I've been a bit overwhelmed with school but I caught some time tonight so I figured I'd throw down a few quick reviews:
Batman #700 Typical DC managed to false advertise the hell out of this book, making people believe that it would be more of an anthology and less of a consolidated story and while it is, it really isn't. I know a lot of people were also expecting this to be a huge moment for the Return of Bruce Wayne story that is on-going right now, but we didn't get that either. However, a lot of credit to Grant Morrison, who gets a bad rap for being inaccessible, for turning out a fantastic, one and done story that (if I can use the ever cliche phrase) rewards longtime readers but is also a fun tale for first timers. Anyone who has ever heard of Batman knows that there is always going to be one, and that is really the only piece of information you need going into the story. The art teams all shine on their respective Batmen, although Scott Kolins out of nowhere was very surprising, especially the style used for his pages. As David Uzumeri mentioned on his Twitter, Kolins normal Flash work would have fit in just fine, instead his pages possess a glossy feel that makes everything feel fuzzy. I absolutely love Kubert's Damian Batman as well, but that is just personal preference. The only thing I can really be unhappy with is the additional 4 pages of "Batcave" material which should have really just been a re-print of Jim Lee's All Star Batman and Robin gateway spread which really is all one needs. From a critical eye this issue could have trimmed some fat and been priced at $3.99, but from a celebratory perspective, it succeeds. A-
PunisherMAX #8: I don't consider myself a Punisher fan, but I love this series to death, if only because each month tells you a little bit more about how absolute insane Jason Aaron actually is. Aaron's take on these characters continues to dwell in the land of excess: graphic violence, absolutely insane situations and a true sense of never really knowing what can come next and yet it all feels very natural to the book. His mastery of these characters keeps everything flowing and Dillion's art remains as solid as ever. I'm going to end this portion now because I find it terribly difficult to review without foul language, but that is just the nature of the beast. B+
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #11: Reading this book each month continues to make it more and more difficult for me to dump $3.99 into other Bendis titles because his Spider-Man is just so good each month that it baffles how he isn't translating this stuff to his Avengers work. While no actual webs appear in this issue, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action as the fallout from last month's Kitty-focused drama segues right into something brand new that I would have never expected if I didn't keep an eye on the solicitations. Strong dialogue, solid art and an enjoyable plot both keep this title in the upper tier of comics and reminding us of how quickly time flies (ASM's similar story was a year ago last July and the iPad was announced in January, but appears here). A
Uncanny X-Men #525: Uncanny has continually been the weak-link in the Second Coming chain, even factoring in Greg Land artwork elsewhere, lacking the necessary urgency and cohesion the other titles have had. At this point the plot really needs to be advancing, and instead readers get yet another collection of character moments that don't really go anywhere. Everyone gets it, Scott is carrying a heavy burden, mutants are extinct in the future and outside the dome everyone is crashing into it just to shut up the occasional "Where were the Avengers?" fan. Let's get on with the story, and don't even get me started on the Watchmen joke. At least The Dodson's are doing what they can. I'm ready for Second Coming to wrap-up so we can finally put this Messiah business to rest. B-
I really enjoyed the X-Force parts of Uncanny, but the rest was a little boring. Nimrods really don't seem to be like the dire threat they should be.
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