Welcome back. Sorry I’ve been missing for the last few weeks, my cat decided that my computer would look better on the floor than it did on the table. Had to get a new one. Anyway, last time, I promised you some changes and here we are. I’ve come up with new system of scoring comics based on costumes. I thought it was more fitting for a article entitled Spandex and Capes. Previously will be staying general the same, just with a slight modification. Instead of giving you all the news, I’m just going to talk about what I think is actually important – because seriously some of the news that comes out is corrected after a few days. The new review system will go as such:
- First will be the Capes category – because when you play at being a superhero, you always need a cape. This will be the best book I’ve read for the current article.
- Next will be Symbols – symbols invoke the image of a given hero or villain. These are comics that I have something to say, good or bad. If it’s good, it will be a Hero Symbol and get praise. If it’s bad, it be a Villain Symbol and get ridicule.
- Next is Catchphrases – quick and light banter provided by the heroes. This is where I have something to say, but it’s not a lot – maybe a sentence or two. Just enough to point something out.
- Then comes Redesign – like a redesign costume, you have to check these books.
- Next is Armored – like the armored version of any regular costume, these books aren’t good.
- And finally comes Classic – like the original versions of a costumes, these books are there and will be there whenever you get to them.
- I’ll also be changing Chopped to Drop Points.
All right, that’s the new categories, let’s get to it here on:
June 26th, 2016
Marvel NOW: So Marvel is going back to an earlier Earth-shattering status quo with Marvel NOW! I don’t mind the new status quo (again), it’s their thing, but could we pick a new adjective? And apparently, there will be some sort of shattering of the Marvel Universe as Marvel has been releasing images like this one. I’m just hoping we’re not going to see another era of heroes fighting heroes. I’m kind of getting a little tired of it.
IDW/Hasbro Shared Universe: Oh, good God – Why?
JLA Cancelled: Bryan Hitch’s run on JLA is being cancelled. Hopefully his run on Justice League goes better with him not doing the art and the writing.
Justice League: I really, really, really want this to be villain’s costume. It would be SO awesome..
Josie & The Pussycats: I hope this is as good as Archie and Jughead.
Rising Stars: I’ve never read this, but now I want to.
Superman: Google image search this guy – the first two pictures are basically Clark and Superman respectively with five o’clock shadow.
Flashpoint: My guess is this will be a two episode arc that will have everything back to normal by episode three… with a couple of carry overs – like Citizen Cold.
Boom! Studios
Dark Horse
DC Comics
IDW Publishing
Marvel Comics
Valiant Entertainment
The Flash: Rebirth #1
By Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Ivan Plascencia
This was the first direct sequel to Rebirth #1 – most of the Rebirth issues have dealt with setting up a new status quo. This issue builds off what happened in Rebirth, adding layers to what happened from Barry’s point of view. They build off the emotions presented and also touched on a few things that Wally remembers – though you have to read between the lines to catch. “Iris is your friend?” They also add something that I hope gets explained soon – the Speed Force is off limits to experiments. There’s a lot compacted into this issue and it looks like it’s going to be a fun ride.
Superman: Action Comics #957
By Dan Jurgens with art by Patrick Zircher and Tomeu Morey
HERO
The Post-Crisis Superman returns to headline Action Comics with an issue that lives up to the title. Going bi-weekly is an excellent thing for Superman and Mr. Jurgens’s compressed storytelling is a welcome change of pace in this modern age of comics. In this issue alone, we get the premiere of Lex Luthor’s Superman (and I REALLY want this to stick for a good long while), Post-Flashpoint Superman’s coming out, the return of Clark Kent, and the return of Doomsday. And the art from Patrick Zircher is a great fit for Mr. Jurgens’s writing. I hope they can keep up the pace for a bi-weekly. This is an amazing show and deserves your attention.
Civil War II #1 & #2
By Brian Michael Bendis with art by David Marquez and Justin Ponsor
HERO/VILLAIN
Love it or hate it (and God knows I hated it), Civil War changed the Marvel landscape in a way that is still be felt to this day. Now Marvel is seeking to get lightning to strike twice with Civil War II and I have to say… I’m insanely unwhelmed. On one hand, the characterization is spot one. When I read each character, I can hear their voices and get where they’re coming from. On the other hand, we’ve already had two issues come out and there’s no war – civil or otherwise. In fact, by the looks of it, we won’t even have one by issue three. Also it looks like they’re lining up Carol to be in the villain in this one. I’m going to keep reading, but this series has a ways to go to make me feel like it’s worth.
Batman: Rebirth #1 (DC) – Good book, though basically all it does is tie up the loose ends from Mr. Synder and put all of the toys back in the box. I was kind of hoping for something more.
Civil War II: Choosing Sides #1 (Marvel) – This was ok… but no choose sides and there really hasn’t been anything to choose sides on. I think they should have held off on this one for another issue or two.
Civil War II: Gods of War #1 (Marvel) – Man, this was just a recap of Herc’s series – it was good, but I was hoping the band would be together by the end of the first issue.
Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade (DC) – At first I thought I was missing the end or that there was another issue, but nope. This was it. And I feel kind of cheated.
Detective Comics #934 – This is awesome. And they got rid of that stupid costume Tim Drake was wearing. All in all goods times.
Superman #1 (DC) – Man, I feel bad for this kid… and that cat.
Vision #8 (Marvel) – This is one day going to be a classic. This book is amazing.
Wonder Woman #1 (DC) – Excellent start. I like where the book is headed and this is the strongest this book has been in a long while.
Action Comics #958 (DC); Aquaman: Rebirth #1 (DC); Aquaman #1 (DC); Archie #9 (Archie); Astro City #36 (DC); Batman #1 (DC); Black Widow #1 (Marvel); Constantine: The Hellblazer #13 (DC); Darth Vader #21 (Marvel); Detective Comics #935 (DC); Dresden Files: Wild Card #2 & #3 (Dynamite) Doctor Strange #9 (Marvel); The Flash #1 (DC); Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 (DC); Green Arrow #1 (DC); Green Lantern: Edge of Oblivion #1 (DC); Green Lanterns: Rebirth #1 (DC); Green Lanterns #1 (DC); Han Solo #1 (Marvel); Jughead #7 (Archie); Justice League #51 & 52 (DC); Klaus #6 (Boom!); Might Thor #8 (Marvel); Moon Knight #3 (Marvel); Ms. Marvel #8 (Marvel); New Avengers #12 (Marvel); Power Man and Iron Fist #5 (Marvel); Superman: Rebirth #1 (DC); Titans: Rebirth #1 (DC); Ultimates #8 (Marvel); Weird Detective #1 (Dark Horse); Wolverine #9 (DC); Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1 (DC)
Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Marvel); Back to the Future #9 (IDW); Behop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #1 (IDW); Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel); Civil War II: X-Men #1 (Marvel); The Totally Awesome Hulk #7 (Marvel); Thunderbolts #2 (Marvel); Wacky Raceland #1 (DC)
Action Man #1 (IDW); All-New X-Men #10 (Marvel); Amazing Spider-Man #13 (DC); Assassin’s Creed #9 (Titan); Batman Beyond #13 (DC); Birthright #16 (Image); Bloodlines #3 (DC); Citizen Brown #2 (IDW); The Coming of the Supermen #5 (DC); Cyborg #12 (DC); Daredevil #8 (Marvel); The Dark and the Bloody #5 (DC); Darkwing Duck #2 (Disney); Doctor Fate #13 (DC); Empress #3 (Marvel); The Fix #3 (Image); Harley Quinn #29 (DC); Harley Quinn and her Gang of Harley #3 (DC); Invincible Iron Man #10 (Marvel); Legends of Tomorrow #4 (DC); Life With Kevin #1 (Archie); Lucifer #7 (DC); Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #4 (IDW); Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Pink #1 (IDW); Nova #8 (Marvel); Poe Dameron #3 (Marvel); Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death #6 (DC); Renato Jones #2 (Image); Robin #13 (DC); Scooby Apocalypse #2 (DC); Spider-Man 2099 11 (Marvel); Spider-Woman #8 (Marvel); Spidey #7 (Marvel); Star Wars #20 (Marvel); Suicide Squad’s Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #6 (DC); Swamp Thing #59 (DC); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #59 (IDW); Uncanny X-Men #8 (Marvel); Vote Loki #1 (Marvel); Xena: Warrior Princess (Dynamite)
A-Force #6 (Marvel)
Clean Room #9 (DC)
Deadpool vs. Gambit #1 (Marvel)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1 (Marvel)
Unfollow #8 (DC)
Black Canary #1 – 12
Brenden Fletcher, Sandy Jarrell, Wayne Faucher, Lee Loughridge, Moritat, Matthew Rosenberg, Annie Wu, Pia Guerra
Suicide Squad’s Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 – 6
Brian Buccellato, Mike W. Barr, Viktor Bogdanovic, Diogenes Neves, Richard Friend, Michael Spicer, Carrie Strachan, Ruy Jose
Constantine: The Hellblazer #1 – 13
Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV, Eryk Donovan, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Travel Foreman, Joseph Silver, Ivan Plascencia, Riley Rossmo, Scott Kowalchuk, Vanesa Del Rey, Chris Visions
Justice League #1 – 52
Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Gary Frank, Scott Williams, Gene Ha, Jim Lee, Carlos D’Anda, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff Lemire, Jed Dougherty, Gabe Eltaeb, Oscar Jimenez, Paul Pelletier, Tony Kordos, Alex Sinclair, Oclair Albert, David Finch, Brad Walker, Richard Friend, Drew Hennessy, Batt, Sandu Florea, Andres Guinaldo, Sean Parsons, Jesus Saiz, Doug Mahnke, Keith Champagne, Joe Prado, Scott Hanna, Eber Ferreira, Rod Reis, Vicente Cifuentes, Christian Alamy, Mark Irwin, Keith Champagne, Brad Anderson, Scott Kolins, Andrew Dalhouse, Kevin Maguire, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Jason Fabok, Dan Abnett, Paul Pelletier, Sandra Hope, Adriano Lucas, Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, Tom Grummett, Danny Miki, Mark Morales
Justice League of America #1 – 8
Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Alex Sinclair, Andrew Currie, Matt Kindt, Rob Williams, Philip Tan, Jason Paz, Jeromy Cox, Wade Von Grawbadger,
Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death 1 – 6
Amy Chu, Clay Mann, Stephen Segovia, Seth Mann, Art Thibert, Sandu Florea, Ulises Arreola, Robson Rocha, Ethan Van Sciver, Julio Ferreira, Jay Leisten, Jonathan Glapion, Al Barrionuevo
Robin: Son of Batman #1 – 13
Ray Fawkes, Ramon Bachs, Mat Lopes, Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, John Kalisz, Scott McDaniel, Andy Owens, Chris Sotomayor