1st issue Challenge

[dbm]

Change #1 - From Image. I didn't get it. Flat out. I kind of understood the story, but the jumpy way it was was told really lost me, and I didn't find it compelling enough to warrant investing the effort necessary to figure it out. Nice art, but whatever. Maybe others will get more out of it than I.

[BobBretall]

Change #1 - From Image. I didn't get it. Flat out. I kind of understood the story, but the jumpy way it was was told really lost me, and I didn't find it compelling enough to warrant investing the effort necessary to figure it out. Nice art, but whatever. Maybe others will get more out of it than I.

I also bailed on this series after the 1st issue. Didn't click with me at all.

[BobBretall]

Copra #1-3 (Self-Published) - What we get is an introduction to a super-hero universe populated by many standard super-hero archetypes that will seem familiar to readers with a background in reading mainstream comics, but done with a decidedly indie twist. The story revolves around a mysterious force from beyond, embodied in a strange fragment, the heroes who via misadventure in #1 become hunted themselves, and some delightfully weird bad guys (Vitas in #1, Dy Dy in #2, and Gary in #2 & 3).

The real selling point for me is the art. Rough around the edges but with an undeniable charm, Fiffe’s sense of style is pronounced. Think Matt Kindt crossed with JH Williams III as a very broad and wholly inadequate analogy of the art. Issue #2 was particularly good with some truly spectacular page layouts and artistic effects done to show off the powers of characters in the story.

I’m on board with this book and look forward to Fiffe being able to keep to the declared monthly schedule. Check out a 6-page preview of #1 here: http://michelfiffe.com/?page_id=3695 This preview is what sold me on the series & got me to make my purchase. If you’re a fan of super-hero stories that are a bit off the furrowed path tread heavily each month by Marvel & DC, check out COPRA, a breath of fresh air and a really unique artistic vision.

After reading these, I placed an order for Zegas #2 (another comic by Fiffe, #1 appears to be out of print).

[spid]

Young Avengers #1 (Marvel) I think most people are familiar with the setup. A group of young heroes join up to form the Young Avengers. I am not going to compare this title to the previous series. I will say this team benefits from me knowing who most of the characters are so when they skip real introduction I am not that bothered by it. I do wonder if you were coming to this book brand new what you would think of it.

The art was OK, but nothing special for me. Even when they went design heavy on a couple of pages it seemed more busy than "slick" to me. The story was also OK, but nothing that really grabbed me. For me the saving grace for this title happened in short Marvel Point One story which I thought was a great setup for this book. So when the best thing about the book doesn't happen in the book I think as a number 1 it is questionable effort.

[BobBretall]

Young Avengers #1 (Marvel) I think most people are familiar with the setup. A group of young heroes join up to form the Young Avengers. I am not going to compare this title to the previous series. I will say this team benefits from me knowing who most of the characters are so when they skip real introduction I am not that bothered by it. I do wonder if you were coming to this book brand new what you would think of it.

The art was OK, but nothing special for me. Even when they went design heavy on a couple of pages it seemed more busy than "slick" to me. The story was also OK, but nothing that really grabbed me. For me the saving grace for this title happened in short Marvel Point One story which I thought was a great setup for this book. So when the best thing about the book doesn't happen in the book I think as a number 1 it is questionable effort.

Clear case of "Different Strokes" here. I think this was one of the best Marvel NOW #1s. We reviewed it on the Weekly Comics Spotlight this week & JOhn & I both gave it 5/5.

[Perry]

Young Avengers #1 (Marvel) - While I totally understand why both Bob and John gave this a 5/5 score, I also totally understand why Spid (and now myself as well) gave it the undecided 'orange' color.

For me, it wasn't anything wrong with the story, the progression of the story or anything to do with the writing, nor was the art a problem. I enjoyed both aspects. But what I have problems with are the characters themselves. Yes, people say that there are no 'bad characters, only bad writing', and that is true, to a point. But guess what, I hate some of these characters ... or worse, I care nothing about some of these characters.

The only two characters in this series that I care slightly about is Loki and Kate (who isn't even in this issue). Miss America? Nope. No connection. Noh-Varr? Yuk. I have always hated this guy. Wiccan? BAH! You're a magic user. Get a name that sounds like more than a tree hugging, passive witch (no offense to any tree hugging Wiccans out there) And then there is the character with the worse name in comics: The HULKLING!!! Ugh.

Hulkling? That name is worse than Paste Pot Pete, Mad Thinker or Mr. Fantastic. And it is not one of those 'so bad its good' names like Granny Goodness either. No, this is just a terrible name. Of course, looking over this issue, I guess the name does fit this character for me. I hate the name and I hate this character. I honestly cringe when I read that name. Hulkling.
*shiver*

I wasn't a fan of the first series and it appears as though my hatred of most of the characters will also keep me from enjoying this series. Oh well, I will give the next issue a shot to grab me, but I don't see it happening.

[spid]

Kate technically is in this issue. She is the girl on the ship with Noh-Var. I had to reread the section again when she wakes because it did not seem like Kate.

[Perry]

Kate technically is in this issue. She is the girl on the ship with Noh-Var. I had to reread the section again when she wakes because it did not seem like Kate.

Oh yeah. Not sure why I was thinking that was America

Ummm ... skip that part of my rant guys.

[BobBretall]

Kate technically is in this issue. She is the girl on the ship with Noh-Var. I had to reread the section again when she wakes because it did not seem like Kate.

Hmmm. She was Kate the whole time to me.

[BobBretall]

But guess what, I hate some of these characters ... or worse, I care nothing about some of these characters.

Well, since Hulkling & Wiccan are founding members of the Young Avengers, I'd say that this team was coming out of the gate at a disadvantage for you. Them being in the series was a fait accompli as far as I was concerned.

[Perry]

But guess what, I hate some of these characters ... or worse, I care nothing about some of these characters.

Well, since Hulkling & Wiccan are founding members of the Young Avengers, I'd say that this team was coming out of the gate at a disadvantage for you. Them being in the series was a fait accompli as far as I was concerned.

Well, yes, my fate of non-enjoyment may have been sealed, but I was hoping that Gillen (who wrote one of the best Thor arcs I have read years) and McKelvie (whom I thoroughly enjoy) would pull me in another way of thinking about these characters.

I was never impressed with the first series of Young Avengers, largely in part to these characters, but as I am not a fan of anything Heinberg wrote, I was wondering if that was were my distaste was formed. It was not. I was hoping this creative team could change my opinion of these characters that I may have misjudged. They did not. This is a fault of no-one and I can at least say I gave it a shot and didn't pre-judge a title before reading it.

[HassanT]

Snapshot #1 -A new Image mini by Andy Diggle and Jock. I really enjoyed this issue. Diggle did a great job establishing the characters and story. It is a crime/murder mystery book, which Diggle is an expert in doing. In addition, Jock's art in Black and White is amazing. My favorite new Image series since Saga.

[BobBretall]

Snapshot #1 -A new Image mini by Andy Diggle and Jock. I really enjoyed this issue. Diggle did a great job establishing the characters and story. It is a crime/murder mystery book, which Diggle is an expert in doing. In addition, Jock's art in Black and White is amazing. My favorite new Image series since Saga.

I really liked this #1 also. The story doesn't lay out every answer (and it shouldn't) but I came away at the end feeling like I got a substantial chunk of storytelling and the story beat at the end came out of left feel with a definite "Wow! I have to see where they're going to go with this!"

As an extra added treat, the protagonist works in a comic store, I loved the scene set in the shop with the hard-core customer coming in for his comics.

[BobBretall]

Son of Merlin #1 -definitely worth a try for the $1 cover price. The art, by Zid, is gorgeous. Robert Napton’s story felt a bit scattered to me. We had a lot of things happening, a lot of characters being introduced , but how those people & things are going to hang together into a coherent story didn’t come across to me in this issue.

I’m all for building up suspense and not laying all your cards on the table up front as a writer, but there’s a fine line to tread there in that I need to feel like I got a satisfying chunk of story when I get to the end of any single issue of a comic. The story seems like it’s going to get someplace I’d enjoy eventually, but in and of itself, this issue didn’t compel me to pre-order #2, though I’ll definitely check out #2 at the LCS.

For $1 I’d recommend that people who like mystery, magic, and fantasy elements encroaching into the modern day world of suits & science give this a try.

[HassanT]

As an extra added treat, the protagonist works in a comic store, I loved the scene set in the shop with the hard-core customer coming in for his comics.

I have heard and read comments/reviews that didn't like the fact that it took place in a comic book shop and that the character was a sterotype. That fail to see or understand that it wasn't a sterotype but a character that is based on hard-core customers, who do act the way he did in the book. Sometimes fans can look at themselves in the mirror.