Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Weekly Rankings For 02/25/09

Here are this week’s comics ranked prior to reading them:

8. Superman #685
7. Hulk #10
6. Star Wars Legacy #33
5. Captain America #47
4. Green Lantern #38
3. Elephantmen #16
2. Transformers Maximum Dinobots #3
1. GI Joe Origins #1

This list includes two that failed to ship last week: Transformers and GI Joe.

Here are the rankings after the first read through with a mini-review:

8. Superman #685

Robinson & Pina

This issue felt like a preview issue of the coming year’s worth of Superman stories. It rushed through the rescue of Mon-El from the Phantom Zone and then it rushed through Superman explaining to his wife and mom that he’s leaving Earth and pretending to denounce it. I can’t say either plot felt like it was viable. I mean Lois Lane is a standout reporter and all she can say to all of this is “yes baby”? Ma Kent was in a panic when Superman went off to face Brainiac and now she’s okay with him denouncing Earth and leaving everyone behind? The backup about Mon-El was the highlight of the issue. The character is definitely someone that has something interesting to add both in the long and the short term. The artwork felt so rushed and inconsistent I was a little taken aback. Perhaps it was the direction but Superman appeared to range in age from a teenager to middle aged man. This issue just seemed rushed through too much for my tastes.

7. Star Wars Legacy #33

Ostrander, Francia & Anderson

This issue concludes the short two issue arc between the Imperial Knight led Calamari rangers and the Sith and their weapon of genocide. It’s a good issue with some battles and some clever twists. Ultimately it helps to establish a couple of interesting characters for future stories. It’s a good issue but because it deals with minor fringe characters it really isn’t that best the series has to offer. One thing that did nag at me a little bit was how the Sith got caught with no back up ship or assist when things started to go wrong. The art was strong when you consider the issue was dominated by underwater scenes.

6. Hulk #10

Loeb, McGuinness & Vines

The issue is all about the Hulk rounding up teammates for his upcoming battle with red Hulk’s team. Basically, the Grandmaster confronts Hulk and tells him to pick a team so Hulk picks his players, but the Grandmaster picks them out of the time stream wherever they were at their lowest point. As a result the issue has some action and comedy because some of the teammates are pulled from the past before they ever even met the Hulk. It’s a clever little plot device. We don’t know what the purpose of the fight is yet but this is a series that doesn’t try to be too complicated or have too many hidden plot points. It’s got terrific art and an amusing story. You judge if it’s worth your $4 or not.

5. Green Lantern #38

Johns, Reis & Albert

This comic has an outstanding story for ten pages. It deals with the arc at hand: Rage of the Red Lanterns. It’s got Hal switching teams all over the place. Hal appears to have no willpower with just how easily he gets corrupted with a new color. Sinestro, Atrocitus and the blue lanterns all come away with excellent established rivalries. However, the issue wastes page after page with an awful Carol Ferris subplot and setting up the orange lantern arc. I was shocked that the ending of an arc would spend this much time on items that killed the comic’s momentum. This issue could have been so much more if it had kept focus.

4. Elephantmen #16

Starkings, Burnham & Caballero

Basically this issue is a one shot about one of the fringe characters. It plucks him out of the past (issue 5) and builds up his back-story and then plants him firmly in the present. It’s a great issue to show off just how many enemies the Elephantmen have out there. The comic successfully pulls this guy out of obscurity and makes him a major player. The comic doesn’t really use any of the established Elephantmen to tell the story but it does give some insight into the reptile Elephantmen. It’s a very good issue. Add in a bonus story, letters, notes and a killer Blade Runner cover and this comic gives you way more than your typical $3 comic.

3. Transformers Maximu Dinobots #3

Furman, Roche & LaFeunte

This issue resolves (sort of) the tension among the Dynobots. It also unleashes Shockwave on their tail, but is that his agenda? Sunstreaker and Hunter stake out the lab in Dallas while Hot Rod gets his second wind. All this and some new allies come in to help out the Dynobots. What’s not to like about this comic? The arc is in full swing and it’s outstanding. The only minor complaint I have is that the massive amount of Machines that attack the Dynobots seem to have zero effect. Surely they should be able to do some damage, no? Awesome issue.

2. GI Joe Origins #1

Hama & Feister & Hawthorne

Duke and Scarlett are sent on a mission, basically a training session. They run into the man who will become Cobra Commander. This issue successfully remakes Cobra Commander into someone to really be feared. He’s a doctor, former Green Beret and a genius. Add in that he’s a billionaire and a scam artist and he’s got everything he needs. Along the way Snake Eyes is found to have ties to the Commander. Duke and Scarlett race to save him while the Commander is in hot pursuit to kill him. This issue does a great job at positioned all four of them into a spot where they have lots of baggage to be used against one another in the future. This was a great issue that didn’t loose much of the original origins.

1. Captain America #47

Brubaker, Guice & D’Armata

Outstanding issue. Bucky struggles with his identity while the mad doctor exploits his every move. Bucky’s plans fall through left and right and we find out just what the doctor has in store for the original Human Torch and I didn’t see it coming at all. This issue has a lot of action in the beginning, a great interrogation towards the end and a great cliffhanger (or two) to close the comic out. I literally was left thinking “how is Bucky getting out of this?” and that is a very good thing. Tremendous issue.