Marvel Monday's Melee Madness - Week of July 26, 2017

Marvel Monday Melee Madness – Week of July 26, 2017

This week Marvel wrapped up the month of July and it felt like a relatively quiet week in 'the Universe' despite several event type books coming out this week.  There was one moment that stole a ton of the spotlight, which will be highlighted inside, but I'm also here showcase some of the under the radar moments you may have missed.  As always the photos and scenes will be accompanied by awful jokes and who doesn’t love that.  Jump inside for more.

Marvel Madness Comics Podcast Ep. # 13

EPISODE #13 - Punisher, X-Men Blue, Scarlet Spider, Secret Empire

Lucky number thirteen to mildly please your ear drums and take up some of your work week. Trevitt and Branden run the show this week suppling all the Marvel Madness craziness you can handle. “Sleepy” Carl is still missing is action, working those early shifts, but we pick up the slack to bring you four books and determine with 25% accuracy if you  should BUY, BORROW, or FORGET the following titles:

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5 Review - Marvel Monday

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5 Review

Writer: Peter David

Art Team: Mark Bagley

Marvel Comics

Release Date: July 26, 2017

Cover Price: $3.99

The Battle of the Scarlet's

Ben Reilly has been back for five issues in his own solo title and we’re finally going to see what happens when the two Scarlet Spiders are in the same room at the same time.  Kaine, if you remember, isn’t too happy with his cloned brother, since Clone Conspiracy ended, and how else do brothers settle problems than with fisticuffs … its science people.  So strap on in, jump inside, and find out what happens when you mix Scarlet with Scarlet … Spoiler: mostly a scarlet bloody (and not in the English way) good time.

Marvel Monday's Marvel Covers of the Week - July 26, 2017

Marvel Monday’s Marvelous Covers – Week of July 26, 2017

Well this week the cover game got back on track cover with a few gems found among the Marvel lineup. The only catch, most of the covers I liked were of the variant variety, so they may come along with an inflated price tag unfortunately. In the meantime, while your saving your dough for these beauties, why don’t you jump inside, and join your fellow Marvel Zombies in gawking at a few of this week’s picks, featuring the White Queen, along with the hard hitting analysis you’ve come to expect from @bmur3660.

Daredevil #24 Review - Marvel Monday

SUPREME...Waste of Time

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Alec Morgan and Matt Milla
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017
Review by: Aaron Anderson

Well I didn't bury the lead. Alec Morgan's assault on my eyeballs continues in this issue. We get some more close ups of weird distorted faces that look like they came straight from an M.C. Escher 'Hands with Globe' sketch pad. Except these have no backgrounds and probably took minutes to draw when the artist was in the eighth grade...Enjoy.

Deadpool #34 Review - Marvel Monday

Marvel Minute Pick of the Week

 

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Pencils: Matteo Lolli & Mike Hawthorne

Inks: Christian Dalla Vecchia & Terry Pallot

Colors: Ruth Redmond

Marvel Comics

Release Date: July 26, 2017

Cover Price: $3.99

Deadpool Fights the Power

What do you do if you find yourself unknowingly and unwillingly tricked into working under Stevil Rodgers, who then duped you into murdering a close friend/ally? Well Deadpool is about to fill us in on the ins and out of that situation, as this arc continues tying into Secret Empire, and let’s just say things are getting ugly. Unbeknownst to Hydra, Deadpool is on a quest to take down Hydra Cap, but also has a hell of a lot going on in his personal life to deal with first … does Hydra offer vacation days? Jump in to find out that and more.  

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Ep 134: DC Comics, Metahumans and Fake News

Jim, Eric and Reggie get together to discuss all of this weeks books and also the question of whether Batman is a Metahuman.  There is a ton more as the GFC gets involved to give you the longest podcast out there with Weird and Science and DC Comics in it's name. Enjoy!

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Spotlight - Action Comics #984

Jim and Eric shine the Spotlight on the finale to the Revenge arc.  Who comes out on top, the Super League or the Revenge Squad?  Listen to find out...

Underwinter #5 Review

Under There? Under Where!

Written by: Ray Fawkes
Art by: Ray Fawkes
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017



We’re back again with a comic that has become a bane to my existence. Although it’s been grating and hard to get through, I’ve taken it on as a book I just refuse to stop reviewing. I have to see this to an end, I need to see what sort of conclusion it works up. Although the last 3 issues have seemingly been the same issue told over and over again, we’ve gotten enough small tidbits that make me think we’re eventually working toward a climax. The only question is if that climax will be better due to this slow buildup or if it will feel as if another drop in the bucket of ongoing fever dream visuals and near empty narrative. Find out what I think of the most recent issue after the jump.

Injustice 2 #16 Review

Watch the Watch

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Bruno Redondo, Rex Lokus, Juan Albarran, Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: July, 25 2017


With the previous issue kicking back into a groove that Tom Taylor seems most comfortable in, character introductions and character moments in general, I’m anxious to jump into this issue to get down to Plastic Man. Along side that the overall story seems to be getting to the meet of this series with Ra’s Al Ghul’s plan becoming known with both sides now clearly on a path leading forward. Check out after the jump to find out what I thought of this issue and where the story’s going from here.

Plastic #4 Review

Explosive!
Writer: Doug WagnerArtist: Daniel Hillyard, Laura MartinPublisher: Image ComicsRelease Date: July 26, 2017Cover Price: $3.99

Last time in Plastic our main character got a sidekick, a bad guy turned into more of a bad guy, and we get a little more background on “Momma”. The series to this point has been enjoyable in a screwed up comedy kind of way. Besides that though I just keep wanting more. I’m not in this book for some kind of screwed up revenge story, I want to figure out more about this character and more about his history. At this point I’m wondering if we will get that at all. Find out if I get any of this in the current issue, and what I thought about it, after the jump.

Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern #6 Review And Spoilers

Rage, Rage Against The Dying of the Light!

Written by: Justin Jordan and Robbie Thompson
Art by: Barnaby Bagenda
Colours by: Alex Gumaeres
Letters by: Ed Dukeshire
Published by: Boom! Studios/DC Comics
Price: $3.99

This crossover series has been a lot of fun the last five issues. We’ve had a fair bit of action, a fair bit of humour and, last issue in particular, some genuine pathos. The creative team have, on the whole, done a good job of taking some of the more memorable or important elements of each franchise, mixing them together and producing a story that manages to hang together pretty well, while at the same time being very entertaining. In some respects, that’s about as much as you can hope for from a crossover event like this. The big question is: Can the team tie up the various plot threads and deliver a satisfying conclusion to all this? There’s only one way to find out…

Top 5 Fridays: Top 5 Things from SDCC

Welcome to another conventional edition of Top 5 Fridays. Well, that special time of year has come and gone like a feather on the wind. That time I'm referring to is the time of San Diego Comic Con. Trailers and comic announcements flood the internet to the masses and people like us indulge it all. Granted this year didn't seem as explosive as previous, we managed to get a few good announcements from DC, ranging from movies to cartoons to comics. Today, I'll be going over the announcements and updates that piqued my interest over Comic Con weekend. As always, this is an opinion based list, so if you don't see something you like, I apologize! With the formalities out of the way, let's get started!

Batman/The Shadow #4 Review and Spoilers

Tell It To My Heart

Written by: Scott Snyder and Steve Orlando
Script by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Riley Rossmo
Colours by: Ivan Plascencia
Letters by: Clem Robins
Price: $3.99


Well, we’re half way through this pairing of two of popular fiction’s most famous vigilantes (or a quarter of the way through considering the recent announcement of this series’ follow-up mini) and things are heating up nicely. Last issue saw a couple of significant revelations about the nature of The Shadow’s relationship with Batman, and it also left Batman tied up in an underground cavern surrounded by a gathering of his most vicious enemies. (Well, most of them. Where’s Kite Man?) This means we’re probably due a huge fight in this issue, doesn’t it?

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 7/26/17

I Call Sienkiewicz For My Team

Hello again! Another swell week of DC Comics, all of which were wrapped in a bunch of swell covers. But there can be only five, unless I choose to mention a couple more. But this week I did not! Read on to find out which images made the cut.

The Flash #27 Review

Negative Barry

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Paul Pelletier, Howard Porter, Andrew Hennessy, Hi-Fi and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017

I was not a fan of the ever returning reverse Flash.  His return after the Button story lessened the impact of Dr. Manhattan and it all just was getting old to me.  However, something about last issue and seeing Eobard using his brains and the future to get at Barry felt so fresh.  It didn't hurt that the issue ended with a pretty awesome cliffhanger that had me excited to get to this issue.  Now that it's here, did it keep the good times rolling?  Let's find out...

Kamandi Challenge #7 Review

Up in the Air...

Written by: Marguerite Bennett
Art by: Dan Jurgens, Klaus Janson, Hi-Fi and Clem Robins
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017

The fun thing about the Kamandi Challenge is to see how the writers pick up the dangling cliffhanger from the previous month and deal with them and then move forward.  Well, that used to be the fun thing until this book kind of broke under the weight of so many crazy cliffhangers and turned into more of a chore than anything else.  It's now up to Marguerite Bennett to pick up the pieces and get it all back on track, but after the butcher job Steve Orlando let loose last issue, that may be a tall order indeed.  Does Bennett do it or should we all just write this series off as a failed experiment way before it's even over?  Let's find out...

Detective Comics #961 Review

Of the Mind!

Written by: James Tynion IV
Art by: Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez, Brad Anderson and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017

Detective Comics has been an up and down ride for me during Rebirth, but since Zatanna showed up, it's been all up!  She has breathed new life into the story and seeing her early relationship with Bruce has been a treat.  Throw in a little Azrael and James Tynion is slamming this baby into fifth gear.  So, does the fun continue?  Let's find out...

Justice League of America #11 Review

Only In My Dreams

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Neil Edwards, Sandu Florea, Hi-Fi and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017

It's time for more Kingbutcher!  What, you're not excited about the guy who came out of nowhere to destroy the dreams of Vanity?  I can't blame you as last issue really was not that good and just dropped this silly dream thing in our laps and expected us to care about it.  Oh well, maybe Steve Orlando will give us more this issue and even throw in a bit more explanation about the Might Beyond the Mirror.  That's what I'm waiting for.  So, do we get it?  Let's find out...

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #25 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Color Wars

Writer: Robert Venditti 

Artist: Ethan Van Sciver 

Colorist: Jason Wright 

Letterer: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Van Sciver and Wright 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Has there ever been a storyline where the Red and Blue Lanterns joined the nationwide gangs the Bloods and the Crips, respectively? Well, maybe there should be.

No, probably not. Instead, check out my review of a far better story concept in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #25, right here!

Suicide Squad #22 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Amanda Quinn and Harley Waller

Story: Rob Williams 

Art: Augustin Padilla 

Colors: Adriano Lucas 

Lettering: Pat Brosseau 

Cover: Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira & Adriano Lucas 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Since Harley Quinn became the field leader for the Suicide Squad, I’ve imagined her in other lines of work. As a barista at Starbucks, for instance. She’d get everyone’s name wrong on purpose just to write nasty words on the cups. Or how about if she was a bus driver? Fifteen minutes of Midtown traffic, she’d be breaking windshields and clavicles with her oversized hammer. No, I think the only jobs Harley Quinn would be best suited for are those that require lots of killing, such as the one she holds in Suicide Squad #22, of which you can read my review, right here!

Batgirl #13 Review and **SPOILERS**

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The Worst Babysitter in the World

Script: Hope Larson 

Artist: Inaki Miranda 

Colors: Eva De La Cruz 

Letters: Deron Bennett 

Cover: Dan Mora 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Hey look, the Catwoman’s here! Do you think she’ll ask Batgirl to be one of her bridesmaids in the wedding to Batman? And if so, will she be able to wear her cowl with the bridesmaids’ dress? Lord, I hope so. In fact, I can’t wait to find out: check out my review of Batgirl #13, right here!

Doom Patrol #7 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Niles Caulder, You’re Out of Order

Writer: Gerard Way 

Artist: Michael Allred 

Colorist: Laura Allred 

Letterer: Todd Klein 

Cover: Michael & Laura Allred 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Can it be? Is the comic book of legend returned to bestow High Weirdness upon the populace? Oh thank the heavens and saints be praised! Our favorite Young Animal title has returned to the fold! And hark! It has brought the Allreds with it! Let us make haste, then, and read my review of Doom Patrol #7, lest our indifference cause another untoward delay in the series!

Teen Titans #10 Review and **SPOILERS**

Shell Marks the Spot

Teen Titans #10
"Blood of the Manta, Part Two"

Script: Benjamin Percy
Breakdowns: Phil Hester
Pencils: Khoi Pham, Pop Mhan
Inks: Trevor Scott, Pop Mhan
Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Letters: Corey Breen
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd think less of a book for "only" coming out once a month.  DC's Rebirth initiative has gone a long way to change the way I look at comics... and I've been reading these damn things for thirty years!

It feels like we don't get a whole lot of time with the Titans when compared to the bi-weeklies of Batman, Superman, the Justice League(s), the Lanternseseses... so, when this book has an "off" month, it's amplified by it's once-a-month shipping schedule.  When it has two "off" months... well, that's an eternity.

Mother Panic #9 Review and **SPOILERS**

The Bag gets Bagged?

Mother Panic #9
"Victim Complex, Part 3"

Writer: Jody Houser
Interior Art: John Paul Leon
Interior Colors: Dave Stewart
Letterer: John Workman
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: July 26, 2017

Whenever I read an issue of Mother Panic that's divisible by three... I have to stop and think about what year we're in.  Three issue arcs... in 2017?

It feels so wrong... but yet, so right!  So refreshing that we don't need to wait a half-year for one story to end... and lead directly into the next trade-sized jaunt.

Let's check out how the third story arc of Mother Panic shakes out.

Action Comics #984 Review and *SPOILERS*

Get In The Zone

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Patrick Zircher, Hi-Fi, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's time to finish up our Superman Revenge Squad arc and see what new hell this group will unleash on the world if they get their way and set Zod's phantom army free from the Phantom Zone.  In our previous issue, we saw the majority of our Super League sent to the zone after the villains totally kicked their ass, but that's not all.  It seems that Zod just can't turn on the projector and find his army, he needs someone to go in and lead them out and the two who got the short end of the stick on this one are Cyborg Superman and Eradicator.  So yeah, we have a bunch of heroes and two villains in the Phantom Zone, while Zod and the rest of the Revenge Squad have control of the Fortress of Solitude and an unconscious Supergirl.  Let's jump into this issue and see how our heroes will prevail and if Cyborg Superman gets to keep his Oblivion Stone.  Let's check it out.

Batman Beyond #10 Review and *SPOILERS*

Round Two!

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, Travis Lanham

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Let's step thirty-five years into the future, where the world is just starting to rebuild itself after the devastation it faced at the hands of Brother Eye and where Terry McGinnis is facing off against Damian Wayne, who has now become the leader of the League of Assassins.  Yeah, it's a pretty fucked up future, but hopefully with Bruce Wayne showing up right before Damian lands his killing blow to Terry, he'll be able to talk some sense into his boy and stop all of this craziness and welcome him back into the Bat Family........ yeah, it seems a bit far fetched, but I love Damian as a hero and would hate to see him become a bad guy for good in this dark future.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Damian kills our hero or if the prototype Bat suit that Terry's wearing actually takes full control of our hero and pushes him over the edge.  Let's check it out.

Blue Beetle #11 Review and *SPOILERS*

Back In The Scarab Again

Written By: Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis

Art By: Scott Kolins, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's such a disappointment to me that I get to have a Blue Beetle series......... which is something I wished for since the previous one was cancelled and that when I finally get one, it's something that I'm not really into.  Don't get me wrong though, this series does have some decent moments that almost makes me forget that it's not that great, but overall........... It's just not that great.  Hopefully though, now that Arion was defeated in the previous issue and Jaime has bonded with the scarab once again, things will begin to change and this series will become what I've wanted for so long.  So yeah, that's about all the catch up you need and about as much time as I needed to bitch about what I'm getting.  Let's jump into this issue and see if the changes start happening here and what Jaime will do now that he's the Blue Beetle once again.  Let's check it out.

Wonder Woman #27 Review and *SPOILERS*

Diagnosis: Amazon

Written By: Shea Fontana

Art By: Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Saida Temofonte

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Alright, it's time to get back into Shea Fontana's run on Wonder Woman and her five issues about the Heart of the Amazon, where we previously saw Diana having a heavy heart about all the death and destruction she's seen over the years, but mostly about all the people she hasn't been able to save.  This heavy topic didn't last the entire issue though, because Wonder Woman was invited to a wedding by Etta Candy, but apparently Wonder Woman can't catch a break because while she was trying to enjoy herself by playing with Etta's niece, she came across a bomb under one of the reception tables and while everyone wants to have a killer reception............ this isn't what they had in mind.  Let's jump into this issue and see how our hero defuses this situation and find out what's up with the Picket's physician, Dr. Crawford and why she seemed to get sick out of nowhere last issue.  Let's check it out.