Bought/Thought July 23rd, 2008

[Darthphere]

Jesus, he sucks.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Wrestling is the worst.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Iron Fist #17: Picking up where last issue ended, with Danny's realization that every Iron Fist before has died at the age of 33 (and, that just so happening to be his 33 birthday), we get a scene 10 years in the future with Danny's nine year old child asking his mother, Misty, how his father died. I thought some of the old stories of past Iron Fists have shown them to appear older than this, though. I could be wrong, of course. This issue has now said that 1 did live past that age. And, what about the fact that Danny has already died once before....before he turned 33.

Another problem with this issue is seeing Colleen Wing at Danny's birthday party. After events in Heroes For Hire, I didn't think she hung anywhere around Misty anymore.

Anyway, we have a new writer taking over for this book, Swierczynski, and he does an adequate job of keeping with the previous style. Like when Bendis turned over the reigns of Daredevil to Brubaker, Fraction seems to have set Swierczynski's path with this storyline. His first issue has definitely peaked my interest, and I liked the blending of the Iron Fist of 1878 with what's happening with Danny today. 9/10

Ultimate X-Men #96: My last Marvel book to read this week, and it's too bad I didn't save a better one for last. I really have no idea what direction the writer is taking this book in. We have the X-Men divided into various groups, some renegades..but, nothing captures the reader's interest. This title just seems lost, without any real idea of the direction it's going. 3/10

 

[Doc Destruction]

Ambush Bug was my pick of the week by far. LOVED it, and I'm glad people are reading it, because when I posted the initial announcement, no one gave a crap.

X-Men was meh, and I loved Brave and the Bold. JLA is getting better at least.

 

[Manic]

Jesus, he sucks.

You should see how people try to defend him in the X-forums. "I don't care if he's a hollow character. He's the comic relief!" Yeah, there's a character that won't be slipping into obscurity anytime soon...

 

[Phaedrus45]

Robin #175: OH God, is this R.I.P. really living up to it's name. It's killing the good name of Batman comics! Sometimes, I revisit some of DC's ongoing titles when they have an event tie-in, only to remember why I never bothered to continue reading it. Robin is one of those books. This tie-in, with Robin concerned about Bruce Wayne's mental health, verges on the ridiculous. Who does Robin go when he's trying to find people to help him locate Batman? Does he go to Superman?? Wonder Woman??? Catwoman, Nightwing, Green Arrow, or countless other "good guys?" NOOOO! He goes to a police officer and the Penguin. Ri-friggin-diculous! 3/10

Batman-Gotham After Midnight #3: Thank GOD for Steve Niles and the art of Kelley Jones. They are telling a story in the classic Batman style. THIS is the type of Batman comic I enjoy reading. It's what makes the new Batman movie so dang good, and Steve Niles just gets it.

Niles does a great job of incorporating classic Batman villians within his story, all the while introducing us to the feature badguy for this maxi-series, Midnight. This issue's guest villian is Clayface (and even a short appearance from the Joker is included), and the reader learns a bit more about Midnight...even getting to see the face behind the mask. There isn't one thing I can think of to make this issue better...and, it only seems better after reading Robin. 10/10

 

[Dread]

To his credit, Greviox stated today in SDCC that he used the de-powered mutants becuase he was ordered to do so.

Really? That is interesting. I mean, it is a unique idea and I like what has been done with Jubilee and Jono. Beak and Angel I never cared for before, so them becoming supermodels here doesn't effect me. Redneck has also grown on me. Chris and Stacy X, though, just seem "there" and could be removed from the cast and barely effect the book. Still, I think the dilemma is while it is a good twist, it may not be what most readers were expecting from the launch, and the sales show a clear loss of interest in most readers who aren't me or a few others on SHH.

I forgot all about that B. Clay Moore/Lee Weeks story. I remember reading about it when MCP was first talked about and was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately the overall horrible quality of the earlier stories (not counting the Hellcat story) made me drop the book altogether.

The Hellcat story was fun and quirky, but overrated, IMO.

I couldn't justify telling you to blow $4 on what is basically an 8 page Stingray story. Maybe someone will scan it somewhere.

The last few issues have actually been really good. Even the Vanguard story has gotten more interesting. If Vanguard is still around after the story, he could actually become a really good character. He'd have to not be a clandestine government tool anymore, but he could replace Cable as the super-awesome badass who shows the real potential of telekinesis, plus he's got interesting ties to the government and Captain America's legacy that could be explored.

The thing with VANGUARD is that it is overly complicated at told at a pace where I forget a lot. Why was Thing involved? Why is the dead Black Widow there, too? Why is the Watcher there; he never cared when former people claimed to be "the Earth's strongest psychics" were killed in X-Titles. There seemed to be a lot of tacked on complications that did nothing for the story beyond stretch it another few pages.

As for Vanguard himself, I suppose he has potential. Anyone is better than Cable. I just wonder if anyone aside for Guggenheim will care once MCP is over. It just seems like a story trying to be more than it is.

As for the Weapon Omega story, it is easier to follow, but I've mostly lost interest. Forcing Pointer onto Omega Flight worked for Oeming, but not here. Making him the Canadian national symbol for "penance" is so stupid only Bendis could have thought of it. Regardless of power levels, that's like making Crossbones the next Captain America because he "killed" Steve.

 

[Anubis]

Unncanny X-Men # 500 - "Suck It." That is all. Rating: Meh


Daredevil Vol 2 #109 - More info on what big Ben Donovan's taking the rap for. More info on why he would be willing to die. And Dakota gets shot. Rating: Sweet

Anubis' Rating system:
DA Suck...........1
Meh.................2
Sweet..............3
Freakin' Sweet...4
Bee *****.........5

 

[Brainiac 8]

Ambush Bug was my pick of the week by far. LOVED it, and I'm glad people are reading it, because when I posted the initial announcement, no one gave a crap.

X-Men was meh, and I loved Brave and the Bold. JLA is getting better at least.

Ambush but is a great character...very much in the same vein as Bug in the Micronauts...and in some ways the Impossible Man.

X-Men I think would have been better if Greg Land wasn't on the art...but I give it a pass, since it's obviously just there to set up the new status quo for the X-People. I haven't been dissapointed in Brubaker's X-work so far, so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[fifthfiend]

He literally told Magneto "Suck it?" Did Jeph Loeb write that?

Maybe Thomas Friedman picked up a comics gig on the side?

...Yeah, nobody got that.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The thing with VANGUARD is that it is overly complicated at told at a pace where I forget a lot. Why was Thing involved? Why is the dead Black Widow there, too? Why is the Watcher there; he never cared when former people claimed to be "the Earth's strongest psychics" were killed in X-Titles. There seemed to be a lot of tacked on complications that did nothing for the story beyond stretch it another few pages.

As for Vanguard himself, I suppose he has potential. Anyone is better than Cable. I just wonder if anyone aside for Guggenheim will care once MCP is over. It just seems like a story trying to be more than it is.

As for the Weapon Omega story, it is easier to follow, but I've mostly lost interest. Forcing Pointer onto Omega Flight worked for Oeming, but not here. Making him the Canadian national symbol for "penance" is so stupid only Bendis could have thought of it. Regardless of power levels, that's like making Crossbones the next Captain America because he "killed" Steve.

The Stingray story was really cool in the last issue. Lee Weeks can do no wrong, and it was nice to see a quiet story about a very human superhero who doesn't really live in the superhero world.

Yeah, Weapon Omega is kind of boring. I'd be glad if they changed Pointer's name officially from Guardian to Weapon Omega, though. Calling him Guardian just doesn't seem right. I've been reading the story more for the ex-West Coast Avengers alums than Pointer. Walker in particular has been pretty cool over the course of the story.

Vanguard could easily disappear after MCU. It'd be a shame, but it's pretty likely. I think he's got potential.

 

[Blader5489]

Maybe Thomas Friedman picked up a comics gig on the side?

...Yeah, nobody got that.

I know who Thomas Friedman is, but that just makes your post all the more confusing.

 

[Dread]

The Stingray story was really cool in the last issue. Lee Weeks can do no wrong, and it was nice to see a quiet story about a very human superhero who doesn't really live in the superhero world.

Yeah, Weapon Omega is kind of boring. I'd be glad if they changed Pointer's name officially from Guardian to Weapon Omega, though. Calling him Guardian just doesn't seem right. I've been reading the story more for the ex-West Coast Avengers alums than Pointer. Walker in particular has been pretty cool over the course of the story.

Vanguard could easily disappear after MCU. It'd be a shame, but it's pretty likely. I think he's got potential.

I find it bemusing that everyone is shocked, SHOCKED that Omega Flight would have "rogue" members who do nasty things considering they only adopted the name of super-villains. It is like if the Initiative decided to name a team in some state "The Sinister Six" and then someone acted surprised that someone on the team was actually sinister. But I agree, I am probably reading it more for U.S. Agent, Arachne, and Sasquatch. Plus, Shroud showed up once.

The Stingray story was good, and I'll admit VANGUARD has potential, but the kind of potential where you look at a concept that came from a mishmashed concept and then some writer trims the fat and makes it work 100% better.

 

[iloveclones]

I read Thomas Friedman also, and I'm afraid I didn't get the joke...

 

[Phaedrus45]

Dreamwar #4: DC's superheroes come out of their murderous rampage and realize they've been played by Chimera. That pretty much sums up this entire issue, and it's all leading up to Chimera bringing in the Villians to try and take out Wildstorm's heroes. I love the look of this book; it's always been one of my favorite thing about many of the Wildstorm books. What usually flaws the book is a weak premise to get the various teams fighting. 7/10

X-Files #0: The X-Files returns to comics with this story about a "force of evil" that can bodyhop into other people. It's not a bad first issue..or zero issue...but, don't expect any kind of character development. In fact, I don't get any sense as to where this comic fits into the regular series or the new movie that came out today. It just makes me appreciate Buffy even more; because Whedon is purposefully continuing his series and expanding on his main characters. 6/10

Monster Pile-Up #1: Four all-new short tales, featuring Astounding Wolf-Man, Firebreather, Perhapanuats, and Proof...all for only $1.99. The stories are very short, only 4 to 5 pages in length, and unless you are a fan of them already, would be a complete waste of cash. In fact, if you weren't already familiar with these titles, like Proof, it might do more to discourage you from picking them up. 4/10

 

[fifthfiend]

I know who Thomas Friedman is, but that just makes your post all the more confusing.

[YT]HOF6ZeUvgXs[/YT]

Skip to about 2:25 if you're in a hurry.

I read Thomas Friedman

Really?

My condolences.

 

[BrianWilly]

Waitaminute, Tony Harris? As far as I know, he gets and arranges models for his pictures himself, like Alex Ross. Comparing him to Land tracing the same porno clippings he's had since 2001 is, well, not an apt comparison.

 

[fifthfiend]

Yeah I'm not so much against people who work from models because 1. you're still actually drawing something, 2. you can have your model actually pose the way you want your character, so it doesn't have that same forced photocollage-comic feel to it.

There's still a stiffness to it that bugs me but yeah, I don't really consider them in the same class of thing.

 

[Hans]

Waitaminute, Tony Harris? As far as I know, he gets and arranges models for his pictures himself, like Alex Ross. Comparing him to Land tracing the same porno clippings he's had since 2001 is, well, not an apt comparison.

Yes, thank you, but we already covered that.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Two-Face-Year One #1: This two-part, 48-page issue tells of Harvey Dent's life, right up to the final few pages where he becomes Two-Face. For fans of Batman, there isn't much you'll find new...the story has been done before. But, still, it's done well, and this incorporates many previous stories, like The Long Halloween, in it's retelling. 8/10

Joker's Asylum-Scarecrow: So far, the only Joker's Asylum issue that has been a bit of a disappointment was last week's Poison Ivy. I was glad to see this series get back to form with Scarecrow. In this issue, a group of teenagers get together to pull a prank on the school outcast, only to have their plans turned on them. 8/10

 

[hippie_hunter]

I too was rather disappointed in Uncanny X-Men. If the roster is indeed Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Beast, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Angel, and Cannonball then what the hell is the point of even publishing Astonishing X-Men?

I'm also very disappointed in the art. Land can make a pretty drawing, but ugh on the freaking tracing. And the Dodsons are so unsuited for a title such as this. I wish they stayed on Wonder Woman or went on to Ms. Marvel.

And considering how much I love Brubaker and Fraction, I was let down by the writing as well. Good ideas like the move to San Fransisco and bringing in some old school action, but things like "Suck it" were just off.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Astonishing X-Men exists to give you your non-Cannonball dose of X-Men action each mo--er, whenever.

 

[Anubis]

Two different stories involving the same characters. Like Superman and Action Comics. As long as gambit doesn't show up in either book, i'm cool with it.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Two different stories involving the same characters. Like Superman and Action Comics.

It's dumb. Unlike Superman and Action Comics, the X-Men books are team books.

One book would have the main line up of Cyclops, Jean Grey/Emma Frost, Wolverine, and other high profile mutants like Colossus or Nightcrawler or Storm, while the other book would have whatever other mutants plus Wolverine.

It's always worked that way and shouldn't be gotten rid of IMO. The X-Men are a big team after all and having two books with the exact same roster is just plain stupid when you have so many other X-Men.

As long as gambit doesn't show up in either book, i'm cool with it.

Gambit may sound like a special-ed kid, but I grew up with him being X-Man for like forever (my first exposure to the X-Men was the cartoon series) so getting rid of him is a no-no to me.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Astonishing X-Men exists to give you your non-Cannonball dose of X-Men action each mo--er, whenever.

Well I guess that's a plus. I really hate his last name