Panels of the Week- 10/26/11

The last week of October was packed full of entertaining panels. Whether you were looking for spectacular art or just a good chuckle, last week's books had plenty to offer. It wasn't easy to narrow it down, but here's what we think are the top 10 panels of the week.

10. FF #11

Explaining jokes is always comedy. Alex Power kinda looks like a palette swapped Striker.

9. Astonishing X-Men #43

I don't want to live in a world where robots aren't taught about twirly mustached men.

8. Justice League Dark #2

Thanks for reminding us why you're awesome, John. Mikel Janin's art looks great here.

7. Gladstone's School For World Conquerors #6

This entire issue was full of great single panels, but I think this was my favorite moment.

6.  New Mutants #32

The best answer is often the one that makes you want to sigh.

5. All-Star Western #2

I love these two together. I can hear this exchange in my head perfectly. Beautiful facial expressions from Moritat.

4. Daredevil #5

When I see panels like this I feel like hugging my comic. Such great art on this book.

3. Green Wake #6

It's incredibly simple, but it says so much. Riley Rossmo is amazing.

2. Journey into Mystery #630

I was already considering picking this book up, but now I'm completely sold. The panel after this one is great too.

1. The Flash #2

This issue blew me away, and this panel was a big part of that. There's so much going on here, but it never feels overly complicated. If you want to know why Francis Manapul is one of my favorite artists, just take a look at this.

By Marceline with No comments

Panels Of The Week - Week Of 9/28/11

This was another week of strong art for the new 52. My favorite moment of the week would have to be the origin splash page in The Flash #1, but there were plenty of great single panel moments too. From John Constantine getting the chance to appreciate London, to Geoff Johns challenging our preconceptions of Aquaman, here are our top 5 panels of the week!

5. Justice League Dark

In a book that was often dark and creepy, this panel was so much fun. I can't think of anything more perfect for Constantine to have been teleported into. Milligan's been writing Constantine for a long time now, and obviously he has a good handle on the character, but it was still great the way I heard the character's voice in my head as I read this.

4. Green Lantern: New Guardians

Most days of the week, Guy Gardner is my favorite Green Lantern, but Kyle "Manga Nut with a Power Ring" Rayner will always win in the constructs department. Even though a good chunk of the issue involved a recap of Kyle's origin and the various other lanterns of the universe, Kyle still got a few chances to show off what makes him great. The smile on his face is terrific.

3. All-Star Western

This panel summed up so much of what I loved about All-Star Western. The expressiveness and energy of Moritat's art, Gabriel Bautista's rich and atmospheric colors, and most of all, the Sherlock Holmes-esque vibe between Arkham and Hex. Clearly Arkham is the Watson in this equation, but I feel a little weird calling Hex Holmes. Still, you can't fault his detective work. If punching guys is good enough for Batman, it's good enough for Jonah Hex.

2. The Flash

Like I said in my Flash #1 review, little moments like this are why I love comics. Well executed onomatopoeia is always appreciated, but Francis Manapul's beautiful, intricate artwork really takes this to the next level. Water is something that's drawn badly a surprising amount of the time, so this splash looking perfect really highlights how great Manapul is.

1. Aquaman

I bet that Geoff Johns was giggling to himself when he scripted this one. The line is the sort of thing that might've appeared in a "stuff Aquaman would never say" thread not that long ago, and the image of him sitting at the booth in his full costume is a terrific one. I always appreciate superheroes wearing their costumes like they're the most normal things in the world. This was my favorite panel of the week, and I'm really looking forward to more moments like this as Aquaman continues.

By Marceline with 1 comment

Review: All-Star Western #1

For years, Jonah Hex has been one of DC's most consistently great titles. Frequent collaborators Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray proved a perfect fit for the title, and together, they churned out issue after excellent issue. Unfortunately, the quality of Jonah Hex never seemed to translate into sales. The people who did read Jonah Hex loved it, and purchased it loyally, but the book struggled to attract an audience beyond its small, devoted fanbase. It seemed as though western comics were a niche with limited appeal, and with early reports stating that All-Star Western was the most under-ordered of all the new 52 titles, it looked like the relaunch wouldn't be enough to change that.

Somehow, someway, Palmiotti and Gray must've stumbled on some magic, because with All-Star Western #1, they've turned out a comic that could be enjoyed by almost anyone. The new Gotham based setting may displease western purists, but the book's new direction- Jonah Hex meets Sherlock Holmes meets CSI. For a period story like this to interest a wide audience, it needs a hook, and the psychological profiling and focus on detective work that Dr. Amadeus Arkham brings to the title is a great one. His slightly antagonistic, but mutually beneficial relationship with Hex is buddy comedy gold, and the two characters play off each other beautifully. Arkham also does a great job of introducing Hex to new readers, narrating his often entertaining opinions of the character in the same manner that Watson was known to describe Holmes.

In many ways, Hex is a fish out of water in Gotham, and I love the way that the comic addresses that. Finding a reason for Hex to stay in Gotham won't be an easy task, but I'm confident that Palmiotti and Gray will come up with a convincing explanation. The book's setting will also allow them to the city's rich history, and I can't wait to see elements of what we saw in Gates of Gotham expanded on. The book's final page is downright chilling, and shows just how easily Gotham can get under your skin. Hex and Arkham are the perfect focal characters for period Gotham based tale. One will bring a little of the frontier back to Gotham, fighting tooth and nail against anything the city throws at him, while the other will want to stare deeper into the darkest parts of the city, and confront its madness head-on.

This week has been full of incredible art, and Moritat keeps that trend going. His opening splash page is absolutely stunning, and the level of detail he puts into even the most minor background characters is impressive. From the gorgeous backdrops of industrial Gotham to lively facial expressions and high energy bar room brawls, he goes above and beyond to deliver everything the writers ask of him. Gabriel Bautista's colors add so much atmosphere in every page. He uses a fairly drab, muted color scheme, and it'd be easy for that to look dull, but he adds just enough brightness to make every page look striking.

While I'm very much looking forward to the back-up tales that we'll see in the issues to come, I really appreciated the extra pages this story had. It was so wonderful paced, and I felt it offered readers a proper story even though the book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger. There are some nice, subtle winks at longtime DC readers, but the story remains incredibly accessible and feels like a true #1 issue. Palmiotti and Gray are always good, but this comic shows why, providing readers with a murder mystery with hints of From Hell, a character study of Jonah Hex, and some foreshadowing that I think will really pay off in issues to come. It's a great comic, and I hope that it gets the attention it deserves.

All-Star Western offers a full, satisfying reading experience that more than justifies its $3.99 price tag. Obviously, I recommend it to Jonah Hex fans, but I'd also like to ask readers who've never gotten into Hex or Westerns to give it a try. Hex still feels exactly like himself, but the new set-up for the comic has something to offer just about anyone, providing they're able to handle the book's more violent scenes. Whether you like mysteries, like Gotham, or just like a damn good story, All-Star Western is a comic worth reading.

By Marceline with 2 comments

All-Star Western Teaser Trailer

One of the many cool things about DC's upcoming comics are the trailers that are being created to promote them. Here's a look at All-Star Western, a comic from longtime Jonah Hex writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. Each issue will include a back-up tale and art from the very talented Moritat. Gray and Palmiotti are a consistently strong creative team, and this should be a solid book for anyone looking for a good western tale. All-Star Western comes out on September 28th!

By Marceline with No comments