For some reason, I could have sworn Phantom: Generations #2 was on the Diamond list, but it isn’t now, and it didn’t come in. However, I did get three good comics, not counting Free Comic Book Day. More on that in a moment.
I should also note that this week’s Best Scene winner will be a surprise to regular readers–it sure is to me. Not so much because of who won, but who didn’t win. But let’s get on with this. As usual, spoiler blocked versions of these reviews are available at ComiXology, a site every comic collector should already be signed up with. Free to browse, though.
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #35
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics (June 2009)
WRITER: Paul Tobin
ARTIST: Casey Jones (when he isn’t hanging with the Turtles 🙂 )
COLORS: Sotocolor
LETTERER: Dave Sharpe
COVER: Williams and Sotocolor
PRODUCTION: Anthony Dial
CONSULTING: Ralph Macchio
EDITOR: Nathan Cosby
With the lady Avengers on a personal getaway, the boys run the house–and procede to wreck the place. (No, the Hulk isn’t around, and neither is Tony.) Things become troublesome when Hawkeye, looking for a date for the Archer Awards where he is up for the humanitarian award, accidentally loads Avengers info to the dating site “Lover’s Leap”, run by Batroc the Leaper. Batroc blackmails Hawkeye, Spidey, Cap, Wolverine, and Luke Cage into going on a series of dates in order to recover their data. However, once dates start overlapping, the customers themselves take him down, and our heroes return home successful–with the Avenger ladies waiting for them. Guess who’s cleaning up the mess?
What they got right: A story that totally wouldn’t work in even the best of regular continuity stories works perfect here. Watching Cap of all people joining in coming up with cover stories of how something got broken (best line: “C’mon, guys…we always blame the Hulk”–I heart MA: Avengers Spidey), watching women fight over Cap, dragging in other supers like Thundra, Snowbird, and the Crimson Cowl (seriously), the ending with the Avenger girls…every moment is just oozing fun.
What they got wrong: Artist Casey Jones couldn’t keep his ladies striaght. I swear he uses the same girl more than once (even the colorist gives her the same color suit), or she just wants to date both Spider-Man and Captain America. Seriously, he does a bad job keeping the non-super women straight. He even uses the same girl again at the club, although this time she’s wearing a swimsuit–even though she was just traveling with the heroes and claiming Cap for herself. But didn’t she come to the Avenger’s door seeking Spider-Man…see, it just distracts.
Recommendation: If you can keep the ladies straight, or if your to busy giggling like a schoolgirl to care, having this comic is good idea.
PUBLISHER: Archie Comics (June 2009)
WRITER: Ian Flynn
PENCILER: Tracy Yardley
INKER: Jim Amash
COLORIST: Jason Jensen
LETTERER: Teresa Davidson
EDITOR: Mike Pellerito
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Victor Gorelick
G.U.N. Chief Abraham sends Shadow out to recruit E-102, aka Gamma, one of Robotnik’s old robots (from Sonic Adventure 1) to join up with their group to oppose Robotnik. However, the not-so-good doctor has sent out his new robot, Omega, to destroy the robot with a soul. During the battle Omega succeeds in destroying Gamma, but not before Gamma uploads a copy of himself in to Omega. Now the robot must deal with the conflicting desire to destroy and his newfound conscience. Shadow offers him Gamma’s place in G.U.N. and the robot accepts. Later, the new “Team Dark” are given orders for their next mission: to go to a special zone to obtain a Chaos Emerald.
What they got right: The further exploring of Shadow’s desire to “reform” all living weapons carries over from issue 1, and I can’t help but feel this is what the last issue should have been. Sonic Adventure 1 had been adapted into the comics, so I know the whole story about how Amy Rose helped bring Gamma/E-102 over to the good guys. Therefore, it was sad to see him destroyed, even though he does live on in his upload into Omega. It’s a good plot.
What they got wrong: Not much to put here. They hit all their marks here. It doesn’t jump out at you, but it doesn’t sit there, either.
Recommendation: This is turing out to be an interesting title, and a good way to give the main series some breathing room with allowing the supporting cast to shine. At the rate things are going, I wouldn’t mind seeing a “Team Dark” series, as long as they bring back Knuckles’s own title as well.
PUBLISHER: Boom! Kids (April 2009)
WRITER/ARTIST: Roger Langridge
COLORIST: Digikore Studios
LETTERER: Deron Bennett
EDITOR: Paul Morrissey
Fozzie is trying to find new material, but tonight doesn’t seem to be his night. However, when he learns to just be himself, he finally gets his jokes to work, and even Statler and Waldorf are laughing.
Other skits include stalwarts “Muppet Labs”, “Pigs in Space”, and “Vetrinarian’s Hospital”, a musical number, and…one that I have no clue what it is, but it’s humorous.
What they got right: Leave it to Roger to take a running gag and make a touching story out of it. As he did with Kermit last issue, he gives us a good story involving Fozzie Bear, and really uses the backstage hijinks to their best storytelling potential. And he doesn’t give up the comedy to do so, which makes it feel like the show. There’s a bit more focus on the subplot this issue, but you still get the classic Muppet show skits, including my three favorites this time around.
What they got wrong: I’m still a bit put off with the character models, but this time I feel like Gonzo’s getting the worst of it, thanks to this really small pupils. Right there on the cover he just looks kind of creepy. Also, the “musical numbers” just don’t translate well into comic form, unless there’s an accompanying CD or download we should be playing when we read that page. That should probably be dropped in the next two issues, but since odds are the last two comics are all but finished, it’s probably too late to do so.
Recommendation: Good use of my favorite Muppet Show character (actually, tied with Gonzo) in a touching story that’s still filled of Muppet comedy goodness. If this doesn’t sell out like issue 1, a travesty will have been commited by the readers.
Best Scene of the Week
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers wait, it’s not?
The Muppet Show #2
How did the Muppet Show take the title from a Paul Tobin Avengers story? Was it because it was hard to pin down one particular moment? The whole football/cover story scene was too large. But yes, Gonzo’s faux pas takes the week. {waits to see the inevitable collapse of civilization}
And while I wait, I’ll be reading though this nice, big stack of comics I picked up for Free Comic Book Day. I have a few articles I want to get to this week, and it’s not like you can go and snag these now that Free Comic Book Day is sadly over. However, I do a special review before the week is out. I’m thinking Thursday at the earliest and at the latest pre-empting Saturday Night Theater. Until then, read a good comic.
BW Media Spotlight 
[…] From the original review: G.U.N. Chief Abraham sends Shadow out to recruit E-102, aka Gamma, one of Robotnik’s old robots (from Sonic Adventure 1) to join up with their group to oppose Robotnik. However, the not-so-good doctor has sent out his new robot, Omega, to destroy the robot with a soul. During the battle Omega succeeds in destroying Gamma, but not before Gamma uploads a copy of himself in to Omega. Now the robot must deal with the conflicting desire to destroy and his newfound conscience. Shadow offers him Gamma’s place in G.U.N. and the robot accepts. Later, the new “Team Dark” are given orders for their next mission: to go to a special zone to obtain a Chaos Emerald. […]
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