Pick of the Week Podcast
Show Notes
It’s a return to somewhat normal as Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick take a look at the new offerings that hit the (digital) spinner racks this week.
Running Time: 01:17:58
Pick of the Week:
00:01:54 – DCeased: Unkillables #3
Comics:
00:11:11 – DCeased: Hope at World’s End #1
00:14:01 – Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #10
00:17:15 – Hawkeye: Freefall #5
00:21:47 – Red Sonja #13
00:24:35 – The Dollhouse Family #6
00:26:57 – Star #5
Patron Pick:
00:28:56 – The Ludocrats #1
Patron Thanks:
00:32:48 – Michael Scott
00:34:40 – Dan Boman
G.I. Joe Corner:
00:38:38 – “The Palace of Doom” The Revenge of Cobra, Pt. 3
Email:
01:02:57 – Keith H. wonders why fans of DCeased won’t give Injustice a shot.
01:06:32 – James V. from Calgary, Canada has been checking out classic graphic novels during quarantine.
News:
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“Good Golly Miss Molly”
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Tom Taylor with the Injustice comic was allowed to do what he wanted as long as it matched up with events referenced to start the game where it put him on the map. It was better as a digital series that was a video game tie-in than the Johns Justice League run at the time which didn’t get good until the Throne of Atlantis crossover for me. It is also based on tragedy just like DCeased since the original Injustice series takes place 5 years before the events of the game with Superman as a tyrant and Batman as the last hero standing against him. You see that friendship break down leading to them on opposing sides.
Taylor wrote Injustice: Gods Among Us Year One, Year Two, and then half of Year Three before becoming exclusive to Marvel. Brian Buccellato finished off Year Three with Tom Taylor’s ideas where it was great when Taylor wrote it. It was a good finish by Buccellato even though it’s a big quality drop to years four and five. The first year was like Civil War, the second year is the Green Lantern war, and the third year focuses on characters related to magic where Tom Taylor writes a great Constantine. Tom Taylor is the best Harley Quinn writer besides Paul Dini where I would love to see him write a Green Arrow and Black Canary series.
Tom Taylor’s final Injustice issue was originally Year Three #7 in print or chapters 13 and 14 where it honestly is what I wanted the future of the DC Universe to be with Superman imagining how he wanted things to go down instead of what actually happened in the series. It was Taylor getting to write Superman the way he wanted as his favorite character besides one issue in Year One. He then came back for the Year Four Annual as a lead in for Year Five which was really good as a Plastic Man story. He then later wrote the Injustice 2 comic which takes place between the first and second games and it is also great. His Booster Gold is fantastic where the difference between his version and Tom King’s version was vast.
I do miss seeing Booster’s friendship with Blue Beetle since it is so well done in the series which was the first time I saw it in a long time. There is a certain wedding that happens which works too compared to other non weddings that year like Bruce and Selina along with Kitty and Colossus. The final issue with Injustice 2 Annual 2 works as a standalone issue and is a fantastic finish for now. I would not be surprised if he writes an Injustice 3 comic since it is inevitable that the third game will get announced. You could even watch the Injustice video games as cut scene movies put together on YouTube. That was much longer than I expected to write, but I do think the context matters.
There have been a few of us here strongly suggesting that Injustice be given a chance. I have to admit it’s been fairly frustrating lately to hear Josh and Conor ‘discover’ Tom Taylor when when was here all the long.
As good as Deceased is- and it is. I honestly think Injustice was better.
Aside needed service to the framework of the game’s story This book was my New 52 Justice League, a fresh take on the characters while being true to the core of the characters.
So- it’s gratifying to hear it might be given a chance now.
If somehow Taylor had somehow been given the regular Justice League book from the start it might have actually worked.
Please make it a BookSplode.
I have been on that train too with mentioning Injustice more than once and hoping at least Year One would be a Booksplode. I share that same frustration honestly, but hopefully it is given that chance now. I called it Civil War, but Year One is better than Civil War. Injustice was insanely popular at the time and people were shocked that a video game tie-in was so good while being better than the ongoing flagship comic by Johns. Tom Taylor was also an unknown at the time so putting Johns and Lee as the team was a no brainer with the first arc at the time.
I completely agree though as far as it being what the New 52 Justice League should have been and that it is better than DCeased. I wanted Tom Taylor to be the new Batman writer instead of James Tynion even if it would be a limited time with 5G coming up, but who knows how that will go down without DiDio. Taylor has said he wants to do Superman which is his favorite character where I would love to see it especially in light of the current Bendis run. Tim Seeley said he pitched doing Nightwing with Tom Taylor, but was turned down which baffles me. Taylor isn’t exclusive to Marvel anymore so put him on an ongoing where he could write Green Arrow and Black Canary easily. He just gets DC characters so well and I don’t understand why DC hasn’t done it yet.
Re: slice of life; I can’t recommend the books by Adrian Tomine?? His books which are mostly collections of shorter stories but he has some longer ones too, are really really incredible. The way he writes sadness and the grey areas of life anyone can relate to is really effective and beautiful and his cartooning is great. Shortcomings is a great single story collection. But all his work is amazing.
Oof I meant to say Can I recommend. Not I can’t. Typing on a phone is hard
I really want to like Adrian Tomine. But I kind of don’t.
Calgary James- you should definitely listen to @petergardner and try “Summer Blonde” or “Shortcomings” by Adrian Tomine, (These are collected editions from his mid/late 90s periodical comic Optic Nerve) both have excellent cartooning and deserve their praise. The tone may be a bit more detached or cynical than something like “Blankets”, but you may find them more thought provoking for that reason.
Please ignore Josh until he has a more valid critique than “ I kinda don’t like it”
Check your library apps, they probably have them to check out as the books are a critical favorite. It will only cost you an hour or so of your life.
What’s not to lose?
…unless you’re currently finding the cure for COVID-19, than please don’t read these and get back to work.
This episode featured a return of a personal favorite iFanboy “was this the last issue”
Another slice of life book that I’d recommend is Giant Days. I think it was mentioned once on the podcast when you guys were surprised at its nomination/win of the Eisner that year. The early issues reflect John Allison’s webcomic beginnings with a one page setup-payoff, but the character work is endearing. He’s also paired with gifted artists over the run of the series, none more so than Max Sarin who takes over art duties with issue seven. Max is one of the finest cartoonists of this generation. Every character has their own distinct look, and the acting is superb.
I’ve often wondered what has kept you guys from giving it a try.
Our Expanding Universe is great, but I also read it at the exact time I needed to in my life. I was approaching 40 when that book came out.
It reminds me of when I was watching Mission Hill, which was exactly the voice I was looking for in the early 2000s.
as James V. from Calgary’s question was recommendations for “acclaimed” Graphic novels I would recommend in similar vein to what was read (in addition to thirding the excellent Asterios Polyp”):
“Black Hole” by Charles Burns
“The Fixer” by Joe Sacco (or really any of his books)
“Ghost World” by Daniel Clowes (again take your pick)
newer works for those asking:
“Sabrina” by Nick Drnaso
“My Favorite Thing is Monsters “ by Emil Ferris
“Spinning” by Tillie Walden
Those books all have critical praise and are worth reading.
happy to list more if needed.
Good reading.
I’m still busy catching up on the show so I hope you see this late comment but a couple of recommendations for great “literary” graphic novels, I highly recommend The Sculptor by Scott McCloud, which seems to have been overlooked even by fans of Understanding Comics but I thought it was terrific. Another good one I read recently is Horizontal Collaboration by Navie and Carole Maurel, which I think you guys will especially enjoy as its a World War II story about the way French women who had relationships with German soldiers would be ostracized by their communities. Beautiful artwork too.