Super slushie edition.
SPOILER ALERT !!!
DC COMICS
Countdown 42: 4 out of 5
Written by Paul Dini, Sean McKeever, and Tony Bedard
Art by Carlos Magno
As with all Sean McKeever issues, this is an entertaining read with great dialog and character interaction. However, it still can't seem to get out of the not-much-happens-sandtrap. This issue focuses mostly on the villains on the DC universe, from Trickster and Pied Piper getting shackled together by (presumably) the Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn explaining to Holly how she ended up in the shelter, Riddler joining forces with Mary Marvel in a good, old-fashioned team-up before recommending to her finding a mentor to help her understand her new powers. Jimmy Olsen and Karate Kid have short beats that don't do anything to advance their plotlines (not that Karate Kid has a plotline yet), and the Search-for-Ray-Palmer team enlists the aid of the new Atom Ryan Choi.
Gen 13 #10: 4 out of 5
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Carlo Barberi
There's no rest for these five angst-ridden teens as they try to relax in Tranquility when Sally of the Liberty Snots picks a fight with Burnout after Ajita flirts with him. The inevitable team vs. team confrontation results, with the Authoriteens waiting in the wings. Also, Gail Simone provides a compelling sequence when the Gen 13ers pick their codenames. She even manages to compelling justify "Grunge." And is it just me, or did big-bad Megan forget to wear pants to her meeting this issue? Not that I'm complaining, mind you.
Green Arrow Year One #1: 3 out of 5
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Jock
Andy Diggle begins the tale of how Oliver Queen becomes Green Arrow. He starts off as an anarchist rich punk with a penchant for archery and the ladies, which of cource is nothing at all like Green Arrow.
Green Lantern #21: 5 out of 5
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Ivan Reis
The Sinestro Corps War continues! In the wake of their initial assault, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart (not to be confused with the late night comedian, Jon Stewart) regroup and head off to Qward after Kyle Rayner. Guy and John get taken out by a trap placed in the power battery, leaving Hal to face the Paralax possed Kyle Rayner. Unfortunately for Hal, Paralax brought friends.
Justice Society of America #7: 4 out of 5
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Dale Eaglesham
Featuring the JSA's newest legacy hero, Citizen Steel. In his first outing, Citizen Steel gets to beatup some Nazis (there is nothing more evil than Nazi!). Also, Geoff Johns shamelessly plugs an upcoming Superman/Legion of Superheroes arc coming in Action Comics.
Stormwatch PHD #9: 4 out of 5
Written by Christos Gas
Art by Andy Smith
Rather than drawing out (sorry, "decompressing") the murder mystery, Christos Gage refreshingly covers it from start to finish in a single issue. And it will keep you guessing until the end.
Shadowpact #15: 4 out of 5
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Tom Derenick
Shadowpact faces off against Doctor Gotham while Blue Devil visits his family. Doctor G. establishes his badguy cred by holding hostage a school bus filled with little kiddies, and then goes Pompeii on Chicago. Zatana is set to guest star next issue.
MARVEL COMICS
Annihilation Conquest Wraith #1: 0 out of 5
Written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Art by Kyle Hotz
Wraith, a '90s anti-hero reject, spends this issue searching to kill someone we don't know for some reason we don't know. This is the entire extent of his character. Save your money here folks.
Deadpool GLI Summer Fun Spectacular: 5 out of 5
Written by Fabian Nicieza and Dan Slott
Art by Kieron Dwyer, Nelson, Paul Pelletier, and Clio Chiang
The only negative I have to say is that this is only a one-shot, and not an ongoing or even limited series. This title features not only the shear awesomeness that is Squirrel Girl, but also features the first-appearance of what's sure to be the best new character to come in years, P-Cat the Pennitent Pussy! This is a great issue, and it's...
Wait, it's not my Pick of the Week? Then what is? Stay tuned, True Believers!
Exiles #96: 2 out of 5
Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Clayton Henry
True to form, the "good" Dr. Doom turns out to be not so much in spite first impressions. No matter what reality your inn, Dr. Doom is always evil I guess. Also, I have no idea what's happening on the cover between the Spider-Men, or what it has to do with this issue.
New Avengers #32: 3 out of 5
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Lenil Yu
This issue is an essay by Brian Michael Bendis, delivered by Wolverine, about why we should care that Elektra's a skrull, and why each of the New Avengers shouldn't be trusted, including himself (since he's "everywhere at once" har har). Their plane then crashes (since Doctor Strange can't stop it with his poorly-defined powers), and Spider-Woman takes off with the Elektra-skrull corpse. Is she taking it to Tony Stark likes she suggests, or is she getting rid of the evidence?
New Excalibur #21: 2 out of 5
Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Jeremey Haun
This Albion arch is really starting to drag. That's all I got to say.
Nova #4: 4 out of 4
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Sean Chen and Scott Hanna
With the full power of the Nova Corps, Richard Rider rushes to the aid of the Kree, and gets his butt whooped by Phalanx-infected Kree Sentries. Okay, maybe that's an overstatement, but he is forced to withdraw and runs smack into the barrier around Kree space, and crashed lands on a planet where a Kree ship also...um...unintentionally landed. There is some power transfer between Nova and the Kree captain, who gets pimped out with a Nova uniform. (She's the hot blue Nova seen in the solicits). Also, Gamora guest stars as a Phallanx conscript.
Punisher War Journal #9: 3 out of 5
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Ariel Olivetti
Isn't this arc over with yet? #10 is the last issue (thankfully), so let's hope Frank dishes out a much earned beat down on the all-new, all-racist Hate-Monger.
World War Hulk Gamma Corps #1: 3 out of 5
Written by Frank Tieri
Art by Carlos Ferriera
Not a great first issue, but no a bad one either. I have no idea who any of these guys are (are the new or have they appeared before, or some mix of the two) except for Gen. Ross and Glenn Talbot, who both only appear in flash backs. There is potential here, but in a limited series, I doubt we'll see much development of these characters that this title would need to stand out.
X-Factor #21: 5 out of 5
Written by Peter David
Artist Pablo Raimondi
Peter David knocks it out of the park folks! Great character moments around the whole team (I'm even starting to like Rictor, whom I've never, ever cared back all the way when he was running around the original X-Men version of X-Factor). I absolutely loved the Rahne/Rictor scene in particular. Also, it looks like M might be pregnant, but I'm hoping for a curveball here. Whenever you see a woman throw up in a work of fiction, it only ever means one thing. Anyone, in case it wasn't obvious, this is...
Next Week: All Flash #1, Annihilation Conquest Quasar #1, Countdown 41, The Order #1, Super Villain Team Up MODOKs 11 #1, World War Hulk #2, and more!
1 comment:
My namesake at Wizardworld had the following to say about New Avengers #32.
BRIAN: “The funny thing is that I missed the tiny-fonted title on the first page, indicating that this story is called ‘The Trust, Part 1.’ So throughout the plane ride sequence right up until the engine started sputtering, I couldn’t help but hope to all I hold holy that one or two of them were going to be outed as Skrulls, that the title on the last page was going to be ‘Skrulls on a Plane’ and that Luke Cage would kick out an emergency exit and say, ‘I’ve had it with these motherf---ing Skrulls on this motherf---ing plane!’”
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