Comics of January 25, 2017

It’s been kind of a weird week here and I’m not sure I can come up with much of an intro. Not too many huge releases this week, just a couple number 2’s and number 3’s, and beginnings to new story arcs. I was planning to edit a bunch of short stories this month, but I’ve been struggling to get going, partly I’ve had to work until 11 at night one day, and start at 8:30 the next morning twice every week. That kind of schedule wrecks your productivity. Also you know something’s wrong when a number of managers are quitting or retiring early, and they can’t find anyone inside the company to replace them because nobody wants the manager positions anymore (this is not a small company by the way). In other words, I really need a new job.

Anyway, the comics I picked up include Hulk 2, Inhumans vs. X-Men 3, Ghost Rider 3, Captain America: Steve Rogers 10, Spider-Woman 15, Star Wars 27, Batgirl 7, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 66 and Detective Comics 949. Here are my first impressions, and links to full reviews will be added when they’re posted. What sucks is that there are 6 comics here that I kind of want to review, and I could easily come up with enough to write about. I only really have the time and energy for 3 or 4 reviews at the most though.

Detective Comics 949 review

Inhumans vs. X-Men 3 review

Hulk 2 review

Ghost Rider 3 is alright. Like the second issue, this issue focuses more on the Hulk and Wolverine than it does on Ghost Rider. Laura’s dialogue is cringe worthy as well. The issue also skips over most of Silk’s introduction and her dialogue is kind of bland. I really enjoyed the first two issues, but this issue is just ok. Hopefully it’s just this issue that isn’t all that great.

Captain America: Steve Rogers 10 is good. The story in this series is increasingly complex, so it’s nice that several of the plot threads are solved this week. Meanwhile, the flashbacks are starting to reach the point where Steve Rogers joins the super soldier program. It feels like this story is gearing up to something massive soon. If you’re interested in the Hydra Cap story, it’s definitely worth the read, but it’s best to start from the beginning.

Spider-Woman 15 is great. Jessica Drew continues her search for answers in Porcupine’s death, leading to some great writing behind her rage, some great action scenes, and a couple big reveals by the end of this issue. This story arc continues to strike a strong balance between drama, fun and humour, to the point where it might just be up there with the best Marvel solo titles on the market right now.

Star Wars 27 is fascinating. It’s the second part of a story featuring Yoda, before the Phantom Menace. He’s landed on a planet inhabited by a bunch of kids, force sensitive rocks, and some sort of mystery surrounding a mountain. Yoda actually finds himself in a bit of trouble by the issue’s end. Star Wars fans in general should be reading this series.

Batgirl 7 is good. Barbara returns to Burnside to find that things have changed, but not to the point where it’s unrecognizable. The kickoff to the Son of the Penguin story arc is compelling, touching on problems with homeless people and potentially wrong ways to deal with them. The first arc started off good and improved with each successive issue, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this issue turns out the same way. Those interested in a Bat family book that’s more light hearted should at least check this series out.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 66 is great. Raphael and Angel head to Antarctica to find Alopex, who was manipulated by a Shredder Loyalist a couple story arcs back. It’s a one-off issue that really digs into Alopex’s mind, how she’s been hypnotized, and her fight to regain control of herself. It’s a fairly deep comic that’s perfectly satisfying from start to finish. Ninja Turtles fans should be reading this series, whether they normally read comics or not.