Comic Reviews for the Week of 8/28

[Guest raptor]

-Comics Reviews for the Week of 8/28

This weeks Soundtrack: Our Lady Peace, Clumsy. Truly a different era for the band, before they went to straight rock and roll on Spiritual Machines. Still incredible, though.

 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #48Uber-Book of the Week

Story Title: Letters From The Underground (Part II of IV)

Creators: Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza, Cliff Richards

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Plot: Angel and Faith continue to track down the missing inhabitants of Sunnydale as Buffy is forced into a gladiator-like series against a group of demons. And the helps she seeks comes from the most unlikely of sources...

Comments: When Lobdell came on this title, he said he wanted to do the kind of epic storylines that the show couldn’t do (because of budgetary reasons). Although he may be blowing his wad on this story, it certainly has the epic sort of feel to it. Essentially, everybody who’s ever been in the show has a part in the story. This has the potential to take the reigns of the definitive Buffy comic from Ring of Fire. *****

 

The Punisher #14

Story Title: Killing La Vida Loca

Creators: Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon

Publisher: Marvel Comics/Knights, M

Plot: The Punisher continues his quest to get mob boss Tommy Casino out of Columbia so he can stop the gang wars in New York City. All this, and Soap’s new friend horrible secret is revealed.

Comments: It seems like a long time since the last issue came out. Oh well, this was worth it. After the bad taste Peyer’s run left, it’s great to read a simple, really violent story. By the way, do any of you know what does happen when you open your fist in someone’s mouth? ****

 

The Avengers #57

Story Title:New Alliances (World Trust Part I)

Creators:Geoff Johns, Kieron Dwyer

Publisher: Marvel Comics, PG

Auxiliary Facts:1st Johns/Dwyer Issue

Plot:It’s up to the Avengers to stop a black hole like construct from enveloping the world. In the meantime, with all the world’s leaders disappearing, the United Nations makes a request: they want the Avengers to lead the world!

Comments: Johns has yet to let me down in any story I’ve read. I don’t read many DC Comics, so the first time I read his work was Ultimate X-Men #1/2, and I’ve picked up every Marvel story since. His Avengers run has started out really well here. It seems like he might be going for the same sort of vibe that the Ultimates, where the Avengers get a ton of power, and then see the consequences play out. Also, he’s brought a lot of my favorite characters back, like Black Panther and Jack of Hearts. I recommend anyone pick this issue up and give it a try. ****

 

Spider-Man: Quality of Life #4(of 4)

Creators: Greg Rucka, Scott Sava

Publisher: Marvel Comics, PG

Plot: The digital art experiment continues as Spider-Man desperately tries to bring down Monnano Enterprises while being forced into the Lizard’s battle with the enigmatic Yith.

Comments: And it was such a good week too. I’ve been defending this series since the first issue, but this one really ended the story on a bad note. Everybody was out of character, nothing got accomplished, and a long time supporting character died senselessly in this abortion of an issue. It seems Rucka was going for a real dramatic finish, but the rest of the series didn’t lend itself to such a message. *

[Guest pochorenella]

I agree that particular Avengers issue is a great one. I read it a few weeks back when it came within Wizard Magazine as a free bonus. Good, interesting storyline and I can't wait to see how it develops.

But then, I'm rarely dissapointed with Avengers nowadays, so I might be a bit biased. They always struck me as a much better comic than JLA.

[Guest areacode212]

Nearly everything is a better comic than JLA nowadays. It's REALLY boring, and I can't believe they only waited a year before bringing back Aquaman. Is there really anyone out there who finds him more appealing now than they did a year ago? They should let more time pass before resurrecting a character like that.

 

Bah, I'll just wait for Formerly Known as the Justice League.

[Guest starvenger]

Since Raptor didn't get them, I'll have reviews for FF#60, AgentX#2 and Transformers Armada #2 up soon...

[Guest starvenger]

As promised...

 

Fantastic Four vol 3 #60(489), "Inside Out"

Creators: Mark Waid(W)/Mike Wieringo(P)/Karl Kessel(I)

Company: Marvel

Notes: This is the 9 cent comic (.15CDN + GST/PST)

Plot: Reed Richards has hired a PR firm to better market the FF

 

Writing: 8/10

Art: 8/10

Cover: 6/10

Overall (not an average): 8/10

 

Comments: The cover got a point taken off because of the big 9 cent image and "World's Cheapest Comic Magazine" tag. The new logo is kinda snazzy, but it'll take some time to adjust to it.

 

The story itself works very well. It gives new readers a taste of who the FF are, and what they do, yet keeps older readers entertained with the usual FF adventuring and humour. We also find out why Reed has made the FF publically known when most heroes prefer to keep their true identities secret.

 

Personally, I'm not gonna continue with FF due to budget constraints, but I think this issue can hook people.

 

Transformers Armada #2

Creators: Chris Sarracini(W)/James Raiz and Rob Armstrong

Company: Dreamwave

Plot: Megatron has nefarious plans for the Minicons, but some of the Minicons have other plans

 

Writing: 9/10

Art: 8/10

Cover: 9/10

Overall (not an average): 9/10

 

Comments: James Raiz has a luxury that Pat Lee doesn't have - he's working on entirely new characters, and thus doesn't suffer the nitpicking of details that Lee would with the classic characters. Similarily, Chris Sarracini has the same kind of luxury here. Since Armada is an "Alternate Century" version of Transformers (a la Gundam Wing), he has a lot more freedom to play with the characters.

 

Still, the artwork is great! Hasbro did a great thing by choosing Dreamwave to do the TF universe. The robots look like robots, and the colours make them jump out at you. Maybe a little too much - the backgrounds are made to be quite dull and faded, and maybe they could be brought out a bit more. And in a nice touch, both the Autobots and Decepticons don't yet have Earth-forms. In fact, they haven't transformed at all yet, which helps keep the continuity with the cartoon.

 

Oh, and I just LOVE the fact that Leader-1 is made Megatron's targetmaster bitch. The Gobots sucked...

 

 

AgentX #2, "Dead Man's Switch part 2"

Creators: Gail Simone(W)/Alvin Lee and UDON(A)

Company: Marvel

Plot: Agent X and the mercenary named Outlaw both enter a competition to retrieve some items - the Punisher's custom .45s

 

Writing: 7/10

Art: 8/10

Cover: 9/10

Overall (not an average): 7/10

 

Comments: I'm not really giving anything away here, considering the Punisher's skull is right on the cover. It's really a cameo appearance by Mr. Castle, though, so don't get this issue if you're looking for a full-blown guest appearance. Still, the fact that you know that Castle's gonna show up kinda dampens the feel of the book a bit.

 

Anyways, there's some fun interaction between AgentX and the rest of the major characters, and Outlaw may be the first comic character EVER to admit to having fake boobs. Art is quite good, and does a good job of capturing both the humour and action found in this book.

[Guest pochorenella]

Fantastic Four vol 3 #60(489), "Inside Out"

Creators: Mark Waid(W)/Mike Wieringo(P)/Karl Kessel(I)

Company: Marvel

Notes: This is the 9 cent comic (.15CDN + GST/PST)

Plot: Reed Richards has hired a PR firm to better market the FF

 

Writing: 8/10

Art: 8/10

Cover: 6/10

Overall (not an average): 8/10

 

Comments: The cover got a point taken off because of the big 9 cent image and "World's Cheapest Comic Magazine" tag. The new logo is kinda snazzy, but it'll take some time to adjust to it.

 

The story itself works very well. It gives new readers a taste of who the FF are, and what they do, yet keeps older readers entertained with the usual FF adventuring and humour. We also find out why Reed has made the FF publically known when most heroes prefer to keep their true identities secret.

 

Personally, I'm not gonna continue with FF due to budget constraints, but I think this issue can hook people.

 

I just recently picked up this issue, and I also liked it. It's a nice throwback story and I think it's a great jump-on for new readers. Nice to see they mention Kirby also as creator. And hey, the Thing is a WWE fan!

 

A couple of things, though. I like Mike Wieringo's art, ever since I saw him on Spider-Man a few years back, and I like his art here, but why oh why can't anybody bring back the way Alan Davis drew the Human Torch!? I mean he did the best rendition ever! With HAIR IN FLAMES! Who says he has to go bald everytime he ignites? Most of the people kept the visible uniform and logo, but the hair thing really bugs me. Just my opinion.

 

And I haven't followed the FF for a while, I've only read the "Into the Breach" TPB recently, so I have a question I hope somebody can answer (it's a possible spoiler, so if you don't know the answer you've been warned):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When did Sue and Reed have this little baby daughter?? I never heard she was pregnant again? Did she need that energy rod that Annhilus had, like she needed it for Franklin?