Take It Or Leave It – June 5, 2013

Green Lantern #21

It’s been just a couple of weeks now since Geoff John’s ended is 9 year Green Lantern run, it was a pretty emotional issue, and left plenty for the next creative team to explore. I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical about continue after John’s left, luckily for me I decided to give this issue a chance. Robert Venditti pretty much picks up right where John’s left off, Hal is back from the dead and is in a very different position in the corps. Not to mention the corps barely exist at this point, it’s pretty sad when you see the tubes of the suspended rings waiting to go find new wielders. Venditti gives us a view of what’s happening right in the beginning of the issue as we’re thrust into the near future and see that not all has gone well for the Lanterns in the aftermath of the Third Army and First Lantern. That’s probably what made this issue that much more interesting, we know the Corps are in a terrible place right now, and they don’t even get a little down time to regroup it’s right back to getting their asses kicked. And all this is tied to get great by Billy Tan’s artwork, it’s nice to know Green Lantern is going to continue to have some of the better art out there in comic book land.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By:Chris

Son of Merlin #5

If you read Take It Or Leave It regularly than it’s no secret I’ve really enjoyed Son Of Merlin. I’m actually pretty disappointed that it’s ending, on the bright side it’s definitely left open for some possible continuations! Anyway, issue 5 picks up right where 4 left off, Gwen and Simon are trying to get the stone and stop Morgana. It’s pretty standard adventure movie, with a very Indiana Jones feel to it. A lot actually happens in a short amount of time, and Simon has obviously become pretty skilled at magic usage in a pretty short time. The final confrontation does leave a little to be desired, but it did fit the over all feel and speed of the book, so I’m alright with it. There’s just something about the dialogue and artwork that make this book really stand out. If you’ve missed this series, I highly recommend going back and picking up the issues, or grabbing it as soon as the trade is released.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Age of Ultron #9

Age of Ultron started off so strong, but it’s slowly been getting weaker and weaker as the story drags on. At this point Ultron isn’t really even a problem any more, the huge paradox time travel stuff is the story now. I also feel like this issue just made an ending a little to easy to come by. Sure they keep saying how it’s a game changer, and it’s such a secret that only like 5 people in the world know what happens. But really that doesn’t mean it’s going to be good or unexpected now does it? Who’s to say it’s not a huge cop-out ending that they just fully setup in this issue. I’m hoping for at least one nice Ultron showdown with the Avengers, but with just one issue left I fear that’s not going to happen. It’s a shame too, with one issue left if you’re a completionist go a head and grab the book, otherwise I just don’t think it’s going to be worth it.

Verdict: Leave It

Score: 5/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Superior Spider-Man #11

Dan Slott and his team continue to make me love something I desperately want to hate. It’s infuriating to say the least. Issue 11 has our ‘new’ hero proving yet again, that he is in fact a Superior Spider-Man, well in some fascists anyway. Otto has some amazing ideas, and this issue more than many others goes to prove it. Having been a super villain for so long, and being a genius he really can out think just about every other bad guy. The problem still remains, while he’s got Pete’s sense of power and responsibility, his idea of how to handle problems is drastically different and much more violent. This current arc is probably going to end up being one of the better, with Otto facing previously defeated foes again for the first time since he pretty much destroyed them. We’ll see how he does with protecting the innocent at the same time too, something Pete was usually pretty good at. Now for all the good of this book, I do miss having Peter Parker as Spider-Man, between 616 and Ultimate we no longer have one and that’s pretty depressing. There’s none of that goofy banter and joking that people grew so accustomed to over 50 years, and that’s really something to be missed.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Ultimate Comics The Ultimates #25

I used to really love The Ultimates, back before Ultimatium. Ever since it’s been hard to wrap my head around. Ultimate Avengers was . . . Interesting I suppose until they went and did the whole vampire thing that was just silly. Now we’re into this first true On-Going Ultimates series, and frankly it’s been a mess from day one. Sure there have been some good stories, and great issues, but honestly it’s so convoluted with it’s own back story now, no body knows what’s happening. This whole Infinite Gauntlet and Ultimates Disassembled story just screams “We ran out of cohesive ideas so here’s this”. I think maybe the original Ultimates was so good because they were limited series, Mark Millar didn’t have to worry about writing a new issues every month, he could come up with a story, work it out, and bam great limited series! As much as I would like to be enjoying this, I just can’t anymore. The villains aren’t interesting, the first time the Ultimate fault them sure it was cool, but now it’s just boring. There are decades of stories and characters that deserve an Ultimate makeover, so why are we already getting stories based on such recent material. At least Ultimate X-Men and Spider-Man are holding their own, I’ll stick with those for now and maybe Ultimates will get their stuff together soon. It is a new creative team, so maybe they deserve a shot to fix some of the damage that’s been done.

Verdict: Leave It

Score: 3/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Winter Soldier #19

It’s a shame we live in a world where number of sales dictate what gets made and what doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I get it, Winter Soldier probably wasn’t for everyone. And on top of that when Ed Brubaker left the book at the end of last year he probably took some people with him, even if that wasn’t his intentions. On the bright side, Jason Latour and Nic Klein gave Bucky’s solo adventures one hell of a final story. I’m not going to say I was always sure what was happening, but judging it as a whole, it was a really enjoyable ride. The last pages of this issue alone really summed everything up. Brubaker left Bucky in a pretty bad place emotionally, I think Latour was able to bring him away from that and give him a reason to keep on being a hero. Now I just want to know where the Winter Soldier goes from here, maybe a full time spot with the Secret Avengers? Back on track though, if you’re a Winter Soldier fan, definitely pick this story up, it’s a nice ending to this chapter.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Screwed #1

Like a lot of Zenescope books Screwed is a reimagining of a classic story. This time it’s Frankenstein, and this is by no means the story you’re expecting. From the first pages it’s different, and the exact right kind of different. Everything is clouded in mystery and nothing but questions for delivered in this opening issue. If like me you think the DC and Marvel ideas regarding the Frankenstein lore are boring, than this is something you should be checking out. Who am I kidding, you should probably give it a shot regardless, not like it’s going to hurt. The book has a great blend of action and mystery to make pretty much any comic fan happy.

Check out my full review of Screwed #1

Verdict: Take It

Score: 9/10

Reviewed By: Chris

All-New X-Men #12

Another book full of dialogue, but it’s some of the best dialogue out there. I do wish Jean Grey would control her self, but the reactions are usually pretty pricless.

-Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Iron Man #11

I wasn’t a big fan of the first few issues of Iron Man, but now I’m 100% behind it. This secret origin for Tony is just what this book needed, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

– Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris