An issue with many ups and downs, and an important ending that just didn’t click with me.
SPOILERS
Tag Archives: Ultimate Spider-Man
Spider-Men #2!
Two Spidermans in one comic, need I say more? Well okay, I will, but I do warn of spoilers! Seriously people.
The Unread Canon 13: Ultimate Spiderman #1-13
Ultimate Spider-man #1
When Marvel’s Ultimate line first launched, I hated it with the passion that only a fanboy can muster to hate something they’ve never read. I eventually got around to sampling many of the titles, and what I read, I hated. That tarred my opinion of the entire line for a good long while. From the crass big-screen action of The Ultimates (which I never finished but plan to soon) to the cartoony retreads of Ultimate X-Men, it just seemed like a waste. Here we had a major publisher, probably the biggest monthly comics publisher in the world, and they were wasting their time and money doing gritty reboots of old stories rather than doing something interesting and innovative.
I similarly dismissed Ultimate Spider-Man, though, unlike the other core books of the Ultimate Universe, I’d never actually read a page of it. But I knew everything I needed to know – Spider-Man hasn’t grown and changed enough that I felt he really needed to have his entire mythos retold bit by excruciatingly slow, decompressed bit. But then, something happened. General interest for the Ultimates waned. Same thing with Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four and a variety of other titles. But Ultimate Spider-Man grew more and more respectable as the years passed until it became essentially the centerpiece of the Ultimate line and, this past year, made our list of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2011.
Last year was the year I caught up with Ultimate Spider-Man. This year is the year I write about it.
The 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2011
read/RANT's Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2011
When I began compiling my list of the year’s best graphic novels, I found myself including dozens of books with little rhyme or reason. To help me narrow my list down a little bit, this is the rule I created: the first English-language collected edition or original graphic novel had to be released in 2011. And while this excluded some of my favorite books from the year (Waid’s Daredevil, Rozum’s Xombi, and Lemire’s Animal Man, to name three), it was a good guideline when I was constructing the list.
Obviously, we missed some things – sometimes great things. We don’t read every graphic novel that comes out (as much fun as that would be!). I even know for sure some major releases that I missed, like The Death Ray. So feel free to tell me just how wrong I am! What were your favorite releases this year? Because these were some of ours…
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-
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+
Review: Ultimate Spider-Man #131
(***1/2)
Ok, so Ultimatum is still going strong, even though it’s been a few months since the last actual Ultimatum issue, and Ultimate Spider-Man is inching along. Due to the extreme decompression, we’re likely to have some good issues and some bad issues depending on what’s going on. The last two issues of USM have been excruciatingly boring. However, this issue will hopefully be a turning point. Even with the lack of actual content, this issue was written very well.
What can you expect to see? Lives change, heroes are realized, Hulk and Spidey team-up, and perhaps a few hints at the future. Oh and without getting too spoilery, a hero dies and I think something from Ultimatum #3 gets spoiled. It seems, from the conclusions of this issue and the last UFF issue, that something is going on with hell or the Ultimate Dark Dimension. It could be Hela, who we saw in the last Ultimatum issue, but she appeared to in the clouds, right? Also, I was very sad to see the fallen hero in this issue. He didn’t get much love in the Ultimate U, but he’s a favorite of mine in 616. Hopefully he’ll get more love in the reboot. Anyway, as I said, this issue was written well. And you know what? The art was pretty sweet too. I can’t wait to see Immonen on New Avengers, especially after Tan’s dismal renderings in fiftieth issue.
Review: Ultimate Spider-Man #130
(**)
I love Ultimate Spider-Man. I’ve been with the series through all the ups and downs. Sadly, this issue belongs in the latter category. This is basically a retelling of events that occurred several months ago. I’ve seen this kind of thing before, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen another tie-in go to such extreme lengths to actually recreate the main event. Dialogue and shots from Ultimatum #1 are literally copied. Remember this? You’ll see that same shot in this book. This all makes for a weird and uninteresting issue.
Though Bendis tries to make the dialogue and narrative entertaining, there are only two ways I can imagine someone enjoying this comic. Either they haven’t read Ultimatum #1, or they despise Finch’s art. I don’t belong in either of those categories. Oh well, this was the catch-up issue for fans who aren’t reading Ultimatum. It looks like we’ll have at least three more tie-ins to deal with. Hopefully those will be better. Although USM #133 promises the final issue of the series, so maybe things won’t get better.
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!
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: 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.
Bruce Castle Presents: Teen Heroes Have Girl Troubles!
Invincible #54 (****1/2)
Gosh this book looks pretty. I know I’ve said that in like every review of this book since FCO Plascencia took over, but it’s so true! And without the art being so amazing this issue wouldn’t be nearly as good. After all, the last five pages of this book are practically wordless. This is one of those fun future stories that gets the hero thinking about stuff. It doesn’t seem stale and it’s entertaining which is good enough for me. Oh, and the crazy violence continues. Seriously, Kirkman is writing as fine as ever, but the art is a big big plus.
Ultimate Spider-Man #127 (***1/2)
This is one of those issues that would probably be extremely awesome if I had just read the entire series. However, since it’s been a couple of years since I’ve reread this series, I’m a bit less impressed. Still, I think the issue is pretty good. I’m always a big fan of planning (or at least something that seems planned) and that’s the feeling I got after reading this. My main complaint is that this arc already seemed weak. This issue is almost a complete departure from the arc and yet it concludes in #128?! Weird. But to close on a positive note, I feel like I give Immonen too hard a time on this series (read Nextwave for some awesome Immonen art), but he did a really good job this time. I have to give credit where credit is due.
Foilball’s Review Roundup #56 – Previously Reviewed by read/RANTERS!
Action Comics #869 (*****): Another solid chapter in the reinvention of Brainiac arc.
Bruce Castle (*****)
DC Lebeau (Liked it!)
All-Star Superman #12 (*****): So much needs to be said about this book, and I plan to, just as soon as I get my copies of the rest of the series back from Mandy. Expect a Series Review of this masterpiece by the end of the month.
Seventh Soldier (A+)
Bruce Castle (*****)
The Amazing Spider-Man #572 (****): On par with the rest of the arc, but not even close to the ultimate Bullseye vs Spider-Man fight that Slott promised us. Too much hype, dude.
Bruce Castle (****1/2)
Birds of Prey #122 (**): I didn’t read it so much as look at the pretty pictures… and vomit.
DC Lebeau (Hated it!)
Captain Britain and MI:13 #5 (****): Blade, you son of a bitch!
Seventh Soldier (B+)
Daredevil #111 (****): I like her. And I definitely liked this. Matt Murdock. What a bastard.
Bruce Castle (****)
DC Lebeau (Liked it!)
Fables #76 (***): Holy Lord, how much did I hate reading this issue of Fables? Sure, I know Willingham is a hardcore Republican, but some of the dialogue in this issue almost made my head explode. Really, Snow White? Is that how you justify all this death? And this cliché anti-tech speech? LAME. Also, no one talks like this on their cell phone. Can we stop writing crap like this? Please? Question: what does it say about me that I agree with Geppetto?
Desiato (***)
Hulk #6 (****1/2): AWESOME!!!
Bruce Castle (*****)
The Punisher #62 (***): Even without comparing this to Ennis’ take on the character, I would still hate it. And it’s not that I hate all other versions of the Punisher, because I think Fraction’s version is great (until the plot started to suck ass).
Bruce Castle (****)
Robin #178 (***1/2): Okay. Fine. Meh. BLAH. It wasn’t bad, how about that?
DC Lebeau (Liked it!)
Superman #680 (***): OH. MY, GOD. Could Superman be a bigger @$$hole? I do not like this book, but it’s not awful. Not yet.
DC Lebeau (Liked it!)
Ultimate Fantastic Four/Ultimate X-Men Annual #1 (**): Way worse than the last issue. UGH.
Bruce Castle (****)
Ultimate Spider-Man #126 (****): I liked it. Plus, it made me nostalgic for a time when Nick Fury ran S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Ultimates were badass.
Bruce Castle (***)
Uncanny X-Men #502 (**): STAB MY EYES!!!
Bruce Castle (**)
The Walking Dead #52 (***1/2): Okay, with a side of losing interest fast.
Bruce Castle (****)
War Heroes #2 (**): I thought about scanning the penis page… but that would be crude. Get it?
Bruce Castle (***1/2)
Bruce Castle Presents: Ultimates vs. Ultimates!
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.
Bruce Castle Presents: Venom Is Popular?
I have to ask a question before we get down to the reviews. Why is Venom getting so much love right now? He isn’t in any newly released movies. He was in Spider-Man 3, but that was a while ago. I heard there will be a Venom movie coming out, but not anytime soon right? It’s not his anniversary. So why is he in Amazing and Ultimate Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, Moon Knight, and even that Venom Origins thing right now? Is there any reason for this?
Amazing Spider-Man #569 (***1/2)
This is the second part of New Ways to Die. It should probably be called New Ways to Make Money. This issue has already sold out according to Marvel. It has another superstar (Adi Granov) cover and it even has the first appearance of a new character. Like last issue, this contains some solid entertainment. We get some beautiful art from JRJR (Twice in one week!) and some impressive writing from Slott. It isn’t anything too spectacular yet, but this issue is produced well and it’s fairly enjoyable.
Ultimate Spider-Man #125 (***1/2)
After how bad last issue was, this is a breath of fresh air. I’m happy to report that USM seems to be back on track with the coolness. The plot seems to be moving along nicely now and there wasn’t any video game flashbacks. The Ultimate Beetle seems incredibly more interesting than last issue and he even has a humorous moment in here. I was a little surprised at the level of violence featured. Venom eats a few things including some people and a horse! I’m not usually too impressed with Immonen’s art, but he brings his A-game here. There’s also a nice Peter and MJ exchange and an intriguing ending. If the improvements continue, this still has the potential to be a pretty good arc.
Billy Z’s Top 10 Monthlies!
Hey, Bruce Castle came up with a good idea! Let’s steal it… but, with a slight modification. Whereas his list was culled from everything he’s currently reading I’m going to limit mine by spotlighting only those that fall under the heading of “ongoing series”. So, that means no minis (Final Crisis, Secret Invasion) or maxis (The Twelve, All-Star Superman). With that in mind, let’s move into the list… the Top 10 ongoings I can’t wait to read each month!
#10 – X-FORCE by Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost & Clayton Crain
“FUN! FUN! FUN!” That is exactly what this book is to me. It’s old school X-Men (to me, “old school” means late 80’s/early 90’s) with a modern edge. I don’t remember my X-Men having so much blood and gore, but I like it! Now, I have to be honest, when I first heard mention of this series, I was not at all impressed. The “bloody” variants reminded me painfully of that X-Force clone from the mid-nineties “Bloodstrike” (by Rob Liefeld and Dan Fraga)… or maybe it was “Bloodstryke” with a “y”? Anyway, by issue 2, I was all in, baby! As I said, the book is just fun, and with every issue the plot gets more and more interesting. Surprise, Bastion! Nimrod! Archangel! Every X-Villain Ever! Purifier Civil War! It’s a throwback without being regressive. Sure the old villains are back, but they’re fricking techno-organic zombies! Yes, Archangel is back, but it’s not because we or the writers missed him, it fits the story. It SERVES the story and not the fanboys. And that, I guess, makes all the difference. Maybe…
You can check out a review of this book here…
#9 – ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN by Brian Micheal Bendis & Stuart Immonen
This has been in my mental Top Ten since it first came out, and it’ll probably stay there for as long as Bendis remains on the book… which could easily be for another hundred issues. There’s not much to say as to why I love this book so much, it’s just a solid, thoroughly enjoyable read every month. It’s Spider-Man at his purest, unencumbered by 50 years of continuity (although, at the rate at which Bendis is reintroducing 616 ideas, we’re getting there). I like that when someone asks me about super hero comics I can grab a copy of the first volume of this series, hand it to them, and let Bendis’ Spider-Man seduce them into out world. More than any other title in the Marvel catalogue, this book is completely new reader friendly. And, it’s infinitely relatable. It’s got drama (High School!!!) and it’s got action (best Spidey action in comics thanks to Bagley and Immonen), and it’s got heart. I love Ultimate Peter Parker and I love Ultimate Mary Jane. In fact, I love the entire “Bendis” Ultimate universe! I kind of wish Ultimate Spider-Man could be its own separate thing, like if the editors could somehow cut it away from the rest of the Ultimate books that would be amazing! Maybe that’s what the Ultimatum event is all about? Or, if we just replaced the 616 title with the Ultimate one? Wait, hold that thought—
#8 – THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN by “The Spidey Brain Trust”
It took me a while to warm up to it, but eventually, I got there. This book is good. Damn good. So good, it may finally live up to its hype as THE Marvel flagship title. So, the book survived One More Day. Actually, it not only survived it, it’s downright thriving. Why? How can this be despite all the haters? Because it’s damn good comic book writing, that’s why. I’m tired of the whining. I’m tired of the complaints. OMD is over, dudes. Move on. I did, so can you. If you’re not reading BND because of OMD, then you’re only hurting yourself, brother. The party train has left the station and all you OMD whiners can suck it!
You can check out a review of this book here…
#7 –DETECTIVE COMICS by Paul Dini & Dustin Nguyen
Yes, Paul Dini’s underrated run on Detective is in my Top Ten. Surprised? If you’ve been reading my Round-Ups, you shouldn’t be. I don’t think I’ve ever given this book less than three stars. I love it! It’s fun, damnit! It feels like the old Batman cartoon! Yay for fun! It’s filled with crazy shit like: “Celebrity Detective” Riddler, Zatanna/Catwoman/Batman love triangles and wacky adventure after wacky adventure! And last year’s Joker/Robin story was one of the best Joker/Robin tales I’ve ever read, and Dini did it all in one fricking issue! I know Countdown sucked… BOO HOO! But this book is INSANE NUTS AWESOME!! While what Morrison is doing over on “Batman” may turn out to be the greatest run of all-time, I’m content to read Dini’s one and two issue arcs ‘til the end of time.
You can check out a review of this book here…
#6 – THOR by J. Michael Straczynski & Oliver Copiel
Recently, Desiato articulated all the reasons he loves Thor in this post. I totally agree with him. Go read that post.
#5 – JACK OF FABLES by Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges
Fables can suck my hairy sack… Jack is where it’s at, man! It’s just funnier. I pick up a Jack comic and I know I’m going to laugh. I pick up a Fables comic and I know there’s an outside chance I may lose consciousness. I still like Fables, but it’s been on the “phoning it in” train for well over a year, while Jack just keeps getting better. I’ve been saying that a lot, but I guess that’s what all these books have in common. They’re well-plotted. But the thing about Jack is you never know quite what to expect from the title character or where the story is headed. Jack is the ultimate suspenseful character. He’s just as likely to befriend or betray someone. I also love that the writers aren’t telling his story in chronological order. Every few arcs, we jump back into his fabled past and we get to see one of his many adventures re-imagined in such a way that almost always makes Jack look like a total asshole. And we love it. We love to hate this moron.
You can check out a review of this book here…
#4 – YOUNG LIARS by David Lapham
Young Liars would describe my life if an angry midget cut my dick off and threw it in the ocean. I know these characters. I’ve met them. They are real. I pre-ordered the first issue not really knowing what to expect, only knowing that I really liked David Lapham’s stuff, he of “Stray Bullets” fame. Once I finally got my hands on it, and read it, I couldn’t believe how fucking good it was. And then I read issue 2 and I got that same feeling, but more. And then issue 3. Again, same feeling, but more. And now, whenever I read it, I’m always left with the question, “How can this book keep on this way? It’s too good!” I don’t really know how well this book is doing, if it’s breaking even, selling gangbusters or close to cancellation. If I had to guess, I’d say the latter, and that’s a shame. We need to get the word out on this book… don’t wait for the trade! The series could be gone by then, and that would be a damn shame.
You can check out a review of this book here…
#3 – THE INCREDIBLE HERCULES by Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente & Khoi Pham
One of those rare books that gets better with age. I’m constantly surprised at how exciting and well-written this comic is each and every month. Its brilliant mix of mythology and modern day hijinks is what keeps me coming back every month. Hmm, it’s kind of like Jack of Fables in that way. Actually, I’d never drawn that parallel before, but The Incredible Hercules and Jack of Fables are exactly the same book! Cool. The odd couple of Hercules (super strong) and Amadeus Cho (super smart) is what really makes this engine hum. Their interplay is brilliant and hilarious.
You can check out a review of this book here…
#2 – ACTION COMICS by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank
I wasn’t “all in” ‘til Gary Frank joined the book. Johns had been rubbing me the wrong way for years, and with the lateness that plagued the start of his run I almost considered dropping the title. Boy am I glad I didn’t! The Legion arc was satisfyingly epic and the currently running Brainiac arc promises to outdo it. The art is phenomenal in its simplicity. Frank’s expressive faces and realistic style combine with Johns’ nostalgic flair to give us a decidedly modern take on Superman that isn’t afraid to indulge in sentimentality once in a while. I know we’ve been talking about the annoyingly regressive nature of this current generation of “fan-boy writers”, but here… in THIS book… it kind of works for me. Action Comics is the exception to the rule.
You can check out a review of this book here…
#1 – CAPTAIN AMERICA (OBV!) by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting & Luke Ross
It’s the only monthly I buy from my local comic shop because I can’t wait the two weeks for DCBS to deliver it to my door. That’s how ####ing excited I get the day this comic comes out. I make a special trip just to buy it! And then I go home and scan the hell out of it and toss up a spoiler-riddled review on the blog. Not because anyone really cares anymore, no, because after reading it I become insane from JOY! Oh, how I love you Captain America… don’t ever change, guy.
You can check out reviews of this book here…
So, that’s my list. Disagree much? Let me know. Let’s fight!! WOOOOOO!!!
Now that we took care of that, I want to quickly list off the runner-ups in alphabetical order:
Buffy: The Vampire Slayer: I want to love this book, I want to love it every month, but it too often lets me down. We had two great arcs in a row (Vaughn and Goddard) and then Whedon returns to fuck it all up with fan-favorite Fray in tow. Ugh. Close, but not close enough.
Captain Britain and MI13: Although I loved all the Secret Invasion issues, this book hasn’t been out long enough to earn its place in the Top 10… and, I’m not sure what the drop off in quality is going to be after SI concludes. For now, it gets to hover around the 11th place spot.
DMZ: I’m sure that if I wasn’t reading this in trade, I’d be on the list… and very near the top.
Green Lantern: Action Comics is just an order of magnitude better than this book. Period. I love GL, I love the new direction, but I can’t in good conscience put two Geoff Johns titles in my Top Ten. Sorry.
Invincible Iron Man: It’s too soon to tell, and as much shit as I give Fraction, he was born to write this book. As I related in my review of issue #4, Fraction’s take on the character is thrilling! Now, if Fraction would only stop writing anything other than Iron Man, Thor and Casanova I’d be a happy man.
Justice Society of America: What I said about Green Lantern goes double for JSA.
The Punisher: This book fell out of the Top Ten this month. Sad times. 😦
Bruce Castle Presents: The Most Common Marvel Team-Up!
Ultimate Spider-Man #124 (*): Sigh, more game continuity yay! There was an Ultimate Spider-Man game released a few years ago. It was written by Bendis and took place supposedly in continuity. For years it didn’t seem that was true until now. So, just like last issue, we kind of get a recap of the game. Well, I’ve played the game and I own it so I’m a bit bored. I tried to think about this from someone else’s perspective that hadn’t played the game and it still seems boring. I didn’t get any new information. I didn’t get any good fight scenes. I didn’t even laugh at all. The only thing that would’ve saved this was really pretty art which I may have gotten from Bagley but I didn’t from Immonen. This is disappointing all around.
Wolverine #67 (*****): I can’t recall a time when Mark Millar was releasing so many books. It’s also a bit interesting that almost every book he’s putting out is getting mixed reviews. He seems to be very hit or miss. Was Ultimates the peak of his writing career? I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m one of the people that consider this book to be a “hit”. I’ll first address the most common complaint I’ve heard about this book, “It’s an Unforgiven remake”. Almost everything in entertainment takes little bits and parts from something else. Is it true that there is a little bit of Unforgiven? Yes it is, Millar admitted that himself. But there’s also a little bit of Miller’s Wolverine, Windsor-Smith’s Wolverine, and Mad Max. It’s an amalgam of all those and probably even more, but when it’s all combined and given the Millar twist you’re left with something original. First off, the art is astonishing! I’ve always been a fan of Steve McNiven and his art looks phenomenal in this book. I think Dexter Vines is the unsung hero there, his inks are always fantastic and they’re no different here. Those of you who felt this is an Unforgiven rip-off will probably enjoy this issue more because we get away from the farm. We go on a tour of this post-hero world. Themes like obsession and worship get explored. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll just say that Millar certainly understands the fun you can have with the Marvel Universe’s future. Ugh, so much to talk about that I can’t say. Just read it!
Foilball’s Review Roundup #33 – THE MEDIOCRES!
As promised, The Mediocres. These books weren’t great and they weren’t bad. They were workman like in their execution, filled with substance but lacking the style to put them over the top.
• Batman and the Outsiders #8 (***): This issue does a fine job of wrapping up the last 7 issues worth of story without actually introducing anything new or exciting. It’s a good job, but boring.
• Birds of Prey #119 (***): And, Tony Bedard is back. Okay, this was not as bad as I expected. And, Scott is still doing the art, so it’s not a total loss. The following series of panels made me laugh, and not in that good way…
• Black Panther #37 (**1/2): It’s mostly filler, but the back and forth between Panther and Killmonger is semi-interesting. Next issue promises to be an all-out slugfest, but… I don’t know if I care about the Panther’s solo adventures anymore. Seems to me like Hudlin is finally running out of ideas. When he first relaunched the book, it seemed to hold so much promise. Instead of rising to the level of exciting political intrigue that Captain America has, it’s slowly fallen into petty soap opera drama. It’s just not compelling. I think after the Secret Invasion tie-in issues, I will be dropping this book.
• Green Lantern #32 (***): Compared with the rest of the issues in the arc, which I loved, I was very disappointed in this issue. Not much happened. Sinestro was cool, and that Yoda shit he did with Hal’s plane was very cool, but it felt… mediocre, especially for a Johns book. I’m sure this will be the exception and next issue will see the return of the level of quality we as GL fans are used to. Oh, one more thing. This entire arc is making me so sad for Hal. Like, Carol Ferris is so awesome! A part of me has to believe that another reason for this trip down “Origin Lane” is to reintroduce the Hal/Carol love story… for future reference, of course. Maybe we’ll see more of this after “Blackest Night”? I hope so.
• Guardians of the Galaxy #2 (***): Great cover. And that’s about it. Everything else is middle of the road. Vance Astro? GAWD, I’ve always hated him. They should just cap his ass and take the shield. I like the modern reintroduction of the Universal Church of Truth, but I don’t like the characterizations of the leads. Warlock doesn’t feel like Warlock, Drax doesn’t feel like Drax, etc… just about the only character that even acts/sounds like they did in Annihilation is the fricking Raccoon. It hasn’t been outright terrible, so I’ll stick with it for now and see how I feel in a couple of months.
• No Hero #0 (***): Too early to tell… this could be great, but there is also the possibility that it’s just a retread of Black Summer or The Order or even Kick-Ass. When he’s on, Ellis is the man. When he’s off? You get weird shit like Anna Mercury and Strange Kiss. Oh, but I do like all the backmatter in this one. Thanks! Oh, and the art is still amazing!
• Number of the Beast #6 (***): All the cards have finally been flipped (well, all the cards we know about)! Tons of exposition in this one… no wonder it read so slow. This is the nature of the beast so I can’t fault the writer too much. He’d asked so many questions in the preceding five issues that it was inevitable that he’d have to slow down and catch us all up. Like Green Lantern, I’m sure the next issue will pick right back up.
• Ultimate Spider-Man #123 (***1/2): There were parts of this I really liked. I loved how Bendis kept changing “listeners” on us. “Oh, what happened to that nice old man?” Um, Venom ate him, dummy. SWEET! The problem I have with this book is that the way Bendis chose to frame this story actually robs it of any suspense. Because it’s told in flashback, we know Venom gets away safely from Silver Sable and her Wildpack. Everything else still works on a technical level, and what he tried to do was a nice experiment in storytelling, but I’m just not that excited to read the next issue. So, fail?
• Ultimate X-Men #95 (**1/2): Whoa… shit just got TOO weird. Cyclops flying? WHA! Rogue knows Vindicator? Like, KNOWS knows? It’s gotta be Gambit, right? Because of the purple energy blasts… but, man, that would be stupid. Northstar dead? Colossus gonna go all roid-ragin’ now? I really liked the new direction that the last issue set up, but I feel like we’re moving too fast and heading in too many different directions. Slow down, man. You’re no Grant Morrison.
I’ll be back Tuesday with The Gooders. Monday, hopefully we’ll have our Series Review of Planetary #9 up, and if we don’t then, sorry.
Bruce Castle Quickies 5
4 stars = Stop reading review and go buy now!!!!
3 and a half stars = Great issue and make room on your trade shelf someday soon
3 stars = Recommended and maybe even trade worthy
2 and a half stars = Recommended
2 stars= Not the best, not the worst, not recommended
1 and a half star = Terrible issue and vocalize your disgust at your next social event
1 star = Awful awful awful and you may want to consider dropping this title
0 stars = Next con you attend where the writer and/or artist are present you should throw this issue in their face
Immortal Iron Fist #16– This is the last Fraction/Brubaker issue, or Fraction issue I guess, Brubaker left a few issues ago. Anyway, this has been a great run. It turned a character that a lot of people didn’t care about into something they could love. This issue doesn’t really break the trend. You get some nice moments in Danny’s life including training kids, his business life, and you even get some Misty Knight moments too. What threw me, was the ominous downer ending. I was kind of expecting more of a finale instead of a set-up for the next Iron Fist run. Oh well, Fraction was being nice to Duane Swierczynski I guess. Anyway, I’m going to miss Fraction on this book. 3 stars
Ultimate Spider-Man #123– Well, this is the first issue of the new venom arc. It definitely has that first issue feel. Remember that Ultimate Spider-Man video game that was supposed to actually have continuity in the Ultimate universe but then never did? Well, they finally kind of tie that in. There’s nothing spectacular here, mostly just setup. The last page did make me laugh though. 3 stars
Thor Reign of Blood #1– I don’t think a lot of people like these one-shots at much as I do, but I love them! I so wish that Fraction was writing the regular Thor series. It seems like Fraction wants to. Oh well, maybe someday. At least I still have another one-shot and the Secret Invasion tie-in to look forward too. 4 stars
Young Avengers Presents Hawkeye #6– Who else but me could squeeze three Fraction comics into one review? Yes, I haven’t read the rest of this series and bought this issue only because Fraction was on it. And Alan Davis, he is a great artist and he shines here as well. As mentioned earlier, I haven’t read every Young Avengers story, but this was really good. Like, really, really good, it almost makes me want to read the whole series….Nah. 3 and a half stars
Uncanny X-Men #499– Sorry guys, this isn’t the right cover. This was last issues’ cover. Don’t blame me though, blame Marvel, this is the only pic I could find and I don’t have a scanner. I’m still loving Mike Choi’s art in this arc and I can’t wait till he gets on board X-Force. This issue was ok. The San Francisco thing still seems like it could have been explained in one issue. The Russian story is a lot better but it seems a bit pointless. It seems that Brubaker had one thing he needed to say in this arc, the rest is mostly filler. It took him five issues to say what he wanted to say! They said the same damn thing in the free comic book day issue and that was free! What the hell?! That said this certainly wasn’t terrible. It’s hard to recommend it though. I hope this title gets a lot better with issue 500. Brubaker/Fraction go! 2 stars
Bruce Castle Quickies!!!
4 stars = Stop reading review and go buy now!!!!
3 and a half stars = Great issue and make room on your trade shelf some day soon
3 stars = Recommended and maybe even trade worthy
2 and a half stars = Recommended
2 stars= Not the best, not the worst, not recommended
1 and a half star = Terrible issue and vocalize your disgust at your next social event
1 star = Awful awful awful and you may want to consider dropping this title
0 stars = Next con you attend where the writer and/or artist are present you should throw this issue in their face
Batman #677 – Still not as good as I know Grant Morrison has in him. Maybe my standards are too high. It is a 20 issue event after all. I’m hoping that even without Batman dying I guess, the book will end living up to its title and expectations. There were a few good moments, the art looks good (sorry Billy) and the end seems really intriguing. 2 and a half stars
Daredevil #107 – I haven’t been enjoying Brubaker’s run as much as I guess everyone has, especially following Bendis’ run which included some of the best Daredevil issues I have ever read. This is coming from someone who owns around 300 Daredevil comics for your information. This issue was ok. It didn’t have as much action as I would have liked, though seeing Luke Cage was cool. It wasn’t packed with that much story either. Seems like another lacking issue from Brubaker again. Why are you so good on Captain America and not on DD? 2 stars
Final Crisis #1 – I was going to write a full review on this issue, but I think enough has been said. I personally loved this issue. Loved the art, loved the writing, there was some comedy, it seemed to give you your money’s worth in regards to the amount of information you got. With the normal hindering factors of a first issue and an event issue I have to give the issue 4 stars.
King-Size Hulk #1– This title has gotten a lot of crap. The general consensus seems to be that the art is great and the writing is awful. I for one have found the writing, though it isn’t very good, to be fun. Just think of Hulk as a blockbuster movie. The issue featured 3 short stories with art by Arthur Adams, Frank Cho, and Herb Trimpe. The issue also contains reprints of Incredible Hulk #180 and #181 the first appearances of Wolverine and a good Wendigo story. The last reprint is of Avengers #83 which has nothing to do with Hulk but is still an enjoyable issue. Considering I enjoyed the 3 short stories and I had never read any of the reprinted issues, I liked this issue. However it does cost 5 dollars and the bulk of the material are reprints. So I have to give the issue 2 stars.
Immortal Iron Fist issue #15 – Another story of the Iron Fist. I really enjoyed this issue. Matt Fraction’s writing really shines here in his ability to introduce a book of completely new characters and make a fun fantastic roller coaster ride without getting lessened by too many details or explanations. 3 and a half stars
Ultimate Spider-Man #122 -For those who think that Bendis needs a complete arc to tell a story you should really check out the last few Ultimate Spider-Man issues. This is another done in one story that features Spidey’s joke villain Shocker. This is another solid issue from the Bendis/Immonen team. There is nothing spectacular here but it is still an enjoyable read. 3 stars.
All Star Superman #11-This issue is so damn good! It’s amazing to think that Batman #677 and this issue were written by the same person. This series is always worth the wait and I am sad to see it ending next issue. Please do yourself a favor folks and read this book! 4 stars
Uncanny X-Men #498 – This and Daredevil both prove that for whatever reason Brubaker is writing the hell out of Captain America but not his other titles. This issue isn’t bad, but it isn’t that good either. The hippy story line seems rather poor but at least we get the cool story in Russia. I won’t spoil the end but it at least seems the next issue will be cool and then hopefully when Fraction gets on this book it will be as good as Immortal Iron fist has been. It should be 2 stars but I’ll make it 2 and a half stars for a promising conclusion and that pretty Mike Choi art.
read/RANT! 
