Comics

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2

/ / Comics

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2Send in the clones. When the Scarlet Spider returns to New York to have a talk with Spider-Man nothing goes according to plan. First, Kaine is unprepared for the new Spidey (as no one has figured out that Doctor Octopus‘ mind is in control of Peter Parker’s body). Seeking revenge for his paralysis Kaine caused, Spider-Man attacks an increasingly confused and angered Kaine, but that’s only the beginning of what becomes a very long night.

Trouble multiples exponentially with the arrival of Spider-Clones, the Jackal, and even a gun-toting clone of Gwen Stacy. It would appear the new Clone Wars have officially begun.

I’ve stayed away from Superior Spider-Man as I’ve been less than enthused at the prospect of a Doc Ock Spidey. However, the back-and-forth between the two former super-villains trying to live-up to Spider-Man’s legacy works well here. I have enjoyed writer Christopher Yost’s work on Scarlet Spider and I’m intrigued to see just what the return of the Jackal has in store for everyone Spidey-related. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2 Read More »

Fairest #18

/ / Comics

Fairest #18The odd plague which was introduced in the last issue is further developed here as Prince Charming loses a pair of fingers to the the malady only to regrow his hand. Whether his healing came from the notoriety of his legend or the discovery of the depths of his feelings for Nalayani is a left a bit up in the air.

I thought last month’s issue got far too sidetracked with Charming’s story while shoving Nalayani to the background. This issue focuses much more on the pair together. Although it’s hard to accept Charming’s feelings as true love (wasn’t he just gleefully boffing members of his harem an issue ago?) I will be curious to see where exactly these new-found feelings lead the story and Prince Charming.

Fairest #18 is certainly an improvement over last month’s issue, but it does have weird jumps in action such as the rivalry back at the maharaja’s camp and Charming’s attack of the crocodile that aren’t properly set-up and seem a bit out of place with the focus of the issue, and whose inclusion disrupts the flow of the story. For fans.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

Fairest #18 Read More »

G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #5

/ / Comics

G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #5After wrapping up the business with the Night Creepers in the last issue, the beginning of G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files‘ second arc shifts the focus from Chameleon to the the only member of the team with less battlefield experience, the team’s computer and intelligence expert Clockspring whose continued loyalty may be in question thanks to his unreturned romantic feelings for Chameleon which the untrustworthy Tomax has begun to use to twist the man to his will.

The issue takes the opportunity to spell out Clockspring’s rather sad life story which contains only a few bright spots such as when the computer geek finally found a home with the JOEs (although he’s far less comfortable with his current role in the field with far less resources than he became accustomed to working with).

I don’t expect big changes in beginning next month, but this issue certainly foreshadows dangerous territory for Clockspring and his teammates who may no longer be able to trust the man in charge of the covert team’s valuable intel.

…

G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #5Read More »

G.I. JOE: The Cobra Files #5 Read More »

Detective Comics #23

/ / Comics

Detective Comics #23After being able to do no more than fight Wrath to a standstill, Bruce Wayne changes tactics by meeting with E.D. Caldwell while allowing Alfred to do some snooping around the man’s weapon factories to prove that he is indeed the man behind the mask of the city’s new deadly vigilante.

The latest issue of Detective Comics has its share of awkward moments, such as Wayne and Caldwell having a business meeting while having a martial arts sparring session at the same time. Although Alfred’s poking around confirms Batman’s suspicions, it puts the butler’s life in danger and doesn’t really explain the wealthy man’s end game (or how killing a bunch of police officers and starting a war helps facilitate that goal).

After giving up Red Hood and the Outlaws last month Detective and Batman and Robin are the only Bat-titles I’m still readying (having given up on the others months ago), but this Wrath storyline is certainly stretching my endurance to the limit. And, sigh, yes we get more of the awful Man-Bat back-up story this month as well. Pass.

[DC, $3.99]

Detective Comics #23 Read More »

Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #9

/ / Comics

Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #9Although I prefer my Atomic Robo stories to have Atomic Robo in them, the latest issue of Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures provides a threesome of historic figures to carry the load. Charles Fort, Winfield-Scott Lovecraft, and Ehrie “Harry Houdini” Weiss work together to uncover the truth behind the evil machinations of the mysterious Black Coat army led by a shadowy of group of heads of industry who are also behind the theft of Nikola Tesla‘s Magnifying Transmitter.

The threesome of historical figures are entertaining, and there’s a good amount of action here, but I actually had more fun with the combination of Master Wong Kei-Ying and Annie Oakley from Atomic Robot Presents Real Science Adventures #8 who sadly don’t return.

Although their investigation leads to little in the way of concrete answers, it does narrow the focus of the storyline going forward as well as bring the threesome to the attention of another interested party: Nikola Tesla.

[Red 5, $2.75]

Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #9 Read More »