sixth gun

RandoMonday: Sixth Gun #11

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Here’s a comic chosen at random from my collection.

The Sixth Gun #11 by Cullen Bunn (writer), Brian Hurtt (illustrator and letterer), Bill Crabtree (colors), Keith Wood (designer), Charlie Chu (editor), and Brian Hurtt (cover)

#11 has our rough and tumble hero, Drake Sinclair, discovering the exact danger that the Six Guns represent, namely, that they can undo creation. Fortunately, Drake possesses four of the Guns. Now if he and his compatriots can only keep them from the unearthly clutches of Marinette of the Dry Arms, a spirit made flesh, which is pretty much the issue. There’s a tiny plot twist that’s carried over from the previous issue regarding the so-called theft of the Guns as well.

One of the best things about this series, think of it as a supernatural western, is Becky Montcrief, who possesses the Sixth Gun. This is a young woman who is thrust into this adventure, and while she stumbles on occasion, she is more than equal to the task of keeping the Guns away from evil hands, and I tend to think of her as more the lead of the book than Drake. In fact, when I began reading this book (based mostly on good friend Travis‘s prompting), I thought I would enjoy Drake more out of the cast, but it was Becky who drew me in and kept me with the book–there was a time in the late twenties of the series (before the “Ghost Dance” arc) that I was going to drop the title, but her struggle with the responsibility of having the Sixth Gun kept me interested.

Props to the artists on this series. You have all the familiar tropes of the Western genre, but there’s the added layer of all the supernatural stuff, and the artists equally paint a convincing picture of a horse as they do a lizard lady.

The end of the series is nigh (issue 44 is releasing in November 2014, and issue 50 is the last, appearing in, I’m guessing, early 2015), but if you haven’t tried this wonderful series, you really should. Go get the trades (or single issues if you can find them) now!

Pull List Review

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Week of August 21, 2013

I talk about the following comics:

  • Batman and Nightwing #23
  • Sixth Gun #33
  • Superman Unchained #3
  • Wonder Woman #23

Thanks for watching!

3/27/13 Comics Review

Video Eric P. I.1 Comment

I review the following comics:

  • Age of Ultron #3
  • Angel & Faith #20
  • The Answer #3
  • Aquaman #18
  • Batman, Inc. #9
  • I, Vampire #18
  • Joe Kubert Presents #6
  • Justice League Dark #18
  • Rachel Rising #15
  • The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun #2
  • Superior Spider-Man #6AU
  • Star Trek #19
  • Superman #18
  • Teen Titans #18
  • Time Warp #1
  • Uncanny Avengers #5
  • Young Avengers #3

 

Pull List Review: 11/23/11 Comics

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Alpha Flight #6: What the hell does someone having four toes have to do with Unity? I liked it when Marrina said her oft-spoken (and increasingly annoying) “Die human scum!” line because this time she prefaced it with “Catchphrase!” :) Oh, and Logan makes an appearance (like we didn’t know that was going to happen in this series). This just might get my vote for most disappointing series of 2011.

Aquaman #3: I wonder how much patience Aquaman has left with these condescending land lubbers, but I like how he basically ignores them and does what he wants anyway. The most interesting part of this issue is Aquaman’s interaction with a man from his past, Mr. Shin. Geoff Johns gives us just enough details to know exactly what this guy is about and what his relationship to Arthur is. And who is the “he” that Shin mentions who is the former owner of Arthur’s trident? This title just keeps getting better.

Fantastic Four #600: Once again I am amazed that Sue isn’t considered one of the most powerful individuals in the Marvel U. And she’s bad-ass as well! (I think I’m in love.) Everything that’s been building in FF for the last 11 issues continues in this issue containing 100 pages of several stories, including the return of someone that we all knew would return sooner or later (I thought it would have been later). I really enjoyed the back story in the Negative Zone and the worms(!), though the jail-break part was pretty run-of-the-mill. So what does this person’s return mean for Spider-Man in the FF? I’ll be picking this title up for a while just because Hickman’s been doing a bang up job with these characters.

GL: New Guardians #3: Hmm, already most of the rings that Kyle has inherited have been destroyed? What was the point of that plot point then? Also, why repeat the idea that the power ring won’t come off a GL’s finger? And why do the Guardians need to wear power rings? I thought they were imbued with the green energy (or is that a pre-DCnU idea)? I’m thinking this title won’t be on my pull list for much longer.

Magdalena #9: My first pull list issue of this series. I’d read number one a while ago and was intrigued even before that by the premise of the series, but for some reason didn’t pick this title up until now. The plot starts off well enough with the mission that the Magdalena goes on with her partner, but the story ends with an obvious non-cliffhanger (will she die?! Dun dun dun! Umm, no.).

Seraph #1: I actually bought a Pilot Season issue from Image. Of course, it was the angelic angle that drew me in since I love stories about angels and demons and especially depicting those characters not in their usual, stereotypical ways. And I get some of that in this one-shot (for now?). I like the idea of a suicide being given angelic powers to fight evil, and the guy’s guardian angel is probably the most interesting character in the comic so far. The fight with the spidery demon was pretty standard, though. I’d buy the first arc of this title if it becomes a series.

Shade #2: Huh. I would have hoped for a more . . . interesting way out of that “death” scene from issue one, but I suppose it makes sense, and shows that the Shade is a smart guy (but we already knew that, right?). This issue introduced me to Will Von Hammer, who is an interesting guy it seems, and now ally of sorts to the Shade. James Robinson has tweeted that the sales for this series has been low–it would be a shame if it didn’t get to go the full twelve issues.

Teen Titans #3: Is it me or is Bunker mildly annoying? There are two interesting things in this issue. One is that wonderful two-page spread showing Bart zipping from room to room to room in order to free Solstice. I didn’t even mind the numbers telling us how to read that sequence–in fact, it reminded me of the arrows that would appear in comics when I first started reading them pointing me to the next panel. Is it bad page design? Maybe, but I don’t care. The second interesting thing is the appearance of the DCnU Solstice, who looks very different from when we last saw her. I have to wonder if DC introduced Solstice in the previous volume of Teen Titans in anticipation of her appearance in this title, or is because there was enough interest in the character to keep her around? I have to question that idea because Solstice doesn’t seem like the same one, and it isn’t just her powers that made her an interesting character before (or was she interesting to you?).

Voodoo #3: Well, we’re entering more familiar superhero territory with Kyle Rayner showing up this issue, but the story is fast losing my interest, despite the pretty art by Basri. Just that simple walking sequence on page 4 was elegantly done. So, if this is how aliens are on Earth, no wonder there’s that general distrust of superheroic aliens that I’m reading in other titles. Again I say, I don’t care for that subplot in the DCnU.

I also read:

  • All-Star Western #3
  • Firestorm #3
  • I, Vampire #3
  • Justice League Dark #3
  • Savage Hawkman #3
  • Sixth Gun #17
  • Superman #3
  • Unwritten 31.5

Pull List Review: 10/26/11 Comics

Eric P. I.1 Comment

Holy cats, I am so far behind in reviews. Here’s the biggest set of comics, I believe, within the last month’s worth of titles. I’ll be working hard at getting the rest of my comics reviews completed soon.

Angel & Faith #2-3: The take away of this comic right now is very simple: Angel is trying to make amends for killing Giles (by bringing him back to life) and Faith is his increasingly unwilling partner. Plus, despite the fact that Angel’s name has first billing, it is Faith whom we really follow in this title. Normally, this lack of focus on a titular character would bug me, but I really like that Faith leads us through the narrative thus far.

Aquaman #2: I have to admit, the Trench are pretty generic adversaries for Aquaman, not to mention their point of origin as shown in very limited form last issue makes it hard to accept that Aquaman had never heard of them? I’m sure we’ll get an explanation soon, especially since Aquaman was tagged by one of the Trench to be taken back “home”. I know that this title has its detractors, but I’m still liking it a lot, especially the art. I can’t wait to see more of Aquaman and Mera being a couple exploring this new phase of their lives.

Daredevil #5: What a great cover! Unfortunately, Matt get’s out of the multiple sniper situation a bit more conventionally than I expected, but still Daredevily. :) I don’t know who the tough guy is that seems to win the fight with DD at the end of the issue, but it’s refreshing to see DD lose a physical confrontation every once in a while, especially since he’s usually presented as the smartest fighter in the ring. Here, he’s doing everything correctly, yet he’s still getting the snot beat of him.

GL: New Guardians #2: Poor Ganthet. I’m sure that his new condition will not be permanent, but the Guardians, as I’ve come to know them ever since Blackest Night, are just bastards! I’m expecting that we’ll get a story where the GL Corps rebels against the Guardians thus changing the core of the Corps, but that’s the future. Right now, Kyle has to contend with the multiple rings wearing him at the end of this issue.

Guarding the Globe #6: Oddfellow and I once discussed on the podcast the sometimes contentious idea of waiting for delayed issues as long as the issue was worth it. The first issue of this title was released in August 2010. The time between the fifth issue and this last issue was three months; the time between the fourth and fifth issues was four months! Did I get an exceptional series? Hell, no. Was there a big payoff, either in plot (worldview) or character? No. Because of the delays and lack of wowness, I just didn’t care anymore. Pretty much what happened in issue one hasn’t really changed by the end of issue six, so this was a waste of time and money. If you haven’t read this series and they put out a trade, i recommend you avoid this title.

Justice League Dark #2: One of the (pardon the phrase) bright spots of Brightest Day was the relationship that developed between Deadman and Dove. Anyone who has followed this blog or listened to the LBR podcast knows how much I care for the Dove character, so all of the appearances in her own series, in DC Universe Presents, and in this issue of JL Dark all equals good to me, but I have to admit, even I’m getting tired of the relationship between Deadman and Dove as it is being shown in the new 52 titles. What was once a sweet romance now appears to be turning sour without much provocation. At this point, especially with what we’re shown in this issue of JL Dark, I just wish the characters would move on. As far as the overall plot of this title, I’m already tiring of not knowing why the Enchantress is doing what she’s doing. Let’s move on already! Great looking art still.

Sixth Gun #16: I am really loving Gord’s backstory, and hope we continue to get more about this man. Other than the beginning of the issue where Becky speaks to her grandfather through time and via the power of the gun she holds, I’m not really caring much about her any longer. In fact, I’m hoping we’ll get more story concerning Drake in the near future.

Spider-Island: Amazing Spider-Girl #3: This was a weak offering focusing on a former interesting character to me. I hope Marvel does something that better fits Spider-Girl. And the artist chose too often to show various characters with their mouths wide open in exclamation.

Supergirl #2: Boring. This issue was mostly a fight scene between Supergirl and Superman. The decompression storytelling style does not benefit this title at this point. Let’s move on and make the character an interesting read. If we continue down this same path, I will be dropping this title.

Superman #2: This was definitely an improvement on issue one. I am really liking the relationship between Clark and Lois as depicted here–it’s different from anything we’ve seen previously with these two. Lois treats Clark as an equal and not, as usually depicted, the hick from Smallville who confounds her as to his scoops. Lois is also instrumental in helping to save Superman from an alien attack.

Voodoo #2: First of all, apologies to Sami Basri for my identifying him as a she on the podcast. Mr. Basri’s art is so far the saving grace of this title. I’m still not convinced that this title is a stinker as much of the Internet seems to think, but at the very least the Basri art is a nice draw. :) I am curious about this mission that Voodoo has, and why she considers humanity weak and contemptible. The adversarial relationship between Voodoo and Fallon could work well, or it could be like that of David Banner and Jack McGee from the Incredible Hulk tv series. Plus, we all now know that Ron Marz has been pulled form the series, so how will that change the tone and direction of the series?

I also read All-Star Western #2 (not much went on in this issue, but it looked good), FF #11 (whoo-wee! I cannot wait to see what happens next issue!), Firestorm #2, I, Vampire #2 (this has moved to my pull list and am still surprised at how much I enjoy this title considering I wasn’t even going to pick up issue one), Savage Hawkman #2, Star Trek #2, and Teen Titans #2 (This is another title that improved in issue two and continues to impress me. Not like I, Vampire, mind you, but still better than I thought this title would be.).