Northlanders #42

Cover by Massimo Carnevale

Northlanders #42 (July 13, 2011)

Writer: Brian Wood

Penciller: Paul Azaceta

Colorist: Dave McCraig

Letterer: Travis Lanham

I picked up Northlanders #42 mostly because it was part one of The Icelandic Trilogy and if I love anything, it’s part ones.

Also, I’ve become increasingly interested in non-superhero comics (though my first tentative forays into graphic novels were non-superhero actually) and, as a huge history buff, I was curious to see how a period of time that I know next to nothing about would be portrayed in a comic.

 

Batman: Detective Comics #879

Cover by Francesco Francavilla

Batman: Detective Comics #879 (July 13, 2011)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Frencesco Francavilla

Colorist: Francesco Francavilla

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

I knew I shouldn’t pick up this random issue without having any of the others. But my profound love for Scott Snyder’s work colored my reason. And now I have to run out and pick up the rest of his run on Detective Comics. Let me just add that to my growing to-read list.

Anyway, Snyder does not disappoint: he wrote an eerie, compelling and dark story that was fully articulated. Standing alone, this comic book had a very strong narrative with plenty of suspense and dynamic characters.

Red Skull: Incarnate #5

Cover by David Aja

Red Skull: Incarnate #5 (November 30, 2011)

Writer: Greg Pak

Penciller: Mirko Colak

Colorist: Matthew Wilson

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Finally!

Six months after I first picked up Red Skull #1, I have finally read the last of the Red Skull: Incarnate series, one of my absolute favorite comic runs in the last year.

Pak delivered an engrossing and very realistic-feeling origin story for Red Skull, a character that I originally thought of as rather over-the-top. Pak’s characterization of Johann Schmidt as dynamic but ultimately having extreme antisocial personality disorder made the character seem fresh and also engaging. While I didn’t like Schmidt as a character (which I doubt Pak wanted from the reader anyway), I cared about what he did and what happened to him because I knew that he would carry every experience towards his darker end as Red Skull.

Huntress #2

Cover by Guillem March, Tomeu Morey

Huntress #2 (November 9, 2011)

Writer: Paul Levitz

Penciller: Marcus To

Inker: John Dell

Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse

Letterer: Sal Cipriano

It is my profound opinion that Huntress is one of the most undeservedly underrated characters in the DC Universe. She’s also one of the most real characters to me: very dynamic, strong-willed, resilient, flawed and self-assured.

I love her, okay?

So I’ll read basically anything featuring her, especially the comics in which she stars, though those are few and far between. While I enjoy her appearances in Birds of Prey, I sometimes just want her to be the main character.

Huntress #2 gave me that chance and luckily, I wasn’t terribly disappointed.

Animal Man#1

Cover by Travel Foreman, Lovern Kindzierski

Animal Man#1 (September 7, 2011)

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Penciller: Travel Foreman

Inker: Travel Foreman, Dan Green

Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

I’ve been told to read the New 52 re-launch of Animal Man for quite a while now. Apparently since I love Snyder’s Swamp Thing so much, I will also love this as they are loosely connected.

After reading Animal Man #1, I have to say that this assessment is correct so far.

Overall, I have been lukewarm about DC’s New 52 but at the same time, I have to admit that Swamp Thing and Animal Man are two of the smartest, most sophisticated comics out there currently. Like Snyder’s Swamp Thing, Lemire’s Animal Man isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of super powers, horror and legitimate family tension. 

Deadpool #49.1

Deadpool #49.1 (January 25, 2012)

Writer: Daniel Way

Penciller: John McCrea

Colorist: Veronica Gandini

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover by Ryan Stegman, Michael Babinski, Marte Gracia