Straggling comic reviews for the week of July 15, 2010

Here are a few more stragglers.....sheesh what a heavy week of comics last week was. And....lot's of good stuff.

Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine #2 - (Jason Aaron & Adam Kubert) - This is turning out to be a really neat time-hopping series that seems to continually find Spidey and Wolverine as the last men on Earth. I love how Jason Aaron is really nailing writing Spider-Man. Probably some folks figured he'd have a hard time with this given that he also writes Scalped and PunisherMax, but I honestly think that it is easier to find a writer who can push the limits of good taste like he does in those two gritty series and tone them back down (or get an editor to do it) than to have a calmer writer do gritty stuff. Nicely drawn too. Jump on before you get too far behind. 8.3/10

Officer Downe #1 (one-shot) - (Joe Casey & Chris Burnham) - I've seen a lot of gushing about this extra long one-shot about a LAPD cop who isn't immortal, but is ressurectable (not a real word, I know). He's also ultraviolent. This issue just didn't really do anything for me. It isn't bad and I didn't hate it, but I don't really need to see this again. 6.2/10

Avengers Academy #2 - (Christos Gage & Mike McKone) - I really enjoyed this issue. I wouldn't call it great, but this series is off to a very promising start. In some ways, these stories about late-teen heroes are the most rewarding because there is a chance you'll see some person growth. Whereas characters like Batman and Captain American haven't changed much in decades, a character like Finesse (who is the focus of this issue) might change a whole lot within a few story arcs. As mentioned, this issue focuses on Finesse and her struggles to fit into the new team. Nice art. 8.3/10

Sweets #1 - (Kody Chamberlain) - This was a very promising first issue of a crime series set in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina hits. It does a very good job of laying out the characters. Some of them are a little cliche: a down on his luck cop and his partner. But, they're only cliche because they're such appealing characters and they don't come off as annoying the way Chamberlain is telling his story. The are is also really nice looking. It is always really hard for these crime books to grab you with the first issue, but this one did a pretty good job. 7.8/10