A mixture of catch-up titles and also a handful of new releases. A nice selection, too, ticking off fantasy, sci-fi, military action, thrillers, and more – not only that, they were all pretty good issues as well.
Reviewed: After the Fire Special, Battle Beasts #1, The Cape 1969 #1, The Crow #1, G.I.Joe #15, Magic The Gathering: Spell Thief #1, Memorial #6, Smoke & Mirrors #4, Snake Eyes #14
Quite a busy week for comics – partly because of the free ones I got on Free Comic Book Day, but also a good selection of others that I had a chance to catch up on. Unfortunately, I read and reviewed these over a pretty stressful couple of days, so some of the reviews are rather short. If you’d like to know more, leave a comment and I’ll expand on the issue in question.
This was my first year able to attend FCBD, and it was… Eye-opening. For one, it’s a superb idea, and one that I hope continues for a very long time, if not forever. It’s a great way to check out some new and upcoming titles and, as in my case, some older titles – as long as you get to your local comic store(s) early. It was manic at Jim Hanley’s Universe, and I went late in the day! Midtown’s Grand Central location was empty (and way too hot), but that’s because they’d run out of free comic books (I did pick up the Ultimate Spider-Man issue there for free, though). So, anyway. Without further ado, here are some comics from this and last week…
Reviewed: Action Comics #9, Avenging Spider-Man #6, Batman: Detective Comics #766 (FCBD), Fanboys vs. Zombies #2, G.I.Joe #13, Higher Earth #1, Memorial #5, The New 52 #1 (FCBD), Night of 1,000 Wolves #1, The Punisher #10, Superboy #8, Supurbia #3, Teen Titans Annual #1, Trio #1, Ultimate Spider-Man #160 (FCBD)
“FCBD” = an issue I got on Free Comic Book Day
Another mixed bag, though this time rather Marvel- and IDW-heavy. (The week’s second round-up will be a lot more diverse.) I enjoyed most of these comics, but for some reason a couple didn’t really ignite my usual level of interest. I’m not sure if this is a result of lingering Man Flu symptoms, or if a couple of these issues just didn’t stack up to past experience. Regardless, let us get on with the reviews in this first (slightly late) Comics Round-Up…
Reviewed Herein: Avengers Assemble #1, Defenders #4, Infestation: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2, Memorial #4, Monocyte #3, Road Rage #2, Smoke & Mirrors #1, Snake Eyes #11, Amazing Spider-Man #680-1
Along with these new issues (all of which are pretty great), this week I’ve been reading some older material for a series of reviews looking at series beginnings. Those will start cropping up on the blog over the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes open for them. Anyway, without further ado, I give you a great evil-superhero collection, another fairy tale-inspired weird journey, and some ninja beat-downs.
A second round-up will go live later today, taking a look at the Zenescope releases.
Reviewed Herein: Irredeemable Vol.8, Memorial #3, Snake Eyes #10
A very nice and varied selection of new titles again this week. International terrorist syndicates, thrill-seeking female agents, a lost young lady in a bizarre world, frightfully British spies, and robots in disguise. I also catch up this week with a review I’ve keep forgetting to include – Josh Fialkov’s excellent Last of the Greats (issues one and two).
Reviewed Herein: Cobra #9, Danger Girl:Revolver #1, Last of the Greats #1-2, Memorial #2, Steed & Mrs Peel #1, Transformers: Autocracy #1, Y The Last Man #1
[Warning: There are some minor spoilers for G.I.Joe & Cobra readers.]
A magic new title
Writer: Chris Roberson | Artist: Rich Ellis
Memorial is the story of Em, a young woman who arrives at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, with no memory of her past. A year later, she has rebuilt her life, only to find her existence thrown into turmoil after she inherits a magical shop. The kind that appears in an alley one instance and disappears the next.
This debut issue has been quite highly anticipated by many comic readers, myself included, and I was very glad when I finally got my hands on a copy. It didn’t disappoint. That being said, it’s rather difficult to think of how to write about it without spoiling or describing everything.
It’s mostly setting the scene, so there are revelations aplenty, as well as some needed exposition (all dressed up perfectly as story and in some great artwork). The writing is tight and brisk, with some nice touches sprinkled throughout for anyone with an interest in classic fables, fantasy, and other literary allusions, only with a few original twists. The characters are shaping up in interesting ways, even though many of them will need some time before they are properly fleshed out (Em does, after all, have no memory).
Memorial is a series that has a lot of potential, and I’ll be watching it closely. At only 22 pages, this first issue is a tantalising glimpse into a new and interesting fantasy setting. Some people might have wanted more from a first issue, but my interest has been piqued enough for me to come back to it next time.
Recommended.
Visit IDW’s special Memorial website for more information and features.
