Last Week's Comics, Ranked. (28/12/16)

A highly subjective ranking of a selection of last week's comics (28/12/16).

1. Wonder Woman #13
2. Mother Panic #2
3. Star Wars #26
4. All-Star Batman #5
5. Dark Knight III: The Master Race #7
6. Deadpool: Too Soon #3
7. Black Widow #9
8. Action Comics #970
9. Captain America: Steve Rogers #8
10. Batman Beyond #3
11. Detective Comics #947

Review: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #5

If Captain America:Steve Rogers #5 is one thing, then it's brilliantly written and narrated. Writer Nick Spencer does a masterful job of developing the comic's various characters while slowly untangling Steve Rogers' alternate history caused by the Cosmic Cube Kobik and tying all plot threads in the "Civil War" II story.

The one big problem though is that none of that is particularly much fun. Captain America doesn't work as well as an (anti-)hero, leaving readers mostly disconnected from what's going on. All this is enhanced by the cold precision of Pina's and Rosenberg's art that is dominated by blue and gray. Masterful execution eats soul, sadly. 

6/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Deadpool v Gambit" #4 / "Han Solo" #3 / "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #4

"Deadpool v Gambit" #4: Only picked that up again because both Marvel and DC hardly released anything that week. And yes, the moment Deadpool and Gambit do not even really appear in their own comic, we suddenly have a half-decent story at our hand, treating the inevitability of fate through the Scramblers backstory here. 

7/10

"Han Solo" #3: Fast, fun, entertaining and with a take on Han Solo that feels fresher than in any other of Marvel's "Star Wars" series.

8/10

"Captain America: Steve Rogers" #4: What does it have to do with "Civil War II" again? Never mind. It's solid, compelling and thoroughly narrated, but definitely has lost some of its magic from earlier issues.

7/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Deadpool & The Mercs For Money" #1 / "Action Comics" #960 / "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #3

"Deadpool & The Mercs For Money" #1: The reboot nobody really needed (yet) actually delivers the best "Mercs" comic so far, especially benefitting from a clear narrative outline.

8/10

"Action Comics" #960: Its art is too kitschy, but writer Dan Jurgens somehow manages to still keep the large-scale Superman vs. Doomsday fight interesting, finding twists and turns wherever he can. Wonder Woman kicks some serious ass here as well.

7/10

"Captain America: Steve Rogers" #3: Lighter in tone than the two previous issues, and not necessarily better for it. Next up is a "Civil War II" tie-in. Hopefully, Nick Spencer returns to form then.

6/10

Keepin' It 360: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #2

Most fascinating about this comic is just how much it enjoys itself and all the frenzy it has created. "Hail Hydra" is certainly all the literal rage here (just look at the cover), as Spencer meticulously charts just how Rogers became what he had fought all his life, confirming the theory that was most plausible all the time. Comic narration at its best.

9/10

Further Links:

After the Shitstorm: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #1

After the Shitstorm: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #1

I had Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 lying around for almost two weeks now. Anticipating its release for months, I couldn't wait to read it when it finally hit the shelves... And then the excruciating "Hail Hydra" shitstorm took over Twitter and other social media platforms for days, and I just couldn't be bothered anymore, annoyed by the spoiler and what I perceived to be a massive, collective overreaction.

Yes, some of the memes were funny, Chris Evans felt the need to throw in his two cents worth, and Nick Spencer had to defend himself and his story more than he really should. Some of it was a reasonable and heartfelt concern about a beloved classic character that turned evil right in front of people. But most of it was just unconsidered, misinformed gibberish by people who take far more joy in bashing stuff than in actually reading comics. 

What many people forgot, including the ones actually defending Spencer, was that we are actually having a masterpiece of modern-day comic book story telling at our hands. One that deserves far more attention for that than for its last page bombshell. 

It's especially the parts of the story that look back at how exactly Steve and the tragic Hydra suicide bomber Robbie came to be associated with the terrorist organization, and how they differ and overlap, that shine here. Both of them are victims to economically tough times and a broken family, Steve in the late 1920's and Robbie in the late 2000's. Both hold external forces responsible for their situation, and both share a feeling of supremacy to large parts of the society they live in. The only crucial difference is that Robbie made a conscious decision to join Hydra, while Rogers was influenced by his mother at an early age. Cap's story cleverly runs along the comic's main plot, slowly building up tension so that when he actually utters the inevitable (and now infamous) "Hail Hydra", it should hardly come as a surprise to any reader. 

Other highlight of Spencer's story are Red Skull's monologue at the secret Hydra meeting and Cap's relationship to his wife Sharon. In the first one he cleverly incorporates quite unsettling modern-day themes of immigration, refugee crisis and terrorism, which repeatedly show his fine sense and understanding of these matters, while the second one gives Roger's more tender and human side, as Spencer paints a picture of a warm and intimate relationship that is signified by a resilient trust and understanding of each other, making both characters shine as a consequence.

The comic also finds the balance between more serious and funny themes, as Jack Flag and Free Spirit act as a recurring comical relief without ever damaging the overall tone of the story. And boy, does Jesus Saiz know how to draw a stunning Captain America costume. The comic would be worth your money for that bit alone.

So yes, is Captain America really Hydra now? Spencer has repeatedly stated that is is indeed a sane and rational Steve Rogers and no clone, multiverse Cap or whatever. But it seems hard to believe for me that Marvel execs would really go for a permanent transformation to a villain (that guy is a multi-million franchise, remember), and in a world of comics that usually rapid-fires its twists and turns, it only seems more than likely that we'll be all in for quite some ride over the next months, and a happy ending once all is set and done.

Until then, "Hail Captain America".

10 Things We Learned from "Captain America: Civil War"

Now that the movie is out for a couple of days, here's a no-major-spoilers run-down of 10 important things we learned from Captain America: Civil War:

1. Chris Evans' Captain America is as good a comic book movie super hero as you'll ever see. 
2. Nobody misses Thor and Hulk
3. The whole "choose your side" thing is complete nonsense. The movie is directed so that you sympathize with Captain America.
4. Tom Holland as Spider-Man is not cool. Do we need another High School Peter Parker?
5. Black Panther is an absolute success.
6. Although Chadwick Boseman doesn't know though how to do an African accent.
7. Too many scenes play on generic German airports or grey Soviet ruins.
8. Black Widow still kicks ass.
9. Ant-Man is better than Giant-Man
10. Helmut Zemo makes for a compelling villain, although he might not be what you'd expect.

Comic of the Day 27/3: "Daredevil" #4

The art impressively mirrors the grit of the story and its characters, the skirmish between Tenfingers and Murdock is brilliant dialogue writing and Steve Rogers fits perfectly as Daredevil's aid. Not having read issues 1-3, it also features just about enough exposition to get straight into it. Absolutely recommendable.