The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1 by: Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke
5 stars
Grant Morrison has pulled off the ultimate meta comic book experience! I knew this book was going to be a trip, but this issue managed to convinced me that I am a part of the story.
In “Ultra Comics,” the reader (yes you), get’s fused to the goofy looking character on the cover. We become Ultra Comics and have to resolve the story by doing the only thing that we can: turn the pages and take in the story to our minds.
Morrison is making the point that we as a people are very careless about what we let into our minds. We guard our possessions, files, and bodies with ultra secure measures, but we don’t take these steps to secure one of our most prized possessions: our mind.
In this story, we let villain, “The Hit,” into our consciousness. This is an allegory for all of the other evil things we let into our minds: namely violence, pornography, and trash TV.
All of these lofty ideals and meta-textual content doesn’t overstay it’s welcome however. Doug Mahnke delivers fantastically rich art for action sequences and character designs.
When reading this comic, I was reminded of a quote, “as a Man thinketh, so is he.” It makes me want to do a better job editing the mass quantities of content that I typically consume.
Great work Mr. Morrison.
Daredevil #14 by: Mark Waid & Chris Samnee
3.5 stars
Waid makes a large change for Daredevil seem like a smooth and natural transition in his character arc.
Although a new character and plot line was introduced, Murdocks new attitude and costume change was really the star of this book. Matt now rocks a buzzed head, goofy 3-piece suit, and is now sans-glasses.
His new casual demeanor towards being a public figure is an interesting aspect of his character that I look forward to seeing Mark Waid explore further.
Unfotunately, the first meeting of The Owl’s daughter seemed a little lackluster. The team-up after a fight is so obvious, and the ending had no emotional weight for me.
Guardians 3000 #06 by: Dan Abnett and Nico Leon
2.5 stars
Future Guardians meet current Guardians and squabble a whole bunch in this boring issue.
Abnett has been in the business long enough to not fall for the comic book trope of team vs. team. And while he even jokes about it, he doesn’t do anything special instead. The whole issue feels like one giant confusion and argument.
By the time the rest of the 3000 team comes back, I’m totally over the interactions and just want the story to move forward.
The opening has a cool character moment for Geena Drake when she discusses “time” with Galactus. It highlights what an important character she is, and how she can hold her own with such a huge presence.
Nico Leon’s art is very unimpressive, and I eagerly await the return of series artist Gerardo Sandoval.
Darth Vadar #3 by: Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca
4.5 stars
This comic should have been called Doctor Aphra #1. It’s a really cool intro to a strong new female character who Vadar hires to build an army of droids.
The first half is mostly quiet action featuring Aphra, and the second half is all her talking nervously in front of the Dark Lord. It is a total change of pace, and I loved it.
There is also the introduction of two new droids, Triple Zero and BT-1, who are dark murderous versions of C-3P0 and R2-D2 respectively. I enjoyed the choice of adding new droid characters into this book.
I was completely enamored with Salvador Larroca’s art in this book. From character to background design, the world he creates is transfixing. Edgar Delgado backs this up with fantastic color work that further helps set the tone of the story.
Most recommended!
Uncanny X-Men #32 by: Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo
1.5 stars
Bendis manages to make Cyclops even more of a wimp in this character study of the weakness that is Scott Summers.
It’s no wonder everyone hates Cyclops (in and out of the comics) when writers like Bendis make him talk and act like such a weakling. It’s so frustrating to see a character that I respect get tossed around so carelessly. Bendis has given him no redemptive qualities at all.
This issue is all dialogue of Cyclops explaining to Havok and Emma Frost that “The Mutant Revolution” is only a threat. Come on!?
I normally really enjoy Bendis’ character work, but giving Scott no backbone throughout this entire run is just hard to read.
And while I have grown to love Chris Bachalo’s art, it is inconsistent in this issue because of the 5 different inkers.
Pass off Cyclops to someone else already.
– It’s a classic for a reason. This book takes a post-modern look at what would happen if heroes lived in the real world, and even worse, a super-hero among us.
– Seminal work on Bats that sees the hero as an old man still enacting his brand of vengeance on a dystopian world.
– The author interviews his father about his Holocaust experience during WWII, and we have a sweeping and heartbreaking narrative about love and loss told with images of mice and cats.
– Big classic coming of age story that I’ve never read.
– Each issue is a “One-Shot” comic about other comics. A multiversal saga that tells a huge story, and puts an iteration of The Fantastic Four as villains. Best read after everything else so you can get the references.
– In the future of the DCU the new breed of superheroes are amoral assholes. The old crowd steps in to join the fray as a new threat approaches. All painted by the majestic Alex Ross.
– This is what happens when Superman’s rocket lands in he USSR instead of Kansas. Oops.
– A retelling of Batman’s origin story as if it were real. Christopher Nolan took some cues from this book when he made his Bat-films.
– Probably the best Joker story ever written. It’s short, has great art, and is really gritty.
– A classic Golden Age / Silver Age comic book tale with smooth cartoony art that I have never read. Probably a little much for a newcomer.
– Forget what the comic book store owners say, this great book puts Captain America, as a rebel, against Iron Man, as “The Man,” in a fantastic intro to modern Marvel comics.
– Amazing modern day take on “The Man of Steel” that will have you thinking deep thoughts. Not for the light of heart.
– Super trippy existential comic that follows the morose Dream of The Endless. We see Morpheus navigate the world of men, Gods, Hell, and everything in between.
– All the men on earth die accept one man and his pet monkey. Yorick must navigate this new alarming landscape to find his girlfriend.
– Fairy Tale creature are kicked out of “The Homelands” and take up residence in NYC. This is fairy tales for adults.
– Tells the story of Jesse who is possessed by the child of a demon and angel. This is a really shock-value story which is full of a lot of fun, disgust, and a lot of twists and turns.
– Laugh out loud funny comic that is drawn like a manga. Scott must fight the seven evil exes to date Ramona Flowers.
– All awesome art, all the time. Crazy story about a demon who joins the government forces to fight the mystical side of the Universe.
– Noir city. Gritty gritty black and white art with disturbing stories set in a city with really rich characters.
Transformation of Things 