Oraclechele's books ...

Trinity #1

I had so hoped I would have enjoyed this title. The three iconic DC heroes teaming up for a rollercoaster ride. What could be wrong with that?

How about we begin with the artwork? These characters are meant to breathe on the page. Instead they hang there thanks to a design that feels like a cartoon and is filled with some very odd proportions. Wonder Woman might have shoulders but she appeared to be wearing shoulder pads that made her look like a line backer and are a style that went out in the 1980's. I understand art is subjective but I found it flat.

And then there is the story - which plays as another way to twist the DC universe up even further. Haven't fans had to endure enough to keep track of what is happening to whom with the entire 'Crisis' disaster?

I might not be a Marvel fan but I did a decent job following Secret Invasion. I am a DC fan who gobbles up books week after week and I found myself frustrated and bored but I story I should have at least in part understood and more importantly cared about. Sorry DC...

Burn it

Buffy #15

Another arc of Buffy Season Eight draws to a close and once again it does so in a very dynamic way. The action sequences are fantastic with the panels leaping from the page but that doesn't mean this issue is all blood and guts. If anything this issue proves once again why Buffy the Vampire Slayer, during it's seven seasons on television, was one of the most under-appreciated series ever. With issue 15 the action meets humor, loss, and a dash of sexy in a way that proves that comics with lots of back-story can keep even the most jaded reader glued.

What impressed me the most was the way writer Drew Goddard managed to fit in all the elements of good storytelling in such a limited number of pages, although I am being generous on two points from the issue which some could argue as being misplaced. The first is purely 'lesbian selfish' on my part, as there is a pause in the action so Willow can get a bead on Buffy's relationship with Satsu. The dialogue is smart and funny but certainly not the best time to be chatting about such things, especially after witnessing the death of Renee.

Plot point number two - Dawn. I'm trying, I really am but the character has always left me as annoyed as Buffy was when she first arrived in season five. Add to that the Godzilla meets Mothra homage and her part in the issue left me a little cold. The one saving grace might be what I read as a hint to a forthcoming twist, otherwise, why the banter between Dawn and her fighting rival? As a fan of the series I know there will be a time when I can embrace Dawn as a part of the gang. Sadly, it hasn't happened yet.

And what about Xander? Buffy's, always reliable, pal will never be the same after this issue. The rage as he cuts down the vampire responsible for her death and the stillness in Xander's last panel speak to what should be new characteristics in one who has remained pretty consistent over 'eight seasons'.

As fans of the series get ready for the return of Joss I'm left giving two thumbs way up for the Wolves At The Gate arc. The Buffy verse changed for the better and the media that covers comics will have to start looking elsewhere for LGBT controversy. Now I'm off to my bookshelf to brush up on the story of Melaka Fray.

BUY IT!

Goblin's books ...

Young X-Men #3

If this doesn't end up becoming a Secret Invasion tie-in I call a foul by Marc Guggenheim. Everyone except Rocksilde is written so far out of character it's like reading a whole other book apart from the X-line. Cyclops willingly sends children to murder former teammates (the New Mutants)? Really? It's bad enough he sends Wolverine, Warpath, X-23, etc. out to kill in X-Force, but at least they are adults. These are kids. So because of M-Day taking mutants away, Cyclops's plan is to kill more mutants? Brilliant.

This issue has the two half teams finishing up with Magma and Ink taking both Moonstar and Blindfold to Donald Pierce. That was a quick betrayal. Cyclops waxes poetic, the wolf kid bemoans attacking Magma with his claws (he went into battle as a wolf, what did he think was going to happen?) and some other stuff happens. Quite frankly I fail to see the point. Everyone acts like someone else and other than the X-Men proper being disbanded it plays little into the larger picture. I say expose Cyclops as a Skrull and make this book a miniseries.

The art is nice, if not really fitting the tone of the book. It's soft and easy going and would be great on a lighter book, but on Young X-Men it seems oddly out of place. I am in love with Rob Schwager, the colorist, as the colors are at the same time muted and vibrant. Really something to look at. In all honesty, the at is the only thing that saves this book from getting a "Burn It" rating.

SKIP IT

Nova #14

If you would have told me that I would not only buy but enjoy the Annihilation series as well as Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy I would have spit in your face and called you a filthy liar. But then I'd apologize and make it up to you by buying you a DVD. Of course, now that I not only buy regularly but gush about both Nova and GotG I'm in downright awe. I've never been a huge cosmic fan. I thought the concepts were neat, but could never get into them. Nova has helped bring me to the dark side.

The newest issue has Nova continue his attempted rescue of the planet Orbucen. Standing in his way is a Protean homicidal maniac and now the World Devourer himself, Galactus, and his herald, the Silver Surfer. While this issue will definitely read better as part of the TPB or by reading the whole story in one shot, it's still deserving of merit. The story is moved along by the inhabitants of the planet actually leaving the world, although they very possibly have trapped Nova on the process. Normally, this wouldn't be too terrible, but since Galactus just landed on the planet and is preparing to do his thing, it really isn't the best place for Nova. His brain hopping murderer may be dead, but I have a feeling it won't be that simple.

I really can't say too much about the book that I haven't said in the past. If it's your thing, you'll definitely like this. If it isn't, I don't think you'll say it's bad, but it won't interest you either. This is Marvel Cosmic at its best and you pretty much know going into it whether it's for you or not. If you think it might be but are afraid to jump in, try the Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest books first. If you're still standing, get Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy as they're both solid reads each month.

READ IT

Kick-Ass #3

... otherwise known as the issue in which Millar shows his true self and I stop caring about the book. I don't know if I'm just in an overly cynical mood today (or the past 20+ years), but this book turned me off big time. Dave continues to go out fighting as Kick-Ass (yes, that's his name now) despite getting almost killed twice. of course, he shows none of this aside from a few bandages on his face. Then he goes into a drug dealer's apartment by himself and almost gets killed if not for a little girl wielding a machete and slaughtering a few men. Gratuitous violence is one thing, this was just absurd and ridiculous. Even JRjr's art couldn't save it.

And there is a sub-plot starting where the kids at school think Dave is gay. Since he was found naked when he was "mugged" the first time and he was "mugged" again, they think he's turning tricks in the Village. Between of gasps of utter horror by Dave, his friend laughs at him. Of course, since it gets him some face time with the school's resident hottie, Dave plays up the "gay best friend angle" and hangs out with her all the time. Am I the only one who finds something wrong with this? I'm not usually one to call fire on issues like this, but Millar has been pushing the realism and legitimacy of this. The kid obviously hates the fact that he's thought of as gay, then uses the lie to benefit himself (to get into a girl's pants, no less). That's pretty duplicitous for a 15 year old

However, even if the whole gay sub-plot didn't exist I'd be dropping the book by now anyway. It's turned into a parody of itself and I'm not laughing. Just because it's an Icon book doesn't mean you HAVE to use the worst language and violence you can think of, Mr. Millar. It's just allowable when you need it.

BURN IT

Invincible Iron Man #2

After Fraction's well done first issue, the second one doesn't drop the ball. The assassinations continue as the Philippine super hero team known as the Triumph Division gets taken out by the zombie robots of last issue. It's unfortunate that they're all dead as there were a few interesting looking heroes in that line-up. Maybe one or two will have turned up surviving the blast. Since we don't know their powers (side from one man's power to make wishes), who knows where they could be. Before that little attack, Iron Man deals with A.G.M. (Advanced Genocide Mechanics) newest creation, a genocidal version of M.O.D.O.K. called M.O.D.O.G. (you can guess what the G stands for given who made him). Odd choice for a villain, even if he is dispatched in this issue. The more interesting villain is Stane as we see him converting a religious zealot into one of his walking timebombs. We see the dirty warehouse he calls home this week and find out how he evades S.H.I.E.L.D. He is very much the anti-Iron Manas he uses his technology to get what he wants via widespread destruction. A simple twist of fat and that could be Tony - and isn't that what makes the best villains?

Glad to see Rhodey in the book, but he brings Pepper Potts with him unfortunately. She's made to be like the movie version and that isn't a good thing. I tolerated Paltrow as Potts, but it isn't something I need to read every month. Thor makes a great cameo as we get some very strong ties to the marvel universe, something that was missing (though not missed necessarily) from the main Iron Man book. oh, and there's an explosion that may or may not have killed Tony and Jim. Sadly, Pepper survives.

This is really all you can expect from a more in-the-mix Iron Man book. Snappy writing, tech based villains, death, cold and sterile artwork showing state of the art everything. What more could you want?

BUY IT

Jonostarsmore's books ...

Ultimate Origin #1

Maybe it's because the Ultimate Universe hasn't been with us that long, but the big reveal at the end of the first issue had me pretty disappointed. If I'm guessing correctly as to what this issue implies, then all modern superheroes in the Ultimate Universe are either mutants or super soldiers or any variation of the two. Which again, doesn't really affect me as a reader because I'm going into the Ultimate books thinking "OK, this is a fairly young world, anything is really possible...oh, the mutant gene was manufactured and deliberately distilled into the general population? I guess that's just one more variation of this universe than the 616 universe." The twist feels like an arbitrary story element instead of being something more meaningful given the nature of the Ultimate Universe.

With that being said, the title could potentially offer more in future issues...for now, I strictly recommend you...

Browse It

Trinity #1

The first half of this book was OK. Generic set up. Bland dialogue. Average art. The second half has some interesting ideas, but gives us even worse dialogue AND art. This is a mediocre attempt at best, and although it's not as impenetrable as Final Crisis #1, it feels very removed from the rest of the Earth- shattering events of the DC Universe. I feel as if I'm watching lifeless puppets of Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, and Diana Prince as they traipse along point A to point B.

Browse It

Astonishing X-Men Sketchbook

Simone Bianchi's redesigns for the X-Men look slightly off to me; there's something about all the gratuitous "X's" (Beast gets two for good measure) and the gold lining on the men's costumes that just doesn't look and feel right. What I do like is the new headquarters of the X-Men, which is now located in the San Francisco Bay Area. With the Avengers dominating the East Coast, this set up gives the Marvel Universe a very cool and retro Avengers vs. West Coast Avengers vibe. This is just a sketchbook, so I'm not sure how to rate it...given that you can probably see a lot of the art on the internet somewhere, and the fact that I'm not a huge fan of the redesigns set to debut in Astonishing X-Men #25, I would have to say...

Skip It

Robin/Spoiler Special #1

Maybe I've had a rough week and it's somehow obscured the way I'm approaching these books to review, but so far nothing has been really notable and this book isn't any different. A ho-hum first story establishes Spoiler and Robin's current relationship as they go out and fight nondescript crime. The second story shows Spoiler in Africa and her moment of realization that she had that made her return to Gotham. Sorry Spoiler fans, but this story added nothing to her intrigue as a character.

Skip It

Kick-Ass #3

What the fu--? Seriously...what the hell just happened in this issue? I'm not sure if I should be offended by the hints of homophobia or the excessive violence and language that permeate the pages of this issue. Our main character pretends to be gay in order to spend time with the girl of his dreams and a mystery girl, who looks like she's not even a teen, shows up in an orgy of blood and gore. Let me take a second to recover...

OK. First of all, our main dude is accused of being a gay male prostitute because he shows up with bandages on his face...right... His reaction is so blatantly homophobic ( "Fu** you! Don't even go there!" he replies to a friend that suggests this may be true) that it ceases to be a parody (if that's what Millar was going for).

Even more disdainful (yes this is quite possible) is the gratuitous last five pages in which I even felt like a pervert watching something very, very wrong. Mr. Millar, you are not Quentin Tarantino and this is not Kill Bill so please do not even attempt to emulate that style because this is creeping me out.

We (Goblin and I) may very well be in the minority here because other major sites can't stop yapping about how frickin' awesome this title is, but this is a dangerous and horrible direction that the book seems to be taking and we do not support it.

BURN IT

Invincible Iron Man #2

Ah, finally. Salvation from a very mediocre week. I have to admit, I've never been a big Iron Man fan before but something about Matt Fraction's writing really works for me. His only weakness (and most likely this is an editorial mandate) is his penchant for recreating moments from the film almost scene for scene. It doesn't detract from a genuinely engaging and tension-filled story involving suicide tech bombers and Tony Stark's pursuit of justice. It's a very refreshing, stripped down Iron Man story that is enhanced by Matt Fraction's brilliant writing (Iron Man has the best monologues I've seen in comics recently). Salvador Larroca does a good job, though I did find some faces that looked very unnatural, including Thor's when he first shows up. But that's not enough of a detriment to the enjoyment of this title.

BUY IT

Manhunter #31

As readers of PK, you've probably picked up on the fact that Oraclechele usually picks up Birds of Prey, Manhunter, and Echo (strong female characters for the win!). Unfortunately, this week she wasn't able to get her monthly fix of Manhunter so she asked if I could review the book. Now I know zilch about Manhunter. Zero. And DC is incredibly difficult to follow in terms of continuity so I had HUGE hesitations on even reading this issue.

Guess what? I loved it! Not only has it been, by far, the most accessible DC book I have picked up recently (the 2 page summary of events was incredibly handy) but the story actually had me wanting more. And the surprise guest star at the end was great! It fit perfectly with the story and I had actually gotten around to wondering when he would show up. As for the story itself, well, it leaps around a little bit, but the main storyline involves our heroine learning about the unjust murders of over 400 women in Ciudad Juarez (near the Mexico/US border) and deciding to investigate this unresolved crime. Sadly, this is the actual case with the city in the real world and it's nice to see Manhunter tackle this very political topic. I'm very curious to see how this story develops in the next issue.

I also want to thank Oraclechele for introducing me to one of the hottest male characters in comics: Dylan Battles. There's a scene in particular where he walks around shirtless....well I'll just task you folks to pick it up and check it out for yourselves.

BUY IT (for the excellent story and for Dylan Battles)