[Comics] - Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews - Year 2 - Week 22
Welcome to week twenty-two of Evil Avatar’s Weekly Comic Book Reviews.
The Evil Avatar’s Weekly Comic Book Review column features a monthly giveaway where a randomly drawn winner gets to choose four comics from a list of what BCBcomics has in stock. BCBcomics offer comic book subscriptions with many fringe benefits including no hidden costs, 30-35% off of cover price (depending on the publisher), all issues are bagged, boarded and offer cheap* shipping on all orders (*see BCBcomics’ website for the details). In addition, the comics featured on BCBcomics home page are 50% off or just $1 if you’re a subscriber. The list is in the neighborhood of 200 to 400 titles that will be emailed to the lucky winner after the drawing.
One entry submission is allowed per week. The deadline of entry submissions for week twenty-two is midnight EST on Sunday, June 4th. The selection of the random winner for the June books will occur on Monday, June 26th. Click Here to submit your entry and don’t forget to include your Evil Avatar screenname. Remember, submit an entry each week to increase your chances of winning.
Remember, these are NOT spoiler-free reviews.
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"I use to be a highly respected watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." Giles while playing D&D on Buffy.
Gamertag: EverlostMI
Last edited by Everlost_MI; 05-29-2006 at 10:41 AM..
Week Twenty-two:
Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews – Year 2 - Week 22
By Everlost_MI (Brian K. Nichols), Editor in Chief
Daredevil #85 (An ongoing series)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
Colorist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Warren Simons
Price: $2.99 US/$4.25 CAN
Ryker’s is ready to blow as the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, and Matt Murdock finally confront each other about Foggy’s death and the dangerous situation the two have been put in. The incarceration of Frank Castle, the Punisher, actually helps Murdock rein in his anger a little and check his humanity after there’s a violent altercation between Castle and an inmate. In the meantime, Dakota North and Ben Urich are still trying to discover who’s running around Hell’s Kitchen as Daredevil. The issue ends with the plan between the leaders of the inmates to cause a huge riot in Ryker’s that includes making Fisk and Murdock corpses by the end of it.
Ed Brubaker has created a riveting story that’s packed full of action, intrigue and suspense. The gritty realistic artwork by Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano makes the story come alive as you can feel the claustrophobic of the walls from Ryker’s closing in and smell the stank sweat of the other inmates. The final touch of the coloring by Frank D’Armata adds another layer of texture to the grime and atmosphere of the story.
Bottom Line:
Even if you’re not normally a fan of Brubaker or Daredevil, this is a book that you should be reading. Brubaker has taken Daredevil to a level beyond what Brian Michael Bendis did with the character.
Rating: 5 out of 5 EvilEyes
100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call TPB
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Colorist: Grant Goleash
Letters: Kristyn Ferretti
Editor: Ivan Brandon
Price: $9.95 US/$16.95 CAN
100 Bullets: Split Second Chance TPB
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Colorist: Grant Goleash
Letters: Clem Robins
Editor: Ivan Brandon
Price: $14.95 US/$22.95 CAN
The first trade paperback (TPB) in the 100 Bullets series entitled 100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call collects issues one through five while the second TPB entitled 100 Bullets: Split Second Chance contains issues six through fourteen. The premise of the series is based around Agent Graves who offers those who have been wronged a method of righting the past by the means of a briefcase that contains a handgun, a hundred bullets as well as the identity and irrefutable evidence proving who wronged them. Whether the offer is taken or refused, the results are either closure for the initial transgression or as if the offer was never made. However, if these bullets, gun or information falls into the hands of another the original receipt will pay for the transgression with their life The silver lining about this offer is that the bullets are untraceable and no law enforcement agency will be able to do anything directly or indirectly related to the use of these bullets. The first trade contains various stand-alone stories but one of the characters, Dizzy Cordova, appears in later stories offered in the second TPB. Each story builds upon the mythos of The Minutemen who are enforcers for the shadow organization called The Trust. The symbol of The Trust is an open hand with the Roman numeral thirteen. As of the end of the second TPB, it appears that Mr. Shepherd is part of the Minutemen or The Trust but is playing both sides against Mr. Graves.
Brian Azzarello has created an excellent series of action and dramatic stories that contain the best and the worst of humanity with the black cloud of conspiracy casting it’s shadow the entire time. Azzarello has an excellent grasp on dialogue and chartacterizations as he shifts cultures and gears with nearly every story. The artwork by Eduardo Risso has a realistic flair but uses a simpler approach to detail. Risso uses varied layouts as well as outline and shadows to inject another layer of suspense in various scenes.
Bottom Line:
The series is a mix between a thriller story such as Mel Gibson’s Payback and the conspiracy over the top stories of X-Files. If you’re a fan those genres, the series is worth picking up especially in TPB format. Not every story in the series will appeal to everyone but each one adds another brick the foundation of the house that Azzarello and Risso are building. It should be interesting to see how the videogame adaptation turns out, I have a feeling it will be in the vein of Hitman.
Rating: 4 out of 5 EvilEyes
What else is worth reading this week…
· Blue Beetle #3 – Old friends reunite and it appears that it’s going to get messy fast for Jaime.
· Nextwave #5 – Pure Ellis fun.
Thanks to fellow EvAv user, FenderGeek, for lending me his copies of 100 Bullets for review. Now I need to go buy them for myself.
The deadline of entry submissions for week twenty-two is midnight EST on Sunday, June 4th. The selection of the random winner for the June books will occur on Monday, June 26th Click Here 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.
__________________
"I use to be a highly respected watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." Giles while playing D&D on Buffy.
Gamertag: EverlostMI
Last edited by Everlost_MI; 05-29-2006 at 10:42 AM..
I miss the old Daredevil/Ironman teamups. Call me proletarian but the comics of the late seventies and eighties were much more fun.
Yeah I know… I was also 25 years younger, the world changed and all that rot, I really don’t want to hear that, just like I don't want to hear the political message behind Gulliver’s Travels.
I think I’ll go play Freedom Force now.
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I had that dream again…the one where I do terrible things to Penguins with a Croquet mallet. Twinkles The Marvel Horse.
Gamertag: Todeswulf Steam: Balamoor
Even if you’re not normally a fan of Brubaker or Daredevil, this is a book that you should be reading. Brubaker has taken Daredevil to a level beyond what Brian Michael Bendis did with the character.
There's people who aren't a fan of BRUBAKER? But it's... it's BRUBAKER. Sheesh.
Quote:
I was also 25 years younger, the world changed and all that rot, I really don’t want to hear that, just like I don't want to hear the political message behind Gulliver’s Travels.
There goes old man Balamoor again, shaking his cane at the children.
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"Your revolution is dead and was born out of laziness."
-Max Bemis
I'm really not digging Next Wave. Ellis has his brilliant books (Transmet, Doom2099, The AUthority, etc) and then he has his idiot brainfart stream of conciousness books (Two Step, Tokyo Storm Warning, to some extent Transmet, etc) and I think Next Wave falls firmly in category two.
I'm really not digging Next Wave. Ellis has his brilliant books (Transmet, Doom2099, The AUthority, etc) and then he has his idiot brainfart stream of conciousness books (Two Step, Tokyo Storm Warning, to some extent Transmet, etc) and I think Next Wave falls firmly in category two.
Nextwave is definitely a love it or hate it book. Thankfully, most people seem to really be loving it. I definitely am.
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"Your revolution is dead and was born out of laziness."
-Max Bemis
Glad you liked 100 Bullets Everlost. When I got the first trade the first couple stories really didn't grab me. The dialog was so much different than what you normally get in comics, for lack of a better word I'd call it "street" dialog, and I wasn't sure if I liked the way it hit my mental ear. Once I got used to it though, and once I started to see how each story added interesting little pieces of background information and it was all coalescing into a much greater whole I really started to like it. I'm definitely going to pick up the next couple trades in my next comics spree.
Daredevil is awesome in Brubaker's hands. I'd never have bothered with it until Evil started raving about the awesomeness contained therein. Now I'm hooked.
NextWave is a good silly book. It's a nice break from the serious stories in so many other books.
100 Bullets sounds really intriguing. I've been tempted to pick it up in the past but had no idea what it was about aside from having a noirish feel to it. I'll definately take a look for the Trades when next I visit my local shop.
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"This computer is so slow that I'm having framerate issues with Dwarf Fortress!"
- Me at my in-laws.
I'm really not digging Next Wave. Ellis has his brilliant books (Transmet, Doom2099, The AUthority, etc) and then he has his idiot brainfart stream of conciousness books (Two Step, Tokyo Storm Warning, to some extent Transmet, etc) and I think Next Wave falls firmly in category two.
You make me sad.
Speaking of Ellis, I need to pick up some Global Frequency some time soon. Glad to see 100 Bullets getting some love here. I've read the first couple trades myself and thought they were great. 1st more than the second.
And just to add something here, have we seen or will we see any reviews of "The Walking Dead"?
Ed Brubaker is indeed a damn good writer. Though i'm still not sure on him writing team books as opposed to solo since Deadly Genesis left much to be desired.
...Is my head going to explode now too?
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"America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, bad-ass speed." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Speaking of Ellis, I need to pick up some Global Frequency some time soon. Glad to see 100 Bullets getting some love here. I've read the first couple trades myself and thought they were great. 1st more than the second.
And just to add something here, have we seen or will we see any reviews of "The Walking Dead"?
Yes, I've reviewed the Walking Dead a few times in the past two years and it's due to make the rounds again. But since you brought it up I'll make sure to do the next issue when (hurry up Kirkman!) it hits the stands.
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"I use to be a highly respected watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." Giles while playing D&D on Buffy.
Gamertag: EverlostMI
__________________ City of Heroes: Virtue
WoW: Cenarion Circle
Gamertag: Heretic Machine
Currently Playing: Castle Crashers, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Beyond Good & Evil
Wait... no one else is excited about the first issue of the Amazing Spider-man Civil War tie-in? Plus, The Thing #7, which appearently will be the last issue.
As Dr. Finger said, pretty sure #8's the last issue. Might come back if the trade does well. And if you want the more 'what are we interested in' thread, that's really what we do with the Comic Day threads. Heh.
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"Your revolution is dead and was born out of laziness."
-Max Bemis
As Dr. Finger said, pretty sure #8's the last issue. Might come back if the trade does well. And if you want the more 'what are we interested in' thread, that's really what we do with the Comic Day threads. Heh.
Which is always an interesting read/discussion to be sure.
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"I use to be a highly respected watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." Giles while playing D&D on Buffy.
Gamertag: EverlostMI
Man, if you haven't read 100 Bullets already, go pick up the trades. There's like seven of them out now and they all rock. The writing is brilliant, great handle on authentic dialogue, and the art manages a great mix of graffiti-influenced color and abstraction and a gritting noir feel. The latest trade is the best arc, by the way.
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Fuck Microsoft's incompetent and unhelpful product support.
