New comics

Two weeks of new comics!

Punisher: Soviet 2

After a somewhat generic start last issue, Garth Ennis puts his stamp on this Punisher story with one of his “soldier tells another soldier a flashback war story as they sit there chilling” scenes.  No one does them better, this is what I came for.

American Jesus 1

I didn’t know that Mark Millar and Peter Gross were doing a follow up to Chosen.  This time, the child really is supposed to be Jesus.  Of course, Millar ends the issue with a trip to Waco, Texas, so there’s still plenty of room for expectation subversion.  I’m not sure if I care enough to pay for this anymore. Will see how I feel about it next month.

Old Guard: Force Multiplied 1

Same for this follow up to Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez’s Old Guard - Not bad by any stretch, but my memories of both the original series and this first issue don’t extend beyond, “Eh, nice.”  I have yet to want to reread the first series, don’t know why I should buy more of this second one.

Spider-Man 3

Aaaannnnd I’m out.  This has been on a steady decline since issue 1, and zombie heroes are the last straw.  Not that they can’t be well done (see the phenomenal DCeased), but this is just no good.  Also, I’m still mad at JJ Abrams from Rise of Skywalker.  

King Thor 4

Eh.  An underwhelming finish for what was, at times, an amazing run on Thor.  Kudos to Jason Aaron for his lengthy stint, but when I look back on this, it’s Jane Foster Thor that I’m going to remember, not this final arc.

Captain Marvel 13

Kelly Thompson reveals Carol’s dilemma far earlier than I expected.  Standard blackmail stuff, but Lee Garbett’s art and the execution of the story will keep me around for a little while longer.

Batman: Curse of the White Knight 5

Love the cover.

I find myself not caring about the story at all, and just sinking into Sean Murphy’s gorgeous art.  And I’m totally happy with that. 

Great take on the Azbats costume.

Lovely action sequence.

Really creative visualization of diving.

Doomsday Clock 12

I’ll need to reread this in its entirety to have any clue as to what just happened.  I’m pretty sure it wasn’t good, but there’s a chance that it wasn’t bad.

Harleen 3

Jesus moly, this is a masterpiece.  I’m trying to come up with a list of creators who are at this level of proficiency on both writing and art.  Is it sacrilegious that Frank Miller is the first person that I thought of? Is Stjepan Sejic just that good?  In any case, I want the Poison Ivy followup that he’s toying around with. Between this and Sunstone, Sejic is now on my list of tier one comic masters.

Harrowing final page.