Category Archives: Reviews
Review: X-Factor #250
As many of you may have heard, X-Factor writer Peter David suffered a stroke while on vacation with his family in the end of December. From what I understand, he’s been recovering, but I don’t think there has been any word yet on what will happen to X-Factor. I’m sure he’s already got several scripts in the can ready to publish. Peter David is a fantastic guy. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the New York Comic-Con a few years ago, where he politely entertained by stumbling declarations that I loved his work on X-Factor. I’m glad I brought my brother along because he had far more substantial questions to ask. To help support PAD’s hospital bills, everyone is being encouraged to buy some of his ebooks and comics online, which you can do at his website. His wife Kathleen also gave an update on his condition this week.
X-Factor #250
Considering Peter David is almost single-handedly responsible for turning Multiple Man into my favorite comic book character, you better believe we here at Henchman-4-Hire wish him a speedy recovery.
Especially since he’s kicking total ass with the Hell on Earth War so far!
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
The second issue in and this story is pretty awesome. PAD is hitting the heroes hard and fast with the action, trying up a lot of his ongoing stories as he launches this brand new one. There are a lot of questions still about what has caused all of his hellfire and brimstone, but PAD is definitely keeping the story exciting. X-Factor is thrust right into the heart of the conflict with this issue, and all of it seems to be focused around Tier, the son of Wolfsbane. I’ve never been all that interested in this certain story, but really it’s just a reason for X-Factor to be awesome and face off against villains from Earth and Hell alike. Leonard Kirk’s art remains just as strong as it’s always been, making this story a definite winner so far.
If I had one complaint it would be that none of the action really seems to affect the characters on any sort of personal level. They’re all just kind of there, reacting as the adventure unfolds. Even when a certain character makes his dramatic return, nobody seems all that affected. Hopefully PAD can add to the oomph level in coming issues.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: Scarlet Spider #13
What a difference the art makes. Khoi Pham is still drawing Scarlet Spider, and either his talents have gone completely downhill, or the inker and colorist have done a terrible job, because the art in Scarlet Spider #13 is atrocious. Sketchy, awkward, off-model, it brings the whole issue down. This might actually be a good issue of Scarlet Spider, but the bad art is just so distracting. It doesn’t help either that the villains are generic werewolf people. And that Pham can’t draw werewolves to save his life.
Scarlet Spider #13
We’re finally getting answers about Aracely, but whatever impact those answers might have is completely lost due to horrendous art. I hope this is just a bump in the road. A switch to bad art is always a sign that a series is nearing its cancellation.
Comic rating: 2/5: Bad.
The mysteries of Aracely have never been that big of a deal to me. She’s definitely come into her own in this series, and was a standout in the last issue. But I haven’t particularly cared where she came from. Still, writer Christopher Yost was definitely going to get around to it eventually. And it seems like he’s tying it deeply into Mexican folklore and more. I’ve never particularly cared about Mexican folklore either, but maybe he can win me over. Yost definitely does a fine job detailing how Kaine uncomfortably fits into this scenario. I think it will be a fun adventure for our hero. He’s already an outsider in the normal world, now he’s even more so. That should be good for him.
But like I said, the art is terrible. And the villains could use a big boost to make them interesting. Right now, they’re just generic evil werewolf criminals. How boring. Here’s an idea: why not make them were-something else? Why is it always wolves? There’s a lot of talk in this issue about ‘coyotes’, which are what they call the people who transport Mexicans over the border for a fee. Why not make them werecoyotes? That would be interesting and cool!
Instead, all we get is mostly bland.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 1/12/13
This week’s reviews include possibly the worst comic I have reviewed to date. It’s deplorable, it’s terrible and it makes me fear for the quality of a new DC series soon to arrive. If Green Lantern: New Guardians Annual #1 is any indication of the quality of writer Keith Giffen’s upcoming Threshold series then count me out. I could not believe how terrible this Annual issue was. It lacks any redeeming qualities. It is the antithesis of entertainment.
So it’s a good thing Jason Aaron comes along to deliver the next issue of Thor: God of Thunder, which picks up another Comic Book of the Week win!
Typical Thor
But then, considering the character that Aaron brings back in this week’s Wolverine and the X-Men, I’m tempted to take away all of his previous awards. How could you do this to us, Aaron? What sick game are you playing at?
Comic Reviews: Green Lantern: New Guardians Annual #1, Thor: God of Thunder #4, Wolverine and the X-Men #23.
Review: Superior Spider-Man #1
I’m in. I take back almost all of the negative or indifferent comments I’ve made about Superior Spider-Man. Writer Dan Slott knocked the first issue of the new series out of the park, and I am completely on board with this big, insane plan of his. Because after reading this issue (and a few other hints around the Internet) it’s become clear that this is all one big scheme. This is a long story, and Marvel has just decided to gussy it up with a new name and a new #1 issue. Does Doctor Octopus taking over Peter Parker’s body warrant all this fanfare? I suppose. It would have probably still worked as Amazing Spider-Man #701, but that’s not how comic book marketing works these days.
Superior Spider-Man #1
If you really think Doc Ock is here to stay and that Peter Parker is never coming back, then I have a couple of homemade web-shooters to sell you. They really work too! But if you’re a Spider-Man fan and ready to put some real dedication into your comics, then Superior Spider-Man should be right up your alley.
Comic rating: 5/5: Great.
I’ve written before about my thoughts on this big status quo change, with the villainous Doctor Octopus taking over Peter Parker’s body (killing Peter in the process), and using it as a puppet to try and be a better Peter Parker and a superior Spider-Man. I never thought it was a bad idea, nor did I think it was in any way permanent. I just didn’t think I would be all that interested. It felt like Marvel and Slott were going to force us into a year of placeholder stories until they eventually got around to bringing Peter back to life. Placeholder stories that, I felt, turned all of Peter’s friends and loved ones into victims, hoodwinked by the sinister Doc Ock. Especially Mary Jane. I know some people don’t like Mary Jane Watson, but I’m a big fan, especially of her and Peter. And the idea of Doc Ock romancing and even sleeping with Mary Jane while using Peter’s body is downright creepy.
And if that’s the case, then I’m out. But after reading issue #1, I definitely approve of what Dan Slott is doing. It’s a very fun issue, with Doc Ock at his most pompous. He even dresses like Doctor Horrible! You really get a sense of the kind of fun Slott has in store for us. Couple that with a last page twist that I never saw coming and I am definitely excited to see where Slott goes from here.
Marvel has started teasing upcoming stories and ideas for Superior Spider-Man. And if what I think might happen is actually going to happen, then I do not want to miss Superior Spider-Man. First of all, Marvel released this teaser image this week, where it appears that the Superior Spider-Man is going to be fired from the Avengers. Second, blogger Graeme McMillan theorized at Newsarama that all of this is one big Spider-Man reboot. The ‘superior’ in the name is a misnomer, and Doc Ock is actually going to be a terrible Spider-Man. So terrible, in fact, that he drags Spider-Man’s good name through the mud. For the past few years, Spider-Man has been a big hero. He’s a proud member of the Avengers, he’s helped saved the world, he’s beloved by the NYPD…but that’s not the classic hard luck Spider-Man we all know and love.
Where’s the Spider-Man who can’t catch a break? Who’s hated by the people of New York even though he’s just trying to do good?
Dan Slott is bringing him back.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review, and learn the last page surprise!
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #19
What a disappointing issue. Not that Ultimate Spider#19 is a bad book, it’s just that nothing happens. The big crossover is gone and we’re back to business at hand, but writer Brian Michael Bendis doesn’t do anything with this moment. Instead, we get a lot of teases of stuff that could be happening. This is the first part of a new Venom story, but the villain barely even appears until the final page. So really, this is just a dull comic promising us better stuff down the line.
Ultimate Spider-Man #19
Even the art of returning artist Sara Pichelli is lackluster, and actually bad in some places. She draws a weird J. Jonah Jameson.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Speaking of JJJ, he has a nice scene in this issue, but it’s not as powerful as I was hoping it might be. Towards the end of the Peter Parker series, Bendis was doing some amazing things with Jameson. I have always preferred the respectable newsman version of Jameson as opposed to the raving lunatic Jameson. Like in the first Spider-Man movie, when he refused to tell Green Goblin who sells him the pictures of Spider-Man. And that version of Jameson has always been around in the Ultimate Universe. Towards the end, Jameson had come over on Peter Parker’s side, knowing the truth about the young hero’s identity and doing everything in his power to help him. It was a great storyline…
…abruptly cut short when Peter was killed. So I’m hoping Bendis has some good plans for Jameson and Miles Morales. They’ll probably never share the same connection that Jameson and Peter did, but perhaps there could be some great stories to tell. The scene in this issue points towards something greater, but like everything else in the issue, it still only points towards something else. That’s what’s so weird about this issue. Everything is just a tease.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
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