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. 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.
As much as I love comic books, and as much as I love sharing my favorite moments in comics each week, this week I’m not very enthused. I know for most everyone a story is usually good escapism but I had a hard time escaping this week. A friend to everyone he met and a personal mentor of mine left this world this week. Jeff Michel Vice was a writer and fellow Bot here on Big Shiny Robot. He was a member of the Geekshow podcast, he was a boyfriend, a brother and a son. He was an icon and a wonderful human being. To that, Jeff was one of the best moments in comics every week so this week I’m starting us of with something a bit different.
This week, the fine comic vendors of Dr. Volts retired Jeff’s hold number. Some people may not understand what Dave, Andrew and Jeremiah did that Tuesday night but I feel that simple gesture was just about the highest honor any comic book fan could ask for. Jeff wasn’t just any fan though; he was a critic of the highest caliber with a razor sharp intellect. If Jeff had an opinion on art or writing you’d have been foolish not to give him your attention for a while because his critique’s came from a genuine place of genius. So to that, though Jeff’s passing was the worst moment of the week, the tip of the hat to him from Dr. Volts was certainly my favorite.
Photo Courtesy of Androidika AKA Jeremiah Lupo
Next up are the covers I liked this week. I’m going to keep it simple folks. Here’s a great one by Pavel Balabanov, “Bo Plushy Gangsta” #7. It’s another dollar steal of a deal for a digital bunch of fun so go check it out.
Now for something from the good folks over at Dynamite Entertainment with cover to “The Twilight Zone” #5 by Francisco Francavilla. This is a book I’ve been putting off reading but it’s not for any other reason than my needing to make room for it. Long time readers of “Five and Three” should know how much I love Francavilla so here is yet another one of his outstanding pieces of art.
How about that Greg Capullo everybody? Isn’t he something else? A new talent breaks out and is lucky enough to pair up with Scott Snyder… OK I’m obviously kidding. The seasoned and superbly talented Greg Capullo is redefining Batman for an entire generation. With the help of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo’s Batman is not only one of the best books on shelves, it’s one of the best Batman stories ever produced.
I absolutely loved the cover to Image Comics new creator owned title “C.O.W.L.” from Kyle Higgins, Alec Siegel and with art by Rod Reis. The story is a really cool take on the superheroing business as super heroes in Chicago are part of a Super Hero Union. This Cover was my favorite part of the book though, and Trevor McCarthy deserves a nod for it.
The last cover for the week is also from Image Comics. I loved “Trees” by Warren Ellis and Jason Howard. I think the story is a fantasy Sci-Fi dystopian genre mix that instantly reminded me of Neil Blomkamp’s “District 9”. Not because it’s exactly the same story but because of the scale of the story and the world building involved in such a tale. I’m in for the long haul and Image Comics continues to be the publisher that makes me stretch my comic book budget.
Now we move onto the panels. I have been following “Ms. Marvel” from the sidelines. I’ve read the books right out of a friends hands and I keep telling myself I need to make room, if only to pass them down to my neice. With moments like this in the book though, I can kick myself for not getting the first prints of “Ms. Marvel” because the book is terrific.
Thank you Jonathon Hickman, with Hawkeye’s releases being all over the place lately, it makes me happy to know that Fraction’s characterization of Hawkeye is still front and center in the Marvel U.
The last moment this week is from the imagined and brought to life vision of George Lucas’s first draft pass at “Star Wars”. The final issue was a fun one but I can’t help thinking the entire story was lacking. No, it’ not bad, and yes GONK was right to suggest you go get it. That being said, after finishing up the book I’m glad this version of the story isn’t the one we all remember from our childhoods. It’s not as good as “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” and it’s clear from the first draft that George Lucas had some refining to do to get it to the classic tale we all know and love.
That’s all I have for you this week. Next week I’ll be lost in the woods. Thankfully it won’t be the ones from James Tynion IV’s imagination. Five and Three will still be her though, courtesy of Cassidy Ward AKA Neverbot. For more Five and Three you can start with last week’s issue here, and if you like my yammering about art you can watch me do it with the deviantArt Podcast over here. See you guys in two weeks.