That’s a rather grand title. Rather than some deep analysis of why super-heroes should be based and from all over the world, this was just inspired by the fact that a). three super-heroes (at least) have re-located, and b). New York and Gotham have become ridiculously over-populated by super-heroes in Marvel’s and DC’s lines.
On a whim, I decided to try three of Marvel’s new re-boot issues: Avengers, Captain America and Thunderbolts.
My choice to read these wasn’t particularly scientific – it was purely down to whichever first issues the Barnes & Noble I was in at the time had in stock. These were the three (they had a couple of second issues, but I wasn’t prepared to go traipsing around Manhattan to find the first issues of those series*). Overall, I’m actually quite impressed with the three titles I tried. It bodes well.
* And by “traipsing”, I mean walk three blocks to Forbidden Planet…
Skottie Young’s Awesome Variant Art for these Issues
Frank Castle’s Continued Crusade against Megacrime
Writers: Greg Rucka & Mark Waid | Artist: Matthew Clark, Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, Matthew South-worth, Marco Checchetto, Mirko Colak | Colours: Matt Hollingsworth
A fallen Frank Castle learns the hidden truths of the Exchange and how it’s connected to some of the Marvel Universe’s darkest secrets! Then, when ex-Hydra and AIM agents team up to bring down the Punisher, Frank finds himself up against a soldier who’s more like him than either of them realize. And when the Exchange targets the Punisher with some unique technology, things get loud.
Finally, Punisher clashes with Spider-Man and Daredevil in an epic chase across Manhattan for a mysterious treasure that could change all their lives! Forced to work with two Avengers, the Punisher makes a promise: “Trust no one hurt everyone.” The three heroes set their sights on a blitzkrieg takedown of New York crime, but who says they’re all working together?
I really enjoyed the first volume of Rucka’s Punisher series – it had everything many Marvel comics lack: darkness, grit, and a definitely adult storyline that made no attempt to appeal to all ages. It was brutal and arresting from the very first page. This second collection continues the story in fine style, but at the same time it didn’t feel quite as focused, for some reason. Nevertheless, if you’re a fan of the series, Rucka’s writing and Checchetto’s artwork, then this would be a worthy addition to your collection.
Collects: The Punisher #6-10, Daredevil #11 & Avenging Spider-Man #6
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
Writer: Greg Rucka | Artist: Marco Checchetto | Colours: Matt Hollingsworth
For Frank Castle death comes easy... life is where things get complicated.
As New York City’s body counts continue to rise, the city’s streets are teeming with more methodical criminals than ever and a police force doing its best to keep its head above water. The Punisher has returned to serve his own brand of justice with everything he’s got... but can he survive the darkness stored in his own arsenal?
Plus bonus pages exploring some of the new personalities in Frank’s life ... and how closely intertwined living is with dying.
I really enjoyed Rucka’s work on Batwoman: Elegy, so when I saw that he was writing this run on The Punisher, I decided to check it out. This was the first time I’ve ever read any of the series, but I was familiar with the character from the occasional guest appearance in other series as well as the first movie. I must say, it far exceeded my already high expectations – this is an engaging, nuanced story, brought to life with beautiful, atmospheric artwork.
A long time ago, I read a Spider-Man comic. It was connected to the Operation: Zero Tolerance Marvel event, and I quite liked it. Since then, I haven’t read a single Spider-Man comic. This will, this week, change – now that I’ve actually figured out which one I’d like to read, I’ll be trying out Amazing Spider-Man and Avenging Spider-Man. In the meantime, here’s a first-look at the cover of Avenging Spider-Man #6, which sees the beginning of The Omega Effect:
Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Punisher? Awesome! (Speaking of Daredevil, I’ll be reading and reviewing the first volume of Mark Waid’s run on the series in the next couple of weeks.) Here are three previews of internal pages – look at all the ninjas!
