Star Wars: Blood Ties - A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett #4 [2010]

STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES – A TALE OF JANGO AND BOBA FETT #4

Boba Fett and Connor Freeman reunite however Fett takes him to claim his bounty. Fett offers to pay half a million credits for the release of his half-brother however there is no deal because Tayand wants to see him dead. Freeman offers Fett 3 credits to kill Tayand and he accepts. After killing Tayand, Fett frees the Rancor to cause havoc on the other bounty hunters. Fett collects his 3 credits and retrieves a Rancor tooth, while Freeman collects his father’s inheritance as both depart ways. Terrific ending to a Boba Fett book with action, suspense, and drama to keep you entertained as the story progresses.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Ultimate Spider-Man #150 [2010] by Brian Michael Bendis

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #150

Spider-Man stops the Ringer from completing a diamond heist worth only $11,000 with $2.7 million property damage. Carol Danvers has a problem with that and asks the Ultimates for advice. Tony reveals Spider-Man saved his life against Whiplash by putting on his armor. Steve Rogers doesn’t think he’s ready after the destruction he caused in Midtown. Thor suggested that Spider-Man needs guidance like the children of Asgard. The final solution is to send Spider-Man to superhero school. This is a milestone issue taking the title to another level by veteran writer Brian Michael Bendis. The backup story includes various artists as Spider-Man faces Blade, Elektra, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, and dealing with the unknown world around him.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Ultimate Avengers 3 #4 [2010] by Mark Millar

ULTIMATE AVENGERS 3 #4

Blade infiltrates the Triskelion to kill the vampire Captain America. He escapes and Blade is shot by the Black Widow. Brothers Gregory and Tony Stark show off their talents as the Avengers and Blade team-up to deal with the vampire threat. It is revealed that the person who trained Blade, Matt Murdock and Stick is the one wearing the original Iron Man armor. In Soho the vampire Nerd Hulk wants the leadership position of the clan and decapitates the person within the Iron Man armor. The Nerd Hulk assumes leadership as the vampire Captain America arrives and pledges loyalty. Mark Millar has picked up the pace with this issue as the lines are drawn for the finale within the final two issues.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Fantastic Four #585 [2010] by Jonathan Hickman

FANTASTIC FOUR #585

Reed Richards has to answer to Galactus as to why there is a corpse of himself within the Earth’s crust. Reed explains where the corpse came from and both of them journey to the Nu-World for answers. Sue Storm deals with the loose cannon Namor for the leadership of Atlantis. Johnny and Ben take a breather until Annihilus strikes next issue. Jonathan Hickman sets the stage for the death of one of the Fantastic Four and it could be anyone. Reed Richards could fall before Galactus, Sue Storm deals with the leadership under the sea, while Johnny and Ben will be dealing with the Annihilus next issue. Great story that keeps you guessing as to who will fall.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

The Invincible Iron Man #32 [2010] by Matt Fraction

THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #32

Tony Stark and his team are being attacked by Detroit Steel and hundreds of Hammer Murderdrones within his own backyard. Pepper Potts and James Rhodes suit up in their respective armor to join Tony to deal with the threat. Compared to the other story arcs, Stark Resilient seems to be predictable and safe when it comes down to the action and storytelling. The threat levels are high however our characters seem safe from any real long-term harm. Matt Fraction seems to be losing his edge with this title and maybe its time for another writer with a fresh perspective.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – 3 OUT OF 5

Incredible Hulks #617 [2010] by Greg Pak

INCREDIBLE HULKS #617

The conclusion to the Dark Son storyline is here as the family reunion reaches a climax that began in 2006’s Planet Hulk. Due to advance solicitations we know that Hiro-Kala did not survive. It would have been nice with another character scarificed himself which would have added more significance to the story. On Planet K’al both brothers Skaar and Hiro-Kala battle it out. Skaar imprisons him in stone and the Worldmind takes him to become an orphan planet. Not much of an impact as Earth is saved by the colliding Planet K’al. Very weak story that doesn’t lead to anything except keeping the Hulks in space for the Chaos War crossover next month.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – 3 OUT OF 5

Action Comics #895 [2010]

ACTION COMICS #895

Lex Luthor has tracked down the black spheres while Vandal Savage waits for him since he has two of the black spheres. Luthor plans on changing the black spheres. Vandal Savage waits for him from 1358 Europe to the events of Salvation Run as the super-villains are trapped on an unknown planet and trying to get back to Earth. He also wants the location of the black spheres as well as and traps Luthor and his employees within his building. Luthor secretly summons the help of the Secret Six who is led by the daughter of Vandal Savage, Scandal Savage.

The back-up story with Jimmy Olsen by Nick Spencer and artist RB Silva create a compelling tale of aliens that will destroy the planet when they party. Now Jimmy has to make sure they are bored enough to leave. After saving the world Lois Lane prepares Jimmy to get a new girlfriend. Two stories really make this book worth while for a $3.99 book.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Batman Beyond #6 [2010] by Adam Beechen & Ryan Benjamin

BATMAN BEYOND #6

The finale of this series kicks off with a bang as Richard Grayson joins both Terry and Bruce to take down the rogue Camdus clone and the robotic Bat-Wraiths. Richard and his evil clone battle it out along with the help the future Batman and Catwoman. Great finale by writer Adam Beechen and a hint of a possible Flash Beyond within the ongoing Batman Beyond series beginning in January 2011.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Artifacts #3 [2010] by Ron Marz

ARTIFACTS #3

The Witchblade, Darkness, Angelus, fight off demons that have been following ex-priest Tom Judge, the current bearer of the Rapture. While Tom Judge gathers the forces of good Aphrodite IV assembles her forces for her master. She meets with the bearer of the Pandora’s Box, Alina Enstrom, Sabine the Angelus warrior bonded to the Wheel of Shadows, the Demon Mali, and Glorianna Silver the bearer of the Ember Stone. Aphrodite IV meets with Michael Finnegan who has two Artifacts: the Glacier Stone and the Blood Sword. Ian Nottingham breaks out of prison to meet with Aphrodite IV and takes the Blood Sword from Michael Finnegan. Now the bearers have begun dividing themselves up as two separate forces as we approach the end of Act I next issue. The back-up presents the origin of the Angelus drawn by veteran artist Bart Sears!

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5

Superior #2 [2010] by Mark Millar & Leinil Yu

SUPERIOR #2
Mark Millar is slowly providing legs for his story as the shift begins about testing Superior’s powers. Simon Pooni and his best friend Chris test Superior’s powers including vision, heat vision, cool breath, strength and flight. The ends with a US space station crashing towards Earth. The story reminds me of the 1980s Greatest American Hero series. Not much happens within this issue as it serves to only set-up for the rest of the series. Ultimate Avengers seems to be much better storywise compared to Millar’s and Leinil Yu’s creation.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – 2 OUT OF 5

X-Men #5 [2010] Curse of the Mutants

X-MEN #5

Xarus assembles the vampire nation to attack Utopia so the mutants will be added to their ranks. With a vampire Wolverine on his side he knows he has an advantage. Cyclops prepares for attack by having his tough-skinned X-Men on the forefront of the island as well as his ace in the hole. The battle begins with Xarus bringing out Wolverine to establish a beach-head on Utopia. Cyclops reveals that he used nanobots to disable Wolverine’s healing factor at the DNA level and now he has turn them off to rid Wolverine of the vampire virus flowing within his bloodstream. The battle is turned and the vampire nation runs and Xarus face his resurrected father: Dracula. Not as predictable as I thought so I am very impressed with writer Victor Gischler. Paco Medina have given us our money’s worth of art presenting multiple panels of various situations of each and every character. Looking forward to the conclusion of the Curse of the Mutants arc next month. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – 5 OUT OF 5 

Green Lantern #59 [2010] by Geoff Johns

GREEN LANTERN #59

The Entities are taking human hosts which do not go well with Hal Jordan. The Brave and the Bold comes to an end as the Parallax possesses the Flash and the stage is set next issue for the confrontation with Hal Jordan.

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

- The Entity Proselyte of the Indigo Tribe has chosen a human host

- The Flash expresses his fear of Hal Jordan working with his enemies

- Lafleeze pickpockets the Flash

- The being behind collecting the Entities reveals himself

- The Flash becomes the new Parallax

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – 5 OUT OF 5

Brightest Day #14 [2010]

BRIGHTEST DAY #14

ACROBATS

The Brightest Day maxi-series follows 12 resurrected characters from the Blackest Night event. The entity within the White Lantern reveals that it is dying and a replacement must be chosen and each of the 12 have returned to protect Earth until the arrival of its new protector. Series co-writer Geoff Johns explains that this series is about second chances and some will work out while others will not. The various subplots within Brightest Day will intertwine with one another and present an overall comprehensive story. During the San Diego Comic-Con, Johns announced there will be a White Lantern oath introduced within Brightest Day and added “when the White Ring creates a construct, it’s there forever.”

DEADMAN

Boston Brand returns to the land of the living after Blackest Night and happens to be the only one with the White Lantern ring. He struggles to find meaning in his resurrection which leads him to observing the other 11 characters. His ring finally answers his question of ‘What were we brought back to do?’…..Help Me Live. We had a confrontation between the Deadman and the villain from Crisis of Infinite Earths, the Anti-Monitor. The battle is short-lived as the Anti-Monitor blasts him and Deadman falls into a safety net created by his ring. Deadman meets up with Hawk and Dove and travels with them to find their purpose. His purpose is to find a bearer for the White Ring. Both Resurrection Man and Batman were candidates however the chosen one will come to Deadman.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5