Thursday, December 13, 2012

Direct Message 06: Cable & X-Force #1

This one came together quickly. It's really just Alec and I punching Cable & X-Force #1 again and again in the hopes that it will die. Alec does most of the work, while I just sort of hang back all proud and grinning. Also, Shawn Starr makes a guest art appearance.

You can read Direct Message 06 HERE!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Direct Message 05: Fatale

Mostly because of me, Direct Message 05 wherein Alec and I discuss Fatale was delayed. The words... they would not come. Eventually they did in their way, so here we are with a completed discussion column. Isn't that lovely? Go read it. Enjoy.

You can read Direct Message 05 on Fatale HERE!

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of December 5, 2012

Action Comics #15: So... everyone's going to assume any criticisms I make of Rag Morales's art are actually personal, aren't they? My bad. Didn't quite think that through... shit. I like the ideas that Morrison throws out here. Not sure how they actually work. But, it does explain the series so far to a degree. Isn't it convenient when the plot explains away the bits that people criticised? I think so. [***1/2]

All-New X-Men #3: A bit of a dip down. The 'our powers are going crazy because... uh... PHOENIX!' shit is a bit lame. Especially after there didn't appear to be any problems whatsoever in issue one. I dug the last page. Let's get to that: the interesting part. Maybe? Soon? [***]

Avengers #1: Unsurprisingly, this reminded me quite a bit of The Ultimates #1. Same writer, same general characters, a very similar art team... even a plot that bears some similarity. The key bits are in the differences, then. This is more hopeful, not as seedy. More inate goodness and heroism here. A sense of heroic epic -- myth in action -- that wasn't present in The Ultimates #1. That comic ended with Nick Fury looking freaked out, completely at a loss. This one ends with Captain America gathering more Avengers, because he doesn't get freaked out or find himself at a loss. This is a largescale story of heroes and goodness... that was the world falling apart and being changed forever. I think I preferred that one more, but I'll certainly take this one. [***3/4]

Daredevil: End of Days #3: Bendis and Mack recognise a simple fact: Daredevil fucks a lot and probably doesn't carry around a box of condoms. And James Bond died of VD. [***1/2]

Fury: My War Gone By #7: That felt like ages since issue six... The look of... fear in his eye on that second page... this is going to get dark by the end, isn't it? Also: more Frank Castle! Why isn't issue eight out next week, dammit? [****]

Hawkeye #5: Of course, my first reaction was that they took away the thing that appealed most to me about this story. Funny how a government-sanctioned superhero team can't actually... do... anything for said government. Also, I don't like fake Nick Fury, Jr.'s tone when discussing his father. Who the fuck is he? A poor plot contrivance brought about by casting a movie... But, I dig the vibe of this comic and the lovely art. [***1/2]

The Ultimates #18.1: Captain America is a boring president. All he does is play superhero. I could read any other comic featuring Captain America for that. In this one, he's president. That means I want more Jed Bartlet and less typical superhero bullshit. Christ. What's the use of doing anything different if all you wind up doing is more of the same? No. Really. What? [Fuck you]

Later

Sunday, December 02, 2012

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of November 28, 2012

All-New X-Men #2: One of those second issues that make you miss the double-sized first issue that was once the norm. Stick this with the first issue in a single comic and you'd have a much stronger debut. Hell, skip the first issue save the final scene and start here and it's a better debut. The stuff with the original X-Men really works for me -- interesting juxtapositions and possibilities. Glad to see that things improved. [***3/4]

Batman, Incorporated #5: You know, whenever there's a large focus on saving Gotham City, I tend to always go "Why?" Because it's a shithole and any sane person would have used his massive resources to relocate all that deserved it, sealed it up, and wiped it from the face of the Earth. Then again, the Batman isn't sane, so... [***3/4]

Fatale #10: I reread the entire second storyarc and... yeah, I'm not feeling it. These feelings will be expanded upon in the next Direct Message. But, it's still a comic drawn by Sean Phillips, so... [***1/4]

FF #1: A bit more like the Matt Fraction we all know and love. Crisp dialogue, clear characters, an easy to get concept, and the Allreds. We all knew this was going to be decent going in and it did not disappoint. Scott Lang is rather compelling here as well, which is surprising. [***3/4]

Multiple Warheads: Alphabet to Infinity #2: The meandering, lazy pace of this is nice. It's a hang-out comic. I like hang-out comics. [***1/2]

New Avengers #34: I think I'll discuss this at greater length in Random Thoughts this week. But, I do 'love' how Avengers #1 ships this week. Can't give it even a single week for the end of this eight-year run to sit and settle and sink in? Just shout "NEXT!" and we're off on the next run already with no break whatsoever? Why not ship it this week? That bugs me. It shouldn't, but it does. I'm not saying put off the next run or anything -- hell, I'm really looking forward to Hickman's run on Avengers and New Avengers -- but must it start the week after? Not even a single week off between the two? December is a big month, there's plenty of time for that comic to ship slightly later in the month... It just feels like "Thanks, now get the fuck out." Stupid sentimental bullshit. [****]

Prophet #31: I enjoy this series a lot. I like the characters, the art, the writing... [****]

Secret Avengers #34: As I've been reading Uncanny X-Force trades as they've come out, I've seen more and more threads from that title repeated in this one. I like that. Rick Remember building his own little world off in the corner. Well, I should correct myself: I like the idea of it. I'm not particularly bowled over by some of these ideas he obsesses over. I did enjoy the Captain Britan/Hawkeye banter, though. [***1/4]

Thor: God of Thunder #2: Dean White is gone and the colouring does take a dip. It's not as noticeable or bad as it should be. So, there's that. This god butcher story is intriguing and has a different feeling from other Thor stories. The whole difference between war and murder narration towards the end is especially engaging and good. And what would be a 'cool moment' in many other comics ("Thunder.") is played perfectly as desperate and slightly funny and just kind of sad. Thor barely survives... Now, to expunge that editorial full of bad jokes from my mind... [****]

Ultimate X-Men #19: "200 mutants? That's not near extinction! I'll show you near extinction!" And that's how Brian Wood turned the mutant race into 20 people living in the middle of nowhere on land that can't grow anything. He fucking saw you and raised. Fuck yeah. [****]

Uncanny Avengers #2: I have never seen so many ugly, half-formed panels from John Cassaday in a single comic before. Look at that final panel on page five. Hell, just look at page five. This guy drew Planetary and now... Also, will someone explain to me how altering people and giving them superpowers is okay, but mutants are not? I'm not a racist, so I can't exactly figure out the subtle difference. It mostly looks like bullshit to me. [**1/2]

Later