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Post by The Doctor on Nov 30, 2007 22:08:34 GMT
"How do, Dan!"
I thought Dan Dare #1 was tops, a pretty good amalgam of the 2000AD version with a bit of Hampson and a smidgeon of 80's Eagle. there was no point doing it just like the 50's version: there are new stories in that vein running in Spaceship Away anyway. Dan was well characterised, the art was smashing, plenty of reading in it and a good Big Dumb Idea on the last page. That's how you do a cliff-hanger, almost a forgotten art in the era of 'writing for trades'.
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Dec 15, 2007 0:01:26 GMT
Business as usual pretty much this week, with only a couple of things picked up:-
Nova#9: Another good issue I feel. Nice solid cosmic action-adventure stuff. I wasn't expecting this particular storyline to be just two issues long, but it made for a nice tight, pacy storyline which didn't out-stay its welcome. Zipped along quite nicely, and had a resolution that made a certain kind of sense without going too far into Deus Ex Machina territory. Would love to see the title return to Knowhere at some point in the future as I think there might still be some mileage to be got from it. Also it has Cosmo, ze Russian Telepathic Space Dog beink in it. Karl is beink very saddened zat Cosmo seems not to be further appearink in Nova comics. (Also love the cheeky nod-and-wink cameo of DC's Guardian's of the Universe, or near enough). Good fun stuff. Going to trades on this now. It had a stay of execution in floppies whist Comrade Cosmo vas still appearink, but now it suits the budget better to wait for the trade.
Suicide Squad#4 (of 8):
This issue pretty much settles it - for good or ill this feels very much like a straight-up Suicide Squad relaunch. So many of the classic bits are play here - "The Wall" once again running black-ops missions and getting up the noses of the intelligence community, Deadshot and a new Captain Boomerang getting on each others nerves from day one. A cast of random minor-league villians who are more likely to kill each other if left to their own devices than complete the mission.... Pretty much status-quo ante for the Squad. The plot-line with Rick Flagg is still serving as the backbone of the series, and some revealations hit this issue that long-time "Squad" readers are going to find as surprising and disconcerting as he does. Those without a long history with the Squad aren't really going to get quite the same impact. (Not that it matters, I doubt anyone other than fans of Ostranders previous run on this title are still reading this anyway). If you liked "Suicide Squad" previously then you'll probably find this comfortingly familiar, "just not as good as it used to be" if the concept of the title never floated your boat then this isn't going to do anything for you. It's just drifted off "must-buy" status with me to, "if I am inclined when I see it on the shelves".
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Dec 16, 2007 22:27:37 GMT
The dated comics review posts tend to get lost. So if you've read a comic, post your thoughts here.
This is what I read today:
Zombies Vs Robots Vs Amazons #1: Competant but the joke's been done.
Powers (vol 2)#27: Back on form after a period in the doldrums, not helped by a dodgy shipping schedule. Gripping and dramatic with a real sense of a ticking clock, this is how Powers should be.
Fantastic Four #552: Penultimate issue of the excellent McDuffie/Pelletier run, some of the best FF comics of the last decade. It just nails the FF concept bang on. Reed/Doom/Ben haven't been this well writen in ages. Just one more issue before I sadly will be dropping the title - I'm not interested in the Miller/Hitch hype machine.
The Order #5: Still liking this a lot. Great cliffhanger. Sales aren't too hot so I'm enjoying this while it's there.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #9: The current arc started well but ran out of steam quickly. Still a decent read, but dropped as of this issue due to budget crunch. May pick back up in trade format in the future.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 17, 2007 10:54:32 GMT
Good idea that man.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 17, 2007 12:13:48 GMT
This years bumper festive period 2000ad prog has arrived.
Probably one of the best of these since they started doing them. Highlights of the issue are the Judge Dredd tale by Wagner and MacNeil which picks up on some loose threads from Origins. Nobody writes Dredd better than Wagner and again he excels. MacNeil's lineart is pretty good but I wish he'd painted this tale.
Stickleback: Englands Glory by Ian Edginton and D'Israeli. Splendily insane Victorian era action. Beautiful artwork as well.
Strontium Dog: The Glum Affair by Wagner and Ezquerra. Kicking off another tale it's good to see Carlos back on SD. Johnny Alpha wearing a different outfit for once as well. Carrying on from Traitor to his Kind, great stuff.
The Nikolai Dante tale was enjoyable but a bit inconsequential. Cabbalistics continues on it's story. It's enjoyable enough but not really grabbing me. Shakara by Robbie Morrison and Henry Flint, I didn't expect to like this as the previous series left me cold but this was pretty good stuff.
The only bum notes being the Sinister Dexter tale and Kingdom - both written by Dan Abnett - an infuriatingly inconsistent writer capable of some very good work and also this.
Well worth shelling out some paper pounds on.
Andy
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 22, 2007 13:24:31 GMT
Picked up Spider-Man Family issue seven on the strength of the Frog-Thor tale by Chris Eliopoulous.
Engaging tale, not laugh out loud but whimsical and Eliopoulous art style, which puts me in mind of Bill Watterson is always engaging. The mix of new stories and reprints is reasonably enjoyable apart from Spider-Man J. It's just pants.
Andy
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 22, 2007 20:37:47 GMT
Some of these go back a few weeks....
World War Hulk Frontline 6 of 6: Watch as Sally and Ben try to evade death during the Hulk Sentry fight. Find out who the mysterious backer of the paper is - like it ain't obvious. All seems so long ago now....
WWH: Aftersmash 1 Shot: Sets up some of the spinoffs with the Warbound, Damage Control and Incredible Herc. Not a bad story, in many ways better than the main event. But boy am I glad WWH is done. Last crossover I ever buy entirely.... (OK so I'm buying Messiah Complex, but I had all 4 books on my list already)
Mighty Avengers 6: Again, all seems so long ago. Which means I couldn't give 2 hoots about what happens. Great cover - look on the far right level with Carol's shoulder. To see how delayed this is you only have to look at the last page where Jessica shows up with Skrull Elektra.
New Avengers 37: This has come out in a v timely manner and is great We get a nice big fight this issue with the Wrecking Crew going down and being broken out. Sadly the meeting of pro and anti reg to take down the crime sindicate turns oput to be not as it would seem. Has been a joy to read post CW.
Avengers: Initiative Annual 1: Several short stories all enlightening us on our cast. Amroury hasn't been forgotton, we get the Scarlet Spiders origin, and we find out about what's rotten at the heart of the 50 state initiative. Bet you can't guess what it is.
Ex-Machina 33: Great issue as Mitch - under the remote control of a Russain Spy tries to kill the Pope. The vision sequence is great, good handling of faith in this issue and a great final panel. It's a bit late to jump on Ex-Machina now - try the trades - as I don't think there's long to go.
X books later.
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Jaymz
Drone
Posts: 2,380
Member is Online
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Post by Jaymz on Dec 24, 2007 22:38:58 GMT
New Avengers 37: This has come out in a v timely manner You just jinxed it Phil. Issue 38 has only just been solicited in the Dec Previews so won't be out until Feb at the earliest. Maybe to give Mighty time to catch up. |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 25, 2007 22:32:05 GMT
Oh dear.
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Post by The Doctor on Dec 29, 2007 23:13:30 GMT
The Order #6: Enjoyable as usual with multiple plot lines spinning at once. It's not looking good for our heroes by the end. The series is bombing in the direct market. For these kinds of titles, Marvel should take note of what some small publishers do and put it out as a series of minis rather than an ongoing. When this series dies with #12 (and it will) it would be a shame if the characters dwindled off to oblivion. Hulk V Fin Fang Foom: I was enjoying this as an amusing olde school type yarn when it suddenly ended just as it was really starting to get going. Back-up reprint of the original Fin Fang Foom story is not one of the better Strange Tales stories. Hmmm, felt a bit gipped being charged $3.99/£2.85 for this. Dan Dare #2: Ooooo, now this is the stuff. Very british in tone, full of daring do and Dan's characterisation is absolutely spot-on. Properly structured too, with another genuinely surprising cliffhanger. Roll on issue #3! Amusingly the cliffhanger is opposite a comic by Jenna Jameson the adult movie star. What a contrast with old Dan!  -Ralph
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Post by legios on Dec 30, 2007 11:33:20 GMT
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight#9:
(no seriously, that is the official registered title. No punctuation or nowt.) Decent end to the story, goes pretty much where you would have expected it to given the first couple of issues. Doesn't really pull much in the way of a surprise - even the last couple of pages which relate to the overall arc-plot are pretty much what you would expect. It's been a decent enough story-arc, competently done, but somehow hasn't really had the "zing" to make it really stand out. It's better than a lot of comics doing the rounds but somehow feels as if it didn't quite hit the mark. Part of this is perhaps that it has been too long. In reality it could really have done with clipping some of the material from last issue, tightening up the story and bringing it down to a three-parter. It didn't really have the legs to sustain four issues (especially with the last one being slightly over the normal length). It will be a while before I read the next issue of this - it is joining "Nova" on my "very nice, but I shall wait for the trade" pile.
Karl
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jan 8, 2008 14:33:57 GMT
2000ad Prog 1567 - as ever with 2000ad it's a mixed bag.
Strontium Dog by Wagner and Ezquerra continues with plot threads from A Traitor to his Kind. It's solid stuff, with a jailbreak to save Billy Glum from the hangman's noose. There's a mystery behind his current status which no doubt will be revealed as the tale goes on.
Stickleback - England's Glory - visually this tale is absolutely stunning but it hasn't quite hooked me in the same way the first Stickleback tale has, but it's early days and the goodwill the first book has means I will stick with it.
Shakara - bonkers story and equally mad art by Henry Flint. Enjoyable but not too taxing.
Judge Dredd - a tale by Alan Grant and David Roach featuring their pet witch character. As with her previous appearance it's dull and lifeless.
Which brings me to Kingdom by Dan Abnett. Just bloody dull and more of the same from the previous Kingdom story. A clunker in every way.
On to the Megazine
Dredd by Wagner and art from Simon (Nikolai Dante) Fraser starring P.J. Maybe. A delightful tale and it looks gorgeous too.
Armitage - a character I've never really cared for, art by long-time UK artist John Cooper. It's decent but I've no attachment to the character at all.
Tempest - not very engaging and the art is pretty flat and the anatomy is off on more than a few pages.
Bob The Galactic Bum - Wagner, Grant and Ezquerra. Looks great as you would expect but doesn't do anything for me.
Highlight of the Megazine the first of a three part interview with Alan Grant. It's bloody brilliant and well worth the cost of the Megazine.
Andy
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Post by Mark_Stevenson on Jan 8, 2008 20:28:41 GMT
The Leage Of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier arrived today from America. It is a many-splendoured thing.
Mx
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KoshNaranek
Minicon
Friends with the Zog Folk
Posts: 484
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Post by KoshNaranek on Jan 9, 2008 2:03:36 GMT
I'm still waiting for Buffy #9 to come in, hope it's not too long now.
Angel: After the Fall #2 - A few nice surprises so far in this story, but not off to the same flying start that Buffy season 8. Hopefully it will do the opposite of Buffy and improve as it goes on. I'm not dissing Buffy, but I do agree with Karl and Ralph that the exposition of the last three issues has been a bit too slow.
Captain Marvel #2 - I'm enjoying this as I really didn't know that much about Marvel to begin with. Issue 1 did a good job of explaining the back story and #2 moves things along nicely. There's only three issues left so I'll probably see this through.
Thor #5 - It's by JMS, what's not to like?!
Hulk vs Fin Fang Foom - Too short for the money paid.
The Ultimates 3 #1 - I'm new to the Ultimates, bought it on recommendation from a friend, so I'm not quite sure what's going on here just yet. I'll try issue 2, but if I'm none the wiser I'll probably drop it after that.
WWH Aftersmash: Warbound #1 - I loved the Warbound characters from Planet Hulk, and they're still being written by Greg Pak so I'll definitely see this through. Issue 1 is great fun and there's two stories for the price of one!
WWH Aftersmash: Incredible Herc - Again, two great supporting characters from WWH get a chance to shine. Herc and Amadeus Cho play well off each other so it looks set to be a fun series.
Still have a few to read so I'll post about them when I get around to them.
- Tony
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 9, 2008 8:33:05 GMT
I never got to say anything about the last 4 parts of Messiah Complex I read. The story is rattling on but it seems to be just so much tosh in places. Just a different planet to Captain America, Daredevil or Iron Fist ..... It's moved on slightly in the last few weeks so I'll get to read those issues at the weekend when I get to London.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 10, 2008 20:40:36 GMT
Wodge of comics by post today
Immortal Iron Fist 7: The Story of theIron Fist Wu Ao-Ahi: The Pirate Queen of Pinghai bay. A tale set in the past telling of the one woman ever to be Iron Fist (long story, they've been 66 Iron Fists in the past - get the 1st IIF TPB) I'm assuming there's some background detail here that's important and I suspect it might be to do with why there's only been one woman
Immortal Iron Fist 8: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven Round 1. The gist of the story is there are 6 other cities like K'un-lun each with their own champion. Every 88 years all 7 cities come together to fight for the right to be able to come to earth (most frequently ?) This year's contest is spiced up by the previous IF not being willing to fight the last time and having subsequently killed the chamion of the cranes, who then recruited the Steel Serpent to serve as their champion. We find the missing Jeryn Hogarth in the Himalayers building a railway through the K'un-Lun mountains, see some flashbacks to Wendell Rand comings to K'un-Lun (There's a running theme about why did Danny's father not become the Iron Fist) and meet the mysterious servant girl....
Immortal Iron Fist 9: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven Round 2 .... who turns out to be the daughter of Orson Randall (the previous Iron Fist) (the similarities in the surname is not a coincidence) who guards a technological way back to the world of man, which Danny uses to hunt for Jeryn Hogarth - nearly running into Luke Cage and the Daughters of the Dragon who are doing the same thing..
Good stuff this. Story sucks you in, nice art - which has a varying style & artist used in it for the flashbacks. Well worth a read. Buy the first trade to get up to speed.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 10, 2008 21:29:17 GMT
Immortal Iron Fist 10: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven Round 3: No sign of Danny this issue - he's busy in the IIF Annual #1 which I've got coming. But the issue itself adds much - the serving girl is allied to The Thunderrer who seems to be disagreeing with his master. Hydra's hoards go to work on Earth - have you noticed how Hydra's been the go to heavies of choice in Marvel the last few years ? (Hydra = Skrulls ?)
Immortal Iron Fist 11: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven Round 4: So the train is meant to bridgethe dimensional gap and blow up K'un-Lun. Misty, Coleen and Luke are going to stop it .... then Danny shows up wanting to get back to the tournament where he is now very missed. Tension rises between the Thunderer and the August Personage in Jade - whos' face we've never seen. Alongside we get a retelling of the origin of the Steel Serpent and how it ties into Wendall Rand
These last 2 issues are really rewarding stuff as what's been worked on in the background for the previous issues starts to rise to the surface.
12's out next week
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jan 10, 2008 22:29:36 GMT
Hydra infiltrated by Skrulls - didn't Waid do that already in his Heroes Reborn run on Cap?
Andy
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 11, 2008 7:25:56 GMT
Possibly. But that was Heroes Reborn ......
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jan 11, 2008 11:05:23 GMT
Sorry I mean Heroes Return and Waid's run on Cap was damned good.
Not the icky Loeb/Liefeld fiasco that was Heroes Reborn Cap - ugh my head hurts remembering it!
Andy
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 14, 2008 14:12:57 GMT
X-Men 205 (MC9)
Uncanny X-Men 494 (MC10)
X-Factor 27 (MC11)
So...... Layla and Madrox are stuck in Bishop's future and discover he wants to kill the child cos she started a war that made everyone hate mutants .... just as Bishop in our time shoots Forge & Cable and prepares to run with the child..... Except she gets seized by the Marauders who take her to Sinister..... who's being impersonated by Mystique having shot thereal one. Gambit and Mystique appear to havetheir own agenda (a plant by the X-Men ?) while Cable seeks out help from Charles to rescue the baby .... who's the saviour of the human race in *his* time.
I like the idea that this is essentially a conflict between 2 time traveling versions of the X-Men - one trying to prevent his version of the future ciming about, the other trying to make sure it does but neither's soloution being compatible with the other. Both can't be right. It also explains where the 2nd Madrox dupe is.
There's also a lot of insinuation the baby is Layla Miller (or Madrox as she says in one issue - we know she's going to marry Jamie at some pt but does she know that because she already has ?) Which raise some interesting questions about Layla (yet another time traveller ? Has her knowledge all come from the future ?)
2 more parts to go. Since Predator X has just showed up at the school I suspect it ain't going to go well there.
Giant Size Avengers 1: A collection of short stories. Nothing grabbed me .
Mighty Avengers 7: Skullektra is finally delivered to Stark. Carol isn't keen on having an extra team member hoisted on her team.....
Avenger Iniative 8: Was it really a good idea putting the new Ant Man and the old Ant Man's Daughter on the same team ? All goes off a little while ago..... but not as big as it's gone off as seen in the now sequences . Is that MVP bonded to Armoury's weapon ?
Captain America 33: Winter Soldier escapes, lays into Iron Man, and reads the letter "Well he's got the Shield already" Like we didn't see this coming, which sort of detracts from the issue a bit.
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kayevcee
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
The Weather Wizard
Posts: 5,527
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Post by kayevcee on Jan 14, 2008 14:58:32 GMT
I picked up X-Factor this week. A bit easier to follow than previous issues as it has enough exposition to get readers of only one book up to speed quickly. On the other hand... what the hell is Predator X supposed to be? It looked like a mutant-eating T-rex covered in spikes, and that just fills me with despair.
-Nick
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 14, 2008 17:43:06 GMT
This was originally a post by me saying that Predator X was in New X-Men (the kids version, not the Morrison/Quitely version)
Karl had a little bit of a brainstorm when posting the following:
Teen Titans Lost Annual#1:
DC have been sitting on this on their shelves for a while now, and they have finally been prodded into releasing it. Written by the late-great Bob Haney, with art by Jay Stephens and Mike Allred it is a wonderful little retro-piece which has nothing in common in terms of feel with the modern "Teen Titans" titles or really much of the rest of the DC universe. Defiantly retrro it really feels like a story from the early years of "Teen Titans" which has been misplaced until now. Whether that works for you will depend on the degree of affection you have for that kind of 60's era tosh. I will admit to loving it - how could I resist a story that has a splash page where Robin declares in huge letters "President Kennedy" has been kidnapped! Yes, this issue not only has the core cast of the Teen Titans in it but it guest stars the President of the United States himself! How can you beat that? How about the fact that he has been replaced by a shapechanger because he's been kidnapped by aliens who want his military genius to win their war for them?
It's an extremely bonkers forty-seven or so pages that follow - with the plot getting madder as it goes, until an ending that is so far off the wall that I'm not sure it is familiar with the building. Breezy, fun and extremely true to the style, both visually and in writing terms of the 1960's DC comics this isn't some great stylistic experiment or a story with deep and abiding well of relevance. But similiarly no folk get brutally murdered, violently abused or psychologically tortured. Given a choice between the current DC universe and something retro like this... well, I think the fact that I bought this and not "Countdown" pretty much establishes where I stand.
Sad to think that this is the last new thing of Bob Haney's DC can ever put out, but it is unadulterated fun and well worth the time invested in reading it.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 14, 2008 22:02:21 GMT
That was Karl writing but with Phil as 'author'.
What?
What?!
WHAT?!
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Jan 14, 2008 22:28:24 GMT
O'heck. That's what I get for working on something when my eyesight is playing me up. It would appear that instead of going for "reply" which I intended I must have toggled "modify" which was not what I wanted at all.
Phil - my apologies, it would appear that I have inadvertantly overwritten your post. It seems I am having one of those evenings when I can't quite do anything right. My apologies for that.
(I don't suppose anyone knows if there is a a way to roll back editing on posts. Probably a vain hope, but I feel I must ask.)
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 14, 2008 22:29:46 GMT
You can't roll-back time! Unless you are Superman. Or the Doctor (twice).
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jan 14, 2008 23:14:39 GMT
No-one can roll back time on the Hub. Not even Batman.
Andy
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Post by legios on Jan 15, 2008 0:26:20 GMT
Ah well - if even Batman can't undo it then there is no one who can undo it.
Sorry about accidentally mangling your post Phil. As I recall your original post was something to the effect of answering Nick's question about "Predator X" and explaining that it was a character from "New X-Men", the current run with the kids rather than the Grant Morrison one. If I recall correctly.
Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 15, 2008 12:18:53 GMT
That's the gist of it yes.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jan 16, 2008 11:58:13 GMT
I've kind of been holding off on picking up Messiah Complex (more than likely I'll get the trade) but I fancy picking up the X-books when it's done and dusted and the new status quo is in place.
Of course when Ellis starts on AXM I shall pick that up.
Andy
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