Oz's 2-Cent Reviews

This week, Oz reviews X-Men 20, Animal Man 3, Swamp Thing 3, Uncanny X-Men 1, Justice League International 3, Stormwatch 3 and New Mutants 33.

X-Men #20 - the not X-Force, X-Force team. Wonderful art but a very underwhelming first outing for this particular group. They should hand the title over to writer Chris Yost permanently cuz it doesn't seem like Gishler is going to be doing anything fresh with it. He's had three tries and over 15 issues but he keeps losing the audience. I'll give it a second chance at least because I want to see how team Cyclops fairs.

Animal Man #3 - In the third chapter of mind-fuck city, you wouldn't think that things could possibly get grosser, but they do. Creatures that wear skin of man like clothes, heroes who swell and expand their flesh in atrocious ways to fight for justice. All that sprinkled with tiny little animal skeletons, walking around looking almost cute if it wasn't so macabre. It was like reading an amalgamation of the AKIRA and the NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS movies, just very visceral and weird. Not the strongest of the three issues thus far, the arc itself however only

progresses.

Swamp Thing #3 - At first, there was the red. Then came the green. Now, meet the black. The rot, the dead and dying, the un-alive. Trust me, this ain't no rainbow bright lantern crew a la Blackest Night. It's something oh so much more special. A strange little boy is introduced in this issue, one with complications and a connection to THE ROT. If Snyder keeps building it, I will come.

Uncanny X-Men #1 - So as the newest brotherhood of evil mutants get together, Sinister strikes. Oh wait. that's not the brotherhood. That's Cyclop's Extinction Team, as he chooses to call them. Extinction Team...really? And they want Avengers status? I'm pretty sure having Magneto,

Namor, The White Queen and The Juggernaut on your front lines ain't gonna help ya gather much credit there, Blinky.

JLI #3 – OK, I like this comic and everything, but this storyline needs to WRAP. IT. UP. Especially cuz i want to see the next line up of the team that we've seen in previews, which included Plastic Man, Green Arrow and many others. They just look like a much more interesting unit. I'm really hoping Jurgens isn't writing for the trade cuz that's only going to hurt this book.

Stormwatch #3 - I know a lot of people are complaining about this comic, but they should realise that Cornell is working some pretty big ideas here. Sure, they might be too much and all at once, but I smell a cohesive plan abrewing. I'm not going to give up so easily until at least the arc

concludes and I can look at it as a whole.

New Mutants #33 - Not a very fast paced issue as the gang deals with this new era in the x-verse. Still, I have to say the Warlock/Doug Ramsey scene where they gossip in machine code KILLED me. Pure hilarity! Also, I can't wait till Blink joins the fray next issue so i'll stick around.