This week's picks

Short week for comics this week and kind of a weird one. I'd say most of these books were fine and good reads, but I don't know how many totally stand out. PLUS SIDE, at least three of them do and that's all I need!

Captain America 7

I kind of can't get over how good this book is. I love the perspective on Cap and I love the humanity of Cap, which is something I feel like I haven't talked about enough. On top of the fact that we're seeing Steve as a father and dealing with the issues his own father left him with, we're seeing Steve in pain and struggling. Granted, he's in pain a fair amount in comics, as are most superheroes, but he's noting his pain so frequently. Constantly he'll get hit or take a fall or something and he'll instantly diagnose himself (it's been happening since issue one too) with what's wrong and he'll keep pushing through. That's kind of a difference from most other hero books, where you'll see a hero take a big hit, then just get up or struggle to his or her feet or something and keep on fighting. After a few big ones, the drama of "oh he/she must be really hurt" sets in, but here it's amplified by the fact we know EXACTLY how hurt Cap is ninety percent of the time and we see him continue to stand back up. It's absolutely perfect for his character in every aspect; he falls but he never succumbs, he bends but he never breaks, he's not the same level of power as Hulk or Thor or something but he never seems weaker, and, to a less defining but equally understandable extent, he can self-diagnose in a heartbeat. It's a near perfectly written Steve and, as if the story wasn't compelling enough to keep tuning in for (it is), it's worth reading just for that.

Fury MAX 12

It's sometimes hard to do a "this week's picks" because saying that implies that my subjective way of viewing books is worth listening to and is similar enough to what everyone's view is or what everyone's view SHOULD be. Usually I can get over that because I know, in my heart of hearts, that the books I've chosen are phenomenal and no one should be disappointed by them, in the very least. Of course, people still will be because that's how humanity functions, but I'm over that. However, this is a strange pick because it's probably the one of the more polarizing books I've chosen for this segment throughout the last six months. For action fans, there's not a lot of action. For fans of quick and snappy dialogue driven books, there's almost none of that. For fans of happy endings or beginnings or middles, there's nothing much to choose from here. For people who don't like swears or violence or a touch of nudity, this book won't really land. For people who don't want discussions of America's shady involvement in Nicaragua and similar areas of possible communist aggression or discussions about politics and Congress, this book is not a fun one. However, the weight this book puts on Nick Fury and the hopelessness Fury feels, a feeling he is not used to, is so palpable and so heavy that it would have been hard for me not to pick this book. Fury's very well characterized and his struggle is so hard to look on and to deal with that it adds such a layer to his character and to this world that I wouldn't have been able to look away from it. The art, which I wasn't sure about at the start of this series, has proven so perfect for the subject and the tone that it's a near perfect book, if you're looking for strange things in a book and none of the things I mentioned above. So I recommend this book knowing full well that many people would not like this book. Still, I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend it anyway and I'd sure hate to be remiss.

New Avengers 6

Have I mentioned that I adore this book? It turns out I have, almost non-stop. There's such a weight to this series and to these characters and it all ties back in, in a great way, to Captain America, which is why Hickman so adeptly utilized him for the first few issues. These are characters who are abnormally strong in different ways, whether it's with their powers or their intellects or their convictions, and they're being tested in all of those ways in what is essentially a no-win scenario. The problem that this team had with Cap being there is that Cap bends but doesn't break, the same characteristic that makes his solo book (and almost all of his other appearances) so compelling. In a lot of situations, he won't even really bend. The problem this team is facing (they're never referred to as the New Avengers so I'd almost rather call them the Illuminati still but the BOOK is the New Avengers so it seems like I SHOULD still call them New Avengers but that also seems like a marketing ploy since there's almost no reason for them to be called the New Avengers and they're seemingly more secret than even the Secret Avengers and...you know what, this doesn't matter. Let's just get back to what I was saying) is one that requires them to make horrible and inhuman choices to save their world and there's no way around that, at least not yet. Namor constantly points out that these heroes want a way to have everything, a safe two planets, but that there isn't any way to have that. They have to bend and break. Cap wouldn't have been able to, as they all well knew, so he had to be removed from the team. What a devastating book this is that the first order of business was removing the conscience of the team. By the same token, though, what a phenomenal book to read where they know that's exactly what they've done.

Best Panel:

I don't necessarily love picking the best cover or panel from one of the books that I chose as a "best" book, even though that kind of logic follows to a certain extent. However, this panel from New Avengers took a tone that was already dark and shifted it to be just a bit darker and to really focus on the people under the masks in such a simple and elegant way that I felt like I needed to highlight it. Of course, I'm also a big fan of Epting's art and I love the way that D'Armata colors this book. From issue one this book has felt like, in all departments, it knows what it wants to be and what it needs to be to be successful. This panel is just another example of that, as Hickman manipulates the characters and Epting manipulates the view of the characters and D'Armata manipulates the tone of the scene all aimed at making us see the book they want us to see. Brilliantly done.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Journey into Mystery 651, Fury MAX 11

Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Bendis (w) and McNiven, Pichelli, Dell, and Morales (a) and Ponsor (c)

The Guardians go into London to stop the Badoon attack. The Badoon have cut off all types of communication to and from the city, leaving the Guardians as the only ones available to fend off the invasion (aside from possibly Captain Britain, but Iron Man waves off the suggestion inexplicably). The team splits up and each hero, aside from Groot who is still regrowing, takes a Badoon ship to take out. They do pretty well, with Rocket perhaps doing the best. He storms through a ship, killing off anyone in his way, before setting the ship to self-destruct and crash into another ship. Drax is on that ship and only barely, with the aid of Gamora and Iron Man, escapes the explosion. When they land, they ask if he's okay and he waves them off angrily. Meanwhile, the Spartax King (Quill's father) holds a meeting with the Kree Supreme Intelligence, Young Annihilus, Gladiator of the Shi'ar, the queen of the Brood, Freyja the all-mother of Asgardia, and Y'Gaaar of the Badoon in the Negative Zone, which apparently can just be opened and closed at will. They meet to discuss Earth, which J-Son says is likely one generation from space travel and is a constant pain in everybody's butt just by staying where they are. He cites the numberous times they've rebuffed Galactus, the Phoenix, Thanos, the Kree, the Skrull, and so many others. He asks to hear if anyone is on his side and everyone except Freyja seems to be. Freyja says that declaring war on Earth is tantamount to declaring war on Asgard. J-Son and Y'Gaaar share a knowing glance. Back in London, the Spartax army descends on the Guardians and declares them prisoners of war for supporting and protecting Earth.
I'm still not totally sold on this premise as it all revolves around the many aliens in the Marvel Universe feeling as if Earth is such a threat it's worth destroying at this point. While the argument that Earth is a formidable enemy is a solid enough one, given how often they've stopped threats, it seems silly to not welcome them into space and assume they won't send many conquering forces. Sure you have to be ready for their abilities if you're J-Son, in case they're not so amenable, but it feels like the types of leaders these guys are (well, maybe not the evil ones like Annihilus and the Badoon) would at least offer a chance. That's what Freyja says too. I'm glad Freyja didn't agree with them because then I'd have some real issues with the premise feeling like everyone does it just to advance the story. Still, it's enough to push the story and the characters are compelling enough as it stands. I worry about Rocket, who has the most obviously funny lines, turning into something like Deadpool. I suppose he could pan out that way logically, but it worries me anyway. The dialogue works best in short bursts from characters and works worst, I would say, when it's snappy back and forth. That's the way it goes. It's largely bursts, which helps and helps differentiate the characters. We'll see where three takes us.

Journey into Mystery 651
Immonen (w) and Larraz (a) and Bellaire (c)

I admit to being a little confused but pleased with this one. I don't really know enough Asgardian lore to comment particularly much on Fenris, the great wolf who has troubled Asgard in the past, or on what the dwarves are doing. That's all on me, I accept that. However, the issue is certainly still paced well enough and is fun enough to cover any sort of confusion there might be. The issue revolves around Volstagg's daughter Hilde bringing Heimdall's dog (one of Loki's litter from his JiM run) out for a walk in the dead of night and running across the Fenris wolf, being brought by Asgardia by two dwarves. Hilde runs and gets Volstagg, who is awake having a midnight snack. Volstagg rushes to rouse the other two of the Warriors Three before they together get Thor and Sif. There's a lot of really fun dialogue between the characters, making them all feel close, closer than we usually get a chance to see them in the midst of battle in these Asgard books. The relationships feel effortless, simply like they've been happening behind the scenes for years and are coming out naturally. It's a lot of fun stuff, even as they have to battle against Fenris and try to get, essentially, his leash back on him. They eventually listen to his demands and allow, as he requests, Hilde to bring him a golden apple from Idunn's tree. Hilde, cleverer than anyone anticipated, apparently gets the leash on him via sleight of hand.
There's not a ton here if you're looking for plot or an extended story, as this seems like a one-off. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong and they're going to bring this issue back later, but it seems like a solo shot. Still, the characters are a lot of fun and the dialogue is delightful. I can't stress enough how nice it is to see the characters interacting like a family. Volstagg and Hilde have a great father-daughter relationship and everyone else has a great sibling-like relationship to one another (except Sif and Thor, who are definitely NOT acting like siblings in this issue). It's a lot of fun. Definitely worth reading if you're up for a fun issue of character relationships and dialogue.

Fury MAX 11
Ennis (w) and Parlov (a) and Loughridge (c)

Fury MAX has another pretty solid issue as Fury and Hatherly try to get to the bottom of America's involvement in the drug trade in Nicaragua. It turns out the officer who committed "suicide" left a note, which sounds way too forced and like it was written in honor of Fury far too much. Both Fury and Hatherly sniff it out but choose to act like they're buying it. Fury sends Hatherly to check on a fake lead from the note which he expects will lead to the things Barracuda will want them to see while Fury secretly goes after Barricuda. He throws the pilots of his helicopter off his scent before booby-trapping the chopper, giving them no way to communicate with the base. He tells the pilots to stick around the site while he tries to go find Barracuda and the rest. He stakes them out and hears what he needs to hear. Barracuda, though, hears from his man that they THINK Fury and Hatherly drove off, but that a later outpost wasn't sure if Fury was in the transport. Fury slinks off from the area and sees a nearby village Barracuda's crew already hit. He's disgusted to find that they've burned the town and mutilated all the people. Meanwhile, Pug and Shirley have a fight about infidelity and Pug talks about how helpless Shirley is without him.
Though the plot is still interesting and a real world sort of story is incredibly intriguing to watch. However, I do feel like this one went far further to earn its MAX designation than ones in the past have. Lots of swears, lots of dirty images and things. I'm not sure it really improves the issue. In terms of grounding it in realism, I'm not totally sure it works either. I'm not really sold on over-saturating work with swears because it feels too forced and, after a bit, tends to pull the audience out of the story. Otherwise, solid story with some really graphic imagery to get past.