#bendy vc: MOM

[drecmsdrcwn]

fantasywritten replied to your post.

Sammy vc: it’s because you exist and you’re not bendy, end of story

   ❝ MOM! DAD! GET YOUR FUCKING HUSBAND-- ❞

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1283

Monday, October 14, 2019

 Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to one and all. Thank-you for reading this. The Jee Gang gathered for a turkey dinner yesterday with the littlest 2-month-old Ashton being passed around like a hot potato because he was tired and cranky. His mom got him settled but you couldn't hear his tiny cries for the raucous noise from his cousins. The kids took over the larger formal dining room now that they outnumber us old folks. It was a nice big family affair.

 Gwenpool Strikes Back #3 - Leah Williams (writer) David Baldeon (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Gwenpool tries to save herself from cancellation by holding a "Contest of Champions" in this issue. Guest stars galore. This thing is so much fun.

 Catwoman #16 - Joelle Jones (story & art) Laura Allred (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). I'm glad I checked the credits on this issue since I said that I was going to let this cat out after reading last issue. I will always read a book by Joelle Jones even though this one had me befuddled with some jumping back and forth in time and the added "Year of the Villain" thing. I am curious to find out Catwoman's decision.

 Loki #4 - Daniel Kibblesmith (writer) Oscar Bazaldua (pencils) Oscar Bazaldua & Victor Olazaba (inks) David Curiel & Carlos Lopez (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I love a good trickster. Loki uses a good one to defeat Nightmare. I like this Loki.

 Detective Comics #1013 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Doug Mahnke (pencils) Keith Champagne & Christian Alamy (inks) David Baron (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). It's Batman versus Mister Freeze as the super villain tries to resurrect his dead wife. Batman's flame thrower costume is a cosplayer's wet dream

 Doctor Doom #1 - Christopher Cantwell (writer) Salvador Larroca (art) Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This was a pleasant surprise. The art caught my eye but the story is really good too. There's no sign of the good guy Sorcerer Supreme from a while ago. Just good old fashioned arrogant Victor. He scoffed at a new technology to reverse global warming and is accused of being jealous of it because it was invented by Reed Richards and Tony Stark. When disaster strikes, Latveria is blamed and Doctor Doom sacrifices himself for his country. The mystery is who framed him and I will keep reading to find out.

 Web of the Black Widow #2 - Jody Houser (writer) Stephen Mooney (art) Triona Farrell (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). What the!? Two Black Widows? Doctor Doom isn't the only one being framed for murder. I liked the clever cut-out on Nat's bathing suit.

 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #11 - Saladin Ahmed (writer) Ze Carlos (art pages 1-8) Ig Guara (art pages 9-20) Dono Sanchez-Almara with Protobunker (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Miles must solve the super hero's dilemma of saving a family member or a stranger's life. His decision leads to a confrontation with the Prowler. Is it Uncle Aaron? I can't wait to find out.

 White Fox #1 - Alyssa Wong (writer) Kevin Libranda & Geoffo (art) Israel Silva (colours)

VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Another Agent of Atlas super hero gets her origin story told. She's based on Korean folklore. It was very well done and almost makes me want to read the new team book. There's also a peek at the Future Avengers by Alyssa Wong (writer), Ale Garza (art), Dono Sanchez-Almara with Protobunker (colours) and VC's Joe Sabino (letters). They're an Asian version of the Young Avengers but these guys used to be Hydra agents in training. Read on if you're wondering what turned them into good guys.

 Age of Conan Valeria #3 - Meredith Finch (writer) Aneke (art) Andy Troy (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I wish the art inside was a nice as the Jay Anacleto cover.

 Marvel Action Spider-Man #9 - Delilah S. Dawson (writer) Fico Ossio (art) Ronda Pattison (colours) Shawn Lee (letters). The Black Cat gets caged as the kids finally work together and start to treat each other with respect. Next, things get even darker as Venom attacks.

 Batman 100 Page Giant #1 - There are five superb stories in this $4.99 US one-shot and you'll feel like you just read five $3.99 comic books when you hit the last page. The only story that was disappointing was the Batwoman story mainly because she was fighting a lame villain named Lord Death Man. It was written by Steve Orlando, who has never impressed me. The other four stories more than make up for it though, especially Scott Snyder's lengthy contribution. This book is a steal at twice the price.

 The Amazing Spider-Man #31 - Nick Spencer (writer) Ryan Ottley (pencils) Cliff Rathburn (inks) Nathan Fairbairn (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). More hints are given to the secret identity of the super villain Kindred. Definitely related to Norman Osborn. That mystery is the only thing keeping me reading this book. As if the waters weren't muddy enough, the guy in the straight jacket isn't even Norman. I hope we don't get strung along too much longer because there will come a point where I say screw it, I don't care anymore.

 Batman Universe #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Nick Derington (art) Dave Stewart (colours) Josh Reed & Tom Napolitano (letters). I don't mind this time traveling if it means that we see Batman and Green Lantern team up with Jonah Hex. The chase is on as Vandal Savage gets his hands on his prize. I know I've said that I don't like time travel and Vandal Savage, but this is a Bendis book and I'm a sucker.

 Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #2 - Jody Houser (writer) Adriana Melo (pencils) Mark Morales (inks) Hi-Fi (colours) Gabriela Downie (letters). I think the Floronic Man chowed down on Swampthing and Ivy is next on his menu. Well, it's Harley to the rescue and the girls seek help from a fellow super villain to see what's wrong with Ivy. I'm reading this because it looks so pretty.

 Powers of X #6 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) R.B. Silva & Pepe Larraz (art) Marte Gracia & David Curiel (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). The house is built and the power has been connected for a new X-verse. Jonathan Hickman has managed to make mutants relevant again for me. There are a half a dozen new mutant books coming out in the next six weeks starting with X-Men #1 hitting the racks October 16. I'll be reading them all to see how I feel about them but I can't imagine that they'll be all worthwhile.

 Event Leviathan #5 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Josh Reed (letters). I'm curious to find out who Leviathan is but it's not going to have a big impact on me since I'm not a huge DC fan. I'm sure DC fans might be able to suss out the secret given the Manhunter clue in this issue but I'm going to have to wait until next issue when all is revealed.

 Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #1 - Kami Garcia (writer) Mico Suayan & Mike Mayhew (art) Richard Starkings of Comicraft (letters). I love new and different takes on iconic characters and this one is a killer. Harleen Quinzel is Doctor Harley Quinn, GCPD profiler, who is working a 5-year-old cold case of the murder of a hospital employee. Meanwhile there are other new murders landing on her desk. The writing is tight and the characterisations are vivid, helped by the beautiful art. Mico's black and white art chronicles the present while Mike's gorgeous colour art handles the flashbacks. DC's Black Label imprint is well worth checking out if you're a mature reader. This mystery not only looked good but made me feel good after I finished reading. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

 Contagion #2 - Ed Brisson (writer) Stephen Segovia (art) Veronica Gandini (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I know I said that I wasn't going to read any more of this 5-issue mini but this was on the racks with the awesome Power Man and Iron Fist cover so I snagged one after I finished reading all the others for the week. This issue was better thought out and the story flowed smoothly. Ben takes Sue, Reed and Johnny to Doctor Strange for help and the two of them go back to Yancy Street to contain the infectious bad guy. Danny and Luke are there helping the first responders and a couple of surprise super heroes show up too. The villain is briefly subdued but Doc Strange and Power Man succumb to the disease at the end. Uh-oh. The next issue teaser has Jessica Jones so that's reason enough for me to want to read it.

[chosebravery]

me, late? you can (troy bolton vc) bet on it!!!!11!1

good morning / afternoon / evening, my children. my name is tea (or t, or anything you want; s/h pronouns) and i have been struggling with a flu for over a week now and things,,,have been difficult but i'm going to power through because i already adore this rp (the writers in here are no joke???) and i ought to present yall my daughter. i will babble a lil about her under the cut and if you want me to reach you out, like this post!!

 * △ — the dark lord has targeted [ ELIZABETH ROSIER NEE HEPBURN ] !  the muggles say she holds resemblance to [ ALICIA VIKANDER ]. the [ TWENTY EIGHT ] year old [ female ] was [ WARM & HELPFUL ] before the war, but have now become [ STUBBORN & SELF RIGHTEOUS ]. though they were once a part of [ GRYFFINDOR ], they have now taken up the position of a [ HEALER ]. whispers throughout the ministry claim that the [ MUGGLEBORN ] is actually [ AN ORDER MEMBER ], but i wouldn’t report that to the daily prophet.

the only child out of a quite unlucky couple, elizabeth was born in a household where people made gold out of grass. her parents were poor and unfortunate, but they loved each other--her father still claims so, even after her mother's passing when the girl was just three. mr. hepburn's optimism was what supported them--that and his gig at a pawn/repair shop at linlithgow; while he went on that and any part times he could find to keep up rent and put his daughter through school, said girl would be at home, holding onto what needed to hold and distracting herself with tales of other worlds.

as the daughter of an immigrant and an outsider, elizabeth grew to be peculiar, standing out from the rest of the people in the small town she came to live on after her mother’s passing. on the mid fifties, on a scottish town where nothing happened, people didn’t take very kindly to strangers disrupting their routine, but it was where elizabeth was to grow nevertheless; with a few years, name calling was something she learned to become unfazed by. despite however isolated and shunned she was then, she never imagined the magic of her books could become reality--the butterflies in her stomach were both of excitement and nervousness, a mix of feelings she would come to feel many times over the rest of her life. for good or bad, she was different (and this, too, would follow her for the rest of her life).

when her letter came, what she assumed to be a well conceited prank turned out to be her new astonishing reality. as she went through a wall and boarded a train, she was both terrified and amazed.

soft spoken, quiet and isolated, with a preference for long books and a tendence for distraction, elizabeth hepburn was hardly the model person for a gryffindor--she didn't think of herself courageous when the hat was placed on her head either, but there are all kinds of courage in this world, she was told. in the seven years to follow she had never watched injustice go free, nor she backed out when someone (anyone) needed her; beneath honey and unfailing kindness, in moments necessary, her voice was like thunder and her will unbreakable.

of course, sometimes it wavered--many were the times she almost gave up the wonderful magical castle when she thought of her father, all alone. he has refused this many times: she was meant for something more than a small town with ordinary people who did not appreciate her, mr. hepburn would tell her.

those years away at hogwarts installed a tradition of very long letters, written at least twice by week--flowery, extensive and very descriptive, they are still kept to this day by the old hepburn, and its sight is enough to make the daughter blush and smile sheepish. she is a sight when excited, all who know her know her passion.

her career in “wizard medicine” was a suggestion by a professor, who was aware of her excelling in herbology and potions, and her people skills (ironically, since she, then, was not the most social kid & her willingness to socialize and reach out was belated). despite over ten years working on st mungo, she still aspires for something more; her husband & her shares a dream to open a book shop of their own, but due to more pressing events, it keeps being pushed forward.

she married domitius on the spring of 72, about 26 months after they bonded while she nursed him back to health. her interest in men -- or relationships in general -- had been nonexistent until then, so it was a surprise not only for his prejudiced pureblooded family but also for those who knew elizabeth. regardless, she claims he is first her best friend, her soulmate, then her husband--he is also father of her children: five year old twins daniel and isolde & little cosette, not much older than a year old. if you catch fictional characters names in there, you’re spot on (she is a nerd even as a mom, yes--fitting too, as her own name had come from the iconic austen heroine).

currently she works at the janus thickey ward as its healer in charge, although her presence is often required on the dai llewellyn ward due to her experience with some incidents’ injuries; it’s not uncommon to see her reading the newspapers, books and letters to the patients.

however, it has been over a year since she last stepped on st mungo. her youngest child was born on early 1978, so elizabeth has been on maternity leave since then; as much as she loves her children (and she does, overwhelmingly so), the life of a stay at home mother does not agree with her anxiety so she is very eager to return to her routine, even if it means she has to stay away from her children for more than she wished she would--she takes as advantage her father is so good with them, and always willing to crash in their spare bedroom.

she is virtually incapable of staying still--if not with her nose in a book, it’s likely she is walking around, doing whatever needs to be done around wherever she is (and this does not only apply to her own house, much to her friend’s dismay). her nervous tics include tapping her fingers, tucking her hair behind her ears and biting her lips; fiddling with her clothes and her wand also apply so it’s not uncommon she is keen to hold people’s hands to prevent the anxiety to be too transparent.

elizabeth’s ethical code is incorruptible, which is one of the main causes for any friction she may create with others--another would be her inability to stay still in face of wrongdoing; blindly, she will not admit she is a bit of a nosy judgmental holier-than-thou. thankfully (debatable for some), all that makes her just right to fight for the order.

elizabeth has an intimate knowledge of muggle mechanics, due to her father’s main line of work during her childhood years; even now, when she has lived most of her life in the wizard world, she is still curious and eager to learn and be connected with the muggle world and often finds herself doing things the muggle way.

EXTRAS (ish):

she is a saggitarius!! which is not what people first think of her, but elizabeth is just like um don’t judge a book by its cover ok. but i don’t blame people who take her as a virgo because ya know, girl is kinda....very virgo lmao (it is her ascendant anyways shhh). she was also born on 1950, which makes her a grandma tiger; she graduated hogwarts on 1968 (i don’t think there’s anyone who could have been classmates w her but,,,i’d die for this so pls bring me more old people!!!)

her wand is made of laurel wood & phoenix feather; it is quite bendy and is 10 3/4 in size. overall, i found it all very fitting!! laurel wands are said unable to perform a dishonorable act, and it does not accept lazy owners, who are often on a quest for glory -- it combines rather well with the flexibility, fitting for a woman who can not stand still / doing nothing / saying nothing for more than ten minutes.

her patronus is a weasel! people with this patronus tend to be ruled by instincts and very intuitive, and to be polite, honest and hardworking. (source)

her amortentia’s scents are old manuscripts (she is passionate about books, but she adores old editions because of how personal they are), fresh ink (she is often writing something, and always carries both quills and muggle pens with herself), the first batch of bread of the day (she just,,,loves bread. it is a very nostalgic scent for her, remeting from her childhood), geer oil (her father is a mechanic, and often she helped him), chamomile (known for its calming effects, the rosier plants chamomile in their garden & it is elizabeth’s husband to go choice of tea).

talking about scents, homegirl often smells of herbs. her husband keeps telling her she smells so good and like, yeah, he is cheesy as hell, but i’m pretty sure she does smell like heaven.

also about scents: she hates coffee and is the founder of coffee sucks society ™ . expect dissertations about this on my writing.

pretty much all else i can say / know about her are on the many profiles i’ve sent on my app. you can find them here if you don’t mind the length ( 1, 2, 3, 4) & her aesthetics here + a weheartit collection (aint nobody got time for that other site) here.

[wednesdaywarriors]

Comic Review: Jessica Jones #13

Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Michael Gaydos (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters) *CONTAINS SPOILERS*

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* I simply cannot say enough about this series or story, so I will start by saying THAT LAST PAGE. No spoilers, but damn does Bendis know how to kick you right in the gut and curse the evilness of cliffhangers. By far my favorite thing about this Jessica Jones run is that it shows us how Jess deals with her identity as both a superhero (of sorts) and as a mom. Dani is clearly the most important thing in her life, and she has had to grapple with the juxtaposition of her two roles in a way that keeps her daughter as safe as possible. But how do you keep anyone safe from the Purple Man? Apparently, even if you’re Jessica Jones, you don’t. This story left me anxious even though there was not a lot actually going on and no way of knowing whether or not Killgrave was going to show back up in Jess’ life directly. Her anxiety paired with Luke‘s made the whole story pump with adrenaline, and it was impossible to not share their intense uneasiness. Having Carol attempting to ground and calm Jess didn’t do much for her or me, and while it seems unlikely that anything too horrible would happen to Dani, it didn’t help take away the fear that it could. Overall, I haven’t ever been so nervous reading a comic, and the suspense and tone made it one of the best issues so far in the series. It’s a testament to Bendis’ writing that even with so little actual action, I felt so on edge throughout the whole issue. Still annoyed that I have to wait a whole month for the follow up.

[columbuscomicscorner-blog]

INVINCIBLE IRON HEART #10 **MINOR SPOILERS**

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artists: Stefano Caselli, Marte Gracia, Israel Silva, VC’s Clayton Cowles Cover Artists: Stefano Caselli, Marte Gracia Publisher: @marvelentertainment NCBD: 8/16/17 Review by: Ryan Douglas

Whether Riri Williams liked it or not, she just overthrew what was rubles of a government in Latveria. Sharon Carter with the fleet of S.H.I.E.L.D come to see the Pleasantville town Riri has created, it’s night and day. General Karadick hasn’t smiled since Doom controlled Latveria, he fully supports Riri running things. Sharon can’t believe the laid back environment Riri has created, seeing doom-bots feeding a caring for the children.

Riri didn’t plan for the country to accept her so easily. But she plans to see things are set right before giving control over S.H.I.E.L.D. That includes demanding supplies the country will need to sustain and run itself. I’m assuming General Karadick will be entrusted to steer the ship forward.

While in Chicago, Riri’s mother is paid a visit by an Inhuman and expects the worst news about her daughter. When that’s cleared up, the Inhuman cuts to the point attempting to entrap her. The Inhuman and the party she speaks on behalf of, come off as a shady organization the Avengers should question more.

After giving Sharon an example of her dictatorship skills, Riri stands her ground, proving her cause and knocking Sharon off her high horse. This allows Latveria a prospect of rebuilding the country until Victor Von Doom ever reclaims his throne. This incident places Ironheart on the front pages of the Daily Bugle! Now that’s an accomplishment for the young superhero. But her mother may indifferent about Riri’s actions. Moms know best.

Overall:  Don’t let the cover fool ya, you’ll get very little of that particular plot. But we finally got the issue where Riri Williams shows she can and will do good for the world. I have to keep in mind, Riri is still a young character and may have a giant ego after this incident. If she was to step back from wearing the armor, she has many opportunities to make changes under her real name. With Legacy around the corner, there’s no telling where she’ll end up [Keep in mind, I don’t read solicits for many books]. For the first time since the series started, the issue gave me a true appreciation these first two volumes. Brian Michael Bendis took me through a slow burn I can get behind. Whatever happens after this good or bad, I’ll always have these first ten issues to go back and read through. I’ve been a champion for Riri Williams creating her own armor and making a new name if she continues her superhero ventures. Living up to Tony Starks name can only work for so long, Riri Williams will only get lost in his lure and never putting her true stamp on the Marvel Universe. The art is never an issue and only heightens my enjoyment of this issue. 

9.5/10

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1171

Monday, July 17, 2017

 Same excuse as last week for the delayed posting but boy am I ever having fun out there.

 Spider-Man II #1 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Sara Pichelli (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Chris Eliopoulos (letters). This is awesome sauce. You all probably think that I'm a Brian Michael Bendis sychophant for praising his comic books so highly but the guy writes stories that make me happy. In this sequel to the first meeting between Miles Morales (Spider-Man) and Peter Parker (The Amazing Spider-Man) the two heroes will meet someone surprising that I didn't even think about until Brian introduces them in this story. That's one of the things that I love about his writing. He seems to be able to surprise me every single time and makes the fanboy in me giddy with delight. Sara's art is beautiful as always. I liked how she aged Miles a little here. This was a great way to start off this week's pile of comic books.

 Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #24 - Robert Venditti (writer) Ethan Van Sciver (art) Jason Wright (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Part 3 of "Fracture" shows us John Stewart's strength of character as he decides what to do about Tomar-Tu's crime. The high road is a very rough one.

 Groo: Play of the Gods #1 - Sergio Aragones & Mark Evanier (writers) Sergio Aragones (art) John Ercek & Tom Luth (colours) Stan Sakai (letters). In this new 4-issue mini Groo searches for the best cheese dip in the world and struggles with religious persecution. This will sell like gangbusters in the bible belt.

 Uncanny Avengers #25 - Jim Zub (writer) Kim Jacinto, Jahnoy Lindsay & Juanan Ramirez (art) Tamra Bonvillain & Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Good guys being turned into bad guys is a popular theme in comic books. Here we have Doctor Voodoo possessed by a nightmare creature intent on taking Manhattan. Teamwork saves the day. I learned that Captain America was turned into a Hydra agent by a Cosmic Cube. Still doesn't change my opinion that was a dumb idea.

 Wonder Woman #26 - Shea Fontana (writer) Mirka Andolfo (art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This was a very mundane issue until the very last panel and boy howdy am I glad that the next one hits the racks in two weeks.

 CALEXIT #1 - Matteo Pizzolo (writer) Amancay Nahuelpan (art) Tyler Boss (colours) Jim Campbell (letters). Read this first issue and the title will make sense. Here is a United States of America where California has left the union. Get it now? It's like BREXIT where Britain voted to leave the European Union. The story is centered around an anti-government rebel on the run and the very bad man chasing her. I liked this as much as the other "screw the feds" book on the racks, Briggs Land. Matteo created compelling characters and Amancay's art looks like a cleaner Paul Pope. Plus he's Canadian eh. I recommend this.

 Weapon X #5 - Greg Pak (writer) Marc Borstel (art) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Part 3 of W.M.D. shows you just how utterly nasty the bad guys are. They do not treat their staff very well.

 Detective Comics #960 - James Tynion IV (writer) Alvaro Martinez (pencils) Raul Fernandez (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). Part 3 of "Intelligence" shows us why Batman is asking Zatanna for help. Meanwhile Jean-Paul/Azrael is going through some changes. The two storylines are very interesting and I like that Batman is playing a bigger part in this book.

 Briggs Land: Lone Wolves #2 - Brian Wood (writer) Mack Chater (art) Lee Loughridge (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). Of course you realise, this mean war. What else would you expect between the government and a community of antigovernment secessionists with both sides armed to the teeth?

 Amazing Spider-Man #30 - Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I love this new and improved Doc Ock. Looks like sneaky Otto is going to come out the winner this time. The brief "Secret Empire" tie-in was notable for the change in the relationship between Peter Parker and Bobbi Morse.

 Action Comics #983 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Viktor Bogdanovic (pencils) Viktor Bogdanovic & Jonathan Glapion (inks) Mike Spicer (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Well, the gang's all here. Superman has his allies and General Zod has his bad guys. This is one of those "uh-oh" issues where things look most dire for our heroes.

 Kill or be Killed #10 - Ed Brubaker (writer) Sean Phillips (art) Elizabeth Breitweiser (colours). We meet Dylan's mom and she's a sweet lady. On the other hand the demon reappears.

 Hulk #6 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) George Duarte (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Jennifer seems to have come to terms with her smashing alter ego and is using her powers to help others now. I was disappointed that Mariko did not show us what happened to the scum bag that started this current mess.

 American Gods #5 - Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell (writers) P. Craig Russell (layouts) Scott Hampton (art & colours) Rick Parker (letters). If you haven't read the novel, I recommend it. The comic book is a visual enhancement. We get to the house on the rock this issue.

 The American Way: Those Above and Those Below #1 - John Ridley (writer) Georges Jeanty (pencils) Danny Miki (inks) Nick Filardi (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). I liked the first story that hit the racks in 2006 and this new story is just as good. We're into the 1970s now and racial tension is the main theme of this story. Decades of conflict and America still can't get it right.

 The Divided States of Hysteria #2 - Howard Chaykin (writer & art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) Ken Bruzenak (letters). You know what's terrifying? This kind of fictional chaos to American civilisation could actually happen. Howard uses it as a reason to gather together a gang of homicidal maniacs by destroying Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, which does irreparable damage to the global economy. Could we survive another depression? No matter what you may think of Howard's political views, his comic books always make you think.

��X�"

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1149

Monday, January 30, 2017

 It's the Chinese Year of the Rooster folks and there's a cock in the White House. We are living in interesting times indeed. I am trying my best not to get riled up by the d-bag but it's difficult. The empathy I feel for others means I cannot ignore the affect the changes have on everybody. I just hope we all get through these difficult times relatively unscathed.

 I'm going to have a fun Sunday on February 5. I'll be at the Walkley Arena for the Capital Trade Show where my partner Chris and I will be flogging old comic books. Then it's Super Bowl 51 with two gun slinging quarterbacks. I am cheering for a high scoring affair.

 Civil War II: The Oath #1 - Nick Spencer (writer) Rod Reis, Raffaele Ienco, Szymon Kudranski & Dono Sanchez-Almara (art) VC's Chris Eliopoulos (letters). Didn't see that coming. While it makes sense to appoint Captain America as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (again) the surprise is that I don't think it's Steve Rogers under the mask. I don't particularly like the new political landscape that the Marvel U is headed towards but it does make for some easy enemies for the good guys to fight with. Nick put in a lot of rah, rah patriotism in this book so it was a tough slog trying to get through it but the payoff at the end is worth it.

 Kamandi Challenge #1 - Part One: Dan Didio (writer) Keith Giffen (pencils) Scott Koblish (inks) Hi-Fi (colours) Clem Robins (letters) Part Two: Dan Abnett (writer) Dale Eaglesham (art) Hi-Fi (colours) Clem Robins (letters). He's the last boy on Earth and he's going on a wild adventure to find his parents. One of Jack Kirby's creations is getting a round robin of comic book creators to excite fans like never before. Each part of the story will be done by a different team that will end with a cliffhanger that the next team must find a way to resolve. I have a nagging feeling that this stunt has been done before but I can't remember when so I'm going to tag along to see who does what. I'm not a fan of Kamandi but I want to see who all are going to be involved on the creative side.

 Loose Ends #1 - Jason Latour (writer) Chris Brunner (art) Rico Renzi (colours). The cover says that this 4-issue mini is a southern crime romance. They got that right. We're looking at a trailer dwelling war vet whose friend gets him mixed up in running drugs. You can expect that the vet and the friend get into a heap of trouble and they do. I like how Sonny and Rej each wind up where they do at the end of this first issue so you bet I'm going to keep reading. Not much romance so far but I'm sure Jason will get to that.

 Star Wars #27 - Jason Aaron (writer) Salvador Larroca (art) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Yay Yoda. Root for him I will.

 Batgirl #7 - Hope Larson (writer) Chris Wildgoose (art) Mat Lopes (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). Part 1 of "Son of Penguin" introduces Ethan Cobblepot and I don't care if there is no reference to him anywhere else in the DCU because he's going to be a great adversary for Barbara Gordon. I like how Chris draws her older than Rafael Albuquerque did. This is going to be fun.

 Briggs Land #6 - Brian Wood (writer) Mack Chater (art) Lee Loughridge & Jeremy Colwell (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). I really like Grace Briggs. The risks that she is taking will hopefully keep her people safe. Brian has crafted a story fit for cable TV.

 Totally Awesome Hulk #15 - Greg Pak (writer) Mahmud Asrar (art) Nolan Woodward (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Greg continues to feature heroes of the Asian persuasion in this story about Amadeus hanging out with Jake Oh, Kamala Khan, Cindy Moon, Shang-Chi, and Jimmy Woo. It does play on some stereotypes but I think it's okay because they're true for these guys.

 Odyssey of the Amazons #1 - Kevin Grevioux (writer) Ryan Benjamin (pencils) Richard Friend (inks) Tony Washington & Tony Avina (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This 6-issue mini has a lot of women but not a wonder one in sight. Kevin features Diana's sister Amazons in a tale worthy of Homer. If you like classic sword and sorcery, you'll like this.

 Dead Inside #2 - John Arcudi (writer) Tony Fejzula (art) Andre May (colours) Joe Sabino (letters). The plot thickens like congealed blood and murder suspects start to emerge. Linda has plenty to deal with inside the prison but she's surprised when she gets home after work by a sight I did not expect to see. This mystery is crazy good.

 Inhumans vs. X-Men #3 - Charles Soule & Jeff Lemire (writer) Javier Garron (art) Andres Mossa & Jay David Ramos (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). There are three more issue to this mini but it seems to me that Charles and Jeff have already come up with a solution to the Terrigen cloud that would end the war. The mutant Forge has built a machine that can collect the Terrigen gas and compress it into a solid in this issue. Wouldn't that solve the problem of the gas killing the mutants? Works for me.

 Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #6 - Joshua Williamson (writer) Howard Porter (art) Alex Sinclair (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). All is well that ends well. Both teams join forces to defeat Eclipso and Max Lord is at the mercy of Amanda Waller. Batman sees the light and gathers another team together to fight evil forces. Get ready for a new Justice League of America #1 hitting the racks on February 22. DC is sure spreading Bats pretty thin these days.

 Skybourne #3 - Frank Cho (writer & artist) Marcio Menyz (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). The identity of the bad guy was a nice surprise. I like Frank's comic books because they're simple stories about good versus evil that are beautifully drawn.

 Hulk #2 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Nico Leon & Dalibor Talajic (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Waiting for Jennifer to Hulk out is one of the things I like about the new book. She has a lot more self control than I have. The scary thing about the eventuality of her losing control is that this new Hulk will be an uncontrollable creature of rage but we'll have to wait and see what happens. Until then I'm enjoying Jen's life so far.

 Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #13 - Robert Venditti (writer) V Ken Marion (pencils) Paul Neary & Dexter Vines (inks) Alex Sollazzo (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Now that the planet Xudar has been saved, what now? It's time for a bedtime story that's what. This is a nice interlude issue before we launch into the next story. I've been enjoying this team book now that my loyalty to the Avengers has waned. We'll see if Robert can keep me hooked with his next adventure.

 Saga #42 - Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Fiona Staples (art) Fonografiks (letters). And fade to black. No, really. It's hiatus time again but this issue didn't leaving me screaming profanities about the long wait until the next issue hits the racks. There is a new character introduced who I will be very interested to find out more about.

 Doctor Strange #16 - Jason Aaron (writer) Chris Bachalo with Cory Smith (art) Al Vey, John Livesay, Victor Olazaba, &  Tim Townsend (inks) Antonio Fabela & Java Tartaglia with Chris Bachalo (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Dormammu is finally going to get his chance to kill Doctor Strange after he has been weakened by his fight with the Empirikul. Jason does find a neat way to save Stephen however. The next bit of nastiness involves someone close to the Doc. Oboy.

 Wonder Woman #15 - Greg Rucka (writer) Liam Sharp (art) Laura Martin (colours) Jodi Wynne (letters). Part 1 of "The Truth" finds Diana in a mental hospital. How she got there has yet to be explained but I'm sure I can handle it.

 Punisher #8 - Becky Cloonan (writer) Laura Braga with Iolanda Zanfardino (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). That little old lady toting the double barrelled shotgun from last issue is named Ethel. She looks scary but she's not what you think. The change in art took some getting used to but it isn't bad enough to make me bench this book. I do have a couple of complaints though. If you're going to call a motorcycle a Harley, don't show what looks like a BMW logo on the gas tank. Also, draw the bad guy from the chest up when Frank says that he opened up his guts, not a full body shot that clearly shows an abdomen without any wounds at all. I don't know if the art had to be rushed after Steve Dillon passed away unexpectedly but that's just shoddy editing.

 Action Comics #972 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Stephen Segovia (pencils) Art Thibert (inks) Ulises Arreola (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Trust Dan to come up with a non-violent way to stop Lex from being executed by the bad guys. It also served to show what possible futures are in store for this new Superman. DC has managed to revive my interest in this iconic character.

 Daredevil #16 - Charles Soule (writer) Goran Sudzuka (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). We find out why Daredevil put out a hit on himself to lure out Bullseye. There's some soul searching this issue which leads into the next storyline. I liked how Charles sets it up.

 Detective Comics #949 - James Tynion IV & Marguerite Bennett (writers) Ben Oliver & Szymon Kudranski (art) Ben Oliver, Gabe Eltaeb & Hi-Fi (colours) Marilyn Patrizio (letters). The finale of "Batwoman Begins" is a very good prelude to Batwoman's solo book which hits the racks on February 15. It looks like James and Marguerite are going to have a Raymond Reddington and Agent Keen thing going on between Kate and her dad. That's got me interested.

 Infamous Iron Man #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Matt Hollingsworth (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Brian must have a thing for mother and son stories. He did it in International Iron Man where he introduced Tony's biological mother. Now he's showing us Victor's mom. I really do believe that Doom has reformed and I hope he stays a good guy.

 Spider-Man/Deadpool: Monsters Unleashed - Joshua Corin (writer) Tigh Walker (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The boys save Toronto eh.

 Thanos #3 - Jeff Lemire (writer) Mike Deodato (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). It's the Imperial Guard of the Shi'ar versus Thanos. A perfect opportunity to give a history lesson on the life of the Mad Titan.

 Spider-Woman #15 - Dennis Hopeless (writer) Veronica Fish (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Jessica subdues the new Porcupine and finds out who put the hit out on her friend Roger. Now she's gunning for the Hobgoblin but he's protected by an army of super villains. I hope little Gerry doesn't become an orphan.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1281

Monday, September 30, 2019

 Paul and I have known each other since we were 3-years-old, so 60 years. Our families lived in the same house for a bit after I came to Canada with my mom. Our dads worked together at the Lucky Key restaurant until they both retired. We've always kept in touch even though we're far apart geographically. The very first comic book that I read was a Superman at his house so Paul started me on my love of sequential art. It was a pleasure to spend a little time with him and his wife while they were visiting family this past weekend.

 Once & Future #2 - Kieron Gillen (writer) Dan Mora (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). This issue tells us whether the newly resurrected King Arthur is good or evil. With the back cover saying The King is Undead you can probably figure out that he's not nice. Now it's just a matter of seeing how Duncan and his Gran save Great Britain. I hope this gets more interesting than just zombie knights.

 The Avant-Guards #8 - Carly Usdin (writer) Noah Hayes (art) Eleonora Bruni (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). I hope this isn't the one and only season for this basketball team. I have grown to like them. If you're into Love & Rockets, I think you'll enjoy this too.

 Action Comics #1015 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Szymon Kudranski (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). The front half features Brian's newest creation Naomi asking Superman for help and the back half is Superman fighting the Red Cloud to tie this issue in with the Year of the Villain event. There's a lot of dialogue in here and that's one of my favourite things about reading a Bendis book.

 Avengers #24 - Jason Aaron (writer) Stefano Caselli & Luciano Vecchio (art) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). If I wanted to read a Ghost Rider comic I would have grabbed one off the rack. The Spirits of Vengeance have taken over this title and I'm not a happy Avengers fan. Not only that, but the fight with the Cosmic Ghost Rider turns out to be a massive battle of misunderstanding. What a waste of space. I can't wait until the team saves Robbie Reyes and this story arc ends.

 Detective Comics #1012 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Doug Mahnke (pencils) Jaime Mendoza (inks) David Baron (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Mister Freeze and his obsession with his dearly departed wife dominates this issue. Batman's on the case and the inevitable confrontation is just around the corner. I love the spooky art.

 Batman Superman #2 - Joshua Williamson (writer) David Marquez (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) John J. Hill (letters). It's Batman and Superman versus a Batman Who Laughs infected Shazam. Billy actually wins one for the bad guys and puts Bruce out of commission for a while. I like the good guys' plan to trick the Batman Who Laughs and that they finally used the term World's Finest in this story.

 SFSX #1 - Tina Horn (writer) Michael Dowling (art) Steve Wands (letters). Imagine a SAFE SEX neon sign with the A and Es not lit up. That's the title of this new comic book about sexual repression in the US. It's the future where the far right has dictated that any deviant sexual activity is illegal. Anybody caught participating is disappeared. Not a place I want to live in or read about. The book is titillating but the heavy handed regime turned me right off.

 Harleen #1 - Stjepan Sejic (story & art) Gabriela Downie (letters). This Harley Quinn origin story really benefits from the $7.99 US larger format. The art is stunning and both Harleen and the Joker look so good I wish Stjepan could make this a regular monthly. I didn't think anything could top The Killing Joke but this story, even though it's just the start, beats it in my book. I can't wait to read the next 2 issues and I might consider buying the collection when it hits the racks.

 Wolverine Annual #1 - Jody Houser (writer) Geraldo Borges (art) Marcio Menyz & Miroslav Mrva (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This "Acts of Evil" one-shot story has Wolverine flashing back to 1930s Hollywood and an old love. Turns out she's not the country beauty he fell for. I didn't recognise the villain's costume on the cover so I had to wait until the reveal inside but this fight is so contrived to show Logan in his costume that I rolled my eyes. I think that Marvel threw this on the racks so that they don't lose the copyright on the villain's name. You'll only want this if you're a Wolverine completist.

 Strikeforce #1 - Tini Howard (writer) German Peralta (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This new super hero team did not thrill me. I didn't like the way they were slapped together nor the new group of bad guys that they have to fight. I base my disappointment on how badly this book is written and don't blame the team members. If you want to see Blade, Angela, Spectrum, Winter Soldier, Spider-Woman, Wiccan and Hellstrom kill shape shifters then have at thee.

 Powers of X #5 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) R.B. Silva (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Charles and Erik recruit Emma the White Queen to their fledgling Mutant nation. I can't belabour this point enough; what makes this and House of X so awesome for me is the art. Emma is super hot here and she doesn't have to be falling out of a bustier to look that way. I also like how Forge is rocking the headband. I will be anxiously awaiting the next comic book that R.B. Silva draws.

 Absolute Carnage Miles Morales #2 - Saladin Ahmed (writer) Federico Vicentini (art) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Carnage Miles is sent to kill a major character and we get a hint to how this story ends. I don't think Marvel is going to keep Miles trapped in a Carnage body so I don't feel like I need to read the rest of this mini. Plus the major character that Miles hunts down isn't going to die anyways.

 The Amazing Spider-Man #30 - Nick Spencer (writer) Ryan Ottley (pencils) Cliff Rathburn (inks) Nathan Fairbairn (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This one is an Absolute Carnage tie-in which means it's just a big fight between Spider-Man and Carnage. Ugh. It does feature some more hints about the new super villain Kindred however, so that saves the day. I still have no clue who it is though.

 The Superior Spider-Man #11 - Christos Gage (writer) Mike Hawthorne (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Norman Osborn here. Norman Osborn there. Norman Osborns everywhere. The former Green Goblin seems to be the go to super villain in the Spider-Man books nowadays. Poor Otto can't beat the bad guy and he makes a deal with the devil to try and win. A lose-lose proposition I think. The last page is a shocker.

 Marvel Team-Up #6 - Clint McElroy (writer) Ig Guara (art) Felipe Sobreiro (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I loved this team-up with Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel fighting a bunch of Kree warriors. It looks like this is the last issue of this title and I am sad.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1253

Monday, March 11, 2019

 It's the Monday after moving the clocks ahead one hour so be careful on your morning commute. Some people may not be wide awake yet. It was downright balmy when I got the newspaper this morning. The temperature was above zero. A sure sign of spring is smelling the first whiff of skunk while out and about. Plus the cardinals are starting to sing. Yes, we had over 10 cms of snow fall yesterday and our plowing service even came by to clear it away but warmer weather will get here eventually and all that ice will melt.

 Batman #66 - Tom King (writer) Jorge Fornes (art) Dave Stewart (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Knightmares part 4. This trip into Batman's brain stars the Question and Selina. I don't like that she smokes. I was hoping that the 2-issue interlude for the Flash crossover would mean that Mikel Janin would be doing the art for this issue so I was sorely disappointed.

 Immortal Hulk #14 - Al Ewing (writer) Kyle Hotz (art) Paul Mounts (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Wow. What a great way to reintroduce Betty Ross. "We Only Meet At Funerals" shows how far the character has come since she first showed up as Thunderbolt Ross's daughter and as a love interest for Bruce Banner. I like that the love story is still there with the menace to society ramped up more. It's been too long since I've seen Kyle Hotz's art on the racks. It's as close to seeing Berni Wrightson back drawing comics again. The surprise appearance on the last page gave me a hoot.

 Avengers #16/LGY #706 - Jason Aaron (writer) David Marquez (art) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). It almost looks like the Vampire Wars is over when the Avengers regain control of their team mate Ghost Rider. I liked the way Roberto was rescued because it wasn't what I thought was going to happen and I was pleasantly surprised. The solution justifies Blade's involvement. I suppose the Vampire War will go on the back burner once the War of the Realms starts in a month. There's another surprise appearance on the last page but I think we won't be seeing this character again any time soon.

 Doomsday Clock #9 - Geoff Johns (writer) Gary Frank (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). I've been waiting for this moment in the maxi-series for a while now. The doctor is finally in. the big blue butt-naked god-like being, Doctor Manhattan, makes a solid appearance. There sure are a lot of DC super heroes in this issue. I don't know what the end result of the encounter between the heroes and Doctor Manhattan is going to be but I'm hoping that it's a doozy.

 Blossoms 666 #2 - Cullen Bunn (writer) Laura Braga (art) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). The Blossom twins are vying for the right to sit atop the Infernal Throne. They thought their deadly games were just between the two of them. A surprise twist keeps this creepy story interesting but I don't think I would be so interested if it wasn't for the great art. Betty and Cheryl never looked so good.

 Meet the Skrulls #1 - Robbie Thompson (writer) Niko Henrichon (art) Laurent Grossat (colour assistant) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Let's meet mom Gloria, dad Carl and daughters Madison and Alice, a family of Skrulls living amongst us tasked with trying to stop Project Blossom. If they can do that, their fellow Skrulls can take over the Earth. This was a lot better than I expected. I liked the youngest Skrull who was raised on Earth. She's the reason I want to find out what happens next in this 5-issue mini.

 Ronin Island #1 - Greg Pak (writer) Giannis Milonogiannis (art) Irma Kniivila (colours) Simon Bowland (letters). You can tell by the title of this new comic book that there will be samurai involved. It looks like a coming of age story about two young martial arts students on an island but then morphs into a far eastern Walking Dead. Greg does a great job of introducing the two young rivals Kenichi and Hana but I'm not interested in finding out how they survive against zombie samurais.

 Young Justice #3 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Patrick Gleason & Viktor Bogdanovic (art) Jonathan Glapion (inks pages 12, 14, 15 & 18) Alejandro Sanchez (colours pages 1 to 5) Chris Sotomayor (colours pages 6 to 16) & Hi-Fi (colours) Carlos M. Mangual & Josh Reed (letters). Seven Crises part 3. I loved the reunion scene with Bart/Impulse and Conner/Superboy. We find out how Superboy got to Gemworld and where the other members of Young Justice wind up. There's a nice little surprise that will rock the team later.

 Ziggy Pig & Silly Seal Comics #1 - Frank Tieri & John Cerilli (writers) Jacob Chabot (art) Stefani Renee (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I picked this off the racks because I liked the art. It's a silly symphony of funny animals and it kind of reminded me of Howard the Duck. It's not for kids so pay attention to the parental advisory on the cover. Hey, Deadpool's in it.

 Domino: Hotshots #1 - Gail Simone (writer) David Baldeon (art) Jim Charalampidis (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Cold War part 1. This is a spicier continuation of the 10 issue Domino run with the added hotness of the Black Widow and the White Fox. The ladies play politics while tracking down some dangerous alien tech. Many separate agendas means lots of drama. Throw in the surprise appearance on the last page and there's no doubt that I will want to read the next issue. I like Gail's take on Domino but what kept me reading was the art and I'm glad to say David does a bang up job.

 Amazing Spider-Man #16.HU - Nick Spencer (writer) Iban Coello (art) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). How do you get a lapsed Spider-Man fan to pick a Spider-Man comic off the rack? You put a hot Black Cat cover by Greg Land on it. This issue starts off the "Hunted" story where Kraven the Hunter stalks animal themed super humans. The story runs until May with an epilogue in Amazing Spider-Man #22. There will be 9 issue including 3 more .HU issues to tell the full story. That's almost a new issue every week or two. I think this will be a fun story. Well played Marvel, you pulled me back into the fold. I was amused while reading this because there are so many similarities between Spider-Man and the Black Cat's relationship and Batman and Catwoman's. I always felt that Marvel and DC poached each other's ideas and this is a blatant example of that.

 Conan the Barbarian #4 - Jason Aaron (writer) Gerardo Zaffino (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I was not enamoured of the art on the first page but it works great for this sword and sorcery comic book. What keeps me coming back for more is the writing. This self contained issue tells a tale of King Conan and why he was the Lion of Aquilonia. Man, I wish cover artist Esad Ribic would do an issue or better yet a story arc.

 Avengers LGY #711: No Road Home #4 - Jim Zub, Mark Waid & Al Ewing (writers) Sean Izaakse (art) Marcio Menyz (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Well hell, this is turning out to be a pretty good story. This issue features the origin story of Nyx and her dark brood. Find out why she wants to snuff out all light. Now I want to find out how the heroes prevent Nyx from getting her hands on the three Shards of Night so that she can plunge everything into darkness. I'm looking forward to next week when the battle for the shard hidden in Nightmare's realm is fought.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1204

Monday, March 12, 2018

 The Jee Gang gathered at brother Kelly's house Sunday evening for a traditional Chinese dinner to finally celebrate the Year of the Dog. It was a lot louder than usual with extra children home. The cousins were here for the reception thrown for our niece Samantha and her new husband JD. They had eloped to Guam back in November but Sam is now home again from Japan. My sister Ava hosted a fun filled party at the Sala San Marco for her daughter and son-in-law Saturday night with the younguns dancing the night away. It was so nice to finally meet JD. His Mom flew up from Puerto Rico and his sister from Florida to join us. We left early to drive my Dad home after he finished his dance with his grand daughter. Dad was so happy and proud. I haven't seen him smile that big in a long time.

 It's March Break. Why not go down to your friendly neighbourhood comic book shop and get some fun and exciting reading to keep the kids quiet for a little bit. Comic books promote reading and will stimulate their imaginations. The stores will be very appreciative.

 Oblivion Song #1 - Robert Kirkman (writer) Lorenzo De Felici (art) Annalisa Leoni (colours) Russ Wooton (letters). I missed the boat on Walking Dead so this new book is my introduction to Robert Kirkman's writing. It starts off with a guy hunting people in a post apocalyptic city with big scary monsters. Turns out this hunter is a guy on a crusade. There are a bunch of twists in this debut that hooked me and the art has a European look that suits this story. I want to see what happens next.

 Infinity Countdown #1 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Aaron Kuder (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). If you're a dyed in the wool Marvel fan like me it's hard to resist this Infinity Stone story just for the sheer number of super heroes in it. This issue features the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Nova Corps. Everyone's favourite talking tree will surprise you and I hope the change is permanent but I doubt it. The final scene in Madripoor with another hint to the return of Logan starts a subplot that I'm eager to follow. I wasn't going to follow this cross over event because I'm already into Avengers: No Surrender, but they sucked me right in.

 Batman #42 - Tom King (writer) Mikel Janin (art) June Chung (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Poison Ivy has everyone on the planet mind-controlled except for Batman and Catwoman and one unfortunate soul who cannot eat vegetables. This is a cautionary tale for vegans. I think Selina is going to be crucial to the resolution of this story.

 Strangers in Paradise XXV #2 - Terry Moore (story & art). This issue is cool because it connects Strangers in Paradise with Terry's other major story Rachel Rising. It ends in quite a cliffhanger.

 She-Hulk #163 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Diego Olortegui (art) Frederico Blee (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I've followed Jennifer Walters from Savage She-Hulk #1 with that cover by John Buscema that's a part of this issue's cover, which hit the racks in 1980, the first year I worked in a comic book store. Jen's been through a lot since then and I have watched her with interest. I enjoyed this run but it looks like it is ending. That's too bad.

 Superman #42 - Patrick Gleason & Peter J. Tomasi (writers) Patrick Gleason (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Bizarroverse part 1. I'm not a fan of Bizarro. Translating the opposite language is super annoying. The first thirteen pages nearly turned me off completely but Patrick Gleason's art and Superboy's presence saved this issue. I've become quite fond of Jonathan Kent so I will hang in there to see what happens.

 Daredevil #599 - Charles Soule (writer) Ron Garney (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Between the killer Muse and Mayor Wilson Fisk, Matt has his work cut out for him trying to save lives in New York City. There's a costume change that old Horn Head makes at the end of this issue that isn't explained. I liked the new mostly black look and will miss it if the change stays. The next issue will be chock full of guest appearances.

 Avengers #683 - Jim Zub, Mark Waid & Al Ewing (writers) Paco Medina (pencils) Juan Vlasco (inks) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). No Surrender part 9. It's Jim Zub's turn to be at the top of the writers rotation. The fight to save Jarvis's life is won just in time for a startling secret to be revealed. I liked how this issue focused on the Beast and Nadia/Wasp without having to throw in a whole lot of other Avengers. There was an obscure one on the first page that I had to use Google to help refresh my memory. I learned something cool about the name Tara while doing that research. I love learning new things.

 Amazing Spider-Man #797 - Dan Slott (writer) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Go Down Swinging part 1. One of my favourite penciller and inker teams does this issue and I hope they stay on for the whole story. I loved how Dan kept me guessing throughout this issue. I know it's a cheap trick but it worked for me and it ramps up the threat that the Green Goblin is to Spider-Man even more. I can't wait for the next issue.

 Captain America #699 - Mark Waid (writer) Chris Samnee (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Cap continues to fight in 2025 against the king who doesn't look much like the current #45 but we get it. The Hulk and the Thing guest star. My allegiance to this book is being slowly eroded and the last panel made me lose hope for reading future issues. The next one is going to be the milestone issue #700 so I will check it out but it better be good or else I won't be coming back.

 X-Men Red #2 - Tom Taylor (writer) Mahmud Asrar (art) Ive Svorcina (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The Hate Machine part 2. The team goes to Delhi, India to rescue a young technopath while anti-mutant sentiment escalates. I like any team that has Laura/Wolverine and Gabby/Honey Badger on it. The one page Logan appearance wasn't anything to write home about. I think he's just travelling around the world getting the lay of the land and seeing how things have changed since he died.

 Spider-Man #238 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Oscar Bazaldua (art) Brian Reber (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The new Sinister Six steal a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. I was not impressed with this issue. It just goes to show that not every Bendis book turns out to be a gem. It still moved the story along and gives us a hint to what Miles will be involved with after Brian leaves Marvel so this issue wasn't a complete letdown.

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[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1202

Monday, February 26, 2018

 Way to go all the Canadian athletes that competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics. You made us proud. Now we get ready for some March Madness. It might seem like I'm a big sports fan but I'm not. It's just that it's less annoying than a lot of the stuff happening around the world these days. Sure I was sad when the Canadian Women's curling team skipped by Ottawa's Rachel Homan didn't make it to the medal rounds and the Canadian Women's hockey team lost the gold medal game in a shoot-out but I didn't get angry and upset. No one was killed by some idiot.

 Archie #28 - Mark Waid & Ian Flynn (writers) Audrey Mok (art) Kelly Fitzpatrick (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). I only keep reading this book because Betty is in it. I don't like the walking disaster area that is Archie. Nor the smug Jughead. I really hate that big fat jerk Reggie who should be someone's plaything in prison. The fact that I feel so strongly about these characters means that the creators are putting out a very good comic book but I would stop reading if there weren't any likable characters. Classic Catch 22.

 Doctor Strange: Damnation #1 - Nick Spencer & Donny Cates (writers) Rod Reis (art & colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Stephen may not be Sorcerer Supreme anymore but he's still pretty powerful. Remember how Las Vegas was destroyed during a recent mega crossover? Well now the whole city plus its citizens is back on terra firma. Guess where it's been before being resurrected? Hey, they don't call it Sun City for donuts. There's a glitch in Doc Strange restoring all those lives and landmarks and that's where this 4-issue mini takes off. This is a high stakes game between the Doc and Mephisto and the players will be familiar to Marvel Zombies far and wide. Doc's team is on the cover but you'll have to read this first issue to see who's playing for Mephisto.

 The Brave and the Bold #1 - Liam Sharp (writer & art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) A Larger World's Troy Peteri (letters). DC's old team-up title is back on the racks with a murder mystery featuring Batman and Wonder Woman. There's a strong fantasy element since the murder takes place in Tir Na Nog, the mystical land of faerie. Liam Sharp drew me back into reading Wonder Woman when he did the Cheetah story and here he gets to go all Irish myths for us with runes and rugged faeriescapes. I like a murder mystery as well as the next Batfan but the profuse flowery prose turned me off. It's a tough decision whether I read the rest of this 6-issue story because I really love the art.

 Mata Hari #1 - Emma Beeby (writer) Ariela Kristantina (art) Pat Masioni (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). This 5-issue mini comes from Dark Horse's Berger Books imprint. I'm glad Karen is still editing comic books. I met her at a DC Retailer's conference over twenty years ago. I was lucky enough to share a group dinner table with her at a steak house in Fort Worth, Texas. I can still remember how happy I was when I asked if I could order a second steak dinner after the first one failed to fill me up and she gave me the go ahead. She thought I had a hollow leg. This book is beautifully drawn but I found the storytelling a little confusing with it's jumping back and forth in time to show us how the lady spy ended up in her current situation. Mata Hari is a very compelling historical figure so I will keep reading this to learn more about her life and death.

 Infinity Countdown Prime #1 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Mike Deodato Jr. (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Flip the cover and you get an info page quickly telling you about the 6 Infinity Stones and what powers they bestow to whoever possesses them. The story starts promisingly enough with the guy who is the best at what he does fighting off some bad guys and then the new Sorcerer Supreme, for the Infinity Stone that he has. Unfortunately the story deteriorated for me when it came to introducing the other stones. It got way too convoluted what with other dimensions involved and what looks like every dang super hero and super villain to ever exist thrown in. I think I have mega event fatigue. Keeping up with the weekly Avengers: No Surrender story with all those heroes and villains to keep straight makes trying to follow this massive story harder to do. I hope nobody dies.

 Batman: Sins of the Father #1 - Christos Gage (writer) Raffaele Ienco (art) Guy Major (colours) Josh Reed (letters). This 6-issue mini is based on the Batman: The Telltale Series video game with a different back-story than the Batman that we are all familiar with. This Batman's father, Thomas Wayne, was a villain who experimented on people. Bruce is trying to right that wrong and save Wayne Enterprises. You can expect lots of action and the first protagonist is easily recognised. I was super impressed with the art here. Kind of reminded me of Frank Quitely. If the rest of this story looks this good it will be a joy to read.

 Hit-Girl #1 - Mark Millar (writer) Ricardo Lopez Ortiz (art) Sunny Gho (colours) Melina Mikulic (letters). Hot on the heels of the new Kick-Ass book is this 4-issue mini featuring Dave's old partner Mindy. She's looking for a new partner and who she picks is a real winner. This story goes international as the purple-haired perp pulveriser goes to Colombia to deal with the gangs there. I want to see if her new sidekick survives.

 Avengers #681 - Al Ewing, Jim Zub & Mark Waid (writers) Kim Jacinto with Mike Perkins (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). No Surrender part 7. It's Kree Captain Glah-Ree's turn to narrate an issue as his Lethal Legion team fights the Falcon's Avengers team for the prize. Some surprise characters pop up right at the end that will make fans clamour for the next issue. Mike Perkins's pages were only subtly different from the rest of the art and that surprised me too.

 Batman #41 - Tom King (writer) Mikel Janin (art) June Chung (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Everyone Loves Ivy part 1. I was naïve to think that Joelle Jones was the best artist for this book because there are lots of artists that I love out there. Mikel Janin made me gasp after I flipped open the cover and saw the first page. Page 10 made me sigh. His Poison Ivy will haunt your dreams. The Cat and the Bat face a daunting challenge in this new story. This is a great issue to start to find out why I've been raving about this title every issue.

 Moonshine #7 - Brian Azzarello (writer) Eduardo Risso (art & colours) Cristian Rossi (colour assistant) Jared K. Fletcher (letters). Boy was I surprised when this issue hit the racks. I thought #6 finished the story of Lou Pirlo, mob enforcer. Plus, it's been almost a year since #6 came out. This supernatural tale continues with the location changing from the hillbilly hills to New Orleans. I'm thinking some voodoo be due.

 Superman #41 - James Robinson (writer) Ed Benes (art) Dinei Ribeiro (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). The Last Days part 2. I was tolerating this story about Superman and a native scientist trying to save a planet from a Jonestown massacre until the science guy explains how he's going to save his species. He sure didn't take any genetics classes. I do not suffer foolish science gladly. The good news is that this story is over and Jon learns a lesson in tolerance.

 Defenders #10 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) David Marquez (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Ah Jessica, Luke, Danny and Matt, we hardly got to know you. I don't know if this team book will continue after this but it won't be the same. This sure looks like Brian Michael Bendis's last issue. David Marquez  made me sigh on page 11 panel 5. I'm glad Felicia is okay.

 Incredible Hulk #713 - Greg Pak (writer) Greg Land (pencils) Jay Leisten (inks) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Return to Planet Hulk part 5. Hulk faces off with the Warlord in the fifth and final gauntlet. The final page had me singing Chuck Berry's Maybellene in my head. Now that we've gone back to Sakaar it's time to revisit another old Hulk story. Get ready for World War Hulk II.

 Damage #2 - Tony S. Daniel & Robert Venditti (storytellers) Danny Miki (inks) Tomeu Morey (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). I can't say that I am enamoured of the title character since he's just a one hour Hulk but the guest stars are worth the read. Here we have the Suicide Squad and next up is a real hero that I am certainly interested in.

 Amazing Spider-Man #796 - Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers) Mike Hawthorne (pencils) Terry Pallot & Cam Smith (inks) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Threat Level: Red part 3. The art and writing this issue was very wooden to me. Kind of stiff and predictable. I don't like Peter and Mary Jane getting cozy again either. If it wasn't for what's happening to Norman Osborn I would consider benching this book.

 Super Sons #13 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Carlo Barberi (pencils) Art Thibert (inks) Gabriel Eltaeb (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). The Parent Trap part 1. Damian's mom, Talia al Ghul, needs his help for a hit and she's not going to take no for an answer. The boys find themselves in even more trouble when one of the targets is revealed. Robin and Superboy's friendship may not survive. As much as I love Carlo's art I wasn't happy that Talia looks more like Damian's slightly older sister than his mother.

 Astonishing X-Men #8 - Charles Soule (writer) Paulo Siqueira (pencils) Walden Wong & Roberto Poggi (inks) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). A Man Called X part 2. Y'know, I don't think that the guy in Fantomex's body is Charles Xavier. He keeps saying trust me, I can fix this and then he screws things up royally. So, another comic book with amazing art. Psylocke made me sigh on page 3.

 Mighty Thor #704 - Jason Aaron (writer) Russell Dauterman (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The Death of the Mighty Thor continues. Wow, I snagged a larger than usual pile of comic books off the rack to read last week and inadvertently saved the best 'til last. The writing and art was as powerful as can be. The build up to the last page made it a spine tingling experience. This story is going to be another highly recommended collection when it comes out in trade paperback.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1182

Monday, October 2, 2017

 We spent a lovely evening and overnight stay at the Opinicon Resort (https://www.opinicon.com/). We highly recommend the scenic drive to Chaffeys Lock. The staff there are very welcoming and the food in their dining room is good old fashioned home cooked yumminess. Thanks to Fiona McKean for making our stay extra special.

 Wonder Woman #31 - James Robinson (writer) Carlo Pagulayan (pencils) Sean Parsons, Jason Paz & Scott Hanna (inks) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). "Children of the Gods" starts here. Diana finds out about a relative's untimely demise but the real shocker is who killed him. The villains are new to me but Kirby fans will be clapping with glee.

 Archie #24 - Mark Waid (writer) Audrey Mok (art) Kelly Fitzpatrick (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). This sure isn't your Mom's Archie Gang. The consequences of the accident continue to affect everyone and in a more realistic way than the old days. This is why I continue to read this book.

 Marvel Legacy #1 - Jason Aaron (writer) Esad Ribic with Steve McNiven (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) Chris Samnee; Russell Dauterman; Alex Maleev; Ed McGuinness; Stuart Immonen & Wade von Grawbadger; Pepe Larraz; Jim Cheung; Daniel Acuna; Greg Land & Jay Leisten; Mike Deodato Jr.; David Marquez (additional art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This is the big book that hit the racks this week. It's a good place to start if you're a Marvel Zombie because it tweaks a lot of major characters and gets you ready for the changes on the horizon for those folks. This did not make me care enough to find out more about Ghost Rider and Starbrand who figure prominently, but it was nice seeing them again. I'm jazzed about two returning franchises but I'll wait and see how the creative teams handle them when their books hit the racks. One thing I've learned from 50 years of reading comic books is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I'm all for change as much as the next fan but as long as there are good stories to read, I don't care how different they make the characters, I'll still read their stories. I had a lot of fun playing name that artists while flipping through these pages.

 Batman: The Murder Machine #1 - Frank Tieri & James Tynion IV (writers) Riccardo Federici (art) Rain Beredo (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). There's a panel during the fight between Cyborg and this killer Batman that shocked the shirt out of me. It's a graphic indication of just how dark these Dark Knights are. These new villains continue to interest me.

 Saga #47 - Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Fiona Staples (art) Fonografiks (letters). A new villain is introduced as we get a glimpse into The Will's past. I thought he was dead.

 Generations: Sam Wilson Captain America & Steve Rogers Captain America #1 - Nick Spencer (writer) Paul Renaud (art) Laura Martin (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I used to be a big fan of Captain America and the Falcon but their stories didn't thrill me much after a while so I stopped reading their books. When Steve passed on the shield to Sam I gave it another shot but still wasn't swayed to follow their adventures regularly. The whole Secret Empire thing turned me off Captain America completely but this book made me curious to see where both these heroes are going to go from here on out. I'll give Falcon a look see next month and then Captain America #695 a try in November.

 Action Comics #988 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Ryan Sook (art) Hi-Fi (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). You can jump on board this title right here as everything is explained about Superman's current situation so you can follow the new Oz Effect story with ease. I like the twist that reunites Kal-El with a surprise relative.

 Generations: Miles Morales Spider-Man & Pater Parker Spider-Man #1 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Ramon Perez (art) Msassyk (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Miles meets Peter right after the Amazing Spider-Man has his most harrowing adventure. It was my favourite Spider-Man story of all time and still is. Seeing that cover with Spider-Man pinned under all that wreckage and the water pouring down can trigger the feelings I had when I read that comic book for the first time. I remember cheering when he finally struggled free. This issue may not make you a Spider-Man fan but it does show you what the character is all about. Power, responsibility and family.

 Batman #31 - Tom King (writer) Mikel Janin (art) June Chung (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). I don't know if Bruce and Selina are going to get married after "The War of Jokes & Riddles" but if they do I hope Batman makes practical shoes for Catwoman. High heels might be stylish but I can't imagine they're much help climbing up the outside of a sky scraper. The last joke made me laugh out loud but it took me a while to get it. I love Joker's deadpan delivery.

 Detective Comics #965 - James Tynion IV (writer) Eddy Barrows (pencils) Eber Ferreira (inks) Adriano Lucas (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). Meanwhile, let's catch up with Tim Drake, wherever he is. This mysterious Mr. Oz guy is no longer a mystery if you read Action Comics. What is a mystery is what the fork is going on at the end there.

 Mighty Thor #23 - Jason Aaron (writer) Valerio Schiti (art) Rain Beredo (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). War Thor and Mighty Thor go at it pretty good here with no clear cut winner. I like that Unworthy Thor shows up in this issue too. I was disappointed that Russell Dauterman's name wasn't on the cover but Valerio Schiti did not disappoint me. He is an awesome artist in his own right.

[gokinjeespot]

Monday, January 16, 2017

 We had a beautiful sunny weekend here in Ottawa and the Rideau Canal Skateway opened for the first time this winter. I went for a walk in the sun and then finished up the first volume of the two volume Strangers in Paradise Omnibus by Terry Moore which my partner Chris let me borrow. I read the story as floppies but it was very nice to re-read the story about the volcanic relationship between Francine and Katchoo again. I highly recommend any comic book that Terry does.

 Scarlet Witch #14 - James Robinson (writer) Shawn Crystal (art) Chris Brunner (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Wanda's journey along the Witch's Road finally comes to an end with the expected result of witchcraft being cured. It's neat that Shawn's art pays homage to Steve Ditko's Doctor Strange dimensional vistas but why is Agatha Harkness young looking now?

 Unworthy Thor #3 - Jason Aaron (writer) Kim Jacinto & Olivier Coipel (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The Collector's hammer is being sought by many. The Odinson wants it and so does Thanos. My money is on U-Thor and his companions getting their hands on it in the end.

 Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows #3 - Gerry Conway (writer) Ryan Stegman (art) Sonia Oback (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This issue features Anna May Parker in and out of costume. Gerry must watch a lot of Nickelodeon to make his kids sound so authentic. Annie is young, foolish and hot-headed which makes for some interesting situations. This is a fun book that I think more fans should be reading.

 Justice League/Power Rangers #1 - Tom Taylor (writer) Stephen Byrne (art & colours) Deron Bennett (letters). I don't read either of these teams' comic books but I like Tom's writing so I picked this up to see what he could do with these characters. I have no clue what the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are about but they seem like a decent bunch. The story is pretty basic with an accidental interdimensional hop including a super villain. If you like the Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle team up you'll enjoy this too.

 Moonshine #4 - Brian Azzarello (writer) Eduardo Risso (art & colours) Jared H. Fletcher (letters). If the creature doesn't make you howl then Tempest will by the time you get to the end of this issue. I did not see that coming.

 Daredevil #15 - Charles Soule (writer) Goran Sudzuka (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Here's something else I did not see coming. We have the return of one of Daredevil's arch enemies back from the dead. At least I think they died. It's hard to keep track.

 Action Comics #971 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Stephen Segovia (pencils) Art Thibert (inks) Arif Prianto (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). The trial of Lex Luthor takes a surprising turn and he and Superman are still not home free. Meanwhile back home, Lois and Jon are caught in a place where they shouldn't be by Clark Kent. It's going to be fun to see how mom and son explain their trespass.

 Groo: Fray of the Gods #4 - Sergio Aragones & Mark Evanier (writers) Sergio Aragones (art) Tom Luth (colours) Stan Sakai (letters). It's always distracting whenever the Minstrel appears in a Groo comic book because of the ever changing end of his instrument. This mini ends with much dining and fraying for Groo but the gods don't actually fight throughout this story. Oh well, what do you expect from a Groo comic?

 Uncanny Avengers #19 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Pepe Larraz with Rodrigo Zayas (art) Dono Sanchez Almara (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Looks like the Red Skull has this team in his complete control but there is one hero left to come to the rescue. It's Gerry's homeboy Deadpool. Wade can't do it all alone so it's team up time. I like who he rustles up to help save the day.

 Wonder Woman #14 - Greg Rucka (writer) Nicola Scott (art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) Jodi Wynne (letters). This issue concludes "Year One" with a battle between Diana and Ares the God of War. One must suspend belief that Diana can fly all around the world carry Steve Trevor to stop the poison gas from being deployed. Maybe she got help from Santa Claus. I felt a little let down by Greg with that miracle move, but otherwise this story has been pretty good. Good enough for me to keep reading now that the first two storylines have ended.

 Red Sonja #1 - Amy Chu (writer) Carlos Gomez (art) Mohan (colours) Simon Bowland (letters). I hope you read the twenty-five cent #0 or you will be wondering how Sonja ends up in modern Manhattan. Amy solves the problem of Sonja speaking ancient Hyrkanian by introducing a handsome young police officer who sort of understands the language. This is quite similar to the Rebirth Wonder Woman book but different enough that a long time fan  like me still finds it worth reading.

 Occupy Avengers #3 - David F. Walker (writer) Carlos Pacheco (pencils) Rafael Fonteriz (inks) Sonia Oback with Wil Quintana (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I'm not a fan of the title. I think comic book buyers have Avengers fatigue and would be more likely to buy this book if it was called Marvel Team-Up starring Hawkeye. I am enjoying it so far and would recommend it. Here we have Hawkeye and Red Wolf getting help from Nighthawk and his sidekick Deadly Nightshade to track down some shady cybernetics in Chicago. There are some surprise appearances at the end of this issue but they do make sense when you consider the evidence that Hawkeye brings to the search. Next issue should have some wahoo fun.

 Detective Comics #948 - James Tynion IV & Marguerite Bennett (writers) Ben Oliver (art) Marilyn Patrizio (letters). Batwoman Begins part one. This is a good primer to read before Kate's own book hits the racks next month. I hope DC doesn't screw it up again.

 Dr. Strange/The Punisher: Magic Bullets #2 - John Barber (writer) Jason Muhr (storyboards) Andrea Broccardo & Dominike "Domo" Stanton (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I like Stephen and Frank and thought that the two of them teaming up would be fun but this story is turning into an unbelievable magical mystery tour with bad art. Shoot me now.

 Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #12 - Robert Venditti (writer) Ethan Van Sciver (art) Jason Wright (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Green and Yellow Lantern Corps combine to crush the Orange Corp. Larfleeze even helps. Ethan draws the best aliens.

 Jessica Jones #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Michael Gaydos (art) Matt Hollingsworth (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The meeting with Captain Marvel explains a lot and made me decide to stick with this. I really hope Luke and Jessica's marriage doesn't suffer from what Jess has to do.

 Totally Awesome Hulk #14 - Greg Pak (writer) German Peralta (art) Jay David Ramos & Dono Sanchez Almara (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The two part team up with Jeremy Lin ends, thank Thor. This one is great for the kiddies but I found it to be a bit silly.

 Ms. Marvel #14 - G. Willow Wilson (writer) Takeshi Miyazawa (art) Ian Herring (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The World of Battlecraft fight to start off this issue was fun. Now that Bruno's gone (I miss him), Kamala has to figure out stuff on her own. Someone is stalking her but we don't know if he's good or evil. I'm guessing evil since he looks like the Green Goblin.

 Spider-Man/Deadpool #13 - Joe Kelly (writer) Ed McGuinness (pencils) Mark Morales, John Dell & Ed McGuinness (inks) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). It's an adventure in Weirdworld as the two heroes recover from their fight with Itsy Bitsy. I really like Joe's version of Wade with the soupcon of humanity.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #16 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Valerio Schiti (art) Richard Isanove (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This issue is one long poem featuring everyone's favourite sentient one phrase tree. He is Groot. Some of the verses made my brain cringe however. I hope this isn't the last issue that Brian writes because I would hate to see his run end on a dissatisfying note.

 Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #4 - Joshua Williamson (writer) Fernando Pasarin (pencils) Matt Ryan (inks) Alex Sinclair with Jeremiah Skipper (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Max Lord and his team of super villains break into Belle Reve Penitentiary to get the thing that he needs to take over the world. We haven't seen this artefact since that special cover from 1992. I wish I can remember how they beat that bad guy 25 years ago then I wouldn't have to read the last 2 issues of this mini.

 Inhumans vs. X-Men 2 - Jeff Lemire & Charles Soule (writers) Leinil Francis Yu (pencils) Gerry Alanguilan (inks) David Curiel (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This war of the genetically enhanced seems to be contrived given what the Mutants' objective is in attacking Attilan, the home of the Inhumans. They couldn't just ask? I'm reading this because I love Leinil's art and it's still pretty exciting. Plus you never know what shocking "deaths" will claim the life of  some characters.

 Mighty Thor #15 - Jason Aaron (writer) Russell Dauterman (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The Asgard/Shi'Ar War starts here. Don't know why the Shi'Ar are all up in arms but I'm sure we'll find out. Russell is back drawing the whole issue and that makes me very happy. Judging from the cover the Unworthy Thor could be involved and that makes me excited.

 Spider-Man #12 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Sara Pichelli (art) Gaetano Carlucci (inking assist) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). It's interdimensional adventure time. Miles goes to another dimension to rescue his dad. There he meets Spider-Gwen as depicted on the cover. The kissy face must come later because this issue is all set up. This story crosses over with Spider-Gwen #16 and I like Miles so much that I will actually read that issue to see what happens next.

 All-New Wolverine #16 - Tom Taylor (writer) Nik Virella (art) Michael Garland (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Laura's current predicament in Madripoor seems simple and boring until you get to the last page and BOOM, someone comes out of left field. Things just got less boring.