Saturday, February 23, 2013

Comics Roundup for 2/20/13

Indestructible Hulk #4 - I've been a bit torn with this series, but the end of the last issue really started to get my attention.  With this one, I was interested in the beginning but didn't care as much for the end.  I guess I'm interested enough - especially now that we know why the Hulk has armor on him - to at least get the next issue.  I don't know, maybe Peter David's run on the character has spoiled me for all time.

Savage Wolverine #2 - While the artwork is really nice on this, the story just isn't interesting enough to keep me on board for another issue.  I'm hoping that the new, adjectiveless Wolverine story will be more interesting.  This one though feels like it has little consequence in the life of the character - kinda like it's a fill-in, and I have a feeling that it's either going to end when Frank Cho leaves or they'll get some second-tier creative team after that, which will mean that it will end shortly after that.

Daredevil #23 - This was pretty good throughout the whole thing, as Matt Murdock helps his friend, Foggy Nelson, deal with his cancer diagnosis.  The last page had me pause on it for several minutes before I finally closed the book.

The Superior Spider-Man #4 - Fun stuff, as usual, and I really like the fact that the original Green Goblin is back.  I suppose it would be too much to hope for things to get even more interesting with the original Hobgoblin mixing things up as well, but that's probably not going to happen.

Avengers #6 - I really have to wonder how accessible this book would be to anybody unfamiliar with the Marvel Universe.  And even with an old hand like myself, this certainly isn't the Captain Universe that I recognize.  I'm still intrigued, but this book had better start paying off soon, or I'm done.

Captain America #4 - The main story is wacky and just interesting enough, but the flashbacks are getting to be even more compelling, just as I hoped.  While it's nothing groundbreaking, it's cool seeing the life of a young Steve Rogers.  I wonder if any of this terrain has been covered before or not.  Still, I'd like to see a return to good old Earth 616 soon.  Oh, and I do think that John Romita, Jr. is producing some of his best artwork in a while, even if he might be channeling Jack Kirby just a wee bit.

Green Lantern #17 - Turns out Geoff Johns is leaving this book - not that it has any bearing on my enjoyment of this issue.  Anyway, as usual, I liked this installment.  I'm not sure that I'm going to stick around after Johns leaves though, as I don't have the same attachment to this character as I do a lot of other ones, and it was Rebirth that got me on board with this stuff in the first place.

Thor:  God of Thunder #5 - Easily one of my favorite books right now - great art, great story.

Wonder Woman #17 - This was a bit of a weak entry, but I've seen those before with this series only to find it get really interesting again - especially when the original artist comes back.  I'm not too worried about it all.  I'm still wondering exactly who the mysterious guy in the ice is supposed to be - not to mention how Orion is still breathing after slapping WW on the butt.


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Comics Roundup for 2/13/13

Star Wars #2 - I'm not loving this as much as some of the online reviewers are, but I'm finding it interesting enough to keep with it.  Some new characters are introduced, and it leaves off with Han Solo about to get into some shenanigans on Coruscant.  I really have to wonder now though if the Expanded Universe is starting to contradict itself multiple times by now.  Seems like the era between "Hope" and "Empire" is pretty well-worn by now.

Batman #17 - This was a good ending, but it was pretty anticlimactic after the excellent "Court of Owls" story.  Still, it answers a good question - if the Joker is such a mad genius, why hasn't he ever figured out Batman's secret ID?  It's because he has absolutely no interest in it, which makes sense considering the whole "mad" part.

Uncanny X-Men #1 - I don't think that I liked this as much as Bendis's other X-book, but it was entertaining enough and left off with a pretty good cliffhanger to make me want to check out the next issue.  Is this going to be a long-term return to the X-books for me?  I have read them off-and-on over the years, but I haven't gotten them regularly since high school.

Secret Avengers #1 - This was a fairly amusing setup.  I'm curious as to how The Hulk is going to fit into a team that's supposed to be a stealth one, but I guess we'll find that out in the next issue.  If it's another slow week, I might just pick it up.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Comics Roundup for 2/6/13

Winter Soldier #15 - I figured I'd give the new creative team of Jason Latour and Nic Klein a shot.  It certainly reads like a Winter Soldier book, and they're definitely sticking true to the basic concept behind the character.  Bucky Barnes continues to look for redemption - this time while trying to apologize to those whom he has wronged.  Of course, all sorts of high-stakes shenanigans ensue.  I didn't love it, but I just might be intrigued enough to pick up the next issue.

New Avengers #3 - This was good - really good.  It basically demonstrates why Captain America wasn't a member of the Illuminati in the first place, and it shows that he's going to be a problem with it if they let him stay.  Definitely some good character interaction, and it's interesting to see something defeat the Infinity Gauntlet.  Still, this series has no business being called New Avengers no matter how good it is.

All New X-Men #7 - Good stuff, as usual, from one of my current favorite books.  I still wonder how long they can run with this concept, but so far I'm still intrigued.  Eventually there's going to have to be a reckoning between the young and old Scott Summers.  I wonder how much it will be necessary to read the other Bendis X-book that's coming out soon in order to follow what's happening there, 'cause it looks like Cyclops is headlining Uncanny X-Men.

The Superior Spider-Man #3 - The plot thickens, and Carlie Cooper is finally starting to serve a purpose beyond "post-MJ girlfriend".  So long as this series can deliver a new wrinkle in the current situation every issue, I think that this book will have some traction.  In this one, we find out that the "ghost Peter" is able to view the memories of Otto Octavius.  Perhaps somewhere in there lies the answer to fixing all this again - that, or the fact that Carlie seems to be hip to what's going on.

Hellboy in Hell #3 - I was a bit more puzzled as to what was going on in this issue than the last one.  Satan has brothers?  Is that what it is?  Either way, I'm still digging it, and I can only imagine how much it would have freaked me out if I read this back when my family was under the influence of the Jehovah's Witnesses.  My comic with Jack Kirby's Demon would seem like a children's book of Bible stories.

Avengers #5 - We get introduced to one of these mysterious Avengers who's been hanging around the book for the past couple of issues.  I'm not sure who she is, exactly.  I read a review, and apparently she's "Smasher".  I don't know much about her or if I should know about her.  I'm kind of interested in her backstory, and I want to see how she'll fit into the greater plan, but I think that greater pains could have been taken to make things a bit clearer in this issue.  (Apparently the original "Smasher" debuted in some old Chris Claremont/Dave Cockrum X-Men comics.  He doesn't ring a bell.)

Hit-Girl #5 - This issue is delightfully violent, and the panel where a little girl uses a sledgehammer to turn a guy's skull into pulp is a thing of macabre brilliance.  As I always say, this works better as a comic than it does live-action.  Dammit if this twisted book isn't entertaining, and I'm looking forward to the grand finale in Kick-Ass 3.