What I Bought 3/25/06

. . . Aaaaaand, we're back! As for my week in the caves, let's just say that no TV and no Internet make Calvin very edgy. Man I was bored! So on with the six books I got this week, woohoo! I think because it's so late, I'm just going for general impressions rather than a review. Still, spoiler warnings, just in case.

Robin #148 - I'm not a fan of Tim's costume. I'm distinctly uninterested in the foreshadowing of events during 52. Can it be foreshadowing if the events the characters discuss already happened? Kerschel's artwork is a significant step up from the artists the title had the last year or so, at least to me. It seems expressive and fluid. However, I'm having a hard time telling the difference between the person trailing Robin, who I figure we're meant to assume is Cassandra, and the woman who seems to be Nyssa A'Ghul. Personally, I think each one is the other, as the one following Tim looks too old to be Cass.

I was pleased to see Batman be honest, but not a jerk about things. Apparently, Dick and Tim called in Zatanna for a little personality adjustment. Good call. I'm not surprised by the police officer at the end of the issue, and his distaste for capes, nor am I surprised that Gotham P.D. believes their "special" unit is capable of handling the capes. Both the Marvel and DC universes are littered with the bodies of law enforcement types who felt they could "handle" the caped sect. 4 out of 5.

Wolverine #40 - Man, I knew even if Bucky and James went at it, neither one was going to die, but a whole issue of essentially exchanging information? Lame ass. Was Bucky working for the Soviets at this point, or the U.S./Department K/Weapon Program? I don't think my brain is cut out for all this intrigue. I feel bad for James, failing his test because of an explosion on a mountain. Did that Muramasa guy have enough time to forge the weapon he desired out of James before Bucky showed up? I'm done with this title. This was no conclusion at all. 1 out of 5.

X-Factor #5 - Not a real great time for Siryn. On the other hand, Rictor got to be useful for once. I suppose it has some meaning that Rictor found some value to his new, powerless life, by fighting another former mutant, who hadn't yet found that value, and only wanted his power back. Couldn't he have tried to reenter the medical profession, now that getting angry wouldn't result in quite as many deaths? Maybe I just don't get how the medical profession works.

I would have figured Rictor would have known how to fight. He was on X-Force, running with Cable. I can't believe that guy wouldn't have taken the time to teach some basic combat techniques to his students. After all, he was clearly someone not content to rely on mutant abilities. I like that Siryn wouldn't swear that if they could find out what happened to mutants, that they'd fix it all. I miss Ryan Sook's artwork, but Calero's is kind of grimy, which I think works for a book that's supposed to have a film noir kind of feel to it. Still, the issue didn't grab real hard, so 3 out of 5.

New Avengers #17 - Hmm, Bendis is referencing Secret War again. Great, another character almost nobody knows is going to show up. I'm still waiting for the Sentry to be useful again. Goddamnit, Captain America never had to yell at Thor to stop crying in bed and come fight the massively cosmically powered being.

Could Tony Stark stop talking down to people? That crack about Peter not using his brain was uncalled for. You know, I liked seeing Hal Jordan hit Batman, because Batman is an ass, and he needs a good kicking, preferably one that puts him in a hospital bed for about three weeks. Tony Stark is venturing into that territory with me right now.

Carol's not doing so well on that "World's Greatest Hero" thing, but Cap should have told her that Tony was going to try to talk "Michael" down before she started attacking. But he was busy with the Sentry. Man, that guy is a waste of a roster spot. On that last page, did Carol look a lot like her old Binary identity to anyone else? Was that intentional? I like that Luke Cage got to do the more grassroots stuff he had planned, except it got cut short, which is probably why the Avengers don't normally do stuff like that. I liked that page where Iron Man is talking to "Michael", and they're sort of squared off, but the picture is at an angle, that was very cool. 3 out of 5.

Exiles #78 - Wow, it's "Law and Order: Reality-Altering Criminals Unit"! I appreciate the attempt to do things differently, to not just settle it with another mindless brawl. Given how badly outgunned they are, the Exiles should appreciate it, too. Still, if Spectrum's power prism can tell if someone is lying, then shouldn't he have known Blink was telling the truth about Hulk 2099? That he was Proteus, a reality-altering killer hiding in the Hulk's body? And if so, couldn't that have expedited things a bit? Ending having each group walk a mile in the other's shoes just didn't work great for me.

It's funny that people call Marvel "The House of Stolen Ideas" but one of the biggest things in DC in the last few years has been "Ohmigod! You mindwiped that villain!" Shit, the Squadron Supreme was doing that when I was five, so does that mean DC stands for Direct Copy? Not trying to start a war here, just saying that theft thing goes both ways. 3 out of 5.

Amazing Spider-Man #530 - Amazingly, this didn't entirely suck. I do wonder if trying to deal with the effects of having super-powered battles in the world, and how those with political power will react, isn't a little too "real". I really don't want to see Peter Parker trying to deal with politicians, the same way he shouldn't mess with Kingpin-types. They're untouchable by him, whether it's as Peter Parker, trying improve things as a teacher, or as Spider-Man beating on his enemies with fists. What's left for him to do? Take scandalous photos and blackmail the politicos into doing what he wants?

Then we get the Titanium Man showing up, and things got more interesting. Superhero/supervillain brawls is what I want to read here people! The Mutant Registration Act failed (I think)! Don't try and revive the damn thing with a different name. And for goodness sakes, get those damn pincers, stingers, waldoes, whatever they are off Spidey's costume! And what was up with those stupid back and forth boxes that were supposedly editor's notes? That was just distracting. 3 out of 5.