Monday, July 17, 2017
Same excuse as last week for the delayed posting but boy am I ever having fun out there.
Spider-Man II #1 – Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Sara Pichelli (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC’s Chris Eliopoulos (letters). This is awesome sauce. You all probably think that I’m a Brian Michael Bendis sychophant for praising his comic books so highly but the guy writes stories that make me happy. In this sequel to the first meeting between Miles Morales (Spider-Man) and Peter Parker (The Amazing Spider-Man) the two heroes will meet someone surprising that I didn’t even think about until Brian introduces them in this story. That’s one of the things that I love about his writing. He seems to be able to surprise me every single time and makes the fanboy in me giddy with delight. Sara’s art is beautiful as always. I liked how she aged Miles a little here. This was a great way to start off this week’s pile of comic books.
Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #24 – Robert Venditti (writer) Ethan Van Sciver (art) Jason Wright (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Part 3 of “Fracture” shows us John Stewart’s strength of character as he decides what to do about Tomar-Tu’s crime. The high road is a very rough one.
Groo: Play of the Gods #1 – Sergio Aragones & Mark Evanier (writers) Sergio Aragones (art) John Ercek & Tom Luth (colours) Stan Sakai (letters). In this new 4-issue mini Groo searches for the best cheese dip in the world and struggles with religious persecution. This will sell like gangbusters in the bible belt.
Uncanny Avengers #25 – Jim Zub (writer) Kim Jacinto, Jahnoy Lindsay & Juanan Ramirez (art) Tamra Bonvillain & Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters). Good guys being turned into bad guys is a popular theme in comic books. Here we have Doctor Voodoo possessed by a nightmare creature intent on taking Manhattan. Teamwork saves the day. I learned that Captain America was turned into a Hydra agent by a Cosmic Cube. Still doesn’t change my opinion that was a dumb idea.
Wonder Woman #26 – Shea Fontana (writer) Mirka Andolfo (art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This was a very mundane issue until the very last panel and boy howdy am I glad that the next one hits the racks in two weeks.
Calexit #1 – Matteo Pizzolo (writer) Amancay Nahuelpan (art) Tyler Boss (colours) Jim Campbell (letters). Read this first issue and the title will make sense. Here is a United States of America where California has left the union. Get it now? It’s like BREXIT where Britain voted to leave the European Union. The story is centered around an anti-government rebel on the run and the very bad man chasing her. I liked this as much as the other “screw the feds” book on the racks, Briggs Land. Matteo created compelling characters and Amancay’s art looks like a cleaner Paul Pope. Plus he’s Canadian eh. I recommend this.
Weapon X #5 – Greg Pak (writer) Marc Borstel (art) Frank D’Armata (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters). Part 3 of W.M.D. shows you just how utterly nasty the bad guys are. They do not treat their staff very well.
Detective Comics #960 – James Tynion IV (writer) Alvaro Martinez (pencils) Raul Fernandez (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). Part 3 of “Intelligence” shows us why Batman is asking Zatanna for help. Meanwhile Jean-Paul/Azrael is going through some changes. The two storylines are very interesting and I like that Batman is playing a bigger part in this book.
Briggs Land: Lone Wolves #2 – Brian Wood (writer) Mack Chater (art) Lee Loughridge (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). Of course you realise, this mean war. What else would you expect between the government and a community of antigovernment secessionists with both sides armed to the teeth?
Amazing Spider-Man #30 – Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters). I love this new and improved Doc Ock. Looks like sneaky Otto is going to come out the winner this time. The brief “Secret Empire” tie-in was notable for the change in the relationship between Peter Parker and Bobbi Morse.
Action Comics #983 – Dan Jurgens (writer) Viktor Bogdanovic (pencils) Viktor Bogdanovic & Jonathan Glapion (inks) Mike Spicer (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Well, the gang’s all here. Superman has his allies and General Zod has his bad guys. This is one of those “uh-oh” issues where things look most dire for our heroes.
Kill or be Killed #10 – Ed Brubaker (writer) Sean Phillips (art) Elizabeth Breitweiser (colours). We meet Dylan’s mom and she’s a sweet lady. On the other hand the demon reappears.
Hulk #7 – Mariko Tamaki (writer) George Duarte (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). Jennifer seems to have come to terms with her smashing alter ego and is using her powers to help others now. I was disappointed that Mariko did not show us what happened to the scum bag that started this current mess.
American Gods: Shadows #5 – Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell (writers) P. Craig Russell (layouts) Scott Hampton (art & colours) Rick Parker (letters). If you haven’t read the novel, I recommend it. The comic book is a visual enhancement. We get to the house on the rock this issue.
The American Way: Those Above and Those Below #1 – John Ridley (writer) Georges Jeanty (pencils) Danny Miki (inks) Nick Filardi (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). I liked the first story that hit the racks in 2006 and this new story is just as good. We’re into the 1970s now and racial tension is the main theme of this story. Decades of conflict and America still can’t get it right.
The Divided States of Hysteria #2 – Howard Chaykin (writer & art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) Ken Bruzenak (letters). You know what’s terrifying? This kind of fictional chaos to American civilisation could actually happen. Howard uses it as a reason to gather together a gang of homicidal maniacs by destroying Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, which does irreparable damage to the global economy. Could we survive another depression? No matter what you may think of Howard’s political views, his comic books always make you think.
