And now, two words that you don’t see together nearly as often as you should:
Also: “Free Pie.”
But alas! Dessert will have to wait until later: It’s Thursday night, and that means that it’s time once again for another round of the Internet’s Gnarliest Comics Reviews! Here’s what I picked up this week…
…and now that I look at it, that’s a lot of comics for what I thought was going to be a light week. And yet, only one of them contained Midget Devilance and laser-breathing dinosaurs. Go figure.
Comics
Amazing Spider-Man #562: Take note, music fans! This issue, the web-slinger faces off against none other than the notorious Nick Lowe!
No, wait, sorry… In this issue, Spider-Man fights The Basher. My mistake. Man, and I was getting so excited, too. Come on, Marvel… You know I can’t take another heartache.
In any case, the sheer joy I experienced reading Amazing Spider-Man last week may have passed, but this is another solid issue that I had a lot of fun with, especially in the way that the story–especially the aspects concerning Peter Parker’s job at the DB–flows from issue to issue with subplots that break out of the standard three-act structure. It’s very much an old-school style of storytelling that I’ve missed in recent comics, where the emphasis tends to be on repackaging the high points of nostalgia into six-issue trades that are as easy to jump off as they are to jump on. Now admittedly, the post-Brand New Day Amazing is as guilty as anything else of attempting to recapture the past, but here, I don’t mind. Mostly, I think it comes down to the fact that they’re using new villains–and even better in this issue, re-using new villains that I’d assumed were going to end-up as throwaway one-hit wonders–and new cast members to at least make a token effort at moving forward.
But my problems with the State Of The Industryâ„¢ and how we got here are beside the point. All that really matters is that right now, these guys are making some pretty good comics.
Batman Confidential #18: I meant to mention this last month when I picked up the first part of this story, but on the off chance that your tastes are similar to mine, then it might interest you to know that in this issue, ISB favorite Kevin Maguire
Just, you know, puttin’ that out there. We’re all friends here. Nobody’s judging you.
Also of note? Batgirl’s entire costume can apparently fit in a large-sized Crown Royal bag. And here I was thinking those were just for booze and dice.
Captain Britain and MI13 #2: Prepare to mark your price guides, folks: This issue features the dynamic debut of The Deathlok Skrull. And much like the Legion of Monsters Skrull that appeared last issue, this one leaves only awe and confusion in his wake. I mean, there’s so many questions here, and “how do the Skrulls even know about Deathlok?!” is only one of them.
Is he half-Skrull, half-Computer, or is he just a Skrull with a gun that shape-shifted to look like Deathlok? Is he based on Luther Manning or Michael Collins, or, in the tradition of the original Super-Skrull and the ones that have shown up lately, is he somehow both? And if so, does he have the power of two Deathloks, or does it just average out to one, in which case what’s the point? And what would the power of two Deathloks even be?!
Thank you, Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk, for asking the hard questions. And allowing me to use phrases like “a Skrull with the power of two Deathloks.” I do, however, have one minor quibble with the series, which I’m otherwise enjoying: Did Marvel really think that we wouldn’t notice they were re-using the cover art from the UK-only release of AxeWülf’s third album?
Come on, guys. You know better.
Invincible #50: The long-delayed milestone issue of Invincible hit the stands this week, and while it’s the fun read that Invincible always delivers, I’m more interested in the fact that the “twist” of this arc is pretty much the same as the first big twist of the series. And that’s not a bad thing.
With the way that Cecil and Mark’s relationship comes to an explosive end in this issue, Robert Kirkman’s not just retreading the same ground that he’s gone to before; he’s setting up a recurring theme of the inevitable betrayal of the father figure that’s more concerned with the greater good than with simple matters of right and wrong. It’s the same trick, the same deception and the same motivation that he’s been through with Omni-Man, and both times it’s led to Mark defining himself by what he believes and growing as a character to stand on his own.
It’s a rarity to see that sort of growth in comics, but Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Corey Walker (who returns this issue for a fun Science Dog backup) pulls it off with the same sense of fun that’s made Invincible such a solid comic to read for the past fifty issues.
Still not crazy about that new costume, though.
Jack Staff #17: Paul Grist calls him “Castletown’s latest and greatest hero!”
Benito Cereno calls him “The sensational character find of 2008!”
Kevin Church calls him “Paul Grist’s stab at the Eisner award for Most British Character Ever!”
Chris Sims just says he’s a right diamond geezer!
Now you can thrill to the adventures of The Butler, debuting this month in the pages of Jack Staff! He makes Jeeves look like Seppings! He makes Alfred look like Cadbury! Civility has a new Saviour, and his name is… THE BUTLER!
(Seriously, I’ve already told you Jack Staff
Marvel Adventures Hulk #12: Here’s a fun fact for the Marvel trivia buffs among you: The Champion of the Universe, who made his first appearance in Tom DeFalco and Ron Wilson’s Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, has never been in a bad comic book, which is a distinction that I don’t think any other Marvel character I can think of shares.
I mean, I freakin’ love Spider-Man, but that guy’s been in some bad comics that, for lack of a better term, we can just go ahead and call “The ’90s.” And sure, we’ve never seen a bad story about, say, Wu Ao-Shi, the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay, but the Champ’s been around as long as I have, and that’s a pretty mean feat.
Anyway, back to the point: The Champion of the Universe is awesome, and that’s a fact that Paul Benjamin seems well aware of, since he crafted the best issue yet of the awesome Marvel Adventures Hulk to contain his magnificence. How awesome, you ask?
Oh, I’d say about this awesome:
Seriously. You need to own this.
Superior Showcase #3: I don’t normally pick up Superior Showcase, but I made an exception for this one, since it’s got an all-new Street Angel
Trinity #2: So DC’s latest weekly series got its second chance, and I’ve gotta say, I’m as underwhelmed with this one as I was with the first, which is kind of a surprise since it leads off with a story called “A Personal Best at Giant Robot Smashing.” Under normal circumstances, that sounds like exactly the sort of thing I’d be into, but, well, it just falls flat, for all of the reasons that I mentioned last week.
It’s not even that it’s a bad comic; it’s completely adequate in every way. Batman shows up, grimaces, does something smart and determined. Superman shows up, pulls off an allegedly amazing feat of strength. Wonder Woman shows up, beats up a robot and talks about being an Amazon. It’s nothing that I haven’t seen before, and I’ve got the impression that if you’ve ever read any halfway decent comic book with these characters, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before either. And that’s the problem: It’s adequate, but it’s just adequate, and while I know every comic can’t be spectacular, I don’t have much of a desire to read one that doesn’t even offer anything new on a weekly basis.
And that’s the week! Well, that and some trades, like the very nice Umbrella Academy
Of course, if there’s anything you’d like to ask about, feel free to leave a comm–ah, crap. There was a new Agents of Atlas story in that Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust book, wasn’t there?
I knew I forgot something…
Also, quick addendum: If anyone’s going to be in Charlotte next weekend for HeroesCon 2008, keep an eye out for me. My Pal Chad, Jay Potts and I will be up there along with a great crowd of friends that includes Dr. K, and while we don’t have a table this year, we’ve definitely got something to give away that might answer a question you might have. Hope to see you there.
The Agents of Atlas story was pretty great; easily the best in that book.
Also, Jeff Parker had a Hulk vs Thundra story in that Hulk vs. Thundra book.
P.S. You forgot Here Come the Spiders.
Come on, Benito. You know I already have the first printing of Here Come The Spiders.
Is that Bug AND Psyco-Man standing behind MA Hulk? And does he have the Power Gem on his head?
I know, me too, but the new one is better.
Despite my love for “Avalonageddon”, “Fury of the Moondragon” is still on the top of my AxeWülf rank.
Thanks for the Batman Confidential heads-up, Chris. I’m not made of stone.
“Hulk knows kung-fu” makes up for all the irrational SiP hate. Good lord that’s a fun panel.
“You know I can’t take another heartache.”
Do you think Marvel Editor Nick Lowe gets jokes like this every single day?
In the next Amazing Spider-Man arc, Spidey goes up against The Jesus of Cool!
Nooo! How did I miss the Agents of Atlas story? Well, I know how. Why? is really the question. Let’s hope my shop over-ordered.
No mention of Skaar or the end of Salvation Run?
Surely Skaar would know Kung Fu too?
I see someone got here first with “Secret Invasion: Who Can You Trust is not bad”; I’ll settle with stating into the intervoid that Agent Brand is swiftly becoming an object of one of my overwhelming niche character loyalty crushes.
Were you just being cruel to be kind by not reviewing the new Hickman book? Come on, Master of All That Is Awesome, give me a sign. One for bad, two for good.
Yawn. Marvel Apologists are Marvel Apologists.
When I saw the title of Trinity I thought of you.
When I read it I thought of nothing.
We all know you love spiderman but telling it every week in the same way (recapture the vibe, some may object but not me, …) get’s a bit old. Why not spend more time saying things about other titles on your mighty list. What’s the news on the new BPRD or the son of hulk?
What’s with the “Marvel Apologists” guy?
Did Newsarama finally find out about the ISB? Should Chris set out traps?
About that pic of the guy gripping that sword – maybe I’m just gay or something but it seems kinda Fruedian to me.
I’m just sayin’….
Is … is that STEPTOE AND SON on the Jack Staff cover?!
I was a big fan of Jack Staff at first (although it’s no Kane), but my enthusiasm waned to the point that I’ve gone to just buying it in trade. There are things to like about it, but the characterization is ribbon-thin, the disjointed storytelling makes it incredibly hard to read in comic form, the constant homages and talking directly to the reader got old years ago, and – worst of all – it feels like the story never goes anywhere.
There are enough moving pieces in the comic, I think Grist needs to stop introducing new ones and instead work through some of the running threads with the characters he’s already got. I stopped reading somewhere around #12, but at the time I found the book only slightly more coherent than Countdown to Final Crisis.
… You can leave.
Personally I use a Crown Royal back to carry my glasses and contact lens stuff when I go out on the weekends. You never know when you might not make it home until the next day and it’s nice to keep your junk in such a swag container.
I disliked the MA: Hulk because I like the original Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 so much. I loved that Champion beat the Thing near to death but Ben wouldn’t stay down because, if he did, the world would be destroyed. Nothing but pure will kept him getting up to get beat down again. He knew he would get beat down again. He knew he was outclassed. He wouldn’t surrender. That is the character-defining moment for the Thing for me.
Ben went down like a chump in this one.
Upon reading this week’s MA: Hulk, I bet my comic-buddy $5 that “HULK KICK!” would be the headliner on The ISB.
You won me money, Mr. Sims.
Much obliged.
HULK KICK!
HULK KNOW KUNG-FU!
HULK MASTER OF FLYING GUILLOTINE!
HULK THINKS YOUR WEAKNESS IS NOT YOUR TECHNIQUE!
Man, that’s fun!
Chris, I am sorely disappointed that you did not mention that this week’s Booster Gold featured Rip Hunter and Booster’s ancestors sucker punching Braniac-5 while he is trying to say good bye to triplicate girl’s third copy after she died at the hands of Computo. It’s like they wrote that panel just for you.
Alright, I can understand how vampire fights, mysterious figures, and Tom Tom The Robot Man are all good reasons to be reading a book…
…But “interrupted cell phone calls?” Huh?
All right, let’s crack open the ol’ mailbag here…
Thanks for the Batman Confidential heads-up, Chris. I’m not made of stone.
Not yet, but after that issue you sure will be, AM I RIGHT?!
“Hulk knows kung-fu†makes up for all the irrational SiP hate.
I don’t know, I think hating something because it sucks and it’s stupid is pretty rational.
No mention of Skaar or the end of Salvation Run?
Actually, I did mention Salvation Run, up there in the shopping list. Admittedly, it’s just a mention, but when I say that something includes an army of midget Devilance the Pursuers, you can pretty much assume that I’m endorsing it.
As for Skaar, well, I thought that one was pretty self-explanitory.
Yawn. Marvel Apologists are Marvel Apologists.
Yawn. Commenters who throw around the word “apologist” despite having no idea what it means are… well, you get the idea.
We all know you love spiderman but telling it every week in the same way (recapture the vibe, some may object but not me, …) get’s a bit old.
Golly! I’m really sorry about that, and I’d like to offer you a full refund on the purchase price of your ISB experience if you’ve still got your receipt.
In the meantime, I’ll be over here thinking about how Spider-Man really could fight Nick Lowe, since they’re both officially in Marvel Continuity.
it’s nice to keep your junk in such a swag container.
I wasn’t keeping my junk in a swag container when I read that issue of Batman Confidential, AM I RIGHT?!
oh god that was terrible
HULK THINKS YOUR WEAKNESS IS NOT YOUR TECHNIQUE!
HULK KNOW A GAME OF CHESS IS LIKE SWORDFIGHT! HULK’S STYLE IS THE BEST, AND IMMUNE TO ALMOST ANY WEAPON!
Clearly, Hulk ain’t nothin’ to fuck with.
“In the meantime, I’ll be over here thinking about how Spider-Man really could fight Nick Lowe, since they’re both officially in Marvel Continuity.”
Maybe Lowe and Dave Edmunds could merge into a single being, forcing Spidey to face off against the merciless might of….ROCKPILE!!!!!
Chris, why do you hate the scene?
[THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN DELETED DUE TO AN ADAM SANDLER REFERENCE]
Not only was there an Agents of Atlas story in the secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? one-shot, but it was AWESOME.
Decapitated Skrulls are comedy gold.
Is Banner’s pet monkey named Monkey still around in MA: Hulk? If so, I’m kind of amazed that a comic can contain that much awesome.
“Yawn. Commenters who throw around the word “apologist†despite having no idea what it means are… well, you get the idea.”
Marvel Enablers.
Mate, this post cheered me up morethan somewhat, thank you very much. You are more entertainment every week than any ten other sites, for me at least.
And the Album Cover idea?. Sheer bloody genuis me old china. To quote Churchill, “That deserves a drink!”.
“Golly! I’m really sorry about that, and I’d like to offer you a full refund on the purchase price of your ISB experience if you’ve still got your receipt.”
Chris, please don’t start down that road, the road that leads to more and more defensive replies to comments that you don’t like. I don’t want you to become like Dan Slott.
defensive replies
If you think that’s defensive, you need to study your Chris Sims.
YOU’RE defensive!
If “I don’t want you to become like Dan Slott” means not becoming a talented, successful, and entertaining writer of high-quality comics, then it may be too late…
Speaking of Dan Slott, when he was writing SHE-HULK, he wrote a story where she fights the Champion…and wins. People on comic boards flipped their lid, using a lot of sexist crouched language on how she she should not be capable of that,saying how he was “ruining” the Champion to enable his pet character She-Hulk.
Huh. Really? Because that story’s really good.
The champion got beat down by the Silver Surfer in Silver Surfer #1 back in ’87 .. they totally made him look like a chump solely to make surfer look more badass… it failed terribly.
I skipped out on MA: Hulk because the last few issues have been so-so compared to Avengers and Fantastic Four but then I read your review and the Monkey episode with Rasslor came on so I’m picking it up now.
Also of note? Batgirl’s entire costume can apparently fit in a large-sized Crown Royal bag. And here I was thinking those were just for booze and dice.
Also Scrabble tiles.
OK, now you’ve done it. I can’t read Jack Staff without Rose of England playing in my head.
…Say — this is actually quite nice.
Mate, more Booster Gold reviews needed since it was the REAL BOTW
I dunno, Skully. I dug Booster Gold and especially Skeets this week, but I’m disappointed that the arc is going exactly where it appeared to be four or five issues ago. Maybe there is still a surprise to come, but I doubt it.
I was excited for ‘Blue & Gold’ but I think the story has really slowed the book’s forward momentum.
“The Champion of the Universe, …has never been in a bad comic book which is a distinction that I don’t think any other Marvel character I can think of shares”
Chris, how can you speak this unholiness?!
Surely you can’t have forgotten Squirrelgirl?!?
SQUIRRELGIRL!!!!!
I’ve got to tell you, Chris – I’ll take “adequate” over “stupid” any day of the week, which was what Countdown was. Personally, I’ve been really enjoying Trinity. Busiek clearly understands the characters and it’s time that Wonder Woman got to have a second book she gets to appear in. No, I don’t count JLA, since in JLA she’s a superfluous “we’re having secret meetings oh and by the way look at my butt drawn by Ed Benes” character.
Well, if the choice was only between “adequate” and “stupid,” then I’d choose the former, too. The problem is that there’s a third choice, which is not reading Trinity and buying one of the many comics on the market that’s a lot better.
Suppose Rich, but we had Wildog and the JLI reunion. Distractions, maybe, but bloody good ones at that.
Plus we have a 1,000,000 tie-in next month!
Skaar, Son of Hulk is quite possibly the most metal comic I have ever read. Next issue has Skaar fighting a guy with a ginormous axe on top of a fire-breathing dragon. Axewülf would be proud.