March 14th, 2007 Reviews
Amazing Spider-Man #539 Advanced Review
Finally! Back in Black is here! It is the story that I have been looking forward to for a long time. Peter realizes that he needs to don the old black threads so that the people he’s going after know what to expect. He isn’t happy go lucky any longer.
I’m not going to spoil anything for anyone. I will just say that this issue doesn’t really have any big revelations in it. Aunt May has been shot, and Peter wants to know by whom. We know from last issue that Wilson Fisk was behind the sniper’s bullet that wounded May, but Peter still has no idea. So Peter sets out to get revenge on whoever gave the order. This issue does play out a lot like a set up issue. This gives me hope because that means the remaining three issues of this arc will be packed with action, and surprises. On the last page of the issue, Peter finally puts on the black costume, and chills went down my spine. It looks like, from Peter’s final dialogue, that he means business this time. The gloves are off.
Ron Garney’s art was excellent in this issue. There was a fair bit of action here, which means that Garney is in his element. The final page of the issue is awesome. The black costume never looked so cool.
JMS, and Garney are gearing up to tell one of the coolest Spider-Man stories in awhile. It seems like Peter isn’t going to be holding his punches any longer. He’s finally reached the breaking point, and I for one am really looking forward to watching him take out his anger.
Grade: 8/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann
Civil War: The Confession
Everyone else seems to be pretty high on this book. This book made me realize that I am kind of frustrated. Don’t get me wrong, this was well written, and wonderfully drawn. However, it shows more proof that the Civil War event seems to have ended in a bit of a lackluster fashion.
This issue has lots of talking in it. I don’t really have a problem with that, since I’m not sure what could possibly be left to fight about. Tony Stark bears his soul for all the comic book readers out there, and for Cap’s corpse. Stark, for the first time in the entire Civil War event, explains his whole position. I actually feel sympathy for the character for the first time in awhile. Stark even sheds a couple tears. Now, I almost (keyword is almost) thought it all might have been over the top. However, the final page of this section of the story ends with Tony sitting next to Cap’s dead body. Up until that point, I didn’t know that the entire time he was talking, he was talking to the corpse of one of his best friends. I think he would be entitled to turn on the water works because of the circumstances. The other section of this issue deals with Cap imprisoned on the SHIELD helicarrier. This part of the story obviously happens before the first part of this issue. Him and Tony have another argument, with Tony basically telling Cap to get over it. That moment was really poignant, having known that Cap takes one for the team, and Tony’s last words to him weren’t kind ones.
As I already mentioned, this was a well done comic book, but I am still frustrated with how Civil War has ended. It definitely had a very underwhelming final issue. Plus, Cap dies in and epilogue issue?!?!?! Then this comic comes out, and for the first time in the entire event, I feel sympathy for Tony Stark?!?! Both of those events should have been covered in the main miniseries. Issues 5 and 6 could have been compressed into one issue (nobody can argue that those weren’t filler), and then issues 6 and 7 could have had the big final battle, Cap getting killed, and a confession type ending. I think that comic book readers, including me, would have enjoyed that quite a bit more. Instead, we have crucial tie ins coming out weeks after the final issue of Civil War. I think that all of it could have been handled better.
Alex Maleev provides the art for this issue. It is absolutely pitch perfect. Marvel had said that Maleev’s style would change for this comic. I could detect some switch in how he was drawing, but nothing too drastic. His old style was awesome, and this newer, tweaked style works as well. His art really conveyed the emotion in this issue, and he did a wonderful job of making this story interesting, since it was all talking heads.
This was a good comic book, but I think that the story beats covered here would have worked even better as part of the last issue of Civil War. However, since that didn’t happen, I will say that this still provided a nice closing to the mega event that is Civil War.
Grade: 8.5/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann
52 #45
Black Adam was mad, is mad, and will continue to be mad. There are no other real important points that I can find in this issue. I am really enjoying Black Adam’s story, so that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, we keep creeping closer to the final issues of this series, and many things haven’t been followed up on. Where is Booster Gold and Rip Hunter? What about Skeets? They haven’t been heard from in weeks. I really have very little else to say about the issue other than I hope that 52 ends better than Civil War did. This series has had such great build up, and it would be a shame if the ending doesn’t rock as much as the rest of the series has.
Chris Batista, and Jamal Igle provide the pencils to this issue. Even though the story is the star in 52, some of the art, like in this issue, is pretty great stuff. Plus, JG Jones's cover is one of the best ones he's done for 52. This isn’t one of 52’s better issues. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. The art was the high point, which is unique for this series. One more week is down, and we inch closer to WWIII. Plus, a little farther away on the horizon, we have a little thing called Countdown.
Grade: 7/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann
New Avengers #28
Man, I love this series. Other than the fact that the story is awesome, this series provides a very comprehensive look at the Marvel Universe. For the first time in awhile, the Marvel Universe feels cohesive.
In this issue, the story bounces back and forth between a couple different points in time. In one part, we are privy to the rescue of Maya Lopez, and the pursuing Hand ninjas. In another, we get an intro to the New Avengers headquarters, and get some cool character interactions. Plus, we get a part of the story that takes place in the past, where the New Avengers come to blows with the Mighty Avengers. Bendis seamlessly tells two stories at once, and neither of them seems like they are being robbed of space. As always, Bendis brings his A game. His Spider-Man is hilarious, his Luke Cage is becoming one of my favorite characters, and the way he writes the team when they are together is pitch perfect. The answer about whether or not Cap is still alive is answered in this issue. As seen in the Initiative One Shot, Ms. Marvel tells Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman that Cap is still alive and being held on the Raft. In this issue, Jessica shows up at the New Avengers headquarters, and tells them that. This prompts the rescue attempt that the New Avengers make. It turns out that it was only a decoy of some sort being held at the Raft as a trap for the New Avengers. It was really refreshing to see an event that happens in one book be reflected in almost real time in another. It also helps that Bendis wrote the One Shot, and this issue. The issue ends with Elektra and the Hand bearing down on the Avengers. Looks like Mr. Leinil Yu will get to draw some awesome action sequences soon.
Speaking of Leinil Yu, his art is really fitting for this series. I can’t really explain why, but I know that it just is. Every time I turn the page, I am amazed at his panel arrangements, and his attention to detail. Plus, his Spider-Man is one of my favorite renditions of the character that I have seen. I hope he is on this series for the long run.
Bendis and Yu bring the heat once again. This title is the first one I read when it comes out each month because I know that it will always be good. Between this and Mighty Avengers, the Avengers franchise is going strong with Bendis at the wheel.
Grade: 10/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann
BPRD: The Garden of Souls #1
This is my first foray into a BPRD miniseries. I have read a couple of the Hellboy TPB’s, and I really enjoyed them. I was told that, for the most part, prior knowledge of the BPRD isn’t really necessary. Just know that these guys fight monsters. So, I read through the issue, and it was pretty good. I wasn’t blown away. It looks like the main monster will be a sort of mummy, and the biggest advancement made character wise deals with Abe Sapien. All of this works for me. I liked the Hellboy movie, and Abe Sapien is a very intriguing character. So it seems that I will enjoy this series. Nothing in the first issue seems to suggest otherwise.
Guy Davis’s art is really well done. I think that if I had to choose someone other than Mignola to draw any of the BPRD or Hellboy books, it would be Davis. My first foray into the BPRD has started out well. It looks like I might have another title that needs to be added to my pull list.
Grade: 8/10
Review by Christopher Hoerdemann |
