Over the months I have found people vary considerably in their loyalty to heroes, companies and creators. There has been an underlying tone that DC is more violent and serious than Marvel for a number of years. This may apply to some DC series but I think it equally applies to some Marvel books too. However recently I have really enjoyed many a Marvel book, and I only seem to enjoy a few DC ones. You can easily see which ones, because I review them. This week I am less enthusiastic about DC because I only really enjoyed Batman and Robin. Batman is a must pull because it is important but I did not overly enjoy it, however it is important as a stepping stone to a world without Damien. I may be a little too critical of DC, because there were only three Marvel books on the list too!
DC
Just visually incredible. Its a silent issue but the pages speak volumes. Panel after panel, tear after tear, crushing.
This is a book about Harper. She was there a few issues back helping Batman and she is at it again. There are strong odds that she will be the new Robin, and this book sets that up. I find it too much too soon, and the change in artist halfway, frustrates me again, despite it being Alex Maleev.
Marvel
Peep my review!
It is good to see Tan Eng Huat back on the book as I like the manic look to Legion. A good start to the new arc with the development of the Blindfold and David’s relationship. Unsurprisingly there are some crazy religious cultists to deal with and a special appearance by SWORD!
I really enjoyed this issue because finally the balance between background story and plot is perfect. The character development leads to realistic actions in the arena, a pay off to the work put into the superheroes at last.
Independent
There are few books as cool as this. A great science fiction plot interlinked with side stories of conspiracy and jealousy. If that was not enough, the arc is simple but expressive. There are excellent inserts into the comic that gives us a feel for the era it is set. These include the reader’s end of year science awards and two pages of fiction describing the breakdown of World Corp. Just a wonderfully intriguing story.
Ryan Browne takes on the mammoth task as the artist replacing Nick Pitarra. The book’s story is as crazy as Hickman’s Oppenheimer himself, and Ryan keeps the essence of the book alive, with a little help from Bellaire’s great colouring.
I think this is a BPRD spin off book, created by Mike Mignola, but I have never read that book so I am a little unsure. Its an intriguing story and Jason Latour captures the wartime environment incredibly well. A really enjoyable first issue of a double parter.
House Of Flying Scalpels 
Its been another great week of comics, with Damien’s death proving to be a deeply moving event. There are a lot of good books from Marvel now as well, its also giving DC a run for its money when it comes to dark & violent storylines. There is so much choice now on new comic book day its almsot impossible to know where to start sometimes, I just wish I have more time (and money) to enjoy even more comics :O)
There is so much to choose from! Its a tough one, Im lucky to buy a lot but I would hate to have to reduced my pull list!
Completely unneccasary geeky info-dump: SLEDGEHAMMER 44 is…okay, this is gonna get ridiculous. Hellboy, when he was actually a, y’know, boy, loved comic books. His favourite hero was LOBSTER JOHNSON, a pulp character that’s a lot like the Spider or the Shadow – he shouts things like ‘DIE A MILLION DEATHS, CRIME!’ and then punches you in the face with a ring that leaves a lobster claw mark. Now, the weird thing is, Lobster Johnson was real. Hellboy meets him, and later there are spin-off titles about his adventures. In one of these comics, LJ fights a robot. This robot is now being used as a weapon of war for the allies in SLEDGEHAMMER 44. Whooh! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it gets you interested in the HELLBOY/BPRD titles, which is my favourite on-going comics story, really.
I’m glad to see a lot of the blogs I follow reading X-MEN LEGACY – that is the best ongoing title Marvel has put out in a long time. I’m a completely obsessed Marvel fanboy, but I actually really love DC as well, but you’re right in saying that modern DC does get a little ‘grim n’ gritty’ as the saying goes. Marvel just seems to understand that letting writers/artists expel their unique creative visions will result in more interesting comics. Everything at DC always seems so ‘house style’. Like, CAPTAIN AMERICA couldn’t be more Rick Remender and JRJR. Same with X-MEN LEGACY or Hickman’s AVENGERS or Fraction’s HAWKEYE or any of their titles. But when I read a stack of DC, only a couple gems like WONDER WOMAN stand out as books with a unique POV. Which is a shame, I think. Still, I love a lot of the DC characters, and a lot of their books like THE FLASH have been lots of fun!
Now that was a comment and a half! Love the update on Sledgehammer, it was most welcome!
Haha, succinctness is not my greatest talent!