Pick of the Week
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
Pulls
Size: pages
Price: 3.95
I am such a sucker for a story that comes full circle. It also so happens that just this week, I finally got around to reading through my hardcover of the first Powers arc, “Who Killed Retro Girl,” a story I haven’t read since it was released in issues, regardless of how often I’ve said it was great. The good news is, it’s still great. The better news is, it made this week’s Powers all the better.
The elephant in the room here is that Powers has not had the most regular schedule over the past few years, and a good deal of story has built up, and a lot of characters have shown up, and it’s not too hard to lose track of them. I had forgotten, for example, that Calista, who becomes Retro Girl, was the little girl rescued in the very first issue. Then, I had forgotten that Triphammer had a very big role in the first arc as well. And now, something like 70 issues later, all these characters are involved in the story again. I want to make it very clear that I don’t think you have to be extremely well versed in what’s happened before to appreciate the book, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Before I go any further, I want to give as much credit as possible to an excellent cover. I’ve said that Michael Avon Oeming is a great artist so many times that he might as well have me on payroll. But if you look at this cover, and you’ve been reading this story, it’s all right there, stripped right down in bare black and white. Walker and Pilgrim, after all this time, are squaring off. It’s not a fight, but it’s the two lead characters finally coming back together, and you know there’s conflict there. But there’s also deep affection. There is so much being done effectively with that cover, with so very little detail, that one can’t help but be impressed. Can we get this guy an Eisner? Does he have an Eisner? Well, get him another one. There’s all sorts of love out there for the gorgeous covers of guys like James Jean, Brian Bolland, Dave Johnson, and all those amazing painted detailed pieces of artwork, but a couple of strokes of black ink, Oeming is holding his own. As always, the interiors are up to par as well, especially that last page, which sells the whole thing and made me yelp.
Did I mention how much I love this story? Pilgrim contracts a powers virus, and becomes some kind of powers junky, and is estranged from everyone. Calista, coming into her own, goes off to be bait for the bad guys. Walker is neck deep in Internal Affairs investigations, and then Pilgrim ends up in the box where we start the issue. If you watch cop shows on TV, you know that there are no better episodes than the box episodes. Get Detective Frank Pembleton in there, interrogating a perp, and you have magic. Brian Michael Bendis, if he’s reading this, knows exactly what I’m talking out. But Bendis took it a step further, because the perp in the box was his partner and best friend, and they both know all sorts of stuff about each other, and that’s a lot of conflicts of interest right there. There are all sorts of questions of trust, and the good cops make the good choices and go with their instincts, which was very satisfying. Then a figure from the past comes and throws everything into disarray, exactly like he did back at the end of the first story. This was everything I love about this title, and so rewarding for a long time reader. There was character development, action, suspense, and a police interrogation. It might have been my perfect comic book.
One other thing I noticed about reading the recent issues, as opposed to the first, is that they’re very much toned down. The first arc is a mishmash of rapid pitterpat dialog and quirkiness but at this point the entire book is tight. There are no panels or words wasted. The story lives on a razor edge, and is just moving relentlessly forward. It’s not that I don’t like the earlier style. I very much do, but I’m impressed by the control of the creators to know when it’s time to turn down the funny, and make with the story. When things start back up next issue, I expect Pilgrim to have a little banter going on with Walker, but it wasn’t right for this story, so it wasn’t here. People comment about Bendis getting cutesy when it’s not warranted, but in this book, his tone was pitch perfect.
If you don’t read this book, I can’t help you. I can understand if you don’t like Bendis’ work, but if you’re buying all of Secret Invasion, but not enjoying Powers, which is the best work he’s doing, you’re missing out. If tomorrow, I had to make the choice to cut all my Marvel books written by Bendis, or cut Powers, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. I’d wait several months in between issues, and I’d happily ask for more. It is that good, and it has been for a good, long time.
Josh Flanagan
I’ve picked this book a lot of times.
josh@ifanboy.com
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I really need to buy these trades!
I agree with Doddzilla, i really want these trades. It seems like im missing out on something big. Anyway i guess my POW was a tie between Booster Gold One Million, only because of the nice revelation towards the end. And the other was Final Crisis Requiem, it was a wonderful send to a beloved hero. Plus, i love Tomasi’s writing.
Don’t read this book. Picked up the first two trades, didn’t care for it; tried in issues a few issues ago, still didn’t grab me. I don’t particularly care for Bendis’ dialogue, is the main thing I think.
I’ve only read about half my books so far, but the best has been Final Crisis: Requiem. I had no particular hopes for that book going in, but it absolutely blew me away. So many touching moments, with tender humor thrown in here and there. It really, really filled in the blanks surrounding J’onn’s death from Final Crisis, and I loved it.
Also very good this week were the two Johns books, JSA and Action Comics (haven’t read Booster Gold yet).
To clarify— my language above was sloppy– by "Don’t read this book" I meant that I don’t read it– I was not suggesting that anyone else should or shouldn’t!!
Well I will say dont pick it up. Seriously, what is so special about this series? I love Bendis, and I’m not loving Secret Invasion right now…so it’s not the writer per se.
These stories are just too damn boring! Oooo a guy becoming a superhero junkie? Havent we seen that before in other comics? Sure the art is great, Oeming is a fantastic writer. But with very late shipping issues, boring characters, (to me) stolen stories from better comics…and just a total uninterest since the first arc. This series sucks! Plain and simple.
Action Comics was the shit again, JSA blew me away again, Captain America: White was great too, and Nova is again not getting love like it should. Two weeks in a row and you guys have picked two very medicore series. This I can understand cause a lot of people like, but Sword is just a mess and I dont know why Ron loves it so much. I’ll be interesting in your podcast when your done doing yet another lovefest of a boring series.
Great pick Josh. Honestly, for me it was between Guardians of the Galaxy and Powers.
@ the 2 guys above -The average rating was 4.7 at the time if this writing so clearly not everyone thinks its garbage. The book just isn’t for you guys, relax with the hate-ons. People who like crime comics with a tinge of superheroics should check this book out.
What’s so special is that it’s one of the best written books in all of comics.
On Monday I took a look at the new comics list and saw Powers on the list and I realized it was Josh’s pick and said to myself that will be the POW. I check today and what do I see but Powers.
At this time I would like to steal a line from a great man known as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective-"Man I’m tired of being right!"
Seriously guys, I know that it’s your opinion and you like to listen to obscure alternative rock bands, watch Keith Olbermann and brag how you have a liberal arts degree but what’s with the too cool for the room picks the past two weeks? Is it because Conor picked Final Crisis two weeks ago? Are you guys afraid you’ll be called a nerd for picking a mainstream book.
@Josh- don’t take my post too seriously, I’m just taking a few light-hearted jabs. I’ve never read this but I’ll be sure to check this book out. You have to admit there were plenty of other good books this week like Action Comics, JSA and Final Crisis: Requiem.
Mmm, Powers. . .naturally, this was the book I forgot to pick up today, but I’ll look forward to that and to reading the full review tomorrow. ‘Powers’ must be close to the alltime-POW champ by this point -at least since the podcast started.
It’s a good week so far without this — I like the direction of Iron Man and of Secret Invasion, and my DC books were an old-school Catwoman + Batgirl fest, with ‘Huntress’ and ‘Batman Confidential continuing strong. Plus, I checked out BPRD after Paul’s vigorous lobbying for the Mignolaverse, and this is definitely something I could get into.
You know Brian Bendis is like the biggest name in comics right? It’s not that far out of left field.
@Kory – POWERS is published by Marvel. I believe they are pretty mainstream. Also you might want to acquaint yourself with our past Picks. POWERS is one of the most Picked books. The best book is the best book, no matter who publishes it.
I haven’t read Powers since it’s left Image and Super-Shock went nuts. I’ll be probably be grabbing the Icon arcs in trades very soon. I did like most of the stories I saw, especially the Retro Girl, Cosplay, and Red Hawk stories.
Powers was right up there for me this week. I love this book like crazy and this issue, dispite the lateness reminded me why.
I think my BOW would’ve been Final Crisis Requiem but it was real close with this. I think Tomasi is turning into DC’s Bendis. He just seems to get the characters and make them sound true.
Can I just say… without adding anything to the debate of the relative merits of Powers… that this was a really good week. Final Crisis: Requiem was terrific, as was Action Comics and JSA. Captain Britain was also really good, as was Jason Aaron’s Penguin book, Invincible Iron Man. I even really enjoyed Ultimate Origins. Several other books were okay (Secret Invasion, Batman Confidential, Green Arrow-Black Canary). I only really read a couple of clunkers– Amazing Spider-Man and Detective Comics.
Overall, I thought this week was nearly as strong as that legendary week two weeks ago.
Damn! That’s the second book that I usually pull that I didn’t buy while I was on vacation that got the POW. This just means that the stack of comics waiting for me in my pull box at my LCS is going to spectacular. From what I read this week, I would say that Captain America: White was my pick, but Guardians of the Galaxy was nipping at its heels.
I just read the comments above and wanted to add that I appreciate that these guys pick what they think is good, regardless of repetition. If the book is the best they read that week, even if they picked last time, they still pick it. It’s nice to be at a site where people are consistent. Sure they’re may be things you thought were better, but that’s okay. It’s what this thread is for.
Crap! Tdog, I accidentally deleted your comment. It was totally an accident, and had nothing to do with the content you wrote.
Please post again, and I’m very sorry.
@conor – what I wrote sounded better in my head then how it reads. What I was trying to communicate was that as a critic, it is ones opinion that they present and it is supposed to be unbiased. I think some of the push back that is coming from this pick is that people feel Josh has such a love for Powers that the pick is no longer unbiased.
Also, just by picking something does not make it the best. I can say that the Mona Lisa sucks because I hate paintings of women with stupid smiles, but any critic of art would say that I am an idiot. Is it possible that books are being picked because of personal biased and not on merits of is it great story telling and great art.
Don’t get me wrong of all the podcasts I listen to yours is by far my favourite and I do not want to come across as negative as some of the other posts, but this is my guess why you are getting push back, people might feel there is a loss of objectivity. I really cannot wait to hear the podcast, I think disagreement is the best thing for the show. Agreement is a recipe for boredom.
We’re picking pieces of art we enjoy. There is no objectivity. It’s entirely subjective. We’ve built up an audience who relates to our tastes.
The Pick of the Week isn’t the best comic ever for everyone. It’s the best comic to me. That’s why I picked it. And quite frankly, I’ll talk about Powers, Scalped, Fables, FEAR Agent, Nova, Captain America, and whatever until I’m blue in the face, because I want people to give them a shot. That’s what we do.
All this article says is, "Josh thinks Powers #29 was the best comic book he read this week." It’s a completely true statement.
here is question for you Josh. For the most part I like the books you like. So when I read the first trade of Powers I thought it was very average, not bad but not good. Would you say the story builds and is a slow burn or if I didn’t love the first trade chances are it is not the book for me?
I’ve also got to pick this up in trades. The few issues I’ve purchased have been beautiful, but I’ve had no idea what was going on story-wise.
@josh: Okay so Bendis is a big name right now…so what? He writes dozens of other titles and they are far better then this series. Clearly he spends more time with his other mainstream stories then this, I mean I would’ve picked the recent New Avengers issue over this. This series is boring, plain and simple. Maybe saying sucks is harsh in my earlier post; but man this series just doesnt pick up after the first trade. Plus how can you favor a book that has clearly bad shipping issues? This takes so long to ship out, a trade can come out quicker then this! So you push me unto a book that might be good; shame I cant find the series in my comic stores and if I do find a store…they dont have it cause UPS takes too damn long to finally get copies of it. I anit wasting my hard earn money on A) a boring series, B) Bendis’s lazy writing on this title, and C) a series with late shipping.
I know you guys probably get tons of hate mail about your picks, and I guess I’ll be another part of a wave of ‘angry’ posters. I just think there were much better stories out there this week and I can think of other titles from last month that was better then this. You say you love Nova and GOTG Josh, well if you did then maybe that should’ve been POTW cause they were much better then this pile of boring garbage.
Hell it barely get a whole lot of pulls anyways, sure it’s over 100…but nothing like what you guys want I’m sure.
I’d hate to think this pick was going to be more controversial than that issue of Batman that wasn’t even a comic.
wow, people where’s the love?
I for one, love Powers and don’t understand the people who DON’T like it, everyone I give the trades to eat them up like candy.
granted I don’t agree with the POW a lot of times, but wow, some of you guys are really angry
dudes…..it’s just their opinion, they’re not saying you’re a fool for not liking this book the best this week, it’s just THEIR favorite, they say that at the beginning of every podcast!!!
Ahhh I am going to have to break and down and stop waiting for that second hardcover and just buy the trades and try to catch up. I want to support this book in issue form maybe I will just go and buy all the back issues since the new format and wait to read them until I am caught up.
@TheNextChampion – Popularity is irrelevant to the Pick of the Week.
I’m astounded that this is such a difficult concept for some people to understand.
The Pick of the Week = The best book Josh/Ron/Conor read that week. It’s pretty straight forward, and as THEHOCHE said, we say it pretty clearly at the beginning of each show.
Unless you’re new to iFanboy you shouldn’t be surprised by this Pick because we talk about our love of POWERS every chance we get and it is one of the most Picked books since we’ve been doing this since 2000. If a certain Pick angers you so much – don’t read it. No one’s got a gun to your head.
I really liked Ultimate Origins and it would be my POW followed closely by Captain America White.
And regarding the Powers pick, as soon as they add in the ability for everyone to pick their own POW, we can have an iFanbase POW leader board.
Seriously, Powers was awesome this week.
I bought it on a lark, today (actually the whole trip to the comic store was a iFanboy fueled lark with less then satisfactory results) and the only thing the issue did was make me wish I had read everything up to it. I saw on the cover "New story! More pages!" and hoped maybe this was a good jumping on point (I’ve always meant to read Powers, just never had the chance), but nothing really had much relevancy and I was left scratching my head after a quick skim. Still, the art was wonderful (espcially agree with you about the cover) and I can almost appreciate what’s happening. I just need some more context. To wikipedia, I guess.
@OttoBott – It’s actually the last chapter of the "All New Story" which is not good editing on their part.
@OttoBott’s experience with Powers sounds like my experience with Fables. You jumped on at the pivot point, you unlucky so-and-so.
Oh good grief. Ha ha, well, that would explain it. Ah well. I’m still wanting to find a book to buy the floppys of (I’m 95% trades for the past…geez…6 years? Maybe? Ever since the JMS/Romita Spiderman started dragging for me). Maybe I can just get caught up and just stick with Powers.
@conor: That’s the only complaint I have with this entire pick, and site. I love you guys, this is much better then any comic site I look at. I’ve been watching your stuff for half a year now, and just only joined two weeks ago as a member.
But you telling me you tell people all the time to pick up Powers….and where does it go? No where, you said it yourself the pulls for this are criminally low. Well then maybe that should tell you that not a whole lot of people pick this up. You keep trying to get people to buy it more, like make it POTW, or mention it as much as you can on the other video shows…But if it still gets low sales, then what’s the point of selling it if no one will buy it? I cant imagine this being a top seller when it comes out, I wouldnt be surprise if you give me a stat on how well it sells though.
I just think that….your right, it’s your pick not ours. I cant change you mind as you already wasted time posting up a good review for it. I just think that you push and push and push these books endlessly and if they arent go up in terms of pulls or sales…I just think it’s a waste of breath to talk about it. I dont know, I sound like a fat nerdy teenager would, like probably a lot of other people, bash you day in and day out on stuff like this. There were better books this week, that’s all I really have to say.
It’s like my whole life is a sham.
If I had a life, it’d be a sham.
I can’t imagine Marvel being very sentimental of any comic in the red, espcially of a non-superhero property creator gig. To think it continues to publish Powers at a loss is probably incorrect. I’m just spitballing here, but odds are the book is at least marginally profitable, or maybe it makes up for itself with the trades. Either way, like what you like, hate what you hate and let your dollars vote for what does and doesn’t make it back to the shelves next month.
Powers makes money. Those trades still sell, and most people, when they start, they don’t stop with just one. You don’t do that many versions of hardcovers and collections if they’re not selling.
@Otto: considering Bendis has written some of their best stuff over recent years. They’re probably given him a break and letting him continue with the story. But your right, I can see this being in the red in terms of sales.
Let me just post other picks you’ve guys have done recently:
The Sword #9 (Barely over 100 pulls)
Scapled #18 (Barely over 100 pulls)
Local #12 (Only 68 pulls)
I know you guys love this stuff….mainly Ron is on this list lol. But these titles are barely getting any recognizion as it is…and sadly it doesnt look like pushing this a lot is helping matters either. Hell with Local it’s the end of a very looooong wait time so how the hell was that getting pull anyways? Powers is a little different cause it’ll most likely get to 150 by the end of the week…still pretty piss poor when there are a good 15-20 books ahead of this and getting more recognizion then what your asking us to read.
Yeah…stop asking us to read good books!
We pick the book we like best. It’s what we’ve always done.
We started iFanboy to talk about books we like. That’s what we do.
God I hope B. Clay Moore doesn’t see this.
I don’t get what the number of pulls has to do with whether the book is good or not, or if it should be talked about.. Lord knows I don’t want to listen to a podcast where they just talk about the 5 top selling books every month. I get saturated with that on every other comic book website.
Well, over 100 pulls isn’t terribly bad, considering the most popular book this month got 500 (Secret Invasion) — that’s 1/5th of the audience that Marvel’s mega-summer-blockbuster event gets. And May’s S.I. sold over 400,000 according to CBR. That would put Powers at about 80,000 (if this was even a moderately conclusive extrapolation, which I don’t think it is). I have no idea what is a good number sales wise, but 80,000 (at 4 bucks a pop, no less) has gotta be something.
I’m not really typing this to argue, so much as I’m just typing to type. You raised an interesting question I wanted to fully finish out in my head. And unfortunately, here too.
Good grief – I misread the saleschart – Secret Invasion #2 was 200,000, not 400,000 which would put Powers at 40,000 issues. Bleh, my bad.
you got to love a heated discussion
@ThomasKaters, it is common knowledge that popularity and quality are directly related. That’s how we know that Battlestar Galactica is a terrible show, for example, while Two and a Half Men is the finest Western Civilization has to offer. Similarly, it is how we have proven that Jay Leno is our greatest living comedian and a national treasure. Something something Bill O’Reilly.
Only when the discussion gets heated enough for Godwin’s Law to come into play.
Bill O’Reilly in a pinch will substitute for Godwin’s Law.
I have been a Powers hold out but it seems like it is something i might really like. It is not the job of ifanboy to sell books or convince Joe Reader to buy, much less, like a book. Heck I rarely read half of what is usually the pick of the week, but gosh darn it, i love this show, this website, this community! Heck I picked up Avengers: initiative on a whim…i rarely read that stuff, but loved it because of what was said about it on iFanboy, and i still do, although it seems the love is gone for that book…. I digress…
But to play Devils Advocate just a little bit, the iFanbase loves you guys! We follow what you read…we take your opinions very strongly, and we are passionate about ‘our’ books just as you are. So don’t discount your effect/affect on us, the iFanbase. Secretly we all probably identify with one or more of the ifanboys… like it or not, Conor seems to be the DC guy, Ron the X-Guy, Josh the Indy guy….BUT you still surprise us every time. Me, I’m with Gordon, but what do I know? *tongue firmly in cheek*
That said, is a hardcover available for the first Powers trade? I’m really getting into that format. Does Powers warrant the hardcover love or would you suggest the trade first?
Seriously: why is Spitfire a vampire on the cover of Captain Britain #3? Pretty specific. Seems plot-related. No reason for it to be on the cover unless it happens within. And yet…!
Well again, you like the book and I dont. Obviously I cant sway your opinions on it, cause this series has been around for such a long time. I just dont see what’s the point in talking about it, when the majority of the comic industry isnt giving enough buzz to pick it up. Ifanboy is the only website I know that constant pushes this books, and I guess Bendis should give them a cookie for it. Lord knows, he needs the money ^^;
Ironically I read the first trade again for Powers and it just didnt grab me at all. Then I pick up Action Comics and I got right into the story and that’s why I loved that issue and not the Powers trade.
Hell I’ve anger the whole site now, but no sign of Ron yet. I expect explosions here people!….Or a very emotional or awkward couple of minutes on the next podcast…..
TheNextChampion: you should totally call the voicemail line!
And speaking of which…Daryl, where are you? We need some "Stalking the Streets of New York" opinions on Final Crisis….!
Jimski: i’ve pretty much given up on all the covers. Perhaps we are in the Silver-Age again: when the cover teased yet another Imaginary Story and it was all a hoax or Red Kryptonite in the end….
Did anyone else tear up at the end of Final Crisis – Requiem?
uhhhh…yeah, me neither…*sniff* *sniff*
What I love so much about Powers is that 8 years in, the book continues to throw curveballs and surprise me. Oeming and Bendis work better together than any other contemporary pairing in my opinion, and it shows on the page. The callbacks and references to this issue reached back to the first and second arcs, and that’s part of what I love so much about the book. The world feels lived in and familar for someone that’s been reading since the beginning.
I loved Action Comics this week, but Powers was my pick of the week for sure (and not just because my picture is in the lettercolumn!)
Haven’t read Powers yet, but ‘Young Liars’ continues to amaze at every turn. I was literally open mouthed & gibbering by the end. This book becomes wilderr & more insane with every turn. If I had to describe it I’d say ‘Preacher on acid’. I don’t really know what it is, but its genius all the same.
Oh and ‘Batman Confidential’ keeps being great. Love me some hot Catwoman/Batgirl action, although the art slipped down a notch (from incredibly gorgeuos to just awesome) this issue.
I’d love to get the Powers Definitive hardbacks, but the 1st is out of print (fingers crossed for a reprint) and the 2nd volume just refuses to come out. Maybe Bendis doesn’t want our money ?
I’ve mostly lurked for several years and only registered recently, but I have to comment on the discussion above about the "integrity" of the POW.
The iFanboy mission statement (as far as I understand it) is for each of the three members to pick the book they liked the most on any given week. Not the most pulled book, not the book that is superior from a technical or theoretical perspective, but the book they liked the most. It has always seemed to me that the POW is the equivalent of Ron or Connor or Josh turning to me in my LCS and saying "Man, you really have to read this book!"
There is no way that can be objective. No review of any art form can be objective in any way.
The book Josh loved the most this week was "Powers".
Mission accomplished.
surprised by the "books iFanboy pushes don’t get a sales bump" talk a bit above, because last week iFanboy favorite darwyn cooke on jonah hex received a HUGE bump on this site. and i know that i wouldn’t have bought it without the guys having talked about those two (hex and cooke) so much…
also, the sales talk disregards the number of people who werent buying ANY weekly books before the podcast, a group to which i belong.
Totally agree, Josh. While Powers has been great for the last few issues, this one just blew me away. I gotta say that my comics weren’t all great yesterday, but they were all fun – and this one was the most fun of all.
Aside from Powers, how great was Action Comics this week? Gary Frank– WOW. And the story from Johns actually gave me chills. The issue had this feeling about it, like you were embarking on a Lord of the Rings type epic in the Superman world. This series– especially with Frank now onboard and in high gear– is just better than I ever thought a Superman book could be.
Sorry quick question, are you guys going to review the Batman Gotham Knights dvd?
By the way, how amazing is it that Powers and Secret Invasion came out on the same day, and people are dogpiling on Powers? The crazy pills have gotten into the reservoir.
Do the Skrulls just win quickly and decisively? Is that why we’re on issue #4 and about 45 minutes have passed?
Powers is Bendis’ best book. It’s where his love is and his snappy dialogue and storytelling devices are truly at their best in this book. Powers is better than most of his superhero work. Just because it doesn’t sell to the SI level doesn’t mean it doesn’t have anymore merit than other titles. That would mean that titles like Criminal, Scapled, Manhunter, Checkmate, etc. should have never existed. This is one of the best books being put out there, and I think with the end of SI, we’ll see this come back to more a regular schedule.
@Conor- I’ve listened to past shows and heard you guys put this book over big time but those shows were from two years ago and I had no idea it was still good to this day. I knew POWERS was published by Marvel but I did’nt call it mainstream because it does’nt have a following like Spider-man or X-men for example. My earlier post was just me having some fun and patting myself on the back for predicting the POW on Monday when I looked at the shipping list. But hey, Josh picking this and hearing you guys rave about it has convinced me to start reading this.
I think that some people don’t like this pick because it’s two week in a row you guys went with the trendy pick and not the popular pick. Thats not my opinion though as I’d rather hear about this than Secret Invasion.
Haven’t gotten to Powers yet, but I’m looking forward to it. I do wish that it was on more of a regular schedule, but I’m more forgiving of that than other people.
I have a feeling it’s going to be hard to beat Final Crisis: Requiem in my mind for POW. I’ve never read that many Martian Manhunter stories, and it had me choked up. A very good issue, and the example of what a good tie-in should be.
@Julian – Yes, we’ll be doing something, but we’re not sure what yet.
@Josh- Thanks, I was able to take a look a bits and pieces of it, and now i am more eager for next week to come.
I read Powers in trade so I can’t speak to it. Aside from that, what a great week of books. I haven’t gotten through them all yet, but Action Comics and Nova were excellent. Guardians of the Galaxy continues to be good.
Booster Gold deserves mention unto itself. What a great ending to a fabulous run. So far it’s my pick of the week. Rip’s legacy caught me off guard. Johns does it again.
This week for Johns– great issues of Action Comics, Booster Gold & JSA— was like two weeks ago for Fraction, when he had his Young Avengers Presents book, his Thor book, and Iron Fist– all awesome issues– out in the same week.
I was surprised to see the new issue on the stands since I hadn’t bothered to check and see what was shipping this week. I was so glad I made to effort to go to the LCS. I need to sit down and reread the arc from the start to really apreciate everything Josh mentioned above.
Josh, please hold still while I use my powers of telepathy to change your mind into thinking Action Comics should be the POTW. Hold still.
Viktorr– I think you misfired and hit me.
@Viktorr: I will also help (concentrates)
@TehDave: Well considering as of right now with the time of this post….This only has 3 more pulls then the previous issue. So that only means, in theory, that they were only able to get 3 new readers to the comic. So being the POTW does help somewhat, but in this case….not so much.
Damn it, you moved. Curse you Josh Flanagan and your powers of mobility.
It appears that the average rating of this issue has gone up to 4.9 on a 5.0 scale.
I think you should change it to "Every book gets a trophy day" on the next show.
Hate to start a new controversy, but what the heck…
If you had to choose, which would it be?
1. Powers
2. Fables
No chance to read the other. No chance to read back issues of the other.
Thoughts?
Wow that’s a tough one, and i eagerly await so see which Josh is gonna pick…I’m gonna have to give the slight edge to powers. My decision will probably change tomorrow, and probably change back the next day.
Ooooookkkkaaaaay.
@thenextchampion…Let’s imagine for a moment that YOU had a website where you posted YOUR OPINION. Let’s hypothesize you chose Action Comics this week as your favourite book, posted a well thought out review detailing the specific things that YOU enjoyed about the book, and why YOU thought it was the best of the week.
Now imagine some guy comes onto your website and says the book is "boring" or "garbage." You know, expressing HIS opinion (see where I’m going with this?) or makes blanket statements that have no evidence backing them up, for example
"Clearly he spends more time with his other mainstream stories then this".
And then accuses you of " trying to get people to buy it more" when that wasn’t your initial intent.
Can you see how that guy might come off as a jack-ass?
So, yeah you probably haven’t angered the WHOLE site, but you certainly made me mad.
Oh and for the record, POWERS is awesome, this arc in particular has had a feeling of impending doom with a little bit of creepy thrown in.
Sorry if I’m trying to give my opinions on things guys.
Your right, I’m a jack-ass. Thanks for calling me one. Maybe I should go find a more friendly site like PULP-SECRET and they’ll take me in with good and compelling arguements.
Or we can be that baby up there who just called me jackass and go back and forth on that. Just forget it, I’ll make sure whatever the POTW next week is I’ll just be:
Good pick, doing a great job. Thanks it, thanks for ruining a good site idiots like CAM
You know, the Pick of the Week has become just one small facet of iFanboy. True, it gets coverage in three forms – column, mini and the audio show, but it’s not like the site or the show hangs on it.
One thing that’s ignored in a lot of the posts above is that a great book in one genre may not appeal to someone reading another genre. The fight continues to treat comics as a publishing medium and not a genre. If you read comics for the scifi/fantasy adventures of superheroes you may not like Criminal by Ed Brubaker, no matter how good. Powers has superheroes but it’s a cop book. Within its genre it’s not boring at all. The more you know the characters, the more you will enjoy it.
If you listen to enough iFanboy, you’ll realize that the definition of the POW is not "the best book of the week" as judged by one of the trio. It’s really the book that the reviewer enjoyed the most.
@TheNextChampion – People are free to agree or disagree as long as everything is kept polite and there are no ad hominem attacks. And for the record you are far from the worst offender in this thread.
@thenextchampion
I have no problem with you giving an opinion, but you are attacking a site and people whom I’ve grown to respect with statements like " I’ll be interest[ed] in your podcast when your done doing yet another lovefest of a boring series" and accusing them of "[wasting] time posting up a good review for it."
I didn’t call you a jack-ass. I simply asked if you thought a person who did the things I listed might come off as a jack-ass.
And I don’t think I’ve ruined anything, this site stands on it own merits regardless of what you or I post. You wanted explosions, I threw down the gauntlet. Sorry, didn’t realize you were so sensitive.
@Conor: Well he didnt have to call me a jackass….I’m just trying to say why I didnt like this POTW.
I dont know, I’ve been here for only two weeks and it feels like I’ve made enemies from Trinity, Batman, and now Powers fans -_-;
@TheNextChampion – Absolutely, I agree. CAM shouldn’t have done that.
I honestly didn’t mean to make you feel unwelcome Champ, but Powers man!!! It’s awesome!!
You’ll not make an enemy of me, I get defensive when it’s something I love. THat’s all. Next week we can argue about some other book. Deal?
Josh, are you mental?!! Did you not read Captain Britain? And here’s me thinking you were one of us Brits, shame.
Powers is pretty good though I suppose.
Captain Britain was pretty friggin’ good. I never thought I’d be so excited in a book for the return of Brian Braddock.
YES Jim, I have a follower in my iFanbot revolt. WHO’S WITH ME?!!
Let’s storm the Siege Perilous– err, the Castle Ifanboy…
FREEEEDDDDOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
Can I say one thing? The community here is all about respecting opinions, because that’s all we have. All I’ve been doing was making pithy comments, which doesn’t really help, and probably hurts.
This only works when everyone respects each other. Respect means you don’t review almost anything by saying "this sucks, and you’re wrong for liking it." That’s a personal attack for the most part, and that’s what happens on other sites. I’d like to think that there are lots of adults and mature people here who can respectfully disagree with one another.
Jim didn’t like Powers. He said, "I didn’t like Powers, and I didn’t think it was good." TheNextChampion said "Powers sucks and you guys are wasting your effort and my time." (to paraphrase.
TheNextChampion was then attacked, as often happens when people feel their peaceful harmony is being disrupted. He shouldn’t have done it, but I can understand why he did.
We all come from different places all over the world, and we all have to agree to disagree, respectfully, or it just sucks to be here. I love this site more than anything on the earth short of my wife and family, and this stuff never happens, because somehow, miraculously, a couple thousand people have all decided to get along with each other in one little corner of the world.
Respect people’s opinions, and keep your criticism thoughtful. You don’t need to love everything. Disagreement is fun, fighting is not. If you want to fling crap at one another, I can think of a bunch of other places better suited for it.
We’re gonna talk about Powers on the show, because it’s the book I thought was best this week. It’s one of my favorite titles, and yes, given the choice, I’d take it over Fables (because comic fans have to rank fucking everything!). But we’re also going to talk about other books. Several of them. Some will agree with what we say, and some may not. Chances are, we won’t agree with each other about everything, but if Conor, Ron, and myself can have such varied opinions on things, and stay friends, so can everyone else.
Let’s go back to having fun, thoughtful discussion please.
Sorry mate, I was only joking, didn’y mean to offend (was it me?).
I totally agree, there is far too much negative shit regarding comics on the web. It’s far too easy for people to say stuff on the net that they would never say in pearson. I still say Cap Britain was better tha Powers though 😉 (not trying to stir shit, honset, anyone who likes the Stone Roses like you Josh is OK by me)
Thank You Josh for posting that. It was well said and quite right. I suppose an appropiate thing to say is: Long Live the IFanboys and the Ifanbase!
Now time to stare at my Ipod Video with contempt and revel in the Ipocalypse . The machines have indeed won.
@Rooney you’re cool with me, but would you still be if you knew it was Ron who was the big Stone Roses fan?
Of course you liked Captain Britain! If I was from the UK, I’d think it was the greatest thing ever too! it’s like UK comics crack I think.
For stupid reasons that involve my pull list and my inability to break up with a comics store that’s really neither functional nor convenient, and the fact that Diamond hates readers so that Wednesday came late this week — I wasn’t able to pick up Powers until this afternoon. So I’ve been following the comments here with interest (and really, Josh has said everything that needs saying, so thanks for that) without actually being able to read the review that sparked it all for fear of spoilers.
But now I have ‘Powers’ in my hands, and the issue is brilliant and the review is dead on. After reading this issue, I just flipped back through it and looked at the art. In that Box scene, as with the cover, so much is conveyed about the characters and their histories just from the way they carry themselves and look at each other. I haven’t read all of ‘Powers’ — I read the first hardcover, then started again four issues ago when it was a pick here. But the point about stories coming full circle made me vow to get my hands on all of it. So much of what doesn’t work in comics seems to come out of interesting premises getting lost in a shuffle of continuity, or being handed off to another writer, or being interfered with by editors. When a writer like Bendis gets the chance to tell a story through to the end — and takes it — it’s worth recognizing.
Oh, and Josh — Frank Pembleton references, for the win. Heart has got nothing to do with it anymore. It’s all in the caffeine.
I had Ron pegged as more of a ‘The Cure’ fan (joke). ‘Have to admit, I didn’t even read Powers #29, I feel dirty and cheap (and not in the ‘pay for it’ way). I will now endevour to catch up with my powers reading, another book added to my pull list thanks to iFanboy. You do realise my mortgauge has gone up £120 this month, must….stop….reading….new….books.
Powers……….I dropped this book when Walker became a member of the "Green lantern Corps" and fought the devil. I miss Oemings art more than anything though. At the time I read it (from Image #1 till #24ish at Icon), it was EASILY Benidis’ best book and it probably still is.
@Josh- I apologize if my earlier posts offended you. I was going for some light hearted humor. It was not meant to offend anyone. I enjoy your podcasts because you talk about not only books with big followings but those that don’t. Because of you, Ron and Conor I now read Invincible. And because of your recommendations I have put this book, Scalped, Fables and Hellblazer on my list of things to read.
@Kory – I’m not offended in the least. We can only like what we like. You needn’t worry a bit.
Hey Josh, nice save…. I was reading the comments and it did feel like you were getting pulled in… but managed a very nice post completely ending it. Nice job. I only read AMS and Jokers Asylum this week, AMS not so hot, JA pretty damn good
Gee, a once friendly message board devolving into a Newsarama-esque snark fest. Fuck. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
The other day Connor flat-out dismissed a comment of mine re: Sleeper and it’s Absolute Edition potential. I thought about it for a moment, considered responding, then manned up and let it go.That’s what adults do. Children don’t. Children let these things spin out into nasty personal fights. Don’t let that happen here.
Josh: Pick Powers every time it ships. I think it’s the best book being published today. I drove 40 miles out of my way to secure a copy of #29 today, following a shipping error with my regular supplier. It was worth the $20 in gas and hour plus of time.
Keep up the good-to-great work fellas.
So… I should probably start reading Powers then. Okay, iFanbase, you’ve won me over, if people are this passionate about a book it’s definitely worth my time and money.
So, next question (even though I didn’t ask a first one); Where to start? Issue numbers, trades, all advice welcome. 🙂
Ya know, I bought the first trade a few months ago with a birthday gift certificate and haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I think, after I’m done with the novel I’m reading, I’ll get off my ass and start reading the damn thing. I’m definitely in a better mood for it, now, anyway, and lord knows that I willingly drink the Bendis Kool-Aid when it comes to his Marvel stuff.
Thanks for the reminder!
Ok so I’ve now completed 1-5 of the Power trades….I am converted.
By goodness now, you either know if your tastes are those of Josh, Connor, Ron or none of the above.
They have some cross overs, but I can usually tell whose pick it is just by the title (its a little game I play).
Like Powers or not… it’s a seminal title. If its not your cup of tea… fine. But, it it obviously one of Josh and Cononer’s (and my) favorates. Josh is one of the most genuine reviewers that I follow and read. It is a disservice to him to accuse him of picking this for "hipster points". In my opinion, he has never followed the hipster path of "I like it because its unpopular to like it".
Bean