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The Rest of the Stack: Week of September 14, 2011

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Walt

restofthestack01It’s been a long time since I’ve used this Rest of the Stack heading for this blog. But while I’ve lacked the patience to compose full reviews, following my mini-reviews of the DC New 52 books, I decided to post mini-reviews/comments on other issues I bought and read this week. And realized that hey…I did this a few times back in ’09 and used this heading. So without further rambling…here’s the rest of the week’s stack.

X-Men #17

xmen017This came out last week or the week before, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading it right away–probably distracted by the first wave of the New 52 from DC, and a weekend trip. Read it this weekend, and it wasn’t bad, though it didn’t really suck me in. There’s an air of continuity here that I don’t totally “get,” as I am unfamiliar with all the characters from Cyclops and the FF’s past. The FF’s uniforms really stand out against the X-Men uniforms–the white/grays against the non-white colors. While this story is purported to be in another dimension, I can’t quite separate it from being another take on the “Savage Land,” which is a bit disconcerting. Though it’s another dimension, the Savage Land has been so overused (to me) that this just doesn’t seem all that different. Granted, the alien creatures are a bit different than what would seem to fit the Savage Land. The differences in Magneto and Doom seem rather apparent here, and I wonder how this story will affect the main FF book, if at all. While this seems a tangential title in the X-corner of the Marvel Universe…there’s something endearing about Gischler‘s take on the characters that makes them feel more “real” or “grounded” than other titles. This also feels like a weird sort of self-contained: it deals with facets of the Marvel Universe and yet doesn’t seem to tie directly to anything else. That’s both good and bad, as it can be enjoyed on its own as its own title and story…but it also does not feel essential to the goings-on of other titles and their stories. Recommended. (7/10)

X-Men Legacy #255

xmenlegacy255Though I can “appreciate” the “X-Men in Space” stuff for what such stories have meant to the characters and their history, I don’t tend to ENJOY them all that much. This is shaping up to be another such story–interesting enough in a way, but not all that engaging. I do wonder if this is the story that’ll bring Polaris and Havok back to Earth, and that can have definite implications on the X-Books, especially with the Schism stuff going on, I guess. I’ve stuck around from the Age of X, but unless this arc wraps up quickly, it’ll probably be what sees me right back off this title. The story itself isn’t bad, and the art’s pretty good overall. But it’s also weird seeing Magneto as part of this grouping of X-characters the same week that I read X-Men #17 that sees Magneto and others in a dimension much like the Savage Land. There’s a certain disconnect. The cover of this issue is probably the most interesting part to me, as it’s easy to forget the family bond between Polaris and Magneto. If you enjoy X-Men in Space, you’ll probably enjoy this arc–which kicked off last issue, I believe. Otherwise, you’re probably gonna be just as well off waiting for the next arc when these characters return to Earth. (7/10)

Uncanny X-Force #15

uncannyxforce015I swear this title is shipping far too frequently of late, especially as I don’t really even recall any feeling of it being “late” at any point. The Dark Angel Saga continues, this is chapter 5. Archangel–through Genocide–has blown up a small town of a few thousand residents, and then with The World and the Life Seed, created a pocket of rapid evolution that goes from a scorched-earth blank-slate to a relatively modern-ish culture that evolved 100+ million years in a few hours. Provided all goes well, Archangel intends to do the same to the entire planet, and it’s left to X-Force to stop this from happening. Though this is indeed called The Dark Angel Saga, it seems to be taking Warren down a dark path whose implications absolutely will not be able to be ignored in general X-continuity…and it seems strange to see the character taken to these depths. The art on this book continues to be good stuff, and very stylistic, marking this as a much different side to the X-corner of the Marvel Universe. I’m not sure how long this arc is, though the next chapter–if this fits the 6-issue pattern–should conclude things. After a couple of 4-issue arcs, I wonder, though. If you’re following this title anyway, well worth picking up. Otherwise, you’re best off waiting for the next arc at least. (7.5/10)

Fear Itself #6

fearitself006I don’t know why I’ve stuck with this title/event. It really doesn’t seem to hold the “feel” that I would expect something called Fear Itself to have. The events of the story seem far too all-reaching for any normalcy to come back out of it. This seems more like the setting for some alternate universe, as the event that makes the other universe different from the main Marvel universe. There’s something that’s gotten to seem so generic about this…and yet, 6 issues in I’ll get the next issue just to see how this story “ends,” though I gather from news I’ve seen around online that this is yet another major event whose ending won’t be a true ending so much as something that’s just going to lead into the next few months’ “status quo” of Marvel stories. If you’re not already following this event or at least this core title, this isn’t for you. If you are…well, nothing I say’s really gonna change your mind. The art’s quite good, and though I don’t care for the story, the writing isn’t all that bad in itself: it just doesn’t work for me as an overarching story. Not particularly recommended. (4/10)

Fear Itself: Hulk vs. Dracula

fearitselfhulkvsdracula001Gischler‘s become Marvel‘s vampire guy. I’d love to see him take on a Blade series. This mini, though, ties in to Fear Itself, and begins the side-story of that event, focusing on Dracula and his vampires dealing with the sudden presence of the amped-up Hulk possessed by one of the Serpent’s hammers. The story’s more interesting than I expected at first glance, showing how Dracula’s people work together to get the intel the vampire needs to deal with the Hulk. This does not stand out as being anything essential to the overall Fear Itself story…but it’s rather enjoyable to see how the vampires are impacted by the goings-on of Fear Itself, to remind us that they exist, and keeps their story moving forward after the events in the early issues of X-Men. I picked this up as a fan of Gischler‘s work, and the concept…and enjoyed it. I’m also highly glad the issue is only $2.99, though…I’m still often caught by surprise at Marvel deigning to put a tie-in like this out for only $2.99 after their years-long fixation on the $3.99 price point. If you’re a fan of Gischler or Marvel‘s vampires, or just want to see more of what “Hulk” is up to during Fear Itself, this is definitely recommended. (7/10)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #1

buffyseasonnine001This certainly didn’t open quite the way I would have expected…even though I don’t even know what I did expect. I got into Buffy early this year when I re-watched the first episode of the tv series, and then spent the next 14 weeks in a dash through all 7 seasons. I experienced the first half of “Season Eight” via the motion comic Blu-Ray edition, and then the next couple TPBs from the local library. I read the final issue, having picked that up, so I have some context for this issue. Things open with Buffy going about life with new roommates and unsure of things with her friends, given the events that ended Season Eight. She then encounters a new horror this issue that seems so out of place that I’m not even sure if I can take it seriously–it’s like something from some comic strip rather than the next chapter of the Buffy story. The art fits what I’ve gotten used to seeing for this incarnation of the comics, and the writing’s on par as well. Nothing fantastic, nothing horrible. As a new “season,” this does a good job introducing new characters and old as well as a little about what they’re all about. But also as the start of a new season, there isn’t a whole lot to go on quite yet. Where a tv season goes a few months, I believe this is slated to run a couple years, so there’s plenty of time for things to develop. If you enjoyed Season Eight chances are you’ll enjoy this, for a continuation of that story, and of the Buffy saga on the whole (remember, this is set in the same continuity as the tv series). If you’re not a Buffy fan, you probably won’t care for this, though if you’re willing to go old-school and jump in while figuring “everything” out later, this is about as good a jump on point as anything. And the cover I went with…that’d be an AWESOME poster. (8.5/10)

Super Dinosaur #4

superdinosaur004I picked up the first issue on a whim. Got the FCBD issue shortly after. Picked up #s 2 and 3 as they came out. But truthfully–I didn’t even read ’em right away. Then I did, recently…and rather enjoyed the over-the top campiness of this. A mutant dinosaur in a robotic suit, a genius kid, and the two are best friends…fighting against the forces of some mad scientist that used to work with the kid’s father…and loads of other mutant dino-people in the mix. But…this is fun. And while this issue was apparently quite late…it was right on time, for me. Rather than having multiple issues to catch up on, I caught up, and was already set for this as a new issue this week. Plus, this is “only” a $2.99 comic, so it feels about as well priced as we can really expect for current comics. As campy as this title has already seen, the cliffhanger pushes it into even greater campiness…even as it leaves me grinning at the prospect of what’s to come. This is just a comic, but it feels like a cheesey Saturday-morning cartoon that would’ve come out in the early 1990s. And though just a comic…this beats the heck out of most of the current cartoons out there. If you trust Kirkman‘s writing sensibilities, take a chance and pick this series up, or at least the upcoming collected volume. This really seems like a great “all-ages” title…kids ought to enjoy it, and I can say that as an early-30s adult, I’m enjoying it myself. Even if you’re charged for the Free Comic Day issue…there are only the 5 issues so far, so it’s feasible you might be able to to scoop up the whole lot at once, so it’s not too late to get in at the beginning. Highly recommended. (9/10)

The Infinite #2

theinfinite002Above I commented about Super Dinosaur that it’s worth checking out of you trust Kirkman‘s writing…and I hold to that here. Of course, the writing is really overshadowed by the visuals. Looking at this cover, I see Cable…with bigger shoulder pads, smaller guns, younger and without the cybernetic/glowey eye-thing going on. For the interior, I had to keep reminding myself one character is NOT actually the Heroes Reborn Steve Rogers (Captain America) and another character made me think immediately of Gladiator from the X-Men comics. There’s a lot of time-travel stuff involved here, and it essentially seems like the main time-traveler is one of a two-man team–either he or his partner would have gone back, in order to try to prevent the future (their present) from happening. All they had to go on was some basic information, and in the past (now the present) the younger versions of these soldiers are being trained to fight against the coming darkness. It’s rather cliche and very ’90s-esque…but darnit, there’s something that just makes this work…maybe it’s a trainwreck waiting to happen and I’m waiting for that, but I picked this up after getting the first issue, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be back for #3. If you’re a Kirkman fan and can “handle” Liefeld‘s art, this is worth checking out…surely Kirkman‘s got something in the works for this. If you’re a Liefeld fan, can’t go wrong with that matched with Kirkman‘s writing. And heck…if you’re a Cable fan, this even reads a little bit like an alternate universe Cable story, so you could check this out and skip the last 18 years of Marvel‘s continuity. (6/10)

Filed under: The Rest of the Stack | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

From the back of the bandwagon: My DC New 52 thoughts, Week #2

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Walt

Batman and Robin #1

batmanandrobin001This was not on my original plan to pick up. But there was something to the cover, and the logo, and even the concept in general that I decided I actually WAS interested in at least checking out. I was too late to snag this at my usual comic shop, but went to another across town (where I wound up buying 5 more #1s that I’d not intended to get). I think what ultimately got me about this issue was that the concept is sound, and I’ve tended to like Tomasi‘s writing…I just haven’t cared for Gleason’s art, and grudgingly put up with the art when this team was on Green Lantern Corps. But given the dynamic between Batman and Robin–I rather enjoyed it with Dick and Damian, and was intrigued at seeing Bruce and Damian interacting. The villain of this issue triggered a huge sense of deja vu for me–I’d swear I’ve seen this villain before, but I cann’t place him as to where. An early issue of the Batman Reborn saga, perhaps? And despite my general dislike of Gleason‘s visual style, I think that was particularly on the Green Lanterns, with the human faces. His Batman is much more to my liking, though still not 100% thrilled with Robin’s look. Still…I hate to say it, but I think I’ll be back for Batman and Robin #2. (7/10)

Green Lantern #1

greenlantern001This was yet another title that I was not planning to pick up. A couple months into Brightest Day I decided to drop the singles and just keep up with GL through the collected volumes. So I was going to hold to that with this relaunch. Instead, I was totally hooked at the concept of Sinestro as a GL again. And with this supposedly a jumping on point (even if the GL books aren’t actually rebooting story-wise), I decided to jump in. And I have to admit–I’m hooked. Sinestro as an unwilling GL, forced to deal with the fact of being a GL even though there’s an enemy corps with his name makes for a lot of potential. Seeing him deal with some of the Sinestro Corps and the reflection of what he himself once did to his homeworld leaves a lot of room for exploration. Hal being stuck home and ringless doesn’t feel like anything new…and by the end of this issue, looks to be potentially a limited engagement sort of situation. Though I’ve generally really enjoyed Mahnke‘s art, especially on the Blackest Night stuff–it didn’t seem nearly as stand-out here. Of course, this wasn’t nearly as action-packed as the early issues of Blackest Night, and perhaps in my time “off” I’ve built up expectations that are a bit too high. Yet, the art’s not bad at all in my eyes. I don’t know that I’ll stick around for the entire arc, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to pick up GL #2 to see where things head from here. (8/10)

Resurrection Man #1

resurrectionman001I vaguely remembered this title from the 1990s, back when the New 52 were announced. A few weeks earlier, I’d wound up snagging a copy of the original Resurrection Man #1 (with the little circle “hologram” on the cover) from a bargain bin, so decided I would be interested in checking this new series out. Given the character’s been in limbo for a lot of years, I was curious at what would bring the character back to being an active part of the new DCU. Add to it that this is Abnett and Lanning, and I was basically sold on it, sight unseen. Now, something to Dagnino‘s art really gave me a sense of ’90s deja vu in the early pages of this issue–perhaps because (again) this is such an unfamiliar character I’m not used to seeing as part of a mainstream DCU. As such, the visuals fit the book quite well. The story’s a bit more unfamiliar, and I really have no clue who anyone is. But seeing the main character die and come back with some new “ability” each time he “resurrects” has something to it that keeps things interesting. I’ll be back for #2. (8/10)

Superboy #1

superboy001I’m not sure what I expected of this title, exactly…but what I got wasn’t it. I can’t tell if this is supposed to be the same Superboy (essentially, despite the reboot/relaunch) that I’ve known. But this seems like a whole new character, almost a new “origin.” Given that the New 52 seem to have varying degrees of newness about them, I’m a little put off here. Among other things, this feels a LOT like the introduction of the new Guardian (during the 7 Soldiers stuff?) where the “original” had been killed and this is a new character cloned from that one. Particularly with the “loss” of Jonathan AND Martha Kent, this comes off as a much different and less personable character to me. The art’s not bad, and the story isn’t bad in itself–just that it quickly comes off as something I’m not all that interested in. Maybe another perspective or some clarification would pick that up for me…but for the moment, I’m just not all that engaged or interested (all the more having read “Superboy Goes Bad and Beats Up the Teen Titans” back in 2005 heading toward Infinite Crisis. I can’t speak to new readers 100% new to the concept, but as a “clone” of Superman, this is NOT “the adventures of Superman when he was a Boy” but it does not feel, either, like the likely adventures of Connor…and I really have no interest right now in a brand-new Superboy. (6/10)

Demon Knights #1

demonknights001Maybe I just don’t pick up on certain subtleties…especially when it’s a subtlety buried in the midst of one issue when I’m actually reading a bunch back to back. But this one just doesn’t stand out to me the way it seems to be to others, and I don’t see the tie to Stormwatch here. Of course, I didn’t much enjoy Stormwatch, so…yeah. It was the cover that “sold” me on this–when I had to go to a second comic shop to get Batman and Robin, I told myself that if they had this in stock, I’d give it a try. The art wasn’t bad, and definitely fit the tone of the story. The story itself was semi forgettable, but not bad. There’s an air of “fantasy” with the supernatural here, and this is definitely a side of the DCU I’m less familiar with, as it really gets away from the “superheroics.” I also found Etrigan to be more interesting NOT being a “rhyming” demon. But I do think that overall, this title’s one that while not entirely uninteresting, I’m just not hooked enough to arbitrarily come back for a second issue. (6.5/10)

Deathstroke #1

deathstroke001My first exposure to Deathstroke was his appearance in an issue of Superman back in 1992, shortly before Superman’s death. At the time he was just another colorful character, and it was a bit of time before I even realized he was a “villain,” given that he had his own ongoing series. Mostly lost track of him until Identity Crisis, and since then I’ve had mixed feelings on the character. This was one that I picked up having decided to grab a few extras to take advantage of a promotion (buy 5, get 1 free). The cover’s not terribly impressive, nor is the logo. The story wasn’t all that thrilling (though humans modified with “Clayface DNA” does seem ‘new’). The “twist” at the end drastically affected what I thought was shaping to be an interesting sort of supporting cast for the title, and in its own way does a disservice to holding my interest. The art’s not bad (though doesn’t blow me away), and something about Deathstroke’s current design seems somewhat “off” from what I’d “prefer” for the character. All in all, not a bad issue–this seemed to somewhat stand alone as a “pilot” and while I don’t necessarily want my time back, unless someone else does a job in “selling” me on it, I don’t see picking up #2. (6/10)

Red Lanterns #1

redlanterns001I have to admit–when this title was announced, I was quite excited. A Lantern Corps other than Green getting its own book! Of course, it’s been well over a year since I stepped off the monthly following of all the Brightest Day stuff, so my interest has cooled a bit. Until the New 52 was announced, I’d figured this title had been scrapped. But I opted to give this first issue a try, as I’ve found myself particularly drawn back to the Batman and Green Lantern sides of the DCU. There’s some potential here, but this feels like something better suited for an official mini-series than ongoing. The story here seems to be coming out of the War of the Lanterns–which I’ve not yet read–but I can follow along well enough. The art’s good, too–I’ve generally enjoyed Benes‘ work. All in all, I think I’m going to probably pass on later issues. I see this being a limited story that’ll make a decent collected volume, and that’ll be the preferred way to read it, for me. (7/10)

Grifter #1

grifter001I’m not sure why I picked this up instead of Legion Lost #1. Perhaps because I’m avoiding the Legion of Super-Heroes, as they’ve never really been my “thing” on the whole. I really don’t feel like I know anything new of this Grifter character than I knew before the issue, and can’t totally separate him from being one of “those Wildstorm characters,” especially with the multiple Wildstorm relaunches and events and such I’ve read through the years, a couple of which I’ve tried to get into. The art’s not bad, but the story doesn’t grab me at all. I can’t tell if the character’s crazy, or who the “voice” is really supposed to be; nor how much this may be dredging up characters or concepts from early Wildstorm stuff (Daemonites, perhaps?). I have enough knowledge to feel unfulfilled here, though I wonder if there’s enough in the story to hook those unfamiliar with any of this. Maybe things’ll improve, but this was one issue too much for me, at present. (4/10)

Animal Man #1

animalman001I passed on this one for the first week. But heard plenty of praise for it and so decided to check it out for myself. Wound up being fairly impressed–I’ve never read Morrison’s run on the old Animal Man series, nor did I read the recent mini-series; but I kinda enjoyed what I saw of the character in 52. The story and art for this issue weren’t bad; I was interested to see Buddy’s family interactions, and it was neat seeing some of the ways he can use the animal powers in every-day life–both instinctively as well as to serve his own purpose (such as getting to sleep). The ending of the issue was thoroughly creepy, but served to hook me–I am highly interested in the next issue and where this is going…there’s something to the involvement with animals that gets to me. Offhand, I think this was one of my favorite of the New 52 so far, in the overall experience and stuff sticking with me. (8/10)

Filed under: DC, DC Universe, New 52, The | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Booking Through Thursday: Replay

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Walt

btt button

Have you ever finished a book and loved it so much you went right back and started re-reading it again?

Nope.

I may finish a book and want more, or finish a book that’s part of a series, and go right into the next book.

But I have never immediately re-read a book that I’ve just finished.

I don’t even do that with single-issue COMICS. (Well, the exception would be whatever re-reading I do prior to writing a review).

Sorry…no huge insights or tangents this week. I’m already padding this entry as it is, as it ought to be a one-word answer.

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

X-Men Regenesis Checklist [Checklist]

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Walt

Following X-Men: Schism every mutant must choose a side: Cyclops’ or Wolverine’s. With the X-Men cut in two, things will never be the same again. Choose Your Team.

OCTOBER 2011

  • Uncanny X-Men #544
  • X-Men: Regenesis #1
  • Wolverine #17
  • Wolverine & the X-Men #1

 

NOVEMBER 2011

  • Uncanny X-Men #1
  • X-Men Legacy #259
  • Generation Hope #13
  • New Mutants #33
  • X-Men #20

 

DECEMBER 2011

  • Uncanny X-Force #19

 

JANUARY 2012

  • X-Factor #230

 

SOURCE: Marvel Retailer Postcard-Checklist

Filed under: Checklists, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

From the back of the bandwagon: My DC New 52 thoughts, Week #1

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Walt

STORMWATCH #1

stormwatch001While I can appreciate what this is likely building toward, it just doesn’t grab me. Something about it reminds me of my experience reading SHIELD #1 a year or two back. Sure, it’s well-written, in and of itself. But as one who has never really read Stormwatch at any great lengths in any of its incarnations–this does about as well at sucking me in. I think of all the new DC books this week, this was my least favorite. Thankfully, it was a late grab (my 4th comic shop) and not something I’ll feel like I’m backing out of. I wasn’t planning on getting this to begin with, saw some comments online and decided I actually did want to check it out, but cool as the last page may be, it’s not “enough.” Art’s not bad, either (didn’t sway me one way or the other). If this title turns out to be something worth getting long-term, I can backtrack or grab a collected volume. (4/10)

STATIC SHOCK #1

staticshock001Though I wouldn’t say this is my favorite debut issue, it was relatively “fun” going through. I’m not all that familiar with Static in general–about half of what I know comes from reading a book one of my college professors wrote about the Milestone Comics line–but I knew enough to enjoy this. “But why did you need to know anything beforehand?” you ask? Because this character seems relatively established in his book. First issue, blah blah blah…we don’t see him meeting Hardware (though I gotta say, it’s totally awesome seeing Hardware in here!), or discovering his powers. And I gather from this that Dakota is now an established city in the DC Universe. Story’s not bad–has a lot of potential. Art’s good, and I like that it feels like a cross between the cartoon and the “classic” original series. (7/10)

BATGIRL #1

batgirl001This was a last-second book for me. Originally I’d figured I wasn’t even gonna bother with it. I don’t care for Babs as Batgirl–she was already Oracle (or at least, she was in a wheelchair) the first I became aware of her back in the late 1980s when I was introduced to comics. I can appreciate the character in terms of the ’60s tv series, and as a former library student myself, love the imagery when she represents librarians. But this is the first “current continuity” I’ve seen in my life of her as Batgirl, and it’s so-so. Simone’s a great writer, and I have faith that if I stick with this series long enough, she’ll likely sway me into liking this take on Babs. That the “home invasion” from The Killing Joke is kept works well, and though I prefer Oracle, this plays out as an alternate take on the permanent injuries of the continuity that just ended. Syaf and the whole art team put together a great visual product…and I far prefer Syaf‘s Batgirl to Hughes‘ cover. (7.5/10)

DETECTIVE COMICS #1

detectivecomics001This issue was one I was gonna grab pretty much whatever. *Detective Comics* #1. Of course, it now lacks any great pedigree–it goes from being “the longest comic ever published” to being just another #1, and just another title amidst so many. Still, it’s a Batman book, and it’s got Batman vs. The Joker. Yeah…just another battle. But the end of the issue leaves me “curious” as to what’s to come for the Joker, disgusting as that was. I doubt it’ll lead off to any great changes–even in this relaunch, I can’t DC letting the Joker’s image be changed all that much. The art on the issue is pretty good, and there were some panels with Batman that I really liked, and the Joker certainly carried a familiar look. All in all, far from being a horrible issue, but nothing that stands out as anything iconic or all that remarkable. (6.5/10)

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL

justiceleagueinternationalLike Batgirl, this was a last-second book for me. I dropped Booster Gold a year and a half or so ago, tired of the meandering and figuring I’d “just catch up” from bargain bins. I also got burned out from Blackest Night, and so after a couple months of trying, decided to give all the Brightest Day stuff a pass to maybe catch up in collected volumes. As such, I missed the past year of Booster Gold and virtually all of Generation Lost. And I missed Booster, so with this being his new book, I figured I’d give it a look-see. This is another title where the art’s good, but not fantastic. And the story’s almost forgettable. I certainly didn’t enjoy this as much as I’d hoped to…but I think I’ll probably be back for the next issue. (7/10)

SWAMP THING #1

swampthing001I’m not sure what initially grabbed my interest for this title–probably the Search for Swamp Thing mini-series that served as an aftermath to Brightest Day. And yet, it was the fact that I had put this issue on my pull list that I picked up Search for Swamp Thing. Chicken, meet Egg? This issue certainly didn’t blow me away or anything, but it’s got potential. There’s something to this version, to knowing this take on the character has him within the main DCU, that somehow has me enjoying it more. I’ve never really gotten into the Vertigo version of the character, however good the writers/stories may have been. Never have been opposed, but just never really got grabbed…except for the ties to Hellblazer. And with John Constantine back in the DCU as well (or a version of him, anyway), I figured this title was worth checking out. I am glad that I picked up and read Search for Swamp Thing, as this does make some vague references to it, and does seem to sort of follow on it. At the least, this does not contradict that series. I’ll be back for #2 to see how things continue playing out, though unless I really get grabbed, I don’t know if I’ll last an entire arc. Will take it an issue at a time. (6/10)

ACTION COMICS #1

actioncomics001This takes place 5 years in “the past.” Planting this square in my final semester of grad school. Which is really disconcerting when I think of it in those terms, today.  Though this is not the Earth One Superman, he feels equally unfamiliar. I’m willing to read this story, to take it for what it is, in and of itself…but especially as the character is at this point, this is far from any Superman I’ve really ever known, or cared to know…history be darned. Morrison is hit or miss for me, and I can’t quite decide which this is. Other than the “meta” significance of this being Action Comics #1 (and for the first time in 73 years, a distinction now must be made as to WHICH Action #1), this doesn’t feel like anything special…just another story with a much different take on the character. Of course…I’ll be back for #2, unless something comes up that REALLY turns me off from this series. And given my history with Superman, even if I don’t keep up with the singles as they come out…I can’t imagine I’ll be able to stay away from the title long-term, whatever develops. (6/10)

Filed under: DC, DC Universe, New 52, The | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Weekend new purchases: Beginnings and Endings

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Walt

weekendbuysGenerally speaking, I’m not much for “recent back issues.” Obviously I’m all about mid-90s back issues, and other such–but with “new” stuff (from the last few years) I have pretty much picked up what I intend to as stuff’s come out. And when I miss something and decide to go back–that’s where I’m highly likely to snag a collected volume.

This weekend, though, I wound up tracking down 10 very recent back issues. Uncanny X-Force #4, Mighty Samson #2, Ruse #3, and Walking Dead #85 I’d somehow missed when they first came out, and with the exception of the X-FOrce issue (marked up $1.01 above cover price) I got these for cover price.

weekendbuysThen with the recent hype over the DC stuff, I wound up deciding I wanted the Stormwatch issue, so finally tracked that down (4th and final comic shop visited for the week/weekend). Since I’d bought Flashpoint #1 when it came out, and #5, and have been rather impatient, I decided to snag the other 3 issues since they were all in stock at one shop. That shop had Batman: Knight of Vengeance #s 1 & 3. Another shop had #2. Final shop had 1-3, so I snagged those. (See, folks? Have an ENTIRE mini-series in stock, and I’ll buy it! Have even just 1 issue missing, and I will leave it on the shelf. EVEN IF I am going to another shop that may well have that missing issue.)

While there, I wound up snagging that Apocalypse figure–hate paying the premium/marked up price in a comic shop, but it’s one I’ll be SHOCKED to ever actually see on the pegs at walmart. And I bought the WARMACHINE templates for the next time I get to play the game; slowly geared up.

finalbordersI also visited Borders for the final time. Thursday went to the local Borders near my apartment, where I snagged a handful of books for ridiculously cheap prices. While in Ann Arbor over the weekend, ducked into the one there but walked out a couple minutes later. Too little selection and far, FAR too many people…and I’d just bought a bunch of comics (see above) so was no need to spend extra time in the bookstore.

Sad to see the chain go, but I still have a couple of Barnes & Nobles relatively nearby, as well as a couple Half-Price Books and a third used-books store, so I’ll get by. But that’s for some other post.

And if you’re wondering at me covering the DC New 52 books? I’m still determining if or how I’m doing that–but I don’t feel like being “just” another review in the sea of HIGH-PROFILE reviews of the stuff.

Here’s to a new week, though. Hopefully much smaller on the wallet, too!

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Happy Birthday, Zig!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Walt

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Because he came from a shelter and there’s no documentation of his specific date of birth, we’re celebrating his birthday as the day Dad brought Ziggy home from the shelter. The vet(s) guessed that Zig was about 2, so that’s the age we’ve stuck with. Which makes today officially his 3rd birthday!

He’s an amazing kitty, and has been SUCH a bright spot in (speaking only for myself) my life, a huge joy to have around.

Though I hadn’t had any intention of letting another cat into my heart so soon after losing Kayla, and even swearing up and down to myself that he’d simply be “a cat,” Zig’s broken through those barriers. Which can’t really be a surprise, as all it took was one look at a single photo of him from the shelter for me to adore this cat.

More great memories with him in the last year than I could adequately try to capture in a single, brief blog post. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s an extra-lengthy piece:

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Walt’s Weekly Writing Wrap-Up: Aug 29-Sept 5

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Walt

newcomics001Non-Review Content:

– Booking Through Thursday: Stormy Weather

– Labor Day/End of Summer comics

 

Reviews of comics released Wednesday, August 31:

newcomics002– Justice League #1(DC Comics)

– Flashpoint #5(DC Comics)

– Angel and Faith #1(Dark Horse Comics)

– Uncanny X-Force #14(Marvel Comics)

 

justiceleague001  flashpoint005

angelandfaith001  uncannyxforce014

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Labor Day/End of Summer comics

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Walt

newcomics002_thumb[9]My local comic shop was having an “end-of-summer”/Labor Day clearance sale last week. A bunch of sale books and games and such, as well as extra bargain bins, and all the bargain bins–usually 25-cent comics–were 5-cents apiece or $12 to fill-a-box.

On Wednesday, being there on my short lunch-break, I could only flip very quickly through a few of the bins, and found an issue of Siren and an issue of Necro Mantra/Lord Pumpkin; far as I can tell, the Necro Mantra/LP issue is new, newcomics002_thumb[8]while the Siren issue was a duplicate. But for 10 cents total…I can afford to take the duplicates’ chance.

Friday after work I went back, and scored Angels of Destruction #1 and Witch Hunter #1, both also only 5 cents each. Picked up Firearm #4 and Foxfire #2, both figuring to be duplicates, but for the price, I was taking the chance (and actually, I bought every Ultraverse comic I found, which is sorta sad there were so few in those bins!)

The store owner also gave me a great deal on some other sets. I was already picking up a run of X (Dark Horse Heroes) for $3 and Wonder Man (Marvel)

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for $2; (and the week before, had bought a run of Steel for $6ish and Zen: Intergalactic Ninja for $8). So between the 5-cent comics and pretty solid runs of Grendel, The Ferret, the Superboy series based on the tv show, and Resurrection Man…I walked out Friday with a full longbox and the equivalent of about half a shortbox, all for only slightly more than the cost of 8 or 9 new comics.

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Uncanny X-Force #14 [Review]

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Walt


Full review posted to cxPulp.com.

Story: 3/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5

Filed under: cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, Uncanny X-Force | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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