Rusty's Comic of the Week: Revival #17 | February 1, 2014
Hmmm… not a terrible week but a few book stat a normally love were not as goos as usual. It left room for a nice upset at the top spot.
Starting at the bottom…
INHUMANITY #2 (Fraction / Bradshaw / Fabella) Marvel
Hmmm… when they announced that Matt Fraction was going to be spearheading the new 'franchise' for Marvel, that sounded kind of exciting.
Then the first issue came out, and it wasn't really very good. Then they announced that Fraction had left the project and was replaced by Charles Soule, who I find kind of hit (Swamp Thing) and miss (Superman and Wonder Woman).
Then this issue came out, and it is pretty awful. Bad writing. Bad art. Bad comic.
But, it is still Fraction and it is not the regular artist (this was solicited as a one-shot and was renumbered because nobody ordered it…)
O'kay. I'll still give Soule's Inhuman a shot, but it is son a short leash.
THE SAVIORS #2 (James Robinson / J. Bone) Image
The first issue of this was my comic of the week (in a week where I only got two comics), but this issue is nowhere near as good. Alien tries to kill guy for unknown reason. Other guy saves him and gives him an explanation that is… just really generic.
Another possible short leash title.
FABLES #137 (Bill Willingham / Mark Buckingham / Russ Braun) Veritgo
A few good pages and a whole bunch of filler. The first Knights were named and a little bit of forward momentum on the Spratt / Bigby front.
The rest was just an overview of the world and a tip of the hat to the fact that the new North Wind isn't a little kid anymore.
Not a terrible comic, but it felt like there was very little of substance.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #26 (Slott / Ramos / Rodriguez / Martin / Lopez / Delgado / Olazaba / Vicente) Marvel
Why so many creators? Because the Peter scenes were by a different creative team than the Otto scenes. That was fine.
Kingsley is turning into one of my favourite villains. He appears to be the Scorpion of Marvel (L5R reference, woo-hah!). Meanwhile, the Green Goblin is most definitely NOT Norman Osborne. The biggest hint this issue was that it was Harry, which makes me think it isn't.
THIEF OF THIEVES #19 (Kirkman / Diggle / Martinbrough / Serrano) Image
Solid issue of ToT. I liked the 'save' and the counter-save and the arrest. The cheque was brilliant. The team is still out there. The black book that shows his plans within plans were also within plans.
MIRACLEMAN #2 (Alan Moore / Garry Leach / Steve Dillon / Alan Davis / Paul Neary / Mick Anglo) Marvel
Yes, I credited Moore. No copyright issues here. The Moore / Leach stuff is really, really good. (Though this time out you have to remind yourself how long this came out BEFORE Kingdom Come.) I still get kind of annoyed that I am paying for so much stuff I have no real interest in. I am not being this book for the 1950's stories. I barely read them. I have no problem with classic comics… but these aren't. They are just not that good.
UNCANNY AVENGERS #16 (Remender / McNiven / Dell / Leisten / Martin) Marvel
This book and a really BIG feel to it. The confrontations seemed epic. Captain America and Thor and Wasp epitomize what the Avengers should be. The fights with the separated twins felt important without just being energy thrown back and forth like a lot of the stories that pass for 'big' these days.
This is not the best Avengers book going, but it is easily #2.
DEAD BOY DETECTIVES #2 (Toby Litt / Mark Buckingham / Gary Erskine) Vertigo
This book does a lot to give Crystal even more character. It has the drawback of still having the 'high-tech criminal enterprise' laid over the classic boarding school… but it has the advantage that this isn't in the forefront of the issue.
Last issue before the break…
So, what kept this from being #1? It was a really good comic with really good characterization… so what was the problem?
Well, 'the push' was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. 'It's okay, I knew you could do it!' when the alternative was pushing her and their baby to their deaths? That is the most idiotic thing I have read in a while. Just awful.
Plus, the sudden jump was jarring.
REVIVAL #17 (Tim Seeley / Mike Norton) Image
While Revival out in a really solid outing this time. It feel silk you know these characters now. As a bonus, no over racist characters this time out! The Weimar vs the skinned (?) guy was riveting, but nowhere near as much as the woods scene between Em and May. Then the little reveal at the end which reminds us that there is still a mystery going on here…
Tags: Dead Boy Detectives, Fables, Inhumanity, Miracleman, Revival, Saga, Superior Spider-Man, The Saviors, Thief of Thieves, Uncanny Avengers