Marvel Pick Of The Week - February 4, 2015 [SPOILERS]

Pick Of The Week:

Ant-Man 2, by Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas

Readers, get ready to see a lot of this book in the Pick Of The Week column. The only negative thing I have to say about this week’s issue is that it wasn’t as funny as issue one. And I am lying when I tell you that.

Last issue, we got reacquainted with Scott Lang, a recovering thief who uses size-changing powers to attempt a life that will impress his ex-wife enough to agree to some custody changes for his teen daughter. He blew it, and the most important women in his life moved to Miami. This issue picks up with Scott’s hilariously uncomfortable attempt to set up a new security consulting business, and by the time the book closes, a reactivated robot is going to spray a bank vault down with molten Nazi gold. And that’s the most serious part.

Nick Spencer has demonstrated time and again that when he tells a joke, he uses perfect words at the perfect time. The way his lines fit speech bubbles, the way his panels flow, this all gives a rhythm and beat that the reader can feel. One of the best jokes has a setup at the bottom of one page (Scott sets up his business) and the visual punchline as soon as the reader turns the page (Scott posts a ridiculously cheesy and inappropriate billboard that had me howling). There are many funny writers out there, and I recommend folks who enjoy Ant-Man to look into Valiant for James Asmus (Quantum And Woody) and Fred Van Lente (Archer And Armstrong) or Red 5 for Brian Clevinger (Atomic Robo). But no one writing comics today has quite the same creativity with the pacing of the comic medium as Nick Spencer.

I am pretty sure you’ll be seeing this book headlining my column every time it comes out.

Honorable Mentions:

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl 2, because the giddy tone of this amazing new series is perfectly summed up in Doreen’s plans to take down Galactus. She and I have a lot in common, strategy-wise. That includes reviewing plans with our animal best friends. Also, she has a poster of Dazzler. I am sure Doreen and I are soul mates.

Guardians Of The Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha, for suggesting that if Storm submits to the titular magic wish-granting mirror, she will look like the Phoenix’s hot best friend. I know it’s a trap, but man, some traps are just worth it. Do it, Storm!

Hawkeye 21, because even though the series has been inconsistent for the last year, scenes like the following, in which Clint helps his neighbors defend their building from a gang by dropping hot coals on them… This is the series I am going to miss when it ends next month.

Wolverines 5, because Sinister likes his mutant entertainment like I do: fight until it gets boring, then go do something else. Boiled down to that, Sinister’s not such a bad guy.

Avengers 41, for praising the Ultimate Universe by putting the first Ultimates cover on the front but then pointing out in metatextual conversation how irrelevant the line has been for the last ten years. I loved the Ultimate line, but even I can’t defend anything about the current version except Miles Morales and Evil Reed Richards.

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Marvel Pick Of The Week – February 4, 2015 [SPOILERS]

By Matt Conner | Feb 4, 2015

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