Comics

All-New X-Men #36

/ / Comics

All-New X-Men #36The time-displaced X-Men’s adventure in the Marvel Ultimate Universe comes to a close as the two teams work together to take down their version of Doctor Doom. This also (rather coincidentally) leads to the return of the young mutant who has been jumping through realities unable to find her way home (at least until she gets the right kind of help).

Like most of Marvel’s current multi-issue arcs the storyline dragged far longer than necessary to properly fill the inevitable graphic novel trade paperpback. That said, even if it is two issues too late, the conclusion to the arc does offer some fun moments including the Beast‘s explosive revenge against Doctor Doom, Miles Morales getting a proper thank you from Jean Grey, and both teams being annoyed by the wisecracking of not one but two versions of Iceman.

The issue is really a microcosm of the entire arc in that it includes some fun moments but never quite lives up to the promise of its premise ultimately offering a mostly forgettable adventure. For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99] …

All-New X-Men #36Read More »

All-New X-Men #36 Read More »

Velvet #9

/ / Comics

Velvet #9Velvet #9 introduces us to Damian Lake, the former head of Intel Division who may have been set-up in a similar manner to Velvet before spending a forced extended stay in a psychiatric prison. Or he may me a master manipulator, gifted liar, and completely insane. Or, what’s worse for our heroine, he may very well indeed be both. The question is will Velvet discover what is true before the man gets her killed?

As Velvet gets one story out of Damian concerning an investigation that got his team killed and him thrown into a dark hole to be forgotten we get the official account from Arc-7 as well painting a far darker version of the man. It’s likely both have some truth to them just as both are missing key details to give Velvet the information she desperately needs.

The real question is whether, after going to the trouble of breaking him out of prison, Damian is a comrade or a potential new enemy who may only complicate her attempts to learn the truth about who has framed her and arranged the deaths of two men she loved. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50] …

Velvet #9Read More »

Velvet #9 Read More »

Batman ’66 #19

/ / Comics

Batman '66 #19Widening the cast of villains, as the show did in the 1960s, to allow more variation unfortunately sometimes leaves you will bad guys like Lord Marmaduke Ffogg who arrives in Gotham City with his Londinium fog to plague the Caped Crusaders in the older sections of the city.

As expected given its guest-villain, Batman ’66 #19 is a mostly forgettable affair. There are a few bizarre touches like FFogg’s ridiculous giant pipe (which somehow steals Time Lord technology as it appears far larger on the inside), but I found the art of Leonardo Romero very inconsistent throughout the issue. Given that the story (with a villain whose motives are questionable at best) can’t stand on its own that leaves the reader with a very mixed bag. The villain’s henchwomen, and their obvious attraction to Robin, are actually more entertaining than the main villain.

…

Batman ’66 #19Read More »

Batman ’66 #19 Read More »

Powerpuff Girls: Super Smash-Up! #1

/ / Comics

Powerpuff Girls: Super Smash-Up!Spinning out of events from Super Secret Crisis War the first issue of the new Powerpuff Girls series introduces the idea of Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttecup jumping realities to have unusual team-ups throughout the various Cartoon Network interconnected worlds. Opening with the girls defeating Fuzzy Lumpkins‘ attempt to kidnap Miss Bellum (by showcasing a bizarre new power) and a visit to Dexter’s Laboratory that ends in a mutated DeeDee jumping through a portal, the first episode is largely a set-up for the premise (while allowing Professor Utonium to geek out over someone else’s lab for a change).

Personally I’d prefer a solo Powerpuff Girls series but it seems IDW is more interested in growing the comic brand of the various Cartoon Network characters. Team-up books are a bit iffy as some of the various rotating guest-stars are likely to interest some readers more than others. I also have to wonder with the Powerpuff Girls traveling through other dimension whether we’ll get to see much of the various Townsville villains in the series? For fans.

[IDW, $3.99]

Powerpuff Girls: Super Smash-Up! #1 Read More »