X-Force 9, Wolverine 9

X-Force 6
Spurrier (w) and J. Molina (p) and Yeung (i) and Rosenberg (c) and Petit (l)

Volga's thrown Cable out the window and subsequently exploded him and now has the team trapped and even MeMe, our narrator in this issue, rather trapped in a computer. She seems to be taking Cable's death particularly hard but takes the time to give us a brief rundown on what happened in Alexandria. She had been there, working for Volga, and saw the bomb explode, aiming for mutants, and had seen Cable and Hope affected. Back with Volga in the present, the villain prepares to start experimenting on the surviving team just as Cable and Dr. Nemesis teleport into the room, revealing that Cable has been sending copies of himself into fights as the real Cable, poisoned during the bomb, is in stasis and continually sends his copies out to die while receiving the memories and information they gain in his headband. They escape Volga's grasp and Psylocke again tells MeMe that she has to reveal to Cable who she really is...Hope, piggybacking on the real but brain dead MeMe's powers.

What do I have to tell you people to get you to read this book? Or are you all doing it already? Let me know, okay? Because seriously, it's so great. I explained this whole series to someone today and, even with my babbling summarization (familiar with those?), the book sounded AWESOME. To me, at least. I think the audience I was telling it to was genuinely interested but, you know, babbling. Really great issue and how crazy is it that the reveal of the bomb's real impact and that Cable's been sending copies of himself out into the world while he slowly dies at home AREN'T the biggest reveals. Check this series out.

Total Score: 5/5


Wolverine 9
Cornell (w) and Anka (a) and Curiel (c) and Petit (l)

Wolverine continues to chat with Death while Iron Fist and Shang-Chi fight the Hand outside. Wolverine learns from Death that he's still rather afraid of dying but that he also still has honor and pride and whatever else. He also learns that Sabretooth has Pinch, her daughter, and Lost Boy and he's ready for a rematch.

THE DEATH OF WOLVERINE is looking more and more like a rebranding than an actual, literal death. There's talk in this issue about what a name means and what his name is and other things of that vein. Death also scoffs at the idea she told him he'd die in three months. ANYWAY, I still can't get behind this book. The talk with Death as an actual person continues to not be that compelling to me, particularly as Death just espouses super basic psychology kind of stuff that should absolutely blow no one's mind. Also Rose makes another appearance and his dumb rose tattoo does the same. Hoping his healing power comes back just to get rid of that.

Total Score: 2/5

This week's picks

Hey all my buddies! Sorry for all of those SUPER QUICK REVIEWS this week. GUYS, why did I say "sorry?" It was probably better for EVERYONE. I'm still planning to do full reviews for a number of books but, as I intimated earlier this week, I may do these more often (unless, and this is a pretty big unless potential investors, someone starts paying me for this blog). But THAT'S not what the Sunday post is for. The Sunday post is for BEST OF. So what was the best of this week? Well I'd certainly recommend the following.

Avengers 29

Am I still a little sore that this book was $4.99? And that this extra dollar came from an extra ten pages plenty of readers have already read or that could have been covered in maybe an extra page-long recap? Yes. Duh. I just mentioned it all, clearly I've been thinking about it. THAT SAID, I do really love this issue. Jonathan Hickman has two AVENGERS books in a row that feature key Avengers members (one of the original Avengers and one of the "IT ONLY TOOK ME FOUR ISSUES TO GET HERE TOO" Avengers) discovering something about other key member Tony Stark and wanting rip him apart for it. Unlike the last one, which sort of disperses as Banner agrees reluctantly to join up with the world-saving and not kill the Illuminati (yet), Cap won't be so easily swayed. It's wonderful and incredibly tense, somehow managing to be tense despite being a different version of AVENGERS 28. Lots of fun if you find remarkably tense moments between dudes who were friends but also have been pretty bitter enemies PERHAPS a bit more recently "fun." I do. Check it out.

Captain America 20

This one was a tough choice (and probably my Cap bias is out in full here) between, particularly, this one, CAPTAIN MARVEL, NEW AVENGERS, and AVENGERS UNDERCOVER. This one ultimately wins out because Rick Remender has made it his mission this whole series to break Steve Rogers in every way possible and BOY does it come out in force here. If you're looking around going "geez, I think superheroes at Marvel don't get beat up enough," you will love this book. I'm...I'm not sure anyone should be looking for that? But if the idea doesn't turn you off, you should check this book out. You should probably check it out anyway. Remender's doing astonishing stuff breaking down the most unbreakable character in this modern day Job-like story. But also with punching and superheroes and world-level threats.

X-Force 5

Si Spurrier is regularly putting out really thought-provoking, human books even as he puts people up against incredibly powerful or even ridiculous villains (Spurrier recognizes in the book that Volga is crazily over-the-top but he's not really who we care about). X-FORCE is just another in a line of phenomenal releases from Spurrier (even outside of his Marvel work) that make you really care about the characters and that keep you aware of who everyone is and what everyone's going through at all times. This is very heavily a Marrow-centric issue but it's impossible to not acknowledge what's happening with Cable and with Psylocke and with Fantomex. It's excellently done and it's, to this point, everything I want this series to be.

All-New X-Men 27, X-Force 5

All-New X-Men 27
Bendis (w) and Immonen (p) and Von Grawbadger (i) and Gracia (c) and Petit (l)

The Evil X-Men Brotherhood (the ones from the future who messed with everything in BATTLE OF THE ATOM and who need a better distinguishing name) have found the Xavier School and begun to attack, with Raze, the shapeshifting son of Mystique and Wolverine (it would seem), posing as a wounded X-23 and stabbing the healer first. Things get crazier as future Jean Grey and Charles, the psychic son of Mystique (posing, at the time, as Moira MacTaggert) and Xavier, launch a psychic attack on everyone at the school, even taking control of one of the Cuckoos to keep their power up. Only past Jean Grey, Emma Frost, and Cyclops remain hidden from the attack. When the evil brotherhood starts to get a location on young Jean, Emma knocks her out to keep them all protected, though it sends Jean into a state where Charles can talk to and threaten her.

Story
I'm doing everything I can to see this as a new story, something removed from BATTLE OF THE ATOM which I so loathed. It is extremely difficult to do that, though, as everything still seems to be linked to BOTA because that's the only time these characters have appeared. As such, the story right now is limited and we can only assume this group is here because they didn't like the way things turned out in the aftermath of BOTA and seek to rectify it (or to send the ANXM back to the past. There's more history given for Charles and Raze though not really enough yet to explain why they're both so mad, though that's surely coming. This issue then is dedicated mostly to the siege on the Xavier School and kind of makes you think "hey, maybe these kids aren't getting enough training in?" Okay, maybe that's not fair, they're facing two Mystique-mothered children with Wolverine and Xavier all mixed in there and another Jean Grey, on top of some others. Still, we'll have to wait a little longer before we can get a full sense of this story. 4/5

Character
The biggest character moments are for the enemies, as we do see a bit of flashback history for Charles and Raze. There's a bit here and there for other characters through the dialogue, but they seem to be our focus right now. Cyclops' team's healer, Christopher Muse (I had to look his name up because I do not have any sort of connection to these kids), gets a teeny bit of characterization and story as he freaks out over dying (understandable) and as we learn that he can heal himself, even if it's unconsciously. Still, not really an issue for characterization of our main team but it's kind of weird to me that this book has shifted so much into being a book about both the O5 team and Cyclops' team when it had originally been the O5 team and where Cyclops' team already has a book. 3/5

Writing
Still a bit of back-and-forth dialogue which, as ever, feels incredibly out of place in big and tense fight scenes. There are times to let off the gas with dialogue and a big fight scene always seems like one of them. There's also opportunity to keep everyone suspicious and paranoid and tense and Bendis touches on it a bit but I think the jokes and the quips kind of get in the way of that tone really establishing, which is a shame because the fight, for however forced it kinda feels, is still an interesting one as it develops (it's hard not to view the convenience of a team that has two sons of Mystique, one with Wolverine DNA and one with Xavier DNA, fairly cynically but that doesn't mean the fight still can't be interesting). 3/5

Art
I always like Stuart Immonen's art and I've come to really appreciate Marte Gracia's colors. I think the art really helps the book in a lot of ways and kind of draws the eye away from any problems in the story. 5/5

Miscellaneous
I don't know if you guys could tell but I'm having a lot of trouble separating this from BOTA.

Total Score: 3/5


X-Force 5
Spurrier (w) and J. Molina (a+c) and Sabino (l)

X-Force is prepped for an attack on Volga after getting all the information they could out of the dead Aggasiz. It turns out Aggasiz, a mutant who could travel through other dimensions, had worked for Volga stealing all sorts of weapons-tech from other universes in exchange for his kidnapped family's safety. The most problematic tech he stole was a sort of enhanced super soldier serum, which gave people incredible powers but also faded after a certain amount of time, killing the soldiers who used it. For Volga, that's not so much a problem, as he realizes country's will still use the serum and just come back for more when their batch dies (because he's truly horrible). This is, it seems, also what happened to Marrow (though she, clearly, didn't die) and, as she attacks Volga's compound, she wonders why she remembers so little of her experience. However, as her narrative rattles on and she continues referencing whoever she's talking to as "baby," it dons on her that she was pregnant before Alexandria and that they killed her baby. Psylocke manages to figure out what's happening right as it happens and makes sure Fantomex and Cable are covered as Marrow lashes out, wrecking through Volga's troops. Volga himself finally comes out and talks to Marrow, revealing that she knew the risks going in but that she volunteered in the hopes of getting her powers back. With Marrow out of the fight (now paralyzed with countless emotions) Volga's men knock out Psylocke and Fantomex and take all three with them as Volga reveals that they injected Cable with the soldier serum at Alexandria too and wonders why he hasn't died yet. It's not so big a problem, though, since he has a way to expedite the process and affixes it to Cable before tossing him off his HQ, allowing him to explode below while Volga ends up with the three other mutants.

Story
Good god, there's a lot happening here. Spurrier's a master at seeding little bits here and there throughout an arc and then watching it all hit home in one big reveal. It's Marrow's turn for narrative again this time and we get to see the pieces all start unraveling as her narrative leads us right to the fight and X-Force's loss. There's so much happening as we learn about how Marrow and Cable have powers again and we learn a good deal more about Volga (who is, by his own admission, a "comedy Russian bad guy") and the story of our team propels to an entirely new place. It's a pretty dark book and it's a pretty deep story and it's rather a thrill to watch it all come together (or come apart, as the case may be). 5/5

Character
Plenty is explained about a couple of our characters, which would be probably enough to boost this character score up by itself, but X-FORCE goes further than that. Each of these guys have such a distinct personality and we get a chance to see them all in their distinct roles, as Cable commands and leads, Marrow fights until the shocking news and then fights even harder and then shuts down, and Psylocke does what she can to keep everything moving the right way. The team knew about Marrow's baby and knew that the memories hadn't been removed from her, she'd repressed them because she couldn't deal with them. Psylocke tries to calm Marrow down when she learns and then tries to keep Volga from revealing the full truth to Marrow because she knows the impact it will have. Lots happening with every character, even with the noticeably quieter Fantomex, who continues reeling from last issue's crushing defeat wherein he started to see that maybe he wasn't the best there ever was at everything. Here he stays quieter, claiming to have a headache, and finds himself even more miffed as his bullets fail to kill the soldiers. Volga gets tons of characterization and it's totally over the top but he recognizes how over the top it is so Spurrier gets his chance to combat that accusation before it can land. Solid stuff all around, just an incredible book and we're only five issues in. 5/5

Writing
I have to think that all the writing I've done on this post already has told enough about the writing of this issue. I'll just mention that the pacing is really great, starting a little slower as they wait to attack, then instantly getting into it but in the same sort of balanced way that traditional superhero fights go until the revelation about Marrow's baby, which brings everything to a halt before really escalating the pace and, again, dropping it when Volga makes his big reveal. Between that and the wonderful Marrow narrative, Spurrier's got us right in his pocket. 5/5

Art
Jorge Molina steps in to do the art on this one and I think the change works pretty well, though I've liked Rock-He Kim's art (which is, I think, probably exactly what I said last issue, which also featured Molina on art). His Marrow is a little softer, even prettier, so that when she bones out (there's got to be a better description than that for her power) it's more abrupt and more fearsome. It's particularly effective in this issue when she also withdraws back into herself and we can see how small and devastated she is. Really strong stuff. 5/5

Miscellaneous
Geez, what a book.

Total Score: 5/5

Guys

We didn't even talk about how X-FORCE 4 started with Fantomex chasing a cat-related person who didn't want anything to do with him in an issue called "Le Pew." I was laughing out loud even before the name came, then it just got better.

Comics this week

Rarely is it as easy as recording the list of comics out this week to find my top five. Sure a couple will come from a cursory glance; titles I like, events, big issues I remember are big, number ones, final issues, etc., but they don't typically all congregate like this. This week found an important launch title, a good series starting a new year, a personal favorite character of mine headlining a new limited series, and two issues I can safely say are two of my most highly anticipated issues of the year, one kicking off a probably great new series and one finishing an amazing series. Did I give it all away yet? What if I say that, alphabetically, this entire post begins at "s?"

She-Hulk 1

Surprise, you guys, I love Marvel. I also love gender parity. So it was a tough couple of years (okay, decades and decades) where Marvel wasn't trusting in female-led books. I'm not going to say "okay, we got a few, all better" but it's very clear that Marvel is taking real, legitimate steps to righting the wrong. SHE-HULK is another example, adding to MS. MARVEL, CAPTAIN MARVEL, BLACK WIDOW, and...god, I could swear there's another one. It'll come to me (or it doesn't exist and so won't). You could even lump HAWKEYE in there as Kate takes center stage aaa much or more than Clint and is just as much the titular Hawkeye as the avenging archer. Throw Charles Soule, savior of THUNDERBOLTS and up-and-coming comics star from both sides of the big two and we should have a solid book in store (FUN FACT: Soule is a lawyer himself so expect some solid law to make its way into the title). WAIT, it's ELEKTRA. That's the other one I was thinking of. That one should be fun too.

Thor: God of Thunder 19

For as old as this series sometimes seems, it's really only gone through two separate story lines since Aaron took over on the title. Thor(s) fought Gorr and Thor fought Malekith. Two stories in three acts and one bonus self-contained story last time out. Now present Thor finds himself embroiled in intrigue on Earth and with SHIELD, no less, as King Thor hangs out with old Galactus (okay, probably "hangs out with" is the wrong turn of phrase here but I'd also read that series). Esad Ribic rejoins Jason Aaron to take our resident god of thunder back to Midgard in what should be another defining run for the series, firmly planted now in its sophomore year.

Winter Soldier: Bitter March 1

Winter Soldier returns in a limited series set sometime between Bucky's "death" and Cap's re-emergence, AKA true Winter Soldier days. So why check out the brainwashed Russian hitman trying to, probably, destabilize America in or around the Cold War? Because it's bound to go a bit deeper than that. Rick Remender tries his hand at Winter Soldier, a character who, despite his popularity and now with about five+ years under his belt,  has only really been handled by Brubaker and Latour, as he tells a story of drama and intrigue that will tie into the events of today, particularly in Remender's CAPTAIN AMERICA. Keep an eye out for the Iron Nail and the corruption of SHIELD as we kick off a limited series that should, presuming it's coming in monthly installments and not, say, bi-weekly, take us right up to Captain America: Winter Soldier. Sound like it might relate? Guess we'll find out.

X-Force 1

Hot on the heels of the conclusion of UNCANNY X-FORCE and CABLE AND X-FORCE, Si Spurrier launches the new underground mutant wet works team. Featuring a considerably smaller roster than its predecessors (even all the way back to Remender's terrific put-him-on-the-map run), X-FORCE promises to be a top-flight series full of twists and turns with exciting character pieces and lots of depth. Looking forward to it immensely and I can't stress enough how much Si Spurrier has totally won me over with his work on X-MEN LEGACY (not to mention the thrilling web/print series CROSSED: WISH YOU WERE HERE). And now Spurrier has Fantomex to control. It's come to my attention lately that Fantomex is a very polarizing character either very loved or very hated. Readers of this blog should know I'm in the first camp and I can't really imagine anyone being in the second. If you are, though, give this series a shot. I'm willing to bet, with almost no indication of the way Spurrier is going to write him, that Fantomex will have something of a fascinating character this time out. Worth giving him another shot, you strange, probably non-existent Fantomex haters.

X-Men Legacy 24

This is it, dear readers. The first comics week of this year saw the end of YOUNG AVENGERS, the book I named my second best book of 2013. Now, as we enter into the second week of the second month of 2014, the top book ends. Both books are unique in that they both seemed to wind down to their finales more based on the writer's wishes than the usual business of it (I don't officially know that that's the case with LEGACY but Spurrier has intimated all along that a story isn't a story without an end). Regardless, it's time to say a very reluctant goodbye to this beautiful and wildly creative book that Spurrier has crafted with such love and such deftness as to make even the woe-begotten son of Charles Xavier and the stammering, oft-nonsensical young Blindfold two of the most complicated and tragic characters in the Marvel Universe. It's a testament to the power of a really well-written and well-executed character study and it's, for my money, one of the best and most satisfying examples of the superhero genre in the past decade, if not longer. Everyone involved deserves untold credit, from Spurrier's mad writing to Tan Eng Huat and Khoi Pham's alternating artistic approaches to José Villarrubia and Rachelle Rosenberg's colors to the amazing Mike del Mundo covers each and every issue. I'm so sad to see it go but so thrilled that it ever existed.

This week's picks

Hey guys, sorry for the lack of post yesterday. Time got a little bit away from me and suddenly I found myself across state lines and away from my computer watching a truly awful Super Bowl and a truly amazing Captain America: Winter Soldier trailer (why they didn't show the full amazing trailer on television is beyond me but WHATEVER). ANYWAY, here are the picks for this week on this special Monday edition of PICKS.

Superior Spider-Man 26

This one just edges out AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, which was a delightful little romp mixed with seriousness and fun, and THUNDERBOLTS, which I think is hurt a little bit by the fact it's been so good of late that a slightly slower issue looks weaker in comparison but still strong to everything else. SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN was a nice travel through three separate storylines expertly guided by Dan Slott and a trio of artists perfectly matched to their portion of the issue. Really nice book, covers a lot of ground and gives us a sense of what we can expect in the coming months leading to the April resurrection of Peter Parker, just in time for May's Amazing Spider-Man 2 (the full trailer of which I also liked more than I thought I would. I think that Garfield's a pretty strong Spider-Man and I like the world they've created about him. Time will tell about the influx of villains and the look of said villains). Should be a nice little time coming up and it's presented and set-up well here.

Uncanny Avengers 16
Another issue separated into three or so storylines but this one with McNiven art throughout (I like Steve McNiven a lot and he's obviously a pro in the industry but I will say I still kind of miss Daniel Acuña after three issues without) and with the storylines merging and separating and merging and separating. I'd also say this has some of the best fighting I've seen in a book in a while with some great Cap moments and some great Thor moments (including Thor yelling "I CARE NOT" about a hundred times at varying degrees of intensity). There's been a lot happening in this book for a long time (Remender can get into some long arcs but they almost always prove worthwhile, as he's shown in books like UNCANNY X-FORCE and CAPTAIN AMERICA) and this issue might be the first time where you can really start to see that there could be an ending. It's been a great story but no story should go un-ended in comics (I know, crazy thing to say considering the nature of comics and the way I'll mourn, for example, the next book on this list). This was one of the books where I came away after reading it and felt like I needed to instantly read it again and make my girlfriend read it so that I could talk to someone about it.

X-Men Legacy 23

Spurrier again manages to do something completely unexpected and pause the game a little bit for something exceedingly necessary in the penultimate issue of David's run. This issue, typically reserved for part of the big battle or the culmination of the big battle or the wind-up of a series, finds David and Ruth finally officially getting together while the fight scene, which envelops much of the world, rages on outside. I don't know that pausing everything for this works with any other book or any other character but it not only works here, after reading the issue it feels like it was the only way this could have gone. It's a great story and, no matter the outcome of the final issue of this epic tale of the world's most powerful mutant, you can't help but adore the fact that David finally got something nice here. Also some wonderful Tan Eng Huat art and some great and appropriately jarring Jose Villarrubia colors to match it. Amazing stuff, waiting with bated breath for the final issue, as everyone should be.

X-Men Legacy 23, Uncanny X-Force 17

X-Men Legacy 23
Spurrier (w) and Huat and Yeung (a) and Villarrubia (c)

David's world worm is in full effect as he finds himself trapped in his own mind while the sum of his powers begin to envelop everyone around him, calling forth all mutants to join him, which they do, convinced by David's powers that it's for the best. The only one who isn't called into David is Blindfold, who tries to stop the other mutants from being taken but who also recognizes that she won't be able to. She enters David's mind as her physical body keeps fighting the world worm outside and the two of them talk. It's a surprisingly soft talk with everything that's happening outside and it has a lot to do with his regret that he won't be able to spend more time with Ruth. It's then, though, that the smallest of loopholes occurs to him (particularly notable since he also spends a fair amount of time lamenting that the beautiful people in this world always get loopholes and manage to worm their way out of death but he just worms his way into it. Get it? Worms. Guys, I'm working on LAYERS here): one of the powers he's gestalt-ed into him is the powers of the Chronodon, who can make time stand still. He uses these powers not to stop anything that's about to happen but to give himself and Ruth just a little more time. And then they make love in that time.

This series and this story have been incredible all the way through, highlighted by a very distinct narrator and protagonist but certainly helped by a well-developed and maintained supporting cast. In the end, though, this was always meant to be a love story between David and Ruth and finally, after 23 issues, they get their moment. Albeit, it's a short lived one as they had to literally stop time to have it and their return to time will return their physical forms to fighting with one needing to kill the other to ensure their better future, but it's still a moment. It's a lovely moment at that and it's backed by an issue that gives us exactly what we've come to expect from this book; it's a solid mix of action, high stakes, and character drama with the typical comic book world-ending possibility and, as David knew it would, it all comes down to punching. Really great visual issue too. Striking images and jarring colors (lots of yellow and grey) really help to highlight everything that's happening and give it sort of an epic feel. So excited for the last issue but also so incredibly depressed by the idea of it.

Uncanny X-Force 17
Humphries (w) and Tolibao, Soy, Tadeo, Young, and Paris (a) and Curiel (c)

The conclusion of UNCANNY X-FORCE, CABLE AND X-FORCE, and the VENDETTA crossover itself kicks off with Hope plunging the psimitar into Bishop's gut. Bishop, though, convinces her to take the psimitar out without actually killing him by again pointing out that he's totally sorry but more so that she shouldn't throw her life away by killing and that she shouldn't throw her life away on him. Not to say he wouldn't deserve it, he admits, but that it's still not worth it (it doesn't hurt that he's not a threat any more). With this, the rest of the X-Force teams locate and attack Stryfe, splitting into two groups, one to attack Stryfe and one to locate their missing teammates. The attack on Stryfe is well-managed by Psylocke but ultimately fails to the omega-level mutant. Stryfe captures everyone in a telekinetic hold except for Spiral, who had left earlier, and Cable, who was still removed from the fight. Spiral, though, hadn't actually left officially but had, instead, gone to pick up Cable and they return to stab Stryfe with the psimitar, which does not kill him but does force him to flee. However, before he goes, he forces Hope to take his powers, knowing she can't contain them and will likely kill them all with the psychic reverb. With Stryfe gone, everyone is free to worry about Hope exploding but, before she can, Bishop rushes forth and talks to her, understanding what she's going through as someone whose powers also rely on absorption and release. Bishop manages to get her to contain the power and then blast it upwards, impacting no one. With everyone safe, the two teams reconvene and hang out a bit, effectively ending the books with Psylocke and Cable walking into the sunset together.

It's not a bad little ending but most of it hinges on Bishop and Hope, which is certainly a worthwhile story and one that's executed as well as anything in these two series has been. However, it also means that the rest of the players in this book kind of get pushed to the side a little and actually end up feeling a little unnecessary. The story was never about them and their rescue of the hostages only ended up serving as a distraction for Cable to get to Stryfe. Kind of a weird way to end the two series, which is kind of what I've been saying since the get-go. I've also been saying that this crossover has hit every beat in a sort of predictable fashion and, with the quality of the issue aside, this issue is no different. Still, like I said, the story of Cable, Hope, and Bishop was one certainly worth telling and I think it's told pretty well here. I don't think either of these series got to end on a particularly strong note with this crossover, sadly, but it's certainly an acceptable note and it paves the way rather nicely for Si Spurrier's X-FORCE next month (woo!).

Comics this week

Lotta big books out this week worth talking about so let's get right to it.

Daredevil 35
Just a bunch of fun, this book, so as we reach the penultimate issue of this run I'd say it's definitely one to keep an eye on. The last issue ended with yet ANOTHER cliffhanger that could call the fate of Foggy Nelson into question and that cliffhanger does NOT get any easier to read. Just as things are starting to look up for Daredevil with his strike right at the heart of the Serpents and his new re-girlfriend, will things take a turn for his best friend?

Miracleman 1
The 1980s massive title MIRACLEMAN is being reprinted for this digital age and I for one am excited to check out the reprint. Alan Moore kicked this one off as writer and if you don't know that name, you're probably not actually reading this blog (thanks for your support, though!). After Moore, Neil Gaiman took the reins of the book and Gaiman has agreed to finish the story when the time comes for it, so this is one to watch for. Beware though, Marvel is apparently dying to cash in on this book, with the regular cover issue (there are about a million variants that are no doubt more expensive) going for 5.99, two dollars more expensive than the typical higher price for an ongoing Marvel book (Annuals have lately been around the 4.99 mark).

Superior Spider-Man 25
In another money-grab move, the newest issue of SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN will jump from 3.99 to 4.99 as we hit issue 25. The good news on this one, though, is twofold. One: this issue will be oversized so you may be paying more but at least you're also getting more. Two: this issue promises to contain a giant plot point that will be incredibly important to both the Spider-Man and Marvel Universe as a whole as the year continues. Thanks to the horrible necessary evil that are solicits, that news has been spoiled for a lot of readers (myself included, I add bitterly) but I'm not willing to spoil it here (until I review it probably on Thursday or, you know, whenever. Maybe Wednesday, if it's really that big).

Thunderbolts 20
Technically this is THUNDERBOLTS 20.NOW! but I don't really want to get into a rhythm of adding that to every book that has that designation (I sure didn't do it last week!). Anyway, should be a big issue for the extremely entertaining series as the new Ghost Rider joins the team. According to the solicits (I KNOW WHAT I SAID ABOUT SOLICITS, OKAY?), this Ghost Rider will be Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider, and not the one who is on the verge of the release of his own ongoing (the new one drives a car!). Should be fun!

X-Men Legacy 22
The me-proclaimed best series of 2013 launches into 2014 before it reaches its conclusion and David is up against a big ol' fight. I really love this series and, while I'm depressed it's going to be ending, I take solace in knowing that the ending will be huge. I don't know if it will make me happy or sad or angry or what (I assume not angry, actually, because angry implies I don't trust Spurrier and I absolutely do) but it will be an ending and it will be different. Spurrier himself promised that it's not anything you could expect and that he "positively refuse[s] to restore the bloody status quo." Love that attitude.

Best Marvel comics of 2013 (part five of five): 1-5

HERE WE ARE, the best of the best of 2013. A quick note to, again, say thank you to everyone who checked in on the blog even once this year and happy new year to everyone out there. Let's count down.

5. Captain America

This is really pretty much the only book really in this top twenty that I wonder about, wonder if maybe I gave too much credit to because of my fondness for the character. However, when it's all said and done, I think that this is a book that, had it been anything less than exemplary, I wouldn't have been onboard for so the fact it's considered in the top ten, less the top five, means it deserves to be there. Captain America has been around for over 70 years so when I say this is him at his lowest point, know that it's a pretty low point to have to reach to be there. Rick Remender threw Steve into another dimension run by one of his archenemies and kept him there for a decade, re-writing the book on how sad it is to be Steve Rogers. Now, after ten years in Dimension Z, he's just returned to present-day Earth where, according to Marvel time, he's spent less time since being thawed from the ice than he had in Dimension Z and he has the added weight that he's lost the fiancee he just saw for the first time since he was trapped there and the adopted son he raised the entire time he was there. The only person who has any real sense of what it was like there is the daughter of the archenemy they killed and left behind and who is having enough trouble adjusting herself to the new world. On top of it all, Remender has done a phenomenal job showing an injured Cap, making sure that the super soldier is constantly working his way through severe injuries and convincing himself to get back up and keep fighting. It's a great new look at Steve (with a nice, never-before-seen look into his pre-super soldier days) while simultaneously being one of the hardest things to watch him go through. Very interested to see where the coming days take him and glad that Falcon is back in his life as a support and that, presumably, Bucky will be popping up sooner or later (he should be involved in the Iron Nail storyline and he'll have his own mini-series WINTER SOLDIER: BITTER MARCH coming soon not to mention ALL-NEW INVADERS next year). Should be fun.

4. New Avengers

NEW AVENGERS was a book that was gunning for number one right from the word go and only really slipped out of it as it had to dedicate too much time to tie-in. Don't get me wrong, the NEW AVENGERS link to INFINITY was very strong and still told a good story, one that was necessary to the event while still focusing on the characters we needed to see in NEW AVENGERS, but ultimately it slowed down a series that was moving at a ridiculous and very exciting pace. Regardless, the combination of this team and story was always going to ensure that NEW AVENGERS landed pretty high up on the best-of list and now HERE IT IS. Every character is extraordinarily interesting and comes off with what feels like the exact amount of weight that's appropriate for their situations. On top of dealing with the book's main threat, incurring worlds that regularly threaten to destroy our own via crashing together (okay, written out it sounds a little stupid but all the more reason for it to be up here because, in practice, it is amazing), we have some of the top egos in the world clashing, particularly as T'Challa and Namor continue to meet and try to figure out ways to stop the incursions while their countries fight a bitter war against one another. As the first year closes out, everything has come to a head with Black Bolt weakened and, if I was reading correctly, thought dead, T'Challa cast out of Wakanda, and everyone still coping with how they're going to stop incursions and how they're going to live with themselves afterwards. There's a ton happening here and this is one of those books that clearly has plenty more to say so I don't anticipate it losing any steam in the months ahead (in fact, a new issue comes out THIS VERY DAY and I'll get around to reviewing it AT SOME POINT).

3. Hawkeye

I think that HAWKEYE has unquestionably changed the way that mainstream comics can run. I'm not saying every mainstream comic has taken up its unique storytelling methods or its run-down and deeply flawed protagonist but there are certainly a number that have (I still look at SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN as something that, in the very least, started out being something of a HAWKEYE clone). On top of that, HAWKEYE has earned itself well-deserved huge critical acclaim and has brushed up against the mainstream with reviews and praise from all over various media. For all the books it's inspired and all of the lenses on it, HAWKEYE has never once backed down and continues to do its brand of character and story and storytelling best of all its competitors. It's an amazing book with an amazing core and a perfectly established cast consisting almost entirely of Clint and Kate. The writing is continually sharp and balanced, the art is always among the best in the business (even now as it oscillates between David Aja's proven style and Annie Wu's newcomer talent), and the characters are Venture Brothers-level depressing (fun fact: Annie Wu also works on The Venture Brothers). The only real reason this book didn't go even higher on this list is a delay in the publishing that meant that we didn't get it for a couple of months in the late summer, early fall. Still, an overall amazing book that's really set a precedent in the Marvel Universe and that's doing it better than anyone else, the only time Hawkeye has ever been able to say that.

2. Young Avengers

Guys, I legitimately had to walk away from the computer for a bit so that I could decide which book belonged in which spot up in the top two and it ended up meaning that I actually walked away from the computer for like, four hours and, frankly, I still haven't really come to a decision. YOUNG AVENGERS did some things that I've never seen done in mainstream books (actually, each of the top three picks here read unlike any other mainstream book I think I've ever read) and brought Kieron Gillen's signature writing excellence and Jamie McKelvie's signature absolutely outstanding artwork to the project. As a book, I think that this one probably merits being number one. There were times that I finished an issue and my mind was just absolutely blown. There were times where I would turn a page and lose my mind because something so gorgeous or so striking or so very different had happened. I came into this book with rather high expectations, given that Gillen was pretty fresh off the amazing JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY and that Jamie McKelvie was Jamie McKelvie. Despite raised expectations and a certain amount of attachment to the characters, this book never once disappointed. Brilliant every step of the way and had a cast that rivaled any in comics in likability with a story and artwork to challenge anything I'd ever seen before from Marvel. Simply put, this book was next-level in every single aspect. If you believe it was better than the number one pick and deserved to be there, well, I don't disagree necessarily and please feel free to read these two in any order. So so sad to see this one go next week.

1. X-Men Legacy

Had you asked me at the start of this year, or even several issues into this run, if this book was going to hang around and be such an important book in 2013, I'd've probably shrugged and said "well it's pretty good. Surprisingly good. But I don't know about best of the year good." Still, here it is, December 31st and that's precisely what I'm saying. Like HAWKEYE and YOUNG AVENGERS, this book has done things I've never seen done in books before and given us a character in David Haller who is so challenging to read and so perfectly formed that it feels impossible to read this book and not love every second of it, not get so invested in it that each week it's not released feels like a let down. Just a really impressive title and one that, from the outset, had no right being so impressive. David Haller is not a massive character in the Marvel Universe, despite his power set and despite his lineage. He's had big storylines here and there throughout the X-Wing of the Universe but he's never really reached beyond that. So I can only imagine what it was like to Si Spurrier to jump onto a book where David would be the main character and have to work backwards from the crazed and ultra-powerful being that was Legion and try to make him relatable. I don't know if this was a book Marvel wanted written and pegged Spurrier for it or if it was a pitch that Spurrier made to Marvel but I have to imagine it was the latter because the sheer weight of Spurrier's run and the intricacies with which he plays with David makes me believe that Spurrier was born to write this book. This book may not have been the knockout every issue that YOUNG AVENGERS or HAWKEYE was but its slow-burn and its gutsiness really catapulted it up the chart. This is a book that is entirely unique for Marvel and that works so incredibly well. Every piece of it: the not-entirely likable main character and his extremely human problems despite all of his massive powers, the girl troubles (and the trouble that stems from the idea that she's the only one who has the ability to stop him if things get to their worst inside of him), the prison inside David's head for all of his powers, the amazing idea to have the narration play in loudspeakers inside of David's head whenever we peek in there, the villain of the series, the character interactions, the story itself, the X-Force feel of the lone character, everything, felt so perfectly placed and so well-executed that this series has staying power well beyond its years. This deserves to be in every top ten list and deserves to be the sort of book that's revisited years and years down the line. I wasn't sold on the art it first but it slow-burned just as well and now I can't imagine this book with any other art. Tan Eng Huat and Koi Pham alternated on some issues and both brought such a perfect design to every character and such a sharpness to each situation while also staying appropriately psychedelic when need be. A near perfect full series. Guys, how sad is it that the two top books of this year are both ending in the next couple of months?




So that's that. Enjoy your New Year's Eve everyone and tune in tomorrow for the top ten books to look for THIS COMING YEAR.

This week's picks

Slight departure from last week, where I couldn't narrow down to three picks so I cheated and stuck everything in. This week had far more books that I didn't really care for or that I downright didn't like. There were still a good handful that I really liked but it wasn't enough to make me cheat again. That door is closed. Until the next time there are too many good picks.

Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe 3

This is kind of my wild card pick this week. In truth, I think that both AVENGERS ANNUAL and INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK ANNUAL were better books, maybe along with IRON MAN and INHUMANITY. Still, it's hard for me to pick a different book than LONGSHOT because this book stuck with me most this week, which is saying a lot. I can't really even explain why it stuck with me except that it was fun. Sometimes comics trying to go whole-heartedly fun and funny can falter and feel so forced (point in case, this week's DEADPOOL). This one didn't. It flowed well, it was funny, it's hitting all of its marks, and it's a really pretty book, overall, with solid art from Camagni. Good stuff all around.

X-Men Legacy 21

Well obviously this book and obviously the next one. X-MEN LEGACY, through Spurrier's Marvel NOW! run has been such a wonderful character study for David Haller. Others have had nice little examinations throughout but the defining factor is David's personality and his very troubled struggles. I don't think there's anyone out there right now writing better, more complete single characters in any comic I'm reading. Between this one and Spurrier's ongoing weekly web-based comic CROSSED: WISH YOU WERE HERE, Spurrier has so tightly developed characters that the comic might as well run itself at this point. What's, perhaps, more impressive is that he's not content to sit on his created character; he's constantly changing David and putting him through new challenges. It's a tremendous series and this issue is no different.

Young Avengers 13

This post is taking me longer than I thought it would and mostly because I keep going back into YOUNG AVENGERS just to look at the art. It's a lot to go through and frankly, the art would be enough to put this book firmly on the pull list even if the story or writing was garbage but GOOD NEWS, this is a fantastic series with an interesting story, awesome writing, and great characters. Just overall phenomenal stuff. Like with X-MEN LEGACY, this is a perfect example of a complete journey, a book that's developed its characters throughout the course of the series to the point where their actions make sense here even as they do things we haven't seen in the series (David revealing his jealousy for Teddy and Billy in his inspiration talk to Teddy, America showing her sentimentality and her care for her teammates, something that's been building for a while, and the Kate and Noh-Varr fight, all perfect, not to even get into the main stories between Billy and Teddy and Loki). Really amazing series and an amazing conclusion to this series-long arc.

This week's picks

Lot of good picks this week and not too many truly bad ones, which is pretty exciting as someone who makes himself read them all. Let's get right into it without any more unnecessary notes from me.

Thunderbolts 18

Another fun issue of THUNDERBOLTS that continues to help build a new feel for this series. This arc probably overall could have been condensed an issue or so but I don't think the extra length really hurts it in any big way. If anything, it gives us a more complete look at the characters and a better feel for the tone. Everything in this first arc from Charles Soule comes to a head as the Thunderbolts succeed in all of their goals (plus a few bonus ones) but not without tensions rising and a bit of a competitive bent shining through (there's a great moment where Deadpool brags about killing the Paguros and doing it without following Punisher's complex plan and then gets to rub it in to Punisher that, since he was helping after all, Punisher's going to be in for a doozy when Deadpool's name comes out of that hat). There's still a romantic thing going on with Elektra and Punisher (that culminates IN THE BATTLE VAN) and there are still plenty of tensions borne from that. And Mercy, this doesn't even mention Mercy! There's so much happening and the book still manages to be fresh and fun. Pretty neat.

X-Men Legacy 20

Speaking of culmination, Si Spurrier's final arc on the book is approaching and he's going into it guns fully blazing, it seems. After an entire series spent with David going back and forth in his power-set and in his own confidence, everything seems to be pretty well sorted as David goes up against his biggest foe yet (and he's been up against the Red Skull, you guys). One of the best and most impressive parts of it all is that it's not coming as a heavy-handed "FINALLY David overcomes all of his issues" sort of story because David has fluctuated so often in the series. He's gone from being among the most powerful to de-powered to looking to be de-powered to being confident to being doubtful to everything in between and, frankly, he's won out in just about every venture he's undertaken, even if it's not the cleanest win. Because of that, it's hard to say that he's needed outwardly to overcome his issues since, without overcoming it, he's been so successful. This is a very emotional and exciting win for David and it's perfectly executed. The art really stands out here and it works perfectly for the tone of the book. Great stuff, really excited for the next arc to start.

Young Avengers 12

Guys, YOUNG AVENGERS is likely to remain on my top picks for the last few issues, just as it's been here for the first 12 or so. This book is reliably among the best of any given week, no matter what happens. For starters, the writing is always top of the game and the characterization is always incredibly intricate and multi-faceted. It's a book that feels fully in sync with itself; the art perfectly represents the writing, the characters will say something and then look amazingly expressive of that thought. Often, they don't even really need to say anything, the look conveys it, and Gillen is a skilled enough writer and trusts McKelvie enough to know that upfront. Gillen said in an interview that one of his biggest goals for the book was to get McKelvie into the spotlight by getting him to draw a fairly big ongoing series with Marvel. He's pretty clearly accomplished that by getting the immensely talented Jamie McKelvie into the comic-reader lexicon and, as anyone who knew him before this or who has seen him since can tell you, it's one hundred percent deserved. This is, hands-down, the best drawn book in a slew of absolutely amazingly drawn books right now. Amazing stuff. Hoping to hear soon that Gillen and McKelvie are picking up another Marvel book.

This week's picks

Last week I got fairly lucky; there were a handful of deserving books but three books, as soon as I read them, jumped out at me. This week, not so much luck. A lot of good books and only three spots (well, really two once you realize Hawkeye was always going to be on this list) for them all. Let's get at it like the Red Sox got at the Tigers last night, hm?

Hawkeye 13
It's really great to have this book back after a bit of a late summer break as Matt Fraction fulfilled his altogether too numerous other duties. How this guy puts out fantastic book after fantastic book is beyond me but I'm not going to complain about it. Solid work diving back in with an issue that's part recap and part filling-in-blanks without feeling like it's too much of either. Just a really great issue with, of course, amazing David Aja art and Matt Hollingsworth colors, nothing less than what we've come to expect out of the series as a whole. Fraction's toying with time comes back around in a big way here as we jump from moment to moment in Clint's recent life, tying together the narrative we already mostly know. It's an impressive book that can take a story we already know and a character the book has already well-established and create a new story that feels fresh and fits the feel so perfectly while not really telling much new. Great work. Also, as a note, really hard to pick a single panel to showcase for this issue. There were three or four that really fit wonderfully.

Avengers 21 AND New Avengers 11
I know, it's totally a cheat but bear with me here, I'm going somewhere with this. I'm now officially on record as saying that I'm really enjoying Infinity. It's a smart event that doesn't seem like it's going to overstay its welcome and that consists of a story that both feels big enough to be told in such grand manner and could have really big ramifications as the universe pushes on. The structure and the flow of the event, tying directly to Avengers and New Avengers, matches well with the seriousness of the situation and makes this an event well worth reading. However, it feels even more impressive right now, this week, as Avengers and NewAvengers both come out, tying directly into Infinity but, more than that, harvesting seeds that had been planted long before this event in both individual title. Hickman has done a great job working up to this event in direct pieces (Ex Nihilo, Abyss, and the Gardeners, the infinity gems, etc.) but now we're also seeing how intricately he's connected these books to the events we're now getting.

Now we're seeing Captain Universe unleashing tremendous power after being revived by a legion of Ex Nihili, we're seeing war strike Wakanda on the end of Namor's pointing finger, we're seeing incursions, we're seeing the Builders of other universes, we're seeing Captains America and Marvel stepping into universe leadership roles as simply as they did in Avengers. Everything is coming together perfectly and it strengthens both these individual titles and the event as a whole. No reader can look at this event, whether they like it or not, and say that it feels sudden or abrupt. Ultron didn't just happen to show up and take over. Galactus isn't making a beeline for Earth because he's hungry. This is a big event made possible by seemingly every sentence leading up to it in these books. Really well done.

X-Men Legacy 18

Okay, so maybe that was a cheat so I could put X-Men Legacy on this list. Whatever, guys. This was kind of a toss-up between Legacy and Cable and X-Force, which really pulled back and renewed its sense of fun and spirit after what felt a little like a drought in there. Ultimately the choice went to Legacy for a couple of reasons. One, the story is already in full swing and it's a good one, giving Legacy the edge over Cable because Cable has to introduce its story before we can decide if it's a really good one or not. Two, as I said in my review, this is not the first time that I've trusted the Spurrier was telling the story that it outwardly looked like he was telling (David is getting revenge on Cyclops for the death of his father and, in a nutshell, for being his father's favorite son) before realizing that, in fact, he was telling the same story he's been telling since issue one (David is stopping a threat to mutants before it can manifest, no matter the cost). I'm not, despite any snarky remarks you may have, the worst reader who's ever existed; I should really see this coming. But I don't. I haven't any of the other times and I didn't now. The writing is superb, the characters are flawlessly flawed, the story is appropriately huge and quiet at the same time, everything comes together for this book yet again. Really hard to beat it.

Comics this week

As I said in last week's picks post, I just started a new paying job so, look behind the curtain here, things might get a little more erratic around here. Hopefully everything keeps up the way it has but it could mean a number of things, including shorter posts or cutting books from my review slate. Longtime readers (or anyone who can search through a blog) know that I try to review every major Marvel release every week. I don't really want to cut that, necessarily, but, you know, I might. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted. So how do we kick off this testing ground? Why, with 17 new books of course!

Captain Marvel 16
This issue, like the last, is slated to tie-in to the Infinity event, which is actually pretty compelling for Captain Marvel right now. Last issue she went Binary to defeat foes and save her team after we learned that the events of The Enemy Within left her memory out of whack. In last week's Avengers, we saw her questioned by the Builders and learn of J-Son's betrayal. Plenty happening right now for Captain Marvel, it'll be interesting to see where the phenomenal Kelly Sue DeConnick takes this one. There are also some hints in the works about a change in the Captain Marvel format, as the book is missing from solicits not too long from now. There's been no word of cancellation and DeConnick herself has said not to worry about things. Some day we'll probably learn more.

Infinity 3
The event continues and it's set up both of the Marvel Universe's fronts, one fighting the Builders in space and one fighting Thanos on Earth. Plenty happening here and, as I've said since the start of the event, enough to justify making Infinity an event. Still, as we reach the halfway point of the main series (and presumably of the event as a whole), this is a crucial time for Infinity to show that it's not planning on slowing down. The events that have happened in the book and in the crossovers makes me feel like there's enough plot to keep pushing forward without losing momentum but this issue needs to prove it. Issues 3 and 4 will have to carry a fair amount of weight as events tend to lose steam in the middle before jumping to their thrilling conclusions. Hopefully this book won't lose any of its steam and will keep giving us a big story.

New Avengers 10
Even though I've liked this crossover a bit less than I've liked some of the others and less than I've liked the book when it's not busy crossing over, there's still a very interesting story here and one that's likely to get even more interesting as Namor has now betrayed Black Panther (if you can call it a betrayal) to Thanos' Black Order, saying that Wakanda is where the object Thanos seeks is hidden. There's been deserved tension between Panther and Namor since before the start of this series and it's all coming to a head now. It's a little hard for me to see this whole thing winding down without one of them dying. This is both exciting for fans (a Namor/Panther fight will be awfully impressive) and a little heartbreaking for me (I love both characters. Panther probably a hair more, but geez guys).

Thunderbolts 15
I really liked the last issue of Thunderbolts. It was fun and smart and quick and the art matched the tone extremely well. I'm looking forward to this issue, though perhaps a bit warily. I'm hoping that it keeps up the tone and the feel from the last one as our newest creative team continues its work on the book. The story itself could be interesting as a team of super mercenaries takes on a big crime family with the backing of every gang in New York. This issue, like the last one, is also marked as an Infinity tie-in. It only came up tangentially last time (with Venom noting that the Avengers were off-world and Frank adjusting his game plan accordingly) but I'd expect it to play a little bit of a bigger role here. Maybe not though. Something interesting to note about Infinity: though I'm still a little suspicious of it, four of my five most anticipated picks this week are directly related to it so I guess it's going pretty well after all.

X-Men Legacy 17
I assume we'll get the conclusion of David and Cyclops' fight this week, as I'd be surprised if it carries another issue. The tone of the last issue was pretty fun despite the seriousness of the situation for David. Though we've had a remarkable 16 issues so far, everything about David's character continues to be compelling and interesting, as well as fun to watch. I'm still not tired of going into David's head and seeing the powers there (and the still very smart concept of his monologues being broadcast inside his mind) nor am I tired of him using those powers. His personality is extremely well-defined and stands apart from just about every other character in the Marvel Universe. We're talking about a story about a very powerful but conflicted man whose somewhat absentee father, beloved by everyone he comes into contact with, was killed attacking his father's killer, who was like family to the father. This is pretty much Hamlet and, despite this, I still think he's a wonderfully original character and frankly I like this better.

This week's picks

Kind of a tough week to narrow down to three picks, for which I could not be happier. So, uh, here it goes?

Avengers Assemble 18

I think sometimes events lose characters a little because they're so clearly plot-driven that the characters themselves (unless it's an event in a single character's book) get a little lost in the shuffle. Not always a bad thing but I love these characters and I want to learn more about them just about every time out. Like with Age of Ultron's crossover events, these already seem more dedicated to how the action impacts the people. First up, in fact, shows the impact of both this event and recent events as Spider-Woman's life is now changed by her deteriorating relationship with Hawkeye and the drama of Enemy Within has changed the way Captain Marvel interacts with people. It's a great issue to show the intricacies of the relationships between superheroes and a really phenomenal issue for Spider-Woman. I said in my review this week that DeConnick has changed my view of the character entirely and this just adds to it. She's not perfect but she's also not perfectly flawed, in such a cookie-cutter way that she could only be a comic book character. She feels real and that really comes across here.

Daredevil 30

Anyone who didn't see this coming hasn't been reading my blog enough. I love this book, I love Samnee's art and Waid's writing, I love the new feel of Matt Murdock, and guys, I really love Silver Surfer. Both characters are written extremely well and the plot gives a chance for each to shine as well as allowing Samnee and Rodriguez to shine. It's also really just a ton of fun, with great beats like Daredevil driving the surfboard and navigating the world of being Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This issue has an emotional weight to it, though, as Matt has to come to terms with possibly working with an ex-girlfriend and knowing that, if Ru'ach wasn't lying, he doesn't have a shot with her. Matt Murdock not having a shot with a woman? That's a pretty new concept and it'll take him some time to come to grips there. Great issue, always happy with this book.

X-Men Legacy 15

I really love this book but I'm a little disappointed it's in my top three this week. My Saturday reviews gushed about how impressed I was with the turn that the three books have taken and how delightful each was to read this week, despite initial fears in each book/arc. So, in my head, I was debating which to pick to add to my top three this week. Would it be Ultimates for its fast-action and really quick and fun pacing? Would it be Nova for its turn to make Nova into a believable 15 year old and its examination of how novice superheroes get into the game? Or would it be Thunderbolts for that one panel I posted with Deadpool talking to Punisher? Oh right, none of them because X-Men Legacy is just too great every time it's released. Okay, I'm not that disappointed it's up here because I really love this book and the emotions this one brought out really gave a great feel to this issue. I've liked when emotion has permeated this book but none of it was quite so palpable as here, as David has to cope with his abandonment issues from both parents and lingering feelings about his parents as, very suddenly, now both of them are dead. Tough stuff for anyone to deal with, let alone an omega-level mutant with hundreds of omega-level personalities inside his head. Cyclops should probably be worried, given the control David's found over his powers.


Sorry guys, not going to do an extra feature this week. I would do best cover but it would probably be Daredevil and you've already heard me gush about that all week. I would do best panel but, despite my girlfriend's protests that it should be this one:

it would probably just be the Deadpool one I posted this past week from Thunderbolts. Hilarious. I would do best character but no one really featured in more than one book this week. Weird, right? Oh well, I tried.

This week's picks

Not too too many books out this week and a handful of those were right out of the picks selection (What If...AvX ended up further out than Uncanny X-Men in a surprise move, considering how little weight What If carried). There were two right in and one kind of toss up but really, it was always going to come down to the same three that always make it. Such is the flaw of this system but, on the other hand, I know it works because there are no books I'd recommend you read more this week.

Captain Marvel 14

A really wonderful issue ends the Avengers: The Enemy Within storyline with an emotional punch. I've badmouthed events a fair amount on this blog but I don't object to the idea of events (and, as I said this week, this wasn't an event in the way Marvel doesn't events now; it's just a crossover, really). Events are just stories that may be a little grander in scale and that may require more than just the characters at hand. It's bound to come up occasionally because Marvel has made a universe that is interconnected so tightly that 90% of its characters live in one city. If there weren't events, it would be weird. Events are stories and the reason that they work, when they do, is that they're presenting a story worth telling. DeConnick has done that masterfully and this conclusion is equal parts inspiring and heart-breaking. Can't recommend it any more than that.



Daredevil 29

Really stunning book with a couple of nice ideas. One of the things that's really stood out about Daredevil since Waid took over is that, amidst all of the tension and the dramatic storylines, the book has been fun. There's not really a better issue to highlight for that than this one. The last issue ended with a man being shot and the reveal that the Serpent Society, a racist hate group, has infiltrated the city's institutions and yet this book finds the appropriate times to show Matt as a real person with real thoughts. Is he nervous and stressed about what all of this means? Sure, and it comes across perfectly. However, that doesn't stop him from breaking the tension a few times (for the audience, mainly, the people in the comic aren't privy to the joke), including the panels at left and his accusing a black paramedic of being associated with the racist Serpent Society based on his elevated heartbeat. The art is gorgeous, the story is engaging, the colors of this book continue to be perfect, and the writing is top-notch. What I'm trying to say, you guys, is that this book is pretty darn good.

X-Men Legacy 14

Another great issue of X-Men Legacy as Pete Wisdom takes narrative reins again to keep us playfully in the dark about David's plans for mutaphobic Britain. It continues to be a brilliant decision to keep Pete in the driver's seat as his change-of-pace narration is both engaging and entertaining all while keeping us wondering about David's motives. It's a great device and it's well-executed. Spurrier chose a character who is right in his writing wheelhouse here and who comes across perfectly. Pete Wisdom has now appeared twice in both Gambit and in X-Men Legacy and he's characterized far more completely in Legacy. Sure, he has the advantage here because he's the narrator instead of a character our hero comes up against, but it's worth noting that we get all sorts of dimensions to his character in just two issues. If you came in not knowing anything about Pete Wisdom, I think you'd get it. We take a trip inside David's mind that is awfully fun (as it has been throughout the series) and we're left with a cliffhanger that wouldn't be a cliffhanger in most other books but, since Spurrier's developed his characters so well, it is here. Great issue. I like Tan Eng Huat's art more and more each issue I see. Solid book.

This week's picks

There are five or six books I'm trying to narrow down to three for this week's picks and it seems like, at any moment, any three books could take the spots. It can be frustrating trying to whittle that many books down to three, but the upside, of course, is that I got to read a bunch of really good comics this week. Never going to be upset about that.

Daredevil 26

Daredevil has long been billed "the man without fear" and he almost always lives up to that title. Even if he's losing a fight, he tends to appear unafraid, just angry or depressed. His lack of fear often pushes him to keep fighting. However, here, in Daredevil 26, he is flat out terrified of what's going to happen next. After being soundly defeated by Ikari last issue and told that he'll be killed at some point, Daredevil is seeing threats everywhere. The really great thing, though, is that he's not necessarily wrong. Yes the people he's accusing could be completely innocent and appear to be after he attacks them, but each time something additional happens to show that he wasn't wrong. The issue culminates in a nice Matt/Foggy scene and in the reveal that Bullseye is behind everything. Daredevil gets back on track and finds Bullseye, taking out Lady Bullseye in the process. It's a great examination of everything Matt tries to be and what it takes to make him break. Great issue for comic fans and extra great for Daredevil fans.

X-Men Legacy 11

Like seeing Matt's resolve weaken under all his pressure and strengthen again after Foggy's pep talk, we get a chance to watch David tested over and over, by his own father's brain, by his own feelings about himself, and by the Red Skull. Instead of Matt, whose strength makes him aim to take down the villains he's facing, David's strength means giving up against Red Skull and sacrificing himself to save the world from the future he causes. The writing continues to be tight and David continues to be a perfectly broken protagonist. One of the great things about this issue is that it turns the expectations about comics on its head. As David keeps getting opportunities to turn tail or to discover that the facility he wants to use is, in fact, evil, his resolve continues not to break and he continues to want the chance to take his powers out. In every other comic that Marvel puts out, the hero MIGHT have made it this far, but then would have fought Red Skull and tried to think of another way or something. In this case, everything that piles up makes David say "I don't care, someone will deal with you eventually, the pill works, I want it." It's really brilliant and such a twist if simply because it's what he had wanted all along and he stuck to it. It's a twist without a twist. Fantastic.

Young Avengers 5

I like everything that happened in this issue. There's a lot of really fun stuff and anything that could be construed as cheesy is pointed out to be cheesy right away, before the reader can do it himself. What really boosts this book over other books this week like Avengers or Fantastic Four or Journey into Mystery or Superior Spider-Man is the Loki discussion that it generates. Loki finally reveals himself to the audience to be the original Loki posing as the much more lovable and kind of trustworthy kid Loki but there's a twist; kid Loki is still there as Loki's conscience of sorts (he points out that he's not real, of course, but he's still in there). For anyone who loved Gillen's run on Journey into Mystery (if you didn't, maybe go read all of it this instant), there's tons to be excited about going forward. There are lots of directions to go with this series and with these kids and with Loki. The book jumped right in and clearly intends to keep at this level even as the first arc winds down. This is a near perfect book for anyone. I would recommend this title to any comic reader and to a whole lot of non-comic readers.


Best Cover

Again, a lot of good ones out there. Superior Spider-Man had a weirdly haunting cover, Daredevil's cover is more beautiful Samnee art and Young Avengers is a really neat concept well executed by McKelvie. However, this run of X-Men Legacy covers have kind of blown me away one after another and manages to continue to do so here. It's a great image of David sliding on a bunch of pills, a bit out of control, as the pills form up to make the Red Skull. It highlights everything that needs to be highlighted that will come in the story and that the character is going through without giving the whole book away. Also, the art is solid on it and the very basic color scheme makes the image stand out even more.