Monday, July 30, 2018
Many comings and goings here recently. I had a visit with a friend from Victoria, BC over the weekend. Treated him to a fishing trip and he had a blast. My niece is moving to Bahrain tomorrow after being home from Japan for 8 months. I will miss her but we will keep in touch via social media. Penny is off on a road trip today to visit family up north and friends in Huntsville and Barrie, Ontario. She’ll be back in time to welcome dear friends from Calgary, Alberta arriving next weekend while they are here visiting family. I’m not going anywhere soon but that’s the way this homebody likes it.
Detective Comics #985 – Bryan Hill (writer) Philippe Briones (art) Adriano Lucas (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). I like the short and sweet origin story for this new super villain Karma. We find out why he’s terrorizing Gotham City and what his demands are. This is a really good challenge for Batman and his allies.
Moon Knight #197 – Max Bemis (writer) Jacen Burrows (pencils) Guillermo Ortego (inks) Matt Milla (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). It’s a sit down dinner with a select group of extreme sadists. I question the “Teen+” rating for this issue. It definitely should have been rated “Parental Advisory”. I mean, even I got a little queasy reading each guest’s story. I kept waiting for the host to announce that they were going to kill someone for the main course. Yuck.
Infinity Wars Prime #1 – Gerry Duggan (writer) Mike Deodato Jr. (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). This story starts off promising enough with Loki in a library reading old stories about himself. This leads to Loki going to the Quarry of Creation to find some missing parts to one of his stories. I felt like I was missing a lot as I continued to read since I did not follow the Infinity Countdown and related tie-in books. I was left wondering what the fork was going on when Adam Warlock pays a visit to Doctor Strange. By the time the inevitable super villain was introduced I was feeling so lost that I decided to skip this war altogether. Other readers may be intrigued enough with the mysterious character with the infinity goggles to want to see what happens to the stones. I was completely shocked by the one death in this issue though.
Justice League Dark #1 – James Tynion IV (writer) Alvaro Martinez Bueno (pencils) Raul Fernandez (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). When Peter Milligan (writer) first introduced this team to the racks in 2011 I did read some of their adventures but I stopped before that run came to an end in 2015. I guess the team was disbanded but now there’s a threat to magic in the DCU and all the mystical members have to join together to survive. This time they will be lead by Wonder Woman. Zatanna and Swampthing are front and center in this issue but there are plenty of other magic users waiting in the wings. I like the new Man-Bat but I’m not a fan of Zee’s braid.
Saga #54 – Fiona Staples (art) Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Fonografiks (letters). Many shocks this issue, the least of which is the announcement that Saga in going on a year long hiatus. Brian Michael Bendis (writer) walking away from Miles Morales bummed me out and this news also makes me sad. Having Hazel narrate this stunning issue prepares me for the major changes coming when this title hits the racks again next summer. I hope the creative team enjoys their much deserved break and look forward to the continuation of Hazel’s story.
Mr. & Mrs. X #1 – Kelly Thompson (writer) Oscar Bazaldua (art) Frank D’Armata (colours) VC’s Joe Sabino (letters). Love & Marriage part 1. I did not read the heavily hyped wedding issue where Kitty and Piotr followed in the footsteps of Batman and Catwoman so I don’t know why they didn’t tie the knot. Somewhere in there though Rogue and Gambit decided to take their on and off relationship and really get it on Marvin Gaye style. So we are gathered here to witness the wedding and part of the honeymoon until they are called to duty and have to retrieve something out in space. I like that Kelly toned down the southern drawl for Rogue and the Cajun inflections for Gambit so that their dialogue didn’t get too annoying in my head. I loved the art and wish that Storm would wear her hair like that all the time. Very stylish and classy. Good job Oscar. Remy and Anna Marie make a cute couple and a surprise appearance on the last page will make for a fun threesome.
Silencer #7 – Dan Abnett (writer) Viktor Bogdanovic (pencils) Viktor Bogdanovic & Jonathan Glapion (inks) Mike Spicer (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). Honor’s mission to make sure Talia al Ghul stays dead takes her and her family into the friendly skies. Unbeknownst to her Cradle and Grave are on the same flight. I like how the inevitable fight shows off what her super suit can do. I know she won’t be successful in killing Talia for good and gone but it will be fun to see her try.
Doomsday Clock #6 – Geoff Johns (writer) Gary Frank (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). We’re at the halfway mark and this is my favourite issue yet. It’s an all villains issue. I like how the Marionette and the Mime’s origin story is woven in. This mature version of the Joker is much more interesting and I can’t wait to find out what he does with the incapacitated Batman.
Multiple Man #2 – Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Andy MacDonald (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) VC’s Travis Lanham (letters). This story is confusing enough with the time travelling but adding in the many Jamie Madroxes makes it even more confusing. I was almost willing to continue reading more issues when someone who knows stuff showed up but she was only there for a cameo. Layla was my favourite X-Factor member.
Action Comics #1001 – Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Patrick Gleason (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) Josh Reed (letters). One of my favourite things about Brian’s writing is his nice flowing dialogue and there’s plenty of it in this issue. We find out who is setting fires all over Metropolis as a new super villain is introduced. Her name is Red Cloud and she is as fatal as a sarin gas attack.
Amazing Spider-Man #2/LGY #803 – Nick Spencer (writer) Ryan Ottley (pencils) Cliff Rathburn (inks) Laura Martin (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters). Back to Basics part 2. Boy, talk about getting back to basics. We start off with a little fight with Man Mountain Marco and the Ringer and then another fight with the Black Ant and Taskmaster. Gee, Stan the Man and Steve Ditko used to do this sort of stuff every issue too. What is really tickling my fancy are the changes going on in Peter Parker’s life. For one thing Stan and Steve never showed Peter and Mary Jane waking up in bed together. Then there’s the surprise on the last page. Who is that masked man?
Marvel Two-In-One #8/LGY #108 – Chip Zdarsky (writer) Ramon K. Perez (art) Frederico Blee (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters). Ben and Johnny are powerless now and stranded in a universe where Spider-Man is a despot. It’s very dramatic when Johnny finds out that Ben didn’t tell him that Reed, Sue and the kids are dead. I don’t believe that for a second. Who’s going to be in the new Fantastic Four comic book if that’s true? Chip is doing an excellent job writing this.
X-23 #2 – Mariko Tamaki (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). The Stepford Cuckoos suffer a death in the family and they go cuckoo for real. This leads to Gabby being captured and Laura needing to come to the rescue. This book gets my highest recommendation.
The Sentry #2 – Jeff Lemire (writer) Kim Jacinto & Joshua Cassara (art) Rain Beredo (colours) VC’s Travis Lanham (letters). I was not prepared to like this as much as I do now. Jeff has made this character a lot more interesting with the crazy situations and supporting cast. This book and Moon Knight are weirdly psychological.
Wakanda Forever: X-Men #1 – Nnedi Okorafor (writer) Ray Anthony-Height & Alberto Alburquerque (pencils) Ray Anthony-Height, Ray Anthony-Height, Juan Vlasco & Keith Champagne (inks) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC’s Joe Sabino (letters). It’s Storm, Rogue and Nightcrawler’s turn to team up with the Dora Milaje to fight Malice and her doomsday weapon Mimic-27. So just three X-Men then. Colossus isn’t in this like he is on the cover. This issue leaves Mimic-27 more powerful than ever so we’ll see what the Avengers can do when Wakanda Forever: Avengers #1 hits the racks August 22. I’m going to guess that T’Challa is going to set the lovestruck Malice straight and Mimic-27 will be blowed up real good with the help of, oh I don’t know, Captain America and maybe She-Hulk.
