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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/23/13
It’s weeks like this that make me regret ever starting this Hench-Sized review column! Oy vey! Somehow, the Marvel and DC scheduling system is perfectly tailored to my reading habits so that the books I actually buy and read all come out on the same darn week! Last week I only had four comics in the Hench-Sized reviews. This week there’s more than a dozen! And it doesn’t help that I’m broke…
But enough whining, let’s get to some comics! This has proven to be an absolutely stellar week of books! I enjoyed all of the comics I bought this week, with more than a few of them rising to perfect scores. And you want to talk gender equality? How about the fact that the two best comics this week both star female leads. It’s an absolute shame that more people aren’t buying Captain Marvel. That book is absolutely amazing! But it’s surpassed just a little by Batwoman, which wins Comic Book of the Week for its fantastic climactic issue and surprise romantic ending!
Though Captain Marvel’s sheer adorableness was hard to beat.
Comic Reviews: Avengers #6, Batwoman #17, Captain Marvel #10, Green Lantern #17, Green Lantern: New Guardians #17, Indestructible Hulk #4, Justice League #17, Justice League of America #1, Nightwing #17, Nova #1, Red Hood and the Outlaws #17, Superior Spider-Man #4, Thor: God of Thunder #5, Vibe #1, Wonder Woman #17.
Larfleeze to Get His Own Series By Writer I Don’t Want Writing Larfleeze
DC Comics announced today the new creative teams that would be taking over the Green Lantern franchise in June. It seems that Geoff Johns is finally handing over the reigns of the franchise he single-handedly raised to A-list level, and he’s taking all of his fellow writers and artists with him. This is too bad for a series like Green Lantern, where Johns only just introduced Simon Baz, but it’s great news for a series like Red Lanterns, which has been terrible under writer Pete Milligan.
You can read all of the new creative lineups at Mtv Geek, because apparently for some insane reason, DC is turning to Mtv to announce things like this. Does any self-respecting comic book geek actually watch Mtv?
Anyway, the new teams are nobody I’ve ever heard of before. Good for them, but it’s nothing to get excited about. You can also check out Mtv Geek for interviews with the teams.
But tucked away within this announcement is the revelation that Larfleeze the Orange Lantern will get his own ongoing series! This is great news, because I’m a huge Larfleeze fan, and I think he’s one of the coolest new characters in the past 10 years!
Agent Orange, if you’re nasty
The horrible news is that the series will be written by Keith Giffen, the writer behind the current Threshold series, which has Larfleeze back-up features. Words cannot express how much I have absolutely hated Keith Giffen’s recent Green Lantern work, or the first issue of Threshold. His Larfleeze is absolutely terrible. Giffen turns Larfleeze into a one-note joke who is more annoying than entertaining. Jeez, I just…this is really frustrating.
But I suppose the problem is probably me. I have this picture in my mind for what kind of character Larfleeze could be…but nobody actually writing the character wants him to be like that. They all want Larfleeze to be a one-dimensional Looney Tune who rants and raves and cries a lot. Personally, I don’t think Larfleeze should have his own series. He should be a character in the Green Lantern stable, a wildcard who shows up now and again when you least suspect him.
But that’s just me. And clearly I just don’t get the character.
I’m also still looking for a Larfleeze action figure if anybody knows a guy. And he’s going to appear in an upcoming episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series. I really need to watch that show.
Toy Fair is a Place I Want To Be
I’ve been to several Comic-Cons, but never Toy Fair, the toys and collectibles trade show that’s held…I actually don’t know with what regularity they hold Toy Fair. Anybody? Well it was definitely held this past weekend, and like some kind of dream, it featured a ton of new toys I absolutely want to buy. But knowing the market for really awesome action figures these days, there’s very little chance I’ll ever actually see any of these in my local Wal-Mart. But I can dream.
I mean, check out this awesome Puck action figure!
He’s Canadian!
As fans of my blog know, I have a big ‘Geek Wall’ in my apartment (which the ladies love, I assure you…right, ladies?). And I’m always looking for awesome new action figures to add to the wall. Besides Puck, what about this fantastic Scarlet Spider! As one of the comics I regularly review, I’ve got to buy this Scarlet Spider action figure. It’s now a life mission.
This is the sort of thing that completely justifies an action figure collection
Join me after the jump for more awesome Toy Fair action figures!
Forgotten Characters: Miri Riam
Whatever happened to Star Sapphire Miri Riam?
How could DC comics create someone so utterly adorable and then drop her like a hot potato? Miri Riam was one of the funnest new characters to come out of the Green Lantern series in the past few years, a character with a lot of layers and a lot of potential to be a cool character. But after going to all the trouble to introduce her and build her up, DC hasn’t done squat with this manic pixie dream girl in the DCnU reboot. Why the heck not?
She’s adorable! And pink!
There are a lot of multi-colored Lanterns these days. Green Lanterns, Blue Lanterns, Red Lanterns, Orange Lanterns, and there have been a ton of new characters introduced alongside these different colors. Miri Riam was one of my favorites, but for some reason, DC doesn’t want to use her anymore, despite at least one series dedicated entirely to showcasing the various colored Lanterns. So where is Miri Riam? Why isn’t she filling our hearts with love anymore?
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.
Henchman-4-Hire 