Check out what I checked out this week.
Whether the comics are inspiring or disappointing, I read them all.
Welcome to The Pull List.
And, as always…Spoilers ahead!
Aquaman #2 (Pick of the Week)
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis & Joe Pardo
Colors: Rod Reis
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
The creatures of the Trench prove their dangerous appetite has no limit as innocent lives are devoured while Arthur is helping Mera adjust to life on the surface. Johns uses this issue to highlight Mera’s character arc.
She is really making an honest effort to adapt but has difficulty getting used to the idea that humans don’t look at her and Aquaman as royalty. The cover is pretty cool since you see Aquaman in the eyes of the Trench creature’s reflection which shows you who Arthur was looking at on the cover of the first issue.
The story is told at such a fast pace that I thought it was cut short for the Batman Noel preview until I went back and counted the pages. The artwork nicely captures the Trench attack on the fishing harbor. The colors and the gruesome purple sledge coming of their mouth looks like a scene out of a horror movie. The book will suck the reader in from the opening panel and peak your interest until the last page.
Grade: A-
***
The Amazing Spider-Man #672
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Humberto Ramos
Colors: Edgar Delgado
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price $3.99
The conclusion of Spider-Island puts an end to the spider shenanigans and opens up questions regarding certain characters in the series.
Kaine is back in the saddle while Venom and Captain America battle Spider Queen until she transforms into a giant spider that makes the Empire State Building look small.
Dan Slott’s script put serious doubt in the mind of Peter Parker because he already feels dejected despite getting his spider sense back. Now, he’s under enormous pressure to fulfill Madame Web’s prophecy of being the only one who can defeat the Queen. We also discover the kinky reason for Mary Jane’s immunity to the second stage spider virus.
This issue was the complete opposite of the last one as every character and every word in every word balloon had its place and the colors were back to their vibrant and fun depiction. One affectionate line from MJ instantly made her as important as Peter in this event and will make the reader wish for Carlie to just go away.
While nothing was set in stone for the next issue, the seeds were planted for some future developments that fans won’t want to miss.
Grade: B
***
Star Wars: Crimson Empire III – Empire Lost
Writer: Mike Richardson Randy Stradley
Art: Paul Gulacy
Colors: Michael BartoloPublisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price $3.50
One of the standout stories in the Star Wars expanded universe in the 1990’s is Crimson Empire.
12 years later we have the return of the last surviving Imperial Guardsman; Kir Kanos as he attempts to fulfill his vow to avenge the death of Emperor Palpatine.
Two great things about this story are that you are not left in the dark if you didn’t read the first two chapters and there is a lot of involvement with characters from the original movies which is not the case in the majority of the expanded universe stories. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and only the greatest bounty hunter of all time, Boba Fett, appear in this first issue.
The first page displays the famous yellow crawl with an opening sequence of events that has the theme and feeling of the movies. The art and colors are presented in excellent detail and the depiction of Leia is simply beautiful. Kanos gets into some fisticuffs early on which reminds old fans and shows new fans how much of a bad ass he really is. Luke is training new Jedi while Leia is balancing political and parental duties which will all tie in to the story in future installments of the final chapter of this heralded trilogy.
Grade: B+
***
Incredible Hulk #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Marc Silvestri
Colors: Sunny Gho
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99
If you didn’t read Fear Itself, then you missed Bruce Banner being kicked out of Casa de Hulk as they have split into two separate people.
The first issue dives into an emotional arc due now that the big green guy has found shelter in a place where he is not considered a monster.
As a result he can reevaluate letting personal attachments, such as friendship, come back into his life. This notion brings a calming peace of mind to the Hulk because he thought these things were long gone. Despite the ass-kicking mayhem we are accustomed to seeing from the Hulk, he has a human soul and Jason Aaron reminds us of this by bringing this genuine emotional aspect to a guy who feeds off anger and rage. The ending provides insight into the future adversarial conflicts that will arise for the Hulk as Bruce Banner has gone crazy insane and may prove the quote of “sometimes you can be your own worst enemy” to be correct.
Grade: B
***
The Sixth Gun #16
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Art: Brian Hurtt
Colors: Bill Crabtree
Publisher: Oni Press
Price $3.99
This is one those titles that the guy at my local comic book store has been telling me about for quite sometime so I finally decided to take the plunge.
The overall story is set during the Civil War where some bad individuals came into possession of six guns with strange powers.
The Sixth Gun is the most powerful of the pistols and winds up in with a girl named Becky. This issue appeared to be a middle of the road chapter in a story called “Bound”. Becky finds out that the Sixth Gun has abilities she did not know existed before and one of the main characters, Gord, is given the chance to be reunited with loved ones, thought to be lost for ever by a ghoulish looking slave owner, Braxton Bell Hood.
The story is set with a dark, evil and creepy tone and the art follows suit. This is not the action and adventure type of comic book most people are use to. I tried something different and I liked it enough to give it another try.
Grade: C+
***
Green Lantern: New Guardians #2
Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Tyler Kirkham & Harvey Talibao
Colors: Nei Ruffino
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
Kyle Ryner has no idea why seven power rings from each of the Lantern Corps have chosen him and the Corps members have no intention on letting him find out why.
Tony Bedard goes for broke in this new series as he is working with a continuity that is unchanged with the new 52. The art is nothing to complain about and the script has an even pace as Tony’s writing hits its stride when Kyle arrives on Oa in search of Ganthet for answers and becomes enraged when he finds out what the guardians have done to his mentor.
This hits home because their relationship is different because Ganthet chose Kyle to become a Green Lantern instead of the ring choosing him. Let me ask you one question: what happens when Kyle’s back is against the wall and he has no choice but to wield the power of the seven rings at once????
Grade: B-
***
Superman #2 (Shelf-Listed: Disappointment of the Week)
Writer: George Perez
Art: Jesús Merino
Color: Brian Buccellato
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
George Perez’s adaptation of the Man of Steel has taken the Super out of Superman.
I can only imagine how difficult it must be to write a less powerful Superman while trying to keep him special, which was a call ultimately made by the DC Comics brass.
Instead, we have some guy with the “S” shield on his chest who needs assistance from a video camera to narrowly defeat the bad guy. People over the years have felt there is nothing compelling about Superman because he is so powerful. I understand that watching a hero that solves the world’s problems with an ease that borders on arrogance can be a real turn off.
Still, I expect to read something grand and special when I read the exploits of Earth’s greatest hero. Now, we are stuck with this run of the mill superhero who brings nothing special to the table. The positioning of General Lane as the main antagonist provides no real villainous qualities that you can sink your teeth into and the mysterious evil from Krypton is getting old even in this new universe.
Superman is responsible for my love of comic books so it pains me to write what I’m about to write but please, don’t waste your money on this issue. This story is trying too hard to be different and fresh and it has left me disillusioned with my childhood hero.
Grade: D+
