Amazing Spider-Man 10

Amazing Spider-Man 10
Slott (w) and Coipel (p) and Von Grawbadger (i) and Ponsor (c) and Eliopoulos (l)

A team of Spiders led by the Superior Spider-Man enter the Ultimate Universe to rescue Miles Morales and that universe's Jessica Drew from Verna of the Inheritors. Superior Spider-Man leads them back to the 2099 Universe, where a number of Spiders including the newly onboard "true" Peter Parker, Miguel O'Hara, Spider-Woman, Kaine and some others go to bring them into the cosmically guarded alternate Earth. Unfortunately, the mass influx of Spiders in the 2099 Universe (and particularly the draw of Silk, who wasn't supposed to tag along with Peter but did) brings a handful of Inheritors to the 2099, only for Superior Spider-Man to kill what ends up being a clone of Daemos and managing to get away with the body. Teams of the various Spiders split off and begin setting out on different goals, meant to throw us into such tie-ins as SPIDER-WOMAN, SCARLET SPIDERS, and SPIDER-MAN 2099. As Peter leads Superior Spider-Man and a couple others back to the cosmically protected universe, Doc Ock decrees that he is in charge during this war.

SPIDER-VERSE continues with another pretty strong outing (not least helped by the impressive Olivier Coipel on pencils). What's particularly weird about my reaction to this book (and you all should know by now I largely review these books just based on reaction) was that I found myself really intrigued and, dare I say, excited about the tie-ins they were promising. It's hard to ignore (and I'm sure this is what the Spider-Man team at Marvel formed this event around) the multitude of really great Spiders in these universes. It's a curious thing as this event seems every bit as manufactured as AXIS ("let's get all the Spiders together!" vs. "let's make all the heroes into villains and vice versa!") but I'm far more willing to suspend disbelief on this one. I think that comes from a number of factors, starting with the idea that this impacts Spiders alone and can certainly be tied up neatly after the fact. AXIS (geez, I really need to get over this) bold-facedly claims to be a major event and feels instead like something that will be washed away with little problem and a solid forty bucks+ out of a lot of people's pockets (calculating the cost of AXIS just made me really sad). So yes, I'm enjoying this manufactured series more than I'm enjoying AXIS and, in fact, possibly a good deal more than that.

Total Score: 4/5

ALL OF LAST WEEK 11-12-14

Ugggh. Alright guys, I gave you a heads-up on this. Did I definitely know I wouldn't get any reviews done? No, I had some amount of optimism. Did I suspect I wouldn't get any reviews done? No comment.
So this blog is getting a little bit lax lately. I built up this thing on reliability and long and rambling reviews. Unfortunately, lately I've both been unreliable and I've tried to cut off the rambling. One of those changes, I believe, has been a good thing. The other? Wellllllllllllll, maybe less so. There's a good chance this blog starts taking a different format soon or at least stops proudly toting that it reviews every single major Marvel comic every single week. But, as we are still that (at least in my head), here's as quick a review as I can do for every comic this week.


All-New Captain America 1

Sam Wilson is officially the new Captain America and he's certainly capable of walking the walk, talking the talk, and wielding the shield. In a bit of a challenge, his new pseudo-partner is the new Nomad, Steve's son Ian. Together they storm an enemy base but find themselves at odds when Nomad throws Batroc the Leaper to his death (WHAT) and the pair suddenly find themselves faced with a number of classic Cap villains led by Baron Zemo. Remender's wasting no time getting Sam acquainted to the role and to the Cap villains he already knows. There are some great uses of Redwing in this issue and, while it's a pretty good issue and certainly a monumental achievement, it's hard for me to give this a 5 out of 5 when it's possible Batroc is dead. Total Score: 4/5







All-New Ultimates 10
Taskmaster is hunting Ultimates and just about finishes his collection with little resistance, though now he has to contend with an angry Bombshell. Still don't like this book but at least some plot and action happened. Total Score: 3/5


Avengers and X-Men: Axis 5

All the Avengers who were on Genosha are still inverted (though, and I wanted to talk about this above but I forgot and there's no possible way to go back, ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA mentioned off-handedly in its opening salvo that a bunch of heroes got inverted but came back around, so great work schedule?) and they capture the other Avengers after calling a meeting, leaving only Spider-Man, Nova, and a few others free. And the X-Men attack them. And everyone's mad. And this is still such a stupid and reverse-engineered premise. I don't really care if you can milk stories from it for months, it doesn't make it a worthwhile event. Total Score: 2/5








Axis: Hobgoblin 2
Phil Urich, the new Goblin King, attacks original Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley only to discover that Roderick, profiting on his newfound success as a hero, has an amnesiac Lily Hollister in his sway. There are some fun and interesting things happening here but it all relies on characters I personally practically refuse to care about. Total Score: 3/5


Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier 2
Bucky was shot in the back just after learning that Loki was the middleman for the drug running operation underseas. The bullet he was shot with turns out to be filled with the drug they're chasing, a dosage of hallucinogenic Illum which wreaks a bit of havoc with Bucky as he tracks down and confronts Loki. Loki plays some games with him and makes him see all manner of strange, identity-plaguing thing. Still, by the time Bucky gets through it all, he's learned the location of the planet he needs to visit next. QUESTION: is this really the threat-level Nick Fury had to contend with as man on the wall? I'm still not at all sold on Ales Kot but he's working a bit better already with Marco Rudy, whose art is well worth the price of admission. Really gorgeous but the story and the dialogue leave a lot to be desired. Total Score: 3/5






Captain America and the Mighty Avengers 2
The Inversion is still happening over here and the Mighty Avengers are starting to think maybe they can run the world with an iron fist (though Iron Fist himself is not affected by the inversion) and finally bring peace. However, that doesn't mean inverted Luke Cage is going to forgive Spider-Man for that whole superior thing. Again, I didn't enjoy this book but I think it comes as a result of a weak premise that I cannot get behind. I mean, I don't regret buying it at all because Skottie Young cover, so duh. Total Score: 2/5


Captain Marvel 9

Captain Marvel and Tic find themselves summoned by mutant intergalactic pop-star Lila Cheney to help her get out of an arranged marriage with a prince of a different planet that she certainly never arranged. The planet the space-adventurers find themselves on is one where everyone speaks in rhyme and it gets a little bit old throughout the issue but props to DeConnick for almost entirely making it work. Anyway, Captain Marvel finds a solution, helped by her beating up a vile, power-hungry woman who would marry the prince herself to gain power, and Tic marries the prince instead, though is promised that it's a marriage in name only and that she's able to go wherever and do whatever she likes anyway. Ambitious issue that falls a little flat for me because I still don't like the Captain Marvel supporting cast and the change of scenery. I loved Carol when she was relatable and tough on Earth. Pulling her into places where explaining the plot (or rhyming) has to take most of the dialogue instead of character building hurts this book. Total Score: 3/5


Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy 4
Lady Deathstrike has a lot to think about with Logan dead. She does her thinking while thwarting a slave trade and deciding to run Logan's old underground. Certainly not a bad issue and it mostly moves fast. The art style of Juan Doe works really well with Lady Deathstrike. Total Score: 4/5


Guardians 3000 2

The Guardians continually face their own death but finally break out of their cycle with the advance knowledge provided by Geena Drake. They manage to flee from an overwhelming amount of Badoon with the assistance and probable sacrifice of Gladiator and others, hoping to end this war once and for all, though they're being followed by what is purportedly a big ol' Badoon weapon. Still finding it a little hard to get invested in these characters or this future. Total Score: 2/5











Hawkeye vs. Deadpool 2
Hawkeye and Deadpool are trying to figure out how the pieces of this puzzle fit together but continue to come upon dead ends. When Deadpool and Kate finally start getting somewhere with a hidden flashdrive, though, Hawkeye reveals himself to be apparently some sort of double agent, stabbing Deadpool and knocking Kate out while he takes the flashdrive for himself with much the same gusto as the fake heroes Black Cat had in her employ. Still some fun here but the issue drags a good deal. Total Score: 3/5


Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man 7

Osborn reveals to Miles that he, the Spiders, and Miles' dad are all connected in some way but refuses to give any more evidence than that, eventually leading to Miles and Peter knocking him senseless and potentially re-killing him. Peter gives Miles his blessing and his web-shooters and leaves with MJ to try to figure some things in his life out. Soon, Miles is faced with seeing his father again. Oh, and Kate Bishop's parents are Hydra so she's Hydra and she knows who Miles is. The issue moves pretty well and there's only a little bit of forced banter thrown into a long fight scene. It's very similar to the last issue in a number of ways but it still moves well and adds a bit of texture to the story, so little to complain about. Total Score: 4/5







Nightcrawler 8
Nightcrawler and the X-Men are returning to normal life after the passing of Wolverine when Nightcrawler is pulled back into the lives of the Crimson Pirates thanks to a distress call from Pirate Bloody Bess, who asks for Nightcrawler's help in defeating her teammates, possessed by the villain the Shadow King. He agrees to help her but they quickly find themselves on the run hoping for more backup from the X-Men, who similarly get possessed, and possibly Scorpion Boy and Ziggy Karst. Claremont's love of story again wins out here, though he's quietly doing a good job with Nightcrawler's character. Still, pacing and excessive dialogue really drag this book back down. Total Score: 3/5


Nova 23

After discovering that Kluh is attacking Arizona, Nova rushes away from Spider-Man and Steve Rogers to take on an even stronger and more vicious Hulk. He manages to do some damage but ultimate finds himself launched unconscious to France by Kluh, where he wakes in a hospital room with his broken helmet beside him. Still don't like Kluh but it's a pretty strong Nova-issue. Seriously though, every tie-in to AXIS is marred by how bad AXIS is. Total Score: 3/5











Savage Hulk 6
Dr. Strange and his SHIELD escort learn (god, FINALLY) that this race of strange intergalactic crustaceans ages at an insanely fast rate and that Hulk started off feeding on their non-sentient ancestors but has laid off of the sentient lineage, only to be cast as a villain by certain members of the society who would ruin themselves waging an unwinnable war on the monster. Strange defeats the most vocal of the anti-Hulk shrimp and deposits the Hulk back at the Crossroads while saving the society. Solid art props up this issue, which otherwise falls a little flat for me. Total Score: 3/5


She-Hulk 10

Steve tells his side of the story, revealing that his pal's brother, the one who blames Steve for getting his brother killed, was working under Nazis and Steve took a stand against them in a situation where the Nazis were very clearly going to kill all three of them. Steve is found innocent and chats with his lawyer pals for a bit before She-Hulk heads back for NYC, hoping to relax a little but finding Titania, whose name is also in the blue file, waiting for her. Another strong issue. Soule writes a really fun She-Hulk and a strong Steve Rogers on top of being just a strong writer all around. Pulido's art is absolutely perfect for the series. Total Score: 5/5









Silver Surfer 7
Dawn Greenwood and Silver Surfer have been traveling for a while now and run into their fair share of adventures and excitement, but Surfer finds himself as excited as ever to end up at the end of the universe, where even the light from the stars doesn't reach. As he and Dawn sail further and further into the depths, they find some sort of way station lighthouse and approach, only for it to grab Dawn and pull her into the nothingness. Though Norrin had sworn recently that he'd never silver down again after a particularly bad experience while he and Dawn let their guard down, he looses the power cosmic and the depths take him too, only for him to silver up again and rescue Dawn. He gave her a ring that's part of himself so he can always find her and she asks if it means they're dating. Slott's joy for writing the series, as with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, shines through here, though the tone is still a little hard to always nail down. The art of Michael and Laura Allred is, as ever, pretty astonishing and remains exactly what the book needs. Total Score: 4/5


Spider-Verse 1

Cute little introduction to a handful of alternate dimension Spiders like Spider-Man of the Spider-Clan of Earth-2301, the steampunk Lady Spider from Earth-803, the cartoonish 11-year-old Penelope Parker, Spider-Girl, of Earth-11, and a couple of other Peters who die or are ignored by Morlun. They're nice vignettes from talented writers and artists, which makes the book worth reading as long as you know what you're getting into. Total Score: 4/5












Superior Iron Man 1
Tony Stark has started drinking again, as well as mass producing Extremis and giving it to everyone in San Francisco with a smart phone. Of course, he's a despicable human being now, though he still helps out on the hero front in New York with remote Iron Men. As Pepper begins to worry about what he's doing, he shows how profitable it'll become by removing the Extremis from all of his test subjects in SF and offers it to them once more for a hundred dollars a day. What a jerk. Surprise, I still don't like AXIS. Total Score: 2/5


Thor 2

The new Thor (who is sounding more and more like SHIELD agent Roz Solomon, to my chagrin) has traveled down to Midgard with Mjolnir and finds herself beating up Frost Giants and helping the Minotaur, Dario Agger, by rescuing him from other Frost Giants attempting to find the head of King Laufey. There are some interesting bits here and there, particularly as Thor continues to speak like the old Thor but her thoughts come out sounding (and looking, thanks to the regular typesetting of her inner monologue, as opposed to the typical Thor word bubbles of her dialogue) human. Other interesting tidbits include the idea that Mjolnir is sentient and responding to Thor. Still, I'm going to be really bummed if this does just end up being Roz Solomon, who is both predictable (still a big deal that Thor's a woman but I would have liked, for story purposes, a more surprising pick) and a SHIELD agent, which practically guarantees she's not really worthy. SHIELD is terrible. All around. Total Score: 3/5

Comics this week

Is this the earliest in a week I've apologized for being late on reviews? Maybe it is but somehow I'm sure I've apologized sooner. Anyway, I'm definitely going to be a little slow on reviews this week because my work has gotten a little busier in preparing for a move and I myself am moving so this looks to be a week rife with complications. On the plus side, there are practically no massive books out this we-what's that? Hang on, I have my finger to an imaginary earpiece and I'm suddenly hearing about the tons of big books out this week.

All-New Captain America 1
The debut of Sam Wilson as the new Captain America! Well. Okay, so he was introduced in the last CAPTAIN AMERICA issue and he was in the first set of AXIS books but this is the real introduction, I should think. Well, I'm going to call it that since I haven't really liked any of the other issues mentioned. Still a big deal and I still love Sam Wilson so let's all keep our fingers crossed.


Captain America and the Mighty Avengers 1
This one just edges out BUCKY BARNES: THE WINTER SOLDIER and SHE-HULK to make this list because I found MIGHTY AVENGERS somewhat lacking but clearly capable of putting on an excellent show. Will the addition of a bonafide Captain America help launch this to a different realm? Maybe not. Look, I'm regretting this choice as it is.


Spider-Verse 1
I'm still taking something of a stand against events (just kidding, I'm just mentioning them in the pre-game less [take that AXIS, out this week] and I'm grumbling about them more! If that's taking a stand, it turns out I'm way more proactive than I thought), but I couldn't help liking AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 9 and most of the EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE books, so I'm feeling like maybe one good event will build some good will back up? Maybe this will be it? Or maybe it will last too long and meander in the middle only to rush through the end, like every event since INFINITY (you won't believe how many there have been since then).

Superior Iron Man 1
It's the dawn of a new day for Iron Man, who seems primed to become quite possibly the next big villain of the Marvel Universe, particularly as we seem to be on the precipice of a number of re-upped events. Geez, writing that down somehow felt worse than thinking about it. Anyway, writer Tom Taylor steps on to a pretty big stage at Marvel as Tony Stark's role in the MU shifts once more.


Thor 2
To round out Marvel's "big three," the second issue of THOR comes this week to let us know, potentially (or maybe not!) who indeed picked that hammer up. Was it Freyja, or was that just some smoke and mirrors to distract us. Fingers crossed that it wasn't any member of SHIELD. Seriously. No members of SHIELD. In fact, sidebar, I'd like it if we could just stop teaming members of SHIELD up with heroes. I think we've all had enough of that.

Amazing Spider-Man 9, Spider-Verse Team-Up 1

Amazing Spider-Man 9

Spider-Man and Silk are having a discussion about how they should deal with their crazy urges (Silk suggest Spider-Man leave New York) when Spider-Woman, Arana, Spider-Man 2099, and a few Spiders from other worlds show up to take them all away, bringing them to their safe zone world, one where Spider-Man never gave up his cosmic powers, making him too powerful for the Inheritors to challenge (though if he leaves that world, the cosmic powers stay behind, so he can't help in the fight either). Meanwhile, Morlun's oldest brother Daemos has arrived in the 616, despite Morlun's protestations (Morlun claims he is saving that world, though the other Inheritors believe it is the only world he fears, thanks to previously dying there), and incapacitated the New Warriors in an attack on Scarlet Spider. Three more Spiders show up to rescue Kaine with one of them, Bruce Banner Spider-Man (not a Hulk), dying in Kaine's place while Kaine and the other two escape. All the Spiders fill Peter in on the details they know and tell him that he's their secret weapon because he's the greatest Spider of them all. Meanwhile, Morlun's sister Verna launches an attack on the Spider-Man and Spider-Woman of the Ultimate Universe.

If you HAVE to do an event, this is certainly a better way to do it than AXIS. It's far more contained than a typical event (though, to be fair, it is billed as Spider-Man's event of the year) and it's interested in character at least as much as story. The story itself is a fairly simple one masking itself as a more complicated one, which actually works pretty well. Despite all of the new characters and the invocation of the "Great Web," the basic gist of the story is that the Inheritors like killing Spiders and the Spiders want to team up to avoid being killed. At its core, simple. Will there be twists and turns along the way? Yeah, probably. But that's what we need to know to progress. So instead, Slott focuses on establishing several characters, which he does to varying degrees of success. Still though, as has always been true for Slott, it's obvious he's having a really good time writing this story and that carries a lot of weight here. For all of the complaining I did about events yesterday, I'm feeling onboard with this one.

Total Score: 4/5


Spider-Verse Team-Up 1

Our first SPIDER-VERSE TEAM-UP has two stories with two different sets of Spiders. The first story features Spider-Ham, Old Man Spider-Man (seems redundant but that's what they call him), and Ben Reilly fighting off some of Verna's hounds; this time a slew of vampiric Vultures taken from different realities. It's a more brutal fight than Ben Reilly is used to but he begins to understand pretty quickly why it has to be that way and the three of them manage to escape, knowing Ben's chosen world is safe as the Peter Parker of that world never became Spider-Man. The second story finds the Six-Armed Spider-Man and the decidedly more brutal Spider-Man Noir teaming up to help a newly changing Spider-Man avoid his inevitable fate as food for one of the Inheritors. This new Spider is turning full spider, a change that will ruin his otherwise happy life (Uncle Ben and Aunt May are both safe in this reality) and will leave him very open to attack, so Six-Armed Spider-Man manages to whip up a version of the serum that gave him his extra arms but that he hopes will, thanks to the differences in their stories, simply cure this Peter like it was meant to cure him. The serum works, taking this Peter firmly off the Inheritor's radar and keeping his life happy, which Noir's plan of shooting him wouldn't have pulled off.

These are two pretty good stories that accomplish exactly what they set out to and what I think is very important to this event: building character. I talked in the above review about how the simplicity of the story at its core allows Slott to build character and focus on that character throughout the series. The problem he faces, of course, is that there are just so many characters to focus on that the story will inevitably get diluted as Slott has to spend so much time establishing new guys. SPIDER-VERSE TEAM-UP, on top of being a potentially interesting and obviously profitable tie-in, allows Slott to build the Spiders himself or to spread the wealth a little and let other writers have a crack at these fun characters. It's likely the first idea Marvel had when this event was first introduced but, as opposed to, like, everything in AXIS, it actually will help the main series. How much it helps remains to be seen. It'll require some strong writing and a stronger editorial team to keep a unified tone and unified voices through all SPIDER books. Solid start to this event.

Total Score: 4/5

Comics this week

Hey dudes, solid 18 books out this week and it shouldn't really be a struggle to pick out five I want to highlight but it sure was looking that way on the top half of the alphabetical list. Also, I'm watching that new Gotham TV show right now and it kicked off pretty dark, you guys! This married couple got murdered in the first like, two minutes! Weird way to start things, I bet nothing comes of it.

Edge of Spider-Verse 3
There's a lot of fun stuff happening in EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE so far, though this certainly makes it to the list thanks to a slow release week. It's been strong, though I expect it's hit-or-miss with how interesting these new spiders are.

New Avengers 24
It's another 4.99 book in another extra-sized issue (like AVENGERS last week) as Hickman moves NEW AVENGERS into TIME RUNS OUT, starting our story eight months after the events of the last issue. Though I'm wary of $4.99 books, I can't say I'm not interested in seeing this one. AVENGERS was solid last week and this book should give us the other side of the story. Looking forward to it.

New Warriors 10
Have I told you guys I'm really enjoying this book (though it's just about over at this point)? Just kidding, you guys, I know I have. Check it out while you still can.

Storm 3
I liked the first issue a good deal and the second issue had some positives to it. I think that Greg Pak's a strong writer and he very clearly has some thoughts about Storm as a character. Still, this book certainly gets the benefit of a slow release week to make this list.

Thunderbolts 31
I really need to keep a running list of when books are set to end. I THINK this book runs through issue 32 (or is it 33?). Either way, we're closing in on the end of the series and I'm sad to see it go. I also just caught up on a string of really good "Thrilling Adventure Hours" so I'm even more sad that Acker and Blacker will be Marvel homeless at the conclusion of this book (hopefully they'll find something soon).

Edge of Spider-Verse 2, Superior Spider-Man 33

Edge of Spider-Verse 2

The newest Spider-Man we get a chance to look in on isn't, in fact, a Spider-MAN at all (see what I did there? Capitalizing the "man" part implies that is where the difference lies. Italicizing it would have had much the same effect). Instead, it's Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman! Gwen of this universe was bitten by a radioactive spider, granting her spider-based powers which she now uses in her life as a vigilante crime-fighter. Her story of power=responsibility hinges on the fact that fellow classmate Peter Parker, in an attempt to be more like the new Spider-Woman, injected himself with a dangerous toxin of his own design that turned him into the Lizard, who would ruin the school and die in Spider-Woman's arms. The police, led by Captain George Stacy, are on the hunt for Spider-Woman. Meanwhile, Gwen just wants to play the drums for the Mary Janes, the rock outfit led by Mary Jane Watson. However, everything comes to her doorstep when Kingpin hires Rhino to take out George Stacy in a show of faith to the new Spider-Woman. Rhino attacks at the Mary Janes' show and Spider-Woman fights him off, eventually revealing her true identity to Captain Stacy, all under the watchful eye of another Spider-Man.

We're still on the EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE, so we're not really getting into the main thrust of the story just yet, we're more getting a sense of the players. This Spider-Woman already seems like a hit and Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez make the most of their one-shot with her, with Latour writing a very solid character and developing, in twenty short pages, an entire universe that makes sense and intrigues (Matt Murdock is a villain lawyer! But how??) and Rodriguez drawing an absolutely fantastic book and designing a really cool costume for Gwen. In addition, Rico Renzi adds some outstanding colors to the book. It's a pretty quick read (as quick as you can manage for a one-shot that has to develop a new character and new universe and new problems) and it looks really good. It moves quickly but it also gives more than enough time for quiet moments and introspection. Great stuff.

Total Score: 5/5


Superior Spider-Man 33

Superior Spider-Man has teamed with a number of other Spider-Men/Women/Girls/Monkeys and has gone after the spider-killer named Karn. Doc Ock has developed a device he thinks will work well on the killer but is overwhelmed by the being's power, particularly when members of Karn's family show up, a pair of twins named Brix and Bora. The spiders manage to get away, escaping to 2099 to regroup while the siblings bicker. Doc Ock removes himself for a bit, talking to his Anna Maria computer, and comes back with a new plan. The spiders set to work while he pulls aside Spider-Girl (Ashley Barton) and Assassin Spider-Man to let them know he agrees with them, that killing these villains is a necessity and that they may face resistance from the other spiders but that nothing can be allowed to stand in their way.

It's a tough loss for Doc Ock as his team is forced to flee and he's forced to wonder how it's even possible to stop Karn, let alone Karn's apparently pretty big family (there's an extra story at the end of this issue that revolves around Karn and his family, showing just how big it is and, of course, showing that Morlun is a member of it). There's a brief moment of hubris for Doc, as ever, as he believes he defeats Karn only to have it shot back in his face. Still, it's good character building and Gage does a pretty good job building the supporting cast of spiders, who each register a specific voice and tone, even though none of them is given a particular focus in this episode. SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN 33 adds to the already interesting event, establishing a bit more about our villains and a tiny bit more about our heroes. Strong work.

Total Score: 4/5

Death of Wolverine 2, Edge of Spider-Verse 1

Death of Wolverine 2

Armed with the knowledge that Viper has put the contract out on him and with a fairly new Iron Man helmet with which to barter, Wolverine travels in a fairly lax disguise to Madripoor and meets with one of Viper's underlings to set up a meeting with her, showing off the Iron Man helmet and offering to make a deal. When the underling brings him, she immediately knows who it is (he's really not hiding it) and she sics her real henchmen on him. He easily beats them and moves on to questioning his ex-wife. She admits that she's just subcontracting another job she got for an extraordinarily wealthy client, one whose name she refuses to divulge. She promises more answers if he can defeat Sabretooth in battle, which he does but only by the skin of his teeth and the intervention of Lady Deathstrike, who reveals her name has also popped up on the hit-list Viper put out to the world's mercenaries. Viper herself has disappeared and Lady Deathstrike suggests the pair of healers team up before learning Wolverine's not healing any more and rescinds her offer, instead hoping she can defeat him and trade his freedom for hers. However, she's surprised to find Kitty Pryde reaching through her chest before she can act.

Charles Soule just signed an exclusive contract with Marvel (his DC titles will continue through next March though, giving him time to wrap things up if you're reading those) and it continues to seem like an ace move by Marvel, who has proven in the last couple years that it's dedicated to keeping good talent around as best it can with the use of exclusive contracts (Kieron Gillen jumps to mind) and new titles (I'd look to someone like Dennis Hopeless for that, or Sam Humphries, though I haven't liked as many of his titles). So far, DEATH OF WOLVERINE is proving another in a long line of really compelling and exciting stories from Soule, who I lauded for revitalizing THUNDERBOLTS and for kicking SHE-HULK off to a very fun start (jury's still out a little bit on INHUMANS but I'm mostly liking it so far, just confused by its timing). This is the Wolverine I've been missing from his solo title the last couple years, one who faces danger head-on but doesn't always go in half-cocked. He's quiet, he's threatening, he's quick-witted, he's tough, he's maybe a little bit menacing, and...he's going to die? Geez, now I'm sad again. Really solid second issue with a number of twists and turns that generally work for me and some great art from McNiven.

Total Score: 5/5


Edge of Spider-Verse 1

In 1939, the magician Mysterio wants to take real control in the city and he aims to do it by taking the blood of the vigilante Spider-Man (Noir). Though he's working under the control of the Kingpin right now, he hopes to infuse Spider-Man's blood, which he believes is truly from the spider god Anansi, with his own and gain his mystical powers. Teamed with his own magic and illusions, he believes he could run New York City. He lures Spider-Man out with a threat on Spider-Man's old lover Felicia Hardy. Though Mysterio manages to trap Spider-Man, the vigilante breaks out and defeats the magician, though it doesn't stop the pounding of his danger-predicting sixth sense. Suddenly, a masked figure approaches, threatening to eat the Spider-Man, when another Spider-Man (Superior) appears, distracts the figure, and transports Spider-Man (Noir) out to meet in 2099 with a handful of other Spider-Mans (assorted).

EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE, the new Spider-Man event, has its official debut on the heels of a prologue in the suddenly continued SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN and the Spider-Man offices at Marvel make a good call by kicking things off with Spider-Man Noir, one of the more interesting ideas and visually compelling (particularly with Isanove's skill and affection for noir) Spider-Men we've seen. It's a strong first entry as writer David Hine manages to give us some good backstory and character development despite having to start in the middle of a story that isn't actually the story he's tasked with telling, which he gets to. LOOK, it's late and I'm tired and I KNOW my sentences are breaking down by the second but these books are both event books and AVENGERS 34.1 didn't really justify being in the first day so here we are. Anyway, good book, still an interesting premise even if we didn't really learn anything we didn't already really know from SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN 32.

Total Score: 4/5

Marvel's "Next Big Thing" Announced: SPIDER-VERSE

Hey everyone. Quick word as news just broke on this yesterday after a teaser image last Friday. Marvel has announced in one of their "Next Big Thing" press calls that one of the next big events will be the SPIDER-VERSE, a coming-together of every Spider-Man-ish creature created by Marvel, not to mention a few that haven't yet been created. That's right; everyone from Spider-Man 2099 to Noir Spider-Man to Spider-Ham and so on and so forth will join forces with (or face off against, as it's being teased) Peter Parker's Spider-Man.

It's still a ways out so details are a little sparse but the event will be headed by Dan Slott, of course, and Olivier Coipel, probably best known for his work on THOR. Slott and Spider-Man group editor Nick Lowe have also confirmed that the initial villain of the series will be Morlun, a Spidey villain created back in 2001 and responsible for actually killing Spider-Man (he was later reborn thanks to SPIDER-LORE and suddenly had more spider-like attributes to him including organic web-shooters, just like in the movie that was released TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY right around that time). More details on this one as they emerge. So, you know, over the next eight months. But for now, just check out that promo image and think about, even if it's perhaps a little gimmicky, how cool this could be.