Bought/Thought Thread for Dec. 8 - Spoilers and Squirrel Girl!!!

[Phaedrus45]

The New Avengers #7

This issue should be met with some mixed reviews, as it's mainly just the New Avengers sitting around the dinner table talking Avenger's politics. (Do they accept the assistance of Steve Rogers and Victoria Hand? Do they allow themselves to be paid by the government? Can Luke Cage find himself a decent nanny? Who will be their version of Jarvis?) All these questions...and, not much more...are answered in this issue of New Avengers! The ending, which is finding the nanny, is the best part. After screening a bunch of heroes, Squirrel Girl gets the job! (Smart move on Bendis' part. Old SG has a nice, loyal following that will be more than happy to pick up this issue.)

There are quite a few humorous scenes; but, enough people will be upset that it contains not a scrap of action. While I didn't mind that, it would have been nice to have a prologue of things to come.

Detective Comics Annual #12

Ok, I'm mixed on this one. On one side, the story is entertaining enough; but, I'm just not sold on Batman, Inc.. Too often in the past, we've seen Bruce Wayne's reluctance to allowing other crime fighters getting into this kind of gig, and I do not buy this sudden change of character. Also, I just feel the world of Batman is becoming WAAAY TOO expanded. And, this only adds to all that, and Batman as a whole is becoming a bit watered down.

That said, the first part of this two-part story shows Bruce Wayne expanding Batman, Inc. into France. We're introduced to a new hero, Nightrunner...but, the costume is pretty damn generic, and he inspires no love from me. Also, the French Batman's alter ego isn't talked about at all; so, besides wearing the costume, the reader gets to know zippo about him. (Really, what's the guy's credentials?) So, story interesting...the details, not so much.

There are also two back-up features. The first involves The Question, and the second involves the new hero introduced earlier, Nightrunner. Both bored me to tears...and, every time I see The Question, I think how DC's writers have ruined one of Batman's more interesting supporting characters, Renee Montoya (sp?).

Echo #26

I'll be interested to see what JH thought of this issue. On one hand, the discussion the group has was interesting enough; but, part of me really felt like this issue was a bit of a time waster. Not much happens, and even though the scenes with the townfolk is kind of cute, it doesn't serve the actually story that much. This is only the second issue I've been rather displeased with...but, even worse, the first was the issue previous. I seriously hope that Terry Moore gets things rolling again with the next issue.

Super Hero Squad #12

Nobody in their right mind who is on The Hype would buy this book, unless you're like me and are a Marvel completionist. It's intended for a much, much younger audience...even younger than those who might read Tobin's Marvel Adventures titles. That said, this is probably the best issue of this title that I've read. There is no talk about Fractuals, and the whole book is dedicated to a Christmas theme.

We get two stories. The first sees Santa and his reindeer collide with the Squad's Helicarrier, and Santa sends the various members to disperse toys to all the good little boys and girls around the area. The second is an X-Men story, where Bobby makes a huge ice sledding ride and the various members compete in a race. Neither is worth recommending to you guys; but, I was better than any of the other issue's of this book I read. Normally, I give this title a big old frowny face; but, this time it will finally receive a

Shadowland: After The Fall One-Shot

Worthless issue, especially since the last issue of Daredevil was a much better Epilogue to Shadowland. We don't learn anything new with this issue, and instead have to sit through another one comic filled with Urich's monologue. (Different this time is the police officer's monologue...but, I just kept thinking how much he resembles Commissioner Gordon.) If you've read Daredevil, this is really a waste of your cash.

 

[fifthfiend]

SG as Avengers nanny is legit inspired, as long as nobody does anything stupid like have someone show up and try to **** with the Avenger's kids and then SG loses to them.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Echo #26

I'll be interested to see what JH thought of this issue. On one hand, the discussion the group has was interesting enough; but, part of me really felt like this issue was a bit of a time waster. Not much happens, and even though the scenes with the townfolk is kind of cute, it doesn't serve the actually story that much. This is only the second issue I've been rather displeased with...but, even worse, the first was the issue previous. I seriously hope that Terry Moore gets things rolling again with the next issue.

I haven't been able to even get last week's comics, and since I somehow get this title a week before you I'm hoping there's more left. They've not been selling out for quite some time now so hopefully that stays true.

My wife should be picking up both weeks of comics tomorrow while running out that way to take the girls to dance class. I'll have some reviews then hopefully.

 

[Shockdingo]

SG as the Avenger's nanny? That's cute and rather interesting! I love it. t:

 

[Phaedrus45]

SG as the Avenger's nanny? That's cute and rather interesting! I love it. t:

Plus, there's backstory between Logan and SG. Guess they must have had an affair at one time.

 

[Phaedrus45]

I left Fables #100 in my box, along with this week's variants; but, I must say, DC has probably pulled off the biggest rip-off of the year with that book! All the additional things that were bragged about (the dolls and the game) and just regular pages in the issue. A big BOOOO for price-gouging Fable fans.

Batgirl #16

Decent issue. Thing with this title is that the content never blows you away, but there is something about Stephanie's character that's endearing. Plus, her supporting cast works well. She's got a great dynamic with Oracle...who I like here much more than in Birds Of Prey; and, the gal in the wheelchair has really grown on me too. I must say, though, that the "Batgirl is a fugitive" storyline for this particular issue made me feel that it's been done to death.

Red Robin #18

That said, Red Robin just doesn't do it for me; but, even though I've dropped it, I keep picking it up. (I wouldn't, but I've been interested to see if the Batman, Inc. storyline continues in this book. From what I see, it doesn't.) We get introduced to an old aquaintence, Red Star...who I don't know, and who seemed rather boring; and, we're introduced to a new one, some gal wanting vengence on a bad guy. (This book just throws woman after woman onto Tim...and, anything new and exciting is seriously missing.)

I know this book has it's fans; but, I just find it uninspired crap.

Captain America: The Korvac Saga #1

I guess this is the Marvel Adventures treatment of the Korvac Saga; but, it's not even M.A. worthy. The dialogue is simply atrocious, and the scenes verging on comical.

Northlanders #35

A 2-part story, mixing CSI with a Northlander's story. It begins with an old man who stumbles on a dead woman frozen in a lake. He removes her, taking three days while keeping attention off of him from the various patrols; and, once back at his cabin, tries to make sense of her murder. Not much to this story besides that...and, we don't learn a whole lot about the gal; but, Brian Wood always grabs my interest. He just fails to deliver a satisfying ending much of the time.

Superboy #2

Decent issue...but, man, did a lot of us just expect too much from Jeff Lemire? This title just can't compare to the greatness of Sweet Tooth; but, he does make Connor's adventures a bit more interesting than I've found them in the past. Poison Ivy has a good appearance in this issue; but, I'm not sure it jives well with what we see of her in Gotham City Sirens. Plus, I'm not sure I like his side-kick that much.

Overall, better than many of DC's other titles; but, nowhere what I was hoping for when I heard Lemire's name associated with this book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Fraction's Thor continues to disappoint. It is effectively a series about weird characters doing inscrutable things for no discernible reason. Not a single one of these characters feels like him- or herself, from the miniskirt-wearing Jane Foster to the pathetically mopey Balder and least of all Thor. There are elements of a good story here, but Fraction buries it under so much bulls*** that those elements only enhance how terrible the whole thing is. Oh, and Odin's triumphant return hinted at on the cover and explicitly spoiled in the solicitation? It consists of Thor randomly breaking Odin's casket and Odin coming back to life at the end. No clue how that works or who this Hel Wolf guy is or where Surtur--the guy Odin's supposed to be locked in eternal combat with--went. Just... ugh.

THUNDER Agents was pretty solid. We get the new Lightning's background, including a couple hints that this government agency may be morally bankrupt enough to give Amanda Waller a run for her money. We get a little more background on Toby and a few scant clues as to why Colleen doesn't like him, but they both remain pretty mysterious by the end of the issue. There are a lot of unknowns with this series still, but Spencer is doling out just enough hints to keep me engaged. It feels like I've been dropped into the middle of something and Spencer is helping me get my bearings rather than just dragging out the introduction of what the characters and the agency are all about. Also, Colleen is Australian. Between that and how Cafu draws her, I am a little bit in love. Creepy? Yes, but I can't help it.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

BATGIRL is a fun book. It's nothing groundbreaking or completely new, but it's done in a way that makes it FEEL completely fresh. Plus, I'm always down for an old-school superhero title. Good vs. bad, no mega events, no civil wars. Just plain kickbuttery. Publishers often underestimate how much we enjoy plain kickbuttery.

MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPERHEROES has definitely found its stride, finally. The Black Widow subplot has me hooked and can't wait to see where it goes.

PROJECT SUPERPOWERS X-MAS CAROL was decent. If you read the PS books all this time, you pretty much know what to expect. It delivers the same tone, and while it does take some cues from the Christmas Carol, it's kinda done in an unusual way. By the same token, I think the end came too easily and the extra "content" in back wasn't really worth a $5 price tag.

 

[Varient]

Plus, there's backstory between Logan and SG. Guess they must have had an affair at one time.

Say it isn't so,....
I thought she had better,................
Well,..



taste.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Widowmaker is off to a good start. It has that anything-can-happen feel of a good spy movie but with superheroes. The WCA--in this case, Mockingbird, Hawkeye, and Dominic Fortune--investigate the murder of a SHIELD agent who was undercover with the Japanese Secret Service and the trail leads them to Russia, where they find the Black Widow investigating the murders of everyone inside one of the Red Rooms--the top-secret facilities that elite Russian spies, including Natasha herself, are trained in. As they put the pieces of the puzzle together, it becomes apparent that the Dark Ocean Society, a Japanese black ops organization, has resurfaced and is murdering key Russian and Japanese players to prevent a peace agreement between the two countries regarding the disputed Kuril Islands. Some Soviet heroes show up and capture Hawkeye, claiming he's responsible for all the murders. Why? Well, turns out Ronin, the identity Hawkeye briefly used, was, once upon a time, the identity used by the leaders of the Dark Ocean Society. Intrigue! Good start; I'm looking forward to the next issue and more background on the Ronin identity.

Red Robin was solid. Nothing spectacular, but it was good. Tim enacts another of his master plans, this time in Russia. Not content to just snoop around, he goes under the cover of Tim Drake seeking a grant to open a Russian chapter of the Neon Knights community outreach program from a businessman named Mikalev while simultaneously attempting to get Lonnie Machin, formerly Anarky and now Tim's personal hacker buddy, into Mikalev's servers on suspicion that they're part of the Society's secret communications network (the Unternet, which is a chuckle-worthy name). Complicating matters even more are Red Star, apparently a friend of Tim's from the Titans (although he must've been there for part of the s***ty period these past few years, 'cause I don't recognize him) who's now firmly attached to the Russian government's teet, and some girl called Promise who apparently wanted to kill Mikalev, only not really because she was using rubber bullets... The story's kind of all over the place, but it's not as hard to follow as I'm making it seem. In the end, everyone on Tim's communication network gets taken down, apparently by the Calculator. Dun dun dunnnn!

 

[Dread]

This is my shortest week for comics in weeks, and I welcome it. It's actually nice leaving the comic shop having spent less than $16 for once. These days it is getting harder to do so without spending over $20. As always, spoilers ahoy.

Dread's Bought/Thought for 12/8/10:

BOOSTER GOLD #39: To be honest, this has been a short week, and thus it is king of a very short hill. At any rate, this issue focuses on a story that has actually come very close to being run into the ground during the span of this title, but manages to execute it in a way that still makes it effective. Plus, as the only comic from the pile that is still $2.99, it is worth a thumb's up now and again. Writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis team up with regular artist Chris Batista to helm another "done in one" story. In this month's issue, there is no time travel adventure, and no majorly complicated threat. In fact, the slapstick humor that often overwhelms this run is mostly absent from it.

The plot of the issue is obvious from the cover. Booster Gold spends his time here trying to come to grips with the fact that his best friend, Ted Kord/Blue Beetle, is dead. This is risky territory since the previous sets of writers, Geoff Johns and Dan Jurgens, both dedicated issues to such a plot. Thus, the risk is that upon seeing it for the third time, the reader might groan. Fortunately, Giffen and DeMatteis prove that their style of mixing drama with comedy hasn't been completely out done by the INCREDIBLE HERCULES duo of Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente. For quite a few prior issues, Booster Gold had traveled back in time to 1980's continuity - the Justice League International era. It was his peak as a superhero, and where he and his pal Kord got into their craziest shenanigans. The arc in that time period stretched so long that the comedic schtick threatened to overwhelm the premise of the title. Fortunately, things have settled down and in this story, Booster admits to himself that the only reason he was there was to once again revisit his old friend. As a time traveler who can enter the past or future as easily as normal people enter a room, coming to terms with the loss of someone is difficult because he can literally go back in time and see his dead friend in the past. Add in the fact that this is the DC Universe where "bigger" heroes like Superman and Bruce Wayne have returned from the grave while Kord remains dead, and it becomes tough to deal with. There are no real villains here and while there is a minor subplot from the previous issue, this is a tale about mourning and recovery, and how it may never have a definite end so long as love is involved. Booster can say he's dealt with it and move on, but so long as he still remembers his friend, can he?

Batista handles the art chores for this simply story very well, and just because the tone does get serious doesn't mean that it isn't also full of the trade mark one-liners and banter that one come to expect from this comic. The difference is in this issue, they don't overwhelm the character of Booster Gold. There is a part of this reader that would either like to see Kord come back, or for Booster to "move on" and not have a story like this where he cries at a grave for a third or fourth time. On the other hand, it does acknowledge that mourning is a long process even for those who can't travel through time for a living. Plus, this issue has more showing from Booster's present day supporting cast of his sister Michelle, his mentor/future son (long story) Rip Hunter, and Rani, a girl he rescued from the far future and is essentially an adopted kid. While this is not the first time this topic has been used to try to symbolize that Booster's comic was moving past one arc and about to delve into another, it was a story that was executed well. Isn't that all one can ask for in a comic book? Not to re-invent the wheel, but to spin it well for 22 pages a month?

Still, part of me does wish for an end to "Booster misses Beetle" stories for the time being. This one was well done, but surely the time stream adventures can continue, right?

Also, look at that issue number; it is misleading, as there was also an issue zero, and an issue one million. So it's basically issue #42. When was the last time Marvel relaunched a series about a B or C list hero and it lasted over 42 issues? At $2.99 an issue? That's what I thought.

I AM AN AVENGER #4: This is the penultimate issue of this latest anthology series, which was launched on the heels of AGE OF HEROES. Judging by the sales of this series, this could be the last anthology mini series by Marvel in a while, but at the very least the overall output has been positive, and the format of mostly one shot stories by various creators is a wise one. The format is an eleven page lead story, an eight page secondary story, a two page tertiary story and a one page strip as the finale, which usually is a humorous one. Issue three was reviewed on November 10th, although only one of the stories is serial. The lead story is about the Thing, written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, drawn by Sara Pichelli, and with colors by Emily Warren. The crux of the tale is it addresses the fact that the founding member of the Fantastic Four has recently been asked by Luke Cage to be a member of his NEW AVENGERS. Ben is trying to figure out how he tells this to the Four (as well as their kids, Franklin and Val) without putting anyone off, and figuring out which is a priority. The artwork overall is very strong, and the story itself is simple and sweet; Johnny Storm's reaction is actually somewhat unexpected; he actually feels BAD about being the only one of the Four never considered for Avengers membership and that he's basically locked himself with a reputation of mediocrity. Given that one of the Four is slated to die in their own title very soon, it ends with an ominous tone, but is overall a solid Four story with lovely art.

The secondary story is the third part of the Justice and Firestar story by Sean McKeever (writer of YOUNG ALLIES), Mike Mayhew (art) and Rain Berado (colors). It attempted to try to tie up the emotional loose ends of the two young heroines, since their awkward break-up back in 2006, around a time travel story involving Loki. McKeever attempts to address certain metaphors literally through the fantastic plot mechanics of superhero fiction, and while the story overall has been amusing, this finale actually feels a tad rushed (namely because Loki is defeated too easily).

Colleen Coover, who drew some delightful short strips for X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and UNCANNY X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, rebounds with a brief but entertaining team-up tale between Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel in which they pummel some bad guys and address nostalgia. The one page tale is a Stature and Iron Man tale by Lucy Knisley in which she uses Stature's ability to change size to demonstrate her emotional mood. Overall, asking fans to pay $4 for an anthology series featuring mostly B and C list heroes with a rotating cast of creators is a bit much for today's direct market, but has often been a solid package. This month's issue is no exception.

INVADERS NOW! #4: The exclamation point is literally part of the title, for those who are curious. This is a series that is third in a series of mini's in which Alex Ross was involved in the story and the cover art, which were AVENGERS/INVADERS and THE TORCH. This time around, reliable (yet under appreciated) writer Christos Gage handles the script chores for this tale of the Invaders, Marvel's 1940's superhero team, all being alive together for the first time in generations getting involved in an adventure that ties into their past. Not everything has remained the same; Steve Rogers is now head of "I Can't Believe It's Not SHIELD" while James "Bucky" Barnes is Captain America now, while both the original Human Torch and Toro are alive again, and the Union Jack present is a modern born man (Joey Chapman) honoring the legacy. They have been forced to revisit the scene of their greatest failure in World War II. The Invaders were forced to kill an entire town full of people who had been infected with a lethal plague by Arnim Zola, lest the virus ravage Europe and win the war for the Nazi's. It was a rough decision, and the town's sole survivor has begun a mystical pact with a demon to try to resurrect his parents, using both the Invaders as well as many of their old war time enemies as pawns in the ritual. In the last issue, the Invaders actually threw the survivor for a loop - agreeing to become sacrifices so long as he they were allowed a day to try to cure the virus using their modern contacts. They ultimately succeed, and the survivor learns that revenge is a hollow thing to live on. Unfortunately, the demon he made his pact to is none other than Shuma Gorath, of CONAN and DOCTOR STRANGE fame (not to mention no end of Capcom fighting games).

The one downside is that the revelation of Gorath is treated as a surprise, even though the tentacled demon is shown on the cover (and I believe was noted last issue). The artwork by Caio Reis and colors by Vinicious Andrade is appropriate, with a timeless quality to it - not the splashiest artwork in the business, but good for the various characters and depicting the action cleanly. This has been a solid series starring one of Marvel's oldest super hero teams, and the conclusion could be quite a spectacle.

THOR #618: Matt Fraction, Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth team up for the fourth chapter of “World Eaters”, the much ballyhooed new run on a title once written by J. Michael Straczynski and Kieron Gillen. What is the verdict? Once again, the artwork by Ferry and the color work by Hollingsworth are of exceptional quality. And truth be told, the basic story by Fraction isn’t bad at all; the dilemma remains the pace. In four issues, it feels that with some tighter editing, this could have been done in three, or even two (especially since issue #615 was extra sized). The premise is that while Asgard has been removed from it’s old position as part of the nine realms and plunked down in Oklahoma, a monstrous race of crimson warriors have sought to fill that vacuum by slaughtering whatever they encounter in the remaining eight realms on their way to where Asgard now is, intent on destroying it. This has been where the plot has been for the past three issues, and in truth little has changed in this one. What has changed are the details surrounding this plot, and namely the supporting cast involved. In the last issue, Thor decided to resurrect Loki on a whim, because despite being his mortal enemy, he is also his brother and Thor wanted to relate to a brother again (ignoring the recent revelation that Balder is technically his brother). The catch is Loki has been resurrected not as a wicked adult, but as an impetuous youth – perhaps the one that Thor recalls most fondly. Meanwhile, Asgard is still in shambles, Balder is still moping, and refugee trolls, elves, and goblins have fled to Oklahoma seeking protection.

This issue has more of the slow build towards a confrontation between the Asgardians on earth and the red horde that has been marching across dimensions. Thor has returned to Asgard with Loki in tow, and convinces Balder to let the refugees in. Dr. Eric Solvang, who has twice tried to warn the Asgardians about the impending threat prepares to once again try his luck, this time backed by Thor’s mortal allies Jane Foster and Tony Stark/Iron Man (who Fraction also writes in interesting yet slowly paced stories in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN). Also, Odin the Highfather returns from the dead. A spoiler? Odin is on the cover! Isn’t it terrific when the final page cliffhanger revelation is also the front cover? Apparently, Odin's casket had an incantation, "IN CASE OF ODINEMERGENCY, BREAK THE ODINCOFFIN".

According to Marvel’s latest promotional scheme, Matt Fraction is one of their “MARVEL ARCITECHS”, as his stories help shape the building blocks of the Marvel Universe. As he writes this, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN and UNCANNY X-MEN, that status is warranted. This story has a lot of things to like. There is occasionally some humor. The idea of Thor resurrecting an idealized version of his brother makes for great psychological fodder. With a movie coming, Odin’s return was inevitable. Expectations for the upcoming war are building more and more with each issue, and the art and colors are truly superb, with Ferry trying to channel some of Jack Kirby’s immortal designs. The only flaws are the fact that this is a vehicle that should be going above, not below, the speed limit, along with occasional lapses of character. Why hasn’t Thor tried to accept Balder more as his brother? Why did he stubbornly reject Dr. Solvang just for touching an artifact, when he’s been involved with mortals for years (including having a mortal personality in Donald Blake)? Such things matter not when there are red devils to smash! At this point I am longing for that HE-MAN AND SHE-RA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL in terms of character consistency.

This run of THOR has been the definition of a mixed bag so far. There are many things to like about it, but some concerns about characterization and pacing keep it from being as good as it could be. With a cover price of $3.99, whether that is enough depends on the fan in particular. Personally, I am growing weary of this run before the six issue mark, and I might have considered dumping this if not for usually liking at least four comics, since that is about as many as I review online for Examiner and DJ's Universal Comics via Facebook. I'll be leaving IIM after the next issue (when the story wraps), and leaving THOR about then may not be too shabby a solution for me. The art's great and there are some good ideas here and there, but to me it isn't the sum of it's parts.

 

[JewishHobbit]

BATGIRL is a fun book. It's nothing groundbreaking or completely new, but it's done in a way that makes it FEEL completely fresh. Plus, I'm always down for an old-school superhero title. Good vs. bad, no mega events, no civil wars. Just plain kickbuttery. Publishers often underestimate how much we enjoy plain kickbuttery.

I gotta say, I think I prefer the term Buttkickery myself. Kickbuttery just makes me think of cow maids kicking parkay accross the room in a tantrum.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Incredible Hulks #618

This Chaos War tie-in was pretty good. The cover boasts the return of the Abomination, and the book delivers on that. Abomination rises from the dead with his heart set on finding Marlo, simply because she still holds a "spark of death" within her body. He kicks the various Hulk's butts..and, by issue's end, things take a turn for the worse. (Does anyone know who Zom is?) The backup feature with A-Bomb bored me, and I found myself skimming through it.

Good issue, and I'm glad we're getting the whole Hiro-Kala thing behind us now. It feels like it's time to move on; although, I guess we have to see Bruce/Hulk mope about it for quite a while.

X-Men Forever #13

Ya know, this is a title that really needs to be $2.99; because, since it comes out twice a month, people are expected to shell out 8 bucks a month for something that isn't even in the regular 616 universe...and, it could only help the book get more of an audience.

This issue is a tad confusing, especially if new readers are just now popping in. Claremont is finally explaining how we have two different Storm characters (well, for those who dropped it, we now have THREE)...and, while I won't try and explain it here, it works for me. It's all goes back to that original battle in Genosha, where the Genegineer creates a Storm clone ... and the rest is X-Men What If? history.

I really enjoy this title more than Uncanny; and, I think Claremont has found his niche at Marvel finally. I keep saying it's nice to read a comic where anything can happen; and, while it's not "new reader friendly," I love that there are so many different plot lines going on at once. (This Storm one began with the first storyline in the first volume...and, he's just now getting to the explanation.) Some people might not like that, but it makes everything feel more dramatical.

Batman: 80-Page Giant 2010

This came out last week, but I thought I'd just say how much I enjoyed most of the short stories inside it. All of the stories feature the classic bad-guys from Batman's past, and even though it's got a hefty price of $5.99, I didn't mind. Better to pay more and get something good to read, than pay less and get crap, like some 80-page giants I've read in the past.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

I enjoyed New Avengers even though, as was said, it was just them sitting around talking. Aside from Spidey making a poop joke (they keep mistaking Pete being witty with being immature), I like how he had a problem with Ms. Hand aka Norman's former right hand and how it is explained that being an Avenger won't help his money problems (although in his own title he just got a well paying job).

 

[runawayboulder]

Screw that! If any body should be allowed to be greedy it's Spider-Man!

 

[Spider-Gnome]

What I mean is, Spidey not being able to be paid echoes back to the earliest issues of Amazing when he could not cash a check to "Spider-Man" in his brief showbiz beginnings. Everyone else gets paid now, he doesn't. This is more the Parker luck as oppose to the loser stuff we saw early in BND.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Knight & Squire was hilarious. I love this comic so much, even if I did have to consult Wikipedia on all the royals to get some of the jokes. Squire and the sheer absurdity of the situations in each issue have consistently been the real stars of the show. Cornell does this kind of thing really well and this mini is no exception. Can't wait for more.

Superboy was decent this week. Conner himself is still lamentably uncharismatic, but his buddy Simon makes up for it this time. Parasite frogs! Poison Ivy's guest appearance turns out to be more of a diversion. Apparently there are some creepy farmer guys who wanted to scan Conner as a means of taking over Smallville. None of that really makes any sense to me at the moment, but I guess I'll stick with the series for now. Gallo's art is hit-or-miss, with mostly decent pages but a few panels that are just plain ugly. A thoroughly average comic, I think I'd characterize this as.

 

[Dread]

I enjoyed New Avengers even though, as was said, it was just them sitting around talking. Aside from Spidey making a poop joke (they keep mistaking Pete being witty with being immature), I like how he had a problem with Ms. Hand aka Norman's former right hand and how it is explained that being an Avenger won't help his money problems (although in his own title he just got a well paying job).

It does show that Bendis doesn't pay attention to ASM or other titles. Which is nothing new.

To be fair, one major criticism of Spidey being an Avenger is the idea that it makes no sense that he was always struggling for cash when he's on a team with not only Tony Stark, BUT a slew of people who either never worry about money (Wolverine), still are somewhat well off (Iron Fist), or are on government payrolls and thus at least make enough to life comfortably (literally EVERY OTHER MEMBER BUT HIM). While so long as his identity is secret, Spidey can NEVER cash a check as "Spider-Man" (which Stan Lee made obvious back in ASM #1 or so), do his teammates hate him SO MUCH that they couldn't just lend him some cash? And if they do, quite frankly, he can mosey on with the Fantastic Four. I am sure neither Reed or Susan would want him to starve. But of course that would use common sense to break those invisible barriers around Parker that say he's an "everyman" and that an "everyman" has to throw away every opportunity for advancement and evolution so he can remain in the same rut he has been since 1971 because all of his editors are older than Betamax.

Thankfully, Dan Slott is at least toying with the idea of breaking that chain for now, since he's the sole driver of the ASM Bus, which is part of why I've been liking it. No, I don't care about Carlie Cooper; there is no fathomable way Peter's romantic life can interest me much because I know it's obligatory. He dates because he HAS to, but he can never settle down because of that aforementioned invisible barrier around his rut. Before his marriage, editorial took no end of steps to keep him from settling down, and it goes back about as far as Peter does. Turmoil with Betty Brant. Gwen Stacy being killed. Both Felicia Hardy AND Debra Whitman proving to be "crazy broads" unworthy of Peter one after the other. If anything, it is in some degree amazing that the marriage to MJ lasted as long as it did. But now that we know that even that could not only end, but be UNDONE as to NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AT ALL, then why should I get excited over Carlie? I know for a fact Joe Q would never seriously marry him off again. And even if the next EIC does, a future one may just undo it.

Fortunately, Slott's new BIG TIME run is offering me more besides that. The angle with Peter's career. The angles in which the common sense connections he has, such as with heroes or with May, since she's related by marriage to the new mayor of NYC, coming together. New angles with his villains. That's what impressed me enough to give it a chance after two years. The only caveat is that Spider-Man is a franchise that has probably disappointed me more times than I can count since the 90's, so my tolerance for anything short of a home run is probably low; perhaps unfairly low for the talented Mr. Slott, but I'm honest about it.

The Cage family is literally the safest in the MU. Their marriage won't be undone. Neither of them nor their baby will ever die, so long as Bendis is on Marvel's payroll. So Squirrel Girl being their nanny keeps her safe from the Mark Millar's of Marvel who might have sought to ice her. And I have to admit, that two page spread of everyone being interviewed allowed me to prove to friends who linked me to it that I could name all of them, even the obscure ones.

 

[Varient]

The Cage family is literally the safest in the MU. Their marriage won't be undone. Neither of them nor their baby will ever die, so long as Bendis is on Marvel's payroll. So Squirrel Girl being their nanny keeps her safe from the Mark Millar's of Marvel who might have sought to ice her. And I have to admit, that two page spread of everyone being interviewed allowed me to prove to friends who linked me to it that I could name all of them, even the obscure ones.

Amen.

There are a number of Heroes in the Marvel Universe who I wish would get a break/pass and Keep it.

Cage is one of them.

Squirrel Girl is another one.

Christmas came early for me.

Now,.. if only Slot can keep Pete Gainfully employed long enough to upgrade his gear and have more happiness than thumping the Black Cat or Carlie???

 

[JewishHobbit]

Does anyone know who Zom is?

I've not got my comics for the past two weeks yet (tomorrow!!!) so I don't know what you're referencing yet, but isn't Zom the demon thing that Dr. Strange channeled during World War Hulk (which then transfered and possessed Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor)? I could be wrong.

 

[Phaedrus45]

I've not got my comics for the past two weeks yet (tomorrow!!!) so I don't know what you're referencing yet, but isn't Zom the demon thing that Dr. Strange channeled during World War Hulk (which then transfered and possessed Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor)? I could be wrong.

That's probably it, as his appearance is closely related to Dr. Strange.

Anyway, more reviews that would have come with my previous post...except my daughter begged me to sit with her before we both had to go to school and stop typing on the net.

Thor: For Asgard #5

From last week, this is really an odd kind of book for me to review. I'm enjoying this Marvel Knights story well enough; but, there is also something that doesn't make me go ga-ga over. It's like the art. It's beautiful in one regard...but, also ugly in another. (Not sure if anyone will understand that. Something about the colors kind of turn me off.) I guess all I can say is I enjoy it much more than Fraction's Thor...by a long shot!

Thor #618

Wow...Thor has the same numbering as Incredible Hulks. And, that might be the only interesting thing I can say about this issue.

Oh, BOY, does this title suck! It seriously makes me long for the days of JMS...and, makes me even more sad when I think how much I was enjoying Gillen's (sp?) writing. Previously, we get Loki resurrected in nothing flat, totally negating the impact of his death at the end of Siege; and, now we have the return of Odin...which is done in a completely ridiculous fashion. (Did Fraction even spend much thought into how he could legitimately bring him back without making it look hooky??!!!??) From this to the mass exodus of the dwarves, this title has fast become one of the worst by Marvel. Thankfully, all these minis are so much better, and give us true fans something worth reading.

Dark Tower: The Little Sisters Of Eluria #1

While a part of me enjoys these untold tales of Roland, another is screaming for the writers to get to the point and start getting Roland's Ka-tet together! By now, I was sure we'd be getting close to "The Drawing Of The Three';" but, that still seems like a couple years away.

That said, I was entertained by this tale...and, I do like the new artist. Can't wait to read more...just wishing we'd get more progression towards the Dark Tower.

I Am An Avenger #4

This issue makes up for the previous one. I love the first story, featuring The Thing. (Aguirre-Sascasa would be a good replacement on F4 from what little I saw from this short story. I loved his characterization of the team, especially since I haven't felt like they've been much of one lately.) I also enjoyed the second one, the finalization of the Starfire and Justice story. (The two small stories weren't bad, either. I always love seeing Colleen Coover's work, especially.)

Nice solid issue...even though it's a tad overpriced.

 

[Dread]

I Am An Avenger #4

This issue makes up for the previous one. I love the first story, featuring The Thing. (Aguirre-Sascasa would be a good replacement on F4 from what little I saw from this short story. I loved his characterization of the team, especially since I haven't felt like they've been much of one lately.) I also enjoyed the second one, the finalization of the Starfire and Justice story. (The two small stories weren't bad, either. I always love seeing Colleen Coover's work, especially.)

Nice solid issue...even though it's a tad overpriced.

Firestar. Starfire is DC.

That FF story was pretty good. I apparently am not the only one falling out of love with THOR in general and Matt Fraction's stories in particular. As 2009 came to close, it was the exact opposite. Wonder what a year can bring.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Aguirre-Sascasa did write the Fantastic Four for a little while. He wrote the book simple entitled "4" a few years back, and I think the artist was Steve McNiven.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

Spinning off from KORVAC SAGA, I gotta say these All-Ages re-imagining of classic stories has really been crap. Secret Wars was confusing as hell and made little sense afterward. Infinity Gauntlet suffered from horribly bad art and sophomoric attempts at humor. This one, Cap acts more like a toned-down Ultimate Cap than Cap. I get what they're trying to do, and it's a great idea, but the execution is piss poor. They need writers who understand all-ages doesn't mean making every character ******ed.

VAMPIRELLA was from last week. I don't really know much about her other than she's some kinda alien vampire with no modesty, so I thought I'd get in on the ground floor of one title, having not been impressed by the last two Harris put out. Not sure what to make of it so far. For those new to the character, there's not to much of a reveal about her to get caught up, and overall it seems like it's just a female version of Blade. I'll pick up the next couple issues to see where it goes. Also, the back-up strip was a nice surprise for the price, even if it was a little strange. Especially considering the vastly different Vampi character than what was in the main story.

LADY DEATH is the same deal. I've seen her plastered all over Wizard (when I used to read it) but never picked up her books. I've ended up with several of hers over the years in various ways, but never a complete enough run to understand her. So, #1 it is. At least this is somewhat of a beginning story, rather than jumping right into it. We learn LD lost her memory and thinks she's a thief while another chick is ruling her empire of hell. And, of course, she's targeted for elimination to prevent her from reclaiming her throne. If my shop could manage to get copies of this regularly so I don't hafta spend the full amount at another store (20% discount, booyah!) I might stick with it for a bit. But the story better be damn good to justify $3.99 an issue.

WOLVERINE: THE BEST THERE IS is anything but. I've read almost every Wolverine appearance from 1974-present (the biggest gap is when I dropped New Avengers, having gotten sick of Bendis). This was...I dunno what this was. It was like Wolverine was thrown into a more hardcore Excalibur story. And while it brought back the berserker rage we haven't seen in a while, it made no sense 'cause it was MIA for a reason. And the hair styling...oy. Honestly, can we get Larry Hama back on these books? Since 2002 there's been very little I've actually enjoyed from this corner of the X-verse.

GREEN HORNET BLOOD TIES I had picked up both at once, having left them behind for a couple weeks. This is my least favorite of the Hornet titles so far. The stories haven't been that interesting, and in the first issue the art was confusing as hell. Really wish inkers could stay clean and stop with the stylized sketching. Again, I find myself a little tainted with these books having read almost the entire NOW run, which so far has been vastly superior to anything Dynamite has put out. I will say, despite the decompression, Smith's Hornet managed to finally pull me in. I'm also enjoying the Year One books (although they should have been minis, not ongoings). Strikes, I'm still on the fence about. Nothing has really happened for me to really be able to judge it. Overall, I think Dynamite took the wrong approach with Hornet. They're basically flooding the market in anticipation of a movie that may or may not bomb.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

It does show that Bendis doesn't pay attention to ASM or other titles. Which is nothing new.

Well, on the plus side, unlike his Ultimate incarnation, Bendis did not have Pete give-up his identity to pick-up the paycheck. And I liked that he doubly would not do that in front of Norman's former right "Hand," particularly how much he went through to get Norman (and everyone else) to forget who he was.

And yes, I agree that Slott has a much better handle on Spidey/Pete.