Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #3 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Sara Pichelli

Colours: Justin Ponsor

Lettering: VC’s Cory Petit

Cover: Kaare Andrews

 

The slow yet enthralling introduction to Miles and his world continues in this issue of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man. I have really enjoyed this series so far and this issue does not let me down.

The only downside so far in this series for me has been the cover art, as mentioned in my last review I am not a fan of this ultra-realistic depiction of Spider-Man that Kaare Andrews draws and so again this issues cover is a let-down. I do however like the massive moon behind Spider-Man and the glittering city lights below him. I also think that Spider-Man’s pose on this cover is a slightly uncomfortable one, knowing that he is only 13 years old.

The plot of this issue is as good as the two issues before it. It again deals with Miles not wanting these powers that he has received but knowing that he could do a lot of good with them. We receive our first glimpse of Miles doing a heroic rescue in this issue and it is interesting that he does this in full view of everyone. Evidently at such as early point in his development as a superhero he is not thinking about needing a secret identity, but simply knows he can save those that are trapped and goes and does it. I really liked that in this issue the series has begun to tie into the end of Peter’s time as Spider-Man, right at the end of the issue we are told that there has been a superhero battle on a bridge and that there are unconfirmed reports that Spider-Man has been shot. The shock on Miles’s face when he is told this news is brilliant, it is evidently going to affect him more than those around him because he is considering not using his powers as there already is a Spider-Man, and so with Peter’s death Miles is going to have one less reason not to take up his mantle.

The interior art in this issue was again fantastic; Pichelli continues to draw the world of Miles so uniquely and vividly.  I think that my favourite panel of the entire issue was when Miles was having a nightmare that he was attacked and electrocuted by a villain. The bolts of electric shooting around the panel were amazing.

Ultimately this issue continues the excellent introduction that Bendis and his team are creating and I look forward to issue #4.

Issue Rating: 9/10

Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #2 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Sara Pichelli

Colours: Justin Ponsor

Cover: Kaare Andrews

Top Ten Best Comics of 2010

I’m actually getting this thing out on time? It’s a Kwanzaa miracle! This is my list for the top ten stories of 2010! Woo hoo! Now, before we get to all the fun of me voicing my opinions and you disagreeing with them, I have to get a few rules out of the way.

1. These are the top ten stories/arcs/whatever. Not comic in general, not trade, but best stories (What can I say, I’m trying to be somewhat unique).

2. These are stories that ended in 2010. They could begin at any time, but as long as they concluded in 2010, they’re eligible.

3. I tried to keep the list as diverse and reader-friendly as possible. I love certain writers, but it would be boring if it was three Morrison books, two Ennis books, etc. So, a writer/artist will only appear once on the list. I tried to spread the love evenly. You will see Marvel, DC, and even Indies on this list.

Wow, with all those rules, how did I come up with a great top ten? Well, I hope I did. Anyway, let’s begin the fun!

Review: The Amazing Spider-man #644

Marvel Mini-Reviews

3 bite-sized reviews of Marvel books.  Try one.  They are wafer-thin.

Review: Amazing Spider-man 642

All I have to say about ASM 641 is this: “Was that really necessary?”  Oy vey!  It made my head hurt!

Fortunately, that mess is all wrapped up in a tidy package (with a flip of the bird to most Peter/MJ fans out there) and we are all told to move on.  Which is a good idea.  Because ASM 642 is a vastly superior comic book.

Tiny Rant on Amazing Spider-man 641

New Comics 05/19/2010

I’ve let this slip the last few weeks.  From Mother’s Day through birthday parties with various soccer games, dance recitals and gymnastics classes in between (for my daughter, not myself) I’ve been even more behind than usual in comic reading this month. 

As a result, I’m going to shake things up just a little.  Pi has started doing a similar weekly feature over at his excellent “whatever” blog.  He’s improved on my original formula, so I’m going to take inspiration back from him and concentrate more on the books I’m actually going to read (or avoid) rather than attempt to comment on everything knowing I’ll only ever get to a few of the books on the list.

In other words, expect a lot of DC and not a lot of Marvel books.  But if you want similar material for Marvel, give Pi’s list a look.  He’s like my Marvel doppleganger.

New Comics for 03/10/2010

I’m trying something new today.  I’m going to post a list of the major new releases that are scheduled for today with comments where appropriate.

Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1

Writing: Bendis continues his Ultimate Spider-Man work, with a six month jump after Ultimatum. Peter has a job, and is romantically involved with Gwen Stacy. A new mysterious figure, who looks like the Hood, shows up, and appears to be a hero. These events are all well and good, but the narrative barely progresses. Bendis is more comfortable spending four pages on an old lady upset about French fries.

Art: Lafuente’s art is already the subject of much controversy, being criticized for looking “too cartoony.” I’ll admit, it’s not to my liking. It’s the kind of art that can’t properly delve into the realm of maturity. That doesn’t seem to be Bendis’ objective anyway, so, for what it’s a part of, Lafuente’s art gets the job done. Hopefully, over time, his comedic skills will improve, as his work doesn’t have the humor it should.

Final Word: Bendis’ writing has upset me lately, and this is no exception. It’s just not for me. He spends so much time on such insignificant details. That’d be fine, I suppose, but it’s not even that amusing. I wonder if this series will be as popular. With a worse artist, and a pretty good weekly Spidey series to compete with, why bother?

Grade: D+

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Amazing Spider-man 601

At best, I’m a casual Spider-man fan.  I gave up on the book after One More Day.  It’s not that I was particularlyupset about the changes that were made.  It’s just that I was sick of bad Spider-man stories.  Say what you will about OMD, at the end of the day it was just that.

I had heard that the stories that followed OMD were better.  Honestly, they would have to be.  I contemplated picking the book up and giving it a look.  But nothing really grabbed me.  I just couldn’t must the interest to give Spidey another try.

That changed recently when out of the blue I picked up an issue of Joe Kelley’s American Son story.  Honestly, I was surprised how much I liked it and I decided to stick around for a while.

As it turns out, MJ and I have more in common than model good looks.  Because she has decided to come back into Spider-man’s life at roughly the same time.  Much like Peter, I had mixed feelings about the prospect of the reunion.

There’s a reason Marvel decided to split up Peter and MJ.  Marvel thought they could tell better stories with a single Peter Parker than they could with a married one.  And, well, they were not wrong.

With MJ back, there’s one of two ways the story can go.  Either true love conquers all and we’re on the road back to where we first began.  Or, Peter and MJ begin the Clark and Lana make-up/break-up cycle from Smallville.  Which, let’s face it, is what Marvel resorted to when they were married.  I wasn’t really looking forward to reading either story.

But I was getting ahead of myself.  It turns out Mark Waid delivered a story that takes full advantage of Peter’s new single status.  After encountering MJ at Aunt May’s wedding, Peter proceeded to get rip-roaring drunk.  The “Parker luck” and hilarity ensue.

The story is light, breezy and kind of inconsequential.  But I found myself really enjoying Waid’s take on Peter.  Like Joe Kelley, Waid has a really good sense of Peter’s voice.  And he is good with a quip too.

Unfortunately, the art just didn’t work for me.  Mario Alberti’s faces looked ugly and distorted.  I can’t help but think the story would have been better served by an artist who was better able to convey the characters’ emotional states.

The issue also includes a short back-up feature by Bendis and Quesada.  It’s more of a Jessica Jones story than a Spidey story.  It neither added nor detracted from the issue and I mention it only for completeness.

read/RANT

Review: Amazing Spider-Man #597

Before I dig into this issue, let me give you a few disclaimers.  I’m a DC guy.  I’ve all but abandoned Marvel.  For a while, I was following the big events.  But Secret Invasion left a really foul taste in my mouth.  The first issue of Dark Reignmore or less chased me out of the Marvel Universe.

Back when I was reading more Marvel, I casually read Spider-man.  I liked a lot of JMS’ run, but the last few years were pretty bad.  From “The Other” on, it seemed like the Spider-books were constantly being derailed by cross-overs and events.  “One More Day” was as bad as everyone says it is.  And while I liked the first issue of “Brand New Day” it wasn’t enough to keep me coming back for more.

So, on a whim, I picked up this issue.  It’s in the middle of the story and I have very little background info on Peter’s current status quo or these Dark Avengers guys.  But you know what?  I liked it.  I liked it a lot.

Way back in the day, I was a big fan of Joe Kelly.  His run on Deadpool still holds up.  But gradually, he got into more experimental story-telling.  And eventually, he just lost me.  His run on Supergirl was horrendous.  But I was pleasantly surprised to see the Joe Kelly of old on this book.  Kelly’s always been good with the one-liners.  And that makes him a perfect match for Spider-man.

The story itself is a pretty simple one.  Peter poses as Venom to try to infiltrate the Dark Avengers.  It’s a pretty stupid plan as is pointed out repeatedly.  It doesn’t take long for Peter to be discovered.  And the only one who can save him is Harry Osborne.  But where do Harry’s loyalties lie?

I’m impressed that someone with as little background information as I have can jump into the story mid-way and pick up everything I needed to know.  It was a simple story engagingly told and I’m looking forward to the next chapter.

Could this be the start of something?

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man #133

Oh, lord. I do love this series. I really do, but man, the last few issues have not been the best, and it all, unfortunately, culminates in this terrible issue. Ok, it’s not really terrible, but it’s frustrating.

“This is a SILENT issue.”

That’s on this book’s first page, as if it’s to save Marvel’s ass when the fans try to get their money back for a wordless, four-dollar issue. Yeah. Four dollars. Regular length. Wordless. Kind of pisses you off, huh?

Having said all that, this issue isn’t a train wreck, thanks to the talent of Stuart Immonen. I’ve never been his biggest supporter on this book. Yes, I liked Bagley. No, I don’t think Immonen is a bad artist. In fact, his work on Nextwave was exceptional. Anyway, even fans who didn’t appreciate Immonen’s art on this book can marvel at this issue’s beauty. Immonen does a stellar job, and he was indeed a fine replacement for Mark Bagley.

So, this was a decent issue. It’s not bad, but damn it, why pay four dollars for a wordless comic, when you could pay three dollars for a well-written comic with gorgeous art?

Grade: C-

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man #132

This is the part where most reviewers would whine about how mean, old Jeph Loeb is making this comic late with his poopy-pants Ultimatum. Well, I’m not most reviewers. I’m better, and more humble. Actually, why was this comic delayed? It doesn’t really spoil anything from Ultimatum #3. It’s just kind of doing its own thing. And we already knew that the Dark Dimension was spilling into the Ultimate U from the last issue, and Fantastic Four if I remember correctly. Anyway, this book was very late.

Did the wait pay off? Not really. Like all of the Ultimatum issues of USM, this issue only inches forward the plot. What makes up the bulk of this comic? Splash pages! Immonen showing off! I like Immonen, loved his Nextwave art, actually, but he’s not really the guy who provides glorious splash-pages, except in Nextwave. Go read Nextwave! The other ingredient mixed in, is traditional Bendis Spider-Man. All hell has broken loose, and Spidey is in the middle of it. That’s new, right?

Sorry, this was a good issue, but just barely. There were a few moments that made me smile, and I think the best moment, both in writing and art, is the creative reimagining of the opening pages of Amazing Fantasy #15. We also get a little more background on Ultimate Dr. Strange, which, if he lives, is kind of interesting. This isn’t any sort of jumping-on point, and if you’re already a USM fan, you’ll be happy. But for those who are reading this just because it’s an Ultimatum tie-in: This series does have better to offer. Go read the first trade. This series can be a lot of fun.

Oh, and that cover is awesome. That event kind of occurs in the issue, but it’s brief, and it felt a bit forced.

Grade: C+

For more comic goodness, go here.

July 2009 Solicitations

Wow! This July will apparently be the best month for comics ever! Check it out!

REBORN #1 (of 5)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by BRYAN HITCH
50/50 Covers by BRYAN HITCH & ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Solicit to be revealed soon
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Is Steve Rogers coming back? That seems too obvious, but then again, Marvel and DC aren’t usually subtle about these things.

UNCANNY X-MEN #513
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils & Cover by TERRY DODSON
Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
“UTOPIA: CHAPTER 2”
WHO ARE THE DARK X-MEN? He has his own Avengers team and now Norman Osborn has his own X-Men team. The other shoe has finally dropped and Emma Frost has betrayed Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. And that’s just one of the huge surprises in “UTOPIA”.  Is that Namor? Cloak and Dagger? Professor X?!  The thing that you aren’t ready for is that Osborn is right.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DARK AVENGERS #7
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
“UTOPIA: Chapter 3″
The DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN crossover continues!
San Francisco teeters on the brink of absolute chaos and the X-Men keep getting in the way of Norman’s vision of law and order.  So Norman takes his game to the next level: who are the DARK X-MEN?  And will Norman’s Avengers play nice with Norman’s X-Men?  Here’s a hint: no.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Ok, so it may not be the most exciting Marvel summer event, but it is the first crossover helmed by Matt Fraction, one of my favorite writers. And it appears that the whole thing will be written by Matt Fraction himself. No Bendis here!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #601
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils and Cover by GENE COLAN
70th Anniversary Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
*Black & White Variant Also Available!
A special double-sized issue featuring art by the legendary Gene Colan! Bucky and Nick Fury uncover a lost tale from Cap and Bucky’s days in WW2 – a tale of horror and war and brothers-in-arms.
48 PGS./Rated A …$3.99

Again, not a big event, but Gentleman Gene Colan returns! That’s cool, right? And, though the book does cost 3.99, it’s double-sized. So, that’s also cool, right?

 

INCREDIBLE HULK #600
Written by JEPH LOEB
Penciled by ED MCGUINNESS
Cover by ALEX ROSS
50/50 Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Variant Cover by TIM SALE
WHO IS THE RED HULK?! 
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS GOING TO TRY AND FIND OUT! 
GREEN HULK!  RED HULK!  SPIDEY!  SECRETS REVEALED!
A STORY SO BIG IT CAN BARELY BE CONTAINED IN THE INCREDIBLE 600TH ISSUE OF HULK!  ALL THIS AND A STARTLING SURPRISE ENDING TO TOP ALL THE OTHER SHOCKING SURPRISES THIS HULK BOOK IS KNOWN FOR!
The chart-topping team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness bring you a 600th-issue celebration guest starring your friendly Neighborhood Web-Head as the original Incredible series returns!  Plus, back-up story by Fred Van Lente featuring the Savage She-Hulk! And representing the first issue of the Loeb/Sale HULK: GRAY series,
104 PGS./38 All-New Pages & Reprints/Rated A …$4.99

Will we actually find out who Rulk is? I’m guessing it’s this dude.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600
Written by DAN SLOTT, STAN LEE & THE REST OF SPIDEY’S WEB-HEADS
Pencils by JOHN ROMITA JR., MARCOS MARTIN, MARIO ALBERTI & MORE!
50/50 Wraparound Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
50/50 Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
Wraparound Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
The greatest Marvel super hero of all celebrates his 600th issue with the biggest all-original issue of Amazing Spider-Man EVER! This one’s got it all! The return of Doctor Octopus, Daredevil, a wedding you never predicted, and the return of one of the most important people in Peter Parker’s life in a giant-sized lead story by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr.  Doc’s back in town, but it’s only a prelude to darker days ahead as Spidey unknowingly prepares for a gauntlet he can’t even see coming.
On top of all that, witness the return of one of Spider-man’s creators, Smilin’ Stan Lee (along with Masticatin’ Marcos Martin) as he presents a story of unbridled passion, drama and angst as Spidey reflects over his many, many years of adventures.
But that ain’t all…as the rest of the Spidey Web-Heads bring you several short features showcasing some rarely explored aspects of both Spidey and Pete’s life, drawn by some of the greatest artists in comics. Plus, several other surprises and NO REPRINTS! 104 pages of goodness brought to you by some of the best creators that have ever worked on Spidey!
104 PGS./All-New/Rated A …$4.99

Yes, Marvel renumbers to get your money.

ULTIMATUM #5 (of 5)
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Sketch Variant by ED MCGUINNESS
Gatefold Variant by DAVID FINCH
Fallen Heroes Variant by OLIVIER COIPEL
Is this what the end of the world looks like? You better believe it!!

As only Emmy & Eisner award-winning writer Jeph Loeb and superstar artist David Finch can deliver, it’s an apocalyptic conclusion where every, and we mean EVERY, score is settled! The Ultimate heroes have faced their final judgment…and when the dust settles will they be found wanting? If you can handle the growing body count, stick around as ALL is answered in this explosive series finale that will shock fans for years to come!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Yes, it was solicited back in May. Yes, a lot of people hate it. But it is a big event. Will it finally conclude?

BLACKEST NIGHT #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Variant cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis raise the dead in the most anticipated comics story of the year! Throughout the decades, death has plagued the DC Universe and taken the lives of heroes and villains alike. But to what end? As the War of Light rages on, the prophecy of the Blackest Night descends upon us, with Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps at the center of it all.
Don’t miss this 8-issue epic taking the DCU beyond the grave!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with three covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver). For every 250 copies of the Standard Edition, retailers may order one copy of the Sketch Variant Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 15 • 1 of 8 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Really, it’s the biggest event of this summer. My only problem so far is that Arthur Curry appears to be among the dead. But he came back in Final Crisis, damn it!

 

 

GREEN LANTERN #43
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy
Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari
The official prologue to BLACKEST NIGHT starts here as the first Black Lantern is born! Black Hand has been an enemy of Hal Jordan since Hal’s early days as a Green Lantern. But even Black Hand is unaware of the true power he holds that will connect him to the Blackest Night! Discover this villain’s connection to death and the Black Lantern Corps!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Rodolfo Migliari). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

GREEN LANTERN #44
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy
Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari
“Blackest Night” continues! As Hal Jordan and Barry Allen investigate a bizarre crime in Gotham City, they come face to face with one of their oldest allies – J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter! But their old friend is not there for reunions; he’s come for much more. Meanwhile, Sinestro seeks to rebuild his army and take his revenge on the being who would usurp it – Mongul!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Rodolfo Migliari). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Doug Mahnke, one of my favorite artists, has found a home at Green Lantern, one of my favorite comics!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely
Variant cover by Andy Kubert
“Batman Reborn” continues with the reteaming of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, WE3, New X-Men)! In a blazing Gotham City police department, the new Batman and Robin face the bizarre, fighting freakshow that is the Circus of Strange and find that they don’t make as good a team as Batman had hoped! Meanwhile, the mysterious Sasha escapes from Professor Pyg and vows vengeance on the people who killed her father.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Frank Quitely), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Andy Kubert). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Yeah, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely are just about the best creative team in comics. This will be AWESOME!

DETECTIVE COMICS #855
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by JH Williams III; co-feature art by Cully Hamner
Cover by JH Williams III
“Elegy” part 2 of 4 by Greg Rucka and JH Williams III! Batwoman captures her enemy, a madwoman known only as Alice who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable extras – including Kate! But when the tables are turned, Batwoman finds herself in a hallucination slamming the present into a collision with the past, and the hints of a threat that will claim the lives of every man, woman and child in Gotham City.
And in the all-new co-feature starring the Question, Montoya’s quest to find a missing young girl turns deadly.
On sale July 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Greg Rucka+Batwoman+Renee Montoya+JH Williams III+Dave Stewart+Cully Hammer=BUY THIS BOOK!

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #4
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and covers by Ethan Van Sciver
Barry Allen left a legacy that thrived after his death. Now his return threatens it all. What secrets does Barry hold inside him about the fate of the Flash Family? What destiny awaits Wally and his twins? What murderous force targets Bart Allen? And what does it truly mean to be a speedster?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 22 • 4 of 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I wasn’t too impressed with the first issue, but this is probably the best Sciver has ever looked. And hey, I do love Barry Allen.

WEDNESDAY COMICS #1-4
In July, DC Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition with WEDNESDAY COMICS, a new, weekly 12-issue series by some of the greatest names in comics today!
WEDNESDAY COMICS is unique in modern comics history: Reinventing the classic weekly newspaper comics section, it is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a sprawling 28” x 20” tabloid-sized reading experience bursting with mind-blowing color, action and excitement, with each feature on its own 14” x 20” page.
Spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER and SOLO, each page of WEDNESDAY COMICS spotlights the continuing adventures of DC heroes, including:

• BATMAN, WEDNESDAY COMICS’ weekly cover feature, by the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso
• ADAM STRANGE, by writer/artist Paul Pope (BATMAN: YEAR 100)
• METAMORPHO, written by New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman with art by Eisner Award-winner Michael Allred (Madman)
• THE DEMON AND CATWOMAN, written by Walter Simonson (Thor, MANHUNTER) with art by famed DC cover artist Brian Stelfreeze
• DEADMAN, written by Dave Bullock and Vinton Heuck, art by Dave Bullock
• KAMANDI, written by Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) with art by Ryan Sook (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL)
• SUPERMAN, written by John Arcudi (The Mask) with art by Lee Bermejo (JOKER)
• WONDER WOMAN, written and illustrated by Ben Caldwell (Dare Detectives)
• GREEN LANTERN, written by Kurt Busiek (TRINITY, ASTRO CITY) with art by Joe Quiñones (TEEN TITANS GO!)
• TEEN TITANS, written by Eddie Berganza with art by Sean Galloway
• SUPERGIRL, written by Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) with art by Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL)
• HAWKMAN, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN, Special Forces)
• SGT. ROCK, written by Adam Kubert (SUPERMAN: LAST SON), ilustrated by legendary comics artist Joe Kubert
• THE FLASH, written by Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE, THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE) and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl
• METAL MEN, written by Dan DiDio with art by Ian Churchill (SUPERGIRL)

WEDNESDAY COMICS will arrive in stores folded twice to 7” x 10”, with the first issue set to reach stores on July 8.
Issue #1 on sale July 8; Issue #2 on sale July 15; Issue #3 on sale July 22; Issue #4 on sale July 29 • 1-4 of 12 • 7” x 10”, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US

This is original, and it feature’s some of the medium’s top creators. It’s fantastic!

So, comics in July will kick ass! From Marvel: The likely return of Steve Rogers, a Dark Avengers/X-Men crossover, the end of Ultimatum, and renumbering up the ass. From DC: Wednesday Comics, Flash: Rebirth, Blackest Night, and some phenomenal Batman books. Will DC finally beat Marvel this year? Or at least in July? Maybe?

Bruce Castle Presents: Bendis vs. Loeb – Spoilers!

New Avengers #48 (***1/2)

Ok, so if you’ve read my other reviews you’ll know that I didn’t like Secret Invasion. I disliked the New Avengers issues during that time and I liked that recent Dark Reign one-shot even less. But this issue was good. First off, Billy Tan has drastically improved, He’s soared above mediocrity and he assures you that he’s worthy of being featured in Marvel’s flagship title. The objective of this issue should have been to establish the new team, wrap up all the SI nonsense, present an intriguing future for our heroes and possibly a twist or two. Bendis accomplishes all of that, mostly. Yes there’s another damn Skrull (Can that be the last time I type that word please?) and I’m still not sure about my enthusiasm towards this book, but this issue was satisfying enough. Bendis uses “Talky Room” again (Description of that here) and he introduces his new team in a fun way. The new lineup is the five dudes on the cover (Big surprise) plus her, her, her and her. Jaw-dropping? No, it’s pretty much who’d you expect. And the big twist in this issue? Luke Cage sells out to you-know-who. So, it was a good issue, but will I stick around post-4 bucks? I don’t know.

Ultimate Spider-Man #129 (****)

This issue was great. It was an Ultimatum tie-in that was better than the main mini this week. But what did this have to do with Ultimatum? Business seems normal. There’s a bit of a big event in here though. It concludes with the cops with May wanting to talk about her relation to Spider-Man. That’s cool, but Ultimatum related? I don’t think so. Then again, Bendis did say that Spider-Man may not be Peter Parker after Ultimatum. Jessica Drew returns! The clone one not the Skrull (Damn it! Again!) one. Bendis loves him some Jessica Drew. Human Torch makes an appearance as well. The highlight of this issue of course is Bendis’ marvelous teenage dialogue. Well done again sir!

Ultimatum #2 (***1/2)

Say what you want about this book, but at least it delivers the goods. Well, it does in the death and WTF departments. The biggest problem here is the lack of emotional attachment. If you aren’t invested in these characters, you probably won’t care much. And if you do care, you may feel Loeb shows disrespect towards the beloved characters. The deaths in this issue? The Blob eats the wasp! Again, WTF! The last time I saw Blob (Other than possibly Ultimates 3. That series is a blur) was in Ultimate Spider-Man when it was revealed that he was Liz’s father. He was a sympathetic character, and now he’s chowing down on the Wasp and says “tastes like chicken”. Ok, that one I can’t explain, but I think I can with the next one. Magneto snaps Professor X’s neck! So that’s a WTF, but that makes sense in the Ultimate U. Magneto is much more evil there. He’s furious about the death of his children, but he’s also a vicious bastard. And remember, Prof did screw with Magneto’s mind earlier. So I kind of like this outcome. Both of them are willing to go to extreme lengths to fight each other. Oh there was one more death in this issue, but even I didn’t care much because it was Valkyrie. But we did get to see Ultimate Hela who’s an S&M nightmare (Must all the Ultimate Loeb characters be so “modern”). Thor went to Valhalla and Cap was there too?! Oh noes! Is Cap dead?! Oh and it was a bit annoying to see events I already know the outcome to because of those recent Fantastic Four issues. Why must Finch be so slow? Oh well, he did another great job here. But have the boobs on his women always been this BIG?

See? Was Finch always that…Cho? Anyway, Ultimatum continues to be a violent shocking cleansing of the Ultimate U. I just wish there was more substance to accompany all that flash.

Hulk #9 (****)

And speaking of Frank Cho, it’s his last issue of Hulk, for now. Reviewing this book is silly. Almost as silly as the book itself. You either love it or you hate it. And if you haven’t read it or even to those who hate it, this is basically a modern Stan Lee book. The comedy, the zany ideas, even the great art. It’s satirical people! Multiple Wendigos! Wendihulk! Sentry and Moon Knight talk about going to the same shrink! It’s a lot of big pretty dumb fun. Next issue? It’s Defenders vs. Offenders! Nuff said!

Review/Rant: Secret Invasion 8 (*Spoilers*)

A few disclaimers first.  One, I’m an unabashed DC fanboy.  I read the Marvel titles that interest me, but that doesn’t amount to much these days.  Two, I hate the skrulls.  I always have.  They bore the living crap out of me.  So, I approached Secret Invasion with trepidation from the start.  Three, I was at best a casual reader of Secret Invasion.  I read the main series and that was it (although I accidentally read a couple of tie-ins that I didn’t realize were tie-ins until after I bought them).

I wanted to get that out of the way because my perspective on Secret Invasion 8 is probably very different from the majority of comic book readers who followed at least a few of the many, many tie-ins.  Aside from a couple of issues of Deadpool, I am reacting solely to the contents of the main series.  Did it hold up on its own merit?

My answer is “no”.  Naturally, I’ll explain my reasoning.  But I figured I’d give you the verdict up front.  No reason to try to create a false sense of suspense…  (We’ve been subjected to enough of that in Secret Invasion and its many, many, many tie-ins.

Before I start detailing why Secret Invasion failed for me, let me talk about the ways in which it was a success.  First and foremost, Leinil Yu’s artwork was consistently amazing.  The series was worth reading just for the art.  The story, was an utter disappointment.  But the art was top notch from start to finish.

The one thing I will grant Bendis in terms of the story was that it was relatively accessible to a casual Marvel reader like myself.  That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment considering that the story was intended to tie up years of dangling plot threads and conspiracy theories.  For the most part, all of those issues were dealt with outside of the main series.

There’s a downside to this approach.  Frankly, there wasn’t much left to deal with in the main series.  Eight issues have come and gone and I’d be hard pressed to come up with more than three sentences to summarize what happened.  The Skrulls showed up.  They fought with the heroes and villains of earth.  They got their asses handed to them. 

It’s the same Skrull Invasion story we’ve all read 1,000 times before.  But for the one-thousand-and-first telling, Bendis has dragged it out for the better part of a year.  And this is after years and years of build-up.  And more tie-ins than I can count.  Folks, there were a lot of tie-ins.

I know I’m not being 100% fair to Secret Invasion here.  But seriously, without referencing a tie-in, can anyone explain any way in which this story was any different from the generic alien-invasion story that’s been done to death in comics for decades?

Issue 8 in particular is a let-down.  Here’s the thing that really pissed me off.  This is really Dark Reign #1 with a Secret Invasion epilogue at the beginning.  The ending of the years-in-the-making Secret Invasion story arc which has dragged on for hundreds of thousands of issues (I kid!) is wrapped up and shuffled off stage in a few pages.  With that unpleasantness out of the way, we start moving on to the next Big Marvel Event which will no doubt have at least as many tie-in issues as Secret Invasion.

So, let’s make with the spoilers already.  This being a Big Marvel Event, they need to kill of a character who doesn’t really sell comics on their own.  In Civil War, it was Goliath.  For Secret Invasion, we get an upgrade to a third stringer.  Wasp dies.  Did anyone out there really care?  I know, I didn’t.  (Partially because you just know they will bring her back eventually.)

Even though I did not care about Wasp’s demise, the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe cared a lot.  It’s kind of a major plot point.  Wasp’s death is apparently the inspiration the citizens of earth needed to fight back the alien invasion.

I dunno.  This just came across as really bogus to me.  Apparently, all the Avengers and the Fantastic Four really needed to defeat the Skrulls was the Eye of the Tiger?  It was kind of like Rocky III without the mohawks, gold chains and Thunderlips.

All kidding aside, shouldn’t most of these heroes have been pretty damn motivated to defeat the Skrulls several issues ago?  Reed’s family was kidnapped and he was tortured.  Why does he need Wasp’s death to get him off his elastic rear end? 

By this point in the story, the world has been at war.  And the humans all but lost.  Surely there had been casualties up to this point.  Innocent civilians lost.  For all the heroes knew, dozens of their friends and allies had been killed and replaced by Skrulls already.  (This turned out not to be the case, but the characters in the story didn’t know that at the time.) 

Why would Wasp’s death have been any more of a motivational factor than any of the others that came before?  Were the heroes really expecting to repel an alien invasion without casualties?  And wouldn’t most of the villains present have been at least a little relieved that there was one less Avenger in the world?

So, yeah, the one major plot point of the final battle with the Skrulls rang pretty false to this reader.  (Although everything Thor did was 100% awesome!)  The battle ended swiftly and was followed by a few pages of hurried wrap-up.  You could almost see Joe Q standing off to the side telling them to get off stage to make room for the next Big Marvel Event.

Oh, but there was one final cop-out to be had.  During the clean-up, the heroes open up a Skrull warship to find… all of the missing heroes.  Yep, all the characters you thought were killed and replaced by Skrulls were not dead afterall.  That’s a pretty big reset button!  Status quo for everyone!

The last half of the issue is dedicated to establishing the new status quo.  Pretty much the only thing that changed after years of build up and infinite tie-ins is that Norman Osborne is the new big man on Marvel’s campus.  As someone who came to loathe Tony Stark during Civil War, I have to admit that I enjoyed seeing karma kick his tin-plated ass.  But couldn’t they have waited until Secret Invasion was over before they started pimping Dark Reign?

Now, I’ll give them credit for this much… the premise of Dark Reign sounds pretty darn cool.  And the last page reveal of the bad guy equivalent of the Illuminati was pretty darn awesome.  Unlike Secret Invasion, I’m not turned off by the very premise of Dark Reign.  I may even pick up some of the ties-ins.  (I expect there will be a few to choose from.)

But Dark Reign aside, Secret Invasion was a real snooze.  After years of build up, an event of this size deserved a more satisfying and less rushed ending.

Bruce Castle Presents: Hulk Gives Spider-Man an Ultimatum!

Hulk #8 (****)

I have so much fun reading this comic. Art Adams and Frank Cho kill this book. And Loeb’s writing is exactly what it’s supposed to be, enjoyable. I still think this is his way of poking fun at what he dislikes about comics. So the Red Hulk is called Rulk right? And so many haters including a friend of mind say “So is green Hulk Grulk?” Check out the recap of this issue, “Mr. Fixit (Fulk? Grulk?)”. C’mon guys the silliness is intentional.

Ms. Marvel punches Fixit and takes out the power!

Pretty Lady, Sheet Face, and S-Man fight green Hulk!

But what about the Wendigos?

“The Lady Liberators. For when you absolutely, positively have to liberate the @#$% outta something.”

Abe on Mount Rushmore is collateral damage!

Tigra, Spider-Woman, Storm, Black Widow, Invisible Woman, and Hellcat join the party! Cho draws more pretty women! Oh yeah!

Ultimate Spider-Man #128 (****)

Ok, this was pretty cool. I still think this arc was a little weak, but it ended nicely. So this issue begins the way the first one in the arc did. Cool. Aunt May has a giant Dirty Harry gun?! Really? Aunt May also has heart problems. Do I smell an Ultimate One More Day? We get more video game nonsense. Which is what this arc was really about I guess. That’s a big part of what’s crappy about this arc. So I guess Gwen Stacy is “alive” again? And this issue ends the same as the first one in the arc, but with a big twist. Will this be in Ultimatum or just the Spider-Man tie-ins?

Ultimate X-Men #98 (****)

An Ultimatum tie-in! And a bunch of stuff happens! In one issue, William Stryker is introduced, reluctant about fighting mutants, and by the end he kills one. Am I the only one who’s disappointed when Ultimate characters are the exact same as their 616 counterparts? I guess Kurt and Allison did “die”? So Rogue is kind of evil now? Don’t do drugs kids. The identity of Ultimate Vindicator is revealed! Ultimate Juggernaut is alive and it’s no big deal? Wasn’t he last seen as dead in that annual or am I forgetting something? Sabretooth and Juggie are not in the best strip club in the world. Those girls aren’t even topless! Oh but it does give an excuse to see Rogue half naked. Vindicator is already the Guardian? I told you a lot happened in this issue. Oh and again, Mark Brooks draws really pretty pictures.

Bruce Castle Presents: Marvel’s Multiverse!

Ultimatum #1 (***1/2)

Jeph Loeb’s name is synonymous with good art. David Finch handles the art chores here and it’s nice to see him on interiors again. It’s even sweeter to see Finch return to the Ultimate U. But the art isn’t ever the problem in a Loeb comic is it? Well, maybe in that Liefield one. What? Liefield sucks. Anyway, I actually enjoyed this. It’s the set-up issue and that requires a big bang and it has to leave me wanting more. Ultimatum #1 accomplishes both of those. The characters are handled well, better than you might expect, and there are even a few deaths, maybe? It’s that maybe that bugs me a little. See, when I first read this issue I enjoyed it quite a bit, but after flipping through to write this review I had a few questions. That’s not a bad thing since this is the first issue, but one of these days I want to read a Loeb comic where everything is just spelled out. Oh well, at least this isn’t a murder mystery.

Invincible Iron Man #7 (****1/2)

Ah, the fun before the storm. Matt Fraction mentioned something about the next arc being a “Born Again” story. So naturally, this is the entertaining breather between arcs. But Fraction makes it more than that and proves once again why this book is so awesome. Spidey and Iron Man team up again! But this is a post-Civil War team up, are you interested yet? How about the fact that this issue references an old New Avengers story? With humorous results of course. You might also be pleased because Fraction doesn’t treat Tony like some kind of God like other titles do to their heroes. Iron Man is a flawed character. Anyway, the point is, though this appears to be an overdone concept, this issue is unique. Fraction continues to write the hell out of this book. 

Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse #2 (****)

It’s a little hard reviewing an adaptation of a book, especially since I haven’t read the book. I can say that if you have ever thought about reading Hamilton’s series, but either you don’t want to deal with all those words or you want to look at pretty pictures, you should give this book a shot. It’s an interesting take on the whole monster world (Vampires, zombies, ghouls, etc.) and it seems to be one of the more “girly” books that I read. Anita Blake is a badass chick that is actually a really interesting character. I’m not a Buffy fan so it’s possible that some of this stuff might feel familiar. On the other hand, if you like Buffy, it’s very possible that you’ll enjoy this. Lastly, I’ve always been a fan of Ron Lim’s art and he provides some fantastic visuals.

Bruce Castle Presents: Ultimatum Is Almost Here!

Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3 (*****)

This was the best issue of Ultimate Spider-Man in a long time. This series has been a bit disappointing lately with the new Venom arc, but this was a refreshing return to greatness. I’m sad that Mark Brooks wasn’t providing the art. I actually thought that Brooks would have made a better replacement for Bagley. Lafuente does a decent job though. He has a super cartoony style that mostly works well here due to the large quantity of laughs. That’s right folks! USM is hilarious again! That’s what was so great about this issue. It wasn’t the action or the new Ultimate character (It’s a villain. I won’t give away any more. It will remain a mystery until you read it), it was the high-dose of laughter and those oh so lovable teen moments. Peter and MJ talk about sex (There I spoiled something, happy?)! Hey! What did this have to do with Ultimatum? Unless that new villain is the reason, I have no idea why this was an Ultimatum tie-in. Oh and I loved that moment when the girl dressed as 616 Spider-Woman screams “Embrace change! Embrace change!” So awesome!

Ultimate Captain America Annual #1 (***1/2)

I don’t know, but I think Ultimatum might actually be pretty cool. First off, this is such an awesome teaser.

C’mon! How can you not be excited after seeing that!? Anyway, this wasn’t really a Captain America comic. It was really about Black Panther. It’s pretty much his origin and then it explains how he got to Ultimates 3 and such. I don’t know if Loeb just had to get his bearings or if it really was intentional that most of Ultimates 3 seemed so off. At first, it was like Loeb had never read an Ultimates book, but in the last installment of Ultimates 3 and again in this issue, you can tell the man knows his stuff. Continuity is thrown at us in a totally accessible way. I rarely get to see Marko Djurdjevic on interiors, but he provides some stunning work here. There is also a new Ultimate character and the usual Loeb humor (Fury uses a Hulk cutout shooting target. Ha!). This comic is mostly about explanation, but it does plant some seeds that I’m sure we’ll see pop up like daisies soon.