[Comics] - Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews - Week 42

[Everlost_MI]

Welcome to week forty-two of Evil Avatar’s Weekly Comic Book Reviews.

For the month of December, two signed copies of Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1 (http://www.bcbcomics.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12588) that is being published by Speakeasy Comics (http://www.speakeasycomics.com/index.asp) will be given away by BCBcomics (http://www.bcbcomics.com/) every week. For those unfamiliar with Athena Voltaire check out the following press release (http://www.speakeasycomics.com/news/news_72805b.html) and the official Athena Voltaire website. (http://www.athenavoltaire.com/) The deadline for entry submissions for week forty-two is Midnight EST on Sunday, December 25th. The random winners will be drawn on Monday, December 26th, Click here (everlost_mi@evilavatar.com) to submit your entry and don’t forget to include your Evil Avatar screenname. Remember, you can submit one entry each week to increase your chances of winning.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/avfof1.jpg (http://www.bcbcomics.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12588)

Evil Avatar’s Comic Book Review Weekly giveaway provider BCBcomics (http://www.bcbcomics.com/) offers 35% off of comic trade paperbacks (TPBs) and 20-25% off of comics. In addition, they offer comic book subscriptions (http://www.bcbcomics.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=7
) with many fringe benefits including no hidden costs, 20% off of cover price, all issues are bagged and boarded PLUS free* shipping for orders over $14.99 and cheap* shipping for orders under $14.99 (*see BCBcomics’ website (http://www.bcbcomics.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=7
) for the details).

Remember, these are NOT spoiler-free reviews.

[Everlost_MI]

Week Forty-two:
Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews - Week 42
By Everlost_MI (Brian K. Nichols), Editor in Chief

Grounded #4 of 6
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer/Creator: Mark Sable
Artist: Paul Azaceta
Colors: Nick Filardi
Letters/Design: Kristyn Ferretti
Editor: Ivan Brandon
Price: $2.99 US/$3.65 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/grounded4.jpg

The issue starts with Jonathan racing back into the high school to try and save his classmates who are being held hostage by the Adjudicator. The faculty stripped the students of their super-powers in an effort to test their survival skills moments before the Adjudicator took control of the school. Now, the lives of the children hinge upon their parents choosing the permanently relinquish their powers. The school has been sealed by a barrier created by Adjudicator that keeps out those who have super-powers, so it allowed Jonathan back in. Armed only with his wits and comic-book knowledge, Jonathan is able to win a battle and formulate a plan to save the day.

Mark Sable’s fourth issue of the series comes across clunky and confusing with apparent gaps in the storytelling. The gaps are so frequent that it feels as if there are multiple panels missing throughout the book, which causes disinterest from trying to follow a half-told story. In addition, the dialogue is flat and uninteresting. The artwork created by Paul Azaceta is passable but it’s not enough to save this issue.

Bottom Line:
This previous issues of the series were an interesting read but this issue really fell flat. I am hard pressed to recommend picking up this issue even if you’ve been reading the series so far. Hopefully Sable can pull the series back together before it ends.

Rating: 1 out of 5 EvilEyes
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/icons/e1.jpg


X-Factor #1 (An ongoing series)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Ryan Sook
Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger
Color Art: Jose Villarrubia
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Price: $2.99 US/$4.25 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/xfactor1.jpg

The third volume of X-Factor picks up where the MadroX mini-series written by Peter David left off. Both series deal with Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man, performing investigations under the X-Factor Investigations moniker in Mutant Town. Madrox has enlisted the help of Strong Guy, Siryn, Wolfsbane and Monet St. Croix to help run X-Factor. The issue starts with one of Madrox’s multiples trying to talk Rictor, a mutant whose power causes earthquakes, down from jumping off the side of a building since he lost his powers in the wake of Decimation. The issue provides a very surprising look into the character of Madrox and one hell of a cliffhanger. It was also interesting to see the newest aspect of Siryn’s powers being explored with the results being more than she expected.

Peter David has crafted an exciting issue filled with action and intrigue without alienating readers who have or haven’t read the MadroX mini-series. The characterizations and dialogue are outstanding; they give the audience a firm rapport with the characters just before David rips the rug out from underneath it all with various plot twists. The primary story and subplots are pregnant with enormous possibilities, hopefully Marvel will retain David on the title long enough for them to reach fruition. Ryan Sook whose work recently included the Seven Soldiers: Zatanna mini-series provides an Adam Hughes look to the book while still retaining his own heavy artwork style. The artwork gels well with David’s script as it provides the right amount of facial humor and action sequences to keep the story thrumming along.

Bottom Line:
I recommend this title to those who enjoy superhero team books whose plots or at least dialogue is filled with present social issues sandwiched between a touch of satire. If you’re a Peter David fan, this is a no brainer. The last time David wrote X-Factor, from 1991 until 1993, the results were pure gold and so far it seems history is repeating itself.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 EvilEyes
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/icons/e4_5.jpg


Secret War #5 of 5
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Painter: Gabriele Dell’otto
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Price: $3.99 US/$5.75 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/secretwar5.jpg

The Secret War. This was an utter waste of money and time. The series took over a year to complete and its delay caused multiple issues of The Pulse, another Marvel title written by Brian Michael Bendis, to be delayed. In effort to save you the pain and money of this mini-series I will give you the Cliff Notes version of the series. The story revolves around Nick Fury who recruited Luke Cage, Wolverine, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Captain America and Black Widow for a covert op into Latveria to overthrow the government being run by Lucia von Bardas. Fury has Agent Johnson, a mutant who can cause precise seismic waves, to drop the entire Latverian castle down on Lucia because according to Fury that’s the only language she understands. Lucia comes back as a cyborg and employs various criminals to help her by improving their powers and skills with cybernetic enhancements. The various super hero recruits who had their memories wiped of the incident are being attacked by the various enhanced villains, Luke Cage was the first and he ended up being hospitalized. Captain America is the first to recoup the memory of attack in Latveria as the rest of the heroes are systematically attacked. In the end Lucia is defeated by Agent Johnson and Fury goes underground because of his illegal activities.

Bendis did a hack job with the lame story that got dragged out far too long. Even though his dialogue was enjoyable to read it was not worth wading through the horrible story and the money involved in reading it. Bendis took the title of Secret Wars to a new low by milking fans that enjoyed the original series in the mid 80, even though Secret Wars II was poorly written and a way for Marvel to make some more money. Gabriele Dell’otto’s artwork is far too dark and gritty for a mainstream superhero comic, he would make a great horror artist.

As far as I am concerned, Bendis is on probation for his serious decline in quality stories in all of the books he’s been writing for the past year. In addition, his story arcs that should take two issues end up eating up six instead.

Bottom Line:
Don’t waste your time or money.

Rating: 0 out of 5 EvilEyes

The Evil Avatar’s Comic Book Review Weekly giveaway for week forty-two are two signed copies of Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1 (http://www.bcbcomics.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12588). The deadline for entry submissions for week forty is Sunday, December 25th with the random winners being drawn on Monday, December 26th.

Evil Avatar’s Comic Book Review Weekly giveaway provider BCBcomics (http://www.bcbcomics.com/) offers 35% off of comic trade paperbacks (TPBs) and 20-25% off of comics.

Click here (everlost_mi@evilavatar.com) to submit your entry and don’t forget to include your Evil Avatar screenname.

Remember, you can submit one entry per week to increase your chances of winning.

[Kefkataran]

Nice reviews. Personally, I'd've given X-Factor a 5 of 5. There is absolutely no reason anyone should not be reading this, even if you hate superheroes. It's the perfect detective/noir book!

[Everlost_MI]

Nice reviews. Personally, I'd've given X-Factor a 5 of 5. There is absolutely no reason anyone should not be reading this, even if you hate superheroes. It's the perfect detective/noir book!

I try and reserve the golden rating for something that is truly spectular like All Star Superman. But yeah I agree, it was a kick ass issue.

[Cupelix]

The whole catch of Jamie's multiples having distinct personalities should've been explored so long ago. Its a fascinating idea which has practically unlimited possibilites.

I didn't hate Secret War, but it lost steam with the huge delays. The idea of classifying the tech-villains as terrorists was kind of neat, but the story didn't come off as well as it could have. Also, the art for the final issue was not terribly impressive for how long we had to wait for it.

[bardockkun]

Dammit all i really want is IC #3 and All Star Superman #2 *sob*

...And Ultimates #10 wouldnt hurt either

[Kefkataran]

I try and reserve the golden rating for something that is truly spectular like All Star Superman. But yeah I agree, it was a kick ass issue.

I'll golden rating you!

No, seriously, I will. You're a 5-star guy.

The whole catch of Jamie's multiples having distinct personalities should've been explored so long ago. Its a fascinating idea which has practically unlimited possibilites.


It was done in Peter David's Madrox mini last year. If you like X-Factor #1 and love that idea, be sure to check that mini out. It's collected in a trade now, and worth every penny to pick. Absolutely top-notch writing.

Dammit all i really want is IC #3 and All Star Superman #2 *sob*

IC #3's only a couple days away! It got moved up to this Wednesday according to Newsarama. WOO!

[bardockkun]

IC #3's only a couple days away! It got moved up to this Wednesday according to Newsarama. WOO!
My gf is coming that same day. Crap, hopefully i can read it before she gets here or when im waiting for her plane.

Damn that lovable bastard Geoff Johns. The anti-Bendis or Bizarro Bendis.

[Kefkataran]

Damn that lovable bastard Geoff Johns. The anti-Bendis or Bizarro Bendis.

Geoff Johns is the anti-Bendis. That's fucking gold.

[RandomViolence]

Yay, Kefkataran's here! :D