Bought/Thought 7-13 - The Phaed Sucks Edition!!!

[JewishHobbit]

Suck it Phaed... This is MY week!

Ahem... Peace and goodwill to all men of every nation.

So I spent more than I wanted at the comicshop picking up 2 issues from last week I wasn't planning on trying and one from this week I wasn't planning on. The first was Youth in Revolt 3. I dropped the book but was curious about Hardball's death. I read it and it was good but I'm not sure yet if I'll still consider this dropped. We'll see. The next was Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force. I wasn't going to get it but it looked good on skim and I like the team so I bought it. I liked it. I also read Emerald Warriors 11 and it was okay. No biggie.

To compensate a bit I put back Daken: Dark Wolverine. I loved the Dark Wolverine title and while I liked this book through Collision, it's not been that great since Williams took over. I skimmed this new issue and didn't see anything in it that I liked save Taskmaster in the end. I may get it on a slow week or I may start eaking this book out of my buy list. We'll see.


FF #6 - This is the one I wasn't planning on buying this week but I saw Blackbolt on the cover and, being the cosmic fan I am, I skimmed it. I saw the references to War of Kings and caved. I don't plan on picking this title up ongoing but I might stick with it through this Blackbolt storyline. It was decent and felt like a cosmic title. I wish it were, as it will soon be invaded by FF characters.

Did issue #5 lead into this issue at all? Is it necessary?

Green Lantern #67 - The conclusion of the War of the Green Lanterns (thank God) and also the series finale until the relaunch hits in September. I thought it was a decent ending (and I love the twist with Sinestro) but all in all this ending and the event itself was a big let down. There were only two real moments that made me take note and that was Sinestro here and Mogo's death earlier. That's about it. The whole line has slowed down since Blackest Night ended and it was all building to this. Now hopefully we can move on and away from this plot to something more interesting.

Green Lantern Corps 61 - This is an aftermath issue where all the Lanterns drafted to challenge the corps by Krona relequish their rings, though some aren't as eager to do it, really wanting to do good. The main Lantern shown is a woman who is a cop in her homeworld already. She responds to an alert in her sector having never been trained and so John Stewart goes with her and does a little training of his own. In the end it's a nice story and we ge to see a little of John's mentality after having to kill Mogo, though not near as much as the cover would suggest.

It was a good done in one issue. I liked it better than Emerald Warriors anyway.

Avengers 14 - Heads and tails better than Bendis's past couple of Avengers issues. This starts the Fear Itself tie-in and it focuses on Mockingbird as she enters the war in D.C. and tests out her new super solider powers and kicks some butt. Also, Spidey quits the team because he can't be on it alongside Victoria Hand feeling that she is working against them (which last issue hints that it may be true).

Honestly, I feel that this is a better story than most of the FI tie-ins I've read (and it hasn't been many) because it doesn't tie-in much. It deals with events going on but not the Worthy (despite Thing on the cover) and focuses on the characters themselves, namely Mockingbird and Spider-Man to an extent. Bendis does a good job here until the very last panel. Apparently Mockingbird is going the way of Hawkeye and vows to kill the Red Skull. ******ed... but the rest of the issue was good so oh well. And Deodato's art is good as always.

New Mutants #27 - I had such high hopes for this arc because I LOVED X-Man but with this conclusion I can officially say I'm disappointed. He does next to nothing and then they all but depower him in the end (and we know how well depowerings have done for the X-World of late). I liked Sugar Man just fine, as a fan of AoA, but this arc was just sad. Oh well.

X-Men: Schism #1 - First and foremost, collosal waist of money. The plot was better than the Prelude to Schism, which didn't have one, but this was a mediocre overpriced story covering old news as far as I'm concerned.

Basically, Cyclops (with Wolverine in tow) gives a press conferance to plea to have all Sentinels decomissioned. Kid Omega shows up, having been freed by a kid wishing to join the Hellfire Club, and makes all the world polititions admit to their darkest sins and thoughts. Nations get ticked off and launch a Sentinel defense initiative of some sort (which I assume is the threat everyone's hanging around waiting for in Prelude). Really, this is what all the fuss has been about? The only scene in here I even remotely liked was Wolverine having a touching moment with Idie of Generation Hope.

There is only 33 pages of material, potentially $4 worthy (and I won't even agree to that personally) but certainly a rip off at $5. X-Men was on such a hot streak of late but between this, New Mutants, Uncanny X-Men's Fear Itself tie-in, and Prelude to Schism... it's come to a screaching hult.

At least Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force was decent.


Best and Worst of the Week:

Best: New Avengers #14 - Honestly, this is a pretty week best of the week. I hated the final panel but the rest of the issue was pretty decent, enough to make me like Mockingbird, who I've never given a lick about.

Worst: X-Men: Schism #1 - New Mutants may have been worst storyline wise but Schism was hair thin and the overcharging of it gave it the top slot. I can overlook a $3 comic that disappointed me. I can't overlook a $5 comic that disappointed me more.

 

[roach]

Schism- This was the only Marvel book I bought and having been and X-men fan since the 80's and always wanting to get back into the characters I love I decided to give this one a go.
I didnt like the issue.Several things jumped out at me.
1) I was thrown off by Logan's advancement in the X-ranks
2) It seemed odd that Cyke would go to a International Arms Control Conference in his uniforms.
3) It also seemed odd that they were concerned about sentinels and wanting disarm them and Cyke and Logan took out 6 by themselves. They arent even the most powerful X-men.
4) Another odd thing was Cyke not letting Logan go after Kid Omega

 

[runawayboulder]

I was pretty disappointed by Cap #1. I'm starting to think Brubaker's time has run it's course. We get yet another story of someone from Cap's WWII past waking up in the present. This is the first arc of secret Avengers all over again. It's time for a new voice and new direction for Steve Rogers. The character is truly stuck in neutral right now.

I liked Schism part 1. I think the attack on the UN was a little weak. I've seen Magneto do worse in the past. I think killing some of the diplomats instead would have elevated the gravity of the situation higher. That way with the X-Men being framed, it's all the harder for there allies in FF and Avengers to protect them in a dire time. So far I'm interested to see more.

By far the best book right now is Punisher MAX. Aaron is sooooo killing it right now. He's totally dissecting Frank Castle and his origin to it's core. It's fascinating to watch. I'm so glad this book is back on schedule.

 

[roach]

I really think Marvel needs to whittle down its WW2 survivors....at this point the only person not to survive WW2 was the original Baron Zemo....and I think this is a few years coming from Marvel.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

Wolverine's advancement isn't that strange. For a brief period in the late 90s when Marrow and Maggot were on the team he was the team leader. However, that was a blink and you'll miss it moment before event after event rendered it moot.

 

[roach]

yes I know he has lead the team on various occasions...it just seemed weird that all of a sudden he's Scott's most trusted lieutenant

 

[runawayboulder]

It seems to me he always was since Jean died. He was mostly his Lt behind the scenes with X-Force but he's always been a key figure for Scott to have by his side.

 

[runawayboulder]

I really think Marvel needs to whittle down its WW2 survivors....at this point the only person not to survive WW2 was the original Baron Zemo....and I think this is a few years coming from Marvel.

So far this year it's been a wash. They've killed Peggy Carter and Bucky and replaced them with John Steele and this new dude. I can't even remember his name. That shows you how much I don't give a s**t.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Curse you, JH!!!

Thought I'd finally get on here and do some reviews of the books I've gotten around to reading. As usual, I haven't gotten to a lot of them, as I just finished reading the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy...and, now, I have picked up the lastest from George R.R. Martin.

BTW, saw the new Harry Potter last night...or, early this morning. The midnight showing was all sold out, naturally; and, the kids were desperate to see it as soon as possible. I was going to wait until Saturday; but, I noticed the local cinema was having a 3 AM showing after the midnight one. I asked the kids if they wanted to get 4 hours of sleep and have me wake them up for it, and they JUMPED at that chance. YAWN! It was a nice idea, because counting the four of us in my family who went, there were only a total of 7 people in the theater. No worries about people bothering our enjoyment. (The people who worked at the theater didn't seem that happy about working so late.)

Good movie; though, I thought some part could have been better. Mainly, the romance between Harry and Ginny just fails with the two actors. We get another awkward kiss; and, it's even worse than the first one. The two actors just don't feel a thing for each other, and it shows. Still, the kids loved it, and it was filled with lots of action this time. (I still think the previous, Part 1, was a better movie, though.) For those who wonder, I didn't see any reason to have spent the extra $3.50 for 3D. About the only reason to do that is for the special 3D Harry Potter glasses they give out. (Yep, shaped like Harry's glasses.) Hardly anyone bothered to recylce them.

Onto reviews.

The Iron Age #2

Again, Marvel is deceptive in their two covers for this title. It looks like different stories; but, it's the same contained within both books. While these issues have been pricey ($4.99), it's actually a good deal. You get two 22-page stories for less then two regular issues. And, the stories are pretty darn good. It's too bad hardly anyone is picking this up. I'm finding it one of the most refreshing Iron Man stories in years.

In this, Tony Stark is traveling through time, revisiting key moments in his past (although, a lot has to do with his alcoholic moments), in an attempt to rebuild Doom's Time Platform; as, the future has been destroyed by an old enemy, The Phantom. In this issue, we see old school Power Man and Iron Fist and The Human Torch. At times, the writing can be a bit corny, especially in the second Human Torch storyline; but, readers have to remember that the writers are telling them as they would have appeared in the past. (It's very much a Marvel Team-Up kind of tale.)

This has been a real surprise enjoyment for me, and very probably going to rate high in my Best Of Mini Series at the end of the year. Can't wait for next issue's Dark Phoenix tie-in!

Marvel Vault: The Defenders One-Shot

Sure, there is a reason these stories have stayed in the vault; but, I love the opportunity Marvel is giving readers to discover these never-before-seen stories. They are keeping the price reasonable ($2.99), and the real delight is the explanation by the writers on why the stories were locked away, only to be finally told.

This issue was originally done by Nicieza; but, because of other obligations, Busiek ends up writing all the dialogue (and pretty much the plot) for the story. It was originally designed to be a fill-in issue, back when Busiek and Larson were doing a previous Defenders series. Nicieza came up with a plot (but, never had dialogue written out), and Mark Bagley drew the entire comic based on that. Fastforward to recently, and after Busiek contacts Nicieza about the book, he has no clue what the previous plot was suppose to be about. So, Busiek takes Bagley's artwork, and makes up a whole new story.

Sure, it's not great; but, it's a bit off-beat, and I love how it all came together.

Executive Assistant: Orchid - The Hit List Agenda #1

Since I'm a Lobdell fan, I decided to pick up this 3-issue series, not realizing that it's part of a much bigger Aspen event, called The Hit List Agenda. (There are four separate mini, with the main story taking place in Executive Assistant: Iris.) There isn't a whole lot to this issue, and reads very much like an action-heavy, sexy-girl driven, Image comic; but, I enjoyed what I read. Orchid is a non-feeling hit gal who is owned by a mob-type family. Whatever they tell her to do (even having sex with them), she does. Not much more to this story...but, it is what it is.

I kind of liked it. I'll definitely pick up the previous two issue of The Hit List Agenda that's come out.

Captain America #1

I can totally understand the gripe about this first issue. Do we really need another retcon character and event from Cap's past? Seems to happen a lot lately, and a technique that Brubaker tends to do in many of his stories. Still, the first issue was entertaining enough, if you can get that little fact out of your mind. Nice to see Baron Zemo again; but, we do know that's a bone of contention with some readers, who feel the Thunderbolts era is taking a severe backseat to Brubaker's storylines. I found McNiven's art lended itself beautifully to the story, especially.

Not great, but I didn't hate it is much as others.

PunisherMax #15

It just amazes me how much better Aaron's writing on this book is much better than the other stuff that I read. I look forward to every issue, and I don't think I've been disappointed yet. Sure, the current story with Frank in prison is advancing at a snail's pace; but, I'm very intrigued in the backstory, telling of what happened before Frank became The Punisher.

Can't WAIT for the next issue!!! t:

Walking Dead Survivor's Guide #4

The worst handbook of any comic you could buy. All it does is recap what's happened in Kirkman's book, and does not add a thing to the character bios within. (And, who really cares about these characters who only appeared for a few issues, before being eaten by zombies??) I am a completist, though; so, I'll still continuing picking this book up. But, if I was on a budget, it would be one of the first to be dropped.

Even with the low price of $2.99, it's not worth it.

Ultimate Avengers Vs. New Ultimates #6

The past two issues has easily made this the worst of the minis written by Millar. The main villian, Tony's brother, is extremely lame; and, the action and storyline were a mess. It started out good, and I loved when Spider-Man was brought into the book briefly; but, it was very brief, and the tie-in to Death Of Spider-Man was not at all significant.

Ultimate Fallout #1

A mixed bag with this book. First, what I hated. This has already been done before, back with Ultimatum was the big Ultimate event. Bendis did a two-issue "death of Spider-Man" book; but, of course, we later learned he didn't die. This time, though, we're lead to believe it's different. Second, it's a quick read with very little dialogue. Thankfully, I enjoy Bagley's art, which brings out the emotion of this book.

It's the emotion that saves the day, especially when the young girl thanks Aunt May for Peter Parker saving her life, and then asking her if she needs a hug. (Some might say this is a cheap ploy to draw emotion out of the reader, though. It just worked on me, especially being the father of a young girl.) I also loved seeing Kitty's emotion and anger, although it was much too brief.

Is Peter dead? I'm still not sure. I see two possible ways he will come back. One, his death could be exaggerated, in order to keep his identity secret. (A new Spidey will appear, but all the people who know about Peter's true identity will think it's someone else.) As Flash says in this issue, "Was I the only one who didn't know Peter Parker was Spider-Man?" Two, as Bendis has retold The Clone Saga many issues again, he might decide to retell his version of The Other.

I just don't see them killing off Peter Parker. He is Spider-Man; and, I think eventually he'll be back. If not, color me surprised.

X-Men: Schism #1

33 pages for $4.99. Yep, just like the recent X-Men Giant Size, this issue feels like the reader is being ripped off. (Compare it to the same priced Iron Age that I reviewed above...and, one I'd recommend over this book.) For some reason, Marvel finds the X-titles as still hot enough to warrant higher prices. At least many of those books have gotten better.

Now, I didn't dislike this issue as much as the other reviewers on here. Yes, I agree with two of Roach's points, namely a) Cyclops and Logan appearing at the summit in their costumes and b) the two of them so easily taking down six Sentinels. (Remember when one sentinel used to be a tough villian to take down?) What I did like was the return of old villians, namely the sentinels (who, I think all the countries in the world will be sending to Utopia, which is the disaster that Prelude was trying to convey), Quentin Quire (one of my favorite character introduced during Morrison's run), and the return to prominence of The Hellfire Club. (That little kid is quite evil.) Also, it's great to see one of my favorite Generation Hope characters being prominently featured, namely Idie. Some might have found the interaction between her and Wolverine a bit corny; but, I liked it.

Not great, but the highlights outweigh the lowlights.

 

[Phaedrus45]

X-Men: Schism #1 - First and foremost, collosal waist of money. The plot was better than the Prelude to Schism, which didn't have one, but this was a mediocre overpriced story covering old news as far as I'm concerned.

I agree totally with you assessment of Prelude. It might very well be the worst mini of 2011. A complete waste of time and money.

Basically, Cyclops (with Wolverine in tow) gives a press conferance to plea to have all Sentinels decomissioned. Kid Omega shows up, having been freed by a kid wishing to join the Hellfire Club, and makes all the world polititions admit to their darkest sins and thoughts. Nations get ticked off and launch a Sentinel defense initiative of some sort (which I assume is the threat everyone's hanging around waiting for in Prelude). Really, this is what all the fuss has been about? The only scene in here I even remotely liked was Wolverine having a touching moment with Idie of Generation Hope.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who like the Idie moment. I found it really stood out. I love Aaron adding some slight humor and light-heartedness into the book, like when Wolverine shows up at the beginning with all the arrows in his body.

As for this issue being "old news," I completely disagree. First, we haven't had a good sentinel story in years, and the idea that many countries have them are something straight from the headlines of today's papers. (Nukes being replaced by sentinels, naturally.) Yes, it's a worry we've had since I was a child; but, one that gets even more terrifying with North Korea. Also, the way Quentin made the world's leaders expose all their sins to the world is another "straight from the headlines" kind of story. From Arnold's love child to toe-tapping politicians to Weiner showing his weiner, the sins of our elected officials facinates the public. This comic was actually more relevant that you give it credit for. Loved it in that regard!

The high price is a turn-off, though. I agree wholeheartily in that regard.

 

[JewishHobbit]

You make a lot of good points, mirrors to today's world... but I was mostly referencing that it's just another Sentinel story, something we've seen since the dawn of mutants. The world hates Mutants and they're sending Sentinels to kill them.

After all the promotion for this event I expected more. The Hellfire Club is maybe a little more interesting but they've been so overdone, yet, aimless for the past couple of decades that I find myself not caring in the slightest.

 

[roach]

I did like the Logan/Idie moment cause that fits with Logan's 'young girl' thang.

I guess I understand the idea behind making the world leaders say their darkest fears but it still lacked punch....any junior politician could have spun it into "Mutants made me say things that werent true". Quentin's plan IMO came off as a catalyst plan instead of just a plan. "Im gonna show you how much they hate us." Really? Was there a mutant still on the planet that didnt know that humanity fears and hate them? You could tell it was a catalyst plan because Scott didnt even want to track Quentin.
Scott:"No need to track down and stop this dangerous mutant who could do this again...lets go home and see what happens."
Logan:"Maybe since we still have the world leaders in the other room we can convince them this wasnt a mutant-kind attack and was one mutant acting on his own."
Scott:"Nope."

Had Quentin killed massacred the room and blamed it on the X-men it would have been a more intense story.

 

[Dread]

Fairly large week, let's get upward and onward! Spoilers ahoy.

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 7/13/11 - Part 1

THE STANDARD #2: This is the second issue of a new mini series published by comics Tribe by John Lees (SHH's own Keyser Soze) and Johnathan Rector, which chronicles the legacy of Sky City's original and best superhero in both the past and present. Every issue is offered as a digital comic for $1.99 from Wowio, DriveThruComics and MyDigital Comics, with a print edition from Indy Planet within "a few weeks" for $3.99. Within a few days, Graphic.ly will also offer it for download, and it has been nominated for the Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards for this year (http://www.glasgowcomiccon.co.uk/awards.htm). At any rate, this issue completes the first third of the mini series, which began back in May.

The last issue provided a lot of the key exposition about the titular character (both versions of him) as well as the world in which they inhabited. With a shocking murder at the end of the issue, as well as a change in lead, this story seems to begin in due course from there. Gilbert Graham was hit by an asteroid while in his lab decades ago, and became the super-hero Standard. During his long crime-fighting crusade, he gained a side-kick in Fablu-Lad (Alex Thomas) as well as an arch enemy in mad scientist Zachary Zarthos and a wife in Caroline Cole. Eventually, Gilbert got old and retired, while his ward took over the mantle of the Standard and became a celebrity in the new era. However, the business of being famous and sponsoring products took it's toll on his soul, and Alex found himself under attack by a monster and slain. Thus, in this issue, Gilbert is forced to come out of retirement as a science teacher at a local school. We also meet Zena Zarthos, the daughter of Zachary who has become a successful CEO and is resentful of her dad. While Gilbert is an old corn-ball at heart, with some "Gee whiz!" style dialogue for peaceful scenes, the murder of his former ward shocks him out of his comfort zone and back into the grittiness of the real world. While Zena believes that a violent gun-toting vigilante named "The Corpse" is responsible for Alex's murder, the real culprit may be someone else entirely. Meanwhile, Gilbert is hounded by Alex's zealous agent Bill Finney, although for once the reason behind Bill's zeal isn't about a fast buck - it is upon getting Gilbert onto the scent of a child abduction case that haunted Alex in his final days. While the disappearance of Amy Harris may have caught the attention of the Standard, she is apparently one of many children abducted by a monstrous figure.

In between the present day action are scenes revealing more about the past. In this issue's case, showcasing how Gilbert and Alex first met in the first place. Despite the bright colored splendor of their "dynamic duo" relationship as heroes, the truth behind their meeting involved darker secrets and a splash of blood. Despite the purple, orange, and pink costumes, there was genuine tragedy behind their meeting, and Gilbert's decision to adopt the young boy in the first place. As this issue allows Gilbert to be properly introduced to the audience in the modern day, it does a solid job of contrasting him from his younger protégé. He is still an old time soul at heart, complete with outdated slang and a corny bow-tie. He parted company from Alex because he disliked the idea of superheroes being corporately funded celebrities rather than strict crime fighters out for the public good. Despite being old, he still seems to have enough power to knock a man backwards many feet. While there have been many "old super hero returns to action due to a tragedy" stories in comics - sparked by Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS - this one has the benefit of Gilbert not being a stereotypical grizzled, cynical character. He isn't mumbling about kids or punks in the rain in an alley, at least thus far, nor is he in a "middle age crisis" darker version of his outfit. The major stumbling block of the first issue was the massive info-dump in the first half of the book of key exposition - it was needed but a tad blunt. This issue benefits because with the exposition out of the way, the transitions between past and present scenes can flow a bit more organically. The only nit-pick may be the lack of Gilbert's wife on panel; while she does pop up here and there, it might be interesting to see Gilbert interact with her more in the future. The scenes of gore can seem a bit disturbing compared to the bright colors of Gulliver Vianei and Mike Gagnon, although any reader even faintly familiar with the style of other "indie" writers like Robert Kirkman shouldn't be fazed. This is a PG-13 comic, although such scenes are often kept few and far between.
Whether one pays $1.99 for a digital copy or $3.99 for a printed one, the reader gets 27 pages of story - not including the front and back cover, and the recap page. At a time when both Marvel and DC feel any comic that is more than twenty pages is worth an extra buck in price, this is a very fair value. Robert Kirkman's own GUARDING THE GLOBE #5 from Image Comics this week was $3.50 for five fewer pages, for comparison's sake.

This continues to be a very solid super hero yarn. The book has two mysteries playing within it - a child abduction and a series of murders - and it will remain to be seen whether the two are linked or merely occurring at the same time. It will also remain to be seen how well Gilbert fits into his old costume. At any rate, for fans of super hero comics who are consistently put off by crossover events, continuity revamps and endless appearances by a handful of characters, THE STANDARD offers a finite story with new creations and unexpected events. Often times, it is only those "indie" comics that can offer genuine surprises - as the creator is beholden to no one and thus anything can happen - and THE STANDARD is no exception. Regardless of the format, it's definitely worth a look.

GUARDING THE GLOBE #5: This mini series is drastically behind schedule, and it is comforting that both co-writer Robert Kirkman as well as editor Sina Grace admit it, apologize, and vow to do better in the future (without throwing the artist under the bus). They even admit an error involving Yugoslavia. See, that's the way to do it. That mea culpa aside, I wish I could say I vastly enjoyed this issue, but I didn't. It wasn't horrible, but it was underwhelming. Ransom Getty co-writes the series with Kirkman, and they were a solid team on those ATOM EVE mini series. Ransom Getty draws and co-inks alongside Thomas Mason. While this story is a little moot since Invincible has returned in INVINCIBLE, but it still has some weight.

The new Guardians Of The Globe have expanded beyond being a mere American super-team to have members from other nations as well into a wider force. Sadly, the world's super-villains have also mobilized as the Order, and they have been a step ahead of the heroes all the way. Their latest attack resulted in the death of one hero, Iron Cross, and further exposing the Mexican Chupacabra as a worthless drunk. Brit has had his fill of him and orders him off the team, and even lays into him at Cross' funeral. The team is even further short-handed when Yeti is revealed to be a 12 year old Frost Giant, and Brit boots him for being a minor. At the end, the Order decide to show their power by ravaging France; has there been ANY city that hasn't been demolished?

But none of that is what irritated me. I was irked by Outrun, who is one of the few female characters in the book, being written as a stereotypical oversexed tramp. All she seems to do is flirt and roll in the hay. I imagine she may be a spy, but it is very old hat. There's another heroine with angel wings - who joined last issue and whose name escapes me - but all she exists to do is talk to the super-powered French pug, who can't speak for himself. Above all this seemed to be an issue that existed to be between issue #4 and #6. Things happened, but not as much as to be memorable. It wouldn't be the only comic to claim that, though. The book is also so crammed with characters now that they all end up doing very little, and get lost in the shuffle.

After running 3-5 months late, this series needed a slam bang issue. This wasn't it.

BOOSTER GOLD #46: With DC' "New 52" known, it is a fact that this title will be one of many that will end, with a 48th issue. If you consider the #0 issue and the #1,000,000 issue, that will be a run of 50 issues, which is notable regardless of the era that it is. DC has accomplished the feat of boosting (pun intended) sales for this series for the final run via FLASHPOINT. Dan Jurgens writes and co-draws the issue, with Ig Guara taking over pencils for the second half of the issue. Considering that as part of the "New 52", Jurgens will be writing JLI and drawing GREEN ARROW, and DC wants no lateness, I'll be surprised if Guara doesn't quietly become the new regular artist for the last few issues of BG. This tale continues Booster's tenure in the new Flashpoint universe, in which he is forced to do battle against Doomsday, who in this new world is the ultimate military weapon controlled by Col. Nate Adam. Without the control helmet, however, Doomsday starts to revert into the rampaging monster that killed Superman and pummeled Booster in the 90's.

Alexandra reveals herself as a metahuman with the ability to gain the skills and powers of others, aking to Rogue - except without the downside. Booster does his all to try to contain or battle Doomsday, but in the end he is forced to return the monster back under the control of Col. Adam - which is hardly the best situation since Adam and the army are convinced Booster is an enemy Atlantian to kill.

As I am not reading FLASHPOINT, all this really is is a BG story to me. In that regard it is alright. The battle against Doomsday is interesting - everyone likes to root for an underdog. I do wonder if this series will see a satisfying conclusion or if it will simply end. Out of all characters to be aware of yet another DC reality warp, it would be suiting of Booster Gold did. Why should Psycho-Pirate have all the fun? Guara's artwork is fine, although a little clashing compared to Jurgens.

I don't intend to follow Jurgens on JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL. While I have stuck with BOOSTER GOLD since the launch and enjoyed it overall, my heart won't split in two with it calling it a run after 50 issues. At this point the only "New 52" comic I am considering buying is the new BLUE BEETLE, but I am hesitant because I don't want to sit through an origin again nor be confused by retcons. For heaven's sakes, he only had 35 issues of material and it already has to be erased? Madness!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #665: The role of the super hero girlfriend is often one that is full of hurdles. The lady in question is often at risk of being threatened, kidnapped, or killed by various criminals and super-villains in the series. This tends to happen whether the gal in question is aware of the super-hero's secret identity or not, or even if she cares for said super-hero; she may merely be dating or interested in his alter ego. Betty Brant, formerly the receptionist for the cranky J. Jonah Jameson, served this role as the first of Peter Parker/Spider-Man's lovers in the 1960's. Her role in this position has often been ignored in most of Spidey's alternate media depictions - the only exceptions being his original 1967 cartoon and an homage in 2007-2009's "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN". Yet despite the fact that she and Peter have been broken up since the 60's, she has remained a character who seems to continue to remain in peril or to become part of some dramatic tale every few years. From mobsters killing her brother to being the hostage/damsel-in-distress du jour during the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era, to machinations with the Hobgoblin and even becoming an "edgy" gun-toting warrior in the 90's, Brant has seemed to always be put through the ringer by writers. Rick Remender in VENOM has followed suit, since she happens to be dating Flash Thompson, the latest host of the alien symbiote, which allows her new opportunities for peril. With this as a backdrop, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #665 has the task to fill 30 pages before the proper start of "SPIDER-ISLAND" within 2-3 weeks time. While this could be dismissed as a "fill in issue", writer Dan Slott and artists Ryan Stegman and Giuseppe Camuncoli (alongside two sets of inkers and colorists) manage to produce a memorable little tale.

The main 22 page story is drawn by Stegman and features the aforementioned Brant. While she appears infrequently in the series - especially since Peter has become a lab technician instead of a freelance newspaper photographer - this issue seeks to establish their relationship. While both Peter and Betty have moved onto different lives and lovers, they still remain good pals, meeting at least once a month to watch a movie. However, with Peter spending all of his time at either Horizon Labs or all of his superhero engagements - solo-heroics, Future Foundation, and TWO Avengers teams - ultimately leaves Betty without her ex to hang with once a month. With Flash also leaving town for VENOM missions, Betty decides to visit a seedy section of town to see an indie film on her own. Alas, things go horribly wrong from a source that isn't a costumes maniac for once, which nearly drives Spider-Man over the edge as well as assembles his entire cast into a hospital.

This is a solid tale in which Peter Parker gets a reminder that despite being a part of the "big time" these days, the villains who often shatter the most lives are often small time and nameless. While it is often lamented about how super-heroes rarely fight "typical criminals" due to the lack of drama, this tale by Slott actually pulls it off. Stegman's artwork is very good, especially matched with John Rauch's colors and Michael Babinski's inks. Towards the climax of the tale comes a conversation between May and Peter that is actually pretty deep, and delves into his origin sequence in a new way. The only oddity is the moral is a bit mixed. The moral seems to be that when someone close to Spider-Man is hurt, his place is at the side of his loved one and NOT to flee into the costume to deal with it - yet it is only by doing so that Spider-Man is ultimately able to track down the perpetrator. May merely convinces Peter to put off apprehending him a day to be somewhere more important. Even J. Jonah Jameson gets a moment to be tender in his own way.

The back-up strip is drawn by Camuncoli, who was the artist of the lead tale for the prior two issues. It is a smaller issue in which May and her new husband, J. Jonah Jamesone Senior, decide that NYC is far too dangerous for them and to head to Boston. This proves to be quite a thing for both Peter and J.J. to adjust to. It does give a sense of moving on and allowing Peter to grow up a bit (again). Slott does use this story to showcase how well he knows Spidey's continuity with some flashback panels, but he manages to weave it into the tale for context and to showcase the history of the character. While the cover bares the "Road To SPIDER-ISLAND" tagger, only a two panel sequence seems to pay lip service to this. Camuncoli's artwork looks a little different with Marte Gracia on colors and doing his own inks, but is still looks great - merely different from his work on the last two issues.

Overall, this issue is a very solid production for long time readers - a good example of a "one and done" issue that still manages to play with current and older subplots in an entertaining way. Certainly not an issue to dismiss in the weeks before another Spider-Man crossover event.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1: This is the third relaunch of CAPTAIN AMERICA within less than ten years, which is either a sign of his tenacity or a sign of the editorial board running him into the ground at times a bit. Despite that, Ed Brubaker continues on his franchise defining run on this series, which he has steered to new heights since 2005. While Marvel's second in command Tom Brevoort seems to hint that Marvel seeming to imitate their films in terms of character designs and depictions is not deliberate, this new #1 seems to be geared clearly towards new readers, especially those who will see the film within about ten days. Steve McNiven (CIVIL WAR) is the new regular artist on the series, although he will probably need a fill-in artist after 2-4 issues unless he had a lot of lead-in time. At any rate, this issue sees a brief recap of Steve Rogers' life and times from WWII to his adventures in the "modern era" and have it call come into focus when he attends a funeral of someone he knew for ages. No, not James "Bucky" Barnes whose first death haunted Cap for almost half a century who recently died in FEAR ITSELF #3 - the death of his old flame, Peggy Carter. The issue is forced to remind the readers that Sharon Carter is Peggy's niece, which makes the fact that she is Steve's long time squeeze seem just a little but shy of "THE PORTRAIT OF DORIAN GRAY" level creepiness. Rogers, Sharon, Nick Fury, and "Dum Dum" Dugan attend the funeral in France, when they come under attack by what seems to be yet another buried secret from WWII (1944, specifically). The dilemma of Brubaker is he remains an incredible writer for CAPTAIN AMERICA, even if he seems to have his irksome quirks. One of them is relying on certain story details - specifically, WWII flashbacks and retcons, battles with minions with the baddie kept in the background for years, and imposters of Captain America. This arc seems to promise all three, again. Among Brubaker's strengths is that he writes his characters very well, and always has a solid supporting cast around his lead. Fury, Carter, and Rogers himself all showcase what they do best here. McNiven's artwork, alongside Mark Morales' inks and Justin Ponsor's colors are very dynamic and entertaining. The style contrasts a bit from the last regular artist(s) on the last volume of the book, which is fine.

It is a bit glaring how any emotional reaction to the second loss of Bucky is removed from this series. Brubaker is also launching a CAPTAIN AMERICA & BUCKY sister series that will delve into Bucky's past more and that may broach upon that, but such things shouldn't be alien in the core book. Readers of CAPTAIN AMERICA who may have skipped FEAR ITSELF will find the transition from Barnes being the lead to Rogers back in the role a bit abrupt. Fans of the long THUNDERBOLTS run from the 90's until a few years ago may continue to be irritated by Brubaker's use of Baron Zemo, who seems to once again be back in full villain mode. To a degree there is little choice since the Red Skull is out of Brubaker's hands for the moment, and almost no one can build suspense around a new villain these days - fans have less patience for new villains than they do for new heroes. At any rate, for a new #1 issue, this should appeal to long time readers as well as, Marvel hopes, the extra fans who may buy this one issue.

 

[Dread]

Part 2:

ALPHA FLIGHT #2: This is the second issue of the new eight issue mini series based on Marvel’s quirkiest superheroes north of the border from writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente (INCREDIBLE HERCULES) and artist Dale Eaglesham (FANTASTIC FOUR). Technically, this is the third issue of the same narrative, as the tale kicked off in ALPHA FLIGHT #0.1 back in May. Thus, while this is technically a mini series, it may end up lasting as long, or longer, than if Marvel attempted to sell it as an ongoing title. This series springboards from CHAOS WAR and uses FEAR ITSELF as a backdrop, although Pak and Van Lente wisely go in their own direction from there.

The founding Alpha Flight are all alive again, and re-assembled to save Canada from Attuma, one of “the Worthy” in FEAR ITSELF – all save Puck, whose fate is revealed in this issue, and Northstar, who resents the team. Unfortunately, the tyrannical Gary Cody has been elected into office amidst the crisis and his Unity Party is drastically exploiting the crisis to impose martial law over Canada. This means locking up any political dissenters and declaring anyone who is not with them is against them – including their country’s premiere super-hero team. While it is odd to see Canada reach the same level of hysteria and paranoia that America’s super-heroes faced during CIVIL WAR, one has to remember that in Marvel, this was the same government that considered the Weapon X program a good idea. Heather Hudson – the Vindicator – has proven to be a traitor to the team and has helped a squad of Box robots subdue them all in due course. Only Northstar escaped capture, and he is considered a fugitive – I suppose he is wondering, “I left the X-Men for THIS!?” at this time. Mac is able to eventually escape thanks to the assistance of Northstar and the aforementioned Puck, but has the Unity Party successfully convinced at least one other Alpha Flighter to their cause?

The absence of Puck was a noticeable loss for this series, but was the product of an interconnected universe. In Jason Aaron’s WOLVERINE, Puck had gone to Hell and become a sort of lord there. This issue has him merrily deliver some exposition out of that so he can rejoin the team, and it works. In fact, Pak and Van Lente make good use of it by having his allies wonder if their old friend has really done such mystical things, or is merely crazy now. Eaglesham’s artwork is terrific and all of the characters are treated seriously – even if most of them only appear in a few panels.

The biggest dilemma is the depiction of Heather Hudson. In the comics, it was almost a running joke that she and Mac were never alive at the same time – she originally became Vindicator when Mac was quickly killed off at the start of John Bryne’s original launch of the book in the 1980’s. While a tough leader, Heather is also supposed to be gentle enough that she helped Wolverine re-discover his humanity after the Weapon X project and remained a woman he held dear. While Heather’s motivation to betray her comrades stems from seeking to be reunited with her daughter – who the Hudsons lost custody of legally after their deaths and resurrection – this motivation has been taken to an extreme. She apparently feels no remorse for aiding in the capture and subsequent brain-washing of people who have been her friends for hundreds of issues, and seems to now have clear contempt for them; she calls Puck a “filthy little freak” and chastises her government underlings for taking him alive instead of killing him outright. Given that Heather often benefited from her husband’s absence in the comics in terms of development and panel time for most of ALPHA FLIGHT’s existence, it was a serious question how Pak and Van Lente would handle the two at once. Alas, they have chosen to be blunt; Mac is the ultimate hero while Heather is a cold, back-stabbing harpy. Imagine if Susan Storm-Richards lost custody of her children in court and then decided to apprehend the rest of the Fantastic Four, and even show lethal contempt for, say, Ben Grimm, in an attempt to undo it. Any Marvel fans who were outraged by Carlie Cooper toying with getting a Green Goblin tattoo should be utterly mortified by Heather’s actions.

One also may feel sorry for Kyle Jinadu, the lover of the openly gay Northstar. A black man as well as a homosexual, he is a character that under the stereotypes of American comic books, would be an easy corpse. And thus within three issues of material he has been mortally wounded and abducted.

On the upside, Northstar is very amusing as a poor man’s Quicksilver, while a subplot of several of their villains actually having a point about the Unity Party is addressed. In the 0.1 issue, the team fought Purple Girl, who was a former Alpha Flight trainee turned extremist, and the daughter of the horrid Purple Man (who usually haunts Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage). She had gone into terrorism to prevent Cody’s election, and now it seems that while her tactics were wrong, she at least had a point. Hey, Magneto has milked that dynamic since JFK was in office.

While the first issue (or two) proved to be lighter hearted, this one suggests that the aim of this series is to basically have ALPHA FLIGHT do a “CIVIL WAR IN CANADA” plot, which is ironic since it is aping an event from 2006 while technically being a part of one from 2011. The lack of development for the other Alpha Flight characters is a concern – especially for Marrina, who has been heavily redesigned and re-imagined since her rebirth. While it is good that this series does not treat their characters as jokes and handles their subplots seriously, one does wonder if things are being taken a bit too far in the other direction. While this is a good series thus far, it lacks some of the charm that HERC often achieves. Still, this is the best ALPHA FLIGHT comic fans have gotten in ages, which isn’t supposed to be an oxymoron.

FF #6: I thought nothing could be worse than Val being a brat in this title, but I was wrong. This issue, while I understand perfectly well why it has to exist, bored me a bit. Jonathan Hickman has decided to bring his suspenseful story to a complete screeching halt so he can lay in exposition about how Black Bolt is coming back from the dead. Apparently, he is part of an ancient prophecy regarding the Inhumans ever since the ancient Kree scientists first created the process across five worlds for the Supreme Intelligence. The big green head found it so disturbing that had them all killed, and their data suppressed. Apparently, the prophecy hints at one Inhuman being "the chosen one" and Black Bolt is it, which means he can revive from death. That's literally it. I've saved you $3 and 20 pages. Didn't Chris Claremont try doing this with his X-Ternals subplot to explain why Cannonball and Dazzler could be seemingly killed and then mysteriously revive? Nearly 20 years ago?

The fill in artist this month is Greg Tocchini, which means we have had 3 artists for this series in the last six issues - VENOM is looking stable in comparison. Tocchini's style reminds me of Ben Oliver, but is stronger overall. Paul Mounts continues on colors.

A dilemma here is there is some clash between what Hickman has "revealed" about the Inhumans and what is their official canon, and his attempt to rectify it is to hope nobody notices. Thus, the story states that Black Bolt had FIVE queens, instead of simply Medusa. Is this "COSMIC BIG LOVE" now? It seems nobody can keep the Inhumans straight - even Dan Slott in MIGHTY AVENGERS made the error of claiming Karnak got his martial arts skill from the Terragenesis, when he didn't.

While it is appreciated that Hickman makes sure to summarize WAR OF KINGS and keep the status quo of the Inhumans on Hala as created by Abnett & Lanning, this issue read very quickly and I forgot about it soon after. Half the issue is a long plodding recap, complete with such wasted space as two panels taking up two pages - the sort of sluggish thing that made me weary of Pasqual Ferry on THOR. The other half of the book is also delving into techno-babble and exposition with the Supreme Intelligence. I don't quite understand why Black Bolt needs to come back here at all, besides to prove more notable Inhumans as part of the war that FF has going on. To top it off, this issue is 19 pages and not 20, yet the price is still $2.99. I expect Tom Brevoort to give some excuse if asked about it that will be between a whine and an arrogant groan. If other Marvel books this week were 19 pages, FF #6 was the only one in which I noticed. The artwork is lovely, but this is "writing for the trade" at it's worst. I remember reprints when writers used to cover this sort of tedious exposition in, at most, about 4-5 pages instead of an entire issue. While Hickman had the task of summarizing WAR OF KINGS and explaining how Black Bolt isn't dead anymore, did he HAVE to get to it in such a blunt, obvious, and boring manner?

MYSTERY MEN #3: This mini series by writer David Liss, artist Patrick Zircher and colorist Andy Troy continues to be a hidden gem on the comic shelves. While this issue wasn't good enough to be atop of this week's haul (unlike the last two issues), it is still worthy enough to attract notice. This series about Marvel's first team of masked super-heroes during the heart of the Great Depression in 1932 has reached it's mid-point, and this issue's one stumbling block is perhaps it's rush to make sure the full cast of capes assemble by the final act. While prior issues have sought to slowly and organically introduce their new characters, this one seems to show some haste to introduce two new heroes, the Surgeon and Achilles. While the alter ego of the latter, Professor Lewis Green, was weaved into the story last issue, the Surgeon's appearance in the first half of the issue seems to bring the overall tale to a dead stop so he can have his origin sequence. As a summary, he is a mish-mash of Sam Raimi's "DARKMAN" mixed with a bit of Dr. Nemesis from UNCANNY X-MEN. Achilles, meanwhile, is a nerdy scientist who gains mystical powers from an ancient amulet. Another drawback of this rush is that the official "code-name" of the jet-pack clad Sarah Starr is mentioned for the first time in a recap page than in the proper narrative. To a degree that is an homage of adventure old movie serials, but it can seem awkward.

Beyond these nitpicks, though, the overall tale continues to be very good. Despite all the characters and twists, the general plot is very simple. An evil general, who is the father of one of the heroes (the Operative) is in league with the old DR. STRANGE villain Nox to do nasty, supernatural things, and to thus end he has murdered people, kidnapped children and acted as enforcer for a corrupt board of directors. The story thus becomes a case of uniting all these odd characters against this threat, with most of them being assembled attempting to solve a murder mystery. It manages to hit all the beats of being a proper pulp story, without trending lightly on some of the uglier sides of 1932. Marvel did try to sell an awkward pulp imprint called MARVEL NOIR, but this series seems to be that concept done right. Zircher's artwork is also a major highlight, since between the subject matter and Troy's colors, he gets to work against type and manage to deliver stand out pages.

People who want a solid pulp tale set in the Marvel Universe, yet doesn't beat one over the head with the same handful of characters but offers new ones should get a kick of this one. Fans who have endlessly awaited addition issues of J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston's THE TWELVE for two years should also be satisfied here. The best comics often come where one least expects them, and MYSTERY MEN has proven to be one of those.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Superman #713

This comic still continues to suck all interest in Superman away from fans. Thankfully, we only have one more issue to go. In this, Superman decides to call it quits and only work behind the scenes, like his early days in Smallville. It takes a Super Fan to make Clark Kent see the light.

Very bad. I'm trying to think of a worse year for a Superman comic, and cannot think of a one.

FF #6

This issue kind of peeved me off. Like, Hickman didn't have enough loose ends thoughout his Fantastic Four run, that he had to add the Inhumans to the mix??!!?? I have NO CLUE what's up with the five wives of Black Bolt or where that came from; and, I'm having a strong feeling I'm not going to be satisfied with his explanation of how Black Bolt comes back from the dead.

What a crappy issue. At least it wasn't Superman bad.

Shinku #2

There isn't a whole lot to this comic by Marz; but, I enjoy it's simplicity. Sure, we've had enough ninjas and vampires to last a while; but, this mix isn't that bad. It's fluff; but, entertaining fluff.

Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #521

I like this comic more and more each issue. Too bad, because I don't think many are willing to give it a chance to grow on them. It's a good jumping on point, though; and, the Fear Itself tie-in really isn't important to the plot. This is about Hate Monger coming back to life; and, the Black Panther you see on the cover is actually a new villian, American Panther.

Good race relations storyline, and this comic has a nice, gritty feeling to it. You get a ton of dialogue, as the story is not just driven by action.

Green Lantern #67

I'm waiting to read what other people thought of this issue; 'cause, I didn't think much of it. This conclusion just seemed a bit lame; and, the stripping of Hal's ring and Sinestro becoming the new, main Lantern just screams of a sale's ploy. With all the different colored rings and the complete shake-up of who's good and who's bad in the Green Lantern Universe, it's all becoming a hot mess.

What's to say about Green Lantern? If a reader from 5 years ago tried to get back into these books, would they even understand what in the holy heck has been going on???

The Red Wing #1

A new image title from Hickman; and, while it's not spectacular, I found myself impressed enough to pick up a second issue. This book deals with time travel, giving readers a new perspective on it; as, Earth is fighting an alien invasion, and somehow traveling through time is the only way to combat it. (I'm a bit confused by some things; but, isn't that par for the course with a Hickman title?)

Hickman fans will definitely enjoy the ride.

Ghost Rider #1

For the first time in quite a while, I really enjoyed an issue of Ghost Rider. This is what I want with this book; and, I'm extremely interested in the new female Ghost Rider. (Danny has lost the power; but, I'm figuring he'll be getting it back sometime down the road. Hopefully, not too quickly.) Best of all, I'll thrilled to see Matthew Clark back at Marvel; and, his art has never looked better.

New Avengers #14

AAAANNNNNDDDD, this book just gets worse and worse. Yep, Bendis DOES IT AGAIN!!! He can't help but F with these characters, and now he's given Mockingbird powers that she's never had. It screws with her whole character and ends up making her extremely generic. (Amazing how nobody can duplicate the Super Soldier serum; but, it's constantly being used to help or save people.)

Utter crap. My least favorite book of the week, even surpassing the crappiness of Superman.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Thanks for the great review of The Standard #2, Dread. That's probably the most insightful, in-depth review I've had yet!

 

[Dread]

Thanks for the great review of The Standard #2, Dread. That's probably the most insightful, in-depth review I've had yet!

No problem!

 

[Phaedrus45]

Before tomorrow comes, I remember something I wanted to touch on with my review of New Avengers. It seems that movies and media tries to stay away from the memories of 9/11, at least in the depiction of buildings being demolished. In the end, with Avengers Tower falling to the ground, the artist or Bendis obviously wanted this scene to be reminiscent of that horrific event in our history. I don't think it worked. It took me out of the comic, and made me think that Bendis simply wanted to try and get more of an impact out of his story. It didn't work for me. Wondering what other people thought about that.

 

[runawayboulder]

Avengers Tower sucked. Put them all back in the mansion where the belong or better yet, bring back Hydrobase. Infinite Avengers Mansion trumps them all, it's one of the coolest concepts to come along in a while....

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, Slott had a stroke of genius there. Minus the creepy fact that it was built around the Wasp's cosmic corpse, I mean.