Buzzscope Reviews: 6/2/05

Bet you can't guess which one was my favorite review?Son of Vulcan #1 (of 6)There's something of a pleasing throwback quality to Son of Vulcan, a worthy substitute for any pull list still tolerating the likes of Robin or Nightwing.Ororo: Before the Storm #1 (of 4)Solid work all around and should appeal to the avid X-fans as well as anyone looking for a strong female lead character or a respite from the House of M hoopla.Atomika #3Atomika is less "sequential art" than it is simply art, with a story attached. It's also a unique, intriguing and compelling concept that serves…

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Buzzscope Reviews: 5/25/05

Gotham Central: Half A Life TPBIf you're reading more than five comic books a month and Gotham Central isn't one of them, you're wrong.Captain America #6Unlike Winnick's similar Jason Todd-driven storyline currently unfolding over in Batman, Brubaker's take on things doesn't feel lazy and contrived, and isn't reliant on any familiarity with Cap's history or continuity.The Expatriate #2The four-color equivalent of the handheld camera in the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. Don't wait for the trade on this one, jump aboard now!The Grimoire #3A potential sleeper hit...tailor-made for fans of Harry Potter as well as those who simply enjoy…

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Try Something Different: 5/24/05

Support Independent Comics!Independent comics (and manga) being released tomorrow, 5/24/05, courtesy of ComicList. Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it.Recommendations, sometimes blind, in BOLD. Which ones are YOU reading?AAA POP COMICS Golden Plates #2 (Of 12), $7.99AIT/PLANETLAR True Story Swear To God Vol 2 This One Goes To 11 TPB, $12.95ANTARCTIC PRESS AP How To Draw Manga Toning Techniques CD Ed Vol 1 TPB, $24.95AMAZE INK (SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) Punch And Judy TPB, $7.95ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS Archie #557, $2.19 Archie Double Digest…

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REVIEW: Batgirl #63

Post-"War Games", writer Andersen Gabrych is slowly but surely turning Batgirl into the most satisfying Bat-book not named Gotham Central. Freed from the angst-ridden constraints of patrolling the streets of Gotham City in Batman's shadow -- and to a lesser degree, Oracle's -- Batgirl is on her own, relocating to the mean streets of Blüdhaven and carving her own niche out of one of the darker alleys of the DC Universe. After ruining the also-relocated Penguin's arms deal by taking down the Brotherhood of Evil last issue, this time around he raises the stakes, bringing in Deathstroke to take her…

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Review: Red Sonja #0

Damn Kurt Busiek and his unexpectedly enjoyable revitalization of Conan! If not for him, I wouldn't have taken a chance on Red Sonja, a comic book I was pretty sure I wouldn't like from the minute I first saw its Greg Land cover. The easy thing would be to simply say you get what you pay for and move on, but I like to do things the hard way and will figure how to belabor the obvious in as interesting a manner as possible. Cheesecake aside -- and this comic is pure cheesecake with a faux-gritty graham cracker frosting --…

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REVIEW: The Losers #23

Most mainstream comic books these days ride a rickety wooden roller coaster throughout their ever-shortening life spans, offering an uneven mix of definitive and forgettable story arcs before inevitably being rebooted by some flavor-of-the-month talent in the kind of short-term thinking that brought down corporations like Enron and Worldcom. Then there are comic books like The Losers, defined by a singular creative vision that, hopefully, is allowed to carry through to its organic conclusion and then able to rest in peace. Typically, though, these types of comics die on the vine, languishing in obscurity as they are ignored by the…

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REVIEW: 15 Minutes #3

"In the future, everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes." In this era of 24-hour news channels and Reality TV, Andy Warhol's prophetic quote has practically come true. Why should superheroes be any different?That's the angle Bob Elinskas comes from with 15 Minutes, an appealing combination of Troy Hickman's Eisner-nominated Common Grounds and Marvel's Great Lakes Avengers played straight, featuring poignant snapshots of D-list superheroes and villains, as told through the eyes of the everyday civilians whose lives they affect. While the basic premise isn't terribly original, the execution is near-perfect as Elinskas packs more emotional subtext into each…

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