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. 

What a week for comics huh? There were great first issues a plenty with some wonderful follow up issues around to enjoy all while other series came to a warm close. Speaking of which, how about the cover to “Swamp Thing #40” to start us off?

I loved “All-New Hawkeye #1” and so did Trent Hunsaker. Check out his review here but take a  look at Skottie Young’s wonderful variant cover to the issue below.

More variants this week with a very cool homage cover by Tony Harris for “Green Lantern #40” and DC’s movie poster variant covers. Any guesses as to what this one is? I can’t make everything easy for you. Let us see your wit and intellect in the comments below.

I love everything that Panel Syndicate is doing. “UNIVERSE! #2” is out and it’s wonderful so go get the issue and stop pretending you don’t want books that are practically free.

Jeff Lemire is probably my favorite writer in comics at the moment. He’s a wonderful artist but he’s a brilliant storyteller. Anyone who has read anything he’s done can attest to that. So, when I found out he was working with the enigmatic Dustin Nguyen on a creator owned title I jumped for joy. You will to, go read “Descender #1” now. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you will after this review by Trent Hunsaker.

“Saga” is back with issue #26 and this little guy telling Marko to stop taking out his aggression is my new favorite character (LYING)…

Oh Princess Leia, you crazy princess. How dare you go off and disobey a man’s order? Well, when you’re the only Alderaan royal left, wouldn’t it be best to stay behind? I say hooey to both of those points and so did the Princess in what is sure to be the first of an amazing mini-series about everyone’s favorite Skywalker. OK, so maybe she’s not everyone’s favorite but I love her and her feminine power is potent in this opening issue.

My favorite moment of the week comes from a book that was well received by, you guessed it, Trent Hunsaker. I have to agree with everything he says and “Big Man Plans #1” may be the most exciting comic book I’ve read in a very long time. It isn’t for everyone and is 100% a mature level comic book but I insist you Get your hands on this one now because it’s going to get huge. Everyone who missed out on “Southern Bastards” regrets doing so, don’t be that guy.

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. Until next time, I hope to see you in the comic shops.

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. 

With another late night edition of “Five and Three” being rushed to publish we’re going to rush the words and make with the pictures. Starting us off this week is the Phantom Variant cover to “Spider-Gwen #1”. I liked it but I didn’t love it. For an opinion from a fellow bot, a Nethead, and the owner/operator of Deathray Comics you can visit this “Spider-Gwen” review here.

“Black Hood” was terrific. The cover to the issue by Francisco Francavilla was icing on a deliciously pulpy cake.

“The Amazing Spider-Man #15” ends the Spider-Verse storyline with just about everything explained. There are a few outlying stories but those threads will be pulled nicely together during the summer’s Battleworld event.

J.H. Williams III is a masterful artist. The cover to “Sandman: Overture #4” is nothing short of spectacular.

I love “Chew” and I love “Thor” so to see Rob Guillory’s variant cover to this week’s “Thor Annual” was a real treat.

My first favorite set of panels comes from the pulp filled “Black Hood #1”. There’s some junky stuff with pain killers and addiction that hit a little close to home. I’m glad I’m not a pill popping vigilante but I wouldn’t mind kickin’ some butt like “Black Hood” does.

I can’t get enough Andrea Sorrentino so I’m grateful that Bendis is his partner on “All-New X-Men #38”. If you’ve been following the “The Black Vortex” you’ll be happy to know someone rides away with their middle finger in the air.

How could we end the week without mentioning Batman? “Batman #39” is the pentultimate in one is sure to be another Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo masterpiece. This particular panel reminded me so much of the seminal work by Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb, “Batman: Hush”, that I just hand to include it here as this week’s finale.

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. Until next time, I hope to see you in the comic shops.

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. 

This week was a doozy for me. Overwhelming numbers of comics, day job hours, and lack of sleep has led to a very late night edition of “Five and Three”. I got a ton of great reading in but I had a hard time picking from everything to bring you these eight moments. Leading off is the cover to “Rumble #3” by James Harren. I’m loving this book and if you’re into the occult, you’ll love it too.

Next up is a lovely variant cover to “Silk #1”by Skottie Young. I didn’t much like Silk or her costume but after reading the first issue I’ve come completely around and I’m all in for whatever is next. I love MJ but I’m going to be the heretic and say I’d love to see more of the Parker/Moon romance in the pages to come.

Every time I see an homage to “Action Comics #1” I automatically include it. This cover to “Batman and Robin #39” with a super-powered Damian Wayne makes me happy. I’ll label myself as even more of a heretic when I say Damian is my favorite Robin (but only because Dick is Nightwing).

With another showing and all-time favorite cover artist for “Five and Three”, Francisco Francavilla shows up with an amazing variant to “The Valiant #3”. I’m very saddened to know that the series is limited. The great writers are sticking on but where will Paulo Rivera go? He’ll hopefully not go far and hopefully not for long. I’ve sorely missed him since he left the pages of “Daredevil” behind.

Babs Tarr is spectacular and I’m loving everything she’s doing in “Batgirl” but after seeing her variant cover to “Justice League #39” staring Wonder Woman, I’m really wanting to see her work in the pages of the Amazonian Goddess of War.

“Uncanny X-Men #31” ends a wonderful Bendis story about Professor Xavier and his will. What I take away from it all is that Eva Bell is sharp, powerful, sexy, imaginative, and one of my favorite new characters in the Marvel Universe. Bendis is leaving the X-books but at least his work will continue to echo on long after he is gone. I just want more Eva Bell. Am I the only one that reads her dialogue in her Aussie accent?

“The Multiversity: Mastermen #1” is another home run for Grant Morrison’s “The Multiversity” storyline. Jim Lee is the penciler with Scott Williams, Mark Irwin, and Sandra Hope inking one hell of a book. To top of the wonderful narrative and the beautiful art, Alex Sinclair makes the colors something special. I’d love to write more but without much time I’m going to give you as much as possible in a compact paragraph. The series is a must read and for all of you Morrison haters, you’ll love it too. Maybe it takes a mind open to the fifth dimension to appreciate the grand scale of the storytelling in “The Multiversity” or maybe it’s just spectacular and you should be reading it. You tell me.

My favorite moment of the week was when Ryan Ottley put Black Cat Comics in the pages of “Invincible #117”. The store clerk doesn’t look much like Greg but the discussion they have sounds like one I’d here in that shop. Oh, and if you’re looking carefully you’ll see the “Rumble” t-shirt by the store clerk which is just terrific. 

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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. Until next time, see you in the comics shop.

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. 

I’m loving the new covers Valiant has had to their latest batch of books. They’re great and Valiant is on top of their game. Every cover to “Divinity #1” could have been included but I skipped the variants and picked the regular cover.

Dan Panosian makes the cover to “Ghosted #17” exceedingly creepy and that’s a great mood to have whilst reading the comic.

I’ve appreciated all of the Phil Noto variants coming out the last weeks or two and Noto’s variant to “Thor #5” is one of my favorite.

I had a hard time not picking this last but I’m going to favor the book I enjoyed reading more so “Secret Six #2” gets the second to last pick instead.

My favorite cover of the week goes to Whilce Portacio’s variant to “Star Wars: Darth Vader #1”. The book is well worth reading and my reasons are probably different that Swank-mo-tron’s review of the book. I didn’t really care that much about the final page but that bounty hunting Wookie…

I drew up a bunch of my own art for my Brandigirl on the blank cover to “Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special #1” that Androidika grabbed for me from Dr. Volts Comics. I did my best but only Brandi would get the inside joke I made with my sketches. That’s why I picked the obvious joke below when Harley becomes Batgirl for only one inning.

“Wild’s End” comes to an end this week with issue six but the good news is that more is on the way. If you haven’t had the courage or the room in your hold to pick this gem up from BOOM! Studios I encourage you to keep an eye out for the trade.

Over in “The Amazing Spider-Man #14” the Spider-Verse storyline came crashing to an end. In two short weeks we’ll get the epilogue but if some of the spiders don’t survive I’m going to be another reader who is momentarily upset with Dan Slott.

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. Until next time, do not underestimate the power of the dark side.

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. 

So many great comics came back this week and many of them are making an appearance this week. Starting us off though is another “Star Wars” comic variant only this one is for issue #2 by Leinil Francis Yu.

With more variants making an appearance I’m picking the hallmark #250 issue of “Spawn” with art done by Skottie Young.

Valiant is making great comic books with an amazingly rich and storied universe. Their latest, “Imperium” makes an appearance with a variant to issue #1 by Hairsine and Muller.

I think homage covers are the best. This one by Jay Shaw for “Return of the Living Deadpool #1” was a must for this list.

“Saga” is back with a powerful issue #25. I am still on board for this book and if you’re wondering if you should jump on, #25 is the perfect jumping on point. That being said, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not picking up the trades and catching up first.

“Velvet” by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting, and colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser, has been a cheeky spy thriller with nod’s to “James Bond” but with the strength of a female lead. The story is just starting to reveal itself but it’s the small moments that keep me hooked. 

Did Hawkeye come back and no one noticed or did it make a splash? I know the delays have been aweful but at least we may be getting the final part of Matt Fraction, David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth’s story before Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez take are passed the bow and quiver.

I know the Internets have had some contention about DC’s upcoming “Convergence” storyline but I have enjoyed the weekly “The New 52 Future’s End” leading up to whatever “Convergence” ends up being. Panels like this magnificent one of a bearded Superman in jeans and a t-shirt are reasons I’ve been a fan.

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. Walking Dead is back!

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. 

After a long weekend at the Salt Lake Comic Con FanX I have returned to bring you the best of covers and panels in comics last week. This episode of “Five and Three” will thrill and delight with homage covers like our first book, “Deadpool #41” and a Mad Max “The Road Warrior” homage.

The next book is a lovely indie title and Eisner nominated “High Crimes”. Issue #9 has a tiled cover with a paneled look that I’m a big fan of.

Why oh why is Marvel and Jason Aaron dragging this out! As long as odd moments like the one just below continue popping up in the book I’ll be on board. The covers have been terrific too, just take a look at this week’s cover to “Thor #4” Russell Dauterman.

Without having to wait for the panels, here’s what I’m talking about for “odd” moments in “Thor #4”. The book is action packed, full of girl power and packs a punch to the gut that will leave you laughing. “Thor” is a mighty good time.

The fact that Grant Morrison released a guidebook to his wild “Multiversity” run is absolute perfection in the making. So many fans appreciate Morrison but have a hard time grasping his eccentric and often psychedelic and metaphysically charged storylines. This guidebook is a full addition to the “Multiversity” story as well as being a literal guidebook to 52 separate earths.

My favorite cover of the week is a variant to Zenescope’s “Jungle Book: Fall of the Wild #2” by Carlos Granda and Ross Campbell. If you’ve been shy to pickup any of Zenescope’s books you’re doing yourself a disservice. The often titillating cover art is just flashy dressing around meaty comic book storytelling on par with many of the adventure titles coming out of BOOM! Studios or even Image and Vertigo.

Vertigo’s “Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK” issues have been some of my favorite books. After issue 1 I have anticipated the lovely color themed stories by comic book industry pro’s and issue #4 was worth the wait. There is a wonderful story by “Five and Three” favorite Francesco Francavilla but the extra “Sweet Tooth” short story was a treat for me. If you’re a fan of Lemire’s “Sweet Tooth” series you’ll want to beg, borrow, or steal “Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK Black” to read “Sweet Tooth Black”.

What can I say about Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s “Batman” run that hasn’t already been said? What could I possibly add to do it any justice? That’s what every comic book journalist thinks to themselves every time a new issue comes out. To call their work fantastic is nothing short of a writer grasping for words of praise that simply do not exist. I do not care if you’re not a DC Comics fan or a Batman fan, you will love their run on Batman and the “Court of Owl’s” story line that kicked their entire run off back with issue #1 teases a return in what is another in a long run of perfect comic books under the helm of their creative team.

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. It’s Groundhog Day… again!

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. 

Great googly moogly, is there a Salt Lake Comic Con Fan-X event this weekend?! I thought there was only a super game of bowls and feet but I’ve been told that’s Sunday. Until then, if you’re in town feel free to visit me at booth White 23 or find me in panels, taking photos, reporting on the going on’s, or reading comics. Speaking of comics, let’s kick off this week’s with a freebie cover from DC Comics “Green Lantern New Guardians #38” by Andrew Hennessy, Will Quintana and Brad Walker.

First up this week is a pick from Valiant Comics. I’ve loved many of their books since the reboot and this article will end with a moment by Paulo Rivera in “The Valiant #2” but for this pick please check out the amazingly cool cover to “Ivar Timewalker #1” by Clayton Henry.

Monkey Brain continues to put out some amazing indie books through ComiXology and this cover to “Amazing Forest #7” jumped out at me. I’ve often looked at the stars in a pitch black sky and felt touched by the cosmos. That’s mostly thanks to Neil Degrasse Tyson though but this cover’s still cool.

I’m very glad that The Winter Soldier has a comic again. Under the helm of Ales Kot this book has been wonderful. The covers and the art by Marco Rudy were terrific but this cover to “Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier #4” by Mike Del Mundo is stunning.

I’m one of the lucky ones with a blank to “Zombies vs. Robots #1” from IDW and I plan on getting a gross and shiny cover done at this weekends Fan-X convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The last pick is an obvious one to long time readers who know my love of all things Samurai. If not, you’ll have a great guess if you saw books on stands this last week because my pick is “Deadpool’s Art of War #4”.

That stunner of a final page from last issue’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” where we see the totem of another world is Uncle Ben left the world wondering. Well, wonder no longer as issue 13 explains it all in weird detail. I know it’s just a book but Uncle Ben being alive makes me feel a little icky. Wasn’t this something that was never supposed to happen? Dan Slott hasn’t upset me yet so I’ll continue to trust his wild mind but this moment was heady.

Sadly, “A Town Called Dragon” is done. It all came down in a fiery fashion with an extra-large issue just as it had begun. It was a wonderful story from Legendary press and I suggest you pick up the trade as soon as it’s available.

The final moment, as promised, is some lovely Ninjak being a bad-ass in “The Valiant #2” via a wonderfully put together page by Paulo Rivera. Fellow Bot Jeremiah AKA Androidika AKA @MrMiah was surprised he wasn’t reading this book when he found out it was Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, and Paulo Rivera & his pop on art duties. If you’re shocked too then GO GET THIS BOOK! It’s wonderful.

 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. May the Force be with you!

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. 

Last week was without question “Star Wars” week in comics. Even with the release of the latest “Avegners: Age of Ultron” trailer, nothing in comics was louder than 60+ variants to “Star Wars” coming home to Marvel Comics from the well minded hands of Dark Horse Comics. Dark Horse did “Star Wars” fans proud but nothing gets books in hands quite like a big two publisher.

With that in mind, the variant to “Star Wars #1” by Alex Maleev for Warp 9 Comics in Clawson, Michigan. Of the several variants I had the pleasure of seeing through my tablet screen, this one of Boba Fett was up there with my favorites. Don’t forget to catch our double-bot review of issue one right over here.

I’ve been absolutely loving the covers to “Grayson” by Mikel Janin. The spiral theme relating to Dick Grayson’s adventures with the DC U’s super-spy organization are a force to be reckoned with.

Last week was nearly an all-red themed week of “Five and Three” and I lamented that there was no Allred cover or panels for the week. Fast forward to now and we get the cover to “Silver Surfer #8” by the Allred’s and I couldn’t be happier.

Tula Lotay is creating some covers to “Supreme: Blue Rose” as eye-catching or more so than the cousin covers of the other five star creators making covers to books in the Image Comics line. Some of the other publishers and indie creators have paid close attention to what Image creators are doing with covers but not everyone is executing quite like Tula is and it shows. If you don’t believe me just go down to your local comic shop and you tell me what pops off the shelf.

Alex Ross never disappoints but I am rarely stunned by his artwork anymore. That’s not to say it isn’t top shelf, only that I’ve come to expect a certain level of excellence and Ross always meets that expectation. That’s why I love his cover to “Astro City #19” so much. The warped angle as the heroine is soaring through a city skyline is cinematic. My head spins just imagining the speed and G-forces that this super-being is experiencing. The dynamism in this cover with the stellar Ross style and execution is my favorite cover this week.

I’ve pointed it out before but if you’re not reading “Wild’s End” from BOOM! Studios, you’re missing out on a wonderfully cheeky alien invasion of the British Country side. The stereotypical characters told through the lense of an animal avatar only help the book to be that much more heartwarming. “Wild’s End” is the comfort food of comic books and I can’t wait for my next helping.

The final chapter of “Jupiter’s Legacy” book one finally released and the good news is that the story isn’t over. The bad news is that I’m still going to be waiting forever to get the next issue of this stellar comic from Mark Millar and Frank Quitely. I’ll patiently wait but only because I know they’ll be just as amazing as this issue was. Quitely’s imagination of these super-powered heroes and villains is nothing short of comic book mastery. If you’re a fan of exciting storytelling you’re doing yourself a disservice by not reading all five issues of book one.

I pickup “Deadpool” every now and again just to make sure I should still be grabbing the next trade and I’m so very glad I got issue #40 with guest appearances by Sarah Silverman, Jason Aaron and Jason Latour. The fun cameo isn’t why I love the book so very much though, it’s the “children’s book” theme and crayon colors by Val Staples. I have a children’s book in the works with this style of colors in mind so I’m totally art-geeking out over this issue.

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. May the Force be with you!

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. 

Back from the holiday break we get right back into the thick of things with a nearly all red themed week without anything by Mike Allred! I know, I’m a bit disappointed as well.

The “Ant-Man” trailer launched to, what seemed to be a small applause but then all of a sudden became huge! Accompanying the premiere of the trailer during Marvel’s “Agent Carter” were two new books from Marvel Comics. They’re both appearing this week but the cover to “Ant-Man #1” by Mark Brooks is appearing first.

I just love picking the art of Sam Kieth. It’s usually been for “The Maxx: Maxximized” series because the covers have been phenomenal and issue 15 is an example of just how great they’ve been.

Remember the Red theme from earlier, how about the cover to “Trees #8” by “Jason Howard” and the follow-up cover to “Detective Comics #38” by Francis Manapul? I think they round the theme out nicely and I love the covers either way.

The last red cover is for the variant to “Army of Darkness #2” by Jay Shaw. It reminds me of some of Francesco Francavilla’s great work. Considering Jay’s cover work in the last year I believe he is certainly an artist to keep an eye on for 2015 so make sure your peepers remain wide open.

As promised, here is the “Agent Carter” inspired comic title with a story branching out of last summer’s “Operation Sin” event is “Operation S.I.N. #1” by Kathryn Immonen and Rich Ellis. The story is a great start to what I’m hoping will be a refreshing series. I believe that’s just the same way “Agent Carter” started but you’ll have to watch to find out… Please watch will you? Apparently the premiere didn’t see the numbers everyone had expected and I blame you! Yes YOU (as long as you didn’t watch it).

So, I bet many people think I would have or should have picked something from “The Amazing Spider-Man” this week but I didn’t’. Instead, here is a gross-out moment right before the climax in Rick Remender, Wesley Craig, and Lee Loughridge’s “Deadly Class #10”.

I’d like to point out that creators in the industry are often fans too and the “Birthright” creators tip their hats to “Southern Bastards” in the latest issue of their fantasy/reality/child abduction/family drama comic book. If you haven’t given either “Birthright” or “Southern Bastards” a read be sure to put both of those on the 2015 “to read list”.

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 year. Happy 2015!

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. 

Be prepared for a “Five and Three” a year in review article coming soon. I’ll cover the best of 2014 as far as “Five and Three” is concerned. If you have a vote, don’t forget to tweet it out to me @MarkAvo. Now, onto the best of last week just before Christmas Eve and all the books you’ll be reading this holiday weekend.

Let me express my thanks for another year with Big Shiny Robot and another year of “Five and Three” by wishing you all a Merry Christmas via the wonderful cover art to the one-shot “Flash Gordon Holiday Special”.

I’m going all portrait covers first. Sure, there were plenty of Darwyn Cooke covers to get me through the cover selection this week but I couldn’t say no to the terrific artwork to “Elektra #9” by Michael Del Mundo. The ninjas appear to be phantoms as they form a bull’s-eye around the sometimes heroine Elektra. They also thrill me to no end.

We’re going to go simple with a reminder that I was going to pick the Cooke variants this month. He is my favorite artist in comics. I can say that with confidence but you’ll hear me call many artists my favorite. I have a bunch of them. For today though, it’s certainly Darwyn Cooke and this pick is for “Catwoman #37”.

This cover is a Darwyn Cooke variant for “Justice League #37”.

This cover is a Cooke variant for “Teen Titans #5”.

The cover to “Batman Superman #17” is my favorite Cooke variant for the week.

If you didn’t read our review to “A Town Called Dragon” by Zombietron, I highly suggest you do. After that you should be convinced this is a book you’re missing out on. If you’re able you should get it for your stocking and pretend Santa brought it to you.

I’m glad that Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads are back in stellar form with the creator owned masterpiece “The Activity”. This book is a grounded in military intelligence but often uses future looking weaponry. They never go too far though, and with the latest issue #16 they remind us all that war has costs and that freedom and liberty are not free. I’m hoping it isn’t another 13 months before we get the next issue but I’ll be reading their work on Marvel’s “The Punisher” while I wait.

In “Batman #36” we find out from Alfred that The Joker has concocted his masterpiece and he is unleashing it on The Batman. In this issue, it’s confirmed that Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have been releasing their masterpiece all along. The character of The Batman is beloved. He is many people’s favorite character in all of fiction, but I have often found the character tired. It is hard to hit the right notes with The Batman without making him into a god or a joke. Snyder and Capullo are creating the perfect stories for The Batman. There is just the right amount of history, crime, detective work, and horror. I believe that the horror is what makes this character feel so real. It certainly works when The Batman’s arch nemesis inverts The Batman’s inspired weapon – fear – against The Batman himself. Scott Snyder is no stranger to horror, and with many issues of Spawn in his portfolio neither is Greg Capullo. I believe that is what makes them such a great pair and why they’re creating a definitive storyline in The Batman’s history of publication. The Joker is horrifying in “Batman #37” and the mental game he is playing is all from the crazy talented mind and pencil of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. 

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. And remember, buy your friends and loved ones comics for the holidays!