Take It Or Leave It – January 8, 2014

Welcome to Take It Or Leave It, where each week we pick out some of that week’s newest comics and give you our opinion on whether it was worth the price and you should take it, or if it was better left sitting on the shelf.

Well we’ve been gone for a few weeks now, the Holidays came and went, and frankly not many books came out those weeks. But we’re finally back and in full swing with Take It Or Leave It. This week we’ve got our usually dose of the good and the bad in the world of comics, including some of the first All-New Marvel Now titles! So lets get started with the first book up this week

Alphabetical by Publisher

DC Comics | Image Comics | Marvel Comics

Batman Superman #7 Like many readers out there, I liked the first arc of this new Batman Superman series. Then this second one started and boy has it been a disappointment. My biggest problem is the art, yes it looks pretty, but every page is a double page spread. I read this series digitally, and I hate that every page is such a hassle to actually see properly. I know some people could argue that it’s meant for print, or that I can do the panel by panel thing in comixology. But frankly I don’t like those arguments. Comics are changing to say that something is only meant for one side of it just doesn’t make sense to me. And I just don’t like the panel by panel view. The art isn’t the only problem the story isn’t all that great either. So far in 7 issues we haven’t had a real Batman Superman adventure. We saw a kind of origin, and now we have them acting like they can’t stand each other. How about we see them have a good relationship for a bit of a change and do something that actually warrants the talents of two of DC’s top super heroes. Luckily this issue wraps up the whole video game theme they had going, on the downside it looks like the next issue is going to spiral directly out of it. Verdict: Leave It Score: 5/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Green Arrow #27 If you’re reading Green Arrow hoping for a fun superhero book with a street level vigilante you’re not going to find it here. If you’re hoping for a book like Marvel’s Hawkeye, you’re definitely looking in the wrong place. But if you happen to be looking for a globe spanning action adventure featuring all kinds of fun elements you’ve hit the jackpot. Green Arrow isn’t like anything you’d expect, especially if you’re a fan of the series Arrow who is picking it up to find a connection. Ollie is on this huge adventure against adversaries that aren’t your average super villains. I really can’t recommend this book enough for someone looking for a little less super hero in their super hero comics. And I love he scene when Ollie ducks under the shield thrown Cap style, it was just very slick. Verdict: Take It Score: 8/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Aphrodite IX #7 The first 6 issues of Aphrodite IX introduced us to this future world and it’s inhabitants. Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way things can start getting more complicated. We already know our Aphrodite isn’t the only one running around, but they’re a newer model than her, and there are plenty of other variations in stasis too. This is a great book for sci-fi fans, especially if you’re familiar with the Top Cow universe. Matt Hawkins has thrown all kinds of nice little easter eggs for other books in the universe, and issue 7 has a pretty big one. Verdict: Take It Score: 8/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Sex Criminals #4 The first thing to keep in mind about this book is it’s definitely not for kids or those that are easily offended. It’s not a very graphic book so you don’t have to worry about that, but the subject matter is a bit mature. Okay now that I’ve said that bit, this book is fantastic. It’s just a whole lot of funny, and this one particularly has some interesting moments with the adult book store, and these strange Sex Police. Now while the book itself is more than worth reading, this is probably one of the only comics where the letters page is just as interesting. Fraction and Zdarksy both add their opinions to fan letters, and the fans share some pretty intimate stories. If you haven’t checked out this series yet stop waiting! Verdict: Take It Score: 9/10 Reviewed By: Chris

All-New X-Factor #1 I’ve never read any X-Factor, I wanted to just never really got around to it. So I figured now that they’re rebooting why not giving it a shot. It also helps that I’ve been a fan of Gambit since the ’90s cartoon. Anyway I wasn’t sure what to really expect here, it’s not really a continuation of the previous volume, even though it’s got the same writer. It does however seem to tie into that, and some of the other X books. This first issue as you’d expect is pretty much all setup, we didn’t even get introduced to all of the characters yet. It seems pretty promising though so I’ll definitely be giving issue 2 a chance. Verdict: Take It Score: 7/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Avengers World #1 Oh Avengers, how I miss the days when Bendis controlled you. It’s been no secret that I haven’t been a fan of what Hickman’s been doing to the Avengers since taking them over. Avengers World isn’t much different, it just doesn’t feel like an Avengers book. And it’s pretty much the same cast as the main Avengers so I don’t really see a point to it. Hopefully Nick Spencer who’s co-writing the book can infuse some of his voice into it and make this a more interesting and true Avengers title, but for now it’s just another flop like the rest of the Hickman run Avengers. Verdict: Leave It Score: 4/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Black Widow #1 And for the final book this week we have the new Black Widow title. I’m personally a fan of the character, in fact I tend to like any hero that doesn’t really have any powers. That’s why books like Hawkeye, Green Arrow, Nightwing, and Winter Soldier are usually on my pull lists. The last Black Widow series a few years ago was actually really promising, and I enjoyed it until it was canceled. Now we’re getting another chance to read a solo adventure of everyone’s favorite Russian assassin turned S.H.I.E.L.D agent turned Avenger, or something like that. The first issue did a good job of setting up the idea of what the book is about, Natasha is trying to clear her guilty conscious of all her terrible deeds. The real basic concept is similar to Fraction and Aja’s Hawkeye, where this is what the character is doing while they’re not out saving the world. The big different here is where Hawkeye is very much Clint just trying to be normal and enjoy his every day life. Black Widow has Natasha hoping around the world taking contracts to help people and setting up trusts and charities with the profits. And so far it’s working, so I think I’ll be sticking around for a while. Verdict: Take It Score: 8/10 Reviewed By: Chris

Chris talks a bunch on PodQuest each week. He's also been known to write about stuff from time to time. You can Email Chris or follow Chris on Twitter @Just_Cobb or Facebook

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