Comics

Justice League #5

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justice-league-new-52-5-coverWow. This was just… Wow. If you could sum up the trainwreck DC’s New 52 has become in a single issue you might choose Justice League #5 as a prime example.

Writer Geoff Johns delivers more of Hal Jordan being brave but completely useless and Batman doing maybe the craziest thing the Dark Knight has ever done (and that’s saying something from a guy who trained a street kid with no scruples to become a lethal fighter and let a mentally unstable assassin for God run around in the Batsuit for the better part of a year).

Batman, in the middle of the battle takes off his cowl, exposing himself to Green Lantern, proceeds to tell Hal his life story… and then runs away.

Seroiously DC, WTF? I know Geoff Johns is capable of writing better dialogue and stories than this. However, I’m growing less and less sure that “artist” Jim Lee (and I use that term loosely) is capable of putting a panel of the Justice League together that doesn’t look completely half-assed and photoshopped. An early contender for worst comic of the year – Pass.

[DC, $3.99]

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Teenange Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

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teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-6-coverThe rebooted and re-imagined TMNT universe continues. Reunited, the Turtles find themselves battling mysterious ninjas on the rooftops of New York who appear to be after a French-speaking warrior who warns the team that war is coming.

Meanwhile, April O’Neil takes one step closer to the Turtles’ world when she meets Casey Jones for the first time. And Dr. Baxter Stockman introduces Old Hob to his latest invention – the Mousers.

It’s nice to see the Mousers, another piece of Turtles’ lore, finding its way into the new series. Like Donatello, I’m having a little trouble with the the idea that fate has brought Hamato Yoshi and his four sons back together in their current forms in 21st Century New York, but then again this is a comic book about human-sized turtles who know Ninjutsu, so I’m willing to give it a chance.

The issue feels a little like filler as it spends most of its time setting up stories that will be told in the next few issues. Still, it opens with a pretty darn good action sequence and does give us the first appearance of the Mousers. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Usagi Yojimbo #143

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usagi-yojimbo-143-coverThe rabbit ronin’s wanderings lead Usagi Yojimbo to a village where a local soy sauce maker is under attack by his ruthless competitors.

Usagi stops the arson set to destroy the factory but soon realizes the town’s local authorities have no interest in stopping the violence. Given that the brewer has no one else to turn to Usagi decides to stay in the town for a few days.

Sakai is known for using issues of Usagi to describe and educate young readers on various aspects of Japanese life. Here we get quite a few pages of Usagi learning the lengthy process of how soy sauce is made.

The issue may be a little light on action but there’s plenty of foreshadowing to next issue’s conclusion of this two-part tale that tells us there’s a big battle or two coming if Usagi is to save the brewer from his enemies. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

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The Flash #5

/ / Comics

the-flash-new-52-5-coverThe Mob Rule story arc ends, although it looks like the character is going to stick around the New 52, as the Flash is able to stop Darwin Ellis‘ out of control experiment, to solve Mob Rule’s degeneration problem, from exploding and taking an entire Central City block with it.

Although the Flash is able to save the day none of Mob Rule survive leaving Manuel to blame the hero for their deaths. I was hoping the arc would end the character’s involvement in the series but it appears he’s going to be sticking around, and with an ax to grind.

The issue also sees the Flash save Iris West from the prison break at Iron Heights and learn Ellias’ terrifying theory about the Speed Force which could mean the end of the Flash for good.

Once again Francis Manapul delivers another terrific looking comic. I’m glad to see the end of the Mob Rule story arc and the chance to see the Flash deal with a problem with the Speed Force and the return of his Rogues Gallery in the next couple of issues. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Comic Rack

/ / Comics

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Archie, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes Action Comics, Amazing Spider-Man, Animal Man, Batwing, Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes, Defenders, Detective Comics, Doctor Who, Fatale, G.I. JOE, Hellraiser, Hulk, Invincible, Irredeemable, Justice League International, The Lone Ranger, The Punisher, Reed Gunther, Savage Dragon, Sonic the Hedgehog, Stormwatch, Swamp Thing, Sweet Tooth, Uncanny X-Men, Venom, X-Factor, and the first issues of Alpha Girl, Infestation 2: Transformers, Magic: The Gathering, Warriors of Mars, and Winter Soldier.

Enjoy issue #164

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