You want to hear something crazy?  I just read a good issue of Supergirl.  I know what you’re thinking.  That’s impossible.  It’s one of the few constants in comic books that Supergirl sucks.  Well, if Supergirl 34 is any indication, all that may be changing.

The Superman family of books have been disappointing me for years.  But recently, the core Superman books have taken a turn for the better.  While I’m still not 100% sold on Robinson’s Superman, it’s been an interesting read so far.  And Johns’ Action Comics has been exceptional.  But Supergirl continued to sputter along as one of the most unnecessary comic books on the stands.

This issue introduces a new creative team to Supergirl.  And it seems like Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle may finally have what it takes to make Supergirl more than just a whiny brat.

Cat Grant has written an editorial entitled “Why the World Doesn’t Need Supergirl”.  In her article, Cat makes a lot of points that will sound very familiar to people who have been critical of Supergirl since Jeph Loeb re-introcuded her to the DCU.

When Kara finds out about the article, she is crushed.  She can’t help but wonder if Cat is right and she feels betrayed that this article was printed on the front page of her cousin’s newspaper.  There are some good character moments as Kara consults various super heroes for advice on how to turn things around.  The common theme is one of dual identity.

Eventually, Kara finds a mentor in a long-time Superman cast-member who is also enduring a crisis of identity.  It feels like a pretty natural fit.  And the introduction of Kara’s new identity sets up an interesting new status quo for the character.

I never thought I’d live to see the day, but Supergirl is actually worth reading.  If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself.

Secret Invasion: Inhumans (****1/2)

I must say that Pokaski has a very good feel for these characters. Crystal making a gigantic stone Black Bolt golem to fight the Skrulls? Fantastic. All the Inhumans are written well in a believable fashion, and you still get the different sense of how this royal family acts in comparison to a standard superhero team. Loyalty above all else is the name of the game. So it’s not even a question that Gorgon would protect Maximus despite his hatred for the man. I should also mention that the Inhumans’ methods for torturing a captive Skrull in attempts to discern the location of Black Bolt was a perfectly ingenius way to go about their business. We’re continuing to learn of the overall plans of the Skrulls as relates to Mr. Boltagon, and it’s not going to be pretty. This is a great series so far, and Joe Pokaski eally does seem to have a future in print media.

Nova #17 (****1/2)

Nova has returned home. Most of the events of this issue take place at the home base of Project PEGASUS, wherein Richard Rider, his brother Robbie and Darkhawk try to beat back the Skrulls from intercepting some seriously dangerous tech. The three characters engage in quite a lot of wisecracking (including a nice shot at the cliche of heroes attacking each other before realizing they’re on the same side) and we’ve got the return (in a way) of the Xandarian Worldmind. But the best moment of the entire issues comes on the last page, where we have a big (from my perspective) return that makes perfect sense, considering that character originally met his end early on in the Nova book (hint, hint…It’s Quasar!). Great reveal that was truly well executed and logical, and it sets up a lot of interest for the rest of the arc and potentially beyond, provided that he’s going to stick around. I love this book. But you already knew that.

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 (***1/2)

Drax gets his Wolverine in the sewers of the Hellfire Club moment here, as he skulks around eviscerating Luminals for a good portion of the book. This issue has a bit of middle chapter syndrome going on; things happen and the story continues to move, but not a lot of it grabbed me. The Drax stuff was fun, but as I mentioned, we’ve seen it before. A lot. There is a big reveal involving Cosmo that was a nice moment, and I did enjoy the way Adam Warlock discovered the traitorous dog with a nice continuation of the work being done in the Marvel Universe with the Eternals and the Celestials. I am also looking forward to the litany of “I told you sos” and overall smugness of Rocket Raccoon over the next couple issues once he finds out about Cosmo. This was a good issue, but nothing special.

Black Panther #41 (*****)

Well, there was certainly an unholy amount of badass in this three issue run. There are so many great moments in this issue, from the reveal of what was actually going on with Black Panther and Storm to the final fate of the Skrulls. But like the rest of the issues, the real star of the book is Commander K’vv, the man that is running the Wakandan portion of the invasion. There is a running theme in the book of K’vvr struggling to figure out how to write a letter to his wife, and the final portion of the book is set to the narrative of the letter itself (this is, of course, going on after his bloody and violent end at the hands of the protagonists) with these stark pages of dead Skrulls and blood alongside the cheering Wakandans. The way Aaron wrote these issues is very sympathetic to the Skrulls, despite the fact that they are the invading force and should really be the villains of the piece. It’s that little extra oomph that pushes this book over the top. The characterization of K’vvr is excellent, and the final letter is a very sobering series of panels. These are overall probably the best issues to come out of the Secret Invasion event. I probably liked the Hercules issues more, but they were not as accessible as what we have her. I recommend that everyone out there read these books. You will not be disappointed.

Thunderbolts #124 (*****)

I love what Christos Gage is doing with these characters. I should have started reading this book earlier. How long has it been this good? Every single person in this book and on this team is certifiably insane. And all of it is tempered by the strange sense of twisted honor that many of these characters feel. Many of them are legitimately trying to do good works, but have to deal with what simply boils down to mental illness, and at the same time, you’ve got characters like Bullseye and Venom right next to them that only care about killing and survival. The interactions between Norman Osborne and Moonstone are awesome. Songbird, Radioactive Man, the Swordsman duo, Penance, it’s all great. I don’t know if I have more fun reading any Marvel book other than Thunderbolts right now. Awesome stuff.

Batman #680 (*****)

Everyone please, read this book. You don’t have to do it today or tomorrow or even this year, but read it someday. Also, if you could please read Batman & Son and Batman: The Black Glove first, it will greatly add to your enjoyment and appreciation. I don’t mean to sound like a jerk and tell you what to read, I’m just expressing my love. I could write endlessly about this book. However, I’d rather not bore everybody or drive people away with too many words, so I’ll try to be brief.

This is the penultimate chapter of RIP and it is a doozy. This is my favorite type of story. It’s entertaining, bold, and surprising. It’s an homage to many old Batman comics and yet it still seems so fresh and original. You can reread it over and over again and still notice new things. It’s rich with symbolism. Sorry, I’m getting too mushy about this. The point is I love this stuff. It makes me happy and I’d like you to all be happy to.

What didn’t I like about this issue? I wish Tony Daniel was a better artist. Don’t get me wrong. He provides many haunting images and definitely gets the story across (with a little help from his friends of course). But because of how much I adore this book, I wish someone with more talent was drawing Morrison’s vision. Speaking of Morrison, how awesome is he? The man is responsible for Final Crisis, All Star Superman, and Batman RIP and they’re all ending within a few months of each other. I’ll have greatest comics ever for 400, Alex! Oh, and did I mention that RIP is not the end of Morrison’s run. Yes, Morrison is my favorite writer and I am a total kiss ass.

I guess I should address the biggest complaint about this book, “I don’t understand it”. I certainly don’t mean to get on my high horse, but this comic can be understood. If you’ve been having some trouble understanding this arc (Only if you’ve read this book before because I don’t want anything spoiled), check this guy out. He has both spoken with and wrote a book about Grant Morrison. He has got a lot of cool stuff to say.

Anyway, I’ve already written way too much. See how much I care? I love this issue and I can’t wait for the next one.

The New Avengers # 45 (****): The art plus explanations (can’t really say answers as I do not believe anyone was even asking these questions) makes this a solid read. Yes, “wasting” a page on the Queen vomiting in the toilet may have turned off some people, but I loved it. Vulnerability is always cool. I mean, this panel did wonders for Tony Stark.

The Mighty Avengers #18 (***): More Secret Warriors!!! I feel like I’ve read this story already, yeah? And the whole V for Vendetta/Alias/Every spy fiction fake torture sequence EV-VAR! thing was more than a lot a bit unnecessary in my not so humble opinion. Unlike the clone Reed Richards torture scene, I don’t think the scene in this book fooled anybody. Truth.

Avengers: The Initiative #17 (**): WOO! Wait, what am I so excited about? This was awful. The Queen doing her best “twirling moustache” routine at the end had me gagging on my own tongue, and then there’s that tossed in Star Wars reference… to one of the BAD ones? BLAH.

Black Panther #41 (*****): EPIC. And final. I’m glad we ended our relationship on a high note, T’challa. I would’ve been truly sad if your last arc had been balls. Although, I do wish the payoff for this arc had been that Storm was a Skrull the whole time. That may have saved the book for me.

Deadpool #2 (****1/2): Even better than the first issue, even with the predictable ending. BOOYA! Good Deadpool writing is back, baby!

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 (****1/2): GARSH! When did this comic get so good? Out of all the anti-Skrull plans, I think I like Drax’s the best: ‘Kill ‘em all.’ Perfection. OH, NOES! Cosmo… a Skrull agent? Say it ain’t so, dawg!

Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #33 (***): ‘War Machine: Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D.’? ALL IN, DUDERS! I even like the Transformers ending. DING. This first story was mediocre, but I’m looking forward to this new direction.

Ms. Marvel #31 (****1/2): Technically no longer tying in with Secret Invasion, instead dealing with the post-SI aftermath, the “Dark Reign”, whatever that is. Man, where has Reed been hiding this story? It was so good! Character building moments! Good times! No fight scenes! So, questions: Why does Carol want to kill Norman Osborn? Could he be responsible for this “Dark Reign”? Is it related to what’s happening over in Thunderbolts right now?

Nova # 17 (*): UGH, this was the opposite of awesome. DnA are really letting me down on this title. To be frank, it sucks. It’s boring. I’m bored. Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. is boring. Quasar is boring. Dick Ryder’s family life is boring. Darkhawk is boring. BORED FOREVER!!! The most interesting stuff in this issue deals with the Super Skrull fake betrayal, but that’s over by the first couple of pages and then the book quickly reverts back to its natural state: boringtowne.

She-Hulk #33 (****): What a difference the art makes. Same writer. Same shitty story. But somehow the fabulous art makes everything more interesting.

Secret Invasion: Inhumans #2 (****1/2): finally got my hands on this and I was not disappointed. Tom Raney rules.

Secret Invasion: The Amazing Spider-Man #2 (***): Better than the first issue? I don’t know. It was still UGH-inducing.

Secret Invasion: Thor #2 (**): UGH. This book is FAIL. Why even make this a mini? There were absolutely ZERO interesting plot turns before Thor shows up at the end. Just skip the two filler issues and make this a one-shot where Thor beats the shit out of a legion of Skrulls. DING.

Skrulls vs. Power Pack #3 (-): This books makes me cry.

Thunderbolts #124 (*****): …and THIS book makes me giggle like your little sister on weed. WHEEE!!!!

ACTION COMICS #871
ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER: THE LAUGHING CORPSE, BOOK ONE #2 (OF 5)
ASTONISHING X-MEN GHOST BOXES #2 (OF 2)
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #12
BATMAN #682-683
BATMAN CACOPHONY #1 (OF 3)
BOYS#24
CAPTAIN AMERICA #44
CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #5
CROSSED #2 (OF 9)
DAREDEVIL #113
FINAL CRISIS #6 (OF 7)
FINAL CRISIS REVELATIONS #4 (OF 5)
GREEN LANTERN #36
HULK #8
INVINCIBLE #58
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #7
IRON MAN END
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL THE KINGDOM #1
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL MAGOG #1
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL SUPERMAN #1
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #21
MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #2 (OF 4)
MIGHTY AVENGERS #20
NEW AVENGERS #47
PUNISHER #64
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #25
SECRET INVASION #8 (OF
SI INHUMANS #4 (OF 4)
SI X-MEN #4 (OF 4)
SECRET SIX #3
TERRA #1-2
THOR MAN OF WAR
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #58
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #128
ULTIMATE X-MEN #98
ULTIMATUM #1-2 (OF 5)
UNCANNY X-MEN #504
WALKING DEAD #57
WOLVERINE #69
YOUNG LIARS #9

Damn! Why are comics so awesome? This is me cutting back and it’s still way too much.

Comics To Go With Your Turkey: Of course we have the event books (Final Crisis, Batman RIP, and Secret Invasion), but what else is cool? Well, it’s a month of returns. David Micheline and Bob Layton return to Iron Man again in Iron Man: The End. Kevin Smith returns to comics writing Batman: Cacophony. I remember Smith joking about how this book won’t end until his daughter is 16 (She’s currently 9). To quote the man himself, “He ain’t so fucking funny”. And the coolest return of all is this:

This is that JSA KC Special: Superman. You can read more about it here. This is written and drawn by Ross himself. If you liked Kingdom Come (and who didn’t?), you have to pick this up!

Hulk #6 (*****)

Isn’t it funny that all of the “late books with great art that are hated by everyone” comics came out in the same week? Yes, I’m reading all of them. Again, this book is sooo fun and it’s sad that only me, Billy and like 10 other people know it. Last issue wasn’t quite as cool as usual but this one more than makes up for it. Like every issue of Hulk there’s humor, action, and gorgeous art! Oh, and all you fanboys who cried “Whaahhh! Rulk can’t beat Thor (even though I don’t know Rulk’s power level)”, you should be happy now. The art is beautiful. There are a lot of awesome guest appearances and sea monsters and they’re all drawn wonderfully. We even get the classic “duh duh duuuuuuuh (music)” ending. Did I mention Ed McGuinness rules? Hulk is entertainment, laugh-out-loud moments, and McGuinness drawing the hell out of this book. This is the series Ed was meant to draw and I hope he’ll come back on issue #10. Until then we can enjoy Art Adams and Frank Cho and they’re fantastic artists too. If you haven’t tried this series yet, pick this issue up. If you dislike it, don’t read it anymore. If you like it, join in on the marvelously drawn fun!

Hellboy: The Crooked Man #3 (*****)

Why is Mike Mignola so awesome? Hellboy has been around for over 15 years and he still manages to surprise me. Do you think of Hellboy adventures as European fetishistic tales about ancient legends or mysterious artifacts? How about a Hillbilly Gothic story that takes place in the Appalachian Mountains? Not only is this new territory for Hellboy, but the lovable demon is almost a supporting character. This is about willpower. It’s about corruption and the relationship between man, God, and Satan. Richard Corben has been around for a long time but he’s still producing marvelous work. If you think Hellboy can only be properly drawn by Mignola, this may change your mind. Corben manages to stay true to his own style as well as Mignola’s which creates a fantastic mixture. Have I mentioned this is the scariest Hellboy series yet? I have in my other reviews and I will now. It’s Deliverance with creepy religious undertones that will make your skin crawl. I love Hellboy and this is another example that explains why.

New Avengers #45 (***)

I read House of M, but it’s been a long time. It’d be hard to remember anyway, but it doesn’t help that I didn’t like House of M very much. Does this issue add to the SI story? Yes, but I wish it would’ve been more than it is. Bendis uses Cheung well and poorly at the same time. There are several wordless panels which look beautiful, but I wish there was more meat when it comes to a story this dense. There are questions that remain unanswered and the Skrulls are again portrayed as incredibly powerful. The green meanies winning seems to be almost a foregone conclusion at this point. If that is the case, am I the only one who wishes Marvel would have made it less predictable? All of these Embrace Change advertisements shoved brutally down our throats is not appreciated. I guess Bendis is trying to show why they can conquer us which is cool. But now, whether the Skrulls win or lose I won’t be surprised. How crazy would it have been if out of the blue the Skrulls won? It’d be like Cap dying at the end of Civil War. I don’t know if this an editorial decision or Bendis’, but considering how much power Bendis seems to have at Marvel, I’d guess the latter. Anyway, this issue isn’t bad. In fact, it’s more than passable. Cheung’s art is impressive and I’m sure if you’ve enjoyed the previous SI Avengers tie-ins, you’ll like this. I just can’t help letting my overall disappointment of this event seep into my opinions of these issues. Plus, there are a few things in this issue that I didn’t like.

Well, the events are winding down… thank GOD. My wallet needs the break. Oh, but wait. Dark Avengers? Secret Warriors? DAMN YOU, MARVEL!!!

November Tidings: Let’s see then, what do we have to look forward to: final issue of Secret Invasion, second to last issue of Final Crisis, more Captain America, Batman RIP wrapping up, the Kingdom Come JSA story kicking into overdrive, my final-finally-super-done-with-it issues of both Punisher titles, Batman and the Outsiders and, maybe, Nightwing? Oh, and ULTIMATUM has arrived!!!

This is X-Men/Spider-Man #1 by Christos Gage & Mario Albert and it sounds awesome! I’ll be trade waiting, because I have an addiction, but that doesn’t mean you have to!

Avatar Press, a little known comics studio that’s been around for quite some time, has recently been gaining something of a fanbase. This is largely thanks to Warren Ellis, who launched two books there at the same time - Black Summer and Doktor Sleepless - and also an OGN or two, like Crecy.  He continued to launch series after series, each of which gained a small, but loyal fanbase that often outsold most of the Vertigo titles.  Black Summer has wound down to a fair amount of critical acclaim, and with that, Ellis began No Hero. Meanwhile, Doktor Sleepless completed its first 8-issue ‘book’ (the conclusion of which both Billy and I enjoyed), and began its second.

No Hero #1

Warren Ellis’ newest series, titled No Hero, is about vigilantism in America, or so it seems - its history and power in our culture, its relation with heroism, etc… - as a longstanding group of extreme superheroes find themselves recruiting when a few members are murdered. Straight-edge young Josh Carver wants to join the group, because Josh has some violent tendencies and a desire to make the world a better place.

The first issue is entirely set-up for what’s to come as we meet The Front Line, a group of super-powered vigilantes, Josh Carver, and the man who set it all up, an eccentric inventor capable of giving superpowers to whomsoever he decides is worthy.  It’s interesting set-up - as all of Ellis’ best series’ are, it’s built around various social issues rather than costumed brawls and continuity wanks - but it’s hurt by messy art from Juan Jose Ryp, and while it has a strong voice, not much happens. Enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing more from the series, but not without flaws.

Grade: B

Doktor Sleepless #9

Doktor Sleepless #9 marks the beginning of Book 2, and it’s interesting to note that the good Doktor doesn’t appear at all in this issue, nor does scary Nurse Igor. Instead, we’re introduced to a brand new character, a stranger to Heavenside, named Sarah Berlin. Sarah has come to Heavenside two months after the events of Book 1, and man, how things have changed. Seers in masks, riots, bombings - Heavenside has become a far more dangerous place to live while under the influence of Doktor Sleepless, and I have a feeling that much of Book 2 will be an examination of the changes he’s wrought.

Doktor Sleepless has always been a powerful series - if you have the money, I strongly urge you to check it out, especially now that you can read that entire first chapter in a single sitting. As a new beginning, Doktor Sleepless #9 doesn’t work at all without #1-8, and I’d recommend re-reading the series before sitting down with this one, but as the beginning of a second act, it’s a pretty excellent read.  We learn more about the world outside of Heavenside, and about Heavenside itself. The issue is well-written, and artist Ivan Rodriguez continues to improve. Highly recommended.

Grade: A-

This, despite the awfulness of the last four issues, was a fairly decent comic. In fact, without actually going back to reread the last four issues, I will tentatively say that issue #5 of the Ultimates 3 “mayhaps” redeems this mini-series, if not Jeph Loeb’s entire comic book writing career.

Whoa. Did you read that right? FYI, I also liked Hulk #6.

Ultimates 3 pays off story threads originally setup by Millar way back in Ultimates 1, namely the Ultron subplot. I love me some Ultron, perhaps that’s why I’m satisfied with the way this story ended… I just kind of wish he’d gotten to the point of it all 2-3 issues sooner. But, it’s a mystery and this is how these things go. Confusion follows confusion followed by more confusion and then BOOM! Startling revelations! I’ve been watching a ton of Thin Man lately. I know things.

To his credit, Loeb doesn’t make us wait until the end for the recap-revelations, he feeds it to us within the first couple of pages:

• Ultron replaced the Ultimates body snatcher style with android duplicates!
• The Scarlet Witch’s murder was a crime of passion… gross.
• The butler did it! (serious lol’ing right there folks.)
• Captain America was the Black Panther THE WHOLE TIME! (Well, this isn’t really explained but I’m sure Loeb’ll get to it in the forthcoming Ultimate Captain America Annual.)
• Dr. Doom was behind it all?!? (Does this mean Doom is involved in Ultimatum? I may have to revise my Celestial theory.)
• Somehow, The Wasp stopped being Asian!!!

Plain and simple, this was a fantastically enjoyable read. We got answers and they were satisfying. To me, at least. Oh, there’s War Machine! And Quicksilver dies! That was sweet. And Hank redeems himself! Okay, sort of. Cap still hates him but apparently the Wasp is ready to get remarried to the schizophrenic wife-beater. Crazy broad…

…why is Janet always written this way? Why can’t she be a real person? This sexist “ditzy dame” garbage just doesn’t cut it anymore, Marvel writers. Maybe you guys could learn a thing or two from the guys over at DC who know how to write female leads. Strong women are WAY sexier than damsels. Anyway…

How does this story sync up with Ultimatum? I don’t know, but all of a sudden I’m excited about it! Also, does anyone else think that the planned/cancelled/rescheduled Ultimates 4 is actually Ultimatum in disguise? Or was this announced somewhere already? Am I behind the curve?

Just about the only thing that still bugs me about this version of the Ultimates (my problem with Janet doesn’t count since she’s written that way in ALL versions of the Avengers) is the characterization of Hawkeye. LAME. I understand the guy has a death wish. Fine. But Loeb has him acting more like a spoiled brat than a man on the edge. Make him desperate, but not too desperate. Cut the melodrama, dude. It’s unnecessary.

Oh, and the art looks better. But the coloring still sucks. DCBS sent me the “Ultron Variant”, which I have to say as a fan of all things Sci-Fi/Horror kicks the crap out of the regular cover. “Terminator” Cap is the complete filth, do you not agree?

Ultimates 3 was lame and stupid most of the time, and in no way lives up to the epics that preceded it, but it was also fun. It was the “ultimate” funnybook. I think that above all else (including pretentious pretendering) shouldn’t comics be fun?

Ultimates 3 #5 (***1/2)

Yes, I liked this issue. I’m not so sure about the rest of this series since the first issue came out in December, but I think even the haters should give this a try. The March On Ultimatum tag has been on Ultimate books for a long time. Until recently, I didn’t have a clue what that event was going to be about. In this issue however, you can actually see what’s going down. If you were annoyed by all the Loeb mysteries, you’ll be pleased to know they’re all wrapped up nicely here. I can’t remember enough to tell if these twists were predictable or not, but I was entertained. I was even impressed when some of this stuff goes back to Ultimates 2. I was about to complain about how long it took for this series to finish, but I remembered a few things. Ultimates 2 took even longer to come out and this is Joe Mad we’re talking about, it’s a miracle the book took less than a year to finish. Speaking of Joe Mad, I like his art and it’s nice to see his work on some interiors. Everything resolves, the art is pretty, it’s entertaining, and the stage is set for Ultimatum.

Ultimate Fantastic Four Ultimate X-Men Annual #1 (****)

The fun continues. The art isn’t as pretty as the first part, but Nguyen and Peterson create passable work. It’s interesting how many people worked on just two issues. Two writers and four artists, seems a bit packed but that’s how the story is. This would easily be a six issue arc in the hands of less talented writers. The story is entertaining, but we’ve seen it many times before. So it works as only two issues long. It’ll be interesting to see if we’re looking at the post-Ultimatum Ultimate universe in this book. The story concludes leaving that a possibility, but probably not kind of thing. These annuals have proved to be entertaining What If type reads with some in-continuity growth of the characters, what’s better than that?

Ultimate Spider-Man #126 (***)

Please Bendis, write better. It’s very uncomfortable when USM isn’t good. Mediocrity may be as common as dirt in a lot of comics, but when you have a series where 80% of the issues are good-excellent things seem a bit off. The majority of this issue is the symbiote fighting people while Peter screams inside. It works as an attempt to make the fight scenes seem unique for a few pages, but after the fifth or sixth “HUUUNNNGGRRYYY!” and “No! Please!” I was bored. When you have an issue that relies so heavily on combat, the art needs to be great. I’m not a big fan of Immonen but he does produce good work here. Sadly, it’s not enough. However, the ending is intriguing and the fights are mildly enjoyable so I do recommend it. I just hope this book returns to the level of excellence that I know it’s capable of.

Daredevil #111 (****)

I surprisingly enjoyed this issue. I still think Brubaker’s run is overrated, but there’s a lot to love here. How cool is Dakota North? She’s prominently featured within these pages and it seems she’ll be in DD’s life for awhile. Looking through the issue, the thing I enjoyed most were the supporting characters. Iron Fist is in here and Bullseye is too. It’s just a flashback, but I miss Bullseye in Daredevil comics. I don’t think this new Lady Bullseye will be a good substitute, but she’s not as dreadful as she could be. This issue was very enjoyable and I hope Brubaker will keep it up. It seems like this will be an intriguing arc. Plus Dakota North is in here. Did I mention my Dakota North love?

Captain America #42 (****1/2)

Billy’s on the money with this one. In fact, I think he stole my thoughts, knocked me out, and then wrote his review first. I didn’t even realize this was the end of the arc until all the crazy stuff started happening. But really, Brubaker should have revealed a little more. It’s been 42 issues and we’re still in the dark. The sad part is I don’t think anything will be revealed anytime soon. At least Batroc will be in the next few issues. Any true Captain America fan knows that Batroc is Captain America’s true archenemy. I don’t care that Red Skull is a Nazi! I should read this series in trade, but sadly I’m too invested after 42 issues. Oh, something that will distinguish my review from Billy’s? I don’t like Bucky. Screw Bucky! Everyone else is cool, but to hell with him. The reason why this is in the “badass women” category is because of Sharon Carter and actually Sin too. Also, how cool are the villains in this book? You actually want them to win! Anyway, this was an awesome issue and if you’re not reading this series, pick it up in trade. If you are reading this series, stay strong.

A change in “Review Policy”: Recently, I’ve fallen behind in my reviewing duties. This was mostly due to personal life conflicts, but I’m back now, and rededicated. That doesn’t mean you’ll see another Origin Stories or Planetary Series Review any time soon… but it does mean I’ve been thinking long and hard about my “review routine”. As many of you know, I receive most of my books 1-3 weeks after they release because I don’t buy them at my local shop, but online from Discount Comic Book Service. I do still buy a couple of books from my local shop each month, like Captain America, Final Crisis and Secret Invasion, for spoiler review purposes, but still, the majority of my sometime 100 issue a month habit comes in the form of bi-weekly UPS deliveries. After doing this for over six months, reviewing that many books has been damn overwhelming lately.

And so, a change is in order. I will no longer be focusing on books that have been previously reviewed on read/Rant! There’s just too damn much overlap, and the four other dudes we got on here do a damn fine job without me cluttering up the place. Seriously, how many reviews do you want to see discussing the merits of Green Lantern Corps? Instead of making a separate post about a particular previously reviewed title, I will try to confine my thoughts to their respective comment sections. I’ve enabled the “Latest Comments” feature of the blog, so it’ll be easier for readers to keep up with the latest convos and angry rants.

And hell, let’s be honest friends, quality is definitely better than quantity. The machine gun style of my Review Roundups is the lowest form of laziness.

And so, I will refocus my attention on reviewing or spotlighting books that have not been featured or featured very rarely. Like say, Brit. More on this soon, or if you can’t wait, skip past the next few paragraphs.

And so, will I still wrote those annoying Spoiler Reviews? Yes. I like those. Those are fun. They give me an excuse to go to the Shop every week. And I suppose you like them too, even though you often curse me for uploading scans and spoiling the awesomes.

And so, will the Review Roundups disappear then? Yes and no. Yes, they’ll disappear in the form that I’ve been presenting them, but they won’t be going away completely. The main thrust of this post is to explain that I’d like to write better reviews of the books I read (and like/love) and the biggest obstacle appears to be the mistaken, compulsive belief that I need to cover literally EVERYTHING I read. And that’s just dumb. It’s too much of a chore, it’s uninspiring, and the quality of my reviews suffer for it.

And so, what will become of the RR? How about a monthly RR that lists the “Books of the Month”? Or “Trades of the Month”? Or “Top Ten X”, as Bruce (Spencer) suggested. Or maybe a compilation post that links to/comments on other reviews in the blog? Will this not promote more comic book discussion? Perhaps. Why not?

And so, YES! I want to do more Series Reviews! Mandy is unreachable! I’m firing her. She’s fired.

And so, I want to do more RANT reviews. Those are fun.

And so, seriously, what about Origin Stories? It’s like this, at this point, the stories I’m talking about are so old, it’s almost no longer relevant. What I’d like to do is morph the column into something new but familiar. I’d like to do more columns like this. This. Or this. And this. But without all the Vs. attachments. Those were really fun to write; the dissection of classic stories, the poking of the fun, etc. Know what I mean? Of course, I’ll probably do a couple of Origin Stories about Marvel Evolution once that ships.

And so, to begin this new direction on the right foot, I present to you, my in depth and intellectually complex review of Brit #8. Enjoy.

It’s ideas like this that make me want to love this book, you know, if the main characters weren’t so gosh darn vacuous. Brown is a decent writer so I’m sure that if he struck out on his own, instead of caretaking a Kirkman invention, he’d come up with some really neat shit. Oh, well.

Should you be reading Brit? No. But if you’re looking for wacky Sci-Fi ideas and you can pretend the heroes are interesting, then it’s worth checking out every few months, you know, when the ashtray in your car is overflowing with pocket change.

Angel: After the Fall #12 (****1/2)

Sons of bitches. I just dropped the damned book, and these bastards go and come out with an issue that’s really good. Perhaps I should have seen this coming. I am staring at a Murphy’s Law poster while I write this, after all. For every issue that didn’t capitalize on the potential of the characters or plot, you get something like this where everything clicks and you’re reading an excellent instance of a comic book. Every question brought up in the first eleven issues of this book is answered. It all fits too. The entire series turns a huge corner, and we now have more of a sense of where we’re headed and why. Franted, the art is still not to my liking, and Wesley is very much in the role of Dr. Exposition during much of the issue. There’s a lot of story to cover here. Maybe there might have been better ways to go about disseminating the necessary information, but the device used works, and only the most impatient reader would grow tired of the amount of text. This issue very well might have renewed my faith in IDW’s handing of Angel, and I might have to keep getting it, as much as it bewilders me to say that.

Invincible Iron Man #5 (****)

The ending of this book is right out of the book of comic cliffhanger cliche. It’s one of those little moments that makes you love the medium. The rest of the book is no slouch too. Fraction obviously has a handle on Zeke Stane, considering he created the character, but his use of tony Stark has been excellent as well. This truly is Iron Man the hero, and it’s practically the only place you can really get that right now (though I surmise that things will change post Secret Invasion). Obviously, this book is perfect for those that are coming in to the Iron Man books from the movie; the first storyline is basically the generational sequel to the Iron Monger storyline that was covered in its own way in the film. It’s good stuff. Fraction can definitely navigate his way through the mix of political intrigue and terrorism that is the cornerstone of Zeke Stane’s attacks on Starktech. The art is still a bit of a sore point, as it’s tough to completely suspend disbelief when Stane’s face is modeled after Brian Michael Bendis. But Larocca does draw the armor and the action well, so I can roll with the punches.

Green Lantern Corps #28 (****)

I do love these issues so very much. Between the Ringquest arc and the current Eye of the Beholder issues, Pete Tomasi has been doing an excellent job keeping the momentum leading into Blackest Night strong while Johns is wasting his time on Secret Origin. I am a bit surprised that Tomasi wrapped up this story in two issues, and there’s a bit of compression here in order to allow for the book to reach its conclusion. I think we probably could have benefitted from one more issue in order to flesh out the main villain of the piece. He’s introduced and captured all in the span of one issue, which gives the impression that we’re basically dealing with fodder. Sick and sadistic fodder with a pretty big body count, but fodder nonetheless. Still, there are a lot of good quiet moments with the Lanterns, and it’s a good installment of my favorite DC ongoing.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer # 18 (**)

I’m liking this arc less and less as it goes on. I’m not really enjoying the future Fray universe; it’s quite possible though that this is because I haven’t read the original Fray story. Still, the future moments aren’t sticking. The little dialogue quirks grate on me from time to time, and nothing about the story grabs me in a significant way. It’s a bit scattershot. I’m also not too jazzed about the present day story line with Dawn and Xander. It’s alright, but this issue just felt ephemeral. This isn’t a bad book or anything; it’s just not good.

Eternals #4 (****)

Still digging this book, and that’s predominantly because of the Makkari story line. The backstory of the Eternals, Celestials and Deviants was a highlight of Gaiman’s mini, and while the branched dialogue of the Celestial can be silly/unnecessary (see what I did there?) at times, the story being told is the big show. The other story lines going on are also entertaining, but Makkari’s world building and mythos establishing travels create that sense of wonder that hearkens right back to Kirby. It’s just another testament to the quality of the middle tier Marvel books. You’ve got the flashy Avengers books and Amazing Spider-Man and the X books, but right under the surface are books like this, the cosmic suite, Incredible Hercules, The Twelve and so on. It’s the main reason why I love Marvel as much as I do. And the Eternals are wicked cool characters that are becomiung deeply established in the Marvel U. The Knaufs are doing well and Acuna’s art does the job and brings forth the otherworldly feel that the Eternals should have as citizens of Earth that are wholly separate from humans.

Punisher War Journal #23 (**)

So the Jigsaw arc is finally over. It never really felt right outside of the penultimate issue. I do like the idea of GW Bridge and his merry band of hottie assassins. Plus, the Lady Punisher set up was a nice one. But Punisher and Jigsaw didn’t ever sound right, and when your two main characters are off base, it’s going to be tough to make things work. Let’s hope they get everything sussed out in time for the Secret Invasion tie in. If it’s anywhere as good as the World War Hulk issue, we could be in for a treat.

All Star Batman and Robin #10 (**1/2)

I have a lot to say about this, but I’ll try to keep it brief. Remember when I talked about the altered cover in my Action Comics #869 review? Probably the reason for the change was because it came out in the same week as this fiasco. This is a Batman comic that contains numerous F bombs and C words. Here are some of the actual words and enjoy this original page as well. Did I mention that these words and actions come from a 15 year old girl? Miley Cyrus eat your heart out! I think this is more proof that Frank Miller is not writing a Batman comic. This should be an Avatar book. I think people would accept it more. I feel bad for Jim Lee. He has to draw kids groping testicles now?  Jim Lee should be on a different Batman book and Frank Miller should write some indie books. Despite all of this nonsense, I’ve actually enjoyed most of this series. The stories are absurdly fun and Lee’s art looks gorgeous! Speaking of pretty art, isn’t that Frank Quietly cover cool? This issue still looks marvelous, but I can’t say I enjoyed Miller’s writing. This is packed with horrible noir monologues. Analogies, similes, and metaphors used to sound hardcore. Ugh! This issue took so long to read and yet the plot barely moved forward. Lee produces pure beauty and Miller’s writing isn’t completely horrible, but this was disappointing and some shame should go to DC for the editorial misstep as well.

War Heroes #2 (***1/2)

How many of you were pissed when you heard that a Kick-Ass movie will be released only a few months after the comic series ends? Well, Mark “Sellout” Millar does it again! It seems War Heroes will be a movie too. At least they waited until issue #2 came out right? Ok, let’s talk about this issue. What does this have to do with censorship? It contains full-frontal male nudity of course. I know Mark Millar likes to shock people, but this is too much. I remember reading that Millar was going to put anal sex and cumshots in Wanted, but J.G. Jones talked him out of it. I guess Tony Harris couldn’t do the same. A friend of mine who has a nine year old daughter flipped out when he saw this issue on the shelves for kids to see. I’ve also heard on the “Internets” about some trouble that shop owners are having. Do comic distributors deserve blame? I don’t think so, but that’s me. Anyway, Tony Harris is the star of this series. I think Millar knows that too. This is your basic boot camp issue only with superpowers. Instead of putting weapons together they construct planes, instead of lifting weights they lift tanks and so on. This issue is fun and there are some shocks, like the aforementioned penis, but the story isn’t anything spectacular yet. If you’re a fan of Millar’s writing and especially if you like Harris’ art, you should give this book a try.

This inspired my title. Isn’t it awesome? Joe Linsner rocks!

Crappy weather all over the Northeastern seaboard this weekend. It’s time to do some MAJOR catching up.

The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California (*****)

This is the best story to come out of the new Iron Fist mythos. It should be noted that I’m including the main Iron Fist series in that statement, which means that this book actually manages to outshine Fraction and Brubaker’s work on the character and the title. I never thought I’d find myself in a position to make a statement like that. But that’s how good this one shot is. Swierczynski takes the Orson Randall character and puts him exactly where he should be; a hot blooded noir tinged Hollywood at the end of the 1920’s. He proceeds to spin a yarn that effortlessly combines the Eastern sensibilities of the Iron Fist with the American culture of the early twentieth century. It’s a detective story in the good noir tradition, complete with everything kicked off by the voluptuous and mysterious woman coming out of nowhere to present her problems to the protagonist, who in turn can’t keep her our of his mind while he tries to focus on the task at hand. Of course, she’s not who she originally claims to be, and thus the mystery unfolds. Sure, it’s procedure, but things become procedure because they work. Which is not to say Swierczynski simply follows a script here and plays by the rules. Something as simple as naming the female lead Galatea (who is of course the name of the woman statue from the Greek Pygmallion myth) starts to pique the interest of the mind.

The most important part of any noirish book is the narration. It’s the only entrance you have into the story and the main character. The window into his thoughts. Duane is more than capable here, and his narrative captions move the story along swimmingly. The story itself twists and turns upon itself over and over as new details come to light and more characters enter the picture. You’ve also got that inevitable moment where the detective proves he’s a badass, which in this story is represented by Orson having a meeting with a film executive and using some pistachio shells to his advantage. Did we need to know Orson Randall is a badass? Not really; he is an Iron Fist after all, and the work done in the first arc of Immortal Iron Fist as well as the Fraction penned Green Mist of Death one shot certainly established the level of badassery at play when Orson Randall is around. In this case, however, Duane is specifically making sure that this book is perfectly accessible to anyone that might deign to pick it up. Truly, there’s not a whole lot of actual Iron Fist talk until later in the book, and Orson very rarely appears with his cowl early on. This is simply an awesome noir story that anyone can read. I gave it to one of my roommates that is a big noir fan, and while he may not have gotten as much out of it as those of us with a larger information base about the Iron Fist mythology, he still loved it.

The art is also excellent here, and the work of Giuseppe Camuncoli is very different than what we’ve become used to in the various and sundry Iron Fist books since the relaunch. It also follows the standard approach of using different art for different eras. With this being a standalone one shot, things work despite the different art style than what your average Iron Fist fan would be expecting. It more than gets the job done, and there are some beautiful sequences that show a strong grasp of sequential art. It enhances the story without being garish or jarring, and both halves of the book work in a wonderfully symbiotic fashion, which is exactly what you want from a comic.

This is a gorgeous book, and probably the best Marvel one shot I’ve ever read. If not for the mad power of Casanova #14, this book would be a strong candidate for my favorite single issue of the year. It’s super accessible, wonderfully written and wonderfully drawn. It is completely worth the four dollar cover price (which I did pay in full, as I managed to forget to order it from DCBS). EVERYONE should pick this book up, if not only to enjoy the story but to see a taste of what Duane Swierczynski is doing with Iron Fist post Fraction and Brubaker

Fables #76 (***)

MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE FABLES SERIES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Still with me? Cool.

This kind of issue was probably necessary after the conclusion of War & Pieces. You had to have the moments that deal with Gepetto and his attempts to reacclimate himself with polite society after signing the Fabletown charter at the end of issue 75. And considering the art demands that faced Mark Buckingham during War & Pieces, it was as good of a time as any to spell him with pinch hitter Mike Allred. It’s also always been the case that the non-Buckingham issues have never been heavy on story progression. So we have a breath catching interlude to take care of things. This issue does not answer the question of “where is this series headed?” after the huge shake up of the Adversary being captured and brought into Fabletown, but that’s not something that had to be answered immediately. You have what is pretty much expected. Pinocchio and Beast take Gepetto out for a tour of the town, and the inhabitants of Fabletown aren’t exactly pleased with their newest resident. He is spit on, denied food, and generally reviled. No shock there. The only problem with this is the fact that it’s basically an auto pilot issue. Willingham doesn’t do anyhting big or spectacular, nor does he do a lot of character building that we haven’t seen before. The art is capable enough; this isn’t Mike Allred’s first go around in the Fables universe. It’s certainly a different style from Buckingham, and the only part of it that’s really jarring is Allred’s rendition of Pinocchio, which is completely different from Buckingham, even down to hair color. Even still, that’s not the kind of thing that’s going to ruin a book. All told, it’s an adequate installment of Fables. It’s not reaching for the stars and it’s not slumming. It’s just there.

Hello all,

I just recently got back from an Orlando vacation and I have a stack of comics to read and review/rant about.  On a side note, I finally got to visit Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park.  If you’re a Marvel fan and you’ve never been down to IoA, you owe it to yourself to plan a trip.  The Marvel Superheroes island is a lot of fun and the Spider-Man ride is one of the coolest attractions anywhere.  Anyway, on to the comics:

Action Comics #869 - The cover to this issue is misleading.  These events do not take place in the comic, nor does anything remotely resembling these events take place.  Instead, we get a whole lot of awesomeness.  Seriously, the Brainiac arc is one for the ages.  Do not miss it!

Batman and the Outsiders #11 - No one knows where Batman is.  I just saved you $2.99.  Not much else happens in this fill-in issue.  The team wonders if they should carry one without Batman which is ridiculous given that this is only issue 11 in a series that follows a very long run of the Outsiders without Batman.  If the team made it for years without him, why on earth would they consider disbanding when Batman goes missing?  This is just padding while Batman RIP plays out.

Birds of Prey #122 - I keep reading this book hoping for a return to glory.  If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, I must be crazy.  This book is going to remain a mediocre, run-of-the-mill super hero cliche-fest as long as Bedard is writing it.  And the art is equally dull (I did like the cover though).

Captain America #42 -  Hey look!  A Marvel book!  The epic Death of Captain America story wraps up here.  The payoffs we’ve been waiting for come fast and furious.  And of course there are multiple epilogues setting the stage for the next chapter in Brubaker’s run.  An issue like this could have easily disappointed.  But Bru and Steve Epting deliver a satisfying conclusion.

Daredevil #111 - Another Marvel book?  What the heck?  I haven’t checked in on Daredevil in a while.  This issue seemed as good a time as any as it kicks off the Lady Bullseye story.  So, I came back and I’m glad I did.  In the past, I’ve enjoyed Brubaker’s run on Daredevil but sometimes got frustrated with the pace.  Not so on this issue.  I’ll definitely stay on board to see where this story goes.

Deadpool #2 - For a DC guy, I’m turning into a regular Marvel zombie here…  I hadn’t planned on picking up this issue.  I thought the first issue was a mixed bag.  And I’m pretty sick of Skrulls these days.  But on a lark, I gave issue 2 a try and I’m glad I did.  It was a very entertaining read.  I laughed out loud a few times.  (”The more pouches the better, right Rob?”

DCU: Decisions #1 - I was definitely skeptical about the concept of this mini-series.  I’m still skeptical.  But, the first issue wasn’t the train wreck I was expecting.  Still, is anyone really interested in the political leanings of the JLA?  If you are, you’ll probably enjoy a lot of this.  If not, the entire mini-series is skippable.  For now, I’ll call it surprisingly not horrible.

Flash #244 - Alan Burnett starts what could be the last Wally West story in his own title.  The name of the story arc is certainly ominous.  “This Was Your Life Wally West” has a certain ring of finality to it.  I actually enjoyed the family dynamics in this book for the first time since they were introduced by Mark Waid.  There’s an interesting story involving the fluctuation of Wally’s powers.  Unfortunately, it’s all brought down a little by the villain, a generic bee-guy.  Still, this book hasn’t been readable in a long while.  So, I’ll take what I can get!

Reign in Hell #3 - The cover says it all.  It’s the fight you’ve been waiting for, Etrigan vs. Blue Devil.  What?  You haven’t been waiting for Etrigan to throw down with Blue Devil?  Okay, we’re not dealing with DC’s A-list here.  But I have been enjoying Giffen’s interesting twist on Hell.  He steers clear of the usual Dante’s Inferno imagery and presents a more traditional war story told in an unusual setting.

Robin #178 - Now this is how you do a Batman RIP tie-in!  The issue offers an interesting look at what Robin’s world would be like if Batman really did go missing (unlike the predictable and repetitive Batman and the Outsiders).  The plot threads Nicieza has been building finally start to come together.  Good reading!

Superman #680 - Wow.  James Robinson really loves Krypto!  Still, I have to admit it was pretty cool.  My dog would have been asking Atlas to rub her belly.

Teen Titans #63 - I was one of the many people who thought last issue’s violent and senseless death was a travesty of bad story telling.  (For the curious, Marvin died but Wendy survived and is currently in a soap opera-style coma.)  This issue had no where to go but up.  Still, more than half of the issue was dedicated to rehabilitating Bombshell.  Talk about a wasted effort!  This issue is better than last issue.  But it’s still bad.

Titans #5<