Review: Invincible Presents Atom Eve & Rex Splode #1 (of 3)

Or – “Teenage Angst, Part Two.”

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One of the most wonderful things about Bob Kirkman’s work on Invincible are the supporting characters, each of whom has depth and a life of their own, and most of whom have amazing named.  Dupli-Kate.  Shrinking Ray.  Atom Eve.  And the absolute, bull moose gonzo whopper most amazing name of all time: REX.  SPLODE!  When I get old, I want to roll around in a motorized wheelchaire and just yell “REX SPLODE!” at all the young whippersnappers with their baggy pants and their tiny little i-Pods and their whatever it is they do when I’m old…

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Hero History: Gazelle

Or – “They Also Serve Those Who Only Stand And Wait Get Retconned After Twelve Issues…”

It’s a sad truth of the Legion of Super-Heroes that many readers consider them (in the words of my pal Otter Disaster) “an inside joke that I don’t get.” That confusion is understandable, given my own questions on whether Vol. 4 Laurel Gand and Rebooted Andromeda should be considered the same character, or whether Alchemist and Element Lad should be treated as one, sharing as they do little more than a real name in common. So, it’s nice to be able to take a character and give a straightforward explanation, without changing realities, wiped out figures, or reconstituted post-Crisis elements… Today’s entrant started as a crush for a fellow Legionnaire, and ended up becoming an emblem of how the team overcomes prejudices, heals old grudges and can even make a better hero. This, then, is your Major Spoilers Hero History of Giselle Smith of Triton… Gazelle!

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Review: Green Lantern #47

Or – “The War Of Light Rages On, And The Key Players Gather For Operation Roy G. Biv…”

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Indigo-1 and her Indigo Tribe have provided Hal Jordan and the heroes of the galaxy with the weakness of the Black Lanterns’ rings: multiple spectrum emotions.  In an attempt to give the BLC as much multi-spectrum as possible, Indigo-1 has gathered the primary bearers of the green and violet light, and has brought them both to Korugar to find the man who embodies yellow.  Sinestro is, however, understandably distracted by the return of his dead friends and lovers, and also might have a little problem with NOT KILLING HAL.  Five bucks on the gourd-headed guy…

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Review: Die Hard: Year One #2

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The Bicentennial year of 1976 was a great time for celebration, but in New York City, beat cop John McClane is having a heck of a time with throng of revelers, dealing with the richest of the rich, and of course there’s that whole issue of corrupt cops on the force.

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Review: Dynamo 5 #25

Or – “Say Goodbye To Scrap, Slingshot, Visionary, Scatterbrain and Myriad…  FOREVER!”

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It’s been a while since I’ve done a full review checking in with the kids of Captain Dynamo, collectively known as Dynamo 5, the protectors of Tower City.  In the absence of their deadbeat dad, five young people have banded together to fight against their pop’s old villains, working with his widow and the government agency known as FLAG (The Foundation for Law and Government) as superheroes.  Recent months have seen the team break up, leaving super-strong Scrap alone to form her own new team.  After a brutal battle with some of the most horrible creatures in their father’s rogue’s gallery, the original team is back together again…  Just in time to get blindsided by their half-sister Synergy and her patron, the evil Father Gideon.

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Review: Blackest Night #4 (of 8)

Or – “Ray Palmer, Lightly Braised In A White Wine Sauce, With A Fried Egg On Top, And Spam…”

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Al Pratt:  “Um, excuse me, is this the undertaker’s?”
Black Hand:  “Yup, that’s right, what can I do for you, squire?”
Al Pratt:  “Um, well, I wonder if you can help me. My Atom has just died and I’m not quite sure what I should do.”
Black Hand:  “Ah, well, we can ‘elp you. We deal with stiffs.”
Al Pratt:  “Stiffs?”
Black Hand:  “Yeah… Now there’s three things we can do with your Atom. We can bury him, burn him, or dump him.”
Al Pratt:Dump him?”
Black Hand: “Dump him in the Thames.”
Al Pratt:What?”
Black Hand: “Oh, did you like him?”
Al Pratt: “Yes!”
Black Hand: “Oh well, we won’t dump him, then. Well, what do you think: burn him, or bury him?”
Al Pratt: “Um. Well, I.. I.. I.. I’m not very sure. He’s definitely dead.”
Black Hand: “Let’s ‘ave a look...  Oh, he looks quite young.”
Al Pratt: “Well, from the Silver Age, anyway…”
Black Hand: “SCAR!  I THINK WE’VE GOT AN EATER!”
Scar: “I’ll get the oven on!”
Al Pratt: “Um, er…  excuse me, um, are you…  Are you suggesting we should…  eat my Atom?”
Black Hand: “Yeah. Not raw, not raw. We cook him. He’d be delicious with a few french fries, a bit of stuffing. Delicious!”
Al Pratt: “Actually, I do feel a bit peckish…  No!  NO, I can’t!”
Black Hand: “Look, we’ll eat your Atom. And if you feel guilty afterwards, we’ll dig a grave and you can throw up into it.”
Al Pratt: “All right…”

(FIN)

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Review: Justice League of America #38

Or – “In Which A Hero Must DIE…”

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Every few years, we see the League at a crisis moment, a flashpoint where all the popular heroes are off doing their crossovers, and the remaining members are Tasmanian Devil, General Glory and The Creeper.  With a whole new League around the corner, the few remaining members of the JLA have been dealing with a growing sense of unrest and aimlessness.  Who will stay?  Who will leave?  And didn’t they promise that Leaguer would die?

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Review: Hunter’s Fortune #1

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Boom! Studios has done a great job of telling stories that sit outside the realm of the normal spandex and capes crowd.  More often than not, the company delivers a winner with new titles launched, and it appears they’ve found another winner with Hunter’s Fortune #1.

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Review: Invincible #67

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The buildup to the Viltrumite war continues as Allen the Alien and Omni-Man scour the universe for the tools of destruction that will bring down the remainder of the Viltrumite empire.  But will the ultimate solution be the only answer?

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