Comic Book Recaps

11/07/2024

The Bible Belt, y’all.

09/05/2024

08/05/2024

70s DC Cinematic Universe

07/05/2024

04/05/2024

May The Fourth Be With You

03/05/2024

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY IS TOMORROW! Check out your local comic book store!

03/05/2024

Happy Friday!

11/04/2024

Superman 84 and 84 vol. 2 (DC, 1993) This is a tragic 2 part tale that revolves around with the Toymaker** and Superman supporting character Cat Grant. Issue 84 is sad, though I knew what happens in the story before I read it. But the resolution in Issue sent me for a loop. Basically, a child is killed and a parent is hellbent on revenge, with nothing to stop her...but the writer decided to end the story on a neat and clean note that didn't sit right. The resolution was the "right one" but it was made because this had to be wrapped up in 2 issues. The good thing is that this is a story that does not rely on Superman's powers to move the story. The bad thing is the story happens solely because Superman is not around when bad things happen, and Superman doesn't even have to wrestle with his conscience about that. There is a lot of wasted character potential. These comics are still recommended. -Tim

ETA: Toyman, not Toymaker (It's on the cover, duh. Thanks for the correction, D. Wightman)

02/04/2024

New Avengers 16 (Marvel, 2017) Great art and cover art. There are a bunch of Marvel characters in here that I like including Angar the Screamer and Squirrel Girl. This is part 5 of story that ALSO crosses over with the linewide event called Civil War 2. I enjoyed the story because I read enough Civil War 2 to understand what was happening. It's not a must read, but I dug it.

29/03/2024

The Dark Knight Returns: Last Crusade (DC, 2018) This comic is meant to be the prequel to The Dark Knight Returns. It tells the story of why Batman retired. The images of Batman and Robin illustrated by John Romita Jr. are so classic and awesome. The seemingly demonic hold that Joker has over the insane inmates of Arkham Asylum is frightening. I was riveted the whole time until the weirdly abrupt ending. This comic would be better with a better more solid and informed ending, especially people reading this for the first time with no knowledge of the events to come in the later DKR stories. Recommended.

28/03/2024

Fantasy Masterpieces #6 (Marvel, Original Release 1969/Reprint 1980) This is a reprint of Silver Surfer #6 from 1969. It's pedestrian af. Silver Surfer who has been banished to the planet earth by Galactus, tries to escape by traveling to the future. He is free of his confinement, but finds the whole inhabited universe has been destroyed or subjugated by a powerful and malevolent force. So he time travels back to the point where the force was created, stops it from happening then goes back in time to "the present" to be confined to earth once more. It's a mediocre story.

27/03/2024

Bishop: War College (Marvel, 2023) This is a fine story that takes place during the Krakoa-Era of the X-Men, before Fall of X. Bishop is training a special force of some young mutants to protect Krakoa at all costs. There's an invasion and multi-dimensional travel and the young team has to fight without their leader. It was fine, but it's what I call a "throwaway story". Kind of forgettable. You can take it or leave it.

26/03/2024

Fantastic Four 9 (Marvel, 2023) I don't think I like Ryan North's writing. I didn't like any of his Squirrel Girl comics, even though I like that character. I have read a few issues of his current run on FF and I only liked one story. And this story ain't it. It's just pedestrian s**t: An alien force has taken over the mind of half of the FF and pits them against each other. North also tries telling the story from blind Alicia Masters POV. I don't think it works so well. Not Recommended.

25/03/2024

Jessica Jones 13 and 14 (Marvel, 2017) Yet again, Jessica has to face off against the man the damned near ruined her entire life, her nemesis the Purple Man. But since original creator of the horrendous story of Jess vs. Purple Man, Brian Michael Bendis wrote the story, and it is done very well, I'll give it a pass. This is only the first 2 parts of a 6 issue story. Highly Recommended. -Tim

23/03/2024

Icons: Cyclops #1 and #2 (Marvel, 2002) These are the first two issues of a solo cyclops four issue mini-series. These two issues let Cyclops be the bad ass that he is. And i read this on the same week X-Men '97 debuted which also put some repeck on Cyclop's name. In the first issue, Cyclops vs. Juggernaut in a life and death battle, and Cyclops is as cool and effortless in his actions as John Wick (without the murder). Admittedly, Juggernaut is nerfed way down by his love for Black Tom in issue 1. Unleashed, Juggernaut should be able to demolish cyclops. But as a Cyke fan, I'm fine with this for once. There is more hardcore cyclops action in Issue 2 and I'm on board to read the next two issues. This is written by fan favorite and Saga co-creator Brian K. Vaughn. Recommended. - Tim

21/03/2024

The Uncanny X-Men 142 (Marvel,) I read another Marvel re-print. This is the 2nd part of the classic 2 part "Days of Futurepast" story. I read the whole story once 14 years ago. I didn't think it was that great then. Probably because of years of expectations. For a long time, I thought this story was more than 2 parts, so I felt the story was a bit anemic. This time, I just sat down and read this without expectations, I really enjoyed it. The story is: An older Kitty Pryde and X-Men live in a dystopian future in which Sentinels have killed or imprisoned all mutants and superheroes. Kitty has to go back in time to stop the murder that started this downturn. This is mostly a fight story, with the X-Men vs. the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. It's a damn good fight story, with great character work and a heartbreaking and hopefuil ending. Recommended. - Tim

15/03/2024

She-Hulk #8, vol. 2 (Marvel, 2006) This is a Civil War crossover and it is one of the reasons why Civil War and it's crossovers worked for me. This issue covers an aspect of the conflict that has to be settled in court and it is done wonderfully. It's a done in one story, so everything is wrapped up a little too quick and neatly, but that's the cost of wrapping up a story in one issue. I'm here for it. Recommended. -Tim -hulk

14/03/2024

The Incredible Hulk 347 (Marvel, 1988) I've been a Hulk fan since I was a child in the 70s. I read a lot of Incredible Hulk comics in the 80s... but I've never read a Mr. Fixit story. I missed that whole era and never had a chance to go back. I read this recent reprint of Fixit's first appearance. It was quick, to the point action story with a little bit of gangster story in there as well. I loved it. It introduced the character of Marlo who was a Hulk and Captain Marvel mainstay (During the Peter David runs in the 90s). I enjoyed the story and would like to read more Mr. Fixit. Recommended. Please 'Like' this post.

14/03/2024

Animal Pound #1 (Boom, 2023) This is supposed to be a modern telling of 'Animal Farm'. but it's just a story about dogs and cats working together to takeover a pound from the humans running it. Maybe that's a metaphor for all groups coming together to overthrow the 1%. It's interesting and comes out every 2 months, so I may be able to keep up. It's interesting, so I will check out issue 2 to see if this becomes a modern classic. Recommended. -Tim

12/03/2024

The Incredible Hulk #55 (Marvel, 2003) This is a special 25 cent issue that was released when comics were like 2.50 or something. Of course, this is part 1 of a 5 part story, trying to goad folks into buying the whole thing. The story is a horror movie twist on Absorbing Man's power. He takes over his victims' bodies and controls their actions to do bad things. Murder etc. The Hulk does not show up once. The writer is Bruce Jones, known for his Horror anthology stories in the 70s and 80s. During his Hulk run, Jones' stories were all decompressed over 6 issues and written for the trade. I never made it past the 3rd issue of a story. This story ain't worth paying 12 more dollars for. Besides, Al Ewing did the whole Hulk-as-a-horror comic a whole lot better than this 17 years later with Immortal Hulk. -Tim

07/03/2024

Superman '78 Issue 1-3 (DC, 2021) This is the Superman vs. Brainiac movie that fans wanted for years. I always thought that brainiac is a boring Superman villain and that a Brainiac vs, Superman story would not make for a good movie. This comic is an argument against that. Wilfredo Torres' art captured the likenesses of the cast of the Richard Donner movies, especially Chris Reeves as Superman. Robert Venditti equally captured the tone of the movies and classic Superman stories. I've only read the first half of this series, but I enjoyed it. Recommended. - Tim

06/03/2024

Planet of the Nerds #2 and #3 (Ahoy Comics, 2019) These issues weren't anywhere near as good and interesting as the first issue. The first issue strands our main characters 40 year in the future. The world has changed and our 3 teen protagonists have nowhere to go...Just like this story, which meanders for these 2 issues. The characters being homeless, if only for a night or two, is treated as a joke and none of the scenes make sense or go anywhere. There are backup stories that are meant to flesh out the main characters lives. but are just cliche stories, that offer no meaningful insight. Not Recommended. 👎-Tim

05/03/2024

CHEAP BIN TUESDAYS: Planet of the Nerds #1 (Ahoy Comics, 2019) I've been wanting to check this out and it turns out it's as fun and (relatively) light as it looks. The title and cover seem like a throwback to the 80s...Because that's where the story begins. The story starts with a couple of 80s high school jocks physically assaulting and stalking a nerd named Alvin. Back in the 80s it was called 'bullying' or 'boys will be boys'. The first issue gives you a taste of the characters before it drops you into it's concept: Revenge of the Nerds meets Back to The Future in reverse. I dug it and would gladly check out the next issue. Recommended. -Tim. Please "Like" this review.

05/03/2024

Be-Bop and Rock Steady Hit the Road (IDW, 2018). This was a wild, over the top, cartoonishly violent, fast and furious ride through the Bonkers world of the ultimate Henchmen and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bad guys! This was as crazy good as I hoped it would be. The art is a bit wonky at times, but for the most part it fits the looney toons, multiverse hopping, mutated oddity of a story. This is a stand alone mini-series, but I have a feeling it is a continuation of a storyline in some other TMNT related comic book. I still recommend it.👍🏾 - Tim Please give this review a "like"!

02/03/2024

02/03/2024

Mystique & Gambit by Alexander Lozano

24/02/2024

Savage Dragon 265 (Image, 2023) This was a brutal issue (in terms of comic books). In one instance we see an act of shocking violence that will traumatize the characters for life. A couple of panels later, Dragon is cracking jokes to the villain like Spidey. Stuff like that combined with long hiatuses between issues make me think that this comic isn't high on Writer/Creator Erik Larsen's priority list anymore. But I am still enjoying Savage Dragon. Recommended.