First Impressions – X-MEN #1

In one of the more ironic title choices, the adjective-less X-MEN #1 sports an all-girl team. The erstwhile mutant-turned-vampire Jubilee returns to the Jean Grey School…with a baby in tow. And what’s more, she’s been followed by one of the X-Men’s greatest foes: a foe who wants nothing but the help of the merry mutants. What is the significance of the infant? Why does this villain want it? What secret eons in the making threatens Earth this time? And is the all-female cast just a lame gimmick to sell issues?

All I know is I bought the baby variant again, and we’re going to talk about it.

Trade Secrets – SILENCE & CO

In a world of organized crime, there are secrets. Secrets and silence. One mafia hitman will learn just how deep the silence goes. Today we’ll be looking at SILENCE & CO, a recently released graphic novel produced and written by Gur Benshemesh and inked by Ron Randoll. We’re kicking off a new series of Trade Secrets with a tale of crime, corruption, and bullets. Many, many bullets.

Annuals – ADVENTURE TIME ANNUAL #1

Because between the main series and the many miniseries spin-offs, this franchise wasn’t producing enough comics. ADVENTURE TIME ANNUAL #1 provides readers with no less than six short stories for their reading pleasure. How will they stack up to the standard comic?

Annuals – EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1

The old Batman is dead. Long live Batman! EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1 introduces the replacement for the Dark Knight of DC’s perennial backup universe. Who would dare assume the cape and cowl after their world’s loss? What’s the deal with Al Pratt, aka The Atom? And how will either factor into the upcoming assault on Dherain, newly conquered base of operations for Steppenwolf?

The Weekly Pull – Extended/Indefinite Hiatus (5/27/13)

I decided I had to at least address the most important book to be released this past week. I had nine individual comics on my pull list, and I realized as I was preparing to return to my regularly scheduled posting that I had zero desire to do so. The last month I decided to halt The Weekly Pull because of outstanding work I needed to do. There simply wasn’t time, and this column is a huge time sink.

The Weekly Pull, as it turns out, became the equivalent to a five to ten page essay a week, something I’ve had trouble in the past keeping up with. As of now, circumstances dictate even that is far more than I can afford to devote. For now, I have more time than ever, yet I’ve realized with sickening dread that it’s an unsustainable state. My personal life is in shambles, and if I’m going to get myself back on track I can’t be distracted.

Does this mean I’m abandoning Sequential Smart entirely? No, I’m not. I’m still going to give my thoughts on the latest new releases in my First Impressions column. This is a fact that won’t change. Additionally, I have a number of personal projects I want to pursue, not necessarily related to comic books. I want to get my old review show up and running again. I’ve got a creative spark in me I want to exercise, and that needs a free writing hand. I need to prepare for the fall, which will undoubtedly be the busiest season for me.

And I need to find proper employment. I need this badly.

All this means I can’t continue updating the Weekly Pull. Perhaps it will be revived in the future, or I’ll update on occasion in a more limited form. I’ve long ruminated on the fact that most posts these days consisted half of retreading old ground, and half trying to be coy about the latest developments. I think it would help if I limited myself only to commenting when I think it absolutely necessary. And in much greater brevity.

Let’s be honest. The Weekly Pull is amateur blogging on the best of days. I don’t even edit what I write. It’s been badly in need of a format shift, and right now that format is extended hiatus.

I would say I hope this doesn’t disappoint anyone, but I know hardly anyone reads what I mindlessly type out. If you do, I hope I’ve been informative and, rarely, even funny. I love you all, and hope to see you in the future. If you want more, I’m currently quite active on Tumblr, though I mostly use it to reblog Homestuck images, among other fandom related materials. I also have a separate blog for my own photography, though I update it rarely and will likely update it still more rarely in the future. And yet another Tumblr for comics in particular, as well as the main one for Harpsicord Dreams Productions, the label for my videos. You can also follow me on Twitter.

Have a great summer, everyone! And remember to read good comic books.

The Weekly Pull (5/22/13) – GREEN LANTERN #20

It’s the end of an era. GREEN LANTERN #20 is the grand finale to Wrath of the First Lantern, and the capstone to Geoff Johns’ writing run on the GL books. Everyone is in place, including the First Lantern himself. Who will live? Who will die? Who will live again? And how will the course of GL history be changed forever (or until the next continuity reboot)?

What I can say for certain is…Geoff Johns will be missed. On the GL books, at least. He’ll still be working at DC on the Justice League books.

First Impressions – AVENGERS: THE ENEMY WITHIN #1

Carol Danvers is being stalked by her greatest foe yet, and it may just be the one in her own head. AVENGERS: THE ENEMY WITHIN #1 begins the crossover between Captain Marvel and Avengers Assemble. What is the true nature of the mastermind behind Captain Marvel’s latest string of headaches? Speaking of, how will she be able to cope with the trouble at hand with a brain tumor threatening her life? Can the Avengers lend a hand to their friend? Or will she rot from the inside out?

First Impressions – TEN GRAND #1

Would you fight hell itself just for five minutes with the one you love? Would you do it if it meant dying every time? For many, such a thing would be a tall order, one perhaps not worth the effort. But for our friend Joe, there’s no question. J. Micheal Straczynski and Ben Templesmith bring us the next dark and gritty supernatural drama, TEN GRAND #1.

First Impressions – MISTER X: EVICTION #1 (of 3)

With the recent success of Hard Candy, Dark Horse has allowed great graphic artist Dean Motter release yet another installment in the epic saga of Radiant City’s insomniac protector. It’s MISTER X: EVICTION #1. After the last few miniseries, the forces in charge of Radiant City have been purged, and a new regime took over. How will they attempt to abuse their position? What do their plans have to do with the eponymous Mister X’s master schematics for the city? And while that’s going on, what other men seek control?

Anthologies – HAUNTED HORROR #4

Has been another two months already? So be it! The fifties throw up their dead once again in HAUNTED HORROR #4!