Hey geeks and geekettes! Welcome to GHG’s renewed Fistful of Comics, where — rather than focusing at length on a mere handful of drops for the week — we’ll be giving quick thoughts on the majority of important funnybooks released with least one extensive focal comic of the week.
Hopefully our swift blurbs will give you a swifter idea whether the book is worth the trip to your Local Comic Shizzop or not. Let us know what you think of this new, rapid-fire feature at GodHatesGeeks on Facebook and on Twitter @GodHatesGeeks.com !
Flash Rebirth 34.
The Flash has been by far one of the best rebirth titles to come from DCs “reboot that wasn’t a reboot”. In this issue we revisit one of the most enjoyable early stories in the title. Back in the first arc we met August Heart and Meena, who had both become speedsters thanks to being struck by lightning from the speed force storm. In an epic battle at the end of that arc between God Speed (August Heart) and the other speedsters, we were left believing Meena had been killed. However, back in issue 20 we the readers found out she is very much alive, and working for the Black Hole.
In this issue, she uses her ability to track other speedsters to find Barry and inform him of her survival. She tells Wally and Barry that rather than being killed, she was in fact absorbed by the speed force. She knows about Barry being infected with the negative speed force and claims she wants to help him, and enlightens him to the fact that having both speed force and negative speed force in his body simultaneously is ripping him apart.
Barry is so glad to see Meena alive he does not question what she tells him, and whilst happily reminiscing about their past together, leaves himself vulnerable. In a predictable turn Barry and Wally are captured by the Black Hole agents, having been set up by Meena. Meena then runs around Barry, removing the negative speed force from him and thus becoming the negative flash herself.
This issue again reiterates the underlying theme that Barry cannot control his emotions, and lets them get in his way – prior to their capture Meena states “you always let that big heart get the best of you”. I feel the whole negative speed force storyline has been to further convey Reverse Flash’s message, that Barry is his own worst enemy. This would also explain why Barry was unable to control the negative speed force, because it in itself was controlled by emotions.
If you have been following the Flash from the beginning, then you will definitely love this issue. Meena and God Speed (who was shown in the previous issue) were some of the best new characters to be added to the rebirth and it is good to see them back. There is perhaps potential for Meena to develop into a reverse flash-esque character, and become a very popular villain. I think that God Speed/ August heart will also be worked into this story somehow, possibly to work alongside Barry and Wally against Meena and the Black Hole. I am also glad to see that Barry has finally had the negative speed force removed from him, as I felt this story had dragged on a little too long and was becoming repetitive – every time he used his powers he would destroy parts of the city and become even more emotional. The only negative was that as soon as Meena was revealed to be alive and working for the Black Hole, it was rather predictable that the Black Hole would later appear to attack Barry and Wally.
4.5/5 – Speedsters Agree!
Written by Jordan Robertson
Guardians of the Galaxy #146 “Infinity Quest” Part 1
The Guardians are causing trouble again… What else is new?
2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy vaulted a rag-tag group of space rogues from comic book obscurity into cinematic stardom. Who could predict that a comic book property that was largely unknown even to hard core Marvel fans would prove to be Hollywood gold? Now, two films, an animated TV show and about 700 million dollars later, the Guardians truly have conquered the Galaxy.
GotG #146 is the newest issue from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Marcus To. Here we find the current roster of the Guardians (Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot and Ant-Man) united as they hunt for the infinity stones. One of the biggest complaints that Marvel comics has received lately is the tendency for the storylines and characters to match the continuity of the movies. This generally makes sense to make the cinematic and comic universes feel more streamlined, but often this course correction can feel forced. Case in point, the presence of Baby Groot and the hunt for the aforementioned infinity stones. Both of these plot points represent the status quo of the current Marvel films and the comic book storylines have been adjusted to reflect this.
Marvel storylines have recently suffered from a lack of originality. At one time, Marvel comics was a breeding ground for superhero fiction, offering the film and TV studios a literal universe of storylines and characters to cherry pick from. Now the reverse seems to be true, where popular characters and plot points from the movies and television are now thrust into the comics, usually without much creative effort or intent. The result is a comic book universe that feels supplemental to its cinematic counterpart as opposed to the other way around. I don’t know why there’s a Baby Groot or why the Guardians care about the Infinity stones or why Ant-Man is now a member but It’s obvious that they want to mimic the movies as closely as they can. I’m not opposed to this tactic, I was just hoping for a more entertaining execution.
In “infinity Quest” part 1, we find our titular space swindlers up to no good again as they go undercover as members of the Nova Corps. There intention is to use the Nova Corps’ resources to assist them in their search for the Infinity Stones. All hell breaks loose when Ultron bots begin to show up and wreak havoc as they lock onto Ant-Man’s signature (Ultron and Ant-Man share the same creator; Hank Pym). Once again, all of these characters are recognizable from Marvel films. Ultron feels spoonfed into the storyline as yet another way to connect the comic to the movie universe. It all feels lazy and poorly executed. All of the Guardians have their expected personalities and nuances, and the issue progresses with little to no character development.
Marcus To’s art is standout, he’s a great pick for Guardians. His character depictions are accurate, and his panel flow and action sequences serve the characters well. Served with a more engaging plot, the comic would be even more exciting.
Marvel comics is going through a bit of a slump. Many people blame the constant events and “forced” diversity as the reason for the waning quality. I think it’s all in the execution. Marvel needs to go back to being a more creative place where creativity is nourished. Right now, it seems like they’re chasing the coattails of their cinematic universe as opposed to discovering new concepts for the film studio to draw from. Perhaps as the Guardians quest for the infinity stones, they may find some exciting story ideas in the process.
2.5/5 Bibles
Written by PSO
Jetsons #1
Less of a political skewing that The Flintstones was, not a reimagining that Scooby is – but something in the middle. Jimmy Palmiotti & Pier Brito shows us the environmental issues that shape the more than probable future world of the Jetsons ! We get to see what’s going on below these floating buildings , and it’s not pretty folks. Nuclear weapons, massive flooding, artificial intelligence , and there’s a giant meteor headed towards us ?! Not sure if George Jetson will live to see his 40th Birthday !
First of Six issues : 3.5/5 Bibles.
Written by Sean Farell
Lemme go full-on-cosmonautic-throttle here and tell ya that Valiant’s latest effortlessness, entitled: Eternity #1, might’ve hit closer to the caldera hadMatt(Ninjak)Kindt, Trevor(2000 AD)Hairsine, and David(JLA)Baron, insisted to their publisher that they dub this moonrock-in-the-airlock-rub with the moniker of: Inanity #1, instead… Intergalactic planetarians(???), who might be conspiring to kidnap the Red Hero’s mini-me(???), who’s been log-cabin-jammed away in the Russian backwoods(???), so that he might become the next universal eyekeeper of some kind for all of existence??? Sounds like this’ll play out in LCD on some kind of Rocket-in-the-Groundsystem. Eternity 1 twinkles as an utterstellar misfire that doesn’t live up to the publisher’s namesake effort.
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2.5/5 Shmattered Scatterlites
Written by Jason “Bad Preach-Around” Bud