Green Lantern v4: Gods and Monsters TPB

I sort of wish I was writing more of these Green Lantern reviews. I’d be able to do what DC does with these trades; just reprint the same content over and over! Seriously, how many trades have included the Relic storyline? At least three, I think. And when the most interesting thing about your villain is his size, that isn’t a good thing.

Writer Justin Jordan is really trapped here, with a huge chunk of this trade filled up with crossovers with the other GL titles. Only in the final few issues is Jordan able to focus on Kyle Rayner and his role as the White Lantern.

I really dig the romantic subplot that is developing here. Carol Ferris has always been Hal Jordan’s long-suffering girlfriend, but maybe she’s finally getting over that. Instead, Carol’s teaming up with Kyle has started some feelings between the two of them. It’s a neat twist and a pleasant surprise in an otherwise predictable series of crossovers.

To be honest, this is barely Kyle Rayner that has been my favorite GL for years. As a White Lantern, Kyle is able to channel all the colors of the emotional spectrum. That is integral to his new heroic role. However, it is also pretty far away from the Green Lantern for my generation thing that he had going on for so long. Taking Kyle and planting him firmly in space hurts too. I always like seeing Kyle interacting with the DCU. But now the drive for his title is to play tour guide for the new hippy Guardians of Oa. That is an OK high concept, but I don’t love it for Kyle.

That said, as a sci-fi story, the closing chapters work well. Kyle is brought in to help (and then clean up) a “perfect world.” A planet where every choice is maximized to go the right way. Unfortunately, each poor choice has been brushed off to other versions of the planet throughout the multiverse. This doesn’t last, of course, and Kyle ends up having to play peacemaker between these alternate worlds. As a sci-fi and GL story, it is very fun; something I’d expect to read about in an old, pre-Crisis GL story.

Brad Walker is the strongest of the artists involved in this collection, but I have a soft spot for his art ever since his run on Guardians of the Galaxy. He draws the most pleasing version of the White Lantern Kyle, with an amusing, bubbly version of Kyle’s mask. I will say that Carol Ferris has transitioned into her super-heroic role nicely. She looks great as Star Sapphire and her look at attitude make her the best supporting character Kyle has to interact with.

This is an AVERAGE book with some neat narrative seeds. Depending on how they pay off, I think the next trade could end up being a lot of fun. But constant crossovers and a lack of focus on the main character makes this trade pale in comparison to Kyle’s old 52 adventures.

The Flash v3: Gorilla Warfare TPB

When it comes to Flash villains, one towers above the rest. Gorilla Grodd. I haven’t read any of the New 52 Flash comics since the first trade, but when I saw Grodd on the cover of this volume, I figured I better check it out.

And, you know. It is fine. As I’ve said many times in previous reviews, I just don’t find Barry Allen to be that compelling a character. When I read him as the Flash, I’m much more interested in the costume than in anything else. Taking away his relationship with Iris sort of distracts me even further. Patty Spivot doesn’t have the same attitude and spark that motivates me to read about her.

I’m also not a huge fan of the way Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul handle the rogues. They are clearly going for some of the old Mark Waid/Geoff Johns feelings, but it just doesn’t work yet. Those older Flash stories established that the rogues were bad guys but they would do the right thing when they had to, and that they exhibited their own sense of honor. The rogues (led by Golden Glider?) do help out Keystone City against Grodd’s gorilla army, but I never quite understood exactly why they were doing it. And the new 52 costumes don’t help. Captain Cold is close enough to what he should be, but the new Heatwave looks boring.

Grodd is pretty horrific. His scenes boast some of the nicest art in the collection. The physical, brutal combat between him and Barry look fantastic. I’m not keen on the idea that Grodd is powered by the Speed Force (especially that he boosts that power by biting yellow energy capsules?). Grodd is enough of a threat on his own that adding in super-speed is a bit distracting. I prefer to leave the speed force stories to the villains that need it!

The second half of the collection has Barry helping the Trickster deal with an unfounded murder rap. I enjoyed this arc a bit more, because it helped flesh out the current supporting cast. I have absolutely no idea who those folks trapped in the speed force are, but Buccellato and Manapul do a nice job making the newly powered bozos interesting enough that I’d like to see more. I’d also kill for some caption boxes or some sort of recap. I’m not sure that the supporting cast’s identity is clearly established very often in these issues.

The art is the high point of this title. Manapul’s skill at graphic design makes for striking and innovative page layouts. He uses panel composition, sound effects, and a sense of motion to make the pages pop at crucial parts in the story. This was the greatest strength of Manapul’s run with Geoff Johns too.

So there is some potential here, but my lack of interest in Barry Allen combined with the new 52 continuity keeps this as an AVERAGE book with EXCELLENT art. 

G.I. Joe vs. Transformers v1 TPB

I want you to imagine the craziest, most ridiculous comic book you’ve ever read. I have a promise for you. This book is crazier.

Tom Scioli is a lunatic, and from what I understand, he’s the driving force behind the madness in this book. John Barber’s work on Transformers is solid, but doesn’t have anything close to this level of insanity. That’s why I’m awarding Scioli the credit for this brilliant, insane masterpiece.

To be honest, so much happens in every single issue that the book barely has a plot. The action leaps from scene to scene, skipping over mundane details as if this were a Grant Morrison comic. When you read this comic, it honestly feels like the creative team has so much story to tell that they are just rushing to get it all out on the page. There simply isn’t time for deep characterization or motivations. There is always a new bit of madness waiting to be revealed after you flip the page!

Let me give you a quick summary. Unlike every other crossover between these properties, this one focuses on the Joes invading Cybertron. Utilizing the plant bomb technology from the old cartoon, the Joes have seeded Cybertron with oxygen, preparing it for an invasion. They rocket up there and quickly start swarming around the big ‘bots. Heck, one of the covers has a Joe dropping a grenade on poor Wheeljack’s head! The Transformers are having a hard time processing these little meat bugs, and Scioli addresses the insane sense of scale on every page. This is like two different stories that crossover due to proximity rather than logic.

Naturally, the Joes and Autobots start to make alliances, as do the Cobras and Decepticons. Of course, this had to happen since Destro is described as a “god of guns” at one point. And that’s not even the craziest thing in this collection.

Once you add in that Scioli is drawing this in his Kirby-like style, and this becomes the most exciting comic book on the stands.

This is an EXCELLENT comic, but only if you like concepts like the following:

• Tunnel Rat climbing into the nose of Fortress Maximus.
• The G.I. Joe pets forming their own combat team.
•  The October Guard re-imagined as Halloween-based, Rob Zombie-type villains in a Jack O Lantern ship.
• Broken Transformer parts used as jewelry on surviving robots.

Don’t pick this up if that type of ridiculous madness doesn’t appeal to you. 

Justice League of America v1: The World's Most Dangerous TPB

I think I’m finally giving up on my new 52 angst.

I’m too tired to fight it when Geoff Johns’ JLA hits me over the head with “newness” in every issue. We have to pretend the team doesn’t know Chronos, the Shaggy Man, or Dr. Light. Hawkman doesn’t know Green Arrow. No one knows Star Girl. Amanda Waller put together the JLA (with Steve Trevor’s help). Yep, this isn’t your Dad’s Justice League of America. Unfortunately, I’m old enough to be your Dad, which means this isn’t my Justice League.

But as I said, I’m getting too tired to fight it. (Note that I’m reading these from the library, my days of buying DC books are long gone.) So now, I’m just happy to see Hawkman acting like a tough a-hole. I’m happy to see Catwoman slinking around the team, but fitting in quite nicely. I’m happy to see Martian Manhunter treated as an uber-powerful mainstay of his own team. And once those introductions are done, this book is perfectly fine.

The trade focuses on the debut of the Society of Super-Villains. From the striking opening sequence where an undercover JLA-er barely escapes to the big showdown with the Shaggy Man, this is classic superhero action. I especially enjoyed Catwoman’s execution about halfway through the trade. I never believed it, but it was neat seeing how Johns’ got Selina out of trouble.

Like many of DC’s current trades, I found myself very tripped up by crossovers. Whole chapters of this trade are distracted by crossovers with other titles. The Justice League Trinity War gets some development and exposure, but absolutely no wrap up. (I guess I need to read a different trade for that?) This isn’t as disjointed as the Green Lantern trades, but it isn’t easy to follow either.

The actual team make-up is surprisingly effective. I found myself really rooting for Catwoman to get her due respect from her peers. I also really liked the everyman Vibe as he tried to prove that he was actually useful. I don’t know the old Vibe character at all, so seeing this new 52 version wasn’t jarring for me at all. And of course, I absolutely love that Johns has always written Martian Manhunter the right way. J’onn is powerful, protective, and intimidating all at the same time. Jeff Lemire does a nice job in the backups maintaining that portrayal.

I’m not a David Finch fan, so his chapters didn’t knock my socks off. He draws pretty ladies and handsome fellas, but most of the characters have pinched, childlike faces that don’t quite fit the character. That said, the art told the story clearly and set out the action nicely. I preferred Doug Mahnke’s chapters, those felt and looked a lot more like what I like from my DC comics.

Reading this for free, it is perfectly FAIR. I still miss my real DCU, and I guess I always will. However, I’ll continue reading this one from the library due to the strong characterization Johns always brings to his books. 

Fantastic Four v2: Original Sin TPB

What the heck. James Robinson has been hiding some core Marvel U comics in plain sight in this comic. Much like his solid work on New Invaders, this is classic Marvel U stuff here. Robinson has plumbed the depths of continuity in the DCU for decades, but he is proving equally adept at doing it in the Marvel U. I mean, this trade has the Sharon Ventura She-Thing, for heaven’s sake. I certainly never thought I’d see that character again! And she actually mentions Unlimited Class Wrestling! Mark Gruenwald would be thrilled!

The poor FF have had a rough go of it over the years. It seems they are constantly being split up, tossed out of their headquarters, and then struggling to get back together. I’m not sure who the evil mastermind is behind all of this yet, but whoever it is, they have good taste in flunkies. The Wizard, the Frightful Four, SHIELD, and even the Avengers all show up to make things miserable for the FF. Of course, Robinson uses this as a chance to show off just how powerful the Invisible Woman really is. How great is it that the character has been portrayed as so frigging powerful for the past few years?

I also really enjoy the mini-crossover Robinson’s got going on. He leverages his work in New Invaders to use the original Human Torch as a supporting character in this title. Jim Hammond has the same quiet dignity and honor in this book as in the Invaders. The Torch is in charge of looking after the Future Foundation kids while SHIELD looks at the FF’s legal standing, and Hammond’s integrity in the role is refreshing. He continually stands up to SHIELD’s bureaucracy and does the right thing. It is good stuff.

I realize I’m skipping over the “original sin” portion of the story, but frankly, that is the least interesting part of this collection. After all these years, seeing that Johnny Storm ruined one of Ben Grimm’s chances at humanity just doesn’t catch my interest anymore!

Marc Laming and Leonard Kirk are amongst the artists on this run, and they do a great job keeping the book looking like classic Marvel. Even with tweaks and updates, everyone’s costumes are immediately recognizable. The Wizard and his new Frightful Four look ready for inclusion in a Marvel Handbook.

It bums me out that sales haven’t been stellar on this run. It really is action in the Mighty Marvel Manner. Unfortunately, since I’m reading this on Marvel Unlimited, I guess I am part of the problem. It is a GOOD comic though!

Original Sin: Hulk vs. Iron Man TPB

Mark Waid and Kieron Gillen wrapped up their run on two Marvel icons in a strange way. Departing Hulk and Iron Man, respectively, the last big story by the authors involved tying in to the Marvel crossover Original Sin. Unfortunately, I’d say that my opinion of this series is the same as the runs that these creators had on their books. Good concepts, solid execution, but the story never really hooked me.

The sin that comes to light in this story is that Tony Stark may have tinkered with the original gamma bomb. Was Stark responsible for Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk? (Spoilers: No.) There are some neat narrative tricks here. The best is that Stark can’t remember what he actually did the night before the gamma test because he had been drinking so heavily. So he has to use an assortment of technological aids to try to recreate just what happened all those years ago.

While this is happening, the Hulk is hunting down Tony Stark. It’s always fun seeing Hulk rip through Iron Man armor, and that holds in this collection. I also enjoyed the spin of this being an Extremis-focused Hulk. Thanks to Tony Stark’s brother Arno, Hulk is smart AND angry, which is a bad combination.

I am a bit bummed that Kieron Gillen’s Iron Man run sort of petered out in this tie-in mini-series rather than in the core title. I didn’t collect this as it came out, so it almost seemed like Gillen’s story just faded rather than going out with a bang like it deserved. The Iron Metropolitan city, Arno Stark, the black and gold armor… these are all dangling threads that could have used stronger conclusions.

Mark Bagley is one of the MVPs of the Marvel bullpen, and he pulls his weight again. It’s not a tough sell to draw Hulk fighting different Iron Man suits, but it isn’t guaranteed to look this good. I especially enjoyed seeing Bagley’s take on the black and gold suit. I’ll miss that one, the current white suit just doesn’t do it for me.

This is a FAIR comic. Perfectly fine, but an odd place to tuck away story conclusions that should have gone down in the core titles.

Red Lanterns v4: Blood Brothers TPB

Charles Soule’s name got me to pick up a series that I had given up on, and man, am I glad I did. This collection is a total reversal in quality from what I found in the first few trades. It turns out that adding a popular character, adding unique personalities to the supporting cast, adding a sense of fun, and reducing the use of “Hrrrngg” and “Grrrllrrrggg” by 75% goes a long way in making a bad comic turn good!

Instead of keeping the focus on the boring Atrocitus (who NEVER should have anchored any sort of series), Soule immediately brings in Guy Gardner. It is simply a revelation. Bringing in Guy Gardner, letting him keep his unique tough guy voice, and making Guy the leader of the Red Lanterns suddenly transformed this title into a great read. Even Rankorr, the stupidly named Brit who was meant to be our POV character in the early trades is suddenly interesting. Skallox, the goat-man with no personality is now fun! Bleez, with her tiny costume and bone wings, has actual motivations and interests!

Simply put, this is one of the most revolutionary about-faces I’ve ever read in a comic.

Heck, even the goals of the Red Lanterns seem to have been refined and re-though. In the early trades, the Reds were mainly about puking blood, grunting, and being occasionally crossing over with the core Green Lantern title. Now, under Soule’s pen and Guy Gardner’s leadership, the book is now about a new corps of space cops. The Reds are still angry, but now they are angry while policing the universe and punishing evil-doers. That is a concept that actually could go somewhere!

I don’t mean to be cruel to the original creative team, but I honestly am just shaking my head at what a great lead character and clear direction can do for a title. Soule is rapidly moving up my rank of writers to follow. (I’m still not buying Inhumans, though. Let’s not go crazy.)

Alessandro Vitti’s art isn’t revolutionary, but it is fine. He actually does a bit better on the aliens than his humans, but he still makes sure to keep Bleez looking weird/hot. Skallox is the character that has changed the most; he has gone from a cipher that only existed to fight the Stormwatch team into an alien with actual personality. Vitti’s art really helps sell that transformation. I also absolutely adore Zillius Zox as the roundest of the angry lanterns.

Savage Hulk v1: The Man Within TPB

Let’s get this out of the way. I’m a huge Alan Davis fan, so this was not going to be a tough sell for me. If Davis is drawing, I’m there. I have usually enjoyed his writing too, so this was like shooting fish in a barrel for Marvel.

This takes place years ago, after a brief interaction between the X-Men and the Hulk. (This era of the X-Men includes Havok and Polaris, to help date it for you oldsters.)

With Hulk wandering the American Southwest in a funk, Professor X decides that he’s going to help Bruce finally get free of his green demon within. This, of course, leads to some spectacular battles as the X-Men take on the Hulk and his foes the Abomination and the Leader. The artwork is the selling point here, because the story isn’t that complex. If you want to see Hulked out Jean Grey and all the X-Men looking simply fantastic, this book is for you. The Hulk, of course, looks great too, but I found myself falling in love with those 60’s era X-Men costumes on almost every page.

There is a speed bump, as one whole issue takes place in the mind of Professor X as he battles in a mental world. This gets confusing very quickly, and I’m afraid I was disengaged for much of the issue. Fortunately, Davis turns things around and gives me some nice physical fisticuffs at the conclusion to draw me back in.

This is a GOOD comic or better, for those who love Davis’ artwork as I do. It isn’t revolutionary, but as an artistic showcase, it is fantastic. 

New Invaders v2: Original Sin TPB

James Robinson is really impressing me on this title. It might say Invaders on the title, but Robinson is putting a lot of the focus on the under-used original Human Torch. Jim Hammond is a fascinating character with a ton of potential, and Robinson is really proving to have a nice handle on the character.

Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and Winter Soldier all appear on a fair number of the pages, but make no mistake; this is Jim Hammond’s book. When a super-powered pop star goes rogue, it is the Torch who tracks down her secret past and the “sin” of the original Invaders that did the original damage. Torch takes the blame like a champ, too. It is neat seeing how Robinson is writing the Torch so consistently in both his titles (this and Fantastic Four).

Not satisfied with the Kree and the original Invaders, Robinson tosses even more elements of classic Marvel in to the mix with Deathlok and the cyborg’s secret master. I won’t ruin it (although I think recent covers have), but this might end up being a pretty big tie in to a lot of clues found in Bendis titles over the past few years. Marvel has used these aliens for years, but their best role was definitely in the 1970’s title Killraven. I’m sure he’ll show up soon.

But for now, there are a legion of Deathloks taking on the Invaders. I was never a Luthor Manning guy (more of a Michael Collins deadhead, you know), but Robinson makes it easy to cheer for the mind-controlled, undead soldier. I also have to wonder about the psychopathic Deathlok that Jason Aaron used in his X-Men and Wolverine run.

One of the coolest choices in this book is the new Human Torch uniform that Marc Laming and Steve Pugh use for Hammond once he joins up with SHIELD. It is almost the same as the Super Soldier (or Nick Fury) suit, with the primary-colored shirt with a big logo on the front. Hammond’s has a flame (obviously) and the SHIELD logo on the sleeves. I hadn’t really thought about it before this, but the original Human Torch would look great on screen, wouldn’t he?

One complaint that keeps this book from being EXCELLENT is that the story always feels like second fiddle. Perhaps it is my resentment of the eternal and boring incursion story from the Avengers titles, but seeing Namor treat this book like it isn’t his priority; seeing Cap wrestle with bigger problems on his other team… well, it just makes this title’s stories feel like they don’t matter as much. If this is a relaxing distraction for Namor, how huge can the stakes really be for the reader? That makes this merely a GOOD comic.

Nightcrawler v1: Homecoming TPB

Like many fans my age, I grew up on Chris Claremont X-Men comics. They were just about the apex of my comics experience for years. Eventually, Claremont left and had an eventual triumphant return to the X-titles. The problem was, the books were not good. It certainly seemed that Claremont had lost “it” during his time away. But now, I don’t think that was necessarily the case. That’s because his current run on Nightcrawler shows flashes of that old adventure and fun.

After returning from the dead, Kurt Wagner has some affairs to settle. In addition to taking some time with his X-Men pals, Kurt needs to get in touch with the love of his life, Amanda Sefton. The sorceress is excited to see him, and their reunion goes well, with the exception of repeated attacks by a bunch of weird robots.

The story progresses as Kurt and Amanda meet up with Margoli Szardos, Kurt’s adoptive mother. This leads to a reunion with some low-powered mutants from Nightcrawler’s past. Throughout, Claremont does a nice job re-introducing these older characters for the current audience. I certainly couldn’t remember Margoli or Amanda’s status quo, so I appreciate the reintroduction.

Things do get a bit chaotic and confusing as the story returns to the Jean Grey School. It makes me wonder if Claremont’s greater strength is with solo characters. The best emotional beats and most dramatic moments are all centered on Nightcrawler. The interpersonal drama with the greater X-team isn’t quite as strong.

Todd Nauck’s art is deceptively simplistic. It seems to be so cartoony and elementary, but it tells the story so well. The characters are all on model and the action is well set up. I think the Chris Samnee covers are stunning, which sort of hurts the interior pencils. That doesn’t mean the interiors are weak, but man, imagine seeing Samnee’s Nightcrawler every month.

This is a FAIR comic. It doesn’t affect the greater Marvel U or even the X-Universe, but as a solo feature, this is a fun book. I wish Claremont could have kept this as more of a team-up title; I think that was the strength of the series. 

Iron Fist v1: Rage TPB

Oh man, I tried. I really tried. Kaare Andrews’ art is pretty, make no mistake. But the grim dark tone. The insane violence. And the portrayal of Danny Rand as being a superficial bozo. It’s all too much.

When I got to the cliffhanger where K’un L’un was burned to the ground with bodies and blood everywhere? Yeah, that’s enough for me.

This book is EVIL. I’ll wait for Iron Fist’s next appearance. 

East of West v1 TPB

Well, separated from my beloved Avengers (and SHIELD, and the Fantastic Four) I find Jonathan Hickman’s tics and tricks a lot less annoying. All your favorite Hickman elements are here. Mysterious prophecies known only to some of the cast. A looming end of the world conflict. Alternate histories making the reader even more confused. Heck, it even has a protagonist that really isn’t much of a good guy (like many of the Avengers these days). All that said, when it isn’t the Avengers or another Marvel property, I don’t have a problem with it.

I came into this book totally cold, with literally no idea what the book is about. It turns out to be fairly complicated, but by the end of the first trade, things have cleared up nicely. Three of the four horsemen of the apocalypse have been reborn as very dangerous children, and they spend all their time traveling the world making sure that things keep moving the way they are supposed to (towards the end times). Certain powerful individuals are either profiting from or helping those end times along.

The powerful folks helping the Horsemen give us a nice glimpse into the alternate world we are reading about. America is divided, with a Native American nation and a new China, things are very different than the world we know. Add in that the familiar elements of America are either futuristic or Wild West archaic, and that makes for one mixed-up but interesting setting.

The last horseman, Death, has not been reborn as a child. After falling love and fathering a child, Death is instead riding around the Earth avenging the death of his wife. Since this version of Death is a big mean cowboy riding a robot horse with no head, that revenge takes the form of shooting an awful lot of people. Death and his allies are not heroes in any sense, but it is easy to start rooting for them when you see the other horsemen’s corrupting influence. I actually found myself more interested in the dissention in the ranks of the secret society more than anything else.

(I also loved the search for a new President after Death’s visit in the first issue. It was refreshing to see that so many of those government servants were unwilling to go along with the three horsemen’s demands.)

Nick Dragotta’s work isn’t exactly realistic or dark, but he is still a great choice for the book. The world is both foreign and familiar, and the character designs are memorable and easy to “get.” Death’s two Native American companions are going to be hard to top, though; they are pretty dang cool with their simple white and black designs. I also found myself fascinated by Death’s headless horse. I’m glad it seems to have survived the first collection!

This looks and feels like a Vertigo book that I would have gone crazy for back in college. So maybe I’m learning that Jonathan Hickman actually writes GOOD comics, I just don’t like the mix of his ideas and my classic super-heroes!

Inhuman v1: Genesis TPB

After reading Charles Soule’s She-Hulk and Death of Wolverine, the guy can really do no wrong with me. That said, I have less than zero interest in the Inhumans as the core protagonists of their own series. Making matters worse, knowing that Marvel is “pushing” these characters so dang hard makes it even harder to really be invested in them. I like the OLD X-Men; I don’t need their corporate-approved replacements, even if it makes sense from a Marvel Cinematic point of view. (For wrestling fans, it is sort of like how I can’t get into Roman Reigns because you just KNOW that WWE has anointed him the next big thing.)

Because let’s be honest with each other, this book is essentially the X-Men. There are some different trappings thanks to Medusa’s royal status, but c’mon. She’s Professor X, reaching out and discovering newly powered people and bringing them back home. She’s got her core team of X-Men in the royal family. And we’ve got newly discovered “mutants” like Inferno.

Oh! Medusa is also racing against an evil Inhuman who is out to gain influence over these newly powered individuals. Just like Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. In just about every way, this is an early-era X-Men comic.

I will admit to being puzzled at the use of the royal family though. None of the new Inhumans have grabbed my interest, yet old faces like Gorgon and Triton really haven’t had much to do. I know Karnak is dead after stupidly killing himself in the Inhumanity one-shot (which was a stupid and short-sighted decision to start with), which doesn’t leave us with a lot of big-time characters to use. Frankly, I think this book would benefit from using Crystal. She’s got a good look and nice power set (although I guess Inferno has the fire part covered). Heck, if Soule could get Quicksilver to make some appearances, that would help too.

Right now, this feels like a bunch of stuff being thrown against the wall to see what sticks. Maybe Inferno will end up being a character I can really get behind, but for now, there are no new Inhumans that I’m rooting for. Now is that my established prejudice against the Inhuman concept? Or is it that Soule hasn’t hit on the right character yet? I’m not sure; all I know is that I’m reading this book waiting to be hooked.

The most obvious strength of this title is Joe Madureira’s art. After all these years, I still love his manga-influenced style. I love the huge shoulders and chiseled chin on his male characters. I love the bubbly bodies on his ladies. His work just screams 90’s comics, and since I dug comics in that time, the fit is a good one for me. I’m not sure if Madureira made the choice or not, but other than Medusa, no one is wearing spandex in this book. That robs Mad of one of his strengths, he is dang good at drawing super-heroes; I feel he’s a tad wasted drawing ugly looking mutants. Sorry! I mean Inhumans!

This book isn’t awful, but man, it sure needs something else to hook me. Right now this FAIR comic is feeling way too forced. 

Cyclops v1: Starstruck TPB

There has got to be a limit to the “teenage X-Men” concept, right? I thought I’d tire of it in the All-New X-Men title, but strangely enough, I haven’t. But I am tiring of it here. It is not that I don’t like the ongoing adventures of teenage Scott Summers and his dad (Corsair). It is that I’d much rather see the “real” Cyclops having these moments to bond. This seems like such an odd exercise…

That said, this isn’t a bad comic. Corsair is such a fun character, it is hard to make him uninteresting. Even better, Greg Rucka tackles Corsair’s two largest problems head-on. First of all, how the heck are we supposed to root for this guy who never went back and checked in on the sons he left behind? Didn’t this guy have any sort of connection or conscience after his alien abduction? And second, isn’t Corsair supposed to be dead? It has been a long time, but I swear that Ed Brubaker killed him during his run on X-Men. But here he is, alive and well and leading the Starjammers once again. Both problems are addressed. The death issue isn’t an insurmountable one, and in Rucka’s hands, resurrection can lead to some interesting new character flaws.

This is almost strictly a sci-fi comic. Other than a few Marvel U trappings (brief appearances by the Starjammers, the use of a Badoon spaceship) this could be any father and son series set in outer space. It’s pretty interesting that my main complaint about this book (that it features a confusing past-era version of Scott Summers) is almost totally incidental to the actual plot. Of course, the relationship does color the interaction of the characters; this is Corsair’s second chance at fatherhood. A chance to do it right. But as for the actual plot, the characters’ history is not important at all.

Actually, my favorite thing about this series is the discovery of Russell Dauterman. His art is cartoony but still very kinetic and dramatic. The action is full-on comic book mayhem. I like his work better in the new Thor series, but man, he’s quite the discovery! He’s clearly good at drawing aliens and alien tech, which made him a natural fit for the odd world of Asgardia and Thor.

For me, this is an AVERAGE comic. I’ll keep reading it on the Marvel App, but it isn’t exactly one of my favorites. 

Punisher v2: Border Crossing TPB

Man, the Punisher is such a clear, simple concept. I usually enjoy Punisher comics; he’s a character that almost every writer can write about for at least one story.

Some of Frank Castle’s most interesting stories are fish-out-of-water tales, and that’s sort of what Nathan Edmondson is doing in this current series. Relocating from New York to L.A., the Punisher is targeting a cartels rather than the mafia, leading to some interesting conflicts. Now, old foes like Electro are still very much a factor, but it is neat seeing Frank mix up his targets.

Putting Frank back in the jungle gets him a bit more in his comfort zone. When the Punisher faces off with a South American drug kingpin, it is mad action and ultra-violence. Most of the conflict is standard Punisher violence fantasy, but Edmondson mixes things up by teaming up the Punisher with some special forces operators. Punisher and the soldiers quickly establish a bond that proves very effective. Showing this connection between military service members is exciting and adds to Castle’s mysterious nobility. When Edmondson shows the lasting impact that the Punisher has on the two operators’ lives, it is even cooler. Punisher’s influence lives on…

Another aspect of the new setting is the ability to play Frank off new and interesting villains. Crossbones is a top-level Captain America villain, but he fits in perfectly to the Punisher’s world of grime and violence. Of course, Crossbones manages to pull out a temporary victory, but the appearance of Punisher’s old buddy Black Widow puts a stop to that.

This current Black Widow feels like a new character compared to the old shorthaired gal in the ‘90s. Unless I’m misremembering, I thought that Castle and the Widow hooked up in the olden days, but there is no chemistry between the two of them during this team up. That said, it could be that these are just two very damaged individuals incapable of showing that level of connection. Thinking about it, that’s a lot cooler of a way to think about it.

Mitchell Gerads' art is fantastic. The art is gritty, dark, and the ink almost drips off the page (like blood). I have no idea if Gerards can work in a “cleaner” style or not, but for this book, I don’t want him to do anything else. Frank’s executioner’s hood is definitely a mask, but in no way does it look like a super-hero mask. Make no mistake, this is an executioner’s hood. Crossbones, Black Widow, and Electro look a tad off-model from their standard Marvel designs, but that’s OK. They are slumming it in Frank’s world, they need to adapt to him.

This is a GOOD comic, and one of my favorite finds on the Marvel Unlimited app. 

Magneto v1: Infamous TPB

I think Cullen Bunn is one of the most confusing writers currently working in comics. Some of his work is just average; I can’t get excited about it. But his work on his creator-owned Sixth Gun is excellent. I’m happy to say that this title shows Bunn’s strengths. This is a fantastic comic.

Seemingly drawing influence from the “Nazi-hunter” concept in X-Men First Class, this series follows Magneto as he hunts down threats to mutant kind all over the world. Now, Magneto is always sort of an angry guy, but he’s on a whole different level here. He is totally dedicated to eradicating threats to his people. This is the same character from Uncanny X-Men, but he’s much more compelling here on his own.

I absolutely love the way he overcomes his current power troubles purely through force of will. (Mags’ powers have been a bit iffy ever since Avengers vs. X-Men.) From sentinel nanotech to smaller and more targeted mutant racism, Magneto really gets things done. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t thrilling seeing him kill small-minded and evil humans. Magneto has never felt so much like the X-Men’s Punisher.

I know Kevin Walta’s work from his She-Hulk covers, but I had no idea he was this strong at sequential art. The action is top notch, but the facial expressions are tremendous too. I also love the way Walta shows Magneto using his powers. It is clearly a drain on him, but that doesn’t stop Magneto from using metal projectiles in aggressive, violent ways.

This is a GOOD comic. I don’t’ believe it will last a long time, but I’m really enjoying it while it lasts.

The Movement v1: Class Warfare TPB

I had heard about this short-lived series, but I passed due to my fairly strict “no nu-52” policy. Even though I typically enjoy Gail Simone’s writing and I like Freddie Williams’ art, I think I made the right call. The Movement is not a super-hero comic. I think the closest I can come to describing the core concept is that it’s a combination of Occupy Wallstreet and Anonymous. These are young people banding together to change their corrupt home of Coral City. While one or two of them might be able to pass for super-heroes (including guest-star Rainmaker, from the old Gen 13 days), this is more about social change than heroics.

The trade splits the focus between hunting down a serial killer who leaves his victims in a pool of water and a pair of cops who abused their power (and had it caught on film). While both stories are compelling, I found the split between scenes lessened a few scenes. In one scene, my favorite team member, Katharsis, is in a huge battle with a bunch of corrupt cops. But the scene is constantly cutting away, robbing some of the emotion from the scene. Later, when the rodent-controlling Mouse actually confronts the serial killer, the scene again juxtaposes between the Movement HQ and Mouse’s battle. I get that this presentation are supposed to be raising the dramatic tension, but I found myself really bored by the more mundane halves of both scenes.

As for the team itself, it is OK. Mouse is very much a Gail Simone character. His quirks and odd nature make him the Ragdoll of the team. Katharisis is the only member who seems like a super-hero, so of course she’s my favorite (she’s the winged butt-kicker). I might have enjoyed Rainmaker having a larger role; a totally new cast of characters is already difficult to get into, but when they are all so… odd and different than normal super-heroes, that makes it even harder to be invested. Frankly, this cast and book seems like it would be a perfect fit in DC’s upcoming Divergence push, this is a very diverse cast.

I found it interesting that Freddie Williams’ sketches noted that Katharsis is the only team member who is supposed to look like a super-hero. Well done, Williams, because that’s by far my favorite design on the team. Williams is a strong illustrator and his exaggerated body language and facial expressions tell the story well. Even non-powered characters have a presence on the page. Again, I’ll show my bias; I prefer Williams doing straight-up super heroes.

This comic is FAIR. It is fine, but it is clearly working on a diversity agenda, both from a team standpoint and as a core concept. As I often say, that’s fine; there should be lots of types of comics out there. But this one isn’t my cup of tea. 

Avengers: Endless Wartime HC

This is perfectly fine for what it is. This is a somber Warren Ellis super-hero comic. With a serious tone, an introspective feel, and a very close to the movie sense of continuity. And it is perfectly fine. I liked the Arctic Harriers as odd mixes between Earth science and Asgardian magic. I especially like the way Ellis pulled the reveal of the strange creatures in the very opening of the book.

I was less enamored with his take on the Avengers. Part of that is due to his tendency to go with movie personalities for some of the main characters. But then, Hawkeye is reduced to a bumbling oaf for the entire book, so the MCU’s take isn’t necessarily the definitive one throughout the book. (Plus, Captain Marvel and Wolverine both appear here while neither has been in the Marvel movies yet.)

This is a one-shot story, but the pacing makes it clear that it shouldn’t be more. Many pages are used with the team in transit from one location to another rather than actually doing things. And while Ellis really tries to imbue the Arctic Harriers with some semblance of a personality, the lack of a true thinking, feeling antagonist keeps my interest lowered too. In my comics, I like to really look forward to the villains getting what they deserve, but I never felt very emotionally involved in the outcome of this conflict.

Mike McKone’s art is beautiful, as always. I love his use of the black and gold Iron Man armor (an armor that I’m already missing in the newer comics). I also like the cool confidence that Carol Danvers exhibits in every panel. She feels like almost an equal to Captain America, which is saying something for a team that loves Cap as much as the Avengers do.

This is a FAIR Avengers story. It wouldn’t be the first I’d recommend for folks who want a great taste of what the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can offer, but it is a fine supplemental tale told for the movie-watching “civilian” audience.

Green Lantern: New Guardians v3: Love and Death TPB

Whoof. This thing was an absolute bear to get through. It doesn’t help that it seems to have three entirely separate storylines combined into one collection. Let’s handle them individually.

First, we follow Kyle Rayner as the attempts to master all the colors of the DCU as he becomes a White Lantern. This had some interesting artwork from Aaron Kuder, and I liked that Tony Bedard used Atrocitus and Star Sapphire’s as such strong mentors for Kyle. I don’t know how that fits in with old 52 timelines. But this seems to be a pretty newly-minted Kyle appearing in this book.

The second phase of the collection is the weakest. It’s the First Lantern tempting the New Guardians with alternate timelines and lives they could have led. The art is wildly inconsistent through this section, with Carol Ferris’ sections being so tonally different that I found myself skipping some pages. Part of the problem is that the big threat from the Third Army must have been resolved somewhere else. Instead of seeing how the ever-increasing mass of zombies got stopped, the story just sort of hops to a totally different conclusion.

The final third of the collection feels like another chapter in Geoff Johns’ long-time GL opus. It gives each corps a moment or two, and most importantly establishes Hal Jordan as the best Green Lantern ever. Johns has made his feelings on that score very clear, so at least the consistency is nice. The First Lantern is so powerful that the frenetic final battle is essentially a bunch of surprise reveals that he dispatches shortly after arrival. The strongest moments in this storyline don’t come from the First Lantern or any other recurring villain. Instead, it is the fallen Sinestro who captures the best two moments during the closing moments. First, when Sinestro states his feelings on Hal Jordan, it is a nice connection between longstanding rivals and foes. The second, I won’t give away, but maybe Geoff Johns does have a bit of a heart after all.

Aaron Kuder and Doug Mahnke provide the strongest art throughout the book, with Mahnke’s looking more polished and ready for prime time. I’ve seen Kuder’s recent stuff, and he’s much better now than in these earlier works.

This is a FAIR comic that could have been much better if it was more focused and only collected the necessary chapters of the GL storyline. Who said trade paperbacks had to include every issue?

Trillium TPB

Wow. That was… insane. Jeff Lemire certainly isn’t holding anyone’s hand in this unique Vertigo series. For a book that only lasted for 8 issues, a whole lot happens, a whole lot of insane ideas get laid out, and I got a whole lot confused.

First of all, a warning: if you are going to read this book, please make sure to read the helpful narration boxes at the opening of each issue. There are a few instances where I breezed over the caption and missed very helpful guidance. Like, for example, how to read the comic book I was holding. That led to me having a much more challenging time than Lemire intended.

OK, the quick summary of what happens in this: Nika is a far-future human colonist seeking a rare flower capable of curing a sentient virus called the Caul. Nika is negotiating with aliens when the book opens, trying to gain access to a vast field of Trillium on their lands. William is an English soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as he accompanies his brother through 1920’s South America. And these two characters’ paths intersect!

I won’t ruin the how, and I can’t really ruin the why. I’m not sure what the overall “point” of this story is, exactly. But that doesn’t stop Lemire from delivering some rousing action and heartfelt moments that really make this book entertaining. There are only four characters that have any real relevance to the plot, along with a sentient A.I., yet by the close of the series, I feel like the points of view necessary for the story all worked well when viewed through those eyes.

I’m not huge devotee of Lemire like some, so while I found the story engaging enough, I didn’t love the art. It is fine, and the storytelling is perfectly clear. But Lemire’s indie style doesn’t mesh perfectly with my obvious super-hero tastes. Again, the art is perfectly capable of setting the scene and telling the story. But no one looks pretty. Since I mention it so often, I’m going to commend Lemire on his backgrounds. Each location is instantly established by a rich, detailed background that really helps ground the scene. With a story that confuses time, place, and identity so much, the surroundings are essential to establish a clear narrative. Lemire realizes this and lays out the story clearly for his readers.

This isn’t my normal type of comic, but dang, I do enjoy reading GOOD, mind-bending sci-fi. This is the type of thing that would make a kick butt movie, too.