Category Archives: Reviews
Review: X-Factor #243
Now we’ve come to the Polaris issue! I think every character who is leaving X-Factor is getting their own issue in this ‘Breaking Points’ storyline, and now we’ve arrived at the Polaris one. It’s a good issue, revealing new facts in Polaris’ already twisted backstory while providing some nice supporting work by the other characters. But it kind of comes out of nowhere. Was anybody really eager to hear some new convoluted twist to Polaris’ life? And other than hardcore Polaris fans, was anybody really interested in seeing a whole issue dedicated to her problems?
X-Factor #243
Polaris, and to an extent Havok, have been non-characters for so long. It’s nice of writer Peter David to try and make something of them, but I think it’s too little too late, especially considering where they’re going.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
This is a solid issue of X-Factor. It’s got some good humor, some great character work and tells a complete story. It also builds on a few ongoing storylines and teases the next issue, which looks to focus on Banshee, though I hope she’s staying in the book. My problem is with Polaris, and I’ll explain more after the jump. She’s such a messed up, blank slate character at this point. How does it help her for PAD to add some crazy new wrinkles to her backstory…unless he thinks he’s smoothing them out. Her character has been through Hell, both mentally and physically, over the past few years. She’s due for a smoothing out. But I don’t know if that is accomplished in this issue.
Still, like I said, it’s a pretty fun issue of X-Factor. The team acts like a group of friends/frenemies just trying to help each other get by. And that’s the real strength of this series.
Review: Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1
The best thing about this comic is the cover by artist Amanda Conner. It’s all downhill from there. I picked up Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1 on a whim, because none of my usual review titles came out this week, and I also bought and reviewed the first issue of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s The Ray comic back in the Winter. I thought The Ray was generic and simple, though not without some heart and warmth. So I thought I’d give Phantom Lady a shot to see what these two guys could do with a relatively blank slate character, reinventing her and her partner for the New 52. I especially liked her new costume.
PH & DM #1
Boy was this a mistake. Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1 is a dull comic featuring lazy storytelling, idiotic and uninteresting heroes and villains and a moment so sexist that I can’t quite be sure if I’m overreacting or underreacting to it.
Comic rating: 2/5: Bad!
With something as big and grand as DC’s New 52 reboot, why would anybody write something so mediocre? I know Gray and Palmiotti are capable of good comics, but this isn’t one of them. There is nothing remarkable or interesting about this comic, no hook to get us excited. It’s a by-the-numbers superhero story, but stars two bone-headed, paper thin lead characters and a villain who is so over-the-top evil as to be more ridiculous than menacing. Not to mention a poor use of superheroics, a few silly stretches of credibility and art that is serviceable at best. Amanda Conner was only tapped to draw the cover, the rest of the comic is left up to Cat Staggs. And while the art is OK, it doesn’t have nearly the character or charisma of Conner’s pencils. The greatness of that cover compared to what follows is like a cruel bait-and-switch.
Phantom Lady and Doll Man is a 4-part series designed to bring these two old-timey characters into the new, modern world of the New 52. If the rest of this series is anything like this first issue, DC has completely wasted any potential that could have been had. If you like your superheroes to be boring, lifeless and generic, then this is the book for you.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and a bit more explanation on why I thought this issue was so bad.
Review: Teen Titans #12
A new issue of Teen Titans, a new villain appears out of nowhere. Writer Scott Lobdell just loves introducing random villains to this series. At least this guy – with the totally pointless name of ‘Diesel’ – seems to be a catalyst for learning more about the new Wonder Girl. Not that we learn much about her or him or her Silent Armor in this issue. In fact, we don’t actually accomplish very much in this issue at all. It’s just bland fighting, followed by a tiny bit of tempting exposition, and then the issue ends just as its getting started – leaving us with a fairly melodramatic cliffhanger that would fit better in comics 20 years ago.
Teen Titans #12
The character growth of the past few issues of Teen Titans is stopped. We’re back to the mindless, ‘x-treme’ superhero action.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
I can’t bring myself to call this a bad issue…mostly because I can’t work up that much interest. Teen Titans #12 is just another in a long, disappointing line of issues. Teen Titans could have been a great comic coming out of the New 52. I know it was kind of flailing prior to the reboot, but back when Geoff Johns reintroduced the teens a few years ago, Teen Titans was amazing! It was my favorite comic at the time, by far. And Johns is now one of the top guys making the decisions at DC. Surely he could have had some influence over the Teen Titans. But no, they gave it to Scott Lobdell, and he’s brought the worst of the 90s comic book problems to the title.
There’s an emphasis on mindless action over meaningful character growth. The heroes are constantly stating the obvious and explaining the scenes they are in. The comic is far more concerned with making sure there’s something ‘x-treme’ happening on every page instead of taking a moment to breath.
Teen Titans is just not a very good comic. Entertaining? Perhaps a little. Good characters? Maybe, in the right situation. But overall, this comic is just all over the place. And the only place it’s not, is with it’s characters.
Review: Saga: Volume 1
I’ve gotten a request from an old friend of mine to review something other than superhero comics, and I’m going to take him up on that request because I would like to expand the reach of my blog. Unfortunately, the only non-superhero comic I’m reading these days is Saga by writer Brian K. Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples. This is unfortunate because I would like to read more independent work, but it’s fortunate because Saga is probably the No. 1 most high-profile, independent, non-superhero comic on the stands today. A lot of comic book fans are reading Saga, and I think that makes it the perfect addition to my review cycle. I’ve decided to review the first six issues in one fell swoop – seeing as how they make up Volune 1 – and then pick up from here on out issue-by-issue.
Saga: Volume 1
Saga is a strange and heartfelt story about a young couple trying to raise their newborn daughter in the middle of a war. But it just so happens that it takes place in outer space and everybody is some kind of freaky alien. On top of that, it seems like Vaughn and Staples are trying to be as insanely weird as possible, sometimes sacrificing story for weirdness.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
There is no denying that Saga is, so far, a very well-written and well-drawn comic. Vaughn and Staples are two professionals at the top of their game, and that shows on every page. It’s the story and the progress that I find at least slightly lacking. After six issues, our two main characters, Alana and Marko, seem to be spinning their wheels as they bounce from one threat or danger to the next. Even though we’re told that they’re on the move, the setting still remains “vague alien wilderness”. They have fought off a new threat or evil menace in every single issue, and none of their opponents have stuck around long enough to make any kind of lasting impact.
It’s like Vaughn thinks we have no attention span and he must fill his book with as much new action as possible. The main characters are in a near constant state of panic from all this action. But I would prefer him to slow down and take time to smell the roses of this universe he is trying to build. As a result, I don’t feel as connected with this world and these characters as I would like to be. I’ve seen my fair share of weird alien worlds in fiction, but Vaughn’s is particularly strange, and yet he’s not giving us much of an opportunity to get to know everything he’s created.
That’s not to say Saga is too out of control. Underneath all of this action and weird excitement, Vaughn and Staples are creating something rather beautiful. I just wish they’d let that part shine more than the constant need for action.
Join me after the jump as I introduce you to the characters and run down the story so far.
Review: X-Factor #242
The deck clearing continues in X-Factor #242, as writer Peter David removes a few characters, settles several dangling plotlines and offers at least one little hint about future strangeness. It’s an entertaining issue, with more than a couple funny lines, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more by-the-numbers issue. I don’t mean that to be cruel, but look no further than the fact that this issue stars Darwin of all characters to see just how unimportant and workmanlike this is in the grand scheme of things.
X-Factor #242
Darwin is the red-headed step child of the X-Men franchise. And being rechristened as a demon-hunter is either the most brilliant or the stupidest choice possible for the character.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Like I said, it’s a good issue. The story is solid, the characters are themselves and it’s funny in places. The art by Leonard Kirk is also great, as usual. It’s just the fact that PAD is taking care of business is evident on every page. He’s got some plans for the new Marvel NOW! relaunch, which involves a smaller cast for X-Factor and new stories. So this issue, and this Breaking Points storyline, are all about removing characters as safely and calmly as possible. He’s also tying up dangling plot threads that I don’t think anybody particularly cares about anymore, and he’s doing it as quickly and as cleanly as he can.
For longtime X-Factor fans like me, it’s a fine enough issue. No major complaints. Other than that, it’s not much of anything. Unless you’re a huge Darwin fan. Or are excited to see Wolfsbane as a mom.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Henchman-4-Hire 