Prescriptions for 3/8/17

Nova #4 2017 cover header

Pick of the Week:

Nova No. 4 provided a more tangible sense of how long Rich Rider was gone in relation to Star-Lord & Thanos. Part of me hopes that whatever Rich brought back with him doesn’t lead to the next horrid mega event. I am also curious to see how Marvel’s Hal Jordan deals with his Lovecraftian Parallax.

All-New Wolverine No. 18 revealed how Laura overcame the chemical trigger. She definitely showed how determined she was not to be a weapon used to shed innocent blood. The book reminded me of Logan’s last encounter with Daken in the manner both masterminds were vanquished.

Doctor Aphra No. 5 felt like Indiana Jones in Space (specifically the one with Sean Connery playing Harrison Ford’s dad) with the Empire fulfilling the Nazi role. This is one of the more fun Star Wars comics especially since it’s not burdened down with the weight of the films like the other books with Luke & the gang.

Doctor Strange & the Sorcerers Supreme No. 6 was a visually trippy issue. I am surprised that Hercules didn’t fare better in the battle with the Magical Judas. I also wonder why current Billy, Wanda, Yana, Nico, etc. weren’t there to confront him. I miss seeing the Mindful One.

Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps No. 16 was a clear demonstration of Guy’s indomitable will in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. I am surprised that Guy was able to deliver such damage.

Power Man & Iron Fist No. 14 had me at Grandmaster of Street Magic.  I found it interesting to have a narcotic derived from a Lovecraftian Horror that steals the user’s soul. It seems like Alex Wilder is on his way to being the next Hood.

Worthy Mentions:

Action Comics No. 975 revealed who the other Clark Kent is and it reminds me of Disney’s Gargoyles when they revealed who Xanatos’ assistant really was.

Copperhead No. 11 continues to be a space western and I continue to be onboard! They had me at Western in Space.

Deathstroke No. 14 leads me to believe that Slade & Shiva graduated from the same parenting school. The new Power Girl reminds me of a mix of Moon Girl and Ms. Marvel.

Detective Comics No. 952 demonstrated how twisted Cassandra’s mom is.

James Bond 007 Black Box No. 1 had a Departed effect on me in the sense that this issue reminded me of Danger Girl No. 1 and how the series borrowed so much from the Bond franchise.

Justice League of America No. 2 reminds of Acts of Vengeance with the villainous pastiche line-up. I wish that the designs were updated and tweaked a bit.

Justice League/Power Rangers No. 3 presented us with the prospects of a Brainiac-controlled Megazord. Part of me hopes that the Rangers form a Megazord out of the League vehicles.

Kingpin No. 2 more or less reminds me of the Netflix’s version of Fisk.

Man-Thing No. 1 reminded me of Blue Devil with a dash of Wonder Man (back when he was a superhero and actor).

Mother Panic No. 4 reminded me of Adventure Time, especially how Violet’s relationship with her mom was like Marceline’s relationship with the Ice King. Both have to deal with loved ones whose grasp on reality is slipping.

Supergirl No. 7 reveals the secret of the Kryptonian Werewolf’s transformation.  I hope that Lar-On will be an ally once he has been cured.

Superwoman No. 8 surprised me to see the Atomic Skull as something more than a thug and bully. Here, he is actually an agent of healing and change now.

The Burn Pile:

Inhumans vs X-Men No. 6 was offensive in its depiction of Emma Frost. She’s such a resilient and strong character, who overcame the trauma of the Upstarts murdering her students and almost killing her. She then survived the trauma of Cassandra Nova’s attempted genocide on Genosha. The depiction of the Inhuman Royal family was off as well. It took them six issues to realize, “Oh, our power cloud has such a negative effect on mutants? That’s why they are angry!”

This review was written in partnership with Pop Culture Network. They can be found on their website: www.popculturenetwork.com

A married pleasantly plump collection of flesh, blood, bones, tears, & hope