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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews -2/11/17

The superhero movie bombardment has begun! This year is going to be bursting at the seams with new superhero movies, and The LEGO Batman Movie has kicked things off with aplomb! It’s a super fun film and a great celebration of Batman! I’m going to put my review into next week’s List of Six, so stay tuned.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any Batman comics to review this week. Granted, about half a dozen different Batman-focused comics came out, but I don’t read them well enough to add them to the review pile. So you’re only getting fun Marvel Comics this week! Including the Comic Book of the Week, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!

squirrel-girl-shoes-01

Old school crime fighting

The latest issue of Inhumans vs. X-Men also came out this week, but it was kind of a non-issue. A bunch of stuff happened that will move the story along, sure, but none of it had much thematic or dramatic weight. The story just moved along, but at least Marvel didn’t make any more new blunders to vilify Cyclops.

Comic Reviews: Jessica Jones #5, Ms. Marvel #15, Power Man and Iron Fist #13, Unworthy Thor #4 and Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #17.

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New Iron Fist Trailer Is Something!

Maybe it’s the sore throat, sniffles and runny nose talking, but this new Iron Fist trailer doesn’t get me too pumped for the upcoming show. Which is a shame, because the Marvel Netflix shows have been on point!

The problem with this trailer is that it doesn’t show us anything new or interesting to get us excited about Iron Fist. This should have been a story trailer, letting us know what the show is actually going to be about. But this trailer is almost completely about Danny Rand as a person, without getting into his powers, his mystical training or, honestly, anything at all about him. They tease his powers briefly at the end, and it’s the most exciting part of the trailer.

They name-drop K’un-Lun, but they don’t explain at all why it’s a place we’ll want to visit. It comes off like a generic martial arts monastery. They show Danny fighting, but what modern action hero isn’t a highly trained martial artist these days? They show Colleen Wing, but don’t do anything with her. They tease Madame Gao, but only by simply showing us that she’s on the show.

And most importantly, where is the villain? The Netflix shows have all had hugely impressive villains, for the most part. But we don’t get a hint of anything like that in Iron Fist, unless you count that one generic white guy businessman who showed up in the beginning. But who cares about him?

This is inexcusable! Iron Fist has some great villains! And even if he doesn’t, they can’t even show us an evil martial arts master? Where is Steel Serpent? Or even Fat Cobra?

Iron Fist might be the hardest sell of all the Marvel Netflix shows, and if this is the last trailer we get before the show launches next month, then Marvel better hope they’ve got a hidden gem here.

I mean, I’m totally gonna watch it. I just think they should have upped their trailer game this close to the premiere.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – Dec. 17, 2016

Sometimes I complain that comics don’t feature holiday stories anymore, but then I never read the specific holiday-themed one shots that both Marvel and DC tend to release. I want to see Batman do Christmas stuff in the actual pages of Batman! Holiday-themed comic book specials are about as entertaining to read as holiday-themed TV specials.

Fortunately, we still have good comics to read otherwise. Detective Comics and Power Man and Iron Fist continue to be great, while Mosaic and Jessica Jones continue to disappoint. But this week also saw the release of the new Hawkeye series, and it wins Comic Book of the Week for a really fun vibe for a first issue.

Side waist holes are the new exposed midriff

Side waist holes are the new exposed midriff

Also, wha’td everybody think of the new Star Wars movie? I thought it was pretty spectacular. Working on my full review still.

Comic Reviews: Detective Comics #946, Hawkeye #1, Jessica Jones #3, Mosaic #3 and Power Man and Iron Fist #11.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 11/12/16

The biggest takeaway I’m going to have from this election is that I need to ramp up making awesome diverse comics. I’m a storyteller, and these are the stories I’m going to tell in whatever Hell soon awaits us. If you haven’t read Gamer Girl & Vixen yet, visit our website or hit me up for a free digital copy of the first issue! Our graphic novel will be out soon!

For now, regular comics will still sustain me. Lots of good comics this week, with some mediocre attempts thrown into the mix. Detective Comics is still a hoot, but Marvel isn’t really wowing me with new titles like Mosaic or Invincible Iron Man.

Fortunately, Power Man and Iron Fist starts a new story this week, and already it’s off to a great start! Comic Book of the Week!

What's with that lobster guy?

What’s with that lobster guy?

I also read the second issue of Clone Conspiracy in Dan Slott’s Spider-Man, but decided not to do a review. It’s a fine story so far, though I feel like Slott could be doing a lot more. So far, it’s pretty much just exposition with a bit of action thrown in. He hasn’t convinced me that this clone storyline is anything more than Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

But at least this issue saw the return of Kaine as the Scarlet Spider. Been missing that guy since Spider-Verse. Leave it to Slott to kill Prowler but resurrect Kaine in the same storyline. My fanboy heart can’t take it.

Comic Reviews: Detective Comics #944, Gotham Academy/Lumberjanes #6, Invincible Iron Man #1, Mosaic #2 and Power Man and Iron Fist #10.

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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 10/15/16

I need to stop convincing myself that I’m in good enough shape to go to Comic-Con. Maybe once upon a time I could handle it, but oh boy, last weekend in New York was misery! I had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends, but I was so winded and worn out that I didn’t actually see anything at Comic-Con. The most I can say is that I made it into the building and found a couple of nice chairs.

A two-hour line to get in will do that to you…

Anyway, the experience has not soured me on comics in general, and we’ve got some nice ones this week. Great Lakes Avengers and Mosaic kick off at Marvel, and I’ve decided to try Superwoman again. But the Comic of the Week goes to the final issue of Darth Vader for being its usual badass self!

None can stand in his wa

None can stand in his wa

On the chopping block is the new Supergirl series. After two issues, I just don’t think it’s for me and I won’t be reviewing it going forward. I’m sure Supergirl fans will be happy with it, but I find it kind of mundane.

Comic Reviews: Darth Vader #25, Great Lakes Avengers #1,Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy #5, Mosaic #1, Power Man & Iron Fist #9 and Superwoman #3.

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