Daredevil #26: The Best Book of The Year?

If the Eisner award-winning Daredevil #7 is Mark Waid’s Mona Lisa, Daredevil #26 is his David sculpture. Breathtaking ingenuity is found on every page, every panel, and every word balloon.

Continue reading “Daredevil #26: The Best Book of The Year?” →

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #23 Review

Miles Morales’s life has been altered forever. In the last issue, Venom killed his mother, and in her final moments, she learned how Miles had been spending his time after school. She was as proud as only a loving mother could be and cautioned him to never tell his mutant-hating father.

Continue reading “Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #23 Review” →

Justice League of America #3 Review

JLA improves upon the mistakes of the canceled Justice League International series by making the little things matter. For example, The U.N. commissioned the JLI with the intent of having a culturally diverse squad with no hidden identities.

A.R.G.U.S. runs this particular show, and Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor calls the shots. Geoff John covers a lot of ground with this issue that serves as the tip of the iceberg.

Continue reading “Justice League of America #3 Review” →

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #22 Review

The thrilling conclusion to “Venom War” brings about a personal tragedy for Miles Morales. These things and Spider-Man go hand-in-hand so it was only a matter of time before our young hero suffered this particular wound.

Continue reading “Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #22 Review” →

Daredevil #25 Review

Many have tried, but the genius that is Mark Waid has finally done it. He has managed to instill fear into the man without fear. The awesome cover drawn by Samnee and Rodriguez tells the whole story.

This is a brutal battle involving a killer specifically trained and designed not only to kill Daredevil but also to do it while being better than him in his form of fighting. It’s the ultimate mind %$#@& that Daredevil may not be able to come back from.

That says a lot, considering what Mark Waid has put this man through. From bloody punches to bone-crushing blows, every aspect of this fight is brilliantly illustrated by Chris Samnee. This was not your typical back-and-forth battle where the bad guy pulled out a fluke victory.

The killer, whose ninja outfit combines Daredevil’s red and yellow costume, was three steps ahead at every turn. He looked pretty badass while handling. This is the type of work that made Mark Waid the Eisner award-winning writer that he is.

Superheroes always triumph in the end. However, Waid manages to put the devil in such peril that it seems inconceivable that he can actually win. Then, out of nowhere, he comes up with a plan that ensures victory.

Like every story arc before this one, I have no idea how he gets out of this one, but I can’t wait to see how he does it.

Grade: A

Star Wars #4 Review

Personally, this is one of my most anticipated titles of the month. Brian Wood has done something very special here. He expands on the mythos that make this franchise so amazing while keeping its familiar and celebrated voice firmly intact.

In the Shadow of Yavin, the Rebels are looking for a new base location, but the Empire shows up at every turn and every scouting mission. This leads Leia to conclude that a spy is among their ranks.

Wood’s script shows a perilous sense of danger for the rebellion because no matter how many secret protocols are created, a fleet of Star Destroyers appears in the blink of an eye. Leia runs out of options, and you start to feel that she may never find a new home base.

That is a testament to how well this book is constructed because you know they eventually find the planet Hoth, yet it completely sucks you in. Han and Chewie’s escape from an imperial garrison on Coruscant while flying through the planet’s lower levels. Everything about the chase, from the dialogue to the art direction, made me feel that I was watching this unfold in a movie.

I’ve said it for the last three issues, and I’m going to say it again. If you are not reading this series, you are doing yourself a huge disservice as a comic book or Star Wars fan. Read it now!!!

Grade: A-

Action Comics #19 Review

Now, this is what I’m talking about!

Smashing giant robots and some great interactions between Lois and Clark make this the Superman book we should have gotten when the New 52 began. The ongoing Superman series is a cluster&%#$@, Grant Morrison’s run on Action Comics had its hits and misses, and he borders on being an arrogant frat boy in Justice League.

The brass at DC Comics can’t agree on the Man of Steel’s character portrayal. This is evident by this being the first and only issue written Andy Diggle since he left the company due to “professional differences.” Furthermore, Tony S. Daniel will finish scripting the arc using Diggle’s plot and will leave the series after.

That is a real shame because this is the first time Superman has felt like Superman. This story takes place one year before the New 52 began, and Lex Luthor is up to his alien-hating ways. His portrayal thus far has been disappointing, but Diggle changes that.

Luthor hatches a plot that will tear Superman apart from the inside out. We’ve seen this kind of thing happen to Superman in the past. However, he has had Batman and others to help him. He doesn’t have that this time, so he is alone.

Tony S. Daniel is always money in the art department; this issue is no exception. His depiction of Lois is spectacular and the perfect complement to Diggle’s interpretation of the character. Of course, his work shined most during the battle scene where Superman unloads on some bad guys after being blasted out of the sky and charges at them after saying, “ Didn’t throw the first punch. I’ll throw the last.”

There was no Sholly Fisch backup story, which was usually the best part of the book. Honestly, as much as it might be missed, it was not required, as everything is straightforward. While I worry about future installments due to the creative shakeup, this issue is something Superman fans can be proud of.

Grade: A-

Batman Incorporated #9 Review

It is Damian Wayne’s funeral, and the opening images show Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Alfred serving as pallbearers. Obviously, everyone is sad, but Bruce is addled with a personal loss and looks as if he can barely hold the coffin.

Continue reading “Batman Incorporated #9 Review” →

Star Wars: Legacy – Prisoner of the Floating World #1 Review

Dark Horse returns to the Legacy saga of Star Wars and follows Ania Solo, Han and Leia’s great-great-granddaughter. This takes place 138 years after “A New Hope,” which frees the creative team of any continuity issues.

Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman are renowned for their work on the “Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes” series because of their strong character work gave real and meaningful stakes for everyone involved. That trend continued in this opening installment of a new legacy.

Continue reading “Star Wars: Legacy – Prisoner of the Floating World #1 Review” →

Age of Ultron #1: Submit or Perish

Marvel’s newest mega-crossover event is here, and it feels like we just got done with Avengers vs. X-Men. This ten-issue series is the usual dystopian saga where evil has prevailed, all hope is lost, our heroes are holding on by a thread, and it’s all thanks to the technological terror created by Dr. Hank Pym.

Age of Ultron wastes no time getting to the good stuff as we join our regularly scheduled program that is already in progress. New York City is in ruins, and we know who is at fault, but we don’t know how or why it happened. As of right now, there are a few superheroes left and no villain’s insight. The world as we know it is gone. There is a Fallen Skies vibe to the whole thing, which adds a different element to the usual song and dance we’re treated to this time of the year.

If you read Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye, and you should, the grounded version of the character will not be found; the arrow-shooting badass takes the lead and is the central figure of the story.

I’m convinced that Ultron is Brian Michael Bendis in disguise. He writes so many ongoing comics a month and gets all the big events as well. Hopefully, the different elements, such as how this issue began, will keep on coming to separate themselves from past crossover events.

Earlier promotional material advertised last October was the original kick-off to this event. Good things come to those who wait, and if the rumors regarding a major universal shift change are true, we are in for one hell of a ride!

Grade: B+