Suicide Squad, Vol. 4: Discipline and Punish by Ales Kot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Suicide Squad, Vol. 4: Discipline and Punish is the only volume of the New 52 Suicide Squad I’ve been willing to roll the dice on for two reasons. One, my home girl Anne seems to have really enjoyed it. And two, because Ales Kot is so stinkin’ fresh. His offbeat style continues to charm the hell outta me.
Elektra: Assassin by Frank Miller
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
This was a big steaming pile of buttjuice.
I get what Miller was trying to do.
It’s a glimpse into the crazy assassin’s head…
Enter If You DAAAAARE!
What. Ever.
If your main character isn’t going to have even ONE lucid thought, then you need to create some sort of reliable narrator to help the reader wade through her delusional thought process.
Someone who knows fact from fantasy. Instead, we are given a skeevy S.H.I.E.L.D agent whose mind is under Elektra’s control.
And I’m still not sure how the fuck she managed to do that?! But I decided to roll with the psychic ninja shit, because I know very little about Elektra.
Which is why I was reading this in the first place…for all the good it did me.
The first few chapters are nothing more than psychotic ramblings from inside Elektra’s mind.
*I see men with lights…
The lion is old and sick…
I drive away in a truck, my hands coated in blood…
The cat rides with me…
I laugh…
The fuck?!
Except I guess she’s not really there in the jungle anymore. She’s locked up in some facility. Sort of. ‘Cause she gets locked up more than once. But you’re not sure where the hell she is, or even when the hell she is most of the time.
She’s so whacked out of her mind that nothing makes any sense.
Ok. Fine. At least we can figure out what’s going on from Garrett (aka the grody agent), right?
Yeah. No.
He’s just as freakin’ crazy as she is!
Most of the time he makes even less sense than Elektra does.
*Crazy bitch…too many muscles..
Gonna kill her..
Oooh, baby…
I need her…
Oh, baby, no…
Oh, baby, yes…
He’s a fucktard with bad hair. Really bad hair. Swear to God, it takes on a life of it’s own by the end of the book.
*shudder*
And the villain? The Beast!
Wanna know how he gets people to jump on his antichrist bandwagon?
Wait for it…wait for it…
He makes them drink sour milk.
That’s right. Milk.
Also, Elektra and Garrett can tell when he possesses someone.
Because they have mad psychic ninja skills?
Not hardly. Evidently, the devil smells like rotten mayo.
And thou shalt know the Beast by his scent! And the Beast shall smell like rancid Hellman’s!
If you loved this. Bully for you! For me it was like trying to watch Pink Floyd’s The Wall…sober. And, yeah. I did that shit on a dare when I was younger. Guess what? Unless you’re baked, it’s just a really stupid-looking cartoon.
And this is the literary equivalent of that.
*Those are not quotes, just examples. I’m not opening that book up again. Ever.
Superman: Secret Identity by Kurt Busiek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Introduction:
Now, I have just recently gotten into the “Superman” comics, starting with Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? and after enjoying that comic, I decided to check out more “Superman” comics! So, I finally managed to stumbled upon a “Superman” comic that my friends have strongly recommended to me and it was called “Superman: Secret Identity,” which was written by Kurt Busiek along with artwork by Stuart Immonen and I have to tell you that this is clearly one of the best modern “Superman” comics I have ever read!
What is this story about?
Imagine living in a world that is more real than anything you read about in the comics and that you have the same name as one of the world’s most iconic superheroes. Well, that is certainly the case here with Clark Kent, who unfortunately was named after the real Superman and is often teased at school about whether or not he has powers like Superman. One day however, Clark discovers that he has super powers like the real Superman and he will soon find out about the advantages and disadvantages of having powers that will go on throughout his entire life!
What I loved about this story:
Kurt Busiek’s writing: Since this is the first time I had ever read a comic book written by Kurt Busiek, I was amazed at how beautiful and emotional the writing in this story is. I loved the way that Kurt Busiek explored Clark Kent’s personal problems with being compared to Superman due to his name being similar to the real Superman and the kids at school making fun of him because of it. I was also amazed at the way that Kurt Busiek detailed the story from Clark Kent’s high school years to his adult years as we not only get to see one of the most natural story progressions for a character, but we also get to see how Clark starts discovering his powers and starts using them to protect people as he gets older. What I really loved about this comic book is that the story is kind of set in an alternative universe (well, a universe inspired by Superboy of Earth Prime) and I loved the way that Kurt Busiek gave us a universe where Superman seems to only exist in comic books and that the main character, Clark Kent, is just a regular boy who lives in Kansas who somehow develops super powers and the fact that he tries to find out how he got his powers is one of the driving forces of the story. This is story is sort of like “Kick-Ass” where the main character lives in a realistic world (except in this case, there is no blood or gore to make the story edgy). I really loved Clark Kent’s relationship with Lois Chaudhari (who also got a lot of flack for having the same name as Lois Lane) as it felt so natural and it is obvious that they clearly care for each other and they try to do what is best for each other.
Stuart Immonen’s artwork: Probably the best part of this comic book was Stuart Immonen’s artwork as it was truly gorgeous and realistic to look at! I loved the way that Stuart Immonen made the landscape and the characters look so realistic, especially of the buildings looking like they came straight out of a photograph (which is a good thing in this case)! I also loved the way that the characters’ expressions were drawn as they look truly effective and realistic to the point where I actually felt so much emotion for the characters whenever they are sad or angry.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
For anyone who does not like language in a comic book, this comic book does have some language, even though it is not as strong as something like Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” series.
*~A Little Rant~*
Okay, this is just a little rant I have on the state of relationships in superhero comics due to what I read in this comic. If this graphic novel pretty much detailed a relationship between a couple (Clark Kent and Lois) in an extremely positive and natural way, then why do they barely do that with other superhero comic books? I am not saying that there are no good relationships in superhero comics (trust me, I have seen plenty of great relationships), it is just that I keep seeing good relationships getting broken up for no apparent reason other than for the sake of drama and it is starting to get on my nerves. I just wish that there were more positive relationships like Clark and Lois’s in this graphic novel where they do not break up for illogical reasons or they just live happily together with understandings between them.
*~Rant Over~*
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Superman: Secret Identity” is easily one of the greatest modern “Superman” stories ever created and one of the greatest alternative universe stories I had ever read, next to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns! If you are a huge “Superman” fan, this graphic novel is definitely worth reading!
My Rating?
Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
OH…MY…GOD…
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the Joker, one of Batman’s greatest foes. But after reading “Batman: The Killing Joke” and how the Joker was portrayed in this book, the Joker has officially become one of the most VILE, TWISTED, DARK and most DISTURBING villain I have ever come face to face with…AND I LOVED IT! Being brilliantly written by Alan Moore and being masterfully illustrated by Brian Bolland, “Batman: The Killing Joke” has remained to be one of the greatest and most disturbing “Batman” stories to ever be created!
What is the story?
When it turns out that the Joker, one of Batman’s greatest foes, breaks out of Arkham Asylum, Batman must stop this evil doer at all costs. Unfortunately, the Joker then comes after Commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara and performs some of the most vile and disturbing acts in his villainous career (starts by shooting Barbara Gordon, paralyzing her and then twisting Commissioner Gordon’s mind to make him crazy) and Batman must stop the Joker before it is too late. Also, we are introduced to the back story of the Joker and how he became the villain he is known as today.
What I loved about this comic:
Alan Moore’s writing: WOW! I mean, I thought that I have read some of the best Batman stories around (“Batman: Year One” for starters), but I think that “Batman: The Killing Joke” has nearly beaten some of the best “Batman” stories I had read! I had read some of Alan Moore’s works (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), but I can easily say that this graphic novel is easily one of his best works! I loved the way that Alan Moore made this story extremely disturbing and dark and I was actually cringing during the scene where Barbara Gordon is shot and then tortured, which proved how demented the Joker really is. I also loved the way that Alan Moore portrayed the relationship between Batman and the Joker since it is rare that I see a hero and a villain have a sort of understandable relationship seeing as how they both had lost people dear to them, but viewed life in a different life. I enjoyed the psychological message that Alan Moore was presenting in this story as the Joker sees life as being a huge awful joke (meaning that life is miserable) while Batman is truly trying to see the reality of the situations in life. I really enjoyed seeing the back story of the Joker as we learn what he was like before he became the villain he is known today and that really added so much depth to the story and to the character of the Joker. The ending of this story was truly terrifying yet amazing to see at the same time (I will not spoil it for you, but let us just say it is the confrontation between Batman and the Joker).
Brian Bolland’s artwork: Brian Bolland had done a truly amazing job at providing the artwork of this story as all the characters look truly realistic and colorful. I loved the attention in details that Brian Bolland gives to the characters’ facial expressions, especially the Joker as he is seen smiling dementedly, which makes him a truly menacing character to look at. My favorite artwork in this graphic novel was of the images of the rain drops making small circles in the ground, as they look truly beautiful and yet give this story a truly ominous feel as these images appear at the beginning of the book towards the end of the book.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
The only issue with this graphic novel that some readers would have problems with is the fact that the story is extremely dark and disturbing for your average “Batman” story. For one thing, there is a scene where Barbara Gordon is shot and then tortured which would disturb many readers (it definitely disturbed me a bit). Also, as in many “Batman” stories, the atmosphere of this story is extremely dark and brooding and that might be a bit uncomfortable for many readers who are not used to reading dark stories to handle.
Final Thoughts:
So what is my final verdict on this story? “Batman: The Killing Joke” is easily one of the most disturbing yet most amazing stories I have ever read and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this story to “Batman” fans everywhere who love a good dark and intelligent story about the follies of life.
My Rating?
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Angela by Brian Michael Bendis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m giving this 4 stars entirely based on the awesome Bendis-banter!
But there’s also a lot of stuff wrong with this volume.
What I loved was the dialogue. It’s just plain fun.
Peter, Rocket, and Tony’s interactions with everyone kept this volume from sinking like a stone. I just don’t think you can beat Bendis’s writing when he’s on his game. I’m a huge fan! Huge!
I also liked Angela’s backstory. The idea that there’s a planet called Heven out there, and that humans are creatures of myth on it?
Very cool.
The Gamora/Tony hook-up was funny, as well.
And Tony getting a bunch of useless that would have been nice to know that ten hours ago! advice from Rocket Raccoon was the icing on the cake!
Hmmmm.
Ok, I hate to do it, but I don’t want you to go into this one with sky-high expectations. ‘Cause this thing is suffering from quite a few issues, and (quite frankly) they almost ruined my unicorn and rainbows experience.
Lucky for me, I’m easy to please…
Continue reading
Wolverine, Vol. 2: Killable by Paul Cornell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I feel very wishy-washy on this one…the concept I like; Wolverine having to reassess how he does things due to losing his healing factor.
What? I’m as surprised as you were Cary…though I already knew about this, and read Vol. 1 of this title, I didn’t recall that taking place…shows how well it was written that a major thing like that happens and I don’t remember.
Cornell is hit and miss, but mostly miss. This is 2.5 Stars
Yup. So Beast gets all sad that Logan is now Human, and boohoohoo. Everyone thinks he’s going off, and he does, so Kitty follows him.
There’s one decent passage where Thor comes down to drink with Logan and tells him that he loves Midgarders so much because they’re mortal, and that with time, Logan will realize what a great gift it is. Frankly, I think Logan as written by most GOOD writers would have him make a few snide remarks, but file that away as decent advice. Cornell has him start a fight with Thor…while NOT able to heal…ya. Good idea.
There’s some stuff about SHIELD and a virus from the microverse (how Wolvie lost the healing in the first place) taking over Earth, and that leaves Nick Fury Jr. to look like a dolt and have TERRIBLE dialogue.
“We’re Facing Impossible Odds!”
“There’s Just Too Many of Them!”
So in a Mall in Alberta (because of course, they’ve built a mall over the site where James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine grew up) Kitty and Logan fight off Hand ninjas (did you know that Sabretooth is the head of the Hand now?) and spend way too much time in stupid arguments with mall cops about how “Muties” are so bad news…Muties? is it 1987?
Anyhow, Alongside Victor Creed we’ve got Mystique, Silver Samurai, and Lord Deathstrike (not Lady, but Lord..he’s kinda…dumb). All fighting and way too much talking from Kitty’s inner monologue…
Sabretooth shows up, and to prove he’s REALLY EVIL he tells Logan he won’t kill him even though he’s totally defeated, because he wants to let it sink in that he’s much better than Wolverine, and he wants Logan to get old and fall apart and then he’ll maybe put him out of his misery in a nursing home…
So the title is apt: Wolverine IS Killable. But not in this volume.
Missed opportunity here…could have been GREAT in a better writer’s hands.
Get this review and more at:
Batman, Vol. 5: Zero Year – Dark City by Scott Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
4.5 stars
Origin of the Giant Penny!
Ok, maybe nobody else cared, but I thought it was cool of Snyder to give that massive Penny that Bruce keeps in the Batcave, a fresh start.
Dear Mr. Snyder,
Could you do the Dinosaur next?
Sincerely,
Anne
This is the second arc of Zero Year, which is Snyder’s New 52 origin story for Batman.
It’s not as dark as some of the previous origins, but it’s not exactly light and fluffy, either.
This is a younger version of the Dark Knight. He’s fallible, relatively inexperienced as Batman, and more mouthy than what we’re used to seeing.
He sort of reminds me of Dick Grayson, with the snappy comebacks during fight scenes, you know?
Did I just say Snappy?
Holy shit. I did.
Did you know, that every time someone uses snappy in a sentence…
Somewhere an angel gets his AARP card?
That’s deep, man. DEEP.
Anyhoo. Edward Nigma (last seen abandoning Wayne Industries) has returned as a full-fledged super villain.
The Riddler!
He’s planning on taking Gotham hostage, and cleansing the earth, so to speak.
Can Batman unravel the clues fast enough to stop him?
Surprisingly…not at first.
Butbutbutbutbut, you say. He’s the goddamn Batman!
Yeah, not so much. Or at least, not quite yet.
Butbutbutbutbut, you say. Batman is too well-prepared to be caught unawares!
Yeah, but nobody is born with Bruce Wayne’s level of paranoia. That sort of thing is learned.
I mean, unless you’re schizophrenic, of course.
So, I’m thinking that by showing Batman pull an epic fail, Snyder is giving us a solid reason for his wildly detailed contingency plans.
And also the Penny. Because, really, that was a highlight for me.
There were a couple of scenes I raised my eyebrow at, but, on the whole, this was another solid Snyder/Capullo team-up.
And if you’re not reading this title, then you need to turn in you Cool Kid card.
Seriously.
Runaways, Vol. 1: Pride and Joy by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this book years ago – probably when it was still an active series in its early, obsessive days of new wild-eyed fans who couldn’t believe comics could be this good.
At the time I thought it was a little juvenile for my tastes – who would I be kidding, a grown man reading a comic about a group of teenagers? So I think I put it away and tried to forget how skeezy I felt, and returned to stuff that was a little more age-appropriate (or at least didn’t make me think of how many perverts drooled over the teenaged girls in this book). Weird thoughts, but almost certainly among those in my head at the time (along with “Why did I move to this rain-infested town?” and “When will Americans finally figure out how to write an unambiguous date?”).
Continue reading
The Flash: Rebirth by Geoff Johns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Introduction:
My first introduction to Flash’s character was through the “Justice League” cartoon series that aired on Cartoon Network years ago. Since then, I had become a huge fan of the Flash (even though for many years, I had actually thought that Barry Allen was the Flash in the “Justice League” cartoon, when it turned out to actually be Wally West). So, not only did I want to check this comic book out to prepare for the new live action “Flash” TV series that is coming out on the CW, but I also wanted to learn more about Flash’s character in the DC comics and “The Flash: Rebirth” seemed like a good place to actually start reading the “Flash” comics.
What is this story about?
In this story, Barry Allen, who was hailed a hero after he sacrificed his life during a cosmic crisis in the past, has come back to life and all his friends and family are planning to throw him a special party for his return. Unfortunately, since Barry Allen had been dead for so long, he finds himself being out of place in this new world and he became a bit distant towards his friends, due to wanting to solve the mystery of the person who murdered his mother and why he was brought back to life. Barry will soon realize that a dark force is behind everything that happened to him in his life and he must gather the strength to defeat this new threat that is harming his family!
What I loved about this story:
Geoff Johns’ writing: Now, I will admit that this is the first time I had read anything by Geoff Johns and his run in the DC universe. So, when I heard so many good things about what he has done for the DC universe, I just had to check this title out! I really liked the way that Geoff Johns showed the relationships that Barry Allen has with his family, especially with his wife Iris West and his protégé Wally West. It was great seeing that the Flash family is extremely close to each other and is willing to protect Barry Allen from whatever evil forces comes upon him. I also enjoyed seeing Barry’s relationship with Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, as it shows that they are truly best friends and that Hal always tries to cheer Barry up whenever Barry is feeling down on himself. I really enjoyed the fact that Geoff Johns tries to make sure that the readers are caught up on Barry Allen’s history as we are treated to seeing Barry’s past from being the Flash to leading to the murder of his mother, which was a pretty nice mystery set up for this story!
Ethan Van Sciver’s artwork: Ethan Van Sciver’s artwork was just marvelous in this volume as the characters look truly realistic and the action sequences were extremely well drawn out! I really loved the scenes where the Flash family fight against various foes as the action sequences are full of bright colors and dramatic artwork and they really set the exciting mood for those scenes. I also loved the way that Ethan Van Sciver drew the emotions on the characters’ faces, especially with Barry Allen’s facial expressions whenever he is feeling sad or angry at the situations he is thrown into.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
The reason why I gave this graphic novel a four star rating was because there were a couple of places where the story seemed to drag on for so long that I found myself getting a little restless with the storytelling. Also, if you are a new reader to the “Flash” universe, you might get a little confused about how Barry Allen had died in the first place or how his relationships with Iris and Wally West got established since the story does go through those developments a little too fast (I know, it is really because I did not read the previous “Flash” comics before this event, but I got to start somewhere)!
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “The Flash: Rebirth” is a good comic book to get into if you enjoyed Barry Allen as the Flash and if you liked his relationships with his family members. Or if you are just looking for a good Flash family comic in general, this is a pretty good comic to start off with!
My Rating?
Astonishing X-Men, Vol. 4: Unstoppable by Joss Whedon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Flashback:
After reading the first three volumes of “Astonishing X-Men” by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, I was waiting with anticipation in reading the final volume of this fantastic series, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” and I was perfectly astonished and not disappointed! This volume will definitely not disappoint X-Men fans and will stand the test of time as one of the best endings to a comic book series!
What is the story?
After the events of the third volume “Astonishing X-Men: Torn,” the X-Men are transported into outer space and meet up with Agent Abigail Brand who informs the X-Men that recently the resurrected X-Men member, Colossus is the one who is destined to destroy the Breakworld, the planet that the alien invader Ord came from. What is worse is that since the inhabitants of the Breakworld has learned about Colossus’ destiny; they plan on destroying the Earth by firing a giant bullet towards the Earth! Can the X-Men stop the bullet from hitting Earth and will all of the X-Men members make it back alive? Read this volume to find out!
What I loved about this comic:
Joss Whedon’s writing: As always, Joss Whedon really knows how to weave a brilliant story with even more memorable characters to match! I loved the way that Joss Whedon truly makes this volume dramatically climatic as the story got more interesting and intense as it went on and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how the X-Men would be able to stop the bullet from hitting the Earth. I also loved seeing the relationship between Kitty and Colossus become more serious and intimate in this volume as they truly care about each other and there is a really hot scene between the two lovebirds in this volume! I also loved the relationship between Emma and Scott and even they had their moments of doubt in their relationship and I thought that Joss Whedon had written that strain in their relationship extremely well. I also loved the fact that in the “Giant Size Astonishing X-Men One” which continues after the “Unstoppable” volume, we are introduced to other Marvel super heroes such as Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and many others and it was interesting to see them try to help out the X-Men in saving the world and I loved the jokes that Joss Whedon provided for Spiderman since it really fit his character. I also loved the humor that Joss Whedon incorporated into this volume as it made this final volume not only intense to read, but light-hearted in a way that will make you laugh so much at how the characters in this book took this worldwide threat in a more hilarious light. I especially loved the little quote that Colossus has when he attempted at making a joke at a serious situation:
Abigail Brand: “I’m assuming you’re as mystified by this as the rest of us, Rasputin.”
Colossus: “No. I’m not. I have been planning to destroy the Breakworld since I was a child.”
(silence)
Colossus: “This is why I don’t make so many jokes. I never know when is good.”
John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations are just are brilliant and gorgeous in this volume as it was in the first three volumes! I loved how all the characters have looks of shock and anger on their expressions when they found out the true scope of the plans for the Breakworld, especially Colossus’ shocked expressions when he realizes that he is the one destined to destroy the Breakworld. I also loved how John Cassaday did an excellent job at illustrating all of the other popular Marvel characters such as Spiderman and Iron Man coming together and the image of all the Marvel super heroes coming together in a space ship reminded me of DC comics “Justice League.”
Shadowcat (once again!): Joss Whedon has truly done an excellent job at portraying Kitty in this volume. I loved how she would try anything to save the world and how she was so brave and heroic throughout this volume because it really made her character truly stand out even more in this volume. I also loved her relationship with Peter as she truly cares about him and I loved the moments between them.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
The only problem I had with this volume was how one of my favorite characters died. I will not tell you who die because that will spoil everything, but it is a character that I have grew fond of since I read this series and that character will be sorely missed.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” is a brilliant conclusion to this fantastic run by Joss Whedon and X-Men fans will definitely savor this series for all time!
My Rating?
Shallow Readers 