How to use this Page

With great comics comes great responsibility — that’s something that we believe the Legion of Superheroes’ Arm-Fall-Off-Boy perfectly encapsulates. The character created by Gerard Jones, Ty Templeton, and Curt Swan inspires us to write these great pieces as he forces the staff here at The Beat Manor to keep reading until our arms fall off! How many characters have the ability to use their own limbs as instruments of destruction? Arm-Fall-Off-Boy A.K.A. Floyd Belkin’s visit to the mansion came at an important time in comics history as Marvel is now on the very edge of Secret Wars and DC is in the midst of Convergence. The rejected Legionnaire had some opinions on each that enlightened The Beat staff towards forming some new conceptions about these titles that we will share with the general public below. Our time with Belkin was limited, but he shared all the Superman and Legion anecdotes that we could handle in the span of just one afternoon. Without further ado we would like to present our picks straight from Belkin and The Beat Manor for your reading pleasure!

Alex and Floyd’s picks:

Avengers #44 Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Mike Deodato

New Avengers #33 Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Kev Walker

Belkin advised us that Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers saga was one of the deepest and most bold comics events ever, with over 77 issues devoted to the lead-up into the Secret Wars, he told us that there was much ‘proverbial crap’ to hit the fan. We feel obligated to post anything the esteemed hero mentioned, but these pair of issues surely look interesting. How is Hickman and company going to blow up the Marvel Universe and create Battleworld? Bear in mind that this is comics, so it probably is going to be fun but not make any sense.

The Multiversity #2 Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Ivan Reis

Floyd expressed some interest in taking a break from the big events and talking up DC’s huge Multiversity event for a short while. This saga is bringing some brand new heroes together for the first direct follow-up to the Multiversity labeled as The Multiversity #2, but how or why would the installment could it be labeled as such with a new selection of characters being introduced? One of the highlights of our afternoon with Belkin was a spirited debate between team Beat on whether Morrison could even follow-up Multiversity! When one Beat staffer mentioned that he or she (I will not disclose their identity) didn’t like Brazilian artist Ivan Reis, they were given a stern talking to — they insulted one of Belko’s favorites!

Kyle’s Pick:

Convergence: Shazam #1

Writer: Jeff Parker, Artist: Doc Shaner, Colors: Jordie Bellaire

Holy F*ck TPB

ACTION LAB – DANGER ZONE

(W) Nick Marino (A/CA) Daniel Arruda Massa

Though we haven’t been able to talk much more about it since the first issue came out in print, Holy F*ck has been a fun ride that makes you feel dirty in the best way possible. A collected edition is the best way to read this:

Sister Maria has recruited two horny drug-fueled weirdos to stop the apocalypse. Their names? Jesus and Satan. Can these biblical frenemies help this nun with a gun defeat an army of pissed off mythological gods?

---

Heidi’s Pick:

Super Mutant Magic Academy

Jillian Tamaki

DRAWN & QUARTERLY

 Lacking arms makes it hard to hold a book, so I don’t know where Floyd stands on graphic novels, but anyone with two hands would enjoy this. I know we’ve been Tamaki-crazy here at Stately Beat Manor, but SMMA, based on the long running webcomic, is a limber, darkly humorous take on the much-trodden “superpowered teens in school” genre, as teens learn that magic powers don’t help where self-esteem, misplaced love and growing up are concerned. As they do.

 

 The complete Johnny Nemo

 Peter Milligan and Brett Ewins

Tian Comics

Okay technically this is a relisting, but why not take some time to honor the legacy of the late Brett Ewins, with this ode to Newave haircuts, private eyes and goofball futurism that never goes out of style. Milligan and Ewins in peak form.

By Davey Nieves

Holy F*ck #1

Story: Nick Narino

Art: Daniel Arruda Massa

Publisher : Action Labs Entertainment

Action Lab Entertainment might not be a familiar name to you but they’ve got great books like Molly Danger and Nutmeg under their belt. The studio continues to further sharpen already edgy ideas with their newest book Holy F*ck.

After twice reading the opening issue, I’m still trying to wrap my head around what I just read. So the premise of Holy F*ck is this: From the shadows Zeus, Isis, and the rest of earth’s deities have come together to concoct a nefarious plan to unleash an Armageddon level of war on humanity. Our only hope of avoiding this cataclysm is Catholicism in the form of a nun named Maria, a basement D&D nerd Lucifer, and sex crazed Rambo-like Jesus.

Written by Nick Narino, the opening issue introduces us to most of the major players involved and sets up the stakes very punctually. By the middle of the first issue we know how Maria & Jesus come together, and how Zeus’s cabal intend to unleash their plan. We also see that the villainous gods are motivated by a need to be seen and worshiped much like the advertising mascots in that Halloween Simpson’s episode. For a book that exists to poke fun of religion in all its forms it’s an entertaining read. However, Holy F*ck is like a cup of tea; it’s just not for everybody. In fact anyone who holds their spirituality close to the chest will most likely be offended by all the ways the book plays with religious figures. Though the book suffers more from a lack of snap in the dialogue than any offense that could be taken by people. Granted the dialogue in a story like this is meant to be cheesy but here it unbalances the characters a bit.

Daniel Arruda Massa’s art feels right for the levity intended within the pages. The illustration feels at home in its Scott Pilgrim vibe, which makes the cover art a little deceiving. The cartoony nature of the interiors doesn’t always go well with intense action but a more realistic art style would have probably put this in another genre of comic while making some of the jokes less digestible. Visually, it just feels right.

When I first read Garth Ennis classic Preacher, I felt like I had done something wrong. While today I’m not religious in any sense of the word, I did grow up in the bonds of church going Catholicism. So reading a book like that made a tiny part of me feel I’d be struck down or unclean. Later I’d come to realize that it’s part of the magic of Preacher and remains one of my favorite stories ever. Holy F*ck had a similar effect on me just not nearly as intense because it’s a neat idea that’s not quite fleshed out.

Don’t throw holy water at Dave on twitter. @bouncingsoul217