INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #503: $3.99 (Writer: Matt Fraction, Artist: Salvador Larroca): If you’re a regular reader of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN like myself, you were probably a little baffled to see the FEAR ITSELF cover dressing gracing this issue. This is the third part of an ongoing Doctor Octopus storyline and I couldn’t imagine how exactly the finale of that arc would tie in to FEAR ITSELF. Well, it really doesn’t tie in to FEAR ITSELF at all. Sure in the last few pages Tony Stark pitches his concept for building a new Asgard on Midgard for Thor and friends, but that storyline has been running through this book for months. So if you loved the first issue of FEAR ITSELF and you’re ready to scoop up a bunch of tie-ins, don’t pick this one up. It will only disappoint you. As a conclusion to the Doc Ock arc, the issue isn’t particularly satisfying. Part of that is clearly intentional, but part of that is also the art doesn’t do a solid job of portraying what exactly is going through Tony Stark’s mind at a key moment of the story. Though I will give Larroca credit for so effectively switching up his style for the flashback elements of the book.
THUNDERBOLTS #156: $2.99 (Writer: Jeff Parker, Artist: Kev Walker): This month’s THUNDERBOLTS jumps between two stories: the T’bolts first mission with new member Satana (daughter of Satan) on-board and the recruiting of the T-bolts minor league squad, the Underbolts. These stories on their own may have worked well, but together the narrative fails to get going. I love those issues when a new team is formed, but here the process is so very bland. Speaking of bland, let’s move on to Kev Walker’s artwork. I love Walker’s style, it’s incredibly unique and fun, but the current Thunderbolts line-up is full of villain/heroes with bland white, grey, brown, and black costumes, there’s no pops of color in the action scenes. Everything feels so muddy. This line-up desperately needs some cool colors (bright blues, greens or purples) to even it out.
GREEN LANTERN #65: $2.99 (Writer: Geoff Johns, Artist: Doug Mahnke): Sometimes a comic book has a brilliant cover that entices you to buy that book. Sometimes that same cover gives away the only worthwhile plot point of the entire issue and makes you regret buying the comic. This is one of those issues. On the cover of GREEN LANTERN #65, Hal Jordan stands with a yellow ring on his finger and wearing the full Sinestro Corps uniform. The entire issue just feels like filler until, in the final pages, he finally puts the ring on. It’s rare you can call Geoff Johns out for using decompressed storytelling, but he does it here, and after you’ve seen the cover, there’s no real reason to buy the book.
Blog-A-Day Challenge: Day 16
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