Category Archives: Comics
Review: Teen Titans #9
After a long break thanks to Convergence, we’re finally back to regular coverage of Teen Titans. And unfortunately, that old adage of ‘good things come to those who wait’ bears little to no meaning on this poor comic book. Unlike the rest of DC Comics’ line in June, Teen Titans is not getting a makeover or a new creative team. We’re jumping right back in to where we left off with the stuffy writing of Will Pfeifer and the uncomfortable art of Kenneth Rocafort. You’re all better off reading We Are Robin. I’ve got a feeling that’s going to star far more interesting teenagers.
Teen Titans #9
Teen Titans #9 is just an uncomfortable, unwelcoming comic book. It’s not bad, I suppose, but it’s not somewhere I want to be.
Comic Review: 5/10 – Alright.
Teen Titans was just kicking off a brand new storyline when Convergence came along and slammed on the brakes. Superboy has returned, and he’s wanted for killing a bunch of people in suburbia. But those people were really Durlans, the shapeshifting aliens of DC, and he probably didn’t kill them after all. Red Robin and several Titans have gone into hiding to help Superboy uncover the truth, while Wonder Girl and the new Power Girl have joined STAR Labs in hunting down the Boy of Steel. Manchester Black, Pfeifer’s favorite character, has even given the Girls a new team of Titans to help them out — a team that somehow includes a returned Kid Flash.
There’s just something uninviting about Teen Titans #9. The art is all sharp angles, slender characters and muted colors. It’s Rocafort’s usual style, but I think I’m zeroing in on what I don’t like about him on Teen Titans. The pages feel cramped and glum. The characters are never having any fun. The story itself is alright, I suppose. The characters are all largely on point. But Pfeifer never really makes this story about the characters, it’s always about his plot. Here we’ve got a perfect opportunity to follow the Titans on the run or meet the new STAR Labs Titans, but we don’t really do either. Pfeifer writes a nice scene with Beast Boy and Bunker, but those are the only characters who seem to ever get any personality.
We don’t spend any real time with Superboy, despite the weight of the world being on his shoulders. And we spend even less time with the new Titans, including Kid Flash — who is a returned Bart Allen, for reasons that are never explained! It’s just tossed off that this is Bart, back from both time and space, and randomly back to being Kid Flash for STAR freakin’ Labs!
Join me after the jump for a fully synopsis and more review!
Marvel Starts Rolling Out Their New Comics!
Secret Wars is going to come to an end eventually, and then Marvel Comics will have a whole new, refreshed universe to play with! We don’t yet know all the details — though we’ve seen hints — but because of early solicitations, Marvel has started letting us know what our comics books will be like this fall.
We already know about the new Invincible Iron Man. Over the weekend, we heard that Brian Michael Bendis and Sarah Pichelli are going to write Miles Morales in adjectiveless Spider-Man. And Kelly Sue DeConnick is leaving Captain Marvel.
Today we found out that Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo are going to launch a new Doctor Strange comic!
Thank god he’s bringing along that battle ax!
No big surprise there, considering the Doctor Strange movie coming up. It was only a matter of time before Marvel gave the good doctor his own book. And I’m beyond excited that Jason Aaron has the job. He’s one of my favorite writers at Marvel! His Thor comics have been amazing, so I’m confident he can really handle Doctor Strange.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Aaron said:
We wanted a Doctor Strange who was always having to work for what he gets, and to show that when he shows up and uses his powers, it’s not like Captain America throwing his shield or Thor throwing his hammer. Strange has to worry about repercussions that those other heroes don’t have to worry about, because he’s a Sorcerer Supreme. We’re talking about the forces of magic. So whatever he does has repressions.
Sounds like a neat take on Doctor Strange. I only hope Bachalo’s art does’t get so weird that we can’t make anything out. These preview pics look great, but we all know that Bachalo can get pretty wild.
Looking stylish!
Still, consider me on board this fall!
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/20/15
Sometimes I just can’t help myself. There are weeks when I tell myself to keep the Hench-Sized reviews under control, that you fine readers can’t handle me rambling for so long and so intensely! But this week was filled with great comics! DC continues to pump out some fun titles with their rebranding, and a few of my favorite indie comics were in my stack. This was a good week.
Comic Book of the Week was a hard one, but I think I’m going to give it to Justice League of America #1. The new series is written and drawn by Bryan Hitch, and is a great example of DC’s new style. Bucking the constraints of up-to-the-minute continuity, the new Justice League is just a straight forward, fun adventure by my favorite comic book artist. It’s a good launch.
Everybody loves diplomatic sessions
Unfortunately, Marvel Comics remains mired in Secret Wars. Even the great Ms. Marvel is now tied into that event. I skipped that new issue this week before it’s basically just Kamala Khan running around trying to be a hero while the world falls apart. The next issue is the one to watch out for, when she finally teams up with Captain Marvel!
Speaking of Secret Wars, I took a look at Squadron Sinister #1 at Word of the Nerd. It’s pretty much a dud.
Comic Reviews: Black Canary #1, Justice League of America #1, Kaijumax #3, Lumberjanes #15, Prez #1, Robin: Son of Batman #1 and Secret Six #3.
Last Day to Pre-Order Gamer Girl & Vixen!
The last day of my Kickstarter has arrived, and we have knocked it out of the park! Gamer Girl & Vixen hit both its main goal and its stretch goal with time to spare! So I will be publishing THREE issues of Gamer Girl & Vixen this year thank to all of the lovely people who backed my project. I can’t thank you Henchies enough for putting up your own money to help me out! You people are spectacular!
If you’d still like to pre-order Gamer Girl & Vixen, now is the last chance!
I plan to keep this blog rolling with GG&V news as we work on the comic through the summer. We’ve got a lot of big plans for our little comic, so stay tuned!
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/13/15
The final weekend to pre-order Gamer Girl & Vixen is in full swing, and we’ve almost hit our first stretch goal! If you’d like to get your own copy of my comic, now’s the time!
But besides that, we’ve got other comics to talk about this week too! DC continues to try and re-invent their image, and so far they’ve been pretty successful! I loved the new Batman introduced this week, and the new Starfire comic is off to a good start. Over at Marvel, Secret Wars continues to dominate, but I’ve squeaked out reviews for Silver Surfer and Silk.
Comic Book of the Week goes to Batman #41 for a fantastic introduction to the new, armored Batman. Bring on the robot!
It’s my blog, and I say YES!
Now I can’t wait to read We Are Robin!
Over at Word of the Nerd, I continue my Secret Wars coverage with a review of Ghost Racers #1. It’s a nifty little comic, though nothing to write home about.
Comic Reviews: Batman #41, Harley Quinn #17, Silk #5, Silver Surfer #12 and Starfire #1.
Henchman-4-Hire 