The General Comic Discussion Thread - Part 2

[Slick]

I just started reading Stargirl: The Lost Children. I’m looking forward to keeping on this. It really plays to Geoff Johns’ strengths as opposed to something like Doomsday Clock that I don’t feel he was appropriately suited for.

Anyway, I loved the first issue. Is anyone else reading it? And what are your thoughts if you are?

Yeah I’m loving Lost Children right now. Love the pulp nature of the book and Todd Naucks art pops off the page. New JSA is also pretty good so far as well.

 

[Mani-Man]

Comics week march begins

Action Comics #1052

Im loving this family vibe we get in this, its so much fun.
Really was a fantastic idea to focus more on the Family aspect…what worked for batman or flash, also works with Superman.
Its so cool to see DC comics embracing this family aspect more.
This issue was alone cool for that, but I also love the main arc so far and the Backup stories are also interesting.
So far im more than pleased with the Superman stuff we got…lets hope this continues.

You get a few great covers, like Matt Herms for example…but im loving the Regular one a lot.

Batman vs Robin #5

It strikes me as another relative pointless “big” event here and I don’t get the purpose of it to be honest.
And its weird that they pretty much had the batman vs robin thing only in 2 issues at best, the rest of this 5 issue run does not focus on a potential conflict at all.
The whole Lazarus Planet arc feels very disjointed and pointless, but that probably has to do with it being so divided over several not major comic books, like we got a few lazarus planet specific books I think.
Either way, it’s a rather weak arc…even though the few final panels in this are incredible.
I loved that we got to see here how much Batman means to the people of Gotham and all…Im a sucker for such heartwarming things.
Seeing the sacrifices made by Bruce having a positive effect on the people.
But overall the book wasn’t really super strong sadly.

Covers I feel like they all are a bit too overcrowded with everything, but the regular one is fine.

Detective Comics #1069

Now here is something, Ram V who keeps hitting Homeruns with his Batman run.
What an incredible book.
Visually it sways a bit, but the great panels are incredible.
And then Ram Vs writing…its magical.
He also gets points for me for including Two Face, always good to see Harvey be more than a regular throwaway thug.
And I love humanizing Batman and people understanding what a toll being batman takes on Bruce.
Even better when its Jim who does that.
Cant ignore the main arc too because im loving what Ram V is cooking there, im loving the vibe and how he mixes things together.
The Backup is fantastic too…everything in this issue Is worth the price ten times imo.

As for covers, they are all incredible.
I cant say which I prefer, the Regular one or Ivan Reis…they are both sooooo good.

But the rest is absolutely stunning too…its one of those where I say: If you can afford it, buy several.

Harley Quinn #27

I think it was Stephanie Phillips final Issue on this right?
If so im really sad to see her go but glad how she went out.
It was a lovely issue, not what many expected I assume…but I did like how they dealt with this.
Other than that, not much else to say.
The art was good, the message nice…I had fun.
As usual all the HQ covers are neat, I prefer the main one however.

So 3 out of 4 isnt bad, especially when you have 2 that did stuff I absolutely 100% love.
Next week we get a new Flash and Finally a new Batman…wuhu.

 

[Babillygunn]

I tried reading some of Kirby’s Challengers of the Unknown, but it’s a bit of a chore to get through. Great premise but not great stories.

I might try a re-read when I’m in more of a mood for it.

 

[Mani-Man]

A new Comics Week arrived, packed full of Comics.


Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1

A good start to this, nicely drawn and well written.
Im liking the idea that Ultraman goes around Killing Kal-Els from all kinds of worlds.
It’s a cool idea that reminds me off this movie with Jet Lee.
There are some rumors etc that go around where this allegedly is supposed to go…we will see.
For now im waiting how this unfolds and im quite excited for this.

Covers are incredible, every single one of them.
Rafael Sarmentos is insane, but I think I like the Regular one the most…but there really is no bad one out there imo.


Batman #133

Something about this Issue feels unfocused and more filler than anything.
I cant put my finger onto it.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the issue, but it didn’t click with me.

Also I cant help but miss Jorge Jimenez art style.
This one isn’t bad make no mistake about that, but things just work better with the Team of Zdarsky/Jimenez.
The Backup story however, keeps hitting the right notes.
It’s a very interesting story I think and like how it serves a good purpose.


As for covers, the Regular one is nice…but slightly Misleading.
I don’t know what I dislike more, in general completely misleading covers…or covers that have what happens in the comic in it…different.
Like in this for example, while the scene happens…Alfred has Shotgun aimed at Bruce.
Its one of my weird pet peeves I think.


Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #5

That was a good issue.
Im really liking this series so far and the most recent issue is no exception.
The Art is really strong, the writing stumbles here and there I think…but gets the job done in the end.
Im not sure how to feel about the twist.
It feels too out of nowhere and nonsensical.
The next issue will probably explain it, but i would have prefered if they went in a different direction

This book tends to have cool covers, so its hard to choose.
The Main one works fine enough and is already really cool, but then you get Gary Frank or Daniel Warren Johnsons…which are super awesome too.


The Flash #794


Such a great issue, absolutely fantastic.
Loving the focus on Irey in this one and how they build her Hero name reveal up…really well done.
Shout out also to Jay Garrick for being awesome.
The issue was really good written and drawn I thought.
Had a lot of fun reading it, the one minute war for sure turns into one fantastic story.
I think the best part of it for me, is the family aspect.
You barely have people go around on their own, they always focus on saving or protecting family etc.
It adds so much to this, im loving it.


Here the covers are great too, but I prefer the Regular one with Irey.


The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #6

What a wild issue…as most of the book.
Joker in L.A causing all kinds of trouble…is a ton of fun.
Its just wild fun, you either love it or don’t.
Im liking it, so this was a great issue for me.
The art is also helping this a lot I have to say.
Having a lot of fun with this book.


Another Book that tends to have cool covers all around.
The Regular one fits the issue…but damn that Lee Bermejo one is scary.
Kendrick Lims is incredible cool and Jeff Spokes has style.


Poison Ivy #10

I KNEW IT DC…you just couldn’t help yourself.
I knew they would throw Harley/Ivy fans a bone, just to snatch it.
Don’t care for the excuse here, that was yet another slap in the faces of the fans…as expected.
Disappointed but not unexpected sadly.

Anyway, the issue itself was fine…cant really say anything bad.
It moves the plot forward and all.
Nothing really mindblowing or so…its fine.
I don’t want to say the issue was bad on an more objective level, there are however decisions in there that make me feel like it was bad, based on Personal preferences…as Ivy/Harley fan.

And this Series too has fantastic Covers each issue.
Regular works but I really like Jenny Frison’s the most.

Well, even though they did stuff I didn’t like in Poison Ivy…I would say this was yet another great Week for DC Comic book fans.

Next week is a pretty short one for me it seems.
Batgirls and maybe i will get Superman: Lost...other than that, nothing of interest to me.
Maybe i check out Justice society and Batman inc, but im not sure.

 

[Babillygunn]

Always love your reviews, @Mani-Man
I look forward to you and @CrimsonMist giving your thoughts on the weeks comics.

I have to say that for all of the grumbling that people seem to enjoy these days about the state of comics, in the past year and a half we have had what I would consider a top 5 all time Superman story in Warworld Saga and I’m thinking that One Minute War is shaping up to be a top 3 Flash story. I am loving it.

 

[CrimsonMist]

It was a small week for me. Just The Flash and it was excellent as to be expected. Jay Garrick had the best moment of issue!

@Mani-Man, I'd whole heartedly recommend you check out JSA. As someone who is actively not a Johns fan, I've been enjoying JSA and Stargirl quite a bit....when the books actually come out, that is. I'd also really suggest picking up Danger Street by Tom King.

On that note, DC announced that Si Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr will be taking over the Flash, and Tom King and Daniel Sempere are taking over Wonder Woman this September, with prelude stories in the 800 issues this August.

Pretty wild. Both books are Day 1 purchases for me. Spurrier's Hellblazer and Damn Them All were both great, and Deodato is an incredible artist. Wonder Woman seems a bit outside King's wheelhouse a bit which should provide him a good challenge. The book hasn't had this kind of A-list talent since Rucka left, though the current team has provided a pretty long sense of stability since taking over. This should be very exciting.

They also announced a Hawkgirl book. I've never read anything by the author, but it sounds pretty interesting.

 

[Mani-Man]

Always love your reviews, @Mani-Man
I look forward to you and @CrimsonMist giving your thoughts on the weeks comics.

I have to say that for all of the grumbling that people seem to enjoy these days about the state of comics, in the past year and a half we have had what I would consider a top 5 all time Superman story in Warworld Saga and I’m thinking that One Minute War is shaping up to be a top 3 Flash story. I am loving it.

Thank you!

It was a small week for me. Just The Flash and it was excellent as to be expected. Jay Garrick had the best moment of issue!

@Mani-Man, I'd whole heartedly recommend you check out JSA. As someone who is actively not a Johns fan, I've been enjoying JSA and Stargirl quite a bit....when the books actually come out, that is. I'd also really suggest picking up Danger Street by Tom King.

On that note, DC announced that Si Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr will be taking over the Flash, and Tom King and Daniel Sempere are taking over Wonder Woman this September, with prelude stories in the 800 issues this August.

Pretty wild. Both books are Day 1 purchases for me. Spurrier's Hellblazer and Damn Them All were both great, and Deodato is an incredible artist. Wonder Woman seems a bit outside King's wheelhouse a bit which should provide him a good challenge. The book hasn't had this kind of A-list talent since Rucka left, though the current team has provided a pretty long sense of stability since taking over. This should be very exciting.

They also announced a Hawkgirl book. I've never read anything by the author, but it sounds pretty interesting.

Danger Street i think i mentioned it a few times, is one i constantly want to check out...but forget about it always.
I have my eyes on JSA for a while now but never really pulled the trigger so far.
If you recommend it, then i can safely purchase it without regrets.

I just saw the new stuff...on one hand i was sad at first, but the next Flash team sounds interesting.
I worry a bit that the Flash Family aspect might get put on the bench again, but lets see what they will bring to the table.
It still however sucks that its a DC decision to change the Team...i dont like that at all.
If you have a great team that works, its a shame when they cant end a run on their Terms.

I was talking about WW needing fresh blood for a while now and King is that.
Im really curious what he will bring to the Table for Diana.
With Daniel Sampere we will have visual something good, if King can bring his A game...this could elevate WW again, would love to see it.

Hawkgirl Solo sounds like a good thing, im optimistic.
And there will be a steel solo from what i have seen...that one could be cool too, i was hoping we would get some Momentum for Steel.

 

[CrimsonMist]

New Week of Comics and it is once again a small week, consisting of only 2 books. It looks like my biggest weeks going forward will have 3-5 books tops but DC keeps rolling out new books so this may change throughout the year.

Danger Street #4. We're quickly approaching the halfway point and this book keeps getting better and better. The storytelling in Jorge Fornes' artwork is a masterclass. And King's writing is tops. I'm glad the New Gods feature heavily in this book, and despite not being Paul Kirk, this may be the second best Manhunter story since James Robinson's The Golden Age (although the John Ostrander-penned series about the Mark Shaw Manhunter as seen in Danger Street is also pretty awesome). I implore you all to check this book out and not sleep on it.

Justice Society of America #3. I can tell by this issue that we're likely in for a bit of a slog. Not much has happened in 3 issues and it feels a bit repetitive. But damnit, I can't help but love it! Maybe it's the nostalgia of seeing the JSA hanging out, or the exploring of the DCU across time. It might be because of all of the marvelous Jerry Ordway art we've gotten, and will be getting going forward. Seriously, he has not lost a single step. I have no idea where this book is going, or what ramifications it will have on the DCU by the time it finishes, but I'm willing to take that ride and I never thought I'd say that about Geoff John's.

 

[Babillygunn]

DC Ending Two Fan-Favorite Series

Curse you DC! Batgirls was a fun comic! How does this comic get cancelled but we have 7000 ongoing Batman comics?

 

[super85]

Both of those got cancelled because they most likely had really bad sales.

No idea if Batgirls was any good, but that Robin book looked like amateur tumblr stuff.

 

[Mani-Man]

DC Ending Two Fan-Favorite Series

Curse you DC! Batgirls was a fun comic! How does this comic get cancelled but we have 7000 ongoing Batman comics?

Damn, i saw it coming with the Tim Drake one...which i think would have been nice with a different art style.
Batgirls...that one sucks because i really enjoy the Batgirls comics.

Fan Favorite? Then the sales should be there right?
Guess not, sadly.

 

[Mani-Man]

New comics week
I missed last week and I don’t know how that happened.
It was a weirdly busy week but I also didn’t pick up much…just Batgirls which was the usual.
But this week im around and it’s a busy week again…but this time for comics.

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #13

What more can one say to Praise this incredible series.
Everything has been said a dozen times and still is true.
Such a incredible series that finds a absolutely great balance between Batman and Superman, their support characters etc.
This is not easy so what this comic does is next level.
Other than that, it’s the same as usual…fantastic writing and art.

As for covers, they are all really cool…but the Regular one is so old school themed…I love it.

Black Adam #9

Even after the third time reading, im still losing focus in this issue and can not recall what is going on.
The writing here is super weirdly paced and the dialogue kind of messy to the point where you lose track of what the characters talk about.
Doesn’t help that im not 100% familiar with the Black Adam canon, so its easy to get confused with names etc.
But the writing absolutely didn’t help on its own.
I cant really say if the issue is good or not, because I keep losing focus of what is going on.
Super strange.
But the art is still really neat and that Regular Cover rocks.

The Flash #795

This issue was a lot of fun! I liked seeing the Flash Family working together and going on the offensive.
I really liked Barry and Linda's conversation and the ending of this issue.
I already know I will miss this Run because the Family aspect in this is so great.
But im ready for a new direction and will give it of course a shot.
Still, until that happens…I will enjoy what we get here and there is a lot to enjoy.

Covers are as usual all very good, you cant go wrong either way.

Nightwing #102

A bit slow paced, but in general a neat issue.
It has a few of Taylors most prominent problems, but when you can deal with them…its another good issue.
I feel like many expect too much from Taylor and Nightwing.
I get it, the man gets a lot of stuff to write and has been given Nightwing who is pushed as the New JL leader and all that…but I get the feeling people expect groundbreaking issues every time.
To me the biggest problems with Taylor are that slow paced stuff is really slow paced and his tendency to focus too much on Fanservice.
Other than that, im fine with him and issues like this.

The Main Cover is a bit too much for my taste, so I would go with Travis Moore because it fits the more Titans focused arc.

Superman #2

Wow, just wow…what a great Issue.
The Art again absolutely wonderful…but also the writing.
A incredible strong way to make Parasite scary as hell and a great introduction to Marylin Moonlight.
The writing is top notch and keeps you gripped every page…and of course Jamal Campbell with absolutely great art.

The Covers again are all absolutely great, but I would go with the Regular one.
That one is super neat.

Wonder Woman #797

Its great to see that Momentum picks up for WW before Tom King takes over.

This arc is building itself up quite nicely.
A lot of exciting plot points that build towards what could be a great finale for this run.

Covers are all quite good and while the Regular one fits well…I love Joelle Jones cover.
It doesn’t fit the story or so, but it looks really really cool.

A busy and good comics week, I am happy with this week.

 

[Babillygunn]

I went to a comic con last week and had the pleasure of meeting Peter Tomasi and Jim Starlin. Both were grade A good guys. Tomasi in particular was good to talk to (although he seemed like he was about to fall asleep.)
This was nice because the last con that I went to, I met Neil Adams and he was…let’s just say he wasn’t the friendliest guy. He was there for money and that was it. He was selling autographs for $50 and when my son gave him a reprint of Joker’s Five Way Revenge to sign, he made a crack about it being a reprint and signed it very small with a black marker in a dark spot on the cover. It’s actually very easy to miss that it’s even autographed. At the same con, we met Greg Capullo and Tim Seeley, both of whom were good as gold. Capullo especially was happy to be there and warm and engaging with the crowds. He didn’t charge for autographs and would sign multiple copies of whatever people brought to him. He signed my son’s Detective Comics 1000 variant cover and did so with a gold sharpie so that it showed up better. It was really exciting because that evening they had a panel and Capullo described meeting my son earlier in the day (even pointing him out in the crowd) and said that my son reminded him of why he is in the industry. My son was 11 years old at the time and he felt about 10 feet tall.
Those were highlights until last week meeting Tomasi and Starlin. My son brought a copy of a Super Sons trade and Tomasi signed it. I’ve never had a writer do this at a con, but he did a personalized signature that read to my son, “up up and away! Peter Tomasi”. It was really cool.
Starlin was really cool as well, posing for pictures with my son (my son is now 15, btw). He signed a copy of A Death in the Family for my son. When my son told him that he was a big fan of his work, Jim Starlin responded “that means a lot. It’s folks like you who keep me alive and give me a reason to keep going.”

It was a good experience and very encouraging when you get to meet people you respect and they don’t disappoint.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

That's great @Babillygunn. Sorry Adams was such a **** (I've heard things about him before from people who met him) - especially for your son, but the rest sound like they were great guys

 

[Mani-Man]

@Babillygunn I love hearing such stories or in general peoples experiences at comic cons etc since we hardly have such stuff here in Germany.

You told the story about Adams before if i remember it correctly, its sad that this is one Memory you will keep associated with Adams.
Prior to his passing, i heard quite a few people say that he tends to be easily cranky at cons etc.
Some in the Industry say that this is due to him simply not have been really a peoples person and feeling awkward at such events.

Anyway, its definitly cool to hear that those people appreciate the Fans otherwise and like to be at cons etc.

 

[Babillygunn]

@Babillygunn I love hearing such stories or in general peoples experiences at comic cons etc since we hardly have such stuff here in Germany.

You told the story about Adams before if i remember it correctly, its sad that this is one Memory you will keep associated with Adams.
Prior to his passing, i heard quite a few people say that he tends to be easily cranky at cons etc.
Some in the Industry say that this is due to him simply not have been really a peoples person and feeling awkward at such events.

Anyway, its definitly cool to hear that those people appreciate the Fans otherwise and like to be at cons etc.

I suppose that I have told the Adams story before. It was just a bit surprising in the moment. But I explained to my son that Neil was getting pretty old and selling autographs may have been very important income to him. He was there primarily to make money and not just to meet folks like Capullo was. A guy like Capullo seemed to be furthering his brand and networking to get goodwill with the fans. But at that stage in Neil’s life he didn’t have that luxury. When I think about the fact that Neil spent the last years of his life traveling the country and selling his autograph, instead of relaxing in retirement, I can feel sympathy and forgive his grumpiness.

 

[Babillygunn]

@Mani-Man and @CrimsonMist I was looking through your all’s old posts and I don’t see a review of Human Target #12. Now that it has hit Ultra and I’ve read it, I’d love to see your all’s thoughts.

Am I overlooking your review or did you not post one?

 

[Mani-Man]

@Mani-Man and @CrimsonMist I was looking through your all’s old posts and I don’t see a review of Human Target #12. Now that it has hit Ultra and I’ve read it, I’d love to see your all’s thoughts.

Am I overlooking your review or did you not post one?

At the moment im the wrong person to ask about Human Target, i kept forgetting buying it...until now.
I ordered the First Volume which includes the first 6 issues...if this is as good as i hope, then i will follow up with the rest.
People left and right have recommended it to me, but i constantly forgot about ordering any issue so far.
A few days ago i remembered and ordered the First Volume right away, should be here maybe today or tomorrow.

 

[Mani-Man]

Smaller Comics week, but small doesn’t mean bad.

Action Comics #1053

Very strong Issue that addresses a few things I was wondering before.
The art is stumbling here and there a bit, but overall really good.
Johnson does a really good Job with Metallo I think, I care a great deal for the character and what is happening to him.
The Backup issues are fine too, so nothing to complain there.
Covers…they all have something but I prefer the Regular one.

Detective Comics #1070

What is there to say on this? Its Ram V who continues to build a incredible Detective Comics run.
Crisp and fantastic writing, Art that works and hits especially well when it is supposed to…fantastic.
And look DC, if you wanna move forward with a bit Bruce/Talia…im all here for it.
Everything as long as its not batcat, im here for.
Like the dynamic Ram V builds here that could go either way.
Spectacular run so far from Ram V.

As for Covers…Seb Mckinnon or the Regular one.
Those are so cool and fit the vibe of the run so well.

Harley Quinn #28

That one took me a re-read to enjoy.
At first the Art style and how wild everything talks and all that happens, can be a bit too much.
I actually had to take a short break from reading halfway through, it was kind of exhausting to get thrown so much stuff at with every panel.
But in the second read, things flowed way better and there is a decent issue.
Need the story to play out and all, maybe let it rest for a bit to be sure of the quality…but there could be a good arc coming.
But they need to tone down a few things here and there imo to make this easier and better to read.
Because that issue was a handful.
If reading comics feels a bit like work…that not good.

Covers…as usual they all are crazy so they fit the vibe.
But its good to go with something less over the top and for that the Dan Mora one is the way to go.

People tend to try and make everything Harley related too loud, crazy and colorful…it doesn’t need that.
A bit less is often more.


So yeah, 3 books…3 enjoyable reads, even if Harley needed a second attempt for that.
Still a fun week to go through.

 

[Babillygunn]

Spectacular run so far from Ram V.

It’s funny. I’m a bit torn on his run so far. I’ve liked it well enough, but his Annual was abysmal. It was like a generic elseworlds tale that he was trying to bring in continuity. I hated that with a passion and it has somewhat tainted the run.

 

[Babillygunn]

Anyone else see the upcoming Tom King variant covers of several books in honor of April Fools Day? They are pretty funny stick figure drawings

 

[Mani-Man]

Anyone else see the upcoming Tom King variant covers of several books in honor of April Fools Day? They are pretty funny stick figure drawings

They are very funny indeed, i like such ideas a lot.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Comics Week is here.

Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2

Not sure what to think about this Arc or this issue.
I mean I expected the focus to shift to Injustice, but I also thought they keep Ultraman around as the big threat in this.
Also, when in the timeline of Injustice is this happening?
The more I read about Injustice, the more confusing it gets as to why this universe Superman kept going the way he did.
Without the comics I would get the plot of IJ 1-2, but with them I do wonder how after all this, he could still go the way he gone.
Anyway, it was a fine issue itself.
Good action and i liked how it was drawn.
Lets see where this goes.

As for Covers, as it is currently with Superman related stuff…covers are incredible good.
But I prefer the Regular one.

Batman #134

I have to say, the current arc is carried by the backup with Tim.
The Main Arc stumbles a bit and the art doesn’t help…I don’t like the Batman Costume here.
It feels a lot like Filler, which I didn’t expect at first.
But it feels kind of disconnected to everything instead of a follow up to the previous arc.
Maybe that’s the point…but it kind of throws me off.
Not sure if this arc will hold up in the future, but at the moment im not really into it to be honest…despite Zdarskys writing.

Covers, I love Tom Kings April Fools cover…it’s a funny idea.
Other than that, Regular or Joe Quesada are the ones to go.

Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #6

That one was again a wild Issue, well written and with cool action.
Forgot that we are already reaching the end of this with the next issue, so the expected showdown came in terms of timing unexpected.
Final issue should be fun again.
This was a really fun read so far, 6 good issues of a nice story with great arc…definitely will pick this up Physical when its avaliable.

When it comes to it, there is no wrong cover here imo but I prefer the main one.

The Flash #796

Hm, maybe I need to digest it a bit more…but I think this finale earned a bigger Boom to end.
Don’t get me wrong, the finale was nice and all…but I don’t know, I was hoping for something bigger.
But I guess that happens with such stories from time to time…they build themself up so much that the finale is falling a bit flat.
I assume I will need to let this sit for a bit longer and all before im super happy with it, for now I liked it but have this constant “Could have been better” voice in my head.

I hope im not sounding to negative because it was a really good finale.

I will definitely be sad to see this run end, but im having high expectations for the new team taking over.

Covers…I like the Regular one the most, but you cant go wrong with either of them.
They are all neat.

The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #7

Man, the wild chaos from last issue continues…and im loving it.
This is what I like about this Series…giving me absolute Joker chaos.
What a fun ride this is.
Definitly a series to check out imo.

And also if you are in for covers…because boy are they constantly throwing out great Covers.
Here too is a fun April Fools variant from Tom King, you got Lee Bermejo, Francesco Mattina, Christian Ward and a cool Regular cover that are all worth the money.

Poison Ivy #11

They slowly losing me with Janet here.
Like she is not an awful character, but I don’t really see what she can do that Harley couldn’t.
She gets a bit annoying the more time she is around.

But in general the Writing is running out of steam a lot in recent issues.
And that after it was announced that the series run would be expanded.
Like I do want this to continue, but the writing needs to find its way again or im out.

If you can, pick up Seb Mckinnons cover…that is such a beautiful piece of art.
But the other covers are great too, nothing against any of them.

A Week that didn’t hit quite the high notes it promised, sadly.
But I should not complain, considering I still haven’t yet had a week where every comic was disappointing or so.
So its fine when a few issues aren’t quite as good as expected…the Level DC goes is constantly high for me, so its okay to once in a while have “weaker” issues.

 

[signalman]

Hopes everyone has a pleasant Easter Weekend with Friends and Family.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Hopes everyone has a pleasant Easter Weekend with Friends and Family.

Likewise, to all!

 

[CrimsonMist]

@Mani-Man and @CrimsonMist I was looking through your all’s old posts and I don’t see a review of Human Target #12. Now that it has hit Ultra and I’ve read it, I’d love to see your all’s thoughts.

Am I overlooking your review or did you not post one?

I never got around to writing one up so I just finished re-reading it!

I actually loved the conclusion, serving more as an epilogue than anything. It was a very thoughtful conclusion to a story about mistakes and the consequences thereof. The very final moments between Chance and Ice were quite poignant and I LOVED the very end.

I've seen criticisms about the way King wrote Ice, that it's absurd that she can't be a good hero and "the sweet one" at the same time, that she has to commit a crime in order to be taken seriously. Like most criticisms lobbied against King, it often misses the point. Too often comic book critics go after certain stories for deviating from the traditional tropes that come with the genre. It's heretical that a story should treat these characters as anything other than black & white morality crusaders punching their way out of situations that, with even a modicum of thought, don't make a helluva lot of sense. King deviates in spades, treating these characters like people, with all of the beautiful and ugly qualities that define each and every one of us. More often than not, King's stories are about these black & white characters trying to break out of the superficial molds that have taken root in their psyches. We saw that in Omega Men, we saw that pretty clearly in Batman, not to mention Strange Adventures and Rorschach. Hell, we even get that in his Superman and Supergirl stories. These are complex characters stuck in a world of binary decisions. The tragedy of the story in The Human Target is that in an effort to repudiate an image dumped on her, Ice inadvertently kills the man she falls in love with, regretting the moment almost the entire series. Chance spends the entire book repudiating the death of his father, only to realize at the very end, that death isn't something to be afraid of; it just takes you away from the things you love.

It's this kind of story that makes me love King's work, and why I'll always check him out (King writing Wonder Woman should be a total joy!). In truth, his worst stories are the ones that usually lack his usual tropes. Batman: Killing Time was pretty forgettable. It's also why I found Gotham City: Year One to be pretty uneven. At times, it straddles the line between Ellroy-esque noir and pastiche, and it always wants to seem to make a bigger point harder, but never quite rises to the occasion. I don't necessarily like the ending, which seems preposterous in how allusive and vague it is, considering how upfront and matter-of-fact the rest of the story is. Is Slam Bradley actually Bruce's grandfather, making Bruce bi-racial? If not, it's an awfully silly conclusion of "I just felt like telling you how crappy your grandparents are, so there!"

More Comics reviews!

Flash #796. A pretty weak conclusion to a story that, in concept, started off pretty awesome. I like the idea of the Flash family saving the world in 60 seconds. I did not like how Adams went about it. Between the forced drama of Iris "dying" which didn't even make any sense, to the timey-whimey time travel conclusion that doesn't make a helluva lotta sense narratively, seeming only to occur to undo the forced drama with Iris, along with some truly awful art...this was probably the worst Flash story in a while. Certainly a blight on Adams' otherwise stellar record, but does nothing to dissuade me from checking out his Green Lantern later this year.

Danger Street #5. This keeps on getting better and better. It just keeps building and building. And the off-kilter fairy tale approach just serves to make this otherwise disparate narrative really sing. What a concept!

Action Comics #1053. The Metallo stuff is really great. Very Cronenberg with the body horror transformation of John Corben. I just wish we'd get out of this rut of "something happens, regroup in the Kent living room". It's getting repetitive, though Johnson's voice for all the characters and the story in the broader strokes is compelling as always. That said, the other stories in this book do nothing for me. It's great seeing Lee Weeks art again, but the Jurgens story is kinda "eh" and the Power Girl story doesn't connect with me at all.

Detective Comics has also been great, though Ram V is definitely playing a looooong game here. Every issue feels like a multi-tiered character study, and his prose is wonderful. But the story moves so sluggishly. @Babillygunn, I know you weren't feeling the annual, and I admit it threw me for a loop, but I'm pretty sure that slots in somewhere between issues 2 and 3 (or 1 and 2) of Morrison's "Return of Bruce Wayne". V has been borrowing more than a few of elements from Morrison's run, not unlike what Zdarsky is doing in Batman, but I found that particular story to be a pretty interesting nook into what V might have planned in his story.

I'm probably forgetting a handful of titles, but these are the ones that I find myself remembering more often than not. Right now, my big project has been binging through books I've bought throughout the years but never got around to reading. I have a 1 1/2 foot stack of books on my desk that, since January, seems to have remained at 1 1/2 feet. Every time I finish a handful of books, I'm reminded of something i have in a long box somewhere, and so they get added. But I just finished binging though a whole bunch of Richard Corben books and graphic novels, as well as a bunch of Timothy Truman books. Finished reading Alan Moore's Captain Britain and Star Wars comics, along with The Shadow: Year One by Matt Wagner, which was pretty cool. A random bunch of old Action Comics issues drawn by Gil Kane. And I still have a boatload of Timothy Truman books to go, including JLA: Gatekeeper and Guns of the Dragon, and a big re-read of his Scout series. Then there's John Byrne's OMAC and P. Craig Russell's Night Music and Killraven, along with Conan and the original Deadman stories. I'm also two trades away from beginning my great Jonah Hex re-read. Pretty daunting reading ahead, but should be fun!