MOTW 7/15/09: Your emo got mixed in with my Blackest Night!

TexiKen

Biggest release this week is Blackest Night #1. It varies in quality, but I will say this: Geoff Johns has done so much work on so many titles that this all seems rather the same. Johns telegraphs a lot of stuff that you may have already put the pieces together before reading this issue:

So everyone is honoring the heroes on a Superhero Memorial Day, and you have Hal talking about those the other GL's have lost:



If that doesn't set up Guy to get shit on by the series end, I don't know what will.


So the black rings spread out over the universe, and the Guardians realize they couldn't stop the Blackest Night, but must now confront it. Scar disagrees:





So back on earth Hawkman and Hawkgirl argue over Ray wanting them to go with him to visit the grave of his wife. Carter rightfully says no, because this way she's winning even in death at screwing up his life. Then zombie Ralph and Sue show up and kill them:





Oooohhh, get it? He's dead, so he can't be killed dur-hur.
This messes up with the whole "ghost detectives" thing if the zombies are in some part the heroes themselves.

Very good art, story kinda iffy. It is 40 pages with no padded/filler crap though like Cry for Justice was. First half is all emo, second half is all blood.



And I just want to say the Superman page in Wednesday comics fails for both completely missing the characterization of Superman and Batman.

wirehead26

The third part of Utopia was good I thought. Not much action but the plot moved along nicely and the art was fine. And I can't figure out where it will go which is another sign of a good story, at least to me.

Cap 601 was a fine flashback story, and good Lord I didn't realize how old the artist was.

Lucascraft

I didn't find the first half of BN to be emo at all. There wasn't really any "woe is me." It was just a tribute to dead guys as a setup to raising those dead guys as Black Lanterns. Since this is a DCU event and not simply a GL event, Johns had to do a bit of extra setup to catch non-GL readers up to speed. I think the first half of BN1 was a very discreet way of character introduction without being in-your-face about being a character intro.

KVW

Lucascraft wrote: »

I didn't find the first half of BN to be emo at all. There wasn't really any "woe is me." It was just a tribute to dead guys as a setup to raising those dead guys as Black Lanterns. Since this is a DCU event and not simply a GL event, Johns had to do a bit of extra setup to catch non-GL readers up to speed. I think the first half of BN1 was a very discreet way of character introduction without being in-your-face about being a character intro.

I was a little disappointed with teh slow pace starting, but its exactly as you say - for people that dont follow GL and exactly what an event book like this probably needed to set the tone. Theres nothing "emo" about it. I'd love to know what definition of emo is being used here, too, since honouring the dead in a superhero-like Rememberance Day is not exactly what I would associate with being emo.

Ending was quite strong and, while a littl eover the top for gore (dont think we needed hearts being ripped out everywhere to get the point across), was exactly what I was expecting from the event.

Sharp101

What I didn't understand was the "Power Level: 0.001%" or whatever it said.

Visskar

I took it as the Black Lantern rings are powered by death. One of the Hawks died, Ralph's ring went up to 0.01%, the other Hawk died and Sue's went up to .02%. Maybe for every death committed by a BL, all their rings gain .01% power.

DJ Eebs

Okay. Moment of the Week threads are now for highlights (things you liked from this week's comics) only. If you have things to bitch about, take them to the Bitching thread.

Also, this thread is for moments, and discussion of those moments. If you want to talk about a whole book, take it to the relevant thread. If we don't have one, go ahead and start one.

This should be basically a highlight reel for the week, to show off the cool shit that happens in comics. I think a new thing that could happen here is that we could possibly put up a poll on Wednesday nights that encompasses some of the best moments for the week, and truly let people vote on them. And then we can roll those into "moment of the month" and "moment of the year" polls. We've got the threads already; let's use them to add a bit of fun.

Rans

visskar better add spoilers on that

Faynor

Moment of the Week: Mighty Avengers. Cool moments abound, and an interesting new villain. Glad I gave the book another chance.

This guy (who they refer to as the Unspoken) got rid of something that was important to the Inhumans. The young royalty are pissed about this and kick the shit out of him. It somehow defended them, because Karnak said he saw weakness everywhere in Atillan since it left. Either way, I love that Black Bolt was the last to speak his name.



And later, in the present, he appears in China with Quicksilver, US Agent, and some agent girl watching. China's superhero team asks him to leave, and this happens...

CoJoeTheLawyer

Faynor wrote: »

Moment of the Week: Mighty Avengers. Cool moments abound, and an interesting new villain. Glad I gave the book another chance.

This guy (who they refer to as the Unspoken) got rid of something that was important to the Inhumans. The young royalty are pissed about this and kick the shit out of him. It somehow defended them, because Karnak said he saw weakness everywhere in Atillan since it left. Either way, I love that Black Bolt was the last to speak his name.



And later, in the present, he appears in China with Quicksilver, US Agent, and some agent girl watching. China's superhero team asks him to leave, and this happens...

I love how Alpha Flight is now synonymous with "When a team of super-heroes gets completely annihilated"

ManonvonSuperock

So... is the China scene in present time while the previous scene was in flashback?

Crimsondude

It's hard to pick one moment from BN because it just kept escalating. But I think the one that that really got me was when Hal and Barry are talking,

"Who else died while I was gone?"

And then Hal shows him.

Wildcat

ManonvonSuperock wrote: »

So... is the China scene in present time while the previous scene was in flashback?

Yes.

TexiKen

KVW wrote: »

Lucascraft wrote: »

I didn't find the first half of BN to be emo at all. There wasn't really any "woe is me." It was just a tribute to dead guys as a setup to raising those dead guys as Black Lanterns. Since this is a DCU event and not simply a GL event, Johns had to do a bit of extra setup to catch non-GL readers up to speed. I think the first half of BN1 was a very discreet way of character introduction without being in-your-face about being a character intro.

I was a little disappointed with teh slow pace starting, but its exactly as you say - for people that dont follow GL and exactly what an event book like this probably needed to set the tone. Theres nothing "emo" about it. I'd love to know what definition of emo is being used here, too, since honouring the dead in a superhero-like Rememberance Day is not exactly what I would associate with being emo.

Ending was quite strong and, while a littl eover the top for gore (dont think we needed hearts being ripped out everywhere to get the point across), was exactly what I was expecting from the event.

The first half of the book was heavy handed with certain characters on Superhero Day (Damage, Bart) . Stepping back and seeing that it was supposed to be an opening for everyone as this is now a big event, it makes a little more sense. From that first page I scanned I didn't get the memorial sense but rather a "woe is we three GLs, all we love dies. Except Guy, wth?" Since the first third of the book is narrated by Hal, it was also that feeling that Hal is so flat in character, sometimes he flips the switch under Johns' pen to be a certain way when the story needs it (he's been doing it since the end of SCW). I didn't get a feeling of memorial, but almost pity for the heroes, which is kind of hard to do because they're heroes. If we had kind of seen a Superhero Day before this, maybe it wouldn't be so contrived

Robos A Go Go

TexiKen wrote: »

KVW wrote: »

Lucascraft wrote: »

I didn't find the first half of BN to be emo at all. There wasn't really any "woe is me." It was just a tribute to dead guys as a setup to raising those dead guys as Black Lanterns. Since this is a DCU event and not simply a GL event, Johns had to do a bit of extra setup to catch non-GL readers up to speed. I think the first half of BN1 was a very discreet way of character introduction without being in-your-face about being a character intro.

I was a little disappointed with teh slow pace starting, but its exactly as you say - for people that dont follow GL and exactly what an event book like this probably needed to set the tone. Theres nothing "emo" about it. I'd love to know what definition of emo is being used here, too, since honouring the dead in a superhero-like Rememberance Day is not exactly what I would associate with being emo.

Ending was quite strong and, while a littl eover the top for gore (dont think we needed hearts being ripped out everywhere to get the point across), was exactly what I was expecting from the event.

The first half of the book was heavy handed with certain characters on Superhero Day (Damage, . Stepping back and seeing that it was supposed to be an opening for everyone as this is now a big event, it makes a little more sense. From that first page I scanned I didn't get the memorial sense but rather a "woe is we three GLs, all we love dies. Except Guy, wth?" Since the first third of the book is narrated by Hal, it was also that feeling that Hal is so flat in character, sometimes he flips the switch under Johns' pen to be a certain way when the story needs it (he's been doing it since the end of SCW). I didn't get a feeling of memorial, but almost pity for the heroes, which is kind of hard to do because they're heroes. If we had kind of seen a Superhero Day before this, maybe it wouldn't be so contrived

I got the sense that Johns couldn't have the first time the new readers see these characters be when they come back as Black Lanterns, because that'll just make them go, "Who?", so instead he went to the trouble of making the first section of the book a mix of namedropping and brief character history. It came off as a little forced (Hal really remembered all those deaths offhand, including those he probably never met?), but you can't argue with the utility of it.

Also, Guy Gardner or/and Tora are totally going to die.

Dreamon

Faynor wrote: »

Moment of the Week: Mighty Avengers. Cool moments abound, and an interesting new villain. Glad I gave the book another chance.

This guy (who they refer to as the Unspoken) got rid of something that was important to the Inhumans. The young royalty are pissed about this and kick the shit out of him. It somehow defended them, because Karnak said he saw weakness everywhere in Atillan since it left. Either way, I love that Black Bolt was the last to speak his name.



And later, in the present, he appears in China with Quicksilver, US Agent, and some agent girl watching. China's superhero team asks him to leave, and this happens...

An avengers team up against an all mighty opponent would be cool actually. My guess is it will probably end up with pym landing salvation 2 on him from 1 kilometers or sth and instagibbing him

HadjiQuest

Damnit, man.

I'm still catching up on GL, so I only read Action Comics, Deadpool, ASM, and Wednesday Comics today.

Deadpool was pretty good though.

Tacos.

smokmnky

I bought the pencil only version of Cap 601, it really is so much better than the colored version. I don't know why they didn't get a Superstar Inker and/or Colorist so it didn't look like just another generic CG colored book.

TexiKen

Fables #86 tells the story of how Mr. Dark (who is confirmed to be the Bogeyman) was originally caught. Very good story for those who are into magic. The last page is pretty chilling too:

Pet Avengers #3 was a fun treat as well, with the wackiness we expect:

And Batman: Streets of Gotham #2 has the best moment for me, the ending:

Hush acted like he was on fire in the cell to have Alfred open the door, which he uses to escape. After Batman and Robin stop Firefly, Hush shows up on TV the next day to do this:

HadjiQuest

I really want to read Streets of Gotham, but I'm flat broke these days, and I'll be cutting back even more after next month.

That does look really good, though. I can't wait till it hits trade or hardcover.

DarkWarrior

TexiKen wrote: »

Fables #86 tells the story of how Mr. Dark (who is confirmed to be the Bogeyman) was originally caught. Very good story for those who are into magic. The last page is pretty chilling too:

And Batman: Streets of Gotham #2 has the best moment for me, the ending:

Hush acted like he was on fire in the cell to have Alfred open the door, which he uses to escape. After Batman and Robin stop Firefly, Hush shows up on TV the next day to do this:

I do find it kind of irritating how Batman will step in to prevent other vigilantes from dishing out his same level of 'justice'. Attention seeker much?

I honestly didnt know where to post this, its hte pain of having two threads but I wanted to respond to Texiken so it seemed to make more sense here.

KidDork

My own MOTW this week was also the ending of Streets of Gotham. Dini impressed me again, especially with the scene

where Hush turns to Dick as he comes in and includes him in the press conference

.

I just keep liking this new Batman and Robin more and more.

TexiKen

Wow, Deadpool #12 is actually very very funny. I keep expecting it just to fall apart because Way hasn't shown to be that good of a writer on his other works, but he just works very well on this book. The scene below is one of the best Roadrunner/Coyote scenes yet:

So DP drops off Bullseye at a hospital, and Norman chews him out for being beaten by a B-Lister like DP. DP then waits, and waits, and waits for Bullseye to come get him, but he calls his bluff. DP, tired of eating tacos, gets in his truck to go get Bullseye....










And then DP runs over Bullseye with his truck, and right before he chops off his leg with a chainsaw, Bullseye says Norman will pay him the money he's owed (Norman didn't agree to this, but Bullseye wires him all the money he's saved up from jobs to pay off DP because he doesn't want to deal with being a failure for not getting DP.)

Bullseye and DP have a happy parting of ways, and then DP blows his own brains out on the last page because he's bored.

And Superman/Batman #62 was a very good done in one story featuring Robin and Supergirl showing the first time they teamed up. Albuquerque's art is great, and the story is very good, showing a real outsiders take on the creepies in Gotham. Highly recommended.

Blankspace

While I am kinda sad about the casualties of Blackest Night, the book was much creepier than I thought it would be.

It really feels like a super-hero horror movie.

Munch

TexiKen wrote: »

Wow, Deadpool #12 is actually very very funny. I keep expecting it just to fall apart because Way hasn't shown to be that good of a writer on his other works, but he just works very well on this book.

Yeah, between Deadpool and Dark Wolverine, my opinion on Way has really turned around. This entire Bullseye arc has been terrific. I really enjoyed the characters' final scene together in this week's issue, as it showed that, while very, very different people, Wade and Bullseye understand each other in a way few others do, which has led to the development of a very Ralph and Sam-like friendship.

Really, if anyone's been thinking about jumping on Deadpool, I'd encourage you to start with the Bullseye arc.

Onto other things; Agents of Atlas #8 was, as usual, very strong in the dialogue, characterization, and art departments, but a bit lacking in pacing and plot. It's clear that the book's going somewhere, but I think Parker's taking too long getting there. Nevertheless, on the strength of its positive traits, it's easily one of my most anticipated books from week to week.

This issue sees the Agents receiving a distress call from one of the many Atlas facilities around the globe. Upon their arrival, they discover a genetics laboratory dedicated to the creation of bizarre patchwork monsters assembled from human corpses. And in the middle of a sea of modern day Frankensteins, the incredible Hulk himself.

I just love that, while extremely pompous and self-assured, Temugin actually possesses the ability to back up his bravado, even if only briefly.

Seriously, Marvel Boy's steady, confident approach there is some real cowboy shit.

Blackest Night #1 has already been pretty thoroughly covered, but I will say that I enjoyed it. Ivan Reis is doing some career-defining work on the art, and Geoff Johns manages to avoid some of his more annoying habits, while producing some of the best dialogue I've seen from him yet. The whole thing's paced very well too, first catching up uninformed or new readers in the first half, and then slowly building to a really powerful climax that, while kind of unappealing in its goriness, really served as a great cliffhanger. That said, I just wanted to mention these two panels.

Man, for a billionaire, Ted sure did get a shitty tombstone. The memorial Barbara Gordon had built for him was considerably nicer. Still, it's a nice moment. The fact that Booster, for once in his life, isn't running his mouth really says a lot. But damn Dinah, how about some tact? "Hey yeah, I know you're doing this whole grieving thing but we've got a lot of these things to get to. So chop chop huh?" I do appreciate the detail of putting "Sherwood Florist" on the flowers though.


I feel like stretchy guys are all too rarely shown as extremely dangerous dudes, and I've never understood why. This panel really shows how difficult and scary it would be to fight someone who can keep all their major vital spots a dozen feet away from you, while still smacking you stupid.

For anyone looking for a bit of lighthearted fun and humor, be sure to check out Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #3. The writing, while skewed towards younger audiences, is still clever and funny, and each of the characters have very distinct personalities that form an interesting group dynamic. Ig Guara kills it on the art front, but he could really use an inker, as some pages have an unattractive graininess to them that takes away from the finished product. This issue sees the Pet Avengers infiltrating the White House to recover the last of the Infinity Gems. Unfortunately, all the teleporting he's been forced to do lately has tired Lockjaw out, forcing the rest of the gang to drag his massive, sleeping form around, while avoiding White House security.

I fucking love Froggy Thor.

Darklyre

One of the nicer details I liked in BN #1:

Usually when you see stretchy people grab something it's with a normal human grip. In this case, it's as if Ralph had to tie his fingers around the mace. For some reason it made the scene a lot more sinister, and I can't figure out why.

Golden Yak

Darklyre wrote: »

One of the nicer details I liked in BN #1:

Usually when you see stretchy people grab something it's with a normal human grip. In this case, it's as if Ralph had to tie his fingers around the mace. For some reason it made the scene a lot more sinister, and I can't figure out why.

Probably the jagged witch-nails on every fingertip.

DarkWarrior

Most of Spider-Man was crap but the fight between Norman and Harry was glorious, about time that kid grew a pair. He utterly trounces him, I was really looking forwrd to him being the First Son but sadly doesnt appear to be going that way.

I was hoping he'd punch Lily in the stomach and end that plotline but I guess he can't grow a full sized pair in one day.

Dreamon

Beta Ray Bill : The Godhunter is...

Full of awesomeness. First he fights silversurfer on a par battle but that is certainly the not important plan. Bill's plan is not about fighting galactus on 1 on 1 or beating him up with a million heroes. İnstead he convinces every single sentinent beings on the planet that Galactus targets to destroy and empty their planets. So eventually Galactus will starve to death. Anyway the last planet targeted had actually good defence system and was prepared for galactus. I dont know whether if it was enough to beat galactus down but they certainly had a chance. Beta Ray bill considered this possiblity but instead of fighting with his new found allies, he blackmailed them -with some kind of virus stuff- in order to do as he says. So the race cursed bill but destroyed their planets as it had been said. In the end when Bill tried raising the stormbreaker he founds out that he cannot he is not worthy anymore.

Now he is stuck on a powerless ship near where the planet galactus supposed to be feeding from. And guess who is coming to dinner?

Sorry for the terrible grammer btw. Not a native speaker as you may notice

mattharvest

Given that Galactus isn't evil, but rather a force of nature required for the universe to exist, I find it amusingly appropriate that Bill's actions have come back to haunt him in that way.

Delduwath

This isn't my Moment of the Week, because I haven't had time to go through the full stack yet, but my Moment of Blackest Night #1 is probably Captain Cold taking off his visor and being genuinely sad at the rogues' cemetery.

Dreamon

And yet i find it kinda funny how there is pretty much nothing to balane out Galactus in Universe. I mean if there is a being eating planets there should also be a thing that ****s and creates new planets.

Wildcat

Dreamon wrote: »

And yet i find it kinda funny how there is pretty much nothing to balane out Galactus in Universe. I mean if there is a being eating planets there should also be a thing that ****s and creates new planets.

Not necessarily; the Marvel Universe works on the theory that the universe is not a stable system, but an entropic one that will eventually come to an end. After that will come a new Big Bang and the creation of the next universe. Therefore Galactus is an agent of entropy to an extent, as well as cosmic consonance - he doesn't need to be balanced out as the universe is inevitably heading towards destruction and rebirth.

Dr. Frenchenstein

Dreamon wrote: »

And yet i find it kinda funny how there is pretty much nothing to balane out Galactus in Universe. I mean if there is a being eating planets there should also be a thing that ****s and creates new planets.

then Galactus would be eating poop, GROSS.

Also, i can't even imagine the dump you would take after devouring an entire planet. i mean, if you ate one that was heavily populated, would you need to eat a jungle planet next so you could...uh, move things along?

DarkWarrior

As usual moment of hte week goes to Deadpool (I spelt week as weak then, nearly).

Bullseye - We do nothing, it'll drive him up the wall
Deadpool - This is driving me up the wall.

Sharp101

"I'm going to go get some Tacos"
*looks down at bag of Tacos he just bought*
"You know what, Fuck Tacos"

Crimsondude

That image of Throg just standing silently in response to Zabu is great.

I love this book so much.

mattharvest

Dreamon wrote: »

And yet i find it kinda funny how there is pretty much nothing to balane out Galactus in Universe. I mean if there is a being eating planets there should also be a thing that ****s and creates new planets.

I don't want to sidetrack, but it's important to remember that, as someone else has noted, the Marvel Universe is cyclical. Galactus' very position in this universe is inherited, being a survivor from the last one. he carries his burden - and that's what it is - reluctantly. He shows no anger towards anything he eats. He's not the savage, murdering Tenebrius, for example.

Crimsondude

Speaking of other moments, hm...

Scalped #30: Red Crow being his badass self.

He issues a declaration of war against the Hmong kingpin, Johnny Tongue, who was the person who bankrolled the rez's casino and therby thinks he owns the chief's balls.

Tongue demands to speak to Mr. Brass, who Red Crow arrested after Brass kept murdering people on the rez in particularly gruesome and fucked-up torture porn kinds of ways. Red Crow takes the phone to Brass in his cell, and as soon as Brass says "hello" Red Crow shoots him. Tongue hears this and freaks the fuck out after already threatening Red Crow like the Hmong crime lord is a ten year-old.
'
Tongue: "He better not be dead."

Red Crow: "He's not."

POW KAPUM POW

"Now he's dead. And you will be too, you slant-eyed mongrel fuck, if you ever dare set foot on my fucking rez."

*Click*
Naturally, Tongue does not take this well and has his men gather to "kill a bunch of Indians."

Air #11: Surprise guest star!

Zayn returns.

BRB: Godhunter #2.

Bill failing to lift Stormbreaker.

JSA vs. Kobra #2: Snakes exploding from some dude's mouth.

Wildcat

"I. Say. Thee. NAY."

wirehead26

I just had to click that Scalped spoiler damnit. I won't be reading it in full till October, at least I think issue 30 is part of the 5th trade.