Thursday, September 11, 2014

Off-Topic: Comic Book Reviews For 9-10-2014

Well, we had a very good crop of comic books this week.

Marvel's EDGE OF THE SPIDER-VERSE (SPIDER-MAN NOIR) #1
Well, I picked up this comic book because I am a fan of the pulp character THE SPIDER whose aesthetic seemed to influence the main character in this issue. And boy, was I surprised. It was so, freaking, good. Apparently this is kind of like Grant Morrison's MULTIVERSITY, where multiple Spider-Man incarnations from various universes get together to stop some dimension-spanning villain. This is giving the writer a chance to explore some of the more bizarre universes in Marvel's collection of worlds. On every conceivable level, this comic book and I'm completely hooked. I will be collecting the rest of this limited series.
Storyline: 4.5 Stars
Dialogue: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 4 Stars
Art: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

DC's CONSTANTINE: FUTURE'S END One-Shot

While EARTH 2's FUTURES END storyline really sucked, this one was good, though it still felt rushed, though not as badly. I liked the dialogue between Constantine and Dr. Fate. The visuals in this issue are what really stand out. The art is simply fantastic, and the subject matter of the individual scenes is what really makes the book. All in all, it was a very strong issue.
Storyline: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 3 Stars
Art: 4.5 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Marvel's NEW WARRIORS #9
I am so happy about the way Scarlet Spider was handled in this issue. There was some real character development here, including in his relationship with Hummingbird. The Spider returned to Houston for an absurdist adventure with Vance Astro in tow. Together, the two handle a rather large problem, and Vance really gets the Spider to realize some important things about himself. The theme of this book was accountable relationships and the role they play in a well-lived human life, and that was a theme so powerful it almost called for an extended review. The execution was good, too, though the art leaves something to be desired.
Storyline: 3.5 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Pacing: 3.5 Stars
Art: 3 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

DC's SUPERMAN: UNCHAINED #8
Man I am so sad that this book is ending soon. It is one of the best Superman story lines that I've read in a long, long time. On every level, this book worked. The fighting was reminiscent of DEATH OF SUPERMAN, and Clark's internal monologue was really enlightening. The pacing of this book is superb, the art is just off the hook, the dialogue is great, even if parts of the main storyline are a little derivative (some of this issue felt like ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, for instance). This is Superman as an ideal, as something to aspire to. I simply love it.
Storyline: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 4.5 Stars
Art: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

2 comments:

  1. Thanks Joshua Orsak for The Reviews of Comic books. Comics Books or Kids Stories something which are re-instating or emerging as the best source for learning especially for children. They’re not anymore considered as a Pandora’s Box but a Source of developing essential qualities and reading and learning habits.

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  2. Comic books have been, and remain, one of the biggest influence on my life. Certainly some are in the same class as Children's Stories, but most are not. Realism is the dominant factor in comic books and has been since the 80s.

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