Top 5 Comics (01-16-13)

Lets start this introduction to this weeks comics with something epic, so I give you 'Flash'

So yeah now that we have the epic theme of Flash Gordon in our minds lets get to some comics (the theme has nothing to do with anything I'm talking about this we, but I couldn't think of any rambling to start of this week).

5. Avenger Assemble #11 (Marvel): Just continuing the story already presented by Kelly Sue DeConnick since she has taken over the title. It's just one of those fun and personable titles that I'm really enjoying. Between this and Captain Marvel (also out today) Kelly Sue DeConnick is becoming one of my favourite writers in comics working today.

4. Saga #9 (Image): The Will finally has a good day. What does that mean for this series? Month to month this is a comic I look forward to getting my hands on every month, the art and writing is a master class in comics.

3.Threshold #1 (DC Comics): Cosmic DC mini stories written by Kieth Giffen, including a story about Larfleeze. I'm down for trying this out.

2. The Black Beetle: No Way Out #1 (Dark Horse): Story and art by the great Francesco Francavilla. Continuing from his great work in Dark Horse Presents. The amazing art should be enough to get you to buy it, but the story just adds more bang for your buck. Classic pulp stories are back thanks to Mr. Francavilla.

1. New Avengers #2 (Marvel): "The Illuminati gather to plan for the death of Everything." That alone should be something dragging you to buy it, tied in with the beautiful Jock cover, Steve Epting art, and Johnathan Hickman's amazing storytelling.

2012 Recap: Top 5 Titles of 2012

So the year is coming to an end and it time to look back over the year and see what new released titles of 2012 I really enjoyed. So lets start this off with...

5. Batman, Incorporated (DC Comics): Now this is kind of a cheat, and we wont see it on many best of lists for the year because it is the second volume of Grant Morrison's Batman, Incorporated work. I know I have said this time and time again, but I'm a big fan of Mr. Morrison's work (especially with Batman), and if I was doing a top 10 list we would see his dive into creator owned with with Image's Happy. This Batman title is continuing with a lot of what he did back in the pre-New 52 relaunch. The inclusion Chris Burnham art has just made the title ten times better. It's great and I can't wait to see this collected with the first volume of it.

4. Thor God of Thunder (Marvel): This isn't a title I've talked a lot about on here, but it is one of the most amazing and well plotted titles of Marvel NOW. The idea of watching Thor from three points in time (youth, present, and all father Thor) just strikes a cord with me. How will the events with the Butcher lead to Thor being the last in Asgard? Jason Aaron over the last 2 years has become one of my favourite comic book writers, and here he is bound to deliver an amazing story.

3. The Manhattan Project (Image): 2012 was the year of Image. They just knocked it out of the park with their twentieth anniversary of the creator owned publisher and some of the most amazing titles to come out in years. One of the titles being The Manhattan Project by Jonathan Hickman, an alternate history of the Cold War arms race is giving us an amazing story with aliens, cyborgs, alternate earths, and so much more. This is a must read title.

2. Avengers (Marvel): So far we have only seen two issues of this title, but both of them were just amazing. I am more placing this title here for the potential it has with Johnathan Hickman helming the title, and after seeing the expansiveness that he gave us in Fantastic Four and FF as well as his work over at Image this is going to be a title to watch in 2013 as it is bound to give us some amazing story telling.

1 Saga (Image): I've already spoken on 2012 being the year of Image, and that just is made more clear by the amazing title that is Saga. I really don't know how to put in words how great the BKV space Romeo and Juliet story has been., and it is just complimented by the beautiful Fiona Staples art. I've said this so many times before, but get your eyes reading this asap. This wasn't even a title I was going to read originally, but I tried it and I was hooked.

Top 5 Comics (Nov. 14, 2012)

I'm back with the Top 5 Comics list, been going through some crazy stuff in my lately, but now I'm back to work on things I truly enjoy... that of course being comics. Hopefully this means me putting out more posts more often with more content. Anyways lets get to the comics.

5. Avengers Assemble #9 (Marvel Comics): This is the start of a new creative team on the title, and the new writer for it is none other than Kelly Sue Deconnick from the fantastic Captain Marvel ongoing series. I'm very excited to see where see is going to take this team, and what will transpire between them in the new Marvel NOW setting. If the cover is any indication of what is to come we can expect a change up in the Avengers Assemble team, and hopefully a further development of the Marvel NOW universe.

4. The Amazing Spider-Man #697 (Marvel Comics): Concluding the Danger Zone story as our favourite web head goes up against both the current and original Hobgoblin's. Can the wall crawler make it out of this with his Spider Sense pushed to the max? How will all this lead into the next and final story line of ASM as we ramp up to its finale in issue 700?

3.Thor: God of Thunder #1 (Marvel Comics): Jason Aaron on Thor, do I really need to say more? This promises to be interesting story with all the great story telling that we've come to expect from Jason Aaron. This is the first time I've picked up a Thor title (besides the amazing Journey into Mystery) so I'm curious to see how I click with the character outside of Avengers titles. So lets see if I continue with this, but if Aarons Hulk run is any indication of what we can expect from this I will be all over it.

2. Batman #14 (DC Comics): Continuing the Death of the Family story, in this issue we get to see the start of what the Joker has planned for the caped crusader and his family of heroes. The first issue of this was so dark and frightening that I can't help but wonder how this will play out. Scott Snyder even back on Detective Comics just seemed to give us the darkest Joker imaginable, and that is even more evident in this storyline. Though I have complained about these constant Batfamily crossovers I'm still excited to see this plays out, even though  am only picking up the Batman title for this event.

1. Saga #7 (Image Comics): This amazing Brian K. Vaughan series returns after a few month break, and now is the perfect time to jump on. A few weeks ago we saw the release of the collected trade of the first six issues so there is no excuse. This is bound to go down as one of the best comic book titles of all time, not only for the great story but also for the beautiful Fiona Staples art. Do your eyes and mind a favor and pick this up.