Saga #1 (Review)

Chapter One; written by Brian K. Vaughan with artwork by Fiona Staples, was extra long and had introductions, action, and the beginnings of a deep plot....everything a first issue should have and more.  Generally, I'm happy with a #1 if it just has introductions.....but Saga goes much further...

...We are introduced to Alana, Marko, & Hazel, the three main characters of this ongoing title.
...We are shown in explicit detail the basis of the plot for the entire series
...We get background history on both Alana's & Marko's races, and many other alien races as well, and how they all fit into the war that spans the galaxy.

....all of THAT in a #1 issue is amazing!

Usagi Yojimbo: The Wanderer's Road (Review)

In this volume; The Wanderer's Road, Usagi Yojimbo finds himself in one adventure after another by chance. The greatness of this title by Stan Sakai, is that the character is constantly on the move...so is constantly going to have different events, in different places, with a multitude of characters.  It's genius really, it would far more difficult to write Usagi if he were bound to one locale.

In this volume...he meets a new friend,  has a run-in with an old foe, spends the night with a demon, breaks a tea cup, and spends time with a woodcutter.

Thief of Thieves #2 (Review)

"They say these Things aren't Ours, We Prove them Wrong...."

I love that quote from this issue. What this issue lacks in action, it more than makes up with emotional drama.....Spencer and Martinbrough make you feel the emotional entanglement that surrounds Redmond, Celia, & Audrey.  You see Redmond's regret as Audrey leaves, knowing he's lost her....and can't steal her back. You see his cool detachment from Celia, as though he's personified her as the "Venice Job".

Shawn Martinbrough's art is starting to win me over, working very well in this issue, especially how he is able to capture unspoken emotion in the faces he draws....and Nick Spencer does well writing, holding to the "chapter" format that we saw wonderfully done in issue #1.....

Green Lantern #7 (Review)

When we last left Hal Jordan, he and Carol Ferris were enjoying a "romp in the hay" when suddenly they are interrupted by Sinestro....calling Hal to duty with his ring.  Geoff Johns is weaving another Green Lantern Mega-Event....involving the various emotional-spectrum Corps, the Guardians, & a Third Army (?).

You have to wonder how many GL "Events" Johns has planned, and when it may become too many? That said, we do have 4 Green Lantern Franchise titles coming out every month....so a one or two "Events" a year is probably a good thing to keep all the titles headed in the right direction.  It doesn't have to cover the entirety of the DC Universe, just the 4 GL titles is sufficient.  Enough speculation for now, let's move on to Issue #7's review.....

The Incredible Hulk....6 months later (Review)

The Incredible Hulk is an Icon.  You see big & green, and all you can think of is the Hulk!  The new, on-going series written by Jason Aaron follows a wonderful run by Greg Pak that produced Planet Hulk, World War Hulk, & tie-ins with Jeph Loeb's Hulk title that included a Red Hulk, & several other gamma-induced friends & enemies from Bruce Banner's life.

Jason Aaron had a lot of pressure to produce something good, and he has not disappointed. The Incredible Hulk thus far has been wonderful, including a mad scientist, a secret government agency, and a radioactive island filled with "Hulk-like" animals.  Marc Silvestri & Whilce Portacio have done all the artwork so far in this series.  Although some don't like their  "scratchy" art, I love it. It gives The Hulk that feel of feral rage and simplicity.  Leinil Francis Yu adds some of his work on the covers of some of the issues as well.

For years Dr. Bruce Banner has struggled with the Beast within. But now the Beast has done something the Scientist was never able to....split the Man from the Monster.

The Manhattan Projects #1 (Review)

Imagine if The Manhattan Project was more than just an Atomic Bomb, but rather series of other, highly unusual, top-secret programs from the World's brightest minds.....and what if everything went wrong? That is the simplest description of The Manhattan Projects.

Author Jonathan Hickman & artist Nick Pitarra bring us Hickman's newest creation, a mad-scientist look at mad-scientists like Oppenheimer, Einstein, & others. An unusual look; although not historic, at historic figures surrounded in mystery.

Usagi Yojimbo: Samurai (Review)

Usagi Yojimbo translates from Japanese to mean "Rabbit Bodyguard". The essence of Usagi Yojimbo, written and illustrated by Stan Sakai, is an anthropomorphic, 17th Century world. Specifically, in Japan.  Usagi is a  Ronin....which is a master-less Samurai.

He wonders around finding himself in adventure after adventure, enjoying friends and facing enemies.  Always following the Samurai code of Honor and Duty (known in Japanese as "Bushido"), Usagi Yojimbo, and his author Stan Sakai,  have won numberous awards for it's historic cultural accuracy and it's enlightening stories.

O.M.A.C. #7 (Review)

Wow, I'm going to miss this title!  In "Overnight, Mysterious Animals Converse", O.M.A.C. finds himself at odds with quite possibly the most powerful Superhero on the planet, Superman! Brother Eye is surprised that Maxwell Lord could garner the support of The Man of Steel, but I suspect Supes has no idea what Checkmate and Cadmus are up to in Metropolis.....only that O.M.A.C. is wrecking things on "street level".  Faced with defeat, Eye blinks O.M.A.C. away so that he can heal.

Kevin Kho finds himself at the Toledo Zoo, unable to OMACTIVATE because of the damage caused by Superman. Eye leaves Kevin to wander around until O.M.A.C. can heal.  Kho; however, finds that he is not alone....but rather is among very strange anthropomorphic zoo animals, experiments of Warden Gaym in The Factory of Evil (hidden underground below the zoo).

Green Arrow #7 (Review)

New writer Annie Nocenti starts a new journey and direction for our favorite Emerald Archer in this issue. From the outset, let me say that I was immediately impressed with the fast-paced style that Nocenti is bringing to Green Arrow....it was sorely lacking in previous issues.  Also, it appears (at least in this issue) that the constant conversing with Naomi & Jax is not as prevalent (also a good thing). This issue was action-filled, and "over the top" with Ollie Queen's personality traits showing through.....a great start for Nocenti!  She managed to get away from some of the things holding back this title in previous issues, and put her mark on The Archer from the get go.

Red Lanterns #7 (Review)

Do you get mad and sometimes want to hit something?  Do you sometimes fill with rage as your face turns blood red and you think, "I'd like to give you a piece of my mind!" ?  Does occasionally the thought of releasing your rage on some deserving imbecile get your eye twitching with delight?  THEN RED LANTERNS IS FOR YOU!! (the previous questions were all in fun by the way, Jon Q. Citizen &/or this site does not promote or encourage violence in any manner)

Surviving members of the Sinestro Corps; having escaped to Sector 666, feel uneasy about their futures after becoming victims of "Sinestro's Purge" (see: Green Lantern #5)....and are a finger short for it. But just as a little reassurance washes over them in this lost and remote sector, vengeance comes calling!! It is the Red Lanterns!

"The age of Atrocitus is over. The age of Bleez has begun."

The "New 52": Six Months Later (Green Lantern Review)

One of two characters in the "New 52" that DC Comics decided not to "mess" with; along with Batman, Green Lantern has enjoyed unprecedented popularity since Geoff Johns brought back Hal Jordan from the dead in Green Lantern: Rebirth several years ago.  Since then we have enjoyed and been left jaw-dropped with The Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night, & War of the Green Lanterns.  Johns has created several characters, & several Corps (based on the light spectrum).  The Green Lantern franchise has spin-off books Green Lantern Corps, GL: New Guardians, & Red Lanterns....it's own animated TV series, and a feature film starring Ryan Reynolds.  So...when the "New 52" began, fans of Green Lantern could just sit back and continue to read their favorite GL titles without worry. I've loved the title so far (actually going back to 2005), so....Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

The "New 52": Six Months Later (The Savage Hawkman #6 Review)

One of the new titles of the "New 52" was The Savage Hawkman. I was excited that they were bringing back the Winged Avenger with his own title! The announcement of Tony Daniel as writer and Philip Tan's "teaser" images further stoked the fires of anticipation.....however, six months into the "New 52" things are looking bad.

Daniel & Tan are leaving in the wake of a monthly sales drop of over 50% since issue #1. On a positive note, that is still +30% over the Hawkman title of five years ago. Rob Liefeld is arriving as "story-plotter" & Joe Bennett as artist starting with issue #9, but the damage may already be done.  Free-falling sales have The Savage Hawkman hovering precariously over the "cancellation line", and because of Hawkman's convoluted history it's hard to make any Hawkman fan completely happy.....which may be the true root of TSH's sales woes.

Book of the Month March 2012

"Create the Future. Destroy the Past."

With the release of the new series The Manhattan Projects this week, a great Johnathan Hickman project of a few years ago came to mind.....Pax Romana. Taking place in the far, far future & the far, far past....this book weaves history and science fiction together into a deeply plotted, morally questioning saga that spans the course of time.

The "New 52": Six Months Later (The Flash #6 Review)

One of the most highly anticipated titles of the "New 52" was The Flash. It was also one of the most criticized prior to it's release, because of untested writers Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato.  Issue #1 showed us right out of the gate that this title was going to be AWESOME! The artwork is the main hook for this title, both beautiful and intricate....even if there were no words, I'd still collect The Flash just for the artwork!

Manapul and "Booch" have proven that they are not only astoundingly talented artists, but that they can write as well. The opening arc centered on Mob Rule, and was entertaining and interesting.  The beginning of the second arc featuring the"new" Captain Cold is "off the hook"!

Sales are up from the previous Flash title, and it's been a Top 10 seller since the "New 52" began, it boasts the best artwork in DC Comics right now, and the writing is good as well, so Citizen's Grade: AWESOME!

On to the review of issue #6.....