I used to do a series of articles called My Stack, but I couldn't afford to get a lot of comics for a year or so. Right now, I kind of can, I just got laid off, but I'm getting unemployment and I don't have to pay my school loans. So, screw it.
Spider-men - Issue 1 of 5
I know there's a quote out there about how if the Ultimate Universe ever met the 616 universe, Marvel has officially run out of ideas. I don't really agree with that, because I've been wanting a cross over forever. Instead of the two Peter Parkers meeting, it's 616 Peter and Miles Morales. Peter in the U Marvel died last year in his final battle with the Green Goblin.
This issue merely sets up the concept for the rest of the series. Peter is warped into the Ultimate Universe by a device Mysterio made. Brian Bendis is writing this, and his dialogue is well done as always. Miles doesn't meet Peter until the end of the issue. Peter is really curious about the Triskelion out in the middle of the water near New York. This doesn't exist in the 616 Universe, so it's interesting seeing him looking curious about the differences. If Norman Osborn were still alive, he would freak out how the two Green Goblins are different. One being a guy in a costume and the other physically transforming into a monster.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
4 out of 5
Ultimate Spider-man - Issues #9 & #10
Speaking of Miles, he's dealing with the fact that his uncle is The Prowler, knows who he is, and is somewhat responsible for his powers. The Prowler is also trying to fight The Scorpion. The Scorpion wants to be the new Kingpin and he wants Prowler to work for him or die.
A version of the Scorpion was introduced in the Clone Saga, he was a clone of Peter with a scorpion suit, but he was never called The Scorpion, if my memory serves me correctly. This Scorpion is a Mexican crimelord with a muscular build. At first you think he's a normal person, but after Prowler uses some Vulture Tech to decapitate/evicerate Scorpion's men, but Scorpion himself is only slightly damaged. Scoprion references his power, but doesn't go into detail about what he is/where his semi-invulnerability comes from.
Miles is dealing with going to a charter school and keeping his identity secret. I like in the UU, no one can seem to keep an identity. Not completely. It seems a lot more real. In the 616 universe, everytime Peter is outed, it gets resolved. Every. Time. Professor X wipes everyone's minds, or in my least favorite instance, Peter makes a deal with Mephisto to alter reality. Miles isn't completely outed, but like with Peter, he has a group of people who keep finding out about him.
I've liked this series from the beginning. Most of the negativity about the new USM is from racists. Pure and simple. People whining about Marvel trying to be politically correct. I'm sorry, but the thinly veiled racism is proof of why something like this needed to happen. Not Peter's death, but his replacement being a bit more represenative of the diversity of society.
5 out of 5
Green Lantern - Issues #7 & #8
Green Lantern was one of the few comics that didn't do a full on reboot after Flashpoint. The costumes changed a little, but thats about it. After dealing with Green Lantern Sinestro's former fear based core, Hal Jordan returns to Earth with his duplicate ring. The ring that Sinestro made, that cannot hurt him. This is due to Hal being kicked out of the core.
Sinestro needed Hal to help him with the Book of Black (a book with the prophecies of the various colored corps). The Indigo Tribe shows up and kidnaps them. Star Sapphire Carl Ferris tries to help them, but she's too late. Meanwhile the Guardians are creating a plan to replace the Green Lantern corp in a surprisingly devious way. The Guardians are becoming more malevolent with each issue and I feel the GL Corp are going to have to take down their leaders at some point.
I liked these issues. Everytime GL starts to get a little stale, Geoff Johns just ramps things up. Hal Jordan gets sort of depowered at one point, and it makes his fight a little more interesting. I look forward to getting the other two issues that have been released.
5 out of 5
Smallville Season 11 - Issue #1
This is what happens inbetween the two time periods in the last episode of Smallville. I like that they decided to create this series, because we only had an episode of Clark really, really being Superman. They milked the hell out of him not being able to fly in that series. They don't have to worry about actors being available or anything now. They can just create stories in that universe.
The first issue is written well, but with a lot of first issues, not a ton of story elements are exposed. Cloe is having trouble letting go of watch tower. A russian space station needs help. Clark has a slightly different costume (which I like). Green Arrow is around kicking ass. Lex has no memory at all about his former life, Clark and him being friends, nothing. There's some interaction between Clark and Lex expanding upon this concept.
The issue is done well, and the dialogue sounds like the show. The art is a bit better than I thought it would be. Hopefully this series will continue on and open up a ton of new possibilities. I heard that Batman is finally going to show up in a future issue.
4 out of 5
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