A Suicide Squad #8 Micro-Review – Still Buggin’ Me

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Suicide Squad 8, cover, 2021, Gerald ParelTITLE: Suicide Squad #8
AUTHOR: Robbie Thompson
ARTISTS: Eduardo Pansica, Dexter Soy, Julio Ferriera (Inker), Marcelo Maiolo (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Variant cover by Gerald Parnel.
RELEASED: October 19, 2021

Sadly, Ambush Bug’s meta narration was no more tolerable this time around. It’s to the point where I’m actually debating dropping Suicide Squad for the time being. I’m sure Thompson is having fun with it. But I’m certainly not.

On the upside, the issue is fun to look at. The Eduardo Pansica/Dexter Soy combination do right by Peacemaker especially. But it’s also fun getting to see them draw Swamp Thing, Bizarro Superboy, Talon, among others.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Weekly Comic 100s: Future State: Teen Titans #2

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

TITLE: Future State: Teen Titans #2
AUTHOR: Tim Sheridan
ARTISTS: Rafa Sandoval, Julio Ferreira (Inker), Alejandro Sanchez (Colorist), Rob Leigh
RELEASED: February 9, 2021

The plot got lost for me on this one. We’ve got Nightwing running around in a Deathstroke mask for no real reason, a bunch of dead characters to mourn, and too many surviving characters to keep track of.

How about this: Leave Nightwing out entirely. He’s got his own book, and it doesn’t really mesh here too well. Do Cybeast (see last issue), Starfire, and a few of the surviving young heroes. Let them take on…whoever the big enemy is here?

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Weekly Comic 100s: Superman, TMNT, Something is Killing the Children, and More!

***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

TITLE: Superman #25
AUTHOR: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTISTS: Ivan Reis, Julio Ferriera & Danny Miki (Inkers), Alex Sinclair (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer)
RELEASED: September 8, 2020

Apparently in the post-New 52 continuity, or whatever continuity we’re in right now, Clark Kent and Lana Lang haven’t been in touch for awhile. Though apparently she was still Superwoman at one point…

For a couple pages here, Ivan Reis gets to take on Clark’s Smallville days. That’s pretty cool. Less cool? He also draws the New 52 Superman costume. Though thankfully it looks less like armor.

I’ll be sad to see Bendis’ run on the Superman books end in December. He did right by the Man of Steel.

TITLE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #109
AUTHOR: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz (Story Consultants)
ARTISTS: Jodi Nishijima, Ronda Pattison (Colorist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)
RELEASED: September 9, 2020

It continues to amaze me how this book is breaking the mold of what a TMNT story can be. What we’ve been getting lately is something more akin to a later issue of The Walking Dead. They’re trying to build a new society from the ground up.

Michaelangelo, for all intents and purposes, starts a Mutant Town podcast in this issue. That. Is. Genius.

TITLE: Something is Killing the Children #10
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto
RELEASED: September 9, 2020

“While you worry about the rules, real people are getting hurt.”

Good line.

This is the first issue of Something is Killing the Children that I think went a little too far with the gore. We actually see a child get murdered in supernatural, yet still pretty brutal, fashion. I still dig the book at large, but that took me right out of the issue.

TITLE: Batman: The Adventures Continue #12
AUTHOR: Alan Burnett, Paul Dini
ARTISTS: Ty Templeton, Monica Kubina (Colorist), Josh Reed (Letterer)
RELEASED: September 11, 2020

We start getting into the nitty gritty of what the Joker does to Jason Todd in this issue. Harley Quinn is written as having a problem with it. That’s the first move Burnett and Dini have made that I really don’t buy.

I love that for the flashbacks where Jason is Robin, they switched Batman’s costume back to the old Batman: The Animated Series design. Great little continuity touch.

All in all, I really like the DCAU spin they’ve put on A Death in the Family. And it looks like they’re about to stick the landing.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Weekly Comic 100s: Wonder Woman #750, Guardians of the Galaxy #1, and More!

***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

With the release of Wonder Woman #750, our resident Amazon Princess had a pretty big week. It was a 96-page issue consisting of multiple short stories, filled with A-list talent. Something like that doesn’t exactly lend itself to a 100-word format. So, as we lead off with it here, I’m going to focus on the story that I liked the best, and will hopefully have a sizeable impact on the DCU going forward. It’s titled “A Brave New World.”

TITLE: Wonder Woman #750
AUTHOR (For Our Purposes): Scott Snyder
ARTISTS (For Our Purposes):
Bryan Hitch, Mike Spicer (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer). Cover by Joelle Jones.
RELEASED:
January 22, 2020

It’s always surreal to see a real-life US President in a superhero comic book. Having FDR in this book was no exception. What’s more it worked, setting the period well, and helping create the monumental moment they wanted.

This story establishes Diana as the world’s first superhero, an an inspiration for generations. I’m all for establishing more of a firm timeline for the DCU. With the New 52, everything was so vague and uncertain. This is a step up, and gives Wondie a nice notch on her belt. What’s more, it opens up plenty of new story opportunities…

TITLE: Guardians of the Galaxy #1
AUTHOR: Al Ewing
ARTISTS:
Juann Cabal, Federico Blee (Colorist) Cory Petit (Letterer)
RELEASED:
January 22, 2020

For someone diving into a Guardians book for the first time in awhile, this was a challenge to follow. Lots of talk about the “Kree Civil War,” the “Cancerverse,” etc.

Still, the familial bond between the Guardians, Quill and Rocket specifically, is enough to get you through. Rocket’s more fashionable look is actually pretty cool. He’s almost got a secret agent vibe to him.

Question: What’s up with Gamora’s eyes? Is that just how they’re coloring her now?

TITLE: Batman #87
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Guillem March, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer). Cover by Tony Daniel.
RELEASED: January 22, 2020

I’ll be honest: I’m not a Guillem March fan. I soured on him when he did the New 52 Catwoman series. So his art took me out of the issue. His Penguin is a little too monsterish for me, and his Riddler was a little too…veiny?

Still, I’m digging this story with all the assassins in Gotham. There’s a definite aura of danger in the air. Cheshire was put over nicely in this issue, despite how things end up for her.

The Bat-books as a whole are also doing a nice job emphasizing Alfred’s absence.

TITLE: American Jesus #2 (of 3)
AUTHOR: Mark Millar
ARTISTS:
Peter Gross, Jeanne McGee (Colorist), Cory Petit (Letterer). Cover by Jodie Muir and Matteo Scalera.
RELEASED:
January 22, 2020

Ugh. I’ve got to start paying better attention to issue numbering. Three issues? That’s all we’re getting? That sucks. It really sucks. There’s potential for a whole series here. But we’re only going to scratch the surface.

I’ve you’ve seen The Path on Hulu, this issue reminded of that. We get a time jump, and our teenaged would-be Messiah is at the center of a cult housed in a secure compound. But of course, she’s a teenager. So she can’t just stay in the compound.

All I can say is they’d better really stick the landing on this one.

TITLE: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #47
AUTHOR:
Ryan Parrott
ARTISTS:
Daniele Di Nicuolo, Walter Baiamonte (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer). Cover by Jamal Campbell.
RELEASED:
January 22, 2020

Awesome cover, with our nine Rangers together. Now that the big secret is out, there’s potential for some really cool moments between the current team and the Omega Rangers. Case in point, we get a pretty cool interaction between Trini and Aisha in this issue.

I’ve become a huge fan of Daniele Di Nicuolo. But in this issue we get the first panel from him that I don’t like. It’s a shot of Tommy sneering at Jason. It’s both ill-executed and I’ll conceived. Tommy doesn’t really sneer, does he? He’s more of a glare guy.

TITLE: Superman #18
AUTHOR: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTISTS: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado (Co-Inker), Danny Miki (Co-Inker), Julio Ferriera (Co-Inker), Oclair Albert (Co-Inker), Alex Sinclair (Colorist), Andworld Design (Letterer)
RELEASED:
January 22, 2020

This issue is essentially split in half. The first is dedicated to Superman revealing his identity to the world last issue. The second involves his role in the United Planets. The latter features a pretty awesome fight with Mongul.

I might have to call BS on the public’s reaction to Superman’s “unmasking.” In part, at least. Maybe Bendis simply hasn’t gotten to this point in the story yet, but it feels like there should be more hysteria. Clark’s family and friends being harassed for information, etc. People aren’t so calm about secrets like this. Trust me. I’ve met a few.

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