Greetings all, I’m running the show this week with Matt on vacation, so you’ll have to put up with both a slightly different layout as well as a new fourth reviewer. Walt Richardson (famed writer of our Crisis of Chronology posts) will be joining us at least for this week, and it’s a heck of a week to join as we have a lot of big books on the table.
We had a bit of a showdown between two great titles for the vaunted Book of the Week title, but there can only be one! Find out what it is after the jump.
Before we go, here’s a run down on our scoring system once again. Those that fall between 0 and 3.9 are rated as PASS, 4 and 6.9 are BROWSE, and 7 to 10 are solid BUY ratings.
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
Let us know what you think of the reviews in the comments, and if you have any suggestions as to books you think we should be reviewing, email me at david@multiversitycomics.com or leave a comment. Now on with the show!
Book of the Week: Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #1
Written by: Jason Aaron
Illustrated by: Adam Kubert
David’s Thoughts: When I interviewed Jason Aaron a little while back, I picked up the distinct impression that this was not going to be your run of the mill team up series. This was going to be a team up filled with absurdity, big ideas, and a lot of fun.
This first issue captured the feelings that I had going very well, as it begins with an extended opening that you would never expect and ends with something that just left me grinning.
Jason Aaron is arguably my favorite writer in business today, and this book really shows a lot of why that is. His pitch perfect voices for Wolverine and Spider-Man are astounding, really depicting their love/hate relationship as well as anyone has while also giving them a fiercely original plot to deal with. He also manages to give us a lot of really clever bits of dialogue, whether it’s Peter Parker’s announcement that he’s the smartest man on the face of the Earth (it works in context) or the quippy dialogue Spidey uses in fight scenes. It’s a side of Aaron we haven’t seen a lot of, but this issue features a lot of really nice, light hearted moments that ring true for the characters.
Adam Kubert in this book…I mean, there aren’t words. He puts on a show throughout, realizing all of the absurdist ideas Aaron comes up with (the ending is…so good…it’s hard to realize it’s greatness into words) and putting in some A+ work from both a scene and character design standpoint. His work positively buzzes during some set pieces, as the action sequences really come to life on the page. It’s astonishing work, if you don’t mind me saying so.
I knew I’d enjoy this book, but it really has most of what I look for in a book: fresh ideas, great execution, and beautiful artwork. I’m almost not used to getting that in mainstream hero books, but when you combine two guys like this together, it’s what you get. Just a damn fine book that is a lot of fun.
Gil’s Thoughts: In the expansion of the Astonishing line to include characters that wouldn’t otherwise be in an X-Book, Marvel had the brilliant idea to pair two of their most popular characters together in a buddy book similar in tone to DC’s once proud Superman/Batman title. Pair the bright and sunny character with the grim badass, and you have lightning in a bottle, right?
Continued belowWell, in this instance, that’s definitely the case. Spidey and Wolverine, despite not particularly caring for one another, have a great contentious chemistry that I’m looking forward to seeing in the coming months. The title has a huge win by scoring a winning talent like Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert, who are at the top of their game here, seriously.
My only real issue is that it might run a little similarly to the upcoming Avengers run, which may or may not have a similar overall story. At that point, I might expect Spidey or Logan to say “not AGAIN…”
Brandon’s Thoughts: When this was announced I was auto automatically onboard. I had read previous Wolverine work that had included Spider-Man by Aaron and Kubert and it was one of my favorite Wolverine stories in many years. So the chance to see these two together on a six issue series came with a lot of hype and hope. It absolutely lived up to my personal demands. Aaron and Kubert are a team that should work together more often. I would personally be extremely happy if the two could work together on a Wolverine title regularly.
One of my questions, and I assume many others, was where this story fits in. The way this story is playing out it doesn’t matter and that is the best way to do a series like this in my opinion. Let it be a way for new fans to join in the fun of the Marvel Universe without all the confusion that can come from picking up titles with decades of history behind it. If I knew someone was looking for a title to pick up from Marvel and wanted a way to slide into the universe with the most ease this would be a title I would suggest.
If you are a longtime reader, like myself, don’t let the previous paragraph put you off. While the story isn’t necessarily continuity bound it is a great read that could easily be placed into any point in Marvel history. It’s a piece that quickly gives you a feel for the characters and their relationship while not squandering a moment to tell the story. The use of the caption boxes to tell the story from the two characters points of view is a technique used early on in Batman and Superman and it works just as well here as it did in that title on it’s best of days.
So if you were wondering if I liked it the short answer is yes. The long answer is hell yes!
Walt’s Thoughts: (Patience, young ones…it’s coming)
David’s Reviews
I, Zombie #1
Written by: Chris Roberson
Illustrated by: Mike Allred
Strangely enough, without even knowing much about this book I was incredibly excited about it. I’m a very big Mike Allred fan, and that was reason enough to excited about it’s potential for me. Plus, as a rule I find that Vertigo is perhaps the most universally pleasing publisher around today. In my eyes, they nearly always deliver a high quality product and make the experience a worthy one. It’s a lot of pressure for a book that I know next to nothing about, besides the fact that it apparently stars a woman who happens to be a zombie.
Thankfully, this title lives up to my self created expectations, as this world that Roberson and Allred created together comes to life in four color glory on these pages.
In the world of I, Zombie, monsters exist. Not really knowingly, but they do exist. Our protagonist is Gwen Dylan (Gwendolyn?), a gravedigger by day and night it turns out, albeit for massively different reasons. It seems at some as of yet undetermined point in her life she became a zombie, and now she must eat brains once a month to continue on surviving in her meager existence. Her best friends are Ellie and Spot, who happen to be a ghost and a “were-terrier” respectively. There also happens to be vampires in this version of Eugene, Oregon, which also doubles as the worst version of Eugene, Oregon ever.
Continued belowThis issue really just gets the pieces on the chess board. We’re introduced to Gwen and her supporting duo, the far more nefarious vampires who prey upon local paintballers, and the “corporation” lackeys who are tracking local postmortem activity. What the overarching plot will be is uncertain, but I can tell you their world is an inviting one. Roberson gives each of these characters genuine personality, and Gwen in particular is a rich and well crafted lead. Her internal struggle and external snarkiness is a very alluring combination, and I find myself wanting to be in this messed up world under the presumption that she would be as well (even with the prospect of her potentially eating my brain one day).
I also really enjoyed the very mod feel to the books look. I find it hard to believe that Allred wasn’t directly involved with that happening, but whatever came out reflects a collaboration between Allred and Roberson. It works from both a visual and written standpoint, although Allred really makes it sing.
This book, if you’re an Allred fan, is a visual feast. There is a real softness to the visuals that brings an odd amount of warmth to a monster story, and helps keep it more on the fun and inviting side. There are some very dynamic pages throughout, but the one that stands out the most is the final half page (with a vertical split) that has Gwen tilting her head up as the rain falls upon her is a gem. It speaks volumes about Allred’s ability as a storyteller – you don’t even really need words to understand what Gwen is trying to convey on that page, and whenever that works out for an artist…well, you can tell that is a special creator there.
While I did love everything that happened, I still have to say that it was mostly an issue of pure exposition. The pieces are being laid out, we’re being given a look at the world, but nothing truly flooring happened within its pages. Still, when I say that I only think this book will get better, think about that when I say it’s already very, very good.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy
Secret Six #21
Written by: Gail Simone
Illustrated by: Jim Caliafore
Thomas Blake, aka Catman, has always been my favorite character in the various incarnations of Gail Simone’s Secret Six. He’s long been the leader, the moral center, and the most scrupulous and least demented of the bunch. While the others entertain, he pushes us forward and keeps us connected. In many ways, he’s the rock of the Six.
Which is why it is perfect that, in this arc, Simone is deconstructing his reality and robbing Blake of the lasting goodness that Deadshot mentioned he still had in the past issue.
The issue begins with a look at Blake’s family…a rich, big game hunter, his trophy actress wife, and their son that he wants to toughen up and she wants to keep innocent. We’ve never gotten a significant look at Blake’s history, and to see how he was raised and what led him the direction that he did from the very beginning is a really fascinating turn especially given how the present version of him is quickly tearing down the identity he developed way back in his adolescence.
Not that this book gets deathly serious throughout, as we’re given some looks at Bane and Jeannette’s ragtag Secret Six roster with everyone else away trying to track Blake, and we’re also given a look at the rest of the team as everything goes “grapes up” (thanks ‘Doll!) when Black Alice overwhelmed by the tempermental nature of her powers for the 4,734th time in her characters history. Leave it to Simone to make that top notch in the entertainment department as well – “arise the demon Estrogan” anyone?
When I found out Nicola Scott was off the book (temporarily? permanently?), I was…concerned. I love Scott’s work on this book and would put it up against nearly anyone’s from 2009 (save JH Williams III, he’s on a different plane of existence). Yet, J. Calafiore has been dynamite since he took over, and in this issue he handled the horror of Blake’s youth and the quiet calm of his murderous present with equal skill. In its 21 issues, this title has never not been a beautiful book, and Calafiore continues that strength.
Continued belowSecret Six is, to me, the best book DC proper puts out. The only book that even compares to it is Green Lantern Corps in my mind, and Simone’s encyclopedic knowledge of these characters and their emotions makes it stand above even that vaunted title. This issue is another prime example of all of what makes it so great.
Final Verdict: 9.2 – Buy
28 Days Later #8
Written by: Michael Alan Nelson
Illustrated by: Declan Shalvey
After a few weaker issues after a very strong start to this book, this issue finds a lot of the power and forward momentum of the story returning. Series writer Michael Alan Nelson is starting to develop a non-undead enemy to our band of heroes, and the return of regular artist Declan Shalvey marks an uptick in the visual quality back to earlier levels.
In short, it’s good to have the band back together.
Fiona and her small crew of confederates are continuing to cross the British countryside while trying to dodge wayward groups of zombies and “are they or aren’t they” American government spooks who are looking to take them out rather judiciously. This issue keeps the tension high in a number of ways, as they are threatened by enemies that are alternately tangible (like the spooks and the zombies) as well as intangible, like Derrick’s increasing depression.
Nelson also gives us a lot of great character moments, like when Derrick wanders off to pee by himself (he wants to prove himself as “not incontinent”) and almost falls into what looks like a trap for a zombie, or when Fiona awakens to find Derrick sitting up covering his mouth with a solitary finger to tell her to keep quiet. The nature of this entirely blind man telling her to keep quiet in this godforesaken land is enough to send a chill up my spine. Nelson and Shalvey both deserve a lot of credit for making moments like that very powerful.
Shalvey’s work in moments like that are an example of the storytelling gift he has. He can escalate average situations into far stronger ones with his powerful visuals and his excellent scene design. I think this book would do a fine job at passing the “David test of quality art”, in that the story could be reasonably told with no words at all.
All in all, my major complaint about this book continues to be that it feels like such a thin and brisk read. With that said, I may finish it fast, but I never finish it and think “that was a bad comic.” 28 Days Later has been at worst solid and at best very good since its inception, and this is another example of it being the latter.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – Buy
Demo Vol. 2 #4
Written by: Brian Wood
Illustrated by: Becky Cloonan
Becky Cloonan could draw a comic about pretty much damn near anything and I would read it. It’s a fact of life for me…her work is intoxicating and something that would make any book worth a purchase for me. To pair her with Brian Wood is almost unfair. They are both phenomenal creators that are clearly thinking on the same plane of existence (see: the wrap up articles the two of them write at the end of each issue), and it’s like they both know exactly what is the right move to temper their work in a way to make it that much more powerful.
However, I think even Wood would agree with me on this idea, and that is one of this volume of Demo being a showcase for Cloonan’s prodigious talents. While Wood’s stories and scripts have been minimalist tales of letting go and discovering truths for oneself, he’s also given her plenty of room to expand on them to make them visual tour de forces that add a lot of the weight that other writers would simply fill with extraneous words and needless exposition.
A book like this in another duo’s hands simply would not work.
Continued belowI’m going to say it again for effect: Cloonan is a superduperstar. Her work on this book is spellbinding and genuinely floors me at points. There is one scene that is so jawdroppingly fantastic that I had problems going forward in the story from there. The lead character had sunk to the bottom of the lake he was on and he had to walk along the bed of the water from there to make it out. He’s enveloped by both the darkness of the water and the dust clouds he’s kicking up, and the expression she gives him is one of both fear and wonder. It is an absurdly great panel filled with a lot of unexpected beauty hidden in the details.
I’ve been loving the return of Demo. As a rule, I love any work from Brian Wood (I just read DV8 last night – wow!), but it seems to me that his collaborations with Becky Cloonan are all the more powerful. This just further proves that rule.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy
Gil’s Reviews
War of the Supermen #1
Written by: James Robinson, Sterling Gates
Illustrated by: Jamal Igle
Now that the vaunted War of the Supermen has (FINALLY) started. James Robinson and Sterling Gates pulled no punches in their debut issue in the Superman event for what is likely the summer. And boy, is it a BLAST (pun intended).
Robinson, a writer I’ve had a few issues with as of late, for his rather lackluster writing at times really turned it up a notch, and I would imagine part of this is due to collaborating with another writer who is just as talented as he can be.
The art by Jamal Igle is clean and really helps translate the action. There are some killer fight scenes that I’m glad were drawn well enough to make the story even more coherent.
My one complaint in the whole book is more of a nitpick than anything. There is a very clear typo that took me out of the story for a second. Like I said, it doesn’t matter much, but seriously, know your lettering, guys!
If you’re a fan of Superman like I am, you really need to pick this up, it was a lot of fun, and it returns Superman to what he was created to do. Beat up bad guys and NOT sulk around.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
New Ultimates #2
Written by: Jeph Loeb
Illustrated by: Frank Cho
Fucking women.
There’s not much else to say about the book, which has Enchantress manipulating the female members of the Ultimates for some ungodly reason while the men are trying to save Thor from Asgardian Hell.
For what it’s worth, Frank Cho draws THE HELL out of this book, and it’s easy to see why Jeph Loeb chose him to draw the book in the first place. There are lots of lovely ladies who are complete badasses? Sounds like Frank Cho was born to draw this book. It’s just a gorgeous book and worth checking out for him alone.
I wish I could say the same for Loeb though. I’m the ultimate (heh heh, get it?) Jeph Loeb apologist, but while I don’t think it was TERRIBLE by any means, there was just some hammy dialogue and Steve’s internal monologue about killed me, and not in a good way. Do we really need pop culture references like iPads? Not really, but to each their own. Al least Matt will be glad there are no references to his dead son.
Final Verdict: 7.0- Buy
Jonah Hex #55
Written by: Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by: Vicente Alcazar
I’m fairly new to the whole Jonah Hex game. My interest was piqued due to the movie (even if it looks terrible), so I picked up the past couple of issues of the book to get acquainted with the franchise. While the movie seems to lack any form of real appeal to the classic western audience, the book has that appeal. It feels like a mix of two TV shows starring the highly underrated Timothy Olyphant, the first being Deadwood and the second being Justified. This is far from a bad thing. There are other elements too, but those are the most prevalent in the title, even if Jonah Hex outdates those shows by a few decades.
Continued belowBut that’s neither here nor there. The book has a welcome format, forgoing the usual multi-issue arcs for one and done stories, so it’s incredibly easy to get into if you want to give it a shot. As a fan of Paul Dini’s run on Detective Comics, I was thrilled to find Hex was told the same way.
Another welcome setup is the gruesome and violent storylines that don’t pull punches and isn’t afraid to show images that modern sensibilities would find distasteful. I won’t go terribly into that, but this is not a book for your children. Don’t fool yourself into thinking otherwise. But other than that, the title is worth picking up. Do yourself a favor.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy
Avengers: The Origin #2
Written by: Joe Casey
Illustrated by: Phil Noto
In this re-tweak of the Avengers origins, a few things are made abundantly clear. First the tale truly is one that is easily re-told and is still fun to read. The second is that Iron and Tony Stark truly benefit from having a public identity, because this bodyguard business never made much sense at all. “My boss sent me here, but he’s not here at all.” Are the rest of the Avengers children? Seriously.
Veteran writer Joe Casey proves he knows a thing or two about the characters, and Phil Noto can really draw. But while he can draw, it’s a tad on the cartoony side, so it feels a little light and fluffy. I’m not entirely sure if that was on purpose being a silver age story, but it is worth mentioning.
While the story brings nothing new to the table, it’s a worthy diversion to explain the origins of the franchise to new fans that picked it up when Bendis took over the duties and expanded its audience to heretofore unseen levels (at least by my account.
Final Verdict: 6.9 – Browse it now, buy it in trade.
Brandon’s Reviews
Brightest Day #1
Written by: Geoff Johns, Pete Tomasi
Illustrated by: Ivan Reis, Pat Gleason, Adrian Syaf, Scott Clark, Joe Prado
This book has a lot of potential but it’s still early so whether it has potential to be awesome or bad is still up in the air. What I can say for sure is that this issue like the last was enjoyable and provides me with a feeling reminiscent of the one I got from 52. While not quite the same feeling it is familiar.
The coolest moment of the book had to be the bits with Black Manta. I must admit I know very little about Black Manta aside from the fact that he killed Aquaman’s son, he’s a real asshole and his helmet is doofy as fuck. What I didn’t know was that he was freaking badass. I do now though and find myself for the first time EVER interested in a character I never had much interest in.
For reasons like the one above I loved 52. A series focused on lower tier characters provides fans with the ability to feel like they are getting in on the ground floor as characters are given a chance to shine. After 52 I find myself drawn to the characters that graced those pages. Who knows maybe this title will have the same effect. It’s like the Farm Leagues. You never know who will make the jump to the pros and have a breakout year or future. Right now Black Manta looks like a solid pick.
Final Verdict: 7.6 Buy it for Black Manta…no…I am serious!
Uncanny X-Men #524
Written by: Matt Fraction
Illustrated by: Terry Dodson
In the last chapter I said I felt like Nightcrawler’s death didn’t feel meaningful enough. This issue gave me the feeling of loss and satisfaction that the last did not provide. The makeshift funeral was quick but had powerful moments that gave a death of this magnitude far more credence then if felt like it had just last week.
Continued belowWhile I had and still do have my dislikes about parts of Fraction’s run on Uncanny I feel this issue is solid. Over the course of the last 6-7 issues I feel like Fraction is really making these characters shine and the concepts that he’s worked to establish are starting to take center stage and payoff. Payoffs are nice. Especially when it requires so much buildup and uncertainty.
The art from Dodson is beautiful but it just doesn’t fit the tone of this book. I’d argue it doesn’t fit the tone of Second Coming in general. Even at the darkest moments it still seems too light and misplaced. While I don’t think it requires a Deodato style of darkness and foreboding, Dodson’s art just seemed a bad fit.
Another chapter down and another solid issue that brings importance to a death I still feel was executed poorly. Luckily, Fraction comes in to pick up the pieces and present us with a funeral fitting of such a beloved character.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Pay Your Respects to Nightcrawler and Buy This Fanpeeps!
X-Men: Second Coming – Revelations: Hellbound #1
Written by: Chris Yost
Illustrated by: Harvey Tolibao
Yes! In the last year or more it seems like the concept of the X-Men teams has been lost in the idea of X-Men as a community. I understand the need to give the impression that the mutants are a minority and all seem to have gathered together but I miss the team dynamics.
While teams have formed here and there over the last couple of years it hasn’t been teams that work together for prolonged amounts of time. Second Coming seems to be using the team dynamics again and the teams they’ve created have been stellar. The Alpha team was awesome and the team used here in Hellbound is equally dynamic and fun. You have on this team a very nice blend of generations here and that is played up rather nicely.
Yost and Tolibao give us a story that is connected, very mildly at this point, to Second Coming. If I had one complaint it would be that at this point this really doesn’t connect to the main story except for the fact that it is a mission to save Illyana who was taken off the board in Second Coming. This story could have been used outside of the main event and unless it ties-in will into the category of unnecessary tie-in. It’s saving grace though is that it’s so good it doesn’t really matter what it ties into or doesn’t. A good book is a good book.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Delicious
Amazing Spider-Man #630
Written by: Zeb Wells
Illustrated by: Chris Bachalo
While I stand by the fact that Amazing Spider-Man has been a much better book since Brand New Day I think some issues are better than others. The last arc for me felt dry and a little stale. I just wasn’t overly excited. This issue brings back the awesome ladies and gents.
All around this issue was fantastic. I really enjoyed the way Wells played up the split personalities of Connors and the Lizard. It was a great effect and really helped to accentuate the struggle that is containing a self that is so unlike him or humans in general. I am very interested to see if my assumption that Connors’ new boos King is in cahoots with the Kraven family. I am betting they are.
Bachalo makes his triumphant return to this title as well. He brings with him stylized page layouts and one of the better renditions of Spider-Man going today. Am I the only one that would love to see Bachalo on Ultimate Spider-Man with Bendis? Not that I dislike the current art direction but if they ever need a replacement Bachalo would be fucking money in the bank.
Whenever you get solid writing and arting on a book it’s a win for all interested parties. This is one of those occasions. The story was solid and the art was Bachalo at his best. I mean when was the last time the Lizard looked this cool?
Continued belowFinal Verdict: 7.8 – Buy it and consume it with your eyeballs!
Walt’s Reviews
Batman and Robin #12
Written by: Grant Morrison
Illustrated by: Andy Clarke
This continues to be one of the most fun reads on my pull. By the end of this issue, I was grinning from ear. While many people called Oberton’s reveal as far back as a few months ago (myself included), I find the reward of satisfaction from guessing correctly to be an important part of a good mystery. Had Oberton’s identity been some completely random character that ninety percent of the most devoted Batman weren’t familiar with, what would the point of the mystery be?
While I certainly wouldn’t call this the best of Morrison’s Batman-related work so far, it was still a well done issue. Grant is often slammed for not acknowledging any recent stories that aren’t his, but with the references to Blackest Night in the previous arc and to Dick and Slade’s interactions in Infinite Crisis in this issue, that problem seems to be less prevalent in his recent work (either that or he just loves Geoff Johns). I still really don’t like how Morrison writes Talia al Ghul, but at least he remains consistent with her character throughout his titles. While this issue closes the book on the Domino Killer, we are seamlessly moved into the next big block on The Return of Bruce Wayne, and this issue has only made me even more excited.
For the most part, I haven’t been too impressed with Andy Clarke’s art in this arc. I think his Gary Frank-esque style just isn’t suited for the darker world of Batman (despite him having done a good amount of work in that setting), though I love it in R.E.B.E.L.S. Either that, or Sinclair’s coloring just didn’t mesh (also dubious, considering Sinclair is one of the best colorists in the industry). Whatever was lacking, however, was fixed on that final page. In comics, a dramatic reveal is only as good as the artist can make it, and Clarke totally aced it (though I was a bit confused by a lack of some…features).
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy it!
Irredeemable #13
Written by: Mark Waid
Illustrated by: Peter Krause
For the title that I picked for best ongoing in 2009, this issue was a bit of a letdown. Was it bad? Certainly not. I’m sure that I just have lofty expectations for this title, especially after the first nine or ten issues blew me away, but it seems that the story is just kind of hovering around the status of “disaster porn,” as Gil called it in a recent email correspondence. Rather than contribute more to the intrigue of finding out why the Plutonian snapped, this issue was more just made up of bad stuff happening now and bad stuff happening then, to be quite general. Sure, there were some of those absolutely chilling lines that I’ve come to love from this series within the issue, but for the most part it wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen yet.
That’s fine, though. Even the best series have a couple of issues that aren’t at the same level of the rest, and I’m sure there hasn’t been a single one of my favorite series where I didn’t read an issue or two that I wasn’t keen on (ok, maybe Planetary, but that book is special). I’ve read too many good things by Waid to think that this will be anything more than a minor hiccup in an otherwise great saga.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy it if you’ve been reading it.
Deadpool Corps #2
Written by: Victor Gischler
Illustrated by: Rob Liefeld
After reading through all five issues of Prelude to Deadpool Corps and the first issue of this series, I was left praying to the god of comics (who is probably Jack Kirby) that this would get better. It did, but that’s not saying much. Victor Gischler continues to run the Deadpool franchise into the ground with this issue, once again completely failing at getting me interested in the story he is telling. I would assume that five issues of Prelude would be enough to introduce the ‘Pools and set the stage for the main book, but as of two issues in there is still nothing happening. All these zany little encounters serve no purpose but to keep the plot from actually progressing, and it looks like the plot will continue to stand still next issue as the team goes back to the planet that they just left to pick up the Deadpool-dog they forgot. Pardon me if I’m not excited.
Continued belowThis does get a couple points from me for one simple reason: there were actually a couple of jokes that caused me to crack a smile. It’s been so long since Deadpool has actually been funny to me, and I was very surprised after reading Gischler’s previous attempts at humor that out of all the unnecessary Deadpool books, his was the first in a while to actually be funny. There were only one or two instances of that, however, so it only gets a little bit of credit.
I would comment on Rob Liefeld’s art, but so many people make fun of the man on a regular basis that I would feel like I’m beating a dead horse, especially considering that he’s such a nice guy at cons and such (from what I hear). To his credit: at least he did better than Kyle Baker.
Final Verdict: 2.5 – Pass. Please pass.
Red Robin #12
Written by: Chris Yost
Illustrated by: Marcus To, Ray McCarthy
For those of you that haven’t been following Christopher Yost’s Red Robin, you’ve been missing out. Unfortunately, you won’t be missing out much longer. Red Robin #12 marks the end of Yost’s excellent run on the title, but one cannot deny that he went out with a bang. Everything up until this issue has been leading into the final confrontation between Tim and Ra’s, and it certainly does not disappoint.
One of my favorite things about Yost’s writing throughout this series is his excellent grasp of the characters he uses. Honestly, the only person that writes Damian better is Morrison, and he created the character (“Really, grandfather? Ninja? I’m insulted.”). What I enjoyed most about this particular issue was something a bit different, though. Maybe it’s from working at Marvel, where this sort of thing is commonplace, or maybe it’s just how Yost writes, but the cameos from the various Teen Titans and other characters really made the issue seem like a part of the DC Universe, a problem that often appears in other Batman comics. I suppose it’s silly, but I really liked it.
Something I really feel like I need to point out, however, is the excellent, excellent art of Marcus To. To is a relative newcomer to the industry, but I’m sure you will be seeing more of his work down the line. His pencilling is so meticulous and clean, and all of his proportions are right on the line. Ever since To joined at #6, the title has had some of the most aesthetically pleasing looks on the shelves, from pencils to inks to coloring. While I’m disappointed to see Yost leave, I’ll probably keep reading so long as To is on art.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy it!
