Invincible Iron Man Annual #1 - The Mandarin is a Jerk

Who's ready for the new Invincible Iron Man Annual? It's got the Mandarin and art not by Salvador Larroca! What's not to love about it? Actually, the price tag is pretty steep, even if this is a big issue. In a week with Wonder Woman #700, you'd think Marvel would have the common decency to put out a cheaper annual, but I guess they don't care about my poor old wallet.

Disregard for my finances aside, like I said, this is a hefty issue and you're gonna spend at least a good half hour or so reading this. The story is solid enough; Mandarin kidnaps a famous Madripoorian (I think that's what you'd call them) film maker to make a biographical film about his life; that monster!

One big note is that there's really no Tony Stark in this story outside of a brief flashback and an actor playing him. This story focuses on the film maker and his crew doing what they can to make sure their movie tells the truth about the Mandarin all the while trying to make him think they're making the delusional piece he's demanding of them. Really, the two points I can take from this are: 1. The Mandarin's a real big jerk and 2. The Mandarin is crazy. Seriously, don't mess with this guy unless you're Iron Man or something equal to or better than Iron Man, otherwise things will not end well for you. By the end of the issue we find out that this is a build up piece for an upcoming story in the book where the Mandarin will be the bad guy. It's not a bad story by any means, but unless you really want some Iron Man you might want to pass.

The best thing about this issue is that the art is not by Salvador Larroca, which I cannot stress enough. I love Invincible Iron Man, but goddamn is the art ugly. And not awesome quirky ugly, but "this-is-two-overused-poses-and-a-porn-face-away-from-Greg-Land-art" ugly. So having a different artist on the book is a much welcomed change. Maybe we could make this guy the regular artist because he does a damn fine job.

In the end, this book is good, but not enough for me to tell you to buy it. Unless you really miss the Mandarin, save you're $5 or use it to buy something else in the comic shop. If you're luck it'll be in your shop's $1 back issue bargain bin before you know it!

Atomic Robo Vol. 4 #4 - Undead Edison Lives! (sorta...)

Atomic Robo Volume 4 issue 4 is here and as always I'm excited to be reading this book again. The end of the volume is here and while I'm sad to close this mini out, it's not going out too quietly. Each issue of this mini has focused on showing us a different villain for Robo to face off against so it's only fitting that we end this volume with Robo's oldest foe and who better to face Tesla's Atomic Robot than the now Undead Thomas Edison! That's right, Edison is back for the first time since his brief appearance in one of the first volume's back up stories and man is it good to see him.

This issue is pretty standard as far as this series goes; Clevinger's humor is the strong point and there's plenty of all around here. If you've got a good clean sense of humor you'll be much at home with this series (though I'd advise you to wait for the trade if you haven't jumped onto the book by now.) Perhaps the funniest moment coming when Robo and company decide to do some testing on the not yet revealed Edison's spectral body. Humor in the name of science is something I will always stand behind.

Edison himself is a pretty awesome take on the character and this Clevinger thought of an awesome way to use him here, ultimately setting up the character for potential use in the future, which I'm looking forward to. And that's what this entire volume has been about; building up a great gallery of villains for Atomic Robo to face in the future.

While I'm overall unsure if this is the best volume yet,(only time and revisits to older volumes can tell that) I'm very pleased with the entirety of this volume of the book. Like I've said previously, if you haven't jumped on yet, get the collected volume and do so for sure. This is a book that definitely deserves your hard earned cash. Good job Clevinger and company, I'm looking forward to Volume 5!

Darkwing Duck #1 - a different kind of DKR

For the last year or so, Boom! Studios has become a name I can trust for just about anything, be it a great super hero comic like "Irredeemable", a great original title like "The Anchor", or even a surprisingly solid licensed book like "Die Hard Year One" or "The Muppet Show". In fact, Boom's blown me away with just how incredibly strong their licensed books have been in the last year. "Die Hard Year One" was a title that I didn't think I'd love and I ate up each and every issue hungry for what it had in store for me next. Like wise, "The Muppet Show" and "The Incredibles" blew me away with their ability to emulate the feel and look of the original product so much while being from the Boom! Kids line that I finally knew that this company was destined for great things. Today I find myself once again blown away with just how good the product these guys put out that I have to share my view with the whole world. Even if a bunch of people have already beaten me to the punch on this one. That's right, if the title of this entry wasn't enough, I'm reviewing "Darkwing Duck" #1.

Much like like "The Muppet Show" before it, "Darkwing Duck" is a book that draws me in with nostalgia, as it was a show that came out when I was but a whee lad when the show first aired on television. And again, much like "The Muppet Show" Darkwing Duck is a title that did not disappoint. From the moment I opened the cover and glanced at the inside cover which displayed the title of the story "The Duck Knight Returns" to the moment my eyes glanced over to the page directly to the right, I knew that the team working on this book new what they were doing.

The story is simple enough, catching us up to what Darkwing and the gang are up to these days. St. Canard has gone crime free for long enough that we come in on the one year anniversary of Darkwing Duck's retirement. Darkwing is now working a desk job right next to Megavolt (at the very company that put them both out of their alter egos, no less) and we get to see what's become of his life, all the while being treated to flashbacks of adventures gone by. Gosalyn's going to a private school now, Launchpad is off on his own, and life has just become normal for our hero. Of course by the end of the issue The Duck Crusader is given a reason to take up the cape once more, to save a familiar face from being punished for a laughably minor offense. We're immediately brought up to speed all the while being entertained with one thing or another along the way.

Still, as good as the writing (provided by Ian Brill) is, it's the art by James Silvani that steals the show here. This book is gorgeous and cartoony. At no point does Darkwing look stiff or dull, instead looking wonderfully animated at any instant in the book. One example I loved is a three panel sequence where we find our hero climbing a flight of stairs to the 142nd floor. Each panel we find him looking more and more tired than the last. In fact, I found myself directing my voice as I read the panels based solely on how the character looked like they were reacting in that particular moment. Of course the art wouldn't look nearly as amazing without the masterful coloring by Mr. Andrew Dalhouse, whose coloring meshed so well with the art that I found myself feeling as if I was watching the Darkwing Duck cartoon. I really can't gush about this art enough, if you guys ever read this, keep it up because you rock!

One odd thing to note; I noticed that this book wasn't labeled as Boom! Kids, which has me wondering if it's not a part of that line or if the company just isn't putting it on the covers anymore. Not that this affects the comic itself, it's just a tiny tidbit that caught my eye.

If you can't already tell from the two paragraphs of pure love I just pumped out that I loved this comic, then you have very poor reading comprehension. If you love fun, love a good all ages comic, or even have a kid you want to introduce into the world of comics, or whatever reason, pick this book up. Hell, even if you have no reason, you have no reason to be missing out on this. And again, if you guys at Boom! Studios are reading this, keep it up guys!

The Gauntlet: 6 reviews in one post!

So I've been out of my reviewing ways for quite a while. As such, I feel like I've got a lot to make up for. There are a ton of things that I feel that I've missed out on reviewing that I feel bit disappointed in myself. So, to make up for lost time I shall over compensate with 6 reviews in one go. There will be no scoring in my reviews because shut up this is my review blog.

First up on out plate is 3 issues of Amazing Spider-man: 633, 634, and 635. In issue 633 we find ourselves at the end of Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo's "SHED" story, with Emma Rios lending a hand with the art. This is a satisfying end to what has been one crazy 4 part ride. Wells has taken the Lizard and made something truly spectacular with the character, and for the first time in ages the character is actually interesting. Bachalo's new look for the lizard only makes things better, turning the character into an actual lizard and a creepy one to boot. Ms. Rios doesn't do half bad herself, blending in so well that I didn't even know two artists did pencils for this. Good to see the book reach this high again, and the next two issues are only building upon that.

634 and 635 start Joe Kelly and Michael Lark's story "The Grim Hunt" which is what this book has been building to since beginning "The Gauntlet" and sweet mama is it a doozy. The Kraven family, sans Kraven himself, have banded together to hunt the "Spiders" which is pretty much any Spider themed hero and Kaine, who needs to not exist. By the end of issue two, we find ourselves with a twist that I loved and an ending that had me saying "Oh $#!#" out loud. Joe Kelly, if this book ever becomes a one writer show, you should be the man to take it over. Lark's art is surprisingly appropriate for this story, which may just be the understatement of the year. It's a good time to be a Spider-man fan!

Review #4 is New Avengers #1, which is actually my favorite first issue of the new batch of Avengers books from Marvel. Here we have Luke Cage putting together HIS team of Avengers, which he's running in the Avengers Mansion, which is now his. This time however, Maria Hand is being tossed into the mix, which is a really good thing; I'm excited to see what Bendis has in store with her on the team. Art is once again the duty of Stuart Immonen and for all I'm concerned it can stay that way. He draws this team like nobodies' business. I look forward to reading issue #2!

Over at DC, Batman is the man as far as this post is concerned; with two issues getting covered, let's start things off with Streets of Gotham #13. Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen start off year 2 of this book with the second half of a two part-er about the carpenter, a joke character from Dini's run on 'Tec. This may sound like an awful idea, but it's actually a really decent issue. Dini's strength with this book has been in building up Gotham's underground and here it's no different. The Carpenter is a really cute character and I'm actually glad we get to revisit her for these two issues. Mr. Nguyen needs to never stop drawing Batman. There's also the Manhunter back-up which is pretty good, though I really don't care for the art.

Finally, we have Grant Morrison's "Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne" #3 0f 6. Holy cow, this is the best issue of this series by far. The first two were good, but this, this is fantastic. Here we find Bruce captured by a crew of pirates who are forcing him to traverse a familiar little cave. Batman and pirates is like peanut butter and chocolate; I don't think I'll ever get enough of it to truly satisfy me. Also, Morrison really has a knack for writing pirate dialogue. Yanick Paquette's pencils combined with Michel Lacombe's inks and Nathan Fairbairn's colors complete the combo and give us a spectacular pirate story. Oh, and next issue is Batman vs. Jonah Hex. Grant Morrison, you magnificent bastard.

And there we have it! Six, count em', six comics reviewed in one post. Now I need to sleep.

The Mission Statement or at least what I wish to accomplish here.

This is where it begins and hopefully where it doesn't end; the beginning of my own little comic book (and maybe other things) review (and maybe other things) blog. So what am I hoping to accomplish here? This is the place where I want to do whatever I want to. Which is mostly reviews.

This isn't a place where I'm looking to write about myself; I'm a boring fat white guy. I wouldn't want to read about me, so why would I write about me? Though I guess I'm writing about me right now, so perhaps I've already failed. Okay, so after this post is up I will no longer write about myself. Anyways I'm getting off track here.

I started my reviewing "career" on the now defunct "Independent Comics Site" and it's successor "The Coreburner". I mostly did comic book reviews, though I also reviewed episodes of "Reaper" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" for the TV section. Still, at the end of the day, I was doing a job that I wasn't getting paid for. In fact, I was working a (loosely) scheduled job providing content for something that ultimately wasn't for me and not getting paid for it. I didn't mind, but by the end of my time there I had lost the fire that once consumed me and made me write at least two or three of my little reviews a week.

That's why I'm doing this now; there I was doing my work for the guy running that place. I don't want to do that anymore. The only boss I have here is me and I'm doing what I want with this thing. It's not about page views, it's not about schedules, it's about me writing the reviews my way for me and anybody who will do me the honor of reading said reviews. As long as I meet my demands, I'm happy with this. As long as I can do my little reviews, I'm happy with myself. That's my mission statement: do what I want, when I want, for me, by me. As long as I can do that, I think I can be happy.