Author Archives: Phil

About Phil

With 40 years of experience in comic reading, collecting and reviewing, English Professor Phil Mateer has an encyclopedic mind for comics. Feel free to ask Phil about storylines, characters, artists or for that matter, any comic book trivia. He will post your questions and answers on the AABC blog. His knowledge is unparalleled! He is also our warehouse manager, so if you are looking for that hard to find comic book, ask Phil!

Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Read and Put Back #173

Posted on June 26, 2010 by Phil

Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #4 (of 4) — Writer: J.T. Krul;  Pencillers: Geraldo Borges, Kevin Sharpe and Fabio Jansen;  Inkers: Marlo Alquiza and Scott Hanna Green Arrow #1 — Writer: J.T. Krul;  Penciller: Diogenes Neves;  Inker: Vicente Cifuentes Two related books, both by the same writer: Arsenal has become the summer’s most-mocked book, a humorless, soul-deadening, editorially-mandated deconstruction of Roy Harper that’s managed to embody the worst excesses of corporately-controlled characters. No, Roy doesn’t get better by the end of the series; he turns into the Punisher, if the Punisher were addicted to heroin. No, that doesn’t make … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #172

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Phil

Batman #700 — Writer: Grant Morrison; Artists: Tony Daniel, David Finch, Andy Kubert and Frank Quitely One look at the credits should be enough to get you to buy this: it’s a past/present/future time-travel tale involving Bruce/Dick/Damian as Batmen, chasing after the Joker’s notebook and encountering ’60s super-villain team-ups, locked-room mysteries, future Two-Faces and Joker babies. Morrison throws out his Bat-ideas like sparks, and it all hangs together and does everything an anniversary issue should; even that Neal Adams Batman preview that’s been in all the other DC books this month makes a pitch-perfect little coda. Buzzard #1 (of 3) … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Read and Put Back #172

Posted on June 12, 2010 by Phil

Avengers Academy #1 — Writer: Christos Gage;  Art: Mike McKone Young Allies #1 — Writer: Sean McKeever;  Pencils: David Baldeon;  Inks: N. Bowling Marvel’s launching two new kid-group books this week, probably not the smartest marketing move — especially since Academy, with its Avengers-franchise tie-in, threatens to suck away any potential sales from the less-advertised and unaffiliated Young Allies. Too bad, since they’re both decent-enough efforts, with both Gage and McKeever good at assembling their casts, giving them distinct personalities, and throwing in enough plot twists and conflict to get readers to come back for more (artwise, McKone’s a little … Continue reading →

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FCBD 2010 was a blast!

Posted on June 5, 2010 by Phil

Free Comic Book Day was a blast!  The caricature artist and face painter were a huge hit. Thank you everyone that came out to celebrate with all of us at All About!  You can check out all the photos in our photo gallery. Continue reading →

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Phil's Reviews: Stuff I Bought #171

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Phil

Amazing Spider-Man #632 — Writer: Zeb Wells; Pencils: Chris Bachalo and Emma Rios; Inks: Townsend, Mendoza, Olazaba and Bachalo Amazing Spider-Man Annual #37 — Writer: Karl Kesel; Art: Paulo Siqueira; (Second story): Writer: Kurt Busiek; Art: Pat Olliffe Another week with two decent Spidey titles — Amazing continues its Gauntlet/make-The-Lizard-a-badass storyline, and the Bachalo art continues to be the main attraction (the Wells script has some good moments, and deserves credit for not “taking back” the death from last issue, although there’s a puzzling moment when Our Hero is surprised that his opponent can talk. Really? He couldn’t always talk … Continue reading →

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