the first place and Cap is really showing quite brilliantly how Steve Rogers’ death is really affecting the Marvel Universe all while building towards something really big. Brubaker keeps throwing in surprising twists in at the perfect moments making a great read. Brubaker and his collaborators on both these books and Daredevil are firing on all cylinders at the moment.
4: Fantastic Four - While not as good as the previous issue, still loads to recommend about this issue. It was a bit all the over the place and felt a bit rushed but good storytelling, art and banter combined for another strong issue.
5: Newuniversal - While not to everybody’s taste, I really enjoy this kind of stuff and this issue was as solid as the previous 5. And it’s got Salvador Larroca on art duties which is always a bonus
Strange coincidence this week, all the books I got ended in the number 6:
Spirit #6, Captain America #26, Criminal #6, Fantastic Four #546 and
Newuniversal #6.
25 May 2007 at 2:32 pm
Quote1.Criminal-This issue has me foaming for the next one already.
2.Captain America- I think this might be my most favorite issue of Bru’s run so far and with Steve not being there(although he really still drives this book) that’s saying alot.
3.The Spirit-Another damn good issue. Not as strong as the last few issues but still really good. Next month’s issue looks to be fun even without DC on the book.
4.Fantastic Four
5.Countdown
Dynamo 5 was also good.
25 May 2007 at 2:51 pm
QuoteI rather liked Gutsville also. It’s like a Decemberists song in comic book form.
25 May 2007 at 3:45 pm
QuoteOkay, I really need to read this book.
25 May 2007 at 3:49 pm
QuoteHow does the name not fit? They live in the guts of a giant whale.
25 May 2007 at 4:54 pm
Quote“Gutsville” sounds like some retro-hipster kid saying “I live in Coolsville.” The tone of the book, however, was this sort of gothic take on Puritan culture…only one sucked down by a giant fish. It didn’t fit with the tone of the book. I don’t think they ever refer to themselves as “Gutville” citizens, either. Just a weird mix, that’s all. Personal taste and nothing more. The content of the book is too fun so it matters little.
25 May 2007 at 8:43 pm
QuoteI’m one of those that just get their comix fix once a month. So after a month spent going through them all, here’s the best:
1. Moon Knight-Huston has the early Moench stories’ filth and weirdness down pat. The new artist Suaron is perfectly cast for this type of book and should have a great career ahead of him. But after three more issues, Huston’s gone and who’ll replace him? My vote’s for Jason Aaron. He’d be perfect.
2. Scalped-Best new writer of 2007 period. The fact that Vertigo prints their lesser selling books on toilet paper is a disservice to the art of new comer Guera, whose noir stylings look like a mix of early Miller, Denys Cowan and a little John Buscema. Don’t wait for the trade on this one, it’ll probably be cancelled before they can get a collection together!
3. New Universal-In terms of quality I’d put it a couple of notches below Planetary. I’m surprised at the effort Warren Ellis puts into this company book. It’s dense, well thought out, and not as flighty and disposable as much of his lesser work.
4. Brubaker Books-Criminal, DD, Cap. I think anybody who takes the time to read these lists already knows that this guy is currently at his creative peak. Though Uncanny reads like dumbed down Brubaker, it too remains tasty.
5. Silent War-If you even remotely liked Jenkins Inhuman’s run, you will love this. But check out the Son of M trade first to get the whole story. Irving Fraser’s work is perfectly cast for this intense, dramatic family melodrama. David Hine has been given free reign to do what he wants with the Inhumans and it shows. High concept thrills throughout.
26 May 2007 at 3:06 pm
QuoteWhat’s Dynamo 5? This is not ringing a bell for me at all!
And I would have loved to buy Gutsville, but my comic shop didnt order a single copy…. and they’re usually really good at ordering new series. Damn…
If I had to come up with a Top Five, then Captain America, DD, and Criminal would be there, along with Catwoman and New Avengers.
27 May 2007 at 5:14 pm
QuoteLook here:
http://comicpants.com/?p=1424
28 May 2007 at 7:53 am
QuoteI want to like both of these, but I’ve been having trouble getting into them. I’m hoping they’ll read better to me collected. Jason Aaron’s writing is solid, but it hasn’t hooked me on the level that it seems to have hooked a lot of folks. Many seem to have fallen in love with his writing the way I did when I first encountered Ed Brubaker on Scene of the Crime or Brian Bendis on Jinx, and I just haven’t clicked with it on that level yet. I’m just wondering what it is that has got so many people so excited about Jason Aaron. Not in a bad way, like a “what do you people see in this hack?” or anything, because I do think he’s talented, I just haven’t quite gotten the genius vibe that a lot of people have. What’s making it work so well for you folks, if you can lay it down?
Oh, and good news… Scalped is at least getting one trade paperback. Vertigo tends to give every series at least one trade, no matter how dismally it’s selling in singles, to see if it’s going to pick up a readership in trade format. As always, it’ll be one of their affordable $10 first trades, too.
28 May 2007 at 12:17 pm
QuoteFor what it’s worth, as of Saturday, the first issue was still available for reorder, so your shop should be able to get it for you. Same for Dynamo 5 #2-3, although I’m not as sure about #1.
As for what Dynamo 5 is… we’ve reviewed it, but the short version is, a Superman-type dies, and his widow finds out that he was basically a super-adulterer, and five of his illegitimate children have one of his powers each, so she gathers them up to be a superteam to take his place. Except there’s a twist at the end which I won’t reveal. It’s like Invincible, classic superhero on one hand but with an interesting modern spin on the concept. And it has gorgeous art.
Issue three has one of the funniest first pages in recent memory. It’s an Image book, btw.
28 May 2007 at 12:19 pm
Quoterandy,
Aaron’s dialogue skills are his greatest strength. He has an ability to raise the angry, profane conversations between his characters into pristine shock poetry. Having worked as a physician on a Navajo reservation for a short while, I’m astonished at how accurately he’s portrayed life on the Rez. It’s really something. It makes me think,”how does he know all this stuff?” The work is raw, natural, and a real joy to read. However, I understand your reservations about his work. He still hasn’t made himself into a master storyteller. He still hasn’t really told a great story. The interesting thing about doing mainstream work is that he’ll have to reign in his flashy language and imagery, and actually have to tell a great story. If he’ll be able to subvert the superhero genre to tell polished, mature stories like Brubaker’s been doing since he joined Marvel, will be interesting to watch. That is if he even wants to do that sort of thing, and let’s hope he does!
29 May 2007 at 8:17 pm
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