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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9 Review

Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9
Writer: Kevin Eastman / Tom Waltz
Art: Dan Duncan / Ronda Pattison
Publisher: IDW

Reading the letters section at the back of the book (and chatting with fellow comic fans in View full post

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The Boys #66 Review

Title: The Boys #66
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Darick Robertson, Russ Braun, Tony Avina, John McCrea
Publisher: Dynamite

The Boys 66 marks the true beginning of the end for Ennis’ perversive and frighteningly realistic tale of superheroes …

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Aquaman #8 Review

Title: Aquaman #8
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis
Publisher: DC

Do you remember? There was a time when Aquaman was the joke of the DCU. Nothing more than a jester in a court of kings, albeit kings who were often …

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The New Deadwardians #2 Review

Title: The New Deadwardians #2
Writer: Dan Abnett
Art: Ian Culbard, Trish Mulvihill
Publisher: Vertigo

All those people who say we don’t need anymore zombie or vampire books? Well they can just go right to hell. The New Deadwardians is, believe it …

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Carnage USA #5 Review

Title: Carnage USA #5
Writer: Zeb Wells
Art: Clayton Crain
Publisher: Marvel

You know you were excited about Carnage USA as soon as you heard about it existing. A long time can favorite serial killer returning to take on the …

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9 ReviewThe Boys #66 ReviewAquaman #8 ReviewThe New Deadwardians #2 ReviewCarnage USA #5 Review

May
09

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9 Review

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Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9
Writer: Kevin Eastman / Tom Waltz
Art: Dan Duncan / Ronda Pattison
Publisher: IDW

Reading the letters section at the back of the book (and chatting with fellow comic fans in r/comicbooks) has really made me come to realize that people will always want the good ol’ Mirage/Archie comics Turtles back in the spotlight. While I can’t vouch for that, as I love the latest iteration, I can indeed understand why the Turtles of yore are sorely missed.

It’s even easier because I was recently given a copy of the TMNT Mirage collection (vol 1) and I’ve been enjoying the Ninja Turtles debut for quite a while now. Longer than I though, due to the awesome bonus content in the book.

But we’re here to chat about TMNT issue 9 – the IDW generation.

We pick up shortly after we left off – the sewer home of the Turtles. Splinter has just been kidnapped, and it’s now a rescue mission to bring him home. After explaining the origin story of his weird green friends to April, Casey joins the Turtles to seek out Splinter.

The issue comes to a head with… are you ready for this? We finally get to see… should I? I can’t… it’s too cool to simply give away. Read the damn issue and find out how it ends.

The artwork is super solid, and remains one of my favorite books in the looks department. Duncan and Pattison aren’t afraid to get messy with lines, inks and colors, and it pays off. The artwork is considerably more crisp than it was back in issue 1. There are a few really cool perspective shots of a couple characters (you’ll know them when you see them) and the issue was even more fun to look at a second time around.

The IDW Turtles seem to get better and better, though if you want 22 pages of nonstop story for 4 dollars, you won’t get it here. The story is moving slowly, but the artwork, character development, and action sequences are handled with grace. The micro series are better for fans who want single self contained stories about the Turtles. Otherwise, the main series is sometimes like an episode of LOST – you might feel like you didn’t get your time’s worth if it’s plot you’re after.

Click a star below to rate Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9

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Rating: 7.0/10 (1 vote cast)

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May
09

The Boys #66 Review

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Title: The Boys #66
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Darick Robertson, Russ Braun, Tony Avina, John McCrea
Publisher: Dynamite

The Boys 66 marks the true beginning of the end for Ennis’ perversive and frighteningly realistic tale of superheroes gone wild. If you (like all of us) were left reeling from the revelations in The Boys 65, you were as excited as I was to read through this issue.

After the first 3 pages, we’re given a pretty good idea of the direction in which the end of the story is headed. And it’s a pretty scary direction that I didn’t see coming. It appears as if Butcher, having sucessfully waged war on the violent masochistic subregion of the superhreo community, is finishing off the job by himself, eliminating the remainder of the supes. Good, bad, or otherwise.

That’s just a hunch, as I can’t seem to pinpoint any other feasable motive for Butcher murdering a close friend.

The Boys 66 takes place a few months after the massacre at the White House. The political battlefield has changed, and repercussions are felt within each group involved in the story.

Vought American is in hot water over the Homelander incident. Images were released to the public, and the secret of the V compound was distributed across the media landscape. The world is suddenly aware that supes are nothing more than the result of dangerous, unpredictable and sometimes faulty genetic manipulation.

Of course, VA has a few tricks up their sleeve to cool the temperature around the organization.

The Boys themselves are at a standstill – they don’t have too much work ahead of them, and they all know it. They’ve been on a clean-up mission since the Homelander incident, particularily tracking down supes-in-hiding. Of course, Butcher’s own personal clean-up mission has remained hidden from his team mates.

Is it only a matter of time before he comes after them too? His name wouldn’t be Butcher if he didn’t.

Hughie has it rough as well – his relationship with The Boys is floundering, Annie has left him, and he’s got 3 months off from supe-chasing duty. The fact that he kicked A-Train’s head off doesn’t help either, as he’s being haunted by his actions on a regular basis. The art by Russ Braun and Tony Avina shows this in Hughies face superbly.

As always, the violent scenes are gritty, gory, and tastefully drawn. The face that Braun can draw Butcher so light and carefree, then accurately portraying him as a calculated murder seconds later, is a testament to the talent on The Boys. Ennis’ dialogue writing is casual, yet very complex, with lots of subtle references to event’s we’ll likey come to understand within future issues.

Not that there’s many more left. Click a star below to rate The Boys #66.

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Rating: 8.3/10 (3 votes cast)

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Apr
30

Aquaman #8 Review

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Title: Aquaman #8
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis
Publisher: DC

Do you remember? There was a time when Aquaman was the joke of the DCU. Nothing more than a jester in a court of kings, albeit kings who were often equally as lame though still more appealing. From the first issue of the retcon – er, reboot – Johns has been giving Aquaman a book that actually sheds a new light on the character… and it’s a shame that many others in the New 52 are so damn good, because Aquaman is close to being an excellent book. It is, however out-shined by many others.

Not to say that it isn’t a good read each month.

Aquaman issue 8 is the second part of “The Others”, detailing Aquaman’s heroic journeys with his old team before the Justice League was a part of his routine. We’re introduced to Black Manta, a villain who looks so absolutely ridiculous that you may think Batman strapped on an alien hamlet and secured a breathing tank to his back.

You probably won’t think exactly that, but I was pretty exhausted when I read this issue and my mind was playing tricks. And it’s funny to imagine Batman dressed like an idiot. Not that he isn’t already halfway there…

“The Others” story arc has so far maintained A solid pacing and has served as an entertaining vessel for delivering new characters. How interesting are these new characters? Well, that’s the tricky part about this book. The supporting characters suck. Sure, we’ve got a revamped ass-kickingly crazy Aquaman, but the other characters have, thus far, under delivered.

That’s not to say Johns won’t kick things up a notch, but Aquaman is still the best thing about this book.

As always, Reis’ art is a pleasure to look at… though a little diversity in the paneling couldn’t hurt. You’re working with a character who is associated with water, and I hate to compare every book in the New 52 to every other New 52 book, but look at what Paquette has done with Swamp Thing and the nature theme. Use that as an example.

Not that you’ll ever read this Mr.Reis.

Anyhow, Aquaman is a solid read, but there’s room for improvement. I do recommend you pick it up and watch / enjoy those improvements taking place.

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Rating: 7.0/10 (3 votes cast)

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Apr
26

The New Deadwardians #2 Review

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Title: The New Deadwardians #2
Writer: Dan Abnett
Art: Ian Culbard, Trish Mulvihill
Publisher: Vertigo

All those people who say we don’t need anymore zombie or vampire books? Well they can just go right to hell. The New Deadwardians is, believe it or not, an original well written take on both zombie and vampire genres.

Do zombies and vampires have their own genres now? I guess technically it’s still general horror, but Deadwardians isn’t quite a horror book as much as it is a crime book.

The premise is this: in Victorian England during the late 1800′s (and early 1900′s) a plague swept the land, transforming us into zombies. War could not combat the threat, and there was no cure for the disease. That is, no cure that could affect the infected. So how exactly do you avoid creatures that crave living flesh, bone and brain for breakky, lunch and din-din? Well, you become undead yourself.

Click to enlarge

By infecting themselves with “the Cure”, which turns them into undead Vampires, the townsfolk don’t have to worry about the zombie threat. Problem solved, right? Absolutely! Sure, you may suffer an unquenchable thirst for plasma and you may need an umbrella to go outside in the sun, but at least you’re not a sandwich for some undead jerk.

Things pick up when a murder takes place within the town. It wouldn’t be a big deal, but this is a world where people are technically already dead, and really, how do you kill a dead man? The only homicide detective on the force is tasked with finding out – his first case in years. This sets up the premise quite nicely.

So as you can garner, this is actually more of a horror crime drama than a zombie or vampire book. The art is nothing out of the ordinary, but still quite accomplished. It certainly doesn’t look like a horror book… it does absolutely look like an English book though. The settings and selection of London scenery is spot on. Chip chip Cheerio as I believe they say over there.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off for a spot of tea and some brains. While I’m out, give this book a read. It’s an 8-issue miniseries with lots of potential, interesting characters and an increasingly fun plot.

 

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Rating: 8.5/10 (2 votes cast)

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Apr
16

Carnage USA #5 Review

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Title: Carnage USA #5
Writer: Zeb Wells
Art: Clayton Crain
Publisher: Marvel

You know you were excited about Carnage USA as soon as you heard about it existing. A long time can favorite serial killer returning to take on the Avengers in small town America? Hell yeah. A hot dog and apple pie on the creative team? Damn right.

You may want to look at the cover if you don’t understand that last bit.

So now that this mini is over, how does it hold up? It’s really, really, really good. It’s only one “really” away from being excellent. Unfortunately, due to the Marvel code of ethics, they can’t really have fun with the character as much as an indie publisher could. Though they chould have used their MAX imprint. It’s still a great look at the character of Carnage t hough, and more importantly Cletus Cassidy.

The 5 issue arc was filled with character favorites, including Spider-Man, The Thing, Captain America, Hawkeye, and everyone else who has a movie appearance this year.

Except for Venom, who was really the lead hero in the story. Right now is a good time to be Venom. He’s got his own book, he’s on the Secret Avengers, and he’s actually a well defined character right now. Flash Thompson is relatable, righteous and plagued with personal issues. What’s not to love?

Venom ends up saving the day in Carnage USA, but not before a grisly battle that may or may not have involved a gorilla in the Venom suit. Or a giraffe in the carnage suit. I shouldn’t have to bother saying that the last issue of Carnage USA was ridiculously entertaining.

This mini series would make a fine collection for any fan of the symbiote. What’s more, there is a new Carnage mini due this fall called Minimum Carnage. The announcement font in the back if the issue was really small so let’s hope they’re not just trolling us with that one.

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Rating: 7.0/10 (1 vote cast)

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