Rapid Reviews - 16th and 23rd of November

16 November 2005:

Green Arrow #56: "Heading Into The Light Part Three: School's Out": Not bad. Nice touch on how Dr Light finds Connor. I'm not really loving this book at the moment, but it isn't bad. Just your standard superhero book.

Birds of Prey #88: "Perfect Pitch Part Two": As a contrast to Green Arrow, I'm really liking this book. This is an example of a good superhero book. The way this issue contrasts Barbara's newfound optimism against Savant's situation really works. All told, a good book.

Green Lantern #5: "Feeding Frenzy": Is that The Shark? The one from the Silver Age who sometimes bothered Aquaman? Do we have a massive retcon going on here, or something else? I'm still not sure what I think of this book. I thought I was growing to like it, but I'm not sure with the current mix of plot threads. I don't know. I probably would have given up on this title awhile ago if hubby-Eric wasn't a fan.

Local #1: "Ten Thousand Thoughts per Second": I already reviewed the preview copy of this book, and everything I said then still stands. I recommend this one, and urge readers to give it a chance.

23 November 2005:

Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #4: "Zor!": Unless I'm counting wrong, this is the last Seven Soldiers book we'll be getting until the final close-out issue. It's been a lackluster series overall, and I don't think it's going to improve, but I do kind of want to see the end. As for this issue, not bad. A bit better than the other series, but still very Morrison-twisted. But reading it just confirmed my decision not to bother with the rest of the series.

The Flash #228: "The Summoner": The nightmare at the beginning of this story was very intense. It's easy to dismiss Mirror Master, but the opening sequence really pulls out all the stops to make him as creepy as he ought to be. The rest of the book was mostly forgettable.

JSA: Classified #5: "Honor Among Thieves": A surprisingly interesting look at the villain side of the superheroing business, from determining the problem to gathering the tools to pull off a heist, right up to the toast before the main event. My only real complaint with this issue is that Ma Hunkel looks nothing like Ma Hunkel. The Red Tornado is more than just a little old lady.

Conan #22: "The Heart of Yag-Kosha": Oddly enough, my enjoyment of this issue of Conan was caused by the fact that this title got me interested in Conan in the first place. After reading the first few issues of this Conan run, I found a couple of Conan collections and read the original texts. This story was nearly my favorite of the ones I read (which was not all of them). And I believe Busiek and Nord really did it justice. So yeah, recommended. Particularly if you are a fan of Conan, which I am now, thanks to Busiek and Nord.

Paradox #1: Wow! This is pretty good. The story is set in a universe where magic took the place of science, and vice versa. Science is considered kooky and silly, while magic is used for all activities. The book could've benefitted from a slightly more imaginative artist, as the magic cops are carrying around things that look like guns, but are surprised when someone uses a gun from the science universe. Other than that little glitch, the book is really good. Worth a look, if you find a copy.

Oz: The Manga #6: Very nice adaptation of the book. I really like this one. It's close to the book, but stretches the story where it needs to be stretched, and tightens it where it needs to be tightened. I don't know what else to say about it, except get it. If you can't get the individual issues, be sure to get the collection when it comes out. I think it'll be a great gift, and a fun read for adults as well as children.