GUYS. Hot on the heels of the Benedict-Cumberbatch-as-Doctor-Strange maybe-news yesterday (which was, ironically, the only bit of news Kevin Feige did NOT confirm, if just to make my blog look wrong), Marvel held a press conference to announce the slate of upcoming movies for phase three of the MCU. There are, you guys, some really huge, if not suspected, announcements here.
Captain America 3 gets new title!
After the news that Robert Downey Jr. would join the cast of Cap 3, the next installment of the fantastic Captain America movies will officially be called Captain America: Civil War. This is a huge deal and is likely something that will have seeds planted all over the coming Marvel movies. I talked a lot about the implications of Civil War in my post about RDJ in Cap 3 so I won't spend too much time here, except to note that when I went to IMDb for this news, they said it would be called Captain America: Serpent Society, which is...interesting? Whatever. Mark May 6th, 2016 on your calendars now.
Doctor Strange gets a release date!
No new news here (and, as I mentioned, no confirmation of now day-old news) except to say that the new Doctor Strange will land on November 4th, 2016.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 gets bumped up!
After a wildly successful and unexpected opening for the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 will now open May 5th, 2017.
Thor 3 ALSO gets new title!
Things are decidedly about to go bad for Thor as the latest in his franchise has officially taken the name Thor: Ragnarok. It has also slid into the release spot vacated by Guardians 2, set to release July 28th, 2017.
Black Panther officially confirmed for 2017, star announced
Ahhhhh, this one is huge! One of Marvel's best and most underrated heroes, Black Panther, will officially get his solo movie. Black Panther is set to be released November 3rd, 2017 and will star 42 and Get On Up star Chadwick Boseman, who is decidedly great. Very, very cool.
Captain Marvel!
Guys! Captain Marvel! Carol Danvers Captain Marvel, no less! Coming July 6th, 2018, everyone's favorite pilot-turned-Captain Marvel will take to the skies in Captain Marvel, which will purportedly find Carol trapped between Earth and outer space. Feige said there's no other news yet, but that a director and writer will be announced soon, though casting, obviously, is still a ways off.
Inhumans coming in 2018
With 2018 shaping up to be a big year for space experiment heroes, Marvel has also confirmed that Inhumans will release November 2nd, 2018 and will at least tie to the hitherto unseen in the MCU Kree-Skrull War.
Avengers: Infinity War to be two parts, spread apart one year
With the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron on the horizon, the third and fourth installments of the landmark Marvel franchise have been given name and tentative dates, with Avengers: Infinity War Part One set to land May 4th, 2018, and Infinity War Part Two coming almost exactly a year later, May 3rd, 2019.
Again, it's confirmation of a ton of news that has been speculated at for some time, with Marvel finally making the splash it needs to with movies like Black Panther and Captain Marvel and other major characters and events coming soon. Really exciting stuff, tucked away on a slow Tuesday. Special thanks to the security guard who wandered over to ask me who Dr. Strange was and kicked all of this off.
Showing posts with label inhumans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inhumans. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Inhuman 5, Ms. Marvel 8
Inhuman 5
The former king of Attilan, whose name has been stricken from the records and is referred to now as the Unspoken for the crimes he committed, has proposed to Medusa in the hopes of helping her lead New Attilan, though really to find more Terrigen. She, of course, rejects him, but does not imprison him, hoping to live up to her new welcoming stance and to find out the location of Black Bolt, which the Unspoken claims to know. As soon as he's left alone, the Unspoken enters a secret passageway which leads to a secret wealth of Terrigen, a depleted but extremely important resource for the Inhuman community and the source of the Unspoken's powers. Medusa, of course, never trusted the Unspoken and followed him down there in the hopes he would lead her to more Terrigen, assuming if anyone knew of any, it would be him. Unfortunately, he's able to take some of the Terrigen, allowing him to access his tremendous powers (he can pretty much do anything when he has the Terrigen) and he quickly takes over the city.
I've talked a lot about how the biggest flaw of this book is simply the timing. After numerous delays on the front end, this book is coming out about a year after the Terrigen Bomb went off in INFINITY, leaving Soule tasked with defining the past of the Inhumans, establishing the present of the Inhumans, and seeding for the future of the Inhumans, all while trying to do it quickly to keep up an overall series pace. The story itself is pretty interesting and the characters, when given a chance to breathe, can mostly hold their own, but the pacing tends to break down a bit as exposition wins out occasionally, like in this issue when Medusa gives a paragraph explanation of the Unspoken that is clearly only for the benefit of the reader and ends up being clunky and forced in the moment. I want to note here, because I don't think I ever really stress this, that isn't necessarily a dig at the writer; it's his job to tell a story and get people to understand that story and take interest in that story. It may even be an editor saying "hey, we need to explain who this guy is and we don't really have time to ease it out." Regardless of whose fault it is, though, it ends up hurting the book as a whole and it happens a couple of times. Hopefully the series will reach its potential as Soule gets the book to a place where he can feel confident just pressing forward.
Total Score: 3/5
Ms. Marvel 8
Ms. Marvel is having no luck finding leads back to the Inventor but is having luck finding giant Inhuman dogs as Lockjaw finds his way to Jersey and Kamala promptly adopts him. She and Bruno use the Facebook of the mutant teenager Wolverine had been looking for to try to learn more about her abduction. They use the location tracking on her last weird post to find where she was abducted and Kamala learns that Lockjaw is more than just a giant dog who likes hugs as he teleports her instantly to the spot. Together, Kamala and Lockjaw investigate the area and end up in a fight against one of the Inventor's big machines, this time powered by one of the kids she found at the house in Greenville. They take down the machine by removing the power source and she brings the protesting guy to the hospital, making her late for school and drawing more suspicion from her friends and classmates. That suspicion, sadly, isn't allayed as the Inventor sends another bot after Kamala at school after dropping a homing beacon in her bag. Will Kamala and the extremely helpful and great Lockjaw be able to save the school and keep her identity secret? Going to be particularly hard as Kamala can't seem to change her appearance!
Another great team-up as Lockjaw finds his way to Kamala on the orders of Medusa. Though he inspires fear and alarm in everyone else who sees the massive dog walking down the street, Kamala instantly takes to him, giving us another great look at the spirit and character of Kamala. One of the most impressive things about this series is that it feels like Kamala has been around forever, even if the story feels new. It's a testament to G. Willow Wilson's writing that Kamala feels so real and deep after just eight issues. Perhaps more interestingly, I'm not a hundred percent sold on the story or the series villain and I'm still totally onboard with this book as a whole. I think there's certainly still intrigue there for the story and villain but that's been a little less defined than Kamala so far, intentionally so but still potentially problematically. However, Kamala carries the book so adeptly that you're absolutely willing to give the plot a pass for a while, happily entertained by the characters in the book.
Total Score: 5/5
I've talked a lot about how the biggest flaw of this book is simply the timing. After numerous delays on the front end, this book is coming out about a year after the Terrigen Bomb went off in INFINITY, leaving Soule tasked with defining the past of the Inhumans, establishing the present of the Inhumans, and seeding for the future of the Inhumans, all while trying to do it quickly to keep up an overall series pace. The story itself is pretty interesting and the characters, when given a chance to breathe, can mostly hold their own, but the pacing tends to break down a bit as exposition wins out occasionally, like in this issue when Medusa gives a paragraph explanation of the Unspoken that is clearly only for the benefit of the reader and ends up being clunky and forced in the moment. I want to note here, because I don't think I ever really stress this, that isn't necessarily a dig at the writer; it's his job to tell a story and get people to understand that story and take interest in that story. It may even be an editor saying "hey, we need to explain who this guy is and we don't really have time to ease it out." Regardless of whose fault it is, though, it ends up hurting the book as a whole and it happens a couple of times. Hopefully the series will reach its potential as Soule gets the book to a place where he can feel confident just pressing forward.
Total Score: 3/5
Ms. Marvel 8
Ms. Marvel is having no luck finding leads back to the Inventor but is having luck finding giant Inhuman dogs as Lockjaw finds his way to Jersey and Kamala promptly adopts him. She and Bruno use the Facebook of the mutant teenager Wolverine had been looking for to try to learn more about her abduction. They use the location tracking on her last weird post to find where she was abducted and Kamala learns that Lockjaw is more than just a giant dog who likes hugs as he teleports her instantly to the spot. Together, Kamala and Lockjaw investigate the area and end up in a fight against one of the Inventor's big machines, this time powered by one of the kids she found at the house in Greenville. They take down the machine by removing the power source and she brings the protesting guy to the hospital, making her late for school and drawing more suspicion from her friends and classmates. That suspicion, sadly, isn't allayed as the Inventor sends another bot after Kamala at school after dropping a homing beacon in her bag. Will Kamala and the extremely helpful and great Lockjaw be able to save the school and keep her identity secret? Going to be particularly hard as Kamala can't seem to change her appearance!Another great team-up as Lockjaw finds his way to Kamala on the orders of Medusa. Though he inspires fear and alarm in everyone else who sees the massive dog walking down the street, Kamala instantly takes to him, giving us another great look at the spirit and character of Kamala. One of the most impressive things about this series is that it feels like Kamala has been around forever, even if the story feels new. It's a testament to G. Willow Wilson's writing that Kamala feels so real and deep after just eight issues. Perhaps more interestingly, I'm not a hundred percent sold on the story or the series villain and I'm still totally onboard with this book as a whole. I think there's certainly still intrigue there for the story and villain but that's been a little less defined than Kamala so far, intentionally so but still potentially problematically. However, Kamala carries the book so adeptly that you're absolutely willing to give the plot a pass for a while, happily entertained by the characters in the book.
Total Score: 5/5
Sunday, August 31, 2014
ALL OF THEM
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, so we're back. Apologies for the little break (I may some day take a bigger break but one that's scheduled and doesn't revolve around my axle breaking and my car needing more assistance than my blog). For some dumb reason, I still feel determined to review every book but we're all busy people, we don't need big reviews, particularly the Sunday after the comics have come out. Most of you may already know what books you want! So let's blast through this, super super super condensed version. I may not even mention creators...hold on, I'm getting a thought - start of the week, maybe I'll post all the creators on the side like how I post the new release comics. I gotta update the look of this site anyway. Any suggestions/comments/criticisms? Okay, we're wildly off-topic now. TO THE COMICS, wherein I shall strive to give the SHORTEST REVIEWS I CAN POSSIBLY GIVE.
All-New Invaders 9
The Invaders have been caught off-guard by a bunch of Deathloks and their master, thanks to some sort of AI controlling device, is revealed to be a Martian. The book continues to be horribly slow, to over-explain everything, and to, presumably as an effect of the previous two clauses, seeming have no tension to it. Total Score: 2/5
All-New Ultimates 7
The Ultimates follow Crossbones into the sewers where they run across deformed fellow experiments of Roxxon who have been left there along with a pile of bodies. Geez, now they have to deal with Roxxon and a protracted and uninteresting gang war? This continues to be protracted and uninteresting, though at least something happened this time. Total Score: 2/5
All-New X-Men 31
While the adult X-Men are out of town to figure out Xavier's will, the ANXM find a new mutant named Carmen who can open portals to other dimensions and, in their attempt to help her understand, she sends them off to different universes, namely, it seems, the Ultimate Universe. Wasn't AGE OF ULTRON supposed to knock off this cross-universe business? Didn't BENDIS write that? How many loopholes can we create WITHIN TWO YEARS? What is HAPPENING? Total Score: 2/5
Amazing Spider-Man 1.4
Clash has made something of a name for himself but he's only doing so in comparison to Spider-Man, which enrages him. Finally Spidey invents something that should negate Clash a bit and uses it when Clash attacks the Daily Bugle (they all come there eventually) but Clash breaks it, leading Jonah to call him a real threat and Spider-Man the knock-off, to Clash's delight. Getting a little sick of all of Spider-Man's villains being crazy and wanting attention, is anyone else feeling that way? Total Score: 2/5
Avengers 34
How are we still not out of the As yet? Okay. Captain America gets brought by Iron Lad to the end of time where Iron Lad, Immortus, and Kang tell Cap he has to remain there so he doesn't interfere with events on current Earth that could lead to the end of days. Cap, of course, doesn't take that well and gets the time gem once more, going back to the present and preparing the Avengers for an assault on the Illuminati. Really interesting point to have reached and there's a great classic Cap speech in the middle of all this. Total Score: 4/5
Avengers Undercover 9
The Avengers and other gathered heroes descend on The Pit to attack Zemo and free the former students only to be trapped in The Pit while Zemo and his army attacks the rest of Earth, starting with SHIELD. The bait-and-switch worked pretty well, but it didn't account for Cammi, who broke out of her prison and has the drop on Zemo and his lieutenants. More strong stuff from this series which has reached its sadly penultimate issue. Total Score: 4/5
Cyclops 4
Cyclops and Corsair are running short on Corsair's life-saving medicine, a fate to which Corsair is resigned but about which Cyclops is angry. Corsair has set about trying to teach Cyclops to fight and to live off the land while awaiting rescue but Cyclops has already started to give up hope. Corsair tells him that hope is the difference between the Scott he knew and the Scott on Earth now, that the current Cyclops lost all hope. Not wanting to be that guy, young Cyclops sets about trying to fix the tracking unit the bounty hunters attached to Corsair's ship, which will provide rescue but in the form of bounty hunters. Some solid character work here from Rucka and a nice quiet issue before guns presumably start blazing again. Cyclops and Corsair's relationship is the driving force of this young book and it's well done here. Total Score: 4/5
Fantastic Four 9
Reed has started work with John Eden (ugh) while Johnny is depressed in the Manhattan upper class, Sue frets about the kids, and Thing finds out that She-Thing runs the prison and has an axe to grind with him. I don't know much about Fantastic Four history because I largely don't care about the F4 but She-Thing? Is that what we've chosen to dig up as Thing's greatest foe? There's finally hint of a greater scheme at work behind everything happening but I still refuse to buy plenty of what's happened so I'm unimpressed by a clear hand steering things. Total Score: 2/5
Guardians of the Galaxy 18
Gamora kidnaps Peter Quill and brings him to an interrogation chamber unbeknownst to the rest of the team, where she asks him about what happened in the Cancerverse that allowed he, Thanos, and a living Drax to return. Part one of the story involves Star-Lord and Nova attempting to nobly sacrifice themselves to see Thanos forever trapped but Thanos making a solid argument to Star-Lord about why he should hand over the cosmic cube he's holding. Not much substance, as yet, to this story that should explain some things. McGuinness' art is strong, though, so it's certainly readable. It would be more readable if there wasn't so much quipping in the CANCERVERSE. Total Score: 3/5
Inhuman 4
Medusa has set up New Attilan on the ground near New York and opened it to the public. Thor comes to hang out with her as she explains her reasons for doing so, which are mostly to build relationships and alliances while showing the Inhumans are nothing to fear. However, assassins try to kill her, wounding her handmaiden Elejea in the process. Thor delivers the assassins to Medusa, who learns they are Nuhumans (the convenient term for new Inhumans) angry that they're now different. She offers them a place in her kingdom or the opportunity to leave unharmed and without resistance, showing the people how peaceful and reasonable she can be. Meanwhile, a new and mysterious character named The Reader saves a Nuhuman in China. Plenty happening in this book and Soule is doing a solid job to really make this start feeling like its own culture and own big world, which is very important. Stegman also does really impressive work on these pages. Total Score: 5/5
Original Sin 5.4 - Thor and Loki
As Loki leads the Angels to attack Asgard, Thor summons the storm to him and annihilates his prison, breaking out and immediately wreaking havoc on Heven. Loki does indeed bring the Angels to Asgard but neglects to mention that all the Asgardians live now in Asgardia and that only Odin and The Serpent are in Asgard, finally rousing Odin back to action. Not a terrible little issue though it does drag a little at parts and sometimes the often flowery Asgardian English confuses where it should just push forward. Mostly strong work. Total Score: 4/5
Savage Hulk 3
Jean has the power of the Hulk and seemingly Hulk-strength telepathy now but...wait, it's just a dream of Xavier's as his mind has been manipulated by...wait, it's all happening in Banner's head and the Leader is there with bombs strapped to everyone suddenly and he's ready to detonate Xavier's if he even tries to get into his own mind and...look, I'm not sure what's happening here but I am sure that I'm almost entirely disinterested in it and it still moves slowly, even with a plot that's clearly ramping up. Total Score: 2/5
Silver Surfer 5
It turns out that the barrier around Earth isn't actually real, it's in Surfer's head courtesy of a nearby slumbering Lord of Nightmares. Everyone on Earth has fallen asleep except for Dawn Greenwood, who is drifting off, and it's given the Lord of Nightmares the power, thanks to a rare alignment of the planets, to essentially keep everyone asleep and in nightmares forever if Dawn, Surfer, Hulk, and Dr. Strange don't stop him, which they eventually manage. There's a lot of interesting art and ideas but this one feels a little bogged down by how much Slott wants to do and by this strange mythology. Dawn eventually, I should mention, realizes that she wants to see more of the universe and goes with Surfer. Total Score: 3/5
Thunderbolts 30
Punisher and Elektra fight while the two reminisce, both in their heads and out loud, about their times together. Elektra is a far better fighter than Punisher and doesn't really let him get a moment to rest, but even when he finally does get her pinned, he can't bring himself to kill her and the two separate less than amicably but also with neither dead. As Hawkeye relates everything he's figured out to Iron Man, particularly about the terribleness of the new Thunderbolts team, Punisher calls Red Hulk and tells him that he's next. A pretty good fight scene carries this rather nice break-up issue as the weird relationship that was Elektra and Punisher comes to an end. Total Score: 3/5
Uncanny Avengers 23
The Unity Squad needed a bit of time to recover from everything that's happened, so Janet and Scarlet Witch return finally to everyday life from Janet's family's secluded vacation home to try to put their lives back in order again. Anyone that needed healing or examination was placed in a healing chamber for Hank McCoy to study or heal, though Sunfire remains imbued with tremendous power, Havok's face will never heal again, and Rogue still has Wonder Man in her brain (no one really came out of this alright). Rogue goes a little crazy as the voices and memories she thought she expelled from her brain take over again and she runs rampant through New York until Scarlet Witch catches up to her and swears she'll help her. Meanwhile, Red Skull prepares his next major strike along with Kang's recent right-hand man Ahab. Lots of set-up for the upcoming AXIS and some good closer from the last very long arc make this one a worthwhile read, but not one that feels totally necessary to continue the story. Total Score: 4/5
Wolverine 12
It's another fight in a mall and Wolverine decries Sabretooth's hypocrisy while Sabretooth decries Wolverine's use of armor and they fight and eventually Wolverine powers through his crappy dialogue and narration to defeat Sabretooth and they get the orb back and Death is like "hey Wolvy, see ya soon, like in September's DEATH OF WOLVERINE mini-series!" and I'm just glad another heavy-handed but ultimately ineffective WOLVERINE volume has come to a close and I'm looking forward to Charles Soule's spin. Total Score: 2/5
Wolverine and the X-Men 8
Wolverine and Storm have a date in The World, where time moves differently. They end up staying there a while longer, spending a great deal of time building a life, overthrowing a warlord born of the old Weapon Plus program, and stabilizing the region. They leave after a year with Storm leaving as the queen and Logan as the inspiration for a school and so forth, their love for each other deepened but still unable to overcome their responsibilities with the X-Men. It's not a bad issue and the time jumps make it move quickly enough and stay interesting. It's also the first time in the few years that they've had this on-and-off relationship between Wolverine and Storm where I've felt like maybe it wasn't just something the writers wanted to make work, maybe it is something that can happen in this world. Nicely done, Latour. Total Score: 4/5
GUYS, I DID IT. Why isn't everyone praising me ALREADY?
Okay.
Okay, so we're back. Apologies for the little break (I may some day take a bigger break but one that's scheduled and doesn't revolve around my axle breaking and my car needing more assistance than my blog). For some dumb reason, I still feel determined to review every book but we're all busy people, we don't need big reviews, particularly the Sunday after the comics have come out. Most of you may already know what books you want! So let's blast through this, super super super condensed version. I may not even mention creators...hold on, I'm getting a thought - start of the week, maybe I'll post all the creators on the side like how I post the new release comics. I gotta update the look of this site anyway. Any suggestions/comments/criticisms? Okay, we're wildly off-topic now. TO THE COMICS, wherein I shall strive to give the SHORTEST REVIEWS I CAN POSSIBLY GIVE.
All-New Invaders 9
All-New Ultimates 7
The Ultimates follow Crossbones into the sewers where they run across deformed fellow experiments of Roxxon who have been left there along with a pile of bodies. Geez, now they have to deal with Roxxon and a protracted and uninteresting gang war? This continues to be protracted and uninteresting, though at least something happened this time. Total Score: 2/5
All-New X-Men 31
While the adult X-Men are out of town to figure out Xavier's will, the ANXM find a new mutant named Carmen who can open portals to other dimensions and, in their attempt to help her understand, she sends them off to different universes, namely, it seems, the Ultimate Universe. Wasn't AGE OF ULTRON supposed to knock off this cross-universe business? Didn't BENDIS write that? How many loopholes can we create WITHIN TWO YEARS? What is HAPPENING? Total Score: 2/5
Amazing Spider-Man 1.4
Clash has made something of a name for himself but he's only doing so in comparison to Spider-Man, which enrages him. Finally Spidey invents something that should negate Clash a bit and uses it when Clash attacks the Daily Bugle (they all come there eventually) but Clash breaks it, leading Jonah to call him a real threat and Spider-Man the knock-off, to Clash's delight. Getting a little sick of all of Spider-Man's villains being crazy and wanting attention, is anyone else feeling that way? Total Score: 2/5
Avengers 34
Avengers Undercover 9
The Avengers and other gathered heroes descend on The Pit to attack Zemo and free the former students only to be trapped in The Pit while Zemo and his army attacks the rest of Earth, starting with SHIELD. The bait-and-switch worked pretty well, but it didn't account for Cammi, who broke out of her prison and has the drop on Zemo and his lieutenants. More strong stuff from this series which has reached its sadly penultimate issue. Total Score: 4/5
Cyclops 4
Cyclops and Corsair are running short on Corsair's life-saving medicine, a fate to which Corsair is resigned but about which Cyclops is angry. Corsair has set about trying to teach Cyclops to fight and to live off the land while awaiting rescue but Cyclops has already started to give up hope. Corsair tells him that hope is the difference between the Scott he knew and the Scott on Earth now, that the current Cyclops lost all hope. Not wanting to be that guy, young Cyclops sets about trying to fix the tracking unit the bounty hunters attached to Corsair's ship, which will provide rescue but in the form of bounty hunters. Some solid character work here from Rucka and a nice quiet issue before guns presumably start blazing again. Cyclops and Corsair's relationship is the driving force of this young book and it's well done here. Total Score: 4/5
Fantastic Four 9
Reed has started work with John Eden (ugh) while Johnny is depressed in the Manhattan upper class, Sue frets about the kids, and Thing finds out that She-Thing runs the prison and has an axe to grind with him. I don't know much about Fantastic Four history because I largely don't care about the F4 but She-Thing? Is that what we've chosen to dig up as Thing's greatest foe? There's finally hint of a greater scheme at work behind everything happening but I still refuse to buy plenty of what's happened so I'm unimpressed by a clear hand steering things. Total Score: 2/5
Guardians of the Galaxy 18
Gamora kidnaps Peter Quill and brings him to an interrogation chamber unbeknownst to the rest of the team, where she asks him about what happened in the Cancerverse that allowed he, Thanos, and a living Drax to return. Part one of the story involves Star-Lord and Nova attempting to nobly sacrifice themselves to see Thanos forever trapped but Thanos making a solid argument to Star-Lord about why he should hand over the cosmic cube he's holding. Not much substance, as yet, to this story that should explain some things. McGuinness' art is strong, though, so it's certainly readable. It would be more readable if there wasn't so much quipping in the CANCERVERSE. Total Score: 3/5
Inhuman 4
Original Sin 5.4 - Thor and Loki
As Loki leads the Angels to attack Asgard, Thor summons the storm to him and annihilates his prison, breaking out and immediately wreaking havoc on Heven. Loki does indeed bring the Angels to Asgard but neglects to mention that all the Asgardians live now in Asgardia and that only Odin and The Serpent are in Asgard, finally rousing Odin back to action. Not a terrible little issue though it does drag a little at parts and sometimes the often flowery Asgardian English confuses where it should just push forward. Mostly strong work. Total Score: 4/5
Savage Hulk 3
Jean has the power of the Hulk and seemingly Hulk-strength telepathy now but...wait, it's just a dream of Xavier's as his mind has been manipulated by...wait, it's all happening in Banner's head and the Leader is there with bombs strapped to everyone suddenly and he's ready to detonate Xavier's if he even tries to get into his own mind and...look, I'm not sure what's happening here but I am sure that I'm almost entirely disinterested in it and it still moves slowly, even with a plot that's clearly ramping up. Total Score: 2/5
Silver Surfer 5
It turns out that the barrier around Earth isn't actually real, it's in Surfer's head courtesy of a nearby slumbering Lord of Nightmares. Everyone on Earth has fallen asleep except for Dawn Greenwood, who is drifting off, and it's given the Lord of Nightmares the power, thanks to a rare alignment of the planets, to essentially keep everyone asleep and in nightmares forever if Dawn, Surfer, Hulk, and Dr. Strange don't stop him, which they eventually manage. There's a lot of interesting art and ideas but this one feels a little bogged down by how much Slott wants to do and by this strange mythology. Dawn eventually, I should mention, realizes that she wants to see more of the universe and goes with Surfer. Total Score: 3/5
Thunderbolts 30
Punisher and Elektra fight while the two reminisce, both in their heads and out loud, about their times together. Elektra is a far better fighter than Punisher and doesn't really let him get a moment to rest, but even when he finally does get her pinned, he can't bring himself to kill her and the two separate less than amicably but also with neither dead. As Hawkeye relates everything he's figured out to Iron Man, particularly about the terribleness of the new Thunderbolts team, Punisher calls Red Hulk and tells him that he's next. A pretty good fight scene carries this rather nice break-up issue as the weird relationship that was Elektra and Punisher comes to an end. Total Score: 3/5
Uncanny Avengers 23
The Unity Squad needed a bit of time to recover from everything that's happened, so Janet and Scarlet Witch return finally to everyday life from Janet's family's secluded vacation home to try to put their lives back in order again. Anyone that needed healing or examination was placed in a healing chamber for Hank McCoy to study or heal, though Sunfire remains imbued with tremendous power, Havok's face will never heal again, and Rogue still has Wonder Man in her brain (no one really came out of this alright). Rogue goes a little crazy as the voices and memories she thought she expelled from her brain take over again and she runs rampant through New York until Scarlet Witch catches up to her and swears she'll help her. Meanwhile, Red Skull prepares his next major strike along with Kang's recent right-hand man Ahab. Lots of set-up for the upcoming AXIS and some good closer from the last very long arc make this one a worthwhile read, but not one that feels totally necessary to continue the story. Total Score: 4/5
Wolverine 12
Wolverine and the X-Men 8
Wolverine and Storm have a date in The World, where time moves differently. They end up staying there a while longer, spending a great deal of time building a life, overthrowing a warlord born of the old Weapon Plus program, and stabilizing the region. They leave after a year with Storm leaving as the queen and Logan as the inspiration for a school and so forth, their love for each other deepened but still unable to overcome their responsibilities with the X-Men. It's not a bad issue and the time jumps make it move quickly enough and stay interesting. It's also the first time in the few years that they've had this on-and-off relationship between Wolverine and Storm where I've felt like maybe it wasn't just something the writers wanted to make work, maybe it is something that can happen in this world. Nicely done, Latour. Total Score: 4/5
GUYS, I DID IT. Why isn't everyone praising me ALREADY?
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Inhuman 2, Ms. Marvel 4
Inhuman 2
Soule (w) and Madureira (a) and Gracia (c) and Cowles (l)
With new Inhuman, or Nuhuman, Dante and sister Gabby successfully in the fold (though they're certainly hesitant about this new life), Medusa moves on to other business, such as securing more of fallen Attilan and staking a claim in the new world. With the help of Captain America, she defends a piece of Atillan from AIM attackers and then broadcasts and announcement to the world, saying that over the Hudson is their place now and that Nuhumans are welcome to join. As her day winds down, one more person comes to meet with her, a possible Inhuman named Lineage, who claims he knows why Black Bolt did what he did and that she's messing things up.
This is something of a tough book to write, and not just because of the production problems it suffered early on. Soule is tasked with getting readers up to speed on the Inhumans as a whole and all these new threats and new challenges. Still, he has to try to develop characters like Medusa, Gorgon, the doctor Vinatos, Dante, and Gabby, not to mention Lash (from last issue) and now Lineage. There are a lot of balls in the air right now and Soule is doing what he can to keep them there or catch them. There are certainly some bumps in this book but by and large it's a worthwhile read. Joe Mad's art is pretty spectacular and his fight art is stunning. Hopefully the book will be a little more engaging when all our players are in place.
Total Score: 4/5
Ms. Marvel 4
G.W. Wilson (w) and Alphona (a) and Herring (c) and Caramagna (l)
Bruno's younger brother Vick fled after accidentally shooting Kamala, still shifted to look like Captain Marvel. Bruno calls an ambulance but Kamala reverts to her regular self which, on top of showing Bruno who she is, heals her. It's not a perfect heal, as if she switches back to Captain Marvel she's still wounded, but she's able to safely stay Kamala. She and Bruno talk about the trouble Vick is in and Kamala vows to help him. She goes home and assembles a costume then she and Bruno meet at the shady house that Vick has been going to, home of, perhaps, new villain the Inventor. A newly outfitted Kamala busts in calling herself Ms. Marvel and takes out, with some difficulty, the robots guarding the place before finding Vick and finding herself face-to-face with the Inventor.
One of the things that has made this book so compelling from the start (and it's something that I think NOVA has hit on a few time in its run) is that it's fresh. You can feel the youth in this book, regardless if the book is actually created by younger people or not. What I mean to say is that this book (and at times in NOVA, mostly during Wells' and Duggan's runs) does a pretty good job putting a realistic kid in these situations. Kamala is fresh and fun and, though she's clearly smart and good, she's undoubtedly still a teenager. It doesn't feel like "this person is writing a teenager!" for the majority of the book. Instead, it feels like simply a compelling young woman. Adrian Alphona's art can't be left out of this. Though G. Willow Wilson is writing a solid Kamala, Alphona's art grounds this series in a way, to such a degree, that very few artists can do. Overall just a really fun and interesting book that feels like it has places to go.
Total Score: 5/5
Soule (w) and Madureira (a) and Gracia (c) and Cowles (l)
This is something of a tough book to write, and not just because of the production problems it suffered early on. Soule is tasked with getting readers up to speed on the Inhumans as a whole and all these new threats and new challenges. Still, he has to try to develop characters like Medusa, Gorgon, the doctor Vinatos, Dante, and Gabby, not to mention Lash (from last issue) and now Lineage. There are a lot of balls in the air right now and Soule is doing what he can to keep them there or catch them. There are certainly some bumps in this book but by and large it's a worthwhile read. Joe Mad's art is pretty spectacular and his fight art is stunning. Hopefully the book will be a little more engaging when all our players are in place.
Total Score: 4/5
Ms. Marvel 4
G.W. Wilson (w) and Alphona (a) and Herring (c) and Caramagna (l)
Bruno's younger brother Vick fled after accidentally shooting Kamala, still shifted to look like Captain Marvel. Bruno calls an ambulance but Kamala reverts to her regular self which, on top of showing Bruno who she is, heals her. It's not a perfect heal, as if she switches back to Captain Marvel she's still wounded, but she's able to safely stay Kamala. She and Bruno talk about the trouble Vick is in and Kamala vows to help him. She goes home and assembles a costume then she and Bruno meet at the shady house that Vick has been going to, home of, perhaps, new villain the Inventor. A newly outfitted Kamala busts in calling herself Ms. Marvel and takes out, with some difficulty, the robots guarding the place before finding Vick and finding herself face-to-face with the Inventor.One of the things that has made this book so compelling from the start (and it's something that I think NOVA has hit on a few time in its run) is that it's fresh. You can feel the youth in this book, regardless if the book is actually created by younger people or not. What I mean to say is that this book (and at times in NOVA, mostly during Wells' and Duggan's runs) does a pretty good job putting a realistic kid in these situations. Kamala is fresh and fun and, though she's clearly smart and good, she's undoubtedly still a teenager. It doesn't feel like "this person is writing a teenager!" for the majority of the book. Instead, it feels like simply a compelling young woman. Adrian Alphona's art can't be left out of this. Though G. Willow Wilson is writing a solid Kamala, Alphona's art grounds this series in a way, to such a degree, that very few artists can do. Overall just a really fun and interesting book that feels like it has places to go.
Total Score: 5/5
Friday, April 25, 2014
THE DEATH OF WOLVERINE limited series announced
With his healing factor gone for nearly a year (by that point), it's time for Wolverine to go into the light. Current THUNDERBOLTS, SHE-HULK, and INHUMANS scribe Charles Soule along with art pro Steve McNiven give us a weekly four-issue limited series called THE DEATH OF WOLVERINE, set to launch September 3rd. In an interview with EW, new X-editor Mike Marts talked about Wolverine being the "eternal victor," someone who doesn't lose a fight because he can always jump back into it before asking what happens now that he can't always get back into it. Soule hopes that the death will feel appropriate to the character and that it will feel like the definitive end to the character. As comic fans, we all know that second "feel like" is kind of the key. This is Wolverine, Captain SellsBooks, so it's hard to imagine he'll stay out for long but this is another in a string of high-profile "deaths" in the Marvel Universe of late, like Captain America, Nightcrawler, Johnny Storm, and, most recently, Spider-Man. All of those mentioned have returned within the last few years but still, that doesn't mean the story of each's death wasn't engaging. We'll see how this one reads in September.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Inhuman 1, New Warriors 3
Inhuman 1
Soule (w) and Madureira (a) and Gracia (c)
The Terrigenesis wave has spread across the world and it's brought out Inhumans new and old across the planet. On top of the new Inhumans who experienced Terrigenesis as a result of Black Bolt's bomb, factions of Inhumans have emerged to show off their philosophies. Primarily, that puts Inhuman Lash at odds with Attilan queen Medusa, effectively putting Attilan up against Lash's home of Orollan. Orollan had limited access to Terrigen and thus only evolved people who they thought had earned it and who they believed would help the community with their evolution. As a result, Lash and his Inhumans believe that Terrigenesis is not for everyone, as Black Bolt made it, and he wants to make sure that Inhumans only get stronger with this new wave. He captures one cocoon from Norway and waits for its inhabitant to emerge before deeming it weak and killing it. He then appears at the Des Plaines, Illinois home of a family with some amount of Inhuman DNA in them; the sick and frail mother has enough to trigger Terrigenesis but not enough to survive the process while her son Dante has enough to enter and emerge from the cocoon. Lash believes he's been unchanged and aims to kill him but Dante quickly bursts into flames a la Human Torch and attacks. Though Lash is impressed that he has indeed changed, he believes that Dante (who we may as well just call Inferno at this point) cannot control his transformation and still readies to kill him when Medusa appears to defend Dante and his still-human pregnant sister Gabriela. Medusa forces Lash to leave, though he vows that their paths will cross again, and promises to bring Dante to the remains of the Attilan family.
There are a number of questions to ask about this new series and the aftermath of the Terrigenesis bomb and almost all of them, for me, have to do with process. In this case, is this book going to have enough of an impact to make the Terrigenesis bomb and the new influx of Inhumans worth the wait? The problem with the delay (and I do believe, given what I know of the writer switch and everything, that the delays were worthwhile; you never want a writer who's writing something he doesn't want to be writing as it seems the case had become as the story broke more) is that now we've seen some of the effects of the Terrigenesis wave and, frankly, unless you're a diehard Inhuman fan, I think you're probably mostly over it. Of course, the plan had been to launch this book just after INFINITY and I think it would have had built in impact just with the timing. Now we're rather through the majority of tie-in books to this "event" and we're just starting the core book. While I do believe that the warring Inhuman factions is an interesting story and one well worth watching (hey, I finally mentioned something about this book specifically!), I worry that it may end up being too little too late. Instead of getting a boost from its well-timed release, now Soule and Madureira have to create a better book to actually entice people to pick it up in the first place. Feet to the fire and all that.
New Warriors 3
Yost (w) and To (a) and Curiel (c)
The High Evolutionary explains to Nova that the Celestials had long ago created the Eternals, the Deviants, and the Humans on Earth and that the Eternals and the Deviants fought one another while the Humans grew and evolved, much to their liking. However, all of the mutations and outside effects that have created the Marvel Universe as we know it (mutation, radioactivity, alien experimentation, Atlanteans, etc.) have caused humanity to diverge from the path the Celestials set for it and now they're coming back to erase their mistake. The High Evolutionary, then, is trying to save the world by purging it of the subsets of humanity who differed from the plan. In addition, his Evolutionaries have brought in Scarlet Spider, Hummingbird, and Water Snake (Faira) from Mexico. Meanwhile, Sun Girl and Justice come at odds with one another as they escape cops trying to shoot their new horn-headed pal. Justice believes that they should leave well enough alone and set Mark (horn-headed pal!) up with the Attilans while Sun Girl believes they have to get to the bottom of this. Justice reluctantly agrees to step up and says that their first course of action should be finding Nova. Speaking of Nova, Scarlet Spider manages to summon spiders to the High Evolutionary's machinery, breaking it enough that he can bust out of his holding cell and break everyone else out too. Nova vows to go get help but they're all quickly overrun by the Evolutionaries.
I've been a little iffy as this book has kicked off. I think Yost has done a pretty good job starting to establish his characters and giving us a story that's clearly got pretty big pieces to it but it was going to be a tough tightrope to walk (as opposed to the tightropes that are like, totally simple to walk) building the characters up while also navigating a complicated story. This issue proves that he'll be able to knock it out of the park. Really solid issue, we get a lot of character development with our team and one of the most concise and complete definitions of the Marvel Universe in the High Evolutionary's speech to kick the book off. Phenomenal work to clarify parts of the universe that are admittedly difficult to follow for an audience perhaps unfamiliar with it. Suddenly this series is not just a nice selection of characters melded together by a good writer, it's also a fully functioning story that will very clearly carry itself and which has been really well-defined for such a sweeping story. Check this book out for a great look at some neat and under seen characters and a pretty cool story to boot.
Soule (w) and Madureira (a) and Gracia (c)
There are a number of questions to ask about this new series and the aftermath of the Terrigenesis bomb and almost all of them, for me, have to do with process. In this case, is this book going to have enough of an impact to make the Terrigenesis bomb and the new influx of Inhumans worth the wait? The problem with the delay (and I do believe, given what I know of the writer switch and everything, that the delays were worthwhile; you never want a writer who's writing something he doesn't want to be writing as it seems the case had become as the story broke more) is that now we've seen some of the effects of the Terrigenesis wave and, frankly, unless you're a diehard Inhuman fan, I think you're probably mostly over it. Of course, the plan had been to launch this book just after INFINITY and I think it would have had built in impact just with the timing. Now we're rather through the majority of tie-in books to this "event" and we're just starting the core book. While I do believe that the warring Inhuman factions is an interesting story and one well worth watching (hey, I finally mentioned something about this book specifically!), I worry that it may end up being too little too late. Instead of getting a boost from its well-timed release, now Soule and Madureira have to create a better book to actually entice people to pick it up in the first place. Feet to the fire and all that.
New Warriors 3
Yost (w) and To (a) and Curiel (c)
I've been a little iffy as this book has kicked off. I think Yost has done a pretty good job starting to establish his characters and giving us a story that's clearly got pretty big pieces to it but it was going to be a tough tightrope to walk (as opposed to the tightropes that are like, totally simple to walk) building the characters up while also navigating a complicated story. This issue proves that he'll be able to knock it out of the park. Really solid issue, we get a lot of character development with our team and one of the most concise and complete definitions of the Marvel Universe in the High Evolutionary's speech to kick the book off. Phenomenal work to clarify parts of the universe that are admittedly difficult to follow for an audience perhaps unfamiliar with it. Suddenly this series is not just a nice selection of characters melded together by a good writer, it's also a fully functioning story that will very clearly carry itself and which has been really well-defined for such a sweeping story. Check this book out for a great look at some neat and under seen characters and a pretty cool story to boot.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Comics this week
Hey there everybody. Big week for Marvel and for for this blog in general as we get right to Captain America: Winter Soldier, the most anticipated Marvel movie since Avengers for some reviewers (guys, we're talking about me. We're ALWAYS talking about me). Fortunately, particularly after that whirlwind of comics last week, Marvel has chosen to give us a bit of a break so we can get out there and see that movie. Only fourteen new releases this week and even a couple of those are suspect (movie tie-in books and the like). Still, we're champions over here at Marvels (still talking about me) and a week where there are maybe ten legitimate books is still RIPE FOR THE PICKING for the five most anticipated books of the week (the key, everyone, is that they're just anticipated. I don't have to promise that they're good. Though, honestly, thinking about it, most of these ones are set to be).
Black Widow 5
Black Widow, star of the upcoming film Captain America: Winter Soldier, can also be seen absolutely destroying over in BLACK WIDOW, the amazing comic series from Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto. Join her this week as she goes for round two with her newest enemy, the Hammer of God Molot Boga. Guys, check this book out. I guarantee it'll be worth it.
Captain America 19
Captain America, star of the upcoming film Captain America: Winter Soldier, can also be seen dealing with a villain who won't be starring in Captain America: Winter Soldier over in CAPTAIN AMERICA. Dr. Mindbubble has already proven himself an interesting adversary and I think, as Cap nears a villain designed to counter people like himself, he's only going to get more interesting as things push forward. Remender's taken this book in some crazy directions already and Cap hasn't even had a moment to breathe, something that's been pretty key to the entire run and something that hasn't really happened like this since...well, since Brubaker's Cap-Winter Soldier run. Dude was off the chains then. I may secret review that whole bit at some point.
Inhuman 1
GUYS, it's finally here. After problems in the arrangement and release of INHUMANS, the first issue (following the now somewhat random issues created by Matt Fraction) is coming THIS VERY WEEK. Will the delays hurt it, now that it's coming out after even the slowest of tie-ins to INFINITY and INHUMANITY have all but passed (looking at you MS. MARVEL)? Only time will tell. The Inhumans are typically pretty interesting so it should be a good time to take a bit of a deeper look and sudden superstar Charles Soule seems ready to take us there.
Moon Knight 2
After a revealing first issue showed a little of what we can expect from this Warren Ellis-Declan Shalvey offering and I and I'm sure many others are dying to see what comes next. This book has the potential to really break some new ground and catapult Moon Knight up the ranks of well-liked characters, maybe even enough so to land him a role in Captain America: Winter Soldier (though, in all likelihood, that catapult will come too late to have an effect on a movie that was finished several months before the launch of this new series).
She-Hulk 3
I'll be honest, this one is up here and it's almost surprising to me. It's been a good book through three issues but there are a slew of both good and interesting books on this week's list. I think this one intrigues me in a lot of ways I'm not sure about. I've never been entirely sold on She-Hulk as a character, I'm not entirely sold on the art, I'm not entirely sold on the stories or the growing supporting cast. Thanks to all the "nots" in that sentence, it makes it seem like I'm not enjoying this book. I am though, which is what makes this book so interesting to me. I can't accurately cite why I'm really enjoying this one but I am. So it edges on to this list in front of books like NEW WARRIORS, PUNISHER, and MAGNETO because I'm so flummoxed by it. That's what you want to hear about a book right?
SUPER SECRET UNEXPECTED PICK
MOVIE TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER.
Black Widow 5
Black Widow, star of the upcoming film Captain America: Winter Soldier, can also be seen absolutely destroying over in BLACK WIDOW, the amazing comic series from Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto. Join her this week as she goes for round two with her newest enemy, the Hammer of God Molot Boga. Guys, check this book out. I guarantee it'll be worth it.
Captain America 19
Captain America, star of the upcoming film Captain America: Winter Soldier, can also be seen dealing with a villain who won't be starring in Captain America: Winter Soldier over in CAPTAIN AMERICA. Dr. Mindbubble has already proven himself an interesting adversary and I think, as Cap nears a villain designed to counter people like himself, he's only going to get more interesting as things push forward. Remender's taken this book in some crazy directions already and Cap hasn't even had a moment to breathe, something that's been pretty key to the entire run and something that hasn't really happened like this since...well, since Brubaker's Cap-Winter Soldier run. Dude was off the chains then. I may secret review that whole bit at some point.
Inhuman 1
GUYS, it's finally here. After problems in the arrangement and release of INHUMANS, the first issue (following the now somewhat random issues created by Matt Fraction) is coming THIS VERY WEEK. Will the delays hurt it, now that it's coming out after even the slowest of tie-ins to INFINITY and INHUMANITY have all but passed (looking at you MS. MARVEL)? Only time will tell. The Inhumans are typically pretty interesting so it should be a good time to take a bit of a deeper look and sudden superstar Charles Soule seems ready to take us there.
Moon Knight 2
After a revealing first issue showed a little of what we can expect from this Warren Ellis-Declan Shalvey offering and I and I'm sure many others are dying to see what comes next. This book has the potential to really break some new ground and catapult Moon Knight up the ranks of well-liked characters, maybe even enough so to land him a role in Captain America: Winter Soldier (though, in all likelihood, that catapult will come too late to have an effect on a movie that was finished several months before the launch of this new series).
She-Hulk 3
I'll be honest, this one is up here and it's almost surprising to me. It's been a good book through three issues but there are a slew of both good and interesting books on this week's list. I think this one intrigues me in a lot of ways I'm not sure about. I've never been entirely sold on She-Hulk as a character, I'm not entirely sold on the art, I'm not entirely sold on the stories or the growing supporting cast. Thanks to all the "nots" in that sentence, it makes it seem like I'm not enjoying this book. I am though, which is what makes this book so interesting to me. I can't accurately cite why I'm really enjoying this one but I am. So it edges on to this list in front of books like NEW WARRIORS, PUNISHER, and MAGNETO because I'm so flummoxed by it. That's what you want to hear about a book right?
SUPER SECRET UNEXPECTED PICK
MOVIE TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Avengers AI 10, New Warriors 2
Avengers AI 10
Humphries (w) and Araújo (a) and D'Armata (c)
In the physical world, the Gascheck app is still driving people crazy while, in the virtual world of the Diamond, the Avengers team still has to find the root of the problem. With the help of the Lovelace Army and Gibson, they find the giant monstrous being that is Gascheck. After Doombot's failed attempt to attack it, Pym talks with it and explains what's happening in the physical world. Gascheck reveals that Dimitrios hijacked his programming and that he only wants to help humans, not hurt them. To ensure everyone's safety, Gascheck deactivates itself, saving the people of Earth from themselves. After seeing Hank deal with the situation and seeing all the wonders of the Diamond, Captain America announces that he'll back Hank with whatever he thinks is right, even if it puts him at odds with SHIELD or the president or whoever. Meanwhile, SHIELD has sent the AI-hunting unit of Monica Chang and Jocasta to capture Jessie Clatterbuck, the AI who played a part in Dimitrios' first attack. They manage to capture her but Chang can't help feeling that something is wrong. Alexis, down in the Diamond with her sister Eton, realizes that she needs to prevent Clatterbuck from capture if she wants to save the world.
This is the first issue of AVENGERS AI since the cancellation announcement, so maybe it's just knowing that it is being cancelled and that it's going to end soon but there is a sort of rushed sense of finality to the issue. Obviously some of the pieces for the conclusion are just falling into place now or just starting to be realized now but some of the smaller pieces, that stuff that needs to get out of the way (like Cap and his Avengers' tie to this team) is getting out of the way pretty abruptly. I still can't totally get a feel for this team and I don't have a really distinct sense of any of the characters (aside from Doombot who doesn't have a whole lot to him), something that will be really hard to clear up as we race to the finish. It's hard to sustain interest in a book, particularly a book driven by lesser known characters, if we don't really understand our characters. Ah well, let's hope for a mighty conclusion as we head towards 13.
New Warriors 2
Yost (w) and To (a) and Curiel (c)
The Evolutionaries are striking at multiple locations and our heroes are finding out just how difficult they can be to fight. Their targets seem to be mutants, Inhumans, and other heroes or people somehow different on a biological level. This includes both Justice and Speedball and pretty much the entire population of New Salem in Colorado, Kaine, Aracely, and Faira Sar Namora in Mexico, and a new Inhuman named Mark in the sewers of New York, though it does not include Sun Girl, whose powers are derived from the technology on her back and not a power within. After Justice and Speedball force the Evolutionaries out of Colorado, they speed to Avengers Tower to access the database on these things, getting a bit of exposition out of a recording from Cyclops. When they've learned a little bit, they hear the fight in the sewer and join in, giving enough backup to Sun Girl and Mark that they force those Evolutionaries to leave. Meanwhile, Nova has been captured by the High Evolutionary and put into a containment field deep in Wundagore Mountain. The High Evolutionary explains that the Celestials are coming back to judge Earth and that he and Nova are the only chance for humanity's survival.
Things keep on racing along here as now two of our New Warrior pairs have met up and Kaine and Aracely have met up with Faira Sar Namora. The team is quickly coming together and we're starting to learn a little bit more of why they need to come together so quickly. Oftentimes a team like this, one made up of smaller heroes or more inexperienced and unknown characters, will start off stopping some sort of important but far smaller problem. Maybe they tangle with an AIM branch or something and stop civilian casualties. Maybe they team up during a big Marvel event when everyone is coming together and they decide to stick it out. Maybe they have a misunderstanding but realize their both actually fighting the same guys. But no, Chris Yost has decided he's going to put them up against the Celestials and the High Evolutionary, about as big as you can go in any direction. It's a bold choice and one that will have to play out fully before we really know if it was the best choice. The problem, of course, with a big foe like this is that it's harder to characterize if you have to spend so much time establishing. Yost is doing okay with it right now as he's mostly characterized Speedball and Justice with a touch of characterization for everyone else and he's at the point where the plot will still carry the book for a bit but soon we're going to need to get deeper into character if we're going to stay on this journey. I have no doubt that the characterization will come though and we'll be left with a pretty solid book.
Humphries (w) and Araújo (a) and D'Armata (c)
This is the first issue of AVENGERS AI since the cancellation announcement, so maybe it's just knowing that it is being cancelled and that it's going to end soon but there is a sort of rushed sense of finality to the issue. Obviously some of the pieces for the conclusion are just falling into place now or just starting to be realized now but some of the smaller pieces, that stuff that needs to get out of the way (like Cap and his Avengers' tie to this team) is getting out of the way pretty abruptly. I still can't totally get a feel for this team and I don't have a really distinct sense of any of the characters (aside from Doombot who doesn't have a whole lot to him), something that will be really hard to clear up as we race to the finish. It's hard to sustain interest in a book, particularly a book driven by lesser known characters, if we don't really understand our characters. Ah well, let's hope for a mighty conclusion as we head towards 13.
New Warriors 2
Yost (w) and To (a) and Curiel (c)
Things keep on racing along here as now two of our New Warrior pairs have met up and Kaine and Aracely have met up with Faira Sar Namora. The team is quickly coming together and we're starting to learn a little bit more of why they need to come together so quickly. Oftentimes a team like this, one made up of smaller heroes or more inexperienced and unknown characters, will start off stopping some sort of important but far smaller problem. Maybe they tangle with an AIM branch or something and stop civilian casualties. Maybe they team up during a big Marvel event when everyone is coming together and they decide to stick it out. Maybe they have a misunderstanding but realize their both actually fighting the same guys. But no, Chris Yost has decided he's going to put them up against the Celestials and the High Evolutionary, about as big as you can go in any direction. It's a bold choice and one that will have to play out fully before we really know if it was the best choice. The problem, of course, with a big foe like this is that it's harder to characterize if you have to spend so much time establishing. Yost is doing okay with it right now as he's mostly characterized Speedball and Justice with a touch of characterization for everyone else and he's at the point where the plot will still carry the book for a bit but soon we're going to need to get deeper into character if we're going to stay on this journey. I have no doubt that the characterization will come though and we'll be left with a pretty solid book.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Superior Spider-Man 28, Indestructible Hulk 19
Superior Spider-Man 28
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Fabela (c)
Spider-Island has been bombed and Spider-Man takes what equipment he can with Robot and flees, leaving his Spiderlings to try to fight off the Goblins. Spidey heads to Parker Industries to try to concoct a plan, where he's set upon by both Sajani, mad that he's been gone for so long, and Wraith, who believes he may have a hand in Carlie's disappearance. Speaking of Carlie, she joins all of them in her new Goblin costume and deformations and chases Peter and Sajani through the building. Eventually Peter pushes Sajani into a separate room, assuring her that Monster will follow him, which she does, and it gives Carlie a chance to talk to Peter without spectators. She needs Doc Ock to fix her brain in only the way he can so that she can be saved and so she can tell him of what's coming next. Meanwhile, MJ has been gathering up friends and family of Peter's, having realized it's Goblin attacking the city and Spider-Man, to keep them safe. Unfortunately, she misses Anna Maria and Lily Hollister, the Goblin known as Menace, gets to her first.
Plenty happening as GOBLIN NATION continues. Slott's created a pretty good tone, and one that he's usually pretty good at maintaining and controlling, a tone of war and destruction. Spider-Man has the best-known and biggest supporting cast of any of the Marvel heroes so when a war is waged on Peter Parker, there are a lot of moving parts. On top of that, Spider-Man never has just one issue to deal with so, on top of Goblin's attack, J. Jonah Jameson has launched "Goblin Slayers" into the city, though MJ recognizes them as Spider Slayers. Slott's always been good at threading multiple storylines and multiple antagonists through a story and it making the story read pretty quickly in the midst of it all. Of course, he tends to have more words per issue than some of the best at it (looking at you, Kirkman) so the over-explanation can sometimes slow one of these fast-paced, high-energy issues down, but he always manages to tell a compelling story and build the characters up through it. Even with three or four concurrent plotlines all led by different characters, Slott's going to make sure we see enough of everyone to get the full feel for it. Should continue to be a good event moving forward.
Indestructible Hulk 19
Waid (w) and Raapack, J. Bennett, R. Jose and Grummett w/ Kesel and Hennessy (a) and Staples (c)
Banner has been thrown out of a moving jet by the newly Terrigenesis'd Randall Jessup, whose new form seems to feed on anger, making it stronger and calming down the other person. Like most Inhuman powers, it's a reflection on the person, as Jessup was always the one to try to stop fights and smooth situations. Unfortunately now, it means that Banner is falling from the plane and can't Hulk out. He resorts to breaking his own finger to surge Hulk back out. He leaps into the air to battle Jessup's new form while his other assistants parachute out of the plane. Hulk realizes that the monster's eyes are the key to his absorption and keeps Jessup from looking at him. Able at last to keep his anger, he defeats the monster and reverts Jessup back to human form. They try to find a cure for him only to find, right as Banner thinks he's done it, Jessup being kidnapped away by one of the numerous evil organizations out there intent on experimenting on new Inhumans. Hulk tries to stop the kidnappers but fails, making it look like, to all Banner's assistants, Hulk killed Jessup or something.
One of the cool things about the Inhuman mutations, as it's been explained during this REALLY prolonged event, is that they tend to reflect the person as much as they're just a cool power. Thanos' son Thane held the power of life and death (well, really death and worse death), the new Inhuman in IRON MAN is a giant jerk, and now Jessup absorbs anger. It's a particularly neat idea because that mutation does reflect Jessup but it also acts as a perfect foil to Hulk. This is pointed out fairly often in the issue, even going so far as to compare the fact that Jessup was at the bomb site when Banner's Terrigen bomb went off to Hulk's origin. When I first realized what Jessup's monster form was, it felt very much like it could have been a situation where it was just a writer saying "this is a cool foil to Hulk and I can do anything so here he is!" There's a new Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon coming out (guys, shut up, I'm pretty well-connected) and the teaser for it shows a scene where Robotnik has created a robot named "Burn-Bot" that Sonic quickly figures out doesn't actually burn anything and blames Robotnik for "false advertising." It's played as a laugh moment, a moment where you're siding with the cool and funny Sonic for pointing this out but behind it, you know the writers named it Burn-Bot just to have that joke and it's not a worthwhile joke to introduce such a stupid concept. I should really get back to talking about Hulk but ANOTHER EXAMPLE is something comedian Kumail Nanjiani brought up about Casino Royale. The stakes at the poker game aren't as high for the audience because it's writers writing a poker game so the incredible fact that Le Chiffre has four of a kind but is beaten by Bond's royal flush isn't as incredible. ANYWAY, this monster could have been that sort of situation but instead, thanks to Inhuman/Marvel canon, Jessup's transformation makes sense and acts as a perfect foil to Hulk. Pretty cool stuff, you guys.
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Fabela (c)
Plenty happening as GOBLIN NATION continues. Slott's created a pretty good tone, and one that he's usually pretty good at maintaining and controlling, a tone of war and destruction. Spider-Man has the best-known and biggest supporting cast of any of the Marvel heroes so when a war is waged on Peter Parker, there are a lot of moving parts. On top of that, Spider-Man never has just one issue to deal with so, on top of Goblin's attack, J. Jonah Jameson has launched "Goblin Slayers" into the city, though MJ recognizes them as Spider Slayers. Slott's always been good at threading multiple storylines and multiple antagonists through a story and it making the story read pretty quickly in the midst of it all. Of course, he tends to have more words per issue than some of the best at it (looking at you, Kirkman) so the over-explanation can sometimes slow one of these fast-paced, high-energy issues down, but he always manages to tell a compelling story and build the characters up through it. Even with three or four concurrent plotlines all led by different characters, Slott's going to make sure we see enough of everyone to get the full feel for it. Should continue to be a good event moving forward.
Indestructible Hulk 19
Waid (w) and Raapack, J. Bennett, R. Jose and Grummett w/ Kesel and Hennessy (a) and Staples (c)
One of the cool things about the Inhuman mutations, as it's been explained during this REALLY prolonged event, is that they tend to reflect the person as much as they're just a cool power. Thanos' son Thane held the power of life and death (well, really death and worse death), the new Inhuman in IRON MAN is a giant jerk, and now Jessup absorbs anger. It's a particularly neat idea because that mutation does reflect Jessup but it also acts as a perfect foil to Hulk. This is pointed out fairly often in the issue, even going so far as to compare the fact that Jessup was at the bomb site when Banner's Terrigen bomb went off to Hulk's origin. When I first realized what Jessup's monster form was, it felt very much like it could have been a situation where it was just a writer saying "this is a cool foil to Hulk and I can do anything so here he is!" There's a new Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon coming out (guys, shut up, I'm pretty well-connected) and the teaser for it shows a scene where Robotnik has created a robot named "Burn-Bot" that Sonic quickly figures out doesn't actually burn anything and blames Robotnik for "false advertising." It's played as a laugh moment, a moment where you're siding with the cool and funny Sonic for pointing this out but behind it, you know the writers named it Burn-Bot just to have that joke and it's not a worthwhile joke to introduce such a stupid concept. I should really get back to talking about Hulk but ANOTHER EXAMPLE is something comedian Kumail Nanjiani brought up about Casino Royale. The stakes at the poker game aren't as high for the audience because it's writers writing a poker game so the incredible fact that Le Chiffre has four of a kind but is beaten by Bond's royal flush isn't as incredible. ANYWAY, this monster could have been that sort of situation but instead, thanks to Inhuman/Marvel canon, Jessup's transformation makes sense and acts as a perfect foil to Hulk. Pretty cool stuff, you guys.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Uncanny Avengers 16, Avengers Assemble 23, Inhumanity 2
Uncanny Avengers 16
Remender (w) and McNiven, Dell, and Leisten (a) and L. Martin (c)
With most of the Unity Squad pulled into the ark, it's up to Thor, Wasp, and Captain America to stop the ark from leaving with all of the world's mutants and save the world from execution at the hands of the Celestial Exitar. Fortunately, the arrival of Exitar has not gone unnoticed and some of the big science brains in the Marvel Universe (non-mutant) are busy working on solutions. Thor's got his own solution too, which is to find Jarnbjorn and talk with Exitar or, barring that, hopefully kill him before he can attack the Earth. Knowing that the Apocalypse twins have Jarnbjorn, Thor attacks Uriel and Eimin in the ark. He frees Steve from his captivity (Cap-tivity) and together they manage to separate the twins, which stops the biggest of their powers from working. While Thor whales on Uriel, Cap manages to outmaneuver Eimin and launch her out of the spaceship (it was pretty cool you guys). Thor follows Uriel to Jarnbjorn and punches up Uriel some more. Meanwhile, Wasp is trying to shut down the tachyon dam that's keeping Immortus from entering with his reinforcements but gets interrupted by Grim Reaper, who tells her the only way to shut the dam down is to kill him first. Back on the ship, Thor continues to annihilate Uriel, eventually shoving him into an exploding portal, potentially killing him. As Thor follows the explosion to the exterior of the ship, he finds Eimin, holding Jarnbjorn in the shadow of Exitar, ready to fight him for it.
Very intense issue. While I like this whole team and I think Remender's done a good job overall to develop the entire time and to grant focus to everyone at various points, I think this issue benefits from the small remaining team. It's a big issue with lots going on and it really highlights very good one-on-one battles between, particularly, Thor and Uriel and Cap and Eimin (we don't see a lot of Wasp and Grim Reaper). It also gives us a chance to really settle into this plot which has multiple parts. McNiven's art is very good and well suited for the story, particularly with the Cap stuff. Laura Martin holds her own too, giving the art a sense of weight and scale that matches the tone of the story. Even with all of the plot going on and all of the battles, there are some really nice character moments tucked away in this issue, including Cap's admission, while battling exactly the way he intends to battle, that he's maybe a bit past his prime, Thor's deference to Cap as a leader, and Thor's reaction to seeing Scarlet Witch killed. Very good issue all around and this one remains one of the better Avengers titles and, even without the mutants around, one of the better X-titles. Good stuff.
Avengers Assemble 23
DeConnick and W. Ellis (w) and Buffagni (a) and Woodard (c)
Araña and Spider-Woman talk with Maria Hill about the Toxie Doxie situation and Hill sends some information over while the two spiders chat. Shortly, though, Spider-Woman tags out for Wolverine, mostly benched by Cap while he figures out the healing factor business, and he and Anya make for Covington's lab, but not before Wolverine can thoroughly chew out Spider-Girl for unpreparedness. Freshly decked out in a new costume that isn't just her spandex, Anya accompanies Wolverine to the lab and the two of them take down the assistants and looters within, finally getting some answers from one of Covington's assistants who reveals that the man in the cocoon may still be alive. Covington herself has also gotten some answers as well as she's tracked down the man who delivered her the exploding cocoon and learned that it was a New York AIM branch who had it delivered to her. Now powered with some Inhuman DNA, she's ready to make a move.
This book has been a fun one throughout its run (sadly ending soon) and this issue manages to straddle the line of being very fun and pretty serious. After a nice little learning and bonding session from Spider-Woman (with an amazing reference to Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, an incredible cartoon also ended before its time though that one was replaced with something far worse and AVENGERS WORLD will likely still be pretty good, though probably pretty different), the tone changes as Wolverine takes charge and demands that Spider-Girl stop treating her life like it's a game. The Wolverine in this book is a really strong one, one who clearly has the weight of his life on his shoulders. He's not incapable of making a joke or two but he has things he needs to say before he can get to it and Spider-Girl, even with her teenage ways, can't help but bow to his requests and understand his reasons for making them. There's an interesting plot going on here but it's really only a backdrop to the great character work and fun writing that's happening in the foreground. Matteo Buffagni's a good choice for the book as his art is both not entirely cartoony and yet not entirely realistic so it fits nicely with the tone. Good work all around.
Inhumanity 2
Fraction (w) and Bradshaw, Nauck, Hanna, and Palmer (a) and Fabela and Mossa (c)
After a bit of a stall in the last couple months (hindered by creator differences and a complicated shipping schedule thanks to the holiday season) INHUMANITY pushes on as we see up close and personal what's going on with the Inhumans themselves as the Terrigenesis Wave spreads through the world. For Medusa, leader of the Inhumans, she must tamp down the presumed loss of her husband (Black Bolt was still in Attilan as it fell and has not been seen since, though we know he's alive) and the disappearance of her son (Ahura and all other Inhuman children have gone missing since the teleports out of the city) as she leads the Inhumans into this new world. To make matters more complicated, the human world is looking for answers and many have reacted in different ways, with some humans experimenting on cocoons or capturing them for study and some thought-gone Inhumans re-emerging to take the cocoons for their own, presumably to build an army against the current throne. There's plenty for Medusa to do and she starts by crashing down with a small team on an AIM base where experiments on the cocoons have taken place and ensures they don't have anything to experiment on and that the fear of Inhumans has been struck in their human hearts.
It's not a bad issue but it's a little hard not to separate from the time between where we've already seen so much happen. Even in books like IRON MAN we've seen Medusa in a proactive role, though this book gives the sense that it took her a bit of time to reach that point. Not a long time, mind, she steps up when she needs to step up, but enough that there are some tensions among her people and even within her own mind. However, the separation between the end of INFINITY and this issue isn't the most jarring thing about this issue; that award goes pretty firmly to Nick Bradshaw's art. All of the women look both sort of anime and super-feminized. All the women, as opposed to the men in the book, have the classic big, bright eyes with completely unblemished skin and big, pouty mouths, none of which seems to work with the tone of the book and none of which works with me on a personal level. With that said, it's hard to take the tone of the book seriously, which is too bad because, removed from the art, it seems to hit on the chords Fraction wants it to hit. Can't really recommend this one because I don't think it's going to give you a huge look at this event or status quo change or whatever this is from an angle we're not seeing done just as well elsewhere and the art really drags this one down.
Remender (w) and McNiven, Dell, and Leisten (a) and L. Martin (c)
Very intense issue. While I like this whole team and I think Remender's done a good job overall to develop the entire time and to grant focus to everyone at various points, I think this issue benefits from the small remaining team. It's a big issue with lots going on and it really highlights very good one-on-one battles between, particularly, Thor and Uriel and Cap and Eimin (we don't see a lot of Wasp and Grim Reaper). It also gives us a chance to really settle into this plot which has multiple parts. McNiven's art is very good and well suited for the story, particularly with the Cap stuff. Laura Martin holds her own too, giving the art a sense of weight and scale that matches the tone of the story. Even with all of the plot going on and all of the battles, there are some really nice character moments tucked away in this issue, including Cap's admission, while battling exactly the way he intends to battle, that he's maybe a bit past his prime, Thor's deference to Cap as a leader, and Thor's reaction to seeing Scarlet Witch killed. Very good issue all around and this one remains one of the better Avengers titles and, even without the mutants around, one of the better X-titles. Good stuff.
Avengers Assemble 23
DeConnick and W. Ellis (w) and Buffagni (a) and Woodard (c)
This book has been a fun one throughout its run (sadly ending soon) and this issue manages to straddle the line of being very fun and pretty serious. After a nice little learning and bonding session from Spider-Woman (with an amazing reference to Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, an incredible cartoon also ended before its time though that one was replaced with something far worse and AVENGERS WORLD will likely still be pretty good, though probably pretty different), the tone changes as Wolverine takes charge and demands that Spider-Girl stop treating her life like it's a game. The Wolverine in this book is a really strong one, one who clearly has the weight of his life on his shoulders. He's not incapable of making a joke or two but he has things he needs to say before he can get to it and Spider-Girl, even with her teenage ways, can't help but bow to his requests and understand his reasons for making them. There's an interesting plot going on here but it's really only a backdrop to the great character work and fun writing that's happening in the foreground. Matteo Buffagni's a good choice for the book as his art is both not entirely cartoony and yet not entirely realistic so it fits nicely with the tone. Good work all around.
Inhumanity 2
Fraction (w) and Bradshaw, Nauck, Hanna, and Palmer (a) and Fabela and Mossa (c)
It's not a bad issue but it's a little hard not to separate from the time between where we've already seen so much happen. Even in books like IRON MAN we've seen Medusa in a proactive role, though this book gives the sense that it took her a bit of time to reach that point. Not a long time, mind, she steps up when she needs to step up, but enough that there are some tensions among her people and even within her own mind. However, the separation between the end of INFINITY and this issue isn't the most jarring thing about this issue; that award goes pretty firmly to Nick Bradshaw's art. All of the women look both sort of anime and super-feminized. All the women, as opposed to the men in the book, have the classic big, bright eyes with completely unblemished skin and big, pouty mouths, none of which seems to work with the tone of the book and none of which works with me on a personal level. With that said, it's hard to take the tone of the book seriously, which is too bad because, removed from the art, it seems to hit on the chords Fraction wants it to hit. Can't really recommend this one because I don't think it's going to give you a huge look at this event or status quo change or whatever this is from an angle we're not seeing done just as well elsewhere and the art really drags this one down.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Comics this week
GUYS. ONLY 14 BOOKS OUT THIS WEEK. AND THAT INCLUDES SOME THAT I MAY NOT EVEN REVIEW! WHAT A WEEK! PRAISE BE TO THE END OF JANUARY.
Inhumanity 2
Little confused about this one going into the week so that should be good for us! INHUMANITY continues after a bit of a wait in INHUMANITY 2, previously known as INHUMANITY - MEDUSA. Why the change? Well smart money says its in the crossfire of the switch from Fraction to Soule as writer on INHUMANITY. Who's writing this issue? Who knows! But it should probably be a big one!
Superior Spider-Man 26
With GOBLIN NATION just getting under way and impacting the entire Spider-Man universe and with the knowledge that Peter Parker is still alive inside his own mind somewhere, things are set to start ramping up for this series before April's launch of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Now seems as good a time as any to get onboard if you've been curious.
Thunderbolts 21
Fun! Whimsy! Adventure! Most of the Thunderbolts in Hell and Elektra and Punisher likely facing off against Mercy! Just read this book and enjoy it, you guys.
Uncanny Avengers 16
Things are happening in this book and they've been happening for quite some time in this book. All of the mutants have been whisked away to the ark and put into stasis for the journey, seemingly ending any hope at rebellion against the Apocalypse twins. So what stands in their way? Well it seems probably not Earth since the Earth has been sentenced to death for the death of a Celestial. Geez guys, didn't you have enough problems already?
X-Men Legacy 23
This amazing title has reached its penultimate issue. Well, I mean, it's going to number 25, which will be number 300, but that won't really have to do with David and won't be by Si Spurrier. Well, Spurrier will have a story in it and it might focus on David, I don't know that. OKAY LOOK, this book has been incredible and the story we know is rushing towards its conclusion in the very next issue. Seems like maybe this is a bit of a weird time to jump on but seriously, give this book your money while you have the chance (also buy the trades and tell every single person you know about it, regardless of everything else you know about them).
Here's one of the super awesome things though: THESE FIVE BOOKS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION. There's also CATACLYSM - ULTIMATES' LAST STAND, which will likely feature the death of a hero whose image is STILL blocked out on certain sites despite the fact they didn't block it out in the back of last week's CATACLYSM - ULTIMATE X-MEN. There's UNCANNY X-FORCE, which will end the VENDETTA crossover and will effectively say goodbye to both CABLE AND X-FORCE and UNCANNY X-FORCE in one fell swoop. There's MIRACLEMAN 2, another fully colored reprint of Alan Moore's original series. There's THOR: GOD OF THUNDER, which will mark the start of another new arc for a series that so violently jumps back and forth between really good and tolerable and may ALSO mark the return of Esad Ribic art. REVOLUTIONARY WAR - KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON is out this week and it stars...the KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, one of whom is UNION JACK. GUYS. I've only NOT named like, four books and frankly, even some of them will probably catch your eye. Look, what I'm saying is get to your comic book store this week and check out some of these neat books coming out this week.
Inhumanity 2
Little confused about this one going into the week so that should be good for us! INHUMANITY continues after a bit of a wait in INHUMANITY 2, previously known as INHUMANITY - MEDUSA. Why the change? Well smart money says its in the crossfire of the switch from Fraction to Soule as writer on INHUMANITY. Who's writing this issue? Who knows! But it should probably be a big one!
Superior Spider-Man 26
With GOBLIN NATION just getting under way and impacting the entire Spider-Man universe and with the knowledge that Peter Parker is still alive inside his own mind somewhere, things are set to start ramping up for this series before April's launch of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Now seems as good a time as any to get onboard if you've been curious.
Thunderbolts 21
Fun! Whimsy! Adventure! Most of the Thunderbolts in Hell and Elektra and Punisher likely facing off against Mercy! Just read this book and enjoy it, you guys.
Uncanny Avengers 16
Things are happening in this book and they've been happening for quite some time in this book. All of the mutants have been whisked away to the ark and put into stasis for the journey, seemingly ending any hope at rebellion against the Apocalypse twins. So what stands in their way? Well it seems probably not Earth since the Earth has been sentenced to death for the death of a Celestial. Geez guys, didn't you have enough problems already?
X-Men Legacy 23
This amazing title has reached its penultimate issue. Well, I mean, it's going to number 25, which will be number 300, but that won't really have to do with David and won't be by Si Spurrier. Well, Spurrier will have a story in it and it might focus on David, I don't know that. OKAY LOOK, this book has been incredible and the story we know is rushing towards its conclusion in the very next issue. Seems like maybe this is a bit of a weird time to jump on but seriously, give this book your money while you have the chance (also buy the trades and tell every single person you know about it, regardless of everything else you know about them).
Here's one of the super awesome things though: THESE FIVE BOOKS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION. There's also CATACLYSM - ULTIMATES' LAST STAND, which will likely feature the death of a hero whose image is STILL blocked out on certain sites despite the fact they didn't block it out in the back of last week's CATACLYSM - ULTIMATE X-MEN. There's UNCANNY X-FORCE, which will end the VENDETTA crossover and will effectively say goodbye to both CABLE AND X-FORCE and UNCANNY X-FORCE in one fell swoop. There's MIRACLEMAN 2, another fully colored reprint of Alan Moore's original series. There's THOR: GOD OF THUNDER, which will mark the start of another new arc for a series that so violently jumps back and forth between really good and tolerable and may ALSO mark the return of Esad Ribic art. REVOLUTIONARY WAR - KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON is out this week and it stars...the KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, one of whom is UNION JACK. GUYS. I've only NOT named like, four books and frankly, even some of them will probably catch your eye. Look, what I'm saying is get to your comic book store this week and check out some of these neat books coming out this week.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Avengers AI 7, Mighty Avengers 4
Avengers AI 7
Humphries (w) and Araújo (a) and D'Armata (c)
INHUMANITY has hit and, with it, Inhumans have started sprouting up all over and Attilan is in the the Hudson. Hank and his team are first responders and are out to investigate the fallen city to make sure there aren't harmful toxins or any weapons or anything lying around. As Hank and Doombot, overseen by Vision, search the city, Daredevil drops in and attacks Doombot, thinking, quite reasonably, that he's a bad guy. Pym convinces him otherwise and Daredevil explains that he's there looking for a client of his, an older lady who's having a hard time with a bank. As they talk about things, a green small Cthulu-like creature shows up and attacks them. As it yells for them to leave it alone, Matt identifies the voice as the woman he's trying to help. They talk her down from her rampage and Medusa and Lockjaw show up to help her acclimate to her new Inhuman life. After a talk with Doombot, she agrees to join the Inhumans and start over. Meanwhile, Monica Chang is spending her last moments not on the robot-kill-squad trying to figure out how to hack into the Diamond. Maria Hill sends Chang's first new operative to her: Jocasta.
There are things here that are likable about this issue but they aren't necessarily worth the story. I kind of like the Daredevil-Hank Pym relationship that's developed through, particularly, DAREDEVIL but here it feels somewhat forced, with Daredevil throwing his arm around Pym and commenting on his Ant-Man costume, playfully punching one another and what-not. Doombot's stuff is fun and somewhat interesting but it also kind of oscillates between fun and serious in a strange way. I also typically like Andre Araújo but I wasn't too onboard with his stuff on this one. There are a number of full body shots and they distort the characters in strange ways. The Chang stuff was the most interesting and it happened within maybe two pages. Also, Chang is drifting into "every SHIELD woman sounds like Maria Hill" territory. Still not my favorite series but sometimes this is a stall that event tie-in books have. Still hopeful for the series as a whole.
Ewing (w) and Land and Leisten (a) and D'Armata (c)
So this book has suffered from starting in the middle of an event, meaning that it had to dedicate its origin to tie-in. Now it's in a similar spot as it's moving into the newest event. There is an interesting conceit to this book which would put a street-level Avengers team out in New York to help average people in this new world where the Avengers only really come out to face world-ending threats. However, I don't find the rest of the book all that compelling. Right now it's a tough spot because we're not getting to really see the characters all that deeply but I think the problem is more systemic than that. I think the writing is a little strange and it suffers from the same weird tonal issues that I thought FEARLESS DEFENDERS did, where it both wants to be a serious story with serious threats and points of view but also wants "wacky" captions and "unique" humor that kind of break flow. Overall, it's more boring than it is weak, per se, and that's something that, like with AVENGERS AI, I hope will improve as we move away from some of these events.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Inhumanity 1, Young Avengers 13, Secret Avengers 12
Inhumanity 1
Fraction (w) and Coipel and Morales (a) and L. Martin (c)
The Terrigen Mists have flooded the Earth, revealing new Inhumans all over the planet. To add to the confusion about the new Inhumans, Attilan has fallen and our core Inhumans are spread about the world. Karnak, one of the wisest Inhumans, has gone a little crazy and the Avengers try to talk him down before having to bring him down and contain him at Stark Tower. Hawkeye gets him talking a bit and, as Karnak relates the history of the Inhumans, more Avengers filter in to listen and ask questions, including the Illuminati and Cap, among others. Karnak explains the origin of the Inhumans, the Kree experiments that led one-time neanderthal humans to be enhanced and to evolve faster. He talks about the Terrigen Mists as a way to enhance the new Inhumans further, to prevent the Kree from ever coming back and trying to absorb them into their kingdom. With the Terrigen Mists came the splintering of Inhuman tribes, with many Inhumans refusing the Mists and separating from the core of the people. As they separated and spread further over time, more and more Inhuman children were born and then had children and so on, never exposed to the Mists. Karnak deduces that Black Bolt and Maximus brought down Attilan, an unfortunate side-effect to their true goal: world-wide Terrigenesis of these hidden Inhumans. At this point in the explanation, Medusa has shown up and questions Karnak further. Things start to piece together in Karnak's head faster than he can explain them and he realizes that he's made an error in calculations and that, to survive as the new leader of the Inhumans, Medusa will have to forget everything she knows about their past and their people. As he says this, he bemoans the fact that he was wrong and that he failed her so, all while using his finger to crack the unbreakable Wakandan crystal that the window is made of. The window shatters and before Tony can turn off the forcefield keeping him in, he throws himself from the building. They manage to get in and peer down in time to see his body on the ground below, dead.
Ominous start to this little event. It's a little hard to say what this event is going to entail and how long it's going to last, let alone the effects. The start was pretty strong, with solid writing and, somehow, still enough time for characterization. The INHUMANITY checklist at the back of the issue lists a lot of tie-in books but nothing by way of an event ongoing or anything like that, though I believe there's supposed to be an INHUMANS book coming, from Fraction as well, that will be an ongoing by itself, not serving as an event or anything of the sort. Still, this issue serves as a great introduction to the Inhumans for people who aren't so familiar but covers enough new ground so as to not bore longtime Inhuman fans. As I said, on top of the expanding plot and the need to educate, a solid amount of characterization comes through, helped by the fact this this book is a bit longer than a typical one, just shy of a true double-issue. Nice start to this whole little event and something certainly worth exploring further.
Young Avengers 13
Gillen (w) and McKelvie w/ Norton and Thompson (a) and Wilson (c)
Loki, as Loki does, was manipulating everything. He betrayed Mother, he created all of their resurrected villains (not the ones from the other dimensions, but the ones who directly impacted our heroes, except the Patri-not, who is still mysterious and about), and it's only after America sacrifices herself to save him that he realizes what he's done. It's not a full sacrifice, though the intention was there; she dove in front of the Ultimate Nullifier's ultimate nullifier to protect Loki but, of course, it was eventually revealed to be Loki-created so it goes away when Loki confesses. And Loki does confess; he confesses everything, even up to the fact that he's a copy of the old Loki who was left to destroy the kid Loki (of JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY fame), and that he's not the murderer Loki, he's the murderer's weapon Loki. With the confession, there enemies disappear and Loki is able to save Teddy from being a chair. David convinces him to go to Billy and to give him the strength he needs, reassuring him that whatever it is they have, whatever started it, is really love. With their love rekindled, Billy is able to ascend to Demiurge status and look over creation, enough to vanquish Mother once and for all before being pulled back to his real place in the world (had he stayed, he might have fixed everything or, as Loki points out, he might just have broken it more). With the spell gone, the adults of the world would have been able to see the other-dimensional invading villains and so, rather than get destroyed, they all go home. Everyone (including Billy's parents) is restored to normal and Loki disappears, hiding himself away from the rest of the team. It's not the end, it only feels like it.
I'm not sure how much more I have left to say about this series as a whole. It's wonderful. Every issue has a real and defined root in its characters and the story has been built upwards from that. As impressive as the plot has been (or, perhaps, as the characters would likely tell you, as cliche) it's all worked because this book and a sincere love for its characters and for its storytelling, which is sometimes more important than the story itself. The plot of this issue involved everything coming to a head, all of the plots we've already seen including Loki's past, Loki's manipulations, Billy and Teddy, Mother, the Patriot, parents, Kate and Noh-Varr, America's past, and more AND YET, everything I'm taking away from this issue has to do with the characters and the way the story unfolded (and with the art, but that's a different bit entirely). That's not to lessen everything plot-wise that happened here; it's to show how well-formed and important these characters are. Loki has a huge, emotional moment. Billy has a huge, emotional moment. Teddy has a huge, emotional moment. Prodigy has a huge, emotional moment. America has a couple huge, emotional moments. Kate has a huge, emotional moment. Noh-Varr has a huge, emotional moment. This issue is normal length and it never once drags. It could probably have used more space but Gillen and McKelvie made sure it didn't need it. the plots, the characters, the questions, they're all resolved by issue's end. Well, not resolved, maybe, but addressed, certainly. It's a truly wonderful book with some of the most awe-inspiring art I've seen in comics in the last few years. That is to say, it's just another issue of YOUNG AVENGERS.
Secret Avengers 12
Spencer and Kot (w) and Guice (a) and Wilson (c)
Mockingbird is still deep undercover at AIM and not exactly sure why. Unfortunately, she doesn't have much time to figure it out as she's expected, in the guise of her AIM officer, to give a presentation on a project she's supposedly working on to the high council. She tries to stumble through it but eventually Scientist Supreme Forson reveals that he knows she's Mockingbird and they bring her to the interrogation room. Forson's show in front of the high council only engenders more distrust towards him, which might be part of why a group of AIM scientists has gone to Maria Hill to try to work out a deal. A faction of AIM, not led by Forson, wants things to go back to the old way but to work with SHIELD more than against, like, as they describe it, Nazi scientists working with American scientists after the war. She's skeptical so they offer her, in exchange, knowledge about Forson's secret underwater base, where he's training his black ops team. She sends Fury, Black Widow, and Hawkeye to check it out and they're quickly set upon by Yelena Belova and her troops and someone who looks and acts an awful lot like Avenger Shang Chi. By the end of the issue, Maria Hill has discovered that these scientists, the ones who don't want to keep working under Forson, are led by someone else: Modok.
Let's talk about SHIELD a bit. I've had some qualms with this series in the past because, by its very mission statement, SHIELD pretty much runs this op. Ask me how many times I've actually sided with SHIELD over the course of a series, let alone wanted to follow their exploits. I'll assume you asked. Twice. Steranko was a legend with them, Hickman was great with them. The thing about SHIELD is that, in most Marvel superhero comics, they're opposing the superhero in question in one way or another. Sure they might work alongside now and again and, perhaps, as an entity, they're not as bad as AIM or someone along those lines. As an entity, they're trying to do good. That doesn't really help the fact that they tend to oppose our favorite superheroes. The other thing about SHIELD is that, typically, there are ulterior motives at play. When done well, this can mean an exciting wheels-within-wheels story, like Hickman developed back in SECRET WARRIORS. When done half-heartedly or with too many irons in the fire, it can weaken what might have already been a fairly weak story. I had the chance to talk recently over Twitter (the only way anyone talks these days, right?) with writer James Asmus about ABC's Marvel's Agents of SHIELD show, which it occurs to me I meant to review at some point and still haven't. Asmus was wondering why he liked the Marvel movies so much but didn't like SHIELD and I raised the points then that I raise now, about SHIELD being pretty terrible in the comics too, aside from Hickman and Steranko. He brought up the fact that there's no espionage element to it, no shady underside, pointing out that Captain America: Winter Soldier looks like it will delve into more (guys, it's seriously gonna be so awesome). He also mentioned that it feels like the show is limited in what it can use and not having something like Hydra or AIM is really hurting it. Why isn't AIM in that show? Seriously. Then I got to the last page of this issue and remembered a discussion my girlfriend and I had had about that very topic and about how Modok exists. Okay, whatever. The point is, this issue STILL DIDN'T HAVE WINTER SOLDIER IN IT.
Fraction (w) and Coipel and Morales (a) and L. Martin (c)
Ominous start to this little event. It's a little hard to say what this event is going to entail and how long it's going to last, let alone the effects. The start was pretty strong, with solid writing and, somehow, still enough time for characterization. The INHUMANITY checklist at the back of the issue lists a lot of tie-in books but nothing by way of an event ongoing or anything like that, though I believe there's supposed to be an INHUMANS book coming, from Fraction as well, that will be an ongoing by itself, not serving as an event or anything of the sort. Still, this issue serves as a great introduction to the Inhumans for people who aren't so familiar but covers enough new ground so as to not bore longtime Inhuman fans. As I said, on top of the expanding plot and the need to educate, a solid amount of characterization comes through, helped by the fact this this book is a bit longer than a typical one, just shy of a true double-issue. Nice start to this whole little event and something certainly worth exploring further.
Young Avengers 13
Gillen (w) and McKelvie w/ Norton and Thompson (a) and Wilson (c)
I'm not sure how much more I have left to say about this series as a whole. It's wonderful. Every issue has a real and defined root in its characters and the story has been built upwards from that. As impressive as the plot has been (or, perhaps, as the characters would likely tell you, as cliche) it's all worked because this book and a sincere love for its characters and for its storytelling, which is sometimes more important than the story itself. The plot of this issue involved everything coming to a head, all of the plots we've already seen including Loki's past, Loki's manipulations, Billy and Teddy, Mother, the Patriot, parents, Kate and Noh-Varr, America's past, and more AND YET, everything I'm taking away from this issue has to do with the characters and the way the story unfolded (and with the art, but that's a different bit entirely). That's not to lessen everything plot-wise that happened here; it's to show how well-formed and important these characters are. Loki has a huge, emotional moment. Billy has a huge, emotional moment. Teddy has a huge, emotional moment. Prodigy has a huge, emotional moment. America has a couple huge, emotional moments. Kate has a huge, emotional moment. Noh-Varr has a huge, emotional moment. This issue is normal length and it never once drags. It could probably have used more space but Gillen and McKelvie made sure it didn't need it. the plots, the characters, the questions, they're all resolved by issue's end. Well, not resolved, maybe, but addressed, certainly. It's a truly wonderful book with some of the most awe-inspiring art I've seen in comics in the last few years. That is to say, it's just another issue of YOUNG AVENGERS.
Secret Avengers 12
Spencer and Kot (w) and Guice (a) and Wilson (c)
Let's talk about SHIELD a bit. I've had some qualms with this series in the past because, by its very mission statement, SHIELD pretty much runs this op. Ask me how many times I've actually sided with SHIELD over the course of a series, let alone wanted to follow their exploits. I'll assume you asked. Twice. Steranko was a legend with them, Hickman was great with them. The thing about SHIELD is that, in most Marvel superhero comics, they're opposing the superhero in question in one way or another. Sure they might work alongside now and again and, perhaps, as an entity, they're not as bad as AIM or someone along those lines. As an entity, they're trying to do good. That doesn't really help the fact that they tend to oppose our favorite superheroes. The other thing about SHIELD is that, typically, there are ulterior motives at play. When done well, this can mean an exciting wheels-within-wheels story, like Hickman developed back in SECRET WARRIORS. When done half-heartedly or with too many irons in the fire, it can weaken what might have already been a fairly weak story. I had the chance to talk recently over Twitter (the only way anyone talks these days, right?) with writer James Asmus about ABC's Marvel's Agents of SHIELD show, which it occurs to me I meant to review at some point and still haven't. Asmus was wondering why he liked the Marvel movies so much but didn't like SHIELD and I raised the points then that I raise now, about SHIELD being pretty terrible in the comics too, aside from Hickman and Steranko. He brought up the fact that there's no espionage element to it, no shady underside, pointing out that Captain America: Winter Soldier looks like it will delve into more (guys, it's seriously gonna be so awesome). He also mentioned that it feels like the show is limited in what it can use and not having something like Hydra or AIM is really hurting it. Why isn't AIM in that show? Seriously. Then I got to the last page of this issue and remembered a discussion my girlfriend and I had had about that very topic and about how Modok exists. Okay, whatever. The point is, this issue STILL DIDN'T HAVE WINTER SOLDIER IN IT.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Infinity 2, Avengers AI 3, Iron Man 15
Infinity 2
Hickman (w) and Opeña and Weaver (a) and Ponsor (c)
Another longer-than-average-book which, at least, continues to be pretty full. Thanos' Black Order touched down in the pages of the last New Avengers and we see a little recap of their fight before learning that Corvus Glaive has been sent to Attilan to request tribute from the Inhumans; if they want the rest of the race spared, they must deliver the heads of all Inhumans between ages 16 and 22. Meanwhile, in space, the Builders are still following the now-retreating Galactic Council armada. We don't get any new news of the people left behind (like Quincarrier 2) but we see the ones who did escape pursued by a few more Builder ships and choosing to fight back rather than running. They do so successfully but see the full might of the Builders, who send an Ex Nihilo down to the planet the armada rendezvoused on. The Ex Nihilo commits suicide on the planet, spreading death evenly throughout the planet until the whole place is dead. Back home on Earth, Black Bolt summons the Illuminati to the pocket universe Maximus discovered that allows Black Bolt to speak. He leaves the Illuminati with the hidden archives of the Inhuman leaders, the information Thanos is blackmailing him with. He knows it's better that they hold it when he goes to confront Thanos. He also reveals that Thanos doesn't necessarily desire every child of Attilan dead; what he does desire is the death of his son.
Again an oversized book but, again, it's full, which says a lot about this book. There's enough going on to necessitate a full event as this encompasses the entire Universe (and should). It's not just an occurrence that's passing by the lives of lots of heroes or something along those lines; this is actively impacting most heroes (haven't seen many X-Men yet but the Black Order has attacked the Jean Grey School) and will continue to do so. Most of the characterization is left in word choice and minor actions as there simply isn't enough time in all of these pages to develop characters that we already know. So far, it's still a solid book (with pretty solid art with all-pros Jerome Opeña and Dustin Weaver) and certainly allows for plenty of direction for this book to go. Hopefully it doesn't stagnate because that seems like the one direction that wouldn't be interesting.
Avengers AI 3
Humphries (w) and Araujo (a) and D'Armata (c)
After the attack of the new Sentinel, Vision's body has been destroyed (it's made up of nanites so it is reparable but it will take some time). His AI, though, has been sent to the Diamond, the homeland of the new race of AI spawned from the self-replicating virus Pym created to destroy Ultron. They live there peacefully (for now) and wish, mostly, to keep to themselves but also to survive, despite the humans' insistence that they be destroyed. Speaking of, the people watching the clean-up of DC attack Victor for being a robot (they apparently didn't see The World's End to learn what the word "robot" means) and Alexis flies in, carry the Doombot head, to protect him and carry Monica Chang and Hank Pym back up to the helicarrier. They re-assemble Doom's body and make a plan of action. The current plan is to destroy the Diamond but Pym agrees to help Chang with a tactical strike to protect the Diamond at large. Meanwhile, Vision finds himself quite taken with the Diamond and quickly becomes the leader of the AI (who view him as their distinguished predecessor). Dimitrios and other AI learn of SHIELD's attack plan and demand a response from Vision.
The story here is interesting, if a little similar to what we saw in the last iteration of Secret Avengers. I think it's going to change away from that idea as we get further in, with the AI acting perhaps more defensively than the pure offensive attack of the AI in Secret Avengers' last arc. Still, there are definitely similarities and you can certainly pull out the same ethical decisions from this as you may have during that book. On top of that, the book moves rather slowly. Granted, this is only issue three and there's still a lot of exposition to get out (particularly in this issue, as we're introduced to an entire new race and its homeland) so it's possible that the pacing will even out in the future. I'm hoping that this series takes a bit of a turn away from what Secret Avengers did if just for variety's sake. Not a bad storyline and the questions raised are still interesting ones but I don't really want to read the same story so quickly after reading it in Secret Avengers.
Iron Man 15
Gillen (w) and Pagulayan and Hanna (a) and Guru eFX (c)
Tony's heading for his armory but he's only a few steps ahead of 451. In the armory, he adjusts his armors to add PEPPER back in (pre-Voldi PEPPER to avoid the compromise) and puts all of the armors on a closed system, meaning that only entities inside the armor can control the armor. Therefore, 451 has to physically enter the armor to get into the mainframe. To help himself, 451 creates some projections to also attack the suits. When one gets close to entering a separate armor, the armor's failsafe kicks in, destructing the unit. 451 focuses all attacks on Tony's suit, knowing that one can't self-destruct. Meanwhile, PEPPER manages to lock on to 451's hacking unit, allowing Tony to eventually shoot a laser through it, neutralizing the threat that 451 might destroy him from within. With that threat gone, Iron Man releases his biggest guns, a Hulkbuster-like armor, which goes on to destroy the projections and rip off 451's arm. Stopped for the moment, Tony drags 451 to the cockpit to show he can't control the Godkiller. Somewhere, 451 miscalculated and now everything he's done has been for nothing. His mantra of "the ends justify the means" is suddenly worthless as his ends are impossible. The weight of everything he's done begins to crush him and Tony barely manages to get him to stop the Godkiller from hitting Earth. He admits to Tony, though, that the Godkiller is meant to disappear into a fold of the universe, impenetrably sealing the exits as it does so that no monster (like 451) could take advantage of the technology. As Tony realizes he's stuck in the Godkiller, 451 shuts himself down.
Really great weight to this issue. I've loved this series overall and this issue is no exception as we learn, it seems, that 451's battle was real. Whether it was purely altruistic (to protect Earth) is still up for debate but his decision to save Earth certainly helps give some credence to that. However, the really important thing is the weight that crashes down on 451 as he realizes how monstrous he's been, only to find that all of his horrific actions are simply that, horrific actions, since he cannot achieve the goals he set out to achieve. It's a really brilliant scene and the emotional weight is palpable, thanks both to the great writing of Gillen and the art by Pagulayan (and probably helped by the lettering of Joe Caramagna, which carries a weight of its own and influences the reader to read 451's text in a specific way). The rest of the issue is certainly cool, with the slew of armors and Tony's planning brought to the forefront. Really great issue and worth reading to see the change in 451, a change which has been kind of coming as the weight of everything he's done has started to impact him over time.
Hickman (w) and Opeña and Weaver (a) and Ponsor (c)
Again an oversized book but, again, it's full, which says a lot about this book. There's enough going on to necessitate a full event as this encompasses the entire Universe (and should). It's not just an occurrence that's passing by the lives of lots of heroes or something along those lines; this is actively impacting most heroes (haven't seen many X-Men yet but the Black Order has attacked the Jean Grey School) and will continue to do so. Most of the characterization is left in word choice and minor actions as there simply isn't enough time in all of these pages to develop characters that we already know. So far, it's still a solid book (with pretty solid art with all-pros Jerome Opeña and Dustin Weaver) and certainly allows for plenty of direction for this book to go. Hopefully it doesn't stagnate because that seems like the one direction that wouldn't be interesting.
Avengers AI 3
Humphries (w) and Araujo (a) and D'Armata (c)
The story here is interesting, if a little similar to what we saw in the last iteration of Secret Avengers. I think it's going to change away from that idea as we get further in, with the AI acting perhaps more defensively than the pure offensive attack of the AI in Secret Avengers' last arc. Still, there are definitely similarities and you can certainly pull out the same ethical decisions from this as you may have during that book. On top of that, the book moves rather slowly. Granted, this is only issue three and there's still a lot of exposition to get out (particularly in this issue, as we're introduced to an entire new race and its homeland) so it's possible that the pacing will even out in the future. I'm hoping that this series takes a bit of a turn away from what Secret Avengers did if just for variety's sake. Not a bad storyline and the questions raised are still interesting ones but I don't really want to read the same story so quickly after reading it in Secret Avengers.
Iron Man 15
Gillen (w) and Pagulayan and Hanna (a) and Guru eFX (c)
Tony's heading for his armory but he's only a few steps ahead of 451. In the armory, he adjusts his armors to add PEPPER back in (pre-Voldi PEPPER to avoid the compromise) and puts all of the armors on a closed system, meaning that only entities inside the armor can control the armor. Therefore, 451 has to physically enter the armor to get into the mainframe. To help himself, 451 creates some projections to also attack the suits. When one gets close to entering a separate armor, the armor's failsafe kicks in, destructing the unit. 451 focuses all attacks on Tony's suit, knowing that one can't self-destruct. Meanwhile, PEPPER manages to lock on to 451's hacking unit, allowing Tony to eventually shoot a laser through it, neutralizing the threat that 451 might destroy him from within. With that threat gone, Iron Man releases his biggest guns, a Hulkbuster-like armor, which goes on to destroy the projections and rip off 451's arm. Stopped for the moment, Tony drags 451 to the cockpit to show he can't control the Godkiller. Somewhere, 451 miscalculated and now everything he's done has been for nothing. His mantra of "the ends justify the means" is suddenly worthless as his ends are impossible. The weight of everything he's done begins to crush him and Tony barely manages to get him to stop the Godkiller from hitting Earth. He admits to Tony, though, that the Godkiller is meant to disappear into a fold of the universe, impenetrably sealing the exits as it does so that no monster (like 451) could take advantage of the technology. As Tony realizes he's stuck in the Godkiller, 451 shuts himself down.Really great weight to this issue. I've loved this series overall and this issue is no exception as we learn, it seems, that 451's battle was real. Whether it was purely altruistic (to protect Earth) is still up for debate but his decision to save Earth certainly helps give some credence to that. However, the really important thing is the weight that crashes down on 451 as he realizes how monstrous he's been, only to find that all of his horrific actions are simply that, horrific actions, since he cannot achieve the goals he set out to achieve. It's a really brilliant scene and the emotional weight is palpable, thanks both to the great writing of Gillen and the art by Pagulayan (and probably helped by the lettering of Joe Caramagna, which carries a weight of its own and influences the reader to read 451's text in a specific way). The rest of the issue is certainly cool, with the slew of armors and Tony's planning brought to the forefront. Really great issue and worth reading to see the change in 451, a change which has been kind of coming as the weight of everything he's done has started to impact him over time.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
FF 10, Venom 38
FF 10
Fraction (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c)
Plenty going on here, but first and foremost, let's talk about things that are meta. Meta, as comic readers probably know, refers to a situation wherein a work refers to itself, usually pretty directly. Hey guys, this book is pretty meta. There's a storyline in this issue where, in an attempt to counter bad publicity, Darla brings her publicist to talk to the team about creating a comic book based on the FF. The people the publicist brings over from Marvel Comics are editor Tom Brevoort, the writer Matt (as in Fraction), and the artist Mike (as in Allred). They then all go on a fantastic journey together, shrinking down to see the wonders of science at a microscopic level. Meanwhile, old Johnny Storm suspects that Alex Power has been dealing with Doom and Doom tells Alex to kill Storm, lest something horrible happen to Power's parents. A handful of the FF kids, led by Ahura and Alex, then go to see Maximus the Mad in response to Alex's question of whether or not they knew anyone who'd ever killed somebody.
I tend not to like serious works that are so self-referential to the point of taking the audience out of it. I don't think this book is so serious, for starters, but it's serious in that it comes out with a new plot every month and the characters are serious characters within this context, in that they are characters who exist in this world. However, I don't mind it here as, for starters, Fraction is fairly self-deprecating in this issue and pokes fun at his job a fair amount. More than that, of course there are also comics in this world. One of the interesting ideas behind Alan Moore's Watchmen series is that there's a big story-within-a-story where a kid reads a pirate-based comic book and the thought is that, with so many real superheroes in the world, kids read comics about pirates, preferring not to read stories about the people they hear about daily in the news. I don't really buy it but it's an interesting idea. I think, more like this story posits (and other comics have posited before), that these people are heroes in this world and, though more commonplace, still the stuff of legend, meaning that kids would still be gobbling them up, maybe more so. Maybe fewer kids would be allowed to read comics but whatever, now we're getting too deep into it. I'd be interesting to know if someone less familiar with Fraction as a person (I'm not connected to Fraction in any way, obviously, but being as invested in comics has led me to most of his work and to all of his online stuff, which create a personality that I kind of love) would find this issue as charming. The most important part, though, is that dropping real humans from our universe into the Marvel Universe means, logically, that we are all in the Marvel Universe. Sure we're not the superheroes but GUYS, I'm in the Marvel Universe.
Venom 38
Bunn (w) and Jacinto (a) and Loughridge (c)
Venom needs help in his war against Lord Ogre, who has some impressive resources at his disposal, including a seemingly endless number of hit men to attack Venom. Flash has decided to get some resources of his own and he's fortunate enough to have all of Katy Kiernan's contacts at his side. Venom, he feels, can no longer work solo out in Philadelphia. He needs help in any form he can get it. That becomes doubly apparent when Jack O'Lantern reveals himself again, showing up in Flash's apartment while Venom is out in the city. Unfortunately, he shows up at the same time Flash's neighbor (and student) Andi tries to go talk to him about what she saw in gym class (when he accidentally revealed to her that he's Venom). Jack promptly attacks her, following her back to her own apartment where Venom crashes in to enter the fray. Big surprise ending here that I won't spoil for you but that's worth reading.
I think this is far and away the best book Bunn has done for Marvel so far. I don't think he's a particularly weak writer in any respect but I don't tend to love his work elsewhere. He had a short run on Captain America before one of its rebrandings and he's worked the Deadpool Kills series and Fearless Defenders. Deadpool Kills, at least in its last iteration and maybe in this one (we're only one issue in) has been interesting enough for a throwaway book but i haven't really warmed up to Fearless Defenders yet (including the newest one, spoilers for Saturday's reviews). However, Venom through and through has been a pretty solid book. I think there have been a few waste issues that weren't the best but overall it's been a solid series and it's really encapsulated everything that made the book interesting under Remender while pushing forward in its own unique way (also, it showed a town in Massachusetts this one time that's right next to my hometown and, considering what we learned in FF this week, was therefore officially the closest I've ever come to getting into a Marvel comic book). This issue is no different as we get an interesting side of Flash, realizing that he needs help out here and that the problems of Philadelphia are bigger than his own personal demons so looking for help isn't any sort of negative on him. The twist at the end was very interesting and sets up next issue pretty well, giving us something (hopefully) to look forward to. It could, as nearly any story, go horribly wrong, of course, but there's reason to be optimistic.
Fraction (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c)
I tend not to like serious works that are so self-referential to the point of taking the audience out of it. I don't think this book is so serious, for starters, but it's serious in that it comes out with a new plot every month and the characters are serious characters within this context, in that they are characters who exist in this world. However, I don't mind it here as, for starters, Fraction is fairly self-deprecating in this issue and pokes fun at his job a fair amount. More than that, of course there are also comics in this world. One of the interesting ideas behind Alan Moore's Watchmen series is that there's a big story-within-a-story where a kid reads a pirate-based comic book and the thought is that, with so many real superheroes in the world, kids read comics about pirates, preferring not to read stories about the people they hear about daily in the news. I don't really buy it but it's an interesting idea. I think, more like this story posits (and other comics have posited before), that these people are heroes in this world and, though more commonplace, still the stuff of legend, meaning that kids would still be gobbling them up, maybe more so. Maybe fewer kids would be allowed to read comics but whatever, now we're getting too deep into it. I'd be interesting to know if someone less familiar with Fraction as a person (I'm not connected to Fraction in any way, obviously, but being as invested in comics has led me to most of his work and to all of his online stuff, which create a personality that I kind of love) would find this issue as charming. The most important part, though, is that dropping real humans from our universe into the Marvel Universe means, logically, that we are all in the Marvel Universe. Sure we're not the superheroes but GUYS, I'm in the Marvel Universe.
Venom 38
Bunn (w) and Jacinto (a) and Loughridge (c)
I think this is far and away the best book Bunn has done for Marvel so far. I don't think he's a particularly weak writer in any respect but I don't tend to love his work elsewhere. He had a short run on Captain America before one of its rebrandings and he's worked the Deadpool Kills series and Fearless Defenders. Deadpool Kills, at least in its last iteration and maybe in this one (we're only one issue in) has been interesting enough for a throwaway book but i haven't really warmed up to Fearless Defenders yet (including the newest one, spoilers for Saturday's reviews). However, Venom through and through has been a pretty solid book. I think there have been a few waste issues that weren't the best but overall it's been a solid series and it's really encapsulated everything that made the book interesting under Remender while pushing forward in its own unique way (also, it showed a town in Massachusetts this one time that's right next to my hometown and, considering what we learned in FF this week, was therefore officially the closest I've ever come to getting into a Marvel comic book). This issue is no different as we get an interesting side of Flash, realizing that he needs help out here and that the problems of Philadelphia are bigger than his own personal demons so looking for help isn't any sort of negative on him. The twist at the end was very interesting and sets up next issue pretty well, giving us something (hopefully) to look forward to. It could, as nearly any story, go horribly wrong, of course, but there's reason to be optimistic.
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