My Week in Comics: March 12, 2010

It's an interesting coincidence that I've got my pull list full of comics about women during International Women's Week, but it's just as well. Fate has a way of making something relevant for you just when you need it. But I digress, let's see what I got myself into this week!

Let's start off with Fathom #10, the last issue in the kickass story arc where Fathom fights bad guys called the Black who's Big Bad Plan was to drown cities using Giant Water Balloons of Doom. It's all well and good, but I'm surprised and somewhat amused to see all the build-up for the Black in the last 9 issues basically boils down to 'Nah, we're just messing with you guys. We just wanted the attention!' *swims away*. Talk about sending the wrong signals.

At least the issue was saved by a catfight between Aspen and Kiana, who's gone off the deep end in her hatred for humans. Well, maybe not a catfight, since it abruptly ends with one disintegrating the other in a whirlpool of light. Harsh, but that and the gorgeous Ale Garza art is enough to give this a 3 out of 5.

Red Sonja: Wrath of the Gods #2 reveals that the story is one big Norse play where Loki, the god of mischief in Norse mythology, is looking for a way to planeswalk (hee) to Hyboria, whom Loki thinks deserves a better class of god. Standing in his way is the She-Devil with a Sword, of course, but with a little added help from a burly, hairy Thor.

We discover a little more about Loki's plot, which Sonja thinks is no big deal. Makes you wonder just how messed up Sonja is in the head if she considers an all-powerful god about to turn Hyboria into his own stomping ground, complete with decapitated men and thong-wearing women, as 'not a big deal'. Walter Geovani's art is pretty good, though. Red Sonja kicking ass all over the place is entirely welcome.

Par for the course, but then again, when I'm hoping it gets better next issue, it just raises all sorts of red flags for me. Buy this if you've already started off Wrath of the Gods, otherwise, it's best left read in the store. This gets a 3 out of 5.

Surprisingly, there's one comic from my list I enjoyed this week, and that's Udon's Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki #1. Now, for those of you who know me, I'm not a fighting game fan. All those button combos and juggles and tech hits aren't my cup of tea (not to mention I don't like it when I lose), but if there's anything about them I'm a fan of, it's the characters. This time, Street Fighter Legends focuses on ninja girl Ibuki, shown here juggling rigorous ninja training with the more rigorous life of a high school student!

It's a cute story, and I appreciate Udon's attempt to flesh out these characters, bringing them out of their fighting game roots for a dose of slice-of-life. The artwork is just as great, and guest-star Makoto is adorable as the violence-hungry judo master with something to prove (despite people saying she's one of the worst characters to play as in SF IV!). If not for the slight story hiccup in the last few pages that made me go 'Wait, what was that all about?', this would have gotten a perfect score. Get it, you won't regret it! This gets a deserving 4 out of 5.


Not too bad for a Week in Comics. Udon got themselves a new fan. Let's just hope the rest of them get better the next time we meet in my pull list! So, any comments? suggestions? Knee-jerk violent reactions? Leave me a comment and let's talk about it! Thanks for reading!