Just days to Convergence and the end of the DC weeklies.   Marvel begins to tease the world after Secret Wars – because why focus on the current event when you can focus on the one after it.  Comics will live, comics will die! And given the number of cancelled titles coming from both companies, I will no longer be listing the creative teams on In Memoriam – there’s just going to be too many of them.  Let’s head into Spandex and Capes!

Review List
March 29th, 2015

 

 “I’m not afraid of spiders, I'm not afraid of spiders.” - H. Jordan

 

PREVIOUSLY…
Secret Wars Update – So I hoping that this is the last of the Secret War tie-ins, cause Goddamn that’s a lot of freaking ties.  And what’s interesting is a couple of these make the world sound more… connected than just a series of zones.  So first up is Hail Hydra, a zone where Ian Rogers stands alone against a Hydra ruled world.  Next is Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders, where Faiza Hussain takes on the mantle of Captain Britain and defends Yinsen City from Mondo-City One.  Then we have Spider-Island, which will feature a main story where Agent Venom leads a resistance against the victorious Spider-Queen and a back-up with May-Day Parker and the MC2 universe.   A group of villains will track down the worst villain in Battleworld’s history in Red Skull.  Then to prepare everyone  for the coming of Battleworld, Marvel is releasing a New York Bulletin – because kids today read a lot of newspapers.  The final bit of news comes from a preview of the cover to Ultimate End #4 – it doesn’t look like the Ultimate Universe is in as much trouble as we may have thought.

Post Secret Wars – And since we can’t enjoy this crossover event without looking to the next “Big Thing” in this day and age of Marvel, we got the new line-ups of the All-New All-Different Avengers and the Uncanny Inhumans.  The Avengers line-up has me thinking that my theory that the legacy heroes will be shunted over to the Ultimate Universe might be right.  And honestly, no one cares about the Inhumans.

Deadpool – So Fox is managing to make a superhero movie that looks like a superhero movie, complete with costume and logo, as Deadpool grants us a look at both and the synopsis.  I have to admit, as much as I dislike Deadpool, this looks good.

Dawn of Justice – And speaking of first looks, we also got a look as Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.  He pulls off the menacing bald guy look pretty well.

 

All-New Ghost Rider
March 2014 – March 2015
12 Issues
Hero

Arkham Manor
October 2014 – March 2014
6 Issues
Hero

Batman and Robin
September 2011 – March 2015
44 Issues
Hero

Batwoman
September 2011 – March 2015
43 Issues
Sidekick

Green Lantern: New Guardians
September 2011 – March 2015
44 Issues
Sidekick

Infinity Man and the Forever People
June 2014 – March 2015
10 Issues
Sidekick

Red Hood and the Outlaws
September 2011 – March 2015
44 Issues
Sidekick 

Red Lanterns
September 2011 – March 2015
44 Issues
Hero 

Secret Origins
April 2014 – March 2014
11 Issues
Sidekick

Star Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie
July 2014 – March 2015
9 Issues
Hero 

Supergirl
September 2011 – March 2015
42 Issues
Hero 

Trinity of Sin
October 2014 – March 2015
6 Issues
Anti-Hero

REVIEWS

Black Vortex
By Various with art by Various
Yeah, no – just no on so many levels.  The idea of heroes trading for ultimate power from this mirror just goes against everything they’re supposed to stand for.  And the fact that even with a villain standing right in front of them, the heroes still come to physical blows in an argument makes me tired of the troupe.  And to that the fact we still don’t have an explanation as how the mirror works (other than Celestials!) and what it gets in change irks me.  So I’m off these books until the crossover is over – so I’m out on Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, Cyclops, Guardians Team-Up, All-New X-Men, and whatever else is crossing over into the series.

Wolverines
By Charles Soule and Ray Fawkes with art by Nick Bradshaw, Alisson Borges, Jonathan Marks, Ario Anindito, Juan Doe, Ariela Kristantina, Jason Masters, Kris Anka,
Wow.  This is just bad.  Like this might be worse than Countdown from DC and that’s saying something.  It seems to have to have no real point other than to keep these characters together.  And with characters that no one gives a crap about either.  The art is substandard as well even with an army of artists.  It’s like they all had something better while they were drawing their respective pages.  And the plot seems to be going nowhere – in fact, nowhere would actually be a better designation.

 

The Multiversity – Ultra Comics #1 (DC)
By Grant Morrison with art by Doug Mahnke
So since it’s announcement, I’ve wondered how Mr. Morrison was going to pull off a comic with the reader as the hero.  The answer is quite simply – remove the fourth wall.  A majority of the comic has the the characters speaking directly to the reader.  “But I’m real enough for you to hear my voice right inside your head right?”  It’s amazing what a small change in the perception can bring the comic.  By simply addressing the audience, the entire comic turns must more sinister and pulls you onward.  When the Gentry tells you to turn the page, you have no choice but to obey.  It makes you wonder doesn’t it?

Daredevil #14 (Marvel)
By Mark Waid with art by Chris Samnee
“What’s the worse that can happen?”  I love how even the characters know that’s a bad thing to tempt fate with.  I’m going to tell you the new suit and attitude of Daredevil is refreshing and hysterical.  I find myself wishing more heroes would take this as their way of doing business.  Though, while amusing, I know it’s not going to last.  The end of the issue is ok with everything leading up to the Shroud and what he’s been doing with the Owl, but the beginning showing the new Daredevil makes me wish that Mr. Waid and Mr. Samnee would be sticking around a little longer than they plan.

New Avengers #32 (Marvel)
By Jonathan Hickman with art by Mike Deodato
Gods and God-like beings fall in this issue of New Avengers as the  Multiversal Avengers face off against the White Kings.  Well, two of them anyway.  I’m beginning to think that Dr. Doom may be hero of this piece while the Beyonders may be playing the part of the villain.  So how do you kill a God?  Or a being that can more or less do anything they want?  Simple.  You sacrifice a whole bunch of other God-like beings on the altar of creation.  Though one question remains in my mind – if Thor is too worthy for the hammer of Thorr, is he worthy of his own again?

All-New Ghost Rider #12 (Marvel); Aquaman #40 (DC); Arkham Manor #6 (DC); Batman: Arkham Knight #6 (DC); Batman and Robin #40 (DC); Batman Eternal #51 (DC); Captain Midnight #21 (Dark Horse); Catwoman #40 (DC); Conan-Red Sonja #3 (Dark Horse); Darth Vader #3 (Marvel); Deathlok #6 (Marvel); Deathstroke #6 (DC); Earth 2: World’s End #25 (DC); Elektra #11 (Marvel); The Flash #40 (DC); Gotham by Midnight #5 (DC); He-Man: The Eternity War #4 (DC); Infinity Man and the Forever People #9 (DC); Inhuman #13 (Marvel); Jungle Jim #2 (King); New 52: Futures’ End #47 (DC); Red Lanterns #40 (DC); Red Sonja #15 (Dynamite); Secret Avengers #14 (Marvel); Secret Origins #11 (DC); Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #30 (DC); Sinestro #11 (DC); Star Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie #8 (DC)