Missy Posted January 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Batman, Inc. #1-8 and Batman, Inc.: Leviathan Strikes This series was downright gibberish. I'm convinced that the problem with Grant Morrison is that his artists are too sane or sober to bring his stories to the page. What he sees in his head and translate to the written page are vastly different from what the artists draw, resulting in stories that make little to no sense. Comics: 36 || Collections: 1 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Batman and Robin #5 Though nowhere near as good as the previous issues, this one does okay giving the origin of Morgan Ducard and continuing the (potential) fall of Damian Wayne. What it does best, though, is show Bruce as a concerned father, especially though some of his narration / recording to his son. I hope before the storyline is over Bruce draws a connection between how Damian has been raised and how Morgan has, because it's not all that different. The art during the flashback is horrible. I don't know what happened there, but it is a huge step down. Comics: 37 || Collections: 1 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I read 26 comics in preparation for this Monday's episode of Dread Media. For an interview. It is good. I know, I was there. You will probably like it. *Ting* Comics: 83 Graphic Novels: 1 Trades: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 World of Archie Double Digest Magazine #5 This collects the three-issue Tiny Titans / Little Archie crossover as well older Archie comics, and though I bought it digitally for $1.99, it's more than worth the cover price of $3.99. As is common for Tiny Titans, it's a bunch of short and ongoing gags spread over each issue (some over all three issues), and it's a blast! In fact, one sequence involving teacher Ms. Grundy and a familiar DC face named "Steve" made me laugh out loud for a few moments. When the kids pair off, they're obvious choices and situations (such as the girls fawning over Robin, Raven and Sabrina getting along famously, Cyborg and Jughead having a burger-eating contest), but Art and Franco make what could feel like clichés fresh and entertaining. And that's because they nail the Archie characters, as well as their beloved Tiny Titans. If you have kids, get it. If you have younger siblings or cousins, get it. If you're so very tired of gritty, "earth-shattering" events, get it. Comics: 37 || Collections: 2 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 In fact, one sequence involving teacher Ms. Grundy and a familiar DC face named "Steve" made me laugh out loud for a few moments. I remember buying this in singles and just cracking up at it for a good three minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otaku0115 Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 I do not read comic books the only one I have is 'TUROK dinosaur hunter' I have not read it but it's in bad condistion, so if any one knows any good comic books please tell me. THANKS (yes I can finsh the sentence with the old man) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 X-Men: Psylocke - Pass. The classic Uncanny issues included were better. X-Men: First Class - Graduation & Uncanny X-Men First Class: Knights of Hykon - I am enjoying these. It is nice to read a X-Men story that is not bogged down with endless crossovers. Also, the digest size doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Spider-Man: Death & Dating - Surprisingly to me, I am liking the post OMD Spider-Man. Only thing that doesn't sit right is the whole Jackpot scenario, as it seems out of character for Peter. Trades: 11 (70.5) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Archie #610 The first in a four-part story where Archie bumbles into becoming a spy. I don't remember much, 'cause I read it drunk, but it was fun. Comics: 38 || Collections: 2 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 28 Days Later, volumes 1-6 As a bridge between 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, this series should have been filled to the brim with intense scares and well-rounded characters. However, here it took four full volumes before Selena and Clint moved beyond the "hardened bitch" and "cheeky American" clichés. The rest of the cast (none of which last long), never receive real personalities, making their deaths hollow. Now, I'm one of the people that's in the "the Infected are zombies" camp, however, the 28 Days Later movie has a very distinct feel and atmosphere. The comic, however, lacks said atmosphere and is written more like a zombie movie or The Walking Dead -- just without the deep, gripping characterization that's present in The Walking Dead. Furthermore, if you rename the Selena character, not much would change. Instead of Selena, she'd be a clone of Michonne, or another tough female survivor. It honestly does not need to be Selena. They try to tie things together, in that Jim and Major West are mentioned, but it feels very surface-level. (I should say it does a decent job tying into the events of 28 Weeks Later. Several scenes are recreated from new vantage points, and others are mentioned in passing.) Speaking of Jim, at several points throughout the book it's hinted that we'll learn his ultimate fate and why he and Selena are no longer together. But that plot point is dropped completely so we can focus on Selena's husband and her days leading up to the outbreak. Considering this is a tie-in comic, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Fox Atomic Comics told BOOM! Studios to drop that subplot in case there's a third movie. I hate to be cynical like that, but I know in the world of tie-in comics that stuff happens all the time. If you want to see what happened to Selena in the days after the first movie and / or you're a huge fan of the 28 franchise, you'll probably get something out of this one. Otherwise, there are better zombie comics out there, and this does little to add to the genre as a whole. Comics: 38 || Collections: 8 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 The Walking Dead #87-91:This book never ceases to amaze me. These aren't mindblowingly emotional issues, and yet I came close to tears twice reading these ones. I wish everything Kirkman did was anywhere near this good. DC Universe Presents: Deadman #1: I quite liked this. It loses the plot in the middle but comes back strong. Love Bernard Chang's art. The Traveler vol. 2: I LOVED the first volume. This one is completely different. Completely. I loved the first volume because he was a time traveler trying to fix his own problem over and over. This one has him and Amelia Earheart fighting mutants from the future? Fuck that. Volume three, removed from order. Gotham Central Book Three: Fucking stupendous as always. I'll be sad to read the final volume of this book because this is something I could read a good chunk of every few months for the rest of my life. Bob Powell's Terror: Craig Yoe's wonderful omnibus collecting some of the best work of 1950s horror comic artist Bob Powell. Great stuff. This series (including Dick Briefer's Frankenstein) by IDW is something I"m going to really pay attention to. Comics: 89 Graphic Novels: 1 Trades: 3 Omnibus: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 I do not read comic books the only one I have is 'TUROK dinosaur hunter' I have not read it but it's in bad condistion, so if any one knows any good comic books please tell me. THANKS (yes I can finsh the sentence with the old man) Do yourself a favor and start listening to a segment of Earth-2.net: The Show called Waiting for the Trade. It is an excellent guide to what comic books you should (and should not) be picking up. Ditto for First Issue Special and Is It Wednesday Yet?. Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev, Vol. 1: Didn't set my pants on fire as much as Brubaker's first trade, but was still a damn good read overall. This is my first exposure to Bendis' hard-boiled crime writing (I know him primarily from Ultimate Spider-Man) and based on the strength of this, I'm not only buying the rest of his Daredevil run but also Powers and Alias. Artistically, I found Mack's work hard to get through but still appropriate for the story Bendis was telling. On the whole, I dug Maleev's sketchy art (though his Mr. Hyde was a bit too realistic for my taste) on "Underboss" and "Out", as well as Gutierrez's cleaner style in the first two issues of the last story arc, "Low Life". Unfortunately, the Dodsons' work on the last issue in that arc was extremely sloppy. Collections: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Vol. 1 - While not crazy about the 'reset' of the Ultimate line, this still the Ultimate Spidey that I like. That said, the art? Not a fan. Trades: 12 (76.5) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Superman #700-703, 705, 707-711, 713-714 and Wonder Woman #600-614 My thoughts on the two storylines JMS abandoned, "Grounded" and "Odyssey," will be made clear soon enough. Comics: 65 || Collections: 8 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Daredevil #1-8 and Amazing Spider-Man 677 We've become so used to the grim, "my life sucks" Matt Murdock, that seeing him happy is a little strange. However, like when a long-depressed friend starts to come out of the fog, we welcome the change -- but with a little reservation. Smartly, Mark Waid has Foggy dealing with that exact mindset. He wants Matt to be happy, but he's too used to seeing his buddy so depressed that he can't help but feel unsettled by Matt's newfound smile. What makes this transition all the more powerful is that Waid has not retconned anything; everything bad thing that ever happened to Daredevil / Matt has still happened. They're not ignoring the past, they're moving past it. Stealing the show, however, are Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin. Their art brings a whole new layer to Daredevil's powers; how they're used and how they're illustrated has never been so beautifully simple yet complex. Add to that Waid's choice of villains thus far (Spot and Klaw), and Rivera and Martin are provided with plenty of opportunities to show off their skills and imaginations. (How does a blind man "see" someone who's anywhere at once, or a man made of pure sound?) It's brilliant work all around. Comics: 74 || Collections: 8 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Alright, I can't wait to read this any longer. Just ordered the first hardcover and Batman: The Black Mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Spider-Man: Animal Magnetism - This did not need to exist. I like Spider-Ham as much as the next guy and releasing a one-shot for the 25th anniversary was a nifty little thing. But a trade was not needed, specially when you add in an issue of the Epic Comic: Top Dog. Trades: 13 (80.5) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 JLA: Classified - New Maps of Hell For this JLA: Classified storyline, Warren Ellis combined the god-level threats of The Authority, the snark of Planetary, and the worldwide network capability of Global Frequency, yet he remained true to the sensibilities of the Justice League. Each member is true to themselves, contributes to the battle, and deftly shows off why they deserve to be on this team. Why they deserve to be called icons. Even Lois Lane has a few moments to shine, and her relationship with Clark is perfectly captured. (She loves to tease him, but you know deep down she sees Clark as her equal.) Butch Guice is not the first person I would think of to illustrate a Justice League story. His pages tend to have a certain grit to them, and, personally, I feel JLA comics should be big and splashy. His style works here, however, because the team is facing what just might be The Devil, so darker, inkier lines are perfect for such a tale. Comics: 74 || Collections: 9 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobob_100 Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) Action Comics #5 - Pretty interesting explaining how clark came to earth. Animal Man #5 - This coninues to be one of my favorites of the DCNU. I feel stupid that it took me this long to realize the war in this is the same war that's taking place in Swamp Thing. Justice league #5 - I don't think this story is that bad. Teen Titans #5 - Everyone should read this it's gearing up to be a really good ongoing story. The chests on these girls seem really wrong to me, they're teenagers, you dont need to over sexualize them. Comics: 11 Trades: 1 Edited January 27, 2012 by bobobob_100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Superman: Secret Origin This a wonderful, yet flawed book. For every genuine moment between Lois and Clark, Geoff Johns outright steals dialog from the movie. For every deep moment of characterization between the Kents, there's a very flat feud between the Lanes. For every moment Johns gets Superman, there's Luthor acting like a maniac without any real reason. And for every iconic shot of Superman, there's Gary Frank's inability to draw children. Do read the book, it is worth it, but know going in that it has problems. Comics: 74 || Collections: 10 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 X-Factor vol 3 #1-50: First, Peter David's grasp of both Madrox and Strong Guy is monumentally appreciated. The art on this book is for the most part stupendous. Raimondi is a high point. I am not a fan of David's plots. Never really have been other than his Hulk run. His character moments are what sell the book. I am not a fan of his Siryn or Rahne (never have been on that one). A mixed bag overall. The tie-in books to SI and Messiah Complex are god-awful and when Larry Stroman does the art, it's enough to make me want to no finish the book period. I know just as well as anyone that Stroman was one of the original David artists on X-Factor, but that was a different book with a completely different tone. Completely unsuitable on this book. I don't think I"ll be reading anymore of David's run than I already have. Comics: 139 Graphic Novels: 1 Trades: 3 Omnibus: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Archie #629 Though I'm enjoying the four-part "Archie Meets KISS" storyline overall, this third issue suffers from much-needed exposition. Granted, we now know the goal of KISS heading into the final issue, but the exposition really slowed things down. Even the art seemed to take a step back. Worst of all, this one had zero standout moments. Archie's Weird Mysteries #1 This mostly bland story will be remembered (or rediscovered) for one reason: it's very similar to the "Archie Meets KISS" series, in that a group of monsters invade the town while a rock band named SIKK plays at the local dance. Comics: 76 || Collections: 10 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 FreakAngels, volumes 1-6 From page one, this is one of the best comics I've ever read. All 13 characters are well-defined, and one can't help but feel for all of them -- even Mark and Luke. (Arkady, however, is my favorite. What can I say? I have a soft spot for crazy-but-happy childlike characters.) Over the six volumes, they all have an arc (some more so than others, admittedly), and grow from scared children to responsible adults. It's not where I expected the story or characters to go, but it's where they all needed to go. My only issue with the series is Alice. It seems as if she's introduced to be the gateway character -- and she does serve as that for a little bit -- but she's sometimes forgotten about by both Warren Ellis and the other characters. I get why she's there, but she could have been used a tad better. Why is Paul Duffield not drawing Ultimate Spider-Man, Teen Titans, Blue Beetle, Runaways, Robin, Generation Hope, or any book with a youthful cast of characters? If he's happy working on independent books, great! But I honestly do not know why Marvel and / or DC have not run at him with an exclusive contract in hand. Comics: 76 || Collections: 16 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobob_100 Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) Batman and Robin #5 - Damn this book is good, it acttually makes me wonder whats going to happen next. Batman #5 - I like the story of this, but at a point in the story it turns Batman into a scared child repeating "don't listen don't listen". That i didnb't like. Batwoman #5 - I got confused with this story, I really like the character and the things she does even the story, but i had no idea what was going on. Blue Beatle #5 - It's an intersting read. Nothing more, nothing less Aquaman #4/#5 - Four was a good conclusion to what started in one. Five was bad. Comics: 17 Trades: 1 Edited January 29, 2012 by bobobob_100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Aquaman #2-4 I wanted to be impressed by this book, but Geoff Johns spends too much time having characters shit on Aquaman, leaving next to no time to actually develop him. Sure, Johns tries by having Arthur and Mera go through a photo album, but it's surface-level character-building. "Look at me. I'm so angsty and alone. No one understands me. Whhhhaaaaaa!" And that ending: "Aquaman! You're my favorite superhero!" Gag! With his crisp lines and handle on great facial expressions, Ivan Reis' art is the selling point of this book. However, during the underwater battle, panels became cluttered and his storytelling took a dip. I honestly have no clue what happened on those pages. Comics: 79 || Collections: 16 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 JLA: Tower of Babel While the storyline of Batman's anti-JLA plans being used against his teammates is a compelling one, when it comes to Ra's al Ghul, Mark Waid brings nothing new to the table. This is a stock Ra's story; it's a bland excuse to lead into the real story: the inner turmoil of the JLA once Batman's plans are unleashed. This really needed to be six and not four issues. One of those could have been used to better flesh out Ra's and his global scheme, and the other so the JLA could truly sit down for a heady talk about what to do with Batman. As it is, each characters, save for J'onn, is give one panel to explain their vote. Worse yet, Batman's contingency plans nearly killed six of the most powerful people on Earth, yet the discussion of his punishment is given only five pages. Yes, I'm putting modern sensibilities on a 12-year-old book, but even back then Mark Waid knew how to pace a comic. So seeing how rushed this very pivotal moment is, it doesn't sit right with me. It's a comic of its time, and in that regard it works. Looking at it now, though, it simply doesn't hold up as well as I'd like. Comics: 79 || Collections: 17 || Graphic novels: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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