This week I make my return to reviews. While it’s more of a fly by than a comeback it’ll still be nice to return to WINCBD. This week my selection of books consists of X-Men: Legacy #238, Justice League: Generation Lost #6, Green Lantern Corps #50, and Wolverine: Origins #50. Which books will I give some love to and which books will I slam like a beer on the set of 4 Color News & Brews? Well check out after the jump.
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
X-Men: Legacy #238
Written by Mike Carey
Art by Clay Mann
Cover by Lenil Yu
Legacy is a book where I have been able to find some of the most consistently good X-Book outside of X-Factor. Mike Carey has done a amazing job of pushing the characters we love into new directions while still paying respect to what has come before. He also does what Fraction on Uncanny has been able to do and that is give us a rotating cast while still providing character development.
This issue is the first under the Heroic Age banner and that seems to be the only change. This issue was just as entertaining as before if not more entertaining. I really enjoyed the story here as we saw all kinds of excellent character dynamics. We get to see Magneto and Rouge and their seemingly budding relationship. We see Rogue and Cyclops continue to hash it out albeit in a much more reasonable way than the last time we saw it. We also get to see more of the New X-Men era kids even though they aren’t the main characters I and other fans fell in love with.
The writing though is not the only enjoyable part of this book. The art in this book is a perfect fit for the story. Clay Mann’s art to me seemed almost Oliver Copiel like; at least in the way he draws faces like Magneto’s. Anytime an artist draws a Copiel comparison in my mind it’s a great thing.
Overall this is my favorite core X-Book. While X-Factor is the best X-Book out there this is the best one that focuses on characters traditionally considered X-Men. I highly recommend this book and if you aren’t reading this then you really need to reconsider.
Final Verdict: 8.0 Buy it!
Justice League: Generation Lost #6
Written by Judd Winnick
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
Art by Fernando Dagnino
Cover by Lenil Yu
Do you like the Justice League? Are you not enjoying the Justice League title itself? Then this is the book you should be paying attention to. This is one of the best books on the shelf right now from DC. Along with Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps this book is a must for me. This issues focuses on Captain Atom and his origins as well as what makes him tick as a character. The truth is Captain Atom hasn’t looked this awesome in years.
For those Judd Winnick haters out there all I gotta say is suck it! This book is awesome and in large part it’s due to Winnick’s writing. Winnick really gets to the heart of Captain Atom as a character and shows us a future where the moon is jacked beyond belief. We also get to see Power Girl in a much different light than we are used to seeing her. The best part is it’s all Max Lord’s fault and by extension the DCU’s heroes because they didn’t listen to the JLI who have been trying to tell everyone what’s been going down.
Continued belowAs far as the art goes Fernando Dagnino kills it. The opening shot of Captain Atom is incredibly cool. I also really loved his shattered moon page. That was a crazy page where I literally dropped the F bomb when I turned the page. I’d really like to see this guy work on the, hopefully, obvious ongoing for JLI that spins out of this.
Let me just reiterate people. If you are not reading this title than I hate your face.
Final Verdict: 8.0 Buy it!
Green Lantern Corps #50
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Ardian Syaf
Cover by Ardian Syaf
While this book is still one of my favorites I feel like it’s had better days. While I don’t feel the art or the writing has seen a decline to a point where it is a bad book. I just feel like it’s consistently good and every once in awhile great. This issue was one of those good but not great issues.
This issue we get more of Emo Superman, I mean Cyborg Superman and his constant need for death. I really enjoy Cyborg Superman but I feel when it comes to his backstory I’ve heard it enough times already. When he goes to drop the whole, “I want to die kill me waa waa waa”, I almost instantly tune out anymore.
The idea of him having control of the Alpha Lanterns is one of those things that seems to be rehashed. I mean didn’t we see this with the Manhunters? So these are more powerful Manhunters and now he has upgraded? Ok, cool I guess but nothing too amazing.
What I did like is the continued spotlight on Soranik and Kyle. I feel this is a real strong relationship that if built up enough could provide us the readers some fantastic stories. Hopefully DC doesn’t just build them up to kill her and make Kyle brooding again. Her alive is better for Kyle as a character than her dead.
The art was nothing amazing but at times but like the writing on this title it wasn’t bad either. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that this title is a good read worth your money but at this point it’s almost paint by numbers more than a masterpiece in the making.
Final Verdict: 7.0 Buy it
Wolverine: Origins #50
Written by Daniel Way
Art by Will Conrad
Cover by Simone Bianchi
The best part of this issue is the part where it’s the Series Finale. I feel that this is a book that had great intentions and some really cool ideas and fell flatter than an A-Cup. This is a series that always shot sky high and never even reached the level of mediocre. 50 issues is more issues than a dump truck full of series got despite being better than this book and that’s a shame. Anyway, let’s review this issue shall we?
Much like the series in total, Daniel Way ‘s writing falls flat. I found that while it was one of his better issues of the series it was far too late. It was a character piece that when viewed for what it is, a final issue of a series, it was an epic fail for what should be an epic send off for an issue 5 1/2 years in the making. It does nothing nothing well though. The intention is to show Wolvie accepting his past and moving toward a future but all I could think was how it was a shame that we would accept a future created over the last 5 years of Wolverine books. It’s just not something I’m comfortable with. Now Jason Aaron’s books have been great and I’m willing to accept his future. Not this one though.
The only thing worse than the main story was the backstory written by Way as well. I mean really Wolvie and Hope fighting over drinking in an alley? While I know this is an over simplification it’s still accurate. No? LAME.
Continued belowWill Conrad’s art was the best part of this issue. Even he couldn’t save a plot that was doomed like the Titanic and the Hindenburg. I’d be interested to see more of Conrad’s art assuming it’s not attached to Way’s writing. He even would be a nice fit on a Wolverine book. He had a good grasp on the character and his supporting women. I actually really dug the way he did Wolvie’s hair. Of all things to think looked great, right? But it’s the details that make something great.
In the end: art good, writing bad, and thank god it’s gone.
Final Verdict: 3.2 Oh hell no!
