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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 14:33:13 GMT -5
 Script by Mark Russell. Art by Rick Leonardi and Scott Hanna. Cover by Carlos D'Anda. The Great Gazoo writes his report on the human race for his superiors. I was on the verge of dropping the title. Russell's scripts were starting to be too preachy & too heavy handed. However with this issue he has "softened" his approach. Having Gazoo report on the human race was a good idea. Basically he doesn't see the human race succeeding because he only sees our negative qualities. But Fred shows the positive side of humanity by rescuing a new worker at the quarry even though he may be hurt/killed himself. Good stuff! It was nice to see Leonardi's art again. It was perfect for this story. Score: 8/10. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 14:44:48 GMT -5
 Script by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. Art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. Cover by Andrew Robinson. Multiplicity. Beings called themselves the Gatherers are capturing Supermen from across the multiverse. However this Superman is NOT one of the Supermen they are looking for. Hmmm... The book switches focus from Superdad to a mystery involving the various Supermen spread across the multiverse on the various Earths. I like this. I am intrigued to see why this Superman is different & unique from the rest. Great use of the multiverse concept. And Reis & Prado turn in their usual top quality art. Score: 9/10. My favorite of the week. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 14:55:37 GMT -5
 Written by Jason Aaron. Art by Kim Jacinto and Oliver Coipel. Cover by Olivier Coipel. Odinson finally breaks free of the prison of the Collector & goes after the hammer of Ultimate Thor. The issue felt a little redundant as Odinson breaks free several times & is recaptured. By the end he has broken free yet again but this time he cleans himself up & partners with Beta Ray Bill before attempting to claim Ultimate Thor's hammer. As has been mentioned this issue felt like filler to make a 4 part story into 5 parts. I can forgive that some since it is always cool to see Odinson in fights. One of his better qualities is his persistence. The art did not suffer despite Coipel not doing the full art. Here's hoping this mini series concludes with Odinson becoming worthy again & getting an ongoing series. Score: 7/10. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 5, 2017 15:05:19 GMT -5
 Written by Tim Seeley. Art and Cover by Marcus To. Dick Grayson continues his "new" life in Bludhaven. As Dick he works with teens at the Community Center. As Nightwing he tries to make "friends" within the police dept. And he starts to earn the trust of ex-villains called the Run-Offs. As a team they go up against the Orca! Returning Nightwing to Bludhaven has caused this book to become so much better. He is his own person here. He is no longer Batman lite. He is his own distinct identity. Seeley shows the qualities that make Dick my favorite hero. In many ways he is more balanced & interesting than Batman. Marcus To continues to astound me on the art. He captures Nightwing's movements so well. I will be disappointed when he leaves this book to draw the next volume of Capt Canuck. Keep Nightwing in Bludhaven! Score: 8/10.Orca has to be one of the goofiest Batman villains out there. I don't know why I find her more ridiculous than say Killer Croc...but I do. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 15:11:30 GMT -5
Orca has to be one of the goofiest Batman villains out there. I don't know why I find her more ridiculous than say Killer Croc...but I do. Ha! I know. Batman has some of the greatest villains but also some of the goofiest. Oh well Seeley made her work in this story. |
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Post by The Cheat on Jan 5, 2017 16:22:01 GMT -5
Rise of the Black Flame #5Written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson Art by Christopher Mitten Colored by Dave Stewart Summary: The team arrives at the temple of the black flame...but are they in time?
Plot: If there is one issue I've had with Mignola's work of late it's that I often feel like his endings seem to miss their marks ever so slightly and although this final issue is more satisfying than say the end of Abe Sapian it did leave me feeling slightly wanting. The strength of this series up until this point was that it really made you care about these unknown characters and took great care in building them up but in the conclusion they are total nonentities in the face of establishing the temple, a brief action scene and then the birth of the titular Black Flame which really flew in the face of the beautiful character moments that dominated the rest of the series. While I knew the ending from the start, as it takes place only a short while befor the Black Flame's appearance in Lobster Johnson it wasn't that foreknowledge that ruined it as that kind of inevitability is to be expected in a prequel but rather it was the fact that there was no big reveal other than that transformation we already saw coming, we didn't really gain any real insight into the Black Flame so I was left wondering what was the point?
Art: Man, what I really loved about Mitten's art in this issue was the real sense of place he imbued on this story. The panels and spreads he spent on showcasing the jungle, the exterior of the temple and the ceremony room itself were absolutely stunning and gave you a feeling that you were really there.
Grade: 7/10 Anyone else get a Jei/Keiko (from Usagi) vibe at the end? The brooding evil with the chirpy female companion. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 5, 2017 16:23:47 GMT -5
Rise of the Black Flame #5Written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson Art by Christopher Mitten Colored by Dave Stewart Summary: The team arrives at the temple of the black flame...but are they in time?
Plot: If there is one issue I've had with Mignola's work of late it's that I often feel like his endings seem to miss their marks ever so slightly and although this final issue is more satisfying than say the end of Abe Sapian it did leave me feeling slightly wanting. The strength of this series up until this point was that it really made you care about these unknown characters and took great care in building them up but in the conclusion they are total nonentities in the face of establishing the temple, a brief action scene and then the birth of the titular Black Flame which really flew in the face of the beautiful character moments that dominated the rest of the series. While I knew the ending from the start, as it takes place only a short while befor the Black Flame's appearance in Lobster Johnson it wasn't that foreknowledge that ruined it as that kind of inevitability is to be expected in a prequel but rather it was the fact that there was no big reveal other than that transformation we already saw coming, we didn't really gain any real insight into the Black Flame so I was left wondering what was the point?
Art: Man, what I really loved about Mitten's art in this issue was the real sense of place he imbued on this story. The panels and spreads he spent on showcasing the jungle, the exterior of the temple and the ceremony room itself were absolutely stunning and gave you a feeling that you were really there.
Grade: 7/10 Anyone else get a Jei/Keiko (from Usagi) vibe at the end? The brooding evil with the chirpy female companion. I didn't make that connection when I read it but now that you've mentioned it I think that's all I'm going to be able to see now. |
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Post by String on Jan 5, 2017 19:45:29 GMT -5
Mickey Mouse #16  Written by Andrea "Casty" Castellan Art by Lorenzo Pastrovicchio Colored by Disney Italia with Nicole and Travis Seitler Summary: A Russ Manning-inspired future city with rogue robots run amok, and it looks like only Mickey can stop them.
Plot: While not one of Casty's stronger scripts, the story thus far is really a series of homages, from (most clearly) Russ Manning's Magnus Robot Fighter and Isaac Asimov's I Robot, to (in a more limited fashion) John Favreau's Iron Man and James Cameron's The Terminator. The whole thing is set up to be a visual feast with a compelling mystery at the center of it, but believable characterization and tight plotting clearly weren't priorities this time. Knowing Casty, his exploration of Asimov's Three Laws will get more compelling and better developed in the second installment, and that, in and of itself, will make this journey worth the while..
Art: In an unusual choice, Casty doesn't do his own art this time. While I miss his technique, Lorenzo Pastrovicchio still manages to provide tremendous beauty and dynamic action to his panels, and the coloring enhances it a thousand-fold. Casty is still better, but this is a very suitable substitute..
Grade: 8/10
I added this title along with Uncle Scrooge to my pull list at my local LCS. I should receive it in my latest shipment over this upcoming weekend so it's good to see your positive review. It makes me more intrigued to read it now. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 20:41:38 GMT -5
Right Now, I'm stuck at home with a deep chill and can't wait until January 2017 to warm up. I'm thinking of getting DC Comics's Superman based on @mrjupiter & md62 comments on this thread along with IDW's Mickey Mouse too. And, from Dynamite Comics the return of Ramona Fradon, The Shadow, Lady Rawhide, Lady Rawhide & Lady Zorro, and Lady Zorro too. Plus Lone Ranger too. That's the total of 7 titles right there from Dynamite Comics. Of course keep getting Batman 66 and Wonder Woman 77 as they scheduled arrive at my home. That's 10 Titles altogether. I will have these ship at my home. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 6, 2017 20:02:13 GMT -5
Right Now, I'm stuck at home with a deep chill and can't wait until January 2017 to warm up. I'm thinking of getting DC Comics's Superman based on @mrjupiter & md62 comments on this thread along with IDW's Mickey Mouse too. And, from Dynamite Comics the return of Ramona Fradon, The Shadow, Lady Rawhide, Lady Rawhide & Lady Zorro, and Lady Zorro too. Plus Lone Ranger too. That's the total of 7 titles right there from Dynamite Comics. Of course keep getting Batman 66 and Wonder Woman 77 as they scheduled arrive at my home. That's 10 Titles altogether. I will have these ship at my home. Superman is definitely worth picking up Superman, the whole run has been a lot of fun. |
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Post by The Captain on Jan 7, 2017 16:51:44 GMT -5
Captain America: Sam Wilson #17 I've tried. I mean, I've really tried to like this series, but month after month it just disappoints me. While it had never been "terrible", that has changed in the past two issues as Nick Spencer continues to decimate the entire Captain America line at Marvel. This issue may be in the top five worst comic books I have ever read, and for someone who has read as many books as I have in my life, that is truly saying something...something truly sad. As last issue focused on supporting cast member Misty Knight, as she went after the Slug for making explicit videos of super heroines and villainesses using robots (or LMDs or something; it was too depressing to actually make an impression), this issue shines the spotlight on Sam's sidekick, nuFalcon. It starts off with a brief recap of who Joaquin Torres is and how he came to be nuFalcon, then jumps right to the main villain of the series so far, which is a conservative talk show host. Yup, Sam Wilson's biggest nemesis is a TV personality. Said talk show host has a guest on his show, a pretty blonde conservative writer (sensing a trend?) who questions the "open border" policy America has toward superheroes such as Black Panther, Black Widow, and also nuFalcon, who is an illegal immigrant. This pisses young Mr. Torres off, and he goes off half-cocked to confront the "racist nutjob" as she speaks at Empire State University; along the way, he texts Rage to get his fellow minority hero to come along to stop her from "talking all kinds of trash". They arrive and enter the auditorium, where she is being mercilessly booed, and in the middle of her speech, nuFalcon interrupts her to tell her he doesn't like what she's been saying. We then get sob-story background of how his mother brought him to America when he was five and studied English every night with him while holding down two jobs to keep a roof over their heads, and he wants to know why people treat them like criminals for wanting a better life. As he wraps up, they're interrupted by The Bombshells, a group of SJWs with an axe to grind (or explosives to throw, as the case may be). This may be the most pathetic part of the entire book, as they spout lines the like the world hasn't heard since Arnold was tossing out cold-related puns while dressed in a glowing icicle costume. Just a couple of them are "This campus is a safe space! For everyone but you!" and "Consider this your trigger warning" (said as one of them pitches a grenade at Rage). These little snowflakes want to teach the pundit "some tolerance...or else" because "her very presence is damaging to those who have suffered...and for that she's gotta die!" Rage and nuFalcon decide that even though this little group of cosplayers "hate the same person we hate", they have to do the right thing, so they fight. The heroes prevail and Sam shows up to give them kudos, but nuFalcon isn't having any of it. He leaves and Rage goes to follow, but Sam stops him and they have a heart to heart about their positions regarding the Americops before Rage and nuFalcon sign some autographs for the students while Sam waxes poetic about his hope for these future superheroes. The issue ends with Rage breaking up a robbery at a pawn shop being committed by Speed Demon and Man Mountain Marko, only to have him get beaten down by the villains and left behind to be arrested by...the Americops, who arrive at the crime scene late and shoot him in the back. Holy crap on a Saltine cracker, this issue is horrible! I would suspect that Nick Spencer gets his fingers bitten a lot at the pet store, because he is so ham-fisted in his approach to storytelling that he makes '70s porno flicks look like Masterpiece Theater for all of his lack of subtlety and nuance. The story completely ignores the fact that the lady pundit is absolutely correct in her assertion that Joaquin is in the United States illegally and was assisting other individuals entering the country illegally by placing supplies at the border, instead wanting to portray nuFalcon as the victim and the pundit as the villain. Spencer has previously responded to criticism of his work, criticism that identifies his obvious bias against conservatives, by saying that he was going to have progressives as villains in the book as well, but he offers up such weak sauce with this crop that it's laughable; they're not a credible threat, and they're only targeting an individual that is being held up as the real monster in the book. It's parody at its worst, a joke that isn't so much funny as it is sad. If this book were in the hands of someone who didn't have such a see-through agenda and who could actually write compelling and though-provoking stories, Marvel might actually have something. The idea of Captain America dealing with street-level problems facing all Americans, particularly those who are downtrodden or feeling left behind by the rest of the country, could be top-notch storytelling, as it would be something socially relevant, not the same "Cap punches the Red Skull or Baron Zemo" we've seen 100 times before. In Nick Spencer's hands, however, this book is a series of cliches and buzzwords masquerading as a story, all the while he continues to flush the legacy of Captain America, be it Steve Rogers or Sam Wilson, down the toilet. My Grade: 3/10 (0/5 for the story, 3/5 for the art)
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Post by Paste Pot Paul on Jan 8, 2017 16:27:30 GMT -5
Superman
The first book in the new series to interest me, unlike most here Im not won over with the whole superson stuff, havent seen a decent Superboy since the real thing. Ima sucker for alternate universes(or Multiversities) so will be there for the rest even if I have to read that execrable chinese Superman
Nightwing
Huge surprise with how much I liked this, bit wordy, but servicable art. Nice to see Dick back as Nightwing though.
Captain America Sam Wilson
Cant say its the worst comic ever but its not great, or even good. As someone here(the above reviewer maybe) keeps saying, Sam has turned out to be almost utterly ineffectual, and is little more than a support player in his own book(like the other 50 years of his existence). Its bad when watching Misty Knight throw the sheild around is more exciting than the man it belongs to, and how "ham-fisted" was the set up for that to happen.
Aquaman
Enjoying this little run, art is fun, however Atlantis and America at war is getting old fast. How many times now?
Batman
3rd issue in a row Ive read, wasnt too into this creative team, but these last issues have been quite good. I really like the idea of the Batman seeming to try to do things a little differently lately. Now, that art, dear lord that art, Janins work on 12 and 13 is amazing, coolest layouts Ive seen in a long time, just beautiful.
Flintstones
Actually thought this was the weakest book since the start, still havent made up my mind though,its an odd one for sure, too modern with the art and too clever with the writing. I guess theyre hoping for a large nostalgia influence to convince all us old farts to get the book.
Unworthy Thor
Ive been loving Aaron's work on Thor since he started, and this is no exception. Im in for the ride regardless,he hasnt put me wrong yet(well other than the Mjolnir thing, but the less said about that the better).
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Post by String on Jan 10, 2017 10:54:05 GMT -5
U.S.Avengers #1 - Al Ewing along with Paco Medina unveils Sunspot's new iteration of A.I.M (American Idea Mechanics). Taking on a threat by the Secret Empire, Ewing utilizes a nice exposition method of introducing the new (and old) members of the team and gives indications on how this group may interact with each other. A new threat arises as the team finishes out their first outing.
Medina's art is kinetic, ranging from the differing moods of the team to the epic spy scale of the threats this team is supposedly going to face. If you enjoyed the previous volume of this title, then I would believe that you'd enjoy this one as well. Myself, I would only check it out for the continuing focus on the friendship between Sunspot and Cannonball. (I don't get nor understand the appeal of Squirrel Girl). Still,a decent start for what is one of the more unique concept books on Marvel's racks. (And be sure to check out which hero represents your state on the 50 State Initiative cover variants).
Overall grade: 6.5/10
Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #1- This marks the first appearance on Captain Atom since the end of his original Nu52 series. So what has he been doing since? Learning (and failing) to master his new abilities. In fact, a near disaster occurs here when Atom's energy levels discharge violently, threatening both civilian and military lives and even Justice League members Superman, Green Lantern, and Cyborg are hard pressed to contain the situation. Afterwards, Nathan is afraid of his own deadly potential as his mentor Dr. Megala seeks to help him harness his energies. So when his powers again surge wildly out of control, Nathan doesn't resist as he seemingly vanishes in a nuclear obliteration. However, the last page indicates that Nathan's journey may have only truly begun.
I think it was fitting that for this character, DC brought back Cary Bates and Greg Weisman, the architects of Atom's mid 80s title. As Rebirth has done elsewhere, this seems to be an intent to move Atom back to his original form and focus, trapped in a metal coating versus becoming a pure energy being. Bates & Weisman handle the characterization well here, showing Nathan's desire to save others from harm from himself even at the cost of his own survival. Will Conrad's art is very good here in his details and action.
Some have theorized that this mini may shed more light on the underlying Watchmen/DC connection hinted at throughout Rebirth, especially given Atom's Charlton origins and range of powers. That remains to be seen but I'm just glad to see Nathan back under capable writers.
Overall Grade: 8/10
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Post by Dizzy D on Jan 10, 2017 12:22:03 GMT -5
Mini-reviews, because I just didn't get any time lately to do more than a quick read of comics:
Hawkeye #2: Pretty much continues where we left last issue. After the down-to-earth issue last time, the fantastic starts to creep in. I do hope that Kate's sidekick, the computer student she roped into helping her, doesn't turn out to be a bad guy. 8/10
Moonknight #10: The army of artists that has been gracing this title this arc is gone, but Smallwood stands strong on his own. We flashback to Marc's youth, while Mr. Knight moves against his opponent. We still don't know what's real and what's not, but that's not a problem for me on this title. 9/10.
US Avengers #1: Continued from the previous New Avengers, but that was plagued with Ewing's curse (brilliant writer gets paired with terrible artists). Paco Medina is not on my list of favourite artists, but his work is good enough that I'm not turned off by it. By not following the previous series, I've missed a lot I guess. Sunspot has become an American citizen? And he has taken the mantle of Citizen V as well (though he dislikes his new codename). I like Sunspot and Cannonball a lot and they are my main draw for this series. Also the idea of Roberto grabbing control of AIM in a hostile takeover and turning it into a force of good is one I like (especially as he already tried that with the Hellfire Club before). I'm not that familiar with the rest of the team. Squirrel Girl, I know, but Enigma, Iron Patriot (no longer Osborn or James Rhodes, but somebody related to a person in Stark's past) and this Captain America are all new characters to me and I don't think I've read an issue with Red Hulk in it before (maybe as a background character during Aaron's Wolverine and the X-Men issues? I remember his face on a cover.) The last page shows what we can expect of this series in the coming year and I'm interested enough to follow it. Overall I don't like it as much as Ultimates (which has great art that helps it a lot and a concept which appeals to me), but I enjoyed it well enough. 7/10
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Post by String on Jan 17, 2017 19:06:03 GMT -5
Mickey Mouse #16 Written by Andrea "Casty" Castellan Art by Lorenzo Pastrovicchio Colored by Disney Italia with Nicole and Travis Seitler Summary: A Russ Manning-inspired future city with rogue robots run amok, and it looks like only Mickey can stop them.
Plot: While not one of Casty's stronger scripts, the story thus far is really a series of homages, from (most clearly) Russ Manning's Magnus Robot Fighter and Isaac Asimov's I Robot, to (in a more limited fashion) John Favreau's Iron Man and James Cameron's The Terminator. The whole thing is set up to be a visual feast with a compelling mystery at the center of it, but believable characterization and tight plotting clearly weren't priorities this time. Knowing Casty, his exploration of Asimov's Three Laws will get more compelling and better developed in the second installment, and that, in and of itself, will make this journey worth the while..
Art: In an unusual choice, Casty doesn't do his own art this time. While I miss his technique, Lorenzo Pastrovicchio still manages to provide tremendous beauty and dynamic action to his panels, and the coloring enhances it a thousand-fold. Casty is still better, but this is a very suitable substitute..
Grade: 8/10
A very entertaining issue, from the set-up of the futuristic city and it's laws to how Mickey becomes involved in this brewing mystery. I would concur, 8/10 |
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