The Sunday Open (ON WEDNESDAY!): Second Week of July 2008

[Oooh! Reviews! Yummy! But, they're kind of retarded and random. Remember that, faithful readers.]

"But, Chad, it's not Sunday! It's Wednesday! You do your weekly reviews on Sunday! What the fuck, man? What the fuck?"

I have decided that, because I am a bit of a jackass, whenever comics come out here before they do in the US, I am going to do my reviews then. Why? Because it's fun. Also, that way if I pick up something good, you Americans can see that I said it was good and maybe get it, too. As such, I'll try not to spoil much. Maybe. I dunno. We'll see what happens when the time comes, eh?

Astonishing X-Men #25

It just looks like my shop didn't get any copies last week, because they sure had a shitload this week. So, I picked it up and it was decent. Ellis's writing is Ellis's writing is Ellis's writing. If Joss Whedon's run was a response to Grant Morrison's, this is a response to Whedon's. Whedon's run was big and superheroic, and this is not. This is more hard SF with some gritty detective shit thrown in. How well it will work, ultimately, depends on what comes next. Really did not enjoy Simone Bianchi's art here, mostly because of the colouring. Too dark, too muddied and just didn't work for me. Bianchi's layouts are interesting, but detract from telling the story. Honestly, I wasn't expecting the art to ruin this book for me at all, but it kind of did. I actually wanted to put the comic down halfway through because the art was bugging me that much. I loved Bianchi's work on Shining Knight, but this doesn't do it for me.

Captain Britain and MI:13 #3

Okay, this book had me excited while reading it. You get how hard that is to pull off? I was excited. I was ready to stand up and cheer. How the fuck did Paul Cornell pull that off? I'm asking seriously. If you haven't been buying this book, grab this issue plus the first three. You will thank me, I promise.

Invincible Iron Man #3

Things pick up right where they left off and Iron Man finds out that running SHIELD means squat in China. Stane proves that he's on Stark's level and gears up for a showdown. A really interesting bit with Pepper that's cute in a depressing way.

Joker's Asylum: Penguin #1

I grabbed this because Jason Aaron wrote it and, yeah, it's good. Seems in stupid events like these, there's always one or two solid books, and this is, no doubt, the book of this "event." Aaron makes the Penguin a scary character. He makes the Penguin someone to be feared. There's a page in this issue that made me say, "Holy shit!" aloud because it's that messed up. It's worth your three bucks.

The Last Defenders #5

Casey's deconstruction of the Defenders continues as things are revealed, including the Last Defenders. There's a great scene between She-Hulk and Tony Stark. Jim Muniz's art continues to wow. I dug this issue and will probably discuss it in more depth sometime in the future. But, let's be honest, if you haven't been buying this series so far, you won't be now, eh? Shame.

Secret Invasion #4

Nick Fury and his new Howlin' Commandos (or, should I say, Secret Warriors...) kick some ass. And by "some ass," I mean a whole lot of fucking ass. What's funny is that the cover I have for this issue has Nick Fury with three of the Young Avengers, but those little fucks got their asses handed to them last issue. No, here, we have the Howlin' Commandos taking out the Skrulls without breaking a sweat just as you'd expect to save those little fucks' asses. It's a small victory in an otherwise bleak issue. Not much is revealed, but it's a solid issue.

Young Liars #5

David Lapham's Vertigo book continues to shock. Sadie is strangely sweet in this issue, Danny is still an asshole, and HOLY FUCK DID THAT MIDGET JUST DO WHAT I THINK HE DID????? JESUS CHRIST!