J.Montes Comic Reviews

For months we've all been questioning if whether Jackpot is Mary Jane. I'm glad Peter sees and hears the resemblances as well. Do we get an answer? Not quite, but the fact that it's already being addressed is good. Oh yeah, and the ending made me chuckle. Slott's story arc may be over, but the humorous tone and good writing continue.

As usual, Stefano Caelli brings the goods on art chores. I really dig his art style. Some might say this book is over-colored month in and month out, but I believe it's perfect. It completely matches the diverse personalities that dominate this book. And while it carries the Avengers title, don't be fooled - it's the most different book of the Avengers line, and dare I say it, the most entertaining.

Batman #673 is a puzzle, really. If you think there will be answers at the end of the issue, you're in for a disappointment. In fact, the end (which I won't go into), just raises more questions. It's okay though, because there's an enthralling mystery under all this madness, especially after all that Ras Al Ghul nonsense.

The end of the issue wraps things up nicely. I like the general premise of this story and the art is beautiful, but it could have used less preaching. It also could have been told in three or four issues. It sucks when stories are drawn out for the sake of selling a trade paperback later on.

Despite the dark themes, the book is colored with a lot of bright colors and that's kind of what threw me off. It's just lacking in atmosphere right now. With two issues left, I'm hopeful that Tim Truman and company can turn things around.

There's one issue left in this story arc, and I'm curious to see how things will wrap up. It's obvious that Mr. Fear's time is up, but who's going to take him out first? Old horned head or The Hood? Then there's the ramifications of Milla's violent acts. It's gonna be one heck of a ride!

Issue #553 seems to have all the classic elements that make a good Fantastic Four story. You've got the wacky science fiction elements in the form of time travel. You have Reed Richards talking in a lot of techno-babble. You have Doctor Doom, the group's arch-nemesis trying to mess things up. And you've got a family arguing amongst itself. Perhaps the only missing element is The Thing proclaiming that it's "Clobberin' Time!" I'll miss McDuffie and Paul Pelletier's work here, but I'm very eager to see what Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch have in store for us.

Sure, you only get like 16 pages of story, but the fact that you're getting complete stand alone stories in each issue is just fantastic. Fell plays out like a twisted crime story with some good laughs thrown in here and there. Richard Fell doesn't necessarily make the book good - it's the characters he meets that do.

Jungle Girl is a book grounded in high adventure, unapologetic violence, and gratuitous amounts of fan service. If you're into this kind of stuff, it's fun for what it is. If you're not, well, you knew you were never going to buy this book to begin with. If these delays continue, you're probably better off waiting for the trade paperback, because you'll just forget what happened in the issue before.

Bryan Glass and Michael Avon Oeming have a nice story developing here - I just hope they don't slow down the momentum; unlike the first two issues, there's less story progression. The issue is meaty, though - coming in with 26 pages of story, plus a few more pages of supplemental material. At $2.99 it's a heck of a deal.

Because it's so late, this issue feels like filler. Marvel should have just canned this story and moved on to a more current story. No new Skrulls are even revealed! All we get is Tony Stark's revelation that he's being played (by the Skrulls) and an answer as to whom sent the symbiotes in the first place.

Next month kicks off the Secret Invasion tie-in. Ms. Marvel's a major player in the Marvel Universe now, so it'll be interesting to see what becomes of her.

If you've been following this story arc, you should probably pick up this annual. It resolves a lot of the story and opens up future plots. No Skrulls are revealed this issue, however. Bummer.

There's a lot of frustration in the air, and it's not just affecting Bad Horse. Each character portrayed in this issue is doing some kind of grieving and it all ends with (at last) the appearance of a character we've been waiting a long time for. This book is back to full steam and I'm loving every minute of it.

Steve Pugh is one hell of a talent. I can't wait for issue #2!

The biggest insult is that this book is $3.99! Who decides this stuff?! I'm sorry, despite the gorgeous art, I can't recommend this book. We've read this story too many times. It's time for something new.

I love the paper quality of this book. It's got a high gloss that really makes the colors pop. At $3.50, it's more expensive, but the page count justifies the cost. But the story? I'm just not feeling it. I'll stick around for the last issue, but I am not impressed.

This issue marks the beginning of the "Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends" story arc, and it's a perfect place for readers to jump on. Bendis does a ton of character work this issue and it's such a good read. It's all driven by the characters' thoughts and there's lots of "Aaaarghh'ss" to be read, but it's hilarious. Everyone has their concerns and problems, and Bendis just nails the life of a young person. Johnny Storm arriving at school to cause trouble with everyone is downright hilarious and Firestar's identity is sure to surprise! Month to month, Ultimate Spider-Man delivers. This issue is no different.

This book belongs under the Marvel Knights brand. To sully the "Ultimates" name is unforgivable.