Jayson > Recent Status Updates

Notes:
(1) In general, this succeeds in sections focused on madcap action. It's less successful attempting deep philosophy and introspection.
- I think a lot of it comes down to letting art do the heavy lifting versus trying to layer on meaning through words—and by "layer" I mean caking it on with a brick trowel.
- The story only meaningfully advances through action scenes.

Notes:
(1) It doesn't take long before this dives head-first into being a fantasy realm cat-and-mouse adventure.
- Which is fine in a very "Back to the Future, Part II" sort of way, but I think this would read a lot better as the second half of a single volume.
- By itself, you don't really have a mundane reality here to juxtapose against all the chaos energy and weirdness.

Notes:
(1) The new arc's out. So, as usual, I'm reading the latest trade as a refresher.
- One of the more ingenious things about this series is how the four sisters are each named after a season, and hence I remember them all clearly and, more importantly, their individual personalities.
- Comparably, while I broadly recall the plot, I've no clue where we are in the story.

Notes:
(1) This reminded me a lot of Liu's "Monstress."
- Super-dense writing, a powerful female protagonist, a primarily female cast in general, tentacle-y monsters, sorcery, etc.
(2) My big problem here is this isn't about B. He's merely a guest star in somebody else's story.
- Except for the very end, this would be fine without him—the lady protagonist's powerful enough.

Notes:
(1) The twist ending was almost enough for me to rate this higher, but then I remembered how over-the-top this all was, and couldn't in good conscience go higher than 3-stars.
- This is basically wall-to-wall climactic intensity—frankly, way too much and way too drawn out.
- Like a sledgehammer, it spells out (unsubtly and at length) exactly what everyone's thinking.

Notes:
(1) This issue is less focused on plot and more so illuminates prior scenes with context and mirroring.
- In issue #41, Erica lays a hand on a sleeping/hungover Jessica. Here, Cecilia lays a hand on Jessica crying herself to sleep.
- Erica and Jessica telling survivors to lie is against the rules, and likely a practice and mindset passed down and shared between them.

Notes:
(1) While well done and enjoyable, this is hamstrung by the lack of a definitive ending.
- We get a climax in the form of a Jessica/Erica showdown, but it's not exactly something to end a book with.
- Granted, this is only Part 1, but there's no real cliffhanger. It ends pretty abruptly, more like the middle of an issue than the end—frankly, I expected another scene.

Notes:
(1) A definite benefit of less rendered, "simpler" art is that stories go by so much faster.
- I can't have spent more than five minutes per issue.
- Of course, the benefit of singles is you're less prone to gloss over details.
(2) This arc really benefits from reading the trade.
- Individually, issues come off low-key and slow. Binging it, you really build momentum.

Notes:
(1) This is one of the few comic series I'm still reading and reviewing in single issues and, as has become my custom, I'm reading the latest collected trade as a refresher for the new arc.
- I think it's especially valuable with this volume, since this is merely the first of at least two parts.
- I do wish they got back to it being one complete story arc per volume.

Notes:
(1) We get a 1987 version of IDW's Pantheon.
- This Pantheon aren't gods, but interdimensional criminals.
(2) Half of the originals are out, replaced by Hob and Scratch.
- Scratch is a Game Boy villain, best known as a holy grail action figure.
- Rat King is now Rat Queen—I guess, since '87 Rat King already exists.
- Manmoth now is essentially Macho Man Randy Savage.

Notes:
(1) The first arc features Mister Ogg, who's sort of a Mister Mxyzptlk or Great Gazoo type.
- Interestingly, the Great Gazoo's original name was Professor Ogg.
(2) We get an interesting scene with Lord Dregg, who insists he's the Turtles' arch enemy, but they don't know him.
- He's a CBS-era villain, which further suggests this series is set post-syndication/pre-CBS.

Notes:
(1) It'll be interesting what they bring to the table here.
- First of all, they just paid off the series-long Sword of Eddiku storyline. So it's a bit of a reset, like a new TV season.
- Second, they've been through a bit of an identity crisis over the initial books, and I wonder if they'll just stick to the tone and flavor of the last volume, which I wouldn't mind.

Notes:
(1) It makes sense that the "April Special" came out in the month of April. What doesn't make sense is how April's only in one story.
- I get it, it's all the same plot, but it's also a theme issue and they're not committing 100% to the bit.
(2) The backup features Mona Lisa, whom I believe is a cartoon original.
- She's actually a bigger character in the IDW comics.

Notes:
(1) The most notable thing about this so far is that Renet appears, and hence makes her "TMNT '87" debut.
- Really fun to see. Though, her outfit (especially her helmet) is way too busy to have been used for animation. They'd almost certainly have simplified it.
(2) Also notable is how Raphael is the only one now breaking the fourth wall, which I'm totally fine with.

Notes:
(1) The last volume sort of upended any ideas I had about what this series is supposed to be.
- Is it, as I initially thought, a faithful continuation of the 1987 cartoon series, from the point it left syndication in 1989?
- Or is it purely a vehicle for nostalgia and fan service: constantly breaking the fourth wall and being a Turtles version of "This is Your Life"?

Notes:
(1) I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I hate how much this series breaks the fourth wall.
- It happens so much here! I really hope they've gotten it out of their system.
- This volume's final issue goes totally meta and is literally about how much the Turtles break the fourth wall—basically a Q episode of "Star Trek: TNG" where they're put on trial.

Notes:
(1) The main "Halloween Special" story features Creepy Eddie, who is a CBS-era character.
- I thought the CBS era wasn't canon since this series takes place in 1989, following the syndication era.
(2) There's a lot more fourth-wall breaking here, outright using terms like "trademark" and "retcon."
- Personally, I don't like this being such a self-aware nostalgia act.

Notes:
(1) This starts with the Halloween Special, which isn't a standard anthology-style special issue, more so a themed, extra-long regular issue and a backup story.
- But even then, it's not a traditional backup since Burnham writes the whole thing.
- Usually specials are an opportunity to showcase different artists and writers, but both artists here are series regulars.

Notes:
(1) I guess you could call this an epilogue. With respect to "Armageddon 2001," it felt more like deleted scenes than anything.
- I've not read any "Superman" issues leading up to this, so all the references to previous events just went in one ear and out the other.
(2) Disaster clean-up and talks about time travel philosophy can get tedious, and that's all this was.

Notes:
(1) This is a real housekeeping issue: no main focus, just checking up on happenings and subplots.
(2) The timeline doesn't jive with "Armageddon 2001."
- Monarch's in Metropolis while Joe (the future Atomic Skull) is passing Superman in the S.T.A.R. Labs hallway.
- But isn't Superman fighting Monarch in Europe, not at home helping Lois figure out laptops and modems?

Notes:
(1) So, this wasn't all bad, but there are way too many WTF moments to be anything else.
- Waverider outright admits his investigations (aka the entire event) were pointless, and that he persisted because he's addicted to voyeurism!
(2) All the heroes gather together at the end... and do squat.
- Superman gets a punch in, but it's just Captain Atom who saves the day.

Notes:
(1) I have so much to say! The start of this is simply ridiculous!
- So much so that it can't be taken seriously.
(2) Nathaniel here doesn't seem heartbroken at all by the massacre of his entire family. More annoyed than anything.
- I mean, he literally says he wants to speak with a guy's supervisor!
(3) They really bet big on faxes being the future of communication.

Notes:
(1) So, a lot of this really annoyed me, but the humor's so fun and cheeky I can't help but like it.
(2) The ending pretty much spoils the big event reveal... a reveal that was ultimately changed last-minute. So it doesn't make sense anymore.
(3) Being Filipino, I can say that "halo-halo adobo macapuna ube" isn't just caveman gibberish, they're also Philippine foods.

Notes:
(1) This is the third Superman tie-in and the third Lois/Clark wedding scene.
- Interesting, since they don't actually get married until 1996. I guess "The Death of Superman" delayed their nuptials a tad.
(2) James Sanders III is hands-down the best of all the credited inkers.
- His style doesn't look dated at all!
- I wish Hitch's modern art looked this good.

Notes:
(1) I really liked this tie-in—it's my second favorite so far.
- One thing I didn't like is how Batman totally buries Tim Drake, saying that he'll never be good enough to be Batman... then Tim goes and proves him right!
(2) This has to have been inspired by Robocop, right?
- Possibly "The Dark Knight Returns" too, but a cyborg Batman is more directly a Robocop twist.

Notes:
(1) Significantly, we learn that Waverider's prior interventions linger in memory/intuition, directly altering the future.
- Which only undermines more this event's whole "process of elimination" gimmick!
(2) This must have been at least somewhat of a rush job: there are four inkers credited.
- You can really tell too! Turn a page, and the art's noticeably different.

Notes:
(1) Is this the first appearance of ponytail Dick? It's not depicted here as his present-day look.
- Possibly, DC liked it so much on this future Dick that they decided to make it canon.
(2) Redwing misgendering Mirage (see above) is likely a typo, not some meta-commentary on shapeshifters.
- Though, could be this is some love triangle and Redwing's just being catty.

Notes:
(1) I liked this better than I by all means should have.
- Fact is, I'm not familiar with anyone here outside of Lobo and Vril Dox, and a lot of it was lost on me, albeit deficient context—not logic—and not enough to be an issue.
- Certainly, I'd enjoy it much more if I actually read the series.
(2) In short, this is about as "Saga" a comic as I've ever seen from DC.

Notes:
(1) I don't know what it is about older comics, they always take much longer to read.
- Not that this was bad at all, this actually makes me want to check out more of Mark Waid.
(2) I'd have liked this better if the parade of villains didn't feel so repetitive.
(3) What's the point of investigating (potential) futures if Waverider's involvement so easily alters them?!

Notes:
(1) We get a lot of recapping: of "Armageddon 2001 #1," the Hawkman/Hawkworld origin story, etc.
- Unfortunately, no recaps of anything useful, like who people are or the context of things that happen here.
(2) Interestingly, this digitization includes the newsprint texture and Ben-Day dots.
- Possibly, it's an early attempt before full-on recoloring became standard.