I never did quite finish up the Trade Paperbacks. I should do that. Really.
Hmmm. Beginning to have eyelid problems …
Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]
Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals (DC) [4/4/5/3] (collects #1-7)
w. George Perez, Len Wein, Greg Potter; a. George Perez
In the late 80s, in the post-Crisis era, George Perez recreated Wonder Woman, “rebooting” her moribund series, must as John Byrne had done Superman. The result was a classic, as the relationship between Diana and the outside world was redefined, and the mythos of Themyscira recreated afresh. Wonder Woman became a major player in the DCU after that. This book collects the beginning of this effort, as Diana travels to “Man’s World,” and is confronted by both its strangeness and by the machinations of Ares. The writing and art are absolutely solid, even by today’s standards. Great stuff, and a great reference on how to reboot a series.
Wonder Woman: Challenge of the Gods (DC) [4/4/3/3] (collects #8-14)
w. George Perez, Len Wein; a. George Perez
The series continues, with Diana facing a test from Zeus to prove the Amazons’ worthiness — a test that will reveal a great secret below Paradise Island, as well as the fate of the woman whose name she bears. Again, triffic stuff.
Wonder Woman: Bitter Rivals (DC) [4/3/2/2] (collects #200-205)
w. Greg Rucka; a. various
Leap forward twenty years. Diana’s mission is under attack by political opponents. Themyscira has just been nearly destroyed. Some of her most dire enemies have been released. Diana has to call on Batman for help in unravelling the mystery of who’s behind it — but will she find out in time? Rucka’s work on the title has been solid, though not brilliant, with a lot of different balls up in the air. This volume captures that well.
Uncanny X-Men: Bright New Mourning (Vol. 6) (Marvel) [3/4/1/2] (collects #435-436, 442-443, New X-Men #155-156)
w. Charles Austen; a. Salvador Larroca, Ron Garney
The wrap of the nasty and brutish Austen period. After the Magneto’s failed attack on NYC, the X-Men try to figure out how to deal with violence. Some of them come to different decisions than others. Ho-hum. Some fun stuff with Juggernaut and the She-Hulk, though.
Uncanny X-Men – The New Age: The End of History (Vol. 1) (Marvel) [3/4/1/2] (collects #444-449)
w. Chris Claremont; a. Alan Davis
In which Chris Claremont proves that even being absent from writing the team for a few years has not impaired his ability to totally tangle a plot and throw in a dozen obscure relationship twists. Even the presence of the Fury from Captain Britain (always an Alan Davis favorite) can’t make it any more pleasant.
Astonishing X-Men: Gifted (Vol. 1) (Marvel) [4/4/3/2] (collects #1-6)
w. Joss Whedon; a. John Cassaday
I’m too tired to say antying except that Joss Whedon does a kick-ass job taking over the flagship X-team, grabbing onto characterizations and relationships and hitting nearly every note true from the get-go. Cassaday’s art is, naturally, gorgeous. Who could ask for anything more (except maybe a less lame villain)?
An hour and a half. Three more posts. Let me just tell you that you rock! You were NOT a blog I had to worry about. We lost some, but the ones that stayed make up for them, big time!! You gonna do this again next year?
Ask me again on Tuesday. 🙂
Heh. Yeah, probably, unless other invents intrude on the weekend. I might toy with a different theme, though.
Glad to have been as little trouble as I was. Thanks for your regular pings.
Yes…I have been enjoying Astonishing.
THough the true villain hasn’t really been exposed yet. Mostly minions.
Still, a lot of fun. And the Emma Frost lines and that she is the foil for some relly great lines has been most entertaining.