Scout Attacks! week 20: Still Catching Up Part 2

I think I'm almost caught up now, but I noticed that I still haven't talked about how awesome X-Men First Class #1 was, and #2 is coming out on Wednesday. Uhg! I'm going to do and X-edition of Scout Attacks. It's the only solution.

Fables #63: It's hard to review this book just because it is so consistently good. That doesn't really leave a lot to say. I will say that I felt like this arc was going to be the best storyline ever, and I'm just not feeling that, but it's still really great. Also, Prince Charming has developed into really effectual character and I never expected that at all. I did think that the sequence where Beast is buying out all those sniper, or whatever, training schools was kind of scary, just because of the implication that all of that is being done and it is not tipping off any non-Fable authorities. Maybe it will though. Who knows where Willingham is going to go with all this.

Green Arrow Year One #1: I really enjoyed this. I like the art a lot, and the writing does a good job of giving hints of the genuinely good guy that lurks under the douchebag exterior. The fact that Ollie idolized Robin Hood as a boy says a lot on its own, but even his drunken speech, when he says that "If any of us really gave a rat's ass about the poor little druggies, we'd be down in the ghetto handing out needles right now -- instead of swanning around here in our thousand-dollar monkey suits!" he shows that he does know the right thing to do. (It's also kind of funny when you think about what happened to Speedy.) I really appreciated the Howard Hill reference too. Kudos to them for using a real reference, instead of deciding it was too out of date. Anyway, this isn't the greatest thing ever, but it's really very good.

Superman #664: I really loved this issue. There are just so many little moments to enjoy, like the interaction between Lois and Jimmy, the Prankster, or an entire splash page devoted to Superman getting hit with a giant pie! The bigger reasons why this issue was so great is that the story in general. It has really gone from being something that I wasn't really sure what to make of to being genuinely intriguing. And I love how Superman has to deal with the fact that, while everyone loves him, there is always this underlying fear of his power. He does get mind controlled often, and it is good to see that he has found ways to deal with that. They send in every flying member of the JLA and the JSA to stop him too, which leaves Batman out, but even he was on the case. And there's Squad K too, which actually just makes a lot of sense. It just illustrates how catastrophic a bad Superman could be. Another great character moment was how Superman was so frustrated about losing Arion that he went and took down the Prankster just so he could feel like he accomplished something. That's such a normal, relatable impulse. It's clear that everything is building to something, and I can't wait. I'm annoyed that the story is being interrupted for a Countdown tie-in issue. So disappointing. Anyway, this was a really great issue and I think that Busiek is doing a wonderful job of telling a meaningful story while also keeping things exciting and fun. Pacheco's art is great too. Did I mention that the Prankster hits Superman with a giant pie? Because he does and it is awesome.

Superman Confidential #5: Another great Superman comic. I actually thought this was the weakest issue of the series so far, the reveal that the Kryptonite's sentience had taken over Anthony Gallo's body and was not going to explain everything to Superman seemed a little too easy to me. It's still so good, and such an original story though. Also, I'm willing to give Cooke the benefit of the doubt that he's going somewhere with this, and with Lex Luthor showing up at the end like that, I am excited to see what happens in the conclusion. I don't think I need to repeat my feelings about Tim Sale's art either. It's gorgeous. I'm going to be sorry when this is over.

Supernatural Origins #3: Things are starting to tie into the show a bit more now as Harvelle's Bar is introduced and we see when John first met Ellen. Jo gets a mention too, and my only problem with that is that I can't really believe that she is supposed to be as old as Dean, or even Sam. We're also starting to see these characters become more like the versions of themselves we know from the show.

Deadpool GLI Summer Fun Spectacular: HAHAHAHAHA! That's my review. I will also add that Tippy-Toe's interjection was awesome. You can't not love this: "Yeah, that's right. Squirrel Girl totally pwns Doc Doom? Know why? 'Cause of somethin' that happened in a story by Steve - freakin' - Ditko! That's so in continuity. So just deal with it, fanboy." You cannot argue with that. It was pretty amazing that Marvel poke fun at emo-Speedball like that though. They literally point out why there was no need for him to go all creepy self-cutter, because it wasn't his fault. P-Cat, the Penitent Puss is simultaneously hilarious, depressing and horrifying. Ah, Squirrel Girl, you made a noble effort and we love you for it.

The New Avengers #32: The problem with this issue isn't that it wasn't entertaining, it was, despite the fact that it was just the team talking on a plane. It wasn't that it was explaining why we, the readers, should care that Elektra was a Skrull. It was that it was necessary to explain to the readers the significance of Elektra being a Skrull. As I've said before, I like the concept behind what Bendis is going for here, but this reveal just wasn't good enough. It wasn't shocking. It didn't sell the implications that are talked about in this issue. It was only Elektra. If it was revealed that key leading members in Shield were Skrulls, that would have sold it. Maybe. I'm not even sure. I just think this needed to be a lot bigger to have real significance. Aanother problem with this issue was that the plane is going down, and for no apparent reason, Dr. Strange can't use any magic to help. That was dumb.

Scout Attacks! week 19: Still Catching Up

Eventually, I will be all caught up on these reviews. Unfortunately, I have no idea when that will be.

Action Comics #851: I'm still just really excited that I got to read a 3-D comic book. I think that's so cool. It really worked well too. It was a bit of a strain to look at, but I think that was an intentional attempt to try and create the same effect that being in the PZ was having on Superman. It's worth noting that I enjoyed Adam Kubert's art much more here than I have on any other issue, so maybe 3-D just agrees with him. I enjoyed the story too, even if it did seem a bit like filler. My heart really went out to Mon-El, and I am enjoying everything with Zod and Christopher. Way to step up, kid. Did Ursa mean that she killed all the other female Kryptonians when she said that she was the last by her choice? That's a bit extreme, even for crazy, killer types. Finally, I really did not see that development with Luthor at the end coming at all, and I can't wait to see the team up in the next Annual.

All Star Superman #8: While I wouldn't say this issue wasn't as good as the rest of the series, it loses points for just being really depressing. There's some amusing stuff with the Bizarro-JLA (I especially likes "Bizarro-Batman am no shot dead by him parents!") but everything was dragged down by the Zibarro's plight. His desperation to get off Bizarro world was so strong, and things like him asking Superman to look at his writing were so pathetic, it was almost uncomfortable to read, especially when Superman's later comments about said work seemed somewhat condescending. I think it would have been more palatable if I understood what Morrison expected the reader to take away from the encounter between Superman and Zibarro (Morrison's Superman, always so sincere in this series, really just seems like he's placating Zibarro in order to get back to Earth, and Zibarro may or may not be intentionally sabotaging his attempts), but it's all very ambiguous, making it an odd fit with the rest of the series as a whole.

Black Canary #1: This mini-series has a lot going against it, like the fact that it's built around whether or not Dinah will accept Ollie's proposal of marriage when we already know that she will, but despite that, it manages to be pretty entertaining. It helps that it is peppered with a lot of amusing little touches. I especially liked the Elvis impersonator assassins, which are second only to monkey assassins in awesomeness, and Merlin's extensive Green Arrow collection. The whole flashback to Dinah and Ollie's first meeting was great. It's so easy to see why Dinah would feel the way she did about him. Bedard also writes Dinah well, and you can't say that Siqueira doesn't make her look good. A few things did bug me though. It seems like Sin's first meeting with Ollie would be fairly important given so much of Dinah's response is supposedly weighted by her wanting to make sure she does what is best for Sin. (Where was Sin during the Ollie/Dinah 40 hour sex marathon from Green Arrow a few months back anyway? Did Dinah just leave her in the motel?) Also, after all we know about Sin from Birds of Prey, it seems odd to see her crying after an altercation with some other kids. I thought not crying was sort of her thing. This issue was by no means great, but it was fun and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Spike: Shadow Puppets #1: I picked this up because Brian Lynch was writing it. Of bought the first issue of almost every Angel or Spike mini-series that IDW has put out, and have thought them all to be fairly awful, written by people who didn't seem to get the characters at all or were just plain bad, except for Spike Asylum. Lynch did a really good job on that series, so I wanted to pick this up despite the fact that I think the concept is dumb. Don't get me wrong. "Smile Time" may just be my favorite episode of Angel's entire run. I just don't think revisiting the concept, this time with Spike, is a particularly good idea. Of course, then I get to the final page, with Spike being overwhelmed by and onslaught of puppet ninjas, and I am completely sold.

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America: Iron Man: I didn't pick up any of the other issues in this series, but I had to get this one if only for Cassaday's art. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. I would even go so far as to say that, while Loeb did not do a bad job on the writing, the words almost detracted from the sheer beauty of the images here. There was just no way they could have matched the impact. I thought The Falcon's eulogy, which made up the bulk of the narrative, especially did not have the impact it should have. It didn't matter though, because the art was so gorgeous it bolstered the whole thing. I'm not ashamed to say that, in the end, I was a bit choked up. Also, I didn't want to punch Tony Stark in the face once. I think I'm making progress.

Loners #4: This month John Hughes cover homage is to Pretty In Pink, and I am just now wondering if the fact that it features three female characters, instead of a female character and two male characters like the original movie poster, is supposed to be a clue, as this issue all but says that Julie Power is a lesbian. I'm curious to see whether it is ever going to be explicitly stated or it will be left ambiguous. Considering the crux of the issue is Julie coming to terms with who she is and not wanting to pretend to be something she's not anymore, it seems like her coming out is inevitable, but in the world of comic books, one never knows when that sort of thing would be deemed acceptable or not. As the book is rated T+, the same rating as Young Avengers, it seems like there shouldn't be a problem. (Personally, I do not see why it wouldn't be acceptable even in an All Ages title, but I doubt the people at Marvel feel the same.) Anyway, this was another really entertaining character study, and I am really enjoying the way the relationships between the characters are evolving. Cebulski is capturing the John Hughes movie vibe quite well. I would love to see this series become an ongoing, but I seriously doubt that will happen. Hopefully, we will at least get some more mini-series with these characters.

The New Avengers/The Transformers #1: I don't know what I was thinking when I picked up this book. I think I was still on a high for seeing the movie the day before, and a bit excited by the idea of Optimus Prime and Captain America interacting. This really sucked though, and not in the cheesy bad, but fun way. I realize that the story needed to be set up, but the writer really should have found a way to get to the robot and superhero action a lot quicker. Is anyone really picking this title up for the story anyway? As it was, most of the issue consisted of the New Avengers (Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Luke Cage) bickering with eachother, while we barely even get to see the Transformers until the end. That's just not going to cut it. A series like this needs to deliver on at least one solid, giant robot fight per issue to even begin to be worthwhile.

Scout Attacks! week 18: Comic Reviews for the Week of...Whenever the Hell They Came Out

Everything got all messed up because of the holiday and me not being able to get all my comics, and then I had to go to a wedding. Anyway, I'm just going to review a bunch of comics tonight, and then I will review a bunch of comics tomorrow night. Then I will be almost caught up. On the plus side, this week I have pictures!

Amazons Attack #3: This comic book is just bad. Will Pfeifer, if I want crappy political comentary, I will re-read Civil War or pick up some of Marvel's Initiative books. Worse than that though is that, none of this stuff seems to line up with what happens in Wonder Woman #10, or even with the events that lead up to the whole event. Clearly DC editors are too busy trying, mostly in vain, to get their creators to make their deadlines to actually read any of the books. There was one thing I liked in this issue though:

Superman throwing a dumpster at an Amazonian who is about to kill Batman. He then carries the dumpster away, presumably because it would have been disrespectful to leave it on the Korean War Memorial. Seeing Batman sneak around the Memorial is fairly amusing as well.

Detective Comics #834: This issue was a bit of a let down after the last one, but, overall, another entertaining issue. It had some clever gags. We get an explanation for how Joker came to impersonate Loxias, and I am just going to assume that everything that has taken place in Detective Comics during Dini's run takes place prior to the events of Batman during Morrison and Kubert's run. This saves me from having to criticize the editors again. The success of this story, and the real point of it, is the reconciliation of Batman and Zatanna. It's a credit to Dini that he made me care about this relationship to the extent that I do, in the span of just two issues, considering I could not have cared less about it prior to issue #833.

Wonder Woman #10: The best thing I can say about this issue is that it brought us that much closer to Gail Simone's run. This issue just feels like a mess, like there are all sorts of conflicting ideas going on. I mean, what the hell is this?

The tone of that scene is completely off from the rest of the Amazons Attack event. It's so random. Also, Jodi Piccoult should never be allowed to write Batman again. The thing is, I'm still seeing some interesting stuff in what Piccoult is doing. She's trying to bring Wonder Woman to a more emotional place. I think that, had it not been for this editorially mandated event, there might have at least been an interesting and entertaining take on superhero comics here, if not necessarily specifically an interesting take on Wonder Woman. I'm still wondering why DC would go to the trouble of getting a big name novelist to write this title and then impose a story on her that seems so at odds with what she wants to do. Also, what the hell is up with the killer bees? Seriously? Killer bees? Wasn't Wonder Woman being held captive in order to get some advanced piece of weaponry that the Amazons had? On a final note, I really don't think Nemesis is going to die, which is why I am so surprised that they had him figure out Wonder Woman's secret identity so soon. Maybe I'm wrong though. I was completely confused by his monologue though. Did he not get to choose his own name? At least the cover was cool:


Runaways #27: Leave it to Joss Whedon to make the always tricky, and rarely successful, concept of time travel work. He isn't just telling some story where the kids have a wacky adventure in the past, and considering the revelation at the end, it almost seems surprising that it has taken so long for Runaways to have a time travel story. Not only are the pieces falling into place with regard to the events that happened while they were still in the present, but complexities are being added to the characters and the relationships. Even Leapfrog might be more than it seems. Also, this entire page was just priceless:

I think I have a new favorite character. I still miss Vaughn and Alphona, but Whedon and Ryan are doing a bang up job. Finally, while I don't think I have ever met a Jo Chen cover I didn't like, this one is probably her best ever:


Sensational Spider-Man #38: I stopped reading this title during Aguirre-Sacasa's first story arc (and after sticking it out through the entirety of Hudlin's run too), but decided to pick this issue up because I was curious to see what he could have planned for an Eddie Brock story now that Brock isn't Venom. After reading this issue, I think I may have made a mistake. It's not the best writing, but there is a lot of interesting stuff going on and he has a really good handle on these characters. There's a good flow to the narrative, as it shifts perspective from Brock, to MJ, to Spider-Man, and then back to Brock. Brock is losing his mind here, and it is genuinely creepy. I'm enjoying Lee Weeks' art as well. I don't think he was the artist the last time I picked up this title, because I recall the art being one of my major complaints with it. It's also nice to see the original Venom design again. As much as I have always thought he was an overrated villain, he was always cool looking. The new Venom, in addition to being less interesting, just looks dumb (it's the eyes). My favorite part though is probably MJ's speech to the comatose Aunt May. It's no secret that I love MJ, so I naturally like when she's given some real moments of her own to shine. Again, the writing here is not the best (I'd like to think that it was intentionally written as overly melodramatic, because, well, she's MJ), but the sentiment is. I have always been fond of the relationship between MJ and Aunt May, and the speech highlights that bond, as well as showing how much she has taken Peter's own feelings about guilt and responsibility onto herself. From dingbat, party girl who wanted nothing more than fame and fortune, to this. Peter and Mary Jane really are a lot more alike than a lot of people seem to understand.

Spider-Man Fairy Tales #2: While the first issue of this series, was, in addition to being one of the most adorable comic books I have ever read, clearly identifiable as being about Peter and, even more so, Mary Jane, the connection is a bit harder to see in this issue. However, the story here, which is based on African folklore (I couldn't tell you if it is a real folk tale or not), is very much about power and responsibility - the issues at the core of any good Spider-Man story. It's also about the power of friendship, which is odd to me, since Spider-Man is more of a loner, but I guess it's about him joining the New Avengers, much like the Red Riding Hood story was about Peter and MJ's marriage. Maybe the next issue will be a fairy tale version of "Sins Past" and then the mini series will wrap up with a Native American folklore rendition of "The Other." Then we will have JMS's whole Amazing Spider-Man run in the far more entertaining fairy tale form. Kidding aside though, the thing that makes this issue worthwhile is Niko Henrichon's art.

X-Men: Endangered Species: I'm not a fan of the fact that the mutant population has been cut down to only 198 (and now less). I think it ruins the metaphor of mutants as a minority group. (Quite frankly, if there are less than 200 of them in the world and there cannot be any more of them born, they're basically irrelevant on a societal scale.) I also didn't think that a lot of the things that happened to the mutant population in the wake of House of M made much sense. (I guess Marvel was going for an analogy to Native Americans being put on reservations, but it really didn't work because the issues leading up to it were so completely different.) All that considered, I was surprised to find myself actually interested in where Carey is going to take this. While I do think the essence of what Marvel's mutant population has always been representative of has been completely undermined, the population dilemma that the X-Men are facing is an interesting one. (I'll also add that it's long overdue for the X-books to be dealing with it.) Carey also handles the characters quite well here, providing several good moments, particularly the conversations between Professor X and Sebastian Shaw and Cyclops and Wolverine. All this adds up to me having to start reading X-Men comics again, which really, really sucks. Also, how skanky is it to wear fishnet stockings to a funeral?

Scout Attacks! week 17: Michael Turner Is Just Bad

This past week, UPS failed to deliver a bunch of boxes to the comic shop I frequent, so I missed out on the X-Men: Endangered Species one shot, Sensational Spider-Man, Spike: Shadow Puppets, and The Tick Twentieth Anniversary Special. How much does that suck? Hopefully I will be able to get them this Wednesday.

The Brave and the Bold #4: This issue seems like filler. While there is some amusing interaction between Supergirl and Lobo, their storyline seems irrelevant and unnecessary. However, this is still an entertaining read, so while I would normally complain about wasting my time and money, I won't. Sometimes being entertaining is more than enough. Also, the half-Batman/half-Cyborg is awesome.

Justice League of America #10: Apparently, DC reduced Power Girl's breast size from the version of the cover that was previewed. That's a nice gesture and all, but it's still an ugly ass cover and Power Girl still looks like a deformed elf who is completely stoned. I look forward to the day when we can all move past the "Michael Turner covers are sexist" debate and onto the agreement that Michael Turner is just a really bad artist. The story inside isn't much prettier than the cover. Basically, what we learned in this issue is that everything we read for the past however-many-issues-this-crossover-was was pretty pointless. They could have condensed it to two issues and it wouldn't have made any difference. The JLA and the JSA meet up with a bunch of time traveling members of the Legion of Superheroes who are getting together to bring back the Flash. There was no need for all the amnesia and searching and all that stuff. It wasn't interesting or entertaining enough to warrant all the time put into it - just a bunch of issues of the JSA and the JLA on a wild goose chase and ultimately not doing anything. I would have preferred and extended six issue story arc about the game of capture the flag from the first issue ending with Wally West walking into the Hall of Justice saying, "Hey! What did I miss?" All the interesting stuff that hinted at greater conspiracies and events, like the fact that the Legion of Superheroes appeared to bring someone else back in addition to Wally and his family or the white gorilla born in Gorilla City or the Ultra Humanite stuff, is apparently going to be dealt with elsewhere, presumably Countdown. That's just wasting my time, and not in a good way, especially since I have dropped Countdown with no intention of buying it again (until Ollie's bachelor party, anyway).

Highwaymen #1: This was entertaining enough, if fairly generic. Two over the hill adventurers come out of retirement to deal with something from their past. Old guys with guns is practically a genre in and of itself, and it's one I'm fond of, but this story doesn't do anything to set itself apart. Also, it seemed to be trying too hard to be clever in parts (like the whole "President Clinton...no, the other President Clinton" thing), and, in the end, it was somewhat forgettable.

The Amazing Spider-Man #541: My first reaction when I finished reading this issue was "There are seriously going to more issues in this storyline? Is the next issue just going to be page after page of Spider-Man getting his ass kicked by the inmates?" On top of that, this just isn't very interesting. The outcome is a foregone conclusion, mostly because we know that Kingpin isn't dead from other Marvel comics, but also because of the simple fact that this is Spider-Man. It's just tiresome. It's also not very believable. I don't think I really buy Spidey having these reactions, unless it had been one continuous tear between May being shot to Kingpin. The more time he takes, whether it be to call MJ or to sit at May's bedside, the less likely his actions seem. This also marks the second storyline in a row where it would actually seem relevant for him to be thinking about Gwen Stacy, and yet he isn't, so I had to sit through House of M: Spider-Man for nothing.

Captain America #27: This is another comic where not a lot happens in this issue, but it doesn't matter because it's so well done. Basically, it's just more of everyone dealing with Cap's death, while Bucky continues to be bad ass. He goes to the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian, sees that the shield on display there is a fake and sets out to get the real one because he doesn't think Tony Stark deserves to get to keep it; he fights the Black Widow and we learn that they used to have a relationship; the Falcon and Sharon are sent out stop him, but get there too late; Sharon wears an interesting but cool white cat suit; and Black widow informs Tony Stark that Bucky is out to kill him. Ultimately, that's the most interesting thing about this issue as I am intrigued to know what Stark is going to do about it. Also, I don't think I've mentioned this before, but part of what makes this title so much cooler than the other ones I read is, in addition to the amazing work by Brubaker and Epting, it has flying cars. They're just cool.

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #3: I've been enjoying this series, but this issue was made infinitely cooler by an appearance from Dr. Doom. He makes everything better. Also, this issue has anthropomorphic animals as an added bonus, and Wieringo makes them look adorable. This mini is just fun., and that's enough. I know it's a long shot, but I think it would be cool if Jeff Parker were one of the new Amazing Spider-Man writers.

Spider-Man Mythos: The world probably didn't need another retelling of Spider-Man's origin, but it's such a good story, and I am so partial to Spidey, that I am rarely able to resist them. Fortunately, this one features some pretty solid writing and some really beautiful art. I thought the appearance by Conan O'Brien was a bit weird though. I prefer the pro-wrestling.

Scout Attacks! week 16: Skrull Edition

Before I begin, I just want to announce that Skrulls are going to be my new thing. I'm going to blame everything on Skrulls from now on, or at least until I get tired of it. If it's anything like Superboy Prime's time punch, that could take a while.

Fables #60: James Jean's cover is gorgeous. His covers are always gorgeous, but this cover is particularly so. I wasn't as impressed with the rest of the issue. It was typically good. An average issue of Fables is still better than most other comics. It just felt a like filler. I realize that certain things, like Flycatcher's transformation, the exposition about Lancelot, and everything with Hansel were important to moving the story forward, but they all seemed like relatively minor developments to build and entire issue around. I'm assuming that this was a matter of pacing though. I expect awesomeness in the next issue.

Green Arrow #75: I don't even know what to say about this issue. It wasn't good. There were several groan-worthy moments. I cannot even fathom why Batman would have developed something that could not only dissolve a wall into a water-like substance, but happens to smell like milk and honey. It is quite possibly one of the dumbest things I have read in a comic book in quite some time, which, given the state of Marvel right now, is saying something. Then there's the fact that the whole thing is basically just a missive on how wonderful Oliver Queen is. My least favorite part of the issue though is when Slade is about to kill Dinah and Ollie pleads with him to kill him instead. This is dumb in so many ways. The first being that Slade obviously intends to kill both of them and Ollie is an idiot for thinking that Slade would just kill him and leave Dinah alone. The second is that the whole scene is obviously meant to show how much he loves Dinah and can't live without her, but the point is completely blown by the fact that he's a superhero, one with no powers I might add, and lays his life down for other people all the time. I am knew to these characters, but it seems to me that the best way to show Ollie's devotion to Dinah would be to show him being a decent guy over a period of time. Grand life and death gestures just don't cut it for people who deal in life and death all the time. It's emotionally hollow. I'm not inherently against the pairing since I'm not all that familiar with the characters, but these issues have done nothing to sell me on it either. There are a lot of things that can be dictated by editorial mandate and rushed into being story-wise. Good romance is not one of those things. Also, as someone who is primarily interested in Black Canary, I am concerned about the upcoming joint Black Canary/Green Arrow series being scripted by Winick. Has the entire series been all wonder and praise to the glory of Oliver Queen while he's been writing it, or has it just been part of the rushed romance and showing that he's changed and is worthy of Dinah? If it's the former, I have no interest in reading a series where Dinah is going to spend all her time gushing about how awesome Ollie is. Anyway, at the end of the issue, Ollie proposes, even though they have only been back together for approximately 2 nanoseconds, and we are left on a cliffhanger for her answer. Given the DC solicits for September, it's the opposite of what I would advise. I'm still totally going to buy all the special wedding issues though. This one especially looks super cute:

Supernatural Origins #2: Things start to get exciting, dark and really morally questionable in this issue. It's clear that this series will be about showing how John Winchester went from normal, loving and good husband and father to the man we saw on the television show. Some mysterious new characters are introduced also, and I am interested to see if they are what they claim to be. One in particular has the potential to be a mentor figure who teaches John how to hunt, but something about him doesn't seem quite right. This is getting pretty good. I also really like the art. It's more along the lines of a B.P.R.D. as opposed to the average licensed property and it really adds to the tone, as well as making it feel more like it was meant to be comic book rather than just something based on a television show.

Avengers Classic #1: Not being up on my Avengers history, I'm really happy about getting to start from the beginning, and I always love reprints of 60s stuff. Lee and Kirby were...well, they were Lee and Kirby. 'Nuff said. But I really like the new stuff too. First of all, the Art Adams cover is gorgeous. Then there's Dwayne McDuffie's story which is seriously fun. I love how the Wasp plays on the team's sexism to get to become the first Avengers (secret) chairman. It fits so well with the way the female characters were written back then, while subtly subverting it. The whole story is very funny. Finally, there's "The real Origin of the Avengers!" by Stan Lee, which follows the "Stan as ultimate huckster" thing that we have seen in a lot of his stories where he meets his characters. It's still amusing. "I'll finally be able to buy a saddle!" is definitely the line of the week.

New Avengers #31: It's pretty pointless to discuss anything but the big reveal at the end, like the fact that the art in this issue is just weird and the story doesn't really flow well from panel to panel in certain places, so I'm just going to get to it. First of all, if the writer has to go around to every major comics website explaining what the huge reveal in the comic means, the reveal doesn't work. Simple as that. I'm not sure why the reveal didn't work. I think part of it was that it was Elektra, as opposed to someone more major or in a position of power in Shield or something. Elektra being a Skrull just doesn't seem to be all that important to the greater Marvel Universe. Also, when New Avengers began, the conspiracy plot was really at the forefront and was by far the most interesting thing about the book, but it got dropped in order to deal with Civil War, thereby causing it to lose its momentum. And then there's the question of why Wolverine couldn't smell the difference in Elektra, but I assume that's an issue that will be dealt with at some point. (I strongly suspect that they are going to reveal that Elektra has been a Skrull since her first death anyway.) That said, I think the concept is pretty cool. While there is absolutely a chance for Marvel to take this way too far and reboot everything, making everything that's happened in the last few years pointless, the stories that can grow out of it in the future have a great deal of potential. Unlike Civil War, which was socially relevant in a heavy handed and insulting way, the idea that anyone can be a Skrull is pretty creepy and socially relevant like really great science fiction or horror. It's like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. OK, so it's not terribly original, but to my knowledge it has never been done in superhero comics. I'm really looking forward to seeing where they go with this, but I'm preparing myself for disappointment. Other than that, this issue wasn't very good. Really, this arc was only interesting during the flashbacks in the earlier issues. I liked the banter between Spider-Man and Ronin/Hawkeye, but I'm still pissed off that Spidey's characterization is completely different in every book. Also, if either Jessica Jones or Luke Cage are Skrulls, which is very possible with that creepy baby moment, I will personally storm Marvel's offices. I love them, and just...no. They can't be Skrulls. That is final.

I'm starting to think I made a mistake in not picking up World War Hulk #1. I don't really have any interest in the Hulk, but I love John Romita Jr. and I have a strong desire to see Iron Man get his ass kicked.

Scout Attacks! week 14: To Grandmother's House I Go

I'm thinking my favorite comic of the week will be as much of a surprise to you as it was to me. It really had no right to be as good as it was.

Countdown #48: This issue wasn't as good as last week's, but it's held my attention for at least another week. I really want to see what's going to happen with Mary Marvel and Black Adam, since he's still got my interest held over from 52. Also, Jimmy Olsen had superspeed this week, so I really want to know what the deal is with his spontaneously appearing powers. Finally, something shadowy and mysterious killed a New God named Lightray. Superman got very melodramatic about it, finishing his sentences in big red letters. They're setting up a lot of potentially interesting things here, it's just not nearly as accessible as 52 was and far less character driven, which was the real strength of that series. All that is making it a bit difficult to get really invested in this series, especially since so much of it is interwoven with what is going on in the rest of the DCU.

Action Comics #850: Renato Guedes is back! I love him. Seriously. I want to marry this art and have its babies. OK. That's an exaggeration. I want to marry John Cassaday's art and have its babies. This art can be my starter marriage. Anyway, this anniversary issue was a nice look at Superman continuity as it stands now in the One Year Later DCU, without giving everything a way so there's still plenty to reveal in the year(s) to come, which is why it makes sense that this issue was written by the three main Superman writers. Also, we got to see Krypto, which was cool (but also a dirty tease since we are still waiting on Busiek's Krypto story), and the look at all the different versions of Superman was a lot of fun. This issue gets bonus points for making fun of his 1990s hair style. I love stories that touch on Superman's isolation. The way the story jumped around, it was hard to get a really capitalize on the emotion of that, but they did a good job of capturing what his life is like in a few key moments. I thought the scene where Flash asked for his autograph, showing that even the other superheroes see him as something other, and his dinner with Lois were especially poignant. What this story did an excellent job of showing was how Supergirl came to understand her cousin better and how much it must mean to him to have her in his life now. I'm sure it's not to everyone's liking, but I find the interaction between them to be pretty realistically familial.

Amazons Attack #2: I think this issue made it pretty clear that there's something wrong with Hippolyta, since even the other Amazons are questioning her judgment now. I'm guessing she's either not really Hippolyta or Circe brought her back from the dead wrong somehow. If this was Marvel, I would say she was a zombie. I liked the first issue of this series, but now it just seems superfluous. What exactly is being provided here that's necessary to the story that we are not getting in Wonder Woman? I suppose we're getting to see what the other superheroes are doing, but since they're really not doing much, it doesn't seem like we needed to see more of them than we did in the last issue of Wonder Woman. We did get the obligatory scene where Batman questioned Wonder Woman's loyalty. Just once I would love to see the inevitable moment of silence while Batman decides whether or not he believes the other person to end with him saying "I'm just messin' with ya. Pretending to be the old un-trusting asshole I used to be. Bad joke. Sorry. My old Bat-dick days are way behind me." It's never going to happen though. The big cliffhanger is Superman rushing off to Kansas to save his parents. Whatever. They're not going to die. They're going to survive so that later in the year Jonathan Kent can die of a heart attack.

Justice Society of America #6: This was a weird issue because a ton of stuff happened, but also nothing at all happened. And the only thing I know about the Legion of Superheroes is what I have learned from the Saturday morning cartoon (I'll miss you Ferro Lad. *sniffle*), so all that stuff was really confusing to me. What I did learn this issue is that Liberty Belle is one of those obnoxious newly married people who want to marry off everyone else. I did like the reference to Kingdom Come (Earth 22) and he fact that the Multiverse is what messed up Starman's head. I do think something fairly intriguing is being set up here between this crossover and Countdown with regard to all that and I just think it sucks that it's going to take all year to get to the bottom of it. There's also a really cool fight with a robot tentacle monster, who I think the reader is expected to recognize as someone, but I don't. It still looks great though. I kind of love Eaglesham's art. He's draws really pretty men too. I'm just saying. His Karate Kid could totally land a starring role on a CW show.

New Avengers Illuminati: This issue had a huge retcon with regard to the Beyonder, and frankly, my memory isn't good enough to say whether it worked or not. Being free of the burdens of continuity as I am, this was a pretty enjoyable issue. Not as good as the first two, but interesting. (It's also possible that I would enjoy anything with Jim Cheung's art, since I'm still in Young Avengers withdrawal after all this time.) I really liked Black Bolt here with his struggle to remember, and also Namor's understanding of how to deal with the Beyonder because he was the only one who understood how a king relates to his subject, and vice versa. That was a nice touch. I am curious on one point though. Am I missing a crucial part of Dr. Strange's backstory with regard to his love interests or is his greatest desire simply to have a threesome? That seems a little unambitious, considering Namor wants to take over the surface world. Finally, while I'm enjoying this series, I'm concerned about where exactly it is heading. With the gems from the Infinity Gauntlet divided between the members of the Illuminati, all of whom are about to get their asses kicked by the Hulk, and the Beyonder running around somewhere on Earth, it seems like the pieces are being put into place for Marvel to pull their own version of Superboy Prime punching time.

Spider-Man Fairy Tales #1: I fully admit to being a complete sucker for Spidey. I've gotten better over the years. I don't feel the need to pick up every single comic with him in it. I've gotten so good that I am currently only reading one of his monthly titles (though the urge to pick up the other 2 main Marvel universe titles is strong), but when something new comes out I am physically compelled to at least give it a try. What I am saying is, I didn't want to buy this comic book. I had to buy this comic book, and I am so glad I did. It was by far the most enjoyable thing I read this week, and it was a fairly decent week. Anyway, I loved it. It was adorable. I want this to officially replace the actual Little Red Riding Hood story as the one that is commonly known. People should be reading this to their children at night. You might ask why I think that, and I will tell you. First of all, it is Spider-Man, which makes everything better. Second of all, Mary Jane is all about her independence and not being a damsel in distress. She's a much better role model than the average fairy tale character. Peter too is great as a boy who believes he's meant for something a little bit more than just being your average wood cutter. In the end they learn that it's all about working together and being equals. Also, kudos to C.B Cebulski for distilling several years of the Peter/MJ marital life into one little fable. As great a job as I think J. M. Strazynski has done with that relationship, Cebulski managed to get the same point across in one comic. My one disappointment with this story was that I expected the Big Bad Wolf to turn out to be recognizable as one of the regular Spidey villains. I suppose it could have been Venom, or at least the symbiote, but it just looked like a big, black, shadowy wolf.

Spider-Man Fairy Tales also raised another question with me about the Marvel ratings system. It seemed perfectly suitable for "All Ages," but it was rated "A." I'm further confused by the fact that Illuminati is rated "T+," which I would have thought would be for slightly younger readers than "A." However, the "A" rated Spider-Man Fairy Tales was all perfectly innocent, while the "T+" rated Illuminati had two panels of Dr. Strange in bed with two obviously naked women. This is going to require further investigation.

Scout Attacks! week 13: The One Where I Have Memory Trouble

I read these comics on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, but couldn't write the reviews until now because I went away for the weekend. I'm not sure I remember them all that well. I had trouble finding the comics when I sat down to do this too, so I wasn't even sure I remembered what I was supposed to review. This is going to be tough, so don't expect too much from me. Good thing it was a light week.

Countdown #49: This was a make it or break it week for this book. I was set to stop buying it, but this issue guaranteed that I would be back next week at the very least. That's largely due to the last page cliffhanger with Mary Marvel and Black Adam. Also, while the resolution to the previous week's cliffhanger with Jimmy Olsen made as little sense as the cliffhanger itself, the fact that it looks like someone has been slipping him Ralph Dibny's Gingold Juice is pretty interesting. Considering how little I remember of everything else, I'm going to say that it was pretty meh, but I think the stuff with the Monitors and Flash's rogues have potential.

Birds of Prey #106: This issue was pretty much just one big brawl, and tons of fun. All the match ups are entertaining in and of themselves and provide a bunch of nice little character moments. Misfit versus Harley Quinn is just delightful and I am really enjoying the Huntress/Catman interaction. Finally, I know absolutely nothing about Ice, but if her power is to create and control a giant ice monster, that is so cool. So. So. Cool. Oh yeah, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Scandal isn't dead, since there's a coffin on next month's cover. That always means fake out.

Wonder Woman #9: I have to say that while the writing still isn't great, Jodi Picoult is improving with every issue. It's actually a shame that her run is almost over. I think if she had another arc on the title, it might have been really good. It would have been even better if she had worked on a less high profile character first before trying her hand at Wonder Woman. As usual, there's interesting stuff going on here, but the execution just feels a bit off in places. For example, the joke about aiming for a metaphor by toppling the Washington Monument was a good one, it just felt forced. Also, I kind of felt like Black Canary should have said it instead of Batman. And I just never know how I feel about Nemesis. He can be obnoxious, and he's clearly got a super heroine fetish, but sometimes his interaction Diana is cute. I still can't get my head around the idea of them together though. Then there's Diana's interaction with her mother. I love what Picoult is going for here. The blind faith that her mother would never do anything like this coupled with the desperate desire to have her mother back is so real and honest. Anyway, all the players seem to be putting the pieces of the conspiracy puzzle together. Everyman's involvement makes me wonder if perhaps Lex Luthor is involved somehow, since last time we saw him, at least that I know of, he was still working for Luthor back in 52. The book ends with Circe getting a spear to the chest and fading away Yoda-style. Somehow I don't think a goddess can be killed like that though. On a final note, Dodson's art is beautiful, as always, but looks a bit rushed in some places, particularly at the beginning (and I can't be the only person that hates the way he draws Superman's face). Everything at the end looks incredible though.

Captain America #26: I think I would love anything in this book just because of Epting's art. It's phenomenal. Fortunately, Brubaker is still doing great things with this story. This issue had a really good balance between the ongoing storyline with the Red Skull and having the supporting characters deal with Cap's death. It still amazes me how well bringing Bucky back has worked. I don't think it will ever stop amazing me, because it really, really should have sucked. He really shouldn't try and kill Tony Stark though. As much as that might make me laugh, Cap wouldn't have liked it and Bucky really needs to get out of the cycle of violence and death. Also, poor Sharon. Her head's been royally fucked with. that is so not cool. I didn't know that Cap and her aunt were once a thing though. That's kind of creepy. Falcon's the only one of them who's holding it together. One last thing. Does Arnim Zola remind anyone else of Krang? It's the whole exosuit thing.

So, I kind of fucked up Spider-Man month. I'm disappointed with myself about that, but in the past two months, I have been blogging a lot more than I ever had before. That counts for something, right? Anyway, I still plan on doing my post about Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1. That would have been done last week, but my scanner mysteriously stopped working, and the whole fun of that post was going to be the pictures. It seems to have mysteriously started working again, so I will get to that soon. The other posts I had planned I will just do when I had originally planned to do them before I decided to declare May Spider-Man month. And, of course, I'm still me, so there will be other Spidey related posts that pop up, I am sure.

Scout Attacks! week 12: Hookers, Gorillas, Ducklings and the Goddamn Batman

Before I begin, I would just like to ask why the hell didn't I buy Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #5? Look at it. It is awesome. I'm thinking of changing my Cyclops quote to either "Out of my way, sperm bank" or "I love being the goddamn Batman!" What is Frank Miller smoking and can I have some?

Action Comics #849: I like what Nicieza was trying to do with this storyline, or at least what I think he was trying to do, but I don't think it really worked. Religion and faith are always a tough subjects to tackle, especially in a mainstream superhero comic where it can't really be tackled head on. I did like the way he wrote Clark/Superman and the fact that Nicieza had Clark ask himself these questions though. When a character professes to believe in something, stand for something, as Superman does, it is important for it what those beliefs actually mean to be addressed periodically. I just think it falls flat here. It's not as compelling as it should be. Still, I think this issue may have been a bit better than the last. The art burns my eyes less, at the very least. I'm not sure though if that's because it's actually better or because I was prepared for it this month.

Batman #665: First of all, I want to say that this issue has a pretty creepy and cool cover. The thing that strikes me most about what Morrison is doing with Batman is not all the craziness, which I do appreciate, but how much humanity he brings to the character. It's always been interesting to me that this character whose main selling point is that he has no super powers is always written as almost completely inhuman in his abilities. Morrison's Batman may be able to do some incredible things, but it's a struggle for him. He has fears. He has pain. He has limitations. He also writes Bruce Wayne as an actual part of who he is rather than just a facade. Maybe this isn't all that new for some people, but from my limited experience with Batman comics, it's fairly rare. I much prefer it this way though. Anyway, alot of stuff happens in this issue. Batman gets his ass saved by a hooker, has a dream that references the three ghosts in Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and reminds us that his back was once broken. (Hey, why was he able to heel his broken back enough to get back to being Batman but Barbara is still in a wheel chair? What gives?) Tim sets off to prove that he's a way better and more worthy son than that crazy Damien kid and almost gets killed. Batman literally rubs himself down in testosterone in order to get enough mojo going to defeat the huge, hooker killing, fake Batman, then chats with Gordon about the big ass conspiracy against him. Meanwhile, Talia is all jealous because Bruce is making out with that supermodel he went out with last issue and Damien needs a full organ harvest and replacement, but his mama's proud of him. (Again, full organ harvest and replacement, and I am sure he will get back to be the bestest little assassin ever, but Barbara is still in a wheel chair. It's like they never even tried to get her better.) It's good stuff. I am really enjoying Morrison's run here.

Countdown #50: I still don't know what I think about this series. A lot of this stuff doesn't make much sense, and I don't mean that in a good way, or even in a I-have-limited-knowledge-of the DC Universe-so-I-don't-get-it way. It's just off. The cliffhanger with Jimmy Olsen is the perfect example of this. Also, how does Jimmy know everyone in the Bat-family's secret identities? Has Supes been a little too loose lipped with his pal? What I do like about this is the Law & Order-like tone to the scene where Jimmy is interviewing Red Hood for information, and the Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling vibe I get from Jimmy interviewing the Joker. I find that to be especially promising. The Mary Marvel plot is intriguing, but it would clearly help to be more invested in the character going into it. The scenes with flash's Rogues gallery are entertaining, but feel pointless. There's a lot of harping on trust issues and harping on the Trickster and Pied Piper being turncoats. I'm already getting impatient with that. Finally, this issus also includes the missing Batman/Karate Kid fight from Justice League of America. I'm happy to see that Batman didn't win - he needed help from Black Lightning - just because he got all jealous about Superman ranking Karate Kid as a higher level fighter. Don't worry Batman. Karate Kid may be a better fighter, but Superman still loves you best.

Fables #61: I'm going to get right to it. I am psyched about the reveal of who the Forsworn Knight is (or was, since he's dead) and I hope it leads to us getting to see more of the characters from those particular stories. I also really want to know how he got to be the Forsworn Knight. I'm really worried about Fly Catcher though. I already kind of miss the lovable character he used to be. If anything bad happens to him, I swear....I don't know. I guess I'll be really sad but I will keep reading. Everything else is more talk of intrigue and war plans. Things are obviously building to something big and despite the fact that it is just a lot of talk at this point, the building tension is making for a really good read.

Justice League of America #9: This issue is a little weird because it's still just a lot of talking, but there's also a lot of stuff going on. And we are heavily into a lot of DC continuity and character stuff that I don't understand at all. Frankly, I'm a bit lost on everything. Brad Meltzer just seems to be having so much fun writing this though, and I find it somewhat infectious. Also, I'm really enjoying some of these characters. (Unfortunately, I think I am going to have to start reading JSA, because Power Girl is awesome.) Oddly enough, the thing I didn't get that bothered me most of all was when the group that went to Thanagar to find the Legionnaire Dawnstar, and she wasn't there but someone with her Legionnaire ring is, Roy just randomly monologues about how Hawkman will never get that just because you truly loved one person, it doesn't mean you can't truly love another. What does that mean? Is Hawkman going to fall in love with Dawnstar, or this woman that they thought was Dawnstar but wasn't? Really weird. Anyway, the thing I loved about this issue was the trip to Gorilla City. That two page spread with the Gorillas racing on the dinosaurs was freaking awesome. However, there is no way that Vixen, channeling a cheetah, could keep pace with a Flash, even an old one.

Ultimates #13: It would be so much better if this issue wasn't so late that I can't remember what actually happened in the previous issues. I believe there was more awesomeness before though. I'm glad that Thor didn't turn out to be crazy. That huge spread is just ridiculous. Incredible stuff there. It was, however, really hard to look at on the train, which is where I read this issue. I really wish Millar would stop doing that thing where the hero, or whoever is down, then says something inappropriately smug considering he's down for the count, and then BAM! There's a reversal, whether it be an Asgardian army or Vision showing up to disable Iron Man's army. That's gotten really old, and has been really old since well before Millar even had a career. It's a tired cliche in any medium. Also, it's amazing how much I like drunken, womanizing douchebag Ultimate Tony Stark. Maybe it's because he's an acknowledged as an asshole by himself and others. Also, the drunken Howard Hughes charm goes a long way. Finally, just to show how Millar's Ultimates takes things too the most disturbing extreme of the regular Marvel Universe, we have the continued relationship between Janet and Hank Pym and the Scarlet Witch flirts with an Ultron robot. The thing that really won me over about this issue though was the Captain America flashback at the end. It was a nice book end to Millar and Hitch's story, which started with Captain America way back in Ultimates 1 #1.

X-Men: First Class Special: I love this issue just as much as all the other ones. I don;'t think you are ever going to get a complaint from me about this series. It is pure love. Anyway, this Special is made up of three rather sweet and funny short stories, and three mini comics, all written by Jeff Parker but with different artists. I believe my favorite of the stories is "A Girl and Her Dragon" with art by Paul Smith. Maybe it's just my love for Jean Grey, but this one was especially sweet, and the art was fantastic. The mini comics, all with art by Colleen Coover, were just adorable. I don't think anyone has ever seen a story about Magneto and public restrooms or the X-Men and little ducklings before, but I think the world is a little better now that we have. However, much like Parker's Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four series, I am baffled by the rating. It's obvious that this series is geered towards younger readers, yet the rating is "A" instead of "AA." I am correct in my belief that "A" stands for "Adult" and "AA" stands for "All Ages." Aren't I?

Scout Attacks! week 11: Playing Heroclix With Darkseid

Countdown #51: I have no idea why I allowed myself to get sucked into another weekly comic, but I'm fairly certain it had something to do with the name Paul Dini, Darkseid, DC's clever ad campaign, and instant gratification. Anyway, I was completely confused during this issue. Isn't Red Hood a bad guy? Where did all these Monitor guys come from? Didn't there used to just be the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor? And didn't they both die or something during Crisis on Infinite Earths? I'm guessing the whole bit about the monitors will be explained. I'm not so sure about Red Hood. I did like that the book opened up with Darkseid and his minion playing with DC Heroclix though (not really, but that's what it looked like). I'm going to give this book a couple more weeks before I make my final decision.

Green Arrow #74: I bought this book because of Black Canary and the lead up to next issue's proposal. I picked up the last issue as well, because it was part one of the storyline. I liked it. I can't attest to characterization or anything like that, because I know nothing about these characters besides liking Green Arrow a hell of a lot on JLU, but there was good humor and action and character stuff that I thought was interesting and came together nicely. I didn't feel completely lost as a new reader, which is something I have grown to really appreciate. I didn't like this issue as much. Ollie and Dinah apparently spend 40 hours having sex, which is fine, if a little weird considering how much is going on, but then they get all conversational. That's when it gets not so good, specifically when Dinah starts gushing about how much Ollie has changed. I can see her appreciating the changes he's made, especially when it comes to Roy, but it gets way too sappy. This whole thing just reads like the editorial mandate, and far too rushed. I kind of hope that when he proposes, she says no, just stretch it out a bit and make it seem more natural.

Amazing Spider-Man #540: I'm having trouble buying this story. Spider-Man is throwing people out windows and talking about how he's going to kill the person responsible, but it's pretty obvious that's not going to happen. He's going to come to the realization that he's not a murderer and Aunt May wouldn't want him to be come one, etc., etc. Haven't we been there before, maybe not with Aunt May specifically, but just in general? It certainly feels like we have. It shouldn't take Peter this long to think of that. MJ being all, "You go bash in some heads, honey. I'm totally supportive of that" seems way off too. The story seems rather contrived and cliche as well. On a more nit picky note, no one in Manhattan just says "the train station." It's Penn Station or Grand Central. How did Spider-Man know which one to go to? He figured it out though, since he went to Grand Central and managed to track down the sniper there. Then there's the fact that Spidey is just standing around in Grand Central, letting his spider-sense seek the sniper out, or whatever. That seriously bugged me. Spider-Man is supposed to be a wanted criminal. New York City's train stations are crawling with cops and National Guard and nobody notices the guy in the black costume with the big white spider on his chest and calls in Shield's cape killers? I call bullshit. It wouldn't have bothered me a year ago, but if Marvel Comics insists on taking a "realistic" approach to superheroes, then they have to actually deal with the realities of the world we live in.

The New Avengers #30: Never being an Avengers reader, I have no real prior exposure to Clint Barton, but now having met him, I think I love him. He's almost as awesome as that lawyer that was in the last issue. (It still would have been cooler if Ronin was Zombie Cap though.) The most interesting thing about this issue though is Luke Cage bringing up the idea of some sort of conspiracy going on, which was one of the interesting concepts that Bendis was playing with when the series started, but then got ignored. There's also a crazy purity spell that made no sense and Doctor Strange getting killed by some ninjas. I'm betting it won't take.

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #2: I love this book. It's so much fun. Sure it's completely superficial and the alien threat is barely worth caring about, but the characterization is great. Also, I love how polite the aliens are, and how they retain a certain amount of personality. When the people are assimilated, they don't just become Borg wannabes. I thought that was a pretty clever take on a fairly average alien assimilation story, and it fits much better with the light hearted tone of the series. Anyway, with Reed going off on a fact finding mission in space, Spidey's the team's science guy for the time being. It should be fun to see the remaining members of the Fantastic Four completely flout his authority. One thing I don't understand is why this book has an "Adult" rating. I think it could easily be an "All Ages" or at least "Teen" title, as could X-Men: First Class, which also carries and "Adult" rating. I just don't see what grounds there is for this story to carry the same rating as one where Spider-Man threatens to kill people and Doctor Strange gets gutted by a ninja.

OK, that's the end of that. I know it's already halfway through the month and I haven't done any of the Spider-Man Month things I said I was going to do, but I promise I will get to it, and hey, there were two Spidey books in this week's reviews, so that counts for something. Doesn't it? Oh, and I decided that for the season finale of Smallville, I am going to blog my reactions as I watch it. Based on spoilers, I thought it would be fun. We'll see.

Third Time, Not So Much the Charm

Huh...so, Spider-Man III. What to say? What to say? Honestly, I'm not sure what I thought about it, and that's what has taken so long with me getting this post up. Also, every time a comic book movie comes out, I swear that I am going to do an objective review of it, and then find myself unable to do so. Anyway, I guess the bottom line was that I was disappointed. I still really enjoyed it, but the first two films set a really high standard. They are two of the best, if not the best comic book adaptations ever made. This was more on par with Superman II. It was entertaining, but not really good. Spoilers follow, so beware if you haven't seen the movie yet.

I think my biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked the heart of the first two films. I think it was interesting that they put Peter in a situation I don't think I have ever seen him in in any comic book, that of be well liked and accepted by the public at large. He's always been a kind of hero to the common city dweller, but opinion on him is generally fairly divided and he's never been accepted by establishment. Here he is getting the key to the city, and seems almost universally beloved (except for by J. Jonah Jameson, of course). However, I ultimately didn't really find the effect it had on him to be very entertaining to watch. I think the closest to this I have seen in a comic book was House of M: Spider-Man, and it's worth noting that I didn't find Peter especially likable there either. Exploring Spider-Man's dark side through the effects that the symbiote (black ooze) had on his psyche, is one thing. Watching Peter Parker act like a self-absorbed jerk and treat his friends and loved ones like a dick is something else entirely. Kissing another girl while he knew Mary Jane was watching, was bad, accidentally hitting MJ (which pissed me off when it happened during the "Clone Saga," but hey, at least she wasn't pregnant here), and blowing off the side of Harry's face was a little too much for me to watch.

The movie's other problem was the cluttered storyline and the glut of characters. However, that wasn't nearly as big a problem as I feared it would be though. The brothers Raimi and Alvin Sargent managed to intertwine all the plots really well. Schumacker's Batman movies, and even maybe Batman Returns, could have learned a thing or two from Spider-Man III. Still, the Harry and Sandman plots paralleled each other so nicely, that I really think they could have done away with Venom altogether and had a better, less complicated movie. As for the new characters and cast members, I think they all did a good job. I had noted in previous posts that I was upset about changing the story to make Flint Marko Uncle Ben's killer. I felt it was a needless change to the origin, and a betrayal of the character. I couldn't be happier at how wrong I was on that count. While changes were made to Marko, the film kept him true to form and Thomas Hayden Church was perfectly cast. The scene between Sandman and Peter at the end was one of my favorites of the whole film. Topher Grace, an unconventional choice for Eddie Brock, also did a good job. He's a talented and charismatic actor, so I wasn't really surprised by that. I felt that Venom's potential was wasted though. I've always thought he was the most overrated member of Spidey's rogues gallery, but the end just seemed like a waste.

Gwen Stacy, while not really any less bland than Mary Jane, was refreshing simply for not being nearly as mopey and being played by a much more charming actress. Kirsten Dunst continues to drag the cast down. While never an appropriate choice for the role of Mary Jane Watson, if she would at least bring some of the spark she brought to her performances in The Cat's Meow, The Virgin Suicides, and Elizabethtown, she might at least have succeeded at being less annoying. I continue to see the major failure of these adaptations to be the portrayal of the female characters, who, despite what Kirsten Dunst might think, are far more interesting and positive in the comic books. However, I do really hope that Gwen and MJ become close friends in the fourth installment. Part of that is because of my affection for the Peter, Gwen, MJ and Harry group dynamic of the comic books, and part of it is just because it would serve Peter right.

I think the best part of the movie was the Harry Osborne plot. The filmmakers managed to compress at least a decade, if not two, of the character's history from the comic book into this one movie. James Franco has done a wonderful job in the role since the first movie and he really shines here. Going into watching the film, I remarked that if the resolution of Harry's storyline didn't make me cry, the movie would have been a complete failure. Suffice it to say, it was not. I cheered when Harry showed up during the final battle and my heart broke during his final scene.

Also, the entire ending was incredible. I think the big finale battle may have been one of the best I have ever seen in a superhero movie, but it was the emotional punch of the follow up scenes that would make this movie a success. After all, it was the drama and character development that set the first two Spider-Man movies apart from the superhero pack. Another thing worth noting were the returning cameos. This may have been Bruce Campbell's most enjoyable appearance yet, and hearing Stan Lee say "'Nuff said" filled me with geek joy.

Looking back over these comments, they are far more negative than I actually felt while watching the movie itself. I suppose it was just enjoyable to watch, but doesn't hold up as well to scrutiny when all is said and done. In the end, I think I need to see it again in order to really form a final opinion on it. I do think that I might like it more the second time around since I will know what to expect. I'm dying to see some of those fight scenes, all of which rocked, by the way, in IMAX.

Scout Attacks! week 10: More Than the Usual Amount of Ninjas

This week we have Whedon, Whedon, and more Whedon, plus some other stuff...

52 Week 52: So it's finally over, and this issue had little to nothing to do with the rest of the series. Well, that's not true. The end has multiple codas with the various characters from the series, so that obviously relates. My favorite bits are the panel of the man in Kahndaq, clearly Black Adam, walking with a close up on his alligator boots ("Oh, Sobek!"), and Ralph and Sue Dibney as ghostly detectives. I think that is adorable, and I am so happy for them that they are together. What comic book universe couldn't use a ghostly detective couple anyway? The main plot of the issue though is Rip Hunter, Booster Gold and Supernova (but not the one that's actually Booster) trying to stop Mr. Mind from destroying the Multiverse. There are apparently 52 earths now, and it's very convoluted, but fairly enjoyable. I just don't understand why the earths are exact duplicates of New Earth, but then when Mr. Mind does his thing, they become different. It's confusing. The issue ends on the least interesting relationship that this series has presented - Rene Montoya and Batwoman. I'm bitter because when this series started, we had two really cool characters working together - Rene Montoya and Charlie (Vic Sage/The Question). They were awesome together. Now we have Rene Montoya as the new Question being dragged down by an underdeveloped romance with the the bland Batwoman. It sucks. Total downgrade. On the other hand, we have a cute ghostly detective couple. Overall, this series was kind of hit or miss. I'm not sure it was ultimately worth the investment, but there were some really stellar moments. Also, the J.G. Jones covers could not be beat. This last wrap around one wasn't the best of them, but it was still beautiful.

Detective Comics #832: Another fill in writer, which kind of sucks, but it's not a bad little mystery. It's not that great either, though. Had I known it was a fill in writer, I wouldn't have bought it, and I don't think I would have missed out on anything. Also, there were sharks. I hate sharks.

Superman #662: We're back to the storyline that about the apocalyptic future, and Busiek does a great job of getting into Supes' head and showing his thought process about the various mysteries he's dealing with. It's nice to see him investigating. Sometimes it seems like writers forget he's supposed to be smart too. I just really think Busiek is doing a great job with this character, and while some of the stand alone issues weren't the best, this is an interesting story that I'm genuinely interested in seeing how it turns out. Pacheco is also back with this issue and that's a welcome return, except for the fact that Lois still has that unfortunate haircut and Zatanna's outfit is...well...does she really entertain company in that? I realize that her normal costume isn't the most modest garment, but that's underwear. Put on a robe, lady. He's a married man. Oh, and Chris is there, which I'm guessing means he will be sticking around after the Donner/Johns Action Comics storyline ends. I figured that would happen. The issue ends with the New Gods showing up. I have no idea who they are.

Supernatural Origins #1: I'll be honest. This wasn't great. I'm not really sure what it was, but it just fell flat. I'm invested enough in the show (it's one of my favorites) to want to keep reading though. It's a story I really want to find out more about, and I think there's a good chance that when things actually start happening it will get good.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home, Part III: There are so many good individual moments in this issue, and I know the threesome dream moment is the thing everyone is talking about, but I find the presence of the viking/cupid things more noteworthy. They're just weird. There's also a pretty cool witches' battle between Willow and Amy, which concludes with Giant Dawn going all stompy. The Scooby Gang reunion is very sweet, and probably my favorite part of the issue. My one real gripe is that there was this whole big zombie attack happening and we didn't get to see any of it. Also, and this isn't an issue for me, but presumable is for someone out there, this issue would be completely inaccessible to anyone who didn't watch the show. That said, it's another great issue, with a very surprising, and very cool, reveal at the end. And it's still only the second best Whedon comic and surprise ending of the week.

Astonishing X-Men #21: I hate Emma Frost. She just pisses me off, and the more Whedon tries to make me like her by trying to make her understandable, the more I hate her. It's really starting to interfere with my enjoyment of this series. It's also kind of making me dislike Cyclops, which saddens me most of all. What pisses me off is that, a while back, Whedon gave an interview about all the characters and he said that Scott's story has always been dominated by Jean Grey, and that that relationship wasn't really beneficial for the character, but Whedon is essentially doing the same thing with Scott and Emma, and frankly, Emma just is not a good person and it's hard to have the respect for Scott in his relationship with Emma that one had for him in his relationship with Jean. Jean was worthy of that level of forgiveness and devotion. Emma isn't even repentant, whatever her guilt level might be. Also, Jean had earned her place on the X-Men. She was one of the original members of the team, and had always been the most powerful, even before the Phoenix Force. Emma got her position as leader and headmistress why? Because she's sleeping with Scott? Scott just seems pussy whipped. Also, Scott is continuing to act like Mal, who I like, but who is nothing like Scott should be. At least there's still Kitty and Colossus, though not much actual development happens this issue. Ultimately, the most significant thing in this issue is naked Kitty. Kudos to Cassaday, who is always wonderful, for not making it seem exploitative at all. Still, I don't know that I really needed to see that. Also, Kitty is acting kind of erratically with regard to Peter, so I would really like those two to have a conversation soon.

Loners #2: This issue focuses mostly on Ricochet, and it's another good read. This series isn't going to be for everyone, but I'm enjoying it. I like the focus on lesser known characters. I like the teen angst qualities, and that everyone is dealing with issues of identity. I like the art. I like that Penance shows up at the end of this issue. Oh, and I like that Chris and Mickey got together, because that was set up back in the Runaways arc, so it's nice to see that it actually went somewhere.

Runaways #26: This was by far the comic of the week, and it had the line of the century with "Punisher' war journal: Hhhhhhh...." The absence of Vaughn and Alphona isn't as sorely felt this month, and it makes it so much easier to just sit back and enjoy this story and these characters. Whedon's voice may not be exactly like Vaughn's, but he does write the Runaways so well. I am still amazed by how much I am loving Xavin. The turnaround on that character in the last three of four issues is just so great to see, because it's not that Xavin's different, it's just that it's finally clicked for me what he's all about. Molly is still the best thing ever though, with Chase coming in a close second. I'm really intrigued by the old lady and her guardian angel guy. What's his deal? And if she's the Kingpin's client, why do they seem to be working at cross purposes? At least now we know Kingpin doesn't have glands, he just really likes chocolate. Also, there are ninjas. What's up with all the ninjas and zombies lately? Clearly those two concepts need to meet. Ninja zombies would own. The issue ends with time travel, and I am psyched. The cover for the next issue is gorgeous. And that my friends, is Whedon's best last page reveal of the week.

I got Hellboy: Destiny Calls also, but I generally buy those series up and read all the issues at once, so I probably won't be doing a review on it, at least not for a while. Also, seeing as how it's Spider-Man Month and that one was absolutely amazing and one had a huge WTF?! moment and both left me feeling just a hint of dread, I'm going to be doing separate posts on Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1 and the FCBD Amazing Spider-Man. My thoughts on Spider-Man III should be up tomorrow night, and I've got stuff to say about TV also, so hopefully I will get those all done soon.

Scout Attacks! week 9: The One Where It Got Its Name

X-Men First Class #8: I recently mentioned that Marvel editorial still had not done anything recently to win back any points with me. Obviously, I erred in that statement, because I forgot about the fact that they decided to make this comic and ongoing series. Thanks, Joe Quesada. I'd say I owe you one, but I bought Civil War and Civil War: Frontline, so I still think you're in the whole there, but maybe a little less than before. Anyway, this is the final issue of the mini series and it may be the best of them. For starters, it has a talking Gorilla. (Note too self: get Agents of Atlas trade.) I love how Parker has captured all of their personalities so well in this series. Scott, though rigid, is not a dick and does have a sense of humor (and no Joss Whedon, he is not Mal). Jean does indeed have a personality. Bobby is funny and sweet (and a complete scene stealer in this series). Warren is completely content with who he is and does not angst about it. Hank is a complete nerd. These are things that so many writers have completely forgotten over the years. Well, nobody has forgotten that Hank is a nerd. He just looks like a freaking cat now. (I will never stop hating that.) Another thing I have really loved about this series is the yearbook pages at the front of each issue with notes on all the characters from the perspective of one of the other characters. They are so insightful, this month's especially because it is from Professor Xavier's perspective, and there is a bonus one at the end from Ken Hale, the aforementioned talking gorilla, who has an outsider's take on the young team. Anyway, this issue is a fun jungle adventure. It gets bonus points for having a hippo attack and hinting at Jean's developing psychic abilities.

52 Week 51: This penultimate issue starts out with our space travelers arriving home. First is animal man, who, as it turns out, really had nothing to worry about as far as his wife hooking up with some other guy. He does however, have to worry about more of Lady Styxx's bounty hunters, who arrive at his front door right in the middle of his welcome home party. Fortunately, a very fatigued Kory, who is returning his jacket to his wife because she thinks he's dead, falls on them. Adam Strange gets new eyes, which is nice for him, but I thought it was pretty cool that he could do all that stuff, like fix his ship and pilot, blind. Lobo is obviously off the pacifist kick now too. We also find out why Skeets went all evil, and it is really unattractive looking. This series has pretty much just petered out. It's a shame, because it has been really strong at points. A really amazing final issue could save it, but since we all know about the return of the Multiverse, it's unlikely that will happen.

Action Comics #848: I really like this issue in concept. I think having Superman deal with a metahuman that is using his powers to enforce a specific set of beliefs, and being forced to confront his own beliefs, could be very powerful. I loved when Lois asked Clark "Whose truth? Whose justice? And what the heck does "the American way" mean exactly?" because if Superman is going to fight for those things, he should understand them. The story just seems to completely lose its way, and its ambiguity, when it becomes clear, through heavily shadowing his face and an overall ominous tone, that the minister is going to be the big bad guy of the piece. There's also the art, which I kind of hate. It is so very stiff and lifeless. And Clark is a little too muscle bound for my tastes. Either that, or he needs to buy sweaters that fit.

Justice Society of America #5: I have never read this comic before, but it is amazing how different in tone this series has to Justice League of America. For one thing, stuff actually happens. It's also all moody and atmospheric, while JLA is very bright. It's almost hard to believe this is a continuation of the same story. Still, there are fun and interesting character interactions and some cool action. I loved when they were fighting all those Batmen. Was it just me, or was one of them fat? Everything in the Fortress of Solitude was great too, though I could not believe it took them so long to realize that there was an extra Legionnaire in that display though. I noticed right a way. He was the only guy without a name underneath him.

Wonder Woman #8/Amazons Attack #1: This all just felt very rushed to me. The Amazons are awfully quick to buy into everything that Circe is feeding them, which seems odd to me because I thought she was their enemy as well as Wonder Woman's. I'm not too sure I liked Diana and Nemesis' interaction in this issue either. It's kind of up and down, which is a shame, because despite some of my gripes, I do like Tom as a character. The inconsistencies in how Diana is being written continue in this issue, as she understands a reference Tom makes to the Washington Capitals. So that's a "yes" on the NHL, but a "no" on pumping gas? Right. I completely buy that. Still, I remain ever hopeful, because there is interesting stuff going on. It's just not being executed all that well. I'm looking forward to seeing what transpires between Diana and her mother. Also, as much as I think it is dumb to change artists mid-story, it is good to have the Dodsons back, if only because Nemesis no longer has a soul patch. Meanwhile, in Amazons Attack, the Amazons attack. It's kind of cool. Men and boys get slaughtered. Good times. I enjoy Pete Woods' art. The jury's still out on Will Pfeifer's story though. I'm mostly interested in seeing what the effect of all this will have on Wonder Woman's standing in society when it is all over. The way I see it, it can go one of two ways. Either public opinion of Wonder Woman will drop even further and her status as enemy of the state will be reaffirmed, or she will be redeemed in the eyes of the government and the public when they see her go up against her own people in order to stop the war. While I could see them going the first route as a way to reaffirm her decision to take on a secret identity, I would prefer option number two. I think it would be a lot more interesting to see Diana carry on as Diana Prince because she wants to instead of because she thinks she needs to.

I haven't really checked out any comic book news in the past few days, so I don't really have and happy news this week, but Spider-Man 3 comes out on Friday. I am so excited. I am going to see it on Saturday, which is also Free Comic Book Day. Could things get any better than that? Actually, yes they could. It's Spider-Man Week in NYC and on Wednesday night I am going to see the Spider-Man comic collection that's on display at the New York Public Library. And here on These Things Matter, I've decided that May is Spidey Month. I've got a few Spidey related posts planned for throughout the month, including a review of the movie, a commemoration of Peter and MJ's 20th wedding anniversary, and a look at my favorite issue of JMS's run on Amazing Spider-Man (hint: it relates to the Spider-marriage, guest stars a recently deceased hero, and features DOOM!). Let's just hope I don't get too lazy to dig out the back issues I need.

You Got Your Watchmen In My Heroes

I realize that the new episode of Heroes was on Monday, so this is kind of late, but I figure that it's still relevant since the next episode hasn't aired yet (unlike that post I was going to do about last week's Supernatural). Anyway, this past Monday was the first new episode of Heroes after far too long a break. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. I have to say though that I've been hearing people talk about the story resembling Watchmen for a long while now, but I didn't really get it until last night.

I try to remain in as much of a cone of silence as possible when it comes to this show, because I love it and I don't want to ruin anything for myself. Last night though, I was all, "Oh, that's what everyone has been talking about." The similarities between Linderman and Ozymandias are pretty blatant, and considering how many of the writers on this show are bona fide comic book geeks, no one can claim that they didn't realize the similarities. I have to assume that it is not going to go down the same though, since next week's episode seems to be all about how bad everything is going to be if Linderman's plan goes through.

As for the episode itself, I loved it. I thought Isaac's death was a bit anti-climactic, but the implications of it are pretty interesting. Sylar doing the painting the future thing at the end was just creepy. Either Sylar didn't get any of Isaac's artistic talent, or the future has changed and, instead of Nathan Petrelli, Frankenstein is going to become president. I would be totally cool with that.

I guess that if someone had to die, I'm OK with it being Isaac. I honestly like all the characters now that Simone is dead. I know a lot of people don't like Mohinder, but I think he's pretty invaluable to the story. They need at least one person without super powers. Also, Sendhil Ramamurthy may not be the best actor, but he's awfully pretty to look at. Honestly, I was really afraid that Peter might get killed. I know there are all these visions of stuff that he's supposed to do in the future, and he certainly seems integral to the plot, but he's also unbelievably powerful. Not only does he gain the powers of anyone he is around, he is able to retain them. Pretty soon he will be able to do anything and they won't need any of the other characters. Presumably, the writers are aware of this potential dilemma and will do something about it. Anyway, the whole time he was dead but not really dead, I kept yelling at the television to take the big piece of glass out of his head. Thankfully Claire listened to me. Poor Claire though. It must suck to find out your big hero/crush is your uncle.

I'm actually pretty surprised that Nathan is going to go along with Linderman's plan, since I really thought his love for Peter would trump his desire for power. I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out. Also, what power do you think Mama Petrelli has? Considering Peter's powers, one would think they would have been exposed by now. Then there's Matt, Ted Sprague, and my favorite, Mr. Bennett and their big prison break. Things are going to be tough for them. Eric Roberts is just plain creepy. He's not even acting. It's an inherent trait.

YAY! Heroes is back! I cannot wait until next week.