SO… I was wondering how I would do reviews and such. I used to do the Best Bang but that was then… now I am just going to do something similar to Twitter reviews. Short & sweet bite sized reviews called FUSION Comic Reviews ’cause FUSION sounds COOL! Love it or leave it. FYI – FUSION posts will happen when they happen & not saying it will be each week.
Ambush Bug: Year None #7 (of 6) – Finally the book comes out with help from Franco & Baltazar. The issue was pretty enjoyable & crazy much like the entire series. I am betting Dan Didio is happy that the book is finally out so fans can stop harassing him about this from con to con. Thanks to all who put the book out!
Fantastic Four #572 – Jonathan Hickman does a great fantastical story for Reed Richards & all the alternative versions of the Richards fighting Celestials of Earth-4280 which gives Reed perspective to him & his family. Loved it & look forward to more of what Hickman can do with the first Marvel family!
Justice Society of America #32 – It must be hard to write a book where you have such a huge team of heroes and still do a plot which not only involves them all but keeps the tensions high without zombies from Blackest Night. Willingham & Struges did a good job this week keeping the pace moving and the whodunit interesting.
Dark Avengers: Ares #1 (of 3) – The book was decent but I wasn’t feeling that this was the same Ares from the Dark / former Mighty Avengers title. Seems like the story with Nick Fury is kinda confusing given what is / has happened so far then this book. I confused.
Dark Reign – The List: Punisher #1 One-shot – Wow. Not only did John Romita Jr nail this issue but Rick Remender comes along with a powerful issue that ends… well it leads to the end of Frank Castle as we knew him. Next up: FRANKen-Castle?! If this issue is not a way for me to follow up and find out what happens, I don’t know what else you would need to do. Very enjoyable & yet chilling ending.
Detective Comics #858 – Rucka & Willians III are crafting quite a lovely run on the book with Batwoman. Amazing of the different art stylized used for flashbacks. Just amazing. The Question back-up story ain’t working for me though & I loved the Question.
Hulk #16 – Red She-Hulk in ripped up clothing with a Uber-gun & Sai. Loeb has me addicted to the bloody book. Who is Red Hulk, who is Red She-Hulk & who cares, well shit now I care PLUS I do like how Red Hulk is being written. Also Loved the ripped up Red She-Hulk cover – what an uber-fun!
Green Lantern #47 – So this spins out of Blackest Night & continues from issue #3 of BN. I understand they put this story in GL book than in BN for sales. That all said – the issue is very solid with wonderful work from Doug Mahnke. Loving Sinestro in his fight with Hal against the Black Lanterns lead by their former friend & mentor Abin Sur (although I had always thought that Abin Sur was a truely peaceful Lantern who SHOULDN’T have risen much like DOVE but that’s me — I am hating the Blackest Night story).
Guardians of the Galaxy #19 – KANG! How is this book NOT the top title of Marvel Comics these days? What a great wrap-up of the entire recent storyline with the team split up & the coming of Magnus from Adam Warlock. I thought the end of Frank Castle was intense but this was almost as sudden & shocking for me. I really really liked this latest incarnation of Adam Warlock, I guess we will see what the next incarnation brings. Also the last few issues has beautiful coloring by Nathan Fairbairn that helped make this book look so stunning and great!
Avengers: The Initiative #29 – A solid issue that moves along the New Warrirors / Avengers Resistance storyline with the big twist on Night Thrasher, Trauma & Penance. I like to see Constrictor & Diamondback hooking plus the Tigra & Komodo team-up. It saddens me to think that this book is ending but I am excited to how it will.
The Incredible Hercules #137 – Amadeus Cho story keeps moving along with the all origin issue that ends with a nice tie into Spidey leading to the Amadeus & Herc reunion. Another one of my fav comics by Marvel. Great great writing by Pak & Van Lente!
Secret Warrirors #9 – Dark Avengers vs the Secret Warriors & I am glad that the SW team get the upper hand (although that seems to be the theme these days, the Dark Avengers are the jobbers of the Marvel U other than Daken in Dark Reign: The List: Punisher) & leads to the big Ares vs Fury face-off. I am still enjoying this book & Hickman has his finger on all these characters.
Necrosha #1 One Shot – Okay so I was completely wrong and Selene is raising the dead mutants to take her revenge on Emma Frost & the rest of the Hellfire Club. This book sets the tone of the series and what is to come. One thing that should be noted — some of those dead mutants who have risen, they are their own ppl & may even fight what control Selene has re: Destiny & Douglas Ramsey which is much more appealing than your typical “braiiiins” zombies like in Blackest Night. I really enjoyed the techno-virus ridden dead Hellions standoff against Emma.
X-Force #20 – What a bloody crazy violent all out slaughter issue with X-23. Great pacing and action. My only issue was that X-23, Kimura & Agent Morales looked too similar through-out the issue that made some bits a touch confusing. How many times have we seen Wolverine loose an arm and keep fighting? I thought that was original & I love that X-23 still has her nemesis Kimura out there. That was nice.
Nova #30 – The adventures of the Nova Corps & Richard Rider continue with more progression of the future of the Nova Corps. Enjoyable story which takes the Nova Corps out of Ego, the living planet, to Nova being asked to capture Darkhawk for a nice ending. Another top Marvel title!
Batman #692 – Tony Daniel takes over the title (or at least for now) on the main Batbook as writer & artist. Daniels first story brings back Hugo Strange as part of Black Mask’s Ministry of Science which was appealing along with seeing Dick outside the cowl in a face to face with Selina (Catwoman). What I didn’t care for what the artwork of Black Mask — he is NOT like the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker, and does NOT need to dressed up in anything but a suit & tie with the black skull face. Please Tony Daniel, please fix this in any upcoming issues ’cause that is NOT the Black Mask look at all. It’s like dressing Catwoman in her older gear or Batman in the Azreal-Bat costume. Just not right at all.
Teen Titans #76 – Felica D. Henderson’s run on the Teen Titans is not bad. The Wyld attack the Titans and Raven while Wonder Girl (and team) & Beast Boy battle for team leadership. I like the feel of the book and decent artwork (outside the sexual scenes of Raven as previously mentioned) which may lead to a good run on the book. I feel that Felica may have a pulse on this new team with the angst of the new young gen vs Gen X into the mix.
The New Avengers #58 – BEST COMIC OF THE WEEK! (Although the cover art didn’t match the inside story) Solid artwork by Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger & wonderful colors by Dave McCaig. Bendis keeps the book moving in high pace, great dialog and stunning moment as with the team telling Jessica about Luke & the final page. Loved the sewer fight! Love’d it!
Alright so that’s about all the books I got. Of note – I did read Blackest Night #4 and I have to say, I am very impressed with how much I enjoyed parts while other bits reminded me of why I hate the whole zombie crap, especially with the death of Damage. Blah. Also I checked out New Mutants #6 which finally looked ok and I might get the next issue if it keeps up, I almost picked it up as it starred Warlock but still I need to see more. Ms. Marvel #46 seemed okay but I am not sold on the artwork. Ultimate Avengers #3 seemed decent but rushed artwork and story. X-Factor #50 made me think it wrapped up the book to date but I don’t read it so I was lost.
So what did you get this week? What did you like? What did you dislike?
Loving the Super Hero Squad Show variant Marvel covers!
This blog has a history that was tied to a certain comic book store in Vancouver, Canada (You know, where the 2010 Winter Olympics were) called ELFSAR COLLECTION COMICS & TOYS. Sadly Elfsar had to close down in May so in many ways, it’s closing has also put the final nail into the coffin of this blog. If I had ANY thought of returning and sparking this sucker up, it’s all gone now. Elfsar was the spark that had me start REALLY bad reviews over on Happy Harbor Comics website. That went on for a while until I thought, why not just start my own blog doing the same thing and ranting about whatever else I wanted. So I did and BtS was born. It went through many looks & feel until finding the latest incarnation. Now don’t get me wrong, I do miss it at times but overall I think running this blog took a great deal out of me in ways I haven’t still realized. I managed this blog almost as much or more than working 8 hours a day and that got to be too much in general. That and I feel my appreciation for comic books lately has been at an all time low so I have little to talk about.
