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Pull List Review: 11/23/11 Comics

Eric P. I.Leave a comment

Alpha Flight #6: What the hell does someone having four toes have to do with Unity? I liked it when Marrina said her oft-spoken (and increasingly annoying) “Die human scum!” line because this time she prefaced it with “Catchphrase!” :) Oh, and Logan makes an appearance (like we didn’t know that was going to happen in this series). This just might get my vote for most disappointing series of 2011.

Aquaman #3: I wonder how much patience Aquaman has left with these condescending land lubbers, but I like how he basically ignores them and does what he wants anyway. The most interesting part of this issue is Aquaman’s interaction with a man from his past, Mr. Shin. Geoff Johns gives us just enough details to know exactly what this guy is about and what his relationship to Arthur is. And who is the “he” that Shin mentions who is the former owner of Arthur’s trident? This title just keeps getting better.

Fantastic Four #600: Once again I am amazed that Sue isn’t considered one of the most powerful individuals in the Marvel U. And she’s bad-ass as well! (I think I’m in love.) Everything that’s been building in FF for the last 11 issues continues in this issue containing 100 pages of several stories, including the return of someone that we all knew would return sooner or later (I thought it would have been later). I really enjoyed the back story in the Negative Zone and the worms(!), though the jail-break part was pretty run-of-the-mill. So what does this person’s return mean for Spider-Man in the FF? I’ll be picking this title up for a while just because Hickman’s been doing a bang up job with these characters.

GL: New Guardians #3: Hmm, already most of the rings that Kyle has inherited have been destroyed? What was the point of that plot point then? Also, why repeat the idea that the power ring won’t come off a GL’s finger? And why do the Guardians need to wear power rings? I thought they were imbued with the green energy (or is that a pre-DCnU idea)? I’m thinking this title won’t be on my pull list for much longer.

Magdalena #9: My first pull list issue of this series. I’d read number one a while ago and was intrigued even before that by the premise of the series, but for some reason didn’t pick this title up until now. The plot starts off well enough with the mission that the Magdalena goes on with her partner, but the story ends with an obvious non-cliffhanger (will she die?! Dun dun dun! Umm, no.).

Seraph #1: I actually bought a Pilot Season issue from Image. Of course, it was the angelic angle that drew me in since I love stories about angels and demons and especially depicting those characters not in their usual, stereotypical ways. And I get some of that in this one-shot (for now?). I like the idea of a suicide being given angelic powers to fight evil, and the guy’s guardian angel is probably the most interesting character in the comic so far. The fight with the spidery demon was pretty standard, though. I’d buy the first arc of this title if it becomes a series.

Shade #2: Huh. I would have hoped for a more . . . interesting way out of that “death” scene from issue one, but I suppose it makes sense, and shows that the Shade is a smart guy (but we already knew that, right?). This issue introduced me to Will Von Hammer, who is an interesting guy it seems, and now ally of sorts to the Shade. James Robinson has tweeted that the sales for this series has been low–it would be a shame if it didn’t get to go the full twelve issues.

Teen Titans #3: Is it me or is Bunker mildly annoying? There are two interesting things in this issue. One is that wonderful two-page spread showing Bart zipping from room to room to room in order to free Solstice. I didn’t even mind the numbers telling us how to read that sequence–in fact, it reminded me of the arrows that would appear in comics when I first started reading them pointing me to the next panel. Is it bad page design? Maybe, but I don’t care. The second interesting thing is the appearance of the DCnU Solstice, who looks very different from when we last saw her. I have to wonder if DC introduced Solstice in the previous volume of Teen Titans in anticipation of her appearance in this title, or is because there was enough interest in the character to keep her around? I have to question that idea because Solstice doesn’t seem like the same one, and it isn’t just her powers that made her an interesting character before (or was she interesting to you?).

Voodoo #3: Well, we’re entering more familiar superhero territory with Kyle Rayner showing up this issue, but the story is fast losing my interest, despite the pretty art by Basri. Just that simple walking sequence on page 4 was elegantly done. So, if this is how aliens are on Earth, no wonder there’s that general distrust of superheroic aliens that I’m reading in other titles. Again I say, I don’t care for that subplot in the DCnU.

I also read:

  • All-Star Western #3
  • Firestorm #3
  • I, Vampire #3
  • Justice League Dark #3
  • Savage Hawkman #3
  • Sixth Gun #17
  • Superman #3
  • Unwritten 31.5

Pull List Review: 10/26/11 Comics

Eric P. I.1 Comment

Holy cats, I am so far behind in reviews. Here’s the biggest set of comics, I believe, within the last month’s worth of titles. I’ll be working hard at getting the rest of my comics reviews completed soon.

Angel & Faith #2-3: The take away of this comic right now is very simple: Angel is trying to make amends for killing Giles (by bringing him back to life) and Faith is his increasingly unwilling partner. Plus, despite the fact that Angel’s name has first billing, it is Faith whom we really follow in this title. Normally, this lack of focus on a titular character would bug me, but I really like that Faith leads us through the narrative thus far.

Aquaman #2: I have to admit, the Trench are pretty generic adversaries for Aquaman, not to mention their point of origin as shown in very limited form last issue makes it hard to accept that Aquaman had never heard of them? I’m sure we’ll get an explanation soon, especially since Aquaman was tagged by one of the Trench to be taken back “home”. I know that this title has its detractors, but I’m still liking it a lot, especially the art. I can’t wait to see more of Aquaman and Mera being a couple exploring this new phase of their lives.

Daredevil #5: What a great cover! Unfortunately, Matt get’s out of the multiple sniper situation a bit more conventionally than I expected, but still Daredevily. :) I don’t know who the tough guy is that seems to win the fight with DD at the end of the issue, but it’s refreshing to see DD lose a physical confrontation every once in a while, especially since he’s usually presented as the smartest fighter in the ring. Here, he’s doing everything correctly, yet he’s still getting the snot beat of him.

GL: New Guardians #2: Poor Ganthet. I’m sure that his new condition will not be permanent, but the Guardians, as I’ve come to know them ever since Blackest Night, are just bastards! I’m expecting that we’ll get a story where the GL Corps rebels against the Guardians thus changing the core of the Corps, but that’s the future. Right now, Kyle has to contend with the multiple rings wearing him at the end of this issue.

Guarding the Globe #6: Oddfellow and I once discussed on the podcast the sometimes contentious idea of waiting for delayed issues as long as the issue was worth it. The first issue of this title was released in August 2010. The time between the fifth issue and this last issue was three months; the time between the fourth and fifth issues was four months! Did I get an exceptional series? Hell, no. Was there a big payoff, either in plot (worldview) or character? No. Because of the delays and lack of wowness, I just didn’t care anymore. Pretty much what happened in issue one hasn’t really changed by the end of issue six, so this was a waste of time and money. If you haven’t read this series and they put out a trade, i recommend you avoid this title.

Justice League Dark #2: One of the (pardon the phrase) bright spots of Brightest Day was the relationship that developed between Deadman and Dove. Anyone who has followed this blog or listened to the LBR podcast knows how much I care for the Dove character, so all of the appearances in her own series, in DC Universe Presents, and in this issue of JL Dark all equals good to me, but I have to admit, even I’m getting tired of the relationship between Deadman and Dove as it is being shown in the new 52 titles. What was once a sweet romance now appears to be turning sour without much provocation. At this point, especially with what we’re shown in this issue of JL Dark, I just wish the characters would move on. As far as the overall plot of this title, I’m already tiring of not knowing why the Enchantress is doing what she’s doing. Let’s move on already! Great looking art still.

Sixth Gun #16: I am really loving Gord’s backstory, and hope we continue to get more about this man. Other than the beginning of the issue where Becky speaks to her grandfather through time and via the power of the gun she holds, I’m not really caring much about her any longer. In fact, I’m hoping we’ll get more story concerning Drake in the near future.

Spider-Island: Amazing Spider-Girl #3: This was a weak offering focusing on a former interesting character to me. I hope Marvel does something that better fits Spider-Girl. And the artist chose too often to show various characters with their mouths wide open in exclamation.

Supergirl #2: Boring. This issue was mostly a fight scene between Supergirl and Superman. The decompression storytelling style does not benefit this title at this point. Let’s move on and make the character an interesting read. If we continue down this same path, I will be dropping this title.

Superman #2: This was definitely an improvement on issue one. I am really liking the relationship between Clark and Lois as depicted here–it’s different from anything we’ve seen previously with these two. Lois treats Clark as an equal and not, as usually depicted, the hick from Smallville who confounds her as to his scoops. Lois is also instrumental in helping to save Superman from an alien attack.

Voodoo #2: First of all, apologies to Sami Basri for my identifying him as a she on the podcast. Mr. Basri’s art is so far the saving grace of this title. I’m still not convinced that this title is a stinker as much of the Internet seems to think, but at the very least the Basri art is a nice draw. :) I am curious about this mission that Voodoo has, and why she considers humanity weak and contemptible. The adversarial relationship between Voodoo and Fallon could work well, or it could be like that of David Banner and Jack McGee from the Incredible Hulk tv series. Plus, we all now know that Ron Marz has been pulled form the series, so how will that change the tone and direction of the series?

I also read All-Star Western #2 (not much went on in this issue, but it looked good), FF #11 (whoo-wee! I cannot wait to see what happens next issue!), Firestorm #2, I, Vampire #2 (this has moved to my pull list and am still surprised at how much I enjoy this title considering I wasn’t even going to pick up issue one), Savage Hawkman #2, Star Trek #2, and Teen Titans #2 (This is another title that improved in issue two and continues to impress me. Not like I, Vampire, mind you, but still better than I thought this title would be.).

Pull List Review: 10/12/11 Comics

Eric P. I.1 Comment

Batgirl #2: This continues to be stellar, and more so for the art by Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes, and Ulises Arreola. I don’t care for the villain, Mirror (I appreciate his motives, but the whole mirror motif? C’mon . . .), but I do like that Babs is being shown as vulnerable, though extremely driven. And does Commissioner Gordon know about Babs’s nocturnal activities? It seems like he does not, but the look on his face when he’s told that Batgirl is back makes me think that he does. I hope he does. I would like that element to be present in this book.

Batman & Robin #2: I’ve never been a big fan of Peter Tomasi’s work, but his writing on this title is clicking for me in a big way. I love how they’re showing Bruce struggling with being a father and mentor to Damian, with Alfred struggling himself to help Bruce in that regard. That panel of Alfred watching Damian kill that bat and toss it aside–while being overly heavy-handed metaphorically–effectively showed his despair and worry for the boy. As far as the villain of the book, I’m curious if this is something new or started elsewhere. I’m not sure if I like the idea of Bruce being a part of some nefarious group that disapproves of his current path (ok, that part I actually like).

Batwoman #2: Did I miss the story of how Batman and Batwoman met and Batman sanctioned her work in his city? Cuz if I did, I’d like to read that. Also, if that DEO agent was looking for who Batwoman is, I don’t think it’d be too hard to know that she’s Kate Kane because of her skin and hair color (it’s so white and red, respectively!). For that matter, Detective Sawyer should now be able to put two and two together. There are some great lines in this. Batman talks about being careful with side-kicks since the murdered ones tend to come back from the dead as super-villains. Later, as Batwoman talks to herself, she says, “God, this is so Camp Crystal Lake.” This right before she’s attacked by the “monster”. The writing team of J. H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman is doing a good job of keeping me entertained.

Demon Knights #2: I don’t know how Paul Cornell does it. Throw in Middle Ages-ish DC characters, some dragons (reptilian and robotic alike), more than a dash of humor, and end up with one highly entertaining comic book. I like all of the major players (Vandal Savage especially in this issue) and cannot wait to see where this is all going. If you’re not reading this, huh? It’s in my top 5 books for sure.

FF #10: Barry Kitson is such a tease. I see his name on the cover (huzzah!) and think More Barry Kitson drawn Sue Storm! YES! But I really didn’t get that much since Hickman seems intent on writing scenes with other characters for some reason. :D However, that scene he wrote between Sue and Reed was beautiful. So much unspoken, but said very well. Hickman is fast replacing Bendis in my mind as THE Marvel writer to read. And having Kitson draw his story is just luscious icing on the cake.

Green Lantern #2: Just when you thought that Sinestro as a Green Lantern again was mind blowing, Geoff Johns and company throw this at us: Sinestro makes a GL ring and gives it to Hal so that Hal can help Sinestro save Korugar. And we all learn why Sinstro was once considered the greatest GL of all: he schools Jordan on the usage of the power ring, making Hal look like a rank amateur. Sinstro wields the ring like a surgeon does a scalpel, while Hal uses it like a bat. I love how Hal’s reputation as a great GL is being undercut here, for it will only make him a stronger Green Lantern in the end. I know that this isn’t what someone new to this comic will probably not like to see considering what the GL movie showed the general public (or maybe they won’t mind it that much), but man, I am loving this change of pace.

Resurrection Man #2: I’m not yet sure what to make of this book. The whole Resurrection Man angle is actually the not so interesting part, which does not bode well for the title, but I like the angelic stuff. However, things like “Cheruphone” and the Carmen/Bonnie duo are just so over the top, but I liked the now aged super-villain character. It’s like the book is at war with itself. The ending though really makes me take notice. I guess issue three will be the defining factor in whether I continue with this title.

Shade #1: So, if you’re James Robinson and a fan of his work on Starman, I guess you can go home again. I and many others have given Robinson crap over the years because his work after Starman has been not so Starman-y. But here we get the Robinson from Starman back, like he never left us. Shade was also my favorite character from that series, so this is a super win for me. I am interested in knowing, however, if or how this fits into the post-Flashpoint DCU (it certainly seems as if it is set in the DCnU since Shade refers to Mikel’s gorilla friend). Since there’s no longer a JSA to draw from as the Starman series did, how does that affect the character and story threads now? And talk about your cliffhanger endings! I cannot wait to see how  Shade gets himself out of the mess that Deathstroke put him in. Finally, it seems that every few issues of the twelve will feature a different artist, so I’m looking forward to how that will contribute to the overall story. This issue was drawn by Cully Hamner and was the appropriate amount of atmosphere.

Suicide Squad #2: I really did not expect to enjoy this title at all, but I love the moral ambiguity that Deadshot seems to be mired in, and am looking forward to seeing more of this, especially with El Diablo quite clearly being Deadshot’s conscious manifest. In fact, this Deadshot reminds me a lot of Catman in the last Secret Six series. Oh! That’s what this comic needs, Catman in it! :) Aside: I really wish the artists in comics would be more consistent. There doesn’t appear to be another artist filling in, yet a few panels are quite obviously different (look how Harley Quinn is drawn on page three and then again on page 9, panels five and six), but are they so because the artist of record was rushed, or did DC bring in some help to get the book out in time? If it’s the former, shame on the artist, if the latter, then DC should give credit, even if I don’t care for the work done.

I also read Alpha Flight #5 (such a disappointment this whole series has been), Buffy S9 #2 (this was an improvement on issue 1, though it was really only the last page that kicked up this current story a notch), Legion Lost #2, New Avengers #17 (here’s something to get off my chest: Spider-Man should not be shown in his black and white FF suit unless he’s in FF!), SHIELD #3 (hmm, there was meaningful dialog only on the last two pages; the rest of this comic was “silent” battle scenes–I think I was ripped off just a little), and Unwritten #30 (a great ending to the latest storyline).

Pull List Review (9/28/11 Comics)

Eric P. I.Leave a comment

Most of the comics from that week were DC’s new number ones and Travis & I reviewed them in the latest LBR podcast. To find out what I thought of those fourth week DCnU 52 comics*, have a listen.

Now on with the rest of the comics I read from that week.

FF #9: The moments in this comic just keep coming. After fellow villains turn on Dr. Doom, he triumphs and attacks Diablo, which prompts the Mad Thinker to wax a bit metatextual in that he tries to convince Doom to do what is unexpected, what is missing in the story, i.e., him being merciful, and the Mad Thinker says, “Shock the world, Victor. Shock the world.” To which Doom replies, “I think not,” as he blasts Diablo (and presumably the Mad Thinker). Later, I noticed that the alternate Reeds have various weapons, one of which is the Infinity Gauntlet and another has Rom’s blaster! Finally, one of the Reeds not only captures Doom, but humbles the dictator by literally collaring him under the threat of frying Doom’s brain if Doom does not help that Reed. Wow.

Mighty Thor #6: Well, at times, this was a fun ride. This is my last issue of this series, since I’d read that Marvel is bringing in a new Thunder God in this title, so I’m gone! While this storyline started out with a BANG, it ended in a much more subtle way, though, do we really need to have Silver Surfer trapped on Earth or is it Asgard? I’m not clear on where exactly the Surfer is stationed. Also, the bit involving the preacher becoming Galactus’ new herald seemed very fast in coming. I didn’t get the sense in the previous five issues that this character would want to become what he does here. Also, when did Silver Surfer become the uncaring character that he describes himself to be? Granted, I do not read a lot of Marvel titles and haven’t for many years, so maybe this depiction of the Surfer is currently accurate? It just felt like well-trodden ground to me. My final complaint involves the timeline in the last few pages. After the battle between Asgard and Galactus is averted, one of the next pages indicates the time being “Later”, yet Thor now has a full beard. So, either Thor’s beard grows really fast, or the timeline here is messed up. However, despite these small issues, I actually really enjoyed this title overall. It made me a fan of Matt Fraction’s writing, and the Olivier Coipel art was pretty good. I especially liked the characterization of Loki and his relationship with Thor. I think I’ll miss it.

New Avengers #16.1: You know, I used to really like Neal Adams’ art, but apparently not any more. This issue is even more poorly drawn than Adams’ work in Batman: Odyssey. In fact, my dislike of the art colors my overall impression of the issue. Anyway, this issue is just a set up of the return of the Dark Avengers arc that appears to be the next major storyline in this title. I almost dropped the title after hearing that Osborn and his team were coming back, though I thought Marvel and Bendis were allowing the Dark Avengers to take over the book again and I wanted nothing to do with that, but some solicitations I’d read indicated to me that my beloved New Avengers will still be a focal point of their book.

Sixth Gun #15: Talk about decompressed storytelling. Plot-wise, not much happens in this issue, but man, the Gord Cantrell part of the issue was C R E E P Y! In fact, some panels reminded me of the The Shining. And the final page with Becky and her dead father showing up was a nice cliff-hanger to get me wanting the next issue! Hmm, now that I think about it, ghosts are a connecting element between both mini-stories in this issue.

* These are the titles we reviewed:

  • All-Star Western #1
  • Aquaman #1
  • Batman: The Dark Knight #1
  • Blackhawks #1 (not really–neither of us read it!)
  • Flash #1
  • Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #1
  • Green Lantern: New Guardians #1
  • I, Vampire #1
  • Justice League Dark #1
  • Savage Hawkman #1
  • Teen Titans #1
  • Voodoo #1

Pull List Review (7/27/11 Comics)

Eric P. I.1 Comment

Batman: The Dark Knight #4: You know, I only bought this series because of Finch’s work on covers I’d seen. I am always leery of artists with seemingly no writing experience taking on writing & art duties in a book (insert your early Image Comics joke here), but I have to say I was impressed by Finch’s first few issues of this title. Of course, he doesn’t draw this issue, but Jason Fabok on pencils and Ryan Winn and Batt on inks do a really good job of evoking Finch’s style. I am intrigued by Ragman’s appearance in this story (and the devil-worshiping cabal whose cloaks look an awful lot like Ragman’s suit). I’m not sure all the demons and demon-possessed folks showing up as much as they are in a Batman story fits, but I’m along for the ride (at least until September). That final two-page spread was done well, evoking a sense of cinematic dread (but does Batman really not see or hear them approaching?). I am ignoring the Gordon sub-plot, just because I won’t be returning to it in September. Four Batman-family books are enough, I think.

Brightest Day Aftermath: Search for Swamp Thing #2: Bah.

Criminal: Last of the Innocent #2: Another great issue. Ed Brubaker does a really good job of developing character, which is my favorite thing about any story, in a comic book or otherwise. Plus, I love the bad guy as protagonist, which Criminal the series excels at. The art style of the flashbacks continue to please me, and add a nice juxtaposition between the dark grittiness of the main story and the Archie Comics feel of the past sequences. Nicely done.

Fables #107: I bought this only because Terry Moore was listed as a guest artist (plus that Joao Ruas cover is quite striking). I have to admit, I was a little disappointed in what I got. Moore’s work on Strangers in Paradise is at times sublime, and almost always better than most comic artists out there, but here, it was . . . typical for this book, I guess. The story was also typical if you’ve read enough of Fables, as I have. I did like, however, the sign shown in the background of one panel where a line of newly minted princes await their turn to kiss the Sleeping Beauty; it reads: “No tongue! No touching! No ogling! No drooling! No gifts!”, and then, tacked onto the sign at the bottom: “No singing!” Hah! Take that Disney!

FF #7: Part two of the Black Bolt interlude. Nothing to say here, really.

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2: I wonder if anything will be made of the facts that the Flash, in the present, and Kid Flash in the future knows that the universe has changed. Or is it simply that because of what the Reverse-Flash did to change the DCU via his anti-Speed Force (dark SF?), and that Barry and Bart are connected via the Speed Force, that’s enough of an explanation? I guess in this case I’d like things to be spelled out for me a bit more, but then, why do I care when we get the new status quo next month?

Flashpoint: Lois Lane & the Resistance #2: This is currently my least favorite of the tie-ins. When I pick up something called Lois Lane and the Resistance, I expect Lois Lane to be the focal point of the story, but she really wasn’t in this issue. Plus, I just don’t care for Grifter.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #2: Now this issue was actually pretty good. Seeing how General Lane adopts the alien Kal-El as a surrogate son over time was nice to read, plus how Subject Zero helps Kal over the years, only to be schooled in humanity by the alien boy was also nice. It’s definitely a nice change of pace from the General Lane we were shown in Superman: Secret Origin (I feel like I have to spit when I type that title . . .).

Mighty Thor #4: Now this is more like it! Odin and Thor (and the other Asgardians, presumably, though they are conspicuously absent in this great battle) take on Galactus! But it’s not merely a physical fight, and I appreciate Matt Fraction showing us a battle of minds between the two “gods”. We get to see a side of Galactus that I have never seen, and I actually feel some compassion for that old blow-hard Odin. Then, after Thor has flung himself and Mjolnir at Galactus’s head, the Silver Surfer attacks Thor and they land on Mars! That’s a helluva distance, I presume.

Sixth Gun #13: Ok, so now we know why Sinclair was so spooked by the appearance of the mummy from last issue. Regardless, I’m starting to wonder if I should keep reading this title. It definitely started out strong for me, but these last few issues is just more of the same. I want the plot to move along, little doggey.

Teen Titans #98: I haven’t had much to say about this title in recent months, and I’ll only add this now: Superboy-Prime is back? Blech. I am so sick of this character. So sick of the recurring trope of Conner saying he’s the “real” Superboy and Prime going all ballistic. Just sick of this story being retold again and again, and this storyline is what will end this title before the relaunch? Ugh.

Wonder Woman #613: We are finally shown the events leading up to the “old” Wonder Woman being replaced by this “new” version. The rest of the issue is mostly a fight scene between Nemesis and WW, ending with Diana reclaiming all of “herself” that Nemesis had taken, but still, and refreshingly, in her new outfit (which I have grown to like quite a lot–I hope the relaunch WW keeps the pants). Next issue is the last before the relaunch, so I suppose we’ll have a battle royale.

Xombi #5: God, I love this book. I love the visuals, I love the ideas, I love the characters. Rozum and Irving have created something unique at DC Comics (hell, anywhere, really), and I hate to see it go (I know, I keep saying it, but it’s still true). Irving’s art is either getting better or I’m just getting used to it, but I still think it’s lovely. I love how he uses shading/shadows to create form. And I think where I’m getting used to the art is where he uses coloring–I didn’t mind it so much this time. The only problem I have with this issue is the two pages that were spent on David talking about the love of his life who, correct me if I’m wrong, we haven’t even seen in these five issues. Why bring this up now and spend so much time on it? If it doesn’t come up in some way in the next, the last, it was a wasted moment on Rozum’s part. I look forward to the resolution of this storyline.