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  • What's New? POSSIBLE SPOILERS!

Author Discussion
  • Posted: March 1, 2017 2:36:08 am
  • New Page, so I'll repeat my warning:
    THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD


    WAR STORIES #22 (Avatar)

    In case you've been wondering where Garth Ennis has been hiding lately, it's over at Avatar writing some great stuff in the sadly-neglected genre of war comics. . .specifically, War Stories. Judging by the fact that I am literally the only person at my LCS with a subscription to this title, and was ALSO the only subscriber at my previous LCS before I moved a year ago, I'd say this book is low on the radar for most people. . .I think that's a shame.

    ANYWAY. . .

    As historically interesting the early efforts of Britain to form specialized night-fighting air squads might be to me, the "Vampire Squadron" story arc hasn't been my favorite in this series. Although it hasn't exactly been BAD, I'm glad that this is the final issue before moving on to the next tale. . .

    The fault doesn't lie with Ennis' dialogue, which is spot on as usual. And the art is solid, if a bit unimpressive and workmanlike (through the whole series, the artist has drawn vehicles quite well, but faces are pretty interchangeable). I think it's basically that the story is just kind of boring. There's not as much action as one would expect in a story about night-fighting pilots in the early days of WWII.

    Not bad, but not great. I guess I've just come to expect better from this series.

    Although this particular arc hasn't been great, the title itself is generally solid, and it's had some really good arcs.
    Give it a shot if you're looking for something a little different than superheroes.

    Last edited March 1, 2017 2:40:23 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 1, 2017 3:08:36 am
  • BATMAN BEYOND #5 (DC)

    This one is another of my daughter's pulls. I never really kept up with the previous Batman Beyond regular, so coming into this one (which has held my interest a bit better), I didn't really know what the status quo was. It turns out that is one of my few problems with this new run. . .once again, DC fails the promise of Rebirth by assuming new readers aren't actually NEW readers and know everything there is to know about Batman Beyond continuity. So they just sort of dump you right into things. The first few issues were pretty hard for me to get through, luckily, my daughter is a huge fan and filled me in on "Future's End" and so forth.

    That's not to say this title is bad. It's actually a pretty fun book with some very nice art.

    ANYWAY. . .

    This final issue of the initial story arc for the Rebirth version of Batman Beyond looks like the setup for just about everything to come. It has a new batsuit, the return of Bruce Wayne, AND the return of the original Joker! The arc's villain (Terminal) meets a violent end at the hands of the Joker in a panel for panel homage to the Joker's beating of Jason Todd with a crowbar. It looks like now that loose continuity ends have been tied up, this book is ready to roll in a big way.

    All in all, I found this issue to be the sort of thing that really makes me want to pick up the next issue.
    What more could you want? Nicely done all around.

    Last edited March 1, 2017 3:11:38 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 2:01:47 am
  • STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #4 (Marvel)

    I really liked the now-cancelled Darth Vader series from Marvel (coming soon to a Longbox Junk blog post near you). One of the things I liked best about it was the "Dark Mirror" reflection of the regular Star Wars heroes, with Doctor Aphra as a new character playing the role of Han Solo. In this series, most of the team is there, but the twisted reflection of Star Wars heroics has been replaced with a more "Sci-Fi Indiana Jones" style of adventure. And that's not a bad thing. I'm liking it for now, but am starting to have some reservations about the longevity of this title and whether or not Aphra as a main character has the legs to keep a series going.

    ANYWAY. . .

    I know this is only the 4th issue of this series, but the story is already beginning to stretch a bit. It really seems like they're going more for a trade collection than just telling the story. Not that the story is BAD, I'm liking the idea of a Sci-Fi Indiana Jones set in the Star Wars Universe. I also like the nods to continuity with A New Hope and Rogue One. It just seems padded a bit to fit into a 6 issue trade.

    The art also gets a little strange in this one. Overall, it's pretty good. . .even great in spots. . .but Aphra herself is drawn strangely, especially her face.

    All in all, this issue was pretty good, but not great.
    I'm looking forward to the end of this arc, so I can see if Aphra can actually carry a series beyond the first trade.
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 2:40:53 am
  • TEEN TITANS #5 (DC)

    This is one of my daughter's pulls. She's always been a mega-fan of the Teen Titans. Me? Not so much. . .until now.
    I have to admit this book has become a bit of a guilty pleasure for me after so many years of convincing my daughter I didn't care for the Titans. I think it has something to do with me liking Damian Wayne Robin so much. As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the VERY few good things that Grant Morrison brought to the Batman mythos.
    For now, I'm liking this book a lot. We'll see if that keeps up for long.

    ANYWAY. . .

    The final issue of the first arc for the Rebirth version of Teen Titans is mostly an extended fight scene. . .the final confrontation between Damian Wayne's newly-formed team and Ra's al Ghul's own dark team of "teen titans", The Demon's Fist. The artwork is very nicely done and it's just good, lighthearted superhero nonsense with plenty of funny moments.

    I like that Damian defeats the Demon's Fist with strategy. . .not quite winning them over to his side, but swaying them enough with words that they no longer fight for Ra's al Ghul, but against him. Not only that, but Damian's leadership tightens the bonds that finally forms the Teen Titans into a real team. All this PLUS he stands up to Batman when he shows up at the end of it all. I'm liking this new focus on Damian Wayne as a leader and strategist. I think it's a great direction for the character and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next.

    All in all an extremely strong finish to this first arc.


    Last edited March 2, 2017 2:43:43 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 3:31:12 am
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #11 (Marvel)

    I'm a bit conflicted by this book. On the one hand, I'm a HUGE Captain America fan, and a "What if?" story where Cap is (and always has been) a secret Hydra agent? Count me in. On the other hand, I'm actually liking Captain America; Sam Wilson a lot better, and Captain America is a friggin' secret Hydra agent! What I'm trying to say, I guess, is that the IDEA is interesting, but the execution is failing (for me, anyway). The closer this title gets to the next big Marvel crossover event, the more unwieldy the story is becoming, and the more I consider dropping it and just sticking with Sam Wilson Captain America.

    And then there's HydraCap's new godawful uniform and shield. Why?

    ANYWAY. . .

    There's a LOT going on in this issue, but it's mostly setup for things to come, and really it makes this issue feel somewhat dull.

    In flashback, we see Steve Rogers and Helmut Zemo's friendship deepen, which carries over to modern times where Captain America convinces Zemo to join him in taking over Hydra from Red Skull.

    We also get to see the funeral of Jack Flag, Captain Marvel announcing the beginning of the construction of the planetary defense shield, Steve Rogers being chosen for the Super Soldier program, an escalation of the shooting war between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, the locating of Kobik and The Thunderbolds, AND Taskmaster and Black Ant discovering a black box recording of Cap shoving Jack Flag out of a plane and saying "Hail Hydra" and realizing they're about to become very rich by selling it.

    Yeah. . .there's a lot packed in here. The art is good, especially in the flashback scenes (which I honestly like better than the main story), but the story is quickly getting to be unwieldy and overstuffed as it heads toward the next big Marvel mega-crossover.

    There's an interesting "What if?" story hidden here among all the stuffing, I just wonder how long it's going to be worth looking for. . .


    Last edited March 2, 2017 3:35:06 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 3:56:24 am
  • The only one I read is Batman. I agree with your summary. The book is completely garbled.

    And while issue 18 was interesting in its comparison of bane and Batman, it's hardly original and just served as a distraction from the band beating up Batman plot going on in real time.
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 4:41:30 am
  • fennrx said:
    The only one I read is Batman. I agree with your summary. The book is completely garbled.

    And while issue 18 was interesting in its comparison of bane and Batman, it's hardly original and just served as a distraction from the band beating up Batman plot going on in real time.


    I haven't picked up #18 yet, but I'm sort of nervous now. Thanks for the warning. I hate to drop a title and take a bit of business away from my LCS, but Rebirth Batman is on extremely thin ice. . .and this is from a guy who has a replica Bat Phone in his man-cave.
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 2, 2017 4:48:42 am
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #12 (Marvel)

    Yep. This first batch is 5 weeks worth of pulls we picked up all at once.

    This issue isn't quite as overstuffed and meandering as the last, but there's still quite a bit going on here. . .

    HydraCap (Now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.) proves he's a "lead from the front" kinda guy by jumping from a helicarrier and into a battle with Awesome Android that seems to have no meaning except to add some action to the talking head setups for the upcoming massive crossover event. We get to see a pretty interesting newsreel account of Captain America's origin with Dr. Arnim Zola taking the place of Dr. Erskine in this altered timeline. Elsewhere, Dr. Selvig is forced by Cap to work with his enemy, Baron Zemo and it is revealed that he is aware that Kobik has altered history, but somehow Selvig remembers parts as they originally were (like how Cap and Zemo used to be enemies instead of boyhood BFF's).

    And FINALLY, the disgraced Maria Hill is approached by Taskmaster and Black Ant to purchase their damning evidence against Captain America. . .but the sale is interrupted by a NEW Madame Hydra, Elisa Sinclair. . .who brought Steve into Hydra when he was a child, and bringing the flashbacks closer and closer to the present day.

    Yeah, not TOO unwieldy, right?

    The new artist is okay, but not great. The flashbacks remain the best part of this series, both art and story-wise. Captain America: Steve Rogers is still readable (mostly for the flashback "what if?" side of the story), but for how much longer? This book is only an issue or two away from me deciding if it should stay or go. . .

    Last edited March 2, 2017 4:50:49 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 3, 2017 2:44:02 am
  • SUICIDE SQUAD #11 (DC)

    I've never been a big fan of Suicide Squad. This book is one of my daughter's pulls. I read it because I pay for it, but it's not my first book to grab in the pile when we get home from the comic shop. For me, this Rebirth version of Suicide Squad has been pretty good and an improvement on the New 52 version. The Jim Lee art on the initial arc helped out a lot.

    ANYWAY. . .

    In the first issue post Suicide Squad vs. Justice League, we get an artist swap for veteran John Romita Jr. Unfortunately, it's not great. The characters just look too chunky. Harley Quinn in particular suffers. She definitely looks like she could stand to cut some carbs. And then there's her new pink and black superhero armor. . .No Bueno. It's bad. Probably the worst I've ever seen her drawn. Luckily, the art in the backup is great.

    As far as story goes, there's a lot going on. It looks like they are setting things up for a long haul on this title. Amanda Waller is replaced by the just about as hardass Harcourt, who drives the Suicide Squad like a rented jet-ski. . .hard and fast. . .until they are exhausted and ready to break. Hack (the squad's newest member) is working both sides, reporting to Waller AND Harcourt. She finds out there's a spy in the squad. And Rustam blows up Blackgate prison in Gotham and releases the prisoners (One would THINK Batman and Company would be a bit concerned about that).

    AND THEN. . .in the backup, Harley is making the bedroom moves on Flag and Amanda Waller is gunned down and apparently killed in a New Orleans alleyway (possibly by one of the Suicide Squad)!

    I'm not a huge fan of Romita's art, and it's especially bad here, but the story (at least in the backup) is going to interesting places. Good taken with bad, I give this one an average score.

    Last edited March 3, 2017 3:26:10 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
  • Posted: March 3, 2017 3:11:10 am
  • SUICIDE SQUAD #12 (DC)

    The art and story in the main feature are both a hot, sloppy mess. I don't think I've ever seen worse work from Romita Jr. His version of Harley Quinn is a travesty. The story is mostly an extended battle at Gotham's Blackgate prison against Rustam and his new villain team that just sort of. . .appeared out of nowhere. And one still wonders why Batman and crew didn't show up. Maybe this was happening while "Bat" and "Cat" were rooftop trysting and I guess Batwoman wasn't listening to the police scanner that night or something.

    I'm saying it's a huge plot hole to have a breakout/superhero brawl at a Gotham prison and not have at least ONE member of the Bat-Family swoop in and say "What's up with all these loose prisoners?"

    Luckily, the story and art in the backup are both good to go. The scenes in the rainy graveyard at Amanda Waller's lonely funeral (does anyone REALLY think she's dead?) with director Hardass. . .er. . .Harcourt and Wallers 3 grown children being the only ones there, was a standout moment. That and Enchantress protesting she couldn't have shot Waller because she "Is not licensed to own a mortal firearm."

    All in all, the backup saves this issue from a 2 star review and brings it up to average.
    I hope to that Romita is only on Suicide Squad for this arc. I'll still buy it for my daughter, but I won't want to.

    Last edited March 3, 2017 3:27:16 am
    Favorite Characters: Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Captain America, The Shadow, Zorro, The Rocketeer, Jonah Hex
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