Welcome to this week’s news and reviews. It’s a little light in the news department as we head into the holidays. But the books keep coming, both good and bad. So let’s get to it on this week’s:
November 22th, 2015
“Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive, ah, ah, ah, ah stayin’ alive…” – J. Grey
Comic Book News: Well, Marvel has spoiled the beginning of Squadron Supreme. I won’t tell you but if you want to know, you can go here. Needless to say, it won’t last. Vertigo has announced a new horror series entitled The Dark & Bloody. With the solicitations, DC announced new creative teams for Aquaman, New Suicide Squad, and Teen Titans. Frank Miller says he’s doing a Dark Knight IV, so that could be interesting. IDW’s G.I. Joe and Street Fighter will be crossing over in what should be the trippiest villain crossover ever. It looks like Mr. Hitch will not be on JLA #5 – it seems writing and drawing a book is catching up with him, which is a shame because I’m enjoying it.
Movie News: Principal photography on the Wonder Woman movie has started and we have confirmation that Chris Pine will indeed be playing Steve Trevor. I really hope this is good.
TV News: So we got a lot of premiere dates this week – Agent Carter will premiere on January 5 and Legends of Tomorrow will be coming on January 21. Doctor Who’s Michelle Gomez is joining the cast of Gotham as The Lady. Blake Jenner, Melissa Benoist’s husband, will be joining the cast of Supergirl as a love interest for Supergirl – I wonder if they’ll have any chemistry? We got a trailer for the next crossover of Flash and Arrow – which looks really good. And Colton Haynes will be rejoining the Arrow team in an upcoming episode – wonder if it will be permanent.
Solicitations News: Here are the solicitations for February:
Archie Comics
Boom! Studios
Dark Horse Comics
DC Comics
Image Comics
Marvel Comics
Valiant Comics
Martian Manhunter #6 (Marvel Comics)
By Rob Williams with art by Eddy Barrows
This has been the best Manhunter series in a while. The idea that J’onn split himself into multiple personalities is a great – particular in that there doesn’t seem to be an Id, Ego, or Superego division. Everyone just got parts of him – making them sums of whole rather than parts. I also find it interesting the forms he choose to give his personalities – a black man, a woman, a monster, and senior citizen in a cape. It’s also interesting to see that the Martians aren’t the same white and green sides that we’ve seen in the past. They’re just desperate to save their world. I can’t say I like the “new” look – and I’m kind of hoping that it won’t stick.
Vader Down #1 (Marvel Comics)
By Jason Aaron with art by Mike Deodato
So, how do you make Vader seem like more of a badass than he already is? Well, you stick on a planet full of rebels and let him go to town. I mean, I was unnerved on that last page and I wasn’t even a target. The opening sequence was fantastic and you can feel the desperation, disbelief, and fear coming from those pilots. I also think that giving each group different reasons to be on planet will give for some good crossover books. It gives them something to do during their part of the crossover. The art was great too – that last page was a great shot. If he had the lightsabre lit in the larger picture it would have been poster worthy.
Action Comics #46 (DC Comics); Astro City #26 (DC Comics); Batman: Europa #1 (DC Comics); Batman & Robin Eternal #7 (DC Comics); Bizarro #6 (DC Comics); Clean Room #2 (DC Comics); Doctor Fate #6 (DC Comics); Green Lantern: The Lost Army #6 (DC Comics); Green Lantern/Star Trek: The Spectrum Wars #5 (DC Comics/IDW Comics); Harley Quinn #22 (DC Comics); Huck #1 (Image Comics); Invincible #125 (Image Comics); Jughead #2 (Archie Comics); Kanan: The Last Padawan #8 (Marvel Comics); Ms. Marvel #1 (Marvel Comics); New Avengers #3 (Marvel); Onyx #3 (IDW Comics); Red Thorn #1 (DC Comics); Secret Six #8 (DC Comics); Spider-Woman #1 (Marvel Comics); Star Wars #12 (Marvel Comics); The Rook #2 (DC Comics); Titans Hunt #2 (DC Comics); Uncanny Inhumans #2 (Marvel Comics); Wrath of Eternal Warrior #1 (Valiant Comics)
Black Knight #1 (Marvel Comics); Earth 2: Society #6 (DC Comics); The Mighty Thor #1 (Marvel Comics); New Suicide Squad #14 (DC Comics); Telos #2 (DC Comics)
Secret Wars Too #1 (Marvel Comics)
By Jonathan Hickman, Al Ewing, Kate Leth, Kyle Starks, Rob Guillory, Ryan Browne, Eric Powell with art by Brian Churilla, Jacopo Camagni, Brittney L. Williams, Ramon Villalobos, Rob Guillory, Ryan Browne, and Eric Powell
… I have no words for how stupid and pointless this was. This was worst book of the year – hands down. If you spent money on this book, Marvel should give you your money back. Seriously. There was not one redeemable story in this piece of crap book. I’m sorry if you were fooled into thinking it might be funny on some level.
Ant-Man (Marvel Comics)
By Nick Spencer with art by Ramon Rosanas and Jordan Boyd
Sam Wilson: Captain America (Marvel Comics)
By Nick Spencer with art by Daniel Acuna and Mike Choi
Extraordinary X-Men (Marvel Comics)
By Jeff Lemire with art by Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, and Edgar Delgado
Star-Lord #1 (Marvel)
By Sam Humphries with art by Javier Garron, Antonio Fabela, and Frank D’Armata
Well, there’s four more of Marvel’s new series that I will be dropping out of it. In the case of Ant-Man, I really dislike the Scott Lang character and just don’t care about him at all. In the case of Captain America, I really dislike the direction they’re taking the character. I don’t understand why Sam Wilson couldn’t have started out with at least the benefit of the doubt before we got the adventures of the mistrusted Captain America. When Sam gets that level of respect, I’m back in. As for the Extraordinary X-Men – this is feels like, oh, we couldn’t have who we really wanted, so we’ll make do. The dynamic between Old Man Logan and yesterday’s Jean is one that I have no interest in. And having the school in Limbo? Well, given the amount of habitable planets, the scope of technology, and that’s there the Blue Area of the Moon available – this seems like a really stupid idea as well. And Star-Lord… well, it was just boring with no real payoff for the story.
Bizarro (DC Comics)
Heath Corson, Gustavo Duarte, Pete Pantazis
Doomed (DC Comics)
Scott Lobell, Javier Fernandez, Ulises Arreola
Green Lantern: The Lost Army (Marvel Comics)
Cullen Bunn, Jesus Saiz
So I’ve just finished Jessica Jones and I have to say that Netflix and Marvel have another fantastic series. If you haven’t seen yet, you should. Just so you all know, I’ll be off next week for Thanksgiving – so I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday.