Some Comic Reviews to Eat Up Post Space

This is a first for Flick Blurbs but I feel of all forms media that I digest, the weekly supply of new comics warrants more discussion than the occasional film/ gaming news that spreads across the internets like wildfire. Therefore, from time to time, I will review some comics that I pick up and give readers the skinny on everything funny books. So lets get to the reviews for the week of 12/26/07.

Captain America #33 - 8 issues post Cap's death and the series is still going strong. While I feel like the first 25 issues of the series leading up the Cap's untimely demise might be stronger, everything post death has been a hell of a ride. Unlike all previous installments, issue 33 narrows the focus to two characters, Iron Man and Bucky. Since Issue 26, Bucky has planned to murder the man responsible for Cap's death and he finally comes face to face Tony Stark. The fight is well handled, with clear panels drawn by the fantastic Steve Epting making the flow of the fight natural. The dialogue is also crisply written so the reader gets all the information he needs without being bogged down by text bubbles. I really loved Tony pulling his punches and actually coming off as a hero instead of the nazi he sometimes gets called on message boards. Marvel has been talking up this issue as "the biggest issue of Captain America since Cap's death" and to some degree, they are right. However, the issue ends with something that is so natural for followers of this series that it isn't a "twist" or "shock value" moment. This new volume of Captain America that Ed Brubaker started seems to be the redemption of Bucky Barnes, and issue 33 makes a strong case for that assumption. With fantastic writing, great art, and good characters, Captain America continues to be one of the best series on the stands.

Green Lantern #26 - The fallout of the Sinestro Corps war begins and if you aren't reading this series may I ask; what the hell is wrong with you?! Whether your a DC junkie or a Marvel Zombie, its in your best interest to give Geoff Johns run on Green Lantern a try. I mean, this sh*t is EPIC. Issue 26 picks up following the conclusion of the Corps war with the breeding of the "Alpha Lanterns". Think Internal Affairs space cops due to the first new law in the book of Oa, lethal force enabled. A true case of "who watches the watchmen". What issue 26 does is give little vignettes to all the major players of the Green Lantern title. You check in with Sinestro and Hal Jordan, in an amazing conversation about their past friendship. John Stewart gets some fantastic scenes that make me think he will be a HUGE player in the coming months, and even the "lost lanterns" get some page time. The issue ends with a death I didn't see coming but makes perfect sense, and sets up the necessity for the Alpha Lanterns. While Ivan Reis was given a break on this arc following his amazing work on the title since issue 10, Mike McKone picks up the slack and does a fair job. The art is good, don't think I'm bashing it, but when you have Reis and Van Sciver on Green Lantern duty, its hard to go back a step or two. However, the writing and story that Geoff Johns has been building since Green Lantern Rebirth #1 is so fantastic, I will take it with any art, it doesn't matter.

Batman #672 - Grant Morrison's Batman has been a real breathe of fresh air as I love the adventurer angle in all of his stories. I have read plenty of Batman busting Gotham criminals and its good to have a place to go for something exotic, which is exactly what Morrison delivers. The story of the three Batmen of Gotham has been building since Morrison's first page of his debut issue, 655, and it continues on in issue 672. We now have the third Batman, same guy as the "devil" from #666, terrorizing the Gotham precinct and demanding a chat with the Dark Knight himself because of the crimes he committed against him. I have no idea who this "third Batman" is going to turn out to be, but to say I'm excited, is a bit of an understatement. My only complaint with this issue is this story has taken a crazy turn that could, in the end, prove to be to weird for me to stomach. The end of the issue is also handled so oddly that I'm not 100% sure I know what is going on, but then again its Morrison, and that could be exactly what he is shooting for. So in that respect, #673 can't come fast enough.

Action Comics #860 - Part three of "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" picks up exactly where 859 left off, Earth-Man staring down the remnants of a destroyed Time Sphere. This spells bad things for the future Justice League of America as they have been spitting tales of hate in the name of Superman to outlaw aliens on earth, and if Supes has indeed come to the future, their lies might just blow up in their faces. Geoff Johns continues to write a fantastic Superman comic where month in and out Superman isn't just punching the new alien menace in the face to win. His Superman actually has a brain and this story, in particular, has some great underlining themes about racism that really make the story seem like it has some substance. Gary Frank continues to draw his heart out on this title which helps make the overall package of Action Comics a must read for fans of Mr. truth, justice and the American way.

Green Lantern/ Sinestro Corps Secret Files and Origins #1 - This week saw two Green Lantern releases and thats fantastic news. This secret origins issue covers bios of over 200 Lanterns, along with detailing everything in the Green Lantern mythos. I have become an avid Green Lantern junkie and feel I know enough to hold my own in a pool of GL nerds but this book opened me up to some awesome nuggets of information. Did you know that each space sector, all 3600 of them, form a triangular wedge that bounces laterally back to Oa, the center of the universe. Therefore a Lantern is still in his/her sector when on Oa. Even cooler is one of the lanterns in space sector 188 is a bio-sentient mathematical equation. I mean how cool and nerdy is that?! While the issue does come with one short story about the crypt keeper of the lanterns, everything else included is a history lesson with tons of fantastic art. If your a fan of the Green Lantern mythos or looking to beef up your knowledge of DC's best property, then GL/Sinestro Secret Files and Origin #1 is a comic worth shelling out 5 bucks for.