Comics of April 13, 2016

Usually the last week of the month is my small week for comic pickups, especially when it’s like last month where there are 5 Wednesdays. Looking ahead, it looks like this month is the opposite. Last week was pretty small, while the rest of the month is kind of big. Also, a lot of teaser trailers for movies and a couple games released this week. Dr. Strange, Rogue One, Gears Of War 4 … it’s kind of crazy. I really like all three of the ones I mentioned. Anyway, it’s time to talk about comics.

The comics I picked up include Star Wars: C-3P0 1, A-Force 4, Rocket Raccoon and Groot 4, Spider-Gwen 7, All-New X-Men 8, Darth Vader 19, Monstress 5, Pretty Deadly 9 and Starfire 11. Here are my first impressions, and links to full reviews will be added when they’re posted.

Spider-Gwen 7 review

Pretty Deadly 9 review

All-New X-Men 8 review

Star Wars: C-3P0 is ok. It’s basically the story of how C-3P0 got his red arm, and it involves a bunch of droids working together while 3P0 is trying to get information for Poe. There is some interesting dialogue on a droid’s role in the Galaxy, but there’s nothing all that special about this comic. How much you’ll enjoy this depends on how much you like C-3P0.

A-Force 4 is fun. Concluding the first story arc, this sets A-Force up against Antimatter, followed up by some nice scenes where the team bonds with each other, when She Hulk and Medusa aren’t arguing anyway. It’s fun, the art is great, and the ending promises some interesting conflicts to come. If you’re the least bit interested in an all-star female team book, pick this up.

Rocket Raccoon and Groot 4 is hilarious. Iron Man and Rocket Raccoon make a bet regarding a fantasy football league that Iron Man is involved in. This fantasy league happens to be extremely dangerous, leading to a bizarre yet very entertaining comic. If you’ve read Scottie Young before, you know the kind of humour you’re getting into. If not, at least give this comic a look if you’re interested in a comedic series.

Darth Vader 19 is intense. This concludes the civil war on the mining planet of Shu-Torun, where Darth Vader is betrayed by both the rebel miners and some of those who are supposed to be his allies. The only thing in this issue that’s more intense than the action is some of the dialogue taking place in the aftermath. It’s not only a good showing of Darth Vader’s brutality, but how his example influences the new queen of Shu-Torun. Darth Vader fans should be picking up this series.

Monstress 4 is great. It explores Maika’s past in great detail through flashbacks and conversation, while still leaving a lot to mystery. While this issue doesn’t have much action, the dialogue is more than intense enough to make up for that, and the ever expanding Chinese Fantasy continues to be fascinating. If a series about a girl with a cannibalistic monster living inside her interests you, this is worth looking into.

Starfire 11 is fun. Most of this issue is a party deep underground, with some strange creatures doing strange things. Most of the tension in this comic comes from the spa scene, weirdly enough, but it does lead to a possible teaser for how this series will end next month. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending page though; it teases another party issue to follow up an issue-long party with no real action. Next month could very well prove me wrong, but a two-issue party feels like an anti-climactic way to cap off a series, even one as lighthearted as this. Still, if you’ve been enjoying Starfire so far, you’ll likely enjoy this.