American Vampire #30 (Vertigo)
Andy: Oh man — is this the climax of the series to date? I think so. A
Arnab: Snyder does a brilliant job on Batman, but his work on American Vampire is by far his best. This issue lingered with me throughout the week. A
Jeff: Pearl…you whore.
Aquaman #12 (DC)
Andy: This is superhero comics at its strongest. Aquaman is a character of few words and it works. A
Arnab: Arthur needs to take a couple chill pills. I love Mera. A
Dr. Bustos: If this book just became Aquaman, Mera, and his old super team hanging out having adventures, I’d be down. B
Infinite Speech: I hope by the end of this arc that Black Manta remains the major bad guy Johns has built him up to be in this awesome series!
Avenging Spider-Man #11 (Marvel)
NickZ: “All the feels!” on this very special issue of Spider-Man.
AvX: Vs. #5 (Marvel)
Infinite Speech: I crap better stories than this one.
Jeff: When even the title page declares that this mini-series has no substance, you know this book is bad.
NickZ: I never thought Storm and T’Challa made a good couple to begin with.
Batman: Detective Comics Annual #1 (DC)
Andy: Too many words. Boooring. D+
Arnab: As far as Annuals go, this one was good. Batman doesn’t play a major role, but considering he’s got multiple titles, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. B+
NickZ: Through and through a good Batman story, well… for an annual anyway.
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #3 (DC)
NickZ: A really great issue! Fills in somethings nicely and gives us some great insight into the Minutemen.
Captain Marvel #3 (Marvel)
Dr. Bustos: Carol Danvers time traveling and teaming up with awesome women is a series I will follow to the grave. A
DC National Comics: Looker #1 (DC)
Andy: Pretty vanilla but also pretty pretty. C+
The Flash Annual #1 (DC)
Arnab: Superb! Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato have proven, yet again, that their talent is not limited to illustrations. This title is without a doubt, the best title in the new DC that has actually been rebooted. A
NickZ: An annual that is the worth the 5 bucks. The Rogues are back in a big way and the details of their new powers gets revealed. Plus, Grodd attacks and he’s not monkeying around! (get it because he’s a… oh, forget it.)
Gambit #2 (Marvel)
Arnab: If only the other X books were this good. It’s fanastic that Marvel has utilized this amazing character so well in the past couple of years, first in Legacy, then in X-23, and finally here. A
Jeff: This is what I want to see Marvel do with their properties. Tell interesting stories of various genres using their characters. Gambit is like a perfect heist book that just happens to have a mutant in it.
NickZ: This book reminds me of Wolverine’s solo adventures, when they were good!
Goon #41 (Dark Horse)
Infinite Speech: Are you not entertained?!?!?! Then you obviously aren’t reading this series!
Green Lantern Annual #1 (DC)
Andy: This pulled me back into “Green Lantern.” I may hate Van Sciver’s politics but holy hell his art is sick! A
Justice League #12 (DC)
Infinite Speech: It’s been twelve issues and I could care less about this team. Can’t wait for the JLA title next year.
NickZ: Wonder Woman breaks Steve Trevor’s heart, fires him, and immediately moves on to Superman. What a biotch!
NickZ: Very strange to have new people join, just for the team to break up, but the last 6 pages have me intrigued for what’s in store for Batman and the Justice League come 2013. (Hint: BIG connection between Justice League #12 and this issue!)
Locke & Key Grindhouse #1 (IDW)
Infinite Speech: Hill and Rodriguez do in 16 pages what some titles fail to do in 16 issues!
Jeff: I never realized Rodriguez’s range of artistic ability before this issue. He is truly one of the greats.
Morning Glories #21 (Image)
Jeff: Great…more characters we know nothing about.
New Deadwardians #6 (DC/Vertigo)
Jeff: What’s with all the vampire sex in Vertigo books this week?
New Mutants #48 (Marvel)
Infinite Speech: See my Chirp for AvX #5.
Jeff: After a glimmer of hope that this book might end on a good note, this issue takes it back to incomprehensible drivel.
NickZ: Can they just kill Doug already and get it over with. They never should have brought him back in the first place.
Skull Kickers #17 (Image)
NickZ: The high-seas hilarity continues until the very end! (ominous exclamation point) Also, this book wins for best Dramatic Slow-Motion scene in a comic book…ever!
Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #14 (IDW)
Infinite Speech: Ever sent a letter out of anger and then realized you made a mistake? Yeah, Snake Eyes just got a new nemesis because someone did just that.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/ Doctor Who: Assimilation #4 (IDW)
NickZ: Guinan and the The Doctor do what they do, to try and figure out what is going on, meanwhile it’s Borg vs. Cybermen. Need I say more?
Superman Annual #1 (DC)
NickZ: Okay, this issue didn’t suck. There may be hope for Superman yet in the form of one Scott Lobdell.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series: April #7 (IDW)
Andy: Super pumped about the first appearance in this issue, but it fell flat for me overall. C+
Infinite Speech: Story was way better than the artwork but we get the appearence of an old favorite!
Uncanny X-Force #30 (Marvel)
Andy: The hell happened to the art in this issue? Not as good when the main cast is absent, too. B-
Arnab: This book excels when it doesn’t revolve around Betsy, Fantomex, and Wolverine. B+
Infinite Speech: Story was great but I hate it when an artist ages a child character just to make him/her look cool.
Jeff: I would buy a Brotherhood of Evil Mutants ongoing with this cast.
NickZ: I love that they gave Apocalypse the memories of “Clark Kent”. I hope he doesn’t turn to the dark side.
Witchblade #159 (Top Cow)
Infinite Speech: On the fence with this one concerning the story but the art is still strong!
Wolverine and the X-Men #15 (Marvel)
Andy: One of the top 3 X-books out right now. The confrontation between Phoenix Cyclops and Xavier, Beast, Iceman and Angel had better be awesome. B+
Arnab: To call this title trash, would be to insult trash. The best part about this book is Kid Gladiator and Broo, though neither of them are even mutants. Also, I do not like Kitty and Bobby. C-
Dr. Bustos: I missed some major stuff not following Avengers Vs. X-Men, that’s annoying, but this book makes up for it. A-
Infinite Speech: This title reminds me of the early Claremont books that kept the X-Men exciting, fun, and relateable.
Jeff: I love issues that have a slower pace but connect all the dots of what’s going on with these characters. Great issue!
NickZ: Lots going on in this issue. The only thing I’ll say is Husk and Toad…GROSS!
X-Treme X-Men #2 (Marvel)
Jeff: This book is just not doing it for me. From the trendy dialogue to the mediocre art, feel free to skip this one.
NickZ: Dazzler is an idiot, a useless idiot.
X-O Manowar #4 (Valiant)
Andy: Hell yes — this is why I’m reading comics. Love the twist with Ninjak and who he’s really working for. A
Infinite Speech: A lot of action but the layers are starting to be peeled back and I’m excited!
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Arnab, I think when you read Wolverine & the X-Men, someone slipped you a mickey and replaced it with Aquaman.
I’ll change my opinion of this title when one of the X-Men address the fact that Wolverine lobotomized Angel and now he’s just a guy that enjoys flying around naked. Then there’s the fact that he’s headmaster, but he’s never there and he kills people. The best characters in this book are not mutants nor are they even X-Men.
I will say, that I am enjoying the Husk/Toad burgeoning relationship, which is about the extent of mutants I enjoy in this title.
X-Force is still a secret so he won’t get called out on it yet until someone finds out. And even though Logan isn’t there all the time the grounds are fully staffed and taken care of. That was explained earlier and it’s evident issue after issue except when the staff left to go and fight the Avengers. Now they returned and classes are back in full swing.
Except, people do know about X-Force, Beast for example. And what did Beast do when he found out one of his oldest friends was reverted to a child? Nothing. Why did Iceman do? Nothing. This whole series is basically a love letter to Wolverine from Jason Aaron where he shits gold and exhales brilliance.
But the lobotomizing of Angel was justified because the guy was the new Apocalypse. That’s why Beast and Kitty understand the purpose of X-Force. I thought that was all explained. Beast was the guy who tried to lobotomize Jean when she got out of control, so I think he gets Wolverine’s motivations there.
Beast had the biggest fit ever, quit the X-Men, and hated Cyclops after he learned about the first X-Force, but when he found out about Wolverine’s X-Force he was fine with it. WTF?
Good Lord, did you not read the book? Beast didn’t like Cyclops’ X-Force because he didn’t like the idea of a hit squad. However, Beast has more experience with Apocalypse than most so when the idea of a new Apocalypse arose, and it was manifesting in one of his best friend, he understood. He didn’t like it, but he understood it.
When Nightcrawler died, because HE chose to protect Hope, Beast shouted and spat at Cyclops DURING Nightcrawler’s funeral. Just as with Apocalypse, Beast had more experience than most with what Wanda’s “No More Mutants” meant. He did his research, he asked the worlds’ smartest people, he even sought help from the magics to reverse it and came up with bupkiss. Amidst all that, are we to believe that he didn’t understand that Hope needed to be protected at all costs?
In this scenario, Nightcrawler made that choice. He was an adult and he chose to give up his life so that Hope and the mutant race could live. Angel ended up the way he did because Wolverine and Betty kept their covert group a secret from everyone.
Also, Logan’s team was always meant to be a hit squad. Just because Remender decided to go 18 issues to deal with Apocalypse doesn’t change that. And Angel aside, he didn’t lift a pinky in protest.
Well, in the latest UXF Beast is pissed at Logan about the kidnapping of Genesis and threatens the team. So it’s safe to say that he’s never been too comfortable with the idea of a hit squad.
Yes he isn’t comfortable with it but he didn’t make a big stink like he did with Cyclops. Plus Wolverine was learder of Cyclops original “hit squad” doing the kiling so… I guess it’s okay for Wolverine to actually kill people but not Okay for Cyclops to order him to kill people.
You’re exactly right. Logan has ALWAYS been a killer. Everyone has known that on the team. But Cyclops condoning it? That’s been the big change for Beast. And now seeing that Cyclops had it in him to kill Xavier (you can’t blame the Phoenix entirely), Beast saw the writing on the wall and was right.
But if it wasn’t for X-Force, there’d be an Apocalypse running around unchecked (and there still might be) but Beast can’t argue with that.
@InfiniteSpeech – That’s just Beast being his hypocritical self. He’s mad at Logan because Genesis was kidnapped right under his own hairy nose? WTF? They’re a mutant school, they get attacked. When Xavier and Scott were in charge, they were attacked all the time. Logan being gone all the time is a problem, but in this specific case, Beast screwed the pooch.
@Jeff – Logan always being a killer somehow makes things ok? He’s the supposed headmaster of a school for children, he’s a member of the Avengers, but because he’s always killed, it’s ok when he does?
Furthermore, regarding the Phoenix, I don’t blame the Phoenix in the least bit. I blame Xavier, Logan, and the Avengers. From the onset of AvX, the Avengers all went after Hope/Cyclops/PhoenixFive/Phoenix Cyclops (roughly in that order), breaking laws, imprisoning kids, because of what MIGHT happen because of the Phoenix. Not what he (Cyclops) has done. They are the ones who created the Phoenix Five (by insisting Hope not take in the Phoenix.) And after the Phoenix Five were created, Cyclops was in control 99% of the time. Even when the others showed signs of cracking, he was solid. But still they pressed on because he MIGHT crack. Well guess what, he only cracked BECAUSE of them. So no, Cyclops isn’t to blame (because we all know Xavier’s not going to stay dead) and neither is the Phoenix. Oh, all that to say, Beast was not and is rarely ever right.