Finally catching up on comics. Still a bit behind, but figured I’d jump in to list off some thoughts on various things happening in the X-Men world.
WARNING! There will be spoilers if you aren’t up to date.
WARNING! This will probably not have much coherency in terms of order.
WARNING! Expect mild language.
Jap poster – second best thing about the movie
Chris Lay, a member of Geek Orthodox Church on FB, described it as “a 2.5 hour setup for the ‘bonus’ credit sequence.” Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
SPOILERS!
While there are still some neat aspects to this, its starting to wear a bit thin.
SPOILER WARNING!
Its been nearly a year since Ed Brubaker and Butch Guice’s first issue of Winter Soldier came out. Now, 14 issues later, they’ll be moving on and next issue a new team will take their place.
Spoiler Warning!
So I gave up Avenging Spider-Man a while back. While some team ups I really enjoyed, others not so much and I had to cut comics someplace. Yet here I am, back again. 16 due to the X-Men team up, and 15.1 because of Eric’s comment on my Superior Spider-Man post. Be weary of spoilers…
Those who have kept up with my AvX reviews should know that I was not entirely pleased with the series. The idea was good, but the execution was flawed. More so, I was rather upset with how they treated Scott at the end of everything. Consequences on the other hand has been handled absolutely wonderfully.
Spoiler Alert
Only two issues this part. Wolverine and the X-Men 15 and AvX 5 or 6. Forsome added content, I went back through the AvX issues to list the matches and winners of each one.
Two weeks ago I borrowed ikeebear’s “One Sentence Review” format to catch up on all the Avengers vs. X-Men titles. To cover the last two weeks of AvX, I’ll be working a bit more like Cal’s “This Week in Comics“. So short paragraphs, though I’ll still order them top to bottom with a ranking out of 5. Warning, there may be a few small spoilers.
Continue reading
I already commented this thought in Cal’s review of the first issue, and despite #5 having let me down a bit, this issue makes me go right back to it. That this is the funnest comic book I’ve read for years.
SPOILER WARNING!
If you want to get into Deadpool and are afraid of jumping in blind – well this is the perfect starting point for you.
Better late than never, eh? This is my list for the top ten stories of 2009! 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 2009. They could begin at any time, but as long as they concluded in 2009, 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 Kirkman 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!
The end of the year is coming fast! I read 17 comics in October, and these were the best.
5. Detective Comics #858
JH Williams III, arguably the best artist in the biz, and Dave Stewart, arguably the best colorist in the biz, grace Detective Comics’ interiors. Those two are literally a dream team. Yes, Rucka can’t quite produce a script that can match their ability, but who can? Morrison can’t write everything. This issue dips a toe into Kate’s origin, building off of last arc’s twist. Kate’s story is simple and adorable, which spirals into terrible tragedy. Rucka’s writing is strong, reminiscent of his Queen & Country days, but it’s the aforementioned dream team that really gives this issue an emotional punch.
4. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7
After last issue’s startling revelations, The Wild Hunt is steamrolling towards its conclusion. This series has indeed changed Hellboy. Hopefully, this doesn’t mean the series is ending. Fegredo’s Hellboy is strong, as always. He’s with Mignola every step of the way, as this issue brilliantly illustrates the core nature of Hellboy’s character. He’s always trapped in a cyclone of destiny, fighting with every breath to do good.
3. Invincible Iron Man #19
As the solicitation reads, “Everything ends.” At last, Fraction’s year-long epic concludes. Unfortunately, Larroca is still around. So, this issue doesn’t look great, but only someone like Larroca could render a “year-long epic” in less than a year. With this oversized culmination, Tony’s heroism shines bright. He spends most of the issue lumbering around like the Hulk, with even less brainpower. And when he utters his last words of the story, we cheer.
2. The Walking Dead #66
The Walking Dead doesn’t have many two-page splashes, but when they’re used, they make for some of this great series’ best moments. Besides the general awe of Adlard’s work, and Rick’s terrifying words, “Hold him down.” What makes the image so effective is the shading of Rick’s left eye. Remember this guy? He’s the dark mirror of Rick. So, whenever Rick’s a bit of a bastard, I suspect we’ll see his left eye shaded a bit. Besides all that, this issue concludes the “Fear the Hunters” arc, Carl confesses, and another character dies. That all makes for one of the strongest Walking Dead issues of the year, if not the best.
1. Dark Reign: The List – Wolverine
Yeah, done-in-one stories rule this format, especially when they’re produced by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic. Aaron, who channels the humorous, kickass writing you can see in his Ghost Rider. And Ribic, who abandons his usual, painted style in favor of kinetic linework, which captures the insane energy of this story perfectly. Aaron loves Grant Morrison. So, when handling his characters, Fantomex and Noh-Varr, it’s a labor of love. Aaron insisted that he wasn’t attempting to write like Morrison, but this is the best treatment these characters have received, since Morrison first wrote them. This comic is tons of fun!
Boring introduction! I read 21 comics in September, and these were the best.
5. Green Lantern #46
Hey, Green Lantern is great again! We know Mahnke’s art is going to blow our minds, but Johns pulled his weight too, delivering the gore he’s so fond of. There was a lot of progression here, featuring a fight that’s been brewing for a long time. Sinestro and Mongul’s conclusion is not only drawn well, Johns gives each baddie a fun monologue, dripping with a bit of truth. Indeed, for a brief time, Johns made me believe that Mongul could actually win. Loud, bloody, and just the kind of cosmic fun that Johns wants you to have.
4. Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant Size
It all ends. It was the worth the wait, but for Millar’s part of it, this issue played out exactly how you’d expect, which would’ve been a dull experience, except for the reason we’re all here: Steve McNiven. Just about every panel in here is iconic, ready to be framed on your wall. No matter what silly cliché Millar wrote, McNiven made it sing. However, the writing’s not all bad. This issue pays great tribute to Wolverine’s character as a whole, blending his Western and Eastern ways together. So, even on that corny, Lone Wolf & Cub-inspired last page, I smiled.
3. Detective Comics #857
Another conclusion, what can I say? Those are usually great issues. Alright, Rucka’s opening Batwoman arc hasn’t had as much substance as I’d like, but something we can all agree on is the talent of Williams. We haven’t seen Kate’s origin yet, but she’s already a fully-developed character, mostly due to Williams himself. That continues here, of course, as Williams gets to render some dazzling stunts, with Kate jumping from plane to plane, kicking her way to Alice. Speaking of Alice, this issue delivers a twist with her that I didn’t see coming at all, and it was telegraphed, even on the cover. The twist works, not only to shock us, but as a brilliant window into Kate’s past.
2. Dark Reign: The List – X-Men
I read most of these specials, and this is probably the only one that’s actually a one-shot. Fraction doesn’t conform. This isn’t about political nonsense or the status quo. Fraction gives us the simple tale of revenge, and it works very well. A great deal of that credit goes to Alan Davis. He makes this absurd, spandex-clad medium lyrical. Consider the scene at the end, with Namor, Osborn, and the Sentry. In Davis’ hands, this simple scene becomes a grand confrontation between legends. Superman and Luthor could easily replace Namor and Osborn, and Sentry’s inclusion is the icing on the cake.
1. Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus
I, like many of you, wasn’t very impressed with this crossover. Fraction’s characterizations were still superb, but the plot seemed to contain nothing but buildup. Well, that all culminated with Exodus, and what a culmination. The epic battle between teams is there, with almost every character utilized. Deals with the devil, an old New Avengers callback, and a new status quo makes this the most explosive comic of the month, and the best too.
Continuing the feature I started last month, here’s my list! I read 17 comics in May, and these were the best.
5. Green Lantern #41
I’m sorry. I haven’t written a review for this comic, and two others on my list, but this was a great Green Lantern issue. This issue, like most of the Johns-penned Blackest Night preludes, is packed with interesting information. On top of that, Johns continues to make Larfleeze (Larfreeze sounds so much cooler) a really interesting villain. But the absolute awesomeness of this issue can be found on the last page. Oh, what a last page.
4. Irredeemable #2
Oh, I love this feeling in comics. The book is new, and it just feels like the best thing ever. Ok, so Irredeemable isn’t flawless, but it’s a damn fine book. When we reflect on the man’s career, this could be the best Mark Waid comic. He’s writing the hell out of this book.
3. Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #6
It’s sad. I think a lot of people dismissed this after the delays. I can certainly understand their reason for doing so, but if you did drop this book early, you missed out on a great series. Lindelof, while being a bit too unchained, actually wrote Wolverine and Hulk as fully fleshed-out characters. You know where they stand. And it’s so refreshing that the real “Wolverine vs. Hulk” of this series was much more psychological, instead of just a flurry of punching. Yu’s art is easy on the eyes as well.
2. The Walking Dead #61
Often thought of as my favorite ongoing series, instead of thinking “Will this issue be good?” I wonder “Just how good will this issue be?” This is definitely in the top-tier of The Walking Dead issues. There’s some bad stuff that happens here. If you aren’t reading this series, you should be.
1. Wolverine #72
Wow! Two Wolverine books in one month? That never happens! That’s because, with so many damn Wolverine books, most of them are repetitive and/or mediocre at best. But that’s exactly why “Old Man Logan” is so good. Millar takes a character that has been severely overused, and breathes some new life into him. Ok, so his actual characterization of Wolverine is more like Clint Eastwood than anything else, but this is a Wolverine story that is actually innovative. This series is packed with off-beat, fresh ideas. Oh, and Steve McNiven’s art is GORGEOUS!
So there it is! Agree? Disagree? Please, let me know!
I was a terrible fan on FCBD. I didn’t even go to a comic shop. You know what I did? I spent the day hanging out with friends. New friends, old friends, beer, sports, and girls culminating with the Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton fight. Yeah, remember how that went?
Sorry, that’s actually when Hatton got knocked out by Mayweather, but you get the idea. We got what? Five minutes of boxing? I would’ve asked for my nickel back, but I watched it at a friend’s house. For those who did throw down the money, blame Hatton. Anyway, my FCBD was spent doing the most non-comic book things ever, but I still got my books. Be friends with your comic book guy, kids.
(***1/2)
Atomic Robo: I’ve heard that this was good, and it is. The nice, clean art and sharp writing is impressive. It left me wanting more. Sadly, even though it’s huge on the cover, this story wasn’t the longest in the issue.
Drone: This was the longest story. I’m a bit underwhelmed. Average art and writing, with a ton of words isn’t the best sales pitch. It’s a bit of an interesting concept, though.
We Kill Monsters: I don’t know what to think of this. It just didn’t really hook me at all. It’s not bad.
(***1/2)
Because I like complaining about Bendis:
For a book with both New and Dark Avengers, this isn’t in continuity, is it?
This book has way too many words for kids and new readers.
Why is this book rated teen? Why not write for kids, Bendis? Why the swears?
Why does Spider-Man mention global warming? It’s not even a joke. It’ll just offend adults and confuse the kids.
This book was so damn wordy, and yet it still didn’t introduce all the characters.
Other than all that:It’s pretty good. I mean, it’s Jim Cheung drawing 24 pages of Avengers action. Throw in Thor, and you actually have a memorable FCBD comic. Oh, and we get more pages in this issue than we do in a four-dollar Avengers comic. And why is this book at reduced-size? Every publisher, large and small, is printing normal size, but Marvel? Tiny comics! Boo!
(****)
Some publishers, even the tiny ones, will put out an issue #0 for three bucks, but DC? They put out the #0 of their big, new event for free. Way to go DC! Wednesday Comics, three-dollar comics, and now this? Is anyone still reading Marvel? As for the actual issue, I would have liked to get a good look at all of the corps. We do get that, in a way, but those pages have been online for weeks. I even posted them. What we do get, is a nice conversation between Hal and Barry, an exploration of some of DC’s dead characters, and the Black Lantern Oath. Throw in some sweet Ivan Reis art, and you’ve got an awesome package. Oh, and for those who have been noticing my bitching about Aquaman being brought back in Final Crisis, that’s actually addressed in this issue. Apparently, those were just rumors. BUT I SAW HIM WITH MY OWN EYES! Oh well, way to screw with Morrison’s vision, DiDio.
(**)
“The Simpsons” is my favorite show. Having said that, I don’t think I really laughed once while reading this. That’s bad. The comic is free, features nice art, and may entertain children. That’s good.
(***1/2)
Shazam: This was three pages! I heard this was good, but three pages! Boo!
Brave and the Bold: Entertaining, adequate art, and the kids are the hero of the story, that’s awesome. Also, just like the cartoon, it features a relatively unknown villain, the Thinker. Although, I think Batman and Blue Beetle kill him in this story. What’s up with that?
Tiny Titans: I’ve read this comic before and it’s very fun. I dig the art, too. This one? Not so much. It’s still awesome, and if any of you have kids, this is a good comic.
(**)
I have a friend who absolutely adores this book. Well, he used to. Now, even he isn’t reading it anymore. I’ve tried to get into it. I like the art and some of the pop culture references are funny, but it’s kind of boring. It’s lost its spark.
(***)
If you like Wolverine: First Class, this is right up your alley. It’s Fred Van Lente being Fred Van Lente. It also has some pretty art. I find Wolverine: First Class to be forgettable and unnecessary, so this isn’t my thing, but I think a lot of kids and adults will have a blast.
(****)
I love comics. When a comic reminds you of that, it’s pretty damn sweet. This is a medium where you can do just about whatever you want. You’re not hindered by the burdens that come with TV. So, Lindelof totally cuts loose. This comic is broken into five parts:
Part One: In Which Logan Pisses Off A Panda
Part Two: In Which Logan Loses His Head
Part Three: In Which We Once Again Flash Back In Time To Explain Things Better (How Original)
Part Four: In Which Logan Makes A Valuable Ally In His Toilet Bowl
Part Five: In Which Logan Ignores The Panda’s Advice And Thusly Screws Himself Good At The End Of The Issue
That’s actually what happens. Logan really does fight a Panda, which reminded me of this. Logan’s head really is detached from his body. Hulk and She-Hulk…wrestle with each other. Forge’s (Why is Forge everywhere right now?) head pops out of a toilet. All this stuff is absolutely ridiculous, but it makes for a highly entertaining and memorable comic. If it wasn’t my favorite comic this week, it was definitely the most fun. Oh, and Leinil Yu is still drawing really pretty pictures.
(**1/2)
Are you ready for another trip down memory lane? I just read this issue about a week or so ago, and yet without opening the page I can barely remember anything about it. All I remember is that things didn’t really progress at all in this issue. That’s right, it’s flashback time! What happened in Ultimates 2, how Hulk got all those beautiful women and so on.
That’s really all this issue is. What’s Hulk’s side of the story? It’s him finding peace and all that jazz. Again, is it well-written? Maybe, there were some fascinating moments like when Banner refuses to eat meat and then goes green and eats cows, hands and so on. Do we know that stuff about Hulk? Yeah, but it’s still fun to see. Because of the lack of story, I’ll focus on the art. This is from Mr. Yu. I don’t know what to think of this man’s work. There are times when his art is muddled or esoteric and others when it’s extraordinary. As much as I disliked Secret Invasion, it looked undeniably marvelous. I’m not sure if that was because of time or effort or as with most things in life, a bit of both. Yu certainly gets the job done here and he does aid Lindelof’s writing immensely. Still, this is definitely pre-Secret Invasion Yu. I’m eager to observe post-Secret Invasion Yu. The second issue promises “The Damn Fight”. I just hope we don’t delve into the opposite extreme and receive excessive action.
(***1/2)
This is an early review! This comic comes out tomorrow and…wait, what? Didn’t this comic come out over three years ago? Yep, it’s getting a new printing that comes out tomorrow. So why not take this opportunity to fight off the spiders, dig through my long boxes, and reread this sucker!
It seems like just yesterday when I flipped to the second page of this comic and saw this. Say what!? Did you hear as many fanboys bitching about that as I did? Oh well, I thought it was a humorous and shocking beginning. A good start for sure. The rest of this comic? A bit disappointing after that blood-pumping start.
This is the standard set-up issue. Government man (Samuel L. Ja…I mean Nick Fury) recruits a badass (Wolverine) to go kill that monster (Hulk). Wow, it’s like the 80’s all over again. Was the set-up well-written? I suppose, but it remains ultimately unmemorable. I believe this is Damon Lindelof’s first comic adventure, so I’m willing to wait while he gets his act together. And hey, at least the issue ends with Wolverine giving the old “Snikt” staring down the Hulk and a bunch of beautiful ladies. So maybe Lindelof just needed one issue of set-up, eh?
Wolverine #70 (*****)
Okay, this story isn’t going to change the medium. This issue features a “twist” that I saw coming and you probably will too. But that doesn’t stop this from being one hell of a good time. This book rarely comes out (We get the next one in March I believe), but every time it does it’s on the top of my stack. This thing isn’t even in continuity! I should be waiting for the trade! But I don’t care. I experience so much joy whenever I see that “Old Man Logan” tag. Who knew the elderly could be so pleasing? As I said, the Shyamalan twist isn’t that great, but Millar executes it brilliantly. Better yet, he doesn’t dwell on it. The story progresses and we even get a cool last-page-reveal. Of course, as I’m sure even Millar knows, this book wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is without the art team. Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, Morry Hollowell, I salute you. I’m sure you fine people are responsible for this book’s delays but take your time. I’d rather have Wolverine out twice a year than a rush job. If you aren’t reading this book now, you’re missing out on some wonderful euphoria. Oh well, you guys can still enjoy the trade that comes out next year. Oh, and I love the chosen puppet master behind this issue’s scheme.
Kick-Ass #5 (****)
So, do we all agree that the name, Mark Millar, is synonymous with lateness now? Good God, it’s been like five months since the last issue, right? I had to reread the previous four to get up to speed. Oh well, I can’t really hate this book too much. Although I will say that the bit Millar wrote about the comic coming before the movie is bullshite. This issue’s delay is supposedly due to JRJR’s involvement with drawing the animated movie sequence, but I suspect that isn’t the only thing this new movie has influenced. So, last issue we were introduced to Big Daddy, the character Nicholas Cage is playing. Now we’re introduced to the Red Mist, the character McLovin is playing. It seems like the Red Mist gets a lot more screen time than he was supposed to. Anyway, let’s just say I’m really annoyed that the movie and the comic are being produced at the same time. As for the actual issue, there’s not much to say. If you have loved this book like me, then you’ll probably enjoy this. Millar provides some interesting and funny stuff and JRJR makes things pretty. Can we have the next issue a little quicker this time?
Green Lantern #36 (****)
Must I talk about the lateness in every damn review?! Is this the price I pay for quality? I guess, but what happened here DC? Wasn’t Shane Davis supposed to draw this? Then Doug Mahnke was shown as the artist on the DC website. And now that we actually get it, Ivan Reis is the on the book. WTF!? Shouldn’t Reis be working on Blackest Night? Oh well, Reis, as always, brings the goods. Seriously, I don’t care what you think of Johns, the pictures alone should do it for you. And boy does Reis get to show off this issue. We get to see the Red Lantern world, the Blue Lantern world and the birth of a Pink Lantern. And Reis isn’t the only one who deserves praise. Nei Ruffino, the colorist, also shines as you can imagine. Green, red, blue, he’ll have you wondering if you’ve picked up a Hulk comic by mistake. Hell, even the letterer, Rob Leigh, gets to have fun. That’s right, even the word balloons are outlined in green, blue, and red. This book looks fantastic and Johns continues to build his wonderful cosmic epic.
Justice Society of America #22 (***1/2)
And so Johns and Ross’ incredibly long epic concludes. Seriously, this has been about a year and a half in the making. Is it as good as it should be? No, but it’s an entertaining conclusion to a story with limitless potential. I think the main reason for my disappointment is the fact that I failed to realize who was writing my comic. This is Alex Ross and Geoff Johns, these guys live in the past. They, Ross especially, try to tell the same stories they loved as a child. This method is fantastic for kids, but will inevitably leave the rest of us wanting. This is our traditional battle finale. We’ve gotten all that sappy emotion out of the way which makes room for some big combat between the Gods and the men. The fighting ends after some humorous banter and demise of the JSA’s foe. Now we have to get rid of all that Kingdom Come nonsense. Again, KC Superman’s potential seems a bit wasted. Sure he punched a lightning bolt and all that jazz, but for so long he just seemed to blend into the background. Although I will say that Ross, who actually did draw some pages, did give the hero a fitting farewell. I think this review makes it seem like I disliked this issue, but I really did enjoy it. I liked the arc itself even more. Still, as I explained, I can’t help but feel a little sad.
Wolverine #69 (****)
Ok, so I absolutely love this arc. But I was a little disenchanted this time. Why? Probably because it was about two months late. I have the urge to play the “not much happened” card, but I believe my disappointment was because of the wait and this installment certainly wasn’t packed with much info. This is the traveling issue. Millar speeds Wolverine and Hawkeye’s journey so that we can get a proper finale. But that haste comes with a price. There are several interesting visuals including Loki’s skull, the Venom Symbiote attached to some rock, and the Red Skull’s visage added to Mount Rushmore. I’d like to know the story behind those wouldn’t you? I wish there was some mini to accompany this story but I highly doubt that will happen. So what did I like about this issue? Millar made Moloids scary as hell! The conclusion promises that we’ll find out what changed Wolverine next issue (I’m guessing he let the animal out and killed a hell of a lot of people including possibly someone he loves) so I certainly want more. And of course the best thing about Old Man Logan is the art. Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines and even Morry Hollowel have created one of the most beautiful post-apocalyptic worlds ever!
Walking Dead #54 (****1/2)
Sweet fucking Christmas there was a lot of F words in here! That doesn’t bother me but I think it will bother some. I believe the extra swears were due to the new character, Abraham. Honest Abe is one of three new survivors. There aren’t any big events in this issue, but there is a lot of zombie killing! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen much of that in WD. Our heroes haven’t had to rough it out in the open thanks to their cozy prison (Prisons are cozy right?) so they got soft. Abraham and Andrea have an interesting exchange here. I hope Andrea doesn’t cheat on Dale, who appears to have a peg leg in this issue. Did he have that before? I believe this was the end of an arc, but Kirkman manages to stay away from his usual shocking conclusion. It’s refreshing.
read/RANT! 
