As promised, here's the rest of this week's comics reviewed for your reading pleasue in the Quick Shot Reviews. I won't bore you with random chit-chat, so hit the jump for all the reviews.
52 AFTERMATH: THE FOUR HORSEMEN #4 (OF 6)Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Pat Olliffe and John Stanisci
Ugh, I'm not really sure I want to continue reading this series anymore. Four issues in and still nothing noteworthy has happened. Giffen even introduces more random characters to the plot to take up pages in the form of the Doom Patrol. Watching them and Wonder Woman beating up the undead for several pages is less than riveting.
I'm not sure why this story is being dragged on so long. Black Adam 'killed' these guys in the span of an issue or two, if you count one getting away. Sure, they've been upgraded or whatever, but not to the point that it should take six issues of non-action to stop them. Based on these first four issues, my guess is that this 'story' will only take place in issue six. All I know is that I've feel like I've wasted money on every single issue of this mini-series so far.
Verdict - Avoid It.
BATMAN #671Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Tony Daniel and Jonathan Glapion
Well, this story went in a completely different direction than I expected. I thought, based on the previous issue's ending, that Batman and Ra's would team up to stop Sensei and get Ra's to the Fountain of Life to revive his body. I expected that to make up the remaining parts of this storyline.
However, they accomplished all of that in one issue. Batman and Ra's go and battle Sensei, who is apparently a god of martial arts and 'killed' Ra's and Batman in under two minutes. If not for the Fountain of Life saving Batman and, I guess, killing the impure Sensei, Batman would not have survived this fight. Ra's somehow transfer his essence to one of the monks in the area after he 'died', but I'm not sure how he did it.
In the end, the entire issue was as random as previous issues. Where's I-Chang? Where'd Talia and the Robins go? Did they just stay behind? Where's his League of Assassins to help Ra's with the Sensei? Where'd Nightwing go? He was in the last chapter and I expected him to meet up with Batman. Everything's just happening so fast and with very little explanation that I find it hard to even care what's happening or why the events mean anything. I still have no clue who Sensei is, aside from the random revelation that he's Ra's' father, which came out of left field.
However, I did enjoy the issue for the most part, but I would love it if they took the time build up people like Sensei or explain the various going ons before jumping to a new plot point. Also, I'm not sure what's left to do. I think Tim's supposed to join up with Ra's based on the covers and solicit information, but I still have no clue what's left to happen in this story. Ra's has a new monk body, but I guess that will decompose?
Verdict - Check It.
COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: LORD HAVOK AND THE EXTREMISTS #2 (OF 6)Written by Frank Tieri
Art by Liam Sharp
Not sure what to make of this series now. It's basically just filling in gaps in a story that took place months ago in Countdown. I like seeing DC's take on Marvel characters, but the story is pretty weak and not really doing anything for me as of this second issue. In fact, from what I can tell, the whole point of this series will be to retell the Challengers / Monarch / Extremists fight from Countdown while giving brief origin stories for the Extremists.
I'll probably stick around for the duration of the series, but I'm not sure it's going to end up being worth my time or money. If you're not reading this, you aren't really missing anything either. If all we'll be getting is an origin story with some rehashing of Countdown events, I'm going to recommend just skipping it altogether unless you absolutely need to know everything about these characters and don't want to read the bio's on Wikipedia.
Verdict - Skip It.
COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE #4 (OF 8)Written by Adam Beechen and Justin Gray
Art by Eddy Barrows and Julio Ferreiro and Fabrizio Fiorentino
The Starfire / Animal Man / Strange half of this issue was just running through the paces this issue. Just random action with little to no actual story progression filling up the issue. It was terrible, but it didn't really impress me all that much either.
The Forerunner half of the story was equally random, but in a different way. Monarch randomly betrays Forerunner, who, up to that point, had been pretty much as faithful a servant as you could ask for. Why he went to the trouble of getting rid of someone as powerful as her made no sense. She took down entire multiverse versions of the Justice League by herself and he betrays her? Came out of nowhere, much like many Countdown plot points.
I also hate how this story isn't lining up with the events of Countdown in the slightest. Last week revealed she was out of Monarch's services, but didn't reveal why. This week's issue shows he betrayed her and there has been no mention of this in the actual Countdown series. In fact, many of these events aren't lining up and it's getting annoying.
Verdict - Check It.
DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #3 (OF 8)Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Starlin and Matt Banning
Another Countdown tie-in that isn't even trying to sync up with its parent title. Scott Free is seen in this week's Countdwon in his old costume helping out Jimmy on Apokalips. In this issue, he's in his black and purple, Barda mourning costume and promptly returns to New Genesis. I'd seriously like some editor's notes or a timeline to accompany all these out of order issues.
As for the actual issue, Superman, Orion and Scott beat up some parademons and Scott uses the Anti-Life Equation on Darkseid to find out he gave up and is just waiting for his death. There's a lot of random New Gods' lore thrown about with the Forever People and random Gods dying that I couldn't really keep up on, seeing as I've never read any New Gods related stuff before. That Himon guy that was elected leader after Takion died at the Source Wall, whom he was accompanying at that time, seems like a likely candidate for being involved with the killings, especially since it was noted he isn't actually a New God, but the mystery is still too vague and unexplored to make a serious guess, at least with my level of knowledge of the characters.
Verdict - Check It.
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #2 (OF 9)Written by Frank Tieri
Art by J. Calafiore and Jack Purcell
Well, I'm not sure what this book is about anymore. Last issue focused on a lot of Salvation Run related stuff and even had the Suicide Squad capture Batman, who was acting as Matches Malone, at the end of the issue. The only follow up to that plot was a brief cameo of Batman in a normal prison.
There's a little follow up to the non-masked crime bosses attempting to organize and retake the underworld, but I'm not sure if that's the main plot for this series or not. Other than that, not much happens this issue. Only thing I'd consider noteworthy is the return of Spoiler, or at least someone dressed as her. She's seen spying on Robin, but I don't see how this could be Stephanie, as she was never really capable enough to sneak around without being noticed by someone like Robin. Hopefully it ends up actually being the real Spoiler, but I won't hold my breath.
Verdict - Avoid It.
TEEN TITANS #53Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Alé Garza and Marlo Alquiza
After last issue's fairly average outing, McKeever bounces back with an excellent third part to this future Titans storyline.
I'm still not sure what the future Titans were hoping to accomplish by coming back in time, as they are unable to do anything against the Starro invasion and it seems like every single thing they've tried to do to convice the Titans to become like them has backfired on them. Case in point, Martian Girl slicing her future self's head off after she was telepathically assaulted.
However, the issue was still a great read and I can't wait to see how this ends next month. My only concern is with Blue Beetle saying he's not really a member of the Titans. Hopefully McKeever plans to keep him around after this storyline as an actual member. He's one of my favourite characters and I think he'd fit in well with the team.
Verdict - Must Read.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN # 116Written by Brian Bendis
Art by Stuart Immonen
This Goblin story has been anything but predictable and just when I thought we'd be having an all-out brawl, Bendis pulls a fake out and has yet another talking heads issue.
Kitty Pride got a lot of good scenes this time around and I find it hard to believe she isn't over Peter, despite her saying she wants to date Kenny. It looked as if she was crying behind her mask as she desperately tried to save Peter as he fell to his death and most of her dialogue seems to indicate, to me at least, that she still likes him.
All in all, this was a great issue, but not much happened with the Goblin story. Most of the issue was Kitty and Peter talking before Peter went home to find Osborn waiting for him. Next issue looks like it will finally give us some major story progression as SHIELD brought Harry in as bait at the end of this issue.
Verdict - Check It.
X-MEN # 205Written by Mike Carey
Art by Chris Bachalo
Another highly predictable, yet enjoyable, comic from this week's releases. Pretty much everything I expected happened this issue, right down to Cable being revealed as the one who has the new mutant child. As I predicted, the X-Men were on a suicide mission when they confronted Sinister and the Marauders. Apparently, all they wanted to do was confirm that Sinister didn't have the child. Why they felt the need to sacrifice themselves to do this is still a mystery to me.
Also, I was surprised there was no real follow up to Hellion's "death" from the previous chapter, considering it was a shock cliffhanger ending. The New X-Men basically teleport away, but it's not mentioned whether he is dying, dead or if Elixir will save him.
The only thing I didn't understand was the Sentinels being taken over by some liquid metal-like creature or weapon. Was that by Sinister and the reason he had all the weird cables stuck in his body or some new player making their move?
Verdict - Check It.
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1 comments:
The X-Men weren't on a suicide mission; the plan was to strike fast, uncover the necessary information, and get out quickly; the unplanned disruption in Emma's psi-support is what turned it into a suicide run.
As for Hellion, yeah, not much, but the intro refers to him as being gravely wounded, so he's still alive; Laura certainly acts like he is (stand up for you man, Laura!).
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