Monthly archives: September, 2006

#4- Dueling Countdowns

Cabel Deadpool 32#4 Civil War Crossover- Cable & Deadpool # 32

Last issue, George W. Bush fought Cable to a standstill in the Oval Office. Okay, so technically (as we found out this issue) it was a Life Model Decoy specifically designed to go toe-to-toe with Cable in a verbal smackdown, but still, that’s pretty cool. This issue, not so much. Sure, it was fun in the way that Cable & Deadpool is always fun. But the end result of the two titular characters coming down hard on opposite sides of the issue didn’t really pack the punch they were trying for because Cable and Deadpool never really seem to get along anyway. Oh, and Cable’s decision to leave Cap’s team in Civil War #4 makes even less sense now (if that was even possible).

Ultimates 2 12#4 Disappointing Book- Ultimates II #12

Issue #8 had the capture of Captain America. #9 had the Liberators taking over the United States. #10 had the rallying of the troops. #11 had the big fight between the Ultimates and the Liberators and the surprise return to the scene of a major player. #12 had exactly what #11 had. Yes, the fights were really freaking cool. Yes, the art was amazing. Yes, there were some tremendous OMFG moments. But it just wasn’t that satisfying after such a long wait because the sh** really isn’t going to hit the fan until next issue. Which is another good three months (at least) away. Awesome issue, but disappointing nonetheless because the wait between issues has been excruciating.

Oh, and Iron Man 6 sucked. A heavy artillery warship? I was expecting Tony to show up in a freaking Gundam. Now that’s disappointing.



Book of Doom: Captain America #22

I was never a huge Captain America fan, but I picked up issue #1 almost two years ago. Maybe it was just out of curiosity, and figuring if I was going to give a new series a try, #1 was a good time to do it. Maybe it was a slow week and I didn’t want to just put 1 or 2 comics on my card. But for whatever reason, I bought it, and I was immediately taken by the tone of the book. It was dark without being that ’90s kind of dark for the sake of dark. There was a realistic tone to it, balancing Captain America’s larger-than-life super-heroics with the fact that he is a soldier in the military.

I’ve bought every issue, defending the book when Bucky came back, assuring people that the man in red-white-and-blue spandex wasn’t as lame as he’d always seemed, and this Ed Brubaker guy was someone worth reading.

So it was with no hesitation that I chose Captain America #22 as the Legion’s Book of Doom. I knew it was the beginning of a new arc (though I forgot it was a Civil War tie-in), so it seemed like a way to push a book on my friends with no strain on the conscience.

The Legion’s thoughts follow…
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#5- Dueling Countdowns

Considering I picked up 23 books this week (well, 24 if you count the second copy of Teen Titans I accidentally bought), it hardly seemed fair to only spotlight five this week. So I’ve decided to do a double countdown this week. And I couldn’t think of any two categories that fit as well together as Civil War crossovers and disappointing books. On to the countdown!

YA&Runaways 3#5 Civil War Crossover- Young Avengers/Runaways #3 (of 4)

I almost didn’t buy this book, but something compelled me to grab it at the last second. Several times in the past, a big haul has caused me to drop a book I was unsure about (Hawkgirl, JSA Classified, Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre, Sensational Spider-Man). I don’t know what made me grab this at the last second. Because even though Young Avengers is amazing (when it comes out) and Runaways is one of the best comics every month, this Civil War crossover consistently falls flat. The writing isn’t nearly as good as Brian K. Vaughn or Allan Heinberg deliver in the main titles, and the art is so bad that at times it has me wondering which brunette is Kate Bishop and which is Niko. I don’t think anyone was clamoring to find out how Civil War affected the Runaways, and the Youg Avengers’ story is being handled a lot better in the actual Civil War mini-series. Quite frankly, Young Avengers/Runaways was not a story worth telling. The re-introduction of Marvel Boy is the one bright spot in an otherwise disappointing mini-series.

Invincible 35#5 Disappointing Book- Invincible #35

Invincible is without hyperbole the best superhero comic coming out on a regular basis today. Nearly every issue has kickass fights and engrossing subplots. Which makes it pretty disappointing when it doesn’t.

Invincible #35 just didn’t do it for me. I don’t need six pages (with teeny tiny panels) of Mark talking about his girl troubles with his tailor. I don’t need six issues to reveal that Mark’s dad’s books are obviously his actual adventures as a member of the Viltrumite race. Robert Kirkman’s usually so good with pacing that it pained me to read through it all.

The worst part of it all is that the book was really late. Normally I don’t mind, because if the issue’s late it’s probably because everyone’s working hard to make the issue as awesome as possible. But when a stinker like this comes along after so much anticipation, it really leaves a bad taste in your mouth.



Book of Doom: Captain America #22

The Doomino Effect (PATENT PENDING) continues this week, as one of the Legion picks a book and everyone else falls in line.

This week, it’s Captain America #22:

CIVIL WAR TIE-IN!
The first of a 3-part Civil War tie-in by Ed Brubaker and Mike Perkins!
While Cap has fallen into the conflict of the Civil War, in a clash with his government and his friends, the people close to him have suffered in their own ways. In Part One of “The Drums of War” we take a look inside S.H.I.E.L.D., and how Cap’s girlfriend Agent 13’s life is torn apart as her divided loyalties are used against her by her superiors. Also, a new villain emerges, and the Red Skull begins to make himself known.

I picked this one. I knew it was a new arc, so I figured it’d be an easy enough jumping-on point for our non-Cap reading Doomies…I just didn’t realize when I picked it that it was a Civil War tie-in. Sorry ’bout that, you War-hating pacifists.

But be back here this weekend for the compiled thoughts on Captain America #22, courtesy of your friendly geographically-dispersed Legion of Doom.



Week Twenty-One

Well, I’m on beer number six, so I figure it’s about time I put something up about this week’s edition of “52.” The primary focus of this week is on a group of Luthor Everymen that I’ve been referring to as “The Generic Six,” but, according to the cover, we’ve been asking for something, and the answer is Infinity Inc. That’s right, Luthor’s group has taken on the team name and personas of Infinity Inc. Were you asking for it? I wasn’t. We should find out who was. Because, seriously, they’re stupid and deserve to be beaten with a pillow case full of batteries.
52 week 21

Let me explain exactly what transpires in this issue. The fast girl on Luthor’s supergroup decides she wants back in, so she hops aboard, and Luthor sets up a big media spectacle to debut the new team. Their task is to bring down the new Blockbuster, a character who shouldn’t be mentioned, let alone revived, and the team makes short work of him. It’s fun watching them talk about how scripted the whole thing is, and seems like a spoof of cheesy superhero rescues. The Teen Titans then show up and the two groups talk for awhile, until the fast girl, the new Trajectory, starts getting ideas about being the new Kid Flash. She makes an attempt to be a star when Blockbuster gets free, and as soon as she takes claim of the Kid Flash name, Luthor pushes a button and it’s curtains for the stupid cooze. At the funeral, John Henry Irons shows up, Natasha throws a hissy fit, and that green guy from the Titans whose name isn’t important enough for me to even try to remember, says that the Teen Titans know something’s wrong and want to help. The only other bit of an alternate storyline in this is Ralph Dibny and Dr. Fate getting past some guard to some netherworld type place. Dibny’s a bad-ass, and that’s all you need to know. Also, some crazy Aussie is building a new suit for the Red Tornado. It’s almost done.

So, we now know definitively that Luthor has the ability to take away the superpowers he is giving away with the Everyman Program. Good to know. That’s probably the most revelatory point in this issue, and the rest is just a cookie-cutter fight and some cheesy dialogue; although, it’s done in an entertaining fashion, so I can’t complain.

I think the most interesting thing this week, in regards to “52” comes in the form of some dialogue during the new issue of “JLA.” When the Big Three bring up the idea that they should have Booster Gold join the team, one of them mentions that it would be a good tribute to Ted to put somebody new in the suit. Either Ted Kord comes back from the dead and becomes the new Booster Gold during “52,” or the writing staff and editorial team on “JLA” made a typo. Or, they dislike the old “JLI” guys so much that they forgot who was who. I’m hoping it’s not a typo or a brain cloud. That being done on purpose lends itself to many more interesting happenings. What if Ted Kord is miraculously raised from the dead, and, upon seeing that the scarab has found a new Blue Beetle, decides that his role should be to pick up the legacy of Booster Gold? I guess they’d have to kill him off again, and I can’t imagine them thinking up a more impactful death than the one they already did. Plus, it’d be incredibly hard to sell people on bringing back a character whose brains we saw splattered across a tile floor, but I like Ted Kord, and I wish he’d come back.

It’s probably just a typo.

See ya in seven.



#1 Moment of the Week- Cinematic storytelling

The Hellfire Club has taken over the X-Mansion and taken out the Astonishing X-Men. Cyclops is a drooling vegetable thanks to Emma Frost. Beast has become his namesake and is devouring a freshly killed deer on the front lawn. Colossus was knocked out by Sebastian Shaw. Kitty’s mind has been taken over by the White Queen. Wolverine was brainwashed into thinking he’s his nancy boy pre-Origin younger self by Cassandra Nova, and now lays unconscious in front of the refrigerator due to the arrival of Ord and Danger. But there’s one thing no one was prepared for: the power of beer.

Wolverine Rack Focus

Rack focus in a comic book. And the best characterization of Wolverine ever. ‘Nuff said.



#2 Moment of the Week- Stupid, stupid man

After beating and raping Michonne routinely for days, the Governor decides it’d be a good idea to give her back her sword. In exchange for putting up a good fight in the arena, he’ll ease off on the beating and the raping for a while. Stupid, stupid man.

MIchonne kicks ass

Michonne manages to decapitate nine zombies and her living opponent before the Governor’s men can regain control. And now the townsfolk aren’t quite as content as they used to be. Stupid, stupid man.



#3 Moment of the Week- Superfight

From Belgrade, Serbia to Ayaguz, Kazakhstan to Altamy International Airport to the Turkish coast. In one fight. You’d think that sort of think would happen more often when you’re Superman. I guess Subjekt-17 isn’t quite the pushover that Toyman is.

Superfight



#4 Moment of the Week- Funeral for a friend of a friend

I just realized that the #4 Moment of the Week (from Civil War #4) just happens to coincide with our group review of Civil War #4. Weird. And not particularly good if your uber-crossover only ranks above Robin.

I don’t care that Goliath is dead. He hadn’t been around for years until Reggie Hudlin needed a black scientist guy in Spider-Man: The Other, and Mark Millar certainly hasn’t made me care for him in the first three issues of Civil War. So I could care less that he died.

However, because he died, Sue Storm showed how bad-ass she is and switched sides. Spider-Man’s almost convinced he’s playing for the wrong team. And Tony Stark made himself sound like even more of an ass by saying buying thirty-eight burial plots for the giant corpse left behind when he killed Goliath was “the least [he] could do.”

Dead Goliath

Imagine the shit that would have gone down if someone that anyone cared about had died.



Book of Doom: Civil War #4

Welcome to the second edition of the Legion of Doom’s Book of Doom. To clear up any confusion, every week we’re going to pick a book at random, kinda, and all of us members of the Legion are going to say a few words about it. We’re not saying that this is the best book of the week, and, in this case, I’d say it’s one of the boringest I picked up. But, it’s got Wonder Man in it, so I do enjoy my little “Where’s Waldo?” game with that.civilwar4

Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you’ve also been keeping up on the Civil War in Marvel Comics, because, afterall, it is a Marvel Comics EVENT in Seven Parts. The cover says so. Last we saw of Civil War, some months ago, Thor had popped on the scene to bring in Cap and his defectees. This issue, Thor lays the hammer down and thrashes the group pretty soundly. He even goes so far as to kill Goliath (who?), after which, we find that it’s not actually Thor, but is instead a clone created by Tony Stark. A bunch of people on Iron Man’s side, including the Invisible Woman, defect, and Spider-Man certainly hints at his eventual defection, as well.

I don’t particularly like this issue, because it’s overdramatic and boring to me, but there is one part that’s pretty sweet. After Iron Man bests Captain America physically, and tells him it’s through, Cap’s response of, “You really think I’m going down to some pampered punk like you?” is hardcore. I’m just wondering when the bigger threat comes in that forces both sides to team up again. Issue six, perhaps?

Here’s what everybody else thought of it:
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