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Hello, one and all, and welcome to a double feature of The Back Stack! For those of you who don’t follow my Twitter account, you’ll recall I mentioned that I actually had last week’s Back Stack all finished, but just forgot to post it. Derp on my part. Now, I didn’t want to just ignore what I did put down since it really was all finished, so I decided to incorporate it into this week’s Back Stack. Therefore, you may find some of it doesn’t flow quite as well as it should, and for that, I apologize.
As always, SPOILER ALERT. Let us begin.
The Amazing Spider-Man #681. This was just okay, but it does give me high hopes for what Doc Ock’s “Last Master Plan” is. This has been building up for well over a year now and it’s time to see the payoff. Five issues are coming up and they can’t possibly live up to my expectations… well, they can, but I’m not getting my hopes up. Anyway, this issue. It was just good, simple, superhero fun. Nothing more, nothing less. I can’t say it was bad, but it’s far from a standout in my opinion. I have to say, considering Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six outshined the Fantastic Four, Avengers Academy, and Iron Man in the past year or so, it’s a little striking that Doc Ock panics at the sight of Spider-Man, but that’s likely attributed to their history. What I did like about this issue was that the characters genuinely seemed human, aside from Human Torch who primarily acted like the petulant brat he was before he died, only older. J. Jonah Jameson seeming human in regards to his son was nice to see in particular during this arc. Good issue, not great.
Verdict – Recommended
Avengers #24 brings to an abrupt close the Norman Osborn’s second coming angle. A LOT happens in this issue and, unfortunately, it feels very rushed and poorly timed. I think this issue coming out when it did hurts the upcoming issue of New Avengers where the New Avengers will apparently beat the New Dark Avengers. Yeah, thanks for the spoilers there, Marvel. But, I digress. We learn a lot about why Norman Osborn has all these powers and it’s actually fairly clever. Don’t get me wrong, it’s also extremely goofy considering how Norman Osborn actually looks, especially when he uses the Red hulk’s powers. Now, help me out with this one, guys, but isn’t The Vision a machine? In this issue, we learn Osborn also has Vision’s powers, but his own scientists acknowledged that he could only take the powers of those on a GENETIC level, like a member of the X-Men or someone like the Hulk or Luke Cage. He couldn’t take the powers of someone magical, like this cover suggested, and he couldn’t take the powers and properties of a machine like The Vision. This was a HUGE oversight in my opinion. Also, it seems as though The Hand will work for anybody. I thought they were exclusively working with The Kingpin, but somehow Osborn has them for his crew. How the heck did THAT happen?!
No doubt this angle got rushed so Bendis can begin his role with Avengers vs. X-Men (by the way, I AM rooting for the X-Men on that one; sentimental reasons) and the stage being set for future issues seems to have really suffered because of it. It’s a disappointment in the grand scheme of things. However, looking at the issue itself, it’s fairly solid with good superhero action character bits, especially with THE RETURN OF THE PROTECTOR. Where the heck has he been, anyway, Bendis? I’d typically say this would be a regular “Recommended” vote, in spite of its flaws, but because this should really have come out after the next issue of New Avengers, I can’t do it. But I wouldn’t say “Pass” either, because it’s an issue definitely worth reading.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended (spoiler warning for the next New Avengers)
Avengers Academy #27 was pretty good, as has been expected, but I can’t help but feel we’re in a meandering phase in the series’ run. Nothing feels like we’re building up to the inevitable clash between Avengers Academy and that supposed humanitarian group that Jeremy Briggs is running. We had some potential there, but it seems like it’s all back seat at the moment. We do get to see the Runaways for this issue and next, which would help if anyone actually read The Runaways. I can’t say any of the Runaways come across as particularly interesting outside of Nico, the spellcaster, and Molly, a.k.a. Princess Powerful, a.k.a. Bruiser. The rest of the Runaways are just sort of there for the sake of being there. The story lends itself to a nice team-up in which one of the Runaways has lost their pet dinosaur and the two teams have to go retrieve it, only to be confronted with Devil Dinosaur. I don’t know how this’ll push the teams forward, but I’m guessing it’ll have some kind of moral thing that will put the Academy to the test against Briggs when the inevitable moment of truth comes. Good stuff in this issue, just not very compelling.
Verdict – Recommended
Avengers Assemble #1 was actually a pretty decent comic outing for The Avengers. I’ll admit, I had apprehensions about this book coming out of the gate, but it was a fine first issue. If I had one complaint is that it didn’t perfectly introduce us to all the different characters and I think that’s a big failing for a book that’s supposed be a #1 issue for people who may just be getting into comics, as what all #1s should strive to achieve. We get a neat new group of villains who are based off of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, led by Cancer. The book has some good action and at least a few good character bits. I’ll pick up the next issue, certainly, just to see where it’ll go. This one was just fun… even if I still hate Hawkeye’s new costume.
Verdict – Recommended
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #9. This long, drawn out series finally reaches its end and of course it doesn’t end on a high note. We get characters dying needlessly, an ending that’s drawn out far too long, and a team splitting up for no reason only to be reunited for little reason. I like Allen Heinberg’s writing, but the man should not be called upon for series’ that should be monthly. One-shots? Fine. Stand-alone graphic novels? Fine. A nine-issue mini-series that’ll be finished in more than a year and a half’s time? NOT fine. I’m sorry, but for a series this long, Heinberg and his long, drawn-out process of writing was not something I felt would hurt this series and I can’t help but feel it has. This issue was just a bit bleh. And, of course, the big story, Scarlet Witch, basically gets shelved in the end to be called upon when a writer needs her. Again, Heinberg is a good writer, but his consistent delays don’t suit him to monthly series’ of any length. Momentum dies and I think even he is affected by it sometimes. This is another unfortunate case of such, though.
Verdict – Pass
Batgirl #7 wasn’t bad. We get a nice cameo from Black Canary as Barbara Gordon not only struggles with her paralyzation at the hands of the Joker, but we also see the confrontation between her mother and father. It’s… uncomfortable, to say the least, but Commissioner Gordon at least makes an effort. We also bring focus into Batgirl’s brother, Jim Gordon Jr. And… that’s all I’m going to say about it. Good book, but from Gail Simone, I still expect damn close to great after the likes of Birds of Prey and Secret Six (which I still can’t believe I got into so late).
Verdict – Recommended
Batman and Robin #7 was a damn fine issue. We see Batman exhibit emotion so raw that you can actually feel it emanating from the page. In fact, this is the big hallmark of this issue and the series as a whole so far. Emotion. The family binds, the inner turmoil, the passion, everything just clicks and that’s something not easily done in literature, even in comics that at least has the advantage of visual aid. Batman going to the ends of the earth for his son, almost breaking his vow of no death, and the pleading look of his son, as well as the twist ending, are things that I think even some of the best books out there can take a lesson from. I can’t recommend this series enough and I am now convinced that this is another one of the hallmark titles of the New 52.
Verdict – Highly Recommended
Captain America #9 was good too. This one focuses more on Sharon Carter confronting and eventually releasing the Machinesmith for the answer to why Cap keeps getting depowered. Falcon gets captured by the villain, Bravo, too, but the real focus is on Sharon doing “what needs to be done.” Obviously, this’ll come back to haunt her AND Cap, but hey, it’s nice progression and keeps me interested for the next issue. Sometimes, that’s all I ask.
Verdict - Recommended
The Defenders #4 was a more introspective look at Doctor Strange. It was a nice spotlight on his character and his relationship with his love interest, Martha. We also get some more information on the machine they stole at the end of Defenders #3. It’s supposedly some kind of wish machine and, as we discover later, it may have connections to something in Atlantian history as its same shape appears in an underwater ruin that Namor examines. There isn’t a lot to say about this issue other than it was pretty good and it builds up for its next story arc nicely.
Verdict – Recommended
Demon Knights #7. I wanted to give this series every bit of a chance as I possibly could. The premise was interesting and the characters enjoyable, but in my mind, it just failed to come together as well as I would have liked it to. It started off on a very strong note, but around issue #4, it started to fall apart for me. I’m not hurting for swords and sorcery titles as I pick up two Red Sonja titles that at least feel coherent and interesting, if not extremely racy sometimes. I do like the fact that Demon Knights will be more of a superhero comic in the medieval Arthurian times, but it’s just not clicking for me. Certainly, I hope the book succeeds for the fans who do like it, but I’m on a limited budget as is, a budget that’ll be getting tighter as the days go on for me, so unfortunately, this means I’m going to have to drop it. It’s a shame, too. A book that was so enjoyable with intriguing characters just ended up so squandered in these recent issues. Again, I wanted to give it so much of a chance, but, like Blue Beetle, I may have given it too much rope. Unlike Blue Beetle, Wonder Woman, or Action Comics, though, I don’t drop this book out of anger or rage. I drop it out of a feeling of unfulfillment. If you guys still like it, I encourage you t continue reading it. You are under no obligation to read the exact same things as I or anyone else does. This is the end of the line for Demon Knights for me, though.
Verdict – Pass (personally dropping)
Fantastic Four #604. Hot damn was this a fantastic way to end a run by Jonathan Hickman. I know, one more issue, but this issue ties together all the angles, the good and the bad. I can honestly say that I’m mixed about this end. On one hand, I’m glad the goofy Council of Reeds thing is over, for its good and bad moments, and that we get the Fantastic Four proper back together after Johnny Storm’s supposed death. If I had one complaint about this issue, it’s that the Fantastic Four themselves more or less sit back and watch Future Franklin Richards do battle with the Celestials in a pretty impressively scaled battle. We get emotional character moments within the family and the promise of moving onward and upward with the Fantastic Four. This is a near-perfect way to end a writer’s run on a comic and I can only hope he’ll get one of the Avengers titles Brian Michael Bendis will be dropping… hopefully with Paul Tobin getting the other. Don’t miss Fantastic Four #604.
Verdict – Highly Recommended
Fear Itself: The Fearless #10 was all over the place, from the death of one of Valkyrie’s allies to the revelation (already) of Sin’s new armor of destruction in the spirit of Odin’s Destroyer… and its absolutely ridiculous weapon of a ball and chain-like weapon with all eight of the Serpent’s hammers at the end. Seriously, what battle rationale does this have? The issue sets up next issue’s inevitable battle where Valkyrie, now teamed with most of the major Marvel Universe heroes, including The Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers, arrive for the big scrap with the big bad. However, not enough really happens in this book other than a hint that Damian Hellstorm in fact IS a double agent in this war for the hammers. I’d say just wait for the next issue.
Verdict – Pass
Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #7 good as usual, but not quite one of the top titles on the shelf, again, as usual. We get some advancement to the new evil baddies from before, whom have taken on some bizarre complex with Nina Mizursky as their mother. We do get a lot of fun action bits with Frankenstein and even Father. We get an admittedly weak twist at the end, but it’s still unexpected, so take it for what it’s worth. My biggest fear going forward is that this will be a “ho-hum” book where we won’t exactly be getting a lot of surprises and things may begin to feel mundane. Or, hey, we may just be in a lull period for the book.
Verdict – Recommended
Green Lantern #7 left me a little confused. It promises a secret regarding the Indigo Tribe, but I didn’t exactly see anything that could hint… anything. It becomes clear that Hal Jordan can’t escape Sinestro no matter how hard he tries. However, Carol obviously sees his desperation for normalcy, so she jumps into his world, taking up the Star Sapphire ring to go after him. We also see more of the Guardians of the Universe preparing their bid to apparently overhaul the Green Lantern Corps. Good setup, but a bit of a light read in my book.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
Hulk #49 was a fun little action romp with seemingly no point whatsoever. Sure, it’ll probably have some pay-off later, but this issue was what it was. Action was the focus and mostly forgettable. There wasn’t just anything to this issue by itself. It felt… empty. Hulk does battle with the Eternals, but you can’t help but feel this was a one-and-done. I don’t know what else to say about it. The action wasn’t good and the characterization wasn’t that great either. This book missed the mark in so many ways, it wasn’t even funny. It wasn’t terrible, but it was just bad enough for me to not recommend it.
Verdict – Pass
The Incredible Hulk #6. I don’t know how to feel going forward. They’re teasing that Bruce Banner is going to be killed off, and while I think that it won’t actually happen, the idea of such is something that I think would do more harm than good to the Jade Giant. The Incredible Hulk has always been about the inner struggle between man and monster, in the ilk of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You remove one from the equation by killing that part off, and you lose a huge dynamic. What made “Heart of the Monster” work so well was that both Banner and Hulk had something to fight for with Betty Ross/Red She-Hulk. If they really are going down the road of Banner being killed and having just The Hulk, I don’t think the character has nearly any appeal left. As for this issue, it was a bit bleh for my taste. The new writer, whose name I STILL forget, just hasn’t lived up to the shoes that Greg Pak left to be filled. Nothing is quite clicking, even though the concepts are strong and the story flows well. Something just feels like it’s missing. I’m still giving this book a shot, not out of my fandom of the Greg Pak Incredible Hulk, but the genuine interest in seeing where this story is going. Do they really kill Bruce Banner? Will the two be reunited in the end? This can go off really well or really stupid really quick depending on what happens in the next issue, but as a penultimate issue, I think it fell short.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
Journey Into Mystery #635. This angle is starting to come together. I like the interactions between Loki and Leah and their developing relationship, as well as Loki genuinely beginning to seem more heroic than he really should be (being the prince of lies and all). Hellstorm also adds to the dynamic, but I find that this issue, much like past issues, still suffers from the same problem. The walls of text on various pages. Sometimes, it’s hard to get a grasp of whether it’s important or not and, sometimes, it doesn’t begin particularly interesting, and I just glance through it. Yeah, a comic reviewer just “glances through” some scenes. The dirty secret is out!
Actually, it’s those walls of text that keep me from loving Journey Into Mystery as much as I probably should. I normally don’t mind a lot of text, but the way it’s done here, it’s done in a third person perspective and it actually just takes me out of the rhythm of the comic early. If the writing in these scenes could just improve, I’d probably enjoy this book a lot more.
Verdict – Recommended
Justice League International #7… well, this series started off strongly, but I can’t help but feel that this issue was pulling the rug out from under the fans’ feet a bit. We finally see the team come together and get to know how they’ll likely work… and it ends with all but four members active and accounted for with the rest either dying, leaving, or being hospitalized (warning, MAJOR spoilers ahead). Yes, a nicely-mixed team of heroes ends with Rocket Red dying, Vixen, Fire, and Ice hospitalized, Batman leaving for no good reason whatsoever, and the two liaisons for the JLI also being killed off. I don’t know how to exactly feel about this, but with Vixen’s spine busted up, Ice’s leg broken, Fire comatose, Godiva consistently being depicted as inept, and the female UN representative being depicted as a snarky and angry individual more apt to dripping the hammer than anything else, this issue actually felt kind of backhanded to all of the women characters to boot. Yeah, the women get banged up, Batman acts like a dick, and the Russian dies. Mean spirited much?
The only saving grace for this issue was that we see some characterization for Booster as he continues to struggle with being a leader… but that’s a damn poor consolation prize considering how much of a punch to the gut this issue was. I am still interested in seeing where this is all going, so the writer DID do his job there, but the way it was done still royally sucks.
Verdict – Pass
Archie Comics returns to The Back Stack in the form of Mega Man #11… and it’s more of the same mess and problems that I’ve criticized this run of Mega Man comics about before, and then some. The new Robot Masters go down without much of a fight (except for Flash Man who clearly would have beaten Mega Man if not for Quick Man killing him himself), more of the same speech and spiel between Mega Man and Doctor Light, going through the carbon copy motions of each of the levels PRACTICALLY EXACTLY, and now we have a heavy reliance on INTERNET MEMES. Seriously, we get references to “I Can’t Defeat Air Man.” Wonderful. The Internet, rather than the writer himself, dictated Air Man’s character. Then again, this is Ian Flynn we’re talking about, so it should come as no big surprise.
I’ve been with this comic from the get go for one single reason. I’m a Mega Man fan. However, I knew not to have high expectations based on Ian Flynn’s work on the Sonic the Hedgehog comics. Unfortunately, I didn’t think it’d be this bad. We see Flynn DESPERATELY trying to fit in setup, eight Robot Master battles, Mega Man’s infection angle (which was the only clever thing about this mess, but still somehow dully executed), the return of the original Robot Masters (overly dramatically if you ask me), and, still to come in ONE 32-PAGE ISSUE, Dr. Wily’s final battle, likely Skull Castle, the robotic dragon, probably a rematch with ALL EIGHT NEW ROBOT MASTERS, and the conclusion. This is where the 4-issue made-for-trade cookie cutter structure really hurts and for as weak of a writer that Ian Flynn is, it won’t end well. Burying the Robot Masters, Mary Sueing Mega Man, and repetitive text has made reading Mega Man during this angle a CHORE.
Also, unless Ian Flynn is suggesting that the Robot Masters INTENTIONALLY lost to Mega Man so he would take in the pieces of the malware program that Wily cooked up, I refuse to believe that Mega Man can interface with Metal Man while he’s still alive long enough to take his Metal Blade and use it against him MID-FIGHT. Look, I know Metal Man is insanely weak to his own weapon, but that is just lazy writing and I’m growing more and more impatient with him as we go on with this comic. Eleven issues in and I can’t say there have been many I’ve honestly enjoyed. If it weren’t for the fact that Mega Man was a part of my childhood, I probably wouldn’t have given this damn book a shot because, as I’ve said, I know Ian Flynn. Ian Flynn is a terrible writer who squanders what good ideas he comes up with at the cost of the reader. I don’t know how he’s whipped so many people into enjoying his works, but I’d like to know. I want to be a writer myself one day. If my books don’t end up that well written, I’d like to know how to get suckers like me to keep buying them.
In the words of Linkara… THIS COMIC SUCKS!
Verdict – Pass
Static Shock #7 was an alright one shot. Not a lot happens, but we get good character moments with Static and his clone sisters. Unfortunately, there is only one more issue left with this series, which is a shame because I had high hopes for it, especially after so many delays and my fandom of the old cartoon show. This was the best young hero comic out there, easily beating out Teen Titans, Superboy, and DEFINITELY Blue Beetle. My opinion, the wrong book got the shaft.
Verdict – Recommended
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Infection 2 #1 was something I approached with great hesitation when I saw that the team was different from the ongoing series, but it actually surprised me in a pleasant way. The story is a bit of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meets Resident Evil with zombie-like infected creatures and bizarre mutants that basically cause all kinds of havoc for our favorite foursome. It’s a two-part tale, so it’ll be done real quick, but so far we have some decent story and some good action (as well as some lighthearted moments, which has its own unique charm). It’s a complete single issue.
Verdict – Recommended
Thunderbolts #170. No, this wasn’t from last week’s solicitations, but I missed it when it came out, so I picked it up and I’m reviewing it here and now. Was it worth the wait for me? Well… yes! Thunderbolts is one of my favorite books and in spite of all the character changes and sometimes loony storylines, it’s generally enjoyable and I rather like this stop-over in Arthurian times, definitely more so than the other times the team stopped by since leaving Captain America’s time period.
Verdict – Recommended
Uncanny X-Men #8. We bring an end to the story regarding the highly evolved species that lived below the Dakota city. It ties up the loose ends, including dealings with the Unwife, Magik getting Colossus under control again after an admittedly freaky form he took, and Namor having sex with a sea creature to Hope’s disgust. There are plenty of enjoyable moments, but the wind-down of the book is a bit of a down-note with Psylocke seemingly getting the worst end of the deal, having to tell the people of the city that the people trapped there are lost. Her ending conversation with Magneto was fairly interesting and I’m wondering if she’ll eventually be the one who brings down Cyclops’ iron fisted reign over mutants. That… would actually be something I’d be interested in seeing. This issue wasn’t bad, but I can’t help but feel that there was a sense of unfulfillment after the angle.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
Wolverine and the X-Men #7. Wow… what a whiplash-inducing trip this was. First the good. We get some good character bits from many characters, especially Quinton Quire, a.k.a. Kid Omega, as he and Wolverine basically try to knock over an intergalactic casino and hijinks ensues. Next, Broo, son of Brood, gets a chance to shine. I don’t know what it is, but seeing the little guy get super scrappy on someone 10-times their size is just a laugh. Now for the bad… we get a bit of forced romance between Kitty Pryde and Iceman. I know they’ve been together for a while on the X-Men, and while I don’t recall any history between them romantically speaking (outside of the Ultimate universe), and while I CAN see them getting together, I can’t help but feel that this had an ulterior motive behind it other than good storytelling. Also, Kid Gladiator hasn’t endeared himself to me one bit yet. But the biggest problem is the fact that the book doesn’t seem to want to stay on one story arc for more than a page or two and that made me feel a little disoriented at times. However, taking in all that the issue had to offer, I have to say it was finally the stronger book between it and Uncanny X-Men this time, when recently I’ve actually felt the latter. Not that I ever thought Wolverine and the X-Men was a bad book. Far from it. It’s the best Wolverine book out there and definitely the second best X-Men title. This book continues that mindset for me.
Verdict – Recommended
X-Men #26 was a step up from the last issue, and that was a good thing. I’m glad to see Deadpool sort of team up with the X-Men, thanks to Domino promising him a date, to repel the invading bounty hunters who want to cash in by taking out the vampires that Jubilee’s taken the side of. Speaking of whom, I can’t help but feel that, for all his efforts to reject her, Raizo (I forget his name) is acting very touchy-feely with Jubilee. It’s a little off-putting to say the least. We get some good action bits and a little bit of development for Storm to boot (tough to do well with a character as tenured as she is). However, this arc still feels a bit messy for my taste and it’s keeping me from totally enjoying it. I dunno. Maybe it’s the prospect of seeing Jubilee get shelved again or maybe I’m just not that into the story arc itself, which is a shame since the first one was done pretty well in my opinion.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
And we end The Back Stack with the end of a series. X-23 #21. Forget the fact that now Marvel has NO books left that star a female protagonist, and no, Ms. Marvel being a 2nd in command of the New Avengers doesn’t count since she’s practically a background character in that book anyway, and no, Rogue being the lead of X-Men Legacy doesn’t count either since that book is more about her clique of X-Men as a whole rather than Rogue herself. This leaves a terrible void in the Marvel Universe that needs filling. I don’t care if they bring back Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, or Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon, not that awful Mayday Parker MC2 series), give Spider-Woman or Black Cat an ongoing, or start something new with Scarlet Witch, but the lack of a woman hero title is a demographic gap that needs filling fast.
Anyway, the issue itself… for the end of X-23, it was… incredibly lackluster. There’s a vision spirit quest where she’s naked for more than half the book (yes, the teenage girl nude for more than half the book. Way to keep it classy, Marvel) and NO TEXT. I know we’re supposed to be interpretive with stuff like this, but honestly, this wasn’t the way to really do this for a SERIES-ENDING title. You want it to be big, exciting, or at least leave you with something. This… just left me with an empty feeling. I don’t know if it’s because we KNOW what happens to X-23 (she joined Avengers Academy recently), but this just hit me the entirely wrong way, especially for a series I loved, even if it started to putter out towards the end. Even though I’d encourage this title on a normal basis, I’m sorry… I simply can’t because it’s unnecessary and dull. If I knew there was another issue coming, yes, I’d absolutely still continue it, but as this is the end, new readers would probably gain very little from this.
Also, the artwork is terribly lacking. X-23 didn’t have the best artwork, which was fine, but for a title that has NO text until the end when it gives a clichéd “The End and The Beginning…” your artwork better be impactful, meaningful, and GREAT. Also, the art doesn’t exactly tell us a whole lot, or if it was meant to tell us a lot it goes by so briefly that it’ll go over an average reader’s head. I guess there was supposed to be something about her fighting her inner darkness, but we see that this issue didn’t resolve that as she’s still struggling at Avengers Academy, so really, this issue comes across as COMPLETELY POINTLESS.
It’s a pain to see such a wonderful and enjoyable series end like this not only because of what it means in the big Marvel Comics picture, but as a fan of this series who stuck with it from the Women of Marvel X-23 one-shot. It just isn’t very satisfying… but still FAR better than Mega Man #11. It’s just a shame to see such a fine title go out with a whimper instead of a bang.
Verdict – Pass
So, yeah. Couple of big weeks and some BIG disappointments. However, this week saw the return of Archie Comics to stores and the family friendly rack is generally better for it… just keep staying away from the Ian Flynn stuff, though. He HASN’T gotten any better. In fact, I think he’s getting worse. Maybe someday kids can get comics outside of the Marvel Adventures line that I’d be proud to recommend. When that day comes and the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comic or the return of Darkwing Duck comes into fruition, I’ll be waiting to yell “Shut up and take my money!”
Heck, I’m still waiting on the return of Anya Corazon.
Oh, before I go, I just wanted to let you guys know that I got a replacement DVD for the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic DVD, The Friendship Express. So, let me give you my full honest opinion, taking off my Derpy glasses for this one since the effects of Derpy-gate are starting to subside with me.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: The Friendship Express (fixed disc). While the audio issues ARE fixed, a lot of the other problems I mentioned are still prominent. Episodes typically begin a couple seconds into the beginning scene, which is off-putting for episodes that begin with early dialogue or scene-setting visuals. This is remedied with a touch of the back button, but that effort shouldn’t be necessary. Shout Factory really screwed this one up. The picture quality is still far from par, in my opinion, which is a shame since one of the shows’ big hallmarks is the fantastic animation. However, with the audio fixed in episode one, the episodes are still very enjoyable, although I don’t consider Over A Barrel one of the series’ better episodes by any means.
Again, though, this wouldn’t have my idea for a theme to have my first DVD be based on. Having the first two episodes in your first release is fine for people looking to get into the show so they can get a little backstory, but as much as I love Hearth’s Warming Eve and The Last Roundup (either version), they take place in season two, when the characters have developed and become closer to one another. If it were up to me, I’d have dropped that terrible Pound Puppies episode, put a sixth episode on the set, and have four remaining episodes after the Elements of Harmony two-parter focus on the characters. I’d have gone with Look Before You Sleep for Applejack and Rarity, Feeling Pinkie Keen for Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie, Dragonshy for Fluttershy, and The Mysterious Mare Do-Well for Rainbow Dash. But, that’s just me. If you INSIST on that Pound Puppies episode, I guess you could go Feeling Pinkie Keen, Fall Weather Friends (Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but that’s not exactly a good way of introducing those two), and Green Isn’t Your Color (Rarity and Fluttershy).
This is going to come down to how badly you want perfect video quality. If you’re considering buying the DVD, then the episodes aren’t an issue to begin with. You do get some okay bonus features in the bio videos and the sing along of the extended main theme (which is honestly pretty addicting and “HNNNGGGGG” worthy). There’s also a coloring page which you can print out for a little one if you go into the DVD’s files on your PC and it’s of Fluttershy. I actually would have liked it if they either did a group shot or multiple pages, each with an individual or group pony shot. Just Fluttershy, love her though I do, seems a little exclusive to some fans in my book. What if their favorite pony is Rainbow Dash and they don’t particularly care for Fluttershy (shocking though it may sound)? That’s a wasted feature right there.
Ah well. While there are some nitpicky issues, I don’t think any of them are really a deal breaker. When I last reviewed this, I took in the mistakes with the audio sync in the first episode and being in the wake of Derpy-gate. With the audio fixed, I can fully enjoy this DVD and it’s something I’d gladly share with little ones. Or, I’d just share it with myself. Like I said; I’m a total brony.
FINAL OVERALL Verdict – Recommended
And finally, we’re done. An appropriate Back Stack on Tuesday!
Cheers;
Master Graveheart
EDIT – Before anyone asks, yes, I have heard about Ms. Marvel getting a new series and her taking on the mantle of “Captain Marvel.” Although I don’t like the fact she’s losing a mantle that she rose to even greater prominence in the comic world, my gladness of seeing an awesome character get another series overrules that at the moment… although I still hate her haircut. Kinda like the costume, though… but that mask needs to be revised.
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