What I Bought 2/27/08

It was a Heroclix kind of day at the store today. Lots of people (including four guys who drove almost three hours to get to the store) there buying entire cases of the new Crisis set, then going back and buying even more boosters (each case is several boosters, each booster has five figures), trading, cheering when they got a rare fig, groaning when someone else did. Good times. I picked up a booster, and managed to get four figs I was interested, two through luck, two through trades.

Bloodrayne: Prime Cuts #1 - There is no way things end well for that guy on the cover. If she doesn't use the blades on him, she'll just bite him. If she doesn't bite him, she'd probably just crush his torso between her legs (superhuman strength, you know). This is two short stories that take place somewhere in between the two Bloodrayne games. The first one has Rayne attempting a rescue mission, only to run into an enemy you kill in the 2nd game, who's using people to make offspring. Not like Aliens, more like the Brood. Sorta. The second story took place right before the 2nd game started, and Rayne thinks she's encountered an old enemy from WW2, when in reality she's got a slightly different foe to worry about.

I think I liked the second story better. I felt like I was missing something in the first one because it had been so long since I played Bloodrayne 2. With the second story, I didn't have that sense, so that helped. Plus, the story of the second one felt more complete. There wasn't a lot to it, but it had more of an ending. The first one has the feeling that it's going to be revisited in the next Prime Cuts, which may or may not be apt. Maybe if it had been the entire issue it would have worked better. Fleshed things out more in the middle. Each story has a different artist, and while I prefer Bilbao to Hardin, they both do a solid job. The colors are darker on the first story, which works with it being a somewhat more grim story (even though Rayne did blow up a convenience store, with the clerk still inside in the 2nd one. Hey, she told him there was a gas leak!). 3 out of 5. I like using the past as a backdrop for Rayne's adventures (though time period is fairly incidental in this case), but I think I'd prefer one full story, rather than two somewhat connected stories.

Blue Beetle #24 - I bought it, are you happy DC bloggers? Now reciprocate by purchasing Nova when it comes out next month! It took me several hours before I understood why they chose to put the speech balloon they did on the cover. So I'm slow. Sue me. Jaime has been captured, and is powerless, and his family is dead, horrors! Or perhaps not, at least on the "captured" and "dead family" fronts. Jaime runs amok inside the Reach ship, while his loved ones slug it out with the alien scum planetside, including Traci unleashing magic bees, I think. Magic bees, my god *cue everyone who read Amazons Attack reflexively screaming in pain* Wait! Maybe they were magic wasps, I'm not sure! *screaming cautiously stops* That's better. Anyway, Jamie has some sort of plan, which I am unable to decipher. Which puts me in much the same boat as the Reach.

Yes, it was a fun book. I like the writing. I like the clever comments, I like the supporting cast, which like Deadpool, did not require Jaime make a deal with fictional devils. Always a plus. I also like the artwork, which is very expressive, though people seem to grit teeth a lot. But it's a stressful issue, so that's understandable. 4 out of 5.

Ultimate Spider-Man #119 - Oh no, Magneto has stolen Firestorm's shirt! Just look at him, flaunting his poofy sleeves. Liz has powers. She freaks out. Johnny has to leave for some emergency. Liz takes off, Bobby and Peter follow, as Kong lets Peter know that he knows. Much talking and discussion of power and responsibility ensues, then the bad guy shows up on the last page.

Wow, this is practically the opposite of that issue of Spider-Girl earlier this month that was just packed with stuff. Other than Liz, I think, going through five stages of Acceptance (though I think she skipped bargaining) there's not much here. I do enjoy Bobby giving Liz pointers on how to fly, and how Spidey was able to follow them. Beyond that, there isn't much to say. It's a middle chapter in one of Ultimate Spider-Man's multi-chapter adventures, and middle chapters tend to be slow. 2 out of 5.