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5 (50) 4 (116) 3 (106) 2 (68) 1 (12) 3.6 starsAverage score of 352 user reviews
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Do Not Mess With Her. Do Not Bother Reading About Her Either. 0
After a very bland and lifeless first issue, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning try to get a little more personal with the conflict between Wonder Woman and Aquaman in this issue, only to end up with what reads like a very lazy effort from the writing team. It is a story that goes through the motions as if it barely cares and gives readers nothing. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman and the Furies is probably the most important of the Flashpoint tie-ins, because this is where we are getting the history of th...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
It Gets Messy, But It Also Gets the Job Done 0
Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates comes to an end, shaking things out and putting things in order for Jonathan Hickman to take things forward. Mark Millar brings not only his Ultimate Avengers run but his time with the Ultimate Universe in general to a fitting conclusion, though this is not a perfect or even the best of his stories. Rather than the Avengers versus the Ultimates, this story comes down to Gregory Stark versus everyone else in this issue as Gregory takes over S.H.I.E.L.D. and tr...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Good Ideas, But Not Good Writing 1
Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning complete their first arc of New Mutants, presenting some interesting ideas but burying them in some weak writing that drags everything down to mediocre levels. The problem I had early on with this series was that Marvel never really gave a good answer to the who and why to the New Mutants. What was the unique point and purpose of this team beyond '80s nostalgia? When DnA came on board, they came with an interesting answer. The New Mutants are the X-Men's clean up tea...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Keep Dreaming About Those Movie Readers, Marvel 0
In time for the movie, Captain America relaunches with a new number one but the same great writer, who delivers an issue that anyone should be able to jump into and enjoy. Kicking off with the funeral of Peggy Carter, this new series starts with the classic kind of Captain America story that takes place partially in the present and partially back in the World War II era. For the record, I don't believe comic book movies, however good, bring any substantial numbers of new customers to comic shop...
10 out of 10 found this review helpful. -
The End of the Bromance 8
Jason Aaron and Carlos Pacheco get off to a strong start with the X-Men's latest story event, but if you expect to actually see the schism in this first issue of Schism, you are in for some disappointed. The first issue reads a little more like a prologue than the first part of the story with it mostly being setup for the big event. Sorry if this review seems a little rushed. I'm rewriting it since the original review apparently didn't go through for some reason. Aaron wisely spends a good amou...
10 out of 11 found this review helpful. -
Worst Assassination Attempt Ever 0
Tony Bedard continues to write one of the better Flashpoint tie-ins as he dives into Aquaman's origin story in this alternate universe while Aquaman clashes with Wonder Woman and her Furies in the present. Admittedly, I am not clear on what Aquaman's current origin is actually supposed to be, so I could easily be mistaken about what is different here. That said, the key difference seems to be that Arthur was taken to Atlantis at an earlier age, leading to him being a different person because he...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A Super-Soldier FIghts Nazis. No, Nothing to do with Cap. 2
Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato begin their Fear Itself tie-in with an issue that focuses on Mockingbird and not the character featured on the cover. The Thing, and his transformation into one of the Worthy, only tangentially has anything to do with this issue. But cover misdirection is nothing new, and this is still a well done issue in spite of it. The nice thing about this Mockingbird-focused issue is that Mockingbird is a character who has been rather neglected by Bendis since Secret ...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
It Does Make Me More Interested in the Green Lantern Relaunch 1
War of the Green Lanterns comes to an end and to its credit, does deliver a worthwhile payoff. There were definitely some underwhelming and bumpy roads early on in this story arc, but it manages to delivering a satisfying conclusion that sets up well for the September relaunch of this title. Does it deliver on the hyped huge changes where nothing will ever be the same? No, it really doesn't got that far. While Krona's defeat does come too easily, the ramifications of how it plays out manage to a...
8 out of 11 found this review helpful. -
This Poor Book Just Can't Get Away From Fraction 1
Starting with this issue, Uncanny X-Men begins stumbling its way through Fear Itself as best it can, which does not make for a great issue. Kieron Gillen certainly tries to make the most of it, but the Fear Itself event really does not present him with much to work with. It is almost cruel in a way. Shortly after taking the reins of Uncanny X-Men from Matt Fraction, here Gillen is having to tie the series into Fraction's Fear Itself event. Gillen has to revolve this story around Juggernaut as o...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
I Would Love to Know How Bendis Came Up With the Name Buck Lime 1
Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev slow things down this issue to develop Marc Specter's new status quo in Los Angeles for readers, further dealing with Echo and introducing some new supporting cast members. Much of this issue focuses on the introduction of Buck Lime, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Marc hires on to secretly be his weapons supplier and adviser. There is almost a metatextual moment in this issue where Marc tells his assistant Amy that they do not need a French guy to play the role...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
There's Nothing to Worry About Until He Thinks He's Black Widow 1
Marc Specter's mental breakdown is on full display in this second issue of his series as he makes his first move to learn who the kingpin of Los Angeles is. We learn that Moon Knight's mental state is a lot worse than him simply talking to people who aren't really there. In his delusional state, he sometimes actually thinks he is them. He acts as Spider-Man and Wolverine as if they are his allies helping him in this small Avengers team that exists only in his head. Perhaps the strangest thing ...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
I Hope Marc's New Show Isn't on Network TV. It Won't Last Long. 0
The first of Marvel's Big Shots Initiative begins here with Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev redefining Moon Knight in the Marvel Universe. This new take on the character is likely to annoy longtime fans of Moon Knight, but on its own merits, this is a very good start to what has all the makings of a series worth reading. Moon Knight has always been a difficult character for Marvel. Writers often didn't seem to really know what to do with him, varying from writing him as Marvel's less impre...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Come on. Really? Is That It? 2
While it is an entertaining story, Judd Winick's final Jason Todd story for the foreseeable future leaves much to be desired as it ends like the first act of an ongoing story rather than the true conclusion of a story. As always, Winick writes an excellent Jason Todd. He nails Jason's antagonistic personality, especially when dealing with other members of the Bat-family, and always makes it believable that this guy was trained by Batman with how capable he can be. The best part is how Winick le...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Tony Stark Finds the Best Way to Make Fear Itself More Enjoyable 7
Fear Itself arrives at its middle chapter with a lot of noise but seemingly little understanding of what it is doing there. It throws in big action and big drama with little to no weight behind them, slowing the momentum of this story to a crawl. The saddest thing about this hollow experience is that it seems unaware of how superficial it is. The issue picks up from Bucky Barnes' death in the previous issue and does nothing to give any meaning to it. It apparently makes Black Widow sad. Then, i...
9 out of 9 found this review helpful. -
So Much for Lightning Never Striking Twice 1
Flashpoint enters its middle chapter and continues going strong as Flash and Batman set upon the task of recreating the Justice League in the Flashpoint universe. While the issue does feature a couple of new reveals, it does also read very much like a middle chapter, covering some other things we are already familiar with via tie-ins and promotions while settling into the motions that will take us into the final act of the story. Between this and his tie-in series which has also come out this w...
7 out of 7 found this review helpful. -
I Was Looking Forward to This One Too 0
In the Flashpoint universe, Oliver Queen becomes exactly what he would have hated, a leading figure in the military industrial complex. It is easily one of the better premises in Flashpoint but only given a single issue to explore. Because of this, a great premise is turned into a rushed, less than compelling story that did not get the time and effort it deserved. The story is pretty basic. Oliver Queen's military R&D facility is attacked by terrorists while he's unveiling a new weapons sys...
2 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Batman Fights a Killer Whale. What Could Be Better? 1
Another story arc by Scott Snyder and Jock comes to an end, leaving you just wanting even more as always with this creative team. Dick Grayson solves Sonia Zucco's case, encountering yet another new psychotic criminal looking to do business in Gotham City. And just when he concludes that business, even more serious problems begin to rear their heads. It is a fantastic issue that is only weighed down by the knowledge that this run will be over in a few months. There is really just something very...
9 out of 9 found this review helpful. -
I Wanted to See Him Ride a Damn Buffalo 0
Batman, Inc. brings another member of the Batman of All Nations into the fold as Batman pays a visit to the reservation home of Man-of-Bats and his son Raven Red. The issue gives a look at the status quo of these two Native American heroes but offers little more than that, serving up an underwhelming experience and one of the weaker issues of the series. The solicitation and cover hype up a story that is far more exciting than the one actually contained within the pages. This issue somehow mana...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
There's Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself... Screwing Up Cap. 0
Bucky Barnes' imprisonment in a Russian gulag comes to an end this issue as Black Widow comes to his aid and Steve Rogers handles the fallout on the home front. It's another strong issue of the Gulag story arc, but as a supposed conclusion, it leaves a lot to be desired. One of the most interesting things about this story arc is how Ed Brubaker has been dusting off various Russian characters for use as inmates in the same gulag as Bucky. Brubaker does it again this issue with Unicorn, making th...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Well, It Made Me Like Marrina 0
The new Alpha Flight kicks off for real with Fear Itself as a back drop to the Canadian superhero team's return. Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente and Dale Eaglesham give it their all, presenting as solid as a take on the iconic team as anyone could possibly give, but they fall short of selling Alpha Flight's return as anything to get excited about. It's worth pointing out that I was never an Alpha Flight fan. The idea of a Canadian superhero team was never enough of a hook to interest me. I come into t...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
I Don't Think Getting a Swirly Is What Happens to You in Prison 2
Heatwave steps into a starring role in this Flashpoint tie-in, spotlighting the life of a metacriminal in the Flashpoint universe. Unfortunately, writer Adam Glass fails to make a compelling character out of Heatwave, falling back instead on artificially inflating the villain into a badass and thinking that will be enough to carry this book. Glass tries to give Heatwave some major villain credibility right away by having him kill one of the two parts of Firestorm, but instead, it is such an unb...
2 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Cage Stands Ready to Make a Profit on His $1 Mansion Purchase 0
Brian Michael Bendis dives into the action of Fear Itself with this second issue of the Avengers tie-in. It's Angrir, Breaker of Souls, in the body of the Thing versus the Red Hulk in the streets of Manhattan. This is an issue packed with action, which allows it to make the most of what scraps Fear Itself gives it to work with. This is Red Hulk's big Avenger moment, and it is effectively done. It is a poetic twist for this fight to be a variation on the classic Thing versus Hulk brawls too. Ben...
4 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Almost More Summary Than Story 1
Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning give a Flashpoint history lesson, showing the meeting and wedding of Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, it really does read a bit more like a history lesson than a story as DnA simply do not have enough room in one issue to cover the material. The issue begins with Diana's first excursion into man's world, where she coincidentally crosses the path of a a baby kraken and this coincidentally catches the attention of Arthur. It is a very contrived first meeting, b...
7 out of 7 found this review helpful. -
Looking Forward to Big Things From David Liss 2
David Liss and Patrick Zircher dive into the unexplored era of the '30s Marvel Universe with style in this first issue. A hooked man makes a pact with a demon. The Operative finds himself framed for the murder of the woman he loved. And the Revenant takes an interest in it all. It's the start of a great pulp adventure. With Black Panther: Man Without Fear and now this, Liss is proving what a great find he was for Marvel. He is definitely a talent to watch, and this may be the series that propel...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Well... the '59 Avengers Were Pointless 1
Finally, the New Avengers take back this series and the '59 Avengers take a backseat as this story arc comes to a conclusion. While Brian Michael Bendis does succeed in tying the two story threads together, he doesn't do so in a way that really justifies the '59 Avengers tangent that dominated previous issues. Let's get this out of the way first. The '59 Avengers plot in this story arc turns out to be completely unnecessary. Yes, it does introduce the variation of the Infinity Formula is a majo...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
It's Hard to be a Wally Fan 0
Another star of Flashpoint rises as Citizen Cold takes the stage in this tie-in. Scott Kolins definitely impresses here with his portrayal of the main character and Flashpoint's Central City. In general, I'm very critical of DC's writer/artist policy. I think Tony Daniel ruined Battle for the Cowl and has since become only an okay writer. I think David Finch has done a fine job but Batman: the Dark Knight would be a superior book if his art was applied to an actual writer's scripts. I have huge...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
They Really Should Have Just Used the New Look on the Covers 1
The entertainingly tense team-up between Red Hood, Batman and Robin begins this issue. Judd Winick continues to impress with his definitive take on Jason Todd, and the biggest disappointing with this issue is knowing that it will be followed by only one more issue of this story arc. Jason has been busted from prison custody by the Menagerie, a group of animal-themed metahumans that come off as slightly too silly and even gimmicky for this story. However, that is easily overlooked as Winick hand...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
I Think Marvel Named This Team To Be Ironic 0
Annihilators comes to an end, promising more Marvel cosmic to come later this year. Unfortunately, it is a promise that is hard to get excited about, because more of this kind of Marvel cosmic is not particularly appealing. While the Rocket Raccoon and Groot half of the series has proven to be a fun and quirky story in its own right, the Annihilators feature is a weak shade of what cosmics stories used to be just a few years ago. In some ways, Annihilators is a callback to the late '90s when Ma...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
More Plot Setup Than Character 1
Abin Sur lives on in Flashpoint, but Adam Schlagman and Felipe Massafera get a little too distracted with the greater mythos of the Green Lantern Corps to really bring the character to life. Like Thomas Wayne, Abin Sur has been given a rare opportunity for the spotlight in Flashpoint. It is an opportunity to show off a character many readers know but few are really familiar with. Abin was Hal Jordan's predecessor, but what was he actually like as a Green Lantern? Finding out is a great hook for...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Meta What Now? 5
Are you a fan of Shade the Changing Man? Do you really even know who Shade the Changing Man is? If your answer is no to these questions, Secret Seven is probably not worth your time. For the record, my answer to the first question was "no" and to the second "...sorta?" This issue takes place after the events of Flashpoint's first issue where Cyborg assembles various heroes, including Shade the Changing Man, to discuss taking on Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Shade allegedly cracks from the stress o...
16 out of 16 found this review helpful. -
Well, Barry. You Had That Coming, Stupid. 0
There is a lot of focus now on what comes after Flashpoint, but the second issue of Flashpoint is here with some great art and great writing from the team of Andy Kubert and Geoff Johns. The issue features two similar scenes showing what happens when anyone intrudes on the territories of Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Right off the bat, Deathstroke and his pirate crew is awesome. Just like Thomas Wayne as Batman and S!H!A!Z!A!M! in the first issue, Deathstroke as a pirate is one of those Flashpoint ...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Hype Itself 3
Fear Itself begins to buckle under its own hype as the awaited moments of the third issue prove to be an unclear crisis and a cheap death. The supposed "shock ending to end all shock endings" turns out to be a moment many readers expected to come since before Fear Itself started and a moment rather painfully foreshadowed from the very first pear of the story. It is beginning to be difficult to get a feel for what exactly the meat of Fear Itself's story is. We have characters behaving as if it i...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
Rob Williams Proves Daken Is In Better Hands 0
Rob Williams takes the reins of Dark Wolverine with this Point One issue and succeeds in some ways where Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu consistently failed with the character of Daken. As a reader of Way's early Wolverine work, I was there for Daken's debut. It was like a textbook example of how not to create and introduce a new character. Way's treatment of Daken was so awful it actually changed my belief system. It forced me to reconsider some things, and suddenly, I became a fan of X-23. Over t...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Guggenheim Manages To Impress 0
Marc Guggenheim and Tom Derenick turn out a surprisingly strong issue that is the best of Guggenheim's run so far as his status quo of making Jay Garrick mayor of Monument Point begins to take shape and proves to be a rather solid idea for the team.The Justice Society of America series lost its way after Geoff Johns left it, going from a community of heroes seeking to make better heroes to a divided team with no clear point or purpose. Rather than return the team to the premise Johns originally ...
3 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Guy Has His Dr. Phil Moment. 0
War of the Green Lanterns nears its conclusion as Guy Gardner gets a big moment in this issue, which turns out to be effective but a bit underwhelming.In the dramatic wake of the previous part's cliffhanger, the four Earth Lanterns reunite and set their sights on getting Parallax out of the Central Power Battery, and it comes down to Guy and Hal having to dual wield power rings to get the job done.Something this issue makes clear is that John Stewart may not be quickly forgiven by anyone for the...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
John Stewart Saves The Day, And Maybe This Crossover 0
The excitement and tension of War of the Green Lanterns spikes high as Green Lantern Corps comes in with probably the best issue of the crossover. A difficult and surprising choice is made that suddenly makes War of the Green Lantern matter. It wipes away all doubt about whether this story will genuinely have any consequences and gives a powerful character moment to the character who has been in need of one the most for years.With Krona using Mogo to recruit hundreds, if not thousands, of unqual...
15 out of 15 found this review helpful. -
We Can Never Go Too Long Without Some Sinestro 1
Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner confront the Entity-possessed Guardians and become part of Krona's insane plan. We also get a glimpse of Sinestro battling his way through the Book of the Black, because as we all know, Sinestro is the real star of this series.After not seeing much of the Guardians since they were taken by Krona in the beginning of this crossover, it is good to finally see them in action as their Entity-possessed selves. Truth be told, we only quick glimpses of each of them as they bas...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful. -
Once Again, Not A Great Start To An Arc 0
With Chris Bachalo as his partner, Brian Michael Bendis continues his unfortunate trend of kicking off story arcs with weak beginnings. It is easy to see what Bendis is going for with this issue, and while the concept of it is a good one, a few factors really keep it from working as well as it should.Much of the issue is presented in an interview format with a variety of Avengers throughout history answering the questions of a faceless interviewer, who is apparently working on an expansive book ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Batman's Red-Headed Middle Child 16
Judd Winick comes in as the next in what has become an ever-changing creative team for Batman and Robin, and he comes in with a new Jason Todd story picking up where Grant Morrison left the character off.Jason Todd's recent history with DC is an interesting case and has led to many people declaring that Winick is the only writer who can truly write the character. It seems like an extreme statement at face value, but it's not really about exaggerating Winick's skills as a writer. It is more of a ...
9 out of 9 found this review helpful. -
Sometimes, It Just Seems Criminal That Carey's No Main X-Writer 1
The aftermath of the Age of X is here, and Mike Carey makes good on his promise that the Age of X would have consequences as he sets up the next chapter of his X-Men Legacy run.With the way Carey has the characters handle the fallout, it very nearly makes the aftermath the best part of the entire Age fo X story. Everything about it comes off as intelligent and genuine. Having Emma Frost and the Stepford Cuckoos alter people's memories of the alternate timeline is an excellent way of explaining w...
6 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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