NEW COMICS 4 THIS WEEK (08/02/23)
*All comics will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10*
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent # 6 
Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 1 
Astonishing Iceman # 1 
Blaze Ya Dead Homie # 1 
City Boy # 3
Conan The Barberian # 1 
Justice Society of America # 5
Magneto # 1
Moon Knight # 26
What If…? Dark: Venom # 1
Astonishing Iceman # 1– Bobby Drake, one of the founding members of the X-Men returns in his own series and I have to say that this is the perfect vehicle for Bobby to get his just due but this new series is written by Steve Orlando (Who’s always been hit or miss) is actually a fun read even thought he had the herculean task of finding a reason why Bobby is still up and running due to the events of the Hellfire Gala but Orlando finds a way to solve that solution while adding in an action sequence that will draw fans in but what I really liked about this series is how Orlando does a great job of revitalizing Bobby’s personality and status quo while showing different aspects of his life to where we really get to see Iceman for the very first time. Longtime X-Men fans may get a kick out of this due to the potential this series has going for it but let’s hope Orlando picks up the pace on peeling back more layers of his plot to get things going.
Blaze Ya Dead Homie # 1– Blaza Ya Dead Homie unveils his very first comic. The rapper, who’s made a name for himself in the Horrorcore genre links up with writer Rob Humphrey and artist Austin McKinley for a one-shot takes the premise, which is the rapper’s stage persona of a resurrected gang member who was killed on the late 80s. First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to comic books so let me say this about this particular one-shot- It works better if it was a movie made exclusively for Tubi or if it was an animated movie for Shudder; Most of the comic felt so silly from the dialogue to the endless gangbanging cliches (I swear that Humphrey watched too many 90s gangsta movies for inspiration, which doesn’t bode well for this issue); I went into this issue with hope and enthusiasm but felt disappointed. Whenever any rapper puts out a comic book based on their life you would expect it to have some excitement or takes liberty with the truth in order to make the story good but here- NOPE!! It looks like Blaze Ya Dead Homie better stick to making albums than comics and on that note, just save your money and time…you’ll be happy that you did.
Conan The Barbarian # 1– Titan Comics, who recently acquired the Conan license from Marvel brings back the Cimmerian for a new series that really brings back the essence of fantasy and all-out action to the delight of Conan fans everywhere. The creative team of Jim Zub and Roberto de la Torre have crafted a story that would have made both Roy Thomas and John Buscema proud as it starts off with the Cimmerian out of a mercenary job but finds himself joining forces with a woman who brings word about the Army of the Lost from Hauler’s Road; Unfortunately, it turns into a savage battle that ends horribly. Zub has proven himself to be a great Conan writer as he does a wonderful job of putting the readers into the story that pays tremendous homage to past stories while bringing in new readers. Zub and de la Torre have found a way to honor the legacy of Robert Howard while crafting new adventures for everyone’s favorite Cimmerian as this is a new era for Conan that is sure to be a hit.
Magneto # 1– Magneto has always been one of the most fascinating X-Men villains, but remember when he renounced his villainous ways and became the headmaster of The New Mutants ?! Well, this new miniseries, by the stellar team of J.M. DeMatteis and Todd Nauck gives the readers a compelling character study of one of Marvel’s most ending mutants. DeMatteis does wonders when it comes to getting inside Magneto’s head and looking at things from his point of view as we get to see him try to justify his actions when it comes to his methods of saving mutant kind. Todd Nauck does another superb job on the art as he can truly balance emotions in the characters that he draws but he never goes for the more cartoony aspects. If you’re a fan of the 80s X-Men then this series is for you….even if the references seem outdated for some who never grew up in that particular era.
What If…? Dark: Venom # 1– Marvel LOVES going to the whole “Someone gets corrupted by the Venom symbiote” bit which something makes for a great story but it feels overused, especially with Spider-Man thrown in the mix, but for this “What If…?” special, Spidey takes a back seat as the focus shifts to Ben Grimm and what would have happened if the symbiote took control of him! Taking place in a time when Ben returned from Battleworld and Reed Richards successfully got the symbiote off Peter Parker, this feels like a premise that no one can get behind, but when the Lizard gets his hands on the symbiote that’s when the “Dark” tile comes alive because this plot element alone would have been more entertaining but Stephanie Phillips does her best to make Ben feel more sympathetic in the handling of the symbiote and it’s only when we get to the last few pages is when the book gets exciting (**NO SPOILERS**); Is this a pleasant read? Yes! but could have had more substance to it since this is a “What If…?”, I guess there’s always next time…..oh well!
Well, that’s it for me this week. Thanks for sticking around and I will see you all next time.
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