besottedgeek Comic Reviews

ANNIHILATION - SCOURGE: BETA RAY BILL #1 feels unnecessary to an event many would argue is unnecessary. An inconsistent tone, thin story, and questionable hero choice hurts what has been a mostly enjoyable little series. For a mini event to work, every tie-in book has to matter, and ANNIHILATION " SCOURGE: BETA RAY BILL #1 just doesnt feel like it does.

ANNIHILATION - SCOURGE: FANTASTIC FOUR #1 is a pretty good event crossover book, and a decent FF story to boot. Christos Gage understands the familial dynamics of the team and tells a fun story, even if it ends a little conveniently. The big draw of the book however has to be Diego Olorteguis amazing art, especially his creature and Cancerverse contaminated work. Its not a perfect book by any stretch, but you could do a lot worse, and fans of Marvels First Family should check it out.

FINAL THOUGHTSANNIHILATION " SCOURGE OMEGA #1 is a disappointing ending to an otherwise decent little event. It doesnt feel like Matthew Rosenberg had the space to form a cohesive final, and Manuel Garcias art did little to alleviate the strained story. Perhaps the worst sin of this conclusion is that the naysayers going into it will feel vindicated, when even a slightly above average issue would have resulted in a fine six-issue story. Unfortunately, ANNIHILATION " SCOURGE OMEGA #1 disproves the adage of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

ANNIHILATION " SCOURGE: SILVER SURFER #1 is another solid book of the mini event. Dan Abnett nails the voice of Silver Surfer, and this issue gives a lot of answers as to the who, how, and why of the "Scourge". Paul Davidson pulls his own weight, but the star on the art side is Matt Milla and his beautiful coloring. It may be an event nobody asked for, and we'll see how it ends, but ANNIHILATION " SCOURGE: SILVER SURFER #1 is a worthy read.

BLACK CAT #7 complements what has been an enjoyable series. Even though Felicia wasnt heavily involved in this chapter, Jed MacKay keeps interest up by giving background info into the increasingly complex villain, Odessa Drake, and the Thieves Guild itself. Black Fox having Odessas number was the highlight to a well written issue, but Travel Foremans art holds it back overall.

Jed MacKay, Dike Ruan, and Annie Wu deliver the best issue of BLACK CAT to date. The dialogue is fun and witty throughout, sprinkled with some necessary introspection by Felicia. The art is solid, from the action scenes to the intimate setting of a mother and daughter at lunch. Simply put, if you want an entertaining comic, pick up BLACK CAT #8.

As usual, there is a lot of fun to be had in this issue of BLACK CAT. Jed MacKay gets downright cinematic at times, and continues to make readers fall in love with Felicia. The direction of the new arc may irritate some readers looking for closure, but the team up with a certain popular hero is promising. BLACK CAT #9 doesnt disappoint, and is another fine issue in this surprisingly great series.

BLACK CAT #10 is another stellar issue to a downright fun series. Wolverine and Black Cats banter throughout is delightful, and theres plenty of action and violence to boot. Jed MacKay even managed to throw in an interesting tidbit in a flashback without it feeling forced. If you enjoy comics, and why would you be reading this if you didnt, you need to give BLACK CAT a look.

DARK AGNES #1 is a fun introduction to a new-to-me character. Becky Cloonan doesnt shy away from the dark aspects of Agnes, and drops intriguing clues and tidbits of her past. The inconsistent art holds the issue back from being something special, but theres enough good stuff here to warrant a look.

DARK AGNES #2 is a drop off from the promising first issue. There is too much going on but not enough at the same time. Beckly Cloonan shifts set pieces too frequently and throws in too many characters without giving readers enough time with the titular one. The continued inconsistent art doesnt help the intricacies of the storytelling either. Optimistic readers willing to give this offbeat story a chance will be left wanting.

In the rollercoaster ride that has been EXCALIBUR, issue #6 is one of the high points. It still has its bumps, the most glaring being the self-inflicted spoiler on page 2. However, the consistent art and improved storytelling from early issues make EXCALIBUR #6 worth a look.

EXCALIBUR #7 is a significant step down from the previous issue. There is little to no character development, and the major ramifications of last issues events are barely touched upon. Instead Tini Howard gives us a convoluted fetch quest from Apocalypse that feels like filler and not a progression of the story.

EXCALIBUR #9is an average entry in the series.TiniHoward sets up the next arc as well as some secondary storylines that hopefully play in or come to their own resolution. The art is consistent with what weve got all series, which isnt a bad thing.Overallthe issue is leaps and bounds above the previous couple, but doesnt quite reach the heights of other books in the series.

FALLEN ANGELS #5 is a typical setup issue. A team is assembled. Training and preparations ensue. The final boss battle location is discovered. This is all well and good. However, the fact that 2/5 of the team are introduced here (and arent popular characters to begin with), and added to that the lack of a defined villain, make the arc feel like it is sputtering to its conclusion.

FALLEN ANGELS #6 is a disappointing ending to a disappointing series. Neither the team nor the villain ever felt fleshed out. Psylocke moped her way through the entire series, but did emerge triumphant and gain a degree of closure on her past, so thats something. Whatever the future holds for the characters in FALLEN ANGELS, it is hopefully better than what we got here.

INVISIBLE WOMAN #5, much like the series as a whole, has its peaks and valleys. It begins on the high of the Maria Hill cameo, only to drop when she opens her mouth. It goes back up with Sues powers, only to descend again with Tintreachs over-the-top insanity. Mattia De Iulis art may be a peak, but the final issue of Mark Waids spy story feels like a valley.

MARVELS AVENGERS: HULK #1 falls into the trap of a lot of video game setup or tie-in comics by not feeling necessary. Maybe it will connect nicely, but in the meantime theres just not much story on its own here. Both the dialogue and art are hit-or-miss, and overall the result is an average book that ends up feeling more like filler than a key piece of MARVELS AVENGERS.

MARVELS AVENGERS: IRON MAN #1 does something somewhat rare for a tie-in comic to a video game its actually good. Jim Zub tells an entertaining story, and Paco Diazs art is some of the best youll find for a video game tie-in. Well have to see how this story ties into future issues and eventually the game itself, but MARVELS AVENGERS: IRON MAN #1 stands on its own merits.

MARVELS BLACK WIDOW PRELUDE #1 gives readers a greatest hits look at Natasha Romanoffs pre-Infinity War MCU appearances. Peter David sprinkles in some young Nat moments, and his narration method is inventive and well done. C.F. Villas art doesnt invoke ScarJo or other Marvel movie actors, but is still impressive in its own right. If youre looking for a quick Black Widow refresher before the movie hits theaters, MARVELS BLACK WIDOW PRELUDE #1 fits the bill.

MARVELS BLACK WIDOW PRELUDE #2 is a carbon copy of issue #1. Presumably refreshing moviegoers with Natashas exploits in the MCU worked the first time around, but simply doing it again and not progressing the original content or giving it a satisfying conclusion feels like a missed opportunity. As hamstrung as the creators may have been by being tied into the upcoming film, MARVELS BLACK WIDOW PRELUDE #2 still could have been better.

MARVELS X #2 is a rather disappointing follow-up to a decent first issue. The very human story of a boy losing his family feels overshadowed by the bombastic goings-on of the infected and superheroes. What started out as something unique now feels like just another superhero story, but hopefully Alex Ross & Jim Krueger can recapture the emotion from issue one moving forward.

MARVELS X #3 has a lot going for it. Well-Bees art is consistently good throughout. The dynamic between David, Daredevil, and Spider-Man is compelling, and seeing this world through Davids eyes and narrative works well this time out. Calling him the last human on Earth and then showing a live newscast is a mistake, but the joy of guessing whats coming at the end makes up for it. If you werent thrilled with the last issue, this one will have you back on board.

NEW MUTANTS #7 was another fun entry into the Jonathan Hickman side of the series. Just when the story begins to loll Hickman injects some humor, often at the expense of comics tropes, to lighten the mood. Its a shame we cant get this team for every issue, but its worth checking out when we do.

NEW MUTANTS #8 is a step up for the Ed Brisson side of the story. We get some great Sebastian Shaw moments, mutants using their powers, and a far more interesting setting than Nebraska. It may not be amazing, but it is improving. The cliffhanger wont wow you, but hopefully Brisson can take the momentum from this issue moving forward nonetheless.

NEW MUTANTS #9 gets the band back together, albeit briefly, and sets up the next arc, the cliched saving a kid who just got their powers. Ed Brisson also weaves in some side stories, but they are too vague and out of place to feel like much more than just filler. The art flip-flops from realistic to traditional, strange considering its just one team, and although both styles look fine, the result is at times jarring. Overall NEW MUTANTS #9 is a step backwards in what has been a fun little run as of late.

REVENGE OF THE COSMIC GHOST RIDER #1 does a good job of catching up old fans of the Frank Castle spin on Ghost Rider as well as introducing him to new readers. Dennis Hopeless Hallum tells a fun introductory tale to the mini, and Scott Hepburns art style absolutely fits. Even the backup story doesnt detract from the issue. Aficionados of Punisher, Ghost Rider, and the combination of both should feel anything but hopeless about this series after issue number one.

REVENGE OF THE COSMIC GHOST RIDER #2 is a bit of a step back for the short series. The art is still top notch, but the story suffers from some repetitive punishing. Still, Dennis Hallum delivers some nice character interactions between Cammi and Frank, and the cliffhanger ending is enough to bring readers back.

REVENGE OF THE COSMIC GHOST RIDER #3 manages to expertly balance story and action. The scenes flow seamlessly between flashbacks and current goings-on thanks to both Dennis Hallums writing and Scott Hepburns art. Some of the fighting progression and monologuing could be tightened up, but issue #3 is still the best of the short series.

REVENGE OF THE COSMIC GHOST RIDER #4 stumbles towards the finish line of the series by focusing on a secondary character thats just not as intriguing as the primary one. This issue harkens back to the filler feeling of #2, and thats a shame for a series that has been mostly fun and entertaining. Even the setup for next months conclusion doesnt feel particularly earned or interesting, but hopefully Dennis Hallum & team can pull off a great capper to the short series.

RUINS OF RAVENCROFT: DRACULA #1 suffers from what plagued the first first two issues the modern day story just isnt that interesting. Unfortunately, this time the flashback story isnt that great either. The vampire experimentations and monsters are cool but underused. The title baddie this issue comes off as an unthreatening ham actor. Simply put, the horror is not very horrific. If you were wondering if the series would be better as just a flashback, RUINS OF RAVENCROFT: DRACULA #1 may dissuade that thinking.

SPIDER-MAN NOIR #1 is a snazzy start to a juicy mystery. Margaret Stohls snappy dialogue and Juan Ferreyras moody art put readers in the thick of 1930s Manhattan, and the books end promises more intrigue and adventure. So shake a leg and peep this issue or risk looking like a wet sock!

STAR #1 is an underwhelming first issue of a mostly new character. Instead of familiarizing readers with Ripley Ryan and her alter ego, Kelly Thompson throws in a bunch of established characters to kick the crap out of her. We get glimpses of Stars powers and Ripleys struggles, which are interesting, but maybe not enough to carry a book or a series. The short page count certainly didnt help either. Hopefully the second issue gives the creators and character room to breathe and grow.

STAR #2 is a step in the right direction. Kelly Thompson continues to grow the character, and pairing Scarlet Witch with Ripley was inspired. The art is inconsistent at distances, but at close range is at times stunning. Even without the big reveal ending Thompson delivers, STAR #2 would be a book worth checking out.

STAR #3 builds upon the previous issue to become the best of the short series. The resolution to last issues main ordeal may feel a little cheap, but Kelly Thompson explains it in a believable way. The main art throughout is consistently great, and while the flashback art is off-putting in its stark difference, the narration within hammers home Ripley Ryans motivations. STAR is a series that has improved with each issue, and hopefully the trend continues.

FINAL THOUGHTSSTAR WARS SAGA #1 works on a number of levels. Maybe youre looking to get into the next crop of books but havent been reading Star Wars. Perhaps youd like a refresher of the main events from the past few years of books. You could be a huge Star Wars nerd who has to have everything that comes out. Whatever the case, STAR WARS SAGA #1 just might be up your alley.

On the surface, TARO #1 has some good things going for it. There is the mystery linking a Nazi weapon from the past to strange happenings in the present. There are the abundance of top tier heroes in play. And there is Paul Renauds solid art throughout. But scratching beneath the surface reveals the inadequacies of Alan Davis dialogue, which keep the issue from being better.

TAROT #2 improves upon the first issue. It still has its flaws, chiefly Diablo Exposition and again an overabundance of characters. Paul Renauds art is more than up to the task though, and there are enough interesting pieces to keep reading.

TAROT #3 is a mess of a comic book. There is too much going on, and almost none of it is good. If you like nonsense and the hokeyness of older comics, maybe you will enjoy it. Paul Renauds art is really the only saving grace otherwise. To quote Valkyrie, Canst thou not see this is nuts?!

TAROT#4 does little to redeem the previous issue. Paul Renauds art is again the main draw, and there are a few okay moments from Alan Davis. However, the lack of clarification of what this series was even about has to place it at the bottom of the heap, and thats saying something after issue #3.

At this point, if you're one of the few still reading Wonder Twins, Mark Russel's extreme political satire feels more like preaching to the choir than sticking it to the man. Largely ignoring the charming twins Russell himself has crafted always feels like a missed opportunity, doubly so this late in the series. Luckily Wonder Twins #11 still has enough light moments and Stephen Byrne's stupendous art to make it worth your time.

Wonder Twins #12 is a microcosm of what did and didn't work with the entire series. For every light "Nobody tases my monkey!" moment there is an off-putting school shooting poster in the background. For every (and there weren't many) Wonder Twins being heroic moment, there's a criminal getting a free pass. Though Stephen Byrne's art was a positive constant, Mark Russell's hit-or-miss satire held the issue and series back.