Buy These Flippin’ Comics!!! (1.10.14) Bang Bang – My Baby Shot Me Down

I blame myself for ignoring the Starks.  “Winter is coming! Winter is coming!” they kept saying.  And not even with aplomb.  Always some somber ass portending with them.  Well, they were right.  The 2014 Polar Vortex (I prefer Meat Tornados, personally) dropped right square on my section of the country, and I was a fool for ignoring poor, dead Ned (SPOILER ALERT).  I’ve been digging my way out of my house ever since, and have only recently regained feeling in the extremities.  So I’m just now able to bang out this column for you guys, the first BTFC of 2014!  We got a few pretty cool books to check out (if you haven’t already), so hit the jump and let’s discuss, shall we?  Perhaps over a warm fire, with some cocoa and whatnot, yes?

As a reminder, all this week’s new releases can be found here.

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Black Widow #1 – Marvel Comics

Won’t lie, I’m a huge Phil Noto-nut, and I’m super excited that he’s bringing his art to a regular monthly book.  Sometimes great cover artists don’t make the best interior artists (and, of course, vice versa), but I know that Noto has such a cinematic eye, and his storytelling skills are top-notch.  Reading issue one was like watching a Steven Soderbergh film – very stylized visuals, a sheen of “cool“ sparkling over every page.  Nathan Edmondson is the writer, and he’s giving the book a whole “spin-off” vibe, complete with Natasha’s own set of non-Avenger supporting characters.  Nice to see Marvel attempting to flesh out Black Widow, as she’s been pretty one note in the Avengers titles and movies lately.  Check this book out, fo sho!

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Avengers World #1 – Marvel Comics

Jonathan Hickman continues turning the Avengers into the Marvel Global Frequency by recruiting more Avengers.  Pretty sure even Aunt May has her Avengers card by now.  But not that hacker chick Skye from Agents of SHIELD.  I wouldn’t give her a Starbucks card.  She’d get my digits tho.  Not that she’d do anything with them.  Where was I?

More Avengers.  Yaaaay!  (That’s what I picture Cap is yelling on the cover up there.  “Yaaaaaay!”)

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Batman Black & White #5 (of 6) – DC Comics

Want some great Batman stories, but don’t want to be bogged down by the continuity of a regular series?  Look no further!  I’ve said it here many a time – this is the best Batman book out there.  DC is allowing all kinds of fun exploration and experimentation with this book (and previous volumes thereof), and the writers and artists they get to team up really go all out to tell some amazing Bat-tales.

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Shaolin Cowboy #4 – Dark Horse Comics

A feast for the eyes!

I got nuthin’ else.  This series is pretty straightforward, and not really (read: at ALL) story-driven.  You buy this book, you’re buyin’ to look at pretty Geof Darrow pictures.  And lordy, are they gorgeous.  A direct descendent of Moebius, Darrow’s visuals can be pored over for hours and still find new details.

But again, if you’re expecting a story, look elsewhere.

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Cataclysm Ultimate Spider-Man #3 – Marvel Comics

Should he stay, or should he go?  Today is the day we find out if we finally get to put one in the W column for Galactus, and if my current favorite Spider-Man, Miles Morales, makes a new home in the 616.  I’m hoping NO on both accounts – Bendis kinda railed against the wanton destruction found in “Man of Steel,” and I hope he sees the irony of having Galactus treat the UMU like a Denny’s Grand Slam.  I’m gonna withhold judgment until I read, tho, and my hopes are that Bendis finds a nice compromise to the truly dire situation.

Maybe if he switched Spidey-Ock (Ock-Spidey?) and Miles, and then cut the power?  I’d be okay with that.

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Sex Criminals #4 – Image Comics

This book is a commercial and critical darling.  Quickly building on word of mouth, this book about sex, love, and crime is an outrageous and truly original book.

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Complete Multiple Warheads TP – Image Comics

Though I’m not as enamored with this book as I am with Graham’s other books (like Prophet and King City), this book is still a treat for those in love with the world-building that Brandon Graham does.  Part sci-fi/fantasy, part slice-of-life romantic comedy, and chock full of puns (oh, god, allll the puns), Graham’s art finally gets the full color treatment as his two recurring characters Sexica and Nikoli go road-trippin across an alt-universe Russia.  Again, if you’re a Brandon Graham fan, track this book down.

NOTE:  This book also collects the XXX-rated early stuff of Graham’s with Sexica & Nikoli.  If you don’t want to see werewolf shlong, give this book a pass.  If you’re like me and are open to all manner of perversion, then enjoy!

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Quick Hits:

Young Avengers #15:  Becky Cloonan art, you guys!

X-Factor #1:  Another X-Factor reboot, this time with Gambit in charge of things.  Still Peter David, though, so I don’t know how “different” this book will feel.  David has been writing X-Factor off and on for over 20 years now, and you know he truly loves that corner of the X-verse.  NOTE:  Marvel, for chrissakes, get rid of that damned red band at the bottom of your books.  I get that it makes your books look distinctive, but it also turns some of your covers into shite.

Fatale #19 – One of the best duos of all time (Brubaker & Phillips) still crankin out this gem of a book.

And finally…

One of the greatest, and most awkward looking (thereby enhancing the greatness) covers comes out this week, attached to the fourth printing of Sex Criminals #1.  Great way to jump on to this book, if you haven’t yet.

That’s BTFC for this week!  Hit us up in the comments section and share your pull list.  We’d love to hear it.  Probably.  Ok, maybe.

Hotsauce out!