Romita may be bringing his A game but he should be getting a D+ in the class.
Rick Jonez reviewed Captain America #11 Jul 28, 2024
"ComicBook.com - Adam Barnhardt Jul 24, 2024
Straczynski's Captain America continues to put concept over character, for better or for worse. Read Full Review" ==well put and the answer is 'worse'. The DP/Logan backup is selfserving MCU hogwash to be in this work.
/11_small.webp)
Steve Rogers finds the last change agent, someone who can change the direction of the world forever...by dying. And as Steve wrestles with the morality of his task, a member of his inner circle is moving to betray him... PLUS: PART 2 OF DEADPOOL/WOLVERINE: WEAPON X-TRACTION!
Rated T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Ultimate Black Panther #2 Mar 17, 2024
Just WHAT-IF stuff. Not bad at all but not worth 5 bucks for parallel reinvention
/2_small.webp)
WAKANDA BANGS THE DRUMS OF WAR!
After Moon Knight's forces attack the stronghold of Wakanda, T'Challa can no longer resist Shuri and the Dora Milaje's calls to action. Grieving and enraged, Black Panther demands to know who has been leaking information about Wakanda to their enemy... and the source shocks him to his core. And a prophecy about T...
Rick Jonez reviewed Amazing Spider-Man #40 Dec 22, 2023
Romita has a good inker and is bringing his A-game again.
Nice to see how the chess pieces are moving in the territory battles.
/40_small.webp)
GANG WAR CONTINUES!
Battle lines are drawn, with Spidey and his crew being the only ones who can save all of New York City from the worst super criminals to ever super criminal! But is Tombstone on THEIR SIDE?! And you won't believe your eyes reading the last page of this issue!
Rated T
Romita may be bringing his A game but he should be getting a D+ in the class.
Rick Jonez reviewed Marvel's Voices: Avengers #1 Dec 11, 2023
Except the Reyes story it's hard to believe/appreciate these stories are canon with would dtract from the rating given, because the continuity is hardly implied and frustratingly problematic. . Most of the art elevates the rating. The text pages were interesting but not really the reason for getting the comic.
And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes from all walks of life united against a common threat. Join a team of Marvel's finest creators, from veterans to new recruits full of potential, for four tremendous tales of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Don't miss the latest anthology in the Marvel's Voices series!
Rated T...
Rick Jonez reviewed Outsiders #1 Nov 26, 2023
Uninspiring. Too fragmented with exposition to give a hoot.
/1_small.webp)
Never the End. A universe of secrets is about to come to light. Batman protects Gotham City from evil. Batman Inc. protects the rest of the known world. But what of the unknown world? What of the ancient evils in hidden tombs and forgotten tragedies from a magic-and-mad-sciencefueled super-heroic century? Using his fortune, Luke Fox launches a new ...
Rick Jonez reviewed Marvel Unleashed #4 Nov 12, 2023
This might've gotten a higher rating if it was categorically NOT 616 - but it probobaly is and that's irreconcilably a dealbreaker. Also, Black Bolt's matter-of-fact presence with no extrapolary footnotes WEHT him is just lazy reveal.
/4_small.webp)
It's the final stand against Blackheart as Throg, Redwing, Chewie, Lockjaw, Bats and D-Dog put everything they've got into stopping the son of Mephisto from unleashing his army on the world. But one of them won't make it out alive...
Rated T
Rick Jonez reviewed Wonder Woman #2 Oct 25, 2023
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more palatable than #1. Not without its flaws, though, number one being characterization of Trevor.
/2_small.webp)
AN ARMY OF ONE! Now a wanted fugitive, Wonder Woman readies herself for battle against Commander Steel and his soldiers, her former love Steve Trevor being one of them! What could this face-off mean for her position in the world of heroes? Will it further her quest for the truth about the rogue Amazon or end in bloodshed? Find out as this demigodde...
Rick Jonez reviewed Invincible Iron Man #11 Oct 23, 2023
Good stuff. A tad too decompressed.
/11_small.webp)
MEET THE NEW HELLFIRE CLUB!
Iron Man and Emma Frost begin their whirlwind honeymoon... ...and their takeover of the Hellfire Club!
Rated T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Elvira in Monsterland #4 Sep 7, 2023
#2 & #3 dipped a bit but this one turned back around to all out clever fun! With bae-worthy art efforts.
/4_small.webp)
OH NO, THERE GOES TOKYO - BUT HERE COMES ELVIRA!
Vlad the Impaler's rampage through the Multiverse of Movies has switched into high gear as he goes Cuckoo for Kaiju, recruiting the biggest and most dangerous of all cinematic creatures for his Monster Army. Can the Mistress of the Dark stop him in time - or will she have to go all Terror of...
Rick Jonez reviewed Avengers #4 Aug 14, 2023
Last issue got a solid 8.5 and this tale felt identical so for that reason it only gets and 8.
/4_small.webp)
Battle is joined as the Avengers race to combat the Ashen Combine. But with Lord Ennui, the Citysmith, Idol Alabaster, the Dead and Meridian Diadem scattered across the planet, each with their own city for prey, have the Avengers spread themselves too thin? United, the Avengers stand. But divided...?
Rated T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Action Comics #1056 Jul 1, 2023
At best.
/1056_small.webp)
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Dan Jurgens, and Dorado Quick Art by Rafa Sandoval, Lee Weeks, and Yasmin Flores Montanez A shocking new character makes their debut as the thrill-packed Speeding Bullets concludes! Superman and Metallo must reluctantly join forces to stop the Cyborg Superman. With Tracy Corben's life (or at least her humanity) h...
Rick Jonez reviewed Invincible Iron Man #2 Jan 19, 2023
Dumb cover. Dumb ring upgrade. Otherwise good read.
/2_small.webp)
IRON MAN VS. IRONHEART! The assassination attempts on Tony's life continue as a familiar foe returns to take him down. It'll be up to Iron Man and Ironheart to stop him?but what secret is Riri Williams harboring from Tony? And will this change their relationship forever?
Rick Jonez reviewed Captain America: Symbol of Truth #8 Dec 29, 2022
Unremarkable. Return of don't-call-me Nightshade is - something.
/8_small.webp)
As Falcon's condition worsens, Captain America comes face-to-face with the unintended consequences of his escalating conflict with the White Wolf. Nomad is willing to make the compromises necessary to take down the Black Panther's errant brother, but can Sam Wilson say the same? And what is Sam's old sparring partner Nightshade doing in Mohannda, a...
Rick Jonez reviewed Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths: War Zone #1 Dec 10, 2022
Fun read. Makes big battle win in main story less trope-y.
/war-zone_1_small.webp)
A BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND VIEW OF DARK CRISIS! Written by Matthew Rosenberg, Delilah S. Dawson, Jeremy Adams, Frank Tieri, and Stephanie Williams Art by George Kambadais, Daniel Bayliss, Fernando Pasarin, Matt Ryan, and Serg Acuña As the Hall of Justice falls, get new perspectives on the various conflicts while the battles across Dark Crisis rage on! ...
Rick Jonez reviewed Spider-Man #1 Oct 9, 2022
No chronological bearing with the "6 month untold gap" just detracts from "Event", imo.
/1_small.jpg)
"The End of the Spider-Verse" is here! Morlun is back and he is not alone. Allied with one of the most powerful beings known to the Spider-Verse, the scariest Spider-Villain of all time is making his biggest play and no Spider is safe. Especially not the Chosen Spider himself, Peter Parker. With Peter working for Norman Osborn and using a glider......
Rick Jonez reviewed Nightwing #96 Sep 25, 2022
Good stuff! The lead up chapters were better but still a strong ending!
/96_small.jpg)
They say love is when two hearts find their happy place right next to each other, but to Heartless, that's just the wall of jars of hearts he has in his back office. As Dick and Babs's two hearts do find their happy place next to each other, one question they ask each other proves difficult to answer.
Rick Jonez reviewed Wonder Woman #791 Sep 16, 2022
Average. Partial pacing problem.
/791_small.jpg)
After almost losing her friends in a vicious battle with the newly formed Villainy Inc., Wonder Woman is going solo! Defeated, Diana must find her way again in a world that seems to have moved on from her and her quest for peace. What could possibly make our hero feel like herself again? Enter Cheetah, and she's got her claws sharpened for a good o...
Rick Jonez reviewed Amazing Fantasy #1000 Sep 6, 2022
Average all around.
/1000_small.jpg)
The comic that brought you SPIDER-MAN hits issue #1000! We're going big to celebrate in this, our thousandth issue of AMAZING FANTASY! An ALL-STAR roster of creators - Anthony Falcone, Dan Slott, Ho Che Anderson, Jonathan Hickman, Kurt Busiek, Michael Cho, Neil Gaiman, Rainbow Rowell, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jim Cheung, Marco Checchetto, Olivier Coipel...
Rick Jonez reviewed Iron Cat #3 Aug 22, 2022
Consistently entertaining Felecia characterization going on.
/3_small.jpg)
• IRON CAT vs. IRON CAT?!
• Tony Stark and Felicia Hardy aren't going to let the mysterious wearer of the Iron Cat armor have all the fun.
• Nope, Tony has done his own spin on the Iron Cat armor, and Felicia may like some of his innovations.
RATED T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #2 Jul 9, 2022
Better than #1. Got to compliment it before the reveal of this so-far interesting 5 star point mystery is told since that MIGHT taint this rating. Good art.
/2_small.jpg)
FIND THE KEY. CRACK THE CODE.
Steve Rogers follows a trail of coded breadcrumbs to Germany, where an elusive organization is making bold and deadly moves, while Bucky Barnes' own investigation leads him to the high rollers tables in Madripoor. Thousands of miles apart with no backup, will Steve and Bucky find what they're looking for, or are th...
Rick Jonez reviewed Batman / Catwoman #12 Jul 1, 2022
As an Elseworlds tale.
/12_small.jpg)
Wedding bells are finally ringing for Batman and Catwoman! As our story concludes, the lovers prepare to take the next steps in their lives together by trading everlasting vows. The Bat/Cat wedding is here, and knowing Bruce and Selina, it'll be anything but conventional. You won't want to miss this final chapter of Tom King's Batman epic!
Rick Jonez reviewed Savage Avengers #1 May 26, 2022
On the plus, side Marvel manages to give all the discarded loser heroes some facetime but it was all so painfully convoluted. Deathoks essentially replace the TVA is a terrible direction. And if felt like the last Black Knight featured mini just went wastefully out the window. Mostly gets a "7" because of how bad X-Force and Legion of X were worse by comparison
/1_small.jpg)
AN ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT, ALL-DANGEROUS TEAM ASSEMBLES!
Since his exile from the Hyborian Age, Conan the Barbarian has conquered the most dangerous foes the modern Marvel Universe has to offer - but what happens when this hard-edged Cimmerian finds himself on the run from the cybernetic soldier of the future known as Deathlok? Outgunned and ou...
Rick Jonez reviewed Immortal X-Men #2 May 19, 2022
Clever way to take out Selene but the problematic precidence from it knocks the rating down some pegs.
/2_small.jpg)
EMERGENCY COUNCIL MEETING!
Magneto leaving the council means big shoes need to be filled. Selene demonstrating her foot size by crushing the whole island beneath it is unorthodox, yet compelling. Can the Quiet Council resist?
RATED T+
Rick Jonez reviewed The Marvels #9 May 1, 2022
Nice retcon excitement. Doesn't seem problematic too much. Neat touch with Dr. "STRANG" being a mishearing. Any real problems to be discovered would drastically lower my rating.
/9_small.jpg)
Years ago, the war in Siancong ended, in a shattering, emotionally wrenching disaster few remember. And today, all the secrets buried from then have come alive to menace the present. What drew the Marvels to Siancong? What drove them out? And what was behind it all? The Avengers, Lady Lotus and more star in the earth-shaking climax of a conflict th...
Rick Jonez reviewed Hulk #5 Apr 3, 2022
More unbearable than Carol's toothache.
/5_small.jpg)
"SMASHSTRONAUT" PART 5 OF 6!
• As President Thunderbolt Ross rains down gamma-irradiated hell, Bruce Banner's Starship Hulk experiment faces its toughest field test yet - this time, it might crack under the pressure.
• Bruce Banner thinks his control over the Hulk is now absolute... but what if he's wrong?
RATED T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Action Comics #1041 Mar 24, 2022
The script action/prose did not flow for me. Generally not a fan of the Authority characters in the DC Earth-1. Backup was better last issue.
/1041_small.jpg)
REMATCH! Superman puts what he's learned on Warworld to the test as he faces Mongul's unstoppable, reanimated warrior known as the Unmade. But it may be too late for Mongul to salvage his empire before an ancient prophecy is fulfilled. One of Superman's inner circle will fall, another will be resurrected at a terrible cost, and the Authority's trai...
Rick Jonez reviewed Black Panther #4 Mar 6, 2022
I toally agree with rating and blurbs so far.
/4_small.jpg)
"THE LONG SHADOW" PART 4
Shuri's life hangs in the balance, and with T'Challa off-planet, things are not looking good! But before T'Challa can help his sister...the truth will finally come out. Has the assassin's ringleader finally been caught?!
Rated T+
Rick Jonez reviewed Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #4 Mar 3, 2022
Uninspiring, unsurprising, for old reader like me but probably a standard, satisfying survival adventure for anyone new to reading comics.
/4_small.jpg)
The Queen of the Jungle has Returned! Featuring an all-star creative team and the most amazing roster of cover artists this side of the jungle! The thrilling adventure combines the classic elements of the legendary character along with a modern sensibility that will make it the perfect debut for fans new and old! And look at those covers: Linsner! ...
Rick Jonez reviewed Justice League #67 Sep 18, 2021
Would've been lower if not for concept content of the canon-challenged servicble backup story.
/67_small.jpg)
It’s the Justice League versus the United Order as the truth that gives power to this new cosmic super team crosses a line that the Justice League cannot allow. Will there even be a United Planets after this thunderous clash of intergalactic superpowers? Also, Green Arrow must come to terms with his responsibilities to both Checkmate and the Leag...
Rick Jonez reviewed The United States of Captain America #2 Aug 15, 2021
Formula save-the-day story with gimmickaptain spotlight for backup story to rationalize price increase - just like the premiere. This was only better for the reveal of Speed Demon and Superior Sin. I personally am not a big fan of the liberal simultaneous codename copying. A couple weak parts were that so-called Superior Sin's killcount is presumably zero for bragging rights and Nichelle resorted more
Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are hot on the trail of the shield thief, but their adversary remains one step ahead, and he has friends in low places. Some of Captain America's oldest enemies are behind this scheme, but can Sam and Steve figure out who these enemies are and what they want, in time to stop them?
And in a story by Mohale Mashigo (MA...
© 2024
