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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 18, 2020 8:35:20 GMT -5
Real Comic Book Readers, Real Reviews. OFF THE RACKS Liked it, loved it or hated it...what did you read this week? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2020 13:46:51 GMT -5
 Immortal Hulk #40. Written by Al Ewing. Art by Joe Bennett. While this is not the best issue of this run it still had a lot of surprises and twists. First Samson is the new Sasquatch! Gyrich shows up. The Hulk escapes in a horrible grotesque way beautifully illustrated by Bennett. And Joe Fixit takes control. The scene with the Hulk plummeting thru Earth's atmosphere is yet another Bennett masterpiece. Ewing keeps switching things up to keep this 50 issue storyline fresh. All the pieces in his story are somehow still in play. Samson as the new Sasquatch was brilliant! The scenes on the space station were awesome. All this and a rematch with the Thing next issue. 7/10. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2020 13:53:51 GMT -5
 Aquaman #65. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Art by Miguel Mendonca. DeConnick's finale on her 2 year run on Aquaman! It is a bit predictable but immensely satisfying as she wraps up all her plot lines and ends on a happy note with Arthur & Mera getting married. Orm is defeated. Atlantis is united. Aquaman & Mera get to enjoy time together as a new family with their daughter. Really enjoyed this run on Aquaman and I am glad the title will continue. 8/10. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 19, 2020 9:08:40 GMT -5
Barbalien: Red Planet #1Written by Jeff Lemire and Tate Brombal Art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta Summary: Mark Markz has been brought back to Mars but not as a hero...he's to be tried for high crimes against Mars!
Plot: These Black Hammer spin offs though often beautifully done have none the less tended to feel slightly superfluous and at first glance this addition would appear to be no different. However, with the duel plots of Mark Markz exploring his sexuality amid the 1980's AIDS Pandemic and the rollicking Burroughseque provide a one two punch that draws you into the world in much the same way the original introduction to Black Hammer did. The two worlds would seem to be wholly disparate in tone and themes but with Lemire you can't much at face value and it's that mystery of how the two sides of the coin will come together is what draws me on. No on can say if the landing will stick, but it's a great start and the exploration of sexuality and identity is very compelling.
Art: As is the case in so many of the works that get me excited the art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta is a huge part of what draws me on. While his style is heavily stylized in a similar fashion to Dean Ormston's own making this book feel like close kin to the original there is a unique flair to it that is all Walta's own and his lens is much more cinimatic than what was used in the main Black Hammer book giving this newest addition a slick, exciting look.
Grade: 10/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 19, 2020 10:13:31 GMT -5
Sea of Sorrows #1Written by Rich Douek Art by Alex Cormack Summary: Terror arises on the high seas after the close of the Great War as a salvage team seeking treasure finds only danger.
Plot: The newest horror comic by Douek proves to be even better than his last with the promise of chills yet to come enclosed in this introduction. There are no huge shocks here, or scenes of gore or violence but rather the plot plays out like a pot just beginning to boil; there are only a few bubbles now( the single sighting of the siren and the horrors of WWI) but there's an underlying tension as more bubbles gather that makes you believe that it will explode at any moment which only adds to the chill down your spine as we follow these divers on their search for Imperial German gold lost at the close of the war. There's both supernatural horror here in the glimpse of the grotesque siren but also plenty of the human kind as the ghosts of WWI abound and the intermingling of those elements is deeply enticing. I don't know where this will go, but I'm fully engaged in the journey.
Art: Like any good horror comic artist Alex Cormack does bear a lions share of the work in selling the scares and in this case he proves that he's more than up to the challenge. Through out it all Cormack does an utterly amazing job of framing the imagery in Sea of Sorrows drowning us in deep, inky shadows that loom all around us which casts an ominous tone from the moment the crew begins their work and even imbues the quiet scenes in between with a sense of dread.
Grade: 10/10
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 19, 2020 11:29:31 GMT -5
Usagi Yojimbo #14Written and Illustrated by Stan Sakai Colors by Tom Luth Summary: With the emissary approaching and the odds stacked against Usagi and Kenichi help comes from an unexpected ally. Plot: I know I've been really down on this story line, and even though I did call the reveal making it not nearly the surprise it was meant to be the emotional resonance of seeing those reunions was incredible. Even though the meat of the plot was pretty thin and ultimately predictable the ability to make the characters shine and their interactions to feel so incredibly real illustrates that although the story may be flawed that Sakai is far and away one of the best storytellers out there for his unparalleled ability to make you care about the lives of what are at the end of the day a bunch of funny animals. That said, despite that incredible bright spots of brilliance shown in this story, whether it be bringing Usagi and Kenichi closer together, giving Mariko a sense of agency or the reunion with {Spoiler: Click to show}
Katsuichi and Jotaro this was still a story that really failed to live up to its potential. The return to his home and confronting former servants of Lord Mifune should have felt bigger and had brought forward a host of lasting effects on Usagi and yet it just breezed through it and it looks to be just an inconsequential adventure on Usagi's storied path. Usually, I'm more than okay with brief, breezy stories where Usagi gets into a scrap and then moves on to his next adventure...but this was his home and family not just some random villagers he helped so I just expected more. Is it fair to judge a book on expectations rather than what is actually there? I don't know but I can't escape that feeling here. On another note, it was announced at the end that this was Tom Luth's last time coloring Usagi which is sad news indeed but if you're going to retire I suppose contributing to the first full color run of Usagi is a good way to go. Grade:7/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 20, 2020 4:50:15 GMT -5
Immortal Hulk #40. Written by Al Ewing. Art by Joe Bennett. While this is not the best issue of this run it still had a lot of surprises and twists. First Samson is the new Sasquatch! Gyrich shows up. The Hulk escapes in a horrible grotesque way beautifully illustrated by Bennett. And Joe Fixit takes control. The scene with the Hulk plummeting thru Earth's atmosphere is yet another Bennett masterpiece. Ewing keeps switching things up to keep this 50 issue storyline fresh. All the pieces in his story are somehow still in play. Samson as the new Sasquatch was brilliant! The scenes on the space station were awesome. All this and a rematch with the Thing next issue. 7/10. The twist with the Thing at the end was pretty fantastic and I'm excited to see where that goes. One thing I've sort of felt out about this series after 40 issues is that it has ebbs and flows and by now I feel that it's by design rather than a flaw; I might not like the way Ewing likes to slow down the pace every other issue or so but I've come to expect it by now so I wasn't surprised by the pacing here after how action heavy the last issue was and once you expect that I think the ebbs are a little more enjoyable than they once were. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 20, 2020 17:55:07 GMT -5
Star Wars Adventures: 2020 AnnualWritten by Cavan Scott Art by Francesco Gaston Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away our intrepid Lepi smuggler finds himself wanted for a crime he didn't do. Plot: For all fans of that rascally, green space rabbit( Surely"all" must be a greater number than just Confessor and myself, right?) now is the season to rejoice as the good folks over at IDW have wisely chosen to feature Jaxxon in the annual yet again. While this issue may be difficult to find at this point as most undoubtedly the legions of Jaxxon fans have nabbed up the issues by now creating a historic price on the secondary market due to its extreme scarcity; if you do find this book out in the wild it's well worth a read. Now, it is an all ages book so if you're looking for a gritty, modern take on Jaxxon you'll be disappointed but that doesn't mean it's a story that speaks down to you either. What you get is a fun, light hearted heist story that sees Jaxxon on the run from the Empire, the Hutts and even from those familiar( but far less debonair) Rebel heroes Han, Chewie and Luke as Jaxxon finds himself framed for the theft of a set of Imperial passcodes by his ex-flame Amaiza. The action is solid, the pacing is quick and breezy and the twist that Jaxxon pulls off at the end and the payment he exacts from Han for helping the Rebels get the codes feels like something thought up by Tex Avery which is fitting given his inspiration. So while not as serious as his sadly short lived adventures in the original Marvel Star Wars comics his latest outing is fun none the less and still feels like a good fit for the character. Art: Unlike in previous outings (see Star Wars Adventures Annuals 2018 and 2019) Scott is this time paired with Francesco Gaston instead of his usual artistic partner Mauricet and I have to say I miss his simple Belgian line work. Francesco isn't bad, his storm troopers look like they jumped right out of the films and while more stylized than you normally see his designs for Han, Luke and Dengar are all fantastic but when it comes to the actual star of the book he falls short with a really blocky look that just doesn't fit in with the other characters:  Still and all, while not his best look it was still great to see him yet again. Grade:7/10 |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,201 
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Post by Confessor on Nov 20, 2020 22:11:58 GMT -5
For all fans of that rascally, green space rabbit (Surely "all" must be a greater number than just Confessor and myself, right?)... I think we should start a support group. We're a persecuted minority, dammit! |
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Post by The Captain on Nov 21, 2020 7:09:02 GMT -5
Captain America #25
This issue sucked. That is all.
Ok, that isn't really "all", because for those of you who know me, you know that I couldn't possibly just stop there, especially not when it pertains to Cap.
What an absolute waste of a "milestone" issue. Sure, we got a beautiful Alex Ross cover, but based on the old adage, we shouldn't use that to judge a book, and in this case, that is 100% accurate, because the inside is pure trash.
As I've complained previously, loudly and repeatedly, Ta-Nehisi Coates has ZERO interest in writing a Captain America book. He has spent the first two years of his run (which turned out to be longer in real time due to pandemic delays) carefully crafting the tale of the Daughters of Liberty, who he seems far more invested in producing stories about.
This issue is no different, as it is told entirely from the newly-rejuvenated and de-aged Sharon Carter's perspective. With the resurrection of the Red Skull (yet again) and subsequent capture of Peggy Carter and a number of other members of the DoL in Madripoor, it is up to the good guys to stage a rescue attempt, which doesn't sound bad...except half of the book is flashback to how Alexa Lukin (wife of Alexander Lukin, who was introduced back in Brubaker's seminal run) and Peggy Carter were old friends in the DoL, then later rivals and eventually enemies.
Steve, Sam, and Bucky are reduced to what amounts to a series of cameos in the book, each showcasing their unique abilities, but make no mistake, this story isn't about them. It's Sharon's show, and while I could accept that because she is a long-time part of the Cap mythos, I don't give a crap about the Daughters of Liberty. They're not interesting, so the origin of the organization and the Alexa/Peggy dynamic and all of the rest just doesn't grab my attention.
In the end, there is a shocking/not-shocking death/maybe-not-death-because-we-don't-see-a-body event, but at this point, it's hard for me to care. This has been Steve's book in name only for 25 issues, so I hope and pray that Coates can convince the PTB at Marvel that what the world wants and demands is a Daughters of Liberty spin-off book for him to write, just so he can turn the reins of CAPTAIN AMERICA over to someone who has an actual CAPTAIN AMERICA story to tell.
On a positive note, the second story was nice, if not a little predictable and light.
Main Story: 1/10 (the only redeeming part of the book were the panels where Bucky got to do his thing)
Second Story: 6/10
Overall: 3/10
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 21, 2020 18:53:52 GMT -5
My stuff for this week... all a bit confusing since they're all the last part of stories, but hey, if one restarts a pull list, that happens.
Nightwing #76: Good fight with KGBeast... doesn't sound like a story I really needed to read.. amnesia plots suck. Glad it's over though, so I can see what's next. I suspect people that were emotional invested in 'Ric' probably found it a good send off.
Once and Future #13: I was a bit surprised at this one... seemed like one particular story that was heading to an end when Last I read it (#6? not sure, I'd have to check Hoopla), but it seems like they've managed to make it more of an ongoing quest... I felt pretty lost here...definitely will have to catch up.
Usagi #14: Can't wait to get the previous few... I love me some Jotaro. I suspect it'll probably annoy me all over again that Usagi doesn't actually tell Jotaro again, but it was cool to see him again.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 21, 2020 20:15:27 GMT -5
My stuff for this week... all a bit confusing since they're all the last part of stories, but hey, if one restarts a pull list, that happens. Nightwing #76: Good fight with KGBeast... doesn't sound like a story I really needed to read.. amnesia plots suck. Glad it's over though, so I can see what's next. I suspect people that were emotional invested in 'Ric' probably found it a good send off. Once and Future #13: I was a bit surprised at this one... seemed like one particular story that was heading to an end when Last I read it (#6? not sure, I'd have to check Hoopla), but it seems like they've managed to make it more of an ongoing quest... I felt pretty lost here...definitely will have to catch up. Usagi #14: Can't wait to get the previous few... I love me some Jotaro. I suspect it'll probably annoy me all over again that Usagi doesn't actually tell Jotaro again, but it was cool to see him again. That was it for Jotaro...well other than seeing his feet at the end of the last issue and a mention in the issue before. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 21, 2020 20:18:14 GMT -5
For all fans of that rascally, green space rabbit (Surely "all" must be a greater number than just Confessor and myself, right?)... I think we should start a support group. We're a persecuted minority, dammit! We could call our selves the Rabbit's Paw to go along with the Rabbit's Foot. |
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