Quick Takes for June 11, 2005

JLA #115: The beginning of the five part “Crisis of Conscience” story arc. This issue doesn’t have many surprises, considering it was previewed in Wizard a few months back. It is mostly set-up for the ugliness that is sure to come. If we are starting with a league that is already divided, imagine how bad it’s going to get when writers Geoff Johns and Robert Heinberg actually try to mess things up! I haven’t missed an issue of JLA yet, and am hoping that this is a step towards the series once again taking its place as a jewel in DC’s crown.

The Pulse #9: The “Secret Wars” story arc is finally over and it’s about freaking time. I miss the days of Jessica Jones having her own series and having it be more adult themed. She is my favorite Marvel female, and having her softened up for general consumption hasn’t set well with me. I also don’t like the fact that New Avengers now features her baby daddy but hasn’t said a word about her. People of the comic book reading world, SAVE JESSICA JONES FROM OBSCURITY!

Ultimate Fantastic Four #19: Is it okay to say that I already miss Warren Ellis? This story reeks of filler, which surprised me because I am a fan of Mike Carey’s work on Hellblazer and Lucifer over at Vertigo. Jae Lee’s incredible art also seemed out of place here, after glossing up last week’s Incredible Hulk. It’s time to take a breath and see how things go when Mark Millar and Greg Land come into the title.

Fables #38: This may sound strange, but taking the fables characters out of the real world back to their fantasy land is turning me off. At least this issue furthered plot and got us closer to the resolution of this story line so we can get back to the soap opera that is Snow White and Bigby Wolf, my two favorites.

The Punisher #22: I love this current story! Titled “Up is Down and Black is White”, The Punisher is as pissed as I have ever seen him. Some gangster has dug up his family’s remains and Frank Castle is not amused. The ferocity and sick humor are back in full force and remind me of why I loved the “Welcome Back Frank” story so much. To top it off, Frank may actually get some!

X-Men #171: I am not vibing on this title at all. I loved Peter Milligan on X-Force and X-Statix, but hate what he’s done here. If it’s all about personal taste, I find myself wanting to drop this book for the first time since it started. Not a good sign for me and this book.

Lex Luthor: Man of Steel #4 (of 5): It’s like Lex Luthor’s True Hollywood Story here. I am enjoying seeing Lex through fresh eyes, because I was definitely sick of his portrayal in the main DC titles. It is nice to see Lex as an intelligent man gone wrong instead of the one dimensional evil bastard he is normally portrayed as.

Fathom #1: Pretty pictures with a story wrapped around it. I keep buying the Aspen titles looking for substance, and keep being disappointed. It’s all about making the story as cool as the art, gang!

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