It seems like I can’t get to the comic shop more than once a month now.
Batman: Dark Age 1-2
It’s not like I was that impressed by Superman: Space Age. But I was still compelled to buy this follow up by Mark Russell and Mike Allred. It’s not a bad Elseworlds, pretty much the definition of Nice.
Ultimate Spider-Man 1-4
I was going to ignore this; a reboot of the Ultimate universe felt completely unnecessary. Knowing Jonathan Hickman was the chief architect only reinforced my indifference. He’s a decent idea man, but his execution usually leaves much to be desired. But I read some good reviews, and picked up the first three issues. Imagine my pleasant surprise when this turned out to read nothing like a Hickman title; It’s fun, bright, and has a coherent narrative. I’ll stick around as long as those things continue to be true.
Ultimate X-Men 2
This isn’t a bad comic, but it’s not an X-Men comic. And I’m not in the market for a horror high school manga. This’ll get one more issue.
Love Everlasting 14
I don’t have anything to say about this, but it’s still good. This’ll be interesting to read all at once.
Nightwing 113
It’s good to see Daniele Di Nicuolo, Tom Taylor’s Seven Secrets partner, back in action. It’s even better seeing the return to Bruno Redondo, getting his feet wet before next month begins Taylor’s final Nightwing story arc. Howard Porter is unrecognizable (in a good way) in the backup story.
Batman: Off-World 4
This is losing its initial appeal, but I’m pot-committed at this point.
Transformers 7
Does Jorge Corona pass the art test? Yes, but I’m still on the fence with this title. It’s not bad by any stretch, but I find myself emotionally uninvested.
Birds of Prey 8
Certainly amusing, enough to keep it around. But not really memorable.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees 5
Sam engages in some soul searching, embarks on a vision quest, and decides to fight back. Very much a filler issue, but I expect things to get back on track next month.
Crave 5
Penultimate issue. I’d stop buying if it weren’t ending next month.
Fantastic Four 19
Ryan North writes a film noir. Carlos Gomez’s art is perfect for it, but the story isn’t one of North’s stronger ones.
Penguin 9
A set up issue as Tom King uses a bunch of inner monologues to give us insights into a number of characters.
Hrm. Tula Lotay’s art barely makes this worth it, even with the frankly nonsense story.
Transformers 6
Another instance where the art outpaces the story. Daniel Warren Johnson hands off the penciling duties to Jorge Corona next issue, who has exactly that long to convince me to stick around.
Crave 4
Interestingly, not as good as previous issues as the plot kicks in. “The app is spyware, data mining is evil, privacy rights, yadda yadda.” Only two issues left, I’ll stick around.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees 4
Once again, less fun now that the killer’s been revealed. There’s nothing original about the frame job that ends the issue, but I’m holding out hope that it leads somewhere more intriguing next month.
Wonder Woman 7
Wonder Woman and Superman shopping for Batman’s birthday present should be a no-brainer home run for Tom King (to go along with shades of Alan Moore’s “For the Man Who Has Everything”), but it’s way too cute for its own sake. I love the concept of Superman getting a mani-pedi, but this wasn’t the place for it. (Though to be fair, I’m hard pressed to come up with the proper circumstances…)
Fantastic Four 18
Not Ryan North’s strongest issue. Franklin Richards tries to prevent a bad future, fails, but discovers that the Fantastic Four have no fate but what they make for themselves.
Nightwing 112
Batman and Nightwing finish up this two-part team-up. Bruce Wayne internally narrates how proud he is of Dick, and it’s all very sweet.
Penguin 8
Penguin returns to Gotham, preparing to take it back from his children (!). (Seriously, when did that happen?) Standard Tom King goodness.
Fables 162
Essentially an epilogue issue, this would no doubt have been an awesome issue if it hadn’t been almost two years since I read the series. I just don’t care as much anymore about these characters. (Bigby and Snow’s kids, to be precise.)
The Peter Pan situation is cleaned up neatly and satisfactorily.
Avengers 11
This was going to be the deciding issue for whether or not I’d keep reading; I wanted to see Jarvis back in action. He’s fine, the Avengers fight a villain of the month, and the art by Ivan Fiorelli is not good at all. I’m out. I tried, Jed MacKay, I really tried.
Birds of Prey 7
Really like the Javier Pina art, and Jordie Bellaire’s retro colors are still a delight. But the story’s completely forgettable, even with the lingerie show at the end.
Action Comics 1063
Nope. Not even Jason Aaron can make Bizarro good. This was a pretty miserable experience. John Timms’ art is great though, and the next arc certainly couldn’t be any worse. This gets one more arc.
Ultimate X-Men 1
My first exposure to Peach Momoko, I think. I’ve heard her name come up a lot as a creator lately, but never had the chance until now. This is basically a manga take on X-Men through the POV of Hisako Ichiki (Armor). A new enough twist that I’ll read some more.
Love Everlasting 13
This really needs to be read in one go when it’s all done. Even still, I’m super happy Tom King and Elsa Charretier are doing this.
Swan Songs 1-6
iFanboy kept going on about how good this title is, so I gave the trade a shot. Each issue is a self-contained story about an ending. The concept is better than the execution, but special shout out to the Shel Silverstein-inspired final issue. A work of art and homage that I wouldn’t have imagined was possible.
Zorro: Man of the Dead 1-3
Totally missed that this Sean Murphy title had started. He makes a bold move by moving the Zorro myth to the modern day, reincarnating the Fox through the delusions of a traumatized young man. He makes it work, helped in large part by his usual standout art. I love this man’s work, he’s one of the strongest writer/artists out there today.
As someone who loved Maya Lopez’s original appearances, it’s weird for me to see her with undefined superpowers in the new Marvel show. Even more so because they seem so similar to Kahhori’s from the latest What If… season.
Ultimately, I found myself not caring at all about Maya or this story on the reservation of her childhood. Kingpin’s return is moderately entertaining, mostly for the sweet sign languaging AR tech. (How far are we from that actually being a thing?)
After this, I have little desire to see more of the MCU Maya Lopez, which saddens me greatly.
Worth watching: No
Would watch again: No
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Didn’t suck
Masters of the Air
The companion piece to Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
The action is stunning and visceral, but there’s a sameness to all of the missions (take off, fly, get hit by flak and fighters, drop bombs, land/get shot down) that means they can’t be the focus of every episode the way each set piece was so distinctive in the other two shows.
The high casualty count means that the show can’ really stay on the same group of characters; The Red Tails show up for a few disjointed episodes, Buck and Bucky’s stint in captivity fails to captivate, Crosby is stuck behind a desk for most of the run, and Rosie is only around for the second half. It’s harder to care for these men.
Certainly not rewatchable the way Brothers is, but that’s a high bar to reach. But it might not even be as good as Pacific, which isn’t nearly so lofty in its accomplishments.
Worth watching: Yes
Would watch again: Yes (Parts of it, at least)
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Nice
3 Body Problem
I was certainly riveted for the whole run as the mystery slowly unfolded and the threat revealed. The ship sequence is up there among the most impressive tv scenes ever filmed, no lie. And something about Will’s unrequited love resonates deeply. But for all that, what I really want to do is read the book now, because I imagine it’ll be better still than this adaptation. I hope to find out soon.
Worth watching: Yes
Would watch again: Yes
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Pretty good
Monkey Man
I was excited to watch this after all of the positive reviews. Unfortunately, while Dev Patel’s an appealing and effective lead, the film fails for me on two key fronts: The action, which while executed, doesn’t stand out in any way; the comparisons to The Raid and John Wick are not suitable. And the protagonist is too stupid for me to root for; he’s patient and smart enough to methodically plan for his opportunities, but he botches both the first assassination attempt (got too close and got caught monologuing) and the final coup de grace (got even closer and got caught listening to a monologue). Idiot.
That said, there are a few moments of superb filmmaking: Loved the training scene with the diegetic drum music and the final moment where he sees his mother again.
I’m done. Something like this needs to feel grandiose, over the top, eye-poppingly exciting. After a promising first issue, this series has delivered none of those things.
Rare Flavours 4
Ram V writes stories unlike anything else that I’ve read. Here we have a cooking comic framed by a cannibalistic god looking to make a documentary. ??? It’s wonderful.
Animal Pound 2
This is basically a lesson in the creation of a government from scratch. Tom King is showing us the Founding Fathers in animal form, and I love it. (That said, I’d love even more to see King write a comic about the creation of the US Constitution…)
Transformers 5
I love what Daniel Warren Johnson brings to the comics world. I love that Arcee is the first warrior that Optimus wants to bring back. I love his Devastator splash on the last page. No one draws pure energy on the page like he does.
Nightwing 111
Nightwing no longer has the pop it used to, probably directly connected to Bruno Redondo’s departure. But Tom Taylor still writes a good comic, and I love his relationship between Dick and Bruce.
Action Comics 1062
Not the best, not the worst from Jason Aaron. I’ll probably give it this and one more arc. A sane Bizarro Joker feels like it’s been done before, but I’m curious to see where Aaron takes it.
Wonder Woman 6
I find that I’m always a little reluctant to read Wonder Woman when it’s on my buy pile. There’s something about it that I find daunting, and I can’t put my finger on why. But whenever I finish reading it, I inevitably wonder what I was so worried about. This may very be the definitely take on Diana. King is killing this.
Penguin 7
Penguin: Year One continues. I’m not sold on this retcon of Batman and Cobblepot’s early relationship, but at least it’s well executed by Tom King.
Batman: Brave and the Bold 9
Tom King and Mitch Gerad’s Joker story finally comes to a close. Nine issues to finish a four-part story. I really need to read this start to finish, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be awesome.
I was tempted to buy this because Jason Aaron always brings the possibility of greatness with him wherever he goes. But it only took one word to keep me away: “Bizarro.” Hate the guy. But a glowing review from iFanboy convinced me to give it a try, and I must say that I’m around for at least a few more issues. Aaron comes up with a few brilliant twists that sell me on his take on one of the worst comic characters ever: As Superman’s opposite, Bizarro has an amazing affinity for magic. And even better, he uses this talent to cast a spell a la Zatanna that makes him speak normally. Game changer. Plus, John Timms is an excellent artist.
Somna 2
Love Tula Lotay’s art.
Fantastic Four 15-17
Ryan North seems to have an endless stream of original ideas. His creativity is a perfect match for this title. If only he had a comparable artist to match his talents.
Wonder Woman 5
A fine concept where Diana takes on her many proteges in 1-on-1 competition. I don’t buy that she’s got any talent in fighting games, but whatever. It’s all setup for a delightful reveal that shouldn’t have surprised me but totally did. Tom King’s parallel story has the bad guys gathering their gang, unintentionally mirroring what’s going on over on his Penguin title.
Trinity 1
What a waste of money. Six bucks for a reprinting of stories that I’ve already purchased over the last six months in Wonder Woman, with a throwaway Tom King story tossed in there. So angry at DC for this.
I never understood why Reacher fans made such a big deal about Tom Cruise being too short for the role in the movies. The first film (never saw the second) was perfectly fine, and I’ll still watch the street fight scene every once in a while.
But then I started watching the show on Amazon (thanks to a friend’s recommendation), and it all made sense to me in a flash. So much of how people treat Reacher is due to his massive size, and it totally affects every situation that he’s in.
Reacher basically mixes the uber-competence and confidence of Jason Bourne with the convoluted mysteries of Stephen Hunter’s Bob Lee Swagger novels. Toss in the wandering ronin aspects of Usagi Yojimbo and you’ve pretty much got it all. (Obviously my comparisons aren’t the originators, but they’re the ones that come to mind first based off my personal lexicon.)
The result is a super fun show that I binged in no time at all. Alan Ritchson is born to play this role. The supporting cast includes standouts Maria Sten, Malcolm Goodwin, and Willa Fitzgerald. (Would that we could get more of her. Roscoe’s a perfect complement to Reacher.) There’s a perfect Terminator shout out for Robert Patrick.
I’ll keep watching these as long as Amazon keeps pumping them out.
Regret watching: No
Would watch again: Yes
Would buy on DVD: Yes
Rating: Good
Blue Eye Samurai S1
Watched this after my cousin showed me the first episode over Thanksgiving. I’m not the biggest manga fan (nothing against it, it’s just not high up on my list), but this is spectacular. The animation, the action, the internal conflict; all of it sings. Maya Erskine brings a lovely gravitas to Mizu. (Looking forward to seeing her live in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.) As a minor quibble, the rest of the cast is too famous to sink into their roles; I kept seeing George Takei, Masi Oka, and Randall Park’s faces when their characters spoke.
The ending also let me down; I expected and wanted Mizu to kill Fowler; It’s way more in character for her to accomplish her immediate goal and figure out how to find her other targets on her own. (She has their names now, after all.)
Still, can’t wait for season 2.
Regret watching: No
Would watch again: Yes
Would buy on DVD: Yes
Rating: Pretty good
What If… S2
Season 1 didn’t blow me away, but it was entertaining enough for what it was. Season 2 was more of the same. It’s always fun to hear the super-famous original cast voice their characters. Kahhori is a neat new addition to the MCU. I’ll never complain about more Captain Carter. (I want to see more of her and Black Widow. They’re a great team, and Lake Bell is an excellent replacement for Scarlett Johannson.)
Regret watching: No
Would watch again: Yes
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Nice
I am SO behind on new comics.
Avengers 9-10
I can’t pinpoint it, but there’s something missing in Jed MacKay’s writing and/or CF Villa’s art that prevents this run from hitting that next gear that I’ve been hoping for. Everything’s epic, and the elevator pitch of the Tribulation Events sparks my imagination, but the execution just isn’t there. Maybe it’s the ho hum cast or the unmemorable villains, but the title never gets me excited.
It gets one more issue; I want to see what MacKay does with Jarvis.
Crave 2-3
Things slowly escalate while the sex continues at a torrid pace. Maria Llovet’s certainly got my attention, and I’m definitely not bored.
Love Everlasting 11-12
I don’t know why it took me until the last page of issue 12 to realize that this is the origin of the cowboy who’s been chasing Joan this whole time. I’m really enjoying this arc; Tom King and Elsa Charretier continue to deliver with this quirky nothing-else-like-it comic.
Birds of Prey 5-6
The completely-out-of-place fill-in art by Arist Deyn in issue 5 reveals how weak the story by Kelly Thompson really is; Megaera is a horrible villain, and it really takes Leonardo Romero to lift the whole production to an above-average level. Still, I’ll keep going with this because despite the plot, Thompson nails the character interactions, and the overarching hook of saving Barbara Gordon’s life is brilliant.
Penguin 5-6
Penguin finishes gathering the crew he needs to take back Gotham City, before Tom King transitions to telling the story of how he rose to power in the first place. More of the same customary good work from King. Is this really an ongoing?
Batman: Off-World 3
Batman gets a space wolf companion, his revenge on the alien that beat him, and a new mission as he decides to tackle the space corporation behind the slave ship he was on. Batshit crazy fun stuff from Jason Aaron and Doug Mahnke.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees 3
How many issues is this going to be? Is it a mini? Not that I’m eager to see this end, but things seem to be moving very quickly. After ruling out a potential suspect, Samantha appears to discover the real culprit at the end of this issue. We’ll see how it shakes out…
Deep Cuts 4
Massively regretting my decision to continue with this series. I simply don’t care about this comic at all. Dropping with two issues to go.
Nightwing 110
So glad I’m not reading Tom Taylor’s Titans; if this Beast World crossover is any indication, it’s horrible. Damian as an underground fighting man-cat isn’t something that I’ve ever remotely wanted to read. Also, I miss Bruno Redondo.
Transformers 4
This hits all the right notes, but it still doesn’t sing in the way Daniel Warren Johnson’s previous work does. I’ll stay around for the next two issues, but I might drop when he stops drawing it.
Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 4
Do I just not like comic books anymore? So many of these titles aren’t evoking the joy that I’m looking for. Is it me or the books? There’s only three issues to go, and this is amusing enough that the completionist in me will probably finish it out.
Fables 161
I’m going to forget about this the instant I finish the next (last) issue. But on the bright side, it’ll be like reading a completely new Fables story when I get around to the re-read years from now.
