jack_g

REVIEWS FOR 5-16-07 and PICKS FOR 5-23-07

hello again comic bookers. I didn't read everything that was on my list that I posted last week, but heres what I thought of the ones that I did. Many pretty pictures included. Also, I have a cat in my lap.

All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #5 (dc)
I think I'd like this comic more if it weren't drawn by Jim Lee. I could dig the story if I felt like the art style suited it, but the combination here seems forced. Plus, it's been literally a year since the previous issue.
MEH. (Miller/ Lee)

Batman #665 (dc)
Last month I said:

And he sure did. His Batman run is turning out to be my favorite since Azzarello & Risso's Broken City.
REALLY GOOD. (Morrison/ Andy Kubert)

BPRD: Garden of Souls #3 (dark horse)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (Mignola & Arcudi/ G. Davis)

Conan #40 (dark horse)
Another single-issue filler story. It was a sequel to one of Howard's earlier Conan stories, the Scarlet Citadel. As always with this comic I was thoroughly entertained, although backgrounds were notably scarce in the artwork. It was forgiveable because Conan cut a guy's face off, and booted another guy in the ass off a cliff. I eagerly look forward to next issue when Nord & Isanove resume art chores and the adaptation of Rogues in the House begins!
PRETTY GOOD. (Truman/ guest artist Paul Lee)

Ex Machina #28 (wildstorm/ dc))
I have enjoyed this book from the beginning, and it's very very good, but it's been a while since a new issue really excited me. The current story arc Power Down is definitely getting my attention again.
REALLY GOOD. (Vaughn/ Harris)

Fables #61 (vertigo/ dc)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (Willingham/ Buckingham & Leialoha)


Fallen Son: the Death of Captain America #3 (marvel)
This third issue is the Captain America story, and it's the "bargaining" stage of greiving. The following scan was chosen specifically to confuse the crap out of you.
PRETTY GOOD. (Loeb/ Romita Jr.)

Mighty Avengers #3 (marvel)
I liked the first issue better than the second, but luckily the third was a great read. The battle between the Sentry and Ultron was very Mighty indeed. The scans are a cool team-shot, and a scene that I laughed out loud at; they are not from the same page.
REALLY GOOD. (Bendis/ Cho)

Ultimate X-Men #82 (marvel)
I really like this writer, so I've been into this comic for the last six issues or so, but the art in this issue was pretty piss-poor in my opinion. Ruined it for me for sure. While reading this I said "this sucks" out loud.
PRETTY BAD. (Kirkman/ guest artist Pascal Alixe)

Ultimates 2 #13 (marvel)
There is basically no way I could have been not disappointed by this issue after waiting so long. Could it have been due to the freaking eight-page fold-out splash? Going into this issue I felt like I just wanted this series to be over with, already. Thor saved the world from one of Sauron's evil armies of orcs. Then everybody parties.
S'OK. (Millar/ Hitch)

Uncanny X-Men #486 (marvel)
This issue concludes the 12-part epic Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire, which I've been sick of for quite a while now. I do like the way the story progressed and where it left all the characters, but I really dislike the art so reading it felt like a chore to me.
S'OK. (Brubaker/ B. Tan)

X-Men: First Class Special (marvel)
I have totally ignored the 8-part miniseries, but this special issue caught my attention with its fancy Kevin Knowlan cover. This comic contains at least five great stories, short fun features with comical one-page strips in between. One of the features is drawn by Knowlan, another by Nick Dragotta & Mike Allred. All the stories in this special are by series writer Jeff Parker, who keeps on impressing me with every book he writes. Each time I've gone in blind and said to myself "this is good, who's writing this?" before realizing it's him. From now on I will recognize his name on covers. I will definitely check out the now-ended First Class miniseries, although I am not sure if I'll like it since I was initially turned off by the artwork, which is why I never picked it up.
GREAT. (Parker/ various artists)


AND NOW THIS WEEK'S PICKS!!!

I highly recommend these trade paperbacks, out today:


Doctor Strange: the Oath by Brian K. Vaughn & Marcos Martin
and Fell vol. 1: Feral City by Warren Ellis & Ben Templesmith

I will be buying these comics, out today:
Captain America #26 (marvel)
Criminal #6 (icon/ marvel)- in my top twenty.
Hellblazer #232 (vertigo/ dc)
the Irredeemable Ant-Man #8 (marvel)
Madman Atomic Comics #2 (image)- top twenty.
Satan's Sodomy Baby (dark horse)- its a Goon special! fucking outrageous.
the Spirit #6 (dc)

and I also plan to read this week:
Dynamo 5 #3 (image)
Elephantmen #9 (image)
Loaded Bible 2: Blood of Christ (image)
Newuniversal #6 (marvel)
X-Men #199 (marvel)

til next wednesday!!!