-I will be adopting a new format for my picks of the week so that the organization doesn’t look so bad. You will also see a lot more indie comics in my reviews in the coming months. Cheers.
DC:
DC PICK OF THE WEEK:
Justice League Dark #5
Written by: Peter Milligan
Drawn by: Mikel Janin
-Story: Shade the Changing Man and Madame Xanadu finally organize the team and get June Moon back into the Enchantress. While it wrapped up kind of quickly and the whole arc felt a little disjointed, I liked the John Constantine and Mindwarp parts of the book while the Enchantress and her cluelessness at the end were great. Zatanna and Shade also get some great moments in. Xanadu proves to be the worst team member yet but that’s okay because this book is going places.
-Writing: See with Peter Milligan you either get really great flowing, freeform writing or extremely repetitive work. The past 4 issues were incredibly repetitive but #5 proves itself to be the former with only slightly less annoying narration and some great dialogue exchange between Constantine and Deadman. Shade and Mindwarp get to be themselves here while Zatanna does some unexpected things that I’m sure Milligan had great fun writing. He also has a knack for dark, ethereal form.
-Art: Mikel Janin draws some neat photorealistic stuff but adds a more comic-book feel to it and a tinge of horror comic-style art. His pencils are complemented by thick inks and dark, muted colors that add to the creepiness the book give off.
4.5/5
Minor:
Aquaman #5
Written by: Geoff Johns
Drawn by: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
-Another Geoff book to kick off a nice Wednesday. Aquaman fares a lot better than Justice League did this week and that’s good, as some serious storytelling and super heroics are going on in this issue. Don’t let the solicits fool you though; this may be a one off, but it serves as an introduction into the next arc where things about to get deeper and mysterious. Aquaman gets plenty of great moments and it feels like he finally has a truly defined personality. Ivan Reis is the real unsung hero of this book, drawing some of the best environments seen in comics today and structuring his panels to where they almost have a freeform flow to them. I hope Aquaman gets Green Lantern-Space Opera epic later on. 4/5
The Flash #5
Written by: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Drawn by: Francis Manapul
-This was almost my pick of the week until I read JL Dark, which was ultimate more satisfying in the end for me. The Flash however deserves props for being fast on its feet in terms of both story and art. The Mob Rule story is wrapped up nicely but with a little hole left open for future use while we descend into a new arc with the classic rogues gallery. Manapul is making me like Barry Allen even more with the satisfying moments he gets and his newfound compassion for others. Basically, Manapul writes a Barry that isn’t a complete dick. Wally West be damned, this Flash is classic and wonderful. Manapul is still killing it on art by providing speedy movement between panels, intricate layouts, and a bunch of things moving in and out of panels all at once. The Flash is brilliant in every aspect right now. 4.5/5
Green Lantern: New Guardians #5
Written by: Tony Bedard
Drawn by: Tyler Kirkham and Batt
-Kyle Rayner is my favorite Lantern, and I’m glad to see him get a spotlight book, but I really wish this was a solo book, because the other members are boring. Arkillo, Larfleeze and the rest have nothing going for them that makes reading them worthwhile. Rayner gets all of the best character and action moments, but it feels like Bedard is bringing in some of the lame Blue Beetle writing he’s doing into GL: NG, and it’s not a good thing. Kirkham and Batt are solid on art, providing great constructs, energy blasts, and thick, chunky weight to the scene. I dig the art, appreciate the characters, and hate the writing. I will stick with it because I have too much love for Rayner at this point. 3/5
Justice League #5
Written by: Geoff Johns
Drawn by: Jim Lee
-This issue, whilst nearly finishing the storyline, feels light and fluffy as opposed to the meaty feel a Justice League book needs to have. Geoff starts out strong with a Flash and Superman race and some Batman/Green Lantern conversation but it just gets hackneyed from there with Hal and Wonder Woman spouting off the dumbest lines and Cyborg just barely getting a few things in. The Jim Lee art is spectacular as usual and makes up for the script problems with big action scenes and extremely detailed backgrounds and characters. I think Geoff needs to make Hal and Diana not so one-note in order to succeed as well as provide balance with who gets the big spot light. 4/5
Teen Titans #5
Written by: Scott Lobdell
Drawn by: Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
-Lobdell and Booth finally have a plotline finished but it immediately opens up a new one. It’s frustrating to see the team still being assholes to each other, but moments come through such as Red Robin’s inherent badassness, Superboy switching sides, and both Bunker and Solstice being the only caring members of the team. The fight scene was large and spectacular with all of the characters trying to one up each other but only Superboy truly pulling through the end. Booth and Rapmund really know how to draw a fight although some of the Kid Flash sequences are horrendously off. I’d also like to see a little more interaction between the team rather than just straight arguing. 3.5/5
Marvel:
Secret Avengers 21.1
Written by: Rick Remender
Drawn by: Patrick Zircher
-This was an odd way to do a jumping on-point but the ending made so much sense that it didn’t matter anyways. With the announcement of Rick Remender on writing I just had to jump on to Secret Avengers and this was actually a decent starting point. I still don’t like his narrow characterizations of making Cap and Hawkeye complete assholes but Zircher’s artwork complete with Remender’s simplistic story made this one for me. I will be jumping on Secret Avengers at #22. 3.5/5