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 1001 Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad #0, Hulk Vs Hercules When Titans Collide and Don Pendleton’s The Executioner #1.

Dave Farabee Read and Thought:

Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Artists: Various
Company: Marvel Comics

There’s a short 60s reprint story that follows the new story in this special, and I was struck by a line from Stan Lee’s intro exposition: “You know our motto, Tiger — if we have to be dull, at least we’re brief!” It’s a sentiment that could’ve served the main story from Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente. The story fits right into the current Incredible Herc arc, with Athena traveling alongside Hercules and Amadeus Cho, but unfortunately kicks off with a rather longwinded mythic flashback courtesy Athena, with even Cho commenting on its meandering nature. The flashback’s got some cool ideas and leads up to some fun continuity nods (remember the Hulk “Crossroads” stories from the 80s? Or “Unlimited Class Wrestling”?)…it’s just a little longwinded. How’s the action, you ask? Solid. The two big guys tussle, as promised, though there are several very cool moments the book’s wildly varied art ensemble doesn’t quite deliver on. It’s also worth noting that the fight’s far from an iconic throwdown, being more in service to furthering Incredible Herc storylines. In fact, there’s no good reason this shouldn’t have been a regular issue of Incredible Herc. Certainly Herc readers will want to pick it up.

Dan Grendell Read and Thought:

Don Pendleton’s The Executioner #1
Writer: Doug Wojtowicz
Artist: SL Gallant
Company: IDW Publishing

The character of Mack Bolan, the Executioner, has been around for decades; since 1969, to be exact. He’s been the star of over 600 novels. Marvel’s Punisher also seems to be at least inspired heavily by Bolan, although I can’t find any direct quotations that admit this is the case. Regardless, such a popular character would seem obvious for his own comic, and this issue is a good example of exactly why the Executioner is so beloved. Several crime bosses have gathered to talk about the problems he is causing them, and they fill the reader in on his backstory. Meanwhile, Bolan is invading and destroying a drug warehouse, downloading information from the computer there. He uses the strategies and tactics of both a soldier and a spy, and Wojtowicz (also a writer of the Executioner novels) does a good job of making you accept that Bolan could actually accomplish his mission. He walks the fine line of being invincible like Golgo 13 and believable like Modesty Blaise, at times stepping slightly over that line, but generally keeping things realistic. Gallant’s art does a lot to keep things realistic as well, delivering action without going over the top. I’m impressed, and I’ll be checking the next few issues of this out.

Randy Lander Read and Thought:

1001 Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad #0
Writers: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco & Dan Wickline
Artist: Gus Vasquez
Company: Zenescope Entertainment

There’s not a ton of story in this 99 cent preview issue, but considering that there’s a preview of the first issue as well (with stronger art), it’s not a bad price. The take here seems to be to cast Sinbad as your average rogue-ish adventurer, which makes him a bit on the predictable side of the swashbuckler genre, but honestly, seafaring, swashbuckling adventure with magical elements is not really an over-used genre in comics these days, so over-familiarity isn’t that much of a problem. Dull dialogue and weak art and character designs are larger problems, and the original story in this issue doesn’t really offer up anything to spark interest. It’s inoffensive, but not particularly intriguing. However, the preview of the first issue has stronger artwork and a more promising set of interactions between the characters, even in the scant four pages offered herein, and so I’d say that if you’re in the market for swashbuckling adventure in the Arabian Nights vein, it might be worth a look. But I’d probably skip the forgettable zero issue.