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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 27, 2022 8:19:59 GMT -5
Welcome back to another thrilling edition of... OFF THE RACKS! Real Reviews From Real Readers! What did you read this week? |
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Post by DubipR on Sept 27, 2022 21:51:41 GMT -5
Rather large week of downloads:
DC
- Deadman Tells Spooky Tales
- Detective Comics 1064
- Tim Drake Robin 1
- The Nice House on the Lake 10
- DC Horror Presents Sgt Rock vs. Army of the Dead
- Human Target 7
- Batman Audio Adventures 1
- Batman Fortress 5
Image
- Sins of the Black Flamingo 5
Marvel
- Ant Man 3
- Genis Vell Captain Marvel 3
- Thunderbolts 2
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 29, 2022 13:49:30 GMT -5
Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5Written by Tochi Onyebuchi Art by R. B. Silva Summary: After defeating Crossbones and thwarting his terrorist act, Sam battles Black Panther and gets all the Americans deported.
Plot: I've been enjoying this book so far...but it really went off the rails here to the point that it was nearly incomprehensible. While the trope of heroes fighting because they have a misunderstanding but then make up is not one of my favorites, this took it to an entirely new level as not only did the addition of race/culture war between Wakananda and the urban African American experience seem over dramatic but the entire political situation of Wakanda just seemed overly complex. Maybe the divide between Black Panther and Wakanda makes more sense if you're reading Black Panther but the way it was dropped here that T'challa has no say in policy had zero explanation which made its role in their fight a head scratcher. On top of that...did I miss when Sam got the super soldier serum? Him fighting Black Panther in a tshirt and nearly winning just seemed way out of Sam's league to me but I might be wrong. In the end, the most confusing part is how it all ties together, the terrorism, the smuggling and experimentation on immigrants is just all over the place and White Wolf isn't present enough to make it gel together in a coherent way. Unless something changes, I'm thinking I might sadly be done.
Art: Although I didn't like the fight I have to say that it was well choreographed by Silva so even though it didn't make sense it at least looked cool.
Grade:5/10 |
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Post by majestic on Sept 29, 2022 20:27:03 GMT -5
Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5Written by Tochi Onyebuchi Art by R. B. Silva Summary: After defeating Crossbones and thwarting his terrorist act, Sam battles Black Panther and gets all the Americans deported.
Plot: I've been enjoying this book so far...but it really went off the rails here to the point that it was nearly incomprehensible. While the trope of heroes fighting because they have a misunderstanding but then make up is not one of my favorites, this took it to an entirely new level as not only did the addition of race/culture war between Wakananda and the urban African American experience seem over dramatic but the entire political situation of Wakanda just seemed overly complex. Maybe the divide between Black Panther and Wakanda makes more sense if you're reading Black Panther but the way it was dropped here that T'challa has no say in policy had zero explanation which made its role in their fight a head scratcher. On top of that...did I miss when Sam got the super soldier serum? Him fighting Black Panther in a tshirt and nearly winning just seemed way out of Sam's league to me but I might be wrong. In the end, the most confusing part is how it all ties together, the terrorism, the smuggling and experimentation on immigrants is just all over the place and White Wolf isn't present enough to make it gel together in a coherent way. Unless something changes, I'm thinking I might sadly be done.
Art: Although I didn't like the fight I have to say that it was well choreographed by Silva so even though it didn't make sense it at least looked cool.
Grade:5/10 Same feelings here. This book went totally off the rails and the ending of this arc ruined the really strong start to this series. I'm sticking around just thru the Cold War crossover between the 2 Cap titles but after that? |
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Post by majestic on Sept 29, 2022 20:29:18 GMT -5
The only other title I usually get is Thor but I'm sitting out the Venom arc. I really don't like the character.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2022 7:48:38 GMT -5
Briar #1 from BOOM Studios, from Christopher Cantwell and German Garcia.  A twist on the Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty motif that I really, really liked. Briar's father, the king, is a bit of a war monger, and he marries off his sleeping daughter to the warrior prince to further his campaigns, but why bother kissing her and waking her, let her sleep, and she does, only to awake much later in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Lots of interesting ideas, twisted tropes, and very well executed. The writing is a bit stronger than the art, which like a lot of BOOM! titles is very stylistic. I like the art, but it took a minute for me to get used the stylistic tics and the color palette. 9/10 for me, and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series. Also, not sure when they came out as issues 1 and 2 are out and I just caught up on Hoopla, but the third installment of James Tynion's Wynd (this time subtitled The Throne in the Sky) is also excellent and fans of fantasy or of Tynion's work on things like Something is Killing the Children, The Woods and other creator-owned ventures should check it out). -M |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Oct 1, 2022 12:50:18 GMT -5
I'm surprised to see strong writing and Christopher Cantwell in the same post... his Iron Man was completely horrendous. Maybe he's one of those guys that can't work on superheroes?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2022 15:22:36 GMT -5
I'm surprised to see strong writing and Christopher Cantwell in the same post... his Iron Man was completely horrendous. Maybe he's one of those guys that can't work on superheroes? I actually liked his Iron Man for what it's worth. Gave me a very 70s Mantlo vibe when I read it. -M |
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Post by majestic on Oct 2, 2022 8:15:10 GMT -5
I'm surprised to see strong writing and Christopher Cantwell in the same post... his Iron Man was completely horrendous. Maybe he's one of those guys that can't work on superheroes? it was hit or miss for me. Some of it was good. Some bad. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Oct 2, 2022 19:23:09 GMT -5
I thought his Tony Stark was WAY too whiny for my taste, and then there's the fact that multiple issues starred a bunch of Z list characters. I mean, at least break on Century if you're going to do that. I didn't like the Patsy Walker relationship either... I really just didn't like any of it. Looking forward to the next writer, whoever it is  |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Oct 6, 2022 22:26:57 GMT -5
Action Comics 1047
I wasn't sold on Kal-El coming home to begin with, and this is not a step in the right direction. The art, while actually pretty good, was jarringly different from last issue... and the main story (which has a realistic, European vibe) was a painful clash with the back up story, which almost 'Superman the animated Series' style.
Also, why is the back up story the back up, when it happened first? I don't love spliting it in half with two different artist anyway, but at least put them in the right order!
As to the story, the plot is pretty hard to figure so far.. I agree with the characters that it seems REALLY dumb what Superman did, and totally selfish. Also, Jon wasn't in the book at all, which is weird. I guess they're saving that for his book (it is a crossover, of course), ,but not even a single panel hello? It was pretty jarring.
I'll give it at least one more to see where it's going, but it's definitely heading toward the drop list.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2022 23:39:33 GMT -5
I thought his Tony Stark was WAY too whiny for my taste, and then there's the fact that multiple issues starred a bunch of Z list characters. I mean, at least break on Century if you're going to do that. I didn't like the Patsy Walker relationship either... I really just didn't like any of it. Looking forward to the next writer, whoever it is Reminded me of Iron Man in the early 100s by Mantlo with Jack of Hearts as a sidekick and a lot of woe is me Tony as Midas took Stark International, Madame Masque was back and Tony was doing the whiny guilt trip, etc. i.e. the Iron Man I grew up with. -M |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Oct 7, 2022 23:33:27 GMT -5
You know, I didn't really make that connection.. perhaps I should have, I re-read those just a bit ago.. I can definitely see it. They even run with a bunch of side characters at a couple points (Eddie March is pretty prominent in one issue, than Jack of course, JAsper Sitwell, Michael O'Brien) That story annoyed me too  . |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2022 23:42:40 GMT -5
You know, I didn't really make that connection.. perhaps I should have, I re-read those just a bit ago.. I can definitely see it. They even run with a bunch of side characters at a couple points (Eddie March is pretty prominent in one issue, than Jack of course, JAsper Sitwell, Michael O'Brien) That story annoyed me too . I had a print subscription to Iron Man at that point, so my view of it is through nostalgia tinted glasses, and the Cantwell run hit me in the nostalgia feels. I won't argue it's quality, as I am biased, but I liked it because I enjoyed that nostalgia kick, especially with the return of Michael from the Avengers run of the same era, which was my Avengers run as a kid. That said, I still really liked Briar #1 and thought it was a good take on the folklore. -M |
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