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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 3, 2020 10:58:19 GMT -5
Welcome back to the home of the most honest comic reviews around... OFF THE RACKSNo corporate shills here, just a simple equation that guarantees real results: Real Readers+New Comics=Real Reviews!If you read it, let the world know here!  |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 3, 2020 11:34:24 GMT -5
Batman: Gotham Nights #7Written by Mark Russell Art by Ryan Benjamin Summary: Batman reflects back on his years of fights his most capable adversary...the Killer Moth!? Plot: @mrp said there was one more Batman story by Russell left to see print and today we got it...and I'm not really sure what to make of it. Killer Moth is one of those D-List villains that I've never been able to take seriously and the only stories with him in that I've actually enjoyed have been the more modern takes that make him out to be this total loser that you almost empathize with...and while I wouldn't be opposed to somebody trying to make him an actually compelling character who presents an actual threat to Batman this latest issue by Russell wasn't it, though to be fair I don't think that was ever his goal. It's clear this take isn't meant to be read straight, we're not actually supposed to read this as an attempt to show us why we should see Killer Moth as Batman's greatest foe...but the alternative isn't very clear either. Is it simply taking the piss at the concept of a serious Killer Moth story? Or is the story's absurdist take meant to make us think that not only is the Killer Moth absurd but Batman and his whole colorful gallery of villains as well? You're guess is good as mine but in my view neither one is a very compelling concept for a comic. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know that Batman and his world are patently unrealistic but so is just about every other fictional world out there and to enjoy them you either buy into the concept or you don't but you don't need to write a story thumbing your nose at the concept if it isn't for you...just do something you do like instead. If you're we're looking forward to another take on Batman by Russell Slam_Bradley I'd go ahead and skip this one. Art: As with the other entries of Gotham Nights (barring the last issue and the first) Benjamin is on art and again he gives us some solid shots but nothing could have saved this story. Grade: 4/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 3, 2020 12:29:19 GMT -5
Birds of PreyWritten by Brian Azzarello Art by Emanuela Luppachino Summary: When a deadly strain of fentanyl hits the streets of Gotham an unlikely group of women comes together to stop it.
Plot: When this book was first announced I was initially really pumped about it as Azzarello really knows how to write both crime stories and street level heroes really well so Birds of Prey seemed like a perfect fit...the result of the long delayed series that was cut to a one shot however definitely didn't meet my expectations. There are moments where the characters really click, the conversations between Helena and Harley were particularly great, and I like the way he brought the disparate team members together but on the whole it was really uneven and both the various sub plots and the main thrust itself felt unfinished which is perhaps unsurprising as it was originally meant to be a full fledged series rather than a one shot. On top of those issues I found both the stereotypical mexican gangsters and the treatment Dinah's band mate to be fairly deplorable so although the ending was slightly tantalizing I'm okay with the mixed bag that we got closing out with out further continuation.
Art: A lot of what I really enjoyed about the book rests on Emanuela Luppachino's art, her energetic style really fit the characters well and the fight scenes were really well choreographed.
Grade:6/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 3, 2020 15:56:55 GMT -5
Hellblazer #6Written by Simon Spurrier Art by Aaron Campbell Colored by Jordie Bellaire Summary: While visiting his mother in the hospital Noah finds that there is something preying on the patients at night.
Plot: So far this year has been pretty horrific, first there were devastating wildfires engulfing the Australian outback, then there was(and still is) COVID-19 and now we have decades of unresolved racial tensions boiling over and causing civil unrest from sea to shining sea...all of which made this issue of Hellblazer just so damned profound. I don't use that word lightly, you're not likely to see me use it again and I certainly haven't used it on Off The Racks before but it's probably the best way to describe just how perfectly fitting Spurrier's latest issue is. Even if this were a time of peace and prosperity and the themes of division, identity, and social class weren't so relevant as they are now this would still be a powerful issue...and it's all because of that simple ending. Years of hatred,inferiority and misunderstanding have caused an old women to manifest a demon of pure hate that preys on the minority patients around an old woman, but instead of simply cutting her oxygen tube and calling it a day Noah finds understanding in the fact that the woman has always been alone and his act of kindness is what exercises the demon. It sounds schmaltzy when I say it, I know, but believe me when I tell you that it simply just works and it is truly fantastic. From the character study in Noah, to the timely themes of division, hatred and fear and the pitch perfect sarcasm of Constantine's voice Spurrier is firing on all cylinders here. Go buy this now, you won't regret it.
Art: And while Spurrier is certainly worthy of praise in making this issue stand out I don't think it would have worked nearly as well with out Campbell and colorist Jordie Bellaire. Campbell creates a world that feels truly real, for anyone who has ever had the misfortune of spending a good amount of time around an ICU you will see all the little details you remembered and the oppressive mood he creates is so heavy you'll swear you can even smell the antiseptics. And I think that it's because of that high level of reality that when he hits you with the sharp, sketchy lines of his supernatural renderings that they feel all the more horrifying, they take you out of reality instantly and give you a truly otherworldly feel. The smart contrast between the muted earth ones and heavy blacks that Bellaire uses for the regular hospital and the neons of the demon only compound on Campell's style making that line between the natural and the supernatural all the more shocking.
Grade: The writing, art and colors are all seriously out of this world. It's a perfect melding of story and art that is just so inescapably mesmerizing from start to finish. I guarantee this isn't the last you'll hear about this issue, it's going to win an eisner for sure and I doubt it'll miss anyone's top ten list of the year...so read it now so you can say you knew it would way before everyone else!
10/10 |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 3, 2020 18:56:34 GMT -5
Shazam #12Written by Jeff Loveness Art by Brandon Peterson Summary: When Freddy says that Billy isn't trying hard enough he flies to Gotham to try his hand at the big league villains.
Plot: After being super stoked for a Shazam ongoing I ended up dropping the book really early on as the plot was just too fragmented an moving too slow but I came back for this one as I just love a Batman team up. While it's true there are a whole lot of bad Batman team ups I've always felt like a Batman/Shazam team up made perfect sense given Bruce's experience with young heroes and yet I think this was the first that really nailed that dynamic. Batman is stern as he corrects Billy's mistake but exposes a great sense of understanding and humor as well, it's the perfect father son moment that is one of my favorite elements of Batman. Some people may complain about Captain Marvel having trouble with the Scarecrow but despite all his strength I like him as an inexperienced hero so it works well for me.
Art: At times Peterson's art is a little too slick and plasticy looking, especially in his portrayal of the Scarecrow, but that same look really works well with Batman and Captain Marvel as it makes them look really majestic and pure in comparison to the darkness which is a cool look. My favorite image however was the way Peterson showed how the fear toxin was affecting Billy as we saw him as if he was looking through Captain Marvel's lightning bolt.
Grade:7/10 |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2020 19:41:49 GMT -5
My LCS has been having problems getting all their books. They are not getting their full shipments until Pennsylvania fully lifts it's stay at home order on June 5. I have not been getting all my books including Hawkman last week and Shazam this week. They think it will be back to normal by the end of June. So the only one I have this week is:
Aquaman #59. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Art by Robson Rocha.
Mera is in a coma after childbirth. Ocean Master rules Atlantis with a new army. The new Aquababy is missing. And Aquaman is unwelcome in Atlantis and distressed with his new daughter's disappearance. Aqualad II goes to Black Manta to get help...
Again I had forgotten what was happening in this title. But I like the way DeConnick has taken an idea from the 70's Aquaman (a baby for Arthur & Mera)and thrown a neat twist on the idea. Both DeConnick and Rocha have really made an impact on this title and have grown immensely as creators over the past year.
8/10.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2020 20:03:29 GMT -5
I also picked up the recent Freedom Fighters series in collected form. I loved the FF series from 1976 that united the old Quality Comics heroes into the team called the Freedom Fighters. There has been 3 other mini series in 2006, 2007 and 2010 written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti that I bought. I liked all 3 of them although the first 2 were better than the 3rd.
So this series was really good. It was written by Robert Venditti with art by Eddy Barrows.
As in the classic FF stories from the 70's it takes place on Earth-X where the Nazis won WW II. The last of the original FF were killed in 1963. The Third Reich used Plastic Man's blood to make soldiers (but their lifespan is only months) and also control this Earth's Superman (called Overman here).
Fast forward 50 years later, a new Freedom Fighters team has arisen. They are the new Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, Black Condor, and Doll Woman. They launch a guerrilla campaign to reignite the American spirit. And they succeed in bringing Uncle Sam back from the dead. Over 12 issues we see an alternate history unfold and the fight to regain America from Hitler II.
Great art although at times the torture scenes were a bit disturbing in their graphic depictions. But it fit since the Nazis were sadistic and brutal.
I really enjoyed the series but then again I love the concept of the Freedom Fighters.
8/10.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 4, 2020 18:15:14 GMT -5
I got comics this week! Real comics I can hold in my hand! So I'm going to contribute to this thread this week! First up: Detective Comics #1021 and #1022! Two-Face is back … again! And this time he doesn't just have a gang … he has a devoted cult! Well, why not? It's Gotham City. And Gotham City is ridiculous. Two-Face has decided to embrace his duality and so, instead of having "only" a disfigured face and a weird green hand, he immersed himself in acid so that now he's weird and scarred on half his body! Because that's the "in" thing these days, I guess, if you're a Batman villain." And then there's his cult. They live in a huge unknown underground chamber that's somehow under the Gotham Courthouse. Two=Face flips his coin every day, if it comes up unscarred, then the cult goes out into the night and stops crime all over the city. (There's a panel where they have foiled one of Catwoman's jewel heists, a story that's probably a lot more interesting than anything in these two issues of Detective.) If the scarred side comes up, then they go out and wreak havoc. They capture Batman and are trying to dip him in acid so that he's half-scarred as well. (Two-Face thinks that Batman needs "balance.") There's a lot more acid than is necessary and Batman manages to make the vat spill and causes a real mess in the underground chamber. And then … oh, I'm not really sure I remember. I just read it an hour ago and I can't even remember if the story was resolved in #1022 or if it's continued in #1023. The art's nice. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 4, 2020 18:34:51 GMT -5
Catwoman is still running around in Villa Hermosa and her cop friend sets her on the trail of a couple of thieves dressed as maids who call themselves the Dust Bunnies. As silly and insubstantial as this issue was, it was a nice change of pace from the nonstop intensity of the previous storyline, which went on and on for months and months. The Dust Bunnies were no match for Selina, but maybe they've learned a few of her tricks and they'll do better next time. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 4, 2020 18:46:33 GMT -5
Paula von Gunther is back and DC has no idea what to do with her! In the current DC chronology, the Valkyries and the Amazons have some kind of long-running death grudge, and Paula von Gunther is the living embodiment of all the Valkyries. In some storyline that I never read, Diana took Paula under her wing but sheltered her from her past so that she wouldn't get all mad and revenge-y. She found out Diana lied to her and got all mad and revenge-y. Paula is gathering three other super-powered women who hate Diana so she can put together a group of "Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse" so she can get her revenge on Diana and the Amazons. The two very generic horsewomen try to recruit Donna Troy, who it turns out doesn't hate Wonder Woman, she's just kind of mad at her for reasons that made no impression on me. Donna Troy doesn't have much trouble wiping the floor with her two generic battle-clad foes and she helps Diana beat Paula von Gunther. The art was great and it was nice to see Donna Troy so powerful and confident. And I guess I'm not too bewildered about how Paula was handled because I'm getting used to seeing Wonder Woman being written by people who have no idea what to do with Wonder Woman's rich history and amazing cast of characters. |
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Post by hondobrode on Jun 4, 2020 22:05:48 GMT -5
I also picked up the recent Freedom Fighters series in collected form. I loved the FF series from 1976 that united the old Quality Comics heroes into the team called the Freedom Fighters. There has been 3 other mini series in 2006, 2007 and 2010 written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti that I bought. I liked all 3 of them although the first 2 were better than the 3rd. So this series was really good. It was written by Robert Venditti with art by Eddy Barrows. As in the classic FF stories from the 70's it takes place on Earth-X where the Nazis won WW II. The last of the original FF were killed in 1963. The Third Reich used Plastic Man's blood to make soldiers (but their lifespan is only months) and also control this Earth's Superman (called Overman here). Fast forward 50 years later, a new Freedom Fighters team has arisen. They are the new Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, Black Condor, and Doll Woman. They launch a guerrilla campaign to reignite the American spirit. And they succeed in bringing Uncle Sam back from the dead. Over 12 issues we see an alternate history unfold and the fight to regain America from Hitler II. Great art although at times the torture scenes were a bit disturbing in their graphic depictions. But it fit since the Nazis were sadistic and brutal. I really enjoyed the series but then again I love the concept of the Freedom Fighters. 8/10.
I have all of the Freedom Fighter appearances and enjoyed those 3 minis and this maxi as well.
They're definitely a concept I would support monthly.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jun 5, 2020 8:12:07 GMT -5
Catwoman: 80th Anniversary SpecialStory and Art by DC's best and brightest Summary: A trip down memory lane as some of Catwoman's best creative teams tell some great one shots.
Plot/art: Like all of the other specials no matter the creative talents might be the result is usually a mixed bag, with the highs and lows depending on your tastes on the character's history and creative teams involved. For my money Catwoman has never been better than she was while on the Adam West show, Batman the Animated Series and through out the 2000's so it should come as no surprise that my favorites from this collection were "The Art of Picking a Lock" by Ed Brubaker and Cameron Stewart,"Skin the Cat" by Paul Dini and Emmanuela Luppachino, "The Catwoman of Earth" by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case and "Born to Kiln" by Chuck Dixon and Kelly Jones. Brubaker's story may have been the last story in the book but it was first in my heart, his run on Catwoman is by far the best Catwoman has ever had and is definitely up there as one of my favorite comics runs of all time and this new entry was a great addition. It so perfectly captured the feel of the series with it's voices of Selena, Holly and Slam that I could have sworn it was part of the series already but my research points to it being new which just goes to show you Brubaker hasn't lost his touch with these characters.
Dini similarly went back to his roots giving us a story that would have felt right at home on BTAS with Catwoman as a conservationist and animal lover squaring off against a mob hitman who moonlights as a taxidermist. The story got a little exposition heavy in the middle with an unnecessary monologue explaining how Catwoman had previously cased the joint and turned off the taxidermist's poison gas before she entered, but otherwise was a fun adventure. It's a shame they didn't go all in and get Bruce Timm or Ty Templeton to do the art though, don't get me wrong Luppachino was more than serviceable but the former choices would have fit the tone much better.
Parker's Catwoman story went for those groovy 60's vibes and was a fantastic breath of fresh air in the middle of the book. The dialogue was light and energetic but not with out depth as there was a strong undercurrent of female empowerment that not only resonated well with today's sensibilities but would have been natural given the climate of the time too. And I loved Case's art, it was just plain old fun...I really don't know why I've never gotten into the Batman '66 series, I'm a huge fan of the show and the talent there really is top notch, I'll have to remedy that soon.
Weird boob physics, and painted on porn parody-esque costume aside "Born to Kiln" by Dixon and Jones was a solid entry. I may not like Dixon as a person, and I don't know if I'd buy a book he was on full time but he still knows how to write a good superhero yarn as the pacing and dialogue here between Catwoman and Clayface really did make for good reading.
As for the others? They were all fairly average and you won't hear me complain about them too much...except to "Little Bird" by Mindy Newell. I've always disliked the Frank Miller prostitute angle for Catwoman and Newell took it a little too far for my tastes with Batman paying her like a John in order to question her and the joke about liking being on her knees? Yeesh. There's a time and a place for that, and for me that's just not what I come to comics looking for.
Grade:7/10 |
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