Here are today's "Guest Reviews" by Joe David Soliz from Wildstorm Addiction. Included are DC's; Stormwatch #19, The Ravagers #11, & Team 7 #7. I have also added my rating after each review. If you have any questions about my rating or want to discuss anything just leave me a comment.
Stormwatch #19 - Reset
Team StormWatch is lost in a dimension shift—so what team will rise and take their place?
Preview
Out With the Old, In With the New!
Welcome to the new Stormwatch! This is not issue #19, it reads more like a first issue. But that’s exactly what they’re doing with this title so it was very appropriate. This is definitely very new reader friendly. Starlin does what he does best as he infuses the title with his classic sci-fi feel. And Guichet’s art fits perfectly with what has proven to be a nice new beginning for the team.
So here we are, almost 20 issues in and it’s like starting a whole new series. But this series did desperately need it and I’m glad they’re giving it a shot in the arm instead of cancelling it. Right off the bat, Starlin brings a very classic feel to the book. I couldn't help but sense echoes of Infinity Gauntlet here. But I enjoyed it and I was very impressed at how he crafted the story to introduce (or re-introduce) the Stormwatch characters.
Let’s start with the re-introductions. The big one is Apollo and Midnighter returning in their classic looks. Finally gone is that annoying Midnighter chin-spike in favor of his old trench coat look. Alongside him is the true long-haired Apollo who is hopefully less whiny than his short-haired version. We also get the New 52 introduction of Hellstrike who was a member of the Wildstorm version of Stormwatch. He brings with him an old Stormwatch member as well (won’t spoil who but I will say they've already been introduced elsewhere in the New 52, but they seem to have received a name change here). We also get a new Engineer with the same name as the previous but her ethnicity has been changed to African-American which I thought was an interesting choice. Even the Shadow Lords survived the change-over and are actually aware that the change happened which I thought was cool.
My Rating
Cover & Solicit - 4/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 3/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 3.9
The Ravagers #11 - Home Wreckers
The latest creature to escape from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. brings death to The Ravagers—but is it animal, vegetable or mineral?
Preview
Sorting Out Family Issues In the Middle of a Battle?
With just one issue left, Ravagers begins its wrap-up by bringing in all the players we've had in the book so far and making sure not all of them survive. It seems where the death of a title comes in the New 52, death itself isn't too far behind. We get the introduction of an old Doom Patrol villain and lots of revelations that are starting to feel repetitive where the Wildstorm characters are concerned.
I won’t spoil the revelation but I will say it involves Fairchild and if you've been reading Team 7 you can probably figure out what it is. She’s become more like her Wildstorm self in recent issues. Even her look has started harkening back to the old days. But apparently she wasn't free from overused and cliched story ideas attached to her. I’d like to see her survive the title and based on comments from DC she very well might, but I wish they would've gone somewhere else with her origin.
Diogenes Neves & Geraldo Borges do well on art. I was happy with how each of the characters looked and thought some of the fight scenes were very cool. At this point, I’m not sure we’re going to get any wrap-up next issue so much as an opening for whatever they want to do next with these characters. I don’t expect them to stay a team. I’m sure Teen Titans fans are dying for Beast Boy & Terra to head on over to that book anyway.
My Rating
Cover & Solicit - 4/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 4/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 4
Team 7 #7 - Mission 2.3: Majestic
What new member, who threatens to tear the team apart, is welcomed into The New 52?
Preview
Hide Your Kids, Hide Your Wife, cuz Majestic's Killing Everybody!
Normally when a title is announced for cancellation, it’s hard to get excited about any remaining issues. But Jordan has made these last issues of Team 7 absolutely incredible! The tag team of Merino & Alixe continue to deliver on the art side and the introduction of an old Wildstorm character (spoiled by the title of the issue) make this series so much fun now even here at the end.
Jordan has teased inserting Majestic into this title since the beginning. The way he was created here in the New 52 is a little odd but I was at least happy to see him in a version of his classic costume. We also finally get back to Gamorra Island and its dictator leader Kaizen Gamorra who was one of the top villains in the old Wildstorm U. Here, they do well to insert the ongoing mystery of Pandora and her Box into the mix. I hope it leads some to try the issue when they find that connection here with the impending Trinity War crossover.
We also finally get an explanation as to why Steve Trevor hadn't been present in the book until now which is ironic because he’s one of the characters in the modern New 52 who kept referring to the team. His insertion is quick but done in a way that makes sense considering Jordan only had a handful of issues left to bring him on board. We also get an explanation of Black Canary and how she got her powers which had a surprising link to an old Wildstorm U concept.
My Rating
Cover & Solicit - 4/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 5/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 4.1
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