So lets get down to brass taxes, but first a shameless plug. Buy your books at 1up Collectibles!
Gambit #1 - $2.99 - T+
What the hell did I just read, let alone see. I had high hopes for this one, because I grew up loving Gambit. I thought it would be this intense, high action, very stylized, theft story. Instead we got a look warm but that barely has any action, some theft, whose art was barely in focus. Everything was not right about this book at all. This was James Asmus. It starts out with Gambit at his apartment in NYC where he is apparently is retired from being a thief, which is funny because I always just assumed Gambit stole crap when you weren't looking. So he is going to this charity event at the never been heard of before Mr. Cich, who apparently gives out loans to bad guys. So let me get this right an evil bank roller moonlights by having charity events held at his mansion? Makes sense if you don't think about it. Okay so Gambit is going to his place to steal something, so he manages to gain his finger prints, a copy of his retinas, and a copy of him saying his name allowed so Gambit can access Cich's vault of repo'd villain weapons. Which is apparently hidden on the third floor and resembles Mary Poppin's endless bag. After creating a distraction Gambit has 15 minutes to sneak off steal what he needs too which is totally unclear. So Gambit gets in and a kinetic shock makes the thing explode? Then sets off its internal security which is a sentinel and we know how reliable they are but seriously he did this all in 15 minutes? Sure whatever suspension of disbelief. Whatever. Then the big WTF moment happens back in Gambit's room, where the thing that shocked him, which apparently didn't explode(?) shocks him again then a star fish comes out of nowhere. Then the starfish enters Gambit, through his chest. WTF did i just see, let alone how could I, because the art has no clarity and no depth to it. Granted the pencils might have been muddled by the colorist but the shading is way off, so any respectable colorist would have been able to color it properly.
I will give this one more issue just to find out about that damn starfish.
Story - 1/5
Art - 2/5
Batman #12 - $3.99 - T
This was a great story written by Scott Snyder, about bullying and standing up for what is right. It's told from the point of Harper Row, who is a Gotham electrical grid worker. She lives with her bother who is being bullied by neighborhood boys for being gay. Their building is scheduled to be renovated by the Waynes. When she returns home, she finds her brother Cullen on the floor with a derogatory term shaved into his head. So Harper does the same thing to her hair to prove to the bullies that they aren't scared. As the Rows were walking home the bullies attack and Batman saves them, effectively ending the bullying. As Harper becomes sort of obsessed with Batman and figures how she can help him, As she is down the sewer helping fix Batman's electrical grid, Batman is fighting Tiger Shark on a boat that Harper helps ground. While at work Batman comes for a visit and tells Harper she didn't help him with the grid and she is finished. Harper now lives by a variation of the words Batman told her, "Harper Row, you're not finished, no way." A very emotional issue dealing with a very real problem. The Art is alright, it switches styles half way through which is distracting to me because they are two very different styles, but are both respectively well done.
Story - 4/5
Art - 3/5
Captain America #16 - $3.99 - Digital Copy - T
This was an issue written by Ed Brubaker who has been writing you this new series from the start and in this arc Brubaker has been using the power of the media as a weapon. A weapon against heroes.the issue takes off from where the last one ended. There is a political "talking head" if you will named Reed Braxton, who spins everything the heroes into something negative against humans. That they would rather save aliens then humans. This a very political statement made about the importance of media and how it essentially sculpts the opinions of people. So as Cap is fighting the Discordians in DC, Braxton is playing arm chair QB and pointing out everything that is wrong. As this is going on Agent 13 and Dum Dum Dugan are breaking into Braxton's HQ to find out who is behind all of this because in the previous issue we saw he is a clone. As they break into the production area where we found out he is hypnotizing his audience. So then Braxton makes an announcement that they are being censored and yatty yatta. The two are then being chased but not before Agent 13 punches one and they find out he is robot and Dugan takes his head. The comic ends with Captain America being beaten by average Americans. This was an interesting to say the least and am very curious to see how the new Hydra plays a role in this TV News anchor ploy. The art hs been good but there was a few missteps in the story telling in some ares but overall a good issue.
Story - 3/5
Art - 2/5
Over this passed week the comic world took a huge blow, we lost Joe Kubert. An amazing artist and teacher. Long known for his art in DC Comics with titles such as Srgt. Rock, Tor, and Hawkman. He also had a Joe Kubert School in NJ where he and two of his sons Adam and Andy, would teach aspiring comic artists the fundamentals to the most advanced elements of comic art. Some of his lesser mainstream works that you should definitely read are, Fax from Sarajevo, Jew Gangster, and GI Combat. He was a true icon and legend. He was a hero to me and some many others. His legacy and life will long out live us all. Thank you Joe for everything you have done.
Rest In Piece
Joe Kubert
1926-2012
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