Gemini
Well-Known Member
O.K. i want to give this a shot, this thread is a place where you can post (short) reviews the comics you buy, much in the vain of the Buy Pile column at CBR, or the Thursday Morning Quarter Back at Wizard Universe so to kick things off I'll start, and try to avoid posting spoilers, some discussion about individual series is ok as long as it's in the "I disagree/agree with your review because..." kinda format, if discussion continue's beyond that it should probably be moved to the individual series discussion, reviews should be posted in this format:
Title: (in bold)
Writer:
Artist:
Review
Rating: (in bold & and out of 5)
Avengers The Initiative #7:
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
normally i like this series, like alot but this issue bewildered me, the identity of the Scarlet Spiders while it makes sense is really stupid, and it nearly undoes the unmasking of spider-man, all that aside it was a decent issue that will probably hold alot of importance in the future
Rating: 3/5
Captain Marvel #1:
Writer: Brian Reed
Artist: Lee Weeks
ok, this was a good first issue, that helps redeem this whole Mar-Vell situation a bit, why he went to France is honestly beyond me but whatever, the idea of a church basing themselves around Mar-Vell is pretty neat, and this looks like it will be a fun series
Rating: 3.5/5
Ghost Rider #17:
Writer: Dan Way
Artist's: Mark Texeira, & Javier Saltares
this series is getting far too repetitive, and the issue end's in a pathetic attempt at being funny, Dan Way is spacing this story out waaaay to much and I'm glad he only has two issue's left before Aaron takes over, the art is perfect for this seriest though
Rating: 2.5/5
Ghost Rider Annual#1:
Writer: Stuart Moore
Artist: Ben Oliver
an interesting, but ultimately pointless annual, this book introduces new element in the Ghost Rider mythos "Mister Eleven" it doesn't explain anything about him though, and the basic idea behind the character was in a Denzel Washington movie and an issue of Blade last year
Rating: 3.5/5
House Of M Avengers #1:
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Mike Perkins
why there was a need to make a new House of M series i can't figure out, but this series isn't terrible Gage does an admirable job setting up this team and by the end of the issue the team is already together which is something you don't see very often anymore (ie, Omega Flight)
Rating: 3.5/5
Marvel Comics Presents #3:
Writer's: Marc Guggenheim, Kathryn Immonen, David VonAllman, & Rich Koslowski
Artist's: Dave Wilkins, Stuart Immonen, Mico Sauyan, & Andrea Divito
you know if each of the stories in this book were a little longer this would be a much more entertaining book, Vangaurd goes nowhere, Weapon Omega is still treading water, the Hellcat story is really confusing, and the Magneto story is set in the past and is unimportant
Rating 3/5
New Avengers #36:
Writer: Brian Bendis
Artist: Leinel Yu
ok this issue was a big miss-step on Bendis's part, first off the first half of the issue is a giant spoiler for the upcoming Mighty Avengers storyline, the second half is Wolverine and Spider-Woman arguing i the shower, then the entire avengers show up too crash the Hoods party, and the last page i cried fould on until i realized it was obviously an illusion by doctor strange
Rating: 3/5
Nova #8:
Writer's: Dan Abnett, & Andy Lanning
Artist: Wellington Alves
if there was an award for trippiest book of the week i'd be damned if this didn't win, if you want me to tell you why i'd be more than willing to comply becuase i really enjoyed this issue, D n' A do an admirable job of taking care of Nova outside of an Annihilation event, and Alves pencils are fantastic
Rating: 4.5/5
Punisher MAX #52:
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Goran Parlov
the plot behind this story is very intriguing and i can't wait to see how this turns out, but i can't bring myself to get interested in this story very much, but it is obviously very good, the last page really took me by surprise and it almost pushes the MAX label to a new area for me
Rating: 4/5
Punisher War Journal #13:
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Cory Walker
this is by far the best issue of War Journal since #4 (Stilt-Man's funeral), Fraction writes a very good comic in this, even if it is still a little bit too tongue in cheek for the punisher (somebody get this guy on a spidey book STAT) the new Kraven is pretty cool, and his Zoo is pretty interesting
Rating: 4/5
Thor #4:
Writer: John Straczynski
Artist: Oliver Coipel
this series is so slow, but it's very interesting, Straczynski's choice of making Thor go to all these disaster struck places to find the Asgardians is very cool, i like the mention that Thor is being very cautious so he doesn't re-awaken the evil Asgardians aswell, as usual Coipel's art is just stunning
Rating: 4/5
Ultimate Fantastic Four #48:
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Mark Brooks
this book is so frightfully boring, while Carey has alot of good idea's he can never follow through on them, Brooks art is a very awkward fit for the Fantastic Four, and this issue comes across as filler for the upcoming milestone issue
Rating: 2.5/5
Ultimates Saga:
Writer: C.B. Cebulski, & Mindy Owens, based off stories by Mark Millar
Artist: Travis Charest, and Bryan Hitch
ultimately (no pun intended) this book is nothing more than a hand-book for those foolish enough to not buy the first two volumes of Ultimates, there is only 4 pages of new material in this book, and it's nothing special except some hinting at Tony's alchoholism and a beatiful splash of the ultimates on the last page
Rating: 2/5
Wolverine #59:
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Howard Chaykin
if it weren't for Howard Chaykins abysmal art i bet i would like this story alot more, this middle issue of a 5 issue arc doesn't really do anything except at the very end, and what is accomplished isn't surprising in any sense, Guggenheim knows how to write Wolverine, but this issue is filler
Rating: 2.5/5
World War Hulk #5:
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: John Romita Jr.
The underwhelming event of the summer finally concludes!, alot happens in this issue and it is a fitting end to the series, it set's up Loebs new series pretty well, and it brings in a new character that alot of people wouldn't expect coming, the majority of the twists could be seen coming from a mile away, a decent ending
Rating: 3.5/5
X-Factor #25:
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Scott Harper
Messiah Complex continue's, this issue loses some more of the steam that the one-shot established, not much happens because this story is still in it's set-up stages, PAD does a better job with these characters than Brubaker did, and Eatons art was fantastic in this issue
Rating: 3.5/5
X-Men Die By The Sword #3:
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jaun Santacruz
next time you need to define the word "mistake" mention this book, this has taken the new honour of being the worst series i have ever read, i'm not even sure why i started picking it up in the first place, but i fully regret it. Claremont really needs to retire
0.5/5
over all this was a pretty good week, with Thor and Nova being the highlite's for me. There i hope this is a decent start to a thread that i hope will catch on
Title: (in bold)
Writer:
Artist:
Review
Rating: (in bold & and out of 5)
Avengers The Initiative #7:
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
normally i like this series, like alot but this issue bewildered me, the identity of the Scarlet Spiders while it makes sense is really stupid, and it nearly undoes the unmasking of spider-man, all that aside it was a decent issue that will probably hold alot of importance in the future
Rating: 3/5
Captain Marvel #1:
Writer: Brian Reed
Artist: Lee Weeks
ok, this was a good first issue, that helps redeem this whole Mar-Vell situation a bit, why he went to France is honestly beyond me but whatever, the idea of a church basing themselves around Mar-Vell is pretty neat, and this looks like it will be a fun series
Rating: 3.5/5
Ghost Rider #17:
Writer: Dan Way
Artist's: Mark Texeira, & Javier Saltares
this series is getting far too repetitive, and the issue end's in a pathetic attempt at being funny, Dan Way is spacing this story out waaaay to much and I'm glad he only has two issue's left before Aaron takes over, the art is perfect for this seriest though
Rating: 2.5/5
Ghost Rider Annual#1:
Writer: Stuart Moore
Artist: Ben Oliver
an interesting, but ultimately pointless annual, this book introduces new element in the Ghost Rider mythos "Mister Eleven" it doesn't explain anything about him though, and the basic idea behind the character was in a Denzel Washington movie and an issue of Blade last year
Rating: 3.5/5
House Of M Avengers #1:
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Mike Perkins
why there was a need to make a new House of M series i can't figure out, but this series isn't terrible Gage does an admirable job setting up this team and by the end of the issue the team is already together which is something you don't see very often anymore (ie, Omega Flight)
Rating: 3.5/5
Marvel Comics Presents #3:
Writer's: Marc Guggenheim, Kathryn Immonen, David VonAllman, & Rich Koslowski
Artist's: Dave Wilkins, Stuart Immonen, Mico Sauyan, & Andrea Divito
you know if each of the stories in this book were a little longer this would be a much more entertaining book, Vangaurd goes nowhere, Weapon Omega is still treading water, the Hellcat story is really confusing, and the Magneto story is set in the past and is unimportant
Rating 3/5
New Avengers #36:
Writer: Brian Bendis
Artist: Leinel Yu
ok this issue was a big miss-step on Bendis's part, first off the first half of the issue is a giant spoiler for the upcoming Mighty Avengers storyline, the second half is Wolverine and Spider-Woman arguing i the shower, then the entire avengers show up too crash the Hoods party, and the last page i cried fould on until i realized it was obviously an illusion by doctor strange
Rating: 3/5
Nova #8:
Writer's: Dan Abnett, & Andy Lanning
Artist: Wellington Alves
if there was an award for trippiest book of the week i'd be damned if this didn't win, if you want me to tell you why i'd be more than willing to comply becuase i really enjoyed this issue, D n' A do an admirable job of taking care of Nova outside of an Annihilation event, and Alves pencils are fantastic
Rating: 4.5/5
Punisher MAX #52:
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Goran Parlov
the plot behind this story is very intriguing and i can't wait to see how this turns out, but i can't bring myself to get interested in this story very much, but it is obviously very good, the last page really took me by surprise and it almost pushes the MAX label to a new area for me
Rating: 4/5
Punisher War Journal #13:
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Cory Walker
this is by far the best issue of War Journal since #4 (Stilt-Man's funeral), Fraction writes a very good comic in this, even if it is still a little bit too tongue in cheek for the punisher (somebody get this guy on a spidey book STAT) the new Kraven is pretty cool, and his Zoo is pretty interesting
Rating: 4/5
Thor #4:
Writer: John Straczynski
Artist: Oliver Coipel
this series is so slow, but it's very interesting, Straczynski's choice of making Thor go to all these disaster struck places to find the Asgardians is very cool, i like the mention that Thor is being very cautious so he doesn't re-awaken the evil Asgardians aswell, as usual Coipel's art is just stunning
Rating: 4/5
Ultimate Fantastic Four #48:
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Mark Brooks
this book is so frightfully boring, while Carey has alot of good idea's he can never follow through on them, Brooks art is a very awkward fit for the Fantastic Four, and this issue comes across as filler for the upcoming milestone issue
Rating: 2.5/5
Ultimates Saga:
Writer: C.B. Cebulski, & Mindy Owens, based off stories by Mark Millar
Artist: Travis Charest, and Bryan Hitch
ultimately (no pun intended) this book is nothing more than a hand-book for those foolish enough to not buy the first two volumes of Ultimates, there is only 4 pages of new material in this book, and it's nothing special except some hinting at Tony's alchoholism and a beatiful splash of the ultimates on the last page
Rating: 2/5
Wolverine #59:
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Howard Chaykin
if it weren't for Howard Chaykins abysmal art i bet i would like this story alot more, this middle issue of a 5 issue arc doesn't really do anything except at the very end, and what is accomplished isn't surprising in any sense, Guggenheim knows how to write Wolverine, but this issue is filler
Rating: 2.5/5
World War Hulk #5:
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: John Romita Jr.
The underwhelming event of the summer finally concludes!, alot happens in this issue and it is a fitting end to the series, it set's up Loebs new series pretty well, and it brings in a new character that alot of people wouldn't expect coming, the majority of the twists could be seen coming from a mile away, a decent ending
Rating: 3.5/5
X-Factor #25:
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Scott Harper
Messiah Complex continue's, this issue loses some more of the steam that the one-shot established, not much happens because this story is still in it's set-up stages, PAD does a better job with these characters than Brubaker did, and Eatons art was fantastic in this issue
Rating: 3.5/5
X-Men Die By The Sword #3:
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jaun Santacruz
next time you need to define the word "mistake" mention this book, this has taken the new honour of being the worst series i have ever read, i'm not even sure why i started picking it up in the first place, but i fully regret it. Claremont really needs to retire
0.5/5
over all this was a pretty good week, with Thor and Nova being the highlite's for me. There i hope this is a decent start to a thread that i hope will catch on