By Molly Jane Kremer and Jarrod Jones. Happy New Comic Book Day! This is Casual Wednesdays With DoomRocket, where each week we discuss our feelings concerning the comics that mean the most to us, and the industry news that affects us all. This week, MJ & Jarrod send a belated Happy Birthday to Harley Quinn, a fictional character they’ve never met, by speaking with ‘Harley Quinn’ colorist, Paul Mounts. Then they share their Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues of the Week, and assess ‘The Mighty Thor’ #700, and ‘Batman’ #33.
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MJ’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues:
Maestros #1 — Image Comics/$3.99
Spider-Gwen #25 — Marvel Comics/$3.99
Now #1 — Fantagraphics Press/$9.99
Tea Dragon Society HC — Oni Press/$17.99
The Mighty Thor #700 — Marvel Comics/$5.99
Jarrod’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Issues:
Kid Lobotomy #1 — Black Crown/IDW Publishing/$3.99
Batman #33 — DC Comics/$3.99
Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil #1 — Dark Horse Comics/$3.99
Grayson: The Superspy Omnibus HC — DC Comics/$99.99
Superman #33 — DC Comics/$2.99
REVIEWS FOR OCTOBER 18, 2017
The Mighty Thor #700
Marvel Comics/$5.99
Written by Jason Aaron.
Art by Walter Simonson, Russell Dauterman, Daniel Acuña, James Harren, Becky Cloonan, Das Pastoras, Chris Burnham, Andrew MacLean, Jill Thompson, Mike Del Mundo, and Olivier Coipel.
Colors by Matt Wilson, Dave Stewart, and Ive Svorcina.
Letters and production by VC’s Joe Sabino.
MJ: The issue bops flawlessly from storyline and artist to back again, thought it’s hard not to stop and marvel at the artwork. Jason Aaron keeps the tension mounting through all fifty pages, even when the tone jumps from playful teen Thor to grave King Thor to the batshit War for the Realms that feels like it has all the stakes possible. And somehow they keep adding more. Marvel threw a party, and my favorite writer and almost all my favorite artists were invited.
10 out of 10
Batman #33
DC Comics/$2.99
Written by Tom King.
Art by Joëlle Jones.
Colors by Jordie Bellaire.
Letters by Clayton Cowles.
JJ: What shoves this issue into the annals of legend is the artwork by Joëlle Jones. Jones is the second woman to ever draw the main Batman title, though one quick scan through her pages — with the thoughtfulness and attention to minute detail — will make you wonder how she hasn’t already been on the book for years. Her facial expressions on the Robins’ faces, once Alfred breaks Bruce’s news, are at once hilarious and touching. There’s no downplaying how strong this issue is. It feels like a page has turned in the Batman mythos, and for those out there keeping score, that is precisely how Rebirth should function.
10 out of 10
Check back in two weeks for more Casual Wednesdays!
Before: “Robin, the Teen Wonder,” here.
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Casual Wednesdays written and edited by J. Jones, produced by M.J. Kremer and J. Jones.
Opening/closing theme: “Feels Good 2 B” by Audionautix — YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution)
Intro music: “Good Vibes” by JBlanked — Free Music Archive (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs)
Intro interview music: “Talk to Me” by Jahzzar — YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs)
Top 5 Most Anticipated Background music: “Runner Runner” Produced by Marc Dtwo — SoundCloud, YouTube (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs)
