Quick reviews before we're all started on the new Bought/Thought for the day, and we're opening the Death-Of-Superman-#500-type polybags that encased the newest copy of Fantastic Four. (A comic shop showed me the bag yesterday, and they do look sweet...but, damn, I'm gonna end up buying two copies: One to get signed and one to open and read.)
Batman #706
Ok, before we all start praising how wonderful DC comics is for giving us $2.99 issues, it's a bit of a pisser that this issue has only 20 pages of material. Heck, even Marvel gives 32-pages for their comics. All in all, it makes for a quick read.
The issue is good; but, I have a couple gripes. One, WAAAY too many characters keep popping up in Daniel's story. The second I'm interested in Riddler and Enigma, we're on to Catwoman and Catgirl. (And, frankly, for a 20-page comic, that's moving things along at a fast pace.) Second, this comic just reminds me of Brubaker's Captain America. Just as Steve-Cap came back and let Bucky-Cap remain as THE Captain America, these books do the exact same thing, right down to having Dick be the main Bat in the main Bat-title.
Still, it's a good issue, and has me wanting to see the conclusion.
DMZ #61
Free States Rising continues, and we see how the Free States uprising came to Manhattan in this issue. I believe I read that Brian Wood is starting to have things come to a conclusion; but, it must be a while away; as, right now, we're getting the origin of DMZ in this next bunch of issues. At least it's something I want to read about...I'm just hoping the end does come by next year. I know sales for this book can't be that high, as I'm the only buying it in my comic shop.
Northlanders #36
It's hard dropping a title that a) is only $2.99, and b) you've been following since issue #1. That said, I keep getting closer and closer to saying bye-bye to this book. It's not that the comic is bad; it's just that we get story after story that has no bearing on the previous. For that reason, if I stopped getting it, I'd have no worries about missing what happens next.
This issue is the final of a 2-parter. It tells of an old man who finds a dead girl in the ice, and keeps it a secret from wandering patrols. In this issue, they discover his secret, and he's blamed for the young girls death. By the end, the mystery is revealed, and the answer (like many of Brian Wood's endings) might just leave the reader asking, "Is that it??" Of course, there is a haunting quality to many of the final issues Mr. Wood gives readers with this book. You either love it or hate it, I guess.
BTW...Brian Wood has a new series starting today, called The New York Five. In this issue, we get a preview, and discover it's actually the second mini for this group of college girls, as the first came out quite a few years back under a company, called Minx. (Seriously, has anyone heard of this company or the previous mini, called The New York Four??) What the heck is DC/Vertigo thinking??!!?? I know they probably love Brian Wood; but, I feel less inclined to pick up this book, especially since I know I'll be a bit in-the-dark about what happened before. Couldn't they have released a special trade for those who'd like to know this stuff??? (And, comic companies want to know WHY we download material off the internet. Ummm...maybe it's the only way for me to actually have a chance of getting to read this previous title??!!??)
BTW, the above is NOT a promotion for illegally downloading comics online.
Carry on.
Avenger's Academy #8
Gotta love Gage's work with this book. Another solid issue, and I'm liking how the instructors are getting into the limelight. I'm still hoping that sometime in the future, we get a little more action. I'd love to see a 3-5 issue storyline where the kids' powers are put to the test. Of course, the downside is that we might lose some of the great character development we get every issue. (I think we could have both, though. Gage did it before with Avengers: The Initiative.)
Scarlet #4
My only complaint about this title is that we have to wait 2 months for the next installment. Bendis is at his best with this style of book, which is much like Alias. Sure, things don't move at a fast pace; but, for this book, I don't need that. I love the tension-building; and, with this issue, cannot WAIT to see what happens when the pro-Scarlet protestors realize that she's in their midst. Really, really good stuff!
Stan Lee's Soldier Zero #4
Decent fourth issue, especially since I don't expect that much from these various Stan Lee inspired titles. Cornell does an adequate job, even though originality for the book is sorely missing. It's all action this issue; but, naturally, not everyone recognizes Soldier Zero as the good guy.
A mild
. (This is definitely the weakest of all the books I'm reviewing right now.)
28 Days Later #19
This book has been consistently entertaining. It's a great companion to Walking Dead, as while both offer similiar type writing (it's not always the zombies that are the most deadly), they're different enough to not feel like 28 Days is just copying Walking Dead's format. Solid book month after month; and Boom! is fast becoming a good place to get that "something different" comic book fix.
Ok, seven more titles reviewed before I pick up comics later today; and, I'd have to say the best of this bunch is Scarlet. (But, BOY, does Avenger's Academy come a close second.) The worst is Stan Lee's Soldier Zero; but, nowhere as bad as Thor was this week.
