I apologize to professional critics. I really thought it was so easy to come up with a review for a TV show, a movie or a book. All you have to do is write what you’re thinking, write it down and submit it, right?

Well, by the time I even decide to start writing, the moment has passed and there is something new to review. So now I’m going to at least give my quick opinions on my recent comics purchases. First, I’ll be looking at Marvel Comics.

The New Avengers #28

Brian Michael Bendis is not only writing for this underground team of heroes, but he is also writing The Mighty Avengers, about the team who won the big Civil War. Mighty is all about the usual superhero fare; thwarting villainy, fighting for truth an justice, etc. With the New Avengers Bendis is having a bit more fun.

When you put “yikes-a-hooty” in the mouth of Spider-man, I think you might be going more into the experimental route with these secret avengers. I’ll admit my bias right away; I think that this Avengers team is way hotter than the Mighty team.

The lineup is what gets me right away. You’ve got Luke Cage as leader (in place of the dearly departed Captain America), Spider-man, Wolverine, Spider-woman, the new Ronin, Iron Fist and Doctor Strange. Now that’s a great balance of abilities and a perfect mix of unique personalities. Iron Man and Warbird’s Avenger’s team is more of a polished fighting force - and just a bit duller.

A note on Iron Fist: I think that Danny Rand may be related in some way to Jay Leno. Well, that’s what artist Lenil Yu may want you to believe. His take on Iron Fist is all I can complain about. I really love his “dirty” style. It really syncs with a team that is on the run - the losers of a war amongst friends.

In this issue, the Avengers are still in the land of the rising sun, but we take a break in the middle to learn how the Avengers keep a low profile. And we also get to see if Captain America is really dead or not. Or maybe we don’t.

My ruling:
Loved it!

Punisher War Journal #5

I didn’t jump on the Matt Fraction bandwagon when I should have, when he started writing Casanova. Now, I am reading Fraction’s War Journal and I have quickly become a fan of his writing. Ariel Olivetti’s big, beefy art took a bit more getting used to, but I started to become comfortable with it around issue #3.

What makes this issue stand apart from the first four is that the Punisher is barely in it. Instead, we follow a man who has neither the ability nor the firepower to take on a maniac like Bushwacker. Bushwacker, if you’re not up on obscure villains, is a guy who can turn both of his hands into any weapon he desires. Must be hard to find ammunition for weapons like those.