Bullet Reviews #133 is a day late, I know, it’s been fun trying to get back on schedule after getting so many old comics at a show. But, since it’s new comic day talking about recent releases can only add to the fun! Here are a few recent books that should still be available at your LCS!
GREEN LANTERN #25 (DC)
Relic has destroyed the Blue Lanterns, nearly wiped out the Greens and the universe’s only White Lantern, Kyle Rayner is thought to be dead. Oa is lost, the corps is scattered. “Lights Out” brought us some disturbing possibilities. The emotional spectrum entities sacrificed themselves to replenish the diminished reservoir of emotional energy. Meanwhile, Mogo has offered himself as the new home world of the Green Lantern Corps. Green Lantern #25 begins exactly where Green Lantern Annual #2 left off but what has Corps Leader Hal Jordan learned from the near destruction of the corps? We aren’t sure yet. This issue follows Hal and his first mission in the post-Relic universe. The focus on the series appears to be on the various strategies available to conserve the emotional energy. The corps seems split. Some Lanterns want to continue using the energy to police the universe while others think that just one more construct would be doing the universe a disservice. Green Lantern #25 is a solid issue but since it’s the beginning of a new story, it has to rebuild. Much like after “Wrath of the First Lantern”, there are so many possibilities for Robert Venditti and his creative team. I find that very exciting. This specific issue primarily follows Hal Jordan and one of my favorite Lanterns, Kilowog. Hal brings him along to complete some unfinished business from just prior to “Lights Out”. Meanwhile, Jonathan Stewart is left to rebuild on Mogo, Guy Gardner is off with the Reds somewhere and the New Guardians have a new mission for Kyle Rayner. The thread of conservation continues through but the door is left open for the rings to be used for years to come. To be honest, this issue has me looking ahead more than in the moment but I think that’s the point. Overall, this issue doesn’t answer much. It leaves more to be answered than even the annual #2. I’m left with questions like, what will happen to Carol and the Star Sapphires? Did Hal keep his word in giving the Reds their own sector? Just what exactly is Kyle Rayner meant to do? -Dereck Mayer
POWERPUFF GIRLS #2 (IDW)
This is the second issue of the new series from IDW Publishing. I loved Powerpuff Girls when I was younger and have gotten my kids into the show through Netflix. When the announcement came that IDW was doing a series, I added it to my pull. This has been all kinds of fun. Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom are still saving Townsville at every turn. In the first issue they once again fight their nemesis, Mojo Jojo, and trounce him thoroughly. After such a humiliating defeat, sitting in his jail cell, Mojo Jojo decides that the only course of action is to give up his powers.
Issue #2 starts us off as Mojo Jojo takes the long walk to the chair… the chair where Professor administers Antidote X, reverting Mojo Jojo to the monkey he was before, simple Jojo, the lab monkey. Professor and the girls take him home and throw him a party which degrades into a food fight. During the hubbub, Jojo scampers off to other parts of the house, namely the lab, and proceeds to fling and hurl anything he can get his hands on. There is a great scene where he almost gets coated in Chemical X again, but the Professor catches it and decides to lock it away. Are we to never hear the diabolical laugh and maniacal rantings of this crazy monkey megalomaniac again? Not if Him has anything to say about it. Never one to appreciate a Second Chance, he/she has something up her/his sleeve. Through a form of mind control, Him possesses all of the villains of Townsville and sends them to the Powerpuff Girls home to… DO CHORES! Whatever shall we do?!? Oh, wait, chores are good, right? We shall see what evil Him has in store. Check out the fun in Powerpuff Girls from IDW. -Aaron Clutter
SAGA #15 (Image)
Chapter 15 flashes back and forth between three distinct stories that are currently running. We begin with the Countess Robot X who is being interviewed about Alana. We learn a bit about Alana’s past and why she was a guard as a prison. Meanwhile, our heroes are trying to figure out what to do while running from the law. Most of this story centers around a game, “Nun Tuj Nun”, that they are all playing. The game forces direct confrontation in the form of arm wrestling and psychological warfare, so to speak. Meanwhile, the third story arc follows The Will who is currently stuck on a planet with Marko’s ex-fiance and a little girl The Will rescued from a sex slave operation. The Will’s story centers around his dilemma of continuing to hunt down Marko and Alana now that the love of his life is dead. She continues to come to him in his mind, directing his thoughts but the future is unclear to him. The story continues to be interesting even though not a lot is accomplished in this particular issue. Marko and Alana don’t get very far and The Will is running into his own problems that derail his ability to continue his hunt of the fugitives. I think that’s something that impresses me quite a bit, an issue that doesn’t have a lot of meat but is still very entertaining and enjoyable to read. The characters continue to gain depth and complexity that keeps me wanting to know more about them. At this stage, 15 issues in, I truly care about Alana and Hazel. But that could just be because Alana is freaking awesome. She is tough, dangerous, passionate and courageous to her core. As an adult myself, I enjoy all of the content. It’s not every day you have a running comic book series that hits on the more adult, sexual relationships. Saga is certainly a break from your basic super hero series.
THE STAR WARS #3 (Dark Horse)
Check out the third installment in this limited run series based on what Star Wars might have been! The Empire has arrived at Aquilae’s door. An all-out attack on the Empire’s massive moon-like space station proved inadequate as General Vader begins to send troops down the planet below. Vader is joined by Prince Valorum who has been assigned to find and kill the Jedi known as Skywalker. General Skywalker must save what he can of the royal family but Aquilae is a lost cause. The King and Skywalker’s personal friend is dead and the Queen doesn’t believe she can sway the political powers in control of the Rebels on the planet. Skywalker must bring the Princess, the one true heir to the throne, and her brothers off world, through the depths of Empire controlled space and hopefully find his friend, Han Solo, along the way. Meanwhile, Starkiller and the Princess stumble upon some very familiar Droids in the desert. Will our heroes be able to escape an Aquilae controlled by the Empire? Will General Vader become a true Sith Lord? So many unanswered but exciting questions! This series, based on George Lucas’ original screenplay for Star Wars is truly exciting, fresh and intriguing. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars universe, see how it all began, see what could have been! Instead of a young boy, unaware of the force, Skywalker is a strong military leader and Jedi. Additionally, the illustration style is spectacular. Based on the original designs for the film, we see just what our X-Wings, Droids and characters evolved from. Personally, I love that we can understand R2 in this series. It allows for a more fruitful conversation and elevates C3PO’s character into his own being, rather than just a translator for his friend. There are specks of the Clone Wars in the troops and vehicles while shades of the heroes we know reside in unfamiliar characters. -Derreck Mayer
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #5 (Marvel)
For almost a year the Superior Spider-Man has had things go his way and has, in his mind, not failed at being a better Spider-Man than Peter Parker ever was. But that’s only true if you refuse to go beneath the surface. We already know that in the main title there is a coming war with a new Green Goblin, dubbed the Goblin King, who has hacked into Otto’s systems and manipulated it to work in his favor (this leads to a major confrontation early next year that I cannot wait for) but here we have another Otto idea that might blow up in his face: He’s captured the members of his Sinister Six and has used his tech to control their minds and actions. A good idea on the surface but when The Sandman, The Vulture, Mysterio, a bizarre and horrible looking Electro, and Chameleon begin to fight the control, and when Spider-Man actually does lose that control, things begin to have the potential of becoming a major disaster. But aside from that, and the quick appearance of Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man 2099, I have to ask about The Chameleon. Over in Superior Foes Of Spider-Man he’s very much still involved in other matters so how can he be in this book under the control of Spider-Man as well?
Regardless, it’s another entertaining and interesting chapter in the Superior Spider-Man Saga! I can’t wait to see what’s coming next! -Skott Jimenez
