As always, “Five & Three” brings you my favorite things in comics this week. Every week I pick my five favorite covers and three favorite panels to create “Five & Three”. I like to talk about why I picked the covers and panels and welcome hecklers and trend setters alike.
Nothing I post this week could possibly top the San Diego Comic Con and the announcements coming out of that convention. It’s literally geek Christmas and next week is the opening of “Guardians of The Galaxy” for an official start to the geek New Year. If you’re missing out on San Diego there are still great events to take part of over the weekend. Doctor Who comic book day can be celebrated tomorrow, Saturday, July 26th, at your local comic book shop. Also happening tomorrow is a Batman event. if you missed out on Batman day this past Wednesday, you have another chance to celebrate Batman’s 75 anniversary at your local library. For more info on Doctor Who Comics day click here and for more info on the Batman events happening around the nation click here.
Let’s start with a smooth segue by posting the “Batman Eternal” cover to issue #16. The cover is done by one of my favorite artists Dustin Nguyen and it’s spectacular. The use of the contrasting colors and the peeled away cityscape under the protected cape of The Batman is fantastic.
Next up is the “Storm” #1. I had the opportunity to read a preview issue last week and I can honestly say I was very impressed by the story from Greg Pak. The cover and the interiors are done by the same artist, Victor Ibanez. Ibanez keeps Pak’s story exciting but grounded. This is another female centric comic that isn’t exploitative for men. It is a genuinely good story and has a great cast of characters led by a strong female lead.
I picked this Mike Norton cover to “Revival” #22 because I loved it. What’s more is that I nearly ran into a deer about that size while driving home last night. I also ran into a baby fawn eating by the side of the walkway I take to the train station that gets me most of the way home. I guess I had deer on the brain and Norton’s eerie cover just drew me right in.
The cover to “The Unwritten: Apocalypse” #7 is one I’d love to have hanging on my wall. Without the comic title etc, the art by Yuko Shimizu would look like something out of a museum. It’s a wonderful testament to the flexibility of the comics medium. It’s also an amazing piece of art.
For the final cover pick I went the opposite direction of a museum piece. The nostalgia rich “Transformers vs. G.I. Joe” #1 by Tom Scioli. IDW knows how to pull at the memories by producing their 80’s cartoon themed comics. Knowing that this cover is truly more than meets the eye is half the battle. Go Joe and Rollout!
For the panels I’m going to lead with the great art by Simon Fraser for “Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor” #1. This moment, and the fact that the book features a swimming pool in the Tardis that I heard Neil Gaiman talk to Chris Hardwick about on the Nerdist Podcast a few years back, cemented it as a pick for me this week.
“Afterlife With Archie” is some of the best reimagined story telling from a comics publisher I’ve ever read. I don’t want to spoil anything in the book but artist Francesco Francavilla is absolutely killing it so you cannot miss this issue. Let me just give enough away that if you’re an H.P. Lovecraft fan, you have got to pickup the trade with this issue and add this book to your hold. Sabrina the teenage witch has one helluva crazy adventure in this book and it is horrifying and dramatic and damn fine story telling.
Last panel for the week comes from the wonderful mini anthology book “Secret Origins” from DC Comics. I’ve liked each issue but the choice on art for the origin of Damian Wayne as “Robin” was uncharacteristic of DC and all together wonderful. Peter J. Tomasi spins a great yarn but the art by Ian Bertram made this little story my favorite of the three. In honor of The Batman’s 75th though, I thought I should have a panel with a Batman so I included Dick Grayson.
That’s all for this week. If you disagree with a pick, let me know in the comments or on Twitter @MarkAvo or on Instagram @TheMarkAvo. If you think I should’ve picked something else or if you have a pick in mind for next week, give me a shout out and let me know. If you’d like to check out more “Five and Three” comic book moments start with “Five and Three” from last week. If you’d like more of me yammering on about art you can check me out on video with my buddies from the Salt City Strangers doing the deviantArt Podcast right here. Until next week, Keep Calm and San Diego ComicCon!