Happy New Comic Book Day! And Happy Halloween as well. Before we get to some comic book goodness, I just want to send some love to our friends on the east coast as they deal with a force of nature which has already claimed lives and done massive amounts of damage. We're sending well wishes your way.
As usual, before I reveal the best read, I'll go over the other comics which found a home in my collection. Amazing Spider-Man #696, Astonishing X-Men #55, Avengers #32, AvX: Consequences #3, Captain America #19, Gambit #4, Invincible Iron Man #527, Punisher: War Zone #1, Secret Avengers #33, Invincible #96, Spawn #224, Cobra #18, Extermination #5 and Ghostbusters 100-Page Spooktacular. Sadly, I'm behind on two of those titles, so their newest releases were not read and thus did not qualify. It happens.
My favorite read of the week came from DC Comics. That's pretty rare considering the quality of the New 52. I have to give it to the creative team behind I, Vampire #13. Joshua Hale Fialkov, Andrea Sorrentino, and Marcelo Maiolo have been doing quality work. I'm reading nine DC books and this one is near the top of the list for consistency. I have no doubt that it's one of the better books of the New 52.
This issue is a game-changer. If you've been reading, you've seen how the book has progressed through the first 12 issues. Credit to Fialkov for the overall tale and the characters. The events of the previous issue left Mary, formerly Queen of the vampires, powerless. This issue begins with the focus on her settling into life as a human. She reveals aspects about vampires that I can't say I've ever come across before. As the book progresses, Andrew comes back into the picture. This transition is where things change and you'll want to jump on board to see how.
Visually, Sorrentino and Maiolo work well together. I've already mentioned the consistency this title has brought. That extends beyond the writing to Sorrentino's pencils. Maiolo's colors add that sense of darkness and mystery. His shadows serve the book well. There's a two-page spread where Mary is just sitting in a chair. That may not sound exciting, but the image conveys a lot about the character's current state. It appears she's dwelling on her new role. It's simple, but powerful.
This is going up late, but even though Halloween books are here, I still wanted to post it. And let's be honest, it having been out a week doesn't make it less of an entertaining read. Now get out there and buy some books. Happy reading and thanks for looking.
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