Ultimate Avengers #3 (Millar,Pacheco/Marvel Comics/$3.99): To me this is the best Millar. It is simply fun to read and is paced like a great action flick. Mill gives us some interesting new characters, fun dialogue and great action. What was up with ‘Spidey”? Was that “Spidey”? I really love the Ultimate Cap. The art is energetic, clean and perfect tonally for the book. Although I would have preferred Hitch, Pacheco is really doing a great job with Millar’s script, hitting all the beats perfectly and really doing a great job with the sequencing and action. The scene with the new Black Widow over Paris, and War-Machine on Cap in the last pages were wonderful. A really great read, and nice continuation of what came before in Ultimates, with plenty there to keep readers coming back for more.
8 out of 10
Blackest Night #4 (Johns and Reis/DC Comics/$3.99): The big reveal of the big bad. I guess we all knew this was coming. Those of us reading comics more then 25 years did any way. Still it was really nicely played. And DC’s event continues to impress. Johns does a great job with many of the characters and even placing Flash (Barry Allen) in the prime spot in the book. The dialogue and pacing is good, I especially like Barry inspiring some DC second stringers (the Atom and Mera) to lead the charge against the Black lanterns. I really love the developments with Firestorm. And think Johns has really done a wonderful job with finding a good balance of action and development in the story. I even enjoyed the reveal at the end. The art by Reis cannot be praised enough. He has married capes and horror perfectly and never skimps on a page. Everything about this book is beautiful. I love his ability to handle all the characters, backgrounds and really keep the tone consistent throughout the book. The last several pages leading to the reveal of Nekron in the cemetery is gorgeous. This is how you run an event. Bravo to DC. My only crit is the design of Nekron. I don’t particularly think it’s an improvement. Less clothes would have worked better for me personally. I do love the Scythe with the lantern on it tho’.
9 out of 10
New Avengers #58 (Bendis, Immonen/Marvel Comics/$3.99): I really don’t know what the cover has to do with the interior, maybe the cover of the Hood in powerful victory over the New Avengers was swapped with next months or something? LOL. It doesn’t really matter because the issue was tremendous. I love the confrontation between the New and Dark Avengers. I was really impressed with how Bendis handled it, and especially the scene with Ares and Ms. Marvel giving Osborne the what for. Really great job with the dialogue and banter. And I am genuinely interested with how Luke cage’s situation will play out. Also nice plot developing with the Hood. I really like the character and want to see his story play out as well. The art here is amazing. Stuart Immonen is a top 5 artist for me. His detail and stylizations without over doing it is amazing. His technical skill at props, vehicles and backgrounds is outstanding and really adds a sense of place to all the amazing scenes in the book. Immonen is also a great storyteller and master of anatomy and expression. Giving each character a unique look. I think the simple (not flashy or over done) color palette really works on the book as well. This book is a hit. Month after month is a great read.
9 out of 10
Blackest Night: Superman #3 (Robinson & Barrows/DC Comics/$2.99): This was the best of the Blackest Night minis and certainly worthy of standing on it’s own as a story. Tonally it was a perfect match for the Blackest Night series and the Green Lantern books. And where the other BN minis failed to capture the blend of capes and horror this book did it in spades. Robinson did a great job with the emotional battles the characters where facing. Pa Kent’s death, Conner’s nature, the death of Zor-el. And all of this with a beautifully rendered super fight as Superman and Black Lantern Kal-L face off over Smallville. Tremendous work by Barrow’s. The action and detail are tight and powerful. Really amazing panels and scenes. This was a wonderful and fun and well produced addition to the BN event. I am gonna say it. They need Robinson and Barrow’s back on Action Comics quick fast in a hurry.
8 out of 10
Supergirl #46 (Gates and Igle/DC Comics/$2.99): I am to the point that this whole storyline with General Lane and Reactron can end now. Especially since DC decided to make a Kryptonian Phoenix. That was pretty lame. Other then that the story is good enough. Seems like Super Girl and Flame Bird are coming to grips with their problems and there are certainly some decent developments with Lana. But the strength of the issue is the art and the action. If not for Igle’s great rendering of the first 16 or so pages of action and the defeat of Reactron I would not have enjoyed this at all. The length of time it’s taken to get here has basically done this book in for me. I am eager for Supergirl to move on and into a new status quo and storyline. Either way I will stick around because I love the art, Igle is really a tremendous talent and overall craftsman, but I am getting fatigued by the Conspiracy meta-story.
5 out of 10
Wonder Woman #37 (Simone, Chang/DC Comics/$2.99): I was really pooh-poohing this book for a long time. I believe I was justified. For the most part the book has been mediocre at best and despite great creative talent failed to live up to promises and expectations. I said I was going to drop the title but have styled with it and am glad to say it’s gotten better the last few issues. This issue is the best so far since I started reading this run at the beginning of the Genocide storyline. I think Simone is starting to explore some interesting things and knowing Ares wasn’t done in with a simple axe to the head made me happy. I am still not sure where the book is going but the events on Amazon island and Diana’s personal exploration at this point seem like good threads and will bare fruit. And to be honest having WW face off with Wonder Girl wasn’t bad either. Bernard Chang was a pleasant surprise, why isn’t he drawing a book for DC monthly? I love his style and clean lines. I love his Ares. The stitches in his head really make him look scary. The colors are also very well done.
7 out of 10
Green Lantern #47 (Johns and Mahnke/DC Comics/$2.99): Johns can really pack a comic full of characters and situations and still make it a perfectly readable and easy to follow story. This book has it all. You basically get all the Lanterns of the emotional spectrum interacting with each other as the Black Lanterns continue an all out assault on the universe. I really love the uneasy alliance as Sinestro accepts Hal’s leadership after they are confronted by Abin Sur. Really great character stuff. I also love the developments on Okaara with Atrocitus descending on Agent Orange. Also interesting development with the Reds now that they have no hearts for the Black lanterns to exploit. This was a great read. And all I can do is bow at the alter that is Doug Mahnke’s art. Beautiful, stylistic, great use of shadow and detail. I really am so impressed. I really love his facial expressions and Mahnke has a great knack for drawing aliens and alien landscapes. The book is beautiful to behold. I will admit this issue some of the inking is weaker then others, but it’s hard to criticize when the overall quality of the line work is so amazing. The Blackest Night event is turning into a very impressive story. And drafting Mahnke on art chores was one of the best comic moves of the last 25 years,
9 out of 10
Justice Society of America #32 (Willingham, Sturges, Merino/DC Comics/$2.99): I keep saying I am going to drop this book. At this point I just have to. This is the JSA in name only. The characters are pretty much unrecognizable from the previous creative team’s version. They no longer have the family feeling and even the “legacy” idea seems like a cheap gimmick as written into the main story and ongoing internal strife with the various characters on the team. I think my major problem is the book seems soulless and by the numbers. I don’t care about the mystery, the motivation of the villains (who are portrayed as babbling idiots), or what is going on with the team. The execution is horrible and this pretty generic comic book writing at it’s worst. I don’t think Mr. Terrific will die, I think the team will split, and think we will find out that this is all the Machiavellian scheme of some villain. But again it’s so bad I don’t care. The soulless nature of the story is only compounded by the art. Merino is a good enough artist. But he is just off enough to be distracting. Oddly posed characters, faces that are off, panels on top of each other and claustrophobic panel layouts make the entire book a mess. I love these characters, well most of them any way and there is no reason for the book to be this bad.
3 out of 10
Detective Comics #858 (Rucka, Williams, Hamner/DC Comics/$3.99): before reading Detective I was not a big fan of Rucka. Now I can understand why my friends were so impressed with him. He just develops great characters, writes very strong dialogue, and paces his story very well. This issue giving us a origin of sorts or a history lesson actually for Batwoman was very well done. And I really want to see how it will work with the ongoing story. I really enjoyed the story and I think it was very well written and really has some strong emotion in it. You can see how the murder of her family the way it was done could motivate her to become a vigilante. The art for the Batwoman story was very impressive. Williams is really an artistic force. His ability to switch styles and keep such a high quality to the work is amazing. I love the Batwoman pages, with the great unique layouts and watercolor styling, and am equally awed by the flat colored ink line work for the historical sequences. It really added something to the overall reading experience. The Question story lacks some of the emotional punch in the primary tale, but really is an example of an enjoyable not over don story. I really am liking the Question and her “job” . The art is beautiful. Cully Hamner is pretty much untouchable in his ability to do sequences of movement and action. And I don’t think any one can touch him when it comes to kicks in the face. I really think the dark simple colors add to his clean deliberate line style.
9 out of 10
Incredible Hercules #137 (Pak, Van Lente and Buchemi/Marvel Comics/$2.99): I have to admit I thought the Amadeus Cho exploration was a over 2 issues ago. It should have been. Even trading places with the great Thorcules storyline it seems to have taken too long and despite having some interesting ideas, like the Amadeus being a modern version of the epic hero and could replace Herc for this epoch the execution has been “meh” at best. I hope the pace is picked up somewhat from here and we can get Herc and Amadeus back together and in the thick of all types of adventures and heroics again. The art was good enough. Nothing spectacular. But certainly carried the story.
6 out of 10
Superman: Secret Origin #2 Johns and Frank/DC Comics/$3.99): Johns continues adding layers to Superman’s origins in the second installment of this series. This time giving us a new look at Clark’s first meeting with the Legion of Superheroes. It’s a terrific story with Clark finally able to shed his human persona and interact with other super beings without fear. They even know his secret identity so that’s not an issue. Johns is just amazing at really keeping the historical elements and cannon in tact yet adding. I love the Luthor moments at school with Clark and finally the arrival of Krypto? I mean it has to be Krypto right. It’s wonderful and respectful of what has come before. And I really respect Johns approach to this series. Frank’s art is perfect throughput the issue. Nice simple layouts and wonderful iconic images. The scene over futuristic Smallville with Legion was amazing. This whole issue is an example of flawless comics.
9 out of 10
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve and Rex Splode #1 (Cereno and Bellegarde/Image Comics/$2.99): This book was the surprise gem of the week for me. This was in my box and I was about to put it aside but curiosity bit mean and I peaked inside. And I was charmed by what I saw and decided to buy it. I got home and read it and loved it. It’s a neat origin of Rex, who basically gets bought from his parents for some steak dinners and becomes a Wet Works operative for some secret government organization. It is well written and great fun. The art is amazing. Quirky and stylistic but really well crafted and nuanced. I love it. Crabtree’s colors are perfect as always. A surprisingly good read.
7.5 out of 10
Guardians of the Galaxy #19 (Abnett and Lanning with Wesley Craig/Marvel Comics/$2.99): This is an amazing title. Abnett and Lanning have really done wonders with this book and this arc with Magus asserting control over Adam Warlock who essentially sells his soul to save the all space-time. Great use of characters and really big events occurring in this issue. Kang collects a group of the Guardians and gives them the means to save the universe ( a cosmic cube) from Magus who essentially decimates the team’s ranks in great battle. Finally taking a bullet to the head from Star-lord. This book is filled with amazing and surprising moments and dials up action, fun and drama to way past 10. It is a very impressive book and certainly worthy of standing toe-to-to with DC’s recent cosmic events )Sinestro corps War and Blackest Night) with ease. It’s hard to see how this group will survive after the events this issue…I think A&L have a set of brass ones to do what they have done story wise. Kudos to them. The art? Well I have to say Wesley Craig is one of my new favorite artists. He has a great unique style. Clean and open with great angles and action. It has a great graphic quality the works well with all the cosmic action going on. I really love it because it adds a great dramatic element without taking one ounce of fun from the pages, The colors are also perfect for the book. I am really impressed with this title and will happily follow this creative team where ever they take this title. You should too.
6 out of 10
Amazing Spider-man #609 (Guggenheim and Checchetto/Marvel Comics/$2.99): I am going to be honest here. The scripting is pretty good. But I really don’t care about any of it. It’s a bunch of characters I never cared about over the last several years who I had hoped had been “Mephisted” away like so much of the rest of the crappy stuff holding back Spidey the last 20 years. I am going to ride out the Clones of clones and more clones and every one looks like me story because the overall quality of the Spidey books have been so good for the last year or so since BND began, but this arc can’t end soon enough for me. It’s like the entire fun of the book its soul has been sucked out. And really this arc could be saved by replacing Raptor with Stegron. The art is great. Checchutto is an amazing talent, but the colors mute his great panels and lovely lines.
5 out of 10
Invincible #67 (Kirkman and Walker/Image Comics/$2.99): I have really enjoyed the interlude of the last two issues. Preparations for War! Has been a great pause in the almost non-stop action and violence in this book for the last year or so. And really gives a sense that we may be coming to the zenith of the ongoing threat of the Viltrumites. I think the collection of things to use against the evil super-tyrants is interesting and love the humor. I think Allen is a traitor by the way. You heard it hear first. The art is really great. Cory Walker does so much with his style. I love the minimal lines and there are such wonderful facial expressions throughout the issue. And the colors are also of the highest quality Kirkman has a real knack for finding good colorists,
7.5 out of 10
I also reviewed Chew #5 for the site check that out too. Thanks for reading. Now go buy some comics.
