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: Joe The Barbarian #1
Matt’s Thoughts: I am quite possibly the world’s biggest Grant Morrison fanboy. Ok, maybe not. But I’m the fanboy that named his website after a comic that doesn’t even officially exist by Morrison, so that’s good enough in my book.
Anyway, I was of course first in line for this book. That should be of no surprise to anyone. What should be of surprise to everyone is that I loved this not for Morrison’s writing! Which is, of course, the weird part.
With Morrison, everything is better as a whole. When Joe The Barbarian is all said and done and read in one sitting, it will undoubtedly be phenomenal and heart breakingly genius, as all his work ends up being. When read in shorter form like this, it’s sometimes harder to take then, say, his super hero books. This is the dilemma that exists when buying a book like this – yes, it’ll be better in trade, but do you want to miss out on buying the next genius book from a genius writer? No! All the kids would laugh at you!
What’s really amazing about this book, though, is the artwork by Sean Murphy. The first two page spread of Joe at the cemetery is amazing, and it says so much more than Morrison probably wrote. Murphy does an amazing job of creating the world of this book, and being a first timer to his work, I can say I’m already a great fan of how this book looks. A large part of it does rely solely on the dark visuals that he provides, and that’s the main way the story moves. Murphy puts a great deal of work into the backgrounds and all the little details, and reading the comic a second time (at least, the last few pages) leads to great insight into how the story will make sense by the end of it.
The odd thing with Morrison is, yes, it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense at the beginning. We kind of get elements of it, but I can guarantee you that we ain’t seen nothing yet. That’s his grandiose style, and his original works are always amazing (while everyone always debates the validity of his superhero works). Joe the Barbarian is going to make for one great story, and I am 100% confident in this book after reading it, even more so than I already was.
David’s Thoughts: This was my pick for the title I was most excited about for 2010, and with good reason. You combine “white hot” writer Grant Morrison (to quote press releases) and unheralded yet talented artist Sean Murphy into an easy to connect with concept, and you just wait for the gold to start pouring in.
There are two things that really blew me away about this first issue though. The storytelling was very restrained throughout, with minimal dialogue and a lot of the actual story being told strictly via art. It was subdued for a normal writer and positively reticent in comparison to the oft gonzo scripting we get from Morrison. I often lament Morrison’s big concept, little substance writing that comes out of works like Final Crisis, but this is the polar opposite of that. This is a rich, assured narrative that feels organic and real throughout, and it’s better than expected work from even such a stellar creator like Morrison.
Continued belowThe highlight of the issue though has to be the work of artist Sean Murphy. While his work has seen delays, cancellations, and fire and brimstone blocking its release (or so it seems), we finally get a look at his work in a premium release and wow! The sheer level of detail he conveys on the pages is mind boggling. Take a look at any number of examples: page 3 when Joe is driving with his mother, the splash on pages 4 and 5 (mother of god the splash!), the deeply shadowed bus panel on page 10, the street corner view of page 12, the intricacies of Joe’s home and bedroom, the detail of the armada of characters leaving Playtown…it’s almost absurd.
It is as if Murphy has a compulsion to be unrelenting in his design – that cannot just be an amorphous blob of a building, it must look like what that home on this corner of Portland looks like. It can’t just be a bedroom with sparse details, it must clearly feature paintings of the Millennium Falcon and of The Rocketeer. This level of detail isn’t just spectacular, it is incomparable.
So all in all, combining Morrison at his best and Murphy at a nearly unparalleled level of artistic dedication led to one of the strongest opening issues of any Vertigo release since at least The Unwritten. I loved Joe the Barbarian, and so should you. You have no excuse either, because this issue was just one dollar.
Gil’s Thoughts: What an odd book, but since it’s written by Grant Morrison, one of the most unorthodox writers in comics today, it’s to be expected. What Morrison created here is a fantasy similar Alice in Wonderland; albeit with all of the eponymous character’s toys and other various things he uses to escape his lot in life.
First, let’s talk about the art. Sean Murphy put together some amazingly detailed and just flat out gorgeous. Joe’s melancholy outlook on life is rendered so beautifully that you truly do get a sense of Joe’s disaffectedness with the world.
But while I’ll keep reading the book, and do enjoy it, I feel that cynical and for lack of a better term “emo” kids are over saturating the market in entertainment. I understand that everyone feels this way at some point or another, but when it comes to kids, it’s over done.
But while I do have my problems with that, I feel a glimmer of hope that it might move into a more hopeful tone. We may have to march through darkness to get there, but in this case, I think it might be worth it.
Brandon’s Thoughts: There was a lot of hype going into this issue. It being a Grant Morrison title with gorgeous art helps things get to a point of high expectations. This title lives up to those expectations. If you like Where the Wild Things Are you will enjoy this title. If you enjoy good comics you’ll enjoy this. Plain and simple.
While it isn’t the most original concept it is well done. It has a magical feel to it that instantly draws you in. If by page three you don’t sympathize with Joe you were a much cooler kid than I was in school. Most of us though not matter how cool or tragically unhip we were in school can relate to feeling like an outsider.
I felt myself feeling for Joe and remembering my obsession with my imagination as a kid when things just didn’t see right anywhere but in your room. Every kid feels their room is their kingdom. The one place where control is solely in their hands and anything can happen. Joe captures that feeling and unleashes it on the reader with full emotional force.
Lastly, I want to touch on the art side of things. CBR has a great interview up with the artist who brings to the interview a lot of candid opinions about the industry. One of the things that comes to light in the interview is the fact that DC didn’t like or want his art in their books for a time. After reading this I gotta ask if those people are still employed? If they are it’s amazing because if you look at the book I just read there is an amazing amount of talent on those pages. Morrison can give a tremendous script to an artist but only one that has a tight grasp of the medium can produce something so visually fulfilling.
Continued belowGo forth and purchase! Oh and on that note it’s only a dollar! It’s almost like stealing at that price people. It’s worth much more than it’s cover price I promise you that.
MATT’S REVIEWS
Dark Avengers #13
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS INTO THE ISSUE. IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT, YOU MAY WANT TO KEEP MOVING.
When we interviewed Bendis, he promised that in this issue of Dark Avengers, a lot of our great questions as to who the Sentry is would be revealed. This made it a very highly anticipated issue, as a lot of people are torn on the Sentry. Love him or hate him, he’s a huge part of the upcoming Siege event, so it’s about time we know the truth of the situation.
And what is that truth? The Sentry is quite possibly the biggest Jekyll/Hyde character of the Marvel Universe with an over acting God complex. As we see in this issue, Bendis retcons the original Sentry origin by saying that Robbie was actually a drug addict who stumbled upon a formula that unleashed his dark side within. It was quite possibly the greatest high of all – all your looming doubts and inhibitions gone, with your primal and destructive nature coming over. Thus was born the Void. While Bendis had previously approached the Void as an element of the Sentry’s overactive imagination causing him to exist, we now have the official confirmation that the Void has always, and will always be real. The only thing is – they inhabit the same body. This formula that the Professor created allowed the Void to come out and take the reigns, as well as gave Robbie super powers so that he could become the insane powerhouse that is the Sentry, and of course, as we’ve seen recently, his powers are very similar to Molecule Man’s… just times one thousand.
And Norman has found an easy way to seperate the two personalities once more, by recreating the Professor’s formula. Well, crap.
So not only is the Sentry the most broken “hero” in the Marvel U, he’s officially the craziest powerhouse villain Osborn has in his ranks, even more so than the manipulative Daken or the bloodthirsty Bullseye. And this, the ability to unleash the Void, is Norman’s Secret Weapon.
I’d say that, with this revelation, the Sentry is officially a love/hate character. There is no inbetween anymore. You either love this approach, or you hate it. To be honest, through reading this issue it felt more like one of the great twist issues of Powers versus Dark Avengers. I’ve enjoyed the rock ’em sock ’em attitude of Dark Avengers so far, but there hasn’t been a “really great” issue in my book. And (I’m sorry David), I think this was a really great issue. I have definitely been on the fence of the Sentry, but now I’d put him in the “love it” category. While I’m not usually in favor of a “change the origin to something with drugs” book (which has happened FAR too often), I really liked how this played out. The Sentry’s God complex is what really did it for me, and I love that the Void described himself as the destroyer of worlds, Galactus. While the issue does feel a tad esoteric at times, it’s still a really great read and one of the first books by Bendis I took a double take on, not just to read the story again for fun, but because I had to make sure I got it. I love when books make me do that.
I don’t think I have to mention that the artwork by Deodato is great. It always has been the best part of the book, but with this issue especially he shows off some of his skills, as we see the flashbacks in a gritty black and white that doesn’t even look like it was inked. It offers an interesting contrast towards the current goings on, which look just as good for being in such a limited space. This issue is all about character interaction between the Sentry and his wife, so it’s important that Deodato does the faces properly to convey the right emotion, and he does. But the best scene is when the Sentry attempts to throw himself into the sun, and rebuilds himself because he “doesn’t want to die enough.” That was just tremendously drawn.
Continued belowBelieve me, I have a few gripes with it. It wasn’t perfect. As I said, turning him to a drug addict is not usually something I go for, but I found the change tolerable. And I both loved and hated the Moses “reveal” (so to say), leaning more towards the hate side if only because it adds a confusing element to the end of the story. But never the less, with apologies to the Sentry haters, I’ve got to give this issue a
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
Blackest Night: Flash #2
A lot of people had problems with the first issue of Blackest Night: Flash. I didn’t have the same problems, but I also did agree that it wasn’t as great as I’d imagined. On the one hand, it was great to see Kolins and Johns do the book again, but on the other it was a little underwhelming. The end of the book was terrifically triumphant, and the tease of a Blackest Night Rogue War was exciting, as that was a clear reference to the terrific ending to Johns’ work on Flash.
Blackest Night: Flash #2 continues to be both extremely entertaining and unfortunately underwhelming. We start off in the thick of the Rogues invading Iron Heights only to be greeted by the deadly return of some of their own, including Golden Glider who starts the party off by kicking her brother Captain Cold straight in the face. Awesome! Then, the entire middle deals with Barry, recently brought into the Blue Lantern Corps. The issue does a nice job of expanding on the mythos of the Blue Lantern as it stands in regards to the new inductees. We see more than we did in Blackest Night, and it reads entertaining enough. And by the end of it, we’re back with the Rogues as they battle their respective counterparts.
Of course, what is ultimately disappointing about it is the focus isn’t on the Rogues. I love Flash and all, and the interactions between him and Black Lantern Kid Flash are interesting, as well as Black Lantern Professor Zoom and Solivar, but we were promised rogues and we didn’t get a lot of rogues. What we did get is some minorly spoilerish premonitions of how Blackest Night will end and Bart Allen screaming a lot of sentiments that I know certain fans of Flash books agree with.
The writing is still on track though, and for a brief mini that is really just running to it’s end quickly (no puns intended), Johns is still writing a nice entertaining bookend to both his previous Flash work as well as the upcoming book that starts in April. And seeing as the future of Kolins’ Wally West is “unforseeable”, it’s nice to have his work here. Blackest Night: Flash is a book that I both love and am meh towards at the same time. But ultimately? The inner Flash/Johns/Kolins fanboy in me loves it.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
Rapture #6
I bought all five issues of Rapture before this during a sale, mostly because the artwork by Oeming caught my eye. To be quite honest, after all his work in Powers and Mice Templar, I can’t help but look for his art on purpose, because I just love it so much (and the covers of God Complex are definitely a plus too). So when I picked up all the books and learned that the book was a collaboration between him and his wife, Taki Soma, I was excited.
As Rapture came to a close, I have two thoughts. My first thought that this, however short it may have unfortunately been, was a great read. Rapture, behind all the glitz and glamour of super powers, guardians, was a book filled with terrific violence coupled with fantastically dark storytelling. Oeming’s artwork perfectly blends with Soma’s storytelling, and it’s like a collaboration made in Heaven, even more so than the collaborations I’m used to from him. Knowing the origins of the story and why they decided to write it makes it even more interesting, and this book makes for a great read that will almost certainly find a larger market once in trade.
Continued belowMy other thought, though, is that the story is hindered by it’s length. While I would never want to push a writer beyond her abilities, limiting the story to just three issues makes the climactic ending a bit disappointing. It all comes down to a final fight scene that is interrupted by the return of the heroes that had just as simply mysteriously vanished, leaving the world in wrecks. And as they come by, they’re all joking about as if they’d come from Herogasm (see: The Boys), and society is able to rebuild itself. To be quite honest, I could see this story working MUCH better as a 60 issue epic similar to Y: The Last Man. That’s literally, word for word, what I thought when all was done. That somewhat simple story, of a boy and girl in love separated by an unbelievable disaster, is something that when given time could really allow us to grow with the characters. Having it end this quickly steals a bit of the emotional investment that could be taken out of us.
I still greatly enjoyed the book and highly recommend that those who did not follow the book either a) find the issues or b) grab it in trade. The end teases that there may be more stories in this world in the future, and I’d be 100% open for that. Taki Soma and Mike Oeming make for a GREAT team, and despite the shortness of the story, it still comes with a thumbs up from yours truly.
Final Verdict: 7.4 – Buy
Incorruptible #2
I was a bit meh on the first issue. Being a HUGE fan of Irredeemable, I expected a bigger bang at the start of the book, similar to how Irredeemable started off. That was tremendous! And a book that directly connects to the world to help expand on the over all story? I definitely expected a grandiose opening, but it wasn’t delivered. I kept the faith in Mark Waid and this world though, and I was rewarded.
Incorruptible #2 is by far a better issue than the first, and it’s a tremendously entertaining read. Max Damage is a great new character to this world and the contrast of books makes for an entertaining and, most importantly, terrifically fleshed out world. Damage and his new inspector friend, as well as Jailbait, drive around and we see the world as it now is post-Plutonian freak out. The issue centers around a terrifying scene involving a man not sure what to do about his family anymore, to the point of preferring to kill them then leave them in a world where he can’t provide. And somehow, this actually leads to the biggest twist of all, which fully solidifies Incorruptible’s importance in the Irredeemable/”P-Day Massacre” story.
If you’re a fan of Irredeemable and the story, Incorruptible is definitely proving itself to be a great companion. I ate this book up like candy. Ultimately, this book makes me want to see more Irredeemable spin-offs. While I’m not sure how much more Waid could pull out to this world, the fact that he was able to great such a great second book to go with the first speaks volumes to his talent. Queue me in as #1 Fan, please.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
DAVID’S REVIEWS
Fables #92
The last issue found us at the end of the the most recent triumphant and important story arc from this series – “Witches” – with a new story brewing as Gepetto attempts to wrest control from our beloved Fables and Frau Totenkinder finding a way to possibly capture The Dark One. But before we get to that, Bill Willingham has a bit of an aside for us. This issue finds Flycatcher’s home of Haven wrapping up the final game of their baseball season, with the King’s team facing off against the Goblin squad of mashers. What starts as a throwback to the old poem “Casey at the Bat” eventually ends up in a romantic story and a bit of a murder mystery, minus all of the mystery.
Willingham, as per usual, manages to prove that he can really spin something out of almost nothing. This issue really is just a fun diversion before we get back into the seriousness of The Dark One, and shining a spotlight on Haven is a good idea for that because Flycatcher is such a strong character. His (slowly) budding relationship with Red Riding Hood takes a turn in this issue that hearkens back to 1001 Nights of Snowfall, and it’s some quality character work. The other story is not quite as strong, or really important at all (or so it seems). Basically that plot thread is the winning Gob pitcher eats a squirrel Fable whilst drunk, and then gets arrested for it, with the trial coming next issue. While basely amusing, it didn’t really do much for me overall.
David Lapham took over artistic duties this month, and he does a fine job, but as per usual the biggest detriment to any Fables guest artist is that they aren’t Bucky. Such is life. All in all, this was the beginning of what will likely amount to a minor Fables story, but one of those is still very enjoyable.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
Spider-Woman #5
This book always leaves me with severely bifurcated emotions.
On one hand, I really enjoy it. Bendis tells a brisk yarn using one of his best characters, in which we get mystery, badassery, and a lot of intrigue. Plus, Alex Maleev is insane – his work is just completely out of this world fantastic.
On the other hand, I feel like there is no way in hell it’s worth the money. Honestly, I could read this issue three times in ten minutes. Not only that, but very rarely does anything actually happen of consequence – Jessica Drew finishes her fall from issue #4, she’s arrested (after being in the hospital for two panels), she gets punched in the face by a Madripoor police officer who doesn’t speak English, she is counter-interrogates an interrogator, she escapes, she runs into (insert surprise guest star here). That was pretty much issue #2 as well.
Given those two massive negatives, it is kind of astounding that I could possibly assign this a positive grade. Yet, much to our occasional visitor Steven R. Stahl’s chagrin, Bendis writes some really damn entertaining comic books. Applying Bendis and Maleev to most any situation can make it a worthy venture, even if it is minimalist storytelling if you’re being nice. Another nice issue, but here’s hoping for a little more plot soon.
Final Verdict: 6.8 – Browse
RASL #6
RASL, to me, is becoming an increasingly tough read. The combination of delays between issues and moderately unfocused storytelling from Jeff Smith is giving myself as a reader difficulties staying attached to the primary story. While as a standalone issue itself I greatly enjoyed it, even if it was 50% history lesson about Nikola Tesla, 50% RASL stealing art, getting drunk, and then getting his ass kicked. It worked for a single issue, but as a part of a whole, I don’t even recall where it places in the series. Why is he so cool with Sal before he fights him? Why is he able to jump without worry, plus have time to hang out in the Platinum Lounge and gamble?
I know that the Tesla section is to assist us in figuring out how exactly RASL developed the technology that allows him to jump between Earths. That part is fantastic, but when the main story cuts back in I must admit I’m totally lost.
As for Smith the artist, standard rules apply. If you like his cartoonist styled work from before, you’ll like him here. Given that I love every work Smith has put pencil to, I’m a major supporter here.
However, I have to say the delays on this series are really starting to wear on this series and me as a reader. I was able to make very little connection between issues #5 and #6. In fact, I couldn’t tell you what happened at all in issue #5. While it still was an enjoyable read, I really can’t recommend anything with this series besides waiting for trade. Unless you’re a collector or a masochist.
Continued belowApparently I am both.
Final Verdict: 6.5 – Browse
Starman #81
James Robinson’s run on Starman with Jack Knight was one of the few titles from the 90’s that actually stands up to the test of time. Even when I was far younger, I remember greatly enjoying that series because of its unflinching characterization and adult themes. Especially those, because of the fact I was in my early teens when it arrived.
Bringing this series back now, however, is an idea with serious mixed feelings from fans. If you had brought it back before Robinson’s rather…well, let’s just say it, bad runs on Superman and JLA (and Cry for Justice), fan excitement would be far higher. But because they didn’t, most fans are likely expecting a trainwreck and a bit of a failure.
That this issue ends up being a rather fitting coda for two supporting characters from that older Starman series (Shade and Hope O’Dare) and ably ties into Blackest Night is not only surprising, but a bit of a relief. It ends up being a rather enjoyable read, as Shade and the entirety of the Opal City police force face off against the resurrected David Knight as Black Lantern Starman. Thankfully for them, his badness as Starman is only rivaled by his inability to succeed as BL Starman. In fact, while he does kill a number of police officers, Shade’s dispatching of him is both a creative use of his immortality, but a rather intense image ably rendered by the pairing of Fernando Dagnino and Bill Sienkiewicz.
This is where I have an admission of guilt: many people LOVE Sienkiewicz. However, growing up he made me dislike the original New Mutants run simply because his art scared the crap out of me. I have no idea why, but it did, and it just didn’t fit the title in my mind. In a book like this with horror themes, however, it works well. He and Dagnino are strong pair, with Dagnino setting Sienkiewicz up with strong storytelling angles that allow him to focus on rendering the city engulfed in shadows.
All in all, I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would. It still feels a bit inconsequential and a nostalgic money grab by DC, but it works for a slice of Blackest Night life. As odd as that sounds.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
GIL’S REVIEWS
Mighty Avengers #33
Of all o the Avengers titles I read, it’s the hardest to classify Mighty Avengers. On one hand, it’s the closest to a “classic Avengers” book you’ll find on the Marvel roster. And that’s far from a bad thing. This issue in itself is showing how classic it actually is, and might just be a glimpse of what the new “Heroic Age” Avengers might look like.
But like we’ve said over and over at MC, the art is…terrible. It’s the one thing about Mighty Avengers I won’t miss, and if Pham took over the art on The Heroic Avengers (can I call them? I think I can) I don’t know what I’d do.
Before I get into the positives, let’s finish the negatives. Unless this will be the core book post-Dark Reign, it has a lot of threads going nowhere. We have The Dark Avengers, which works with Siege, and we have the best version of Absorbing Man in ages. He had already been rather imposing, but with the power of a cosmic cube? He’d be nearly unstoppable. That’s fine and dandy, but we also have Ultron invading? Really? Wouldn’t that be too many armies storming the castle so to speak? Also, I thought the resolution to the Absorbing Man conundrum was a tad on the convenient side. Almost too easy, you know?
But other than that, the book is great. The interactions between the various heroes are top-notch, and Hank Pym is one of the funniest and most likable characters on the roster, which is impressive considering Hercules and Cho are on the team, and, well, HE’S HANK PYM.
Continued belowSo should you pick it up? If art is a deal breaker, I would at least browse it. It’s so much fun. And hell, who DOESN’T love it when USAgent acts like a sycophant?
Final Verdict: 6.5 – Browse
Captain America #602
Did anyone notice this book went on hiatus while Cap Reborn was going on? Yeah, it did. The thing is it was kind of thrown off by the editorial decisions or whatever extended Reborn to six issues. It made for an extremely awkward return of the Star-Spangled Avenger to the Marvel Universe.
In this book we had a quite dull adventure involving The Falcon and Bucky Cap trailing a wannabe Steve Rogers out in the sticks. There are references to The Tea Baggers Movement (which admittedly is a lot better and funnier when Brubaker is writing their signs.) and people who are somehow both pro-war and anti taxes (someone explain that one). But the irritating thing is the fact there’s ANOTHER psychotic wannabe Cap. How many of these guys do we need before the idea gets old? Oh, right, about 3 years ago. Ugh.
The art isn’t much to write home about either. It’s not terrible, but it’s just not memorable either. In all honesty, the best thing that happened was the fact that their little undercover operation went south at the end of the issue.
Finally, did you know they put a Nomad back up feature? Oh, you did, did you? Oh right, you also don’t CARE. Yeah, me neither. It’s not worth the extra pages and cash for a character that I’m barely familiar with, and care about Nomad even less. Why is this even here?
Ugh.
Final Verdict: 5.0 – Browse
Amazing Spider-Man #618
Gauntlet continues, this time “focusing” on another running joke in the Spider-Man Rogue’s Gallery, Mysterio. Sadly, Mysterio is hardly in it. We DO get a return for nouveau Rogue Mr. Negative though, and it has a dire effect on Spider-Man’s personal life. Mr. Negative is a really imposing Crime Lord, and he looks to be one of the better modern villains since Venom (or one of my personal favorites, THE MASTER OF VENGEANCE!). But…his abilities are so ill-defined that his touch seems to have the same effect as Red Kryptonite. Apparently he can cure cancer and make a completely new symbiote (both affecting Eddie Brock in one touch), but he can also turn Aunt May from the sweetest woman in the world, into a raging bitch. So apparently his ability is…to turn things into the opposite. That’s an incredibly annoying revelation.
Did I mention that Mysterio is on the cover but doesn’t show up until the end of the book, and even then, only for one panel, and it’s not even a cliffhanger reveal? It’s just…bah.
But the best thing about this Gauntlet arc is the artwork. It is really reminiscent of older Spider-Man artists like Steve Ditko, while being much more refined and sophisticated in terms of layouts and coloring(don’t hate me, but while Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko are the greatest, comics have progressed to a point where they’re just out of date).
Final Verdict: 5.9 — Browse
Incredible Hercules #140
In a feat that annoyed me even more than Mysterio popping up on the cover to an issue he was barely in, Spider-Man and Wolverine (AKA Marvel’s main mascots this side of Deadpool) were on the cover to a book that by all accounts they should be in, but somehow…aren’t. Why does Marvel do this? If they are in it, I have no issue with them putting them on the cover, but seeing as how they aren’t, why mislead the public like that?
Now that that’s out of the way, let me say this book is stellar as always. But if you’ve been reading this book, you’ve come to expect nothing less. Hercules has become one of the most likable characters in the Marvel Universe, and his book is one of the most enjoyable on the market, regardless of publisher.
Continued belowIn some twists that should not be mentioned because they are spoilerrific and I don’t want to ruin such a good book, we see glimmers for redeemability in our villain Hera, and the reveal of a big bad that might be even worse. But if you’ve been reading the book, you might just know who I’m talking about.
It’s also nice to see a back up story that runs concurrently with the main title to give you an extra perspective on what’s going on, while not forcing you to buy another book to do as such. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Really.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy
BRANDON’S REVIEWS
Green Lantern Corps #44
Guy Gardner Red Lantern! It fits but nevertheless is extremely terrifying. With a chip on your shoulder that big a red ring is only going to be exacerbated. It sure makes for a fun story though.
Without giving to much away the Mogo aspect of the story is uber cool. The way in which he enters the battle and conducts his business is unique and without sugar coating it to much BADASS! The end portion of Mogo’s involvement and his explanation is fitting and well done.
Outside of the story there are some great pages of art in here per the usual. The scenes of all the Lanterns sucking into space were chaotic but easy to follow and fun to pick through. The art on this title is something that never lets me down.
Overall this title continues to give the main GL title a run for it’s money in the best GL title category. Go out and get it and be merry.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy it suckas!
Uncanny X-Men #520
Review pending, check back soon!
Brave and the Bold #31
Review pending, check back soon!
Wolverine: Weapon X #9
Review pending, check back soon!
