Welcome back to another edition of comic book reviews round-up! This week we’ll be covering Absolute Wonder Woman #10, Amazing Spider-Man #8, Batman #161, Godzilla #1, Justice League Unlimited #9, Storm #10, Uncanny X-Men #18, and Void Rivals #21. Find out how these comic books turned out with the latest comic book reviews round-up below.
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #10
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey
Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be a fantastic example of how to utilize flashback storytelling to enhance present day events. Everything Kelly Thompson details about Diana’s childhood growing up with Circe informs what happens in Absolute Wonder Woman #10. That enhancement in storytelling helps to put over how Diana has grown to be prepared to face any obstacle she faces.
It certainly helps that Hyden Sherman delivers some of the best artwork we’ve gotten in Absolute Wonder Woman. Even in the confined space of the maze that Wonder Woman is stuck in everything that happens is filled with incredible imagination. Queen Clea and her minions abilities pop off every panel, helping elevate the challenges Wonder Woman has to constantly overcome. It all comes together with Thompson and Sherman delivering yet another must-read comic book.
Overall Rating: 9.5 Night Girls out of 10
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #8
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: John Romita Jr and Todd Nauck
Inker: Scott Hanna and Todd Nauck
Colorist: Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
If there is one thing that Joe Kelly, John Romita Jr, and Todd Nauck are nailing with this latest Amazing Spider-Man story is the sense of danger. There is constant concern about how Spider-Man can survive the battle against Hellgate. The flashbacks to Peter Parker’s childhood memories add to how much danger Spider-Man is in the present. Because of this it makes the break to check on what MJ’s up to was just not needed whatsoever. The impact it has on the story is a negative one as you feel the momentum is lost.
That leaves us with an issue in Amazing Spider-Man #8 that has a lot of fun action but that’s it. In the moments we are taken out of the action you realize how empty the world around the fight is. Hopefully the rest of this story can integrate the world’s reaction to this battle better than it did here, so the action isn’t just a lot of noise.
Overall Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
BATMAN #161
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Jim Lee
Inker: Scott Williams
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Batman #161 yet again fails to live up to the expectations that were set when H2SH was announced. Jeph Loeb makes way too many leaps with the plot and character choices, including writing characters in his voice as the writer. Not even Jim Lee’s artwork can help mask the obvious problems this storyline has. Which leads to H2SH going four out four in disappointing chapters thus far. Click here to read the full review.
Overall Rating: 4.5 Night Girls out of 10
GODZILLA #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Nikola Čižmešija
Colorist: Francesco Segala
Letterer: Nathan Widick
Godzilla #1 delivers a fun start to the new Kai-Sei Era for the franchise. This hits on all the notes fans of the Kaiju genre will want to read and see. The blending of the different things seen throughout the franchise’s history creates a world and cast of characters you want to read more about. Click here to read the full review.
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #9
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
In the aftermath of the “We Are Yesterday” crossover Justice League Unlimited #9 takes the time establish the new normal for this series. That means getting to understand the new dynamic in play with all the time displaced characters now on the Justice League Watchtower. Though time is not something that the Justice League and all the time displaced heroes get as they have to deal with Gorilla Grodd being saved by a future version of Doomsday and World Forger.
All of the heroes having to take on Doomsday and World Forger helps to establish the high stakes that still exist in this series. The time displaced heroes add to the growing concerns the Justice League now have to deal with. Which makes the thing that Batman ends up admitting to Wonder Woman and Superman at the end of Justice League Unlimited #9 that much more interesting. What Batman is implying will certainly dictate the direction for the Justice League moving forward.
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10
STORM #10
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Murewa Ayodele
Artist: Lucas Werneck
Colorist: Alex Guimaraes
Letterer: Travis Lanham
With Storm #10 the event that Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Werneck have been building towards, “Thunder War.” If this first chapter is any proof than we are in store for a big event that will be payoff to everything that has been built so far. The feeling of “Thunder War” being a payoff is not just because of the big set pieces but also because of the relationship dynamics.
Combining the way “Thunder War” is already paying off what’s been built with the sense of a grand adventure help elevate the story. We are getting an event that is spanning the universe as Storm has to deal with what it means for her status to be elevated. The impact of that status quo shift all helps to get over the great sense of danger Storm and her allies will be in moving forward.
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
UNCANNY X-MEN #18
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Luciano Vecchio
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
The deeper Gail Simone gets into her run on Uncanny X-Men the better she is getting to balancing social commentary through the mutant lens. Uncanny X-Men #18 is an excellent example of this as we see Rogue’s team get further integrated in the Louisiana town they are in. At the same time, the impact of the box office success of Murder Me, Mutina, horror movie that depicts mutants as monsters, hovers over everything that goes on in this issue.
Uncanny X-Men #18 most importantly emphasizes all the relationships Rogue’s team has built during this run. Simone and Vecchio do a great job at showing the growth of the team through their interactions with one another and their community. It creates an energy where we can get the fun of a X-Men themed county fair and more superhero action. This all drives home how this series has become the premiere series for the X-Men franchise.
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
VOID RIVALS #21
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Conor Hughes
Colorist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Void Rivals #21 is a set-up issue for the bigger things that will be happening in the coming issues. To Robert Kirkman and Conor Hughes credit, they make all of the set-up for things to come as exciting as anything else going down. That is all thanks to how they utilize the continuity that has been built for the Energon Universe to be the strength of this series.
While Darak and Solila continue to be the stars of this series it is Skuxxoid and Proximus that are quickly rising to steal the show. Kirkman and Hughes make a compelling case for the villains to be in the series lead position. Especially with how they relate to Zerta. That all leaves us in a place where the story in Void Rivals can go anywhere and that is very exciting.
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
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