Comics Reviews for Books Shipped on 7/11/07

Comics Reviewed this week include Fantastic Five #1, Green Lantern #21, Countdown #42, and Punisher War Journal #9

Fantastic Five #1 (Marvel)
by Defalco/Lim/Koblish

Everyone sit up and pay attention. This is how the Fantastic Four is supposed to be written. This one of the best Fantastic Four stories to come out in a very long time. The Fantastic Five are our beloved Fantastic Four in the not too distant future. I believe this is part of the Spider-Girl continuity that was once called MC2, but there is no mention of it in the comic. This is a limited series, but I can already tell you from this first issue that I want an ongoing. I would love to see this lighter, more fun, future for Marvel Comics continue and expand.

This issue introduces us to a future where The Thing has kids (and an ex-wife), Franklin is grown (again), and Johnny is married. The team is on the verge of breaking apart because Johnny has been leading while Reed and Sue have been away, and their return has left Johnny feeling like it might be time to form his own group with his wife.

Doctor Doom returns in this issue as well, and his plan for destruction is classic. The book ends with a great cliffhanger, and just plain feels good. This is where the Fantastic Four would have been in the 80s had the Marvel world continued to age like it did when Stand and Jack where at the helm of the Fantastic Four.

I look forward to more of this. Go buy it.

Grade: A

Green Lantern #21
By Johns/Reis/Albert

The Sinestro Corps War continues in this latest issue of the core Green Lantern title. The Sinestro War has a truly epic feel about it, but there are certain elements (like the Guardians and their lack of acknowledging a “prophecy” that is right before their eyes) that I can’t seem to understand. It doesn’t make sense to the point that it takes me out of the story, and I really, really dislike that.

I love what they’ve done to Kyle, and I can only hope that it lasts for a while. I don’t want him that way forever, but it’s nice to see the tables turned, and Kyle in that position. Sinestro’s War seems to only be one piece of a much larger puzzle in the DCU, and I have to say I find that upsetting too. I wish they’d scale it down a bit, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out by not buying every book they publish.

All in all, this is a good issue, and another interesting chapter in the Sinestro Corp saga. I look forward to seeing how it plays out.

Grade: B

Countdown #42
by Several People including Paul Dini

This book continues to flounder. This issue jumps around from the Trickster and Piper to Mary Marvel, Karate Kid (where Batman has a line that is so UN-Batman I can’t believe Paul Dini’s name is attached to this), Jimmy Olsen and Holly Robinson as well. Not a whole lot worth mentioning actually happens, short of Piper and Trickster getting arrested and then accidentally throwing themselves out of a plain.

I want to keep getting this book, but it’s going to have to pick up soon.

Grade: C

Punisher War Journal #9
By Fraction/Olivetti

This book is harsh. This book is beautiful. This book is awesome. Never has the Punisher been written in the Marvel Universe as well as he’s being written by Matt Fraction. There is some seriously brutal stuff that happens in this issue. It’s awful, it’s horrible, and it’s really how this situation would have had to have played out.

I can’t wait to see how this storyline with the Hate Monger ends, and I truly hope Frank gets his wish and gets to “shoot this guy in the face”.

I don’t know that any Marvel villain has deserved it more.

Grade: A