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Justice League Elite #9
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Joe
Kelley
Pencils: Doug
Mahnke
Inks: Tom
Nguyen
Nine issues down and three to go, the Elite are falling apart and
the JLA seem to be coming in to clean up after them and shut them
down. After losing one of their ranks last issue, the team is scattered
and still trying to find out who the traitor is in their midst. Batgirl’s
involvement is out in the open and Vera Black’s “secret”
may be out, and while you are at it, mix in a little reality warping.
I’ve enjoyed the entire run of this mini-series so far. While
it isn’t what I would call great, it is entertaining enough
to follow from month to month. I think this is something that will
read better once collected. That seems to be the trend; pace the stories
so when put together they read fine, alone, they kind of leave you
a little flat. Mahnke and Nguyen do a great job as always with the
art, I like the tonal change when Major Disaster gets a bit of the
spotlight. It shows just how bad things have gotten for the team.
I’m looking forward to see how this one wraps up. -KEVIN-
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Legion of Super-Heroes #3
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Mark
Waid
Pencils: Barry
Kitson
Finishes:
Art Thibert
While the first two issues of the series were a solid enough start,
I really liked how this issue turned out. It seems that the introductions
are getting better and as more of them happen, the characterizations
are getting stronger. This issue focuses on Triplicate Girl and her
adjusting to life with the Legion. It seems her world was ravaged
and she was left to try and rebuild it. Her powers to create duplicates
of herself, extend well beyond the number three. She was able to build
an army of duplicates that essentially re-built her world, but while
there was several of her, she was essentially alone for quite some
time. She discovered that the experiences she gained while split would
be “absorbed” once all the duplicates were reassembled
(See Peter David’s- Madrox series), but she desired more than
the experience of her own world, so she decided to send a triad to
join the team. This issue shows the effects of her trying to “date”,
which had I been thinking, I would have seen it coming, but since
I wasn’t paying too close attention, I didn’t see it coming.
For people who thought the long history of the Legion would make the
title too difficult to start reading, the creative team does a good
job of starting from the ground floor. With enough small nods to the
past, but nothing that saddles the new title, this would be a good
time to join the Legion. .-KEVIN-
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Batman #637
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Judd
Winick
Pencils: Doug
Mahnke
Inks: Tom
Nguyen
I figured I would do this and the previous together so I could group
the art teams accolades together and move on, so consider that done.
Art Team-Thumbs up! Ok now on to the story. I like what Judd Winick
is doing in this title, he’s illustrating the calculating side
of Batman, the planning and implementing in situations, rather than
the reacting. Batman and Nightwing are up against Amazo, the android
with the powers of the seven original Justice League members; two
non super-powers against, essentially, seven. I like the look into
Nightwing’s thoughts regarding his former teacher and mentor,
it shows that he still respects him and also understands why, when
he was Robin, Batman treated him the way that he did. What I would
like to see though, is a few stories that while they tie into the
overall story line, they also give a new reader something to latch
on to. There aren’t enough stories around that give the new
comic book reader a chance to get a whole story in one shot. Batman
is the perfect title to be doing something like that with. I consider
it the “entry level” Batman, for those not reading the
Batman Strikes book, and with it having the lowest price point of
the Batman books (not the family, but Batman specific), it is a wonderful
place to start drawing in new readers, but that is just my own opinion
and not a strike against the work done by the team here. Collected,
this would be a good entry level story. -KEVIN-
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X23 #3
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
Writer: Craig
Kyle
Pencils: Chris
Yost
Inks: Billy
Tan
I just wanted to take a moment to say that at first I was against
this series, seing it as nothing more than another attempt to cash
in on the “X” franchise and milk that cash cow. Now that
I am three issues in, I am actually finding that I am enjoying the
title. Much credit goes to the creative team for making that possible,
since when it comes to the 350 X titles each month, I’m a little
jaded. X23 has passed her first test by executing her sensei last
issue, and now she has been sent out on several missions, doing what
she has been trained for. She’s the second best at what she
does, her genetic father is first. -KEVIN-
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Fantastic Four #523
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
Writer: Mark
Waid
Pencils: Mark
Wieringo
Inks: Karl
Kesel
Only one issue left from this team, and I am sad about it. This run
has been one of the most fun I can remember in a long time. Granted
there were a couple of bumps in the road, but overall, this has been
great stuff to read. Galactus, I mean, Galen, as he has been stripped
of his cosmic powers by Reed and Quasar, is being introduced to what
humanity is like. Sure it’s clichéd and somewhat predictable,
but the outcome is still enjoyable. The threat of Galactus may be
gone for the time being, but the team is left with other problems
as Reed attempts to switch back Sue and Johnny’s powers, leaving
the set up for their last issue as a team (the creators) as an interesting
set up for their send off. I can’t tell you how much I’ve
enjoyed the work this team has turned out from month to month, if
you can, chase down the back issues or get the trades and find out
why, for a time, it again became the world’s greatest comics
magazine (I know a little over the top- but it was still good stuff).
-KEVIN-
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Al n'
Ann's Collectibles
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Friday
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McHenry,IL 60050
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