The first of the year I had to celebrate Batman with his own “Five and Three” in honor of his 75th anniversary. I did it because Batman is amazing and also because, if I hadn’t, that week’s main “Five and Three” article would have been 90% Batman. The books I covered that week were really that good. This week, the art of Greg Capullo could have filled his own edition. I liked a lot of other things too though, so Batman only squeaks into 2 out of the 8 favorite spots this week. The others are filled with some amazing covers I saw and some great moments from Image comics. With that all out in the open, let’s start this week off strong.
I am not reading “All-New X-Factor”. Don’t know anything about this book past the cover, but I do love the cover to “All-New X-Factor” issue 2 that came out this week. It’s a great mix between Marvel’s characters and the influence Hickman has had on the comics industry through his minimalistic design for comic book covers. This one by Jared K. Fletcher looks like an Image/Marvel cross over cover and it’s my first favorite thing in comics this week.
“Wonder Woman” has consistently been in the top 5 best books coming out of DC Comics New 52. It’s also one of the better books on the rack, period. The reason that is the case is because of the magic that happens when Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang combine forces. In this case it’s all about Cliff’s work. The choices of color, Diana in the middle of broken statues who all resemble her Olympic family, and the forlorn look on her face are creative pieces to a masterful cover.
Here is some spine tingling work by Greg Capullo for the cover to “Batman” 27. If you’re not following along with Zero Year you’re missing out. If you are, you’ll get that The Batman is being ripped apart by a bone changing protein. It look’s monstrous, because Batman is being deformed, not transformed.
“Samurai Jack” was a great cartoon. This image by Andy Suriano for “Samurai Jack” #4 is also great, probably because of the nostalgia it creates when I see it.
Top Cow’s Aphrodite is a niche fan favorite character. I’ve flipped through a few books and the story isn’t for me. The reason I always find myself flipping through issues though, is because of fantastic covers that draw me in. This cover to “Aphrodite IX: The Hidden Files” #1 by Stjepan Sejic is an example of a cover that drew me in. The thought’s on her mind made figurative by literally moving through her flowing green hair is inspired.
My Favorite panels this week include this first one from “Hawkeye” issue 16. Issue 16 you ask? Yes, “Hawkeye” issue 15 has not been released yet. That means we get another Kate Bishop issue where she’s storming away. In this panel she is storming towards. In any situation where Kate is storming, someone else is bound to be in danger!
“Sex” from Image comics, written by Joe Casey and with art by Piotr Kowalski, has been one of my favorites. I love that the sexuality in the issues are used to move the story forward instead of being pointless and questionable artistic expression. I like the super-hero deconstruction stories that come out but not every one of them is a winner. In this one, and most especially in this panel, Joe Casey gets the troubled hero-ninja perfectly. The guy on the rooftop who is shadowing Simon Cooke, the Armored Saint, is about to have a really bad day.
The final panel this week comes from the pencils of Greg Capullo inside “Batman” 27. This time he’s helped on coloring, with amazing results, by FCO Plascencia. The blue wash to represent the water draws the eye in. The oozing blood that flows and disperses from The Batman’s broken cowl looks very painful. It doesn’t hurt that The Batman is escaping his watery danger by an ingenious use of an air tank. These three panels tell a great Batman story all on their own and that’s why they’re my last favorite thing in comics this week.
Feel free to comment in the comments section or drop me a line on Twitter @MarkAvo. If you’re new to “Five and Three” and hungry for more great art, visit last week’s issue here. If you’ve been here before though, you’ll have to wait until next week for more great comic book covers and panels. I’ll be here waiting for you, at the same robot time, on the same Big Shiny Robot website.