A rare occasion is when I burn through seven new comics in one night, which is what I did last Wednesday when I bought these. There's a very even gradation from boring to fucking awesome.
Superman #34
Aside from the kinda cool design of The Machinist, this arc's villain, there just wasn't a whole lot interesting about this issue. So far Geoff Johns and John Romita, Jr. have turned in one cool read between two duds.
Firstly, I can't get past Ulysses stupidly long hair. Its down to his fucking knees. I can't take this guy seriously. Add to that the fact that he was raised in the Fourth Dimension by... I don't know, ink people(?) and his whole story is just fucking strange. I know its comics, and things are supposed to be fantastical, but I draw the line here.
This is the second Superman book created by two current superstars that is failing to do anything but rob me of $3.99 every month. The first was Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's underwhelming Superman Unchained. Hey, Geoff Johns, can you please write a story about SUPERMAN? Because this book should just be called "Ulysses (guest starring Superman)."
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #16
There are good talky issues, and boring talky issues. This is a boring one. Things definitely happen in this issue, but it feels like it takes a long time to get there. And when you do, you're like, "meh."
He-Man and Adora make it to Anwat-Gar (the forbidden island Skeletor's blue-skinned brethren are from) and then everything goes to hell. He-Man is duped by the same trick that got King Greyskull killed; Adora is taken over by some spirit ready to slit He-Man's thoat; and Tri-Klops is behind some of it ready to reap the bounty on He-Man. Sounds like that should have been an exciting issue, right?
For as much fun as this ride has been, and as much as I trust Dan Abnett and Pop Mhan, I suppose every issue can't be out-of-control amazing. This issue is an example that sometimes an issue isn't going to click the way you think.
Fifth Place:
Futures End #17
This issue made me feel stupid. Because I feel like I have no idea what's going on in two of the stories. The new Superman is Billy Batson. Got it, check. But the rest of the issue? Question marks.
On Cadmus Island, where the Earth 2 heroes are being held prisoner, Mister Miracle has broken free and is... I think shape-shifting in to an OMAC? Or controlling the OMACs? And I think at the end he frees all the Earth 2 heroes... I think. And then there's Constantine with the two new characters Tommy and Midge. I'm pretty sure they're searching for a robot that's wiping out all life in African villages... and also looking for Kal-El? Maybe? Because I guess we see a bearded Kal come up out of the desert ground in spouts of water. Maybe?
Writers Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jeff Lemire, I'm sure know what they're doing. And we'll get answers before too long. But for the moment, these two storylines in particular haven't given us enough clues to really be able to start piecing them together.
Fourth Place:
Aquaman #34
This issue was "Guest Pencilled" by Carlos Rodriguez. I posit that we only use the term "Guest Pencilled" when its by someone of a greater caliber than the regular penciller. Like, if Doug Mahnke stepped on an issue, or J. Scott Campbell. But when you take a step back, the guest is being forced on us, and not really a guest at all.
Aquaman has been fighting Chimera for a few issues now. And Jeff Parker really lays out this issue as an entire fight between the two characters. Parker ALMOST creates Chimera to be TOO powerful. Aquaman really gets his ass kicked. But for as much space is dedicated to this fight, this issue still felt like, "well we better get this wrapped up before next month's Futures End tie-ins..."
All that said, Parker and regular artist Paul Pelletier have done a great job making this one of my favorite books to read every month. Looking forward to them picking things back up in October.
Third Place:
Saga #22
Saga used to be a really fun book to read. You loved the adventure, the wild and crazy aliens, and you loved the main characters. Now Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have taken it upon themselves to start the slow burn of watching how a real, adult relationship falls apart. The fact that they're doing it in space makes it no less sad.
The first couple arcs have been pretty dark. Lots of gruesome shit. But the overall tone of this current arc manages to be even darker. Its really the Empire Strikes Back of Saga. No one is winning when this is over. Everyone loses.
That however has not made this book any less enjoyable. I think it says quite the opposite about the world and characters Vaughan and Staples created that leaves me in a total funk after I read these latest issues.
Second Place:
Guardians of the Galaxy #18
What's this? Guardians back on the Pull-List?! Temporarily, yes. Brian Michael Bendis drove me away, but its Richard Ryder that brought me back. At least until they're done telling the story of what happened to him in the Cancerverse.
Years ago, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning wrote the DEFINITIVE run on Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. At the end, they essentially killed off Star-Lord and Richard Ryder (Nova) by trapping them in the Cancerverse, until Bendis brought back Star-Lord for his own run. They're finally getting around to telling the story of how Star-Lord got out, but not Nova.
And godamnit if this wasn't a really strong issue. I think that's partly because it features characters and costumes from the previous, beloved run. The phenomenal art of Ed McGuinness doesn't hurt either. The biggest issue is Bendis' voice still bleeds through. For all the great things he's written, I don't think Guardians or Marvel Cosmic is his strong suit. Especially since he doesn't have the knack for differentiating the subtle personality traits between Star-Lord and Nova. Abnett and Lanning did it with ease.
Bendis and McGuinness will stretch this story into at least two issues. That's a-okay with me because this one was a great blast from the no-so-past. Seeing Richard Ryder in action again almost made me teary.
First Place:
Sinestro #5
Cullen Bunn has a robust bibliography on Wikipedia. His name sounded familiar, but with limited DC jobs until now, I hadn't known his work. He's making me such a fan on this Sinestro run that I'm ready to look up more work of his.
Bunn is under pressure this issue as its Sinestro's first interaction with Hal Jordan since Geoff Johns defined those characters and their relationship on his own 9-year run. Bunn handles both characters like you'd expect. He walks the fine line of frenemies expertly. You get the sense of their past history and the weight these guys carry with each other.
Since this is Sinestro's book, he eventually mops the floor with Hal at the end. Sinestro has learned to control the Parallax entity and carry it inside himself. That's damn awe-inspiring and terrifying. If Sinestro was the only GL book on the stands right now, that would be okay with me.
Panel of the Week:
Now, I know Carlos Rodriguez was trying to make Aquaman look furious in this panel, but it struck me as so funny it had to be the Panel of the Week.
-Gint
Futures End #17
This issue made me feel stupid. Because I feel like I have no idea what's going on in two of the stories. The new Superman is Billy Batson. Got it, check. But the rest of the issue? Question marks.
On Cadmus Island, where the Earth 2 heroes are being held prisoner, Mister Miracle has broken free and is... I think shape-shifting in to an OMAC? Or controlling the OMACs? And I think at the end he frees all the Earth 2 heroes... I think. And then there's Constantine with the two new characters Tommy and Midge. I'm pretty sure they're searching for a robot that's wiping out all life in African villages... and also looking for Kal-El? Maybe? Because I guess we see a bearded Kal come up out of the desert ground in spouts of water. Maybe?
Writers Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jeff Lemire, I'm sure know what they're doing. And we'll get answers before too long. But for the moment, these two storylines in particular haven't given us enough clues to really be able to start piecing them together.
Aquaman #34
This issue was "Guest Pencilled" by Carlos Rodriguez. I posit that we only use the term "Guest Pencilled" when its by someone of a greater caliber than the regular penciller. Like, if Doug Mahnke stepped on an issue, or J. Scott Campbell. But when you take a step back, the guest is being forced on us, and not really a guest at all.
Aquaman has been fighting Chimera for a few issues now. And Jeff Parker really lays out this issue as an entire fight between the two characters. Parker ALMOST creates Chimera to be TOO powerful. Aquaman really gets his ass kicked. But for as much space is dedicated to this fight, this issue still felt like, "well we better get this wrapped up before next month's Futures End tie-ins..."
All that said, Parker and regular artist Paul Pelletier have done a great job making this one of my favorite books to read every month. Looking forward to them picking things back up in October.
Saga #22
Saga used to be a really fun book to read. You loved the adventure, the wild and crazy aliens, and you loved the main characters. Now Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have taken it upon themselves to start the slow burn of watching how a real, adult relationship falls apart. The fact that they're doing it in space makes it no less sad.
The first couple arcs have been pretty dark. Lots of gruesome shit. But the overall tone of this current arc manages to be even darker. Its really the Empire Strikes Back of Saga. No one is winning when this is over. Everyone loses.
That however has not made this book any less enjoyable. I think it says quite the opposite about the world and characters Vaughan and Staples created that leaves me in a total funk after I read these latest issues.
Guardians of the Galaxy #18
What's this? Guardians back on the Pull-List?! Temporarily, yes. Brian Michael Bendis drove me away, but its Richard Ryder that brought me back. At least until they're done telling the story of what happened to him in the Cancerverse.
Years ago, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning wrote the DEFINITIVE run on Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. At the end, they essentially killed off Star-Lord and Richard Ryder (Nova) by trapping them in the Cancerverse, until Bendis brought back Star-Lord for his own run. They're finally getting around to telling the story of how Star-Lord got out, but not Nova.
And godamnit if this wasn't a really strong issue. I think that's partly because it features characters and costumes from the previous, beloved run. The phenomenal art of Ed McGuinness doesn't hurt either. The biggest issue is Bendis' voice still bleeds through. For all the great things he's written, I don't think Guardians or Marvel Cosmic is his strong suit. Especially since he doesn't have the knack for differentiating the subtle personality traits between Star-Lord and Nova. Abnett and Lanning did it with ease.
Bendis and McGuinness will stretch this story into at least two issues. That's a-okay with me because this one was a great blast from the no-so-past. Seeing Richard Ryder in action again almost made me teary.
Sinestro #5
Cullen Bunn has a robust bibliography on Wikipedia. His name sounded familiar, but with limited DC jobs until now, I hadn't known his work. He's making me such a fan on this Sinestro run that I'm ready to look up more work of his.
Bunn is under pressure this issue as its Sinestro's first interaction with Hal Jordan since Geoff Johns defined those characters and their relationship on his own 9-year run. Bunn handles both characters like you'd expect. He walks the fine line of frenemies expertly. You get the sense of their past history and the weight these guys carry with each other.
Since this is Sinestro's book, he eventually mops the floor with Hal at the end. Sinestro has learned to control the Parallax entity and carry it inside himself. That's damn awe-inspiring and terrifying. If Sinestro was the only GL book on the stands right now, that would be okay with me.
Panel of the Week:
Now, I know Carlos Rodriguez was trying to make Aquaman look furious in this panel, but it struck me as so funny it had to be the Panel of the Week.
-Gint
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