Quick and the Read #11 – CHOKE!!! The Return of Comic Book Reviews?!?!?!?!

Ok I’m just going to admit it now.  I suck at this comic blog.  Basically I am a lazy SOB who likes to do a little as possible and play computer games whenever I can, watch TV and read comics when I am not doing that.  Every once in a while (five days a week unfortunately) I have to go to work for a while and pretend I care so I can make money to eat, buy more comics, and pay other bills I am forced to pay.

I already get comics late through the mail/UPS, and I take way too long to read them when I do.  By the time I get around to writing about what I have read, they have already been blogged to death, and no one cares anymore.

So from here on out, no more excuses; no more grand exclamations that I am going to do things different, because we all know that is a bunch of shit.  I will do comic reviews when I do them, so let’s just all move on from here shall we?

There it is, I said it; and I feel so much better.

Now that we have that out of the way, here are a few reviews that I took some time out of my busy schedule to do.  Hope you get something out of them.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight #35 (Dark Horse Comics) – Wow, serious jumping the shark here guys. Last issue was way over the top with the partial nudity, and this one was barely incomprehensible.  I have to admit that I have been buying this out of habit for a while now (something that I need to change on a lot of titles).  It started out great at first, but after “the gang” had to go into hiding when vampires got popular, things started to go downhill fast.  I love Brad Meltzer’s stuff I have read on other comics (Lighting Saga being the first that comes to mind) his arc on this book was really out there (though I did like the Superman references), and hard to follow.  I was glad to hear that this title is taking a breather for a while, because I think this run has more than run its course.

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Astro City: The Dark Age Book Four #4 (WildStorm) – I am big fan of Kurt Busiek’s writing, and it was his work on Astro City that made me that big of a fan.  Astro City was probably my first try outside of the “Big Two” (or three or four, depending on who you talk to) and I have never regretted it for one second.  The Astro City stories have always been great, and this last issue of the “Dark Age” saga is no exception. Kurt Busiek is one of the greatest comic book writers of our time.   I can’t wait to read what he has for us in the “Silver Agent” series!

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Zatanna #1 (DC Comics) – I was really disappointed in this one.  Paul Dini is a good writer, I have liked his work on “Batman: the Animated Series” and on “Detective Comics” in the past.  However this book’s concept is a complete and total robbing of Jim Butcher’s “The Dresden Files” novels in my opinion.  So much so I think Butcher should sue.  Other than that the art was pretty good.  This is the only issue of this I will be getting.

Well that’s it for this time around, hopefully it won’t be almost a year before I do another one of these; but I’m not making any promises.

The Quick and the Read #10 – Random stuff

The Quick and the Read #10 – Random stuff

It has been a looooong time since I have done one of these, and I am going to do my best to try to do more.  I have stacks of comics I have read around the Fortress of Mozitude that I haven’t added to ComicBase and filed away for this very purpose

The only thing left to do is dive on in.

Buck Rogers #1 (Dynamite Entertainment) – I am not really sure what I expected to find reading this comic, but I didn’t find it.  I was a big fan of the Buck Rogers TV show from the late 70s\early 80s, so maybe subconsciously that was looking for here.  Now don’t get me wrong, this was a pretty good comic and I have seen A LOT worse, but this just didn’t “click” with me, so this is the last issue I am getting.

The Mighty #5 (DC Comics) – I got really tired of superhero deconstruction stories after a while, with everyone trying to recapture the popularity of Watchmen since it was first published back in the ‘80’s.  There has only been a handful worth reading over the years, like Kingdom Come and Powers just to name a few.  When this title was announced, I would have probably never touched it if Peter Tomasi hadn’t been writing it.  I have developed a great respect for his writing after what he did with Nightwing and the Green Lantern Corp books, so I just had to pick this up when it first come out.  Without spoiling anything, this issue probably really got me hooked on the series.  Peter Tomasi can really grab you with his writing, and Keith Champagne is no slouch.  If you are not reading this already, you should give the first trade a try.

Project Superpowers: Chapter Two #0 (Dynamite Entertainment) – I was intrigued by the first series (and I admit that most of that was because of Alex Ross being attached), it really has been interesting to see all of these forgotten heroes from the Golden Age and seeing what is done with them.  I didn’t read the mini-series that came out in-between the first series and this one, so I have kind of lost interest, but I thought I would give this a try.  This is still interesting as more and more heroes and villains come out of the woodwork, but it’s just not enough for me to keep buying it.  I doubt I would even get trades at this point, the “new comic smell” has worn off completely.

The Lone Ranger #17 (Dynamite Entertainment) – Now here is the one bright spot in this review, for the most part anyway.  I really enjoy this comic, and look forward to when it comes out, however sporadically.  I grew up watching Lone Ranger re-runs with my Dad (who actually met Clayton Moore when he was a kid), and have always loved the character.  When this title came out, I made sure that I get a copy for him too; and he really enjoys reading it.  Once again this was a great issue, and it was a joy to read.  I have a big problem with how often this comes out however.  I feel that this is the title that put Dynamite “on the map” so to speak, and they should really make an effort to put this out monthly on a consistent basis.  I have read comments from the creative team, and how they like to get an entire story arc “in the can” before they solicit it.  I can understand that, but you would think that after a while they would get caught up and have enough issues together to keep this monthly.  Maybe they should just go ahead and call this bi-monthly or quarterly and get it over with.

Well that’s it for this installment, until next time, keep them bagged and boarded!

The Quick and the Read #9 – Final Crisis Edition

Its been a while since I have done one of these, I have just been busy working on the book.? I decided to take a break and clean my writing “pallet” and write some reviews focused around Final Crisis and its tie-ins.

Final Crisis #4 – Up until this issue, this series has been practically impossible to figure out what was going on.? I know I am not alone on this.? After reading this issue, I think I finally understand what is going on now.? I have to say that this has been the best issue of this series so far, with some good scenes (even if some where a little cliché) that are just the kind of thing that reminds me of why I love comics. Overall the whole series has been a big disappointment when compared to the hype that followed it.? So far I have enjoyed all the “tie-in” series\one-shots with the “Final Crisis” banner a lot more.? Hopefully this will get better by the end, but somehow I doubt it, considering the drama that seems to be going on behind the scenes on this book.

FC: Submit #1 – I liked this issue, and I think it was a mistake not to convey somehow that it takes place before Final Crisis #4.? I read Submit after that issue, not knowing any better, and it would have made my reading of Final Crisis #4 a lot more enjoyable.? Even though this was a good story, some of the dialogue seemed a little cheesy at times and I think Morrison made Black Lightning sound a little bit too preachy. The only other thing that kind of bugs me is the idea of the newspapers, and heroes running around delivering them.? Having someone like the Ray do that I can understand, he can travel pretty fast, but having BL running around on foot with Justifiers everywhere is just kind of silly.? A little bit of a plot hole if you asked me.

FC: Revelations #3 of 5 – I really have been enjoying Greg Rucka’s work on this series, and I think the art really fits the overall tone of the book perfectly.? I am glad to see more being done with the new Question, I enjoyed what Rucka did with the Crime Bible series and I was happy to see that story continued here.? It was also good to see a new character like Radiant be introduced last issue.? It makes more sense to have another entity like the Spectre around but be sort of his opposite number.? I am looking forward to the next issue of this and see how things turn out.

FC: Rouges’ Revenge #3 of 3 – What can I say?? Johns delivered an excellent end to another awesome story. I am so glad things ended the way they did (trying to stay spoiler free here), but I don’t see how they could have ended any other way.? Regular readers of my blog know I love John’s work, so no need to go on about it here.? I will however say I would like to see more of Scott Kolins work, I didn’t appreciate it enough until I saw it again in this title.? He has a very gritty style that fit perfectly for this book.? This was one of the Final Crisis tie-ins that was definitely worth every penny.

FC: Legion of 3 Worlds #2 of 5 – Holy shit, this is the greatest comic I have read in a while.? Which is pretty much a given for me considering its 1) Johns writing, 2) Perez doing the penciling, and 3) its about the Legion.? This is like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one.? The obvious care and hard work that was put in this title just pours off the page.? I LOVE IT!!? I hate it when books are late, but if they need time on the next one, then so be it.? I am willing to wait for this kind of quality in this one case.

FC: Resist #1 – Here is another book I liked better than the series that it is tied to.? Rucka did a good job with this one, I really like the interaction with Mr. Terrific and the rest of the characters.? I have to admit I was beginning to wonder how the heroes were going to pull their asses out of the fire up until this issue, and I am actually looking forward to seeing one hell of a battle come out of this.

FC: Rage of the Red Lanterns #1 – Wow this comic is really something.? There is a lot of going on here, some of it might be lost on you if haven’t been reading the Secret Origins arc in Green Lantern, but it might not be too bad if you are picking this up cold.? Once again, Johns delevers a great Green Lantern story that I really enjoyed.? I am really looking forward to watching this play out in the GL titles, it should be a lot of fun.

Well that is it for now.? Next time I will either cover the New Krypton or Batman R.I.P. stuff I have read so far.

The Quick and the Read #8 – More comic book reviews so soon? You gotta be kidding me…

Here we are for another installment of comic book reviews that everyone has already commented on to death.? I realized that I had missed writing reviews and found the last installment therapeutic, so I made an effort to write up some more.? With the book gearing up again, I definitely need the practice.

Batman #678 – Morrison’s “Batman R.I.P.” story is getting freakier by the second, but I have to say that I am enjoying it, even though he is messing with Batman. I just love how he is sneaking in all of those classic pieces of Batman history that were at one time wiped out by the first Crisis.? I look forward to reading this title every month.

Final Crisis: Rouges’ Revenge #1 of 3 – Just another example of the quality comics that I expect from Geoff Johns.? Really good stuff that makes me wish Johns was back on the Flash, but I will settle for him taking over the Legion J? You listening DC??? Seriously, I really loved this first issue.? I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Justice Society of America #17 – Once again, Johns wows me with his writing skill.? Not many writers can have this many characters to deal with and give them all such distinct personalities.? ? This is another title that I look forward to every month, and the homage to heroes past makes this one of my true favorites to read.? I highly recommend it.

Batman #1-3 – I am really torn on this series so far.? The story is interesting, but I have never really cared for Kelley Jones’ art.? I don’t hate it, but I don’t really like it that much either.? I doubt that I will hang around for 12 issues.

Tangent: Superman’s Reign #2-5 – I never read any of the Tangent stuff the first time around.? For whatever reason it never interested me.? I got the first issue of this series out of curiosity, and I have to say it is pretty good.? The history back up stories have been a good read as well.? I am glad that I stuck around.

Green Lantern Corps #26 – Peter Tomasi has really surprised me since he started writing this title.? He has been one of the few that I have seen that has been able to write the Green Lantern Corp since their rebirth a few years ago.? This issue was really good, and this is another title that I look forward to reading each month.

The Quick and the Read #7 – ACCCKKKK!! More Comic Reviews

Ok, I know it has been a while, but I have been crazy busy.? As well as the book starting up again, the Wife and I have a house guest for a while, my good friend Mike.? We worked together for a long time back in Washington St when I lived there, and have been friends ever since.

I helped him get a job where I work, since we had an opening that would be working with me, and I trust him more than anyone that isn’t family.? In fact, he is one of the few people on this earth that I would trust with my life.? That kind of friendship is very rare, and I am very glad that things worked out like they did.

We are a lot alike, and even call ourselves a “brother from another mother”.? This was his first week on the job, and I know that we are finally going to make some progress at work in making things better.? He is also a really great writer, so check out his blog if you get a chance.

Well enough about me, let’s get on to the reviews.? A lot of these have been out in a while, but the two of you that read this blog might be interested in my “unique” view on them.? Here we go.

Final Crisis #1-2: I have REALLY been disappointed in this series so far.? It seems really disjointed to me, and I had to read the first issue again to try to figure out what was going on in the second issue.? The whole New Gods rebirth thing and the way they are doing it, seems silly to me in a “jump the shark” kind of way.? This has been commented on a lot in other blogs, so there is no need to rehash it all.? The Martian Manhunter’s death was CHEAP and UNECESSARY.? As much as I liked the Barry Allen Flash, I think bringing him back is kind of cheap too, just something to sell books.? I cheered when they brought back Hal Jordan, and Oliver Queen, but their deaths weren’t good deaths and needed to be fixed.? Barry Allen’s death was a GOOD death.? He died saving the multiverse, for crying out loud!!? I know that the relaunch of the relaunch of the Flash character isn’t going like they planned, but I’m not sure bringing back Barry might not fix it if they don’t WRITE GOOD STORIES!!!

Trinity #1-8: I am little behind on this title since I am getting comics in the mail again, I have really been enjoying it.? I have always been a fan of Kurt Busiek since I read his Astro City stuff, and this series shows exactly why.? This series is already 100 times better than the mess that was Countdown.? I like what they are doing with the backup stories as well, I think it is a really good idea. Keep up the good work guys!

Astonishing X-Men #25 – I was a little disappointed with this issue after Whedon’s great run on this title.? Way to chatty for me, and it seemed that Ellis was trying to capture that dry wit that Whedon is so good at and failed miserably.? Not sure if I will keep getting this one.

Uncanny X-Men #500 – Now this was better than Astonishing X-Men #25, in my opinion.? Brubaker and Faction got me hooked on Immortal Iron Fist, and they might do the same here.? I like the “new direction” that Marvel is taking with the X-Men, I think it should’ve been done a while ago.? This should be interesting in the coming months.

Well that’s it for now, turn in for more soon!!

The Quick and The Read #6 – I don’t know how the others do it.

Putting up the New Comic Weblog Updates page has been a real learning experience. First of all, I learned that there is a crap load of comic book blogs out there. Now I know that some of those blogs have people that are on staff and are probably getting paid to write stuff, (the Newsarama Blog and Comics Should Be Good come to mind), but the rest of them? How do they keep up?

I know there are plenty of people out there blogging like me that barely have time to read comics, let alone write about them. For those that do write a lot, my virtual hat is off to you, and I respect the effort you put into your blog.

With that in mind, here is my feeble attempt to “to keep up with the bloggers”, and write up a few more reviews. The big bonus for two or three of you that read these is that these comics are pretty new!!

Amazons Attack #1 – HOLY CRAP this was bad. It didn’t make any sense to me at all. Maybe if I read Wonder Woman (and it was on time) it would be different. Somehow I doubt it. I will more than likely not buy anymore of this series. Is it just me, or do other people feel that way?

Action Comics #847 – Now this is a really good story. One of the things that I loved from the original Crisis when they redid Superman was that both of Clark’s parents didn’t die before he left for Metropolis. This story is a great example of why. They help ground Superman, and make him more human. Great stuff.

Action Comics #848 – This is a good start to an interesting story arc. Those people that know me know that I have never been a fan of religion in any form. Reading this story reminds me why I feel that way. I am looking forward to the next issue in this arc, it should be interesting.

Superman #661 – I hate to say it, but this issue was really bad. Maybe I expect a lot more out of Busiek’s work, but everything about this issue was really horrible and I am not wasting any more time on it. P.S. Speech balloons on covers should be BANNED!!! They suck!!

Superman\Batman Confidential – I’m not going to buy these anymore. Any kind of “prequel” stories of Superman and Batman are kind of pointless and a waste of time. Their history gets rewritten too often for it to stick.

Robin #160 -161 – This title has really been good ever since One Year Later stuff started. Adam Beechen has done a great job on this title, and I really like what he has done with the Robin character. Too bad he has too leave Robin so he can take over Teen Titans, but I am looking forward to seeing what he does with that title.

Outsiders Annual #1 – Man was this AWESOME!! All those storyline loose ends tied up in a nice little package. It was great to see Scott McDaniel drawing Nightwing again; he really knows how to draw that character in action. I hope they got something for McDaniel after Green Arrow ends. Once again, Judd Winick delivers a great story; he really knows how to write these characters in a way to make them entertaining. The only thing I was disappointed about was my theory Jason Todd being the Nightwing with the Outsiders when they went underground was blown out of the water. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of comic I like to see. Keep it up guys!!

The Quick and The Read #5 – Playing catch up

Man have I been busy lately. I had to week long trips in March; we finally got a large project approved at work, etc… When it rains it pours.

I had a large pile of comics built up and I finally got through most of them, just in time for more to come in the mail on Monday. That will probably my last shipment of comics through the mail, so I can finally get back into getting comics at a comic shop again.

I wrote these reviews a while back when I had some time, but I haven’t had time to type them in until now.

Flash #7-8: I am really glad the Bilson/Demeo run on this book is over. I was very shocked at how bad it was, especially since I really enjoyed their work on the Flash TV show. Hopefully the next guy will be better. I am still not happy with what they have done with the Flash character and I really think it was a mistake. Wally and Bart had really started to fit in the roles that they were in, and to change it like they did just didn’t sit well with me. Having Bart follow in his grandfather’s footsteps as a forensic scientist that I like. That is the main reason I am sticking on this title for now at least. I will just have to see how it turns out.

Detective Comics #827 – Holy Sicko Batman!! Now this was a really great issue! The idea behind the new Ventriloquist is brilliant!! Dini was really able to pull of a convincing psycho with this character and I have to say it really took me by surprise. Overall an excellent issue and I really enjoyed it. I also like the self-contained stories; it really is a good change of pace from the large story arcs.

Detective Comics #828 – Another good issue from Dini. It’s great to see the “detective” back into Detective Comics. That aspect of Batman has been ignored for way too long. Also, whatever happened to the Jason Bard backup stories? I thought that was a great idea.

Connor Hawke: Dragon’s Blood #3-4 – First of all, cover of #3, EWWWWWW!! Shado is practically old enough to be Conner’s mother! Not a good choice for a cover if you ask me. Past that, and the kiss between them in the comic; I am really enjoying this series. It is really great to have Chuck Dixon back writing Connor Hawke again. Dixon has always been on of my favorite writers, and I am not sure why DC doesn’t put on some of their weaker titles to get them back on track. I guess it will take some time to rebuild bridges after that whole CrossGen thing.

Guy Gardner: Collateral Damage #1-2 – I have to say that this has to be two of the worst comics I have ever read in all the years that I have been reading comics. The Guy Gardner character has never been my favorite; in fact I despised the character completely for a long time. I changed my mind during the Green Lantern: Rebirth and the GL Corps: Recharge series to some degree. Gardner is still an arrogant ass, but you can count on him to cover your back in a pinch. This series drops him to a level of degenerate that I have never seen in a comic. I have NO IDEA how this piece of crap got past editorial. If you were thinking of buying this, save your money. Buy an Invincible trade instead.

The Quick and The Read #4: Dear Johns letter

Here is the fourth semi-sporadic installment of my drive by comic book review column, the Geoff Johns edition. I have survived my brush with death, so I thought I would take the time and do a few comic reviews.

I just so happened to finish reading a few comics written by Geoff Johns, so I thought I might as well group them together in this review.

Here it goes…

Justice Society of America #1-3: I don’t care what anyone else says, this is a great start for a damn fine comic. Personally this is the kind of thing I love about Johns writing, his thorough knowledge of the DC Universe and all of its characters. Sure the Nazi massacres aren’t my favorite, but it’s in there to tell the story and set the tone of just how serious the situation is. Boy is it serious! Some have complained that this comic is the start of DC trying to make everything go to the Kingdom Come future; I see it more as showing that it might be a separate entity all together. In any case, Johns did a great job of bringing in new characters but paying homage to the older characters that came before them. There are plenty of blanks to fill in from 52/World War III in this comic, like how did Jessie Chambers get her mother’s powers; and when did she get married to the new Hourman? I am definitely looking forward to reading more.

Green Lantern #17: More shock and awe from Johns on this one! Just when you think you know what is going to happen, BAM, he hits you out of the blue. Those panels when a Sinestro ring goes to Batman, priceless!! Absolutely brilliant!! A great way to end this story arc. I am looking forward to the next, and the Sinestro Corp backup stories should be very interesting too.

Teen Titans #43: All I can say is WHOA!! Talk about getting dark fast. Ok, that isn’t all I can say. First off I HATE what they have done with the Batgirl character and I think it is so cheesy that they turned her into a villain!! ARRRGHHH!! I remember reading that Dido said that they would fix that character. WHEN?!?!?! Secondly, I am getting sick of seeing Deathstroke kicking everyone’s ass all the time. Someone put that bastige DOWN!! At least it looks like he has seriously lost it this time, so maybe it will give the Titans the advantage. Third. A…. Bizzaro…. Clone…. of…. Superboy….. That is brilliant and twisted at the same time. Talk about sticking the knife in and twisting it. It is almost wrong Johns, just plain evil. It makes for a damn good story anyway.

Well that is it for this time. Until then; bag and board’em!!

The Quick and The Read #3: Once more into the review…

OK, I can’t concentrate on work with a damn since it is Friday, and its payday, AND I am going out of town on business next week. So what is a comic geek like myself supposed to do?? Write some I reviews!! At least until the boss catches me anyway

Previous reviews from this series can be found here

Here is what is up for this time around.

The Creeper #1-6 (of 6): I have never really been that much of a fan of The Creeper, but I just read the last book of this series, and I have to say I liked it. Now this wasn’t the best comic I have ever read, but it was a good solid story that did a great job telling the origin of the latest version of The Creeper. I have no idea how close this was to the original, since I never really new much about the character until now. This was a solid series, and I had no complaints.

Batman and the Mad Monk #1-6 (of 6): Once again Matt Wagner did a kick ass job on this series, just like he did on Batman and the Monster Men. I just LOVED this series! It takes one hell of a writer to take a story that was just a few pages from a comic back in the late 1930′s, “update” it a bit and turn it into a full fledged mini-series like this. If you are a Batman fan, pick this series up at your local comic shop. If not, the trade is already available for pre-order from Amazon.

Mystery in Space #1-6 (of eight): This mini-series has really shown Jim Starlin’s writing talent when it goes to science fiction. I have truly enjoyed reading this series, it is great stuff. To me this story reminds me a lot of Dreadstar, which was also a great series in its time; and how much I love Starlin’s work on that. If you liked his recent work on Cosmic Guard and Kid Kosmos (still need to get the later), you will probably like this too. The series hasn’t sold any issues out, so you could probably jump in with too much trouble, just in time to finish it.

OK, that is about it for now. I think the boss is due out of his meeting any minute….

The Quick and The Read #2: It’s my blog, I can review if I want to

Here is the second installment of The Quick and The Read. If you are looking for hard hitting timely reviews on comics that came out recently, then this ain’t it pal. I get comics through the mail (for now), I am always behind.

That isn’t going to stop me from writing about those same comics, though so hang around and you might enjoy yourself anyway. You can catch the first post of this series here

Here we go…

Green Lantern #16: Another great issue from Geoff Johns. Man I really like this book and Green Lantern is really becoming one of my favorite characters. Bringing back Hal Jordan was one of the greatest things to happen to comics in years as far as I am concerned. Johns you ROCK!! The “Wanted: Hal Jordan” arc has really been good, and a lot of fun to read. The art is top notch too, Ivan Reis can really draw the tone this books needs.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24-26: I have been a big Legion fan since I was a kid, so I have big expectations for this title. When they brought on Supergirl, they almost lost me as a reader. Waid is one of my favorite writers, but he kind of lost his way a little bit, the Supergirl stuff was driving me crazy and I didn’t really like it. With #24-26, I am finally starting to see the stuff I really like to see in the Legion. It reminded me of the good old days. I was so glad to see Mon-El again, he has always been one of my favorite characters. Waid is finally back track, its too bad that he and Kitson will be ending their run with #30. I was really starting to get excited about reading this title again.

Justice League of America (2006) #0-5: I remember reading when the first few issues of this came out and the biggest complaint was that is was too slow. You fools, that is called character development!! Comics need more of that these days, and Brad Metzler does an excellent job with this comic.? The characters in these issues are some of the most 3-dimensional that I have seen in a while.? All the little nuances of the characters and their interaction with each other, especially between the big three, make the characters come alive.? This is truly what comics should be in my opinion.? As far as action goes, there was plenty of it in 3-5.? This is one of my favorite titles and I look forward to reading it every month.

Well, that is it for this time around.? See you next time!!

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