Monday, April 29, 2013

The Week in Revue (May 1-7, 2013)

Tempering down the workload this week (and going forward) in an effort to bring better quality reviews instead of a high quantity. 

This week, I'll be Spotlight-ing Gail Simone's The Movement, a 'New 52' series that introduces a whole slew of new characters into the DC universe. Along with The Movement from DC, I'll cover James Robinson's Earth 2 #12, which continues the "Tower of Fate" arc, as well as Swamp Thing #20, the second issue from rising star Charles Soule.

On the Marvel front, I'll take a look at Age of Ultron #7, the issue with the alternate heroes gracing the cover! AoU is shaping up to have huge ramifications for the entire Marvel universe. Also, I'll be covering Iron Man #9, the first issue of Kieron Gillen's fantastic series illustrated by Dale Eaglesham. Really, Greg Land's artwork has been the only truly bad thing about the 'Marvel NOW!' Iron Man, so I'm excited to see how Eaglesham interprets "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark".

------- Spotlight
The Movement #1
(w) Gail Simone     (a) Freddy Williams II

------- DC Reviews
Earth 2 #12
(w) James Robinson     (a) Nicola and Trevor Scott

Swamp Thing #20
(w) Charles Soule     (a) Kano

------- Marvel Reviews
Age of Ultron #7 of 10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Carlos Pacheco and Brandon Peterson

Iron Man #9
(w) Kieron Gillen     (a) Dale Eaglesham

Teen Titans #19

(w) Scott Lobdell and Tony Bedard     (a) Eddy Barrows

I don't even know where to start.


** SPOILERS AHEAD **


What a mess of an issue. Seriously. Was Scott Lobdell just trying to throw everything that came into his head directly into Teen Titans #19? It's got the full team (minus Skitter, whom I'll remember but Lobdell certainly wont), plus appearances by Psimon, Raven, Beast Boy, and the evil demon, Trigon. Yes, it makes sense for Raven to be floating around seeing as she's Trigon's daughter, but beyond that, nothing in Teen Titans #19 has any semblance of cohesion.

Let me back up.


The ONLY good part about this issue is the revelation that Wonder Girl's father is none other than Lennox from the pages of Wonder Woman. It makes sense, and it finally makes a decent connection between Cassie Sandsmark and the Olympians. But it's only one panel, and it's not really a revelation because Cassie can't see Trigon's imagination. So basically, the audience now knows who Cassie's father is (if you've been reading Wonder Woman and shame on you if not), thereby achieving some fairly freshman-grade dramatic irony.Oh-la-la. Also, Scott Lobdell's inexplicable obsession with inner monologue is tempered quite a bit by Tony Bedard's co-scripting. Thank you, Tony.

Now let's talk about the bad.

First, we get a guest appearance from Beast Boy after the events of The Ravagers #12. For those of you who haven't read that particular issue, don't worry; it hasn't been released yet. So basically, disregard Beast Boy because his inclusion is based on events that haven't technically taken place yet, and he's not all that important to the story anyway.

Next, let's talk about Psimon. He's was a B-list villain (at best) before the 'New 52', but now, he's more like a flunky because Scott Lobdell has turned him into a sniveling, angst-ridden teenager who gets pouty when everything doesn't go his way. I suppose in an unintentionally metafictional sense, Psimon is a great interpretation of a teenage super villain, but that doesn't change the fact that he's just an asshole and all I wanted to do was get past any time he was in-panel. Oh, and there's a part where Beast Boy and Psimon battle until their powers "cancelled each other out" which makes no sense because one has mental psychic abilities while the other has physical shapeshifting. In what world do those two things coincide? My brain hurts.

None of this is to mention Scott Lobdell's dialogue, which I (think I) know is his because it's so much more awkward sounding than the stuff Bedard wrote. Like when Kid Flash is a huge prick after saving Superboy and says, "The words you're looking for are 'thank' and 'you'!" It's a minor complaint, but when has Kid Flash ever used more words than necessary? He's a speedster that gets things done quickly. Or the gem from Raven; "Why do humans visit such harm upon their children?" Well, first off, that's terrible diction. Visit? Sure it works, but it just sounds really dumb. And that's not even taking into account that fact that humans, technically, really didn't do any of this to these kids. It was Harvest, REMEMBER?!?!?! So why is the human race being judged?

Teen Titans #19 is another issue of terribleness from Scott Lobdell. Tony Bedard's co-scripting helped out, but there's little to be achieved by putting duct tape on a giant engine made of random parts that barely works and is constantly on the brink of completely falling apart.

Oh, and Red Robin is still being a huge dick for no reason whatsoever.

GRADE
3/10

Dropping the Ball


I've been completely dropping the ball the past few weeks when it comes to updating The Comic Book Revue. The truth is that the non-comic book parts of my life became more demanding and required more time. It's not a permanent thing, but that non-comic book part of my life doesn't leave to go back to Portland for another seven days.

That being said, I'm going to do my best to keep The Comic Book Revue more up to date than it has been recently. Part of this is the amount of reviews I schedule for myself. Sometimes, it's overwhelming and I just lock up instead of doing one or two a day. Then, you get weeks like this with one review because I'm having trouble dealing with things.

SO, not only am I going to just say right now that the next week may be more of what you've been seeing the past few weeks, to which I apologize in advance. I honestly don't know when I'm going to have time to write reviews (both figuratively and literally), so I don't want to make too many more promises that I have to break.

- Jay

Friday, April 26, 2013

Batman Incorporated #10

(w) Grant Morrison     (a) Chris Burnham, Jason Masters, and Andrei Bressan


** SPOILERS AHEAD! **

** BUT IF YOU'RE READING A COMIC BOOK REVIEW, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY EXPECT THAT, HUH? **


Holy Batman, Batman!

Grant Morrison seems insistent on seeing Batman's world -- literally and figuratively -- burned to the ground. After offing Damian Wayne and Batman, Inc. agent, the Knight, he's basically given up all pretense about Leviathan and the nature of Talia al Ghul's evil machinations.

Also, something that's been bugging me is the timeline of events. I know, I know. don't worry about the continuity -- enjoy the story for what it is. Unfortunately, DC made it a point to release a slew of "Requiem" issues mourning the death of Robin. Well, where do those other Bat-book issues fall? How much time has passed since Damian died and has Batman been doing other things (like stuff in his other titles), or does all of that "Requiem" business happen after the final issue of Batman, Incorporated?

Whatever.

So, Azrael makes his 'New 52' debut this month when Bruce goes to him for his armor. It's the kind of deus ex machina element Morrison utilizes from time to time that seems to work for him, while coming off as cheap under lesser hands.

Nightwing, Red Robin, and Red Hood are all off dealing with their own situations, illustrated over two pages by Andrei Bressan, who manages to botch all the character faces. Dick Grayson and Tim Drake look duck-faced, and Jason Todd doesn't resemble his generic, black-haired, handsome look at all. In fact, Todd looks like he's been punched in the nose a half-dozen times. I normally wouldn't point out details like this with such scrutiny, but with the rest of the issue looking so good, Bressan's rushed-looking work really hits the brakes on the narrative momentum.

It's unfortunate, but Batman Incorporated #10 feels very much like the filler issue it is instead of being a stepping stone toward Morrison's endgame. It is, technically, but there's a lot of exposition, a lot of waxing poetic about the idea of crime and the concept of justice. In a way, it almost feels derivative of Morrison himself. These are ideals and themes he's used in Batman stories in the past, and instead of feeling conclusive by nature, it seems repetitive. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the issue, because I seriously enjoy Morrison's work. It's just not the strongest issue of the series.

GRADE
7/10

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Week in Revue (Apr 24-31, 2013)

------- DC Reviews
The Flash #19
(w) Brian Buccellato     (a) Marcio Takara
DC'S "WTF" MONTH CONTINUES WITH A BRAND NEW VILLAIN FOR THE FLASH!

Batman Incorporated #10
(w) Grant Morrison     (a) Chris Burnham
MORRISON'S EPIC BATMAN SAGA IS WINDING DOWN!

I, Vampire #19
(w) Joshua Hale Fialkov     (a) Fernando Blanco and Andrea Sorrentino
FINAL ISSUE! AND REALLY, FIALKOV'S FINAL ISSUE FOR DC! DANG.

------- Marvel Reviews
Young Avengers #4
(w) Kieron Gillen     (a) Jaime McKelvie
LOVE ME SOME YOUNG AVENGERS! 

Avengers #10
(w) Jonathan Hickman     (a) Dustin Weaver
HONESTLY, IT'S SUPER HARD TO KNOW WHAT HICKMAN IS GOING TO THROW AT US NEXT WITH THIS SERIES. WHATEVER IT IS, THOUGH, IT'LL BE GREAT.

Uncanny X-Men #5
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Fraiser Irving
IT'S THE ORIGINAL COMIC BOOK WITH 'UNCANNY' IN THE TITLE, NOW THAT THERE ARE, LIKE, 30.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Green Lantern: New Guardians #19

(w) Tony Bedard     (a) Andres Guinaldo and Raul Fernandez

I have a 'love/hate' relationship with Green Lantern: New Guardians. Well, more of a 'like/get-annoyed-at' relationship. Whether I enjoy it or not depends on the issue. For a series without a cohesive direction, Tony Bedard has been working hard to do justice by Kyle Rayner, the leader of this merry band of 'New Guardians'. It's been an up-and-down situation since day one, but that's just something I've come to expect.


** SPOILERS AHEAD**


Green Lantern: New Guardians #19 is one of the good issues. "Wrath of the First Lantern" is finally starting to gain some weight as Volthoom's manipulation of reality has resulted in the destruction of Korugar, Sinestro's home planet. Kyle and Star Sapphire Carol Ferris' search for Hal Jordan brings them to Sinestro, who is lamenting the death of his planet. In a desperate attempt to poke fate, Sinestro demands that Kyle use his newly harnessed White Lantern power to bring Korugar back to life.

Say what?!?


Grief is a powerful emotion (one that isn't part of the spectrum...yet) that easily consumes Sinestro. But unlike Wolverine's totally out-of-character decisions over in Age of Ultron, Sinestro has always been deeply loyal to his homeworld. Throughout his spotty career as a ringslinger, Sinestro has always, always done everything to protect Korugar. It makes sense that it's destruction would addle his priorities.

Guest stars Simon Baz and B'dg don't really add too much to the story beyond Simon's unique ability to connect with the white light of life. And even that is just a fleeting moment that feels shoehorned in to fit DC's "WTF" gatefold cover directive.

Kyle Rayner is such an interesting character that Tony Bedard has just begun to understand more fully. Green Lantern: New Guardians #19 doesn't do much to progress the "Wrath of the First Lantern" plot, but it's got fantastic character development for Kyle, Carol Ferris, Sinestro, and even Simon Baz.

GRADE
7.5/10

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Spotlight: Age of Ultron #6

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco

At ten issues, Age of Ultron has a lot of wiggle room. Brian Michael Bendis' decompressed style shines through here, as each chapter moves the story forward, but at a deliberately steady pace (unlike, say, the 'jump in head first' attitude of events such as Siege and Fear Itself). Which is interesting, because Ultron had already won before the first issue began. It's a testament to Bendis' talent, that he's able to tell a story backwards and still make it feel familiar and organic. Age of Ultron #6 marks the beginning of the second half of this event, and this is where everything changes.


**SPOILERS AHEAD, YO**


Carlos Pacheco and Brandon Peterson begin their art duties this issue, and for once, it actually makes sense. I had a theory -- a few months back when it was announced that the artistic team would change midway through the series -- that the change would have to do with time travel and/or dimensional travel. Lo and behold, that's exactly the reason. It's not a fill-in job or because Bryan Hitch couldn't produce more pages. It's because that's what the story calls for, and that's the best reason.

Last issue, Nick Fury led a team into the future on a mission to destroy Ultron and retroactively fix the past. Wolverine is skeptical, to say the least, and decides to go rogue and jump back in time to kill Hank Pym, thereby eliminating Ultron before it's even created. Because nothing bad has ever come from messing with the past. Wolverine does posit, on several occasions, that without Ultron, the future has "got to be better than what we left."

That's a silly sentiment.

And Logan, of all people, should understand this basic principle. Is he not the one going ape-shit in All-New X-Men over Beast bringing the original X-Men into the present? I could look past this if Brian Michael Bendis wasn't writing both titles. ANYTHING that changes in the past can (and usually does) have major ramifications to the future. It's not a difficult concept to understand, and Wolverine is letting his emotions get the better of him. Again, I could look past this if it hadn't happened to the X-Men numerous times throughout the franchise's publication history, but it has.

Honestly, Ultron's devastation merits extreme action. I understand that Bendis has written these characters into a situation that they've never encountered before, one that they do not have a solution for, one that can't be fixed by punching and shields. This ordeal has broken these heroes, and they don't know what else to do. The problem is that Bendis' insistence that story trumps character backfires on him here. Wolverine has never been about "what if"s and "could have"s. In any other story, he would have joined Nick Fury in the fight for the future. It's hard to get past this unconvincing character flaw because Wolverine's journey into the past is pivotal to this issue's narrative.

It's going to be hard for Bendis to dig his way out of this one -- even if Wolverine recognizes his mistake, the fact still remains that he did it. In the years he's been featured in Marvel comic books, Wolverine has never crossed the line unless he needed to, unless there was no other option. It's a shame that such a popular and revered character is being used so flippantly.

GRADE
7/10

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Week in Revue (Apr 17-23, 2013)

------- Spotlight
Age of Ultron #6 of 10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco
THE TIDES TURN AS THE SURVIVING HEROES BEGIN THE MARCH TO TAKE DOWN ULTRON!

------- DC Reviews
DC Universe Presents #19
(w) Tony Bedard     (a) Javier Pina
FINAL ISSUE! WHO HAS BROUGHT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO THE JUSTICE LEAGUE? IF YOU READ PREVIEWS, YOU ALREADY KNOW.

Justice League #19
(w) Geoff Johns     (a) Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
NOT A FINAL ISSUE! WHO HAS BROUGHT KRYPTONITE TO A FIGHT AGAINST THE JUSTICE LEAGUE? IF YOU READ PREVIEWS, YOU ALREADY KNOW.

---------- mini reviews
Green Lantern: New Guardians #19
(w) Tony Bedard     (a) Andres Guinaldo and Raul Fernandez
NOW THERE'S TWO WHITE LANTERNS? WASSUP WITH THIS CRAZY?

Wonder Woman #19
(w) Brian Azzarello     (a) Tony Akins and Dan Green
WONDER WOMAN vs. ORION! PLUS SOMETHING ELSE ON THE SECRET GATEFOLD!

------- Marvel Reviews
Captain America #6
(w) Rick Remender     (a) John Romita Jr.
I JUST LOVE THIS SERIES. IT'S CRAZY GOOD.

Nova #3
(w) Jeph Loeb     (a) Ed McGuinness
NOVA'S ORIGIN CONTINUES! 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Green Lantern Corps #19

(w) Peter J. Tomasi     (a) Fernando Pasarin


**SPOILERS BECAUSE IT'S HARD NOT TO WITH THIS ISSUE**


"Wrath of the First Lantern" has gone on too long. And that's after "Rise of the Third Army", the 'crossover' that went nowhere. Since last October, the Green Lantern team has been building toward this epic ending, but it's been diluted by time. There's no getting around that.

Green Lantern Corps #19 -- also known as Part Ten of this everlasting story -- is your standard going-through-the-motions issue that doesn't really know what it's doing while we wait for Green Lantern #20. The First Lantern, Volthoom, isn't around much, and John Stewart's minuscule C-story about reassembling Mogo suddenly becomes priority number one. The storytelling is erratic at best.

Mogo is a character that changes based on what's needed. First, he was simply a Green Lantern who happened to be a planet. Then, he became the place where GL rings are forged. Now, he happens to be able to encase large numbers of Green Lanterns within pieces of his planet crust to protect them from Volthoom's attack. How? Not explained.

Oh, and then there's the big old battle of the Green Lantern's Mogo saved against the Yellow, Black, and Red Lantern avatars of themselves...which turn out not to be Volthoom, but Mogo trying to teach everyone a lesson about being better than "what if?"s.

WHAT?!?

The entire "Wrath of the First Lantern" saga has been about attempting to stop Volthoom before he's able to absorb enough power to rewrite the universe. For some reason, Mogo is able to quarantine his fellow Green Lanterns and involve them in a emotionally charged war against ghosts of themselves without Volthoom noticing. No one seems to be worried that they're taking all this time to go through the motions while the First Lantern is gearing up to wipe existence clean.

Green Lantern Corps #19 is as much a filler issue as you can get. It involves contrived character development based on a continued 'deus ex machina' device. Nothing about the plot is really advanced at all. It's only worth it if you're a completionist.

GRADE
4/10

Friday, April 12, 2013

Uncanny X-Men #4

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Chris Bachalo

This was a cop-out issue.

I'm sure -- sitting there -- writing both All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men at the same time got old Brian Michael Bendis thinking about how much these two books needed to connect. 'Quite a bit' is putting it mildly when it's not even solicited that these two titles interconnect to the point where you find out plot points from one within another.


**SPOILERS AHEAD**


Uncanny X-Men #4 is basically just a retelling of All-New X-Men #10 from the perspective of Cyclops' team; more specifically, Emma Frost. Most of the pages are filled with psychic banter between Emma and the Stepford Cuckoos about their attending Scott's new Xavier School. 

At first, they're all like "Nah" because they felt abandoned by Emma. Then, Emma shows them how Scott basically power-raped her for her portion of the Phoenix Force. The Cuckoos feel so bad for Emma that they decide to forgive her and join Scott's school.

How does this make any sense? The girls literally just saw Scott forcibly removing their mentors' powers, and now they're going to attend his school? Plus, it shows a severe lack of morality on Emma's part, to -- in as much as she can -- 'forgive' Scott for his actions under the influence of the Phoenix, only to use those actions against him later on for her own gain. Maybe it's what Bendis intended, but it doesn't feel that way.

This issue would have been a whole lot more interesting if it had hit a few important beats. First, there should have been some new information. We already knew the Cuckoos were going with Emma and Scott, so why spend most of an issue explaining that they do? Second, if Magik is on the cover, she should have had a much more central role in the issue beyond a few foreboding panels. Third, don't change character personalities at the drop of a hat (here's looking at you, Triage).

At least Chris Bachalo's artwork is still awesome.

GRADE
5/10

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Batman #19

(w) Scott Snyder     (a) Greg Capullo

Scott Snyder always has big plans for Batman. Whether it's the multi-layered "Court of Owls" saga, the vicious "Death of the Family", or the sprawling "Year Zero" that begins in a few months, Snyder seems to be producing quality, long-form narratives on a regular basis. That being said, it's refreshing to get a quick story that's only going to last a couple issues. Much in the same way a haiku challenges poets to express more with less, Snyder tweaks his style to fit this tale in just a few issues. 

In multiple interviews, Snyder has stated that this two-part arc would be his homage to Batman: The Animated Series, a fan-favorite TV show that proved a cartoon version of the Batman could be dark, action-packed, introspective, and fun all at the same time. Clayface was a regular villain in B:TAS, making it a wise decision on Snyder's part to unleash an evolved Basil Karlo upon Gotham City.

Batman #19 reflects the pacing and imagery of Batman: TAS fairly well. Most episodes featured a small opening vignette that made way for character and emotional development before segueing into a situation where all the dots begin to connect and Batman has his final showdown with the villain of the week. It's interesting to see how Snyder mirrors this style, but alters it for a two-part tale. 

Greg Capullo's artwork looks cleaner here than it usually does -- more crisp and less hurried-looking. I've always loved the artwork in Batman, but it really feels like Capullo drew things less rounded and more utilitarian in an effort to mirror Batman: TAS's art style like Snyder was mimicking the narrative style. If not, the art is still fantastic. If so, that's just a whole new level to the way Snyder and Capullo produce this book and work together.

GRADE
9/10

Uncanny Avengers #6

(w) Rick Remender     (a) Daniel Acuna

This is the first issue of Uncanny Avengers I haven't outright enjoyed from beginning to end. Rick Remender takes readers back in time for a look at the first time Thor met Apocalypse. It's sort of like an interlude prelude chapter to "The Apocalypse Twins" that foreshadows the events in the present day.

Thor-centric tales are difficult to write because, more often than not, they feature some disagreement between Thor and Odin. Remender falls victim to this cliche and once again, Odin finds some reason to be disappointed in Thor. 


As a side note: seriously, does Odin ever even like his son? It feels like the old codger is constantly drunk and looking for someone or something to unload all his anger and frustrations upon. It's one of the reasons I've never been a huge Thor fan, and it's also why Jason Aaron's current run on Thor: God of Thunder is so good. There's only so many times Thor's daddy issues can be exploited, and that quota was hit years go.

Remender is a master of foreshadowing and long-form narratives, so it's kind of a given that all the events in Uncanny Avengers #6 will have some bearing on the present day, but it still removes readers from the current-day story and stops the momentum Remender was building.

GRADE
7/10

Spotlight: Ultron #1AU

(w) Kathryn Immonen     (a) Amilcar Pinna

I love that the Runaways are making a comeback. First, Dennis Hopeless threw Nico and Chase into the mix over in Avengers Arena, and now, Victor Mancha gets his own one-shot that ties into Age of Ultron. Fans of Brian K. Vaughan's Runaways already know that Victor is the son of Ultron and a human mother, making him quite the anomaly in this narrative about robots vs. humanity. Kathryn Immonen gets a lot of freedom in Ultron #1AU because Victor hasn't been seen or heard from in a few years. Unfortunately, Immonen drops the ball simply due to this issue's overly-simplistic nature. This is an Age of Ultron tie-in that has one big connection to the event that never gets much real attention.

Victor's situation is rooted in his physiology as half human, half robot. Ultron drones are having trouble understanding exactly what Victor is, causing at least one gold-dome to explode from inexplicable data. Immonen reminds the reader of this fact on multiple occasions, but she does so without delving any deeper into the reason. Why can't the Ultron robots distinguish Victor's composition? Why hasn't Victor attempted to contact his father? What is Victor's greater significance?

Unfortunately, Immonen doesn't touch on any of these questions. Being a One-Shot issue means everything happening here has to be self-contained, more or less. Instead, we're dropped into the action without much set-up before Immonen uses the issue to introduce some new characters under Victor's care during the decimation of Los Angeles. It's a noble attempt to make Victor a foil for his father; protecting some while Ultron destroys so many. This is where Immonen falters because instead of pursuing this rich subtext, she continues to make the entire story about the robotics of it all. Yes, we get it Kathryn; Victor is half robot. Now, we need to know what that means.

Ultron #1AU is still a fun read. Victor himself is generally characterized well -- self-doubt mixed with a self-imposed predisposition to help people. And while Kathryn Immonen does a great job fleshing out Victor's inner journey, she stumbles in conveying a sympathetic plot. It's fair to assume Victor will play a part in Age of Ultron going forward and possibly into the future. That being said, the main reason I'm thinking this is the case is simply because the kid got his own One-Shot, not because of Immonen's story. Without any deeper connection to the main series or further exploration of Victor's significance, Ultron #1AU misses a lot of potential and doesn't feel as integral to the event as it should.

GRADE
6.5/10

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Week in Revue (Apr 10-16, 2013)

------- Spotlight
Ultron #1
(w) Kathryn Immonen     (a) Amilcar Pinna
THE RETURN OF VICTOR MANCHA: THE SON OF ULTRON!

------- DC Reviews
Batman #19
(w) Scott Snyder     (a) Andy Kubert
WHY IS BRUCE WAYNE AIMING A GUN? 

Constantine #2
(w) Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes     (a) Renato Guedes

I DON'T KNOW WHY DC IS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME CONSTANTINE IS DEAD IN THE SECOND ISSUE ALREADY...

Green Lantern Corps #19
(w) Peter J. Tomasi     (a) Fernando Pasarin
"WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN" CONTINUES! NEED I SAY MORE?

---------- mini reviews
Batman and Red Robin #19
(w) Peter J. Tomasi     (a) Patrick Gleason
THIS ONE MIGHT TURN INTO A FULL REVIEW SEEING AS THE REVEALED "WTF" COVER REVEALS A LOT MORE THAN EXPECTED.

Demon Knights #19
(w) Robert Vendetti     (a) Bernard Chang
CAIN IS GETTING EVER CLOSER TO HIS GOAL OF WORLD DOMINATION.

------- Marvel Reviews
Uncanny X-Men #4
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Chris Bachalo
MAGIK TAKES CENTER STAGE BECAUSE SHE'S STILL GOT A LOT OF POWER.

X-Treme X-Men #13
(w) Greg Pak     (a) Giuseppe Camuncoli
FINAL ISSUE! SPECIAL REVIEW FOR THE FINAL ISSUE OF AN AMAZING SERIES.

---------- mini reviews
Wolverine #2
(w) Paul Cornell     (a) Alan Davis
THIS SERIES IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN SAVAGE WOLVERINE!!!

Monday, April 8, 2013

Indestructible Hulk #6

(w) Mark Waid     (a) Walter Simonson

One of the best elements of Mark Waid's Indestructible Hulk is Bruce Banner. In fact, Hulk himself has taken a back seat to Banner's personal journey towards reconciling his inner green monster with his scientific genius and duty to work toward a prosperous future. Scientific exposition might sound boring, but Waid does it in such a way that presents Banner and his hand-picked team of assistants as explorers of the unknown instead of pencil-pushing researchers. The Hulk only comes out when absolutely necessary.

There's not a lot to complain about in Indestructible Hulk #6. Waid begins a new arc that focuses on Banner and his team journeying to Jotunheim -- mystical realm of the frost giants -- and enlisting the help of the Mighty Thor whilst doing so. Though, not everything is exactly how it seems. The series, so far, has been written a solo book that happens includes a group of tertiary characters who are quickly becoming more and more important. Waid's narrative style lends itself nicely to this setup after a long stint of solo and duo titles.

This issue also really sold me on Walter Simonson's artwork. It's never spoken to me before, and always felt like an attempt at satire that wasn't actually an attempt at satire, and that didn't make much sense to me. Simonson's stye hasn't changed, per se, but it feels more crisp here and less frantic than usual, which is refreshing.

Overall, Indestructible Hulk #6 is the introductory chapter of this story, which means there are some big questions that are left unanswered at issue's end, but the big revelation teased on the cover is somewhat overshadowed by other mysteries Waid planted along the way. There's nothing wrong with that, but it dulls the excitement of the final page, for sure.

GRADE
8/10

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Action Comics #19

(w) Andy Diggle     (a) Tony S. Daniel

Of course...of course Andy Diggle left Action Comics after only one issue...

Because there is no sarcasm expression in written form (yet), I'll make it clear: DC editorial is letting some of their BEST talent walk out.

Action Comics #19 is a great issue. Seriously; after Grant Morrison's 18 issues of crazy, Andy Diggle gives readers a story that's incredibly interesting without having to unwrinkle your brain afterwards. It's Superman battling giant alien monsters. And the best characterization of Lex Luthor I've seen so far in the 'New 52'.

This is supposed to be the flagship Superman title (until Superman Unchained, of course), and keeping Diggle would have been in DC's best interests because this man knows how to write the Man of Steel. Morrison stretched Superman to limits we've never seen before, and now Diggle is bringing him back to reality a little bit. Besides Action Comics, the only other solo book is Superman, which Scott Lobdell has driven into the ground. If you're looking for straightforward Superman action, Andy Diggle's Action Comics is for you. Action Comics #19 balances Clark's life as a reporter (and human) against his life as Superman more organically and smoothly than any issue of Superman or Action Comics before it. Diggle understands the need for this balance and he approaches it with a "less is more" attitude that simply works.

UNFORTUNATELY, Diggle is yet another casualty in DC's iron-fisted editorial rampage. It seems that unless you are Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, or Jeff Lemire, DC is going to edit the every-loving hell out of your work to the point that you'll want to no longer be associated with said work. So all we get is this singular issue from Diggle. Arc artist Tony S. Daniel will be taking over scripting duties from Diggle's plotting, but it's not going to be the same because Daniel is not as strong a writer as Diggle.

Action Comics #19 shows such great promise from such a fantastic writer that it's hard not to think about Andy Diggle's problems with DC editorial while reading. First, his timeframe was pushed back a whole month to accomodate Grant Morrison's desire for an extra issue, then he was given the "WTF" directive (something many DC writers had to contend with by shoehorning a 'major revelation' into their stories) that became his first issue for the title, then he and editorial butted heads even further which caused his departure from the title.

In the end, all we can do is appreciate Action Comics #19 for what it has become: a sign of amazing potential that won't be fulfilled. 

GRADE
9/10

Friday, April 5, 2013

Age of Ultron #4 (mini review)

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Bryan Hitch


**SPOILERS AHEAD**


So...Age of Ultron is starting to get a little...eh.

Not bad, mind you. Just 'eh'. Much like the super-sized Avengers vs. X-Men, Brian Michael Bendis' Age of Ultron is starting to drag. The saving grace is that this series is coming out on such a quick schedule -- what took AvX seven months is taking AoU only three.

Age of Ultron #4 picks up right where last issue left off, with Luke Cage facing down the Vision, who seems to be in control of the Ultron army subjugating the planet. That was a big deal. Unfortunately, that plot twist kind of goes out the window when everyone's favorite android Avenger blurts out that it is, indeed, Ultron running the show, only from the future, using Vision's operating system as a conduit. Whoa! It's neat, but it also cheapens the effect of Vision's reappearance. Now we know he's just under Ultron's control.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Flashpoint up in this piece. Not only because I heard that theory before the event started, but because time travel is at the core of this story's conflict. Obviously, the surviving heroes of Ultron's rampage are going to have to jump through time and space to save their present. And as we all know, messing with the space-time continuum always has side effects.

Of course I'm going to keep reading Age of Ultron, it's just this particular issue isn't particularly interesting.

GRADE
6/10

Stormwatch #19

(w) Jim Starlin     (a) Yvel Guichet

Reading Stormwatch #19 made me realize just how invested I was with the 'New 52' incarnation of Jim Lee's classic team. Unfortunately, Stormwatch has been a low performer since it's first issue, most likely surviving the various title cullings due to Lee's history with the franchise. Enter Jim Starlin, who has -- instead of using what he was given to tell good stories -- decided to say "f*ck all", throw away 18 issues of character development and narrative, and start from 'scratch' with the classic iteration of the team more akin to the design in Lee's original concept.

It's bad.

There's no better way to say it. In a single issue, Starlin not only attempts to explain away the 'old' Stormwatch, but also introduce all the members of the 'new' Stormwatch and get them going on their first mission. 

It's asinine and, frankly, insulting.

If this were Stormwatch #1, I wouldn't have as big a problem with the issue's events -- it reads like a debut issue, and it could have made sense at the beginning of the 'New 52'. Now, it just feels like a shameless attempt to cash in on older readers who want to see their favorite team back together. There's no question that some regular readers of the 'New 52' Stormwatch are going to drop the book now that all the characters they follow are literally nonexistent. And what's the payoff? Some new readers who are familiar with the old Stormwatch? That's laughable, seeing as that audience would have no idea how or where this new, classic Stormwatch fits into the DC universe, et al. I can't figure out why DC would do this; why they would allow Starlin to do whatever he damn well pleases. 

I won't be reading Stormwatch any more. It's not for lack of interest. It's because at this point, continuing to read this series would be like getting abused and not getting out. Because in the end, it's disrespectful to readers who have spent their time and money investing in this series only to have it ripped out from under them. For shame, DC. For shame.

GRADE
4/10

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Earth 2 #11

(w) James Robinson     (a) Nicola Scott

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

April is DC's "WTF" month, which means each and every 'New 52' title gets a gatefold cover that reveals a shocking new twist and/or revelation. Some of these moments feel more natural than others. Earth 2 #11 features a gatefold cover with Mister Miracle of the New Gods, a character fans have been clamoring for in any universe since the relaunch. Unfortunately, Mister Miracle's appearance isn't really part of the story...at all.

This gimmick aside, Earth 2 #11 is another solid issue from James Robinson. This month, he spends the time to move around all the pieces he put into play last issue. The evil Wotan is still the real villain here, reluctant Khalid and his relationship with the spirit of Nabu is the real focal point of this story. Khalid has to get past his own insecurities to accept the destiny he's faced with. It's the conversation with Flash that knocks some sense into Khalid and shows him that even someone with no training, no understanding, and no experience can still stand up and face his enemies.

Like many obstacles in our life, Khalid's struggle to accept his destiny is only as difficult as he makes. The helm of Nabu has power undefined, so it's understandable if that scares Khalid a bit. The change in Earth 2 #11 has to do with the new Dr. Fate understanding that it's his own choice whether he let's Nabu's power corrupt him or give him the strength to conquer any evil. Pre-'New 52', Dr. Fate was a character more or less at war with his own weapon of choice. In this current incarnation, Khalid doesn't subconsciously battle Nabu's influence so much as he must work to stave off the insanity that potentially arises from extended exposure to such chaotic magical forces.

It's fun to see Mister Miracle and Big Barda show up for that one panel, and in the grand scheme of things, these two were bound to be introduced sooner or later. I bring this up again because DC's mandate to make every April cover some shocking revelation just doesn't work for every title, Earth 2 being one of them. It very much feels like Robinson was forced into jamming the New Gods connections into Earth 2 #11 that could have easily been in the next issue.

GRADE
8/10

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Spotlight: Thanos Rising #1

(w) Jason Aaron     (a) Simone Bianchi

Jason Aaron and Simone Bianchi's intimate look at the origin of the mad god Thanos begins this month as Marvel continues to beef up it's cosmic family of titles. This isn't your average villain's journey -- Thanos is one of the most powerful, destructive, and god-like entities in the entire known universe, yet his early days aren't quite what you'd expect. In fact, Aaron's interpretation of the character's beginnings take a different narrative direction than most villain origins.

Thanos: Rising #1 shows that Aaron and Bianchi have a very different idea for Thanos than -- I would venture to assume -- most any comic book fan would anticipate. Indeed, the mad god wasn't isolated as a child or hated by his parents; he didn't really cause anything horrific, nor did he innately desire to be evil. Thanos was, it seems, a pretty happy kid. Though a unique genetic mutation turned his skin purple and his eyes black, Thanos is never really ostracized by the other children. He's a smart, bright, energetic boy who lives up to his perceived destiny amongst his fellow Eternals, and he's done it knowing his place in life is much different than most. Aaron is looking at Thanos through the lens of a fallen angel, of a sorts. It's a metaphor that describes the events of this first issue and plays off the series' title, as well.

It would seem that the age old question of 'nature vs. nurture' applies here, as Thanos' upbringing has made him kind and gentle, while his true self lies dormant. That being said, I hope it's not as simple as that. It's a common cliche to make the villain destined for evil. Thanos has been pushed toward the darkness since his first moments of existence, so his optimistic outlook is all the more surprising and impressive.

I'm already very impressed with Thanos: Rising. Jason Aaron only has four more issues to take Thanos from being an emotionally broken, yet stunningly intelligent boy to the scourge of the universe. Much like his work in Thor: God of Thunder, Aaron is giving us the story piecemeal, with details that will eventually come together to show the Son of Titan's fall from grace. I've never been a huge fan of Simone Bianchi's artwork in the past, but this entire issue just looks phenomenal -- a good artistic pairing. Much like in real life, it's the little things in Thanos' childhood that point toward a terrible future. And it's in those details that Aaron finds an emotional basis for this series.

GRADE
9/10

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Week (Apr 3-9, 2013)

------- Spotlight
Thanos: Rising #1 of 5
(w) Jason Aaron     (a) Simone Bianchi
THE ORIGIN OF A MASS MURDERER STARTS HERE!

------- DC Reviews
Action Comics #19
(w) Andy Diggle     (a) Tony S. Daniel
SEE ANDY DIGGLE'S FIRST (AND MAYBE ONLY) ISSUE OF ACTION COMICS!

Earth 2 #11
(w) James Robinson     (a) Nicola Scott
TWO MAJOR NEW CHARACTERS ENTER THE FRAY AS "TOWER OF FATE" CONTINUES!

Green Lantern #19
(w) Geoff Johns     (a) Doug Mahnke
GEOFF JOHNS' PENULTIMATE ISSUE! THE FIRST LANTERN CONTINUES HIS RAVAGING OF REALITY!

---------- mini reviews
Green Arrow #19
(w) Jeff Lemire     (a) Andrea Sorrentino

The Phantom Stranger #7
(w) Dan Didio and JM DeMatteis     (a) Gene Ha
WHO IS MURDERING THE PHANTOM STRANGER?

Stormwatch #19
(w) Jim Starlin     (a) Yvel Guichet
JIM STARLIN BEGINS HIS REVAMP OF STORMWATCH!

------- Marvel Reviews
Age of Ultron #4 of 10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Bryan Hitch
SEE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF LAST ISSUE'S TWIST ENDING!

All-New X-Men #10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Stuart Immonen
GOTTA LOVE THIS SERIES!

---------- mini reviews
Indestructible Hulk #6
(w) Mark Waid     (a) Walter Simonson
WALTER SIMONSON AND THOR!