Weekly Reader, July 22, 2024

Started by Jeff, Jul 22, 2024, 12:58 PM

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Jeff

Absolute Power starts this week.

Marvel Unlimited
Avengers Twilight 5
Captain Marvel 7
Ultimate Black Panther 3

DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Power: Ground Zero 1
Green Arrow 13
Superman 15
The Flash 10
The Penguin 11

Hoopla
The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 - (Collects issues 1-6)

———————————————————————————————


Perry

#1
Hard to tell what is really dropping on Hoopla, so before I list the known "to be read" books, here are a few that I hope drop this week on Hoopla:

Nemesis: Rogues Gallery #1
TMNT #1 (Jason Aaron's new series)
Rook: Exodus #4 (I'm sure this one will, as all the others have)

Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1
Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
??

***************************************************

Roxxon Thor - This was funny as hell. A fantastic way to do an Annual, without making it an annual. No recent Thor reading needed, not really, as this is a comic, published by the fictional Rooxon Corporation, depicting Thor and the gang in a... different light. We had nods/slams on everything from... very slight spoils...
Spoiler
use of memes, Tesla trucks, automated assistants like Alexa... I mean Eliza  ;D all the way to "Mjolnir Premium". I also loved the "story continues on the 2nd page following" captions down at the bottom, just like in the days of old!!
[close]
This was a great way to start my morning!
;D 

Ultimate Black Panther - Whoa... that ending. What was that thing? Not a lot happened here, other than a huge mystery starting to unfold, but this was a solid read!

Avengers Twilight - Ha, well now, I am not even gonna put down the spoiler for this issue.  :) Good one. Also, love seeing the Red Skull being a true badass bad guy! Always love to hate that bastard!

Perry

Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
??

***************************************************

Penguin - a cool way to tell a story
Spoiler
inner monolog of each, being represented when they are on panel (save for Bats near the end), but I did have one issue early on; Batman say "I'm a superhero..." Bah, King is better than that.
[close]
Still, that one minor gripe aside, this was a good penultimate issue for the series.
Spoiler
I still can't wait to get back to the drowning in the Batmobile that we saw in issue one though
[close]
Ohhh, a double spoiler?
;D

Absolute: Ground Zero - I was pretty hyped for this event... until I read this issue. Now, I'm on the fence. I will still read it and all the issues I would normally read, but no desire to read the tie-in stuff, especially the Task Force issues which are really intertwined with the plot, I suspect. Of course that, I am sure, will probably hinder my enjoyment even more, missing out on a good portion of the story, but I don't know... I find, right now, I just don't care. Maybe I will change my mind
:-\

Green Lantern - Okay, this was enjoyable. Not that I am blown away, but I do like Hal more than all other Lanterns anyway, so this issue worked for me. Nice seeing... what we saw with a certain pink costumed person as well. 
:)

Gay Titan

I didn't pick up Ground Zero but the first issue of Task Force VII was decent. I am probably skipping the Origins mini series, too. I don't care about Waller's childhood.

Perry

Quote from: Gay Titan on Jul 23, 2024, 02:38 PMI am probably skipping the Origins mini series, too. I don't care about Waller's childhood.

I didn't even know that was a thing. Yeah, not for me either


Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
Rook #4 <-- ADDED
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Jason Aaron starts)  <-- ADDED
Conan #13 (Titan Comics)  <-- ADDED

***************************************************

Jeff

Marvel Unlimited
Avengers Twilight 5
Captain Marvel 7
Ultimate Black Panther 3


DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Power: Ground Zero 1
Green Arrow 13
Superman 15
The Flash 10
The Penguin 11

Hoopla
The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 - (Collects issues 1-6)

———————————————————————————————

Avengers Twilight 5 - Ha! Perry is right. Great twist of a cliffhanger! This was a good issue.

Captain Marvel 7 - Pretty cheese ball issue. Didn't care for this as much as the rest of the series.  I think they drug this story out way too long.  Hopefully next issue wraps it up.

Ultimate Black Panther 3 - another good issue. This is a fun book and the art is excellent. Killmonger and Storm are nice additions to the cast.

Superman 15 - The Brainiac story ended a little disappointing for me.  Sets things up for the future but overall just an ok story in the end.


Jeff

#6
Marvel Unlimited
Avengers Twilight 5
Captain Marvel 7
Ultimate Black Panther 3


DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Power: Ground Zero 1
Green Arrow 13
Superman 15
The Flash 10
The Penguin 11


Hoopla
The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 - (Collects issues 1-6)

———————————————————————————————

The Flash 10 - I'm out. I'm afraid this drug out too long and I'm not interested anymore. Typical Spurrier for me.  I always get excited when he starts something but get lost halfway through and then bail out.

The Penguin 11 - This, on the other hand, never gets old.  Another excellent issue.  We finally get to see how all that carnage from a few issues back happened.  Can't wait for next months issue to get here!  Mainly because I'm in the same boat as Perry with his spoiler #2!


Perry

Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
Rook #4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Jason Aaron starts) 
Conan #13 (Titan Comics)


***************************************************

Superman - Brainiac is one of my favorite DC baddies, but this arc,
Spoiler
while setting him up to be uber strong at first, just had him bottom out at the end. Like Jeff, I was left a little disappointed in this. Maybe for different reasons, I don't know, but for me... far too many "Super-Family" characters that I, personally, just don't care about and an inclusion of so many Czarnians that came from... where exactly? And if Lobo is so damn indestructible, then how... oh, it doesn't matter. Sure I like that a certain Coluan got some time and hope to see him soon down the line, and while I kind of like that Brainiac was starting to lose his wits and begin to gain emotions, I also hate that at the same time. Mainly though, I found his Queen far too easily defeated, though I assume she (with whom I assume he merged) will be more powerful when they are beside Waller and Failsafe? Sure.
[close]

TMNT - I remember picking up the fourth... or fifth issue of this series (Okay, I don't remember too well  ;D) back when I was a lot younger. It was under the Mirage imprint, and I do remember reading it, and immediately rushing back to the LCS, the same day, to try and find the first three... or four issues to buy and being so mad I only found issue two. Man, I loved the look, the feel, the bad-assery of this title. That love lasted for awhile and I slowly, like most things, fell off. Then, a few years later the stupid ass cartoon showed up and turned my bad ass turtle memory into a freaking joke of a kids program. Where was the killing? Where was the Frank Miller's Daredevil inspired story-telling and Ninja deaths? And where in the hell did this "Cowabunga" shit come from? BAH. I was ripped. But hey, time passes, and this... this is getting me back to that time. It isn't quite the same, but man, I have hopes. No idea what is going on here, other than what is shown, but I am in! Thanks Aaron!!

Conan - Wow, okay, this issue is a lot tighter than Doug Braithwaite's first arc... I forgot to look if he has an inker this time, but the art looks tighter and flows so much better. The story is awesome, in a typical of Conan kind of way, but it has me thinking...
Spoiler
it doesn't have the title, but it is sure looking like it could be a precursor or an homage to one of the great Conan stories of all time; The Frost Giant's Daughter. There have been no giants, yet, but... I don't know, maybe it is just me, seeing into the story more than I should. Either way, a good start to this new arc. Of course there is a Conan the Barbarian/Savage Sword cross-over coming soon, so not sure this is the start of that or not either.
[close]
Regardless, another good start!!
8)

Gay Titan

Finally got to my LCS and picked up:

Absolute Power: Task Force VII #2... guest-starring the Doom Patrol
Green Arrow #14
Masters of the Universe: Revolution #3
Space Ghost #3
Ultimate Black Panther #6

Perry

#9
Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #247 <-- Added
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
Rook #4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Jason Aaron starts) 
Conan #13 (Titan Comics)


***************************************************

Action (1991) - Well, this was fine, More of a Plastic Man story than a Superman story, although both are involved. Sadly, with this Triangle Era read through, and I know its early days, but I feel I am just reading 90's Superman stories and not 'important' Superman stories. I wanted to do this Triangle read through for a couple reasons: One, because I had heard it contains some really good Superman stories. And that may be the case, but so far? Not so much. Not to say what I have read is bad, they most certainly are not, but they are just... Superman stories, nothing blowing me away or anything and with me being someone that wants to like the character more than I do, I am feeling a little... bored? No, that's not right, more that I am not feeling enthralled I think. But back to my reasoning :)  The second reason for me doing this was I wanted a little bit of the 'super-structure' storytelling that went on during this time. I know it does happen, all Supe's titles forming a cohesive plot/story driven anatomy, but so far, yeah... just individual Superman stories. I may jump ahead now, get to where that first crossover story takes place, and then go from there, I don't know...

LoSh - Both of these issues were pretty piss poor. Oh sure, that crazy 70's style writing was front and center, but with these two issues, a lot of the fun that that kind of story can bring was replaced with mostly stupidity. Again, this is not a point of contention with the "style" of writing, but more the writing itself. From having a med base on Mercury, where, guess what, it gets far too hot, to a person that killed millions of people requesting safe harbor on a planet instead of keeping quite, don't say anything and disappearing into the world like you want... moron! Bah. Liked some of the plot, especially the Emerald Eye, but... pee-ew. I can't believe these were my first 'paid' entries into the Legion. Haha. Hoping my money was better spent as we go. Although I honestly can't remember how long I continued to buy the Legion stuff, as I do remember coming back when they had Pat Broderick on the title, just prior to Keith Giffen.

Zatanna - Really enjoyed this... and that ending... well now! Great art, full page viewing almost required, and a fun, interesting story. Especially if you are not a true to form Zatanna historian... like myself. My memory is shit with her early days, so this is cool
;D

Gay Titan

Went to a Christmas in July back issue sale. Found these for a buck each.

Fury of Firestorm (2011) #1
Teen Titans (2003) #16-18
Teen Titans (2011) #18
Teen Titans (2014) #12
X-Men '97 #1

Jeff

Marvel Unlimited
Avengers Twilight 5
Captain Marvel 7
Ultimate Black Panther 3


DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Power: Ground Zero 1
Green Arrow 13

Superman 15
The Flash 10
The Penguin 11


Hoopla
The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 - (Collects issues 1-6)

———————————————————————————————

Absolute Power: Ground Zero 1 - Hmmm.  I have a feeling this event is only going to be "ok".  I'll follow it loosely I think.

Green Arrow 13 - Not sure I'm going to like this new direction.  Hopefully it's just for the Absolute Power event and then moves on to something better.

Jeff

Got halfway through Hunger and the Dusk. Will have finish it up next week.

Perry

Holy crap! Perry done went and finished off an entire week of comics... in the same week he wanted to? And not only did he finish his list, he added to it, and then finished that?? LOOK OUT, ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!!!
;D ;D

Marvel Unlimited
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Ultimate Black Panther #3
Avengers: Twilight #5
Avengers #148 (1976)

DC Universe Ultra
*Green Lantern #12
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1
Penguin #11
Superman #15
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #246 (1978)
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #247  
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes #248 <-- Added
Action Comics #661 (Triangle #3 - 1991)

Other
Rook #4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Jason Aaron starts) 
Conan #13 (Titan Comics)

***************************************************

Rook - Another good issue. While none of the Johns' books ranked as a clear 'favorite' this month, I would say they all averaged about the same (a little less for Redcoat, still good, but yeah, a little less). We got a little more into the helmet stuff this issue, so that was cool. And yes, art is always so damn good!

LoSH - Was this better than the last two? Perhaps a tad, but by a negligible amount if so. And I honestly don't remember getting this issue, so maybe I missed a month? An easy thing to do when you used to depend on the spinner rack to get your comics. Did they sell out before I could get there? Were these issues all damaged and so the store sent them back (with the cover ripped off) for store credit? Or did I just miss it? I don't know. The antagonist isn't really wowing anyone, he kind of stinks in fact  ;) ;D and once again, the issue's dialog borders the line of good 70's craziness and just plain shit, so there is that. I think this is the pinnacle of "Just put out a story, kids don't care" writing. Anyway, all of this is just making me look forward to when we get Giffen on as co-creator, even more than I was before, while also making me appreciate Levitz more than I did. I still think Levitz is a b... well... I still think he is not a great writer, but this proves there can be worse. ;D But I know I have read some good Gerry Conway issues, haven't I? I had to have, yeah? I mean, all those Spider-Man issues, Justice League, Firestorm, just to name a few can't all be crap. Yep, I think this is just a case of 'pushing out' a title. Sad really.

Avengers - This was, outside of Perez art, probably my least enjoyable Squadron/Avengers issue. It was okay, but there is a Beast moment that leaves me shaking my head. I mean, it is a great Beast moment, but... how... huh?? Anyway, I thought this was the last issue of this crossover, but it looks like we are going into #149. I'm set
:)