The Bill April 20, 2011

This week was like the polar opposite's of last week's Disappoint-a-palooza. Of all the books I bought, not one was a clunker; but then again, not one was super awesome. Am I hard to please? Maybe, but I mean well. Let's talk comics.




BENDIS!!!:
Avengers # 12
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: John Romita Jr.


Twice while reading this issue I was fully prepared to write a super nasty 'I hate Brian Bendis' type review, and then both times he flipped the script on me, leaving me totally surprised. I guess it's my fault for jumping to conclusions.

This issue was the finale of the, at times, tedious and , at other times, kind of awesome story of The Hood hunting down the Infinity Gauntlet. And it just might be the best finale that Bendis has ever written. It's taught, action-packed, and most surprising of all, totally satisfying. I was SHOCKED! By the way, that wasn't one of the moments that he tricked me with, but I guess it would qualify for a third.

Even with a great ending, I'm afraid this'll be my final Avengers issue for a while. I've been looking for an out, and a storyline that I'm not interested in, and I think I finally found it. That is, of course, assuming that the Fear Itself tie-ins are shitty and unnecessary...

Dammit. I'm gonna have to get those too, aren't I?



Rapidly Becoming A Thing:
Hulk # 32
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Gabriel Hardman


If you had told me a year ago that I would be not only buying the Red Hulk solo title, but enjoying it enough to recommend it, I would have questioned your sanity before mocking you and walking away. Oh, what a fool I was. I don't know what it is about Jeff Parker's take on this Crimson Giant, but whatever it is I want him to keep doing it.

There's something about this book that reminds me of one of those failed 90s comics I love so much. It's a funky premise (come on, it's an old man as a Hulk), set in a weird little pocket of the Marvel Universe, with a character that's a straight up rip off of an existing one. It's Thunderstrike all over again, but with a quality writer. ZINGG!!!

It's seriously all kinds of great though and - I can't believe I'm saying this - you should totally check it out. It's got big fun, lots of intrigue, and plenty of action, everything you need to make a quality comic book.



Somehow being satisfied with all my books makes me less satisfied to write reviews. Funny how that works. Anyway, see you next time!