Category Archives: comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2014

Artwork is copyright 2014 IDW, TMNT and related characters are copyright/trademark Nickelodeon 2014, used under Fair Use
Artwork is copyright 2014 IDW, TMNT and related characters are copyright/trademark Nickelodeon 2014, used under Fair Use

Publisher: IDW
Words: Kevin Eastman/Tom Waltz Art: Kevin Eastman
Rating: 3.7/5

I have a special fondness for this annual. Not just because I love when Kevin Eastman gets to write and draw the Turtles again. Not just because the book goes back to classic gray-scale when the Turtles are transported through time and space. But because this reintroduces a character (Renet) that was originally introduced in the special Turtles/Cerebus issue way back when. And while Cerebus doesn’t make an appearance this time, it does seem as though the great warrior they befriend is wearing Cerebus’ helmet from that story…

Classic Turtles tale. And for anyone that has never read the original series but wants to see what it was like? This annual is the one you want to pick up.

The Wicked + The Divine #3

Artwork is copyright 2014 Jamie McKelvie, used under Fair Use
Artwork is copyright 2014 Jamie McKelvie, used under Fair Use

Publisher: Image
Writer: Kieron Gillen Art: Jamie McKelvie
Rating: 3.7/5

I have a bit of a thing for Gillen and McKelvie. I love what I’ve seen of Gillen’s work and I love McKelvie’s style. Period. So, while I have yet to catch up on Phonogram (I know, I’m a bad boy) I made sure I got on right off the start for The Wicked + The Divine. And while the interaction for roughly the first half of the book was confusing, while still being fitting for two goth gods interacting, the second half brought it up nicely.

And obviously I still love Luci.

New Avengers #23

Artwork is copyright Marvel 2014, used under Fair Use
Artwork is copyright Marvel 2014, used under Fair Use

Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jonathan Hickman Art: Kev Walker/Frank Martin
Rating: 3.9/5

Anyone that has been keeping up with advanced solicits for the Avengers titles and reading New Avengers knew the last page stinger was coming. But as I keep trying to point out, a well crafted story can (and perhaps should) foreshadow all sorts of story beats without actually ruining the reveal. Because even if we know something is going to happen to these characters, they don’t. And if we can properly connect with them it should impact us when they have to deal with events.

And that’s where Hickman has hit the mark for me. It doesn’t matter if none of this is going to matter in one year, or even one month after he’s off the books. I care now. And I did give a bit of a “oh shit” when I got to that last page stinger.

Multiversity #1

Artwork copyright DC 2014, used under Fair Use
Artwork copyright DC 2014, used under Fair Use

Publisher: DC
Writer: Grant Morrison Art: Ivan Reis/Joe Prado/Neil Ruffino
Rating: 3.4/5

Multiversity is Grant Morrison’s Crisis epic. Much like the original Crisis on Infinite Earths, some awful threat is ripping through the Multiverse and devouring worlds. And it’s fun. He’s getting to set down the road map of the New 52’s multiverse, and naturally is pulling from all kinds of Silver Age stories and characters as well as his own and others. For instance, much of the first issue has to do with music, which was a theme he used with Superman during his Final Crisis story, which itself hearkens back to all realities sharing one physical space while vibrating at different frequencies. Which is what allowed Barry Allen to travel between realities way back when.

So for any kind of serious DC fan, old or new, this is a great book.

That being said. It also falls into the trap that a lot of Geoff Johns more recent work tends to. If you’re not a heavy DC fan, if you don’t know about Flash vibrating between realities or who Captain Carrot is or what Lord Havok’s world is supposed to represent; a lot of this first issue is going to fall on deaf ears. I’m probably a fair weather DC fan at best, but for other reasons tend to know about a lot of the ideas and concepts they’ve used over the years.  But to someone that has only read a single earth DC universe which only had an Anti-Monitor and no Monitors, why does Nix Uotan matter? To someone that doesn’t know the origins of Superboy Prime, how much sense does the young man living on a “normal” Earth devoid of superhumans make?

It’s not impenetrable by any means but I’m just getting to the point in my reading where I like my books to rely less and less on nostalgia.

But that’s just me.

Spider-Man 2099 #2

Artwork is copyright Marvel, 2014. Used under Fair Use

Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Peter David Art: Will Sliney/Antonio Fabela
Rating: 3.6/5

When I was a kid, I got exactly one issue of Spider-Man 2099. The last issue. And I only picked it up because I loved Spidey at the time and wondered who this guy was. Since then, I’ve read about half of the original 90s series in collected form. And as a fan of Peter David, I was super excited for Miguel to return.

Mr. David has not let me down. This issue saw Miguel deal with two of the women in his new past life. The super for his building and his boss, the infamous Liz Allen. And I’m still about as surprised and confused about what Liz did as ol’ Miggy.

Spider-Man 2099. The only Spidey book I’m currently reading.

Original Sin #7

Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jason Aaron Art: Mike Deodato/Frank Martin
Rating: 3.3/5

Old Man Fury fights the Avengers, using some of their secrets against them. Including some buried memory that suddenly makes Thor unworthy to wield Mjolnir. Meanwhile, Orb is gaining some of the power cosmic juice that the Watcher used to have and is transforming into a Watcher like being, I can only presume.

And we still don’t know who killed the Watcher.

At this point, I’m glad there’s only an issue left. It’s been up and down as far as my enjoyment, but with Aaron milking the mystery for the full length of the series, I’m going to be a little let down in the end.

The best mysteries have somewhere to go AFTER the big reveal. Or many more miles to go before it.

Big Trouble in Little China

Publisher: BOOM
Story: John Carpenter/Eric Powell Art: Brian Churilla
Rating: 3.6/5

I love Eric Powell. I love his sensibilities, I love the way he can mix action with comedy. I love how he is twisted. I love Brian Churilla’s style. A slight more cartoony Mignola without being a clone. And that is exactly what you need on this book. Because it’s just fun from front to back, every issue. I can’t recommend this book enough, it’s obviously the true successor to the movie.

MASSIVE #25

Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: Brian Wood Art: Garry Brown
Rating – 3.1/5

Massive is coming to an end, it seems. And it seems about time. The Sahara arc was great, but overall it’s gone no where in particular. And part of that is that Wood tends to make his metaphors literal. As in, Massive is about what we as human beings are doing to our environment. And he explores that by literally having the environment turn on us. Which can still be good…but he fixates on that more than actually telling stories.

Bodies #1

Publisher: Vertigo
Writer: Si Spencer Art: Dean Ormston/Phil Winslade/Meghan Hetrick/Tula Lotay.
Rating – 3.5/5

I loved the Vinyl Underground, so I figured I’d give this a shot. And having the same murder victim’s body exist across 4 moments in time is definitely interesting. It’ll be interesting to see how it turns out. I have a feeling the future is going to be the most distracting.