dozmuttz's reviews
200 reviews

Black Hammer Library Edition Volume 1 by Jeff Lemire

5.0

An Amazing and beautiful love letter to the gold and silver age of comics. Jeff Lemire takes something that just seems to be a copy and turns it totally original. All the characters are written with great depth that we’ve seen with the characters they’re based off while still having a unique twist. The story and plot is simple but yet massive and gets you sucked in ! This is my first Jeff Lemire Read and I only hope he writes like this in all his stories. I can’t wait to explore more of the ‘Black Hammer’ world and get more sucked in. I’m only sad that the story is over. Although I heard he might come back and write more. I sure hope so ! Plus Dean Ormston’s artwork just fits so perfectly with Jeff’s story telling. It wasn’t my go to artwork but I fell in love with it the more I read. It’s very mysterious, dark, and very simple. But just like the concept of this story the art is simple but still unique with a twist! Some shots being so awesome you just gotta admire the page after reading. Can’t wait to read the other volumes !

Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years Book One by Mark Millar

5.0

Wow! You know I didn’t think this would get
5 stars from me but I really enjoyed this story. Now Obviously JRJ art work is stunning and just great really anywhere it is. But the story was just as good. Now I didn’t think it would be shit but I also didn’t think I’d love it this much. It’s a fun and page turning story from issue 1-8! Mark does a good job of coming up with an idea I’m sure we’ve all come up with and making it funny and action packed! The back story behind Big daddy and Hit-girl is so interesting and a really fresh take. A very gory and “what the fuck” story I just can’t wait to read the other 3 volumes! ( I hope they’re just as good)

Saga: Book One by Brian K. Vaughan

5.0

What an amazing introduction into a brand new world. BVK is an amazing writer. Hitting me with an array of emotions. A beautiful love story that follows a forbidden love with their forbidden child around this ever expanding universe BVK has written. All this with Fiona Staples awesome artwork, that only grew on me the more I read it. This was such a page turning story that I had to force myself to stop and ordered book 2 and 3 before I finished this one. Otherwise this might have been a 2 day read. Hilarious, touching, action packed, and so brilliantly written and drawn.

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 1: The Fantastic by Brian Michael Bendis

4.0

I really enjoyed this first volume! I think it did a good justice to the original FF story while having a very interesting turn to it. Also my first time reading with Adam Kuberts art and I think it fit the story very well. I loved his splash pages showing a big scene and even the paneling was done very nicely. Loved the flow of this volume. It paced it self very well making me want more. I’m reading this digitally so I’m Jumping straight into Vol 2.

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 2: Doom by Warren Ellis

3.0

This Volume Holds issues of 7-12 and the writing is taken over by Warren Ellis and art is taking over by Stuart Immonmen. And i gotta I say I’m not crazy about those replacements. I don’t think these two are as fun as the Mark Miller, Brain M. Bendis, and Adam Kubert team . In no way was this arc bad but it did feel like it was a lot of set up for a kinda rushed end. The fun and action from the first volume wasn’t there and I wasn’t the biggest fan of Stuart’s art. It just doesn’t feel “Fantastic Four” to me. (That makes no sense). I think the twist they did with Doom was interesting but it didn’t wow me as much as I thought it would. I’m honestly more interested in Mole man as a villain at this point. Warrens writing with dialogue is really natural and I like that but it’s the plot and the way the story flowed, that I really couldn’t get into. Not terrible but not as great as the last volume.

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 3: N-Zone by Warren Ellis

4.0

This volume contains issues 13-18 and I gotta say I loved it! We still have Warren Ellis as writer but Adam Kubert returns with the artwork. I think that’s what makes it for me. Ellis is a natural writer but I wasn’t a big fan of the last volume mainly due to the art and pacing. Ellis does a similar job with the slower pace in the beginning issues but this time around the team is going on a full out adventure. So the journey we take with them into the N-zone is interesting as we see them react to new life. Adams artwork helps by 10 fold. Showing big shots of the new world and the team traveling in their “Awesome” ship. (Johnny gets to name the ship) We meet the ultimate version of Annihilus. He takes on a very scary and interesting look. I do think he went down a little too easy and that’s where I take some points from Warrens plotting. This is supposed to be a very big baddy. However he’s probably the most interesting villain we’ve seen so far in this run. Loved this volume. MVP goes to Adam Kubert, who is slowing becoming one of my fave Artist.

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 5: Crossover by Greg Land, Mark Millar

3.0

This one I struggled with. This volume holds issues 21-26. Issues 21-23, AMAZING! We get introduced into the marvel zombies world for the first time and it’s just awesome! Mark Millar does a great job of making the story chilling and had you at the edge of your seat. I only wish it could’ve been a longer arc. (I guess that’s what the marvel zombies mini series is for.) with Greg Lands artwork this story was just amazing. After that issues 24-26 are the introduction to Ultimate Namor who has a very huge twist to him. The story was good but I did have some gripes with it. So story starts with Sue and Johnny’s mom coming back after being in hiding looking for Atlantis. She comes back because she found it and needs the FFs help. She basically tells them she knows she’s a shitty mother for leaving and let’s them know she ONLY came back because she needed their help. Sue is mad at her from jump but then agrees to help her because she gave birth to them ? Na man. If my mother disappeared and then came back only because she needed something from me. Clearly there’s no love ! It just seemed like a way for Mark Millar to get the Four involved and it felt too easy and quick. The writing in general just felt a little too silly on my opinion and not the type of Mark Millar writing I like. It was a pretty solid read all around but the first half was for sure the best.

Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

HANDS DOWN THE MOST INFLUENTIAL SPIDER-MAN SERIES AND ARGUABLY THE MOST CONSISTENT RUN FOR THE CHARACTER!! 

This is now my 2nd time reading this omnibus and with the 2nd omnibus *finally* coming out, I had the perfect reason to read it again. ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ is the brainchild of Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, where in the fresh year of 2000, they were assigned to do a limited 6 issue series on a modern retelling of Spider-Man’s origin. As most people know, it grew to be a very popular series and continued as an ongoing. This first volume contains the first 39 issues as well a ½ issues, showing Peter Parker as a 15 year old highschool sophomore in a new alternate Marvel universe that starts fresh. We see the same origin of him being bit by a radioactive spider and gaining powers and then losing his uncle Ben and feeling responsible. Only difference is this time around instead of all that taking place in one issue it’s all spread out into a 7 issue intro arc. We see him take on the Green Goblin, only this time he's a monster like hulk being that can throw fireballs. We see him take on the Kingpin who has Electro and The Enforcers on his payroll. Doc Ock gets an arc, Spidey gets introduced to Nick Fury who knows he’s Peter Parker, Spidey tells Mary Jane he’s Spider-Man and they start going out sooner than the OG series, and it all comes to an end with a crazy intro arc to Venom. In between are some non arc specific issues that show his everyday struggle of juggling the life of a highschool teen and a masked superhero. 

Brian Michael Bendis is the writer for this series and as I said in my title, he writes the most influential Spidey comic ever! Now sure there are things he took from all the super talented writers to write the web-head before him, but what he does on his own stands out very highly to me and clearly to other people as a lot of what he brought to the character is shown in other mediums featuring Spidey. Reading this run I really saw how much was taken and put into the movies, and I mean *all* the movies. From the original Raimi trilogy, to the ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ duology, and even the later MCU trilogy and appearances in general. I’m talking straight up panels put into film in every film throughout the 20 years that they’ve come out. There’s been video games inspired by this series, cartoon series, hell they eventually took this universe and put it into the original 616 universe (albeit with a different character as Spider-Man, but still). It’s all just a fresh take on the character that is so consistent that in my opinion it is the best overall Spider-Man series. Bednis shows a true masterclass with the writing too, as it all feels engaging and even issues where it’s just characters conversing it still feels like a satisfying read and is important to move the plot forward. Bendis likes his dialogue and will fill a page with it but he’s so damn good at it that it doesn’t feel like blabbing. He also knows when to leave the page silent though, and let the art tell it all. He builds up an intensified shot and lets the emotional reaction of the characters speak for itself. It’s honestly some of the most fun I’ve had in reading a book and could have more and more of it. 

On artwork is Mark Bagley and I think there was no better match than him. He is no stranger to Spider-Man as he drew the character quite a bit back in the 90s and in my personal opinion, is the best to ever draw the character. This series was a career defining moment for Bagley cause it showed him drawing a familiar character but his approach and style to it was fresh and new. The whole goal of Bagley and Bendis was to capture that youth of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and look wise, Bagley executes perfectly. It also shows how prolific Bagley is as a consistent artist. Him and Bendis broke the record for longest artist and writer duo streak, and in these first 39 ½ issues it looks consistently good. His reimaged character designs pay respect to the originals but also hold good on their own. Great action scenes, detailed display of emotion, great body language, and fluent panel to panel transitions. 

Overall; This is hands down the best way to start reading Spidey or if you need a fresh take on the character who's been around for 60+ years, even though this series is 20+ years old in its own right, it’s a timeless series that I and many other people love. 

Ultimate X-Men Collection, Book 1 by Mark Millar, Geoff Johns

3.0

Series is pretty good. I do think sometimes it’s a bit extreme, but all around a decent twist on the X-men. Adams artwork I’m a big fan of. Although I do prefer his work in Ultimate Fantastic Four. I feel like he gets a bit lazy with some of his panels. Mark Millar is the main writer and like I mentioned he does a pretty good job of switching it up with the X-men but I just didn’t think it was as big as the other Ultimate titles. So far at least. Pretty good start just didn’t wow me as much as the other ultimate titles I’ve been reading.

Ultimate Fantastic Four, Volume 6: Frightful by Mark Millar

4.0

This series continues to be a very interesting read for me. This volume contains issues 27-32 and I really enjoyed it. The first part of the book we get introduced to the super skrull and get to visit an alternate future on what could've happened if the Fantastic Four didn't have their accident. The story mainly focuses on Ben and its actually really touching. The second half is us coming back to the zombie FF as they are still held up in the ultimate universe, hatching a plan to escape their prison. We also get to see Dr Doom again and this time around he is a little bit more interesting however I do still think he has way more potential in this ultimate universe. The writing is still being done by Mark Millar and the artwork is mainly done by Greg Land. Big fan of these two together although like I've mentioned on reviews of the previous Ultimate FF volumes, I do think that Millar seems a bit lazy with his plotting towards the end of stories as they just feel like they wrap up a little too quick and the whole grand scheme just seems a bit silly. Im still a big fan of Mark however in this series he seems to do that a lot. Gregs artwork I've been a fan of since I first saw it and it just works so well with an FF book especially with certain issues having a bit of darker tones. Another really solid read!