Top Five Fridays 3/7/08
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
- Justice League The New Frontier Special
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Nightwing
- Dead Space
- The Order Vol. 1 TPB
Dave Farabee’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- Nightwing
- Amazing Spider-Man
- Justice League The New Frontier Special
- Cable
Dan Grendell’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Monster V.13
- Justice League The New Frontier Special
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- Nightwing
- Green Lantern
Randy Lander’s Top Five Books of the Moment
- Justice League The New Frontier Special
- Dead Space
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- Dynamo 5
- Nightwing
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Insert “Oooooh, I bet I know why!” joke about Buffy being back on everyone’s list here.
07 Mar 2008 at 4:02 pm
Quote1. Justice League: The New Frontier Special
2. Logan
3. Uncanny X-Men
4. Cable
5. Amazing Spider-Man
07 Mar 2008 at 4:14 pm
QuoteI think Buffy’s made my list most issues since Vaughan’s arc began.
The funny thing about the latest issue hubbub is that when I read it, the Big Thing just seemed like a fun aside to me, and one that fit the circumstances. It didn’t even occur to me that people would be talking about it overmuch.
07 Mar 2008 at 4:15 pm
Quote1. Justice League: The New Frontier Special – More New Frontier from Darwyn Cooke? What’s not to love? The Robin/Kid Flash story was great as well, even if he didn’t draw it. Now if only Netflix would send me the DVD… stupid “Very Long Wait.”
2. Casanova – Nothing Fraction does should shock me at this point but there were some definite “holy crap” moments in this week’s issue. Also, the backmatter in each issue is worth the two bucks alone.
3. Logan – Vaughan and Risso together is a no brainer. From the first two lines I knew they weren’t going to disappoint: “When you rip a guy’s heart out, the blood inside stinks of hot iron and dead blossoms. After all these years, that’s still what Japan smells like to me.” Awesome.
4. Dynamo 5 – This title never disappoints but this issue stood out to me as one of the stronger ones recently with the kids striking out on their own and facing some tough decisions. Doesn’t seem like things are going to get any easier next issue either.
5. Northlanders – Brian Wood can do no wrong and this series only gets better and better. Wood and artist Davide Gianfelice do a great job portraying the harsh winter and it’s good to see Sven start to grow as a character.
Also very much enjoyed the first issues of Young Liars and Cable. Neither completely blew me away but I will definitely be back for more.
07 Mar 2008 at 4:17 pm
QuoteBuffy was good, but the best thing I read this week was Dead Space. That’s kind of suprising since I would not have bought it had I known it was a liscensed comic. I strongly recommend it for fans of Alien.
1. Dead Space
2. Buffy (so funny!)
3. Invincible Atom Eve Special #2
4. Uncanny X-Men
I haven’t read Dynamo 5 yet, but I am sure it will be on the list. Looking foward to Faerber’s new project as well
07 Mar 2008 at 5:50 pm
QuoteIn no order:
1. Black Summer
2. Batman
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Countdown to Mystery
5. Narcopolis
07 Mar 2008 at 5:54 pm
QuoteFavorite this week was Nana vol. 9. I already had read the fan translated chapters but Viz’s adaption was still awesome. Plus having a physical copy beats reading it on a screen. Green Lantern was awesome. Plus a bunch of stuff coming in the mail sooner or later.
07 Mar 2008 at 7:13 pm
QuoteIs “Dead Space” a comic about the upcoming game of the same name?
07 Mar 2008 at 9:24 pm
Quote1. Omega the Unknown
2. Casanova
3. Terry Moore’s Echo
4. Logan
5. The Boys
Surprised to fnd myself enjoying those last two, but Vaughan has been great with these Marvel minis (witness his Dr. Strange one), while the latter has gotten more character-involved, which is good. Really surprised to see all the love for the new Buffy, which I thought was horribly decompressed.
Oh, and I was kinda meh on the “New Frontier” special. Might have been because I watched the all-style, little-substance animated movie. Cliff’s Notes version of New Frontier, if you ask me.
07 Mar 2008 at 9:47 pm
QuoteYes, there is an ad in the back of the comic for it. However, give it a chance anyway, it’s really good, and has good talent on it (Antony Johnston and Ben Templesmith)
07 Mar 2008 at 10:06 pm
QuoteSo, uh, Tomasi’s turned Nightwing around?
The unanimous support here (who’da thunk it a year ago?) means I’m really looking forward to picking up the trade. Even though I’ve never been particularly drawn to the character, there’s tons of untapped potential there, and it’s nice to hear that Tomasi’s doing good work on the title.
07 Mar 2008 at 11:21 pm
QuoteNightwing is a good book, to me, because it reads like a DC Universe books. It’s full of cool character moments revolving around all of Dick Grayson’s relationships. From Superman to The Flash to the JSA to Robin.
The main story isn’t bad, but the highlights are things like Nightwing having a beer with Wally or bringing Robin to go beat up some Ninjas.
By the way, the League of Assassins are so painfully useless. They really should get to beat someone, to give them a little bit of credibility. Right now they’re just a bunch of shitty ninjas getting their ass beat at every appearance.
08 Mar 2008 at 2:14 am
Quote1. Justice League The New Frontier Special - Lots of fun, great art… I’d really love to see an ongoing, out-of-continuity DC Universe book by Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone and Dave Bullock.
2. Dead Space - Surprisingly good, given that it’s based on a videogame (and those kinds of projects tend to suck). Moody, imaginative, beautiful to look at, if the rest of the series can live up to this first issue, it’ll definitely wind up on my trade buys.
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The big thing everybody’s talking about this issue (and it’s not Oz showing up, Rich Johnston… way to miss the mark by a mile), I’m not quite sure I’m buying, as it feels a little like pandering (It’d feel less like pandering if we’d ever seen any male bi-sexuality in Buffy), but the farcical scenes that developed after were totally worth it. And I love the use of a familiar bad guy, and I continue to love that Xander is once again cool and fun, and that he’s got a Slayer girlfriend. Honestly, if this book was called Xander and Willow Adventures instead of Buffy, I’d probably like it even more.
4. Dynamo 5 - Nice to see the D5 butting heads with their mentor a little, forming a bond… and I love the tension of “Are they all just going to get killed?” set up by the cliffhanger.
5. Nightwing - Some great stuff here, from terrific action sequences to a great use of Robin and Dr. Mid-Nite and just a general inclusion of DC continuity without it feeling like a Countdown-palooza. Tomasi has the same solid superhero vibe that Dixon had when he was basically running the Bat-verse, and it’s really nice to enjoy Nightwing again. Haven’t had this much fun with the character since the middle of Dixon’s run.
6. Naoki Urusawa’s Monster Vol 13 - Continues to impress, some great suspense as always… the only reason it didn’t rank higher is because there’s a bit more “shock of the new” with everything in the top five.
7. Teen Titans Year One #3 - Nice to see that it won’t be one plot for six issues, I dig the character interplay and I *love* the art. I will almost certainly buy the collection of this series.
8. Cable #1 - Covered this in Wednesday Number Ones. Basically, it’s a good start.
9. Highwaymen TP - A great action-adventure read with nice art, reads well in trade. Would be higher on the list except that I have of course read it all before, and this was a pretty good week for comics to compare with.
10. Amazing Spider-man #552 - Not bad, actually. Sure, it’s not at all kid friendly, and Jimenez’s art is kinda shaky, but Gale does not deliver any more “Bring More Bling” groaners. It’s the weakest of the BND stuff so far, but it’s perfectly readable. I think we might have to call BND a success, creatively speaking. Not the best of all possible worlds or anything, but better Spidey than we’ve seen in quite some time. Too bad the Devil had to get involved to get there.
11. Invincible Presents Atom Eve #2 - Wow, that poor girl has a lot of tragedy in her past. Nice spotlight, I’d love to see this creative team do the same for a lot of Invincible’s supporting players. Do I hear “Invincible Presents Allen the Alien?”
I actually have not read Northlanders #4 yet. I’m quite sure I’ll like it when I get the chance. And Terry Moores Echo #1, I like the art, I like the general vibe, but there just wasn’t a whole lot “there” yet. I’ll keep reading for a bit, but I’m not as into it as I was RASL, or even Strangers in Paradise back in the early days.
08 Mar 2008 at 1:32 pm
QuoteTOP FIVE
1. Casanova
2. Scalped
3. Teen Titans Year One
4. Logan (B&W Edition)
5. Cable
Honourable Mentions: Justice League: The New Frontier Special, Invincible Presents Atom Eve, Nightwing, Young Liars, Pax Romana.
Another good week.
08 Mar 2008 at 3:55 pm
QuoteHmm . . .
Buffy - More for the farce following the big moment than the big moment itself (I can buy that it’s in character, but I would have preferred a bit more build-up than what we got last issue).
Dynamo Five - Pure superhero fun. Nothing in it really stands out from everything else–it’s just a perfect example of the baseline that every superbook should try to maintain.
Green Lantern - Geoff Johns continues to build the Green Lantern mythos–plus he is turning Sinestro into one of my favorite villains!
Powers - I was on the fence about naming this issue, but I decided that the clusterf**k that erupts in the nightclub (and the price that Walker appears to have to pay for it) was a good return to form for Bendis on a book that’s meandered lately.
Uncanny X-Men - I have the Claremont issue (Colossus vs. Juggernaut in the bar) that Bru is alluding to here, and I enjoyed the nod he made to X-Men history.
08 Mar 2008 at 7:33 pm
Quote1. Amazing Spiderman, Guggenheim/Larroca’s 3 issues. I dug both Blade and his run on the Flash and from what I read the writing on this is up there too. The artwork’s nice, particularly Spidey in costume. This is what Spiderman should be like. Not down for the rest of BND, but glad to have these issues.
09 Mar 2008 at 12:28 am
Quote1. Buffy- Fun, especially post coital. I agree, though, unless he gets some guy on guy action, lesbian turns will become his “Thing.” Like people kicked in the nads for Garth Ennis. Or “Hi” and “Hi yourself” for Chris Claremont (just had this realization).
2. New Frontier Special: Fun. Was the Rip Hunter thing Contractual Obligation? Or poking fun at the continuity thing? Or both?
3. Essentials: Iron Fist- I am digging this for some retro-fun. It isn’t nearly as good as the current Bru/Fraction run (what is?) but it has its moments. It is REALLY formulaic and old-school 70’s Marvel. Every battle he wins with the phrase “like unto a thing of iron” and it gets oldish. Claremont is getting better with his part of the run. where he turns that phrase on its head for the first time and doesn’t win with it. I hope it continues to get better. I have Essentials PM and IF on order. Hopefully will be more fun.
4. Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Sequel, please? What a great game. Still better than the last dozen x-overs in Marvel (that take place on earth, anyway). Eee…looking at Activision website reveals one is in the work. Sweet. If it is Annihilation, I might pass out.
5. Old Gary Gygax modules. Call me a geek but I am old one and remember when these games first came out. Ugh. Fun stuff.
09 Mar 2008 at 10:35 am
Quote1. Buffy- Fun, especially post coital. I agree, though, unless he gets some guy on guy action, lesbian turns will become his “Thing.” Like people kicked in the nads for Garth Ennis. Or “Hi” and “Hi yourself” for Chris Claremont (just had this realization).
As someone who isn’t really into Whedon’s work, I have a question for someone who is: Has he ever had a gay or bisexual male character of consequence in any of his work? I don’t follow his various series but even I’m aware of his tendencies for the girl/girl stuff. It seems a bit hypocritical and craven considering Whedon’s (alleged) sexual orientation.
09 Mar 2008 at 1:00 pm
Quote1. omega the unkown
2 the 12
3 northlanders
4 franklin Richards collected
5 jonah hex
Logan was perfectly but I wont be back without spoliers their bringing Wolverine into some real world history that i’d rather not see.
Cable Not bad not much good ether
09 Mar 2008 at 4:01 pm
QuoteIs that a thing? I’d never heard that.
I mean, being gay for space cowboys isn’t being gay. We’re all gay for space cowboys.
09 Mar 2008 at 10:48 pm
QuoteIt’s just like you’re not gay if you watch the Ice Capades.
You’re gay if you’re like…”Hey, Be quiet!!!!! I’m trying to watch the Ice Capades.”
Watching skaters like Brian Boitano do their routines on ice is always good for some $hits and giggles.
10 Mar 2008 at 1:39 am
Quoteonly on superfriends
10 Mar 2008 at 11:25 am
QuoteI was surprised to find I didn’t hate the first Gale Spidey-issue more than I thought I would. And I would read anything the “Atom Eve” folks did. I already loved their “Hector Plasm” and “Tales From the Bully Pulpit.”
10 Mar 2008 at 12:00 pm
QuoteAm I dense, or did I somehow miss something about Joss Whedon’s (alleged) sexual orientation? For some reason, I thought he was married or in a happily monogamous relationship.
Also, I am thrilled that Karl Moline (”Fray,” “Losers”) will be doing some art on the Buffy book. Not a fan of the current art team at all. The characters don’t even look the same from panel to panel, and it took some dialogue for me to even know that was Buffy in bed with the other girl.
10 Mar 2008 at 12:04 pm
QuoteI am conflicted about the Buffy thing. Whedon said in interviews that “Buffy” has always explored all these issues of youth, and homosexual experiments are included. My issue with that is that “Buffy” the show does explore these issues, but does Buffy the character have to be the one to explore them?
My concern is that to meat heads, it reinforces the sexist, “women are all two drinks away from a lesbian encounter.” Not that alcohol was involved.. and why should I care about the opinion of meat heads?
But Whedon believes in the spectrum of sexuality. And I think I do too. I haven’t done any research, but I saw “Kinsey” dammit. And if it is a spectrum, then the “two drinks away” thing might have merit.. but it’s not used in an enlightened way.. ever.
Conflicted. That’s what I am. But I had a huge smile as the people started piling into the bedroom.
I hadn’t head that Moline was going to be on the series. I think that’s great. I like his work.. I wish “Route 666″ would have finished. Anyway, I like Jeanty’s art on “Buffy”. I especially like the moments when the figures are small in a panel and get the smiley faces for features. I think it’s cute.
Also, I read all of the Brubaker penned “Captain America” trades yesterday (up through the Civil War stuff). And I’m glad I finally took the Panteon’s advice and started reading this story. I just hope he can be left alone to tell his story.
10 Mar 2008 at 2:45 pm
QuoteWhedon’s becoming the Judd Winick of lesbians. Or is Judd Winick already the Judd Winick of lesbians?
I don’t recall Whedon having an explicitly gay/bi male character. There have been some secondary characters that act in a somewhat stereotypically gay manner, but I don’t think they’ve actually come right out and said they were gay.
10 Mar 2008 at 3:51 pm
QuoteActually, there was one very fun and not stereotypical gay male “coming out of the closet” episode in the Buffy TV show. No bi stuff or guy on guy stuff but it was fun. It was early, like in 2 or 3 I think. Xander thinks someone is a…I can’t remember…mutant? And tells the guy, “I know what you are” and basically the guy thinks he realizes he is gay and it was fun as hijinks ensue. That is about it, though. Now girls, though. Uh huh. To be fair, in his shows he had actual relationships that lasted for more than a season and took it seriously. The comics, on the other hand, seem like fair game for the titilating lesbian bit.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
10 Mar 2008 at 9:34 pm
QuotePersonally, I don’t think this is Whedon making a statement on anything. I think this is a healthy, horny young woman who has been alone for a while now surrounded entirely by women (excepting Giles- yuck- and Xander - double yuck) needing to get laid and open-minded enough to consider all the options. It isn’t exactly unheard of, and it isn’t like he had her holding a sign that said AM LESBIAN NOW K THX. I suspect it’s more like prison sex (without the rape connotation)- it’s not a gay thing, it’s a what do you have access to thing.
11 Mar 2008 at 4:05 am
Quote“Buffy, it’s like prison sex without the rape.” - Dan Grendell.
11 Mar 2008 at 6:20 am
QuoteMy five:
1. Justice League: The New Frontier
2. Pax Romana
3. The Twelve
4. Logan
5. Green Lantern
Really surprised to see I’m the first to mention Pax Romana here this week - either people aren’t liking it or they’re not reading it, which is a shame either way.
EDIT: Just noticed Dexter mentioned it, but my comment still sort of stands!
11 Mar 2008 at 7:01 am
QuoteLast night I blew 2 hours catching up on RSS feeds from CBR and Newsarama and then I realized it was a total waste of time. So I am totally reducing my list of stuff I’m following. Comic Pants is staying on my list. Wh00t!
Matt, I have great confidence that Pax Romana will be collected. I can’t imagine Nightly News sold for poo, and it got collected. So that’s why I’m not reading Pax Romana. I am very excited for Hickman work.
Speaking of collections.. is “Logan” composed of oversized issues? I would like to read that, but I wonder if they’d collect a 66 page story. I should just buy the singles for a friend and read them before I pass them.. he doesn’t mind.
11 Mar 2008 at 7:45 am
QuoteI guess we’re the only ones here who have taste.
That is my new signature. Thank you, Tim.
————————————————————————————————
“Buffy, it’s like prison sex without the rape.” - Dan Grendell.
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11 Mar 2008 at 11:12 am
QuoteDidn’t you read the Spider-Man podcast comments sections? It’s $%!#$ and &!&&?€$ not $hits and giggles
As for Buffy #12, just read it and to be honest, I really don’t see what the fuss is about. She needed a bit of passion in her life and she got it from a woman. The end. What surprised me about it was that it was written by the screen writer of Cloverfield, which, while a really entertaining joyride of a movie, wasn’t exactly strong on characterisation or subtlety.
11 Mar 2008 at 3:10 pm
Quoteall right can anyone explain why Cable got such good reviews?
11 Mar 2008 at 3:23 pm
QuoteAw hell yeah. I love both of those as well, although “Bully Pulpit” in particular holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of those books almost anyone would love, but nobody knows about. I mean, time-traveling Teddy Roosevelt and Edison vs. Hitler and Martians? C’mon, how can you not love that?
While I like Dan’s “it’s like prison sex without the rape” line… this is my favorite line from this thread.
Probably because, against all odds given the last few Cable series, it was good?
11 Mar 2008 at 4:22 pm
QuoteAw hell yeah. I love both of those as well, although “Bully Pulpit” in particular holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of those books almost anyone would love, but nobody knows about. I mean, time-traveling Teddy Roosevelt and Edison vs. Hitler and Martians? C’mon, how can you not love that?
That sounds great — but does it have lesbians?
————————————————————————————————
“Buffy, it’s like prison sex without the rape.” - Dan Grendell.
————————————————————————————————
11 Mar 2008 at 5:31 pm
Quoteno as I see it was not good or bad It was cable doing standard isuse hardboiled monoluge. by no means bad but not as good as CABLE/DEADPOOL last time I read it.
I somtimes think of such tough guy speak as the baseline Marvel writting
11 Mar 2008 at 5:44 pm
QuoteWell, no… but there is a bevy of hot, blue-skinned martian girls who help Roosevelt out. Close enough?
11 Mar 2008 at 7:31 pm
QuoteFor my own part, I thought it was a fun Lone Wolf & Cub pastiche given a futuristic spin. I doubt it’d usually make a Top Five for me, but in a lighter week (or maybe just a week where I didn’t read a lot of stuff - can’t remember which) it made the grade.
11 Mar 2008 at 7:33 pm
QuoteAw hell yeah. I love both of those as well, although “Bully Pulpit” in particular holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of those books almost anyone would love, but nobody knows about. I mean, time-traveling Teddy Roosevelt and Edison vs. Hitler and Martians? C’mon, how can you not love that?
That sounds great — but does it have lesbians
Well, no… but there is a bevy of hot, blue-skinned martian girls who help Roosevelt out. Close enough?
Sold!
————————————————————————————————
“Buffy, it’s like prison sex without the rape.” - Dan Grendell.
————————————————————————————————
11 Mar 2008 at 8:46 pm
QuoteI can kind see the lone wolf cub angle but I liked Cable as a powerfull telekentic from 5000 years in the future who made great weapons in a timeline that was mostly sand. That guy is powerful
11 Mar 2008 at 9:10 pm
QuoteI must confess I check other comic websites/blogs. A different one pointed out a great free online comic that makes my top pick for the last week or two.
1. BodyWorld
It’s done by Dash Shaw and a new chapter is posted at his website every Tuesday; so you’ll have to go to the archives and start at the beginning at the prelude. I usually hate writing posts like this because it feels like I’m doing free advertising and I’m always hesitant to add a reflection to our postmodern world (”what do you get when a mirror looks into a mirror?”).
Well, I haven’t read anything else like it and I like the style of humor Dash incorporates into the story, so I’m encouraged to venture out of the standard comic book world and check out other works either by Dash or by similar creators.
Time for me to make like a fetus and head out. I gotta go season some broth.
11 Mar 2008 at 11:39 pm
QuoteSee, I think that’s why I liked the new series. I *hated* uber-powerful Cable. I liked him as a soldier, a dude with guns who was maybe a little erratic and a little dangerous. You start adding massively powerful telekinesis and telepathy, a divine destiny to do something different every time he had one and time travel across centuries and millennia and you overcomplicate what should be a simple, solid premise.
12 Mar 2008 at 12:15 am
QuoteNothing wrong with reading other sites. I read at least 8 daily besides ours, and get RSS feeds from several others. There’s plenty of entertainment and info out there, a variety of opinions is best, and you never know who might have a great idea. Far be it from me to suggest that we are the final stop for comics thought on the web.
12 Mar 2008 at 12:46 am
QuoteTraitor.
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“Buffy, it’s like prison sex without the rape.” - Dan Grendell.
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12 Mar 2008 at 8:22 am
QuoteI’ve read a bunch of Dash Shaw’s stuff. He’s one of the best creators out there — nothing really like him. His stuff strangely seems so simple that anyone could do it, yet at the same time so complex that Alan Moore couldn’t even do it.
12 Mar 2008 at 11:40 am
Quotean understandable take on the character but I don’t like it. ANOTHER badass Bar room brawler means nothing in a comic with WOLVERINE, SABERTOOTH,whoover. you have to make Cable the thrid in prof, Magneto, Cable
12 Mar 2008 at 1:07 pm
QuoteNot sure if you any of you bought the 24:Cold Warriors one shot last week but I did and it was really good. Probably the best comic of 24 IDW has put out. Good solid action with Jack and Chloe traveling up to Alaska on a mission with even revealed something I did not know about before regarding Jack’s service with Delta Force and his connection with Bill Buchanan. Even with the $7.50 price for the issue it was still well worth it to get my 24 fix. Had they had just done a two issue mini it would have been $8 dollars for both issue so a good deal in my eyes.
12 Mar 2008 at 3:07 pm
QuotePax Romana
Justice League The New Frontier Special
Logan
Cassanova
Powers
13 Mar 2008 at 4:25 pm
QuoteBob, what other dash shaw works have you read. Bodyworld was my first one. Then I looked up his other books but they seem kind of soap operay, for example, the Mother’s Mouth. Maybe I’m wrong. But I’m going to try to track down Goddess Head and maybe kick down for the Bottomless Belly Button when it comes out.
Bodyworld is only up to chapter 3 so maybe I don’t really have a firm sense of what his work is like.
14 Mar 2008 at 1:47 am
Quote