Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Hot Picks! New Comics coming out June 30!



ACTION COMICS #890 - Paul Cornell and Pete Woods take over the reins of Action Comics! Lex Luthor, the ORANGE Lantern (!) returns! The long, long, long War of the Supermen/Krypton II story is over! The perfect time to take a quick trip through Metropolis!


FLASH #3 - Surprisingly, the Flash has been the best thing to come out of Blackest Night. Time-travel has always been a hallmark for the Barry Allen Flash, this first story arc grabs that tradition and runs with it!


WONDER WOMAN #600 - Hot on the heels of last week’s Superman #700, JMS and company get set to wrap old Wonder Woman business and re-launch the Amazon Princess. Another great “jumping on” point for folk who may have strayed away from the everyday comings and goings of Paradise Island. Expect this to be a potpourri of short stories, with JMS prologue to his upcoming run anchoring the bunch.


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN ANNUAL #1 - One word: The Mandarin. Okay, you got me, that was two words. The Mandarin is to Iron Man what Dr. Doom is to the Fantastic Four, what Lex Luthor is to Super Man, what Grant Morrison is to cogent storytelling. Save paper-comics, rush out and buy this book. Slated to be the first same day print-same day digital Marvel comic, the Invincible Iron Man Annual explores the man behind the 10 rings.


SECRET AVENGERS #2 - Follow Steve Rogers’ super-secret covert task-force as they try to find out what the dastardly Roxxon is up to on Mars. You know they aren’t up to any good. Last issue Rogers lost contact with the Avenger he sent to Mars to investigate (Nova) and in true, “never leave a man behind” fashion, the Secret (shhh) Avengers are on the case.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Comic Book reveiews for the week of June 23, 2010


There was a good haul this week (16 titles, 8 Marvel, 7 DC and one indie), with some continuing story-arcs taking center stage: Amazing Spider-Man: The Grim Hunt, X-Men: Second Coming, and the Return of Bruce Wayne. Superman gets re-launched and the Heroic Age reaches its second issues in two titles. Overall it was a good week with some really horrible books not withstanding.


The Score Card

AMAZING SPIDERMAN #635 ★★★★★

AVENGERS #2 ★★★★☆

BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #13 ★★★★☆

X-FACTOR #206 ★★★★☆

X-MEN LEGACY #237 ★★★★☆

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #4 ★★★★☆

WOLVERINE WEAPON X #14 ★★★★☆

SUPERMAN #700 ★★★☆☆

THUNDERBOLTS #145 ★★★☆☆

GARRISON #3 ★★★☆☆

ZATANNA # 2 ★★★☆☆

HULK #23

JUSTICE LEAGUE : RISE OF ARSENAL #4

BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3



LEGEND
★★★★★ = Really, really good.
★★★★☆ = Better than average.
★★★☆☆ = Average.
★★☆☆☆ = Below average.
★☆☆☆☆ = Not good.
= Unreadable.


Breaking it Down

The Top Dog (Greg’s Top Pick of the Week)

AMAZING SPIDERMAN #635 ★★★★★ (w: Joe Kelly/a: Michael Lark) The Grim Hunt, part 2. The creature risen from the first part of the Grim Hunt joins the Spider-safari. Araña, Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter), and Kaine join Spidey on their prey-list. The one drawback to this issue is that the flu seems to have had more effect on Spidey than the Gauntlet did, though it’s nice that Kelly references the Gauntlet in the actual story. The best part is that we find out that there is a lot more to the current story and the Gauntlet than meets the eye. Oh yeah, and at the end of the issue a Spider dies, and it probably isn’t the one you would expect. The two short back-up stories are also ★★★★★ worthy. At least ★★★★☆.


The Good


AVENGERS #2 ★★★★☆ (w: Brian Michael Bendis/ a: John Romita, Jr., incks by Klaus Janson) Marvel Boy shows up, changes his name (he’s the Protector now) and gets recruited. Wonder Man shows up and forcefully re-iterates his opinion of the whole Avengers idea, which is not whole-hearted support. In fact, it’s more like violent opposition. Well, it’s exactly violent opposition. There is a “quick-glimpse” (as fast as an image can be on a static page I suppose) into the futures of the multiverse before they go all Crisis on Infinite Earths and the surprise new villains at the end are… familiar on multiple levels. The best part of the Avengers titles (so far) is that we have quickly moved past the Dark Reign and into the Heroic Age, on the back of a decent storytelling that isn’t some multi-chapter, cross-over event, but instead a handful of good Avengers’ stories.


BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #13 ★★★★☆ (w: Paul Dini/a: Dustin Nguyen) The Carpenter (or whatever her name is) v. the Director (or whatever his name is) story arc reaches its satisfying conclusion. In the wings, the Bat Cast revisits Tommy Elliott (Hush) pretending to Bruce sub-plot... it’s a funny thing. On the surface, it kind of makes perfect sense to use a decoy to pretend to be Bruce Wayne... if you really believe he’s coming back... uhm, which for months only Tim Drake really has. Choosing Elliott, while convenient, was a very short-sighted choice given that he’s still a bad guy and that... well at some point if Bruce didn’t come back (don’t worry, he will), they’d have to deal with Hush. And in the meantime they’d have to be aware of keeping a constant eye on him. Couldn’t they just have Metamorpho pretend to be Bruce? Or have Bruce “take some time away”… or any million other things. Ah well, as it has been all along, the Streets of Gotham is still a really good story of characters in Gotham. And (as he has the past few months) the Batman is on hand for his role in the grand finale of the Director story arc.


X-FACTOR #206 ★★★★☆ (w: Peter David/a: Valentine De Landro) It really sets in with X-Factor #206 that this fantastic story (Second Coming) is about to draw to a close and then it is back to business as usual for the X-books. If you read the previews for upcoming solicitations, you know that “business as usual” for the X-books doesn’t look like it’s going to bode well (in fact it is going to “bite”), nor does it look like the Marvel brain-trust is going to take advantage of this milestone event to level out and re-launch the X-titles into reasonable directions with good storytelling (like the Avengers, in the Heroic Age). Instead, it looks like another big story arc is on the horizon. X-Factor, who has played kind of a cursory role in Second Coming, appear to take their exit stage left with X-Factor #206. There are more clever twists-and-turns, as David & De Landro put together a story that both works within the framework of Second Coming and with the many characters (and their sub-plots) running around with X-Factor. X-Factor’s contribution to Second Coming reads like a cross between a Tom Clancy thriller and an episode of 24, both in a good way.


X-MEN LEGACY #237 ★★★★☆ (w: Mike Carey/a: Greg Land) The X-Men: Second Coming reaches its 12th chapter (with only two more actual chapters, three issues, to go). Magneto (and Hope) join the fight. Doug Ramsey and X-Force have a big day in the near-future. Magneto and Hope, now there’s two people I’m sure the X-men would just as soon never ever see the same hemisphere of the planet ever again. The future of mutant-kind (or whatever Hope represents) in the clutches of Magneto, how could that not be a win-win situation. Luckily, the X-men aren’t there yet, today they have their hands full with the Nimrod sentinels. Land’s artwork is a plus and Carey delivers a very solid chapter in the epic event. X-Force really does steal the show, setting in motion the final story arc of Second Coming.


ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #4 ★★★★☆ (w: Mark Millar/a: Lenil Francis Yu) The Avengers take on the Ultimate Ghost Rider and the Spider helps out with a little origin story. The Spider really steals the show, but the surprise appearance of Tony Stark is also well done. As the issue begins, it almost seems as if you’ve missed an issue, but that’s okay it all goes well from there. With the return of Nerd Hulk and the Starks “confrontation” Millar begins to build on the previous series a little bit. With a thickening plot, the Ultimate Avengers keeps getting better and better.


WOLVERINE WEAPON X #14 ★★★★☆ (w: Jason Aaron/a: Ron Garney) The Deathlok (Peacelok?!?) story continues in the Roxxon future and present. It is too bad that Aaron & company didn’t take a run at Deathlok instead of Huston, et. al. a few months back. Neither versions of Deathlok that Marvel has put forth this year is “traditional” Luther Manning Deathlok, but Aarons’version may be a little closer and is a whole lot more readable. Weapon X #14 introduces us to the origin of the Deathloks (Peaceloks?!?). In case you hadn’t gotten enough of them everywhere else, the Avengers show up to turn the battle into a true fracas. Garney’s art is also a stellar compliment to the time-twisted plot.


The Kind of Just Okay


SUPERMAN #700 ★★★☆☆ (w: James Robinson, J. Michael Straczynski & Dan Jurgens/ a: Bernard Chang, Jurgens with Norm Rapmund & Eddy Barrows) Of the three short stories, only Jurgens’ was really out of place. It wasn’t that it was “bad” in so much as it was very 80’s (in a half-thought out sort of way). Robinson’s offering was better than expected, given his very disappointing run on Superman and exceptionally disappointing JLA. In fact, the strength of character and ethos that Robinson captures in this short story is exactly what has been missing from his current story arcs. Ah well, the JMS era begins in earnest, with a very heart-touching (sappy) and contrived story straight out of the beginning of Civil War. What was the name of that lady that ran up in the press conference and assaulted Tony Stark? Never mind. As an opening refrain, it wasn’t on the level of Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman, but JMS… has a very strong recent history of success (Brave & the Bold, Thor, and of course Amazing Spider-Man). Overall, the issue was a little disappointing, but still good.


THUNDERBOLTS #145 ★★★☆☆ (w: Jeff Parker/a: Kev Walker) The new-look Thunderbolts embark on their first mission, that is after they overcome that little (Baron Zemo) obstacle from the end of the first issue. The story is a little light and the artwork is very disappointing. Overall the Thunderbolts second issue is less effective than the first and much less effective than the Heroic Age preview. The use of the Man-Thing is still the most interesting part of this new series.


GARRISON #3 ★★★☆☆ (w: Jeff Mariotte/a: Francesco Francavilla). In which we learn a little bit more about Garrison and Jillian Bracewell gets in some hot water. Despite starting out strong, Garrison #3 seems a little bit more wordy than the first two issues, but works itself out all right, mostly by having Garrison stumble upon some action. The series as a whole hasn’t held up to the complex background that it created and operates in, but is still a quality read.


ZATANNA # 2 ★★★☆☆ (w: Paul Dini/a: Stephane Roux) Truth be told, Zatanna should have fallen off the pull-list after the first (uninspired) issue. Yet, somehow Zatanna made it home anyway. The art is overly “sexy friendly” to the point of being over-the-top PG-13 (gratuitous breasts in all sorts of garments). Let’s just say, she could give Power Girl a run for her money. Both the little Nightmare story and the Brother Night on-going sub-plot are light fare: being entertaining and fun and well complimented by Roux’s (ahem) top-heavy illustration. This is not your Hellblazer kind of magic story, nor is it one of those overly convoluted DCU magic titles; this is just a fun story about a big bosomed lady who happens to know some magic. Will the next issue make it home? Yeah, probably. Who doesn’t like big bosomed magic users? (Too much D&D as a kid, or WoW as an adult maybe?)


The Really, Really Bad


HULK #23 (w: Jeph Loeb/a: Ed McGuinness) It must have been about two years ago that the Red Hulk first made his appearance and that was pretty cool. About four issues into the series it started to seem like everything was being stretched, the plots were starting to wear thin and the mystery was becoming just about played out. The Hulk (series, Red Hulk in particular) kind of went the way of Lost. If the Loeb & McGuinness had any idea where they were going it was so buried in the (often) fun, but pointless plots. Loeb has credibility so we followed a bit longer, and now with Hulk #23 we have our answer. Now, in hindsight (which has to be “elaborated”... ah, “retcon’ed” on in this issue) it appears that the creators were indeed lost. On the bright side, while there are tons of artists in the book, some of them (Sale & Keown in particular) are at bare minimum nice to look at.


JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE OF ARSENAL #4 (w: J.T. Krul/ a: Geraldo Borges & Kevin Sharpe) This series went from bad to worse. There is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief that all comic readers accept, but this was too much. From Roy’s ridiculous escape, to his breaking into the Super-Max (or whatever), to just about everything that happened after that… this was a horrible story. The inmates are going wild, a “villain” has infiltrated the prison, let’s set Green Arrow free? What? And he’s wearing his costume? Ouch?!?! What a horrible way for the DCU to create their own “Punisher’.


BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3 (w: Grant Morrison/a: Yanick Paquette) Pirates of the coast of Gotham? Really? The cowl and belt survived unmarred, unravaged by time in cave since cave-man time to uhm, pirate-time? In a cave, on the floor and tacked to a cave wall (probably a damp cave wall at that) for hundres of years... in tact. Well, at least Tim Drake is around to point out that it was around for 1,100 years and was “incredibly fragile”… you think?

Or how about this:


Wonder Woman: “... but we all know how resourceful Batman can be. If he wants to return we have to assume he’ll be hard to stop.”


Legend aside, she does remember that he’s a normal guy… who shouldn’t be able to travel through time right? Who has no specific powers against, oh say prehistoric bacteria or viruses… or even early American bacteria or viruses for that matter. Or… that he has no control over his own travelling through time… I mean really, if he just sat still, cowering in a corner until he leapt (ala Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap) he’d be a lot safer. You know, if he didn’t wander all-Batman like in to all sorts of trouble with witches and pirates (oh my). Oh for Pete’s sake, the plot of was mini-series is ridiculous when it was making Tim Drake look crazy and has only gotten worse with its actual execution.


Just in time for the Meagan Fox fueled-movie release (opened last week), Bruce Wayne takes on Jonah Hex, the deadliest bounty hunter around, next issue. Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll be fine.



The Reading Order

HULK #23

SUPERMAN #700 ★★★☆☆

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #4 ★★★★☆

JUSTICE LEAGUE : RISE OF ARSENAL #4

WOLVERINE WEAPON X #14 ★★★★☆

BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3

ZATANNA # 2 ★★★☆☆

BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #13 ★★★★☆

AMAZING SPIDERMAN #635 ★★★★★

AVENGERS #2 ★★★★☆

THUNDERBOLTS #145 ★★★☆☆

X-MEN LEGACY #237 ★★★★☆

X-FACTOR #206 ★★★★☆

GARRISON #3 ★★★☆☆


Unread

INCORUPTIBLE # 7

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #4 MATURE READERS

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Hot Picks! New comics for Wednesday, June 26!


AMAZING SPIDERMAN # 635 - The Grim Hunt is here! It’s Kravens versus Spider-people! The Kravens ran Spidey through the Gauntlet and are attempting to raise of their fallen family from the dead! The first issue of the Grim Hunt was well written, action-packed and was accompanied by two surprisingly interesting back-up pieces.


THUNDERBOLTS # 145 - In true Suicide Squad form, Luke Cage takes his band of unruly criminals out to investigate some fall-out from Siege. Jeff Parker and Kev Walker introduce a new character (the Troll?!?) and if you’re like me, you can’t wait to see how the cliff-hanger from Thunderbolts #144 turns out!


ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #4 - The Ultimate Ghost Rider faces off against Millar & Yu’s new Ultimate Avengers! The Punisher, New Hulk and company face off against the fiery biker from the underworld! You may not think the undead Ghost Rider would fit into the Ultimate U, none-the-less Millar’s portion of it, but you probably didn’t think the Punisher in his post- Civil War Cap suit would either. So far, this series has been a must-read!


BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #13 - Batman: Streets of Gotham has, unfailingly, been the best Batman title on the shelves for the past year. In Streets #13, Dini and Nguyen focus on Hush. Tommy Elliot has been “playing Bruce Wayne” since his “death” (not a really bright move, if the Bat-Team really thought he was actually dead huh…) but now, with the inevitable Return on the horizon, what’s a homicidal maniac who looks like the Batman to do? Find out…


SUPERMAN #700 - It seems like only yesterday that it was announced that J. Michael Straczynski was going to take over Superman. Dan Jurgens pens a story that sounds like it’s hot on the heels of Alan Moore’s “Whatever Happened to…” and James Robinson mercifully wraps up his wildly disappointing run on the Man of Steel, setting the stage for JMS’ debut in this giant-size issue.



Also this week, check out the the debut of Green Arrow's new series, Batman: the Return of Bruce Wayne, Second Coming: X-Factor #206 & X-Men: Legacy #237!!! And the Origin of the Red Hulk begins in Hulk #23! All this week at Evolution Comics!