Category Archives: Comics
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #24
Prepare to get hit right in the feels, people. Writer Brian Michael Bendis introduces us to Cloak and Dagger this issue, then immediately makes them the most likable characters ever…then also immediately breaks your heart. All of Bendis’ skills as a storyteller and character creator are on display this issue as he updates Cloak and Dagger’s origins, turning them into some of the most sympathetic heroes ever. I feel for them. Heaven help Cloak and Dagger.
Ultimate Spider-Man #24
Bendis still writes a pretty good Spider-Man. But this is Cloak and Dagger’s issue, and we’re all the better for it.
Comic Rating: 4.5/5 – Very Good!
This issue is told almost exclusively in flashback, presenting the tragic origin of Cloak and Dagger. The origin is very well done, and in only a matter of pages, Bendis creates two very real, very amazing people. The actual superheroic origin is tied a little too awkwardly to the rest of the Ultimate Universe, but not in a distracting way. Bendis comes up with an acceptable way to give superpowers to Tandy Bowen and Ty Johnson. But seriously, the powers are only secondary. These two are most definitely people first, superheroes second, which I love. But it also makes the superhero scenes a little weird. This issue doesn’t contain the transition between the origin story and how the pair wound up fighting Bombshell outside a Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn, so there’s a bit of a disconnect between the issue’s two storylines.
Basically, I’m just not sure how Cloak and Dagger go from their tragic origin to trying to playing crimefighter. But I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.
Miles barely appears in the issue, but he has some strong scenes as he continues to deny his responsibility as Spider-Man. Gwen Stacy gives him a piece of her mind, and both come off well in this issue. I think Bendis is doing an OK job building up Miles’ return as Spider-Man. Part of me is worried that he’ll waste it on someone as minor as Bombshell, but if Bendis somehow connects the tragedy of Cloak and Dagger into Miles’ return to heroism, he’ll have pulled off a masterstroke!
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 6/22/13
Age of Ultron is the worst Big Event Comic that Brian Michael Bendis has ever written. The man is a writing god when it comes to small comics – like Ultimate Spider-Man or his current X-Men series – but he just can’t handle Big Events. He can come up with some really neat ideas, but for some reason he just can’t execute them. I don’t know what it is. How did the man who created Miles Morales write Age of Ultron? Whatever. It’s over. Age of Ultron is done and it’s just as bad as the rest of the series. But now we all have Angela to look forward to…so…yay? I guess. Ugh.
Thankfully, the rest of the comics this week are all winners. From Avengers and New Avengers carrying through with some grand ideas to comics like Batwoman and Superior Spider-Man continuing their general greatness. Quality reads through and through. As for Comic Book of the Week, that distinction has to go to Wonder Woman #21, for Brian Azzarello for really amping up the action and excitement, and actually getting me to like a New God.
I never thought I’d live to see the day.
Comic Reviews: Age of Ultron #10, Avengers #14, Batman and Batgirl #21, Batwoman #21, Green Lantern: New Guardians #21, New Avengers #7, Superior Spider-Man #12, and Wonder Woman #21.
Review: X-Factor #258
Now this is more like it! The last issue of X-Factor was a weird, context-less adventure in Marrakesh that didn’t seem to really have anything to do with X-Factor as a comic or as a superhero team. This issue, starring Wolfsbane, is a proper farewell. It tells a great Wolfsbane story, deals with her personal fallout in the wake of the Hell on Earth War, and sets her up with a new, post-series life. This is exactly what I want to see from the final issues of X-Factor.
X-Factor #258
Rahne gets the help of Father John Maddox to say goodbye, and once again, an appearance by Multiple Man’s religious dupe makes for a good issue.
Comic Rating: 4/5 – Good.
It’s sad to see X-Factor go, but it’s fun to watch writer Peter David say his goodbyes. I didn’t like the last issue whatsoever. It wasn’t a goodbye. It wasn’t a character story. It had nothing to do with anything. But this is very different. Father Maddox is one of the best creations to come out of X-Factor, and he’s a great narrator. Nothing has been as good as Maddox’s first ever appearance, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Maddox works well as a foil for Wolfsbane, given their religious connection, and he gives her a suitable outlet to wrap up her story. This issue definitely feels like a goodbye to Wolfsbane. I knew PAD could pull it off.
This issue also definitely feels like a farewell to X-Factor. As Rahne’s story wrapped up, as she shared a final scene with Guido, it really felt like an end of everything. Rahne and Guido used to be best friends, but in this issue I could really see how far they’ve come – and how far they are from friends anymore. Guido killed her son, after all. Rahne gets a very nice send-off. There’s a flash of Wolfsbane action, a heartfelt reunion with an old love, and some counseling with Father Maddox.
In the end, Rahne gets a chance to see the light. I hope we all get that chance when X-Factor comes to an end this fall.
The 6 Most Evil Fathers in Comics
Father’s Day was this past weekend, and like all dutiful sons in the Internet Age, I marked this occasion by writing ‘Happy Father’s Day’ on Facebook and assumed my father would see it. He and my mom have progressed to the point of getting their own Facebook page, but only so they can read statuses, not so they can actually post anything or interact. Parents, amiright? But as I looked around Facebook, I saw people really going the extra mile and writing nicer, longer messages, buying their fathers gifts and actually spending time with their dads. But I’m no good at fishing, I have yet to give him a grandchild, and I’m not making millions of dollars in a high paying job. What kind of son am I?
So I decided to celebrate my father with the one skill I do possess: writing! I decided to dedicate this week’s List of Six to comic book fathers – but in my research, I discovered something pretty horrible: most comic book fathers are totally evil!
Pa Kent was a drunk
This list was going to be titled ‘The 6 Coolest Fathers in Comics’, but once I actually started looking up comic book dads, I discovered that most of them are bad to the bone. For every Pa Kent, who raised his son to be the world’s greatest hero, there are half a dozen evil dads, who often force their children to become dark reflections of themselves. So I decided it might actually be a lot more fun to do a list of the 6 most truly evil fathers in comic books. Though it should be noted that this list is not a reflection of my own father, who clearly raised me into one of the coolest, most handsome bloggers on the Internet!
DC to Rely on Sameness to Sell Comics
Because unique characters and comics didn’t work, DC has decided to put all of their eggs in the Justice League basket. I can’t blame them. If your Hawkman, Static Shock and Legion of Superheroes comics aren’t selling, why keep putting them out? Comic books are a fickle market. We fans say we love certain characters, but we don’t say it with our wallets.
DC announced two new comics yesterday, both of which fall back to tried and true money earners:
Superman/Wonder Woman and Justice League 3000.
Her lasso is out of control!
DC already announced months ago that they’ll be making a Superman/Batman comic, reviving a title from before the reboot. So I guess it just makes sense to add Superman/Wonder Woman, especially considering their new romantic relationship. Not much is known about Superman/Wonder Woman so far (other than it focusing on their relationship), but it will be written by Charles Soule and drawn by Tony Daniel, and it will debut in October.
All they need now is Batman/Wonder Woman to make the trinity complete. Expect that announcement any month now.
Justice League 3000 is replacing the soon-to-be cancelled Legion of Superheroes comic. DC started the New 52 with two Legion comics, both of which have now been given the heave ho. I’ve never been a Legion fan myself, so I never bought the comics, but I always figured the Legion was important enough to always be around. But nope! DC has decided to simply create a Justice League in the future. Click the jump to see all the future versions of the characters. This idea is…interesting, to say the last. I don’t know what to think of the idea. It’s too bad Legion had to go, and it’s too bad DC is just falling back to the safety of the ‘Justice League’ brand name. But maybe Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire can work their magic. They’re the brilliant creative team behind those hilarious Justice League comics of the 80s and 90s.
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that DC is relying on the Superman and Justice League brand names more than they should. Both DC and Marvel are doing it. I just find it…generally disappointing. Not that I was buying Hawkman or Legion of Superheroes, but I liked to believe some people were.
Anyway, click the jump to see the new futuristic JL members and let me know what you think about these two new comics in the comments.
Henchman-4-Hire 