The Sunday Open: Second Week of May 2008 Part 2

And so I continue my review of this week's books... but, with a post scheduled ahead. Again. When, oh when, could I be writing this? Wouldn't it just blow your mind if I were writing it before the other post? No? Well, damn. Not that it matters, because it's Saturday right now. I'm PastChad and I'm talking comics. I'm also kinda retarded sometimes.

Mighty Avengers #13

I am really enjoying these Mighty Avengers "Secret Invasion" tie-in issues. Nick Fury gathering his forces against the Skrulls is some good stuff. This issue is a little slower with Fury re-recruiting Daisy Johnson and then Johnson recruits a bunch of other people. I'm actually glad Bendis gave us this slower issue and let us meet each of the new Howlin' Commandos like this. I am curious what the timeline for this is as, when Ares's son is recruited, he's a member of the (Mighty) Avengers. How long will this group have had to train, really?

Oh, and I dig Alex Maleev's art. It's beginning to have a real Tim Bradstreet feel to it.

newuniversal: Shockfront #1

Ah, the return of the book that everyone forgot happened. I liked Ellis's initial newuniversal series and have been looking forward to this quite a bit. It continues pretty much from the previous one, but ups the ante by introducing at least two new superhumans. Best discussed as a whole.

The art by Steve Kurth is not a big jump from Salvador Larocca... a little more "comic booky," but still within that realistic vein. Frankly, I think it works for the book better here... as we are moving into a more "comic booky" world. The world here began as real like ours and is slowly becoming something else. A shift in art makes an alarming amount of sense.

Omega the Unknown #8

And we continue towards the conclusion as the two sides have a more direct confrontation. Kind of. What a strange, wonderful book.

Secret Invasion #2

WHOO! Fight! Yeah! So far, the only Skrulls we've seen in the Savage Land have come from the ship, so is Clint making a mistake trusting this Mockingbird??? Who knows! It's a solid issue that doesn't advance much, but is still fun. Hey, who would have thought an issue of a big event crossover thing would be fun?

Thunderbolts #120

Wow, that opening soliloquy by Norman... it's a shame that Ellis will be leaving this book because he's obviously having a lot of fun with it. And he's also doing a fantastic job with these creepy-as-fuck characters. When was the last time the Green Goblin was scary? Or not just a joke? Okay, so he's a joke here, but a different kind of joke. My favourite line: "NORMAN WILL MAKE THE GIRL PREGNANT AND THEN SNAP HER NECK IN PUBLIC. NORMAN WON'T MIND. NORMAN WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES." Ho ho, bub. One more issue of absolute crazy. Damn shame. Normally, I don't lament Ellis doing a stint on a book and then taking off, because that's what he does... but his work here has been truly great in that twisted way no other comic really is. I'm not sure anyone else can really explore this concept with the same perversion as Ellis... and that's the only way to do this concept as far as I'm concerned. Ah, whatever.

Transhuman #2

Not as impressive as the first issue, but the We3 panel was a nice touch. As were the different superpowers given to the test subjects. Hopefully, this will work well as a whole.

Wolverine #65

Jason Aaron ends his short run on the book with a solid issue. Lots of fighting and blood and hurt feelings. I like the revelation of Logan's betrayal in the past. Not quite as good or meaningful as it could have been, but solid.

Young Liars #3

I'm digging this book, but that second issue was such a drag on the momentum. Unless, as I said last month, Lapham plans to go back-and-forth... but still, I already forgot who half of the people in the present were. The fact that Danny shot Sadie is a big thing and goes a long way to making us dislike him. And how can you not? Although, he's the protagonist, so we kind of do. Odd. I'll be sticking with this book for a while to see what it becomes.

Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing

I continue my trip through Garth Ennis's Hellblazer with the beginning of his work with Steve Dillon on the title (who, I think, did a fill-in issue or two previous). Ennis knows what he's doing with these stories and plants a few seeds for who Gemma would become. The stuff with Kit is heartbreaking. Maybe I'll say more when I have the entire run... perhaps begin looking at Hellblazer in its whole someday. Maybe.