Quick-Hit Reviews week of Jan. 19, 2011

 

We don’t just buy comics to review!  We love comics, but every week we collectively buy a few more comics that we can give full reviews to and it seems unfair to let them slip by unmentioned.  Thus, the quick-hit reviews….

Avengers Academy #8 – This is a really good series.  I don’t know if it is the “best Avengers series” because they’re all pretty darn good comics right now.  What I like about Avengers Academy is that you don’t know quite what to expect from the characters.  They’re new so they do new things AND since Marvel doesn’t really need 6 brand new heroes, you know they won’t be afraid to kill one of these kids off or have them go villainous.  This issue has a neat story where some of the kids decide to get some payback for The Hood’s attack on Tigra a few years ago.  Even though the teachers are aghast, I think all comics fans have wondered, “Why don’t the heroes ever just beat the snot outta the bad guys to teach them a lesson?”.  So, really enjoy Gage’s story.  I have liked McKone’s art mostly in this series, but he had a few funny faces in this issue and that’s a personal bugaboo of mine.  Bonus points with me from drawing a pretty accurate firearm in one particular seen of the Hood.  Grade: B+  — Dean Stell

Wolverine #5 – I love Jason Aaron (he is probably my favorite writer on a monthly basis right now), but this hasn’t been my favorite story of his.  I kinda like my Wolverine more grounded in reality that being mystically separated from his body and sent to hell.  Just not a huge demon fan, sorry.  But, that being said, this issue starts to really stitch the narrative together pretty well about how Logan got sent to hell and how he’s coming back.  I especially like the Mystique – Ghost Rider team-up.  Has that ever happened in Marvel comics before? My other quibble is with the art, as Guedes just isn’t doing it for me stylistically.  Just not sure he’s the right artist for this title.  Why not just have Ron Garney from the Wolverine Weapon X continue on this series instead of doing an Ultimates series that has bad sales?  I did love Jason Latour’s art in the back-up story.  Oh…and I really want Alpha Flight back so I wasn’t 100% pleased with where they left Puck at the end of this issue.  Grade: C+  — Dean Stell

Justice League of America #53 – I’ve really kinda enjoyed this arc of James Robinson’s JLA.  Sure Omega Man is kinda silly, but what I love about Robinson is that he’s just sooooo comic booky.  If you ever listen to an interview with the guy, he didn’t just read comics when he was a kid… he still reads a HUGE pile of them now, so his comics always have that slight sense of being connected to other comics that I love and miss from my childhood.  By the end of this story, this iteration of the JLA has shown that they can take care of an A-list threat despite not being a traditional heavy-hitter JLA line-up.  The only negative for me on this issue was Bagley’s art.  Even though I think he was a little miscast on this title, his art looked really rushed (like he knew this was his last DC assignment before going back to Marvel).  Grade: C+  — Dean Stell

 

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week:  Infinite Vacation #1 – Nick Spencer has launched another series with a neat concept and until he sends us a turd, we should all at least sample everything he launches.  The basic story in this issue is that you can buy/sell your reality with that of a “you” from a parallel universe by using a handy app on your iPhone.  Overslept for work?  You can change realities with another you who woke up on time for a fee.  Wanna be an astronaut?  That’s probably available too.  This has a lot of promise to dig into some interesting questions about “how much is enough happiness” and things like that.  The design on this comic is also very eye-catching.  Runner-up: Batgirl #17

Most Anticipated: Amazing Spider-Man #652 – I LOVED the first arc of Dan Slott’s run on ASM.  Of course, a big part of my love was due to Humberto Ramos’ art.  So, I’m curious to see how much I vibe on this new arc with new Marc Gargan Scorpion with Stefano Caselli art.  Honestly, it’ll be a tall order to make me not miss Ramos, but I’m hopeing that Slott/Caselli are up to the task.

Other Picks: Memoir #1, Morning Glories #6, Scarlet #4, Superior #4, 28 Days Later #19

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Amazing Spider-Man #651 – In art and writing, there were technically better issues this week.  Amazing Spider-Man #651 was not thought-provoking high literature.  What it was, however, was a big bundle of upbeat fun and that goes for both the words and the pictures.  I always feel really good after reading an issue of Dan Slott’s ASM and that counts for quite a lot.

Most Anticipated: Invincible Iron Man #500 – I’ve been a huge fan of Matt Fraction’s Iron Man and this is the motherlode right here.  The slow burn Detroit Steel plot comes to a head, we’re coming off the shocking return of Ezekiel Stane last month and, suffice it to say, things are at a fever pitch – absolutely perfect for a giant sized anniversary issue like this one.  Here’s hoping that Marvel does Iron Man justice and that we don’t just get a standard issue bulked out by a reprint.

Other Picks: Morning Glories #5, Thor #619, Scarlet #4, Wolverine #5, DMZ #61, Brightest Day #18