Category Archives: Comics
Review: X-Factor #254
More X-Factor, more Hell on Earth War goodness! The battle for the fate of the Earth marches on into Part Five, and it looks like Peter David is finally moving his various pieces into place for the big finale. Specifically, he has Mephisto start making the sort of power plays that put him dead center as the story’s true villain, while X-Factor deals with some more internal problems. I rather like that. I’m not so much a fan of big, chaotic fights between superheroes and faceless demon spawn, but I love it when superheroes bicker and talk with one another. That’s just something weird about me, I guess.
X-Factor #254
We get plenty of both action and talking in this issue, which is another solid installment of the Hell on Earth War.
Comic Rating: 4/5: Good.
One thing that’s interesting to note is that the recap page mentions a meeting between Peter David and his editors at Marvel HQ. As we all know, the recap pages always contain some fun, behind-the-scenes tidbit, usually about PAD’s life and family. This time we learn that PAD has a lot of big, big plans for X-Factor in the coming months, which I’m taking to mean that the upcoming ‘End of X-Factory’ storyline is just going to be a chance for him to relaunch the series with a new focus. Marvel has been talking about Marvel NOW! Wave 2 being on the horizon, and I think X-Factor is going to get a little shake up. I’m excited for this…in theory. If we find out that PAD is ditching all of his characters and going in a completely new direction, then I will be less happy. I’m hoping, instead, that he just plans to streamline the current team and figure out a new direction to take all of them.
As long as PAD is still writing a Multiple Man comic book, I will be one happy camper.
But that also gives extra emphasis to the Hell on Earth War, which might turn out to be the big, penultimate story of this volume of X-Factor. PAD has been writing this ongoing tale for years now, and this looks to be his big blowout adventure. I can definitely get behind that. The story is fast-paced with usually strong character work. The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been for X-Factor, and mostly we get to see everybody working together (or knocking heads) as they try to be superheroes and save the world. You couldn’t really ask for more.
Review: Saga #12
It’s about time we checked in again with Prince Robot IV, and it’s a neat little issue that sees him facing off against famed author D. Oswald Heist. The emotional roller coaster of the last few issues has come to an end. And now the time has come for the overall story to move forward, and this makes for a nice little opening chapter. We finally meet Heist, who seems like a pretty cool dude. And Prince Robot IV continues to prove why he is the most villainous out of the main characters. Will he be the actual villain in the end? Maybe. It’s hard to tell at this point. I don’t think anybody is truly evil, but that just makes for a better story overall.
Saga #12
Saga has a lot of story to tell, and it’s hard to believe we’re only at issue #12. So much has happened so far, I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around what might come next. I’m just glad I’ll be along for the ride.
Also, Brian K. Vaughn hits us with another awesome final page cliffhanger.
Comic Rating: 4/5: Good!
The action and excitement of the past few issues is gone, replaced with what amounts to nothing more than an extended conversation between Heist and the Prince. Vaughn is a master of dialogue, and the conversation serves to reveal so much about each character. It’s also just generally entertaining. I can already tell that Heist is going to be a fun character. And Prince Robot takes a step towards diabolical, which only serves to make him a more interesting character too. There is also the promise that he is on the verge of finally confronting Marko and Alana, which should be a pretty big moment.
Fiona Staples’ art is once again simply fantastic. Her characters are clear and well drawn, their emotions obvious, and the weird nature of their bodies made believable. This issue is all about a conversation between a bearded Cyclops and a robot with a TV for a head, yet it comes off as perfectly normal. I love that about her art. Everybody just looks so believable and human, even when they’re walking, talking TV sets or giant mouse people, it’s all so nice and normal. And seriously, the last page of this issue is just badass.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/13/13
We’ve got some good and we’ve got some bad this week, sometimes down to the very franchise. I’ve already ranted a lot about my disappointment with Batman and Red Robin, so at least the regular Batman book is good enough. On the Marvel side of things, the Avengers have a mediocre to strong output, whether it’s Age of Ultron, Avengers or Uncanny Avengers. You might even be surprised to learn that some kind of plot finally develops in Age of Ultron! I didn’t see that coming!
But speaking of Avengers, the star this week is Thor, as his series, Thor: God of Thunder, easily hammer-smashes the competition to win Comic Book of the Week! I was disappointed last issue with the weak origin for Gorr. But when Jason Aaron focuses on his various Thors, the comic is gold! It’s also the funniest comic you’ll read all week. Perhaps even the sexiest.
Sounds like my kind of woman!
Comic Reviews: Age of Ultron #5, Avengers #9, Batman #19, Batman and Red Robin #19, Hawkeye #9, Thor: God of Thunder #7, Uncanny Avengers #6, Uncanny X-Men #4.
Watch Out, Tim Drake Fans! DC is Still a Den of Liars!
Do not buy this week’s issue of Batman and Red Robin #19! Well, I mean, you can buy it if you want to. But if you, like me, were looking for any examination of the Bruce/Tim dynamic in the New 52, you will be grossly disappointed. The two barely have anything to do with one another, and when they do interact, it’s just a circumstance of the plot.
This is almost as bad as when we were teased about Red Robin getting an issue of Night of the Owls. Seriously, if you were planning on buying this comic just for the Tim Drake appearance, save your money.
I guess you could buy it for Carrie Kelley, maybe
I’ll post some spoilers after the jump. Just know that this issue is not a team up between Bruce and Tim. DC Comics is a Den of Liars and Thieves!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/6/13
This week we explore the dichotomy of Brian Michael Bendis. He is one of the most popular comic book writers of our time, and has helped shaped the modern Marvel Universe in ways we can’t grasp now. He is a living legend in the comic book world. But sometimes he can be a really bad writer. I think I know now why Age of Ultron wasn’t given the hype or push of Civil War or Avengers vs. X-Men. It’s a terrible Big Event comic. If Age of Ultron really does rewrite any part of the Marvel Universe beyond just adding a Spawn character to the comics, I will be very disappointed. This may be Bendis’ worst Big Event comic.
But at the same time, Bendis has turned the X-Men franchise into one of the best comics being published today! His work on All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men is some of the best he’s ever written. Almost all of the characters involved are more dynamic than they’ve been in years, and the story itself is one for the history books. It just keeps getting better and better! All-New X-Men #10 easily wins Comic Book of the Week, and I eagerly await the next chapter next week.
Ptui!
Maybe Bendis just drinks a different kind of coffee on the days he’s writing X-Men vs. the days he’s writing Ultron.
Comic Reviews: Age of Ultron #4, All-New X-Men #10, Green Arrow #19, Green Lantern #19, Indestructible Hulk #6 and Superior Spider-Man #7.
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