Review Round Up for February 28, 2018
There are links to full reviews of the books of the week. Please let us know what you’d like us to review by leaving a comment on our Facebook page, send us an email to thetwistedcape@gmail.com or messaging any of us directly. Keep in mind that the format we’ll follow will be as follows:
Book Title and Number(Story Arc Name)*
Quick Breakdown
Story
Art
Continuity/Character Consistency
Twist Factor
Final Score
*Denotes Book of the Week
Here we go!
Action Comics #998 (Booster Shot)
Despite being captured, Superman and Booster Gold escape from Zod’s control with help from Skeets, who took an Eradicator’s form. They engage in battle with the house of Zod with Kal-El landing a couple of major shots on Lor and Zod. Booster distracts the house of Zod and they escape back into the time stream, where Superman convinces Booster to go to Krypton. Mr. Oz’s story is verified and Superman sadly watches his mother die. Booster takes them back to his present where Superman leaves and Skeets informs Booster that Lois and Sam Lane have been killed by Logamban forces. Booster goes back just enough in time to stop Lois from being killed, just as Superman arrives to save his family.
Story – Booster really makes this otherwise flat feeling story. However, it’s good to know that Mr. Oz’s story is verified, so now it’s interesting to see what Superman does with this info. 7/10
Art – Looks good and is a different style than a typical Superman book, which is nice. 7/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Booster changes some perception about himself in this issue. 7/10
Twist Factor – Booster saving the Lane’s from certain death. 7/10
Final Score – 7/10
Avengers #682 (No Surrender)
Hawkeye and Red Wolf join the fray this time around, as this issue is told from Red Wolf’s point of view. Rogues’s team is on the move in the Antarctic while waiting for a lift back to somewhere useful. Lightning uses moves to get the team picked up, while they all acknowledge how they feel about the apparent death of Johnny Storm. Jarvis is treated with a vaccine as he begins to flatline. Red Wolf observes the battlefield and realizes that the Lethal Legion knows something that the Avengers don’t. Despite Clint’s objection, he moves for the Pyramoid and collects it, and takes himself “off the board.” The Grandmaster and the Challenger bicker about the involvement of the Avengers, and the Grandmaster claims the final Pyramoid and triggers it in the hospital wher Jarvis is. Jarvis wakes up screaming that it’s all a lie and then flatlines again, while the Challenger wakes up the Immortal Hulk, who looks… Angry.
Story – A lot is going on in this story and you could easily get lost if you aren’t paying attention. I like that we get several points of view as it progresses. 7/10
Art – The art is cool, especially with the Red Wolf flashback sequences and Rogue still affected by absorbing Glaive’s powers. Also, Clint is back in his classic costume, an excellent choice. 8/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – This issue pulls from Hawkeye’s recent relationship with Red Wolf and the Unity Squad Avengers, creating emotional depth here. 7/10
Twist Factor – Hulk is about to be on the loose and I can’t wait. 9/10
Final Score – 8/10
Captain Marvel #129 (Dark Origins)
Carol is captured by Dr. Eve while in search of Bean. This universe’s Peter Quill is disposed of and Eve takes Carol so she can obtain the reality stone to move the planet of Hala back into the normal Marvel U, giving the Kree a new home. Bean had been called to the destroyed planet by the resurrected Supreme Intelligence. Quill, his Guardians, and Zeta Flight chase after Eve and Carol, as Bean tries to talk Carol into using the reality stone for their purposes. They merge and see the error of their ways and Bean returns them to the normal Marvel U with the reality stone. Interesting part is that there was a swap in Carol’s, so it would be good to know what the other one did. The issue has an abrupt ending.
Story – Sort of interesting but brings the reality stone into play which makes it more important than it would have been otherwise. 7/10
Art – Strong facial work, very little action in this book. Not crazy amounts of detail, but enough. 6/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Fills in the gaps from Infinity, about how the reality stone gets here. Otherwise, Carol is great at being who she is. 7/10
Twist Factor – Bean working with Eve and tricking Carol. 6/10
Final Score – 6.5/10
The Flash #41 (Perfect Storm)
With the Speed Force removed from Barry, the burden to protect Central City, frozen in time, from Grodd lies with the rest of the speedsters. Barry sends Kid Flash and Avery away to keep them alive, as Wally evacuates the city before they all die. Desperately, Barry searches for a way to reconnect with the speed force by using the Lightning Wand that Grodd is after, causing friction between him and Wally. While evacuating the city, he comes across Iris, who he has yet to reconnect with and pauses to take a moment, which leads to him getting ambushed. Meanwhile, Barry breaks into Iron Heights to free and ask for help from Godspeed
Story – Shows Barry’s impact as the Flash, while also dropping hints towards Flash War. 7/10
Art – Strong art on this book. It rarely disappoints. 7/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Focusing on Barry and the 2 Wally’s, these characters grow, yet Barry constantly comes off as a dick, despite not having powers. 7/10
Twist Factor – Unleashing Godspeed. 7/10
Final Score – 7/10
Justice League of America (New Life and Death)
Batman rejoins the team to personally close a case. He and Dreamslayer aare going to attempt to save Angor and Black Canary insists on going with them. Lord Havok has destroyed the world and every time Dreamslayer tries to rebuild it, repeatedly. Now, The Might Beyond The Mirror won’t let him rebuild anymore since Angor only seems to destroy itself. They try to get through to him, they try to rebuild the world without Havok, which Canary thinks is wrong. Dreamslayer’s body unexpectedly contorts into a portal releasing Havok.
Story – This doesn’t quite seem to be a story worthy of a Justice League or even Batman. Not very impressed. Convoluted and stagnant. 4/10
Art – It looks cool, particularly Batman with stubble. Also, Dreamslayer’s body twisting was awesome. 7/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Not really good here. Personalities were stripped away from the team in general just to focus on Batman and Canary. 4/10
Twist Factor – Dreamslayer becoming a portal. 7/10
Final Score – 5.5/10
Moon Knight #192 (Crazy Runs in the Family)
Marc and Frenchie (who seemed to be undead last issue but isn’t– thanks insanity) do their best to protect Diatrice and figure out how to get her mom back. Moon Knight goes on a boat with Bushman, who ties him up, causing Moon Knight to fight back and escape. He discovers that the boats ‘cargo’ is people going to an island for the followers of Ra, helmed by Sun King. They meet that night and then enter Marc’s mind where Ra and Khonshu face off, ending with Ra burning Khonshu and Marc questioning the fact that Ra is right.
Story – This story spins more and more out of control, but in a good way. Such a fun book to read. 8/10
Art – The art has incredible detail at times and perfectly accents the book. 9/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – This book builds on it’s own mythology so effortlessly. 8/10
Twist Factor – Moon Knight taking on a deck full of enemies. 9/10
Final Score – 8.5/10
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (Showdown)
Despite tech going dark, Spidey and his allies fight the Tinkerer’s allies until Spidey goes after the Tinkerer and hits his suit with Jameson’s car. Spidey’s supporting cast of JJJ, Betty Brant, and Teresa have several moments in this fight with TInkere and a group called Grey Blade. As the Tinkerer is taken into custody, it’s revealed that he’s been working with an AI-based alien race called the Vedomi who are looking for other AI, which is how the Tinkerer lured them to Earth. His phones are an AI system which drew in the Vedomi. As Spidey’s “Very Large Spidey Secret Identity Club” gather to figure out how to stop the invasion, Doom shows up destroying a Doombot. They convince Doom to let them use a time machine, and as Peter, Teresa, and JJJ go back in time about 2 weeks, Doom blows up the building to stop the Vedomi. Also, a backup story hinting at where the story goes next with Black Cat, which pokes fun at the Batman proposal.
Story – Expansive story with loads of supporting characters from all over the Marvel U. Action packed. 8/10
Art –Excellent when it comes to Spider-Man, and strong everywhere else as well. A selling point. 8/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Juggling all these characters keeps it interesting while making sure relationships stay in tact. 8/10
Twist Factor – JJJ’s car. 8/10
Final Score – 8/10
Spider-Man/Deadpool #28 (Area 14)
Peter and Wade recount their last meeting to 2 different sets of people, all while being played by the Chameleon. Comically, there are slight similarities and wild differences to the two tales. These 2 clearly have unresolved issues and it all seems to be heading for a collision. They both conclude that the next time they cross paths, that each has to take the other down. They don’t know that Chameleon has been playing them the entire time and has LMD’s on his side to help him out.
Story – Good story with action, heart, and tons of humor. Solid book as usual. 8/10
Art – Weird, but good character designs at times, but it fits the book. Awesome huge action scenes highlighted by 2 splash pages of the same time with a different POV. 8/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Builds on the relationship forged by this book and it shows. The dialogue brings out the best in the characters. 7/10
Twist Factor – The number and who’s who of LMD’s that Chameleon has at his disposal. 8/10
Final Score – 8/10
Teen Titans #17 (It Ain’t Easy Being Green)
Gar is feeling frustrated and vulnerable and goes off on his own for a bit, while the rest of the team goes to rescue people in San Francisco. Beast boy is feeling discouraged and like an outsider after a first pitch goes awry and is approached by a girl named Jorm who convinces him to go with her to a place they call Neverland which is dedicated to VR based around an implant. The Titans find a kid on a bus that they rescue unresponsive with a similar implant in his brain. Beast Boy takes the implant hoping to not feel alone anymore, unaware of what the Titans have discovered.
Story – No real action, but a character driven story focused on Gar mainly and his internal struggles. The whole thing feels a little too coincidental. 6/10
Art – Struggles when considering details in big moments, but some cool moments around Beast Boy’s transformations. 6/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – The issue is built on the characters and that clearly shows, specifically with Gar and Damian anchoring the issue. 7/10
Twist Factor – “Yeast Boy!” 9/10
Final Score – 7/10
The Terrifics #1 (Meet the Terrifics)
Spilling out of Dark Nights: Metal, the Terrifics follows a team thrown together helmed by Michael Holt aka Mr. Terrific. Stagg has take Mr. Terrific’s company and tech and is attempting to use it for nefarious purposes. This throws Metamorpho and Plastic Man together with Mr. Terrific, a girl named Linnya from BGZTL who is trapped in intangible form. Once the team meets her, they uncover a long-lost message from an unexpected source. Click here for the full review.
Story – Intriguing adventure story with twists and turns and fun. 8/10
Art – Solid art, but I suspect it will only get better as time goes on. 7/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Good build on Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho’s interplay as well as reintroducing Plastic Man builds the mythology for this book. 8/10
Twist Factor – Big character popping up on the last page. 9/10
Final Score – 8/10
X-Men Blue #22 (Poison-X)
The team ambushes Killer Thrill and her pirates in pursuit of the Starjammers that she has captive for bounty by encasing themselves in ice and crashing into her ship. Scott splits off from the team in search of his dad and their team, while Jean, the rest of the X-Men and Venom go off in search of Killer Thrill. Scott rescues Corsair and the Starjammers while the rest of the team does battle with Killer Thrill, leading to Jean chasing Killer Thrill. Jean catches up to her and they are interrupted by the Poisons (from the Venomverse crossover). Scott’s link to Jean is severed as she’s taken along with Killer Thrill. The issue ends with take Jean and Thrill confronting the X-Men and Venom.
Story – Cool to see Scott bonding with his dad and Venom dealing with the X-Men. Looping in the Poisons makes this a bit more interesting now that almost everyone has symbiotes. 7/10
Art – Cool designs, good action, but some of the faces got weird, especially Venom’s. Venoms face seemed really inconsistent. 6/10
Continuity/Character Consistency – Merging several storylines makes older less interesting stories more interesting. 7/10
Twist Factor – Poisoned Kraven lurking in the shadows was pretty neat. 6/10
Final Score – 6.5/10
#XMen #Terrifics #Venom #TeenTitans #Spiderman #Deadpool #MoonKnight #JusticeLeague #TheFlash #CaptainMarvel #Avengers #Superman