Bought/Thizzought 07/27/11 (Spoilers of course)

[Phaedrus45]

Next Men #8

NOOOOOOO!!!! One of my favorite new series, and it's all coming to an end. Plus, it would apppear that any hopes of another series might not happen, as Byrne's going to essentially do away with the Next Men ever happening. (It all involves a bunch of time travel and such.)

This was another fantastic issue, as we saw the many lives that Gillian took on throughout the years. We get brief glimpses of those lives, as she transfer's her/(his?) spirit to different people, sharing their body willingly, and then going to another. It all takes us up to the present time in this book, which is actually far in the future, where the entity has aquired its own body.

Good issue, great series, and as I've said before, I never thought I'd be so wowwed by Byrne ever again. I guess I should at least be thankful that he's closed out these characters in such a spectacular fashion. Too bad more people didn't realize what a good series they were missing. t:

Gotham City Sirens #25

Speaking of great series...this one has usually just been mediocre at best. Nothing significant ever really happened ... that is, until the whole Harley Quinn going to kill The Joker storyline came about. Calloway has turned this book on its head, and I'm dying for each new issue. (Sadly, it all ends next month.) For those who haven't read the past 9 or so issues, Catwoman was going through some tough times in her relationship with Batman. She loves him, but she realizes that the relationship isn't anything that Bruce is willing to dedicate himself to. As she pours out her feelings to Harley, much of what Selina says about her and Bats is how Harley feels about The Joker. Thus, she breaks off and decides she must kill him. (While this is going on, Poison Ivy and Catwoman break off their friendship, as Catwoman goes on a mission to help Bats deal with Azrael.) This leaves Poison Ivy to rescue Harley from breaking into Arkham.

Needless to say, things don't go as planned. Harley has the gun turned on Joker; but, her feelings of love overtake her, and next thing you know, she's hugging and kissing him again, like nothing had ever changed. A huge breakout at Arkham ensues..and, as Poison Ivy goes to help her friend, Catwoman (with the help of Bats), take Ivy and Harley into custody. Most notable, Harley outs Poison Ivy, noting that Ivy has lesbian feelings for Harley. That all brings us up to this issue, as Poison Ivy wants to kill Harley for making her aware of her feelings!!!

Oh, yeah. It's total soap opera mixed with super hero action; but, it's done so well. By issue's end, Harley and Ivy are square again; and, they have a new target: Catwoman. Needless to say, I cannot wait for next month's final issue! This might even be my Book Of The Week. t:

Fear Itself: The Worthy One-Shot

An okay tie-in with Fear Itself. It just gives short origin stories of all the characters who have one of the enchanted hammers. I have to admit to being slightly disappointed. I thought I was going to get origin stories of the entities that have taken over the bodies of The Worthy. Still, the writers have done a good job with the little space they are given; although, you won't learn anything new if you're knowledgable out the various characters involved.

Wonder Woman #613

After 14 issues, we finally get the answer to what Straczynski's storyline is all about. We get a peek at what preceded everything, and how Wonder Woman lost her memory. Best of all, this storyline has gotten so much better in the past 4 issues, that I found myself putting Wonder Woman near the top of my must-read pile. It's definitely, hands-down, much better than Straczynski's Superman storyline!

X-Men: Schism #2

I'm one of the few that liked the first issue of this mini, and found that this second issue continued to deliver. I like how the Hellfire Club has removed its mutant element, and they now are embracing a non-mutant stance. The addition of children being a focal point to the new Club only adds to the appeal. (That girl that loves the thing in the tube was a nice touch.)

My only complaint is how the first part of these storylines are being charged $4.99. That's really taking it to the readers; but, I will complain less when they capture my interest, like they have here.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Wow, how did I get Dread in there? My bad, JH. That was an odd snafu.

Either way, my point was that Uncanny is actually the longest published.

Currently, yes, but it's being relaunched in a few months (part of the reason why the promotion of it still being issue 500-something on the Juggernaut/Colossus cover is absurd). I was meaning after that happens and after the DC relaunch happens... then Legacy will be the longest ongoing.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Time to get out some final reviews, before new stuff comes out tomorrow.

Fathom #1

I've never read much of Fathom before; but, as I've been liking Executive Assistant, and I usually enjoy Scott Lobdell's writing, I decided to give this new relaunch a try. Sadly, it did nothing for me. Besides having a hot gal as the main star, the storyline felt rather generic. It was nice, though, that Lobdell filled in any holes about what's happened before; so, I never felt lost. Still, I won't be grabbing a second issue.

Action Comics #903

While the last half of Cornell's Lex Luthor storyline wasn't as good as the first, it's still much better than this crappy Doomsday storyline. In fact, this is so bad, I'd almost swear it's written by someone else. About the only thing I've liked is that The Eradicator finally got killed ... BUT WAIT, not anymore! Nope, we learn in this issue that his spirit is now inhabiting one of the Doomsdays.

Crappy story, not great art, and even worse dialogue. What a crappy way to end Action Comics, before the relaunch in September.

DeadpoolMax #10

This comic has been rather hit and miss for me. Thankfully, it's more hit than miss. Not this issue, though. The art seemed especially bad, and I didn't find it held up as good as many of the other issues, especially when it came to humor. Still, when compared to the previous two comics I just reviewed, it doesn't seem as bad. For that reason, I give this issue a very mild .

Retroactive Green Lantern: 1970's One-Shot

So far, this series of one-shots have been a disappointment; and, this issue is the worst of the bunch. Dennis O'Neil writes this tale, during the time when Green Arrow shared the book with Green Lantern. They both have a separate adventure, and the writing is extremely choppy. It's kind of neat to see Grell's art; but, it all seems rushed. No great thought was put into this; and, it pales even more in comparision to the reprint in the second half of the book. (It's the classic Green Lantern issue, where Green Arrow chastizes Lantern for defending a slumlord, leading to that famous road trip with them and a Guardian.)

For those who never read that classic issue, it's a nice addition; but, I've seen that one too many times. I'd rather have gotten to see a more rare issue...and, like previous Retroactive issues, it would have been nice to have the new story fit into that old tale. (The original was so bad and the classic is kind of nice...so, I give it this mediocre rating. They kind of cancel each other out.)

Retroactive Justice League Of America: 1970's One-Shot

Now, this is one of the best of the Retroactive bunch. The cover alone would make me want to buy this issue, as I remember this type of classic cover when I was a kid in the 70's. Cary Bates writes the new tale, as well as the classic reprint. They both take place in Earth Prime, and it was always neat to see the heroes I read come visit a world very much like our own. Back then, it was more unusual for me to see the writers and artists of these comics appear in the comics; and this issue's two stories are about that.

A fun trip back, and a nice retro tale by an old writer. Best of all, this doesn't feel phoned in, like the previous comic.

The Vault #1

This new three-part series from Image just felt like it was stealing from various horror movies I've seen throughout the years. The Vault is a pit that is filled with water (I can't figure if it's part of the ocean, or what), and an archeological dig is going underwater to discover lost treasure of various shipwrecks. What they find is a temple, of sorts; and, by the end, they pull up an old tomb with a body inside. (You know once they open it, they'll all be killed off.) OH, and (of course) there is a storm a comin'.

Very uninspired. Don't bother.

Avengers Academy #16

Shipped a week late (with another issue coming tomorrow), this book still holds up, even with the Fear Itself tie-in. The ending is very emotional, and I love the Gage makes each of his characters unique not only in powers, but also in personality.

I do have one complaint, though. I'm a bit confused by the spirits that are taking over the various Fear Itself individuals. In some cases (Thing and Hulk), the possessed cannot seem to speak English, except in rare cases where the original personality is trying to fight through; but, then we have issues, like this one, where they banter with the people fighting them. Heck, Absorbing Man even talks like himself much of the time. It makes me wonder if the definition of the possession was never fully explained. (Or, at least, Marvel should have spent a little time explaining the entity that's controling the individual.)

Uncanny X-Force #12

Another good issue. The interpersonal relationships between the teammates works so well, much better than the crap we see in Teen Titans. Plus, I'm loving this Age Of Apocalypse storyline. The interaction between AoA's Jean Grey and 616 Wolverine is nice. I also like how Logan tries to hold back, thinking about his girlfriend back home.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Flashpoint: Lois Lane And The Resistance #2

It seems about half of the Flashpoint tie-ins are really good, and the other half I could probably do without. Still, none are particularily bad; just, some seem more important to the Flashpoint storyline than others. This issue is one of them. It introduces Grifter into the DC Universe; but, more importantly, Grifter's team gels well together. Adding Lois Lane to the mix only ups that ante. (Lois hasn't been this interesting in ages.)

DC getting Abnett and Lanning to write this book was genius. There are mixtures of Guardians Of The Galaxy, especially with Canterbury Cricket being involved. I do have to admit a bit of apprehension with the addition of Grifter in the DCU. There is no logical reason why he would suddenly appear in the Flashpoint Universe; and, it's all a ploy to make Lee's Wildstorm Universe more accessable. Still, this is something that can only benefit Wildstorm. There readership has really dropped, and only the hardcore faithful were buying their books last year.

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2

This book is only okay. Bringing back Hot Pursuit in the form of Spivot didn't do much for me; and, I've never been a huge Kid Flash fan, anyway. Plus, having it all take place in the 31st century makes the events not that important to Flashpoint. A very mild .

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2

Another title that doesn't exactly wow me. I guess it's important in knowing what Hal did instead of becoming a Green Lantern; but, the big fight scene at the end involving a monster attacking Coast City is handled rather sloppily. My least favorite of the four this week.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #2

This is my favorite of the week, and I shouldn't be that surprised. Scott Snyder is fast becoming on of the best writers at DC. If his name is on a book, I'm picking it up! (He also does American Vampire and Detective Comics.) This book tells of what happened to Superman after he crashed to Earth; and, it's not a happy tale. The government has him, and this issue is chock full of neat scenes. (The best is the incident involving Lex, his father, and Krypto. Needless to say, Lex's father might be more dispicable than Lex, himself.)

This is one of the must-get tie-ins.

Detective Comics #880

This is my favorite of all the Bat-titles...maybe with the exception of Gotham City Sirens, lately. Snyder has done a fantastic job, and I'm loving the storyline involving Jim Gordon's psycho son; and, best of all, the build up to it has been fantastic. It's definitely kept me coming back, and I can't wait for the conclusion next issue. My only complaint is that I wish this book didn't have one of the worst artists.

Venom #5

I just have trouble getting into the title ... and, this issue didn't help things any. It could have come with a commercial, saying, "And, now, for a very special episode of Venom." It's one of those sappy, "oh-look-at-what-a-terrible-childhood" issues, where we are suppose to sympathize with the bad family life the main character had. It's all overly melodramatic, and I found myself rolling my eyes more than feeling an attatchment to Flash Thompson. I'm still not buying him as the new Venom, and I just wish Eddie Brock never lost it.

Wolverine: The Best There Is #8

I finally read the last 7 issues of this book, and I must say ... it was tough to get through. Surprisingly enough, this is the one issue that isn't dialogue heavy. It's a rare all-action issue; and, I found myself seeing the potential this book has. (It kind of reminded me of some of the old Cable issues that used to run in his first series.) Still, it's a tough book to enjoy, especially since that first storyline is still important to the telling of this new one. The book needs a fresh, jumping on point. As it stands, it just needs to be cancelled.

I was going to give this my mediocre review; but, like I said, by issue's end, I found my interest rising. A mild .

Godzilla: Kingdom Of Monsters #5

This is the silliest comic. BUT...ya know, I found myself by issue's end interested in what's coming next for the first time. Don't get me wrong, it's still as choppy as hell, flipping from one scene to the next; and, it's tough to take any of it seriously. (The Lady GaGa Poker Face joke is a good example of that.) I guess I just realized that Powell is bringing his brand of storytelling to this book; and, from there, you see the slightly demented reason for his storytelling.

A mild , because like with the above Wolverine, I found myself sitting up and taking notice for the first time. Still, the other Godzilla book is much better.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Finally, three titles that all get a from me.

Astonishing X-Men #40

Even though I'm enjoying the other story running in this book more (and, the one most people don't seem to want to give a chance), this spin-off of S.W.O.R.D. is a nice change of pace. I like the characters, quite a bit; and, Lockheed being back with Kitty is a nice spin. Good fun!

Dracula: The Company Of Monsters #12

The final issue in this series. I'm not sure if this Busiek inspired book will get a sequel; but, it's open for one. Still, if it just sticks with the 12 issues, readers could be satisfied with this title. It turned out to be a much better Dracula story than what Marvel ended up doing with Curse Of The Mutants.

Executive Assistant: Violet - The Hit List Agenda #1

Probably my least favorite of the four minis that center around The Hit List Agenda; but, still enjoyable. Each comic's anti-hero is different enough from the rest; but, they all share the Executive Assistant job description. Best of all, the women are beautiful, the art is nice, and the action heavy. Don't expect greatness; but, do expect to just have fun reading the books.

 

[Phaedrus45]

So, of the 36 books I got around to reviewing this week (I think I still have about 10 or more I never got to), my Best Of The Week is going to be Gotham City Sirens. This is rather contingent on the reader following the story for the past 8 or so issues; as, each one has built on the other.

A special mention to Next Men #8, though. Hardly a soul gave the book a chance, and that's probably heavily to do with how much Byrne has tarnished his reputation with quality product over the years; but, it's a fantastic series, and a great conclusion to this group of heroes he created during those wild early 90's.


My Worst Of The Week is a no-brainer. It belongs to FF #7. It's an insult to the entire Fault storyline to have Blackbolt's dog go fetch him from from it; and, then adding to it a ridiculous storyline involving five brides. Wow, I don't think even Bendis could have made me hate a complete botch of a character like Hickman just did.

A special mention to Retroactive: Green Lantern. That first story could easily have been the Worst Of The Week, if not for the classic reprint that followed it.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

You know, I just started the Executive Assistant series but damned if I don't have trouble keeping track of when they come out. I put them on my pull list at my shop, but it's gonna be at least 3 months before they get a clue and add them, and I never seem to notice them on Diamond's list to pick them up at my alternate store when I get to go. Ah well, more business for Lone Star from me.

 

[El Bastardo]

How is it that none of you read Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker? This is crazy. This is maddening. NO, there shall be no Sparta quip forthcoming.

 

[Watchman]

How is it that none of you read Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker? This is crazy. This is maddening. NO, there shall be no Sparta quip forthcoming.

I love Butcher Baker.

Definitely my favorite superhero comic being published right now. It's just a nice swift kick to to the balls to everything that is "safe" and "decent" about superhero books. And the art! Find me something that looks like Huddleston's art in any other book.

 

[Phaedrus45]

How is it that none of you read Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker? This is crazy. This is maddening. NO, there shall be no Sparta quip forthcoming.

I get it; but, I'm way behind in reading the past bunch of issues.

 

[Tron Bonne]

How is it that none of you read Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker? This is crazy. This is maddening. NO, there shall be no Sparta quip forthcoming.

Foo', you know I'm reading that book.

 

[El Bastardo]

I love Butcher Baker.

Definitely my favorite superhero comic being published right now. It's just a nice swift kick to to the balls to everything that is "safe" and "decent" about superhero books. And the art! Find me something that looks like Huddleston's art in any other book.

Damn right.

Foo', you know I'm reading that book.

No, I didn't. Because you never TALK to me anymore. You just... you just... Well, you know what you do, don't you?

 

[Tron Bonne]

I told you before, when I commented on the coolness of your sig once. But I guess you just don't listen to me. All you want from me is, well, you know. We both know.