MONDOmagazine

Amazing Spider-Man #640
Joe Quesada (w + p),  Paolo Rivera (a), Dany Miki (i), Richard Isanove (c). Marvel Comics.

Rivera is an amazing, amazing artist. Publishers, hold onto this man tight because he is taking lemons and making rocket fuel. The story and the script, however? Well, it’s a really mixed back. I think there are times when the script really works but the main story beats of this arc are dreadful and unimaginative. There’s a moment that mimics/quotes Peter Parker’s origin, when a regular thug comes back to hurt one of his loved ones. It’s exactly like the thief who killed Uncle Ben — but it’s layed on so thick that I couldn’t help but groan. It’s a groaner and I’m looking forward to it being a goner. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 3 out of 5

Atlas #4
Jeff Parker (w), Gabriel Hardman (a), Elizabeth Breitweiser (c). Marvel Comics.

One thing I probably don’t stress enough about my love for Atlas —  I love it because it’s so fucking weird. You sit back and realize that this is a team of odd balls that have very strange adventures. And they all have crazy, dark secrets that Parker layers in slowly. This week we got a messed up, understated bit from The Uranian that I seriously love. I’ll give the series a more proper send off with next month’s (final-final) issue. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Avengers Academy #3
Christos Gage (w), Mike McKone (p), Andrew Hennessy (i), Jeremy Cox (c), Marvel Comics.

After last month’s hiccup (although I suspect a reread would reveal issue 2 to be better than I remember) we’re back on track with another fantastic issue of this great new series. What makes this series work so well is the way that Gage has spotlighted a character each issue, accelerating our interest in this cast of new characters. Couple that with an extremely exciting premise for this storyline and this title continues to be a winner. Highly recommended. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Batman: Streets of Gotham #15
Ivan Brandon (w), Ramon Bachs (p), John Lucas (i), Nick Filardi (c). DC Comics.

Again, it’s good to see Ramon Bachs on art, he’s new, but I like him, and he has a roughness that fits excellently with the dark Gotham atmosphere. The Two Face story that started last issue was interesting in how it gave us a bit of detail on how, exactly, an insane person can legitimately become a crime boss in this world, but this issue doesn’t expand on that, instead following a descent from ability until Two Face is betrayed by his lieutenants. The whole thing feels like a wasted opportunity to me. The narration was over dramatic; ostensibly a third person view with some emphasis on Two Face’s viewpoint, it was too cliché sounding, and didn’t end up sounding appropriate at all to the situation or the characters natural voice. All this plus a pin up drawing for the low low price of $3.99. Not really worth it. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 2 out of 5

Brightest Day #8
Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi (w), Various (a), DC Comics.

I think before I’ve mentioned that with a title like Brightest Day a reader’s interest in each issue will depend on which storyline is leaned on that issue. This issue is focused on Hawkworld. *tumbleweed rolls by* Joking aside, I can enjoy the fun of crazy animal people wailing on each other, but when we get into trying to untangle the absurd continuity-knot that is the Hawkman story, well… maybe that’s a story best left to its own title. So I can not read it. Glad that Miss Martian is okay, though. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 2 out of 5

Chew #13
John Layman (w), Rob Guillory (a + c), Image Comics.

Chew is pretty much the perfect comic. It’s so incredibly charming and funny that I switched from trades to issues, and I don’t do that often. The characters are consistently entertaining, the stories are unexpected and engaging and Guillory’s art is a delight to look at it. If you haven’t read this book and like fun then check out the first trade. I did, and needless to say I liked what I read. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4.5 out of 5

Darkwing Duck #3
Ian Brill (w), James Silvani (a), Andrew Dalhouse (c), Boom Studios.

Brill and Silvani’s Darkwing Duck continues to be a delight. I never, never thought that I would love this book as much as I do. There’s a genuinely cool superhero comeback story going on here, combined with engaging uses and interpretations of characters from the TV show that will please long-time fans. There’s also an awesome unexpected cameo that made me laugh out loud. I only hope that this title will keep up its awesomeness once we’re past the initially planned 4 issue run. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4.5 out of 5

DC Universe: Legacies #4
Len Wein (w), Scott Kolins, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Joe Kubert (p), Scot Kolins, Dave Gibbons, Joe Kubert (i), Mike Atiyeh, Trish Mulvihill, Joe Kubert, Pete Carlsson (c). DC Comics.

I’m not as satisfied with the narrative of the main story here as I was with the last three issues — not too surprising, the narrator has grown up, he’s passed the point of no return, and he’s chosen to be a good guy. Without that grounding for the DC history to play against the whole thing becomes little more than a straight history text. I was expecting more emphasis on the Teen Titans, mirroring their success and impact of that era of comics, but instead they were more of a footnote among the rest of the straight history. The ending, showing the heroic death of the Doom Patrol, was a great choice as the lead in to the grittier 80s and the end of the silver age of comics. After all, they couldn’t use the death of Gwen Stacy as the marker. (Because she’s from Marvel Comics). The back up story featuring the death of Sergeant Rock of Easy Company was really sweet, while also being rough and tough and full of macho stuff. It had a bunch of references that I didn’t necessarily get, but were all about the old time War comics, and are excellent. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating 3.5 out of 5

Ex Machina #50
Brian K. Vaughan (w), Tony Harris (a), JD Mettler (c), Wildstorm Publishing.

Wow. This was a powerful read. I’ll throw this right out there, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler because we were told in the first issue and on the first page of this issue, but this is not a happy ending. I suspect that that will rub some people the wrong way, but it worked very well for me (I know, big shocker: Owen likes a BKV comic). If there’s one thing we know about Vaughan it’s that he doesn’t like to go for the obvious. In ending his series he tends to pose the question to the reader: what was this series really about? In the case of Ex Machina the series is about Mitchell trying to balance his political life with his superhero life. How much of one is he willing to sacrifice for the other? How do his decisions affect those around him? How do his personal beliefs factor into things? These are all questions that get explored in this oversized epilogue issue. That’s what stands out for me about this title now that it’s over: the questions that it raised. I’ve been thinking about this comic a lot since I read it, and for me that’s the highest compliment I can pay it. Some moments made me sad, some made smile and some made my jaw drop. And if a comic can do all those things then I would say that’s a sign that it was a comic worth reading. So congrats, Vaughan and Harris, you’ve made another legendary comic (not a first for either of them, I might point out). Rest assured, I will be rereading this for years to come. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 5 out of 5

Green Lantern Corps #51
Tony Bedard (w), Ardian Syaf (p), Vicente Cifuentes (i), Randy Mayor (c). DC Comics.

I wasn’t sure about this one plot point, about the Cyborg Superman turning himself into an Alpha Lantern, I think I just forgot about this happening last issue. But it’s a bad sign if I totally missed something that essential to the goings on here. And I wasn’t nuts about the three Green Lanterns trying to rally up a population of robots against a guy that can control robots, as if his control was based on him being just really charismatic or something — but John Stewart was awesome (and I don’t usually say that), and this one rock guy named Hannu shows up and decides to epically punch out a robot in the face. So some good with the bad here. The art doesn’t blow me away or anything, but it’s solid. All in all a good issue, definitely worth a look. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5

New Avengers #3
Brian Michael Bendis (w), Stuart Immonen (p), Wade Von Grawbadger (i), Laura Martin (c). Marvel Comics.

I wish some one untalented would draw this book so I could drop it. However, Immonen draws a book that I’m glad to pay four bucks for even if I don’t particularly care for the story. That’s the major problem with this story — Bendis hasn’t given the reader a reason to care unless you’re a big fan of Dr. Voodoo, which, judging by the sales of his solo series, no one did. There’s a magical rift over New York, but the Avengers really seem to have it covered. There is no danger and no intrigue. But there are a lot of pretty pictures. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 3 out of 5

Secret Avengers #4
Ed Brubaker (w), Mike Deodato Jr. (a), Rain Beredo (c), Marvel Comics.

Wow, this was a great week for comics. Looking back at my reviews, I’m seeing the scores: a lot of high numbers in there. Secret Avengers is no exception. In fact, I would say that it’s the best issue of the series yet. I dug the geek-out moment advertised on the cover, and was thrilled that Eric O’Grady (the new Ant-Man) got to do something awesome. Deodato’s art is pretty good, although I wish he’d stop drawing Valkyrie with such a tiny waist. Seriously, it’s weird. Overall, though, it was a brisk, quick first story that didn’t overstay its welcome. I dug it and am looking forward to more. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Uncanny X-men #527
Matt Fraction (w), Whilce Portacio & Leonard Kirk (p), Ed Tadeo, Leonard Kirk and Jay Leisten (i), Brian Reber (c). Marvel Comics.

Holy crap this art went from bad to unreadable. I get that this guy was big news 18 years ago but this is just poor comic craft. Some shoddy inking from Tadeo does not help the bad pencils. Towards the back of the book you see some art by Kirk and are reminded of a level of professionalism that should be base-line standard for a comic that cost me $3.99. There was some story beneath this art but Portacio’s complete lack of skill in rendering any human emotion, or a single nice line, ruins the entire experience. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 1 out of 5

Web of Spider-Man #11
Fred Van Lente, Marc Guggenheim (w), Pepe Larraz, Sana Tanaka (a), Andres Mossa (c). Marvel Comics.

Divided into two stories, a Mary Jane/Black Cat team-up, with a Jackpot backup story. The Jackpot thing has been going on for the last two issues, so I’ve already talked about that — I don’t like it. Nothing has changed on that front. The Mary Jane/Black Cat thing has potential though. I’m waiting to see whether or not it ends predictably with Mary Jane being convinced that she’s been betrayed by the Black Cat only to find out, “hey — I was on your side all along!” That would be lame, and also very likely what we’ll get next issue except for the promise held by a missing Spider-Man. That little point acts as a wild card and I see myself getting surprised by the ending thanks to his involvement. The story also answers the question about Black Cat having bad luck powers again, but that always happens. If I can’t keep straight whether or not she is supposed to have these abilities canonically or not… then no, it’s probably not happening for you. Not a bad new villain design for this outing though, I could see “Doc Tramma” coming back in a sort of Tinker-er role. Even if she sounds like an Image character instead of a Marvel one. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5