Comics of February 21, 2018

So, I’m back to working mornings for the next couple of weeks, and that means depending on how many comics I’m picking up, I can probably handle both a first impressions post and one full review. The comics I picked up this week include Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 17, Generation X 87, The Mighty Thor 704, Super Sons 13, Red Sonja 13 and Superman 41. Here are my first impressions, and a link to my full review will be added when it’s posted.

Generation X 87 review

Doctor Aphra 17 is fun. While still being forced to work with a very strange group of mercenaries, Aphra is on a mission to enter a very high security vault, privately owned by a powerful imperial officer. The plan to get in – kidnap Hera from the Star Wars Rebels TV show. That’s all you need to know about this one. If you’re interested in an Indiana Jones style book, just set in the Star Wars Universe with morally questionable characters, this is worth a look.

Generation X 87 is good. The last issue ended with Jubilee getting her mutant powers back, in the middle of the school’s fight with a Marius possessed Monet. After the fight, the rest of this comic is made up of character moments and tying up loose ends. They’re all great, especially giving Quentin Quire some actual character growth. This Generation X run has been a great read, with the questionable art being the only thing holding it back from being great. It feels like a complete series. It also feels like it could have easily been longer. I’ll miss this one.

The Mighty Thor 704 is great. There’s a bit of action in the comic, with Mangog attacking Asgard and humiliating the combined forces of Odin, Odinson and Freyja. But most of the issue focuses on Jane Foster’s life. More specifically, all the losses she’s faced over the years and how they’ve affected how she sees the world, and what she’s willing to sacrifice. It’s a very dramatic issue, with brilliant art that only enhances the storytelling. Jason Aaron’s Thor run in general has been brilliant since the beginning, and everything seems to be tying together right now. Thor fans should be reading this series.

Super Sons 13 is fun. It kicks off a new story arc that digs into Damien Wayne’s dark past, with Superboy tagging along. It does a great job at showing that while Jon and Damien are becoming friends, they’re still adjusting to their polar opposite personalities. The end reveal also ties the story directly to Superboy’s own personal life in a way that would be very tragic if they fail. But like the rest of this series so far, it’s just fun. That’s more than enough for this series.

Red Sonja 13 is intense. Now that Sonja is trapped in hell along with a Hyrkanian professor, they’re finding themselves in a series of very dangerous situations, and betrayals. They’re searching for some way to escape. There’s not much else to say about this one. It’s a great Red Sonja comic, and if you’re a fan, you’ll likely get what you’re hoping for with this issue.

Superman 41 is great. It concludes a 2-part story where on the anniversary of Krypton’s destruction, Superman and his son travel to a planet that’s about to suffer the same fate. While they hoped to save its inhabitants from destruction, they didn’t want to be saved. There’s a bit of good action, but the issue mostly focuses on the drama and the background story for the ultra-religious race. It’s all very well-written. Superman fans will likely enjoy this 2-parter, and this series as a whole.