Marvel TV Shows

Eyes of Wakanda

Mindless, instantly forgettable animated action.  Prime “put on while I wash the dishes” material.

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: No

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Didn’t suck

Ironheart Season 1

An especially disappointing show given how awesome of a character Riri Williams is in the comics (thanks to Brian Michael Bendis and then Eve Ewing).  Some quick thoughts:

• Riri is so unlikeable in this show.  She’s literally a bad guy, hooking up with The Hood to make money to build her suit.  Then she literally makes a deal with the devil to bring her best friend back to life.  As much as it pains me to say, I’d be perfectly happy to never see her in the MCU again.

• Zelma Stanton (Regan Aliyah) was a delightful surprise, and she stole every scene she was in.  Bonus points for casting Cree Summer as her mother.  Now that’s someone I want on the MCU Young Avengers.

• Sacha Baron Cohen was a nice bit of casting as Mephisto.  I’m skeptical that we’ll see more of him, though.  

• Looking through the cast list, no one else made much of an impression.

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: No

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Stupid

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1

Overall, a really solid season of TV.  I’m really happy Disney decided to retool the series even after filming the bulk of it; Matt Murdock really needed to put the Daredevil mask back on for this series to work.  Some thoughts:

• Not a fan of killing Foggy.  It wasn’t necessary, and Elden Henson was perfectly cast in the role.

• Awesome Bulleye fights.

• VIncent D’Onofrio is one of the best Marvel villain actors, but I’m pretty sick of Kingpin at this point.  Can’t Daredevil fight someone else?

• Along with that, I didn’t expect the season to end on a complete cliffhanger with no semblance of resolution.  Not a fan.

• I will always be happy with more John Bernthal’s Frank Castle.

• Ditto Deborah Ann Woll.  It took me a while to come around on her portrayal of Karen Page, but I’m all on board now.

• While Heather Glenn isn’t as pathetic as she is in the comics, she serves a pretty nothing role in this as well.

I hope season two brings back more of the Netflix Defenders.

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Nice

Updated MCU TV rankings

1. Hawkeye

2. She-Hulk

3. Wandavision

4. Daredevil: Born Again

5. Ms Marvel

6. Falcon/Winter Soldier

7. Loki

8. Agatha All Along

9. Echo

10. Ironheart

11. Moon Knight

12. Secret Invasion

Ironheart

Ironheart 7-12

My previous reviews already have the moments that caught my attention this time around.  Same thoughts as yesterday - some really nice moments for Riri and her friends, but missing the spark that would elevate it beyond Nice.  I reiterate my immediate need for a Young Women Scientists of the Marvel Universe title.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Ironheart

Ironheart 1-6

I gave most of the post-Bendis titles a shot.  Eve L. Ewing, Kevin Libranda, and Luciano Vecchio put together a decent followup.  They don’t blow the roof off the joint, and they certainly don’t match the magic of Bendis’ run, but they still do Riri Williams proud.  Looking at reviews of my original readthrough, I seem to have enjoyed it more the first time around.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

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.

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, New comics

Three new comics this week!

Ironheart 11

I’d be down with Riri staying in Wakanda forever.  This is an awesome team:

Harleen 2

Simply phenomenal.  Between Sunstone and this, I haven’t read anything less than stellar from Stjepan Sejic yet.  

Awesome interpretation of Harvey's new vision.

This is the comic I want to read.

Sunstone flashbacks.

Final submission.  Beautifully done by Sejic.

Superman Smashes the Klan 1

I passed on this last week.  The art (Gurihiru from Unstoppable Wasp.  So nice to see them again!) is lovely, but I wasn’t in the mood to read about white supremacists and discrimination against a Chinese family.  But I picked it up this week after a glowing review on iFanboy.

Turns out both things are true - The high praise is well warranted, and I still dislike reading about racism.  My stream-of-consciousness problems with it as a comic book plot point: 1) I want to be entertained when I read comic; Racism isn’t entertaining.  It’s far too real to be escapist, regardless of the presence of Superman. 2) I already know this problem exists, and I’m on board with it as an evil that would ideally be eradicated.  I don’t need to read examples of why it’s horrible.

Given that, I’m still glad I picked this up.  This is (surprisingly) my first exposure to Gene Luen Yang’s work.  His reputation is deserved, if this is any indication of his body of work.  And let’s be honest, I really would like to see Superman smash some Klan assholes.  

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: Freedon Nadd Uprising 1-2

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 1-6

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: Sith War 1-6

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: Redemption 1-5

Bullet point thoughts:

Ulic Qel-Droma is one of the best names ever.  

Nomi Sunrider is a great character.

Main artist Chris Gossett fluctuates wildly in quality from page to page.  Some of his highlights below:

Sweet dual wielding pose.

Just a really solid drawing of Ulic Qel-Droma

How is this the same artist?

I wish the interior art for these comics was as great as the covers.

Double-bladed lightsaber years before Phantom Menace.  It caught my eye on the shelf, to say the least.

Redemption is the best part of these issues, a quiet epilogue to the sweeping vision of the previous arcs.  (The art is also stronger. Better coloring?) Alas, it’s marred by the worst example of the fool trope, the bumbling out-of-his-depth idiot who does stupid things and gets away with it because he isn’t worth the trouble to kill.  I’ve never liked that type of character, and he mars an otherwise solid story.

Hate this fucker.

Generally, this is an epic saga that could have benefited from better execution, but it holds up pretty well from when I first read it.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine.  Nice for Redemption

Olympians, Ray Bradbury, King Thor, Ironheart, Batman: Universe

New Comics!

King Thor 1

I return to Jason Aaron’s Thor after Mike Del Mundo drove me away on the main title.  I have no such problems with Esad Ribic. This is epic stuff, and if this is truly how Aaron’s going to end his long run with this character, I’m happy to be back for it.  

Ironheart 10

“Shuriri.”  That is all.

Batman Universe 3

As with Tom King on Superman: Up and Away, these Walmart books are just an excuse for Brian Michael Bendis to hop around the DC universe and give his half-issue takes on any hero or villain he wants to play with.  They’re so delightful to me that I really don’t care if it’s out of character for Batman.

Back to the Misc box.

Olympians 9

Artemis.  A lot more of a collection of vignettes than some of the previous volumes.  O’Connor’s Goddess of the Hunt gets added to the list of awesome female archers that I love seeing in comics.  

Really like the moon-shaped arrowhead.

I really think I’m going to get the rest of these.  I want to share them with my kids in the future.

Speaking of kids…

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Best of Ray Bradbury

Reading the introduction, it sounds like Ray Bradbury was tickled pink by the fact that his stories were adapted into comics.  I absolutely love the man and his writing. He’s on a very short list of famous people that I completely idolize. His positive attitude and his take on the world are things that never fail to inspire me.  “In all the years since I have not once listened to any so-called friend who made fun of my hobby, my dream, my lifeblood.”

His writing is simultaneously utilitarian in its simplicity and wonderfully evocative with its perfectly balanced wordsmithing.  I practically teared up while reading “Golden Apples of the Sun” and “Picasso Summer” today, even after knowing the stories backwards and forwards.  I daresay he’s my favorite writer.  

The artists commissioned to draw these classic stories are equal to the task of matching these magical stories with art that’s just as good.  Look at this lineup: P Craig Russell, Dave Gibbons, Mike Mignola, Richard Corbe, Matt Wagner...Pretty awesome.  

This doesn’t get a higher rating because as good as it is, I find that Bradbury still reads better in short story form.  I love comics, but sometimes the purity of the word is all that’s needed.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Ruse, Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Ironheart, Batman: Universe, Wonder Woman, Second Coming

New comics!

Second Coming 2

Sunstar is an idiot, God is a putz, and Jesus is a decent fellow.  It’s fascinating to see how Mark Russell characterizes each of them and has them interact with each other.  But it’s starting to get predictable now that the personalities have been set. If Russell doesn’t have any else to say, I don’t see myself going much further with this.

Wonder Woman 76

Purchased entirely for Lee Garbett’s art, which is significant in that I haven’t bought something solely for the penciller in quite some time, I think.  But with the completion of Skyward, I really want to keep following him.  Also, he’s perfectly suited for Princess Diana.  G. Willow Wilson’s story isn’t the most engrossing, but it doesn’t suck, and even has a few standout moments.  (Helped immensely by the art.) If Garbett stays, I’m in for at least a few more months.

Heh.  "You may commence."

Awww.

Ironheart 9

Riri engages in a clash of wills with Shuri when her adventures take her through Wakanda.  A standard (but fun) team-up quickly brings them together, and I’m looking to their adventure next issue.

Batman Universe 2

Bendis must have loved writing this, as he unleashes quip after quip at his readers.  That’s what it’s all about in this issue, and he has a ridiculously high hit rate.

Never change, Alfred.

Ruse 1-6

Mark Waid and Butch Guice’s take on Sherlock Holmes by way of the CrossGen universe.  It’s perfectly decent, but I’ll never want to read it again.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine (Cutting)

Samurai: Heaven and Earth 1-3

Ron Marz wanted to pit a samurai against soldiers around the world, and this is the result.  Marz was on to something, because even though the story’s just okay (with very nice art by Luke Ross), the clash of cultures is indeed something that I greatly enjoyed seeing.  That’s really the sole reason I’m keeping this in my collection.

I love it when comics show me things I've never seen before.

This totally qualifies.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

GI Joe: Hearts and Minds, Naomi, Ironheart, Batman: Universe

New comics!

Batman Universe 1

DC follows up their collection of the Walmart Superman stories with this compilation of the first two Batman Walmart offerings.  Written by Brian Michael Bendis, drawn by Nick Derington.  Bendis nails the dry humor that Batman and Alfred do so well, and I’ll leave it at that:

Also, this is the first appearance of Jinny Hex.  I quit reading the new Young Justice too early to really get a sense of her, but I like what I see so far.  

Ironheart 8

I’m sad that Nadia doesn’t stick around to help Riri, especially with the upcoming cancellation of her title.  Why not give her a permanent home here? I’d love to read that team-up on a monthly basis.  

It’s so hard to do Dr Strange well, and while Eve L Ewing doesn’t botch it here, she doesn’t exactly make him stand out, either.  At least next month will have Shuri. That should be fun. (There really needs to be a Marvel Young Women of Science comic.)

Naomi 6

Artistically pretty but uninteresting from a story point of view - Naomi fights her parents’ killer and decides to explore her new powers.  Thaaaat’s it. I suppose it’s just as deconstructed as the first Ultimate Spider-Man arc, but there’s something ultimately lacking this time around.  Maybe it’ll read better as a whole. I’m still interested in seeing what comes next for Naomi - I continue to enjoy how Bendis writes teenagers.  

GI Joe: Hearts and Minds 1-5

Max Brooks writes ten character studies and hits on an impressively high percentage of them.  Highlights:

He dispenses with the racist notion that Spirit’s an exceptional tracker because he’s Native American. Instead, Brooks attributes it to sensory integration dysfunction, essentially making him Daredevil.  It’s a neat little update.  

The Firefly story is a neat exploration into how he conducts his sabotage missions.  (Apparently he was responsible for the Challenger explosion.) It also delves into his mindset, which I enjoyed.  

This is a fun little miniseries, a nice job from the writer of World War Z.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Pretty good