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"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" |
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 BOOK
OF THE WEEK:
SIDEKICKS #1 (of 5)
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Paul Jenkins, Artist: Chris Moreno
Paul Jenkins can be a damn funny guy. He first showed this
many years back in a monthly column in the Wizard knock off
Hero and this was after he had a great run on the humorless
Hellblazer. Here he gives us the first issue of a limited
series that Marvel allowed him to do even though he is under
an exclusive-Sidekick. Our hero (well one of them) is Eddie
Edison, another in a long line of characters named with the
same last initial as their first name. Eddie delivers pizza
during the day (and gets screwed over by the customers most
of the time) but at night he puts on a costume and becomes
Superior Boy, the aide to Mister Excellent. And if you
thought that job was better you must be mental. Excellent is
a bit pf a pinhead and seems to have every superpower except
the one that would make you notice the obvious things so
while he is flying off his wife is entertaining his
sidekick. Besides being the assistant to a moron Eddie needs
money, has an incredibly excitable stripper girlfriend and
needs to do something to change parts of his life. He has an
idea to hire himself out as sidekick to a few more heroes
and if you remember an old proverb about being careful what
you wish for then come back for the next issue. There are
some great laugh out loud moments here (especially the
outfits worn for the auditions) and the art is exaggerated
but in a way to enhance the story. The book is also very
adult so even though the cover suggests that kids would
enjoy the book believe me they won’t. This book is way over
their heads and not a "Kids Corner" candidate.
MSRP: $3.50
1st DAY SALE Price: $2.97 (That's 40% OFF,
Wednesday Only!)
Alternate Reality Price: $2.10 (That's 15% OFF, All
Week Long!) |
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 NEXTWAVE #5
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer:
Warren Ellis, Artist:
Stuart Immonen
The new issue of the sublime Nextwave focuses on a battle between the team and
the evil General Dirk Anger. The issue naturally begins with the Q & A that
makes us laugh before we even turn the page but then we find ourselves in the
moment prior to a massive battle between Boom Boom and Ellie Bloodstone and some
weird ninja looking robots called Samuroid Batch 23. As that fight is going on
Monica is fighting some more of Anger’s mechanical creations which makes him
even angrier (and in a speech making mood) at the team so he sends out more
things for them to blow up. The battle is heated and drawn with passion (as well
as inspiring very silly dialogue and gas emissions) all the way up to the point
where Aaron Stack ends it with something that has to be seen to believe. This
book exists just to be silly and read without any pretension of it having deep
value. Where else can you see a robot in a bra, references to the late feminist
Andrea Dworkin, teammates beating other teammates with shovels and beer made
from lizard droppings? Each issue is self contained and packed with more humor
than a dozen Adam Sandler movies
MSRP: $2.99
Alternate Reality Price:
$2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All Week Long!) |
MARVEL ROUND UP…
Exiles #83 isn’t a fill in issue (even though it is
drawn by someone else) but it has that kind of feel to it for some reason, The
issue dances from reality to reality following the down time after the deaths of
Mimic and Morph (who is now the brainwashed Proteus so he is but is not really a
member of the team). During the issue heroes are sent back to their realities
for proper burial and the quiet nature of the issue is actually refreshing…Storm
#5 (of 6) shows us the strengthening of the relationship between Storm and the
Panther and has the two seal the deal so to speak as we get closer to the
wedding. There is also a fair share of fighting to keep male readers happy…X-Men
#187 is the last issue for the Milligan/Larocca team and wraps up the Blood of
Apocalypse arc. Somehow the issue makes the arc look better than it actually was
and the issue includes a slick Masked Marvel backup story that spends its time
inside the Marvel offices as the new hero is introduced…Black Panther #17
contains the parallel tales of the groom having a bachelor party (and the
feelings of the attendees) and the bride hanging out with her friends and we
meet the African version of Paris Hilton. I know there are folks out there who
complain that Reginald Hudlin can’t write a decent story but when he does issues
like this I wonder just what they want him to write because the dialogue is
tight and he tosses little touches in just for fun that make the book an easy
read. I think most of the complaints come from the same faction who bitch that
“all these Hollywood guys are stealing work from comic book writers” which is
sort of complaining that water isn’t cool to drink because it isn’t
flavored…Runaways #17 has been teased as a major turning point for the team and
the last pages prove that out in a tragic way…Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #7 and
Avengers/Power Pack Assemble #3 (of 4) are good for the kids because as Reed
Richards says in Eternals #1 he got so smart by reading. BTW, Eternals #1 really
rocked so get an issue while you can…I never talk about the Marvel Spotlight
books because they are mostly interviews but if you want to know about your
favorite creators then pick them up. Here we learn a lot about Neil Gaiman,
Salvador Larroca and even pop singer Tori Amos…Moon Knight #3 is another
spectacular issue and fills new fans in on the history of the character. We
learn something about Frenchie that comes totally out of left field and see just
who that guy was at the end of last issue and why he was so interested that Marc
Spector was leaving his house. Very little fighting in this issue until the end
and we see that there will be a perfect opportunity next issue to make up for
that…Daredevil #86 is the best issue from the new team and that is saying a lot
since the previous Brubaker/Lark issues were superb. Here we see the long
simmering explosion at the prison and with that a whole mess of action.
DC ROUND UP…
Solo #11 is from the twisted mind of Sergio Aragones
and is for the most part pretty funny…The American Way #5 (of 8) is the
continuation of a book that will be better appreciated at another time. Writer
John Ridley is telling a powerful story and he has been gifted by some sweet
Georges Jeanty art but the book is humorless and so you have a hard time drawing
pleasure from reading it…Warlord #5 has a lot of sword swinging action but the
book still seems to not have a valid reason to exist except for the fact that
the creative team has an exclusive…Ion #3 (of 12) is actually pretty good and
the art by Greg Tocchini seems to have improved leaps and bounds from the first
issue. It is much clearer than the muddy initial offering. In the issue we see
Kyle recuperating while on the Green Lantern planet Mogo. Ron Marz uses the
issue to bring back dead supporting cast members and some that have returned to
life since being declared dead…Loveless #8 continues the filling in of the
Cutter history with this issue showing an event of Wes’ past.
IMAGE ROUND UP…
Invincible #33 continues a story started in
Marvel Team Up (eight months ago) and is one of the most violent ever. We see
Angstrom Levy (or as Invincible calls him ‘that guy’) and move from reality to
reality before some fists are exchanged as gifts between the two…Savage Dragon
#127 still has everyone on Earth wanting to kill Dragon and some very homicidal
acts by such an innocent looking little girl. The issue ends with the appearance
of the characters from Millar/Jones Wanted. The issue is pretty good but the
lettering of all things turned me off…Last Christmas #2 is more of the same and
I just don’t have a feel for what the creators are selling since I have already
seen Bad Santa…I have never read an issue of PVP so if you are looking for
something for me to say about the book don’t…Sea of Red #11 marks the slow end
to the title and maybe if the book didn’t look like it was covered in heavy
smoke more fans would have bought it. This has to be the first comic ever that
made you sit under a halogen lamp to read it…Ant #6 is more of the same. Big
boobed hero with a massive ass to match with antennae that seem to be telling
you to stare at her ass since it is the same size as her boobs. There is an
early Rob Liefeld look to the art.
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"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" |
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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. |
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