Superior Spider-Man #4 Review

Dan Slott kicks off his second story arc on this title in quite some style in this issue. We saw even more development for Octavius as Spider-Man, as well as the reintroduction of a villain  We also got a very well known character make an appearance in the last couple of panels; which was something I was just not expecting at all. This was a fantastic issue, which once again showed us why we should trust Slott and the team.

The start of this issue showed Otto using his newly created spider-bots  to help him see crimes that were happening throughout the city. I absolutely love this new system that he has going, and hope to see a lot more of it in the future.
This directly led on to some interesting conflict that showed another difference between Otto and Peter. I like the way Slott has blurred what is right and wrong here. In one way, Otto is not doing much wrong, and is actually doing things which Peter probably should have done. On the other hand though he is also not doing things that Peter would have done for sure. The writing here is very clever, as there is enough of a difference between these characters, but you still can't say that Otto is being a "bad" version of Spidey.

We saw the reintroduction of "Massacre" here, who I can say I have actually never seen before. Considering I have never seen him before, I was very very impressed with the scenes he was involved in. It gave the book a darker edge, and the content was actually something I was not expecting from a book such as this. It impressed me and made Massacre look pretty awesome at the same time.

I also enjoyed the way Otto has now returned to college due to his outrage at Parker for not officially being a doctor. This looks like it is could be quite an interesting development, especially if it something that is going to continue for a while.
As well as that, I am also very excited to see what is going to come from the character involved in the big reveal at the end of this issue. I am sure there will be a massive story arc just round the corner; which, by the way, has the potential to be brutal.

The art was superb in this issue. I really could hardly fault it. Good to see that the art is still improving in this book, which is something I feel that had to be done. In total, I can honestly say I can hardly fault this issue. Slott is really starting to feel comfortable here, and I think this is now the time to really start to get behind this title.
This issue really felt like a proper Spider-Man book, and I can't wait to see how the threat of Massacre will be dealt with in the next issue. Otto may have to do something that Peter would never do, and I for one am expecting fireworks if things progress like I think they will.

Rating: 9 / 10

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Thor: God Of Thunder #5 Review

It feels like an absolute eternity since #4 of this series was in our hands. In fact it felt so long ago that I was really grateful for the summary page at the start of this issue, as without it I really do think I may have been a bit lost. Regardless of that, Jason Aaron continues his God butcherer story line in this issue; in which we learn a tad more about the motives of the butcherer, as well as what exactly happened the first time he and Thor met.

It is funny because the next issue of this series advertises the fact that it will be covering the origins of the God butcherer; but it is in this issue where we get a glimpse into why he wants to kill of every God in existence  The first few pages of this book cover this, and set up the rest of the book really nicely. It is clear that he is annoyed at the Gods for deserting him, and he seems to want people to understand why he doesn't think Gods are worth anything. It seems to be an opinion that he wants everyone to share, and this issue does a good job at piquing my interest for the origin story next time around.

As I mentioned in the introduction, this issue also shows what happens the first time these two met. It was interesting to see how their first encounter ended, and it was also interesting to see just how much of a bad taste it left in Thors' mouth. The overly confident young Asgardian was nowhere to be seen, as he seemed quite shook up by the events that took place.
We also saw the current encounter between the two of them; which led directly to what we saw at the end of the last issue. This also led on perfectly to what I was sure was going to be a final encounter in the next issue...until I saw it was an origin story next issue. I am not complaining about the origin story by the way, it just shows how good a job this issue did at building up the next epic battle in this story.

I have loved the art throughout this series, however I felt that in this issue it was a bit hit and miss. Some of the panels, especially close ups of faces, were just tremendous. However, other panels which were busy. seemed to be quite confusing. This is really odd as in other issues these busy panels have really come to life and looked just awesome. It is only really a minor concern as it wasn't like that throughout the book, and I do think that it will just be a one off.

Once again, this series has really impressed me with this issue. I am really looking forward to the next one and finding out more about the big bad guy. After each issue in this series I have felt really satisfied after reading it and this particular issue is no different. You know when you have it in your hands that you are going to get a good read out of it; which is quite a testament to it considering it is only 5 issues in. Lets hope it can keep it up, which I have no doubt that it will do.

Rating: 8.3 / 10

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Avengers #6 Review

This is the 3rd Avengers issue in a row that solely focuses on one of the lesser known characters that new fans may not be aware of. I have been a big fan of this format, as not having read comic books for as long as some other people, I feel that I have really benefited from these. This particular issue focuses on Captain Universe, who I honestly have never read about. By the end of the issue however, I not only knew about her, but I also felt quite a bit of sympathy towards her.

This issue focused on telling us who exactly Captain Universe is. There is a woman who is the host of this life form, and that is who we learned about. This issue only really touched on who she was, and there are still some questions surrounding her, but it was enough to make me intrigued enough to want to know more about her. Hickman does a great job here in one issue of turning a relative unknown into a character that you care about. He is now 3 for 3 for me using this kind of format.
She also helped us understand exactly what "Adam" has been trying to telling us since he has been with the Avengers. The cryptic message that he gave is exactly that; cryptic. I am not too sure what it means, but it looks to me like things will become clearer in the next issue. What can be said for sure though, is that it still looks like Hickman is going for that epicness I have spoken about so many times regarding this series.

Spider-Man had some great moments in this issue with Sunspot and Cannonball; who are characters that I also know nothing about. There moments were very comedic, and they have also made me want to see more of those two guys in that kind of capacity. Of course I want to see them doing something of use for the team as a whole, but it was clear to me in this issue that they also work fantastically when used in this particular way.

I have enjoyed these last 3 issues immensely as they have spotlighted characters that I would not have read about otherwise. This particular issue seems to link in very nicely to the next story arc we will be seeing in this series. As of right now there is quite a bit of darkness surrounding what it all means, but I trust Hickman to tell a great story with it. Whatever it is, it feels like it is going to be huge.

Rating: 8.7 / 10

Daredevil #23 Review

This was an issue designed for new readers, who for whatever reason, have not been reading this series. If anyone picked this up who hasn't read any of this series so far, then I can guarantee that they will be picking up a lot more issues from now on! This was an amazing issue that truly has the power to make you laugh as well as cry. So what exactly happened? There will be spoilers in this review, so if you have not read this then please turn away now...

This issue focused on two different stories throughout it. The first of these being; the night before Foggy goes to the doctors to get his test results back. This was and absolutely tremendous section of this issue which went a long way to show how friends come together when the going really does get tough. Not just that, there was one moment between friends that was actually hilarious. Watching Matt and Foggy sitting on a roof laughing at a joke Foggy made was a great sight; which Waid did a great job of making you feel apart of. It was a very easy scene to connect with seeing as we all have people in our lives who we would do things like this with.
The second part of this issue focused on a group of prisoners who had been blinded by the same toxic waste as Matt had when he was a child. These criminals were then unleashed in a big society event. What happened next was madness, which Matt successfully controlled. This section highlighted that whoever was behind the massive plan to take down Matt, actually knew him very well. I am very intrigued to find out who this person is, and I hope Waid keeps us waiting a big longer. I have a feeling that the reveal is going to be huge whenever it does eventually hit.

Now, the last few pages of this book may just have been some of the most powerful pages I have read in a comic book. I was hoping, like many others I imagine, that Foggy was going to be ok. However, it now looks like that this is not going to be the case at all. The way this was written though, as well as drawn, was just unbelievable. The way Matt was assessing the situation by reading heart rates was very impressive, as well as doing a really great job at adding extra tension to a scene. The looks that then followed between Foggy and Matt was really heart breaking. I shut the book after reading the last page feeling like I had just been punched in the stomach. Say what you want about comic books, but a standard book has never ever made me feel like that. Waid and Samnee have done a tremendous job in about 4 pages to show just how magical comic books can still be.

Pick this up now! Even if you are unfamiliar with the characters, I still think that this will hit you hard. It was just a very solid issue which also saw Chris Samnee firing on all cylinders art wise. This book shows that comics are still important in our society. Not just that, it also sets up what I am sure to be some cracking issues in the coming months. Do yourself a favour and get on this series before you regret it.

Rating: 9 / 10

Comic Book Thoughts

Fatale #12: This issue was based on another femme fatale in medieval France. What we got here was another fantastic one shot story, after the last issue set the standard for this format. The story really was a one and done, as it had a really satisfying non traditional ending which this series also seems great at doing at the minute. There was a betrayal in this issue that I did not see coming at all.
 I can't wait for the next issue which is based on yet another new femme fatale in the wild west. This series is growing rapidly and I love it. 8 /10

Avengers Arena #4: This was another great issue in a series that has really been impressing me. I loved the focus on Nico and Chase. the recap on Chase was done really well, and fit into the issue nicely. Once again these are characters that i was previously unfamiliar with, but this issue really got me caring for the both of them. I loved their interaction with 3 other members of the group. My only gripe with it however is the fact that X-23 was not in it enough. I think she is a great character who is never quite used in a way that I think she should be in whatever she is in. I loved the art in this issue too. 8 / 10.


I should be buying new books on Saturday guys, we will see. I do not get paid until Monday but I think I should be ok. If anything changes then I will let you know. :)

Katana #1 Review

I am going to be honest here; I know pretty much nothing about this character. I understand that she will be in the JLA book coming out, and I thought she looked pretty badass so I decided to pick up this #1 issue of her new series. I was not too sure whether I would purchase any more issues past this one, but now after reading it, I know I am definitely in for at least one more.

One thing that hit me while reading this issue was how much history this woman has. I have not heard of her before as I mentioned, so was kind of expecting a weak back story, but ended up being very pleasantly surprised. She has a background which would liken her to a Japanese Punisher kind of character. If you guys read this blog regularly then you know that this already is right up my street.
What this book does with the backstory is very clever. It gives us bits and pieces and leaves out the rest. It is designed to make you want to pick up more issues to find out more, and for me it has pulled off very successfully.

It is not just the backstory that impressed me in this issue, but also the way it set everything up. I do not know how often some of the characters featured in this particular issue will feature in the future, but their appearances in this book sat with me well. I really hope we will be seeing more of her landlord type character, as well the girl Shun; who has old Japanese legends drawn all over her body. I have a feeling we will definitely be seeing more of the latter.

The overall bad guy in this issue, Coil, seems pretty interesting too. He has a sword that is just crazy as it acts like a snake for some reason. It wraps itself round his opponents and squeezes and cuts them. I don't think I have seen anything like it previously in comic books. This issue has teased what group Coil is part of, but I am sure we will be learning more about that in future issues. You see what it is doing here now? Giving us a bit and making us want to come back for more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this issue, a lot more than I thought I was going to. I originally bought this issue believing that it would be my only one of this series; oh how wrong I was. I hope the next issue does a good a job at answering some questions about certain characters for us, while also throwing new questions at us about them and the future. This could turn out to be a very interesting title. I do not think that it will ever become essential reading, but I think if you want to read a decent story with a very intriguing character, then you should check in right here.

Rating: 7.3 / 10

Bedlam #4 Review

In this issue things start wrapping up in the first arc of this series.We start getting answers in regards to just who this new serial killer is going around, as well as the reasons behind it. This is a funny issue as our main character is literally hardly in it at all. This is strange as this may actually be my favourite issue of the series so far behind the mightily 10 / 10 first issue of the series; and Fillmore Press is only in a few panels. Just goes to show how good this series is.

So in this issue we learn more about who the serial killer is, but how did we learn this? Well, this issue was very police procedural; focusing on some of the fringe characters of the series, and Guess what? The effect this had was tremendous. It was thrilling seeing these police officers coming closer and closer to just what was going on, and I felt a sense of achievement for them when they finally narrowed the suspects down. This could have been a really boring issue in the hands of the wrong person, but Nick Spencer really knows how to right any sort of genre it seems. The genre of this book keeps moving around between issues, and even between pages in some cases, but Spencer seems to know exactly what he is doing with it.

The serial killer in question has not really done anything to really make me too interested in him throughout this series, but that all changes in this book. The last couple of pages were shocking to say the least, and I am sure they will be upsetting parents around the world if they saw that their child was reading something like this. Make no mistake whatsoever, this is a mature book and the content of this issue really confirmed that. Once again, this goes to show just how powerful the story telling and art are in this book.

When this arc most probably concludes in the next issue, I really do not have a clue where this series will go. This is not a concern in the slightest, in fact it just makes me even more interested in this series. It now seems like there are endless routes as we are not only interested in just the one character now, but the fringe characters are also worthy of our attention. This is a very exciting time to get involved in this series, and I for one am sure that it is going to lead us in some thrilling directions in the not too distant future.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Uncanny X-Men #1 Review

We have missed Uncanny X-Men a lot over the last three months, so it is great to see it back already. This time is back with a whole new attitude, as well as one of the greatest writers right now at the helm of it, Brian Michael Bendis. This series is going to follow Cyclops and his team and he attempts to build a mutant revolution. It is a very interesting concept, which this #1 does a great job at getting me interested in even more.

This issue focuses on someone who has turned themselves in to SHIELD with information on what exactly Cyclops is up to. This person is not named or shown until the end, and I can tell you now that the reveal is something that really shocked me. I did not have a clue throughout the issue who it could be, and I was certainly not expecting it to be who it ended up to be. What I also liked about the reveal was the dialogue that followed on the last page. This mystery person is focused on taking down Cyclops, and he has a personal interest in doing just that.

We also saw a flashback of events that happened in San Diego as Cyclops took another new mutant under his wing. In this scene we also got to see his two new recruits in action. They have come along way since they were first taken in by Scott, which is scary as it was not that long ago ( 4 days for one of them ).
I cant wait to see more new mutants, and I cant wait to see how they are going to react when they realise what Scott is really up to. They may even become totally brainwashed, which I think will be awesome to see. Scott Summers leading a group of die hard followers is something I would be very interested in seeing.

The art in this issue by Chris Bachalo was absolutely stunning in some places. The scenes involving SHIELD were immense. They were fantastic to view, and they really helped set up the epicness of what I am sure this series will become. Unfortunately, during the battle scene in San Diego the art did become a bit hit and miss. Yes, a fight with Sentinels is not going to be clean, I get that. However I did feel like some of the panels could have been more clear with what was going on in them. Apart from that, I believe that we have a great artist for this series, and I am very much looking forward to more of Bachalos' work in future issues.

This series has got off to a great start and I am very keen to read more. I am enjoying the place that Cyclops is in at the minute. He is not a complete bad guy, and is walking a really fine line between good and bad. I can't wait until his intentions become a bit clearer as this series progresses.
The next issue is advertised to show us Scott training his new recruits, which I am sure is going to be a blast to read. I would get involved in this series for sure. If you are an X-Men fan or a Bendis fan then I think that this will be for you.

Rating: 8.7 / 10

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Wolverine And The X-Men #25 Review

This book is just so much fun. If you are not reading it then I really do not understand why. No matter what kind of story it is, be it a major storyline or just one lasting a couple of issues, you are always in for such an awesome ride. In this issue the story focused on some of the students attempting a team bonding exercise in the Savage Land. So how did they fare out in the wild?

This issue is just laying down the foundations for the rest of this storyline as it only really focused on the team getting to the Savage Land, and the way they inevitably split up due to not wanting to work together. What this issue has teased though is the development of Kid Omega. He is certainly one of the more entertaining characters of this series, and we may be seeing a side to him that we really did not expect we will see.

I went in to this issue really excited to see what was going to happen to Broo after the last page of #24. Well, what has happened is he has gone feral! He has lost all his intellect which at first I was dreading to read more about, but he ended up being used in this issue in a great way. The relationship between Idie and Broo has changed once again, and this new dynamic seems like it is going to bring us plenty of laughs and comic relief.

There was also a character appearance in this issue that I was not expecting. It is someone who is very close to wolverine who I have actually not read anything about before. In fact, I did not even know that this character existed before I read this issue. I am very intrigued to read their inevitable battle in the next issue or so, as it will be the first time I will have seen anything of the sort. I do not know what more hardcore fans of Wolverine will think, but I am very excited anyway.

Overall, I still can't get enough of this series. I can't believe that it has got #25 already though. The only disappointment with this issue was the fact that the regular artist, Nick Bradshaw, was not on the issue. I also do not think that they were on the issue before this either. The art is what makes this series so fantastic, however Perez in this issue was also superb and was more than just a suitable fill in artist.
This series is still fantastic and I would suggest any new readers to start picking up old issues. You do not necessarily have to do this, but the stuff you will have missed has just been outstanding. It is worth reading as much material on this run as you possibly can. The best thing is, it is still knocking out quality issue after quality issue.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

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The Walking Dead #107 Review

I have been really looking forward to this issue hitting the shelves. I mean of course, I always look forward to the Walking Dead, but I had a feeling that Mr Kirkman would be getting rid of one of our favourite characters in the series. So, was this the end of Carl? Or did Negan show a nice side to himself?

Well guess what? This was one really weird issue, as Carl was left to go freely with his group. The way Negan acted was terrifying throughout. I had a bad feeling all the way through that he was going to turn nasty at any second...but he didn't. That is what was so strange about this, but I have a feeling that we will start seeing the nasty side of him again very soon.
You may be thinking: "Well surely nice Negan would suck?" You would be really wrong. This "nice" Negan felt very sinister. He was still his sweary self, and the way he was acting was still really odd. He was totally captivating which is something he has been throughout his short time in this book. Whatever personality he seems to adopt, he is always going to freak me out it seems.

After that was all sorted, we got some nice development in the rest of the book. It seems that the group have found somewhere that will help them develop bullets. This bit seemed all a bit too convenient, but I am still happy to go along with it.
There was a scene with Michonne that came totally out of left field, or at least I think it did. I do not recall Michonne ever acting in this way before and I have read every single issue. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I think this was a first. It shocked me when I was reading it anyway.
The Walking Dead always try to make the last page a big one to get you hyped for next issue, and the last page of #107 was no different. It seems like we are being introduced to a new major character in #108, which is something I am really looking forward too. We are talking about TWD here, so whatever happens; I am sure I am going to be a big fan of Ezekial.

This is always the hardest review of the month as it is difficult to not give spoilers. If you are not up to date with TWD then there is no point in reading my review of the title on any given month; so in a way I do not feel too bad. However, if you are not reading it then it must sound like nothing is happening in these issue, but you would be really wrong. We love these characters and it is great to see any sort of development of them or to the story. We are all in it for the long run.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Batman #17 Review

I have been waiting for this, like everyone else, for months. The conclusion to what has been the most consistent in quality story line I have read for quite some time. Synder and Capullo have so clearly put absolutely everything into this story. They have worked so very hard, and they have been rewarded throughout this story with rave reviews all over the place. This was built up to be another classic Joker story, and even if it will not be looked at in that way in years to come, it will have only just fallen short. So how did this story finally end? Well, it was fantastic, which I am sure does not come as a surprise to anyone.

This issue was very heavy on words, which I did not mind at all seeing as the whole of this story has pretty much been the same. However, before it got wordy, we were shown just exactly what Joker had in store for the Bat family. The situation that Batman and the gang found themselves in was something I really could not see a way out from. I was also shocked to see what was on the plates ( which ended up to be false ), which really made me think that some really heavy **** was about to go down. Luckily for them, everything turned out ok thanks to some very clever writing by Mr Synder. We knew that no one major was going to be killed off, but credit really needs to be given to the writer when explanations and get outs do not feel like cop outs.

So, as I mentioned, it did indeed get kind of wordy in places, but I could not get enough of it. I loved the explanation Joker game for Batman never attempting to kill him. Also, it was great to get a bit of an explanation as to why Joker had taken his own face off. It showed just how messed up he was, and I enjoyed the fact that the reasoning was relatively minimal. I was not wanting a massive explanation for this, as it would have ruined just who the Joker is for me. Yes, he obviously puts a lot of time into his plans, but I like the fact that he can disfigure himself so easily with really loose reasoning.

The final scene of the issue between Joker and Bruce was immense. Bruce teased that he knew who the Joker actually was, which absolutely terrified him. It seems that he has decided to block out who he used to, and he might have genuinely erased it from his memory completely. Bruce ended up to just be bluffing, which I was happy about but also disappointed with. I desperately wanted to know just who the man is, but on the hand it would totally ruin the whole effect Joker has on Batman as well as us readers. This whole scene felt very cinematic and was full of epicness; I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There was also a scene that teased that Joker knew exactly who Batman was. This was also another major highlight for me in this issue. It showed that Joker didn't care who Batman was as it looked like it would have ruined the game for him. This shows again that it is Batman who Joker is totally obsessed with, and how uninterested he is with the man under the cowl.

I have not mentioned everything that happens in this issue in this review, and I have attempted to be as spoiler free as I can be. It is clear that there is going to be some major fallout between Bruce and the rest of the Bat family. I wonder just how long this will go on for? Also, what exactly have they been told by Joker about Batman? I am sure #18 will make things a bit more clear on that. It also looks like Joker will be making a return at some point in the future. How soon in the future is unclear at the minute, but I can guarantee that it will struggle to live up to this storyline. Will it be hailed as a classic in the future? Who knows. However, do I regard it as a classic Joker story? You are damn right that I do.

Rating: 9.5 / 10

Comic Book Thoughts

HI Guys,

I have had another really busy week so not been able to write full reviews on everything that I would have liked too, so here are just some of my thoughts on some books from last week. Enjoy!

Swamp Thing #17: I enjoyed this, however I was not a fan of the art. I do not pick this up on a regular basis and only picked this issue up due to it following on from the Animal Man; hence why the art kind of surprised me. I did really like the ending in this, and I am now very much looking forward to the next issues of both Animal Man and Swamp Thing. I just hope they don't drag on this next bit as long as they did with Rotworld.
7.5 / 10

Hit-Girl #5: This was absolutely awesome. This series has been getting really mixed reviews, but I have loved it from start to finish. I love the character, and I just love the world in general that Mark Millar has created. This particular issue was definitely the bloodiest yet, which is something I loved about it. Over the top Millar style gore absolutely rocks. I also think the set up for Kick Ass 3 was very nicely done too.
9 / 10

Colder #4: This series has been nothing but tremendous, and the same can be said for the penultimate issue. There was a brief recap at the start of this issue which I thought was really cleverly done. I also loved the other world and the creatures that inhabited it ( dogs that have the body of a hand?!?! awesome ). The art was once again top notch, and I am very excited for the finale next month.
9 / 10

Vampirella Strikes #2: The progression in this issue was awesome. We have been introduced to a new character that Vampirella will be working with in the upcoming issues, who I really enjoyed reading about. I also like how it set up for the next issue with a real big question mark hanging over the story line. This series is doing a great job at making me want to jump in to the ongoing Vampirella series; which can only be a good thing.
8 / 10

Wolverine and the X-Men #24: Absolutely loved this issue. There was so much going on which made it feel a lot bigger than an average comic book. The character moments in here were great as always, with a real highlight for me being the scene between Quire and Jean grey. this was something I did not expect, and I was very happy when it popped up. The last page has also got me very hyped for #25 which I should hopefully be reading and reviewing later today.
Rating: 9 / 10


Right, I have finally received this weeks new books in the post today, so I am going to attempt to write 3 reviews today of the books I have been most looking forward to. I hope you guys are having a great weekend!

All New X-Men #7 Review

This series has been absolutely fantastic up to now. Admittedly I jumped onto the bandwagon relatively late; but since I caught up with proceedings I have loved the ride it has taken us on so far. Bendis works his magic in this issue as he sets the foundations for future issues. In many titles and issue such as this one may be a little boring for the reader. However, in All New X-Men there is really no such thing as a boring issue.

This issue mainly focuses on young Cyclops and a conversation he is having with Mystique. He is unaware of who she actually is, which makes this conversation even more interesting, as throughout it she constantly puts thoughts into Cyclops head about destroying the X-Men set up at the school.
What makes this so awesome to view is the fact that it is so clear just how much Cyclops wants to put his trust into someone. He is so utterly confused about the situation that he has found himself in, and he is desperate for just a little bit of guidance. He thinks he has found it with Mystique, but unfortunately for him he is very very wrong.

There is a nice little character moment in here with Bobby and Kitty Pryde. I love Kitty so I am very happy to see her come into the forefront in a book such as this. She has so much to offer the Marvel universe and it seems that Bendis feels the same way that I do about her.
It is also going be pretty awesome to see what Mystique is going to be up to in the future. She is clearly laying the foundations for some sort of attack, but her motives are a bit unclear at the minute. It will also be interesting to see who exactly she is working with.

This is a pretty short review for this issue, but if you are reading it then you guys will be picking this one up anyway. It is not very new reader friendly as it seems to rely a bit on the reader knowing what exactly has gone on. Trust me though, pick up some of the back issues and you will not be disappointed in the slightest. If you want some fantastic story by Bendis, as well as some equally awesome  art by  David Marquez, then get involved in this series ASAP.

Rating: 8.25 / 10


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Red Team #1 Review

I did not know much about this series when I bought this issue apart from it being written by Garth Ennis, and it being a #1 issue this month. I also kind of knew that it followed a special team of cops, which is something that really appeals to me as I do not read enough books like this that are purely in the crime genre. After reading this issue I can say for sure that this is a series that I am going to be keeping my eyes on in the future, and will be picking it up whenever it comes out.

I have read reviews of this issue that have slated it due to it being very wordy. This is something that I have absolutely no problem with. I think that a book a lot less wordy would feel like it was skimming on the details, and I do not think the full story of these complicated events would come across half as well. I would much rather read a comic book that forces me to concentrate than read through a book in less than 10 minutes.

I am still not too familiar with the characters, but after reading just one issue I am starting to see a couple of the teams personalities coming through. I think Ennis has intentionally made two of them come out in this issue more so than the other two members. I am sure that we will be learning more about the other two members in the next issue; which is completely fine by me.
Ennis has also set down foundations for some of the supporting cast in this first issue. There is one particular character, who is a leader of a similar team to this group we are following, that I am very excited to see more of in the future. He came across in this issue as a complete asshole; so he is my kind of guy!

It is very hard to judge a series from just one issue, but I have really got a good feeling about this book. Ennis has set up a really intriguing series that I am eager to follow. If you are fans of the tv shows "The Wire" or "The Shield" then I suggest you read this first issue and make your own mind up. It is a 3.99 book but I feel that you really get your moneys worth due to the amount of content in it. You will need to put aside a good 20 minutes to get through this and to get a good feel for it; however I can guarantee that if you are into this sort of thing then it will be a 20 minutes really well spent.

Rating: 9 / 10

Avengers #5 Review

This particular issue of the Avengers just focused on one of the lesser known characters named "Smasher". I had never heard of this character, as I have not been reading comics for a massive amount of time, and I ended up really enjoying this issue. That goes to show just how well Hickman is writing these origin stories. Last week we had the origin for Hyperion, which was an issue I really enjoyed too, and this week it feels like the quality of the series just keeps getting better.

Before this issue I really could not have cared less about the character named "Smasher". If you told me I would read a comic dedicated to her and enjoy it; I would definitely think that you were wrong. I loved the origin in this issue, and I also loved the supporting characters in her origin story such as her grandfather. He was only in this issue for a short amount of time but it was clear to see just how big an impact he had on her life. His personality also pretty much jumped off the page, which once again showed off Hickman's talent of getting you interested in a  character that you may have never heard of.

This issue also gave me a bit of a lesson on the structure of the Shi'aa imperial guard. This was a topic that once again I was not very familiar with, as well as also pretty uninterested in. After this issue, I felt like I had a bit more of a basic knowledge of the extended Marvel universe, as well as a genuine interest in what could happen next to them in their world.

One thing I liked about this issue, which is something I do not think we see enough of, is the way Izzy reacted when she got her new powers. She was not scared and full of questions. No, instead she just took off into space and started exploring. I know some people do not like this, and I have read some reviews that have this as a negative point, but it is this joy for life which I think made her so endearing to me in this issue.

I do not really want to spoil much with my review on this issue so I am just going to stop it right there. Hickman's run on the Avengers still looks like it is going to be epic. We have one more origin story next time around and then we are straight into the second team arc. These origin stories have been an absolute blast, and I am hoping we will see plenty more in the future after the next one.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

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Green Arrow #17 Review

I have decided to jump onto this series due to the new creative team that took over with this issue. I am a massive Jeff Lemire fan, so I could not resist checking this out. However, it is not my first rodeo with Green Arrow in the New 52, as I have the first volume TPB on my shelf. I found it to be wholly disappointing  and decided not to continue reading that version of the hooded vigilante. So, can this new creative team pique my interested in this series, or will I once again be ignoring it?

So, I have no clue what is going on in the world of Green Arrow due to not reading an issue since #6. However, this was not a problem as this book did a fantastic job at recapping what has passed without throwing it in your face. After the first few pages I felt I was up to date with what Oliver has been up too, as well as what will be facing him in his future. The fact that this was pulled off so successfully just goes to show how awesome Jeff Lemire is at his job. I really get the impression that he could write anything; but I may just be being slightly biased.

The action in this book was something that I was very impressed with. The art is fantastic, and it does a great job at highlighting important moments in scenes with the use of square boxes that get you a little closer to the action. I went into this issue excited due to the fact that Lemire was the writer, so was not expecting to be so blown away by the art; I have now come out at the end of it as a big Sorrentino fan.

I was also quite shocked at a certain moment in this issue that gave the impression that some major characters may be in some serious trouble. I have only read volume 1 of this series, but these were characters that I liked. I was originally happy that they were still featured in this series, and now it looks like they may not be? It could just be a trick, we will have to see.

This book gave us new readers may answers as to what has happened in the past, however it also gave us many questions for what will happen to Oliver in the future. I left this issue with so many questions, which is a very good thing by the way. I am really curious as to what will happen to Oliver, as well as what was supposed to be his destiny. Lemire has a game plan here, and I really can't wait for it to all unfold. So, it looks like I will be in this for the long run then.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #20 Review

I have been eagerly anticipating this issue since the last page of #19; and it has really felt like a massive amount of time since I saw that last page. Yes, Venom is back in the Ultimate universe, and he looks as great as he ever has. It is one of the best depictions of the character that I have seen for quite some time, which means that Sara Pichelli is doing such a fantastic job on this issue as always. However, it looks like Miles may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew this time around.

The whole of this issue was pretty much made up of a fight between Venom and Miles, and let me tell you; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What we got was a great little battle, which Miles spent most of trying to figure out just how he was going to beat the villain  This is what is great about this book in general; the fact that Miles is still trying to figure out how to be Spider-Man. He has never faced Venom before, which makes battles like this even more intriguing as he is trying to feel out his opponent.

Bendis still includes some humorous touches in this issue, as he has been doing the whole of the series. There was one particular moment when Miles attempted to use the webbing that Ganke had just supplied him with that made me laugh out loud. What really helps with this is just how accurate Pichelli can draw human emotions, which sees the humour just pour off the pages.

The only downside to this book is the fact that we are still waiting for more development of Miles. He has been the new Spider-Man in the ultimate universe for 20 issues now, and he is still a complete rookie. I do not want him to become a vet over night, however it would be nice if he was a bit more polished and a bit more sure of himself; considering everything he has already fought during the series. This is a minor gripe, as I'm sure many people would argue "but we are only 20 issues in". What Bendis is doing here with this series really helps you to overlook a gripe such as this one.

If you have not experiences the Ultimate Spider-Man universe yet for whatever reason, then get involved in this issue. It is a great jumping on point, and I am sure many old school fans will just fall in love with this version of Venom. I really can't wait to see more of him in this series, and how Miles is going to overcome such a strong bad guy. It is also going to be interesting to see just who this new Venom is, as he seems to know a lot about how Miles has become this new Spider-Man. One thing is for sure; the 20th March feels a very long way off.

Rating: 8 / 10

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Detective Comics #17 Review

Since the new creative team came on this book a few months ago; we have seen a major increase in quality of the overall product. Detective Comic used to be rather boring. In fact, I did not care for it much at all. Now, although it is not at the top of my reading list each week, I know that it will be an above average read every month; this month is no different. This issue is stepping away from the "Death Of The Family" tie ins, and because of this we get a very interesting little one shot story. I say it has stepped away from tie in territory, but there is still a Joker presence lurking in this book.

In this issue we become aware of a group of Joker followers called "The League Of Smiles". The name is pretty lame, but I strangely like it. This group of baddies are being led about by someone called the "Merrymaker". It was obvious throughout the issue who this was going to turn out to be, but as I said earlier it was still enjoyable nonetheless. We knew who the ringleader was going to be all the way through, but we did not know exactly why. I thought the explanation for why was pretty clever, and it was an explanation that I did not think of.

It was just a one shot issue here so there was nothing ground breaking in it; but it is always great to pick up a book and finish the story in one issue. At the end of the main story we also got a little bit of back story about the ringleader of the group. This was something I was not expecting at all, so I was very happy to see it included. It was just a one issue story line, but it is great to see just how detailed an issue this turned out to be. It also leads us to believe that maybe we will be seeing more of the "League Of Smiles" in future issues. Hmmm.

The one thing I did not like about this issue was how Batman seemed to connect everything up so quickly. He told the GCPD to arrive at a certain building as he knew that there was where everything was going to go down. I am not too sure he connected the dots so fast, and that was never really explained. It is one of those things which you just have to accept. Of course this is not a major gripe with the issue, and overall I am happy to accept a detail as small as this one.

So as I mentioned this was yet another fun issue in what is turning out to be a great run this new creative team are putting together. If you want to read good Batman stories, as well as seeing some top drawer art, then I highly recommend this series. Obviously the main Batman book is kicking ass all over the place right now, but who can ever have too much Batman?

Rating: 8 / 10

Iron Man #6 Review

The first arc of this new series did just enough to keep me interested in this book. In fact, if it was not Iron Man then I would have dropped it by now. I did not even think that #6 would appeal to me, with the new direction and all, however I am now glad that I did not decide to drop it. Gillen has written a very humorous book here, that was actually a lot more interesting than I thought it would be.

This issue mainly focuses on Tony and his attempts to sleep with some kind of alien woman. Things end badly with this, and a twist at the end shows us that Tony is is a situation that he never thought would be possible. In three lines I have pretty much summed up this issue, so surely that means this issue was bad? No not at all. It was enjoyable, and I felt that it flowed a whole lot better than any of previous five issues of this series. It is clear that Gillen is starting to get into the flow with Iron Man, and I hope that this continues.

One thing that impressed me in this issue was how well developed this alien race were considering this was the first issue they appeared in. We still do not know an amazing amount, but we have learned quite a lot from just one issue. I am now interested in them, and I got even more interested in them when I found out who their dead god is.

This was not a perfect issue, and there are the same flaws in this issue that I have found in the previous ones. The book goes by far too quickly. I do not want a dialogue heavy book as that would go against the tone that is being made here, however I think there could be slightly more content included. This issue flowed better than others, as I mentioned before, so maybe we are going to see more packed issues in the future.
I am also still not a massive fan of the art by Greg Land. I do not think it is half as bad as people say it is, but I think this book would really benefit from a different style completely. I can understand why Land has been chosen as Tony is one of the biggest draws for Marvel, and his style is simple and does not over complicate things; which may have put readers off.

Overall, this a lot better from Gillen, and I am hoping for more of the same during the rest of this arc. I went into this issue waiting for an excuse to drop this series, and by the last panel I was certain that I would be picking up #7 when it hits the shelves.
This issue really should have been #1, but it still works as a great jumping on point for new readers. Lets hope that the development of this new race, as well as the character development of Tony, keep going in the same direction as in this issue.

Rating: 7.25 / 10

Daredevil End of Days #5 Review

People who read my blog frequently will know just how in love I am with this particular series. It is visually stunning, and the writing is above and beyond 90% of titles on the stands at the moment. Bendis and Mack make a fantastic team, and five issues in, they are still to let me down. The fifth chapter of this intriguing and grim tale is just as good as the four previous. However, the difference for me was that with this issue I really got the feeling that we were starting to move along a little faster.

The initial scene with the Punisher was something I have been eagerly anticipating since the end of the last issue, and I was really not disappointed  It was incredibly tense, and I really enjoyed the conclusion of this talk. Punisher also pointed Ben into a direction that for some reason I never even thought about. It makes a ton of sense, but I had a "oh yeah!" kind of moment. The reveal snuck up on me, and I am sure that this is something that Bendis planned. Brilliantly done.

What this series does great is introduces characters that are not really seen as being incredibly important, and making them come out as stars in this book. In any other title if you told me that Gladiator and Ben would be having a discussion over a large amount of pages, I would probably give that title a miss. However, in this issue, the feel of conversations like this are just electric. You have Ben desperate to get to the bottom of things, while the person he is talking too is explaining a life that is completely new to us. I am fairly new to the world of DD, as you guys know, but this issue has made me on the look out for Gladiator in the future and in back issue format too.

The end of this issue leaves us on another cliffhanger, which I am eagerly anticipating the outcome of. I think it is quite obvious what will happen but I hope they go in a certain route that I have in my head. If they do this then we may be in for a very interesting one on one scene in #6.

Once again David Mack hit it out of the park in this issue. This is nothing new in this series as he is really doing a phenomenal job. When I posted my review of #5, he got in touch with me via twitter and thanked me for my kind words towards this title. He is not only a great artist, but he seems like a great guy too.

This is a series that I really can not recommend highly enough. Pick up all five issues that have been released so far, read them in one sitting, and I can guarantee you will be hooked. Reading this series with a nice mug of black coffee is absolute perfection. Bring on #6 next month.

Rating: 9 / 10

Superior Spider-Man #3 Review

I enjoyed Superior Spider-Man #1; not as much as I thought I would, but I enjoyed it enough. I did not review #2, but I can tell you that I enjoyed it a lot more that the first issue of the series. With #3 now having been read, I can say with confidence that I think this series is getting better with each passing issue. This latest chapter was extremely well written, which makes me think that Slott is really get to grips with this new Spidey, and he is less scared of what people are going to think about what he is doing. He is getting in to full flow and reminding us as to why we love the fact that he writes Spider-Man books.

There were many elements of this book that I just really enjoyed. I loved the way that the ghost of Peter is now being transferred into Doc's memories when he is having a flashback. These scenes are very enlightening for the readers, and they are also helping Peter understand more about his biggest nemesis. It also seems pretty logical considering Doc can access Peters' old memories, so it is not too strange that this can be done the other way around.
These flashbacks helped us understand why Doc decided to fight Vulture they way that he did so too. He fought him the way we are used to seeing this new Superior Spider-Man fight, but this time we got a bit more of an explanation as to why he chose to fight like this on this specific occasion.  I am not going to ruin it, but I will say that it actually made me feel some sympathy for Doc; which is something essential I think that readers have to feel to care about the character at all.
Speaking of the way vulture was defeated in this issue; I, yes you guessed it, loved it. It was done in a very clever way. A way only Doc could do due to his intellect. It was impressive and tactical, which is something we are used to seeing in a spidey book, but Doc really gives added emphasis to the impressiveness.

It is also starting to become more clear that Carlie knows more about what has happened to Peter than she is letting on. I am really intrigued as to how this is going to develop in future issues. Will Doc decide to get rid of her? Or will she ultimately be the factor that helps Peter back into his own body? Only time will tell, and I trust that Slott will keep on building it up in just the right way.

The art in this book was also something I found mightily impressive, which is a change for me as I am not really a fan or the artists used currently in recent months on spidey books. However, Ryan Stegman does a fantastic job in this chapter. I have seen his work before but not been overly impressed, but I think he really stepped up to the plate in this issue. He may just have got a sense of just how important this issue was when he saw the script, so came up with some of his best work yet? That is the impression I got from some of the panels in this issue anyway.

This is a great issue, and what I think is a great advert for the Superior Spider-Man. I do really think that it is getting better with each passing issue, and I feel that the plot points are really starting to develop and multiply too. I am interested in this series for many different plot points, and I am sure I am will be more invested in it due to many more in the future. I highly recommend people jump on with this issue if they have not done so already with this book.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

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Animal Man #17 Review

It is finally here; the finale of "Rotworld". It is what all Animal fans have been eagerly anticipating for the last few months, so can it live up to the hype that Jeff Lemire has built up for it? I think this issue certainly does. The action in this issue is brilliant, and there were some moments in it that I was truly not expecting to see. When I read that it was part one of the finale, I did initially let out a moan, however I am now very happy that it is continuing into the latest issue of Swamp Thing as well.

One thing that made this issue different to how I was expecting it to be was the way it constantly jumped from the Animal Man story line and the Swamp Thing storyline. I had a feeling this would be the case considering Synder is credited in this book, however it was not something I was necessarily looking forward too. I have only been reading the Animal Man chapters of this storyline, so was not too bothered about reading what was happening on the other side.
However Synder made it very enjoyable and accessible, especially considering I am a new reader to the Swamp Thing. Nothing was too confusing, and the way this issue went back forth felt very natural. It flowed beautifully.

As mentioned above there were some moments in this issue that I was completely not expecting. I am slightly concerned about giving too much away with this review, so I am going to attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum. Saying that though, this issue really needs to be checked out for the change of Green Lantern, as well as the final page which I think was shocking and pretty horrific.
Throughout the issue we were given the feeling that the good guys were going to come out on top, and most probably end the issue in a good position for the next instalment  Unfortunately for Buddy though, this did not happen. The last page of the book has made me want to pick up Swamp Thing #17, as I am unsure how Buddy can continue in this fight, as well as reverse what changes have been made to someone.

Overall, this was yet again another solid issue in this series. I had concerns that maybe this finale would not live up to the months of build up, however it looks like I am completely wrong on that front. It seems to me that after reading this book, AM fans will be happy with the start of this finale, and also be desperate for more. It has made me want to pick up Swamp Thing #17 as I said; so surely that means that this book has done its job?

Rating: 8 / 10