EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of May 23, 2012

Below this post are some brief thoughts on the final issue of Irredeemable. Over at Spandexless, I wrote "1000 or so words on Deadenders, youth, nostalgia, and growing up. Only 40 of them are worthwhile." It's for the weekly Spandexless Reads column that Alec Berry does there. He asked me to contribute a weekly 'essay' that concludes the column each week and I was more than happy to oblige. I may do it again -- or may send him some capsule reviews for the other part of the column. It entirely depends on if I feel like it and if he asks me for something specifically. I have joked to him that I may just send in a weekly capsule review of the pirate back-up strips in the Before Watchmen comics. Or... was I joking? DUN DUN DUN!

Batman, Incorporated #1: You know what I'm oddly excited about? Finding out who Wingman is. Visually exciting, picks up right where it left off basically... Morrison's run began with Batman getting shot in the face. The final year has that, too. Ouroboros. [****]

Captain America #12: You know what would be great? A final page reveal where you don't need to read the caption explaining who the character is. That would be nice. Solid as always. [***1/2]

Journey into Mystery #638: I like the twist. [***]

The Mighty Thor #14: Three plots. Only one that I want to see more of. And it's not the one involving the lame teenager. Where the fuck did that come from? Am I forgetting something from last issue? It seems so out of place here. But, hey, this does feature Donald Blake learning an important lesson and Thor's biggest nightmare. So... yeah, not good. [**]

Prophet #25: Every issue is a surprise. Every page is a surprise. The larger picture becomes clearer while the smaller details are made more complex. Wonderful. That final page is kind of funny. [****]

The Unwritten #37: This issue is like the season premiere or something. A big jump in time, some big changes, a new status quo of sorts, and no Tom Taylor yet. In some ways, this series is more interesting when Tom's just a lingering presence (kind of like Steve Rogers). Seeing the world around him react to his nonsense and craziness is genuinely interesting. As his life is exposed through a book by Savoy, the growth of a cult and what that means is a nice place to reenter things. But, there is a sense of purposelessness that can't be ignored. Everything seemed to build to Tom's confrontation with Pullman that, now, the point of the series is unclear. It's like a TV show that was facing possible cancellation, so it wrapped everything up and, then, got renewed for another season. Maybe Mike Carey and Peter Gross had this planned out (I assume so), but it may take a little bit to win me over again. I am intrigued with where things stand, though. That final page is fantastic. [***1/2]

Later

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of May 9, 2012

Another week, another shortage at the shop. After some sort of problem (I heard it was a truck accident?) with Diamond meant Fury MAX #1 (and some other comics) were delayed from last week, this week, my shop was shorted on Silver Surfer: Parable hardcovers, so I don't get that for another week or two. I wouldn't mind shit like this if it happened only occasionally, but it seems to happen a lot -- and when it isn't happening at my store, I don't have to expend much effort to read about it happening elsewhere. Fun. But, I did get Essential Black Panther, so I didn't exactly need another collection to buy this week. While I'm on that, thanks a lot, Marvel, for leaving Jack Kirby's final two issues of Black Panther out of this volume... good on ya... idiots.

Avengers Assemble #3: Given how well Bendis wrote Thanos when he 'appeared' in Avengers last year, I'm not exactly thrilled to see him pop up here. That appearance was Dr. Strange posing as Thanos, though, so, hopefully, Bendis does a better job this time around. Then again, Thanos is one of those characters that I have a hard time reading when he's not written by Jim Starlin. Other writers don't seem to quite grasp the character or what he's about the same way. Reading this issue, I wonder if I would have liked it more if any artist other than Mark Bagley drew it. Yes, of course. Ugly fucking comic. Cluttered pages, poor line work... And Bendis's writing here isn't that impressive. The fight construction is generic, the villains lack personality, and there's that standard comics trope of 'power equals the ability to fight well' cropping up. [**]

Batman #9: The narration to this issue made me want to enter the comic, walk up to Batman and remind him that he's not actually a bat and those people he's fighting aren't actually owls. They're all people dressed up in costumes and what costumes they choose to wear doesn't necessarily reflect the relationship those animals have. It's just so silly, man... [**3/4]

Captain America #11: Solid as always. It seems weird to want to look down on a comic that's just delivering good superhero stuff every month. Not amazing, not bad -- just good. Like that's a crime or something. [***1/4]

Fatale #5: This issue finally hooked me in a little. I'd been having a tough time getting into this series, not convinced that all of the elements cohered well. There's a lot of mystery still there, but seeing that there was an actual point to everything goes a long way sometimes, even if that point isn't 100% clear. But, still, this remains the Sean Phillips and Dave Stewart show. [***1/2]

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #9: Alberto Ponticelli works with a new inker this time out and the results are messier than Walden Wong's efforts, but it's still too wide open, too empty. Ponticelli's art when he inked himself was darker, used blacks more, which complemented his demented line work. Take that away and figures wind up looking awkward -- too bright somehow. Not the best issue as far as writing goes either. [**3/4]

Fury MAX #1: That first page... fuck me... I love it. It's Ennis and Parlov back together, doing their thing. It would be too much to hope it lasts forever, right? [****]

Hell Yeah #3: I think this series is hitting its groove for me finally. (Like three issues in deserves a 'finally...') Thus far, it felt a little meandering and scattered, not able to fit enough into an issue to make it feel worthwhile entirely, but, here, Joe Keatinge hits a really great balance across the issue, especially introducing a plot twist that seems to work at cross purpose to last issue's plot twist. I knew having a little patience would pay off here... (Or, maybe it's learning that Keatinge is a wrestling fan. That could be it...) [***3/4]

Hulk Smash Avengers #2: It's like reading an ultra-compressed version of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes 3" or something... I love how well Joe Casey can jump in and capture a period of Avengers history so completely. The scene with the Vision and Scarlet Witch served no purpose except fitting this issue into context. Casey takes a very character-driven approach and, more than a lot of flashbacks, it makes this feel almost like a genuine 'lost' issue. Max Fiumara's art is a bit hit or miss at times, but I love the way he draws the fight. [***3/4]

Journey into Mystery #637: An improvement over Exiled #1. Almost interesting enough for me to buy next week's New Mutants. Some of the 'Asgardians as humans' bits didn't work completely, forcing it a bit. Still, more worthwhile that it seemed a week ago. [***]

Mystery in Space #1: The third Vertigo anthology like this in the past couple of years and, like the previous ones, it's a hit-or-miss affair. Mostly mediocre SF stories with the odd one that's better than the rest and one that I didn't get past the second page of before giving up. What happened to Paul Pope's contribution, though? The lack of it is the most disappointing part about this book. [**3/4]

The Ultimates #10: The creative team switch begins here with Sam Humphries joining Jonathan Hickman as co-writer for a short transitional period before he takes over entirely. There isn't a noticeable shift in writing yet. The opening pages showing Washington before it was blown up, though, are an utter waste. Otherwise, this was a quieter issue of response to what's happened and gearing up for some more big stuff. Esad Ribic and Dean White's absence is what hurts. This series just took a big downgrade in art and it affects the reading experience quite a bit. What bugs me most is when, later in the issue, Luke Ross and Matthew Wilson's art begins to resemble the Steve McNiven plastic people. Gone are the lush colours and exquisite line work that made this comic stand out (along with Hickman's insane writing); left is something that looks so much more typical and dull. [***]

Later

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of May 2, 2012

The tragedy of the day is my shop not getting any copies of Fury MAX #1. They ordered them, but they never arrived. Drat.

Action Comics #9: What are we to make of this one-off issue that doesn't really have anything to do with the series otherwise? Hell, this title seems to have little approaching a larger structure. That's not a bad thing since this was an enjoyable issue. Hints of Hexus in there -- Hexus as Superman / Superman as Hexus. And Lex Luthor of Earth 23 denying he's a racist is funny. Still, what seemed like it would be a series about the young and upstart Clark Kent has quickly become something more freewheeling -- more like I would almost imagine Morrison's idea for more All-Star Superman would be like. Weird. [***3/4]

Age of Apocalypse #3: Small moments amuse me in this series. The little one-page scenes usually, like Pierce busting Shaw's balls on that first page. I like the way this series meanders a little -- more about the characters and their world than a strict forward-moving plot. And de la Torre draws the hell out of it. [***3/4]

Animal Man #9: Reading this comic sometimes feels like riding in a car on a long trip and watching for signs that tell you how far it is to your destination and no matter how much distance you think you've travelled since the last sign, the change is small and depressing and you will never get there. Never ever. [**3/4]

The Boys #66: Similar idea to the final arc of Scalped: jump ahead a period of time and move past the immediate fallout to the 'good part.' There, it's the trial of Red Crow; here, it's the 'trial' (senate subcommittee thing) of Vought-American. And Hughie is made to look the ass in front of the Boys because Butcher is sick of his whining. And his girlfriend leaves him because she's sick of his whining. Next issue: the fat hamster kills himself because of his whining. Oh ho ho. [***1/2]

Daredevil #12: A thoroughly enjoyable comic with some great art. That's enough, right? (Though, that ending did make me wonder... what the fuck was the point of last month's crossover? Did it actually accomplish anything?) [***3/4]

The Defenders #6: Watch as the art grows increasingly bad as the issue progresses! It's like the world's worst magic trick. There's something about this issue that felt so forced. The chaos and meandering (I like that word) of the first few issues has been replaced with... I don't know what. Something. Something I don't like as much. It's not order. It's almost like continuity. Or being too pleased with itself and the self-awareness that lacks true self-awareness? Like, those 'dateline' bits that were, three quarters of the time, really lame. It's like Fraction took that Doc Brass issue of Planetary and decided that it was too exciting for the modern Marvel audience so he took out all of the clever and interesting bits. Except for the bar one. That was pure Venture Bros. [**1/2]

Dial H #1: It's like reading one of those early Vertigo comics. But without the swears or nudity. The art even looks like it came from that period. DC will eat itself -- all of it. That sounds really snarky since I did like this comic. I didn't love it. But it was solid. Good enough that I'll probably buy the next issue. [***1/2]

Exiled #1: Another crossover! Unless the Journey into Mystery issue kicks this up a notch, I can't see myself buying the New Mutants parts of this crossover. There just wan't much that I found interesting in this. Some nice little moments, but not much else. [**]

Green Arrow #9: Does this make sense to anyone else? Yet, I can't look away... [???1/2]

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #5: I like how Wolverine is the type of guy who, if you kick his ass, he immediately likes you more and wants to hang out with you twice a week so he can learn how you kicked his ass and he can make sure it never happens again. Once he's done this, he will then kill you and feel a little bit bad about it, but... dude, you kicked Wolverine's ass. You do not get to walk away from that. Obviously Avengers vs. X-Men will end with Hank Pym's head on a one clawed hand and Quentin Quire's on the other. Also, Wolverine hates those thinkin' types. Probably. I don't know anymore. So... where are people placing this in Wolverine and the X-Men chronology? [***1/4]

Later

CBR Review: Annihilators: Earthfall #4

I recently reviewed Annihilators: Earthfall #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The end of Annihilators: Earthfall is filled with little moments of potential and hints of a story that could have easily been the basis for a big multi-book event story for Marvel, but none of it pays off enough. The story is too big for the comic. Instead of creating an impression of so much content, scale and story that every page is a crazed mess of trying to fit it all in, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning rush through and use the same storytelling that they would use if there was enough room. The limitations and execution of this series undercut the story potential, no more so than in this final issue where the end just sort of happens."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (November 24 2011)

Man, this past week, I pissed off Batfans with my CBR reviews. Funny thing: it didn't even occur to me that I was reviewing three Batbooks until my review for Red Hood and the Outlaws #3 garnered a "Nevett strikes again!" reaction on the CBR forums. My favourite part is the hate mail and the chance to respond with absolute literalism. That's always fun. But, I did want a break from comics a little, so I took Tuesday off from Random Thoughts. I went shopping in Detroit instead. I've long blasted the States for its lack of potato chip flavours, but, this time, it countered with many different M&M flavours not found here. I'm loving these dark chocolate M&Ms -- because, clearly, dark chocolate is the superior chocolate. Anyway, let's get to some new comics...

Annihilators #3: Damn, this comic is reading like the big event book Marvel should have pushed to the forefront instead of Fear Itself. It's pretty easy to see how this could have been made 'bigger,' especially the Magus taking over a third of the US population -- throw in an issue where it's the Avengers vs. a bunch of heroes and villains that are part Magus and you could kill plenty of time. Instead, it's a nice little mini-series mostly ignored. Ah well. [***1/2]

Captain America & Bucky #624: As always, gorgeous, fantastic art from Samnee and Breitweiser. The story is less a story than some fragments shoved together, especially the end of the issue with Bucky's sister. [***1/4]

Justice League Dark #3: What's so crazy about recruiting Mindwipe? I'm not familiar with the character... I'm enjoying this book, but think I would have been better off tradewaiting it. It's moving at such a slow pace across so many characters that it's hard to get too enthused over each new issue. [***]

RASL #12: DANGER DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE! Lots more Tesla talk and I'm completely okay with that. An interesting issue -- and an educational one! [***1/2]

Scalped #54: We keep walking towards our death... [****]

Vengeance #5: No Russian supersoldiers during World War 2... because the Red Skull killed them all in a camp during the war. Everything is connected and we move towards Latveria... we all know who Z is, of course. The way that Casey blends together all of his work in this series is fantastic -- same with the arrogance and self-doubt of youth he captures so well. Miss America calls She-Hulk a 'puta' rather than accept a ride home from the sixth dimension... goddamn, this is just some good comics, son. [****1/4]

Wolverine and the X-Men #2: I don't know why, but I'm a little bothered that this is the first time Iceman tried that trick and it works perfectly. Still, nice to see Jason Aaron actually pushing things a bit. Just some crazy fun this comic... Bachalo captures the manic chaos better than almost anyone else. [***3/4]

Later

CBR Review: Annihilators: Earthfall #2

I recently reviewed Annihilators: Earthfall #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The cover to this issue promises exactly what’s delivered as the Avengers and Annihilators come to blows. It’s another ‘heroes meet and fight over confusion as to what’s actually going on’ plot and it works well in this issue. That Abnett and Lanning can take a cliché of the superhero genre, make it refreshing, and build an entire issue around it is impressive. Since the Annihilators are comprised mostly of characters that have attacked Earth at one time or another, the Avengers seeing them as an invading alien force makes sense. This is not a group that, on the surface, engenders positive reactions on Earth."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (September 29 2011)

And so ends the wild ride that was September Comics. If I'd gotten my comics yesterday, that would have also ended on the same day as the end of the wild ride that was September Baseball... and it was a pretty fucking wild ride last night, wasn't it? Both Wild Card spots determined, two collapses completed, a few insane comebacks (with Tampa Bay's being the most insane), and just a ton of excitement for those of us who care. Plus, earlier in the day, while I was at work, the Jays won their final game of the season. So: good day. Same with today and the final batch of September comics. As always, these are brief thoughts and anything I'm reviewing for CBR isn't mentioned.

Annihilators: Earthfall #1: Already more enjoyable than the first Annihilators mini, which I found to be a bit of a letdown. I loved the part where everyone was ganging up on Quasar for wanting them to take it easy because they're on Earth when he has no problem letting loose on 'alien' planets. To the rest, Earth is an alien planet, so suck it, kid! The promise of the return of the Magus also has me engaged. More than that, Tan Eng Huat's art has a rougher edge this time out, more reminiscent of his work pre-Annihilators and I dig that look more. The back-up story is a back-up story. [***1/2]

'Breed III #5: And, just like that, 'Breed III becomes Starlin's version of what Vengeance is for me. That final page seemed fairly obvious once Wyrd mentioned having gathered some allies, but that doesn't stop it from being a total geek out moment for this Starlin fan. Besides that, a really good sustained bit of action in this issue and done in a visually inventive manner a lot of the time. Maybe finally reading the first two 'Breed series has gotten me more into this book, but I'm really excited to read the final two issues now. [***1/2]

Captain America & Bucky #622: Entertaining. Gorgeous. Yup. [***1/4]

Journey into Mystery #628: Talk about art just killing a comic... I like the writing, but the art made this a chore to get through. It's the sort of art that causes my eyes to slide off the page and hope for it all to be over soon. Gillen brings it... Portacio takes it and dumps it in the toilet. [**1/4]

Justice League Dark #1: Some interesting bits. Some great art. Like a lot of #1s I've seen this month, nothing about this felt complete or like anything more than the barest of introductions. Which I guess is where we are now in comics. This was the first act of an hour-long TV pilot... and those tend to have five acts. But, what I liked I liked enough to bring me back next month. [**1/2]

Secret Avengers #17: Not as distinctive as last issue with the dialogue, but pretty damn entertaining. I've liked Kev Walker's work for a long time now and glad to see him as one of the artists for Ellis's run. Lots of fun little moments in this issue like the eyeball mood speedometer or the final page or Steve's "Oh hell" panel. Already looking forward to the next one. [***3/4]

The Ultimates #2: Wow. This was a wonderfully constructed little comic that pretty much told a complete story within the larger story and pulled off something big... in issue two. I liked the first issue, but felt a little underwhelmed at the same time. For all of the "You can do anything in the Ultimate universe" talk I heard, I wasn't seeing that. Well, here it is. Shit. And Esad Ribic continues to draw the hell out of this comic. Skipping this new Ultimate relaunch looks like a mistake right now, anyone who did that. [****1/2]

Holy Terror: I'll keep this brief: I wasn't offended. I didn't find much in here particularly offensive. I'm also pretty hard to offend. I found it cartoonish and ridiculous in a laughable way. I'm not offended mostly because there isn't anything here worth taking seriously enough to be offended. The story is rubbish and the dialogue is Miller at his worse. The art is stunning and gorgeous and worth studying. I haven't encountered a disconnect between amateurish writing and masterful art this large in quite some time -- maybe ever. So: writing [-**]; art [*****]

Later

CBR Review: Annihilators #4

I recently reviewed Annihilators #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The latest in Marvel’s cosmic start-and-stop line of books comes to a close with both the Annihilators and the team of Rocket Raccoon and Groot finishing things with their respective enemies. Both stories end well, but lack the gravitas of earlier cosmic work by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. While it’s hard to keep doing things that ‘Change Everything Forever!’ this mini felt a little light, even with lasting consequences to the Spaceknights and Dire Wraiths."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Heroes for Hire #7

I recently reviewed Heroes for Hire #7 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Reading Heroes for Hire #7, I’m reminded of my youth and picking up random issues of Web of Spider-Man at the grocery store. This comic features Spider-Man in a loose team-up with Misty Knight and Paladin, taking on some faceless thugs with guns that happen to have Batroc the Leaper working with them. I don’t know about you, but that screams ‘third-tier Spider-Man comic from the 1990s’ to me, in good and bad ways."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (May 5 2011)

Well, the Jays got destroyed this afternoon. Price pitched a great game and, in the top of the ninth, I stopped wanting the Jays to make the comeback and win because it's the team I cheer for and shifted to wanting the Jays to win just to stick it to the Rays' manager who took Price out of the game with two outs because the Jays managed to score a run that wasn't Price's fault in any way. John MacDonald got on base because of a throwing error by the shortstop that left him at second. He got to third off a sacrifice fly and scored on a groundout. It should have been three outs. I so wanted the Jays to win just to stick it to Maddison, the Rays' manager. You know you're making odd calls when fans of the opposing team sit out and go "That's stupid!"

Annihilators #3: I'm not sure if I really like this comic. The lead story is fine -- I liked the second issue's portion quite a bit. The second one has left me cold until this issue. I don't know. One issue left and, if that was just the end of the first arc, I think I'd stop there anyway. It's a fine comic, just not one that connects with me. [***]

Fear Itself #2: Um... we're still in set-up mode? What bugs me is that this tried to have a 'everything is falling apart' feel to it and it never lands for me. The final pages are good, but, fuck, this felt like where the first issue should have ended. Seriously, two issues in and the prologue feels more useless, the first issue feels like a prologue, and the second issue feels like the first... [***1/4]

Moon Knight #1: Wow, I like Alex Maleev's art a lot more here than I did on Spider-Woman and Scarlet. More crazy energy, less focus on photorealism, and the colouring doesn't have that same neon glow. It's a fine first issue. It introduces the concept well enough. Nothing here that blows my mind beyond some great art. [***1/2]

Wolverine #8: Missed it when it first came out, but my shop ordered me a copy. I don't know why, but that this story came down to the men trying to kill Logan while the women try to save him makes me laugh. So did the different rooms inside Logan's head. Him surviving for the sole purpose of wanting revenge is a decent idea, I guess. Undecided if I'll continue with this book. I really just popped in for what looked like an interesting storyarc -- and it has been. I guess we'll see. [***3/4]

Weapons of the Metabaron: I really should have got this last week, but my retailer forgot that it had come in. He called me later on Thursday last week to tell me that he'd forgotten in case I wanted it right away. It's an okay book. I shouldn't be surprised/amused that Travis Charest's name is the biggest on the cover -- then again, I'm buying this for Jodorowsky, so... The story is straightforward and incomplete: the Metabaron gathers weapons to defeat an enemy and kills everything in his way through intelligence, skill, and awesome technology. Not a mind-blowing book. I dunno. Jog wrote a good review of it, while Tim told me that he didn't actually read it, he just looked at the pictures. Personally, I preferred the Janjetov pages... [***1/4]

Later

CBR Review: Annihilators #2

I recently reviewed Annihilators #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "With both features in Annihilators getting into the meat of their respective plots, the second issue is an improvement on the first, most notably in the lead story featuring the eponymous superhero team. After the first issue did its best to show us why this congregation of heavy hitters was a bad idea that couldn’t possibly work, this issue demonstrates just how well the team operates when everyone works together and doesn’t fumble over one another. At the same time, the Rocket Raccoon and Groot story gets more into the plot, but still has problems finding a tone that’s consistent and works."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Thor #620.1

I recently reviewed Thor #620.1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Reading this comic brings to mind the old practice of banking stock issues to run in cases of deadline crunches. Companies would commission comics that could be filed away and, then, slotted in when the scheduled comic wasn’t going to be ready to go print on schedule. Usually self-contained and generic, they did the job required: filled the pages between the covers and got out on time. Thor #620.1 feels like the 2011 equivalent with a perfectly fine story about the Grey Gargoyle trying to become immortal after turning all of the Aesir to stone. Ask me in a week if I remember any particulars and I would be surprised if I do."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (March 2 2011)

For the first time since the end of October 2008, every comic I bought and read this week was just for me. That's both strange and kind of nice. This month's '28' post is late because, well, I kind of forgot. Second one and already off schedule. To be fair, there's no February 29 this year. I wrote part of a post last night and then abandoned it. Not at all what I wanted. Maybe something will get written in the next few days. I also hope to write about Dark Entries for my series of posts on Hellblazer. But, for now... every single comic book I bought today!

Annihlators #1: The argument for why this group works makes sense. They're too powerful to be effective, because they'll always be afraid of letting loose. Works for me. Quasar's narration was annoying and didn't work with the flow of the issue. This was also some of the most generic art I've seen from Tan Eng Huat. It's like every rough, interesting element of his work has been smoothed over. I had to double-check the credits to make sure it was him. The Rocket Raccoon/Groot first issue story was alright. I dig Tim Green II's art. The plot isn't nearly as funny or wacky as it's supposed to be. [***]

The Boys #52: The cover says Russ Braun, but this is all John McCrea. I have not enjoyed his constributions to The Boys so far. He can't match the expressive art of Robertson or Braun, his characters never acting quite as much, looking more like blank slates much of the time. But, Ennis's writing is strong as Hughie and Mallory meet... again. I'm waiting for Hughie to reveal to Annie his association with the Boys. The art drags this issue down, but it's still pretty good. [***]

Deadpool #33.1: I liked the mocking bit about how this issue doesn't really fit between issues 33 and 34. I liked when Deadpool's mask wasn't in the right place on head to sell his beating. Otherwise... not funny, just sort of goofy in that stupid way. Another reminder of why I ignore this title's existence. [*3/4]

First Wave #6: I don't know what to do with this. Maybe this will read better when I reread the whole mini-series, but, on its own, it's a mess. The writing just falls flat under the weight of an overly complicated plot that goes nowhere and the art continues its downward spiral into ugliness. How this was supposed to make me want to read more comics featuring these characters is beyond me. [*1/2]

Incognito: Bad Influences #4: An enjoyable issue, but not great. Simply good. It's settled into a nice little rhythm... and seems to have little direction. I have a feeling next issue will illicit a "That's it?" response. [***1/4]

Joe the Barbarian #8: Love the art, but the writing continued to leave me unaffected. Like First Wave, this could read better as a whole... but I doubt it. A big miss from Morrison when it comes to me. [***]

Secret Warriors #25: Huh. So, that's the Zodiac Event. That's... disappointing, I must admit. Not at all what I expected, but is that Hickman's fault? Is that my fault? I'm not sure yet. This does explain Leviathan... it leaves the connection between SHIELD and SHIELD unexplained (if there is one beyond the name). No, not what I expected. I don't know. A comic hasn't left me at a loss for words like this in a while. [n/a]

Ultimate Captain America #3: Wait, am I supposed to be rooting for Captain America? Or for 'Nuke'? Because I'm pretty sure I've got things backwards... I wonder, when people write a character like Captain America, do they consider how readers outside of the US will respond? Same with Superman... I figure non-American writers do, of course, but what about American writers? I'm curious. I liked this issue more than the first two, but it's still not rocking my world. [***]

Later

Sketch Reviews (February 23 2011)

A big week for me with a lot of new comics, so let's get to it.

Avengers #10: Some rougher art for a lot of this issue. Much thicker lines. Deadlines are a bitch, I imagine. I'm enjoying this arc and liked Stark's little speech to Steve Rogers. But, this isn't clicking the way I'd like yet. It feels too all over the place, too slowly paced. After the balls out craziness of the first arc, this one isn't as exciting. As well, the Spider-Man/Protector scene seemed so forced. Just stunk of effort. [**1/2] (Also, this issue contained Heroes for Hire #1 and I couldn't make my way through it. I just don't care.)

Detective Comics #874: Isn't it nice when half of a new comic is really the back-up strip you should have got last month? (Last time I harp on that, I swear...) The James Jr. stuff was the most intriguing part of the first issue of Scott Snyder's run for me and I'm glad to get some about it. The dialogue between the father and son was great -- and we've got Francesco Francavilla on art! It was a nice surprise to see him also getting the chance to draw Batman and Red Robin in action. That second story felt a little tacked on (maybe it was planned as the back-up for the next regular issue, though...), but was pleasant enough. A solid issue that has me intrigued about the future of the book. [***1/2]

Gødland #34: Only three more issues left... I loved Nickelhead's scene with the Tormentor. Scioli seemed to be working the pages more than usual, too. Trying different things. A really strong issue. [****]

Loki #3: I'm surprised at how much I'm digging on this series. I expected to get the first issue to review and then not care about what happened next. Aguirre-Sacasa's writing is a little overwrought at times, but the art of Fiumara, Lacombe, and Villarrubia is superb. Absolutely gorgeous. It was cool to see such a large amount of time devoted to the reaction to the death of Balder. For all of the times that guy dies, I'm not sure he's gotten as good a send-off as he receives here. Really looking forward to the final issue. [***3/4]

New Mutants #22: I'll be discussing this and X-Men Legacy #245 with Kelly in the second Age of X Dialogues. I enjoyed the two issues, the first one more. This one seemed a little more mechanical... though it did hint at some things that are intriguing about the larger Age of X world. These two issues have convinced me that starting with Age of X Alpha #1 like they did was definitely the wrong way to go. [***1/4]

Scalped #46: More than any other issue, RM Guéra just knocked me on my ass. His best work yet. And Jason was good, too. [****1/4]

Secret Avengers #10: A decent issue. You could see Will Conrad in the art more than ever, especially in some of the faces. I want to like this comic more than I do. It's a fine action superhero book... just not a lot there. [**3/4]

Thor #620: This comic reminded me of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask with the giants. They look the same. I like the idea and can see why Fraction would go there, but those designs just kill it. Who wants to see those generic creatures fighting when it could be Thor and the rest of the Aesir? Baffling choice. [***]

Who is Jake Ellis? #2: A good issue. Still intriguing with really cool art. I get the feeling, though, that this is one of those comics that I'll like, read once as a whole, and never look at again. Just a feeling. Why must my mind go to the negative like that? I enjoyed this issue! Lots of intrigue! I'm intrigued! [***1/2]

Later

CBR Review: Soldier Zero #5

I recently reviewed Soldier Zero #5 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Solider Zero #5 is not just the beginning of the book’s second story arc, it’s also the debut of its new writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Picking up where Paul Cornell left off, the writing duo has its work cut out for them after Cornell established a strong voice for this book and how the characters interact, even leaving the fourth issue with a big cliffhanger. Last issue ended with Stewart/Soldier being set up for the death of a police officer that the enemy ‘Soldier’ was possessing and, here, he has to deal with the fallout from that in addition to the collateral damage done during the fight like the disintegrated arm of his brother. It’s an issue of the writers finding their footing and beginning to set things up for the new story, resulting in a scattered issue."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Thanos Imperative: Devastation #1

I recently reviewed The Thanos Imperative: Devastation #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Coming two months after the end of “The Thanos Imperative” and two months before the beginning of The Annihilators, Devastation acts as a bridge for the two series, one that’s necessary and extremely tedious. Think of it as a calling to arms issue as Cosmo, the former Guardian of the Galaxy, carries out Star-Lord’s final wish by gathering a new Guardians-type of group. Sorry, I accidentally just spoiled the entire comic for you. That’s how unessential and tedious it is: it is the premise and it’s about as exciting as you’d expect from it. It’s a comic where the story is the premise and fans will be excited because the characters they love are in a comic book, doesn’t matter what little happens."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (November 10 2010)

Big week for me this week with 13 comics, six of which I'm reviewing for CBR. So, let's not waste time with chit-chat...

Avengers Prime #4: Hey, this book is still coming out! This issue gets bogged down in long-winded speeches to a degree. Every time Thor or Hela is on-panel, get ready for lots of bombast that becomes tiresome quickly. Unlike previous issues, this one felt empty, like nothing actually happened. I was really digging this series when it began and, now, I'm fine with it ending two months from now. But, Alan Davis/Mark Farmer art? Always worthwhile. [**3/4]

Doc Savage #8: I'm beginning to think that the opening scene of Doc Savage #6 was the high point of this storyarc. Not a bad issue or anything, it's just lacking the tension and boldness of that opening scene. Nic Klein already needs help on the art as well. I do think this will probably read better as a whole. I'm going to miss the "Justice, Inc." back-up after it ends next month, though. Definitely worth the extra buck. [***1/4]

glamourpuss #16: I didn't read this yet. I haven't read the past four or five issues of this series. I want to save up a lot of issues to get a better sense of what Sim is talking about. Reading it issue by issue every two months doesn't seem to work in favour of what Sim is doing. Can't remember if I said this already, so I wanted to mention it. [N/A]

New Avengers #6: The final page of this comic was awesome. I want every big story to end with Hellstrom telling off a crowd of people. Great visuals from Immonen, but the fight between Super-Wolverine and Agamotto wasn't as big and exciting as I'd have liked. Not sure about the death that we get either... what was the point of that? [***1/2]

Thanos Imperative #6: The twist on the final page of last issue was actually surprising, but the end result wasn't too hard to see coming. By trying to kill Thanos, Lord Mar-Vell allows Death into his universe. That was a pretty easy solution to the Cancerverse, but the stuff that came after was very surprising and explains why the two cosmic ongoing titles aren't coming back. This series has been very enjoyable and got me back on board with Marvel's cosmic stuff completely. Curious to see what DnA have in mind for the future. [***3/4]

Thor #617: I wanted this. When the idea of someone replacing JMS on Thor was raised, I always said I wanted Matt Fraction. Boy was I fucking wrong. Despite what Tim tried to say about last issue, this doesn't feel epic or musical, this is just plain boring. I'm now debating how long to bother with this book before dropping it. Thor is one of my few 'buy because I'm a fan' books and I don't want to keep buying it just because, but... I gave JMS six issues when the first couple didn't wow me back when he began and Fraction gets the same. Three more before I decide yay or nay. [*3/4]

The Unwritten #19: Of all the books to focus on now, Moby-Dick? I read that in my fourth year of undergrad in a weekend before my American Lit exam, because it was the only work from the course guaranteed to be on the exam and we had to use it as a topic in one of the essays. It's not a bad book, obviously, just dull and not where I'd go if I had all of literature to choose from. Still, a pretty good issue. Like the short chapters/chapter headings -- they tie into Moby-Dick well. Also like Vince Locke's finishes on a few pages. I love how this book will embrace different art styles while keeping Peter Gross as the layout artist, so things are different with the same foundation. [***1/2]

Later

CBR Review: Iron Man/Thor #1

I recnetly reviewed Iron Man/Thor #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "A big sign that a book is forgettable and dull: when I come to write a review it, a mere two or three hours after reading it and I can’t remember the plot at all. I’ve read a lot of comics and, while I don’t remember them all, it’s usually a safe bet that I can remember what I read earlier today. Iron Man/Thor #1 leaves an impression of a bland superhero comic where things happen for no discernable reason, characters do nothing to distinguish themselves, and the art is cluttered and banal."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Thanos Imperative #5

I recently reviewed The Thanos Imperative #5 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The resulting confrontation between the two forces at that point of origin delivers the best page of the entire series. The first panel has Thanos charging, screaming 'MAR-VELL!' while Lord Mar-Vell moves at Thanos, yelling 'THANOS!' and Star-Lord is left, in the final panel, clutching his head, realizing what’s about to go down, and saying, 'OH @#$%!' The entire series has built to that page and DnA and Miguel Sepulveda pull it off."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Thanos Imperative #4

I recently reviewed The Thanos Imperative #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Abnett and Lanning don’t follow up on Thanos’ death right away, delaying that until later in the issue, building the tension as the six heroes begin to make headway against Mar-Vell and the twisted versions of Marvel characters. The action is hard-hitting and fierce, but DnA lighten things up with the most surprising of characters, the Silver Surfer. It’s not too often that the Surfer is the comedic relief, but his delivery of lines and confidence in battle is so funny that even the characters comment on his ‘deadpan trash talk.’ If these characters wind up making up the roster of a ‘Cosmic Avengers’ team, the first half of this issue shows that it would be a highly entertaining read."

You can read the rest HERE!