Category Archives: DC

Review: Teen Titans #20

Writer Tony Bedard should not take up a side job writing Internet memes. As a long time reader of the Internet, I consider myself fairly well versed with the world of memes. I think I know what I’m talking about. Bedard dazzles us with a few in this new issue, as the Teen Titans take on this instantly dated phenomenon. I’m not even sure why they bothered.

Teen Titans is a lame duck comic book. With a complete revamp on the way in Rebirth, I’m not really sure why Teen Titans is still shambling along like it is.

Comic Rating: 4/10 – Pretty Bad.

Maybe if we were looking at a Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo-style climax, or if we had any sort of ongoing story to tell, or even if the comic was still using its original numbering and DC Comics wanted to get to the magic 52nd issue, then maybe I would understand why Teen Titans is still putting out new issues ahead of Rebirth. But there’s nothing here. Heck, this is Bedard’s first issue on the series. He’s clearly some kind of pinch-hitter brought on to keep the series on life support before the switch.

Why?

Is it sales? Does Teen Titans sell enough to justify scraping together a few more crummy issues over the next few months? Maybe if they were using these issues to build up to the Rebirth changes, I would understand. But that’s not happening either. This issue could be any regular issue of Teen Titans. There’s an awkward training sequence followed by the aforementioned memes plot, and the arrival of a sudden, random villain. Nothing in this issue signifies the end. Nothing in this issue signifies a new beginning or a new direction.

Nothing indicates the ‘Fall of the Titans’ that the cover implies…unless the Teen Titans are going to be undone because somebody is making crappy Internet memes about them…

Teen Titans #20 is weak filler. And it’s filled with some weird storytelling choices.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/21/16

This was a good week for comics. My pile was lighter than I anticipated, and I thought things would be pretty calm. But then several issues really stood out to me as winners. We’ve got Silver Surfer, Harley Quinn, Astonishing Ant-Man, Power Man and Iron Fist; this is a damn fine week for the funny books. And almost any of these could have won Comic Book of the Week. I was really tempted to give Harley Quinn major props this week.

But Comic Book of the Week goes to All-New Wolverine #8! Writer Tom Taylor is really pushing Laura as a new hero in her own right, while doubling down on comic book awesomeness. I really love seeing where he takes the legacy of Wolverine, and how he uses it to empower Laura.

It’s a complicated legacy

Although Harley Quinn has something Wolverine doesn’t: romance! At least I think so…

Comic Reviews: All-New Wolverine #8, Astonishing Ant-Man #8, Harley Quinn #28, Power Man and Iron Fist #4, Silver Surfer #4 and Spider-Man #4.

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First Trailer for DC Superhero Comedy ‘Powerless’ is Humorless

Ouch. This…this might be everything we ever feared. The jokes are hackneyed, the references are painfully forced; this might be the return of camp to superhero entertainment.

Powerless is a show about regular, blue collar people living and working in the world of DC superheroes. And wow, it just looks terrible. Maybe it’s my own disinterest in standard network television these days, but come on! Jokes about utility belts where the entire joke is just saying the phrase? And the superhero references couldn’t be more forced. Jeez.

At least Kate Micucci’s in it. I like her.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/14/16

If you’re reading this, then I am kickin’ back and having a great time at the Haverhill Public Library Comic-Con in Haverhill, Massachusetts! I’ve been to a lot of comic conventions over the years, but this is the very first time I’ll be presenting my own comic, Gamer Girl & Vixen! I’m very excited, and I hope it’s going well. I’ll do a write up on the event next week.

But for now, let’s enjoy some quality comics! Batman and Starfire both bow out of the New 52, Black Panther takes a crack at a second issue, and I dipped my toes into a few more non-superhero titles for once, with the return of Kaijumax.

The new issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers wins Comic Book of the Week, because it knows what I want, and it delivers without shame. Go, Green Ranger, Go Go!

My childhood

Also, in case you didn’t know, the Green Ranger is way better than the White Ranger. That’s just a fact.

Comic Reviews: Batman #52, Black Panther #2, Kaijumax #1, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #3 and Starfire #12.

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6 Superhero Civil Wars I Would Like to See

I am so very excited for Captain America: Civil War! It’s in theaters in America tomorrow, and I just can’t wait! I love me some Marvel superhero movies, and this one is supposed to be another slam dunk! I want to see Ant-Man, I want to see Spider-Man, I want the Black Panther to kick butt, I want Captain America and Iron Man to come to blows! I want to see this movie!

One more day!

On the other hand, I have zero interest in the Civil War II comic crossover coming out this summer. I just don’t care. Iron Man vs. Captain Marvel over some Inhuman? Really? I know Marvel tries to have their comics mirror their movies, at least a little bit. But I super incredibly don’t care. I enjoyed the original Civil War, and I still think the concept makes for a great storyline. But meh.

Of course, that’s no reason we can’t have some comic book speculation fun! What superheroes would I like to see have a ‘civil war’? What hero vs. hero battles would be pretty neat?

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