[Review] Comics Released 3/28/12

Welcome to another weekly round-up. I don’t know what’s going on, but last week was the largest release day in a long while. The biggest story is that the Avengers vs X-Men event FINALLY started. Read on after the jump for the list of releases and my picks of the week. After that, click HERE to listen to the first of our monthly Comicscast with Josh Whitehurst, Christopher Hadlock and myself discussing many interesting things.

List of releases:

DC COMICS
All-Star Western #7
American Vampire #25
Aquaman #7
Batman The Dark Knight #7
Blackhawks #7
Flash #7
Fury Of Firestorm The Nuclear Men #7
Green Lantern New Guardians #7
I Vampire #7
Justice League Dark #7
Legion Secret Origin #6
New Deadwardians #1
Savage Hawkman #7
Superman #7
Teen Titans #7
Unwritten #35.5
Voodoo #7

MARVEL COMICS
Astonishing X-Men #48
Avengers #24.1
Avengers Vs X-Men #0 (Of 12)
Avenging Spider-Man #5
Captain America And Bucky #628
Daken Dark Wolverine #23 (Final Issue)
Daredevil #10
FF #16
Ghost Rider #9 (Final Issue)
Mighty Thor #12
Moon Knight #11
New Avengers #23
Secret Avengers #24
Twelve #11
Ultimate Comics The Ultimates #8
Uncanny X-Force #23
X-Men Legacy #264

Avengers #24.1

Anytime Marvel puts out a .1 issue, they see it as a chance for new readers to have a jumping in point without having to worry about continuity. The Vision has been an Avenger for decades but has been gone ever since he was literally torn apart by She-Hulk at the outset of Avengers Disassembled. He recently returned and this issue shows him trying to deal with his “death” and what he missed while he was gone. If you’re looking for a jumping on point for Avengers comics, this issue briefly touches on the Avengers history and ongoing plot lines. There’s a very powerful scene between Vision and Magneto that really humanizes the android and shows that there’s still a dark side to Magneto that wasn’t left behind when he joined the X-Men.

Avengers vs X-Men #00

Finally. The long awaited event has arrived. Since this is a #00 issue, there isn’t any serious plot progression. Instead, the main characters of Hope Summers and Scarlet Witch are introduced in two separate sections. Wanda is shown to be trying to fit back into her old life after removing herself from the public for years. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Hope is trying to deal with the rapid approach of the Phoenix Force. I don’t want to say too much in case there are new readers to the Avengers or X-Men, but everyone should keep an eye on this event, even if they aren’t Marvel fans. With the stunning art of Frank Cho, this has the potential to be a game-changing moment in Marvel history.

Aquaman #7 

I’ve already stated my love for the new Aquaman. This issue keeps the momentum going by reintroducing Black Manta, a long time enemy of Aquaman. As the story progresses, Aquaman is shown to have been a member of a secret group called the Others. One of the Others is killed by Black Manta at the beginning of this book and sets into motion a chain of events that will lead to Aquaman discovering more about Atlantis, and going head to head against Manta. This has been one of DC’s strongest books and it looks like it’s going to be staying near the top of the pack for the foreseeable future.

Green Lantern New Guardians #7

I’m not gonna lie, this is a pick of the week purely because of the art. The multiple colored power rings blasting around the whole issue reminded me of the Blackest Night event, which in my opinion was the best DC crossover in a long time. Tyler Kirkham, the artist, does a great job of putting a sense of movement into every panel. I’m not a fan of motion comics but his art would look good as one. If he keeps drawing this book, it won’t always be the best, but it will be one of the most visually appealing.

New Avengers #23

Of all the comics released last week, I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading this one the most. There were at least two or three moments that made me laugh out loud. All of them had Skaar, Son of Hulk in them. I’m glad to see them developing a personality for him instead of just leaving him as just another Hulk. For all his size and strength, Skaar isn’t as old and mature as other Marvel characters so the way he deals with the world around him is what is so amusing. Any other hero interrogating two enemy soldiers would talk tough, threaten, or try to bribe them. Skaar just wrecks one soldier and asks the other one for an answer. I was starting to get Avengers fatigue with all the different teams, but if the New Avengers draft Skaar into their lineup, I’ll have to stick around; if only to see him drop someone really fast and taunt them with this.