Sketch Reviews (December 22 2010)

The guy at my shop remarked that it was a small week for me: six books. To be fair, I was planning to get eight, but the shop had no rack copies of Thunderstrike #2 and Wildcats #30. Those were for reviewing purposes, so I'm not too upset. So, with four books getting reviewed, that's only two purchased for reading purposes only... except, oh wait, one is X-Files/30 Days of Night #6, which I've been buying for Michelle. Ha. So, expect less than normal. And go read my review of III/IV by Ryan Adams & the Cardinals over at 411mania.

Secret Avengers #8: Last issue, they forgot to include any creators credits and they've done it again this issue. I'll rip off Graeme and say that, like the Avengers, the creators are secret. Really, it's the standard team of Brubaker, Deodato, and Beredo. It's a fine issue. The art has a sketchier quality and the colouring is a little overpowering. We're not in the territory of the Deodato/Beredo dynamic that happened near the end of Dark Avengers, but it's getting close. I'm really intrigued by what will happen when we get more about the Shadow Council. Good action superhero comic. [***1/4]

X-Files/30 Days of Night #6: I can't muster up the energy to care anymore. That's not a knock on the comic really. Michelle is really enjoying the series and that's all that matters to me. [N/R]

Later

Sketch Reviews (November 17 2010)

As always, brief, 'reviews' that are more first impressions and quick thoughts. Something to get the brain going a little.

Avengers #7: A somewhat weaker start to this storyline. The stuff with the Hood was solid and I liked the way he went about getting the second Infinity Gem. That said, this felt like a light read. I do love the visual gag of the Hood punching out the Red Hulk. [***1/4]

Batman, Inc. #1: A very entertaining read. Follows up on some ideas introduced in Batman: The Return nicely. Kind of reminds me Morrison's DC work before he took over Batman. The JLA Classified arc and some of the Seven Soldiers stuff. Yanick Paquette and Michel Lacombe on art? Damn good stuff. This was exactly what I hoped it would be. [****1/2]

The Boys: Highland Laddie #2: Not sure what to make of the final page, but the origin of Annie was interesting. McCrea can't sell some of the ideas well enough, though, I find. The cover does a much better job of the pageants, for example. Still, this is a pretty solid mini. [***]

Osborn #1: Wow, that Norah woman is annoying as hell. Is she normally written like that? 'Cute' and 'charming,' but really just obnoxious and overbearing? Some interesting ideas in this issue; the stuff at the end with this being part of a plan made me roll my eyes a little. The Ellis/McKelvie back-up strip was different from expected. Rios's art is a little hit or miss at times. Very expressive and energetic; but those same positives sometimes lead to rougher, not as polished work. Not sure if I'll get the next issue yet. Probably, but we'll see... [***1/4]

The X-Files/30 Days of Night #5: This issue lost me. I don't know how or why, but I just stopped caring part of the way through. But, as I've said before, I'm buying this series for Michelle, so my enjoyment is a secondary concern. [**]

Later

CBR Review: X-Files/30 Days of Night #4

I recently reviewed X-Files/30 Days of Night #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "If I may be honest for a moment: I’m buying X-Files/30 Days of Night for my girlfriend. She’s a big X-Files fan and enjoys reading the comics, so I don’t mind picking any up when they come out. I read them for reviewing purposes or just because it’s a comic that I bought, and, I’ve got to say, I’m surprised at how entertaining this series has been. Place me in the firm ‘no more vampires for a long time’ category, but this series has done a great job at putting the vampires in the background for the most part, using the X-Files style of only showing bits and pieces of the supernatural or otherworldly elements of the case. It's just enough to whet our appetites and know that Scully is wrong in her protests that vampires don’t exist."

You can read the rest HERE!

Quickie Reviews (September 15 2010)

Busy days, busy days... three books to briefly discuss.

The Boys: Highland Laddie #2: So, Joe Tupper is Hughie's father? If not, then the visual allusion is pretty stupid. Really dug Hughie's discussion of himself and interactions with his friends. The flashback to his childhood mystery solving days was funny. The drug shit at the end less so. I assume this mini takes place immediately after "Believe"... the art is fine, but doesn't wow me. [***1/2]

DV8: Gods and Monsters #6: And things get a'rollin'! The pieces are in place, so let the war begin. Kind of like that we're seeing the nastier side of DV8 come through whether everyone wants it to or not. Great art, some really strong dialogue... and finally addressing Gem's powers/problems a little. Good stuff. [****]

The X-Files/30 Days of Night #3: Buying this book for Michelle. Pretty decent, though. I'm still surprised at how well Tom Mandrake fits into the title and depicting Mulder and Scully. [***1/2]

Later

CBR Review: X-Files/30 Days of Night #2

I recently reviewed X-Files/30 Days of Night #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Tom Mandrake does his fair share of the work when it comes to creating tension. The page where Scully wanders from the crime scene and discovers the young girl is a slow, methodical page that uses a strong, open layout that closes in on itself with a sketchy, violent panel border for the shot of her seeing the girl burning up in the snow. I wasn’t sure that Mandrake would be a good fit for a licensed book like this, but his combination of dark, rough lines with smoother lines creates a visually intriguing interplay on the page. He’s very good at playing with the shadows and darkness to bring out the characters and create scenes that move forward through his art. His depictions of Mulder and Scully go a long way to giving off the impression of the actors that play them and selling their banter. He’s a really strong fit for the book."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: X-Files/30 Days of Night #1

I recently reviewed X-Files/30 Days of Night #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "After the six-issue mini-series Wildstorm published in late 2008/early 2009, I was wondering if they would do another X-Files comic, but the announcement that it would be a crossover series with IDW’s 30 Days of Night was surprising. Despite the initial surprise, the two properties seemed like a good fit once I stopped and thought about it. Mulder and Scully heading for Alaska to investigate the activities of vampires sounds like a pretty solid hook for another six-issue X-Files book and the first issue sets the two sides on a collision course well."

You can read the rest HERE!

Random reading: Random books!

Another trip to the shop here and another pile of books chosen at random. Well, let's dive in!

Blade #5

Actually bought earlier this week at the bookstore because I thought "What the hell, I'll give the book another shot!" based entirely on the badass cover of Wolverine's claws running through Blade's head--and Blade smiling because he fucking loves it.

Yeah, the comic sucked compared to that cover. Too much space wasted on a cliched flashback subplot and not enough space devoted to a badass fight where Wolverine runs Blade through and then Blade is all "Motherfucker, that's the way I like it!" and then it's REALLY fucking on.

Teen Titans #43

"Hey, let's do a story where it's like an evil Teen Titans!"

"You mean like an Injustice League, but with the Titans?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

So, yeah, the real Titans get their asses handed to them by the evil Titans and I'm sure this matters to people who read this title and care about these characters.

Green Lantern #16

Green Lantern is an idiot.

That sums up this issue.

Apparently, to keep things separate, Hal Jordan, while flying in the air force, is dumb enough to NOT WEAR HIS MAGICAL RING THAT WILL MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T DIE! And the he got caught by terrorists and put the woman he loves in danger and caused an international incident and is being pursued by alien bounty hunters because the kid of that alien who died and made him Green Lantern now wants his daddy's ring. And if this idiot had just worn his ring to begin with, this would have all been solved rather quickly, but he's an idiot and we're supposed to feel sorry for him, except he's such an idiot we don't.

The Creeper #6

Yeah, I didn't see that this was issue six of six until I got to the end and it was the end.

I bet if I had read the previous five issues, I might have enjoyed this issue more. Except there's fun bits of dialogue like:

"BACKSTAB ME, WILL YA?"

Said by the Creeper after punching Batman in the face.

Yeesh.

Fantastic Four #542

I rather liked this comic. It reminded me of that episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine where Dr. Bashir and the group of genetically-enhanced people figure out using math that the Federation WILL lose the war with the Dominion no matter what. No hope. No chance. So why not surrender now and save billions of lives?

I always agreed with that choice and I find myself agreeing with Reed here. He's figured out the way to save the planet is to do shit like the Registration Act and he's going to make damn sure it happens no matter the cost.

I only hope that Marvel has the balls to see the story through where Reed is right. THAT would be impressive, I think.

But, they'll probably puss out in favour of the whole "siding with good will beat the odds" bullshit eventually.

Civil War: The Return

Oh, shut up, it wasn't that bad.

First off, it doesn't negate the death of Captain Marvel. He doesn't even come back from the dead really.

Second off, the Sentry story was kind of interesting--at least if you're a fan of the Sentry. It did more to explain his joining up with Iron Man more than Bendis' spotlight issue did.

Third off, it wasn't that great either, but I read worse comics THIS WEEK let alone in the past few years.

Fourth off, I do think that the Mar-Vell story could have worked better as a full-issue story. It was a little too compressed, especially when he returns, for my taste. Everyone seems to accept what's happened a little too quickly--they don't even ask WHERE he came from, they just go "Oh, you're here, run the prison!" Seems kind of stupid.

X-Factor #15

I'd heard good things and this issue was good. I've never been a big fan of Peter David's comic stuff--his prose has always done it for me--but this was good. Interesting characters, snappy dialogue and the funniest way of taking down terrorists I've ever seen--while being disturbing at the same time. I'm tempted to hunt down all the previous stuff for this series. (And I just checked with Amazon.ca and I could get the Madrox trade and two X-Factor collections for a decent price, so maybe I will sometime soon.)

The Spirit #2

So, the Spirit gets his ass kicked and then later kicks the asses of those who kicked his ass plus a few more people without much effort? I can't stand it when shit like that happens. It's something that happens in shit like this and it takes me right out of the story. It's one thing if the hero comes up with a sneaky way of overcoming the difficulty, but when there is literally no difference in the two situations I just don't get it. (You COULD argue he does it so he can find out later what the real plan is, but I don't see why he couldn't have, I don't know, kicked a little ass since doing that and then leaving wouldn't have affected anything except how much pain he'd be in.)

But, this book is steeped heavily in such conventions and it adheres to them well. Not my thing.

Captain America: Winter Soldier Vols. 1&2 and Winter Soldier: Winter Kills

Well-drawn, well-written, well-conceived. They brought Bucky back and did it in a way that adds to the character. Never thought I'd see that coming. I do think had I read this without that knowledge, it would have been better. So sorry, I just spoiled it for you, but I figure everyone knows it by now. I don't know what to say. As is obvious, I'm not great at praising stuff, I'm much more of a "tear shit down" guy.

I did think the Jack Monroe interlude issue killed the pacing of the story a bit without adding a whole lot.

The Winter Soldier special had some touching moments, especially at the end. Am confused about how the trio of Young Avengers say they won't kill anyone, but then they knock out all the Hydra members before burning the warehouse down--did they carry them all out?

Come to think of it, Hydra has been popping up a lot lately in the MU. In that Spider-Woman issue of New Avengers, in Iron Fist, in X-Factor, in Fantastic Four, here. And in nearly every case (Iron Fist is the odd one out), they are getting their asses handed to them and losing large numbers of people and equipment. Kind of makes Iron Fist look like a little pussy, doesn't it? I'm going to have to think about that.