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Wrapping Wednesday: Micro Reviews for the Week of 10/16/13

By | October 18th, 2013
Posted in Reviews | 3 Comments

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.

Fables #134
Written by Bill Willingham
Illustrated by Mark Buckingham
Reviewed by David Harper

The first thing I want to say is WOW, that is one glorious cover. Haunting and completely beautiful, I have no idea why Joao Ruas isn’t doing covers and Mark Buckingham is, but man, that is astoundingly great. The comic itself, which is an interlude in the Knights of the Round Table arc, finds Bigby dealing with the afterlife and, in the process, running into the now for sure completely dead Boy Blue. It’s a moment many have been waiting for, and it is nice to have resolution as to what the status of Boy Blue is and where Bigby is spending his time as a shattered piece of glass. It’s a heartbreaking issue in many ways, as saying goodbye to Blue finally is tough, but the true piece de resistance is the ending with Dare, Bigby’s pup whom he did not realize had died. It’s a tragedy realized with exceptional restraint and intelligence by Willingham and Buckingham, but I must admit, something about this issue held me at arm’s length. It’s a very good issue, but not quite the level it has been at recently.

Final Verdict: 8.0 – You’re my boy, Blue!

Imagine Agents #1
Written by Brian Joines
Illustrated by Bachan
Reviewed by Vince Ostrowski

With a title like “Imagine Agents”, you’d think I wouldn’t be surprised that the art was beautifully fluid and cartoony and the imaginative concept-work dialed up to eleven. In “Imagine Agents”, the men in black go from place to place managing the imaginary friends and impossible creatures that seem to exist only in the minds of children. What lies behind that deceptively simple concept is a story that can go from being goofy and over-the-top on one page, to breaking your heart on the next page.

Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy

Invincible #106
Written by Robert Kirkman
Illustrated by Ryan Ottley
Reviewed by David Harper

Once upon a time, I defended this book to the hilt. No, it wasn’t struggling after the Viltrumite War. No, it’s just the eye of the storm and we’re going to get somewhere great. But now, I really can’t. This is a book that is struggling to find an identity after the Viltrumite War, much in the same way Fables did for a while after the war with the Adversary wrapped. Unlike Fables, which has found a new direction, Invincible is focusing on the characters in trite, inorganic ways, and save for a few moments, it has struggled. This issue is more of the same, and save for some great stuff about Battle Beast hunting down Thragg, it literally is what the cover says it is. If it weren’t for Ryan Ottley, I’d give this book one hell of a negative grade, but Ottley’s art could elevate damn near any comic.

Really quick: is it just me or is Ryan Ottley crazy underrated at this point? His work on Invincible is some of the best superhero work in 30 years, in my opinion.

Final Verdict: 6.0 – Battle Beast or not, treading water is treading water

Kings Watch #2
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Marc Laming
Review by Brian Salvatore

Dynamite has a bit of a house style, and thankfully Laming has done a lot to break out of that box. This issue, like its predecessor, has a really nice tone of nostalgia mixed with a slight modernization of these characters. Everyone looks familiar, but the tone adds an edge to the book that prior incarnations of these characters didn’t have. A lot of that credit goes to Parker as well, who is one of the best dialogue writers in all of comics. This mini seems to be a launch pad for these characters to have solo adventures, which is an interesting idea, especially considering Dynamite’s relaunch of the Gold Key characters coming next year. This issue doesn’t quite have the bombast of the first, but it is still a solid comic with a lot to enjoy within.

Continued below

Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy

New Avengers #11
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Mike Deodato
Reviewed by James Johnston

Finally. They finally explained what the hell is up with The Builders. Upon reflection, it seems so suddenly obvious, that I feel almost ashamed for not getting it. Still, Hickman finally takes as much of a breather as his writing style allows him to elaborate on some of the lesser-understood aspects of his run, connecting the New and Main Avengers stories in a very organic way. Deodato does some exceptional work here, especially whenever things get extremely multidimensional, and his half-organic half-synethetic rendition of the Builders gives them a very alien look. Well, more alien than usual for Marvel. I’d say Inhuman but, you know, Matt Fraction. Anyway, “New Avengers” #11 is an interesting issue that finally sheds some light on Hickman’s Avengers mythos while setting up even more events to come.

Final Verdict: 8.1 – Buy!


//TAGS | Wrapping Wednesday

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