Welcome back, friends of all ages and races and sizes and species! We’ve got a great round-up of comics for you this week, and an exciting book for our BOTW slot. I’d also like to remind you, we’ve got this brand new rating system up:
0: Uwe Boll will direct the adaptation of this comic
0.1 – 1: Burn upon touching
1- 1.9: Abysmal
2.0 – 2.9: Art. Writing. Editing. All bad.
3.0 – 3.9: You’d be a masochist to pick this up.
4.0 – 4.9: “I’ll give it another month…but that was not good.”
5.0 – 5.9: “Really? The Watcher? In the face? I guess it was fun.”
6.0 – 6.9: “Hmm. That was decent.”
7.0 – 7.9: Well made but a few problems
8.0 – 8.9: Nearly flawless
9.0 – 9.9: Outstanding
10: Perfection. Issue of the year contender
For those wondering, Pass would be anywhere from 0 to 3.9, Browse would be 4 to 6.9, and Buy would be from 7 to 10. So what are you waiting for? Hop on past the jump and enjoy!
Book of the Week: Siege #1
Matt’s Thoughts: Oh man, you guys. Siege is finally here! I was very excited to pick this up in the store and flip through it. It feels like, though we didn’t know it was coming until recently, that I really have been waiting 7 years for this book to come out. As if somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew it was happening all along, and I’ve been waiting all this time for this very moment.
Of course, that creates some pretty lofty expectations for the book, now doesn’t it?
I can say with quite certainty that I have no clue if it hit my expectations or not. A tough line to write and/or read, I know, but it’s true. I held the book in my hands with great anticipation, and I love the opening of the story. Ares on top of a jet? Awesome. Bendis really hit the nail on the head with that character. Seriously, every Ares moment in the book was awesome. And then the epic beatdown at the end of the book… I would have not seen that coming. I thought the book was supposed to be about our heroes coming back, not getting torn down! But then, as I hit the last page, I thought to myself “…and?”
I’m incredibly excited by Siege, but I think that being broken up in single issue format like this is what’s really going to kill me in the end. It seems like a book that’s better when you can read it from start to finish, because when I hit the last page I just wanted to see more, right then and there. In fact, I felt disappointed by the end because I couldn’t read anymore. And in all honesty, I think that’s a great sign for the book. I’m looking forward to it even more now.
David’s Thoughts: Generally speaking, event comics are a point of great expectations and low returns for me. Even Blackest Night, perhaps the most hyped event comic in history by the more discerning of comic fans has been mostly a disappointment by yours truly’s standards. With the influx of the end all, be all event comic by Marvel – the one that promises to bring a new “Heroic Age” for Marvel Comics – what could we expect but more of the same.
Yet in unsurprising fashion, Brian Michael Bendis surpasses our expectations once again. Siege is a story that in many ways feels like the culmination of every Marvel story that has been running since Bendis first wrote Avengers: Disassembled. While you wouldn’t think that was possible – to be able to pour half a decade of continuity into one single issue seems not just unlikely, but impossible.
Such is the gift of Bendis, and such is the gift that is presented to us as comic readers with the very first issue of this title. The one complaint I have about the issue (which is a detail rich comic that I will not get into for the sake of spoilers) is the fact that Oliver Coipel seemed to phone in perhaps the first half of the issue. Coipel is one of my absolute favorite artists and someone whose pencils were unquestionable going into this issue. Yet, in the sections where Osborn is less action oriented, we are left with pencils that are underdeveloped and *gasp* rushed feeling. The second half is filled with big moments that Coipel names with his standard aplomb, yet the initial half cannot be ignored for its inadequacies in the art department.
Continued belowSo all in all, Siege is mostly a knockout. It’s not the single round devestation we were hoping for, but it was a late round, meticulous show that leaves us waiting for more. Sort of like how Pacquiao/Cotto left us hanging for Pacquiao/Mayweather, but with less lawsuits (hopefully).
Gil’s Thoughts: And with that, another Marvel event starts. I’ll give them credit though, it’s been a year since Secret Invasion ended, so there was SOME breathing room before another one started. In the “Event seven years in the making,” we had a truly mad leader behind the Dark Reign stage a catastrophe in order to invade Iraq–I mean Asgard. It’s an interesting concept for a story, but the plot in this one is a bit thin, and it’s mostly set up for the rest of the issues. They had only just gotten to Asgard by the end of the issue. I still have pretty high hopes for this and the new “Heroic Age” however, so I’m not complaining.
My only problem was the art. Coipel is a talented artist who usually is pretty detailed. But it seemed like he was either rushed or just phoned it in. In small panels, character either had the most simplistic faces or no faces at all! I don’t understand why that would be left out, even on someone like The Sentry or Balder. Even if the panel is pretty small, when it’s focused on them, they should have a nose, right? Right? It can’t just be me.
Brandon’s Thoughts: While not a bad intro for the event it wasn’t that great either. Considering the main portion of this event is comprised of 4 issues I expected a tad more out of it. I can’t imagine that in four issues this event can be done the justice it deserves.
This is the culmination of many events and story lines. For this reason I expect much from Benids and Copiel when it comes to this. Instead I feel we’ve been given what should have been the prologue that we received last week. Nothing here to write home about ladies and gents. Nothing that demands the attention that this should.
Will it get better. I’m sure it will. Will the end of Siege change the landscape of the Marvel U? I’m sure it will. Will Siege payoff the long time coming payoff it’s epected to? Not so sure it will. Only thing to do is to stick with it and find out.
MATT’S REVIEWS
Siege: Embedded #1
I like Brian Reed. He’s doing a great job on Ms Marvel and his work for Front Line during the Secret Invasion was pretty great. With that in mind, I go into Embedded with high hopes. I’m always a bit weary of tie-ins, but the basic concept is appealing, so I hope it plays out well. And does it? Yup! Phew. Always something to worry about there.
The plot of the issue revolves around Ben Urich traveling to Chicago to cover the events that begin with Siege. It’s interesting to see the contraction with Civil War now, as instead of heroes cleaning up the rubble we have obvious villains. And then on top of that, the book features a character that is very obviously a Glenn Beck kind of character and a snide reference to the “importance” of news covering celebrities who visit sites of tragedies. In it’s most basic undertones, the book is quite a set of negative commentary on the news media, especially when when Urich tells his friend that it’s not anything new, he’s just finally opened his eyes. While I’m not always one for this kind of commentary in my comic books, I can’t say I disagree.
Of course, I do take some issue with the book. I feel that, for a character that just killed thousands of people, Volstagg is a bit chummy and Urich is a bit… well, easy going. While yes, Osborn manipulated him into the event, you’d think that they would still be a bit more pushy to find out what happened considering they don’t know this is Osborn’s fault as much as we do. Volstagg instead goes on to eat a bunch of hamburgers with chocolate malt shakes, and Urich doesn’t get any answers for his questions… at least, not in panel. This is an angle that I thought would be GREAT for the story, but it’s glossed over. Volstagg says he plans to go home to stand trial in front of the Asgardian God’s because it’s the “right thing to do,” but we never really see any remorse from him. It’s an angle I wish the book would have taken further.
Continued belowEmbedded obviously isn’t a necessary book to “get” Siege. However, it is a pretty interesting read. Like I said, I like Brian Reed, and if you were a fan of the Front Line books from Secret Invasion and Civil War, then this is a good book to grab. It’s a short mini, and it offers snide journalistic commentary. All in all, not too shabby.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – At least a browse/buy
Stumptown #2
My GOD! Greg Rucka just LOVES writing female characters, doesn’t he? Wonder Woman, Batwoman in Detective Comics, the chick from Whiteout, and now Stumptown! But you know what? The reason Greg Rucka continuously writes female characters is because Greg Rucka writes some of the best damn female characters in all of comic books, and Stumptown just continues to prove this.
The second issue of Stumptown is much better than the first. I enjoyed the opening issue, but this one feels much more refined. Now that we’re a bit more familiar with the character and we can move forward more easily, we really see the true blue of our heroine, and it’s great. She’s smart, sassy, intuitive, and a hilarious force to be reckoned with. The writing of Rucka feels completely natural in this book, as if he’s simply typing a transcript of a conversation he overheard. In fact, as much as I generally dislike adaptations of books like these (because 9 times out of the 10 the movie gets it wrong), as I read this all I can think is “this would make an AMAZING movie.”
The art by Matthew Southworth is nothing to scoff at either. He’s right at home in this book, and it reminds me of the artwork used in the Daredevil books to get that gritty noir feeling. It’s as if Southworth looked at various noir style artists and pick and chose his favorite elements to use. I love looking at the various panels, especially the ones that go shot by shot for the story. Those play out so well.
After two issues, I’m incredibly convinced Stumptown is worth the buy. If you haven’t hopped on the book yet, now would be the time, friends.
Final Verdict: 9.7 – Buy
JSA All-Stars #2
I like the Justice Society more than I like the Justice League. There. I said it and got it out of the way. I like the characters more, I like the stories more. So when it was announced there would be a colossal line-up split, I was skeptic. I didn’t think it would play out well, and even though the current JSA roster is huge, I wasn’t looking forward to it. However, I was astounded to find that JSA All-Stars #1 blew me away, especially with the return of Johnny Sorrow at the end. I was so sure that it would be some random villain I’d never heard of pulled from the annals of time, and yet here was a villain who I was familiar with, and who I loved.
The second issue doesn’t slack off either. With this issue we have an appearance by the Injustice Society, led by Sorrow, who have come to claim their prize of Stargirl. What ensues is a colossal battle between two villainous forces with the JSA in the middle, and it’s awesome. In fact, there’s one moment that REALLY sticks out in my mind, and that was Power Girl racing against time to catch a bullet shot by Magog at the back of one of the villain’s heads (because the JSA does NOT kill!). I read that sequence a couple times just to make sure I had seen it right. This book, while I was initially very timid about it, has me as a fan after two issues. While I would prefer to have one JSA book at the end of the day, I can’t complain when the second book is this good.
Good job, Matt Sturges! You’ve redeemed yourself from Final Crisis Aftermath: Run in my book.
Continued belowFinal Verdict: 8.5 – Buy
God Complex #2
I feel like I’m being overly positive this week. I’ve given three good reviews up until now. I should be harsher. Hate on a book. Sorry, God Complex. You’re at the loss here.
God Complex is a pretty baaasdfjkhdhkjfjkdshjk OH I CAN’T DO IT. I can’t give this book a bad review even if I tried! Darn my luck! Of course I would be picking some of the best new books to review, wouldn’t I?
Seriously, though. God Complex had me enough at the end of the first issue to keep me reading a second, and by the end of this issue I’m definitely keeping it in my pull. I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t do that. With Oeming on the cover, that’s enough to pull me in. Then you hit the story. My God, the story! I’m sick and tired of poor updates to Greek stories (not mentioning names here). It’s about time we get a new look at the old classics with a story that makes me excited to read. Apollo/Paul makes a great main character, and despite his darker Christian Walker look, he makes for a compelling lead. The opening sequence, featuring him, a bow and some arrows, and some angry Greek monsters is exactly the right recipe this book needed. And then when you get to the last page… I won’t spoil it, but I will say that I am VERY excited to see the upcoming fight.
While I do not know what the immediate plans for God Complex are, how long it will be, etc., I can easily say that I will be following. I also recommend others to follow. Oeming has done a great job with his first “solo” book, and the creative team he brought in with him is absolutely fantastic. A+ work all around.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
Moving on from my excessive “issue 2’s”, I move forward to my next category: the closers.
Sweet Tooth #5
Sweet Tooth #5 marks the final issue for the first arc of Jeff Lemire’s new book, Sweet Tooth. Having actually read his other work now, I can say that I’m pretty familiar with his style. It’s with that note that I can say this knowledge makes Sweet Tooth that much better. It’s been such a departure from his previous work and it’s such a bold move forward that I can’t help but be incredibly excited for the book beyond this first story. I was initially caught off guard by it and how much I enjoyed it’s humble beginnings, but with the first arc officially done I can easily say that I am incredibly excited for this little book’s future.
Unfortunately, I can’t say too much. I am reminded of an episode of the Big Bang Theory when someone tells Sheldon that the latest issue of Flash is mind blowing, and he finds it offensive because now he’s going into the book with his mind already blown. So I don’t want to call it a game changer outloud with fear I’ll ruin it for some Sheldon’s out there… but it’s a game changer. The book definitely pushes itself in a brand new direction, and knowing how this issue ends makes everything else seem that much more intriguing.
I would say that, if you haven’t been following Sweet Tooth yet, I’d keep your eye open for this trade. Jeff Lemire’s creator owned work Sweet Tooth is a great entry on the Vertigo line. Definitely a book to keep your eye on through all of 2010.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – Buy
The Mighty #12
Since my return to comic books as a full time hobby/job, I’ve gone out of my way to read more minis and books others might notice. Such is how I ended up grabbing the first issue of the Mighty. It had a nice cover, and despite it being put out on DC and being written by the writer of Green Lantern Corps, I had heard no buzz for it at all. I thought this surprising, so I decided that I would be the one to buzz for it.
12 issues later, with the story completed, I can say that this has been one of the most satisfying journeys of any miniseries I’ve collected in the past year. The past 12 issues have been an absolute blast, with a slow build up to a tremendous end all in this final issue. The final battle, as it were, is by far one of the most satisfying ones I’ve read. Tomasi has done an amazing job with this title, and I think it’s an absolute shame I haven’t heard more people talking about.
It is with a smile that I bid the Mighty a farewell. This final issue was great, and looking at the book as a whole is awesome. It’s difficult to talk about a final issue like this, especially when it’s a final issue to a story. I feel like this is what people must have felt like when Watchmen ended. It’s just difficult to write about – you either stuck with it and enjoyed it, or it’s too late now. But I can easily say that for those who had kept up with the title through out it’s lifespan, this made for a great ending. And for those that did not follow it, I believe you should be out looking for a trade release date right now.
The future for this world is open, and I look forward to Tomasi possibly returning to the story and characters sometime in the future. However, for now, I love the way everything has wrapped up nicely. Bravo.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
DAVID’S REVIEWS
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6
I enjoy a lot of more thought provoking comics, such as The Unwritten and Scalped. Those comics are just insanely well made and two of the best examples of comics that are excellent, and probably my two favorite comics on the stands.
However, in terms of comics that I enjoy, I’d say Ultimate Comics Spider-Man is the champion. From a strictly entertainment standpoint, Brian Michael Bendis and David LaFuente’s run on this title so far has been about as much fun as I’ve had in comics in recent memory. There really isn’t any darkness, just a great cast of characters, an excellent balance between superhero life and personal life, and lots of humor. This issue is all about Aunt May getting Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Johnny Storm into Peter’s high school and everyone’s reactions to that. There is also a bit of a brouhaha and some Mysterio moments, but it all felt secondary to the interpersonal relationships that grow and change on the page.
David LaFuente is rapidly becoming one of my favorite artists. His work on Patsy Walker: Hellcat was some of the more visually fun work of the past few years, and this title continues on with that tradition. While his style is much more manga influenced and far different to Mark Bagley and Stuart Immonen’s work (the two previous artists on this title), it still fits perfectly and really captures the feel of the stories Bendis tells very well.
All in all, this is another example of just how damn fun this book is. It’s been the first book I’ve read every time it’s come out for about four issues now, and I can’t really see any reason why it would stop that (even if LaFuente is not illustrating the next two issues, with Takeshi Miyazawa taking over duties).
Final Verdict: 9.2 – Buy
BPRD: King of Fear #1
While it isn’t an actual continuous series, the many BPRD mini-series are some of my favorite comics around. With this one being the final piece of the Scorched Earth trilogy (starting with The Warning and The Black Goddess), it has even more expectations than usual behind it. In many ways, the first issue feels like the culmination of every BPRD and Hellboy series that preceded it: the name drops of Memnan Saa, Panya’s interest in Andrew Devon, Lobster Johnson’s intensely ominous and eerie appearances, and even sending Kate Corrigan and her beau back to the point where Hellboy departed BPRD in Hellboy: Conqueror Worm. Given its nature as the last piece of a puzzle and the events that transpire in this first issue, it makes you wonder if this isn’t going to be an incredibly eventful series (will we see the return of Hellboy?).
Oh yeah, and it’s incredibly awesome.
To me, the ideal team for Hellboy/BPRD comics is Mike Mignola and John Arcudi writing and Guy Davis on art. While many prefer the classic Mignola art in his universe, I for one savor every page of Davis’ work. He won 2009’s Best Penciler/Inker in the Eisner Awards, and it was a very legitimate win. He’s an incredible artist who manages to capture the absurd as well as the real in these pages, imbuing every page with incredible storytelling touch and grounding this frequently supernatural title in realism.
This issue is an exceptional start to one of my most anticipated titles of the year. That my expectations were sky high to begin with doesn’t effect my response because BPRD is as consistent of a title as there is on the market.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
28 Days Later #5
After four straight issues getting Selena (one of the main characters from the film) and the team of journalists who hired her into proper amounts of trouble and onto the mainland of United Kingdom, series writer Michael Alan Nelson takes a step back and gives us some back story on Selena’s employer and his faithful companion. This issue explores how exactly renowned journalist Clint and his photographer compadre Derrick initially found about the infection and how they managed to get over to Europe to meet up with Selena. While previous issues have been exceptional for their handling of the straight up horror aspects, Nelson does an phenomenal job in this issue of selling the psychological terror of the situation in a more global setting in this issue. Pairing that with the necessary exposition on two of the other main characters and this is not just an issue that fills a need, but one that is a strong read in its own right.
Marek Oleksicki steps in on art duties with this issue and does a very good job. His shadowy character models and heavy inks add a lot of the dramatic tension to Nelson’s story, and is particularly good at conveying emotions characters are going through with simple gestures or facial expressions. In many ways, his work reminds me of Mike Perkins work in Marvel’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. Very solid work from an artist I’d never heard of before.
I do have two large issues with this issue however. First, either this is the quickest read ever or it is an abnormally short comic that still comes in at $3.99. I find it hard to reason to myself that this is a title that is worth that high of a price point. Especially with my second point factored in – the last third of the copy I picked up has color matching issues, as the colors were off by perhaps a centimeter when they were printed. This managed to give the issue an accidental 3D look which was hugely distracting and off putting. My copy also had staples running through the center of both the first and last pages of the issue. I’m not a reseller, but still, I’d like my comics to be in quality condition.
So I’m going to give two verdicts. One for the quality of story (high) and one adjusted for the total experience (not so much).
Final Verdict (story/art): 8.0 – Buy
Final Verdict (total experience): 6.0 – Browse
Haunt #4
While reading this comic, it’s like I have a divergence in myself with both sides reading the same issue. I have the side who enjoys it, but then I have the other side of me who reads it and thinks “this is why I stopped reading Image to begin with.” This issue finds the brothers Killgore (in itself a very Image-y name) in action, going on what is their first impromptu mission to save Kurt’s wife (well, would be wife if he wasn’t dead) Amanda. This gives us the opportunity for a rematch against the assassin Cobra and for a few interesting revelations about their powers.
While it is well told for what it is, it feels like the polar opposite of everything Robert Kirkman wrote before this series. It feels like a throwback to Image launch titles like Spawn or Shadowhawk in that most of it is based around shocking imagery or overt violence (not that this fact bothers me). We haven’t really received that much character development for either brother, besides we know one is a low life and the other is (possibly) a badass with a heart of gold. You’d think we’d have more to go on after four issues, but sadly there really isn’t. So far it feels like more style than substance, and I’m waiting for my boy Kirkman to give us something to hang our hat on.
I have zero complaints about the art though. Given that I really like all three artists involved (Ryan Ottley on pencils, Todd McFarlane on inks, and Greg Capullo on layouts), it should be unsurprising. There is a lot of dynamic imagery within this issue, and the duo handles everything from conversational scenes to action sequences to last page reveals with equal ability. This is a very, very sharp looking comic and one that I really enjoy to read if only for that reason.
While this issue was entertaining and a very quality one in terms of illustration, I’m waiting for Kirkman and his co-plotter McFarlane to give us a bit more in terms of substance. I have faith in the two of them, so I will be back. But as of now, it’s hard to whole heartedly recommend this title.
Final Verdict: 6.8 – Browse
GIL’S REVIEWS
Nation X – X-Factor #1
It was bound to happen. Since the mutants have all retreated to their own little “homeland” off the coast of San Francisco, it’s only natural that Scott Summers would reach out to the mutant team of X-Factor, who have been pretty independent of the X-Universe at large for some time now.
The story itself is pretty self explanatory. We see life on the island with tourists, and we see Madrox and Scott argue over what’s best for mutantkind. We see a glimpse into the future and just why it’s a bad idea. Yeah yeah yeah, we’ve seen this before. Isn’t this the jist of this entire “Utopia” arc? But while Jamie and Cyclops argue, we get some truly hilarious moments between the x-Men and the cast of X-Factor. Shatterstar seems to flirt with everything that moves, much to the chagrin of Rictor. Longshot uses his ability of manipulating luck to…well, manipulate Dazzler into bed with him, and the friendly rivalry between Rockslide and Strong Guy is like a less serious version of Cyclops and the Multiple Man. What I don’t think works, however, is this character Crone. We already have a Watcher-type character, and that’s The Watcher! I also think the comparison of Utopia to the Warsaw ghetto in the 1940’s is poor at best, offensive at worst.
The artwork itself is very reminiscent of Greg Land mixed with Mike Deodato. Take that however you will.
It really makes sense why this would be a one shot outside of either X-Men or X-Factor title. It wouldn’t really fit in with the books at hand, and then it’d be just…weird. But that’s the problem. It doesn’t really fit. And ultimately, it doesn’t really affect the status quo of either franchise.
I would recommend at least checking it out if you’re a fan of either franchise. But if not, you really won’t miss it.
Final Verdict: 5.5 — Browse
Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2
Probably the quickest read of the night, it was also probably the most fun. Unlike the rest of the tie-in miniseries’ I’ve read that accompany the Blackest Night event, this one also seems to run the closest to the anchor series. Since Wonder Woman is a Black Lantern in this book, fighting the effects of the ring with her mind, but her body committing horrific acts (that I won’t mention for the sake of spoilers, but it’s brutal for some of our younger heroes.) it expands on some of the less-explored moments involving Princess Diana during her time as a zombie lantern.
There were some odd moments, as out of nowhere we had a cameo by Batman (one might even go so far as to call it a Deus Ex Machina), especially considering the context of the reunion. But I’m assuming it will be explained in the upcoming Blackest Knight arc, so I’m looking forward to that.
Greg Rucka is one of the few writers who seems to “get” Wonder Woman, and I kind of wish he would stick around on the main title, even if I think Simone has a good grip on the character as well. The art is gorgeous too.
But finally, what is it about being a member of the Star Sapphires and very revealing uniforms? I know it’s standard practice to make our female heroes show a lot of skin, but wow, hah.
If you happen to be a fan of Wonder Woman, Greg Rucka, or are ravenously buying these tie-ins like I am, it’s worth a shot. If you’re not, at least check the art to see if you dig it.
Final Verdict: 6.9 -Browse
Superman: World of New Krypton #11
Repeatedly in the Editor’s notes in the book, the title was referred to as “WONK.” And you know what? That fits more than the creators might like. The book goes up and down like a roller coaster, and it CAN be good, but there’s just something…off about it.
The story continues where the last issue left off, with Superman and Adam Strange investigating the murder of one of the councilors’ in the Council of New Krypton. It all kind of goes to crap too, as they can’t seem to make much headway in the investigation, and it seems like someone is manipulating them instead of helping them. I’ll give you one hint as to who that might be, and his name rhymes with “cod.” It’s clear that there’s more going on in the story, but I really wish that they had done this murder plot sooner rather than later, because with just one issue left, they’re going to have to tie a lot of plot threads together for it to make any lick of sense. The politics is what made this book work, and while the murders (yeah, another murder happens in this book) are political in nature, it seems to have taken a back seat to the murder itself. Kind of like it’s missing the forest for the trees.
Pete Woods on art is again on a roller coaster ride. Some panels Superman is right on the money, but in others he looked like he’d been eating too many Kryptonian donuts if you catch my meaning. He’s chunky. Yeah, there, I said it.
With the arc almost over, it’s not really worth it if you haven’t been reading. But while it’s had it’s ups and downs, it’s worth the final two issues.
Final Verdict: 5.9 – Browse
Drone #2
You can tell we’re actually getting up there in the blogosphere, because now we’re getting comics simply to review them with the hopes of getting buzz, and this is one of those titles. Awesome.
I hadn’t heard much about this title before we got the review copy in at the “offices,” but since I’m always itching to check things out, I quickly volunteered to share my thoughts on the book.
It actually wasn’t terrible. I liked the concept as a more modernized War Games. It goes like this, three high schools successfully hack into a secret government transmission, and what they see is a group of human-shaped android drones running an op in the country of Afghanistan. Well, as it usually goes, the plan goes awry, and now there witnesses to something that could get them into a lot of trouble if they don’t save the day.
The story as I said was very enjoyable and the characters were likable. The teenagers act like teenagers, which is a welcome change from how teenagers are portrayed as being overly serious. The three high schoolers interact very organically, and the banter is very reminiscent of Joss Whedon’s work on his books and TV shows.
Continued belowThe art, however, is a tad on the weak side. It’s very stylized and works for the most part, especially on the drones themselves. When I first saw them, I was instantly reminded of the old Batman Beyond spin-off The Zeta Project, as well as Scud the Disposable Assassin. I could see the artist finding work doing a Deadpool book in the future, or even Spider-Man(he has some sleek lines that are perfect for either franchise, and he likes his explosions as well) . But other times it seems either rushed or messy, and I’m thinking “that’s not a natural pose for the human body!” It’s far from a breaking point though. And it’s still a lot of fun to read. It was probably the best book I read today, and I’ll be looking forward to more from this title.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – Buy
BRANDON’S REVIEWS
Greek Street #7
So I’ve been reading this since the first issue. Many people I know have long dropped this title. I’m a fan of Milligan’s work though and I like to give the guy a bit of trust. Well unfortunately, that goodwill savings has dried up.
After reading this issue I walked away confused and feeling like the title seems to be excessive for the sake of being excessive. While I know it looks to run parallels between Greek myth and the current events on Greek Street it just seems to much. I understand that Greek mythology is full of nudity and violence and fucked up family relationships. I was an English major for a time so none of this is lost on me. I do appreciate the effort that has gone into this I just feel that it’s more of a disaster than a Greek tragedy.
I have enjoyed the art through this consistently Gianfelice has turned in some great work The massacre scene in the Chinese restaurant looked like a real deal massacre with all sorts of elements destroyed and bloodied. I would like to see more of his work in the future.
So I must bid ado to Greek Street. I can’t imagine this will be a title that has an epic run. Instead I believe this tragedy is bound to crash on the reefs sooner than later.
Final Verdict 3.5 – Leave it on the racks fanpeeps
Suicide Squad #67
One of my first comics ever was a Suicide Squad title that my Mom let me get from a bookstore. I couldn’t have been more than 4 years old. The bookstore had a box of 25 cent used comics. I picked up three comics that day and one was Suicide Squad #5 written by Ostrander. I never picked another up despite enjoying the issue immensely. Why? Well that has to do with being military and not having access to a comic shop. Another time another day my friends.
Anyway, seeing Ostrander return to the title along with Simone and her more than amazing Secret Six was a can’t miss for me. The hype in my head was only egged on by the recently released Secret Six #15 (which I chose as the second best cover of 2009 BTW) in which Ostrander wrote. It was a brilliant issue so I couldn’t imagine that when teamed with Simone using his characters and her characters it could fail. I couldn’t have been more correct. This issue was a fantastic ride from beginning to end.
The best part of this issue is that it continues into Secret Six which comes out next week! So essentially we are getting two issues from two great creators in one fucking month! Only the biggest losers of fandom could be disappointed by that. Hopefully in having two issues out in one month that tie into DC’s Blackest Night Simone can draw some heat to her book. This title in my opinion is the most overlooked title in the DC catalogue. It makes my heart sad when people say they don’t read this title.
Continued belowSo if you’re walking away from this article and you think this isn’t as much a review as a fanman rant all I can say is, “touché”. If you haven’t watched any of Burpee’s Comic Book Asylum or read any of my work that touches on Secret Six you’re welcome to dismiss my rant and me. If you do read/watch my stuff you know I’m genuine when I say this is a great title that doesn’t get enough credit. Do yourself a favor and pick the damn thing up. If you do you’ll see why it gets a rant and not a review.
Final Verdict 8.2 – Jesus Christ already. Buy the damn thing!
Red Robin #8
Chris Yost and Marcus To deliver big here. This is a great issue that establishes Tim Drake as his own man. As he says he’s learned from many teachers but he can be none of them. He can only be his own man. I’ve always found the character of Tim Drake compelling considering his true detective skills as well as his tragic loss of family and friends. He is a character that constantly is beat down but always rises to his feet.
This issue marks the end of the current arc and ends a mediocre arc on a very high level. This issue does many things. It establishes Tim as his own man with a purpose and I don’t mean finding Bruce. It provides him with solid additions to his own personal rouges gallery. Lastly, it puts Tim in a position, as Red Robin, to be his own man. There is no reason for him to go back to being Robin now. Let Damian remain in that position. Tim has played his part as steward to the bat. Now it’s time for him to continue on as his own man.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – Buy it
Cable #22
Let’s have an issue where nothing happens. No! Let’s have an issue where nothing happens except we have terrible art and we have the characters jump through time periods of random choosing. Yes! That’s genius!
I think that’s how the planning went for this issue. I could be wrong and my example is very exaggerated but come on that IS what we get in this issue. While I tend to enjoy this series this issue really felt like filler. It was as if they said we have X amount of months till Second Coming and we have X issues of Cable left so we are really going to have to cram something in there.
Also, the art is sloppy and distracting. In many panels it is hard to look at the faces and not realize they vary in size and shape for each character by the page. Not the shining moment on art in this title. Guzman isn’t always like this but this issue isn’t his finest and I’m sure he’d agree.
Final Verdict: 2.2 – Nope. No Way.
