RAPID REVIEWS FOR JUNE 1999: Akiko #33 Alter Ego #1 Astro City #18 Astro City action figures Avengers #19 Avengers Forever #8 (of 12) Batman Beyond #6 (of 6) Batman The Gotham Adventures #15 Birds of Prey #8 DC One Million 80-Page Giant Earth X #5 Fanboy #6 Flash #151 Green Lantern #115 Hourman #5 Iron Man #19 Iron Man 1999 JSA #1 JSA Secret Files #1 Martian Manhunter #9 National Geographic (July 1999) Plastic Man Special #1 Previews Resurrection Man #27 Star Wars Phantom Menace Lightsaber Toys Superboy #65 Superman #147 Superman Adventures #34 Tarzan (Movie) Thieves and Kings #27 Thor #14 Titans #6 Wild Wild West (Movie) Wizard #96 Wizard Avengers Special Xeno's Arrow #3 Young Justice #11 Rapid Reviews for 2 Jun 1999: Batman The Gotham Adventures #15, Birds of Prey #8, Superman Adventures #34, Thor #14, Xeno's Arrow #3, and Akiko #33. Batman The Gotham Adventures #15 One of the most intelligent series out there is, ironically enough, one of the few aimed directly at a younger audience. I quite enjoy this title every month, and this issue is no exception. A villain that I haven't seen much of is further defined, and a quandry is set up for Batman and friends that might affect the future of the book. RAPID VERDICT: Buy This Book! Birds of Prey #8 Oh wow. Oh wow oh wow. How often do you get a comic book that is so totally *on* with regards to characters you know and love, and so well-done that you wish it just kept going? I'm a big fan of Oracle, her pragmatism and ability make her a role-model. And this issue explored a lot of issues that I'd been slightly curious about. RAPID VERDICT: Buy This Book! Superman Adventures #34 I usually enjoy this book, thanks to the stand-alone stories that tend to be pretty good. But this issue was a bit of a letdown. Throughout the issue, the art and writing all misdirect you in order to make the ending more of a shocker. Instead, it makes the ending seem out-of-place. RAPID VERDICT: Skip it. Thor #14 I didn't read this book until I learned that its writer, Dan Jurgens, would soon be taking over Aquaman. At that point, I dug into my husband's collection and read every issue up to the current one, and thought it was ok. Nothing spectacular. And this issue follows that trend. The book isn't *bad*, but it isn't gripping, and doesn't leave much of an impression. RAPID VERDICT: If you've got the cash, go for it. If not, you aren't missing much. Xeno's Arrow #3 The story is beginning to heat up, as Xeno tells Clemens something she finds *very* interesting. Xeno also overhears some discussion that he's certainly not meant to hear, and is beginning to figure out that the Lizards are a bit more uncouth than they are letting on. The pacing is slow, but deliberate, making for a mystery as well as an adventure. RAPID VERDICT: Buy This Book! Akiko #33 The continuing story of Spuckler in love in rural Japan. At least, that's how I'm reading it *this* time. Next read through it might be the story of Akiko's incredible frustration. In any case, another solid issue from Mark Crilley. RAPID VERDICT: Try it, you'll like it. Rapid Reviews for 9 June 1999: Green Lantern #115, Hourman #5, Martian Manhunter #9, Plastic Man Special #1, Young Justice #11, and Iron Man #19. Green Lantern #115 If I were a bigger fan of Plastic Man or Booster Gold, this issue probably would've been ok. As it is, I found it more annoying than usual. Coupled with the Plastic Man special that came out this week, I'm suffering from plastic overload. RAPID VERDICT: Skip it. Hourman #5 A very odd issue, with retro look and feel, and a dificult plot to follow straight through. Flashbacks sometimes are hard to follow though, and I liked the look into Rex Tyler's life, especially since that was the context that was missing for me while reading this series. A solid issue. RAPID VERDICT: Worth a Look. Martian Manhunter #9 A not-as-spectacular ending to a tale I was really enjoying for the JLA appearances. I think this book captured the spirit of the JLA better than the regular JLA title for a few issues! But this issue it ends as J'onn has the final showdown. RAPID VERDICT: Worth a peek. Plastic Man Special #1 What can I say about this book? It was basically one big gag from start to finish, and if you don't like the humor, too bad. I didn't mind it, but it was a little much on the silliness. RAPID VERDICT: Flip through it before buying. Young Justice #11 Young Justice to the rescue! Sort of. Red Tornado is in a bind, and the crew comes to help him out. Secret gets a name, and the humor flies right along with the serious bits. Unlike previous issues, I felt the combination didn't work as well this time. All in all an OK issue, but not one of the high points of the series. RAPID VERDICT: Worth a look. Iron Man #19 What is this book about anymore? I still love Sean Chen's artwork, and I think this is one of the best drawn books on the market today, but the writing has been off since Busiek's illness, and it hasn't gotten back on yet. Still, this book is several notches above most published comics. RAPID VERDICT: Worth a look. Rapid Reviews for 16 June 1999: Batman Beyond #6 (of 6), Superboy #65, DC One Million 80-Page Giant, Fanboy #6, JSA Secret Files #1, Resurrection Man #27, Titans #6, Wizard Avengers Special, Avengers Forever #8 (of 12), and the Astro City action figures. Batman Beyond #6 (of 6) Not a bad comic, but not a particularly good comic either. I enjoyed this issue more than previous issues, but there is some spark missing from the printed version that the TV version has in abundance. I suspect I'll get the on-going, but I hope the quality rises. RAPID VERDICT: Pick it up if you like the show, otherwise leave it on the shelf. Superboy #65 The wind-up to a fun arc about Hypertime. I enjoyed the Black Zero storyline and was curious about the touted guest appearances in this issue. Although there was a minor level of fun involved, I just didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous few. Now the tough decision: will I get the next arc, involving the Wild Lands? RAPID VERDICT: Pick it up if you're a Superboy fan. DC One Million 80-Page Giant I was really looking forward to this. A whole bunch of fun stories not constrained by current continuity. And an Aquaman story that would basically read like an Elseworld! But I was very disappointed. The art was weak all over, inappropriate in places, and completely incomprehensible through the Aquaman story. I found that I had little interest in most of the stories, and actually put it down without finishing. RAPID VERDICT: Don't bother. Fanboy #6 Ah, the final issue in the saga of Finster! Can he get a date for the Prom, or will his self-loathing stand in the way? Like previous issues, the guest art was great and diverse. The plot was a little overdone, but that's proper for a Sergio book. A fun wrap-up to the mini. I actually hope there will be more sometime. RAPID VERDICT: Worth a look or two. JSA Secret Files #1 I didn't want to get this book. I'm tired of Secret Files that contain one good story and a bunch of nonsense. But my husband is a big JSA fan now, and wanted it... so we bought it. And surprise! It's the best Secret Files out so far. A couple of good stories, a typically flawed timeline, and excellent character profiles (for once). Probably not worth the price, but not as bad as expected. RAPID VERDICT: Buy it if you can afford it and like the JSA. Resurrection Man #27 Ever since the beginning, this has been a title that I knew I shouldn't like, but did. It constantly surprised and pleased me, and kept me coming back. And this was the last issue. I wish it had been better. Vandal Savage has got to be one of the most over-used villains recently, and he bores me to death when he's actually in a book (as opposed to being behind-the-scenes manipulating things). Add to that a cosmic danger... well, it didn't go out with a bang. RAPID VERDICT: Unless you're already an R-Man fan, leave it on the shelf. Titans #6 I love this book. Everything about it is right. The characters are great, the situations are interesting and getting better... And it doesn't fall into the trap of trying to focus on too many characters at once. Half the team books out there seem compelled to get every character into every issue, and usually end up too crowded. This issue focuses on Troia, Roy Harper, and Lian. And it really works. There's a bit of corny opening up your heart at the wrong moment, and another boring villain, but for the most part, another great issue. RAPID VERDICT: If all you want is fights, avoid this book. Otherwise, buy it! Wizard Avengers Special I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this special, but I didn't expect as much as I got. Lots of information, background, details, and things that someone totally new to the Avengers (like me) found very useful. I wonder now if the reason I didn't like the JLA specials Wizard has put out is because I already knew everything they told me? RAPID VERDICT: Very interesting for a new reader of Avengers. Avengers Forever #8 (of 12) Whoa. I wonder sometimes if I didn't get in over my head in trying to pick up this series? The characters aren't terribly familiar (though I'm getting used to them now, eight issue in), the situations and flashbacks are totally incomprehensible... all in all a very difficult read. But I can see how a long-time Avengers fan might find this the best series to come out in ages. RAPID VERDICT: Very dificult for a new reader of Avengers. Astro City Action Figures I got three of the four figures. I didn't bother with the "Dating Samaritan", since the other three were all distinct characters. Although the sculpts are way cool, all three figures suffer from a distinct lack of accessories. Usually I'm not big on accessories, but these guys just need something more. Still, they are fun and definitely different. RAPID VERDICT: Astro City fans: go nuts. Rapid Reviews for 23 June 1999: JSA #1, Astro City #18, Superman #147, Flash #151, Earth X #5, Iron Man 1999, Thieves and Kings #27, and the Star Wars Phantom Menace Lightsaber Toys. JSA #1 A confusing but intriguing beginning, then an introduction to the characters through Starman. Not a bad start, all in all, but I'm glad I got last week's Secret Files. I like only a few members of the team, though, so I'm not sure if I'll be sticking with this book. RAPID VERDICT: If you like the characters, get it for that. Astro City #18 The arc is heating up and moving forward intensely, finally. The pace before was a little slow for me, but now all the set-up is paying off. The plot takes a big jump forward in this issue, in a direction I wasn't expecting. Astro City has always been good, but this time it's fantastic. RAPID VERDICT: Buy This Book. Superman #147 Who doesn't want to see Superman as Green Lantern in the finest traditions of the imaginary story? In this case, Kal was rocketed to Oa by his father, who figured the safest place in the universe for his son was the home of the Guardians. But do they have what it takes to raise up a Super-man? RAPID VERDICT: An intriguing tale, worth a look. Flash #151 I got this issue for an Aqualad guest appearance, and got one panel's worth. But then, the story was pretty good around that one panel, so I don't feel cheated. This is basically a standalone flashback story with a bit of framing sequence that turns it into a mystery. RAPID VERDICT: A pretty good issue. Buy it. Earth X #5 More pathos and angst from the newest watcher, and very little plot development, from what I could see. There is a major revelation about the Asgardians in this world, and hints of something even more fascinating, but it could've been told in a lot less pages and probably been better. RAPID VERDICT: I'm in for the ride, but if you haven't started, don't. Iron Man 1999 I often ask myself why I bother with annuals, and then I tell myself that it's because I like the characters. Well, I don't love every character I read, sometimes the writer convinces me to try out a book. In this case, had Kurt not written the annual, I wouldn't have bought it. As it stands, it reads like an extra-long issue of the regular series. Not bad... RAPID VERDICT: A fairly good standalone Iron Man story, buy it. Thieves and Kings #27 Finally! I'm sure that's what a number of fans are saying to themselves as a character who hasn't shown up properly since the first issue appears in this issue... and dominates this issue. We learn a lot more background to the story, and we learn of a specific problem caused by either egotistical assumptions, or love. M'oak's editorial is a bit more stinging than usual, if you don't like politics don't read it. RAPID VERDICT: A good issue, but it would be utterly incomprehensible to a first time reader. Star Wars Phantom Menace Lightsaber Toys Oh man, AA batteries required? And worse, the Obi Wan lightsaber was difficult to get the batteries into. The Qui-gon Lightsaber was almost worth the bother, and I didn't get the Daul Maul one. Hard to hold without accidently turning it off or, with the Qui-gon, knocking the battery cover off. RAPID VERDICT: Ug, a waste of good money. Rapid Reviews for 30 June 1999: Avengers #19, Previews, Alter Ego #1, Wizard #96, and National Geographic (July 1999). As an extra bonus, I'll also review the two movies I saw this last weekend: Tarzan and Wild Wild West. I wouldn't want to bore you with *just* comic books! Avengers #19 Due to an unfortunate screw-up involving Diamond distributors, the only regular comic book I got this week was Avengers. Fortunately, it was a pretty strong issue, despite the previews of books I'm not even remotely interested in that filled the last pages. It's the return of an old Avengers evil, and thankfully there is enough explanation to satisfy this not-quite true believer without being overly annoying to the older fans. RAPID VERDICT: Another great issue, buy it! Previews Vol IX #7 The day I first got Previews was the last day I had a firm grip on my comic spending habit... sort of. I buy all my books two months in advance now, and know exactly how much I spend each month. Highlights for me this month: Dark Horse is coming out with a new Xena comic book (wahoo!), DC is doing a summer crossover (blah), Astro City #19 is finally being solicited (wahoo!), Age of Bronze #5 involves Achilles in the story (wahoo!), A new Avengers series is focusing on the animated versions (hmmm...), Simpsons Treehouse of Horror #5 is coming (yeah!), Colonia #3 has finally been solicited (wahoo!), DC Signature action figures include an Aquaman figure (YES!). RAPID VERDICT: As always, not for the weak-hearted. Alter Ego Vol 3 #1 *The* fan magazine of the ages, back in its own book (at last!). A flip cover issue, one side is "Golden Age Forever!" and the other is "Silver Age Forever!". I honestly prefer the Silver Age section just because I'm more familiar with the original material. But all of this book makes for an interesting read, and one that I'm not going to be finished with as rapidly as this review. RAPID VERDICT: Too much to digest so quickly, but definitely worth the price. Wizard #96 Say what you want to about Wizard, there are some redeeming qualities to the magazine that "everybody on the internet hates". First of all, I enjoy the letter column. I wish the guy answering the letters would take a chill pill, but the questions asked tend to be interesting, and the answers from the creators are often pretty good. Second: Drawing Board, Homemade Heroes, and Letter Art are all forums for artistically creative fans, and there aren't that many around anymore. Third: Their casting calls tend to be amusing, and sometimes spot on. Fourth: Basic Training often features drawing tips from my favorite artists which includes new artwork. That's not enough to make it worth the cover price, so I subscribe and get it for half-price. At $2.50 an issue, it's *just* worth it. This month's Wizard lacks Homemade Heroes (there is one, but it's nothing I'm interested in), but the Letter Art has an excellent Avengers envelope that I thought should've gotten the prize. Last Man Standing features Green Lantern vs Iron Man, and I think they got the right guy winning. There's an X-Man article not even worth glancing at, followed by a decent interview with J Michael Straczynski about Rising Stars. A sidebar to that article discusses JMS's opinions of superhero movies, and has some insider information I hadn't heard. The Road Trip article is pretty good, discussing places comic book fans ought to visit. Casting Call covers Young Justice this month, and the only problem with their choices is that they are all too old! Coming Attractions has a summary of *all* the comic-based movies in the works, including Green Lantern and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Basic Training is all about perspective by one of my favorites, Jim Calafiore. Drawing Board has a theme again (yawn), and this month is "Create the most terrifying vampire the world has never seen." The results aren't very frightening, sadly. The extras this month were Wizard's Guide to Pokemon (which I'm reviewing separately) and an Overpower promo card. RAPID VERDICT: All in all a weaker issue than normal. Wizard's Guide to Pokemon Who would've thunk it? This Wizard magazine extra hit me at about the right time. I've watched two episodes of the show (painful, but not horrible), and have watched the frenzy around the show with detatched amusement. But I've been learning interesting things about this phenom, including the way it encourages cooperation as well as competition, and the fact that it's drawing kids into comic shops in record numbers. An article about it in the local paper didn't really help much, so I read this book with interest. And, whaddyaknow? It's pretty comprehensive. Unlike the Seattle Times article, it doesn't *quite* dis the Pokemon, so I don't think legions of second-graders will write in complaining (the Times took a lot of flak for their effort). It also explains the concept and the characters very well, and includes sidebars showing all of the 150 official Pokemon. Within the articles, the other two Pokemon are explained (yes, there's 152 of them). There is an episode guide, so I know which two I've seen (#46 and #57), though some of the episodes have only "Due to content not suitable for U.S. viewers, this episode will not be reproduced or aired in the United States", which makes me *really* curious about those eps. Some games in the back make this more a kid's book than not, and wrap it up on a light note. RAPID VERDICT: Surprisingly good effort from Wizard. National Geographic July 1999 An excellent article about Iran, with information you wouldn't expect to see. It's always good to know about people who supposedly hate you. The Mars on Earth article was fascinating in the best "I wanna be a sci-fi explorer" mode, and fun. The bit on Hornbills was ok, but I found the people studying the birds more interesting than the birds themselves. The Color article seemed a little pat, to me. The Grand Staircase-Escalante article was interesting to me because my parents lived in that area for a time before I was born. But do not miss the article Humpback Whales! My favorite this issue, it gave me a lot of food for thought. RAPID VERDICT: If you don't subscribe, you should. Tarzan I came in knowing, a little, what to expect. I've always been a bit of a fan of Phil Collins, which certainly didn't hurt. Disney went a different direction with this movie than they have in the past, and I think it paid off. This was no musical. I'd like to talk with a Tarzan expert, and learn how true the story was to the original, but even if it wasn't, I thought it was a pretty good yarn. I'm still humming the "Trashing the Camp" song... RAPID VERDICT: Worth the Saturday Matinee price I paid. Wild Wild West Before seeing this movie, I couldn't believe Will Smith as Jim West. Somehow, he won me over, though. Pity the movie never *quite* pulled me in like Smith's acting job. It was several plot strings in search of a thread or two. A fun movie, and not an insult to the original material like some remakes of TV shows, but not really anything special. RAPID VERDICT: Worth the price of admission for me: I got free preview tickets. I wouldn't pay more than matinee. These reviews are copyright 1999,2000 by Laura Gjovaag.