Less Snarky 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. This week, we have two new features (one that longtime readers of Offhand Opinions may remember from past incarnations). Ron’s pick of last week WE3 (Vertigo). My pick for this week is Deadshot 3 [DC]. This episode of Offhand Opinions is dedicated to Alan David Doane’s computer, which I tortured today. No snarks were harmed in the making of this post.

Deadshot 3 [of 5] (DC)
Gage/Cummings/Palmiotti
So I’m reading a scene between Green Arrow and Deadshot, and I think to myself: Gage should be writing Green Arrow. There’s a Deadshot as babysitter (think Tom Selleck in Three Men in A Baby Part IV), yea I winced. But every book is allowed one lame moment, and this one’s brief.
Yes

The Intimates 4 (Wildstorm)
Case/Lee/Camuncoli/Hope
I’ll say it again, if you liked Spy magazine, this is the heir apparent in comics land.
Yes

The New Avengers 3 (Marvel)
Bendis/Finch/Miki/D’Armata
Bendis has some nice moments in this issue. I really wanted to like this book, but then Bendis has Cap speaking to Cage like a pet: “Good Man” after Cage nearly killed someone…Or the amazing explanation that no one recognized Spidey without his mask, because of his “average looks”. Or hey how about when DD accidentally reveals Peter Parker’s name to Cap. Watch, Matt suddenly goes stupid for Bendis’ funny moment. Um, no. Bendis' best moment of over-dialogue, the 25 panel one page, where at least three times on that one page Finch draws Cap with a giant overbite.
No

X-Men Phoenix Endsong 2 [of 5] (Marvel)
Pak/Land/Ryan
Wow, thanks for resurrecting the lamest X-Men Morrison plots. And Emma as Jessica Simpson is a waste of Land’s talents.
No

Black Panther 1 (Marvel)
Hudlin/Romita Jr/Janson/White
I never thought I’d miss Priest’s run. Marvel’s Dondi Reese = Real World’s Condi Rice, yea, the sound you hear are my eyes rolling. A military officer is going to say a racial slur in the White House: 1960s—maybe, 2005—no way, no how. Don’t believe the hype.
No

Superman: Strength 2 [of 3] (DC)
McCloud/Amancio/Austin/Mulvihill
I loved McCloud’s Superman Adventures run. So it really surprises me to compare this to Stan Lee’s 1990s work. Stan’s weak work from that period surpasses this absolute overpriced junk. Imagine Clark Kent as a 10-year-old talking like a 40-year old man.
No

Exiles 59 (Marvel)
Bedard/Sakakibara
A great secret is revealed and one reader (me) is left saying: “Yea, so?”
No

The Twilight Experiment 1 (Wildstorm)
Gray/Palmiotti/Santacruz
A lot of action, a lot of ground covered. I’m interested.
Yes

Spider-Man & X-23: MTU 5
Kirkman/Kolins
The heavyset child continues to go around with no shirt…now he’s wearing a shock collar. It’s just weird. And then there’s everyone favorite X-23, whose popularity will fade in exactly one arc.
No

Daredevil: Redemption 1 [of 6] (Marvel)
Hine/Gaydos
Boy the Brit writer really knows how to write a tale set in Alabama! Wait, no he doesn’t. Just because it’s based on a true story doesn’t mean throwing Daredevil in the mix makes it interesting.
No

Excalibur 9 (Marvel)
Claremont/Lopresti/Adams
In a few months, I predict shock collar shirtless boy (from MTU) will team up with Callisto with Xavier on her back (from this issue). The only highlight for me was when Lopresti got to draw the Avengers in a flashback.
No

Uncanny X-Men 455 (Marvel)
Claremont/Davis/Farmer
A character long thought dead returns! And X-23 gets dumber! $2.25 best spent elsewhere! Claremont creates 100th love triangle involving Logan. Reviewer weeps.
No

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