Dc And Marvel Universe

khumpleetist · December 28, 2008

Happy holidays sa lahat ng mga regular dito.

Nag iikot ako kahapon sa greenhills and nagulat mas maluwag na yung area na bilihan ng mga laruan sa shoppesville. Mejo may kalungkutan ako nung tumingin ng mga action figure kasi malaki nagastos ko sa kasal ko a few weeks ago kaya namimili lang ako ng di kamahalan na action figure (kaso ala nakita na nasa 500p budget). Pati comics ko na-audit ni misis kaya down to 2 titles per month ako at wag na raw ako mag-collect ng mga crossover. hehehe.

Sigurado ako eh sa umpisa lang yang audit na yan. Hahaha.

Pulls ko:

AVENGERS INVADERS #7 (OF 12)

BATMAN CACOPHONY #2 (OF 3)

FINAL CRISIS SECRET FILES #1

GREEN LANTERN #36

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #28

KICK ASS #5

NEW EXILES ANNUAL #1

WAR MACHINE #1 (Try ko lang kung maganda tutal issue #1 naman din ito)

khumpleetist · December 31, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

revi · January 1, 2009

^I did not know that Suayan would be doing Werewolf by Night.. Hindi ko nabasa ito sa Previews or anywhere eh.. I will definitely attend the signing/launch (January 10).. Sino dito attend?

khumpleetist · January 2, 2009

^I did not know that Suayan would be doing Werewolf by Night.. Hindi ko nabasa ito sa Previews or anywhere eh.. I will definitely attend the signing/launch (January 10).. Sino dito attend?

Pass ako. Di kasi ako kukuha nung title saka nagamit ko na yung leave ko para sa event bukas.

mazinger · January 5, 2009

bukas pa in stores mga comics natin ( last 2 wks reservations ) :goatee:

revi · January 5, 2009

bukas pa in stores mga comics natin ( last 2 wks reservations ) :goatee:

Sa Filbars yata sa Thursday pa ang tatlong shipment eh.. Sabay-sabay.. I am looking forward to get all of my titles sa Filbars this Friday (Jan. 9) dahil may 20% (additional 10%) discount ako on that day.. A gift from Fil Barbaza.. Yipee! Sana lang by then, dumating na lahat comics ko kundi mag-rereklamo ako sa kanila.. hahaha..

@khumpleetist: Attend ka na ng signing.. Ma-mi-miss ka namin ni norbs..

@YtheLastMan: Bro, if you are reading this, aren't you attending the signing this Saturday?

==

Here are my pulls for this week:

Dead of Night: Werewolf By Night #1

Invincible Iron Man #9

Punisher #1

Rest #2

Sandman: Dream Hunters #3

SI: War of Kings One-Shot

Spiderman: Fear Itself

Will just get the first issue of Werewolf By Night.. 2 copies siguro.. One to be signed.. :thumbsupsmiley: Ang bilis matapos ng Sandman ah.. Looks like Gaiman finished the writing chores on this one, many moons ago.. hehehe..

khumpleetist · January 5, 2009

Sa Filbars yata sa Thursday pa ang tatlong shipment eh.. Sabay-sabay.. I am looking forward to get all of my titles sa Filbars this Friday (Jan. 9) dahil may 20% (additional 10%) discount ako on that day.. A gift from Fil Barbaza.. Yipee! Sana lang by then, dumating na lahat comics ko kundi mag-rereklamo ako sa kanila.. hahaha..

@khumpleetist: Attend ka na ng signing.. Ma-mi-miss ka namin ni norbs..

@YtheLastMan: Bro, if you are reading this, aren't you attending the signing this Saturday?

==

Here are my pulls for this week:

Dead of Night: Werewolf By Night #1
Invincible Iron Man #9
Punisher #1
Rest #2
Sandman: Dream Hunters #3
SI: War of Kings One-Shot
Spiderman: Fear Itself

Will just get the first issue of Werewolf By Night.. 2 copies siguro.. One to be signed.. :thumbsupsmiley: Ang bilis matapos ng Sandman ah.. Looks like Gaiman finished the writing chores on this one, many moons ago.. hehehe..

Di talaga ako pwede bro kasi ang dami ko ng finile na leave for this month. Ikaw ang wala last Saturday sa Torres signing kasi andun si norby. :upside: Yung last siging eh hindi ko talaga papalampasin kasi wala akong kilalang writer (bukod kay J. Torres) na nakapagsulat sa Marvel o DC kaya ako ang unang dumating. Yun nga lang sa sobrang excited ko eh hindi ko namalayan na 2PM pa pala yung event kaya tambay muna. Ang sumunod nga sa akin eh yung artist na collaborator niya na hindi ko kilala. Subukan mong pumunta sa De Zuñiga exhibit sa Biyernes sa Megamall ng 6PM. Hindi ko lang alam kung may invitation pa ito o may bayad kasi may binigay na ticket sa akin si Sandy. Hindi ako sigurado kung pupunta ako pero baka pumunta ako.

khumpleetist · January 5, 2009

Here's my pull list for this week:

OFFICIAL INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE #1

PUNISHER #1

SECRET INVASION WAR OF KINGS ONE SHOT

revi · January 6, 2009

Di talaga ako pwede bro kasi ang dami ko ng finile na leave for this month. Ikaw ang wala last Saturday sa Torres signing kasi andun si norby. :upside: Yung last siging eh hindi ko talaga papalampasin kasi wala akong kilalang writer (bukod kay J. Torres) na nakapagsulat sa Marvel o DC kaya ako ang unang dumating. Yun nga lang sa sobrang excited ko eh hindi ko namalayan na 2PM pa pala yung event kaya tambay muna. Ang sumunod nga sa akin eh yung artist na collaborator niya na hindi ko kilala. Subukan mong pumunta sa De Zuñiga exhibit sa Biyernes sa Megamall ng 6PM. Hindi ko lang alam kung may invitation pa ito o may bayad kasi may binigay na ticket sa akin si Sandy. Hindi ako sigurado kung pupunta ako pero baka pumunta ako.

Wala talaga akong balak pumunta last Saturday, bro.. Hindi ako "fan" nung mga magsi-sign eh.. hehehe.. Mukhang malabo din ako dun sa De Zuñiga dahil aasikasuhin ko pa ang tutorials ng anak ko (third quarter periodicals na nila next week eh).. Sa Saturday sigurado ako dahil dami ko din aasikasuhin na basketball cards sa kabilang store sa Galleria.. hehehe..

revi · January 7, 2009

I am currently reading the latest Previews..

Saw that there would be a "Iron" showdown in March in the pages of Inv. Iron Man.. Its Iron Man vs. War Machine.. Its a good thing I decided to get the World's Most Wanted storyline.. Nuff said..

I am also tempted to get the "Return of the King" (return of the Kingpin) storyline in Daredevil.. And to add, I am also thinking of getting the new Thor storyline after #600.. Mukha siyang promising..

War of Kings mini will be on my pulls, as XMen: Kingbreaker draws to an end..

And the XMen wll have a new storyline entitled: Messiah War.. Cross-over between the X-Force and Cable titles.. Cable #13 and XForce #14 ang start.. Isa pa itong mga dagdag sa aking mga pulls..

March 09 will also see the start of two major mini-series for DC.. Superman: World of New Krypton (1-12) and Batman: Battle for the Cowl (1-3).. Will get both.. But will discontinue Action Comics and Batman, for the meantime..

Another mini that I might get is Azrael: Death's Dark Knight (1-3).. Coz we could never be sure what Azrael is thinking now that Batman's missing..

JSA #25 will be my last issue for JSA.. Geoff Johns' final issue eh.. Nuff said..

I am thinking of getting the JLA instead.. Dahil mukhang sa pag-alis nina WW, Supes and Bats, issue #32 will signal the birth of the new League.. And I might just get JLA #31, Fall out issue ito eh..

m@rky · January 7, 2009

any of you guys have an extra copy of Fantastic Four # 561?

khumpleetist · January 7, 2009

@revi

Di din naman ako fan nung writer pero natuwa lang kasi ako kasi siya pa lang yung alam ko na nagsulat sa Marvel at DC kaya pumunta ako. Malabo din naman ako sa De Zuñiga signing kase tulog pa ako ng ganung oras. Hehe. Pati sa next event ng CO na signing ni Harvey Tolibao eh pass na muna ako. Sa Sunday (Jan 11) na ako pupunta ng CO pagtapos ng shift ko. CUrious lang talaga ako sa 'yo kung bakit dalawang kopya ang pinapasign mo.

I still haven't decided if I'll revamp my pulls. Maybe it's a sign na ngayong 1st shipping list ng January eh wala yung mga regular titles ko. Still, I'll decided after I get my copies of Punisher and War Machine. Invincible Iron Man is a really hot title. I think it's hotter after issue #1 after the fallout from Secret Invasion. I was right na sold out agad yung issue #8. Napapailing lang tuloy ako nung hindi ko inumpisahan 'tong series na 'to kasi nga andami ko na ding pulls.

Daredevil still delivers so it's not bad to get the upcoming arc. I'm just getting Thor #600 at di ko na itutuloy yung arc. After much thinking I've decided to get War Of Kings because I believe this is the next "major" event after Secret Invasion, I believe Dark Reign is the new status quo of the MU but WOTK is the next event.

I'm not a big fan of the Duane Swierczynski (current Cable writer) and if he writes the crossover between X-Force I doubt you'll like it. His first arc on Cable was very slow and very bad. Andaming paligoy-ligoy eh kaya naman yung arc na yun na matapos ng 2-3 issues.

If World Of Krypton is the collaboration of Johns and Guedes then there's a big possibility that I'd get it. Johns mentioned it's the definitive origin of Superman (hopefully it'll be the last). Battle For The Cowl is tempting since I'll be getting Azrael: Death’s Dark Knight too.

I MIGHT drop JSA once Kingdom Come concludes and as well as JLA after the current arc's conclusion. I'm quite sure that my regular titles would be lesser this year.

@m@rky

Sorry bro, ala ata ako nun kahit isang kopya eh.

khumpleetist · January 9, 2009

I'm just posting some of the Marvel and DC that were out for the past two weeks from ign.com. Some reviews contains spoilers so be warned.

Batman #684 Review

Denny O'Neill's return to the Dark Knight isn't quite what we expected.

by Daniel Crown

January 3, 2009 - As much fun as it is to see his name back on the marquee, it's equally as depressing that Denny O'Neil's return to Batman has been relegated as a gap filler. At this point in the Dark Knight's increasingly interconnected publishing history, a throwback story would have come as a fun, nostalgic distraction. Instead, what we are left with is a solid, yet unspectacular fill-in story that seems to work against the inherit benefits that usually accompany sentimental returns.

Perhaps most disappointing is the fact that O'Neil comes back at a time where Batman has been forced out of his own titular franchises. Besides the Dark Knight, the author earned his chops using characters like Green Arrow and The Flash, but to force him to work with Nightwing basically eliminates any of the nostalgic wonder that would have otherwise made this story a certified blast.

I'm not saying that O'Neil shouldn't try to tell modern stories. It's not my intent to pigeonhole him into a certain generational style or sentiment. It's just that without the raw emotional rush of seeing O'Neil return to his classic characters, it is much harder to overlook the book's flaws. Most of Nightwing's banter amidst the fight sequences is fairly painful to read and his handle of a Gotham post-Batman comes off a tad too melodramatic.

Yet, even so, there does remain a certain amount of the expected O'Neil charm, particularly in regards to the moving character study of Millicent Mayne. And if you ever needed a perfect example of how to pace a short-run action story, look no further than Batman #684. I can't help but feel that had his hands remained unfettered from Last Rites, O'Neil could have produced something much more memorable. He is a master craftsman of the high-octane schematic and he almost always finds a way to avoid the dreaded "lull" even when he is forced into an otherwise flawed premise.

As for Guillem March's pencils, as with most imported artists, I imagine his work will prove polarizing, as it seems to fall somewhere in between the gap separating the kitschy, highly stylized art form from what some would describe as cartoony. Either way, his storytelling ability should offend no one, and if you for even one second doubt the man can draw, I challenge you to go to his website and check out his work from a recent issue of the Spanish version of Playboy. Yowza.

Honestly, it pains me to write a mediocre review for an O'Neil project. His work on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and the 1970's Batman are amongst my all time favorite superhero stories, and when you take into account all the other amazing tales which fell under his editorship, it's hard not to place his genius right up there with the Kirby's and the Eisner's of the world. But again, remaining earnest, this particular enterprise certainly isn't his best work. Whether this is completely his fault, however, remains a whole separate question.

Final Score: 6.9

Batman: Cacophony #2 Review

Kevin Smith's symphony of noise continues to pierce eardrums.

by Dan Phillips

January 2, 2009 - There was a brief period, sometime around the year 2003 or so, when I enjoyed drinking tequila. This was around the same time when I also considered myself a fan of writer/director Kevin Smith's work. Oddly enough, I don't think the correlation is a coincidence. Both tequila and Smith's resume are nasty and crude, yet are often fun to indulge in either in spite of or precisely because of those characteristics. Perhaps that's why I found both enjoyable at around the same time, but who knows… Fast forward to 2009, and I am now unable to even smell tequila without nearly vomiting. While I wouldn't go so far as to say the same about Smith's recent work, I will admit that reading Batman: Cacophony #1 felt very similar to someone cruelly dumping a slug of Jose Cuervo into my drink without me knowing. I took a big, eager gulp, and the end result was me cringing in absolute horror and disgust.

Batman: Cacophony #1 was an ugly (I'd call Walt Flanagan's work amateurish, but that would be an insult to the many talented amateur artists I've come across), stupid and somewhat insulting book. The characters were all off, and you could hear Smith's tired, sarcastic voice bleed through every line of dialogue, regardless of whether such a voice suited the various characters. It was a train wreck, and it made me yearn for the day when DC and Marvel would think twice about handing over their most cherished possessions to the next high profile celebrity that came knocking at their door.

I say all this because the second issue of this three-issue mini-series didn't make me cringe nearly as much as the debut issue did. Of course, this could very well be due to the fact that I knew what I was getting myself into this time out. In other words, I knew someone had slipped that tequila into my drink, and thus had the time and wherewithal to hold my nose before taking that second hesitant sip.

A lot of the problems from the first issue remain. Flanagan's art is still nowhere near the level of quality it needs to be. His perspective and panel layouts are at best all over the place and at worst completely off. His take on Batman is one of the most awkward I've ever seen, and the shape and proportions of the Dark Knight's body change from panel to panel. You'd think the first prerequisite for drawing a Batman book would be an ability to draw Batman. Apparently not.

On the writing side of things, Smith's take on the Joker remains extremely problematic, only for different reasons from last issue. That debut installment bafflingly pitted Joker as some perverted sexual degenerate. This issue takes an equally faulty – although much less offensive – approach, and characterizes the Joker as a completely inept, bumbling fool. This is a problem for a number of obvious reasons, most notably that it trivializes Batman's greatest foe in a way that hasn't been seen in years, if not decades. What's worse is that Smith wants to paint Joker as a dangerous psychopath early in the issue and then as an incompetent fool later in the book, with no logical explanation for the discrepancy.

But, alas, I remember pointing out that this issue isn't nearly as horrible as its predecessor, and perhaps that deserves an explanation. I think the major improvement here is that Smith mostly uses minor characters and third-person voice-over narration as mouthpieces for his own recognizable voice, meaning the major characters don't seem to be inexplicably spouting Smith's punch lines as often as before. The heightened role of the creepy Onomatopoeia character also made the issue more bearable, as Smith's weird villainous creation is clearly the most (and perhaps the only) inspired voice in this whole symphony of rather obnoxious noise. Watching Maxie Zeus revert to his goofier form was likewise satisfying, and I'll admit that I smiled at a few of the moments involving this cheesy rogue.

In case you haven't realized it from this review, though, I'm still far from impressed by this project. The quality of art is rather shameful, and for someone who got over Smith's writing sensibilities long before I realized it, the story and dialogue came as a jarring wake-up call. Just as there are those who will always swear by tequila, I suspect there will be Smith lovers who enjoy this book. I clearly don't fall into either category. Now, if you'll pass me that bottle of whiskey, I'd like to wash this bad taste out of my mouth…

Final Score: 6.0

Final Crisis: Secret Files Review

An unexpected and rather poor explanation of Libra's origin.

by Dan Phillips

January 2, 2009 - Shortly after reading Final Crisis: Secret Files, I put my ear up to my computer, and I could have sworn I heard DC fans crying foul. I know I cried foul when I realized what was inside the issue's glossy cover. I don't know about you, but I remember reading solicitation text for an issue featuring work from the likes of Grant Morrison, Peter Tomasi and, yes, even Frank Quietly. I don't, however, remember hearing or reading anything about a stylistically dated story from veteran scribe Len Wein that follows up on his initial Libra tale. I also remember hearing a decent amount of hype regarding the shocking identity of the Libra character. Oh well…

A number of questions came to mind upon finishing this book. The first and most obvious was, "what the heck happened to the original plans for this Secret Files one-shot?" The second was, "what's the point of solicitation text if the publisher can change them completely without telling anyone?" The third was, "how long will comics fans allow DC to promise one thing and then deliver something entirely different?" The fourth was, "does DC have any iron-clad plans, or are they just making most of this stuff up on the fly?" I assume only those within the DC ranks could really answer any of those questions, but they nevertheless deserve to be asked. On to the review of the issue…

As I alluded to before, the majority of the issue is composed of a 24-page story detailing the secret origin of Libra. Writer Len Wein, veteran of the silver and bronze age, wrote the issue, and, well, it feels like it was written in the silver or bronze age. To say his style and approach here differ from those taken by every other Final Crisis project would be a grave understatement. In fact, if it weren't for Tony Shasteen's slightly more modernistic artwork, I'd have thought this was a reprint of Wein's introductory Libra story. The issue is driven by antiquated storytelling devices and paint-by-numbers characterization. It doesn't just lack subtly or stylistic flare, either; it also lacks a brain.

Wein dances in and out of his original Justice League tale, but also makes excursions into Libra's previously unseen back-story as well as an explanation of how he came to be Darkseid's answer to John the Baptist. Both explanations are incredibly under-whelming, to put it mildly, and that's where the issue really falls short. After being told to expect the truth behind Libra's identity and mission to be both shocking and vitally important, we witness the origin of one of the most vanilla, least compelling villains to come along in some time. What's worse is that this new (yes, you've never heard of him before) character lacks any logical motivation for becoming Libra, let alone ushering in the destruction of all existence. The issue doesn't just fail to add anything to the narrative of Final Crisis; by lessening the appeal and dramatic power of the Libra character, it actually does some considerable harm.

Perhaps because they felt bad for pulling the wool over fans' eyes with this unexpected change, or perhaps because they felt that any Secret Files issue should include some worthless extras, the book also includes "bonus material." There's a one-page prose explanation of the Anti-Life Equation by Grant Morrison, an excerpt from the Crime Bible by Greg Rucka, and a number of JG Jones' character designs that didn't make it into the Final Crisis Sketch Book. Because these extras are rather unremarkable, there's not much to write about them. Suffice it to say they do little to atone for the disappointment and poor quality of the main story.

Final Crisis: Secret Files isn't just bad; If you're a fan of Morrison's main story, you'll find yourself wishing this book never saw the light of day. What a shame, and for $3.99, what a rip-off...

Final Score: 4.8

Green Lantern #36 Review

Sinestro experiences the rage of the Red Lanterns.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 2, 2009 - So it's been what, three months since the last issue of Green Lantern? That's quite a length of time to wait for any book, much less what most would agree is one of the finest superhero book on the stands. The wait wasn't quite as bad as it sounds, though, thanks to Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns. This one-shot had nothing to do with Final Crisis and everything to do with the emergence of the newest Lanterns on the block. The issue may as well have been called Green Lantern #35 1/2.

So I hope you picked that one up, because Green Lantern #36 picks up right where the one-shot left off. Sinestro has been granted a stay of execution by the Red Lanterns, but only because they want the pleasure of killing him for themselves. They have something of a vendetta against the man who was formerly the greatest Green Lantern. One thing I'll say about this book is that it continues to build on previous stories, both recent arcs like "The Sinestro Corps War" and "Secret Origin" all the way back to Alan Moore's "In Blackest Night." Newcomers, as always, will find plenty to enjoy in Geoff Johns' writing, but the story takes on extra meaning to the seasoned GL reader.

I have to say that, after an ample period of reflection, I'm not entirely enamored with the Red Lanterns. The Corps as a whole seem fairly simplistic and one-dimensional compared to the other Corps that have been revealed. To some extent I can understand this. Rage isn't the most complex of emotions. It's just hard to ignore the fact that, apart from Atrocitus, Laira, and that psycho killer kitten, none of the Red Lanterns are very memorable. And in all fairness, it was Green Lantern Corps that did all the legwork with Laira. The psychological battle between Sinestro and Atrocitus is interesting, but not quite as interesting as I might have expected.

Fortunately, another Corps has emerged to steal the show. The first of the Blue Lanterns mad his last-minute introduction at the end of the last installment, and he becomes every bit the star of this arc that Atrocitus is. I really like what Johns has cooked up for the Blue Lanterns. They're quite a bit different from what we've seen. Johns has really extended his knowledge of color theory to every facet of this group's makeup. They're passive, introspective, and everything the Red Lanterns aren't. They do have the requisite slightly goofy oath, which is either good or bad depending how you view such things.

One area that sees significant improvement from the last issue is the art. Shane Davis handled the pencils for the Crisis special. While he did a pretty good job with the issue, I found his work to be a significant step down from series regular Ivan Reis. Fortunately (and in defiance of what the solicits said), Reis is back for this issue. It's unfortunate that he didn't return in time to render the epic space battle between the Green, Yellow, and Red Lanterns, but Reis can make even the most boring of situations look dynamic and interesting. And whatever small problems I may have with this arc, it's certainly not boring. Green Lantern is back, baby. Let's hope it sticks around this time.

Final Score: 9.0

Justice League of America #28 Review

McDuffie's JLA/Milestone crossover continues.

by Dan Phillips

January 2, 2009 - I'm somewhat torn over Dwayne McDuffie's latest arc in Justice League of America. On the one hand, editorially mandated tie-ins and worthless crossovers have bogged down McDuffie's run from the onset, so why shouldn't he be allowed to spend an arc introducing his beloved Milestone characters into the DCU? On the other hand, however, I still demand more out of my JLA comics than what amounts to a prolonged fight scene between the Milestone folks and the JLAers. What saves the issue for me is the fact that McDuffie clearly loves and has a handle on all these characters, and is able to grant them his trademark brand of humorous dialogue. That, and the issue's cliffhanger, which leaves us with the impression that this story is indeed headed somewhere beyond the violent misunderstanding that dominates these pages.

What's most impressive about this issue is the deft and incredibly economic way in which McDuffie introduces the personalities and powers of the Milestone players. For someone who hasn't dug into his rather bare collection of Milestone back-issues in some time, I found it exceedingly easy to recognize – and in a few cases, remember – what defines these characters. Sure, some of the names of these heroes are ridiculous (I'm looking at you, Iron Butterfly, Blitzen and Donner), as are some of their costumes (looking at you again, Iron Butterfly), but they are all sharply written and enticing. As a hook to get new readers to care about these characters for the first time and old readers to remember why they loved them to begin with, I think this arc is definitely succeeding.

What's yet to be seen, though, is whether McDuffie can progress this 'team vs. team' story into a genuinely intriguing and inspired yarn. Right now, all we have to sink our teeth into from a story standpoint is the reveal regarding Icon and Superman's relationship as well as the Shadow Cabinet's mission to steal the remains of Dr. Light from the JLA Watchtower. As I stated above, the issue's last page reveal went a long way towards convincing me McDuffie has more in store than just a lame crossover, but we'll see. Right now, the issue is essentially little more than a set piece for action and witty one-liners.

The most surprising aspect of the issue is the fact that Ed Benes didn't provide the art. The reason I say this is surprising is because I couldn't tell Benes wasn't involved until I went back and read the credits. Aritist Joe Luis does an absolutely flawless job of aping Benes style, the best I've ever seen of one artist imitating another. The problem here, of course, is that Luis is imitating Benes, which means we get all the annoying flaws we've come to expect from Benes' work. Once again, all the women look exactly the same (identical faces, gigantic boobs and gratuitous rear-end shots), all the men have ridiculously thick necks and square heads, and everyone looks like they're smooshing their face up against an invisible sheet of glass. Perhaps Luis should try his own style next time, or at least pick a better artist to emulate?

To summarize, if you're a longtime Milestone fan, then this story arc is probably a huge treat. If you're unfamiliar with the Milestone characters, there's still a good chance you'll want to read more about them. In those regards, I suppose McDuffie is on the right track.

Final Score: 7.8

Justice Society of America #22 Review

The epic JSA/Kingdom Come crossover finally concludes.

by Dan Phillips

January 2, 2009 - The problem with stretching a story out across well over a year is that it often becomes difficult to surprise or excite readers with the story's ending, even if said ending manages to entertain and satisfy. This is indeed the case with the finale to Geoff Johns and Alex Ross' extended JSA/Kingdom Come crossover, which is simultaneously fulfilling and entirely expected. The issue, and the way the entire project played out, left me asking the question: can you call an epic great – or even effective, for that matter – if you saw most of its major developments coming a mile away? I'm not sure of the answer. All I know is that I found the finale of this story to be well crafted and entertaining, even if I suspect it could and should have come several installments ago.

For a considerable amount of months and issues, Johns and Ross' story has been building up to the fateful moment when the JSA is forced to face off with the gigantic and very creepy Magog, a malevolent deity whose miracles come with a considerable amount of baggage. Caught in the middle of it all is the Kingdom Come Superman, who's horrified to see this Earth quickly succumbing to the same fate that devastated his reality in the pages of Kingdom Come.

Although entertaining and well executed, the way this all played out had me asking another set of questions: What exactly was this series about? Was it about KC Superman's journey to become the hero his own universe so desperately needs? Was it about the Justice Society's need to witness or at least hear about what would happen to a world without a JSA? Was it about the young JSAers learning that realizing their heart's desire might not be such a good thing after all? I think the most obvious answer to all these questions is that the story desperately wanted to be about all these things, but failed to ever be about more than one of them at the same time. Thus we were left with a story that took off in one tangent before veering back off on another, all while heading towards an endpoint that many saw coming. As engaging as it was at times, particularly at the end, it's tough to look at this issue and not think that this whole story could have been planned and broken down more effectively.

Still, I guess what's most important when evaluating this issue is that the final confrontation between Magog and the JSA is indeed thrilling, the epiphanies experienced by many of the JSA characters were appropriately poignant, and the character arc of KC Superman made sense in the context of both this story and Kingdom Come. The art by Dale Eaglesham is top-notch and epic in scope, and the added bonus of seeing Alex Ross once again return to the KC reality (and narrative) is alone worth the cover price in some ways.

For a narrative that was dragged out longer than it needed to be, the finale to this story had a lot to live up to. When you think about it that way, that the story ended up living up to those expectations without exceeding them isn't too much of a negative. In an age in which so many comic book story arcs end up disappointing, seeing such an extended epic deliver despite all its flaws is actually refreshing.

Final Score: 8.4

Superman #683 Review

War erupts between New Krypton and Earth's heroes.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 2, 2009 - Is it over yet? That's the only question I have regarding New Krypton anymore. After months of hearing how this crossover would inject new life into the Superman books, I'm still marveling at how it seems to have done the exact opposite. From almost the beginning, "New Krypton" has been a mish-mash of poor pacing and too many characters. Nothing about that is changed in the ninth and next-to-last installment. The story still offer up beats that I feel should have been hit upon several issues ago. And it still juggles too many characters while others languish at the wayside.

And yet, I still can't help but give Superman #683 decent rating. Despite all these glaring flaws, "New Krypton" isn't a total failure. Emotionally, it carries some weight. This is particularly true with Supergirl. The character has struck me as a complete waste of space since she first appeared in 2004. However, between "Brainiac" and "New Krypton", I feel that I can actually identify with this version of Kara for the first time ever. With Superman not doing much more than flying around and breaking up fistfights, Supergirl is the true star of this story.

I only wish more of the supporting cast would actually show up. After making such a big deal out of the involvement of Lex Luthor, General Lane, and Nightwing and Flamebird, none of these characters put in so much as a mugshot. The bulk of this issue focuses on the first real skirmish between Kandor and Earth, which is far less interesting than it sounds. All we're treated to is fisticuffs between the Justice League and a handful of Kryptonians. The unspoken promise is that the conflict will escalate in the next chapter, but that also happens to be the final chapter. Will Geoff Johns really be able to pull all these disparate threads together and weave a cohesive ending? based on everything I've seen so far, I highly doubt it. At this point in the story, we should have moved well beyond skirmishes and posturing. I was lead to expect true conflict from "New Krypton" and I'm still waiting for it.

And, as usual, the uneven artwork of Renato Guedes doesn't really help matters. Guedes can manage that "epic action movie" feel when necessary, though he isn't given as much opportunity as he should. I'm more concerned with the lack of consistency in his figures. Facial features tend to morph and bleed between panels. Some of his females have a tendency to be particularly ugly. I've enjoyed Guedes' past cover work, and it's a shame to see that the tight composition doesn't fully translate to his interior work.

"New Krypton" is a huge missed opportunity, as far as I'm concerned. Though it's managed to work wonders or Supergirl, the rest of the cast seems worse for the experience. I have low expectations for the finale, and even lower expectations for what is to come afterward. 2008 was a terrific year for Supes, but I already worry 2009 will be anything but.

Final Score: 7.1

Avengers: The Initiative #20 Review

Dan Slott wraps his tenure on Initiative by answering some big questions and pushing the team into the Dark Reign era.

by Bryan Joel

January 3, 2009 - One of Secret Invasion's broader strokes was the dissolution of the Initiative as we know it, and the vilification of the whole operation to the public at large. Even its members and personnel now know that it was essentially a small piece in the larger Skrull takeover. So that begs the question, then, where does Avengers: The Initiative go, as a title created solely as a vehicle for a now-defunct operative?

Dan Slott & Christos Gage answer that question, mostly by not answering that question. True to form, A:TI just plays around with the toys in the Marvel Universe toybox and sets up later developments in books like Mighty Avengers, Skrull k*ll Krew, and Thunderbolts.

One of the bigger ideas in issue #20 is the rehabilitation of those affected by the Skrull invasion/abduction. In a strangely effective scene, Doc Samson counsels some heroes in a therapy group, among them Dum Dum Dugan, Mockingbird, and Thor Girl. Like most of A:TI it's borderline ridiculous, but it works. The issue also pays service to its longtime readers by continuing its own affairs, featuring characters like Gauntlet, Komodo, and Taskmaster, as well as the grand Mutant Zero reveal.

But perhaps the biggest draw is the Hank Pym portion. This issue ostensibly bridges the gap for the character between the end of Secret Invasion and becoming the new Wasp, and it sees him confront Janet one last time in a very clever, Slott-ian use of Marvel backwater continuity. It's the highlight of the issue and has some really great, snappy dialogue that keeps the pace moving. It's clear that going into 2009, Hank Pym is getting a major push, and pieces like this certainly help the character.

There's still the big question mark of how exactly A:TI will work in the coming year, and just how effectively. But for now, its scattershot subject matter and shapeless directive are perfectly indicative of the state of the characters' lives and the overarching premise of the series.

Final Score: 7.9

Captain America #45 Review

Bucky Barnes' time as Winter Soldier continues to catch up with him.

by Dan Phillips

January 2, 2009 - At first glance, what makes Bucky Barnes such a fantastic new Captain America is that he brings a hesitance, uncertainty, and moral ambiguity that Steve Rogers lacked as a protagonist. The more I think about it, though, the more I become convinced that what makes Bucky such an endlessly fascinating character is his shady and mysterious past as the Winter Soldier, which seems destined to catch up with him at every turn.

By taking such care in retroactively building (or rebuilding) Bucky's back-story from the first issue of his run onward, writer Ed Brubaker has granted the character an endless well of dramatic potential for writers to tap into. There is literally no limit to the amount of stories, characters and ideas Brubaker and future writers can mine from Bucky's past in the service of constructing modern day adventures, which makes him in many ways just as viable and interesting as his predecessor.

Although this much was evident relatively early on in the course of Bucky's resurrection, and has certainly been obvious since he donned the Cap costume, Brubaker's first Post-"Death of Captain America" arc is shaping up to be a shining example of Bucky's dramatic potential. By weaving in and out of the three major era's of Bucky's life – his time in World War II fighting alongside Rogers, his time as the deadly Winter Soldier, and his modern role as Captain America – Brubaker has effectively lent a ton of gripping intrigue to this arc. What do Bucky's WWII mission to save a twelve-year old Chinese genius, his later Winter Soldier mission to assassinate the same person, and Batroc the Leaper's modern day quest to steal valuable U.N. property have to do with one another? The issue goes a long way towards answering those questions, yet somehow manages to deepen the mystery of the labyrinthine plot thanks to a late-issue left-turn. Like any great conspiracy tale, the plot thickens in a way that bolsters each era of the mythology without convoluting the whole.

Besides Brubaker's stellar scripting, the most impressive aspect of Captain America continues to be the consistency of its artwork. Despite a rotating team of pencillers Steve Epting, Butch Guice and Luke Ross, this series has retained a distinct visual feel throughout its forty-five issue run. With this arc, Ross is proving to be just as capable of capturing immensely dynamic action scenes as Epting and Guice, and the action scenes in this issue threaten to pop off the page. There's a palpable sense of desperation to the violence here, which makes these twenty-two pages seem all the more dramatic and important.

What else is there to say about this issue that can't be said of this series as a whole? Brubaker's Captain America remains one of the strongest superhero comics on the stands, and with Bucky proving to be such a wonderful protagonist, it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.

Final Score: 8.8

Fantastic Four #562 Review

The fallout from the death of Sue Richards.

by Kevin Fuller

January 3, 2009 - Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch are now halfway through their sixteen issue run on Fantastic Four. Sure it took eleven months to complete those eight issues, but that's definitely an improvement all things considered. Regardless of your opinion of Millar, he has undeniably breathed new life into the property with his trademark over-the-top storytelling style. While a little more subdued this issue, Millar continues to build towards another crescendo that will undoubtedly be more outlandish than the last.

Marvel made the very shrewd decision to keep Fantastic Four completely insulated from the rest of the Marvel Universe. While Jeph Loeb is working on his premeditated murder of the Ultimate Universe, the beyond comical delays associated with Ultimates would probably qualify Millar/Hitch as unindicted co-conspirators to the crime, since it killed any non-Spider-Man related positive momentum for the entire imprint. As a result, Marvel followed the "fool me once" method of decision-making to keep the events of their Fantastic Four run separate from every other title.

This issue deals mostly with fallout from the previous arc. There are not big action scenes, just smaller quiet moments, which close out a number of the lingering plot points. The best scene by far was between Valeria and her father. Valeria has been completely reworked as a character by Millar. She's now far more than just a possible hostage. The change was bound to happen sooner or later if you look at Franklin as a model, so I'm happy it was handled by someone as capable as Millar. I'm not quite as ecstatic about the turn of events in the Thing/Girlfriend storyline. I'm sure there's something more to it than is known currently, but it still leaves me more disinterested than before.

Depending on what kind of comic reader you are, you either totally love or hate this series (and probably Millar in general). The biggest differentiator is whether you dig into the minutia/fine details of a comic. That is not Millar's thing. He's definitely a "don't sweat the details" writer. If it tells a better story, he'll excuse a few logical inconsistencies and will demand a leap of faith from the reader. If you're willing to suspend disbelief here and there and just enjoy the ride, you probably absolutely love Fantastic Four. On the other hand, did you ask any of the following questions while reading thus far?

1. How is that robot so freaking powerful?

2. Galactus? How the hell did they accomplish that?

3. Shouldn't Susan have recognized her older self?

4. How did they recapture Doom between issues?

If so, you are probably extremely frustrated by every event and don't see why everyone loves it. I'm sure there are other salient points I'm missing about why some don't like it, but that's why we have a comment section below (it's not just for saying my opinion sucks, even if it does).

Where do I fit in the debate? I'm one of the people in the middle. I dislike that Millar regularly glosses over major plot elements, but still feel that the good he brings to the table greatly outweighs the bad. I don't love it as much as many reviewers, but still recognize that it's still extremely well executed even with the faults. The teaser at the end was more than enough to keep me anticipating the next issue, whenever that may be…

Final Score: 7.7

Guardians of the Galaxy #8 Review

The War continues to brew in outer space.

by Daniel Crown

January 3, 2009 - As Abnett and Lanning sew the seeds for War of Kings, the duo continue to use chaos as the nucleus for Guardians of the Galaxy. With the team separated into conflicting factions and its authors taking the overarching story into diverging directions, the book becomes zanier with each installment. Fortunately, Guardians is ever bit as consistent as it is hectic, providing ample proof that humor and drama are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Yet even putting aside the book's more blatant joys, perhaps Guardians greatest attribute comes with its creators' incredible ability to roll with the punches. While juggling corporate mandates alongside creative intent, Abnett and Lanning have masterfully woven together a series of stories that could have easily become disjointed. As the duo used Secret Invasion to tear the team asunder, they now use the resulting chaos to segue immediately into an event of their own design. For crying out loud, they even bring Civil War successfully and organically into the mix by taking Star-Lord to the Negative Zone.

Somehow this series continues to be all over the map while at the same time cohesive, which is why in many ways Guardians #8 serves as a microcosm for the series as a whole. Abnett and Lanning do a great job of using characters like Rocket Raccoon to break the tension as they use Star-Lord's troubles to propel the series forward, making for a well rounded and diverse installment. While a reuniting of the core team is predictably on the horizon, this book continues to get a lot of mileage out of the familiar themes of trust and responsibility as it branches momentarily outward.

In the meantime, Brad Walker's pencils in the issue seem right on par with Paul Pelletier's, and in some cases better them. He particularly shines in his designs for the Accuser and Blastarr, as he uses sharp line strokes to detail villains in the vein of those from Jack Kirby's Fourth-world. From where I'm sitting Walker is one of the more underrated artists in the industry, so it comes as good news that he will return periodically over the course of the next few issues.

While part of me wishes that Guardians were a tad more accessible, it's hard to deny Abnett and Lanning haven't created one of the better epics of the past year. They have a plethora of tools at their disposal and could easily have turned this into a quick-hitting one and done adventure vehicle, yet they chose a much more admirable approach requiring long-range planning. It's hard to recommend this series without also encouraging a requisite catching up on material, but for those of you willing, it's still plenty early enough to merit the effort.

Final Score: 8.4

Incognito #1 Review

Brubaker switches to pulp adventure for his indy fare.

by Daniel Crown

January 3, 2009 - As Ed Brubaker delves further into his love for genre fiction, his transition from crime noir to golden age pulp-adventure comes as a mixed blessing of sorts. In its very existence, Incognito forces my favorite monthly comic into hiatus, yet after reading the book it's hard to harbor too much resentment. Incognito is more of an interlude than it is a replacement as - largely in part to the familiar Sean Phillips flare- the thick, seedy air of Criminal never wafts completely out the window.

Not to say Incognito doesn't present a few key changes. Whereas the hard crime/noir genre is fairly timeless, pulp tales such as "The Shadow" and "Doc Savage" feel slightly dated in comparison, even if it is in an extremely endearing sort of way. And while Brubaker does replace the majority of the intrinsic camp with a harder edge, the inclusion of traditional super-science still musters a slightly different aura. There's a mad scientist, masked phantoms and a gaggle of test tubes. There's even anti-heroes perched atop rooftops.

But where the book deviates from Criminal in its use of props, it certainly doesn't shift much in the way of mood. As with most good crime fiction, the reader never roots for the lead character on the merit of moral fortitude. Despite the costumes and masks, what Brubaker maintains within Incognito is the lack of any true hero. When you bunch a faction of bad eggs into an insulated area, the fun never comes in the form of "good" triumphing over "evil" as much as it does from the proverbial crap hitting the fan.

It's the scenario we cheer for. The more complicated things become, the better. The reader should revel in the evolution of character and the adjustment of circumstances, and it seems Brubaker is intent on keeping this well-tuned schematic in play as Incognito moves into its second chapter.

From a marketing standpoint, Incognito presents a fairly interesting trial. The truth is, fair or not, Brubaker's basic design for this title will probably appeal to a much wider audience than Criminal as it dips into more popular waters. Yet the book reads, and feels very much the same. He never alienates the themes that make his other Icon book one of the most consistently great reads on the shelf. It will be interesting to see how new readers respond.

Final Score: 8.5

Kick-Ass #5 Review

Mark Millar's reality-fused superhero series returns.

by Richard George

January 3, 2009 - I'd love to know why Kick-Ass seems to be one of the most delayed titles in the industry outside of extreme cases like Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk or All-Star Batman & Robin. No series is worth a five month wait between installments. I realize a movie is being made, but it's incredibly disappointing to see co-creators Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. let their fans down.

Delays aside, I was quite pleased with this issue of Kick-Ass. Just when I thought I had Millar's routine for this series figured out, he pulls a fast one on me – not only does the plot move along at a reasonable clip, but it does so while focusing heavily on the principle character. I look at titles like Wolverine, which is fun but hardly a complex narrative, and am relieved to see that Millar is not going that particular route with this series. Sure, we still get the obligatory moments of violence and T&A, but it serves the story this time and not vice versa.

Millar's story is still setting its stage for what one can only hope will be a larger, more complex narrative. My only problem with the series so far is that it's operating in safe territory. When I heard of the Kick Ass concept, ordinary people adopting super hero identities in a realistic setting, I pretty much envisioned what we've seen so far – Dave's first mission, Dave's first blunder and Dave's first imitators (both good and bad). All necessary and logical elements to be sure, but the predictability can lead to boredom, which was exactly my feeling towards this series as of last issue.

What changed? Millar adds a second voice to the scene, one that isn't simply there to cut off heads. By doing this Millar is able to approach a scene from two angles, creating what has to be one of the poignant moments of the series so far, and remarkably it has nothing to do with blood or a body count. Ironically Kick Ass is most effective when no asses are being kicked. Go figure.

Final Score: 8.1

Punisher: War Zone Vol. 2 #4 Review

Frank unravels the mystery behind the return of Ma Gnucci.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 2, 2009 - As far as I'm concerned, there are two versions of The Punisher. One is the cold, calculating machine who dispatches the worst dregs of humanity in the worst ways possible. The other is a cold, calculating machine who goes after the most colorful villains the Marvel U. has to offer and occasionally cracks a joke. And as far I'm concerned, Garth Ennis writes the best interpretation of each.

After 60-odd issues of Punsiher MAX, it's still a refreshing change to reconnect with Ennis' older, sillier version of Frank Castle. Punisher: War Zone recaptures the odd magic of Welcome Back, Frank. It's about more than just dragging characters like Molly Richtoffen and Ma Gnucci out of the closet. It's about thrusting Frank into situations that are as darkly amusing as they are bloody and violent. Issue #4 in particular places an emphasis on the amusement factor.

Where to begin? Poor Schitti has settled comfortably into his role as the new Detective Soap, that is to say life's unflinching punching bag. Richtoffen has gotten in way over her head with her investigation, and she's forced to contemplate a potentially dangerous choice this week. And then there's Frank, who still has the power to make mafia goon hurl their minestrone on sight. The entire issue is a laugh-riot, something that couldn't be said for many Punisher stories in the past five years. As I said, it's refreshing to see a Punisher story refuse to take itself very seriously at all.

But the plot progression doesn't slow down either. Though we learned the real truth behind Ma Gnucci's return, Frank spends the bulk of this issue discovering the same truth for himself. By the time he finally uncovers the connection between Ma and the new Elite, time may have run out for him and Schitti. I have to say, I didn't expect Ennis to get much mileage out of this new Elite, but he's done a pretty good job of shaping him to be both a credible threat and a laughing-stock in his own right.

War Zone continues to be a regular weekly source of amusement for me, and I can say with certainty I'll sorely miss it once January draws to a close.

Final Score: 8.6

War Machine #1 Review

Jim Rhodes takes Dark Reign matters into his own hands.

by Bryan Joel

January 3, 2009 - Coming into War Machine #1, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The series was heralded by the War Machine story in Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as the trailer for the series in Dark Reign: New Nation. The former was a competent if unremarkable hero tale, and the other was a far grittier, statement-making story. War Machine #1, then, falls about halfway in between the two, which comes with the good and bad from both.

On the positive side, the issue does act like a traditional #1 should. It sets up his status quo as a character today, a entity separate from Iron Man with a much different attitude and relation to technology. Leonardo Manco's beautiful art matches the subject material perfectly, giving Rhodes a rough, gritty world to rocket through and providing some gorgeous splash pages. The issue also doesn't require that you followed Rhodes' journey through Avengers: The Initiative, on through Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the prologue in New Nation.

On the other hand, the issue seems to punish longer-term readers in a way. The begrudging buddy dynamic War Machine shared with Suzi in the past few months seems to have been jettisoned for new supporting cast members, neither of which have the spark that Rhodes and Suzi did. In terms of plot, the book is on the flimsier side, with no real hard-hitting developments until the final page. The New Nation story crammed more edge and wit into eight pages than the entirety of issue #1. It's misleading at best, and a bit worrying as things move forward.

Your enjoyment of War Machine's first issue could depend largely on how much of the character's recent history you've been following, and how much you cared about it. As a new reader, you'll find a basic shoot-'em-up comic with a sci-fi/tech twist, and as a fan of the character's developments in recent months you might lament the lost potential in these pages. It's only the first issue, but I'm personally a little underwhelmed.

Final Score: 6.7

Wolverine #70 Review

The truth of Logan's past is revealed.

by Richard George

January 3, 2009 - Finally, the fans have their answer. After five issues and eight months, Mark Millar has revealed the cause of Wolverine's self-imposed exile from superhero activity. Millar dedicates the entire chapter to this pivotal moment, which means that it lives or dies on how effective and compelling he can make that sequence. Is it memorable and satisfying? For the most part, yes.

At this point I think we all know what to expect from this arc – insanity. Millar throws everything at the reader, no matter how ludicrous it might seem, and the justification for this is that we're dealing with a world that is unknown to us. In a world without heroes, who's to say how things would play out? For the most part this has worked in Millar's favor, allowing him to raise eyebrows every few pages. The only problem with that method is that once the high wears off… there's not much substance there.

Wolverine #70 effectively takes 22 pages to detail how Wolverine went from an A-class hero to a farmer in the middle of nowhere. The issue does this, but relies on shock value more than solid character work. The point is made within several pages and the twist could have come faster – it becomes pretty obvious where things are going. Like anything in this arc, Millar relies on the bare minimum of justification for his crazy ideas. Are they entertaining? Absolutely. And for some readers that will be all that's needed. At the same time… it's a bit like watching a special effects extravaganza action movie. All flash that's a bit light on the substance. I'm tempted to liken it to the changes between Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, major differences between the Bond brand and the Wolverine series aside.

There's not much more to write about this issue because it' s remarkably simple – readers had a question and Mark Millar delivers the answer. It's effective and entertaining, but simple and relies on over the top action to sell it. Beautifully rendered action by Steve McNiven, mind you, but it's a crutch nonetheless. Character moments, although certainly present, are lighter in order to bathe in gore. Being a Wolverine title though, it's not as if readers have any shortage of the ol' hack and slash. I'd love to see a writer strongly lean away from that tendency.

Oh and wait until you see the last page… I'd almost be shocked, but that sort of madness is typical in this arc. One can only wonder what's next.

Final Score: 7.9

X-Force #10 Review

A bit of a departure for this series and certainly one of its stars.

by Bryan Joel

January 3, 2009 - For the past few months, I've been unusually excited about "Old Ghosts," the current storyline bringing a number of welcome changes to the uneven X-Force relaunch. It's that much more disappointing, then, when an issue comes along that I don't connect with, and #10 is one of those times. It feels oddly paced and strangely unlike the three that have come before it. Instead of the subtle cool the title has enjoyed recently, this one features animal spirit guides, a Terminator 2 climax pastiche, and a scene that I'm pretty sure borders on furry hentai. I'm not sure, but maybe.

The one thing about the script for this issue that sticks out to me is how overwhelmingly cluttered it is. A dizzying sequence of things occur this issue, a new one almost every page. It can be chalked up to, perhaps, the fact that X-Force kind of stood around doing silly and cool things like fighting Marauder clones and giving people X-shaped tumors for three issues, and now Kyle and Yost need to hustle and get the characters into place for the next arc. Granted, I liked those things and they were fun, but perhaps the pacing on this storyline could've used a rework, since this issue suffers because of it.

Speaking of, Warpath's Demon Bear subplot has enjoyed roughly four total pages of panel-time over the course of the story, and it's fleshed out and explored a good deal more in this issue. I can't help feeling, though, that it's all a bit clunky. For one, the Ghost Rider cameo is seemingly random and unnecessary (even though Choi renders a killer Spirit of Vengeance). The type of title X-Force has been for the last year is flatly at odds with the spiritual and mystical side of the Marvel Universe, and throwing Warpath headlong into it would seem to be very, very awkward. I'll offer the creators a degree of leeway since Warpath is a character who's just kind of standing around in the background anyway, but to say I'm skeptical is being charitable.

I do like that Kyle and Yost are approaching X-Force as a one extended storyline, which goes some way in explaining the cluster of info that was dumped on readers in the initial arc. It also helps that the writers embrace some of more obscure mutant nuttiness that went on in the '80s and '90s. But some of the developments in this issue left me scratching my head, and others just left me disinterested. It's a shame, too, because X-Force has quietly become a book to watch.

Final Score: 6.1

Magneto: Testament #4 Review

The boy who would be Magneto enters Auschwitz.

by Richard George

January 3, 2009 - Sometimes a series is so good that you effectively run out of things to say about it. That's pretty much the case with Magneto: Testament, a product which not only once again affirms the value of the Marvel Knights line but is easily one of the best products Marvel has put out this decade. Just as it has the past three months, this series defies conventional origin story trappings, delivering a tale that isn't just moving and mesmerizing but historically accurate as well.

No self-respecting Marvel fan could deny the fact that Magneto is the company's greatest villain. If there was any doubt about that, Testament reaffirms it. No other villain is as sympathetic. No other villain has such a tortured past that you understand why he's willing to crush his enemies to protect his endangered species. I defy any reader not to be moved by what's within this mini-series. To be sure, the topic of the Holocaust is chilling enough, but writer Greg Pak goes the extra mile here. He focuses on details that most would gloss over. He takes the time to build Magneto's character as if he were new, to not take the easy road in this origin tale. This is by far Pak's greatest contribution to Marvel and I can't fathom anything coming close for quite some time.

To say the art for this issue is remarkable would be a huge understatement. Carmine Di Giandomenico and Matt Hollingsworth are taking the time to make sure Testament stands the test of time. What's key here is that as Max Eisenhardt is placed in Auschwitz, color fades from the series. All that remains is a crimson red, one that manifests itself in fire, in blood… in all of the terrors facing the persecuted. It's sometimes very easy to overlook details like this, particularly in a book where the characters and writing are completely mesmerizing. But Di Giandomenico and Hollingsworth make some fantastic choices, and deserve equal credit alongside Pak for making this series such a success.

I've praised Testament endlessly since its first issue. It won IGN's best mini-series of 2008 despite not being completed, a fact that would ordinarily disqualify a book from the award. But Magneto: Testament is such a remarkable work that the IGN crew knew it would deliver month in and month out. This is a series you could (and should) show to people not familiar with comics, to those that think superhero stories are full of one-dimensional characters and plots. Quite honestly, without the cover logo, one would be hard-pressed to identify this as having anything to do with the X-Men franchise at all.

Testament is the definition of "must read" material. Do not miss this modern classic.

Final Score: 9.6

Young X-Men #9 Review

The first arc's leftovers still cripple this rookie series.

by Bryan Joel

January 3, 2009 - Over the course of the last few months, Young X-Men has grown by leaps and bounds over its initial train wreck of a debut arc. It now features a better cast line-up, much improved art, and an actual direction to work towards. But here and there, the title still retains a few holdover qualities from its less successful days, chief among them the character of Ink. To say he was a thunderously bad idea is putting it nicely, and unfortunately YXM #9 puts into perspective just how thunderously bad things can get.

Last issue left the Young'uns at the mercy of the Y-Men, the hardened product of a mutant tattoo artist (it's best not to dwell too long on that plot point because it will stop making sense if you think about it too hard). The team had been painted into a corner, and this issue delivers a deus ex machina so utterly bad it ruins the entire issue and leaves nobody the beneficiary of the Y-Men experience.

Long ago (circa issue #1) I cracked the joke that it was probably a poor idea to create a character who could have the Power Cosmic by getting Silver Surfer's head tattooed on his shoulder. I'm not laughing now. That's not what happens this issue, but it's the next best(/worst) thing. In Ink, what Guggenheim has created is essentially an all-powerful character with the abilities of super-strength, flight, telepathy, radiation, explosive force, near-invulnerability, and now two new abilities as of this issue (one of which is outright ridiculous). Characters such as these are nearly defunct of good story possibilities and detract from the usefulness of the other characters in a team setting. Ink now falls prey to the same logic that often crops up when dealing with the JLA: why have Aquaman or Green Arrow around when Superman could just do it all himself and be done with it?

It's such a glaring blunder because the material surrounding the character is rather workable. The Young X-Men team this issue consisting of Rockslide, Anole, Dust, Graymalkin, and mentor figures Moonstar and Sunspot are quite functional, and their battle banter is entertaining. Even the mysterious Cipher is at least intriguing, even if her identity may or may not have been blown in the roll call on the title page of this issue (and if so, it may even be more interesting). Rafa Sandoval's art continues to be an improvement, and he refreshingly renders the characters less as the cartoonish children other artists have, and more like teenagers. As I've said in recent reviews of this book, it was on its way up. But the majority of this issue's script is completely ill-conceived and poorly executed.

To be fair, Marc Guggenheim isn't a bad writer most of the time, and I trust that he knows this sort of thing can only realistically be a very, very short-term status quo. But it does come off as sloppy writing to me, a silly quick fix to get his characters out of a sticky situation with very little regard to implications. One can only hope that the more over-the-top developments this issue only herald the swift exit of the book's largest sore spot.

Final Score: 5.2

Black Lightning: Year One #1 Review

Black Lightning's origin makes for a suprise hit.

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - Ever since Frank Miller came along and changed the way people looked at and thought about Batman's origins, creators have been lining up to give even the most obscure characters the "Year One" treatment. The results have varied greatly, to put it mildly. There have been stinkers (see Metamorpho: Year One), and there have been delightful surprises (see Batgirl: Year One). Though the success of each of these projects has no doubt hinged on the viability and depth of their respective stars, I suspect the writer's approach has even more to due with whether or not one of these projects succeeds.

Black Lightning: Year One is just the latest obscure superhero origin story to hit the stands (yes, Black Lightning remains obscure even if he currently enjoys a role in the JLA), and the first issue succeeds mostly because Jen Van Meter takes a markedly different approach to the "Year One" story than most of her predecessors.

Before I continue, I should point out that there is one similarity between this origin story and Miller's Batman classic: both begin with the title character returning to his home city after an extended absence. The similarities pretty much end there. Van Meter goes on to take a more underplayed and quiet approach than I've seen in the majority of such tales, and both the issue and the character are more interesting because of it. The issue is narrated by Jefferson Pierce's wife, and follows his family as they move into his hometown, the downtrodden Southside of Metropolis. The grim situation of this crime-ridden city is what drives the story and pushes Pierce closer to his heroic fate, and everything about the environment rings true to a city in the midst of decline, with one notable exception: Van Meter tries to propose that this area of Metropolis is so bad, even Superman wont step foot in it. This is the only major misstep of the entire issue (come on, he's Superman!), but it's glaring enough to mention.

The most unique and refreshing aspect of Van Meter's approach is that she uses Jefferson Pierce's family to define the man, and this supporting cast thrives in the spotlight. The result is a family that feels like a real family, making Black Lightning seem all the more well-rounded and relatable as a character. As someone not very familiar with Black Lightning's origin story, I was also relieved to see Van Meter (for now) avoid using family tragedy as Pierce's reason for taking up crime fighting. Instead, we're left with what feels like the film Lean on Me, only if Morgan Freeman's character could shoot lightning from his fingertips.

Fans of the recently cancelled Blue Beetle series will be pleased to see the return of an old friend in artist Cully Hamner, who lends his expressive brand of cartooning to this project. Hamner doesn't have much in the way of action to work with here, but he breathes life and vitality into every page by paying close attention to facial expressions and body language. It's a great looking book, and I can't wait to see what Hamner does once Van Meter's story kicks into the next gear.

Black Lightning: Year One is a well-crafted comic and a pleasant surprised, and it deserves to be read by anyone who has even the slightest interest in the character.

Final Score: 8.0

Detective Comics #852 Review

Hush takes over one of Batman's books.

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - Paul Dini's writing resume is as long as the most prolific and successful of scribes, but his most impressive feat as a writer might very well be his revitalization of Hush into a viable character. Before Dini got his hands on him, Tommy Elliot was little more than a walking gimmick with a laughable motivation and little personality. The recent "Heart of Hush" changed all that considerably by remolding Hush into a spoiled brat turned jealous psychopath. Now comes this Faces of Evil issue, which officially ushers Hush into the realm of legitimate and interesting villainous characters. That Dini has done so much with so little is truly remarkable. Again, color me impressed.

Picking up on the aftermath of "Heart of Hush," Detective Comics #852 follows a beaten and broken Tommy Elliot as he desperately tries to pull himself up out of the gutters. Considering the most interesting facet of the character is his pathological jealousy of Bruce Wayne, having Hush surgically alter his face to appear exactly like his hated foe was quite the brilliant move on Dini's part. Here, Dini carries that story beat forward to its logical progression, as Hush begins a long, painful journey to usurp Wayne's identity and fortune.

Fitting for a comic that boasts a "Faces of Evil" tagline on its cover, the issue is gleefully wicked as it plops us down in Hush's perspective and allows us to experience his twisted point-of-view firsthand. In an age in which comic book writers often take great pains to imbue their antagonists with shades of humanity, it's surprisingly refreshing to see a villain operate with such unadulterated evil. Tommy Elliot is without a doubt a monster, and Dini effectively drives home that fact often throughout this issue. I almost feel guilty for how much I enjoyed watching the character manipulate and murder his way back to the top, but I couldn't help myself. One sequence in particular, in which Hush romances and then disposes of rich over-the-hill widow, was brilliantly executed, and I could almost here Dini cackling from behind his keyboard.

On art, Dustin Nguyen continues to prove he's the perfect match for Dini's brand of storytelling. In an issue mostly void of action, Nguyen manages to provide plenty of interesting visuals to hold your attention, and along with inker Derek Dridolfs and colorist John Kalisz, does a tremendous job of capturing the different atmospheres of each of the issue's exotic locales. The issue speeds along smoothly from the very first page onward, and it all leads to a cliffhanger that left me desperate to read part two. Here's hoping Dini and Nguyen return for another lengthy run on Detective Comics following Battle for the Cowl.

Final Score: 8.7

Faces of Evil: Solomon Grundy Review

Because no one asked for it... a Solomon Grundy one-shot!

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - Either DC's offices were bombarded by letters demanding a Solomon Grundy series, or Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins vehemently demanded they get a shot at handling the character in his own book. Those are the only two plausible explanations for the existence of this one-shot and the upcoming seven-part mini-series that it leads into. There is, to put it mildly, not much to this character, and from the looks of it, there won't be enough to support an entire mini. Solomon Grundy is, in a nutshell, a giant gray oaf who recites the same nursery rhyme, hangs out in sewers, and is reborn each and every time he dies. Unfortunately, Johns and Kolins fail to make him any more interesting than that last sentence I just typed. In other words, the book doesn't accomplish much of anything.

Although I always try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, if I wanted to, I could explain the plot of this issue in a few short sentences. It's that bare. For the sake of posterity, though, I'll try to elaborate. The issue opens with a three-page recap of the character's history, then kicks off with Solomon being reborn– only this time, he's reborn in his human form as Cyrus Gold. I'm not sure what the point of this plot development is, because it's not long before ol' Cryus is back in his normal, hulking gray form, duking it out with Killer Croc in the sewer. This all leads to the big last page reveal, where two characters stop by and tell us why we should buy the upcoming seven-issue mini-series. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that DC could have just emailed this last page to various comics news outlets across the net and accomplished just as much as this issue managed.

The issue's lack of a substantial plot aside, I have to say that I wasn't all that impressed with Scott Kolins' art. Kolins is an odd artist – sometimes I love his work, and sometimes it comes off as rather pedestrian. This issue definitely falls into the latter category. Seeing as how Kolins normally inks his own pencils (and does so here), I'm led to assume that the colorist is at fault whenever Kolins' art failed to impress me. His recent work in Rogues Revenge was lush and vibrant. Here it's all rather bland and muddy.

Look – I love Solomon Grundy as a supporting character. He's loads of fun whenever he pops up in a Batman story briefly or wrestles with Green Arrow. I even enjoyed when Brad Meltzer gave him a brain and had him terrorize Red Tornado. I just can't imagine him, in his most basic form, supporting an entire seven-issue miniseries. The fact that he couldn't support a single special is evidence of that much.

Final Score: 5.8

Secret Six #5 Review

Gail Simone delivers another heaping serving of villainy .

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - There are plenty of sick and twisted comics out there, but few – check that, none – are as amusingly sick and twisted as Gail Simone's Secret Six. What began as an outrageously entertaining character study has morphed into an all-out gross fest that will leave you holding your sides in laughter, and then wondering whether or not there might be something wrong with you for laughing that hard. There's not. Simone is delivering the best work of her already impressive career with this series, and it's impossible not to gleefully follow along as the Six get themselves in and out of each dire and very ugly predicament. I genuinely feel sorry for any comics fan who isn't along for the ride.

The issue begins as the ravenous Junior and a pair of separated Siamese twins prepare to throw exactly 508 bricks at Bane's face until the former Batman rogue divulges the whereabouts of the other team members, and really, that sentence should tell you all you need to know about what to expect from this issue. The rest of the book then follows through and delivers on the promise of this shockingly violent and very messed-up set-up, as Simone has arguably a bit too much fun carrying this scene – as well as the plight of the other team members – to its brutal conclusion.

And in case the previous brilliant four issues didn't already convince you, Simone once again proves she was born to write these characters. Simone for the first time dives into the perspective of two of her rogue protagonists, Bane and Deadshot, and it's difficult to remember any writer doing a better job capturing either voice. Bane in particular absolutely shines in Simone's hands, and for this lifelong Batman fan, it was an absolute thrill to see her not only utilize Bane's rich back-story, but also do it in service of such a powerful story. Suffice it to say I walked away from this issue with more fearful respect of the character than I've ever had – and we're talking about the guy who broke Batman's back.

The scene involving the rest of the Six is just as entertaining, if not as cringe inducing, as the Bane sequence. The scene is narrated by Deadshot in the villain's gruff voice, and its here that Simone is able to get the majority of the issue's big laughs. Between watching Deadshot vomit violently into a toilet, seeing Jeanette make Jaw's Quint look like a sissy when it comes to killing sharks, and hearing another of Ragdoll's hilariously perverted one-liners, there are plenty of wonderful moments to behold.

And as great as Simone has been in this series and is in this issue, Nicola Scott is proving to be just as talented. The Simone/Scott dynamic that blossomed in the pages of Birds of Prey has now developed into one of the strongest creative relationships in comics. I can honestly say I can't think of many artists who could have delivered this issue's material as effectively as Scott did, which is a testament to both her talent and her fantastic dynamic with Simone. Credit is likewise deserved for Scott's longtime collaborator Doug Hazelwood, whose inking chores bring vibrant life to the book's visuals.

With Action Comics languishing in the mediocrity of "New Krypton," Morrison's Batman run finished and new Green Lantern issues coming few and far between, Secret Six is now the DC book I look forward to the most. Dare I say it, but it very well might be the best DC book on the stands.

Final Score: 9.4

Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion #3 Review

Billy Tucci's gorgeous yet uneven war epic continues.

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - Billy Tucci's Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion is a frustrating mini-series to read. What's frustrating about it is that its stylistic aspirations are unfortunately far greater than its significant literary and artistic accomplishments. In other words, the books wants to be cleverer, fancier, and greater than it actually is, even if it is still pretty damn good.

While reading the book, one gets the impression that Billy Tucci the Writer just can't seem to get out of the way of Billy Tucci the Artist long enough for both of them to tell the straightforward World War II epic that's hidden beneath all this stylistic clutter. There are moments of brilliance followed by moments where I find myself asking, "Why the hell did he switch to this perspective?" Again, it's a good book and well worth reading, just prepare to be frustrated.

Though many of his storytelling decisions make me scratch my head, it's impossible to deny Tucci's talent as an artist. This comic is first and foremost a gorgeous book to behold, and each issue has been well worth the cover price just for the chance to see Tucci render stunning action scenes and realistic military environments in his detailed style. Because the book is so gorgeous, though, it makes it even more annoying when Tucci needlessly cuts away from the visually intriguing scenes, or worse, clutters his visuals with unnecessary narrative captions. The use of the Stars and Stripes cartoonist as a narrator is by far his biggest misstep as a storyteller. This story only needed to be told from the perspective of Sgt. Rock's men and Rock's Nazi counterpart. The cartoonist's voice is superfluous, and only pulls us away from the interesting action. One gets the feeling that Tucci wanted to inject himself into the story to gain perspective into this drama, but ironically, I think he ended up losing some.

The plot of the issue sees Rock and his "lost" battalion begin to take heavy causalities from the German bombardment, and the violence comes quickly and severely. There's even a cameo by DC's famous Haunted Tank, and suffice it to say Tucci's take on the property is infinitely more interesting and sophisticated than the crude, dumb version currently found over in the Vertigo line. Anyway, as the issue progresses, the situation surrounding Rock and his boys grows all the more dire and the US military desperately tries to send reinforcements. The plot of the series definitely has me hooked and excited for more – I just wish Tucci would get out of his own way and tell it in a more straightforward style. Either way, I recommend the book. It's a gorgeously rendered, carefully researched take on the war comic, and it's unlike anything you're likely to read on the stands today – for better or for worse.

Final Score: 7.6

Trinity #32 Review

Our heroes travel to a world where the Trinity have become gods.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 7, 2009 - Though we didn't stop reviewing books altogether over the holidays, I did receive a nice little present in that I didn't have to review Trinity for a couple weeks in a row. I sorely needed the break. There are only so many ways you can complain about how boring a series is before you run out of ammo.

I assumed all the bad memories would come flooding back this week, but I was surprised that I didn't find myself quite as put off by issue #32 as I would have expected. I certainly wouldn't say time has dulled my loathing of Trinity. And let's be clear, there's still a lot to dislike about the series. As a matter of fact, there were various moments this week that simply shocked me with their inanity. If you handed issue #32 to a non-reader, they'd take one look and ask "What the hell is going on in this book?" The series has grown progressively more weird in recent weeks. We now have the lives of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman playing out as epic mythologies, complete with worshiping masses. The Dark Trinity and the JSI have become locked in a war that appears to be playing out like a massive game of Risk. It's strange, and not generally in a good way.

However, I don't feel that the writers have completely lost sight of what makes a quality story. Actually, Fabian Nicieza is becoming the stronger writer here, and I never would have expected that in the beginning. To some extent, Nicieza is merely lucky to be working with Black Adam. Adam, as always, is a foolproof method to improve any bad story. But he also hits on a few key emotional beats that, frankly, are lacking in Busiek's story.

I'm not saying Trinity is worth reading all of a sudden. I do feel that it shows just enough occasional promise that real improvement isn't entirely out of the question. Even Countdown turned things around at this time last year. Why not Trinity too?

Final Score: 5.8

Amazing Spider-Man #582 Review

Secrets of Harry Osborn are revealed as Molten Man clahes with Spidey in Jersey.

by Bryan Joel

January 7, 2009 - These days it seems Marvel's intent on treating certain arcs of Amazing Spider-Man like "events" in order to create hype and, by extension, sales. The first inkling of that was "New Ways To Die," which did, in fact, infuse the book with a modest sales boost. Shortly after, house ads began appearing about a storyline promising to divulge the secret of Harry Osborn coming back from the dead, in issues #581 and #582. Now that the hows and whys were taken care of last issue, though, this one is content to just be some by-the-numbers soap opera drama and a textbook fight between Spidey and the Molten Man. If that's not exactly inspiring you to run and pick this issue up, well... you're not alone.

I'll be fair to the issue, though. It's a Dan Slott number, so the dialogue is sufficiently snappy, and there's enough evidence to suggest he's fully aware of how ridiculous it sounds when Liz Allan throws out Days-of-Our-Lives-on-Mars lines like "Stopping my insane Green Goblin/ex-husband from aiming a gun at my step-brother," and lovingly embraces it. Plus, Mike McKone's always good for an issue that's nice to look at (even if his artwork deserves a better inking job than it receives here). But personally, that's not enough for me to really enjoy an issue.

One problem is Molten Man. It's not the villain himself, but rather the fact that he's just another in the revolving door of one-and-done baddies that have infested Amazing Spider-Man. He's wheeled out with little fanfare, bested with a moderately clever gimmick, and forgotten about. I never thought I'd see the day when I missed the Vulture or even Rhino.

At the end of the day, this issue is damned by the same things that have killed roughly 60% of 2008's Amazing output. It's not necessarily bad... it's just bland, mediocre, inconsequential fluff. If you're easily entertained, perhaps issue #582 could scratch the itch, but anyone looking for heavier, more involved Spidey tales should look elsewhere.

Final Score: 5.7

Cable #10 Review

Somehow Cable's journey manages to become even more difficult.

by Bryan Joel

January 7, 2009 - I have a load of good will for Cable #10, if only because the Messiah Child gets a name this issue and I never have to clunkily type "Messiah Child", "Baby Messiah" or "that brat who tags along with Cable" ever again. It also helps the issue that Duane Swierczynski moves his story forward at a healthy pace and throws in some interesting developments along the way.

By this point, the plot device of erratically leaping forward months at a time over the course of the lives of Cable and the Messi-- erm, Hope, is serving a very clear purpose. Much like the Magik mini-series that turned Colossus's kid sister into a formidable member of the New Mutants, Cable's main purpose seems to be to age Hope to the point that she's a useable character in the main X-Men titles. That positions the stories in Cable as her de facto origin story, and in light of that, this issue should be especially important to the character in the coming years. There's a nice dichotomy between Cable's militant instruction and Hope Summers's devotion and protective tendencies that are clearly going to have an effect on the child later.

The B-side to Cable and Hope's story is Bishop in the clutches of the X-Men and X-Force. That thread, which has languished around not doing much in recent issues, is given a jolt, as Bishop lays more plans for Cable in the future and makes a dark alliance. As always, I still don't much care for the single-minded villain take on Lucas Bishop, but at this point I'm willing to see where it goes.

This most recent arc of Cable has been a little sleepy in the middle parts, but there's a workable plot at the center and enough momentum to carry it along. Technically it's still a story of Cable and his child running from point A to point B, but this time there are a significant number of interesting flourishes added to distract from that fact.

Final Score: 7.5

Dead of Night: Werewolf By Night #1 Review

After all these years, Jack Russell still has werewolf troubles.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 7, 2009 - Say what you will about the previous Dead of Night mini-series, Devil-Slayer, but at least it tried something new with the character. Novelist Brian Keene re-imagined the popular Defender as a gritty, occult-oriented vigilante in modern Iraq. The scripts fell well short of this initial premise, but it was still an interesting effort. For the newest Dead of Night book, writer Duane Swiercynski seems disinterested in reinventing the wheel as it pertains to werewolves. Would-be hero Jack Russell is still very much as readers have come to know him over the years. Though Swiercynski doesn't break new ground, his first issue does compare favorably to Keene's. That strikes me as a step in the right direction for this line.

Not being the world's foremost expert on Jack Russell, I'm unsure as to whether this story takes place within standard Marvel continuity. It doesn't really matter one way or the other. After offering up a gruesome account of Jack's wolfy origins, the story cuts to the present day. Jack is attempting to live a normal life. He has a loving wife, and even a baby on the way. However, he still has to contend with those two nights of every month where the transformation takes hold and he becomes the Werewolf By Night. Jack has found a way to minimize the collateral damage of these transformations, and I don't think I need to point out that the conflict between his warring personalities is the crux of the story.

As I've said, this story earns no points for originality. It will feel familiar to any fan of werewolf stories, but I'd also be hard-pressed to find any major faults with Swiercynski's script. He certainly has no trouble molding Jack into a sympathetic character. And luckily, the cripplingly slow pace of some of Swiercynski's projects is not apparent here. I particularly enjoyed his method of having Jack and his other half communicate with each other. Despite the fact that this is a werewolf story, Swiercynski displays that all-too-rare ability to keep things subtle and effective.

I also should point out that Mico Suayan was an inspired choice for art duties. Suayan may be best remembered for his work on Charlie Huston's second arc of Moon Knight. His characters are highly exaggerated in some respects, but again, we're talking werewolves here. And some of the more harsh elements of his style have been toned down, meaning not every character is stuck flexing their bulging muscles and grimacing throughout the book. I'm looking forward to see what Suayan can do in later issues, as this one was a fairly quiet affair, all in all.

I guess you can have originality with these Dead of Night books, or you can have quality, but not both. For my part, I know which one I prefer.

Final Score: 7.2

Invincible Iron Man #9 Review

Tony Stark does the unthinkable in order to prevent Norman Osborn's rise to power.

by Bryan Joel

January 7, 2009 - When Iron Man effectively (and literally) fell from grace during Secret Invasion, who knew that Matt Fraction would've been able to cull such great story possibilities from it? "World's Most Wanted" is shaping up to be some of the better material from an already stellar book, and issue #9 injects some intriguing developments into the post-direction of S.H.I.E.L.D. world of Tony Stark.

Last issue revealed that the contents of the Superhuman Registration Database is now inside Tony's mind, and the preliminary scene of this issue strikes up a development to deal with that. It's simple, but it'll be exciting to see play out in all its glory.

Characters have always been Matt Fraction's strong point, and here he seems to take a page from Brubaker's Captain America, continuing to strengthen the supporting cast and new trinity of the title, Tony, Maria, and Pepper. The three of them are strong characters in their own right, but Fraction plays them off one another, as well as against the new "Dark Reign" setup, to great effect. Also deserving of mention is Fraction's take on Norman Osborn. Issue #9 of Invincible Iron Man is the first time I've actually seen Osborn as an imposing force since the end of Secret Invasion, and his implementation of the old Green Goblin colors on the H.A.M.M.E.R. troops is a nice subtle touch in the art department.

Speaking of, Salvador Larroca's art has been a point of contention among readers since the series started, and if we're being truthful, most of the usual complaints are still valid this issue. Larroca's characters often suffer facially, which becomes a problem when they need to convey emotion and just end up looking bloated and awkward. This issue also struggles with weird angles and perspectives from time to time, but nothing so abominable that it outright impedes the story much. Still, though, I can't shake the feeling that a book of this caliber could do with an A-list artist upgrade.

It seems like almost every Invincible Iron Man script succeeds in blowing me away these days, and this is no different. "Dark Reign" has given Fraction's brain a ton of viable story options and for readers of this book, from the looks of things it's going to be quite a fun ride for the next year or so.

Final Score: 8.7

Punisher #1 Review

The Punisher sets his sights on Norman Osborn.

by Dan Phillips

January 7, 2009 - In the sake of full disclosure, I have to admit that any comic book starring the regular Marvel Universe version of the Punisher is starting off on the wrong foot in my eyes. As far as I'm concerned, Garth Ennis' Punisher MAX run isn't just the best take on the character of all-time; it's the only one I've ever truly enjoyed. That said, the action-packed debut issue of Rick Remender's new Punisher series went a little way towards convincing me there might be a use for the Marvel U's Punisher-lite after all – even if he's nowhere near as interesting as the silent predator who stalks the pages of the MAX series.

Seeing as how writer Rick Remender made a name for himself in such action-heavy books as Fear Agent, I wasn't too suprised to see him stick to what he knows best in this issue. The book consists of one long, brutal chase scene in which the Punisher flees from the all-powerful (and insufferable) Sentry, a chase set into motion after the Sentry prevents Castle from killing Norman Osborn. Why Sentry wants to keep Norman alive, I have no idea. Surprisingly, though, that relatively major plot point didn't prove to be too much of a problem for me, as I was quickly swept up in the kinetic energy of the chase. There's very little dialogue here to speak of, but the terse voice-over captions that Remender supplies are at times quite amusing and do a strong job of capturing Frank's personality, particularly when he's quoting Sun Tzu or commenting on the American Revolution.

Because it's essentially one long chase with few words, the issue goes by quickly, and normally, I'd balk at a $3.99 comic that reads in about two minutes. To Marvel's credit, however, the twenty-two page chase is followed by The Punisher Saga – one of those twelve-page character history lessons Marvel usually distributes/sells as its own comic (a similar one for War of Kings was given away free this week as well). Although this prose account of the history of the Marvel Universe's Punisher only reminded me why the character doesn't really work alongside the other Marvel superheroes, it was informative and entertaining, and definitely helped justify the cover price. Throw in a six-page preview of the new Agents of Atlas series, and I have no reason to complain about cost.

Because the main feature of the series is so simple and fast-moving, there's not much else to say about this issue other than I found it entertaining. Remender kept me at the edge of my seat, and artist Jerome Opena did a good job capturing the energy of this chase, even if his work is a little too rough around the edges in places. All in all, I'd say the premise of Punisher trying to k*ll Norman Osborn is an interesting one; I just don't know how long they'll be able to milk it without convincing fans that Norman could actually die in a Punisher comic.

FInal Score: 7.0

Secret Invasion: War of Kings Review

Where Earth's invasion ends, a war for Marvel's cosmos begins.

by Bryan Joel

January 7, 2009 - I should start by saying that I don't really go for the whole space drama thing. Often I find that it all feels too similar, and there aren't really many things for writers to say with the concept other than "my, aren't these aliens wacky?" But Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning somehow managed to suck me into Nova during Annihilation, followed it with Conquest, and continue to entertain me monthly with Guardians of the Galaxy. And predictably, they've worked the same magic with the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot... or as I lovingly refer to it, Inhuman As Hell And Not Gonna Take It Anymore. (Sorry.)

This one-shot is the natural extension of what happened to these characters during the alien infiltration last year. The Inhumans are understandably not feeling so jolly about Black Bolt being abducted, tortured, and used as a Skrull weapon during Secret Invasion, so they set out to exact their ruthless, explosion-laden revenge on their enemies. And then go ahead and exact some more revenge. And then some more.

Abnett and Lanning use the events of SI: Inhumans to springboard the Inhuman race into a real, bona fide threat. It's a necessary step if they're meant to take on Vulcan and the Shi'ar Empire in the War of Kings series, particularly considering Vulcan's a character who's essentially been vindictive since he was ripped from the womb. It's a bit of a jarring shift for the Inhumans, then, but not one that feels unnatural or forced. The writers find a nice, brisk rhythm of progress for the characters, cut expertly by the use of Crystal as the hand-wringing pacifist who would rather just forgo all the blowing-up business and have a nice cup of tea.

Paul Pelletier's artwork is his usual traditional fare. It tells a solid story, even if Crystal finds herself in some deeply awkward Victoria's Secret model poses from time to time. But the key emotional beats and plot moments come off as well as they're meant to, and so it's easy to call his work a success here.

Secret Invasion: War of Kings, as the title suggests, does a fantastic job bridging the Inhumans's story between Secret Invasion and the upcoming War of Kings. Fans of the characters should find more than enough reason to be pleased, and if nothing else it's a strong indication that the crossover storyline on the horizon will be better than average - at the very least.

FInal Score: 8.8

Spider-Man: Fear Itself #1 Review

Spider-Man travels down south for an abject leson in fear.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 7, 2009 - Are there any two Marvel characters that have less to do with each other than Spider-Man and Man-Thing? Wendigo and Stilt-Man, maybe? All I know is that exactly no one was crying out for a team-up between the two, yet for someone reason Marvel decided to put out a standalone issue pairing them together. If the thought of a buddy superhero adventure between these two sounds appealing, let me stop you right there. I can see absolutely no reason why anyone would need to plunk down the cash for this one.

It's not even that the script is particularly horrible. Writer Stuart Moore is merely in the thankless position of struggling to bring these two characters together. The story is so concerned with attempting to draw parallels between the two. Particularly annoying is an early flashback sequence where Aunt May lectures Peter about fear. The final few pages are equally trite in their execution. I rolled my eyes more than once by the time Man-Thing finally shambled back to the Florida swamp. In between these bookends of lameness, the story is so bad. Moore does his best to integrate familiar Spidey characters and one or two Brand New Day regulars. Moore goes through all the motions, in other words. Perhaps more damning than anything else is the lack of humor. Humor is an essential element of any Spidey storyline. It's how I'm tolerated so much crap over the years. Moore's Spidey banter tends to fall flat, and in some cases detracts from scenes altogether. Not cool.

I'm also a bit put off by the art style in this issue. Joe Suitor's work seems more suited for Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane than any sort of semi-serious tale. Spidey and Man-Thing are vaguely anime-influenced, and Spidey looks to be about 12-years-old in most scenes. Human characters rarely look like they should. Peter looks like an aging hippie, and I might not even have recognized Carlie Cooper if she hadn't been called by name.

Perhaps there really is a fan out there who has always dreamed of a Spider-Man/Man-Thing team-up. If there is, I'd still recommend against buying this issue. If Spider-Man: Fear Itself enables Marvel to retain the copyright on Man-Thing for another few decades, then it will have accomplished something. Beyond that, it strikes me as utterly pointless and not at all memorable.

Final Score: 4.7

Sub-Mariner: The Depths #4 Review

Yet another stellar product from Marvel's Knights line.

by Daniel Crown

January 7, 2009 - For those of you hoping that Namor would take a larger role in Depths' penultimate chapter, you'll probably be disappointed with the mini-series' fourth installment. Though you really shouldn't be. This series has never been about the Sub-Mariner, but rather an unnervingly thorough character study of its resident anti-hero, Dr. Randolph Stein. Sub-Mariner Depths is as surprising as it is fascinating and this fourth chapter is an undeniable payoff stemming from a huge risk on the behalf of Peter Milligan.

As Depths moves towards its resolution, in retrospect, it's hard to believe how well the series has performed considering its rather esoteric approach. To create a series ostensibly geared around a superhero and then quickly transform it into an unapologetic piece of homage, an author must execute his vision perfectly. And to this point Milligan has done just that.

Dr. Stein's ego has driven this story from the opening moments of the first issue. Milligan creates a terrifying, claustrophobic world for his lead character to evolve in, yet it is a much more intrinsic threat which forms the crux of the story's initial climax. Stein is mortified of being wrong. As the story takes a hard twist, we finally see the doctor as he approaches his worst-case scenario. This examination, more so than the prevalent violence and suspense, takes Depths to a rare level, as the investigation into Stein's psyche is so engrossing it approaches palpability.

All of this, coupled with Esad Ribic's outstanding penciling/coloring, makes Sub-Mariner Depths perhaps the most well rounded miniseries Marvel has released over the last year. The book is beautifully wrought and shouldn't be missed by anyone when it's inevitably collected later this year.

Final Score: 8.5

Wolverine: Switchback #1 Review

Wolverine finds himself on a bad stretch of road.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 7, 2009 - Kudos to you, Marvel. I'd hate to suffer through a week without having at least two or three different Wolverine books to leaf through. As we've seen over the past year or so, when Marvel doesn't have a new issue of one of Wolverine's many ongoing books to put out, they'll commission a random one-shot. The latest in this long, long line is Wolverine: Switchback. Yes, that's "switchback" as in the type of road. When he isn't moonlighting on one of seven different superhero teams, Logan is also an accomplished construction worker.

If my distaste for Switchback is immediately apparent, you'll have to forgive me. I've grown very tired of these quick and dirty filler issues, and Switchback hardly does anything to win me over. As with many of these stories, there isn't much that even qualifies it as a Wolverine story. This issue could just as easily have featured Punisher or Moon Knight or any other vigilante figure that likes to clobber bad guys. The plot involves Logan roaming into a small town, where he promptly discovers a slew of dead bodies and wrecked cars. It seems this switchback road is home to a series of murders, and Logan has a good idea of who the culprit might be. You'd think he'd pop the claws and start to stabbing, right? Wrong.

Remember Wolverine #32, the final issue of Mark Millar's first run? In that flashback tale, Logan spent time in a Nazi concentration camp. Without ever popping his claws or even speaking, he managed to drive the Nazi foreman to suicide. That story was effective in its own way, but it also made you wonder: Why would a guy with razor-sharp claws and functional immortality stand around all day? Why wouldn't he just k*ll all the Nazis and be done with it? That's the same sort of question I had with this story. It would have been simple enough for Wolverine to exact justice and move on. Instead, he embarks on some convoluted, cockamamie scheme that ultimately results in the same effect. I guess the story needed to fill a few extra pages. The art in this story isn't bad, at least, although Logan appears oddly effeminate throughout.

Fortunately, the backup story is quite a bit more entertaining. Mainly this is thanks to Juan Doe, whose art is always a treat to behold. Between his unique, animated visuals and the general wacky tone of Gregg Hurwitz's script, this short story proves far superior to the title story. In the end, I was pleased to see it's still possible to tell interesting, off-the-beaten-path stories with this chronically over-exposed character. I just wish readers weren't required to pay such a steep price to read it.

Final Score: 6.4

X-Men Noir #2 Review

A strong example of the Marvel Universe without powers.

by Jesse Schedeen

January 7, 2009 - Those who have been reading Marvel books for more than a couple years will probably remember the mini-series Powerless. This What If-type story envisioned a Marvel U. where its familiar heroes faced familiar enemies without any super-powers. It was an interesting idea that failed pretty spectacularly in the end. As it turns out, though, good ideas get a second chance at success. X-Men Noir is not dissimilar in its concept. The difference here is all in the execution. With a stronger script and a heaping helping of visual style, X-Men Noir is the book Powerless could have been.

In case you skipped the first issue for some weird reason, here's the premise. Writer Fred Van Lente has placed many of the classic X-Men characters in a noir-influenced, 1930's setting. These re-imagined X-Men have no powers beyond strong fashion sense and big guns. Professor Xavier is a controversial figure who believes sociopaths represent the next rung in the evolutionary ladder. Magneto is a crooked detective determined to bring down Xavier's X-Men at any cost. Van Lente has done a terrific job crafting this world and making the X-Men recognizable despite their drastically altered personalities and loss of powers. My personal favorite is Rogue, who gives new meaning to the idea of absorbing personalities.

The cast begins to burgeon well beyond the original five X-Men and the Brotherhood this month. Van Lente throws in the likes Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, Unus the Untouchable, Sebastian Shaw, and several others. And with the exception of the last-minute reveal, I thought they all worked very well in the context of the story. As for the mystery mutant in question, I'm going to need more time before I accept their presence as a necessity.

Naturally, no project like this is going to get very far without a strong set of visuals. Visuals are not X-Men Noir's problem. Dennis Calero matches van Lente's writing with a dark, grimy, and sometimes resplendent world. Characters are instantly recognizable despite the lack of spandex. The only weak link I found was Xavier. Though I enjoy van Lente's interpretation, Calero's rendering of Xavier seems very uneven. Perhaps it's due to his decision to have Xavier almost permanently bathed in shadows. I don't know how much, if at all, Calero is relying on photo-referencing, but Xavier's appearance is more fluid than I'd like. In one panel he looks like Gandhi, and in the next he resembles DC EIC Dan DiDio. Go figure.

Minor quibbles aside, I'm having a blast with X-Men Noir. The series is a huge dose of fun, even as it offers one of the darkest and most depressing takes on the merry mutants I've ever seen. At this point, I think a few of the core X-books could stand to take a page or two from X-Men Noir.

Final Score: 8.6

revi · January 11, 2009

Haay! Ang laki ng gastos ko this week because of the three weeks shipment that I got.. Buti na lang medyo na-augment dun sa 20% off ko sa Filbars.. Sheesh! Kung hindi talagang ramdam ko ang expenses..

Seems like Incognito #1 is showing signs that the issue might get rare here.. Dami ko nakitang bumili nito from Sandy's shelves at Comic Odyssey yesterday.. And Filbar's did not get a lot of copies.. Looks promising but not really original ang take ko dito sa series na ito ni Brubaker.. A dark and gritty superhero after what I've seen the Bucky-Captain America will never be original in my book.. Well, let's see how it unfolds, coz I am willing to take a ride..

Edited January 11, 2009 by revi

revi · January 12, 2009

For this week:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 OBAMA VARIANT COVER - P220 (Limit 1 copy per customer while supplies last)

haha.. I will also get the Obama Variant.. Baka tumaas ang value nito in the long-run..

Here are my other pulls:

Final Crisis #6

Push #4

Action Comics #873

Very slow week.. Less gastos for the week.. :thumbsupsmiley:

khumpleetist · January 13, 2009

Stupid keyboard here so I'll just post my pull list:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 OBAMA VARIANT COVER - Here's hoping the value gets high on this book

BOOSTER GOLD #16

FACES OF EVIL PROMETHEUS #1 - Anyone getting the new Justice League series? Prelude's gonna be this one.

FINAL CRISIS #6 (OF 7)

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #32

mazinger · January 14, 2009

eto comic strips na napulot ko lang....enjoy...

1. http://the-blackcat.deviantart.com/gallery/#Back-to-the-Cave

2. http://the-blackcat.deviantart.com/gallery/#Rivalry-Part-One

3. http://the-blackcat.deviantart.com/gallery...nd-Sale-Tribute

:thumbsupsmiley:

reachard · January 15, 2009

napadaan lang

musta na mga comic peeps?

revi · January 16, 2009

^ Sali ako diyan kapag nakapagbukas na ako ng account sa FACEBOOK.. That is a nice gesture on your part norbs.. :thumbsupsmiley:

@guys: For those who are not yet in the know.. Barack Obama has just made an appearance in the pages of Amazing Spiderman and this week's issue (first printing) is getting scarce.. Kahit na yung hindi variant, mahirap na daw makakuha sa US.. I was able to snatch the regular cover in Filbars and I've ordered the variant in CO.. Will get it this Saturday.. Baka kasi maibigay pa sa iba eh.. hahaha..

Mukhang tataas ang value nito.. Youngblood #8 will also feature the President-elect but that would be his 2nd appearance, and nothing beats first appearances.. hahaha.. :thumbsupsmiley:

revi · January 16, 2009

^ I just checked the Savage Dragon issue.. Kaso ang kinapangit nun ay hindi pa siya elected.. I guess, the reason why ASM #583 became such a huge hit (and is considered to be the most important issue since the Superman's death in 1992) is because Obama was quoted in saying that Spiderman is one of his most beloved superheroes..

Ubos na yata ang issues sa CO as I type this (coz I called them up).. Atsaka third printing na daw ang ilalabas ng Marvel in the following weeks.. Without Sandy's e-mail, I would have not known about this.. Buti na lang may e-mail ako ni Sandy.. haha.. :thumbsupsmiley:

At tama ka norbs, dapat nga i-case yung variant issue.. Demand for its first printing will be very high and supply will be very low.. :upside:

revi · January 16, 2009

^ Yep.. Itong tuesday ko na na-e-mail kay Sandy na pa-reserve ako ng variant.. Was planning to buy one more variant at Filbars Riverbanks kaso wala silang dumating, so I decided to get the regular issue there instead.. Na-set ko na din siya.. haha.. I just checked and FYI sets (variant and regular) are being sold at around $80-100 sa ebay ngayon.. Not bad, eh? hehe..

@khumpleetist: Kumuha ka din nung Obama variant di ba? Good for us, bro.. Mukhang nagdilang-anghel ka nung nag-hope ka na sana tumaas ang value in the future.. :thumbsupsmiley:

revi · January 18, 2009

Was able to get my comics at Comic Odyssey yesterday and also talked to Sandy.. According to him, nobody really knew that Marvel would be having Obama's face in the variant issue of ASM #583.. Distributors e-mailed our local retailers, days before the release, but a lot were not able to read their e-mails.. Kaya under-ordered ang issue na ito sa atin dahil mukhang siya lang ata ang nakaalam na may ganitong variant.. Biglaan ika nga..

He is definitely sold-out on the first printing of both the regular and variant covers.. For those who got their copies (like me! :thumbsupsmiley: ): Congrats on having a very important issue whose price will most probably soar in the long run (unless Obama becomes a GMA.. hehehe!)..

Here's mine: :upside:

Edited January 18, 2009 by revi

khumpleetist · January 18, 2009

@revi

I got my ASM #583 (Obama Variant) last Saturday evening. I wasn't even expecting to have it since I emailed CO last Wednesday morning. How I wish I have the regular edition too. I just checked ebay and it's a whopping $100 for this copy while the regular copy is at $45 at least while a 9.8 CGC graded versionsells for $245 the least! Mukhang nagdilang anghel nga ako dito. Hahaha! Sana marami pang ganito. Hahaha!

@norby

I'll probably start my facebook account and join the group. Thanks for creating the group!

Here's what I'll probably get for this week as per Marvel and DC websites:

DARK AVENGERS #1

DARK AVENGERS #1 (Blank Cover Variant) *tentative

GHOST RIDER #31

MIGHTY AVENGERS #21

NEW EXILES #17

WAR MACHINE #2

GREEN LANTERN #37

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #29

TANGENT: SUPERMAN'S REIGN #11 (OF 12)

VIGILANTE #2

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #2 - I'd recommend this to anybody who's following Dark Reign's "Cabal". I'm just hesitant to get it myself though because I've many orders for this week.

SECRET INVASION: HOME INVASION TPB - This is the first time that the web comic tied up to Secret Invasion will be published. Your choice since SI is over.

By the way, just click the link if you're interested with ign's review of the past week's (Jan 14, 2009) releases:

http://comics.ign.com/articles/944/944827p1.html

revi · January 19, 2009

@norbs: Nice artwork.. At iba't-ibang styles, ha? :thumbsupsmiley:

@khumpleetist: Congrats on your Obama variant.. Sabi nga ni Sandy, uunahin daw niya ang mga regulars niya before he distributes the copies in his stores.. We are lucky because we are chummies with CO's owner.. hahaha..

Here are my pulls for this week:

Amazing Spiderman #584 (Character Assassination)

Dark Avengers #1

Ghost Rider #31

Green Lantern #37

Mighty Avengers #21

Spawn #188

Uncanny XMen Annual #2

XMen: Kingbreaker #2

Dark Delicacies #1 - horror anthology series - will just get the first issue

fry_saging · January 19, 2009

PATAY NA SI BATMAN......

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