Pick Of The Week: Your Pick From The Past Week Of Comics
by Olly MacNamee
A day later than usual, but then you have all been celebrating Thanksgiving over in the States, so I thought I’d slack off for a day too. But, now it’s the weekend it’s business as usual. So, here’s our picks from the past week of comic books we recommend you look out for should you be visiting and supporting your local comic book store.
The Department of Truth #3 (Image Comics
Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Martin Simmonds
The comic book in which anything can happen and usually does turns its attention to the likes of conspiracy theorists Alex Jones and his belief that the Sandy Hook school shootings was somehow and orchestrated hoax. Something he’s been called out for to the tune of $100,000. But, in this series a dangerous and nutty conspiracy like this could very well take hold and become reality. Something the Department of Truth do not want happening.
We see the whole affair from the point of view of a grieving mother, who has lost her own son to a senseless and tragic shooting. Making this a very personal and emotional issue.
James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds deliver another spooky and prescient issue in this critically-acclaimed series, out now from Image Comics.
Read the full review here.
Chu #5 (Image Comics)
Written by John Layman
Art by Dan Boultwood
The concluding issue to this first story-arc delivers a sensational showdown between siblings Tony and Saffron which brings its own consequences, which then lead into the second half of this book and the aftermath. But, with the news that we will be seeing Saffron again soon, I imagine writer John Layman’s initial plans were reshuffled. It certainly reads like a comic book that ain’t over yet, but one that’s on a break, Y’know, like Ross and Rachel.
Chu has been a warm and welcome return to the Layman’s “Chewnivesre” delivering a comedic caper from a very distinct and different perspective than the original series.
Overall, this has been a frantic, fast, furious and fun series that any Chew fan will lap up, if they haven’t yet. Layman’s dark humour and knowing winks to the readership encourages us to join him on the ride. He’s a writer who has a wicked sense of humour, and keen eye for genre parody and a great line in character and dialogue. And out now from Image Comics.
The Other History of The DC Universe #1 (DC Comics)
Written by John Ridley
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Andrea Cucchi
In this alternative take on DC Comics history we get the distinctive and often-angry voice of Black Lightning himself as we take a trip down Memory Lane and a walk through the blaxploitation of the 1970s. A time when racism – institutional, causal or more violent – was rife and black characters, while emerging on the printed page, still played second fiddle to their caucasian counterparts and peers. Something Jefferson Pierce is all too aware of as he narrates his own story and that of the emerging BAME superhero community in a very metatextual take on both the emergence of black superheroes but also the way they were treated as properties by the very company who created them. And so we get Pierce’s very personal take on Earth’s first black Green Lantern, John Stewart who he sees as runner-up to Hal Jordan, the great white saviour fo the Green Lantern Corps.
A great new title that not only depicts the key comic book events featuring black superheroes, but also provides a timely commentary on the past and its tendency to bow to a systematic racism that were only now really coming to grips with.
