Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 2.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 3/5
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Back in May, I reviewed the 
Story-wise, I’m enjoying this series on the whole. There are a number of characters, and while they are individually recognizable and stand out when I see them, I’m not yet all that invested in them, and character names don’t stick with me beyond actually reading the issues or paging back through FOR names. I like the somewhat super-hero feel to this series mixed with the “cosmic,” which makes a lot of sense since it’s written by Abnett and Lanning. The concepts and world-building have been interesting and make sense in their context, without making the environment overly “fantastic.” This is definitely sci-fi and all, but at its heart the story is familiar and timeless.
I also like the backmatter, as we (at least on the first two issues) have a double-page “interview” with one of the protagonists, allowing some further insight into the characters that just isn’t possible within the pages of the story itself. For what I imagine would be obvious reasons, these remind me a bit of Watchmen.
I started watching Falling Skies last year, and found that I enjoyed it overall. Granted, I “lost track” of it along the way and have yet to finish the first season, but look forward to catching up on both seasons on DVD in the not-to-distant future. I mention that because in a way, I think this title could be (in broad strokes) described as Falling Skies with super-heroes.
The third issue involves more characters in the story as we continue to learn about this world past and present–what it was like before the invasion and where things sit at present. Particularly memorable is what we learn about Nox and where his motivation may not actually be what it seems to be, which could be trouble for the survivors.
As with Higher Earth, I find myself giving this title a “pass” when it comes to the variant covers and $3.99 price point. While this could easily be just one of a number of titles exploring the after-effects of some temporary-status-quo-changing “event” that ties in with other titles to give a full picture…this is just one title, isolated to itself, telling THE story. That there’s room for so much more makes it feel that much more epic, but as of present, it’s a single title that doesn’t require any other series to “complete” the current/ongoing story. As to the variant covers, I’ve simply requested the “A” cover for consistency, and ignore as best I can the solicits and advertising and such that show other covers.
I’d forgotten this issue’s story. I guess it had to be somewhere, but my memories of these early issues jump from the turtles meeting April and dealing with Stockman and the Mousers right into what is probably going to be in #4. Yet, we get some pretty important stuff going on here as the turtles find Splinter missing (possibly killed by the Mousers), and actually turn to April for help. We also get the obvious inspiration for “the Turtle Van” (but less commercial). And the issue ends with the introduction of characters that inspired one of the primary characters in the classic cartoon series. The story itself is pretty basic…nothing all that deep, but still enjoyable enough in itself. I really like the art here as it’s just “classic” for me (biased though I must admit I am). The color added blends very well with the original black and white, such that it’s hard to believe this wasn’t a color series to begin with. (7/10)
Beyond the first issue of the TMNT Color Classics, I wasn’t sure how IDW was going to go about reprinting these issues, and sorta feared the Micro-Series issues would be merged in with the numbering, resulting in TMNT Color Classics being its own numbering that wouldn’t correspond with the issue being reprinted. However, this issue simply reprints the Raphael issue as itself, and I love that. The issue’s story is pretty basic and cliche, lacking much of the depth that we eventually get with the characters. Casey’s introduction here doesn’t work so well for me, but every character has to start somewhere. There’s also some clunky dialogue with Raph that just doesn’t seem to fit ANY version of the character I think of. The art’s classic Eastman & Laird (duh) and looks quite good in this new colored format. (7/10)
This issue is largely focused on Namor, as he lays waste to Wakanda, and the Avengers dogpile him, ultimately learning some useful information about the Phoenix Force and its interaction with multiple hosts. Storywise, this was one of my least-favorite issues–but then, that’s largely because Namor’s one of my least-favorite of the Phoenix Five (coming in just behind Illyana). It’s also increasingly difficult to take the scope of this story serious in the face of ongoing stories in other books seeming to have nothing to do with what’s unfolding in AvX, and that even some of the actual tie-in books are barely pulling a “red skies” level of involvement. The art’s a mixed bag for me, with some of the pages looking good and others just looking horrendous to me. (4/10)
Nine issues in and there’s just enough of a “completist” in me to grin ‘n bear it: I started following this series, and now I want to finish it, just on principle of finishing it–though I dropped all the tie-ins cold-turkey due to frustration at Marvel continuing its cycle of not even letting one event finish before announcing the next, and the spoiling of the end of this series, and Marvel Now… This issue’s another beat-down issue, with the Avengers piling on Colossonaut and Magik, with Spider-Man taking the worst beating of the bunch this time. The art continues to be mixed, with some panels looking excellent while others look generic and a bit rushed by comparison. This is the three-quarters mark of the series, and I’m quite ready to get to the end. (5/10)
Cyclops has shown up to take Hope away from the Avengers, though she makes it clear she does not wish to go with him. Fighting breaks out, and Hope even gets to ride a dragon, before turning her powers on Cyclops with an unintended effect. After the previous issue, the Phoenix Force is all the more concentrated in Cyclops, which makes Hope’s effect all the more meaningful. With the ending of this issue actually pulling me back into stuff and looking forward with interest to seeing how this story’s going to conclude. (6.5/10)
I picked this up because it was a new #1, a new start on a new Gambit series. I loved the original ongoing from ’99-’01 by Nicieza, and figured I’d check in on the character here. The issue itself is pretty good–we see Gambit in full thief mode, having fun with what he does, and while I can’t quite place all of his apparent motivations as being “fitting,” they work here, and I once again can totally “buy” Gambit as a solo act without needing the other X-Men. The art’s solid, though there’s something just a little bit “off” for me. Unfortunately, with other problems I’m having with Marvel lately–particularly the pending Marvel Now renumbering/relaunching of so many books; even if this stays at $2.99, it’s not enough and too late for me to truly care to “invest” in a long-form limited series right now. I’ll catch up in collected volumes or bargain bins if anything much pans out for this book. (8/10)
Normally I’m not a fan of decompression, especially lately…certainly not in a $3.99 book. But I’m loving this new X-O Manowar series. The story’s still seeming very familiar, keeping the basics of the character (as I recall ’em, anyway) pretty close to the classic version, just updated quite a bit to present-day comic sensibilities. The art’s a bit rough, but somehow fits the tone of the comic and the character in a way that works. I’m not all that familiar with characters’ individual names and such yet, but the issue works well for me just enjoying the story in and of itself. (7.5/10)
Perhaps I’m over-simplifying a bit, but this (like its predecessor, the over-hyped #100) is a strong “next chapter” of the ongoing Walking Dead story. The art’s solid as always, maintaining the usual consistency–it looks and feels like an issue of The Walking Dead. The story moves forward, as the various characters react to what happened last issue, and begin to figure out what to do next. And of course, “to be continued.” I don’t know how much longer I’m going to stay on the “singles” bandwagon this time–I’m trying to tell myself to go back to the trades after this arc…but we’ll see. (7/10)
I was surprised when the LCS owner mentioned this title to me when I recently revised my pull-list, as I had completely forgotten about it. I mean…it didn’t even ring any bells at all. So when I got it, I realized where it had come from: I must’ve requested it based on the Free Comic Day issue back in May. And for $1, figured I’d give it a shot. The art’s not bad, though it has that certain luminescent effect, a lightness even to the dark images, that so often makes me think “adaptation of something from TV” or some such, and the story (while it pulled me through the issue) is ultimately kinda forgettable, and I kept thinking as I read how this really seemed like something intended more for TV but relegated to comic book form. It’s also kinda telling that the selling point (which is what caught ME) is that it’s got Gale Anne Hurd‘s involvement, somehow…and that none of the actual creators who worked on story or art are even listed on the cover. I haven’t 100% decided either way on this title…I’ll probably give it another issue or two to really wow me, but at the moment I don’t see staying with this long. (6/10)
Comic Reviews by Walt 