New Comics

New comics!

Junkyard Joe 1-4

Picked this up after a strong iFanboy recommendation.  Geoff Johns and Gary Frank tell the story of a robot (made by the US government?) that joins a platoon of US soldiers in Vietnam.  After the war, the sole platoon survivor achieves acclaim through the comic strip he creates starring his pal, the robotic Junkyard Joe.  

Now, in the present day, the real Junkyard Joe finally returns, bringing with him a mess of trouble.  It’s a slow burn, but a great start with two remaining issues to go.  Johns’ excellent work here has me considering whether I should check out the rest of the titles in this universe he’s created.

Fantastic Four 4

Ryan North reveals why the team’s been split up for the last three issues.  It turns out Reed sent the FF Tower, all of the surrounding buildings, and all of their inhabitants one year into the future.  This includes all of their children.  The resultant public and internal backlash led to their separation.  But now they’re back together and more adventures will commence.  Not bad at all, it’s a nice take on the family.

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 8

So not as good as the first two series.  I’d say I was done with the Murphyverse, but the promise of Superman in the next arc, whenever it comes out, is too tempting to pass up.  Though I’ll be skipping the non-Sean Murphy penned spin off that’s coming out next.

Danger Street 2

Things are in the usual Tom King set up phase, but for the first time in a while, I’m really not feeling this one.  Aside from Lady Cop (I know she hates being called that, but King doesn’t give us another name to go with), every other character is annoying as fuck.  It makes for a hard-to-enjoy series.  

Gotham City: Year One 5

More is revealed as Tom King and Phil Hester’s noir tale approaches the end.  A nice, straightforward, entertaining tale.

New comics

I’ve got a month’s worth of comics to catch up on, I haven’t had time to go to my LCS in ages.

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 7

The Bat-Family reconciles and teams up to fight Derek Powers.  Definite diminishing returns with the Murphyverse (that’s really what they’re calling it).  This isn’t bad or anything, but I wouldn’t be sad if this was the last one.

Fantastic Four 1, 3

I picked this up based off of some glowing iFanboy reviews, and it’s as good as advertised.  Writer Ryan North comes up with some great high concepts for each of these standalone issues.  The comic shop was out of issue 2, but should be getting it in on reorder.  I’ll stick with this for a little while.

Mary Jane and Black Cat 1

I really liked their previous team-up, but this one’s a tie-in with Dark Web, which is basically Inferno 2.  Pass, the first Inferno didn’t do much for me, and the interplay between the two women isn’t good enough for me to stick around.  Jed MacKay had a great run on Black Cat, but this is the end of the road for me.

That's so Doom.

DCeased: War of the Undead Gods 5

Mxyzptlk gets infected.  Kilowog and John Stewart die.  Spectre shows up to save the day, and things just got a lot less interesting.  I’ve never been a fan of his.

Nightwing 99

A not-bad, but rather forgettable issue.  Melinda renounces her Zucco parentage.  Tom Taylor alludes to some kind of mysterious inheritance for Dick.  No doubt things will get better again soon.

Dark Knights of Steel 9

Tom Taylor does a really nice job of escalating the war.  Then it turns out it’s the White Martians, and Alfred has been the Martian Manhunter all along.  The first twist isn’t really surprising, the second one is pretty awesome.

That's so Batman.

Gotham City: Year One 4

In the tradition of the best film noirs, Slam Bradley gets beat up by corrupt cops, has sex, then beats up some cops.  Tom King and Phil Hester have a sweet mood piece on their hands.

Love Everlasting 5

Things are cleared up a teensy-weensy bit.  Some lady named Penny Page reveals the meta nature of the series to protagonist Joan, as well as the ominous existence of Joan’s mother.  But other than that, it’s still pretty opaque.  Still fun, though.

GI Joe, New comics

New comics!
Batman: Beyond the White Knight 6

This series has lost all of its luster at this point.  The story is pretty much a slog at this point, and the lovely Sean Murphy art is the only thing keeping it around for me.

Human Target 8

Rocket Red’s the focus of this issue.  Not one of the stronger ones in this series, but certainly readable.

Iron Cat 5

This series, like White Knight, may have hit diminishing returns.  But it looks like the next Black Cat title by Jed MacKay is going to be Mary Jane and Black Cat.  Their previous team-up was excellent, so maybe that’s the kick this title needs to get back on track.

Variants 4

Jessica Jones finally goes back to the X-Men for help against the Purple Man, and it turns out it’s all in her head.  On the one hand I’m glad it’s not actually more Purple Man shenanigans.  On the other, I’m tired of the fact that this one thing is still defining so much of her personality.

With that now out of the way, the series will wrap up next month with the real villain, the Jewel variant.  Eh.  Maybe this will be better on the reread.

Cobra 17-21

GI Joe: Cobra Files 1-4

Aside from a Snake Eyes miniseries that’s in the mail as I write this, I believe these are the last issues of the superb Michael Costa run.  Given the piecemeal nature with which I filled in the gaps in my collection, I’d love to read this again from beginning to end.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Harleen, Criminal Sanity

New comics!

Gotham City: Year One 1

Slam Bradley gets into the middle of the kidnapping of the baby Helen Wayne during the 1960s.  It’s a straight up noir mystery.  As always, a good start by Tom King, this time with Phil Hester on art.

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 5

The whole alter ego switching places with the main personality thing was weird when it was the Joker in previous series.  It’s just as strange here with Jack Napier in Bruce Wayne’s head.  I think Sean Murphy’s firmly on the diminishing returns curve now with the White Knight series, but it’s still good enough for me to stay on, at least for the duration of this arc.  

Human Target 7 

It’s back after a short hiatus, yay!  This is still one of King’s best series, and he’s doing it all through mood.  He and Greg Smallwood have created something perfect here.  

That dress shirt look.  So hot.

Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity 1-8

A crime thriller reimagining of the Harley/Joker relationship, complete with creative serial killer murder scenes and psychological cat-and-mouse back and forths. 

I’m so happy that Kami Garcia didn’t go with the expected “Harley is seduced by Joker” ending.  Looking at my past reviews, it seems like that’s all I was really hoping for with every issue.  Mission accomplished, I guess.  

The part where Harley lets Joker go still makes no sense to me.  If she wanted to kill him, she should have just done it.  If she wanted to send him to jail, she should have told the cops.  If she wanted to catch him in the act, she was criminally inept at it.  It’s a really clumsy way of setting up a disappointing final confrontation.  

Still, I really liked the original take on the dynamic.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Harleen 1-3

Stjepan Sejic is a comic-creating god.  He’s got some of the loveliest art out there, and everything he writes is top notch.  The only problem is that he’s got so many ideas that he can’t stay with one for long, moving between them as inspiration dictates.  It’s frustrating in that I want to know what happens for all of them, but if this is how he stays fresh and keeps everything good, I’ll happily live with that trade off.  

Unlike Criminal Sanity, this is a flat out retelling of the Harley Quinn origin story.  But it’s so exquisitely done that I dare say it surpasses even the original Mad Love by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini.  Harley’s fall is slow, inevitable, and all the more tragic because Sejic really takes the time to make her a relatable, likable protagonist.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Blankets, New comics

New comics, I’ve got like three weeks of issues to catch up on.

Captain Carter 4

Vampires.  The bad guys are vampires.  Sigh.  I would have preferred a government conspiracy, I think.

Variants 1

Gail Simone and Phil Noto are a team that I can get behind.  I was intrigued by what kind of take they would have on Jessica Jones and parallel universes. 

Despite being one of the best villains ever, I really wish people could tell a Jessica Jones story without using Killgrave.  I’m so sick and tired of her being defined by that experience, as I’m sure she is as well.

The other aspect, with multiple Jessica Joneses, is a lot more promising.  I hope that’s the part Simone chooses to focus on.  (I’m already sighing in exasperation at the idea of multiple Purple Men…)

Iron Cat 1

A continuation of Jed MacKay’s Black Cat run.  Good, clean fun.  Come to think about it, it’s of the same vein as Kelly Thompson, another of the stellar writers at Marvel right now.

Heh.

Captain Marvel 39

Speaking of which.  I used “stellar” just now, but the more I think about it, Thompson’s run on Captain Marvel has been undeniably positive, but ultimately disposable.  Not to say that I wouldn’t happily read it again, but it won’t linger in my mind for very long.  

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 4

Not as engaging as the previous series, but fun enough.  This appears to be a theme with all the new comics this today.

Seven Secrets 18

Wow, did this end poorly.  Something about a godlike being who divided his essence into the titular seven secrets.  Horcruxes, basically.  Blech.  I should have gone with my original instinct to stop buying this.  I’m disappointed by this outing from Tom Taylor.  He’s done way better.  

Batman/Catwoman 12

Another rare misfire from an exceptional Tom.  I hope the re-read proves differently, but this has been a completely pointless series from the beginning.  Was this how Tom King originally planned to end his Batman run?  Such a bummer.  

Batman: Killing Time 5

At least I got a much better Tom King Batman story this week.  King’s description of the massive shootout in the park is a masterclass in narration.

Five pages of this, and I could have used more.

Blankets

I haven’t looked at Craig Thompson’s magnum opus in years, but my feelings this time around are exactly the same as my previous readings; This may be the best thing I’ve ever read when it comes to depicting the euphoria of first love, the sheer joy of emotionally connecting with someone, and the intoxicating thrill of every physical interaction - that first touch, first kiss, first everything.  It’s something that can never be experienced again, is never quite the same again.  It’s absolutely magical.

First touch.

First kiss.

First time sleeping together.

The magic of watching her sleep.

Would I be so understanding?

You never know when it'll be the last time you see her.

The best description of this I've ever read.

I wish that the comic didn’t start with an unbearable mix of bullies, horrible parents, child molesters, and rigid Christians.  But the contrast is needed to further accentuate the impact of Craig’s relationship with Raina.  

The ending of their romance is as abrupt as it is unexpected.  There’s no way it was going to work.  But that doesn’t diminish the potency of the memory or the relationship.  That kind of thing is a formative experience, something that will never be forgotten.  

Yeah, this one hits home.  Obviously.  

 

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Fables, New comics

Once again, I fall behind one day and here I am with twenty issues to review.  Let’s get going!

Fables 94-100

We learn Rose Red’s origin and why she’s been wrongfully pissed at Snow for her entire life.  She busts out of her funk and reasserts her leadership of The Farm.  Frau Totenkinder defeats Mister Dark until it turns out she didn’t.  Everyone flees to Haven.  Beauty and the Beast’s daughter is born, and she may have taken her father’s curse with her.

Lots of things happening.  Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham haven’t lost a step one hundred issues in.  I’m still completely engaged.

Alluring cover from Joao Ruas.

I like his interiors as well.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Fables 101-113

Bufkin somehow makes his way to Oz, where he starts a rebel alliance against the upstart emperor there.  Bufkin’s best in small quantities, I’m fine with this plot thread but not loving it.

There’s a pointless arc where Pinocchio tries to dress the Fables up as superheroes as they train to defeat Dark.  None of it matters when the North Wind sacrifices himself to take out Dark.

This leads to an arc to determine which of Bigby’s kids will be the new North Wind.  (It’s Winter.)

Rose Red agrees to become a Paragon of Hope, or something like that.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good (Pretty good for 112, Nice for 101 and 113)

I’m so behind on new comics.  Here are some of them:

Captain Marvel 38

I was all ready to drop this title; The last arc was underwhelming, and I had no interest in reading a story about Binary.  But Kelly Thompson made this issue so funny that I have to give it at least another month.  

Seven Secrets 17

I’m once again prepared to drop this title.  It previously received a stay of execution, but I find myself not caring.  Again.  As with Captain Marvel, this gets one more month to change my mind.

Captain Carter 3

Good, clean fun, exactly what I’m looking for in this title.

Nightwing 92

Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo continue to amaze.

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 3

A setup issue.  We get the Derek Powers origin story.

Lion and the Eagle 4

Things reach their bloody conclusion.  Very middle of the road for a Garth Ennis war story.  Not one that sticks in my mind.

New comics

New comics!

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 2

Lots of setup.  Sean Murphy art still looks spectacular.

Batman: Killing Time 3

Dude.  The Help is an amazing new character.  He’s Alfred crossed with Lady Shiva.  The only question is where he’s hidden himself away after this story; he’s way too cool to have stayed off of Batman’s radar since Year Two.  I hope it doesn’t mean he dies in this story.

Dark Knights of Steel 6

This appears to be the final setup issue before the war gets started. 

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

New comics!

Magic Order 2 6

The good guys win in extremely easy fashion.  An entertaining enough series, but completely forgettable.  I’ll most likely be skipping the next iteration.

Dark Ages 6

A surprisingly un-epic ending.  As big boss battles go, it feels awfully slight.  No one (except for the bad guys) even dies, which is odd considering how unsqueamish Tom Taylor is about killing beloved heroes.  He could have done with a better artist than Iban Coello, who has a Roger Cruz flavor to his work.

Captain Marvel 37

Kelly Thompson is so good at these between-arc issues where Carol decompresses and gets a chance to hang out with her friends.  Sadly, the next arc doesn’t look that interesting; I’m not interested in Binary, the latest in a long line of “naive, innocent characters learning about life with the help of her friends.”  I’ll give it a few issues, but I’m getting close to cutting this title.  

Batman: Beyond the White Knight 1

Some great setup from Sean Murphy as he kicks off the third installment of his White Knight books.  Looking forward to the rest of this.  Also, I should read the comic of his that I Kickstarted…

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1-6

“Rollicking good time” is the phrase that comes to mind.  Alan Moore clearly has a blast writing these.  There’s too much savage glee in all of the fake ads, they’re absolutely hilarious.  Oh, and the story itself is excellent as well.

I enjoy the first two volumes of LoEG so much more than the others because I recognize the characters and the plots are a lot more straightforward.  Sometimes simpler is better.  (By the way, speaking of things that I won’t finish, I don’t have high hopes for From Hell, coming up in just a few days.)

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good