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. 

Starting us off this week, AKA the last week to buy comics before the Christmas holiday, is the return of Francesco Francavilla to “Five and Three”. He brings the chills and thrills with the latest issue of Archie in a zombie infested Riverdale, “Afterlife With Archie #7”. 

“Wild’s End #4” by Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard. The BOOM! Studios published comic is a lovely story about anthropomorphic animals in the countryside of England. The series didn’t really grab me with issue one but by issue four my appreciation for the story has caught up with my appreciation for the spectacular art. Seriously, who doesn’t want to read about giant alien robots attacking the British countryside?

Kelly Sue DeConnick is creating some dynamite comic books with a strong feminine tone and the comic book world couldn’t be happier or more grateful. I suppose that means, like the criminal women on the books titular prison colony “Bitch Planet”, comic book fans are “non-compliant”. Valentine De Landro’s art is pitch perfect in tone for a story very much in the zeitgeist as women and minorities make political headlines. I proudly stand with the NC tattooed women as we wait patiently in line for issue #2 next month.

DC Comics continues its lead from last week with an appearance by a Vertigo book and my favorite cover coming up next. Ryan Kelly’s cover to “Coffin Hill #14” was very narrowly edged out by my bias and love of the next artist.

I promised months ago that Darwyn Cooke would be taking over the covers section of “Five and Three” for the month of December and that trend most certainly continues with “Justice League United #7”. Take in the lovely cover and make sure to pick up a few for your friends. They’re wonderful pieces of art and comic book for under four bucks.

I absolutely love Andrea Sorrentino and I miss his artwork on DC’s “Green Arrow”. The dynamism that he can put into a single page with the use of panels and eye-catching juxtaposition of story pieces has quickly become some of my favorite storytelling styling. His work on “Uncanny X-Men Annual #1” was a must buy for me and the story Bendis doesn’t disappoint.

The second panels pick is more Jake Parker doing Rocket Raccoon with Skottie Young on “Rocket Raccoon #6”. ‘Nuff said.

I’ve been a fairly big follower of everything Valiant has been doing but I’ve been buying and consuming issues digitally. Paulo Rivera back on monthly issues for “Valiant #1” changes that because Paulo Rivera is the artist that inspired me to pick up my pen and pencil and start drawing seriously again. His process is an inspiration only matched by the end product of that process. Alongside writers Matt Kindt and Jeff Lemire, Rivera is telling a really interesting story about a great evil that has defeated our protagonist Anni-Padda The Eternal Warrior, throughout time. Several of my favorite heroes from the Valiant U show up in this book to help Anni-Padda defeat the great evil once and for all. This epic has just started and my only hope is that Rivera sticks around for the ending.

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!

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. 

Fans of amazing comic book covers and panels on a weekly basis rejoice, “Five and Three” isn’t going anywhere. In fact, we’re moved it to Monday! See what you should have been reading last week before new books drop this Wednesday. With the information out of the way, let’s move onto the books! 

The variant by Middleton for “Justice League #36” was one of the highlights of the week. Is it just me, or does Shazam look like he’s a button masher?

How many of you are fans of “Bob’s Burgers”? How many of you knew there was a comic book to satiate you during the wait for Sunday night?

The cover to “Deadpool #37” is apparently influenced by the goings on in Axis. Deadpool is now a sort-of pacifist but if you’re like me and haven’t read it, all you need to know is Deadpool Yin Yang and you’re good to go.

Here is yet another creator owned book Image is publishing and the indie realm continues to deliver on fantastic covers. This week’s honors from Image go out to “Intersect #1”. The moody watercolor images that splash against one another mesmerized me into picking this over all others.

Of course, the indie world isn’t just Image books. “Run by the Gun #3” by RBG Entertainment has to be one of the coolest covers I’ve seen all year. When we take a look back at the books and moments from 2014, this cover is in the top running to take one of the top 10 places.

I saved the best thing for last but many of you will think I’m nuts so here is some spectacular “The Amazing Spider-Man” from issue 10.

I talked about Albert Monteys “Universe! #1” from Panel Syndicate being released last week over here. It joins the rarified ranks of excellence coming from Panel Syndicate. I can’t stress enough how you need to read this book so just check out The Big Bang by Monteys below and then go download it from PanelSyndicate.com.

Grant Morrison is a cool guy. His trippy lectures on upper dimensional beings and psychotropic trips to the mind where he communes with a higher intelligence are fascinating. I’ve been on a bit of kick with these kinds of tales lately. In fact, Neil Degrasse Tyson explained the ending to “Interstellar” on Youtube where in he describes being able to view time from a higher dimension as a cardinal direction. In it Tyson says we would be able to see our life and death and everything in between all at once because it’s “always” happening when viewing time as such. Morrison rocked my mind with this Captain Atom bit from “Multiversity Pax Americana #1” this week as he puts Tyson’s theory into a 2D realm of comic books. Mr. Morrison, I’ll owe you a beer if you keep making these DMT derived mind F#cks.

 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, from now on we’ll see you on Mondays!

Straight from PREVIEWSworld itself is the list of new releases of comic books and comic related merchandise you can expect in shops this Wednesday. Anyone interested in what was in shops last week can find that list here.

PREMIER PUBLISHERS

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP140050   –   1 FOR $1 AXE COP BAD GUY EARTH #1   –   $1.00
JUN140054   –   ART OF DRAGON AGE INQUISITION HC   –   $39.99
SEP140093   –   BPRD HELL ON EARTH #125   –   $3.50
SEP140089   –   BTVS SEASON 10 #9 MAIN CVR   –   $3.50
JUL140120   –   BTVS SEASON 10 TP VOL 01   –   $18.99
JUN140086   –   CLASSIC MARVEL UNCANNY X-MEN 94 #6 BANSHEE   –   $49.95
SEP140098   –   CRIMINAL MACABRE THIRD CHILD #3   –   $3.99
SEP140047   –   DARK HORSE PRESENTS 2014 #4   –   $4.99
JUL140068   –   DISHONORED DUNWALL ARCHIVES HC   –   $39.99
JUL140096   –   MIND MGMT HC VOL 04 MAGICIAN   –   $19.99
SEP140072   –   PREDATOR FIRE AND STONE #2   –   $3.50
JUL140141   –   SKY ART OF FINAL FANTASY HC VOL 03   –   $24.99
SEP140103   –   STRAIN NIGHT ETERNAL #4 (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP140079   –   TERMINATOR SALVATION FINAL BATTLE #11   –   $3.99
JUL140076   –   TOMB RAIDER TP VOL 01 SEASON OF WITCH   –   $19.99

DC COMICS

JUL140235   –   AQUAMAN HC VOL 05 SEA OF STORMS (N52)   –   $24.99
AUG140327   –   AQUAMAN TP VOL 04 DEATH OF A KING (N52)   –   $16.99
SEP140336   –   ASTRO CITY #17   –   $3.99
SEP140289   –   BATMAN 66 MEETS GREEN HORNET #6   –   $2.99
SEP140290   –   BATMAN 66 THE LOST EPISODE #1   –   $9.99
SEP140251   –   BATMAN AND ROBIN #36 (ROBIN RISES)   –   $2.99
JUL140239   –   BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS HC VOL 05 GOTHTOPIA (N52)   –   $24.99
AUG140329   –   BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS TP VOL 04 THE WRATH (N52)   –   $17.99
SEP140245   –   BATMAN ETERNAL #33   –   $2.99
SEP140239   –   BATMAN SUPERMAN #16   –   $3.99
SEP140242   –   BATMAN SUPERMAN #16 COMBO PACK   –   $4.99
SEP140271   –   BATWOMAN #36   –   $2.99
JUL140271   –   DUST COVERS THE COLLECTED SANDMAN COVERS HC NEW ED (MR)   –   $49.99
SEP140205   –   EARTH 2 WORLDS END #7   –   $2.99
SEP140340   –   FABLES #146 (MR)   –   $2.99
AUG140364   –   FAIREST IN ALL THE LAND TP (MR)   –   $14.99
SEP148167   –   GOTHAM ACADEMY #1 2ND PTG   –   $2.99
SEP148168   –   GRAYSON #1 3RD PTG   –   $2.99
SEP140278   –   GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #36 (GODHEAD)   –   $2.99
SEP140268   –   HARLEY QUINN #12   –   $2.99
SEP140298   –   INFINITE CRISIS FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE #5   –   $3.99
SEP140297   –   INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR THREE #4   –   $2.99
SEP140185   –   JUSTICE LEAGUE #36   –   $3.99
SEP140188   –   JUSTICE LEAGUE #36 COMBO PACK   –   $4.99
SEP140180   –   MULTIVERSITY PAX AMERICANA #1   –   $4.99
SEP140219   –   NEW 52 FUTURES END #29 (WEEKLY)   –   $2.99
SEP140272   –   RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #36   –   $2.99
SEP140299   –   SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN #4   –   $3.99
SEP140236   –   SUPERGIRL #36   –   $2.99
SEP140233   –   SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #13   –   $3.99
SEP140235   –   SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #13 COMBO PACK   –   $4.99
SEP140222   –   TEEN TITANS #4   –   $2.99
JUL140249   –   TEEN TITANS A CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS HC   –   $39.99
JUL140221   –   TEEN TITANS EARTH ONE HC VOL 01   –   $22.99
SEP140224   –   TRINITY OF SIN #2   –   $2.99
AUG140344   –   VAMPIRE DIARIES TP   –   $24.99
SEP140173   –   WONDER WOMAN #36   –   $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JUN140313   –   BATMAN ANIMATED NBA BATMAN AF   –   $24.95
APR140327   –   BATMAN LIL GOTHAM HARLEY QUINN MINI ACTION FIGURE   –   $12.95
APR140325   –   BATMAN LIL GOTHAM ROBIN MINI ACTION FIGURE   –   $12.95
MAY140419   –   DC COMICS GOTHAM CITY GARAGE CATWOMAN STATUE   –   $349.95

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP140405   –   CARTOON NETWORK SUPER SECRET CRISIS WAR #6   –   $3.99
SEP140406   –   CARTOON NETWORK SUPER SECRET CRISIS WAR #6 SUBSCRIPTION   –   $3.99
SEP140532   –   DOBERMAN #4   –   $3.99
SEP140483   –   DUNGEONS & DRAGONS LEGENDS OF BALDURS GATE #2   –   $3.99
SEP140484   –   DUNGEONS & DRAGONS LEGENDS OF BALDURS GATE #2 SUBSCRIPTION   –   $3.99
SEP140478   –   GODZILLA CATACLYSM #4   –   $3.99
AUG140516   –   HAMMER KELLY JONES COMP SERIES HC   –   $34.99
SEP140408   –   LITTLEST PET SHOP HC   –   $9.99
APR140379   –   MARS ATTACKS DLX HC TRADING CARD ED   –   $75.00
SEP140446   –   MAXX MAXXIMIZED #13   –   $3.99
SEP140409   –   MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDS FOREVER TP VOL 02   –   $17.99
SEP140411   –   MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #25   –   $3.99
SEP140412   –   MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #25 BLANK SUBSCRIPTION   –   $3.99
AUG140511   –   POPEYE CLASSICS NEWSPAPER COMICS HC VOL 02 1989-1992   –   $39.99
MAR140461   –   RED STAR DLX HC VOL 01   –   $49.99
SEP140443   –   ROT & RUIN #3   –   $3.99
AUG140497   –   STAR SLAMMERS REMASTERED #8   –   $3.99
JUL140417   –   THE LAST FALL #3   –   $3.99
AUG140400   –   TMNT LEGENDS SOULS WINTER MICHAEL ZULLI HC   –   $24.99
SEP140386   –   TRANSFORMERS PRIMACY #4   –   $3.99
SEP140385   –   TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE TP VOL 06   –   $19.99
JUL140339   –   WINTERWORLD #4   –   $3.99
SEP140457   –   X-FILES SEASON 10 HC VOL 03   –   $24.99

IMAGE COMICS

SEP140569   –   AMERICAN LEGENDS #3   –   $3.99
SEP140596   –   BOUNCE TP (MR)   –   $24.99
AUG140576   –   CASANOVA COMPLETE ED HC VOL 01 LUXURIA (MR)   –   $29.99
SEP140714   –   DEAD AT 17 BLASPHEMY THRONE #4   –   $3.50
SEP140715   –   DEADLY CLASS #9 (MR)   –   $3.50
AUG130690   –   DREAM MERCHANT #6 (MR)   –   $3.50
SEP140722   –   GONERS #2   –   $2.99
SEP140552   –   INTERSECT #1 CVR A FAWKES (MR)   –   $3.50
SEP140553   –   INTERSECT #1 CVR B LEMIRE (MR)   –   $3.50
JUL140551   –   INVINCIBLE #115   –   $2.99
SEP140626   –   LAZARUS HC VOL 01 (MR)   –   $34.99
JUN140559   –   MORNING GLORIES #42 (MR)   –   $3.50
SEP140740   –   PROTECTORS INC #10 CVR A PURCELL & ATIYEH (MR)   –   $2.99
SEP140741   –   PROTECTORS INC #10 CVR B TEMPLESMITH (MR)   –   $2.99
SEP140595   –   PUNKROCKPAPERSCISSORS TP   –   $29.99
SEP140745   –   REVIVAL #25 CVR A FRISON (MR)   –   $2.99
SEP140591   –   SAGA DLX ED HC VOL 01   –   $49.99
SEP140544   –   SINERGY #1   –   $3.50
JUL140583   –   THIEF OF THIEVES #25 (MR)   –   $2.99
AUG140618   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S LG MEN   –   $19.99
AUG140623   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S LG WOMEN   –   $19.99
AUG140617   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S MED MEN   –   $19.99
AUG140622   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S MED WOMEN   –   $19.99
AUG140616   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S SM MEN   –   $19.99
AUG140621   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S SM WOMEN   –   $19.99
AUG140619   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S XL MEN   –   $19.99
AUG140624   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S XL WOMEN   –   $19.99
AUG140620   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S XXL MEN   –   $21.99
AUG140625   –   WALKING DEAD ANDREA T/S XXL WOMEN   –   $21.99
SEP140678   –   WALKING DEAD OMNIBUS HC VOL 05   –   $100.00
SEP140679   –   WALKING DEAD OMNIBUS S&N ED HC VOL 05   –   $150.00
AUG140627   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES T/S MED MEN   –   $25.00
AUG140626   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES T/S SM MEN   –   $25.00
AUG140629   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES T/S XL MEN   –   $25.00
AUG140630   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES T/S XXL MEN   –   $27.00
AUG140633   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES TANK LG WOMEN   –   $25.00
AUG140632   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES TANK MED WOMEN   –   $25.00
AUG140631   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES TANK SM WOMEN   –   $25.00
AUG140634   –   WALKING DEAD WALKER FACES TANK XL WOMEN   –   $25.00
SEP148170   –   WAYWARD #2 2ND PTG (MR)   –   $3.50
AUG140695   –   WITCHBLADE #179 CVR A BRAGA   –   $3.99
AUG140696   –   WITCHBLADE #179 CVR B CHRISTOPHER   –   $3.99
SEP140769   –   ZERO #12 (MR)   –   $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

AUG140714   –   WALKING DEAD RICK GRIMES RESIN STATUE   –   PI

MARVEL COMICS

SEP140828   –   AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #10 SV   –   $3.99
SEP140821   –   AVENGERS #38 TRO   –   $3.99
SEP140777   –   AVENGERS AND X-MEN AXIS #6   –   $3.99
SEP140786   –   AVENGERS WORLD #15 AXIS   –   $3.99
SEP140782   –   AXIS CARNAGE #2   –   $3.99
SEP140780   –   AXIS REVOLUTIONS #2   –   $3.99
SEP140879   –   BLACK WIDOW #12   –   $3.99
SEP140886   –   DAREDEVIL #10   –   $3.99
SEP140788   –   DEADPOOL #37 AXIS   –   $3.99
SEP148022   –   DEATH OF WOLVERINE #3 2ND PTG MCNIVEN VAR   –   $4.99
SEP140851   –   DEATH OF WOLVERINE WEAPON X PROGRAM #2   –   $3.99
SEP140891   –   ELEKTRA #8   –   $3.99
SEP140880   –   FANTASTIC FOUR #13   –   $3.99
AUG140918   –   GOTG BY ABNETT AND LANNING COMPLETE COLL TP VOL 02   –   $34.99
AUG140895   –   GUARDIANS GALAXY PREM HC VOL 03 GUARDIANS DISASSEMBLED   –   $24.99
SEP140871   –   GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #21   –   $3.99
SEP140809   –   INHUMAN #8   –   $3.99
AUG140910   –   IRON FIST LIVING WEAPON TP VOL 01 RAGE   –   $17.99
SEP148010   –   LEGENDARY STAR LORD #4 2ND PTG MEDINA VAR   –   $3.99
SEP140808   –   LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #8 AXIS   –   $3.99
SEP140791   –   MAGNETO #12 AXIS   –   $3.99
SEP140877   –   MOON KNIGHT #9   –   $3.99
SEP148021   –   MS MARVEL #1 7TH PTG PICHELLI VAR ANMN   –   $2.99
SEP140818   –   NEW AVENGERS #26 TRO   –   $3.99
DEC130756   –   POWERS BUREAU #12 (MR)   –   $3.95
SEP140890   –   PUNISHER #12   –   $3.99
AUG140917   –   REALM OF KINGS TP NEW PTG   –   $34.99
AUG140919   –   RUNAWAYS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 02   –   $34.99
AUG140903   –   SILVER SURFER EPIC COLLECTION TP WHEN CALLS GALACTUS   –   $34.99
SEP140833   –   SPIDER-WOMAN #1 SV   –   $3.99
SEP140853   –   STORM #5   –   $3.99
MAY140928   –   THOR GOD OF THUNDER PREM HC VOL 04 LAST DAYS MIDGARD   –   $24.99
SEP140902   –   UNCANNY X-MEN #28   –   $3.99
AUG140921   –   WOLVERINE TP BOOK 02 THREE MONTHS TO DIE   –   $19.99
SEP140907   –   X-FORCE #12   –   $3.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JUL141448   –   13 COINS #2 (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141607   –   AAMA GN VOL 02 INVISIBLE THRONG (MR)   –   $19.95
JUL141376   –   ACG CLASSICS COLL PACK OUT OF THE NIGHT SLIPCASE ED   –   $129.99
AUG148386   –   AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE MAGAZINE #2   –   $4.99
SEP141782   –   ANI IMO GN VOL 01 (MR)   –   $13.00
SEP141783   –   ANNE RICE WOLF GIFT GN   –   $20.00
SEP141489   –   ANNIHILATOR #3   –   $3.99
JUN140805   –   ARCHIE THE MARRIED LIFE TP VOL 06   –   $19.99
AUG141333   –   ARMY OF DARKNESS HITCHED #4 MAIN LEE   –   $3.99
SEP141628   –   ASSASSINS CREED GN VOL 05 EL CAKR   –   $9.99
OCT141530   –   ATTACK ON TITAN BEGINNING BOX SET   –   PI
OCT141531   –   ATTACK ON TITAN SPINOFF COLLECTION BOX SET   –   PI
SEP140986   –   BILLY TUCCI A CHILD IS BORN ONE SHOT   –   $5.99
SEP141310   –   BOBS BURGERS #4   –   $3.99
SEP141190   –   BRAVEST WARRIORS PARALYZED HORSE GIANT #1   –   $4.99
SEP141781   –   BTOOOM GN VOL 08 (MR)   –   $14.00
SEP141073   –   CROSSED BADLANDS #66 (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141076   –   CROSSED BADLANDS #66 FATAL FANTASY CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141075   –   CROSSED BADLANDS #66 TORTURE CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141074   –   CROSSED BADLANDS #66 WRAP CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
JUN141374   –   DANCE CLASS HC BOX SET VOL 1-4   –   $43.99
AUG141326   –   DAWN VAMPIRELLA #2   –   $3.99
AUG141649   –   DEVILS & REALIST GN VOL 03   –   $12.99
OCT141441   –   DF HAWKEYE VS DEADPOOL #1 DF EXC MAYHEW CVR   –   PI
JUL141208   –   DF LIFE WITH ARCHIE #37 ROSS CVR SGN   –   PI
SEP141078   –   DICKS END OF TIME #6 (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141079   –   DICKS END OF TIME #6 OFFENSIVE CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP148240   –   DISNEY FROZEN CINESTORY   –   $14.99
OCT141526   –   DISNEY FROZEN CINESTORY VOL 01   –   $14.99
AUG141668   –   DOCTOR WHO 12TH #2 REG COAL HILL SCHOOL   –   $3.99
AUG141669   –   DOCTOR WHO 12TH #2 SUBSCRIPTION PHOTO   –   $3.99
AUG141650   –   DRAGONAR ACADEMY GN VOL 04 (MR)   –   $12.99
SEP141784   –   DURARARA YELLOW SCARVES GN VOL 02   –   $13.00
SEP141432   –   EC GEORGE EVANS ACES HIGH HC   –   $29.99
SEP141490   –   EPOCHALYPSE #1   –   $3.99
SEP141289   –   EVIL ERNIE #2 CVR A SEELEY MAIN   –   $3.99
AUG141672   –   FIRST KINGDOM HC VOL 06 (MR)   –   $19.99
SEP141110   –   FUTURAMA COMICS #73   –   $2.99
SEP141774   –   GANGSTA GN VOL 04 (MR)   –   $12.99
SEP141050   –   GEORGE RR MARTIN IN THE HOUSE O/T WORM #4 (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141052   –   GEORGE RR MARTIN IN THE HOUSE O/T WORM #4 PAINTED CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
SEP141051   –   GEORGE RR MARTIN IN THE HOUSE O/T WORM #4 WRAP CVR (MR)   –   $3.99
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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. 

Another crazy big week and we’re straight into the weekend. Before we get there I’m going to start off the covers this week by gushing about BOOM! Studios again. They’re hitting it out of the park in everything they touch and the cover to “Hexed #4” by Dan Mora is just another homerun.

Since the Marvel NOW! renumbering, “Deadpool” has been amazing. Matt Fraction and David Aja’s “Hawkeye” has won both critical and fan acclaim. While “Deadpool” continues to bring the funny, “Hawekeye” has been running behind schedule. So, because it’s hard to get a Hawguy fix right now I suggest you pick up and love the “Hawkeye vs. Deadpool” series written by Gerry Duggan with cover art below by James Harren.

I’ve talked up “Ghosted” from Image comics’ Skybound line so I don’t know that I need to say more. How about I let the amazing art to the cover for issue #15 speak for itself?

This cover is the final one in the series for the comic book adaptation of “The City on the Edge of Forever”. Any Star Trek fan – even the ones who’ve already experienced the story in some other format – need to read this series, if only for the covers.

I’ve tried my best to look out for some great variants in the past few weeks but I’m going to go with some art many people have already seen. The variant cover to the new “Superior Iron Man #1” by Yildiray Cinar is so great I have to wonder why it wasn’t the main cover. If you haven’t read the stuff going on in “Axis” you’re not missing out on anything you’ll need for “Superior Iron Man”. If you like a dirty underhanded and not completely sober Tony Stark, this book is a can’t miss for you.

First in panels is the new Thor with the same old hammer but a new gender. She’s no wench and don’t you make the mistake of the now dead Frost Giant who called her one in “Thor #2”.

Did Scott Snyder just have a meta reference to the age old comic book geek question in “Batman #36”? If he did, what do you think the answer should be? Batman answers the question and once you’ve read the comic you’ll agree that Batman’s answer will stand as one the best.

Captain America is always going to be around, no matter who wields the shield. It’s nice to see Nomad back though, and is punchlines in the book should make for a wonderful run as the Cap for Falcon’s foreseeable future as the “All-New Captain America”.

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 week, you’ll always have today?!

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 big for news, movies, trailers, “Star Wars” fans, and yes, for comic book fans too. I’ve done my best to break down the moments I got to and some that I didn’t to bring you my favorite things in comics this week. Starting us off strong for the month of November is the whimsical “Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1” by Humberto Ramos. The writing in the book is by Paul Jenkins and BOOM! Studios is publishing it. I have to say that, although Image is still the king of indie comic books, BOOM! has quickly become one of my favorite places for comics.

DC Comics had some wonderful comic book covers this week. if I could have grabbed a great photo of the final issue of Scott Snyder and Jim Lee “Superman Unchained #9” I would’ve certainly included it. That being said, the cover to “Green Lantern #36” by Alex Sinclair and Billy Tan stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of a cover by Jim Lee Alex Sinclair and Scott Williams.

The perspective for the cover to “The Last West #8” is wonderful. I’m a big fan of Alterna and the books they publish but I haven’t a clue what’s inside the wonderful cover to this book. A quick glance at the past covers though, indicates there is a great artist on art duties for “The Last West”.

The latest book to pique my interest from Image is “Tooth & Claw” by Kurt Busiek and Ben Dewey. The book is another wonderful addition to Image’s line and more evidence that magic happens when you let comic book creators stretch their capabilities to their limits.

The haunting variant cover to “Death of Wolverine: Life After Logan #1” by Julian Totino Tedesco is my favorite for the week. I’m making the assumption that the cover is digitally painted in an oils style because that’s the industry norm but I couldn’t tell the difference if you forced me to. The work is excellent and makes one wonder why the amazing variant art isn’t chosen as the regular cover when it’s this great.

Image: 13thdimension.com

I can’t say enough good things about the BOOM! Studios published “Day Men”. This issue launches right off of the back of the recent collected trade for issues #1-#4. Stay tuned for an in depth review of this series right here on Big Shiny Robot.

“God Hates Astronauts #3” is the funniest book I read this week. Ryan Browne is creating something special in as much as he is creating something entirely shit nuts. I wasn’t a supporter of this book from the get go, it took me a second read through to love issue #1 but I’m fully engaged now. I still am not quite sure what’s going on with the multiple threads Browne is weaving but as long as the jokes stay ripe, I’m in for a monthly bite.

I told the world that Jake Parker was going to be the artist working in collaboration with Skottie Young while the writer/artist took a short break from both creative duties on Rocket Raccoon. I also told the world that Jake Parker’s art is fantastic. I also reporting seeing the nine of Parker’s inked pages from “Rocket Raccoon #5”. This page with the sword was one I was waiting to see in a book the most. Parker told me he had requested that Young put a huge sword in the book for Rocket and it works wonderfully. The fully colored page by Skottie Young’s long time and insanely talented colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu pops. If there were any doubters that Parker was going to throw off the momentum this book Skottie built they are now certainly eating their words. 

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 week, Happy Birthday Androidika!

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. 

Happy Halloween edition of “Five and Three”! With that in mind, let’s start off with “Boo! Halloween” From Monkey Brain comics.

Next up is a wonderful cover from “Ciudad” by Andre Parks, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo and art by Fernando Leon Gonzalez. Cuidad is a another wonderful creator owned title from Oni Press. Oni is a demon in Japan so that’s perfect for this spooky time of year!

Batman is a must for any Halloween so I’m including him from the cover to the very cool “The New 52 Futures End #26”.

I have loved the cover to “Elecktra #7” since I first set eyes on it. The masked feel is another wonderful cover for the season.

The last cover this week is in honor of the end to Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s wonderful run on Wonder Woman with “Wonder Woman #35”. The ending was perfect but this monster cover is perfect for the season.

In panels I’m giving you a peek behind the curtain of the book that tells the story of how Thanos, Drax, and Starlord escaped the Cancerverse over in “Guardians of the Galaxy #20”.

Saga goes away until 2015 with a spectacular fast forward issue. Lying Cat has one of his best moments in comics in the latest issue so go get it. Don’t forget though, that the limited edition hard cover comes out next month. That edition is perfect for gifts and for anyone who wants to share “Saga” with friends or family.

The last panel this week is from the magically dark “Rasputin #1” from Image comics. I am very excited for this book and it’s a nice refresh from the sci-fi that seemed to be taking over creator owned titles in the last year.

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 week, Trick-Or-Treat!

Your treat is the variant to “All-New X-Men #33”:

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 we’re running the late night edition of the article because of schedules, Halloween parties, and general malaise. After that intro, how excited are you for these covers and panels now?

First up this week is the amazing first issue of “Edward Scissorhands” from IDW. The cover by Gabriel Rodriguez is only have the magic because the interiors are a cut above the rest. Drew Rausch has stylized this book so similar to the “Beetlejuice” cartoon from the 90’s You have to see it to believe it. Speaking of which, where’s my “Beetlejuice” book IDW? While you’re taking requests, could you put Jake Parker on it?

I loved “Colder” last year from Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra. I can’t wait to be thrilled and chilled during the Halloween season and this book is my first pick for the genre. Dark Horse is making me a “happy trick or treater” releasing the latest story in the “Colder” series.

I find my best variants by browsing shops, getting tips from readers, and by a wonderful site called 13thdimension. This week I found two great comics they’ve posted. This week I went with a wonderful “Catwoman” variant to issue #35 by Joshua Middleton. After that, catch a hilarious cover by Amanda Conner for an issue of “Harley Quinn” where she changes costumes with Powergirl. I knew Powergirl was tall but I didn’t know she had such a large boob window too.

Images from 13Dimension.com
 

Last cover for the week is “Sheltered” from Image comics by Johnnie Christmas. I like this more than any of the haunted covers above simply because of the colors and the negative space composition. It’s my favorite cover this week.

Panels this week were easy. I’m leading with Constantine because of his new TV series premiering tonight and because I liked his quip about Anthony Bourdain in “New 52 Futures End #25”.

I think ol’ Cap is pissed!

Mark Millar and Gorlan Parlov made a great space serial throwback book and now it’s over with the sixth issue of “Starlight” that came out this week. I loved every minute of the book and I’ll probably end up getting it in trade to loan out. I highly suggest you meet up with me to talk about it or borrow it.

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 week, party on Garth!

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’ll be at Anime Banzai this weekend podcasting with “The Undead Soup” podcasters and reporting on the convention with fellow bots Neverbot and Gax-bot. With that in mind, let’s get on with the comics because we’re running short on daylight. I know, those two sentences make no blargple.

First up on covers is a very cool one from Action Lab called “Planet Gigantic” with art by David Halvorson. I love these digital books but I always secretly hope I’ll see them someplace in print later.

Another indie book gets a nod this week with the wonderful cover art to “Cimarronin: A Samurai in New Spain #2”. I love all things samurai so this cover is right up my alley. I don’t care if you disagree, this cover is amazing.

With only a few great adjectives left I’m going to say that the cover to “Jim Hensons The Storyteller Witches #2” is fantastically terrific.

The cover to “Batwoman #35” is very different from the standard DC cover work. I am in love with the new things DC comics is doing and if we get more great covers like this one, I may just start reading more DC books.

As much as Francisco Francavilla is a favorite artist for “Five and Three”, I can’t remember the last time I featured one of his covers. Considering his ability to make pulp and horror literally pop off of the page, it is fitting he gets picked at least once in October. This time though, it’s for a Marvel variant cover. The “Original Sin” story isn’t over yet because this annual is all about the man on the wall before Nick Fury, Woodrow McCord. Honestly, if this book could exist I’d read it. The feel of the character in the cover here by Francavilla is right in line with other books I love like “Fear Agent” and the newer “Starlight”

One of the most touch moments in comics this week, at least the ones I read, was from “Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #6”. The color choices and the soft light made this emotional scene work in a situation I thought totally wouldn’t.

Another single image from a Marvel Comic this week is in one of Logan’s last acts out of “Death of Wolverine #4”. The claws that have taken so many lives are popped one last time in an act of heroism that ultimately dooms the canuck. Goodbye Wolverine, we’ll miss you until 2016.

I can’t say enough about this the marvelous Image book “Deadly Class”. Rick Remender and Wes Craig are terrific and the story is spot on with everything I want in a punk-rock assassin comic but it’s Lee Loughridge on colors that puts “Deadly Class” over the top each and every time this book comes out. If you haven’t given this book a chance, you’re truly missing out. Lucky for you though, the first volume was just released last month so get out there and get reading!

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 week, come visit the BSR reporters at Anime Banzai in Layton, Utah!

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. 

There were some great covers this week so I hope you like the ones I’ve picked. I sincerely did my best but I left a bunch of great ones out. I blame all of the wonderful variants and my favorite one is the one I’m leading with. 

Fiona Staples makes her variant cover to “Thor #1” look like the Goddess of Thunder belongs in the “Saga” universe. With the amount of crazy things happening in her and Brian K. Vaughn’s creator owned series, a bad ass Viking warrior smashing an ice giant fits right in.

Vertigo comics are doing this thing where they’re “defying” covers and the results are very cool. This cover looks like it belongs in the panels section of this article but I love the idea and the design so much it just had to be included in the covers.

IDW’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” has shown up in “Five and Three” before but this time it’s a bit different. I liked this cover and the others by Eastman and Santolouco, but this one resonated with me the most. To me, it “looks” like the Turtles. These are my TMNT and I wish this summer’s movie would have used this look instead of the one they went with.

Declan Shalvey continues to bring the pain on Moon Knight covers despite his absence from interiors. The comic itself continues to delight and, if you haven’t checked it out, now would be a great time to get caught up because the first few issues are available in trade dress.

My favorite cover this week is from the surprisingly great “Detective Comics”. I was very sad to not see my favorite artist and writer from DC Comics on “Green Arrow” any longer but this opening salvo from Ben Percy, John Paul Leon and Dave Stewart has me happy to still say I have DC books in my hold. Coming up in panels though is a book I honestly can’t believe is being printed by DC so keep reading.

I’m not very happy with this whole “Death of Wolverine” thing Marvel is doing. They’re certainly shaking up many of the foundations of the Marvel universe over at the house of ideas, but they’ve been doing that for the last decade and putting out some amazing stories so I’ll continue to read them and avoid humble pie. I’m not ever going to say they’re doing something wrong when they have so often created amazing stories. With that in mind I picked a bad ass Samurai Logan from “The Death of Wolverine #3” to start off panels this week.

My ma’s birthday is only a month away. If I could get her a huge battle tank elephant to drive to her hospital she’d love it. I’m going to miss “legs” and her adventures throughout the Greek pantheon. Because of this series though, I’ll follow Cliff Chang anywhere.

Remember that book I didn’t believe was a DC Comic? I hope so, it was only three paragraphs ago. If you decided against picking up a copy of “Gotham Academy #1” by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschi, and GeyseR. The art is spectacular and looks nothing like the traditional DC House style. The story is also sweet, even if it crams in a bit of the Bat to sell the idea home. To me, “Gotham Academy” felt a bit like a Nancy Drew mystery mixed with some good old fashioned Harry Potter. It’s oodles of fun and I suggest anyone who likes to have fun give this a chance. 

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 week, be sure to have a spooky adventure and tweet about it!

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 can’t believe the week we had and the books I didn’t pick! Image delivered hits, BOOM! Studios delivered gold and everyone else gifted the comics world with greatness. I’m afraid next week we’ll only see three books and they’ll all be mediocre. That of course means that I had a hard time choosing my favorites this week. I also didn’t get much help from the outside but @Brandigirlio, as usual, helped me pick the covers.

I’m going to lead with one she knew I was going to pick. I’m a huge fan of samurai and more specifically Bushido. That’s my favorite part of Wolverine and I’ll be sad to see it go away for a time when he dies – for a time. Until that happens I can be glad Marvel encourages great covers like this week’s “Savage Wolverine #23” by Declan Shalvey. The cherry blossoms and the meditation are, to me, instantly calming.

I’m going to guess now that every cover to Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman: Overture” will make the cut for “Five and Three”. I make that bold prediction because of the insanely talented artist on the book J.H. Williams III.

“Umbral” brings the heat to newsstands and spinner racks every week it releases. The cover work by Christopher Mitten is outstanding and always pleasing to the eye.

Greg Tocchini is creating an amazing sci-fi world with Rick Remender on their book “Low”. Issue 3 has to be one of the best covers I’ve seen in a long time. I knew it had to be included and it looks great next to J.H. Williams III’s “The Sandman: Overture” cover this week. Anyone would be lucky to have this cover as a print in their home. If it was just the art without the cover dress, your non-comic fan wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between it and fine art.

Gail Simone is creating some great stories over at Dynamite on “Red Sonja”. I know the book is controversial because of the scantily clad heroine but with covers like this one, how can anyone fault the beauty or fearsomeness of the character? This cover pulls me in and I’m not entirely sure why. It’s hard to put a finger on why it works but I’m glad it does so with the use of a close-up on Sonja’s face and sword arms.

“Chew” makes me laugh every time I read it. I usually read the book in floppies but picked this issue up for the crazy cover and the fact that it was halfway through the latest storyline. I didn’t spoil much but I had a great time… mostly at Robert Kirkman’s expense. If Kirkman is Conan does that mean Gail will show up in a future issue of Chew as Red Sonja?

I’ve been wondering what the hell has been the point of the absurdly good “The New 52: Futures End” since the weekly started earlier this summer. I finally get something of a decent answer from the book and all it’s done is create more unanswered questions. I wish I didn’t like this series so much, but it’s been wonderful so how can I resist?

My favorite book this week wasn’t “Sex”, it wasn’t “Saga”, and it wasn’t “Guardians of the Galaxy”. My favorite book was Charles Soule’s “Letter 44”. The book has been a wild ride on a roller coaster made of one part sci-fi and one part political intrigue. I’ve heard that this story has been optioned for a TV series and I insist it be done. If it is though, my hope is that it doesn’t end up on a foxy network that will cancel it or a completely witty network that will tween the story down. I hope it ends up on one of those Networks with quality Flix or one that happily breathes originality into their programming. 

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 week, enjoy the sun while it lasts!