Wonder Woman #23 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Cliff Chiang (art), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Now’s our chance to see which era had the most badass warriors.

The Review: Troubled as some people were by the slow pace Wonder Woman had been running at for some time, it’s been even more troubling to see the title suddenly speed up in the last few issues.  Last issue in particular was something of a disappointment for how much it truncated Diana and Co.’s time on New Genesis when we had all been so longing to see the Fourth World’s standing in the new DCU.  It was the very definition of a missed opportunity.

In the same fashion, we’ve all hankered to see the ultimate throwdown between Diana and the First Born, yet now doesn’t seem like the right time for it.  To make the First Born a truly worthy adversary in Wonder Woman’s gallery, there has to be time for the two to develop a relationship, even an antagonistic one.  Given that in context, she’s only known him for about a few hours (setting aside the time she spent comatose), having a final confrontation now seems premature.

Wonder Woman #20 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Cliff Chiang & Goran Sudzuka (art), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Diana versus Diana—round two.

The Review: I don’t believe I’m the first to compare the kind of intrigue that goes on in this title to that shared by any good mafia story, where family affections and attachments are ultimately subordinated to ruthless power plays, suspicion, and constant backstabbing.  This free-for-all is made even more interesting by the building of alliances, their eventual dissolutions, and the new ones that take their place.

In Wonder Woman, we’ve got a few set camps and their dear leaders: Apollo with Artemis and Dionysus representing the current Olympian regime; Hermes partnered with Demeter in a mission from some undisclosed higher power; Poseidon in cahoots with the First Born, who plans to retake Olympus for himself; and then Diana with her merry little crew.  Although all of these folks are related in some manner, only Diana’s group functions like a family—a “weird, wonderful family,” as Zola says.

Wonder Woman #19 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Goran Sudźuka (art), Tony Akins (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: A god can do with worse names than Zeke.

The Review: As we begin the title’s fourth arc, it seems only fair that longtime investors in this series get a chance to consider what we want from the story.  While I do appreciate that Azzarello has a very specific direction for his heroine, I feel it’s well past time for him to up the pace a bit.  He’s spent a lot of time establishing the principal characters, mythologies, and interacting forces for his plot; now’s the time to lose the reins and let them go wild on each other.

It seems Azzarello’s about to do just that by the end of this issue, though we have to sit through quite a bit of set-up first, not all of which seems entirely necessary or even useful.  The intro with Apollo, Artemis, and Dionysus basically reiterates most of the info we already know, and does little to round out their personalities or goals.  It doesn’t get simpler than gods wanting to retain their positions of power and wanting to shut down any threat to them, right?

Wonder Woman #18 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Goran Sudzuka & Cliff Chiang (art), Tony Akins (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Who’s fastest—old god, new god, or demi-goddess?

The Review: I’ve officially reviewed Azzarello’s Wonder Woman for over a year and a half now, and I still feel like I haven’t quite grasped the nature of his craft just yet.  He doesn’t quite fall into any easy category.  He’s not really a character writer in the vein of Pete Tomasi or Paul Cornell; an ideas-man like Grant Morrison or Jonathan Hickman; or a weaver of universes like Brian Michael Bendis or Geoff Johns.  Of all writers, he truly stands alone.

In fact, Azzarello has something of all three elements in his writing, with such equal weight that it’s easy to take his work for granted.  While there aren’t any striking personalities in this title, over time the voices of the characters have grown distinct and recognizable, even unattached to a face.  Azzarello’s ideas are no less profound for being based in myth rather than science.  And by bringing old and new gods together, he’s done some of the most intriguing world-building of all.

Wonder Woman #17 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Tony Akins (pencils), Amilcar Pinna (art), Dan Green (inks), Matthew Wilson & Nick Filard (colors)

The Story: Clearly, Diana’s mother never warned her about leaving clubs with sketchy old men.

The Review: Whatever the naysayers might say (most likely but not guaranteed to be “nay”), Azzarello has accomplished quite a lot for this title.  For one, he made Wonder Woman Top Fifty, which hasn’t happened in ages, to my understanding.  For another, he introduced this incredibly rich new mythology to the character, allowing Wonder Woman to cross over between the grounded, the divine, and the cosmic all at once.

But if I had to pick out the most important thing Azzarello has given to DC’s first lady, it’s her irresistibly intriguing extended family, quite possibly the most compelling supporting cast she’s ever had.  For a while, you fell into the habit of placing the Pantheon gods into one of two camps: those on Wonder Woman’s side and those who aren’t.  That all changed once Hermes went rogue; now, you can’t trust anyone who calls Olympus home.

Wonder Woman #16 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Cliff Chiang (art), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: And here Zola and Hera live the city high life while Diana ambles the sewers.

The Review: When the DC relaunch first started, Wonder Woman took nearly everyone by surprise with the particular direction Azzarello chose to run with.  You can associate a lot of different qualities with comics’ leading lady, but “horror” wasn’t really one of them.  In his first arc, Azzarello made you realize that Greek myth was full of monsters and horror, not all of it centered on actual monsters.

As Wonder Woman’s feats grew bolder and more adventurous, the visceral feeling of fear, established when we first saw a bloodied arm stretching from the fleshy torso of a decapitated horse, has slowly ebbed away.  This issue doesn’t quite restore that element of terror, but it does start building suspense once more; it distinctly feels that events are closing in on the plot, that traps are being laid around our heroes even as they still move freely.

Wonder Woman #14 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Tony Akins (pencils), Dan Green & Rick Burchett (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Even the Olympians have the one family member they don’t like to talk about.

The Review: I’ve come down pretty hard on Geoff Johns for his weak-sauce approach to Wonder Woman in Justice League, and a lot of my ire comes from comparing his take to Azzarello’s undeniably impressive version of her in her own ongoing.  It makes me wonder if Johns even reads Wonder Woman.  How can you reduce the demi-goddess of that book into the often uncertain and simple-minded princess who doesn’t even know how friendship works?

Even though I still think she remains a kind of unrelatable character, Diana strikes such a compelling balance between warrior and nurturer, in a way few superheroes from either of the Big Two do.  It’s true that given the connection between her and Siracca, it wouldn’t be that extraordinary for them to reach an understanding.  Nevertheless, how often do you see your heroes showing compassion and offering peace to their enemies?  How often do you see such unashamed, non-cynical love from a character?

Wonder Woman #13 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Tony Akins (pencils, Dan Green (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Nothing starts off your divine reign like a pool party.

The Review: From day one, Azzarello has taken advantage of one defining feature of the Greek gods, the one that continues to capture our fascination to this day: the power struggles and family divisions within their divine community.  After reading any number of myths, you’ll notice how every time a conflict breaks out among them, sides are immediately taken.  Natural alliances arise (e.g. Apollo and Artemis), but more often than not, surprising changes of allegiances occur.

This never-ending cycle of devotion and backstabbing remains as intriguing as ever.  Apollo took his father’s throne for one reason only, and that was to protect himself.  Inviting his half-brothers and sisters to the renovated Olympus isn’t a signal of trust, but one of mutual benefit.  Aside from his sister, none of the others express much in the way of loyalty (Hephaestus claims he came only for the sake of family), and others reject Apollo’s overtures outright.  As with all fiction, the absences mean more than what’s present.

Wonder Woman #0 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Cliff Chiang (art), Matt Wilson (colors)

The Story: Just what every girl wants for her birthday—a romp with a murderous animal.

The Review: At his core, Azzarello is a mystery writer.  Being a very good one, he has become very practiced in the art of misdirection.  No one and nothing is ever as it seems in his tales.  Even outside a pure detective or crime genre, he’ll lead you down a primrose path, making you think he’s telling one kind of story, only for you to suddenly find somewhere along the way, he veered you off into a different place altogether.  Almost always, the detour is worth it.

So it goes here.  The first page sets you up to believe this will be a joke issue, what with the outrageous claim that “this magnificent missive originally appeared in ‘All-Girl Adventure Tales for Men #41”—a very pointed, if bald-faced lie.  At one point, you might even speculate the creators are merely killing time on a #0 issue forced upon them.  It’s pretty easy to consider “Brian ‘Kiss My’ Azzarello” and “Cliff ‘Chump’ Chiang” in the credits as a thinly veiled middle finger to editorial.

Wonder Woman #9 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Tony Akins (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Not even the god of death can keep crashers from his wedding.

The Review: As I read this month’s issue of Wonder Woman, I suddenly thought about All-Star Superman and what made it such a great, timeless story for the Man of Steel.  Writers tend to pay attention to superheroes for their power sets and fantastical backgrounds, but in All-Star, Grant Morrison managed to craft tales which got to the very essence of what made Superman beloved in the first place: a character who makes you believe anything is possible.

The reason why any of this is relevant to Wonder Woman is because Azzarello is attempting the same feat with comics’ leading lady.  We haven’t seen a lot of physical challenges for our heroine, which at first seems a waste of her strengths, but now I begin to think Azzarello wants us to put her bodily gifts aside.  The obstacles he’s set in her path may not require outstanding bouts of warrior prowess, but they’ve been no less demanding on her.

Wonder Woman #4 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matthew Wilson (colorist)

The Story: Someone pop on some AC/DC and turn it up—Wonder Woman’s mourning.

The Review: As a young buff of Greek mythology, I always found the gods and goddesses baffling in their arbitrariness.  Even the most reasoned and benevolent ones would have their petty streaks from time to time, and few of them had any moral compunction about using their power with impunity and without regard for the consequences to mortals.  For that reason, I’ve never felt inclined to feel sympathetic to any of them.  They are gods, after all.

For the most part, Azzarello stays true to the conniving, scheming world of the Greek pantheon.  Ever since Apollo’s oracles revealed Zeus “doesn’t exist,” a truly astonishing pronouncement if you ever heard one, you’d think there’d be some kind of uproar among the divinities, or at least some kind of inquiry as to how this could possibly happen.  But we’re talking about the ultimate mafia family here, so when the head of the household disappears, power plays abound.

To that end, Apollo goes to Ares to secure an alliance of sorts, or at least support for when he makes his bid for leadership.  To your surprise, Ares agrees to stay out of the bidding with little resistance.  In fact, he seems quite lethargic, even melancholy in this portrayal.  While Apollo states that Ares is “vital—now, more than ever,” Ares responds with only a weary smile, as if millennia of spinning the world’s conflict has finally gotten to him.

Hera doesn’t even seem aware, much less affected, by her husband’s disappearance; she only wants to get her revenge on the dalliances he left behind.  Now, her oft-extreme retaliations against those she feels has wronged her may sway you into thinking her mean-spirited or horribly spiteful, but here, she reminds us she has every reason to be: “I am the queen of the gods…the goddess of women…ultimately yet, a woman.”  And any woman would be enraged by such constant infidelity from her husband.

Secret Warriors #22 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), IFS (colors), and David Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Nick Fury and the Secret Warriors try to make good their escape from a soon-to-explode Gehenna.

What’s Good: I’ve made it no secret that the Night arc has been dismal thus far and a low-point for the series as a whole.  It made me question whether Hickman had let the series get too unwieldy for him to control and I couldn’t help but worry that we were heading to an unsatisfying, possibly haphazard ending.  Thankfully, Hickman does his very best to right the ship this month and ends up churning out a very good issue of Secret Warriors, one that’s probably better than it had any right to be.

Hickman makes the wise decision of letting his character’s emotions take center-stage over the fighting and running.  What results is a comic that steers far clear of the mediocrity that it could have fallen into.  Instead, we have a book that’s sincere and, for the team, traumatic.  Daisy and Nick’s reactions to Alexander’s death last month are simply expressed, but effective and the bonds between these kids are emphasized even under these hectic circumstances.

What really steals the show this month, however, is an event that is absolutely shocking, perhaps one of the biggest jaw-droppers in a series that’s been full of them.  I won’t even hint at what it is, but suffice it to say that Hickman writes a very tense scene and conversation that leads us one way, before dropping us in the complete opposite direction.  Nick Fury has never been more of an ice-cold badass and Jonathan Hickman has balls of steel.  This was the most shocking moment of any comic I’ve read this month, and I’ll leave it at that.

But it’s not just this one scene that carries the comic; much like his new issue of Fantastic Four, Hickman actually gets a lot done this month, story-wise and at a perhaps uncharacteristic speed.  JT’s betrayal of the team reaches its head and, perhaps, its resolution and the fate of Gehenna is decided.  Meanwhile, very interesting new plots are opened up: Daisy is placed in a very tough emotional situation and a power struggle for HYDRA’s top spot looks to begin, as Baron Strucker takes a stiff left hook.

Dark Avengers #16 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The aftermath of Siege is explored and the fates of the Dark Avengers cast are glimpsed.

What’s No So Good: Yes, I am reversing our usual review format, but why I’m doing so will soon be abundantly clear.

The first half of this issue just isn’t particularly inspired.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not at all bad or underwhelming, it’s just a bit by the numbers.  A couple of pages of Siege replay, Moonstone and Hawkeye make a futile escape attempt, and Daken goes Jason Bourne.  It’s decent action, but it’s the sort of ho-hum aftermath stuff that writes itself.  The mediocrity is such that I can’t even find a great number of words to write about it.

Mike Deodato also takes on a completely different approach this month, going for a brighter, more “digitally painted” feel.  For the most part, this works out really well and delivers a polished, epic feel, but there are points where you’ll be lamenting the lack of defined lines that comes with this style.  Also, I’m not a fan of Deodato’s take on Phobos, who looks like a cherubic five year old under his hand.

What’s Good: The second half of the issue is a completely different beast that is so strong it completely wipes away any and all memories of the mediocre first half.

The major shift starts with a scene between Thor and Phobos, as Thor informs the boy of his father’s death.  It’s tragic, and yet there’s also a “passing of the torch” sort of feel.  The conversational dynamic is superb, as Phobos’ dialogue is so uncompromising that while Thor sounds elevating and lofty in his praise of Ares, Phobos essentially deadpans him.  The God of Fear manages to look and sound like both a wounded, realist adult and a frustrated, torn child, with the latter being deeper below the surface.

Dark Avengers #14 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Victoria Hand deals with dissension in the ranks and the Void makes his presence known.

What’s Good: This issue is a solid issue largely because it’s based entirely on perhaps the two best things to come out of Dark Avengers: Victoria Hand and the Osborn/Sentry relationship.

While Hand has spent much of the series in the background, verging on blandness at times, Bendis has made huge strides with the character in the past few issues.  She has become more brazen and empowered and we’ve really gotten know her on a more individual and personal level.  That trend continues here, as her relationship with Osborn becomes a major focus, with her almost achieving a kind of parental role over the disgruntled and desperate HAMMER director.

It’s great to see someone stand up to Norman, sure, but the care and concern Hand expresses actually made me feel bad for Osborn.  I had to remind myself that he’s still the bad guy.  That’s the mark of a great character in Hand and Bendis is really ensuring that she sticks around in the Marvel Universe post-Dark Reign.

The Sentry/Osborn stuff is great once again if only because one really, really gets the sense that Osborn has bitten off more than he can chew and the blade truly is over his head.  Negotiating the Void is not the cakewalk that manipulating Bob was.  Still, Osborn’s frustration-fueled bravery was enjoyable and, when seeing him directly confront a rampaging and all-powerful Void, I had to again remind myself that Osborn was not a good guy.

Mike Deodato throughout all this provides some absolutely fantastic artwork.  His depictions of the apocalyptic environment wrought by the Void truly are hellish.  Deodato simply does some great work in his massive drawings of urban landscapes and it’s really stunning stuff, as are his illustrations of a souped up Sentry.

Seige #2 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Olivier Coipel (penciller), Mark Morales (inker), Laura Martin (colorist)

The Story: Osborn has managed to start his war with Asgard pretty well. He’s got Thor down, the Asgardians are on the ropes and things look good, until Ares clues in that Osborn wasn’t entirely truthful. Divine blood is thicker than water and Osborn’s got to pay. But then, Ares has a problem: Sentry.

What’s Good: Coipel is always a treat to watch. My comic reading experience here slowed waaaay down, just to admire the beautiful pencils, inks and colors. Steve Rogers has a very definite look under Coipel’s inks. Ares, with or without helmet, is an awe-inspiring figure. The Sentry’s motion is so fast as to disappear in some panels in a style that reminds me a lot of Gene Colan’s art. The other artist that Coipel really reminds me of is Paul Smith, especially Wolverine. While Daken stalks Thor in Broxton, he looks so much like his dad did under Paul Smith in the Uncanny X-Men or in the X-Men-Alpha Flight miniseries. And for the fans of more gruesome content, you may wish to check out this issue if you want to see what Wolverine and Ares look like from the inside. I won’t explain – it’s worth the look…

The events Bendis has set in motion are a big deal. That’s good for a story and I’ll give you some examples of stuff that matters. Sentry is now a bad ass. Not only can I tolerate his presence, I actually like this brutal punisher that Osborn has on a leash. Captain America and Bucky are sorting themselves out, for the long run. They are each deciding who they will be. Osborn seems to be coming closer and closer to a comeuppance. Ares fights Sentry and it ain’t pretty. Steve rallies the divided troops. For a lot of reasons, this series is showing that it matters; events in this book will affect the rest of the MU.

Siege #1 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Olivier Coipel (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Laura Martin (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Norman Osborn finds his reason to begin his assault on Asgard.

What’s Good: This is some really impressive, massive work by Coipel and Martin.  The art here is gorgeous and some of the best stuff I’ve seen from Coipel.  The assault on Asgard, with its horde of fighter jets, is truly impressive and the mandatory explosions look great.  The book is maintains the “high budget” feel a book like this requires.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the most enjoyably written character in this first issue is actually Ares.  His disagreement with Osborn and the generally badass way Coipel illustrates is a blast (he rides into battle on a fighter jet, bent on one knee).  It’s clear Bendis wants this to be a war comic, and he’s placed Ares in the General position.  The result is a nice fusion of modern combat and ye olde fantasy heroism (the obligatory motivational speech in front of a horde of cheering warriors).  Seeing Ares lead modern HAMMER troops and superheroes as though they were Camelot’s finest is a lot of fun.

Beyond that, Bendis seems to want to make this issue, and this event, as straightforward as possible.  At the very least, you’re guaranteed not to get the sort of convoluted mess that other recent events have devolved into.

Wonder Woman #39 – Review

By: Gail Simone (writer), Aaron Lopresti (art), Matt Ryan (inks), Brad Anderson (colorist)

The Story: Warkiller Finale: Queen Alkyone has fragmented the Amazons and isolated the true queen, her consort, and Diana. Now she has summoned a monster from beneath Paradise Island itself to kill Diana and Ares’ finale plot is hatching.

What’s Good: The Warkiller arc built up to this issue. Now, in a carefully controlled way, Simone brought together all the pieces into one big climax. This issue does what must be done in any good Act III – it answers all the questions and releases the reader’s emotions. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but Simone had me on some tense highs and some feelings of immense satisfaction as the conclusion unfolded. I cheered not only for Diana’s heroism and her Superman-level power (used to kick ass), but for the insight and wisdom Simone seems to give her in every issue. I elated with the quick reversals. One moment Diana and Achilles were in the zone, the next Alkyone and the dragon had them on the ropes. And back again. Like the best action movies, Simone also kept me guessing even on stuff I could see in front of me. The cavalry becomes the enemy. A monster becomes a magical ally. An ally becomes your killer. Simone tricked me (in the way the best writers misdirect) again and again and I loved it. Finally, you also get a lot of fun divine moments, like Athena and Zeus talking like the weathered ancients they are, or when Ares makes his move, or when Zeus switches on a very powerful piece of magic. And I loved it when Achilles told Alkyone never stab someone whose heart comes from a god. Good advice! Alkyone should write that down.

Dark Avengers #12 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato & Greg Horn (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Victoria Hand tries to negotiate with Molecule Man.

What’s Good: Much of what made last month’s issue good is furthered this month.  Molecule Man in particular continues to be written well by Bendis.  He’s a bizarre concoction of social ineptitude that ends up sounding oddly child-like.  At times, he sounds innocent in his inability to converse, and at other times, he’s violently petulant.

Once again though, the real star is Victoria Hand. Bendis has made the most of what may appear to be a “filler arc” by using it to make a fully developed character out of her.  Bendis thrusts her into the middle of the action this month and we see her slowly settling into a leadership role and using her natural intelligence to get by.  Nonetheless, Bendis makes it clear that this is new territory for the character; she stutters during her negotiations with Reese, despite her tactics being sound.  The real moment this month for Hand, though, comes with her finally standing up to Osborn and asserting herself.  She makes demands of Osborn and becomes the first character to actually force Osborn to face up to his limitations and his history.  The fact that Bendis has given the up till now characterless Hand the personality to make this  believable in just a couple of issues is testament to his success with the character this month.

New Avengers #59 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Dave McCaig (colors), and Albert Deschesne (letters)

The Story: The Avengers, with some friends, attempt a daring ploy to rescue Luke Cage.

What’s Good: While it’s nothing groundbreaking, this issue is absolutely solid and as such, it’s the best single issue of New Avengers to come along in some time.  It entertains without committing any real crimes.

First off, on the art front, while it’s taken a few months (as you’ll see from my past reviews of NA), I’ve finally gotten used to Immonen’s presence on the series enough to actually thoroughly enjoy his artwork.  His pencils brim with vitality and are distinct and light-hearted enough to make New Avengers stand apart from the Dark Reign pack.  That alone is an achievement.  Immonen’s style is just pure fun, really and his takes on the characters always carry the interest and freshness of seeing your favourite indie artist do a sketch or variant cover for a beloved mainstream comic.

The real achievement this month though is Bendis’ management of such a large number of guest stars.  The presence of Strange, Voodoo, Daredevil, and Iron Fist maintains its cool factor, but they never really take over the comic or feel like they’re taking away screen time from the Avengers.  The Avengers are still the front and centre stars of the show and the guest stars are merely the backdrops, and that’s just the way it should be.  The guest stars don’t take over the comic so much as they enhance it.

Other than that, there are several little things Bendis does well.  The collision, and conflict, between technology and the mystic arts was an interesting little aside, one that clashed without jarring the reader, at times even giving off a paranormal feel.  Also, having the heroes use a ploy that the bad guys used to use on them in order to get the drop on Osborn was a nice touch.  Basically, to beat a villain, the Avengers have to adopt the sort of cunning usually reserved for villains.  It’s a nice bit of role reversal that doesn’t compromise their heroic status.

What’s Not So Good: While Bendis tried his best to convince me, I’m still not sure I wholly buy Osborn’s being dumb enough to fully and completely buy into the attack at Camp HAMMER.  Perhaps other readers will feel differently, but it felt just a little too easy to me.

Also, I understand she’s a grieving wife and I should feel sympathy, but I found Jessica Jones to be really, really agitating this month.  Her spontaneous outbursts, sobbing, and half the panels having her in tears just got under my skin somehow.  Perhaps I’m just a soulless bastard, but I just found her really annoying.  Perhaps it’s the complete helplessness, relative uselessness, and her kneejerk quips that got to me.  Perhaps it’s how quickly the confidence and resolve she opens the issue with inexplicably dissolves to mush.  Certainly, Immonen’s illustrations of her don’t help her case any.

Conclusion: One annoying character in such a large cast is thankfully not enough to ruin a good comic.  It’s a fun superhero yarn that is everything your standard, monthly Avengers comic should be.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #9 – Review

By Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Alessandro Vitti (Artist), and Sunny Gho of IFS (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: While it’s slightly sidetracked the main Secret Warriors plot, I’ve been enjoying “God of Fear, God of War” quite a bit. The dynamic between Ares and Phobos has been so well written that both characters have climbed up a few spots on my list of favorite Marvel characters.

The Story: H.A.M.M.E.R. and the Dark Avengers launch a strike on one of Fury’s bases. The kids fight back with all they’ve got as the base’s self-destruction sequence counts down. Meanwhile, Nick Fury and John Garrett continue the investigation that leads to the events that take place in Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors.

What’s Good: For as much as I like Nick Fury and the way Jonathan Hickman writes the character, I’ve been waiting for kids to finally take front and center in Secret Warriors. In Secret Warriors #9, the kids finally get another chance to shine and that’s really the issue’s greatest strength. Fury wouldn’t have picked the team members if they weren’t capable to taking the fight to the bad guys, but until now, few issues of Secret Warriors have shown exactly why Fury chose the kids that he did. Seeing the Warriors stand tall against the Dark Avengers is a real treat that goes a long way towards establishing and legitimizing Hickman’s team in the Marvel Universe. From Yo-Yo’s epic return to Edin Fesi’s explanation of the logic behind his powers, it’s clear that, as far as bringing the pain is concerned, the Warriors have serious legs as a team for the future.

I continue to find myself impressed by Jonathan Hickman’s character work. He never allows the reader to forget that the Warriors are, for the most part, just kids helping to fight the good fight. From the way the team members interact with each other to the individual personalities that are starting to form, Hickman does a fine job of keeping the series grounded and defined by the characters.

Artist Alessandro Vitti handles all the action in Secret Warriors #9 really well. It’s chaotic and crazy, yet executed in a way that’s easy to follow and a blast to look at. On nearly every page of action something really cool happens. My favorite thing, Yo-Yo going all “Ed Norton in Fight Club” on Hawkeye/Bullseye.

What’s Not So Good: Since I already knew how Nick Fury’s part of the story ended thanks to Marvel’s odd releasing schedule for The List, his entire segment felt painfully tacked on. I suppose it was a necessary part of the story, but knowing how it ended left the scene completely devoid of surprise or tension. More Hickman-written Nick Fury is always a good thing, but I wish I had yet to read The List – Secret Warriors.

Conclusion: Secret Warriors #9 is loaded with action and makes the team really look like a force to be reckoned with. Be sure to pick it up.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

 

New Avengers #58 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Dave McCaig (colors), and Albert Deschesne (letters)

The Story: It’s New Avengers vs. Dark Avengers as Luke Cage goes under the knife.

What’s Good: Well, there’s a bunch of action in the comic, and that’s never a bad thing.  However, what’s best about that action is that for once, it’s not the New Avengers desperately trying to survive.   It’s great to see the team actually get the upper hand and kick some ass for once.  As a New Avengers reader, it’s almost a cathartic experience seeing them fight the Dark Avengers on equal terms.

Best of all though is that the comic has more or less moved past groaning and stumbling Avengers and the awfully ambiguous “power drainer” plot device.  As a result, the comic feels like it’s back in working order.  Everything feels fairly sensible and logical again, and the comic has gone back to clicking along at a brisk pace.

While the comic is mostly about the action, we do get some solid character moments.  The chase sequence between Ms. Marvel and Iron Patriot is a lot of fun and very beautifully illustrated by Immonen.  Danvers comes across great, but through her, Bendis also legitimizes the New Avengers in Dark Reign: they’re an actual team, whereas the Dark Avengers lack that cooperative, organized dynamic.  Indeed, the good guys still have something over the bad guys.  Meanwhile, Night Nurse and Jessica also receive solid treatment, with Jessica’s scenes in particular carrying the necessary emotional weight, while also addressing a logical difficulty regarding her current status.

On art, Immonen’s art certainly is a lot of fun in a “comfort food” sort of way.  It’s accessible and very “Saturday-morning,” but his heavier inks also get across the Dark Reign vibe.

What’s Not So Good: Despite my enjoyment of Immonen’s art, I still am not sold on his being the artist on New Avengers.  His work just doesn’t have that blockbuster, modern Marvel feel, and thus in some ways, it almost reduces the book’s importance.  The fact that the Night Nurse looks a bit more like a “Lady of the Night” doesn’t help either.

Probably the biggest problem with this comic is how little characterization there is of the actual team.  Other than those admittedly cool moments with Ms. Marvel and Jessica, it almost feels like the New Avengers are still too large a team, even with Cage unconscious and Wolverine gone.  Outside of being present in group shots, every character is reduced to getting one punch in during the battle and perhaps one line of action-banter.  Spider-Woman doesn’t even get the latter.  In other words, other than Ms. Marvel, has a significant presence or any room to shine.

If it were an issue of page count, it’d be forgivable, but keep in mind that the Night Nurse gets two pages of characterization and dialogue.  Why such a tertiary character that we may never see again should get such preferential treatment to the actual team members who share the comic’s name-sake, I have no idea.  Pile in a bunch of Hood and Osborn, and most of the characters we should be hearing from lose their voices.

Conclusion: A fun action comic that turns the tables on what we normally get from New Avengers.

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans

 

Wonder Woman #37 – Review

by Gail Simone (writer), Bernard Chang (artist), Sean Ryan (associate editor), Elizabeth Gehrlein (editor)

The Story: Warkiller, Part 2: Diana’s early morning privacy is disturbed by Ares (whom we last saw with Diana’s axe in his head), who has come to promise her that even though he is dead, he isn’t done with her. He’s going to strike at her through her people, the Amazons. After he leaves, Diana does some heavy thinking, about the visit, and about who and what she has become and how her enemies have used her loved ones to strike at her. She chooses to head home, but every part of the greeting she gets is entirely unexpected.

What’s Good: Simone continues to hit the right notes with Diana, her strengths and her vulnerabilities. Simone makes her a kick-ass character with a lot of dimensions to her. She’s not just muscle. She’s got brains and heart too, which is what makes her different (and superior) to every other heroine in comics. (In my opinion, the only one who comes close to Diana in this respect is Claremont’s Ororo.) It also means that Diana’s solutions to problems end up being different than the ones of other heroes. Simone’s deft development of multi-dimensional characters does not end at Diana. I saw something new in Ares in this issue. Layering his resolve and his violence is a pain and regret that wasn’t there before. It is a measure of Simone’s skill that this does not diminish him, but makes him more intriguing. He’s no Magneto yet, but Simone has taken the first steps in that direction. Same goes for Alkyone and Achilles. I loved seeing the Amazon foreplay going on between them. Don’t worry. It’s nothing over the top, but the flavor is definitely more Klingon than romantic comedy.

What’s Not So Good: I know Bernard Chang’s been doing a bit of Wonder Woman art here and there, but his cartoony style feels like a step down from Lopresti, who really made Simone’s vision come alive for me. I checked out the DC website and Lopresti is listed as the artist for issue 38, so all I’ll say is that I hope he had a good vacation. I don’t think Chang is a poor artist. I just don’t think the style is right for Wonder Woman.

Conclusion: The mismatched artist really put this book off its game, despite a really great story by Simone. Still, this is the second part of a 4-issue arc, so you might not want to miss it.

Grade: C

-DS Arsenault

Dark Avengers #10 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The Avengers go to a small town in Colorado to investigate a string of mysterious disappearances.

What’s Good: Apparently Dark Avengers is a horror comic this month.  It’s surprising, but nonetheless very effective.  Using an abandoned small town with a very bizarre fixation on dinosaurs of all things, Bendis crafts an issue loaded with a heavy atmosphere that is all creepiness.  There are some genuinely unsettling moments, all the moreso due to how we’re kept totally in the dark.

I also found this month’s book to be really strong as far as characterization and team dynamic are concerned.  It was one of those issues where every member clearly has his or her social role on the team, several them having very defined moments.  Hawkeye has become weirdly likable as the guy whose intelligence clashes with his dumb impulses, Daken is the frustrated rabble-rouser, Moonstone is utterly untrustworthy, and the newly medicated Venom is pure comedy.  Honestly, Venom made me laugh in a way I didn’t think possible in Dark Avengers.

Going along with the horror theme, the team dynamic also generates its own mystery.  Something’s obviously funny with Osborn and Moonstone clearly has her own agenda.  Both are certainly intriguing

Mike Deodato’s art is meanwhile nothing short of perfect.  Everything is shadowy without any sacrifice of detail.  In fact, everything is about as close to photo-realistic and detailed as a comic can get without out of control lightboxing.  The last double-page spread in particular is amazing. and Deodato’s depictions of the Sentry never fail to wow.  Also, Deodato’s drawings of Venom’s facial expressions while masked only added to the hilarity of the character

What’s Not So Good: Overall, this is a very good issue, but there are always the little things.  For starters, I’m pretty tired of seeing the Sentry get his ass kicked.  The Sentry is so powerful that in order for any narrative or conflict to transpire, he needs to be taken off the board.  This has become glaringly obvious and increasingly irritating.

I also did find myself wondering why the two girls at the beginning of the issue had to be so scantily clad.  They’re hot, we get it, but aren’t they also just supposed to be average girls?  It’s a little over the top, but I guess it’s also sadly typical of the modern comic.  There’s also an early lettering error regarding the two characters that sees their line’s switched up.

Finally, I suspect the issue’s ending was supposed to pass for a cliffhanger of impressive proportions.  Unfortunately, it’ll probably garner nothing more than a “huh?” from most readers.

Conclusion: Despite my minor quibbles, it’s actually a very strong issue of Dark Avengers.  It’s not quite as good as last month, but it’s pretty much all you can hope for out of a Dark Avengers comic.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #8 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), Sunny Gho (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: The kids get stuck in front of Norman, Hawkeye, and Ares.

What’s Good: This month’s issue in the always solid Secret Warriors was a bit of a jump in quality from last month’s book, and that’s largely due to two big surprises.

First off is Norman Osborn/Dark Reign’s presence.  Often cringe-worthy whenever he shows up to disrupt a book, Hickman writes him amazingly well and manages to load Osborn’s scenes with such a malevolent intensity, that it seeps off the page.  Norman’s monologue to Nick Fury about his rise and Nick’s respective fall pinpointed what Dark Reign should be about and this scene really showed the potential that this status quo can have, if used properly.  Osborn was fantastic, written perfectly, and his presence actually enhanced a book for once.

The second surprise is Alessandro Vitti’s art.  Vitti still isn’t Casselli, but he felt a lot more comfortable this month, feeling more consistent in style and detail.  Sunny Gho’s change of heart aids this significantly.  Last month, it felt like Gho had worked the colors to make Vitti’s art as similar to Casselli’s as possible, which invited unflattering comparisons and ultimately exposed Vitti’s weaknesses.  This month, Gho actually adds colors more appropriate to Vitti’s style, and the book is the better for it.  Gone is the gloss and sheen, and in its place is a lot of darkness and shadow, making this feel like more of a cloak-and-dagger spy comic than the all-out action of Casselli’s arc.  As such, Vitti’s work finally manages to shine on its own, working with the more subdued, less action-intensive story, while evoking a different sort of Japanese/anime influence.

The other big hit this month is Phobos.  It’s always great to see a character, especially a kid character, act like a badass and show his superpowered muscle.  His interplay with his father, Ares, was also well-done.  Hickman avoids any possible overwriting and goes minimalist, making the interaction between the two speak volumes as a result.

Outside of Phobos, we also get some solid character moments and promising new issues for the Caterpillars and a mandatory “Nick Fury is a badass” scene.

What’s Not So Good: It’s better and he’s standing on his own, but Vitti’s art still isn’t perfect.  While he hits far more than he misses, this is particularly noticeable in some of his facial expressions, which can feel a bit off, strange even.

There’s also the Nick Fury scene.  While funny, this was so detached from the rest of the book, that I wondered how necessary it really was, aside from its fulfilling the need to have Fury in every issue of Secret Warriors.  Worse still, it felt a little too stretched out and decompressed.

Conclusion: This book is at its best when the kids are at the forefront, as they are this month.  Though still not perfect, Vitti is also coming into his own.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Dark Avengers #9 – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Mike Deodato (Art), and Rain Beredo (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: With Utopia out of the way, I fully expect Dark Avengers to get back to being a favorite of mine. With a kick-ass cover and the promise of a guest appearance from Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Warriors, it’s a pretty safe bet that Dark Avengers #9 will deliver.

The Story: Ares discovers that his son, Phobos, isn’t exactly heading off to school during the day. Meanwhile, something strange is going on at Avengers Tower while some of the Dark Avengers chat it up about funny heroes.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Before I really get into the review, I have to first toss out a quick suggestion: Do yourself a favor and try to ignore the cool image on the cover of Dark Avengers #9. While Ares goes on a little rampage and some stuff is destroyed, Brian Michael Bendis (I almost want to say, “as usual”) opts to let dialogue do almost all of the work in the latest issue of Dark Avengers. Is this a bad thing? Turns out, it’s not at all.

Bendis’ decision to let words bring resolution to an explosive situation works extremely well because of how the scene plays out. It gives the characters involved a little extra depth and goes a long way towards humanizing a character that, most recently, has been little more than muscle in superhero battles. I do, however, have one major issue with the dialogue in regards to how Phobos is portrayed. Bendis handles him as though he is a normal kid afraid of his father. While that works as far as what’s happening is concerned, Bendis’ take on Phobos seems to go against what Jonathan Hickman is doing with the character. It’s hard to really call what Bendis does a negative, but it is something that must be mentioned.

So the Ares/Fury/Phobos scene is pretty great. Thankfully, the rest of the book doesn’t disappoint. The exchange at Avengers Tower is something really close to hilarious, and the weird stuff happening left me thinking “WTF!?” in a good way. In short, it’s clear that the series is back on track and I really couldn’t be much happier. That said, I do wish that the Dark Avengers would stop being stuck as the supporting characters in their own series. I buy Dark Avengers to read about the Dark Avengers damnit…

The artwork in Dark Avengers #9 is, as expected, moody, gritty, and impressive all around. The unfortunate thing is that there really isn’t a whole lot of ways for Mike Deodato and Rain Beredo to show off given the script. The characters look good and the emotion on display certainly works, but it’s clear that neither artist is really being put to the test.

Conclusion: Dark Avengers fans… it’s safe to come back to the series now.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny