Category Archives: DC
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/28/15
I hope everyone is having a good weekend out there in comic book blog land. Me personally, I’m perched on the edge of either potential triumph or devastating loss! But I can’t tell anyone about it yet. Maybe I can soon, but for now, you’re all going to be stuck here on the edge with me. Fortunately, we’ve got comics to read!
Like the ever-delightful Gotham Academy! Maps alone guarantees a Comic Book of the Week!
Sidekicks are the best
We’ve also got new issues of Darth Vader and SHIELD, in which Pavel Rasputin might become your new favorite Marvel sorcerer (though probably not). Amazing Spider-Man finally wraps up Spider-Verse, though not in the way I’d hoped. But at least [REDACTED] is still alive!
Oh! And swing on over to Word of the Nerd to check out my review of Spider-Gwen #1! I think it might be my favorite of the three Spider-lady comics that Marvel released in the past few months. Considering Ultimate Spider-Man is coming to an end, Spider-Gwen is going to be our best chance at playing around in a nifty alternate reality universe for awhile.
Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #15, Batman Eternal #47, Darth Vader #2, Gotham Academy #5 and SHIELD #3.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/21/15
Hidey Ho, comic book fans! I hope you’re all having a good week. Me personally, I’m in the Northeast, so I’m buried in snow and freezing in below zero temperatures. Such is the life. I’d hoped that comic books could warm me up, but the best they can do is warm my heart. We’ve got a slightly lower selection than normal this week because I had this big idea of reviewing a bunch of indie comics…but that kind of fell through. We’ve still got the latest Bitch Planet though!
We’ve also got Batgirl and the final issue of She-Hulk, so at least those are pretty awesome – even if it’s a great shame to say goodbye to Charles Soule’s She-Hulk. That comic was one heck of a treat. But Comic Book of the Week goes to Uncanny X-Men #31 for finally bringing the current storyline to a close with some solid Scott Summers drama.
It’s on like Donkey Kong
Here’s hoping Brian Michael Bendis nails the perfect ending to his Cyclops Saga.
Speaking of sagas, you can check out my review of Silk #1 over at Word of the Nerd. She fares much better than Spider-Woman #1, and the comic is actually fairly similar to Batgirl. I find that both exciting and fascinating.
Comic Reviews: Batgirl #39, Batman Eternal #46, Bitch Planet #3, She-Hulk #12 and Uncanny X-Men #31.
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is Just as Badass as I’d Hoped
The first picture of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman was posted online by director Zack Snyder early this morning, proving that I was right all along about how cool the King of the Seas will be in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
I wonder if he’ll kill a man with that trident
I love the armor, I love the badass tattoos, I’m not too wild about the hair, but overall, this looks great! I knew Momoa would bring that Islander power to the role, changing Aquaman from a white-skinned, blonde-haired American into a more world-inclusive king. Though I am starting to get a little freaked out at how dark and brooding this movie seems. Everybody is turning out to be as dark as Batman in this flick. And if you take away Batman’s darkness and share it with everybody, what else does he have?
Either way, at least we know Aquaman will be cool.
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Review – Teen Titans #7
Seven issues into the relaunched Teen Titans, I think I’ve figured out writer Will Pfeifer’s problem: he loves to listen to himself talk. Or in comic book terms, he loves to listen to his characters talk. I’ve mentioned before in my reviews how Pfeifer’s pet character, Manchester Black, goes on and on in seemingly endless monologues — and we get another one or two in Teen Titans #7 — but now we’re also treated to monologues from the new villains about how awesome their evil plans are and how evil they’re going to be.
Teen Titans #7
The Teen Titans are little more than spectators in their own comic at this point. All that matters is how smart and awesome Pfeifer’s pet characters are.
Comic Rating: 3/10 – Bad.
The Teen Titans are no longer the stars of their own comic. They’re set pieces. They’re action figures to be moved around at the whim of other characters. Teen Titans #7 is literally just about Manchester Black’s opposition to the new, bland bad guys in town. And if you (and I) thought those pill-popping rich brats from the last two issues were bland bad guys, then you ain’t seen nothing yet!
This would maybe be forgivable if Pfeifer had interesting stories to tell, but he doesn’t. Or if the art was spectacular, but it isn’t. Pfeifer and Kenneth Rocafort are producing a fairly standard, if at times sub-standard, comic book. The story is jerky and uninteresting. The villain that opened the relaunch with a splash, Algorithm, is gone. Those rich kids were cliches. And now a new villain has emerged: generic armed bad guys. They don’t have a name, they don’t have costumes, they aren’t memorable characters, and they want to use a villainous device to blow up New York City. Wow. Your’e really stretching the imagination with these guys, Pfeifer.
It doesn’t help that Rocafort returns to the title with the worst art yet. I would have thought taking two issues off would have given him time to shine.
Join me after the jump for the full synopsis and more review!
The 6 Characters on My Teen Titans
Let’s talk about the Teen Titans. I do it a lot on my blog, I know, but they’re worth talking about. The Teen Titans are a very popular comic, with a history dating back to before I was even born. And they’ve been on the air in one cartoon form or another for more than a decade. Heck, they even have their own TV show coming up! So why is their comic book so terrible? Why can’t DC Comics make it work? Maybe because they just don’t know what to do with the Teen Titans. But I know someone who does!
It’s not Batman
In our discussion last week of the highs and lows of DC Comics’ New 52, Henchman Gordon Bishop asked what my ideal roster would be for the Teen Titans. And seeing as how I am totally open to you henchies suggesting Lists of Six, I decided to take him up on his suggestion. It helps that this is one of my favorite games. I’ve already done dream rosters for the Avengers and Justice League, among others.
I’ve also done a previous List on things I would fix about DC’s current Teen Titans comic. So along with those fixes, join me after the jump to find out which New 52 teen superheroes I would write if DC handed me the reigns of the Teen Titans!
And please share your own roster ideas below in the comments!
Henchman-4-Hire 