Category Archives: Reviews
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/2/13
We’ve got a very good week of comics here, not a stinker in the bunch. Aquaman continues the Throne of Atlantis storyline while Green Lantern Corps ends the Third Army storyline. So big happenings there. We get our second dose of Superior Spider-Man and it’s not too bad. Heck, I even liked the latest issue of Avengers even though I’ve been lukewarm on the series so far. Same with Batman Incorporated. This is just a good week all around.
And coming in with the Comic Book of the Week win is Green Lantern Corps Annual #1, which hits us with a bombastic finale to the Third Army! Good show Green Lantern team! Though this is also a good week for solid Robin action. And we all know I love that.
Please don’t kill Alfred
Comic Reviews: Aquaman #16, Avengers #4, Batman Incorporated #7, Green Lantern Corps Annual #1, Hawkeye #7, Red Lanterns #16, Superior Spider-Man #2 and Talon #4.
Review: Teen Titans #16
I want Fabian Nicieza to take over Teen Titans on a full time basis. Make it happen, DC Comics. He just has a much better handle on these characters and what it takes to tell a good story than regular writer Scott Lobdell. The best issues of Teen Titans have all been penned by Nicieza, even if Lobdell was providing the plot. This issue is a perfect example. Lobdell has been writing a couple crummy additions to the Death of the Family story in both Teen Titans and Red Hood and the Outlaws. But this issue is a wonderful tie-in, pitting Red Robin and Red Hood against each other in an particularly devious plot by the Joker. And it was made even better by Nicieza’s firm grasp on Tim Drake’s inner monologue.
Teen Titans #16
This is a very good tie-in to Death of the Family, giving the two Reds a story that seems tailor-made to their places in the Bat-family. Tim Drake’s inner monologue is fantastic as he assesses and handles the threat. It really lets him shine as the series star.
Comic Rating: 4/5: Good!
I really like the friendship that has been building between Red Robin and Red Hood since the DCnU reboot. They’re really the odd men out in the Bat-family. Tim Drake, especially, hasn’t had much of a place in the world since Damian came in and stole his position as Robin. So the two of them teaming up definitely works, as does the idea that they get a more action-oriented battle with the Joker. There isn’t much psychology to mess with either of them, so the idea that the Joker pits them against each other in fisticuffs fits the characters. Their scenes are the best in the issue, and Tim Drake’s inner monologue is a real standout.
Sadly, though, Lobdell once again hits us with his ridiculous notion for foreshadowing. Twice in this issue, we cut away to a single scene focusing on an upcoming villain. Out of nowhere with little to no build-up. It just happens in the middle of the story. It’s a stupid way to introduce these villains, especially since he utterly ruins the mystery of Trigon! It’s infuriating! I loved how Lobdell and Nicieza started to lay the groundwork for Trigon a few issues ago, when they had his name mentioned in some ancient carvings. I thought that was wonderfully subtle and mysterious, and might just grow as the series progresses.
Nope. We get a full scene of a the fully demonic Tigon sitting on his throne in Hell surrounded by demons, and a scene of him just introducing Raven in all her glory. No mystery, no subtlety, no build-up. He just throws Trigon and Raven right in our faces. What a waste.
Anyway, join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 1/26/13
What a week, what a week, what a week. Good thing there’s always comics to keep us entertained and excited. And another busy week brings us several different Avengers and X-Men comics – including the second X-Force title – as well as the penultimate chapters of the Third Army story in Green Lantern. Is it living up to all the previous Green Lantern sagas? No…not yet. But it’s still fun! As is the new Young Avengers series, and the latest issue of FF, but then we always knew that series was going to be fun.
Seriously, people, there are a ton of new comics this week. But the coveted Comic Book of the Week has to go to Wolverine and the X-Men #24. It’s cute, it’s fun and it reminds me why I loved this series so much in the beginning.
Iceman knows how to show a girl a good time
Comic Reviews: Avengers #3, Batwoman #16, FF #3, Green Lantern #16, Green Lantern: New Guardians #16, Justice League #16, Nightwing #16, Red Hood and the Outlaws #16, Uncanny Avengers #3, Uncanny X-Force #1, Wolverine and the X-Men #24, Wonder Woman #16, Young Avengers #1.
Review: Saga #9
No Brian K. Vaughn, why would you do this to us? You take two issues to really get the momentum going on Marko, Alana and their family, only to suddenly throw us this curveball with an entire issuing focusing on The Will? What the heck, man? I like The Will as much as the next reader. And Gwendolyn seems cool. But their stories could have waited until you were done rocking our socks off with the real stars of this comic. I was in no rush to watch The Will rescue that little girl from Sextillion. That could have happened at any time. But not in the middle of you delivering some of the best characterization in this series to date.
Saga #9
Saga #9 is a sad disappointment, interrupting a great storyline to bring us only a mediocre one. The Will and Gwendolyn fight a bunch of weird mole people to rescue the little girl from a few issues ago, whose name is apparently ‘Slave Girl’. Please, as if Sextillion isn’t full of underage slave prostitutes.
Comic Rating: 3/5: Alright.
Sagas #7 and #8 were a great two-parter, introducing Marko’s mom and dad and really ingratiating them in the family. Saga #8 was the best issue of the series so far, in my opinion, and I was definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next. So why, oh why, did Vaughn change gears completely and switch to this other story? It’s not like Marko and the gang had reached a natural conclusion. Their stories are still ongoing. We haven’t even caught up to Isabel yet. But nope. Vaugh introduced Gwendolyn at the end of the last issue and he’s apparently very eager to start using her.
I swear, the next issue better not just be about Prince Robot IV.
Anyway, this issue isn’t terrible by any means. The Will is a pretty cool character, and his rescue of Slave Girl is pretty noble. Gwendolyn also needs a chance to grow as a character, though I think she could have benefited from staying in the shadows for a bit. Let her mystique build. But in the end, Vaughn is creating an epic saga, and the story isn’t just about Marko, Alana and Hazel. So I guess it’s warranted to have a few issues starring the other characters. I just think this one came at the worst possible time.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 1/19/13
This is a great week for loving comic books. So many good and diverse books were released, from the horrific evil in Batman to the giddy happiness of Captain Marvel. Not to mention the return of Stilt-Man. That alone makes this a week to be remembered. This is one of the best and busiest weeks in comics I’ve seen in awhile. Mark Waid has two knockout successes with Indestructible Hulk and Daredevil. Batman’s Death of the Family story continues to rumble along, both for good and for ill, and DC tries to shove Threshold down our throats. It’s just as bad as I thought it might be. Ugh. But at least books like All-New X-Men remain top notch.
The winner of Comic Book of the Week is going to be Batman and Robin #16, giving us one of the best Death of the Family chapters yet. Though that’s not to say Daredevil #22 doesn’t give us one of the greatest lines ever spoken by man.
Oh how sweet it is
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Men #6, Batman #16, Batman and Robin #16, Captain Marvel #9, Daredevil #22, Indestructible Hulk #3, New Avengers #2, Savage Wolverine #1 and Threshold #1.
Henchman-4-Hire 