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05-15-2008, 01:23 PM
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Weekly Review Power Rankings 5/14/08
Welcome to another installment of the Weekly Review Power Rankings. For this unfamiliar with the format, I pre-Rank all of the week’s books that I plan to pick up based upon Diamond’s weekly shipping list, taking into consideration the creative team, previous issues, preview pages, and solicitations. Once I’ve read all of the books, I create the final Rankings based upon how they actually turned out.
Below are this week’s Power Rankings. The numbers in parentheses represent where the book was pre-ranked. Let me know what you all think and feel free to post your own list. I attempt to keep everything as spoiler free as possible, but keep in mind that there may be the occasional minor spoiler that I overlook. If you have any questions about the Rankings or just want to drop me a line, you can email me at ryanreviews@gmail.com or you can always PM me through the message boards. I have been asked recently if I accept review copies; I most certainly will. Any book sent to me will be reviewed. Just drop me a line if you want me to check out your book. I’d be glad to give it a look. -Ryan “the Iowan” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was recently sent a copy of Chris G’s self-published Mummy-Boy graphic novel. It’s been a while since I’ve been sent a review copy, so let’s jump right into this one: Mummy-Boy Written by Chris G. Art by Chris G. Letters by Chris G. First of all, I want to send out a big thanks to Chris for sending me his book to review; I don’t get a chance to read many self-published books, but its always enjoyable to check one out. The Mummy-Boy graphic novel focuses on the irreverent adventures of the title character as he fights mutant fish, battles evil cats, and may or may not be trying to save what may or may not be his girlfriend. The action moves swiftly, often without explanation, making this a fun rant of a book. In some ways, this works, as it allows for Chris to play with readers expectations in any way he sees fit without forcing anything; but in other ways, the book lacks focus too much, making the action hard to follow. Chris is clearly having fun with this book and lets his creativity run wild, leading to some memorable characters with interesting designs. Chris’s art style is simple and fluid, reminding me a lot of a Saturday morning cartoon, but with a slight manga-esque twist. The biggest problem with the book, however, is that too often the moment is put before the story. There are times where its clear that Chris is having too much fun and trying too hard to be clever, but its often at the detriment of the story at large. Still, this book shows a lot of promise for Chris as an artist and a writer. It’s sheer insanity cover to cover, with some nice parodies of comic book characteristics (the deus ex machine moment had me cracking up) and memorable characters. If you’ve got a moment, check out the books website www.mummy-boy.com for more. Remember, love it or hate it, I’ll check out and review any book that I’m sent; so if you want me to review your book, drop me a line via PM or send me an email to ryanreviews@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My shop didn’t order my copy of Transhuman, so I’ve had to adjust the original preRankings accordingly (for non-Newsarama readers, it was originally slated for #5). I’ll order a copy sometime soon and post my thoughts in a catch-up review. In the meantime, here are this week’s Rankings: 14. Titans #2 (14) Written by Judd Winick Art by Joe Benitez (pencils), Victor Llamas (inks), and Edgar Delgado (colors) Letters by Comicraft Cover by Joe Benitez, Victor Llamas and Edgar Delgado Deep down inside, I know that there is a good comic trying to work its way out of this book. You’ve got one of the richest casts in all of comics, a strong premise to jump start the book, and an extremely capable (albeit inconsistent) creative team. Unfortunately, things just aren’t coming together for Titans. My biggest complaint against issue #1 was that Ian Churchill’s art was disgustingly out of control (watermelon boobs, very 90’s designs, super-ripped males, etc); I will say that Joe Benitez’s work is a step up from that, but its still a long way from the type of art that should be taking on George Perez’s legacy. Benitez’s designs do work perfectly for a few of the characters (Red Arrow and Argent) and are a step in the right direction for others (Nightwing, Starfire, and Raven on Earth), but he absolutely botches the rest. His elfin Beast Boy is putrid, lacking the charm of the character and his Donna Troy has a disturbingly child-like face that doesn’t fit the very womanly body he has given her. Storytelling-wise, the art is fine as it flows well, has good panel choices, and maintains consistency, but the designs are just so incredibly bad. Then, of course, there is the writing. Judd Winick, who is a perfectly capable character writer, goes overboard with his writing here. The personalities of each character are extremely exaggerated to the point that they are more parody than anything else. His Beast Boy, Starfire, and Donna Troy were so bad that, were it not for the art, I never would have guessed who they were by the script alone. There is little seriousness to anything in this issue, as each character cracks lame, out-of-character jokes despite the fact that Teen Titans are being hunted and Trigon is attempting to destroy Earth (On an unrelated note, why is Raven so slutty in her father’s realm? And, isn’t Wolfman’s Raven series supposed to be canon? Why isn’t Winick’s Raven a younger teen then? Where is editorial on this one?). Simply put, I want to like this book. It has some of my favorite characters, a great setup for the villain, and a writer that could be doing so much better; unfortunately, nothing comes together coherently and so I’m not sure how much more I can take. 13. Batman #676 (13) Written by Grant Morrison Art by Tony Daniel (pencils), Sandu Florea (inks), and Guy Major (colors) Letters by Randy Gentile Cover by Alex Ross On the bright side, Batman #676, the start of the over-hyped “Batman RIP” storyline, is much, much better than Titans #2. On the less-than-bright side, Tony Daniel’s art remains the only reason that I’m still picking up this book. There isn’t a page in this book that doesn’t look interesting; whether its something as bland as Bruce Wayne chatting with Jezebel Jet or as disturbing as the Joker’s shocking final scenes, this book is drop dead gorgeous. Daniel is amongst comic’s best artists and this is one of his finest efforts. Unfortunately, Morrison can’t seem to get the writing together on this one. For some strange reason, Batman’s characterization (which has never been consistent in Morrison’s run) takes a turn down Frank Miller Alley in this issue, with surprising grit, coldness, and borderline psychosis, especially when speaking with Robin. It’s a strange twist that makes no sense both in and out of the context of this issue. Meanwhile, we get more of Bruce’s forced relationship with Jezebel Jet, a very under-developed character that we are evidently supposed to care about at this point. Am I the only one that is annoyed that every time the character shows up, her relationship with Bruce gets more serious, despite the fact that little of her own personality has been developed? The fact that she knows he is Batman and he is sharing his deepest secrets with her is such a ridiculous move by Morrison; this is something that a character should earn through development, not simply handed for the sake of a plot device. Then, of course, there is the return of Morrison’s Joker, which appears to be an extension from the single worst comic I’ve ever read (Morrison’s “prose” story in Batman #663). This is really the brightest point of the issue, though I think Morrison gets excessive here and this does bring things back to the aforementioned issue. I think my problem with this issue, and Morrison’s run in general, is epitomized by Alfred’s rant on “who Batman is” to Tim. Morrison’s take on the character is too complicated for no reason, too steeped in stories that few care about or remember, and too self-congratulatory. Then again, Alfred is talking to Tim like the boy has never even met Batman before, which isn’t surprising considering Morrison writes him differently in every issue. I’d really like to tell you to skip over this issue, but all of the Bat-titles will be crossing over with “Batman RIP” so if you want to enjoy Nightwing or Robin, you’ll want to read this one; plus, if you’d skip it, you’d miss out on more amazing art by Tony Daniel. 12. Wolverine #65 (12) Written by Jason Aaron Art by Ron Garney (art) and Jason Keith (colors) Letters by Cory Petit Cover by Ron Garney and Jason Keith Thankfully, with Batman #676 and Titans #2 out of the way, things get much brighter for the Rankings. When a book as strong as Wolverine #65 is this far down the Rankings, you know it’s a good week. Jason Aaron concludes his “Get Mystique” storyline with a fun battle that ends with a surprising and powerful ending that is as clever as it is open-ended. Though much of this issue is taken up by the brawl between Wolverine and Mystique, Aaron shows has a great handle on the characters through his strong dialogue. Ron Garney continues to provide some amazing art for this arc, though due to consistency issues this is his weakest issue of the storyline. Much of the problems with the art happen during the flashback sequence, where Garney’s work suffers due to inconsistent designs and strange facial expressions; the writing also suffers during this subplot, as it concludes rather pointlessly. It’s a nice parallel to Wolverine’s hunt for Mystique, but it adds little to the story when it clearly has the intention to do so. In the end, this is a fun conclusion to the cat-and-mouse game revenge story that Aaron and Garney skillfully spun out of “Messiah CompleX.” It’s not the deepest of reads, but it’s enjoyable enough that Wolverine fans should certainly check it out. 11. Tiny Titans #4 (07) Written by Art Baltazar and Franco Art by Art Baltazar Letters by Art Baltazar Cover by Art Baltazar While Wolverine #65 was a very strong twelfth place holder on the Rankings, the fact that my beloved Tiny Titans is at #11 this week shows just how good of a week it is to be a comic book reader. This week’s adorable and hilarious Tiny Titans focuses on Robin, with plenty of sight gags and one-liners to keep readers entertained. The real highlight is the Titans cracking jokes about Robin’s transition to the Nightwing “disco suit,” which is one of the funniest things I’ve read in some time. There is, quite simply, no reason that every Teen Titans fan, past and present, isn’t picking up this great series. Seriously, go check it out. We’ll wait. … Hopefully you haven’t continued reading this week’s Rankings without checking out Tiny Titans; if you have, make sure you go snag a copy as soon as you reach the bottom of this thread and drop a few comments. You will not regret it. 10. Green Lantern Corps #24 (11) Written by Peter Tomasi Art by Pat Gleason (pencils), Drew Geraci (inks), Prentis Rollins (inks), and Guy Major (colors) Letters by Steve Wands Cover by Pat Gleason, Prentis Rollins, and Guy Major Pat Gleason is really on fire with this book, isn’t he? I can’t imagine any artist being a better fit for the chaotic, sci-fi feel of this title. In this issue, he uses more spreads and splashes than he has recently and it works out perfectly. The Sodam/Artesia spread is probably the best spread in any of this week’s comics. With that, Peter Tomasi has a lot to live up to in this issue, which is easily one of Gleason’s best. Unfortunately, the script for this issue is extremely unfocused. In several places, the Lanterns blurt out random phrases that don’t connect with one another or with the story at large. Mongol’s origin, which should be a focal point for this issue, is extremely confusing, as it seems that there are bits of dialogue missing from the issue, making the narration very hard to follow during this seem. Finally, much of this issue hinges upon the “black mercy” flower that is Mongol’s calling card, but there is very little explanation for what the flower is and what the flower does. That takes a lot away from the effectiveness of the story. In the end, this issue is definitely worth picking up for Gleason’s awesome art and Tomasi’s good character writing, but be warned that the seams are definitely showing with the writing, as this issue is extremely unfocused. 09. Green Arrow/Black Canary #8 (04) Written by Judd Winick Art by Mike Norton (pencils), Rodney Ramos (inks), and David Baron (colors) Letters by Swands Cover by Cliff Chiang As disappointed as I was that Cliff Chiang had to cut his run on this title short, I am just amazed at Mike Norton’s work here. The artwork in this issue is 11 kinds of awesome, with large, vibrant panels, open line work, clean designs, and fluid story telling. Inker Rodney Ramos and colorist David Baron compliment Norton’s work perfectly here, taking what is already great art and making it some of the best work of the week. If you haven’t read this one yet, take your time to really absorb how awesome this art is…then jump into the writing. I am pleased to say that this is a step-up for Winick, as the last few issues have really been a disappointment, but there is a sense of emergency in this issue that hasn’t been seen recently, but is the only way that this story should be told given the circumstances. While I’m not a huge fan of British Gambit (or Dodger, right?), his inclusion has led to more face time for Speedy, which is a huge plus given how well Winick writers her. In fact, the banter amongst the main characters is quite enjoyable throughout the issue. This makes up for the lack of plot here, as there isn’t a ton of story movement in this issue. The “cliffhanger” here is perhaps one of the most surprising twists of the week, but the “surprise return” of Plastic Man (sorry to spoil it folks) doesn’t really click with the story and while it was unexpected, it isn’t really that intriguing. In the end, this is a step in the right direction for Green Arrow/Black Canary, which makes me feel much better about the book after several weak issues in a row, but the star of the show is Mike Norton who provides some of the week’s best art here. 08. Booster Gold #9 (03) Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz Art by Dan Jurgens (pencils), Norm Rapmund (inks), and Hi-Fi (colors) Letters by Nick J. Napolitano Cover by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund The always enjoyable Booster Gold continued this week with issue #9, which finds Booster Gold and the not-dead Blue Beetle teaming up with their Justice League International pals to take down Max Lord in a very bleak alternate present that was caused by Booster’s insistence that he save Beetle from dying prior to the Infinite Crisis. Much of the issue focuses on the JLI’s raid of Max Lord’s Checkmate compound with scenes full of fun action and banter, with Jurgens and Rapmund being in the driver’s seat with their ever-fantastic art. Johns and Katz show their chops for character writing with great interaction amongst the heroes, but there is surprisingly little charm and humor in this issue, which has been one of the title’s most prominent features. Instead, this is mostly straight-up action and nostalgia. This could be setting up the eventual demise of Blue Beetle, as its clear that Booster will need to set things right to avoid such a horrific future, as shown in Booster’s heartbreaking realization that this future is not right and that there are plenty of lives that are lost because Beetle was saved. In the end, its another great issue, with Jurgens and Rapmund remaining one of the best art teams in comics, but it lacks the impact to make it any higher in this week’s Rankings. 07. Amazing Spider-Man #559 (08) Written by Dan Slott Art by Marcos Martin (art) and Javier Rodriguez (colors) Letters by Cory Petit Cover by Marcos Martin Dan Slott returns to Amazing Spider-Man this week for what is easily the best issue of Amazing Spider-Man in quite some time. Slott’s character writing is impeccable with each character having a very unique voice and their interactions being enjoyable and believable. There isn’t a character in the book that isn’t written well, which puts this leaps and bounds above the last few mini-arcs on this series. In terms of story, this issue is a fun look at the idea of fame in our society, with new villain Screwball taking on the internet, the debuting Paperdoll being an obsessed fan, and Peter getting wrapped up in the world of the paparazzi. These new characters are an interesting addition to ASM’s cast and bring their own unique spins to the table (personally, I’ve got a good feeling about Screwball and think that her “training” in parkour makes an interesting match for Spider-Man). The ever-amazing Marcos Martin handles the art chores here and his work looks incredible. He is using a very classic look here that’s very akin to Ditko and Romita Sr. It’s a great style for this issue, with a ton of energy and a vibrancy that matches the tone of the script. Unfortunately, there are some rough spots where the art lacks detail and control, which does bring things down. The club scene where Peter nails his first paparazzo assignment is perhaps the best example of this. In the end, though, this is a great sign for fans of the series, as it is has been quite some time since ASM has been this good. I’m throwing out a very strong recommendation on this one. 06. Gotham Underground #8 (02) Written by Frank Tieri Art by J. Calfiore (pencils), Jack Purcell (inks), and Brian Reber 9colors) Letters by Sal Cipriano Cover by J. Calafiore The penultimate issue of Gotham Underground dropped this week, with a considerably lighter issue than we’ve grown accustomed to with this miniseries, though its clear that this is just the calm before the storm. Frank Tieri has wound a very tight plot with this series and with this issue, we get some good setup for exactly how its going to explode in the final issue, as Penguin’s plans fall apart and Batman prepares to take back his city. There isn’t much else in terms of story here, but Penguin’s face off with Johnny Stitches is well handled and Batman’s complete dismantling of Vigilante put a Cheshire grin on my face (the new Vigilante is amongst 2007’s worst ideas). If you’ve been following this series, you know exactly what to expect from J. Calafiore’s art, which has been phenomenal and continues to wow me with this issue. His storytelling here is incredible, with different panel sizes and perspectives being used on the two main story threads running through the issue, which helps control the mood and the pace of the issue. This series has shown exactly how talented Calafiore is and this issue is no different. In the end, despite being just out of the Top 5 this week, Gotham Underground #8 is yet another can’t miss issue for one of 2008’s best miniseries (I just really hope that Penguin doesn’t die next issue, because that will seriously ruin what has been one of the best Batman stories in ages). 05. Batman: Confidential #17 (05) Written by Fabian Nicieza Art by Kevin Maguire (art) and I.L.L. (colors) Letters by Sal Cipriano Cover by Kevin Maguire The first of three “non-pull list” titles on this week’s Rankings (all in the Top 5), Batman: Confidential #17 is sheer fun from cover to cover and one of the most enjoyable books of the week. Fabian Nicieza tells of the first meeting between the original Batgirl and Catwoman in this issue, with Babs hot on Selena’s trail when the thief takes Commissioner Gordon’s coded notebook. The whole of the issue centers on the chase that ensues, with Nicieza mixes the script with the characters trading verbal insults and great internal narration from both characters. He captures their voices perfectly, playfully touching upon their mutual jealousies and showcasing both the parallels and the differences between the two characters. Kevin Maguire fits the tone of the story perfectly with his high-energy art that that brings the goods in terms of action and expression. The real highlight of the art is Maguire’s incredible sense of storytelling; you won’t even need to read the dialogue to follow the action and catch the moods of the characters due to the effectiveness of the art. In the end, this issue is a great mix of stellar writing and art that is a total joy to read; there are few books on the stands are pure fun, but this issue is one of them. This one gets a very, very strong recommendation. 04. Wonder Woman #20 (09) Written by Gail Simone Art by Aaron Lopresti (pencils), Matt Ryan (inks), and Brad Anderson (colors) Letters by Travis Lanham Cover by Aaron Lopresti I hate to admit it, but I will. As excited as I was when Gail Simone was announced as the regular writer for Wonder Woman, after the first two arcs, I was very concerned and, truthfully, I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Now, looking back, I see that she was just warming up. This week’s issue is exactly what I was expecting from Gail’s run on the title. The issue, which finds Wonder Woman taking on some new “assignments” in both her heroic and civilian identities, is filled with mythology and features a ton of surprises (including an appearance by Beowulf!). Gail puts a ton of personality onto every page, with the nobility of Wonder Woman being paramount to everything that she does. Her supporting cast shines as well, especially Etta Candy, who serves as a strong foil to Wonder Woman (just as she was always intended to, but now she does so without being a total joke). New regular artist Aaron Lopresti has one amazing debut here, with a fantastic looking issue. His panel choices are fantastic and I love his inclusion of artistic borders and insets. It’s the quality of art a title of this caliber deserves. His designs are equally as fantastic as he, too, captures the nobility of the title character in everything that she does, but also infuses personality into the design of every other character. When you see a character in this book, you immediately know who they are and what they are about. This book had been disappointing me, but its clear that Simone and Lopresti make a great tandem and, if this is a sign of things to come, this will quickly become one of DC’s best titles. 03. Huntress: Year One #1 (10) Written by Ivory Madison Art by Cliff Richards (pencils), Art Thibert (inks), and Jason Wright Letters by Sal Cipriano Cover by Matthew Clark I nearly skipped over this week’s Huntress: Year One, but the solicits and previews looked good, leading me to pick it up (making it the second of this week’s “non-pull list” books). I made the right decision. This issue is a very dense and intense retelling of Helena Bertinelli’s early childhood and it does not waste any time getting into the thick of things. Her family’s role in the mob and fall from grace is touched upon immediately, as is her immediate family’s dynamic, both of which are important factors in who Helena would eventually become. Ivory Madison approaches this in a very psychological way; she leaves many things unsaid, but everything makes sense together and when put together, builds a foundation for Helena’s personality and lifestyle choices. Gender roles and religion play heavily into all of this, which fits given Helena’s background and history as a character; these are things that could easily have been discarded in favor a more visceral take on Huntress’s first year, but Madison chooses to go deeper and it pays off. If this trend holds, this could be one of the deepest and most satisfying Year One stories that DC has produced. Cliff Richard’s art is a perfect fit for this. He has a very cinematic approach, which works well with Madison’s style of writing, and his realistic designs match the depth of the story. He portrays Helena as fierce, dangerous, and beautiful without resorting to cartoonish designs or exaggerated anatomies. His storytelling choices are also solid, with well-laid out panels and a strong sense of sequence. Overall, this is a great first issue for this miniseries and a virtual clinic on complete storytelling. Fans of the Huntress are the key demographic here, but I think this one could have a wider appeal, so I’m giving this one a very strong recommendation. 02. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (01) Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Art by Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), and Nathan Fairbairn (colors) Letters by Joe Caramagna Cover by Clint Langley Of all of this week’s releases, I was most excited about Guardians of the Galaxy #1, a new ongoing that spins out of Marvel’s tremendous cosmic epics, Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest. I was not disappointed. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning jump right into the thick of things by starting the issue with the title characters in the midst of a dangerous mission. The quirks of the characters (Star-Lord, Quasar, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Adam Warlock, and Rocket Raccoon) surface immediately through the strong banter and character interaction; by putting them in immediate danger to start the issue, Abnett and Lanning are able to establish the characters not only as individuals but also as a team very quickly and effectively. Given the seriousness of the Annihilation books, I didn’t expect this to be so lighthearted, but it works here thanks to the aforementioned quirks. The charm of the title is continued through the “testimonials” (mission debriefings) that make for great commentary throughout the book and fuel the engaging characterizations that are front-and-center with this issue. Paul Pelletier’s art, accented by Rick Magyar and Nathan Fairbairn, pick up visual clues from the Annihilation artists, but take a lighter approach that matches the tone of the book. The art is incredibly energetic, highly expressive, and tremendously detailed. It’s a perfect fit for the writing. I had high expectations for Guardians of the Galaxy #1, but the end result blew me away. This book is pure fun and should not be missed (especially with the HUGE twist ending involving the most famous shield in all of comics). 01. Sky-Doll #1 (06) Written by Barbara Canepa and Alessandro Barbucci Adapted by CB Cebulski Translated by Stephanie Logan Art by Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa Letters by Joe Caramagna Cover by Barbara Canepa and Alessandro Barbucci The last of this week’s “non-pull list” titles (and this week’s top spot) is Marvel’s first Soleil import, the European hit, Sky Doll. This pricy little number is well worth the high cover price and well worth hunting down, as a I have a feeling the smaller shops are unlikely to carry the title. Don’t let the Classic Disney-meets-The 5th Element look of this book fool you, this is definitely a mature readers title, but for those that meet the requirements, this is a must read. CB Cebulski (with translations from Stephanie Logan) adapts this seemingly whimsical Pinnochio story of a “doll” (basically a pleasure robot) who wishes to break free from her slavery in a world where sexuality and religion are intertwined. At first glance, the story seems pretty simple and Cebulski’s script reflects that by being full of wonder and fun, but when you delve deeper into the issue, you see how complex this story is and the very intelligent exchanges between characters matches that perfectly. I’m not sure how accurate this is to the original, but this is a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read. The characters are memorable, the mythology is strong and establishes itself well, and the plot is incredibly engaging. What puts this so high on this week’s Rankings, however, is the art. “Gorgeous” is not a strong enough word to describe this insanely beautiful book. Creators Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa provide a feast for the eyes with this book that mixes European, America, and Asian artistic sensibilities flawlessly. There is not an iota of wasted space in this entire book, as every panel is filled with details; every character is design impeccable and well “acted” thanks to the incredibly expressive line work. You have to take time to get lost in each page to fully appreciate the density of this mind-blowingly gorgeous book. I expected big things when Marvel announced its partnership with Soleil and this book does not disappoint. It costs a little more and it might be harder to find, but Sky-Doll #1 is a can’t miss issue and my pick for Book of the Week. Titles this good do not come around everyday, so please do not miss this book. Last edited by Ye Olde Iowa : 05-15-2008 at 05:28 PM. |
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05-15-2008, 04:25 PM
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#2 |
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Guardians of the Galaxy...
GotG was sold out at House of Secrets in Burbank, CA.
I can't wait for this series. Well. I guess I have to wait another day or so. |
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05-15-2008, 08:04 PM
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#3 |
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Love the reviews, mine for the week
4) Gen-13 #20 - “15 Minutes” has finally run down and like all people “milking” their brief fame, you feel they’ve stayed to long. While I loved the concept behind the story, I think it went on an issue too long. It’s possible that it’ll read better once I sit and re-read the entire “15 minutes” in one sitting, but I’m ready for World’s End. 3) Genext #1 – it’s classic Claremont doing what he does best with X-men, not a bad issue and easy to follow, even though I didn’t read “X-men: The End”. The characters are quirky and liable and relatable on some level. I have a few quips with some of the dialog here and there, but all in all a solid book. 2) Number of the Beast #3 – The High’s in the City and slowly trying to find it his 1) footing, Beatty with the help of Sprouse had brought these characters to life in a short time and slowly brings the pot to a boil with the final page. The subtle humor in this is great, the “Answer’s Four” line was brilliantly played. 1) Soleil Sky Doll #1 – My first time jumping into European comics, there’s a lot packed into this title, the arts solid, vibrant and full of life and details. The characterization while sometimes brief is really well done and give you a sense of each character in the story. |
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05-15-2008, 08:52 PM
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#4 |
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Count me in as another supporter of Sky Doll. Great series that everyone should try. Well worth the effort to track down if it was underordered at your shop or sold out.
Great reviews as always Ye Olde. Completely agree with the Batman review. Feels like a prologue with lots of forced events happening simply because the author wants it. I liked the Joker aspect, though, and thought the prose issue was one of Morrison's better issues, so we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Didn't understand the hype and time devoted to the batmobile either. It's not new. It has red lights and windows. |
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05-15-2008, 09:08 PM
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#5 |
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First off, good job as always Ryan...
Next, Sky Doll is simply amazing... if anyone had told me that not only would Transhuman #2 not be the best book I would read this week, but would not even compare to the best book... I would have laughed and said they were crazy. Sky Doll is magnificent, beautiful and thought provoking... I'll link my review when it goes live... Next, I have to disagree on the Batman book, while it is a very obvious prologue issue, the book builds on everything that has gone before it, the other thing is that for those who are reading the book, time is not at all decompressed... I fully expect that first page to be the last page of the story six months from now... There are several weeks worth of time in between the times we see Jezebel... Morrison is writing what on the surface appears to be a very self indulgent book, but upon closer reading is a very tightly woven yarn. He is only giving us beats and building a much more epic story in the process... everything hinges on what has come before by such a large margin that it is becoming something different then your normal comic book. Careful and repeated reading is greatly rewarded in this tale. When I first read the prose Joker issue, I thought much the same that it was one of the biggest pieces of crap I had ever read, I remember using the words "Morrison is masterbating on the page" to describe it. But having reread Batman and Son recently there are so many clues there and once you get over the fact that you are reading a novella as opposed to a comic, it is not that bad. Oh it's no literary classic, but it holds so many pieces of what is going on. Morrison is writing the kind of book that he excells at, he is changing the game... he is changing the way that one perceives mere comic books. Alright, off my soap box now. |
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05-15-2008, 09:42 PM
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#6 | |
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Quote:
All that being said, you may reread just the key issues and still hate it... but I hope you see what I mean. this book has suffered from a stuttered flow. |
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05-16-2008, 12:35 AM
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#7 |
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I'm glad to see that everyone else is loving Sky Doll as much as I did. I can't remember the last time I was this floored by a comic. If you haven't picked it up yet, you really owe it to yourself to find a copy.
With Batman, it looks like I'm in the minority with this one. I won't have a chance this weekend (lots o' wedding planning and a bachelor party in Chicago), but when I have a chance, I'll sit down and reread the key moments in Morrison's run. I hope that I do find some new enjoyment in it, because I am a huge fan of his, I just haven't been enjoying this book for much other than the art. Still, I'm always up for a challenge, so I'll let you guys know what I think. As always, thanks for checking out and commenting on the Rankings! |
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05-16-2008, 01:11 AM
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#8 |
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I didn't read Sky Doll but Guardians of the Galaxy was far and away my book of the week.
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05-16-2008, 03:33 AM
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#9 |
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my list
#8 Batman #676 (W: Grant Morrison; A: Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea)
I dropped Morrison's Batman run for one reason: I found it to be impenetrable (not to mention the book wasn't very good). This issue is equally impenetrable (a recap would have been nice--just who the heck is Jezebel Jet?) but as a first chapter to a much larger epic, I'll give the story the benefit of the doubt (it is running through the fabulous Detective Comics, so I'm buying the R.I.P. event as not to have my 'Tec issues totally make no sense--oh, and the big Batman events tend to have a significant collectors value so those are two equally important reasons I'm in). The art though, is unquestionably spectacular. The Joker sequence at the end is by itself worth the price of the book. #7 Green Arrow/Black Canary #8 (W: Judd Winick; A: MIke Norton and Rodney Ramos) GA/BC, while rather nonsensically plotted (the seach for Connor Hawke is just a huge, huge MacGuffin), continues to be a whole lot of fun. Mike Norton's pencils add a big dimension to the fun of the title (though I miss Cliff Chiang), and Plastic Man coming on board to the book is a perfect fit (if totally out of left field). GA/BC boasts the week's coolest cover (even though Ra's Al Ghul is barely in the issue). #6 X-Men: Legacy #211 (W: Mike Carey; A: Scot Eaton and Brandon Peterson) X-Men: Legacy, make no bones about it, is for the hardcore X-Men nuts. I'm a X-Men nut--so this sort of book is right up my alley. I really enjoy how Mike Carey is weaving in various strands of X-Men history in his Xavier story. This closes off the book to the fans non-enlightened in X-Men lore, but for those of us that are, it is a real treat (and finally, someone other than Chris Claremont is writing stuff like this). I wish though, that if the book is going to continue the trend of having two pencillers for the present day and flashback sequences they can find pencillers that are more distinct from another. (what happened to John Romita, Jr.?) Oh, there's a big return at the end. #5 Green Lantern Corps #24 (W: Peter J. Tomasi; A: Patrick Gleason, Drew Geraci and Prentiss Rollins) The Green Lantern books continue to be DC's best. The story is action-packed and entertaining. Gleason is really on fire on the title. My only complaint is that the action is a bit too frenetic to allow each of the Lantern's characters to come out. It's awfully difficult in some panels to tell who's who and who is saying what. Oh, and Tomasi doesn't do a very good job explaining to readers what the Black Mercy flower does. Small complaints aside, GLC continues to be solid. #4 Booster Gold #9 (W: Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz; A: Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund) Booster Gold continues to be a labor of love for all the creators involved. I started to get into DC with the Countdown to Infinite Crisis Special where Ted Kord was killed, and since then heard many allusions to the Booster Gold/Blue Beetle/Maxwell Lord version of the Justice League. Well, everyone involved in the issue brings the team wonderfully back to life, as if the team had never broken up. Booster Gold continues to be a complete book--funny, emotional, and full of heroics. #3 Wonder Woman #20 (W: Gail Simone; A: Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan) I hope people are going to pick up Wonder Woman with issue #20, because I have a feeling that this is where Gail Simone turns up the volume on this title to eleven and things will start to get EPIC. Diana has two stories in this--one where she is teaming up with none other than Beowulf, and the other where a villain (in this case, The Stalker) hinted at in earlier issues, asserts some level of mind control over the Amazon. Right now, the stories don't seem particularly connected, but I trust Simone and Lopresti (who turns in some truly stellar pencils here--a good week for art all around in DC) are moving this story along in the right direction. #2 Rann-Thanagar: Holy War #1 (W: Jim Starlin; A: Ron Lim and Rob Hunter--and yes, I know it came out last week but I'm getting it this week) Am I the only one noticing that the space-themed books from both companies are the best Marvel and DC have to offer. R-T:HW continues the trilogy of the Rann/Thanagar stories that began way back in the first Rann-Thanagar War mini, continuing through Countdown to Adventure (via 52) and now here. I truly loved the Adam Strange/Starfire/Animal Man thread storyline in 52, so I came for the continuing story of that trio, but what surprised me was how strong the other characters were here. The best of the bunch is the new Captain Comet--or simply Comet, as the character prefers to be called. Comet is a cross between Gambit and an amoral Han Solo. He has a talking bulldog for a friend (love those talking animals). He's totally awesome. The other characters new to the story line have good moments too (I liked the Starman/Bizarro stuff). Starlin is really laying a solid foundation for a space opera. Best of all is that the story justifies the $3.50 cover price. Check this title out--it is surprisingly reader friendly. #1 Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (W: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; A: Paul Pelletier and Rick Magayar) Yes, this book lives up to the hype. It is also one of the best debut issues I have read in a long time. The team has a clear purpose, the members have a clear purpose in the team instead of being thrown together because they look cool, it builds on the history of what has come before (especially in regards to recent events in Annihilation: Conquest and Nova), and it gives us a bunch of mysteries I'm eager to see resolved (I loved the bit at the end with Mantis and was really shocked by the big cliffhanger--which has repercussions for the entire Marvel Universe!). My only complaint--and it is a little one--is that Adam Warlock seems underdeveloped compared to the rest of the cast. My favorite stuff was when the Guardians retreated to Knowhere (which has the great talking Russian Cosmonaut dog--love those talking dogs, man) and the "debriefing" sequences with the cast--they function almost as confessionals on a reality show (think The Real World for the Marvel Universe space heroes). Those sequences work fantastically and I think it is an original and unexpected twist to see in a book about ragtag space heroes. Abnett and Lanning already write Marvel's best title, Nova. With Guardians of the Galaxy, they're making it two for two. |
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05-16-2008, 09:02 AM
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#10 |
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so here's that link to my Skydoll #1 Review... I'll try not to fall to sleep and do a formal for Batman #677... someone else snagged that before I got a chance... oh to be independent again...
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05-16-2008, 11:32 AM
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#11 |
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I just realized that today is the one year anniversary of the very first Weekly Review Power Rankings! Thanks to everyone for all of your comments, suggestions, and support. It's been a fun year of posting these reviews and I really wouldn't have kept this up if it weren't for all y'all.
As a fun aside, I've posted the results of the first Weekly Review Power Rankings below: 17. Batman #665 (16) 16. Uncanny X-Men #486 (17) 15. Supergirl #17 (10) 14. Ultimate X-Men #82 (15) 13. Star Wars: Rebellion #6 (13) 12. Paul Jenkins’s Sidekick #5 (8) 11. Catwoman #67 (12) 10. X-Men: First Class Special (9) 09. Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #52 (11) 08. All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #5 (14) 07. Checkmate #14 (6) 06. Fables #61 (3) 05. Countdown #50 (4) 04. Flash: Fastest Man Alive #12 (7) 03: Justice League of America #9 (5) 02. Fallen Son: Death of Captain America #3 (1) 01. Mighty Avengers #3 (2) The interesting thing about looking back on this is that of the 17 books I reviewed, there are 11 ongoing titles that are still being published. Of these, I'm picking up 4 on a regular basis (plus Fables in trades). Oh what a difference a year makes! |
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05-16-2008, 12:40 PM
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#12 |
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Found out Heavy Metal mag published all of Sky Doll in one magazine in English a couple years ago. Probably be a lot cheaper to get one of those than 5 bucks a pop for the comic. Just FYI
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05-16-2008, 02:19 PM
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#13 | |
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Quote:
I had heard that Heavy Metal had reproduced it prior to Marvel. It makes you wonder how different the English scripts are? It is my understanding that Marvel worked very closely with both Soleil and the original creators on preparing these new printings. Regardless, whether you pick up via Marvel or Heavy Metal, this is one story not to miss out on. |
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05-16-2008, 02:29 PM
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#14 | |
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Quote:
They're very different. All new translations and adaptations, all over seen by Barbara herself. The art has all been color corrected and retouched as well. As you guessed, Ryan, we worked VERY closely with Soleil and the creators straight through to final printing PDF to make sure this is exactly how they wanted Sky Doll presented to the American market. And THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your kind words. We couldn't be happier with how Sky Doll is being received and Barbara and Alessandro are ticked pink that fans here are enjoying it! Take care, C.B. Last edited by C.B.Cebulski : 05-18-2008 at 02:14 PM. |
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05-16-2008, 02:31 PM
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#15 | ||
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Quote:
I had to go back a few time just to absorb all the little details in each panel, I hope Marvel continues with putting out European titles Quote:
Congrates, here's to another year  |
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05-16-2008, 04:02 PM
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#16 |
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No one pick up Captain Britain? Too bad, I really liked it - a lot of "out of the gate" action fun that still managed to fit good character moments in. Easily the best of the SI crossovers I've gotten (and, IMO: better the main SI book as well).
I've liked BND so far but have to say Slott's latest issue is the greatest, awesome stuff! And after reading all the glowing good reviews it sounds like I'll be picking up Sky Doll. Thanks for the heads up! |
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05-18-2008, 07:56 PM
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#17 | |
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Quote:
Thanks for commenting, as always, Gnome! If you do pick up Sky Doll, let us know what you thought of it. I had considered picking up Captain Britain, but I really need to cut back on the number of ongoings I'm reading, so I passed on it. |
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05-18-2008, 08:07 PM
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#18 |
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Huntress Year One #1 ruled!!!
Ryan, thanks for checking out Huntress Year One and commenting on it. So looking forward to #2 in two weeks. I'm also glad you got to check out Batman Confidential as well. As of the last arc with Tony Bedard and Rags Morales, "Wrath Child", I think the series has been outstanding and a very under appreciated Batman title!
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05-18-2008, 10:14 PM
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#19 |
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Deep down inside, I know that there is a good comic trying to work its way out of this book. You’ve got one of the richest casts in all of comics, a strong premise to jump start the book, and an extremely capable (albeit inconsistent) creative team. Unfortunately, things just aren’t coming together for Titans.
I thought the exact same thing after reading it. I love the characters involved (though for the life of me, I cant figure out the dialogue) and the story looks like it has potential, but it just isnt clicking. |
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05-19-2008, 01:25 PM
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#20 | |
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Quote:
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05-20-2008, 10:50 AM
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#21 |
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For those interested, here are this week's preRankings:
13. Batman and the Outsiders #7 12. Grendel: Behold the Devil #7 11. Star Wars: Legacy #24 10. Birds of Prey #118 09. Justice League of America #21 08. Checkmate #26 07. Amazing Spider-Man #560 06. Robin #174 05. Avengers: The Initiative #13 04. X-Men: Divided We Stand #2 03. Captain America #38 02. Justice Society of America #15 01. Dynamo 5 #13 Be sure to check back on Thursday for the full reviews and Rankings! |
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05-20-2008, 12:11 PM
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#22 |
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Last week was the first week I got to the shop on new comics day for a while but it looks like I'm back in the groove. Here's my pre-ranking:
1. Incredible Hercules #116 2. Captain America #38 3. Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #29 4. Amazing Spider-man #560 5. Mighty Avengers #14 6. Fantastic Four #557 FF will be the "do I keep buying this series or don't I" issue. I also plan to pick up Sky Doll if they have copies left. |
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05-20-2008, 12:15 PM
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#23 | |
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Quote:
I suspect within a few issues Captain Britain is going to be so good that it's going to have the Hercules effect of lots of people running back to it. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think Cornell is all set to be the Geoff Johns of the Marvel Universe in that he gets what makes the MU tick and loves it as a fan but can write material that doesn't come off as retro or slavish fanboy material. How long until he gets asked to write X-Men? He's the one writer that would get me to buy X-Men right now. |
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