The comics industry closed out August with a relatively smaller week, but there were still several notable releases this week. DC offered up a new wave of annual issues for books like DC Comics Bombshells, Earth 2: Society and Gotham Academy. Marvel had the usual array of Civil War II tie-ins and also featured the first team-up between the new Wolverine and Spider-Gwen in All-New Wolverine Annual #1. IDW kicked off a new ongoing Ninja Turtles comic called TMNT Universe. And it was a great week for indie comics, thanks to releases like Saga #37, East of West #29 and Jupiter's Legacy Vol. 2 #3.
Scroll down to check out our reviews for these and various other new releases, and be sure to let us know your favorite books of the week in the comments below.
Written by Tom Taylor | Drawn by Marcio Takara
"Spider-Man and Wolverine have a colorful history when it comes to team-ups and crossovers. All-New Wolverine Annual #1 keeps that tradition alive but shifts the focus from Peter Parker and Logan to Gwen Stacy and Laura Kinney. This issue realizes the fun inherent in that inter-dimensional pairing, but misses the boat when it comes to the weightier drama." -Jesse
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Written by Dan Slott | Drawn by RB Silva
"Amazing Spider-Man #17 continues the build-up to the Clone Conspiracy crossover, and this new chapter certainly doesn't disappoint. The fact that Spidey is barely a guest star in his own series isn't a drawback here. If anything, it on;y helps shine a light on the other side of this brewing conflict." -Jesse
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Final Score:
Written by Brian Michael Bendis | Drawn by Valerio Schiti
With this issue, Guardians makes its belated entry into Civil War II. Given the team's ties to Carol Danvers and other earthbound heroes, there's some potential to be mined from dragging them back to earth at this point in time. But none of that makes for a particularly compelling tie-in yet. Too much of the issue is devoted to recapping the events of Civil War II so far, a process that grows a little more tedious with each new tie-in book. Mostly the story coasts by on the various sweet or humorous little character moments - Kitty and Star-Lord getting intimate, Angela acknowledging her debt to her friends, The Thing's own little love connection, etc. And, of course, Valerio Schiti's expressive artwork is always a draw. But for now, this issue doesn't do much to prove that the Guardians are better off getting dragged into Civil War II rather than pursuing their own adventures elsewhere. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Chip Zdarsky | Drawn by Joe Quinones
With only one issue left to go, Howard's swan (duck?) song shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, it's ramping up, as self-aware alien manipulators Chip and Joe - sorry, Chipp and Jho - continue to throw everything they can at their unflappable hero. As such, issue #10 is a divisive issue. Look at it one way and it's a hot mess, with far too many characters, a slew of publishing in-jokes and 100% manufactured drama. Look at it through a different lens, however, and it's a rather cleverly balanced examination of the work it takes to keep characters, and publishers, relevant for each new generation. Either way, there's a lot going on, and at times the many various happenings threaten to overrun the otherwise engaging narrative. For his part, Joe Quinones keeps the energy up with his expressive art, his great physicality and unique character interactions easily digestible. No matter how the abundant fowl play plays out, we're gonna miss this title. -Jeff
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Written by G. Willow Wilson | Drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa & Adrian Alphona
Near the end of issue #10, Ms. Marvel describes herself as an unraveling sweater. The analogy is quite apt, as Bruno’s accident intensifies Kamala’s doubt of Captain Marvel and her use of Ulysses. With her “superhero parents” divorcing, Ms. Marvel has never been more uncertain about her role as both protector of Jersey City and Captain Marvel’s Junior. The fact that Becky is now actively conspiring against her isn’t going to make life any easier, nor will Kamala’s first act of outright defiance. Miyazawa’s pencils are at their best whenever the giant fists start flying, but the quality of the facial work here cannot be downplayed. Kamala goes through a full range of emotions in this one, and they are all rendered to perfection. Ms. Marvel ties into Civil War II seamlessly, and it’s clear Kamala’s eventual decision will have long-reaching ramifications. -Joe
Final Score:
Written by Sean Ryan | Drawn by Cory Smith
There’s a fun Han Solo/Luke Skywalker vibe to the brief partnership between Nova and Monark Starstalker at play here as the series moves away from Civil War II and back into outer space. With Sam leaving Marvel’s massive conflict behind, writer Sean Ryan is able to bring the focus back to the titular character instead of getting bogged down by tie-ins until the big event wraps up. This issue is a breath of fresh air in the Marvel Universe, regardless of your level of Civil War II enjoyment. Sam’s journey to track down Worldmind is drawn beautifully by the returning Cory Smith, particularly the final few pages. You can feel the kinetic energy coming off the page as Nova and Starstalker flee Gladiator’s forces. Whether or not you’re suffering from event fatigue, Nova is a book that belongs on your pull list. -Joe
Final Score:
Written by Dan Slott | Drawn by Mike Allred
This comic has been marketed as the 200th issue of Silver Surfer (counting all his various solo books). But bonus cover gallery aside, there's little inside these pages to mark the occasion. Instead, Dan Slott and Mike Allred simply focus on wrapping up their current storyline and Surfer and Dawn's time on Earth. It serves as a fairly bittersweet conclusion to that storyline, with Dawn confronting her long-lost mother and Surfer dealing with the unexpected consequence of eradicating Zenn-La's culture. The Surfer side of the equation is comparatively dull (Spider-Man guest appearance aside), as the whole Zenn-La subplot seems rather played out at this point. But Dawn's family reunion is far more compelling. Kudos to Slott for refusing to sugarcoat that reunion or ignore the obvious family dysfunction at work there. Allred's art is predictably excellent, as he offers up a nice blend of bombastic superhero action and simple, raw, human emotion. The emotional fallout of this issue should give the series the momentum it needs as it moves towards new settings and conflicts. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Brian Michael Bendis | Drawn by Nico Leon
Spider-Man represents the ideal sort of event comic tie-in, one that's able to organically weave in the crossover elements while still pursuing its own conflicts. Here, Brian Bendis uses the events of Civil War II mainly to pile added pressure on the already overextended Miles. As if balancing school and superhero-ing wasn't hard enough, now Miles has to deal with the vision Ulysses shared and decide where he falls in a major superhuman conflict. And even as Miles grapples with that dilemma, his parents continue to struggle with the repercussions of his grandmother hiring Jessica Jones. This issue is a great showcase for why bringing Rio back to life was so important. Not just to give Miles a win, but because there's a lot of great drama to be mined from the fact that only one parent is aware of their son's extracurricular activities. Nico Leon is doing a great job of following Sara Pichelli. Interestingly, his style shifts in this issue to fall more closely in line with hers, to the point where it's not always obvious Pichelli isn't still drawing the book. There's a lot to be said for that level of consistency, especially for a series with such a high visual standard. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Peter David | Drawn by Will Sliney
If nothing else, it’s clear in reading Spider-Man 2099 that Peter David and Will Sliney are having fun throwing as many future versions of the Marvel heroes as they can find into the mix. From a robot Ghost Rider to a Moon Knight named Tabbie to a Daredevil with hot dogs, the Marvel Universe of 2099 is just as, if not more, populated by colorful characters as the present day. David is still slowly peeling back the curtain on exactly what Miguel and Captain America are up against. Future Punisher still has a family, and the Anti-Powers Act means both Spidey and Cap have to hit the ground running. Sliney must be having a ball drawing all these characters (Power Pack?!), and for the most part this is a good looking book. At one point it seems Iron Fist’s head’s on backwards, but otherwise Sliney’s work is fine. -Joe
Final Score:
Written by Marjorie Liu | Drawn by Mark Brooks
As far as these character-centric Star Wars mini-series go, Han Solo is shaping up to be one of Marvel's best. Part of this is simply that writer Marjorie Liu has Han's voice down pat. He's very much the rascally smuggler with the heart of gold. And while Liu bucks the normal Marvel trend by relying on narrative captions, she does so only sparingly. It doesn't hurt that the supporting cast stand out so well despite their generally limited page time. Then there's the fact that the simple, visceral thrill of the race is countered by a deeper mystery as Han struggles to uncover the truth behind his mission and suss out a potential killer in his midst. And, of course, there's the very detailed, cinematic art from Mark Brooks. Brooks effortlessly captures the look and feel of the classic films while blending in some Prequel and Clone wars elements for good measure. I just wish Brooks would give his panels more room to breathe during the actual race scenes. The small, dense panels don't really capture the necessary sense of speed. -Jesse
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Written by Gerry Duggan | Drawn by Ryan Stegman
The inevitable Civil War II tie-in arrives for the Uncanny Avengers, and fortunately, it’s a pretty good one. Deadpool grabs the spotlight for most of this book, as he is wont to do, as he embarks on a secret mission to bust Hawkeye out of prison. Obviously, anyone staying up-to-date with the Civil War II story knows how this ends, but at least we get some quality Deadpool banter along the way. Hawkeye & Deadpool vs. Jail DOES have a nice ring to it. The real meat of the issue arrives at the end, as Ulysses alerts Captain America to a potential threat from Cable. Watching these two characters face off is pretty exhilarating, particularly knowing what we know about Cap’s current state of mind (Hail Hydra and whatnot). Ryan Stegman’s facial work leaves a bit to be desired, but Deadpool looks sleek as he breaks into Hawkeye’s prison. - Joe
Final Score:
Continues
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