Carlos Pacheco (1961–2022)

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

This volume of JSA by Geoff Johns (where every story is co-written by David Goyer, but I guess he doesn't rate) collects two story arcs from the main JSA comic and also the graphic novel JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice and then some other stuff. What I am realizing is that I don't really care for Johns's approach to this book. First we have the seemingly obligatory storyline about a new Injustice Society, which like a lot of Geoff show more Johns stuff, is full of seemingly gratuitous violence in order to prove the situation is serious: he invents a whole Chicago superteam just to torture and brutally murder them, there's an evil Flash who runs through kids so fast they explode. It's just like... it's juvenile, and I don't read superhero comics to read about kids being murdered. I found it very hard to care.

The second big storyline is about a trip to Thanagar to resurrect Hawkman. I did really like Hawkworld, but Johns ignores any of its interesting complexities in favor of a melodramatic sub-Darkseid villain and a subplot about how a teenage girl just needs to give in and be romanced by an eighty-year-old man for the good of the universe.

This book isn't totally unlikeable. In between those two storylines, there's a decent done-in-one that gives us some much-needed character focus, and actually the Our Worlds at War tie-in issue was pretty good too. And I also enjoyed the Secret Files & Origins issue that leads into Virtue and Vice, as well as the early parts of Virtue and Vice itself. When Johns (and Goyer) want to write these characters hanging out and talking about things, they do a decent job... but it seems they rarely do. If you compare this to the characterful and deft way that Len Strazewski wrote the last JSA ongoing, this just doesn't compare; I have very little sense of these people as, well, people. Like I said, Virtue and Vice starts good, but it soon becomes Yet Another Apocalyptic Battle with huge masses of people dying violently... which I am sure will promptly never be mentioned again. I also don't care much for stories where heroes are mind-controlled to be evil, especially if they promptly become stupid.

Some other thoughts: I think Secret Files & Origins and Virtue and Vice are included out of sequence; suddenly Mr. Terrific is JSA chair, and Stargirl is living in Metropolis, and Captain Marvel is a member, and there's a new Hourman who I don't think is the new Hourman from the previous book. None of these things have happened in the actual JSA series yet. It amused me that suddenly Green Arrow is alive again, so he has to contend with the fact that Black Canary has moved on romantically since his death. Virtue and Vice had some good President Luthor stuff. The way the heroes swap places with the statues in the Rock of Eternity is pretty neat.

The Justice Society and Earth-Two: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence » show less

I’ve only started reading Marvel comics in the past year. So, I’ve stuck with newer releases that are supposed to be newbie-friendly, like Journey into Mystery and The Mighty Thor. But, once I started, I was hooked. I particularly like the Thor comics, mainly because I love Loki. He’s my favorite villain of myth, and now comics. While browsing, Ultimate Thor popped up as a recommendation. I was hesitant at first because it appeared to be another reimaging of his origin. And it is. But, show more it is also a jumping off point for a new take on the hero.

The book switches between three time lines: The Present, 1939 and Asgard of various eons or ages ago. In the present, Thor appears to be in a sanitarium. They have been experimenting with something designed specifically for him but now suspect he may be crazy because he thinks he’s the reincarnated Thor! In 1939, we follow the masked Zemo as he finds the Norn stones and prepares to invade Asgard with the help of a Nazi and Frost Giant army. And, eons ago we see the sons of Odin fighting an endless war against Jotunheim; but, it will end and change everything.

First, I love that in this world, Loki is actually Odin’s son and not adopted. It presents so many opportunities to not only reimagine the tale, but to provide explanation for his and others’ action. I mean, why would Odin put up with him for so long when he favored his real sons anyway? Here, he is a real son. It also provides a possible motive for his treachery – a spurned mother. Zeno’s army presumably achieves Ragnarok, causing the reincarnation of Thor and Balder – as men. But, we cannot have Thor without his lightning, and the remedy for that is clever and full of possibilities.

Overall, I loved this Ultimate Thor, but am left unsure how to proceed. I want more of the story but since the various character often intertwine, I do not know what book to go to next… show less

I am shocked by some of the one star reviews on here. I thought this was a beautiful character study that expands upon how Carol got her powers. I did not find this at all to be a retcon of the Carol we have come to know.I was personally satisfied with how Stohl tweaked the origin of Carol’s powers. In the original story, Carol received her abilities from an exploding device and her backstory was overly dependent on her connection to the original Captain Marvel. But here Carol is revealed show more to be both a human and Kree hybrid (the exploding device just activated her powers that she had all along). This helps her stand apart and gives her more agency and makes her story more layered. Also this was a deeply emotional story and sometimes, I want to see our favorite superheroes struggling with I don't know, human issues every now and then.

At the end of the day Comic Watch's review sums this book up quite well: The Life of Captain Marvel is "A story that is both very human a way to bring Carol into a more cosmic legacy of her own." show less

This was a wonderful find.

Story wise this is a very interesting and terrifying amlgamation of fantasy and history. Imagine the world where deadly spells and creatures are used to wreak havoc on the battlefields of the already bloody conflict we know as WW1 - imagine such increase in horror and bloodshed, pure terror.

We follow our protagonist, Fletcher Arrowsmith, as he joins the air force for idealistic reasons only to get acquinted with the ugly nature of war, and loss of friends and show more comrades in arms almost on the daily basis. Additionally, he will slowly become to realise that not everything his side says or does is necessarily true or noble. It is war, and everybody is doing their best to win, at any cost.

Art is breath taking, especially two page spreads that just bristle with details. I am glad I came across yet another volume that uses color to enhance already fantastic pen and ink depictions of various magical and demonic troops battling it out in frenzy and nerve wrecking associated with trench warfare. Air battles are epic in themselves, as we see our young pilots battling it out as knightly duellists in the sky, using sword and pistol, nevertheless losing lives at the same pace that is reminiscent of attrition in WW1 air battles.

Excellent book, highly recommended to fans of action and adventure. I am definitely looking for the follow up books. show less