Category Archives: Reviews
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.
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!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/14/15
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Or at the very least, I hope your Friday the 13th yesterday wasn’t so bad. We’re all about love here at Henchman-4-Hire, especially a love for all things comics.
So it’s really kind of terrible that a comic I once loved, Secret Six, is now breaking my heart. I know other reviewers are enjoying the new Secret Six, but I am awash with horror. It’s like seeing the ex you still have feelings for turn into a meth addict. So it’s a good thing I’ve got Darth Vader, Boba Fett and an evil wookiee to keep me happy!
The sensational character find of 2015!
His name is Black Krrsantan and he’s now in the running for my favorite New Expanded Universe Star Wars character. I just keep falling more and more in love with him. And Darth Vader #1 has a lot more than just an evil wookiee to make it Comic Book of the Week.
You can also check out my review of Thor #5 over at Word of the Nerd!
Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #14, Batman Eternal #45, Captain Marvel #12, Darth Vader #1, Divinity #1 and Secret Six #2.
Review: Saga #25
The long wait is over, and our beloved Saga has returned, as good as ever. A lot has changed since the start of the last volume: Hazel, Alana and Klara are prisoners of Dengo the Crazy Janitor, Marko and Prince Robot IV have forged an uneasy alliance and are in pursuit, and Lying Cat and her homies are on a quest to save The Will! We’re spread across the galaxy in the new issue, but writer Brian K. Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples take the time to check in on everybody for updates. It’s a solid issue with a lot of forward momentum.
Saga #25
Saga #25 also has the requisite single line of narration that threatens to tear my heart to shreds.
Comic Review: 9/10 – Great.
Don’t worry, though, my heart is fine. It wasn’t that bad, but Vaughn really knows how to stab the knife. How can you tell if you’ve created beloved characters? When the simple promise that ‘they’re in a story, so drama has to happen to them’ is enough to make your readers wince in pain. I can’t be the only one who wants Marko, Alana and Hazel to live happily ever after from this second forward.
But the story must move forward, drama must happen, and hearts must be broken. That Vaughn and Staples are able to so expertly craft such a tale is a testament to their skill as storytellers. Every single character feels real and full, and I’m excited to catch up on all their storylines. Once again, we have no idea where Vaughn and Staples are taking us, and I’m as excited as ever to find out where we’re going. It will no doubt be an emotional roller coaster.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
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