Category Archives: Reviews
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/7/16
What a strange two weeks. Last week, my pile of comics was so overflowing with good options that I didn’t have time to read and review them all! This week, there’s barely a smattering of titles I read, though a lot of the comics do feature characters that star in this week’s Captain America: Civil War. And I promise to get caught up on Black Widow. I really want to read that comic.
As it stands, I was a little too busy watching Civil War to get caught up on a comics, so the review offerings are a bit weak this week. Still, we got new Spider-Man and Iron Man comics, as well as the Comic Book of the Week, Punisher #1, by Becky Cloonan — though if I’m being entirely honest, I wasn’t that big of a fan of the issue.
Despite it’s cinder block attacks
My ‘problems’ with the Punisher are well-documented on this blog. They’re no one’s fault but my own.
Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #12, Invincible Iron Man #9 and Punisher #1.
Review: Captain America: Civil War
It doesn’t get much better than this. And I say that fully believing that Marvel can go even bigger, better and more exciting. If after more than ten movies deep into their film slate, Marvel can still produce something as amazing as Captain America: Civil War, then the future remains as bright as ever. This is the epic, spectacular, big bombast superhero movie that Marvel has been building towards all these years.
Movie Rating: 9/10 – Great.
Captain America: Civil War is a glorious mix of spectacle and drama, combining some of the most touching and important character work in the entire franchise with quite possibly the greatest bout of superhero action to ever grace the silver screen. The centerpiece ‘war’ between heroes at the abandoned airport is worth the price of admission alone. It’s worth of price of admission to every Marvel movie we’ve seen so far, building on almost each and every film to instill real emotional heft to these characters and their punches.
When Captain American, Iron Man and their allies face off in Civil War, there is real history behind it. We’ve seen the previous movies. We’ve seen the friendships and rivalries grow and build and strain. We’ve seen Steve Rogers and Tony Stark get testy in The Avengers. We’ve watched Black Widow’s character arc from the sidelines of other movies. We’ve seen Ant-Man consider calling the Avengers for help. This has been a journey.
Civil War is a movie for Marvel fans, for the people who have seen all their movies and probably held mini-marathons to gear up for this new one. It’s not ashamed of that focus, and it shouldn’t be. Marvel is producing a masterpiece on a scale never before imagined, and they’re pulling it off with such skill and excitement that I almost feel bad for other movies.
Like, do any of the previous Spider-Man movies even matter anymore? Batman v. Superman surely doesn’t.
Join me after the jump for the full review. There will be SPOILERS for Captain America: Civil War.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/30/16
Wowzers, what a week! Let me share with you just how insane this week was for me. First of all, it was the final week of my Kickstarter for Gamer Girl & Vixen, and we hit our fundraising goal on Wednesday! Hooray! Second of all, this was also the week I was moving into a new apartment, and that took several days. So there’s some exhaustion. And then this just happened to be the most insane week for comics in a long time!
Not only did a new issue of Teen Titans come out, which I always give a big review. But this week saw new issues of Batman, Batgirl, Amazing Spider-Man, All-New Wolverine, Saga, Doctor Strange, Ms. Marvel, Patsy Walker, Grayson, We Are Robin, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Harley Quinn, Faith, and so many more! This would have been a wonderful week of reading, if I wasn’t so exhausted from moving and finishing up a Kickstarter.
Fortunately, I did get to a couple of quality comics this week, so at least there’s that. This includes Comic Book of the Week for Ms. Marvel #6, for it’s lovely story of growing up superhero.
Classic Kamala!
Also, as a double reminder, my Kickstarter has blown past its fundraising goal this week! So the Gamer Girl & Vixen graphic novel is definitely getting made! If you want to snag a copy, head over to the Kickstarter! The campaign ends Monday morning.
Comic Reviews: All-New Wolverine #7, Amazing Spider-Man #11, Batman #51, Doctor Strange #7, Ms. Marvel #6 and Patsy Walker a.k.a. Hellcat #5.
Review: Teen Titans #19
I guess the latest issue of Teen Titans is the perfect place for the phrase ‘rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic’. We already know that with Rebirth, this current team of Titans is going to come to an end. Either the team will split up, or they will never have been a team at all. Normally, this would be the perfect opportunity for a big, climactic something or other. But writer Greg Pak only came on to the series a few issues ago, and he’s kind of just going through the motions.
In any other situation, this would be a mighty fine issue of Teen Titans. But that omnipresent feeling of just killing time is unavoidable.
Teen Titans #19
Comic Rating: 6/10 – Pretty Good.
So we kinda sorta do get that team up between Wonder Woman and the Teen Titans. And we do get to see Wonder Girl learn about her previously unknown past. And there are some nice character moments found within Teen Titans #19. It’s a finely written and drawn comic. I don’t think I have any particular complaints, which is very different from my previous Teen Titans reviews, I know.
It’s almost as if Pak is just keeping the boat above water. Tell some innocent, innocuous stories that don’t really matter in the long run, but keep the book coming out on time.
I suppose I don’t have a problem with that, because we live in a world where Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel exist.
Join me after the jump for the full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/23/16
Welcome to another thrilling installment of Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews! We’ve got a plate of wonderful comics today, including some of my current favorites, like Astonishing Ant-Man. Some of my review columns have been a little light over the past month, and if you’ve been wondering why, it’s because I’m nearing the end of a Kickstarter campaign for my own comic, Gamer Girl & Vixen!
This week is the final week of the campaign. We’re so close to hitting our goal that I can taste it! But the nerves have kind of dulled me to every other awesome thing in the world right now. So if you’d like to order a copy of my own comic, head on over and pick one up. Every little bit counts at this point!
Comic Book of the Week goes to Power Man and Iron Fist #3, which continues to be a wonderfully entertaining comic. Hopefully my own comic book work can be this good someday.
Not every problem can be solved with mystical kung fu
Comic Reviews: Astonishing Ant-Man #7, Captain Marvel #4, Power Man and Iron Fist #3, and Totally Awesome Hulk #5.
Henchman-4-Hire 