Weekly Forecast: July 18th, 2007
By Christopher Hoerdemann
I have a couple words that I feel need to be said. When I started this site, I wanted to be like Newsarama, CBR, and IGN. It's taken many months, but I finally realized that that goal would be nearly impossible to reach. I am one person, juggling school, and all kinds of other things. These other sites are run by people whose job it is to keep the site updated. Now, I'm not whining. I'm merely trying to make a point. I have not the resources to beat those guys at their own game. That means changes are coming. The goal of this site has now changed from providing you with news and previews. I'm not completely stopping that, but I am cutting back on it quite a bit. Instead of those things, I am going to focus more on op/ed articles, interviews, and having a more unique flavor. I have some new ideas up my sleeve, so get ready for a new Comics Corner at Pipeline RnD.
Like I mentioned, I'm not going to be doing a lot of full previews. However, what I am going to do is give a forecast each week, which will detail my thoughts on the comic books that are coming out. So, welcome to the first forecast!
The Scorecard
What a week it has been! I’ve seen Die Hard and Harry Potter, read the newest issue of Green Lantern, and got my ingrown toe nail fixed (they said I’d only feel “pressure, no pain”...........that’s a crock of crap). So the score for last week goes a little something like this................
• Seeing Die Hard, which was awesome! + 10 points
• Seeing Harry Potter, which was terrible! – 10 points
• Reading Green Lantern #21 which was cooltastic (copyrighted!)! +5 points
• Getting a portion of my toe nail ripped out of my toe, which wasn’t quite cooltastic! –5 points
Well, in terms of awesome geeky stuff I got to do this week (somehow, getting my toe nail annihilated fits under the “geeky” category), it seems like it was a complete wash. I might as well have just stayed in bed and done nothing.
Wolverine Hate?
On a different note, I’d like to talk a little bit about Wolverine, and more specifically the latest arc of the Wolverine solo series. The last issue of the arc comes out pretty soon, so I guess it makes sense to give my thoughts on a story line that has gotten some strange reviews. Overall, it has been quite good in my opinion. Yeah there was some repetition and some not so great parts, but hey, you have to know what to expect. This was supposed to be the arc where the Wolverine/Sabretooth rivalry is solved. Well, from the hype that is bubbling around the last issue, I think we are going to get just that (supposedly, Sabretooth is taking a dirt nap). Jeph Loeb’s writing relies a bit too much on cliches throughout, but when you really think about it, Logan is basically a character that is built with layers upon layers of cliches. Yeah, some of the time it becomes a bit too crazy, but I find myself deciding to cut Loeb some slack. Now, the best part of this story is Simone Bianchi, who provides the art. His work is fluid, realistic, and very unique. Without Bianchi, I wouldn’t be quite as forgiving about the writing. My little diatribe there was prompted after I read an interview that Newsarama did with Simone Bianchi, and after seeing the response it was getting by the internet nerds. The responses to the interview mostly revolved around how Bianchi was spectacular, but Loeb was dragging the ship down. I’m not sure what these guys were looking for! In the arc, Wolverine fights people, crap explodes, Black Panther and Storm guest star, and the characters go back to Weapon X! Who cares if the writing isn’t absolutely perfect? It’s a fun wolverine story with some top notch art. Nuff’ said.
The Image "Seven" Reunite?!?!?
Another very interesting topic I’d like to discuss revolves around the Image press release that landed in my inbox a couple days ago. It announced that the original seven Image founders would be participating in a panel together at the San Diego Comic Con. Now, I just as much as anyone want that panel to turn into a soap opera, but unfortunately, I doubt it will. Here’s my question though: what are these guys going to talk about? There’s plenty of bad blood to go around, so I’m finding it hard to understand what topics they could possibly broach that would be both interesting and wouldn't end up starting a fight. It seems like this panel will be all flash, and no substance.........kind of like Image comics from the 1990’s!
Previewing the Week
Let’s move on to my recommendations and thoughts on this weeks comics........
52 VOL 2 TP $19.99
• For those of ya that are a bit slow, pick this up and the first volume if you haven’t already. If you’re reading Countdown, and are disappointed with it, then check this out to see how a real weekly comic is done.
ALL FLASH #1 $2.99
• Flash fans new and old, this is your jumping on point! Mark Waid is back, and hopefully for the long run (that pun was very intended, if you were wondering).
AMAZONS ATTACK #4 (OF 6) $2.99
• This project was hyped quite a bit, so something might actually occur in it that’s interesting. Pick it up as a precaution! Plus, Pete Woods’s art is good when he’s not rushed.
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #5 $2.99
• A fun little comic that is good without having huge ramifications on the rest of the DC Universe (as of yet, this book of destiny thing might pop up elsewhere). Oh, and comic book legend George Perez is drawing it.
COUNTDOWN 41 $2.99
• Yep, counting down to the time when I finally drop the book (unless it picks up the pace). This series is making me appreciate 52 more and more.
GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS SPECIAL 2ND PTG #1 $4.99
• BUY THIS! Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver team up to tell the prologue to the story that might actually break the Internet in half.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #11 $2.99
• Now that we’re done with the Lightning Saga, hopefully we get some good one and done stories before Dwayne McDuffie takes over writing chores from Brad Meltzer at issue #13.
MELTDOWN TP $15.99
• This one got some buzz when it came out monthly, so I’m very tempted to give it a look.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #4 WWH $2.99
• The first three issues of this series were solid, and with this one tying in to World War Hulk, the action should be kicked up a notch.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #28 CWI $2.99
• When this title went on hiatus during the Fallen Son mini series, we went without an issue for quite awhile. Now they’re catching up, and shipping an issue every two weeks! This issue will continue to tell the story of how Bucky plans to kill Tony Stark............Yeah, if you aren’t buying this, there’s something wrong.
GHOST RIDER #13 WWH $2.99
• In order to make up for the last issue where Hulk appeared in one panel and the comic was branded as a WWH tie in, the Hulk better appear in every single stinkin’ panel in this issue!
GIANT SIZED MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #1 $3.99
• Jeff Parker + Avengers = me being four dollars poorer. Seriously, if you’re burnt out on events and what not, give this title a shot. It’s the Avengers fighting bad guys because that's what they do, what’s not to love!
THE ORDER #1 CWI $2.99
• The comic formerly known as the Champions finally debuts! Matt Fraction has earned my trust as one of the writers on Iron Fist, and Barry Kitson is Barry Kitson. This just might be the best title to srping out of Civil War.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #111 $2.99
• Mark Bagley passes the torch to artist Stuart Immonen, and a new era begins on this title. It would be a mistake to miss it.
WOLVERINE ORIGINS ANNUAL #1 $3.99
• This annual drawn by the uber talented Kaare Andrews (of Spider-Man: Reign fame) looks to be a must have. This might be overlooked by a lot of people initially, and the print run might be lower, so snatch one up before prices soar.
WORLD WAR HULK #2 (OF 5) WWH $3.99
• Do I really have to tell you why you should buy this?
WORLD WAR HULK FRONT LINE #2 (OF 6) WWH $2.99
• If there was one essential tie in series to WWH, this is it.
WORLD WAR HULK X-MEN #2 (OF 3) $2.99
• X-Men and the Hulk throwing down.......yum.
Pick of the Week!
• The Order #1 Yeah, even though we get some World War Hulk and some Cap action this week, I have a really good feeling about this. Matt Fraction is the next Brubaker or Bendis, and this might be his “Captain America” or “New Avengers.”
Cover of the Week
• Avengers Initiative #4
