Outsiders: Five of a Kind: Katana & Shazam # 1
Written by Mike W. Barr
Art by Kevin Sharpe & Robin Riggs
Published by DC Comics
Maybe it's just because this reader is more in love with Making the Band 4 than 99% of DC's output at this time, but shouldn't these "Batman's forming a team of guys who, by his definition, don't take no shit" one-shot comics be far more entertaining than they are? Shouldn't the characters being asked be excited and eager to please? And shouldn't there be rules regarding what gets dedicated to the late & great Jim Aparo? Just because the man's talents were wasted on these kind of garbage comics doesn't necessarily mean he should get name-checked now that he's gone. Still, this comic has spawned the now classic line, "As your weapon's name is your own, Katana, so that of my weapon is mine--call me BATTLEAXE!" It's been to long since this reader has diagrammed a sentence, and our resident grammar addict is touring Switzerland with Turbonegro, but somebody should really handle that bad boy. Especially the "so that of my weapon is mine" part. Amazing.
Batman Confidential #8
Written by Michael Green
Art by Denys Cowan & John Floyd
Published by DC Comics
Is it time to add another dead superhero girlfriend on the pile of dead superhero girlfriends? It looks that way for Michael Green's current, completely unnecessary, "origin of the Joker" storyline. For those not in the know, who still care, ole Laughy Mc-KillsAlot has never had an official, here's-who-this-nut-is origin. Of course, the fact that he's been wildly successful as a character without one hasn't stood on it's own, so when some guy who has written a few episodes of Heroes came along and offered, apparently DC couldn't say yes fast enough. So here we go, and clever Alfred dialog notwithstanding, it seems to be headed for the predictability dollar, otherwise known as the fastest spent dollar in comic books. Oh, and if you're into that sort of thing, and Lord knows you should be, you get to see Bruce in the sack, giving the old BatPenis a work out. Dullsville, next station. For added fun, maximize the cover. It's ugly as shit.
Ghost Rider # 14
Written by Daniel Way
Art by Javier Saltares & Mark Texeira
Published by Marvel
Whether or not Ghost Rider has any plans to go anywhere, it's right back to being damn fine entertainment after the last two boring cross-over issues, where the Ghost Rider drove to New York, waved at the Hulk, then drove away so he could kill more demons. God knows why the back roads and nasty highways of America are so full of demons, but it sure is lucky that they are--because it's yet to become boring watching Ghost Rider kill them, in the various weird and gross methods he so enjoys. The only real complaint is that you shouldn't have to pay $2.99 for something this silly.
Green Arrow Year One #3
Written by Andy Diggle
Art & Cover by Jock
Published by DC Comics
Ah, so that's why they call him Green Arrow. He made his first arrows out of trees and nature shit, so they were green arrows. That makes sense. Hating on this kind of stupid comic would be a lot easier if Jock wasn't such an incredibly good artist. But he is, so even if more of that kind of are-you-fucking-serious stuff is coming, this is still the prettiest superhero comic on the stands--besides All-Star Superman, which any Factual Opinion reader knows is the be-all end-all of superhero comics, in every category. In a strive for full disclosure, it should be noted that a recent attempt to show how nice the art in this comic is completely failed. All that a showing was able to produce was some grunting--maybe Jock is an acquired taste?
The Incredible Hulk #109
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Carlo Pagulayan & Jeffrey Huet
Published by Marvel
Nowhere. This. Is. Going. Nowhere.
Stormwatch P.H.D. #10
Written by Christos Gage
Art by Andy Smith
Published by Wildstorm/DC Comics
One of the best regular titles of the Wildstorm line, which isn't much of a vote of acclaim, considering there's only 4 regular titles in the Wildstorm line. Still, Stormwatch P.H.D. delivers on a regular basis, even when, this issue for example, the art is less than average. Whether Gage is building to something, he's become the best kept secret in superhero comic books--everything he's working on is solid.
Punisher War Journal #10
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Ariel Olivetti
Published by Marvel
For anyone confused by last issues violence, and, according to idiotic websites some people should stop wasting time at, quite a few people were confused, Mr. Punisher-guy did actually kill that nice reporter last month. It was mind-control, but he did kill her, violently, and there's a videotape of it, and she's never coming back. He's sorry. She was a real sweetheart.
Casanova #8
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Fabio Moon
Published by Image Comics
Casanova, Fell and All-Star Superman. Best three comic books to come out, ever. Better than anything times four.
The Boys #9
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Darick Robertson
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Batman and Nightwing would totally doublestuff Catwoman. You'd think you don't need to see it happen: you're wrong. It's worth seeing.
Daredevil #99
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
Published by Marvel
Has what happened in this comic ever happened? An accidental murder of a bystander by a member of a super-heros supporting cast? That's got to be relatively unique, and it's one of the freshest and most surprising things to happen in any comic book lately. This reader didn't see it coming. Excellent work.
-Tucker Stone, 2007
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