"BOCEPHEUS" |
"These reviews are based on the Sneak Peek
titles sent out by Marvel,
DC & Image. It's not everything that's shipping for
the week, but it is
a real good cross-section of this weeks releases. Check the
bottom of
the page (after you read my reviews) for a link to some
SNEAKY PEEKIES
of future titles" |
|
 BOOK
OF THE WEEK:
JSA CLASSIFIED #17
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Tony Bedard, Artist: Scott
McDaniel
JSA Classified #17
starts a 2 issue arc that involves Hourman and the Batman
nemesis, Bane. The short arc is from Tony Bedard and Scott
McDaniel and has Bane arrive at the Tyler home actually
looking for help. It’s an unusual position for the character
to be in and that makes the issue interesting. Bane, as
Batman fans know derives his strength from the drug Venom
and addiction has been a part of Hourman history for a while
now. Here Bane is dying and he needs the help of Rick Tyler
to free the people of his county from the addiction to Venom
that would destroy them after the drug has already destroyed
him. That take on the character makes this highly effective.
MSRP: $2.99,
Alternate Reality Price: $2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All
This Week!) |
|
MARVEL ROUND UP…
X-Men #191 reveals the history behind the new enemy, the Children of the Vault
and the encounter between them and Sabretooth that ended up with Victor Creed
coming to the X-Men for help. Their origin has a lot to do with the events of
M-Day (when almost all the mutants lost their powers) and shows us their reason
for being. Mike Carey has Creed give the history while we see what is happening
to Sam Guthrie as he encounters one of their members. What she does to him and
the reveal of where there base is makes them a real threat in this issue which
is guest penciled by Clay Henry…Cable & Deadpool #32 ties in to the events of
Civil War and begins as last issue ended with Cable in the Oval Office. We get a
fight between Cable and Pool while seeing just how powerful Nathan is. The new
status of Deadpool is dealt with by the end of the issue…Young Avengers &
Runaways #3 (of 4) starts off with the continuation of the fight between team
members and the returning Grant Morrison version of Marvel Boy. We learn more
about the plans of the man pulling the strings inside the Cube, a high tech
prison as we watch the carnage that leads into next issue’s big ass
fight…Captain America #22 begins in a psychiatrists office where Sharon Carter
is talking with a therapist after she learns what happened to Cap in Civil War
#1. We see her watching the video footage of Cap’s escaping the SHIELD
Helicarrier then follow her to see what happens next. The issue ends with a
great reveal that brings in a player from Cap’s past who will be part of the
greater arc going on with the Red Skull.
DC ROUND UP…
The Trials of Shazam #2 (of 12) continues where we left off sort of because we
start things off with Freddie Freeman who is just a regular guy now. Judd Winick
and Howard Porter show us what happened to Mary Marvel when she lost her powers
and then reintroduces Captain Marvel who has a new status. Naturally that new
status means another change but that wont happen until Freddie learns a few
things which would be one of the main reasons this is a 12-issue project…Ninja
Scroll #1 marks the debut of the famed anime project but this is being done by
Americans. I have no interest whatsoever in anime but the book does look damn
good…Jack of Fables #3 overcomes a need to look very busy in a tale that shows
that wrought iron fences are horrible places to land on. We are almost
overwhelmed with dialogue here but the high quality of it makes the issue very
entertaining. Why we even get a smoking sprite to make things even more
fun…Batman and the Mad Monk #2 (of 6) shows the latter character in action as
the bodies start to pile up. Matt Wagner also shows us the further deteriation
of Julie Madison’s dad as the mood of the police department in Gotham is
beginning to change. Harvey Dent also makes an appearance in an issue where
Bruce gets laid for a change…Albion #6 (of 6) finally ends the British oriented
series that someone at Wildstorm actually believed would sell to the American
market. I don’t know who approved this but they need to get their resume
together because none of these limited series have sold at all…the American Way
#8 (of 8) ends with a lot of fights mixed in with political stuff that never
once seems dull. The body count is pretty high here but things end on a note
that makes me interested in seeing another installment of this or at least
another project that teams John Ridley with Georges Jeanty.
IMAGE ROUND UP…
Invincible #35 has a fair amount of pages where the characters just talk to one
another but in doing that a lot happens and gets explained. Mark spends the
issue talking to the tailor for heroes, Arthur and in doing so learns a secret
that his father kept that will be of great assistance to him. We also get a
discussion about his complicated relationship with women before finishing things
off with a short Capes adventure…Lions, Tigers and Bears #3 (of 4) comes out
this week and I didn’t find any part of it interesting for me to recommend
it…True Story Swear to God #1 marks the Image debut of the Tom Bedard comic that
recounts the romance that got him hooked up with his live in girlfriend. It is a
well told tale that won’t make a mark on any sales chart but will have a nice
steady following.
|
|
|
"See, I told you I'd be
down here. We've got a bunch of SNEAKY PEEKIES of future
MARVEL, DC and IMAGE titles right
HERE" |
 |
|
|
All
Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2006
by their respective owners. No rights given or implied
by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2006 Alternate Reality, Inc. |
|
|
