EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Weeks of October 10 & 17, 2012

So: I'm married now. We left town last Wednesday night and I didn't feel like bringing my comics with me. I'd read them all while Michelle was teaching a gym class as usual, but didn't have time to write about any of them (hell, I didn't even get to open Building Stories until yesterday!). That means you get a double-sized dose of my EXCLUSIVE! mini-reviews and star ratings this week. Aren't you lucky? Yes, you are. And a new Riding the Gravy Train will go up later today or tomorrow or this weekend, taking into account two weeks' worth of Avengers vs. X-Men fallout goodness.

Avengers #31: Is that Hope? Or someone else entirely? I DON'T KNOW! Comics are fun! A slight breather issue, which suits me fine. I'm glad that Bendis is trying to do something with the Wonder Man stuff. [***1/2]

Avengers Assemble #8: "Thanos loses because the US military can't make shit that works right." I didn't particularly enjoy Thanos being shunted back into basic bad guy mode, but, whatever, it was a clone. Thus ends the weakest part of the Bendis/Avengers era. I can say that with confidence. As much as I found the Secret Invasion tie-ins tedious, they were better crafted on almost every level. Avengers Assemble #1-8 were the worst Avengers comics released with Bendis's name attached to them. [Fucking horrible shit]

Captain America #18: Thus ends the worst Captain America story released with Ed Brubaker's name attached... I guess it really is time for people to move on, eh? [**]

Daredevil #19: Who doesn't love a cover that shows the end of the comic? ME! ME! ME! Another solid, good issue. [***1/2]

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #13: And this title joins the "Rotworld" fray in time to end in a few months. This comic made very little of an impression upon me. The ending was good. I like the idea that Frankenstein is sort of outside the three 'realms' (or whatever you'd call them). [**3/4]

Godzilla: The Half-Century War #3: From a writing perspective, this issue didn't do a lot for me. Lots of exposition, just throwing details at us -- details that mostly don't matter. But, hey, James Stokoe drawing a bunch of monsters...! Can't go wrong there, can we? [***1/2]

Hawkeye #3: An amusing issue centred around the trick arrows and the word 'bro.' I dug it. [***3/4, bro]

Marvel NOW! Point One: The second one of these big Point One anthologies that Marvel has done and the central story tying things together is a bit better than the previous (with weaker art) and the teases are a bit better. Then again, they teased a lot of comics I'm already interested in like FF and Young Avengers. On the fence a bit about Guardians of the Galaxy and Cable and X-Force. I solidly don't give a fuck about Nova or Secret Avengers. A mixed bag where I enjoyed some bits quite a lot and skimmed through others. [If I waited a month, I probably could have gotten this for free from my shop... but I like them, so I'll give them my money]

The Massive #5: A really good self-contained issue that jumped away from the Kapital for the most part. An early bit of muscle flexing by Wood? I hope so. [****]

The Mighty Thor #21: A weaker finish than I was hoping for. I guess there just comes a point where the constant swerves and tricks and doublecrosses just become noise. This story was filled with them, so they lose a step by this point. Also, it felt like a lot of build-up for a lot of nothing in many ways. Surtur was a bit of a strawman villain here, wasn't he? Alan Davis kills it on art -- and, from an intellectual standpoint, I liked a lot of the ideas here, they just didn't carry the emotional weight you want from a big finale like this. [***1/2]

Punk Rock Jesus #4: There's still more than enough of a religion-hating young angry man inside of me to absolutely adore the end of this comic. I really enjoy this comic now, but my 17-year old self would have loved it. This would have been his favourite comic series of the year -- maybe ever. [****]

Secret Avengers #32: Decent end to this whole Abyss Crown story and I liked Black Widow calling Ant-Man out for being a LMD and no one believing her. [***1/2]

Ultimate Iron Man #1: I didn't even know what the point of this comic was until the end and, by then, the mediocre dialogue and ugly art made me not give a fuck. [Not buying issue 2]

Ultimate X-Men #17: You can see a bit of DMZ in Nick Fury's speech to Kitty at the end. This is humming right along, executed well, and one of the more interesting comics I'm reading right now.

Untold Tales of the Punisher MAX #5: At what point in the future does the father/son stuff take place if the father, as a teen, had a dad that had a giant DVD collection? Apollo 13 seems to have first come out on DVD in 1999 -- and, since the dad took it everywhere, you have to assume that his death happened at least a year or two after it was released, meaning that the flashback story took place in the 2000-2002 range. Meaning, that the framing story, if in the presents, would be 10-12 years later. Given that the son in the framing story looks to be in the 10-12 age range (maybe younger, but the art provides no solid clues), it clearly can't be the present, because the father didn't look like he was getting any girls pregnant while stalking the Punisher. Just the things you think about when reading a tired, cliched, mundane, tedious comic book... [*3/4]

Wonder Woman #13: A transition issue, sort of. Suits me fine. I'm enjoying the ride. [***1/2]

X-Men #37: The end of Brian Wood's tenure on the title and it's a good conclusion. His whole run told a nice story with a clever concept that mostly lent itself to exploring the differing views of mutantkind by members of the team -- and, in the process, bringing about conflict. The Storm/Colossus fight was so charged, because of the slow build to it. The way it was teased and the stakes slowly raised. [***3/4]

The Zaucer of Zilk #1: Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... [****1/4]

Later

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of August 8, 2012

Avengers Assemble #6: You fuck with Thanos, you get to die in space. He's already killed ya before, Avengers... why you wanna fuck with him again? [**3/4]

Captain America #16: This storyarc really isn't clicking with me. I understand mind control is involved, but it seems so lazy -- a way to justify a plot where, uh, a TV pundit turns Americans against Captain America by pointing out that he's not able to defeat everyone everywhere at all times? It's just dumb. Never mind that the art totally kills a central scene of this issue because Eaton can't make it clear what's going on. [**1/2]

Daredevil annual #1: The second of the three Alan David ClanDestine-centric annuals being done this year and I like how this one follows up on the first one, centring things around Vincent's death and showing the next step in that. Though it's not Davis's fault, how many more comics will we have to read where someone gets inside Daredevil's mind and freaks out at his enhanced senses this year? My favourite moment: "But I didn't win." [***1/2]

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #12: An unexpected approach to the storytelling in this issue. It's not quite as effective as you'd hope, mostly giving the whole thing a sped up, rushed through feel, like Kindt needed to cram it all in so the story wouldn't be broken up too much by next month's zero issue. Is that what happened? I don't know. I also don't care, because that's what it reads like. Which, of course, makes the decision to tell this story a poorer one if that's not the reason why he made it. [***]

Godzilla: The Half-Centry War #1: I don't really know much about Godzilla specifically beyond the most superficial of things. James Stokoe's visual depiction of the giant thunder lizard surprised me a little, but I rather like it. I love the fiery word balloon he does for Godzilla. The story is pretty basic, but the art is gorgeous. I'm glad I'm picking this one up. [***1/2]

The Massive #3: Man, I'd just rather read about Unalaska. Not really a negative thing about this comic since I enjoy it -- more that I think I'd rather read about Unalaska. Especially during the Cold War. Beyond that, I really like the idea of trying to be a pacifist group in this world and the struggles that would create. Clever stuff. [***3/4]

The Mighty Thor #18: More Alan Davis! How lucky are we this week? VERY. That's how lucky we are this week. A solid mood-setting issue for "Everything Burns." [***1/2]

Punk Rock Jesus #2: Oh shit, I didn't have time to read this yesterday. It was the only comic that I didn't read. Er... Be right back.

...

...

...

...

...back. Another great issue. I wasn't sure what to expect from Murphy as a writer, but he's quite good. Engaging, a little melodramatic at times, but also unexpected. He's taking his time getting to the 'punk rock' teenage 'Jesus' from the promo images, isn't he? And I don't mind one bit. The "I painted it pink" part was both hilarious and a clear window into how fucked up Thomas is. Damn good. [****]

Spider-Men #4: That cover is a total lie. But, most of this issue simply consisting of Peter, Miles, May, and Gwen talking was great. Bendis really knows how to write those scenes well. I could read a monthly comic called "Conversations" where it's like Marvel Team-Up except it's just two heroes in a room having a conversation if Bendis was writing it. [***3/4]

Later

EXCLUSIVE! Chad Nevett's Comic Book Mini-Reviews and Star Ratings for the Week of July 25, 2012

Three days of work down. Two to go. This whole 'work five days in a row' thing is insane. Also, preparations for the fifth Blogathon have begun. This one is going to be insane. You have no idea. You may think you do. But you don't.

Batman, Incorporated #3: If anyone at DC or Diamond is upset that I got to purchase a copy of this today, let me assure you that I'm not the sort to be offended by coincidence. I just dig me some Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham Batman comics. This one included. (I figured I'd keep this spoiler-free given some people won't be getting this for a month, theoretically.) [****]

Captain America #15: So... the dude's complaint is that Captain America is only one man and can't be in many different places at once? And people take that as a legitimate complaint about how good Captain America is at his job? I can't tell if that's bad writing or exactly like the real world. I really can't. [***1/2]

Haunt #25: Another fill-in artist, another tangent. An entertaining one. I'd like to see more comics with prostitutes dressed up in leather pony suits as men ride their backs. Well, not that specifically. It's just rare to see and I'm not sure that that's a good thing. [***1/2]

The Manhattan Projects #5: So... there's a plot to this book. Hmmmm? [Hmmmm!]

The Mighty Thor #17: Oh, Donald Blake... you get your rest now until someone decides to dust off your disembodied head and attach it to the Destroyer or something. Also: Thor hates his ex-girlfriend. That's a surprise. Because he seems like the sort of guy who would want to stay friends. Just like Seinfeld. I guess Amora ain't no Sif. [*1/2]

Ghost Whisperer National Comics: Eternity #1: At least Cully Hamner's art looks good. [And at least Jennifer Love Hewitt had breasts.]

Prophet #27: Die Hard! Die Hard? Die... Hard... That sort of took me aback. It makes sense of course. I guess I never expected that particularly Liefeld character to pop up. I didn't expect any to pop up. This may be a 'continuation' of a Liefeld comic, but it's so divorced from what we think of that sort of comic that a tangible reminder that, yeah, this is just the future of that world, is a little shocking. Meanwhile, this universe gets more expansive and strange with every page. Insane. [****]

Secret Avengers #29: You could really just pull those Avengers vs. X-Men issues out and not miss a beat going from issue 25 to 29. Not a single beat. That's the smart way to approach a book like this. I'm a little surprised that it bothered to get involved at all. Sales bump? And the chance to bring back Mar-Vell for no real reason? Anyway, the Shadow Council is back and that's fine. Plus, lots of supervillains. And, yeah. I liked this. It was fine. [***1/4]

Spaceman #8: It's weird to think that there's only one issue left. It doesn't feel like we're at the end of the story yet. Oh, maybe the end of the 'Tara kidnapped' plot, but that's not the story. Is it? Azzarello has said that this is only the first story in a larger work that, hopefully, he and Risso will return to after doing some other things. The Mars stuff seems more like a dream... something fake. But, is it? It's so detailed... I just enjoy the hell out of reading this comic when it comes out. And, soon, it's over. Damn, man. [****]

The Ultimates #13: What am I supposed to do with this? Am I supposed to pretend that the last 12 issues didn't happen? Am I supposed to forget about Hickman and Ribic and White and act like this is the same fucking comic? Because it's not. The slow shift to this point has been happening for the past few issues and, here we are: a mediocre, fine superhero comic that exists within a larger, interesting framework... and it doesn't feel like anything new or noteworthy is being done. I don't know. Part of me wants to simply drop it. Make a clean break and pretend that the series ended. Part of me wants to give Sam Humphries and his line-up of Vastly Inferior To Esad Ribic aritsts a chance to maybe make me like this comic despite being something quite different. After the City, the Children, the People, Reed Richards, and the rest... what the fuck does Captain America bring to the table? That's what I want to know. [**3/4]

Winter Soldier #8: It's kind of a shame that the Black Widow can't permanently become Bucky's arch-nemesis because of her role in other comics. That would be interesting. Her brainwashed and moving against him. A giant black ops game between a guy who loves a woman, and that woman trying to kill him. Or maybe that wouldn't be great. I think Brubaker could make it work. He's making this work and, on paper, this doesn't sound much better. But, that's why we like Brubaker, right? [***3/4]

X-Treme X-Men #1: I dig alternate reality comics and, yeah, I didn't like this. A messy, convoluted thing that gave me no reason to care about anything that's happening. I don't really know what it's about. Something about the multiverse being broken? Maybe? Somehow? And these random people are going to save it? It's like a less organised Exiles and that comic was nothing but a disappointment time and time again. I gave it a shot. [You only get $2.99 from me once]

Later

Interviews from Chicago Comic-Con

Steve here.

I went to Chicago Comic-Con, as they're calling it now, back at the beginning of August, and a friend and I conducted a few interviews for the website we occasionally write reviews for, Playback St. Louis. The interviews are brief and not very in-depth, but they might be of some interest to people. So here they are in case you'd like to check them out:

Sean McKeever of The Waiting Place

Brian Crowley, creator of the new webcomic Hamster Rage

two cosplayers dressed as Superman and Supergirl

blogger Jacque Nodell and artist Justin Bleep

Cullen Bunn, co-creator of The Damned for Oni Press

Enjoy!