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Comic Book Reviews For The Week of 3/30/11

This week's comics reviewed today.

It's been a crazy day. WonderCon is fast approaching and we've been busy making plans and figuring out our schedule. As you know, New Comics Day doesn't go away when a convention approaches. Because we're so lucky, there were some amazing books that came out this week including so many I didn't have a chance to read yet (you should see the stack I'm bringing home today).  
 
Unfortunately because of WonderCon planning and other events that popped up, we have a little less reviews than we normally do. Sara's been busy setting up our secret WonderCon party. Zack has acquired a new job that might make buying and reviewing comics immediately on Wednesday's difficult. Mat had some other obligations that couldn't be avoided as well. The good news is Ray "StrongProtector" Carsillo is now joining our review team. The more voices you guys get to hear from, the better idea you'll have on the new books. So let's check out what we were able to review so far. 

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Detective Comics #875 

I simply can't get enough. We all know Commissioner Gordon is a great character but this spotlight on him and his son brings something new to the Batman comics. Each time I read an issue I get little shakes of anticipation for the next one. I know you often see the "you should buy this book" but in this case, you should be. If you've been getting overwhelmed by all the different Batman and Batman related titles on the shelves today and have been passing on Detective Comics, seriously do yourself a favor and pick up all of the Scott Snyder issues. You won't regret it.   

To read Tony's full review, click here
 
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Avengers #11 

Avengers #11 harkens back to a classic Marvel story arc and sees more heroes than ever trying to prevent the unthinkable from happening. With an epic battle between the Red Hulk and Parker Robbins serving as the background for a lot of Watcher narration, this would actually be a great spot for someone to jump into this arc as the first half of the book will bring you up to speed on all you need to know from here on out. If you’ve been reading this book though, they try to apologize for the replay session by forwarding the plot tremendously in the last half by uncovering the remaining gems and throwing in a surprise villain reveal that will make fans of the original Infinity Gauntlet arc squeal in delight.  

To read Ray's full review, click here
 
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Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #8 

This is quickly becoming my favorite of the Green Lantern books. It's great to see another side to this massive team of "space police," and even better to see Guy Gardner, Kilowog, and Arisia lead their own book. You will not be able to put this book down. This may not be the best place to jump on though for new readers. Being that this is part three of a story, you may be a little confused to what is happening and why. However, you really should pick up the other two books because I'm loving this storyline, and moreso, I'm loving Emerald Warriors.

To read Mat's full review, click here
  
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Kick-Ass 2 #2 

Maybe it was the gap between this issue and the first but I was expecting a little more. What's great is the addition of a team of people wanting to be heroes adds a new element that separates this story from the last series. Millar continues to tease us with the upcoming major confrontation that we caught a glimpse of in the first issue. The art and colors are great here and the different locations and settings adds a sense of reality to the city that Kick-Ass lives in. We are getting some build up and should get some big(er) action next issue.

To read Tony's full review, click here
 
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Gotham City Sirens #21 

Unfortunately, this predictable storyline and outcome left me feeling a little flat after reading it and unless it gets back to the nice and balanced three-character dynamic that it had in the beginning instead of the current rotating stories centering around each individual villainess and having the other two as side-pieces, this could be one of the last issues I pick up for this monthly. Only diehard fans of Batman’s Rogues Gallery rehashing their same gimmicks repeatedly will probably find this comic consistently enjoyable.   

To read Ray's full review, click here.  
 
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American Vampire #13 

I can't believe I didn't start reading this book right away. There was some buzz right as it came out so I was buying the issues but didn't get around to reading right away. Once I did, I was kicking myself for waiting (even though it meant I could enjoy them in one sitting). I've said it before and I'll say it again, the idea of vampires in today's media is a tired concept but this is clearly something different. The idea of the American Vampiresadds something new. Now that we're in the WWII time period, things are going to change. You'll find yourself turning each page slowly as the anticipation of what might happen next builds up as the story progresses. Snyder's story along with Albuquerque's art gives a feeling that all is right in the world...or at least in the world of comics. This is far from your typical vampire story and clearly shows that old concepts can be made fresh and exciting.

To read Tony's full review, click here
 
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Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #1

Godzilla fans finally have a comic they can be proud of! This entertaining piece is a great start to a new series. It's the perfect jump-on point for anyone. You can literally know nothing about Godzilla and have no trouble following along with this book since it's the equivalent to the Ultimate series. I highly recommend this book.   

To read Mat's full review, click here.  
 
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Action Comics #899 

It's unfortunate that soon Lex will no longer have his own comic. Sure Action Comics belongs to Superman and he's been away for a while. Paul Cornell has shown us that it is possible for a villain to carry a book and it's been great seeing Lex go on his quest for power. This is an area of focus we don't normally get to see, even when the villains reveal all their plans to the heroes prior to their defeat. Jesus Merino shines in both the action and talking scenes. The ending leaves you hanging and should guarantee that you'll be back for the next issue. If anything, this issue shows why Lex deserves to have more time in the spotlight in his own title. 

To read Tony's full review, click here
 
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Wolverine #7 

For a book that did a great job of holding your attention and kept you guessing through its first six issues, Wolverine #7 makes some very predictable turns. If you have been reading Wolverine up to this point then this issue forwards the plot enough to make it worthwhile, but newcomers to the series should look to hold off until the beginning of the next arc.   

To read Ray's full review, click here.   

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Darth Vader and the Lost Command #3 

If you're looking for some younger Darth Vader action, that is what you'll get here. We've seen the character before and after becoming the Dark Lord of the Sith but it's the time period in between the two trilogies that we haven't seen much of. There is a great combination of meshing the brash Anakin Skywalker with the calm but deadly Darth Vader. The story lacks a great enemy due to the time period but we are left with a great cliffhanger that promises intense action in the next issue. Leonardi delivers familiar characters and vehicles from the Star Wars Universe while still retaining his style rather than just mimic what would be expected. If this is any indication of what we can expect in the stories between the two trilogies, sign me up for more.     

To read Tony's full review, click here
 
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Savage Dragon #170 

The Savage Dragon continues to show that superhero books can be successful outside of the Big Two. For 170 issues now, we had the consistent quality that only Erik Larsen can deliver. You get a sense that, perhaps partly because he owns the characters, he really cares about what's going on in the series. You might have heard that Savage Dragon is dead so now we're seeing the series continue with his fourteen year-old son, which also goes to show that time does exist in this series. The characters aren't stuck in a nice safe comic book bubble. Unfortunately I don't hear a lot of people talking about this series but this issue provides a jumping on point of sorts and is something more should check out.  

To read Tony's full review, click here.