Fantastic Four #13 Review

You've heard the phrase "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"? That seems to apply to Karl Kesel when it comes to the Fantastic Four franchise. Kesel has often been called upon to write fill-in arcs and shorter adventures, but the closest he's ever come to writing an ongoing Fantastic Four book was his short-lived Human Torch solo series.

So Kesel was the logical choice to step in for Matt Fraction and help bring this series to a conclusion. He has the experience, certainly. And this issue is immediately more enjoyable than the previous two muddled, overcrowded installments. But while a solid read, this is still a Fraction comic that's missing some of the trademark Fraction charm. And Mark Bagley's artwork remains more rough and jagged than usual. As ever, FF is the real draw with this franchise.

This issue veers into much darker territory as the writers explore an alternate universe with a very specific bearing on the current conflict. The script is actually a bit frustrating in how it first seems to be focused on the regular cast, and then reveals itself to be an alternate universe story but still takes its sweet time making those connections clear. But eventually everything comes together nicely enough. Kesel shows that he still has a firm handle on the Richards clan in any universe, and the pacing is much smoother and more straightforward than it has been.

Again, the diminished humor is a concern, with only a brief scene between Johnny Storm and Bentley "Wiz-Kid" Whitman offering any real levity. But this issue doesn't necessarily call for that approach considering the darker nature of the conflict. We'll see if the remaining few issues can invoke more laughs, or if it's all grim and serious from here on out.

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Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program #2

They’ve escaped and now anything goes from here when they have to fight for their freedom and keep it as Weapon X will take them back dead or alive. Just those three questions asking what will kill them first between their pasts, their strange new powers, or their mysterious connection to the Wolverine is more than enough reason to give this series a shot as much as the rest which are spinning out of the Death of Wolverine.

With issue #2 of Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program, Charles Soule continues to do what he does best when it comes to take characters with potential and doing something creative with them. This is his cup of tea when he is able to take these new characters with new abilities and explore what they are capable of when their backs are against the wall. This issue of Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program further shows how unique some of the escapees powers are while also using what they are capable of as a way to create an identity for them beyond who they once were. In fact where he goes beyond the cliche is avoiding altogether trying to force these characters into a position where the have to know who they were before Weapon X. It’s all about where they are in the here and now with the exception of Sharp.

Character development is a big thing going into Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program. This issue takes more time fleshing out the characters in a way that their personalities are more distinctive than fearful. Now that they had a little bit of breathing room, characters like Junk, Neuron, Endo, and Skel are able to show what makes them tick. Even if they were experimented on, who they are at the core is still intact.

The mystery of Sharp is definitely something we all should want to follow closely as this story progresses. While there is the question of everyone else’s connection to Wolverine, Sharp obviously stands out as the one who has more to him than meets the eye. Especially when he looks like Logan, has some of his memories, and may even have some of his abilities as well. There is much to be revealed about Sharp that’s being hidden from us and the escapees that we should anticipate finding out.

Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program #2 shows that this series has a lot of potential spinning out of the death of a beloved character to many fans. From here one has to wonder what they will do next, what next Weapon X will throw at them, and who they could possibly turn to for help that would better tie these newly created characters to the rest of the Marvel Universe.

Get the full review from Geeked Out Nation here

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Deadpool #37 Review

You have to hand it to Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn. Somehow they're able to keep this series humming along despite the constant cycle of event tie-ins. Original Sin fit perfectly into their plans of exploring Wade's past. Now AXIS comes at an ideal time. Wade's personality has been inverted just as he's finally achieving some semblance of normality and happiness in his personal life. It turns out that inner peace can be a terrible thing when it's just forced on you by a giant, red and purple psychic demon.

That's the thrust of this issue, as Wade finds himself slipping away from his friends, his daughter, and even his new bride. I wish Shiklah had been more of a focus in recent months so that this rift was a little more meaningful. Regardless, Wade's new psychological shift adds a nice bit of drama to the book. It also ties in nicely with the ongoing conflict involving the North Korean mutants.

As always, there's ample humor to balance out the drama. The writers dust off the idea of a disembodied spirit being trapped in Wade's mind, except now rather than Agent Preston it's the old Deadpool. This Wade's horrified reactions to seeing his new self coddle villains and shy away from cutting a Thanksgiving turkey are consistently amusing. And honestly, it would be nice if more characters in AXIS showed this level of mental anguish over being changed.

Mike Hawthorne delivers another engaging set of pages with this issue. His work isn't as detailed as some Deadpool artists, but it is energetic, expressive, and cleanly laid out. The writers give Hawthorne plenty of good material to work with, especially as Wade enters the X-Men's Danger Room and waltzes into a Wild West setting.

Get full review from IGN here

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Axis Revolutions #2 Review

This was a pretty much one big fight scene, but despite that we get plenty of character stuff from the comments being made by both men and the actions they're willing to take. Creed is trying to be a better man, but still he was still willing to fight back. And Kurt is angry, bitter and in full revenge mode.

I loved seeing Kurt cut loose and we got some pretty impressive action from him in this story. (How the hell did Mystique survive an encounter with him during AXIS) Teleporting off limbs, sword play, acrobatics, rapid teleporting, dropping cars and even the tail came in to play.

Extremely enjoyable to see, especially when there's no consequences to worry about for Kurt's character because Creed will heal.

The art was great in this, both Creed and Kurt looked menacing. And the flow of the action and teleporting was captured very well.

The only flaws I really had with the story were Creed's explanation for predicting where Kurt would strike and the fact that Kurt didn't continue attacking after Creed walked away. other than that it was great - not that you could go that wrong with an extended fight scene, but you never know.


Get full review from Comic Book Resources here

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Black Widow #12 Review

Natasha’s past comes back to haunt her in a very public way in Black Widow #12. As Anderson Cooper exposes Natasha’s recent activity, both as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative and contracted agent, the rest of the superhero and espionage communities at large must scramble to deal with the backlash. While “celebrity guest appearances” such as the one made here tend to be campy, the use of the news anchor serves to ground the story in a semblance of realism and considerably raises the stakes of Natasha.

In Somalia, Natasha is far removed from the troubles brewing back home during a routine mission with the Howling Commandos. After the recent dilemma with Chaos she welcomes the change of pace, even as the Avengers confer with Maria Hill to try to minimize the damage of the report. Every mission since the title began is put under the microscope, her actions and motivations analyzed and debated as eye witnesses give accounts of her very public encounters with assorted antagonists.

In the age of whistleblowers and the demand for government transparency, Black Widow #12 strikes a timely chord. Such an investigation into the scope of Natasha’s missions as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and member of the Avengers calls both of their authorities into question; considering what these entities have recently been up to in Avengers and New Avengers respectively, the public is surely watching people like Natasha quite closely. Edmondson also brings up an interesting point of contrast, whether implicitly or not, between how the public (and the reader) views operatives like Black Widow or Hawkeye and “heroes” like Iron Man or Captain America.

While Natasha’s reputation as an assassin is well-known, all of them have done questionable, sometimes even treacherous things in the name of larger causes. The only thing that really separates them is the fact that people like Natasha primarily use violence as their means, whereas people like Tony Stark are largely Machiavellian, scheming and manipulating people and scenarios to achieve their desired outcomes. Of course the Avengers have been scrutinized by both the public and the government in various storylines, but it still raises the interesting question of who bears the guilt when secrets such as these come to light.

With strong scripting and artwork from start to finish, Black Widow #12 is another solid read from this creative team.

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Green Lantern: New Guardians #36 Review

We’ve all been in a situation where we had to put our trust in someone we don’t even know. Most of the time (at least in my experience) everything turns out okay and no harm done. However because life loves to throw the occasional breaking ball, just when you think said individual has your best interest that’s when it all goes to hell in a hand basket. Given the cover for this issue it appears that Kyle may have made a mistake by going with High Father. Let’s see if that is actually the case with the latest chapter of Godhead.


If I could sum up this issue in one word it would sadly be elementary. The outcome of the issue is exactly what one would expect given the nature of how this crossover has been it almost takes the dramatic element during the scenes between Kyle, Carol, and High Father. I will admit that I kept getting Superman II vibes during this scene due to Kyle wanting to be rid of the Life Equation (not the ring itself) to protect Carol. It’s not an exact remake of the scene but the sentiments ring through, especially once Kyle is ultimately left ringless.

What is interesting about this issue is High Father’s characterization in this issue itself. In previous chapters he’s been shown as a leader who is operating on a macro level. His methods may be harsh but it’s for the greater good so it justifies the means. The High Father in this issue steps over the line into villain. Even Diogenes Neves rendered fantastic maniac expressionin for High Father for several panels. It’s not a surprise that this is the route they’ve put High Father on but it just feels to sudden.
Sure you could argue that the descent was there from the first chapter and I’ll agree it just feels like it was two sudden for him to seem power hungry. Not knowing how High Father was a character prior to this is possibly why I’m giving a pass on this, either way it still feels to soon.

I am happy to report that Carol and Kyle’s dynamic is still just as wonderful as previous issues, to bad they only get the last few pages of the issue to shine the two continue to develop their relationship in the most elegant of ways. At least as elegant you can by while being stuck in another dimension.
Diogenes Neves returns once again for penciling duties but something about his art simply looked off and it took me a while to realize it was him. The characters faces in some panels just looked either stretched out or if they were hoarding food for winter. Sadly his New Genesis splash was lacking in spectacle, considering that this is the first time the DCU is seeing it in this continuity. It’s not Neves’s strength, he does tell a solid story from panel to panel and his best panels were the one’s focused on High Father himself, more so the final one near the end of the chapter.

New Guardians #36 pretty much steered the course with an occasional bump in the road. The plot for Godhead moves along fine and it leaves Carol and Kyle in an interesting place in whatever issue they show up next during this crossover.

Get full review from Green Lantern Corps here

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Justice League #36 Review

I have to admit, I’ve been rather excited about this arc, with the concept of Amazo’s powers manifested in a virus having me well and truly intrigued. The resulting narrative proves to be just as enticing as I’d hoped, as though there are a lot of grey areas that need touched upon, the story is still in early days. In saying that, the background narrative, and interaction between the likes of Superman and Batman, and Luthor and Wonder Woman was extremely gripping.

Geoff Johns will always be one of the best writers at DC, as though the likes of Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire have given him a run for his money, the Chief Creative Officer hasn’t missed a step. The way that he builds suspense in this opening chapter is simply amazing, with the transition between sequences allowing for an exciting flow. Johns also builds tension between characters, with the mystery behind the Patient Zero being tantalising to say the least.

Jason Fabok has established himself as one of the best Batman artists in recent history, and now he’s transitioning these skills into Justice League. The result is something that makes his Batman work look average. I’m not sure whether it was the varied supes, or the fact that his pencils are contrasted by light for a change, but there is certainly something that adds that extra spark. Regardless, Fabok does an amazing job of the Leaguers, with Superman, and especially Wonder Woman looking awesome. Brad Anderson also delivers sleek colours, with the highlights, and boldness of his palette irradiating quality.

Justice League may have finally found the arc that will change its fortunes, with the suspense and character tension setting wonderful atmosphere. There’s also plenty of mystery, and wonderful background, making this issue easy to recommend.

Get the full review from Unleash The Fanboy here

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Batman And Robin #36 Review

Peter Tomasi has taken Batman, and by extension the audience, on a rollercoaster ride of action, emotion, allies, and more. Robin Rises continues to feel very much like a grand crescendo to all of the events that have proceeded since the tragic events of Batman Incorporated. The newest issue is full of vicious action and exciting moments that no Bat-fan should miss, and it features a conclusion that some fans have been waiting for since the end of issue #6 of Justice League.

Justice League? You’ll see when you get the final page of this brawler of an issue. Batman takes absolutely no prisoner here, and his Hellbat suit continues to get an extreme workout. Batman has used a surprising amount of armored suits in the New 52, and while his new suit effectively turns Batman into a “superman,” Tomasi smartly focuses on the terrible toll that it’s taking on Bruce’s body. This adds a great deal of tension to the battle sequences beyond the incredibly fun action scenes themselves. Batman’s allies, team Robin, also get a lot of milage this issue. Along with Titus and Cyborg, the team manage to kick a little butt themselves and keep the team-up aspect of this book alive and well. There really isn’t much more to this issue other than a series of lively action sequences, and while it is a bummer that we don’t really get too much in terms of character development, Tomasi does give the characters the chance for some humorous interactions towards the end.

Patrick Gleason continues to provide some stunning artwork while being tasked with some pretty extreme scenes to portray. His action is a breeze to follow, and considering the scale of everything going on currently, that is truly an impressive feat. That said, there are a few instances where character faces look a bit rough, but it proves to be only a minor distraction.

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Batman Eternal #33 Review

Batman Eternal is having a really good run as of late. The book is at its best when it’s less cluttered and less pressured to tie multiple plotlines together. Lately, all of the character development in previous issues (some of which I was convinced was going absolutely NOWHERE) is really paying off for a couple of key players.

Well, when we last left our hero, Hush had just slipped past Batman and revealed the next step in his grand plan to level Gotham: blowing it up using Batman’s secret bunkers filled with explosives. Because Batman wouldn’t be Batman if he didn’t have The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable ready to go just in case of The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable. It occurs to me that for a guy that always seems to have a plan for every occasion, he NEVER seems to have a plan for someone coming along and stealing his plans. You never really have to have a plan for beating Batman. You can just use one of his. It’s not like he’ll see it coming. Anyway, now, Batman and Julia Pennyworth have teamed up to try and beat Hush to the punch and neutralize the bunkers before Hush can blow Gotham all to Hell. Kyle Higgins is quarterbacking the scripting on this issue and does a really good job of balancing action and exposition.

Having a smaller cast to deal with this time around helps him really flesh out characters and make some that haven’t gotten their due feel a bit more fleshed out. Jason Fabok’s visuals have definitely stepped up a notch from last week. He seems to be improving each week. The action beats feel twice as crisp, the facial expressions feel even more definitive than before. This, mixed with the improvement in script pacing, makes this chapter in the series one of the best yet.

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Batman Superman #16 Review

Batman/Superman “The Nemesis Objective” has mind wiped itself of all the mind wipe hullabaloo that came before. We have a brand new arc that is a good jumping on spot for new readers, much like Justice League this month. Also, like Justice League, there is a new artist on board and I’m very excited about it. For all the newness in the title, Greg Pak is still at the helm and guiding this ship. While I don’t think this issue exemplified his finest writing moments, I’m certainly willing to follow especially if we can keep our new artist Ardian Syaf along.

The issue opens up with a set-up for something I found very momentous. What I’m talking about is the guys who dressed up as Batman and Superman to entertain those little kids in the hospital. I won’t ruin it, but it’s sad and that’s an emotion I rarely honestly have while reading comics. (Certainly most of us have been desensitized to the death of Martha and Thomas Wayne. Even though I know it’s sad, I don’t always feel it.) Superman, Supergirl, Steel and Krypto are saving some orca whales when suddenly something terrible happens.

Of course, Superman dons his glasses to do some investigative reporting. But as we all know, this is Batman/Superman and Clark just isn’t smart enough to figure things out on his own, so he goes to see the world’s greatest detective, Benedict Cumberbatch… I mean, Batman. After some moments at the hospital, they return to the Batcave where I believe some of the worst dialogue takes place.
Up until the cave I felt very strongly about this issue. It had heart, looked great, and was interesting. We get to the Batcave and Bruce just starts talking very strange. I’m not opposed to the root of what is said, but it’s presented to us -the readers- as it might have been presented to the editors at DC.

“Here’s an idea guys, what if Superman had to face a villain similar to one of Batman’s? What if, somehow, Bruce could use his intimate psychoanalysis of a certain nemesis that would come in handy when Superman has to deal with the same type of threat?” I felt like it was another case of telling us what was going on than showing us. The set-up with the volunteers was great to show a particular point: the villain is cruel and that guy was truly a hero. But there should have been hints at this too that would help the reader accept it and feel those tiny pieces of information fall into place. Instead, we get an opening transcript from Lois Lane about people feeling better. I’m all about what is revealed, but the process and way it was presented was lacking. That disappoints because I felt it had/has potential.


But not all the dialogue and flow of the story is off. There are sincere moments between Bruce and Clark that are written well. There is an element of danger that feels honest and not contrived. One page in particular really shows the potential for danger that is headed Superman’s way. I really want to see the next issue, so that is a plus for sure.

Recommended if:

• You want to see a Batman/Superman issue with good artwork again.
• You think there’s nothing better than the dualities between Batman and Superman.
• You’re looking to start this series. It’s a great place to pick it up.

Overall:
I am thrilled to see Syaf’s artwork. I like the overall direction this arc looks like it’s taking us. I feel like the last quarter of the book had more potential than was recognized, at least in the writing department, though the rest of the book made up for it. It’s a good first chapter in a new story arc. I’d recommend it.

Get full review from Batman News here

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Axis: Carnage #2 Review

The Good

AXIS: CARNAGE #1 was really funny. Watching Carnage -- one of the most heartless and violent villains in the Marvel Universe -- fight his desire to slaughter innocents and instead force himself to do the right thing -- or at least try to -- was consistently entertaining and hilarious. But can that same joke still deliver laughs in the second chapter? Thankfully, the answer is a very clear yes. AXIS: CARNAGE #2 is just as fun as the debut issue and had me cracking up a handful of times.

There's so much goofiness to enjoy and a few gags made me burst into laughter. From reworking his origin story so it's more fitting for a hero to the way he interacts with others, observing this new Carnage is such a twisted and good time. Two bits that gave me especially big laughs were Carnage's handling of a bank robbery ("Taking a victory lap, babe!") and the clever handling of the cliffhanger. Carnage as a villain tends to be hit or miss, but Carnage attempting to be a hero? It's such a good time when Rick Spears is writing.

The Bad
When a scene revolves around Carnage, it's great stuff. But if the focus isn't on Carnage, it's just not as engaging or interesting. The plot with this new Sin-Eater is slowly unraveling and it just isn't as gripping or entertaining as the rest of the issue. Obviously it doesn't need to be all comedy all the time, but the terrific writing with Cletus just makes the rest of the material feel way less interesting and will leave you anxious to return to the psychotic symbiote. As for the plot, you shouldn't really go in expecting anything other than pure fun. The insight into Cletus is cool, but there isn't really anything compelling -- the focus is clearly just on keeping readers smiling.
Minor gripe: He couldn't use a tendril to grab onto the car in the final scene.

The Verdict
AXIS: CARNAGE is legitimately hilarious and so much fun. Yes, the plot isn't anything special and the time away from Carnage makes you wish you never left the maniacal symbiote's side, but when we are observing Carnage, it's such a good time and full of amazing silliness. This may not have the level of the blood and darkness you'd expect from a Carnage story, but it more than makes up for that with some excellent comedy as we watch Carnage put in one very awkward situation after another. When all is said and done, you know Carnage will eventually go back to his old ways, but this limited series sure is making me wish that won't happen any time soon.

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Avengers World #15 Review

With "AXIS" in full tilt, there comes a day unlike any other, when Earth's Mightiest Heroes were united against a common threat -- except they are that threat. The Avengers as the world knows them are missing and the ones left in public sight aren't exactly performing feats of heroic daring-do. Thus, the writing duo of Nick Spencer and Frank Barbiere use "Avengers World" #15 to recruit a handful of characters to serve as Avengers.

The catch is those newly-minted Avengers are less than famous, despite the fact that at least two of them have been Avengers before. The story itself is front-loaded, with Doctor Doom explaining the Inversion, his new mission and his plan to Valeria Richards through the opening pages of "Avengers World" #15. That digression is compounded when Valeria takes Doom's plan to S.H.I.E.L.D., which affords Spencer and Barbiere the opportunity to infuse some humor at the rest of the issue yet to unfold. Valeria has always been a tough nut to crack, and her words and deeds in this adventure certainly make it easy for readers to lose sight of her youth, especially by the end of this comic book.

"Avengers World" #15 promises to be another comic book that features the charming gathering of the heroes, but a lackluster collection of characters is all that's left. This is definitely a story that needs "AXIS" to exist. Once the Inversion is explained, the writers provide some clues as to what is to come, but "Avengers World" #15 has a completely open ending since no one missed these "Avengers" before now, and they all appear somewhat expendable in this story. Couple that with a significant threat and Spencer and Barbiere give readers a suspense-filled book with high stakes in which anything can happen. After all, Doctor Doom is one of the good guys here.

Get the full review from Comic Book Resources here

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Avengers & X-Men: Axis #6 Review

If you were hoping for Avengers & X-Men: Axis to suddenly get better, then keep hoping. Between the creators and the concept, there was certainly a lot of potential in this event, but it has not lived up to it. Red Skull obtaining the power of a god, Apocalypse returning, the Avengers and X-Men going crazy evil, and Marvel’s villains going crazy good -- it could have been an intriguing exploration of the concept of good and evil focused around the years-spanning story of young Evan/Genesis. Yet we’re left with a story that jumps around to different characters behaving cartoonishly opposite of who they truly are without a strong narrative to make it all gel together.

More than anything, Axis feels like it exists to set up stories in other tie-in comics. That’s been a longstanding complaint about event comics, namely because it makes the core series a hollow outline that can only be filled in by purchasing a slew of tie-in comics. A nine-part event is expensive enough without all that business.

Issue #6 is full of scenarios that could have been interesting, but ultimately fell flat. Rogue and Nightcrawler greeting Mystique; Daredevil confronting jerk Iron Man; Scarlet Witch finally attacking Dr. Doom for wrecking her life; Loki reaching a helping hand out to Thor; Sabretooth acting like Wolverine. These are cool interactions that any Marvel fan would be eager to see -- except Asgardian one, because what about Thor makes gambling his most evil desire? -- yet they wind up having little meat on the bone. Really, those scenes just serve to round everyone up for that final group shot -- a group shot that should have been cool except for the fact that half the characters haven’t played much of a role, if any, in Axis. Remember when Iron Man and company assembled the Thunderbolts in Civil War? Now that was a group shot.

The Verdict
Avengers & X-Men: Axis succumbs to the flaws of event comics, leaving us with a hollow story that never gets to dig in to deliver the good stuff. The quality of the artwork is solid overall, but there are a few noticeable issues. Axis is bittersweet in that It’s a story that longtime Marvel readers have been dying for yet will find hard to be satisfied by.

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Avengers #38 Review

One of the weirdly cool things about this Avengers title specifically during this Time Runs Out storyline, is that you actually don’t have any idea where Hickman is going to put the spotlight at from issue to issue. Whenever I expect we’ll get the (former) Avengers traveling to the origin point of the Incursion disaster, we get S.H.I.E.L.D. chasing the Illuminati.

When I think we’re going to get more S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff, we get A.I.M. and what they plan to do in rebuilding the Avengers. I’m sure the lateral movements may prove a little fatiguing in time, but for now, I’m enjoying the wide angle on this story. I mean, there are like 2000 active Avengers characters at this point.

Make no mistake, this a chatty ass issue with basically no action and all dialogue, but it is at least, pretty interesting. There are about three different backdoor conversations being had as the incursions are out in the open and now on the table for everyone’s theories. Everybody seems to have a mole of some sort and who knows who will ultimately be betrayed and who might benefit most from the double dealing. The inclusion of Scott Summers was nice and a welcome wildcard into this issue too…as if we didn’t have enough tennis balls to keep our eyes on. But you know what the comic book gospel is, Hickman never gives us more than we can handle.

The art is on point for this one too. The pencils in particular are clean and accommodating for the straight forward structure, yet complex maneuverings of this issue.

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Amazing Spider-Man #10 Review

The GoodThe most fascinating thing about this book isn't the Morlun family killing off Spider-Folk from different worlds. It's the fact Peter Parker and Superior Spider-Man have come face-to-face. In addition, Miles and Peter are reunited as well (SPIDER-MEN fans start cheering now). If you were a fan of SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN, then this is the moment you've been waiting for, since he was knocked out of time.

The real purpose of this issue is to bring the team with the 616 Peter Parker and the Superior Spider-Man team together. Also, it's an excuse to see ALL the Spider-folks take on some of the Morlun clan. Does the issue deliver an immense amount of action that has excitement, suspense, and some touching moments? Well, that's a rhetorical question. Of course it does. It's almost overwhelming how fast this issue moves, even though it's packed to the gills with dialogue.

What's been great about Spider-Verse, and this issue especially, is that it's a lot of fun fan service, which is normally something I'm not a fan of. It's obvious that Dan Slott loves the character and the history of the character. We get to see so many different Spider-folk and most importantly, this book is just a ton of fun. Better yet, it's a ton of fun and tells an interesting story.

The Bad
The issue has a lot of action and people coming together, but it feels like something bigger should have happened here. While most of the issue is a joy to read, it feels like something is missing. It may be because the last issue delivered so many revelations and this one delivered so few.

The Verdict
ASM #10 wasn't as big as a hit as issue #9, it still delivers a ton of fun. Dan Slott loves this character and it shows. Yes, at times, it's a fan service book, but that's not such a bad thing in this case because it's involved in a very interesting story, conceptually. Luckily, it's also executed well too, and the art team is top notch. While this issue left me feeling like something was missing, overall, it's an awesome issue and I'm loving this arc.

Get the full review from Comic Vine here
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Marvel November 19, 2014 Releases

Amazing Spider-Man 010 (2014) (Digital) (Darkness-Empire).cbr

Avengers & X-Men - Axis 006 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Avengers 038 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Avengers World 015 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Axis - Carnage 002 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Axis Revolutions 002 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Black Widow 012 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Daredevil 010 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Deadpool 037 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Death of Wolverine - The Weapon X Program 002 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Fantastic Four 013 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Loki Agent of Asgard 008 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Magneto 012 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

New Avengers 026 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

 Spider-Woman #1 (2015) (Scanbro).cbr

The Punisher 012 (2015) (digital) (Minutemen-Spaztastic).cbr

Uncanny X-Men 028 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

X-Force 012 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

DC November 19, 2014 Releases

Batman '66 - The Lost Episode 001 (2015) (digital) (Zone of Ultron-Empire).cbr

Batman - Superman 016 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Batman and Robin 036 (2014) (Digital) (Zone-Empire).cbr

Batman Eternal 033 (2014) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Batwoman 036 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Earth 2 - World's End 007 (2014) (Digital) (ThatGuy-Empire).cbz

Green Lantern - New Guardians 036 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Harley Quinn 012 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Justice League 36 (2015) (Webrip) (Two covers) (The Last Kryptonian-DCP).cbr

Red Hood and the Outlaws 036 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Supergirl 036 (2015) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire).cbr

Superman-Wonder Woman 013 (2015) (2 covers) (digital) (CompetentRipper-Empire).cbr

Teen Titans 004 (2015) (Ol' Joe-DCP).cbr

The Multiversity - Pax Americana 001 (2015) (The Last Kryptonian -DCP).cbr

The New 52 - Futures End 029 (2015) (digital) (CompetentRipper-Empire).cbr

Wonder Woman 036 (2014)(Digital)(ThatGuy-Empire).cbz

Worlds' Finest #28 Review

In Worlds’ Finest #28 we see that Wonder Woman has been sent to the world of man to protect the young Bruce and Clark from evil forces that might kill them before they become the heroes we all know.

Like the last issue we get to see more of what Earth 2 was like back before the first Apokolips war. While the last issue focused more on Superman, this issue gave more time to the rest of the cast. We learn quickly learn that the Batman scenes are starting to make sense with each issue along with that we haven’t seen the last of the villain Intri. I think what really sold me on this issue was Wonder Woman herself. She didn’t get much backstory in the Earth 2 universe other then her death and the reveal of her daughter Fury. So it was nice to see what she was like back then and how she became a super hero of that particular universe.

After reading Worlds’ Finest #28 I have to say that Levitz really knows how to write Wonder Woman. It’s one of those times were after reading one issue that I’m invested in her character and want to see more of her stories.  It shows that it’s more than just a Superman and Batman story and that I want to see more characters in the next issues of Worlds’ Finest to come if they’re going to be well written as her.

The villain of this little story arc is called Intri. Intri is a  being from Apokolips who is tasked to bring Superman for her master. It looks like she’s not going to give up after one issue of Worlds’ Finest. The way she tries to interfere in Clark’s life is interesting to see how her actions lead to Superman becoming a hero. She’s one of the few new characters in New 52 to be apart of the New Gods. Unlike Kayo (another New God) Intri’s design makes it look like she could have been designed by Jack Kirby.

I highly recommend Worlds’ Finest #28 for fans of Earth 2 or just looking a comic where Wonder Woman is a bad ass. You can enjoy this if you just jumped into the series at this point because there really isn’t any backstory to cover that Worlds’ Finest #28 hasn’t already done to keep readers ahead. The secret history of Earth 2 is getting very interesting and can’t be missed.

Get full review from Geeked Out Nation here

The New 52: Futures End #28

Lois is leaping! Faraday and Fifty Sue are featured! Batman beats Batman! Madison is missing! These are all alliterated sentences that are both true and over-hyped. Yes, over-hyped. You see that cover above these words? Do you know where my level of Futures End excitement was at when I laid eyes on it? Up to here (I’m pointing at my forehead…this is really high). The reason why the excitement rose so much was because, as my grandparents would say, there’s no “hem hawing” around about it: Bruce and Terry are here to do business. But now I’ve read it. And while this issue is not the worst piece of mass produced art I’ve ever held, it’s certainly far from the best.

Cadmus Island — Lois took her “leap of faith” last issue. This issue: she lands. As we all knew would happen, she landed on Cadmus. She is confronted by an OMAC that she runs away from rather easily. As she’s running away from the second OMAC, she stumbles upon something she recognizes again rather easily: herself as Earth 2’s Red Tornado. It may be one of the more simpler sections but this is one of the better sections artistically in this issue. Andy MacDonald’s artwork throughout this issue, while not un-followable, is meager at best. It is understandable that characters will look different when illustrated by different artists, but “different” doesn’t seem like the case here. Fifty Sue has the face of a forty-year old, Faraday looks to be a teenager who’s been mauled by a dog, the fight and flight scenes we see later feel disjointed, and much of the panel layouts seem very rushed. We get a sense of where the story is headed, but did I enjoy watching it unfold? Not really. The best scene we get to see (and I’m not being too biased here) is that Ryan Sook cover with Bruce and Terry. Good golly that’s a ballin’ cover.*

Las Vegas — This is the first scene in this entire series that features Faraday and the Voodoo bunch that actually makes sense –at least on the first pass. Faraday and Rock are discussing Brother Eye. Rock has a hard time understanding everything and for our benefit he throws questions at Faraday. What gets rehashed and discussed? Fifty Sue has the power of a god. Banger and Mash are still a thing. Everyone did stuff in the war that they regret. There are ten super villains to every living super hero. Faraday had a major hand in creating Fifty Sue while he was looking for a cure for super powers. Rehash and discuss. Oh and yeah, in walks Fifty Sue out of no where to rag on Slade. Her comparison of herself and Slade with Batman and Robin only says to me that there will be some sort of story line in the future where Batman and Robin prove their devotedness to one another. Seems like theme-seed planting to me. Regardless, Fifty Sue wants a team to go and take back Cadmus and kill Deathstroke. Thank goodness Rock just assembled a weirdo team a few issues back!

New York City — We pick up after Bruce and Terry’s initial meeting when Plastique rolled one of her bombs in the room on them. Tim’s apartment above the Wounded Duck is on fire and Terry escapes out of the window with Bruce Bats in tow. The whole scene looks goofy. I mean, I get it and all, but it looks like a missed opportunity visually. The writers gave ample opportunity to show some smart action here and what we get just comes up short in my opinion. Very little dialogue allowed the space and the subject provided content. Too bad. The only thing we have here is Terry escaping with Plastique.
Elsewhere in New York — Tim (as Cal) approaches Ronnie for help finding Madison. Ronnie is cool about it and tells him to ask Jason. Tim goes to find Jason with Ronnie behind him volunteering to help find her too.

Else-Elsewhere in New York — Jason goes to Dr. Yamazake’s apartment to apologize “about…you know…Firestorm.” Weird. He hears voices behind the door so he does what anyone in that situation would do: bust down the doctor’s door to save him. He unfortunately finds a TV set on a loop repeat of the televised death of Dr. Yamazake’s wife’s death in a burning building. I’ve been saying it and surely you’ve noticed: Dr. Yamazake is cray-cray, bae.** About the time we see his oddity on display, we see him drag Madison into the teleporter device to test it on a human subject. I have severe qualms with this, not even on the level of the flow and story, but of practicality. It’s nonsense really, so into a spoiler tag it goes.

Recommended if:

You don’t mind another fairly uneventful build-up issue to stay abreast of the Futures End situation.
Convergence makes you excited because surely that’s where this series will be headed.
You don’t mind getting your hopes up by that cool cover.

Overall:

I don’t need huge consequences in order to appreciate a comic, nor do I need “blow me away” art. Unfortunately, this issue brings neither to the table. If this comic were food, it would be ice cream that’s sat in a bowl on the kitchen counter for three hours and is now all melted into some aerated warm creamy un-goodness. It wasn’t going to be nutritional, but it could have been fun to eat. This issue wasn’t gonna move mountains but it could have been fun to look at.


Get full review from Batman News here

New Suicide Squad #4 Review

I’m ok with the fact that this is an action book. I think a fast paced, action filled narrative is a smart approach to Suicide Squad. Clearly, you will sacrifice some of the emotional depth that helps ground stories, but if the action is smart and done well, then it will still be entertaining. Unfortunately, here, the action isn’t done well. More than half of the book is of Harley and Black Manta taking out Russian soldiers, and eventually fighting Deathstroke… and all of it looks cheesy. It’s over-the-top, unrealistic, cartoony action. And to be clear, the words “suicide squad” and “cartoony action” should not be in the same sentence. Imagine watching a Batman film where all of the action scenes haven’t been completely choreographed, and are filmed by stuntmen that aren’t trained. That’s what this book looks like! And for a book that relies so heavily on action, that’s a big problem.

I then realized that the action is also why I’ve had so much trouble reviewing the past two issues. Unless I provide a play by play of assault tactics, there’s not really much to talk about. I mean, I could take the time to write out the sequences (probably in a more entertaining fashion than Hunter draws it), but that would defeat the purpose of buying the book. But I don’t want to say that the book itself is bad, because I think it is actually decent. Hunter’s art just destroys what should be the best part of each issue.

The pacing is also a slight problem. Essentially everything that has happened in four issues (over five months), has all taken place within 24 hours in the story. This is going to create a better read once the arc is collected in a trade, and will fix some of my frustrations. But reading an issue each month really kills the momentum. Factor in the Waller/ Sage storyline that is more annoying than interesting, and an average plot with poor characterization, and you find yourself wondering what the difference is between Suicide Squad and New Suicide Squad. That’s never a good sign so early into the creative change.

Recommended if:

You want to see Deathstroke finally do something.
You love reading banter between Deadshot and Deathstroke.
You wonder what it would look like if your nephew drew a comic book.

Overall: I’m not providing a “good” and “bad” section, because most of what is available to call attention to without ruining any plot points in this story are listed above. If you’re looking for an average adventure with “familiar” characters, then go ahead and pick up the issue. I’m warning you though, the art is going to leave you disappointed and craving something better.


Get full review from Batman News here

Free Comics

Justice League United #6 Review

This issue continues “The Infinitus Saga” from last month’s annual. The story improves now that Jeff Lemire is able to move past the exposition overload of the first chapter and focus more on the elements that work - epic action and memorable character dynamics.

The bonding between Equinox and Ultra stands out as especially strong. It also helps that the divided halves of the story are coming together, helping the series achieve a more cohesive feel finally. Neil Edwards also proves to be a great fit for the book thanks to his detailed, cinematic storytelling. Edwards’ pencils aren’t always as consistent as I’d like, but he shows a great talent for rendering classical superhero action and emotional facial work.

Get full review from IGN here

Green Lantern Corps #36 Review

If the theme of GodHead's first act was establishing the superiority of the New Gods then the second act so far seems to be about making the event more personal.  Last week's Green Lantern #36 built itself around the relationship between Sinestro and Hal Jordan with the former pointing out how the latter has allowed his new role as Corps Leader to change what makes Jordan the greatest Green Lantern.  This week in Green Lantern Corps #36 it gets personal for John Stewart when the New Gods bring the conflict to the Star Sapphires, forcing John to quickly come to terms with recent events between Yrra and himself when duty calls for him to intercede.

While Lady Shadowfall and her troops from New Genesis invade Zamoran the lanterns set up shop on Qward where Sinestro takes the opportunity to throw Hal under the bus for going off to enlist Black Hand into their forces.  Writer Van Jensen uses the scene to good effect, having John provide a suitable response and establishing that this rag-tag group is by no means united and the seeds of distrust could lead to defeat if all involved cannot move past their checkered histories.  Jensen also mines recent Green Lantern history and returns the Weaponer of Qward to the forefront, providing some great character moments for him while using his unique skill set to provide at least a momentary advantage in the coming conflict - weapons fueled by some of the energy of the White Lantern.

Jensen also uses Soranik Natu to great effect, probing beneath the surface of John's psyche a little to elicit an emotional response from Stewart which helps to define how deeply effected he is by what he perceives as manipulation by the Star Sapphires.  It sets up an emotional dilemma for John when it comes time to enter the fray and it flairs up against like and exposed nerve when Lady Shadowfall's tactics call for a rather unique and unexpected strategy.  The dialogue between John and the Zamoran Queen also reveals a glimmer of hope for John when it's revealed that their rings don't create love but rather they enhance a love that already exists.

This leads to the issue's climax, with John becoming the first real male Star Sapphire and Lady Shadowfall revealing that the ring bearers are unknowingly being herded so that they can be reborn as soldiers for Highfather and the New Gods.  That's an interesting plan if it's part of Highfather's strategy although it may undermine a little the view of the leader of New Genesis as a benevolent ruler with the best intentions for the multiverse.

Green Lantern Corps #36 is an entertaining issue, tying the recent events in the series to the GodHead event in order to make this sprawling story a bit more personal.  Van Jensen, Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo create the first male Star Sapphire and return a fan favorite character back to the spotlight.  Despite a few artistic bumps in the road the issue is a visual treat, earning four out of five lanterns.

Get full review from Blog of OA here

Thor #2 Review

Though "Thor" #1 was a fine preview, "Thor" #2 is clearly the main event. Now untethered from her predecessor's story, the Goddess of Thunder is off on a classic Asgardian adventure. With giant-slaying, flights to the moon and showdowns with evil corporation Roxxon, this issue is a whole lot of tremendous, thunderous fun. Jason Aaron's nonstop script and Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson's rousing, creative action scenes show that the new Thor is just as entertaining as the old.

Dauterman draws his heroine with ferocious momentum, always either smashing and whirling or gearing up to. Careening through space, crashing into ice or calling down the lightning, she hits all the classic Thor poses. It's clear that Dauterman enjoys the visual language of the Thor canon, and the poses feel organic and exuberant. He and Wilson also have fun with the physics and physicality of Mjolnir, and everything from the page layouts to the coloring shows a thoughtful, playful portrayal of that very unique fighting style. This isn't as roaringly epic as Aaron's previous "Thor" run, but the team produces magical, muscular fight scenes.

The team's creative integration of onomatopoeia is particularly inspired. When Thor tears through a gang of Frost Giants using Mjolnir, her looping course is mapped out with stretched, spiky words -- "krunch," "kraaak" and "kkrroom" -- instead of simple lines. When she lands in the frozen Pacific, the cracks in the ice spell out "thooom." Not only does this lettering-as-landscape effect emphasize the physicality and force of Thor, but it makes clever use of the medium. Since everything in comics is written out, sound effects are technically concrete objects just like the rest of the panel - so why not make that explicit?

Jason Aaron's script is speedy and to-the-point, like its heroine. He handles the many plot elements neatly, and while he doesn't take much time for emotional or thematic beats, the action is so efficient and enjoyable that I didn't mind. This is an issue about the new Goddess of Thunder exercising and understanding her powers, and that's development enough at this stage.

Providing another hint to the Goddess of Thunder's identity, Aaron gives her a rather Midgardian internal monologue. Aloud, she says "How art thou supposed to steer?" but she thinks, "You throw it as hard as you can." Generally, this stream of thoughts is an amiable, excited companion to her dialogue, but sometimes it only serves to downplay her power. When she cries, "I am the Goddess of Thunder!" and it's followed by the self-doubting "I am? Holy crap", that thought bubble only serves to deflate the moment. It's neither humorous nor relatable, and I couldn't figure out why it was there -- especially in a book like this. When writing the female version of a male character, a project that's inevitably dogged by accusations of imitation, it's best not to give the character herself "imposter syndrome." If she is the Thor of the Marvel Universe, let her be. (If there's one thing Thor is, it's confident.)

Get the full review from Comic Book Resources

Superior Iron Man #1 Review

Apparently set after the events of AXIS was born a Superior Iron Man with a Tony Stark that has the ego and drive which had once only been born of his love of alcohol in his youth. Long purged from his system, the weapon creator turned weapon hero has long kept himself as a futurist and now that thought remains, only in a very non-Tony form. The booze is back and so is his love for scantily clad women and doing everything in a an overly egotistical Tony-is-the-only-thing-that-matters way. He’s loosened his view on Extremis and has not only created a new version of Extremis but has given it freely to the public in San Francisco.

Well, maybe that’s not exactly what has happened.

Tom Taylor’s take on Tony Stark is going to piss off a lot of people and that really is the point. This is the ‘opposite’ of Tony Stark that emerged from the currently ongoing AXIS event even though many aspects of his personality may seem familiar to long term readers. Alcoholic? Check. Pure capitalist? Check. Womanizer? Check. Person who is willing to put his profits above everything else? Check. There’s a lot of the very old Tony Stark showing up here and Taylor clearly has a grasp of what parts of Tony we love and what parts which we’d hate if they were in place when he was young. Taylor has a history of taking heroes and making them unheroic from his time in DC and that trait shines through wonderfully here.

I was initially thinking that a complete 180 on Tony Stark was going to come off as badly written and a bad idea. The way the first issue has presented it though really does work. The only reason I’m not super happy is that it takes place after the events of AXIS so it would appear that we may have a couple spoiler hints coming up. Still, a fun read and an interesting direction to take the character in which makes us wonder how they’ll end up redeeming him and how long that will take.

Get the full review from Science Fiction here

Spider-Verse #1 Review

Marvel has a really bad habit of giving their event tie-ins confusing and redundant titles. Spider-Verse is the name of the overarching crossover that just kicked off last week in Amazing Spider-Man #9. It's spawning a number of spinoffs and tie-in comics, one of which is also called Spider-Verse. Because reasons.

All you really need to know about this particular tie-in is that it's an anthology book that focuses on various versions of Spidey from throughout the multiverse. Some of these tales offer origin stories, while others showcase how a particular Spider-Person is recruited by the growing resistance against Morlun's family. Essentially, there's no difference between this series and the recent Edge of Spider-Verse comic except for the focus on shorter vignettes over full-length stories. What matters is that the same charm and sense of adventure is still present.

Spider-Verse #1 features six different story segments. Three of these are shorter, humorous little tales from Amazing Spider-man writer Dan Slott and various artists, while the other three are slightly longer and more in-depth. Fans of the Mangaverse Spider-Man will be pleased to see that Peter Parker return. Unfortunately, creator Kaare Andrews isn't present. Instead, writer Skottie Young and artist Jake Andrews continue this Spider-Man's story one year after his last adventure. This segment proves to be the one real weak link in the issue. Young goes through a lot of effort in sending Peter on a journey to confront his heritage, only for it not to matter much in the end. The art style is also underwhelming, coming across as more Avatar: The Last Airbender-lite than something truly manga-inspired.

THE VERDICT

Spider-Verse #1 doesn't deviate from the format of previous tie-ins. It doesn't even contribute much to the larger Spider-Verse conflict. But it does offer a fun selection of stories that play with the familiar Spider-man mythology in new and interesting ways. The three core features are balanced out with some delightfully twisted short stories from Slott, leading to a well-rounded Spider-package.


Get full review from IGN here

Silver Surfer #7 Review

You ever watch a TV show and come across a “clip-show” episode? That’s what this issue of Silver Surfer feels like, as the Surfer and Toomie reflect on their adventures with Dawn Greenwood. Thankfully, Slott and Allred use this issue to demonstrate the fun of the series and show what makes it so great.

I’ve personally loved this series so far, mostly due to the heavy Doctor Who influence working perfectly with this series. Each issue is full of fun, adventure and loveable characters and this is very much on display in this issue. Slott packs this issue with ridiculously crazy scenarios which showcase a great imagination and demonstrate the kind of hijinks that make me love this series. My only major gripe with this model is that towards the end the story begins to get a bit repetitive and I was hoping we could get back to solving the main conflict.

What helps carry the issue when it starts to get repetitive is the great characterisation present. It really says something when even Silver Surfer’s board manages to have a character in and of itself. I already mentioned the Doctor Who connection, and nowhere is it more present than in Dawn and the Surfer’s interaction. Dawn would make the perfect companion for the show as a fun loving traveling companion who manages to provide a human link for the reader to the very alien Surfer. It’s a fun dynamic that gives the issue a real heart and keeps things light and enjoyable.

Overall, while the pacing of this issue was a little stranger than the previous issues, it managed to perfectly encapsulate what makes this series so fun. Slott and the Allreds are working perfectly in sync on this series and have maintained a high of quality since the first issue. This series is just pure fun and easily accessible to new readers, I highly recommend jumping in!


Get full review from We The Nerdy here

Savage Hulk #6 Review

With Marvel spinning the upcoming Jim Starlin arc into its own mini-series, this looks to be the series finale for Savage Hulk. This issue is actually more of a showcase for Doctor Strange than Hulk, but really, who is in greater need of the exposure right now?

Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko effectively build on a classic Hulk storyline and give Strange the opportunity to test his mettle against an unusual opponent as Hulk becomes more of a background player. As with pretty much any story arc in these “Savage” titles, the art is the primary draw at the end of the day. It’s great to see Hardman tackling the Hulk again. His style channels Hulk’s Silver Age monster roots and the character’s Bronze Age period in equal measure. The resulting effect is moody and very much unlike any Hulk-centric story you’ll find on the stands these days.

Get full review from IGN here

Nightcrawler #8 Review

Nightcrawler gets a distress call from Bloody Bess and teleports to help her. Apparently, they're great friends now and even have romantic tension. They kiss twice in this issue alone...

Anyway, the Crimson Pirates were on a mission to retrieve the female member of the Omega Clan from stasis and all of them got infected by Shadow King except for Bess, thanks to her psychic defenses.

The two run around the West China Desert, fighting off the mind-controlled pirates and the Shadow King.Some pretty good action scenes. The rest of the X-Men show up, instantly get taken over by Shadow King and Nightcrawler prepares to fight them.

Pretty boring stuff. Shadow King is such a bland villain, every story with him feels the same and the fact that he took over the likes of Psylocke and Rachel Grey instantly yet he's unable to take over Bloody Bess is lazy writing.

Still, art is nice and the action is fun.

Get full review from Comic Book Resources here