July comics, day...uhm...3?
Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures #1
Uhm...so, yeah...had no idea the regular book was going in hiatus for a bit...as this is by Paul Jenkins, aka, The Speedball Butcherer and The Guy Who Down't Know Who Captain Marvel Is, I sheall do this similarly to how I did the first ep or two of EllisTolts.
Page 1-2: Normal Osborn tries to sound like a leader and lectures NuPenance for his behavior in combat. Sadly, he does not bring up the part about NuPenance literally trying to bash his brains out against a wall, shouting "NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" in the middle of battle. I find it EXTREMELY difficult to keep my eyes from glazing over anytime Normie does anything but act loonie because the wholeidea of Norman Osborn being put in charge of anything is too ludicrous for words. Upside? NuPenance actually very, very vaguely sounds like Robbie.
Page 3: Normie tries to be clever AND authoritative AND sinister. No NuPenance, so eyes glazed over.
Page 4-5: Dear Americop. I know nothing about you except that Punisher would likely approve of you. I kinda like you, which means there's a 95% chance that you'll be maimed and/or mauled by the time this is over. Sorry about that.
Page 6-7: Normie is loonie and on a power trip. Bullseye is loonie and wants to kill everyone. *yawn* I have yet to read anything to convince me that the presence of either in the title has anything to do with anything but the fact that it's not plausible in any way whatsoever. Also? I have serious bouts that Jenkin's has actually read any of EllisBolts.
Page 8: Nothing remotely pertinent. Radioactive Man lets us know he's around, Jenkins attempts humor and fails miserably.
Page 9: We get told who Americop is. The very minimal basics at least. The end.
Page 10: Karla is pissed at Normie because he's an idiot on a power trip. If I thought there was a chance she'd punch his head off or rip his spine out through his mouth, this might actually interest me...
Pages 11-15: Bullseye is loonie. Normie is loonie. Americop is badass. This took 5 pages to reestablish.
Page 16: Dear Americop: work on your aim. Please.
Pages 17-19: More making sure we know Bullseyes and Normie are loonie.
Pages 20-22:Osborn tries to act like he's in charge again. I would say NuPenance was moderately cool here were he somewhere else. OTOH, this is the first evidence of a personality from him since EllisBolts started.
So, basically, the 50th or so issue devoted to proving that Normie and Bullseye are nuts and trying to convince me that their being protagonists and on the government payroll is a good thing.
Birds of Prey #108:
All I can do is go around singing "ding-dong the witch is dead." (except, you know, she's not...) I'm not sure what Simone's intention was with Spysmasher and Misfit, but I doubt I was the extreme irritation either gave me (well, I'm sure we were supposed to hate Spysmasher, but I believe we're supposed to find Misfit cute and endearing instead of the most annoying thing this side of Molly Hayes) At least Spysmasher seems to be gone. Sadly, Misfit seems to have become a permanent fixture. Nice to see Savant again, though, even if it was just in the "people who are pissed Spysmasher is trying to take over from Oracle" lineup.
Usagi Yojimbo #104:
Excellent issue, as always. This issue and the last have been about the origin of Jei, the loon with the creepy smile and laugh who obsesses over killing the wicked. A rather sad story, actually, but one rather common in asian mythology, it seems (good person possessed by evil spirit, becomes monster.) From the end (set in modern Usagi Yojimbo times) it looks like it'll kick off a new storyline, too.