Top Five Fridays 09/21/07
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
- Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
- Captain America
- Dynamo 5
- World War Hulk
- Flash
Dave Farabee
- Johnny Hiro
- JLA/Hitman
- Potter’s Field
- Captain America
- World War Hulk
Dan Grendell
- Phoenix V.11
- Johnny Hiro
- Gods of Asgard GN
- Finder Sin-Eater HC
- Marvel Adventures: Avengers
Randy Lander
- JLA/Hitman
- Captain America
- Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite
- Dynamo 5
- Annihilation Conquest Quasar
David Martindale (D3)
- Captain America
- Thunderbolts Vol 1 Faith in Monsters
- Annihilation Conquest Quasar
- Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite
- Dynamo 5
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only got Repo and Birds of Prey. Liked both. also got Excel Saga vol. 16 which no one told the LCS’ that it came out and i had to go to borders. been waiting for this one since Dec. and now i might have to wait till March 2008 for vol. 17. sucks cause this is my favorite series right now.
21 Sep 2007 at 12:20 pm
QuoteWithout Countdown tainting my pull-list anymore, everything was really good.
1. Captain America
2. Checkmate
3. The Flash
4. Ex Machina
5. World War Hulk
6. Terror Inc.
7. Shadowpact
8. Hellblazer
9. New X-Men
10. Streets Of Glory
21 Sep 2007 at 12:35 pm
QuoteI hadn’t picked up comics for three weeks and had a lot of reading to do but this week’s books stacked up suprisingly well.
1. Johnny Hiro
2. Umbrella Academy
3. Dynamo 5
4. Thor
5. DMZ
Hon. mention: Flash, Y, Fables, Potter’s Field, Captain America.
21 Sep 2007 at 2:59 pm
QuoteMy top issues are kind of “same old, same old,” — Captain America, Hellblazer, Gutsville.
But I did want to say that World War Hulk is very close to what all big event crossovers should be like. It feels big because the story is big, not because on every page there’s an EVERYTHING CHANGES NOW moment. It’s occasionally dark without getting into grim and gritty “realism”. There are crossover books that one can read as much of or as little of and still enjoy — and it’s not interrupting any other ongoing title. The stakes feel high, and the art is amazing. Really, it’s just quality escapist entertainment and nothing more, nothing less.
21 Sep 2007 at 5:20 pm
Quote1) Umbrella Academy: Awesome stuff. Sorry it took Way becoming a international music star to finally get a comic book gig that DC didn’t allow him.
2) WWH #4: Not bad. Kind of predictable at this point.
3) Gutsville #2: Finally! Was my shop the only one to be this late with it?
4) Quasar: Still hip and happening and great transformation of the relationship between our heroes. Nicely done.
5) Dr. Strange: The Movie: Finally caught the animated DVD of the Sorcerer Supreme. I have felt these Marvel animated efforts started out solid with Avengers (entertaining, if not mind blowing) to downright great with this latest installment. It was an origin story, sure, but done honest to the original (cocky doctor loses use of hands, etc.). The mix of martial arts and magic also made for a nice visceral visual treat. I would recommend it to fans of animated supers and the Doc, who thankfully has had a nice run with Vaughn’s mini and now this (and some kickassery in WWH, for a bit anyway).
Does Comic Pants have an Animation Division? Maybe “Moving Pants” (ugh) or “Cinematic Slacks” or some such? With all the good, bad and ugly animated and live action efforts it would be a nice section every once and a while. Legion of Superheroes animated looks good for Season 2, The Batman (which I never watch) is supposedly getting better, the Marvel series, and so on…
21 Sep 2007 at 6:16 pm
Quote1.Captain America
2.Dynamo 5
3.Terror Inc.
4.Umbrella Academy-Lots of fun to be had with this book.
5.Jungle Girl- Kinda suprised this was good but kinda not with it coming from DE and with how well they have handled the many properties they have.
Also have to say the Captain America Omnibus by Ed Brubaker is awesome. First Omnibus HC collection I’ve picked up and it’s great. So much packed into it. I just wish they would have added the Union Jack mini by Gage that sprung from 21st Century Blitz but I really shouldn’t be complaining.
21 Sep 2007 at 10:26 pm
QuoteIn defense of your comic shop, there’s sort of a raw deal going on where bookstores sometimes get their manga a couple of weeks ahead of when comic shops get it. I don’t know if it’s the publishers, the distributors, or what, but it’s a constant frustration. For example, we got all three of the latest volumes of Naruto at the same time, which made two of them a week or two late compared to the bookstore release. So it might not be your LCS’ fault.
As for my top five this week:
1. JLA/Hitman - So good it made me dig out my Hitman series to re-read. Covered this in Wednesday Number Ones
2. Captain America - Can we please let Brubaker write the next big crossover instead of Millar or Bendis? His characters are so much more believable and interesting, and I *loved* this issue, which featured Iron Man as a hero instead of a douchebag and played nicely with the reveals of the Death of Cap arc thus far.
3. Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite - Tons of fun, beautiful art. This Way character might have a career in comics… good thing, too, I hear rock star doesn’t pay all that well.
4. Dynamo 5 - The finale of the issues that will be in the upcoming super-cheap trade, and I can definitely whole-heartedly recommend that. Nice finales, great action, beautiful art.
5. Annihilation Conquest Quasar - Weird developments with Moondragon, but I kind of liked them. The other Panteon members pointed out that this was kind of Heavy Metal, and they’re not wrong, but I’m digging it. Second favorite of the Annihilation minis for me, behind Star-Lord and just ahead of Wraith.
6. Johnny Hiro - I was not as crazy about the second one as I was the first, but it’s still really nice cartooning
7. Marvel Adventures Avengers - Jeff Parker’s last issue for a while, and it does feature Hawkeye. Good, but not as great as the last few have been.
8. World War Hulk - Rare to see Dr. Strange doing the physical punchy-kicky thing, I enjoyed the issue but I’m nervous about the big role Sentry is going to play. I kind of hope Hulk “one punches” his head off at the start of next issue.
I didn’t get a chance to read 30 Days Of Night Red Snow #2, Highwaymen #4, Repo #4, Gods of Asgard, the Thunderbolts Ellis HC or the Dr Thirteen trade, all sold out before I had a chance. I’ve got a PDF of Asgard, though, and what I’ve read, I liked, but I wanted to read the printed version as a long PDF just tends to be too much for my old man eyes. Also haven’t had the chance to read the Cap Omnibus yet, but I’m definitely getting it in the next couple of weeks.
Not in the near future. Honestly, I don’t watch enough animation to cover it intelligently. I’ve got no real interest in the Marvel animated features, don’t really care to watch the new Superman/Doomsday… I’ll check out New Frontier, but I’m worried they’re going to screw it up. For me, the height of superhero animation was the Batman/Superman/Batman Beyond/Justice League run, and that’s pretty much done. I’ve caught a couple episodes of Teen Titans Go and Legion, and they’re well-done, but they’re just not for me.
21 Sep 2007 at 11:44 pm
QuoteMy Top Five:
1. Captain America
2. Catwoman
3. Flash
4. Zero Killer
5. Walking Dead
Its always a good comics week for me when Captain America and Catwoman come out, and both were fantastic as always. And finally DC has a second book for me to care about in Mark Waid’s Flash. Its good to have Wally Wood back. Now if I could only have Scott Kollins pencilling the book again…. I’m also really digging Zero Killer. I’ve always liked the genre, and this book is serious, mean, and fun. And Walking Dead is a holdover from last week, to me its still new.
22 Sep 2007 at 5:38 am
QuoteI agree that having an animation review segment could be interesting.
Call it “Animated Shorts”
22 Sep 2007 at 7:07 am
QuoteHurray! Honestly, I think in some respects, Brubaker just thinks things through better than the others. He also seems to better research the characters’ histories.
Bucky’s return still is a bit of a turn-off for me, though…
*sniff* yeah. It’d be kind of cool if JLU Adventures continued what the show was doing; telling standalone stories that tied into a bigger storyline.
22 Sep 2007 at 12:01 pm
QuoteIn defense of your comic shop, there’s sort of a raw deal going on where bookstores sometimes get their manga a couple of weeks ahead of when comic shops get it. I don’t know if it’s the publishers, the distributors, or what, but it’s a constant frustration. For example, we got all three of the latest volumes of Naruto at the same time, which made two of them a week or two late compared to the bookstore release. So it might not be your LCS’ fault.
maybe, but if thats the deal they are not getting, i’d say, more then half of the manga coming out a month. i use to see at least 3 a week now i’m surprised to see 1 come in. i’m just going to have to order through anime websites now for manga.
22 Sep 2007 at 6:01 pm
Quote1. Phoenix V.11
The last part of Osamu Tezuka’s life’s work, themed around eternal life, and well worth waiting for. Jumps back and forth between ancient history and science fiction to tell an incredible story about a pair of reincarnated souls.
2. Johnny Hiro
Not as over the top as the first issue, but just as entertaining and fun. The main character just wants to have a happy life, and weird crap just happens to him. Nice cameo by Alton Brown, too.
3. Gods of Asgard GN
Awesome Xeric award-winning look at Norse mythology, taking the myths from creation to Ragnarok and laying them out clearly in graphic format. Really captures the mood of the myths.
4. Finder Sin-Eater HC
One of my favorite comics series of all time, Finder is smart, beautiful aboriginal sci-fi. This hardcover collects the first two trades in one nice book with a bonus previously uncollected issue, all to celebrate the series’ tenth anniversary. Seriously, if you’ve never read Finder, this is a perfect place to start- the book is thirty bucks.
5. Marvel Adventures: Avengers
Jeff Parker’s last issue for a while, the introduction of a ladies-man Hawkeye and some fun taking on the new Masters of Evil made this a great exit.
23 Sep 2007 at 4:10 pm
QuoteI couldn’t agree with you more on the Bru’s “Captain America,” Randy. I, for one, love the characterization of the “returned” Bucky, and the “surprise” at the end was good (supposedly there’s another huge shocker coming). And I would love to see Brubaker write”Iron Man” at some point. This is the only thing I’ve read, post-”Civil War,” that actually made Tony seem in character. Such a great book!
And I liked but didn’t love “JLA/Hitman.” I know they had to sort of “recap” the character for newcomers, but it felt a little decompressed as a result. Hoping for much more killing and worse things in the second issue …
24 Sep 2007 at 12:35 pm
Quote