This week's picks

Kind of a tough week to narrow down to three picks, for which I could not be happier. So, uh, here it goes?

Avengers Assemble 18

I think sometimes events lose characters a little because they're so clearly plot-driven that the characters themselves (unless it's an event in a single character's book) get a little lost in the shuffle. Not always a bad thing but I love these characters and I want to learn more about them just about every time out. Like with Age of Ultron's crossover events, these already seem more dedicated to how the action impacts the people. First up, in fact, shows the impact of both this event and recent events as Spider-Woman's life is now changed by her deteriorating relationship with Hawkeye and the drama of Enemy Within has changed the way Captain Marvel interacts with people. It's a great issue to show the intricacies of the relationships between superheroes and a really phenomenal issue for Spider-Woman. I said in my review this week that DeConnick has changed my view of the character entirely and this just adds to it. She's not perfect but she's also not perfectly flawed, in such a cookie-cutter way that she could only be a comic book character. She feels real and that really comes across here.

Daredevil 30

Anyone who didn't see this coming hasn't been reading my blog enough. I love this book, I love Samnee's art and Waid's writing, I love the new feel of Matt Murdock, and guys, I really love Silver Surfer. Both characters are written extremely well and the plot gives a chance for each to shine as well as allowing Samnee and Rodriguez to shine. It's also really just a ton of fun, with great beats like Daredevil driving the surfboard and navigating the world of being Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This issue has an emotional weight to it, though, as Matt has to come to terms with possibly working with an ex-girlfriend and knowing that, if Ru'ach wasn't lying, he doesn't have a shot with her. Matt Murdock not having a shot with a woman? That's a pretty new concept and it'll take him some time to come to grips there. Great issue, always happy with this book.

X-Men Legacy 15

I really love this book but I'm a little disappointed it's in my top three this week. My Saturday reviews gushed about how impressed I was with the turn that the three books have taken and how delightful each was to read this week, despite initial fears in each book/arc. So, in my head, I was debating which to pick to add to my top three this week. Would it be Ultimates for its fast-action and really quick and fun pacing? Would it be Nova for its turn to make Nova into a believable 15 year old and its examination of how novice superheroes get into the game? Or would it be Thunderbolts for that one panel I posted with Deadpool talking to Punisher? Oh right, none of them because X-Men Legacy is just too great every time it's released. Okay, I'm not that disappointed it's up here because I really love this book and the emotions this one brought out really gave a great feel to this issue. I've liked when emotion has permeated this book but none of it was quite so palpable as here, as David has to cope with his abandonment issues from both parents and lingering feelings about his parents as, very suddenly, now both of them are dead. Tough stuff for anyone to deal with, let alone an omega-level mutant with hundreds of omega-level personalities inside his head. Cyclops should probably be worried, given the control David's found over his powers.


Sorry guys, not going to do an extra feature this week. I would do best cover but it would probably be Daredevil and you've already heard me gush about that all week. I would do best panel but, despite my girlfriend's protests that it should be this one:

it would probably just be the Deadpool one I posted this past week from Thunderbolts. Hilarious. I would do best character but no one really featured in more than one book this week. Weird, right? Oh well, I tried.