Category: Book review

Suicide Squad: Kicked in the Teeth (New 52, vol. 1)

new 52 suicide squad

Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Voltaic, Black Spider, Diablo, and King Shark: these 6 have have 2 things currently in common. All are super criminals, while some do the deeds for money, others, blood-lust or redemption, they are considered extremely dangerous and a threat. The other thing: Amanda Waller has recruited them all to Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad. After proving themselves, their first mission is a bloody one involving a stadium where a nano-virus was released, turning the hundreds inside into bio-mechanical zombies. After surviving hordes of monsters, bounty hunters and a meta human prison break, the group is divided by possible treachery and Harley going the warpath after finding out her beloved Joker was allegedly skinned alive. Can the squad reel in the former Dr while uncovering the threat of Basilisk?

I have to say, this was my introduction to the concept of Suicide Squad years before the movie and I was instantly hooked. The Suicide Squad movie took some of the vibe this arc had but honestly, it didn’t do it justice. The chemistry between characters is interesting as well as a great line up; King Shark is hands down my favorite with some great gory moments as well as some great dark comedy moments. While I’m not thrilled with the part of Harley’s new origin where she takes the same chemical bath as Joker, her origin was nice to see and the dialogue was convincing.  There are a great many characters I didn’t mention that I love, like Captain Boomerang and Yo-yo that were cool to see. The art fits well and there are plenty of epic and graphic fight scenes to sink your teeth into. Honestly, this is a great read to intro you into the New 52. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Aquaman: The Drowning ( DC Rebirth, Vol.1)

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Things are finally at a turning point for Arthur Curry, the Aquaman, as Atlantis finally establishes an embassy on dry land as an attempt to cool tensions with the surface world and educate the masses of both lands. Before the opening, the US government is weary after a Atlantean extremist group called the Deluge are thwarted by Aquaman before launching a terror attack on the surface. During the embassy unveiling, Black Manta, Arthur’s nemesis returns for blood. Things spiral out of control. The US declares war on Atlantis after the Deluge reemerge; Manta is taken in by a naval tasked organization called N.E.M.O that plans on ruling the world, and he quickly gains control of it; every move Arthur and Mera make is met with hostility and all hell breaks loose, resulting with an altercation with the Man of Steel himself. Can DC’s black sheep stop a war from breaking out?

This is book is hands down the best I’ve read from DC Rebirth so far and honestly, I’m pretty glad it’s Aquaman. The story is well paced and easy to follow for newer readers but has a lot of great character moments from Aquaman to keep you engaged. The book showcases a lot of turmoil and pathos in Aquaman and the position he is put on having the fate of two worlds that mostly hate him on his shoulders. I love the showdown with Manta and the fight with Superman at the end is a badass surprise. The artwork is beautiful and the characters look great. Honestly, if you are curious about what DC Rebirth has to offer, this book is a pretty damn good place to start. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

batman gaslight

Batman is one of the greatest icons of all time and his legend is timeless, literally in this regard. Gotham by Gaslight asks the question what if Gotham’s greatest hero existed at the turn of the 19th century. Bruce Wayne has returned from years abroad, prepared to face the lamp lit nights of Gotham as the Batman against a legendary foe that drenched the streets of London in blood and has come to Gotham: Jack the Ripper. It isn’t long before the city gets weary of the new comer, and panic that Batman and the Ripper are one in the same settles in; can Batman vanquish this legendary killer and clear his name?

This book joins Superman: Red Son as a what if classic and rightfully so. While short, it doesn’t under deliver or overstay its welcome; the main story about the Ripper is awesome and feels like a classic detective story and the other story about Batman deciding to stay is also really cool. The art adds to the vintage feel and I must say, Gaslight Batman looks badass and is written really well. What I like is is there is a cool twist with Batman and the Ripper than is interesting and I like the steampunk edge to the second story. I definitely recommend the story to a Bat fan or comic lover in general. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Ant-man: Second Chance Man

ant man comic

The Ant-Man movie influenced me a lot more than I want to admit and was much better than anyone really any right to expect so I was really damn curious how reading one of his comics was going to be like. Well, this is around Why I fell out of favor as a Marvel fan. started coming into play, so the question is where does this book lie?

Scott Lange has some of the worst luck. Being an ex con to take up the mantle of a less sorted hero with no job, no home, with a ex wife that hates him isn’t a fun time; Scott’s daughter, Cassy keeps him going. He tries going for security director for Tony Stark, barely getting the job but life intervenes and Lange has to set up shop in Miami. He establishes his own security business with ex super criminal Grisly, starting small and coming up against Taskmaster as well as Darren Cross, the villain who started Lange as Ant-man in the first place. Can Lange get his crap together before the superhero craziness ruins his life?

I’ve read this book twice and I admit I enjoyed it way more the second time around but some of what I dislike about modern Marvel comes out. First, there are some cool action scenes and the fight with Cross at the end is pretty cool. Grisly and Ant-man are a fun pair to follow and honestly, I’d read a series about them. The heartfelt stuff is well written and I like the variety of characters we get in this book. I don’t like how this book feels like it’s trying to imitate the humor and even design of Ant-man from the movie; the humor falls flat in a few places and Lange starts to feel like a dumbass instead of a likable screw up. Darren Cross in the comics is essentially a big pink sumo wrestler looking bastard and I kinda wished for his MCU counterpart. In the end it’s a fine book, but I wouldn’t go far out of my way for it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

All New X-Men: Here To Stay (vol 2)

an xmen 2

Awhile back I covered the first volume of All New X Men, All New X- Men: Yesterday’s X Men as covering pieces of there story here and there. I loved seeing the original 5 kids in the limelight, who I feel deserved more respect and went into the backdrop in favor of more popular characters like Wolverine, Storm, and a few others. So how do the story of our young time displaced mutant heroes continue.

Things have been better for the young classic X Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Beast and Angel. Cyclops, rebellious and distraught over the future betrayal against the X men, seeks to try setting things right- starting by running away with Logan’s motorcycle. Kitty Pryde tries to comfort Jean as she struggles with her blossoming telepathic abilities as well as trying to discipline the team. Angel, finds his future self, carefree wings a rebellious streak, metal wings, and new powers; Angel discovers his fate at the hands of Apocalypse and freaks out, getting mind swept by Jean in a dark move. If the growing turmoil wasn’t problem enough, Mystique is going on a rampage with Mastermind and Future Cyclops announces a new school for mutants, preparing them for the revolution to come. Is this too much to handle for our disjointed heroes?

I have some mixed feelings on this book but for the most part I enjoyed it. My favorite part was Angel’s part, seeing him fighting alongside Archangel and seeing the trauma he suffers about his fate. Jean Grey also has a really cool arc where you see a darker side of her as she starts using her telepathic capabilities recklessly. The only arc I wasn’t that into was young Cyclops’s; more than a few times I thought he was becoming a brat rather than a sympathetic character. He had the biggest arc which made the beginning seem to crawl a bit but thankfully the cliffhanger ending saved it. The art is solid and the writing is pretty good, making me laugh and keeping me connected. In the end, it’s a solid read if you want to follow the All New X Men series. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Emperor Quill

gotg emp quill  The Guardians of the Galaxy have reformed after losing Star Lord to his new responsibility as the new leader of Spartax and Gamora falling out with Quill. Kitty Pryde, once Shadowcat of the X men and fiance to Quill, has taken his mantle of Star-Lord while Rocket Raccoon takes position as leader of Drax, Groot, Agent Venom and the Thing formerly of the Fantastic Four. Bored as hell of formal leadership, Quill can’t stand his new job until a viscous attack finds his way to Spartax and he’s forced to reunite with Gamora to face Hala, a vengeful Kree accuser who wants to destroy both Spartax and Earth in exchange for the Guardians failing to save the Kree homeworld. If that wasn’t enough, Yotat- the Destroyer of Destroyers has tracked them to Spartax with a grudge he has against Drax. Is it just the Guardians’s signature bad luck or is there someone else behind the scenes?

While I love the Fantastic 4 and I’m still not entirely sure why Kitty decided to call herself Star-Lord, this book is pretty entertaining. The Thing is a unexpectedly welcome addition to the team and fits right in and Kitty does add a unique dynamic as well. Quill has a good story arc and Hala puts up a epic fight, along with some fan service I appreciated. The artwork is well done and the writing is easy to follow and enjoyable. While it’s the first volume of a new story arc, it stands well on its own. The only issue I can see is the length which is short and sweet but may not be worth the expensive cost you will likely be faced with (because Marvel/ Disney) so I recommend definitely reading it just try to get a good price. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Batman: I Am Bane (DC Rebirth vol 3.)

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Batman is my favorite DC hero of all time and quite possibly my favorite superhero of all time because dammit he was the first I was introduced to and as much as I love Mr. J, I’m sick of almost every classic bat story involving if not totally revolving around him. Bane stands alongside Joker, Ras Al Ghul, and the Court of Owls as some of Batman’s greatest threats so what happens when he goes on a full fledged vendetta?

Batman has seen hope to win his war against crime through Gotham and Gotham Girl; he has amassed a family of allies and has harbored a love for Selina Kyle, Catwoman. Bane, the only enemy to have truly broken him, is on the warpath. Bruce warns his charges to go away, only to find surrogates hung in the Batcave in there costumes. Batman lures the brute into Arkham Asylum, arming some of his most dangerous foes to slow the behemoth down. Will Bane finally break the bat once and for all?

So, warning right now, I recommend reading the first 2 books in Rebirth before this (I Am Gotham and I Am Suicide) because I was pretty lost. Weirdly, Batman: The War of Jokes and Riddles( DC Rebirth) was way easier to follow and is the next book in the series. I love Bane who is a violent wrecking machine the whole book and kept me glued; while having issues with Batman here and there, I do love the comparisons done between the 2’s upbringing. There are other stories here as well including a prelude to Jokes and Riddles, a mini tale of Bruce warming up to a abused dog, and a little adventure of Bats and Swamp Thing tracking down the killer of Swampy’s father. The artwork is well done and truly grisly and badass at times. While Tom King isn’t my favorite writer, I can appreciate the effort made. In the end, its a solid book but I absolutely don’t starting with it, instead hitting the first 2 books beforehand. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Aquaman: The Trench (New 52, vol.1)

new 52 aquaman

Before the Aquaman movie, my friend Autobot had me read a Aquaman comic, the first book of DC’s New 52. Like many, I saw Arthur Curry as a joke amongst a solid roster of heroes and demigods. Little did I know, there was a lot more to Aquaman than meets the eye.

Aquaman is the definition of a short-change hero; the surface mocks him despite his incredible powers and the people of Atlantis mostly revile him for his half human heritage. Even aligning himself with the likes of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in the Justice League, no one takes him seriously. But in Amnesty Bay, a threat is looming from the darkest part of the sea where even the king of the sea fears to tread. Ancient monstrous Atlanteans that dwell in the trenches leave in search of dwindling food and it’s up to Arthur and Mera to push them back alone.

While Aquaman (new 52, volume 5) sea of storms  and the few books that followed were good, this is the best I’ve seen from the New 52 line of Aquaman. The story is great and action packed, juggling mythos, horror, and a cool meta nature about the old reincarnations of the character. Aquaman is a complex hero and Mera is a epic badass. Geoff Johns, one of DC’s most talented writers gives Aquaman a hell of a new beginning. The artwork is beautiful and colorful. In the end, this book is pretty much everything I love about the characters of Aquaman and Mera and I highly recommend it if you thought Aquaman just talked to fish. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Original Sin

gotg og sin

The Guardians of the Galaxy, the cosmos greatest gang of misfits, have been countless adventures as well as ups and downs. During the The Thanos Imperative they beat the Mad Titan Thanos and sealed the Cancerverse at the cost of losing Star-Lord, Drax, and Nova. Drax returned from the dead and miraculously Star-Lord and Thanos found there way out of the Cancerverse, but not Nova. After Guardians of the Galaxy: Guardians Disassembled  Gamora corners Star-Lord for answers, recounting the horrors of the dimension where death is extinguished as the three heroes clashed against Thanos and the unstoppable Revengers for the Cosmic Cube and the hope for escape. Meanwhile, Flash Thompson has lost control of Venom as the Symbiote is loose on the ship, taking them to there homeworld as Captain Marvel delivers news of there next big problem: the new Spartax election.

This book is a prime example of why I love the Guardians. Quill’s recount of the Cancerverse is pretty harrowing there is a heavy emotional weight to it, while Venom’s story is comical and has some cool lore in it; between the 2 stories there is some cool action throughout. The book, unlike Imperative, flows nicely and feels like a nice easy read for it. I’d definitely pick it up, especially after reading Thanos Imperative and a few stories before it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.