Avengers vs. X-Men #2 | Writer: Jason Aaron | Art: John Romita & Scott Hanna | Colors: Laura Martin | Price: $3.99
This book was just as hard to find as the last one…and I understand why. The opening shots have been fired as the battle begins on Utopia.
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![[Avengers Vs. X-Men No. 1 (1st printing, standard cover - Jim Cheung)]](https://www.g-mart.com/static/f110535.jpg)
Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 | Writer: Brian Michael Bendis | Art: John Romita & Scott Hanna | Colors: Laura Martin Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99
The fantasy matchup that fanboys have been dreaming about has arrived. The Phoenix Force is heading to Earth, and Captain America isn’t taking any chances. He wants Hope in custody, but Cyclops ain’t havin’ it.
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Daredevil #10 | Writer: Mark Waid | Art: Paolo Rivera | Colors: Javier Rodriguez | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99
A friend of mine who reads this column called me a Mark Waid fanboy. I just might be because I don’t think I could say anything bad about his writing if you paid me. His work on Daredevil is just that good and never ceases to amaze me. The same can be said for Paolo Rivera, who will be at Boston Comic Con this month!
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Saga #1 | Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Art: Fiona Staples | Colors: Fiona Staples | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $2.99
Eisner Award winner Brian K. Vaughn has produced an exquisite piece of writing that will undoubtedly raise the bar.
The story follows Marko and Alana, who are from opposing sides of an interplanetary war. The saga is narrated by the couple’s newborn child, which is an interesting twist that adds depth to the plot. Fiona Staples’ artwork is without question the best of the week and does a magnificent job of expressing the emotion of moments throughout the book.
The protagonists aren’t a super mushy couple, which is refreshing, but they still love each other, providing readers with some entertaining dialog.
The book is double-sized for only $2.99, and I would have gladly paid more.
I can’t believe I just typed that. I can’t believe I typed any of this. I’m simply at a loss for words at how much this book reeks of awesomeness.
Grade: A
Everyone has a geeky pet peeve that gets under their skin no matter how hard they try to ignore it. Wrestling fans would say seeing The Great Khali on their TV set each week is a pet peeve. Star Wars fans say George Lucas’s original trilogy changes are a pet peeve of the highest magnitude. My geeky pet peeve is one that may be mine and mine alone. I absolutely can’t stand it when the yellow S-shield is missing from Superman’s cape. It’s just something I have never been able to overlook.
Continue reading “Geek Pet Peeves: I Want My Cape and Wear it Too”
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #7 | Writer: Brian Michael Bendis | Art: Chris Samnee | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99
Brian Michael Bendis has done a masterful job of providing comic book fans with a feel good story that follows a character you love to cheer for.
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Red Lanterns #6 | Writer: Peter Milligan | Art: Ed Benes, Diego Bernard & Rebecca Buchmann | Colors: Nathan Eyring | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
British professor Jack Moore has dealt with a lifetime of torment and ridicule. He buried his anger, thinking he could keep his feelings in line. Things change for Mr. Moore as the instrument of rage selects him and begins a harrowing transformation of the mind, body, and perhaps, soul. Moore tries his best to fight it as a tidal wave of awful memories floods his mind.
Reminders of the past begin to chip away at his consciousness until Jack realizes he can no longer control himself as he’s encountered the one thing that can make him the monster he hid from everyone: A Red Lantern ring.
Meanwhile, Atrocitus and Bleez fight each other for leadership of the Red Lanterns as many of the Lanterns watch on, rooting for one over the other.
The crux of the story is Moore’s emotional struggle as the power ring plays the devil’s role on the shoulder, telling him to embrace the hate.
There was nothing special or bad about the artwork as it did a great job orchestrating Milligan’s script. It is detrimental to our mental health to keep things bottled inside because eventually, you will snap.
The red ring was drawn to Moore like a moth to a flame, and the end result produces the first human Red Lantern.
Grade: A-
Batman #5 | Writer: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion | Colors: FCO | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
One of the great things about being a comic book fan is when you find the perfect book that completely captivates your attention from beginning to end.
Comic book nirvana has arrived as Scott Snyder puts Batman through the wringer in a story with the Dark Knight battling his own sanity. Bats has been trapped in a dark labyrinth by the Court of Owls for eight days without food, water, or rest. He hasn’t bathed or shaved, his costume is torn up, and the white left eyepiece is missing from his mask.
The missing eyepiece is excellent because it allows us to see Batman’s true emotions as he faces unspeakable peril. Over the years, I always wondered if a punch or a kick hurt more than he let on or how horrified he was, if at all, when he examined a crime scene.
At one point, the lights inside the labyrinth are turned on, and a stylish Owl-shaped water fountain is revealed. Knowing it’s drugged, Batman drinks the water without hesitation. The mind games begin to take shape as secrets are revealed, and the horror is unleashed.
As you read the book, you come to a page layout where you have to turn the book left-side up to make sense of it all. When you turn from that layout, the next page is upside down, which looks like a mistake.
You naturally turn it right-side up to examine the page, thinking you are correctly holding the book again. As you continue to read, it takes you a minute to realize that you’re reading the previous pages repeatedly, thus experiencing and sharing Batman’s mental madness.
The ingenuity of it all was simple and brilliant. The artwork is almost in sync with the story, more than any other comic book I have read in quite some time. Even this early in the year, Snyder’s number 5 has all the makings to be the single best issue of the year.
Grade: A+
The Amazing Spider-Man #677 | Writer: Mark Waid | Art: Emma Rios | Colors: Humberto Rios & Edgar Delgado
Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: 3.99
Dan Slott takes the month off as Mark Waid places a little Daredevil magic on to the pages of Our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Peter Parker is doing his superhero thing while being down in the dumps over being kicked to the curb by Carlie.
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While Wednesday is just the middle of the week for most, It is new comic book day for those of us who live vicariously through 32 pages of color, action, and adventure. Yours truly lived in a galaxy far away at the local comic book shop when the average kid dreamed of being the next Babe Ruth at Little League. Hell, I still live in a galaxy far, far away while most spend their time being responsible adults. The Comic Book Shop is more than just its namesake. It’s a gathering for those who crave to escape from the everyday grind and socialize with others in the same boat. However, that may be coming to an end due to the rise of digital comic book sales. Continue reading “My Digital Illumination”
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