NEW COMICS 4 THIS WEEK (06/21/23)
*All comics will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10*
The Avengers # 2 
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest # 16
Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider # 2
Edge of Spider-Verse # 3 
The Incredible Hulk # 1 
Miles Morales: Spider-Man # 7
Saga # 65
Superboy: The Boy of Tomorrow # 3
Superman # 5
Ultimate Invasion # 1 
The Incredible Hulk # 1– After the critically-acclaimed “Immortal Hulk” and the disastrous Donny Cates/Ryan Ottley “starship” era, Marvel’s jade giant needed a fresh start and that’s what we get with Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein at the helm as they introduce a spine-tingling horror element that pays homage to the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby days. I like the aspect of Bruce Banner being a drifter because it once again defines him as a man having to live with a monster within himself and the horror elements really help in giving this title its own identity but not rehashing anything from “Immortal Hulk” which I find delightful. Johnson and Klein (Who’s art style works better here than on “Thor”) deliver a story of terror and intrigue that has all of the factors needed to make a great Hulk story and it’s the perfect time to come back to this title with wide eyes and enthusiasm. I mean…..at least The Hulk’s not a spaceship!
Superman # 5– The focus of this issue shifts to Jimmy Olsen and his new girlfriend- The Silver Banshee (You heard that right) and yes, it’s both amusing and lovely, but it never falls into the category of being another “Ross and Rachel” story but I can say with honestly that everyone can breathe a sigh of relief because the story quickly shifts back into action with Superman in the mix (It is his title); What I enjoy the most of Joshua Willamson’s run on this title is that he’s put a strong focus on Superman’s supporting cast that show how after all of these years, they can still be engaging while letting the readers know why they’re still important to Superman’s life; The way that Jamal Campbell draws Banshee is just wonderful as he really makes her dark and threatening in a way that John Byrne could never do and yes, I would LOVE for Campbell to continue on as this title’s artist. This issue ends on a devastating note for Lex Luthor (**NO SPOILERS**) but until that plot thread gets resolved, this is another exciting issue in a series that continues to show the absolute best era for The Man of Steel.
Ultimate Invasion # 1 – I can admit that I’ve always looked at the Ultimate Universe with such fondness. After all, I’ve been a huge fan of “Ultimate Spider-Man”, “Ultimate X-Men”, “The Ultimates” and the short-lived “Ultimate Marvel Team-Up” (“Ultimate Fantastic Four” just felt so unorganized and sloppy. Don’t get me started on “Ultimates 3”- BLEH!!) and since Marvel wants to bring back the glory days of that universe, it just feels right to launch “Ultimate Invasion” with Jonathan Hickman writing it and Ultimate alumni Bryan Hitch on art duties. Right away, this seems like a winner…only after reading the first issue, everything about this felt so uninspiring and dragged on far too long as the story puts the focus on the Illuminati (Iron Man, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, Black Panther, Namor, Doctor Strange, and Professor X) reuniting to take down The Maker (The Ultimate version of Reed Richards who turned evil) in rebuilding the universe but amidst the chaos, Miles Morales is reportedly in the center of it all! (Go figure); Hitch’s artwork is still fun to look at and brings with him the nostalgic factor since “Ultimates” launched him into super-stardom, but it’s Hickman’s writing that falters right off the bat. Sure, he’s known for writing such appealing dialogue while adding in such great plot elements that challenge the readers, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark and it only succeeds in driving people away from this event. I can point out that Hickman only got this gig because Mark Millar is having the time of his life building his own universe at Image, no one at Marvel wants to swallow their pride and reach out to Brian Michael Bendis, even Jeph Loeb is probably busy (My guess is that the higher-ups at Marvel got the chance to read “Ultimates 3” and decided not to call him. If so, good call on that!); While an event such as this one should have brought with it more thrills and the fan service to go with it, let’s see if Hickman can get things back on track for the second issue instead of moving at a snail’s pace.
Well, that’s it for me this week. Thanks for sticking around and I will see you all next time.
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