I’m trying to get back on track with catching up with reviews but between work and the never ending flood of new comics is not making for an easy task. I’m just going to get to as many of this weeks new comics as I can. So here we go…
Green Lantern Annual #1
DC Comics Writer Grant Morrison, Layouts Giuseppe Camuncoli, Finishes Trevor Scott, Colorist Steve Oliff, Letterer Tom Orzechowski
I have been a big fan of Morrison’s run on Green Lantern with Liam Sharp and as with most annuals over the years it’s a chance for the creative team to tell a longer story outside the normal storylines that fall in the regular comic but I have to say that this is one of the most disappointing ones that I have ever read. The biggest problem with this book is that it feels like Morrison pretty much phoned in this story because it’s so basic and flat that it has none of the touches that he brings to the regular Green Lantern series. Honestly it really felt like a lesser writer wrote this because the story is such a by the numbers affair that I actually was board reading it and slogged through it to the end just to read another comic afterwards. The artwork by Camuncoli and Scott feels like it fell out of an 1990’s comic style of artwork that all looked like clones of McFarland and Lee and that’s what you pretty much get here. It’s not that it’s terrible but there are time where its wildly inconsistent and that didn’t help this book out at all.
Is this book worth your time and money? To say that I was unshelled is an understatement. If your a fan of the current Green Lantern run (and you really should be) then don’t even bother with this mess even with Morrison’s name on it. SKIP IT!
Boston Metaphysical Society #1
Source Point Press Writer Madeline Holly-Rosing, Artist Emily Hu, Colorist Gloria Caelie And Fahriza Kamaputra, Letterer Troy Peteri
There are so many new publishers popping up lately that it’s hard to try and find them and then if the book doesn’t catch your eye at first glance then it’s hard to justify buying the book. Source Point Press has been putting out a lot of books lately and was willing to give some of them a try and this one looked decent at first glance. The script by Holly-Rosing has some interesting ideas and while there are shades of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in that she is taking real life historical figures instead of literary ones and puts them together as a team of sort of Ghostbusters. While the story is far from original it was a pleasant enough read for a first issue. The only issue I had was that I wish that this first issue would have been a little bit stronger in that it seemed too familiar and not enough originality. Hu’s artwork shows promise for a new artist and while there were a few inconsistencies overall the art tells the story well and she does a great job of drawing Catlin throughout the book. I was a bit disappointed in the color work but it didn’t drag the book down too much.
Is this book worth your time and money? I like to find a comic that is a bit of a diamond in the rough and while this book showed some promise, it’s hard to give it a strong recommendation. I will give the team that there are more good than bad here but the ultimate problem was that the story wasn’t strong enough at least in this first outing. It’s possible that the second issue might be stronger but I only have this first one to go with. I wanted to like it more than I did but it just didn’t stand out enough for me but might give the second issue a try to see if there is improvement.
Manor Black #1
Dark Horse Comics Writers Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, Artist Tyler Crook
At first glance there is a feel of been there and done that when you first start to read this book but by the time you get to the end of this first issue there is something that has drawn you into this story and world that is quite intriguing. Bunn is a writer that knows horror well but what I like that he did here is give this story a more unnerving and creepy feeling that I really enjoyed. Th bigger surprise was the dark humor that is peppered throughout the script that was a really nice touch. While the mystery is unfolding he sets things up nicely here in this first issue. He is joined by his longtime Sixth Gun collaborator Hurtt that adds greatly to the scripting of the story. While there is the strong horror elements to the story there is also the addition of magic to the mix and gives a nice twist to the story. I have been a huge fan of Crook and he brings his A game to this book and captures the perfect visual mood that makes this book work so well. While there are some disturbing visual moments in the story Crook makes sure that they are not over done and that really helps this story out greatly. His use of color in his artwork really gives this book a strong look and adds greatly to the mood and feel of the story.
Is this book worth your time and money? I really enjoyed this first issue and they give you a good reason to come back for more. This comic has a really strong story and great artwork make this a must read comic book this week. VERY RECOMMENDED!
Powers of X #1
Marvel Comics Writer Jonathan Hickman, Artist R.B. Silva, Inkers R.B. Silva & Adriano Di Benedetto, Colorist Marte Gracia, Letterer Clayton Cowles
The companion book to last weeks House of X builds out the story from that issue and tells a future story that ties into Hickman’s reset of the X-Men but I’m still not totally sold on the story yet. I will say that this issue was a bit stronger and coherent than the House of X first issue but when you are telling a story in fragments and non linear storytelling it’s hard to grasp it all at this point. You can see that he is setting a lot of story elements that are going to pay off as it goes along but after reading this first issue it might be wise for some readers to wait and read the story in one sitting. He tends to write for the overall story and not in monthly installments as much and you can see that here. Silva’s artwork on this book is nice and has a more clean and simple style compared to Larraz but it works well for this story because of there is more drama here so the facial expressions have to be spot on and Silva does that quite nicely here. He also helps visually with the story to help the readers keep track of Hickman’s story.
Is this book worth your time and money? As I said with last weeks House of X is that I’m not totally sold on this reboot yet and while there are elements that are good the structure of Hickman’s story is not the most new reader friendly and it remains to be seen if this will get new readers to the books.
The Love She Offered #1
Source Point Press Writer Glenn Møane, Artist Tirso Llaneta, Colorist Monte Thompson, Letterer Sean Rinehart
In my second outing of a Source Point Press comic this week come an interesting story that is intriguing but stumbles a bit out of the gate with this first issue. Møane’s script is good but the problem is that this first issue seems to be a bit drawn out and more set up than story. I do get that he is setting things up but I just felt by the time I got to the end of the issue I wasn’t as enamored as when the story first started. I think that the pacing of the story really hurt this first issue. On the plus side I have to say that Llaneta’s artwork really makes this book stand out. Being that the entire story is pure drama it’s the characters emotions have to be captured perfectly in the artwork and Llaneta does that quite well here. The only complaint that I have with the artwork was Thompson’s color work that I felt was overdone here and just didn’t have a real natural feel or look that it should have.
Is this book worth your time and money? I will give this book that there is enough here to give the second issue a shot and while I felt that the set up in this first issue was too long there was a strong enough cliffhanger to justify giving the book another shot. When you add in the strong artwork of Llaneta there is good reason to give this comic a chance if your budget allows.
Knights Temporal #1
Aftershock Comics Writer Cullen Bunn, Artist Fran Galán, Letterer Dave Sharp
Bunn gets a twofer this week with Manor Black and now Knights Temporal that is good but not as good as Manor Black. In a way he is taking the King Arthur legend and loosely using here in the story of time traveling Auguste to the present day and making Merlin into a female sorcerer Jane Fool. The story is one of those comics that is nice while your reading it but it doesn’t quite stick with you and that is how I felt about this one. There is just not enough in Bunn’s script that really sets it apart from the King Arthur mythology here and the cliffhanger at the end of this first issue wasn’t that compelling either. I did really enjoy Galán’s artwork on the book and the level of detail that he puts into this book is impressive and does a nice job on coloring the line artwork that adds greatly to the visuals.
Is this book worth your time and money? There are certainly worse comics that you could buy but the problem here is that it’s just not good enough. The story is fine but not compelling and even with the very nice artwork there is just not enough to recommend this one. SKIP IT!
Batman: Last Knight on Earth #2
DC Black Label Writer Scott Snyder, Penciller Greg Capullo, Inker Jonathan Glapion, Colorist FCO Plascencia, Letterer Tom Napolitano
The first issue of this Elsewhere type story got off to a really strong start and Snyder and Capullo build on that really well here and in fact I found this second outing to be even more satisfying than the first issue. In some ways Snyders post apocalyptic take on the story has a lot of familiar tropes but he gives it just enough freshness that gives in a nice take on a tried and true genre. The thing that the story has going for it is that he has given a nice vulnerability to Batman and having the Joker’s head a sidekick gives the dark story a nice infusion of humor to temper it. Snyder also gives familiar characters new spins that are nice and fresh but stay true to their natural roots. While the cliffhanger is not a huge shock but it’s not supposed to be because there are enough clues as to who Omega is by the time its revealed. Capullo is really doing some of his best work here and adds greatly to the scope and the subtle dramatic moments that makes this book a really fun reading experience. There is some really messed up visuals this issue and he really makes it work perfectly.
Is this book worth your time and money? I’m enjoying this book for what it is, and while it may not be the end all greatest Batman story it does however deliver both solid story and artwork that is making for a comic that is worth buying. RECOMMENDED!
Death’s Head #1
Marvel Comics Writer Tini Howard, Artist Kei Zama, Colorist Felipe Sobreiro, Letterer Travis Lanham
I was a fan of Death’s Head back in the day when the book was done by Marvel UK then later done in the US but it’s been a long time since then and after reading this new take on the character, maybe it shouldn’t have not been revived. Howard’s script never really quite lands very well and feels really disjointed. There seems to be no real set up to the story or the characters and that is where the book falls flat in that if your a new reader there is little there beyond the basic set up. The two heroes are not that great and I felt that. Wiccan and Hulking came off as silly teenage superheroes that were bumbling and not very funny. There are attempts here at humor but it really falls flat.The artwork by Zama started off pretty good but really fell apart when it went to New York City. The layouts were messy and the artwork became very inconsistent from panel to panel that didn’t do this book any favors.
Is this book worth your time and money. The biggest problem with this book is that it’s simply really boring and doesn’t really go anywhere. I have no idea who thought that this book was a good idea. You never really get to know any of the cast and the whole thing feels poorly thrown together. I love Death’s Head but this is not the character that I know and you shouldn’t bother with it either. SKIP IT!!!
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