Thursday 25 July 2013

Comic Book Reviews for 7/24/13

We're back! We survived Comic-Con! It was a joyous time, but now it's back to the real world. This week, Marvel released Hunger, a new mini-series that finds the Earth 616 Galactus chomping his way through the Ultimate Universe. In addition, we got a Hawkeye annual, the next chapter of Wolverine and the X-Men's Hellfire Saga, and the launch of the Superior Spider-Man's new team-up book.

At DC, Trinity War continued in Justice League Dark, Alex Maleev drew a Batman book, and Batman/Superman continued to impress. Plus, the Rocketeer and the Spirit teamed up for the first time ever!

You might notice we're down a reviewer this week, so feel free to fill in the gaps by contributing reviews on your IGN blogs!

Join in on the IGN Community reviews!

DC COMICS

All-Star Western #22

All-Star-Western_22_FullWritten by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti | Art by Moritat

"I suppose it should have been obvious that if Booster Gold could wind up back in Jonah Hex's era, it would only be a matter of time before Hex himself was dragged into the future. Hex fans who miss the straightforward days of the character's pre-New 52 series might grimace at the thought of Hex parading about 21st Century Gotham, but Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are able to mine a great deal of fun out of this latest twist on the 'man out of time' formula." -Jesse

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Final Score:

8.5

Aquaman #22

Aquaman_22_FullWritten by Geoff Johns | Art by Paul Pelletier

"It turns out Gypsy Danger from Pacific Rim isn’t the only one who can use a colossal ship as a weapon. Aquaman takes on the Dead King in a glorious underwater battle, and as each blow is struck, another answer is given to who this icy old man is and why he’s here. Of course, with each answer, we get a dozen new questions, so while this is a fun issue, it does get a tad tedious when the Dead King plays the “I know something you don’t know!” game the whole time. This 'Death of a King' arc has been rocking Aquaman’s world, and with the close of this action packed chapter, it turns topsy-turvy once more." -Joshua

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Final Score:

8.0

Batman/Superman #2

Batman_Superman_2_FullWritten by Greg Pak | Art by Jae Lee

"With last issue’s twist being enough to make your brain cramp up with confusion, it’s a relief that writer Greg Pak smoothly picks up from there and continues to develop an intriguing supernatural story. It’s an even bigger relief that Pak has started Batman/Superman out with such an atypical and ambitious story instead of something more run-of-the-mill. The result is a character-focused adventure to some place unknown yet familiar and undeniably cool." -Joshua

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Final Score:

8.5

Batman: The Dark Knight #22

Batman_The-Dark-Knight_22-673x1024Written by Gregg Hurwitz | Art by Alex Maleev

"Batman: The Dark Knight continues to boast some of the most high-profile artists of the many Batman titles. Issue #22 welcomes Alex Maleev on board for a Clayface-focused storyline that loosely follows up on the villain's recent return in the pages of Batman. But a new artist and a new storyline can't quite help this series shake off its ongoing storytelling woes." -Jesse

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Final Score:

6.2

Catwoman #22

Catwoman_22-674x1024Written by Ann Nocenti | Art by Rafa Sandoval

"Every now and then, you come across a comic book that defies your expectations. Sometimes, there's a plot twist so brilliant, you find yourself reeling in its wake. Other times, the strength of the narrative sneaks up on you, silently and subtly, so that when you turn the very last page, you're just a little bit different than when you started reading the first. Catwoman #22, written by Ann Nocenti, is not one of those books. It defies your expectations, but in a way that leaves you scratching your head and asking, 'What on Earth did I just read?'" -Melissa

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Final Score:

5.5

Constantine #5

Constantine_5Written by Ray Fawkes | Art by Renato Guedes

"First thing's first -- don't read Constantine #5 until you've read Justice League Dark #22. This Trinity War tie-in issue spins directly out of the third chapter as Constantine and Shazam venture off on their own. But while there's some entertainment value to be had in the oddball pairing, this issue doesn't seem to have much to add to the larger Trinity War picture." -Jesse

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Final Score:

6.5

The Flash #22

The-Flash_22-674x1024Written by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato | Art by Francis Manapul

"Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, the creative team behind The Flash, are starting to get on my nerves. We're 22 issues in, and I'm starting to run out of ways to describe how beautifully crafted this book is. Visually, The Flash #22 is as stunning as we've come to expect from this duo, and the story is picking up speed as Barry Allen careens into a confrontation with the man who's been hunting down the people who'd been trapped in the Speed Force. Barry and Iris West now both have targets painted on their backs, and their proximity might prove to be problematic for his relationship with Patty Spivot." -Melissa

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Final Score:

9.0

The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires #3

The-Green-Team_Teen-Trillionaires_3-674x1024Written by Art Baltazar & Franco | Art by Ig Guara

"We're three issues in and it's not quite clear what kind of book The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires is trying to be. While it's understandable that a title that stars an entire cast of unknown characters needs time to build personalities and the world in which they inhabit, The Green Team has gotten off to a slow start. Though we've seen plenty of action in the second and third issues, we're no further to fleshing out the characters beyond the broad brush strokes writers Art Baltazar and Franco laid out for us in the very first installment." -Melissa

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Final Score:

6.0

Justice League Dark #22

Justice-League-Dark_22-649x1024Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Mikel Janin

"Justice League Dark writer Jeff Lemire picks up where Geoff Johns left off and does a nice job introducing yet another character while moving events forward at a brisk pace. Yet for all that happens here, this issue lacks any substantial step forward. You get the sense that, like the villain says, pieces are being moved to set something up, but there’s not a clear sense of the threat or what anyone stands to lose should they fail to stop it." -Joshua

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Final Score:

7.0

Larfleeze #2

Larfleeze_2-665x1024Written by Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis | Art by Scott Kolins

"Larfleeze #1 was a refreshingly humorous and upbeat take on the character, a bright spot in the epic drama that is the Green Lantern franchise. The second chapter still has the same sense of humor and whacky art style, but it’s missing one crucial element: Larfleeze. This issue centers mostly on his manservant, Pulsar Stargrave, and while he is enjoyable, he doesn’t have enough going on to supplant Larfleeze as the lead in his own book." -Joshua

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Final Score:

7.7

Red Hood and the Outlaws #22

Red-Hood-and-the-Outlaws_22-665x1024Written by James Tynion IV | Art by Julius Gopez

"I want to love Red Hood and the Outlaws. I really do. The series brings together an unexpected group of misfits, who are all lost until they find each other. It's a great premise, but unfortunately, no matter what writer has been at the reins, it has sadly failed to live up to its potential (with a few bright moments during the previous writer Scott Lobdell's run). James Tynion IV has been in the unfortunate position of inheriting the problems born during Lobdell's time on the title, but he's yet to find a way out of it. Red Hood and the Outlaws #22 is mired in the same overblown, burdensome mythology that has tortured the title since its first issues." -Melissa

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Final Score:

6.0

Superman #22

Superman_22-665x1024Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by Eddy Barrows

"Well, isn’t that surprising? A pretty good issue of Superman! A heap of credit goes to the team of Eddy Barrows, Daniel HDR, Eber Ferreira, and Geraldo Borges, who absolutely kill it on art. Together they’ve got a very Ivan Reis/Gary Frank vibe going on and I totally dig it. They make Superman still look iconic despite his youthful New 52 age, while also making the villains as creepy as they ought to be. Great art can make a big difference, and for this title, it makes a ginormous one." -Joshua

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Final Score:

7.5

Talon #10

Talon_10-665x1024Written by James Tynion IV | Art by Miguel Sepulveda & Szymon Kudranski

"Talon has waded through another of those brief crossovers that always seem to crop up among the smaller Batman and Superman-centric titles, and now the focus on the ongoing conflict between Calvin Rose, Bane's army, and the Court of Owls can resume. At this point I wish the cover were a little more indicative of the contents of this issue. I want to see what happens when Bane challenges the Court for control of Gotham. Even with Casey and her daughter in the Court's custody, Calvin's role within the series is beginning to lose its impetus." -Jesse

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Final Score:

6.3


Source : ign[dot]com

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