Comics Reviews (January 14th, 2015)

Worst to best, everything I paid money for.

Also, boo to Marvel for not reprinting Miracleman #14. As someone who has paid $65 towards getting a full run of Miracleman in single issue form, I find the fact that they’ve decided to just not release a readable version of one of the best issues in the run a slap in the face. What, would it just not be a run of Miracleman without completely fucking up at some point? Moore was wise not to have his name on this shitshow.

Rat Queens Special: Bragga #1

I’ve not been excited about this book in a bit, and so came at this as a sort of “why am I pulling you again” issue, since a one-off special ought be a good place to showcase the book’s strengths. This was competent but doesn’t seem to have anything new to say over the last few issues, and I think I’ll drop it.

Captain Marvel #11

I’ve more or less enjoyed DeConnick’s Captain Marvel, and I like the basic idea of the character and DeConnick’s approach, but I haven’t felt excited by the book in a while, and I think this is my jumping off point. I thought the “let’s do an issue back on Earth” was going to be a great premise. Instead it’s mostly concerned with stopping a kind of two-bit villain from the end of DeConnick’s Avengers Assemble run. With both this and Rat Queens, I have the sense that the writers had a brilliant miniseries worth of concept, and are wasting it on a pretty good extended run.

SHIELD #2

Will not be adding this. I see what it’s going for, and the ending is sweet. Waid is good at this sort of book – I remain fond of his unloved The Brave and the Bold at DC. But it’s not grabbing me, and even Kamala Khan, who looks a strong contender for “most important new Marvel character of the last ten years,” doesn’t enliven this much, in part as I’m not massively sold on her characterization by Waid.

Daredevil #12

As I’ve said, we’re into the tail end of this run, and it’s best ideas are used. This is fine and fun, and I’ll read it to the end. Was a great Daredevil run. But I’m not going to miss it when that end comes.

Star Wars #1

Adequate. I’m not much of a Star Wars fan, but this is solidly written and paced. It seems to cover the same basic conceptual ground as Brian Wood’s Star Wars series late in the Dark Horse license. But it’s well done. I’m mostly sticking around because it’s got a Kieron Gillen series to tie into, though.

Silver Surfer #8

I’m interested to see how this plays out, which is good for the first issue of a storyline, but equally, it’s the sort of plot that tends to go very wrong for me when it goes wrong. Still, we’re getting Michael Allred-drawn Galactus next issue, and that’s exciting no matter how you slice it.

Stumptown #5

Good resolution on this. I’m excited to see more Stumptown – I’m glad it’s returning in just a couple months this time. This is a book that’s never really been allowed to take wing for Rucka, but that he should be very good at. The first arc still isn’t soaring, but this is very much a book that has my attention.

Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #9

I did not enjoy this two issue arc, although I at least respected this issue. Marquez has some cute Sienkiewicz riffs throughout, and the last few pages are golden, but it really felt awkward coming between the resolution of the Green Goblin arc and the Hydra stuff we’re apparently doing next month. Still, this was a nice issue of the serial that is this book.

Lazarus #14

Another “nice issue of the serial that is this book issue, as the conclave plot comes to an interesting climax, with all of the characters being put in more exciting positions as a result of it. This can be a bit slow monthly, but it’s never hard to pick up and follow, and you can tell it’s going to be phenomenal in trade.

Batgirl #38

I’m really loving this book, and I’m glad the creators responded appropriately to the observations of transphobia in the previous issue. This is a very nice return to form.

Avengers #40

I love the decision to just brutally wrap up some plot lines here, in the middle of the “Time Runs Out” countdown. It’s cruel and direct and savvily based on the plotting rhythms of comics. This is the point in the countdown where the initial excitement has flagged but Secret Wars still feels ages away, and Hickman made a great storytelling choice with it.

Supreme: Blue Rose #6

This book has just been Warren Ellis doing a Hickman riff, only more ambitiously and in a fraction the number of issues. Very, very clever and bold. I’m glad Ellis has and uses the freedom to make strange books like this.