Thursday, May 17, 2012

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of May 16, 2012

For weird reasons that I don't want to go into, I didn't get comics until today. When I arrived at the shop and was handed the contents of my pull list, the trade for Deadenders was included. This surprised me, because I didn't think I had actually pre-ordered it. I knew that I had considered doing so and went back and forth on the matter a bit. Not because I didn't want it or anything; it was purely a 'Maybe I'll wait and get it a little later' sort of thing. So, I got that as a little surprise to myself and have no problem with that. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Daredevil #13: What's in the drawer? I have to say that Mark Waid fooled me a bit here. I was thinking "HA! Stoopid Daredevil! You so stoopid!" and, instead, it was a good ol' fashioned New Avengers fake-out. Nicely played, sir. I thought Koi Pham's art looked better here than last time. [***1/2]

Fury MAX #2: I know this series can't (and won't) last forever since it's only supposed to be 13 issues, but, come on, a boy can dream, can't he? I need to hunt down a copy of that Peacemaker mini-series Ennis did (I have the first mini and reread it last night; it's good stuff; obviously). Oddly, what I enjoyed most was that Fury didn't kill the former Nazi. Most writers would write the character as an unstoppable god or something... [****]

The Manhattan Projects #3: The art slipped a bit here it looks like. Just a little rougher around the edges. This version of the bombing of Japan is interesting -- as is the fate of FDR. I'm curious about the larger picture of this series. So far, it's been very much little scenes/moments on its own. That's fine. Actually, this book is entertaining enough that I think I could be happy with a monthly dose of crazy scientists playing god. But, I have a feeling this is more than that, so... [***3/4]

New Mutants #42: No rack copies. No comic purchased. No one reads that fucking series to warrant rack copies. [NR]

Scalped #58: I've long enjoyed Scalped, but the constant movement of this final arc is insane. Things move fast as we approach the end -- and only two issues left now. What's remarkable is how so much can happen, yet scenes feel so leisurely. And Guera... the second panel of page two is fantastic. The way the grocery store scene is so visual... We're also starting see possible 'replacements' of characters, which part of me likes and part of me wants to avoid as much possible. Two more. Christ. [****1/4]

Winter Soldier #5: Talk about art deteriorating... If I weren't so lazy, I'd pull out the first issue and compare then and now -- guess which will look slicker, more polished, more put together? I'm also not noticing as many colouring tricks as began the series (which I'm glad of, by the way). That's something that TV will always have over comics: episodes don't look worse and worse as the season goes on because of deadline bullshit. But, an enjoyable issue nonetheless. James letting loose a bit more than we've seen before, further cementing him as someone who couldn't necessarily be Captain America longterm. And Doom is funny. Doom is always funny. [***1/2]

Wonder Woman #9: Hey, the cover gives away the end of the issue! Smooth, DC... smooth. Azzarello's writing is so playful and... bouncy. Has anyone ever used that word to describe Azzarello's writing before? But, that's what this is. It's just bouncy fun. [***3/4]

Later