Avengers #8

          I read the first couple issues in this series, but I couldn't keep up, and I was also discouraged by the entrance of the Red Hulk a character that I had always wished would go away so that I could read the Hulk series again. Bendis is not the person who got me back into this series, it was John Romita Jr. His art is great and when I saw this issue I decided to go for it.
         In this issue the Illuminati gathers, but Black Bolt is dead so Medusa arrives with Lockjaw. She is brought up to speed on the Illuminati and what it does. Then the Illuminati discuss a problem that they're having with the reality gems. Reed's gem (red) has been stolen. Iron Man then tells a story about how Red Hulk had "the tar beaten out of him" by a kid who had red and yellow gems. You also find out that Steve Rogers is having Tony Stark watched. The Illuminati work out that Black Bolt had the yellow gems. They go to where Black Bolt had the gem and it was gone, then Steve Rogers and other heroes arrive confused.
        I loved this issue. There are certain comics that I own that I am genuinely upset when I finnish them because I want the next issue right after I finnish that one. This was one of those comics. The first time I heard of the Illuminati (as a comic team) was a Civil War graphic novel, and that is really what made me want to get this issue. (John Romita's art also helped with that decision) So the plot is great. I love the Illuminati and I love the infinity gems. This issue even made me like Red Hulk a little. The memory was very simple, and he was written not particularly different than a ton of other characters I've seen, but that is what made me like him. (a little) I always had this illusion that he was this big awful villain guy, but he's kind of "heroish" which is typical, but typical is a step up from what I thought of him before. On top of all of that this issue was written beautifully. Each character was written the way they were supposed to be, but even incredibly sensible characters, like Richards, Strange and Xavier had their moments, which kept the comic interesting. I also got to learn a little about Medusa a character I didn't know much about. So to review: This had a great plot, great writing, and great art




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #648

          Amazing Spiderman has only been a decent series, the last arc was an improvement but it still wasn't enough to make this a great series. Spiderman is one of the more brilliant characters ever developed, and the only reason I've stayed with Amazing Spiderman as long as I have is purely because of the character, not the stories or the writing.
          In this issue Spiderman leads the Avengers into a city full of Dr. Octopus giant robots.But this is all a diversion for Chamilion and Electro to brake into an army base and plant some weird Doc Oc toys. Doctor Octopus then sets all of the giant robots to explode, and while Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic are trying to figure out what to do, Peter Parker (science wiz) figures it out. Michelle moves out of her apartment, and by doing so also kicks Peter out. At Raft Maximum Security Prison they are ripping the Venom from it's host for examination, and Peter gets a job at Horizon. Also Fisk sends the Hobgoblin to Horizon.
           I don't even know where to begin when I'm trying to describe how good this issue was. This is the issue I have been waiting for. The issue where Marvel says, here is Spiderman, here is Peter Parker, here is his life. Mainly what Marvel did was give structure to Spiderman again. While trying to make him relatable Marvel only succeded in making him complicated. He was hated by the mayor, an out of work photogropher, the whole thing with MJ, plus the whole thing with Michele and all of the evolving villains, somewhere along that road I just stopped caring. But now that his life is put back together I'm very happy. I also like that the "nerdy" part of Peter Parker is being shown again, it disappeared for a while, and with it part of Spiderman, but like many other things this issue, it's back. This issue also established a couple main villains are back in action, like Venom and Hobgoblin, and the little bit in here about Green Goblin. Besides that the writing in this was really good, and the art was extremely well done. This was a funny, happy issue, and I'm going to put it on the must buy list.




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Shadow Land #2

           Shadow Land one was one of the best comics I've ever read. I really liked the story, art, panels, dialogue, and... well just everything about it.  I really hope that Shadowland is what it will take to put Daredevil back to the state is was in a couple years ago.
           In this issue Moon Knight puts himself in prison so that he can infiltrate Daredevil's castle. Kingpin goes to Luke Cage and Iron Fist because he wants Daredevil taken out as well. Then he goes home and summons something that brakes everyone who was in Daredevil's prison, out. At the end Luke Cage, Iron Fist and others go to talk to Daredevil, which turns into a fight.
          This issue was just as good as the previous one. Daredevil did look like a oppressive tyrant last issue, but this time it was very thick. As I've said before I enjoy when authors take a brake from fights and add something else, weather it be some more character insight, development, or personal conflict. All of those are included in Shadow Land. Diggle voiced all of his characters. Sometimes it's just perfect. In this issue the standout was Kingpin. He sounded like he should, and was just the perfect amount of stuck up that he should have been. That and I alway love the funny banter that comes via Spiderman, and in this issue it was great. I've only seen the banter done flawlessly in two series, surprisingly not in Amazing Spiderman. The two series are Shadow Land, and Avengers. I want a little more Spiderman in both of those series.
          Story wise this comic was mainly fallowing Luke Cage and Iron Fist. I really didn't know much about them until I looked them up a couple of days ago, but Diggle did a good job with them in this series. This is the issue where Daredevil goes totally over the edge, and I really like that, because even though I want Marvel to go in the other direction, I can see a path that gets rid of Black Daredevil and brings back the classic red one, but not the sort of path where DD sees the error of his ways and comes into the light again.
         I was shocked to read that some people didn't like Shadowland, and I advise you to disregard all bad reviews for this comic or any other issue in this series and read them.



Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Avengers #3

          This series has been just okay, and when you are talking about the revivle of the Avengers okay just isn't good enough. This is a group that I have wanted back for ever, not the New Avengers, not the Ultimate Avengers (1, 2, or even 3) I just wanted the Avengers with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Spiderman. Even if Captain America is only a minor character. I am a little disappointed that Hulk isn't on the Avengers, but I get that. He's too much of a loose canon for the spin that Bendis is putting on the Avengers. Just one more thing before I start the review, Bendis is doing a great job with Spiderman, he has his funny qualities and he's still powerful, and thats what I really want to see in Amazing Spiderman, but I've been disappointed.
          In this issue the Avengers are battling it out with Apocalypse and his Horsemen when all of the sudden Apocalypse and the Horsemen disappear. After that Ironman studies what just happened, and then goes on the rebuild the time machine with Noh-Var. At the end a knight and a dinosaur appear, so I really got confused.
         I know I might sound hypocritical when I say that I really liked this issue, even though most of it was a fight scene. It was a John Romita Jr. fight scene, and that really does make a difference. Spiderman has been done well just like I said at the top of this post, but in this issue the person who really shined was Thor. He was written perfectly and it showed his raw power which just made this issue so much better. I was a little upset that there was no more development on the elder Hulk thing. It was the best thing about the first issue and now they just kind of forgot it. But besides that my only complaint is that Hill is still in the series, she's not really doing much, and I kind of hate her character so I just want her to go.
         With out a doubt this is the best issue in the series, and was just an outstanding issue overall.



Grade: 9.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Avengers #2

          I know that I'm expected to talk about starting in the middle of a series, but this time I think the story arc works perfectly with the beginning of the series. It brings the Avengers together and brings back one of their old villains. (Kang/Immortus) So even if the first issue wasn't my favorite, it at least it started off the series in away that I like.
          In this issue the Avengers draft Noh-Varr (AKA: Marvel Boy) to build a machine that lets them look into the future, once it is done and the Avengers gawk at it for a little while it starts to break, and then goes out after seeing Elder Hulk's face. Then Wonderman comes in and wrecks up the place, and it ends with Apocalypse appearing with his horsemen, who all look like Avengers. (or former Avengers)
          This is like last issue, it's okay, it's okay, and then the last page is great. I love Apocalypse, he's fantastic, plus I'm loving the futuristic, Avenger horsemen. I also really like Wonderman, not loving  what Bendis is doing with him, I want him to be on the Avengers, and I hope after this arc he will be. Plus he beats Thor around, and I know that Thor would beat him.
         Anyway, John Romita Jr. is doing a great job as usual. I didn't like him much because of Kick A**, not because he was bad, but because I hated everything about that book, but he is doing a more than superb job in this book, every panel is flawless. I don't like Maria Hill much, she is just a filler for a leader in this Avengers series, when Iron Man is doing the job and pushing her into the back. I hope that Bendis finds a way to get rid of her. So this issue is really good, and it looks like this is going to be a solid series.


Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Deadpool #23

                I know I'm an issue behind in Deadpool, but I've only recently been interested in him. This issue got mixed reviews ( kind of) some gave it an Okay, some gave it a great. I have to side with the great, I absolutely loved this comic, I picked it up because I'd heard about him, I saw him in Wolverine Origins (even though they sowed the Merc with a Mouth's mouth shut) and I saw him in Ultimate Alliance 2 (great game) so I though I'd give him a try. I was surprised to find that I loved this book.
                In this issue, some one at a superhero costume party (to celebrate the "Reunification of the Avengers") and someone called Deadpool a Dirtbag. Deadpool didn't like that so he went to Vegas and blew him up.  Then he went to do some gambling. He started to win a lot, so casino security came to throw him out, by casino security I mean a giant robot named the House, that actually has the Weasel inside. That is where I leave off on the synopsis.
                Several people thought that the humor was lacking, maybe there was one or two moments that could have been more funny, but it was pretty good. I knew Deadpool was a loose cannon, but he went to Vegas and set off a bomb just because someone called him a dirtbag, wow that's low. But it made the issue all the better. The art was fantastic, it was somewhere between conventional comic art, and cartoons, which I guess is perfect for Deadpool. I have only two complaints and both are rather small. The cover is supposed to almost be a preview of the issue, so I picked this up not knowing what to expect (remember first Deadpool comic) but I did expect something that had to do with the Avengers, the real Avengers, not a bunch of people in costumes. There was nothing, but that is only a very minor complaint that I thought about after, my second one probably only exists because this is my first Deadpool comic, and that is there was no Deadpool fighting, he jumped out of the way a couple times, but other that that, nothing. I'm sure that wouldn't have bothered me if I had read a Deadpool comic with fighting before hand, but it still bothered me just a little. I wouldn't complain usually but Deadpool is known for fighting. But those two complaints are very, very small. So it didn't effect the grade much.



Grade: 9/10
buy at: www.mycomicshop.com