Comic Reviews for 6/13

Hello.  I have nothing witty or important to say this week.  Just getting right into the reviews.

Marvel Comics

Amazing Spider-Man #687:  "End of the Earths" has ended.

Dan Slott has done a damn good job over the past year of telling Spider-Man stories that haven't been told before.  "End of the Earths" was a tricky one, because it brought Peter out of his natural habitat.  And while the story was enjoyable, it didn't feel like a Spider-Man story.  Spidey has always been a street level hero, not a "save the entire world" hero.  "End of the Earths" ended up feeling like an Avengers story that happened to have Black Widow and Spider-Man in it.  "Spider-Island" worked so well because it was rooted in Spidey's past and involved a villain of his.  The Sinister Six haven't been exactly exclusive in who they fight recently.  Slott writes Spider-Man well, and the death is handled well enough.  But the rest doesn't feel like a Spider-Man story.  But Slott experimented with the character.  A lot of writers don't have the balls to go out there with the way Slott writes Spider-Man. With the Lizard coming back next issue, we will hopefully see more a Spider-Man story.

While some won't like the story, no one can argue that Stefano Caselli's artwork is great.  The action scenes look great, and the characters are expressive.  Caselli hit home the fact that Otto is now a monster and is nothing like he use to be.  The new Spider-Man uniform has displeased some, but I have enjoyed Caselli penciling it.  Part of me still wishes that this book would go down to once a month, which would let Slott and Caselli be the permanent team.  They work great together and Caselli is a perfect Spider-Man artist.

Amazing Spier-Man #687 gets 3.5/5.

Comic Reviews for 6/6

Well, it finally started.  Before Watchmen is upon us.  Avengers vs X-Men also continues, which is staring to have some problems.  The rest of the week was good, with a couple being slightly mediocre.  It was one of the bigger weeks, which sadly killed my wallet.  But enough bitching, let's get started.

DC Comics

Action Comics #10:  Time to go back to Clark Kent.

One of the best things about the New 52 is to tell stories writers couldn't before.  And adding in a new villain like Nimrod the Hunter is a good example of that.  He does seem a little similar to Kraven the Hunter, which just adds to my feeling that Grant Morrison is looking at Spider-Man as a way to modernize Superman.  Action Comics #10 is an interesting story, and an entertaining one at that, but it suffers in the plot development.  It's somewhat uneven.  Superman trying to help hamsters as a way of showing Superman can handle the small scale things?  Eh, not really.  The ending, with Kent being killed, works well, and puts the Superman mythos into an interesting situation.  Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson still haven't been developed to any likable degree.  They are just there in this book.

Rags Morales art, while better than it was, is still suffering a little big.  Character height varies, with Superman being taller than Wonder Woman, then suddenly shorter the next panel.  Faces seem stagnant from panel to panel, even if they are expressive.  Once Superman goes into action, the comic looks great.  The same for when the Daily Star is bombed near the end of the book.  The time has come for DC to start considering a different artist for Action Comics.  Morals hasn't been the worst artist, but it needs an artist who can be on time and consistent.

Action Comics #10 gets 3/5.

Comic Reviews for 5/30

Another small week.  Dear god I need these every once and a while.  Easier to see more movies :D.  It was a solid week overall, with many annuals coming out.  And a few of them are starting to realize what an annual is suppose to be.  But enough of me talking, let's get started.

Marvel Comics

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #39:  Spider-Man gets another annual, and it's a retread of old stories, yet still a sweet story.

Brian Reed has always had a great handle on Peter Parker.  He can write the dramatic with the humor and balance it well.  This annual is a good example of this.  Peter is erased form history and thinks life will be better without him.  What follows is the usual Peter finding out what it means to be Spider-Man and how much he means.  And yes, Uncle Ben appears.  Reed makes the story, one we have read countless times, seem fresh and interesting.  Everything is nicely tied up by the end of the story, which is what an annual should do.  It's a self contained story that old fans will love and new fans will will appreciate.  If this annual shows anything, it shows that Reed needs to have some input in the current Spider-Man titles.  Be it a back up or something.

Lee Garbett pencils a good Spider-Man book.  Most of the issue sees Peter outside of his costume, which works in Garbett's favor.  Characters are expressive, with the reader being able to see the confusion on ever character's face.  The classic panels look fantastic.  His artwork has a slight look like Oliver Copiel.  Garbett has a great future ahead of him at Marvel.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #39 gets 3.5/5.

Comic Reviews for 5/23

Hello all!  My apologies for not posting reviews last week, but I went on vacation.  Read a ton of Gotham Central, Invincible, and Nova.  I'd call that a great vacation.  I wrote a column about Northstar and Kyle getting married over on Comic Book Therapy.  Click here to read that.  But let's get started with the reviews.

Marvel Comics

Astonishing X-Men #50:  This review is over on Comic Book Therapy. Click here for the review.

DC Comics

Aquaman #9:  Geoff Johns steals the spotlight this month from the gorgeous art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado.

Johns story about the Others has been very rooted in the past.  A lesser writer would have difficult establishing an ambiguous team while keeping the present story moving along, but Johns keeps it balanced perfectly.  We get just enough information about the history of Aquaman and Black Manta that it keeps us interested in the story line going on now.  Johns also gives Arthur some character growth amongst the sprawling fight scenes.  It's clear that Aquaman use to be an angrier fellow, but his conversations with Ya'wara delve deeper into who he use to be.  It was easy to figure out why Arthur hates Shin, but Johns still makes the ending have some weight.  Johns has always been a writer who knows how to write towards an artists talents, and Aquaman has always been a great example of that.  Johns gives Reis just enough fight scenes to pencil without the fights seeming unnecessary or tagged on.

Ivan Reis and Joe Prado continue to dominate this book.  Their work on Blackest Night was some of the best of their career, but this is on a whole other level.  Characters have some expressive faces, but their eyes seem almost human.  They carry so much emotion, and in the case of Aquaman, pain.  It's clear he isn't happy about his past and he is desperately trying to change what happened.  The painted flashback scene work well and help establish the reader in the past in a quick manner.

Aquaman #9 gets 4/5.

Comic Reviews for 5/9

Damn it was a big week.  Can't believe I read all the comics on this week's pull list before work.  Comic Book Therapy has been generous and given me a few comics before their release date, so more Image books will be appearing on that site.  Let's get started.

Marvel Comics

Avenging Spider-Man #7:  Marvel's new team-up book continues with another great story.

Kathryn Immonen is becoming the up and coming writer at Marvel, and this issue is another great example of her talent.  It's funny, and perfectly captures Spider-Man in a short amount of time.  He's smart, afraid of strong women, and isn't afraid to keep cracking jokes when everything starts to go downhill.  I'm not too familiar with She-Hulk, but I'd read a book if Immonen wrote one.  Immonen gives readers a good hold on the character fast, and her interactions with Spidey are great.  The villain creates a very funny situation, but also one that gives Spider-Man a chance to uses his smarts.  The entire story doesn't reinvent comics, but Avenging Spider-Man has never been that.  It's been short fun stories.  These issues could use heartfelt moments like Avenging Spider-Man #5, but not everyone writes Spider-Man as perfectly as Zeb Wells.

The other Immonen, Stuart, pencils a beautiful comic.  His work seems to have just gotten better from Fear Itself.  As always, characters are expressive, even when they have masks on.  It's clear Spider-Man is making a cute face when She-Hulk gets her tail.  Any reader would start chuckling when that happened.  Action looks great, but this issue gives Immonen more face to draw then action. That's a great thing though, as his talking head panels are still a sight to behold.  Even if you're unsure of getting this book for the writing, pick it up for the art.  Immonen's art is helped by Wade Von Grawbadger's inks, and Matt Hollingsworth's colors.  It helps the characters pop off the page.  When the Egyptian god appears, the inks and colors help give the god an almost Cheshire cat (no pun intended) look.

Avenging Spider-Man #7 gets 4/5.

Comic Reviews for 5/2

It is time.  It's time for the release of "Avengers."  I have already seen it and it's a great flick.  Worth a viewing by anyone, even if you haven't seen the previous films or haven't been as into super hero movies as others.  "Avengers" is easily the best superhero movie of all time.  And no, "The Dark Knight" isn't a superhero movie.  It's a crime drama.  But I digress, let's get onto reviews.

DC Comics

Action Comics #9:  Alternate reality stories are a dime a dozen, but done right, can leave a lasting impression.

Morrison uses this issue to play a commentary on the comics industry and what publishers are doing to their characters in today's market.  It's very subtle in the beginning, but becomes very obvious as the issue goes on.  With "Avengers" coming out this week, this issue couldn't have been released at a better time.  Part of me is surprised DC allowed this to be published.  Morrison's story also pokes and prods at the fan base, saying they are as much to blame as DC is when it comes to the "brand" of Superman.  Dear god it's amazing to read.  It's a great story in it's own right, but Morrison goes one further and makes the issue entertaining even more.  These Supermen are genuinely different, and interesting at that.  With so many alternate reality stories floating around these days, it's really hard for one to stand out.  These stories need to "count" for fans to remember them.  While this story may not "count," it's one that comic fans should read.  When the issue starts, part of me thought that Morrison was going to be dealing with race, but that's thrown to the side quickly.

Gene Ha's pencils work a lot better in this issue than his recent Justice League issue.  The issue is much quieter, which is Ha's strong point.  Character's are very expressive.  There is some action, but it flows much better.  Jaws (not the shark) aren't as exaggerated, but they could still be toned down.  If only Rag Morales could be this good month in and month out.  Art Lyon's colors make Ha's pencils pop off the page.  Luthor's gun looks great, and the futuristic scenes have the right amount of reflection off the giant neon signs.

Action Comics #9 gets 4.5/5.

What will the after credits scene of "Avengers" mean to Marvel?

For those of you who have seen "Avengers," there is a mid credits scene that shows....well something.  Here is my article on Comic Book Therapy about the scene

HUGE SPOILER WARNING. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN "AVENGERS" OR DON'T MIND BEING SPOILED


I'll admit that the scene has no real connection to the plot and is more of a teaser than a huge reveal.

Comic Reviews for 4/25

Somewhat short week this week.  I attended Boston Comic Con this past weekend and had a great time. Click here to read my recap of that.  Glad it exploded the way it did.  It seems like Boston is more and more becoming a big stop for Cons.  Anyways, lets get started on reviews.

Dark Horse Comics

Angel & Faith #9:  Much like the TV show, Angel is better than Buffy right now.

Christos Gage ends the Daddy Issues arc well.  Long time fans of the series, and even knew fans will have their heart strings tugged at.  Gage has shown before that he has a great hold on Angel, but #9 puts that on display to it's fullest.  Gage's script perfectly shows why Angel is still an interesting character to this day and why fans love him still.  Faith also gets some time, but this issue is all about Angel and his hard decisions.  This issue will ultimately haunt Angel for some time, even if Faith forgives him.  Gage writes the action scenes with plenty of suspense and full of emotion.  You're reading this thinking "C'mon Angel!  GO ANGEL!" That doesn't happen very often in comics, let alone on a regular basis in the same series.  As always with Gage's scripts, I can hear the actors saying their lines in my head.  The only complaint I have is that I have to wait another month to buy #10.

Rebekah Issacs pencils her best issue to date.  Much like Gage's script, it's full of emotion, with the reader being able to see Angel's eyes and see how he feels instantly.  Darla going from sane to insane in three panels is simply inspiring, as Issacs hits every emotion pitch perfect.  Action scenes look great as always.  Even with highly populate scenes, characters retain a great amount of detail.  Issacs really has made a fantastic name for herself on this series.  Her career can only go up from this book.

Angel & Faith #9 gets 4.5/5.

Comic Reviews for 4/18

Now we are in full gear with Avengers vs X-Men.  The tie ins are starting to be released.  The same with Night of the Owls.  Was a good week, with a few books missing the mark, but most of them were good.  Boston Comic Con is this weekend (April 21st-22nd) and I will be there tweeting till the battery on my phone is dead.  Will hopefully catch a couple of panels as well.  But on with the show!

Marvel Comics

Avengers vs X-Men #2:  Gotta give the book credit, it doesn't lie about what it is.

The one thing that this event has had going for it is that both sides are very understanding.  This didn't happen in Civil War, where the pro-registration side were shown as evil bastards.  Jason Aaron delivers on lots of fighting, with minimal plot development.  But the title is called Avengers vs X-Men, so this shouldn't be surprising to anyone buying this.  And since it ships on a bi-weekly schedule, it's easier for one full issue to be fighting.  It looks like the next issue will leave Utopia, which works in it's favor.  Aaron goes against normalcy and adds dramatic narration, and it works very well.  It sets the tone of this event being an all out war, much in the way of the Civil War (the real one, not the comic one).  Friend against friend.  Tragedy is built throughout the issue.  While I question Wolverine attacking Hope right away, it still seems like great strategy.  One thing I'd like to see in the next couple of issues is a clear statement of what the Avengers and X-Men have planned if the Phoenix Force comes to Hope.

John Romita Jr. continues to be the master story teller.  A lesser artist wouldn't be able to contain all the detail in every character, or have them look anything but rushed.  Everything looks great.  Action scenes are brutal, with the reader feeling every broken bone from the heroes.  JRJR seems to have fixed the problem with Cyclops' eye beam, giving it the right amount of angle to make it seem like it's shooting into the background.  There are only two weak panels.  When Hope is running near the end of the book, and Magik bringing Dr. Strange into Limbo.  But when the rest of the issue is beautiful, who could care less.

Avengers vs X-Men #2 gets 4/5.

When Will C-List Books Come Back?

Hawkeye #2 (Marvel Comics, via IGN)

With the recent announcement of a new Hawkeye series, by the Immortal Iron Fist team of Matt Fraction and David Aja, it has become painfully obvious....when will C-lister books come back to Marvel.  C-listers are books that focus on character or teams that aren't as well known as your A or B listers.  Hawkeye, I'd say is a B-lister.  Many C-listers are fan favorites though, and have had fans clamoring for years for new ongoings.  Gambit, who seems to be getting a new ongoing in August, is one of them.  But why won't Marvel take chances like fans have been hoping?

Comic Reviews for 4/11

There are plenty of reviews this week.  I think there is almost 15.  Recently I started writing at Comic Book Therapy .  Make sure to check them out, as I'll be posting a few comic reviews, opinion pieces, and movie reviews there.  And while I normally don't do this on the comic site, go see Cabin in the Woods.  It's the best movie of the year so far.  With that said, let's get started

Image Comics

America's Got Powers #1: This review is up on Comic Book Therapy.  Click here to see the review.

Marvel Comics

Avenging Spider-Man #6:  The Omega Effect starts here.

Mark Waid and Greg Rucka take turns writing this issue.  It's one of the better examples of multiple writers, with different styles, cohesively.  It's impossible to see where one writer ends and where one begins.  With this issue focusing on Spider-Man, he gets the narrations for this issue.  The jokes are sharp and hysterical, especially the one about the "Punisherette."  Even Daredevil gets a few good quips in.  But the majority of the issue is recapping how each character got to this issue.  That's fine for new readers, but old readers will be turned off.  Each series (sans this one) has lead into the event well enough that this type of recap wasn't needed.  The team's plan is sound enough, and it should whet the excitement of fans more.

Marco Checchetto pencils are on top, as always.  The action scenes flow well, and I remember why he was one of the better Spider-Man artists in the Brand New Day era.  One thing that I noticed was how awesome his Reed Richards looks.  He might need to consider penciling an issue or two of Fantastic Four or FF.  Considering he has to pencils three issues for this month, the pencils don't look rushed.  Then again, this is the first issue, so only time will tell.

Avenging Spider-Man #6 gets 3.5/5.

What's in a haircut? (Well, mostly hair)

I'll be occasionally writing for Comic Book Therapy now.  Here is my first article for them: http://www.comicbooktherapy.com/ms-marvel-whats-in-a-haircut-well-hair-mostly/

It's about the new Captain Marvel and her new haircut

Comic Reviews for 4/4

Hello all. You all better have bought a comic on the Marvel app so you could get a $5 coupon last week.  Hard deal to pass up.  Otherwise, was a good week, even though there were some mediocre amongst the group.

DC Comics

Action Comics #8:  Even with a couple of months off, Rags Morales' art is still bad.

Grant Morrison has really shifted up the origin of Superman.  It's a story that could only happen with the new DC.  #8 is the end of this opening arc, and Morrison ends it in a great way.  The Fortress of Solitude is reimagined in a great way, coming out of nowhere, but makes sense by the end of the story.  Clark Kent gets more time in this issue, and I still hold onto the fact that Morrison is channeling Peter Parker when writing Kent.  That's well and fine, and it's a good way to bring Sups back to the present time.  The issue is one big fight, but Morrison gives the fight weight with the insane babbling of Braniac.  Even with Braniac and the enslaved human from a few issues ago using the same speech bubbles, the dialogue is easily distinguishable from each other.  The new Fortress of Solitude is brought in a smart way.  The end of this arc proves that Superman can be brought back into the present without sacrificing who he is.  It's been one of the problems with him, and it's one of the prime examples the new DC was a great choice story wise.

While I have nothing but praise for the writing, the art is bad.  Rags Morales is helped out by three other artists, and the affect is quite jarring.  It's clear where Morales art ends and others begin.  Brad Walker, Rick Bryant, and Bob McLeod do a commendable job, but going from artist to artist from page to page leaves the book having an inconsistent feel.  Not only that, the final few pages are inked and colored in a different feel, which faked me out.  I thought we had already got to the epilogue, but nope.

Action Comics #8 gets 3/5.

Comic Reviews for 3/28

It was a good week for comics.  Avengers vs X-Men has started.  The Flash has come back to it's former greatness, while Aquaman went down a little bit.  Overall though, it was a great week.  There were many strong books, and even the weaker books had something strong about them.  The review for Avengers vs X-Men #1 is up on a different page.  Click here to read that.  Let's get started with this week's reviews!

Dark Horse Comics

Angel & Faith #8:  As someone from Boston, I love this issue. But it's a great issue overall as well.

Christos Gage has had a very tight hold on these characters during his run on this issue.  I can hear the actors speaking the lines in my head when reading them.  Much like Matt Fraction with Tony Stark, Gage is great at tearing down Faith in a personal manner.  Having her father arrive was a stroke of genius oh his part.  Angel takes a little of a backseat this issue, but it helps the story overall.  Gage, from Massachusetts, writes a Boston accent perfectly.  It doesn't come across as hokey or in a joke manner, but normal.  He makes a few Boston references and uses some vernacular, and it's used perfectly.  What Gage really does great in this issue is show why Angel and Faith are perfect together.  It's great to read as a long time fan of the Buffy and Angel shows, it's good to see Gage developing these characters in a logical way.

Rebekah Issacs pencils are perfect for the series as usual.  Characters look exactly like their actor counterparts, and expressive like the actors.  Action scenes flow well, although I noticed that Issacs didn't use as many backgrounds as usual.  Nothing to complain about, but something I noticed.  Good job of Gage and Issacs being on the same page with the Boston people.  Having them wear Bruins jerseys is nice.

Angel & Faith #8 gets 4.5/5.

Avengers vs X-Men #1 Review

Marvel Comics

Another Marvel event has started.  Almost a year to the day ago, Fear Itself started and took over the Marvel universe.  Avengers vs X-Men starts just as strong as the last event, maybe even stronger.  Avengers vs X-Men #1 is out on 4/4/12.

The Walking Dead Season 2

AMC

Now that enough time has passed since the season finale, it's time to talk about the show without (as much) worrying about spoiling people.  But still, *HUGE SPOILER WARNING FOR SEASON 2*

Comic Reviews for 3/21

Huge week.  Easily describes my pull list.  I liked this week, even though there were some mediocre books.  Hoping to get through with Marvel 1602 so that I can read the fifth hardcover of The Walking Dead.  Maybe even read the first trade of Invincible.  Anyways, let's get started.

Dynamite Comics

Army of Darkness #2:  The first issue of this new ongoing was flat out terrible.  #2 starts to improve, but not by that much.

Elliott R. Serrano's script is a lot better this time around.  The jokes land more, and we focus more on the Ash we care about.  He fills it with plenty of moments of Ash being a total badass.  If I'm reading dialogue and hearing Bruce Campbell's voice in my head, then he's doing his job right.  And a good amount of the time that happened.  But then he goes down to Mexico and the plot goes south as well.  It's not interesting or compelling at all.  It relates to nothing else about the story.  We see the other Ash quickly, which reminds me of the crap of an issue last month.  If this issue has shown us anything, it means the more that Serrano focuses on Ash Williams, the book ends up being better for it.  I was prepared to not want to pick up the next issue of this series if the book focused on the other characters, but it looks like I'll be back for #3. 

Marat Mychaels art is still absolute shit.  Character's don't look the same from panel to panel.  While Bruce Campbell's chin is present in this comic, it changes sizes drastically.  I'm a long time comic reader, and I know women are shown to be idealistic to guys, but these women shouldn't be able to stand.  Their bodies shouldn't work within the laws of physics.  During the action scenes on Route 66, he uses a blending technique to convey speed way to often.  Every once and a while is fine, but it looks like he spilled water on the page and is trying to clean up.

Army of Darkness #2 gets 2.5/5.

Comic Reviews 3/14

I'm not sure if you might have heard, but this awesome comic called Saga came out this week.  It was a the highlight of the week by far.  The rest of the week was good, with a couple of mediocre releases.

Red 5 Comics

Atomic Robo: Real Science Adventures #1:  After taking months to catch up, I'm ready to read the series while it comes out.  Hooray!

Brian Clevinger writes the five short stories, and all of them will be good for fans of Atomic Robo.  They are evenly spread out, with none of them over staying their welcome.  As you might guess, the Dr. Dinosaur short is easily the funniest.  Spam as a way of attacking Robo? Genius. But the stories aren't integral to reading the next volume or rediscovering some personal detail of Robo.  It's more there for fans who can't wait for the next volume of Atomic Robo.  Since I'm one of those persons, I loved them.  As usual, Clevinger makes Robo very interesting a relatable, giving a lot of emotion in the few lines that Robo gets throughout this anthology.

The art isn't as on par as the other volumes, but it's serviceable.  A few of the artists change the way Robo looks to a degree, which isn't good.  But they work.  The "To Kill a Sparrow" short story looks the most like the ongoing, with Ryan Cody providing the art there.  Yuko Oda brings "Revenge of Dr. Dinosaur" the comedic timing needed for such a funny character.  In "Rocket Science is a Two-Edged Sword," I really like the choice of black and white.  Not a lot of comics can pull this off, but it works in this story.

Atomic Robo: Real Science Adventures #1 gets 4/5

The Walking Dead "Better Angels" Recap/Review

"Better Angels" sticker from GetGlue (From AMC)

* SPOILER WARNING *

Ah, the burial of Piggy (yep, I'm not done with that reference yet).  Do the survivors now get rescued by their parents and scolded for being stupid occasionally?

I might not like Andrea, but awesome kill with the pitchfork.

Rick immediately puts T-Dog on perimeter watch.  It's like the writers like finding fun ways for him to not be in scenes.  "Do you want me to babysit Shane?" says Andrea. Yes, because he is an infant who can't take care of himself.  How hard was that to understand.  And yes we will leave money for pizza.

DEAR LORD stop shoving the "Carl killing Shane soon" angle down our throats.  It's getting to an almost comical point.

Cullen Bunn talks Sixth Gun, Wolverine, and Kitty Pride kicking ass

Wolverine #304, the first issue in Cullen Bunn's run

Whenever a new writer comes to Wolverine, it begs the attention of Marvel readers.  Cullen Bunn starts his run on #304, and recently sat down to talk about his run, and his creator owned book, The Sixth Gun.

So you have quickly become one of Marvel's go to guys.  How's it feel to go from indie writer to writer of a big Marvel book like Wolverine? 


Cullen Bunn: It's been a year since I signed my exclusive with Marvel, and it still feels pretty surreal. These are characters I grew up with... characters I really love... and I want to make sure I "do right" by the creators who have worked on the titles before, the characters themselves, and the fans. Writing Marvel books and creator-owned books is really the best of both worlds.

With someone like Wolverine, who numerous have had a great run on, how hard is to look at the character and find a new angle that entices reader?  Or make an old angle shine in a new way? 


Cullen Bunn: That's always a concern, but if I obsess too much over it, I'll never actually get anything written. In the end, I have to trust that no one else is really going to tell a story in the same way as me. So, my Wolverine will be different than those that came before and those that will come after. At the same time, I try to honor the character's past and introduce some new concepts of my own.

Buying Digital vs Physical; a Six Month Experiment

Justice League has constantly been a high selling comic digitally (DC Comics)

Since the DC relaunch last September, I have been partaking in an experiment.  I have been buying certain titles in digital form on the day of release.  I wanted to see what it was like to read only digital when I was accustomed to reading physical every week.  I started out only reading DC books, but slowly worked others into the mix.  I read the following titles digitally:

-Animal Man
-Batgirl
-Swamp Thing
-Wonder Woman
-Demon Knights
-Thief of Thieves
-Star Trek Ongoing
-Generation Hope
-Fatale
-X-Factor

Comic Reviews for the week of 3/8/12

Hi everybody!  Total of 13 comics in this week's reviews.  Was a good week.  Not great, but good.  Jonathan Hickman had a great start to his creator owned work, while Grant Morrison continued his Superman epic.  Sadly Age of Apocalypse #1 wasn't as good as I was hoping.  Enough teasing, let's get down to business.

DC Comics

Action Comics #7:  Grant Morrison's run on Action Comics can be shaky, but with #7, he seems to be turning that around and being the Grant Morrison of old.

The idea behind the Bottle City of Kandor isn't reinvented here, but Morrison gives it a creatively charged story.  The way he connects the Collector to an old Superman villain and Earth culture made my head spin a bit, because it was that great of an idea.  It's fun to have an "AHA!" moment when you realize what Morrison is doing and it makes you want to read more of the story.  Occasionally the dialogue feels a bit odd, but it's not a big nit to pick.  In the bottle, Morrison continues Luthor's cracking since finding out the Collector isn't helping him.  For the little time that Luthor has had in this book, he doesn't seem that menacing.  Then again, he isn't the main villain, so I won't pass judgement just yet.  I love Superman, but haven't had a good Superman book to read as an ongoing.  This is finally that book.

Rags Morales returns, and his pencils fare better than the previous four issues.  He still has the facial problems like before, but they aren't nears as evident.  The action flows well, and all the characters are very expressive in the more quiet scenes.  The Collector looks fantastic, having a Silver Age feel to him while still being menacing.

Action Comics #7 gets 4/5.

John Layman talks all things Chew and his love of Plastic Man

Tony Chu, the star of Layman's Chew

John Layman has been weaving one interesting tale in his creator owned book Chew.  Rob Guillory (artist) and he have created Tony Chu, a character who can see the past of things when he eats them. That includes human flesh.

Lately, you have been adding more and more 'powers' in the Chew universe. Where did you get the idea for all of these?


John Layman: I don't know where my ideas come from. I always get asked that, and I have no good answer.

Are there a limit to the number of 'powers'? 


JL: Not so far!

(Laughs) ok.  Most creator owned books seem to have an end issue in mind, like Scalped ending with #60.  Does Chew have and end issue, or one that just goes as long as the ideas keep flowing?


JL: Yep, Ends at issue #60. And, yes, we already know the ending, and are working toward it.

Chris Eliopoulos talks Cow Boy and the advantages of creator owned work

Chris Eliopoulos, the artist for Cow Boy, recently sat down with Mr. Comic Book to talk about the story of a 10 year old bounty hunter.  It's being released on http://www.cowboycomic.net/ with a good chunk of the book already available to read for free.  The hardcover will be released on May 1st  

The release method of Cow Boy is rather unique. Why release it free online first then the trade later?

Chris Eliopoulos: This was a new product that no one had really seen before, unlike say, Spider-Man. You have an idea what you'll be buying. Not the case here. So, we had a choice and we felt that the work was strong enough that when people got a look at it online, they would really want to have the book. It's a chance, no doubt, but something we're willing to try.

Well, I'll say I already have it preordered.  With an all ages book though, what's the challenge of making material that appeals to both adults and kids? This seems to be a tough market to sell these days.

CH: The trick, if there is one, is to make a book that doesn't speak down to kids, but tells a story that everyone can enjoy. It's a tough market in the direct market because it's dwindled down to a pretty specific demographic. But if you look at movies and books, that market is booming. Our trick is to make a book that appeals somewhat to the comic book market but in general to all demographics.

The Walking Dead "Judge, Jury, Executioner" Recap/Review

"Judge, Jury, Executioner" sticker on GetGlue (from AMC)

* SPOILER WARNING *

Good job writers.  Not being subtle at all with the title are we?  Better than "Someone Makes a Decision and Someone Dies Because of the Previous Aforementioned Decision."  

Darryl does the old Boondock Saints method of interrogation on Randall.  Yes, telling Darryl that you watched as people raped a man's daughter is a perfect idea.  Nah, he won't beat you more....OH SNAP guess he will.

I'm fine with T-Dog not being there, but a little explanation as to WHY would be nice.  Even a "Hey guys, I'm going play Monopoly over here in the corner."  That game takes forever to finish.  Why thank you sound people, we did need a thunderstorm after Rick says "what happens, happens."  Not foreboding at all.  Bet the kid is getting a puppy.

Reviews for Angel & Faith #7, Astonishing X-Men #47, Invincible #89 and more!

It was a fifth week this past comic book Wednesday.  Not much was released between the big publishers. Was a decent week overall.  Let's get started.

Dark Horse Comics

Angel & Faith #7:  This series has been rather strong since #1, and it looks to be getting even stronger. #7 is easily the best issue to date.

Christos Gage tones down the action this month focusing more on the characters.  And as a long time viewer of the show, what Gage does with Angel is a great.  It makes him rethink everything that has come before in his "helping the helpless."  It's a hard thing to write, as you can't make him seem like an asshole, but actually questioning who he is.  Gage does the latter, while also tying the entire thing in with the daddy issues theme of the arc.  Gage then shows off, including Connor in the comic without it bogging down the issue or having to explain much.  Faith's dad part takes a slightly normal angle, with the ending slightly predictable.  It's still an interesting read, making me that much more excited for #8 next month.  Having Faith talk to Angel shows how great these characters are together.  

Rebekah Isaacs as well pencils her best issue of the series.  Her characters portray so much emotion on every panel, without ever looking like something other than their actor counterparts.  As stated before, it's a toned down issue, so showing break neck action scenes is replaced by talking head scenes.  They still look great, and this gives her more time to give the backgrounds attention to detail.

Angel & Faith #7 gets 4.5/5.

The Walking Dead "18 Miles Out" Recap/Review

"18 Miles Out" sticker on GetGlue (from AMC)

*SPOILER WARNING*

Starting the episode with a tense zombie filled scene.  I love it.  Few series can make that work as perfectly as this series can, as now I'll be on the edge of my seat the rest of the episode almost every time this happens.

I hate the way Dale "deduced" that Shane killed Otis, but I do like that it has created some great threads amongst the characters.  Rick's and Shane's conversion at the beginning was one of the scenes I have most wanted to see in the comics (even though it will never happen now).  But Rick, side note, don't let the crazy guy hold the shot gun. Small thing (big gun), but don't want your brains blown away. Zombies will make a nice soufflé out of that.

Why the Comic Industry Needs Events

(Marvel Comics

Everyone complains about event comics these days.  It's natural.  The event barges into the universe and takes precedent over all the individual story lines.  Story lines that have been building naturally for months, maybe years, have to take a back seat so that a book that is barely involved can tie into the overall narrative.  Sometimes, if a writer is skilled enough, they can make the event work in their favor and keep the overall narrative working.  But why do we (yes, I include myself in this) bash events, when they do so much good for the comics industry?

Reviews for The Flash #6, Morning Glories #16, Wolverine & the X-Men #6 and a lot more!

Was a slightly smaller week than the past couple, but still a good week overall.  Only one bad comic, and I'm sure you'll see it coming when you see the cover.  With that said, on with the show!

DC Comics

Aquaman #6:  While Aquaman was off in the desert in last month’s issue, Mera was out having an adventure of her own.

While the issue isn’t that dramatic, it’s still a sound issue.  Geoff Johns gives us a glimpse into who Mera is and what makes her tick.  It’s fairly by the books stuff, but Johns makes it all interesting.  The scenes are set up well, especially the one in the grocery store.  The domestic abuse scene was a little over the top, as we just saw how strong of a woman Mera is and how she defends women.  Take out that, and then you have a perfectly written comic.

Ivan Reis is absent this month (for the most part), with Joe Prado finishing Reis’ breakdowns.  The affect works well, for the most part.  Mera’s flashbacks are perfect, where I couldn’t tell that they were breakdowns.  But in every other scene, the pencils lack.  Prado gives every character weird facial constructions, with many of them being overly elongated.  The action scenes look great, in usual Reis fashion.

Aquaman #6 gets 3.5/5.

The Walking Dead "Trigger Finger" Recap/Review

The "Trigger Finger" sticker from GetGlue (from AMC)

*SPOILER WARNING*

Lori must have been having pregnancy brain last episode and got hit, even though it lead to some tense scenes at the beginning.

So remember dumb ass #1 and #2 from the last episode? They weren't alone.  Reminds me a lot of Rick's time at the Governor, with the people being more threatening than the zombies.  It's good stuff, even if they have horrible Philly accents.  Guess Flyers fans survived the outbreak.

The TV show has taken liberties with a lot of characters and a few of them have worked well.  Carol having a quasi-relationship with Daryl is one of them.  It's small things like that which please the fan of the comics in me.

Digital Copies with Physical Copies. Good or Bad?

Justice League #1 (DC Comics)

In this new digital age for comics, it's hard to figure out what comic companies should do.  While the big two companies, DC and Marvel, have different plans, they might not be the best options.

Unless you have been living under a rock the past few months, DC and Marvel have been offering digital copies with physical books the past few months.  DC has only been doing this with Justice League, but you have to pay an extra dollar to get the code.  Marvel has been doing it with numerous books, and they are free.  Most of them have been comics in the Ultimate Universe and Avenging Spider-Man.  They will also be doing free copies with Avengers vs. X-Men.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Colombia Pictures

My Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance review just went up on the movie website.  As you might have expected, Nicholas Cage is an idiot and shouldn't have ruined this character.  Review is here: 

http://mrcomicbookgoestothemovies.blogspot.com/2012/02/ghost-rider-spirit-of-vengeance-review.html

Reviews for Army of Darkness #1, Batman #6, Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 and more!

Hello all.  Another week, another big batch of reviews.  Hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day and their valentine got them lots of comics!

Marvel Comics

Amazing Spider-Man #679.1:  Most of the .1 issues that Marvel has released over the months haven't done their job that well.  Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 actually does, and it's a good read as well.

Dan Slott and Chris Yost write this script, and their two styles mesh rather well.  So much so I couldn't tell who was writing what pages, something that can happen when two writers tackle an issue.  The story itself is sound.  It's a quick one and done, while setting up plot threads.  Having Morbius back is good angle, and it ends up making Peter's life much harder.  When kicking Peter down a little bit, it's always a difficult task.  You can't take away his job every time, so making it slightly harder being Spider-Man was a nice touch.  Most of Peter's coworkers have been cardboard cutouts, so developing one of them is good for long time readers.  The ending will please long time fans, and get the excited with anticipation.

Matthew Clark's pencils fit a Spider-Man book very well.  More so than Ghost Rider.  Morbius has an especially terrifying look to him.  While not spoiling the final page, it has a great look and hopefully Clark can come back when it comes time to tell that story.  His art would be a nice companion to the current Amazing Spider-Man artists.

Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 gets 4/5.

Fantastic Four: Season One Review

Marvel Comics

In the wake of of Superman: Earth One, Marvel responded with their version of a graphic novel that is good for new readers.  They seem to have two waves, with the first being Spider-Man, Daredevil, X-Men, and Fantastic Four.  The second comes later in the year, with the Hulk being the only one been announced.  Fantastic Four: Season One is the first of the Marvel Season Ones, and it's......well just mediocre.

Reviews for Deadpool #50, New Mutants #37, Scarlet Spider #2 and a lot more!

It was a very big pull list this week.  Took a chance on New Mutants, and that book has a new reader.  Batgirl is very close to being dropped.  Enough of me bitching (for now!), let's get to reviews.

DC Comics

Batgirl #6:  Gail Simone has always been a great writer over at DC.  So it pains me to say this, but what hell is going on with Batgirl?

Gail Simone has always been the master of characterization.  And while Batgirl #6 shows some of her prowess, it also shows some issues.  Gretel is a very interesting villain, but she is quickly swept away.  She could have stayed around of a while.  She is a lot more interesting than Mirror.  Batman says a very odd thing in the middle of battle.  While not odd for the character, the time and place doesn't fit with the rest of the scene.  Barbara's home life continues to be a pleasure to read.  And having half of the book be mediocre, and the other be good is very jarring.  It doesn't work well and hopefully Simone can change that in the coming months.  It is good to see Simone interact with the rest of the Bat family of books.

Ardian Syaf's art is a mix bag this month.  Some panels aren't as crisp and easy to follow as others.  Occasionally the action gets muddled, with the characters striking some odd poses.  These problems only happen near the end of the book, leaving the majority of the book looking pretty.  It's good superhero work overall though, and it's good to have the art be consistent even when the writing isn't.

Batgirl #6 gets 3.5/5.

DC sell more comics, Marvel makes more money in January

The sales numbers are out for January, and it looks like it's.........a draw?  January has provided us a strange month in terms of sales figures, with DC selling more comic books, but Marvel making more money overall.

Justice League #5 (DC Comics)

As far as the top 10 comics go, DC swept them.  Their most popular characters make up the top 10, with Batman books taking up four of the spots.  DC ended taking up 33.55% of dollar share, but 39.86% of units sold.  On the flip side, Marvel has 35.17% of the dollar share, and 37.51% of units sold.  Looking past the top 10 though, most of the comics are Marvel comics.  It sticks with the past few months where DC titles either sell a lot or don't.  Uncanny X-Men #5 was Marvel's top selling comic, followed by Uncanny X-Men #4.  The Spider-Man books seem to be selling well, with Scarlet Spider having a strong month.  A lot of X-books are selling well, except for Generation Hope that is (which is being cancelled soon).  Images took 5.84%, holding strong at number three, with their strongest selling book being The Walking Dead #93.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #5 was the top selling book for Dark Horse.  Sadly Angel & Faith was a lot lower on the list, which saddens this big supporter of the book.

Before Watchmen. AKA DC Pissing Off Fanboys

Cover to Nite Owl #1 (DC Comics)

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, you must know what Before Watchmen is.  It's DC's foray into telling stories before the seminal work of Alan More and David Gibbons.  It's comic books at their finest.  There are going to be seven mini series, with one issue being released a week.  Most issues are four, with a few being six issues.  There is also going to be Crimson Corsair back up in each issue.

So naturally......fan boys won't shut the hell up and not complain about something for once.

I'll make my argument simple:  comic book fans love to complain.  We live in a cynical society where we love to kick everything and everyone down a peg.  So when this was announced, naturally the fans cried fowl.  Did they forget that DC is a comic book company?  That they are out to make money?  If they listened to fanboys the majority of the time, they wouldn't ever change anything.  The new 52 never would have happened.  I don't understand why fans haven't learned to let stuff happen first THEN judge it.  Oh, I know why.  And I can boil it down to one sentence.

Reviews for Animal Man #6, Defenders #3, Winter Soldier #1 and a lot more!

Hello all.  It was another good week.  We have the big news that is Before Watchmen.  I'll quickly say that I'm excited, and hope they get the miniseries right.  With that, off to reviews!

DC Comics

Action Comics #6:  Action Comics is becoming typical Grant Morrison.  Time travel, zany ideas, tons of science jargon thrown around, and we get an enjoyable comic.

Morrison's remaining of Clark becoming Superman is quite different, and it's fun to see Morrison stretch with his storytelling.  But sometimes you need to pull the reins back a little.  #6 is very high on science ideas, but it doesn't feel necessary.  Like Grant is showing off for the sake of showing off.  Don't misconstrue my criticisms, Action Comics #6 is a good book and Grant is still the only person to make me care about Superman.  Part of me was scared that a two issue interlude story would ruin the overall narrative that Morrison is telling, but thankfully it doesn't.  When we jump back into the story with #7, I'll be happy and ready for it.

While the story had some faults, Andy Kubert has none.  His pencils are bold, with action that pops off the panel.  Sadly Kubert can't stay around, with Rags Morales not delivering as well as Kubert did with these two issues.  Hopefully the two months off will help Morales pick up the slack.

Action Comics #6 gets 3.5/5

Reviews for Alpha Flight #8, Aquaman #5, Secret Avengers #21.1 and more!

It was a small week (for me at least). It was a fun week, with one book ending it's run and another getting a new writer.  Let's get started.

Marvel Comics

Alpha Flight #8:  Another book by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente is going by the wayside.  Alpha Flight goes out with a bang and hopefully someone will come back to the characters.

Pak and Van Lente give the book a nice ending.  Almost every thread in the story is completed, but given the opportunity, they could have done a lot with these characters.  I wasn't the biggest fan of the whole "Unity is space aliens" twist, but #8 delivers a good ending.  Every character is given a moment to shine, considering we don't know when we will be seeing these characters again.  The duo use Wolverine well, making sure that he doesn't take over the book.  It's a great example of having a big character bring in readers, but still focus on what the book is all about.  Hopefully Pak and Van Lente can bring these characters back in one of their other books.  Or maybe a miniseries with the upcoming Avengers vs X-Men event.

Dale Eaglesham continues to deliver some of his best work.  Action looks great, and the characters have a lot of expression in their face.  The final page with the whole team on them will be an iconic image for fans of the team for years to come.

Alpha Flight #8 gets 4/5.

Reviews for Invincible Iron Man #512, Morning Glories #15, Superior #7 and more!

It was another great week to be a comic fan.  It's a week where we have books like Batman #5, which is already a strong contender for single issue of the year for me.  But the rest of the books were solid all around.

Marvel Comics

Avenging Spider-Man #3:  At the end of it's first arc, Avenging Spider-Man looks to be a title to watch for plain old fun.  Oh, and fantastic characterizations for Spider-Man.

Zeb Wells wrote one of the best arcs during the Brand New Day era, Shed.  With the end of this arc, he keeps writing Spider-Man pitch perfect.  I love Dan Slott, but Zeb Wells is the best Spider-Man writer at Marvel.  He balances the humor and drama, blending the two great.  There are a few panels in this book I'll show to anyone to show why Spider-Man is such an enduring character.  Wells also adds some great moments for the Red Hulk and J. Jonah Jameson.  Mole Man has been left in a new, more menacing, role after this arc.  Very excited to see what Mark Waid does with this in Daredevil.  The issue does end in an abrupt way, even if it's hysterical.  It's packaged a little to nice.  But when the rest of the issue is fantastic, who cares.

Joe Madureira pencils his best issue of the arc.  The "not using inks" choice isn't as blatant as previous issues, and looks better this issue.  Having Spider-Man be lankier is a great choice that some pencilers seem to always forget.  Spider-Man has always been thin as a rail.  The spinning spike of that blue rock pops off the screen.  I'm going to miss Mad in the next few issues (especially with Greg Land penciling the next issue).

Avenging Spider-Man #3 gets 4/5.

Is Spider-Man the New All-American Hero?

In Grant Morrison's recent reboot of Action Comics, he changed Clark Kent slightly.  After a few issues of seeing Clark Kent in his daily life, it appeared more and more that Clark Kent is acting more like our favorite Web Slinger.......Spider-Man.

Clark Kent and Peter Parker have always had a few similarities.  They work at newspapers and wear glasses for part of their careers.  But usually that's where it ends.  Here, in the nuDC world, Clark Kent's parents are dead (much like Peter Parker).  He still works at a newspaper, but is seen holding a camera more (much like Peter Parker).  When fighting bad guys, Superman seems to be more quippy (much like Spider-Man).  The big difference though, is that Superman is vulnerable.

When Superman was created, he was the creation of a different time.  The Depression was in full swing, and the biggest bad guys that Superman was fighting were corporate fat cats who caused the financial problem.  And while that is becoming more of a problem in this day, it's nothing on the level of the Depression era.  Spider-Man is the result of a generation who were lost, but found their way to get through.  Peter Parker is still relatable, and with more and more kids getting out of college and not being able to find their place in the world due to the economy, he is more relatable than ever.

Clark Kent (right) is starting to look more like Peter Parker(left)

Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel Comics) on left. Action Comics vol. 2 #1(DC Comics) on right

Reviews for Scarlet Spider #1, Green Lantern #5, Wolverine #300 and a lot more!

It's the second week of the year, and we already have a new Spider-ongoing.  DC continues to have some great books and some ok books.  Lets get started with the reviews shall we?

DC Comics

Batgirl #5:  Gail Simmone seems to be creating a nice little rogues gallery here for Barbara Gordon.

When the name Gretel appears on anything, you can think nothing but the children's fable.  This had me worried, but leave it to Simmone to create a female villain who is very menacing.  Having Bruce Wayne go down so easily seemed a bit lazy, but nothing has been explained yet, so let's wait and see.  The whole zombie 338 thing is a tad weird, and I would have likedThe scenes with Barbara and her mom was fantastic to read.  It's a nice ripple to add to her life, even if it has nothing to do with this new villain.  Barbara's analyzation of this new enemy shows why she is always going to be a great Batgirl.  It's smart, and not over the top or too descriptive.  It adds to the visuals without over powering them.

Adrian Syaf continues to impress on pencils.  There are a few more shots that are clearly set for guys, but nothing to the extent of other artists.  Barbara's mother is penciled well, clearly looking like Barbara but enough that she isn't so it's believable.  Which makes Gordon's traits in Barbara appear more.  Syaf's work is great, but nothing ground breaking 

Batgirl #5 gets 3.5/5.

Best of 2011

It was a great year to be a comic book fan.  There were plenty of new ideas that kept the industry afloat, and it makes 2012 be that much more interesting.  Here are the best of 2011 (according to me).

Best Event
5. Brightest Day
4. Schism
3. Spider-Island
2. Fear Itself

And the winner is.....