Comics

X-Factor #231 – Review

Last week I mentioned how much I love alternate universe fiction. Unfortunately, Astonishing X-Men‘s “Exalted” story arc has left me disappointed. Given how important alternate universes have been to X-Men storylines (Age of Apocalypse, Bishop’s timeline, and many others) I was left wanting more. X-Factor‘s current story arc “They Keep Killing Madrox” is an example of a well-told alternate universe story. Considering that X-Factor is just barely part of the X-Men universe, it may not get as epic as the classic X-Men stories or even have an impact outside its book. That doesn’t stop Peter David from putting together a great story.

Justice League Dark #5 – Review

The finale to the first story arc of the series! Enchantress’s untempered magic has been driving the world insane and regular heroes suck at magic. There is only one group who can stop this magical maelstrom of mayhem and that is a Justice League that is mysterious, spooky, and all together ooky. But can even the team that Madame Xanadu has forced together possibly prevail? Well, spoiler alert, there is going to be an issue six.

Yes, this is the issue that puts the finishing touches on this particular plot line and sees all the characters finally standing in the same room. Pose as a team, this comic just got real. Even so, this is not your standard heroes team up story, for reasons that become very obvious. These are also the reasons that drew me to the comic in the first place. That is to say, all these characters are really cool and can meet on a thematically similar occult basis, but they suck as a team. All of these characters are supreme loners and it just does not make a lot of sense that they would work well together on a team. Which is why, even once they have all gotten together, they don’t. I think this is probably the most polarizing aspect of this comic.

Spider-Man “Ends of the Earth” Teasers

This week Marvel had revealed a teaser for a new Amazing Spider-man story arc called “Ends of the Earth”. This story arc is going to start with issue 682. The only information we have for the plot is that Dr. Octopus is going to be a main villain of the story arc and the Sinister Six is going to be involved also. Here is a couple of teasers that came out this week for the story arc:

Avengers X-Sanction #3

Avengers X-Sanction has so far not been as great as I expected it would be when I first heard the series was coming out. I was excited at first for the return of Cable. I originally fell in love with his character when he was in “Second Coming”. When he died in that story arc I was disappointed but, than when I heard about this series I had high expectations for it. Now I feel like so far my expectations have not been fulfilled.

In this issue Red Hulk and Cable have a big battle. Cable’s goal is to kill the Avengers that way he could save his daughter Hope. But when Hope comes into the middle of the battlefield he does not know how he is going to approach his next battle plan.

Justice League #4 to have second printing

DC has announced that Justice League #4 is going back to the press for second printing.  It will be available on 29 February.  They also mentioned that Justice League #1 is going to have its sixth printing available on 15 February.  This has been a pretty amazing run for the flagship title of the New 52 initiative.  The question is what lesson the publishers should take from this colossal feat of sales?

On the one hand it could be seen as the  fruits of putting fan-favorite creators Geoff Johns and Jim Lee on a book features all of the classic DC characters.  On the other hand it could be seen as a reason to pointlessly renumber comic seriies at #1 again.  Number one issues tend to sell very well and Marvel has certainly been shameless in releasing #1s without a cohesive reason like the New 52.  We can hope, however naively, that it wil be the former lesson they learn and not the latter.

Prototype Midquel Comic Book

Comic book and video game publisher Radical Entertainment will be teaming up with Dark Horse Comics to create a three-story comic book series of the Protoype mythos occurring between Protoype and Prototype 2 (one of the most anticipated open-world/action games this year slated for an April 2012 release).

This collaboration between the two publishers will commence on February 15th, 2012. It will be a digital comic series covering the action going on in-between Prototype and Prototype 2 divided up into three stand-alone stories.

DC Comics Announces “Before the Watchmen”

Early today Dc comics had announced that they will be making a prequel mini series for our favorite characters from Watchmen, these mini series are slated to come out this Summer. This news has gotten everyone talking like The New York Times, Comic Book Resource, USA Today, and many other popular media outlets.

According to Dc Comics blog “The Source”. The mini series will be: