Geekscape Comics: Weekly Reads
Welcome to Weekly Reads! It’s your little dose of comic book goodness that focuses on some aspect of my comic book reading!
Oh boy, oh boy, a ton of books we are reading came out this week. Let’s jump into them!
Ongoing Reads
Black Panther #2 hit shelves, and I think I’m in a minority in thinking that this series is nothing special so far. Perhaps all the hype of Ta-Nehisi Coates penning it caused me to set some high expectations for the series that it just isn’t living up to for me. It seems the series is going to focus on a few characters; T’Challa of course, as well Shuri (his sister), Ayo (member of T’Challa’s royal guard) and probably a couple more. The problem in these first two issues is that the book jumps from setting to setting without giving us a chance to connect with the characters, after two issues I am invested in no one. I’m not jumping ship yet, but this is a tough book for me to recommend. Now, onto a book that I can’t recommend enough!
The Fix #2 is out and it picks up right where #1 left off. This series is just so damn entertaining. If you weren’t around when we discussed the first issue, the series is basically about two robbers who have a day job being cops, and you won’t believe the ways they use that to their advantage. The situations and character interactions that writer Nick Spencer has come up with are laugh-out-loud funny throughout the second issue. On the opposite side of the spectrum, he continues to build up how sadistic and unstable the series’ villain is shaping up to be. Guys. Gals. This is a must-read series!
I am so into this Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. It’s so damn good. I grew up with the show, so I’m probably a little biased but this book holds up in ways the show doesn’t anymore. Prasetya’s art is phenomenal. His panels are so clean and the characters borderline on being manga-like but not? His work with the mystical elements (Rita’s henchmen, the zords) is where he really shines. The only downside is this green ranger story is starting to drag. We aren’t getting a new villain issue to issue, and the action is starting to wane.
Archie continues to be phenomenal with its eighth issue. If you aren’t a fan of high school stories, maybe this won’t be up your alley, but you might be surprised. We are living in a world where if Mark Millar’s name is on a comic it is probably worth reading. Don’t worry if you haven’t read an Archie book before (I hadn’t) you can still connect with this book and these characters. Millar offers a little Archie history lesson at the end of every issue. I’m not sure if he actually loves the original source material or not, but damn he has me convinced that he does.
New Reads
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” When it comes to comics, I break this rule regularly and I did it again this week when I decided to check out House of Penance.
The book’s description reads:
“The Winchester House—famous for its original owner’s bizarre compulsion to incorporate a multitude of architectural curiosities. But as the bereaved Sarah Winchester’s workers toil on stairways to nothing and doors to nowhere, a mysterious stranger arrives… and he could make Sarah’s demons all too real.”
Basically, after two issues, it’s a whole lot of “WTF?” but in all the right ways. I think? I still don’t really know what’s going on other than it’s really, really, creepy and I’d really, really, like to find out.
I love the style of Bertram’s art, I had reservations about how it would work in a horror story but it’s great. This story isn’t on the same level as the first two arcs of Harrow County or what I’ve read of Outcast so far, but if you’re looking for horror comics this needs to be on your pull list.
Next Time
You guys want DC? I got DC! Future Quest #1
Then Civil War, Spider-Man, and Surfer!
