Comic Book Reviews for December 24, 2014 - IGN
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Comic Book Reviews for December 24, 2014
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The dust settles from several major event comics.
By Jesse Schedeen and Joshua YehlWelcome to the latest batch of IGN Comics reviews. We have a lighter lineup this week, as most of the Review Crew are busy with the holiday and family time and so forth. Still, with so many major releases this week, we felt it necessary to tackle at least some books. The biggest release of the week was the finale to Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, which unfortunately fell victim to many of the series' usual flaws. Meanwhile, DC wrapped up their Green Lantern: Godhead crossover and the Robin Rises storyline. Scroll down for those and more reviews.
Also, we should note that next week's reviews will be light due to the fact that only a handful of new comics are being released. But look for the Review Crew to be back in full force the first week of January. Until the, happy holidays!
DC COMICS
Batman Annual #3
Written by James Tynion IV | Drawn by Roge Antonio
"Last year's Batman Annual #2 was a comic whose real worth only became obvious in hindsight. That seemingly innocuous tale about Arkham's newest orderly eventually proved to be the post-Death of the Family reintroduction of the Joker. Will this year's annual prove equally vital in the end? It's hard to say. This issue doesn't come across as especially relevant to the events of Endgame. It does, however, offer a rare, closer look at Joker and the effect he can have on people who don't dress in spandex." -Jesse
Click here to read the entire review!
Final Score:
Green Lantern Annual #3
Written by Robert Venditti | Drawn by Billy Tan
The Godhead comes to a conclusion in this issue with one last, epic clash between Lanterns and New Gods. The Hal Jordan/Black Hand partnership pays off nciely as the latter summons an army of titans from the Source Wall itself. That scene alone is worth the price of admission. It helps that Billy Tan gives that twist the scope and scale it deserves. I'm generally underwhelmed with the flat, jagged quality of Tan's work on this series, but this issue definitely has its moments of visual splendor. Robert Venditti deserves plenty of credit for blending the epic, event-worthy action with ample amounts of character-driven scenes. Characters like Kyle Rayner and Saint Walker benefit especially from this finale. The resolution to this conflict does seem a little overly neat and tidy (especially concerning one key character's abrupt change of heart). Still, it's a solid finale that concerns itself more with the characters and conflicts at hand rather than trying to set up future storylines. If only more event comics were like that. -Jesse
Final Score:
He-Man: The Eternity War #1
Written by Dan Abnett | Drawn by Pop Mhan
DC has relaunched their He-Man comic again for what may well be the climax of writer Dan Abnett's saga. There's certainly a sense of finality to the story, as the odds become mroe stacked against our heroes than ever before. The Eternity War has all the scope you'd hope for from such a moniker. He-Man and She-Ra lead a ragtag band of Masters and Snake-Men against the seemingly unstoppable Hordak. Unfortunately, this issue doesn't do enough to build from that initial setup. Too much space is devoted to rehashing past events and setting the stage for the conflict to come. There's plenty of grandiose and overly serious dialogue to go around, but no action. Pop Mhan's art doesn't always do the script justice either. He can certainly render powerful, outlandish figures. However, there's too little emotion to his figures, and Hordak's rebirth sequence lacks the creepy vibe it demands. Hopefully this series has nowhere to go from here but up. -Jesse
Final Score:
Robin Rises: Alpha #1
Written by Pete Tomasi | Drawn by Andy Kubert
"Most readers should know coming in exactly what to expect from this comic. Even if DC hadn't spoiled the outcome of Robin Rises months ago, the previous chapter in Batman and Robin #37 made it clear who will be taking up the mantle of Robin in 2015. This finale chapter is more about wrapping up loose ends and offering a contrast to all the doom and gloom surrounding the series of late. And that certainly has its appeal, even as the overall package is a bit lacking in excitement." -Jesse
Click here to read the entire review!
Final Score:
Superman #37
Written by Geoff Johns | Drawn by John Romita, Jr.
I consider 2007's World War Hulk and the 2006 Eternals mini-series to be among John Romita Jr.'s best work because they both showcase his ability to render epic scale and detailed architecture and technology. Those same elements make this latest issue of Superman Romita's most impressive effort so far. It's impossible not to admire all the intricate details that go into depicting the Great World and its strange cityscapes. And when everything begins going to hell? Even better. Romita's art helps offset the growing story problems. It's growing tougher to connect with Ulysses in the wake of his betrayal and his continued flip-flopping between sinister antagonist and misguided outsider. His character arc is just all over the map. That said, the way this issue ends establishes a further link between Superman and Ulysses, and it should be interesting to see how Geoff Johns builds on that element next month. -Jesse
Click here to read the entire review!
Final Score:
MARVEL COMICS
All-New X-Men Annual #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis | Drawn by Andrea Sorrentino
Brian Bendis wraps up his two-part look at Eva Bell's lost years in this issue. Basically, if you enjoyed Uncanny X-Men Annual #1 earlier this month, you'll get a kick out of this one, too. It remains a treat to see Andrea Sorrentino working his magic on the Marvel Universe. He brings a striking, moody feel to every era Eva travels to, and he relies on some really interesting panel work to convey the chaotic movement through time. The story doesn't reveal too much more about what future disasters might face the X-Men. This is more about helping us understand the terrible ordeals Eva faced and the baggage she's been carrying since that fateful mission in Tabula Rasa. She's a more fully realized character thanks to these two issues. We can only hope Bendis and Sorrentino will team up again. The latter would be a great addition to the rotating lineup of Uncanny X-Men artists. -Jesse
Final Score:
Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #9
Written by Rick Remender | Drawn by Jim Cheung, Adam Kubert, Terry Dodson, & Leinil Yu
"In my review of the previous issue, I said that nothing could save Avengers & X-Men: Axis at this point. After reading the finale, I stand by that statement. That said, there were a few high notes that made this a bit of a bright spot for Axis as a whole. Not enough to invert Axis from a bad event into a good one, though." -Joshua
Click here to read the entire review!
Final Score:
Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy #7
Written by Charles Soule | Drawn by Peter Nguyen
This mini-series wraps up by returning its focus to the present and exploring what's next for the assemblage of X-23, Daken, Sabretooth, Mystique, Deathstrike, and Elixir. Charles Soule makes some reveals and connects a few dots (even bridging this book with sister series The Weapon X Project). Unfortunately, the whole thing reads like less of a fitting eulogy to Wolverine and more like setup and groundwork for next year's Wolverines weekly comic. There's no satisfying ending to be had here. It's also disappointing to see one familiar face seemingly sacrificed for no apparent reason. As with the previous chapters, the art tends to be pretty rough. Facial expressions and emotions are poorly matched to the tone of the script, and the transitions between scenes are frequently awkward. Hopefully all of this setup is leading to better things, because this mini-series wasn't a great follow-up to Death of Wolverines. -Jesse
Final Score:
Superior Iron Man #3
Written by Tom Taylor | Drawn by Yildiray Cinar
You know something's amiss when you have a series called "Superior Iron Man" and it seems more intersted in Matt Murdock than Tony Stark. The Daredevil/Iron Man crossover was inevitable given their geographic proxmity. The problem is that this series really needs to focus on exploring Tony Stark's new status quo and his mindset before worrying about other Marvel characters. Tony is still kept at too much of a distance, with only a lone speech about his lack of humanity offering any real insight into the character this month. There are a few nice moments here (again, more Daredevil-focused than anything), but on the whole this series just isn't capitalizing on its premise or writer Tom Taylor's prior experience for writing iconic heroes turned bad. Maybe the conclusion of AXIS will allow Taylor mroe freedom and room in which to operate. -Jesse
Final Score:
Uncanny X-Men #29
Written by Brian Michael Bendis | Drawn by Chris Bachalo
The biggest problem with this issue is that it comes on the heels of so many previous chapters of "The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier." This arc has dragged on too long as it's focused on new mutant Matthew Malloy rather than said will. Bendis delivers an interesting new wrinkle in this issue. Unfortunately, it only serves to make those earlier issues feel even more pointless and drawn out. On the plus side, there's some great interaction between Cyclops and Magneto here. They're relationship is far less cordial than it was in the first year of this book. Chris Bachalo also delviers some striking imagery as Malloy's powers continue to grow. As usual, it's the more dialogue-driven scenes that his stylized pencils are less equipped to handle. -Jesse
Final Score:
DARK HORSE COMICS
Halo: Escalation #13
Written by Duffy Boudreau | Drawn by Sergio Ariño
This issue has been billed as an ideal jumping-on point for new readers and the start of a major new storyline that builds towards Halo 5. It doesn't disappoint in that regard. Escalation seems to be building momentum as it more directly addresses the fallout of Halo 4 and the actions of Dr. Halsey. Halsey herself takes a more prominent role in the story, which is a refreshing change after all the issues focused on bland, faceless Spartans. She serves as an intriguing pseudo-antagonist whose real motivations lie beyond either Covenant or UNSC leanings. The artwork still tends to be rough at times. The character and tech designs are faithful to the games, but the action is a little flat. Meanwhile, panels of talking heads plastered on generic color gradients do nothing to liven up the proceedings. Still, this series is showing real promise with this new arc, and curious Halo fans would do well to jump on board now. -Jesse
Final Score:
IMAGE COMICS
The Graveyard Shift #1
Written by Jay Faerber | Drawn by Fran Bueno
You have to respect the courage in releasing any sort of vampire-themed comic in today's undead-saturated market. And even if Graveyard Shift doesn't reveal any particular new insights to vamprie storytelling, this debut issue is charming enough to warrant a look. Jay Faerber introduces a cop and his fiancee who are quickly torn apart when the former runs afoul of a gang of vampires while on the job. Faerber is able to establish the couple and their warm, humorous dynamic early on, lending significance to what unfolds soon after. It helps that artist Fran Bueno brings such a clean, expressive look to every page. Much like Day Men, the visual quality alone helps distinguish this book. I do hope to see mroe wrinkles added to the mix in future installments. The fact that Faerber acknowledges in his afterword the difficulties of working in this sub-genre gives hope that this will be the case. -Jesse
Final Score: 
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