Welcome to another Top of the Pile! Each month, members of the Comic Vine staff pick out their top five books for the past month and let you know what made them so darn good.
Tony's Picks
I can't get enough of Zero Year. With the way things are going right now, I would be totally fine if this series (or any series) continued the story from this period in Batman's life, provided Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo were on board. (I could maybe be persuaded otherwise if someone capable was behind it).
With each chapter, Snyder carves out another moment in Bruce's early days when he returned to Gotham. The amazing thing is, this isn't traditional "Batman action," yet I'm completely glued and fully captivated by each and every page.
That isn't to say there isn't any action contained. Not only do we see the Red Hood Gang make a big move against Bruce, we also see Edward Nigma take the next step in his plan plus a pretty dang memorable scene beautifully recreated and updated to fit into Batman's continuity nicely.
This has to be my favorite non-superhero-superhero book. Matt Fraction and Mike Allred make each issue ooze out the fun.
Have you ever tried to explain an issue to someone? "Yeah, the temporary team that's replacing the Fantastic Four while they're off on a vacation through time decide to travel back in time themselves to try to find the team in a time-traveling ship that belongs to Julius Caesar…" Of course things don't go according to plan.
While this series is hilarious, it's much more than a bunch of jokes. As always, there is a deep serious nature underneath it all. At one point in the issue the story addresses the topic of children dealing with a child's view on their self-worth.
Along with the story and art, Laura Allred's art brings it all to another level.
Just when I think Joe Harris and Chris Carter have delivered all the shocks they could in this series, which brings us back to the characters after the television series (and movies) ended, we get more thrusted in our faces.
I've said it before in a review (for the second issue, I think), each issue makes you think everything is about to come to a fiery conclusion. You can almost be happy the show ended because this is like we're being allowed to watch the show after it got an unlimited budget.
If you've been following the show, this is everything you could ask for. Each issue has contained surprised appearances that are likely knocking your socks off. If you haven't watched the show…the entire series is streaming on Netflix. Watch it and you'll find yourself devouring each issue of this series.
When I read the first issue, I knew I'd like this series. Aside from being from Valiant (who has a tremendous track record with all their comics) as well as James Asmus writing this (who always manages to crack me up in interviews or on the podcast), I had no idea I would like this series this much.
This is another example of how a comic book can be funny (and even hilarious at times) while not sacrificing the nature of what it's supposed to be. There may be a lot of jokes and funny moments but this isn't a parody book.
It's refreshing to to have another entertaining comic that doesn't have to sink to the "gritty" level we see too often.
There's a new powerhouse in the DC Universe and Superman just met him. The hard way. There are times when we discover there's been a secret or a character that has existed for years in a comic only we're just finding out about it now. It's a plot device that sometimes feels too forced. That isn't the case here. We got a glimpse of General Lane a couple times before in the New 52 but here he's ready for business. It makes perfect sense that he would be part of this secret that has existed.
It's not often we get to see a Superman face a foe that is on equal grounds with him. It may be that Superman has actually met his match. There's also some truly great Lois Lane scenes in this issue. How many times have we seen her in peril only to have Superman rush in to save the day. There's no sign of him here because he's busy dealing with other things. Scott Snyder writes her as the kickass character she ought to be.
And if you like cliffhangers, you don't just get on here. You get two.
Honorable Mentions: BATMAN/SUPERMAN #3, JUSTICE LEAGUE #23
Mat's Picks
If there was an award for "my favorite concept in a comic book" I would give that award to THE BUNKER. I really should get on making this award show. When it came to picking the "top" of the top of my pile, BUNKER was the one book I couldn't get out of my head. The idea that a group of friends, trying to bury a time capsule, finds a bunker with notes written to them, from the future, has me spinning.
Writer Joshua Fialkov has something special here. This book is a great mixture of quite a themes that many of us are used to by now like a post-apocalyptic dystopian future and elements of time travel. There's also some fantastic art on this from Joe Infurnari. This book has a distinct style, art and story-wise, that is reminiscent of a very grounded silver-age science and mystery comic. THE BUNKER is a book that has something for everyone.
This book is a prime example of why you should not only hop on the digital comics bandwagon, but also why you need to check out some of these indie digital books. There's top quality comic storytelling literally at your fingertips. THE BUNKER is incredibly captivating and you'll want to read it more than once.
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #2
One thing Marvel has always been very good at is creating very realistic characters with real-life problems the reader can relate to. Now, it's time for the villains to shine. This issue, and series, makes the reader really feel connected and bad for what these villains have to go through on a day-to-day basis, especially with Boomerang.
Boomrang's dialogue really carries this issue. The opening page with Punisher and Boomerang's dialogue is fantastic and gives the reader great insight into the character. Writer Nick Spencer turned an interesting idea into an amazing one by adding a lot of solid humor to the book. Artist Steve Lieber and Spencer mesh incredibly well and Lieber's art is delightful to look at.
SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN is hands down my favorite on-going series right now that doesn't have "Ultimate" in the title.
Once again, we have another book on this list with a pretty "out-there" concept. Jackson, a master thief, is hired to "catch" a ghost, so he puts together a Ocean's Eleven type team to complete this task. They end up in the Trask Mansion, which has a gory history, and begin their investigation.
What I loved about this particular issue was that each character in this group got their own scene. We really get to know who these people are and what makes them a valuable asset to the team here. I like the fact that in the first issue, we dive right in, but here, in issue #2, writer Joshua Williamson slows it down a bit. We get a chance to see everyone, individually, in action and learn a bit more about the mansion itself. Everything about this book, especially Goran Sudzuka's art, is fantastic and it's one you need to have on your pull list.
Good golly, this book is ridiculous in the best way possible. This particular features one of my favorite scenes in the series in which Armstrong punches an alien through the face and gets very grossed out about it. Fred Van Lente's writing is incredibly humorous but he's great at putting together some very interesting stories.On top of that, Pere Perez delivers some amazing artwork. Perez's work on this series is reason enough alone to pick this book up.
Finally, this issue features the return of a really cool Valiant character, who seems to have no shame at all. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this series. There's a reason so many Valiant books are mentioned on this list. They're all fantastic.
Hey! Another Valiant book! If you're looking for something a bit more epic and serious from Valiant, then you need to pick up X-O MANOWAR (and also HARBINGER). Writer Robert Venditti delivers another issue of the tension building between Gilad and Aric. We learn a bit more about the history between these characters and how this is all building towards UNITY. The final page features the return of one of my favorite characters in this series as well.
Artist Lee Garbett delivers some amazing artwork here as well. Everything about this series is dynamite. And the way everything is coming together and building up to this next story line is pure brilliance. Jump on this book now, so you are ready for November's UNITY.
Honorable Mention: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS #2 (AKA COLLIDER), SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #3
Gregg's Picks
"Into the Grave" begins and it's off to an awesome start. If you've been meaning to check this title out but haven't done so yet (I forgive you, by the way), this is the perfect time to hop on. Kaine's lovable supporting cast is being pulled into a deadly scenario and we have yet to see why or what'll happen with them. Furthermore, Kaine comes face to face with a villain who we haven't seen in quite some time -- one with the potential for some majorly grim material. To say anything else about the plot would ruin the fun, but what I can say is Scarlet Spider continues to be my favorite Spider-Man family book. Yost and Burnham bring a sold plot with a tight script, and while the art hands tend to shift around, this issue has some oh-so-fine and polished visuals. Give this issue a shot and hopefully I'll be able to welcome you to team Scarlet Spider once you're done reading it.
How can Jason Aaron top Thor wielding two hammers? By showing us the polar opposite: the most humanizing take on Thor I've ever seen. Now that the cosmic dust has settled from the Gorr situation, this chapter focuses solely on how Thor uses his power to help everyday people across the globe. He's not facing an intergalactic threat or standing side-by-side with other heroes. Instead, he's just traveling the planet and being a stellar individual. As a God, he has amazing physical powers, but this issue proves that his heart is every bit as amazing, too. Okay, I apologize for the cheesy line, but seriously, it's true.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #5 - Karai
Let me tell you, picking between this and TMNT #25 was a crazy difficult obstacle. Both are well-written and sporting great artwork, but ultimately, I had to give the nod to Karai's one-shot. It does tremendous worrk fleshing out the character's history with the Foot, giving us such a stronger connection to Shredder's granddaughter and making her role in "City Fall" feel far more prominent. They've done a superb job making the new TMNT mythos incredibly rich and this is yet another example of how it continues to grow with every issue. Plus, it teases two popular characters and makes TMNT #25 a far more satisfying read.
The latest issue of this digital series cements the Man of Steel as a villain. The prior killings could be defended with legitimate reasons, but now that justification has been thrown out the window and he's no longer tiptoeing down the slope... he's sliding down it. Issue #30, however, provided us with a refreshing break from the diabolical alternate universe. Instead, it went back and time and told a tale about Superman helping a boy with his broken bike. It was charming, heartwarming and a firm reminder that Superman's a symbol of hope -- or at least he was in this world. It almost felt like it was Tom Taylor's way of saying, "Yeah, I miss the true Superman as well, so take my hand and let's enjoy a standalone story of Superman simply being everything Superman should be."
Wow. Co-writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn have done an excellent job creating a new story for Wade Wilson. Up until this point, the book has been heavy on laughs, only sprinkling greater depth here and there. This story, though? They put the narrative first, creating a beyond promising introduction to what's already a compelling and rather shocking storyline. Just because they're bringing a strong story doesn't mean they've left out the funny, though. There's still more than a few sharp remarks to be found, and if you need even more of a reason to check it out, this issue also has Wade getting advice from Captain America and Wolverine and to top it off, it's illustrated by the very fantastic Declan Shalvey. If you're a Deadpool fan you HAVE to give this one a chance -- you owe it to yourself.
Honorable Mentions:Larfleeze #3 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #25
Corey's Picks
This series' cancellation was definitely one of the low-points of the week. It may not have hit the top of the charts in terms of either sales, or certainly awareness, but it brought something that is becoming more and more rare in comics to the table: a true sense of whimsy and fun and it's something I hope Kathryn Immonen gets to continue in any of her future titles. It's not a book aimed squarely at kids (though there's little objectionable in it) but it is one with an amazing sense of humor and consistently amazing art. This issue is definitely aware it's the last one, with Sif getting an amazing monologue at the end of it, but even before that, we get a lot of great dynamic between her and Beta Ray Bill in one of the strangest love triangles in comics. Valerio Schiti's pencils and inks deserve special notice for how amazing they are, and he's definitely an artist we NEED to see more of. This title will definitely be missed as it fills a very similar void that Great Lakes Avengers also took up: funny and light-hearted, but also compelling and well-written/drawn.
Robert Kirkman's "other" smash-hit Image book continues to be one of the best on the shelf and this particular issue brought a lot of hanging plot threads together, as well as bringing back one or two legitimately hilarious running jokes. Ryan Ottley's art has gotten better and better over the years, with more depth and shadow giving way to more complex emotion, and complex emotion is the name of the game here. We get one of Invincible's most enduring villains returning in a very intense, unexpected way but the resolution to his "situation" is similarly unexpected and one of the most refreshing things to happen in superhero comics in awhile. This book keeps thrown curve balls, but I would rarely venture to call them twists as it's more like situations turn out a different way than is expected, but it's rarely out-and-out shocking, and this issue is a great example of that.
So far so good for Jonathan Hickman's massive Marvel event Infinity, but this had to be my favorite issue of the month. I like when the spotlight is put on the smaller goings on in massive, even cosmic, events and that's exactly what this issue is all about. Sure, there may be an unstoppable force of death and destruction coming to wipe out all life on Earth and take one of the most powerful Infinity Gems for itself, but DAMNIT, Namor still knows how to hold a grudge. I've sometimes heard plot points like this referred to as unrealistic, because wouldn't everyone get their things in order in the face of SUCH an unimaginable threat, but the simple answer is: no, not everyone. Some people would still be petty and angry about past indiscretions. Likewise, Mike Deodato's art (pencils, inks AND colors??? WOW!) is perfectly suited, striking a great balance between epic and intimate. It's quality like this that elevates this issue above a "mere" tie-in.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #25
STOP WITH THE AMAZING TWISTS AND TEASES! Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman can't seem to stop making my jaw hit the floor and I may have to start charging them for my inevitable dental bills. And with Eastman and Mateus Santolouco on art, the look matches the writing to a tee, but more than that, there's a great tone being struck in this issue. A lot of the humor has fallen by the wayside as these are dark times, but everyone's still got a great, distinct personality, and the plot continues to be absolutely fascinating. This is neither the wacky, protracted toy commercial of the 80s show, nor is it the grim, bloody, dark satire of the original comic, but a perfect meeting of the two. Things are as grim and hopeless as they've ever been, but the creative team STILL manages to make one of the most unlikable, horrible characters in the entire series suddenly fascinating and incredibly intriguing.
This was an easy pick for my #1 this month. The art by Trevor McCarthy is already breathtaking and incredibly detail-oriented, but the dialog and plotting by J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman is absolutely stellar. The characters are great and fleshed out, Katherine Kane wanting to do right by her fiancee Maggie Sawyer by injecting herself with Fear Toxin and facing her fears (as well as empathizing with what she put Maggie through) is both touching and bizarre, but the real highlight comes from Bette one-upping her Murder of Crow cohorts by ACTUALLY interrogating someone as opposed to punching him until he coughs up the info (which basically never works). I get that it's all fiction and all in fun, but it's nice to see someone take a different tact with the hero's interactions, and it is a sadly rare thing to see. This cuts to the heart of the pacing, which is absolutely amazing despite the slower interrogation. It's all well-integrated and I am positively salivating to see what happens next. Bring on the showdown with the Bat, I say!
Thanks for checking out another Top of the Pile! Let us know what your top five books for the month were in the comments below! Also, make sure to follow the staff on Twitter! (Tony, Mat, Gregg, Jen and Corey) Lastly, listen to Mat's podcast because without your validation, he's just a shell of his former self, which was also dead inside.
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