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Spawn 306 Review

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Introduction

Spawn 306. Seems like only 6 months ago we were celebrating the “record breaking” Spawn 300. As usually happens with Spawn and Uncle Todd, that celebration was marked by controversy. Some pointed out that since Cerberus ran 300 issues, Spawn would have to get to 301 in order to hold the record alone.

As a result, Uncle Todd has put a banner on the top of the latest book that says “World Record Breaking Comic!” I mean, troll and get trolled, fellas. It works both ways. I wouldn’t say that he’s a master of trolling. But, this one is pretty good.

The exclamation point at the end is the coup de grace, for sure.

So, here I am. Reading Spawn comics. Listening to Korn. Playing Mortal Kombat. It’s like I’m a teenager all over again. Sure, Korn came after my teenage years, but I also have Megadeth, Metallica, Danzing, Suicidal Tendencies, and others from that time on my workout playlist. So, yeah, I’m basically a teenager again. Now, let’s get to that Spawn 306 review.

The Great

Uncle Todd – I already eschewed the virtues of Uncle Todd as a troll. Now, it’s time to do the same for him as a creative force. I have said numerous times in the past that I’m honestly surprised that the comic has been able to still be this fresh over 30 years later. That’s a testament to both him as a writer and being able to realize when things need to be switched up to keep it fresh.

Exhibit A: Bringing back Philip Tan

Philip Tan: Philip Tan was involved during one of my favorite periods during Spawn. In fact, when I saw that Uncle Todd was bringing back fan favorites for the 300th issue, I was surprised not to see Mr. Tan’s name on the list. I even texted Chris that. But, now he’s here and I’m a happy Spawn fan.

The Good

New Story: I’m not entirely sure that this is a brand new story. Something tells me that we’ve visited this future at some point in Spawn’s past. However, it is new to me and it is refreshing. It was no secret that I didn’t enjoy the “politics” storyline from a couple of arcs ago. I did mostly like the Hell Hunt story and will go back to finish that one soon. This one, though, is looking like one I can definitely enjoy.

I don’t care for Raptor or whatever the dudes name is, but I like Claudiaz and she’s made the switch in tone more bearable.

New Character: With this new story line has come new characters. I don’t care for the main protagonist. He just seems like another recycled tortured soul type. However, his sidekick/lover/whatever she is, Claudiaz is interesting. Even though it looks like she was mortally wounded towards the end of the book (spoiler alert), I hope she makes it because I think their relationship is worth exploring more.

The Decent

Answers Next Issue: I might not care much about spoilers, but I absolutely abhor cliffhangers. Unfortunately, nearly all entertainment has become rife with them. The end of every single episode of series television and nearly every single comic (unless it’s the end of an arc) has a cliffhanger to keep you “guessing” until the next issue/episode. It’s overkill in my opinion.

Missing Something?: This is typical since I’ve not read comics in a few months, but I feel like I’m missing something here. I will have to go back and read to see if there was any indication that this particular “timeline” was going to happen.

The Forgettable

This little bastard can go straight to hell.

Eff This Virus – I know that comic books are at the bottom of a very long list of priorities. However, that’s what this article is about, so it’s what I’m focusing on right now. I’m going to miss comics for the next couple of months. Chris said something about them being ahead of schedule because of shipping times, but I wonder if DCBS will continue to ship. I do have an idea to keep the review articles going in case they don’t. Still, I really like comic books and they’d help to keep me sane and occupied during this.

The Verdict (Spawn 306 is different. Is that a good thing?)

Well, things have certainly gone in a new direction with Spawn 306. To answer the question in the title, I’m not sure yet if it’s a good thing or not. I know that’s a cop out. But, that’s honestly how I feel. I didn’t really get into this issue as I had been for ones previous. I don’t know who these characters are. Worse, I don’t care about them. Sure, I’d like to see where the whole things goes, but if Claudiaz ends up dying, so be it. I will keep reading just to see if it all pays off, though. Join me. Seems like a good time to jump back into Spawn!

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Mortal Kombat X Komix Review

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Introduction

Wait, now it is a Mortal Kombat X komix review? You’re just trolling at this point, aren’t you? Honestly, no. If I was really trolling, I’d give you another one of those erroneously numbered lists. But, I won’t. I will just continue writing my article. You have the choice of whether or not to continue reading.

The reason that it is MKX is that there are no MK 11 komix. Notice how I am intentionally misspelling komix? The “k” is for Kombat. The x is because we are x-treme (in a 1990s way, yougins) here at 2GG. The reason for komix is that I am reviewing what might be my last full DCBS order for a few months at least. This will serve as a nice bridge.

I got the idea for reviewing the komix when I started to put together the plan to relaunch the web page a couple of weeks ago. I saw that Comixology had a good deal on the entire series. I texted Chris the other day, “I’ve been so desperate for comics that I bought the MKX digital series.” He mentioned his DCBS order. As I mentioned, I’m saving those for next week. Now, on to the review.

The Royal Family of the MK series decrees it.

The Great

The Stories – I’ve only made it a third of the way through the series, but so far there are some great stories in the comic. Specifically, the ones that I’m enjoying so far are Scorpion’s and Kotal Khan’s. The first one isn’t a surprise. Scorpion has been one of my favorite characters since the first game. But, Kotal Khan? A reject smurf looking dude with daddy issues? Okay, I guess so.

All he wants is his Papa Smurf to be alive again.

Writer: Remember when I said earlier that there is no MK 11 comic? The main reason for that is that they hired the guy who wrote the MKX comics to do the story for MK 11. So, those of you us thought that the MKX story was lacking and the MK 11 story is so much better, that’s the main reason. Like I say, if you have me caring about a guy like Kotal Khan, you are a damn good writer.

The Good

The Stories – No, this isn’t becoming one of my running jokes. There won’t be a The Stories in “The Decent” section. Some of the stories have just left me flat. The Cassie/Jacqui cage fighting story has been less than stellar. Also, I just don’t like Raiden. I thought I did and I’ve tried, but before MK 11, Raiden has just been a mess of a character.

He should be cool, right? I dunno. I just can only think of the guy in Big Trouble and Little China and it makes it tough to respect him. Also, his story line is a disaster. Thankfully, they finally fixed that.

No Liu Kang? – Like I said, I’ve only made it through about a third of the book, but how are you going to do my boy Liu Kang like that? The protector of Earthrealm deserves better. Free Liu Kang! Watch, he’ll be in the next book I read and every one after that. I guess that means that my complaining helped. Right?

The Decent

Beginning is a bit confusing – This might just be me. I was reading the books while my kids were playing Minecraft in the background, so I wasn’t paying full attention maybe. It’s tough to do so when your youngest keeps saying, “Dad, check out this thing.” or “Look at this, Dad.” Mind you, I’m not complaining. It just made focusing on the story much more difficult.

Short? – It isn’t all of the issues, but a few of them felt really short. I haven’t verified if they actually are or if it is just a product of digital comics not having advertisements, so they are only the 20 or 22 pages of actual content. Maybe they were just books without a lot of writing, so it didn’t take long to read. Perhaps I’m just reaching because I usually have two ideas per section and the books are so much fun that I’m having trouble finding something wrong.

Though, no Liu Kang is really irritating me. Seriously, D’Vorah gets a cover and not him? C’mon, Man.

The Verdict

Thanks for reading my Mortal Kombat X komix review. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much going in. Usually these cross promotion things like video game comics or movies or movie video games or comics don’t turn out too well. But, the source material (as damaged as it is in places) is treated well and I don’t feel like the writer is trying too hard to make it Mortal Kombat.

I mean, sure, there are references like “Finish Him!” and the occasional dismemberment that doesn’t entirely make sense in context. However, those are few and far between. I half expected the thing to be like the old comics that my sons would write when they were younger or something like Yu Gi Oh cartoon, where it is literally just the game on the screen. But, it’s not. The story is compelling. The art is decent. I’m just now noticing that it is DC comics, so now it makes sense. They actually have a reputation to uphold. If you find yourself bored, drop the 30 bucks over at Comixology and grab the series.

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Spawn 303 Review

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Introduction

Welcome to my Spawn 303 review. It’s been a month or two since we’ve visited our old friend. Big changes, predictably, happened in 300. For the most part, as you’ll see in this review, those changes have paid off. Granted, the comic wasn’t getting stale, by any measure.

In fact, Chris and I have texted more than once in the past few months to remark how fresh and interesting the comic felt in spite of being around for almost 300 issues with the same person in charge. I know it hasn’t always been that way. From what I gather, there was a period when Spawn was less than.

Well, that’s mostly over now. Spawn is a solid title and one that I don’t mind collecting. I read it first every time I get a new shipment of books. So, without further interruption, let’s get to my Spawn 303 review.

The Great

The Story – I said that Spawn was once less than. Honestly, I wasn’t reading the book then. I have collected most of the books from 1-300. I’m mostly only missing the homage covers because they run 20 bucks at the cheapest on eBay. However, I haven’t read those stories. I just have heard that people were pooping on the book and the story for a while. Well, I’m here to say that the story is solid again. It isn’t perfect by any stretch. But, ever since the Dark Horror story, when I got back into the book, things have been more positive than negative. Ever since the “reboot” in 300, this story has been awesome. If you’ve ever had any interest in Spawn, now is the time to get into the book. You won’t be disappointed.

The Cover – In the past, I haven’t been much of an art guy. Chris is the art guy. I’m the writing guy. However, he has rubbed off on me (mind out of the gutter, perverts) and now I’m actually looking at and ordering variant covers for my collection. Luckily, since a bit before 300, the main covers of Spawn have been fire and this one is no different. I know Mattina gets crap for ripping off covers, but you can’t deny this one is beautiful.

The Good

Jason Scott Alexander Art – Those of you who have been with the page for a few years know that I wasn’t a huge fan of JSA’s art. I liked the style for the Dark Horror story since I felt it fit. However, when the stories became more realistic and less ephemeral in nature, it didn’t feel right. In issues 300, Chris and I actually lamented the loss of Capullo and wished for his return full time. That issue must have inspired JSA, though. His art has become more defined and realistic. Hopefully that trend continues because I like my Spawn realism.

Uncle Todd’s vignettes – Since issue 300 (and maybe even before), Uncle Todd has been giving us small 5-page stories at the end of each issue. They have served to fill in some back story for the new stories going forward. Maybe even more than the main story, I’ve looked forward to these and hope they continue.

The Decent

She Spawn – I know that She Spawn has been a staple in the Spawn universe for some time now. I’m a bit lukewarm on the current iteration of the character. It might just be because I haven’t kept up with the comic consistently over the years. I’m just not sure who this person is, who the woman who was also given some of the “Spawn force” that was killed is, and why I should care. Maybe through the vignettes and story, I will come to care more.

Necroplasm – Initially, I thought the necroplasm idea was cool. When it was scrapped, I didn’t miss it all that much. Now that it is back, I ultimately don’t care all that much. Maybe, like She Spawn, it will take more significance as the story continues.

The Verdict

Things are progressing nicely in Spawn. I like the “reboot” of the character and the introduction of most of the new characters. I like that we have gotten away from the realism of the “new world order” story since it was getting a bit too real for me. There are some decisions that either confuse me or that I don’t like. Overall, though, the comic is strong and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Thanks for reading my Spawn 303 review and I’ll see you next month.

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Marvel Comics November 2019 Review

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Introduction

Marvel Comics November 2019 saw a downturn in both quantity and quality. There are only two books anymore that consistently get a “great” rating and I actually gave my first Immortal Hulk book a “good” rating. Plus, my DCBS order was under 80 dollars for the first time. I know that Chris and I are doom and gloom. However, I think that this really might be the beginning of the end for comics.

I mean, like a stopped Nostradamus, we have to be right one of these times. Let’s look at the evidence. Comics have been in a slump since the 1990s. There have been some fake outs that have looked like actual comebacks. Those have just turned out to be mirages.

Marvel movies that didn’t suck came along. They started to take on more of the personality and narrative style of the comics. Disney bought them and mass produced the films at a breakneck speed. They are now being downloaded into people’s brains through Disney Plus. Who wants to pay 5 bucks a book when you can get unlimited comic book entertainment for 7 bucks a month? So, who’s hyped for some comic reviews?

The Forgettable

I think I started this section last month. I’m not entirely sure. All I know is that I have no use for The Punisher now or in the near future. Unless I hear otherwise, let’s just assume that I’m collecting The Punisher because I’ve forgotten to remove it from my pull list.

The Decent

Where is this story going?

Captain America 15 (Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jason Masters) – I was excited to see the Daughters of Liberty in the last issue. They are back in this one. But, I have to be honest. I only skimmed this issue. It feels like the narrative is being lost a bit.

Thank goodness this story is done.

Avengers 25 (Jason Aaron and Stefano Caselli) – I didn’t enjoy this story at all. However, the book is still fun and I like Aaron’s take on the Avengers. The message about family at the end made me say, “Awww”. Also, I wrote something about getting back on track, so the last reveal must have been something. I just don’t remember what.

No longer a misnomer

Doctor Strange 19 and 20 (Mark Waid and Jesus Saiz) – I used to get nerd cred for being a Doctor Strange fan. He was one of the second or third tier heroes, but he was always one of my favorites. Then Benjamin Cucumber came along and made him the true MVP of the Marvel cinema universe. None of that is relevant to these books necessarily. I mean, it’s cool that the doc is a doc again, but they’re relaunching as a new title. Speaking of forgetting to update my pull list…

The Good

This book is getting very good.

Fantastic Four 15 (Dan Slott and Paco Medina) – I’m loving the retro feel of this book. I like that it reads very much like the original Marvel comics. Like Spidey, the retro feel is heartwarming. I didn’t know who the hell the new people were, but it was a nice way of telling a fun story. Keep it up.

Gonna go back in time…to go forward in time…

Amazing Spider-Man 32 (Nick Spencer and Patrick Gleason) – I got very excited to see the ad earlier in the year for the new 2099. I know now that it is just a miniseries that is also interspersed among a couple of other titles. That’s probably for the best, but it does leave me wanting more. This serves as a nice intro to the 2099 story and I can’t wait for the rest of it.

Even when it isn’t as good, it’s still good.

Immortal Hulk 24 (Al Ewing et al) – I gave this one a “kind of me” initially. They’re back in hell with Bruce’s dad, which is my least favorite storyline in the book right now. But, the hulks are merging and the end was pretty awesome. Long live Worldbreaker.

The Great

The kids asked what Spidey was doing to Sandman? Not quite, kids….

Amazing Spider-Man 31 (Nick Spencer and Cliff Rathburn) – Chris kept telling me how good Absolute Carnage was, but I never bit. I should have because the tie in issues have been fun. This one focused on Norman and his time as Carnage, reckoning with the past as Spidey had to a couple of issue ago. This new villain is behind all of it, but why is Gwen here again?

Just wow!

Immortal Hulk 25 (Al Ewing et al) – We were promised a Hulk comic unlike any other. That’s for sure. This is Ewing’s take on the Worldbreaker mythos and it was just awesome to read. The big reveal of Leader at the end was a nice touch, too. I love this comic.

The Verdict

I suppose I was too harsh on Marvel Comics November 2019. Sure, there weren’t many “great” books, but the good ones were just below great. It was a fun month of comics and looking back made me smile more than once. I’m still not sure that the end of comics isn’t extremely f***ing nigh as the sign in 28 Days Later read, but I will continue to enjoy them as long as they are being made. Happy Thanksgiving and I’ll be back on Friday with my DC review.

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Spawn 301 Review – Road to 400

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Introduction

After the insanity of 300, is Spawn 301 any good? We made it to 300 and survived. Barely, but here we are on the other side. Is it too early to start the countdown to 400? Well, if it’s wrong, I don’t want to be right. Chris and I have texted a few times over the past few months about how fresh the book still feels after over 20 years under more or less strictly Uncle Todd’s control.

I’m not sure that last sentence is grammatically correct. Or, even proper English. But, it does get to my next point quite nicely. Spawn 300 promises a new beginning for the character. I haven’t read all of the intervening books, but I imagine that after so much time and so many issues, there have been other “new beginnings” for our Hellspawn. I’m pretty sure that Al wasn’t Spawn for a while in the 100s or 200s, but I’m not positive.

What makes this one different is (a) I’m here to witness it and (b) I’m all in for it. I loved the story that they started in 300. 301 picks up where that one leaves off and sets the stage for the future quite nicely. Let’s start that countdown and talk some about Spawn 301.

The Decent (Who is this ninja and JSA’s art is improving)

Who the heck is this ninja? The final pages in both 300 and 301 have told the story of a Ninja or Shinobi (does that just mean ninja?) or Samurai or something. I’m not sure of the official title of the character, but it has been an intriguing little vignette. Can’t wait to see how it fits into the greater story.

Jason Shawn Alexander I’ve been critical of his art for much of his run. I did enjoy the aesthetic for the Dark Horror storyline as it added to the overall creep factor. However, as Chris said, getting to have Greg Capullo back on the title for a limited run has shown just how starkly JSA differs from that. It’s just not the art that I grew up with. With that being said, it’s still not the same, but it has been getting better in these issues. I hope that continues.

The Good (Spawn has an army and that cover is sweet)

That Cover Tho The actual cover of the issue is pretty nice. What makes it more so is in the background is a shadow of the first issue’s cover. I thought that was a nice touch since they seem to be bringing back what makes Spawn great.

The Spawn Army This new Spawn looks an awful like the old Spawn. He’s raiding military installations for the weapons. He’s converting old villains into allies. It’s good that somethings might change, but what’s old is always going to end up being new again eventually.

The Great (Capullo! and the new story!)

Greg Capullo Chris texted me that he was ruined for any other artist on Spawn after seeing Greg Capullo’s art in Spawn 300. While I’m just as much a fan as anyone, I’m going to take the optimists approach on the art as you read earlier. It’s not the exact same, but as long as the story is strong, I will tolerate the art. Still good to see Greg Capullo back on the book I discovered him.

Here for this story I’ve already talked a little bit about how the story is being rebooted (or reimagined (or reinvented( or whatever))) starting with issue 300. Also, as I just insinuated in the last section, it looks an awful lot like the old Spawn. One thing that I wrote here is that it is reminiscent of Buffy, too. I forgot what I meant, but it is just that Spawn sacrificed himself and it looks like he unleashed his power into others similar to how Buffy woke up all the slayers. This is going to be fun.

The Verdict

Just like the other things from my youth that have come back in slightly newer variations, Spawn 300 and Spawn 301 are a welcome and comforting presence in a sometimes scary world. I can’t wait to see how things progress going forward and we only have 99 more issues until #400! See you in 10 years!

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DC Comics October 2019 Review

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Introduction

Welcome, finally, to my DC Comics Review for October 2019. Both life and technology have been working against me recently. Still, I’m not ignoring articles like I used to. It might be a couple of weeks late, but it’s here. Plus, Liam is getting the new Pokemon game this week, so that gives us something to discuss next week.

Finally, I’m pretty excited about the prospect of Pioneer. That’s what I meant by technology. Chris and I were all set to record last week except my phone wasn’t delivering messages for some reason. Nevertheless, I’m going to record something this week to get us to the Pokemon discussion next week. Who knows, maybe doing so will inspire us to actually record more. The goal is still to get to consistent content by the end of the year. Now, let’s get to the DC Comics Review for October 2019 so that I can read November’s books!

The Forgetable (Eff Superman)

Eff Superman…

Superman #14 and 15 (Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis)

There are two books this month that made me finally break out “The Forgettable” category for these reviews. I will discuss the other briefly. All I can say about this one is Eff Superman. Maybe I should elaborate. I’ve never liked Superman as a hero. The only time I ever read the book was during the death story. My brother really likes him for some reason, but I just can’t get into the character.

I gave it a chance when Bendis came and very much enjoyed the Man of Steel lead in series. Ever since then, though, the book has gone back to the same old formula that just isn’t that interesting. I will continue to collect, but until the story gets better, I’ll probably just skim rather than reading.

The Decent (More Bendis and Justice League is on the block)

Time for a change?

Justice League 31 and 32 (Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Howard Porter)

This book is such a mess right now. I texted Chris about it and he mentioned that he gave up on it a while ago. There are already so many of my books being killed that I don’t want to stop collecting, but this one is definitely on the block right now. I mean, they have Tynion cowriting for the Doom War books, but as Chris said, “Not even he can save it.” There are some good things. I enjoyed the Wonder Woman speech and Aquaman coming in at the end. Otherwise, these issues were just another war for the fate of mankind as Kamandi said in exasperation. Also, Braniac 1 million? Ultra Monitor? Good lord.

More Bendis…

Action Comics #1015 (Brian Michael Bendis and Szymon Kudranski)

Action, for what it is worth, has been worth reading, at least. This issue had some distracting artwork with the lightning border for the initial Naomi panels. Also, the parallels of her story to Superman and Batman were nice to read. Otherwise, again, Bendis isn’t making me enjoy Superman any more.

Detective Comics 1011 (Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke)

This was a one shot (?) issue about some Japanese soldiers on an island being rescued by Bats from Deadshot. He’s my least favorite villain, so this issue was just okay the end seemed to finally set up for the Mr. Freeze show down that has been teased for the last 3 or 4 issues, so I’m excited about that.

The Good (Aqua, Wonder, and Cats, oh my! Oh, Detective, too)

Love is dead. Not the most subtle of metaphors.

Wonder Woman 78 and 79 (G. Willow Wilson and Tom Derenick)

Cheetah has the God Killer. She’s already used it to off Aphrodite. This means that love is dead. It’s not the most subtle metaphor for what’s happening in real life right now. Then again, maybe I’m just extra sensitive to that sort of thing. I will say that this particular writer is doing a good job with the story and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

Not as strong as recent issues, but still fun.

Aquaman 52 (Kelly Sue Deconnick and Robson Rocha)

This issue was a bit weaker than some of the recent issues. I even pushed this book into the great column in my last article. Ultimately, this is just a fight issue against a big dumb monster. Most likely, it is a set up issue for the big Mech Black Manta show down coming.

Detective Comics 1012 (Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke)

Okay, this is more likely. Finally, we get Mr. Freeze. The intro showing the dichotomy of Batman and Mr. Freeze set the mood perfectly. Then, comes a decent set up story explaining what Mr. Freeze is up to and why Batman is getting involved. Spoiler Alert: It has to do with Freeze’s wife. I hope this story continues to pick up.

Ram V is growing on me

Catwoman 15 (Ram V and Mirka Andolfo)

I admit to being salty when Joelle stopped writing the title and I couldn’t get into Ram V’s version of the character. I’m not sure if it getting better or if I’m just getting used to the writing style. Either way, Ram V is starting to grow on me. This story, like the Freeze story in Detective, is gaining steam. Also, this one is building to the Tom King’s upcoming Bats/Cats book, which I’m here for.

The Great (Batman stands alone…as usual. Oops, forgot Justice League Dark)

Justice League Dark 15 (James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno)

Sure, James Tynion IV is working on the main Justice League title. But, you can tell that he is much more in his element on this title. This is another great set up issue where things are just falling apart for our intrepid “heroes”. Swamp Thing has lost his connection to the green. Wonder Woman is lost (?) on her way to the moon to fix magic. How can things possibly get worse? I can’t wait to see.

Batman 78 and 79 (Tom King and Clay Mann)

Tom King pissed off a lot of people with Batman 50. That’s been discussed here and elswhere. But, come on, that was at least a year ago now. How long are we going to stay pissed off? Okay, before City of Bane, things were slow, too, but there has to be some set up. Yes, I’m an unabashed Tom King stan. Still, this most recent story has been nothing short of amazing.

I love what King is doing with Batman and Catwoman now. This “interlude” is a great story of redemption and a great story of revenge. I know that King will be leaving Batman soon and I’m sad to see him go. But, he will be working on Batman/Catwoman and I can’t wait for that book.

The Verdict

DC Comics had been fading a bit for me recently. I found that I was skimming more books than I was reading. I’m still skimming some (Superman and more recently Justice League), but I am enjoying most of them. Batman is back to the amazing form that Tom King brings. Justice League continues to be amazing. As long as those books are great, the rest can be sort of middling and I’m a happy camper. Thanks, as always, for reading my DC Comics October 2019 (even if it is a couple of weeks late) review and join me in a few weeks for November.

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Marvel Comics October 2019 Review

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Introduction

Welcome to my review of Marvel Comics October 2019. Please remember that these are only the comics that I am able to purchase for the month. In addition, the shipping schedule from DCBS seems to have changed. As a result, I only have 10 books to review this month.

For the past few months, I’ve been much higher on Marvel comics than DC Comics. I haven’t read or reviewed DC Comics yet this month, but that tide might be turning. The Marvel comics just didn’t blow me away this month like they have been. On that note, let’s dive into Marvel Comics October 2019.

The Forgettable

Look at that cover! This book should be good!

Punisher #15 (Matt Rosenberg and Szymon Kudranski)

Thunderbolts are in this book! Moon Knight, too! Plus Ghost Rider and Black Widow! Many of my favorites and some that are like old friends. This book should be great! Why, then is it the inaugural book in my “forgettable” bucket? I’m not entirely sure. I think I’ve just outgrown the Punisher. I can’t get into this book at all. It might end up on the chopping block for something else.

The Decent (Avengers and Black Panther)

Cosmic Ghost Rider? *sigh*

Avengers #24 (Jason Aaron and Stefano Caselli)

So far, I’ve enjoyed Jason Aaron’s run on Avengers. Even though it didn’t sucker me into the War of the Realms event, I still liked the issues in this series for that event. Ever since the end of that, the issues have been less interesting. The only note I have written for this one is “What the hell is this issue?”

I just can’t get into this story.

Black Panther 16 (Ta-Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuna)

I’ve said many times that I appreciate that they are trying something new with this title. I also understand that not all stories are meant for me. This might be one of them. Because, this story just feels too science fiction for Black Panther. Maybe that sounds weird for a book about a futuristic nation built on a fictional metal. Even so, that’s just the feeling I have as I read. I do like the inclusion of Storm, so maybe things will change soon.

The Good (One Spidey with Carnage, Tony Stark, Venom, and Cap is almost great!)

Glad that this one is getting good again.

Tony Stark Iron Man #16 (Dan Slott, Jim Zub and Valerio Schiti)

I had been considering cutting this one from my pull list. At least, I was going to take it off of my reading list. I didn’t enjoy the Tony relapsing story and the whole virtual world was kind of lame, too. But, Ultron’s back after having fused with Pym and he’s spreading the disease. The main reason I didn’t like this was this version of Tony was insufferable. That’s changed a bit and I like it.

Chris has enjoyed Maximum Carnage. I have passed so far.

Amazing Spider-Man #30 (Nick Spencer and Humberto Ramos)

Of the two issues this month, I enjoyed this one slightly less. It is part of the Maximum Carnage event, so maybe it’s just because I don’t know what is happening there that I didn’t get as much into this issue. It was okay. I just liked #29 better.

Another Maximum Carnage Tie In

Venom #18 (Donny Cates and Iban Coello)

I don’t think the issue with ASM #30 was the Absolute Carnage story. Maybe Nick Spencer just isn’t the writer for this kind of story. Whatever the reason, I liked this issue of Venom better than that book. Another caveat is that I didn’t like this issue of Venom as much as the rest of the series so far. Got all that? Probably not, it’s a bit confusing. In any case, where’s Eddie? Also, where’s the horror? This book is starting to feel more like traditional Venom. Oh well, that Symbiote-tron was pretty frightening.

This book is very close to great.

Captain America #14 (Ta-Nehisi Coates and Niko Walter)

This book is so close to being great. This issue nearly knocked it out of the part. Admittedly, I’m one of the minority who liked the way that Secret Empire ended. I have also liked watching Captain America reckon with a country that he barely recognizes. This is most evident in the voice over throughout the book as Cap reminisces about the “good old days”. Also, Nick Fury is back and I’m enjoying the “Daughters of Liberty”. Can’t wait for next month.

The Great (Two New Books and Hulk is slipping?)

World’s Greatest Comic again?

Fantastic Four 14 (Dan Slott and Paco Medina)

At first, I rolled my eyes at the Fantastic Four coming back…again…after having been canceled…again. It’s predictable. Like Flash Point in DC, you know when things are getting slow, it’s going to happen. I hadn’t even read any of them until a couple of months ago. I’m glad I read this one. It felt like Stan the Man’s Fantastic Four with updates. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks to lead into the future. Very well done.

This book is 100% Spidey!

Amazing Spider-Man #29 (Nick Spencer and Francesco Manna)

This issue is 100 % Spidey. It starts with a voice over similar to Captain America. This one is a tongue in cheek look back at how these things keep happening to Spidey over and over. Then, it goes into a scene of Peter and MJ fighting? Oh boy. No, they are just performing a scene. Well played. Aunt May is her strong and silent self. The only indication that this isn’t old Spidey is his sister. Heck, it even ends with a missed chance at a proposal for Peter. Great issue.

Gearing up for 25?

Immortal Hulk #23 (Al Ewing et al)

The story is starting to take shape between the doctor and Hulk. Also, there are some faces from the past that have been nice to see. Even so, the story is dragging a bit. I found myself skimming this issue instead of actually reading it. It might just be because they are setting the stage for #25, which I recently saw is going to be a landmark issue for the title.

The Verdict (Marvel Comics October 2019 are solid)

Overall, the books were strong this month. The only book that I didn’t enjoy at all was The Punisher. Otherwise, I’m excited where Fantastic Four is headed, Spider-Man is solid, Hulk keeps entertaining me, Captain America gets better and better with every month, and Venom and Iron Man are decent titles. I just hope they can keep the momentum with the new books recently announced.

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Spawn 300 End of the Road

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Introduction

The Road to Spawn 300 was littered with pot holes and detours. However, we are finally here. And, I have to say, it was worth the wait. Both Chris and I were obviously excited when we heard that Greg Capullo was going to be back for this issue. We both grew up with him as the main artist.

We were both subsequently disappointed because we had somehow convinced ourselves that he was going to be the artist for longer than just the one issue. When we learned that wasn’t going to be the case, I think I suggested that Uncle Todd should sell his McGwire baseball to hire Capullo back as artist.

At least we get him for the next issue, too. Also, he is doing variant covers for the next two. Maybe there is now an open invitation to to covers whenever he wants. As I said to Chris, hope abounds. Now, for my review of Spawn 300. It isn’t exactly like the DC 1000 issues from last year. He invited some other big names to join him. However, the issue followed continuity instead of shorter vignettes. Even so, I will review each story individually like I did with those books.

Chapter 1 (Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo)

The Spawn meter is back. What’s up with that? Oh well, like Chris said, Capullo’s art is going to ruin me for the return to the regular artist. Aside from McFarlane, Capullo’s art is the iconic style for Spawn. The story is just more creepy little girl kills her family nonsense, But, Violator shows up and there’s some gratuitous ultra violence at the end to remind us what Spawn’s all about.

Chapter 2 (Scott Snyder and Todd McFarlane)

I enjoyed the story from this chapter much more than the first one. It called back to a previous battle between the two antagonists and what happened when they “disappeared” from sight and into the shadows. This was probably my favorite story from the whole issue. Scott Snyder definitely shows that he’s a more seasoned writer than Uncle Todd in this one.

Chapter 3 (Todd McFarlane and Jason Shawn Alexander)

Another story that attempts to fill some of the gaps. This one is about the former Spawn enemies that he reanimated to fight on his side. As Chris texted, and I agree, the art style of Jason Shawn Alexander just doesn’t fit Spawn as much as we’d like. But, the story was decent and, unlike Chris, I’m going to keep collecting until the book isn’t produced anymore. In spite of being almost 30 years old under essentially the same creative control that whole time, it is still surprisingly fresh. I want to see where Uncle Todd takes us next.

Chapter 4 (Todd McFarlane and J. Scott Campbell)

The art of this chapter is great. J. Scott Campbell really nails the Spawn style. However, the story is lackluster. I just don’t give a crap about She-Spawn or her story. Alas, it looks like she is here to stay, at least for the next couple of issues, so I’ll have to get over that.

Chapter 5 (Todd McFarlane and Jerome Opena)

A teaser that does exactly that. No idea what it is or means, but I’m intrigued to learn more.

The Verdict

I like what Uncle Todd did with Spawn 300. It is a “historic” issue in that it tied the longest running creator owned comic book. It is also a nice round number that comic book nerds love. Instead of choosing to tell small vignettes as Detective and Action did with their historic 1000 issues, he continued continuity while also setting up future stories.

Overall, the strength of the writing is what we’ve come to expect from Spawn all these years. It is disheartening to be going back to Jason Shawn Alexander’s art after seeing the other interpretations of the Spawn style. Again, I like JSA’s art and I actually really enjoyed it for the Dark Horror storyline. However, it just doesn’t look like the Spawn that I remember from my reckless youth. Oh well, put it in the “get over it” bucket with She-Spawn and enjoy the ride. Here’s to another 300!

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Marvel Comics September 2019 Review

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Introduction

Welcome to my Marvel Comics September 2019 Review article. I mentioned in my previous article about DC Comics last month that it looks like Chris and I finally are on to something when it comes to predicting the doom and gloom of comic books. We have both been talking about it for at least 3 years. I will talk about it more in a couple of weeks when I finally get caught up with this month’s comics, but it is affecting my Marvel books more than my DC, it seems.

That’s a true shame. As you will see soon, I am almost 100% back to my Marvel zombie roots. I have 5 books in the “Great” column and 6 in the “good” and “decent” column combined. So, you can safely call me a mark or stan or just a zombie like I called myself and I will have no valid argument against it. I don’t care. I just think that Marvel is doing a great job with their books.

The Great (Too Many to List Individually/Marvel Comics September 2019 lineup is so strong)

I get that this is being a Doctor Strange fan, but I’m gonna miss you again Doc.

Doctor Strange 17 and 18 (Mark Waid, Barry Kitson, and Jesus Saiz)

I’m pretty sure this is probably the most controversial pick of my greats. People hate Mark Waid. I can’t blame them. He’s said some stupid things in his own defense. However, none of them are relevant to me because I’m not one of these Comicsgate (or whatever the hell that stupid thing is/was called) dingbats. I like how he writes and he has mostly done a good job with Strange. Stay mad, nerds.

The new Ghost Rider is fantastic.

Avengers 22 and 23 (Jason Aaron and Stefano Caselli)

Like Doctor Strange with the previous story, things got a little slow in Avengers when Jason Aaron was presenting the War of the Realms. However, the epilogue issue and these two have been as strong as the issues right after the Legacy reboot. This is an Avengers team that I hope lasts at least a couple of more years.

So glad we are back to old fashioned Spidey.

Amazing Spider-Man 27 and 28 (Nick Spencer and Kev Walker)

Okay, maybe this is the one “great” choice that would be considered most controversial. After all, this one contains two things that Comicsgate nerds hate, Nick Spencer and women. Yeah, I’m intentionally starting crap with a potentially dead “controversy”. Hey, I’m not above a little manufactured beef to goose readership. With all that being said, I love the all female Sinister Six (or whatever they’re calling themselves) and Spidey is the Spidey I remember.

Wasn’t sure about Absolute Carnage, but Chris assures me it’s good, so I’ll have to grab the trade.

Venom 17 (Donny Cates and Iban Coello)

Venom has consistently been my second favorite book behind Immortal Hulk. I’ve enjoyed the horror vibe that Donny Cates has brought. I wasn’t sure about the retcon (if that’s what it is) of the symbiote, but it has been an okay storyline. Also, the introduction of Eddie’s kid has helped to explain some of his back story. Overall, a solid book.

Simply amazing…

Immortal Hulk 22 (Al Ewing and Joe Bennett)

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but there are two books that have been consistently great since both companies rebooted a couple of years ago. Justice League Dark for DC Comics and this one for Marvel. I’m running out of ways to praise this book. All comic books should be like this one.

The Good (Black Panther, Captain America, and Tony Stark, oh my?)

I am Iron Man?

Tony Stark Iron Man 15 (Dan Slott and Jim Zub)

This book is written by one of my favorite writer’s and drawn by one of my favorite artists. It’s just been too inconsistent. I don’ t like Tony by himself. Because I like the Tony Stark in Avengers so much more because there’s a buffer. I didn’t like the Tony as alcoholic storyline even if it was only virtual. But, this book does have potential. I hope they find it.

Gorgeous. I love Alex Ross covers.

Captain America 12 and 13 (Ta-Nehisi Coates and Adam Kubert)

I don’t know if it was intended, but putting Ta-Nehisis Coates on Captain America was a perfect troll move by Marvel. The story of America reckoning with Captain America after Hydra has mirrored reality, sometimes a bit too much for my tastes. That’s the only thing keeping this book from being great. I just can’t handle how real it is sometimes.

Maybe I need to be more open minded about this one.

Black Panther 14 and 15 (Ta Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuna)

I waited quite a while to finally experience Ta-Nehisi Coates on Black Panther. I like the things he has to say. Black Panther has always been one of my favorite characters. However, this storyline of the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda just doesn’t speak to me. Maybe it isn’t for me. Even so, I do enjoy the book.

The Decent (World’s Greatest?, Too old for an anti-hero?, and The God of Thunder)

A cool call back to the original #12…

Fantastic Four 12 and 13 (Dan Slott and Sean Izaakse)

I got excited for the Fantastic Four to be coming back in their original form. However, as many of these comics have shown, be careful what you wish for. That’s not to say that the book is bad. Far from it. It has just suffered from the curse of high expectations. I do like that they called back to the original books with this cover, so maybe things will turn around. Hey, like I said, I’m not above shameless cross promotion.

Oh, poor Frank Castle. First his family is gunned down. Now, I might just be abandoning him.

The Punisher 14 (Matthew Rosenberg and Szymon Kudranski)

Like most disaffected teenage boys, I found solace in the story of Frank Castle. It was dark, gritty, angry, and full of guns going “pew, pew”. Like most disaffected teenage boys who grow up, I think I might be outgrowing Mr. Frank Castle. I just can’t get into his methods and his anger no longer resonates. Like Deadpool, he might need to grow up a bit for me to jump back on board.

God of Thunder and All-Father? Mjolnir’s Back? Should be good stuff. Well….

Thor 16 (Jason Aaron and Mike Del Mundo)

First, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I don’t like the art of this book. It just doesn’t work for me. Usually, I like Jason Aaron. I do like his Avengers. But, this book just doesn’t do it for me. I’m not sure entirely what it is missing, but Mjolnir wasn’t it. Like I said in a previous article, War of the Realms just seemed like an overly complicated way for him to get the hammer back. Maybe I was just bitter because I liked what Endgame did with the story.

The Verdict (Marvel Comics September 2019 is in good shape)

I can’t repeat how much I enjoyed the Marvel books for this month. Even the books that I didn’t enjoy that much were fun. Any one of the books can easily make the jump from decent to good or even to great with some TLC. Thanks for reading my Marvel Comics September 2019 review and come back in a couple of weeks for October!

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DC Comics September 2019 Review

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Introduction

Welcome to my comic book review for DC Comics September 2019. The comics are technically from my August DCBS order, so that makes this about a month late. Unlike past articles, I’m not going to fill this introduction will a lot of excuses and self deprecating humor. I will explain that the beginning of the school year has hit me harder than I expected, but I’m in a bit of a groove now. My hopes of making semi-regular posts by the end of the year looks quite promising.

So, Chris and I have been regularly talking about the demise of comics. Previously, as you surely know, we have been completely and utterly wrong. More recently, however, it seems as if we might be on to something. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that my DCBS order was very light. Upon research, I found that several books have been canceled and Chris confirmed that many others are being delayed. Peculiar, to say the least. Stay tuned to see if comics are indeed on the way to extinction.

The Great (Justice League Dark Remains, Batman is Back!)

Bane is breaking the Bat again, but in very different ways this time.

Batman 76 and 77 ( Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, and Mikel Janin)

Tom King clearly got too comfortable on Batman. Look, I get that not every issue can be fire, but the more recent issues have been the polar opposite of fire. It was all I could do to not just skip the issues entirely. City of Bane started to pick up until Chris texted me about these issues. I read 76, then texted him back about needing a break before reading 77. I’m glad I took one. Like Chris said, King knew he was on the way out and he is pulling no punches. Jesus.

Seriously, if you’re not reading this book, shame on you.

Justice League Dark 14 (James Tynion IV and Alvaro Marinez Bueno)

Regular readers of the page know that this is my favorite DC book and it isn’t even close. Broken Record Alert: (say it along with me, take a shot, shout BINGO!, whatever you do when a common phrase is uttered) Like Immortal Hulk for Marvel, there hasn’t been a bad issue of this book. It has just consistently brought the quality. I love the team. The stories have been entertaining. If all comics were like this and Hulk, Chris and I wouldn’t have to worry about their inevitable collapse.

The Good (Aquaman might be great, same with Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Justice League are inconsistent)

This book is dangerously close to cracking the great section. Who would have ever thunk it?

Aquaman 51 (Kelly Sue DeConnick and Robson Rocha)

I enjoyed Aquaman right after the Rebirth. Things got a bit slow right before the 50th issue. I know that comics cares about round numbers and that they usually have a bit of a lull before the big numbers. Still, I would have liked for the consistency to be there. I’m telling you, if this keeps up, Aquaman will be up there soon.

Maybe I will be able to get over myself and move Cats up there, too.

Catwoman 14 (Ram V and Mirka Andolfo)

I got into Catwoman after the big wedding fiasco mainly to show my support for the controversial ending. I fell in love with the book because I liked the way that Joelle Jones handled the character. She did a good job. I’m not as big a fan of Ram V’s version, but it is still okay. this latest issue was very good. If I can ever get over my Joelle bias, perhaps there will be multiple books in the great section.

Are things starting to turn around?

Justice League 29 and 30 (Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Bruno Redondo)

I was pretty down on Justice League for a while there. I just couldn’t get into what Snyder was trying to do. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy Snyder as a writer, but I just wasn’t in to the whole source wall story. That might be changing. It appears that there is finally going to be a payoff for all of that with the Justice League/Legion of Doom War.

Another book that suffers from some inconsistency.

Wonder Woman 76 and 77 (G. Willow Wilson and Lee Garbett)

As part of my comics reading, I have been keeping up on the DC Giants that used to have Walmart exclusivity, but no longer do. Speaking of the Giants, I’m going to do a review of the latest issues sometime this week (hopefully Saturday). As far as this book is concerned, it’s been up and down. Right now, it is up. Hopefully they can continue.

The Decent (Honestly, I could do without Action and Detective Comics)

A cornerstone of DC Comics with one of the superstars of writing = meh.

Action Comics 1014 (Brian Michael Bendis and Szymon Kudranski)

I was excited when I heard that Bendis was coming to DC. I was slightly less excited when I learned that he was going to retool Superman. Superman is probably my least favorite superhero. However, I gave it a chance and the initial limited series was good. Some of the follow up was decent, too. Then came Leviathan. I had no use for that story. This one is better than that, but they sold it on the Red Cloud, who is barely even in the book.

Tynion left. Boo.

Detective Comics 1009 and 1010 (Peter J. Tomasi and Christian Duce)

I was upset when Tynion left this title. Still haven’t gotten over it. I just can’t get into what Tomasi is trying to do with this title. Seeing Mr. Freeze on the cover of this one was exciting. However, similar to Action Comics, he’s barely even in the book. Maybe that will change as it seems like they are setting something up. I hope so because this used to be my favorite book.

The Verdict (DC Comics September 2019 is more good than bad)

As I just said in the title, DC Comics September 2019 is more good than bad. Certainly, it is better than some recent months. Batman is great, which could go either way when Tom King departs. Justice League Dark will be good until Tynion eventually leaves like he always does. I would make a missing dad joke here, but I don’t see how they are funny.

The rest of the books ping pong between good and decent from month to month. Aquaman and Catwoman are threatening “great” status. Wonder Woman could get there, too, with a few good months. The real bummer is that their two marquee titles are not very good at all. I haven’t read Marvel yet, so I can’t compare the two companies this article. Look for that in my Marvel review on Friday.