After a forced week off – bloody business meeting – we’re back with twice the amount of reviews. We’re in the middle of Convergence and kicking off the last few issues before Secret Wars. Come join me as we hit the latest reviews in this week’s Spandex and Capes.
Review List
April 12th, 2015
April 19th, 2015
“No, I haven't seen Game of Thrones.” - M. Murdock
PREVIOUSLY…
So I wasn’t going to do the news this week – too much came out book wise that I was reading that I couldn’t keep up with the news. Then the trailer came out late last night. It wasn’t supposed to land until Monday, which meant I would be able to talk about next week, but it came out because of a leak. What trailer? Well, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. This is a very Batman heavy trailer, with Superman almost being vilified by the commentators, but his actions, and by some of the scenes being obviously taken out of context. This is obviously intentional and I’m willing to bet money that the next trailer is Superman heavy and vilifying Batman. The last trailer will be the true threat of the movie – Lex Luthor. Other than that, it was decent trailer nothing to really write home about, which is kind of sad. I wish this had more of a Flash feeling than an Arrow feeling, but maybe the next trailer will suit that mood.
Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man
12 Issues
May 2014 – April 2015
Hero
Danger Club
8 Issues
April 2012 – April 2015
Villain
Jupiter’s Circle
By Mark Miller with art by Wilfredo Torres
So this is an excellent book with great artwork. This story is really well done, the dialogue is good, and the politics are spot on for the time. So why am I dropping this book? Because I’ve decided to speak with my dollar. Mr. Millar’s comics constantly run behind – and in the case of Jupiter’s Legacy it was years. The book for a moment there, almost became an annual. And once it got going again? He switches over into a book to needlessly fill in the backstory. So I’m done. I’m out on this and Jupiter’s Legacy and honestly the rest of Mr. Miller’s work. I’ve decided to support those that can put out a book every month on time. In my opinion, they deserve it more than he does.
REVIEWS
Convergence: Superman #1 (DC)
By Dan Jurgens with art by Lee Weeks
So I’m happy to stay that this week, Superman lives up to his name. I didn’t realize how much I missed this version of Superman until I read this issue. And in that spirit, I’m starting a campaign to bring back the underwear. This whole issue was excellent beginning to end. The portrayal of the Flashpoint characters, the love between Clark and Lois, and the inspiration that Superman should radiant was there as well. I know that this Superman will most likely not make it out of Convergence, I just hope that they don’t kill off their baby. If this version of Superman doesn’t make it through Convergence, I want him to give his child to someone who will survive. I want this Kal-El to give us the next Superman. I think that would be amazing.
Convergence #2 (DC)
By Jeff King with art by Carlo Pagulayan
While it wasn’t the best comic this week, it was definitely a marked improvement over the first issue, which was more set-up, but from the Earth 2 characters POV. This issue is told mainly from the point of view of Dick Grayson from a point in the future. My guess is it’s a couple of issues from now. I’m also guessing that they’re setting up Dick Grayson to be the new Batman of Earth 2. There are a few art issues here – like the disappearing yellow oval – but overall the art is good. It’s a passable issue overall, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle #1 (DC)
By Gail Simone with art by Jan Duursema
It was nice to see this version of Barbara Gordon back in action. This seems to be in the same world as the Batman and Robin issue since they save Poison Ivy there. I like the idea of Barbara controlling the city behind the scenes. Makes a certain amount of sense. The Hawks seem to be vicious foes too – they took down the Justice Riders who, if memory serves me, had a powerful group. What I find interesting is I don’t care if Oracle and Nightwing win or lose against the Hawks. I want to know more about the proposal. An hour passed and they didn’t talk about it? Really? I know the next issue will cover it, but man – I really want to know now.
Convergence: The Question #1 (DC)
By Greg Rucka with art by Cully Hamner
This was a great book – intimidate and well written with great character moments. And with a character that didn’t get much of chance per-52. While the new Question is all about the Supernatural, this Question is about the mundane and the true why of the world. This is also an example of how Convergence tie-ins should be written. Give us the character moments that lead to the battle in the first issue, stay true to what those characters were before, and then show us the battle the next. Which is what this book seems to be doing. I can only hope that after this, Mr. Rucka comes back to the DCU for a while.
Astro City #22 (DC); Avengers World #19 (Marvel); Batman: Arkham Knight #7 – #9 (DC); Batman ‘66 #58 (DC); Birthright #6 (Image); Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier #7 (Marvel); Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #7 (Marvel); Captain Marvel #14 (Marvel); Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 (Archie Horror); Convergence #1 (DC); Convergence: Aquaman #1 (DC); Convergence: Batman – Shadow of the Batman #1 (DC); Convergence: Batman and Robin #1 (DC); Convergence: Catwoman #1 (DC); Convergence: Green Lantern/Parallax #1 (DC); Convergence: Harley Quinn #1 (DC); Convergence: Justice League #1 (DC); Convergence: Justice League International #1 (DC); Convergence: Speed Force #1 (DC); Convergence: Suicide Squad #1 (DC); Convergence: Superboy #1 (DC); Convergence: Superman – Man of Steel #1 (DC); Convergence: The Titans #1 (DC); Darth Vader #4 (Marvel); Deathlok #7 (Marvel); The Dresden Files: Down Town #3 (Dynamite); Ghosted #19 (Image); Hawkeye #2 (Marvel); Howard the Duck #2 (Marvel); Hulk #14 (Marvel); Letter #44 (Oni Press); Loki: Agent of Asgard #13 (Marvel); Magneto #17 (Marvel); Masks 2 #1 (Dynamite); Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #12 (Marvel); Mortal Kombat X # 14 – #15 (DC); Ms. Marvel #14 (Marvel); Nameless #3 (Image); Nova #29 (Marvel); The Phantom #2 (King); Rebels #1 (Image); Savior #1 (Image); Secret Identities #3 (Image); S.H.I.E.L.D. #4 (Marvel); Spider-Man 2099 #11 (Marvel); Spider-Woman #6 (Marvel); Storm #10 (Marvel); Wonder Woman ‘77 #5 – #6 (DC);
Convergence: Batgirl #1 (DC)
By Alisa Kwitney with art by Rick Leonardi
So… I was disappointed in this issue. The art was mediocre and the story felt like someone gave up during the plotting. The champion idea is also starting to get to me which this issue. Stephanie’s right – why would she have been chosen? And why was she pulled out to middle of nowhere when no one else in the other book were? I would have rather seen City X vs City Y and have the heroes in each react to each other. No one acted the way I remembered and the portion in the beginning about how to go to the bathroom was kind of pointless and unnecessary. Overall, I don’t this book was very good.
Convergence: The Atom #1 (DC)
By Tom Peyer with art by Steve Yeowell
This is probably the strangest Convergence book that the Convergence event has to offer so far – and honestly, that’s saying something. A crazy Ray Palmer talks to a voice in his head that may or may not be Ryan Choi and has a hand that grows large despite no powers working in the dome. Also Deathstroke is in Gotham for some reason, but that seems more of an after thought than actual plot. Honestly, you could say half of this book was an after thought. It wasn’t wholly bad, but there wasn’t a lot redeemable about this issue.
Thor #7 (Marvel)
By Jason Aaron with art by Russell Dauterman
Ok. So this is a decent book, but again brings to light my problem with how Marvel treats it’s female superheroes. We have seen this fight – maybe not with this Thor, but with others. And even when Thor was weaken, he could take the Destroyer. Here though? With this Thor? Not so much. She gets her ass handed to her for much of the fight, loses her hammer to the Destroyer, and pretty much thinks that this is over. Until who should come riding to her rescue, but a man: Odinson. Sure, he’s leading an army of women, but still. Odinson never needed the Avengers to beat the Destroyer, but Thor needs an army? This is why I don’t believe this will last. This is why I think this is diversity for diversity’s sake and not an actual attempt to make Marvel different.
Convergence: Supergirl Matrix #1 (DC)
By Keith Giffen with art by Timothy Green II
I loved this version of Supergirl growing up. She was such a great character and her series by Peter David was excellent. So when I finished reading this issue, I had one thought in mind: F*** YOU. This was complete and utter crap. Supergirl was never this vapid, never this… blonde for lack of a better word. This issue actually made me angry because it felt like they were taking a large crap over the character. Also, I think some dialogue was mixed up because things didn’t make a lot of sense in some scenes. The art was bad, the jokes were something that a five year old would come up with, and the characterization of the other characters in the story were just annoying. Then you get Ambush Bug. So I say again: F*** YOU.
Danger Club #8 (Image)
By Landry Q. Walker with art by Eric Jones
Even with two attempts at this book, they couldn’t get it right. And the alternate ending? It made no sense in the context of the story. Hell, the story didn’t even make sense in context of the story. Towards the end, I honestly had no idea what was really going on. I had such hope for this series when it originally came out and it went downhill for a long time. I’m glad it’s over which isn’t something I would normally say about book, but it means I can take it off my pull list without wondering if it’s going to become important later.
Archie vs. Predator #1 (Dark Horse)
By Alex de Campi with art by Fernando Ruiz
…. So this is…. What we have here is…. I mean really its…. Thing is…. Alright, this is weirdest thing I’ve ever read in my entire time reading comics. I mean seriously – if Grant Morrison teamed up with Alan Moore after using an acre of bath salts they couldn’t come up with anything weirder than the concept of Archie Andrews facing off against Predator. And the strangest thing of all was it wasn’t bad. It read like a regular issue of Archie except for the death and the raining blood which the characters didn’t seem to notice. It was very surreal. And there are three more issues of this.