TNIAAM Comic Shop, Issue No. 5: Infinity Bore

We’re coming up on a month of no Syracuse Orange sports now, and the days are feeling increasingly longer. There are still no sports at all this weekend or any other in the near future, so we need other things to pass the time. If this sounds like the plot of Keeley’s post-apocalyptic fiction, it’s not — yet, anyway.

Despite no substantive Syracuse sports news, we’ve been talking plenty about Orange sports in recent weeks. However, we’re also forced to expand our coverage area a bit. Since it ends up we have interests beyond SU athletics, welcome to issue No. 5 of the TNIAAM Comic Shop: Infinity Bore.

Each week, we’ll each be highlighting a worthwhile comic book to read. And for the most part, we’ll be making sure these are all selections you can read on Marvel Unlimited (not a sponsor — but they could be!) or Comixology.

Andy

Thor: The God of Thunder #1 — 2012 (by Jason Aaron)

Thor the comic character is based off thousands of years of Norse mythology, and yet for a long time, the character was somehow stale after Walt Simonson’s era defining time with the character. When Aaron took over the character in 2012, it started a 9(!) year run that expanded and built the lore of Thor and 10 realms in ways that will stay with the character forever. Start here, transition to the Mighty Thor, and finish it off with King Thor, and be blown away by two of the best artists in the game as Esad Ribic and Russel Dauterman bring one of the best stories to life better than anyone could.

John

Death of the Inhumans #2 — 2018 (by Donny Cates)

Tried to avoid another Cates book, but he has so many winners, and he presents a mastery of nearly every character he takes on. In this five-issue arc, we see the apparent end of the Inhumans at the hands of the Kree and their ultimate weapon, the Vox. The art from Ariel Olivetti creates a sense of foreboding and dread throughout, and you can feel each panel inches you closer and closer to the characters’ apparent ends. Wouldn’t start here if you’re not familiar with the Inhumans and/or Black Bolt. But if you’re acclimated, this does explore more of Black Bolt’s (in)humanity and the responsibilities he feels as king in a way few stories have before.

Steve

Fantastic Four vs. X-Men #1 - 1987 (by Chris Claremont)

Hitting the way-back machine for a mini-series diversion of the series defining Chris Claremont X-Men run. The “Mutant Massacre” had left the X-Men in a bit of a pickle, Nightcrawler and Colossus out of commission and Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat stuck in between worlds, Reed Richards is potentially the only one who can save her. The four part series is a quick read, but worth it, as the modern adaptation that is in progress now (X-Men/Fantastic 4 - 2020; Zdarsky) gets a bit of a pick me up from knowing the backstory. Also, you get Claremont X-Men, which may gear you back up for the extended two part, Claremont penned, God Loves, Man Kills in the Dawn of X run, when books get back to normal.