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Wednesday Is New Comic Book Day! (09-10-09)

By | September 10th, 2009
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Just as an added bonus, this week a brand new movie came out called 9. If you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s an animated post-apocalyptic stitchpunk movie that has been in the work for several years directed by visionary director Shane Acker and produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (who directed Wanted). While this is in no way a comic property, I wanted to use this space to, instead of having a silly quirky Wednesday Comic image, promote this amazing film which I have been following for several years. I highly support you taking some time out to see it this weekend if you can, because Lord knows I’ll be!

For the trailer to the film, please click here. For all your normal comic reviews, read on, true believer!

MATT’S REVIEWS
Adventure Comics #2
Remember that review I did glorifying the crap out of Adventure Comics? And then I made a spotlight on Superboy? Oh, and then I did an article about how Geoff Johns is ridiculously awesome? Well, guess what! None of that has changed. I ate this issue up like candy and went back a second time just to appreciate the visuals of Francis Manapul. Seriously. I’m in love with this book.

In the second issue, we continue the theme left off from the first issue: Superboy deciding which path he really follows – the path of Superman or that of Lex Luthor? As he continues to add to his list and cross/check things off, we finally have his reuniting with Wonder Girl after a year of being under ground. For those that followed Johns’ run on Teen Titans, it’s easy to follow Johns’ path of inspiration and character building. Johns first revealed that Superboy was a clone of Luthor in the first issue, and it was a big deal during that run when Luthor eventually “Manchurian Candidate”‘d the situation, as Connor himself puts. He and Cassie work out some of their issues and, of course, have a big romantic scene in front of the moon while being elevated by Krypto. It’s really a cute moment, and Johns captures the teenage mind and spirit of these two heroes in a very profound way (as Bendis is currently trying to do in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man currently).

On the other side, we finally see the pay off from Adventure Comics #0 and where Luthor and Braniac left off after the events of New Krypton. This part was really cool as it is something that has been left up in the air for quite a while now and it was interesting to see that plot line finally begin to take hold. A world without Superman may be ok, but a world without Luthor? Come on now. Geoff Johns’ Luthor is still just as good evil as he’s ever been, professing to still wish to be humanity’s savior as soon as Superman is destroyed, and Braniac wants Kandor back. It’s a good beginning to a plot that I’d like to see brought to fruition soon. Connor vs Luthor is something that I believe has been a long time coming, and it totally should be Johns to bring that story out.

Needless to say, I loved this issue just as much as I loved the first. While Johns and Manapul announced that they won’t be on this book for very long due to outside commitments (the new Flash series in the wake of Rebirth), their current work on the book is just pure brilliance. Gold stars all around, gentlemen.

Final Verdict: Buy

Kick-Ass #7
After reading the script to the Kick-Ass film, I’d essentially lost all interest in this book, and after reading the last issues of Millar’s Fantastic Four run I had all but lost faith in him as a writer using flash over substance. Kick-Ass #7 reminded me just why I love Mark Millar so much.

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Let me start off by saying that if you read my review of the Kick-Ass movie, I can assure you all the flaws that exist in that film aren’t present here. This book does NOT follow the same path the film does in it’s end, and this ending is actually pretty awesome. There’s no wussing out at the end, there’s no pathetic “boss fights.” This is pure violence and gore in it’s awesome glory as only Mark Millar can pen it in his own warped world. Kick-Ass #7 reminds us that that all the time we’ve been waiting for issues has been worth it, because this story just kicks ass for lack of better words. It’s humorous, it’s awesome, and best of all, it is nothing like the film script. There are moments in this issue where I smiled and laughed and said “Aww, no way!” That’s what I expect of Millar, and that’s exactly what I got and what you’ll get. I’m still not 100% on John Romita Jr as an artist, but he won me over with Spider-Man #600 and this book. His ability with creating the violence Mark Millar pens is uncanny and gruesome, and their teamwork reminds me of the perfection with Frank Quitely and Grant Morrison. It’s a great duo.

Needless to say, this reminded me why I follow Millar’s work in the first place. He’s got quite an insane talent at creating the craziest universes, and it’s a really entertaining read. However, I do feel that this book, due to the delays, would be better in trade. If you haven’t been reading it up to this point, don’t go hunting for the back issues. Just wait until it’s done in October and then grab yourself a copy of the finalized book. The story will read really well as a whole entity instead of something broken up.

Final Verdict: Buy the trade

Thunderbolts #135
To those of you who read the issue, DID HE REALLY JUST END IT THAT WAY? To those of you who haven’t read the issue and/or don’t read the book, WHY DON’T YOU READ THIS BOOK?! HOLY CRAP! When I finished, I was sitting on the couch in my living room next to my girlfriend and I just threw the book in her face and screamed, “HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!” until she reminded me she didn’t know what was going on in the book to give me a straight answer.

The book picks up right where the last book left off with Black Widow II revealing herself as Black Widow I and the consequences of her actions as a fake Thunderbolts member. However, don’t assume that we’re getting close to the heroes winning as we expected with her really being a partner of Nick Fury. Oh no, far from it. Diggle has successfully crafted a rather elaborate conspiracy twist that has been seeding in the background of the book ever since the third issue after he started writing post-Secret Invasion. Things go from bad to worse, if that’s even possible. Betrayals are revealed and loyalties are proven. I have a very hard time writing about this issue because I don’t want to give anything away. This issue was a heart stopper for me and I can not stress enough how shocked I am by the ending.

Now, without giving away too much, it does remind me of the Spider-Man “American Son” arc with what Norman Osborn did there and how they, of course, pulled a hood over our eyes. What I love about this Dark Reign stuff is it really shows that Norman is a no compromise villain and that this world is not the typical comic stuff (and, if nothing else, it shows that Disney has no say in the comics we read). This is seriously some of the most powerful stuff on the market though, especially teamed up with Secret Warriors by Jonathan Hickman. It’s pretty incredible. The writing by Diggle is absolutely supreme, and the last few pages/lines of the book are so well made in character that you’d be remiss to miss out on this. This book came out of left field for me and is definitely my book of the week. An absolutely superb effort by Diggle and Sepulveda and Martin.

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Oh, and for the record, the last line of the book translates to this.

Final Verdict: You’d be insane not to buy this

Ultimate Comics Avengers #2
This is a good week for comics. Seriously. Remember what the Ultimate Universe was when it began? This is just like that! No, I’m not kidding! Seriously, Jeph Loeb has nothing to do with this book. It’s ok. You can buy an Ultimate title again!

Mark Millar picked off where Jeph Loeb left the universe, but most importantly he writes as if none of that ever happened. Working in the Red Skull (finally), Millar uses this issue to explain some of the back story in a true Millar fashion, definitely choosing words over flashy action as he had been doing recently. As Millar continues to explain his new story, we’re introduced to the darkness that we all fell in love with when the Ultimate U originally began. The Red Skull, even as a character who isn’t a Nazi supremacist, is still a character that adds up as a great match for Captain America to be his arch nemesis. On top of that, Millar introduces a character he has been talking up for quite some time, Tony Stark’s long lost older brother, as Nick Fury begins to form his new black ops team. Carlos Pacheco also really shined as an artist this issue, definitely doing a style that appeared an imitation to Bryan Hitch’s original drawings but still making it enough of his own much in the way Stuart Immonen did in the last issue of Fantastic Four.

While I’m leaving this review somewhat short and sweet, that’s essentially how I feel about the issue. It’s a quick read despite all the dialogue but it’s an entertaining read. I highly enjoyed it considering what had previously been in the book, and it reminded me of why I originally loved this book. I’ve recommended Ultimates to many many people and I finally have an Ultimate book I can honestly recommend again. Of course, if you’ve never read an Ultimate book, this isn’t for you. This picks up with tie-ins to the past books and it really helps to have read them. Ultimate Comics Avengers is really what Ultimates 3 should have been, and for the fact that it wasn’t, I apologize to the world. However, if you have the time, grab the old Ultimates 1 and 2 trade and then grab this book. It really is a decent read.

Final Verdict: Buy if you’ve always been an Ultimates fan, otherwise wait for the trade

The Marvels Project #2
I was really very excited about the first issue of Marvels Project. I love Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting, and I especially love them together (Captain America!). Plus, the idea of having a concise telling of the secret origin of the Marvel U, especially in the wake of the 70th Anniversary of Marvel (why do you think this is coming out?) is a great concept. I praised the first book very much and found myself highly excited for the second issue.

This issue though… eh. Not so much on the great as it was with the first one. I mean, nothing personal to the book, but it was much less intriguing. The first issue was cool because we had all these different concepts that had existed forever being brought together in a very nice visual format. This one slows the pace down a lot and much less happens, leaving less intrigue then before. With this book we have the rescue of Doctor Erskine by Fury and Hargrove as well as the first true act of heroism by the original Human Torch. There is also a bit involving old characters (such as the familiar Firey Mask and Mister E thanks to the never finished The Twelve). It’s exciting in theory as it’s one of the first real moments of all of this coming together (as soon we’ll definitely have the appearance of Steve Rogers), but as it plays out I couldn’t really find myself very interested in this book as much as I loved the excitement and set up of the previous installment.

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Epting’s art is on fire though, and Brubaker is still a top notch writer. As far as these two basic things go, I can’t complain. Both parties are still putting in some of their best work into this series. I really can’t think of a better team to helm this idea as both of them have proved in their work in Captain America that they can very appropriately handle characters from that era.

Suffice it to say, if you’ve picked up the first issue, I can’t see why you wouldn’t just pick this issue up. Makes perfect sense. However, if you held off on the first issue, then I would say keep holding back. This story will be beautiful in the end no matter what, especially for Marvel fans, but ultimately it’ll make for one great graphic novel.

Final Verdict: Buy the trade

DAVID’S REVIEWS

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus
I have a lot of complaints about this entire “Dark X-Men” business, but I’m going to focus on this issue for the purposes of being a good reviewer. Individually, I like Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson (less so than the other two), and Mike Deodato, but evidently together I don’t like them very much at all as this issue was a bit of a mess.

First off, why would you deliberately decide to have two artists work on an issue? Dodson taking the slow parts and Deodato taking the action scenes ends up just being distracting as both artists are so disparate in their styles that when you switch between them it is completely and utterly distracting. While each have some strong moments in the issue (particularly Deodato), the clashing of styles destroys any artistic continuity you make in your mind.

Yet, the art was the strong point as Matt Fraction was definitely not at the peak of his game here. I like Fraction, but what he has been doing to Uncanny X-Men has not been my favorite. This issue starts with a multi page argument between Emma Frost and Scott Summers, and then it announces that it will be continued in ANOTHER ISSUE. Why even bring it up? Strike 1. During the fights, everyone gets set up with a sparring partner, including Archangel versus Bullseye, whose fight was particularly frustrating. Why? Because they get one panel of fight AND THEN WE NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN! Nice. Strike 2. Strike 3 is the fact that the wrap up pretty much doesn’t make sense — Cyclops effectively dictates that they’ve created their own mutant haven right off the edge of San Francisco and then everyone accepts it? It reminds me of Michael Scott in the Office shouting “I declare bankruptcy!” Not how it works Slim.

All in all, this whole thing was a mess, and ultimately it felt pretty pointless besides to possibly assemble even more mutants at this haven thing (as evidently even Deadpool will be joining them). Definitely a skippable “event.”

Final Verdict: Pass

Secret Six #13
Secret Six is the most consistently good series on the stands today. Every issue is massively entertaining. Every character is perfectly handled, every twist is surprising….even every issue is funny. Plus, Gail Simone is creating massively interesting new characters right and left, including new villain Grendel who is almost as hysterically terrifying as the last one she came up with.

Nicola Scott’s work was as good as usual here and maintains her status as the perfect foil to Simone’s writing style. At this point, there really aren’t a lot of more ways I can compliment this series, so I will officially never review it again. Do you want the most consistently satisfying book on the market? Look no further than right here.

Final Verdict: Buy (for gods sake…buy!)

Ender’s Game: Command School #1
While this all reads as a poor man’s version of Ender’s Game (the book), it’s still quite wonderful to see Christopher Yost and Pasqual Ferry create a comic manifestation of this series. This issue finds Ender not entering command school, but first taking charge of Dragon Army, up until the point someone slips a note in announcing that his first battle would be that morning, just three short weeks after he took over.

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There isn’t a lot for Yost to do here, short of effectively adapting a section of a brilliant book into a series without simply copying it. In that regard, he does a great job, especially when you consider the relationship between Ender and Bean. In many ways, they’ve given us a lot more to work with between the two of them, and it’s far more interesting to read this after reading the spin-off title Ender’s Shadow. If only for that, this series is already a success.

Pasqual Ferry is like Salvador Larocca in a lot of ways for me, in that I quite like his art but in many ways it feels inorganic to me. It’s overly glossy and feels quite superficially beautiful, as if Ferry needs an inker to add some real depth to his work. No less, he still does excellent character and environment work and is a decent fit for this book (an unsurprising one given his past of working with Card on Ultimate Iron Man).

A strong start to another fine series of adaptations by Marvel…let’s hope they continue giving us more than just a rephrasing of the book.

Final Verdict: Browse (unless you’re an Ender’s fan, in which case you should Buy)

The Unwritten #5
This comic rules, this comic rules, this comic rules!

*ahem*

Now that that’s out of the way, I have to say I’m quite impressed with this series so far. The first four issues spent time establishing the exposition for the series, giving us main characters to pull for and a scary new villain. This issue finds the mythology of the series being built, as the organization pulling the strings behind Tommy Taylor’s current situation is beginning to be revealed.

In this issue, we follow Rudyard Kipling across his life, specifically in his dealings with the mysterious Locke and his monstrous assistant (murderer of many people from this issue and last). Mike Carey has crafted many rich original characters in this series already, but his handling of historical figure Kipling was able, believable and altogether engrossing. This is rapidly rising up the ranks of Vertigo books for me, and most of that is because of Carey’s incredible work here.

Not that the art is bad, as Peter Gross does incredible chameleon like work in this series. His art style changes so many times within a single issue that you sometimes wonder if it’s still him, but that’s just part of his gift. His ability to shift styles on a dime is entirely necessary here, and Carey should be thankful to have found such a complimentary creative partner here.

This series is just five issues in. If you aren’t reading it now, get on it. It’s massively entertaining and has all the makings of the next Vertigo classic.

Final Verdict: Buy

The Incredible Hercules #134
Oddly enough, before going home from my local comic store, I was having a discussion about how I should drop Incredible Hercules. At the time, it made perfect sense, but I think in a lot of ways that’s the deal with Herc. You never realize how much you enjoy it until you read it, and then you’re reminded about just how much you really like this book.

Whether it’s the massively entertaining storylines Grek Pak and Fred Van Lente provide for us (right now we have the simultaneous stories of Herc warding off an elven invasion or Amadeus Cho searching for his sister) or Reilly Brown’s cartoony but extremely fitting pencils, I can’t tell. The combination of both of them results in a book that finds me alternately laughing, grinning and altogether enjoying my experience. Sure, it’s not going to provide you a serious reading experience, but damn…it’s going to be an entertaining one.

Final Verdict: Buy

GILS REVIEWS

Green Lantern Corps #40
While the Blackest Night has taken place mostly on Earth, GLC is the only book that has been off planet, featuring the rest of the Corps and the Blackest Night on Oa. Naturally.

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Over the years, we’ve lost a LOT of Green Lanterns. Hell, even before Hal got the ring, we saw Abin Sur die. so death and rings go hand in hand. Kyle and Arisia in particular have experienced death due to ring slinging. Arisia in particular has lost many family members, because the ring is nearly a family heirloom. Her father was a Lantern, her mother was a Lantern, her uncle was a Lantern. Kyle himself has lost two girlfriends, a mother, and a refrigerator.

too soon?

Well, these ghosts are coming back in a real way. While Guy and company are dealing with the legions of GL dead, Rayner and Arisia have the unfortunate distinction of getting mid games from very personal loved ones.

I’ve mentioned before how I love the fact the Black Lanterns see by way of the emotional spectrum. And I’m loving how they draw out that energy. The cover is especially indicative of that, with Gardner emitting rage, Arisia showing love, and Kyle (falsely) giving off fear. And I love how Kyle is getting the badass treatment he’s always deserved. I’ll even go so far as to say his development since Rebirth is one of the highlights of this run. Please pick this up. The art is fantastic and the writing is top notch.

Verdict: Buy

Amazing Spider-Man #604
And with that, we have the end of an arc.

what started out promising felt like it wrapped too quickly. As was teased at the very end of last issue, Spider-Man broke free of his acid tomb, but what could have been an epic fight, was over in less faster than it should have been. All the build up and it was just done. Like that.

The cliffhanger at the end is disappointing, as it’s been done before. I verbally groaned when I saw it happen.

The art though is very well done. The action, what little there is of it, is frenetic and fun, true to Spider-Man style.

This was a very weak ending to a promising story that I cannot recommend. Pass this if you can.

Verdict: Pass

Blackest Night: Batman #2
For all the touting that Blackest Night being a horror book, it’s still a Green Lantern event. So it’s more cosmic in nature. But this book is refreshing in the fact it’s more of a straightforward horror take than the more cosmically laden titles like the main title and even Blackest Night: Superman.

Now that characters like Blockbuster and The Trigger Twins are back from the dead, they’re wrecking all sorts of havoc in Gotham. It’s absolutely terrifying, especially since they’re eating hearts too.

The book is well paced, and the art is great, but it’s not perfect. Deadman, who was instrumental in the first issue, is relegated to mere Deus Ex Machina duties. It’s a cool moment, especially considering who he rescues, but still, I don’t like it when people write themselves into a corner. It’s great to see that little bastard Damian feel fear though. I like him, but he IS ten. And Adrian Syaf’s art is a big step up from his run on Superman. The art is a lot cleaner. I’m glad to see he stepped up his game.

The ending again is a little disappointing, because it sets up a fight that I’m not really looking forward to. But overall, this book is almost as much fun as the main title.

Verdict: Buy

Superman: World of New Krypton #7
Let me preface this by saying I wanted to like this issue. I really did. But it was far from perfect. There were off parts all over the place. Pete Woods, who is usually a serviceable Superman artist(I mean, he’s no Gary Frank………..) is just sloppying and off in here. There are parts where Kal-El looks like he has a pompadour, and then others where he looks like Jaoquin Phoenix. It’s weird. I don’t like it.

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Then the writing is way off. Supes does something really out of character, making an underling feel like trash. It’ so petty and so not what Superman would do, I was waiting for one of those fancy holo disguises to unveil that that’s inexplicably NOT Krypton’s favorite son.

That being said, there is some solid plot development. There’s a new general commanding the armies of New Krypton. I’ll give you one guess as to who it is! If you don’t, you should just turn in your nerd card right now.

The ending is also a good one, as there’s another interstellar war brewing, thanks to those damn Thanagarians. And New Krypton might be sharing the same fate as Old Krypton. How appropriate.

Overall, if you’re not following the New Krypton saga, I can’t say this is one you’ll want to pick up. It’s just off. But if you ARE following it, like me, at least browse through it.

Verdict: Browse

Dark Reign – The List: The Avengers
This book has been a long time coming. After the end of Secret Invasion, we had Norman Osborn in control of pretty much everything. Talk about the cure being worse than the disease.

This was set up in the pages of the current arc of New Avengers, and it was obvious foreshadowing, it’s jsut a bit disappointing that they didn’t wait for that one to finish before starting this one up. It’s irritating.

Other than that, it’s fantastic. The art is amazing, and the pacing is incredibly brisk. While it’s titled “The Avengers” the star of this one-shot is Ronin, better know as Clint Barton or the original Hawkeye. He’s decided that Osborn has to go, and has to go now.

And boy, is Barton a badass. He basically shreds through most of the Dark Avengers, quickly disposing of Venom, Bullseye, and Daken. It obviously ends on an ominous note, but that’s to set up for the next one shot. There’s a lot of previews to see how the rest of the series of one-shots is going to look. There’s a multipage preview laid out for both The X-Men and Daredevil. I’m looking forward to it, and so should you. Buckle your seat belts. I can’t wait for this.

Verdict: Buy


Matthew Meylikhov

Once upon a time, Matthew Meylikhov became the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Multiversity Comics, where he was known for his beard and fondness for cats. Then he became only one of those things. Now, if you listen really carefully at night, you may still hear from whispers on the wind a faint voice saying, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not as bad as everyone says it issss."

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