The Back Stack: February 28, 2012

Well hey there, folks!  Here we are again!  What do you say we review some comics?

Aquaman #6 was fairly weak in comparison to its other issues, but even the weakest issue of this run is still better than the best book of most series’ on the comic rack today.  The story focuses on Mera, Aquaman’s “lady friend,” who deals with some crap from a perverted store manager which results in her breaking his arm.  A little excessive, but he kind of deserved it, especially after she told him to stop.  We get some good scenes with her as well as delving into her backstory.  This issue leads into the much bigger impending story arc where we learn more about who sank Atlantis.  While definitely not as good as the other five issues, it’s still a damn fine book.

Verdict – Recommended

Avengers Academy #26, another book that I regularly look forward to.  Unlike Aquaman, which leaned more towards action, this one leaned heavily towards story, in this case setting up the next big series of angles.  This brings back Jeremy Briggs, who is setting himself up to be the next big villain of Avengers Academy.  Hmmm, wonder if he’s been approached for juvenile Hellfire Club membership… anyway, Veil and Jocasta arrive to preach Briggs’ methods of saving the world, which certainly SOUNDS nice, but in the end comes across as very shortsighted because it speaks very little about stopping crime on any level.  In fact, if you sit and think about it, Briggs sounds downright dumb.  I mean, really, what can The Incredible Hulk do to fix the ozone layer?  What can Hawkeye do to cure disease?  Not every superhero can apply themselves best in a laboratory or office building.  Some do best protecting people who are in trouble.  Anywho, we get some good relation bits between the characters, Briggs getting some leverage with Hazmat, and another glimpse into the future.  Still good fun.

Verdict –Recommended

Deadpool #51, unlike previous issues, seems to make it a point to keep comedy in the back seat and give the supporting characters a chance to shine, even though most of them ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN TITLES!  Not bad, but this didn’t exactly have a coherent flow.  We get some flashback scenes, but it seems some of them aren’t labeled, or I could just be misreading it.  It’s not a bad book, but I can’t say it’s an ideal Deadpool book.  It continues the story, but it wasn’t quite as funny as I’d expect out of Deadpool.  Not a bad book for what it wants to be though.  All I can keep wondering, though, is WHERE IS FLYING ON FIRE  MAN #1?!

Verdict – Cautiously Recommended

Fantastic Four #603 was pretty darn good in my humble opinion, but not terribly memorable.  There as some pretty epic stuff in a battle between Galactus and the other celestial demigods which ends, for lack of a better term, with a huge impact.  As there are two Fantastic Four books, this and FF, I think this stands as a prime example as why THIS one is the stronger book mixing good superhero action, story, and that unique Fantastic Four touch.  The only drawback was that the reunion with Johnny Storm and the kids was terribly downplayed, which wasn’t so good because

Verdict – Recommended

Green Lantern:  New Guardians #6.  I can’t say for certain whether or not I’m going to like this in terms of a team book, but I’m giving it some leeway because I rather like the multiple lantern corps and what they bring to the table.  This issue has them investigating a manmade solar system and being hunted down by an demonic angel-like being, all without the Red Lantern representative, Bleez.  This guy just tears through the New Guardians, which is what I’m calling them tentatively, and what’s worse is that he is positively determined that he’s right about the lanterns being sinners and the scourge of the universe as Saint Walker, the Blue Lantern, can’t heal him of any darkness.  I’m interested to see how these guys work together as a team, since we didn’t get a good feel for it in the last arc, so here’s hoping all goes well.

Verdict – Recommended

The Mighty Thor #11 continues a relatively boring storyline involving Taranus, the supposed new God of Thunder who usurped Thor’s place in the timeline while Thor himself was left to die.  Of course, this isn’t a new character but the troll warrior Urik, out to do what villains do best.  Loki continues to try to get Silver Surfer to work with him to bring Thor back, fresh off of Thor beating the snot out of him, and we get the setup to the final showdown between thunder gods.  This was a decent issue and as completely unnecessary as this storyline has felt so far, I have to commend the writers for keeping it strong so far for what it’ll ultimately be.  Of course, we could get something like Urik beating Thor to become the God of Thunder, but that’ll probably end up a bigger mess than it has to be.  A good issue in a good series.

Verdict – Recommended

Red Sonja #64 was an issue that was what I call a story pit stop.  We get some details as to what exactly is going on and lets the reader catch their breath from action-heavy issues, though in my opinion I think things have been progressing slowly lately anyway.  Sonja meets the big bad of this story arc who has control over seemingly supernatural beings in his fortress-like city.  Sonja is more interested in saving a child left in his care, but obviously, things don’t exactly go well.  It’s a decent read, though, and for a book set in a barbarian age of swords and magic, it’s one that’s certainly welcome.

Verdict – Recommended

Red Sonja/Witchblade #1, on the other hand, felt like a big disappointment.  I’ll admit, I’m not entirely savvy as to Witchblade, but I am familiar with the necessities.  However, I can’t help but feel that Red Sonja was sort of brushed aside in this issue, which, as a fan of the character, really stunk.  I can’t say the issue was entirely interesting, save for there apparently being a past and present keeper of the Witchblade, but it isn’t done in a compelling way.  I MIGHT decide to give issue #2 a chance, but this issue just really didn’t endear itself to me.

Verdict – Pass

Superman #6 was kind of a disappointment and a bit of a backhand to the character Supergirl.  In this issue, even though she puts up a fight against the clone Superman, she’s essentially beaten around in what can only be described as a rather uncomfortable scene.  As a personal belief, a crossover of ANY kind shouldn’t detriment one party to the benefit of another.  This issue does show Supergirl get in a few punches, but otherwise she gets completely outclassed by Superman.  There are some hints as to Clark and Lois’ relationship, but it’s a very minor issue in a poorly done crossover.

Verdict – Pass

Teen Titans #6 wasn’t nearly as bad as the last issue, but still not a very big upgrade.  This team really hasn’t come together in a big way yet, but we’re beginning to see some relationships be formed, particularly between Kid Flash and the stupidly redesigned Solstice, Wonder Girl and the now admittedly homosexual Bunker, and Red Robin and non-Teen Titan Static… though with his series coming to an end, I’m hoping to see Static join the team sooner rather than later.  Wonder Girl continues to insist that she wants to leave the team and be just generally antagonistic, but hey, character development.  I think what’s hurting this series for me particularly is because I was there for the Teen Titans’ entire 100-issue run last volume before the relaunch, so I’ve seen a lot of this before.  Like with other retreads in the relaunch, it feels unnecessary and bland as opposed to the first time through.  This issue wasn’t bad, much better than last, and there are bigger things to come, I’m sure.  Can they pull it off?  Eh, maybe.  There was also a new villain named Grymm who apparently can control people, so we’ll see how his scuffle with the Titans plays out as time goes on.

Verdict – Cautiously Recommended

Much to my surprise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 was probably the best book of the week.  Not because Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a just average book on my pull, far from it, but because it was going up against Aquaman and Avengers Academy.  If you asked me, one month ago, if the next issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was going to compare to freakin’ Aquaman or freakin’ Avengers Academy, I’d have laughed my butt off.  Well, color me surprised, it happened.  Now, that was in part due to weaker issues on the other series’ part, but don’t let that undermine what a fun read this turned out to be.  We get a lot of nods towards the old cartoon show from the 80s as well as the series’ own twist, which I’ve appreciated from the get go.  It’s a book that doesn’t try to be an extension on any previous continuity while still celebrating it and that, I think, is what turns out to be our best-case scenario.  This issue shows us Old Hob going out for revenge against the Turtles and he’s bringing Baxter Stockman’s Mousers along for the ride.  In other news, we see General Krang on planet Neutrino with his stone warriors.  Speaking of Krang, he’s in a humanoid suit that has similar principals as his cartoon counterpart.  While I think that this one is far more intimidating, I still hold a soft spot for the somewhat goofy design of the 80’s show.  It’s iconic, what can I say?  Throw in some good action scenes between the Turtles against the mousers, some flirtation between April O’Neil and Casey Jones, and a pizza run with Raph and Mikey, and you’ve got a solid read.

Verdct – Highly Recommended

Wolverine and the X-Men #6 went back to something that I think was missing in the past few issues.  Fun.  Where else will you see Wolverine and a pink-haired wannabe villain try to cheat their way into winning in an intergalactic casino?  Where else do you see Beast leading a team of students to go after Gladiator’s son, who has entered Kitty Pryde’s body to battle an infestation of Brood aliens that have simulated pregnancy to her?  This issue was just a host of fun scenarios wrapped into an enjoyable issue while still remaining a coherent story.

Verdict – Highly Recommended

X-Men #25 was a significant step up from the last issue.  While Jubilee does come across as a bit of a brat when she’s discovered, I can look over it because of what she’s going through as part-vampire.  The big revelation, though, is that a hit has been put out on Jubilee’s new vampire buddies of The Forgiven, and names like Lady Bullseye, Deadpool, and the luchadore legion are en route to what is shaping up to be a big battle between the X-Men, the vampires, and these would-be bounty hunters.  Still not as good as anything the first arc of the Regenesis has had to offer, but it’s an upswing.

Verdict – Recommended

And that’s all from me for this week.  Yeah, to the point, but I’m late as it is.  Sorry.

Cheers;

Master Graveheart

#SaveDerpy