In 2021 I set a goal to post reviews here for 1,000 comics, and finished the year at 1,008 reviews. It was a stretch - - not to read that many comics, because I actually read quite a bit more. The challenge is to find and take the time to write a fair review of what I read - - but I made it. I’m up for a new year, and a new challenge. My goal for 2022 is to read and document 1,200 comics. That’s an average of 100 books per month, easy enough to check and update. Wish me luck!
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 452 comics documented
#433 THE MAGDALENA/DAREDEVIL one-shot by Phil Hester and Ande Parks (Top Cow/Image, May 2008) Phil Hester wrote and drew this story (with Parks on inks) and it’s a pretty good one, complete in one issue.
The Magdalena are daughters of Mary Magdalene who have protected the world for 2,000 years, armed with the Spear of Destiny. The current protector is Patience, estranged from the Church but still a worthy defender against demons, etc. I’ll skip the introduction of Daredevil, as I don’t think that is necessary.
A demon escapes from the abandoned monastery where he was held captive in a secret chamber for centuries. He steals children and imprisons them inside statues until the time when he is powerful enough to eat their souls. Patience and Daredevil track him down and stop him just in time. THREE STARS.
This is fairly anti-climatic, not so much a story as an epilogue. However, there are so many gorgeous two-page spreads throughout this oversize issue that the art makes it worthwhile.
The events take place immediately following THE SEIGE event. The Avengers (Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, Luke Cage, Ronin, Mockingbird, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel) were triumphant against Norman Osborn and the Dark Avengers’ siege of Asgard (hovering over Oklahoma).
Most of the story occurs with discussions and philosophizing (as Bendis enjoys engaging his characters in such) on an airborne transport as the Avengers take prisoners to Maria Hill in Oklahoma.
The ending is a celebration of good winning versus evil, of right versus wrong. Can’t argue with that. THREE STARS.
Parker Robbins a.k.a. The Hood is on a quest to locate the hidden Infinity Gems. He gets two of them and beats the Red Hulk a.k.a. General Thunderbolt Ross, who barely crawls away to warn the Avengers.
This prompts a secret meeting of the Illuminati (Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Professor Xavier, Namor, Doctor Strange, and Medusa filling in for the allegedly deceased Black Bolt). All six of them hid the gems in separate locations and they are trying to figure out how the Hood found two of them. However, they don’t seem to be very good at keeping secrets as the Avengers have discovered their meeting and “the cat is out of the bag”.
This gets Steve Rogers in a huff, as he perceives it as a betrayal of trust. The Avengers break off into teams in search of the gems before The Hood can get his hands on any more.
Several battles ensue, depicted in that famous blocky Romita style that I have some appreciation for, resulting in The Hood ending up with the Mind Gem, the Reality Gem, and the Space Gem. (The Avengers manage to hang onto two others). The gems lead the Hood to the location of the final gem that Dr. Strange hid in the astral plane. All this activity has drawn the attention of someone else who’s searching for the gems as Thanos shows up on the final page. Kind of fun, but I’m not going to search for the missing issues. I’m pretty satisfied with these. THREE STARS.
The second best-selling AfterShock title continues with Season Two beginning this month . . . . . . . . I posted a full review of the titles listed below to the blog for Tuesday, May 10 . . . . . .
#439 - #442 BUNNY MASK VOLUME ONE —- FIVE STARS.
#443 BUNNY MASK TALES Free Comic Book Day (AfterShock, May 2022) “They Were Sickness” by Paul Tobin and Andrea Mutti. “The Hole Where I Watch My Neighbor” by Paul Tobin and Roberta Ingranata. FOUR STARS.
#444 BUNNY MASK: THE HOLLOW INSIDE #1 of 4 by Paul Tobin and Andrea Mutti (AfterShock, May 11 2022 release date) FIVE STARS.
#445 POTIONS, INC. #1 by Chris Burnham and Stelladia (Mad Cave Studios, June 8 2022 release date) A full review of this title was posted to this blog on Saturday, May 14.
#446 WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #1 (AfterShock Comics, in shops June 08 2022) A full review of his title was posted to this blog on Saturday, May 14.
In this single-issue complete story, a female assassin who trained in the Himalayas with Bruce Wayne and thought to be dead (she drifted into a trance and self-lowered her heart rate) resurfaces in Gotham years later as The Shadow Warrior (producing weapons from shaded areas).
With the help of wannabee-Robin Harper, Batman stops her. He recognizes her but she apparently commits suicide, jumping off a skyscraper (body mysteriously disappearing in the shadows). A tight compact little story with good art.
FOUR STARS.
#448 - #450 DETECTIVE COMICS #22, 23, 24 by John Layman and Jason Fabok (DC, 2013)
A three-part story with even better art. A new villain, The Wrath, comes to Gotham to murder cops. Meanwhile, E.D. Caldwell,CEO and founder of Caldwell Technologies (high tech weapons and security devices for law enforcement) wants to buy Bruce Wayne’s business.
Turns out he is The Wrath, and bears a grudge against cops because his father was murdered by a crooked cop during a jewelry store robbery.
With all the high tech and weapons at his disposal, The Wrath is a formidable foe and nearly takes Batman out.
The back-up story features Man-Bat and unveils across Issues #21, 22, 23 as scientist Kirk Langstrom learns he has a rival who has taken the serum and is committing gruesome murders that look like the work of Man-Bat. Issue #24 is the Wrath finale and takes up the full issue. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
This is a flash-back issue to the early days of Jim Gordon, then a detective on Gotham’s corrupt police force and trying to expose it against all odds (like most of the police force is against him).
Another tight complete story from John Layman (Chew, Leviathan), who I don’t normally associate with more serious fare. Jim Gordon also gets involved as the Man-Bat returns in the back-up story. FOUR STARS.
#452 DETECTIVE COMICS #26 by John Layman and Aaron Lopresti (DC, FEBRUARY 2014)
This issue takes the threads of the Man-Bat story from previous issues and gives it the full-issue spotlight in the conclusion. Kirk Langstrom has learned that a trusted partner has betrayed him, taken a variant does of the Man-Bat serum (reverse-engineered but using more deadly vampire bats) and become the dangerously feral Bat Queen. Kirk partners with Batman to work through the solution and bring a halt to the murders THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
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