by Aaron Lightfoot, Comic Columnist
Deadpool vs. Thanos #1
Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Elmo Bondoc
The “Merc with the Mouth” is back and is trying to take on heavy hitter Thanos in this new mini-series by Marvel. Writer Tim Seeley brings his talents in making Deadpool the way many people know him, the death-defying comical antihero. Even as Thanos is pounding Deadpool into a liquid goo, Deadpool is able to come up with quirky responses that make Thanos more frustrated.
Even with such big names right now, it makes me feel like something is missing in this series. It almost seems like Deadpool may not be serious enough for the series and it takes away from the great presence Thanos has. Elmo Bondoc brings both of these characters to life, even as Deadpool is beaten to death by Thanos. With a seemingly good start to the series, I hope Seeley can make Deadpool lower the humor a notch so that the clashing seriousness of the story and Deadpool don’t end up making a mudpool out of the series.
Rating: 7.0/10
Spider-Island #3:
Written by: Christos Gage
Art by: Paco Diaz Luque
A comic book that brings all kinds of Spiderman-themed superheroes together seems like a good idea. Various popular heroes, like Tony Stark and Hulk, take their place in this series but not in a way fans may be used to. Gage makes everyone work together harmoniously, but what it lacks is a desire for me to keep reading.
The big surprise, at least to the Flash Thompson Venom, is that Spiderman is actually Peter Parker. It’s a bit underwhelming due to the fact that this kind of thing has happened a lot of times, and it seems like a trivial matter at this point. Even with the addition of making previous female characters in Spider-man’s universe bad and morphed into creatures, I really lost interest in the series, and I don’t see any draw to make me want to come back to this one.
Rating: 5.5/10
Green Lantern #44:
Written by: Robert Venditti
Art by: Billy Tan and Martin Coccolo
Green Lantern is one of my favorite superheroes, however, the Hal Jordan version is one that I do not care for. Introducing too many characters had muddled up the story, yet this issue sees to rectify that problem. With one of the members, Virgo, incapacitated, Hal is able to work with Trapper to defend themselves from some thugs. Less focus on the three characters individually brings this comic to a good place. What ends up lackluster is the artwork.
Many times when comic series have multiple artists, they are able to work together in order to make a really appeasing looking comic, like JLA #1 with Alex Sinclair and Andrew Currie, or Thors #1 with Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, and Marte Gracia. With Green Lantern, the styles of Tan and Coccolo are so different that it is very easy to tell the difference between the two, and it distracts the reader from enjoying what would be a bit of a turnaround for the comic series.
Rating 6.0/10
Lobo #10:
Written by: Cullen Bunn
Art by: Robson Rocha
There are many mercenaries out in the comic world right now, but there haven’t been many that would have been hired to kill various Lantern members. Lobo takes the task and works his way through the hit list brought forth by Sinestro. With a much smaller take on the mercenary, writer Cullen Bunn is able to make Lobo seem like a very deadly assassin while not having to draw anything out too much.
Rocha brings art that makes the panels pop even more, and with Bunn’s writing, it feels like a quick read that is very enjoyable. Tying in two characters in a very cohesive way is a nice touch also. It reminds me of the “Star Wars” and “Darth Vader” series intertwining Boba Fett between the two. In the end, I would recommend this series to anyone interested in action-filled comics.
Rating: 8.0/10
The Dying and the Dead #3:
Written by: Jonathan Hickman
Art by: Ryan Bodenheim
I had to make sure I wasn’t imagining this comic existed when I first saw it. It was a number three comic for a series I didn’t recall seeing a number one or two for. The reason for this is because five months have passed since the second issue. I can’t imagine the reason for the delay. The writer even left an apology at the end of the series, but it makes me not want to continue the series if the publication schedule is off as much as it was.
The comic itself is absolutely great. The story is one that keeps you wanting more and the artwork is a bit scratchy, but it works. The comic has an eerie vibe that makes the comic stand out from many others, but I wonder how this series will hold. With this only being the third issue, my hopes are not the highest for the series to continue.
Rating: 7.0/10