January 17th, 2007 Reviews
52 #37
The last issue of 52 was excellent. There was action, there were huge developments, and Lobo....lots and lots of Lobo. It's hard to follow an issue like that in terms of revelations. Well, DC has revealed who Supernova is this week, and that is big. Since his first appearance earlier in the series, it has been a great mystery as to who Supernova was. This week, we get the almost disappointingly obvious reveal. I am not sure how to feel about this reveal yet, but my initial reaction was that even though it wasn't out of left field, it did make sense. Overall, the main part of the issue deals with Skeets confronting Supernova. The whole back story of where Supernova came from is revealed, and all the puzzle pieces fit. I was just hoping that DC might through us for a loop. Then, towards the end, we get an appearance from Ollie Queen, and finally, we are left with a big surprise. The last couple pages makes up for the disappointing reveal earlier, and basically gives hope to fans of Buddy Baker (Animal Man). This series continues to get better, and if the series continues to stay at this level of quality, then I can confidently say that this series will never be called "slow" or "boring" again.
Grade: 8/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann
Take Two
Supernova is Booster Gold. One of the biggest mysteries that has been batted around for the past thirty seven issues of the series has finally been resolved. They kept Supernova's identity a mystery for a long time, and while I may have been short-tempered about it in the past, it really pays off now as this issue was very well written. Although the way of keeping both Supernova and Booster Gold in the public spotlight was slightly creepy, it was very interesting at the same time, showing how innovative the writers have been with this series. As Booster comes back to life, so does another hero who died in the pages of 52. Except Animal Man only died last issue. After Starfire, Adam Strange, Lobo, and that flying dolphin guy pay their last respects; Buddy wakes up from what appears to be a short coma. The only problem is Adam and Kori already left, and he's confronted by two aliens at the end of the issue. With Booster and Animal Man not actually staying dead, we have yet to see a major character die in the pages of this book like it has been talked about. Sadly, that means the Question will most likely be gone by the end of issue 38. The back up story on Firestorm featured art by Jamal Igle and Keith Champagne and gives insight to his origin related to Identity Crisis if you have not yet read that or his ongoing title.
Grade: 8.5/10
Review by Tim Nash
Fantastic Four #542
Often, the transition between creative teams can be slow and tedious while getting a new storyline up and running. That was definitely not the case for the Fantastic Four ongoing series. While the artist has stayed on, J. Michael Straczynsky, a man who has made his mark on the comic book medium over the last few years, is done as the writer. I for one did not even notice until I took a second glance at the credits. The story literally takes off right where it left off at #541. The Thing decides to stay in France; at least until Civil War comes to an end. We finally get to see the Thinker's plan ultimately fail, and Reed and Sue see each other for the first time in a while, only to argue even more. Dwayne McDuffie did an amazing job with this issue and I am hoping he continues to do so with his work on the series. Plus, Mike McKone did not leave the title, and his smooth artwork perfectly captured the Fantastic Four. Plus, Adi Granov provides the most beautiful cover I have ever seen him produce.
Grade: 9/10
Review by: Tim Nash
Robin #157-#158
The last two issues of Robin have been…"trippy." That seems to be the only word for it. Guest-Starring Klarion the Witch Boy, of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, Robin must stop a creature created by the merging of several different animals, and if Klarion's cat merges with it too, it means serious trouble for Robin. Adam Beechen did a great job crafting a cool story. Although it got confusing at times, it showed how he can broaden his writing style.
Grade: 7.5/10
Review by: Tim Nash |
