BB Review Group week 192 - Universal War One #1 (spoilers)

**Thudpucker** · 07-16-2008, 05:01 PM

* fine print at the bottom of post

This week we are reading: Universal War One #1 (Marvel/Soleil) by Denis Bajram

This week the Alternative Review Group is reading: Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw (Fantagraphics, 05/21)

http://www.606studios.com/bendisboar....php?p=4956604

The voting for next weeks book will begin Friday

Our reviewers this week are:

Thudpucker - 8
MAK15 - 8
greg donovan - 9
Sy-Klone - 8

Our Previous reviews:

**ATTN: There has been a change in how we are allowed to review older books. Please feel free to review any of the 24 most recent books at any time. If you would like to review a book older than that please PM me first, those threads are over 6 months old they are locked. If you'd like to review one of those books I'll create a new thread and link to the original.

Spoiler:

Our higest average grades so far were for Pride of Baghdad with 9.66 and Daredevil #82 with 9.64

Our lowest average grade so far Wildsiderz #0 with 2.9

Our Sponsors:

Isotope Comics (SF Bay area)

(If any other retailers would like to sponsor our reviewers in your area, I'd be happy to promote your store in the thread too )

What we do: This is a fanbased review group, open to everybody.

As people post the reviews, I will add your name and score to a list in the main post and at the end of the week average the scores for an overall grade on the book. We grade on a scale of 0-10, the meanings of which roughly translate to:

10 - Everything I want in a comic, an instant classic
9 - Excellent, a nearly perfect read
8 - Highly recommended but it has minor flaws
7 - Very good, it does have some problems
6 - Above average but has deep flaws
5 - An average comic
4 - Below average, the flaws outweigh the good
3 - A disappointing comic
2 - Forgettable, a waste of time
1 - Stay away!! One of the worst comics I've read

Anyone who participates is asked to please keep this scale in mind when giving a grade so that everyone is operating on the same system.

THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE EVERY WEEK. Please join in as little or as much as you like week to week. If you are uncomfortable giving a grade then just join in the discussions and ask questions.

**greg donovan** · 07-16-2008, 05:06 PM

this is on the top of my "to read" pile as soon as the kids go to bed.

**Thudpucker** · 07-16-2008, 05:10 PM

I'll start with the good. The art is stunning, absolutely beautif work. I love every aspect of it, the detail, the deign, the colors. Barjram is a true master.

Unfortunately the story didn't appeal to me much. It was very dry and predictably ugly. I was excited at the chance to read a real sci-fi comic, hardcore non-superhero work. And this is that, it's well written and deep. I think alot of people will like this book alot, there is nothing objectively that I would fault. My problem with it was more a personal taste thing, most of the story is bleak character drama and that's a hard sell for me.

I'd go 8 on this one.

**Thudpucker** · 07-16-2008, 05:14 PM

btw, anyone put off by the 5.99 cover shouldn't be, it's a great value. It's 46 pages (and most pages have 8 or more panels, lots of story) with no ads, all 46 pages are completely uninterupted.

**greg donovan** · 07-16-2008, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Thudpucker

btw, anyone put off by the 5.99 cover shouldn't be, it's a great value. It's 46 pages (and most pages have 8 or more panels, lots of story) with no ads, all 46 pages are completely uninterupted.

i knew you would like that part.

**NickT** · 07-16-2008, 05:35 PM

This week we are reading: Universal War One #1 (DC) by Denis Bajram

Marvel/Soleil isn't it?

Cant read it anyway, reguardless of pages

**MAK15** · 07-16-2008, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Thudpucker

btw, anyone put off by the 5.99 cover shouldn't be, it's a great value. It's 46 pages (and most pages have 8 or more panels, lots of story) with no ads, all 46 pages are completely uninterupted.

you pay the same amount for most Heavy Metal issues.
but their ads are all porn.

anyways, I liked this.
MAK gives this an 8.

it feels like a plot from a movie, the rag tag group of outcasts with differentiating personalities that almost gets 'em killed or makes 'em kill each other.
I'm so glad that Marvel decided to bring this stateside.
I anticipate the next issue.

**Jef UK** · 07-16-2008, 06:31 PM

When I saw this on the shelf today, I thought it had something to do with New Universal.

**greg donovan** · 07-17-2008, 04:54 AM

i loved this a lot.

it was a great classic hard sci fi story with spectacular art.

i am glad they chose to make this an oversized page count, cutting it in half would have really hurt the pacing for me. where it ended was really awesome.

9/10

**charlie** · 07-17-2008, 05:55 AM

Hmm... might end up getting this in trade based on the strong reviews. I was already getting 2 trades this week, and the extra $6 would have put me right over the edge...