There is a lot to cover on Wednesdays. We should know, as collectively, we read an insane amount of comics. Even with a large review staff, it’s hard to get to everything. With that in mind, we’re back with Wrapping Wednesday, where we look at some of the books we missed in what was another great week of comics.
Let’s get this party started.
Avengers #22
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Leinil Yu
Review by Brian Salvatore
This was an average “Infinity” tie-in issue of “Avengers” – you’ve got some decent action, some nice character development stuff, but nothing really out of the ordinary. Yu’s style is something I enjoy in small doses, and his style is starting to wear a little thin, for me personally. But then, there is the final scene with Manifold talking to both the Caps (America and Marvel) and then Thor. Both give him advice and the advice, seemingly, is contradictory. The Caps give it to him as a solider – you’re one man, do what you can. And then Thor takes over, and gives him the hero’s speech, and challenges him to accept his destiny as a titan that was born for this. In that one scene, Hickman and Yu get at the essence of why the Avengers are a special and unique team – because they straddle the line between those two camps and, due to that, can appeal to just about everyone. That scene took the book from a browse to a buy.
Final Verdict – 7.8 – Buy
Saga #15
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrated by Fiona Staples
Reviewed by David Harper
It’s always fun to review a comic that is so universally beloved because the question becomes how do you find new ways to say happy things about such a great book. Here’s my attempt: I think this might be the best issue yet. The world in this issue feels so lived in, so real, that it’s unlike damn near anything I’ve ever read. You can feel the love in each and every page and character and interaction, and it’s more than drama, it’s life. It’s such a remarkable thing that Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples are doing here that it doesn’t even seem remarkable anymore. It just feels like this is what it is. This is the world, and we’re just happy to have it. It’s a non-review review, but it’s the truth. I’m just happy to have a comic like this to read.
Final Verdict: 9.8 – Just premium comic awesomeness here
Guardians of the Galaxy #8
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated by Francesco Francavilla
Reviewed by Vince Ostrowski
Bendis dials up an ‘Infinity’ tie-in that manages to feel both like an extension of his own ongoing story and a fitting addition to Jonathan Hickman’s event. The issue gets off to a slow start, unfortunately, by succumbing to Bendis’ one major downfall – his penchant for characters to take pages and pages having arguments that don’t need to be as wordy as he likes to make them. At a certain point, the returns become diminishing. Once the game is afoot, Bendis gives everyone a role and the action kicks up to a suitable notch. One other concern, however, is that Rocket Raccoon is starting to wear thing. We’re clearly supposed to find him funny, but he’s a one-joke character at this point. One of comics’ most unique artistic talents indulges in some of his trademark elements, but again it might be a little overdone on this issue. Francavilla clearly loves panels that are awash in a dominant color (most notably, orange), but while he did so to great effect in his “Batman” work – here, it’s unclear what this is supposed to add to the tone of the story. Still, he draws a hell of a space book and his linework remains a joy to look at. As uneven as the issue is, it feels important as part of an ongoing story and it’s not awful, by any means.
Final Verdict: 5.8 – Browse
