Comics Review - w/c Wednesday 27th November 2013

***May include spoilers***

After a hiatus lasting a few weeks due to financial constraints, I can now happily return with my thoughts on last week's comics.

Uncanny Avengers #14

By a long, long way the best comic I have read in some time. I have struggled with this title since #1 as it has seemed almost irrelevant at times when compared to other Avengers  / X-Men titles. This issue is where it comes out of the shadows and blows it out the park with a stunning comic. Focusing on only a handful of the team, Rogue is intent on stopping the Scarlet Witch, unaware of the true plans of Wanda and Wonder Man in their attempts to stop Uriel and Eimin. The resulting outcome is death, carnage, and more death.

My only hope is that the events are not instantly reversed in future issues, which would result in severe geek rage.

Rating: 5/5

Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S #2

Whereas Avengers / New Avengers were important reads as part of Infinity, the same cannot be said for the Forever Evil tie-ins. Even if they are crucial, plot-wise, I found this title to be sorely lacking in quality and will likely just concentrate on the main title.

The first issue was pretty good and I enjoyed the backstory segments on Steve Trevor. Whilst elements of that are continued, this was just a mess with too many villains featured and what seems like inconsistent art throughout.

Even though its relevancy to the title has yet to be explained, the section with Killer Frost was certainly the highlight. Exposing subtle elements of a villain’s humanity only serves to help their character.

Rating: 2/5

 

Bedlam #10

Bedlam is a great example of a comic I was ready to drop but is now one of my top titles. After a decent first arc, the second, following a yet-to-be-revealed master brainwasher, has improved on literally everything. I do hope the people who were quick to write of Fillmore as a Joker-clone have given the comic a closer look as it certainly deserves one.

Fillmore’s inability to see the villain’s face in #10 is right up there for originality.

Rating: 4/5 

Revival #1

I’ve had a nagging feeling that Revival was beginning to get a bit stale however #15 has thankfully assured me there is plenty left in the tank. Instead of moving on with the mythology, the title takes a back-step as Dana begins to investigate further into her sister’s death. I’m glad this is being covered as it is a crucial element to the comic, not least considering Em’s behaviour since reviving.

The ending does suggest a potential town uprising after farmers have their livestock removed. I hope this steers clear of similar events in Under the Dome as the two do, unfortunately, have quite a bit in common.

Rating: 3/5


Walking Dead #17

I have read the bulk of my Walking Dead collection in trades so it’s hard to review single issues. #117 continues the ‘All Out War’ storyline and there is a slight lull after last issue. Rick’s group seem to have a bit too much confidence about them, clearly indicating something dark is coming their way before things conclude.

The stand-out, once more, is Negan. If there was an award for the villain with the strangest set of principles, he would win it by a mile. A thoroughly disturbed individual with a love for bad language and beating people to death, he seemingly draws the line when it comes to rape, and kills one of his followers when attempting to attack Holly.

Rating: 3/5

Letter 44 #2

After the promise of #1, this issue did not disappoint despite it serving mainly to dump out more exposition. This is the comic that Saucer Country should have been and I hope it goes on a long run to tell the full intended story.

It’s not perfect; the pregnant lady in space seems, for now anyway, unnecessary and weird.

Rating: 3/5

Infinity #6

For me, Infinity just felt like a jigsaw that came together far too easily. People criticised Battle of the Atom for not doing anything to change the status quo. After reading Infinity #6, I would have the same argument here. One of the faults of it being a true ‘event’ was that it involved too many characters so, when wrapping things up, it all seemed a bit rushed for some of those individuals.

The main outcome of the series seems to be the forthcoming Inhuman title, due for release next year. Other than that, it seems things will just go back to normal for everyone else.

Rating: 2/5

 

New Avengers #12

Following on from Infinity #6, New Avengers improves on this however manages to undermine the scope of Marvel’s big 2013 event. With Infinity still extremely fresh in the memory, this comic pulls no punches in saying there are much much bigger things to worry about in the future. Whilst this sounds both exciting and ominous, it does make me think, what was the point in Infinity then?

New Avengers continues, in my opinion to be the better title when compared to Avengers. Whilst Avengers seems more interested in expanding its roster, this title is more fixed on the central plot.

Rating: 3/5

 

Hawkeye #14

I think it’s testament to how good this comic is when, despite the main character not being featured, and the plot involving the theft of a flower, it still turns out to be one of the better comics this week.

Whereas so many comics aim for the spectacular, Hawkeye keeps it nice and simple, staying fixed in its own little world, and yet still manages to be fresh, original, and funny.

Rating: 3/5

 

All-New X-Men #19

Most of this issue involves the X-Men battling with a group of heavily-armed religious zealots who are in pursuit of a fellow mutant. This was all a bit of a disappointment as not a great deal happens other than the group get to show off their new, not to mention questionable, uniforms.

After Battle of the Atom, it’ll be interesting to see where the title goes. From this, it does seem there will be a slight separation from the rest of the X-universe.

Rating: 2/5

Comics Review - w/c Wednesday 23rd October 2013

Unforgivably, a missed blog last week due to late nights at work and other lames excuses.

In all honesty, it has been a quiet few weeks with monthly comics as I have been reading mainly trades with Walking Dead, Captain America: Red Menace, Batman: Killing Joke, Avengers Disassembled, and House of M. It’s possibly for this reason that my monthlies have gone by fairly unnoticed.

For last week, here are my brief thoughts.

Justice League #24

Writer: Geoff Johns

Art: Ivan Reis

Whilst DC have gone overboard with their Forever Evil titles, Justice League #24 marks itself as one of the key issues as it tells the origin story of Earth 3’s Ultraman. Seemingly, wherever any good happened to good ‘ol Clark Kent, the exact opposite would be the case for Ultraman as he lays waste to his foster parents and continues his path of destruction towards joining the Crime Syndicate.

There is a brief mention, kind of, of Darkseid that reinforces my belief that, after Forever Evil, a truly huge ‘event’ is not far off. Darkseid is the villain that appeared at the beginning of the New 52 so is very prominent with this current version of the DCU. I expect him to take centre stage some time soon.

Rating: 3/5

Velvet #1

Since I am currently reading through Ed Brubaker’s Captain America run, it is no surprise I am a fan of his new title, Velvet.

Set in the 1970s, this espionage tale is certainly not the most original in terms of plot, however it is a very well polished product with the interesting premise of a slightly aged female character as lead. Whilst her backstory is not fully played out, she is seen as an office secretary for a covert organisation but with secret shit-kicking skills. I always find it hard to judge a first issue as its likely not all the characters have been introduced at this stage who may offer the series a different dynamic.

As with Cap, this feels very familiar, in a good way, as the sense of conspiracy, paranoia, and intrigue are all present with a gritty realism that is often missing in today’s comics.

Is it even a surprise that this is an Image title?

Rating: 4/5

As my weekly comics are on hold for financial reasons, the next blog will be on Twisted Light, the next trade by Neil Gibson. If people are unfamiliar with his work, check out the brilliant Twisted Dark.

Comics Review - w/c Wednesday 9th October 2013

**Spoilers**      **Spoilers**      **Spoilers**

Just on a side note, separate to the below reviews, disappointing to hear news this week that Vibe has been cancelled by DC. A shame to see it go after only ten issues and it was building things up nicely. No doubt it will be replaced with another Batman / Superman title.

It’s understandable to see a company make a decision to maximise profit but some variety would not be a bad thing.

This week’s titles.

The Walking Dead #115

Robert Kirkman – Writer

Charlie Adlard – Art

In #115, The Walking Dead begins its ‘All Out War’ storyline.

This is represents the culmination of one of the comic’s longest arcs going back to, at least, #100, where Negan first appears to brutally kill Glenn in front of Rick, Maggie etc. Since then, the last 15 issues have been carefully structured highlighting Rick’s journey from one of submission to now open rebellion against the Saviors.

Along with the occupants from Alexandria, Rick combines forces with those from the Hilltop and the Kingdom to march upon Negan’s forces. The start of the issue is very poignant as Rick reflects with Andrea that, despite everything they have been through, this represents their biggest challenge. The ensuing battle is likely to be a drawn-out affair as the comic states this will be a 12-issue arc. As such, I expect several twists and turns before things conclude and it wouldn’t be the Walking Dead without at least a few character deaths.

This is where the comic really excels for me. Given the high turnover of characters, it still manages to introduce new individuals that the readers care about and, when they die, their deaths still mean something. Credit for this lies with Kirkman who continues to create believable characters.

An example of strong characterisation is seen with Michonne’s ‘potential’ start of a relationship with Ezekial. As time goes by, she is seen more and more as a tragic, sympathetic figure who, behind the impressive sword-wielding skills, is desperately trying to connect with someone in the harsh environment she finds herself in.

Rating: 4/5

Infinity #4

Jonathan Hickman – Writer

Jerome Opena, Dusin Weaver - Art

Whilst the pages of Avengers and New Avengers focus on specific areas of battle, the Infinity comic itself has the unenviable job of covering a little bit of everything.

This makes the outcome even more impressive as Hickman is managing the project amazingly well as it is certainly the most wide-ranging ‘event’ I have read when it comes to comics.

The majority of the first half of the issue covers the fallout of Black Bolt’s destruction of Atillan in his act of defiance against Thanos. This results in unleashing the terrigenesis bomb and spreads the terrigen mist across Earth, ‘activating’ those with dormant Inhuman DNA. Unfortunately for Black Bolt, Thanos rises from the rubble of Atillan and beats the holy hell out of him. As someone who read the recent Thanos Rising mini-series, this was an excellent continuance of the character seen in that title. Thanos shows himself to be a villain that, when one-on-one, is the better of most, if not all, the superheroes.

As the issue shifts to the Avengers battling The Builders in space, this section can be summarised quite simply. Thor…

Thor is sent to negotiate with one of the Creators and, when this does not go too well, he puts Mjolnir to good use in an incredible ‘death’ scene. Whilst this was a good overall issue, that is how I will remember the comic.

Aside from his own title, Thor has been very much underused by Marvel recently. Yes, he is in several teams but his contribution has been fairly limited as the usual suspects of Cap and Iron Man take centre stage. Infinity #4 puts him to great use and I hope this is something that is built upon.

Rating: 4/5


Captain America #12

Rick Remender – Writer

Carlos Pacheco, Klaus Janson – Art

The last two issues of Captain America have included some aspects which have not sat well with some internet Cap purists.

Firstly, was his burning of some of his prized possessions as part of his attempts to move on from his experiences in Dimension Z.

In #12, he breaks down in tears when explaining his loss of both Sharon and Ian to Falcon.

Certainly, in terms of the latter anyway, it would have been wrong if something like this wasn’t featured. Given the unique nature of the Dimension Z storyline, one which lasted years for Cap, there had to be some fallout to this before just going into the next storyline. As such, I thought this was handled well and it seems these are issues which will remain in the comic for a while at least.

Also featured here is Nuke as he continues his rampage across Eastern Europe. This feels very much out of place at the moment as there is no connect between this and Cap. I’m sure this will change, likely in the next issue but, at the moment, it makes it feel disjointed.

Rating: 3/5

Comics Review - w/c Wednesday 2nd October 2013

**Spoilers**      **Spoilers**      **Spoilers**

After finally achieving success in conquering my comic backlog, in terms of the monthlies anyway, I can now focus on a weekly summary blog where I go over a few titles I have read over the last seven days.

This week’s titles:

Earth 2 #16

James Robinson – Writer

Nicola Scott – Art

And so ends James Robinson’s run on Earth 2.

As with most recent DC departures, his exit seems oddly timed, not to mention clouded in mystery. Whilst it is good news that artist Nicola Scott is staying with the title, this goes against DC’s habit of a whole new creative team and indicates something went awry with DC / Robinson relations. I won’t harp on this topic for too long as that is a blog in its own right, however DC could learn a lot from Marvel and Image in how to keep their writers happy.

The main coverage of the issue is very much based on the World Army and it heroes attacking Steppenwolf's foces in Dherain. Scott's art in this issue is off the charts in the amount of detail that is placed into each battle scene, in particular the double-spreads. The title is far better for her staying on. Despite this, the focus will be on the conclusion as Brutal, one of Steppenwolf’s charges, kills his leader, only then to reveal his true identity. The revelation plays to the Darkseid villain’s month issue and results in one rather large cliffhanger.

I have stuck with Earth 2 as I feel it will eventually lead to having a major impact on the DC Universe and signs of this are starting to show. Whilst Forever Evil is taking centre stage, I do think there is a large multi-universe, Darkseid event looming somewhere down the line.

I wish new writer Tom Taylor well, however he may have wished for an easier time to join Earth #2 as it seems it is all about to hit the fan for the World Army.

Rating: 4/5

 

Forever Evil #2

Geoff Johns – Writer

David Finch - Art

Forever Evil continues after last month’s introduction and highlights the Crime Syndicate from Earth 3 settling into their new home and causing general carnage. The Justice League are still presumed dead and Earth’s saviour takes the unlikely form of Lex Luthor as he unveils a half-complete, half-dead, part-kryptonian 'thing' to lead the fight.

Other than raising questions over the identity of the father of Superwoman’s child and the initial signs of some dissention within the Syndicate, this issue didn’t really do much for me this month. It seems very ‘by the numbers’ and, even though the ending, indicating the Justice League are maybe not so dead as initially thought, was well done, it was to be expected.

The combination of Johns / Finch is one I struggle to appreciate as I think their styles contrast too much. The shaded, almost stressed, approach by Finch doesn’t seem to fit well with the tone of such a mainstream title.

On a side note, I don’t personally read Teen Titans however, if I did, I would be somewhat annoyed at how easily they get brushed off in an all-too-brief encounter with Evil-Flash.

At the moment, this lagging behind when compared to Infinity and Battle of the Atom.

 

Rating: 2/5

 

Green Arrow #24

Jeff Lemire – Writer

Andrea Sorrentino – Art

I have enjoyed Green Arrow since Jeff Lemire has taken over writing duties and this issue sees Oliver return to Seattle only to find Count Vertigo has followed him all the way from Vlatava. After Vertigo’s issue in Villains month, I expected this to be the start of a multi-issue arc however it all seems to wrap itself up by the end of the issue. If this has made anything apparent, it is that Green Arrow does not have any major historical villains that can be used for a long storyline.

We do see the first character from the Arrow tv series, Diggle, make an appearance although it is debatable what similarities the two will have.

Green Arrow continues to be a title very much left to its own devices which is no bad thing. Oliver may also be in the JLA, however this solo title has a distinctly unique feel to it, in no small way down to Sorrentino’s art which gives it an indie feel.

On a separate matter, I do wish they would make Oliver look older. Whilst all DC characters have all been re-booted with the New 52, Queen looks especially young and can occasionally look like a pissed-off teenager which diminishes the overall quality of the comic at times.

Rating: 3/5

The Decline of Green Lantern...

 

 

It’s worth saying straight away that, almost two years ago to the day, it was Green Lantern: Rebirth that got me into comics.

 

Since then, 730 comics later, I look back at it in the same way I look back at Star Trek: TNG as the show that got me into sci-fi many many years ago.

 

So with that in mind, this blog will sadly sum up my unhappiness with the current Green Lantern titles. A backlash from some of my twitter people is expected!

 

Having not been a long-time reader of comics, it wasn't a big deal when I read that Geoff Johns, as well as Tomasi, Milligan, and Bedard were leaving their respective Lantern titles. I did initially think it was a bit extreme they were leaving at the same time although, after a while of looking at it, it made sense that they started with a clean slate in the wake of Johns leaving. Whilst the other writers were given their own space for their titles, it was Johns that took the Lantern universe and raised it to a level not too far behind that of Bats and Supes. As such, with his exit, he had every right to end it his way. A simple transition to another writer and another story arc wouldn't have felt right.

 

This is where, however, the problem lies.

 

In Green Lantern #20, not only did Johns wrap up the First Lantern storyline, he also adds a coda that concludes the journey of pretty much every Green Lantern character. Hal and Carol get married, Kyle continues as the White Lantern, John Stewart becomes a politician, Guy just hangs around bars telling his tales, and so on.

 

How Johns was allowed to get away with such an ending is beyond me. Fair play to him for the work he did over the years, however what chance has he given the new writers in creating a future by effectively writing the characters' endings before their run even starts. What options does Robert Venditti have as new Green Lantern writer? If he deviates from the ending of #20, this will just create confusion amongst readers and make them question Johns’ ending. Alternatively, what freedom does he have in leaving his own creative mark? Even as a Green Lantern fan, it seems like a selfish indulgence on Johns’ part. In my opinion, this would not be the first time this has happened, a la the creation of Simon Baz.

 

Despite this, I do not intend to use this blog to completely bash Geoff Johns as there are current faults in the GL setup he is not responsible for.

 

As part of the Lantern re-jig, Guy Gardner is sent off to infiltrate and take command of the Red Lanterns (something he does far too easily for my liking). Taking him off Green Lantern Corps, this seemingly was done to ensure there is a human lantern as the lead character in all their titles, excluding Larfleeze. I can see the logic behind this to keep each title ‘important’ as Red Lanterns was fast becoming of little worth. Whilst the Third Army / First Lantern arcs did crossover into the title, the Red Lanterns played little part in both conclusions.

 

Taking Gardner off Green Lantern Corps, however, seems an odd strange decision. Whilst I have never liked him, (far too loud and annoying), he is effectively Green Lantern Number 2, after Hal, and GLC was also the next title, in terms of importance, after GL. Putting him into the least popular of the four Lantern titles seems a waste of the character. Not to mention, the limitations a character has when they slip on the red ring. Whilst those in green can, occasionally, show various layers of personality, depth of character etc, a RL is resorted to nothing except being driven by their desire to unleash their rage on their victims. I was a supporter of RL in its early days however, due to this lack of character progression, it didn’t seem to be going anywhere so I dropped it around #15.

 

Going back to the choice of Guy as the RL leader, stretching the human lantern quota does raise the issue of…..where the hell is Simon Baz?

 

He turns up during DC’s Zero month in September 2012, replaces Hal as the lead Green Lantern, and is now, a year later, relegated to occasional appearances in the Justice League of America ? It begs the questions, what was the point in creating the character in the first place? It gives the impression he was Johns’ little pet project and, with him now out of the GL picture, the other writers just don’t want anything to do with him. On this, I may be proved wrong and, genuinely, I wish I am. My idea would be to have John Stewart go to Red Lanterns (this would have been a natural progression from the issues he has gone through in the New 52) and have Guy team up with Baz in Green Lantern Corps. This would have been ideal for Baz as an introduction to the Corps and find his feet as a character.

Where is Simon Baz?

 

As far as the future direction of the Lantern titles is concerned, I would dearly like to see them depart from these epic ‘end of the universe’ events as they all seem repeat one another as one multi-lantern battle follows another. In all honesty, my biggest issue with Green Lantern, across all titles, is that the action often looks like multi-coloured crazy shit. Trying to create more and more ridiculous constructs makes a potentially serious matter just seem farcical. By reducing the scale of the action, and not trying to fit everything into the page at once, will ultimately create a better storyline. I realise this will never happen, so I am not getting my hopes up.

 

In conclusion, I will sadly be turning my back on the GL universe except for the main Green Lantern title. As Hal got me into comics, I can’t turn my back on him. At only £2 / £3 a month, I can live with it. As for the other titles, I wish them well but they will be disappearing off my pull list. I am interested in how the Hal / Carol / Kyle arc pans out, a nice change in direction, but other than that, it’s time to move on to other titles.

The Struggles of Reducing My Comic List

 

Recently, I have been successful in getting myself a new job. Now, whilst this is cause for mucho celebration, and with it comes a higher salary, it does mean, that for the next 2-3 months, my finances will be stretched like never before.

Sadly this has meant I have looked at my monthly comic list in the hope I can reduce the number to something a bit more acceptable.



Before this attempted cull, my monthly list was around 35 however this doesn’t take into account that several of these were Marvel titles that are released every 2-3 weeks. With that in mind, I was probably nearer 40 a month. Nevertheless, some had to go and here is where tough decisions had to be made. Looking through my list, I realised I was hanging on to titles out of habit and had no real reason to hold on to them.

When I first started collecting comics, I only looked at DC titles. Thankfully, I eventually opened my eyes and now pick up many others, mainly from Marvel and Image. With my selection range widening, it does mean I have to be more selective in which ones I hold on to. For example, my intention is to hold on to only the mainstream DC / Marvel titles in order to keep up to speed on their top-level story arcs. With that in mind, there were some titles that were easier than others to cut.

Each of my comics made good arguments however the following are now gone.

X-Men Legacy – this has probably been one of the better Marvel NOW titles and has benefited from doing its own thing, not being too involved with the rest of the Marvel universe. However, that has also been its downfall in that it doesn’t feel like an ‘important’ title.

Detective Comics – maybe more experienced readers could clear this up for me however I get the impression Detective is not held in as high regards as perhaps it once was. Whilst Snyder’s Batman has received deserved praise, it has resulted in Detective becoming almost insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the New 52, none of the arcs have felt compelling and these have had to be paused for tie-in issues to Snyder’s Court of Owl / Joker storylines. Even with Snyder leaving present day Batman to concentrate on Zero Year, I’ve decided Justice League can fill the hole now left by Detective.

Green Lantern: New Guardians – this was dropped a couple of weeks ago however it is back on my list after reading positive reviews of #21, the first issue under new writer Justin Jordan. It is still on shaky ground as the title has struggled to maintain any form of consistency with its direction. Team members come and go, the reason for their formation changing, it makes me forget how they all got together in the first place.

Batman & Robin – this is the second time B&R has been dropped. With Robin’s death, I thought the constant changing of companion would create interesting pairings I hadn’t seen before, creating some intriguing new dynamics. Whilst this has been the case, I can only take so much of Batman moping around, acting depressed over his son’s death. Because of his loss, the tone of the title has been dragged down for too long. The ‘silent’ issue after Robin’s death was fantastic but it has gone on for too long. 

World’s Finest – again, the second time this has been dropped. I have held on to this title waiting for the eventual coming together of Earth 1 & 2, expecting a great pay-off. Sadly, this has still to happen and I will hang on to Earth 2 to keep this part of the DC Universe in my collection. Plus, is it me or is Earth 2’s Supergirl far too arrogant and cocky to be a title character?

Suicide Risk – I bought #1 of this title purely of its premise of police fighting a losing battle against super-powered villains. It was unlike anything else in my collection and all was going well until the last few pages reveal the lead cop be infused with super powers. In my opinion, this contradicted the basic selling point of the comic. The good guys were not supposed to have powers. It may seem like a minor complaint but I lost interest after that.

Jirni – I can’t remember why I selected this in the first place. #1 was the re-telling of a generic fantasy story told a hundred times before. See ya!

Whilst I was quite happy with getting my list into the 20’s, the past few weeks have seen new additions in Image’s Sheltered and Lazarus. Image have an annoying habit of releasing a steady flow of new titles of high quality and, even though some people have criticised them given how many dystopian titles they have, this doesn’t concern me at all.

Yes, the likes of Walking Dead, East of West, Sheltered, and Lazarus have similarities however that has not prevented them from being highly creative titles that are of better quality than the majority of generic DC / Marvel titles.

Thankfully, some of my titles are mini-series (Thanos Rising / Storm Dogs) and they are due to end soon.

It was only with this recent financial clamp-down that I have seen the hard part of comic reading as the likes of crossovers and new titles make it extremely difficult to keep a lid on things.

The person I feel worst for is my comic book guy as I send him revised lists every few weeks which probably makes his life a living hell!