In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe!

Wow, I have not posted in a long time. This past week, I've been without internet access, so there's an almost good excuse. For now, just some reviews.

52 #52

I read bits and pieces of this series since my dad was buying it. I think I fully read the first few weeks and then began skimming every issue. That skimming became much more prominant when I moved to Windsor and would only see issues on visits home. But, following a few comic sites kept me in touch enough. That said, OBVIOUSLY, the final issue of the series isn't aimed at me, someone who BARELY read the previous 51 issues. I saw it in the shop and figured what the hell, I'll give it a look, see how the whole thing ends.

And it ends kind of blahly.

Am I the only one who found it funny that for a series where each issue takes place over a week, barely any of this issue actually took place over week 52? 90% of the thing was outside of the time stream or back on week 1. Not a major problem or anything, but something I found funny.

There's also the big reveal that had me going "Oh wait, that wasn't the way it was already?" Seriously. I'm just ignorant of the DCU to have the big reveal fall totally flat because I thought that was the way things automatically were post-Infinite Crisis.

All in all, I ended up skimming the issue after fifteen pages because I just didn't give a fuck. My main problem with every issue of 52 that I read was that it read like it was written by committee. I couldn't pick out any real style or anything that made me actually take notice. It was all so mediocre after passing through so many hands. But, that's me.

They did it and that's good enough, I suppose.

Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1

Matt Fraction's the writer, so I bought it. It was a pretty good read. It does what an annual does best these days: tells a decent, complete story within the confines of the current status quo. Fraction does that here with a nice little love story about Mary Jane and Peter. My favourite part is the telling of an incident back when they were dating from both perspectives.

Is it the best thing you'll read this year? No. But, if you want a nice little Spider-Man story that will warm your heart a bit, check it out.

Mighty Avengers #2

You know, it wasn't until the very end of this issue that I realised that these people didn't know that the weird woman is Ultron. We all knew it was because of solicits and the cover and all, but they didn't. Wow, way to take the punch out of that last page, eh?

After the first issue wowing me so much, this one didn't do as much. It moved far too slowly for what I expected of the title and had a few moments that made me go "What the fuck?" Like Ms. Marvel thinking that after this, Ares was off the team despite the fact that she was the one who lobbied for him in the previous issue. Maybe she would think that, but it made me think she's a flighty, two-faced person who probably shouldn't be leading the Avengers if her first reaction is "Fuck you, get off my team!"

An entertaining read, but

too

damn

slow.

Omega Flight #1-2

"Ohmygod, you're Canadian, so you must love Alpha Flight, right?"

Actually, I've never gotten that. No one has ever said anything like that to me. Good thing, too, because I've always thought Alpha Flight was kind of shit. I don't give a fuck if it's Canadian--a shitty book is a shitty book. Hell, the fact that it's a Canadian team always made me pissed off that it was so shitty. I've always been one of those people who is tougher on stuff I like/identify with than stuff I don't. Like, I'm harder on the leader of the political party I vote for than any other political leader simply because if that's the person I'm with, I want that person to be the best.

I would have loved it if Alpha Flight was ever near the best, but it wasn't. And neither is Omega Flight.

The book has a good concept: American superhuman registration causes supervillains to cross the border and fuck with Canada . . . a country that's had superhuman registration for years, apparently. Oh wait, that doesn't actually make sense.

This book also proves that Iron Man is an asshole. Say you're the director of SHIELD and you're working with the Canadian government to help put together a Canadian superhero team to fight American supervillains, does it seem like a good idea to send the most pig-headed, nearly-racist, bigoted hero you can find? Iron Man thinks so and that's why he sends USAgent, the most obnoxious hero since Quicksilver. I can see why Oeming did this, because it creates conflict and drama and blah blah blah, but it makes no sense logically. Well, except if you think Iron Man is an asshole.

The only part of these issues I liked was when one of the characters (Talisman, maybe?) was holier-thant-thou about Canada have a superhero registration for years without a Civil War-type blow-out, proving once again that Canada is better than the US. Because a Canadian would SO do that. Because we are better than Americans. Totally.

Civil War: Captain America

Hey, look at that! Another over-priced Marvel trade! $19 for four issues! Fucking assholes.

I actually skipped over the two Red Menace trades, but that's okay, I'll get them eventually. The issues here are the three Civil War tie-in Captain Americas and the Winter Soldier one-shot. All solid reads that focus more on the supporting characters of that title than Cap himself, presumably since he takes centre stage in the main mini-series. No real problems here.

I also got the second D'Airain Adventure, but want to discuss both issues at once, so I'll do that soon.