Bought/Thought May 26th, 2010 *Spoilers*

[Dread]

And, I'm not sure about the two years of FrankenCastle...I just know in mid-March, he said about nine or so more issues. But, I can see if it's popular that he could probably make more. Anyone know if sales have gone up with the switch?

No. As of March 2010 at least, sales on Punisher post "FrankenCastle" are down over 20% within the last 6 months and over 40% within the last 12. It hovers within the Top 90 of the Top 100 chart. Sales for it drop 1-8% an issue, but that was the case before FrankenCastle. So while it hasn't saved the book, it hasn't exactly given it a death blow in terms of sales. While it may have divided fans, it seems retailers and casual buys don't care. It may be possible Remender was told that nothing anyone did effected the book for better or worse, so to just go wild.

The MAX Punisher outsells it, but not often by a large degree (in some cases literally a few hundred copies).

 

[Phaedrus45]

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2

Two issues in, I have to say this is one of the worst pieces of crap I've read in a while. (But, that has to do with expectations held somewhat high.) From the amnesia ... to the witch trials ... to the band of heroes getting a most confusing explanation of events at the Vanishing Point, it's all just making me appreciate Brubaker's Cap: Reborn that much more.

I guess I'm just reborn, returned, and remade out! One good thing to say about this comic is each issue could be seen as a separate Elseworld's type tale; it's just as Elseworlds go, it's nothing that great or original. I'm already waiting for it all to be over. (And, that's another thing I'm very tired of: The promise of a return that is dragged out as an event, and that holds no mystery or surprise. I miss the old days where a major character returns without any preceeding hype ... kinda like what we saw in the last page of this week's Thanos title.)

War Of The Supermen #4

Ahhhh...this is much, much better. FINALLY, we get the end of the New Krypton storyline. And, for the most part, I enjoyed it very much. My complaints lie in the fact that everything got wrapped up too neatly, and this final issue could have been stretched out a bit more. (Seriously, I don't think a single issue of a comic has wrapped up so many storylines at once. We get Zod and company all returned to the Negative Zone, Superman's adopted son, Chris, also returning there to keep track of those villians, General Lane putting a gun to his mouth and blowing out his brains, and all the New Kryptons gone from the Earth ... or not wanting to be known, as Superman can't find a trace of them anywhere). It's almost like going back three years and saying everything that happened since never did happen.

I also wonder how others found the ending. The defeat of Zod and company happens so quickly and in such a way that doesn't fullfill the amount of payback you want them to receive. Same goes with General Lane, taking his own life instead of facing the charges that should be rendered against him. I guess it's just DC wanting to be done with the whole thing in one fell swoop.

Northlanders #28 or, the final chapter of The Plague Widow

Interesting final issue of this long storyline from Northlanders. It's been my favorite so far; but, Brian Wood has a way of ending these stories in such odd ways, as I don't find them fullfilling. This issue focuses on the mother and daughter trying to survive the long winter after they've been exiled from their town. There are some great scenes; and, I liked how the daughter shows what she's learned from her mother in the end. But, I wanted more, and I wanted to see more of what happened to the mother after the final page. Still, overall it was a pretty good story about the steps a mom will go to protect their child. I hope Brian Wood revisits these two again some time in the future.

 

[StreetWarrior]

From the guy who started this argument, I'm glad someone brought the thread back on topic with reviews. So, Phaedrus, thank you!

 

[Dread]

Many times when a writer who is tasked with resurrecting a character, especially a major one, they always give some sort of explanation or reasoning for why the story is what it is or was as, "we have to think of something better than having ______ sit up out of a coffin and say, I'm back."

Just once, I'd like to see that done, played straight. I mean, the alternative has been done to death, why not swing the other way? See what happens?

Bruce Wayne enters the Batcave. "I'm back."

Alfred: "What kept you, sir?"

Wayne. "It all involves a lot of cosmic metaphysics and absurdly complicated dimensional weaving."

Alfred: "I'm sure it does, sir. Superman will probably want to hear all about it. I've pressed your tights. Master Grayson and Damian are off fighting Killer Croc in the sewer system, perhaps you would like to join them?"

Wayne: "Perhaps I would."

The irony is when Robert Kirkman did INVINCIBLE #60, his "Invincible War" story, he tried to essentially tell a 6-8 issue story within about 30 pages by cutting out "the fat" and just sticking to the main plot beats. The result? A lot of readers whined about wanting that to be a longer story. It comes down to reader expectations and training. Kirkman would answer in some of his letter columns, "You already saw Atom Eve get injured, did you really need an entire issue telling you how?" and the response at least half the time was some version of, "Yes."

Dan Slott and Christos Gage played that straight with Trauma once, and it worked. But he wasn't a major Marvel character.

Cornell killed and resurrected Capt. Britain in his first few issues of CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13, and resurrected him by having the collective will of the British people cause Brian to re-assemble himself with a bunch of flags and be reborn. It was absurd enough to be laughable, but no less absurd than a lot of other resurrections, with half the hype and time spent.

 

[Drz]

I believe the "problem" with Return of Bruce Wayne, is that from December (thats 6 months gentlemen) the hype started with Bruce Wayne vs. History, and thus people (myself included) we're excepting each issue to be about Batman vs. Crime of that era, but no we get 3 different plots that vary from Different era Bruce, to Superman & Pals and now Future-Bruce trying to stop the different-era-Bruce?

 

[Dread]

So, you're saying Grant Morrison writes as if he is in the middle of an acid trip for every script? This is certainly surprising.

 

[Drz]

More like the hype of 6 months and even the slightest of changes to what was excepted, gets people very disappointed. I mean they really did make the different era thing into a big thing, and its even receiving action figures, but to me they just seem to be tributes to Silver Age, and thats it.

 

[runawayboulder]

For some reason I find it funny that when I mention Frankencastle in a B/T thread, it creates a huge uproar for two pages, but no one posts in the Punisher/Remender thread how much they they hate the concept....maybe one or two people.

 

[StreetWarrior]

For some reason I find it funny that when I mention Frankencastle in a B/T thread, it creates a huge uproar for two pages, but no one posts in the Punisher/Remender thread how much they they hate the concept....maybe one or two people.

Because, much like the comic itself, I will NOT be visiting the Punisher thread until this FrankenCastle nonsense is over. Besides, it's buried a few pages back now and I'm far too lazy to dig it up.

 

[Alastor]

I can't imagine getting so upset or worked up over any fictional character, especially in the comics medium, where any change is usually undone in short order. I loved the Punisher as a kid, bought everything with him in it I could, saw the movies etc., and as DUMB as the Angel Punisher was, my feeling on the whole thing was "eh, i'll pass". Lo and behold, shortly after that Ennis came in and wrote the BEST Punisher for years.

 

[Drz]

And remember if you wanna see some cool Punisher+Avengers action, with Punisher as "US Agent" so to speak, check out Ultimate Avengers 2!

 

[Alastor]

I read Ultimates 1 and 2. They were ok, but none of this Ultimate Avengers stuff really interests me.

 

[Drz]

Well it's pretty much Nick Fury now demoted, leading the Avengers (2nd book consists of Punisher, War Machine, Black Widow II, Hawkeye & Tyrone Cash the new Hulk) againts Ghost Rider whos after the vice president or so to take his soul. And no, you don't need to read Avengers 1 or anything, thats the best thing about Avengers! Standalone "event" books for Ultimate Universe.

#1 preview if interested.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Cornell killed and resurrected Capt. Britain in his first few issues of CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13, and resurrected him by having the collective will of the British people cause Brian to re-assemble himself with a bunch of flags and be reborn. It was absurd enough to be laughable, but no less absurd than a lot of other resurrections, with half the hype and time spent.

You're forgetting the part where it was also friggin' awesome. If you've got a world filled with sci fi and magic, you've basically got carte blanche to do anything, and I love that Cornell embraced that. Brian's resurrection may have been a bit corny, but I love the symbolism of a hero so loved by the people that they literally won't let him die. I had to suppress the urge to jump up and cheer when the flags parted to reveal Brian.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Man... that really was a phenominal scene. I didn't even feel the hokieness of it. I had chills. I later had to sell the whole series due to financial issues and really wish I could get them back. One of these days I'll go out and find them again.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

At least get the "Vampire State" issues. Best vampires vs. superheroes story ever.

 

[Watchman]

I loved how they were selling that story: Dr. Doom and Dracula on the ****ing moon.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, the ads for it were awesome. The whole idea of vampire missiles being launched at Earth was awesome, too. Man, I miss that series.

 

[Dread]

You're forgetting the part where it was also friggin' awesome. If you've got a world filled with sci fi and magic, you've basically got carte blanche to do anything, and I love that Cornell embraced that. Brian's resurrection may have been a bit corny, but I love the symbolism of a hero so loved by the people that they literally won't let him die. I had to suppress the urge to jump up and cheer when the flags parted to reveal Brian.

I never said it wasn't a good or even awesome moment. But it was also absurd enough to be laughable, at least to me. It was one of those moments that was so stupid, it couldn't help but be awesome. Like many that involve the Tick. "Must...defy...laws...of physics!"

The irony is that if Steve Rogers had been resurrected that way, it would have been no less absurd than it was for Braddock, but it probably would have, ironically, made more sense than, "he was trapped in a comatose state with time bullets".

Man... that really was a phenominal scene. I didn't even feel the hokieness of it. I had chills. I later had to sell the whole series due to financial issues and really wish I could get them back. One of these days I'll go out and find them again.

Regardless of liking it, I always thought the scene was hokey. But after some refresher courses in 6+ stories that seek to deliver a complicated reasoning for a resurrection that is obvious and anticipated, I am starting to respect it's simplicity. Brian's back, doesn't matter how, go tell the story. And, at the very least, it was a resurrection that DIDN'T deny that he had actually died, like many resurrections do. That is one thing I always find bizarre. Writers have been finding a way around a character's death since Homer's day, yet usually the biggest contrivances revolve around denying the death itself happened. Even Superman in the 90's was essentially just in a REALLY deep coma.

At least get the "Vampire State" issues. Best vampires vs. superheroes story ever.

I have a feeling that story will end up being far more superior than the X-Men vs. Vampires thing coming up.

 

[Alastor]

Next convention I go to I'm picking the Captain Britain series based on all the talk I hear from a few of you on these boards. I picked up Agents of Atlas because of Dread and it turned out to be one of my favorite series in a long time (which of course means it got canceled).

 

[Dread]

Yeah, CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13 is more than worth owning. I think there were 3 trades, which collected 11 issues of material (10 issues of the regular series plus an Annual, which fit between issue #9 and #10, if memory serves). Glad my reviews have some impact around here.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Next convention I go to I'm picking the Captain Britain series based on all the talk I hear from a few of you on these boards. I picked up Agents of Atlas because of Dread and it turned out to be one of my favorite series in a long time (which of course means it got canceled).

Yeah, but it's the series that Marvel is determined to keep on life support, it seems. A new ongoing called simply Atlas just started. Same exact premise as the Agents of Atlas series, just a new title.

 

[Watchman]

I have a feeling that story will end up being far more superior than the X-Men vs. Vampires thing coming up.

Well, duh. X-Men and vampires it just feels so right, though.

 

[Alastor]

True. They have thrown a lot of support to the book and the characters, which I appreciate and gives me hope that Marvel makes some decisions based on quality and not money.

 

[NDX]

Yeah, CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13 is more than worth owning. I think there were 3 trades, which collected 11 issues of material (10 issues of the regular series plus an Annual, which fit between issue #9 and #10, if memory serves). Glad my reviews have some impact around here.

It was 15 and an annual, if I recall correctly. Also, book 1 has a backup of an old Captain Britain with Spider-Man story. I just ordered volume 2 finally, and would have had volume 3 had Amazon not been out of stock.

The series was surprisingly good. I was never a big fan of Captain Britain before this series, but there was just such good, consistent writing with some nice cameos towards the end (I mean, Death's Head II for ****'s sake). It was sad seeing it end, but it ended very well.