CC2K Comics Weekly Pull List For July 13th, 2011
Written by: Gary M. Kenny, CC2K Comics Editor
The last Harry Potter premieres this week and Captain America follows soon after. You need to save that cash money for them flicks, yo! Let CC2K help, here is July 13th, 2011’s comics under $20 week in review.
Ultimate Fallout #1
Brian Bendis and Mark Bagley’s follow up to Ultimate Spider-Man is pretty tame thus far. It feels like a very short story about what the supporting cast of USM are up to. Most are angry, confused and saddened. Gwen feels cursed, Mary Jane blames Nick Fury, Captain America blames himself, Johnny Storm and Kitty Pryde are angry, Tony Stark and J.J. feel the need to help and honor him. That’s pretty much the gist of the book. Issue 1 of 6, I’m guessing Bendis’s script was probably 2 or 3 issues long and Marvel wanted to cash out so they had Bagley draw large splash pages and character profiles. His artwork is well worked and colorists Justin Ponsor and Laura Martin really made this issue pop, but maybe a little too bright for a funeral comic. For a Spidey comic, it falls short and because of the large cast of characters nobody really stands out (maybe Aunt May). Makes me wonder if the Spidey peanuts gang can really carry a book on their own.
2.5 out of 5.0
The Amazing Spider-Man #665
Dan Slott you single handily saved this series. Issue #665 opens by showing Betty Brant and Peter’s friendship. Ryan Stegman art is fantastic, he displays Peter and Betty’s friendship by drawing a comic-time-table of them hanging out pre-Avengers and post. Betty’s shown as an older sister, a movie pal, and a close friend to Pete. Dan Slott’s script focuses on Peter’s inability to hold a social life. Using Betty as his main focus, (though makes sure she’s seen as having a life of her own) we watch how Pete and Betty’s friendship slowly changed. Betty always made time for Pete, but now Pete constantly dodges her because of his Spidey responsibilities (FF and 2 different Avengers team).
The story gets amazing when Betty, on the way to a movie (after getting stood up by Pete), gets mugged. She is attacked and rushed to the hospital. Everyone from J.J. to M.J. hightails it to see her except Pete. Peter is too busy searching for Betty’s attacker. Slott opens up a brand new way of seeing Peter’s “Great Power” Origin. He’s doing exactly the same thing he did when Uncle Ben died. Instead of comforting his loved ones, he’s out there searching for vengeance. Aunt May calls Peter. She tells him how when Uncle Ben died, when she needed him the most, Peter ran off. She doesn’t blame him because he was a teenager. She calls him out and basically tells him to man up and be there for his friend. Peter hangs up the webs and rushes over. This issue single handily changed how I viewed Pete’s origin. Slott is strongly hinting that maybe the problem with Superhero books is that the hero is always out getting revenge or fixing their problems with fists. This is one of the first superhero books i’ve read that has the hero acting like a real person and being there for his friends.
5.0 out of 5.0
Green Lantern #67
NO SPOILERS! Geoff Johns conclusion to the “War of the Green Lanterns” contained major changes in the GL universe but unfortunately had very little oomph. The script changes the status quo on who’s a GL and who’s not, just in time for next September’s relaunch GL#1. It’s cover will be an instant buy however. The story follows the four human GL’s attacking the infested Guardians, jail-breaking Sinestro and pals, and throwing the biggest laser show since Stone Mountain’s annual one (google it). Doug Mahnke is a fantastic artist. His creatures are rich in detail and his battle scenes pop. I love how he draws Guy, he almost looks like Dennis Leary. However his Kyle and Hal facially are a bit too feminine for my taste. Johns is under seeing the whole DC reconstruction and so he’s got a lot on his plate. Though i loved the Sinestro Corps storyline and his GL origins rewrite, I think It might be time for Geoff to turn in his ring.
2.0 out of 5.0
X-men: Schism #1
X-men: the animated series this is not. For most of this book Wolverine and Cyclops are seen as having a wonderful relationship, I thought this was suppose to be the dividing issue. The book hints at being a memoir of the past. By the end page the sentinels and the Hellfire club are back and i can’t help but be reminded that the late 80s x-men books were awesome.
For $4.99 I didn’t really get a story, nothing happened in Schism #1. Cycs and Logan go to an UN conference to try to promote the dismantling of global Sentinels and to include the Mutant populous. Oh and then the typical evil mutant comes in and ruins it all. The U.S. and other countries deploy their Sentinels and we find out it’s all been schemed by a 12 year old boy, who in turn becomes the new Black King in the Hellfire club. HUH?
The only real charm i felt was the scenes involving Wolverine and Idie (one of Hopes lights). Basically Wolverine chooses a new underage girl apprentice (past jailbates include Kitty Pryde, Jubilee, X-23) and become buddy buddy. This would normally come across as creepy but it’s the norm in the comic book world for older men in tights to be chummy with little kids in spandex. For a starter issue, it’s not bad and i’m definatly on board for the next part. I am just surprised that i coughed up so much money for so little story with loads of filler. Eh, lets hope this picks up.
2.5 out of 5.0