Wow! One whole year of MONDOcomics! How are we going to celebrate? More reviews, of course!
Amazing Spider-Man #629
Roger Stern, Zeb Wells (w), Lee Weeks, Chris Bachalo (a), Dean White, Matt Hollingsworth (c). Marvel Comics.
And here’s part three of what could have been a really good two-part story. Last week I complained that it was little more than an extended fight scene, this week it’s little more than exposition about Juggernaut and this new Captain Universe’s back-story (with a beautifully illustrated Spider-Man providing window dressing and little else). If this issue was re-cut with the previous, it would have been a great book, as it stands it doesn’t work. Zeb Wells treats us to a back-story that serves as a prologue to the upcoming Lizard story arc which should have been covered in that particular issue of Web of Spider-Man. I’m sorry to complain about it, but I was so impressed by the first issue of the story, and they just let me down here. – Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 2.5 out of 5
Captain America #605
Ed Brubaker (w), Luke Ross (p), Butch Guice (i), Dean White (c). Marvel Comics.
And so end the first arc after the return of Steve Rogers — oh, except he’s not here. Because Siege will be reveal what happens to Steve Rogers and Brubaker couldn’t ruin the ending of Siege four months ago (that was a job for the Marvel solicitations department) he ran a good, but dramatically odd arc in Captain America. The Cap from the 50’s story is good, but I can’t shake that after all this time looking for Steve there should be more fallout. And I’m sure it’s coming, it just makes these issues feel a bit like filler. But, know what, even when Captain America isn’t amazing, it’s still really damn good. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 3.5 out of 5
Fantastic Four #578
Jonathan Hickman (w), Dale Eaglesham (a), Paul Mounts (c), Marvel Comics
Honestly, I get why some people aren’t digging this comic. I totally do. It’s weirdly paced, it’s dense as all get-out and it doesn’t dwell much on the action. Still, if you dig Hickman’s storytelling and you’re not reading this you are totally missing out. This title has become an amazing breeding ground of crazy ideas that make my head explode month after month. This particular issue also provided some great scenes of characterization between Valeria and Johnny. Once again, Eaglesham’s artwork is wonderful. I’m crushed that he’s leaving to go draw a no-doubt overpriced Steve Rogers mini that I am unlikely to buy. His work will be missed here. – Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5
Green Lantern Corps #47
Peter J. Tomasi (w), Patrick Gleason (p), Rebecca Buchman, Tom Nguyen, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin (i), Randy Mayor (c). DC Comics.
This is a very odd book- it’s just like a big issue #50, but it’s #47. It’s double-sized, the story serves as a kind of retrospective on the past few years of storylines, touching on relationships and side stories that haven’t had their due course with the Blackest Night stuff enveloping everything. And that’s the thing with big anniversary books (which I have to treat this as…) – nothing happens! There are a few cosmetic changes, like replacing Kilowog with a new Green Lantern trainer, but that’s the kind of thing that can be explained in two seconds with a single word balloon. – Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5
The Invincible Iron Man #25
Matt Fraction (w), Salvador Larroca (a), Frank D’Armata (c), Marvel Comics
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this book has been firing on all cylinders. I don’t want to imply that it’s been bad or even uninteresting, that isn’t true at all. But I don’t think I’ve been fist-pumpingly excited since the last issue of the Norman Osborne story. This issue is a step in the right direction, although a bit of a hesitant one. There’s some great character work here, even if the pacing is very slow. Actually, I’m a bit surprised that it’s such a quiet issue since this is the one that is ostensibly supposed to hook in new readers who loved Iron Man 2. Maybe it would hook them in? Any new readers that checked this out because of the movie let me know. – Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Mighty Avengers #36
Dan Slott (w), Khoi Pham (p), Craig Yeung with Dave Meikis (i), John Rauch (c), Marvel Comics
I feel bad for Dan Slott. He’s a talented writer who finally gets his hands on the Avengers only to get put in a bizarre situation: he’s not writing the official team, he’s writing the outlaw team… but not the MAIN outlaw team, a different outlaw team… and he can’t have most of the major Marvel characters. Oh, and he has to wrap up the book in the middle of a crossover. Awesome. All that considered I think that Slott ended the book rather gracefully, but it does seem rather rushed. In the end this has been Hank Pym’s book and as such the ending works quite well, even if the rest of the Avengers team winds up feeling like a bit of an afterthought and the Siege tie-in aspect feels rather tacked on. – Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3 out of 5
New Avengers #64
Brian Michael Bendis (w), Mike McKone (a), Dave McCaig (c), Marvel Comics
I freaking love Brian K. Vaughan’s The Hood miniseries, but somehow wrapping up the New Avengers series with a story about The Hood seems like an unfit ending to me. I would’ve preferred a story about the New Avengers. (Yes, I know there will be a one-shot Finale issue… about the New Avengers fighting The Hood). – Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3 out of 5
Punisher #16
Rick Remender (w), Tony Moore (a), Dan Brown (c), Marvel Comics
So Frankencastle is going to be around for a while and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. It’s too bad that Tony Moore won’t be drawing all of it, but I’m sure they’ll find some good talent for it. This issue is a big fight scene, but it’s drawn extremely well, it’s paced well and it leads to a very satisfying conclusion. If you’ve liked the story so far then you’ll enjoy this finale. – Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Sonic the Hedgehog #212
Ian Flynn (w), Tracy Yardley (p), Terry Austin (i), Matt Herms (c). Archie Comics.
Ah I had this whole bit saying a whole bunch of good things about this comic and then revealing that today was opposite day, but I reconsidered since that may be confusing with my other reviews and all. Because today isn’t really opposite day (or is it?). Anyway, there are dramatic tears in this book. Like always. There are sudden reversals of character. Like Always. And yes there’s a monkey romancing a squirrel. Like. Always. Just a note about those reversals- once or twice I can forgive. Sometimes it’s just hard to set up a status quo for your next storyline, I get it! But if you keep doing it, there’s just no payoff. Just tell the story organically and see where the characters want to go. I bet it’d be awesome. – Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 2 out of 5
Stumptown #3
Greg Rucka (w), Matthew Southworth (a), Rico Renzi (c). Oni Press.
I don’t mind delays when it’s worth it. I didn’t always feel this way, but when the product is of high enough quality, I’m going to want to re-read all the issues and any lost momentum is erased. And while the writing is strong and I’m excited to see how it turns out, the art is not up to par with the first two issues. Southworth has an essay in the back explaining the delay, which I get, but this issue looks rushed, which I don’t get. If I had to take a guess I would say that they hired a new, worse inker — which they didn’t. Still, Dex is a fun protagonist and this is a great, lighter crime book. More Rockford Files and Castle than The Wire. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 3.5 out of 5
