Here 'tis. Got my Superman and Exiles from Last week, plus managed to get a second GL Corps #1 - with ring!
I just got 52 #7, and liked it a lot more than last week’s, with all the boring fighting in China. At least we got some significant character AND plot development this week.
Oh, my Sunnydale Library playset came in the mail on Monday, after I preordered it back in October. So that should count:
Astonishing X-Men #15:
Quote of the Week: I’m the best there is at what I do. And what I do… Is so terribly pretty!
That’s Whedon all over, man. And Cassiday’s facial expressions just brings it home. Joss… Really, really does like Kitty, doesn’t he. This is pretty much Kitty Pryde show, also starring the X-Men. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I like Whedon heroines, and Kitty’s their founder.
All-Star Superman #4: Let’s review, children:
Green kryptonite: Weakens and kills Superman:
Red Kryptonite: Mutates Superman.
Black Kryptonite: Turns Superman into a dick.
A great, great story. Jimmy actually comes off as competent. Plus, in the middle of Morrison’s 12-issue love letter to the Silver Age, he manages to reimagine Supes’ greatest Modern Age villain.
Justice #6: Nice. This is starting to come together. I like the rather twisted Giganta.
52 Week 7: Enter the lesbian! And wow, Ralph really let Booster have it with both barrells therem didn’t he? Not to imply Booster didn’t have it coming. Plus, Starfire plays lawn darts with Galactus!
Superman/Batman #27: Fun diversion. It’ll be interesting to see what the new team can do with this book.
Shadowpact #2: This one’s right on the bubble for me. It’s not bad, but it’s not really good, either. Could go either way. We’ll see. “Good night, Shadowpact, I shall probably drop you next month”.
The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1: I miss the old Bart. You know, the fun one. Angsty Bart Allen is just wrong, and doesn’t do anything Wally hasn’t already done. That said, it was a pretty good story. I’ll just continue mourning for Impulse.
Birds of Prey #95: Nice wrap up. Just as Geoff Johns has been the continuity fix-it guy, I think Gail “I made Catman hot” Simone is now tasked with rehabilitated characters that have been made goony or other wise wasted. Prometheus is a badass once again.
All-Star Superman #4. I admit, I dearly love this book. But if there’s a real continuity going I’m missing it. Oh, and Lois Lane is astonishingly hot as presented here.
Shadowpact #2. I’ll give anything by Willingham a try. I haven’t figured out what’s up yet. Though with the Chimp Detective I found myself wishing that Frank Cho was the artist.
Eternals #1. Another flyer I took based on Gaiman’s writing. It’ll be interesting to see where he takes it.
I’m just jumping in to say how pissed off I am that Seven Soldiers of Victory #1 didn’t come out today–and now I hear it won’t be out for at least three months.
52 - I think Ralph might have been being a little hard on Booster…but not that bad. Booster WAS being bad. I’m thinking the Supernova-Is-Booster theory is getting a boost (pardon the pun). Mr Carter realises he’s screwed up, and wants to fix it, but after this he can’t do it as Booster Gold, so he adopts a new persona. The future cover showing Booster’s goggles with Supernova reflected in them could be referencing that. Or it could mean Booster’s a corpse and SN’s going to be involved somehow.
I like Kate Kane, so far. I’m bracing for the bitching about her being closetted, after the hype.
Flash - I like it so far. The Barry stuff was little disorienting at first, but I think it makes sense at the end.
Bite Club: VCU - Every single one of these people is insane and distateful. I’m loving it. The Chaykin cover is a big improvement on the Quitely covers of the earlier issues.
Supermarket - Gods, I love this series. The art, the dialogue, it’s all perfect. ‘My parents, both former ranking members of organised crome, the Yakuza and the porno Swedes…’ And her inner monologue while she’s also thinking ‘This is, like, the best shower ever.’ and ‘These towels rule.’
You know what would be damned interesting? Kate Kane is in the closet, but fights crime and saves lives as an ‘out’ lesbian.
I think they’re going for the scene where she moves to come out as a superhero, but her parents jump the gun and say they’ve always known she’s gay. Or vice versa.
It’s a cliche by now, but it’s funny.
Shadowpact is likewise mediocre for me - I want to buy it just for the Stranger, though.
Superman was good, I enjoyed the royal rumble with Lex’s crystal-bot. On the other hand, I’m wondering if some of the hero appearances don’t cause conflicts, continuity wise.
Exiles was… abrupt. The solution to the problem at hand was unsatisifying and sudden, and leaves a favorite character in an uncertain state.
Let’s see, what else - New Avengers #20 resolves the super mutant energy guy’s arc, potentially sets the stage for a few key mutant re-empowerments, and features an oddly and suddenly cooperative Maria Hill.
JSA Classified - Vandal Savage’s arc wraps. Good stuff. Alan Scott confirms that by the time of the story, there is no JSA. Which isn’t to say that he doesn’t have some backup… And for fans of the DCU’s oldest villain, let’s just say I think we haven’t seen the last of him.
Bite Club VCU - I agree, I like the cover artist substitution.
Justice #6 - Still interesting, I wish the story so far had been a little more deserving of the Alex Ross treatment though. And it’s slow.
Nightwing - Guess what? Still stinking up the place. But I hear a new creative team is on the way…
Manhunter- Kate’s grandparents revealed! Not one, but two All-Stars!
Annihilation : Nova #3 - picking up this and the next one just in case Quasar is one of the heroes they’re going to off.
Candid Gamera:
I didn’t even see the latest Manhunter at my LCS. Can you spoil this for me?
Hoo boy. Computer issues + being out of town for over a week + summer classes= not a lot of time for comic book reading. I finally made a big dent in my pile of comics tonight.
52 #6-7: Since when have there been Sentinals in the DCU? I liked both issues.
Birds of Prey #95: Doesn’t Dinah mean “Tell her the Goddamn Black Canary is telling her to come to me for once?” Nice twist at the end. Who else is excited to see Black Alice again?
Supes/Bats #27: Didn’t see that coming. Seems a little cheap to tell stories from Earth-2 especially after two Crisises, but I’ll let it slide.Nice one shot story.
Supes/Bats #26: I wasn’t necessarily planning on picking this one up, then I heard the magic words on this forum: Half-nekkid Titans ladies. Apparently everyone else heard them too. At my LCS the day it came out it didn’t look like anyone was touching it, but within days there and at four other shops both in Cincy and NJ it had disappeared. Finally tracked it down yesterday. In addition to the boobies there’s a great story and some hilarous moments too. RIP Conner and Sam.
Firestorm #26: He’s only resting. I think.
Shadowpact #2: Still on the fence with this one. This issue was definitely much better than issue 1, but there’s still something missing. I guess Willingham heard the bitching (justified) about the new costumes.
JSA Classified #13: Eh, seemed a bit deus ex machina to me. I’d rather Alan had gotten out of the jam completely by himself. Can someone pleaaase pin up sketches of the Oan GL ring and Alan’s ring in the DC offices or at least send them to any artist who takes on a GL? Thanx.
I always thought Alan’s oath was the terse “And third to bring power.” Hmph.
Superman #653: Nice that they noted that Kara has been out of contact. Who expects Jimmy to get superpowers? I have my shot glass ready. Loved the last lines.
Still have a few more to go though including the JLA where Prometheus pwns the League and the Special Edition of All Star Bats, both of which I picked up on the cheap. I kinda feel like a laugh before bed. I think I have a date with Bruce Wayne. : tears though closet, trying on about 12 outfits :
Almost forgot: what the hell is Manhunter and why should I be reading it?
Her gramma is Sandra Knight, the original Phantom Lady. and her grampa was Iron Munro, not ‘Atom’ Al Pratt, who was simply a friend to Sandra when she discovered she was pregnant.
… Crap, I hate when I do that. Can someone call a mod?
I’ve never read Manhunter, but this means she’s at least somewhat related to Ted and Jack Knight, the Starman family, to whom Sandra was a cousin and aunt, respectively!
BBVL, that’s mentioned in the book. Kate asks Sandra if she has any other family, and she mentions Ted and Jack - misidentifying Jack as Kate’s third cousin (he’s her second cousin, once removed). Hopefully, there’ll be a meeting between Kate and Jack, at some point.
Well, I’ve heard that Jack will be appearing in 52!
It’s one of the most unique DC books around - Kate, the main character, is an L.A. Attorney. Prosecuting, before OYL, but she’s now on defense. She moonlights as Manhunter, a vigilante who actually will use lethal force in moderation. She invented the identity when it appeared Copperhead was going to get away with a whole bunch of savage murders based on a cop-out defense. She has the best supporting cast in the DCU right now, as well.
There’s a TPB or two out there - I recommend snagging one and taking a look, see if it interests you. The book was on the verge of cancellation recently, but fan demand got it a temporary reprieve - it could use all the readers it can get.
I agree about Manhunter. Whenever it comes out, I put it at the top of my to-be-read stack. It does have an excellent supporting cast, and even before this issue’s revelations about Kate’s ancestry, it reminded me a little of Starman in the way it uses some minor or otherwise little-used characters in interesting ways.
I hope more people start buying the book so it stays uncancelled.