We review an interesting bunch of comic books this week, but first let’s get this out of the way: Have you watch “The Dark Knight Rises” yet? I have but don’t worry, I’m not leaking any spoilers. You are in for one heck of a ride! OK, to kick start this week’s Comic Book segment, we’ve DC’s Green Lantern Corps #11. The breakout of John Stewart continues and while Guy Gardner’s gang gets their asses collectively handed to them by the Alpha Lanterns, Guy and John stumble onto the Guardian’s secret projects, and proceed to use them against the Alpha Lanterns.
This issue just serves to highlight what creepy little ideas those impish Guardians have running in their heads (maybe its the consequence of having no feelings at all), and I must say in the new 52, the Green Lantern Corps ain’t like the vegetables you can find in the supermarket, nice and green…these guys are fatally flawed. 4.5 out of 5.
Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #2 continues its brilliant depiction Sally Jupiter’s early days in the swinging 60s or is it the 70s. The art done by Amanda Conner is really amazing and in conjunction with the colourful, almost manga like-art, the 9-pane style popularized by the original Watchmen books is pretty evident here. Nevertheless, the characters may look young but this isn’t a book for kids as it touches on issues such as sex, drugs, and some violence thrown into the mix. 4.5 out of 5.
It’s been 6 months since Tony Stark disappeared, where in the world can he be and what is he doing? Well, in the Invincible Iron Man #521, he is anything but invincible as he is now in The Mandarin’s service having been forced into it like Ezekiel Stane. Poor chap. But only he can pull off calling The Mandarin “Master” with enough sarcasm to make it feel like a knife being slowly driven into a foe. If there’s one thing that IIM #521 will make you feel, it would be how Tony will be able to dig himself out of this mess in the coming issues. 4 out of 5.
OK, we are now well into the second half of Avengers vs. X-Men and honestly, I was beginning to tire with the premise of overpowered group of mutants mopping the floor on everyone, until now. Uncanny X-Men #16 and Avengers vs. X-Men #8 has shown us this week that Scott Summers and gang can be hurt. Namor’s assault on Wakanda in the latter resulted in the Phoenix Force leaving him while the Phoenix-powered assault on Sinister London in the latter resulted in them getting pwned by their age-old adversary. Both issues get a 4 out of 5.
The brilliant Star Wars – Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison continues with issue #3. Here, Darth Vader confronts his former masters again, but this time in a recording to find out where exactly is the The Prism, a place where the Jedi keep their war prisoners. This issue serves to reaffirm Anakin’s belief that the Jedi council was up to know good, come to think of it, the Ghost Prison is kinda like Malaysia’s old draconian ISA law, which allowed for imprisonment without trial. It’s too bad though that other than the discovery of the prison, there’s not much talk about its history. 4.5 out of 5.
