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[jaredthegreek]

Review - Star Wars Comics 11/17

NOVEMBER:

Darth Vader #7: While not as bad as the previous issue this was still not an enjoyable read.  The issue focuses on Vader training the Inquisitors harshly.  This is played against Jocasta Nu taking steps toward saving what remains of the Jedi order.  The dialogue is still weak, but at least there is enough exposition to justify the actions made by the characters.  You can tell there is potential with this arc, but the writing is too incompetent to make it flow in an entertaining manner.  The art is a step up from the previous issue as well, but the Emperor still looks messy and movement is janky at best.  This is a weak series and its sad to see that this volume is a pathetic shadow of the first volume.  Stick with the 2015 original series because this series will disappoint unless you have sewer level expectations.

Darth Vader #8: This issue was perhaps one of the best of this series, but that’s not saying much.  In this issue we see Jocatsa Nu put her plan into action as she goes to recover valuable data from the Jedi Temple.  Meanwhile, Imperial Security and Vader begin a search for her.  The writing is above average with a few stand out parts like the Emperor telling Vader to not kill so many people and Vader’s interaction with the ISB Agent.  The art is better than last issue and the coloring doesn’t look as rushed.  While this series does have some major flaws it also has some strong issues that help build up lore.  This issue even showed off the helmet from the Lando mini-series as a background item, a clever subtle touch that makes things feel connected. If you are a fan of Vader and curious about the early Empire then you should read this, just be warned as my issue #7 review covers there are some bad issues in this run.

Star Wars #38: The first issue written by Kieron Gillen takes us back to the Rogue One planet of Jedha. The main team meets up with some of the remaining rebel fighters on Jedha to bring them into the fold. Meanwhile, the Empire is moving in to mine the remaining Kyber crystals from Jedha.  This was a good start to an new arc, but the dialogue is a little rough in the beginning.  The art is well done and faces look good, but still have that hyper-realistic stylization that can bother some people.  Overall, this wasn’t the best start for Kieron Gillen, but it was a mostly good issue and the fact that the writer of Darth Vader V1 and Doctor Aphra is in charge of this series fills me with confidence for the future of Star Wars.

Star Wars #39: The Jedha arc continues with our heroes teaming up with the remaining rebels on Jedha. This is a dialogue heavy issue with Leia trying to reason with the radical cell, Luke learning more about the Force and the Jedha point of view on Rogue One, and Han taking a backseat, but getting a couple one-liners.  There is a violent action scene near the end of the issue that pushes this book into darker places than it has gone in the past.  The writing was heavy and that made this one of the most enjoyable issues this series has had in a long time.  The art was great with character expressions looking real, Jedha being detailed yet ruined, and the action having a good amount of drama.  I’m really liking this creative shift and I hope it goes on for more than this arc.  This series was in desperate need of a boost and I think we are finally getting it if the last few issues are any indication.

Doctor Aphra #14: This issue brings in Si Spurrier as a co-writer for this new arc that starts up by catching up with Captain Tolvan.  Tolvan’s demotion gets worse as Aphra and an assault team come down to steal from the Imperial base.  The ending has a nice twist that will likely lead this arc down a very dark path.  The writing is a little mixed.  Aphra seems a little out of character, but on the other hand there are some great moments with Tolvan dealing with her situation. There is also a cute scene between Aphra and Tolvan that will get the shippers riled up.  The best part of this book was the art.  The character look good, the fighting has some energy, and the facial emotions are moving.  There are some issues with weak backgrounds.  Overall, this was a good issue, but isn’t quite as good as some of the previous issues.  Despite that this is still a really good series worth reading.

Poe Dameron #21: Far be it for me to give Chuck a complement, but this was one of those few issues that he did right.  The story follows Leia as she returns to her rebellion role as a spy/operative and work an angle to get closer to Lor San Tekka.  Meanwhile, Poe and the team are having some nice character moments while waiting for the ‘go’ code.  While this is mostly set up it is done well and it has gotten me hyped up to see how it all pans out.  While my expectations are not high, I would like this comic to end on a good note. The writing was a little flat, but by Chuck’s standards this was well done.  The art was fine and I thought Leia’s overly fancy dress was a nice touch. It’s sad to think that this series is starting to get some footing just as it is rolling toward it’s end.

Mace Windu #4: This issue evokes many mixed feelings.  On the one hand there are some interesting continuity nods and on the other hand it is handled in an amateur way.  The story picks up with Dibs and Windu dueling over their dogma.  This is intercut with flashbacks of young Windu as he battles a heretic that took over a Jedi temple.  The ending brings the team back to their mission as they bust into the enemy base for the final issue.  The art has improved over the previous issues, but still has major flaws. Some expressions look silly when they should be serious and the battles still lack any real sense of movement. This issue does have some great nods to continuity such as Mace being arrogant and a little aggressive as a padawan which was brought up in the Clone Wars series.  His character is very much intact as well since he almost kills someone over their violation of his beliefs, this ‘my justice trumps all’ attitude also ties in nicely with his portrayal in most media.  This was the first good issue of this series and yet I still had to set this book down for a spell before I finished it.  This series is pretty bad and hopefully when they do another Clone Wars era mini-series they can learn from their mistakes and get a more skilled team to tell the story.

[jaredthegreek]

Review: Rick and Morty the comic 1-10

As with many popular cartoons there is of course a comicbook tie-in series for the crazy popular series Rick and Morty.  However, Rick and Morty sets itself apart by not focusing on the characters from the show.  This series follows the C-132 versions of the characters opening up many more new adventures without worries stemming from continuity.  The series is a mix of mini-arcs and stand alone stories all paired up with a short backup story to add a little more comedy flavor to the comic.  This series might not appeal to all viewers of the show, but there is some charm that makes this a fun series.

The main series has a strange style of writing.  Character dialogue feels off from the show.  Rick tends to use out dated slang separating him from C-137, but it feels weird for Rick to talk like that.  Morty tends to act like a ‘normal Morty’ which helps keep the tone in check.  The rest of the family doesn’t have much of a role in these earlier issues.  The main story tends to take some interesting experiments wit the direction of events. The first arc features Rick on trial which leads to a series of misadventures.  This moves into some filler stories including a return for Scary Terry and a Ball Fondlers story.  These ten wrap up with a Christmas issue and an arc featuring a different Evil Morty. These issues are a fun romp, but the humor can fall flat and things are a bit more cartoony than the TV series.

The backup stories tend to either follow alternatve versions of characters or follow the rest of the family on silly adventures.  None of these have any real impact on continuity, but they can be fun like a story of Summer applying for a job, Beth jumping dimensions to be in a band, and an adventure with Jerry and Doofus Rick.  The odd part about these little stories is that they don’t necessarily need to be about the C-132 characters as it is never stated which universe we are following in those stories.  The writing is mostly good when it comes to these stories, but they can often be forgettable.  However, the ones that stand out can sometimes overshadow the main story and make you want to follow more of those adventures.  The backup stories are a nice touch and give that little bit of extra juice to this series.

The art in both the main and backup stories is done to look like the cartoon.  Sometimes it gets a little more cartoony than the show, but it still looks like that world.  Due to the nature of the medium there are some great visual jokes that can be inserted and are easier to catch than in the fast moving TV series.  Beyond that, new characters have that style that makes them just weird enough to fit in the Rick and Morty universe.  There are a few moments here and there when the character designs look off and the backgrounds can be lazy gradients, but those moments are too few to be a major problem with this series.  

Overall, the first ten issues of Rick and Morty are a quick and enjoyable read.  There are some good jokes, silly adventures, and some surprising twists.  It is not as smart as the TV series, but this is also early into the run of the comic.  This is more of the ‘turn your brain off and enjoy a wacky adventure through alternative worlds’ type series.  There are some flaws and this series will never get too deep into lore as the TV show does, but it holds the original feeling of the TV series and the lighthearted nature of many season one and two episodes.  The early issues are already in trade format so give them a chance if you need more Rick and Morty in your life as they often feel like stories that could easily be a segment in Morty’s Mindblowers.  There is plenty more story after these ten, including a mini-series and a spin-off so there is still quite a bit to roam through, but for now this series is highly recommended for fans of the show.

[jaredthegreek]

Review: Star Wars Comics October

A big month of releases mixed with a busy con schedule leads to a late review.  It was a very mixed month, but the major standout was Captain Phasma as it was a surprisingly good mini-series.

OCTOBER REVIEWS:

Doctor Aphra #13: This was an amazing issue and perhaps the best of the series thus far.  It wraps up the arc as well as tying up a few loose ends brought up in previous issues.  The Vader vs. Rur fight had a great end and the conclusion of the issue sets up a new arc in a fun way.  The writing is great and will keep you reading as things unfold.  It was a big build up and had a nice payoff making this the best current ongoing comic in Star Wars.  The art was great too with some funny expressions and intense action. This was a quick read and worth a second read as there is so much in this book without it reading double issue status.  The Enormous Profit wasn’t quite a well rounded as the first arc, but it was an enjoyable ride with great visuals that every Star Wars fan should have in his/her collection.

Darth Vader #6: The ‘Chosen One” arc ends with a whimper, no shock when it comes to Charles Soule. The cover spoils the arrival of the Grand Inquisitor from Rebels as he battles Vader because the Emperor wanted to make sure the Inquisitors knew their place.  Setting your troops to attack each other for petty reasons is something a stereotypical super villain would do, but it seems a bit too childish for the man who toppled a centuries old government.  In addition to that, setting up the Inquisitors as former Jedi who went dark is also pretty stupid as it sets no reason for them to be loyal to the Emperor or Vader.  The dialogue is trite, the character motivations are non-sense, and this was just a slog to read.  This is made worse by the art that has a lack of dynamism and for some reason the Emperor has a rocking black widow’s peak or the colorist doesn’t know how shadows work.  For all the good will the first few issues bought this series this issue throws it away. Do not read this series even if you want to know more about the Inquisitors.

Captain Phasma #3-4: Issue three continues the hunt for the Rivas, but it feels like the writing was a little rushed in that issue.  There are some jumps and strange moments that don’t fit in with the pacing of the first two issues.  However, a moment near the end does give a hint at why Phasma (and her comic) are getting a little erratic.  Issue four is a bit more straightforward and wraps up the story nicely with no room for a continuation beyond the upcoming movie.  The writing is well done, but it feels like there were plans for a little more depth on Phasma’s side, but it was either cut or deadline rush phased it away. I was impressed with Kelly Thompson’s story despite the weak opening issue.  The art was also great with one exception that Pilot looked like some of the other random women in the story.  While she wasn’t an important character in the grand scheme of the expanded universe it would have been nice if she looked a little more different than the generic background characters.  Overall, this was a good mini-series and I recommend it as one of the better titles that came out this year.  It may not have much impact on the upcoming movie, but it will fill in a plot hole about what happened to Phasma as The Force Awakens concluded.  I hope this creative team comes back for more stories, especially if it is a well made on going series.

Star Wars #37: This issue brought me from high to low very quick.  The first part of the book is an amazing Scar Squadron story.  It follows the team as they battle against some rebels and it explores Sgt. Kreel’s mind a bit more than previous stories.  It ends with a nice window into future Scar Squadron stories that will hopefully come out soon.  The second part of the book is a messy Tuskin Raider story written by Jason Aaron and Lil’ Nepatiz.  It is nice to have a spotlight on a lesser known Star Wars race, but the story felt rather empty.  Like many of the filler stories it wasn’t very entertaining and the ‘message’ of it was cliché at best.  Despite some complaints this was a well written book and if rumors are true it is Jason Aaron’s last for this series.  He did a great job and I hope they keep him on for more Star Wars stories. The art was improved this issue with some great emotional moments, which is impressive when the main characters are clad in white armor.  The Tuskin story was messy, but it does work with the type of story being told. Overall, this has been a rocky last few issues and it is good to see the series getting back on track.  Hopefully the shift in staff can keep up the high quality that most of Aaron’s run has had.

Poe Dameron #20: The search for Lor San Tekka begins again in what will hopefully be the final arc of this abysmal series.  Most of this issue is interpersonal drama, but it does have some moments such as Jess dealing with droids and Leia talking about the status of the Resistance. There is emphasis on the desperate situation as well as the dread they have for the future.  The story concludes with the team learning of Tekka’s location and being ordered by Leia to save him.  The writing is better than the usual Dameron issue, but the art is still mostly bad.  Faces look weird and characters don’t fit in with their backgrounds.  The ships and droids look fine, but there is a visual disparity that ruins the aesthetics of the comic.  If you’ve been traveling with Black Squadron this whole time don’t stop now it’s almost over, if you have not touched this series you aren’t missing anything and you can get all the details in an online synopsis.  

Mace Windu #3: This banal comic series continues with a flashback filling in more of DA-W4’s backstory and endless boring fighting with no pathos.  Mace and Rissa battle droids while Fisto and Dibs battle a cave monster. The dialogue is still bizarre with everyone talking with strange phrasings.  The actions scenes still have bad one-liners as well.  The only good parts of this comic are the AD-W4 scenes and the ending where Dibs calls out Windu on his lies.  The art is mixed with faces looking pretty good, but action being boring and lifeless.  The fights in the cave are weird lightsaber frames that mean nothing and the droid battles can be hard to follow as well.  This is a terrible series and nearly as bad as the Obi-Wan and Anakin series from earlier this year.  If you want a good Clone Wars story stick to the Dark Horse comics or the TV series.

[jaredthegreek]

Review- Star Wars Comics (September)

As it turns out between fire, family drama, and health issues I get distracted and forget to post my thoughts on comics based on an old movie franchise.  Honestly, if you think this review is late I finished Thrawn back in May and haven’t written word one on that book.  Not because it’s bad, but because life kept getting in the way.  Anyhow, enjoy my reviews and if you have the chance try to find me at LA Comic Con later this month.

THE REVIEWS:

Captain Phasma #1: The ‘journey to The Last Jedi’ has its comic book tie-in with a series following a character with no personality who only lasted five minutes in her premiere movie.  This comic would be an uphill battled for a seasoned vet in the comic world and in this case it might be a hill that is a little too steep for Kelly Thompson.  The story is told in flashback as Phasma recounts the events after she is dumped in the trash compactor.  The framing device is her making a log of events to hide her involvement with taking down the shield.  This results in her trying to track down Sol Rivas, a soldier who has learned that Phasma took down the shield.  This was a rather dry story, but it does set the stage for the rest of this mini-series so things may pick up once we can move forward with the plot.  The major saving grace of this comic is the art. While it is far from perfect it does have some great moments that are visually appealing.  However, there are some sections were the art is cluttered or disputed by the sound effects.  This isn’t a bad comic per se, it is just weak, but readable.  If you wanted to know more about Phasma then begin with the book, but after that give this comic a read.

Captain Phasma #2: This is a much better issue than the first.  This time we follow Phasma and her Pilot as they continue the search for the ‘traitor’ Rivas.  This leads them to a nearly barren planet where they battle monsters and meet the locals. One of the more interesting parts of this story is that Phasma and the Pilot change out of their armor to attempt to blend in with the locals.  While Phasma does not show her face, the Pilot (now called ‘Pilot’) was revealed to be quite the attractive woman.  The writing is well done with several visual pages to augment the stoic nature of the characters.  Add to that, the beautiful art and this is turning around to become one of the better mini-series.  The hunt for Rivas continues in the next issue and the fate of Pilot will have some fans on the edge of their seats.

Poe Dameron #19: Yet another mixed bag issue of this series, par for the course.  This time we wrap up the ‘War Stories’ arc with Poe breaking out of prison and the other half of the team breaking out of their capture.  It has a big fight scene at the end and the preview for the next issue implies that we will be making it back to the main plot (and conclusion) of this series.  The writing is stale at best and insulting at worst.  Some character decisions are mind boggling and feel really out of character. Especially a minor face-turn for Terex which is completely out of character considering the events of the earlier issues in the series.  On the good side the art has improved with faces showing proper emotions and the action looking exciting.  This wasn’t the worst issue of this series by far, but it is more than obvious that ideas are running out and this series has gone on far longer than it should have.

Star Wars 36: Finally, we return to the loose plot thread about the fate of C-3PO.  This is paced out like one of the droid focused episodes of Clone Wars, but isn’t quite as fun.  R2 seems to be a little overpowered as he takes down several Stormtroopers and breaks C-3PO out of a star destroyer. prison  It isn’t bad, but it just doesn’t feel ‘right’.  There isn’t much dialogue to speak of as the protagonist can’t speak, but there is a monologue that likely comes from the user’s manual for R2-D2 and the fumbling of various Imperial soldiers.  The art contrasts the story by being excellent with good facial designs and energy in the action scenes.  The comic ends with a tease for another Scar Squadron mission that will hopefully lead into a new story arc rather than these stand alone (and very boring) stories.  

Star Wars Annual #3: While the annuals in this series have been mixed this was a refreshing and fun filler adventure.  This time Han and Leia are trapped on a barren world as they battle monsters and bounty hunters.  There is a nice ending that fills in a little bit more on Han reasons for sticking with the rebellion as well.  The dialogue is well done with some good one-liners and the characters behaving in a manner that represents their attitudes in the movies.  The art is well done and the coloring has a throwback, newsprint, style.  It might not appeal to everyone, but it is a nice change from the more common hyper realistic or cartoony style that is featured in most comic in this franchise. This isn’t an imperative comic to read, but it is an enjoyable adventure and somehow much more fun than the previous filler stories from the main series.  

Mace Windu #2: This bad arc of the Clone Wars TV series continues.  This time Windu’s team stumbles across bad guys and fights them. The writing is terrible with no characters having any personality, the battle dialogue is bland, and the Separatist’s plan makes little sense.  Add to that the murky art, bad facial expressions, and lethargic fight scenes. There is little chance of this mini-series improving so skip this unless you need to read everything Star Wars or you are reviewing it for the internet.

Darth Vader #5: The arc comes to an end with Vader taking the final steps toward forging his lightsaber. This is a rather simple comic that is mostly told with visual storytelling rather than clunky dialogue or endless internal monologue.  The visuals paint a strong narrative that makes this a very intense ride.  Vaderr’s body language works well to show his struggle and the contrast of colors makes key moments stand out.  The little dialogue in this book is fine and works well with the often silent Vader.  This book is starting to live up to the previous volume, but if this comic sticks to the visual style it might actually be able to achieve that goal.  The preview for the next issue is intriguing and now we know how Vader got his new lightsaber.  Overall, this was a good first arc despite the weak beginning. The best issues are those with little dialogue that use the art to tell the story.  If you are a fan of the character or have an interest in the early days of the Empire this would be a great series to pick up.

Rogue One #6: The final chapter of the story concludes the battle on Scarif and ends the story of Rogue One.  This is one of the few issues of this comic that is out shined by the movie.  The action works so much better with moving pictures rather than still images, no matter how well drawn.  The major positive about this issue is that there is a little extra dialogue among the team before they die and the final page adds a nice capstone to the story.  The art is still really good with the characters showing more emotion than they do in the movie and the action looks really good.  This is a fast read and it was an enjoyable retelling of the movie. It doesn’t add enough to be a ‘must have’, but it is worth a read if you want to see some of the little things that were omitted from the movie.  If you love the movie then you will enjoy this comic.  If you didn’t like the movie this comic might give you a different opinion on the story.  Overall, I really enjoyed this comic and I hope that all future adaptations are up to this standard of quality.  More importantly, I’d like all Star Wars comics to be up to the standards of this adaption because that would make many of the comics in the EU much more enjoyable.

Doctor Aphra 12: This is easily the best current ongoing Star Wars comic, if not the best of all Star Wars comics thus far.  This issue combines horror, action, comedy, and suspense in a way that should make it a primer to those who want to know how to write and draw a comic book.  The story follows the madness that happens when the Empire arrives at the criminal auction as Aphra tries to find a way to escape. There are some nice twits that come up in this issue that should not be spoiled, but they are building this series into my favorite of the current timeline.  The art is also great with the action looking intense, backgrounds looking creepy, and even the droids somehow have emotion in this unmoving faces.  If you have not jumped into this series, do so, it cannot be stated enough that this is a great book that keeps getting better.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire (September)

Last month had a few titles that worked as a kind of epilogue.  These are only worth reading if you are trying to get into the new status quo of the “Legacy” era.  I have no plans to review comics of this era as the last few months of this event have worn me out.  Plus Star Wars is really good right now so I’d rather focus my time on that.  Also, the SW review should be up in the next couple days.

 SEPTEMBER REVIEWS: 

Secret Empire Omega: Oh good, more terrible Sorrentino art.  However, Spencer’s writing is just as remedial as the art so this is just as painful as a main issue in this series.  The story is mostly built around the two Steve Rogers talking about philosophy and rambling about metaphors that clearly represent our current political climate.  Beyond that, there isn’t much.  A small scene with Winter Soldier, Black Widow’s funeral, and the Punisher killing Hydra holdouts are just some of the brief glimpses into the new status quo. This really doesn’t add up to much, it’s just a weak extended continuation of issue 10.  There isn’t much to say about this issue because there really isn’t anything in this issue.  It was long winded speeches, terrible art, and a nothing plot just like most of the books in the main series.  Even if you did read everything there is no reason to read this, it adds nothing to the story and doesn’t even have a list of aftermath comics in it either.  If anything this was the dying gasp of this event and now it can officially be called dead and gone.

Deadpool #36: The coda to the event is rather depressing.  Deadpool faces the fact that he not only screwed up his life, but the lives of several other people.  He attempts at making amends do not end every well and Stryfe shows up to collect on a deal they had made in a previous arc.  The writing is very solemn, but does have a couple decent one-liners.  This feels like the beginning of a major transition period for Deadpool, which could lead to some very interesting stories.  The art is still good in this book, but there isn’t much to show off the vibrant designs of the book because this is mostly Deadpool being reflective and doing less action and more soul searching.  It looks like this book will be going new directions with the character and I’m looking forward to continuing those adventure in future issues.

Secret Warriors #6: This isn’t really an ‘aftermath’ issue, but it is directly influenced by the results of the event.  Quake goes after Deadpool after finding out that he was the man who killed Coulson. Meanwhile, the other members of the team are trying to get on with their lives, but this is a hero hero series so that doesn’t go as well as planned.  This is still a fun series, but it is recommended to begin from the beginning even if you ignored the whole Secret Empire event.  The art is fantastic, the writing is superb and this is just a fun experience.  The story continues in the next issue and it will likely be a major shift for the characters as the results of this issue play out in (hopefully) exciting ways.

U.S.Avengers #10: Not exactly a ‘aftermath’ book either this issues follows up on the event by having Citizen V have a long talk with a Senator while Dr. Ho tries to save Red Hulk’s life.  This is a low action character focus issue and uses this time to introduce a tidal shift in the story.  The writing is great with some interesting twists and great moments that make this series stand out above the rest.  The art has that slightly cartoonish look that works great with a series as strange as this one.  This feels like a good jump in point for those who want to skip the previous event, but the whole of this series is recommended because it is that good.  

Champions #12: This has nothing to do with the previous event and is merely a fill in story focused on Cyclops.  The team battles Psycho-Man, but Scott gets hit with Psycho-Man’s emotion ray and starts to lose control.  It’s a good Cyclops story that explores the hidden complexity of the character.  The writing is great and really helps explore a character without making the story too bogged down with dialogue.  There is some action and humor to make this a good mix of a comic.  The art has the lighter more cartoony look that works well with the younger characters. There are a few moments where perspective seems off and sizes don’t seem right, but those can be overlooked for the most part.  This is a good issue for Cyclops fans, but it doesn’t really add much otherwise.  This is a good series, but if you haven’t jumped in yet it might be better to wait until the ‘worlds collide’ crossover starts next month.

Avengers #11: Continuing the great work of Mark Waid this comic is a great aftermath story. Falcon, Vision, and Spider-Man attempt to resolve some of their issues in the wake of the war.  The dialogue is great as the characters face their existential problems and try to figure out their next move after the world that has been devastated.  As the next issue goes into a crossover with The Champions this felt like a good wrap up to the first part of this series.  Closing the book on the old and beginning the move toward the new ‘Legacy’ era.  The art is mostly good, but some faces look a little too stylized.  Overall, this was a great book and the current run of The Avengers has been enjoyable.  

Marvel Legends #1: This was terrible and perhaps Jason Aaron’s worst comic.  That’s a shame since he tends to write some amazing stories. This issue has major problems staying focused with way too many stories going on at once and the bloated nature of this comic makes the jumping around very annoying to follow.  That being said, this issue does set the groundwork for the ‘legacy’ era, but it could have been handled in a much better way. On the good side, the art was well done and the different settings all have unique looks that make the jumping around easier to follow.  This is not a ‘must read’ but it does introduce the new status quo so for those who are trying to follow the current universe this will be a very helpful asset. It is a long and flawed comic, but hopefully this new era will be a rebirth for Marvel that the fans desperately want.  Overall, the Legacy era does fill me with some hope, but this is modern Marvel and things could still go sideways.  Despite my fears, having Jason Aaron lead the charge is a good sign for the future of this universe.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Star Wars Comics (August)

A very busy month and it’s only going to get more busy as we move toward The last Jedi.  This month was mostly good, but like always there are a few titles that bring down the average score.  It will be interesting to check out all the new titles coming out the rest of this year and hopefully they will be of a higher quality than some of the less Star Wars series. 

AUGUST:

Darth Vader v2 #4: It is a bit of an exaggeration, but it feels like this book is 50% splash pages. The story continues with Vader wounded as his Jedi target attempts an escape.  Vader repairs his body and gives chase leading to another duel between the warriors.  This is a nice display of power in this issue and the ‘show and don’t tell’ aspects of the storytelling works really well.  In fact it is to the benefit of this book that we don’t get as much terrible Charles Soule dialogue.  The art for the characters looks great, but like the previous issues the backgrounds can sometimes just decline into color gradients.  Overall, this feels like a lost mission from The Force Unleashed, which is a good thing.  If you want more Vader killing everyone action this book is looking to be a good place to go.

Doctor Aphra #11: The chaos swings into high gear as this series keeps getting better.  Rur goes mad and begins a killing spree while Aphra learns that her droids have betrayed her.  All the various criminals are put into a life and death battle as Aphra tries to get everything back under control.  The ending was foreshadowed in a previous issue, but is still really great. The quality writing in this series makes it a joy and the expressive and well designed art only adds to the experience. This book looks great and the design for Aphra with the almond shaped eyes is a nice touch.  It cannot be stated enough that this is an impressively done series that is well worth the read.

Star Wars #34: This is one of those issues where you should probably pick up an alt cover as the main one looks terrible.  Despite that, this is a shift in the story of this comic as it turns toward Lando and Sana as the leads.  However, like the previous issue this is more of a filler story and doesn’t add more to the overall mesh of the universe.  At best you get some character development for Sana and at worst you wasted 22 pages of beautiful art to watch a weak smuggler adventure unfold.  The writing is good despite the story being bland. It comes down to strong dialogue that helps save what could have been a terrible book.  The art is amazing and it really makes it worth reading this adventure. The lack of an on going plot is bothersome, but perhaps all these side stories will have some kind of pay off further down the line.  Overall, it feels like this series is getting a little stale and it might be time for a story that leads into the development of Hoth as the rebel base and the conclusion of this volume of the comic.

Doctor Aphra: Annual #1: This was a weaker story for this series.  It works as a .lead into the current arc showing how Aphra started setting things up for her sale.  The other half of the book is Black Karrsanth telling his backstory to an odd set of reporters.  It is interesting to learn more about Aphra’s Wookiee companion, but it isn’t enough to make this a worth while expansion.  The art is great with some nice pencils and good coloring.  It helps make this story a little more interesting due to the framing and style of this book.  Overall, this is an average comic, but for Aphra this is a step back despite having the same writer.  However, as an annual it can be skipped and the current arc can still be enjoyed.

Poe Dameron18: The story continues as the two teams push forward.  Poe’s team learns about Oddy’s mission and attempt to rescue him. Meanwhile team btwo is taking the footage of the First Order being jerks, but stupidly give away their position. The story is passable, but the writing is a little bland and not very interesting.  The art is mostly good except for character faces, which still look like weird plastic faces with wrong emotions.  These are the same problems the book has had since issue one and will likely have until the final issue.  This arc has some potential, but it is moving slowly and probably won’t have much to offer when complete.  This series feels like it should have ended with L’ulo’s funereal as that was an emotional capstone for the series.  There is no real way to top that and the longer this drags on the less entertaining the whole mess becomes.

Rogue One #5: The penultimate issue follows the team as they land on Scarif and begin the attack to get the Death Star plans.  There are some clear changes in this issue from the movie including more dialogue from Jyn and Bodhi.  This issue showed a slightly different rebel team and sped up the time between arrival and assault.  That all came together to make this a quick read that sets up the final battle really well. The art is mostly good, but there are a few scenes were the detailing is lacking.  This isn’t that big of a problem as the faces are great and the framing is well done.  Despite the fact that this is an unnecessary experience, as the movie is available for purchase, it is an incredibility enjoyable comic that should be read.

Cassian and K-2SO - Rogue One #1: This is a prequel to a prequel that follows Cassian and his team as they try to steal some Imperial codes from a backwater planet.  Like most simple plans it goes awry and Cassian and his team are stuck in an Imperial trap.  From there K-2SO is found and things get a little more fun as the team attempts to make their escape.  This is a well written sidestory with some great K-2SO one liners.  The story is simple, but it feels like a ‘real’ rebel mission instead of an excuse to fight.  The dialogue is fine and the new commandos are interesting enough to not e boring.  The art is great and an edge above the main Rogue One series.  This is a great one-shot story that fills in a little background while still providing a fun adventure.  Hopefully we will see more of these one-shots with this creative team.

Star Wars 35: The sidestory adventures continue as Han Solo attempts to transport Grakkus the Hutt to a rebel prison.  Things go wrong and we see Han Solo think his way out of another Imperial trap.  It’s a fun story and works better than the previous two, but it would still be nice to move onto the hanging plot threads from over ten issue ago.  The ending features R2-D2 being chased by Stormtroopers implying that the next issue will give me my wish.  Despite this arc not being all that great, the dialogue is spot on.  You can almost hear Harrison Ford’s voice as you read his lines and the twists of the story work really well as a fun fill in adventure. The art is amazing as the inside of the Falcon looks movie accurate, characters look great, and the chase with the Imperials is vibrant.  This is easily one of the most fun issues of this series to come out in a while.  It’s nice to have a more light-hearted adventure and I hope this series can continue to stay on track.

Mace Windu – Jedi of the Republic #1: This new mini-series follows the beloved prequel character of Mace Windu during the Clone Wars.  Sadly this feels like one of the bad Clone Wars episodes.  The story follows Mace as he heads out on a recon mission with Kit Fisto and two red shirt Jedi.  The first part of the book is all long drawn out exposition and the second half is a messy battle scene and a really stupid ending.  The writing is weak at best, while there are a few fun exchanges it doesn’t make up for a bland story and the mostly banal dialogue.  It feels like the writer watched the prequel movies and tried to mimic that style of storytelling and dialogue.  The art is also heavily flawed.  The action scenes feel cluttered and messy.  Meanwhile, faces and body proportions look good half the time and horrible the other half.  While the idea of a Mace Windu story or other ‘Jedi of the Republic’ stories is a great idea and a good direction for the comics they need to be handled better than trying to match up with the dialogue and design of Attack of the Clones.  If you love the characters of Windu or Fisto then give this a skim otherwise it is better off skipped unless the quality has a shocking improvement in the next few issues.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, August Part II

IT’S FINALLY OVER!!!!!

Brave New World 5: The last of this series brings us two new side stories and the finale of the Invaders storyline.  The first story is the infamous Blade as a substitute teacher story.  It’s not as bad as many feared from the preview images, but it isn’t anything special either.  It was a twist you can see coming and mediocre art.  Sadly it is watered down from the expected super violent Blade comics of the past.  With a whole city trapped in eternal night you’d think there was a better way to tell a Blade story.  The second story is a really terrible Domino story wherein she tries to assassinate Emma Frost.  It is filled with terrible internal monologue, which one would expect to be better considering it is written by a woman.  The art is fine and it is short enough to not be fully offensive, but Dom deserves a better story in this event.  The Invaders story comes to an anti-climactic resolution that mostly serves to show why Namor changed his mind about joining the war against Hydra.  The art is mostly good, but the face close ups look weird.  Overall, this mini-series is a waste of time.  Very few of the stories are that good and the serialized story can be skipped because the main series gives a more concise reason for Namor to choose to fight Hydra. If you need to read the most important stories this might be worth your time, but otherwise just skip this and read something better.

USAvengers #9: The battle against Hydra continues as Toni and Roberto battle their way through a Hydra prison.  Meanwhile, Enigma leads a team against the French branch of Hydra with some great action. The story ends with both teams kicking some butt and a hint about Cannonball’s current location.  The writing is superb and the art is great too. This is  story that could work even without the main event.  More importantly it will have some consequences for the upcoming issues which is nice as many of these stories don’t really seem to have much to alter the story of the series.  This is one of the best current Marvel comics and should be read from the beginning and continued after this event ends.  

X-Men Blue 9: It is obvious that this series is flawed, but it was enjoyable in a low plot high action summer blockbuster sort of way.  This issue concludes the New Tian rebellion with the young X-Men battling Emma Frost and her goons with explosive results.  The very end adds a coda to Captain America and Magneto as well as setting the stage for the next arc which looks very intriguing.  The art is weird.  I like the character designs, but no one really looks like how they should look with a few exceptions.  The background is almost always either a gradient or filled with random lines/circles/etc.  It comes down to being a bit of a mess, but a pretty mess.  The art feels like it would fit a more bizarre setting like something from Doctor Strange or The Inhumans.  Despite the flaws, this was an enjoyable arc and made me curious about the series as a whole.  If you are trying to read the good parts of this event then check out the X-Men Blue issues as they are a fun, but flawed, ride.

Secret Empire #9: Again, a breath of relief comes with seeing the art team behind the book. Granted with some many artists there are bound to be issues.  However, most of them can be over looked as the majority of this book looks far better than the average issue of this event.  There are some dull backgrounds and a few images are cluttered, but overall it is an above average aesthetic outing.  The story on the other hand is slim at best.  We learn more about Kobik’s world as older Steve tries to figure out a way back to reality.  Meanwhile, the mass of just about every super hero is battling their way toward Washington and Steve Rogers.  We get a couple heels turn face and few good moments, but overall it’s just a big fight with some moments with Steve planning a counter attack.  Everything wraps up with Steve coming out to fight the army of heroes.  This wasn’t as bad as most of the event, but that’s because there was mostly action. While it is good that this event is ending, things haven’t stopped being really stupid.  One big action comic doesn’t make up for a terrible series of issues leading up to it.  Avoid this event, but skim this issue if you are curious about the fight.

Doctor Strange 24: This is probably the best issue of this tie-in arc.  It’s mostly action with a few minor twists and some okay one-liners. The story follows Strange and his team as they battle Baron Mordo to take back the city.  Things go about as you would expect and the story ends on a light note.  The writing isn’t very good as it is still stuck in action cliche land, but for an action heavy issue it works well enough.  The art can get a little messy, but when working with magic that tends to be the usual visual motif.  Beyond that, the art is fine and everything is drawn to fit the epic scale of the battle. While this series as a whole isn’t very good, this was a fun issue and the arc fills in a little be about life in the Darkforce dome.  If you want to know more about that side of this event then this is the second best choice after the Uncanny Avengers tie-in arc.

Mighty Captain Marvel #8: The arc ends with quite a bit of story that crosses over with other things we’ve seen before.  Such as the destruction of the station and the fall of the shield.  There is quite a bit of interpersonal drama and this story wraps up a couple loose ends.  The writing is fine, but it isn’t anything too impressive.  The art is great and the framing helps build the tension. Overall, this was a good arc that works even outside of the event.  However, now that the event is over this is a good time to jump into this series.  

Deadpool 35: The final part of the tie-in story has a few twists and a couple spoilers for the end of Secret Empire.  Deadpool faces off with Maria Hill and deals with Blackout to help save Manhattan. The ending is very somber and the next issue will involves the aftermath of this story.  The writing is mixed, but the emotional part at the end is really well done.  This is not your average Deadpool lighthearted romp, it is a tale of one man losing his sense of humor as he loses everything else.  The art is fantastic and really makes this a joy to read. This was perhaps the best of the tie-in arcs as it took the character in a different direction and will have consequences that he will have to deal with in future issues.  If only more of the tie-in books were heavy emotional character driven stories like this run of Deadpool this could have been a far more impactful event.

Secret Empire 10: Thank God it’s finally over.  The story plays out just like one would expect.  Captain Hydra is an unstoppable force, but the heroes pull off a miracle victory that was foreshadowed issues ago.  This issue does feature many Spencer tropes such as a speech from Cap, lots of internal monologue telling the story, and call backs to things you probably forgot about and don’t really matter.  While this doesn’t ‘feel’ like a Spencer ending, it does feel like a Marvel Event ending.  The writing isn’t terrible and it almost feels like it was ghost written (or heavily edited) by someone else.  The art is great because Sorrentino wasn’t involved.  The battles look good and the emotion on character’s faces fit the scenes. This issues is better than most issues, but the only reason I really liked it is because it was the last issue. This was a terrible event and will likely go down as one of the worst in Marvel history.  While there is still issue ‘omega’ and a few aftermath books it is clear that the status quo hasn’t changed all that much since before this event. There have been some major changes like the death of Black  Widow, destruction of the Alpha Flight station, and Kobik’s rebirth, but most characters can just go back to their regular lives after this all ends.  It has taken half a year of my life and comic reading focus to get through this mess and while I’m glad I battled through all this, I think I’d have been happier if I had quit at issue two like I wanted to do.  Hopefully Marvel can learn from their mistakes and try to correct the ship before we get another iceberg event.  Don’t read this, not even out of curiosity, it is not worth it and you will not be better for the experience.  

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, August Part One

We are so close to the end, thank God.  My patience with this series is running very thin.  I just want this to get over with so I can continue following the books I enjoy without the tether of this event.  These two weeks have been mixed, but mostly on the bad side.  However, the good books of this set were great and I can’t wait to read the following issues.

REVIEW:

Avengers 10: Another side story following the team of Hydra Avengers as they try to protect a power generator connected to the planetary shield.  It does have a few little plot points that may pay off in the end of the event or (more likely) upcoming issues of the Avengers.  The best part of the book is Superior Octopus going through the team and making his commentary.  The dialogue is great and this is a well written self contained story.  The art is fantastic, but the fight scenes do get a little cluttered.  Overall, this was a fine issue, but the event aftermath in the next issue will likely be more interesting.

Champions 11: This is a very different type of side story. This one follows the team after the attack on las Vegas as they search for survivors.  Each group has a moment to talk a little about themselves as they face the devastation.  Also Patriot gets a much needed character moment as most of his story thus far has been typical Mary Sue.  This is a story of loss and the search for hope and it works really well.  These are the kind of stories this event really needed because it makes the events seem more real as the heroes deal with the consequences of the war.  The art is well done and tries to create a bleak atmosphere, but it also avoids showing more of the grisly aspects of this survivor hunt.  Overall, this is a great book in a very enjoyable series.

Captain America 25: No longer featuring a title hero, this comic bridges the gap between Secret Empire 7 and 8, which means it should have been made part of the main story.  It begins with a speech (shock) and moves into Hydra attacking New Tian and Wakanda.  The action barely lasts three pages per story then we get to more speeches.  This leads to a brief assault on a Inhuman camp then a reveal that makes ending the story possible and a final scene with Namor gives another reveal that more or lesss came out of nowhere.  The writing is both flimsy and long winded making for a painful read.  The speeches are so banal and played out that it really feels like I’ve heard it all before. Nick Spencer sure loves to write boring, repetitive speeches and frankly it is getting very old.  This issue made me realize that this whole event and the two preview Captain America Spencer written seies were made up of so much dialogue that almost nothing happens in each issue.  If there is action it is very short, if there is a plot development it is told and not shown.  No matter how good you are at writing dialogue it is no excuse for failing at storytelling and when you are bad at dialogue then perhaps you should find a different line of work.  The art is mixed, most of the time it looks fine, but some faces really look weird or have the wrong emotion on them when people speak.  However, flaws in the art pale in comparison to the rest of this hot mess.  The only good side is that all of this is coming to an end very soon.

Secret Empire #8: Of note, the recap section of this will fill you in on just about every important detail from Cap #25, meaning you can skip it if you don’t really care about long winded speeches and out of nowhere Deus Ex Machina type twists.  This comic is a total mess.  Sam gives a speech to attempt to coordinate the troops as he uses the last of the cosmic cube fragment powers to break the barriers set up by Hydra.  Then we get a mess of scenes jumping around all different sides with the plan not working, then working all of a sudden.  It’s weak tension and the story fills drawn out and rushed at the same time. By the end the team has gathered to face off with Steve Rogers’ team.  We also learn that the shadow world version of Steve meets up with Kobik who is somehow alive in this bizarre realm.  On the good side, this is one of the very few well drawn issues in this series which made reading it a little easier, but not by much.  The art isn’t perfect, as faces look weird and proportions are off, but it is so much better than most of the previous issues.  This series is terrible and it feels like it is falling apart as it reaches the end.  It feels like this is just being rushed to get it over with, but there isn’t enough story to fill the page space so things drag on.  This has been a painful read and thankfully it is almost over.

Amazing Spider-Man 31: The tie-in story comes to an end with a crazy finale that sets things up for a very different status quo for Peter in the upcoming arcs.  The battle with Superior Octopus is intense and as both sides keep trying to out-do each other you get a great conclusion with Peter using his brains over his brawn. In addition to that, there is a small scene with Otto at the end concerning his feelings on the battle and Hydra.  The writing is well done and the verbal sparring is great.  The art is also mostly  fantastic with very few perspective issues, but some of the act ion scenes can get a little confusing.  Overall, this was a great book and really makes me want to get back into Spider-Man.

Secret Warriors #5: The story picks up in the ruins of the fallen Helicarrier and quickly moves into an assault on an Inhuman prison that ties in with the attack in Captain America 25.  The story continues past that point and hints at some upcoming plot threads that could make this a very interesting series to follow even after the event.  The writing is great with a good amount of humor and some twists that were a bit of a surprise.  The art is also great and makes this one of the most enjoyable reads of the entire event. I’m glad to see this series moving past Secret Empire and toward a new story arc.  If you like the new Inhumans this is a great series to check out.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Star Wars Comics - July

JULY:

Star Wars 33: This is the first issue in a long time that I didn’t really enjoy.  It’s a fill in story that fails to entertain, but at least has a few nice moments.  The story is about Luke and Leia crash landing on a planet and trying to survive.  You get a little backstory for Leia, but it isn’t all that much of a revelation.  Beyond that, we get a glimpse into the next story arc, which could be very exciting. The art is great and makes this book far more tolerable.  While it would be nice to have a ‘cool down’ story after a major event like “The Screaming Citadel” it would have been better if the story wasn’t so boring. This isn’t a skip, but it is a sour note like some of the other issues in the past.

Darth Vader v2 #3: This issue is like a nice carpet with water stains.  The story continues as Vader goes Force Unleashed as he battles his way to one of the last living Jedi.  The challenges are mostly made up of montages and there isn’t much blocking Vader’s path. The fight is also short ending with a cliffhanger that doesn’t matter because WE KNOW VADER LIVES.  This is the same stupid stuff Soule did with Poe Dameron and it is just as annoying with this series.  On the good side there are some nice visual storytelling moments where we do not have to read Soule’s terrible dialogue.  The art is fantastic and I only wish the writing was up to that quality.  Despite that, this wasn’t a horrible issue just another reminder that Marvel really needs to get Charles Soule off of Star Wars.

Doctor Aphra #9-10: One of the best series in the lineup begins a new arc as Aphra sets up a secret auction for the Rur Crystal.  This becomes a ‘dance’ of Aphra trying to keep peace between the various factions as plots go around on all sides.  This is a slow build up until things get crazy at the end of issue ten.  This will likely be a very fast paced arc from this point forward and it is nice to see an arc build in pace as things develop. The artwork is also great, as it has been for the whole series, but there are the occasional quirks in the art like Aphra’s face at the beginning of issue ten that just looks weird. Overall, it is nice to read a follow up to ‘The Screaming Citadel’ as well as see that Aphra’s anti-hero story will continue with new twists and turns.

Darth Maul #5:  The end of this series (for now if the title numbering is to be believed) follows Darth Maul as he battles against the padawan. Meanwhile his bounty hunting team procure a ship for escape.  There isn’t much else to the plot of this issue, it’s just wrapping up what was set in motion in issue one.  The ending has some nice moments, but overall this wasn’t a great issue.  It felt flat and uninspired, but that can be the case with many Darth Maul stories (Shadow Hunter, Death Sentence), but there was enough in this series to make it a fine side story.  The art is the standout part of this issue, even if the coloring can be a little uneven.  The battles lack momentum, but the stills are very appealing which makes up for it. Overall, if you like the character of Darth Maul you will enjoy this series.  If you want something with heavy action and violence you may enjoy this run as well.  Beyond that, there is really no reason to go on this adventure because it has no surprises and you can already guess the ending in issue one.  However, the writing is above average throughout the story and the art is great so this still ranks above some of the bad mini-series like Obi-Wan and Anakin, Chewbacca, or the Poe Dameron ongoing series. The last page shows off the next mini-series and it follows Mace Windu, let’s hope it can hold up to the standard brought up in the Clone Wars animated series.

Poe Dameron #17: This series is still going, how is that even possible?  This issue begins a new arc called ‘War Stories’ which sends Poe off to find Oddy who left the team in a previous arc.  Meanwhile Suralinda the reporter from a previous story is sent off to gather propaganda materials for the Resistance.  We also get to see the First Order make their move to take down Poe and his team.  This is a more or less average outing for this series.  The dialogue is a little flat, the art is a little messy, and it took me nearly an hour to read it since it bored me so much.  To make matters worse, I’ve realized that the new First Order Commander, Malarus, looks like Pearl from MST3K so I can’t take anything she says or does seriously.  This book has been below average since the beginning and while the art is a little better and the story a little more interesting it is still a chore to read this series.

Rogue One #4: This issue opens with a brief flashback for Galen Erso before jumping back into the assault on Eadu.  We get an extended scene with Kaytoo and Rook as they argue about how to face the situation. This leads to the death of Galen and the escape which runs about the same as the movie.  The scene between Krennic and Vader is a little different, but still has the silly pun.  We also get a Cassian flashback when he and the other decide to join up with Jyn to attack Scarif.  We end with Rogue One heading out to begin the final chapter of the story.  The art is a little cleaner than previous issues, but there are still problems with the faces and emotional expressions.  This doesn’t take that much away from the comic and it is nice to see a little extra put into the story this time around since we were promised alternate scenes in the comic.  This isn’t a must read, but if you liked the movie and want a little extra to expand the experience then this is a great choice.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, July Part 2

Two issues of the main title in a row... this was quite the effort.  On the good side one more month, just one more month....

PART 2:

Secret Empire 6: Another issue where we have a competent art staff, it is a nice change and makes the experience far more tolerable. This time we get a bit more from the weird world of shadows as Red Skull and “Herr Rogers” talk a bit.  Meanwhile, the Mount is attacked by Hydra and the Hulk. There are some good moments in this issue, but there are also endlessly long speeches by Captain American and Tony Stark that just come off insincere.  The ‘traitor’ is resolved really quick and has little pay off, but the battles with Cap and the Hulk have some intense moments.  Overall, this is one of the better issues in the main series and it does set the stage for act three, but it isn’t that enjoyable of a read and knowing that there are still three more issues left means this will be a long third act.

Secret Empire #7: Never hold out hope for this book.  The god awful art returns making this an almost unreadable comic.  The story is mostly focused upon the Red Room team attempting to assassinate Captain America.  The rest of the comic has scenes from the strange place with Red Skull and Rogers and the other Avengers reacting to the news of the attack.  The writing is annoyingly filled with long drawn out internal monologues and exposition dumps, but is hurt even more by the art because half the time it is difficult to tell who is even talking. Not only that, but the fight scenes are impossible to decipher due to the monochrome and messy art.  I even showed the fights to a third party who could barely figure out what was going on.  Andrea Sorrentino’s art makes Rob Liefeld’s art look like a Van Gogh level masterpiece.  Many people want Nick Spencer fired (and desirably so), but they really need to add Andrea Sorrentino’s name to that list because there are so many better artists out there who don’t get a chance, but she can do subpar work for a major crossover event.  Marvel deserves better and hopefully they will do some house cleaning when this event ends.

bBrave New World 4: The first story is a Misty Knight tale showing her transport an Inhuman while being chased by Hydra.  The story is great at subverting expectations and has a funny ending making it one of the best side stories in this series.  The art looks a little odd for the characters, but it does work with the ending reveals so it gets a pass.  The second story focused upon Emma Frost and doesn’t add much to the X-Men side of things. It isn’t a bad story, just nothing spectacular especially when compared to the previous story.  However, the art is great and this is an above average story in this series.  The last story continues the Invaders arc as the execution of Namora draws near and Namor begins to question himself.  The art is still great in this story and the plot twists keep coming, though these twists aren’t all that surprising.  Overall, this is becoming an enjoyable series as the bad stories are few and far in between. If you are reading the series, but avoiding most tie-in books this might be one to consider picking up as it is much more enjoyable than most others.

X-Men Gold #8: The finale to this tie-in features Kitty Pryde going ninja on the serial killer and the consequences of trying to help people in the Darkforce Dome.  Overall, this was a great side story, but it added nothing to the event at all.  The art looks great, but has a slightly 90s feel to it.  This is one of the rare books that makes me want to read X-Men again.  However, if you are hunting down every tie-in book this is a skip due to not really tying in at all.  

X-Men Blue 9: This was a significantly better issue than the previous one.  This time Jean and Jimmy attempt a rescue of the rest of their team. Meanwhile, we check in with Magneto and the capture X-Men who are planning their own escape.  The writing feels less rushed this time around and we get a slight explanation for the behavior of some of the other mutants. There is still one issue left in this story and it’s likely going to be an action packed ride.  The art is still good and the detailing in some scenes is top notch.  Overall, this has gotten better by a wide margin and hopefully the quality can keep up for the end of this tie-in story.

Doctor Strange 23: Why does this comic feel like there are dialogue balloons missing?  This might have the worst dialogue of any tie-in book and perhaps any current Marvel title.  Despite that, there are some fun ideas with the various magical artifacts introduced in this issue.  The story has Strange and his group looking over artifacts to stop Baron Mordo, but get sidetracked by a sidequest.  Meanwhile, Mordo is attacking random heroes and spouting terrible dialogue.  The art is messy, but kind of works for darkforce Manhattan.  Characters look fine and there is emotion on their faces, but the art doesn’t overcome the writing.  While this is one of the few stories about the battles in the darkforce dome it is still not worth reading due to the poor quality of the book.

USAvengers 8: The issue begins with a flashback to Toni Ho’s childhood and the death of her father. This takes us back to the present where he is trapped in a cell with a dying Roberto da Costa.  Meanwhile we follow part of the team in France and discover the fate of Cannonball in space.  As one would expect from this series things do get crazy, but the focus on Toni Ho is great as it allows the read to know her better and empathize with her struggle.  Needless to say, the writing is great with a mix of humor and drama that makes you want to read more.  The art is also superior with great emotional facial expressions and detailed backgrounds. This is a wonderful series and I highly recommend it because this is what escapist adventure comics are supposed to be.  

Occupy Avengers #9: The series comes to an end with no real surprises.  This issue reminds me of the final issues of Howling Commandos of SHIELD during Standoff.  It’s a rushed conclusion with one of those not a real ending endings.  The story follows the team as they gather together various refugees and prepare to battle Hydra.  The dialogue is still very juvenile and the characters aren’t very interesting, but it isn’t a painful read.  The art has a slightly more cartoonish style, which kind of works with this type of series.  Overall, this wasn’t bad, but it adds nothing to the event and there is no real reason to read this series at all.  

Steve Rogers, Captain America 19: This is the follow up issue to the event of Secret Empire #7 and for the most part it is Captain America being emo about his losses, but there are a couple good moments.  The discussion with Odinson about the Hammer and the old days brought some energy to this mostly dry comic.  Then the last scene with Sharon Carter was a strong emotional moment that had more bit to it then any of Steve’s moping this issue.  The artwork is fine and the characters look good, but backgrounds are a little bland.  This was a good issue and a great tie-in book despite all the flaws.  It doesn’t do much for the plot of the event, but it does explore Steve’s feelings and the discontent of those he trusts making this one of the rare good Nick Spencer works.

Sam Wilson, Captain America 24:  If you like internal monologue and lots of platitudes then this might be the book for you. The ‘story’ followgs Sam as he reflects on giving up the Shield and how that impacted the people in his life including everyone new favorite Mary Sue Patriot.  Then we get Sam to stop being a downer just long enough to pick up the Shield again as he did during the ending of Secret Empire #7.  This is a nothing issue like many books in this series.  On the good side the art is nice and expressive despite nothing actually happening in the book.  While some of the Sam Wilson issues have been great tie-in stories this is not one of them.  Give it a pass unless you have to read every side story.

Deadpool 34: It is a surprise that this has been the most consistently good tie-in book of this event. This time Deadpool starts putting together a plan to take down Hydra as we flashback to the consequences of his assassination of Agent Coulson.  There is some action, but most of this book is dialogue and very dark humor.  The good writing is teamed up with really good, but sometimes grotesque, art that pushes the dark humor even more.  There is only one issue.   left in this tie-in and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out

The Mighty Captain Marvel 7: The battle continues with the cadets working with Carol to attempting to survive.  Once the battle is over the team divides with part of it trying to figure out a way to connect with Earth through the shield.  The second team pulls a preemptive attack on the Chituari. Things go from bad to worse as we move toward the final issue of this arc.  The writing get a little confusing at times since the pronoun game pops up or some things aren’t clearly explained.  Still, it is a well written story with some nice moments.  The art is very good, with characters looking tired or worn out from the endless battles.  This is a great series and while this was a build up issue it is was a fast and fun read.  

Champions 10: This is a fun side story featuring the team trying to liberate an internment camp. The dynamics of the team make this a very fun adventure as well as the team using both brains and brawn to solve problems.  Mark Waid does a great job with the writing with some fun banter and nice twists. The art has a cartoony look that works well with the young team and the action segments look good, but aren’t anything special.  This was a nice book and a fun read, but you don’t really need to read it to have the full story for this event.  That being said, this looks to be a fun series that might be worth the read for those who enjoy teenage hero adventures.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, July Part 1

Even with all the event I’ve been hitting up I still found time to go through the mess of this event.  On the good side, the first two weeks didn’t have any real bad books, looks like they are saving that for the second half of the month.  

SECRET EMPIRE: JULY PART 1:

Secret Empire: Brave New World #3: Once again we get two side stories and the continuation of the Invaders storyline.  The first story features the Daily Bugle team trying to keep the paper going in the ruins of New York.  It’s a nice side story and has a cameo by Spider-Woman to add a little action. This is one of the better one-shots this series has had.  The second story features Starbrand moping for several pages.  The best part of that story is the art which is a little cartoonish and very expressive.  The last part is the ongoing Invaders story continuing with the rebel attack.  Things go from bad to worse as Hammond tries to make peace and ruins any possibility for negotiations.  This was a better issue of the Brave New World mini-series, but it still feels like filler when there are far more important stories to cover in this event.  That being said, I am enjoy this title more each issue so it is worth a read just to see the kinds of stories they have come up with during this terrible event.

Avengers 9: This issue comes in to follow up with what happened to the Jane Foster Thor who was defeated in Free Comic Book Day issue of Secret Empire.  The story follows Thor as she tries to find a way off an alien planet.  The story is told from the point of view of the alien helping her which works really well as the fresh perspective allows the reader to better understand Hecla the alien and his world.  The art has an odd look, but it works for the alien world. Overall, this was a good side story and it will be interesting to find out what happens to Thor on this strange new world.

Uncanny Avengers 25:  The battle inside the Darkforce Dome continues as the Avengers face off with a possessed Dr. Voodoo.  Meanwhile, Rogue is teamed up with a couple villains and facing off against other threats in the sewers.  Both paths cross with some over the top action.  The writing is great and the art is even better.  This is a great follow up to the previous issue and this series is building up to an intense finale that hopefully will have some impact on the main series.  Overall, this is a fun book that helps clean the banality of some tie-in books.

Deadpool 33: For the most part this book has lost it’s humor, but there are a couple good jokes in this issue.  The story follows Deadpool as he reflects on his work with Captain America and his falling out with Agent Preston.  This is a heavy issue and more information is revealed as to why he remains with Hydra during the war.  This is a book about the tough choices a mercenary must make and less about progressing the plot.  However, it is a moving book and well worth the read, just be aware that the humor has been replaced with pathos.  

Secret Warriors 4: Continuing from the previous issue the team faces off with Mr. Hyde and his team.  The battle isn’t quite as good as one would expect, but Deadpool fighting Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is worth a few laughs.  The battle against Hydra is intercut with a flashback showing how Moon Girl got out of New York before the barrier went up.  This issue wasn’t as good as the previous issues, but it is still a really good Inhumans story that works well even if it wasn’t part of the event. I still recommend this series if you are a fan of the Inhumans or like ‘on the run’ style stories.

Amazing Spider-Man 30: The story picks up in Washington DC as Peter helps the Avengers escape the attack by Cap and Hydra.  This leads into a race to save Parker Industries from Superior Octopus.  The globe trotting aspect of the issue offers different points of view and it works well to build up tension.  The issue ends with an intense cliffhanger.  The art is just as good as the writing and everything from action scenes to set locations look great.  Like Secret Warriors his would be a great story even without being part of some bloated event.  If you are a Spider-Man fan this is a must read.

X-Men Gold 7: This barely ties into the event.  Half the team goes out to help people as the Darkforce Dome seals off Manhattan and the rest of the team battles a serial killer who is hunting mutants in the mansion.  The book takes some time to set up the status quo before things get crazy which is nice for those just jumping into this book.  The art is a bit odd, but it is passable.  If anything this book will make you curious to read the rest of the series, but for now it doesn’t add much as a tie-in and if you are reading for that reason this can be skipped.

X-Men Blue 7: The X-Men are still dicks, too bad Gold had me wanting to get into their world again and Blue makes me glad that I am not. This might be the first Cullen Bunn book I haven’t enjoyed.  The time displaced young X-Men with the help of a few others are battling against the current government of New Tian led by Xorn.  A strike team is sent out to take down their rebellion and a big fight happens. Overall, the writing it terrible with bad jokes, characters lacking personality, and other characters have major personality changes.  Having read a previous tie-in book I know Xorn’s secret, but even still very little of this makes any sense.  Perhaps if I read more of the series I’d understand why people would follow Xorn and Emma, but I doubt it would fix the logic hole in this series.  As for the art, it looks great.  That is the one thing this book has over Gold, but that is not enough to save it.  It is likely this story will be a better tie-in than the Gold story, but it’s not going to be a fun ride.

[jaredthegreek]

Review: June Star Wars Comics

Delays from conventions made this a cramped reading schedule for me, but thankfully most of the comics are good despite reading three books by a writer who lacks in talent.  However, the conclusion of The Screaming Citadel really brought up the quality this month.  Overall, it was a good month and hopefully July and August will trim down the numbers a bit before the ‘journey to’ comics that will be coming in September.

JUNE COMICS:

Darth Vader #1: The second volume of Darth Vader comes in with a generic cover and very little to separate it from the first volume.  This time we have Charles Soule (Poe Dameron) as the writer, but unlike his previous two Star Wars outings this is a pretty good first issue.  It has some writing flaws, for example, the speech by Mas Amedda that intercuts an emotional battle between Vader and the Emperor really hurts the tone.  The art is very good except for faces, they can look a little off for some reason.  However, the more cartoony style is my preference for Star Wars comics.  In addition to that, the fights can be followed and have lots of energy behind them.  Then there is the backup gag comic in that Sunday Funny comic style that just doesn’t feel right in Star Wars.  The story is Vader killing various generals while a mouse droid tries to ready his meditation chamber.  I don’t find unnecessary death funny and overall the book would have been better without the backup.  This was a fine issue one I can only hope that Charles Soule doesn’t screw it all up.

Darth Vader #2: The story continues as Vader makes his way to a Jedi outpost to gather information on his target.  This puts Vader against stormtroopers like in a alt skin version of The Force Unleashed, but while Starkiller was undercover Vader has no excuse for not explaining why he is there.  This issue is an excuse for a couple mediocre fight scenes and padding before Vader tracks down his target.  The repartee between the stormtroopers is fun, but it is a small part of this story.  The art is better than the previous issue since just about everyone is wearing a helmet, but the action is rather bland.  This wasn’t a bad issue, but it doesn’t feel me with confidence that this will be a good series.

Rogue One #3: The story picks up as Jedha City is bombarded by the Death Star.  The story continues until the assault on Eadu with very few changes in the story.  There is a nice moment with Saw before his death, but not much else that seems changed or added.  The big advantage in this version is the emotion on people’s faces which still beat the wooden performances from the movie.  There is still very little reason to jump into this comic if you have seen the movie, but it is a well done retelling with some great artwork and a few minor changes to the dialogue.

Star Wars #32: The Screaming Citadel continues as Leia, Sana, and the droids try to stay alive as the violent madness in the citadel reachs a climax.  Meanwhile, Aphra makes her escape while Luke and Han are tortured by the Queen.  This issue ends with an intense cliffhanger as everything seems to be getting more and more crazy in this crossover.  The writing is fantastic with some great dialogue from Triple-Zero as well as an emotional moment for Aphra.  The art is top teir and makes the grotesque citadel really stand out, but outside the castle the backgrounds are a little bland. There is no reason to not read this story as it looks to be ending with a bang.

Doctor Aphra #8:  The ending of the crossover begins exactly where the last issue ended with the heroes pushed to their limits while facing the Queen’s army.  The resolution comes a bit faster than I would have liked, but it did give enough room to resolve a few remaining plot threads.  This was a great event with an ending that makes me remember why I love these comics so much.  The art is also pretty good, but not spectacular.  Overall, this was a great ending to The Screaming Citadel and this event is a must read for those looking for a different type of Star Wars adventure.     the only downside is that unlike Vader Down this crossover doesn’t do much to change the status quo.

Darth Maul #4: The story begins with a recap and the various criminals coming after Darth Maul and his bounty hunter team.  This issue is mostly made up of fight scenes, which gets old, but the interludes featuring Darth Maul and the Padawan are well written. The art is still the biggest highlight of this series with faces being expressive and the world feeling like a Star Wars world.  The conclusion will likely be action packed as well and I can’t wait to read the next issue.  This is one of the best series currently running amongst the Star Wars comics.

Droids: Unplugged #1: This is a compilation issue featuring three previously published side stories featuring droid characters.  I have covered all three of these stories before in previous reviews and I am not going to review them again here.  I only really liked SaBBatage as it was a cute BB-8 side story, but the others just feel like filler material for shorter issues of comics. If you have a younger child in your life this might be a fun way to introduce them to Star Wars comics, but beyond that this could be skipped as it adds nothing to the overall story of any aspect of Star Wars.  Frankly, the only reason to own this is if you are a massive completionist or if you never read these stories due to picking up the trades (and you’re a completionist).  

Poe Dameron Annual #1: If you get a talented writer than even an Annual that I wasn’t looking forward to reading can be enjoyable. Robbie Thompson blows the terrible writing of the main series away with a story about Poe Dameron trying to survive after being stranded in space.  This leads Poe to eventually learning key intel about the First Order and having a few good fights.  The art is a bit better than most issues of the series with the faces looking very realistic, but the expressions can be a little wonky.  The action is a little stiff, but it does have enough life to make it more visually interesting than the main series action scenes.  It’s too bad this is tied into the Poe Dameron series because this is a great creative team that wont be coming back to Poe Dameron any time soon making me hate the main series that much more.  Ideally, this team will be back for more Star Wars because they have talent and making a boring character’s adventures far more interesting than the current Dameron creative team.

Poe Dameron #16: The series continues as Poe and his team try to escape the trapped freighter and solve the fuel issues the Resistance is facing.  The writing is still bad with everyone being panicked one moment then solving everything with no problem the next.  Everything comes together too easily, but the arc isn’t over which means these events will have consequences, maybe.  The art seems different than previous issues, but that makes some of the character designs look off from the norm of this saga.  Overall, this was an average issue of this series so there is no real surprises here.  I am hoping this series will come to an end soon, but with the big Last Jedi push that will be coming in September I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, June Part 2

THE SECOND ROUND OF JUNE MADNESS

Things got delayed due to the holiday and Anime Expo, but here it is the second half of June’s Secret Empire comics.  This time around it wasn’t a fun batch, but there were a couple fun stories. Overall, I really wish this wasn’t such a long event.  Not much happens issue to issue and once you get past the shock factor of this stupid concept there really isn’t much else going on.  While there is the chance that there will be a big exciting payoff for all this, I really doubt it will make up for the difficulty of sticking with this event.  However, until that time please enjoy my thoughts on several more comics in this never ending event.

Secret Empire: Brave New World 2: Three new stories come to fill in some gaps in the saga.  The first story follows Shaun as he Mary Sue’s his way into the role of the new Patriot. This character has been sulking about the event and previous stories and finally got his chance to be a hero.  I’d care far more if he felt like a real character. The second story is a comedy adventure with Bob Agent of Hydra as he battles an inhuman.  It’s a nice diversion and far better than the previous issue’s comedy story.  The final story is a follow up to the Invaders story from the previous issue.  The time a rebel attack sends Namor and his troops into chaos while the prisoners attempt to escape.  Overall this was a better issue than the previous one, but the art can be a little mixed.  The Bob story is short and the art a little bland, while the faces in the Invaders story are generally ridiculous.  Despite the flaws this was a fine issue, but this mini-series isn’t really worth reading yet.

Secret Empire #5: It’s hard to not judge a book by its cover when the art is weird and disproportionate and the credits make me want to scream out in rage.  The story jumps around all over the place and at times can be hard to follow.  Black Widow is ‘captured’ while the Underground try to get more of the fragments, and the Mutants are doing some shady things behind the scenes.  The ending comes with an attack on the Underground and a dumb reveal about the strange shadowy place that keeps popping up in the story.  The art team is made up of a large group this time around making this comic a bizarre reading experience due to the style changing every three or so pages.  The series just gets worse and worse as it continues.  The art is falling apart, the story is too convoluted for its own good and finishing an issue makes me feel like I wasted a chuck of my life.  

Amazing Spider-Man 29: Another comic that feels like it should have been released in May.  The story begins prior to the events of Secret Empire with Peter Parker giving an interview about the recent events in his series.  This is followed by the attacks starting and Spider-Man facing off with the Superior Octopus.  The writing is strong as both Otto and Peter are written with wit and humor.  The art is also great and makes the fight very intense. It’s nice to see the first showdown between Otto and Peter after everything that has happened, but tying it into Secret Empire means that things will be dragging for a bit.  This is a good issue overall, but I’m concerned about the direction of the story.

Occupy Avengers 8: This is an odd side story and sadly not really worth reading.  The story follows Hawkeye’s team as they protect famers during the Hydra occupation. This leads them into coming up with a bigger plan to strike back.  The writing is pretty weak.  This book is filled with weak banter, terrible jokes, and some stereotypical dialogue.  None of the characters are memorable and the only saving grace of this story is that it shows a different side of this war.  The art is serviceable, but nothing special.  This is a skippable story, but it isn’t necessarily a terrible story, just weak.  

USAvengers 7: This is such a fun book and this story would work whether there was an event or not.  The battle against the mind controlled Red Hulk begins and things get out of hand really quick.  To explain anything beyond that would spoil the fun surprises in this issue.  The dialogue is great, the battles are fun, and the whole experience of reading USAvengers is a treat.  The art is also great, especially when it cuts to Squirrel Girl explaining part of the story with silly stylized drawings.  This is one of the rare books that makes me happy to be reading this event.

Doctor Strange 22: Thankfully this is better than the previous Strange issue, but it still drags on with terrible jokes and bad action movie dialogue. Doctor Strange and his crew team up with Kingpin to find some new magic McGuffins to break their way out of the darkforce dome.  It takes a long time to move forward and the ending is cliché.  The art is mostly good, but the facial expressions are terrible. It is possible this will be an important story in the course of this event, but it isn’t a fun read.  If thse tie in issues are any indication of how this series normally rolls then you would be best off avoiding this series and reading some of the previous, better, Doctor Strange comic book runs.

Captain America: Steve Rogers 18: This story fills in a bit more around the Atlantis timeline of events. setting the ‘Brave New World’ story prior to this and Secret Empire #4 right at the end of this issue.  The story is almost non-existent with Namor reflecting on his actions and Steve Rogers give a long winded, but empty speech at the UN.  The art is fine except for some of the faces and tensed muscle close ups that just look silly.  This is a good tie-in story due to actually adding to the main storyline and while it is a little bland it isn’t that bad of an issue.

Mighty Captain Marvel 6: The story continues with the team trying to find a way to communicate with people back on Earth.  The rest of the issue ties into the lack of morale and supplies that are slowly plaguing the Ultimates team.  The writing is great and it makes you feel for the team as they deal with this war of attrition.  Adding to that the great art and you have a wonderful book that I can’t wait to see  this series get past this event and tell unique stories.  This is well worth the read even if you have given up on Secret Empire as a whole.

Secret Empire Underground #1: This should be the last of the one-shots, though why each of these were not placed into a single series showing different sides of the war is anyone’s guess.  Like the previous reviews of the one-shot tie-in stories I don’t let the stupid numbering influence my review.  This is the full story of the Underground going to the Savage Land which is synopsized in the 5th issue os the main series.  The writing is good and the banter is fun as the team tries to get the cosmic cube shard from the rulers of the Savage land.  The art has a more cartoonish slant to it, which works for the mostly silly adventure.  This is a humorous side story that does flesh out part of the main series making this a great read for completionists.  

All-New Guardians of the Galaxy Annual 1: Wow, that was a whole bunch of pointless.  The story follows the Guardians as they team up with Yondu to find a weapon that can break the barrier around Earth, spoiler they don’t.  While the dialogue is enjoyable, but this isn’t all that entertaining of a story because you already know how it will end since this is a tie-in book and not part of the main saga.  It feels more like a side-story from the movies than a part of the Secret Empire event. The art is fine with a cartoony style, but the action is very static.  Overall, this is a waste of time whether you are reading the New Guardians or if you are reading Secret Empire.  

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire - June, part 1

Heading into the halfway mark doesn’t make this any easier.  Thankfully this set of issues wasn’t as bad as the previous set.  Still, I am getting very sick of this event and i hope it doesn’t completely screw up the current continuity like Secret Wars.  Frankly, I’d be happier reading the books that don’t tie in and just pretending this isn’t happening at all.  That all being said, I went into these issues like I always do with an open mind.  

JUNE SECRET EMPIRE, PART I:

Secret Empire: Brave New World #1: This is the standard short stories tie-in book that shows different perspectives during the event. The first is a Namor story where he deals with assassins and refugee heroes while still being a jerk.  The story seems a bit odd considering the events of Secret Empire #3 where part of his kingdom is destroyed.  Likely this takes place prior to that because Namor isn’t the type to take an assault on his people sitting down.  Despite that, this is a serviceable short story.  The second story tells of the new Giant-Man filling in some back story and trying to protect this family during the Hydra takeover.  This is a great introduction to a character I was unfamiliar with and it’s nice to see a ‘happy ending’ story in this event.  This is easily the best of the three stories and now I want to read more about the new Giant-Man.  The last story is a Gwenpool story and it’s a cartoony take on a news talk show.  This is the weakest story in the book and is just silly for silly sake, but if you like the childish style of comedy then this might be enjoyable.  Despite the weak last story this was a fun read and a nice shift from the overly serious and dark stories that have been a part of this event.  Hopefully the future issues can keep this level of quality despite being mired in the Secret Empire event.

Secret Empire #4: That sigh of relief when you see that Andrea Sorrentino and Rod Reis are not the main pencilers of this issue.  It’s even better to see an actual credited colorist so at least I know that this issue will be visually appealing.  The action scenes aren’t great, but it is easy to understand what is going on during the fights.  Characters look great and there is some interesting framing for several scenes. The backgrounds can be drab on occasion, but considering most of this story is in Ultron’s base that can be excused. The writing also fares a bit better as this issue does not jump around so much.  The first part features Black Widow and The Punisher, the second part is both Cap’s team and Tony’s teams meeting at Ultron’s base, and the final part is an epilogue to the events of the issue.  This is easily the best issue since Zero and that isn’t saying much. While it seems like the event is finally moving forward it is too little too late.  As the halfway point it is clear that many have given up on this event and any attempts to make it better aren’t reaching those who’ve lost the will to care.

Secret Empire: United #1: Another one shot story with a number value, it just seems like a waste of ink to me.  However, that has no real impact on the quality of this issue.  The story shows the current condition of New Tian, the mutant country located in Northern California.  A group of mutants led by Sunfire begin an attack on Hydra troops leading to escalating tensions between New Tian and Hydra.  While there are some political aspects to this story is isn’t bogged down by them like a Star Wars prequel.  Instead it uses them to better explain how New Tian is slowly preparing for war.  More than that the ending of this book adds to the overall story of the event by giving some interesting reveals.  The art is top notch and the action scenes are filled with excitement.  Like the Uprising one shot this is a great tie-in book that pushes the story forward while showing the status of a different part of the factions in this war.

Captain America: Sam Wilson #23: This issue was far better than I expected it to be.  The story begins with a long winded recap of recent events in the traditional Sam Wilson endless internal monologue that premiates this series.  The actual plot follows Sam and the exiled Avengers as they make their way out of the US prior to the events of Secret Empire #4.  The art is the highlight of the book, but the writing is passable when it finally becomes real dialogue.  This is a tie-in book that actually fills in a gap in the story so it is vital to the event, which is a nice change of pace.  The only issue with this book is that Sam is wearing his costume, but isn’t wearing it in Secret Empire, which brings up some continuity questions, but that’s likely a miscommunication between writer and artist.

Secret Warriors 3: Why does every X-Man need to be a total dick nowadays?  This is also the case in Secret Empire: United as well as any other book where they cameo.  Having read the events of Inhumans vs X-men I understand the animosity between the two races, but you’d think in a time of crisis they might try to be a little more friendly to the enemy of their enemy.  This issue has the team trying to get into New Tian and the mutants being jerks about it.  Then in the flashbacks Ms. Marvel is dealing with Hydra’s invasion of Jersey City.  There is some great dialogue and great art in this book.  In a way this doesn’t feel like part of an event and instead feels like a unique dystopian story.  This is a great comic and hopefully once this event is over it will continue into even better stories.

Deadpool 32: This is a direct follow up to the previous issue with Deadpool regretting the murder of Phil Coulson as well as trying to adjust to his new life working with Hydra.  The story is filled with the typical internal monologue that Deadpool has, but in this case it does work well.  There are some great moments in this book giving it an emotional energy as well as some decent jokes.  The art is great too making this an enjoyable read with an ending that makes me curious to see the next part of the story.

Uncanny Avengers 24: This issue should have come out a month ago. The story takes place as the Darkforce shell covers New York and the team begins battling the demons that invade the city.  Meanwhile, Quicksilver learns about the assault on Washington and heads into that mess. The story isn’t as compelling as the previous arc, but it does fill in some gaps in the story and will likely fill in more as the story continues.  The art is great, but the action isn’t that easy to follow especially with the changing perspectives.  This is a middle of the road tie-in book, but hopefully there will be more to make the ending better than the beginning of this arc.  

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, May Part 2

SECRET EMPIRE MAY PART 2

To be honest, this is becoming very difficult.  The main series is a painful read and side stories that sound interesting (battles of Chicago, Wakanda, etc) are not covered.  There are still many more comics left in this event.  I will push through because now that I’ve gotten this far I may as well see how it all ends.

Mighty Captain Marvel #5: This issue is a little bit mixed, but mostly due to the tie-in with Secret Empire causing issues.  This tells the story of Alpha Flight defending Earth while the shield is down yet again with nothing to really add to that side of this story.  However, the rest of the issue follows Captain Marvel as she starts training some new cadets and deals with the painful results of the last arc.  The dialogue is great and it has some great dark humor.  The art is fantastic, especially the emotional faces during some of the more tense moments of the story.  While this arc will likely add very little to the event, it is still a great book in general and worth reading from the start.

Secret Warriors #2: The road trip across the country begins as the team tries to avoid Hydra as they head West to find the X-Men.  Meanwhile, in the past we see the initial attacks of Hydra against the Inhumans that led to the eventual imprisonment of their people. The writing is great and all characters have their moment for humor.  The pacing keeps you on your toes and reading because both the past and present offer interesting stories.  The art is also great with the facial expressions during the car ride offering a little boost to the humor and the action sequences feeling intense.  It’s nice to have a book that offers a more unique perspective in this event that isn’t covered by the main book.  Like many other side books in Secret Empire, this is far better than the main comic line.

Steve Rogers #17: Secret Empire is full of problems and this issue is a microcosm of many.  Key among the problems is that the storytelling is bad.  This book is so coated in Spencer’s political agenda that it is almost a parody of itself.  The sad part is, this isn’t a bad concept for an event, but Spencer is terrible at logical storytelling that you just have to accept that people in the 616 are just completely stupid.  This issue follows a reporter  interviewing Steve Rogers with a few cut aways to show the inside of a Inhuman prison camp and Magneto accepting Steve’s offer of land in exchange for not fighting Hydra anymore.  The writing is competent with the long speeches by Steve being handled in a very propaganda-like manner and the reporter getting more aggressive as the story unfolds. However, that doesn’t make this an enjoyable read.  There are leaps in logic and nothing in this timeline makes much sense unless everyone is an idiot.  The art is great and I do like Steve’s Supreme Leader costume.  I do have to recommend this book to those reading the event because the scene with Magneto is a key part of the overarcing story, but be warned this is not a fun read.

Doctor Strange #21: While this wasn’t as bad as I expected, this issue still has many problems. The story is almost entirely internal monologue and/or exposition.  The art is bland and sometimes difficult to follow.  This is a clear tie-in as it better defines the condition of New York City being trapped in the Darkforce as well as what has become of some of the heroes of the city. This is worth a skim, but like most of this event it isn’t very good.

Sam Wilson #22: This issue takes Sam Wilson who recently quit being Captain America on a long winded internal monologue trip that fails to tell any kind of real story.  Outside of Sam’s mind we also see that some ‘average’ people are fine with Hydra, which still makes no sense nor does Hydra’s ability to hold the entire country in martial law as that would require millions of troops.  However, this book avoids answering the logical problems of this series and instead has a montage where Sam helps people off panel to my annoyance.  The non-existent story of this book is terrible and sad sack monologues get old real fast.  The only good part about this book is the art, but otherwise this is a big skip. It lightly ties in with the rest of the event via Sam’s attempt to help Mutants, Inhumans, and others who want to leave the country.  Overall, nothing is really gained with this book, but it does keep the political overtones if that’s what you like to read in your escapist fantasy story.

Secret Empire #3: After seeing the horrendous art and the eye assaulting coloring that has marred most of these main series issues I wanted to close the book after three pages.  This was a difficult read due to the horrible art and when you have no idea who is talking due to the over saturated coloring the whole book becomes one big headache. Then there’s the moment when you look at the credits again and see no credit for a colorist.  While that does explain why the panel are filled with a single color, it does not explain why Marvel would be so cheap in the production of this book, unless this is a corner they are cutting to save a little money on a book that almost no one wants to read, including myself.  With the first two issues (0 and 1) have different art teams, issues 2 and 3 have the same terrible duo of Andrea Sorrentino and Rod Reis both of whom should be ashamed of the amature level work they have produced. As for the story it is following three groups with little actually progressing.  Black Widow meets with Maria Hill, Ant-Man meets with Sam Wilson, and Zemo leads an assault on Atlantis.  I’m sure some of these scenes will be expanded upon in the tie-in books, but thus far this story is moving at a snail's pace and it is a chore to get through.  Avoid these comics at all costs and read anything else.

Secret Empire: Uprising #1: This one-shot follows Black Widow’s team as they move toward the attempted assassination of Captain America. However, that all gets sidetracked by Hulk and Wasp attempting to join the Hydra Youth Choir as part of Widow’s plan.  The first step in Black widow’s plan seems a bit odd, but it makes for an interesting read with some unexpected twists.  The writing is great and it works well as a spy story rather than the usual beat ‘em up type tie-in comic.  The art is about average for Marvel and it is easy to follow everything that is going on.  Even the vague reason given for why some kids would want to join Hydra kind of makes sense in this book, but it is still a major plot hole overall.  Finally, I’m not fond of one shots being listed with numbers when there will never be an issue two, but despite everything this is a good read.

Deadpool #31: This was a good issue, but not a good Deadpool issue.  The story follows Deadpool as he tries to find Agent Coulson under orders from Captain America.  Meanwhile, Coulson tries to warn everyone that Captain America is compromised, but sadly fails due to Deadpool’s interference (otherwise Secret Empire would have been way different).  The book isn’t funny, it’s almost tragic watching Deadpool do the wrong thing, not because he’s on a chaotic-neutral streak, but because he is following the wrong person.  The art is great and the battle between Deadpool and Coulson has quite a bit of emotion tied into it.  Not really a necessary read, but it does tie up loose ends from a previous Deadpool issue.

[jaredthegreek]

Review: Star Wars Comics - May

STAR WARS MAY:

May is an important Month for Star Wars as we not only get (my birthday) May the 4th, but it is also the month where many of the films were released.  Thus, we get our second crossover event The Screaming Citadel to celebrate as well as a couple other issues to round out the list. Overall, this was a good month as The Screaming Citadel is a thrilling ride thus far with horror themes rather than the usual space adevenutre tropes.  

Rogue One #2: It may sound odd, but I think I’m growing to like the comic more than the movie. Despite that praise this still has some flaws.  The problem of people not quite looking like their movie counterparts still remains (and likely will for this series) and the action scenes of Jedha aren’t nearly as exciting as they are in the movie.  However, there are some nice flashback segments showing hints about Jyn’s training and Bodhi’s life prior to the movie.  The framing is great and Jyn showing emotions while her father’s hologram speaks is moving.  If you liked the movie give this a skim because it is a nice take on the story.

Screaming Citadel #1: The second Star Wars crossover event begins with Luke and Aphra meeting in a bar.  Things take a turn when Aphra tell Luke about the ancient Jedi artifact she has and the A.I. Jedi master within, but in order to access it they need the help of a mysterious queen.  This issue is primarily built around Luke and Aphra discussing the plan and a little flirting.  This event does tie it into major plot  points from Vader Down and the main Star Wars series, so this isn’t a good jumping in point for those new to Star Wars comics.  The art is mostly well done in this book, but sometimes characters aren’t as well defined as other times.  It can be distracting, but it isn’t as bad as some other Star Wars comics.  This was a great set up for this event and it will be interesting to see how everything works out.  I get the distinct feeling this will be a far more exciting ride than Vader Down.

Star Wars 31: The second part of The Screaming Citadel focuses upon Luke and Aphra meeting with the Queen and dealing with the creepy citadel. The queen puts Luke to the test and everything gets out of hand as we lead into the second act of this event.  The art is great and the detailed designs work really well with the coloring to help set the tone and style of this arc. This issue keeps the quality of the series even with the mandates of an event.  I’m looking forward to the next part of the story which is featured in the following issue of Doctor Aphra.

Doctor Aphra #7: The third part of The Screaming Citadel has Luke and Aphra meet up with Han, Sana, and Leia as they try to escape the house of horrors the Citadel has become.  The highlights of this issue include Luke and Aphra talking about their views on the Empire as well as a discussion between Leia and Triple-Zero about Leia’s approach to leadership.  This is mixed with the action and comedy that tend to be a major part of the good Star Wars series.  This event is far better than Vader Down and will hopefully have some interesting ramifications for the two main ongoing series.  I am eagerly awaiting the next part of the story.

Poe Dameron #14-15: Instead of a new Darth Maul issue, we get two Poe Dameron issues because Marvel wants to get this series over with faster than I do.  The (hopefully) final arc of the story begins with L’Ulo’s funeral with some nice speeches from Leia and Poe.  This features great moments that are clearly a tribute to Carrie Fisher.  The rest of the issue shows how Poe and Terex deal with the results of the previous mission.  Then we move into Poe’s next mission that involves procuring some fuel for the resistance.  The writing is better than the early books in this series as has been the case since issue eight.  There are still some dumb parts, but they are overshadowed by the emotional moments. The art is still the mediocre slop from the previous issues, but the people are starting to look a little better. It’s still not a great series, but I’m glad these books have gotten easier to read.

[jaredthegreek]

Review - Secret Empire, May part 1

This event has problems and the more of it I read the more I lament that the side books are far better than the main event.  It’s too bad that the event is so weaak because these good side stories will be marred by that fact.  If you have read the prologue books and are still interested in the series then get ready because May is a rough ride.  This was not an easy read, but there’s another half of this month so many things will turn around.

Secret Empire #1: Despite having read all the lead in material I still felt like I had missed an issue or three when I started this comic.  The story is a mess and it makes this a pain to read through.  This might be the worst issue one of an event I have read in recent memory.  It begins with civilians trying to go about their lives in the new Hydra States then it moves onto the characters we know.  The rest of the issue tries to fill in the audience on what’s going on and we get to see the rag tag resistance rescue an informant.  However despite the 40 or so pages of this story I feel like nothing really happened. This wasn’t even a good ‘status quo’ issue as it jumped around and didn’t spend much time trying to explain the current status of anything.  It’s written like a fair amount of time has passed, but that just begs more questions and it forces the reader to go through other comics in order to fully understand the situation.  Despite the terrible writing, the art is great, but it doesn’t make up for the terrible scripting.  If you’ve already started on the series give this a skim and see if you want to continue, if you have not started the series then leave this on the rack.

Secret Empire #2: What the hell happened to the art?  Issue 0 and 1 both looked great and for issue 2 we have that same terrible sloppy muddy messing armature art as the Free Comic Book Day issue.  It’s like this event comic is actively trying to make me quit reading.  I’m doing my best to review this series with an open mind, but it’s as if Marvel knows this was a bad idea and they are putting their worst staff members to work on this so nobody except the most hardcore Marvel fans read this trash.  The writing is improved as this makes far more sense and sets up the missions for all sides.  However, the bad art makes it difficult to figure out who is talking half the time.  This book is made of problems and even if the later books improve this is not a series worth reading.  Save your time, money, and sanity on any other better series.

Ultimates2 7: I forgot how much I like this series.  This story takes place around the same time as Secret Empire #1 and tells of how Carol’s team is dealing with being stuck outside the planetary shield.  This book focuses on the emotional battle as well as the physical battle. It’s a nice journey and it fleshes out the weak storytelling of the main event comics.  The only flaw in the book is that the facial art is not that great, but all the rest of the art is spot on.  While I am losing interest in the event I really do want to see what happens next with the Ultimates team.

Secret Warriors #1: This is our first Inhumans tie-in book and surprisingly it’s pretty good.  The story follows Quake as she begins her crusade against Hydra.  The team of Inhuman heroes gathers as they approach a prison camp for Inhumans.  The writing is well done with the story cutting between the past and present explaining why Quake wasn’t taken over by the Hydra mind control.  The art is great with strong action scenes and intense spy moments.  Like Ultimates this book helps flesh out the story and is much better than the event it ties into.

USAvengers 6: This tie-in takes place during issue 0 and covers some important events from a more emotional angle.  In space we get a better view of Quasar’s death as Cannonball goes for the rescue. Then on Earth Roberto is stuck between his desire to help and his orders from Captain America.  This leads into his team being attacked by Hydra.  This is a compelling book and a very fast read. The art is also great making this a very enjoyable experience overall. Like the other tie-in books this is way better than the main story.