Category Archives: Comics
Review: Saga #20
Sometimes, Saga can be the most amazing, devastating comic book on the market. And sometimes, writer Brian K. Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples just need to get from Point A to Point B. Those issues aren’t bad either, but they’re not as exciting or as emotionally driven as the really great issues. That’s definitely not a bad thing, because Vaughn and Staples are producing one great comic. And sometimes you just need to let your story grow. Sometimes you’ve got a twist you need to drop or a point to make, or you need a few scenes to let Hazel be absolutely adorable.
Saga #20
Either way, whatever those two are doing, it makes for a good issue of Saga.
Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.
The last issue of Saga was devastating. It was like a punch to the gut. I wanted to cry, but I’m too manly for that. So I sucked it up and spent the last month hoping it was all a dream – that didn’t work. And here we are at Saga #20, the next chapter in the end of the beautiful relationship that is Marko and Alana. Vaughn wastes no time in putting temptation in their path, and it’s a little heart-breaking. Part of me thinks he’s putting one over on us, because the events of this issue are so obvious. But it’s probably just Vaughn doing what he has to do, which, of course, is break our hearts.
I really hope I can make it through this volume of Saga.
This is a fine issue that really focuses on the characters. Almost everyone gets a bit of spotlight, and it’s all nice for building their character and presenting more of their current situations. Alana is still on that weird TV show. Marko gets to play papa. And there’s some insanity about to go down in the Robot Kingdom. Oh yeah. That’s the big hubbaloo in Saga #20. In fact, I bet this whole volume is going to focus more on the Robot Kingdom and what they have to do with everything. They’re a weird bunch, to be sure, and I bet Vaughn has something big planned.
He’d better, because my heart can only take so much torment. Join me after the jump for the full synopsis with FULL SPOILERS and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/21/14
Now this was a good week. I love comics. I’m pretty sure that’s kind of obvious, what with this blog. And it’s weeks like this that remind me why I love them so much. So many good issues, so many fun characters, such good writing and art. Comics are so brilliant these days. And I’m sure I’m barely scratching the surface as I stick to mostly Marvel and DC. There’s probably a world of indie titles that are even better.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the week where I dive headfirst into indie comics. Instead, this is the week where Marvel and DC put out some great books! Not only to we get a couple of big finales in Uncanny X-Men and Thor: God of Thunder, but Wonder Woman has a pretty amazing pre-battle sequence. Quality comics, the lot of them. Over at DC, I was delighted with the new issue of Harley Quinn. And even Batman Eternal managed a few surprises. Can you believe it? Of course, the issue was still pretty crummy, but who doesn’t like surprises? The latest issue of Original Sin was also pretty crummy, but it had a neat surprise too.
Comic Book of the Week would have to be Silver Surfer #3 by Dan Slott and the Family Allred. It’s the most Doctor Whoish issue yet, and that’s just wonderful.
Comic Reviews: Batman Eternal #11, Batwoman #32, Harley Quinn #7, Original Sin #4, Silver Surfer #3, Thor: God of Thunder #23, Uncanny X-Men #22, and Wonder Woman #32.
Review: The Weirding Willows
Did you know that Alice from Wonderland was the daughter of Dr. Moreau? Or how about a team up between the Wicked Witch of the West and Dr. Jekyll? And did you ever wonder how Mowgli could speak to the jungle animals? Maybe he was part Doolittle? These are only some of the wickedly inventive crossover tales found in The Weirding Willows, a new graphic novel being released by Titan Comics by writer Dave Elliott. Like The Avengers movie, Alien vs. Predator or even Once Upon a Time, Elliott has written the king of all crossovers starring a wealth of characters from classical 19th century fiction. Alice in Wonderland, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Wizard of Oz, The Wind in the Willows; even Peter Rabbit makes a guest appearance in this clever comic, the hardcover collection of which is due out July 1.
The first volume of The Weirding Willows seems to be just the tip of the iceberg of this hugely imaginative story. Elliot fills each chapter with cameo after cameo, presenting an intricately woven tapestry of adventure starring some of literature’s most favorite characters.
Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.
Alice is the star of this series, presented as a no-nonsense teenage girl who has discovered more than just a portal to Wonderland out in the woods surrounding her house. The titular Weirding Willow actually contains portals to all manner of fictional lands, including Oz, Pellucidar (Journey to the Center of the Earth) and NeverNeverLand. But Elliott’s story is not just about doorways to all of these worlds. The characters and creatures of fiction already seem to live in and around the Willows, and many already have a long history of working together. Alice is the daughter of Dr. Philippe Moreau, because why not? It’s not like we ever knew Alice’s last name in the original Wonderland stories (did we?). And Moreau is an old friend of Morty Doolittle, son of the famous doctor (not the Eddie Murphy version). And the Wicked Witch of the West wants both of them to help her build an army of flying monkeys. Moreau’s scientific specialty is making freaky hybrid animal monsters, is it not?
But while that evil is afoot, Alice is tasked with helping the White Rabbit and his bunny friends defeat a monster who has invaded their little bunny homes – Frankenstein’s Monster! Also there’s at least one T-Rex.
Join me after the jump for the full review! And the hardcover is available for pre-order on Amazon.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/14/14
Have you ever walked out of a movie? I haven’t, but I’ve stopped watching films if I’m at home and don’t like them. And now I can say I’ve walked out of a comic book. I want to like DC Comics, they have some great characters, but their current output is just…so, so bad.
The comic in question is Justice League United #2, smack dab in the middle of its Justice League Canada storyline, and the New 52 introduction of Adam Strange. I haven’t particularly enjoyed the series so far, but it was still on my review docket…then I had to stop reading halfway through because it was just so bad. I just couldn’t take it anymore. The dull, endless exposition. The weak, context-less banter between the characters. The generally crummy plot. The awkwardly cut and pasted panels.
Look at this!
How does that pass any sort of muster at DC Comics?! The banter between Green Arrow and Animal man is pretty lively, with the two characters nearly at each other’s throats, but NOBODY MOVES AN INCH FOR THREE WHOLE PANELS! They have the same smiles and faces, every single one of them, despite some pretty harsh dialogue. It’s insane!
There’s also a random Supergirl cameo that completely ignores the fact that she’s a Red Lantern these days.
Fortunately, we’ve still got comics like Lumberjanes, which easily won Comic Book of the Week for the best issue yet of this fledgling series.
So don’t expect a full review of Justice League United #2. My review stack is actually pretty light this week due to just crappy comics and a pretty busy week for me personally. I had this infectious Malware problem Wednesday night that just wouldn’t go away. I had to stay up all night cleansing my computer. It was madness, and left me a very tired Sean.
And for those interested, you can check out my reviews for Captain Marvel #4 and New Avengers #19 at Word of the Nerd. Both of those were pretty solid comics.
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Men #28, Astro City #13, Batman Eternal #10 and Lumberjanes #3.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/7/14
Happy Birthday, mom! If it wasn’t for you, mom, none of us would be here today reading a bunch of comic book reviews. So I think we can all thank her for that. I’ll probably give her a phone call later, just to make it official. But the great thing about having a blog is using it to talk to family members! I have more conversations with my brother via the comments section of my blog than I do through any other means. Good times.
And good comics – mostly! A random smattering of books came out this week, and I read an even more random smattering of that random smattering. Of import is the fact that I finally got back to reading Black Widow and Moon Knight, two new books I didn’t want to lose track of if I could help it. On top of those classics, we’ve got new issues of All-New X-Factor, Batman Eternal and Original Sin…which is turning out to be pretty much garbage. Hopefully this will mark the death knell of the Big Event at Marvel.
Comic Book of the Week goes to newcomer Cyclops #2! I never had much intention of reading the new series starring Young Cyclops, but after the first issue got such stellar reviews, I just had to take a look, and the book is as good as everyone says!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Cyclops is the most dynamic character at Marvel right now.
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Factor #9, Batman Eternal #9, Black Widow #7, Cyclops #2, Moon Knight #4 and Original Sin #3.
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