Earl Rufus's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: Nerds On The Rocks Reviews: 39
7.9Avg. Review Rating

10
Batman (2011) #49

Feb 10, 2016

In an industry that is cynically driven by death and resurrection, this is by far one of the best returning chapters I've ever read. The emotions were well-earned and they packed a hell of a punch. Welcome back, Bruce.

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10
Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1

Dec 9, 2015

I said at the beginning there was no way I wasn't going to love this book, but I'm more than thrilled to announce that it is also a damn good read with some beautiful art. If it wasn't on your radar for some strange reason, I'd recommend picking it up today!

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10
Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

May 12, 2016

Being a compact story did this series wonder. It was strong from beginning to end. Offering all levels of fan-service and did justice to every character present. Totally worth a read! Who knows maybe one day they'll turn it into a DTV and I'll be in love all over again.

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7.2
Batman: Eternal #5

May 7, 2014

The art in this book was mostly solid. Though, it made Tim seem a lot older and taller than I imagined. Sometimes, it's hard to remember that he is a teenager in this book.

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10
Batman: Eternal #21

Aug 27, 2014

If you haven't been reading Batman Eternal, issue 21 would be a terrible place to tell you to jump on. But since it does seem to be the culmination of a lot of the first half arcs, perhaps now is a good time to get in as the story enters phase 2.

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6
Batman: Eternal #26

Oct 1, 2014

The art in this book was solid. Some cool page layouts including the declaration of martial law in Gotham, and the Hush flashback, which had some great coloring. Real highlight of the issue.

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7.2
Birthright #1

Oct 18, 2014

Whereas more and more comics are adopting a minimalist approach, Birthright fills every frame with detail, from the foreground to the background. It forms a sweeping landscape that is perfect for an epic. They want to soak you in the world. No part of the world is treated as boring; whether it's the walls, the foliage, or the sky. Every extra touch makes the world that much richer and more vibrant " the perfect place to roam and explore. I can't wait to get started. Talley-ho.

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6
Borderlands #1

Jul 15, 2014

This isn't a bad book at all. But as a fan of Borderlands (And honestly who else is picking up this book?), it does nothing new or exciting. It's a longer version of the game's opening mission.

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6
Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #4

Jan 8, 2015

I don't mind a book with its unique spin on things, but spending half your book with some scientific mumbo-jumbo doesn't make for the most exciting read.

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8.6
Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War #3

Aug 27, 2014

This is a fun crossover. And sometimes fun is all you need.

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8.6
Crosswind #1

Feb 27, 2018

I know it's petty to harp on when the book makes such great use of lighting and shadows , but it's what stood out. But not enough to deter me from the book. So I may track down the rest of the series and give it a read.

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10
DC Universe: Rebirth #1

May 25, 2016

I've said it before, I'm a fan of the New 52 and what it stood for so for me this book wasn't as much an apology as it was a guideline for the exciting future course that has been plotted for the DC Universe. I'm stoked to see so many of the bread crumbs dropped in this book play out over the next few months and years.

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6
Dexter's Laboratory #1

Apr 29, 2014

There is nothing wrong with this book at all, but the story just doesn't seem to be there yet. I know it's setting up an arc or a storyline, but could have done more in this issue to make it interesting. I would recommend checking it out for the art though!

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4.3
Earth 2: Society #1

Jun 10, 2015

Not a bad book, but just completely uninteresting.

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10
Gotham Academy (2014) #4

Jan 26, 2015

More than the plot and the mystery, the thing that has kind of hooked me on this book since day one has been the characters. While a lot of them are your typical tropes, it is such a different book from the big 2 that you feel like you need to champion it. I mean how many books are catered towards the youth audience, and how many of them are actually interesting for adults? This book walks that fine line but makes it seem so easy.

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10
Gotham Academy (2014) #7

Jun 10, 2015

Gotham Academy remains one of the more charming books on the market. Always worth a read.

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8.6
Green Lantern (2011) #38

Jan 8, 2015

It's funny for a book that has a Green Lantern, Red Lantern, The Flash and Star Sapphire that we spend about 2 pages with anyone in costume, and still have fun.

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10
Henchmen, Inc #1

Jun 21, 2014

The art in the book is solid. With the real highlight being re-imaging popular/famous comic book characters while retaining the spirit of their design with outright copying it. Also a special shout-out to the design of the henchmen uniforms. I really can't wait to see what else they cook up as I feel the elaborate costumes could become an amazing running joke.

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10
James Bond (2017) #1

Feb 21, 2017

The book knows how to trim the fat and set-up an exciting first issue and makes me intrigued to see where the series is heading.

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4.3
Justice League (2016) #5

Sep 21, 2016

It's not a bad comic, it just leaves you feeling empty inside.

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8.6
Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #3

Jan 4, 2017

Justice League Vs Suicide Squad remains a fun event by keeping the scale small and a focus on the characters more than the battles. It does suffer a bit from uneven art at times.

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2.9
Killer Instinct #1

Sep 21, 2017

And none of this really impacts me, as you may note didn't even catch her name or wasn't invested enough to care for the characters' names. Part of that is on me, but I shall lay the bulk of the blame on this issue's narrative structure and pacing. For a first issue it is neither dense enough with information or captivating enough of a story to really sink its teeth into you.

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7.2
Loki: Agent of Asgard #6

Oct 4, 2014

When the book went up to $3.99, my standards for it also increased, especially coming in after the Original Sin detour with Angela, but based on this issue I'll stick around for the foreseeable future. While someone may frown over the current incarnation of loki for being too tumblr/teen friendly (The 2 One Direction references in the first 2 issues were almost too much for me even) he's a lot of fun to spend time with and that's something I always look for in my comics.

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8.6
Midnighter (2015) #1

Jun 3, 2015

Midnighter was a great first issue. A comic that has found a nice mixture of the violence we all crave, and that heart that makes us connect and like the characters we read.

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7.2
Midnighter (2015) #9

Feb 3, 2016

A fun issue, but feels more like a set-up to issue 10 than something wonderful.

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10
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (2016) #1

Mar 2, 2016

If you're a Power Ranger fan, you owe it to yourself to check out this comic. If you're not a Ranger fan still a really good comic.

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8.6
Mighty Mouse #1

Jun 7, 2017

Mighty Mouse #1 is a highly relatable story to anyone who has been pushed around or bullied and found comfort in superhero stories, old cartoons, or escapist fiction in general with a predictable, yet status quo demolishing twist. Sholly Fisch, Igor Lima, and Pete Pantazis switch modes from bright cartoon idealism to harsh reality with ease and grace, and its worth checking out even if you have no idea of Mighty Mouses place in the pop culture pantheon like yours truly.

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4.3
Revolutionaries #2

Feb 21, 2017

I don't wanna carry around Wiki when reading what should be a fun for fans of any property crossover, but alas.

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7.2
Secret Six (2014) #1

Dec 3, 2014

A fun read no doubt, but I wish it had that one thing that really hooked me for the rest of the series.

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8.6
Sideways #1

Feb 14, 2018

Some complaints with the looks of the characters' eyes aside, Sideways #1 is a rock solid start. It has a visually fun power set and costume and ends in a way that looks to blow up the scope in short order.

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6
Skylanders #4

Jan 8, 2015

Jumping into any book with a random number would be confusing, but Skylanders #4 was confusing for none of the usual reasons. Instead of feeling loss with the story or the characters, I was more at a loss for the format of the book.

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8.6
Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds #3

Feb 21, 2017

A pretty solid middle chapter with plenty of intriguing developments and setting the stage for the big battle.

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8.6
Starfire #1

Jun 10, 2015

A fun-romp that is highly recommended.

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10
Super Sons (2017) #1

Feb 15, 2017

Not every book can nail it's look, tone and characters in its first outing, but here we are. Super Sons is a delight to read and a worthy recommendation.

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10
Superman (2016) #7

Sep 21, 2016

Just a joy to read from page 1 (Look for those Justice League cameos) until the final gag!

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6
The Great Divide #1

Sep 7, 2016

The book has an interesting enough premise to get you through the first issue wanting more, but not all of what you desire is from the story beats but by what isn't explained. I'm curious to see where the book goes in future installments.

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7.2
The New 52: Futures End #1

May 7, 2014

uture's End feels like The New 52"s Worst Hits, and not in the negative way. It seems to focus on teams and characters that have had books cancelled during the New 52 including Mr. Terrific, The Grifter, Stormwatch and Firestorm. It's nice to see the characters and story at least continue.

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7.2
The Silencer #1

Feb 18, 2018

The Silencer adds a new flavor of comics to DC's stable of books, but the first issue isn't without its problems. That said, it's a fun start with a lot of interesting strings to pull at in future issues.

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8.6
Trinity (2016) #1

Sep 21, 2016

A light on action issue, but some fun character moments and beautiful art carries it.

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