This Week in Comics

My Pull List for January 22, 2025 & the horrors of Social Media?

LOOK! It’s a drawing!

Another week and after that Whimventure® to Los Angeles I’m finally getting back into the swing of things at home. Fortunately, my work schedule at LEGO is giving me about a week off to catch up and return to my routine. Although it has been cold around here, it’s winter so expected.

I spent some time this week working on the 50th anniversary t-shirt design for my LCS (Comic Carnival) came up with a bunch of different ideas and the one that was chosen was the one I designed in September, we just dropped it down to a single color.

With the whole “peaceful transition of power” here in the United States I’ve decided to take a break from most Social Media. I dropped off of the app formerly known as “Twitter” when I retired since I really was only using it for work related PR. However, for this week (and maybe longer) I’m taking a break from all the Meta apps that I am aware of (remember I’m old and don’t know much about technology). I never could get used to Instagram, I started using Threads, but didn’t see the point. The only thing about Facebook is that it has permeated society and is the only way to keep in contact with some people. So I have to ask myself (as I crawl into my hermit hole) is it really that important to me. Is it important to me to “like” someone’s photo of their dog? Is it important to me to interact with people I haven’t really seen in over 20 years? Not sure, but like many apps, and games, and stuff- I’m curious to see how much control the app had over me and if I will go into withdrawal. So that I’m at least a part of the world of social media I have set up a BlueSky account and am posting photos and stuff there. Like many things, I’m trying it out by jumping in with both feet and so far- the water seems to be warm and without sharks or pesky “sponsored” crud in my newsfeed- this will limit my purchases of “ready things” but that’s fine, since I don’t really need that much junk to clutter the house. There are a number of creators on BlueSky who I like and the only thing missing are friends and family… oh well- you could always join me in the revolution.

This Week’s Comics:

As always it is interesting to see how comics are being shaped by society, a number of titles deal with over reach of power by government of corporations and our plucky heroes fighting the good fight.

Arcbound #1 - So we are in a future in which “The Highness” rules and “Kronium” is a resource needed- Don’t know why yet. Colonies are mining it but either not fast enough, or asking for more so “Mediators” are sent down. Kai (a mediator) is having second thoughts. He’s been doing the job long enough he’s starting to question things and he just doesn’t seem that excited about “mediating” colonists. You have to love science fiction stories where common words have become something else- vocabulary evolves. So what will happen to Kai at the end of the issue? What about issue 2? Looks interesting to see how it will all play out. The truth is that we’ve made it this far because “humanity” is just a fancy word we hide behind… for all the awful things we’re capable of. - from page one.

Black Hammer Spiral City #3 - As with many series written by Jeff Lemire there’s a lot to take in and some of the stuff doesn’t make sense until you go “Aha! Now I understand!” So we continue the tale of Inspector Insector and he tries to make his way in this world and learn about the evil organization running the show(Hint: the Mayor has something against people with powers). Then what will the Concretestador do to help his family? and as the issue starts, with the story of “Princess” who has been abandoned, how will this play into the complete tale?

The Magic Order 5 #4 - Cordelia still trying to figure out what is going and if she will live through this series… This issue basically covers the origin of her protector (who can’t die because he’s in league with demons. Oh there’s also a bit dealing with the end go the world as we know it (and I feel fine).

Amazing Spider- Man #66 - Seriously, if you suffer from depression, ask for help. Peter Parker has given up on pretty much everything which has confused Cyra whose mystical challenge was for him to experience death… Dr. Strange lost the challenge after 809,000 deaths peter didn’t give up even after 3 million Cyra is trying to figure out what’s up with this guy. While in Alaska- Juggernaut is being summoned to NYC.

Superman # 22 - Aliens have arrived demanding Doomsday be given to them or else. Will Superman fight to keep Doomsday safe and contained? What’s up with his “Red Levels”? And how can Lois Save everyone?

Justice League Unlimited #3 - Let’s see, one of the fun things about a team book is the number of storylines that tend to weave through each issue. We start off with the Question (Renee Montoya) wandering around the Watchtower home now to almost every hero in the DC Universe. She finds Air Wave (hint: he’s a kid and possibly mixed up with the bad guys) hiding since he really has no other place to go. Now we have a fire engulfing the entire Amazon. Then we have the intro to “The Atom Project” in which some heroes (due to whatever happened in the Absolute Power crossover) have powered witched/changed/whatever so a group is trying to help on that front when it comes to Plastic Man and Phantom Girl. Ending, of course with a cliffhanger and something to do with another DC concept “the Green.”

The Flash # 17 - So The Flash took his family on a camping trip, but he really sent a version of himself for a different time (a timey-wimpy clone?) while he was still doing JLA business. Things go south and Warlord isn’t Warlord, and we have a classic W.E.S. outbreak as everyone involved tries to figure things out. Oh, and Jai goes on a little trip of his own, with the dog.

Detective Comics #1093 - Batman and the Bat-Family go out of their way to save the kids targeted by the serial killer who might be working for/with the pharmaceutical company providing Bruce Wayne with his fountain of youth. In the end- that might be a problem for Batman.

Absolute Wonder Woman #4 - Diana needs some help to defeat the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Tetracide so she turns to a “witch” for help. We also learn a bit more about here upbringing along with Circe’s visions and Hecate. Diana seems to have procured Valofax or some other mighty sword similar to it. As I have said about the Absolute series before, the style in which the art and stories are told are different enough to make it all a very interesting read.

Ultimate Spider-Man #13 - We find out what has happened to Harry and Peter after last issues revelation that they had been kidnapped and Peter was replaced by his high tech spidey suit. It seems that Kraven the Hunter is planning on hunting them in the Savage Land which in this universe is a subterranean land under NYC. Kraven basically tells Harry and Peter that if they survive, so will their families, if they die… you get the picture.

Star Trek #28 - Lore has destroyed the entire universe… and Sisko has been transported to Bajor’s distant past. This issue goes through how he helps to shape Bajor into the society that it became in Star Trek. Actually a very interesting take. I’m looking forward to see what happens next.

Interesting since I have yet to watch every Deep Space 9 episode. I' kinda stopped when the Dominion War was starting. It was one of those times when I realized that my life was being controlled by the TV schedule and I didn’t like something having that much control over me. It also happened with pretty much every iteration of Star Trek before streaming. Enterprise was too hard to track down as it bounced around the schedule for me to follow.