Category Archives: Comics
Review: Punisher #5
Much like last issue, Punisher #5 continues the story at a snail’s pace without any real momentous happenings or interactions between the cast. Couple that with an incredible leap of 100 days in time from the last issue, and I’m starting to get bored. Nothing is happening except for a surface-level exploration of the characters. And nothing at all is happening with the Punisher himself. He remains a nearly-mute specter who may or may not be killing criminals.
Punisher #5
When is something going to happen!?
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Though again, like last issue, I’ll say that it’s a well-constructed comic. The writing is solid and the art is sufficiently moody. The wintery snow effects are amazing. So it’s a well put-together comic, but that doesn’t guarantee a good comic. Nothing happens in this issue. Nothing of significance at least. None of the characters have any breakthroughs. No one has any particularly memorable lines of dialogue. Nobody does anything that will be remembered next issue. Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I’m missing some important subtext or something. But I’m pretty sure that writer Greg Rucka is sacrificing momentum for mood-building.
And that just doesn’t make for a good comic. Not that I’m going to stop reading just yet, but I’m starting to consider dropping the Punisher. We’ll see. Spoilers after the jump.
Stage Five: Acceptance – Review of X-Factor #227
So at long last, it’s time to accept that my favorite comic book character has been killed and there’s nothing I can do about it. But considering he died in this issue, one might ask how I could possibly be expected to review it objectively. That’s a fair question. And my answer is: because I say I can. Simple as that. It’s still a comic book. I still read it. I even enjoyed it.
X-Factor #227
Even if those bastards killed him!
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
I’m going to spoil the character that was killed after the jump. In fact, I’m going to spoil the whole issue. That’s kind of my thing. A lot of other review sites don’t spoil the books, so good for them. But I’m something of a niche blog, so I’ve got no problem spoiling the stories. I like to think that some people might read my reviews just to get spoiled. I’m fine with that.
Suffice to say, the death in this issue of a prominent member of X-Factor doesn’t really have much at all to do with the story. It’s more like a big cliffhanger to lead us into the next story arc. Frankly, this whole story arc has seemed kind of lackluster. There are way too many members of X-Factor these days, and this issue has a completely unimportant guest star and serves as the introduction of a new villain. So there are a lot of characters to juggle. Peter David does an OK job with the juggling, but no one piece gets enough attention to be really good.
Still, at least my favorite character died in an issue that’s worth reading. Spoilers after the jump.
Stage Four: Depression – X-Factor #227
Oh woe is me.
Are comic books even worth it anymore? They’re just not going to feel the same. I won’t have X-Factor to look forward to every month, at least not my X-Factor. Sure the title will still be coming out, but my favorite character is dead. My favorite superhero has been killed. My favorite fictional character of all time has been mur-diddily-urdlered!
I am infinite sadness.
But cheer up, Sean, you might say. Death is a joke in comic books these days. Everyone from Bucky to Aunt May has come back from the dead, so it’s only a matter of time before your favorite character returns. Heck, he’s already ‘died’ once before and come back. His super power is essentially a get out of ‘dead’ free card.
Some of you might even punch me in the stomach and tell me to ‘grow up’ because it’s just a freakin’ comic book!
And to all of you I’d say, “It’s just not the same.”
Stage Three: Bargaining – X-Factor #227
What’s it going to take, Marvel Comics and Peter David, for you to see the error of your ways and bring my favorite comic book character back to life? To ensure that he makes it through this wild, strange trip you have planned for him? I want him back on his feet and having fun by March. You got that!?
Maybe this is cosmic punishment for having not yet read Peter David’s Dark Tower series.
It’s not like I don’t want to read Dark Tower. It’s all in a big pile there on my desk, waiting for me to get around to it. So how about that, PAD, what if I read Dark Tower? Then will you be kinder to my favorite character? What if I go back and read your original Incredible Hulk run, the one that everybody says is awesome? I don’t even care that much about the Incredible Hulk.
But I’ll do it if it makes you happy!
Is it that I’m not buying enough X-Men series? But I don’t care about Generation Hope, X-Men, X-Men: Legacy, New Mutants, Shiny Mutants, X-Treme, X-Boys, X-Gobbledegooks, etc. Whatever the hell else you’re publishing. Don’t take my indifference out on my favorite character!
I think the real problem is that X-Factor just has too many characters. Why couldn’t he kill one of them?
Stage Two: Anger – X-Factor #227
YOU KILLED HIM!! YOU BASTARDS!! HOW COULD YOU?!?
NERD RAAAAAAAAGE!!
He’s my favorite comic book character! My favorite superhero! Why did you have to kill him!? What does it accomplish!? The book is doing great! There are a ton of good stories! Death in comic books is a joke! So why kill my guy!? You’re all a bunch of bastards! He was a really fun and popular fictional character.
X-Factor is going to suck now. Hello Cancelville!
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Anger is the second stage of grief. Here are the others:
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