Category Archives: Reviews
Review: Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part 2
I am terrible at keeping up with this series. Part 2 came out all the way at the end of May, and only now did I think to look into it and get myself a copy for review. Someone remind me to look for Part 3 in September. Though after reading The Promise, Part 2, I can’t say as how I’m too disappointed with missing out. This series – an in-canon continuation of the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon – takes a noticeable step down in both quality and excitement with the second chapter, much to my displeasure.
The Promise, Part 2
Roughly about 90% of this comic is just filler material, and bad filler material at that. Nickelodeon and writer Gene Luen Yang clearly knew where they wanted the story to be at the end of Part 2, but it seems like they ran out of interesting stuff to do following the cliffhanger for Part 1.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
I don’t even know if I can call this an entertaining comic. It’s not funny, the action is boring, it’s painfully predictable, and nothing of note happens to any of the main characters. The only thing Part 2 has going for it is that it looks and feels like an Avatar cartoon. Most of our favorite characters are back, and they talk and act like we remember them. The art is also exactly like the old cartoon. Plus the spirit of Avatar: The Last Airbender is in this comic. It feels like I could be watching a real episode. So I guess that’s a plus, and it should make fans happy. But if you were looking for a real, interesting look at life after the cartoon, Part 2 does not deliver.
Still, the overall story has me interested enough to return for Part 3 in September. As long as someone reminds me to pick it up.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: Teen Titans #11
Who could have guessed what a big difference it would be to not have the Teen Titans talking about N.O.W.H.E.R.E. all the time. Nine freakin’ issues, and we’re finally almost completely out of the woods from that horrendous opening storyline. N.O.W.H.E.R.E. gets a single mention in this issue, but it’s easily overlooked. Instead, the next story seems to be about the rebooted origin of Wonder Girl, and it looks promising. We even get a teensy bit of the Teen Titans being teens…but there’s still one major problem with the series.
Teen Titans #11
Teen Titans is suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Both the writing and art come together to tell a story that literally has the Titans bouncing off the walls, and sometimes smashing through them. It’s like this series can’t sit still. Last issue saw the Teens relaxing after the epic battle that was the Culling…but they did so on a mysterious island populated by living dinosaurs! Things can’t just be normal for the Teen Titans. They can’t be people. They have to be cartoon characters. It’s frustrating. Whereas I want to read character depth, Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth are giving me zany, off-the-wall wackiness in the form of superheroics.
And I guess, in the end, that just means this comic isn’t for me. It’s a shame too, since Tim Drake remains one of my all-time favorite comic book characters. He’s treated pretty well in Teen Titans, but he’s still barely separated from the wackiness.
Plus there are the rumors about him no longer being Robin…but we won’t speak of those. Not until we absolutely must. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: The Dark Knight Rises
Everybody who knows me will know that The Dark Knight Rises truly came together in that one short scene at the very end. It didn’t have to be there, but in doing so, director Christopher Nolan has totally redeemed himself in my eyes, and I left the theater a giddy fanboy. I’ll spoil that scene after the jump, along with the rest of the movie, but it’s enough now to say it was my favorite part of an already awesome film. The Dark Knight Rises is a very good flick, and a satisfying conclusion to Nolan’s trilogy. It ends with an absolutely spectacular climax that is both exciting and larger than life. A fitting end to this Batman story.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect film, and it’s not the best of the trilogy. The first 2/3rds of the film are rather slow and dull, in my opinion, throwing a lot of ideas and plot at the audience, which I don’t think come together all that well in the end.
Movie rating: 4/5: Good!
But the pacing, along with a few odd plot choices, are the only negative things I can say about The Dark Knight Rises. I loved all of the characters, I loved Batman’s personal story and I loved the ending. It’s a very good film. I especially liked the new antagonists, Bane and Catwoman. They’re no Heath Ledger’s Joker, but they’re still fantastic. Especially Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. I expected great things from her, and I was not disappointed. She’s witty, wicked and very badass. Tom Hardy’s Bane, likewise, kicks a lot of ass, often literally. He’s as physically imposing and oddly charismatic as one might hope.
But not all of the movie works. The new love interest, Miranda Tate, is kind of confusing at many parts of the film, not to mention painfully predictable. Alfred is a bit of a disappointment. And the overall threat kind of comes out of nowhere. I don’t remember it from the two previous films, but everyone seems to act like it’s been a big deal all along.
Still, despite is flaws, The Dark Knight Rises adds up to an awesome film. I highly enjoyed it. Join me after the jump for a full review and definitely some SPOILERS!
Review: X-Factor #240
The latest issue of X-Factor focuses on Layla Miller, and it’s a very good issue, even if it’s a little over my head. This issue probably bears repeated readings. It’s a take on the classic film Run, Lola, Run, and I am damn glad I saw that film back in college. If you haven’t, then how about The Simpsons episode ‘Trilogy of Error’ with the robot Linguo? It’s similar enough that this issue will make more sense. It’s basically a look into Layla’s ability to “know stuff” and how that is seriously messing with her head these days. It works well because it’s a very contained story, giving us a lot of depth into a character that we still don’t know that much about.
X-Factor #240
Layla Miller, or Butterfly, is really the only character Peter David created for X-Factor, instead of just re-using old, forgotten X-Men. He’s always had a good handle on Layla, and he really makes her latest problems shine in this kooky story.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
Layla was originally created as just a plot device by Brian Michael Bendis for his event comic House of M. I can still remember Bendis crowing on the Internet about how Layla was going to be the biggest, most important character in the Marvel Universe. In the end, Layla was really only a plot device that magically allowed the heroes to see through the illusion of the House of M and return to their old lives. After that, it seemed like she was added to X-Factor because nobody knew what else to do with her. Once Peter David had his hands on her, he basically ignored everything Bendis wrote for her in House of M, literally using the ‘it was all a dream’ cop-out to explain away Layla’s parents, and I think PAD has even established that Layla was putting on an act when she helped out the heroes.
The whole “I know stuff” schtick is an entirely PAD creation.I don’t think Bendis has given Layla a second thought after House of M. But no biggie. Layla has been very kickass in X-Factor, and this is a fun issue for her and her recent troubles.
Join me for a full synopsis and more analysis after the jump.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #8
There’s no denying that Avengers vs. X-Men #8 is a definite step up in quality and clarity from last issue, but holy crap this is a frustrating comic. I’m trying to stay objective in this, I really am. But speaking as someone who supports Cyclops and the X-Men, Marvel doesn’t seem to have any idea what they’re trying to say with this story. Everything reads as if they’re trying to paint the X-Men as the overwhelming bad guys and the Avengers as the scrappy underdogs. But while that may be implied, at least in my opinion, it is not reflected in what actually happens on the page.
Avengers vs. X-Men #8
Or maybe I’m just reading this comic wrong. I just don’t know anymore. Suffice to say, this was an entertaining issue with a great fight scene and actual emotion and nuance pushing the narrative forward. Unfortunately, it’s just so damn frustrating!
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright!
I’ll get to specifics when I get to the synopsis, because I don’t want to spoil anything here in the opening segment. But basically the X-Men are painted as evil, violent monsters who must be stopped – but other than Namor attacking Wakanda, the X-Men have done nothing wrong. In fact, they’re doing great things that are making the world a better place. But they must be stopped, just because. Meanwhile, the Avengers are pig-headed bullies who are blindly following an arrogant and stubborn Captain America. Even Black Panther and Beast, who dared to question him two issues ago, are still gladly following Cap’s command.
Yet there are specific and actual lines of dialogue in this issue that reveal Captain America to be the jackass I said he was, who’s only interested in being right. It boggles the mind. If Marvel had decided to just go for it and have the Avengers be heroes and the X-Men be villains, maybe I’d like this comic book more. But they’ve so greatly smudged the two sides that it’s just getting too frustrating to fully enjoy.
At least the art is still great. This time by Adam Kubert. Marvel got some major art talent on this series. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and a better explanation about what I’m getting at.
Henchman-4-Hire 