Transformers, New Comics

New comics from over a week ago!

Ironheart 12

A somewhat lackluster finish to what’s been a fun series.  Riri gets some sciencemagical therapy and there’s a fight. As with Nadia Pym and Miles Morales, I’ll keep an eye out for any future series starring Ironheart.  These are great characters.

Superman: Up in the Sky 6

This series is good, but not as good as the reviews I’ve been reading make it out to be.  Tom King has some genius insights into Superman and what makes him tick, but there are times where he’s trying too hard.  (The “no, sir” bit doesn’t quite work with me. Neither does Superman patronizingly allowing Batman to win.) But on the whole, this is a really strong issue.  Very happy DC decided to collect these in a format that didn’t force me to go to Walmart.  

Helpless Batman is like the first time you realize your parents aren't infallible.

Superman gets as nervous as us when he likes someone :)

Batman: Universe 6

Brian Michael Bendis and Nick Derington’s Walmart adventures conclude as well.  A fine but unremarkable ending to a fine but unremarkable series. Which isn’t to say that Bendis didn’t have a few shining moments.  And Nick Derington has totally forced his way on to my radar. Fabulous. Showing his splash from a few issues ago here again, because I can’t get it out of my head.  

Perfection.

Batman: Creature of the Night 4

I had completely forgotten that this miniseries existed.  Kurt Busiek’s companion piece to Superman: Secret Identity (one of my favorite comics of all time) comes up way short in terms of quality.  It has a lot to live up to, but even on its own merits, it doesn’t really hold up.  Busiek doesn’t bring anything new to the “emotionally broken man lashes out with supernatural powers” trope.  I imagine I’ll cut this when the re-read comes around.

Ragnarok: Breaking of Helheim 3

My concerns from the last issue remain.  Fun, but forgettable.  I’ll probably finish out the arc, then stop buying.  But as with Stan Sakai, it’s hard to not buy Walt Simonson when I see it on the shelf.  

Lois Lane 6

This issue was almost a complete miss.  I never cared about Sam Lane, Lois’ father.  He’s a carbon copy of Thunderbolt Ross over at Marvel, the military father who irrationally hates his daughter’s superhero paramour.  One-dimensional and boring. So his death didn’t affect me at all, nor did the flashbacks to his various confrontations with Lois. But the final page hit me with surprising weight, as Lois reveals the true nature of her grief to Clark.  A nice bit by Greg Rucka.  

Transformers 52-54, 56-61, 69-80

Yeah, things stopped being so good after issue 50.  Not a fan of Simon Furman’s writing after he took over with issue 56, or of Andrew Wildman’s super-emotive robot faces.  

Not the expressions I want to see on my Transformers.

61 is the last issue from my original collection, I’m cutting everything after that.  (Two trades worth of issues that bought well after they came out so that grown up me could see how it all finished up.  Not that well, unfortunately.) 

  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes up until 61.  No after that.

Rating: Didn’t suck up until 61.  Stupid (and cutting) after that.