Comic Review - 9/19 Zeros, Heroes, and Zombies

What's going on 1upers! Its another week of reviews and this week we got 2 DC zero issues, 2 paranormal indy books, and the Avengers. So without standing on ceremony, lets go!!!

The Avengers #30

The first book this week is another issue by Mr. Bendis aaaaand it was nothing special.  The issue centers around Spider-Woman and Hawkeye and a lovers quarrel during a break-in to a government facility.  The dialogue/banter between the two characters is but not much else. It's suppose to be taking place while the Avengers are fighting the X-Men , but it chronologically does't make sense.This is suppose to be during the big fight at Utopia and Hawkeye was suppose to be severely burned. How is this suppose to work? Did I miss something? The payoff feels like something good is coming down the line but it could have been a one page set up in a future story.  Pass on this issue it serves no purpose and the art is by Walt Simonson, who is a legend in his rite, just wasn't done justice by the inker.  I have seen some great work by him, but this really was not good.

Story - 1/5
Art - 2/5

The Walking Dead #102

Well this is my first time writing about the Walking Dead and by all means I am going to avoid spoilers so this going to be a shorter more vague review. This like others has Rick struggling with leading the group and what he has to do to protect them.  There is a big event that is being set up in this issue and its the very beginning of this.  There are events in the past that have lead them to do this.  This is a very consistent story that is always a great page turner and very consistent art.  Pick this issue up if you are already head long into the series, if you aren't reading this then pick up the Compendium Vol.1 and let you mind be blown.  If you think you have seen The Walking Dead, you really haven't until you read it as well.  Do your self a solid and start now!

Story - 4/5
Art - 3/5

Red Hood and The Outlaws #0

This was an issue that isn't on my normal pulls, so I picked it up on the recommendation.  I have to say I wasn't impressed.  The story is about Jason Todd's life and how he became the Red Hood. The way the story is told is the best part about it. It is paced well and make allusions to Jason's history while making necessary flash backs and flash forwards. The story itself doesn't make me care at all about Jason, yes he had a tough life but he isn't even grateful he was alive...TWICE! The twist and revelations made feel more like a gimmick in the second story. I feel like the second story was written first and they wanted a way to build up to make more dramatic. The art in the first story felt like it wasn't rendered/developed enough and the second story felt like it was too developed.  There were too many lines in the work that just clutters faces and is too distracting to a reader. Read this book if you are into the craft of writing and content doesn't matter or if you like Jason Todd, other than that you aren't missing much.

Story - 2/5
Art - 2/5

Revival #3

PICK OF THE WEEK
This is was my favorite book of the week. This story about a small town in Wisconsin has got me hooked. Tim Seeley does a great job in arranging the story so it foreshadows the events to come. Since this is a new series its doing a good job of character development and good a slowly adding new characters.  There is something great from a story aspect where the dead that comeback aren't completely brain dead and they live like regular people. There is a great scene with an eldery woman at a funeral home that really speaks to complications that arise from these not so dead zombies. Also the art in this book is beautifully illustrated by Mike Norton whose art doesn't dip one bit in all 3 issues. So do yourself a favor and pic this up! Start reading now! Go! why are you still reading this! Get to the Choppa!!!!

Story 4/5
Art - 4/5

Justice League #0

This should be called Shazam #0 because that's all there is here.  It tells the story of how Billy Batson became Shazam, the new 52 way. Yes he is a 12 year old boy but he is not pure of heart but is given the power of Shazam for the potential to do good. WTF? I think it would be more shocking if they gave the kid an alternative history. I don't understand why they just won't veer far from their roots...well they did in the wrong way. The kids a puck that needs to be set straight, not given powers. He gets the powers and wrecks his neighbor's car. I would much rather see this kid have a troubled past and refuse to turn bad and do whats wrong, and when he gets the powers he has the power to face the people that have done him wrong. But that may be too obvious. Oh well. The art is good by Gary Frank, it makes the story play out very well and allows for the action to play out and the story to progress. Only read this if you care about Shazam.

Story - 2/5
Art - 3/5

Comic Reviews - 8/2: Bad art and Booty calls.

Hey all you 1uppers!

Here is another round of reviews by me Chris Z. Lets get to work! 

Avenging Spider-Man #11 - $3.99 - Digital Copy - T+

So this is an ode to the 50th Anniversary of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  It's a touching story between Aunt May and Peter rehashing the importance of Uncle Ben to the both of them.  The story by Zeb Wells is a decent for the touching tribute type, but nothing ground breaking.  The art which is done by Steve Dillion,  is really bad. Now I am not going to blame Steve, no not because I have a framed sketch by him up on my wall, but because he is consistent in everything he has done. I set the blame squarely on the Frank Martin Jr.  Now Dillions work is still and not very stylish but it has a certain charm that Martin has seem to hinder in this issue.  Every panel looks pixelated and out of focus, and the color pallet is meh at best. Read this story for the Uncle Ben tribute and by all means avoid the art.  If you are looking for good Dillion art work try The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank or any of the Garth Ennis line.

Story - 3/5
Art - 1/5

Justice League #12 - $3.99 - T

Superman and Wonder Woman, sitting on a roof. K-I-S-S-I-N-G....I'm just messing with you. So this is the issue that caused all the hoopla. The League was forced to confront the deceased loved ones.  Then we find out it was all a disillusions created by David Graves to get revenge on the League for losing his family.  This causes a rift in the League. The Green Lantern leaves, Superman and Wonder Woman make out and commiserate, and the League is falling apart.  This issue was a good setup for what's to come and I can't wait to see what comes next. But WTF is TMZ in there for? No other creditable sources available?  The collaborative art is great by Jim Lee, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado.  The three compliment one another's art so well that it isn't that noticeable when the art shifts in style.

Story - 3/5
Art - 3/5

AVX: VS #5 - $3.99 - Digital Copy - T+

Again this is one of my guilty pleasure, because there is no purpose for the book other than see heroes knock the crap out of each other.  The first pits a fight between Hawkeye and Angel. This was a very good fight that shows the strengths and weaknesses of each character which was good to use against one another. Hawkeye wins by being his cunning self and knowing he is out manned and out numbered, her shoots Angel with an arrow after they beat the ever loving crap out of one another.  The second fight is a nice marital fight between Storm and Black Panther.  Now your saying why would they fight? Because according to the book they had a weak marriage, which is crap we really know it's because they both bought into what their superiors are saying.  That being said Storm is giving up on her husband because of Cyclops? WTF? So Storm attacks Black Panther the entire time and all he does is defend himself, which were also pretty lame cop outs.  In the end Storm blindsides Black Panther then takes her ring off and that's the end.  The entire fight was meh the first fight by Jason Aaron was pretty good but not enough to save it.  The art was good, better then most of the regular AVX art.

Story - 2/5
Art - 3/5

Detective Comics Annual #1 - $4.99 - T

PICK OF THE WEEK
The best comic I read this week.  This issue deals with Black Mask escaping from Arkham and trying to locate all the masks from the False Face Society.  Its a great crime drama that plays out like every other cop drama, but it is done well. Criminal escapes, they extort a cohort, and main character chases down bad and solves mystery.  In the end they discover that this was an elaborate set up by Jarvis Tetch to collect all the masks in order to have hypnotics and mind control of the masks to take over the world!  It's also a great testament to the Black Mask's dependency for his mask and the power it has over others. In the end Batman kicks Black Mask square in the jaw which cracks the mask rendering it useless. They put both guys in prison and were able to recover the Masks which are being held, and Mr. Sionis is locked up again.   The art is amazing in this issue it fits the Dective Comics perfectly.  My favorite panel is when Batman, who is on fire, has his palmed by False Face Society strongman. It is great.  I highly recommend giving it a read, even if it is the N-teenth time the story has been told.

Story - 3/5
Art - 4/5

Green Lantern Annual #1 - $4.99 - T

First off, best cover of the week! Second, this was another great issue that dealt with The Guardians and their questionable ethics to remove chaos from the universe. Hal and Sinestro were both buried by Black Hand, and while they both escape and battle Black Hand.  The Guardians don't know any other way to stop to chaos other then create a Third Army lead by the first lantern, which remains a mystery as to who that is. There is a great scene that switches between Hal / Sinster and the Guradians fighting one another as  Hal and Sinestro are reciting the Green Lantern oath.  This angle where the Guardians are pulling out all the stops is an interesting one, because they charge up Black Hand so it will destroy Hal and Sinestro. As they are getting sucked into a vortex their rings merge into one and left to find the next Green Lantern. There are so many questions to answer as the Third Army rises.

This is just like the Green Lantern for me, multiple storylines intertwining and finally coming to a head and leading to a new story.  This is something Geoff Johns is great at and it works to lead to issue #0 of the Green Lanten. The art is by Ethan Van Sciver who is still in full stried and hasn't missed a beat.  It's a great issue, but I feel Batman edges it out in entertainment value for me and it was a complete story. Both are great reads so please pick them up or flip through them at least.

Story - 3/5
Art - 4/5


That's all folks. Until next week. Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Blog.

Also if you wanna Tweet at me hit me up @Zennie87

Geoff Johns, David Finch, Justice League of America,February

Hello People of the Internets...



Just wanted to let you know...

Supposedly starting in February, along with Geoff Johns, David Finch will be joining Justice League of America.  David Finch is great on artist duties.  It will be sad to see Jim Lee not be there, (but, not really so he can draw some other book) Finch is an easy replacement due to his high quality art action.  He will not be on Dark Knight at all (maybe covers, not interior or writing).  If this is going to be his only book on his plate expect to see fireworks!  When Finch is at the top of his game it is phenomenal.  Anyways just throwing this info out there. 

Discuss...

I added some Finch-Work to Gaze Upon...

 

Thanks for Reading and Thanks for stopping by.