Death of Wolverine 4, Death of Wolverine - Logan's Legacy 1

Death of Wolverine 4

Wolverine arrives at Dr. Cornelius' laboratory to find the doctor majorly behind the Weapon X program and responsible for his adamantium skeleton has been trying to perfect his technique on what would be a fully controllable, adamantium, healing army, claiming that he wants to better the world in a way he couldn't with Wolverine. He derides Wolverine as simply a killer, even named after the only animal (aside from man) that kills for pleasure, and explains that he doesn't want his legacy to be making a killer better at killing. His problem so far, and why he's wanted Wolverine and others, is that he can't seem to perfect the healing factor the would-be soldiers need to survive the adamantium. Of course, that doesn't go so hot since Wolverine no longer has his healing factor and, after he puts down Cornelius' protection, forcing Cornelius to flee, he destroys the machines, causing the last of the adamantium Cornelius has secured and re-used for hundred of experiments to pour out over him. He grabs the last syringe of passable healing factor Cornelius has been using and follows Cornelius to the roof, where his getaway chopper pilot bails before the wounded Cornelius can follow him. Cornelius bleeds out on the roof asking what Wolverine has ever done besides kill. As the adamantium hardens on our hero, he decides he did enough, looking into the sun as he solidifies.

Wolverine has always been defined by a number of things, particularly his animal nature and the Weapon X program. Soule and McNiven crafted Wolverine's death story with that in mind and, as such, gave us a final Wolverine story befitting the well-loved dark and mysterious hero. It's a story that allows Wolverine to go out unquestionably as the hero, destroying a mad scientist's attempts at making an unstoppable army and ensuring no one else goes through what he's gone through, while doing it quietly, succeeding in a way that, as Wolverine himself says it, is enough. Most hero deaths, when they happen, happen in front of witnesses, ranging from the many to the few but always with shocked onlookers. Instead, Wolverine, despite the impact he's had (which we're going to see in great length all across the Marvel Universe in the coming weeks), dies silently, away from everyone he knows and loves. And it works really, really well. Great work by Soule and McNiven and though all the makings are there for his inevitable rebirth, it's the kind of death story that has meaning and works thematically with the character so well that you can understand why Marvel was willing to do it.

Total Score: 5/5


Death of Wolverine - Logan's Legacy 1

Someone has captured Daken, X-23, Sabretooth, Mystique, and Lady Deathstrike and, supposedly, implanted them with a number of trigger words that should effectively control them. Together with their mysterious benefactor, they're meant to get to the bottom of a few secrets behind Wolverine's death.

Okay, this one wasn't nearly so great. It's just...the thing is, this one is so weird. I don't know if it's hindered by the slowed release schedule or if it was just planned to have a weird first issue, but it's unlike anything I've ever seen. The issue teases moments and character changes still to happen in this series. I legitimately wasn't sure of this and thought that maybe we were being shown clips from some infinite comic I hadn't read or something but no, it seems like it's just previewing issues to come. I...I don't get it. I mean, I get it to a point, but I don't think it's a good storytelling technique and it feels like it really doesn't benefit this series in any way. I'm hoping the next few issues will be better as they'll likely be in a more standard format. This one's just so strange though.

Total Score: 1/5

SUPER QUICK REVIEW: X-Men: Days of Future Past

As ever, no spoilers until there's been more time for people to get out and see the movie (believe it or not, I'm still optimistic I'll get full reviews out for all the movies I've missed).

I worried from day one that X-Men: Days of Future Past was going to suffer from a hugely complicated story and from having too many characters. I'm delighted to report that, while the story is pretty convoluted and while there are plenty of roles in this movie, there was no such suffering through this one. There's a bit of suspension of disbelief in play here to get through some of the finer points of the story (though likely no more than you had to suspend to get into comics and the X-Men in the first place) but it's not troubling enough to taint the movie. There are maybe a few too many winks and nudges at the audience (big winks and nudges too, broad ones that everyone can follow and not just the diehard fans who are searching them out). Regardless, the movie easily stands on its own and is certainly one of the strongest movies in the franchise to date, if not the strongest. As ever, stay til the end of the credits for an exciting, if somewhat predictable, teaser.

Amazing X-Men 6, Wolverine and the X-Men 3

Amazing X-Men 6
Aaron (w) and C. Stewart (a) and Rosenberg (c) and Caramagna (l)

Nightcrawler has returned and he's got to make the best of things knowing that he can never return to the afterworld. He watches as a SHIELD transport takes Azazel to Ryker's while he's supposed to be at a party with all of his old pals. Feeling okay that Azazel is in custody, he returns and mingles, even welcoming Cyclops, Emma Frost, and Kitty into the bar to celebrate the night. However, he realizes that Mystique is among the gathering and she figures out where Azazel is. He tries to stop her from attacking him and/or setting him free but cannot stop the red bamfs from freeing Azazel. He returns to the bar with Wolverine as Mystique and Azazel join forces.

Story
With Nightcrawler's return now cemented, we see where things are going to go next. This feels like a necessary issue, one where Nightcrawler meets again with all his old pals and even with Mystique. The team-up of Nightcrawler's parents isn't necessarily the most thrilling team-up in the world but I guess we'll see where it leads. 3/5

Character
As of right now, at least, AMAZING X-MEN is really Nightcrawler's book. That could very well change as Nightcrawler's return is less of a surprise to everyone around and as his own book continues, but for now Aaron is one of the key people writing Nightcrawler and I appreciate his take on him. It's very clear that something is changed about Nightcrawler and there's certainly a sadness to him that hadn't been there before. I'm interested to see how he takes this. 5/5

Writing
The writing feels at times a little incongruous as Nightcrawler's depression drives the better part of this book only to be replaced by his parents bickering and CONTINUALLY referencing the fact that they're his parents. Also, I'd be fine if they just flat-out dropped the "Scott Summers leads the outcast X-Men" storyline and mixed all of them back in with the rest of the mutants without any sort of explanation. They so constantly meet up with the other mutants in the world that I feel like everyone is just dying for this all to be over and if it's my go-ahead they're waiting for, they have it. 3/5

Art
I like Cameron Stewart's art here and it's a rather nice change from series regular Ed McGuinness, with whom I sometimes have issues (particularly in the way he draws women's faces). It's strong art here and it works equally well in the calm and happiness of the bar and in the darkness and action of the fights. 5/5

Miscellaneous
It's always nice to see that a resurrection in comics does have some effect on both the recently deceased and on the ones who it affected. I'm interested to see how Nightcrawler handles himself in the coming months of Marvel comics and how his resurrection impacts the rest of the universe but so far I'm liking Aaron's take more than Claremont's (still very early).

Total score: 3/5


Wolverine and the X-Men 3
Latour (w) and Asrar (a) and Silva (c) and Cowles (l)

Askani John injures Wolverine and their Bamf enough that he and Storm can't rush back to the school quickly enough to stop John's attack on Evan. Meanwhile, Edan Younge of the new Phoenix Corporation enters Quentin Quire's mind to tell him that he's bound someday to wield the Phoenix Force and that he should be prepared better than what the X-Men can offer and to tell him that he's lost his edge. Quire doesn't take kindly to this and he uses Wolverine and Storm's appearance to force Younge out of his mind and to leave with a Bamf. Back at the school, the students step forward to try to defend Evan from John but John forces an image on all of them of the future Evan would give them as the new Apocalypse.

Story
There is a somewhat interesting story here and it's the story that things have been heading towards since Wolverine delivered Evan to the Jean Grey School however long ago he did it. It's a little bit muddy right now because there's just so much going on and the Phoenix Corporation confuses things a bit so it's a little hard to see how things are really shaking out. Still, things are getting interesting as Quentin thinks about his potential and, perhaps, his responsibility and as everyone else is forced to see what Evan could become. 4/5

Character
There's a nice moment for Storm in here as everyone is forced to respect how incredible she is. It's probably the best character moment in the book as Quentin gets the focus but continues to be rather obnoxious. Even when he gets a nice moment as he refuses to be defined by all the people trying to do so, he's still just a little too quippy and too...I don't know, know-it-all teen for me? I think that's in his design so it's not anything Latour or Asrar is responsible for but it's hard to put him in the center of the book and ask us to care unduly. 3/5

Writing
As I said, I think the story in here is going where it needs to go and in an interesting direction but it is a little hard to follow at times. It may just be a result of too many plot points converging at the start of a new book and things will fall into place more readily when we've got a little ground under our feet. Still, the rapidly switching narrative and the jumping timeline make it a little harder than it feels like maybe it needs to be. It doesn't read particularly quickly either so expect to need to double back on dialogue a few times in the course of the book. 3/5

Art
It feels like Mahmud Asrar is getting better and better every time out. His art is impressive and the people that he draws are all fairly expressive and he illustrates the calm as well as he does the action. There are a couple times here where it can get a little hard to follow what's happening, particularly as it pertains to the Bamfs, but overall some good art here. 4/5

Miscellaneous
I'll never penalize a book for referencing Remender's unbelievably great UNCANNY X-FORCE so this book may be losing points here and there for a convoluted plot and under-explained new characters but it won't lose points for shooting for the stars here.

Total score: 3/5

Captain America 12, Deadpool 18, Wolverine 10

Captain America 18
Remender (w) and Pacheco and Janson (a) and White and Rosenberg (c)

Cap has burned all his souvenirs from bygone ages and is trying to step forward in his life. Of course, this isn't any sort of easy step. It's harder, even, then being frozen in ice and reawakened because now he's also just in the last day, practically, lost a son and a wife. One of Steve's closest friends, the Falcon, comes to talk with him about it, wanting to get him out of the house. The two move around the city talking until Steve finally cracks and breaks down as much as Steve Rogers can. Meanwhile, we find out that Nuke has been set loose on the world (in plenty of places where America has lost soldiers) by someone who apparently abhors America (unbeknownst to Nuke, though much is unbeknownst to Nuke) and  who seems to have mystical powers all his own.

The story for the arc is certainly still coming. The intrigue of Nuke and the former SHIELD agent who hates America and its capitalist ways and has powers borne from some mystical dragon is very present in this issue, if still rather unexplained, but that's, for the second straight issue, not our focus with Steve. And I don't blame the book for it. Steve went through 16 issues of just about the worst things that have ever happened to him. Of course, in those ten years in Dimension Z, some truly wonderful things happened to him, mostly to do with him and Ian, but he was fighting a horrible and seemingly impossible to defeat overlord and it culminated in the death of the two people closest to him and in returning to a world he no longer recognizes hot on the heels of those deaths. Let's give him a couple issues to let some of that emotion out. These are really difficult issues for Cap and this one perhaps even more so than the last. He's got a lot going on and it's, to Remender and Pacheco's credit, very evident and palpable here. It hurts to watch Cap go through what he's going through, the rock of the Marvel Universe so shaken to his core by what's happened. You may know Cap is the unflappable leader of the Avengers without even really realizing it. I've read plenty of Captain America and seen him at low points, needing to gather himself or needing to let the fear and doubt and tragedy out of him but this, right here and now, still resonates on a different level. It's a powerful issue for Cap, who is at his lowest right now, and (segue) he's not the only character feeling that way at the moment.

Deadpool 18
Posehn and Duggan (w) and Shalvey (a) and Bellaire (c)

Deadpool, Cap, and Wolverine are leading the North Korean experiment mutants out of the camp and are on pace to try to save their families from destruction at the hands of the North Koreans. It's not an easy task but they at least have the upper hand in terms of powers and, at least briefly, the element of surprise. They plan their strike and move and, surprisingly, it goes rather well. They manage, in no small part thanks to Deadpool, to decimate the army on-hand and rescue the surviving family members, though there are plenty who were killed even before this strike. Deadpool realizes, despite Wolverine's attempts to get him to stay back, that his baby's mother and, quite probably, his baby are among that number. It shatters Deadpool, who went into the fight more serious than, as Wolverine commented, we've seen him and who was perhaps more dedicated to the fight than ever before. The issue ends with Deadpool pronouncing this all his fault and crying over the loss of his family.

It's a tough issue for Deadpool and, as this arc continues to show, pretty strong writing and ideas. There are jokes that are well-timed, there are fun bits to the action that keep this firmly in the "This is a Deadpool book" camp, but it all cedes to an emotional core for the book. Gone are the non-stop terrible jokes and references, gone are the ineffectual crude jokes and baseline humor tactics, gone are the meaningless support and villainous characters this book has often found itself littered with (though Preston is still kicking around; more on that in a minute). In its place is a smart and thoughtful book that knows when to put in jokes and knows when to keep jokes out of the way. I think I may have talked about this before but I certainly can't be bothered to look that up to confirm so I'll say it again, Preston remains a weak point for the book. She's filling the same sort of role in Deadpool's mind that the loose Peter Parker consciousness filled in the first several issues of Superior Spider-Man; she's saying things we totally expect her to say when we don't need those things to be said. Peter would see Doc Ock doing something morally ambiguous in his body and would start saying over and over "oh come on, don't do that, I would never do that," a sentiment that the audience was well-aware of. This is much the same case, where Preston is saying things right along those lines only to be ignored by Deadpool or even for him to consent but in a way where I honestly believe he would have consented without her needing to say anything. I think her inclusion here slows down what is otherwise a truly very good issue though, in truth, this issue is strong enough and her role so limited that it still stands well in spite of her. Also some more great Declan Shalvey art.

Wolverine 10
Cornell (w) and A. Davis and M. Farmer (a) and Hollingsworth (c)

Wolverine is still on the trail of Sabretooth, which has led him to the place where he was born, now a strip mall, while Fury and SHIELD work with the Host to try to counteract the Virus' effects. One of Wolverine's unnecessary supporting characters (back from when we met them all at the bar way back when) has apparently created a sort of filter to keep the Virus out but it's a limited range and their too expensive and difficult to produce en masse and so they're only being used by the supporting characters, SHIELD, and heads of state. Fury, who is working with the Host to try to find some sort of way to stop the Virus, asks the Host if there's anything she can do to reverse what the Virus did to Wolverine. The Host admits there isn't but says that the Virus might be able to (bet that won't come up again) if it was so inclined. Meanwhile, Wolverine and Kitty have investigated the mall and, while trying to get the security guards to clear out, watch as Sabretooth's small branch of the Hand, Mystique, Lord Deathstrike, and the Silver Samurai enter the mall to close in around them. Up on the helicarrier, SHIELD has realized that the Virus is launching its full attack and that it's much more widespread than they thought, already beginning to infect the globe.

Hopefully this set up yields results as we have what will have to be a rather fast-paced and action-packed conclusion coming up on this arc (we're on part three of six so maybe it will be a little drawn out, rather like this series as a whole). Still, we find Wolverine still being awfully cautious for the first time in...ever, and we see the Virus putting its plans into motion. There are some books where a ten issue+ arc feels right (like in Captain America, Young Avengers, and, to perhaps a lesser extent, Thor), like the book has still moved extremely well and the story was ultimately worth telling. In this case, it feels like we've gotten maybe six issues combined of story out of ten physical issues. That's not even necessarily because of the ideas; there's a virus that's essentially possessing people inhabiting the Earth and which has made Wolverine susceptible to injury, which has spun off into its own story which, in all likelihood, will tie back into the virus story. That's plenty of story for ten books. Cap got more than ten really great issues out of one prolonged fight with Zola. Still, the pacing and the writing feels slow which makes the story feel lethargic. I feel like it's gotten a little better as we've introduced more compelling characters with more compelling reasons to be there (throwing Kitty in alongside Wolverine helps because we see the impact he's had on people and we get to see the little quirks of his being mortal from an outside perspective) but this book still feels like it's been around for a long time, and not in a good, it feels classic sort of way. It's more like "good god, this story is still going, isn't it?" kind of way. Not really where you want to be ten issues in.

Astonishing X-Men 65, Uncanny X-Men 10

Astonishing X-Men 65
Liu (w) and Walta (a) and C. Peter (c)

Bobby has some issues and I'm rather torn on this. Mystique has stolen the Death Seed, thus giving herself enhanced powers, but she's pretty quickly defeated (though not after a bit of a one-on-one moment with Gambit) because turns out Apocalypse=not that hard to beat? Okay, I'm simplifying the situation a bit but WHATEVER, she's not the focus right now, just a way to make the Death Seed conquerable as it's pretty obvious this team can't beat a powered up and focus Bobby. So let's get to that. The conceit is that Bobby is, in fact, as powerful as he's always been but now he's unleashing all of that power because he has the confidence and the motivation to do so. He eventually chooses the non-evil path and defeats his monstrous personality but the issue ends on a somber note, basically asking what happens next time. Bobby admits to Kitty and Wolverine that he liked the monster, liked the power and the confidence the Death Seed brought and he doesn't think he can ever truly go back to the wisecracking, fun-loving guy they all know, even if he ends up lying and putting that face on. What will happen if he snaps again?

Really interesting arc here for Bobby and raises many more questions about the character. As I led off this review, I'm rather torn on what's happened here. I like Bobby as the fun guy on the team but it also leaves him with less depth than other characters. That's certainly simplifying it; he's been around as long as any other X-Man and he's certainly appeared enough in the Universe to have an extensive background and personality but he still feels kind of one dimensional. It's a good and often necessary dimension but it's left him a little weaker over the years. In that respect, I think it's kind of smart to show him in this light, as the guy who has been hurt and neglected and always sought approval and never really received it who suddenly realizes the true extent of his powers and, just as suddenly, isn't sure what that means to him and how he should use it. On the other hand, this is a real fundamental change to the character of Bobby Drake and one that, if everyone's paying attention to this book, should have a lasting effect on him across the Universe. That's a tall order and I tend to think that one or two of his other writers out there have a tendency to tell the story they want to tell with the characters they want to tell it with and forget any fundamental changes that have happened recently, someone else down the line can deal with those.

Uncanny X-Men 10
Bendis (w) and F. Irving (a and c)

Cyclops is excited because the team is training well and starting to look like real mutants. We're spared a training montage but only barely. We also learn that Eva, the new mutant who can create time bubbles, can also send people through time. So far she's only done it once and only into the future but it's worth noting and Cyclops notes it, telling the other new mutants that they may find that their powers begin to reveal more about themselves as time progresses. Meanwhile, Magneto goes to meet with Maria Hill (after the stupidest coded message MAYBE ever, which seems like a pretty big distinction but I'm not about to research "stupid coded messages" though now I actually kind of want to so I'll get back to you on that) in Portland to learn that he will no longer be working with her in matters of betraying Scott but will rather be working with Dazzler who, unbeknownst to either of them as yet, is actually Mystique posing as Dazzler because no one can get enough Mystique right now, particularly not Bendis (more on that in the next paragraph). Finally, the team watches a pro-mutant rights protest on television (led by humans) and decide to teleport there to blow everyone's minds and to get out some more words on the subject. As soon as they touch down, though, a new and more powerful Sentinel comes at them.

Mystique has found herself littered through these X-books of late, particularly in All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, which I attributed to Bendis' love of specific characters (like how Spider-Woman and Luke Cage suddenly started appearing in every Avengers book during his runs). Thinking more on it, I think it's probably a little of that and a little trying to cash in on the character, who has always been a popular character within Marvel but now is played in major motion pictures by one of today's biggest actresses in Jennifer Lawrence. My question, if that ends up being true, is how much then is the decision of the Marvel higher-ups and how much is it of Bendis or how much is collaboration? While she's a worthwhile villain and obviously a pretty big villain in X-Men lore, it does fit that they'd be sprinkling her just about everywhere they can (in recent days she's appeared prominently in All-New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, and Wolverine and the X-Men, to name the few I can think of) in hopes to cash in on the movie franchise's success (though at kind of a weird time, admittedly) and on the star power of Jennifer Lawrence. Bendis also likes to get in on movie tie-in stuff (not necessarily the direct tie-in, but he's also the one helming Guardians of the Galaxy's relaunched book just before the movie next year and he came up swinging with the Age of Ultron event just before Ultron was announced as the main villain of the upcoming blockbuster Avengers: Age of Ultron). Just some thoughts. Seemed more fun than listing the stupidest coded messages I could find (which, again, actually kind of sounds fun).

Uncanny X-Men 9, X-Men 3

Uncanny X-Men 9
Bendis (w) and Bachalo (a) and Townsend (c)

SHIELD agent Dazzler shows up at Fabio's home to try to talk to him about his new mutation and to get answers about Cyclops' new X-Men team. The atmosphere is not particularly welcoming and she ends up needing to stun Fabio and his family so he can remove Fabio from the situation. Meanwhile, Scott is trying to train his X-Men when the news report of Fabio's abduction hits them. Of course, SHIELD is pretty stupid, as is typical, and didn't think any of their actions through so the X-Men know where he's being held.

I've gone on and on before about the back-and-forth dialogue Bendis employs to make his books seem quick-paced and witty which, in my opinion, fail to do either of those things but rather make the book drag and make every character sound the same, which is to say less like an actual character. It hits home again here as he has a wacky, fun-filled scene at Fabio's house when Fabio's father pulls a gun on Dazzler. Yes, you read that all correctly. Fabio's father pulls a gun on Dazzler and threatens her and it's played off as part of the hilarity of the scene. Later, when SHIELD pulls Fabio in, it takes literally no effort for Scott's team to find him, which Coulson pieces together immediately after they bring the new mutant to them. Both of these things are examples of lazy writing. The people do whatever the plot dictates they do, no matter how inane and ridiculous, simply to move the book forward. The ending features Mystique because Bendis seemingly can't get enough of her and, as Bendis is wont to do, that means she's appearing everywhere he can put her (a la Hawkeye, Luke Cage, and Spider-Woman in his Avengers runs). I think part of the idea in the snappy writing here, if I'm being generous, is that the X-Men have always functioned as something of a family, people bonded together over a connection they didn't choose to have. However, it feels unlike any sort of family and more like a collection of of people who have never entered into a real conversation before in their lives and suddenly all they do is talk, with every character feeling the need to input at least fifty throwaway lines per conversation. So in short, I continue not to recommend this book.

X-Men 3
Wood (w) and Coipel and Morales (a) and L. Martin (c)

The team that left the school is closing in on Arkea back at the hospital she originally landed at, where she took over Jubilee's new son. Waiting for her there is a full wing of people with cybernetic neural implants, meaning that Arkea can take over any and all of them. That's what's waiting for Storm and company when they arrive. Meanwhile, back at the school, her bomb seems to have detonated, though not in an explosive way. Instead, it's done its own thing, hacking the systems at the school and creating, possibly, some Karima drones in the Danger Room. Can Kitty shut the Danger Room down in time? Will it matter if Storm and her team don't shut Arkea down? What will be left of Karima if they succeed?

There's a lot happening here for a three issue arc and it suffers in a respect. You don't want arcs to drag on too long or else they stagnate a bit. However, not giving enough time can make the whole thing feel rushed and poorly explained. That's how I came away feeling after this issue. Arkea certainly was a huge threat, the first and second issues showed that pretty well. In the final issue, though, she seems a whole lot less intimidating. She's sort of intimidating at the school but she's taking on Kitty and a handful of students and her most intimidating moment is when she shuts the oxygen off in a room they quickly break out of. If she's not involved in issue four (unknown, obviously) then this is a weird arc conclusion. Still, the team feels pretty good and they move in an appropriately coordinated way, leaving some faith for the coming series. Feels a bit early to give a judgment on this series, but I wasn't exactly blown away by its first storyline.

Astonishing X-Men 64, Uncanny X-Men 8, Wolverine 6

Astonishing X-Men 64
Liu (w) and Walta (a) and Peter (c)

To start, some bad news. Marvel has announced they are canceling Astonishing X-Men in October with issue 68. It's pretty unfortunate as I've found myself liking this series more than any other X-Men team title of late (I have high hopes for Brian Wood's X-Men but we're only on issue two over there, so I don't want to say yet). It's felt a little more toned down in its approach, which I think has a lot to do with the softer art of it, and Marjorie Liu kills it when she has the chance to write character over plot. Definitely sad news as Marvel cancels another fairly strong one. Anyway, on to this issue. Bobby is still covering the world in ice and snow and his teammates are trying to bring him down. They manage to wound him a bit, but nothing long term, as Kitty dives through his giant ice body and touches the purple force within. It stuns her and he flees. Wolverine and company hunt down Dark Beast, last seen in the X-Termination event, and Wolvy accuses him of placing within Bobby a fragment of Apocalypse power when they jumped through a portal back home. Dark Beast agrees to help them find out if the power can be removed but he's never really one to be trusted. Meanwhile, Bobby goes to visit his parents, still hoping to connect with someone. He's shooed away by his father which results in Bobby using the snow and ice to kill him. While Bobby Prime has been doing all of this, little Bobby fragments have tried to salvage the last bits of memory and caring they hold, taking some of the people Bobby had once loved and trying to protect them from him. Mystique is with one of the fragments and asks him about all of it but his memories are fading as Bobby becomes stronger. Bobby finds them and Mystique convinces him to allow her into his plan, wishing to share the power with him. Back home, Wolverine and his team talk about what needs to be done; if they can't save Bobby, they have to be prepared to kill him to stop Apocalypse's influence. Of course, it eventually does come down to a fight, with Thor joining in the battle as well. Mystique and Bobby attack the X-Men and Thor, quickly gaining the advantage, before Opal tries to talk to Bobby. Bobby lashes out at her but, while he's distracted, Thor takes the opportunity to blast the Apocalypse power out of him. Before Thor can advance, Mystique spears him with an ice shard and moves ahead. She picks up the small bit of power and pops it into her mouth.

Certainly a strange ending made all the more tense by contemplating a Mystique with the sort of power Bobby had. Not entirely sure what it could grant her; this power seemed to amplify Bobby's natural abilities and corrupt his soul, but it didn't seem to cause any new powers. We'd seen everything he did here before, just to a far lesser scale. So will Mystique shapeshift even better? I don't know. Will shapeshifting give her the power of whoever she shapeshifts into? Because I'd like to know more about how that works. And her soul's already pretty corrupted, though not to the level that Apocalypse would have it. Anyway, definitely some interesting stuff as Bobby seems to go past a couple of points of no return here. Only Thor, outside of the X-Men, seems aware that this is Bobby's doing as a news report in the issue says witnesses saw a giant ice man but no one can guarantee it was anything more than severe cold hallucinations. On top of that, Dark Beast makes a sinister comment to Gambit, asking whether the second Apocalypse personality ever goes away or not, so even if Bobby was acting completely under the influence of the power (which maybe amplified the way he was feeling already) it's not guaranteed it will all go away as quickly as it came. We're in for an interesting conclusion next issue.

Uncanny X-Men 8
Bendis (w) and Bachalo (a) and Townsend (c)

Scott and Emma drop Fabio (the gold ball new mutant) back off at home on his request, telling him that they'll be around if he wants to reconsider. They return and discuss with the rest of the new mutants and the original team how everyone needs to train more. Magik leads the Cuckoos to the new mutant we glimpsed last issue, who apparently has control over cars, and rescue him from a situation with the police, though not before the police shoot him. When they return home, their healer Christopher manages to fix that up because healers tend to take the tension away from more minor injuries. Meanwhile, Fabio is being grilled for far too long by his parents and his sister about where he's been and about what's happening and so on. None of them listen to him when he tells them that he's a mutant and the X-Men aren't bad people and they saved him and so on and this scene goes on FOREVER. Then Dazzler, agent of SHIELD, shows up at his door asking to talk.

I will say, the plus side of that back-and-forth dialogue I've decried so much on this blog is that it's easier to review an issue chock full of it because there's not much space for things to happen. Plot things. It's still not easy to read because you get halfway through the book and feel like you've read several issues of a very boring and slow moving book. I know I've talked about it plenty already, but I have to again say that the sort of dialogue prevalent here is not a natural dialogue to be reading. I tend not to buy, even in Sorkin's work or in shows like Gilmore Girls that feel like a direct influence on this writing style, that people talk this way but you forgive it in TV because listening to it is somewhat easier than reading it all. It's fast-paced, it's quick, and it conveys an energy. It doesn't do any of those things in comics because regardless of how short the bursts of speech are, you're still taking the time to read it all. It feels forced and unnatural while also feeling unrepentantly smarmy. It's hard to look past all of that to even dive into the issue but, more than that, it feels like less happens in the issue because of it. If you like this style of writing, you'll probably like this book. If you have numerous problems with this style of writing, you will pretty clearly hate this book.

Wolverine 6
Cornell (w) and Pierfederici and Palmer (a) and Mossa (c)

Wolverine is still trying to fight his way through the SHIELD helicarrier to reach the parasite in Nick Fury or to get off or to turn the helicarrier around or something. He's trying to defeat it, anyway. However, the parasite isn't taking too kindly to his attempts and is, as the issue begins, trying to drown him. His team of protected SHIELD agents help him get to safety and he borders on berserker as he leaves the water. Main SHIELD agent McDougall wants that rage to come out, sure that they need an angry Wolverine. Somehow, her hyping him up seems to calm him down and he gets a grip on himself. I don't know, it just happens that way. The parasite sends more foes for them to face, including a specially enhanced SHIELD team called SHIELD team Namor, meant to fight in watery conditions. They tear through the team, killing most and severing the air tank from another, meaning the parasite can take him over. Soon it's just Wolverine and McDougall left. The pair make their way through the helicarrier and attempt to go to the microverse and back but they're blocked by the parasite, sending them to see their real forms, which are hideous. Wolverine allows them to supervillain out their whole plan, which is largely about infesting Earth and taking over people so they can all live together peaceably even if it removes the consciousness of the humans, before attacking. McDougall hijacks one of their ships and manages to navigate it to a point in the microverse where they grow back into normal space, now moved in the real universe to the helicarrier's bridge. It's a bit confusing and pretty poorly defined, but it places Wolverine and McDougall behind a now-somewhat-panicking Fury (still controlled by the parasite) so Wolverine can knock him out (the host body losing consciousness forces the parasite out, apparently). The flood the ship with stun gas and knock everyone out, allowing them to awaken as themselves again, where Wolverine explains to Fury's what's been happening. Before they were all expelled, though, they said something about triggering the process, which seems to come to fruition at the end of the issue as Wolverine feels himself start losing blood and realizes he's not healing.

I don't know what it is about this series but there's something in there that makes it hard to really get behind. I can't see the parasite as a legitimate enemy at this point, not because they've been unthreatening but more because they're so incredibly vague. It's vague in a not-mysterious way, which would create some amount of tension or fear of them. Instead, they seem like another obstacle and one that's somehow lasted this long. It could be the writing between Wolverine and the other characters, which feels almost entirely dry and emotionless. When emotions do break through, their clichéd and expected. It's hard to feel anything about this story, which seems largely due to what I've said about the enemy but also in large part to its hero. I'm not sure how you can make a book about Wolverine, one of Marvel's biggest characters ever, and make the audience feel uncomfortable with him. I'm not saying uncomfortable in the sort of "I don't know if I condone those choices" sort of way, which is rather what Wolverine is all about, but uncomfortable in a sort of squirming, can't sit still kind of way because he's not really doing anything of note, even when he is. Also, a more cynical man than I would point to the similarity of the parasite taking away his healing factor as a similarity with the new Wolverine movie coming out, wherein he seems to lose his healing factor. That's not new, to have a storyline in a book that corresponds to a major motion picture that's coming out, but it always feels a little like a cheap move. I can't say I recommend this book, which is too bad because there has been some interesting stuff in the series overall. It gets far too bogged down by itself, preferring to explain every bit of action in a "you see how smart this series is?" sort of way that really makes the series crawl along.

Age of Apocalypse 13, Ultimates 22

Age of Apocalypse 13
Lapham (w) and Arlem and De Landro (a) and Loughridge (c)

With Weapon Omega de-powered after the events of the last issues, we find everyone relevant to the AoA Universe picking up the pieces to their lives several months later. Creed is trying to heal his father, Pierce is killing Sebastian Shaw, Trask is setting up defenses and hospitals in the new human homeland of Hawaii, and Jean is tracking down Wolverine who, in turn, is tracking down and killing his former ministers. MEANWHILE, AoA Nightcrawler has chosen to leave the 616 and his "mother" Mystique, haunted by the things he's had to do in this universe and the fight he left unfinished (though, unbeknownst to him, it's finished now) in his own universe. He declines Mystique's offer to join the Hand and he finds Beast (unsure which universe's Beast it is) and demands to be sent back to the AoA. So we have some interesting things happening all over the AoA and the 616 as the X-Termination event begins later this month (this and the last Astonishing X-Men that came out serve as preludes to that event, which will span its own two part book as well as tying into a couple more issues of Astonishing X-Men, another issue of Age of Apocalypse and an issue of X-Treme X-Men).

I'm a bit excited for that X-Termination event. As I've said before, I really like Nightcrawler and I think the idea of this battle-hardened Nightcrawler who is so separate from his 616 counterpart is a pretty fantastic idea. I'm excited to see him wander through more of the 616 as he finds his way back to his own universe, which I'm also excited to see. So yes, I guess a bit excited is a proper description of my feelings for this event. I'm also wary about events that take place across several books. I'd imagine that they're not just mere tie-ins and that they're actually crucial to the story of X-Termination, but I don't know that for sure. Actually, as I typed that, I looked at the little card I have outlining the event and I'm pretty sure of it after all. Every book still to come out (minus X-Treme X-Men 12, which is still prologue) is labeled as part one through six. So yeah, tie-in stories might break flow but they at least don't require you to buy five books a month to stay caught up on one story (typically). It's more pick and choose. Though it does lower the stakes of those books a little bit. I don't know. That's a hard question. Maybe we'll get into it later.

Ultimates 22
Humphries (w) and Bennett and José (a) and Milla (c)

Important things happening over in this issue too. As reconstruction continues following the war in America, President Cap has a lot on his plate. He oversees a meeting between the prosecuting and defense lawyers for the treasonous war criminal Hulk (solved by President Cap locking them in a room together until they compromise) and meets with California's governor-elect's spokesperson Ford, who wants to establish something of a monarchy for himself on the West Coast (solved by President Cap, in no uncertain terms, declining such a solution and having Hawkeye shoot an arrow at Ford's feet and GUYS, this dude is named FORD and Cap has just solved a Civil War and FORD'S THEATER OH CRAP). Ford, not so fond of this answer, demands that they initiate their second plan, which is a reserve team of Ultimates that Nick Fury and SHIELD had to lock away nine years previously because they weren't working out. That team includes the Vision, Tigra, a Hulked-out Wonder Man, and the Black Knight. We see through flashbacks at the beginning of this issue the botched mission that led Fury to put them back in storage essentially, only to remain there until discovered by Ford and California. Ford demands that they start the next step, sending an extremely powerful and severely unbalanced Black Knight to capture Tony Stark. So things are heating up quickly, it would seem.

I like where this book is going and this was the first time in a long while where I finished an Ultimates book and knew exactly where I stood. I think, to be fair, that Humphries' run has been pretty good for that sort of thing. The Ultimates got a little complex and full of storylines (not that that's a bad thing, but I really lost track of all the tensions overseas the country was facing; I suppose that's still a positive for this book, making it somewhat lifelike in that respect. It does FEEL like a pretty fleshed-out universe in a much shorter time of existence than the 616) and it was easy to lose track of some of those storylines. Now we seem a little more concentrated, for a bit anyway, in America, so you only need to follow all the storylines happening in the states. It's a solid story being told and it's leading us to interesting places. Good book.

Fearless Defenders 1, All-New X-Men 7

Fearless Defenders 1
Bunn (w) and Sliney (a) and Gandini (c)

I have some high hopes for this book, but I'm a little nervous. This issue wasn't a stunning open, but a lot of them aren't. I think we set too much stock by the first issue of a series. There are some that will just blow you away (i.e., New Avengers, which is my permanent go-to for "how to make a comic book" in any stage) but plenty don't need to wow you right off because they're going to save that for the whole comic. I'd rather have a series that's consistently good than one that has a phenomenal first issue and peters out because it sold everything out with the punch. So don't judge this book only by the first issue.

That probably lowered expectations a lot about this issue. It's not a bad issue. It's just not phenomenal, either. I think there's a lot to build on. The character dynamic between two very different characters in Misty Knight and Valkyrie is enough to build a comic on, let alone adding characters like Dani Moonstar as we go along. Anyway, this issue finds Misty back in action after a stint running both a Heroes for Hire team and a Villains for Hire team (just...don't worry about it, okay? She's back and fully functional) and from other dark things in her life. She's now working freelance for a friend recovering ancient artifacts a la Indiana Jones (the book sure isn't shy about it so I won't be either). She runs into more resistance than she'd anticipated and is only able to come away with one piece, a sort of Asgardian messenger spirit statue that doubles as a music box that brings vikings back to life all around Misty and her archaeologist friend, Dr. Annabelle Riggs. Valkyrie shows up to aid in dispersing the vikings and gets made out on by Riggs (that felt a bit forced in there, honestly) and then reveals that the messenger spirit was explaining some things and its fingers were pointing at Valkyrie for this problem. So we have a plot, we have characters, and we have a direction to go. Now let's just let the book take us there.


All-New X-Men 7
Bendis (w) and Marquez (a) and Gracia (c)

This was another one that I thought went on a bit too long. I KNOW, it's just on Bendis books that I criticize this and maybe it's because I'm looking for it more in here, but we spent seven of this book's 20 or so pages in a bank while Scott found artifacts from his old life. High-five, bank lady, for a.) not stopping this guy who is right now being treated as a terrorist and b.) not figuring that the first person you told would tell the guards. That's suspension of disbelief. The best part of this issue was Mystique pretending to be Wolverine to get young Scott out of the bank unharmed. It's nice to see Mystique play that kind of role because we all know she plays dirty and her relationship with Wolverine probably gives her great satisfaction pretending to be him to get what she wants. I guess she just carries a fake copy of Wolverine's Avengers card where ever she goes. SUSPEND.

Otherwise, though, we see her telling Scott to go and lead his team and stop Wolverine's school. I can't complain about that, I think it's a pretty smart move on her part. I was even buying her act until she said a bit about Wolverine taking the school and teaching the students to become killing machines, which was the exact opposite reason Wolverine took the school versus Scott's "we have to train them to fight" mentality back after the Schism. Then I was like "hey wait a minute, that's not what...oh." Fair play, All-New X-Men. It does make you wonder how Scott will proceed. Will he ask anyone about Mystique? Will he find files on her and decide she was likely using him? Or will he set out on his own and listen to her? I will say, that's something that I think likely WILL happen but I don't think really fits his character. I know this Scott is reasonably upset that he's being treated as an outcast and a terrorist when he hasn't had that kind of mentality at all to this point in his life. However, the Scott at this point in his life should be the one dedicated to leading his team and to doing due diligence. One of Scott's defining characteristics was the sort of strategic leader. I find it a little hard to believe he wouldn't figure out who Mystique is and make his own judgment, especially considering the grown versions of Hank, Bobby, and Warren (albeit a bit different) all still reside at the school, which is called the Jean Grey School. Ignoring those facts, sure, maybe go off and incite riots based on Mystique's word. Whatever. Boys will be boys and all that.

Short aside, as I never talk about art enough, I really like Marquez's art in this book. This is the second straight book where I've actually noticed facial expressions and, in particular, eyes. This isn't to discredit any other artists Marvel has; I tend to like the great majority. Unfortunately, I come from a writing background and I tend not to focus nearly enough on the art aspect unless I'm really blown away (I tend to notice art more from people who have incredibly different styles, like Skottie Young or Filipe Andrade, or people who are incredibly efficient and just absolutely gorgeous, like Jamie McKelvie or David Mack). It's a problem I definitely have when I write this blog because I never want to ignore the artist but I almost always do. Regardless, Marquez's art really captures people very well, which is important to a book like this because it's all about the people.