Top Five Fridays 07/27/07
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
- Pulphope: The Art of Paul Pope
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Hellboy: Darkness Calls
- Annihilation Conquest: Starlord
- X-Men: First Class
Dave Farabee
- The Walking Dead
- Multiple Warheads
- Pulphope: The Art of Paul Pope
- Miki Falls TPB
- Green Arrow: Year One
Dan Grendell
- Annihilation Conquest: Star Lord
- Multiple Warheads
- Love and Capes
- Speak of the Devil
- Invincible
Randy Lander
- Multiple Warheads
- Postcards HC
- Pulphope: The Art of Paul Pope
- Annihilation Conquest: Star Lord
- American Virgin Vol 2 TP
David Martindale (D3)
- 52 Vol 2
- X-Men First Class
- Annihilation Conquest: Star Lord
- The Highwaymen
- Captain America
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The last ish of Walking Dead was good then, huh? I’d been considering dropping it after a few dull, zombie-less recent issues.
27 Jul 2007 at 2:11 pm
QuoteMy Top Five of the Moment:
1. The Transformers: Megatron Origin
2. Cable and Deadpool
3. The Invaders Classic Vol. 1
4. Lupin III: World’s Most Wanted Vol. 9
5. The Immortal Iron Fist, Of course.
27 Jul 2007 at 2:18 pm
Quote1. Batman
2. X-Men First Class
3. Green Arrow Year One
4. Doktor Sleepless
5. Immortal Iron Fist
27 Jul 2007 at 4:29 pm
Quote1. Multiple Warheads - Still haven’t gotten ahold of King City yet but I had heard enough good stuff to pick this up and didn’t regret it. Weird crazy whacked out goodness on every page.
2. Immortal Iron Fist - Hopefully one shots like this about past Iron Fist’s will be a regular feature of this title. I wouldn’t be opposed to a Wu Ao-Shi mini-series either.
3. Supergirl and The Legion of Super-Heroes - Best issue of this book in a while with some great art from Dennis Calero. If you’ve written this title off (as I almost had) give this new creative team a chance, if only for the Tenzil Kem appearance.
4. Cable & Deadpool - Very funny issue of what is normally a funny comic anyways. And Bob the Hydra agent might be the best supporting character in comics.
5. Invincible - The build up to #50 gets going in earnest and you know Kirkman has something big in store with how much he loves the anniversary issues.
Overall a very good week. Kind of sad I can’t put Pulphope on my list since Amazon says my order isn’t supposed to arrive for another week or two…
And can we start a Bottom Five Fridays just to recognize how awful Wolverine #55 was? Amazing art but that was probably the worst comic of the year.
27 Jul 2007 at 4:53 pm
QuoteIn light of this being a very strong week for books, I’m extending my Top 5 to a Top 10
6. Batman - You can read my review, but this was a standout issue, jampacked with core Morrison weirdness and well drawn action. Hopefully, it can sustain this level of interest with me but I’m not completely sold…Though having JH Williams doing the next arc is a nice enticement.
7. Green Arrow Year One - Diggle and Jock continue to offer up some really solid action and adventure. I’m thinking this will read much better in trade format but so far, it’s been a lot of fun.
8. American Virgin Vol. 2 - One of the best ongoing series from Vertigo with great art by Becky Cloonan and Ryan Kelly.
9. Multiple Warheads - If not for being such a huge week, this book could have easily slid into the top spot. Randy covered why it’s so good in this weeks Wednesday Number Ones, but Brandon Graham (King City) had me laughing on just about every page and the art is stunningly original.
10: Doktor Sleepless - I’m probably one of the biggest fans of Ellis amongst the Panteon and this one, with its sci-fi oddness and classic Ellis-isms, was entertaining. I do worry that it might not work as well as Transmetropolitan, as I read that in trade after the series had completed, but we’ll see how the single issues go. So far, I’m interested.
27 Jul 2007 at 4:59 pm
QuoteI already did stop it. I just couldn’t stay interested in it. The first 10-15 issues of the series was so very good but after that I started to blend faces, names, stories, and then couldn’t care. Which is too bad, because Kirkman’s Invincible continues to be really readable to me (as I collect in trades only, so I still need the newest one).
For me, though:
1) Star Lord: Giffen writing about a cast of has-been heroes and villains. Sign me up for more.
2) Shazam: MSoE #4 (not as wham bam fun as it promised but still a fine ending. Would love to read more in this vein).
3) Buffy: Yeah, still would watch it if it were still on. Joss needs to get back to TV since his movie career seems to be tanking.
4) Bone #6: The new color trade was recently released. I love this series but am spoiled by the color art. Sad that I have to wait 1.5-2 years for the series to be complete as I can’t see rushing to get the b/w issues, no matter how nice they look.
5) Black Panther: I can’t help my addiction to Marvel Zombies, no matter how much they write it into the ground. well beyond their valid expiration date. Like a zombie, my addiction shambles along unstoppable and relentless. Shoot me when they add Marvel Zombies to the series of Power Pack team ups or as a Marvel Adventure Line.
27 Jul 2007 at 7:55 pm
Quote>>The last ish of Walking Dead was good then, huh? I’d been considering dropping it after a few dull, zombie-less recent issues.
I’ve been a pretty casual follower of the book for the last year or two, the supersized cast having undermined the book a bit for me, but the last two issues have hit me just right. And some of it’s been the character stuff. The scene in #38 where Lori breaks it to Rick that her kid might not be his was some of Kirkman’s best writing. I was also big into the raid on the National Guard station. What I dug about the most recent issue was the total nailbiter scenario with Lori going into labor. Tense as hell, AND it involved zombies.
Something I’ve yet to do is re-read the series in trades for a broader evaluation, but I’ll probably do that soon. I was actually ready to walk away after the controversial “Michonne thing”, but Kirkman’s been winning me back lately.
28 Jul 2007 at 10:10 pm
QuoteThat high, eh?
I liked the story on the first issue well enough, but the art left me scratching my head a few times. Bit tough to tell what was going on in some scenes.
28 Jul 2007 at 10:12 pm
QuoteS’funny about Green Arrow: Year One. The first issue fell flat for me with Ollie wallowing in his spoiled directionlessness, but even looking back at my lukewarm capsule review I allowed that …”things may yet pick up once Ollie squares off with an island of heroin smugglers in the next few issues.”
And they did.
Really enjoyed all the survivalist stuff in the latest issue and the last page was a damn beaut.
28 Jul 2007 at 10:20 pm
QuoteHey, Dave, just wanted to thank you for putting Miki Falls in your top 5; I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I appreciate the support!
-mark
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Dave Farabee
The Walking Dead
Multiple Warheads
Pulphope: The Art of Paul Pope
Miki Falls TPB
Green Arrow: Year One
29 Jul 2007 at 10:39 am
QuoteHoly ___, one of my comic book heroes stopped by!
Great to see you in Pants, Mark. I’ve been a diehard fan of Akiko from its debut and always wanted to see it make its way into newspaper funnies and revitalize ‘em, but ultimately I just had to be content with it being the best all-ages comic ever.
That said, I knew Miki Falls would be a different ballgame when it opened with a girl deliberately hurling herself out a window. And I wasn’t disappointed. Even though I was ust a little intimidated by the, er, shojo color palette of the cover, I plunged right in and really enjoyed the mystery/romance combo. I know you’re a Miyazaki fan and I really felt it in the misty, melancholy atmosphere throughout. Was especially taken with the initial sequence between Miki and Hiro in the rice paddies.
Of course, being an Akiko fan I was also into the lighter bits, though they’re less a part of this story. “Tasteful flowers!” vs “Beach babe!” was the highlight.
Anyway, long story short: I’m in. I think you’ve got a premise that, beyond the immediacy of the main characters’ plot, lends itself to some great philosophizing on the hows and whys of people falling in and out of love.
29 Jul 2007 at 7:39 pm
QuoteThanks, Dave!
“I’ve been a diehard fan of Akiko from its debut and always wanted to see it make its way into newspaper funnies and revitalize ‘em, but ultimately I just had to be content with it being the best all-ages comic ever.”
You’re too kind! Well, i never turn down an outrageously supportive compliment when i get one. :’)
“That said, I knew Miki Falls would be a different ballgame when it opened with a girl deliberately hurling herself out a window. And I wasn’t disappointed. Even though I was ust a little intimidated by the, er, shojo color palette of the cover, I plunged right in and really enjoyed the mystery/romance combo. I know you’re a Miyazaki fan and I really felt it in the misty, melancholy atmosphere throughout. Was especially taken with the initial sequence between Miki and Hiro in the rice paddies.”
Thanks a bunch. I’ve noticed a certain lack of enthusiasm for Miki among diehard Akiko fans, so I greatly appreciate you being so into the new project. I am giving it my all, i can say that much.
“Of course, being an Akiko fan I was also into the lighter bits, though they’re less a part of this story. “Tasteful flowers!” vs “Beach babe!” was the highlight.”
Thanks. Yeah, i’ve traded away some of the humor for (i hope) emotional intensity. still, i do try to get in a good humorous moment when i get the chance.
“Anyway, long story short: I’m in. I think you’ve got a premise that, beyond the immediacy of the main characters’ plot, lends itself to some great philosophizing on the hows and whys of people falling in and out of love.”
Thanks again, Dave. Have you seen the 2nd book ‘Summer’? Hope you’re able to get hold of a copy. And again, thanks for spreading the word like this, it really means a lot to me!
mark
01 Aug 2007 at 5:48 pm
QuoteHe does it in the store, too. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen him aim parents and kids looking for a good all ages book at Akiko. He also turned me on to it, and I dug the hell out of it. Our initial shipment of Spring disappeared before I could get my hands on it, but as both an Akiko fan and a manga fan, I’m curious to read it myself. What I’ve seen looks great.
02 Aug 2007 at 3:40 pm
QuoteTrust me when I say I don’t throw around stuff like that casually. I got much love for Barks’ Uncle Scrooge, Beck’s Captain Marvel, Smith’s Bone, Herge’s Tintin, etc, and even though it’s a little silly to rank these things, Akiko does come out on top for me. It probably just fits my sensibilities best (I was an Oz geek growing up) and I don’t think I ever stopped being dazzled at the level of craft.
I guess it’s just the nature of the evolving artist. Everyone wants to hear the classic hits in concert, but the band is moving to a new place
And I think the creators behind all-age successes have a particularly tough path before ‘em. All-ages works have become the exception in the comics biz, so when a standout arises, we cling to it greedily.
Not to heap the praise too much, but there’s a handful of creators whose work I’ll buy sight unseen, so I’d ordered the second volume of Miki Falls months ago. Read it last night, and it really struck me - one of those comics that really hit the spot, but I didn’t know I was craving it until it ended up on my plate.
Geez, I’m such a suck-up ;^)
03 Aug 2007 at 1:14 am
Quote