Batgirl #7 – Look, I'm a big, big
Gail Simone fan but I just can't do it anymore. I'm sorry! There's
just something about Batgirl that is lacking! It might be the book's
almost complete lack of interesting supporting cast, intriguing
villains, or something else. If I had to guess, it would be that
Simone went into the book feeling the need to please to please to
many people. The result has been a kind of bland, tapioca comic that
makes Batgirl and Barbara Gordon kind of boring. I think a large
part of the blame could be placed on Ardian Syaf whose art is only
dynamic and exciting a couple of pages every issue. Regardless of
where the book's failings emanate from, I am pretty sure this is my
last Batgirl issue. It makes me sad to say it but, with my
limited comics budget, I just can't afford to buy books I am not
enjoying. To that end, Batgirl was always placed on the
bottom of my weekly comic pile. Really, that's the most damning thing
I can say.
Batman and Robin #7 - Holy cow. I
wouldn't say issue seven wrapped up the first arc in the way I
expected. I am still really impressed by Batman and Robin and
I am extremely interested to see where the story goes from here. I
am sure there are some readers out there that felt the extremely
emotional and violent nature of the issue was over-the-top. I can
see that but I disagree. Batman and Robin has been slowly
building to a dramatic conclusion and that's what we got. It's a
story about fathers and sons and nothing creates emotions quite like
family.
Batwoman #7 – I like that Williams
and Blackman are continuing some of the trends established by Greg
Rucka's work with the character. Batwoman is positioned to
deal with the kinds of threats that rarely make it onto the pages of
Batman these days, like magic
and mystical type stuff. I would not say that the series is
faltering, but it doesn't seem quite as dynamic without Williams III
on art. Amy Reeder has been a solid replacement, but she's leaving
the book because of creative differences. Her replacement is the
solid Trevor McCarthy. Neither artist is on the level of Williams,
but I understand that his style is not conducive to monthly
deadlines. However, if I had to have someone fill in, I would prefer
Reeder to McCarthy.
Captain America #9 – Cap's scrawny
but, thankfully, he's got Sharon Carter. The majority of the issue
focuses on her attempt to convince the Machinesmith to tell her what
is wrong with Steve Rogers. It seems that Ed Brubaker is trying his
hand at more traditional superheroics compared to his espionage
filled work on the character. The series so far is a lot of fun and
the recent issues with art by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer have evoked
a style of sophisticated, old school comic book storytelling that is
rarely seen these days.
Conan, The Barbarian #2 – Conan's a
badass. No, seriously, that's my big takeaway from this issue.
Really, there's not much to analyze. Brian Wood's script is dynamic
and engrossing. Becky Cloonan's art is pitch-perfect and gorgeous.
Dave Stewarts' coloring is befitting of his title as “best in the
business.” Really, there's not much more to say about this issue. Fantastic stuff so far.
Demon Knights #7 – What?! The siege
is finally over?! Wow. The poster child for decompressed storytelling
in the New 52 finally brings its first storyline to an end. What's
crazy is that despite taking seven issues to come to fruition, it
still ends abruptly somehow. One page, the bad guys have essentially
won; the next, the good guys have turned the tables and it's all
over. That kind of thing happens all the time, but this felt a little
forced. I can't say it hasn't been enjoyable, but I think I am
switching to trade-waiting on Demon Knights. I just think I
will enjoy it more in complete story form.
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #7 –
Thanks to fun tools like a buzzsaw gun and an exploding sword, the
original Creature Commandos turn out to be not much a threat at all.
There are many things to love about this issue, but the thing that
stood out to me was that we FINALLY got to see Ray Palmer in action
again. On that note, it seems that Palmer may never have been the
Atom in the new continuity, but it's kind of hard to know for
certain. The ending is a nice cliffhanger that should led to an
interesting next issue. I think Jeff Lemire is an innately good
storyteller and has a real flair for timing. It's surprising just
how different Alberto Ponticelli's art looks with someone else inking
it. His art is given a much smoother look by Walden Wong.
Green Lantern #7 – There's been a
Sinestro-napping! After learning about the other color Corps rather
quickly back when Geoff Johns started introducing them, we still know
very little about the Indigo Tribe. With issue seven of Green
Lantern, we're finally going to learn about the mysterious
wielders of light purple plasma as they make their move to capture
Sinestro. Strangely, it seems like the Tribe planned poorly. I
mean, they just happened to decide to kidnap Sinestro when he was on
earth bothering Hal Jordan? They couldn't have just waited thirty
minutes and caught him while he was headed back out of earth's
atmosphere? Also, why would Sinestro and the leader of the Indigo
Tribe create green constructs that look like earth technology? It's
not a big thing and it may have just been Doug Mahnke being creative
but it seemed a little out of place. Regardless, the gun Sinestro
creates looks fabulous. Green Lantern is still a solid book with
great art, even if it has stumbled somewhat since the relaunch.
The Ray #4 – How do you defeat a
villain that alters reality? You have him hit the Cosmic Reset button
using light hypnosis, of course! Oh comics, you so crazy! In all
seriousness, The Ray #4 brings the mini-series starring the revamped
light-manipulating hero to an end in pretty interesting fashion.
There's something appropriate about a New 52 mini-series ending with
a retcon that essentially wipes the story told in issues two through
four out of continuity. The Ray is a fun new character, and I
wouldn't mind seeing more of him. As far as I am concerned, Justin
Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Jamal Igle, and Rich Perrotta hit all the
necessary notes for a character revamp—the character was likable,
the supporting cast was strong, and the history of the character's
former iterations remains intact.
The Shade #6 – That does it, I demand
Javier Pulido illustrate everything Robinson writes from now on! I
am really enjoying The Shade, and I like that James Robinson is using
the twelve issue maxi-series to explore DC's less developed corners.
But I can't help but feeling that the plot is in danger of getting
lost along the way. I realize that twelve issues is a large number
for a mini-series, but The Shade feels more like an ongoing book than
a limited one. Then again, I guess that's fine if we continue to be
introduced to characters like La Sangre and Montpellier, a
Bangladeshi-born snake-themed crime-fighting detective. I guess all
I am saying is that DC should just give Robinson a “James Robinson
Explores the World of DC” book. Oh wait...
Thief of Thieves #2 – Issue two of
Nick Spencer and Robert Kirkman's thief story revolves around the
central plot point of the series so far: Why does the world's
greatest thief want to quit? As with the first installment, much of
the issue is devoted to flashbacks that fill out the main characters
and his motivations. So far it is a good read and the art by Shawn
Martinbrough and Felix Serrano fits the atmosphere of the book
perfectly. This is a series with a big time lineage and a lot of
promise..hopefully it will live up to it.
Wolverine and the X-men #7- Various
sh*ts hit a plethora of fans. As Wolverine and Quentin Quire are
duking it out in an interstellar casino, Kitty Pride and the rest of the faculty are having problems of their own. In last week's FIGcast I
mentioned that this was the weakest issue of the run so far. I stand
by that assessment, if only for the fact that it felt a little frantic
at points. There was just so much going on. However, there was real
character development with the intelligent Brood, some fun
moments with Kid Gladiator, and a telepathic shotgun. This is still
one of my favorite books each month. Jason Aaron's scripts couldn't
be more enjoyable and Nick Bradshaw's pencils are perfect for the
tone the book is trying set.
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