Ultron #1AU (Age of Ultron)!

Ultron #1AU or how Ultron’s child deals with the end of the world.  Ultron’s child is a cyborg named Victor Mancha he was a member of the teen super group the Runaways – they were all children of super villains.  This is Victor’s story of how he tries to save any humans he could find and how that did not work out so well.  I’m not really sure what the point of this comic was to be as it appears to be a one shot comic.  In the end people live and people die and the comic ends with Victor fighting an overwhelming number of Ultrons.

Avengers Assemble #14AU (Age of Ultron)

Avengers Assemble #14AU is where the Black Widow has a very very bad day.  This is also one of the comics that contradict the main storyline where Ultron takes over in the night and everyone just wakes up with Ultron in control.  Anyway lots of people die and Ultron uses way too many different ways to kill people when just sending out bots would have worked.  The comic ends when the Black Widow meats up with Moon Knight at the S.H.I.E.L.D slash Nick Furry bunker.

Fearless Defenders #3!!

The Fearless Defenders #3 is another good issue and entertaining to boot.  Valkyrie, Misty Knight and Annabelle Riggs are joined by Hela’s chapion Hippolyta.  The four of them are sent by the All Mother to a town to find and stop the Doom Maidens.  Annabelle Riggs has now been promoted to Shield Maiden with interesting results.  They manage to find and rescue Moonstar, but Hippolyta is taken out of the fight and Valkyrie after breaking free of the enchantment is recognized by the Doom Maidens (the fallen Valkyrie) as one of their own.  This story gets more and more interesting as the issues go along.  It will be interesting to see where this story goes.

Fantastic Four #6!!

Fantastic Four #6 was a good story and a vast improvement from what has happened in the past few issues.  In this issue for whatever stupid reason the family has decided to visit the birth of the universe just seconds after the Big Bang.  There they find a living thing possibly an alien stranded, now if you had read the first two pages of this issue you would know this person was condemned to die at the end of the Universe.  The Thing, who is having some issues that include glowing eyes, goes out and rescues the stranded person.  It turns out the person they rescue is Blastaar of Baluur a rather powerful villain that has fought the Fantastic Four before.  A fight ensues that causes a lot of damage to the ship and has the Thing hanging from the outside.  In order to save everyone Franklin uses his power to move the ship and everyone further along the time stream possibly to the end of the universe.  We are treated to viewing the death of Blastaar.  It was almost an anti-climactic death for such a powerful character of the Marvel Universe.

Hawkeye #9

Hawkeye #9 was a really really really good comic book.  The writing was spot on and flowed well.  Things are not going well for Hawkeye our hero and the cover art is being ironic because he really gets no love inside the comic.  The story is broken up into vignettes from the point of view of the Black Widow, Bobbi aka Mockingbird Hawkeye’s ex-wife, Kate not the Hawkguy and Jessica.  None of these stories go well for Hawkeye or in certain cases for the Bro gang.  The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and if the subject of the cliffhanger does not survive I’m going to miss him.  While entertaining I hope things get better for the star of this comic.

Thor God of Thunder #7

Thor God of Thunder #7 was a good comic.  The story flowed again even if the story was once again disrupted by disjoined time lines.  I especially enjoyed the interactions between very old All Father Thor and middle Thor (the Thor from the time of the Avengers and X-Men).  It was amusing hearing what the old Thor had to say about the life Thor would lead.  Unfortunately it appears that all the Thors are prisoners of the mad God Killing God Gorr.  We also get a view of the seat of all Gods the Library where we learn that one god was not killed after serving Gorr and he was the God of Bombs.  So while everything was kind of interesting building to this cliff hanger the “dramatic” ending was just yet another mad man with a big bomb.  A very over used cliché from the world of comic books and truly after what has gone before a bit of a letdown.

X-Treme X-Men #13 !!!

X-Treme X-Men #13 was the final issue of this run and rather disappointing since it was a middle comic of a larger story arc over a number of other X-Men related comic books.  The good guys do not win in the end it is just a cliff hanger to get you to buy a different comic book.  The transition was jarring from the end of last issue to this issue.  A lot of characters die or the aftermath of their death in another comic happened in this issue.  I am disappointed that the end of such a great comic book was treated so shabbily.  It was really the only good X-Men comic running right now.  I am so disappointed I am not going to track down the other issues to find out what happened or follow the story.  I did a little reading using online summaries and the story arc was rather disappointing and reviewed badly.  Sigh – one of the best versions of Wolverine and Hercules ever and they were wasted.

Batman #19

Batman #19 was a horrible story.  I am not even sure where to start because we the readers did not get the full story and the issue ended on a cliff hanger.  There was a second story with Superman but otherwise I’m disappointed.  The Superman Batman team up was interesting and could be cool.  But I would have much rather had the main story finished.  Even having Clayface and Robin flashbacks could not save the main story that felt much more like a Requiem story than anything.

Batman Li'L Gotham #1

Batman Li’L Gotham #1 was obviously meant to be a kiddy comic I only bought a copy because I was told it was a serious comic.  I am not sure the watercolor style art work would appeal to anyone but adults.  The first story is a Halloween story with lots of costumes on the street both real and imposters.  The ending was smart and entertaining but so unrealistic.  The second story is a Thanksgiving Day story and just stupid.  Seriously if you are doing a kiddy comic at least make it a good one do not make it such a mess.

Worlds Finest Huntress and Power Girl #11

Worlds Finest Huntress and Power Girl #11 was interesting.  Huntress did the sneaky spy thing looking for clues about who was interfering with Power Girls research.  They both end up at a party and find that Michael Hold (Mister Miracle) was still alive, but in a twist it turns out it was actually Desaad somehow.  So anyway while well written with a good flashback story it all hung on the cliff hanger ending and I was starting to think we might actually get something better from the creative team behind this comic.

Earth 2 #11 !!!

Earth 2 #11 was good. We get to see the re-birth of Dr. Fate. We see the Flash and Khalid make their way through the Tower of Fate. While the Flash’s mother and Wotan talk over Wotan’s backstory. The Flash ends up fighting the monster in the tower and eventually Dr. Fate appears after some soul searching from Khalid.

Dial H #11

Dial H #11 was a bit disappointing.  Nelson panics when he wakes up in bed with Roxie and he uses the dial just to get dressed.  He ends up with a real hero he gets the Flash and Nelson has trouble controlling the speed.  Meanwhile the Centipede stages a coup and opens a gate to wherever the dial owners live.  He gets someone powerful and starts chasing Nelson and Roxy around the world at the speed of the Flash.  The good guys end up in Sydney Australia where they are met by Centipede and a creature that is ripping a hole in the sky as if we were watching the Bleach anime.

Batman Detective Comics #19!!!

Batman Detective Comics #19 was a Special 80-Page Spectacular! Issue.  What this means was this issue was a collection of short stories that DC Comics has been using as full issues that last two years.  Being short stories some were good some were amazing and some were just OK.  Interestingly enough this issue still managed to advance the Emperor Penguin Storyline.   We also got to see the origin story for the Man-Bat and a Bane against the Court of Owls storyline.  All and all the teaser stories for Penguin and Bane were interesting.  This issue also had a number of one shot splash art pages and a number of these were really well done. 

Ame-Comi Girls #2

Ame-Comi Girls #2 was disappointing.  Compared to the very interesting previous issues in this comic series this issue was a very bad turn.  Not only did the artwork change from good to a quality so bad the Cartoon Network would reject the art, the story as boring.  Suddenly the heroines win and the story devolves into fights about who will be the leader of the group and discussion on the legal procedures to make what the ladies do legal.  We then get treated to watching Batgirl and Robin being grounded – yawn.  While a decrease in the crotch and boob shots makes the comic see more serious, this was not the stories promised.

All New X-Men #10

All New X-Men #10 was a really lame issue.  The creative team took a really good setup and ruined it with yet more whiny moaning crap that drove me from reading the X-Men in the first place.  Seriously nothing happened in this issue but talking, even when the bad guys robbed and murdered across the country pretending to be the X-Men from olden days all that really happened was talking.  I’m very disappointed.

Winter Soldier #17

Winter Soldier #17 was interesting, but mostly a recap story and we see planning for the next mission to save the world.  Nick Furry (the original) and the Winter Soldier work to figure out where the attacks by the Electric Ghost come from and not the Black Widow apparently.  Joe Robards has a few clever words to say and then the comic ends in a melancholy way.  We hear how when you us a teleporter you are killed and then a copy of yourself is born at the receiving end.  Then the cliff hanger is Bucky being shot and sitting around for two pages while the Electric Ghost gloats.  In the end I have to say this was not the best story told by this comic book.

Age of Ultron #4

Age of Ultron Book Four was interesting.  The Luke Cage and She-Hulk plan failed badly with the She-Hulk throwing Luke Cage out of the building hoping he would get what they learned about Ultron to the other heroes.  The other survivors made their way to the Savage Lands.  The Red Hulk and Taskmaster disagreed and the Red Hulk kills the Taskmaster and then the Red Hulk exits Chicago.  The Moon Knight and Black Widow were hiding in a Nick Furry bolt hole and found that Nick Furry had a plan for when Ultron took over the world or at the very least the end of the world.  When the group of Heroes from the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier reaches the Savage Lands they find that the Savage Lands had also been attacked by Ultron and as in other parts of the world there were survivors; they also find the remains of an Avengers Quinjet.  Almost immediately they meet up with Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Lands who leads them to his village.  Here they find a dying Luke Cage whom relays the information from when the She-Hulk and he met with the Vision.  It turns out that Ultron is attacking the world from the future and that is why no one has been able to find where Ultron was hiding.   With that information provided the three groups of heroes meet up with the Red Hulk, Moon Knight and Black Widow make themselves known.  It is now time to go get Ultron the Black Widow says.

Deadpool #7!!!

Deadpool #7 was entertaining.  This issue was supposedly a comic that had been finished but not been published in the past for whatever reason.  In this issue Deadpool is hired to make Tony Stark aka Iron Man drink.  The story starts out simply enough in the Daily Bugle with Peter Parker admitting to everyone he was Spider-Man during a pitch meeting.  Everyone ignores Peter and sends him off to get more pictures of Spider-Man.  He meets Flash Thompson who has parked in a Handicap spot and then Deadpool steal the car. Deadpool almost runs down the Power Pack but only promises them that their comic book was already doomed.  Deadpool is then met by an agent of the devil who wants Tony Stark to take a drink; they debate contract conditions until Deadpool agrees in exchange for ownership of a Laser Disc factory.  There then were some entertaining events and Deadpool knocks out Tony Stark, takes the Iron Man armor and saves the day.  Things end badly for the demon working for Mephisto and Cable arrives asking for Deadpool’s help.  This issue was good and from some of the quips not some long lost issue but a clever and entertaining story.

Indestructible Hulk #6

Indestructible Hulk #6 was entertaining.  At some point Thor had given S.H.I.E.L.D. a sliver of from his magical hammer Mjolnir and with this small piece of uru metal Bruce Banner and his team create a portal to Jotunheim realm of the Frost Giants.  They meet Thor who strangely does not seem to remember Bruce Banner or the Hulk.  The Frost Giants arrive and a big fights start, Thor is tossed from the battlefield and a Hulked out Bruce Banner in some type of armor picks up Thor’s Hammer with the words “Hulk Worthy!”  This was a good and interesting story to read.

Thanos Rising #1

Thanos Rising #1 was very interesting.  It starts with Thanos returning to the moon Titan where he was born.  He is there to visit his mother’s grave and to remember his own past.  This is a past that we get to see for ourselves.  We get to see his birth and eventual rejection by his mother Sui-San. Thanos is a funny looking child for an Eternal they even call him a mutant and it does not faze him.  He even makes friends at school and eventually finds a girl whom likes him.  The girl encourages Thanos to seek revenge on the creatures (they look like iguanas) that ate his friends after those friends were trapped in a cave-in.  I was reluctant to buy this comic as I feared it would just be Thanos silliness but instead this first issue is rather laidback and deliberate in the telling of Thoanos’s early life.  I will try to keep up with future issues.

Planet of the Apes Cataclysm #8!!!

Planet of the Apes Cataclysm #8 was a much better story than previous issues.  My biggest problem with the Cataclysm story is it was disjoined and confusing at times.  This I believe was deliberate to make the readers feel the problems and chaos happening in the story.  But with this issue the story continues and clarifies the situation making things a bit clearer.  Though having the mutants go from bloodthirsty to friendly happened a bit quickly.  Changes back in Ape City are also handled badly by the leadership.  We will see how this all ends up soon I hope I do not like the sometimes filler feeling of this story line (might feel that way because of the disjointed telling of the story).

Planet of the Apes Special #1

Planet of the Apes Special #1 was a really good story.  I had not read the comics leading up to this special so I might have been a little behind the other readers of the book.  But what was presented was a very good story.  A war story to be sure and it happens long before (20 years?) the Planet of the Apes movies.  This is the story for the control of an Ape City Mak that claimed to have equality between humans and apes.  But at this time the humans had been driven from the city and Apes were killing ape for control.  There were two factions lead by sisters.  There was a human army that had help from monks with telepathy and illusion powers much like the mutants in the Apes movies.  There was also an Ape Khan with ships invading or brining an army to help the humans – though in this story his army does no real fighting.  The Khan just talks a lot to a chimp Historian.  It was all very interesting I may have to hunt down the comics that come before this story.

A + X #6 !!!

A + X #6 Gambit + Thing and Wolverine + Captain Marvel with this month’s theme being Poker games and bluffing.  Wolverine and Captain Marvel were in a poker game showdown with each trying to get the upper hand in a battle of wills.  They argue and then the Avengers Tower is broken into by someone in a big suit of power armor calling itself the End.  Captain Marvel asks the End a “who would win” question and the next thing you see is Hawkeye and Spider-Woman running into the room to see the three not fighting but playing poker.  The second story of The Thing and Gambit starts with the Thing playing poker with the Yancy Street Gang (well three of them anyway) before the game starts the Gang brings in a ringer who turns out to be Gambit.  Gambit and the Thing have a history that the reader gets to see.  In the end it turns out The Thing and Gambit ran a scam and stole the pot from the Yancy Street Gang.  Both stories were well told and entertaining – I was entertained.

Age of Ultron #3!!

Age of Ultron #3 was good.  This issue moved the story along as the Heroes have finally set on a plan.  She-Hulk and Luke Cage are going to try and infiltrate Ultron’s Headquarters and try to learn something about what Ultron wants and why there are survivors.  That plan has Luke Cage “Selling” or trading She-Hulk to Ultron.  They got the idea from Hammerhead and the Owl who until killed claimed to have bought safety from Ultron by trading (selling) it Heroes.  We then cut to Chicago where we see the Red Hulk, the Taskmaster and Black Panther trying to capture part of an Ultron Unit to examine.  This gives us a chance to see the Red Hulk have a big fight trying to buy time for the others to escape, unfortunately the Black Panther dies; it appears that the Taskmaster does escape.  We then return to Luke Cage and She-Hulk whom are brought to see not Ultron but The Vision (dun dun dun… cue dramatic music).  This issue was a great improvement over issue two as something happened. 

Superior Spider-Man #6AU

The Superior Spider-Man #6AU (Age of Ultron) was interesting.  I am still not a fan of the Superior Spider-Man and could rant about how evil the people whom allowed Doctor Octopus to kill Peter Parker and replace Parker’s mind with his own.  This story starts right at the start of events in Age of Ultron #3 before the She-Hulk and Luke Cage plan can start.  Spider-Man is plotting a way to escape from his helpers and destroy Ultron on his own.  Tony Stark (Iron Man) tells Spider-Man that the Horizon Labs survived and Tony had a way to destroy Ultron if he could get a hold of some tech from the labs.  Spider-Man agreed to help but as soon as Quicksilver dropped him off Spider-Man betrayed the other survivors and tried to take down Ultron on his own using his own robot control powers.  Spider-Man almost succeeds but was tricked into a false fight and is almost killed.  He attempts to carry out Tony Stark’s plan but fails at that as well.  Spider-Man barely escapes and returns to give the bad news to the other remaining Heroes.  The story ends with Doctor Octopus realizing how good it is to have friends (queue the G.I. Joe “And knowing is half the Battle” music) just as the She-Hulk and Luke Cage are getting ready for their mission.

Fantastic Four #5AU (Age of Ultron)

Fantastic Four #5AU (Age of Ultron) or we get to kill off the Fantastic Four.  This is the story of how Sue Storm is one of the survivors hiding in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier in the main Age of Ultron comic book.  So the story starts sometime in the past or future and the Fantastic Four – The Thing, Human Torch, Reid Richards and Sue Storm leave their children behind to go help defend Earth.  They arrive too late and they are all killed off one by one in very dramatic fashion.  Sue somehow survives even though she was being hunted by a pack of Ultrons.  She was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building by the She-Hulk.  The story ends with the kids back on the ship wondering what are they going to do now.  Considering who they are and the powers they have shown in the past there is little they cannot do to fix the timeline.  The question is if the writers will allow them to be more than another sideshow in the Age of Ultron story arc.

I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!

Deadpool Killustrated #3

Deadpool Killustrated #3 was entertainingly good.  We the readers finally get to see a few more famous characters of literature finished off by Deadpool.   I liked the idea of stealing the Frankenstein Monster by transplanting a little of Deadpool’s brain.  Once activated the Frankenstein Deadpool and Deadpool continue their rampage followed closely by Sherlock Holms and company.  The writers are showing a bit more imagination and hopefully this story will improve.

This is my 200th update!!

FF #5

FF #5 was interesting but I am not really feeling the love with this book.  It is going for silly when it could be doing much better.  There are a number of interesting children and other characters hanging out at the Fantastic Foundation that could be used better.  Oh well.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 !!!!

The Guardians of the Galaxy #1 was entertaining.  I am a bit annoyed that they brought in Iron Man (Tony Stark) of all people when it would seem the original cast was wacky enough without adding Iron Man.  The story starts out well enough with Star-Lord (Peter Quill) hitting on a female Kree in a bar.  They are interrupted when Quill’s father the King of the Galaxy (has anyone told the Shi’ar?) arrives to tell Quill that Earth is by law now off limits.  I was amused when the king admitted that he was in fact jealous of his son’s adventures.  We then switch to following Iron Man as he encounters a Badoon space craft and combat ensues.  At the “last moment” the Guardians of the Galaxy (Gamora, Quill, Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon – yes Rocket Raccoon!) and help to save the day.  The bad guys blow up their ship knocking out Tony Stark and escape.  The comic ends with an attack on the Earth city of London.  The backstory for this group is not what I remember and I might have to track down some trade paperback collections to know what is going on in this comic.  I have to say I enjoyed the story so far and hope the quality continues at this level.