Category Archives: Reviews
Review: Teen Titans Annual #1
Hey everybody, Superboy is back! Remember when he died? Or was…replaced by an evil impostor…who I think also died? Does anybody remember what happened to Superboy? All I remember is that it was really really dumb, and really really confusing, and that the Teen Titans were completely out of the loop. I don’t think they ever knew about the impostor. But regardless of whatever insanity happened a year or so ago, Superboy is back in Teen Titans Annual #1, and he brings with him some much needed team drama!
Teen Titans Annual #1
Unfortunately, the Annual issue is hampered by some pretty terrible art. So I finally get what I want, the Teen Titans are the actual star of their own comic, but I still can’t appreciate it because this is one ugly comic.
Comic Rating: 5/10 – Alright.
Despite this being an Annual issue, the Teen Titans story continues from right where it left off, only now with extra pages and a new co-writer in tow. Tom King pays a visit from his successful Grayson comic to lend regular writer Will Pfeifer a hand with Teen Titans Annual #1. The two are paired as co-scripters, according to the credits, with the actual plot courtesy of King. Is this a sign that he might be taking over? I have no idea.
But King brings with him a much-needed focus on the Teen Titans themselves. Pfeifer has been a pretty poor presence on the franchise, and my biggest complaint with him so far is that none of his stories really focus on the Teen Titans themselves. Pfiefer has been too obsessed with either pet characters, like Manchester Black, or whatever new super-villain plot he’s brought to the table. All of that changes, for the most part, with this Annual issue, and I’m very happy with that. But the art by the alternating team of Alisson Borges and Wes St. Claire just can’t keep up.
Superboy is back in the Teen Titans’ lives, and he’s brought a lot of baggage with him. News reports claim that he’s responsible for murdering 21 people in cold blood. Obviously, there’s a lot more to that story than what the news media is reporting, but for now, it’s got the individual Titans at each others’ throats over whether they need to help their old friend or turn him over to the authorities.
That makes for good team drama, so at the very least, Teen Titans Annual #1 is a step in the right direction. I may come to regret this later on, but I think I’m going to get my hopes up, if only just a little bit.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/28/15
I’m happy to report my busy week has come to an end! I was covering a murder trial in my day job as a mild-mannered newspaper reporter, and the guy ended up being found guilty. He had it coming, trust me. But all that day job stuff cut into my blogging and comic book reading, so unfortunately it’s going to be a somewhat light week. It helps that Marvel Comics didn’t really put out anything too crazy this week.
Though Marvel did put out Uncanny X-Men #32, which wins Comic Book of the Week for finally kicking off Cyclops’ final journey!
And does it vive?
DC Comics filled up the rest of my week, with new issues of Batman Eternal, Batman and Robin and Gotham Academy. It seems I really read a lot of Bat-books. That’s largely unintentional, they’re just the best that DC has to offer. That’s not a bad thing, right?
Oh, and you can check out my review of Darth Vader #3 over at Word of the Nerd. Good times in Dark Lord of the Sithing!
Comic Reviews: Batman Eternal #51, Batman and Robin #40, Gotham Academy #6 and Uncanny X-Men #32.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/21/15
It was Ladies Week in comics this week, with at least five of my favorite female-friendly comics hitting the stands! I have been a huge proponent of the push for more female representation in comics, and I’ve pretty much loved everything I’ve read so far. Heck, I’m even making my own comic starring two female protagonists. So I couldn’t be more excited for a week that includes new issues of Princess Leia, Lumberjanes, Batgirl, Silk and the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!
But only one of those issues can win Comic Book of the Week, and that honor goes to the latest issue of Batgirl, which features a pretty stellar climax to their first story arc.
Boom-Punching 101
Not that Silk and Squirrel Girl weren’t awesome too! As was the second issue of Princess Leia, which I reviewed over at Word of the Nerd this week, so check that out too!
Sadly, I didn’t get around to the Lumberjanes review. That comic is mid-story arc, so I’m waiting for a good jumping on point to get back into regular reviews. And I can’t wait for that to happen!
Comic Reviews: Batgirl #40, Batman Eternal #50, Divinity #2, Silk #2 and Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #3.
Review: Teen Titans #8
It’s a classic warning to be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it. I am afraid that has befallen me with Teen Titans #8. No, Red Robin still doesn’t change out of his costume, but the Teen Titans are actually the stars of the book for once. And they’re engaged in some pretty cool extracurricular activities. Writer Will Pfeifer has set the Teen Titans up to be minor NYC celebrities, and he actually has some fun with this concept. The problem is in the execution. I don’t really know what it is, but there’s just something off about Pfeifer’s attempts to have some fun in this issue. Maybe my bias had completely taken over my sense of good and bad, but it just doesn’t feel like he thought this issue through very well.
Teen Titans #8
Still, I applaud the effort, and I especially like what he does with Red Robin in this issue. So general kudos.
Comic Rating: 5/10 – Alright.
In Teen Titans #8, Pfeifer splits the Titans up to engage in some wacky high jinks. Beast Boy hosts Saturday Night Live (or Comedy Tonight, as it’s called). Raven hangs out with her new rock band friends. Wonder Girl has a weird encounter with a fan. And Red Robin focuses on crime solving, like he’s supposed to do. Manchester Black is still around, still Pfeifer’s pet characters, but the Teen Titans actually get the spotlight for once. I just don’t think Pfeifer put all that much thought into each of these scenarios. It’s clear what he wants to accomplish, he wants the Titans to go viral on social media, but he kind of forces it.
At least he’s trying something different. I rather love the idea of the Teen Titans becoming mini-celebrities and being embraced by youth culture. These characters are perfect for an exploration of social media and its impact on not only our world, but the world of superheroes. I hope Pfeifer is reading the new Batgirl, because that uses social media in ways I wish I fully understood (but I’m about half a generation removed from a full understanding). I can see what Pfeifer is trying to do, and I kind of like what he’s trying to do, but I just don’t think he sticks the landings very well. There’s some square peg/round hole stuff going on here.
Maybe I’m just nitpicking. This is what I wished for, after all. Join me after the jump to see what I mean.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – March 14, 2015
Rejoice, everybody! This was a darn great week for comics! It’s the sort of week that strains my wallet and makes me wish I didn’t have such expensive hobbies. But then I remember that at least I’m not a parasailer. I bet that stuff is really expensive.
Nope, I spend my money on stuff like Ms. Marvel, the Comic Book of the Week! And it feels so good to say that! I love this comic so much.
Swoon
But the rest of the week is pretty darn good too! We’ve got new Amazing Spider-Man, new Ant-Man and new Star Wars, and there were some great comics I read this week that I didn’t even get around to reviewing, like Captain Marvel, Silver Surfer and Thor! This was apparently my week!
I was planning to review Silver Surfer, but I have very specific expectations when it comes to Silver Surfer and Galactus, and Dan Slott went in the entirely opposite direction. It just wouldn’t have been fair for me to review that comic.
Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #16, Ant-Man #3, Batman Eternal #49, Howard the Duck #1, Ms. Marvel #13, Ninjak #1 and Star Wars #3.
Henchman-4-Hire 