Top Five Fridays 3/14/2008
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’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Nova
- Annihilation Conquest
- Abe Sapien
- Serenity Better Days
- G.I Joe: America’s Elite
Dave Farabee’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Serenity
- Nova
- Hedge Knight 2: Sworn Sword
- Gumby Collected V.1
- The Last Defenders
Dan Grendell’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Wonder Woman
- Empowered V.3
- BPRD 1946
- Gumby Collected V.1
- Annihilation Conquest
Randy Lander’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- DMZ
- DMZ Vol 4 Friendly Fire TP
- Serenity Better Days
- Annihilation Conquest
- Nova
Loading ...
Dexter Morgan’s Top Five Books of the Moment
1. Atomic Robo
2. Gamekeeper Series 2
3. Lone Ranger And Tonto
4. Thunderbolts
5. Wolverine
Honourable Mentions
Green Arrow and Black Canary (I love Cliff Chiang’s art, so sue me), Punisher War Journal, Suicide Squad, and … Wonder Woman, I guess. What a $#!tty week.
14 Mar 2008 at 12:56 pm
QuoteActually, Dexter, I thought this was another in a series of really good weeks. I had a hard time narrowing my favorites down, and several of them could easily have been in my top five in a lighter week. My take:
1. DMZ #29 - Kicking off the new election story with a bang, my favorite issue since Friendly Fire ended.
2. DMZ Vol 4 Friendly Fire TP - And this was my favorite arc of the series. Loved the different artists, loved the Rashomon-style multiple POV stories, loved the premise… just great stuff.
3. Serenity Better Days #1 - This has been discussed over on Wednesday Number Ones, but to reiterate, the characters were dead on, the action was good and it was just nice to see this world again.
4. Annihilation Conquest #5 - With only one issue to go, unless they really flub the ending, I dub this better than the original Annihilation. Which was itself quite good.
5. Nova #11 - Yay, Warlock! I’m disappointed by where this book sits on the sales charts. In my shop, it sells better than any of the Ultimate books and up there with most of the non-event Marvel books. And it deserves to, because it’s awesome.
6. Suicide Squad Raise The Flag #7 - First issue since the first of the mini that has felt all the way like Suicide Squad to me. If only the Rick Flag/Rustam stuff had been left out of the book, I think I’d be happier with it, but I’ll definitely pick up a trade at this point.
7. Walking Dead #47 - Wow, intense, and I’m kind of loving the siege of the prison arc. It’s all a touch dark, but I’ve come to expect that from this book, and I’m more OK with it in a book about a zombie apocalypse than I am, say, a book about superheroes.
8. BPRD 1946 #3 - Also dark, and creepy, and full of great conspiracy stuff and awesome demon Russian witch girl. Nice art by Paul Azaceta, too.
9. Abe Sapien The Drowning #2 - Stunning, beautiful art by Jason Alexander, interesting story of Abe’s first solo mission.
10. Wonder Woman #18 - Opening bit was a little too cutesy for me, but the combat/Khund stuff is awesome, and I really do love Simone’s take on Wonder Woman. Man, I hope she’s not the writer Rich has rumored to go back to Marvel… Wonder Woman needs her.
11. Wormwood Vol 2 TP - Awesome, funny, twisted, as a Leprechaun curse sends Wormwood and company to the home of the Leprechauns. And Leprechauns in Templesmith’s vision are filthy, awful, horny creatures.
12. Empowered Vol 3 TP - Still not wild about this one, as it never gets beyond the “Oh, that’s kinda cute” or “Oh, that’s kinda funny” level to really affect me, but it’s always entertaining and has nice art.
13. Atomic Robo #6 - Concludes in fine fashion with plenty of brain punching. Looking forward to more.
14. X-Factor #29 - Not as great as issue #28, which set everything spinning off in new directions, but it is another solid issue.
15. Booster Gold #7 - I expect to be disappointed when Blue Beetle is inevitably returned to the land of the unjustly dead, but right now I’m digging the “Blue and Gold in a dark future” story. If Johns/Katz can somehow avoid returning Beetle to the grave, I might be onboard for a while. But I expect another “heroic sacrifice and tragedy” ending. At least that’s better than an ignominious bullet in the head, but it’ll still be a waste of a perfectly good character.
Of course, I’m pre-judging based on what I think is going to happen. The actual issue is fun, although it’s not so much fun or so inventive as to be “great” in my eyes, just a solid superhero outing.
14 Mar 2008 at 3:16 pm
QuoteOh, I missed Thunderbolts. I’m sort of losing interest, but it’s still a good book, I’d probably slot it in around #14.
14 Mar 2008 at 3:17 pm
Quote1. DMZ
2. Walking Dead
3. Annihilation: Conquest
4. Nova
5. Fantastic Four
The new DMZ storyline gets off to a very promising start and as Randy said is one of the best issues in a while. This series is at its best when it reflects current events and this one looks to be a doozy. The Walking Dead roller coaster continues and the frantic pace serves the story well. I have no idea where Kirkman is headed with this and love it. Between Annihilation Conquest and Nova I’m enjoying this round of Annihilation even better than the first one. Pelletier’s art on Nova is outstanding, its a shame he isn’t sticking around but at least he is moving over to Guardians. It doesn’t seem like its getting much love from the Panteon but I’m enjoying Millar and Hitch’s FF even if so far it has been kind of a Reed Richards solo series. Still some cool ideas and great artwork.
14 Mar 2008 at 4:20 pm
QuoteDon’t worry Randy, the returning writer is Joe Kelly. He’s joining the Amazing Spider-Man writing team.
As for my list here goes:
1. Serenity: Better Days
2. Fantastic Four
3. Thunderbolts
4. X-Factor
5. Nova (Slightly cheating here, haven’t read this yet but it’s always good)
14 Mar 2008 at 4:42 pm
QuoteSo let me get this straight. If on the cover of a comic-book there’s:
1. A porn star, and/or
2. Gumby
Then Dan is in? This is all very interesting stuff.
14 Mar 2008 at 6:14 pm
Quote1) Nova- Warlock was a surprisingly great reveal. Didn’t see it coming though it makes loads of sense. Will he be an ongoing presence or merely a fun guest? Still, great issue with the requisite level of good action, good characterization, cool story and great art.
2) Annihilation #5- I liked this one a lot and it is setting up a great potential ending. There are still a lot of threads out there, though. I hope it doesn’t “end” and then have to be closed off with an Annual, a One-Shot and another mini. I liked the follow up one-shots with the original run but those really were tags as the story was truly “complete.” We will see. A & L haven’t gone wrong with their space books, anyway…can Guardians of the Galaxy come any sooner???
3) Suicide Squad- I totally agree that this issue was classic Ostrander Squad in all the right ways. Betrayals, counter betrayals and yet more twists and turns. It is funny, the “main” battle they are there for is almost a background noise underneath the internal team conflict…just as it should be. I would be happy if this were ongoing. Crossing fingers.
4) Serenity- Spot on characters and fun return to the ‘Verse. Again, ongoing please? Give a good kick off, Joss and let some youngin’s take over as an ongoing.
5) Hedge Knight: Sword Sword- great read but it makes me long for the always very late Martin novels.
14 Mar 2008 at 6:42 pm
QuoteOOH warlock in Nova? May be fun
14 Mar 2008 at 6:51 pm
QuoteHere’s your moment of Zen:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Gumby_pokey.JPG
I think he’s playing Rock Band.
14 Mar 2008 at 11:20 pm
QuoteDon’t try to knock the Gumby comics. I bought the first two single issues but I guessed I missed the third. Aren’t there only three in the trade?
15 Mar 2008 at 1:44 am
QuoteDon’t you need fingers to play Rock Band?
15 Mar 2008 at 10:01 am
QuoteThis was one of those weeks I went to the store and bought two books that I only kind of like: The Boys, and Wolverine. Wolverine is funny: I like Aaron’s writing and Garney’s art a lot, and I think they are doing a great job, but I can’t stand the story they are telling. Does that make sense? It does to me.
The Boys? I’m done with the Boys. I should probably stop buying books that I’ve stopped liking, and try some new stuff occasionally (in my defense I passed on new issues of Locke & Key, Gutsville, and Fantastic Four as I’m waiting for trades. But I recently re-read the first Locke issue and it really blew me away on second reading).
Oh, I also bought the Goon this week, and I’m really enjoying the way the story is headed. I like stand-alone Goon issues but I may prefer it when Powell moves a larger story forward.
15 Mar 2008 at 10:05 am
QuoteI have trouble making an ordered list but here’s my attempt. I needed to fill my BK Vaughn void and also from Nick’s pick for best writer in the golden pants podcast so I’ve jumped on the Ex Machina trades and am loving it. And always a personal fav. and Kirkman has been on a roll, so my 2nd would be Walking Dead.
1. Ex Machina vol. 3
2 Walking Dead
spoiler for those reading Walking Dead in trade -
Show ▼
15 Mar 2008 at 12:39 pm
Quotei loved empowered and wonder woman. looks like people are liking DMZ but i just dropped it. i haven’t been into it recently and felt that i’d probably never go back and reread any of the issues.
15 Mar 2008 at 3:22 pm
Quote1. Palooka Ville
2. BPRD 1946
3. Punisher MAX
4. Fantastic Four
5. Madman Atomic Comics
15 Mar 2008 at 4:22 pm
Quote1. Serenity: Better Days
I’d forgotten how much I missed these characters. And the news about a Shepherd Book mini was very welcome. Yay!
2. Nova
Abnett and Lanning are back on a roll. Hopefully the new artist on the book will be as good as Pelletier was in this issue. Glad he’s going to be drawing Guardians of the Galaxy.
3. X-Factor
I really enjoyed this issue. Especially the villain “reveal” at the end …
4. Thunderbolts
I just wish this book would come out more regularly, though it’s always worth the wait.
5. Captain America #34: Director’s Cut
Three new pages, plus Brubaker’s script, plus thumbnail versions of Epting’s pencils.
16 Mar 2008 at 3:09 pm
QuoteReally? I’ve actually quite liked the last two issues of “The Boys.” It finally feels like Ennis is moving towards something big. And it’s been more character-involved.
16 Mar 2008 at 3:12 pm
QuoteI wasn’t expecting my No. 1 to be No.1, if that makes sense, but:
1. Wolverine
2. Nova
3. Annihilation: Conquest
4. The Foundation
5. Gutsville
I’ve still got a few comics to read, but that’ll do for now!
16 Mar 2008 at 3:43 pm
Quote1. NOVA
2. Avengers: The Initiative
3. Walking Dead
4. Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin
5. Serenity
I havent read Thunderbolts yet, so it hasnt made this list. I’m going to self-trade that for now, because I feel like it never comes out. I did love NOVA as always, and I really enjoyed Avengers: The Initiative. I’ve bought the last two issues because Christos Gage is listed as co-writer, and they’ve both been lots of fun. It’s filled with about a million D-List Marvel characters, and tons of new ones, and they’re all written fairly well. I might add it to my pull list.
16 Mar 2008 at 4:12 pm
QuoteNot a bad week for comics:
1. Nova - Always a winner in my opinion, and I have always dug the character of Warlock, so it was nice to see him again.
2. Annihilation Conquest - Pretty much the same thing that I said for Nova. Abnett and Lanning just hit all the right buttons, and provide a book that is just jam-packed with entertainment.
3. Abe Sapien - Gorgeous artwork plus cool story of one of Abe’s first solo missions. A can’t miss.
4. Serenity Better Days - With this one, I had the same initial reaction that I did when Buffy Season 8 started coming out, as I was reminded of how much I actually missed these characters. Seeing them and their antics again, nicely drawn by the way, was awesome.
5. G.I. Joe America’s Elite - The World War III story going on right now works on so many levels. There’s cool action, good storytelling, nice character moments. Really, just an all around solid story being told perfectly.
6. X-Factor - When you’ve got Show ▼
going up against Madrox and his merry men, it’s a must buy. Pure fun with some really outstanding art.
7. Locke & Key - Joe Hill is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. After the first issue of this series, I went out and picked up his first novel “Heart Shaped Box”, and was seriously blown away by some of the work he did. Locke & Key continues to be VERY good.
8. Blue Beetle Vol. 3 - While this came out two weeks ago, our copies had a nice little glitch in them. John Rogers really has made this a heck of a book. I’m sad to see him step back from it soon, but the prospect of him getting a higher profile title (DC…Give him Flash) is nice.
9. Fantastic Four - I really dug the first issue. This second one was kind of a snooze fest with people basically just explaining things without any action, which is what Millar writes best.
16 Mar 2008 at 4:32 pm
Quoteanybody read the JEff hawk book by titan books? pretty darn good
16 Mar 2008 at 10:49 pm
Quotemy top 5 currently are:
1. Fables
2. Daredevil
3. Thunderbolts
4. Proof
5. Thor (surprisingly) / Incredible Hercules
17 Mar 2008 at 12:58 pm
Quote