Books of the Week – 06/26/19

1. X-Men: Grand Design – X-tinction #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Ed Piskor / Art: Ed Piskor / Colors: Ed Piskor
Another solid review of unfamiliar (to me) X-Men history by Ed Piskor. Piskor’s X-series have me wanting to read the actual X-books – which was probably the goal all along. All in all, a very good series.

2. Fantastic Four #11 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Dan Slott / Art: Paco Medina, Kevin Libranda, Paolo Villanelli & Juanan Ramirez / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
Offputting cover aside, this was a delightfully fun FF adventure. I loved the villain in this issue, Gargantua. The art was aces and FF Kids, Franklin & Valeria, are quickly becoming some of my favorite Marvel characters.

3. War of the Realms #6 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Russell Dauterman / Colors: Matthew Wilson
This was certainly a BIG ending. Lots of interesting things happened here. I’m guessing the companion books will handle the mop up? I’m happy that I couldn’t guess the ending. Note: Read this book last, after all the other WoR tie-ins.

4. Thor #14 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Scott Hepburn / Colors: Matthew Wilson
One of those War of the Realms tie-ins I warned to read before WoR #6 (read it right before #6). Even though I read this out of order, I really enjoyed it. Great to see Viking Thor again. A very cool read.

5. Doctor Strange #15 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Barry Kitson / Art: Mark Waid with Scott Koblish, Matteo Lolli, Terry Pallot, Craig Yeung & Mike Hawthorne / Colors: Brian Reber
Well this was certainly an interesting read. Lots of stuff happened that I didn’t understand, coming in cold as I did (I couldn’t resist the cover). Still, it was still a really cool read. The art by Barry Kitson & Mark Waid has an old timey feel that suits Dr Strange well. I see back-issues in my future.

6. Steel Cage #1 (Ahoy) ★★★★
Writer: Tom Peyer, Stuart Moore & Mark Waid / Art: Alan Robinson, Peter Gross & Lanna Souvanny / Colors: Lee Loughridge, Giulia Brusco & Lanna Souvanny
Fun concept, (voting for one of three individual stories by different creative teams to receive its own book). For the record I voted for ‘True Identity’. Currently ‘Noah Zark’ is in the lead. I enjoyed both. ‘Bright Boy’, not so much.