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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 14, 2019 9:14:20 GMT -5
OFF THE RACKS!Usagi's 35th Birthday Edition If you read it let the world know! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2019 10:23:06 GMT -5
 Invaders #11. Written by Chip Zdarsky. Art by Carlos Magno and Butch Guice. Only one more issue left in this series. IMO the Invaders only work well in a WW II setting. Unlike DC's JSA the Invaders do best with stories set in the past. It seems like most writers that write a modern Invaders story have Namor go crazy (check). The Torch lose his powers or get dismantled (check). And Cap be the voice of reason (check). Zdarksy did all three with a slight twist. The best part of this series has been the flashbacks drawn by Guice. I really dislike Namor's "new" modern look and the Torch's "new" robot body. 6/10. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2019 10:45:43 GMT -5
 Hawkman #18. Written by Robert Venditti. Art by Pat Oliffe and Tom Palmer. Carter's mind is taken over by one of his past lives. The Sky Tyrant, the Hawkman of Earth-3. Carter's "spirit" begins to fade away trying to stop the Sky Tyrant from destroying Carter's Earth. When all seems hopeless Hawkwoman of Thanagar shows up to help Carter... Venditti continues his reinvention of Hawkman and I love how he ties in all of the different versions of past Hawkmen. Oliffe's art is old school but does a decent job.
7/10. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 14, 2019 11:02:40 GMT -5
Usagi Yojimbo #6Written and Illustrated by Stan Sakai colored by Tom Luth Summary: Looking to be released from his former oath Usagi travels back to the Adachigahara plains and finds trouble.
Plot/art: For Usagi's 35th anniversary Stan Sakai chose to revisit the story that started it all with a retelling of Usagi's ghastly encounter at Adachidahara. While going back to the start is a good way to pay tribute to the series I'm not sure stretching an eight page short to a feature length was the greatest choice. While it's fun to see the story in Stan's modern art style I think I preferred the pacing of the original especially when it came to revealing the goblin's identity only at the end instead of the goblin revealing itself to be Toda during the battle. That said I like where Stan is going over all, Usagi started a journey and with the context given here with Usagi looking to renounce his former claim of loyalty I'm excited to see what happens next.
Grade:7/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 14, 2019 18:44:28 GMT -5
Gotham City Monsters #3Written by Steve Orlando Art by Amancay Nahuelpan Summary: The gang's finally all in but after attempting to stop Melmoth they discover six is not enough. Plot: I feel like this is something of a running issue I have with Orlando's writing, he starts off with fun concepts but can't seem to keep the energy going for the duration of the story. It's three issues in and we've only really just gathered the team, except not really because now they're going to track down Batwoman and convince her to join their cause which judging by how things have been going will take up most of the next issue though I might not find out as I'm not sure I really care enough to find out. It's a six issue mini-series so I'd expect to have a better feeling of what was going on by this point but as of yet it's still vague; Melmoth is back and he has some vague plan to change the multiverse somehow involving the crime bible. I would expect to have this much plot carried out in a single issue not three so I feel like the ending will be rushed but again I'm not thinking I'll be around to find out for sure. Art: Nahuelpan seems to handle the monsters and the action just fine but emoting remains an issue. I mean it's probably tough for a character like Orca but the rest are fairly human facially so there should be more than just grimaces especially in some of the scenes where we're dealing with emotional fall out of different failures. Grade: 5/10 I'm thinking I'll be skipping this in the future unless I read better reviews, what about you shaxper? You sticking it out? |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 14, 2019 19:08:22 GMT -5
The Batman's Grave #2Written by Warren Ellis Art by Bryan Hitch Summary: After defeating the face eater Batman returns home to find Alfred nursing a hangover and a new case begins.
Plot: I'm really not trying to be terribly glib with the above summary...that's really all that happens in this issue. We were "treated" to nearly 14 whole pages of a brawl between Batman and a ghoul named The Face Eater and then three pages of Gordon turning on the Bat-signal and Batman flying up in the batjet and repelling down to the roof...all with barely any dialog and no mono-logging at all so we learn nothing about what Bruce is thinking and how the case effects him and then as quickly as it starts it's just over and we're moving onto a seemingly unconnected case. The pacing is just so decompressed it isn't even funny, I mean I kind of expect a good amount of that kind of storytelling from Hitch but this was excessive even for him and worse it gave us no insight into Bruce or his case and the whole reason behind favoring a decompressed narrative structure is to slow things down so you can get into the characters so to have that style and learn nothing is just a waste of pages.
Art: I could almost excuse the heavy focus on action if it was presented in a unique way like Hitch's opening of the Ultimates with Captain America storming the nazi base; sure that issue was almost all just WWII action splash pages but it had a great cinematic effect that really drew you in to the book...but this was just a pretty standard brawl between batman and some random mook, there's nothing spectacular about it, it doesn't advance the story and it didn't do anything to get me excited about the book...it just had me counting pages wondering how any kind of story could possibly be told in this book with each successive splash page that passed. It's a shame, I really love how he draws Batman as it has a great classic 70's/80's vibe to it but it's achieving nothing.
Grade:6/10 This has one more issue to catch me or I'm out. I really can't believe I'm saying that given how much I love both Ellis and Hitch but that's where we are. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 14, 2019 20:10:36 GMT -5
Far Sector #1Written by N.K. Jemisin Art by Jamal Campbell Summary: Green Lantern Jo Mullein has been assigned to patrol the City Enduring,a city without crime for over 500 years but that has now changed when a homicide occurs.
Plot: The Green Lantern universe is something that I've always deeply felt should be something that I love; it's concept is a mash up of sci-fi, police procedurals, westerns and swashbuckling fantasy which are all things I love...but I've never really connected with any run of GL that I've ever tried...until today when I read Jemisin's debut issue. From the very first page I was just drawn into this new world with it's amazing noir fueled introduction of the newly minted Lantern Mullein canvassing a murder scene in a metropolis that has not known crime in 500 years. It's a great set up and it just builds from there as Jemisin, who is one of my favorite newish sci-fi writers( seriously check out her book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms) , lays out a world where three separate races have made a utopia after waging war on each other for hundreds of years. It's a beautifully realized, fully alien planet with its own complex culture and exploring it page by page is an incredibly thrilling literary adventure.
Art: In my experience if the story is perfect than for some reason the art usually seems to be slightly lacking, or if the art is mind blowing the story is flat but this is one of those rare occasions where both are equally amazing and that synergy between art and story gives the book a truly special feel. Every panel by Campbell is just stunning, like something that you could just frame and hang on your wall without anyone knowing it came from a comic; it's real art and its beautiful. It's like something out of a movie, it draws you in and makes you feel fully immersed in an organic feeling alien world.
Grade:10/10
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Nov 14, 2019 20:59:50 GMT -5
I'm thinking I'll be skipping this in the future unless I read better reviews, what about you shaxper? You sticking it out? [/div][/div][/quote] I've been so unmotivated to return to my LCS and read more that I haven't even read the second issue yet, let alone the remainder of Event Leviathan  |
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Post by Icctrombone on Nov 14, 2019 21:50:11 GMT -5
I'm thinking I'll be skipping this in the future unless I read better reviews, what about you shaxper ? You sticking it out? [/div][/div][/quote] I've been so unmotivated to return to my LCS and read more that I haven't even read the second issue yet, let alone the remainder of Event Leviathan [/quote] Why, did you have a fight with the owner of the LCS ? |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 14, 2019 22:07:19 GMT -5
Far Sector #1Written by N.K. Jemisin Art by Jamal Campbell Summary: Green Lantern Jo Mullein has been assigned to patrol the City Enduring,a city without crime for over 500 years but that has now changed when a homicide occurs.
Plot: The Green Lantern universe is something that I've always deeply felt should be something that I love; it's concept is a mash up of sci-fi, police procedurals, westerns and swashbuckling fantasy which are all things I love...but I've never really connected with any run of GL that I've ever tried...until today when I read Jemisin's debut issue. From the very first page I was just drawn into this new world with it's amazing noir fueled introduction of the newly minted Lantern Mullein canvassing a murder scene in a metropolis that has not known crime in 500 years. It's a great set up and it just builds from there as Jemisin, who is one of my favorite newish sci-fi writers( seriously check out her book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms) , lays out a world where three separate races have made a utopia after waging war on each other for hundreds of years. It's a beautifully realized, fully alien planet with its own complex culture and exploring it page by page is an incredibly thrilling literary adventure.
Art: In my experience if the story is perfect than for some reason the art usually seems to be slightly lacking, or if the art is mind blowing the story is flat but this is one of those rare occasions where both are equally amazing and that synergy between art and story gives the book a truly special feel. Every panel by Campbell is just stunning, like something that you could just frame and hang on your wall without anyone knowing it came from a comic; it's real art and its beautiful. It's like something out of a movie, it draws you in and makes you feel fully immersed in an organic feeling alien world.
Grade:10/10
NK Jemisin? I'd think that'd be a big deal... she a relatively popular author. sounds really interesting.. I'll have to see if I can grab it! I haven't read hundred thousand kingdoms yet (it's in the pile), but her other book was pretty decent (great world building, a bit light on action).. be interesting to see her in another's sandbox. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Nov 15, 2019 5:50:41 GMT -5
[/div][/div][/quote] I've been so unmotivated to return to my LCS and read more that I haven't even read the second issue yet, let alone the remainder of Event Leviathan [/quote] Why, did you have a fight with the owner of the LCS ?[/quote] Quite the opposite. Love the guy, hate the comics I preordered 😂 |
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Post by Icctrombone on Nov 15, 2019 7:25:15 GMT -5
[/div][/div][/quote] I've been so unmotivated to return to my LCS and read more that I haven't even read the second issue yet, let alone the remainder of Event Leviathan [/quote] Why, did you have a fight with the owner of the LCS ?[/quote] Quite the opposite. Love the guy, hate the comics I preordered 😂[/quote] I Actually like the storyline but feel that it might drag on for 2 years. Since my LCS closed a month ago , I don't feel like doing the weekly comic buying anymore. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 15, 2019 8:29:34 GMT -5
Far Sector #1Written by N.K. Jemisin Art by Jamal Campbell Summary: Green Lantern Jo Mullein has been assigned to patrol the City Enduring,a city without crime for over 500 years but that has now changed when a homicide occurs.
Plot: The Green Lantern universe is something that I've always deeply felt should be something that I love; it's concept is a mash up of sci-fi, police procedurals, westerns and swashbuckling fantasy which are all things I love...but I've never really connected with any run of GL that I've ever tried...until today when I read Jemisin's debut issue. From the very first page I was just drawn into this new world with it's amazing noir fueled introduction of the newly minted Lantern Mullein canvassing a murder scene in a metropolis that has not known crime in 500 years. It's a great set up and it just builds from there as Jemisin, who is one of my favorite newish sci-fi writers( seriously check out her book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms) , lays out a world where three separate races have made a utopia after waging war on each other for hundreds of years. It's a beautifully realized, fully alien planet with its own complex culture and exploring it page by page is an incredibly thrilling literary adventure.
Art: In my experience if the story is perfect than for some reason the art usually seems to be slightly lacking, or if the art is mind blowing the story is flat but this is one of those rare occasions where both are equally amazing and that synergy between art and story gives the book a truly special feel. Every panel by Campbell is just stunning, like something that you could just frame and hang on your wall without anyone knowing it came from a comic; it's real art and its beautiful. It's like something out of a movie, it draws you in and makes you feel fully immersed in an organic feeling alien world.
Grade:10/10
NK Jemisin? I'd think that'd be a big deal... she a relatively popular author. sounds really interesting.. I'll have to see if I can grab it! I haven't read hundred thousand kingdoms yet (it's in the pile), but her other book was pretty decent (great world building, a bit light on action).. be interesting to see her in another's sandbox. Yeah, I was pretty surprised to see her attached to this as I love her books and she definitely brings that sense of world building here which was awesome. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 15, 2019 8:30:55 GMT -5
I'm thinking I'll be skipping this in the future unless I read better reviews, what about you shaxper ? You sticking it out? [/div][/div] I don't blame you, if those were the only books I was getting I'd be loath to go too |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 15, 2019 9:47:18 GMT -5
The Dollhouse Family #1Written by Mike Carey Art by Peter Gross and Vince Locke Summary: Living in home wracked with domestic abuse a little girl seeks solace in her magical doll house.
Plot: I really wanted to like this book, I've loved Carey's work for a long time and the concept and bones of the story are great...but the execution was terribly heavy handed and plaid solely for shock which I found pretty distasteful. Domestic abuse is a serious problem, and yes it is dark but when you put it into fiction and go for extremes with Alice blissfully playing with her doll house to scenes with her mother retching into a toilet with blood dripping from her nose while the father shouts, "I’ll keep my hands to myself when you stop goading me, Kell." it just comes across as over the top and treats the whole situation in a very blithe, callous manner that trivializes a very real, everyday horror that too many people are forced to live through. If it was subtler with the abuse and played out the contrast to what the doll house was offering over a longer period of time I think it would have been much better and made the dark choice the doll house offered to Alice even more impact but instead we got it all at once and it came off as feeling just grossly simplified. On top of that the two divergent stories don't seem connected enough to make the second story line of the cartographers in Ireland feel necessary, it would be one thing if they were at least interesting but they're bland so when they show not only do they add very little to the main story but they aren't interesting enough in their own right to matter.
Art: I'm not sure what the purpose of the split stories is but the style of Gross and Locke does a great job in bridging the expanse of time, give us distinct looks for the different settings which is really great.
Grade:5/10 |
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