Leftovers 8-20-14

Okay, let's try this again, hm? Fortunately it was a more laid-back week for comics than we've had in a while so I have fewer to deal with here! And they're mostly pretty alright! Let's get it started.

All-New Ghost Rider 6
F. Smith (w) and D. Scott (p) and Campanella (i) and Staples and Sobreiro (c) and Caramagna (l)

Zabo's defeat has improved the community already and the locals are talking about the community's protector, though they know very little about the new Ghost Rider. Meanwhile, Robbie has stopped listening to Eli for the time being about vengeance and punishment and so on, to the chagrin of the spirit, and has instead focused on improving life for him and brother Gabe. It's working wonderfully as Robbie has been making good money winning street races and has been able to spend more time with Gabe, which has led to great strides in his education, but may be short-lived as Zabo prepares Guero for the next step. Bit of a rest issue here, which makes the change in art less jarring than it might be otherwise (strange that I'm calling something "less jarring" than Tradd Moore's kinetic and exciting style. It's another good issue and sets us up for a few big upcoming arcs, including things to do with Eli, a mysterious visitor, and Guero/Zabo. Plenty going on as this series continues. Total Score: 4/5


All-New Ultimates 6
Fiffe (w) and Pinna (a) and Woodard (c) and Cowles (l)

The war between the new Ultimates and the Skulls continue and they fight and fight and fight and fight and fight and fight and then the police show up but it's too late for the church and everyone gets away. It's probably a sign that your book isn't so entertaining that you have to CONSTANTLY spend the first ten pages just identifying all the players. Maybe clear some things up? Or put in a recap page with the character names and pictures? So pretty much just a fight with stakes I'm not sure about and characters I certainly don't have any connection to. Total Score: 1/5


All-New X-Factor 12
David (w) and Di Giandomenico (a) and Loughridge (c) and Petit (l)

Quicksilver reports in to Havok, who decides that Lorna is doing just fine and Quicksilver can return to the Avengers again, an invitation which Quicksilver declines. Later, X-Factor is part of a press conference as Serval reveals the team and announces their intentions. Quicksilver again causes a bit of a stir when he's accused from the crowd of being a criminal. He admits to the charges and asks forgiveness for his many problems, saying that he'll await the decision of the rest of the world as to his fate. The only visitor he receives, though, is his estranged daughter Luna, who forgives him for his past and embraces him again, proud of his admission. It's a nice issue and it gives us a chance to see what the whole of the team is up to as we get a little bit of intrigue from each member. It's an issue that reminds us how good David can be at constructing a team and showing us how that team ticks. Total Score: 4/5



Deadly Hands of Kung Fu 4
M. Benson (w) and Huat (p) and Yeung (i) and Aburtov (c) and Sabino (l)

Midnight Sun's ritual ends up resurrecting Leiko as he screws things up pretty bad, overconfident about his power. Leiko, now emboldened with mystical powers, manages to beat up Midnight Sun, Razor Fist, and Black Ghost. And by beat up, I mostly mean "tries to kill all of them, though only succeeds at killing Black Ghost because Shang Chi stops her from killing the others." With Midnight Sun defeated, Shang Chi pays his final respects to Leiko and prepares to go home, though it seems possible he's not done with Leiko just yet. This is another one of those "tough to review" sorts of issues because it's certainly not unreadable but it's also not necessarily a story I'm super into. I like Huat's art, just as I came to love it in X-MEN LEGACY, so that helps this one. I can't really get too into this one though as it becomes difficult to understand the stakes of this whole arc. Total Score: 3/5


Deadpool vs. X-Force 3
Swierczyinski (w) and Larraz (a) and Woodard (c) and Sabino (l)

The inhibitor Deadpool placed on Cable controls his physical actions but Cable's telekinesis is still going strong, allowing him to at least stay a step ahead of Deadpool. He pretends to be under Deadpool's control a little longer as he learns what's really happening. Talbot didn't hire Deadpool to save his grandson, he hired him to change history so he can make America the greatest nation on Earth by annihilating at the start of each war and conquering nation after nation. Cable blasts Deadpool to pieces and sets about trying to restore the timeline, though Deadpool isn't done yet. Not a bad issue and there are some interesting ideas here, but ultimately the tone feels a little off balance, particularly as Deadpool's fourth-wall breaking clashes with Cable's seriousness. Total Score: 3/5


Magneto 8
Bunn (w) and J. Fernandez (a) and D. Brown (c) and Petit (l)

Magneto finds the lab producing the MGH he discovered last issue. The SHIELD team on his trail manages to find him there, gunning down the MGH-enhanced guards, though Magneto gets away with the MGH cook, to whom he offers a job. The issue works pretty well to keep the story moving forward and to give us more of a sense of where Magneto's at these days. It moves well and it reinforces Magneto's purpose. It gets a little preachy but preachiness is rather at the core of Magneto so, I suppose, great character work? In other news, Apu might get deported! How many more books are there to review? Total Score: 4/5








Original Sins 5
Dum Dum Dugan: Ewing (w) and Guice (p) and Hanna (i) and M. Wilson (c) and Cowles (l)
Young Avengers: North (w) and Villalobos (a) and Gibson (c) and Cowles (l)
The Rest: Zdarsky

Story one finds Dum Dum Dugan learning that he's been dead since the war and that Fury created the most lifelike LMD to replace him, even getting him to believe he's a real boy. Dum Dum shoots himself in the head and asks Fury not to rebuild him, which seems unlikely. The Young Avengers finish out their story as they turn the tables on Hood, though he does manage to escape so, kind of a loss. On the plus side, Prodigy reveals that the code he set up is a one-time pad code on the information, which makes it nearly impossible to access again. Except, as it happens, for Prodigy, a fact which he conceals from his team. Finally, Chip Zdarsky brings us a great two-page interrogation of the Marvel Universe wherein tons of characters reveal their darkest secrets to Nick Fury, who is actually an impostor, as discovered by the real Nick Fury by the end. Pretty good stuff all around, particularly in the ending to the Young Avengers story and the Zdarsky story. Total Score: 4/5


Savage Wolverine 22
Arcudi (w) and Quinones (a and c) and Petit (l)

Wolverine stops the German from radioing for artillery, though his shock at the appearance of the man from his dreams makes him paranoid and he lashes out at Link before channelling that rage into attacking the remaining Germans, who eventually surrender, managing to shake Wolverine out of his animal rage. He realizes that maybe the German he already attacked isn't quite dead and he rushes off to make sure no artillery is called in. He succeeds in stopping the German, but they manage to see each other as humans and not animals or enemies, sharing one peaceful moment before the German dies. It's a pretty strong conclusion to the little arc as it hits on one of the biggest Wolverine themes, the idea of his separate animal and human natures. It's strong work and the very talented Joe Quinones does some really impressive things in this issue (he's also a very nice guy that I met at Boston Comic-Con and from whom my girlfriend and I bought really great prints). Total Score: 4/5


Storm 2
Pak (w) and Ibanez (a) and Redmond (c) and Petit (l)

Storm, dedicated to helping make the world a better place whatever way she can, sees a lost-child poster and decides to find her. With Beast's help, she manages to find the girl through a burner cellphone she'd picked up along the way and it leads her to the subway, where she runs afoul of Callisto, formerly of the Morlocks. Storm attacks her old nemesis, though she eventually busts into Callisto's hideout, a simple but pleasant room in the tunnels where a number of runaways have gathered and seem to be having a good time, each and every one from homes worse than this one. Callisto swears she's not raising an army, that those days are behind her, and that she's just helping these kids have a place to go. Storm apologizes and sets Callisto up with a little more tech, swearing to stay out of her way but has Beast continue to keep an eye on her. So, okay, admittedly, Storm didn't really do much except attack someone apparently doing the right thing and eventually provide a water filtration system to same. Still, the writing is pretty strong (though I still don't really like Wolverine and Storm as a relationship) and the book moves well as Storm learns a valuable lesson. I hope. Total Score: 3/5


Wolverine Annual 1
Kalan (w) and Marks (a) and Villarrubia (c) and Petit (l)

Wolverine, Jubilee, and Shogo go camping, both to spend some time together and so Wolverine will feel better about Jubilee being without him if something should happen to him. It's constantly proved to him throughout the day as she gets along with the wolves that visit family member Wolverine and as she takes charge to recover Shogo from a camping army couple who misinterpret the situation badly and try to do the right thing. Wolverine is even more impressed when Jubilee manages to rein herself in enough not to kill the couple as things start to head that way. It's a pretty strong issue by Elliot Kalan with solid art and some well-developed characters, though, as with many annual issues, it ends up being thirty pages and feels like it's stretching a bit to reach the count. Still not bad. Except Kalan to do more with Marvel as things move forward. Total Score: 4/5

Comics this week

Hey all my buddies! I'm writing this away from the list of comics out this week so let's take an adventure and guess at what books (and what specific number issues) are out this week!

Daredevil 7(? 6? I think 7)

I'll level with you, I didn't remember what had happened last issue until I started writing this sentence (which called for tense changes, though now I'm convinced it's issue 7). I just trusted that I wanted to read a new DAREDEVIL. And I do. The ORIGINAL SIN tie-in may not be my favorite thing in Marvel currently but this series has proven itself reliably good and the story is certainly strong enough to warrant checking this one out. Also, are these Javier Rodriguez pencils? With Matt Wilson taking over coloring duties, this may be the last time we see Rodriguez on this title, where he's been excellent. So check him out in his last hurrah, unless I'm wrong and he's not drawing this one. Then just check it out for another reason.

Elektra 5 (pretty sure that's what I wrote down yesterday, I suppose it could be 6. Feels too well-developed for just four issues right now)

It's hard to overstate how onboard with this book I am right now. Really interesting concept and story propped up by some great character work and phenomenal artwork. I'm very impressed with what this book has shown so far and I'm looking forward to it with every new release.

Ms. Marvel 7

I feel I haven't highlighted MS. MARVEL enough, giving more attention to other phenomenal books out at the same time. Well take note, friends, I'm highlighting it here. Really fun book, really great characters all around, and currently a delightful team-up with Wolverine to enjoy. Check it out.

New Avengers 23

Another incursion! A falling out between the Illuminati! Fights! Failures! Follow-ups! Figureheads! Fun!

Nova 20

Real talk: I have no idea what else is out this week worthy of consideration so NOVA gets a bit of a cheat-win. It's not that much of one, though, as I've really liked this series overall and do find myself looking forward to the newest issues when they drop, so it's not not-worthy, it just may be less worthy than something else out there this week. Maybe ORIGINAL SINS if just for the Chip Zdarsky short story in this week's issue? Look, NOVA's a good book, check it out.

Leftovers 7-23-14

100th Anniversary Special Avengers 1
Stokoe

In the future, America has been sent to the Negative Zone in the aftermath of a fight with the Badoon and it's left only Avengers Rogue, Doctor Strange, and Beta Ray Bill (as well as brain-in-a-jar Iron Man) behind. It had left Captain America too but he set off on his own to find his country again. As the remaining Avengers head to their Malaysian base, they're attacked by the Moloids and Mole Man the Third, who blames them for destroying Subterranea. A fight ensues but Doctor Strange focuses all of his energies on creating New Subterranea in the space that used to hold America. The Avengers set off on their new adventures with a new ally in Mole Man. As ever, this 100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL comes with a lot of backstory and exposition, as well as some choppy dialogue ("ROGUE, you've gotten a special gift from LOGAN that puts you outside of time's regular path and I, DOCTOR STRANGE, have reincarnated so many times that I look the way I do now and am still around, not to mention BETA RAY BILL, who remains a horse!") that is only for the audience, not for the story. Still, writer/artist James Stokoe's style is certainly unique in Marvel (it reminds me of something but I frustratingly can't put a finger on it) so it's worth checking out to see if you like what he brings to the table. It's, uh, not really for me, so... Total Score: 2/5


All-New Doop 4
Milligan (w) and Santagati and Lafuente (a) and L. Allred (c) and Cowles (l)

There's a good deal of Doop backstory as he and his mother argue, with Doop recalling his single mother and her abuse of him in the wake of her husband's departure. He remembers his believed origin, created by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, and his growth as a documentary filmmaker and eventual cameraman for X-Statix. Finally, though, his mother reveals their deep secret, the one Raze threatened to exploit: he wasn't actually created by Ingmar Bergman. Now, with Doop panicking and exploding through the margins with reverberations felt in the real world, Wolverine goes to talk to Doop's mother himself. I'm beginning to get the feeling that this book isn't for me, you guys. Total Score: 2/5


All-New Invaders 8
J. Robinson (w) and Pugh (a) and Guru eFX (c) and Petit (l)

Human Torch is mad with SHIELD for the perceived slight of having a robot psychiatrist evaluate him and then attack him only to have Coulson explain that it wasn't them, that Malloy was some sort of half-tech, half-alien combo not under their employ. Satisfied, Hammond moves on to his next mission, to rescue the kidnapped Toro, whose powers weren't mutant after all, but latent Inhuman powers so he actually cocooned and was kidnapped during INHUMANITY. The report comes in from an informant who turns out to be Winter Soldier and Torch and Namor meet up with him outside a German base. They create a distraction while Bucky goes in quiet to try to find Toro. However, the distraction starts to go poorly when it turns out the base is protected by an army of Deathloks. There's something like an interesting story here but it's still handcuffed by stilted writing that over explains EVERYTHING (except how you could have Inhuman powers, particularly to the extent Toro has had them, without ever being exposed to the Terrigen Mists, am I right, guys?) and switches tone so rapidly ("I'm annoyed about the robot thing and NOW I'M MAD ABOUT THE ROBOT THING and now I'm calm because it was just a giant security breach for the world's biggest defense agency and not an insult"). Still hate to say that I do not like this book. Total Score: 2/5


All-New Ultimates 5
Fiffe (w) and Pinna (a) and Woodard (c) and Cowles (l)

Bombshell, under the control of Diamondback, lures the Ultimates back to their base where they're attacked by Diamondback's gang again. Again the Ultimates seem to be well-matched enough against Diamondback's lieutenants but the tables turn when Crossbones enters the fray. Before anything too serious can become of our heroes, though, Bombshell snaps out of her mind-control and pretty much blows the place up, determined to finish the people who killed her boyfriend and controlled her. I typically end up giving the benefit of a doubt to a story, believing there are ways that a mediocre book could turn around and that the story itself could be interesting if the writing could get out of its way, but I honestly can't separate the writing from the story here. It's all acting so tough and it seems Fiffe wants to take the classic street-level heroes trope in Marvel and really embroil it in a sort of gritty super-powered gang war. It's not coming off as gritty though, it's coming off as a bunch of kids from the '80s trying to act tough and it's not working for me on any level. We'll continue this week's leftovers and tough scores with a Total Score: 1/5


Deadpool 32
Posehn and Duggan (w) and Lucas (a) and Staples (c) and Sabino (l)

Deadpool arrives in Chicago, quickly ascertains the whereabouts of Utler and Ellie, and heads for them. He's stopped by ULTIMATUM henchmen, who shoot him in the head to put him down, and move on their way to capture Ellie. When they corner Utler and Ellie in an alleyway, Ulter has a heart attack, which proves an ample distraction for Deadpool to re-emerge from ULTIMATUM's van and rescue Ellie. He takes her into a nearby building, hoping it's more easily defensible than outside, and waits. There's a lot going on in this issue (and some that still needs to be explained, like the re-emergence of ULTIMATUM and how they got their info) not to mention that Adsit is having some trouble dealing with what he saw in the truth bomb, which was Deadpool's gruesome murder of his own parents, and Posehn and Duggan just keep pushing along. There's a nice desperation and determination to Deadpool in this issue as he does whatever it takes to save his daughter and it's an interesting look at a character who doesn't usually get those adjectives added to him. Total Score: 4/5


Deadpool vs. X-Force 2
Swierczynski (w) and Larraz (a) and Woodard (c) and Sabino (l)

Deadpool's gathered some Confederate troops to fire on the oncoming X-Force and he hints that maybe Talbot, the man who hired him and subsequently hired Cable to track him, had some darker motives behind this whole quest. The whole fight is made tricker when the Union forces appear replete with battle suits and all manner of other tech to help their side win. Cable, recognizing how unbalanced history has become because of Deadpool's interference, pops back to their last stop where Cannonball and Boom Boom are waiting and tells them they must ensure that the Americans lose the battle starting outside to the British to maintain history. Neither want to but they seem to understand the implications. While Domino and Warpath try to stall history's changes in the Civil War by fighting against both sides, Cable and Deadpool jump through another portal to 1900 China and Deadpool slaps a mind control sort of choker on Cable. I like the way Cable's presented in this, constantly calculating what needs to happen to keep the future safe and multitasking to get word to his group all while still battling Deadpool. It's a strong look at the character and the story is interesting enough to keep things moving. The bounces through time and between people make for a pretty quick read too. Total Score: 4/5


Mighty Avengers 12
Ewing (w) and Land (p) and Leisten (i) and Milla (c) and Petit (l)

Luke's father finishes his story, talking about Deathwalkers and sacrifices to empower them and human/animal hybrids (which The Bear and the Bat-Man they faced last issue are) meant for more powerful sacrifice and how Cage's father was scared in the face of such supernatural and super-powered beings and pushed his son away when he began to embrace that lifestyle. The explanation works for Luke, who forgives his father pretty quickly and welcomes him back into his life. Meanwhile, Kaluu and Constance Molina hire the Mighty Avengers to find the Talisman of Kamar-Taj, which is being used by the Deathwalkers in their sacrifice of half-human/half-vampire Blade to end the world. Reading and writing that summary made me like this issue better than I had, which sometimes happens when I'm confused by a plot and work it out for the blog but also happens when an issue's story is more interesting than the issue. The latter is the case here, as the issue gets really dragged down in its own mythology and buries the more interesting story behind explanations and character diagrams. Total Score: 3/5


Original Sins 4
Doctor Doom: J. Robinson (w) and Maleev (a) and C. Peter (c) and Cowles (l)
Young Avengers: North (w) and Villalobos (a) and J. Gibson (c) and Cowles and Winecoor (l)
Captain America: Abadta and Durá (w) and E. Henderson (a) and Cowles (l)

A villainous businessman learns some secrets that could compromise Doctor Doom and attempts to blackmail him, sending the data out to some loved ones first but, as he waits for a meeting with Doom, everyone who could possibly have the data dies and he's ushered into his meeting. Hood finally shows his betrayal of the Young Avengers as Marvel Boy realizes he's uploaded all the information to the internet with an encryption only Hood can use, putting immense amounts of possible world-changing data at his and only his fingertips. A grown man at a superhero parade remembers that, as a boy in the Arctic, he unwittingly peed on the ice Captain America was frozen into. Pretty decent issue all around. The villainous businessman is so over-the-top villainous that it almost undermines the deviousness of Doctor Doom but the story isn't bad and Alex Maleev's art stands out as it typically does. The Young Avengers story is starting to clear up bit-by-bit and North shows us texts sent out by Noh-Varr and Hulkling to the other Young Avengers that explains their absence and are good for a laugh. The final story, as ever, is a bit of a throwaway but Erica Henderson's art is decidedly different from most Marvel art and works for the story. Probably the best one of these we've seen so far. Total Score: 4/5


Wolverine and the X-Men 6
Latour (w) and Asrar, Larraz, Messina, and Veltri w/Deering (a) and Silva (c) and Cowles (l)

So the future Phoenix (the future Quentin Quire) sent Edan Younge and Faithful John back in time to convince present Quire and to kill present Evan, respectively, to ensure a future where the Phoenix reigns and future Quire ends up with Idie. From what I can gather. Meanwhile, future Logan and present Idie and Quire slay future Quire, who admits that everything is more or less to protect his own ego, which cuts to the core of present Quire. With the threat receded and the cleanup underway, Faithful John is held in a prison in The World and present Quire inherits the Phoenix Corporation, quickly making him a billionaire. I'm not sure there's been a book where I've appreciated the recap page more. This arc has been rather confusing with hints of an interesting story from time to time but altogether buried under the weight of its own plot. It's certainly readable and there are some interesting ideas in its conclusion but it's lacking overall. Total Score: 3/5

Leftovers 7/9/14

100th Anniversary Special: Amazing Spider-Man 1
S. Ryan (w) and I. Lee (a and c) and Cowles (l)

Another glimpse into the future as we see where Peter Parker might be in another few decades, battling Kingpin over a techno-symbiote, a Venom that grants him access to the world's electrical data. In a city where even the cars are connected to a giant grid, it gives him unparalleled control and the ability to hunt Peter at any turn. Peter manages to escape into the technology-less Central Park and make himself a torch, which he wields as Venom approaches. He dives at Kingpin with it and manages to burn off the suit, taking Kingpin down. He returns home and we learn that he's recently lost Aunt May (hard to feel too bad, she lived to maybe 700 years old, given the way she looks in early SPIDER-MAN) but he's ready to keep fighting. It's not a bad in medias res book (though it claims to be 8 of 8 and it's the first time Kingpin is revealed as the villain, so it's indicative of a pacing problem in the arc) and Sean Ryan's writing doesn't over-explain too much (as would be the temptation as you jump into a whole new world and the end of an arc) while In-Hyuk Lee's art is very impressive. Strong stuff, certainly entertaining enough to read, though it seems a little heavy-handed about the role of electronics and the pace of technology and so forth. 4/5

All-New Invaders 7
J. Robinson (w) and Laming (a) and Guru eFX (c) and Petit (l)

Torch continues to explain to SHIELD agent Malloy what happened with Radiance, which leads to a story within a story within a story and ALL OF THEM ARE BORING. The original Invaders were set to cause a tsunami in Japan that would likely end the war but Golden Girl, Radiance's grandmother, could not abide the loss of innocent lives the tsunami would cause. She and the Kid Commandoes fight against the Invaders and eventually cause them to see the innocent people and they all refuse to go through with the plan, prompting the army to drop the bombs. Radiance backs off, ashamed that she took such steps to nearly really hurt some people, and Torch takes the fall for her and he explains it to Malloy and Malloy is apparently an alien AI and I DO NOT CARE. This book has SO MUCH over-exposition, kicking off with Malloy literally saying "let me list what you've said" at one point and it's just stuff like that that make this one of the most poorly written and therefore boring books I've seen. 1/5

Amazing Spider-Man 1.3
Slott (w) and R. Pérez (a) and Herring (c) and Caramagna (l)

As the science fair approaches, Peter decides to enter a magnetic device he used against the Vulture. It fails to impress but it works well when Clayton Cole shows up at the fair in his Clash get-up and Peter assumes the worst, changing to Spider-Man and attacking before Clash can hurt anyone. Of course, it makes matters worse and Clash is more powerful than he was before. Spider-Man forces him to flee with the magnetic device but has earned the ire of everyone around and his turned Clash even more against Spider-Man. This is a fairly slow issue with equal time given to the new storyline as to the old ones (like the Vulture fight) so you already know a lot of the stuff that's happening. More than that, though, it reverts Spidey to his original personality maybe a little too well, making him far less likable and more reactionary. He is rather the cause of all of these troubles (with a generous helping of Clayton Cole's insanity). 2/5

Avengers Undercover 7
Hopeless (w) and Walker (p) and Gorder (i) and Beaulieu (c) and Caramagna (l)

Chase is in neurosurgery even after Nico uses her power to heal his chest and it rather sends her off the deep end. She's been training with Alex, her evil, one-time, thought dead boyfriend, who has determined that her power is legendary but her willingness to use it is holding her back. When Chase returns near death, she flips and decides to give up, letting in to her more wrong desires and kissing Alex. Meanwhile, Maria Hill, Hank Pym, and Steve Rogers lament the loss of AIM's prisoner, a SHIELD agent named Crenshaw who pretty much built their entire communications security and who is now in Zemo's grasp and Cammi, kept quietly in a cell, creates a peephole to see where she's being kept only to find out that it's right above Zemo's living room. She sees them celebrating, Zemo's hand around the waist of a woman with her back to the cell, and can't figure out what the celebration is for, leading her cellmate, the still alive Arcade, to offer some theories. Really interesting book as these kids only get more interesting and as their situation seems to get more dire. Lot of fun with a couple of good twists and turns and the promise of the next issue zooming us three months into the future. 5/5

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu 3
M. Benson (w) and Huat (p) and Yeung (i) and Aburtov (c) and Sabino (l)

Shang-Chi, with the help of the Daughters of the Dragon and MI6, follows after White Dragon and a mysterious friend, learning that they've taken hold of a book of powerful dark magic. Shang is joined by sometimes adversary Skull Crusher, also believing White Dragon is up to something too sinister to continue. They sneak into the White Dragon's lair and come upon him, managing to subdue him but ultimately succumbing to the magic in the room. Then Dragon's friend appears, revealing himself to be Midnight Sun, brother to Shang-Chi, who is set on taking his father's place and running the crime world of England. They've already killed most of the Triads' leaders, using their heads for their enchantments, and White Dragon offers up his own to Midnight Sun, who takes it and then proceeds to take Skull Crusher's. Things look as bad as they have for Shang-Chi, who is facing quite an adversary in his own brother. The book moves well and doesn't over-explain, though still gives enough of a sense of things for unfamiliar readers to get a foothold in the story. I'm also particularly partial to Huat's art after X-MEN LEGACY so this book is doing pretty well in my book, though it does get a little too deep into Shang-Chi's story for the casual reader. 4/5


Deadpool 31
Posehn and Duggan (w) and J. Lucas (a) and Staples (c) and Sabino (l)

While Deadpool and Dazzler keep pulling apart the vampire nests, Preston meets with Butler's brother in Chicago. She meets Ellie, who has something of a fondness for violence and gore, but she's asked to leave by Utler before anything really happens. However, a separate task force appears to capture Ellie and Preston manages to all but fight them off. When she's shot and taken out in the process, though, she manages to spend a text to Deadpool to tell him what's happening, which sends him looking for any help to get him to Chicago quickly. After exhausting all his likely allies, he happens upon Thor at Avenger's Mansion, who allows him to hang on to Mjolnir while he throws it for Chicago. The book moves pretty well and advances the plot nicely, though the vampire hunt seems to be taking something of a backseat to the Ellie situation, which feels a little strange. The art is maybe a little more disconcerting than I'd like but otherwise, pretty strong showing. 4/5

Fantastic Four 7
J. Robinson (w) and Kirk and Haspiel (p) and Haspiel and Kesel w/Magyar (i) and Aburtov and Woodard (c)

Johnny ruined Reed's chance to help Ben in the past and now Thing remembers it all and demands Johnny not speak to him again. He leaves Johnny's apartment and heads to the bar, where he gets a call from Alicia saying she's been kidnapped by her step-father, the Puppet Master. He rushes to her, calling Reed to come help on the way. When Reed arrives, he finds Thing standing over the body of Puppet Master, swearing that he didn't do it. Much of the first half of the issue is dedicated to the ORIGINAL SIN flashback, which is rather unnecessary as we pretty much got the gist of it last time. There's still plenty going on with Puppet Master and it feels like this is the sort of crime/trial/mystery that could go on for a while and maybe have an easy wrap-up. Still, the book reads alright, though a little over expository, and the differing art styles (Haspiel for the OS flashback and Kirk for the rest) work for their parts. 3/5

Nightcrawler 4
Claremont (w) and Nauck (a) and Rosenberg (c) and Sabino (l)

The Trimegas attack the school and Wolverine and Nightcrawler find that Margali has escaped after dismantling Storm and Beast to just their memories. Amanda sets to work repairing them but finds that they have memories missing, specifically the ones about Kurt's return. Her plan seems to be to go to Heaven and conquer that world with her Trimegas and her magic but Kurt and Amanda find and stop her out on the lawn, though not before she opens a portal between the two. Amanda dives into it to help close it from that side but Kurt is barred access, already having chosen to leave Heaven. She refuses to let him try, fearing he'll erase himself from eternity of he tries (??) but promises she'll be waiting for him and the portal closes. The adventure is a fairly strong one and it intends in classic Claremont fashion but the issue is bogged down a little by unnecessary dialogue and explanation, such as Nightcrawler's inner monologue that runs through his list of everyone fighting, something that has come up in just about every issue so far and which wasn't even necessary the first time. There are things here that are interesting but they'll have to get past the bogged down presentation to really unleash them. 3/5

Original Sins 3
Inhuman: Soule (w) and Browne (a) and Delgado (c) and Cowles (l)
Young Avengers: North (w) and Villalobos (a) and Gibson (c) and Cowles (l)
J. Jonah Jameson: Slott (w) and Bagley (p) and Rubinstein (i) and Mounts (c) and Cowles (l)

An Inhuman named Lineage learns that Black Bolt started a war with the Kree, the Young Avengers are convinced to make a mini-Cerebro for the Hood to learn everything they can from the drug addicts who took too many secrets, and J. Jonah Jameson fires a young reporter who digs a little too deep into Spider-Man's past only to learn that Jameson had once reviewed Spidey's one-man show positively. The INHUMAN story, written by INHUMAN writer Charles Soule, seems to indicate more coming, the YOUNG AVENGERS story continues to be well-written with a lot of fun moments but ultimately a little slow, and the Jameson story is a fast enough read that it's just a cute little one-off. Can't complain too much on this one. 4/5

Spider-Man 2099 1
David (w) and Sliney (a) and Fabela (c) and Caramagna (l)

Miguel O'Hara, posing as Mike O'Mara in the present, is the Spider-Man of 2099 but he's trapped in 2014 and trying to make ends meet. He works for Alchemax, the company that will go on to ruin the world by his time and he rents a pretty crappy apartment in the city. He's chased by something of a timecop, sent back to destroy him before he changes anything, but he manages to outmaneuver it, causing it to blow its own head off instead of his or Alchemax owner Liz Allan. As Spidey 2099 leaves her office, Liz has her assistant verify that no windows have been broken, believing that this Spider-Man is on her payroll somewhere. There are interesting things happening as this series kicks off, particularly with the added twist of an intelligent Liz Allan immediately taking steps that seemingly no one else has ever taken for Spider-Man, but the issue starts to get a little too cute as banter slows things down and makes the timecop (from future agency TOTEM) almost comical at times while being threatening and cold at others. Still, strong first entry and only a couple times with Miguel saying future-swear "shock." 4/5

Superior Foes of Spider-Man 13
Spencer (w) and Lieber (a) and Rosenberg (c) and Cowles (l)

Chameleon managed to get away from the crime scene as the cops and Mach VII showed up, but most of the other guys were taken away. Boomerang and his team, though, successfully snuck out with the portrait, planning to head to a safehouse. Meanwhile, Shocker and the head of Silvermane make it out of their predicament when Shocker realizes he can use his gauntlets to fly away from Hammerhead and his goons. He lands at the safehouse before Boomerang, setting Shocker and his old team for a reunion. The book drags a little bit when it focuses on Shocker and Silvermane but overall it's an incredibly fun book with a lot of truly funny moments. Many books that go for funny fall a little flat because they seem to come out of left field or the situation doesn't really call for funny or something like that but this book reliably manages to hit just the right tone and to keep the book fun. Strong showing for this one. 4/5


Wolverine 10
Cornell (w) and P. Woods (a) and Curiel (c) and Petit (l)

Sabretooth has access to the weapon now and is ready to transform New York entirely, making it truly Darwinian world, one where his strengths should set him up to be the ruler of all (which seems to work in counterpoint to his new CEO Sabretooth appearance). Meanwhile, Wolverine tracks him with help from the X-Men, to whom he apologizes, and prepares to attack with the help of his Guerica Bar pals, to whom he apologizes, Thor, to whom he apologizes, and SHIELD, to whom he apologizes. Wolverine has decided to accept help finally and now it'll be a matter of timing about whether Wolverine's forces can stop Sabretooth before he unleashes his weapon. Things are shaping up here for a big final showdown but it's still slowed by the stupid Guernica Bar stuff, the maudlin Wolverine, some weird art, and CEO Sabretooth. 3/5

Original Sin 3.1 - Hulk vs. Iron Man, Original Sins 2

Original Sin 3.1 - Hulk vs. Iron Man
Waid and Gillen (s) and Waid (w) and Bagley (p) and Hennessey (i) and Kieth (c) and Petit (l)

The truth bomb has dropped and, among the many things it revealed, it switches Tony Stark and Bruce Banner's consciousness a bit, giving them both access to some of the other's memories. For Tony, it reminds him of a time when he had revealed to General Ross that Banner was limiting the effectiveness of the gamma bomb, the original Hulk-creating one, while for Bruce, it reveals that Tony later went in and tinkered with the bomb, potentially sabotaging it and, in essence, turning it into a Hulk-creating one. Now, here in the present, a much smarter Hulk, enhanced by the Extremis strand Arno has been working on, beats on Iron Man.

This book was advertised pretty heavily and I think it hurts this issue. Thanks to all of the hype, plenty of people (myself included) knew where this book was going and it therefore felt like it took a long while to get to it. Waid's in a difficult position as he has to tie up some loose ends (summarizing a bit of Gillen's IRON MAN and his own INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK and HULK and explaining what's happened since the last issue of those books) and has to show a relationship for these two and create a new story based on that relationship and on ORIGINAL SIN. As a result, the book moves a little slowly and, as I said above, it's slow when we already know the climax. I want to go on record saying that I don't think this means Waid is necessarily at fault. I think it's just a tough order, asking Waid to create a book wherein he has to do so much. Still, it's a little slow and Bagley's pencils have never really been my favorite anyway.

Total Score: 3/5


Original Sins 2
Black Knight: Tieri (w) and Ienco (a) and B. Anderson (c) and Cowles (l)
Young Avengers: North (w) and Villalobos (a) and J. Gibson (c) and Cowles (l)
Howard the Duck: Templeton (w and a) and Mounts (c) and Cowles (l)

In the first story, a Black Knight biographer/historian visits Dane Whitman to tell him that everyone who has ever used the Ebony Blade has succumbed to it and gone crazy and/or evil and/or killed him/herself. She believes he will be no different and the truth bomb told her that, in fact, he's probably not and that just recently he nearly killed a common criminal and seemingly couldn't stop himself. She wants to help him but he pushes her away, remaining almost naked locked in his room with the blade. The story is mildly interested, though it begs for more (there may even be more in ORIGINAL SINS to come but I can't recall right now). As such, it's a story with no end right now and the question of whether there will be one and, if not, why it went so dark here only to leave us with nothing more.

The Young Avengers return (or three of them do, anyway) as they catch up with the Hood, who had previously turned an entire building's worth of people invisible and knocked them unconscious. When Hulkling takes him down, he explains that he was trying to help these people. They're all addicts and the secrets from the truth bomb had a different effect on them, making them too full of knowledge and giving them too many secrets. Hood turned them invisible and knocked them out to ensure SHIELD wouldn't get its hands on them. His idea, then, to get their knowledge and to stop them from going totally crazy from all of this, is for Prodigy to build a Cerebro so he can read all their minds. The dialogue in this one continues to be fun and natural but the story feels like it's starting to slip a little bit, which is particularly tricky for a book where the art isn't really blowing me away. ORIGINAL SIN seems to be facing the slight problem that everyone is interpreting what the truth bomb can and can't do a little differently and it's conflating things for people who are reading all parts of the event (reviewers especially).

While the truth bomb showed revelations of varying degrees to various people, it tells Howard the Duck something he already knew: he's extraordinarily intelligent naturally. Unfortunately, he also knows that he stuffed that natural intelligence down because it had made him a target of bullying as a child so now he's spent his whole life fighting his nature and not being as smart as he could have been. He calls on his could-be intelligence as he hurtles through the air after a car accident and it saves his life in the moment, though it shows him his wasted potential all over again. Thanks, Watcher.

Total Score: 3/5

Original Sins 1, New Avengers 19

Original Sins 1
Deathlok: Edmondson (w) and Perkins (a) and Troy (c) and Cowles (l)
Young Avengers: North (w) and Villalobos (a) and Gibson (c) and Cowles (l)
Lockjaw: S. Moore (w) and Geary (a) and Svorcina (c) and Cowles (l)

Three stories to kick off our ORIGINAL SIN tie-in book which here is two-thirds ORIGINAL SIN tie-in and one third promotional. The first third is the promotional, with a short story by Nathan Edmondson (BLACK WIDOW, PUNISHER) and Mike Perkins (CAPTAIN AMERICA, UNION JACK) featuring Henry Hayes, a new Deathlok, unbeknownst to Hayes. Seemingly leaping right out of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, Hayes is war vet with bionic parts and who is, on occasion, mind controlled to execute missions at the behest of his handlers, whereafter he is dumped back where he started with no memory of the mission. He has just such a mission when a SHIELD agent approaches him in a train station and tells him that he's Deathlok, as was revealed to him by the Watcher's truth-bomb. As the SHIELD agent leaves, Hayes' handlers send Deathlok to execute the man. Though there is a clear tie-in to ORIGINAL SIN, the key of this book is building excitement for October's DEATHLOK, also written by Edmondson and illustrated by Perkins. It's not an awful test-run and it's certainly an easy enough premise to kick things off. Right now, Edmondson can do no wrong by me so let's hope that even a series spawned by (though with no connection to) a show I find almost entirely boring will separate itself the way BLACK WIDOW and PUNISHER have.

The second story finds three members of the Young Avengers, Hulkling, Noh-Varr, and Prodigy, teaming up to investigate what's happening in Manhattan. When Hulkling sees footage from the fight and recognizes Exterminatrix in the middle of it, he gets Prodigy to hijack Noh-Varr's shuttle so it will pick them up and bring them to their friend (who isn't leaving his space station home and also isn't picking up his phone). They convince him to come along and, in the course of their investigation, they run into a somehow un-evacuated woman being held hostage by the Hood, who needs the help of these three Young Avengers. Ryan North, who writes MIDAS FLESH and ADVENTURE TIME for BOOM! Studios and has countless other adventures in comics and other text (like his great Dinosaur Comics or like the choose-your-own-adventure Hamlet or his upcoming choose-your-own-adventure Romeo and Juliet), brings his usual playfulness and fun, natural, conversational style of writing to this project and it really works for the Young Avengers. Looking forward to where this goes.

Finally, Stuart Moore and Rick Geary bring us a short tale of Lockjaw uncovering a secret from the Watcher's truth treasure trove and, after trying a number of other heroes, conveying the importance of said secret to Iron Man, who accompanies him to the moon where he digs up a bone he'd left there. Fun little story which must have given a slight break from all those gorgeous painted THOR interiors to Eisner-nominated colorist Ive Svorcina.

Total Score: 4/5


New Avengers 19
Hickman (w) and Schiti (a) and F. Martin (c) and Caramagna (l)

The Illuminati travel to Earth-4,290,001, the home of the Great Society (Boundless, Dr. Spectrum, Sun God, The Rider, The Jovian, and The Norn) to discuss what's coming. They reveal that they have a doomsday device, something capable of destroying a world, but would much rather not have to use it. While they argue about how they would use such a device (in the case they can't figure something out, one world has to be destroyed to save the other world and to save both universes; the incursion going off as planned would mean the end of both worlds and both universes), Maximus runs some experiments on the frozen Corvus Glaive, locked away with his master Thanos. Back on Earth-4,290,001, the Illuminati try to justify their actions to the Great Society and continue to ask for help coming up with a way to save both worlds before they have to move on to worst-case scenarios but Namor, tired of the indecision, attacks The Rider, prepared to be what the incursion will make them all and provoking a fight between the two once-heroic groups.

One of the things I'd been saying since the start of this series was that NEW AVENGERS feels like a movie or a television show (its presentation, particularly at the beginning, felt more like gorgeous cinema but its episodic nature makes it more like a television show) and it seems to be sticking with that feeling. Hickman knows how to write scenes and how to present them and the artists attached to this book (including series colorist Frank Martin) really know how to make everything feel big and grand. In this issue (as in the last several) we get a number of recent flashbacks that add context and weight to the actions of the present while also allowing us to move on with the story in a way that maybe isn't so dry or straightforward. Some of those flashbacks involve Bruce and Hank talking about morality and the choices they face, Reed talking with Black Swan about the things they can do to help push forward, and Tony telling Reed that Cap knows and soon the most powerful Avengers team ever assembled will be coming for them. It's a strong story and the flashbacks allow the book an opportunity to remind you just how many threads are still out there and how intricate this situation is. I've also been looking for a way to plug this some more and so, while it's only tangentially related, it feels as big and grand, at times (though not always so gripping), as Hickman's EAST OF WEST, which is an absolutely phenomenal book I can't recommend enough. Val Schiti does the art on this issue and really brings great emotion to the characters, from hubris to fear to arrogance to sadness to resignation (guys, most of those descriptions are just for Namor).

Total Score: 5/5

Comics this week 6-11-14

Where last week was one of the weeks I categorized as an embarrassment of riches, something that could snap someone out of a comic-reading funk, this may go somewhat the opposite direction. Here's hoping it's not. Even if it is, though, here are my picks for what to look for to pull you back out again.

Avengers Undercover 5
We seem primed to get into the meat of the story as our heroes, fresh off an annihilation of Arcade, have been brought back to Baron Zemo and his new Masters of Evil (relative term, he swears). Who will embrace this new life? Who will turn away? How will each of those parties do such a thing? We're ready to find out.

Captain Marvel 4
Things are starting to come together in this new volume as Carol goes up against a problem she can't punch away, a problem she'll have to solve with her mind and her diplomacy and her patience (something she maybe doesn't have enough of). Should be an interesting look at a superhero trying to be heroic without a clear villain to smite.

New Avengers 19
Okay, the last one was maybe a bit of a fake out, even if it was pretty swell. THIS TIME OUT we should see their fight against another world, one that's just as virtuous if not more virtuous than they are, firmly casting these would-be heroes into a shady and dark role, one that Captain America envisioned back when he was sent off the team.

Original Sins 1
This limited run tie-in book to ORIGINAL SIN promises to be an of the anthology sort of book, one that will catalogue several stories, none really running throughout the series, aside from the Marvel debut of writer Ryan North telling a story with Ramon Villalobos about the Young Avengers which will run the course of the series in small chunks. I'm very interested in this story and almost more interested in how I'm going to review an anthology sort of book.

She-Hulk 5
Charles Soule and Javier Pulido have, in their short time together, crafted a really nice world for Jen Walters and have made this book feel fresh and fun, different from anything else out there. Now Ron Wemberly steps in on art as She-Hulk investigates the mysterious blue file that has something to do with her specifically, along with a few pals and enemies.

ORIGINAL SINS announced

Hey everyone, sorry for the late posts today! Anyway, to make it up, let's talk a little about the new ORIGINAL SINS book that was just announced as a complement to Marvel's upcoming ORIGINAL SIN event. In a special press conference call, Tom Brevoort and Axel Alonso talked about ORIGINAL SINS, a limited series that will run with ORIGINAL SIN and shine a bit more light on the parts of the Universe we may not see too much of otherwise, as reported by CBR. The limited series will be five issues and will feature three separate stories per issue, including an ongoing core story starring the Young Avengers. So, to simplify that, each issue will have part of the ongoing Young Avengers story and two separate one-shot stories. Such writers as Dan Slott (writing a J. Jonah Jameson story), Charles Soule (writing an Inhumans story), and James Robinson (writing a Dr. Doom story) will contribute but the KEY, for me anyway, is that the ongoing Young Avengers story will be written by superstar person Ryan North. North is responsible for the amazing Dinosaur Comics webcomic as well as the ADVENTURE TIME comic (which I imagine is great for Adventure Time fans) and his new Boom! series MIDAS FLESH, which is great. Really excited for this one. Also confirmed for the series is a Deathlok story, a Howard the Duck story, a Lockjaw story, a Black Knight story, and more (though that honestly very nearly covers it). Should be fun!

http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=325 - But seriously, check them all out. Okay, that's maybe too many to check out just now.