Leftovers 10-29-14

Pretty short week for full reviews this week but, like I said yesterday, not too many giant books out there. Let's just blast through this.

All-New X-Men 33

The ANXM search through the Ultimate Universe trying to make sense of their new surroundings. Angel and X-23 find each other, Jean leans on the Ultimate Spider-Man, Iceman gets in some trouble, and Beast is rather trapped in Latveria. It's extremely similar to Bendis' GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 15, which featured the Guardians all split up in foreign places, some faced with the unknown and some faced with enemies, in little almost-vignettes to show that they're all confused and lost. Like I said with that one, worth a miss. Total Score: 2/5










Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy 3
Sabertooth has latched on with an army unit and is brutally killing just a bunch of people, even going so far as to kidnap a shorter one per night, dress him as Wolverine, and murder him. His dreams are filled with Wolverine mocking him, telling him that he'll never be complete without Wolverine and laughing at him for never getting to kill his true rival. It's weird and heavy-handed and the art is interesting but often lost me as to what was actually happening. Full-on crazy Sabertooth is not a Sabertooth I have any interest in, though I'm rather burned out on any Sabretooth after a few years straight of seeing him show up what feels like every week. Total Score: 2/5


Death of Wolverine: Deadpool and Captain America 1

Steve Rogers calls Deadpool in to help him thoroughly clean and destroy Wolverine's stuff, insistent that no one should find his genes and clone him (is this regular procedure when a hero dies?). The last piece is a knife used to stab Wolverine that was sold to AIM not long ago. With the clock ticking, Deadpool and Steve launch an attack on an AIM base and secure the knife again. When they return home, Cap leaves Deadpool to destroy the knife. Deadpool, though, returns to Butler's base and considers cloning Wolverine himself. It's a decent team-up, one we could have expected after their arc together in DEADPOOL. It's got a few laughs and some sweet moments between the unlikely allies, but it's nothing particularly groundbreaking, like I thought their first arc was. Total Score: 3/5






Deathlok 1
Henry Hayes is a Deathlok and has no idea. When he's sent on missions by his handlers, he returns mind-wiped, believing that he was assisting Medics Without Borders in war-torn areas. He also returns home to his life as a single father of a teenage girl named Aria. However, things might get complicated as his last mission had him attacking Black Tarantula, among others, who seemed to survive, unbeknownst to Deathlok, and he's drawn the eye of Maria Hill, who covertly promotes a promising researcher named Andrea Hope to active agent, tasked with finding as much as she can about this new Deathlok. It's an interesting starting point for this new series, though its best attribute this issue is actually how quickly it reads. With so much new information and characters and storylines coming at us all at once, this issue could drag, too exposition-heavy to keep us interested. Instead, it moves well and switches locales and perspective a lot, keeping the reader interested, if not yet invested. Total Score: 4/5


Elektra 7
Matchmaker has been killed by the experimentally juiced up Lady Bullseye who can become intangible as she pleases. Still not a problem for Elektra, who allows herself to take a few hits to force Lady Bullseye to become solid, allowing her to stab her then, as she goes intangible, Elektra breathes her enemy in. It's kinda disturbing. Anyway, she defeats Lady Bullseye and returns to Sidewinder, demanding he take her to the Assassin's Guild leader. He leads her to New Orleans where she's ambushed by other assassins she's defeated but are now similarly juiced up like Lady Bullseye with varying new powers. It's a tough fight but she bests them once more, finally making her way to someone at least pulling some of the strings. The guy says he doesn't lead the Guild but he can make this go away if Elektra lets the weird doctor experiment on her too. She, of course, refuses, kills the pair, and returns to Sidewinder to find out who leads the Guild. He doesn't know but believes Bullseye, currently catatonic and in SHIELD custody, does. Elektra sets off to bust Bullseye out. Elektra continues to be great, handling all of the amped up assassins who come her way and illustrating just how next-level she is in this community. The art isn't my favorite here, which is unfortunate because Del Mundo's really was up there. It's also a bit strange that she destroys so many people this issue that could have been issue-long fights. I'm not that upset about it, nice to see a book move quickly instead of trying to milk every fight out, but it's a tad weird in this community. Also, Matchmaker is dead and I hate this book for that. Total Score: 4/5


Fantastic Four 12
Wyatt and Spider-Man talk to Johnny, who IMMEDIATELY comes to his senses and visits Ben, explaining that someone is clearly pulling the strings here and that Ben needs to get out. In Latveria, Valeria tells Doom she has to go home to try to pull her family back together, leaving Doom, who has devious plans once more. Finally, Reed accuses Mr. Eden, with a great deal of exposition because who would ever want to see him work towards a discovery when we could just have him talk about things he discovered off-panel, of engineering the portal opening in the Baxter Building. Mr. Eden isn't really Mr. Eden though, Reed's lab partner Cully is Mr. Eden and he's doing all this because he hates Reed. WHAT A DUMB ENDING. I'm going to give this the very slightest benefit of the doubt here as we all know FANTASTIC FOUR is ending soon, so it's entirely possible these dumb twists and dumb turns were meant to unfold over multiple issues instead of twenty pages, but STILL. We don't care about the GASP, it's not MR. EDEN, IT'S CULLY thing because we don't care or know about either of those characters. Reed accuses him of engineering everything with a ton of evidence we're just learning about NOW, which is like a detective story where we see a moonlighting detective doing his day job then suddenly, apropos of nothing, solving the whole case on the last page of the book. It's all terrible and I do not like it one bit, my friends. Total Score: 1/5


Guardians of the Galaxy 20

FINALLY, the end of Star-Lord's story reveals that an already dying Nova sacrificed himself to transport Drax and Star-Lord back to their proper universe and that Thanos escaped too. There's also some crap about how Nova was in love with Gamora and he swore Star-Lord to secrecy about all of this, which is why he didn't tell Gamora or the crew earlier. If it is indeed the death of Richard Ryder (doubtful, as that old comic book axiom of "we didn't see the body" certainly comes in to play), it's a pretty stupid death; a standard sacrifice with questionable motivation marred by a prolonged and unnecessary admission of love. It's the worst kind of superhero death, cliche and boring at the same time. Then Gamora goes off and sheds a single tear. Total Score: 1/5






Inhuman 7
Black Bolt is still alive and Maximus is using his telepathic powers to control the missing king, focusing his limited powers entirely on Black Bolt. Medusa knows that her husband is alive and sends a pair of Inhuman investigators, one from the old kingdom named Auran and one NuHuman named (by Auran) Nur, to track him down. They eventually do find Maximus and Black Bolt and Auran, knowing that Maximus likely can't control their minds while he's focused so hard on Black Bolt, somehow doesn't realize that Maximus would be willing to use Black Bolt to attack the investigators, which he does, blowing out a huge part of the penthouse they're staying in overlooking New Attilan. Nur, though, may still be alive, ready for the next move. There are some interesting things in here, particularly between Maximus and Black Bolt, but the whole book is dragged down by a lot of exposition and re-explaining what's going on all over the universe wherever Inhumans are concerned. I also kind of like the idea that Soule is introducing new Inhumans all over the place, moving them into our consciousness slowly so he can eventually bring everyone out at once and we won't be overwhelmed. It's a smart play for a franchise looking to build. Still, the writing will have to get out of its own way and start trusting the reader a little more before the book can really take off. Total Score: 3/5


Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration 1
It's an extra long (and double-priced) book to commemorate 75 years of Marvel, replete with a story about the start of the universe, an old Stan Lee script illustrated by Bruce Timm, a Bendis Jessica Jones story, a Tom DeFalco Spider-Man story, a Len Wein Wolverine story, and a slew of covers from a slew of illustrators for books that will never exist, all credited to Brian Michael Bendis. Is it worth your money? No, probably not, unless you really love Bendis because this book is just chock full of him. It's always nice to see some of the legends like Lee, DeFalco, and Wein, but their screen-time is limited and the stories are somewhat fun throwbacks, nothing you haven't read a thousand times before. Six bucks though? I'm not gonna tell you to spend that. Total Score: 2/5






Nova 22
Nova talks his way back out of expulsion with a reluctant Principal Philbin then goes trick-or-treating with the X-Kids at the Jean Gray School. It's a bit of a reset issue and it works well enough for that with a couple of nice moments and an easy, generic story. Nothing to write home about but not a complete failure of an issue, as I maintain it's important to rest every few issues and let our hero have a slower day now and again. Total Score: 3/5


Thunderbolts 32

Six months after the fall of the Thunderbolts, Red Leader runs his new compound from Kata Jaya, the spot of the team's very first mission. He's plotted his whole life perfectly and now his only problem is that he has a crush on his biographer and can't seem to win her affection. However, all is not well for Red Leader as the Thunderbolts have been gathering intel about the new compound and have led the Avengers there to help take it apart. Red Leader has plenty of plans in place to pick apart his old team but they all crumble when his biographer turns out to be the SHIELD agent Hawkeye had been working with in disguise. She shoots him from behind and the T-Bolts and Avengers win the day, though it's made clear to Red Hulk that none of them want to join him again. It's a fun ending to a book that has certainly had its ups and downs (though mostly ups, particularly from halfway or so on). Deadpool has a particularly strong issue here, though the rest get a little bogged down by the sheer amount of characters and the focus being on Red Leader. Also, Mephisto sends the spirit of vengeance back to Johnny Blaze, to his dismay, which is a fun moment. Total Score: 4/5


Wolverine and the X-Men 11
Melita interviews Spider-Man, Storm, and Quentin Quire about the passing of Wolverine, though "interview" probably isn't the right word. She talks to each of them and gets more from some than others. The Spider-Man bits are mostly fun and work pretty well and the Storm stuff is more or less what you want out of Storm. To be fair, the Quentin stuff is what you can expect from Quentin too, but I still have to ask if we need this much Quentin Quire in our lives. Anyway, strong "in memoriam" kind of arc and, like last issue, it's nice to see so many artists paying their respects to Wolverine. Total Score: 3/5

Comics this week

So I use the same comic list every week to pull what books are being released and it very rarely, if ever, steers me wrong, which is nice because I haven't always had that luxury in the past. Sometimes, though, it looks a lot more imposing than it is. There are a TON of reprints coming this week, perhaps more than actual new releases. That means a light week for me (yay!) but a harder week for this post (totally worth it!). Let's get into it.

Death of Wolverine: Deadpool and Captain America 1
I told you, it's a light week. I'm not actually super excited about this book because I legitimately don't know what to make of it. Obviously we know it's a tie-in book and it's one that ties-in to the recent DEATH OF WOLVERINE mini, but it also harkens back to DEADPOOL's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" arc, which remains easily my favorite arc of that book. Will this tie-in live up to the quality of that arc? Let's find out TOGETHER.

Deathlok 1
Full disclosure: I'm not really that excited about a DEATHLOK series. The character holds little interest to me (though I loved Deathlok in Remender's UNCANNY X-FORCE, the one who admitted to loving X-Force and was later easily cast aside by Magneto). However, in light of a short week, Nathan Edmondson wins me over here. As a very vocal supporter of Edmondson's BLACK WIDOW and less vocal but still somewhat vocal supporter of his PUNISHER, I'm happy to give this one a look.

Elektra 7
This book's great, it's a short week, you know everything I'm about to say.

Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration 1
A six-dollar celebration 75 years in the making, this book makes the list mostly because I want to talk about one of the segments, namely one that intends to explore what happened the day the Marvel Universe was born, written by FANTASTIC FOUR's James Robinson with art from DAREDEVIL's Chris Samnee, AKA a creative team I half-loathe and half-love. That's all I have to say about it.

Thunderbolts 32
THUNDERBOLTS comes to its conclusion after a run of a good couple years. A weaker-than-expected start from Daniel Way led to a fantastic Charles Soule middle and now we reach the final chapter of the first ongoing Marvel work for Ben Acker and Ben Blacker. I've enjoyed this book for quite some time now and I'm sad to see it go, though unsurprised. Looking forward to seeing where it leaves our team in the aftermath.

Leftovers 9-24-14

Okay. I apologize both for my busy week this week and for the upcoming post. Got a lot of apologies to make. ANYWAY, let's get right into and out of it.

All-New Ghost Rider 7

Robbie is still having trouble making his personal life and Eli come to some sort of understanding and he ends up killing a guy to take the money he was owed before another Ghost Rider shows up to complicate things further. Still strong stuff with Smith spending just the right amount of time characterizing Robbie and the neighborhood, though I'm still wary of Hyde's role in all of this. Total Score: 4/5












All-New Invaders 10
Mars attacks? I don't know, man, this book is pretty terrible. They're helped by the daughter of the original Iron Cross who is an Inhuman now and then Torch goes crazy and she promises to help while Mars attacks London and Roger Aubrey, the Mighty Destroyer, literally has a line of dialogue that goes "I'm an incredibly dashing, older gay gentleman, by virtue of which means I'm incredibly vain" directly after he says to Union Jack and Spitfire "A speedster, a young man with a pistol and a vintage motor bike, and a "flamboyant" octogenarian." DOES ANYONE THINK ANYTHING IN THIS BOOK THEY DON'T SAY? Perhaps James Robinson would like to sit beside us as we read his books and explain bit-by-bit what's happening in case we don't understand? Total Score: 1/5

Amazing Spider-Man 1.5

Spider-Man finally beats Clash and we're all relieved because Clash is not interesting nor likable and looking back to this point in Spidey history means Spidey also isn't terribly interesting and isn't really likable so now we can all move on with our lives. Total Score: 2/5














Amazing X-Men 11
Wendigos! They're everywhere! Wolverine is one! The X-Men travel to the realm of monsters where monster Tanaraq is getting supercharged by the Wendigo presence on Earth and where he plans his attack on Earth, even expanding the Wendigo curse to mean Wendigos can exist outside of Canada! Where goes the Wendigo? EVERYWHERE. Pretty good stuff, drags a little bit despite all of the action, but still a compelling story and Yost brings to this book his uncanny ability to nail the voice of everyone he touches. Total Score: 4/5

Cyclops 5
Cyclops and Corsair have fixed the tracking beacon bounty hunters placed on their ship and therefore successfully lure a group to them, managing to outwit them and steal their ships, though Cyclops overrides his dad's plans a few times to show compassion for the bounty hunters. Good characterization of a young and optimistic Scott and now we can continue our journeys with the interesting father-son duo. Total Score: 4/5











Deadpool 35
MAYBE, just MAYBE, there will some day be a week where nary a single DEADPOOL book will be released. But that's not this week so, onwards. Deadpool spends some quality time with Ellie and has to fight a Spider-Slayer Dracula has put his consciousness into, which he defeats handily. He also brings the refugees from Butler's camps to the Jean Grey School and has Beast run medical tests on them, which could complicate things as Hank quickly calls Deadpool back, needing his liver for a vital operation. Bit of a break from the action here as even the Dracula fight has very little stakes (HA) and mostly plays for laughs, which are certainly there if not enough to carry the issue. Total Score: 3/5

Edge of Spider-Verse 3

Dustin Weaver introduces us to Aaron Aikman, the only Spider-Man who has sought out the Spider, injecting himself with a serum that gave him his powers and using advanced machinery to vigilânt around the city. There's a full story here about his laboratory and the woman he loved risking everything to save her daughter but the real story is the twist ending when Morlun shows up and kills Aikman, meaning that just because we're seeing these dudes on the EDGE of SPIDER-VERSE, they won't necessarily make it to the main showing. Pretty good stuff, drags like any of these have when they've had to really give a lot of backstory for one issue, but it holds together somewhat nicely. Total Score: 3/5






Guardians of the Galaxy 19
Quill continues to tell his story to Gamora and explains that they couldn't die in the Cancerverse so their sacrifice had kind of been for nothing, now they had to play eternal keep-away from Thanos with the Cosmic Cube, made more troublesome by the appearance of the Cancerverse Avengers who are all evil and who want the Cube themselves and, sadly, eventually get it. The issue is all from the memory of Quill so it's basically a big ol' flashback where we don't know the full ending but we kind of know maybe half of it (Drax, Quill, and Thanos, in the very least, survive to return to the 616) so kind of low stakes here for a story that's going to last at LEAST three issues. Total Score: 2/5

Inhuman 6

Dante and his new friends Jason (rock-based powers) and Naja (weird-based powers) find their way back to Attilan, now run by The Unspoken, and manage to, with the help of Vinatos, the medical regent of New Attilan, infiltrate The Unspoken's throne room. He still has the Terrigen crystals he found so he's still insanely powerful but Dante attacks him all the same, getting horribly wounded in the fight for his troubles. While Naja continues the distraction, Jason uses his rock powers to destroy the crystals, effectively ending The Unspoken's new reign and restoring Medusa to the throne. Good issue for the NuHumans as everything is set right once again, though Lineage seems ready to strike a deal with the imprisoned Unspoken. Total Score: 4/5






Loki: Agent of Asgard 6
Thanks to some time-and-space trickery, Doctor Doom finds himself face to face at the end of the universe with the original Loki, who derides and denounces him, causing Doom to go back to his own time and search out the young Loki, pulling him into battle at his castle. He ends up trapping Loki, who doesn't want any part of this fight, and announcing that he's captured a god, effectively weakening him by destroying his story. Though things seem lost for young Loki, he secretly brought Verity Willis (eye roll!) with him and now she's prepared to help her friend. I literally have no idea what's going on and what the point of any of this is. Total Score: 2/5

Magneto 10
Magneto has been captured by the Red Skull and is being tortured by Xavier's brain in the hopes that Skull can break him. Magneto tries to hide in all his worst memories, giving us a full tour of many of them, but finds eventually that he cannot keep Skull at bay. Before he breaks, he's rescued by the similarly captured Havok, Rogue, and Scarlet Witch. Pretty sad issue for Magneto, you guys, as we see the worst of the worst, but it follows the theme Bunn has set up for this series, which often goes back to why Magneto fights. Total Score: 4/5

New Warriors 10
The Celestials are coming! The New Warriors strike again at the High Evolutionary and his Evolutionaries. Speedball makes a great Ghostbusters reference! The Eternals show up! Action, hijinks, comedy, drama, and more! Check out NEW WARRIORS 10! Total Score: 5/5














Savage Wolverine 23
A story from Wolverine's past where someone drugs him, slowing his healing factor and tries to hunt him through the woods of his animal-times. He's protected by the runt of a wolf pack but eventually the wolf sacrifices himself to save Wolverine, drawing Wolverine out to murder everyone in sight. Typical Wolverine-in-the-woods story done with maybe a little less flare and heart and with even more hand-holding than some of the others I've seen. Total Score: 2/5

Storm 3
Storm is called to Kenya by a mysterious benefactor saying that he needs her help to bring rain and water to the people there. Though she's wary it's a trap, it's a cause that matters enough to her to send her there anyway. It's not entirely a trap, but it was Forge, with whom she has a rocky relationship, who sent the letter. He swears he can do it and she chooses to trust him, though one of the Kenyans doesn't and his interference sort of sabotages everything, though Storm does her part to sabotage the machinery, demanding that Forge first spend a year in Kenya working on the tech and working with the people so that they can all have a mutual trust and to ensure that the tech will work and not just be an experiment. It's another good issue to characterize Storm, who wants to trust Forge but knows things aren't that black and white. Instead, she comes up with an interesting plan that roots itself in trust and hope. That's what we want to see out of Storm. Total Score: 4/5

Thunderbolts 31
It's Punisher vs. Red Hulk in the final battle of the T-Bolts. It's a huge fight and the momentum swings back and forth until Hawkeye and the Avengers (though the lesser known ones, like Cannonball, Sunspot, and Shang-Chi) show up to break up the fighting. Red Hulk doesn't believe they're the Avengers but Punisher stands down, unwilling to harm the good guys. Elektra turns up to calm Red Hulk, dropping the Leader's body in between them and showing them that he was an LMD and that, in fact, it was the Leader behind all of this the whole time. Ross announces the Thunderbolts are done, leaving the Red Leader victorious for next time. Plenty of fun in this issue as the fight gets more and more elevated. Also fun to see Hawkeye lead his team of lesser known Avengers into battle and to see the Punisher and Red Hulk struggle to understand that they are, in fact, Avengers. 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).

Leftovers 8-13-14 PART TWO

Alright, let's try this again and hope this is the conclusion of this two part arc on the blog. I can DO IT.

Nightcrawler 5
Claremont (w) and Nauck (a) and Rosenberg (c) and Sabino (l)

Total Score: 2/5

Nightcrawler is sad about Amanda and sad that the X-Men appear to be in such disarray but sometimes you just gotta grit your teeth and move on, so Kurt accepts a job at the Jean Grey school teaching whatever he can. For his first teaching assignment, he leads a handful of students in Danger Room exercises. Later that night, he takes the Blackbird out for a spin along with bug-like student Rico, who bonds with Nightcrawler over scary physical mutations. While out, Storm sends them to find a new potential student, a genius girl named Ziggy Kurst (??) but, unbeknownst to the X-Men, Ziggy has already been targeted by a group of aliens looking to profit off the girl's potential. Claremont's strength was always in building characters even in the midst of big, sweeping stories. Let's hope that strength comes to bear here as he's re-energizing the reborn Nightcrawler but the plots and the ancillary characters have left me less than interested.

Brief detour here just to note that if all goes well, I'll be finishing up this post today but I'm hoping to go even faster as I'm only able to keep working on this today because I'm out sick from work but ALSO I'm sick so lucidity might be right out the window and staring at a small computer screen almost certainly is.

Nova Special 1
Ryan (w) and Timms (p) and Poggi (i) and Redmond (c) and Cowles (l)

So this story continues as the bounty hunter Monark Starstalker has kidnapped Cyclops, who turns out to be the wrong Summers brother, and asks Nova's help to smooth things over with the man for whom Scott was kidnapped. Meanwhile, Scott's students try to track their teacher and Iron Man tries to track the kids who tricked and evaded him. The story ends up being better and more fun than I had expected though I can't help but still feel like it's a bit of a strange choice as some weird characters get teamed up here. Still decent fun and solid writing and art propel this one high enough that it's worth a read if you're interested in any or all of these characters. Total Score: 4/5


Spider-Man 2099 2
David (w) and Sliney (a) and Fabela (c) and Caramagna (l)

Miguel has been trying his hand at the heroing business in the present and finds the same sort of ease with street criminals and the same sort of anger with cops as the modern Spider-Man. He also deduces that his building's super is sick and boss Liz Allan deduces that he's the Spider-Man who "broke into" Alchemax, though he convinces her he's just a man from the future hoping to investigate Alchemax at its roots. She kisses him and leaves. There are bits and pieces of this issue and, so far, of this series that are interesting but there are plenty that are predictable and uninspired. I like Peter David and I think his strengths tend to be in dialogue, though his habit of tongue-in-cheek winks to the audience about the comic format (referencing how often people die and come back, pop culture references, and mentions of superhero tropes in casual conversation) do tend to wear a little thin, particularly, for some reason, here. Total Score: 3/5



Thunderbolts 29
Acker and Blacker (w) and Jacinto (a) and Silva (c) and Sabino (l)

Punisher is still pretty mad about the assassination attempt on him (here we learn that everything in his safehouses is bomb- and bullet-proof so the mini-fridge in which the bomb was placed softened the blow) and takes it out on the team by tracking and destroying each member. First is Deadpool, who he cuts up and places in jars despite Deadpool's protests that he quit the team. He also has a long and impressive battle with Ghost Rider that ends a little differently than Frank would like as he frees Ketch of the Spirit of Vengeance, but it works well enough as the threat is removed. Finally, Elektra tries to talk to him but it seems Punisher isn't in the mood to talk. MEANWHILE, Hawkeye keeps his search up. This is really an extreme Punisher story as we learn that Frank has long been planning, as you would assume, the ways to kill his teammates and now starts to enact his plots. Some cool stuff and a fun twist on the Ghost Rider fight but the end of the series looms large over this one. Total Score: 4/5


Ultimate FF 6
Fialkov and S. Moore (s) and S. Moore (w) and Araujo (a) and Rosenberg (c) and Sabino (l)

Sue is having baby as a portal to a dangerous world opens outside her hospital room. The thought is that it's the baby of Sue and Reed, as recommended by Miles Morhames to save their universe, but Sue reveals once the little girl is born that it is, in fact, boyfriend Ben's child, which Reed helped to obtain and artificially Sue with. Not a way to make that sentence sound good. Anyway, they fight off the aliens and then the series ends. I feel bad for Fialkov, who I think has largely done well in his time with Marvel, that the series ended so abruptly here before he could really get into the crazy designs he seemed to have. Still, not a particularly strong series. Total Score: 2/5


Wolverine 11
Cornell (w) and Woods (a) and Curiel (c) and Petit (l)

Wolverine strikes Sabretooth's compound with SHIELD's help as Sabretooth prepares to start his new world with the help of the orb. Wolverine breaks out Lost Boy and Pinch and together they catch and interrogate Mystique before knocking her unconscious. In pursuit of Sabretooth, Lost Boy and Pinch get trapped behind a forcefield as Wolverine moves on to his final test, another friggin mall. I think there's stuff in this series and in the last that could work if it wasn't so incredibly full of itself. This one is complete with, as the mall is revealed, a sudden and inexplicable narrator announcing dramatically the "zen joke" of the mall. I also really hate this Sabretooth, which negates pretty much this entire series for me. Could he use an update after decades of pretty much being a one-note act? Sure. Is it weird businessman with a sense of irony/humor? Nope. Total Score: 2/5




Wolverine and the X-Men 7
Latour (w) and Veltri, Deering, and Messina (a) and Silva and B. Smith (c) and Cowles (l)

Wolverine's ex-girlfriend Melita Garner wants to write a book about her old boyfriend, hoping to show a human element to him as opposed to just some cartoon monster and is undeterred even when she's given a cease and desist by Wolverine's lawyer Daredevil. She explains what she wants to do and he goes to present the case to Wolverine, also telling him that he can't live in fear. The speech at least works to the extent that Logan calls Storm to ask her on a date. Meanwhile, Idie sulks about what she's seen and Fantomex wonders who the Jean Grey School's enemies will fear with a powerless Wolverine. Plenty going on here and lots of places for the book to go as it focuses on Wolverine and his story but certainly keeps a light on the rest of the school. The art changes with just about each scene change and sometimes it works well and sometimes it falls a little flat. Not a bad book but certainly not a great one either. Total Score: 3/5


X-Force 8
Spurrier (w) and Kim (a and c) and Sabino (l)

With Volga thought defeated, we follow a British army troop as they, with mega top secret clearance, try to show themselves capable in the Middle East to win a contract to take over superhuman affairs back home. Embedded with them is an American journalist, from whom we get all the narration. The team itself seems to have powers, though they attempt to keep them hidden but they also keep getting guerrilla attacked by X-Force out in the desert, eventually provoking them to use their powers and signaling to current British superhuman affairs contract-holder Pete Wisdom and MI13 to come check the situation. They had been monitoring it for a bit and the only discrepancy they found was dodgy paperwork allowing the journalist, who Wisdom quickly attacks, revealing MeMe controlling a robotic body and forcing X-Force to reveal themselves. Certainly one of those issue where I can't really judge the content because it's clearly so tied to the coming issue(s) and this is just a set-up for that. It's a confusing issue for sure and one that merits reading over a couple times, though it drags a little more than this series usually does, undoubtedly a drawback of such a new story with so many new characters. Still some fun parts and more than enough happening (and enough leeway) to rep going with this series. Total Score: 4/5

Comics this week

Who releases 22 comics in a week??


Captain America 23
The countdown is on for a number of things happening, including Steve seeing Ian again and Falcon becoming Captain America.

Captain Marvel 6
Space war!

Original Sin 7
Is this thing really still going? I'm going quick here today (but really YESTERDAY, thanks to the magic of the internet) but I saw a poll on CBR asking which OS revelation has been the most interesting and literally NONE OF THEM WERE. The series isn't falling as flat as some others in the recent past (FEAR ITSELF comes to mind, as does AVX) but it's certainly not hitting me in any meaningful way. A NOTE: Cap finding out about the Illuminati was on the list and that one's interesting but I'm going to say I think that all happens with or WITHOUT OS so NO DICE.

Thunderbolts 29
I just like this book, okay? Edges out AVENGERS UNDERCOVER and AVENGERS WORLD in that respect. Also, ending soon, sad face.

X-Force 8
This book is great, expect some big plot movement this time out and GET ON BOARD THIS BOOK.

Leftovers 7-16-14

100th Anniversary Special X-Men 1
Furth (w) and Masters (a) and Campbell and Gandini (c) and Petit (l)

Decades into the future in Marvel comics, Cyclops has been elected president. Hot on the heels of Cyclops and his team saving New York from disaster caused by tampering with a large Hadron collider, mutants have never been so appreciated. Of course, as ever with mutants, that doesn't mean there isn't still a whole ton of hate out there. As protestors push their way onto the White House lawn on inauguration night, Scott has bigger concerns, namely the sudden disappearance and apparent erasure of wife Emma Frost from the timeline. As others start to disappear and Cyclops inadvertently attacks the protestors, he himself is transported to the white hot room, where the Phoenix, in Jean's body, meets him to say that it's not time for him to be elected yet and sends him back in time to his first wedding day with Jean. There's a sort of interesting story here with mutants suddenly in the seat of power (though it seems ready immediately to disappear) but this one suffers from what some of the other 100th Anniversary books have suffered, namely the need to explain so much of what's happened in recent days because obviously the audience has such a limited grasp of it. Some choppy writing and over-exposition hurts the issue but it continues to be an exceedingly hard task. Total Score: 2/5


All-New X-Factor 11
David (w) and Di Giandomenico (a) and Loughridge (c) and Petit (l)

Gambit has been left behind by the teleporter, though Polaris is quick to notice and demand answers. When she gets none, at least none that are satisfactory, she becomes suspicious. However, her suspicion has to wait as Memento Mori's interrogation of Gambit yielded the word "Snow" and Mori figured out immediately where his daughter is being kept. He sends a warship to Serval, which manages to get its defenses (a forcefield powered by Layla Miller's glove tapped into the building's network) up just in time. X-Factor attacks, managing to slow Mori some and rescue Gambit. When the tide starts to turn towards Mori again, though, his ex-wife appears on the scene, revealing that she had been the power hungry one in the marriage and that she had practiced magic when they were together, enough to siphon the magic off of Mori and to activate the living bomb inside of him, killing both of them but saving everyone else. Certainly some interesting things happening here as Georgia Dakei ends up without parents almost immediately and as the Gambit-Snow problem instantly comes to a head, but the deus ex machina of Mori's ex-wife proves both confusing and very sudden, killing whatever tension had been created. Still, the writing is stronger here as the references take it down a notch and Di Giandomenico's art continues to impress in action. Total Score: 4/5


Magneto 7
Bunn (w) and Walta and J. Fernandez (a) and Bellaire and D. Brown (c) and Petit (l)

Raleigh's information has led Magneto to Hong Kong, where an underground group has been kidnapping mutants off the streets, never to be seen again. Magneto gets himself captured, taking care not to reveal who he truly is. He's kept in a cell to await whatever comes next. He's eventually retrieved and brought to an arena filled with spectators. As he surveys his surroundings, his adversaries release a Predator X into the ring with him. The fight against the man-made hunter-killer beast is a hard one but Magneto manages to win it, shouting a warning to everyone in the arena as he does and killing the guards who come to subdue him. He tracks the owner of the arena, demanding to know where such a small organization obtained Predators X and MGH, which he discovers upstairs. When the man refuses to tell, Magneto drags him to the holding area for the surviving Predators X and injects the man with MGH, enough for the beasts to recognize him as mutant, then tosses him in the pit. It's another very strong issue, one that finds Magneto's inner monologue talking a lot about power and the sorts of people who feel they wield it when, in fact, he can immediately recognize who actually has power (hint: no one in this place). The ending is brutal but rather what we've come to expect from this young series and it certainly resonates. Another strong issue. Total Score: 5/5


Nova 19
Duggan (w) and Baldeon (p) and Pallot (i) and Curiel (c) and Deschesne (l)

A shell-shocked Sam needs to learn more about his missing father, about whom the Watcher's eye revealed maybe a little more than Sam wanted. He flies into space as his mother sets up the move to a new apartment. Sam finds Rocket Raccoon and the two pair to track down Adomox, another Black Nova who appeared in the vision, and Rocket, remembering that Adomox owes him money, agrees to take Sam to him. They arrive at scum central Oblitus and work their way into Adomox's casino, eventually pushing up to his room, where Sam questions him while Rocket keeps guards at bay. Adomox tells Sam that the Black Nova were independent of the corps and that they were little more than mercenaries themselves, but ones who also believed that the Novas were squandering their powers, choosing instead to tap straight into the Nova Force and power themselves up more. Sam wants to know more but Adomox releases a poison into the room. After inoculating himself, Adomox demands that Sam and Rocket travel to an old Black Nova bunker that contains a machine that will reprogram Sam's helmet so Adomox can use it. Though the stakes are high here and the news Sam receives is devastating, the book manages to be very fun, showing Rocket at his absolute best and forging an unlikely friendship between the two. It moves pretty well and Rocket, who can easily turn sort of annoying, carries a lot of the book on his furry little shoulders. Very fun issue, plenty of places for the arc to go. Total Score: 5/5


Savage Hulk 2
A. Davis (w and p) and Farmer (i) and Hollingsworth (c) and Cowles (l)

The X-Men fight off Abomination and reconvene with Banner. Xavier thanks him for the cure to his own coma, the one that didn't work to treat Hulk, and says that they believe they've figured out a way to remove Hulk from Banner. After they set up (with Leader covertly keeping an eye on things), they begin their attempt. The Hulk does seem to leave Banner, but it enters Jean Grey, immediately turning her into a Hulk. It feels like not a lot happened in this book until right up to the end, aside from Abomination and the Leader's brief appearance, neither of which meant a whole lot to the current story and both of which feel out of place. With so much exposition and rather boring dialogue, the issue drags, not helped by my distaste for Davis and Farmer (though I quite like Hollingsworth and Cowles, so, I don't know, does that even things out?), and the end result seems almost non-sensical and like such an elaborate and deliberate ploy to set the Hulk on Jean that it's almost eye-rollingly frustrating. Total Score: 1/5


Savage Wolverine 21
Arcudi (w) and Quinones (a and c) and Petit (l)

Back in WWII, Logan's Canadian unit features both he and another possible mutant, a mind-reader named Lieutenant Bellamy. A large part of the German army has had their supply lines cut, leaving them desperate to maintain one last bridge, their last supply route. The Canadians want to take the bridge down but are forced to go in with a small troop in secret, lest the Germans blow the bridge themselves with the Canadians on it or radio for an artillery strike. With Bellamy's assistance from just off the front lines, Logan leads a team in and manages to destroy the radio shack. However, as things seem won, Bellamy realizes another officer is running for a second radio hidden in a tent. Logan chases him and the two end up with guns drawn at one another and Logan realizes the officer looks just like someone he's seen in his dreams recently. It's another look at Wolverine's past and one that finds him on a covert mission for the Canadian Army, something that hasn't been explored too, too much. Still, the story moves a little slowly and the Wolverine design here leaves a little to be desired, though I typically like Quinones' art and I quite like his colors here. I guess part of the issue is that the stakes seem a little vague. We're told that the quiet destruction of this bridge will cut off supply lines for the Germans entirely but it's kind of hard to get a real sense of that here. Still, kind of interesting in the end and the book reads quickly enough, though I think that some of the dialogue would have been better off cut from the book. Total Score: 3/5


She-Hulk 6
Soule (w) and Wimberly (a and c) and Cowles (l)

The phone cut out before She-Hulk could say the trigger word to Wyatt Wingfoot, saving him from any programmed suicidal thoughts. Still, with Pansy in the hospital and no more answers, only more questions and more danger, Jen decides to call off the investigation for the time being, to the dismay of Angie Huang, who nearly died in the fire in North Dakota but was saved mysteriously by Hei Hei, and who found out some incredible things on her trip, though Jen doesn't want to hear them just yet. Also on Jen's mind was a recent attack aimed at her in their own office place as tons of little demons swarmed the building shouting her name. With the assistance of the other tenants and friend Kevin Trench AKA Nightwatch, whose name also appeared on the blue file, She-Hulk fought them off but the attack did cause her rent to be raised. However, Trench, who has many wealthy contacts, sends plenty of work her way to help her out. There's a lot happening here and a lot of it, including the blue file and the demons, is interesting, just as the dialogue is pretty strong and the characters are starting to come into their own. This issue features, as the last one did, the art of Ron Wimberly, which perhaps follows in the tradition of the interesting choice of Javier Pulido as main series artist as both have very unique and probably polarizing styles. However, I've landed pretty firmly on the positive side with Pulido and I'm rather in the opposite camp with Wimberly, so that rather dulled my enjoyment of the book. Still some strong writing and plenty of places to go, but not my favorite issue. Total Score: 4/5


Silver Surfer 4
Slott (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c) and Cowles (l)

Silver Surfer and Dawn Greenwood head for Earth, though they're stopped momentarily by the Guardians of the Galaxy, claiming to check every alien headed for Earth but secretly scanning the Surfer for any trace of Galactus, trying to be sure that the two truly have split up. Satisfied, they let him pass and he returns Dawn to Anchor Bay. Though he spent a lot of the trip nearing Earth complaining about his time trapped on the planet, stopped from escaping by an unseen barrier, he agrees to stay for lunch with Dawn's relieved family at their B&B. He silvers down at Dawn's behest to enjoy the meal and takes a nap in his non-silver form afterwards. Things are off in Anchor Bay though, with strange happenings occurring always just out of sight, though it's gained the attention of former Defenders Dr. Strange and Hulk, who head for the small town. Silver Surfer awakens from his nap and begins to set off again, only to discover that somehow the barrier around Earth has been restored. As the book begins its second arc, Slott continues to put an emphasis on the fun tone and the character relationships. There's still a darkness seeping in from the edges but it's relegated to the background as jokes and humor run the book from the front. It's mostly strong in that way and the upbeat tone with the sinister hints plays perfectly into the Allreds' style, which gives the book a sort of synergy that can be hard to hit so early. Strong stuff. Total Score: 5/5


Thunderbolts 28
Acker and Blacker (w) and Sandoval (a) and Silva (c) and Sabino (l)

Iron Man and Hawkeye examine the scene the Thunderbolts left, the one that Faustus' men had set up in to take down the Avengers, while the Thunderbolts examine their new guns, including the Hulk gun, which Deadpool refers to as Chekov's when Leader explains that its ammo would temporarily revert Hulk to Banner, certainly long enough to shoot him. As Red Hulk tells the team it's up to them to stay or leave in the wake of Punisher's exit and in the wake of the news that they'll be keeping their villains so that they might work for them, Hawkeye investigates the blown-up Punisher safehouse, convinced that he had something to do with the scene they had seen earlier and that said scene had something to do with the Avengers. He arrives there just as Elektra does, looking for Punisher but finding the exploded ruins and a charred body. The two briefly fight but Elektra leaves, though it seems Hawkeye may have tagged her with a tracer. She returns to the T-Bolts hideout and accuses Red Hulk of killing Punisher. As a fight begins to break out, they're distracted by gunshots elsewhere and hurry off to find Red Leader shot through the head, Faustus shot through the gut, and the Hulk gun missing. Another very strong issue in the wake of the announcement that, sadly, THUNDERBOLTS will end with issue 32. There's plenty happening here and new-ish comic book writers Acker and Blacker seem ambitious with their first and likely only arc on the series as they begin to pull elements from all around the Marvel Universe together to have the series go out with a bang. Strong writing, fun dialogue, and interesting choices prop up the issue, helped too by Sandoval's frantic and kinetic art. Lot of fun here. Total Score: 5/5

THUNDERBOLTS ending with 32

Sad news out of the October solicits this week as it's been announced that THUNDERBOLTS 32, by writers Ben Acker and Ben Blacker and artist Kim Jacinto, will be the last of the series. I've really enjoyed this series, particularly since Soule took over and so far I've enjoyed Acker and Blacker's run (one issue by the time of writing this post, though issue two of their run comes out THIS VERY DAY) so I find myself particularly sad to see this happening, though not entirely surprised. I think we've been fortunate to get even 32 issues out of this one so there's not a lot of room to complain. Hopefully this acts as something of a test run for Acker and Blacker and that they have more opportunities in coming days.

Comics this week!

Hi everyone, ain't got no time for small talk but I'm sure I'll make some along the way. LET'S PRE-GAME.

Avengers World 9
I've really enjoyed this book though I was skeptical going in. Instead, there are, what, three concurrent storylines happening? I'm entertained by all of them! I don't even know what's on the docket this week (at a guess, I'd say Falcon and the Chinese SHIELD whose name I currently forget but I HAVE NO TIME, GUYS) but I'm still looking forward to it!

Elektra 4
This one narrowly edges out MS. MARVEL, which I'm really enjoying and would advise all of you to pick up, because I adore the art on this and I'm really intrigued by the story and the narrative. SHE-HULK also narrowly edged out MS. MARVEL because I've been thinking about it all week so SORRY MS. MARVEL, WOOOOO, I AM FOR REAL.

Original Sin 6
Man, even this edges out MS. MARVEL? Someone screwed up. Anyway, Nick Fury is a one-man space army but he still didn't answer the question about whether or not he killed the Watcher, which means either he totally did it or he's kind of crappy at the job we're told he's pretty good at?

She-Hulk 6
The blue file! People are going crazy at the very mention of it and Wyatt Wingfoot is in a particularly bad spot to go crazy! WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OUR HEROES AS THIS STORY PROGRESSES?

Thunderbolts 28
Bens Acker and Blacker have started the series off with a literal bang (or at least a literal boom) as Punisher quit the team and was promptly blown up in a safehouse of his. Who will he blame? Who is to blame? Are the answers the same? Boom, rap it.

An apology - and some reviews and picks

My friends, my followers, people who clicked on this link completely by accident (who even ARE you?): You are owed an apology. I missed a couple posts this week (as I've not so subtly been hinting, that may be happening more often lately as I'm away from my computer more and more often). I had been traveling to a wedding a ways away and spending some time with family which is NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR NOT REVIEWING COMICS. I'm kind of kidding. Those who understand blogs likely have guessed that I don't make money on this blog (not for lack of asking for money) and so it often has to take a backseat to actual life events. Still, this is something that I like to do and I've been astounded to find that some people even seem to like to read. As such, I'm going to continue to make a concerted effort to update as regularly as possible. There may be changes coming soon but for now, I'm going to try to keep running things as smoothly as I can. AS FOR THE MISSING REVIEWS...


Iron Patriot 4
Still moves pretty well, this issue finds Rhodey unable to fight back against his captor, determined to kill the ex-president, but Lila and Rhodey's father are still capable of retaliation and manage it somewhat nicely. 4/5

Nova 18
An ORIGINAL SIN tie-in finds Nova discovering his friend the Watcher has died and trying to seek his killer for revenge. His search brings him to New York and he (sort of) assists in the fight against Exterminatrix and The Orb, getting caught up in the truth bomb and learning that his dad maybe wasn't so righteous as he'd hoped. Lots of drama with Sam and some really fun writing as we see a few team-ups happening in the background. 5/5

Wolverine and the X-Men 5
I'll be honest (because I'm tired): I still rather don't know what's happening in this book. Quire doesn't believe he and Evan will be forced to kill each other some day, Fantomex protects the World from Honest John, and Storm returns to the school to stop John's attack dead. Moves rather well, seems pretty spirited even if it's a little hard to follow. 3/5

Ultimate FF 3
This book has been cancelled due to POOR SALES AND NOT AT ALL DUE TO SOME TERRIBLY STUPID RUMOR SPREAD AROUND BY BLEEDING COOL. It will end with issue six (sadly, due to a sickness, issue six wasn't even written by Fialkov). Anyway, this issue was okay, I think the book overall is trying really hard to be something but it's getting a little stalled and now, obviously, it won't have that chance to save itself. 3/5



THIS WEEK'S PICKS

Daredevil 5
This book is great, you guys. Get on board with it if you somehow haven't already. Nice look from Waid this time at some of the anger stored away in Matt and at how he's living his life these days. Plus, it's just a nice book to look at.

Elektra 3
Look, this book's real pretty. I think it's a really interesting story and there are nice looks here and there behind the curtain at Elektra (I was legitimately taken aback when she referred to Daredevil as "Matthew" in this issue) so the character and the story certainly isn't hurting this series but I really like this art, you guys.

Thunderbolts 27
I recognize that maybe I'm coming in with a bit of an Acker/Blacker bias here but this issue was really fun and refreshing, nice to see that the spirit of the book will carry even as the creative team changes. Edges out NOVA, which was also a heap of fun, and AVENGERS WORLD, which continues to be interesting.

Thunderbolts 27, Punisher 7

Thunderbolts 27
Acker and Blacker (w) and Barberi (p) and Cuevas (i) and Silva (c) and Sabino (l)

The Thunderbolts quietly take down a team of hitmen aiming to take down the Avengers while they battle downtown. The stealth team discovers that these hitmen were being led by someone operating out of a high school which, they soon discover, is full of dead children. The dead start to rise and begin attacking the Thunderbolts, overwhelming them before it's revealed that it was Captain America villain Dr. Faustus using a psychogenic gas to plant images in the heads of the T-Bolts. Deadpool, though, quickly detected the gas and kept himself from inhaling it, playing dead when Faustus arrived and taking the villain down himself. As the others come to, Punisher demands they kill Faustus but Red Hulk vetoes him, preferring to force Faustus to work for good. Punisher, unable to allow that, quits the team. As the team moves on, Punisher returns to a New Jersey safehouse and finds a bomb in his apartment (as it explodes) with a note apparently indicting the T-Bolts.

Acker and Blacker don't disappoint in their first time out with the THUNDERBOLTS main series (they wrote THUNDERBOLTS ANNUAL within the last year), bringing an interesting new vibe to the series. The team still sticks with the covert "doing the missions the Avengers can't" kind of idea but Red Hulk seems determined to live up to his realization from last issue and do more than just help out, indicating that he'd like the Thunderbolts to expand with more divisions, possibly comprised of captured villains (like Faustus) working against their will to make up for their sins. The voices are distinct and a lot of fun, just what we'd want to see from this team (it's what Soule did right during his time on the book that I felt Way missed in the first arc). Of course, the intrigue of a quitting and punished Punisher doesn't hurt either.

Total Score: 5/5


Punisher 7
Edmondson and Maurer (w) and Carnero (p) and Pallot (i) and Fabela (c) and Petit (l)

Wounded Punisher finds his way down to Mexico to recover and plot out his next move while he tries to figure out who attacked him. A back alley surgeon fixes him up, removing the bullet and closing the wound, though he also drugs him and sells him off to the highest bidder so it seems like they're even by the end. The highest bidder in this case is a Mexican gangster named Ortiz, AKA El Diablito. Ortiz and his men beat up Punisher a bit then sell him again to an unknown group (though probably Dos Soles, right?), who send Crossbones to pick Frank up. Not to be caught unaware again, Frank breaks out of his cell along with another captured vet, and the pair of them, with help from the vet's squad monitoring Ortiz, escape into the woods, where Punisher advises the other vet to move forward while he takes on the cartel.

PUNISHER 7 provides a nice respite from the story we've been dealing with since issue one, which is a good story but perhaps worth taking an interlude from here. Given Marvel's recent push for faster turnaround time on books, these sorts of issues seem to happen a little more frequently (particularly at this sort of issue number, where the main creative team gets a jumpstart on the book and getting about six issues in the can before issue one even goes to press) where a guest writer comes in (sometimes) along with a different artist (more frequently, as illustrating a book takes more time than writing it, typically). Still, the story is strong and fits in the same vein as the rest of the series, though it's hard not to miss Gerads' art on the book and I'm going to have to deduct a point here for how frequently a footnote tells us what an army code translates to. I'd rather have them say the actual words before going to acronyms, though I understand that's less realistic, or to simply say the code and allow readers who want to explore deeper to look it up themselves; the all-too present footnotes end up being distracting and breaking the flow. Also, I don't like that cover. Looks like Punisher's been stung by bees. Still, strong issue and certainly worth looking at if you've been enjoying this book.

Total Score: 4/5

Comics this week

Hey all my buddies, it's me, the typical Tuesday post. Ready for some new upcoming comics that I'd advise you look into?


Avengers 31
Oh no, the Avengers are hopping through time! In a book that ties to ORIGINAL SIN and no doubt connects to the recently announced TIME RUNS OUT storyline coming in September that will send the AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS books about eight months into the future in a move many comic fans call "confusing."

Daredevil 4
This book is so fun, right guys? A much lighter tone to this series and its predecessor than everything that had come before for Daredevil since, I suppose, his Marvel Knights series (or maybe even since Frank Miller). There's just so much fun and such a light and breezy tone to be had here. Anyway, Daredevil's falling into a fire pit because his new ally betrayed him to one of his arch nemeses. So much fun!

Elektra 3
I'm really enjoying this series so far and I'm excited to see where this creative team goes. Also excited to see how this story shapes up. I'm just pretty into this book right now, you guys.

Original Sin 4
I continue not to be sure of this event but it'll keep breaching my list if only because I'm sure there are developments coming. After last issue's shocking end, hopefully this week we find out a little more about why a hero seems to have gone rogue.

Thunderbolts 27
Charles Soule is gone from the book that he nurtured into something really terrific and exciting. Taking his place are the ever delightful Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, creators and writers of the Thrilling Adventure Hour podcast and subsequent graphic novel from Archaia. I really like this book as is and I love these two writers so I'm hoping that the combination of the two will create something wonderful.


B-B-B-BONUS PICK OF THE WEEK
Wicked and the Divine 1
GUYS, I know, this isn't a Marvel pick so I had to send it down to the bonus picks section but I'm really excited about this book. Readers of this blog should be well aware by now of how much I love Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, both as separate entities and as a duo. They're going right back to their wheelhouse with WIC/DIV and Image comics as they show us a world of gods and pop stars (the two aren't mutually exclusive). The art of the book, as ever with McK, looks gorgeous and I'm sure the book will be phenomenal. Check it out, you guys.

This week's picks

Tough week to pick the top three. There were a handful worthy of consideration and plenty that weren't (actually, I suppose, that makes it rather not tough to pick the top three). There are a couple books out there not on this list that I'd heartily recommend anyway (MS. MARVEL and IRON PATRIOT come to mind), but here are the ones I'd raise just a little above the rest.

Thunderbolts 26

I liked this one a lot anyway but it gets a special nod this week because it's Charles Soule's last issue on the book he helped really turn around and that he made enjoyable every single issue. It's been a fun team from the start but it felt like Soule took that team and decided to make the book match it, making the book more fun and setting it more in the true THUNDERBOLTS vein instead of trying to go too dark/mysterious intrigue. Check out this issue to see every member die (they get better) and to see a pretty good sendoff for, in the very least, Deadpool, before the book turns over. I have high hopes for Ben Acker and Ben Blacker as they take over on the series (my love for them is well-documented on this site, even if they've only written two Marvel comic books prior to this) but I can't help feeling like it was Soule who helped this book survive to 26 issues as is. Solid issue, great series.

Uncanny Avengers 20

The more I've thought about it, the more I've appreciated what I talked about in my review for this book: the idea that an ongoing is keeping to itself. UNCANNY AVENGERS has blasted past a couple of major line-wide events and shifts and not veered from its course (even though it was spawned from an event itself) and that feels really refreshing in this day and age. I don't want to bash the feeling of a connected universe because I think that can be really cool (though too often the events take advantage of that feeling and steer books off-course while they scoop up tie-in after tie-in) but sometimes it's nice to see a series just stick to its own story. And what a story this one is, huge and sweeping with plenty of characters and possible-version characters and threats as big as the destruction of Earth and the extermination of the human race. With all of that, Remender still makes sure there's time for character moments and quieter beats and it's led him to a really strong book overall.

Winter Soldier: The Bitter March 4

This issue (and this series as a whole so far) kept me invested from the very first page. It's a big action issue with the train crashing and a fight between Winter Soldier and the Drain and between the Drain and Ran Shen and the Winter Soldier and Ran Shen and, you know what, just everyone was fighting, and with the Drain making sure Mila can't fall into enemy hands even if it means losing the formula. Action issues have a tendency, for better or worse (kind of case-by-case there), to kind of lose focus on the characters in the fight. In this issue, though, Remender makes sure the audience is always aware of what everyone's fighting for and how the fight is affecting everyone. It's a really strong series for Ran Shen that gives us a look at the darkness within him and the start of his fallout with SHIELD and it also manages to be a strong series for brainwashed assassin Winter Soldier, who snaps out of it here for what will undoubtedly be a really depressing final installment. Remender's writing is complemented perfectly by Roland Boschi and Chris Chuckry on art and colors. This limited series is absolutely worth picking up.

Guardians of the Galaxy 15, Thunderbolts 26

Guardians of the Galaxy 15
Bendis (w) and Bradshaw and C. Stewart (p) and Bradshaw, Stewart, and Wong (i) and Ponsor (c) and Petit (l)

The Guardians have been separated and captured with Rocket landing with the Kree (to be experimented on), Gamora left with the Badoon brotherhood (to be questioned about Thanos), Drax left to the Shi'ar (to be punished), newly acquired Venom attacked on Knowhere by the Skrulls, Groot left with the Brood, and Star-Lord being held on Spartax. They all seem to be failing at escaping except, as the issue ends, potentially Star-Lord. Despite the cover, no sign of Captain Marvel.

Unless you're a completionist and you're looking to obtain this whole series, it's worth missing this one. There are tiny little glimpses of character in the way each Guardian reacts to his or her capture (Rocket shows fear for the slightest moment, Gamora refuses to stop fighting, Drax threatens calmly but sighs to his deceased wife, etc.) and obviously we see where everyone is but that's pretty much all that happens in twenty pages of book. There are as many double page spreads in this issue as I've ever seen and it ends up just meaning that we get less story in fewer meaningful pages. There's no doubt in my mind that this could have been done just as effectively in ten pages and we could have had another half issue to move to the next step, maybe featuring, oh, I don't know, star of the cover Captain Marvel. Seriously. Look at that cover. Is that the cover of a book that doesn't see nor hear about Captain Marvel in the slightest? It's a low score for this one, then, not because it's a particularly bad book but just because it slows things down at a time when things don't really need to be slowed down and it means you're paying full price for half a book's worth of content (not to belittle Nick Bradshaw and Cameron Stewart's work, which is fine but didn't blow me away to the point where I'll ignore a stagnant story).

Total Score: 2/5


Thunderbolts 26
Soule (w) and Diaz (a) and Silva (c) and Sabino (l)

Ghost Rider's been eaten by a swamp monster thanks to Leader's treachery and Elektra and Punisher have been crushed by a cliche. Deadpool saves Leader from Cordoba and his men, enraged by what they've been through, but it doesn't stop Leader from trying to kill Deadpool as they go into the temple. Deadpool sees through the ruse and stabs Leader but leaves him alive enough to still enact his plan and send Deadpool into a pool of lava. Leader moves forward to find the artifact their after, the head of a long dead Celestial left here by the ancient Deviants, a race the Celestials created then deemed imperfect and unfit to inherit the world. The Deviants killed the young Celestial and left the head here, hoping it could transform their people into something more capable but then lost it to time and struggle. Now Red Hulk's former men have found it and Mancuso, the one who reached out to Red Hulk, explains (after Red Hulk kills his one-time lover scientist lady who turns out to be a Deviant looking for this exact thing) what's happened since he found it. Leader arrives, drinks some Celestial blood, and has his head explode from the power. With his whole team dead, Mancuso tells Red Hulk that he has two options: for Mancuso to kill him and give him the death he seeks or to work for the light. After a moment's hesitation, Red Hulk chooses the light and we're transported back to the very start of this mission, where Red Hulk tells the team that they're actually going to do something else now.

It's Charles Soule's last issue on THUNDERBOLTS, which is rather a shame because he took this book that I found somewhat middling, even if it featured a team that really intrigued me, and he immediately made it something fun and fresh, completely worthy of my one-time excitement. Still, he leaves the book on an up-swing, with the team all alive and perhaps destined for bigger and better things. It's definitely entertaining to see how the final deaths play out (Deadpool has a particularly nice moment as he sees through Leader's attempt to kill him, though it still leads to Leader killing him) and it leaves the book in an interesting place where we know what these characters would have gone through and how they would have acted in this adventure but now this adventure never happened so they don't necessarily know how it would have played out. Ben Acker and Ben Blacker have a really interesting job to take on and I'm excited to see what they produce. But let's not forget to laud Charles Soule for his fantastic take on this book and for, as I see it, righting the ship as soon as he jumped on to it.

Total Score: 5/5

This week's picks

Lotta good books out there this week. Makes it tricky to pick the top three and it's helped none by the fact that so many books got full 5 star reviews from me, even some that didn't necessarily strike me as much as others (technical five stars count just as much as gut-feeling ones! That's all this is, really, gut feelings! And maybe I should stop bringing that up so much!). HOWEVER, as there were so many good books this week, I want to shine a light on a few different books, worthy of this list but would undoubtedly be unseated by the likes of BLACK WIDOW and MOON KNIGHT (both of which I do still wholeheartedly recommend). So let's talk about some different books this time.

New Warriors 4

NEW WARRIORS has an interesting story and some compelling characters, enough so that it would warrant a look even without the strong writing and art. Simply put, it feels like a book that's doing everything right so far. This one is certainly more of an all ages book than some of the other books/team books that are coming out right now (though parents be forewarned that there are some bleeped out swears here and there, mostly from Kaine, so if that's something you worry about your kids seeing, maybe read through the book yourself first, or maybe do that anyway?) but there's still plenty there for everyone. The characters are all worth learning about and the team has set itself up as something fairly diverse without going for blatant diversity. The book is the whole package, story, characters, writing, art, and everything else. Strong, strong book.

Punisher 5

There were a number of really fast-reading books out this week that struck a chord because of the pace at which they moved and the way that the art worked with the writing. PUNISHER was a prime example of this and reads extraordinarily well because of it. We're getting some good glimpses of character here and there (although Punisher is perhaps a character more set in his ways than most) and some really interesting story stuff. Mitch Gerads' art feels like a perfect fit for this story and for, really, any Punisher story that's ever happened. As opposed to going the common route of bigger and more cartoonish (that's not what all Punisher artists do but it's one of the directions some artists go in light of such big and brutal stories), Gerads' realism (even in the shape and design of someone like Castle) hits on a very poignant note and carries the series into a spot that lifts the series into another realm.




She-Hulk 4

I continually give Charles Soule a lot of credit for taking THUNDERBOLTS, a book that I thought had a fairly strong premise and a really interesting team but had already gotten bogged down into its own stories, and making it a book that was both exciting and really fun. Now he's jumped on to SHE-HULK and immediately made it his own, giving it the same tone of fun and excitement and real story-telling that's made THUNDERBOLTS such a success (look, I think it's a success, I don't know what the numbers say). Jennifer Walters is a delightful character who gets handed problems and finds ways to solve them. The writing is fun, the characters that support her work well with her, and the art is working wonderfully for the tone. Can't ask for anything more out of a series than that.