Reviews
Wolverine Vol. 1: Hunting Season Review
Issue #1 of Wolverine: Hunting Season didn’t do much to impress me. However, finding the trade paperback that compiles the first six issues of Marvel Now Wolverine for under $10 was enough for me to give this solo adventure another go. Does the continued arc deliver where the first issue failed?
Small World Review
From the publisher that brought us Ticket to Ride is Small World. In this 2-5 player strategy game, players command armies across a world that is too small to contain everyone. Having been sold on this being a lighter family game, Steff and I were taken aback by a steeper-than-expected learning curve and fiddly rules that make the phase past the initial hurdle tough as well. Is this worth the trouble?
Wolverine and the X-Men #1 Review
While most of the X-Men universe got relaunched as part of Marvel Now, Wolverine and the X-Men stayed on course until the series’ recent end with issue #42. As part of the All New Marvel Now initiative, the counter on the series has been turned back to #1. Starting fresh has worked wonders for some of the other X-Men lines, but this one sputters out of the gate on almost all fronts.
Wonder Woman Vol. 3: Iron Review
To say that Zola’s baby had a rough start to life sure is an understatement. From the moment the baby was born on Olympus, it was immediately stolen away from its mother by Hermes, who we thought was one of the good guys. Now in Wonder Woman Vol. 3: Iron, she must track the tiny tot down before something terrible happens. Along the way, she meets even more members of her complicated family tree and something new is brewing in Antarctica.
Boss Monster Review
Playing to one’s nostalgia can go a long way. Case in point: Boss Monster. Driven by a Kickstarter campaign, the cross-section between video game and board game players donated a remarkable $215,056 when the game only had a $12,000 goal. While I didn’t even know about the game until I saw someone’s copy of it at Snakes and Lattes, it immediately piqued my interest with its evocative box art. Clearly there’s excitement around this game that I – or many others for that matter – couldn’t resist. Does this physical game based on digital themes make for a product worthy of a high score?
Uncanny X-Men Vol. 2: Broken Review
Of the modern X-Men books I have read so far, Uncanny X-Men is the series that has the most upside. Centred around a strong-willed, yet misguided Cyclops, he and his band of fugitive mutants are in the midst of starting a mutant revolution while squashing anyone that may try to stop them. The base premise and all of the nuances around it make for a compelling take on this anti-hero/villain group. Unfortunately, I think most of Vol. 1: Revolution‘s potential is squandered on idle chatter and exposition.
With most of the table-setting out of the way, Cyclops and the gang can move the story forward in a meaningful way. First stop: Limbo.
Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls Review
An uncharacteristically stubborn Bruce Wayne refuses to believe in the existence of a shadowy organization that has run Gotham for over a century. He sure did pay for it in Vol. 1: The Court of Owls, as Batman narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Talons. But what can he do when a gang of Talons get the drop on Bruce in Wayne Manor while the rest of their army terrorize Gotham?
Batman – Detective Comics Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin
Had I not bought the first three volumes of Detective Comics in one shot, I would have stopped after the second one. The first showed potential, yet had a few glaring holes, while the second only made things worse with a droning story that didn’t go anywhere. I picked up Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin with the mindset that I would just plow through to get it over with, but then I noticed that the names on the cover were completely different.
Kudos to Tony Daniel for all the work he’s done in the past. I think his art in Detective Comics is great. I even liked his writing in Savage Hawkman #1. But as far as his work with this series, it really fell off a cliff. With a new creative team at the helm, this may be the kick start it needs to get back on track.
Batman Eternal #1 Review
Between the myriad of solo stories, team-ups and Justice League responsibilities, Batman is the busiest man in comics. His life is only going to get crazier from here, as Batman Eternal #1 is the start of a new weekly series for The Dark Knight. Have we reached the saturation point for Bruce Wayne stories? Well, if they continue to be as good as this one, then the answer is no.
In Third Person 