A Few Thoughts on Comics from The Past Couple Weeks

Dark Avengers Annual #1 gives us a whiz-bang blowout of a fight as well as a new heir to the name: Captain Marvel. Interesting.

The Marvels Project #4 shows us the origin of the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, but from the point-of-view of the Nazi agent assigned to kill the 'traitor' scientist working on the project. Interesting.

In Thor #604, the hammer wielding hero finds out that Doctor Doom has been experimenting on Asgardians. A beat-down is about to be delivered. Interesting.

Vincent Price Presents #13 features the return of one of my favorite Price characters: Dr. Phibes! The art style is a bit odd, darkly inked like Jae Lee, but still with enough detail and character to communicate the story well. The story shows it's links to the two movies and continues the story in a way that allows for further sequels. The characters are written well enough to what we've already seen. The story seems a bit over the top but, really, the best Vincent Price movies all are a bit over the top. I liked this but I'm not sure I loved it, mostly because the art style was a bit too weird at times.

Siege: The Cabal shows the beginnings of the end of Norman Osborn's reign of darkness over the Marvel Universe. We see Loki's influence on him is strong, stronger than I expected. I'm hoping that we don't get a 'everything that has gone on in the past seven years our time has all been Loki's fault' but it is nice to see Loki messing with the Avengers as that type of story tends to go well for the reader.

Invincible Iron Man #21 further details Tony's plan to have his friends 'reboot' him. All these bits and pieces from storylines from the past couple years come together as one big master plan. Excellent. Even better is an appearance by Captain America. Captain Americas maybe? Oh yeah, Steve Rogers is back and his shield is a big part of the plan!

New Avengers Annual #3 is also a big piece of the 'beginning of the end' puzzle for Norman Osborn's reign. The New Avengers (hopefully to just be The Avengers again soon) lose their hideout but may gain a new leader at the end. Mike Mayhew's art is beautiful, looking like it's tightly drawn pencils that have been colored. Very wow!

The Muppet Show Comic Book #0, the first of the ongoing Muppet Show Comic, was a bit of a let-down for me, the first Muppet Comic in the new line that left me a bit cold. It's not the style of the new artist throwing me off, that I didn't mind. Link Hogthrob had a few lines that just didn't sound like him and threw me off. The construction of the story was a bit odd as well. The 'Pigs in Space' storyline is supposed to be a movie pitch, which could explain the odd phrasing from Link, but the ending would seem to negate that concept. The movie execs being Statler and Waldorf is obvious from the beginning of the book and is either stupid, because its too easy a joke to have them turn something down, or is awesome, as that's been their job this entire time and explains why they're used to hating. The story just seemed a little lazy. That said, it does earn a point for Bunsen Honeydew making a sonic screwdriver comment.