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"Since there has been a few weeks since you
have gotten reviews due to a combination of things (none of the books sent were
interesting or were in the middle or near the ends of storylines, the books not
getting here and nothing that came in really interested me) this week I thought
I'd catch up on some new/ongoing and ending storylines. And don't forget to check the
bottom of the page (after you read my reviews) for a link to some SNEAKY PEEKIES
of future titles" |
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DAREDEVIL:
Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev ended their tenure on the book with the conclusion
of ‘The Murdock Papers’ which had the Kingpin making a deal with the feds to win
his freedom. The deal was that he would reveal these papers and their contents
would allow the feds to put the screws to Matt. The arc contained guest-stars
from the Marvel Universe and wrapped up a lot of loose ends only to end with
Matt going to jail. (I’m not telling you anything that hasn’t been shown in
Marvel’s solicits) This conclusion puts the next team of Ed Brubaker and Michael
Lark in a wonderful box that they will have a hard time getting out of but since
Brubaker himself offered up the ending he only has himself to blame. The
Bendis/Maleev run was exciting and left us always wondering what would happen
next. The duo leaves a big void but the Brubaker/Lark team should be up to the
challenge. My favorite parts of the arc were the Kingpin segments. He knew he
was making things up and in doing so making Ben Urich extremely uncomfortable
having to turn on a friend. That and the reintroduction of Bullseye in a hyper
dynamic way made this a high note to go out on. 
INFINITE
CRISIS: As is the policy for
both companies big events are seldom part of the Sneak Peaks so I get to read
them the same time that you do (well, when I am in the store) so the universe
changing events of Crisis are as much as a surprise to me that they are to
anyone else. As we have wandered into #4 many things have changed and been set
up for the jump ahead One Year Later (OYL) with each issue loaded with details
that make you have to read the book twice to get all of them. So far we have
learned who the new Blue Beetle is, who the new Spectre is (and who is chosen
does make perfect sense) and why things in the DCU have been slightly screwed up
(as well as who). The art by Phil Jiminez has been a perfect compliment to the
Geoff Johns story. The conclusion of #4 marked the return of Earth 2 which fuels
speculation that when everything is said and done that Earth will be one that
OYL takes place in but we still are hearing the rumor that Grant Morrison’s
Seven Soldiers tales are happening after the OYL timeline so who knows. I will
make a bet that this will not turn out to be a happy ending. 
PLANET
HULK: The mega-Hulk event
officially begins with this week’s #92 but things began four issues ago with
‘Peace in Our Time’. In that arc Bruce Banner was living happily in the woods
when he got a video message from Nick Fury (and for those who are wondering I
have no idea if this happens before or after Secret Wars) asking for help with a
space project gone haywire. We learn that this ‘mission’ was a scam to send
Bruce and his alter ego off into space permanently so that he wouldn’t rain
destruction and such on Marvel Earth but this first issue shows that even
geniuses can screw up. When the issue begins the Hulk is listening to the
message left by Reed Richards that this is for his own good and the place we are
sending you to is filled with candy fountains and marshmallow clouds then as
these things always do something bad happens. It seems that there is a
malfunction and the ship lands on a barbaric world where gladiatorial battles
happen all the time for the amusement of the ruler. In other words, a place
where the Hulk can kick the crap out of things any time he wants. Greg Pak and
Carlo Pagulayan have a wonderful time with this first issue that ends with Hulk
on a ship heading towards a monster and certain death exclaiming to his seat
companion “This is going to be fun”. Yes, I think this arc will be and it also
ties into the upcoming Civil War. 
THE
EXTERMINATORS: One of many
new Vertigo titles launched before the end of the year this is one that may have
a hard time lasting more than 6 issues. The main problem with the book is that
it deals with bugs and honestly there isn’t much interest in a book that in its
initial issue has one of the protagonists eating a cockroach. It’s not that the
title has nothing to say just that there isn’t anyone out there looking to hear
their message. I will say that the art by Tony (Battle Pope) Moore is damn good
but he is drawing bugs folks. 
SPIDERMAN
THE OTHER: The three month
arc that took over the Spider-Man titles marked an interesting advancement of
the character. Things began months ago when Peter Parker started having dizzy
spells and losing his powers at inopportune times but when the arc began things
were much worse and he had to go to a doctor who told him that he was going to
die. When the writers coupled this with the return of Morlun things looked
pretty bleak for our boy but as the arc progressed we drifted into philosophical
mode with Pete having a conversation with a giant spider who asked him whether
he was a man who became a spider or a spider that became a man. We witnessed a
death, a rebirth and a birth when it was all said and done. I enjoyed the arc
but questioned the method used to tell it. The writing was solid but the art
changes took some getting used to due to the variation of styles. Pat Lee is
good with some books but Spider-Man is not one of them. Since he tends to color
his own work his issues had a washed out feeling that were a distraction to the
story being told. 
