Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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