Reviews 6/5

[Guest raptor]

I’m testing a new style for these, so if it’s crappy, tell me.

 

eXiles #14 (I Cover The Waterfront, Part I)

Creators: Judd Winick, Mike McKone

Plot: Still apparently being tailed by Weapon X, the eXiles are told to defend the world against an incoming Atlantean Invasion, headed by Prince Namor himself. One problem, though. Their only ally is Victor Von Doom!

Comments: Mimic finally gets his issue, which leaves only Sasquatch left to take center stage. Anywhoo, we get inside Calvin’s head, see his origin, and find that he still has a thing for a certain oft-omnipotent redhead, meaning he may not actually love Blink. Mike McKone continues to be the most underrated artist in comics, as his work on this title is simply dazzling. Winick again uses Morph to recap events for us, and as always it’s  hil-fucking-arious. *****

 

Spider-Girl #48 (Through a Mother’s Eyes)

Creators: Tom DeFalco, Pat Olliffe

Plot: In this tale told through MJ’s eyes, Peter dons the webs again, and gets his ass handed to him by the enigmatic Kaine. We learn Kaine’s connection to The Parker Clan, and the mystery of Alison Mongraine is revealed (almost).

Comments: This is one of the most inconsistent titles on the racks. DeFalco’s style is definitely and acquired taste, and just like cigarettes, you know shouldn’t like it. He has developed such a great lead, however (May) that you can’t help but care about what happens to her, even if it is pedestrian. This used to be the best Superhero comic out there, but eXiles is now whooping it’s BUTT consistently. It’s definitely still around only for the diehards. **1/2

 

New X-Men #127 (Of Living and Dying) Uber-Book of the Week!

Creators: Grant Morrison, John Paul Leon, Bill Sienkiewicz (!)

Plot: XORN~! travels to “mutant-town” in hopes of saving a rampaging mutant from his angry neighbors.

Comment: Morrison is finally capturing my attention. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s two issues in a row that I (a die-hard anti-morrison activist) have been blown away by an issue of New X-Men. Xorn is the best new x-character since Blink (and we’re nearing a decade since her inception), and this is a beautiful and haunting issue. Morrison’s stand alone tale  is elegantly illustrated by Leon/Sienkiewicz, and should stand as one of the best single issue of any X-series ever. *****

 

Uncanny X-Men #407 (Glaubiger, Heiler, Gefallener)

Creators: Joe Casey, Sean Philips

Plot: Nightcrawler and Chamber end up at the home of one of Kurt’s former circus mates, and Kurt doubts his allegiance to the X-Men.

Comments: Oh, how the tides do turn. For those of you keeping score, that’s two crap-tastic issues of Uncanny X-Men in a row. This is nicely written (dialogue wise), and beautifully rendered by Philips (who should be the regular artist, IMHO), but it goes absolutely nowhere. There are finer X-character studies out, and whatever Casey was trying to do just didn’t work. *1/2

 

Ultimate Spider-Man #23 (Responsible)

Creators: Brian Bendis, Mark Bagley

Plot: After last issue’s shocker, Peter must make a decision: be the Goblin’s lackey, or watch Aunt May and MJ die. Also, the Gwen Stacy/Peter/MJ triangle is finally started.

Comments: It doesn’t get much better than this. There has never been a bad issue of Ultimate Spider-Man yet, and this is no exception. More great character development for MJ, Harry, Gwen, and May. Bendis’ Goblin also benefits from a lack of shackling continuity. He’s truly frightening. My only problem is that it seems to mirror the movie a little too much. ****

 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #45 (The Death of Buffy Part III, of III)

Creators: Tom Fassbender, Jim Pascoe, Cliff Richards

Plot: Willow agrees to help some demons to destroy a (supposedly) evil scroll, in return for a resurrection spell to bring Buffy back from the dead. In another “kinda-explained-mystery,”  The villain(?) Coma’s purpose is revealed.

Comments: I don’t see why they seem to use all the truly great Buffy stories in the comics, rather than the show. This three issue arc would have served as an incredible season premiere. “Bargaining” was a great episode, but it’s the little things  about this arc that would have blown away long-time fans. It was hard to understand Willow’s motivations in bringing Buffy back, but with this  as an addendum, it makes perfect sense. ****1/2

 

Alias #10

Creators: Brian Bendis, Michael Gaydos

Plot: In a stand-alone issue, Jessica finds herself in the employ of J. Jonah Jameson. Her task: find the true identity of Spider-Man.

Comments: Leave it to Brian Bendis to make a shameless plug (for Daredevil) into a stunning piece of Graphic art. Michael Gaydos deserves equal credit, as his paintings are lush and vibrant, and when need be, disturbing and film-noir dark. This issue is high-brow comics personified, and perfected. *****

[Guest starvenger]

Transformers #3 (of 6)

Chris Sarracini, Pat Lee

The art will continue to blow you away.  The dialogue - what little of it there was - is getting better.  But you came to see the robots anyways, and they're as nice to look at as Jennifer Love Hewitt's breasts - in a different kind of way, of course.  

 

2.5/5

[Guest areacode212]

Hey, how was Houston, Starvenger?

 

Raptor, the new style is good, esp. to remind people of the creators who've worked on the books. But damn, that's a lot of ***** books.

 

Maybe if I get a chance, I'll review some too (I just got this weird second job which I'm trying to get used to).

[Guest raptor]

But damn, that's a lot of ***** books.

I though that too, after posting it. I wrote this in different sittings, so my mindset was different. I ended up giving a lot more ***** than I should've. I thought it would be crappy to edit it after, though.

[Guest starvenger]

Hey, how was Houston, Starvenger?

Too bloody hot, but decent enough.

[Guest]

Man I gotta get back into the comic book loop...hard to keep up these days with all these new super hero punks around lol