Geekscape Comics: Weekly Reads

We are experimenting with a new format the next couple of weeks, let me know what you think!

👎 – Skip, read at your own risk
👌 – Okay, not great, not bad, you might find something to like here
💪 – Great, highly recommended

Be sure to check-out the end where I tell you why I think DC is in the position to win over a lot of life long Marvel fans, including myself.

MARVEL

👌 Amazing Spider-Man #14
It’s all Regent all the time. Setting up for Dead No More? I don’t think so. Reading it because it’s Spider-Man and that’s it.

👎 Uncanny X-Men #8
While initially I was enjoying it, Uncanny X-Men has became my least favourite of the X-Men books. The Apocalypse Wars arc has lacked focus and this book, despite it’s strong characters, offers little to the narrative.

👌 Civil War II – X-Men #1
Solid book, plants seeds of the X-Men’s involvement in Civil War II. Much like last week’s Civil War II – Spider-Man, a good read but not necessary if you’re just trying to keep up with Civil War II.

👎 International Iron Man #4
How they can slap a Civil War II logo on this book is beyond me right now. At least with Invincible Iron Man (discussed a few weeks ago) it was just a little behind Civil War II, this book I have no idea where it even fits into the narrative. I could be swayed but I have a hard time seeing how this isn’t anything but extra money in the bank for Bendis.

👎 Civil War II #2
I don’t know if I’m just frustrated with how many damn books Marvel has released under the Civil War II title and how little has went on but honestly, this has me so down on Marvel. We have to be more than a dozen books in and I could summarize in a single sentence what has happened so far. Marvel wants your money and in my opinion is doing little to deserve it.

DC

👌 Batman #1
Fun, emotionally impactful story of Batman doing the impossible. The ending left me curious as to where this series is heading.

💪 Green Arrow #1
Surprisingly, this was my favourite of DC’s #1’s this week. Solid writing, stand out art, and jaw-dropping ending.

👌 Green Lanterns #1
My least favourite of the current Rebirth titles. There are a lot of cool elements and nothing that I can point to that is glaringly wrong with the book, it just isn’t clicking for me.

👌 Superman #1
This book is all about Superman and his super-powered son. I really like the father/son dynamic at play here and can’t wait to see where it is taken.

💪 Titans – Rebirth #1
I loved this book. I wish I was more in tuned with the DC Universe because I think that knowledge and appreciation would put this title on a whole other level. I was so emotionally tied into everything that happened throughout this issue. Such great stuff! If you haven’t got into Rebirth yet, this is the book to do it.

Book Of The Week

Thought Bubble

Being a die hard Marvel fanboy all my life, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think by this fall, DC Comics is going to be my #1.

Right now, it feels like Marvel is taking their fan base for granted while DC is actively trying to please them. Anyone who loved Captain America: Civil War and goes to their local comic book store because Civil War II has peaked their interest is going to feel completely lost when they think they are expected to read nearly every title Marvel puts out each week to keep caught up with the event. There is no need for this, especially when none of the side books have done anything substantial to drive the story forward. Honestly, we have to be close to a dozen Civil War II related titles released and I can still summarize the story in a single sentence. Not to mention, after the dust settles on this arc, Marvel is going ahead with their own reboot or rebirth or whatever you’d like to call it, which further dwindles the value of the Civil War II run.

Historically, switching allegiances was a difficult thing to do, since if you want to read a certain character you are stuck with the company that owns it. However, Marvel has taken the spotlight off of their historically significant characters and started to shine the light on all-new versions of them. Sure, Marvel may own the characters I love, but I hardly see them nowadays, and when I do the character rarely resembles the one I grew up loving. There is a real opportunity to distance yourself from Marvel books and not miss out on anything.

While Marvel is in a slump, DC is delivering unbelievable value to fans. They aren’t doing anything fancy either; they are just trying to please comic book fans. Rebirth has been perfect in that it makes all the titles accessible to new readers, yet still offers bonuses to the publisher’s long-time fans by embracing the history of their properties (at least I think it does, I’m not in that camp). They price all their book and one low price, making them accessible to anyone. While DC is also introducing new iterations to their main characters, the changes feel much more complimentary than what Marvel is currently doing.

I don’t know the in’s and out’s of the comic book industry, I don’t know the numbers or even how much winning in comic books matters these days, maybe it doesn’t? I do know that comics mean a lot to me, and in my heart, for the first time in 26 years, DC has a chance to be #1.