Bought/Thought 5/23/12, a.k.a. the "WTF, Irredeemable just ENDED?" Edition

[TheCorpulent1]

Irredeemable #37: Yeah, so this series is now done. Over. That happened. I had absolutely no idea it was going to be ending with this issue, but end it did. And the ending was a little bit cheesy, but in a good way. Good on you, Waid. It was a damn good read while it lasted.

 

[CConn]

Didn't they announce it was ending like 6 months ago?

Also. Someone, please tell me how Secret Avengers was. I'm unsure whether it's worth my 4 bills.

 

[KingMob]

Batman Incorporated 1 - So glad this is back. Awesome book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Didn't they announce it was ending like 6 months ago?

If they did, I was obviously unaware of it. I want Waid to write more Irredeemable, damn it. And now it seems Incorruptible is ending, too. Last issue had a "to be concluded" at the end of it. AAAARGH, why is Mark Waid doing this to me?!

 

[CConn]

Batman Incorporated #1: Grant Morrison is back with a vengeance. While it may be set a little farther in the future than his last Inc. series, Morrison picks up his storyline right where it left off, and continues to interject those weird, zany, and random things that have been interwoven throughout his Batman run. This new series appears (and I definitely only say "appears" as it's just one issue) to be a little bit more cohesive and linear in its storytelling than his last Inc. series...which should make it even better than before.

Fantastic Four #607: I liked this issue. Now that his massive, almost-never ending storyline is finished, Hickman seems content to tell a few one shots that do little but highlight the FF and their storied history and supporting characters. In this issue, the FF travel inside the human body to save the life of a dear, old friend of theirs. I enjoyed the plotting of the issue a lot, and the concept was classic FF. While it could have bit a bit more "fun" in terms of banter between the team, it was still a very timeless and sentimental issue of FF.

Captain America #12: I thought it was a pretty good issue. A little bit more in tune with Bru's classic Cap's focus on espionage and investigation. Zircher's art is strong, but I can't help but notice that Brubaker is writing a much more decompressed story in this new Cap series than he ever has before. Ever page seems to have a maximum of 5 panels. While I'm no fan of decompression, I will say, I do think it gives the art more room to breath and really impact the reader more than his more condensed stories did.

 

[The Morningstar]

If they did, I was obviously unaware of it. I want Waid to write more Irredeemable, damn it. And now it seems Incorruptible is ending, too. Last issue had a "to be concluded" at the end of it. AAAARGH, why is Mark Waid doing this to me?!

Maybe it's because he has another big superhero project lined up...

 

[CConn]

He's also writing The Avengers (not the Marvel ones, the British TV show ones) for Boom in the fall too.

 

[The Morningstar]

OHHHHHHHHHHHH! You had me excited there...

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, for real. Who cares about the British Avengers?

Although that cosmic Boom comic from DnA has me intrigued.

 

[CConn]

Who cares about 90% of the comics Boom publishes?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Mark Waid. Until he cancels them.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Secret Avengers #27: Good issue. Ms. Marvel's gonna be mad embarrassed when whatever mind control the Kree have on her wears off, though. And wasn't Mar-Vell married when he died? To that chick from Titan? Or was that just a fling? Whatever, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. All of the links between Mar-Vell and Elysius are dead at this point, and even if they weren't, cheating isn't exactly the worst thing he's doing in this arc. So yeah, it was pretty good. Avengers vs. X-Men is really not being kind to Thor so far, though. It's a real shame. After being built up as one of the absolute most badass powerhouses of the Marvel universe in previous events, as he should be, he's getting his ass kicked left and right in this one.

Thor #14: F***ing Fraction. This is all. So. Stupid.

Aquaman #9: Meh. It was all right, I guess. I just don't feel any connection to or interest in anything going on. I'll give it until #12--one full year--and if I still don't give a s***, I'll just drop it. Shame, too. Aquaman used to be one of my favorite characters. One more strike against DC for me.

Batman: The Dark Knight #9: Wow. F*** you, Judd Winick, and f*** whoever approves covers at DC. I thought Tim Drake would be featured in this issue, but instead it was a bunch of bulls*** about some random Talon I couldn't care less about. Tim appears in one panel. And it doesn't even make sense with the rest of "Night of the Owls." Bruce fought this Talon early in his career yet still somehow convinced himself that the Court of Owls was just a myth? Kind of s***ty for the world's greatest detective. I can see now why others have been getting tired of "Night of the Owls." Outside of Snyder's stuff, it seems to fall apart under other writers' ineptitude.

 

[CConn]

...and I'm glad I didn't but Dark Knight.

But nex month? It's on like donkey kong.

 

[Spider-Nerd]

I was going to buy dark knight but after the reviews....pass. Save for batman, nightwing, and red hood, night of the owls has been forgettable.

 

[CConn]

Um, isn't that like 80% of Night of Owls?

That's a pretty good success rate for a tie in event.

 

[Spider-Nerd]

Maybe but I'm being generous by saying I liked red hood. I thought it was okay and I'd put batman and nightwing clearly above it but DC, TDK, and Batgirl haven't done it for me.

 

[CConn]

Well, one DC isn't part of Night of the Owls.

Batgirl has sucked its entire run, as has TDK.

I dunno, it just seems kinda unfair to blame it on the crossover when it really doesn't have anything to do with the crossover.

 

[WalkingDeadMike]

Maybe but I'm being generous by saying I liked red hood. I thought it was okay and I'd put batman and nightwing clearly above it but DC, TDK, and Batgirl haven't done it for me.

Well if you didn't know Batgirl was garbage after the first issue, shame on you.

 

[runawayboulder]

So it turns out the new Scourge in Captain America is

Spoiler

D-Man! Which is cool because once upon a time he was a terrific Cap supporting character/ally. Way before he was a crybaby and the butt of jokes in New Avengers.

 

[CConn]

The only thing I didn't like about that reveal was the fact they had to actually put a text box explaining who he was. It would've been more powerful if it was immediately visually evident who he was.

 

[runawayboulder]

I think that's because he hasn't been seen in a Cap book since the mid 90's. A newer reader wouldn't know him by just looking at him.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I skimmed Dark Knight and quickly decided it wasn't worth buying. I also almost considered buying a Star Wars comic (which I've never done). It was with Darth Vader and I've been in a Star Wars mood. The problem is that I'm trying to cut massive buying and trying yet another book does not help that. So I passed. What's the point of dropping the 6 or 7 books I've dropped this week if I replace them?

Anyhow, on to what I did buy:

Batman, Incorporated #1 - This issue was alright. It was a beginning and I'm curious where it goes. I was curious if this was going to completely ignore the New 52 stuff but it references the Batman & Robin arc that just wrapped up and maybe some other stuff (that I didn't recognize or at least remember) so that's not the case. My main thing is that if Barbra shows up as Batgirl and nothing ever comes of Stephanie by the end of this series then it'll feel very wierd as a single, Morrison reading experience.

The art was good. Though I was pretty tired of Morrison by the end of the last volume enough time's passed where it's nice to return to it. I'm eager to see where it all goes and how it all ends.

Has it been revealed or hinted at how long this series will last?

Justice League Dark #9 - Jeff Lemire takes over writing duties and it's alright. He removes Shade the Changing Man and Mindwarp (who never really did anything with the team to begin with) and adds two of his own members. Thing is, I don't really care about these two. Black Orchid is a mystery and, not reading I, Vampire, Andrew Bennett doesn't mean anything to me. I mean, yeah, I read the crossover but he was dead most of the time. Also, Milligan played up the angle of them HAVING to work together to save the world. It felt like Vampire Rising was just a divergent story in that but here Lemure kinda wiggles his way out of it by claiming that might have been it. That felt odd but at least the team's free to advance now. It reads like Lemure's just trying to set the stage for his own run instead of Milligan's and I'm okay with that.

Anyhow, I've read that Lemure is keeping Deadman, Constatine, and Zatanna as the core three while switching up the rest as the series moves foreward. I'm cool with that because those are the three that I enjoy the most. I'm intrigued by the Black Room that's coming up and what's found here, the map to the Books of Magic, seems interesting. I've not read the Books of Magic comic but I've heard good things. We'll see how this all plays out.

And I love Mikel Janin's art!

Secret Avengers #27 - Of all the books I've decided to stick with (so far) this is probably the book that's on the bottom rung. I enjoy it and I like the cast but I just don't know if I want to bother with it long term. I figure I'll continue with it through AvX and allow Remender the chance to get back to his main plot and see how it goes.

This issue itself was alright. I've never cared much for Captain Marvel so that aspect of this arc doesn't interest me at all. And they focus on him and Carol so much, but Protector is easily forgotten in the background. I know he's being focused on in Avengers but I'm not reading that title anymore so I'd like to see more of him here. I like his character and I'd like to see how Remender handles him.

But yeah, the arc is pretty good so far... better than most other AvX tie-ins right now. Not a fan of the art though. Guedes draws a wierd Beast.

Astonishing X-Men #50 - I'm pretty indifferent about this book. I think I came into this issue a little annoyed because of the big "Gay Race" between Marvel and DC right now. I don't mean that derogitory as much as their handling of it. If you want to make a statement on homosexuality in your books then do it organically, don't make it a publicity stunt, which this has become. I know Liu didn't intend it that way, and she's said that in interiews somewhere, but Marvel themselves have run with it and it annoys me.

As for this issue itself it was pretty good. Northstar getting dating tips from Iceman and Gambit was fun and the issue was all-in-all alright, but nothing spectacular. If Secret Avengers is the bottom rung of what I collect, this one's down there near it. They were both on the "should I or shouldn't I cut it" stack but I decided to give them both a little more time due to my love of Remender and Liu and the characters involved. Hopefully the book will pick up soon, but then, Astonishing X-Men hasn't really been good since Whedon left so I'm not holding my breath.


Best and Worst of the Week

Best: Justice League Dark - Not a FANTASTIC issue, just the best of four. The art is great, which helped the issue out a lot.

Worst: Secret Avengers - This issue wasn't bad really, just the least of four. I think it was on par with Astonishing X-Men but I like the characters there more and the art was better, so this one lost just barely.

All in all it was a fairly mediocre week.

 

[CConn]

You strike me as having the comic depression. You seem unable to enjoy the comics everyone else enjoys, but yet you don't even care enough to hate them.

It reminds me of a Zoloft commercial.

 

[Spider-Nerd]

Well, one DC isn't part of Night of the Owls.

Batgirl has sucked its entire run, as has TDK.

I dunno, it just seems kinda unfair to blame it on the crossover when it really doesn't have anything to do with the crossover.

Agree batgirl has sucked balls. I read the first two issues and dropped it after that.

DC is a part of night of the owls. I think the last issue where bruce heads to arkham was part of the crossover, no?

 

[JewishHobbit]

You strike me as having the comic depression. You seem unable to enjoy the comics everyone else enjoys, but yet you don't even care enough to hate them.

It reminds me of a Zoloft commercial.

I'm just tired of comics. I honestly feel addicted. I've sat down with my buy list for the past few weeks and have done everything I could think of to just quit but can't. I've cut down my buy list but can't bring myself to stop buying them. I've sold half of my collection over the past month or two and want to just get rid of it all but can't bring myself to do it. It's just too expensive and I need to redirect that money elsewhere.

Frankly, I'm tired of Marvel and only want them to fail. I don't want to see them succeed in the slightest but I can't bring myself to quit buying their crap. I like the characters too much despite my frustrations at the company. I'd like to see DC overpower Marvel but I'm just not into their characters. They can't compete with the 20 years I've invested into the X-Men and others. Batman's the only one who really has me and even that's fading a bit.

I've been trying to convince myself to just sell my entire collection, as that's the only way I'll ever quit. I'm down to maybe 500 comics (my highest was closer to 8,000) and my buy list has dropped from $130 a month to $95 just this week and I'm still not happy with that and want to drop more. Not including the AvX mini I'm down to 21 ongoings a month.

Of those 21 ongoings only 8 are safe:

Uncanny X-Men, Uncanny X-Force, Wolverine & the X-Men, X-Men Legacy, Batman, Batman Incorporated, Batman & Robin, and Nightwing (and Nightwing's barely safe).

Avengers Academy will be dropped once the AvX tie-ins are finished. X-Men I'm only buying on an arc-by-arc basis (current arc I am not buying).

Dial H is on a test trial only because I enjoyed the first issue so much. It's on a short leash though.

New Avengers I'm still enjoying but it's future is in question with Bendis leaving.

Avengers Assemble, Secret Avengers, X-Factor, Astonishing X-Men, Defenders, Green Lantern, Grifter, Justice League, and Justice League Dark are all varying degrees of mediocre for me, most of which I find either just 'good' or not so 'good' but I enjoy them enough to give them a little more time. I plan on cutting at least half of these over the next couple of months.

I'd love to cut all of them but I know I won't. We'll see.


I just don't like buying comics anymore. It's almost a chore.