Fantastic Four #4

   I keep hoping this series will take off, but so far it seems to be dragging its feet.

   This issue of the Fantastic Four is entirely given over to a fight between the FF and the new Frightful Four (which bears a strong resemblance to the Wrecking Crew).

   But it's not a particularly creative battle - for the most part, the bad guys just use the Thing as a punching bag - but he's a crafty brawler who should be able to hold his own.

   Writer James Robinson brings a few interesting twists, but mostly it's just a lot of noise and not much story.
 
   The art by Leonard Kirk, Karl Kesel and Jay Leisten is very good - dynamic and exciting, capturing the action nicely - but so far, the story isn't holding up its end.

Grade: B-

-----------------------

All-New X-Men #27

  (Time to play catch up. I just had a wonderful weekend attending the wedding of a loved one, and I'm running late - so the next couple of reviews will be short, west and to the point. Back to my usual blabbering on Monday.)

   This is one of those comics where I think I'm getting too old for the All-New X-Men.

   The series has always played fast and loose with time-traveling characters, but it's been pretty straightforward up to this point (or at least possible to follow). Even bringing the original team to the present is manageable.

   But this issue jumbles things up quite a bit, as we jump around to see the origins of the future X-Men (or are they the Brotherhood?), and the heroes have their mind messed with by the "old" Jean Grey and Charles Xavier's son.

   It makes sense as a tactic in combat, but it makes for a confusing story. The art is terrific, but the story is just too time-tangled to enjoy - or make sense of.

Grade: B

--------------------

Superman Wonder Woman #8

   So here's another one of those stories that weaves through several different titles until it wraps up... somewhere.

   That trick rarely works on me (though I've fallen for it a time or two) - and this is another instance where I only bought the issue that happens to fall in a series I already buy.

   So for the "Superman: Doomed" series, this issue of Superman Wonder Woman is it for me.

   It picks up right after a battle between the Man of Steel and the hulkish monster Doomsday, fought in Smallville. At the end of the fight, Superman was apparently exposed to strange spores - and he then disappeared.

   This issue focuses on Wonder Woman's efforts to find him - much of it while disguised as Diana Prince, which is a fun throwback idea for those of us who have been reading for a while.

   It brings her into contact with Superman's supporting cast - his co-workers - and offers some clever insight on their relations with Clark Kent.

   It's a good issue, written by Charles Soule and featuring some powerful art by Tony Daniel, Matt Banning and Sandu Florea, and it works well as a stand-alone issue, though it does provide plot elements to feed into the next chapter in Superman #31.

   But to be honest, I don't feel driven to pick up that issue, or any of the others in this series. Let me know if I missed anything.

Grade: A-

--------------------

  

New Avengers #18

   The classic stories in the Justice League featured two worlds (usually Earth-1 and Earth-2) coming together (sometimes literally) as the team fought to fend off destruction (often while The Spectre grew to a titanic size and physically held the two worlds apart).

   That is what you're getting - without The Spectre - in this issue of New Avengers.

   A mysterious cosmic event has forced a series of incursions between the Marvel Earth and Earths from alternate realities. The only way to save "our" Earth is to destroy the other one first.

   The only ones who know about it are the members of the Illuminati. The challenge has been (more or less) easy on the conscience so far, because those "other" Earths - so far - have been either uninhabited or peopled with evil creatures.

   But this issue presents an alternate Earth protected by a team of heroes who seem remarkably similar to certain heroes at DC (just a coincidence, I'm sure) - so how to determine who will live, and who will die?

   It's a meaty challenge, and it makes this the ultimate conflict between worlds, far more serious and with higher stakes than those prototype stories in the JLA.

   As always, it's a sharp, intelligent story by Jonathan Hickman, with strong, angry visuals by Valerio Schiti.

   This story is moving into dark territory. Like a soldier at war, what actions are justified to save your loved ones? This story has been building slowly, but it's rich and has a powerful emotional edge. I can't wait for the next issue!

Grade: A-

---------------------



 

The Classics - Brave and the Bold #30

   One of the reasons I'm always nostalgic about Annuals (as they existed in the '60s especially) is because, at the time, they were virtually the only source for reprints.

   In those days, comics distribution was pretty dicey - your local newsstand or drug store or wherever you bought comics didn't always get everything, or perhaps you didn't get to the shop for weeks at a time - so it was very easy to miss an issue.

   When that happened, you could check with your friends to see if they got one, in hopes that they'd trade you for it. We'd often gather at one house or another and bring along stacks of comics we were willing to trade (some of those issue would finance a house these days. Who knew?).

   But it often happened that you missed an issue. This issue of The Brave and the Bold, which contains the third appearance of the Justice League of America, is one that I never saw in the flesh.

   But thanks to the occasional Annuals (each one costing a crushing 25 cents), those early issues were reprinted, and you could see what you missed - which was especially vital with this issue, since the android Amazo would return again and again.

   Besides, I've always been a sucker for bad guys who copy the powers of the good guys.

   This is the usual fine work by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky (both uncredited, of course), as they put five members of the JLA through their paces, trying to overcome an artificial creature that has all their powers - and those of Superman, too.

   And while the ending was a bit too convenient, it's a fun issue - and well worth tracking down a reprint. The original might be a bit pricey, and I still haven't found anyone willing to trade for it.

Grade: A-

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It's New Comic Day!

  Here's what I picked up today at the comics shop:

- All-New X-Men #27 - Fighting the future!

- Astro City #12 - For the first time - a new artist! Welcome Graham Nolan!

- Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1 - How I love this kind of thing. Usually.

- Fantastic Four #4 - From bad to worse.

- Hellboy in Hell #6 - It had been a while - I had almost forgotten this was still going on!

- Iron Man #25 - Toe-to-toe with Malekith!

- New. Avengers #18 - Worlds collide.

- Star Wars #17 - The cold shoulder.

- Superman Wonder Woman #8 - Doomsday?

- World's Finest #23 - Hello, I must be going...

   And that's it!

Aquaman and he Others #2

   It was a running gag in the New X-Men (especially in the late '70s) that every time the team took a ride in an aircraft, it was shot out of the sky.

   Apparently that shtick has now been taken over (at least for this month) by Aquaman and the Others, as the issue starts with their ship being shot out of the sky.

   They quickly realize they've made a big mistake - no one on the team can fly!

   The issue is dedicated to getting to know the members of the team, as they try to rescue the sister of a fallen companion - and stumble onto a plot that has ties to Atlantis!

   This is a middle-of-the-road series - well-crafted comic book entertainment from writer Dan Jurgens and artists Ian Medina and Allen Martinez - but it's building slowly, and the team members are mostly ciphers so far.

   But it's getting there.

Grade: B

--------------------
 

She-Hulk #4

   This series has happily maintained the high standards set by the first issue, as it focuses on the She-Hulk as both a sharp attorney and a rambunctious super-hero.

   It really "feels" like a sister to Mark Waid's Daredevil stories, both in tone and style. Charles Soule's story is fresh and funny with a down-to-Earth approach (though not always).

   So it seems only right that this issue includes a guest appearance by Matt Murdock.

   And she's running up against some serious challenges, as she has to decide whether to support a client who has been captured by one of Marvel's biggest bad guys.

   The art by Javier Pulido is a lot of fun, with minimal backdrops but great use of color and energy.

   Just as Daredevil has become a big hit, this series deserves the same kind of attention and praise. It's a lot of fun!

Grade: A-

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Cyclops #1

   I have to admit, I'm impressed.

   Cyclops has traditionally been one of the driest, most two-dimensional of the members of the original X-Men - but as he's depicted in the All-New X-Men, and now in his own title, he's much more of a real person.

   (Assuming that person is a mutant who's able to fire destructive optic blasts, of course.)

   So this Cyclops is the original article, not the modern-day version who's even more dour and grim than ever before.

   And this Cyclops is off on a big adventure. Having traveled through time to the present day, he discovers that his father is not only alive, but it also a pirate in charge of a starship loaded with aliens.

   To the shock of his fellow X-Men, he leaves the team and joins his father in space. This issue shows the young hero learning the ropes and finding himself in a dogfight - and invading an alien attacker.

   I didn't expect much from this issue. I wasn't even sure "which" Cyclops it would feature. But writer Greg Rucka turns in a sharp, funny and engaging story, as we learn more about the challenges of being a space pirate alongside Scott Summers.

   The art by Russell Dauterman is very good, with expansive space vistas, strong layouts and attractive character designs.

    So it's a good start to yet another offshoot from the X-Men family, as Cyclops ventures out on his own. It's not his first solo mission (if I recall correctly), but so far it's the best of the bunch.

Grade: A-

-----------------------
   

Miracleman #5

   It's been traditional for magazine publishers to bag their magazines to keep young eyes from seeing something they shouldn't (i.e., pornographic images), but in comics bagging has been for a different purpose.

   Sometimes it's just to make the issue more collectible (such as Todd MacFarlane's first issue of Spider-Man, other times it's to keep readers from jumping to the shocking finish (Fantastic Four #600, for example).  

   But for this issue of Miracleman (which reprints the original 1983 series by Alan Moore and Alan Davis), the issue is bagged for the classic reason - to keep adult images away from tender eyes.

   It's really not too rough by today's standards - but it's good of Marvel to err on the side of caution (of course, if it makes the issue more attractive to collectors, that's ok, too - another benefit of bagging).

    The issue nicely builds on the sense of menace and mystery surrounding the (then) newly-revived hero, as a classic villain returns as a new, darker menace - and we get the first hints of a menace that can threaten even Miracleman.

    I'm convinced that Moore is one of the few writers in the business who can create six-page stories that are compelling - it seems to be a lost art. Alan Davis' art is, of course, wonderful - even early in his career he demonstrates amazing skill for heroic characters and dynamic layouts.

   It's great that this series is finally being made available again to the reading public (especially since the originals can be a bit tough to track down) - it's a nice mix of the stories and some historic and behind-the-scenes material.

   It's highly recommended for those adult enough to handle the mature (and sometimes graphic) material - and are strong-willed enough to cut open that plastic bag!

Grade: A-

---------------------

Future's End #1

   You have to give DC credit for trying. They keep going back to the well and trying new versions of the weekly comic.

   Future's End takes us into the near future - five years, to be exact - as a time-traveling hero arrives to try to prevent an apocalyptic future from taking place. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

   The great thing about stories like that is that anything can happen - heroes die, there's widespread destruction, lots of angst and shocks - that sort of thing.

   The problem with such stories is that anything can happen - but they can all be fixed with a temporal adjustment, so none of it ends up mattering.

   It's an action-packed beginning to the event, as an incredibly powerful and mysterious menace appears; a lone hero is on a killing rampage; a super-team faces destruction; and oh, that final page.

   The art by Patrick Zircher is nicely done, and the story is certainly action-packed - but once they start bumping off heroes, you just know it's all going to get reversed and/or fixed by the end.

   I hate to be a spoilsport, but you have to think about these things when they expect you to drop more the $150 to pick up the whole story.

 I'll have to pass on this one.

Grade: B

------------------------

Original Sin #1 (of 8)

   Time for a new event!

   In Original Sin we get a cosmic murder mystery as the issue starts with the murder of The Watcher (without so much as a "Thanks for your 53 years of service!").

   Ordinarily that's a spoiler I wouldn't give away, but the cover kinda ruins it for us.

   Aside from the grisly death, the issue actually shapes up like a classic issue of the Justice League, as an odd gathering of heroes split into teams and head to different locations (Why? No idea).

   They're trying (I presume) to uncover the identity of the murderer, and there are other mysterious events taking place.

   And I'm thrilled to see the return of the real Nick Fury (nothing against the Samuel Jackson version of Fury, but I've been reading the original since the '60s, so he's "my" Nick).

   My fear, of course, is that they'll use this mini-series to kill off the original Nick (hey, they just killed the Watcher, didn't they? Both characters have been around the some length of time, after all).

   I hate it, but they never ask me about these things first, so what can you expect. Hopefully I'm wrong!

   You know, it occurs to me that Marvel doesn't really have a super-hero detective like Batman - or am I forgetting someone?

   The art by Mike Deodato is wonderful, with amazing textures, environments and powerful character designs.  The story by Jason Aaron, on the other hand, is still developing.

   This issue is all about setting up the teams, putting the characters in place and amping up the mystery. It does all those things well - but I still fear the outcome. We'll see.

Grade: A-

------------------------

Free Comic Book Day!

   As you can see, I finally made it to Free Comic Book Day - I got quite a haul from my pal John at the local comics shop!

   Several of you wrote it to share your experiences, which always makes me a happy blogger:

   Bobby Nash wrote, "Here's the write up I did for the event I attended (with photos)." Check out his blog at this link: http://bobby-nash-news.blogspot.com/2014/05/free-comic-book-day-wrap-up.html

 ------------------

  Bret shared his experience: "It was a nice Free Comic Book Day at my LCS (Local Comics Shop) here in Colorado. Fun to see kids dressed in costumes and the store was packed. I grabbed Atomic Robo and Rocket Raccoon. My 8-year-old picked up Teen Titans Go! A fun day."

-------------------

   Kyle Johnson sent along several reviews: "Sorry you missed out on FCBD... I almost did as well, I stopped by a shop a little after opening and it was packed. The line wrapped around the shop and out the door. Was going to skip it, but figured I was already downtown so hit a used bookstore nearby, grabbed some lunch, and stopped back by a couple hours later. It had thinned out a little bit by then... Here are some very quick takes on what I picked up:

   Bongo Comics Free-For-All: A mix of stories by various creators. About what you would expect for a Simpsons comic. The high points are a Sergio Aragones splash page and Amy & Leela in a "Betty & Veronica" style back cover. Grade: B

   Buck Rogers: This was a collection of '30s and '40s newspaper strips. The coloring on the Sunday strips was great, but at least for my eyes, they were a little hard to read when shrunk down to fit the comic book page. I didn't have that problem with the black and white daily strips which were drawn by Murphy Anderson and which were fantastic. Great vintage pulp fun. Grade: A

   Guardians of the Galaxy: I haven't been keeping up with the new Marvel series so basically picked this up because of interest in the upcoming movie. The main feature was Tony Stark interviewing a candidate to join the GoG team, this basically provided a somewhat uninteresting voice-over for scenes of the team in action. The second was a Thanos story by Jim Starlin. The third was some kind of Elseworlds Shakespearian Spider-Man versus a vampire which was not that interesting to me.  Grade: C

   Rocket Raccoon: Now this was more like it. A great solo adventure with Rocket that brings back many of the characters from the 1985 mini-series. Was great seeing Mr. Wal-Rus, Blackjack O'Hare, Lord Dyvyne, and Uncle Pyko again. A very fun all-ages story featuring kidnapped princesses, blood-thirsty pirates, and sinister villains. There was a less interesting back-up story featuring Spider-Man, White Tiger, and Nova on the moon. I believe this is based on a cartoon and was geared for a younger crowd. Grade: A (pretty much based on the main Rocket story alone)

   Uncle $crooge and Donald Duck: A pair of wonderful stories by Don Rosa. The first featuring Magica De Spell in another plot to steal Uncle Scrooge's number one dime. The second was a story featuring Donald and Gladstone Gander, who I was not very familiar with. Both were great stories and topped off with a two-page text feature by Don Rosa himself. Grade: A

    And that wraps up my FCBD!

-------------------------------

    Thanks, guys! Breezing through a few of the other comics your pal Chuck picked up:

   Future's End - Apparently DC's future is a terrible place, so a hero must travel into the past (our present) to stop this from happening. (This all sounds very familiar somehow.) It'll all play out in a weekly comic from DC. 

   Project Black Sky - Dark Horse is inching into the superhero market with this team-up of Captain Midnight and Brain Boy. Sounds like fun!

   Worlds of Aspen 2014 - A preview of The Zoohunters (tracking down big game on alien worlds) and the fairy tale-inspired Damsels in Excess.

   Archie Digest - 100 pages of classic Archie fun and games!

   Rise of the Magi - Top Cow's new series about a world of magic - and the dark dangers found there.

   Armor Hunters - Valiant previews its upcoming event that centers around alien attempts to recapture the X-O Armor.

   Les Miserables - Udon presents what may be my favorite free comic - a Manga adaptation of the classic novel (or at least part of it).

   Ipso Facto - Automatic Publishing offers the first issue of the series, as odd mix of soapish mystery and science fiction. 

   Epic - Comix Tribe offers a new teen superhero - you get his origin here and discover his unusual weakness.

   Skyward and Midnight Tiger - Action Lab previews two new heroes - in Skyward, a boy and his dog face danger in a strange land; and Midnight Tiger focuses on the birth of a modern-day hero.

   Defend Comics - A fun comic to promote the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

   Red Giant took a different approach - they offered four different (small) flip-comics in one shrink-wrapped package (so, eight previews in one). It included: Tesla, Wayward Sons, Darchon, Shadow Children, Duel Identity, Pandora's Blogs, The First Daughter and Magika!

     And Bleeding Cool offered a small edition of that magazine devoted to comics news and interviews.

    Whew! And that's it! Here's hoping you had a great Free Comic Day, too!

New Comic Book Day

   Yesterday I finally got to the comics shop and picked up a huge stack of Free Comics (mor on that soon) - today I went back and picked these up:

 

- Aquaman and the Others #2 - Freefall! (Isn't that the X-Men's shtick?) 

 

- Cyclops #1 - This is the young Cyclops who has time-traveled to the present where he meets his space-faring father, who he thought was dead. You can't make this stuff up.

- Future's End #1 - Adventures in the near (New 52)  future.

 

- Iron Fist #2 - You can't go home again.

 

- Loki #4 - Swashbuckling.

 

- Miracleman #5 - Bagged for your protection (in other words, controversial stuff inside).

 

- Original Sin #1 - The Watcher is dead - for now.

 

- Real Heroes #2 - They were fake heroes last issue. Now...

 

- She-Hulk #4 - Calling Dr. Doom to the witness stand. Good luck with that.

 

  And I got an Eyeball! Well, it's a ball that looks like an eye. (It's some kind of promotion tied into Original Sin - I guess the Watcher doesn't need his all-seeing eyes anymore...)

   And that's it!

Movie Review - The Amazing Spider-Man 2

 OK, I finally got a chance to see The Amazing Spider-Man 2 tonight, and I have mixed feelings. 

   On the one hand, I liked it better than the first Amazing Spider-Man, and I thought Andrew Garfield was much better this time around - much more likable, much less surly, more like Peter Parker (though I still like Tobey Maguire's version better).

   I thought the action sequences were terrific, with lots of larger-than-life fights (I loved the battle in Times Square), and I like seeing a hero who makes an effort to save innocent bystanders (pay attention, Superman). 

   But the movie just seemed to wander on for the longest time with dangling plot points that are never resolved. After getting caught snooping, Gwen walks out of the Oscorp building, eluding security, and they don't try to find her after that? She works there - don't they know where she lives? Pete wonders about his father's fate, but never really does much with the information he uncovers - and the ultimate hiding place is way over the top. 

   A few plot twists are disappointing, including the fate of Norman Osborn and the big plot twist near the end. I hated that development in the comics, and I dislike it just as much here - it's just a feeble attempt to inject drama, and it undercuts the while film.

   The movie's science is suspect - not the "how Electro got his powers" part (standard comic book stuff there), but rather the "how can they protect Spidey's web shooters from electricity" part. It would have been nice to see some actual science here (wearing proper insulation, showing that the electrical bursts can't hurt Spidey while he's in the air and not grounded) instead of the mumbo-jumbo they did use. I'd like to see more examples of how smart Peter is - here he's constantly being bailed out by Gwen.

   I also think they tried to squeeze in too many characters, and the ending was both silly (I hate children in peril) and abrupt. Perhaps the next movie will pick up where this left off. However, I thought Electro was terrific - but the Green Goblin and the Rhino didn't work as well. There's a nice teaser moment in the film, though, for the Sinister Six.

   So while I enjoyed quite a bit of it, the points that didn't work undermine the overall effort. 

   Out of the five Spider-Man movies to date, I'll rate this one at #3 - my order is (original) Spider-Man #2, #1, this movie, #3 and Amazing Spider-Man #1.

   It's not bad, but it's no Captain America.

Grade: B+

---------------------------

All-New X-Men #26

   Time for more talking!

   Writer Brian Michael Bendis has an interesting pattern to his work, where he'll have several issues of hop-hah action sequences, and then let things settle a bit with a character-centric issue.

   And that's what you get in this issue of All-New X-Men - a quiet issue where young Jean Grey finally has a discussion with today's version of Scott (Cyclops) Summers - and it covers some long-simmering topics.

   We also see some quiet (and not-so-quiet moments) between Angel and X-23 - and a new menace checks in, promising that next issue will be anything but quiet.

   The art is by Stuart Immonen and Wade Von Grawbadger, and it's tremendous. The two are masters of character, mood and environment, and turn in amazing work here (and a stunning cover).

   While I'm a fan of the typical Marvel action issues, I have to admit I don't mind these "slow" issues, as long as they're done well - like this one.

Grade: A-

------------------------


 

Avengers #28

   Have you ever watched a master craftsman at work?

   Workers have been putting a new brick face on the building where I work, and it's amazing to see these guys at work, especially if you've ever tried it yourself.

   To apply mortar to a brick, place it exactly in line with others, or to cut a brick to fit a space - it's really tough to do if you're just a regular joe like me.

   But the craftsmen outside my window make it look easy - they pluck up a brick, apply mortar with a few quick movements of their trowel, and put it in place effortlessly.

   Which brings me to the latest issue of The Avengers, where we see Jonathan Hickman doing the same thing - building an impressive structure with what seems like no effort at all.

   But it's deceptive, of course. This issue brings together a number of threads that have been touched on over the last couple of years, as Tony Stark is forced to answer some direct questions posed by a very intelligent opponent.

   The events also dovetail into the struggles in New Avengers as we see the origin of a major-league menace. It's impressive to watch Hickman assembling this story, bit by bit, moment by moment, and create a riveting science fiction tale on a massive scale.

   Combined with the amazing art by Salvador Larroca, it's an impressive work of art and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. It's an involved story, and it's not always easy to follow as we wait for some aspects to be explained - but it's very, very good.

Grade: A

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Catching Up!

   I'm falling down on the job this weekend, gentle readers!

   I ran out of town for some family fun and managed a triple fail on the blog:

   1) I didn't get a comic review posted on Friday (I barely got one done for Saturday);
 
   2) I missed Free Comic Book Day - I tried to visit the local shop in the town I was visiting, but the line was down the block - I didn't have the time (or energy) to stand in the line;

   3) I haven't seen Amazing Spider-Man 2 yet - a friend tells me he loved it, but other reviews haven't been so kind. I hope to post a review within the next few days.

   If you have any comments about Free Comic Book Day (or any other releases), send 'em along to our email at Chuckscomicoftheday AT gmail.com and I'll post it here.

   Thanks for your patience with me - much appreciated!

 

The Flash Annual #3

   When I complain about how lame annuals have become, I always feel like a typical geezer ("Things were so much better when I was a kid")... but I'll take my chances - here comes another rant.

   This Flash Annual stinks.

   Part of that is because it's a dirty trick. The story in Flash #30 was continued into this annual, forcing regular readers to buy this to find out what happens next.

   But it gets worse. The story doesn't end here - it's continued into the next issue of The Flash - so what you have here is just a slightly-longer, more expensive version of a regular issue of The Flash.

   And then there's the fact that the story itself is a mess. It offers a look at the present-day Flash as he takes on some lame villains; and the Flash of the future as he crosses a line that he should never cross.

    But the issue's greatest offense is what it does to Wally West. That character - Iris West's nephew - was the original Kid Flash, and later took over the role of The Flash for years - in fact, for many readers, he is "The" Flash. But this issue introduces Wally to the "New 52," and he's just a punk kid, committing acts of vandalism. He can presumably be redeemed - and he means a lot to future Barry Allen - but so far, his story is off to a depressing start.

   The one good thing about the issue is the artwork by Ron Frenz, as he tells the modern-day part of the story. (Brett Booth does fine work on the future story, too.)

   Despite being a big fan of the Barry Allen version of the Flash, I'm about ready to drop this series - after more than two-and-a-half years, the story is going nowhere - and worse, it's dragging my hero through the mud. Hard to keep supporting that sort of thing, isn't it?

Grade: D

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Amazing Spider-Man #1

   At last the real Spider-Man (Peter Parker) is back, so I happily pick up an issue to see if my favorite hero is back in good form.

   Sadly, no.

   Instead of a special first issue that brings back the greatest hero in comics, we have a special issue that serves as a commercial / teaser for upcoming issues (how I hate paying for promos), features a reprint of Inhuman #1 (I already paid for a copy that I didn't enjoy, thanks), and has a lead story that features the return of goofy, inept Spider-Man who bumbles around fighting third-string villains (I was hoping for funny, heroic, adventurous Spider-Man who can match any villain). And yes, there's a big difference between a hero who's funny and one who is goofy.

   Oh, and it cost 6 bucks.

   The art is by a small army of artists, with rather mixed results - some is quite good, some is pretty shaky - it all feels very rushed and disjointed. And why does his "fiancee" look like a 12-year-old? Is she really three feet tall?

   I'm asking because I have no idea.

   It's a shame - for several decades (starting when I picked up my first issue in the mid-'60s) Spider-Man was my favorite super-hero. But I dropped his title years ago when the company lost sight of what made him a great character. This was a step in the right direction toward getting Spidey back to that spot - but judging by this issue, he still has a long hike ahead of him.

Grade: C

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New Comics Day

   I'm running a day late - finally got back in town after a work-related trip and got to the comics shop today. Here's what I picked up: 

- Avengers #28 - Showdown between Bruce and Tony.

- Avengers World #5 - A revelation.

- Flash Annual #3 - Fight in the future.

- Hulk #2 - Versus the Abomination.

- King Conan #3 - Continuing the adaptation of Conan the Conqueror.

- New Avengers #17 - When worlds collide!

- Serenity #4 - Run away!

- Silver Surfer #2 - Stranger and stranger.

- Amazing Spider-Man #1 - Celebrating the return of the real Spider-Man.

- All-New X-Men #26 - Trouble at the door.

   And that's it!

The Classics - Sub-Mariner #8

   If a casual reader wondered why Marvel Comics became such a hot commodity - especially in the '60s - this issue of the Sub-Mariner is a perfect example of why the House of Ideas was the place to be.

   In an issue that's part flashback (as Namor discusses his early career and his first human friends when he came to New York in the 1940s) and part donnybrook.

   The story is being narrated by a mysterious woman writing the events in a diary. She relates how the police recovered a mysterious helmet - the one that powered one of Namor's foes, and would cause even more problems in the future for the entire world.

   The helmet is being carried to a safe place by the wise-cracking  Thing, which gives legendary artist John Buscema a great excuse to craft a heckuva knock-down, drag-out fight between the two characters.

   And it's worth noting that, at this point, this was one of the few times we saw someone other than Jack Kirby drawing everyone's favorite member of the Fantastic Four. I remember being surprised at how different Buscema's version was - but I liked it. Which was good, since he'd eventually take over the title after Kirby left.

   At any rate, the battle finally concludes as an unexpected figure intervenes - and the twist on the final page, as the identity of the narrator is revealed, is genuinely moving - something that's all too rare in comics.

   I can probably count on one hand the number of comics that actually left me choked with emotion - and this is one of them.

   It was that combination of action, great art, humor and a lot of heart that made Marvel the best in the business.

Grade: A

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Justice League United #0

   I admit that I was going to pass this comic up - does the world really need another Justice League title?

   But when I saw it at the comics shop, I picked it up - because there on the cover was one of my all-time favorite characters, Adam Strange.

   So I bought Justice League United - and enjoyed it quite a bit.

   Writer Jeff Lemire is actually creating Justice League Canada here, including a new character and quite a few old favorites, including Martian Manhunter, Stargirl, Green Arrow, Animal Man and (eventually) Supergirl.

   The team is called together to investigate an apparent alien invasion, and the story is told with humor and sets up an interesting mystery.

   The art by Mike McKone is very good, with strong visuals and layouts and some lovely environments - and I like his heroic character designs.

   The only thing I don't like is the handling of Adam Strange. The original character was the thinking man's hero, outwitting menaces and traveling across the gulf of space to Rann (and his beloved Alanna), where he was a planetary hero. Back on Earth, he was unknown.

   But in the "New 52," that's all been pitched. Instead, he's an archaeologist on Earth who stumbles onto alien artifacts. Alanna is his research assistant. He's not particularly capable or interesting here (though, granted, we're in the early part of the team's origin).

   It's discouraging, but hopefully it'll be rectified soon. If not, I'll be dropping this one quickly.

Grade: B

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Fathom: Kiani #2

   It's good to shake things up from time to time.

   Up until this point, the character Kiani has been something of a force of nature - a fighter with few equals.

   Being from the undersea race known as The Blue, she's spent virtually her whole life in that realm - but now she is trying to take control of her life, so she comes to the surface world and makes new friends.

    But her life is soon disrupted by an insistent Russian scientist who reveals he's from the same underwater race - so (for somewhat mysterious reasons), Kiani decides to cooperate with his research - but the results will be explosive.

   It would be easy to criticize this comic for having virtually no action in it - there's a lot of backstory revealed and a new ally (or is he?) to discuss - but I've had a peek at the next issue and it'll more than make up for the calm tone here.

   As always, Giuseppe Cafaro's art is excellent, loaded with strong layouts, great characters and (naturally) beautiful women.

    And give writer Vince Hernandez credit for taking this story in an unexpected direction - the comic book standard would have included a mindless brawl - instead, we get a thoughtful exchange.

Grade: B+

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Fantastic Four #3

   It's just my opinion, of course, but I don't think the Fantastic Four lend themselves to dark storylines.

   Which is not to say that they can't be part of stories wherein bad things happen. But at their core, the team is built on a sense of optimism - and that aspect is not much in evidence (so far) in this story.

   Of course, you have to expect that from a story titled "The Fall of the Fantastic Four."

   So we've seen New York suffer under an attack by a strange army of inhuman creatures (not to be confused with the actual Inhumans) - an attack that seemed to originate in the Baxter Building (the FF's home).

   And this issue focuses on Johnny Storm, who's suffering some unexpected aftereffects in the wake of that attack. We also check in on the rest of the extended family as they go on a unusual tour - and Reed Richards makes a shocking discovery.

   To its credit, this issue finally kicks into high gear - but not until the final pages.

   The art by Leonard Kirk and Karl Kesel is very good, with strong character designs and impressive environments.

   I'm trying to be patient - I know writer James Robinson is capable of excellent work - but this story is taking its sweet time in rolling out. But so far, I'm hanging in there.

Grade: B+

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Guardians of the Galaxy #14

   When it comes to numbering its issue, Marvel likes to have its cake and eat it, too.

   Thus this issue, #14, is billed as a "Double-Sized Anniversary Issue!" Ah, but what issue is it? Nowhere in the issue does it explain.

   I believe this is considered to be issue #200 of Guardians of the Galaxy, which would include all the issues from the '70s and '80s version of the team, and all the mini-series covering the adventures of the modern version of the group (which actually has very little to do with the original team of freedom fighters, as far as I know).

   This is the issue where everything goes wrong for the team, as the members are attacked while everyone's off following their own pursuits.

   (And why is Venom in this title now? Apparently he was traded to the GotG by the Avengers in a comic I didn't read - perhaps for a player to be named later.)

   It's written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Nick Bradshaw, one of Marvel's newest and brightest talents. The second half of the issue gives us a look at Groot's (strange) history, and another short story that sets up an interesting meeting that I can't talk about for fear of spoiling the fun (but it's a meeting that's long overdue).

   I've been enjoying this series so far, but it still needs to give us a good reason to like these characters (or even root for them to win). So far we haven't seen a lot of that - which is surprising, since characterization is Bendis' strong suit.

   But there's a lot of hoo-hah action, so that helps.

Grade: B+

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The Flash #30

   I have to admit that this issue of The Flash confused me (though that's apparently the idea).

   It starts out five years in the future, as Iris is apparently badly hurt in an accident of some kind - and someone else has died. The Flash shows up too late to save the day.

   Then we jump to the present, where Central City (like the rest of the world) is still recovering from the Crime Syndicate attacks in the Forever Evil mini-series (which, we should note, hasn't actually ended yet).

   Then we jump further into the future, where we see a version of the Flash acting in an unstable way.

   So what's going on? No idea.

   Most of the issue is given over to Barry Allen attending a session with a psychologist to discuss the recent trauma the members of the police department have been through.

   While he's discussing his feelings, he keeps ducking out at super-speed to continue his work rebuilding the city, trying to make amends for the fact that he wasn't there when an army of villains attacked.

   This story should be of interest to long-time fans of the series, because it finally brings up a name that fans have been asking about since the beginning of the "New 52" stories (and no, I'm not talking about Mopee).

    The story by Robert Venditti and Van Jensen is ok, but it only manages to raise lots of questions (and may well cheese off some fans) - and provides no answers.

   The art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund is pretty solid, but there's not much variety - we either see page after page of Barry sitting in the doctor's office, or poster pages of the Flash running through the city - and that's about it. It would be nice if the story would give the hero more to do.

   So this series continues on the same track it's been on for two-and-a-half years, loaded with stories that are ok - but not much more than that.

Grade: B

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Original Sin #0

   It's time for Marvel's latest event, and I already hate Original Sin.

   To be fair, I don't hate this issue. It focuses on The Watcher, one of Marvel's oldest characters and one of the all-time greatest cosmic supporting characters.

   Considering that his race has always been dedicated to watching events, but forbidden to interfere (wink, wink), he's a fascinating character - and when he shows up, it usually means something big is about to happen.

   Mark Waid writes this issue, which is a great recap of the history and purpose of the character, as seen through the eyes of one of Marvel's newest heroes - Nova.

   Jim Cheung, Paco Medina and five inkers provide the artwork, and it's excellent, giving the Watcher a suitably alien look and environment, but instilling in the characters a strong heft and real-world grit. Lovely work.

   So what's not to like? It's the well-advertised promise that the event will focus on the death of the Watcher.

   It's a story point with no bite. Even if it stands, another Watcher will simply be assigned to take his place. And it's difficult to believe that a cosmic being capable of watching alternate realities isn't able to protect himself from an attack from a mortal creature.

   I know, I shouldn't pre-judge.

   I'll read the series, because I love the characters - it also will include the original Nick Fury, which also causes concern, frankly, since these events are required to include one or more "shocking" deaths.

    So I'll buy it. And then I'll have good reason to hate it. (Kidding! Mostly.)

Grade: A-

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