Week in Review 8/31/12: Part 2

Batman Incorporated #3
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham
Company: DC Comics

Well, when it was announced that Morrison was leaving the Batman books, I was sad, but he's had a hell of a run, really. This third issue, delayed by DC, is just another swanky piece of a tapestry of evil, ingenuity, and brilliant storytelling. With every issue, Morrison gives fans things that they didn't even know they wanted. More Matches Malone? Heck yes! An odd reference to Hitman era character Bueno Excellente? Right over there. It's cool, because he's not only doing these fun nods, but he also forwards the story of Batman versus Leviathan. Burnham doesn't know how to do wrong at this

Week in Review 8/29/12: Part 1

Uncanny X-Force #30
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Dave Williams & Dean White
Company: Marvel Comics

The dissection and discombobulation of the team known as X-Force continues. This time out, we get the back story of what this new version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is doing to our young clone of Apocalypse, Evan, and just what they can possibly do to make him become evil. Remender tosses the poor boy into a psychological wood-chipper, and turns in a fairly effective story. The buddy-buddy-ness of Daken and Sabretooth is a little strange, but they get a lot of good lines. This issue however was devoid of an X-Force team, but you know, sometimes that's okay. The art

Week in Review 6/22/12

Saga #4
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Company: Image Comics

The Naughty has been released! Sex, relationships, and humanity, those are the items that are on the docket for this fourth issue of BKV's new series. Each one, approached and expressed in his keen and conversational style, shines in its own way. Staples' vision of the Sextillion, a place of business where, "Whatever and whoever you desire," is probably a catchphrase that gets thrown around alot, runs the gamut between sexy and creepy. Her colors are beautiful and evocative and the cover, with its sunshine-y yellow brightness just begs to be picked up. The alien-ness of the place in

Week in Review 6/15/12

Batman #10
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo
Company: DC Comics

I'm willing to give Snyder the benefit of the doubt, but the twist ending that occurs at the end of this issue, if true, might sour the rest of his otherwise great run. It just doesn't gel with what we know Batman to be. Now, this might end up being just a tease, hence me giving him the benefit of the doubt. With his current track record though of adding things to the Bat-Mythos, it seems like the kind of thing he'd do. Other

Week in Review 5/18/12

Avengers vs X-Men #4
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: John Romita Jr
Company: Marvel Comics

Marvel's crossover keeps on chugging with its Round 4, and while it's lost a little in the way of steam, it continues to be the first line-wide meeting of the minds that has had a cohesive story that is understandable and interesting. The "What The" factor, meaning I have no clue where they're going to go for another eight issues, is also keeping things fresh. This issue is a little on the lighter side, with much of it

Week in Review 4/20/12

Batman #8

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo

Company: DC Comics

The Night of Owls begins, and I have to say, bring on the Night! Snyder knows a thing or two about ratcheting up the tension of a story, something that he plainly shows here as the numerous Talons of our very own Secret Society of Psychopaths take to the streets in search of their various high value targets. Among them is Bruce Wayne. Seeing Wayne actually fight as Wayne, instead of as Batman, is

Week in Review 4/13/12

Batman & Robin #8
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Patrick Gleason
Company: DC Comics

A solid epilogue to the both physically and mentally taxing battle with Nobody. Gleason consistently amazes me with his level of emotion and the ability to channel such a believable and heartfelt relationship between Bruce and Damian. Having a book that is essentially twenty pages of character bits instead of a mixture of action and drama is

Week in Review 4/6/12

Wolverine & the X-Men #8
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Chris Bachalo
Company: Marvel Comics

Well, you never go into a comic expecting mediocrity and disappointment, but unfortunately that's what we got with this eighth issue of the crazy antics of Wolverine running his own school. If I had to point at one thing that was the cause, I'd have to say that it had a lot to do with Bachalo's art. His craziness on the page, the experimental touches and flourishes that he can use don't always create a cohesive

Week in Review 3/30/12

Daredevil #10
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Paolo Rivera
Company: Marvel Comics

It's tough to come up with new ways of saying, "Buy this book," but writer Mark Waid doesn't seem to be able to stop coming up with new ways of illustrating moments of brilliance and awesome, so I'll just say it once more with feeling: Buy this book. Daredevil is exciting. It takes what you expect and turns it on its head. With this issue, Daredevil takes on Mole Man and is reminded of the reason why he does what he

Week in Review 3/24/12

Wonder Woman #7
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Company: DC Comics

Azzarello doesn't skimp on the all encompassing darkness and threads of sheer unhappiness with this issue. He also doesn't skimp on the makings of a particularly great story. Wonder Woman, a character and comic that typically has been a passenger on the up and down roller coaster of less than stellar (the Perez and Rucka runs notwithstanding), has jumped that hurdle and landed in a puddle of brilliance. The

Week in Review 3/16/12

Green Lantern #7
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Doug Mahnke
Company: DC Comics

After the less than stellar outing last month, with art that did more to drive interest down than anything, Green Lantern gets back to what it does best: Make you care about Sinestro. It's a strange truth, but Sinestro is the better character compared to the somewhat bland Hal, and with the focus shifting more in his favor the story definitely sees an uptick. This issue also begins to hint at what and who

Week in Review 2/29/12 - Part 2

Angel & Faith #7
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Company: Dark Horse Comics

This one takes your expectations and turns them on their head. Writer Christos Gage knows a thing or two about story construction, evident by the exploration and expansion on the Angel and Faith characters that he has consistently given us over the course of these seven issues. The "Mother Superior" arc continues to offer up a lot of surprises and fun moments. The reveal of our villain, which I of course won't spoil, feels

Week in Review 2/29/12 - Part 1

Justice League #6
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Company: DC Comics

While this book had a solid opener and subsequent issue or two, the pacing of Justice League took a wallop and delved into a very muddled place where people quickly lose interest. This is the finale to the opening six issue story of Darkseid invading the world, which is most definitely a good thing. Johns and Lee focus on the "Widescreen" moments, the larger than life action sequences that fans enjoy, most

Week in Review 2/24/12

The Flash #6
Writers: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Artist: Francis Manapul
Company: DC Comics

So much has been said about the layouts and artistic talents of artist Francis Manapul. Simply stated, they're all true. He has so much talent and employs it in such a manner that your eyes are drawn to his work like it was a big giant steak that has been seared to perfection. There are aspects of Will Eisner utilized in his work, especially using the backdrops for the opening titles. Still, with the art being so good, the stories

Week in Review 2/14/12

Batwoman #6
Writer: J. H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman
Artist: Amy Reeder Hadley
Company: DC Comics

While it is a little sad to see Williams take a break from the art on Batwoman, the powers that be couldn't have chosen better for a replacement. Hadley is such a talented artist. Her work on Madame Xanadu was sensational and the work for this jumping on point in the Batwoman title is just as thrilling. The way that she has her own style but is able to mirror the

Week in Review 2/3/12

Action Comics #6
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Andy Kubert
Company: DC Comics

While I always think Morrison books are packed with fun ideas and have a great sense of energy to them, his Action Comics lately has been a tad on the disappointing side. It hasn't been bad, just disjointed and muddled and nowhere near as exciting as those first two issues were. This issue, which sees a battle waged in the confines of a partitioned section of Clark Kent's brain and copious amounts of time

Week in Review 11/26/11

Astonishing X-Men #44
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Mike McKone
Company: Marvel Comics

First off, the cover to this one is definitely one that has an immediate grab factor. That sounds stranger than I meant for it to, but I still stand by my statement. The comic inside, written by Greg (Hulk) Pak is quite good too. It's standard fare, but not run of the mill or boring, as it deals with Storm requiring a favor and some help from Cyclops. The focus on

Week in Review 11/19/11

Amazing Spider-Man #674
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Company: Marvel Comics

With Spider Island having seen its conclusion, Peter Parker picks up the pieces of his life and shoulders on. Slott still has that mixture of things that work and things that don't in this book. The revitalization of an old villain by making him the leader of a group of Emo teenagers causing mayhem doesn't jibe all that well and makes them seem like rejects out of Rumble Fish. On the other hand,

Week in Review 10/5/11 - 10/13/11

Angel & Faith #2
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Company: Dark Horse Comics

If you feel the need to read a comic that in any way relates to the world of Buffy, I can not stress the fact that Angel & Faith should be that book more. Gage is a writer that brings a good story with him when he comes on a book. He does his research, gets in the characters' headspace and then lets the ball of chaos unravel so the reader can get caught up in it. In a good way. The interaction between Faith and Angel is so paramount, and here it has a simple good cop/bad vampire type feel to it, one that feels faithful to the show while at the same time breaking new ground. The notion of Angel

Week in Review 9/16/11

Fear Itself #6
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Company: Marvel Comics

Summer Event. These two words usually are synonymous with stories that feature action, adventure, grand ideas, all mixed up with a bit of sashaying fun that gets your noggin in the game. For all of the problems that I ended up having with things like Civil War, Secret Invasion, and World War Hulk, they had those crucial things. That and they got people talking about comics on a very positive note. Fear Itself feels like the awkward step child that is standing alone in a crowded room that no one wants to talk to. Why? It's boring. Plain and simple. It's drawn out, features strange characterizations (Angry Odin, Milita Making