Bought/Thought October 1st, 2008

[CaptainCanada]

Just two books this week, one of which is a carryover from last week:

Manhunter #35

The main plot keeps on going, and I still cannot muster much enthusiasm for it; Kate and his BoP comrades bust into the illegal experimentation plant in Mexico and free a bunch of women, while blowing the place up real good; at the end, she says she has the evidence she needs to implicate US corporation Vesetech in the op, and she'll bring them down as a lawyer, not as Manhunter. It's competently done, and Kate's internal monologue is fun enough, although there aren't any real classic lines this time. More interesting are the other plots, with Cameron trying to find out what happened to Dylan, and revealing an interesting plot twist; the "Ramsey has superpowers" plot is still kind of vague, but I'll be interested to see the implications. The Suicide Squad continue to be kind of chumps here. Gaydos' art remains unsuited to drawing them, and capes in general; I really wish they'd bring back one of the old artists.

X-Force #7

I had originally meant to not buy this series anymore, because I found the first arc mediocre, but here I am; I guess I'm a sucker for Mike Choi and Sonia Oback's art, plus, I do like Craig Kyle and Chris Yost's writing. And this issue I thought was a big improvement, and not just because of the clearer visuals. Last issue left a whole passel of baddies in play, and now they return to the scene, installing themselves in various government positions (and elsewhere; the writers helpfully tie Donald Pierce's appearances here into his YXM appearance, a nice touch you don't often see anymore) (with the cover story that the more public ones were rescued by the government from mutant assault), while X-Force is sent after the Vanisher, who just stole the Legacy Virus for a mysterious client. We get a bit more insight into how Cyclops is keeping things a secret (including Josh asking the Stepford Cuckoos to wipe his mind so that he won't go after X-Force's opponents himself; the Cuckoos, after all their Emma-related problems, don't trust her anymore, which is a neat development), and updates on Rahne and Warren; the latter can now become Archangel sort of at will, which strikes me as a good compromise; his original form has iconic imagery, his Archangel form is actually useful in combart. There's a scene midway through where Wolverine basically repeats various messageboard arguments about why Cyclops is going overboard/is doing what Xavier was doing, and Cyclops rebutting it. People who aren't convinced about the new Cyclops probably won't be by this, but it's nice for the writers to take notice of these issues. Choi and Oback's art remains beautiful.

 

[supermarvelman]

Eternals was good as usual, Gilgamesh really kicked the **** out of Makkari.

 

[Dread]

This is my smallest week in about 4-6 years, and I am not exaggerating. I got back into comics around 2000-2001 after mostly giving up on them during high school in the late 90's and back then I used to average about 1-3 books a month. I'm back to that, if only for the first Wednesday of October. Only one book. And it isn't even Marvel, so I feel a bit awkward posting it here. Oh, well.

I would have bought PUNISHER: WAR JOURNAL, but I quit it last month, and while this is a small week, when it comes to quitting comics, like ending relationships, a clean break is usually best.

As always, spoilers aplenty. Since I only have one book, I likely will ramble on and on a bit, so long text warning, too.

Dread's Bought/Thought for 10/1/08:

INVINCIBLE #53: This issue comes on the heels of some interesting developments in the world of Robert Kirkman. He's become more of an inside Image man, disavowing Marvel and work for the Big Two in general. So much so that he debated Bendis at a Newsarama moderated debate over what is better, Creator vs. Company work for aspiring writers. While I like Kirkman a great deal, and am more than aware of "the big two" screwing their creators, Kirkman verges on hypocrisy a bit here. He worked for Marvel for several years until very recently, and one of his runs was an over 2 year run on ULTIMATE X-MEN, a title that may as well be NEW AVENGERS in the eyes of most independent creators and indies. The details of the split, in the midst of his plans for a DESTROYER MAX series with Cory Walker, haven't been stated, but they likely were ugly.

The crux of the debate was that while creator owned work is the best way to build a personal empire around your own creators, such as Kirkman himself, or Mike Mignola (or the eternal example, Eastman and Laird of TMNT), company work helps you pay your bills in the short term. Kirkman was able to do both. He worked on "big two" stuff while launching and running Image titles and I am sure it helped him pay his own bills. From my standard, Kirkman is on the verge of acting like those folks who rise from poverty to middle class and then start talking down to their old neighbors as if their farts no longer stink.

On top of that, around the internet community I am starting to notice some more open criticism of him. Works that used to be sacred cows have now been going on for years and now don't seem as sacred. Personally, I've always liked Kirkman's work overall, although I've never read WALKING DEAD and bailed from his downward spiral of an ULTIMATE X-MEN run.

INVINCIBLE is among his longest running titles and one complaint is that his stories take a while to develop and are all over the place. The subplot with Titan is a key example. The subplot of Invincible being tricked into helping a low level hood take out the city's major mob boss Machine Head, only for that hood (Titan) to take over himself, was dropped, literally, over two years ago. The solict pokes fun at it, calling it "a couple of months ago", which is either wisecracking or borderline insulting, depending on your mood. Fans would write letters about Titan's return nearly as often as calling for Battle Beast.

If Battle Beast's return is as rushed and awkward as Titan's was, those letter writers should save their ink.

Not to say it was downright bad; it wasn't. But there is more going on in Invincible right now than two years ago, and all of it more interesting than Titan right now. The upcoming Viltrumite invasion, including Anyssa; Nolan's possible return; Oliver becoming Omni-Man and having a more Nolan-esque take on Earth, and Mark being independent from Cecil's control. The timing for a stone slab mob boss is a bit awkward to put it lightly. Sure, there was build-up; the only reason Titan is back into the mix is because his superiors in Asia, part of a superhuman crime cartel called The Order, wanted him to bust their agent Multi-Paul out of prison. Recall, Multi-Paul came to America to seemingly avenge the death of his sister Dupli-Kate (who wasn't as dead as she seemed), and was captured by Invincible and Rex Splode. He sent two minor villains to do that a few issues ago, and they got stomped. Now, Titan attempts it personally.

Titan's plan is rather stupid; no smarter than the hoods he sent himself. Invincible calls him on it and thrashes him in no time flat, only for Titan's Oriental masters to show up, free Paul, and kick him out of the Order. The upshot to this is that at least Kirkman doesn't make the mistake of some other writers, having a hero underwhelm despite experience. No, at this stage of the game, Mark is far stronger than he used to be, and Titan should provide no challenge. He doesn't. Of course, the villains need to up the ante, otherwise they become TOO easy and comical to defeat.

The more important meat of the issue pertains to more personal issues. Mark is trying to go out an superhero date with Atom Eve, but is too distracted by his family issues, specifically Oliver, who continues to show little qualms about being "efficient" in killing the Mauler Twins and not valuing human life. Mark is even angry with his mother because he assumes she told her new boyfriend that he is a superhero (and he may be right). This leads Mark to question his own temper, and if he is at risk of becoming like Nolan himself. Of course, a universe away, Nolan is trying to rehabilitate himself in a way, and Cecil was hardly the figure Mark originally trusted. The morals of the book are shifting to a question of grey areas as Mark discovers not everything is as black and white as he assumed, and that part is more interesting than any fights with concrete goons. I like the budding relationship with Eve, which only proves my own personal theory that superheroes dating civilians is futile and they may as well date fellow superheroes or heroines who share the biz and thus understand better. Aside for Lois & Clark, and to some degree Wally and Linda, it never works out.

The ending has Oliver seem to fake being apologetic to perhaps get Mark off his back. While I like the idea of Oliver not being a "funny sidekick" and posing as an ideological opposite, there are moments where I think Kirkman is overplaying his hand. But overall, I think it is an interesting move. Being a creator owned book, Kirkman is allowed to take risks and such that a normal franchise couldn't do. It might be interesting if Oliver actually ends up colder hearted than Nolan in a way.

The new colorist's growing on me and things seem as they should be art wise, with the ever-ready Ottley still continuing his incredible run.

The next issue promises the return of Kirkman's two new time traveler characters, who may or may not have anything to do with the seemingly alive Angstrom Levy. Hopefully their story angle proves interesting. I must say I am growing a little impatient with some of Kirkman's dragging on of the Viltrumite plotline, but hopefully the upcoming arcs make up for it. It is still an incredible superhero title, among the best in the business for your money. That said, not every issue can be an A+, and this one isn't.

 

[imdaly]

So what's your Pick of the Week, Dread?

 

[Dread]

So what's your Pick of the Week, Dread?

Punisher War Journal.

My LCS made an extra point to stick a sign under the new issue specifically stating, "THIS IS A SECRET INVASION TIE-IN!" Methinks he has too many back issues of it.

 

[WolfCypher]

Venom: Dark Origin 3

No surprise. Like I wasn't going to pick up this week's Venom comic.

Continuing to retell and update the humble beginnings of Eddie Brock and his transformation into Venom, part 3 actually has the now depressed, very suicidal Eddie come into contact with the symbiote. That's pretty much it.

Yessir. This book had virtually no dialogue. You can read the entire issue in like a minute. Dan Slott figured the telling of how Eddie was found by the symbiote, and how he would embrace it's poisonous caress would do better visually. And it does it well at first. You either like Angel Medina or you hate him, but his art here is strikingly good and perfectly fits the tone of the book. But you're reading with your eyes the entire time. In fact, the most dialogue takes place on the very last 3-4 pages! By then, you're either regretting paying for something you ideally could have read while standing in the comic store, or you're (like me) already ready for part 4.

The thing with parts 1 & 2 were that, sure, they didn't tell me, a true-blue Eddie Brock fan, anything I didn't already know, and sure, there was no Venom anywhere in the context of the story (which makes sense...the story leads up to Venom), but at least they satisfied me enough. I didn't read em, put em, down, and wished the book was tri-monthly so we can get to the "good stuff" already. Parts 1 & 2 were both pleasant meals that made me gladly, patiently wait for the next serving. Coming home reading part 3, finishing part 3 actually, I was already half-seriously wondering "why couldn't part 4 be out already?" Part three will not tie me over (obviously I am going to finish this story, though).

Like I said, Medina's art here is as good as it gets. That should make up for the lack of a "story", but it doesn't. We get to see the sick, yet cool way the symbiote engulfs Eddie's psyche and physical body. Problem is, most of the earlier pages are just that; multiple ways to show a black alien slime envelop a person in different shots. The very last pages where the best, though. Here comes the "major" spoiler: Seeing Eddie, as Venom, look at himself in the mirror as the "mouth" oh his "mask" grows and morphs, becoming distorted, as he laughs manically, was thrilling. It reminded me how only Eddie Brock as Venom could work.

ANyway, if this book had been released simeltaneuosly (sic) with issue 2 or issue 4, then it wouldn't have felt like a "filler" issue, then at least you'd have more to read. The fact that such an important development in the story (VENOM FINALLY DEBUTS, how Eddie and the symbiote bond) feels like a bloody filler was this issue's biggest sin.

2.5/5

Visually, the best issue yet. But eyecandy only distracts for so long, and before you've even made it back to your car after leaving the comic store, you've finished reading this one. Storywise, part 2 was the best yet.

 

[samurai black]

Has anyone else found the Marvel Apes mini somewhat entertaining? I found myself drawn to pick up each issue and got a few chuckles out of it.

 

[Dread]

Has anyone else found the Marvel Apes mini somewhat entertaining? I found myself drawn to pick up each issue and got a few chuckles out of it.

I haven't bothered. Monkeys, like ninjas and cyborgs, are usually shameless pandering moves.

One has to admire the nerve of Marvel, releasing varient covers to advertise for mini series, which basically makes people PAY for an advert. And August's sales figures note some books did see a boost from it. Crazy.

 

[Gilpesh]

Eternals was good as usual, Gilgamesh really kicked the **** out of Makkari.

Oh man that was brutal... all because Ajax can't talk to the dreaming Celestial... he's such a *****.

 

[Dark Victory]

Batman #680

Batman RIP and the entirety of Grant Morrison's run on Batman have both been promising to lead up to a Danse Macabre for Bruce Wayne, the fateful moment where the greatest forces ever aligned against him would all join together to bring about his inevitable doom. And that's precisely what Morrison has delivered with this penultimate chapter of RIP – a gruesomely violent, horrific and very disturbing dance of death that sees nearly every major thread and player introduced thus far in Morrison's run unite to do the cha-cha on Batman's grave.

Keeping with the trend he established in previous issues of RIP, Morrison still leaves the most important and suspenseful questions unanswered until next issue. That hardly matters to the poignancy and entertainment value of this installment, though. By the time the issue is through, your stomach will be in knots, your mouth will remain dangling, and you'll be convinced – absolutely convinced – that nothing will ever be the same for the Dark Knight. At least not for a while, and definitely for longer than usual. It's one of the most powerful penultimate chapters of a serialized comic book story I can remember.

In talking about the central mystery of RIP and Morrison's run in general, I've often pointed out how closely he's kept his cards held against his chest, even while he's given hints at the greater picture behind the Black Glove and this plot to destroy the Batman once and for all. Here, he very nearly pushes all those cards forward to at last reveal them, only to snatch them back at the last moment. It's completely mesmerizing and even a little hypnotic to witness all these threads twirl together in a maelstrom of conspiracy, and my attempts to piece together the puzzle while reading left me unnerved and completely aghast. Above all other things, thus far Batman RIP has proven to be a masterfully crafted mystery tale.

For the duration of this storyline, artist Tony Daniel has succeeded in composing his panels and pages in such a way as to reflect the nightmarish dreamscape of this psychologically driven story. For the most part, these artistic decisions have complemented Morrison's story wonderfully. More so than in any other issue, however, this issue's fragmented approach to storytelling actually hindered its clarity at times. There's one two-page spread in particular where Daniel pushes the layout of the panels to the point where their sequential order is broken. And I don't think that was the intended effect. Daniel's decision to abandon conventional panel separations doesn't help matters either. Nevertheless, such design gaffs, as major as they might have been at times, were the only real problems I had with the issue.

Let me make one thing completely clear to anyone reading this review before reading the issue: it's not for the squeamish. Graphic violence and disturbing imagery permeate nearly every page of this book. It's why the book is as powerful as it is. Morrison means to shock, unnerve, horrify and convince you of this story's importance all at the same time. And in this reviewer's opinion, he succeeds at all of those things and then some. A+

 

[Dark Victory]

Nightwing #149

My problem with the Scarecrow's fear serum is that it's entirely too easy for a writer to use it as a gimmick, a cheap and obvious plot device to externalize a hero's internal struggle for pages on end without ever advancing their story's plot. We've seen this happen in a number of instances (Hush comes to mind), and we see it again in this latest issue of Nightwing, in which writer Peter Tomasi spend far too many pages on Nightwing's battle to overcome Scarecrow's gas while suffering from crippling hallucinations we've all seen too many times before.

I recently just started to really come around to Tomasi's run on Nightwing, which is why I've tried so hard to overlook this arc's clumsy references to Batman RIP. That's also why I so desperately wanted to look past my feeling that a large portion of this issue was wasted on the above mentioned plot device (so much so that I dismissed its set up in the previous issue). Thankfully, a combination of Tomasi's deft characterization and Don Kramer's atmospheric art allowed me to enjoy the issue despite its faults. I suppose it's something when an issue wastes too much space, and feels a little too obvious, but nevertheless has a few strong moments and looks good.

Other than Kramer's art (which I'll get to in a bit), the main redeeming factor of this issue is Tomasi's handling of Two-Face. Even with its obvious set-up and conclusion, this story has put forth a compelling and somewhat inventive take on Harvey Dent's fractured psyche. On a similar note, despite its predictability and willingness to spend too much time on the familiar hallucinatory scene, the issue does propel this story forward to some interesting and exciting ground. Plus, I'm happy to report that there are absolutely no awkward RIP references in sight.

But make no mistake about it, Kramer's art is the real star of this show. Most of the issue is bathed in hauntingly vibrant reds, a visual effect that really drives home the horrific consequences of Scarecrow's gas. The whole issue reminded me a lot of the look and feel of the recent Black Mercy storyline from Green Lantern Corps, which was similarly bathed in lush reds and violets and was also written by Tomasi (with fantastic art by Patrick Gleason). The issue never loses a sense of visual coherency even as it attempts to discombobulate us alongside Nightwing, which is a testament to Kramer's purposeful and effective stage (or page) direction. The action here is likewise clear as well as dynamic, giving even the most predictable scenes a sense of excitement.

The best compliments I can pay this issue is it makes a tired device seem captivating, and more significantly, succeeds in building up next issue so that I'm greatly looking forward to it. That and there are no RIP references. C+

 

[venom62]

Batman #680

Batman RIP and the entirety of Grant Morrison's run on Batman have both been promising to lead up to a Danse Macabre for Bruce Wayne, the fateful moment where the greatest forces ever aligned against him would all join together to bring about his inevitable doom. And that's precisely what Morrison has delivered with this penultimate chapter of RIP – a gruesomely violent, horrific and very disturbing dance of death that sees nearly every major thread and player introduced thus far in Morrison's run unite to do the cha-cha on Batman's grave.

Keeping with the trend he established in previous issues of RIP, Morrison still leaves the most important and suspenseful questions unanswered until next issue. That hardly matters to the poignancy and entertainment value of this installment, though. By the time the issue is through, your stomach will be in knots, your mouth will remain dangling, and you'll be convinced – absolutely convinced – that nothing will ever be the same for the Dark Knight. At least not for a while, and definitely for longer than usual. It's one of the most powerful penultimate chapters of a serialized comic book story I can remember.

In talking about the central mystery of RIP and Morrison's run in general, I've often pointed out how closely he's kept his cards held against his chest, even while he's given hints at the greater picture behind the Black Glove and this plot to destroy the Batman once and for all. Here, he very nearly pushes all those cards forward to at last reveal them, only to snatch them back at the last moment. It's completely mesmerizing and even a little hypnotic to witness all these threads twirl together in a maelstrom of conspiracy, and my attempts to piece together the puzzle while reading left me unnerved and completely aghast. Above all other things, thus far Batman RIP has proven to be a masterfully crafted mystery tale.

For the duration of this storyline, artist Tony Daniel has succeeded in composing his panels and pages in such a way as to reflect the nightmarish dreamscape of this psychologically driven story. For the most part, these artistic decisions have complemented Morrison's story wonderfully. More so than in any other issue, however, this issue's fragmented approach to storytelling actually hindered its clarity at times. There's one two-page spread in particular where Daniel pushes the layout of the panels to the point where their sequential order is broken. And I don't think that was the intended effect. Daniel's decision to abandon conventional panel separations doesn't help matters either. Nevertheless, such design gaffs, as major as they might have been at times, were the only real problems I had with the issue.

Let me make one thing completely clear to anyone reading this review before reading the issue: it's not for the squeamish. Graphic violence and disturbing imagery permeate nearly every page of this book. It's why the book is as powerful as it is. Morrison means to shock, unnerve, horrify and convince you of this story's importance all at the same time. And in this reviewer's opinion, he succeeds at all of those things and then some. A+

Aren't these the IGN reviews?

 

[Brainiac 8]

Yes, he is ripping IGN's reviews for some reason.


In fact both reviews are IGN's. How hard is it to give your own opinion, or did you use theirs to sound smart hoping noone would notice?

 

[venom62]

Yes, he is ripping IGN's reviews for some reason.


In fact both reviews are IGN's. How hard is it to give your own opinion, or did you use theirs to sound smart hoping noone would notice?

Thats what I thought. Once I saw "Danse Macabre" I knew I heard that one before.

 

[samurai black]

Batman #680

Batman RIP and the entirety of Grant Morrison's run on Batman have both been promising to lead up to a Danse Macabre for Bruce Wayne, the fateful moment where the greatest forces ever aligned against him would all join together to bring about his inevitable doom. And that's precisely what Morrison has delivered with this penultimate chapter of RIP – a gruesomely violent, horrific and very disturbing dance of death that sees nearly every major thread and player introduced thus far in Morrison's run unite to do the cha-cha on Batman's grave.

Keeping with the trend he established in previous issues of RIP, Morrison still leaves the most important and suspenseful questions unanswered until next issue. That hardly matters to the poignancy and entertainment value of this installment, though. By the time the issue is through, your stomach will be in knots, your mouth will remain dangling, and you'll be convinced – absolutely convinced – that nothing will ever be the same for the Dark Knight. At least not for a while, and definitely for longer than usual. It's one of the most powerful penultimate chapters of a serialized comic book story I can remember.

In talking about the central mystery of RIP and Morrison's run in general, I've often pointed out how closely he's kept his cards held against his chest, even while he's given hints at the greater picture behind the Black Glove and this plot to destroy the Batman once and for all. Here, he very nearly pushes all those cards forward to at last reveal them, only to snatch them back at the last moment. It's completely mesmerizing and even a little hypnotic to witness all these threads twirl together in a maelstrom of conspiracy, and my attempts to piece together the puzzle while reading left me unnerved and completely aghast. Above all other things, thus far Batman RIP has proven to be a masterfully crafted mystery tale.

For the duration of this storyline, artist Tony Daniel has succeeded in composing his panels and pages in such a way as to reflect the nightmarish dreamscape of this psychologically driven story. For the most part, these artistic decisions have complemented Morrison's story wonderfully. More so than in any other issue, however, this issue's fragmented approach to storytelling actually hindered its clarity at times. There's one two-page spread in particular where Daniel pushes the layout of the panels to the point where their sequential order is broken. And I don't think that was the intended effect. Daniel's decision to abandon conventional panel separations doesn't help matters either. Nevertheless, such design gaffs, as major as they might have been at times, were the only real problems I had with the issue.

Let me make one thing completely clear to anyone reading this review before reading the issue: it's not for the squeamish. Graphic violence and disturbing imagery permeate nearly every page of this book. It's why the book is as powerful as it is. Morrison means to shock, unnerve, horrify and convince you of this story's importance all at the same time. And in this reviewer's opinion, he succeeds at all of those things and then some. A+

Apparently, there is another book hidden on the shelves that is titled Batman RIP. Because the one I'm reading isn't "It's one of the most powerful penultimate chapters of a serialized comic book story I can remember". It's an arc written by a man who is WELL KNOWN for taking a character/team/storyline and doing a "Pimp my Ride" to it until you can't tell what the hell it is anymore. He's the Xzibit of the comic industry. I mean, he doesn't even characterize the Joker well. It's as if he already had this story written out and just plugged Batman characters names into the plot. If he's doing was a self contained story that didn't have many ramifications in other books (Batman and Son, The Resurrection of Ra's,etc) then it's fine, but when you're talking about changing the "status quo" of a character/team (E is For Extinction, Here Comes Tomorrow) it's a totally different ballgame, and Morrison is known for dropping the ball.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Meh, I usually don't agree with IGN's reviews anyways.

To me Batman R.I.P. is just Morisson trying too hard to write the next Knightfall...oh wait...this basically is Knightfall, only not as interesting.

 

[Dread]

I read the first four issues of Morrison's BATMAN run and knew they weren't what I read Batman for (I was turned off at the absurdity of "Ninja Man Bats"). Every few months on a lark I would randomly flip through an issue and they appeared to make less and less sense. #680 was no exception. Maybe it isn't fair to say that about a book I haven't read much of, but that's my "bystander" take.

His flair for over the top Silver Age absurdity and acid-trip stylings may have been cute in ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, but in modern day Batman it simply doesn't work.

And did I see Bat-Mite too? **** soup. That alien fop-tard didn't even work in the 50's.

 

[Brainiac 8]

I read the first four issues of Morrison's BATMAN run and knew they weren't what I read Batman for (I was turned off at the absurdity of "Ninja Man Bats"). Every few months on a lark I would randomly flip through an issue and they appeared to make less and less sense. #680 was no exception. Maybe it isn't fair to say that about a book I haven't read much of, but that's my "bystander" take.

His flair for over the top Silver Age absurdity and acid-trip stylings may have been cute in ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, but in modern day Batman it simply doesn't work.

And did I see Bat-Mite too? **** soup. That alien fop-tard didn't even work in the 50's.

I agree. I liked Morisson when he did his X-Men run, but he doesn't get Batman, and doesn't show proper respect for the character and the way he works.

This event of his is all shock value for no appearant reason. He apes earlier stories (Like Knightfall) and soaks in the praise the comic press gives him just because he's Morisson, and if he is Morrison, then it must be original.

Bleh.

 

[Doc Destruction]

Wow, I feel EXACTLY the same way about his X-Men run.

Personally I like him better on HUGE stories, like JLA and Authority level.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Well Doc, he pulled a bunch of the same stuff on his X-Men run also, and I didn't like everything he did. What I did like was his idea of booming the mutant population, since to me that just made sense.

But there are many other things that I really didn't like during his run on X-Men. I guess I just wasn't as bothered by his storytelling there than I am on Batman.

 

[Blader5489]

I read the first four issues of Morrison's BATMAN run and knew they weren't what I read Batman for (I was turned off at the absurdity of "Ninja Man Bats"). Every few months on a lark I would randomly flip through an issue and they appeared to make less and less sense. #680 was no exception. Maybe it isn't fair to say that about a book I haven't read much of, but that's my "bystander" take.

No ****!

Hey Dread, I've never read Invincible. Do you think if I read #53, everything would make sense?

 

[samurai black]

I haven't bothered. Monkeys, like ninjas and cyborgs, are usually shameless pandering moves.

Well, although the big surprise/plot twist about the REAL villain does throw off what could have been a decent straightforward story, it's good to at least see

Spoiler

Captain America

or some version of him

Spoiler

Assembling Avengers

again. With all the darkness of the 616, it's good to laugh. And i could see him guest starring in ASM, even if to just get into the way.

 

[Themanofbat]

And did I see Bat-Mite too? **** soup. That alien fop-tard didn't even work in the 50's.

I like Bat-Mite.

 

[Dread]

No ****!

Hey Dread, I've never read Invincible. Do you think if I read #53, everything would make sense?

Actually, while you wouldn't of course know the character histories, the story wouldn't be that hard to follow.

BATMAN #680 had ballgags, victorian costumes, Bat-Mite and Alfred in a domino mask.

 

[Bubonic]

Anyone read that Skaar one-shot?
It was actually quite readable, loved it.
Added a bit more dept to some characters and Sakaar, and also displayed various art styles.
There was also a recap of everything leading up to Skaar's conception.

Also wondering if anyone got their hands on part two of Namor's mini, loved the build up of the first one yet my store sold out