SPOILER ALERT!!!
DC COMICS
Countdown 46: 3 out of 5
Written By Paul Dini, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Justin Gray
Art by Jesus Saiz
This week is a transition issue, and not a hell of a whole lot happens here. Mary Marvel takes out a throw-away villain (that, I kid you not, throws dead babies at her), Jimmy follows a lead to a guy who bites it just as he's about to reveal what's going on (shocking, I know) while Holly saves some guy from becoming collatoral damage (at least, I think that's Holly as nobody mentions her name), tension between Piper and Mirror Master continues to build (which while entertaining, is completely unessary). Jason Todd, being trained by the World's Greatest Detective (not to mention Rogue Monitor said as much in Countdown 51), just now figures out that the Monitors killed Deula because she's from another universe, and that he and Donna Troi, both having cheated death) are on also their hitlist. This doesn't sit to well with the Monitors (who are still indistinguishable from one another), who unleash Forerunner, a speedster chick who makes short work of Donna and Jason (who, naturally, is still wearing the Robin mask underneath his hood). And just when things start to get halfway interesting, it ends.
Gen 13 #9: 4 out of 5
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Carlo Barberi
Gail Simone's ability to write great characters carries this book. With a few injokes about comics (like Eddie coming up with about the worst codenames possible for everyone, and yes, the one he comes up with is worse than Grunge) to references to the team being a reboot. They don't really explain what that means, but I would guess that they are copies of the original Gen 13 crew (although that doesn't explain why nobody knows who they are, i.e. the Authority). Plus, Sarah takes Caitlin skiny-dipping before kissing her, and I can never say no to a comic with two hot girls making out, me being a dirty "old" man and whatnot.
Green Arrow #75: 4 out of 5
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Scott Mc Daniel
A great conclusion to the series. The only reason it didn't get a 5 is the rather dues ex machina resolution to the fight with Deathstroke and his little friend whose name I can't recall. Hopefully this series will be restarted after the Black Cannary limited series, in some form or another. Perhaps Green Arrow/Black Cannary is not far away.
Hawkgirl #65: 3 out of 5
Written by Walter Simonson
Art by Renato Arlem
A mediocre issue as this series draws to a close. Note to Walter Simonson: trapping heroins in occupied coffins is not hot. I just hope that wasn't what he was going for. 'Nuff said.
Stormwatch PHD #8: 5 out of 5
Written by Christos Gage
Art by Andy Smith
This is a great series. If you're not reading this, you definately should be. Do whatever is neccessary to get it: take a second job, drop a monthly comic or two, or even special order it if your friendly neighborhood comic store doesn't stock Wildstorm comics. But don't rob any mail trucks to get your hands on it. To repeat, this blogger is NOT encouraging you to rob a mail truck.
MARVEL COMICS
Cable Deadpool #41: 4 out of 5
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Reilly Brown
How can you not love a comic that features a character named Bob, Ageny of Hydra, even if he only appears in the recap page. Cable and Deadpool reconcile their difference and take on an escaped Sabertooth. Unfortunately, the art Domino looks about 15, which makes the romantic tension between her and Cable a bit creepy.
Exile #9: 3 out of 5
Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Clayton Henry
The Exiles say goodbye to one of their own, and for once it's a happy occasion. The dialogue, however, is absolutely dreadful. Cringe...worthy...dreadful! Case it point, here is an actual quote by Longshot: "That sounds like the kind of thing that's likely to need some serious good luck. Since that's my power, I'll stay, too." There are just no words to describe that level of suckage.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #21: 4 out of 5
Written by Peter David
Art by Todd Nauck
Nobody writes Spider-Man banter better than Peter David (well, except possibly Dan Slott...if only he could get more time with the character somehow). I laughed out loud at the one zinger he said to a beat cop who was trying to arrest him. I don't know why Peter's wearing the black costume here, because his mood doesn't seem any different from before Civil War (would that be a pre-Civil War mentality?). Given the tone of this title, I suppose that the dark Peter attitude would be out of place with this book's humourous style.
Mystic Arcana Magik: 5 out of 5
Written by Louise Simonson
Art by Steve Scott
Yes! Finally, after dreadful characterizations in Exiles and House of M, not to mention New X-Men (see below), somebody finally gets Illyana right. Illyana is bascially a good person who's had to make some tough choices and only embracers her darker nature as a last resort, not someone who uses it a solution to everything. You'd think Louis Simonson wrote the character before or something. Anyway, a great start to Mystic Arcana. I am definately enticed by these series.
New Avengers #31 CWI: 3 out of 5
Written by Brian Bendis
Art by Leinil Yu
Okay, they said the reveal on ths last page of this issue would be like the most signifigant event in the Marvel Universe. And that page is...Jessica Jones feeding her baby. What? Well, I can assume they meant the reveal three pages before that Elektra is actually...a Skrull! Oh my gosh, the Elektra acting horribly out of character wasn't the real Elektra. Shocking, not so much, but Iron Fist freaks out by this revelation, while the rest of us are left scratching our heads. It's not like they found out that Iron Man was a skrull, or that the Skrull's orchestrated the Scarlet Witch going psycho or something, I don't know, that would actually be something BIG! Now, that could be well what happened, but at this point there is nothing to indicate that it did, or in fact that the Skrulls were involved in anything other than the Hand, and even there for we know this could be one rogue Skrull. Judging by the importence Marvel was putting on this issue, I doubt the Skrull thing ends there, but it would be nice if there was something in the actual STORY about this. Plus, Doc Strange gets impaled and goes astral, and seems fine with no further explanation. Oooookay. And the previously near-mute Ronin decides to start prattle on with the witty banter, now that we the reader now know it's really Hawkeye. Well, I suppose I've ranted long enough here.
New X-Men #39: 3 out of 5
Written by Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle
Art by Skottie Young
First off, if I were going to do an New X-Men-in-hell story, I might go with an artist with a less Animesque style, but hey, that's just me. I'm not saying that anime art is bad, just that I don't think it fits with this type of story. With Hellion and Surge stuck in the real world, Dave near death and in the care of Elixir, and Dust, Mercury, and X-23 captures (and Rockslide conspiculously absent), it's up to the D-list New X-Men to save the day (you know, Pixie, Blindfold, Anole, and a few others whose names I don't even know; in other words, I the reader have a lot invested in these characters) to save they day. Some demon girl that looks like Illyana, but acts completely different (and treats N'Astirh like a pet dog) arrives and, after dispatching most of the wannabe New X-Men claims to be on their side, but needs one of them to sacrifice themselves so she can summon her Soulsword. Yeah, that sounds like Illyana alright. Also, Belasco throws a tirade about finding Illyana, even though she's like right over the hill or something. Dude, maybe you should look around instead of torturing children who have no clue what you're talking about (you'd think, as the devil or whatever he is, he might be on to the fact that they are being sincere when they repeatedly tell him they don't know where Illyana is). Also, another New X-Men apparently buys the farm again. You know, at the rate this book goes through mutants, the 198 should be down to like 12. Sorry, guess I'm in a ranty mood tonight.
Nova #3 CWI: 4 out of 5
Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art by Sean Chen
Richard Rider takes a good look at post-Civil War landscape and basically says f!*% this, I'm going back to space. But not after having a throwdown with the Thunderbolts (who, apparently, didn't get the memo from Tony saying he had a reprieve). He does have a nice scene with Penace/Speedball, but instead of sticking around to help his clearly troubled friend, Nova decides to basically wash his hands of his homeworld. Maybe his father should show more tact before accusing his galaxy-saving son of basically being a supervillain for fighting back against the Thunderbolts when they ATTACKED him.
Punisher: War Journal #8 CWI: 2 out of 5
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Olivetti
First off, they whole start-at-the-end device never works for me, so my review might be somewhat tainted. This arc has also dragged on, and we finally get a glimpse of Hate-Monger vs. Punisher, but it looks like we'll have to wait another month for the actual showdown. Also, can someone explain to me why red-blooded Americans are marching around shouting Hail Hitler? I mean, I know they're bigits and all, but come on, Hitler? This book is getting dangerously close to being dropped. Frank Castle, you're on notice!
World War Hulk: 5 out of 5
Written by Greg Pak
Art by John Romita, Jr.
Wow! What a way to kick off the series. First, Hulk beats down Black Bolt, weathers even his powerful voice and saying "I didn't come here for a whisper. I wanna hear you scream." Awesome. Tony Stark's first response to Hulk's action is to have Doctor Strange magic him into another dimension or something (because the first plan to get Hulk off Earth turned out so well). Doctor Strange wisely points this out to Tony, who then turns to the Sentry. At first, he's all set to go up against his friend, the Hulk, but when he learns what Tony and friends did, he steps out, leaving Tony to dig up his biggest and baddest Hulkbusting armor. He throws everything at tge Hulk, including the nanoprobes which depowered She-Hulk before having a squadron bomb the crap out of him while he's weakened. However, the Hulk is reminded by the events that claimed the lives of his friends and family, and he gets...really...angry. And as we all know, the madder Hulk gets.... Needless to say, Tony Stark finally gets his well-earned comeuppance. Which brings us too...
BRIAN'S PICK OF THE WEEK
Next Week: Countdown 45, Annihilation Conquest Prologue, Falln Son Death of Captain America Spider-Man, X-Men Endangered Species, and more!
