Justice Legue of America #49

James Robinson gets to write his style of story in this done-in-one. There is more focus on characters overcoming personal demons than on big action. This is a downtime issue as the team recovers from their battle with the Starheart. Robinson gets a few panels of development for everyone, but the bulk of the issue focuses on Donna Troy and Jade. The two photographers are trying to figure out where they fit in. Jade tags along with Donna as they stop off at the meta-prison at Alcatraz, where Donna is checking in on an old Titans villain, the Bogeyman. He has a good, creepy visual; I especially liked seeing his old-school villain suit.

Because this is a DC book, Robinson had to darken the Bogeyman with some back-story. It turns out he's a pervert who prefers entering the mind of young girls. He also tormented some kids so badly that they had to kill themselves. Hey kids, comics!

I like that Donna and Jade come out of the experience stronger, and the explanation for Jade's "dark green" energy is pretty interesting. She may have paid off her White Lantern debt, but her Black Lantern days aren't totally behind her. Interesting.

I recognized Pow Rodrix as a new penciler when I saw how Supergirl was prettied up on the first page. Mark Bagley is a solid storyteller, but he doesn't lavish attention on the ladies, but Rodrix likes drawing gals. He's fine, his take on a whole slew of characters was fine, although he tends to draw some of the characters too large; check out Superboy's shoulders.

Fair

Justice League: Generation Lost #10

I love it when the solicits lie. We had promises of the Dark Knight on the trail of the JLI, but instead we get a totally different scene. A good one, I admit, where Batman starts deducing that Max Lord is playing tricks on Bats' brain, and Power Girl is in on the action. Just when they are about to throw back in with the JLI, they enter a fugue where they lose track of their thoughts. The JLI is back on their own. This was a nice scene, but what really hit me was that Winick is heavily tying this book into his Power Girl title. Maybe I need to seek that one out after all.

Skeets seems to be the most organized member of the current JLI, he's hot on Max's trail all over the world. I'm excited about the team breaking up into smaller units, it will lead to some nice spotlights, and perhaps another member or two rejoining the team. At this point, Crimson Fox and Blue Jay would be a lot of fun, wouldn't they? Blue Beetle is fitting in nicely, but Ted Kord is sorely missed. Everyone's so damn down all the time, I know Max is a big bad guy now, but this gang used to have so much fun. Now they're always so sad.

And c'mon, surely DC is going to launch a new JLI book after this mini wraps up. We all want that, right?

Joe Bennett does a nice job with the art, he and Aaron Lopresti have done a wonderful job making their art merge. Bennett pretty much defines the DC house style, but I can't help but wonder what a more "classic" JLI artist like Dan Jurgens could do with this. Heck, imagine Daryl Banks drawing this team... it'd be awesome.

Good

Walking Dead #77

Robert Kirkman is still surprising me on this book, 77 issues in, and I'm still wowed almost every month.

Most of this issue is filled with Rick's gang trying to figure out how to fit into the Community, but the shocking stuff hits on the last few pages. Rick was right about the unbalanced guy in town, he loses it and brandishes a knife while surrounded by survivors, never a good move. Then the shocking moment, when Rick is basically turned into an executioner. And Rick doesn't hesitate for a second, he's totally fine with taking this guy down. No banishment like he might have done back in the prison days, Rick is taking no prisoners now.

And of course, because even that drama isn't enough, the foragers we've seen hanging around hear Rick's gunshot, and they are on the way to the Community. Not good. It doesn't seem like these guys have the numbers to cause Governor-level problems, but I think they might do enough damage to put everyone on the road again.

Charlie Adlard does a nicer job this issue, I didn't get lost or confused with any sudden scene shifts. As always, Adlard carries the mood perfectly.

Good

Avengers #5

Somewhere in those pages of fractured time, where the Avengers are yelling out one or two random sentences before a location jump, I lost interest so much that I put this comic down. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, and while I have to give Bendis credit for having an "Avengers-level plot (that is, big action and high stakes), I'm really not riveted by anything happening here. Sure, when Ultron shows up on the last page, my interest is piqued, but overall, seeing three or four pages of pink time-nonsense followed by three or four pages that we saw two issues ago? Not doing it for me.


I will say Bendis delivers some nice scenes of Thor dropping the hammer on Galactus. In fact, while Thor has no relevance to the time-plot, I do like seeing the thunder god deal with such top-level threats. Hawkeye was too whiny, but that's pretty normal for Bendis. Maria Hill shouldn't be lecturing Hawk on how to be an Avenger.


John Romita JR is a bit uneven this month, he's got more perspective problems than he usually does. He can still bring his A-game when he has to; the new Ultron looks great. That Thor/Galactus panel was nicely set up too.



As for the Avengers timeline everyone is talking about, here's my take.

· Booster did it first.
· We know Black Panther gets to NY soon.
· I'm pleased the Avengers Academy traitor should hit soon.
· Chaos = the Chaos War limited.
· Three = the upcoming FF storyline.
· Can I hope "Throwbacks" means everyone is wearing old costumes?
· I'm excited to see Iron Lad return, mostly for that nice red & silver armor.
· Five Lights is that X-story about the new mutants, right?
· Ultron War sounds like a crossover.
· Schism is probably Civil War II, or is that too obvious?

Average

Kid Reviews: Super Hero Squad #9

(Written by my 5 year old daughter)

I like the part when the little girl calls Wasp "Fairy" because she's not really called "Fairy." Her real name is "Wasp."


I like the part when Hulk says he is housebroken. It was really called "Heartbroken." Reptil had to tell him he meant "heartbroken."

I like Tigra.

I like the part when Hulk threw Human Torch, but Hulk calls him "Fire Boy."

Invisible Woman is my favorite on the Fantastic Four. I like the part when Hulk BURPS! I like the trophy because it looks like a mouth doing this "blaaaaaa." I also like Enchantress because of her pretty hair. Is she a princess?

This comic is as good as the cartoon.
(Dad's review - no it isn't.)

Umbrella Academy: Dallas TPB

Gerard Way keeps things odd in the second installment of the Umbrella Academy. I don't totally remember where the first series left off, but I do like seeing the family trying to deal with the betrayal from the first series. That's actually my only big complaint, I read so many comics I was a bit lost trying to remember more about this world. Chimps are as smart as people there, right?

This story focuses on Number 5, the tough, time-traveling kid with ties to a pretty dangerous law enforcement organization. I think it is interesting that so many comic series have focused on time cops. What is it about enforcing the rules of time that people find so interesting? I would say the dinosaurs, but there weren't any in this one!

I do appreciate that Way has time travel is such an imprecise process. When most of the fam (including the most super-heroic, Kraken) try to go back in time to stop Number 5 and Rumor, they have to do a few rough years in Viet Nam first. It's a neat idea seeing a quick strike mission turn into years of rough living. It certainly lays some fantastic character development. Speaking of character development, I couldn't help but be amused by Hazel and Cha Cha. Sure, they look ridiculous and sort of act like the Joker, but those masks are pretty dang awesome.

Gabriel Ba has such an interesting artistic style. He's half Mike Mignola and half Michael Avon Oeming. That's a good hybrid, the cartoony art carries a lot of menace when it has to, even with fun elements like giant animal masks.

Fair

BPRD 1947 TPB

Joshua Dysart pitches in to help Mike Mignola with his post-WWII series once again. And again, there are some great moments of terror sprinkled through this trade. I do have to admit, my favorite moment in the whole thing is the gigantic frog dancing in a glade with undead witches. I mean, that concept just sort of sells itself, doesn't it?

I love how Mignola and Dysart stock the initial BPRD field team with rough and tumble WWII vets. They have varied backgrounds but quickly fall in together once things get rough. I will say, seeing a comrade torn to shreds by butler-vampires will certainly make believers out of the most dedicated doubters. I love seeing Professor Bruttenholm's mystic past come to light as he attempts to make the BPRD more of a government institution. he can't quite leave behind his old supernatural contacts; they're still good guys to know.

Hellboy doesn't have much more than a supporting role, but I still grinned to see him yelling "BOOM" while playing baseball.

Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon split the art in some neat ways, according to the closing text at the end of the trade. I'm ashamed to say the change never totally jumped out at me. I thought the art was solid throughout, but I'm afraid I didn't notice the changes in artwork.

Good