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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 8, 2018 17:23:09 GMT -5
Gideon Falls #1Written by Jeff Lemire Art by Andrea Sorrentino Colored by Dave Stewart Summary:The lives of a mental patient obsessed with a conspiracy in a city's trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest in a small town become intertwined around the mysterious legend of The Black Barn.
Plot: Whether its super heroes or just his own thing I love just about everything Lemire touches and this mash up of urban horror and rural mystery is no different. Though light on the finer details surrounding what we learn at the end is the Black Barn, the unease that Lemire builds through out the issue in two parallel narratives is absolutely exquisite. The best part of the book is just how dense it ease, although you flip through the book at a rapid pace fueled by apprehension you can't help but feel that you've been reading for days because of how satisfied it leaves you...and yet it revealed almost nothing about Father Fred or Norton or their world. That feeling of satisfaction in opposition to just how much of the story remains a secret makes the book a master class on how you can retain ambiguity and mystery and hook a reader in by revealing character through atmosphere and dialogue as opposed to heavy exposition dumps and it's a lesson just about every writer should heed. I don't know where this story is going, but I'm locked in to find out.
Art: Andrea Sorrentino's moody art and intricate sense of design in both the architecture of the city and the rural town paired with Dave Stewart's atmospheric colors creates one of the best pieces of sequential art storytelling I've seen in a long time. Every panel just draws you in and creates a world that feels both real and lived in and simultaneously other worldly which is a great combination for a horror book.
Grade:10/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 8, 2018 19:55:20 GMT -5
Superman #42. Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. Art and Cover by Patrick Gleason.
First of all I hate Bizarro. The dialog gives me a headache.
However Tomasi & Gleason tell the story of Bizarro & his family & it is interesting mixing in the family dynamics. So this makes this different than other Bizarro stories. Plus Gleason's art is amazing. Hopefully as this arc goes on I will like it even more.
7/10. Me am hate Bizarro too! When ever me no see him I never pick up any book with him no on it! But yeah, the bizzaro-speak does take a bit getting used to but in this case it really paid to decipher it; that monologue about how getting older and having a family made Bizzaro feel in the beginning was pretty fantastic. That focus on family dynamics and character development is really what made this run on Superman one of my all time favorites and it's something I really hope doesn't go away when Bendis takes over. As for the art, I didn't think anyone could draw a better Bizarro than Eric Powel did but I think Gleason might come close. I really love how craggy and roughly hewn his Bizarro looked, especially in that back lit close up at the end of the opening monologue so I'm excited to see him get more chances to show case that style as the story continues. Grade: 8/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 8, 2018 20:22:07 GMT -5
Spider-Man #238 Written by Brian Michael Bendis Art by Oscar Bazaldua Summary: In the face of the threat of his Uncle Aaron and the new Sinister Six Miles sends his parents out of the city as he prepares for face off.
Plot: I recently re-upped for Marvel Unlimited after letting it lapse at the start of last year and one of the books I recently caught up on was Spider-Man. I loved reading Spider-Man with Miles back when the Ultimate Universe was still a thing, so I don't know why I didn't pick this up when Bendis brought it over to the 616 but I'm glad I caught up as it's just as excellent in the main universe as it was in the ultimate. In a lot of ways this latest story with the Sinister Six feels like a good bye to Miles' world from Bendis as he tells a story that book ends nicely with how Miles story first began with him squarring off against his Uncle Aaron once again.
Art: I think the only thing keeping this from being perfect is the fact that it doesn't have Sara Pichelli on art. Don't get me wrong, Bazaldua isn't terrible but he lacks the realism Pichelli always brought to the book.
Grade:7/10 |
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Post by Hoosier X on Mar 9, 2018 14:45:42 GMT -5
Batman (the comic) has certainly had its ups and downs lately, but I can say that the current "Everyone Loves Ivy" storyline is definitely one of the ups. Poison Ivy has managed to get everyone on Earth as her mind-slaves because she has put something in the greens. Just to make the game a little more interesting, she has given Batman and Catwoman something to countereffect the drug ... but there's not much they can do. Ivy can just summon Superman to stop them and hang them upside-down from a building while Ivy explains that people are killing the planet and this is the only thing she can think of to make them stop. (Eh, I'm sort of seeing Ivy's point, in much the same manner that I root for the birds in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and for the aliens in the later "Alien" movies.) I know A LOT of people - not just kids and teens, but also many adults - who would be completely immune because they don't eat greens. All Batman and Catwoman have to do is find all the people who don't eat greens, get them out of the house and away from their TVs and video games, and convince them to help against Ivy and her army of health-conscious super-heroes! But we're not quite there yet in this storyline. Batman makes Ivy mad and she loses her tamper and gets Superman to punch Batman. OUCH! I'm loving this in the way I love the best Weisinger-era Superman stories. As for Ivy, I haven't enjoyed a Poison Ivy story nearly this much since she took over that Gotham City park after the earthquake. How long ago was that - 20 years? |
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Post by The Captain on Mar 9, 2018 15:17:17 GMT -5
 Captain America #699. Written by Mark Waid. Art and Cover by Chris Samnee. Cap fights the Hulk, recruits the Thing & overthrows King Babbington (who looks like an eraser). Wow. That happened fast. Next issue the aftermath as Cap rebuilds the USA? This arc is so... off. Even Samnee's art was not his best. 6/10. You are much more generous than I when it comes to grading this unmitigated disaster, my friend. So, we have a big dramatic reveal at the beginning of last issue as Steve, who was frozen by Rampart at the end of the third issue of this series), wakes up in a horrible future where the 1% are in charge (because the wealthy and connected only started being in control since January 2017, not going back to the beginning of the country or anything like that). He's told by the survivors of the nuclear attack that King Babbington (or King Baby) is in charge, and that there is nothing that can be done. Steve, as Steve is wont to do, doesn't take that news lightly, so he goes off to do something, leading into this issue, which shows Steve on the cover caught between The Hulk and The Thing... ...except that scene never happens and this book is a complete waste and I want my five minutes back so that I can clip my toenails or floss my teeth or do something more productive than reading this garbage. The resolution with Hulk was stupid, the reveal about Thing was ridiculous, and the big battle with King Baby was so tremendously underwhelming that it would take five tons of whelm just to get me anywhere near being just underwhelmed. I'm assuming the point of the final battle was that the elite, despite their wealth and privilege, will fold immediately in the face of opposition, but seeing Steve dispatch King Baby, who is a pathetic pink-hued mutant that actually bears a slight resemblance to the current occupant of the White House, in such easy fashion doesn't do the concept justice, because the elite will always have better toys, better weapons, and more disposable fighters to defend them, making the battle for the common man much more difficult, not a walk in the park like was shown here. Maybe it's because Waid and Samnee know this series is just a bridge between the Hydra-Cap series and the upcoming one written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and maybe it's because Samnee is leaving the company, but this just comes across like a complete throwaway story. I'm guessing they were told not to do too much with it, especially in the vein of rehabbing Steve's reputation in the present, because Coates had some big plans for the title, but whatever the case, this is just crap, and Marvel should feel bad for the hundreds of trees that gave their life to produce it. 1/10 - A pathetic showing in all aspects. Mercifully, it will be over soon, but that still won't be soon enough for this Cap fan. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2018 15:24:50 GMT -5
Captain America #699. Written by Mark Waid. Art and Cover by Chris Samnee. Cap fights the Hulk, recruits the Thing & overthrows King Babbington (who looks like an eraser). Wow. That happened fast. Next issue the aftermath as Cap rebuilds the USA? This arc is so... off. Even Samnee's art was not his best. 6/10. You are much more generous than I when it comes to grading this unmitigated disaster, my friend. 1/10 - A pathetic showing in all aspects. Mercifully, it will be over soon, but that still won't be soon enough for this Cap fan. So I guess you didn't like it?  I still enjoyed it more than the Hydra Cap story so that influenced me somewhat. And usually Waid redeems himself with a satisfying ending. And I gave him some slack because I realized this was a fill in between Hydra Cap & the re-launch in July. And maybe I was just in a good mood when I read it...  |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 9, 2018 16:37:26 GMT -5
Captain America #699. Written by Mark Waid. Art and Cover by Chris Samnee. Cap fights the Hulk, recruits the Thing & overthrows King Babbington (who looks like an eraser). Wow. That happened fast. Next issue the aftermath as Cap rebuilds the USA? This arc is so... off. Even Samnee's art was not his best. 6/10. You are much more generous than I when it comes to grading this unmitigated disaster, my friend. So, we have a big dramatic reveal at the beginning of last issue as Steve, who was frozen by Rampart at the end of the third issue of this series), wakes up in a horrible future where the 1% are in charge (because the wealthy and connected only started being in control since January 2017, not going back to the beginning of the country or anything like that). He's told by the survivors of the nuclear attack that King Babbington (or King Baby) is in charge, and that there is nothing that can be done. Steve, as Steve is wont to do, doesn't take that news lightly, so he goes off to do something, leading into this issue, which shows Steve on the cover caught between The Hulk and The Thing... ...except that scene never happens and this book is a complete waste and I want my five minutes back so that I can clip my toenails or floss my teeth or do something more productive than reading this garbage. The resolution with Hulk was stupid, the reveal about Thing was ridiculous, and the big battle with King Baby was so tremendously underwhelming that it would take five tons of whelm just to get me anywhere near being just underwhelmed. I'm assuming the point of the final battle was that the elite, despite their wealth and privilege, will fold immediately in the face of opposition, but seeing Steve dispatch King Baby, who is a pathetic pink-hued mutant that actually bears a slight resemblance to the current occupant of the White House, in such easy fashion doesn't do the concept justice, because the elite will always have better toys, better weapons, and more disposable fighters to defend them, making the battle for the common man much more difficult, not a walk in the park like was shown here. Maybe it's because Waid and Samnee know this series is just a bridge between the Hydra-Cap series and the upcoming one written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and maybe it's because Samnee is leaving the company, but this just comes across like a complete throwaway story. I'm guessing they were told not to do too much with it, especially in the vein of rehabbing Steve's reputation in the present, because Coates had some big plans for the title, but whatever the case, this is just crap, and Marvel should feel bad for the hundreds of trees that gave their life to produce it. 1/10 - A pathetic showing in all aspects. Mercifully, it will be over soon, but that still won't be soon enough for this Cap fan. You made it further than I did, I flipped through the first few pages at the shop and decided not to buy it. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 9, 2018 20:11:42 GMT -5
The Highest House #1 Written by Mike Carey Art by Peter Gross Summary: A slave boy named Moth makes friends with a powerful entity called Obsidian that promises him anything desires, but at what cost?
Plot: Mike Carey is no stranger to fantasy or world building having previously written such favorites of mine as Lucifer, Neverwhere and Crossing Midnight but this latest entry just might end up being my favorite if the subsequent entries match this first issue. In this series opener Carey introduces us to the world of Ossaniul where once there were a thousand gods but now only one Goddess and her power is meted out by 300 families who sit in the Room of Rule in the Highest House. It's a deeply layered world that feels both rich and layered and although little plot is revealed you are immediately drawn in. In a lot of ways it reminds of how I first felt upon reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, the table is set and I'm left with an intense feeling of excitement as I imagine exploring the world in front of me. I don't know where this story is going but it has definitely succeeded in filling me with a sense of wonder so I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Art: Following Carey is his long time collaborator Peter Gross whose brought to life some of comicdom's finest fantasy comics like the Books of Magic and he brings that same charm here to the Highest House. Every character is unique, and the scenery and architecture show a tantalizing world full of life just with excitement just around the corner. It's beautiful, and I just can't wait to see more.
Grade:10/10 |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 25, 2018 13:09:23 GMT -5
Gideon Falls #1Written by Jeff Lemire Art by Andrea Sorrentino Colored by Dave Stewart Summary:The lives of a mental patient obsessed with a conspiracy in a city's trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest in a small town become intertwined around the mysterious legend of The Black Barn.
Plot: Whether its super heroes or just his own thing I love just about everything Lemire touches and this mash up of urban horror and rural mystery is no different. Though light on the finer details surrounding what we learn at the end is the Black Barn, the unease that Lemire builds through out the issue in two parallel narratives is absolutely exquisite. The best part of the book is just how dense it ease, although you flip through the book at a rapid pace fueled by apprehension you can't help but feel that you've been reading for days because of how satisfied it leaves you...and yet it revealed almost nothing about Father Fred or Norton or their world. That feeling of satisfaction in opposition to just how much of the story remains a secret makes the book a master class on how you can retain ambiguity and mystery and hook a reader in by revealing character through atmosphere and dialogue as opposed to heavy exposition dumps and it's a lesson just about every writer should heed. I don't know where this story is going, but I'm locked in to find out.
Art: Andrea Sorrentino's moody art and intricate sense of design in both the architecture of the city and the rural town paired with Dave Stewart's atmospheric colors creates one of the best pieces of sequential art storytelling I've seen in a long time. Every panel just draws you in and creates a world that feels both real and lived in and simultaneously other worldly which is a great combination for a horror book.
Grade:10/10 I just read this. My thoughts were pretty well in line with yours. Not a lot happened. Even the set-up was light. But it felt the right pace somehow. This one is going to be a slow burn. And that's fine. I'm not familiar with Sorrentino's art, but I'm impressed. And as usual Dave Stewart's colors are spot on. I'd probably give it 8/10 but it's a fine first issue. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 25, 2018 13:51:17 GMT -5
Gideon Falls #1Written by Jeff Lemire Art by Andrea Sorrentino Colored by Dave Stewart Summary:The lives of a mental patient obsessed with a conspiracy in a city's trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest in a small town become intertwined around the mysterious legend of The Black Barn.
Plot: Whether its super heroes or just his own thing I love just about everything Lemire touches and this mash up of urban horror and rural mystery is no different. Though light on the finer details surrounding what we learn at the end is the Black Barn, the unease that Lemire builds through out the issue in two parallel narratives is absolutely exquisite. The best part of the book is just how dense it ease, although you flip through the book at a rapid pace fueled by apprehension you can't help but feel that you've been reading for days because of how satisfied it leaves you...and yet it revealed almost nothing about Father Fred or Norton or their world. That feeling of satisfaction in opposition to just how much of the story remains a secret makes the book a master class on how you can retain ambiguity and mystery and hook a reader in by revealing character through atmosphere and dialogue as opposed to heavy exposition dumps and it's a lesson just about every writer should heed. I don't know where this story is going, but I'm locked in to find out.
Art: Andrea Sorrentino's moody art and intricate sense of design in both the architecture of the city and the rural town paired with Dave Stewart's atmospheric colors creates one of the best pieces of sequential art storytelling I've seen in a long time. Every panel just draws you in and creates a world that feels both real and lived in and simultaneously other worldly which is a great combination for a horror book.
Grade:10/10 I just read this. My thoughts were pretty well in line with yours. Not a lot happened. Even the set-up was light. But it felt the right pace somehow. This one is going to be a slow burn. And that's fine. I'm not familiar with Sorrentino's art, but I'm impressed. And as usual Dave Stewart's colors are spot on. I'd probably give it 8/10 but it's a fine first issue. Sometimes atmosphere is all you need and this book really had it in spades, it'll need more than that as it goes but for a start it really worked. Sorrentino and Lemire are something of a pair now, having worked together on Old Man Logan and Green Arrow together but paired with Stewart it really is something else. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 28, 2018 18:37:05 GMT -5
Doctor Star #1. Written by Jeff Lemire. Art and Cover by Max Fiumara.
A spin off mini series from Black Hammer. This issue tells the origin of how Dr James Robinson becomes Dr Star back in the 40's. It also sets up a sub plot in the present where Dr Robinson's son is dying from cancer. I suspect the two are connected. It is partially a homage to James Robinson's Starman series at DC.
Beautifully written. I can "feel" the emotions of the Robinson family as James ignores his wife & son to be able to "touch the stars" with his invention the para-wand. He is addicted to being a hero. The art is beautiful at capturing these emotions. It sells the emotions... the elation & the sadness.
This is really good stuff.
9/10. Finally had a chance to read this. And it really is a beautifully done book. It's definitely an homage to Starman but also to the Golden Age comics. I'm not familiar with Max Fiumara, but his art is perfect here. Lemire is just crushing it with Black Hammer. It really feels a bit like Astro City..but it took a fork in the road to make it enough different to be interesting. I still need to read the Sherlock Frankenstein book. 9/10 |
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