ArtisticallyChill

This week we’ve got this and a little extra somethin’ somethin’ from our trip to Keith’s Komix tonight. On top of what we had waiting for us, I added DEADPOOL TEAM-UP # 899 and Serena added SHERLOCK HOLMES VOL. 1 published by IDW. This hardcover novel features the earliest adventures of the legendary detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It features illustrations by Kelley Jones and all the short stores are presented in chronological order. Serena also picked up the SERENITY LITTLE DAMN HEROES painted JAYNE COBB maquette which Keith was nice enough to set aside for her when she saw it last week.

• ASTONISHING X-MEN # 32
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL # 36
• BUFFY SEASON 8 # 30
• DEADPOOL TEAM-UP # 899
• FATHOM # 9
• THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ # 1
• PROJECT SUPERPOWERS: CHAPTER 2 # 4
• SHERLOCK HOLMES VOL.1
• SKY PIRATES OF NEO TERRA # 2
• X-MEN ORIGINS: ICEMAN

PICK OF THE WEEK: ASTONISHING X-MEN # 32

COVER BY: Phil Jimenez
WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Phil Jimenez
INKS: Andy Lanning
COLORED BY: Frank D\’Armata
LETTERED BY: Chris Eliopoulos

THE STORY:
The X-Men have fought towering, mutant-slaying robot Sentinels before. But never one quite like this. Never a Sentinel made of meat and bone, wearing the skin of one of their own deceased teammates, every technological aspect given a biological solution. And as the X-Men fight for their lives, they’re left to wonder: What could this monstrosity have to do with THE BROOD?

Anything written by Warren Ellis is always worth the wait. Since taking over the writing duties with the last story arc, I have been eagerly waiting for what Warren Ellis has planned for The Astonishing X-men team. Paired with the very talented Phil Jimenez, Astonishing X-men continues to be my favorite X-Men title. And the fact that it’s the only X-Men title on my pull list (I dropped X-men Legacy and Uncanny X-men last month) is proof of that it is my favorite X-Men title and it is also why Warren Ellis is a literary god among men.

SERENA’S PICK OF THE WEEK: THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ # 1

COVER BY: SKOTTIE YOUNG
WRITER: Eric Shanower
PENCILS: SKOTTIE YOUNG
INKS: Skott Young
COLORED BY: Skott Young
LETTERED BY: Jeff Eckleberry

THE STORY:
The epic continues! Fresh off their landmark run on THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF OZ, superstars ERIC SHANOWER (Age of Bronze) and SKOTTIE YOUNG (X-MEN) return with L. Frank Baum’s MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ. Join new characters Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead as they’re whisked to Oz, and meet foes and friends! You’ve NEVER seen L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece like this before…

We both enjoyed THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ so it’s no surprise that Serena picked THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ out of the stack to admire the cover and flip through the book before we even checked out. Both Skottie Young and Eric Shanower have done an outstanding job showing us an OZ like we’ve never seen before.

RECENTLY ADDED TO THE LIST: DEADPOOL TEAM-UP

On a side note, I picked up DEADPOOL TEAM-UP # 899. For some reason I thought last month’s # 900 was part of the regular series and it was just making fun of all the comics that are in the hundreds. But then Keith pointed out that # 900 was the first issue of a whole new DEADPOOL series. Then he pointed out something that didn’t dawn on me – DEADPOOL is the new WOLVERINE. Think about it. Ever since Ryan Reynolds poorly portrayed Deadpool in that shitty Wolverine movie, and after a Deadpool movie was announced, Deadpool has had two new series added to it’s belt, MERC WITH A MOUTH, and just recently, DEADPOOL TEAM-UP. Looks like Marvel’s found another character to milk a few extra dollars from our wallets. So why did I still pick it up? Because Deadpool is an unpredictable and unconventional comic book character and it’s that quality that will make the stories interesting and make the readers want to read more. You don’t really need any continuity between all the Deadpool titles. Even Marvel doesn’t care to much as it makes fun of continuity by making DEADPOOL TEAM-UP’s numbering work backwards. The writers wouldn’t need to put in those little boxes to remind us what happened when because with Deadpool everything is in chaos. And a little chaos never hurts now and then.

~ LoneWolf

Another late post due to an oddly busy end of the week. Serena had to work all day this past Wednesday so we made our trip to the comic book store the following Thursday, on her birthday. After the pick up OF our pull as well as a little something extra for Serena’s birthday which Keith took 20% off the price as a present to her, we spent the rest of the day at the movie theater.

• ANGEL # 26
• ASTONISHING X-MEN # 31
• BATMAN AND ROBIN # 5
• BATMAN ANNUAL # 27
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL # 34
• BRUSH WITH PASSION: THE ART AND LIFE OF DAVE STEVENS
• BUFFY SEASON 8 # 29
• CABLE # 19
• DEADPOOL # 16
• ECHO # 15
• PETER AND MAX: A FABLES NOVEL

PICK OF THE WEEK: ASTONISHING X-MEN # 31

COVER BY: Phil Jimenez
WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Phil Jimenez
INKS: Andy Lanning
COLORED BY: Frank D\’Armata
LETTERED BY: Chris Eliopoulos

THE STORY:
Abigail Brand, director of S.W.O.R.D., has been in some sticky situations, and she isn’t the type who asks for help to get out of them. But when you’re careening towards Earth in the cockpit of a damaged spaceship after being attacked on an exploding asteroid 7.5 million miles from Earth…it’s time to call the X-Men. They might not have much of a plan, or much of a chance, but that’s certainly never stopped them before. Superstar artist Phil Jimenez joins writer Warren Ellis for the second arc of the mind-bending ongoing series!

THAT LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA FOR SERENA’S BIRTHDAY:
BRUSH WITH PASSION: THE ART AND LIFE OF DAVE STEVENS

Brush with Passion charts the career of Dave Stevens, one of the most beloved and influential of all comic illustrators. He discusses his beginnings as a comic artist, the struggle to bring The Rocketeer to the big screen, his work as a storyboard artist for Raiders of the Lost Ark and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, and other career highlights. Equally renowned as a pin-up artist, Stevens also recounts his friendship with reclusive model Bettie Page. Along with a wealth of iconic paintings and previously unpublished artwork, the book features commentary by comic book greats Todd Schorr, Richard Hescox, Michael William Kaluta, and William Stout.

Thanks again to Keith for being the coolest comic book store owner… ever.

~ LoneWolf