Opining Offhand Opinions

The key to offhand opinions is it’s a gut reaction with bare bones analysis. I tell you if it’s worth buying in a basic Yes or No situation.

Wonder Woman 212 (DC)
Rucka/Raiz/Snyder
Artwise it looks like Black Canary (why is she with the JLA?) is wearing a tube top that she’s about to fall out of in the midst of battle. And Rucka disappoints me by having Superman say to the newly blind WW: “I’ll see you upstairs.” All and all it’s a weird read.
No

The New Invaders 6 (Marvel)
Jacobson/Lucas
The Wolverine crossover/Enemy of the State is so forced it’s painful to read. But the exchange between Namor and Not Captain America (John Walker) is great. And, remember this is offhand opinions, how can I hate a book that makes a funny Ewok joke?
Yes

Exiles 58 (Marvel)
Bedard/Sakakibara
Maybe it’s the fact that so many of my fellow Great Curve bloggers dislike Bedard’s approach, but I love it. There’s a particular Mandarin/Doc Doom exchange that I’m fairly certain Grant Morrison would be jealous of Bedard for writing it.
Yes

The Authority: Revolution 4 (Wildstorm)
Brubaker/Nguyen/Friend
The book seems to be getting back on track after losing me in the last issue. And they finally get around to acknowledging Jenny again.
Yes

Space Ghost 3 (DC)
Kelly/Olivetti
This story is not making the greatest amount of sense. It doesn’t help that everyone other than Space Ghost is unrecognizable. All of Olivetti’s characters look the same, muscle-bound dolts with muscles even in their foreheads.
No

Hawkman 36 (DC)
Gray/Palmiotti/Bennett/Jose
I’m easy sometimes. Give me Deadman as a guest star and I’m hooked.
Yes

Lucifer 58 (Vertigo)
Carey/Wimberly
The appeal of this book mystifies me. It clicks with some folks, but not me. For me it drags…
No

X-Men 166 (Marvel)
Milligan/Larroca
The cover dressing made me think this was Claremont and Chen’s X-Men The End. Call me old fashioned, but the fact that Wolverine is on the cover, but appears nowhere (maybe he’s in the shadows of this murky issue) in the book, that I could see, is annoying. I love Larroca’s work, but the color and mood is so dark, his work is squandered. Milligan is writing Polaris Austen style, which is a big mistake. Finally, the characters’ reaction to Polaris’ actions are laughably pathetic. No

Cable & Deadpool 11 (Marvel)
Nicieza/Zircher/M3th
Seeing as Cable is dead for the most part, the focus shifts to Deadpool…to the benefit of the overall tale.
Yes

Rogue 7 (Marvel)
Bedard/Moline
Nothing against Robert Rodi, but with his departure, Tony Bedard steps up to the plate and makes things far more interesting for this reader.
Yes

Nightcrawler 5 (Marvel)
Aguirre-Sacasa/Robertson/Faucher
The creative team is generally hitting its stride with this solo book, which is no easy feat in the over-saturated X-universe. I’m actually intrigued to see where this story goes. One sour note, Storm as jealous girlfriend sets the character back around to the days of her idiotic Mohawk. I expect better from Aguirre-Sacasa.
Yes

Daredevil 69 (Marvel Knights)
Bendis/Maleev
I’m amazed to say that I liked this issue of DD by Bendis. But then I realized I like the non-DD parts, as the story’s focus was drawn toward the new White Tiger’s origin. But narrative wise, I’ve grown tired of the transitions from modern day to silver age with barely any warning or proper explanation.
Yes