Thursday's Reviews

Well, it certainly was a bigger week than last time.  So let us begin.

Fables #150

"Farewell"

This is a bit of a relief actually. I had forgotten that there was another issue to go, since it has seemed like an awful long time since the last issue.  It is all nice and big, and packaged like a Trade, and has a whole slew of artists.  There are a whole lot of "Last Stories" of many of the characters.  I have always liked Fables, and I'm sorry to see it come to an end, but it has been a little on the slow side lately, so going out with a bit of a bang is a good thing.

You will be relieved to know, that Snow White and Rose Red assemble their armies, and are a few hours short of annihilating each other, when it dawns on Rose, that Snow has already broken the spell or whatever, by giving birth to sons, instead of only daughters, and not only that, but she did it before killing off her sister. That was one weird spell!  So they agree to NOT fight, and to go and live apart in case the urge comes upon them. And they do.  Eventually after about l,000 years, they do get together for a nice family reunion.  Those Wolves have been prolific!

We get to see what the cubs are up to.  Connor has turned into a bit of a jerk, after the fashion of Prince Charming, and I rather miss Dare.  Ambrose is a writer. 

Totenkinder and Cinderella kill each other, which rather breaks my heart, since the war is called off anyway, and so it is all for nothing.  Brandish finally gets his, which is satisfying.  So very very satisfying.  Grimble and Clara hang out together.  It's nice to see the various versions that all the different artists have. 

One warning. It isn't cheap.  Lord, it isn't cheap.

Fables: The Wolf Among Us #8

Well, after a very long time, it has finally dawned on Bigby that Ichabod Crane is the villain.  He rushes off to warn Snow, and ends up at the funeral of the first victim.  The mourners are all in a snit because they think he's not showing enough respect, but honestly, if I was at the funeral of a murder victim, and a guy rushes in with the name of the perp, I'd be HAPPY! 

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee are up to no good, there is a weird thing going on with a mirror, and Bigby gets to wander around shirtless in front of Snow White, which is all to the good. 

Not bad of course, I do enjoy these characters, but it does seem to be dragging just a wee bit.


Gotham Academy #9

Olive seems to be not completely with it, wandering around in a daze most of the time. There seems to be a werewolf on the grounds, and there is that vampire kid too.  All in all, it does sound like one heckuva a school!

Naturally, the kids cope with it, they seem to be pretty good about that.  And of course it is the Gym teacher who is the werewolf.  It just makes sense!

Fun of course.

Section Eight #3

This time we have J'onn J'onnz, aka Martian Manhunter who is eager...nay PROUD to join up with this most illustrious of teams!  Six Pack isn't too sure exactly who Martian Manhunter IS, but he's more or less happy to get him on the team.  There are a whole lot of other heroes standing around gossiping, which is highly amusing, including Hal being an absolute jerk, which is also amusing. 

There is a...thing going on with Bueno Excellente and a giant sentient Tape Worm or something, who talks like a Knight of Yore, that gets a little on the revolting side.  As in incredibly revolting, and it is that which drives poor J'onn screaming into the night. 

I'm of two minds about this book. On the one hand, I do like the concept, and it is always nice to seem Ennis and McCrea together. On the other hand, like Giffen and DeMatteis, I think that they are trying just a bit too hard to be funny, and it doesn't always work.  But occasionally when it DOES work...then it is a hoot.

Really disgusting, and mildly amusing at the same time.



A-Force #3

Strange things are happening in Arcadia, with a traitor, and She-Hulk in violation of whatever rules there are.  It is all highly arbitrary.  She-Hulk fights Valkyrie, Sif and...Gamora I think?  I'm not really sure why, except their little guest from last issue seems to be able open worm holes between the baronies...or something. You can certainly tell these are all Marvel Heros, because the first thing that they always do, is start pummelling each other rather than simply sitting down to tea and talking things out.

Jen thinks there is a traitor, and at first it is implied that Medusa is the traitor, but she's not.  I"m pretty sure that the traitor is supposed to be Loki, but that's probably too easy.  I'd prefer that it was Captain Marvel or something. Who knows?  Along with Thors, and Angela, this is the only Secret Wars/Battleworld book that I am getting, so some of it is a bit confusing. 

Not terrible.

Howard the Duck #5

Howard's mysterious client is actually Talos, who now has the Abundant Glove and is busy fighting...everyone.  It's all Johnny Storm's fault of course.  What is absolutely fabulous, is that practically ALL of the Marvel Heroes has some sort of past interaction with Howard, and they are all foot-noted, which makes me very very happy.  God I do love Continuity. 

It also turns out that Tara, his tattoo artist friend actually has....eerie powers. You remember when the Fantastic Four turned those skrulls into cows?  Well, there was another Skrull left over, and he got turned into a duck...and she ate the duck...and...and...!  Best Origin Ever!

It's an absolute blast to see all the heroes, although I have to say that Spider-Man comes off looking like an idiot, which is also amusing.  Hell, it is amusing from start to finish. 

I do love this book.

Squirrel Girl #8

The pick of the Week!  Even better than Howard the Duck! 

So, they are fighting the Norse Squirrel Entity, Ratatoskr, who has come down to midgard, to wreak mayhem and such.  Nancy went to Asgard with Thor and Thor, and she's in heaven because she has an on-line thing with Cat-Thor.  Loki finds out naturally, and he also admits that it might...possibly...could be....a tiny error on his part that led to Ratatoskr rampaging on earth. But he is entranced by both Nancy and Cat-Thor and immediately changes his head to that of a giant cat with a winged helmet, which of course drives Odinson nuts. 

It gets better!  On earth, Squirrel Girl is fighting Ratatoskr and all the brain-washed people, with a pair of Spider-Man's wrist webbers, which is great, except she runs out of web fluid, and things aren't going so well, and then Nancy and Loki and the Thors show up along with Tippy Toe, and Cat-Loki uses Meownir, and...oh God, I'm hyperventilating.

It is Fabulous!  And Hilarious!  And there is even a little epilogue on the last page from Loki to Ratatoskr involving a pull-string doll of Squirrel Girl, that had me falling off my chair. 

So...it's never a bad week with Howard and Squirrel Girl in it!