Capping off a solid week of comics is the dozen or so reviews in this edition of the Quick Shot Reviews. There's a couple other books I didn't get around to reviewing from my pile this week, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get around to them tonight, as it's my brother's birthday and I'll be wrapped up in those festivities. I'll see about adding them tomorrow when I'm doing up the Moments of the Week. All the reviews and more after the break.
ATOMIC ROBO #6
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener
There's good news and bad news abound for this issue. Good news? It's Atomic Robo and it rocked. Bad news? It's the last issue. Good news? There's an announcement of a volume two. Bad news? It's not coming until later this year. No one should have to wait so long for something so good.
This issue wraps up one of the most entertaining new titles / characters in a long time. This is the rematch from issue one with Helsingrad, who is now just a brain in a jar in a giant robot body. The two have quite the throw down that lasts most of the issue and ends, surprisingly, with the help of the only uncaptured member of Robo's team, a man named Jenkins. This wouldn't be an Atomic Robo issue without the trademark witty dialogue. Robo is in good form her with the various Spider-Man-esque banter. Like just about every Robo issue, expect it to be well represented in the Moments of the Week.
Verdict - Must Read
BOOSTER GOLD #7
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund
I still love Booster Gold, but the title has lost a lot of the charm it originally launched with. The first four or five issues were comedy gold and I was laughing almost non-stop every issue. Booster inspiring the Sinestro Corps or getting drunk with Jonah Hex were golden moments for me. The last two or three issues have been complete departures from that formula with the odd exception here or there.
Regardless, I'm not hating this book or anything. It's just different. I knew they couldn't keep doing the whole monthly time fixing hi-jinx, but I didn't expect the shift in writing tone either.
This issue continued the destruction of time caused by Booster saving Ted. To no one's surprise, the future Blue Beetle, or Black Beetle, was evil and actually a part of the trio of time villains introduced earlier in the series. It looks like Booster's dad is actually not just some throw away or insignificant villain either, as he's the fifth member of the Time Stealers, as they are calling themselves now. He's the one that calls their meeting to order, implying to me he's the one in charge of the group.
One thing of note was when Black Beetle was talking to Supernova, Booster's dad tells him not to worry about his enemy's predecessor, which puts Black Beetle as Jaime Reyes', the current Blue Beetle, enemy. He's also named Joshua, which means nothing to me, but must have been given to us for a reason.
I suppose I should talk about Blue and Gold, since it's technically their book. They fight OMACs, have a few laughs and meet up with the resistance of this alternate timeline, Green Arrow and Hawkman. It's great to see them together, but not much really happened on their side of the story.
Verdict - Check It
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #7
Story by Paul Dini
Story consulting by Keith Giffen
Script by Sean McKeever
Art by Ron Lim and Mark McKenna
Ugh, don't make 52 issue long maxi-series if you have no intention of filling it with 52 issues of story. With less than 2 months left, we're given a filler issue. No plots were progressed and we were left with more Countdown-isms - the retarded plot developments that have no actual reason or motivation for happening - like everyone magically knowing about this Cadmus base hidden in the hills and all meeting up at the same time or, after all this Earth hopping, not realizing they might be on a different Earth now that no one knows who they are and the JLA is nothing like the one they know.
Also, it's about time Karate Kid died. The OMAC supposedly killed him before taking him to Brother Eye and then Brother Eye dissected him and he's been dragged around for the last couple issues. I can't believe he's survived this long.
I can let Countdown usually get away with more than other books simply because I've gotten used to the sloppy writing, but every once in a while, issues like this one come along and bring the nerd rage to a boil.
Verdict - Avoid It
COUNTDOWN TO MYSTERY #6 (OF 8)
Written by Steve Gerber and Matt Sturges
Art by Justiniano and Walden Wong and Stephen Segovia
I have no idea what the Eclipso story is trying to accomplish at this point. It just keeps going off in random directions whenever a plot is starting to emerge and I can't figure out what the story is even about, aside from making Eclipso a man again.
Thankfully, the Dr Fate half of this book is a lot of fun to read. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't like magic-based characters or books and it always ends up being some deus ex machina type plot where a magic item or word or artifact solves all the problems and ends any plot problems for the writer.
This Dr Fate story is nothing like that and focuses on the more cerebral side of things as a former pyschiatrist deals with wrapping his head around the concepts of being this supposed supreme magical being. I usually dislike overly verbose books, but the writing is so well written, I don't mind the rather large number of thought boxes and dialogue heavy pages of this story. I'm saddened to know there won't be an ongoing follow up by the now deceased writer of this story.
Verdict - Dr Fate - Must Read, Eclipso - Check It
GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #6
Written by Judd Winick
Art and Cover by Cliff Chiang
This issue revolves around Green Arrow and Black Canary searching for Connor's killer. Through unknown means, they find out from the JLA that the air currents above the ship Connor was shot on were not normal and they believe a cloaked ship might have been responsible for it. GA & BC go undercover to find the sellers of this cloaking, undetectable flying ship. Apparently you can buy these things for $2 million in the DCU based on the conversation with the dealers. Note to self - save up $2 million.
After an altercation with the arms dealers, said mysterious ship shows up, uncloaked for some reason, and starts chasing Ollie and Dinah after blowing up their van. In the end, Ollie shoots it with a few arrows and it blows up, crashing to the ground. When they open it up, there's two little green aliens inside.
That's the issue. Really, that's all that happens.
Verdict - Avoid It
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #22
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Nelson
This two part filler story comes to a close this issue and I'm still left wondering what the point of it was. We didn't learn anything new about Alpha Lanterns or how the changes affect the person and based on this arc, it looks like they are weaker than a regular Green Lantern since a group of non-powered space pirates managed to take Booddika down with relative ease. She got the job done in the end, but it wasn't a very impressive outing for the Alpha Lanterns.
Another thing that made no sense to me was her sister. She, whether she knew it or not, willingly attacked space ships and helped her sisters in their pirating efforts. Ignorance is no excuse for crimes and just because she has strong willpower, the Guardians only punishment for her was to make her have to charge her ring in her sister's chest. She remains on active duty with full priveleges other than that small set back. They don't even make her report to boot camp with Kilowog. Combined with letting a murder victim go free in Green Lantern, the Guardians' are really crappy at the whole law enforcement thing.
Verdict - Check It
MIGHTY AVENGERS #10
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Mark Bagley
I was pretty harsh with regards to last month's issue of Mighty Avengers. It was full of double page splashes of the Avengers fighting robots followed by Iron Man and Doom standing unmoving firing beams at each other for the rest of the issue.
Compared to that, this issue was a lot more enjoyable for me. I like the colouring technique they used for the old fashioned 'dot' look to the artwork. They use a simple colour pallet alone with this to simulate the retro look to go along with the time displaced group.
Dr Doom and Iron Man need to be in a buddy buddy comedy. I loved their conversations throughout the book. I think the best line was when Doom says, "A lot more people hate you than me." or something to that affect. I thought it was odd Doom didn't really know anything about the Sentry. I figured he'd know more about the most powerful being on the planet, especially after WWH. Still, his reactions to how insane Sentry is were pretty funny.
Finally, Bendis continues his ADD-style plot in this book as the issue ends with Doom mysteriously disappearing, Ms Marvel rushing in screaming for Sentry and Iron Man to get away and then Doom's castle being nuked. Actually, maybe this was Iron Man's satellite strike he was readying before they were blasted into the past. Would kind of make sense now that I think about. Still, Bendis seems to have a hate on for Tony. First Ultron-izing him and now nuking him. I assume he'll have similar treatment in Secret Invasion.
Verdict - Check It
THE WALKING DEAD #47
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Charlie Adlard
I feel like a broken record when I talk about this book. I always feel like I have to stress this isn't a simple zombie book. It's a drama. It's about people in an extreme situation, which just happens to be a post-zombie apocalypse. They're more like a set piece than the focus of the story.
Michonne failed to take out the Governor after taking him hostage last issue. She was shot in her body armoured shoulder and ended up releasing him and escaping, but not before grazing his face with a bullet.
The Governor ordered another assault on the prison after that and it ended in a blood bath for both sides. Adrian showed up midfight atop the mini-van and evened the odds quite a bit for the prison faction.
In the end, the Governor rode the tank through the fence, allowing his men and the zombies access to the compound. It looks like everyone is just going to get in the vehicles and leave the prison for good, but as Rick is running to get his wife and children, we get another cliffhanger ending, as his wife, holding their newborn baby, is on her knees with a shotgun to her head from an off panel character. The only person I can see this being is Michonne upset over Tyrese's death and Rick not doing anything to save him.
My only worry about this book is that Kirkman might be planning a full reboot at #50. I'm almost sure we're down to single digit survivors for the prison and it could drop even lower by the end of this arc.
Verdict - Must Read
WONDER WOMAN #18
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Bernard Chang
I'll admit, I was worried about a space based Wonder Woman story in my Post-Crisis Previews, but after reading this issue, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. On top of that, Chang's fill-in art was excellent and a worthy replacement for the Dodson's.
Before getting into the cosmic stuff, Wonder Woman pays Tom a visit in the hospital and begins an Amazon courting ritual with him by offering multiple gifts. I was a bit confused about the whole ordeal, but the dialogue between them was great, especially Tom's responses, such as his fear of Diana's mother and giant killer bees.
After the mushy mushy stuff was finished, a Khunds warship appears outside the hospital and beams down an assault force to fight Wonder Woman. She dispatches themw with ease and, in the aftermath, the Khunds reveal the attack was to pay tribute to the one that defeated them. They request her aid in fighting back against an alien force they have never seen aside from their ships as they burrow into their cities, leaving no survivors.
Diana, unable to deny them aid, goes with them to their homeworld, where she's to help them. On their planet, it's shown they created statues in tribute of the woman that defeated them and it pans out to show this hidious looking Wonder Woman statue in the image of the Khunds. Diana's inner monologue during this was hilarious and the entire scene was great.
After that, she meets up with a human named Etta that she knows, but I can't recall hearing about as I just started reading with Gail's run. Not sure if she has powers or is just the cop / special agent she looks like.
The duo go off to 'negotiate' with the alien invaders as we see there's more to the story than the Khunds are giving during one of the meetings with the Khunds ruler. In the crater of a former city, Diana and Etta encounter a Green Lantern, of all people (aliens?), who seems a bit off his rocker based on his insane looking appearance. Completely unexpected turn of events, to say the least.
Verdict - Must Read
X-FACTOR #29
Written by Peter David
Art by Valentine De Landro
X-Factor is showing signs of recovering from PCSD - Post-Crossover Stress Disorder. After dropping everything to join a four or five month long crossover and losing a key cast member to a new book, it looks like PAD is starting to get back in the groove of things.
Monet is one of my favourite characters in the book and I liked the 'Threes Company' explanation for the cliched, yet oh so funny, misunderstanding arguement between Madrox and Siryn. Guido was great as well and I loved the 'hand gestures' bit with Jamie.
However, I'm not too fond of Arcade. His whole gimmic has just never appealed to me and I'm not sure how he rigged all of Mutant Town, er, the middle east side into his death trap schtick. Though, the picture and message on the giant boulder at the end was priceless.
Verdict - Check It
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener
There's good news and bad news abound for this issue. Good news? It's Atomic Robo and it rocked. Bad news? It's the last issue. Good news? There's an announcement of a volume two. Bad news? It's not coming until later this year. No one should have to wait so long for something so good.
This issue wraps up one of the most entertaining new titles / characters in a long time. This is the rematch from issue one with Helsingrad, who is now just a brain in a jar in a giant robot body. The two have quite the throw down that lasts most of the issue and ends, surprisingly, with the help of the only uncaptured member of Robo's team, a man named Jenkins. This wouldn't be an Atomic Robo issue without the trademark witty dialogue. Robo is in good form her with the various Spider-Man-esque banter. Like just about every Robo issue, expect it to be well represented in the Moments of the Week.
Verdict - Must Read
BOOSTER GOLD #7
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund
I still love Booster Gold, but the title has lost a lot of the charm it originally launched with. The first four or five issues were comedy gold and I was laughing almost non-stop every issue. Booster inspiring the Sinestro Corps or getting drunk with Jonah Hex were golden moments for me. The last two or three issues have been complete departures from that formula with the odd exception here or there.
Regardless, I'm not hating this book or anything. It's just different. I knew they couldn't keep doing the whole monthly time fixing hi-jinx, but I didn't expect the shift in writing tone either.
This issue continued the destruction of time caused by Booster saving Ted. To no one's surprise, the future Blue Beetle, or Black Beetle, was evil and actually a part of the trio of time villains introduced earlier in the series. It looks like Booster's dad is actually not just some throw away or insignificant villain either, as he's the fifth member of the Time Stealers, as they are calling themselves now. He's the one that calls their meeting to order, implying to me he's the one in charge of the group.
One thing of note was when Black Beetle was talking to Supernova, Booster's dad tells him not to worry about his enemy's predecessor, which puts Black Beetle as Jaime Reyes', the current Blue Beetle, enemy. He's also named Joshua, which means nothing to me, but must have been given to us for a reason.
I suppose I should talk about Blue and Gold, since it's technically their book. They fight OMACs, have a few laughs and meet up with the resistance of this alternate timeline, Green Arrow and Hawkman. It's great to see them together, but not much really happened on their side of the story.
Verdict - Check It
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS #7
Story by Paul Dini
Story consulting by Keith Giffen
Script by Sean McKeever
Art by Ron Lim and Mark McKenna
Ugh, don't make 52 issue long maxi-series if you have no intention of filling it with 52 issues of story. With less than 2 months left, we're given a filler issue. No plots were progressed and we were left with more Countdown-isms - the retarded plot developments that have no actual reason or motivation for happening - like everyone magically knowing about this Cadmus base hidden in the hills and all meeting up at the same time or, after all this Earth hopping, not realizing they might be on a different Earth now that no one knows who they are and the JLA is nothing like the one they know.
Also, it's about time Karate Kid died. The OMAC supposedly killed him before taking him to Brother Eye and then Brother Eye dissected him and he's been dragged around for the last couple issues. I can't believe he's survived this long.
I can let Countdown usually get away with more than other books simply because I've gotten used to the sloppy writing, but every once in a while, issues like this one come along and bring the nerd rage to a boil.
Verdict - Avoid It
COUNTDOWN TO MYSTERY #6 (OF 8)
Written by Steve Gerber and Matt Sturges
Art by Justiniano and Walden Wong and Stephen Segovia
I have no idea what the Eclipso story is trying to accomplish at this point. It just keeps going off in random directions whenever a plot is starting to emerge and I can't figure out what the story is even about, aside from making Eclipso a man again.
Thankfully, the Dr Fate half of this book is a lot of fun to read. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't like magic-based characters or books and it always ends up being some deus ex machina type plot where a magic item or word or artifact solves all the problems and ends any plot problems for the writer.
This Dr Fate story is nothing like that and focuses on the more cerebral side of things as a former pyschiatrist deals with wrapping his head around the concepts of being this supposed supreme magical being. I usually dislike overly verbose books, but the writing is so well written, I don't mind the rather large number of thought boxes and dialogue heavy pages of this story. I'm saddened to know there won't be an ongoing follow up by the now deceased writer of this story.
Verdict - Dr Fate - Must Read, Eclipso - Check It
GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #6
Written by Judd Winick
Art and Cover by Cliff Chiang
This issue revolves around Green Arrow and Black Canary searching for Connor's killer. Through unknown means, they find out from the JLA that the air currents above the ship Connor was shot on were not normal and they believe a cloaked ship might have been responsible for it. GA & BC go undercover to find the sellers of this cloaking, undetectable flying ship. Apparently you can buy these things for $2 million in the DCU based on the conversation with the dealers. Note to self - save up $2 million.
After an altercation with the arms dealers, said mysterious ship shows up, uncloaked for some reason, and starts chasing Ollie and Dinah after blowing up their van. In the end, Ollie shoots it with a few arrows and it blows up, crashing to the ground. When they open it up, there's two little green aliens inside.
That's the issue. Really, that's all that happens.
Verdict - Avoid It
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #22
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Nelson
This two part filler story comes to a close this issue and I'm still left wondering what the point of it was. We didn't learn anything new about Alpha Lanterns or how the changes affect the person and based on this arc, it looks like they are weaker than a regular Green Lantern since a group of non-powered space pirates managed to take Booddika down with relative ease. She got the job done in the end, but it wasn't a very impressive outing for the Alpha Lanterns.
Another thing that made no sense to me was her sister. She, whether she knew it or not, willingly attacked space ships and helped her sisters in their pirating efforts. Ignorance is no excuse for crimes and just because she has strong willpower, the Guardians only punishment for her was to make her have to charge her ring in her sister's chest. She remains on active duty with full priveleges other than that small set back. They don't even make her report to boot camp with Kilowog. Combined with letting a murder victim go free in Green Lantern, the Guardians' are really crappy at the whole law enforcement thing.
Verdict - Check It
MIGHTY AVENGERS #10
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Mark Bagley
I was pretty harsh with regards to last month's issue of Mighty Avengers. It was full of double page splashes of the Avengers fighting robots followed by Iron Man and Doom standing unmoving firing beams at each other for the rest of the issue.
Compared to that, this issue was a lot more enjoyable for me. I like the colouring technique they used for the old fashioned 'dot' look to the artwork. They use a simple colour pallet alone with this to simulate the retro look to go along with the time displaced group.
Dr Doom and Iron Man need to be in a buddy buddy comedy. I loved their conversations throughout the book. I think the best line was when Doom says, "A lot more people hate you than me." or something to that affect. I thought it was odd Doom didn't really know anything about the Sentry. I figured he'd know more about the most powerful being on the planet, especially after WWH. Still, his reactions to how insane Sentry is were pretty funny.
Finally, Bendis continues his ADD-style plot in this book as the issue ends with Doom mysteriously disappearing, Ms Marvel rushing in screaming for Sentry and Iron Man to get away and then Doom's castle being nuked. Actually, maybe this was Iron Man's satellite strike he was readying before they were blasted into the past. Would kind of make sense now that I think about. Still, Bendis seems to have a hate on for Tony. First Ultron-izing him and now nuking him. I assume he'll have similar treatment in Secret Invasion.
Verdict - Check It
THE WALKING DEAD #47
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Charlie Adlard
I feel like a broken record when I talk about this book. I always feel like I have to stress this isn't a simple zombie book. It's a drama. It's about people in an extreme situation, which just happens to be a post-zombie apocalypse. They're more like a set piece than the focus of the story.
Michonne failed to take out the Governor after taking him hostage last issue. She was shot in her body armoured shoulder and ended up releasing him and escaping, but not before grazing his face with a bullet.
The Governor ordered another assault on the prison after that and it ended in a blood bath for both sides. Adrian showed up midfight atop the mini-van and evened the odds quite a bit for the prison faction.
In the end, the Governor rode the tank through the fence, allowing his men and the zombies access to the compound. It looks like everyone is just going to get in the vehicles and leave the prison for good, but as Rick is running to get his wife and children, we get another cliffhanger ending, as his wife, holding their newborn baby, is on her knees with a shotgun to her head from an off panel character. The only person I can see this being is Michonne upset over Tyrese's death and Rick not doing anything to save him.
My only worry about this book is that Kirkman might be planning a full reboot at #50. I'm almost sure we're down to single digit survivors for the prison and it could drop even lower by the end of this arc.
Verdict - Must Read
WONDER WOMAN #18
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Bernard Chang
I'll admit, I was worried about a space based Wonder Woman story in my Post-Crisis Previews, but after reading this issue, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. On top of that, Chang's fill-in art was excellent and a worthy replacement for the Dodson's.
Before getting into the cosmic stuff, Wonder Woman pays Tom a visit in the hospital and begins an Amazon courting ritual with him by offering multiple gifts. I was a bit confused about the whole ordeal, but the dialogue between them was great, especially Tom's responses, such as his fear of Diana's mother and giant killer bees.
After the mushy mushy stuff was finished, a Khunds warship appears outside the hospital and beams down an assault force to fight Wonder Woman. She dispatches themw with ease and, in the aftermath, the Khunds reveal the attack was to pay tribute to the one that defeated them. They request her aid in fighting back against an alien force they have never seen aside from their ships as they burrow into their cities, leaving no survivors.
Diana, unable to deny them aid, goes with them to their homeworld, where she's to help them. On their planet, it's shown they created statues in tribute of the woman that defeated them and it pans out to show this hidious looking Wonder Woman statue in the image of the Khunds. Diana's inner monologue during this was hilarious and the entire scene was great.
After that, she meets up with a human named Etta that she knows, but I can't recall hearing about as I just started reading with Gail's run. Not sure if she has powers or is just the cop / special agent she looks like.
The duo go off to 'negotiate' with the alien invaders as we see there's more to the story than the Khunds are giving during one of the meetings with the Khunds ruler. In the crater of a former city, Diana and Etta encounter a Green Lantern, of all people (aliens?), who seems a bit off his rocker based on his insane looking appearance. Completely unexpected turn of events, to say the least.
Verdict - Must Read
X-FACTOR #29
Written by Peter David
Art by Valentine De Landro
X-Factor is showing signs of recovering from PCSD - Post-Crossover Stress Disorder. After dropping everything to join a four or five month long crossover and losing a key cast member to a new book, it looks like PAD is starting to get back in the groove of things.
Monet is one of my favourite characters in the book and I liked the 'Threes Company' explanation for the cliched, yet oh so funny, misunderstanding arguement between Madrox and Siryn. Guido was great as well and I loved the 'hand gestures' bit with Jamie.
However, I'm not too fond of Arcade. His whole gimmic has just never appealed to me and I'm not sure how he rigged all of Mutant Town, er, the middle east side into his death trap schtick. Though, the picture and message on the giant boulder at the end was priceless.
Verdict - Check It
2 comments:
The art in Countdown has been piss-poor too. Last week, we end with Ray Palmer's hideous grin of self-love, this week we have constipated Holly, Donna's nose & lips seemingly melting in the noonday sun, tearful Una resembling a baloon with a face drawn on it, and Mary Marvel with a head that should already have caused her spine to snap from the weight. Where do they GET these hacks?
Out of all of the X-Books, X-Factor is still the only book that makes sense to me. As I was reading, I was imagining how much better X-Men would be if they focused more on character development and interaction instead of the next big event.
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