Comics of September 21, 2016

Every month, there’s at least one big week for my comic pickups, and today is that week. As such, let’s skip the usual introduction and get right to it. The comics I picked up this week include X-Men: Civil War II 4, Civil War II 5, Deadpool V Gambit 5, The Mighty Thor 11, All-New Wolverine 12, Batman 7 and Nightwing 5 (part 1 and 2 of the Night of the Monster Men crossover), Superman 7, I Hate Fairyland 9 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 62. Here are my first impressions, and links to full reviews will be added when they’re posted.

All-New Wolverine 12 review

Civil War II 5 review

Superman 7 review

X-Men: Civil War II 4 is good. Without spoiling the ending, Magneto shows a lot of restraint in the end. This crossover as a whole feels like a teaser for X-Men vs. Inhumans while implementing story elements from Civil War II. The art could be better, but it’s not what I would call bad. If I find the time or energy to review this, I’ll share my thoughts on Marvel’s events as a whole, but for now, if the X-Men vs. Inhuman conflict interests you, this is worth checking out.

Deadpool v. Gambit 5 is fun. Apart from the fairly dramatic issue 4, this entire mini-series is fun. Not all the jokes work, but even when they don’t, it’s more of a “meh” reaction than an “ugh” reaction. Still, most of the jokes will at least make you smile, and the somewhat confusing storyline actually works in this mini’s favour. If you like either of the title characters, this is worth checking out.

The Might Thor 11 is awesome. A bunch of the story arcs are starting to come together, plus we get a big action scene and a major reveal with … something that I won’t even hint at. With so many ongoing plot threads and reveals going on, it’s increasingly hard to review this series, so let’s just say that if you’re even remotely interested in Jane Foster taking over for Thor when the original is deemed unworthy of wielding the hammer, you should definitely check this out.

Batman 7 and Nightwing 5 are both fun. In a way, Night of the Monster Men kind of doesn’t feel like a Batman story (at least compared to what I’m used to), but it’s more of a monster movie with Batman characters. If that sounds like fun, check these two comics out.

I Hate Fairyland 9 is a lot of fun as usual. Gertrude, a 27-year-old woman trapped in a 6-year-old body who’s also trapped in a fairy tale world, travels into her storage hat to find something she needs to settle a losing round in a poker game. Then things get weird. This series as a whole is both very creative and often hilarious. If you enjoy Scottie Young’s work, be sure to check this series out if you haven’t. You are welcome.

Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles 62 is good. This is a bit of a downtime issue, except for Casey Jones fighting a gang on his own. Meanwhile, Raph and Mike have a touching conversation, while the last scene might lead readers to question where Splinter is going as a character. If you’re already into this series, this issue will leave you thinking. TMNT fans should be reading this series, whether they normally read comics or not.