Wow. Lots o' Books

I just can't review them all...in one night. Ha ha. So, I"m just going to do a few tonight. Randomly.

No spoilers. I don't like 'em.

First, and foremost:

New Avengers #17

Please Note: I did not call this the Not Avengers. Why? Because this is the closest BMB has ever come to writing a real Avengers book. So, I give him props, and will give it an appropriate name.
BMB still can't grasp a group mentality, but seems like there is an attempt in this one, as three or four heroes are given some attention, not just one or two. Shocking Behavior!!
Anywho, yes, we get Ms. Marvel in this one. So the cover even don't lie!! Iron Man- some great dialogue in this one, and it makes sense, and not just foo-foo one-liners.
Usual uselessness: Ronin who? Sentry who? Wow, doesn't Ms. Marvel seemed prime for this gig? Any day now BMB, any day now.
The art takes a downturn with no Niven. Very noticeable. Its not bad, but its missing Mr. Niven.
A couple of things:
1. Will someone please explain to me what the hell Stark-in-a-geek-room-in-his-armor is? What the hell was that nonsense?
2. Will Wolverine ever do something other than:
a.) get thrown around by Wrecker
b.) drink beer
Maybe some day?
3.) Thank you fricking Marvel for that SORRY-ASS Squadron Supreme promo that, when you turn the page expecting Avengers, you have WTF is this!!!!
However, this book did take a reasonably good turn. It surprised me.
So, for all of the lambasting that this book/writer/series has taken, this issue does NOT make up for the previous 14 issues, but its a good start.

Rating: 3/5. Paging Mr. Niven. Paging Mr. Niven.


Hawkgirl #50
The Dead of Night

I dont' get the hype. I hear people raving about this book. It wasnt' all that special people.
I have never read a Hawkman/girl book. I thought I"d give one a try.
It wasn't bad, don't get me wrong, but this book should not be selling out, or flying off the shelves as it is apparently doing so in Tucson.
Its well written, and has pretty decent art.
But, the story is sure kinda blah. Nothing grabbed me here. It seemed like sure, a first chapter, but it also seemed like filler material. I will say this- I will try another in the series. Writer and artist are well known, and pretty decent, so it is still worth another shot.
Wait. I lied. I did read a Hawkman book. Where Kendra gets the hell beat outta her by Carter. That was a good book.

Rating: 2/5. Not impressive, but I think just a slow setup.


Ares #3/5

This mini is going to have an interesting ending. Excluding the whole dad/son thing, I am interested to see what happens to Olympus and the gods once this war is done.
Cuz there shoor ain't alot of them left.
Leaving off from Book 2, I think we have all of 12 gods left. Maybe. At most. And a handful of Greek heroes.
Fending off the Japanese Pantheon horde.
Asgard was made mention. I got excited. But then the reference went away. I got unexcited.
Mikaboshi- he looks just plain ol creepy. I just looked again. Yep, real creepy. And, for anyone thinking that Ares is going to be an Avenger, I think this guy is WAY to out there to join any team. This guy would scare the bejeezus outta me if I heard he was within 100 miles of me. He is a total freak.
They need to get him away from guns though. That's kinda silly.
The art- I was slow to take onto the art. It seems much better now that they are in the halls of Olympus. It has an interesting little style which suits the book in its "otherworldly" fashion.

Rating: 3/5. The direction has improved. He and Herc will not be all brother-chummy when this is over. Good.


Catwoman #53
the replacements

Another OYL title that I did not like, that I USED to like before OYL. Screw you OYL. Leave that for the books that sucked, like Aquaman and Demon Blood of the, that no one reads. Leave the titles that were entertaining alone. Pfeiffer had a good Catwoman going. Great storylines, great arcs, great characters. Hell, even great guest appearance.
And then there is OYL. Sigh.
This seems like a Robin book suddenly- sidekick city. She's no good as Catwoman. I see no slyness, no cunning, and little thinking that makes Catwoman.
The scenes with Batman were absolutely excellent though- looks like OYL will do someone right at least. Unfortunately, not this one. I'm saddened.
Rating: 2/5. Batman appearance was the only saving grace.


Manhunter #20
Psychobabble

OYL- and nothing has changed. That is a good thing. However, Manhunter is missing something. I am not sure what yet. It had something in earlier issues that its missing now. GOT IT. Newness.
It had an interesting ring to it when it first started. Typical person, upholding law during the day, pissed off at the system so does her own thing. But she is an "average joe". Not a sculpted, well trained athlete. A divorcee, a smoker, and kinda a nutbag.
Anyways, its just starting to wear thin. Enter DEO Bones a couple of ishes ago. That was ok. OYL, just kinda picked up at that point, where really nothing "major" happens in a year to ruin the story, but nothing to enhance the story either.
The end though, I so did love the end of this book. I wanna see what the heck is going on with it. Because that is the only MAJOR change in the Manhunter saga.
She needs some foes. I think that may help the book alot. Give her some foes to diddle with. And not, as Kate puts it, "D-List foes". You are in California. All new thinking for bad peeps.
Rating: 2/5. A yawner. The end was good, and the beginning was good. The middle was kinda...uncooked? Great internal dialogue though by Kate.

I'm tired now. My eyes hurt. My usual good reads have become average reads. That saddens me. Maybe I just need a gin and tonic.
More tomorrow- Cap, Red, Pete, Clark, Jane and 4 peeps in blue. (Yes, a couple are last week)