New Comics 1/28/04

[Kevin Boyd]

Picked up the following yesterday:

 

Amazing Spider-Man 503 (6/10)

Kind of dull. Romita Jr. is frustrating these days as his art can go from breathtaking to awful on the same page. Still light years better than the other Spider-Man stuff on the racks though. Loki was... complicated. Lots of set-up.

 

Batman 623 (decision withheld)

Batman Vertigo-style. Very good, but I've decided to wait for the trade for the rest of this one and read it all at once.

 

Catwoman 27 (7/10)

Gorgeous art. Great story. Still radically different from the preceeding two years worth of comics, but I still like it.

 

Hawkman 23 (9/10)

Great characterization. Best art on a DC monthly. It's too bad that the JSA issues suffer from lackluster artwork or this could be the best crossover using the JSA to date.

 

Hulk Grey 5 (4/10)

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Loeb and Sale need to go back to Batman.

 

Incredible Hulk 66 (5/10)

Great art. Convoluted story that loses readers with each issue. I kept asking myself what happened in the previous issue and then deciding that I just didn't care enough to go back to refresh my memory. Hulk moves to Marvel Knights in a couple of months and I hear they are considering launching a new regular Marvel Hulk monthly, and Peter David may write it. I sure hope so.

 

Two-Step 2 (4/10)

Great Amanda Conner art. Not sure there is a story just a random flurry of actions.

 

Ultimate Fantastic Four 2 (8/10)

Nice characterization, great Kubert art. All set up for the next issue, but it was great to see some interaction with Reed and Victor before the accident that will separate them and makes them mortal enemies.

 

Ultimate Six 6 (7/10)

A big fight scene, with some nice little character asides in the middle. Not a surprise ending, but I sure hope something other than everyone being arrested and thrown back in jail happens in the last issue.

 

Wanted 2 (9/10)

Great stuff. Not the "Watchmen" of super-villains, but pretty darn close and a great read.

 

Previews

Rivetting. The first previews without Cerebus and it seems like the world is poorer for it. Definitely considering cutting back on some of the Marvel stuff. Great to see a new Masterworks volume and Bowen Designs is back doing Marvel stuff again (even if they are starting with the golden age Ghost Rider). Great to see that Mage vol. 1 is being collected in a single hardcover.

 

Wizard

"Read" it on the way in this morning. Not much to say, really.

 

Premiere Collection Black Cat statue

DF Black Cat mini-bust

I ordered these months apart and they arrive on the same day? Statue was nice (although the Retro version they announced after this one looks a lot better - real fur!). There's nothing "mini" about the mini-bust though. As the designer may have had too much fun working on the torso. What's with the arm? Considering the size of... everything else... what there is of her arms are miniscule. Reminded me of a T-Rex.

 

Marvel Masterworks FF Vol. 5 was delayed for me by a week (although it is out elsewhere).

 

Someone liberated my copy of Chronicles of Conan Vol. 3 before I could get to the store. I hear that's it's back. The last two volumes have been great, Udon has done a fantastic job recoloring these old Marvel comics and definitely bring BWS's art to life.

 

Kev

 

[RTBrandy]

Thanks for the reviews, man!! good stuff. I hope Bats gets better as a TPB !!

[chrisco37]

I read Bats #623 yesterday and, although I am one of the few enjoying the arc, I too think it will be a much better read w/ all the issues present. It's very difficult to try and remember the little clues that Azzarello drops throughout his stories (100 Bullets is great, but also, a much better read in TPB format). Risso's art wasn't quite as nice this issue. Some nice pages, but not as good overall.

 

Ultimate FF was great! Love the Reed/Victor set-up! So, does anyone that read it think the "Negative Zone" experiment will be the cause of the FF's powers? What about Doom's accident? Really looking forward to #3!!!

 

Ultimate Six was OK. Really liked the 2 pages when Cap told Pete what was really going on, but that was about it. Nothing special. Agree w/ Kev on the conclusion.

 

Wanted - Read the thread that Rob started to see my opinion.

 

Haven't read Hellblazer yet.

 

Chris

[Darthdiesel]

It is your fault that I'm still reading Bats after 619 - damn you drunk boy!

 

i'be been reading thru my stack of new comics as well... been pretty good so far -

 

no one sees Ultimate Six leading to the intro of Ultimate Hobgoblin/Green goblin 2? Arary's got to go on his inevitable drug induced breakdown soon...

 

Wanted..umm yeah...found it on the shelf next to the kiddie comics ... wonderful - what is in the canister at the end?

 

Freaks of the Heartland 1 - came out a while back; anyone check this out? What about Vertical 1? shooting for a 10.0 of that book?

 

Punisher - staged? Micro went thru the same healing process as Professor X cuz he doesn't need a wheelchair anymore and likes to go around grabbing guy's nuts? Ummm okaaayyyy...

[chrisco37]

It is your fault that I'm still reading Bats after 619

 

We can settle that this weekend Diesel! Maybe if you're good, I'll show you my page from #620!

 

damn you drunk boy!

 

Still waiting for my "Chriscoholic" custom title.

 

what is in the canister at the end?

 

Are you serious?

[rob_react]

Wanted..umm yeah...found it on the shelf next to the kiddie comics ... wonderful - what is in the canister at the end?

 

Are you really such a marvel zombie? I'm still going to make you work for it

 

SPOILER SPACE FOLLOWS (although it's still just a hint)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think Jim Croce:

 

You don't tug on ____________,

you don't spit into the wind...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

END SPOLER SPACE

[chrisco37]

3000th Post!!!!

 

[Lantern]

Maybe if you're good, I'll show you my page from #620!

 

Take it from someone who has seen the glory that is the page.....It's pretty, soooo pretty.

 

I only got to see it for a second though because Chirs was in a hurry. The last thing I heard him say was, "Mach schnell vit de art theengs, I have to get back to DanceCentrum in Stutgart to see Kraftwerk".

 

 

Still waiting for my "Chriscoholic" custom title.

 

If anyone deserves this title it is you my friend.

[chrisco37]

"Mach schnell vit de art theengs, I have to get back to DanceCentrum in Stutgart to see Kraftwerk".

 

ROFLMAO!!!!

 

(Now all we need if for Chrom to add some Techno to this thread and that will be perfect! And not the same music as my S&M club.)

 

Chris

[Darthdiesel]

i thought that but didn't know an Image title could reference crossover icons w/o permission...so who is the NY superhero the kid asks about? Is it MArvel or DC?

[rob_react]

It's not "really" a reference to him. All they do is show the object and let the reader fill in the blanks.

 

This sort of thing is nothing new for him, Wanted itself is full of analogues (there's a thread about it over at www.millarworld.biz) and the Avengers analogues from his first arc on The Authority were far more over-the-line than this shred of cloth.

 

Here they are as they were originally envisioned:

 

 

[highlite23]

Freaks of the Heartland 1 - came out a while back; anyone check this out?

 

How was this Darth?? Been debating on it since it came out, alwaus seem to pick something else up instead.

 

Enlighten me oh great one.

[blutobc]

"Ultimate FF was great! Love the Reed/Victor set-up! So, does anyone that read it think the "Negative Zone" experiment will be the cause of the FF's powers? What about Doom's accident? Really looking forward to #3!!!"

 

It sure looks that way. The purist will be screaming for blood about the origin change! But most folks have always had a hard time excepting that Reed is a genius, but forgot to put the proper shielding on their rocket? I think it looks like it will be a good revision.

[Ares]

What I dont get is why Ben is is all dressed up like the rest of them and standing near the zone.

[chrisco37]

Ben was there to visit Reed. I don't think that Reed/Sue/Johnny were going to attempt to transfer themselves thru the Zone. They were all wearing the uniforms as protection while observing the experiment.

 

Chris

[awe4one]

"Mach schnell vit de art theengs, I have to get back to DanceCentrum in Stutgart to see Kraftwerk".

 

Kraftwerk's in Stuttgart? When? Where the hell's the DanceCentrum? You don't mean the Stadthall TechnoGroove DanceFunk Exposition at the Ratthaus do you?

 

And if Chrisco's in Stuttgart why didn't he give me a shout?

 

Jim

[chrisco37]

And if Chrisco's in Stuttgart why didn't he give me a shout?

 

I had no idea you were located there! Next time, I will be sure to drop by!

[Darthdiesel]

Freaks - a little less horror gory like Niles other work; makes the reader feel for the "freak" - 1 is a set up issue, maybe more about the origin of the freak will be revealed in 2...the art is not as blurry/hazy/dark like Templesmith's/Sienkiewicz/Maleev - I would recommend peeking thru it on the shelf first - my store still has plenty of copies so I'm assuming this is the case elsewhere. Love me Tenderloin is something worth reading thru at the store for a laugh...a one shot Cal McDonald tale by Niles...