Comics are Awesome II

[Onslaught Six]

Okay I actually got a great example here.

I have Mega Man and TMNT subscribed to at my comic shop; I started with Issue 2 of TMNT and they said when Issue 1 got reprinted they'd order one for me. I got an email today from them saying "Mega Man and TMNT came in today," and I was puzzled because TMNT 3 isn't out for another few weeks. It took three or four different Google searches (with different terms) to figure out that this was the #1 reprint.

If IDW had a nice, simple page listing What's Coming Out This Week that'd be very easy to follow.

[Dominic]

Publishers now seem to rely on the fan press and/or fans being willing to both publicize and research comics.

I did not make it to the shop this week owing to my work schedule. Of course, I am reading 3 actual books at the moment on top of studying, so it is probably just as well.


Dom
-too many comics are coming out every two weeks....

[BWprowl]

I have Mega Man and TMNT subscribed to at my comic shop; I started with Issue 2 of TMNT and they said when Issue 1 got reprinted they'd order one for me. I got an email today from them saying "Mega Man and TMNT came in today," and I was puzzled because TMNT 3 isn't out for another few weeks. It took three or four different Google searches (with different terms) to figure out that this was the #1 reprint.

Heh, and I didn't even know Mega Man #6 was out today until I saw you post this just now. Sweet, thanks!

[Onslaught Six]

I have Mega Man and TMNT subscribed to at my comic shop; I started with Issue 2 of TMNT and they said when Issue 1 got reprinted they'd order one for me. I got an email today from them saying "Mega Man and TMNT came in today," and I was puzzled because TMNT 3 isn't out for another few weeks. It took three or four different Google searches (with different terms) to figure out that this was the #1 reprint.

Heh, and I didn't even know Mega Man #6 was out today until I saw you post this just now. Sweet, thanks!

I didn't either, so hey!

I'm really innerested in where they go with it, this arc is neat. I wonder if they're going to incorporate the Game Boy games at all?

[138 Scourge]

I bought some comics today!

Atomic Robo: The Ghost of Station X #2 I went on about it at length when the last issue came out, but I'll say it again. One thing I really like about this book is that it looks at some things in a sort of realistic way. Like, you know that Reed Richards or whoever would have some kind of awesome system for catching a robot that's falling out of space pretty easily. Or like, he'd have no problem fixing a nuclear reactor that lives in said robot's chest. These guys, they gotta put some effort into that kind of thing, and it makes these sort of things seem more amazing when it's pulled off. I'm gonna guess that this story's a little more understated than what usually goes on in this book, because it...it hasn't been slow, because there's been big things happening in each of the two issues of this arc, but the mystery at the heart of the story seems to be building slowly. Anyway, another enjoyable issue, and this book just looks so damn pretty. I'll stick with it and see where it goes.

Pigs #2: The Cuban-Russian second-generation spies get to America and recruit an agent known as "The White Russian" for their mysterious mission. He don't necessarily want to go, but that don't necessarily mean anything. Less going on in this issue than in the last one, but this is still a damn good espionage comic. Another one I'll stick with.

Herc #9: But...but if this is issue nine, then there's only one left? God dammit, I don't want this book to go away! It feels like it just hit it's stride! Sigh. Anyway, great stuff in this issue. It opens with Zeus in bed with a mortal pop-star girl (because he is Zeus, after all, and that's what he does) when they're interrupted by his wife, Hera. Goddess of Marriage. Who usually doesn't take this kind of thing well. Instead of, as Zeus puts it, turning the girl into "A flower or a constellation or what-have-you", Hera takes it out on Zeus this time, and turns him into the worst thing she can think of: A mortal. Zeus staggers into the bar Herc works at, fat, drunk, and obnoxious, just in time to invite himself along on a mission Herc's sent on to fight ninjas. Also, Elektra's there, in a fight/team up that's amazing in it's obviousness. Why wouldn't Hercules and Elektra, Marvel's two most prominent Greeks, have met before? This issue's hilarious and awesome. Zeus' lecherousness and philandery is just a riot, and there's plenty of superheroic ass-kicking going on. I don't want this book to go away at all, but one can't always have what one wants, I guess. Here's hoping the next issue gets to wrap things up well.

And for the first time in awhile, this week didn't bring me any visits to Spider-Island. I'm sure I've raved about the books involved in this event before, but I'ma keep doing it because it's that good. This is the most I've enjoyed an event story since...I dunno, Inferno, maybe? I'm actually going to be sad when this event wraps up next week, but I'll tell you what, I'll be reading the hell outta Amazing Spider-Man now, because Dan Slott can write the hell out of some comics.

[andersonh1]

Got some comics myself.

Batman #2
The story has me interested when it really shouldn't. There's a common theme running through several of the Batman books now, of people who either know who the main characters are, or who predate them in Gotham and are determined to kill them for one reason or another. In this case, a group Batman doesn't even believe exists, the "Court of Owls" (it's comics, go with it) have decided that Bruce Wayne has to die. The guy they send to kill Bruce is more than a match for him in fighting skills and almost suceeds in killing him by pushing him out of Wayne tower. This is the second issue in a row that has more page time for Bruce out of costume than in, and that's refreshing. I'm intrigued enough to keep buying. This is a much better book than either Detective Comics or The Dark Knight.

Justice League #2
My main complaint about the book is that there are just too many familiar beats here. Characters meet, fight, and then start to work out their differences. And these very characters have done the same thing in other early Justice League issues, even if the details aren't the same. It's yet another version of the "first time they met and how they became a team", and so I can't muster the enthusiasm for the book that I'd like to. I'm frankly ready to get through the opening arc and get around to some good Justice League stories with the bix six (and Cyborg).

Still, there are some nice details and some polish on the well-worn story. For those of us who have long since grown tired of the Bat-god who can beat anyone, nothing Batman can do has any effect on Superman. Green Lantern can't hold him back. Flash, who I didn't expect to show up, turns up to help because he's already a friend of Hal. And we get to see the accident that injured Cyborg, something I don't think even the original Teen Titans issues depicted. And the main plot kicks in at the end of the issue as parademons invade en masse, something I didn't expect for another few issues, given the measured pacing of the series so far.

[138 Scourge]

Justice League #2
My main complaint about the book is that there are just too many familiar beats here. Characters meet, fight, and then start to work out their differences. And these very characters have done the same thing in other early Justice League issues, even if the details aren't the same. It's yet another version of the "first time they met and how they became a team", and so I can't muster the enthusiasm for the book that I'd like to. I'm frankly ready to get through the opening arc and get around to some good Justice League stories

This is why I'm friggin' sick of origin stories. Like, I'll likely pass on the new Spider-Man movie (and I love me some Spidey), but damn, I've already seen that stuff. Yes, I know the origin will be done slightly differently this time around, but it's still "Schlubby Peter Parker gets bit by crazy science spider." Seen that, don't need it.

And when you're dealing with characters as recognizable as the damn JLA, I wonder why they felt they needed an origin in the first place. I mean, yeah, it's supposed to be for new readers and all, but look. Superfriends. That show was for as new a readers as you can get, and I don't recall that they ever had an origin story. It was right there in the opening credits: "World's greatest superheroes banded together to fight crime". It doesn't need more explanation than that. Plus, dang, if I was writing a book and I wanted to get people interested, I'd figure "Give 'em a complete story in the first issue, then maybe sock 'em with a crazy cliffhanger on the last page." Of course, I'm bitching about it sight unseen, because this creative team is the polar opposite of a "dream team" for me, but still, why waste time with a dang origin? Get moving on the action!. I know Marvel has their moments with this, but man, DC loves their "Year One" stories, don't they?

[Dominic]

Transformers #28:
read and reviewed in the G1 forums.



Ultimate Spiderman #3:
And, this one carries the week. The origin of the current Ultimate Spiderman continues, and this issue ends more or less contemporaneously with the "Death of Spiderman". Bendis tweaks and undermines some of the genre conventions enough to keep the story worth reading, even though it has a pre-determined outcome. There are several genuinely funny moments that nicely contrast with and accent the serious moments. Well worth picking up.
Grade: A/B


Marvel/Avengers/Fear Itself round up:
And, the reboot is clearly coming. "Avengers" #18 is a "the team roster is going to change" issue. Bucky-Cap is dead and Steve Rogers is wearing the costume and running the show again. The team is back in the mansion following the destruction of "Avengers" tower. (Aside: There is another reference to the destructioin of the WTC in this issue. It is not as crass as "that issue of Spider Man" or Larry Hama's take on it in "GI Joe". But, Bendis really needs to leave this topic alone.) Scarlett Witch is back as of "Children's Crusade". Pepper Potts may not be wearing the Rescue armour for much longer. "Fear Itself" ends with a series of short epilogues that are essentially lead-ins for other books. Over-all, it looks like the "Avengers related books are being set back to pre-"Dis-Assembled" standard in the next 6 months to a year. (Marvel still needs to bring the Wasp back. But, I would plan for that by May of the next year.) The closer we get to the inevitable soft-reboot, the less interested I am.

Grade: C/D


Dom
-actually prefers DC's hard reboots to this sort of thing.

[andersonh1]

This is why I'm friggin' sick of origin stories. Like, I'll likely pass on the new Spider-Man movie (and I love me some Spidey), but damn, I've already seen that stuff. Yes, I know the origin will be done slightly differently this time around, but it's still "Schlubby Peter Parker gets bit by crazy science spider." Seen that, don't need it.

Yeah, I generally agree, I'm tired of origin stories. If it's a new character, it's fine, hence I really enjoyed Iron Man when I saw the movie, because I was unfamiliar with the character. But I've been reading all these Justice League characters for years, so while I understand that the opening arc is for new readers, I'm ready to get past it.

It's enjoyable, but too familiar.

[andersonh1]

Batgirl #2
I'm reading this book mainly because Barbara Gordon is an interesting character. She has bravado, but also has a good self-deprecating sense of humor. She's the polar opposite of Bruce Wayne, so much so that I tend to wonder why she's putting on a costume and fighting criminals. The second issue pits her against the killer introduced in #1, and he's much larger and stronger than she is, meaning she's way overmatched physically. She loses the fight but escapes, and then does some detective work to figure out who he is. She works it out and tracks the guy down, only to find out he's planning to derail a train and kill hundreds. Not the most stellar story, but it has the virtue of making Batgirl the underdog, making me interested to see how she will win.

Nightwing #2
Better than the first issue. Nightwing wins the fight he was about to lose by pulling an ability out of nowhere, and it really should have been set up last issue to make it look like something other than a magic solution. The owner of Haly's circus, where Dick Grayson and his parents worked when he was a kid, reveals that he figured out long ago that Grayson was Robin, and he leaves him the circus since he is dying of cancer and doesn't have long. That part is fine and interesting. The part I don't like is that some dark secret is apparently connected to the circus. Of course it can't just be a normal entertainment venue, it has to be mysterious. Ugh.

This is a middle of the road book. Good enough to be entertaining, especially the art, but not great. Meaning it may or may not stick around after the opening arc as I prune back the books I tried out last month and this.