End of an era for DC this week, as this week's issues wrap up story lines in preparation for the Flashboot next week. Along with the list below I picked up Wonder Woman # 614, as I can't stand the story arc written by Straczynski, I will not be reviewing it.
Action Comics # 904 (oh dear God kill me now)
Batman Inc # 8
Batman Arkham City # 5 of 5
Batman Gates of Gotham # 5 of 5
Batman Dark Knight # 5
Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Hal Jordan # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Project Superman # 3 of 3
Green Arrow # 15
Green Lantern Emerald Warriors # 13
Superman Beyond # 0
Teen Titans # 100
Captain America & Bucky # 621
Daken Dark wolverine # 13
Iron Age Omega
New Mutants # 30
Punisher # 2
Uncanny X-Force # 13
X-Men # 16
X-Men Legacy # 254
Kill Shakespeare # 12 of 12
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles # 1
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Marvel Review for 8/17/11
Good week for Marvel this week, only two issues I couldn't bring myself to read.
X-Men Schism # 3 of 5
The story continues to escalate and I still can't help but wonder what all that crap was in the "prelude" to this event. The Hellfire Kids Club attacks the opening of the Mutant History Museum in San Fransisco. The X-Men are on hand, and of course are the actual target as Colossus, Emma Frost, Namor, and Magneto are defeated. Idie, one of the newest generation's mutants is left to deal with the attack and has to deal with Wolverine and Cyclops arguing during a telepathic conversation. She attacks the guards left behind by the kids and gets out of the museum, but Frost and her team are captured.
Rating: Great
Generation Hope # 10
This issue tells Idie's point of view of the events leading up to and in Schism # 3. Nothing else to say in review of this issue, continues a great story.
Rating: Great
Uncanny X-Men # 542
The X-Men continue to try and stop Juggernaut before he reaches SF. This is a good issue, so good that it overshadows and basically negates the story going on in Thunderbolts. In this issue, Colossus, Kitty Pride, and Illyana travel to the dimension of Cyttorak, god of destruction who gave Juggernaut his armor. In order to stop him, Colossus agrees to become the new avatar of Cyttorak.
Rating: Good
X-Factor # 224
Every time I review one of these issues I say the same thing, Peter David does not write bad comics. We finally get the ending to the story of Rahne's baby. I really hope we get back to Darwin soon. Especially since in X-Men Legacy we are about to get the return of Rachael Grey and her team.
Rating: Great
Avengers # 16
Seriously, I love you Bendis. But whoever told you the idea of using talking heads during a comic event was a good idea should be shot, stabbed, downed, hung, and poisoned.
Rating: Not even worth me rating it, and I do this for free!
Invincible Iron Man # 507
Stark avoids dealing with his returning drinking problem and Pepper deals with the Hammer Corps in Paris. Of course the Serpent's forces have made their way into Odin's workshop and enact a plan to kill Stark. This is a good issue, but the use of Nordic runes to mask derogatory language is already old, just stop.
Rating: Good
Captain America # 2
This shit just got weird. So, Agent Bravo and some AIM guys got trapped in a dream world when the kid that controlled it went into a coma while they were using his dream world to infiltrate the AIM base. For such a weird story, you would think the writing would be bad, but its done rather well.
Rating: Weird, but good
Daredevil # 2
Captain America shows up to arrest Matt for what he did in Shadowland. The two fight and are amazingly evenly matched. Matt uses the "Bucky defense" saying he was mind controlled when he did what he is accused of. Steve agrees to give him a continuance. Foggy is sleeping with the A.D.A. who helps with the case they were working on. Matt goes in to investigate and gets captured and stuck in some kind of a machine.
Rating: Great
Venom # 6
Spider Island tie-in. Flash captures a huge spider creature that is walking across New York City. After he takes it back to base, and it quickly escapes from the lab where they are studying it, we learn the creature is actually a transformed Captain America. He is recaptured and restrained. All this while spider powered civilians run rampant on the city and Flash's father is dying in the hospital.
Rating: Great
Journey Into Mystery # 626
Loki continues his unknown quest to stop the Serpent before he gets to Asgard. He convinces a powerful demon in Limbo to give him "shadow" a powerful sword capable of cutting time and space. Finally he breaks the destroyer out of the Asgard armory and plans on unleashing it on the Serpent's Dark Asgard.
Rating: Good
Thunderbolts # 162
As I said earlier, this story arc is overshadowed by the arc in Uncanny X-Men making it nigh unreadable.
Rating: Bad
X-Men Schism # 3 of 5
The story continues to escalate and I still can't help but wonder what all that crap was in the "prelude" to this event. The Hellfire Kids Club attacks the opening of the Mutant History Museum in San Fransisco. The X-Men are on hand, and of course are the actual target as Colossus, Emma Frost, Namor, and Magneto are defeated. Idie, one of the newest generation's mutants is left to deal with the attack and has to deal with Wolverine and Cyclops arguing during a telepathic conversation. She attacks the guards left behind by the kids and gets out of the museum, but Frost and her team are captured.
Rating: Great
Generation Hope # 10
This issue tells Idie's point of view of the events leading up to and in Schism # 3. Nothing else to say in review of this issue, continues a great story.
Rating: Great
Uncanny X-Men # 542
The X-Men continue to try and stop Juggernaut before he reaches SF. This is a good issue, so good that it overshadows and basically negates the story going on in Thunderbolts. In this issue, Colossus, Kitty Pride, and Illyana travel to the dimension of Cyttorak, god of destruction who gave Juggernaut his armor. In order to stop him, Colossus agrees to become the new avatar of Cyttorak.
Rating: Good
X-Factor # 224
Every time I review one of these issues I say the same thing, Peter David does not write bad comics. We finally get the ending to the story of Rahne's baby. I really hope we get back to Darwin soon. Especially since in X-Men Legacy we are about to get the return of Rachael Grey and her team.
Rating: Great
Avengers # 16
Seriously, I love you Bendis. But whoever told you the idea of using talking heads during a comic event was a good idea should be shot, stabbed, downed, hung, and poisoned.
Rating: Not even worth me rating it, and I do this for free!
Invincible Iron Man # 507
Stark avoids dealing with his returning drinking problem and Pepper deals with the Hammer Corps in Paris. Of course the Serpent's forces have made their way into Odin's workshop and enact a plan to kill Stark. This is a good issue, but the use of Nordic runes to mask derogatory language is already old, just stop.
Rating: Good
Captain America # 2
This shit just got weird. So, Agent Bravo and some AIM guys got trapped in a dream world when the kid that controlled it went into a coma while they were using his dream world to infiltrate the AIM base. For such a weird story, you would think the writing would be bad, but its done rather well.
Rating: Weird, but good
Daredevil # 2
Captain America shows up to arrest Matt for what he did in Shadowland. The two fight and are amazingly evenly matched. Matt uses the "Bucky defense" saying he was mind controlled when he did what he is accused of. Steve agrees to give him a continuance. Foggy is sleeping with the A.D.A. who helps with the case they were working on. Matt goes in to investigate and gets captured and stuck in some kind of a machine.
Rating: Great
Venom # 6
Spider Island tie-in. Flash captures a huge spider creature that is walking across New York City. After he takes it back to base, and it quickly escapes from the lab where they are studying it, we learn the creature is actually a transformed Captain America. He is recaptured and restrained. All this while spider powered civilians run rampant on the city and Flash's father is dying in the hospital.
Rating: Great
Journey Into Mystery # 626
Loki continues his unknown quest to stop the Serpent before he gets to Asgard. He convinces a powerful demon in Limbo to give him "shadow" a powerful sword capable of cutting time and space. Finally he breaks the destroyer out of the Asgard armory and plans on unleashing it on the Serpent's Dark Asgard.
Rating: Good
Thunderbolts # 162
As I said earlier, this story arc is overshadowed by the arc in Uncanny X-Men making it nigh unreadable.
Rating: Bad
Saturday, August 20, 2011
DC Review for 8/17/11
Been an eventful week for me, water heater broke, took the kitchen sink with it. Got my Apartment complex's maintenance dept to replace the water heater, ended up fixing the sink myself. On top of that I rebuilt my computer after it crashed, built a computer for a friend, and installed a ceiling fan in my bedroom. I am very disappointed in DC this week. Quite a few issues I couldn't get past the first few pages.
Green Lantern Corps # 63
As I have said before, I am a huge GL fan. I managed to make it all the way through this issue only by sheer force of will. The art gets progressively worse. The one issue is divided into chapters to focus on different characters. None of these chapters actually focuses on one character long enough to pull you into the story. In the end, the lanterns are called to duty and put their issues with one another behind them.
Rating: Mediocre
Batman # 713
Need an issue to catch you up on what has happened in Batman, here you go. Only it won't touch on too much of the major events or any of the villains for that matter. This issue, like nearly everything DC published this week reeks of "we need something to fill the gap between DCU and DCnU". Not a bad read though.
Rating: Mediocre-Good
Titans # 38
Once Slade's Methuselah Machine is destroy, the group splits up and goes their own ways. Roy seems to have beaten his Heroine addiction (which won't even exist in the DCnU) and teams up with Jericho but neither of them knows what to do next. Slade slinks off and gets the focus of the last few pages of the issue in which he seemingly falls into insanity and you just wait around for him to laugh maniacally. Honestly, with this wrap-up, it feels like I can't help but ask myself why I was reading this in the first place.
Rating: Mediocre
Justice League of America # 60
Couldn't finish it. When you have the entire team pretty much standing around saying "we are disbanding the JLA cause we don't feel like having it any more" why should I even read it? This one issue attempts to tell what would have been a few months of issues and wrap-up quickly why the JLA is disbanding. DC should be ashamed they even printed this.
Rating: Not worth the paper it is printed on
Superboy # 11
Finally get to the end of the story that has been building for 11 issues. Superboy and the Phantom Stranger defeat the villain and Psionic Lad rescues the citizens of Smallville. Probably the best thing DC published this week, and I honestly don't have much to say about it cause it is still overshadowed by the impending reboot.
Rating: Good
Superman/Batman # 87
Clark Kent evades the Joker and Batman saves the day. Joker handcuffs himself to Kent and jumps out a window. Batman swoops in and saves Kent from falling after the Joker takes off the fake hand Kent is handcuffed to and parachutes away. Superman flies in and captures the escaping Joker. It is revealed that the editor for the Gotham Gazette had betrayed his writer for a payoff by Joker and did the same with Kent. Wayne enterprises buys out the paper and fires the editor. Batman tells Clark at the end of the issue when he asks how Batman can keep going, "You're an architect, Clark. You are building a future. I'm a fireman. I put out the fires as best I can, and move on to the next one."
Rating: Good
Zatanna # 16
Much like the JLA issue for this week, I have to ask why was this even printed? Uriah, a boy from Limbo Town (ala Klarion) shows up at Zatanna's home looking for someone to teach him to be a good magician. Again, this issue was so bad I could not even finish it. Way to go DC.
Rating: Would not be worth the paper it is printed on if not for good art.
Flashpoint Wrap-Up: Wonder Woman and the Furies # 3, Abin Sur # 3, Legion of Doom # 3, Outsider # 3
Wonder Woman discovers the Orn and her aunt working together after fighting the Resistance, (which spoils next week's Lois Lane and the Resistance) captures them, and goes off to fight Aquaman (which we saw last week in Emperor Aquaman). Orn and Diana's aunt escape and the focus shifts to them before going back to the battle. Abin Sur destroys Sinestro's ring, tells the Guardians of his trechery, and gets booted from the Corps. When he dies saving the Earth, the White entity saves him and turns him into a White Lantern. A nice ending, but terrible place to end it if he doesn't show up again. Both Legion of Doom and the Outsider really show that they had no reason to be written other than to show what other characters end up like in the Flashpoint U. Cyborg defeats useless fire villain and Outsider somehow kills Martian Manhunter.
Rating: Almost at the (Flash)point
Hellblazer # 282
This issue was pretty freaky. Constantine goes into a class "A" prison (which is like max security) to find out what is going on in there. His wife helps him and the demon inside the prison is eventually beaten to death by the inmates he had tortured.
Rating: Good
Green Lantern Corps # 63
As I have said before, I am a huge GL fan. I managed to make it all the way through this issue only by sheer force of will. The art gets progressively worse. The one issue is divided into chapters to focus on different characters. None of these chapters actually focuses on one character long enough to pull you into the story. In the end, the lanterns are called to duty and put their issues with one another behind them.
Rating: Mediocre
Batman # 713
Need an issue to catch you up on what has happened in Batman, here you go. Only it won't touch on too much of the major events or any of the villains for that matter. This issue, like nearly everything DC published this week reeks of "we need something to fill the gap between DCU and DCnU". Not a bad read though.
Rating: Mediocre-Good
Titans # 38
Once Slade's Methuselah Machine is destroy, the group splits up and goes their own ways. Roy seems to have beaten his Heroine addiction (which won't even exist in the DCnU) and teams up with Jericho but neither of them knows what to do next. Slade slinks off and gets the focus of the last few pages of the issue in which he seemingly falls into insanity and you just wait around for him to laugh maniacally. Honestly, with this wrap-up, it feels like I can't help but ask myself why I was reading this in the first place.
Rating: Mediocre
Justice League of America # 60
Couldn't finish it. When you have the entire team pretty much standing around saying "we are disbanding the JLA cause we don't feel like having it any more" why should I even read it? This one issue attempts to tell what would have been a few months of issues and wrap-up quickly why the JLA is disbanding. DC should be ashamed they even printed this.
Rating: Not worth the paper it is printed on
Superboy # 11
Finally get to the end of the story that has been building for 11 issues. Superboy and the Phantom Stranger defeat the villain and Psionic Lad rescues the citizens of Smallville. Probably the best thing DC published this week, and I honestly don't have much to say about it cause it is still overshadowed by the impending reboot.
Rating: Good
Superman/Batman # 87
Clark Kent evades the Joker and Batman saves the day. Joker handcuffs himself to Kent and jumps out a window. Batman swoops in and saves Kent from falling after the Joker takes off the fake hand Kent is handcuffed to and parachutes away. Superman flies in and captures the escaping Joker. It is revealed that the editor for the Gotham Gazette had betrayed his writer for a payoff by Joker and did the same with Kent. Wayne enterprises buys out the paper and fires the editor. Batman tells Clark at the end of the issue when he asks how Batman can keep going, "You're an architect, Clark. You are building a future. I'm a fireman. I put out the fires as best I can, and move on to the next one."
Rating: Good
Zatanna # 16
Much like the JLA issue for this week, I have to ask why was this even printed? Uriah, a boy from Limbo Town (ala Klarion) shows up at Zatanna's home looking for someone to teach him to be a good magician. Again, this issue was so bad I could not even finish it. Way to go DC.
Rating: Would not be worth the paper it is printed on if not for good art.
Flashpoint Wrap-Up: Wonder Woman and the Furies # 3, Abin Sur # 3, Legion of Doom # 3, Outsider # 3
Wonder Woman discovers the Orn and her aunt working together after fighting the Resistance, (which spoils next week's Lois Lane and the Resistance) captures them, and goes off to fight Aquaman (which we saw last week in Emperor Aquaman). Orn and Diana's aunt escape and the focus shifts to them before going back to the battle. Abin Sur destroys Sinestro's ring, tells the Guardians of his trechery, and gets booted from the Corps. When he dies saving the Earth, the White entity saves him and turns him into a White Lantern. A nice ending, but terrible place to end it if he doesn't show up again. Both Legion of Doom and the Outsider really show that they had no reason to be written other than to show what other characters end up like in the Flashpoint U. Cyborg defeats useless fire villain and Outsider somehow kills Martian Manhunter.
Rating: Almost at the (Flash)point
Hellblazer # 282
This issue was pretty freaky. Constantine goes into a class "A" prison (which is like max security) to find out what is going on in there. His wife helps him and the demon inside the prison is eventually beaten to death by the inmates he had tortured.
Rating: Good
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
What I'm Reading 8/17/11
Friends and family running through town last week, sorry no reviews for last week. If I get a chance I'll try to write some short reviews for those books.
Batman # 713
Flashpoint: Abin Sur Green Lantern # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Legion of Doom # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: The Outsider # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies # 3 of 3
Green Lantern Corps # 63
Justice League of America # 60
Superboy # 11
Superman/Batman # 87
Titans # 38
Zatanna # 16
Hellblazer # 282
Avengers # 16
Captain America # 2
Daredevil # 2
Generation Hope # 10
Invincible Iron Man # 507
Journey Into Mystery # 626
Thunderbolts # 162
Uncanny X-Men # 542
Venom # 6
X-Factor # 224
X-Men Schism # 3 of 5
Batman # 713
Flashpoint: Abin Sur Green Lantern # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Legion of Doom # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: The Outsider # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies # 3 of 3
Green Lantern Corps # 63
Justice League of America # 60
Superboy # 11
Superman/Batman # 87
Titans # 38
Zatanna # 16
Hellblazer # 282
Avengers # 16
Captain America # 2
Daredevil # 2
Generation Hope # 10
Invincible Iron Man # 507
Journey Into Mystery # 626
Thunderbolts # 162
Uncanny X-Men # 542
Venom # 6
X-Factor # 224
X-Men Schism # 3 of 5
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
What I'm Reading (8/10/11)
Getting caught up on a few things that I've missed this week.
War of the Green Lanterns Aftermath # 2 of 2
Booster Gold # 47
Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons # 3 of 3
Flashpoint Citizen Cold # 3 of 3
Detective Comics # 881
Teen Titans # 99
Red Robin # 26
Batgirl # 24
Batman & Robin # 26
Birds of Prey # 15
Fear Itself # 5 of 7
X-Men Schism # 2 of 5
Incredible Hulk # 634
Amazing Spider-Man # 667
Iron Age # 2 of 3
Iron Age # 3 of 3
X-Men Legacy # 253
New Avengers # 15
Daken Dark Wolverine # 12
New Mutants # 29
Spawn # 210
War of the Green Lanterns Aftermath # 2 of 2
Booster Gold # 47
Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman # 3 of 3
Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons # 3 of 3
Flashpoint Citizen Cold # 3 of 3
Detective Comics # 881
Teen Titans # 99
Red Robin # 26
Batgirl # 24
Batman & Robin # 26
Birds of Prey # 15
Fear Itself # 5 of 7
X-Men Schism # 2 of 5
Incredible Hulk # 634
Amazing Spider-Man # 667
Iron Age # 2 of 3
Iron Age # 3 of 3
X-Men Legacy # 253
New Avengers # 15
Daken Dark Wolverine # 12
New Mutants # 29
Spawn # 210
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Marvel Review for 8/3/11
This week saw the return of the Punisher, a couple of disappointing issues, and a surprise when I caught up with an issue I missed from the previous week.
Punisher # 1
Glad to see Frank Castle return to the Marvel U, but this issue is the most confusing comic I have read since Final Crisis. There is very little dialogue, and the art makes the characters look similar, specifically a street punk and a detective. For a "return to the Marvel U" story, there is very little of the Punisher in the entire issue. He shows up on the last pages to take out a group that had shot up a wedding.
Rating: Good start, but bring in the tittle character
Iron Man 2.0 # 7.1
Still love this series, but what the fuck Marvel. Issue 7 claimed 7.1 would wrap up the Palmer Addley story and 8 would begin a new story. Turns out, 7.1 doesn't progress the story, and the arc will be continuing into issue 8. It really seems like Marvel doesn't even know what to do with this series, it has been all over the place.
Rating: Good, but needs direction
X-Factor #223
Peter David is amazing. This issue beings the story of Rahne's unborn child closer to being finished. David has been writing this series for a few years now and has definitely made the characters his own.
Rating: Great
X-23 # 13
Laura and Gambit are in New York looking for some kid that she refused to kill years ago. While Laura is out looking for the kid, she sees a guy with a familiar symbol on his forehead and red eyes. She helps Spider-Man deal with some emergencies. The symbol shows up in the sky and both she and Spider-man recognize it for some reason yet to be revealed.
Rating: Good
Wolverine # 13
Two things, 1.) Get to the point already, 2.) Good way to leave the ending as a cliffhanger. I say get to the ending because, dear lord the story has not focused on the tittle character in at least the past 3 issues.
Rating: Just wait for the next one
Venom # 5
I am actually a week behind on this issue as somehow Diamond managed to screw up my local comic book store's order. Still looking for a copy of X-Men Schism # 2. This issue was very heartfelt and shows a side of Flash Thompson no one ever knew. The issue traces his life back to when he was a young boy and his alcoholic father beat him and never showed him any praise. His father quit drinking and was sober for 2 years when Flash joined the army. He found out a year ago that he was dying from siroccos of the liver and decided if he was going to die, he might as well drink. Flash wants nothing to do with him, be eventually goes to find him after his mother begs him to. Flash's dad passes out at the police station he was at and when he wakes up in the hospital, Flash just leaves without saying anything to him. The last page has four panels with no text of him in the parking lot with his girlfriend Betty Brant and he falls out of his chair into her arms crying. He doesn't get any time to grieve as he immediately receives a call and has to return to base for a mission.
Rating: Amazing and heartfelt
Thunderbolts # 161
The entire Thunderbolts Fear Itself tie-in has been horrible. I haven't been able to finish one of these since they began tying-in to the event.
Rating: Wait for Fear Itself to be over, or at least the return of Luke Cage
Moon Knight # 4
I can't help but agree with what is said in this issue, Moon Knight is a third string Avenger. That doesn't mean this series isn't worth reading though. The fact that there is very little story development doesn't help any. Bendis is a great writer, but reading this series I can't help but wonder if he has spread himself too thin.
Rating: Good, but could use more story development
Punisher # 1
Glad to see Frank Castle return to the Marvel U, but this issue is the most confusing comic I have read since Final Crisis. There is very little dialogue, and the art makes the characters look similar, specifically a street punk and a detective. For a "return to the Marvel U" story, there is very little of the Punisher in the entire issue. He shows up on the last pages to take out a group that had shot up a wedding.
Rating: Good start, but bring in the tittle character
Iron Man 2.0 # 7.1
Still love this series, but what the fuck Marvel. Issue 7 claimed 7.1 would wrap up the Palmer Addley story and 8 would begin a new story. Turns out, 7.1 doesn't progress the story, and the arc will be continuing into issue 8. It really seems like Marvel doesn't even know what to do with this series, it has been all over the place.
Rating: Good, but needs direction
X-Factor #223
Peter David is amazing. This issue beings the story of Rahne's unborn child closer to being finished. David has been writing this series for a few years now and has definitely made the characters his own.
Rating: Great
X-23 # 13
Laura and Gambit are in New York looking for some kid that she refused to kill years ago. While Laura is out looking for the kid, she sees a guy with a familiar symbol on his forehead and red eyes. She helps Spider-Man deal with some emergencies. The symbol shows up in the sky and both she and Spider-man recognize it for some reason yet to be revealed.
Rating: Good
Wolverine # 13
Two things, 1.) Get to the point already, 2.) Good way to leave the ending as a cliffhanger. I say get to the ending because, dear lord the story has not focused on the tittle character in at least the past 3 issues.
Rating: Just wait for the next one
Venom # 5
I am actually a week behind on this issue as somehow Diamond managed to screw up my local comic book store's order. Still looking for a copy of X-Men Schism # 2. This issue was very heartfelt and shows a side of Flash Thompson no one ever knew. The issue traces his life back to when he was a young boy and his alcoholic father beat him and never showed him any praise. His father quit drinking and was sober for 2 years when Flash joined the army. He found out a year ago that he was dying from siroccos of the liver and decided if he was going to die, he might as well drink. Flash wants nothing to do with him, be eventually goes to find him after his mother begs him to. Flash's dad passes out at the police station he was at and when he wakes up in the hospital, Flash just leaves without saying anything to him. The last page has four panels with no text of him in the parking lot with his girlfriend Betty Brant and he falls out of his chair into her arms crying. He doesn't get any time to grieve as he immediately receives a call and has to return to base for a mission.
Rating: Amazing and heartfelt
Thunderbolts # 161
The entire Thunderbolts Fear Itself tie-in has been horrible. I haven't been able to finish one of these since they began tying-in to the event.
Rating: Wait for Fear Itself to be over, or at least the return of Luke Cage
Moon Knight # 4
I can't help but agree with what is said in this issue, Moon Knight is a third string Avenger. That doesn't mean this series isn't worth reading though. The fact that there is very little story development doesn't help any. Bendis is a great writer, but reading this series I can't help but wonder if he has spread himself too thin.
Rating: Good, but could use more story development
Friday, August 5, 2011
DC Review for 8/3/11
On the last page of all their comics, DC prints a "DC Nation" page to communicate with the readers. In this week's issues, they attempt to answer the question on everyone's minds, "Why by DC Comics in August?" Then they stroke their own ego and say its because they are the best. Much like Co-Publisher Dan Didio at comic-con, they don't do a good job answering the question. Anyhow, on with the reviews.
Flashpoint Wrap-Up: Flashpoint # 4, Batman Knight of Vengeance # 3, Deathstroke # 3, World of Flashpoint 3 3
Barry Allen is quickly losing his memories but Batman remembers how Captain Thunder (Marvel) helped the Sandman when his mind was deteriorating so he goes and finds the Marvel family for help. He helps the Flash and Batman joins the battle against Atlantis/the Amazons. The war has come to a climatic battle in England where, after the heroes join, Captain Thunder is killed by Wonder Woman and Zoom shows up on the last page. Batman wraps up his series chasing the Joker who is actually Martha Wayne in the Flashpoint universe. He explains that he and she should have died in the alley and that Bruce would have followed in his father's footsteps. Martha realizes he means Bruce becomes Batman and runs, she falls into where the Bat cave would be and dies. Deathstorke finally rescues his daughter and they live happily ever after. In World of Flashpoint, Alice 13 convinces her father to stop the satellite that would kill 118 million people. She loses her magic and they end up living happily ever after as well.
Rating: For a "crisis" event, everyone sure ends up happily ever after a lot
Superboy # 10
The villain that has been behind the scenes is finally revealed. This issue focuses on that villain and does absolutely nothing to advance the story. It is a good issue and apparently there is another one before the Flashboot at the end of the month.
Rating: Good writing, but no one really cares if you don't advance the story
Batman Gates of Gotham # 4
Finally we get a name for the new villain, The Architect. He beats Red Robin and Damien and escapes. In the flashback, it is revealed that the families of Gotham turn on the remaining Gates brother after Bradley Gates is killed when the bridge they were building collapsed. He accuses Kane of being responsible as the new bridge is built connecting his land to Gotham. In the present, the Architect is preparing to blow the Kane bridge up and Batman is en route to stop him. The writing continues to be outstanding, I can't wait for the conclusion.
Rating: This series is a must read
Batman Arkham City # 4
This series serves as a prequel to the upcoming video game. It serves to tell the story of what happens between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Paul Dini does not disappoint. The story is good and evokes a lot of memories of the old animated series. If you plan on playing the game, this is a must read.
Rating: Good
Batman Beyond # 8
The origin of Inque. While not a bad story, this is not where you want this series to end. The final page promises a return in "10,000 Clowns" sometime in the future. I won't be holding my breath.
Rating: Not bad, but a sad place to end
Superman # 714
The Grounded storyline comes to an end, and the ending is just as bad as the story has been. Some students in Ohio brings what turns out to be a Kryptonian sunstone to class and while the teacher is holding it, Superman walks by and his depression and bad feelings are transmitted to her through the stone. Also, she somehow gets kryptonian powers through this transfer. Superman calls on his friends the "Superman Squad" to transport them to a place outside time and space where he talks to her, overcomes his bad feelings, and touches the stone causing it to explode and removing the bad feelings from the teacher. The issue closes on a conversation between Superman and Lois about how their love is eternal and "not even death" can keep him from her. Way to close a comic with something that will be retconned out of existence in less than a month.
Jonah Hex # 70
Hex is on his death bed do to something that happens off panel. Most of the issue is the spirit journey that Hex is on. Much like Batman Beyond, this is a weak place to end this series, even though it is not ending. Jonah Hex returns in All-Star Western next month.
Rating: Sad ending for a good series
Flashpoint Wrap-Up: Flashpoint # 4, Batman Knight of Vengeance # 3, Deathstroke # 3, World of Flashpoint 3 3
Barry Allen is quickly losing his memories but Batman remembers how Captain Thunder (Marvel) helped the Sandman when his mind was deteriorating so he goes and finds the Marvel family for help. He helps the Flash and Batman joins the battle against Atlantis/the Amazons. The war has come to a climatic battle in England where, after the heroes join, Captain Thunder is killed by Wonder Woman and Zoom shows up on the last page. Batman wraps up his series chasing the Joker who is actually Martha Wayne in the Flashpoint universe. He explains that he and she should have died in the alley and that Bruce would have followed in his father's footsteps. Martha realizes he means Bruce becomes Batman and runs, she falls into where the Bat cave would be and dies. Deathstorke finally rescues his daughter and they live happily ever after. In World of Flashpoint, Alice 13 convinces her father to stop the satellite that would kill 118 million people. She loses her magic and they end up living happily ever after as well.
Rating: For a "crisis" event, everyone sure ends up happily ever after a lot
Superboy # 10
The villain that has been behind the scenes is finally revealed. This issue focuses on that villain and does absolutely nothing to advance the story. It is a good issue and apparently there is another one before the Flashboot at the end of the month.
Rating: Good writing, but no one really cares if you don't advance the story
Batman Gates of Gotham # 4
Finally we get a name for the new villain, The Architect. He beats Red Robin and Damien and escapes. In the flashback, it is revealed that the families of Gotham turn on the remaining Gates brother after Bradley Gates is killed when the bridge they were building collapsed. He accuses Kane of being responsible as the new bridge is built connecting his land to Gotham. In the present, the Architect is preparing to blow the Kane bridge up and Batman is en route to stop him. The writing continues to be outstanding, I can't wait for the conclusion.
Rating: This series is a must read
Batman Arkham City # 4
This series serves as a prequel to the upcoming video game. It serves to tell the story of what happens between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Paul Dini does not disappoint. The story is good and evokes a lot of memories of the old animated series. If you plan on playing the game, this is a must read.
Rating: Good
Batman Beyond # 8
The origin of Inque. While not a bad story, this is not where you want this series to end. The final page promises a return in "10,000 Clowns" sometime in the future. I won't be holding my breath.
Rating: Not bad, but a sad place to end
Superman # 714
The Grounded storyline comes to an end, and the ending is just as bad as the story has been. Some students in Ohio brings what turns out to be a Kryptonian sunstone to class and while the teacher is holding it, Superman walks by and his depression and bad feelings are transmitted to her through the stone. Also, she somehow gets kryptonian powers through this transfer. Superman calls on his friends the "Superman Squad" to transport them to a place outside time and space where he talks to her, overcomes his bad feelings, and touches the stone causing it to explode and removing the bad feelings from the teacher. The issue closes on a conversation between Superman and Lois about how their love is eternal and "not even death" can keep him from her. Way to close a comic with something that will be retconned out of existence in less than a month.
Jonah Hex # 70
Hex is on his death bed do to something that happens off panel. Most of the issue is the spirit journey that Hex is on. Much like Batman Beyond, this is a weak place to end this series, even though it is not ending. Jonah Hex returns in All-Star Western next month.
Rating: Sad ending for a good series
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)