New comics

Aliens vs Avengers 4

God, what a massive letdown from a promising beginning.  This is why I’m surprised whenever Jonathan Hickman writes something good for any extended period of time.  This is just a nihilistic exercise in “none of this matters, I was not satisfied or entertained in any way, why did I read this?”  Even Esad Ribic is a disappointment here.  A complete fail by the end.  

Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton 1

Ryan North writing Krypto is enough to get me on board.  I don’t know how there’s enough here for a full series, but I have faith in him.

Battle Beast 2

I’m so glad Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley are back in this universe!!!  This is good, clean, comic book fun at the highest level of execution.  A+, recommend. 

Absolute Flash 3-4

Things get more interesting w/ the introduction of Monkey Grodd.  Things are still new enough in an Ultimate Universe kind of way for me to want to stick around.

Absolute Green Lantern 3

Jon Stewart discovers the Lantern’s gold weakness, and Al Ewing somehow manages to make it not sound that stupid.  I still don’t know why they’re fighting Boo from Dragonball Z.  

DC vs Vampires: World War V 10

As I’ve said before, not a fan of the New Gods in general, but with the twist here, Matthew Rosenberg at least keeps things interesting enough for me to want to know what happens next. 

New comics

New comics!

Jupiter’s Legacy: Finale 5

Maybe this will be better once I re-read the entire saga in one go, but right now, this ended with poor art, an unsatisfying ending to an impossible situation, and a reminder that Mark Millar is nowhere near his prime anymore.

Absolute Superman 5

Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval show us the final moments of Krypton.  Kal-El’s escape is tinged with extra tragedy in this version, as his parents almost make it off the planet safely, only to die at the last moment.  Still the weakest of the three Absolute titles, but I’ll stick around for a little longer.  (The next three Absolute comics are being launched soon, and I’ll try all of those out too.)

DC vs Vampires: World War V 7

Darkseid forces both the vampire and human armies into retreat as the next phase of the war begins.  Otto Schmidt’s usually wonderful art is getting scratchier and scratchier, to the point where basic readability is in grave peril.

Battle Action v3 3

Johnny Red continues his flying adventures.  The backup story stars a great white shark with a harpoon conveniently embedded in his mouth such that it can be used as an offensive weapon.  He takes on an equally murderous orca in a batshit fight that I could never have imagined.  I’m not at all surprised that John McCrea was employed to draw it.

Ultimate Spider-Man 14

I did not expect Harry Osborn to take a bullet through the head here.  If Jonathan Hickman chooses to keep him dead, I wonder if Gwen Stacy will take her husband’s place as Green Goblin.  That’d be a fun twist that I’d like to see.

Aliens vs Avengers 3

This is more like the Hickman that I know.  Batshit crazy ideas, undisciplined writing, and unintentional humor that I can’t believe I’m reading.  Not in a good way.  

Am I supposed to take this seriously?

This thing has flown off the rails, and I’m not even sure it’s fun anymore.

New comics

New comics!

Plastic Man No More! 2-3

I thought this was going to be a redemptive story, Plastic Man pulling himself back together both literally and figuratively.  Instead, it’s about Eel O’Brian’s continuing downward trajectory as things just get worse and worse.  He’s constantly making bad choices, excusing them in the name of a greater purpose.  He’s lost his way, and while it makes for an interesting character study, it’s not that fun to read.  Great execution by Christopher Cantwell and Alex Lins, though.

Birds of Prey 12-15

Yes, yes, I dropped this because the story arc was crap.  Still true, but iFanboy gave the new arc a good review (starting w/ issue 14), and there was a sale at my LGS.  Man, I really hate the Worlds Without End arc.  But this new one is admittedly a lot better, so I might stick around for it, on a month-by-month basis.  

Absolute Superman 1

It’s funny-not-funny that the Absolute title I was most interested in (the only one I preordered) is the weakest one.  It doesn’t resonate the way the Wonder Woman and Batman comics do, but I trust Jason Aaron.  Though on second thought, his last Superman work was pretty horrible.  (Hate Bizarro!)  Going to give it at least another month.

Batman: Long Halloween: Last Halloween 2

Klaus Janson may be a legend, but his art does less than nothing for me.  I do not enjoy looking at it.  I’m inches away from cutting this.  The story is completely forgettable.  (Jeph Loeb has fallen so far in my estimation.)

DC vs Vampires: World War V 4

Another chapter in an entertaining story, but not much more to say.

Absolute Batman 2

This is so fun.  Nick Dragotta is channeling Dave Mazzucchelli, and Scott Snyder is at the top of his game.

Helen of Wyndhorn 6

Tom King and Bilquis Evely wrap up another super successful team up.  Beautifully drawn and written.  Only the framing story w/ the cassette tapes is an utter fail, and the ending is completely anticlimactic and disappointing.  

Batman: Dark Age 6

I think I read this more out of morbid fascination than anything else.  Mike Allred’s art is so compelling in its ugliness.  And the story by Mark Russell doesn’t suck.

Big Burn 2

Not as good as the first issue, but still entertaining.  And the final page reveal is obvious but effective at moving things along.

Aliens vs Avengers 1-2

This future dystopia is stunningly generic, and it’s Jonathan Hickman at his cold, emotionless worst.  Esad Ribic does what he can, and the Alien IP is strong, so I’m still in.