Comic Book Reviews

[dellsmaith]

Hello everyone\
I am searching for some comic books for my kids which create interest to read. I want such kind of comic books which has so many cartoons and good sentences.
If you will find such kind of comic books, inform me. I am looking for a spider man and bat man comic books because my kid is fan of these both character.
Your reply would be great full for my kids and me.

[papalazeru]

Why have you got "r4i software" written as your sig?

[Leckomaniac]

There are some excellent comics being published right now. Vertigo is on fire.

DMZ #45 - 47 - The story in DMZ began the struggle for a bit, but it is has come back in a big, big way. Matty Roth has chosen a side and that decision has put him at odds with just about everyone. The nuclear development was a giant one. I love the slow burn of the wick right now. Wood seems poised to shake things up measurably at the end of the Hearts and Minds arc and I couldn't be more pleased. DMZ, along with FABLES, has seen a real resurgence.

Sweet Tooth #1-3 - Jeff Lemire was behind the masterful Essex County. He takes his show to Vertigo and the results are spectacular. Sweet Tooth is only three issues in, but it is absolutely enthralling. The world crafted by Lemire is engrossing and the character of Gus is innocence incarnate. I love experiencing this world with Gus. Vertigo has something special with Lemire and Sweet Tooth.

Scalped #30 - 32 - Jason Aaron's SCALPED is so exquisitely seedy. It was originally advertised as Sopranos on a reservation and I suppose that is mildly appropriate, but this is something a bit more. It is high drama, dark noir, thuggish gangster, and a wide variety of other things. The current arc, The Gnawing, is dialing up the tension to 11. This series has come such a long way and is deserving of anyone who likes thrillers or crime/noir.

[Leckomaniac]

INVINCIBLE #64-68: Fucking Robert Kirkman. The CONQUEST arc was shaping up to be another huge slugfest and I was all on board. And then Kirkman kept promising to kill Eve. Well, that I would not abide. So, when I saw the cover to #64 I dropped the title. If my favorite character was going to suffer that fate I was going to boycott. Then I saw a quick preview for #68 and I said WTF? Yeah, Kirkman got me. UGH! So, I caught up and I was very pleased. Solid stuff, with some large set-up for the impending war with the Viltrumites. All-in-all, it is your usual INVINCIBLE. Oh, but Kirkman promises to return Mark to his original colors! YES! This title has been less wholesome fun and more violent as of late. That doesn't look to let up anytime soon, but I hope it does. It remains one of the more entertaining Superhero universes around. 3.5/5

[Pacino86845]

So I had the fortune of reading Planetary, beginning to end in one shot. Woo!

Great series. Even though it seems like #26 was originally the "last" issue, #27 turned out to be a really nice way to bookend the story.

Now, about #27, a question: What did Drummer mean when he said to Snow "I don't know how, but you knew," when multiple future versions of themselves started showing up? I mean, Drummer had predicted future people coming back to visit, so what was surprising to him exactly? That it was only future versions of themselves? My first instinct was that Snow's organization keeps time travel a tightly guarded secret, which is why it's only them that come back to visit.

Ellis covered a lot of ground in just 27 issues, and it's one of the most multi-layered stories I've ever read. I haven't read The Authority, but from my understanding the two series go hand-in-hand. In any case, I felt Ellis crammed in a little TOO much, and didn't spend enough time expanding on certain elements. But the story is very tight as is, so I understand the choices he's made.

Now, as for "cameos" by famous comics characters, there was the obvious set of Brit characters, or rather characters written by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman et al. Besides that I spotted:

1- The Four are clearly the Fantastic Four, but I can't believe it took me so long to figure it out
2- Lord Blackstock is Tarzan
3- John Stone is Nick Fury
4- Of course there was that one issue that had Wonder Woman, Superman AND Green Lantern characters!
5- And Godzilla

What are some of the others? What about Snow, Jakita and Drummer, are they references to other characters?

I guess it's time for me to get a googlin'

[Seppuku]

Now, about #27, a question: What did Drummer mean when he said to Snow "I don't know how, but you knew," when multiple future versions of themselves started showing up? I mean, Drummer had predicted future people coming back to visit, so what was surprising to him exactly? That it was only future versions of themselves? My first instinct was that Snow's organization keeps time travel a tightly guarded secret, which is why it's only them that come back to visit.

It's been a while since I read it, and no doubt you're a more insightful reader than me so this'll be pretty unsatisfactory, but my take on it was that Elijah knew himself enough to know that he'd be too curious not to go back- curiosity being his job, after all.

That particular issue didn't enthrall me as much as the others though, so maybe I'd have a better line on it if I'd paid more attention. Too much techno-talk for a humble layman such as myself. Otherwise, I'm right with you that it was a classic series, summing up 70 years of comic book history. Although it seems to me that almost too many comic books pay homage to the past, from The Invisibles/Flex Mentallo to Astro City to Watchmen to this, and I might have gotten a little fidgety if they weren't all so well-written. I suppose that's just because the writers were so damn fanatical about comics growing up that they want to recapture that unique silver age feeling that inspired them to get into the industry to begin with.

There were a few Planetary crossovers released, too. Mostly I feel crossovers just don't work, at least not outside of the main respective series. Either they become glorified fan-fiction with one fight scene stretched over the whole issue, or the characters of one side are given short shrift in favour of the others. I'd say the Planetary & Authority crossover was the former, while the Planetary & JLA crossover was the latter- with the Planetary crew actually serving as the villains of the piece (they're probably from some other corner of the multiverse, though); Elijah Snow was actually the one who shot Bruce Wayne's parents to death!. That being said, I thought the Planetary VS Batman crossover was actually really good. The Planetary team track a man down to Gotham City who keeps on accidentally brain-farting the world into some cross-dimensional flux or some such shit. There we get to see various iterations of Batman- from the Detective Comics' version, to Adam West, to Frank Miller's and more. And there were some definite sparks between Jakita and the Bat! I think it's worth reading if you can find it.

I think the main series could have been improved by moving Jakita and especially the Drummer's backstories earlier on in the run. Right up until the last few issues, their characters seemed to be totally overshadowed by Elijah and his adventures. Which I suppose isn't so bad, as he is quite the badass, but having the two secondary leads feel like, at best mysteries, at worst ciphers, was a little alienating. But Warren Ellis has always been about crazy feats of the imagination, and with issues like the one with the asteroid/spaceship and the "angels" he certainly didn't disappoint. He just casts off in throwaway lines wild ideas that most scifi writers would have given their front AND back teeth to have come up with.

[Pacino86845]

That particular issue didn't enthrall me as much as the others though, so maybe I'd have a better line on it if I'd paid more attention. Too much techno-talk for a humble layman such as myself. Otherwise, I'm right with you that it was a classic series, summing up 70 years of comic book history. Although it seems to me that almost too many comic books pay homage to the past, from The Invisibles/Flex Mentallo to Astro City to Watchmen to this, and I might have gotten a little fidgety if they weren't all so well-written. I suppose that's just because the writers were so damn fanatical about comics growing up that they want to recapture that unique silver age feeling that inspired them to get into the industry to begin with.

Plus James Robinson's Starman, which I've also been reading lately. Yeah it's getting there... Alan Moore's Supreme, while pretty awesome, also has that comics history aspect. If memory serves Tom Strong had a similar tone, but using different reference points (adventure comics rather than superhero comics).

There were a few Planetary crossovers released, too. Mostly I feel crossovers just don't work, at least not outside of the main respective series. Either they become glorified fan-fiction with one fight scene stretched over the whole issue, or the characters of one side are given short shrift in favour of the others. I'd say the Planetary & Authority crossover was the former, while the Planetary & JLA crossover was the latter- with the Planetary crew actually serving as the villains of the piece (they're probably from some other corner of the multiverse, though); Elijah Snow was actually the one who shot Bruce Wayne's parents to death!. That being said, I thought the Planetary VS Batman crossover was actually really good. The Planetary team track a man down to Gotham City who keeps on accidentally brain-farting the world into some cross-dimensional flux or some such shit. There we get to see various iterations of Batman- from the Detective Comics' version, to Adam West, to Frank Miller's and more. And there were some definite sparks between Jakita and the Bat! I think it's worth reading if you can find it.

Thanks for the rundown, I'll have to check out that Batman crossover!

I think the main series could have been improved by moving Jakita and especially the Drummer's backstories earlier on in the run. Right up until the last few issues, their characters seemed to be totally overshadowed by Elijah and his adventures. Which I suppose isn't so bad, as he is quite the badass, but having the two secondary leads feel like, at best mysteries, at worst ciphers, was a little alienating. But Warren Ellis has always been about crazy feats of the imagination, and with issues like the one with the asteroid/spaceship and the "angels" he certainly didn't disappoint. He just casts off in throwaway lines wild ideas that most scifi writers would have given their front AND back teeth to have come up with.

I don't know, the difference might be explainable otherwise: if other writers did what Ellis does (tossing big ideas around in a haphazard manner) then their stories might also have that frustrating effect. In Planetary Ellis sets himself up for a very ambitious story, but finally what we get is a much smaller glimpse at the big picture, so he hasn't really PROVEN his mettle... to be a bit cruel, it's like he's mashing together a lot of random elements, implying that they are somehow connected, without bothering to show how they're connected or how deep the ideas go. It's a bit of an unfocused approach, and now if another story came along that happened to, on a superficial level obviously, bear similarity to a couple of the bazillion ideas Ellis has played with, unfair comparisons can be made. It's like he's marking all the territory, pissing on every tree as it were, but the piss is spread thin! He claims the territory, but not rightfully so! He's GREEDY!

[Leckomaniac]

Brave and the Bold #30 - I am not sure if I am alone in thus, but judging by the absolutely spectacular first few issues of B&THB I get this feeling that JMS has been stock piling incredible material in the hopes that he would get to tell them someday at DC. It is the only way I can make sense of just how stellar his work is here. Seriously, JMS is writing some of the most emotional stories in the superhero game right now. And he is doing it utilizing one-and-done stories. And some of the most obscure fucking dudes in the DCU (H is for Hero? Brother Power the Geek?!?!?). Of course, this issue sees some more familiar faces (Hal Jordan and Dr. Fate) but that doesn't diminish the quality one bit. This is a love letter to Dr. Fate. Pure and simple. It showcases how immensely powerful he is (not just physically, but mentally) and how true a friend he is to Hal. The interaction between the two is top notch and the way JMS writes Dr. Fate...holy cow. I stand in awe of these three issues. They are so simple and so perfect. Everything superheros should be. Characters without convoluted histories. Stories where no prior knowledge is necessary. Just what is provided on the page and some excellent emotional payoffs. Not for nothing, but Jesus Saiz can draw. Really, really, really well. 5/5

Green Lantern Corps. #43 - I see. Well, that was anti-climactic?! Seriously, I am a bit perplexed by this choice. It just seems so sudden. I don't want to spoil anything, but this issue is not really what I expected...and not in a good way. I mean, especially given the nature of the story being told...aren't the events of this issue a bit ironic? I mean a story that kind of references how meaningless death is in superhero comics, containing the immediate ressurection of a character that died the previous issue? Way to completely belittle Kyle's sacrifice everyone! I am seriously baffled. This was just some bad storytelling. Made all the more embarassing by the talent on display in the title reviewed just above this one. It did kind of look nice though. The art is sure handed, as usual from GLC. And there are some decent moments, just saving this from being a complete waste. 2.5/5

Supergirl #48 - I really like that Supergirl's rogues are getting a nice revamp. Gates is really doing a fine job of setting up some real enemies for Supergirl. This arc marks the reintroduction of the Silver Banshee. It provides some nice (and not too burdensome) exposition to get fans up to speed with who the Silver Banshee is, but I am afraid not a lot happens here. The pacing just felt really, really off. Of course, this is more and more common in this day and age (unfortunately), but this felt like the first issue of a story written for the trade. And I know it has been said before, but that is a piss poor way to write a serialized comic. The good news is that Jamal Igle's replacement is competent, especially the SB origin splash page. All in all, this was pure setup with nothing to really keep the reader hooked until the last page. 3/5

[Leckomaniac]

REVIEWS!!!

Detective Comics #890 - Greg Rucka continues to deliver and the art of JH Williams III is unparalleled in it's creative panel lay-outs. True, it can be a burden at times, but it is always fantastic looking and it serves the story so well here. This is a fantastic origin story, which makes the first arc of this run all the more powerful in retrospect. I imagine when this is all collected in one big book it will read so fantastically. I am constantly impressed with what these two are able to deliver. The monologue delivered by the Colonel explaining to Kate what her motivation needs to be...well it is some of my favorite dialogue in a super hero book. So awesome. 4.5/5

Fantastic Four #574? - Hickman was born to write this book. It was always a given that he would bring awesome high concept sci-fi, but what has come as a pleasant surprise is his ability to to perfectly capture the family aspect of the group, which has been the missing element for so long. The number of developments that occur throughout the issue are impressive. My only complaint, such as it is, would be that I didn't know many of the folks at Franklin's party. It didn't really hamper the story much, but I did find myself lost a few times. A minor quip, considering how great the rest of the book is. I can't wait to find out what Hickman has planned for the first family of comics. 4/5

Green Lantern #49 - Quickly it is becoming apparent that the Green Lantern Corps. are amongst the most complex characters in the DCU...especially in the hands of Geoff Johns. In this issue, Johns lets Jon Stewart shine in this spotlight story. True, it doesn't really maintain the momentum of Blackest Night, but it is still a worthy examination of what makes Jon Stewart tick. Johns does an excellent job of giving each Lantern a unique voice. It is a challenging task, but a fruitful one for the reader. Johns is the definitive writer of the Green Lantern Corps. End of story. The art by Ed Benes is excellent. Much more varied than his JLA work. 3.5/5

Invincible #69 - The transition from Conquest to the Viltrumite War will not be smooth. Invincible and Atom Eve must face two threats (one familiar, as seen last issue) that will no doubt keep them occupied until the storm arrives. As usual, Kirkman delivers some great character moments and the standard superhero fare. The story did not progress much, but when Kirkman is writing I will always go along for the ride. 3/5

Superman #695 - James Robinson's writing is something you never really get used to. It can be so jarring at times. I can't even really describe it. There are just times when I have to do a double take. At times, I feel like he is operating under different rules than the rest of the writers out there. He just sees the medium differently, kind of like Grant Morrison. Anyway, this issue is rough around the edges, but features plenty of development storywise. The two threats from last issue are disposed of fairly quickly and then things get moving. Robinson is a writer that is playing the long game. This is not a tight story, written in six issue arcs. It is a long-form soap opera. If that doesn't interest you, stay away. 3/5

World's Finest #3 - The past year has brought massive changes to both the Batman and Superman universes, which means there is unexplored team-up potential. Enter World's Finest by Sterling Gates, which brings a new team-up to enjoy with each of it's four issues. The tandems have been really fun and this is by far my favorite: the new Batgirl and Supergirl. I love their interaction and I REALLY hope this is the beginning of a long standing relationship for the two. 3.5/5

[Pacino86845]

I've read the first two issues of this new Image mini-series, Cowboy Ninja Viking. I guess these combined-genres themed books are already getting old, but until now I hadn't been compelled to pick one of 'em up. CNV is in the golden-age format, so good luck putting that shit in a bag and board, but nonetheless it is an awesome book. The artwork is mono-chromed, or something, and artist Rossmo's work for lack of a better description, is very trendy and looks a bit like Paul Pope's style. The writing is really good, the characters are interesting and the book is fairly humorous to boot. At $3.50 it feels like each issue has a good amount of material, you get 32 pages of story with no ads except for one at the end. Highly recommended, especially since there will only be 4 issues in this mini-series.

I'm still following Irredeemable from Boom! Studios. They're up to issue 9, and Mark Waid is still keeping the story interesting. I think it's coming to an end soon, though. At $3.99 I'm not sure Boom! comics are really worth it, I don't feel like there's a lot in any given issue plus there is a lot of self-promoting in their books with loads of ads and 7-page previews and whatnot. Do not want. While I'll probably stick with Irredeemable, Mark Waid's new series Incorruptible is just not THAT interesting, at least not the first issue. It's basically the flipside of the Irredeemable concept: a super villain changes his tune and becomes a hero.

EDIT: It looks like due to the book's success, CNV will actually go on for more than 4 issues after all. And as of issue 3, it seems the book will have fewer pages per issue, at 24.

[Leckomaniac]

Had myself a nice day of catch-up reading. On the menu, Terry Moore's ECHO and Ed Brubaker's CRIMINAL.

CRIMINAL: SINNERS #1-3 - The resurgence of NOIR in comic books today is largely due to Ed Brubaker (and, of course Greg Rucka). Brubaker has infused his noir sensibilities into mainstream comics such as Gotham Central, Daredevil, and (most surprisingly) Captain America. While these works are quite impressive, it is his work on CRIMINAL that props Bru up as being the king of noir. Each story in this series has been nuanced and memorable. It couldn't be anymore obvious that this is noir being created by someone with more than a love of the genre, but a connection to it. Brubaker worships at the alter of noir and it allows him to be able to tell pure stories that still manage to elicit something new out of a deeply mined genre. SINNERS marks the return of Tracy Lawless to the CRIMINAL fold. He is investigating the murders of three "untouchable" men and coming up empty. At the same time, he has a man after him that won't let him forget his past. It is classic CRIMINAL, but the story is slightly below the standard set earlier in the series. Still, CRIMINAL is a fantastic read even when it is experiencing a dip in quality. My guess is that INCOGNITO and his superhero work have him stretched pretty thin. Additionally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Sean Phillips' art. The man is a master of noir visuals. Truly, a better co-creator could not have been found. These two are magical together. More people need to stand up and take notice.

Finally, it should be noted that this IS a magazine book. Meaning, that each issue ends with letters and an essay about particular noir books, films or even the noir of a particular country. It is well worth the $3.50 and I don't take that endorsement lightly. 4/5

ECHO #14-17 - Terry Moore is a titan of self-publishing. His seminal work, STRANGERS IN PARADISE, is quite an achievement and has earned him deserved respect. Unfortunately, I have yet to read any of it. Certainly, it is on my list of things to read, but that list can get rather long. However, reading his most recent self-published work, ECHO, will undoubtedly drive SIP higher to a much higher spot on that list. In short, it is science fiction brilliance. What do I mean by that? It has an interesting scientific twist, but it is grounded in unbelievable character work. You see, that is what the definition of science fiction brilliance IS. Not simply spectacle and high minded ideas with little character work, but a story about complex and fully realized PEOPLE in fantastic situations. This book is damn near perfect. Issue #17 especially was a real delight. I found my mind racing with ideas after reading it. A testament to the science fiction elements of the book. Run, don't walk, and pick up the first three TPBs of ECHO. Seriously. 4.5/5

[Leckomaniac]

Captain America #30 - 42 - Been catching up on Captain America. Man, Brubaker did a fantastic job ushering Bucky into the role of Cap. I just love how it isn't easy for James. The enormous, sweeping noir epic that Bru has weaved since the beginning certainly helps. And Steve Epting has earned his place in history as one of the greatest Cap artists of all-time. This book is a joy to look at.

I trust Brubaker, but I am nervous about the return of Steve Rogers. I would have liked to see Bucky grow into the role a bit before Steve inevitably returned. I guess I will see as my catch-up reading continues.

[Pacino86845]

Well let's start with Joe the Barbarian... I was very disappointed with the first issue. Yes it is a Vertigo series, but it has the word "barbarian" in its title and it turns out the comic book is about playing with action figures.

The artwork is nice and very detailed, but nothing really happens in the panels. At $1.00 the first issue is obviously worth the price, but I will not be following this series. I can barely comprehend how this was made. Oh, maybe the fact that Grant Morrison's name is attached had something to do with it.

Right now it comes across as a cross between Fables, The Unwritten, and Toy Story. On top of that nothing in the first issue really hooks you in.

Cowboy Ninja Viking is the only series (among the few I am following these days) where I actually feel I am getting bang for my buck. No ads in the comic, well-written with nice artwork. It can get a bit messy now and then but over all I'm happy with developments and there is a good amount of suspense. So far with each new issue the "world" of CNV has been getting larger, with new characters popping up. The pace is well thought-out and keeps me eager for the next installment.

Rasl is up to issue #6. I have been waiting since the first issue for this to build up to something. It still hasn't. With long waits between issues, and so little happening in a given issue, Jeff Smith's latest work definitely ain't Bone. The art is not always up to snuff, Smith's style was refined for the more cartoony Bone, here he is going for grittier and more "realistic" illustration, but a lot of it just ends up looking weird. Especially the main character, he looks like a r-tarded dwarf.

[Leckomaniac]

So...

Daytripper #2 - So, we are starting to get a clearer picture of what is going on in this series (at least formula wise), but something tells me that Moon & Ba are keeping something pretty close to their chest. Once again, the art was magnificent and for the most part the writing was solid. However, the ending had me a bit confused. I mean, what exactly went down? The main character drowned? How the hell did that happen? Did he jump in the water to go after the mermaid? I just thought it was a bit vague, but not in a cryptic, meaningful way...more in a sloppy way. Which is unfortunate because I was really digging what was going on up until that moment. 3.5/5

DMZ #49 - The "Hearts and Minds" arc comes to an end with a bang. More literally than figuratively. I was a bit let down by this issue if for no other reason than it was being built up so well. I was under the impression that more would be made of the nuclear weapon and perhaps it will figure more prominently, but that was a serious letdown if not. And as for Matty's bad decision, well it just seemed kind of random. I don't know. For a series that was building up to a landmark 50th issue, it should have been better. 3/5

Echo #18 - It was going to be tough to top the last issue, which for me was the absolute high point of the series (and one of the better comics I have read!). Good for us, though, that this issue DOES maintain the high level of quality that has come to be expected by Moore. Cain returns and, as usual, people get splattered. I am loving each panel, each page, each issue of Echo and it is a shame that you are not! We are beyond the half way point, as I understand it, and this baby has only just begun to ramp up. 4/5

Joe The Barbarian #1 - This is probably one of the more mainstream stories that Grant Morrison has told recently (if the first issue is any indication). However, this issue suffers greatly because it feels like the first chapter of a book...only we have to wait a month to read chapter 2. In other words, we don't get a lot to work with here. In fact, we only get get a hint of fantasy. And the title is, as of right now, entirely foreign to the story. I think this may have been better presented as an OGN as opposed to a mini series. My guess is that Vertigo wanted to maximize profits by doing it this way. The upside is that art is gorgeous. I mean, WOW. Love it. Sean Murphy just NAILED this. 3.5/5

[TheButcher]

I just read this for the first time. It's cool.

[Leckomaniac]

I just read this for the first time. It's cool.

Read WHAT?!

[Seppuku]

I just read this for the first time. It's cool.

Read WHAT?!

Check the subject title...

[Leckomaniac]

I just read this for the first time. It's cool.

Read WHAT?!

Check the subject title...

Holy shit! I didn't know anyone even USED those. Thanks.

[DennisMM]

They used to discourage it. I don't know about this place anymore.

[Leckomaniac]

Batgirl # 7: Stephanie is a nice addition to the Bat Family, as it currently stands. She isn't really the intimidating figure that Batman or Batwoman can be. She isn't a snotty brat like Damien. She is just a girl looking to do the right thing. She really is a mirror of Barbara. I love that she is a member of the supporting cast, because it lends Stephanie credibility. This issue concludes the second arc of the book. Batgirl and Damien rescue Batman from some mercenary super villains working for Roulette. It isn't spectacular, but it is fun. DC needs more books like this. (And can I be the first to suggest that Batgirl join the Teen Titans?) 3/5

Batman & Robin # 7 - 8: Batman goes BRITISH! One has to love how loony these stories from Grant Morrison have been. This one ties up a serious loose end from Final Crisis and Batman RIP. Namely, who the body of Bruce Wayne was that Supes carried out at the end of Final Crisis (since we know he is somehow back in time, as well). It all happens quite fast, and there are plenty of guest appearances (BATWOMAN!) But the real reason to pick up this book is the zany British villains that Morrison creates. Also, Cameron Stewart is a very capable artist. Think more SEAGUY than OTHER SIDE. If I had my way, Bruce Wayne would stay MIA for much longer. Let him revel in the past he finds himself in. Dick and Damien are a hilarious team. It makes this the freshest take on Batman in quite some time. 3.5/5

Criminal: The Sinners # 4: Things have really taken a turn for the worse for old Tracy. If you thought last issue was bad, well, things get abysmal here. Brubaker is clipping along at his normal pace here and Phillips' art is delightfully noir. My biggest concern at this point is the stories becoming stale. I would like to see Criminal tackle different time periods or even different countries. Because as of right now, the stories are great, but are becoming a tad derivative. Brubaker KNOWS noir. Maybe a bit too well. Time to break out of the comfort zone here. Shake things up. 4/5

Daytripper # 3: The third issue of this series is yet another slice of life for our main character. It picks up threads from #2 and tells a very heart breaking story of the deterioration of love and the suddenness which new love can hit us. The hook, that the main character dies at the end of each issue comes as especially gut wrenching here. The writing has gotten better, but the art is really the treat in this series. Ba and Moon simply shine. This stands as probably the best of the series thus far. Nearing the halfway mark, however, I am expecting the series to make a sharp turn towards it's ultimate purpose. Should be interesting to see how this happens. 4/5

DMZ # 50: Brian Wood's social and political opus reaches a hallmark issue. There isn't really any advancement of the main story here. Instead, we get some small stories, illustrated by some of the titans of the industry (a page from Lee, Bremejo, Gibbons, to name a few). It is a nice way to celebrate and take stock of all that Wood has achieved in the previous 49 issues. I can't really recommend this to EVERYONE, but if you love DMZ (like I do) this will rub you in all the right ways. 3.5/5

Doctor Who # 7 - 8: This is my first foray into the world of Doctor Who comics. The question I asked going in was, will it fill the void left until Doctor Who returns? And the answer, is pretty much, yeah it will. The art is quite good, with a stunning depiction of the Doctor. It even acknowledges recent events, like Martha's marriage. If you want a fix, you need not look any place else. It isn't perfect, but it will certainly do. 3.5/5

MORE TO COME!!!!!!

Green Lantern # 50 - 51: I really, really, really hate when a cover spoils a big plot development. I tend to avoid the solicitations, so as to be spoiler-free, and a cover that gives the plot away is so frustrating. The cover to issue 50 was of Hal as Parallax. Guess what the big reveal at the end of that issue was? That Hal was going to become Parallax! Not nearly as exciting as it could have been without that cover. Beyond that, issue #51 has some seriously awesome art. Mahnke inks his own pencils in that issue and it really shows. Superbly done. That issue features some nods to the future as well. And also features a development that NEEDS to persist after Blackest Night: Orange Lantern Luthor. His exchanges with Lafreeze are priceless. 3/5

Green Lantern Corps. # 45: Hmmmmm. That was kind of...anti-climactic. If Mogo had that power, why the big song and dance? Why not do that the second they got there? This whole thing just seemed like an excuse to get some mileage out of Guy as a Red Lantern. It was cool, but hardly worth the long arc. There were, however, some nice individual character bits. And I admit that I am sorry to see Tomasi leave the title. He had a great handle on things. 3/5

Invincible # 70: And so we reach the point where Invincible crosses the line. It was pretty obvious from the outset that this was where Kirkman was taking the story. Even though the decision was no surprise, it still does offer some interesting possibilities for Mark going forward. And with the pending Viltrumite war, I don't think there is much by way of punishment Cecil can administer. This was an average issue of Invincible, but with a nice wrinkle for future stories to play with. 3/5

Joe the Barbarian # 2: The first issue took it's time getting to the point, which was the last page. This issue hits the ground running pretty fast. We get to travel pretty far in this fantasy world, with quick flashbacks to what is happening in the real world. I was real surprised to see this was an eight issue mini series. I have no idea how Morrison is going to stretch this out for that long. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt. The good news is that even if the story doesn't hook you in entirely, there is still the pretty pictures. Sean Murphy's art is worth the price of admission. It is sufficiently epic, but it kind of LOOKS like an 80s children's film (like Never Ending Story). I can't describe it, but I love it. The story would get a 3, but with the art I give this book a solid 3.5/5

Phonogram 2 # 7: This title has been among my favorite for a while now. I can't even describe how scared I am that Gilleon's rise at Marvel will leave him too busy to write more Phonogram (STOP POACHING MY FAVORITE IMAGE WRITERS, MARVEL!) This issue is almost entirely devoid of dialogue or caption boxed. It is told exclusively through the art. KWK gets a chance to shine and as expected the results are hilarious. He has always been a stand out character and he rightfully gets this chance at solo stardom. All in all, I really dug The Single Club. However, I would really hope that vol. 3 (if there is one now that Marvel owns the writer!) would get back to telling a long form story. And as usual, the art is beyond killer. 4/5

Scalped # 34: Hot damn, did things heat up in a New York minute! Bad Horse getting medieval on someone's ass, Red Crow proving once and for all why he is in charge, and that is just a hint of what this issue offers. This was certainly a landmark issue for the series. It seems that a new status quo has developed. I can't wait to see how Aaron handles this title going forward. But in the here and now, THE GNAWING ends with a very satisfying and tantalizing bang. 4.5/5

Supergirl # 50: EWWWWW! That was really the first thing that came to mind. This issue kind of picks up in the middle of the action. For the first few pages I thought I missed an issue or something. But I got oriented soon enough and what resulted was a decent issue of Supergirl. We pretty much got a resolution to the Lana stuff, which has been building for some time. The other big development is a Superwoman reprise. To top it all off, Helen Slater pens a pretty fun refresher of Supergirl to date. It wasn't a slam bang 50th issue, but it was a serviceable issue of Supergirl. 3/5

Sweet Tooth # 6: I find Sweet Tooth to be such a strange beast. It isn't particularly groundbreaking, but it just feels so fresh. The story telling is top notch, from the art to the writing. It is a clinic in simplicity, which really isn't a bad thing. This issue brings the first "flashback" to how we got to the point we are today. Gus is stuck on the preserve, but this story really focuses on Jepperd. His story is predictably sorrowful and Lemire does a wonderful job telling this story. It begins and ends within this issue. It isn't really a "one and done" issue, but it tells a complete tale. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Sweet Tooth. Because I am guessing it will be as satisfying as the first six issues have been. I have no reason to think otherwise. 4.5/5

[Pacino86845]

Curious to read your thoughts on Joe the Barbarian, make haste!!! I had been totally nonplussed by the first issue, but I might give the second issue a shot if you start raving about it... meanwhile I've ordered a copy of Astonishing X-Men HC.

And I don't remember if anyone else here cares about Joe Sacco's work, but I've also ordered his latest book: Footnotes in Gaza

[Leckomaniac]

Updated!

Only 2 more titles to go!

[Leckomaniac]

UPDATE COMPLETE!

[Leckomaniac]

Reviews! Will update as I read more. Expect: Batman & Robin #9, Flash Rebirth #6, Northlanders #24-25, Scalped #35, and X-Factor #202 in the near future!

Blackest Night # 7: A reviewer for IGN made a good point when reviewing this issue. The gist of it was that the penultimate issue of an event tells a lot about how the story will ultimately be perceived. Up until this point, you are kind of moving along with the story hoping for the best, but once we get here we know that the warts that are still around are not going away. This is the story. Blackest Night's penultimate issue is a frenzied (one might say dizzying or impenetrable) cosmic soap opera starring a myriad of characters featuring a lot of abstract ideas. That pretty much is the story in a nutshell. There are times where I am spellbound by what I am seeing, but really can't tell you what the story is. There have been tons of character beats, but I have no clue how they all fit together. Johns just seems to have TOO many ideas. He wants to accomplish so much with Blackest Night and the result is that the book often feels bloated and fragmented. The Luthor stuff is a prime example from this issue. Is is funny and revealing about the character? Yes. Does it have ANYTHING to do with the Blackest Night story? I doubt it. And the way the panels just JUMP from action to action can be quite hard to follow. For the life of me, I don't see how people can just WAIL on Final Crisis for being "impenetrable" and yet rave about Blackest Night. There are elements of Blackest Night that I really enjoy. And the general premise is one that I am fascinated with. I just don't think the story succeeds on a very basic level. John has hit Morrison-like levels of cramming ideas into a story, but instead of concepts (which is Morrison's MO) he has to many ideas for CHARACTER moments. He wants everyone to shine. At some point, you need to tell your story and that is something I believe Johns is finding difficult to do. He can play with any toy in the sandbox and he wants to. 3/5

Fantastic Four # 576: Reading this issue of Fantastic Four leads me to one conclusion: Jonathan Hickman is the closest thing to a Grant Morrison successor as we have seen. What makes me say that? Well, having read just about everything he has ever published (minus his current run on Secret Warriors) there is an obvious high-minded sci-fi quality that certainly reeks of Morrison. It also is very, very skewed towards social commentary, which is something Morrison has never been shy about. But the thing that makes him win out over other, similar heirs to the crown, is that he does it superbly. Warren Ellis does high concept sci-fi with a nod to social commentary, but his output is so prodigious that he often fails (and often never bother completing what he started, but that is another issue entirely. And, in an attempt at fairness, Hickman hasn't finished Red Mass For Mars). But the recent run on Fantastic Four from Jonathan Hickman is an awful lot like Morrison's run on JLA. He is taking a team book and returning to the simple concepts that made it great. Morrison returned the team to the Big 7 and told awesome stories with them. Hickman has restored the family (and nailed the family dynamic) and rightly has placed the Fantastic Four where they need to be: exploring the craziest aspects of the universe. Everything about this book, from the art to the awesome one page post-cap at the end of each issue, has me enthralled. I have been praising Hickman on these boards for some time and I am thrilled that he has been given this opportunity. This is one of the top 5 superhero books being published right now. It is devoid of any Marvel "event" books and can be read and enjoyed without any knowledge of what is happening to any one else in the Marvel U. Just the way it should be. 4.5/5

[inanegeek]

I just read All 6 issues 1-6

I love Jason Aarons run on Ghost Rider....in fact i love everything he writes. The mans a true talent. My brother tells me that he broke into comics following a competition. There is hope for me yet.
The story carries on from the now ended Ghost Rider regular series and brings the story that had been going on in that for some time to a close. In the ongoing series it had been revealed to Ghost Rider that he was in fact a servant of Heaven and not Hell. Danny Ketch Ghost Rider was now on a mission of Zadkiel to try and collect all the powers of other Ghost Riders across the world. What followed was 2 Ghost Riders, a new Caretaker and a race to between Ketch and Blaze.

The cast of the follow up mini series is just insane. Danny Ketch and Jonny Blaze, Zadkiel, Vengeance, Madcap, Scarecrow, Master Pandemonium. Sometimes the banter and craziness of the characters is inspired. Reminds me of Ennis a bit. Especially the Orb who is hilarious.
If there is one fault it is that there are too many plot threads going on. Theres the Ghost Riders themselves trying to get to heaven, there is a new Anti Christ to look after, A Ghost Rider assasination league to contend with. The problem is it's all so well written and fun you want more of it. So the only criticism really is it's so good it's just too short.


The art is good and at times fresh to Ghost Rider. Eyeballs fall out and skin drips of as part of the transformation of Ketch/Blaze into Ghost Rider and the new look for Hellstorm takes some getting use to but works a lot better than previous incarnations.

Aaron does a good job of injecting black humour and banter into the proceedings. It is fairly ridiculous stuff but somehow great to read.

It all builds up quite nicely but is over far too quickly. However i can't rate this enough and a fitting end to what will be a classic Ghost Rider run

[inanegeek]

Fables.....my brother had been going on at me to read this for ages and on a trip to London decided to support a local comic shop by buying this and Booster Gold TPB Vol1.

I read it on the train on the way home and then read it as soon as i got in. I love it. Why.....thats harder to explain.
If you dont know Fables is a Vertigo title written by Bill Willingham. I didnt know much about Bill but im told he started off writing RPGs in the 70s and will soon be writing JSA.

The premise is that all the characters from Nursery Rhymes and stories had their home lands conquered and now live in a big building in NY City. The first story (issues 1-5) deals with the murder of Red Rose (i never heard of her till this) and the investigating by Fable detective Bigby Wolf (Big bad wolf) and Snow White.
Its amusing and very clever....for example Prince Charming is excellent and Bill uses this characters out of contecxt but it just seems right. The interaction of politics between the main characters is engrossing. Reminds me of the short lived series Studio 60. You should buy this and read it. I didnt see the twist coming but like all good who dunnits the clues are there from the start and Bigby even explains the way the book was written in his own monologue about why detectives in fiction gather everyone together for the big reveal. Art imitating Art. The art by the way at first seemed a little odd but soon fits the story and tone. Very polished.

And Prince Charming is actually anything but......brilliant

Love it

9/10

[inanegeek]

Just read the whole series...oddly the 1st issue is 1 of 5 and the rest out of 4?
This is a MAX series which means violence and swearing and in one panel fellatio.

Terror Inc is about a mercenary who is permanently rotting apart from his armoured arm...so if he needs a new head and has killed someone he takes their head head which soon rots into his usual face. I dont know the history of the character other than reading the other series that came before this. In this one Terror has to batlle terrorists and destroy a plague. It goes wrong and thus ensues an enemy from the past and a trip across the middle east.

The stories not so coherant, it links into a well known histoical happening but the biggest gripe is the art changes half way through not once but twice! i hate it when this happens...throws the rythym out for me.

Anyway it was a struggle to get through and a bit jumpy, script wise the dialogue is quite snappy and amusing.

Better to check out the earlier mini

4/10

[Leckomaniac]

Thanks for the reviews!

I love it when new blood contributes to the Comic Book forum.

A few thoughts:

-If you loved the first volume of fables just wait until you get to vol. 2! It really lets you in on what the concept can achieve (scope-wise). It is vastly superior to the first.

-Jason Aaron is a top notch talent. His Wolverine issues chasing after Mystique were pitch-perfect. Scalped is a tour de force of noir and The Other Side is like Apocalypse Now! but utilizing the comic book medium in fantastic ways (Cameron Stewart also deserves a lot of the credit for that).

[Leckomaniac]

I wasn't sure where to put this. I suppose the review thread will do.

SPOILERS BELOW!

SPOILERS FOR CRY OF JUSTICE #7

This is absolutely absurd. If you are not aware, James Robinson has been single handedly solidifying his place in hackdom with his absolutely offensive deconstruction of the Green Arrow section of the DCU.

First, he had Roy get his arm ripped off. Seriously.

Now, in this final issue he killed Roy's daughter. WOW! And is that not bad enough? He had Ollie murder Prometheus with an arrow between the eyes.

I am baffled that DC allowed this to happen. It is shameful.

[Fried Gold]

Green Lantern Corps. #43 - I see. Well, that was anti-climactic?! Seriously, I am a bit perplexed by this choice. It just seems so sudden. I don't want to spoil anything, but this issue is not really what I expected...and not in a good way. I mean, especially given the nature of the story being told...aren't the events of this issue a bit ironic? I mean a story that kind of references how meaningless death is in superhero comics, containing the immediate ressurection of a character that died the previous issue? Way to completely belittle Kyle's sacrifice everyone! I am seriously baffled. This was just some bad storytelling. Made all the more embarassing by the talent on display in the title reviewed just above this one. It did kind of look nice though. The art is sure handed, as usual from GLC. And there are some decent moments, just saving this from being a complete waste. 2.5/5

Indeed. It completely cheapened the impact of his act. And it was a shame also that, up until that point, the book hadn't put a foot wrong in a long while.

[Leckomaniac]

Indeed. It completely cheapened the impact of his act. And it was a shame also that, up until that point, the book hadn't put a foot wrong in a long while.

I have to question the removal of Tomasi from GL Corps. to that new GL title. Why change up something that has worked so well? Tomasi has been solid handling the Corps. why introduce a new element?

Anyway, glad to know SOMEONE is reading these things I write.

[Fried Gold]

Indeed. It completely cheapened the impact of his act. And it was a shame also that, up until that point, the book hadn't put a foot wrong in a long while.

I have to question the removal of Tomasi from GL Corps. to that new GL title. Why change up something that has worked so well? Tomasi has been solid handling the Corps. why introduce a new element?

Yeah, I don't understand why he couldn't stay on GL Corps and do Brightest Day at the same time (as Geoff Johns is going to be doing Brightest Day, Green Lantern and The Flash)

As for Rayner, I can only assume that he was brought back from the dead for the purposes of having him come under the control of Nekron at some point.

Anyway, glad to know SOMEONE is reading these things I write.

I just have to wait a while to read them, as our distribution is a bit patchy. You guys seem to be two issues ahead at times.

[Fried Gold]

The first problem I had with these three latest Blackest Night books was the reading order (not especially a problem with the books themselves I know.) I read on the DC forums that it should go - Blackest Night #7, GL51, GLC45...which is completely wrong. I started reading Blackest Night and it made no sense. Not a good start.

Green Lantern # 50 - 51: I really, really, really hate when a cover spoils a big plot development. I tend to avoid the solicitations, so as to be spoiler-free, and a cover that gives the plot away is so frustrating. The cover to issue 50 was of Hal as Parallax. Guess what the big reveal at the end of that issue was? That Hal was going to become Parallax! Not nearly as exciting as it could have been without that cover. Beyond that, issue #51 has some seriously awesome art. Mahnke inks his own pencils in that issue and it really shows. Superbly done. That issue features some nods to the future as well. And also features a development that NEEDS to persist after Blackest Night: Orange Lantern Luthor. His exchanges with Lafreeze are priceless. 3/5

I agree with the cover spoilers, it's not a good idea at all. Having Hal confront Parallax and Spectre seemed to be an attempt to pull all those threads together and finally conclude them, but it seems a bit rushed. Perhaps having dealt with Parallaxat the end of Sinestro Wars in a satisfactory way, it was treading old ground. Having Hal fight a Black Lantern Spectre was enough of a challenge.

Green Lantern Corps. # 45: Hmmmmm. That was kind of...anti-climactic. If Mogo had that power, why the big song and dance? Why not do that the second they got there? This whole thing just seemed like an excuse to get some mileage out of Guy as a Red Lantern. It was cool, but hardly worth the long arc. There were, however, some nice individual character bits. And I admit that I am sorry to see Tomasi leave the title. He had a great handle on things. 3/5

Mogo suddenly being able to neutralise everyone was a bit too deux ex machina. And they explained it away as "they'll be incinerated in Mogo's core". Did no-one think to do something like that before?

Green/Red Guy seemed like a good concept - as was Orange/Yellow Luthor and earlier on multi-colour Hal - where they are battling to control two influencing powers. When Mogo says "don't interfere, Guy must fight himself" I was hoping for a real struggle between the split personalities. Then a page later, Mogo just gives him a bath. It was, like the GL book, trying to rush in too many ideas at once. I was starting to think these dual-ringed Lanterns might be significant, but I'm not sure now.

Blackest Night # 7: A reviewer for IGN made a good point when reviewing this issue. The gist of it was that the penultimate issue of an event tells a lot about how the story will ultimately be perceived. Up until this point, you are kind of moving along with the story hoping for the best, but once we get here we know that the warts that are still around are not going away. This is the story. Blackest Night's penultimate issue is a frenzied (one might say dizzying or impenetrable) cosmic soap opera starring a myriad of characters featuring a lot of abstract ideas. That pretty much is the story in a nutshell. There are times where I am spellbound by what I am seeing, but really can't tell you what the story is. There have been tons of character beats, but I have no clue how they all fit together. Johns just seems to have TOO many ideas. He wants to accomplish so much with Blackest Night and the result is that the book often feels bloated and fragmented. The Luthor stuff is a prime example from this issue. Is is funny and revealing about the character? Yes. Does it have ANYTHING to do with the Blackest Night story? I doubt it. And the way the panels just JUMP from action to action can be quite hard to follow. For the life of me, I don't see how people can just WAIL on Final Crisis for being "impenetrable" and yet rave about Blackest Night. There are elements of Blackest Night that I really enjoy. And the general premise is one that I am fascinated with. I just don't think the story succeeds on a very basic level. John has hit Morrison-like levels of cramming ideas into a story, but instead of concepts (which is Morrison's MO) he has to many ideas for CHARACTER moments. He wants everyone to shine. At some point, you need to tell your story and that is something I believe Johns is finding difficult to do. He can play with any toy in the sandbox and he wants to. 3/5

Again...too many ideas packed into too short a time. You have the multi-Corps army arriving, inter-fights between Corps, Luthor going for everyone, Nekron and Black Hand killing Guardians, The Entity, Secret Origins, Sinestro.....it's all too much to keep track of. The main Blackest Night book is supposed to be the hook of the story, the key threads should be played out there. But this seemed to have so much baggage, I can see why it would be impenetrable.

Earlier on in Blackest Night, some lesser known characters seemed to be being pushed to the fore for their "white light" abilities - haven't seem them since, until now and it's for a one or two panels. I thought they too would end up being significant, or be given some story time in one of the peripheral books (which only seem to be concerned with dull storylines of heroes dealing with seeing their dead loved ones - yeah we've done that already, move on.)

I wonder if Geoff Johns, like Grant Morrison, is being given a bit too much of a free reign. I'd have much preferred a more streamlined story.

[Leckomaniac]

Yeah, the more I think about Blackest Night, the more I feel it hasn't come close to living up to its potential. It is a shame, really.

However, the costume designs, concept, and toys have all been awesome!

[Fried Gold]

And the "trilogy" of Rebirth, Sinestro Corps Wars and Blackest Night has been a pretty epic undertaking.

I was reading some reviews of Blackest Night #7 - they don't seem to share the view that it was too heavy on packing ideas in, more that Johns is having to "raise the bar" with each issue. The main criticism seems to be that the story lacks depth at times and that Orange Luthor had too much of the spotlight.

[Leckomaniac]

And the "trilogy" of Rebirth, Sinestro Corps Wars and Blackest Night has been a pretty epic undertaking.

Without question. And for the most part, it has been really well executed (at least two out of the three).

The main criticism seems to be that the story lacks depth at times and that Orange Luthor had too much of the spotlight.

I can totally see how Johns succumb to that urge. Orange Lantern Luthor is awesome.

[inanegeek]

I just finished the last comic in the X-men Legacy arc “Template” and found myself feeling quite empty to it. Almost like you do an hour after having a MaccyD’s.

When the adjectiveless X-men changed it’s name to X-men Legacy and followed Professor X on a voyage of discovery I must admit it became only one of 2 x-books I enjoyed along with X-factor (i now enjoy other titles as well). Since Mike Carey took over the run though the main character has become Rogue.

I used to like rogue back in the 90s. She was spunky in the cartoon series and being the 90s I loved Gambit and the fact he could have any woman he could except the woman he couldn’t touch. Rogue historically could never touch a character as she would then begin to absorb memories and powers. She put her childhood sweetheart in a coma at the manifestation of her powers and absorbed most of Ms Marvel too. It was always a good plot device to cliff hang on whether Rogue would save the day by risking the use of her mutant powers.

But i must admit as I’ve got older I have become bored of her and had hoped a shift in the book to her would re invigorate the character. However I’ve found her and the whole thing a bit emo.

The Emplate Arc . What’s happened so far was Emplate has kidnapped Bling! and took her to his dimension where he begins to feed on her (Emplate feeds off the bone marrow of other mutants in order to survive). So Rogue sets off into Emplate dimension in an effort to recover Bling! Not a lot happens in the issues between this and the last one where Rogue fights Emplate. I could explain more but then i might be spoiling it for anyone.

I do like the art however. Daniel Acunas style is different and suit’s the comics dark scenes in Emplates dimension very well.

So after putting down the final issue i felt a bit empty. In the same way I have felt reading the New Mutants.

I’m hoping this will get better

[Leckomaniac]

REVIEWS!!!

Batgirl #8: The new BATGIRL series is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I understand that it is fairly average stuff, but I love the idea of Stephanie Brown as the new BATGIRL. She just adds a nice dynamic to the whole Bat-verse. However, this issue begins a crossover with RED ROBIN as the two former lovers meet-up for the first time since Stephanie took up the mantle. Of course, there are some tensions because the two didn't leave on good terms. It is a by-the-numbers book with art that doesn't really impress, but isn't bad enough to offend. I really enjoy this book, but I couldn't really recommend this book to others. 2.5/5

Batman & Robin #10: The cover proclaims that "THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS HERE!" and they really were not lying. This issue seems like it is going to be a prequel to Morrison's upcoming mini, appropriately titled THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. We get a lot thrown at us in these 22 pages, which naturally leaves the reader feeling that the story is being rushed. Indeed, it all comes together quite conveniently. Additionally, there is also a development with Damien that kind of popped up out of nowhere (and is the source of the very inappropriately named title of the issue). This will no doubt be a big issue for the Bat-verse, but it struggles as a single issue of a comic book. There are some nice moments where Damien's character is enhanced a bit and the art by Andy Clarke is top notch. For that, it gets a 3...out of 5 (X-Play for the win!) 3/5

Criminal v3 #5: The conclusion to what has been, well, not my favorite arc of CRIMINAL. As if to confirm this fact, the last issue just falls perfectly in line with what you would have expected from this story. Just continuing off of my review of the last few issues, this book has fallen into the predictable category. Maybe that isn't even the proper word for what is happening, but it will have to do. This story wraps itself up so neatly. Unfortunately, here "neatly" can be read as "boring". This story just reeks of Brubaker being stretched too thin. The guy is writing Captain America (the series and REBORN), Incognito, the recently announced SECRET AVENGERS...he is an architect of the Marvel U. His time is precious and apparently not enough of it is being devoted to CRIMINAL. This story was just on auto-pilot. Unfortunately, we also are informed at the end of the book that it is going on another hiatus. A LONGER hiatus than last time. I think this might be the end of CRIMINAL. It had a solid run (and the art is still fantastic) but the magic has certainly gone elsewhere. 3/5

Daytripper #4: Now that we know, for the most part, what to expect from the DAYTRIPPER I have come to read each issue with an impending sense of dread. We know that on the last issue, Bras will die and that knowledge is what makes the preceding 21 pages so tense. Of course, I am not sure that this tension can last 4 more issues, but reading this one that tension is especially foreboding. Given the circumstances of the issue, you are just waiting for that other shoe to drop. Additionally, this issue had me wondering if we were going to get that standard ending. It is silly, I know, but I was hoping it would go the other way...for Bras' sake. It didn't, and that last page was a small, deflating, shot to the guy. The criticisms from last time still apply, however. The series has to be more than what it was for the first half, doesn't it? Are we seeing, each issue, a different reality? Are these all different Bras'? I don't know. But I hope we find out soon. 3.5/5

Demo v2 #2: This was a, well, a disturbing issue to say the least. According to the material in the back, this was meant to be the first issue of the second series of DEMO. I can't imagine that would have gone over well. The story is pretty sparse and I wouldn't really call it engaging. The art, however, is excellent. Becky Cloonan is one of my favorites and just staring at her panels is a treat. The story isn't bad, but it just isn't anything special. So, for the art mostly, I give it a 3.5/5

Detective Comics #862: I had a bit of a hard time remembering the first part of this story and so the first third of this issue was kind of a mess for me. Eventually, the great characterization and cool art of JOCK wiped that from my mind. I just kind of let the story take me and I am glad I did. I am so disappointed that Rucka is leaving the title. I am glad, obviously, that Batwoman will be getting her own series, but I liked that she was in the pages of DETECTIVE COMICS. It really raised her profile. 3.5/5

Red Robin #10: I don't like Tim Drake, but I bought this for Stephanie Brown. The review for BATGIRL pretty much applies here, verbatim. 2.5/5 (slightly better art.)

Secret Warriors Vol. 1 TPB: I had been avoiding Marvel for the better part of two years. Maybe even more. But when I found out Jonathan Hickman would be writing for Marvel I was seriously tempted to buy any books he would be writing. Unfortunately, the first book announced was SECRET WARRIORS, a book that seemed to be steeped in the current events in the Marvel U. I decided against buying the book because I was afraid that I would be a little lost and I didn't really want to invest the time to get caught up. Fast forward to now and I have relaxed my NO MARVEL edict. I am reading Hickman's FANTASTIC FOUR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN. So, I figured why not give this book a shot (especially considering the stellar reviews it received upon publication). In short, I was blown away by this book. It is fantastic. That word doesn't even begin to describe it. Hickman has carved out an amazing little nook of the Marvel U all for himself and I couldn't be happier. This is an espionage book on an enormous scale. Seeing Fury organize against HYDRA is awesome. Under Hickman's writing, Nick Fury is easily the most badass dude in comics right now. He just gives off the impression that he can kick anybody's ass with ease. I am so pissed that the second trade is not coming out quicker (WHAT THE FUCK, MARVEL?!?!) because I need to get caught up. One of my favorite aspects of this book is how incredibly HICKMAN it is. The design is so reminiscent of his IMAGE work and the back-up material is as well. I can't believe I ever thought to ignore a book written by this man. Rest assured, I won't be making that mistake again. I have already added this and his upcoming SHIELD book to my pull list. If it has HICKMAN on it, I am buying it. 4.5/5

[inanegeek]

I received a copy of the Zero volume of John Byrne's Fantastic Four run for Christmas and got round to reading it.

The Zero volume is a collection of John Byrne's stories before his famous run chronicled in the trade paperbacks after this. Volume 1 was very very good and along with Thor Visionaries Volume 1 a worthy read.

The first story in this volume is an old Marvel Team Up with Spiderman and Human Torch where they face off against the Super Skrull and lasts for 2 issues. It's OK, nothing special and leads into a team up with Ms Marvel but Byrne only does the art and it's written by Chris Claremont. As always though there is some good interplay between the Torch and Spidey.

The second Story is a one off issue of the Thing team up book where he teams up with a past version of himself. Actually he travel back in time and fights himself. Although this had Byrne as both Artist and Writer. Again though it's a passable and almost predictable story.

Following this are 2 FF story arcs. Again Byrne only serves up as the Artist as the FF deal with a rogue Herbie and Blastaar (who is much more menacing now). Some nice interplay between the FF but again a non-event. The second story is written by Byrne and deals with the FF combating some Aliens who are sucking the planets energy. Oddly enough the Avengers are too busy to deal with this small crisis (seriously). It does state in the book that this story was intended as promotional comic.

As i got this as a present i suppsoe i shouldnt be too disheartenend but as the stories arent strong and only a couple of issues are written by Byrne it is substandard fare. Only buy it if you are a massive fan other wise go straight for Vol. 1

Just wondered if anyone else had read this and what they thought

[inanegeek]

I like the Noir idea. I find it interesting. I’ve always been a fan of seeing familiar characters transported to unfamiliar scenarios and so the idea of Marvels pantheon living in Prohibition era America appeals greatly. Some of my favourite storylines are alternate universe ones. Age of Apocalypse, Exiles, House of M and the What If titles. It’s always nice to see a different take on character we all know and love.

This is the 2nd series of X-men Noir and picks up exactly where the last series left off. To re-cap the X-me instead of having powers are sociopaths. Wayward youths are taking to Psychiatrists Charles Xavier’s school where he believes sociopath’s are the next stage in human evolution and trains them to be criminals (or better criminals).

In the First Arc Xaviers pupils come in to conflict with Eric Magnus police chief and leader of a criminal gang called the Brotherhood. One of the main characters who this revolves around is Tommy Halloway “the angel”. Xavier and Magnus come into conflict and Halloway serves as the pivot and possibly only shining light in the story. Twists and turns are everywhere in this story and I was looking forward to the 2nd arc immensely. (the first series also had an excellent Pulp science fiction style back up called Sentinals)

In this storyline The Angel (Tommy Holloway, Logan, Eugene and Scott Summers head of to try and steal the Gem of Cytorrakk after being hired to do so by Cain Marko. On doing so they are double crossed and triple crossed and end up in Genosha Bay. In this story Genosha Bay is a bit like Guantamino Bay. An offshore, off country prison ruled by the warden Emma Frost where the inmates are hooded and sneaked in. Back in Amercia political unrest stirs as the debate on whether the prison should exist rages, provoked by a familiar Senator .
What follows is torture of our heroes, deabates on Eugenics and a prison break and then more double crossing, before it all comes to a very clever and well executed end. In fact the ending surprised me and one of the story points that annoyed me in one issue proved pivotal to this end.. It’s not as good as the first mini series (as sequels rarely are) but it is still good (as all the Noirs have been).

The author Fred Van Lente is pretty new to the world of Marvel and has so far wrote Marvel Zombies 3 & 4 and worked on the excellent Hercules series. He has a very good style of writing and I have a feeling we will be seeing big things from him in years to come. I do think this latest piece of worked sometimes seems confused and stretches a thin plot a bit far. It’s a credit to Van Lente that he keeps you involved if not always engrossed. With Noir the way the characters speak is integral to the tone and Van Lente pulls it off with the right amount of darkness but makes sure it stays above a parody of itself.

The art is handled by Denis Calero who has previously worked on X-Factor which until the Marvel Noir series was probably the best foray into a Noir style we had seen at Marvel for some time. It is a very well executed art style of deep faces and long shadows. Sometimes however it is a bit too dark maybe and it makes the panel hard to absorb.

On the whole this is a solid piece of work and shows that the Noir line is a strong brand of stories constructed by good quality writers and artists and anyone with a love of Marvel and crime fiction comics should check them out

[Leckomaniac]

American Vampire #1: This book had a lot to live up to. It was an original comic idea masterminded by Stephen King. It isn't, however, just a book written by King. It has a much different format. Scott Snyder writes the lead story, which follows a 1920s actress trying to make it in Hollywood. The latter half of the book is written by King and it shows us the history of the vampire lead in the book. The art, on both stories, is handled by the fantastic Rafael Albuquerque. His work on Blue Beetle was excellent, but he really surpassed himself here. There is a lot to like here. The setting, the art, the pedigree. Definitely worth a look. 4/5

The Brave & The Bold #32: JMS' B&B has been my favorite book on the stands since he took over a few issues ago. But this issue had me giddy beyond words for another reason: it features Aquaman and The Demon. These are two of my absolute favorite characters in the DCU. And guess what? JMS writes the hell out of them. The plot is simple, every year the world almost ends and these two get together to stop it. Nobody knows about it. Nobody cheers, but these two risk everything. There is pure badassery on display here. I have an extreme bias here so I will not even attempt a review. I will just through my 4.5/5 out there and leave it at that.

[Leckomaniac]

Green Lantern #52: While reading this issue I thought "Man, if I were just buying Blackest Night and not this title I think I would be lost". Which is, of course, not at all what the companies tells us when they begin these crossovers. They repeat over and over again how you only need read the main story and not any of the ancillary titles. This is a lie. It always has been. And so, this issue of Green Lantern sees a lot of concepts thrown at the reader in a frenzied fashion. It is hyper colorful and confusingly kinetic, but it is certainly grand. By this point, we are all aware what to expect from Blackest Night and this is more of the same. 3/5

Northlanders #26: This story has basically been The Plague, but a million times worse. Each issue, things deteriorate. There is no hope. And throughout the whole thing, we have been waiting for the shoe to drop and something terrible to happen to the mother and daughter who are our POV. This issue, the shoe drops. I am not sure if Wood has some sort of redemption, happy ending thing planned, but it seems hard to conjure one up based on the events thus far. I know others are turned off by the 8 issue length, but this has been a fairly tense build up which I believe has served the story well. I hate to think how this will end, but I know I will be picking up the last two issues to find out. 3.5/5

Scalped #36: Hm. This IS looking a lot like SOPRANOS isn't it? That was my initial thought when I read this, but it wasn't in a negative way. Because Jason Aaron is a hell of a writer that deserves the benefit of the doubt. And this issue delivered the goods, despite the not-so-original premise. And that ending has me excited for what is to come for the character at the head of this story. 4/5

Secret Warriors #14: This is kick ass espionage at it's absolute best. Hickman has so many bad ass characters that he can play with. And he seems content to play with them all. This issue deals with the quadruple agent Contessa, a femme fatal of the highest order. You just never know with that girl, which is the way it should be. 4/5

The Unwritten #5-11: I had some catching up to do in regards to this series and I did it all yesterday. I was just blown away. Any worries I had that the awesome first four issues would be followed by a letdown were instantly dismissed. These seven issues just cover so much ground. This story is constantly moving and is really bringing to the forefront issues that very few books cover. The way that they portray this psychosis that some people develop because of their devotion to fantasy worlds is disturbing and fascinating all at the same time. The Unwritten is going places no comic on the market is going and it should be read by as many people as possible. 5/5

[Pacino86845]

Funnily I had a similar Unwritten experience lately, I'd put off the title for a while and only recently read the last 6-7 issues in one go.

I think the series has some interesting concepts, but I feel that they're stretched out a bit too much. It's a minor qualm, but it has been keeping me from thinking the book is awesome. It's still good, though.

[inanegeek]

http://www.inanegeek.com/2010/04/inane- ... art-1.html

Watchmen

I hated it the first time i read it. Then i read it again and again and again. It’s a work of Genius. The writing and story are unlike anything else. Each time i read it i notice something different. Everyone should read it at some point but as it’s a comic some brains wont be able to handle it.

Green Lantern Rebirth

I’m not a big DC fan. I prefer Marvel but Green Lantern is my favourite Superhero comic. Rebirth is my favourite comic trade. Its a good introduction to superheroes, the mythology and is so cleverly written. The Art is fantastic and the story will have you hooked. So good was this story it went on to re-launch Green Lanterns solo series and the Excellent GL Corps and then it could be argued re-invent the entire DC comic range.

The Ultimates

Take the Avengers. Wholesome group Thor, Captain America, Wasp, Pym and Iron Man and give them the modern twist. Wife ebating, drugs, alchohol, Cap Am beating the hell out of everyone. And a black Nick Fury based on Samuel L Jackson. This is big movie comics at its most brash and accessible.

The Boys

If you want to read a comic that will show you it doesn’t have to be for kids read the Boys. Garth Ennis tells a tale of what Superheroes probably would be like in the real world and how normal people (kind of) would have to deal with them. If you like Comics youll see versions of everyday known superheores acting like the celebraties they would be. Foul language, scenes of a sexual nature and lots of Violence. Yet very readable.

Iron Fist Omnibus

Like Rebirth a great reinvention of a character. Iron Fist though is a proper Clist character inveneted during the Kung Fu craze of the 70s. However Brubaker and Fraction show the hero has a legacy of other Iron Fists. Probably the most stylised fight scenes in a comic which each move having a slow subtitle to show what it is acalled and small red circles to show what points of the body it hits. Sometime retconning a characters history can go wrong but along with Green Lantern this is two writers showing how it should be done and doing it so well.

[Fried Gold]

Green Lantern Corps #46, Green Lantern #52, Blackest Night #8

For a finale to a big storyline, I can't say I found it satisfying. It didn't really feel like a conclusion to me and was actually a bit confusing in parts.

That's me not buying any comics for a while (he says, about to be suckered into getting the new #1s of Brightest Day and The Flash)

[DennisMM]

I think you should pass on Flash, sir. I don't think Johns handles Barry nearly so well as he does Hal. They're going to keep him dark, I suspect, and that's all wrong.

Yes, I'm buying it.

[inanegeek]

I re-read All Star Superman Vol 1 the other night.


In my mind it is the greatest Superman story ever told. I’ll be honest and most of my comic reading is based on Marvel titles. I was bought up on Marvel and that’s where my loyalty is. However I do read some DC characters. Green Lantern being my favourite.

So I haven’t read as much Superman as most fans and therefore may not be able to judge exactly where this sits. If someone was to ask me “Justin would you recommend any Superman stories”. I would answer thusly “All Star Superman, Red Son and Secret Identity”.

Superman can be a hard character to write. He has been portrayed so many times on radio, TV or film that everyone has an idea of who he is and very rarely a comic actually peels back the character to see how he ticks.
I remember vividly two things that has been said about Superman that to me always sum up the character and every writer considering a Superman project should remember.

Firstly Kill Bill Vol 2 - Bill: Superman stands alone. Superman did not become Superman, Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he is Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red S is the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears, the glasses the business suit, that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He's weak, unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race, sort of like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plumpton.

Secondly and I’m paraphrasing here was Grant Morrisons quote “Superman is a god who wants to be a man and Lex Luthor is a man who wants to be a god”

Grant Morrison for me has always been a talented writer however sometimes he can be a bit too intelligernt for me. I’m a simple man. I don’t pretend to be intelligent. I read comics and watch films because I like them and not because I look too deeply into things. His Doom Patrol run for example was just too much for me.

However in All Star Superman he just nails everything. The character and the art of story telling.

All Star Superman was part of the All Star line. A series of DC comic books that was meant to free characters from years of continuity and although the best writers and artists to tell their own stories. All Star Superman was a 12 issues series written by Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely with some digital inking by Jamie Grant.

The main story in Vol 1 has a running theme but each issue reads as a stand alone story, You wouldn’t have to read all the book to make sense of any of it. It’s timeless Superman. The book starts with a team of scientists attempting to harvest the Sun, unfortunaterly a human suicide bomb has been placed on the ship. Superman saves the day but has to fly through the Sun. This causes his cells to overload. On returning back to the Scientists at PROJECT they discover Superman has a few new powers due to this but is also going to die in a year. Grant Morrison then wheels out six episodes of that year as he explores who is superman and why he means so much.

There are some absolutely classic moments. By far the best episode is when Clark Kent interviews Lex Luthor (now in Jails following clarks expose). Luthor explains to Clark why he hates Superman and why he has done ehat he has. All this is done with the readers knowledge that the joke is on Lex for not working out Clark's dual identity. Great comedy monets as Clark/Superman rescues everyone from the Parasite by bumbling his way through the prison and when Lex’s eyebrow rubs off.

Throw in some storpes about his father dying, Lois gaining superpowers and a Jimmy Olsen throwdown and the booke becomes a joy to read.

Frank Quitelys artwork (may take a big of getting use to) is at times stunning. The facial expressions, the little details are a joy to the eye. In fact I do believe having read this 3 times that each time i read it I notice something different.

To me this is the quintsesntial Superman story in which Morrison escapulates the character, his supporting cast and what makes a good Superman story. Sci-fi fights and the struggle to do right in a wrong world.

[Fried Gold]

I think you should pass on Flash, sir. I don't think Johns handles Barry nearly so well as he does Hal. They're going to keep him dark, I suspect, and that's all wrong.

Yes, I'm buying it.

I liked Flash Rebirth, but the story just sort of tailed off (as did the release dates). The Blackest Night Flash issues were quite good, but they were obviously part of a large story.

...also apparently you get a free ring with Flash #1. FREE RING!

[DennisMM]

I got NO SUCH RING! Perhaps it's a UK-only promotion. Or perhaps it's a limited number of rings, one for so many copies the LCS ordered. The comic itself was all right, though I disliked Manapul's art intensely. I prefer a less-stylized artwork on superheroes most of the time. Also, this "Barry creates the Speed Force, which has moved in both directions in time and powered every other speedster, past and present" stuff seems a bit disrespectful to Mark Waid, creator of the Speed Force. And Barry is way too casual when compared to his established characterization over 45 years.

inanegeek, that's a good analysis of Morrison's All-Star Superman. While I enjoyed it a great deal, I happen to oppose much of Morrison's thought on the character. Obviously, he is inspired by late Golden Age and the majority of Silver Age tales, in which Superman is the personality and Clark Kent is a beard whose profession keeps Superman in the know about emergencies and such and allows Superman to have some peaceful moments. I prefer a different interpretation, in which it is the persona of Superman that allows the true identity of Clark Kent to operate as a hero and still have a life. This is implied in the earlier years of the Golden Age comics and taken up again in the 1970s, toward the end of the Silver Age. It's been the primary SOP since then. Obviously, it's the take Busiek used in Secret Identity.

Nonetheless, All-Star Superman contained some amazing writing and solid art, even though it sometimes fell into Morrison's "too clever for the reader" traps with its characters. I think you'll enjoy the second volume, when you get it. The last page of volume two made my mouth open, then spread into a wide grin.

Have you read Alan Moore and Curt Swan's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" It is, in my opinion, the greatest Superman story ever told. In just two standard-sized issues it wraps up the Silver and Bronze Ages into a tidy package that left me smiling even more broadly than All-Star. If you haven't read it, check it out. It requires a serious knowledge of the Silver Age, but I'm sure you can find a guide to the story, somewhere on the intertubes.

[Fried Gold]

I got NO SUCH RING! Perhaps it's a UK-only promotion. Or perhaps it's a limited number of rings, one for so many copies the LCS ordered.

Flash ring with Flash #1, GL ring with GL#53 and a White Lantern ring with Brightest Day #1

The shop has to order x-amount to get the rings, but even my teeny local comic shop had some. Look on ebay if you desperately want one.