Adventure Comics #8
Sterling Gates, James Robinson, Eric Trautmann (w), Travis Moore, Julian Lopez, Pier Gallo (p), Julio Ferreira, Bit, Pier Gallo (i), Pete Pantazis, Blond (c). DC Comics.
Uh, well, this is the first issue of Adventure Comics post Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul, and it starts with a Legion of Superheroes story. This is what I expected so far. What I didn’t expect was that there would be three stories, all mini-prologues to the new Superman crossover. As much as I like Superman, I get his stuff in trade, so this issue offers me nothing to get excited about. Well, besides having Superboy in the second prologue of course. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 2.5 out of 5
The Amazing Spider-Man #623
Mark Waid, Tom Peyer (w), Paul Azaceta (a), Andres Mossa (c). Marvel Comics.
During the “what’s been going on in the storyline thus far” part of the book there’s an interesting line touting the new Vulture as having real wings. This grates me because it assumes an environment where character doesn’t matter, only the checklist of fantastic powers they may have. The recent Web of Spider-Man story which featured the original Vulture had him create a device to break someone else out of prison only to kill him by dropping him from hundreds of feet in the air. It’s his twisted mind that makes him a villain — this new Vulture has barely said two sentences (to be fair his mouth isn’t really designed for speaking) he just doesn’t leave much of an impression. This whole “Gauntlet” storyline is completely overblown, it doesn’t feel like he’s getting hammered from all sides, which is fine by me, great even — except Spider-Man keeps telling me how much he’s getting hammered by all sides. When Mayor Jameson is accused of a scandal Spider-Man actually thinks “dear lady luck: how many more directions can you keep hammering me from?” Spider-Man is self absorbed, but I can’t believe he’s THAT self absorbed. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #33
Brad Meltzer (w), Georges Jeanty (p) Andy Owens (i), Michelle Madsen (c). Dark Horse.
Well, this is the issue that all that fuss was about — the issue where they reveal the identity of Twilight. Well, you know, if it wasn’t “leaked” three months ago. And, considering the fact that my copy of the Jeanty-covered version has a blurred out face, I’m calling bullshit on the “accidental” leak. It was to boost interest in a series that has floundered for well over a year (critically and in sales). So, here it is, and it’s better than it deserves to be. Meltzer is writing the strongest Buffy arc in two years. I never thought I’d type that sentence. The characters all have their voices, the pacing is great, and it’s starting to redeem some of the previous arc’s terribleness. Even Jeanty seems more interested in drawing this series than he has in a long time. However, I’m knocking off some points for Xander referencing Rising Stars. That was a terrible series and I don’t like to be reminded of it. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 3.5 out of 5
Demo #2
Brian Wood (w), Becky Cloonan (a). Vertigo.
In the backup material to this book, Cloonan talks about her anxieties around drawing Demo. The first series was notable because she employed drastically different styles every issue, but she wasn’t so sure she could do it anymore — her style has become more consistent. She was wrong to doubt herself; the subtle differences between the issues are more interesting than drastically changing styles. The different angles, thicker blacks, and emptier spaces create a completely different mood from last issue, and it fits the story completely. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5
Detective Comics #862
Greg Rucka (w), Jock (a), David Baron (c). DC Comics.
For those who were confused by the time shifting in last month’s issue will be happy to know that it’s a lot clearer this time around. It’s also more apparent why Rucka is employing that device in the first place. That’s the price you pay for reading comics monthly sometimes, the reveal comes later. Anyway, this is yet another solid issue of Detective Comics with Batwoman. She gets some great lines, that are broken up really well to go with Jock’s page layouts. Jock’s artwork doesn’t hit all the notes with me that Williams does, but it’s still very strong. His action is similar to how he depicted it in The Losers, and it still works here. The parallel fight scene between Batman vs Cutter and Batwoman vs Cutter is fantastic — you feel the stab wounds. One more issue before they hand Detective Comics back to Batman and I stop buying it. Sigh. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5
Girl Comics #1
Various (w), Various (a), Marvel Comics
Marvel builds on the success (at least, artistic success, I don’t know how sales were) of Strange Tales with another anthology book, this time spotlighting female creators. This strikes me as a great idea, as many women in the industry don’t get the spotlight they deserve. And what a great batch of stories it is! There’s a great Punisher story, a beautiful riff on Hansel and Gretel, an awesome story about Venus, Lucy Knisley’s hilarious Doctor Octopus strip… heck, all of the stories were great! This is a great book that all fans of anthologies should pick up. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5
The Invincible Iron Man #24
Matt Fraction (w), Salvador Larroca (a), Frank D’Armata (c), Marvel Comics
I’m just happy that this arc is over, to be honest — partially because it felt like it dragged for a long time, and partially because the next arc looks awesome. As an ending this issue was pretty cool, I suppose. It didn’t have any of the great character moments I loved, like Pepper and Maria last issue, but I was happy to see Tony back. I definitely feel like the scenes in Tony’s head had worn out their welcome by this point. I don’t mean to sound like I didn’t like this comic, because I did. Dr Strange was more badass here than I’ve seen him since Brian K Vaughan’s The Oath miniseries, so Fraction nailed that. I’m just ready to move on to another story now. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Justice League: Cry for Justice #7
James Robinson (w), Mauro Cascioli, Scott Clark, Ibraim Roberson (p), Cascioli, Clark, David Beaty, Roberson (i), Cascioli, Siya Dum, Giovani Kososki (c). DC Comics.
This book is so bad. Everything just happens, and, if something is explained, it’s done so in a very backhanded manner. For example, last issue led us to believe that Star City was being phased out of reality or something, this issue everything is just sort of crumbling. Backhanded explanation: oh, the villain’s evil device didn’t quite work right. Or maybe it was just a whole lot easier to have the threat be like a natural disaster so you could have a bunch of cameo characters save a few lives all the while wringing their hands at the futility of it all. We’ve got the teen archer Speedy crouching awkwardly to fire an arrow because if she were to stand naturally, then she wouldn’t fit on the page. Plan your panels! That’s the job you have! Fix that, and I won’t even mention that Speedy’s costume is wrong or that she pulls an arrow out of a quiver that DOESN’T EXIST. By the way, they kill off Green Arrow’s grand daughter, a little girl, and it doesn’t make me hate the villain any more, it just turns me against the creative team. I mean more so. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 1 out of 5
The Mighty Avengers #34
Dan Slott (w), Niel Edwards (p), Andrew Currie and Andrew Hennessy (i), John Rauch (c). Marvel Comics.
Slott is the clock the entire Marvel universe can set their watch too. In three lines of dialogue he places his story in context to the other major Marvel events. You know it’s after the last New Avengers arc and Captain America Reborn, but before Assault on New Olympus and last week’s Thunderbolts issue. It’s simple, elegant and makes the whole publishing line better. Brian Michael Bendis couldn’t even accomplish that between the books he wrote! (He wrote two different scenes where the New Avengers see Steve Rogers for the first time since his death and neither of them jives with each other or Reborn.) His writing is at times a little hokey, like romantic melodrama between Stature and The Vision during a really important battle (come on, guys, save that conversation for a time you’re not fighting gods), but it’s undeniably fun. Once again a guest artist steps in for Pham and I pray to the Asgardians that they will stick around for the rest of the series. Though, really, there’s only a handful of Mighty Avengers issues left, so I won’t have to suffer for long. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5
Sonic the Hedgehog #210
Ian Flynn (w), Steven Butler (p), Terry Austin (i), Matt Herms (c). Archie Comics.
There’s a very exposition-filled dialogue exchange at the beginning of this comic. Great! That’s a classic cheesy comic book tool (no, I’m not being sarcastic. Tell a story in a comic book, or tell a comic book story. I’m good with both, and this is just an example of the latter technique). Have dramatic character reveals, asterisks that match up with boxes on the bottom of the panel referencing when something happened in an older issue, really good villain ranting, and having the hero show up for a last minute rescue. We’re back to basics here people, and if the alternative is stuff like Justice League: Cry for Justice, then I’m definitely going with Sonic. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5
Sweet Tooth #7
Jeff Lemire (w + a), Jose Villarrubia (c). Vertigo.
Sweet Tooth’s second arc is starting a lot stronger than the first. The story and the characters are getting deeper with every issue. The menace is growing too. I love Lemire’s bold art choices. It’s rare for a splash page to be mostly sky, but it’s wonderful to behold and strongly sets up the Jeppard’s emotional state. My only nitpick for this issue is that I saw the ending coming halfway through the issue. But other than that it’s a great series and I’m looking forward to the next issue. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4.5 out of 5
Underground #5
Jeff Parker (w), Steve Lieber (a), Ron Chan (c). Image Comics.
I love smartly-planned colouring choices. For the last four issues, our two protagonists have been trapped underground, perused by those who want them dead. During this time, the colours have been non-existent — black, and bits of white and grey to fill in characters. So when our heroes bust out into the world, full of colour, it’s an appropriately big moment. But despite moments like that and the fantastic art of Lieber, I was a little disappointed with this series. The characters were great, but there weren’t enough different situations to fleshed them out. They were on the run and then on the run some more, all in the same place. Worth getting the trade, but not a must-have like Parker’s Mysterious The Unfathomable. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5
Wolverine: Weapon X #11
Jason Aaron (w), Ron Garney (a), Jason Keith (c), Marvel Comics
Why do I ever doubt Jason Aaron? The man has made me love books starring Ghost Rider and The Punisher. Still, I couldn’t help but groan at the thought of a story about Deathlok. After all, it’s Deathlok! Yet again, though, Aaron shows off his mastery over awesomeness shines here and I find myself totally into another comic I wasn’t expect to like. Beyond Deathlok here, though, is the best story about Steve Rogers’ return I’ve read. I loved the scenes of Steve and Wolverine bar-hopping (with Nightcrawler as their designated driver) before eventually opening up, complete with Wolverine bragging about his new girlfriend. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5
Miles, Batwoman is losing her series? GRRR that makes aso mad! Batman doesn’t have enough series? Is she supposed to get her own book?.
Is it just me or Logan and Steve make odd bar buddies. I’m pretty sure Steve doesn’t drink. They’ve never really seemed like natural friends.
What’s wrong with Deathlok? He’s always seemed like a clever character to me- someone with all the trappings of the typical 90’s action hero, especially the name, but was always fighting for his own humanity inside his cybernetics. To be fair the only Deathlok I’ve ever read was in Spider-Man crossovers.
Wolverine’s EVERYBODYS friend, that’s how come he shows up in every book.
Alex, Batwoman is loosing Detective Comics but Rucka has said that he and Williams will return in a solo “Batwoman” series. However DC has yet to announce that so it won’t be for a while.
But I really liked her in Detective Comics. It was really cool to see some other character take up the legacy of that title and it was even cooler that it was actually good. That said, I will follow this creative team to the ends of the earth, so I’m happy they are coming back.
I agree that the buddy-buddy relationship between Cap and Wolvie didn’t seem right to me. Rogers doesn’t drink and though I think he respects Logan, I don’t see him hanging out with him socially and getting in bar fights. Not a good take on the character.
I always think that there are elements of the older comics that should be let go in current stories. Captain America was a soldier in World War II, so much like I applaud Brubaker for giving Cap a gun in the war, I think it’s time to admit that Cap will have beer with his buddies. Especially his old war buddies (i.e. Wolverine). But maybe that’s just me.
Yeah, I can go along with that. But it would take a lot to convince me that Steve Rogers drinks to get shitfaced and start fights, or spend a lot of time exclusively hanging around someone who does. And part of my issue is that he and Logan aren’t war “buddies” or buddies of any kind, really. I can think of a half dozen people he’d go out with long before Logan…Nick Fury and Hawkeye come to mind immediately. Even Thor, before Logan.
Just read Cry For Justice and holy shit. That comic started out so promising. The art was pretty, then it turned to absolute crap the last two issues. Like an amateur drew it, vomited on it, then handed it to a five year old for touch ups.
The story was interesting and the plot was great — turn Prometheus into the badass he once was. Put him in the DCU as the evil Batman; a credible threat to the JLA or anyone else you could think of. Instead they made him impossibly unbeatable for no reason, able to outmaneuver the most powerful and insignificant heroes alike with contingency plans that can’t possibly exist. Oh, telepathy? Thought of that. Oh, magic? I’m covered. Oh, electricity? Nope, I’m good. Oh, altering my molecular structure? Sorry, I’m wearing non-molecule altering pantaloons. Oh, super speed? Moving too fast makes your head explode. COME ON. It was absolutely ridiculous. And THEN, after all that moronic insanity, they seem to pull a Darth Maul on this character they wanted so badly to build up.
The heroes Robinson was using were awesome. Some big guns, backed up with some lesser known DC characters who deserve a bit of time in the spotlight; and were given just that, plus some enjoyable extras at the end of each issue in the form of histories of the characters. I liked blue Starman and the talking gorilla. I like Freddie Freeman and the thing that started happening with him and Supergirl was intriguing. But by the final two issues — maybe even three — all those characters got about three panels per issue, sharing the story with every DC hero I’ve ever heard of. All of the sudden Robinson’s JL team had like, thirty members, and the characters I was following are no where to be seen.
I can’t believe how badly this book self destructed.
Ha ha, when Miles says “For those who were confused by the time shifting in last month’s issue will be happy to know that it’s a lot clearer this time around,” he’s talking about ME!!
Anyhoo, I didn’t like this issue very much. The story is okay, but the art is terrible. Jock’s art is terrible. Well, maybe not terrible, but from that school of art that I really don’t like…washed out colours, sketchy looking, nonexistent backgrounds, barely any detail…the type of art that looks like the art a good artist would put out if he had half a pencil and six hours to draw an entire comic.
Modern day Cutter is horrible looking. He looks like a stab-themed character Image would have created in the 90’s. Musclebound ‘roid-head, carries sixty different knives, weird things coming out of his head which I assume are knives as well — BECAUSE HE’S THE CUTTER, GET IT?? — and generally silly and boring in appearance.
The writing however, is fine. Except for the part where Batman lets a nerd stab him with a screwdriver and kick him out of a van. What the hell, Batman. You’ve got ten years (minimum) of intense combat training and what looks to be at least fifty pounds of muscle on this guy, not to mention you get the better of him THREE DIFFERENT TIMES and you still can’t figure out a way to not get beat up by this guy. At what point in the Dark Knight Detective Interrogation Handbook does it say you must give each dangerous interrogation subject at least three chances to stab you? ONE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Seriously, what is the excuse for that? Batman wasn’t even distracted. He’s looking at the guy the entire time.