Rating System: Things I Hate

5 Stars: WARNING: Bad Comics
4 Stars: People that ask “How’ve you been?”
3 Stars: Old People
2 Stars: Your Mom
1 Star: You

Marvel Adventures: Free Comic Book Day #1 (*****)
New Universal: Shockfront #1 (****1/2)
The Punisher #57 (*****)
Thunderbolts #120 (*****)

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...ew-roundup-23/

by Seventh Soldier

Secret Invasion #1
Final Crisis #1

Bendis’ Secret Invasion concept was one I could get behind. But I was wary – Civil War was a concept I thought would be amazing and which the horrible writing made me drop after three issues. Obviously, there was some solid concept work going on. Plus, while I generally always hate Millar’s X-TREEM edgy take on…errr…everything, Bendis is top-notch on non-traditional superhero stuff. So, Secret Invasion was something I was both excited about and worried for. I picked it up and read it through, and…well, it wasn’t bad...

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...vent-review-1/

Atomic Robo: Free Comic Book Day Edition (***1/2)
Black Summer #6 (****)
Dan Dare #6 (*****)
Number of the Beast #3 (***1/2)

I’m starting to get the sneaking suspicion that by the end of the year, this sleeper summer event (Number of the Beast) will outdo both Final Crisis and Secret Invasion in terms of storytelling. And really, I’m okay with that.

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...ndent-edition/

by Foilball & Kid Ginger

Billy: Oh hey, my favorite panel from the whole issue, and the one that is most memorable, is the one where we get a close-up shot of Brass, laying on the hillside when he says, “Glories”.

Mandy: Because you love his face?

Billy: There’s just something about that word, how and when it’s delivered that just resonates with everything that is good and fun about comics.

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...w-planetary-5/

by Foilball

Wait, doesn’t this come out tomorrow? Well, Mark Millar and Michael Horwitz, over at Marvel, were kind enough to provide PDF previews to any review blogs that asked. Obviously, your man Billy Z. was all over that ####.

This review is going to be filled with spoilers, so… click the links at your own risk!

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...ew-kick-###-3/

only one in twenty has been man enough to click on one of the last three image links, so far... pansies! :eek:

"Ok you ####s. Let's see what you can do." Is the last thing I would expect out of a kid's mouth--even after that awesome head slicing theme.

i know, right? all of a sudden, Millar = WIN.

by Desiato

Ok, this is a serious question. Does anyone at DC actually care about those of us in the comic world that haven’t been reading DC books since the first Crisis? This is really starting to bother me, as I’m being hit on all sides with all this stuff that the DC guys seem to be eating up like a delicious meal, while I’m stuck in the corner left prodding at a cold and lifeless piece of tough, overcooked meat.

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...1/#comment-752

Review: Green Lantern #31

Review: Astounding Wolf-Man #6

Review: New Avengers #41

Quick Hits!

by Foilball

Hey, didn’t Bendis say a while back that issue #3 would have one of, if not the biggest reveal of the entire story? I do recall he did. Hmm… Okay, finally we’re out of the damn Savage Land! Finally! Some real action!

Alright, if you don’t want to know the biggest reveal in the entire story so far, do not, I repeat… DO NOT click on the following image links. You’ve been warned...

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...et-invasion-3/

by Desiato

That’s right, folks. On a day that featured the release of two event books (Trinity 1 and Secret Invasion 3), I’m going to review an almost universally ignored pseudo-event from last year. Ha ha!

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...ew-silent-war/

You are out of your gourd Zonos. Butterflies in your stomach over Final Crisis? You mean the same book that had BM, SM, and WW getting a refresher course on who the New Gods are? If that doesn't get addressed in issue 2, then Morrison just is dropping the ball big time. The Luthor line was great, but the way MM was dealt with was just bollocks. No dramatic tension, no weight to the spectacle at all.

See SI #3 to see how a death can be quickly built up and executed (no pun intended) to actually have a dramatic impact.

And if Libra is supposed to be this amazing cosmic powered bad guy, that line he spouted with "bullXXXX" in the middle of it was just completely out of place. Have some class, you have amazing power levels, and no vocabulary to support it?

I'm still on the FC wagon till at least issue 3, but for a number one, it just doesn't cut it. Wasn't Countdown the buildup, and shouldn't FC be the payoff? So far, it ain't.

my reaction to some of your rantings can be found in the comments section of Desiato's post on Final Crisis. :p

wait, is Echo really dead? that was pretty ambiguous.

the creative use of foul language does not necessarily imply a lack of vocabulary. in fact, it could mean quite the opposite.

payoff? it's been one issue... just exactly how much payoff were you expecting? Major publishers take note: screw all 7 or 8 part epics, the fans demand 200 page one-shots!!!

RE: MM - most people have complained that it happened too fast. uh, yeah! that was the point! it's supposed to be shocking! it's not supposed to be a defining character moment for MM, it's a defining character moment for Libra! no tension? how does MM dying in such a casual manner not raise the stakes? think about it. if Libra can dispatch someone of MM's caliber with such ease and disdain, how safe do you think the rest of the DC Universe is from his wrath?

i don't know, just something to think about till issue #2 ships. :)

by Foilball

READ ME FIRST: The thing you have to remember about comics from the 60’s and especially about comics written in the “Marvel way”, is that they didn’t have story arcs in the way we recognize them today. No part 1 (of 4)’s and stuff like that. The comics ran with one continuous storyline that could go on for years, perhaps decades (okay, maybe not decades). One of the ways they got away with this was by seeding multiple subplots throughout each issue… kind of like the way soap operas are written… not that I would know. Anyway, within the four issues I’ll be reviewing, there are multiple subplots starring such notable heroes and villains as Wyatt Wingfoot, Black Panther, Sandman, The Inhumans, and of course the Silver Surfer and Dr. Doom. Sometimes the different plots intersect. So, if all of a sudden the Inhumans show up in the Doom story, don’t be confused. I’m only showing you part of the story, the part that’s relevant to the Vs. cards that were inspired by this chunk of issues, so bear with me.

http://readrant.wordpress.com/2008/0...power-of-doom/