What a day! Today is when I got to take part in my Improv 101 graduation performance, which apparently came off pretty well. I can’t speak for myself too well, since that was my first time performing on stage and being up there was just a gigantic blur. Had a strong turnout, though, including a visit by Chris Eckert.

I’m in there somewhere. I might possibly be the black woman, but I can’t say for sure. I’ll talk more about my experiences at UCB in the coming days, as well as hopefully have something from YouTube to show for it.

Lot of contributors this week. David has my back, apparent from all the manga, but I also have Was Taters, Space Jawa, Jody (also nice enough to check out the show) and luis. With all the comics read by all of us, the most gripping question asked is, “Why does Scarlet Witch write ‘DREAM JOURNAL’ in the middle of her dream journal?”

Amazing Spider-Man #684
Dan Slott and Humberto

Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week #4
Christopher Yost, Eric Pearson, Agustin Padilla, Don Ho and Wellinton Alves

Avengers vs. X-Men #2
Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction and John Romita Jr.

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Late update and I’m honestly kind of slumping over as I write this up. Today I took a trip to NYC and watched the Upright Citizens Brigade show ASSSSCAT, which had special appearances by Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers and Bobby Moynihan. Awesome time.

This week I’m helped out by Space Jawa, Jody and my old friend Gaijin Dan Mastriani. Nothing from David, but on the subject of my boss who hates it when I call him boss, he has a really fantastic Comics Alliance post that should be up any day now. I got to read it ahead of time and I suggest you check it out once it’s published. It takes his JMS post from the other day and turns it into the tip of the iceberg.

Avenging Spider-Man #6
Greg Rucka, Mark Waid and Marco Checchetto

Batman and Robin #8
Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Carnage USA #5
Zeb Wells and Clayton Crain

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So I didn’t write anything between the last ThWiP installment and this one. I’ll try not to do that again. Sorry.

I’m helped out this week by David Brothers, Space Jawa and Jody. Jody offers the Avengers vs. X-Men and Avengers vs. X-Men: Infinite panels, something I find myself staying away from. I’m rather shocked by how little I care about this event. I think part of it comes from the bluntness of the concept. The events from the past few years haven’t been perfect, but they’re all based on really solid ideas. It just so happens that all of these ideas lead to heroes vs. heroes. And I was cool with that. It’s just that when nearly every single major story is heroes vs. heroes, doing a story that is literally heroes vs. heroes in the title makes it hard for me to care. It’s self-parody and it has me rolling my eyes.

Maybe if it gets some good word of mouth I’ll check it out, but after Fear Itself burned me with its terrible pacing, I need to sit this one out.

Now to the panels.

Action Comics #8
Grant Morrison, Rags Morales and Brad Walker

Age of Apocalypse #2
David Lapham and Roberto de la Torre

Animal Man #8 (Jody’s pick)
Jeff Lemire, Steve Pugh and Travel Foreman

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It’s Sunday, so that means it’s time for This Week in Panels! Lot of good stuff came out this week.

Usually, I’d be accompanied by my usual crew of contributors like David Brothers, Was Taters, Space Jawa, Jody, luis and the others, but recently it’s been brought to my attention that none of them are real. They’re all figments of my imagination, linked to my amazing ability to make mathematical connections. Lately, I’ve been taking pills to help me with this problem, so I should be okay.

And go!

Amazing Spider-Man #544
J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada

Billy Ray Cyrus #2
Paul S. Newman and Dan Barry

Doom
Steve “Body Bag” Behling, Michael “Splatter” Stewart and Tom “Gallows’ Grindberg

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Hey, everybody. Nice week this time around. I read comparatively little, but I got enough backup from Gavok’s Little Helpers to make this a strong week. Plus David Brothers — who has sworn off Marvel/DC for the foreseeable future — pays me in panel interest with a whole bunch of third party stuff. Other than him, I have Was Taters, Space Jawa and luis.

Taters is inconsolable for the loss of Tiny Titans. Keep her in your thoughts, y’all.

The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week #2
Christopher Yost, Eric Pearson, Luke Ross and Daniel HDR

Batman #7 (Taters’ pick)
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

Batman #7 (Gavin’s pick)
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

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Hey now! Taking a break from the fighting game countdown list so I can do my usual Sunday thing. This week I’m joined by Was Taters, Space Jawa, Nawid and Jody.

While I’m one to gush about Carnage USA, the real star of the week is Fantastic Four. Holy shit, that comic.

Batman and Robin #7
Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Captain America #9
Ed Brubaker and Alan Davis

Carnage USA #4
Zeb Wells and Clayton Crain

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Hello, neighbor. Welcome to ThWiP.

Pretty good week with Venom finishing off its awesome Circle of Four storyline and the conclusion to Heroes for Hire‘s stealth cancellation miniseries follow-up Villains for Hire. Animal Man gave us one of the best superhero moments in a long time (despite the contents of the panel this week, Buddy is the best superhero dad). And Huntress finishes off her miniseries with so little drama and feel for danger that I’m wondering if Levitz inputted the God Mode code when writing it. Here’s the six issues summed up: bad things were happening and Huntress stopped them without any problems whatsoever. The end.

This week I’m helped out by Was Taters and Space Jawa, so that’s something.

Action Comics #7
Grant Morrison, Rags Morales, Sholly Fisch and Brad Walker

Age of Apocalypse #1
David Lapham and Roberto de la Torre

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Hey, everybody. Relatively small week here, but some good stuff. This week gave us the most excellent final page of Venom #13.4, which was so metal that it made me cry tears of blood. The second best page of the week is the image of Shade casually killing a boatload of vampire pirates while paying attention to the baby in his arms. Comics are pretty cool sometimes.

I was supposed to have a look back at the New 52 up and done with, but real life got in the way. I’ll save that for tomorrow. In the meantime, we got panels from myself, Was Taters and Space Jawa. Since I jumped the gun last week before Jawa could hand me his stuff, I’ve included last week’s Deadpool.

Deadpool #51
Daniel Way and Ale Garza

FF #15 (Taters’ pick)
Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta

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This week I’m helped out by Was Taters, Space Jawa and luis. Small week in total and I’m a little too out of it to come up with any pre-panel banter.

Batman #6
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

Captain Atom #6
J.T. Krul and Freddie Williams II

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The This Week in Panels concept is easy. Me and some other comic readers (and this includes you if you’re ever interested) take every new comic we’ve read from the week and cut out 99% of it, leaving only a lone panel. This panel is meant to illustrate what the comic’s all about. Sell what you’re reading without giving too much away. Catch someone’s eye. Explain it with one image.

125 is a nice round number that feels like something important should happen. We have a full crew this week in me, David Brothers, Was Taters, Space Jawa and Jody, so that works out. Taters supplied the Brave and the Bold panel, which is astounding. She’s just sad that this has to be the final issue of the series.

Batman and Robin #6
Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #16
Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett and Dan Davis

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