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« Comics: April 2008 | Main | Comics: June 2008 » ComicsSuperMegaSpeed Reviews Iron Man #29 - I don't think i'm alone in this: there are so many comics being put out today that i often feel overwhelmed by my choices and i'm always looking for jumping off points. The Knaufs' run on Iron Man kept surprising me with its quality, but this rather generic issue, the first by a new writer, is a good time to pull the plug. Avengers: The Initiative #13 - All Gage, all good. Fantastic Four #557 - This is a shame, however. It's staying alive based on the reputation of the creators alone. But they're not living up to it. I reflexively defend the art when min says it sucks by saying "No it doesn't, it's Hitch", but the truth is that it isn't very good at all. I'm not sure what the deal is. The downtime moments, i think, are pretty good, but this whole C.A.P. story wasn't very good (and it's usually a bad sign when the threat you've been building up for several issues is suddenly eliminated mid-issue so you can move on to something else). I am liking a follow-up to Doom's Might Avengers appearance but i'm surprised to see Doom even show up in this book since MIllar said his run was supposed to be all about not rehashing the Lee-Kirby era with the same old rogue's gallery, etc.. Incredible Hercules #117 - I wouldn't want Athena to turn out to be a Skrull because i've been enjoying her character in these past few issues, so i'm hoping that's just misdirection. But let's get to what's important here: any writer that references a Mantlo Alpha Flight / Stern Avengers crossover from three decades ago in a way that only serves as character development is awesome. Captain America #38 - Using commie-smasher Cap is just as good. These writers are the real heroes. I'm gonna give 'em everything I've got. Mighty Avengers #14 - I don't know about in real life, but in comic books when you cure your multiple-personality disorder, you become super-awesome and extra powerful. My new theory is that the Sentry is actually the Beyonder. Because the Sentry was already extra powerful, and the Beyonder is super-awesome. But when Jarvis-Skrull turned into Void-Skrull, he should have lost the ability to be free from detection, even if it was just artistic license. By fnord12 | May 28, 2008, 7:24 AM | Comics | Comments (5)| Link Giant-Size Incredible Hulk #1 - I don't know what this is. I mean, it's a retrospective of some of the supporting characters from Roger Stern's Hulk run from 30 years ago, but i don't know why we're reading about it now. The story didn't even really end. I hate to do it, but i'm going to have to drag out the "pointless" label again. Clandestine #4 - Between the vampires and the stealth-headlining of the 1980s era Excalibur, this series has a real lack of focus, and it hurts the main story. There's still a chance that Davis will be able to pull it all together for the last issue, i guess. Nice art, anyway. Can we convince him to work with a writer and just concentrate on his art? Thunderbolts #120 - Warren Ellis' Green Goblin is awesome. Awesome. I'm enjoying this quite a lot. Also, i've always liked Mike Deodato's art despite the fact that it was often exploitive, but the painted art in his Thunderbolts run is on a whole new level. As much as i like Gage, i'm going to miss this creative team. Hmm, how about a Gage/Davis combo? Guardians of the Galaxy #1 - As requested, i get Groot, Mantis, and Cosmo in addition to the characters on the cover. This was a lot of fun. And i'm guessing that's Vance Astrovik ("Major Victory") at the end there to give the name of the team some legitimacy, not some alternate dimension Cap. I'm not so sure about using the Universal Church of Truth as ongoing antagonists; i thought it was a funny one-off when i saw them in the beginning but when they reported back to the Matriarch i realized they intend to continue using them. Abnett and Lanning can probably make it work, but without the Magus the Church isn't really very interesting and we don't need another Warlock/Magus rehash. Anyway, this was a great first issue. I think Pelletier's art was even better than his FF run; everyone didn't have giant goddamn lips. By fnord12 | May 19, 2008, 7:15 AM | Comics | Link
 You have to respect his flaming knees. By fnord12 | May 14, 2008, 4:19 PM | Comics | Comments (3)| Link A common failing of comic books and action movies where the first time a creature is introduced, it is extremely difficult to defeat. It is often presented as undefeatable except by extraordinary effort and/or luck. However, as the story progresses, more and more creatures of that type are included in the plot, and the more there are, the easier they become to kill. By fnord12 | May 13, 2008, 10:16 AM | Comics
& Movies | Comments (2)| Link Logan #3 - I've been admonished for using the word "pointless" but that's really how i feel about this story. There's nothing here that adds anything to Wolverine's character or backstory, and the story itself was very much throwaway. A story of a rookie Wolverine would have been an interesting approach, but very little time (in a story that otherwise didn't merit three issues) is given to that aspect. Atsuko's character is also poorly developed, leaving her feeling like a stereotype. And certain parts of the story, like showing Wolverine surviving a nuclear bomb blast and having his heart ripped out (clunky metaphor, too), are downright damaging to Wolverine's power levels. Really poor. Punisher War Journal #19 - How long has Rick Remender been getting co-writing credits? This is just no good. Nothing terribly wrong, exactly - except dragging out a Jigsaw story for six issues - but it just feels like there's nothing going on here. Sometimes this series has been pretty good, usually in the single issue stories, but for the most part it's been slow and mediocre. I'm dropping it. Avengers: The Initiative #12 - Well, with the KIA stuff finally over, this was a nice downtime issue, much more along the lines of what i was expecting for the series. Other than thinking that Gyrich's "I do not recall" stuff was a little too heavy-handed, this was good. Order #10 - I'm really impressed with how Fraction was able to wrap this series up without making anything feel rushed. I thought the moment with Hellrung killing Mulholland was nicely done. Beyond that, this series was somewhere in the 'ok' to 'pretty good' range and i'm glad that it's cancelled. Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula #1 - I didn't realize that this wasn't a regular issue of Daredevil when i first starting reading it, but i figured it out when i wasn't sobbing by the third page. Also the dialogue was a little clunky. I feel like this is pitch #2 for a Black Tarantula series. After reading his first appearance in the main DD book, i was ready to sign on, but this one was a little weaker (maybe because it wasn't all Brubaker). He's basically a local version of the Punisher, which could be interesting but it might not be enough for a series, and it would have to deal with the Superhero Registration Act more than the writers would want it to. Thunderbolts: Reason In Madness #1 - I think it's time to hand over the reigns of the regular series to Gage so he can stop writing these one-shot fill-ins and actually develop a long term plot. This story was fine, but after a while the pacing of one-shots start to grate on me. Hulk vs. Hercules #1 - Poor Hulk. This was good. I'm glad someone convinced me to get it. Iron Fist #14 - No real surprises in the resolution to this excellent arc (except maybe the other Living Weapons deciding to remain on Earth, which could be interesting), but that doesn't mean it wasn't great. And if my review isn't enthusiastic enough for you, there's always Invincible Super-Blog. Nova #13 - We all have comic book cover pet peeves. Some people don't like the iconic "pose" covers that have nothing to do with the inside story. Some people don't like word balloons. I don't like it when the cover of an issue depicts what turns out to be the cliffhanger for the current issue. If the cover shows Nova fighting the Silver Surfer, Nova and the Silver Surfer should fight in this issue. Nonetheless, this was excellent, excellent, excellent. New Avengers #40 - I'm not big on these 'classic Avengers cover redone with everyone as a Skrull' covers, either. But i'm liking how New and Mighty are handling the Secret Invasion tie-ins, with this issue (at least) dealing with the Skrulls themselves, and Mighty following Nick Fury. I'm sure some people will complain that they're buying Avengers comics and no actual Avengers appear in them, but i'm fine with it cause i'm still getting good stories relating to the crossover and now i don't have to figure our where these issues fit with the main Secret Invasion series. This was good. Spider Woman turning out to be a Skrull is... interesting, and it's nice to be intrigued by a comic. For the record, Princess Veranke's prophesy is "They have told you that our worlds are in danger. They have foretold of the wave of destruction. A devourer of worlds. A world of blue will...". She seems to be conflating the wave with the devourer, but it could actually be referring to Galactus and the Annihilation Wave seperately. The world of blue i assume is Earth, and the rest of the prophecy must lead her to believe that Earth will be the new Skrull homeworld. Mighty Avengers #13 - Everyone enjoys gathering of forces/recruitment stories, so we'll just have to see where this one goes. I don't think Ares will like that his son has disappeared, though. Secret Invasion #2 - This whole series was conceived just to bring Mockingbird back as Bendis' way to apologize to Hawkeye for killing him. This continues to be good. Not as bam! bam! bam! impactful as the first issue but that's to be expected for a second issue and there were a few nice moments here. I was wondering if new readers (if such a creature exists) will find it incongruous that a T. Rex shows up in the middle of the fight between the two sets of super heroes, but really, who can complain about T. Rexes? Oh and that Eternals preview isn't doing the series any favors. By fnord12 | May 13, 2008, 7:43 AM | Comics | Comments (3)| Link By fnord12 | May 7, 2008, 4:51 PM | Comics | Link Unless he doesn't count as a super-hero....? What about Wonder-Woman? By fnord12 | May 7, 2008, 3:51 PM | Comics
& Movies | Comments (1)| Link  By fnord12 | May 1, 2008, 2:56 PM | Comics & Ummm... Other? | Link Avengers: Initiative #11 - Well, at least that's finally over. I feel like the potential of this series was seriously derailed by this KIA story, which went on forever and took the focus away from the "new recruits at the academy" theme of the book which is what i was interested in. Ms. Marvel #26 -For me, this book was right on the cusp of ok/bad, so i decided to give it another try during the Secret Invasion crossover. Again, this... wasn't terrible, but wasn't great, but it's unclear how this fits in with Secret Invasion, which, for me, is important since i deliberately bought this due to the crossover and i like to know how everything fits together (used to be that it was understood that the stories had to fit together; now i'm reduced to saying it's just my preference.). Also, i like the "Nextwave" version of Machine Man but i hope this doesn't mean that they think Nextwave is in continuity. Iron Man #28 - "As I recall, you specifically directed me to play it 'Nick Fury' dirty." Heh. Pus the return of the Silver and Red armor, a great battle with the Mandarin in which Iron Man winds up wearing his rings, and an always welcome auto-amputation scene. They should've kept him heel-less for a while just to make the sacrifice a little more meaningful, but that's ok. I was also sure that this arc was going to de-Extremify Iron Man, bringing him back down to Wanyas-approved technology levels, but apparently they're sticking with it. In any event, this book is always good and probably doesn't deserve to be so low on my reading list. X-Force #3 - Hard to judge this one as it's just a "gathering of forces" issue for the bad guys. It's definitely a little slower than the previous two, and it didn't have a lot of impact for me since many of these guys come from X-Men stories from the 90s when i wasn't reading the books. Disappointed that they're not actually waking up Magus, but i guess a Black Ops team doesn't have much hope of defeating an adult Technarch. I love the body count page, but should Bolivar Trask really get credit for every mutant killed by a Sentinel? Annihilation: Conquest #6 - My feeling is that Warlock and his ward should have been a lot more integral in stopping the Phalanx - especially his ward since stopping the Phalanx is a prime function of adult Technarchs (who would have thought that in 2008 i'd be reading about Technarchs in two completely unrelated books?). Still, i understand since they weren't really part of the series to begin with (the Nova books weren't even labelled as a Conquest crossover) that it's not fair to use them prominently, and Warlock did free Adam Warlock from Ultron's control, so it's not like they were ignored. Otherwise, all i have to say is this was a great ending to a great series, and Groot and Mantis better recover and join up with the Guardians of the Galaxy after a few issues of that new series, which i'm looking forward to. Hercules #116 - There's a lot to like about this book. Continued character development for Hercules. His impatient "I know who you guys are, you're the Eternals, i've met you a bunch of times". The continued examination of the similarities and discrepencies in myths. Athena's guidance of Cho, steering him away from the super-villain path. Athena keeping a decapitated Skrull head in her back pocket to show the other gods. On an unrelated tangent, i hear some of the X-Men are in San Fransisco, too. I wouldn't have minded a little crossover/cameo. Captain America #37 - Epting is back on art and the book is looking beautiful again. This continues to be great. Waiting to see where they go with the Cap 'clone'. I liked everyone showing up to tell Bucky that they'll be watching him in his new role as Captain America. In the old days, each of those appearances would have resulted in an issue long fight; here it was handled maturely. Best surreal line of the month: "Cap! Cap! Look out for the internet!" Mighty Avengers #12 - Ugh, Maleev. Well, this issue, dealing with Nick Fury's covert stuff and icky Skrulls, mostly suited his style, but his Spider-Woman is awful. It's nice to catch up on Fury. I'm actually surprised that Bendis decided to do it so overtly instead of just having Fury return and dropping a few hints as to what he's been up to. So looking at the people he circled - those are the Skrulls? (Well, Hulkling - duh. ;-)). I notice that it's Lockjaw and not Blackbolt that was circled - that was interesting (And i wonder if it's a way to solve the John Byrne/Peter David feud over whether Lockjaw is an intelligent Inhuman that got mutated or just a funny looking dog). And yeah, let the Spidey who made a deal with Mephisto turn out to be a Skrull! By fnord12 | May 1, 2008, 7:24 AM | Comics | Link |