Welcome to Manga Zubon, where I take a look at the manga that have come out each month and pick what I think are the best of the lot. These are the manga that I feel deserve recognition and readership more than the rest, so I’m singling them out. My focus in this column is mostly on first volumes to get you in on the ground floor of new series, but I will include standouts in ongoing series as well. Keep in mind that though I do my best, I can’t read everything that comes out each month, so if you have something you think I missed or just have something to say about the ones I’ve chosen, please chime in in the comments section.
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What is a “Hot Pants” pick? Quite simply, it’s a book that all four reviewers on this site believe is worthy of your time. It may or may not be one of our favorite books, but it’s that rare breed of comic that struck all four of us, with our different tastes, as a good read. Nova is our latest “Hot Pants” pick.
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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.”
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Life Sucks GN
Writers: Jessica Abel & Gabe Soria
Artist: Warren Pleece
Company: :01 First Second Books

Vampire stories are a dime a dozen, and it seems like every variation on the mythology has been done. However, while I’m not an expert on the vast stores of vampire fiction available now, I will say that Life Sucks seems to offer up a fresh interpretation of vampires. That interpretation? Think Clerks with vampires and you’re not far off the mark. Abel, Soria, Pleece and colorist Hilary Sycamore serve up a tale of a wage-slave vampire whose eternal unlife is filled with the same kind of tedium as that of Clerks‘ pathetic protagonist Dante Hicks, right down to the wisecracking, more cooled-out Randal-style buddy, but where Dante only Continue Reading »

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Comic Pants. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature.

This week, we will cover Army Of Darkness Xena: Why Not #1, Power Pack Day One #1, Return of the Gremlins #1, Secret History Authority Jack Hawksmoor #1, Star Trek New Frontier #1, Transhuman #1, and Wolverine First Class #1.
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“Loooovvve…. exciting and new….” That’s right, it’s a Love Boat reference… that’s just how we roll. Join Nick Budd, Dave Farabee, Dan Grendell and Randy Lander as we discuss the business of love. At least, as far as comics are concerned.

We’re not talking about romance comics… we’re talking about romance in comics. Specifically, romance in superhero comics, although we’ve got some love for the indies too.
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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.”
Continue Reading »

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Comic Pants. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature.

This week, we will cover Dark Ivory #1, Darkness Vs Eva #1, Everybodys Dead #1, FX #1, Ghost Whisperer #1, Goblin Chronicles #1, Super Friends #1, Tangent Superman’s Reign #1, Tiger & Crane #1, and War Is Hell: First Flight Phantom Eagle #1.
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Thor #7
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Marko Djurdjevic
Company: Marvel Comics

Entertainment, thy name is Thor. For me, that’s an odd thing to say. Why? Because for the most part, I haven’t read much of Thor. Sure, there’s been the occasional story here and there, several issues of the Simonson era of course, but for the most part the only stories that I’ve read that deal with the big guy have been when he was on the Avengers’ roster or during several of the bigger crossovers over the years. So really, Straczynski’s interpretation of the character is the first time that I’ve sat up and paid attention. And even though it’s been a rocky and somewhat stalled start, the six issues to date still amount to an Continue Reading »

Boxers or Briefs is a feature where we get to interview people and ask them really important questions about pants. We also get to ask less important questions about their current projects and their experience in the industry. The Panteon recently had a chance to interview Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, a.k.a. DnA. Together, and sometimes separately, they have worked on a veritable smörgåsbord of titles that include the 2000AD book Judge Dredd, DC’s Aquaman, Batman, The Legion and Boom!’s expansion of the Warhammer 40K franchise. More recently they have worked on a follow up to the 2003 remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and have reinvigorated the Cosmic Marvel Universe with their current hits, Nova and the Annihilation Conquest mini-series. We were lucky enough to round the two of them up and were able to ask them some questions we thought they’d both have some thoughts on. Marvel was also kind enough to provide some snazzy new cover and interior artwork from Nova and Annihilation Conquest to enjoy as well.

Submit a request here if you think we should interview you, or make suggestions in the comments if you’ve got someone you think we should interview.
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