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.
DC Comics
Aquaman #7: This issue shows that Geoff Johns has a lot of big plans for Aquaman.
While I like what Johns has done with Aquaman, I wish he didn't keep having issues like this. Setting things up is a great thing, but it ruins the momentum. We have had a couple of one and done issues, and now we have a new arc. But nothing really starts. It's mostly just "Wait, what's going on?" Ironically enough, this is what Mera says a good chunk of the issue. I am excited for the future, as this issue promises a lot. This issue will probably be awesome when reading with the next few issues. One thing Johns has been doing right is writing great scenes for Ivan Reis to pencil. He is one of the few writers to "write for an artist" and not have it be a burden on the rest of the issue. I wish that the plot could have been more, but it's still enjoyable. And you should be proud of me for writing this review without making one LOST reference.
Ivan Reis comes back full time on this issue, and I'm so happy about it. Characters are expressive, even when only their eyes are the only thing conveying emotion. While I might complain about nothing going on plot wise, I don't care as much with the entire book looking this gorgeous. Joe Prado and Rod Reis really accentuate Ivan Reis pencils.
Aquaman #7 gets 3.5/5.
Marvel Comics
Avengers #24.1: While this would be a great Avengers issue, it loses some points because it's a .1 issue.
Brain Michael Bendis brings the Vision back to Earth and catches him up with everything that has happened to the Avengers since. Most of this issue deals with Vision's reaction to the Scarlet Witch's crimes. It's good stuff, especially for someone like me who has been reading this book since he debuted two years ago. But this doesn't work for a .1 issue. It's not a good jumping on point. And that's what these issues have been about. Giving people great chances to jump on and catch up quick. A better idea would to have skipped this issue and let people jump on with issue #25 with the title being tied into Avengers vs X-Men. If this issue was just another issue, I would have loved it. Every scene works well. But nope. Oh well.
Brian Peterson has been doing a perfect job on pencils every issue recently. But his pencils seem a little rushed here. Many of the characters don't look proportionate, varying in size from panel to panel. Colossus is one of the big victims of this. But with She-Hulk, he gets the height and size down perfectly. Some facial movement on Captain America also suffer, looking downright ugly.
Side note, make sure to read this book before Avengers vs X-Men #0
Avengers #24.1 gets 3/5.
Marvel Comics
Avengers vs X-Men #0: Well, here we go again. Another Marvel event. I can already see people bitching about this event, but I get the feeling it's going to be great.
Brian Michael Bendis writes the Scarlet Witch story while Jason Aaron writes the X-Men story. Bendis shows how much the Scarlet Witch isn't accepted in super hero society anymore, and he does it in a poignant way. I get that the Vision is rather mad, but him crying? I didn't think he COULD cry. Characters have their own voices (a problem with Bendis sometimes). But story works to wet the appetite for the event. The story isn't needed, but it's good. Jason Aaron's story falls in the same vein as Bendis' story. It's not needed, but good. I read Avengers vs X-Men #1 and didn't feel like I needed to read #0. Aaron picks lapsed readers fast, but only with Cyclops, Emma, and Hope. Most of the X-Men are not here, which seems like a strange choice. The issue has two very good stories, but they don't mesh well together. That's not a big complaint for me, as the stories work well on their own. We will have plenty of time for the two sides to be together in the coming months.
Frank Cho's pencils are better than they have been in a while. The lines are clean and characters aren't as positioned as stupidly as they sometimes are with him. Yeah, Hope won't look like any teenager that you know, but that's par for the course with him. His pencils are actually good, so it doesn't bother me as much when he pencils women as curvy. It's not like Greg Land where his pencils suck and he draws women curvy.
Avengers vs X-Men #0 gets 4/5.
Marvel Comics
Avenging Spider-Man #5: With this being Zeb Wells last issue on this title for a bit, but it's a great issue.
Zeb Wells really hits home and the perfect type of Spider-Man comic. It has plenty of heart, but also a lot of humor. I like that Wells compares Cap and Spider-Man so well without making it seem hokey. The dialogue is very touching, with it sounding very similar to the way the Spidey talked to Iron Man when the New Avengers were first brought together. The issue also vaguely ties into Avenging Spider-Man #4, but it's still able to read this issue without knowing what happened. The last three pages gave me such a smile though, as Wells grabs a hold of why Spider-Man is great on team books when done correctly. He also adds a good amount of humor into this issue, which had me in stitches with every line. I can't wait for Zeb Wells to come back to Avenging Spider-Man.
Leinil Yu's pencils look great. He should try to pencil Spider-Man more, as Spidey looks fantastic. He has the lanky look that many artists forget to do. The big double page spread of Captain America's history just struck me. We all know his history so well, but it's still amazing to look at. Yu makes Spider-Man mask expressive, which some choose to do and others not. But I like how subtle his eye movements are.
Avenging Spider-Man #5 gets 4.5/5.
Marvel Comics
Daredevil #10: Well this isn't new. Another awesome issue of Daredevil.
First off, yes the Omega Effect is coming next month. It's inclusion in this issue is much more organic than when it popped up in The Punisher. The rest of the issue is a great conclusion to the short arc. Mark Waid makes Matt look at himself and what really matters to him. It's something that has been in the comic for a long time that Waid handles very well. Most of the issue is a fight between Mole Man and Daredevil, but Waid fills the fight with plenty of character. I'm surprised that Waid rehashes Mole Man's origin, but it doesn't break the flow of the comic. I need to invest in a thesaurus so that I can figure out new ways to say "Mark Waid writes Daredevil better than anyone has in a long time." Hopefully I won't be lazy and actually do that.
Paolo Rivera has also exhausted my ways of saying his art is awesome. Rivera keeps the atmosphere dark, but it never makes anything hard to see. That's not only Rivera's great art, but also Javier Rodriguez's colors. They make the outline of characters pop amongst the darkness, and look vibrant against the crystals. The expression that Rivera gives Foggy on the last page was just heartbreaking.
Daredevil #10 gets 5/5 (like you were expecting something else)
DC Comics
The Flash #7: While the past few issues of The Flash have just been good, #7 is great.
The story throws the Flash into a very different situation. Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato end the Captain Cold arc rather well, but also rather bleakly. It's in a good way too. While you hate Captain Cold, they make the reader really feel for him by the end of the issue. The duo also continue to find new ways to play around with the Speed Force, which I love seeing. Some future plot points are teased, and it's going to make the wait for next month's issue that much harder. Having Barry "stuck in the speed force" has put his relationship with Patty into a good situation. Many have complained about Barry and Isis being undone, but it's looking to be a good idea at the moment.
But the real reason I read the Flash each and every month is the art. Manapul and Buccellato keep brining their A game each and every month. Gorilla Grood and company look absolutely stunning. The detail on their hair surprised me, and I couldn't stop looking at the few panels. Turbine, the new villain who debuts at the end, looks to give the duo more chances to show off next month.
The Flash #7 gets 4/5
Marvel Comics
Moon Knight #11: It pains me to say this, but next issue is the final one of this series.
Brian Michael Bendis is setting Moon Knight up for one hell of an ending next month. While many aren't happy with what Bendis did with Echo, it pays of well here. Even if nothing becomes of Moon Knight in the near future, I'm glad this series existed to put the character in a good place. Bendis is organically ending a lot of the plot lines. The issue is mostly one big fight between Madam Masque and Moon Knight, but it feels right. Moon Knight is really fighting for his right to live against Count Nefaria. And of course, fans will be upset that he unmasked Madam Masque (which I don't think has happened).
Alex Maleev's pencils seem a little rushed this issue. The talking head panels look fine, but the action sequences are the victim. Much like on Daredevil, the action scenes look stiff and posed instead of fluid. Moon Knight has been great for Maleev in terms of development of penciling action, so I'm not sure what happened here. Maybe Maleev was busy doing Moon Knight and Scarlet at the same time. Bendis' story is good, so this isn't as big a deal.
Moon Knight #11 gets 4/5.
Image Comics
Morning Glories #17: Much like Daredevil, Morning Glories has been constantly great each and every month.
Nick Spencer spends this issue discussing philosophy between couple of characters. As a hardcore fan of this series, I really enjoyed it. Getting to know these character better is always a good thing. I never saw anything happening between Jade and Ike, but now I want that to happen as soon as possible. Had ehas been one of those characters that has been in the background a lot, but Spencer makes that character trait mean more after reading this issue. Spencer's overall narrative is put on the backseat, which I wish didn't happen. The school was having a lot of new things discovered. The ending finally bring back a character that long time fans have been dying to see. Hopefully we will finally find out something about him and his relationship to Ike.
Joe Eisma's pencils look great. The entire issue is a talking head issue, so this works in Eisma's favor. The characters look almost lifelike in a few panels. I like the way Spencer and Eisma keep the same panel and show the changes in each panel. It makes the issue feel almost like I'm watching the break down of a movie. Speaking of that, why hasn't there been a Morning Glories movie announced yet?
Morning Glories #17 gets 4.5/5.
Marvel Comics
Secret Avengers #24: Rick Remender delivers another awesome issue of Secret Avengers.
Most of the issue is is the Descendants taking down the Secret Avengers one by one. But the issue isn't all grim though, as Remender gives the issue plenty of wit. Beast is proving to be the funniest one of the group. The arc really feels like a trial by fire arc, which is good when a writer comes onto a team book. The Descendants are becoming a real threat that I can't wait to see Remender tackle after Avengers vs X-Men takes over the book. What happened to the Shadow Council though? I'd love to see Remender tackle them some day. But the next six months are devoted to Avengers vs X-Men, so this will have to wait till after that. The fake death of Ant-Man left a sour taste in my mouth, as the death was handled really well last month. The issue is very fun, even if it has a hiccup or two.
Gabriel Hardam's art suits the book perfectly. When I first heard that he was going to be on the series, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a good fit. The action scenes look fluid, and his work as a Hollywood story boarder shines here. Human Torch looks great; great enough to make me think he'd look good on Fantastic Four. I noticed that faces could lack a little detail when he was on Hulk, but that is gone now. Characters are expressive as hell, even with their faces covered in masks.
Secret Avengers #24 gets 4/5.
Old Comics
No old comics this week. Hope to get Amazing Spider-Man #682 so that I can start End of the Earths. Either way, have a good week and happy reading!
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