THE DEFENDERS #5 MARVEL COMICS
Wow! Hope you have a degree in metaphysical psychology with a splash of transcendental multi dimensional physics to get through the big finale (and please notice I did not capitalize the word big!) This one leads us to nowhere. With what is versus what isn’t. And we finally get to unmask the Masker Raider, and if you hadn’t figured out who was under the mask, then you need to go back and read some classic science fiction and watch a few episodes of the original Twilight Zone! No big surprizes. An arguement can be made that stories that go round robin and end at the beginning don’t really serve a purpose. Dr. Strange at least get an artifact that will allow him to call on the services of Galactus’s Mom (!?) in the future. Somebody give Eternity back the mask so he can patch his trousers and let the good Doctor Strange die in piece elsewhere in the Marvel universe. I give this a 4 out of 10 Grahams.
SHE-HULK #1 MARVEL COMICS
I must admit that I was very biased when I agreed to review this book. I have been around since cousin Bruce decided to give ole Jen a blood transfusion way back in 1980. I’ve seen her Savage, Sensational, Immortal, Just Plain (Twice!), All New Savage, singular, plural! I’ve see her both Red & Green! Avenger, Defender, Hero For Hire, and on and on! What could Rainbow Rowell’s possibly add to the mix? And add in the fact that the timing of this book matches up perfectly to a certain live actions version coming out made this whole thing smell of cash-grab! So as you can imagine, I was ready with a big box of hate.
To my surprise, this first issue is a very charming start. Jennifer Walters is a mousy woman trying to reconnect with everyday life. She needs a job, a place to live, clothes that actually fit her just like everyone else. So we already have an emotional attachment to her. And while a proud person, the great glee she gets when her friends and foes help her is palpable. As well as installing a sense of everyday humor, like wishing she had borrowed a Fantasti-car instead of getting stuck in traffic. Or partially stripping down so that she doesn’t destroy her only suit. Right now we have an excellent blend of previous incarnations of the character. And artist Roge Antonio finds that middle ground between Adam Hughes super hottie version and John Buscema/Chic Jones’s original version. Let’s hope this creative team can keep up the good work. This one earned it’s 8 out of 10 Grahams.
