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Post by thwhtguardian on Jul 13, 2017 14:11:32 GMT -5
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Post by Hoosier X on Jul 13, 2017 16:31:50 GMT -5
Wonder Woman #26Well, we're moving on from the 25-issue storyline about why Wonder Woman's continuity is so complicated and messed-up. I had mixed feeling about Wonder Woman #26. The Themiscyra flsashback to Diana's childhood was ... trite. The Amazons argue with Hippolyta about whether or not Diana should have a doll ... because warriors don't have dolls. Little Diana overhears this and locks her doll in a chest and throws the key out the window and cries herself to sleep. Here's a story I want to see about Diana's childhood. Little Diana has an imaginary friend named Mr. Djinn. And he turns out not to be imaginary. And not a three-page flashback. The Amazons coping with Mr. Djinn on Themiscyra would be an interesting tale of Diana's childhood. On the other hand, I like Wonder Woman working with the U.N. forces. They need all the help they can get. I also liked Rebirth Etta Candy for the first time. She invites Diana to her brother's wedding! (I think his name should be Rock Candy. But no such luck!) And the cliffhanger was very cliffhanger-y!
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jul 13, 2017 17:40:15 GMT -5
Wonder Woman #26Well, we're moving on from the 25-issue storyline about why Wonder Woman's continuity is so complicated and messed-up. I had mixed feeling about Wonder Woman #26. The Themiscyra flsashback to Diana's childhood was ... trite. The Amazons argue with Hippolyta about whether or not Diana should have a doll ... because warriors don't have dolls. Little Diana overhears this and locks her doll in a chest and throws the key out the window and cries herself to sleep. Here's a story I want to see about Diana's childhood. Little Diana has an imaginary friend named Mr. Djinn. And he turns out not to be imaginary. And not a three-page flashback. The Amazons coping with Mr. Djinn on Themiscyra would be an interesting tale of Diana's childhood. On the other hand, I like Wonder Woman working with the U.N. forces. They need all the help they can get. I also liked Rebirth Etta Candy for the first time. She invites Diana to her brother's wedding! (I think his name should be Rock Candy. But no such luck!) And the cliffhanger was very cliffhanger-y! Rock Candy would have been awesome, and so now that is what Etta's brother shall be in my head from hence forth. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jul 13, 2017 19:32:19 GMT -5
Wonder Woman #26Well, we're moving on from the 25-issue storyline about why Wonder Woman's continuity is so complicated and messed-up. I had mixed feeling about Wonder Woman #26. The Themiscyra flsashback to Diana's childhood was ... trite. The Amazons argue with Hippolyta about whether or not Diana should have a doll ... because warriors don't have dolls. Little Diana overhears this and locks her doll in a chest and throws the key out the window and cries herself to sleep. Here's a story I want to see about Diana's childhood. Little Diana has an imaginary friend named Mr. Djinn. And he turns out not to be imaginary. And not a three-page flashback. The Amazons coping with Mr. Djinn on Themiscyra would be an interesting tale of Diana's childhood. On the other hand, I like Wonder Woman working with the U.N. forces. They need all the help they can get. I also liked Rebirth Etta Candy for the first time. She invites Diana to her brother's wedding! (I think his name should be Rock Candy. But no such luck!) And the cliffhanger was very cliffhanger-y! Rock Candy would have been awesome, and so now that is what Etta's brother shall be in my head from hence forth. In the 1940s, Etta's father was Hard Candy and I'm almost positive that her brother was Mint Candy. It's all very Thimble Theatre. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jul 13, 2017 20:49:32 GMT -5
Rock Candy would have been awesome, and so now that is what Etta's brother shall be in my head from hence forth. In the 1940s, Etta's father was Hard Candy and I'm almost positive that her brother was Mint Candy. It's all very Thimble Theatre. Ha, as it should be. I love it. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jul 14, 2017 16:37:12 GMT -5
I finally got the first part of The War of Jokes and Riddles. I was close to Barnes and Noble, so I went a little out of my way to see if they had it.
I'm trying really really hard to like it. There's the germ of a very good idea in here.
The Rebirth version of the Riddler made me roll my eyes a little. He seems to be an amalgam of Bullseye (expert at all forms of combat and can kill you with a toothpick) and the Joker (crazy psychopath who uses jokes, puzzles, etc. for over-elaborate theme crimes). It's become a sort of a comic book cliché to have every villain a psychopath who can kill you with his bare hands.
But I'm going to try to look past that. This is what comics are these days. I'm going to judge the character based on how well the comic is written, not on how personally irked I am by all these modern comic book clichés.
So then I got to the part where the Riddler escapes from lock-up. Geez Louise, this is DUMB! I've been reading Batman comics for a while, and I've come to expect that you will see GCPD law enforcement doing some dumb-ass crap, but the way the Riddler escaped is just some stupid bad writing.
The Riddler would engage the guards in small talk, and they naively just answered all his questions about the names of their kids, where they lived, how to get there, etc. etc. It wasn't like he was asking them about stuff he could use to escape, like how many magic river piranhas are in Gotham River below Gotham bluff where Gotham City Jail is located.
I mean, who would imagine that, with all the nice people who move through the Gotham jail, prison and asylum system, somebody might use personal information to threaten or intimidate GCPD law enforcement personnel?
Nothing about that scene makes any sense. This is the kind of thing that makes me roll my eyes when people talk about how silly old comics are and how sophisticated modern readers are. But it's ALL pretty silly. It's just a different kind of silliness in the modern stuff.
Anyway, I'm moving on. I've accepted that the Riddler is a Bullseye/Joker amalgam. And I'm going to pretend that the Riddler escaped some other way and left his first riddle painted on the wall in the warden's blood! That'll show everybody that it's serious this time!
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jul 14, 2017 17:57:39 GMT -5
I finally got the first part of The War of Jokes and Riddles. I was close to Barnes and Noble, so I went a little out of my way to see if they had it. I'm trying really really hard to like it. There's the germ of a very good idea in here. The Rebirth version of the Riddler made me roll my eyes a little. He seems to be an amalgam of Bullseye (expert at all forms of combat and can kill you with a toothpick) and the Joker (crazy psychopath who uses jokes, puzzles, etc. for over-elaborate theme crimes). It's become a sort of a comic book cliché to have ever villain a psychopath who can kill you with his bare hands. But I'm going to try to look past that. This is what comics are these days. I'm going to judge the character based on how well the comic is written, not on how personally irked I am by all these modern comic book clichés. So then I got to the part where the Riddler escapes from lock-up. Geez Louise, this is DUMB! I've been reading Batman comics for a while, and I've come toe xoect that you will GCPD law enforcement doing some dumb-ass crap, but the way the Riddler escaped is just some stupid bad writing. The Riddler would engage the guards in small talk, and they naively just answered all his questions about the names of their kids, where they lived, how to get there, etc. etc. It wasn't like he was asking them about stuff he could use to escape, like how many magic river piranhas are in Gotham River below Gotham bluff where Gotham City Jail is located. I mean, who would imagine that, with all the nice people who move through the Gotham jail, prison and asylum system, somebody might use personal information to threaten or intimidate GCPD law enforcement personnel? Nothing about that scene makes any sense. This is the kind of thing that makes me roll my eyes when people talk about how silly old comics are and how sophisticated modern readers are. But it's ALL pretty silly. It's just a different kind of silliness in the modern stuff. Anyway, I'm moving on. I've accepted that the Riddler is a Bullseye/Joker amalgam. And I'm going to pretend that the Riddler escaped some other way and left his first riddle painted on the wall in the warden's blood! That'll show everybody that it's serious this time! Yeah, I think I mentioned that the Hannibal Lector vibe was way over done, but I love the art and there's enough semi-interesting ideas to keep me involved. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jul 14, 2017 19:59:53 GMT -5
Darth Vader #3 Written by Charles Soule Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli Summary: Vader confronts one of the few remaining Jedi who escaped order 66 in order to obtain his lightsaber.
Plot: Soule continues on his tour of Vader's quest to get a new lightsaber, and although the action is fantastic and it was interesting to see Vader as less than invincible the lack of characterization is making it feel a little thin. The idea itself is still interesting but after the initial issue which featured some interesting insight into Vader's relationship with the Emperor there hasn't been much to the story outside of a series of action sequences.
Art: Camuncoli's clear lines give the action a slick, fluid look that makes the action easy to follow.
Grade: 6/10 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 20:43:31 GMT -5
Wonder Woman #26: mostly a set up issue for the latest creative team. The art was a bit cartoony for my taste. I liked seeing Wonder Woman working with the government, her scenes with Etta (would have liked to seen more of Etta's family complete with the golden age names) and the mystery of the dr piqued my interest. Not sure of the significance of the scene on Paradise Island, but I'm assuming we'll learn more as the story progresses.
5.5/10
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 21:08:25 GMT -5
Titans #13: Abnett continues the fun in an action packed issue with tons of Titans melodrama. We see the team worried about the Flash's health condition (and he learns the condition allows him to do something unusual with his powers), the Arsenal/Donna/Flash triangle, Lilith and Tempest's burgeoning romance, and a very interesting villain called Endgame. I thought his "on demand" powers were very timely considering the on demand world we live in. With an appearance by another 70s Titan, the accusation of one of the Titans as a traitor, and not bad fill in art from V. Ken Marion, this was a fun issue with several elements that make the Titans so fun. Very much enjoying the 70s team combined with the 80s over the top drama!
9/10
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Post by String on Jul 15, 2017 16:35:42 GMT -5
Darth Vader #3Written by Charles Soule Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli Summary: Vader confronts one of the few remaining Jedi who escaped order 66 in order to obtain his lightsaber.
Plot: Soule continues on his tour of Vader's quest to get a new lightsaber, and although the action is fantastic and it was interesting to see Vader as less than invincible the lack of characterization is making it feel a little thin. The idea itself is still interesting but after the initial issue which featured some interesting insight into Vader's relationship with the Emperor there hasn't been much to the story outside of a series of action sequences.
Art: Camuncoli's clear lines give the action a slick, fluid look that makes the action easy to follow.
Grade: 6/10 The art was terrific, I would expect no less from Camuncoli. As for the story, it's engaging but not much meat here. Vader's limitations were on display here, which is always interesting (but one problem I do have with his character. He's very powerful with the Force but by now, he's mostly machine. That has to be a limiting factor in what he is actually capable of doing. The traps sprung on him here made very good use of that limitation.) But one would think that a confrontation would happen (ala the cover scene) yet we end up with a '...To Be Continued.' The art raises this to a 7/10 for me. |
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Post by String on Jul 15, 2017 17:01:37 GMT -5
Mage The Hero Denied #0 - story & art by Matt Wagner
For those that may not know, Mage is a fantasy trilogy by Wagner. It details the life and adventures of Kevin Matchstick, a mystical hero/warrior. The first part, The Hero Discovered (which shows his origin and new purpose) was published in 1985. The second part, The Hero Defined (which sees Kevin at the near peak of his power and prowess), was published in 1997. Now, at last, we come to the third and final act, The Hero Denied.
Why the long delay in-between? Because in most ways, Mage is a more personal work to Wagner. Grendel may be the better known commercial success but Wagner infuses Mage with more autobiographical elements, from aspects of his own personality and quirks (Matchstick bears far more than a passing resemblance to Wagner) to elements of his professional and personal life. The trilogy is meant to reflect the themes and issues a person may face at differing and later stages of their life. So in a way, it's not when Wagner decides to work on the project, it's more when the project decides when it's ready to be worked on.
That being said, this #0 is the Third Interlude (the first one being published as a backup feature in Grendel #16-19 and the second one being #0 of the Hero Defined). Here, we see an older Kevin as he assists a new warrior who's more than confident in his power and style. Accepting the help of the 'old-timer', the pair handle a small mob of goblins. But after the new warrior leaves, we see how Kevin's age & experience ferret out the true menace.
The Interludes serve as a snapshot of what was and what may come. Kevin seems to have reluctantly come into a new role as an elder statesman for the mystical warriors still fighting. Is he ready for that? Is he comfortable with that? What new trials await him here after his amazing journey so far?
Wagner's art is, as ever, amazing. His son Brennan has been handling the coloring for quite a bit of his work lately and it's been a pleasure to see this family effort thrive. This can serve as an intro issue into the overall story, as it's only 16 pages for $1.99 but it's well worth tracking down the previous two parts to read this amazing story.
I admit, I'm heavily biased in this regard, but man, it is so awesome seeing Kevin Matchstick back in action.
9/10
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2017 21:47:23 GMT -5
Action 983: the Revenge Squad vs the Superman Family in a knock down drag out of a fight. Zod realizes Superman is blind and about Lois and Jon. Despite his blindness, Superman fights on to protect his family and stop Zod and his crew. I wasn't expecting some of the twists in the story. It was nice seeing Supergirl and the others show up and the cliffhanger ending certainly makes things look hopeless. However, when the situation is at its most dire, Superman always comes through.Viktor Bogdanovich's art fit this quick read of a story, although it was kind of unfinished looking in places. I'm ready for this story to wrap up.
7/10
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2017 22:57:10 GMT -5
Josie and the Pussycats #8: Josie and the Pussycats are off to Japan with the Archies in tow as their opening act. Lots of surprises occur--we learn that Alexandra and Alan are sleeping together, Alexander wants to be the bands' manager, the Archies get kidnapped, and apparently the series is either going on hiatus or is ending after the next issue. Lots of excellent, fast-paced dialogue and the detail in the art is spectacular. Audrey Mok doesn't skimp on detailed art and makes it look effortless. Each character stands out--in physical appearance and style. One of the very best books out there and worth the price.
10/10
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2017 16:39:56 GMT -5
 #26.
Written by Joshua Williamson. Art by Howard Porter. Cover by Carmine Di Giandomenico.
The Reverse-Flash continues to mess around with Barry & Iris' lives. He shows them a future where their children Don & Dawn destroy Central City because Barry was an absentee father. By the end of the issue Thawne has twisted Barry into the Negative Flash?
Well done. Instead of speed Thawne uses mind games on Barry & Iris to twist their lives in directions that will destroy them. Williamson shows different sides to all 3 characters in a new way. Nice to see Porter's art again.
9/10. |
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