Each week, the staff of Comic Vine reviews a whole bunch of books. What we like to do is sum up everything for you here and give you a few extra, quick reviews. What did we think about this week's books and television shows? Find out now!
Quick Reviews
What a way to end the series. The story that Joelle Jones and Jamie S. Rich set up has been fantastic. The idea of a 1950s housewife secretly working as an assassin-for-hire has been a thrill ride. Jones’ art with the incredible colors by Laura Allred has been breathtaking. There is plenty of depth to the story as Josie, the “lady killer” has tried to leave her ‘job’ and there is plenty of action and, yes, killing in this issue. The series may be over but there is hope for another arc/miniseries in the future. Pick up these issues if you haven’t and/or pick up the trade when it becomes available (which looks like it’ll be in September). (By Tony Guerrero)
More of the story is unfolding. As we’ve been wondering how all this fits in with the current DC continuity, we see Brainiac’s planet slowly making it’s way into the DCU. With Brainiac imprisoned, Deimos in charge, the tables have turned. The heroes from the various worlds no longer have to fight each other. But that doesn’t mean the fighting is over as Deimos has more up his sleeve. We’re also seeing more on Earth 2 Dick Grayson, what’s up with him? What’s being set up there? And who is Tellos really? The question is hanging and hopefully we’ll get a satisfying answer. There is more of a direction felt in the series but it still feels like we’re waiting for something to happen. The ten pages of ads at the end was a pretty big let down as well. It’s likely because there were a lot of two-page spreads in the issue but it gives the illusion of a lot of filler pages at the end. (By Tony Guerrero)
The first comes to a satisfying conclusion. We’ve seen Angela on the run with her angel friend, Sera (who was recently resurrected). The reason they were on the run and have raised the wrath of Odin, Odinson, and pretty much all of Asgard is because she kidnapped Odin and Freyja’s new born daughter. Now that we know the reason why and saw what she did, there will still be a price for Angela to pay. Oh, and don’t think you’ve seen all the revelations so far as one will pretty much smack you upside the head. Kieron Gillen and Marguerite Bennett’s writing has been captivating and the art by Phil Jimenez and Stephanie Hans has been gorgeous. What this arc sets up for the next one has us intrigued for sure. (By Tony Guerrero)
Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples has a way of emotionally stringing the reader along and then giving them these insanely depressing moments that are also incredibly beautiful, much like this particular issue of SAGA, which we won't spoil, obviously. We get to meet The Stalk's older brother in this issue, as he teams up with The Will's sister, The Brand, and the rest of her crew. The characters here are so interesting and very unique, and while the main cast is separated, the journeys these characters take are the reason you'll get glued to the book. As always, Fiona Staples' art is masterful and I love seeing her character creations as well. SAGA continues to be a book everyone should read because it's downright brilliant. (By Mat Elfring)
CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE MIGHTY AVENGERS #8
This was a Last Days issue that allows creative teams to finish up their stories while SECRET WARS kicks in to full gear. The first half of this issue is just a really nice catch-up for SECRET WARS and everything that's been happening at Marvel with the Illuminati as Steve Rogers fills everyone in with the past year or so of behind-the-scenes info. The rest of the issue revolves around White Tiger and Power Man and gives a full scope to everything as the days count down until Battleworld begins. Luke Ross and Rachelle Rosenberg provide some great art and overall, I really enjoyed Al Ewing had this issue play out. (By Mat Elfring)
SAGA offered a pretty sad ending this month and BIRTHRIGHT continues the tradition this week of trying to get readers to become blubbering babies. I don't want to ruin anything, but writer Joshua Williamson knows how to hook readers in and keep them on the edge of their seats. Brendan and Mikey are still on their own, but one of the moments that I really enjoyed in this issue was seeing their mother piece together where her sons could be. Again, this book is conceptually brilliant and executed wonderfully. Plus, if you like art, Andrei Bressan and Adriano Lucas kill it on every issue. This is a must read book, right along the same ranks as SAGA. (By Mat Elfring)
Television
The Flash Episode #122: "Rogue Air"
This was overall one of the better episodes of the season because so much of the season-long stories all came together and it all paid off in a big way. Those criminals Barry was capturing all season long finally came back, in a completely different way, and we finally got to see that Flash/Reverse Flash battle we've been waiting for. Where do we go from here now? What is next week going to offer that's going to top this episode?
Check out the full review here.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode #221 & #222: "S.O.S."
As a whole, the season did consistently improve. They did some ambitious things with setting up the Inhumans already and escalating the war between them and SHIELD. A lot was settled and we're left with some interesting cliffhangers to keep on waiting for the return of the show. If we will be seeing more superpowers on the show next season, those complaining about the lack of it should be happy.
Part 1 full review is here.
Part 2 full review is here.
Round-Up Reviews
The answer is finally out but the story is not over yet. Jason Aaron has carefully laid out the groundwork for this mystery. There may have been clues and signs along with some misdirects but now readers can digest the information for themselves. There is still more to discover with this character in this role. There will be some consequences from the actions in this issue and now we have to patiently wait for the next issue to see where things go from here. Russell Dauterman's art and Mathew Wilson's colors are fantastic. There is a lot of fighting and it looks great but it felt like it was mainly to fill some time until we get to the moment between the new Thor and Odinson. Regardless, the more I read of this new Thor, the more fascinated I become. Now with the revelation out of the way, we can focus on what this all means and where Jason Aaron is going to take the story next. This book is a blast to read.
Check out the full review here.
Dead Hand moves forward and is still a great arc for X-O MANOWAR. It may not have the same have the same impact as previous issues, but it's a solid read. One of the problems for this book is that it's coming out of the ARMOR HUNTERS event, so it can be hard to follow something so large and epic. Regardless, Venditti, Bernard, Winn, and Reber do some fine storytelling here, even if this issue was more about build up over anything else. X-O MANOWAR continues to be Valiant's stand-out book for me. You seriously should be reading this.
Check out the full review here.
BILL & TED'S MOST TRIUMPHANT RETURN #3
BILL & TED'S MOST TRIUMPHANT RETURN is a solid and fun series for those who loved the movies. It plays extremely well to its fans and manages to capture the tone of the films, which translates exceptionally well to comic books. What makes this issue exceptionally excellent is the fact the hook at the end is leading to bigger and better things, something the first couple of issues didn't really do for readers. This book is on the up and up and if you're looking for a fun read, then check this issue out.
Check out the full review here.
There's so much to see here. It's not just hero fighting hero. The other areas of Battleworld are being set up but there's a deep story going on here as well. Hickman, like the 'god' character we see here is creating a fascinating story with the idea of Battleworld and how each area relates to one another. The more you see, the more you want to see. Hickman makes it hard not to be excited. Esad Ribic's art and Ive Svorcina's colors gives this a great vibe. If you are craving more big fights, it looks like you'll be getting some of that as well as Hickman continues to set the stage for big things.
Check out the full review here.
It’s good to start getting a sense of how others perceive Silk, particularly if she’s going to be sustaining her own solo series, but it’s even better to start get a better sense of how she perceives herself. There’s been a lot of great reactionary events in the last three issues, but this is the first time when her sense of self really feels like it’s calcifying, and it’s making the character even more intriguing. Though the frantic pace of the issue makes it sometimes feel like she needs a breather from this breather, it still does a great job continuing her character development.
Check out the full review here.
This issue could have been a classic had it stuck to what this series has done best: framing critical, important action around the kind of person Magneto either is or wishes to be. As it stands, it’s still a fantastic read for fans of the Master of Magnetism, and seeing him interact with his often neglected child is great, but needing to adhere to a certain set of rules and limitations imposed by an outside story ultimately hurts it.
Check out the full review here.
The second reveal at the end of the issue is shocking enough to render the first almost irrelevant, but this is still a solid, great issue featuring some amazing action and even a few chuckles. Unless the ball is entirely dropped next issue, this storyline will have been one of the best, if not the best, in Darth Vader’s comic book story history. The combination of character development, power utilization and great new characters have all been building to this issue, and while the payoff is a little uneven, it still feels like the journey has been worth it.
Check out the full review here.
CONVERGENCE GREEN LANTERN/PARALLAX #2
Convergence: Parralax/Green Lantern is a fun issue and nothing more. It falls victim to the Convergence formula which ultimately either leaves the reader a bit disappointed and wanting more because each story feels so rushed or wondering why the story exists in the first place. The dialogue is fine and the battles are fun with some solid art, but in the end, it's a two issue story featuring some great characters that ultimately falls flat because it's as trapped within the formula as the characters were within their cities. If you like these characters, for sure, check this issue out, but this wasn't as essential a read as I originally projected.
Check out the full review here.
If you're looking for a great series with insane and over the top action and adventures, you really need to be reading CHRONONAUTS. Mark Millar and Sean Murphy throw out the traditional rules about time travel and pretty much let it all hang out (just look at the cover). Sean Murphy's art is incredible. I just can't get enough of this series. It's unfortunate there's only one more issue. Hopefully we'll see more really really soon. If you're not reading this book, you need to fix that right away.
Check out the full review here.
If you're looking for a great comic to read that also has the Collector crying, then this is the issue for you. Sure, Peter and Kitty aren't a part of the issue, but the Victoria and Collector story stands on its own and it's actually an incredibly fun issue with a great sense of humor, minus the flashback scenes. Those are actually a bit depressing, but give better insight into Victoria and J-Son's relationship. I cannot wait to see what's in store for Peter and Kitty post-Secret Wars, as well as J-Son and Victoria. I highly recommend this issue.
Check out the full review here.
CONVERGENCE: SHADOW OF THE BAT #2
This isn’t a bad issue by any stretch, and it has a very, very strong concept at its core, and it’s such a strong concept that it actually winds up carrying a great deal of the title. The strength of the action also helps, but it can’t overcome an overall lackluster cast of characters nor the times where the visuals fail. It’s worth reading if there’s a pre-existing fandom for either of these groups, but the characters don’t come through enough to achieve greatness.
Check out the full review here.
INJECTION is easily one of the weirder books I've read this year. At first, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but as I digested the contents of the piece, I began to start to see what makes this issue something readers should throw on their pull list. Seeing Ellis, Shalvey, and Bellaire working together again is a breath of fresh air and while this first issue didn't blow me away, it's something I am really want to continue reading, and that's what matters. This is some of Shalvey and Bellaire's best work to date, so while INJECTION may not be a book that appeals to everyone, I highly recommend checking this first issue out and sticking with it to see how it plays out.
Check out the full review here.
That's it for this week's Review Round-Up. We'll see you again next Thursday!
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