Comics Bundle: 05.13.09 Pt. 1

I have to pick-up a month worth of comic books again. Plus, I have to pay 5 times more for the variant of Thor #601 (worth it though). So, right now, I'm pretty much broke.

Thor #601
10 of 10
Another excellent issue from J.M. Straczynski and the Thor team. There's not much action to be had within this book but it was full of humor. The conversation during the Asgardian's dinner at Doctor Doom's castle, especially, left me laughing. Just imagine Doctor Doom using Wikipedia to learn about Winkles. Volstagg too was funny as hell. But, being funny aside, there are some major plot works moving on in the book as well. Mainly, Loki finally revealed to Thor that her body is that of Lady Sif's and that Asgardians are moving to Latveria.

Secret Warriors #4
7.8 of 10
Remember when I said that this series won't buckle anytime soon? Well, I was wrong. Because the fourth issue is somewhat of a let down. I didn't like it because the kids were benched to focus on Old Nick and his Howling Commandos, getting ready to take on Hydra. Besides having a new recruit to the team, and Nick Fury taking a jab at whiny Enron employees, there's nothing big going on with this one. Although I hope that they're just recoiling the springs for a big push next issue.

Deadpool #10
8.4 of 10
I know I've mentioned this too many times but I didn't really like what X-Men Origins did to Deadpool. It's a good thing that I can always come back to his funnier, crazier and more violent comic book version. The saltest issue was tons of fun, and it did a good job in washing clean all the bad after thoughts I had from the movie. Deadpool, still strapped for cash after hitting Osborn's wallet, pimps himself as a gun for hire in Craiglist and, for $500, killed a pizza delivery boy. Then Osborn, after he knew that Deadpool's still alive, sends Dark Hawkeye (also known as Bullseye) to kill him. The action was short-lived in this issue though. But I'm pretty sure there will be more on the next.

New Avengers #52
8.7 of 10
I didn't like #51 mainly because it was over hyped, and that the whole team were swept under the rug by Dr. Strange. But on hindsight, and looking at the whole "Who's the next Sorcerer Supreme?" story arc, I think I may have judged the issue too rashly. In most cases, this issue is the same as the previous one. The New Avengers are basically supporting characters, tagging along Strange's quest. But that's okay because Dr. Strange never gets a spotlight he deserves. Another big plus is that The Hood's character is being developed here. Which is appropriate because a lot of people don't know anything about this new A-list villain. Oh, and the one liners here are also hilarious.

Wolverine #73
8.0 of 10
I was expecting Mark Millar's Old Man Logan arc continuing on this issue but I was surprised that it wasn't. I wasn't disappointed though because this is probably the funniest Wolverine issue I've read. The book has two parts but I don't really care about the second part. The first part of the book, however, shows us the daily life of Wolverine from panel to panel. And Marvel's working him really hard. He's going solo on day one, running with the New Avengers the next, leading X-Force on the third, helping the X-Men on the fourth and teaming up with someone on the fifth. I just couldn't stop laughing reading this issue.

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Comics Bundle: 02.18.09 Pt.1

I'm a Marvel...and I'm a DC

I was laughing my ass off when I saw this video, which is also a parody of "I'm a Mac...and I'm a PC" TV ad. I stumbled upon it while I was browsing the net for some comic news. You can also find more videos here. All videos share the same theme, comparing the differences between Marvel and DC superhero films.

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Comics Bundle: 02.18.09 Pt. 1

I haven't picked up my comics for some time...like a month. So I ended up reading a bundle of comics that were released in the last four weeks. I enjoyed reading it, of course. But writing decent reviews about these books is too much for me. So I decided to split these into two parts (click here for part two), and I'll go fast too so I can get back to playing my new game, Dawn of War II.

Thor #600
10 of 10
Thor finally jumps to its 600th issue, and it's a heck of an issue. Loki, after scheming and planning in the past 12 issues, finally set his motion into plan by resurrecting Bor, Odin's father, and bound him with a reality distorting spell that sent him rampaging. Eventually, Thor defeated Bor, who unbeknownst to him was his grandfather and the king of Asgard. Bor's death carried great repurcussions and it all fell on Thor's shoulders, changing the course of this title. From here on, I think it's going to get darker with Loki having more room to move about.

The Dark Avengers #2
8.0 of 10
I didn't like this issue as much as the first. But the sarcasm and perversity still continues in this issue (which reminds me of Warren Ellis' run on the Thunderbolts) and that's what makes this title different from other books. The fun dialogue between bad guys who are trying to be good public figures is still worth my $3.00.

Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #4
8.5 of 10
This, perhaps, is the only Manifest Destiny tie-in that I really liked. It's a lot of fun and brings me back to my childhood watching Kung Fu films. In this series' conclusion, the reason why Logan ticked off the Chinatown Tongs was finally revealed. We also see Wolverine at his best, fighting the Black Dragon Tong and defeated most of them without "snikting" he claws out. But the most fun of all, we finally know what makes him happy, which were few: Jean Grey, Mariko Yashida, Beer and killing people.

X-Men: Magneto Testament #5
9.4 of 10
This title has finally reached its conclusion. I've been waiting for this issue to see what happens in the end. In truth, I was disappointed at first. I thought I'd see Magneto hurling train cars at the Nazi. But that didn't happen. Then I remembered that this isn't really a Magneto origins book. It's about his testament, his solemn vow that he won't stand idly, fearing any kind of reprisals, and let any genocide happen again. So far, as we know it, he's not standing around anymore, and have been fighting to prevent mutant genocide.

Secret Warriors #1
8.9 of 10
I thought it was very cool when I saw the Secret Warriors being assembled, in the pages of Secret Invasion tie-in of The Mighty Avengers, by Nick Fury. The idea of a hardened veteran mentoring a group of unknown and unproven super powered teenagers just got me going. It's like The Runaways in boot camp. Now they have their own series and the first issue was a lot of fun and full of character. But the best thing about this issue is the revelation in the end. I won't talk about it because it's so big...probably bigger than Dark Reign.

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I haven't picked up my comics for the last three weeks. Not that I didn't had the time. It's just that I was snowed in. But, man, this is the best bundle I've picked up so far since every comics I read was just good. I guess Secret Invasion is, indeed, over.

X-Men: Magneto Testament #4
10 of 10
Writer: Greg Pak
Artists: Carmine Di Giandomenico, Matt Hollingsworth





Honestly, I can't review this book without repeating myself. But, seriously this is probably the best origins story that Marvel has put out since...ever. It's dramatic, it's not campy -there's no costumes and super powers in here- and it's historically accurate as well. If you haven't read this book, I urge you to pick up all four issues now.

Thor #12
10 of 10
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artists: Oliver Copiel, Mark Morales, Laura Martin





So far, Thor hasn't failed me. Each issue is just a joy to read. But this #12 went beyond my expectations with its art and writing. This is, perhaps, Straczynski's and Copiel's best issue. Thor isn't here, however, as the story focused on Loki and his origins, which shows how mentally damaged and emotionally scarred he is. Although the big hammer drop in this issue was the revelation as to why Loki's new appearance is a woman.

New Avengers #48
9.0 of 10
Writer: Michael Bendis
Artists: Billy Tan, Matt Banning, Justin Ponsor





This should be entitled Renewed Avengers. Seriously, though, this issue really feels fresh and renewed. Part because of the new team members (yup, thats Bucky on the cover), and part because the team are finally getting back together without fighting the shape-shifting green man. I can't wait for this issue to start rolling.

Wolverine #70
9.0 of 10
Writer: Mark Miller
Artists: Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, Morry Hollowell





I find the Old Man Logan arc to be very interesting. Wolverine becoming a pacifist farmer, and especially the post-apocalyptic setting where the Villains of the Marvel Universe rule. But for the last four issues the question "Why did Wolverine become a pacifist?" loomed over my head. This issue finally answers that, and it was awesome, but sad too. It's actually so sad it even made Wolverine cry.

Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #3
8.5 of 10
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: Stephen Segovia, John Rauch





Out of all Manifest Destiny tie-ins this is the only book that I like. It's action-packed, which pays homage to old Kung Fu movies, and it's funny as well. Wolverine had a beat down with the Black Dragon Tong, a group of Chinatown bad-asses with a member that can damage your soul (no healing factor can heal this kind of attack). So he decides to take lessons from a master of 82 marital arts, an elderly person who is very Pai Mei. I actually liked the old guy, and the scene where he ridicules Wolverine, on how he relies on his healing factor instead of his skills, was fun.

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I never had a chance to write crappy comic reviews last month. That's because my work schedule was f***ed up and wasn't able to pick up my comics until after Thanksgiving. But I requested not to work every Thursday, from this month onwards. So now I can pick up my comics every week and torture you guys with my abysmal comic reviews. Although, this week, I got tortured by a lot of unfunny books.

Secret Invasion #8
5.8 of 10
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Leinil Yu, Mark Morales, Laura Martin





Secret Invasion was my first comic event ever since I got back into the funny books. Admittedly, I liked the whole idea of a superhero community tearing itself apart because of a conspiracy concocted by undetectable shape-shifters. So, for months, I followed and enjoyed this title. However, the book did start to decline during its last issues, including its tie-in, and the final issue was also pushed back a month later. So, I was hoping that Marvel will blow me away with its conclusion. Sadly, it [the final issue] fell flat, and it hurts. It was a very disappointing, unsatisfying and a bit confusing conclusion. I guess secrets are no good when they're out.


New Avengers #47
7.5 of 10
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Billy Tan, Matt Banning, Justin Ponsor





Most Secret Invasion tie-ins have declined -as I've mentioned in my review above- and the New Avengers is no exception. So, after I read Secret Invasion #8, I thought this issue would slap me in the face too. I was wrong. It was actually refreshing. But only because it has little connection to the invasion event. It's a flashback to when Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' marriage wasn't destroyed by the whole "Who Do You Trust?" paranoia yet. Here we see more of a domestic battleground called fatherhood, as we see Luke Cage being spooked by diapers. Then, we witness of how the heroes met and the start of their romance. While the issue isn't much, it's a signal that everything will be back to normal.


Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #2
8.0 of 10
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: Stephen Segovia, John Rauch





Honestly, I don't mind the X-Men moving to California. But the whole Manifest Destiny event is just weak. Wolverine's move to San Francisco, however, turned out to be more interesting. In the last issue, we saw Logan getting ready to be beaten into a pulp by the triad. Being Wolverine, I thought it would be a walk in the park for him to beat the living daylights out of some F list villains. Well, not if they can punch through your soul. There's just no healing factor in the world that can heal this kind of attack. So with a gang of superior martial artists looking for him, Logan agreed to be trained by this old kung-fu master (I know, it's a cliche). With this issue, I believe now that this mini-series will be packed with action, kung-fu/mutant style.


X-Men: Noir #1
8.3 of 10
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Dennis Calero





When Marvel revealed their Noir line, I was intrigued. Noir isn't exactly my thing but I'm always on the look out for some good and unique setting. In the Noir Universe, the X Men are not mutants but sociopaths who are trained by a psychiatrist, Xavier, who believes they are the evolution in human behavior. No powers and codenames, just a bunch of trained crazy people. The characters, even without their powers, also retained their personalities. Magneto's a racist, a righteous and brutal cop who beats and tortures his suspects. Gambit owns a casino. Quicksilver is a coward who runs away from everything. All in all, I'm pleased with the first issue since it promises a good story. The artwork is masterfully done too.


X-Infernus #1
5.0 of 10
Writer: C.B. Cebulski
Artists: Giuseppi Camuncoli





I've never read the Inferno books since they came out before the time I initially started reading comics. I don't know much about Illyana Rasputing either. Other than she's Colussus younger sister who was turned into a demon. Suprsingly, however, I didn't had a hard time understanding X-Infernus, a sequel to Inferno and which story revolves around Illyana. But that's because the story is too simple and accesible. If you've read or watch a lot of fantasy you'll probably get an idea of how this story will move. So, I guess I'll just scratch this title from my pull list and get something else.

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