Leftovers 11-5-14

To say that I meant to do more reviews this week would not be inaccurate. However, it would be typical. So let's stay away from that and just do these reviews literally as quickly as I am capable.

All-New X-Factor 16
X-Factor needs to fight off Sentinels to protect the nuclear football containing the launch codes. They succeed but tensions within the team (and within Serval) run a bit high. Still too quippy at key tense parts for my liking. Total Score: 3/5


Deadpool's Art of War 2

Deadpool's tips lead Loki to total victory over Asgard then inspire him to attack Earth before locking Deadpool up in the dungeon with Thor, only to have 'Pool free himself and Thor. I'm not sure why a Marvel-Universe practical adaptation of Sun Tzu is worth making. I like that cover though. Total Score: 2/5














Death of Wolverine: Life After Logan 1
Jeff Loveness writes a good story about Cyclops' reaction to Wolverine's death, Josh Fialkov writes a fine story about Nightcrawler and Colossus delivering Logan's sword to Mariko's grave, and Rex Ogle writes a perfectly sufficient story about Armor fighting in the Danger Room. You know these books, they happen after every comic book death. Total Score: 3/5


Death of Wolverine: The Weapon X Program 1

As the new Weapon X facility crumbles, a couple of experimented-on soldiers with various powers make their escape from the debris. With the leadership of one of the soldiers whose face is concealed until the last page, they manage to make it to the roof and take Cornelius' helicopter, wherein we learn that the concealed soldier's face looks an awful lot like Logan's. The genuinely surprising twist makes this issue somewhat worth reading, unless it was spoiled by some reviewer. Total Score: 4/5











Hulk 8
Doc Green is heading for Red She-Hulk, AKA Betty Ross, next. To make matters more personal, he knows now that Betty and her new organization, the Order of the Shield (from the last days of RED SHE-HULK), arranged for Dr. Leucenstern to shoot Banner in the back of the head at the end of INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK, believing that Hulk was to be responsible for an impending Extinction Level event. Doc Green actually harbors no ill will toward either and uses Rick Jones, who is actually loving his newfound lease on a regular life, to trick Betty into using the serum before Doc Green has to. Still some interesting stuff happening (even if it's been the same interesting stuff the last couple issues and even if it de-powers my probably favorite Hulk right now) but it continues to be hard to enjoy watching Doc Green. Total Score: 3/5


Legendary Star-Lord 5
Star-Lord has a lead on a bad guy group heading for the Black Vortex and lulls one into a false sense of security to get more information before unleashing Drax on him. Peter and Kitty continue to have a bad and boring relationship. Said relationship drags the book down at least as much as the story and as the villainous Mr. Knife. Total Score: 3/5


Rocket Raccoon 5

Rocket and Groot tell a story to a couple of camping alien kids. Well, Groot tells it. The results are rather predictable but astonishingly fun and still very clever. Excellent book. Guest artist Jake Parker draws all of Groot's story while Skottie Young provides the frame art. Parker steps in admirably and uses a style that is similar but obviously different to Young. Both work excellently. Total Score: 5/5













X-Men 21
Manifold Tyger put both Storm and Cecelia Reyes in critical condition before the other heroes catch up with him. They also learn that Tyger was working with the villains trying to gene-splice a baby out of Deathbird. Meanwhile, this story is somehow still going. It hasn't been bad, exactly, just slow and and getting more and more bogged down with each issue. Total Score: 3/5