Last Week In Comics: Hit With A Stick!
SpaceBooger’s weekly review of last weeks comics is back giving a fresh take on 5-day-old comics:
Yesterday afternoon my biological father passed away. This made Green Lantern #29 a little harder to read. Not many people are lucky enough to have two fathers growing up, but I was one of the lucky. After my parents divorced, my mother married my stepfather who later adopted me. My biological father, Big Fred, played a large role in my early childhood by igniting my imagination and encouraging me, like Hal’s dad, “to be whatever I wanted to be.” Big Fred and I were not as close as I would have liked to have been during my high school and college years. It was not until after college that we became close again. During this time we talked a lot, we spent hours sharing stories and learning about life through each other.
Sunday March 30th 2008 at 2:15pm my biological father passed away… and on that day part of who made me the person I am also passed away…
Green Lantern #29 was a great retelling of Hal Jordan’s origin prior to working at Ferris Aircraft in Emerald Dawn. The part of Abin Sur seemed a little off from the character I remember, but it seems to fit in with the new Green Lantern mythos that Johns has been creating.
Batman Confidential #15 continues the story about Batman’s “evil twin” the Wraith and his quest to kill Jim Gordon. It looks like I was exactly right after reading the last issue:
The best part about this issue was the exact telling of the Wraith’s (the original Wraith’s) origin from both Jim Gordon’s and the assassin’s point of view. I am looking forward to the conclusion in next issue… when DC releases this as a trade if it included the original story from Batman Special #1, I will have to pick it up.
Countdown to Final Crisis #5 was awesome! It had humanoid animals taking over the Earth… until nuclear bombs destroy everything… except one boy. I liked the two issue story of the alternate Earth’s Buddy Blank and his grandson who will become: Kamandi the Last Boy on Earth, but…
As awesome as Countdown #5 was, it did nothing for the big picture. I liked the story and how the virus that Karate Kid has been carrying through the whole series created this world for Kamandi, but again I have to ask what does all this have to do with the Final Crisis?
Legion of Super-Heroes #40 was great ride and the more I read Jim Shooter’s LOSH the more it grows on me. The characterization is dead on and I am looking forward to next months issue… Braniac was awesome and all the side quirks are great.
and…
THE BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK:
Blue Beetle #25
I am sad that Johns Rogers will be leaving the Blue Beetle after this issue, but at least he went out with a mother effin champ.
Since day one Jaime Reyes has been trying to figure out the “magical” scarab that fused itself onto his spine just before Infinite Crisis. Since that quest began back in issue one, Jaime has found out that the scarab is not magical, but instead alien technology. An alien race known as the Reach has been plotting to take over the Earth, and many other planets, using the same technology fused to our hero’s spine. After 22 issues of “bonding” with the alien scarab Jaime decides to take out the Reach before they can take over the Earth. Blue Beetle #25 is the culmination of Jaime’s efforts of the last three issues. Recap can be found here.
Jaime successfully takes out the Reach’s Armada.
This newest version of the Blue Beetle would not be as awesome if not for the great and well used supporting cast, who were taking care of business back on Earth.
This sums it all up… Mr. Rogers the story, the name, and the hero will continue… hopefully following the path that you paved.
Other Comics
All Star Superman #10: WOW… This is Superman the way I remember him from my youth… Wow… if you have not read this yet - do it now!
Countdown to Adventure #8: In 52 I loved the space saga… as its own min-series… not so much. The characters in this mini have to be written a certain way to keep them from crossing over to the plain, or bleh, side. In 52 they were exciting and the story was fun, not so much in this mini. I am glad that I did not drop it before its conclusion, even if it was lackluster.
Countdown Special Eclipso: I scanned this cover expecting to read this… but with everything that has happened recently I did not get to it… sorry.
Teen Titans #57: I am a fan of Ravager. Rose Wilson has the same appeal that Casandra Cain had as Batgirl early in her solo series. Did anyone other than me wonder why there were so many “master assassins” and martial arts experts running around the DCU? I did, and I was getting tired of the cookie cutter template for characters. I used to think that without her distinct personality Ravager would just be another of these carbon copy comic characters, but in Teen Titans #57 we get a little insight on why she is so deadly… and I like the concept.
More Beetle Stuff
I don’t know if you knew it or not, but I love the new Blue Beetle comic.
Many people love the “art” but that is not my attraction to the comic, I am more of a “story” type of guy. My attraction lies mainly with the storyline and the characterizations. Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, has one of the best written supporting cast of all comics right now. With the strenght in the writing I am sad to have read that John Rogers will be writing Blue Beetle no more.
I love Jaime; I love all the characters. It’s continually been the most fun I’ve had in my writing career. I have a real sense of ownership having spent the time to build this character up into somebody who had a story and a really great supporting cast. I want to go down the road with him, so I might kick in for a story when I can, but right now I want to really concentrate on these other projects.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=148932
At least Mr. Rogers will be finishing writing how Jaime takes out the crazy aliens hellbent on taking over the Earth in issue #25.
It’s temporary, although I don’t know exactly when I’m coming back to the book. What happened is, essentially, Keith and I always wanted to tell the origin story and #25 wraps up that origin for Jaime.
What’s happened is that Jaime has discovered that the seemingly unrelated incidents he’s been dealing with all the way through year two actually gave him the clues to discover The Reach’s evil 100-year-long, subtle plan to take over the world. He decided to strike at them before they could use their abilities to sort of reorganize. Once they reorganize, once they’ve got that advantage, he has no chance. So he had to hit them really fast and really hard. We’ve seen him studying the notes that Ted Kord left behind and the different methods and strategies he picked up. And the different lessons he’s taken from all the heroes he’s run into over the two years that have brought him to being a mature superhero able to take care of a threat.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=148932
Last Week In Comics: Beetle Mania
SpaceBooger’s weekly review of last weeks comics is back giving a fresh take on 5-day-old comics:
Two weeks ago I went on about how Booster Gold was one of the best monthly comics around, and it is one of the best around. The other in that same category is the Blue Beetle. If you read this column (which is posted every Monday) you will know that Jaime Reyes is one of the best new characters in ages. Blue Beetle 24 is the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK and it tells a tale of one teenager and his phenomical supporting cast trying to dismantle an alien armada that plans to take over the Earth. Yeah, I know standard comic book stuff, but what makes Blue Beetle so great is the dialog, the personality of the main character, and the distinct personality of his supporting cast.
At the end of issue 23 the Reach (the crazy aliens hellbent on taking over the Earth) removed their alien technology from Jaime that gave him the sweet powers for the previous 22 issues. In this issue we see the power of the human will from Jaime who has planned to be all kamikaze like and take out the Reach’s mothership from the inside.
This image alone shows why Blue Beetle 24 was the
BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK!
High-five from Batman. Thats about the only thing that I enjoyed from Batman 674. I think that Grant Morrison is a great writer but these last two hallucination filled issues really confused me. As far as I can tell someone was manipulating Gotham Police Officers bodies so that when Batman finally dies someone could take his place. I think thats the plot… but I am not sure… and right now I don’t care because I can read Blue Beetle instead.
JLA Classified 53 showed Aquaman blasting a self proclaimed god in the face… I got my three dollars worth right there. The story… well I keep making the flashback to a flashback reference and I will do it one more time by saying this is the longest flashback in a flashback series ever. I love Roger Stern’s work but this it taking too long… especially for a flashback in a flashback series.
Legion of Super-Heroes 39 had everything I expected from a superhero team book.
- Team dynamic - Check
- Individual Characterization - Check
- Overlaying Continuing Story with a Mystery - Check
- Closure for the individual issue - Check
With Jim Shooter back I am enjoying “relearning” his take on the characters he used to write.
Did I mention that I am a fan of Blue Beetle? Did I mention that his solo book is the best monthly book… until the next issue Booster Gold comes out. In Teen Titans 56 Blue Beetle again makes an apperance. I call it an apearance because I am not quite sure that he is on the team, I think he is just around to tick off Kid Devil. Speaking of Kid Devil this issue focuses on him annoying every other Titan. This issue, and the last couple, seem to be back on track of what I expect for the Teen Titans, but… Terror Titans! I am sick of all these Bizzaro Titan teams.
Quick Mentions
Action Comics 862: Many of today’s comics seem to be written in chapter type arcs that will work great in the trade but suck royally as individual issues. This Action Comics and Legion of Super-Heroes run is an example of a great modern comic. Each individual issue is a great chapter in the larger story, yet each issue has its own smaller story with closure. This issue we learn a couple of important facts mixed in with some action that gives this issue a solid start and end. I am looking forward to seeing what the next “chapter” brings.
All Star Batman & Robin 9: I really don’t want to talk about it since everyone else on the internet has either proposed marriage or condemned it to hell already. I will say that I do take this series for what it is and because of that the whole yellow scenes and the banter between the two “heroes” was great. But as a Batman fan Frank Miller does not want me to be comfortable. So in this issue we see Robin heartlessly almost kill a man… and then everyone cries.
Countdown 9: I am glad to see that everything is coming together and making sense… but it’s moving too fast. The series had a different, and better, pace in the middle. I miss that pace. There is too much going on with too little explanation or character development in issue 9.
52 The Crime Bible 5: What a great ending. If you have trudged your way though this miniseries the ending was satisfying. Thats all I have to say is satisfying. Being a huge fan of the O’Neil run on the Question I am quite satisfied with the way this ended… I didn’t see that coming.
Blue Déjà Vu
Last night while looking through comics for Friday Night Fights I found this ad that made me wonder why not change the text at the bottom:
Last Week In Comics: The Bwa Ha Ha is Back!
Booster Gold #0 is the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK! (out of the issues that I bought.)
Every month I rant and rave about some comic being one of the best comics DC puts out on a monthly basis… OK, I may say that about too many comics, but Booster Gold is one of those comics that I consistently make that claim for and it deserves the praise. One of the first comic books that I ever recived that was not one of the main stream big names, i.e. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, X-Men, etc.., was Blue Beetle 19 and since then I read most of everything that Ted Kord starred in. Take the fact that Booster Gold now has one of my favorite comic characters in it’s supporting cast, plus the fact that it is one of the best book DC is currently publishing, AND add in that this issue ties directly into the first every DCU wide crossover I ever read - Zero Hour; it is easy to see why this comic easily wins Best Comic of last week.
The humor is strong, the art is strong, and the storytelling is superhumanly strong… Booster Gold, and a couple other books, is easily “the best comics that DC puts out on a monthly basis- period!”
Countdown 11, like last week’s issue, is quickly bringing all storylines together for the grand finale. I like the end result but it seems too rushed and the last couple weeks have been harder to follow, at least Harley’s dialog makes the issue fun.
Last month Gotham Underground received the honor of being the best for one week, this week’s Gotham Underground 5 would have easily won if Booster Gold 0 was published along with the original Zero Hour in 1994.
Gotham Underground #5 was awesome, and to prove it let me share what I told the inker Jack Purcell:
Just read Gotham Underground #5 - WOW!
The art was phenomenal and the story even better.
My first opinion of this miniseries was that it was a slugfest…. but it is much more deep than that.
The best part is how it ties into all the major storylines seamlessly (Countdown, Salvation Run, Crime Bible, and the Bat Books.)
Wow! the puzzle pieces when Johnny was tossed out the window was spectacular, just as the missing pieces to hide identities… Wow!
Great job inking this one, it has to be one of the most original issues I ever read!
Tiny Titans #1 was cute and even though the above joke has been used during the Wolfman & Perez run it still makes me laugh. I will be saving all of the Tiny Titan issues I can for when I have tiny ones of my own.
Quick Reviews
Amazing Spider-Man #550: I forgot to scan this issue in because I read it first on Wednesday and forgot all about it. The same can be said about this issue’s story. We see the Menace, see that Spidey is hunted down to Register (twice), and that not only does he not have any money for web-fluid apparently he has no extra costumes either.
Green Arrow & Black Canary #5: I quite enjoyed this issue. Many say the last two issues have been boring and all Ollie does is mope about being a bad father to Connor. OK, so we all know that Ollie was not the perfect father and I think since it is not just being assumed and played out in these issues it is making the characters and storyline stronger.
Green Lantern Corps #21: I have this issue, but I have not read it yet… I scanned the cover, so I figured that I should say something… “Look its about one of those freaky Alpha Lanterns.
JLA Classified #52: I liked the first issue of this storyline it peaked my interest,the second issue was OK since it was a flashback to a flashback story, but this one is almost exactly the same as the first. The kicker was that the JLA is getting pummeled for almost the whole issue and one panel turns the tide…
Salvation Run #4: This is turning into one of those minseries that you are not that interested in but since you started it you have to stick it out. If there wasn’t a “4 of 7″ printed on the cover I would not have purchased it. It is always good to see the Joker kill for his personal humor, but we already saw that in Gotham Underground this week. If not for the fight on the cover being played out this comic would have been a complete waste.
Superman #673: Thank goodness that storyline is over… the only good thing about the Insect Queen story was that Chris blew up Lois and Clark’s apartment.
Last Week In Comics: Aquaman Talks to SuperFish!
In Superman Batman #45, our two favorite heroes continue their quest to rid the planet of Kryptonite. While excavating a large chunk of k-rock from the ocean Aquaman shows up fights Superman and gives him a guilt trip on doing “as they will.”
In Gotham Underground #4 we see Matches Malone (a.k.a. Batman) do his best Macgyver impersonation. This mini series is a lot of fun and a great read that is only enhanced by BatGyver.
Gotham Underground #4 is the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK!
The Question apologizes for a kick to the head in Crime Bible #4. I think what Renee means is that she is sorry that the series waited until now to pay homage to Vic Sage’s supporting cast. If you haven’t been reading this one wait for the trade, you won’t be disappointed.
Quick Reviews
Amazing Spider-Man 584: Lets see…
- Spidey saves a bunch of children by looking like a terrorist.
- Spidey trades a sample of his blood for a child’s life.
- Spidey’s blood will be used as a chemical weapon that will only affect his blood relatives.
- Spidey’s new enemy is close to Aunt May.
- Spidey retrieves his web-shooter from the recently deceased Spider-Mugger just as the police arrive to catch him “robbing” the dead body.
Blue Beetle 23: Jamie and his adventures against the Reach continues with less jokes and one hell of a good plan. With a plan as technical and detailed as the one used to infiltrate the Reach’s ship, there is no way he is as screwed as it looks at the end of the issue.
Countdown 14: In issue 13 we saw Donna take out her alternate self. Donna masquerades as…. herself… to take over an army of Belthera’s bugs. Now that the there is an army to join Kyle, Donna, and Ray to battle both the Monitors and Monarch’s army… Jason Todd is the only one left out of the action. Like predicted (and then discussed here) Jason Todd suits up again as Robin, Red Robin.
JLA Classified 51: This issue is a flashback issue to a flashback issue. Since JLA Classified takes place in the past and this issue is a flashback issue related to the previous issue, wouldn’t it be a flashback to a flashback? Anyways… In this issue we learn half of the back-story of the “God” from issue 50. Other than some good character moments this issue was not even as exciting as me trying to explain the whole flashback to a flashback stuff.
Legion of Super Heroes 38: Jim Shooter’s return to the Legion feels comfortable. I like the character moments and the background story more than the action in this issue. I have faith in Shooter and what may seem slow now will pay off in the end.
Last Week In Comics: Booster and a Beetle
Countdown 15 proves that as the story gets better so does the clichés.
Snoop Dogg, Rick James, the Juggernaut, and now Donna Troy
Robin 170 may not have had the triumphant return of Chuck Dixon that I was expecting, but seeing this scene made me chuckle. I like the humor and the odd training reference, but after spending all of the holidays playing Super Mario Galaxy
Catwoman 74 is a tie into Salvation Run and transports Selina to a different Earth in the Multiverse. I am enjoying Countdown, but all the tie-ins are becoming quite annoying especially since every other Batman caries a gun.
Batman hates guns. Because he hates guns and has not used them every writer who can write an alternate Earth’s Batman wants to make him bust some caps… seriously, I’m getting tired of it.
Birds of Prey 114 not that good. The solicit at the end for issue 115 was better… need I post more.
Quick Reviews
Amazing Spider-Man 547: Jameson’s heart attack prompts Pete to don his Spider-Man uniform once again to save the Daily Bugle from bankruptcy. Only having one web-shooter after being mugged, Peter decides to get some pictures of Spidey taking down the mugger who has his lost web-shooter, killing two birds with one stone. En-route Spidey busts up some Chinese mask wearing mafia thugs… I don’t really get this part of the storyline. The Peter Parker/Daily Bugle story is what I am enjoying the most.
Booster Gold 6: Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle are the best comics that DC puts out on a monthly basis- period! In this issue Booster teams up with the past, present, and future Blue Beetle and travel back to in time to save Ted Kord. Along with an clever Beetles reference, Booster joins the Beetles and successfully saves Ted Kord. Needless to say that Rip Hunter is pissed since he did not see a “chronal disturbance” that would be fixed by saving Ted. This book is a great read, single issue stories that all tie together into one awesomely weaved complex story. The shattering of Booster’s goggles to replace dead Ted’s goggles that were sent to Batman to set of Infinite Crisis is a great example of the detail that makes this book constantly great. Best Comic from Last Week!
Justice League of America 17: Um… the backup story featuring Vixen was better than the main story, and even that was not too good. The main story of JLA 17 is that the league is finally figured out that Waller and her Suicide Squad has something to do with the missing villains. Oh, and at the same time a bunch of villains break into the Hall of Justice to seek protection from the Suicide Squad… what great timing… Yeah, you can skip this one… assuming you wait almost a week after a book is out to read my review before you purchase it.
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