Penny and I drove to our friends’ cottage up around Maniwaki, Quebec yesterday and I had a blast fishing off of their raft. I felt like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer there for a little while with just Charles and me casting a few more times before calling it a day. It was one of those feelings and memories that I’ll never forget.
My thanks to Heather, Becky, Sarah and Devin for filling in while Helen was off on her road trip to Winnipeg last week. I am grateful that I didn’t have to work any extra days.
Ultimate Spider-Man #14 - Whoa, what a pulse pounding reading experience this was. Things start off with a sentimental passing of the torch thing with Aunt May, then W-Brian Bendis and A-David Marquez swing you into a team-up and fight with a super villain that hits hard and ends on a high. I really hope David Marquez draws more issues.
The Phantom Stranger #0 - DC's stable of occult characters gets the New 52 feature spotlight by W-Dan Didio, P-Brent Anderson and I-Scott Hanna. I liked the Phantom Stranger in the Madame Xanadu book BF (before 52) but this incarnation is too sixties for me. I’m sure he and the Spectre have their devoted fans but this did not convert me.
Fashion Beast #1 - This new W-Alan Moore book is about a cross-dressing coat check attendant. It’s odd to say the least. The writing and art by Facundo Percio is top notch but I don't see that it will appeal to many comic book fans.
X-Factor #243 - W-Peter David reveals a shocking secret from Polaris's past. Lorna's going to need more therapy.
Fairest #7 - This issue is a beauty eh. Get ready for some hard boiled fun as Beauty and the Beast get their own feature presentation by W-Matthew Sturges and A-Shawn McManus. She's not who we thought she was.
Thief of Thieves #8 - I just knew that the story didn't end with Conrad saving his son from going to prison. The kid's still in some deep doo-doo, not to mention Conrad's feelings for his ex. W-James Asmus takes over as W-Nick Spencer bids adieu, but you might not notice a difference.
Creator-Owned Heroes #4 - Both Trigger Girl 6 and American Muscle conclude this issue. Trigger Girl 6 was very hokey but American Muscle was very exciting. I wouldn't mind reading more of both.
Punisher #15 - I've noticed a drop in sales the past few issues and I've got to say that those fans that stopped reading this book are missing out on a great story. I haven't enjoyed Frank's exploits this much since W-Garth Ennis was on the book.
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #3 - Drugs are bad, okay? Don't do drugs. Laurie's life away from her mother goes from idyllic to kick-ass.
The Boys #70 - Take heart Hughie fans, the image on the cover is not an omen for the fate of Wee Hughie in this issue. W-Garth Ennis makes a giant leap into next issue's conclusion of this amazing series.
Animal Man #0 - This BF origin story lines Buddy Baker's life up nicely with the current continuity.
Hawkeye #2 - Young Avengers fans take note: Kate Bishop is in this fun issue. The Circus of Crime gets a 21st Century update to Cirque Du Nuit (that's right sunshine) but they're still up to their old tricks. Saving the day puts Clint and Kate on the super villain hit list. W-Matt Fraction and A-David Aja are right on target.
Archer & Armstrong #2 - This is a fun book and I like it. It hit me why when I realized that W-Fred Van Lente was the guy that made the Incredible Hercules such a fun book to read. This is basically Hercules and Amadeus Cho redux.
Worlds' Finest #0 - W-Paul Levitz and As-Kevin Maguire and Wes Craig take us to Earth 2 to show us how Helena/Robin met Kara/Supergirl before coming to the New 52 U and fighting crime as the Huntress and Power Girl.
Amazing Spider-Man #693 - Marvel's newest super hero Alpha is a big fat selfish jerk. Not all teenagers are like that but I’ve seen some come through the store and they make me want to smack them upside the head. I was happy to see P-Humberto Ramos's name in the credits but what happened to Mary Jane's eyes in panel one of page 4? Did he and I-Victor Olazaba have a Dali moment?
Jennifer Blood #16 - Jennifer's husband Andrew grows a pair but that doesn't help him in the end. This is where Jennifer crosses the line and I want to see how W-Al Ewing resolves things.
****
The following books were read two weeks ago but I had forgotten to save them to my SD card before leaving for the store in the morning.
Wolverine #312 – This issue sets up the final showdown (what, another one?) with Romulus. So, did Sabretooth die again here?
Spaceman #9 – Orson and Tara’s story comes to an end and I was disappointed. This story could have been told in 4 issues if all the Mars stuff was taken out since I don’t see that it had much significance. I don’t feel like the reward was worth all the mental gymnastics I had to perform to understand what was being said and what was going on with everybody.
Web of Spider-Man #129.2 – You won’t believe who shows up at the end of this story. Waugh.
AVX Versus #5 – Lots of feathers fly in the bout between Angel and Hawkeye. And talk about spouse abuse when the Black Panther and Storm have at each other. Shades of RiRi and Chris Brown.
Aquaman #12 – Black Manta does something that pushes Aquaman off the deep end where the hero decides to screw the code of no killing. Too bad for us that we’ve got to wait two months while DC dicks around with Zero Month before we get to the final battle between hero and villain.
Captain Marvel #3 - Captain Marvel and the Banshees (sounds like a band) get ready to fight the Japanese and their flying saucers. The lull before the battle is the perfect time for Carol to tell her origin story. There’s also a subplot that may entice you to go read an Amelia Earhart biography.
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #3 – Now we’re getting somewhere. W&A-Darwyn Cooke reveals more sordid secrets of these crime fighters. Having grown up in the sixties helps me to appreciate the volatile feelings erupting in this issue.
Avenging Spider-Man #10 – Take this issue and #9 and you’ve got a great 2-part team-up story. W-Kelly Sue DeConnick did a great job with Spider-Man/Peter Parker and Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers and I think she could write a regular Spidey book too.
Avenging Spider-Man #11 – This was an odd team-up. I’m not talking about W-Zeb Wells’s Peter Parker and Aunt May tête-à-tête but rather A-Steve Dillon drawing a Spider-Man story. I loved his work on Preacher and Punisher but he wouldn’t be my choice for a pure super hero book, but he’s a great choice for this story. Peter and May do their annual “walk the mountain” to pay their respects to Uncle Ben. It’s a different kind of super hero story and I liked it a lot.
The Sensational Spider-Man #33.2 – Not a very satisfying ending to W-Tom DeFalco’s human trafficking story. He seems to think that as long as the bad guy gets what’s coming to him that we’ll be happy. I found I had too many “huh?’ moments to be happy. Like, I guess we’re to assume that Carlie called the Vulture but what happened to the crooked F.B.I. guy? Us more mature readers need more than what is shown in here.
The Shade #11 – W-James Robinson owns this character. Not since his stint on Starman have I enjoyed reading a character’s exploits as much as this. The battle with the Egyptian gods concludes in a very satisfying manner. Frazer Irving’s art was just beautiful.
Batwoman #7 to #12 – Wow, what a difference an inker makes. I did not recognise the P-Amy Reeder issues because of Ron Hunter’s inks. Compare issues #7 and #8 with her work on Madame Xanadu and you will see what I mean. It took me a while to get used to the jumping around the different characters’ stories style of Ws-J. H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman too. It made the story disjointed and almost turned me off to reading this series. Having J. H. Williams III back doing the art in issue #12 changed my mind. The story of Medusa and the missing children isn’t enough for me to read this book the week it hits the racks but I am sticking with it and will read it eventually.
Worlds’ Finest #3 & #4 – Power Girl and Huntress. In Tokyo. Versus Hakkou.
Glamourpuss #25 & #26 – Well, you won’t have Dave Sim to kick around anymore as these are the last comics that he’ll be making for the racks. I really hope not. I will miss his presence on the racks like few others.
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