The Pull List: May 14, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Age of Ultron #8 (Brian Michael Bendis, Brandon Peterson)

A couple things happened this issue, so that's a nice switch from Age of Ultron's generally terrible pace.  Hank Pym (Ant-man, Giant-Man, Goliath, Yellowjacket, etc.) isn't treated like the biggest piece of trash for once, which is a welcome change.  AoU is still a pretty weak alternate reality story though.  The spectacle of the big mid air battle at the end would be a lot more spectacular if it didn't look like it was drawn and colored with the comic version of bad CG.  Only two issues remain.  Please heed my warning and just read the eventual Wikipedia synopsis if you're interested.

-Iron Man #10 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)
It seems my fears of "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark" are being confirmed.  The meat of the story is about the Tony Stark's father and culminates with  X-COM meets Ocean's Eleven.  Howard Stark leading a group of some of Marvel's foremost old operatives and secret agents on a heist of a Gray run casino in Las Vegas is a winning concept that honors and plays upon continuity.  Too bad this comic seems to be a cog in a retcon machine.

-Nova #4 (Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness)

Once again we get a wasted page in a cosmic Marvel book.  What a great way to start a comic that annoys me on so many levels.  Before chronicling the rest of the bad let me at least say that the makings of a fun space adventure are here, but they unfortunately don't coalesce, except for the cyborg space tiger.  The pacing of the plot is non-nonsensical and it doesn't help that the comic is completely incompetent at suggesting passage of time.  Structurally the comic is a no bueno, and to top it off, the inclusion of the Chitauri is maddening.  They're the alien race that were Skrull analogues in Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Ultimates, and more recently they were the bad guys in Avengers, the movie.  To explain why this is the least bit frustrating would take too long and result in responses that would come across as "but muh Nova".  

And now for time for something completely unrelated

To make up for the slow week and my overwhelming negativity, please to enjoy Snake Eyes being badical beyond belief

The Arashikage Mind-Set doesn't just turn Snake into a killing machine, but a dancing machine as well

Cobra might have Croc Master, but the Joes have the Shark Master

A ninja commando on a jetski is super badass, and the narration only ups the ante

The Pull List: May 8, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Not only is it an Avengers kind of week, but it is a fantastic comic kind of week as well.

Marvel

-Avengers #11 (Jonathan Hickman, Mike Deodato)

Right from the get-go this is my kind of comic.  Sure, the cover might seem like a boring "heroes leaping into action" shot, but as a dude who watches Super Sentai weekly, Dustin Weaver's design modifications to the heroes in question is something I have to appreciate.  The story within is Casino Royale-esque.  Superheroes literally gambling for the fate of the world is a concept that is instantly a very fun comic.  Things go a bit smoother for 7 Avengers than they did for Hawkeye and Hawkeye when they attempted a similar feat over in Hawkeye.  Since Avengers is a team book, Hickman is able to have some of the cast revel in the fun nature of an issue like this while maintaining a level of espionage intrigue.  In many ways this feels like an early issue of Secret Avengers.  The art is similar to the other title too, as Deodato provides his typical stiff and photo reference heavy art.  Shang Chi beats up ninjas with Stark-tech nunchucks as he dispenses some esoteric kung fu mysticism, so everybody should definitely pick this up.

This might very well be page of the year  (click on images to enlarge)

-Secret Avengers #4 (Nick Spencer, Luke Ross)

Speaking of Secret Avengers, let's take a look at the inadequate follow-up to the highly enjoyable volume 1. This is an okay comic.  It just pales in comparison to its predecessors and the primary Avengers books.  Spencer crafts a story that is the proverbial smorgasbord of today's hot issues: drone strikes, definition of life, Chinese tech sweatshops, stolen weapons, state sponsors of terror, and war with a nuclear Iran.  Taking a closer look at any of these topics within the context of a world that is home to the Incredible Hulk would make for an interesting read at the least.  This book doesn't afford much time to any of these and instead continues to read like a spin-off of the Marvel movies.  I'd prefer if the movies tried to capture the essence of the comics a bit more, so making the comics more like the movies rubs me all sorts of the wrong way.

-Deadpool #9 (Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Mike Hawthorne)

There's some genuine humor in this latest Deadpool entry, and it comes in a smattering of packages.  There's the continued overt ridiculousness of Deadpool and his band of misfit supporting characters (a sassy black woman stuck in his head, a bad necromancer in a kilt, and the ghost of Ben Franklin), pop culture references (TLC really deserves being made fun of at every opportunity), subtle nods to Marvel's rich shared universe (teleporting=BAMFing), and not-so-subtle jabs at the Distinguished Competition (people are dicks to Aquaman in comics from other publishers).  If comedy and loose morals in regards to murder are your thing then why aren't you reading Deadpool?

Trips through Deadpool's psyche always prove entertaining

-Avengers Arena #9 (Dennis Hopeless, Kev Walker)

Are you a sadist who revels in watching a bunch of teenagers kill each other for rather dubious reasons?  Chances are that yes you are, if the success of Hunger Games is anything to go on.  Don't worry though.  This comic isn't derivative at all.  It's 100% original content do not steal.  You hear that Battle Royale?  Any similarities are coincidence, don't even try to say the logos are similar.  If it seems bizarre to read a comic that you don't really enjoy, then you don't know how masochistic some fans are.  I just want to read stories about some of the minor characters that have the misfortune of appearing in this meat grinder of a comic.

-Uncanny Avengers #8 (Rick Remender, Daniel Acuña)

If you haven't read Remender's Uncanny X-Force you might be a bit confused by this issue.  You should also go read those 35 issues of Uncanny X-Force.  The only other mark against this latest entry is that some of the characters continue to be way too bitchy.   It's okay for the Wasp though, because part of her character is being insufferable.  Besides that nearly all of the character voices are a great fit.  Where this comic really knocks it out of the park is the narration/inner monologue and the spectacle of the story.  If there is any justice in the world, Acuña will continue to illustrate this comic.  Words fail me.  This comic is good.

It's only a matter of time until Remender writes a Thor ongoing

DC

-Threshold #5 (Keith Giffen, Tom Raney, Phil Winslade)

This is a solid comic with themes I am quite fond of (space heroes) and a creative team I trust.  There's nothing too spectacular between the covers, but it's still a fun read.  Seedy cities in deep space mixed with The Running Man is a winning concept.  Just wait for the trade paperback though, since there are only 3 issues left anyways.

Image

-Prophet #35 (Brandon Graham, Simon Ray, Giannis Milonogiannis)

I might've hopped on the Prophet wagon a bit late, but I'm on now and there's no way I'm getting off.  It's an epic (in the most classic of definitions) space opera.  Everything is A+ from script to art.  Seriously, anything I can say about this series won't do it justice.  Go check this issue out if you don't believe me.

You tell me what's more confusing, the math or the battle

The Pull List: May 1, 2013

I read too many comics.  It's a habit that so far has only benefited my local comic shop.  That changes now as you can learn from the mistakes of my purchases, and perhaps even be intrigued to check out some of the cool picture books of the week.  There's always the option to make fun of my tastes, too.

Marvel

-Superior Spider-Man #9 (Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman)

Goddamn!  This is one intense issue.  One of the most important storytelling elements in superhero comics is putting the hero up against a credible threat.  The creators need to make the reader believe that the villain might triumph.  That has been a strong point of the Superior Spider-Man, but this issue takes it to an entirely different level.  Peter Parker and Doc Ock revealing their inner Spider-Men makes for a great visual.  The premise of Superior Spider-Man is still off-putting, but there is an interesting story to tell here.  

-Age of Ultron #7 (Brian Michael Bendis, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco)

Once again I find myself asking the question, "Why am I buying this comic?"  At this point I might as well see the story through to the end, even if the plot is barely paper thin.  Not even the art can save this book as it is nothing special and the lackluster set-ups don't even result in remotely interesting fights.  Overall this issue is just another mediocre entry in this horribly decompressed event.

-Thanos Rising #2 (Jason Aaron, Simone Bianchi)

After a rather disappointing first issue, I was trying to give this one a fair shake.  That's not going to happen when the first 2 pages of a 22 page comic that costs $4 is completely wasted.  The story told in those remaining 20 pages is an unnecessary mess.  There is no need to revisit and muck up Thanos' origin.  I've never been a fan of Bianchi's art.  This comic is pretty damn bad and Marvel would've been better off just reprinting old stories if they really wanted to push Thanos for movie appearances.


-Iron Man #9 (Kieron Gillen, Dale Eaglesham)

By the grace of some god Greg Land doesn't have art duties for this issue, so that's a plus.  However there is the banner of "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark" as well, which fills me with a sense if dread.  For the most part the comic plays to its strengths, no Land, and my tastes: robot space bounty hunters.  Eaglesham's art isn't anything groundbreaking. He draws a pretty great Death's Head though, and the panel bordering is neat.  This issue is an entirely serviceable story that tickles my fancy.  Until the end that is, when that whole "Secret Origin" bit rears its ugly head.  Hopefully my faith in Gillen is well placed and  this will all turn out to be a clever ruse.

DC

-Animal Man #20 (Jeff Lemire, John Paul Leon, Timothy Green II)

A story within a story is the premise of this one, and it all got very meta very quickly.  Lemire explores Animal Man's loss by examining his drive to be a hero while critiquing the fame for fame's sake reality television stars that dominate real-world entertainment.  The heavily inked art of the "fictional story" was well done and differed from the series' stylistic tone enough to stand out, yet not too much to be jarring.  There are stronger Animal Man issues out there, but one small road bump isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things as long as the entire story pulls together.

-Aquaman #19 (Geoff Johns, Paul Pelletier)

There are a lot of moving pieces and most of them are still being set up.  As "villainous" Ocean Master's actions were during the Throne of Atlantis crossover, his point about perspective and his actions merely being retaliatory are poignant.  It rings especially true because the majority of the time people are just straight up dicks to Aquaman.  The selling point of the book is the art.  Every underwater panel is a sight to behold as it captures the scope and subtleties of the ocean.  Also, Atlantean organ theft.

-Stormwatch #20 (Jim Starlin, Yvel Guichet)

Full disclosure: this is only the second issue of Stormwatch I've ever read (the first being #19).  Jim Starlin taking over writing duties is what drew me in.  The story is a bit confusing, but that is probably a symptom of my neophyte Stormwatcher status.  Proving that I am an equal opportunity hater of retooled origins, Lobo's new backstory is wack.  Sorry Starlin, just because Aaron messed up Thanos' origins doesn't mean you can screw with one of the greatest DC characters of all time.  As you can see below, one alien gets its head kicked clean off while on the opposite page one gets punched straight through its chest.  Stormwatch #21 is a confirmed purchase.

Stormwatch

-Action Comics #20 (Andy Diggle, Tony S. Daniel)

It's hard to live up to Grant Morrison's recently finished run on Action Comics (it concluded with #18).  Unsurprisingly, this issue fails to meet that lofty standard.  That's not to say this is a bad comic.  Coupled with the tumultuous situation with the creative team due to Diggle's premature departure means that this issue isn't as good as this series can and should be, at least from a writing standpoint.  Thankfully the book is still visually appealing.

Boom!

-Hypernaturals #11 (Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Tom Derenick, Andres Guinaldo)

This comic is at the bottom of my reading list because it never disappoints.  Hypernaturals continues to be a rock solid engaging tale of heroes protecting all of known space.  The current plot threads all seem to be coming to a climax and that invariably means things get crazy.  High concept deicide levels of crazy.  Though the art sometimes falls a bit flat during more mundane scenes it is consistent and performs beautifully once the action starts.  If big heroes fighting big threats is your thing, do yourself a favor and catch up on this book.

Fun with Canada's provincial flags!

With some notable exceptions, U.S. state flags are a drab bunch. Our neighbors to the north, however, are a different story. While some Canadian provincial flags are too busy for their own good, they're almost all distinctive and exciting. In the United States, only one state (Maryland) has a flag based on British heraldry. Canada, on the other hand, is chock-full of heraldic-yet-fun! flags. Let's take a gander.

Québec has by far the most famous flag of any province. Their Fleurdelisé is Canada's equivalent of Texas' Lone Star flag: many Quebecers fly the Fleurdelisé more prominently than the Canadian national flag. In a bilingual country, it's as much a statement of French Canadian identity as it is a provincial symbol.

New Brunswick has my personal favorite provincial flag. Yes, it's a little (or much) too complex, but I love it anyway. How can you not? It's got my favorite sort of ship on it, a Scottish lymphad! It stands for one of New Brunswick's most important industries, shipbuilding. The gold lion above represents the province's connection to the Brunswick region of Germany.

Adopted in 1858, Nova Scotia has the only provincial flag from before the twentieth century. It's a simple color swap of Scotland's Saint Andrew's Cross, to represent the province's history as a Scottish colony (yes, Scotland had colonies of its own!). The Lion Rampant in the center is a bit redundant, since it also represents Scotland; it's only there to differentiate Nova Scotia's flag from the naval ensign of Russia. Still, it's a classy flag.

Prince Edward Island has an even more medieval-looking flag than New Brunswick does! It's got that Middle Ages art style, with the slightly faded colors and alternating band around three sides for good measure. The lion above stands for the province's namesake King Edward VII, and the trees represent the three counties of PEI (the saplings on the left) under the protection of Great Britain (the larger oak tree on the right). Monarchist indeed.

A fittingly two-part flag for a two-part province, Newfoundland and Labrador. The blue half on the left is a reference to the British Union Jack. The two red triangles on the right represent the two regions of the province. The gold arrow is a tribute to the province's military sacrifices, and together with the triangles forms a trident to represent the province's fishing industry.

British Columbia has another "lovably overcomplicated" flag. The Union Jack with a crown in the middle represents British colonialism, and the setting sun over the ocean represents the province's location on the west coast. What makes this flag especially goofy is that instead of placing the Union Jack in the canton like other provinces and countries, it's stretched across the entire top half of the flag for strange elongated proportions. It's like this is two flags smashed atop one another into one. I love it.

Saskatchewan, the only flag in the country not to feature the color blue! The great green color on the top half represents northern Saskatchewan's forests, and the gold below represents southern Saskatchewan's farmland. The long proportions of this flag give the two colors greater effect. The state flower, the western red lily, sits on the right side of the flag, while the provincial coat of arms sits in the canton.

Alberta has the closest flag to those of most U.S. states with the boring "blue background + state seal" formula. But it stands above most of those U.S. flags because of its brighter colors and simplified design. The hatched wheat symbol is a nice touch.

Canada's most populous province, Ontario, features a flag created as royalist protest. The Canadian Red Ensign served as Canada's national flag until the current Maple Leaf flag was adopted in 1965 to rid the country of its colonial past. Many conservative Ontarians hated the Maple Leaf flag, believing it disrespects the country's rich British cultural history. So Ontario adopted this flag, which is essentially the Canadian Red Ensign with the Ontario coat of arms on it.

Manitoba did the exact same thing. The bison in the coat of arms serves as a melancholy hint of the awesome flag Manitoba could have if they decided to get a little more progressive.

For completion's sake, let's look at Canada's territorial flags as well. This is my favorite of the three, the flag of Nunavut. It features a red inuksuk, a symbol of the Inuit people, along with a blue North Star in the top right corner. The halved gold and white colors look great, but for some reason remind me of the Vatican flag. Probably unintentional.

The Northwest Territories sport a flag with a fun coat of arms. The white and red represent the snow, ice, and water, and the wavy line in the shield represents the Northwest Passage. The green segment represents the forests south of the tree line, and the red segment represents the tundra north of the tree line. The gold rectangles represent the territories' minerals, and the fox head represents the fur trade.

The Yukon flag features all sorts of symbolism. The territorial coat of arms sits above a wreath of fireweed, the floral emblem of Yukon. The tricolor striping has green for forests, white for snow, and blue for water.

The looming legacy of the Confederacy in Southern state flags

When I wrote about boring U.S. state flags on Monday, most Southern states were notably absent. A civil war based in part on state sovereignty will do that: for the most part, Southern states have more interesting flags than their Northern counterparts. But that's not always a good thing. The flags of the Confederate States of America have loomed over Southern state flags like a ghost for a century and a half.

It's tough for Southern states. They want to develop a cohesive flag identity that links them together without relying on their most famous flags, which evoke a history of slavery and oppression. Some states have fared better than others.

Current Mississippi flag, adopted 1894

Rejected 2001 proposal
for Mississippi flag

Mississippi is the only state still to feature the Confederate battle flag in its state flag. A vote was held in 2001 to replace it with the flag you see on the right.
The proposal replaced the Confederate flag in the canton with a blue field featuring three rings of stars: the outer ring representing the thirteen original colonies, the middle ring to represent the six nations to have held sovereignty over the state, and the larger star in the middle to represent Mississippi itself. It adds up to twenty stars, representing Mississippi's status as the 20th state. Unfortunately, the incumbent flag with Confederate imagery won the vote.

The best U.S. state flags

Yesterday I bemoaned the lack of quality in U.S. state flags. I was quickly reprimanded by readers who pointed out the exceptions to the trend. And it's true, despite over half the state flags in the country fitting the "state seal + blank background" formula, there are a few truly great designs.

In my personal experience, states I've been to with good flags also tend to be the states that more prominently display their flags everywhere. It's no coincidence: a good state flag creates more state pride.

The most iconic state flag is of course Texas. Many Texans prefer the Lone Star Flag over the U.S. flag. It's a simple design. Need I say more?

The second most famous state flag is probably California. This one breaks a few of the basic rules of good flag design. Normally, having any sort of lettering is in poor taste. But it works on this flag. I think it's because it doesn't just say "CALIFORNIA." Instead, it says "CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC," which sounds sufficiently epic.
This flag is also a bit too detailed. Have you ever noticed that in different images of the California flag, the bear has slightly different facial expressions? It's because the bear is too complex, with its realistic features and shading.
But somehow this all adds up to a classic state flag. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Why are so many U.S. state flags terrible?

I wish I could say this is the worst flag in the country,
but two dozen other state flags give it a run for its money.

Flags are icons of whatever they represent. When you see a flag, you should immediately be able to tell what it stands for. It's strange that the United States, one of the flag-wavingest countries in the world, has so many subpar state flags.

From afar, do you have any idea which state's flag this is?
If not, it's failed as a flag.

Why? Roughly half the states in the country have adopted the "boring state seal + bland navy blue background" format for their flag. Some state flags even have the name of the state spelled out on them, defeating the entire purpose of having a flag to represent them. Think of the state with the most proud residents of all: Texas. It's one of the few states to produce a decent flag. This is no coincidence; if you care about your state, chances are you've given it a good flag.

There will always be a few exceptions, but the North American Vexillological Association defines a "good flag" by five basic principles:

1. Keep it simple. The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
2. Use meaningful symbolism. The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
3. Use two or three basic colors. Limit the number of colors on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
4. No lettering or seals. Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
5. Be distinctive or be related. Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections.