The Unwritten: Apocalypse #2 – Review

By: Mike Carey (script), Peter Gross (art), Chris Chuckry & Lee Loughridge (colors) and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: As stories and reality unravel, Lizzie and Richie try to save the world by finding an old friend.

The Review (with SPOILERS): I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the first two issues of this second volume of The Unwritten.  When I heard that the series was renumbering for a final, 12-issues finale, I worried that we might have to endure a 3-4 issue arc that would make the story “accessible to new readers” but would be pretty drab for people who have been with the story since the beginning (like me).

It turns out that I needn’t have worried and – if I was really thinking – I shouldn’t have been worried in the first place.  Throughout this series, Mike Carey and Peter Gross have woven a lovely tale, but they have made you work for it.  There’s no spoon-feeding of the plot and hidden meanings.  You have to do your own homework.  So, it really would have been out of character for them to put the training wheels back on just as we’re beginning the finale.

Last issue struck a nice balance between “new reader friendly” while still serving the ongoing story.  This issue just plows right back into the thick of the story without any screwing around.  I love that.  Not only is it good for me personally since I’ve read all the issues, but it is true to the nature of The Unwritten as a story.  It would almost be a betrayal of everything The Unwritten was about if you could just “jump on” in the final 12 issues and understand everything.  The Unwritten is about stories and the importance thereof: You can’t just read that last chapter.  If you read this issue as a new reader and are a little perplexed, that’s because you’re supposed to be.  Go read the rest of the story.  You’ll enjoy it.  I’ve rarely read a comic story that had as much real cohesion as The Unwritten: The more you think about it, the more it makes sense.

Abe Sapien #5 – Review

by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Max Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: Abe discovers along with other survivors the dead body of a person he had a conversation with in the last issue as he tries to elucidate just what is happening in the area he currently is in.

The Review: When a creative team reach a certain height, one that seems to show the true potential of a title, it is usually great. Readers that follow a title or a character and that see it develop into something that they become invested in is something that is truly pleasant when it comes to reading any long work of fiction, be it comics or anything else for that matter. However, there are always time when the readers wonder if those in charge of such a feat can keep it up and continue their quality streak.

The latest issue of Abe Sapien, from my own perspective, was truly beautiful to read and look at, with a certain angle being covered that seemed endless in the ways it could be explored. Still, it was the first half of a two-part story, with this issue bringing in the conclusion to that philosophical and much more humane approach to the apocalypse. Does the second part actually continue the satisfying way Mignola and Arcudi approached their themes?

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #2 – Review

By: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (Writers), Sebastian Fiumara (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist)

The Story: As we get to know some of the reasons of Abe departure from the B.P.R.D, we can also see how some people reacts to all these changes that were brought with the war on frogs and the incoming apocalypse.

The Review: In a recent interview about his whole universe of comic, the one that turns around Hellboy and B.P.R.D, Mike Mignola revealed just how things would work out from now on and which title would show what. While the former would be more about its titular hero and how the afterlife might just change a tad after all that is happening in the real world, the latter would be much more about what is actually happening in the world and how the bureau wants to prevent things from going worse. With two very different directions from these two titles, where does that leave Abe Sapien and his adventures?

The Walking Dead #103 – Review

By: Robert Kirkman (writer), Charlie Adlard (art), Cliff Rathburn (gray tones), Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: Nobody loves a collaborator.

Review (with SPOILERS): Well, this was a downer, huh?  Aside from the beginning of the issue where we see Jesus following the guy back to Negan’s base and when Rick lets Andrea in on the big secret, there’s not much to add.

It’s hard to know what to make of Jesus’ scouting mission.  I kinda assume that whatever Jesus sees at Negan’s base will be some sort of revelation–like he has the electricity on or something.  But, I could also see that plot-line taking a long time to develop.  Seriously, would it shock you if we saw Jesus get to Negan’s and all we readers see is his shocked expression, then we get 3-4 issues of him finding his way back to Rick and telling Rick, “Man, you’ve gotta see this!” and then a few more issues until we readers finally get let in on the secret?  I just have a feeling that this storyline will take awhile to develop, so I can’t take too much away from Jesus’ trek.  Also, did it seem that Dwight (?) was pretty carefree on his way back?  Just strolling down the avenue without any worries about zombies?  He certainly wasn’t crouching and hiding.  Usually when we perceive a detail like this in TWD, it is for a good reason, even if that reason isn’t clear yet.

Uncanny X-Force #32 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Phil Noto (art), Frank Martin Jr. & Rachelle Rosenberg (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story:  Deadpool to the rescue!  Quick, somebody rescue Deadpool!

The Review:  If there’s one thing this issue hammered home for me, it’s that I really, really love how Rick Remender writes Deadpool.  Honestly, if Deadpool were written like this more often, I might actually be tempted to pick up his ongoing.  Remender’s Deadpool actually feels like a three-dimensional, believable human being.  Yes, he’s unhinged, yes, he’s goofy, but he’s not the over-the-top cartoon caricature that he’s usually portrayed as.  Rather, he has inner struggles and insecurities and one always gets the feeling that there actually is a hero with a sense of morals underneath all the jokes.  That’s the thing about Remender’s Deadpool:  there’s a real person, and a good one at that, sitting beneath the surface, or fascade, of wackiness.  That’s not something a lot of writers do correctly, most seemingly focused on that surface as being the be all and end all of Deadpool.

Wolverine & The X-Men #4 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer) Nick Bradshaw (artist) Justin Posner (colors)

The Story: It always sucks to be the new kid.

What’s Good: While I was sad to see Chris Bachalo leave this series, rest assured that the art is in good hands with Nick Bradshaw. His round, friendly lines make the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning just as wonderful as Bachalo did, and his attention to detail is incredible. From the picture of Cyclops on a dart board, to Quire’s copy of the Art of War, to Glob’s papers sticking to him, every panel feels rich and resplendent. The change in art style also reflects a change in tone. The faculty are no longer fighting off external forces that threaten to destroy the school, but are still burdened by the day-to-day difficulties of managing and teaching twenty super-powered adolescents. As such, the atmosphere has lightened, and things no longer look ready to come apart at the seams. There are some truly beautiful shots of Angel against the sun, and everyone’s body language is as expressive as their dialogue.

One of my favorite parts of this new series has been just how well  Jason Aaron has been able to capture the dynamic between the students and the teachers, while keeping everyone in character. Wolverine and company are truly teachers, not team leaders or mentors as they’ve been in other books featuring young mutants, and this relationship informs nearly of their interactions.

The story in this issue centers around the introduction of Angel and the Kid-Apocalypse Evan, who calls himself Genesis. The two  face very different challenges; Evan will have to decide his fate, whether to be savior or destroyer. Worse, he will have go through puberty, bullies, high school drama as figure it out. This has me concerned for his treatment by writers: it will be only too tempting to repeatedly pen stories about him “going evil” only to “redeem himself” in endless and unsatisfying cycles. I’m really hoping that Jason Aaron has a very specific character arc in mind for him, and that he can convince editors and future writers to try to adhere to as tight a story as possible. For Angel, on the other hand, I think the struggle will not so much be about finding himself as it will be about convincing others that he is a very different person than the one they remember. This, I like. At the very end of the Dark Angel Saga, I was concerned that all that the only reprecusion was that he had developed amnesia, and that after maybe a few months, we’d get a story line about him regaining his memories. If the changes in him are as far-reaching as they are implied to be here, the writers have been braver than I would have dared to hope. There’s a lot of potential for some very interesting stories here, not only for this new character, but also for all of Warren’s friends as they adjust to his “condition.”

Uncanny X-Force #19.1 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Billy Tan (artist), José Villarrubia (colors)

The Story: The X-Men of the Age of Apocalypse make a last-ditch effort to relocate into a different X-Men crossover event.

The Review: The Point One initiative at Marvel has been an odd little duck. Supposedly, issues with the “.1” label were meant to be “perfect jumping on point[s] for Marvel’s flagship series, while dropping hints for each series’ next year of stories” (from Marvel’s Website). Few actually deliver that promise. Sometimes, they’ve been character studies (Iron Man #500.1), others simply self-contained stories with no connection to past or future issues (Thor #620.1), and still others magic “undo” buttons for inconvenient plot elements (Fear Itself #7.1). Uncanny X-Force has actually already had one, just fourteen issues ago; as Alex pointed out in his review of it at the time, it actually did a pretty good job of acting as a jumping on point, so it’s fair to wonder why another one would be needed now, less than a year later.

Well, as it turns out, it’s because this is one of the weirdest .1 issues yet; it’s a launching pad for a completely different book with a completely different creative team.  Marvel fans may remember a similar scheme from the Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 reveal of Flash Thompson as the new Venom, but this issue is unique in that it doesn’t even reference the main cast of this series. Instead, this issue from Rick Remender and Billy Tan, takes place entirely in the Age of Apocalypse, and sets up the ongoing series David Latham and Roberto de la Torre will be helming. I know that series will be building on some ideas Remender introduced in Uncanny X-Force, but still, this is an oddly labeled issue.

On to the issue itself. We start the series by meeting a new character called the Prophet, a human leader of the resistance against the ascended Weapon X, and an ally of the AoA X-Men. And this Prophet guy? Total badass. His opening monologue about growing up in this world, and his role in it as a prophet who puts his faith in humanity rather than God, is stirring and chilling. I was initially critical of his character design—a cross between Jason Todd and Azrael—but after watching him single-handedly take out a sentinel in a wonderfully rendered sequence from Billy Tan, I pretty much forgot my complaints.

Uncanny X-Force #18 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Jerome Opeña & Esad Ribic (artists), Dean White (colorist

The Story: The new Apocalypse gives way to a new Genesis.

What’s Good: The Dark Angel Saga has come to a close. It’s been quite a ride. In fact, it’s been such a ride that it’s been hard to follow occasionally. The locations have been unfamiliar and worlds apart, the list of active players has been ever-shifting, and the dastardly scheme has been huge in scope and complex in detail. And it’s been eight issues long. Normally, I would have fatigued on such a prolonged story, but for the break-neck-pace with which it’s been coming out—eight issues in six months, with only one issue featuring a guest artist. It’s a remarkable feat, and a testament to the abilities of Jerome Opeña, Esad Ribic, and Dean White, who have kept the artwork consistently excellent.

But that’s the arc so far. The question now is: does the last issue deliver? The answer: almost entirely. Coming into this issue, I was worried the final battle might feel anti-climatic. After all, in the last issue we saw Archangel take out Sabretooth, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and the freaking Pheonix Force all at once without appearing to break a sweat. What more can you throw at the guy? Wisely, Remender dodges the trap of simply pulling out a really powerful person who can get the job done. Instead, the final battle comes down to Archangel versus the two people who are most important to his dual personalities. It plays well off some of the bigger themes Remender has been exploring.

Speaking of the themes, would you ever expect Uncanny X-Force to have as one of its central themes the triumph and salience of love? Me neither. But I cannot deny the effectiveness of its implementation here. From its general role in the conflict between the good guys and the bad guys, to the specifics of Deathlok against War and his psychotic host, Remender drives his message home without ever dipping into schmaltz. Similarly effective is the theme the trustworthiness on the part of Fantomex. Have his distortions, whether against friend or foe, been kinder and have served a greater good than all the forthrightness of Psylocke or Wolverine? It’s hard to say.

Uncanny X-Force #11 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Mark Brooks (penciller & inker), Andrew Currie (inker), Dean White (colorist), and Cory Petit (letterer)

The Story: X-Force heads off to the Age of Apocalypse to acquire the celestial life seed.

The Review:  Somehow, Rick Remender has become the 90s guy and in a totally good way.  Once again, by revisiting the Age of Apocalypse this month, Remender finds himself making a distinctive callback that often deplored time and manages to make it cool again.  Well, almost.  A picture of Scott Summers with longhair still makes the character look ridiculous and full of 90s “attitude,” but I digress.

In venturing to the Age of the Apocalypse, Remender really succeeds in conveying the fact that X-Force are in a different world, a different reality.  Part of it is that unabashed acknowledgement of this being a relic of the 90s, as it makes the comic feel as though a group of 2011 characters ventured into an older comic world.  Beyond the metatextual stuff, however, Brooks and White also illustrate the setting brilliantly, making it look like a grimy, war-torn dystopia out of Ridley Scott’s nightmares.

Remender also shows that he recognizes the benefits of working in an alternate reality, as it allows you to ignore the rules that Marvel continuity usually forces upon you.  Hence, we have X-Force meeting up with a team of mutants largely composed of characters that are deceased in their home reality, characters that had strong ties to them.  While that works well as far as the interpersonal dynamics of the book go, it’s also just really cool for the reader to see these mutants out and about and kicking ass.  Hell, one of them is actually a villain that seems to have taken Wolverine’s hero role in the Age of Apocalypse, which is even more amusing.  And then there’s the last page, which is sort of an “oh no you didn’t” moment where Remender really shows the amount of fun he’s having with a reality where dead suddenly isn’t dead.

The character-work is solid as well.  Dark Beast is just as much of a dick as you’d expect and his dialogue is characterful and enjoyable.  Deadpool also continues to be fun under Remender, staying fun but never over-the-top.  It’s also amusing to see him occupy yet another uncharacteristic role: we’ve seen him as the team’s moral compass and now we’re seeing him as the pessimistic realist.  Deadpool.

Uncanny X-Force: The Apocalypse Sollution HC – Review

Written by Rick Rememder, Art by Jerome Opena with Leonard Manco, colors by Dean White and Chris Sotomayor, cover art by Esad Ribic.

The Story: Though Cyclops has ended X-Force, Wolverine and Archangel decide to continue operations, bringing in Deadpool, Psylocke, and Fantomex. Their first mission? Kill Apocalypse! As if this would be hard enough, the team has to deal with the fact that Apocalypse is now a small boy.

The Review: Some stories work better as trades. Some work better as monthlies. But rarely does a story work  well in both forms. That’s what The Apocalypse Solution has managed to do—be amazing as a monthly series, and yet be equally as awesome as a graphic novel. Based on this first arc, it’s a shame that Remender didn’t get an Eisner nomination. This is superhero storytelling at its finest. Every character gets to shine, the villains are interesting and dynamic, and while it’s not all about Wolverine, it also doesn’t undercut his character. This first arc was truly about the entire team, how they function, and what it means for each of them to be there. And about killing Apocalypse. That’s important too.

What benefits this story greatly is the length. Remender said in many interviews that this started as a six-issue arc—as the seems to be mandated by Marvel to produce trades—but he cut out all the fat and everything that wasn’t necessary to create four issues of pure substance. That’s what Marvel needs to have all their writers do (I’m looking at you, Fraction).  There is not a wasted panel here. Everything is crucial to the development of the characters and/or the plot.  Even when we’re introduced to the Final Hoursemen of Apocalypse, Remender develops them fully for us as we watch Apocalypse and Nostradamus  go through history choosing them, and then give us nuggets of their story after. It’s clear that they are not simply four horsemen, but have a dynamic as a team. Sanjar (Death), even uses Pestilence’s name when he accidentally attacks her, asking her to forgive him. Rarely are the horseman of Apocalypse shown to have any sympathy or remorse, but here we get it—hopefully we’ll see them again.

Remender also pulls a trick on us. He makes us believe that this is a test for Archangel. In the beginning of issue 2, the team (minus our winged hero) is training Psylocke to be able to Warren, her boyfriend, if he is ever fully taken over by Apocalypse again. All throughout the arc, we see Angel struggling with the Archangel. But we also get a lot of Deadpool, Psylocke, and, especially, Fantomex. I don’t want to ruin the ending for anyone, but this is just as much Fantomex’s story as it is Archangel’s—maybe more so. And we have Wolverine in the middle, the glue of this team. Oddly, this works. You wouldn’t expect Wolverine to be able to hold together the Avengers, but when it comes to this team, he knows what each member needs.

Avengers #5 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson & Tom Palmer (inks), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The Avengers discover the truth behind the breaking of the time-stream and come up with a gameplan.

What’s Good: The new main Avengers title continues to deliver its brand of old-school, pulpy stories, which is a good thing, as combined with Romita’s distinctive, scratchy style, it makes the title stand out among the mass of Avengers-related title, and that’s a major accomplishment in and of itself.

It also provides grounds to use a smattering of characters that can’t be found anywhere else, guys like Maestro, the Next Avengers, and most importantly, Kang.  Kang is presented really well this month, both arrogant and sniveling, seemingly in a constant state of petulance.  There’s a sense throughout this issue that Kang’s up to something that the others can’t quite put their fingers on, despite their suspicions.  I couldn’t help but get the feeling that despite his current downcast state, he’s still pulling the strings somehow, which did intrigue me about the story-arc’s future.  There’s also a certain kind of tragedy inherent to the fact that the broken time-stream has resulted in, or perhaps is caused by, Kang’s fighting the same unwinnable battle against Ultron again and again and again.  It’s a nice statement on the classic comic villain and, combined with Romita’s down-trodden rendition of Kang, makes the character all the more compelling, even sympathetic.

Beyond that, Romita’s art maintains its recent upswing in quality.  Large panels are very impressive, and the bigger the action, the better.  Giant, flamboyant images are clearly what Romita excels at and he attacks any and all action sequences with gusto.  The book isn’t lacking character, and while it may not be for everyone, I found it to be fun.

Avengers #3 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The Avengers battle Apocalypse and his horsemen as the broken timestream causes mayhem.

What’s Good: After complaining about the mediocrity of this title for the last two months, I admit that I was fully prepared to voice some variation of the same concerns this month.  I’m happily able to report that, much to my surprise, that’s far from the case.

I think a big part of this is due to the book’s no longer being so self-conscious about headlining the Heroic Age or moving past Dark Reign.  Status quo, rosters, and pondering the past are all shuffled to the side.  We’re also no longer mired in the ambiguities of Bendis’ ideas relating to time travel or the “broken” timestream.  In the place of all this muck is a barrel-full of fun, as this issue smashes you in the face with a fist-full of Marvel insanity.

And really, this insanity seems key to the book’s identity.  The brawl with Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen is awesome and a really cool throwback and reminder of the late 80s and early 90s.  Mix this together with Apocalypse’s cheesy, old-school villain dialogue and the whole conflict is an absolute blast.  It makes the Avengers completely unlike anything else offered by the Avengers-line of titles.  This issue is such a concentrated dose of camp and nostalgia that it ends up being truly unique.

Along with this newly-found identity are the beginnings of the team dynamic and synergy that were sorely lacking in the first two issues.  Spider-Man and Iron Man of all people have something of a bonding experience that feels almost inexplicably resonant, perhaps because this title has thus far been starved of this sort of meaningful interplay between team members.  Meanwhile, Spider-Woman and Spider-Man rekindle their spark and Noh-Varr and his ongoing attempts at humanity add another source of comedy.  Surprisingly integral as well is Maria Hill, who acts as the glue that holds the team together and provides narrative direction.  Her constant snark added a great deal of colour to the issue and catered well to the voice Bendis does so well.

X-Force #16 (Messiah War Chapter 7) – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writer), Clayton Crain (Art), and Duane Swierczynski & Ariel Olivetti (Epilogue)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: One… more… comic… Just one more… The Messiah War is almost over…

The Story: The Messiah War comes to a close as everything comes to a head. Apocalypse, followed by Death, seeks to end the age of Stryfe. X-Force tries to figure out how to deal with the time devices. Hope is in peril as Bishop tries to take one final shot…

What’s Good: As you’ve probably guessed, the best thing about X-Force #16 is that it finally brings an end to the Messiah War storyline. That said, if you’ve been enjoying the Messiah War storyline for what it is, you’ll probably find a lot to like about the arc’s conclusion. All the elements of the story come together for one final confrontation as Apocalypse says epic stuff (which is almost fun to read in a “wow this sounds silly” way), putting Stryfe in his place.

What’s Not So Good: I really can’t say what the biggest sin of the Messiah War is without heading into spoiler territory so… SPOILER WARNING!!…  Here’s the biggest sin of the X-Force/ Cable crossover – When it’s all said and done, everything goes back to how it was before the crossover started. Bishop winds up somewhere in the time-stream, Cable winds up somewhere else with Hope, X-Force is back in the present…Seriously…what was the fucking point?!

Alright, so with that complaint out of the way, I can now tell you the other awful thing about X-Force #16: Clayton Crain’s artwork. Dark, muddy, unclear, smeary (didn’t know that was a word until now), and hard to follow. Crain’s work makes a really poor story seem even worse. Look, I generally like Crain’s work. I think his style is a great fit for the X-Force series and when all of his art clicks, it looks incredible. However, the conclusion of the Messiah War is a great example of how horrible things can look when absolutely nothing clicks…

Conclusion: Save your money and skip X-Force #16. Also, do not even consider picking up the Messiah War trade if you have been waiting for that.

Grade: F+

-Kyle Posluszny

Cable #15 (Messiah War Chapter 6) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer) and Ariel Olivetti (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: At best, the Messiah War crossover has been disappointing. At worst, it’s been a complete waste of time and money. I wonder if the final chapters can make a difference?

The Story: Deadpool, X-23, Vanisher, and Domino find the source of the interference that’s disrupting the time-travel devices. Meanwhile, Cable, Bishop, and the rest of X-Force try to stop Stryfe from capturing Hope. Also, Angel helps Apocalypse do something that may cause everyone to pay a price…

What’s Good: The very best thing about Cable #15 is that it brings the Messiah War one step closer to a conclusion. I know that that’s not exactly high praise, but the sooner Cable and X-Force can get back to business, the better. The only other positive thing about the sixth chapter of the Messiah War is that Ariel Olivetti’s style actually works quite well for a handful of scenes.

What’s Not So Good: Man…where do I begin? I guess it’d be best to start by saying that Cable #15 might be the worst Messiah War chapter yet. It fails in some way at every level…

The storyline disappoints because the two big plot twists introduced in Cable #15 are strange and frustrating. One of them makes X-23 act completely out of character. The other twist seems like a desperate “WTF!?” moment tossed in just to…you know what? I actually have no idea what the creative team was going for with it.

Duane Swierczynski’s writing makes reading Cable #15 a chore. What’s odd though, is that the writing isn’t actually all that bad. The problem is that Swierczynski seems far more intent on hammering out plot points than actually entertaining the reader. Simply put, a little personality would have gone a long way.

Despite what I said in the “What’s Good” section, the visuals by Ariel Olivetti are truly awful for most of the book. They are inconsistent (Why does Cable look 20+ years younger at times?), awkward (Why is Wolverine’s head so tiny?), ugly (I swear that Olivetti uses the Vanisher reference for every female character), and surprisingly static (some sense of motion would be wonderful). Even fans of Olivetti’s style will have a tough time defending the artwork in the latest issue of Cable.

Conclusion: The penultimate chapter of the Messiah War does nothing to improve the crossover event. Buy it at your risk…

Grade: D-

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #15 (Messiah War Chapter 5) – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The “Messiah War” storyline has been extremely hit or miss. It’s had a few good moments but as a whole, it’s been rather unsatisfying. I’d love for it to find some sort of consistent, quality groove, but at this point, it doesn’t look like it’s going to.

The Story: Bishop, Stryfe, and Warpath fight over a confused Hope as Cable and the others make their way to Stryfe’s place. Meanwhile, Angel confronts Apocalypse….

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: If you’ve been following the “Messiah War” storyline, X-Force #15 is going to feel like a whole lot more of the same. Hope is in danger, Stryfe talks about how powerful he is, Bishop tries (unsuccessfully) to eliminate his target, Cable tries to rescue hope, Deadpool cracks jokes, Angel talks to Apocalypse….you get the point. The entire issue has a “been there, done that” vibe that makes me feel incredibly bored with the whole “Messiah War” thing.

Sure it has a few entertaining character moments, and sure Clayton Crain’s artwork is pretty cool to look at (when it isn’t completely dominated by darkness and grit), but X-Force #15 as a whole really isn’t worth the time it takes to read. You’ve seen pretty much all it has to offer if you’ve picked up an issue of Cable or X-Force in the last few months, so why bother spending the cash for it?

Conclusion: X-Force #15 proves just how flimsy the “Messiah War” story is. While it’s cool to see Stryfe and Apocalypse back in action, don’t let the nostalgia fool you into thinking the “War” is living up to the hype. The wheels are spinning, yes, but the story is going absolutely nowhere…

Grade: D

-Kyle Posluszny

Cable #14 (Messiah War Chapter 4) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer) and Ariel Olivetti (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve pretty much given up on any hope that Messiah War is going to end up being a truly worthy follow-up to the fantastic Messiah Complex event. While the crossover has been entertaining enough, it lacks the sense of urgency and intensity that made Messiah Complex one of my all time favorite “X” stories. Still, I know I’ll stick with the X-Force/Cable crossover regardless of my disappointment. And that’s because I’m genuinely interested in finding out what direction Hope takes following the War being fought because of her.

The Story: Warpath is stuck in a torture device designed by Stryfe. Hope is a captive of both Bishop and Stryfe. Cable, Deadpool, and most of X-Force try to work out a plan to get inside Stryfe’s citadel. On top of all that, Archangel answers the call and confronts Apocalypse…

What’s Good: I’ve been pretty hard on Duane Swierczynski in the past. Most recently, I thought he really dropped the ball when first handed the reigns of the Messiah War crossover (for chapter two). That said, I give credit where credit is due. And credit is definitely due in this case.

In Cable #14, Swierczynski does a really nice job of ramping up the tension of a storyline that definitely needed one more push to get to the next level. He effectively uses a mix of dialogue and internal monologue to bring out the best in a number of the characters. A few scenes in particular really stand out, like Warpath’s reaction to torture, Archangel’s reunion with Apocalypse, Cable’s battle with remorse, and Bishop’s reaction to the current situation. They feature character moments or bits of information that leave me thinking that the Cable/X-Force crossover might actually be able to overcome it’s rocky start.

What’s Not So Good: Unfortunately, there are two things holding Cable #14 from earning a higher grade. One of them is the artwork by Arial Olivetti. The other has to do with how Hope is handled.

The artwork looks either far too static or, in some cases, downright silly. I understand that it can be difficult to show pain or surprise, but a few of Olivetti’s character shots are just simply hilarious. Two choking scenes are the main offenders, but Warpath’s torture scene doesn’t exactly make a great visual impact either. Sure the device looks nasty, but the results are less than spectacular. I mean it looks as though Warpath is just having a particularly nasty visit to the dentist in one panel.

The problem with Hope (outside of looking really odd) is that she is written in a way that is really inconsistent. She is either sounds too much like an adult or too much like a dumb teenager. It’s like Swierczynski sort of dances around a desirable sweet spot for the character, but never really nails it.

Conclusion: Good, but still not great. That’s the best way to describe both the issue and the crossover that it is involved in. A lot of it works, but enough of it doesn’t to keep it from earning higher than a…

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #14 (Messiah War Chapter 3) – Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Messiah War crossover event really hasn’t even started yet. So far, it’s been a whole lot of expositional dialogue and very little action. I’d expect that to change in chapter three, especially considering how chapter two ended.

The Story: X-Force, Cable, Hope, and Deadpool fight off Stryfe’s warriors in a bloody battle. During the fight, Archangel hears a voice calling out to him. Meanwhile, Stryfe waits for the best moment to attack. As for Bishop, well he’s in charge of most of the exposition.

What’s Good: The latest part of Messiah War is definitely a step up from the last one, though that really isn’t saying much. While most of it is driven by crazy action sequences, the writing team does a nice job of balancing the book by effectively using character moments and slower scenes to move the plot along. It helps that Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost have a very good handle on the fairly large cast. The characters could easily be lost among the bloody violence, but that is, thankfully, not the case. Everyone gets a chance to make an impact under Kyle and Yost. Especially in the case of Vanisher, who manages to bring dark humor to the story more successfully than Deadpool, a character that pretty much lives and dies by how well a writer handles his particular style of black comedy.

What’s Not So Good: The artwork in the third chapter of Messiah War is very much a mixed bag. While I firmly believe that Clayton Crain is a great fit for a series like X-Force, he tends to be his own worst enemy. When everything in his work manages to click (which it does quite often), it looks extremely good. But when something is off, an entire panel can be ruined. And too many panels are ruined in X-Force #14. Sometimes the work is far too dark. Other times everything looks very muddy and undefined. The worst though, is when the character work bounces from one extreme to another, sometimes in the same panel. The art looks either too hyper-detailed, and over-exaggerated or so indistinct that characters look like little more than blobs of color.

As for the story, it still feels like it’s plodding along. While the action in X-Force #14 is welcome and the ending is intriguing (if a bit too predictable), the whole thing lacks the kinetic urgency that drove the Messiah Complex along. I find that a bit surprising, especially because the stakes are just as high, if not higher in some ways.

Conclusion: The Messiah War is definitely gaining momentum, but it’s still a ways behind the Messiah Complex in terms of both scope and excitement.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

White Down to Metal Tuft: A Look at the X-Men’s Angel

Angel - by Alex Ross

Warren Kenneth Worthington III, aka, Angel, has been a mainstay character of the X-Men series since its inception. The spoiled rich kid who was used to getting everything he wanted fleshed out the original five X-Men nicely, not only sharing witticisms and wisecracks with the Beast and Iceman but creating the first love triangle between Jean Grey and Cyclops.

Although there have been many changes to his character over the years, including moving onto other comic adventures in The Defenders and The Champions, it is the reunion of the original X-Men team in X-Factor that changed Warren the most; turning him from jovial playboy to a brooding harbinger of death.

So with the return of this dark personality in the pages of the new X-Force, lets go back to that first life changing episode and understand the depth of Warren’s struggle as The Archangel.

The Mile High Club

Angel in X-Men # 25

“How can I explain to any earthbound being… even a mutant the indescribable joy of flying? This is why I was born to soar… to feel the air racing by my wings!” (X-Men #26)

The original X-Factor series brought together the first students of Xavier’s School to continue the Professor’s dream of helping mutants to control their powers for the betterment of society. The setup was disingenuous, though, as the team posed as a mutant hunting organization while in reality locating new gifted youngsters and taking them under their wing. The entire project was funded by Worthington, with long-time friend Cameron Hodge serving as publicist and lover Candy Southern as financier.

Angel and Iceman - Uncanny X-Men # 289

When the Marauders began to massacre the misshapen mutants known as the Morlocks in the sewers beneath Manhattan, X-Factor sprung into action to save their fellow homo superiors. Tragically, Angel’s wings are savagely pinned to the sewer wall by the energized harpoons of the dully named Harpoon. Warren is eventually saved and returned to X-Factor by Thor who recognizes Angel from his days as an X-man. The ordeal leaves Warren in St. Vincent’s hospital on his deathbed.

Suddenly, Warren’s world begins to fall apart around him. His financing of X-Factor Investigations, the supposed mutant bounty hunters, is openly revealed which raises questions of why a mutant would fund such an organization and launches a government investigation into possible fraud of Worthington Industries shareholders and the public. The only person able to save his business and investments from going under leaves him. And most tragic of all, the only way to save his life is to amputate his gangrenous wings.

X-Factor # 12

“No! I’m the Angel– now and forever! I’d rather die than lose my wings!” Warren replies. Unlike other homo superiors whose powers reside internally and covert to most, the Angel’s mutation are external appendages that exist extraneously from his body. To sever his wings is to cut off his mutant identity. Integral to his ability to be an X-Man and moreover a superhero is the ability to use those wings. To be without them is a kind of poverty, a personal lack of value and ability to recover from it. He is useless and ashamed, and suddenly what he was born to do is no longer a possibility. Therefore, for Warren it is better to die than never feel the airs race beneath his wings.

Furthermore, amongst superheroes flight is a rather unremarkable attribute and more to the point unattributed to any particular appendage. Would Superman fly without his feet? Or the Sentry? Certainly Iron Man or any other technology based superhero could not fly without their devices, but such things can be repaired. Flesh and bone not so much.

Unfortunately, Warren’s supposed friend Cameron Hodge gets a court order to undergo the operation against his will. The surgery leaves Warren emotionally scarred beyond his own comprehension. Trying to recapture that “indescribable” joy of flying, Warren jumps on his personal jet and takes off into the sky… only to blow up in mid-air.

To the Brink of the Apocalypse

The Man in the Mirror- Uncanny X-Men # 289

“It’s all in your self-image. Just because your wings were surgically removed and Apocalypse regrew them into the blades of death is no reason to spend the rest of your life sulking.” (Uncanny X-Men #289)

Thanks to Apocalypse, Warren survived the explosion, orchestrated by Hodge to kill him and make it look like a suicide. The technologically advanced Social Darwinist rebuilds Worthington into his last horseman, Death, and gives him the precious gift of flight once more. But this doesn’t come free and Warren serves as Apocalypses high-flying hand of doom. From his new metal wings he can rain down barrages of blades at his enemies and fly at speeds never reached before.

But he is no longer the heroic figure he once was: inside him burns a seething rage and thirst for blood that is manipulated by the hand of Apocalypse. Together with the other horsemen, Warren will build a new world out of the strong who survive the Pestilence, the War, the Famine, and Death!

That is, until Warren seemingly kills Iceman, breaking free of the evil social architect’s control. Warren takes flight from his friends to regain his senses. Although he escaped Apocalypse’s brainwashing, he cannot escape his rage and seeks vengeance on Hodge who has now kidnapped Candy Southern.

Long ago, Warren walked into a East Village club in New York City to get his mind off of Jean Grey when from behind a pair of hands covered his eyes. “Guess who, Warren!” a voice coys. “Candy Sothern,” he replies, ” the light of my misspent youth!” (X-Men #31). The two catch up on old times and get up to dance when suddenly Warren is called into action by the Professor. He promised her a second date and the two remained friends, business partners, and lovers from that day forward.

Uncanny X-Men # 289

As Warren swoops into save Candy, Hodge murders her. Overcome with feelings of betrayal, hatred, loss, disgust, and most of all, helplessness, Angel uses his new metal wings to slice off Cameron Hodge’s head. The entire ordeal leaves Angel more distressed than ever and it is sometime before he returns to the X-Men at Beast’s provocation.

He has hard time dealing his powers (i.e. deadly wings that act out of his subconscious and a lust for death) his public notoriety because of the X-Factor mess, and the inhuman color of his blue skin. Yet Warren moves on and tries to be the X-Man he was under the new codename– Archangel.

Feathers Stick Together

Although Warren regained his “Angel” persona sometime ago, the return of “Archangel” marks a chilling reminder of what has already traversed:

“What follows can be described only as wanton destruction. And for the source of this horror there is the blank oblivion of unconsciousness. The X-Man known as Archangel sees nothing of the carnage he has wrought. Or more correctly the carnage wrought without his direction by his wings themselves” (Uncanny X-Men #285).

In X-Force Vol. 2, # 4 and 5, Wolfsbane, under the control of the religious mutant-hating Purifiers, rips off Warren’s wings to recover Apocalypse’s technology that will build an army of metal-winged crusaders. The trauma causes Apocalypse’s tech to activate and transform Angel once more into his bloodthirsty alter ego.

What will come of Warren Worthington III now? Will he remain the tragic harbinger of death? Or is there hope that he can regain his angelic persona once more?

Archangel Returns!

Check Out X-Force #6 August 26 to find out.

And check out the classic adventures of the winged wonder in Essential Classic X-Men Vol 1 & 2, Essential X-Factor Vol. 1 & 2, and issues of 285 to 300 of Uncanny X-Men.

– Steven Bari