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By aztek_the_lost 69 Comments
Enjoy obscurity!
Here's a Brief Look at Some Reactions from Notable Users on the Vine, Let Us Begin with the Reaction Every Woman on the Site is Having and Continue from There:
Enjoy obscurity!
Here's a Brief Look at Some Reactions from Notable Users on the Vine, Let Us Begin with the Reaction Every Woman on the Site is Having and Continue from There:
So, originally I started chronicling my New 52 experiment in this blog but after finally reading all the #3's that I had shortened my list down to, I decided I would post the end result of the thirteen books I've enjoyed most thus far (that I shall continue to follow) here rather then just edit it at the bottom of that.
For the record, I waited until they were all released and then read them in alphabetical order, throwing each one into the ranking as I read it, thus something that was #2 initially could've been bumped all the way down to #19 or something. Since I'm only allowing myself thirteen books, that means some books unexpectedly got the cut that I initially thought might make it (it may also explain some of the brief comments I made after I read the issues and placed them, as you can now read below:
THE ELIMINATED (#'s 25-14)
Note: Some of the titles I dropped really surprised me as they were highly anticipated going in, I will likely come back to several of them years from now when they are over or seem more appealing
Note: I am going to commit to these titles for at least a year, but hopefully I won't regret any of them and will follow them up until their end (natural or otherwise)
If I dropped the book you were really hoping I was going to follow, I apologize and hope your book finds its audience, I'd like to think I can read all the good ones in years/decades from now (although some of these comics I have no regret dropping)
Okay, so this is about four hours late (as I was sleeping...I work night shift, technically in my mind this is Saturday the 24th but we don't need to get into that) but anyways as of September 24th 2011, I have now been around here for four years (signing in and doing something on the site at an almost daily basis). What have I done in those four years, probably not much by anyone else's definition but I am moderately proud of my feats (you can skip over them if you're not interested, but I always post them so I can see my progress):
I have also (not noticeably to people on the site though) begun my project that is meant to be my ultimate legacy/contribution to the site and the comics I love...hopefully people will be able to know what it is within a few weeks.
Oh...and I will probably get up a picture of myself on here later this week but I don't currently have the (insert noun here) to do so.
Since some people seem to think I haven't tried enough mainstream and because DC (the business not the content) lost all my respect when they cancelled great comics for the sake of this reboot, I decided I'd try to be more positive about this New 52 thing and try all the new books and see which ones I liked. I may come back to some of the titles I drop a few months or years down the road but basically this blog is just me keeping track of the New 52 (and beyond...I might just do #1's though, depends how much of an effort this becomes) comics I read from the DCnU with a short two or three sentence review for each and a note of when I decided I wasn't pursuing the next issue. Some might say I'm not staying on long enough to judge a book but it shouldn't take more then one issue to know if you're the audience for a comic, if a book improves or I run out of good comics to read, I can always come back later.
Keep in mind, I'm not trying to offend fans of these books, I love comics as a medium and if people support the books I don't like, so be it. I don't think any sort of comic should cease existing even if the people on the other side of the fence don't always seem to share my sentiments on that. Just using this reboot/retcon/whatever as my perfect chance to try everything from the publisher and be able to outright say, "I tried that book and it didn't click with me" rather then "I don't have the time to dedicate to looking into that comic right now because I want to read all the previous issues and that means a few weeks/months of me playing catch up".
I'm known to fall behind with a lot of my comics but I'll try to update by the weekend following each comic's release but that might not always happen, we'll see.
Justice League #1: I like how the cover not-so-subtly hints that Hal Jordan's personality consists of being a cocky superhero and an all-around giant dick. But seriously, the comic wasn't outright offensive, although I have no attachment to any of the three (four) characters featured so I don't know if they were bastardized here or they just aren't very interesting (I've read good stories featuring most of them though). All around, the book was just very meh, terrible choice for the "big book that debuts a new line" I thought. I guess if you're a big Jim Lee fan, it's great? As it happens, I think Jim Lee is too plain to ever be one of my favorite artists. When I think of the stereotypical comic art that has no added flavor to it, I think Jim Lee (although that could just be his own popularity working against him). FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (2.5/5)
SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Animal Man #1)
Action Comics #1: Am I the only one who heard the Smallville theme song in their head at the beginning, "Somebody! SAVE ME!"? Anyone know if that was a phrase originally associated with the comics or if it was a purposeful nod to the show. Anyways, I actually really enjoyed this one. For all the people who complain about Superman being different, well, everyone loves Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman and that's not the real Superman so why should it be any harder for everyone to love Grant Morrison's Action Comics Superman even if he's not the real one. I admit, the artist wasn't anything special to me and Lex looked off for some reason but the art served its purpose. It helped that the book was double-sized, I don't know why they didn't launch their line with this instead but whatever. Too late for that. I approve of Lex proving his badassness once again. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Animal Man #1: He didn't call her Little Wing, my heart, she is sad. Actually, I am extremely conflicted with this book. On the one hand, it wasn't what I wanted/expected but on the other it was still a great comic. I may have to let a few more issues come out before I can adjust to what I anticipated and what I got but I'm definitely still going to be reading this, it just didn't exceed my ridiculously high expectations is all. I think the art was great, and I did like the writing but I felt it was drawing from the wrong Animal Man comics for my personal tastes...it was like a call back to Morrison and some Veitch comics when I wanted Delano. In fact, all the Delano stuff is clearly non-canon based on this issue and while that doesn't mean I'll ever stop trying to convince people to read it, it means it wasn't considered good enough for this new generation of readers they're trying to create. That disappointment aside, the book was still pretty great, I thought some of his powers were a little dumb like his ability to nap like a cat and be as light as a bumblebee but it wasn't book ruining experience either. My complaints are minor and don't really ruin the quality of the book but I still feel a little disheartened because I feel like his interviews implied something different then what was actually put to page. I did enjoy the family life, even if Cliff didn't seem as messed up he usually is, and I still love Maxine! It's a little too bad the family hasn't aged any in twenty years but I guess Lemire's trying to continue where Morrison left off. I'd still recommend anyone to check this series out, it is one of the interpretations of Animal Man I love and it's a great book, and it definitely seems to be going interesting places with the cliffhanger and mysterious Hunters Three (kind of seemed like the beginning of this book's crossover into Swamp Thing, which also has a Triumvirate of sorts introduced back in the 80's to represent The Green). FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (5/5)
Batgirl #1: A little conflicted on this one, I know I liked it but I'm not sure if I loved it or it was just okay...which probably means it was the latter. There were little things I enjoyed and little things that annoyed me, but it mostly balanced out. I've never been any sort of Barbara Gordon fan (as Oracle or Batgirl) and I think Killing Joke is without a doubt the most overrated Batman comic ever published. So all that history means nothing to me going in to this and the fact that a "Women in Refrigerators" throw-aside moment from the comic has come to shape Barbara whereas Joker's origin (which was like, the biggest thing in the book) was deemed non-canon has always seemed a little odd to me. However, at the same time I understand why it needed to be relived and couldn't just be retconned, because...I mean, you've just taken her out of a wheelchair, making sure DC represents one less minority, so obviously you need to explain that...and I want to see how good the explanation is. The highlight of this issue was definitely the villain, the prologue told me immediately I was going to enjoy him/her and I thought the murder at the end was perfect. The last line annoyed me a little bit though, cop seems to be a hypocrite to me. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Batwing #1: Oh snap! Liking the art in this one, however I'd like to point out right off the bat (pun initially unintended), I feel like either there was an editorial error or I missed something but the cliffhanger isn't really a cliffhanger because the intro happens after it? o_O Anyways, I'm not sure I was in love with this book as much as the masses but I definitely saw potential to bring a new character (and entire continent for that matter) into the limelight. I think my primary problem with the book right now is it's just Batman but with black people (they even have African Alfred!) but that's not enough to drive me off, I'd just like to see the series break away from that and become more of its own thing in the future. Also, not to advertise Vertigo here, but Unknown Soldier was one of the best comics last year and one thing I always thought made the book better was the clear passion the creative team had for bringing across accuracy in relation to Africa's portrayal even while mixing in fiction and although I doubt this book will ever reach that comic's extent of research and use of said research, just a little of that feel would be cool to see in my opinion because it's not like we all get to go to Africa and experience it for ourselves on a monthly basis physically, but why shouldn't we be able to through comics? FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Detective Comics #1: Okay, this is one of those situations where I'm just going to have to separate the wheat from the chaff just because of the multitude of books, this book wasn't bad by any means but it was very much "the standard Batman story" and although that standard is pretty good compared to some other character's, the same old Batman stories can get a little boring and predictable sometimes. Admittedly, there was that last page. But other then that I didn't feel there was any sort of unique spice to the book that made this any better then whatever other half-dozen Bat-books are out there. I'm thinking when the series an arc or two in I might come back to check it out just because of that ending but for right now, I'm going to place my bets on the Batman solo title from Snyder that comes out later in the month. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (4/5)
Green Arrow #1: I don't know, maybe I'm just getting overwhelmed by so many "Bat-books" in one day but I was extremely underwhelmed with this one, the villains didn't grab my interest and the story was just not pulling me in at all. I don't really have many thoughts on it, it was what it was I guess. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Hawk and Dove #1: HA! Only one panel in to get a giant penis...or perhaps it is Liefeld giving his haters the finger? I laughed. This book wasn't flawless by any means but it felt different, that may just be the characters but it felt different enough that I want to try at least another issue to make my mind up on this series. It felt like 90's (art and dialogue) meets present day (Internet taking over the world and "nobody likes zombies")...sure, individually those things suck, but blend them together, it's like...maybe it doesn't suck so bad? I don't know, this certainly wasn't gold or anything close to it but it was tolerable and I want to try a little more before I write it off. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Justice League International #1: Apparently the difference between the feeling of "meh" I get from the main Justice League title and it's International counterpart is that one gets it across with the publisher's flagship characters while the other does it with a bunch of characters nobody really has any attachment to. I apologize if there's a lot of fans of these characters out there but they kind of managed to miss the B and C list characters that I like. For example, the first page of the issue displays about twice as many characters as the cover, showing potential members and ironically, my favorite five characters from that panel all didn't make the cut...so, yeah. I'm not sure yet if I should be offended or honored they made Booster Gold Canadian. It was also kind of a pain that Batman had to come in and save the day on a team that's supposed to be the under-appreciated heroes representing all the other nationalities but eh, I guess that's just Justice League for you. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Men of War #1: I admit that at the thought of a Men of War relaunch I was kind of excited for some sort of World War II Sgt. Rock and the Easy Company stories written post-Comics Code and I wasn't sure when I realized this was his grandson in modern warfare but now that I've read it, I'm sold. Already Joe Rock seems like an interesting character I'd like to get to know better and the book wasn't getting too political about anything, it was just about the soldiers, I liked that. Plus, the incorporation of a superhuman that we never actually identify was great in my opinion, I was worried the big end was going to reveal who the character was but I like that it didn't matter who it was. The ending admittedly felt a little rushed to what was going to be an obvious character development but it didn't ruin the story, I just thought it should have been built up to over the course of an arc. There was also a back-up story, it kind of lost me a little but as far as a back-up goes, it was fine, I'm not factoring it into my feelings on the rest of the issue though, I consider it bonus content. Also of note is all the abbreviations that had to be explained in footnotes, I thought it was kind of funny because half the explanations left me just as confused as the abbreviation itself. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
O.M.A.C. #1: WTF?! Okay, admittedly of all the New 52 books, OMAC is probably the only one going in where I had no idea what the previous DC property was about. I mean I've heard of OMAC but it never sounded interesting enough for me to really care about finding out what it was/is. So, in that way, this issue should be the best at showing just how accessible everything is because it's the one that's "newest" for me personally anyways. And well, I don't get it. Also, what the hell is up with all the really wide faces, seriously, is this some beloved art style or something? And where was the conflict? There was none, the character just immediately succeeded at everything. And the main character wasn't even interesting, he was just some mindless machine, how am I supposed to feel empathy for that? I don't know, maybe there's some great concept in here I'm just not seeing but this one didn't work for me. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (2.5/5)
Static Shock #1: So okay, I mostly know Static just from that two-part time-travel episode in Justice League Unlimited where he's an aged man...and I kind of liked him there...but now that he's a teenager (I realize the character's usually portrayed as a teenager), I kind of lost a lot of interest. I feel a little like Rorie, hating on kids and teenagers and all that but reading this, I get the impression it's a lot harder for them to be enjoyable protagonists and this one didn't make the cut for me. Also, the science lessons didn't really make for fun reading and the villains didn't really come off as anything special. Plus, I felt like the book wasn't really accessible to someone who's not already familiar with the universe. This one wasn't evisceratingly (it's an adjective now) atrocious but it wasn't trying to draw me as a reader into this new universe, not even that cliffhanger could pull me in. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Stormwatch #1: Unlike any of these other comics, I actually read the preview for this one before it came out and I remember mentioning in another thread that the preview had actually turned me off a little due to the expository dialogue and I was hoping the issue wouldn't turn out to be full of it. Unfortunately, it was. That was a real killer...seriously, one issue in and all of the mysteries have basically been revealed, that was kind of a load of crap. Poor writing tactic IMO. I think a series like this (about an organization that's exists forever working in the shadows), there should always be mysteries for the reader and we shouldn't be learning things we learned here until like #39 or something...I don't know, I feel like Paul Cornell's got some great ideas in his head and he's trying to put them to paper and it turns out to all be exposition because he's worried people don't understand what he's going for and he doesn't want people to feel his writing is inaccessible. And the art was a little off, with faces specifically for me, but it wasn't bad. I did like Midnighter's introduction at the end, and I like the idea of Martian Manhunter being a warrior rather then the underrated Justice League member. The series has potential and I'm sticking around to see if it lives up to that potential but I certainly won't remember this issue for years to come as an example of how a #1 should be done. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Swamp Thing #1: Although Scott Snyder isn't the first writer to play around with the idea of Alec Holland and Swamp Thing being separate beings for the sake of a fresh take on the character (heck, he's not even in the first five), I think at this point it has become an essential aspect of the character's history to refresh him with each new writer because the character keeps on losing sales and they need to find some way to pull in new readers. Unfortunate, but that's the way of things. That said, I have enjoyed many Swamp Thing comics in the past and found it too bad they ended prematurely so I'm really crossing my fingers that this one can hold onto its fan-base until the series' conclusion, whenever that may be. I liked this comic, reminded me a little of Morrison and Millar's Swamp Thing story from the 90's but it still had a uniqueness to it. I'm definitely up for a new Swamp Thing series and I thought it paid homage to a lot of old Swamp Thing stories (Alec/Swamp Thing split, Brujeria, bugs flying into human orifices, Superman vs. Swamp Thing, etc.), whether that was intentional or not I'm not sure but I liked it...as for the villain...new variation of Anton Arcane anyone? Captured the horror feel of old Swamp Thing comics and I'm excited, plus the art was great, not Bissette/Totleben great but I loved how they had "Totleben's Motel". All in all, as a reader of a couple hundred Swamp Thing comics, I approve. This is one of those #1's that proves you can pull someone in already with just one issue. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (5/5)
SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Resurrection Man #1)
Batman and Robin #1: I liked the father/son banter and all, but at the same time, I'm not a fan of the whole sidekick thing, even if it is his own flesh and blood and he's actually tougher on crime then his mentor. Also, the book gives that feel like you need to have read the deity that is "Grant Morrison's Batman". I think I feel towards this book what I did with "Detective Comics", it's a good book but with Batman, good just isn't good enough. Batman oversaturates the market so when I read a Batman book I want the best, not just another Batman book...plus Damian makes Batman lame and paternal, while Damian himself isn't an engaging enough character to hold the book on his own, thus the duo cancel each other out. I have more hope for the Batman solo. Oh yeah, and there was a villain...but it goes back to that Grant Morrison's Batman thing, although that may just be the feel it gave and you don't actually need to know any of that stuff...but the villain didn't really pull me in either. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3.5/5)
Batwoman #1: Batwoman is unique in that the introductory issue already happened eight months ago, but anyways, the primary appeal of Batwoman is very obviously the gorgeous art from J.H. Williams III (who you might remember from Promethea)...and sadly, I think that's where most of its edge is. However, it's such an extreme edge that I'd say it does rise above its competitor in the female-starring Batman books (Batgirl that is). I never read Greg Rucka's Batwoman and I think that is my problem in being entirely sold on this new series but there are interesting plot threads already that I'm up for following...and the f@#king art is f@#king beautiful! And he's only one of the top-notch artists on the book, I can't wait for Amy! I wouldn't say this is one of the best comics ever based on writing but art is part of comics too and for some people the more important aspect (I'm not one of those people but I can still very much appreciate great artwork). FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Deathstroke #1: This series definitely has potential but in this issue at least, I don't think it lived up to it. For me, the original draw to this series was the covers from none other then The Biz himself. Unfortunately, the interiors were not by him (not that I didn't know that going in, but still) and the interior artist supplied left me wondering how an issue illustrated by Bisley would have been. Not that the interior art here was bad, I actually enjoyed it, but Bisley could have taken it to the next level in my opinion and I think that's what the book needs, something special to demand my attention. The writing was fine, but in its efforts to show off how badass Slade is, at times it felt a little cheesy and cliche but it didn't feel like that was the intent, which therefore makes it a problem. Also, the use of partners was a big drag, although the ending did clear that up and that was a plus, it still made the main portion of the issue suffer. Hopefully this book steps it up next issue now that we've been reintroduced to Deathstroke the Badass. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Demon Knights #1: The fact that every character used was absolutely butchered (and I mean dragged through the mud and forced to drink piss) aside, I actually kind of enjoyed this book. It's already logged in my mind as an Elseworlds and these are not the versions of these characters I love but at the same time, the book was engaging enough that I'm quite interested to see future escapades of the characters contained within. Much better then anything else I've ever read from Cornell (although that might not be saying much). I kind of found the origin of Demon hilarious though in how nonchalant Merlin was about the whole thing, I may be wrong but I always thought Jason Blood was bonded with Etrigan as a punishment for his crimes but here it's more like...Merlin was an idiot, realized he had a problem he couldn't solve, some loser named Jason walks into the room and Merlin sees a solution to his problem. I managed to keep my bitterness about the cancellation of Madame Xanadu for this inferior series aside as I read it because this character wasn't Nimue at all. Plus, I love medieval stuff. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1: My only familiarity with Frankenstein comes from Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers which probably isn't the best introduction to anything but nevertheless it made the premise of Frankenstein in an ongoing series desirable to me. Throw in recent Vertigo alumni Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli and I was at the edge of my seat in anticipation. While the issue did have some exposition it was done in a believable way and we were being informed and caught up to speed alongside Frankenstein himself. I find the whole premise of this group a refreshing book in a world of super-heroes and although there is a team introduced to accompany Frankenstein, it still felt like it's his book which is what I hope sticks. Although the book doesn't seem to be going for the horror genre (despite the fact it's about monsters), I still enjoyed it and I mean the credibility of its creative team leaves me little doubt I'm going to enjoy the further escapades of Frankenstein. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Green Lantern #1: The false advertising was disappointing, I was hoping to get an issue about Sinestro and what I got was an issue about non-Green Lantern Hal Jordan with little tidbits of Sinestro thrown in. I don't care about Hal Jordan...although, I was not aware he was a superhuman, I always thought his powers came from the ring but looking at that 20' jump I guess I was wrong, apparently he has some sort of levitating ability? Anyways...the book wasn't as bad as I expected, again Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, etc. I don't care about at this point. I mean, as I expected this book wasn't for new readers and was really just a continuation of Johns' Green Lantern but just because I didn't know anything being referenced doesn't mean I was lost, thankfully. But Sinestro? He was actually kind of great, I mean, okay, I think it's a load of crap he's a good guy now (just like it's bollocks Jean Grey wasn't executed immediately thereafter the Dark Phoenix Saga) but whatever, he's more interesting then any of the other Green Lantern's I've ever read. At least someone was killed...although the cliffhanger made me want to cry, because it was the last thing I wanted. I suspect #2 is going to have Hal Jordan drag down whatever good (as in quality) Sinestro brings to the table but I'm willing to find out next month. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3/5)
Grifter #1: YES! This book was a sleeper hit for me, went into it with little to no expectations and got blasted with a shot of awesome! (GET BLASTED!) Definitely surpassed Stormwatch in the WildStorm sector of the DCnU, I mean hell, I don't even know much about Grifter (if anything) and I found this issue completely accessible and enjoyable, take some writing tips Cornell! Anyways, I don't know what to say about this book, it's all great, definitely give it a read if you were on the fence. The brother thing seemed a little cliche but maybe that's part of the actual character's origin, I don't know, otherwise, this issue was perfect. Unsure about the significance of the 17 Minutes, 17 Days, 17 Hours thing but I'm interested if that will come up again in the future. Plus, blue alien things, airplane terrorism and con artistry? I'm sold! FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (5/5)
Legion Lost #1: I was so lost I can't even review this properly...I liked the premise but not the execution. Granted I've never been a Legion fan and I know that even Legion fans have to work hard to understand what the f@#k is happening...but I was expecting more accessibility. Plus, way too much of that team book feel for me, it's like jumbling a bunch of characters together but not getting to know any of them. I thought I was in for something good with the opening page but it all went downhill after that, I'm jumping off this ride before it hits rock bottom. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (2/5)
Mister Terrific #1: They ruined Power Girl! Also, this book was awful, who approved this? I guess they figured the other 51 would balance it out? Holy crap, it was almost unbearable. I hated the dialog and inside his head, it's so droll! Plus, they tackled the contradiction that is Mr. Terrific and only succeeds in making him a character with no ground to stand on. That is that they had him both affirm why he doesn't believe in God and why he can't doubt the impossible. Wtf? And third smartest man in the world? Seriously, who made up this character and why does he get a book? That is all. Oh wait, one good thing, this book seems to suggest that the world would be better off if we killed homeless people as after a man's intelligence was vastly increased, that's exactly what he did. That part made me laugh on the inside. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (2/5)
Red Lanterns #1: ARGH! This was not Milligan's best effort that is for sure. Although Milligan can get weird as his series progress, he's usually got a #1 issue that sells you right off (or at least he does me) like Human Target, Greek Street, Enigma, Shade the Changing Man, etc. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for this series, there was really no substance here, nothing to grab onto to encourage one to make the return journey. If anything, what this issue proves is that you can't make an ongoing story from the Red Lantern Corps, in trying to set itself up for something it proved there's nothing to set up. Once you're a Red Lantern, you cease being anything but. I would say the story on Earth shows there's potential to tell stories of people becoming Red Lanterns, but once they are (like Atrocitus), there's nothing left to make the character's worth investing in sadly. To always rage is to never live and there's no personality to the character's. Bleez turns me on though. But my loyalty to Milligan is going to have me come back but I think this series will be getting dropped after #2, might come back to it years from now if Milligan has added his special spice to the mix but so far it's bland and unoriginal. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3/5)
Resurrection Man #1: This was my most anticipated release of the week but admittedly I came to it having not yet read Resurrection Man's original series although I've been a fan of the premise of the character for years I've never gotten around to reading his series, this first issue of this series has given me all the encouragement I need to check it out. I'm not sure if him dying every single issue is going to get old and repetitive or not but it's been fine so far, a quirk in the character. Plus, the Body Doubles are awesome! Big boobs and cold-blooded killers? How could I not be sold, that's like my two main turn-on's right there! This whole Heaven/Hell thing seems a little...idk...off. But I'm willing to let this series run its course, I'm not one to judge what a Resurrection Man story should be because I've never read one but I will be reading more after this. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Suicide Squad #1: Although this is a team book, I think it came ahead of some other team books by trying to explore some of the individual members, it gave you more of a look at everyone then some other team books do where it's just everyone's there and you don't identify with anyone (looking at you LoSH) or there's a principal character and the rest are just there to fill up background panel space (looking at you JLI). Granted, this wasn't a perfect issue but it was a perfect introductory issue which is what this relaunch was apparently all about and it means we can get to the actual good stuff with the next issue and be entirely up to speed unlike some other books (looking at you GL). The twist was admittedly very predictable, in fact once I got to Page 2/3 (splash page), I immediately knew how the issue was going to end instinctively, it's such a common plot device but it didn't mean the road getting there was pointless, it gave us brief looks into the various characters which was nice. On the controversy of the changed appearances of two female characters, I approve of Harley, I don't approve of The Wall. The former is justifiable, the latter makes no sense and takes away 90% of the character's identity. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Superboy #1: I surprised myself and actually enjoyed this more then I thought I would, it wasn't amazing or anything but it was pretty good. Old ladies beware though, you might find it offensive, "I can certainly think of worse places to stick." Also, if anyone tries to sell you on this book by telling you that you get to see Superboy birthed, don't let them fool you, no bloody vaginas here! You'll have to check out Alan Moore's Miracleman or Jerry Prosser's Animal Man if you want any of that action (and I mean, who wouldn't). (Spoiler: He's cloned from the DNA of Superman and...oh wait, I'm not allowed to tell you that it's Lex.) I loved how he completely ignored the lady screaming for help as she burned alive although I was extremely disappointed to find it was a simulation, takes away the weight of it and makes it pointless. Also, Ravager seems less cool in this new universe. Don't know where this book is going though, cliffhanger made this feel like Teen Titans #0 so I don't see what this title is going to offer but I'm prepared to learn. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Wonder Woman #1)
Batman #1: I had high hopes for this book, I mean the highest of any of the Batman books and maybe that was my fault, I think I should've read Snyder's Detective Comics run first to get a feel for him as a Batman writer because there were all these rave reviews and I've enjoyed some of his other work so I figured it was going to be top notch. Also, I thought it was going to be a horror Batman...apparently, it's not, at least this first issue isn't. And now I'm not saying everything he writes has to be horror, but I figured it was his specialty and a preference, most writers have certain genres they stick to and it's the genre I was hoping for with this. But whatever, I'm not going to lie, my anticipation for this cancels out the disappointment and that I was anticipating a great run so regardless of this first issue not blowing my mind, I still want to stick around and see what else Snyder has to offer. If it proves to completely fall below my expectations, I will probably go back to one of the other Bat-books that I dropped thinking this would be better. That or I'll read Grant Morrison's Batman. I will say however that the fact this issue also seemed beloved worries me that the other's weren't as good as reviews originally led me to believe. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Birds of Prey #1: The last time I read a Birds of Prey #1 comic (which was over three years ago), I admit I thought it was pretty bad...haven't re-read it since but I know I've certainly enjoyed this one on first read then I did that one. Unfortunately, this book will have to go up with Justice League as #1's with covers completely unrelated to the interiors that should've been nothing more then promotional images (or future covers). As far as team books go, this one got off to a decent start as at this point it is only a duo so there was no overburdening of various character's you don't know. I liked the homage to Barbara having been on the team pre-retcon and I enjoyed that ending! One thing that confused me about the henchmen they battled in the issue is that I thought they were invisible but Black Canary could see them all so what's up with that? What's the point of the suits then? Reminded me of Transmetropolitan though so even though the books aren't similar, it transferred my good feelings towards that book (at least in part) to this one as a simple matter of coincidence. I'd like to see where this book goes...but I wasn't entirely sold. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Blue Beetle #1: Hmm, I know a lot of people love this new Blue Beetle guy but I have never had any sort of attachment with the character and am not familiar with him, although as a first issue this proved more accessible then most, your basic origin re-telling. I did find the idea of Green Lanterns protecting Earth centuries ago very interesting, I mean I know technically they were protecting its sector before it even existed but it does make for potential stories I would think, did humans of the past ever encounter (or were any of them) Green Lanterns? But anyways, this is supposed to be about Blue Beetle. The Spanglish was a little annoying at times, sometimes I don't understand the need for accents and such in text...it's one thing for a film but in writing? Not a fan. That and I'm not really interested in the "trials of a teenager". I liked the Brotherhood of Evil appearing but I think I'm only going to stick around for one more issue with this, it wasn't bad but it seems to be targeting some other demographic and this origin although it made things more accessible could've easily been condensed so we could get to the development. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Captain Atom #1: Maybe the mediocrity of this week's offering is just wearing on me but I didn't feel this book, I didn't feel any sort of connection to Captain Atom (which is a pity as I liked him in JLU) and none of the supporting cast did it for me. No idea what that rat thing was about but it seemed so removed from the rest of the story and brief that I wasn't really pulled in. Plus, "killing" your hero in the first issue isn't the best cliffhanger, considering it's an ongoing series. At least add some depth to the character before you kill them, that's what gives a death weight, even if the character comes back later. Also, I wasn't a huge fan of the art...it seemed familiar to me at first but I couldn't remember from where, it wasn't bad but it didn't connect with me for some reason. FINAL VERDICT: Won't Be Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Catwoman #1: YES! I've been wanting for a good ongoing porno comic since Tarot got all preachy, thank you for hearing my call Catwoman! No but seriously, the comic wasn't that great...I may have the wrong impression of the character but I was hoping for someone a little more...villainous. I didn't really connect with the character, she seemed too emotionally unstable and something of a kid/teen and I'm concerned that's part of her character and not something that we're going to see her grow out of in the series. I would have liked a different artist I think, this one wasn't bad but not the best for sex anyways. Other then that, I think the Batman sex scene was a little too brief, as in, it seemed to come out of nowhere and it had no character to it, unless you're a huge fan of the character's histories, it doesn't supply any sort of look into the characters...are they lovers? Just lonely? Was this a booty call? It doesn't cover that...they just saw each other and had emotionless sex. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
DC Universe Presents #1: This is a unique series in the bunch since it's going to be rotating creators/characters and at this point, since I know Deadman is only the star for five issues, it's kind of hard to pass up knowing the end of this story when I've already got the beginning and I know the ending isn't far off. That said, this was actually a pretty good issue and it renewed my interest in the Deadman character whom I usually I think of as an interesting side character who pops in and out of stories. One thing that I felt was not explained however is why Deadman is inhabiting bodies and I hope you're not expected to know that because I haven't a clue, I know he's supposed to reach balance but what's he doing in these bodies, how is taking away a part of someone's control over their life beneficial to them? That means they didn't accomplish something themselves and rather they ceased to exist for a period and woke up to their life being changed, how is that a good thing? However, there's still potential for that to be explained so we'll see how this goes...it was a pretty good cliffhanger, as far as those go. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Green Lantern Corps #1: Unfortunately Guy Gardner and John Stewart have zero appeal to me so that was a problem from the get-go, I mean I loved the Justice League Unlimited cartoon but the best thing about John Stewart was his facial hair and that was about it...and Guy's kind of just the douchebag who killed Widowsweed. However, I think I enjoyed this more then the other Green Lantern series and if I decide I need to have a GL title in my pull list, I suspect this one will win out...but only because the villain seems awesome, again, not feeling the protagonists as characters but this villain? I see potential. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3/5)
Legion of Super-Heroes #1: Okay, thankfully this book wasn't as harmingly awful as last week's Legion Lost (which it recommend you go read through the use of an editorial note, blagh), it was still pretty bad. Just by the entire nature of the team though, the Legion is a team that unless you've already read every comic they've ever appeared in, it's impossible to just go and introduce them in an issue. I just read a book featuring about thirty characters (who were introduced with little profile thingies as they popped up on-panel) and by the end I had already forgotten what most of their names and powers were (excluding character's I already knew of beforehand)...you just can't retain that stuff through this congested read unless you've already got the background knowledge. Plus, the series did seem to be alluding to stuff that probably happened in the last series or something. Legion is just the essence of what I hate about team books, being a team for the sake of filling up the panels with characters rather then individual character development and relationships. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (2.5/5)
Nightwing #1: Maybe I'm being undeservedly lenient to this book in terms of standards just because it doesn't say "Batman" in the title even though it is a Batman book but I rather enjoyed this one. It wasn't able to convince me that going back to being Nightwing wasn't a step backward, rather it seemed to suggest to me he never should've been Batman in the first place...but I don't really care about those politics to be honest. I'm not sure what this villain is about and if the individual is actually stupid enough not to realize Dick and Nightwing are the same individual or is just playing along. I liked how Dick had to pretend he wasn't still a perfect acrobat and he seems much more content with lack of perfection then Batman. At the same time though, while it makes his real life more interesting, it makes his vigilante life less-so in my opinion at least. I need to check out at least one more issue. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Red Hood and the Outlaws #1: This is another one of those books where the art really won me over right off the bat...and now I'm really going to have go read that Velocity miniseries from a few months back, his covers already attracted me but his art in this book was phenomenal and surpassed the writing in my opinion. That said, I don't think the writing was bad, I thought the intro scene was a great way to get the ball rolling and we're already get a lead up to future events by the end of the issue. This is a great example of how a first issue should be done, not the best one of the 52 but still a good one. Unfortunately at times it did feel like I was missing something and unfortunately at this point I have no idea if there was backstory I needed or these are things that are new to everyone. I approve of what was done with Starfire. If she ever had any fans before this for any other reason then her sex appeal, explain yourselves now because you were fans of a character I never even knew existed. She had personality back in the Teen Titans animated series but she was entirely different there and that kind of character wouldn't work in comics. However, this new character, well, I can see why Jason's got an erection. By the way, that doesn't mean I approve of destroying character's for fan-service but again, I never knew Starfire was ever regarded as a character, she certainly wasn't by anyone I've ever come across, long before this reboot came about. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Supergirl #1: I know Supergirl is no stranger to constant retcons, and considering this whole reboot exists because of the Superman lawsuit it's not surprise she got entirely rebooted again...but ugh, this series completely defied my expectations. I was hoping we'd just get a tweaked origin but we'd be seeing the character already developed and having adventures. Instead we got the extremely typical alien coming to Earth and being misunderstood thing, finding out they've got these new powers and wreaking havoc. I was excited for a Supergirl series but I have no interest in this whole shtick being told over again...I think I'll go read the cancelled Supergirl series instead. The story in-and-of-itself wasn't awful, just very predictable and unoriginal...the main highlight was when she experienced her super hearing and we saw a quote from Birds of Prey, Nightwing (and presumably Aquaman)...without editorial notes (which are already ruining some moments in this new universe less then a month in)! Oh yeah...and Superman saves the day, excuse me while I roll my eyes. P.S. I miss the skirt. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3.5/5)
Wonder Woman #1: You can basically just copy/paste my comments about Batman here...in fact I will do just that and change the necessary words (and add a little at the end). I had high hopes for this book, I mean the highest of any of the Trinity books and maybe that was my fault. I thought it was going to be a horror Wonder Woman...while it may be, it's not as "dark and edgy" as I was hoping. But whatever, I'm not going to lie, my anticipation for this cancels out the disappointment and that I was anticipating a great run so regardless of this first issue not blowing my mind, I still want to stick around and see what else Azzarello has to offer. If it proves to completely fall below my expectations, I will probably just remember that Wonder Woman comics aren't popular for a reason. That or I'll read some acclaimed Wonder Woman comic (is there one?). I loved Greek mythology in my junior high days so the fact that it's an essential aspect of Wonder Woman and seen in this comic pleased me but I'm not sure they are the gods I remember...for one thing, I didn't remember Apollo being one of the bad guys. It also turns out Diana's costume looks ridiculous with the pants or the swimsuit...it's one thing for Superman to wear a costume in his world of aliens and super-villains but Wonder Woman in her world of ancient gods and mythological creatures...modern costume seems weird, that is all. Makes for good pin-ups though. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Justice League Dark #1)
All-Star Western #1: I always intended to read Gray and Palmiotti's Jonah Hex series, actually, I did read the first issue and in something of a mixed blessing I suppose, this New 52 gave me the opportunity to jump on (although as a big reader of back-issues, it wasn't the idea of catching up on Jonah Hex that stopped me, it was the fact that it is just one of dozens, if not hundreds, of titles in my sights. That said, there's a much smaller amount of comics that grab my attention BEFORE they conclude...so again, All Star Western provides the critical acclaim of a creative team in their ongoing efforts to revitalize the "Western" comic while simultaneously providing a fresh start for new people to jump onto the bandwagon. As for this specific issue, I think the first thing that needs to be said is someone should really be giving this Moritat fellow more work, I mean seriously! That aside, I love that not only is this book following Jonah Hex (who I admit doesn't automatically equal success for me...) but the DCnU in general as seen in the past, specifically Gotham City and Amadeus Arkham I thought were great choices. And sure the Jack the Ripper thing is kind of a little bit of a stereotypical story of the past but I guess it's easier not to cringe when prostitutes from hundreds of years ago were brutally murdered rather then modern day ones. That said, I am also a fan of the Jack the Ripper case's influence on various mediums...even if it may not always be the best thing. In conclusion, I thought the twist at the end was great...I'm not going to claim this story is treading new ground but I think it does justice to a genre that can be good if done right. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
Aquaman #1: Not a huge fan of comics that are trying to be serious but at the same time breaking the fourth-wall constantly in general, it kind of pulls you out of the book, you know? I realize this is a new universe but it's in our universe that Aquaman is a butt of a joke, why would he be one in the universe he actually lives in? I doubt people are making jokes about Superman molesting little boys and Batman being gay over there...if you lived in a world with gods and monsters (yes...I did steal that from Brian Wood), I think you'd be dropping a deuce in your pants if you ever came across them. On that topic, I thought Justice League was establishing a status quo of a world against superheroes and yet no other book has had that going on. But yeah, back to the making fun of Aquaman in the Aquaman issue, I realize you're trying to make him cool Geoff, but really, you're making him less cool (IMO) because even his own world thinks he's a joke apparently. That said, this book wasn't offensively bad by any means and despite my mini-rant, I will check out #2, I liked all the other stuff as small a part of the issue as it was (the art was pretty great)...the Aquaman jokes just seemed too...Family Guy: The Comic or something. Although what is he going to do if he does what he claims he's going to do at the end of issue...I don't see him going through with it, then his character kind of will lose all his originality, I should think. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Batman: The Dark Knight #1 LOL WUT?! That cliffhanger made me laugh...desired effect, probably not. To be honest, I cannot understand in the slightest how this is one of the top-selling comics from The New 52, okay, I understand why, because it has Batman in the title whereas the superior Detective Comics does not and the superior Batman and Robin suggests little boys in hot pants. But still. There's nothing exciting and fresh about this book, out of the four titles featuring Bruce Wayne Batman, this is the least essential and has no extra value...I think it should've been eliminated in return for...say...a Warlord series or something? Maybe Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen? Even Adventures of Jerry Lee Lewis seems like it would have added a better diversity to the line-up. This comic wasn't offensively bad but it offered nothing, don't be fooled anyone, just because it says Batman: The Dark Knight doesn't mean David Finch is the next Frank Miller (though, maybe that's a good thing?). FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3.5/5)
Blackhawks #1: When the comic opened, one of my first thoughts was how this should have been a movie or a television series or something, it's very much the kind of action and dialogue that works better on screen then on the page. That said, this book had the unfortunate problem of just being part of a genre I really have no interest...it's not really about real people in combat like Men of War nor is it about a conspiracy-laden world with super-powered people or anything like that. It's just people with nicknames that fight or something...and they have the latest technology, like the GI Joe movie. I did like the art though and the Lady Blackhawk was hot (pun unintended). FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3.5/5)
The Flash #1: Who wants to bet Wally West was written out of existence just so they could do that whole "Barry is the fastest man alive" bit at the beginning of the issue? I'm not going to lie I had some problems with this book already going in so perhaps it didn't get the same leniency as some of the other books but there wasn't really anything "blow me away"-like with this comic and thus, my problems with it weren't cancelled out. One of my primary problems of course being the undoing of Barry's marriage, not that I care about Barry (seriously, the guy had no personality traits at all...in this comic at least) but this whole "down with marriage" thing that seems so popular in the comics these days really sticks in my craw. I won't get into the politics of it since I'm not married myself nor do I ever plan to be but why on the one hand we're getting people fighting for the right to do it and on the other hand we're getting comics telling us marriage isn't okay, it's just ridiculous. But yeah, enough of that, The Flash was bleh, I like Wally's personality but unfortunately he's not The Flash and this comic was just kind of...there. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #1: My eyes are currently squinting with skepticism. I know the premise of Firestorm and I know these names are the same as the old ones but one thing I'm not sure about...was Firestorm always composed of two opposing teenage kids? Because, wow, how can anyone enjoy that? No offense to teenagers (I'm hardly beyond that period of my life myself) but this was WAY too teen-angsty for me with no redeeming traits. I rather enjoyed the villains but they weren't iconic or original enough to keep me on a book about a hero that does not interest me in any way, shape or form. Also, what the hell was with that dialog post-transformation...the jock kid seemed to grasp the situation all too quickly...if that happened to me, I certainly wouldn't be getting all philosophical within a few seconds. Maybe after I had gone FUUUUUUUUUUUU...and then blown up the city or something. Last page was kind of cool but the lead-up wasn't... FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Green Lantern: New Guardians #1: Okay, I am definitely going to drop one GL book next month, if not two, it's clearly just a bunch of books so you can pick the GL you like best (I may not read the comics but I know there is quite some division and preferences in regards to the various Sector 2814 GL's) and follow their adventures. Although I'm kind of confused how all these books tie together, it feels like they must all be set in different universes...idk, clearly I'm missing a bunch of back-story. Whatever. I feel like the cover is self-aware of the fact that the idea of a "Rainbow Corps" is just hilarious, self parody perhaps? The book itself was pretty decent, again, Kyle Rayner is just another face to me but I liked the blend of the other Corps' and their respective Lanterns. Plus, how can I not want to know what's going to happen after that cliffhanger? Maybe it was just me, but I found the fact that ring-bearers could die any moment if they were to lose their ring an awesome idea...it's kind of too bad a Green Lantern didn't die or one of the "Allies" but then the deaths wouldn't be justifiable I suppose. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
I, Vampire #1: Holy sheeeeeeeeeeeeeit! I had high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed... You know, as much as you can complain about vampires being over-saturated in fiction, somehow almost every take on them seems to be awesome. I don't know, I think there's just something about the vampire that makes it prime story-telling material. For me, I'm always a fan of immortal characters (or extremely long-lived ones...this doesn't apply to characters in say Marvel that will in theory live forever but are still very young now) and morally ambiguous ones? All the better. Plus, supernatural abilities are always a plus. Now, as for the story this is based on, I feel like this issue does indeed ask that you read that (although I could be wrong there) but it doesn't demand it. I for one will be looking into it because I've had an interest in it and other House of Mystery stories from back in the day...if nothing else, it was the first DC title Karen Berger edited...if you don't who she is or why her editing bears any relevance to my interest in comics, you should probably just stop reading at this point because it's that sector of comics that best demonstrates my current interests and how they influence my choices of The New 52. Seriously though, good stuff, even if there are some things you don't get, the fact is it will probably be explained in this series and the people who've read the old one just have an edge on the rest of us for now. Also, the art is exceptional. Oh but I will note I'm not liking that this is set in the rest of the DCU, especially not if superheroes end up actually crossing over, it just doesn't work for me but we'll see how it unfolds, it could be done well, potentially. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (5/5)
Justice League Dark #1: Of every book released this month, Justice League Dark was without a doubt the one that had me most on the edge...and by that I don't mean the edge of a cliff ready to jump into the expanse of the book's greatness but on the edge of a knife, shaking with anxiety, worried that any slip would cause me to fall to my untimely demise (or worse yet, open wounds that will never heal but that will leave me alive to suffer). That said, I have come out of this first issue unscathed...but sadly, the knife doesn't seem to have disappeared from beneath me. Below, you will see my page-by-page thoughts on the issue if you really want to know what I was thinking (it's not a review so much as random thoughts)...but in the end, I am undecided on the book and will return to see more. I wish different artists had been chosen and I wish some of these characters had gotten the respect they deserved rather then this. But I understand that the world isn't perfect and I'm willing to settle for now. Not saying this is awful, but it's not what I think is right for their character progressions and developments, which is why, like Demon Knights, to me this will always be an Elseworlds story.
FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
The Savage Hawkman #1: Kind of getting that feeling I got the first week of this shindig with Batgirl...which means I'm going to be required to check out the next issue just to see if this book is great or just decent. For one thing, at some points I loved the art and at other times I wasn't really a fan...and ironically this issue seemed to skip over everything about Hawkman I've ever found remotely interesting (reincarnated lovers, Egyptian mythology, etc.) making him essentially just another dude. I thought the development with the suit was interesting, if not weird...and the plight of being unable to leave this life behind him was nice. Need more pages to decide how I feel about this "savage" Hawkman fellow...and his new villain. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (3.5/5)
Superman #1: Nope. Not feeling it, and if this is what Morrison's Action Comics is all leading up to, it makes that seem so much less interesting. I thought the introduction was a great commentary on the fate of Superman though. Unlike the people of Metropolis however, I want my old Daily Planet globe, I may have never been a huge Superman fan but there was never anything wrong with the source material. Sure, Elseworlds Superman stories are often the best but it's because their differences from the foundation that was Superman, should be Superman. That and the story itself here was nothing of the spectacular variety, are people going to be talking about Superman versus the alien fire creature years from now? No. Plus, more of that marriage-undoing bollocks (see: bitter old bachelors working in the comics industry)...and Superman moping...this reminds me of that Lana stuff from Smallville...oh, I wanted her to just die so much by the end of her period on the show. Also, that cover is some pretty bad artwork. P.S. And wtf was with that Stormwatch thing being in this comic, it was just randomly inserted, I'm sure it will tie in later but it seems more like a disgusting way of cross-pollinating your readership one month in. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #2 (3/5)
Teen Titans #1: When there's trouble, you know who to call. (Teen Titans!) From their tower, they can see it all. (Teen Titans!) When there's evil, on the attack. You can rest knowing, they got your back. Cause when the world needs heroes on patrol...Teen Titans, go! That said, I'm getting really tired of these covers that have nothing to do with the interior and only exist because it's a new #1 and they want to bring in fans of the old titles while establishing new ones. I don't approve of covers made for the sake of "looking cool" but having nothing to do with the comic itself. I did like this comic itself though, not superb but you know, like Lobdell's Superboy, it's a start (although again, the cliffhanger makes it impossible to understand how these two comics are going to exist separately). Although I've made all my comments about not liking teen angst and all that stuff, somehow, even though it's all about teens, this series manages to avoid that...at least this far...Teen Titans has been quite notorious over the past few years for sucking (or so I've heard) so I hope for those fans this is an increase in quality but for myself, I think it was pretty good, not the best but one of the few team books to work (although, that could have to do with the fact the team isn't assembled yet). FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4/5)
Voodoo #1: Okay where Catwoman tried, Voodoo succeeded in making a comic both sexy and engaging, both thanks to the writer and artist (although I certainly wouldn't have been under that impression from the cover). While this wasn't as good as the other WildStorm sleeper hit for me (Grifter), it was still far superior to Stormwatch and a further encouragement to delve more into the former WildStorm universe (specifically has me interested in the Moore miniseries from the 90's) while following its characters in the DCnU. As far as development goes, this issue was a great introduction to the character similar to Grifter that establishes the basics, gets us a turning point with a cliffhanger that tells us things are really just beginning. Not just for Voodoo but also for these mysterious pursuers of her's, I mean seriously, who saw that twist coming? Maybe everyone...but I didn't. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #2 (4.5/5)
OCTOBER 5, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Animal Man #2)
Action Comics #2: Despite my problems with the main Superman title, I think coming back to this past (that doesn't really seem to fit with the rest of The New 52) has been refreshing. I'm not saying I like that they're changing Superman but I'm starting to think the reason Action Comics work, at least at this point, is because it's set in the past and it's so different from all the other books that it's kind of hard to think of it as the official Superman that people will associate with the name in a generation or two. Which is a good thing for me, because I don't want to think of it as that, I'd like to think of it as just another viewpoint of the character and being set in the past, Action Comics just naturally has this Elseworldsy feel to it that made All-Star Superman great. The tables turning on Lex was fun though, even though I think Lex should be able to beat Superman, obviously it would be unrealistic for him to be able to do it yet...but the fact that he's got some...source of his new knowledge is very interesting. I wouldn't expect Lex to be relying on some unknown being with something like this but maybe that will change. Anyways, good book, and definitely the more essential of the Superman titles. As a side note, for some reason (probably being a comic nerd) I always assumed Krypton was named after the planet, not vice versa. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
Animal Man #2: Yep, my favorite Animal Man run that is the very reason I was so excited for this series in the first place is definitely out of continuity and this is a follow-up to Morrison. However, unlike with Swamp Thing, I've found it much easier to just take the "f@#k it" mentality with Animal Man because to be honest, that run's been out-of-continuity for almost as long as Animal Man's been any sort of relevant. So, continuing from where we left off with the last issue, this issue just kept the ball rolling and things just got better and better. And hell, Travel Foreman may just be my favorite artist of The New 52, I mean I know J.H. Williams is probably the most "talented"(?) artist but stylistically I'd say Travel Foreman is probably the most preferable to my personal tastes. Anyways, I do think it's too bad Lemire has to tread the same ground that already has been with The Red, acting as if it's a new concept but hey, at least he's taking a new spin on it of sorts...and these Hunters Three. Yeah, I'm totally down with this book. It kind of seems like this book is supposed to be what Delano's run would have been if they hadn't placed it under the Vertigo label. ALSO! HE CALLED HER LITTLE WING! THE GODS HAVE ANSWERED MY PRAYERS! FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (5/5)
Batwing #2: This book has both flaws and strengths in connection to it being part of the Bat franchise but I think with this issue it branched out a little more into its own direction and moved on from the set-up, allowing it to be seen that there is a story here that's not entirely about the black Batman. That said, the fact that Batman was still a presence is kind of annoying and I hope he gets phased out soon, I know Batwing is having troubles but the idea that Batman is still watching over him just makes his plight and skills seem a little less, even if he ignores Batman and "Alfred". I liked how this book expanded on our villain, making it clear he seems to have some sort of intent on targeting the retired members of Africa's first superhero team, at this point I think I might actually like Massacre more then Batwing. Still, this book is going to have to throw a curveball if it plans on keeping me, while the book is good, it has some tough competition, including most of the other Bat-family books. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (3.5/5)
Hawk and Dove #2: Okay, I tried a little more, and now I can write it off. I don't think this title is atrocious as some people make it out to be but maybe that's because I find it ironically humorous in how this book is such a catastrophe waiting to happen. Seriously though, it's pretty bad, last month it was funny bad, like...are you serious? This month it's like, yeah...they were serious...Condor & Swan? Yeah...screw that. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (2.5/5)
Men of War #2: Still ignoring the back-up, it's not really worth anything, otherwise I think this was a great issue and an improvement on the story, it gave us more of a feel and backstory for our new Sgt. Rock AND it somehow managed to incorporate superheroes more fully in this issue and yet retain the unique feel the book has that still keeps it out of the regular super-heroics of other books. I still think this book has a lot of potential, I want to see where this book is going though because right now I honestly have no clue anymore, this issue really switched things up for my preconceptions of the series. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
Red Lanterns #2: Hmm, this is a tough one, I'm trying to give all books here an equal chance to sell me but I also know Milligan has talent and he may just need to wrap up a story before he proves to me this series is worth my investment. I don't want to continue giving this book a pass every month though just because I like the writer, even if Red Lanterns itself doesn't measure up to some of the other books. I do think this issue was an improvement from the first and I have more hope for the series now but this could get a little old after a while, people getting wronged and then the rage of the victims ending in retribution. Rage is just such an unintelligent and unemotional (if that's possible) emotion...of course, Atrocitus is still a somewhat interesting character in his own right because he has thought, this of course is what makes me excited at this issue's cliffhanger, maybe the problem here is the lack of other character's to compare and contrast our protagonist to. I'm totally down with Bleez gaining intelligence...I'm not turned off by my fantasy women being capable of speech. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (3.5/5)
Stormwatch #2: Okay, to be honest, I kind of knew I was going to drop this one before it was even released, while I tried to go into all the #1's open-minded, the #2's I cannot help but have ideas of what's in store and based on the first issue and an interview of Cornell's, I realized he intends to keep the expository dialogue going throughout the series and sadly, I can only take so much. It wasn't as bad as last issue but I just don't like being written to like I'm a mentally retarded child with a seven second memory, you know? Plus, going into this second month, I have impressions of what other titles there are and I have seen the potential other books have and Stormwatch just doesn't measure up for me. I will however (hopefully) start reading Ellis' Stormwatch in the coming months. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
Swamp Thing #2: I mean no offense to Scott Snyder (seriously, I respect the man and enjoy his work and think he's a mighty fine writer and he even seems like a cool actual person) but I'm starting to doubt his fanboyism of Swamp Thing. Maybe not so much that he loves the character but maybe moreso on how knowledgeable he is...idk, based on his recent podcast with ComicVine (which I enjoyed) and some stuff in these two issues, I'm getting the idea that there's things he's retconning unintentionally just because he didn't realize the ground he's treading has been tread before. That said, the idea behind The New 52 saves him and so I may never know if he's changing everything Swamp Thing-related on purpose or accidentally (as some of the things seem unnecessary) and it's not like he's the first writer to change things up with old Swampy. Although constant retcons makes indexing a pain in the arse. Anyways, that minor complaint aside, again, this was a top-notch story, I love the art (even if it will never surpass the artistry it is paying homage to) and the story definitely has my interest piqued. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed about the identity of the villain or not, on the one hand I hoped for Arcane but on the other, maybe a new Matango is the best way to bring the new Swamp Thing up to form right off the bat? Also what is up with Abby. In the end, I love this series so far, I just kind of wish I wasn't such a Swamp Thing "historian" beforehand because it makes some things more confusing rather then less. I mean why did we need to retcon out Albert Höllerer? And I hope the Parliament of Trees being retconned back into life amounts to more then just the same old manipulating Swamp Thing only for him to find out they needed to to make sure he ended up on the path of destiny that would result in their existence. Sorry, this turned into a rant about continuity instead of actual content, but really, everyone loves Snyder so I'm not selling anything but just sharing my thoughts. Great comic. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
OCTOBER 12, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Grifter #2)
Batgirl #2: Woot! While last issue I was undecided, this week I know I like this book, maybe not love...but maybe reaching that point? The villain just got a hell of a lot more interesting and he was pretty cool last issue. The Babs stuff wasn't as interesting as the Batgirl stuff but it had its uses for character development down the line, right now though I just want to see how this arc all goes down, cliffhanger was awesome! Oh yeah...and does the Commissioner know his daughter is Batgirl? I wasn't sure based on the look in his eye when he was told Batgirl had returned. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Batwoman #2: Godammit, I don't think I can drop a book with art like this...thankfully the story continues to pull me in. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
Deathstroke #2: Is there such a thing as being too badass? Because if there is, this issue is it. Man, I'm really starting to wish there was a new interior artist for this book, if it weren't for Biz's covers I don't think anything would still be drawing me to this. I got the feeling I got last month when I read OMAC #1...you know, the lack of conflict thing...this was literally an entire issue of Slade killing people in rapid succession? Cool in a movie maybe but for me, I can't in good conscience continue following this book when there's other books that are actually good coming out alongside it. I would totally buy posters of the covers though, after buying all of Biz's Hellblazer, Doom Patrol and Heavy Metal covers in poster form as well. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
Demon Knights #2: Isn't it funny that two months ago this story would have been condemned for the writer's lack of knowledge of any of the characters involved (and for the introduction of some quite lacking new characters) but now it's hailed as a fresh take? Well, I couldn't keep my enthusiasm for this book up...I may come back to this years from now to see what these bastardized versions of characters I previously enjoyed are up to...but for now, this is going on the dropped pile. The humor isn't working for me and the characterization is too jarringly-awful. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3.5/5)
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #2: Unfortunately I don't feel like this issue really moved the story along which is a pity but it can be a problem with #2's...because I trust this creative team (as they have, separately, played roles in creating some of my favorite comics) I will stick it out for one more issue at least, hopefully the story picks up at that point. Also, on the topic of child sacrifice stories, I think American Gods is my favorite. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Green Lantern #2: Gah, this is such a tough choice here...I'm loving the Sinestro half of the book and hating the Hal Jordan half of the book and this was split directly down the middle! I can't take it, what should I do here? On the one hand we have Sinestro, an interesting character who could really make for an exciting book and on the other hand we have Hal Jordan, an uninteresting child-like specimen who is obviously intended to take over the book within an arc or two. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...I can't take it! Actually, come to think of it, I guess I could just drop the book and come back in the future when the book's farther down the line and I know which story arcs are essential Sinestro and which are Hal Jordan, yes, I'll do that. Good idea. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (4/5)
Grifter #2: Not as enthralling as the first issue but still great stuff, I'm liking this book, not sure if I'm alone in that or not. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
Resurrection Man #2: Okay, the thing about this book is I'm having fun with it (especially with the Body Doubles, the spread they first appear in...EPIC!) but I'm not sure I'm having as much fun with it as some of the other books and I'm worried I may end up cutting it due to the competition =/ Interesting cliffhanger though, to be honest (since I haven't read the first series yet) I've never understood why the Body Doubles hunt a guy they can't kill but it looks like I'll be getting more explanation on that so that's awesome. Also, I'm kind of curious to see if The Transhuman will return anytime soon. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Suicide Squad #2: Too bad they went with the easy kill, to be honest, I was kind of hoping El Diablo would die, I mean seriously, this character is a pain and kind of bumming me out...otherwise, this book continued to be fun and was more enjoyable the last issue as we could move past introductions. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Superboy #2: Hmm, I definitely liked the first issue better...this issue has gotten to be much more generic...and unthrilling...I knew there'd come a point where I'd need to make a choice between this and Teen Titans. And I think this is that point, unless Teen Titans really sucks the bag, I think I'm done with Superboy, at least for now. Maybe Superboy will get more exciting in the future but I'm not really a big fan of the "Weapon X" cliche thing, there wasn't really any attempt at character development in this issue in my opinion anyways. I did think the Fairchild thing was interesting, however, it's not really the area where I saw her showing up in the New 52, I think I would've liked to see her more in a superhero capacity then a scientist. I tried to love this, I really did. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
OCTOBER 19, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Red Hood and the Outlaws #2)
Batman #2: Like Wonder Woman, this book improved from last issue but one thing I'm not liking here is it already feels like they want you to read all the Bat books to get what's going on, either that or my brain is combining different events together because I thought the lead-up to this issue happened in Detective Comics #1...maybe my memory's failing me...but otherwise, this was good issue, it has potential to be great...hopefully it can keep to its own story though. I don't want this to be crossover central like the Bat-universe usually is. EDIT: I checked and my memory was confusing me but it's probably not a good thing that I can't distinguish what's happening in which book because it means it's nothing distinctive and memorable at this point. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
Birds of Prey #2: This issue kind of felt middle-of-the-ground and although I want to give it another chance, there's really too many of these Bat-universe books and I don't want them to take up the bulk of my New 52 reads so this book won't be getting a third chance, at least not now. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
Blue Beetle #2: I'm almost disappointed I liked this issue, if that makes any sense...mostly because I suspect by next issue I'll be back to feeling how I did after #1 but I guess I'll give the book a third chance. This issue dropped most of the teen stuff and other things I didn't really like about the first issue and it introduced some interesting stuff with the other Blue Beetles, I'm not a big fan of the character so I don't know if there were previously other Blue Beetles from alien worlds but it's making the concept of Blue Beetle more interesting for me. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Catwoman #2: Quite an improvement from last issue, I feel like this book has potential...but I'm going to need one more issue to decide whether I want to follow this book or not, it's certainly not flawless, it has the illusion of a character I can invest in and yet at the same time, I don't feel invested...it's strange. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
DC Universe Presents #2: Since I'm already 40% of the way into this story, I feel too invested to toss it aside now, however, whether or not I'll tag along for the series in the long run I have yet to decide, I will wait until next month when I've picked my other books and can see the solicit for the next feature. This may end up being a book I jump in and out of. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Green Lantern Corps #2: Due to the team nature of this book, it falls under the faults of most other team books for me and has become a book where things are happening but you have no real personalities to the character's, they all seem pretty much the same after a while (and the ones who had personalities last issue had personalities I didn't care for). I want to read something more unique then this. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
Nightwing #2: Hmm, I've yet to read Grant Morrison's Batman but I think I may have been one of those people unsatisfied by Dick becoming Batman, I'm not really liking his character much...maybe it's that for a tragic hero, he seems like he's got his act together which seems like a conflict of identities. And I don't really care about this Saiko guy now that I've seen more of him (seriously, his angle seems a tad ridiculous at this point) or a circus with terrible secrets or something...I'm going to have to pass on this one. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (3/5)
Red Hood and the Outlaws #2: Penis. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Wonder Woman #2: I love how Azzarello is ambiguous about the identities of the gods, at least in part, true they are obvious to most people but if you don't know your Greek mythology, you wouldn't know who they were. Anyways, thankfully this book improved quite a bit from its less-then-stellar start, I'm still a little on the fence about how amazing this is going to be but Wonder Woman deserves a chance at success too and I do love Azzarello. The art isn't too bad either...this origin thing though, really stupid though, I'm willing to accept it as part of what could be a great story but regardless of the story quality, this change takes away from the character quite a bit, and not just as a symbol of female empowerment but as a character with any sort of unique traits. To just be another one of Zeus' bastards? Who cares? FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
OCTOBER 26, 2011 (Most Anticipated: I, Vampire #2)
All-Star Western #2: Hmm, this was both surprising and disappointing, I feel like the quality of this book went down quite a bit this week, the art seemed more rushed, the writing was less-interesting, more clichéd and made it harder to suspend disbelief. I still like this book, but it's far from an instant classic for me...and the back-up (besides Bernet's art) was pretty awful, now while in part that may be because I was reading Azzarello's El Diablo the other week, I think it was just too much of a parody of the back-ups of the 80's and the comics of that time, in how bad they were that is. This is really disappointing, I was expecting great things from this book...it's only those expectations that are allowing me to give this book one more chance. Although, I feel a little bad about that because I've dropped books for less, if this book continues this trend, it will be dropped next month. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (3/5)
Aquaman #2: Okay, still not liking this relationship between Aquaman and the public, the book's going a little too much for the comedic angle IMO...looking at it now, I kind of think this book would have had potential having gone the horror angle. But, eh...besides the fact that it felt like there was little development in this issue, I did find it satisfactory. I think it really needs to get a move on by the next if I'm going to stick around though, I want to like this new Aquaman but something's going to have be done here soon. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (3.5/5)
Green Lantern: New Guardians #2: Despite the fact that a few years ago everyone was joking about the ridiculous story development that a child would surely come up with featuring the Rainbow Corps, now that it's actually happening. And I am ashamed to admit this. I almost feel intrigued. I'm not fully drawn in but I think with one more issue I'll be able to get a feel for this book, the problem right now is I'm not sure if it's working to make Kyle (that is the one in this book, right? or is it Hal?) the Rainbow Lantern or if it's going to continue to feature the interesting characters from the other Corps...also, if they actually did kill Larfleeze for this, I'll be pissed. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
I, Vampire #2: From seeing vampires slaughtered to reading Mary's thoughts, this book is phenomenal. I love this comic! FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (5/5)
Justice League Dark #2: Still on the fence about this, I'm not really feeling it but it's not awful...just not great. My loyalty to the characters means just one more issue before I make my decision. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (3.5/5)
The Savage Hawkman #2: This book is very middle-of-the-ground for me, if it weren't for some of the heavy competition, I think I would want to follow this series just because it's different and it's definitely good stuff but as I'm sure will be realized in the future as a flaw of this New 52, not everyone can follow all the books that are good...and as such, books like this will fall to the way side. FINAL VERDICT: Not Coming Back for #3 (4/5)
Teen Titans #2: I'm liking that this book took the slow approach to introducing the team rather then cramming everything into the first issue, it gives more time to become attached to these characters as individuals. As the whole team hasn't been introduced yet (that's promised for the next issue), it's kind of impossible for me not to continue for at least one more month to see if I like the whole set-up of this book or not, but so far it seems promising. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4/5)
Voodoo #2: Last panel aside (what is this crap?) this issue was bloody fantastic! Seriously, this is continuing to strengthen my enjoyment and interest of the WildStorm universe. The art is magnificent and absolutely sexy and the character's and events are definitely attention-worthy, although the feel of this book makes me lament even more that DC/WildStorm was fused...I could see this book crossing over with Grifter for example but with Green Lantern? No. FINAL VERDICT: Will Check Out #3 (4.5/5)
NOVEMBER 2, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Animal Man #3)
Action Comics #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #4)
Animal Man #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #1)
Batwing #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #6)
Men of War #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #5)
Red Lanterns #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #3)
Swamp Thing #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #2)
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 (Most Anticipated: Grifter #3)
Batgirl #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #5)
Batwoman #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #2)
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #3)
Grifter #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #1)
Resurrection Man #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #4)
Suicide Squad #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #6)
NOVEMBER 16, 2011 (Most Anticipated: I, Vampire #3)
Batman #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK #2)
Blue Beetle #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #7)
Catwoman #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #5)
DC Universe Presents #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #6)
I, Vampire #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #1)
Red Hood and the Outlaws #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #4)
Wonder Woman #3 (ANTICIPATION RANK: #3)
Aquaman #3
Green Lantern: New Guardians #3
Teen Titans #3
Voodoo #3
The final destination of this whole "experiment", of The New 52, I am trying to narrow it down to a quarter of the titles that stand above the rest which I intend to follow until they end (or start sucking terribly). Other titles I may end up following in trade or coming back to years from now but I plan to only follow 13 on a month-to-month basis.
We'll see how hard it is to cut some of these titles. I have listed the books that made it to November for me, which means I enjoyed them regardless of whether they make the final cut or not.
Current Total: 25...Need to Cut 12 Over the Course of October/November...
Note: Although this is a review of a comic, I won't be posting it in the review section as it applies to the entire series which has never been collected in a single volume and it's more about the broad ideas then the specifics which I may feel like reviewing individually in the future. Also, if you're curious about the title, the fact is you've probably never read a review from me as I am but an amateur but I'm making this in honor of the Prince of Reviews (who deserves more credit then he gets for his achievements in that area of the site), Silkcuts, who let's face it...is kind of a big deal.
Now before I share a few of my brief thoughts on the book, I would just like to say, Promethea is not for everyone and it's definitely not a comic I would recommend to everyone for a few reasons:
Just in case you're not aware, Promethea is written by none other then the apparently indisputable (although I will still try my darndest) greatest comic writer of all time, Alan Moore. Apart from Swamp Thing, Promethea is the longest continuous comic work he has ever done and as such it can't really be overlooked as just a minor detail in his writing career, if you're a Moore fan, this book is definitely an essential, no ands, ifs, or buts. I would also like to point out that the most common complaint I see people saying about Moore's writing is his constant debasement of the female. To be fair, that is an understandable judgment as it can be found in almost all of his works (although perhaps not intentionally on his part) but I bring this up because Promethea is (apart from maybe Halo Jones) one of the few major works by Alan that follows a female protagonist and thus is in theory a truer outlook on his opinion of women and in Promethea you will find quite the variety of women. Although, I'll leave the reader to decide whether it's negative or positive (for my part, I thought it was pretty positive).
As for the art, well, holy crap...I can definitely see why J.H. Williams III is considered the bee's knees. He's probably best known these days for his work on that Batwoman stuff but if you're a fan of him, I'd definitely say this is also an essential book for you. Not necessarily to read but just to look at all the pretty pictures. One of the most most interesting things about Williams' art throughout the series is it changes to so many various styles as to match the events of the book. I think it's one of the reasons why Moore's sermon works as a comic, I'm not sure many artists could have pulled it off but Williams did. Plus, that last issue was just ultra badass, I mean thirty-two individual pages with all sorts of psychedelic colors, a Promethea figure and then in the background, a part of a poster that can be formed if you connect the sixteen pages to make a larger portrait of Promethea. Definitely a pleasure to just let yourself drown in the art sometimes.
Note: This is the portion of the program where you'll understand why I call it an amateur review and I give you free reign to roll your eyes and discard anything I say at this point.
Having said all of that, the fact of the matter is: no, I was not the target audience. I don't need magick to be considered a loony writer, I have all the mental problems a guy could ask for, what more could I need? The fact is, magick just isn't my thing, it's not for lack of belief but because it's not a world I want to be a part of. That said, this book was full to the brim with all sorts of arcane knowledge and I didn't feel the pull to absorb it. I enjoyed it for it's informative side but this wouldn't be a book I'd be at the edge of my seat for every month (although it was more like a "whenever the f@#k we feel like putting an issue out" pace) but I did learn some things. Admittedly some of the time I felt like the book was oversimplifying things but at the same time other things I'm sure went over my head. It's very dense stuff. But, if you know Silkcuts and read his posts/blogs/reviews...reading Promethea you might end up like myself and wonder if you've just stumbled onto his journals or something. While reading it, I definitely knew Silkcuts was in the target audience. He and I share a lot of interests in the comic world but we do also have our differences (he being the more grown and mature of the two) so it was an interesting experience, kind of like seeing what other books are out there on our side of the comic spectrum (a.k.a. not a bunch of poncy blokes frolicking around in tights...no offense, considering I read some of those too). To grow as a comic reader I feel I need to absorb a lot more of the stuff out there and in that regard, I do not regret this read in the slightest.
On to the comic itself, one unique thing I'd like to point out about the book is it is very much alive, as it points out itself, and there are numerous breaks in "The Fourth Wall" and not for comedic effect like you'd get in Deadpool or Jack of Fables. In fact, by the end you are just one of the many people in the world experiencing the Apocalypse and talked to directly (and in the final issue it is even explained to you why a comic is the best form for this). However, what I found even more interesting (and this is something that brought me back to many of Silkcuts reviews/posts) is the way the comic format is explored and manipulated to serve the story. For example, an infinite loop has you turning the comic around and around and the dialog could literally have you reading that two-page spread for the rest of eternity. Apart from that, you also get to see the creators within the book...during the end of the world, you get a two page-spread on which there is a panel of J.H. Williams drawing the page, a panel of Alan Moore writing the page and even a panel of you the reader holding the comic all with your shocked reactions. However, I think my favorite break in the Fourth Wall was a magnificent (even if I literally couldn't read like 80% of it) two-page spread of prayers all contained in a single perfect moment...one of which is Todd Klein's prayer "God, I hope I've lettered this right...".*
*For the record, seven of his many Eisner's in the Best Letterer field were awarded in part for his work on this series.
As for the story-line itself, I actually liked the original set-up...but it was around #12 (there was other stuff before that but it was more introductory and I still didn't see the ultimate goal) I believe that I realized where the book was going and for the span of two volumes, Sophie (the protagonist) and Barbara (a past Promethea) take a journey through the Kaballah Tree of Life, teaching the reader about it as they go.
Meanwhile, there is other stuff going on in the city, which to be honest I often felt didn't really suit the rest of the story but could have made a great comic in and of itself. The Mayor with over forty personalities or the Mayor who's a former porn star; the Five Swell Guys and their enemy The Painted Doll; Stacia and Grace as the replacement Promethea; the giant crossover at the end that was essentially an excuse to pull in all the ABC characters into the book (although I recognized most of them, I haven't read many of their comics so the effect was lost on me). However, one of my favorite bits in the "other stuff" was the use of the Ars Goetia as villains, I'm kind of disappointed with myself for not realizing who they were earlier on (as I wrote a terrible story for a school project once featuring the seventy-two of them back in ninth grade) but even if their role was small in the grand scheme, I still enjoyed seeing them get used just because I felt like it was something I could say "hey, I knew something talked about in this sacred text years before I read it, go me".
Promethea. Although I wouldn't call it the greatest comic ever printed, I can understand it's appeal and would recommend you check it out if you're in the mood for expanding your horizons. And if you have already read it, feel free to tell me how much of an idiot I am for having the wrong opinion on it, seriously, I enjoy the discussion or insults, whichever you prefer. Although if anyone wants to turn this into an Alan Moore argument, I still need to read several more key pieces in his bibliography before I can have that debate again.
Oh and as a quick last thought regarding something I forgot to mention...maybe Moore did it on purpose but I was kind of annoyed how nudity was okay in the series but all the swearing was censored and there were some supporting characters who loved to swear (looking at you Boo Boo)...I feel like if you're going to censor a swear in a published work, there's no point using it at all.
I got my first letter ever sent to a comic letter column printed (in this month's #280) and nobody's congratulating me (okay, four people have so far but that's like .00009% of my followers) even though the achievement is clearly stated in my status bar thingie! You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
Although you don't deserve to see it, here is the letter...I have blacked out letters from other people as well as my last name and city of residence, if you'd like that info for your evil purposes, get the issue.
Yes that's right, unlike some of you who I wonder at times if you read comics, I am a nerd and stuff like this is the highlight of my life.
P.S. Shelly is the greatest editor ever and not just because she printed my letter but because she's the only individual to have been the editor (or an editor) for at least half of both of my two favorite comics of all time: Lucifer and Shade, the Changing Man...that and she's edited hundreds of other great comics.
Yes folks, it's that time again, the time in which I reach some sort of point milestone in the points department and decide to take the time to reflect on what I've done and look forward to where I'm going. Now this time the number is even more significant because it is the halfway point on my much talked about "Road to One Million!" I used to dream of getting 1st place for even a split second but with fesak's consistent lead on me I figured it was more plausible to get the 7th digit.
So I usually list my submissions that I'm most proud of but I noticed something similar in all of them, none of them do I regard as complete projects so I know I've got plenty of work to do. But here are my stats:
Personal Stats
Total Points: 500,020 (95,586 points from first place)
Total Pages on Which I Have Points: 34,296 (thousands of them were pages I added to the site)
Average Points Per Page: 14.6
Total Submissions Post-June 6, 2008: 58,501 (I think I had about 10,000 during 1.0)
Estimated Average Points Per Submission: A little less than 8.5 (yeah and the Major Fan wants me to get 1000 points in a single submission)
(P.S. If you've read the comic referenced in the title of this blog, you win!)
I can make a blog without cluttering up the forums and irking the moderators, go me!
Well, for those of you who keep up with our swiftly growing database, you may already know this but ComicVine now has over 150,000 issues! Woohoo! The 150,000th issue in particular was submitted yesterday by long-time member, Superkitty, and was Masters of the Universe #10. A comic I know nothing about but it appears to me that it's Non-English. Yay for foreign comics!
For one reason, because I'm biased, for another reason, besides all the great titles they've got going on already, look at all the new stuff!
At least a half dozen more Vertigo crime graphic novels have been mentioned, and a Hellblazer original graphic novel by original series writer Jamie Delano in honor of its 20th anniversary, new titles like Joe the Barbarian by Grant Morrison, I Zombie by Chris Roberson, American Vampire by Scott Snyder and Stephen King, Demo Vol. 2 by Brian Wood! Plus a film adaptation of a Vertigo comic hitting theaters in April ( The Losers) and a tv series based on a Vertigo comic kicking off this month ( Human Target). And let's not forget this is potentially the year Fables reaches it's 100th issue (and Jack of Fables it's 50th issue) so you can expect an awesome issue for that event.
if that wasn't enough to convince you...
I've got my fingers crossed Seaguy: Eternal will be coming out this year.
Use your keyboard!
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