CrazyforRAMU's Profile

This is a satisfying issue, which makes it a welcome relief in a volume that's edged toward frustration (particularly in #8). The guest art makes for a stylistic shift, but it's talented enough to justify itself and live up to the script. That script is packed with great lines. The plot inches forward, but it's the character relationships that really carry this chapter.

Because of the h ints this issue drops about changes in Wilson Fisk, I'd wager a rather large sum that he winds up hosting one of Matt's deadly sin demons.
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Gorgeous art, a spectacular fight, and beautiful family developments. Plus, that last page made me honest-to-god tear up.

This was a step up from the previous issue--on balance. I would call it a big step up, were it not for the fact that the art feels like a step down.

I didn't dig into it last time around, but I can't ignore it any longer: This art doesn't feel the slightest bit Asgardian, and that's a petit tragedy for a continuity-heavy ensemble story like this. The blocking is good and the action is clear, but the characters leave a tremendous amount to be desired--even setting aside the stylistic mismatch.

Fortunately, the script is a big improvement over #11. There's real conflict to be developed, character interactions that go beyond Seinfeldian jokes, meaningful stakes, and, of course, Tricksy Thor. I always love to see him outwitting enemies instead of just hammering them to bits.

It's also nice to see that SOMEBODY at Marvel is making hay out of the cosmic concepts from G.O.D.S. This arc ties perfectly onto Jonathan Hickman's vision of the In-Betweener and Oblivion.
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It's cute and funny, beautifully illustrated, with an excellent pace. And to keep things from getting too fluffy, Jen's big, upcoming decision seems very consequential for her new relationship.

But there's one fault, possibly unavoidable: Fun as this issue is, nothing much consequential happens. It's all setup, no payoff.

The author makes hay out of Victor Strange, finding a way to honor his storytelling obsession without turning it into a meta-fictional wank (for once). The plot develops in an interesting direction, and we get another great "what happens next?" ending.

The art didn't quite wow me this time around. The blocking was, unusually for this artist, pretty pedestrian (though still quite clear), and the figures were tormented in a not entirely positive way.
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The author makes a daring choice, focusing this whole issue around Brielle's weepy, melodramatic breakdown. He pulls it off nicely, infusing her feelings with honesty and insight without leaning too hard on clichés. There is a false start--Brielle might be young, but she should know better than to expect sympathy from Dracula--but the full scene with Daredevil delivering the goods is a resounding success.

My days of critiquing Danny Lore's writing with a snide "pretty good for a beginner" attitude are probably over. This is mature, talented work.

It also helps that the art is still going full blast, even in the quieter character moments. Plus, Daredevil vs. Dracula is noble in its premise, exciting in its visuals, and amusing in its results.
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Good art, cute ideas (flying Rhino!), and an important turn in the relationship between Tony and Rhodey all combine to produce a nice uptick as this title heads towards its end. I haven't always been satisfied with this title, but this issue hits the spot.

As the story angles in towards a climax, I found it surprisingly enjoyable. I remain underwhelmed by the dialogue, but the premise and plot developments are working for me, and the Carol/Yuna balance is finally right.

This issue makes me appreciate that my problem was never that Alyssa Wong is BAD at writing Carol. They just never seemed interested in doing it much. The solo Carol scene s here are brilliant; her voice sounds great.

Carol's look is also great. The backgrounds and action scenes are a bit sketchy, but Captain Marvel shines (as do the other characters). Tearing up that stupid hussar jacket for bandages is a great choice, not least because it shows off DEM GUNS to great effect.
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I don't doubt the commitment and love of any of the creators involved in this, but it's not really a tale for the ages, or the best introduction to duck comics.

Basically, it's a pastiche of Marvel events and tropes featuring Scrooge and his family, with a slice of Christmas Carol thrown on top. The art is frantic, the dialogue is simplistic, and the humor is coy and in-joke-y.

Including Carl Barks' Christmas on Bear Mountain is maybe good, maybe bad. That IS a perfect introduction to duck comics--and its presence highlights the weaknesses of the new strip.
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There were some snappy lines here and some beautiful art, dynamic and vibrantly colored. But most of what's going on is Jess suspecting stuff, and about a third of it is, worse, her sitting around doing her suspecting in an expository conversation. Though I like it, I don't think it's quite a good comic.

Well, the art remains super-impressive, particularly for a big collaboration. But the script let me down this time around. While #51 featured engaging, rational plot development, this issue felt increasingly arbitrary.

Ben's deus ex machina move at the end was the disappointingly random icing on the cake. He let possessed Spidey rave at him and beat on him for a whole issue when he app arently had the solution in his pocket (so to speak) the whole time? Ugh.

Petty stan update: I'm really not a fan of the Walking Brain calling Ms. Marvel "Ms. Khan," particularly not in a crowd that includes notorious blabbermouths like Intern Doug.
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All this mythical Clash of the Titans malarkey serves to explain the author's pretentious tone, though it doesn't fully excuse it to me. Still, it works together with the detailed art to weave a solid story of human beings as the playthings of the gods.

Which is a premise/perspective that I hate.

As an added "bonus," this story pulls back the curtain a little too far on the m ain event, making it all too obvious what's happened to Blade. It's a twist that I accept as logical and entertaining--this isn't the context I wanted to encounter it in, though.

As is often the case with me, "7/10" is shorthand for "Yeah, this is probably a good comic, but I'm too busy grinding this here ax to admit it."

Vocabulary nitpick: "brunt force" isn't a thing outside of video games.
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About the art, I can say that it's beautifully blocked and polished, though not the most dynamic in the world.

About the script, I only have some really snarky jokes that I'll refrain from posting.

I think the real reason I'm harsh with this title is that I would have LOVED it when I was a horny 14-year-old boy.

The A strip has a thin premise, is weakly written, and is illustrated by Greg Land. To put it another way, the A strip is the reason my rating is as low as it is.

The B strip has art where gore almost but not quite compensates for goofy character rendering. Its prose isn't particularly special, but its premise is darkly compelling.

The best thing about this issue is probably that Al Ewing drops a few tiny breadcrumbs in the frame story that hint at his ultimate intentions for his Venom run.
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It's still not my cup of tea, and I no longer think that it's a good comic, even with my subjective problems taken off the table.

Supernerd Ryan North writing supernerd Reed Richards grappling with the problem of vampirism is pretty much my favorite recipe for a Blood Hunt tie-in. Add on rock-solid art and a big supporting role for Alicia, my favorite character in this volume, and you've got an issue that I'll happily call great.

The initial scenes, with their time-jump and their pages packed with gorgeous, incomprehensible mysteries, didn't inspire a ton of confidence in me.

Fortunately, Wyn's story picks up and provides a satisfying plot along with a challenging resolution. Ultimately, I think this is a very good comic.

I don't think it quite clears the bar to greatness, though. I think, like the se ries as a whole, this provides the illusion of depth and intrigue without ever delivering really meaty revelations. Which is kind of Jonathan Hickman's whole Deal.
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Simple isn't always bad. This book is about punching Nazi vampires in the face, and it approaches it with the perfect tone. It's fun and fast and full of bombast; the dialogue is deliciously irreverent (also hilarious).

The art. I like the art. But I also see it as an instructive example of my critical terminology. Would I call this art "polished?" Never in a million years; it is undeni able that a lot more work could have gone into details and precision. But this is also what I mean when I say that art has "good bones": It's clear and dynamic, and it succeeds in portraying both the beats of fighting and the expressions on faces. And in its raw, unpolished state, it actually suits the roguish, devil-may-care pace of the script perfectly.

Petty, positive thing: I LOVE that this comic rejects the "my finger is in my ear, so I'm on the radio" cliché and actually SHOWS the heroes using Avengers Identicards to communicate.
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The art is gorgeous, and there's plenty of important event plot development. The pace and the overall level of action are slightly bothersome; this is one of those comics that boils down almost entirely to people talking to each other. And the shocking reveal that Miles is a vampire is…apparently not a big deal?

On the other hand, Sam's inspirational speech is some mighty good talking.

I also like it when the heroes are as insightful as a reasonably engaged reader. Carol makes a key deduction that attentive readers should already have picked up on, and her timing is perfect.
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