Revolutionary War Alpha #1 – Review

by Andy Lanning, Alan Cowsill (Writers), Rich Elson (Artist), Antonio Fabela (Colorist)

The Story: Pete Wisdom and Captain Britain needs to gather the crew back as trouble arrive in the UK with Mys-Tech rearing its ugly head back.

The Review: Marvel has a rather large library of characters. Mutants, magic users, cosmic beings, street-level heroes, monsters, oddities and many more are but a selection of the kind of characters one can see when reading one of their books. While the very same is true for the Distinguished Competition as well, the new 52 reboot kind of crushed this large selection for them in unfortunate ways.

We all have some characters we especially like for various reasons. Nostalgia, a certain cool factor, a presentation or a concept that resonates with what we generally like to read and many others can indicate why we like some characters more than others. One of those character, for me, is Captain Britain. A man that tries to protect the whole omniverse with other people from various universes with the same power sets and similar codenames? Now that’s cool.

My general appreciation of the character made me go out and buy this comic, which was sweetened by the fact it incorporates other elements like Pete Wisdom and writer Andy Lanning, a part of the DnA duo that gave us many excellent cosmic stories. Teamed with Alan Cowsill to revive old UK characters and reintegrate them in the larger Marvel universe and its continuity, this book certainly has potential to be particularly fun.

Avengers Assemble #15 – Review

By: Al Ewing (Writer), Butch Guice (Penciler), Tom Palmer with Rick Magyar (Inkers), Frank D’Armata (Colorist), VC’s Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

Review: Jesus, is Age of Ultron still going on? Feels weird to think so sometimes…and I’ve been reviewing each and every issue. The thing is, it lacks a sense of importance; and some of that can be put down to the lack of tie-ins. Sure, there are many justifiable grievances held against Marvel’s usual approach to tie-in culture (gumming up the flow of our favourite series mid-run etc.) but one thing’s for sure: in the case of Secret Invasion, Siege et al, you at least felt like the events of those books were dramatically affecting the breadth of shared continuity. Not so much with AoU and the feint corona of books that illuminate it.

Secret Avengers #37 – Review

By Rick Remender (Writer), Matteo Scalera (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Colorist)

The Story: The Secret Avengers tells Captain America how their latest mission ended and how everything ended and who were the heroes and villains of this story.

The Review: Secret Avengers always had a tough time as a title, ever since its inception. When Ed Brubaker launched the title, we all had huge expectations about just what we’d find in the book, only for us to find that he was not as great at writing team books as he was writing about crime or espionage. Then after came Nick Spencer for the Fear Itself tie-ins, giving us some small stories about some of the more neglected team-members during the first twelve issues. Right after came Warren Ellis with a number of delightful one-shots for six issues, only to leave right after to let Rick Remender on the title.

The expectations were huge on the title. Not only was this the writer of Uncanny X-Force, the smash hit of the time, but he had Gabriel Hardman and some new team members. Taking some of the established points from Uncanny X-Force, most notably Father, Remender tried his best to continue the plot points inserted by other writers before him while making his own story along the way. While it is true it was nowhere near as good as the title that made Rick Remender reputation at Marvel, it is still noteworthy to say that Secret Avengers was still a good book worthy to follow months after months and this final issue is a testament to all of that.

Finishing Father’s story with the nano-mist infection and the rise of the Descendants, Rick Remender does so with panache, giving us plenty of actions with some of the more highlighted characters from his series, like Captain Britain, Hawkeye and Venom. Unfortunately, other characters like Black Widow, Beast and Valkyrie are close to inexistent here, which is a shame considering the fact that the three were part of the title from the very start. Still, what we do get here is fantastic action, with Captain Britain kicking all sort of mechanical gears, Venom resuming his fight with Black Ant and Hawkeye coming to grip with the hard decision of destroying the Descendants.

All of these scenes contribute to the tension, even though we do know they make out of it okay considering the very first scene of the comic. There are some very nervous scenes in the comics, especially with Hawkeye and his view of the critical decision he has to do. The way it is written and presented, it makes for a great scene, cementing it with the dialogue and the way the panels are zooming on the key elements. It seems that Rick Remender always has key elements in his mind, be it characters, specific actions or concepts, it makes his work seem very continuous and seamless. Right in this finale, he has placed at least three plot points that could be exploited in further series of his or in the entire Marvel universe. It makes me hope that his contributions will be seen in other titles or at least continued by other writers.

Secret Avengers #36 – Review

By: Rick Remender (Writer), Matteo Scalera (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Colorist)

The Story: The Secret Avengers manages to get on the scene to fight Father and his plan for massive robotic evolution.

The Review: Rick Remender, much like Jonathan Hickman, is a man with a plan. With each arc and characters he gets to write, he builds a plan that leads inevitably to a great confrontation, a crux if you will. He did so in Uncanny X-Force, in Fear Agent, and he does so right now in Secret Avengers.

Many of his characters are now set in place, for a grand finale involving all the major players. Be it with some grand choices they have to make or confrontations they had to face, most of the characters are now going against the massive threat that had been built from the very moment Rick Remender had begun writing this series and Father in Uncanny X-Force. There is a lot of action in this issue and a lot of very big and decisive moments, most of which are a joy to read.

Secret Avengers #35 – Review

By: Rick Remender (Writer), Matteo Scalera (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Colorist)

The Story: Captain Britain, Hawkeye and Beast battle the evil Avengers from Earth-666. Meanwhile, the team gets back together to prepare to face Father and the rise of the Descendants.

The Review: Rick Remender’s tenure on this title has been a little bit weird. It had begun with a strong arc with elements taken from his Uncanny X-Force series with Father and the machines that follow him, then went on to get a bit lost with tie-ins to AvX and an arc that tried to finish some of the plot points Ed Brubaker started with Max Fury. He had built up quite some situations, yet not all of them were properly handled throughout his tenure on the title.

Thankfully, this issue is chock-full of plot developments from his very first arc as Father and the machine people gets front and center, standing clearly as the antagonists here in various scenes, one of the better ones being when Father is talking to the United Nations. Right there, you see that he is a character to be taken seriously, a true threat when he unleashes his machine rebellion. He does engage in the typical villain talk, explaining his plan and purpose, but a lot of these ideas and plans where actually built up in the very first arc Remender wrote on the title. With all the pieces set for the final and explosive arc, this promises to be pretty good if this issue is any consideration.

Journey into Mystery #641 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Rich Elson (art), Sotocolors (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Loki brings an unpopular kind of peace to Otherworld and fulfills his debt to Hela.

The Review:  KIERON!!!!!!  Seriously, this issue made me feel like Captain Kirk in Wrath of Khan.

That’s actually not really a bad thing though.  It’s just that Gillen delivers an absolutely heart-rending, downright unfair character death this month that almost hits too hard.  Given that it’s a character that Gillen has done such a great job of building from the ground up, and one with a really great dynamic with Loki, it’s hard to read.  Gillen also shows his skill as a writer:  this is one of the best written death scenes that I’ve read in a big two comic in some time.  In just a couple of pages, Gillen makes the scene truly emotional by capitalizing on the reader’s investment, using dialogue that recalls former elements of the character’s relationship with Loki.  I guess that’s what makes it so sad as well: those elements are, chiefly, a running joke between the two that now takes on a very sad and ironic, and hence very different, meaning.  I guess this touches upon why this death is written so well – it feels meaningful because Gillen has spent so much of the series getting us invested in the character and his/her relationship to Loki.  Gillen spent the time in the script, he made the investments, and now he’s reaping the dividends.

Secret Avengers #28 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Renato Guedes (artist), Matthew Wilson & Jeremy Mohler (colorists), and Chris Eliopoulos (letterer)

The Story:  The Avengers away team confronts Hala’s ruler, Minister Marvel, to break Hala free from its Phoenix worshipping mind-control.

The Review:  This issue of Secret Avengers goes a long way to showing how valuable a good colorist is.  I’ve been raving about Guedes’ art for this arc and in this issue, it’s just as hyper-detailed and imaginative.  However, something is definitely lost with Bettie Breitweiser off the title.  Wilson and Mohler’s work is just fine and the art is still solid, but it’s lost that really eye-popping, European sci-fi vibe that has made this book so impressive of late.  We’ve gone from a book that had some of the best art coming out of Marvel at the moment to artwork that is merely solid, all due to the loss of a colorist.

Unfortunately, Remender’s conclusion of this arc is also fairly underwhelming, mostly because 3 issues just wasn’t enough for this story to really come together.

Journey into Mystery #639 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Rich Elson (artist), IFS (colorist), and Clayton Cowles (letterer)

The Story: Loki and Leah arrive to aid a beleaguered Otherworld at war with….urban sprawl?

The Review:  I’ll admit that while it certainly ended better than it started, I wasn’t particularly thrilled by the Exiled crossover.  It’s a good thing then that this issue of Journey into Mystery feels like a righting of the ship as Gillen gets back to doing what he does best.  I’ve often felt, with his character-centered stories and sense of humour and general Englishness that Kieron Gillen bore some resemblance to Paul Cornell.  As such, having Gillen do a Captain Britain story in a fantasy setting just makes sense.  It’s a natural fit.  Moreover, it lets Gillen get back to telling a straight up fantasy story, as opposed to the somewhat awkward urban fantasy with mutants that was exiled.

Where this book succeeds most is when Gillen allows the mundane and he magical to intersect, allowing elements of the fantastical world of Loki and Otherworld to crossover into our world.  You get hilarious scenes like Loki and Leah taking a cab across England and Hern the Hunter waiting to pick them up at the airport, sign and all.  It leads to a kind of absurdity that suits Gillen’s comic voice very well.

Secret Avengers #27 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Renato Guedes (art), Bettie Breitweiser & Matthew Wilson (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Mar-Vell, Noh-Varr, and Ms. Marvel deliver a beatdown on a Hala gone mad.

The Review: This is an issue where in many respects, the script plays second-fiddle to the art.  Much as was the case last month, Renato Guedes is cranking out some of the best work of his career here.  Seriously, this is miles above the work he put out on Wolverine not too long ago.  It’s clear that Guedes excels at drawing outlandish, alien, science fiction environments and narratives.  His work is incredibly detailed, almost uncomfortably so.  His work on Secret Avengers has felt almost as much a comic as some kind of European sci-fi artbook.  Bettie Breitweiser and Matthew Wilson really do a lot to enhance this feel, with a very unique palette that furthers the European aesthetic.  This is particularly impressive in the case of Breitweiser, who has clearly completely changed up her game for this series.

Unfortunately, unlike last month, this issue feels somewhat forgettable insofar as the plot.  I love the fact that Remender is telling a cosmic story, but I’m sort of non-plussed that we’re ultimately just getting yet another “mind control” story in a comic.  It always feels like an “out” when writers do this, a way to cheat by having heroes double-cross each other or do bad things, without having to deal with the consequences or ramifications, without Marvel actually having to commit to the swerve.  It leads to stories and characterization that doesn’t really have he significance that it would otherwise have.

As a result, when you see Ms. Marvel and Mar-Vell romancing and rekindling a flame and taking their relationship to a new level, should we really care?  What could be a significant moment for the two characters is undercut by the fact that it’s probably not for real and could very well just be part of their being mind controlled.

The Avengers #26 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Walter Simonson (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Jason Keith (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Cap sends Thor and a team of Avengers to space on a suicide mission to head off the Phoenix.  However, all is not what it seems for Noh-Varr.

The Review:  Let’s be clear here: the big selling point on this issue is Simonson’s artwork.  I imagine that there will be a lot of readers who won’t enjoy his style.  Admittedly, it’s not the polished, photo-referenced stuff that’s become commonplace in comics these days, nor is it the labour intensive awesomeness that you’d get out of a Lee Bermejo or Alex Ross.  In fact, Simonson’s art is basically a throwback.  Really, though, that’s part of why it’s so much freaking fun.  It’s filled with gleeful nostalgia and it’s really dynamic, fast-paced stuff.  This is also reflected in Simonson’s layouts as well.  His work has a tremendous amount of energy and character to it and it really just breathes “comics” in its purest form.  Hanna and Keith do great work in supporting Simonson’s work as well: Hanna simply emphasizes the already present strengths to Simonson’s work while Keith matches Simonson’s energy with simple but vibrant colors.

It also helps that Bendis realizes that Simonson is the big selling point here; he essentially writes a script that offers plenty of time for Simonson to shine.  Obviously, this means we get to see a lot of Thor, which is great, especially for that priceless nostalgia.  More than that though, Simonson gets to draw the Avengers battling the Phoenix in space, which is so much grandiose fun to read and look at.

Unfortunately, while the art is a lot of fun, the script is a puzzling one in that I’m left wondering why this story had to be told.  The problem is that Bendis is basically telling the exact same story that Remender told last month in Secret Avengers.  Both books are focused on the same team, the same general story/conflict, in the same setting.  It’s a bizarre duplicate.  Of course, this also leads to problematic contradictions between the two – the Avengers rig  up a second device in a second attempt to contain the Phoenix (which never happened in Secret Avengers), while Mar-Vell, a big part of Remender’s version of the story, is not present (here, all the Kree double-crossing is left to Noh-Varr).  It’s stuff like this that really makes your brain  hurt.  Why are two creative teams telling the same story in two different books, at the same time?  And how can there be such glaring contradictions between the two?  How did editorial okay this?  I understand that they wanted to give Simonson a Thor story, but surely it didn’t have to step on Secret Avengers’ toes to this extent.

Secret Avengers #26 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Renato Guedes (art), Bettie Breitweiser & Matthew Wilson (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: A special team of Avengers head off into space in a desperate attempt to contain the Phoenix before it reaches Earth.

The Review:  It’s hard not to be skeptical going into this issue of Secret Avengers: it’s a tie-in issue and one that only features half the regular team, the other half of the roster being filled with guest stars (Thor, Ms. Marvel, etc).  This screams “derailment,” the fear that always looms when there’s a tie-in.  Worse still, regular artist Gabriel Hardman is nowhere to be found.

Yet, against all odds, this may very well be the best issue of Rick Remender’s run thus far.

Secret Avengers #24 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Gabriel Hardman (art), Bettie Breitweiser (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: The Secret Avengers fight to survive in the Core.

The Review:  First thing you’re going to notice when you flip open this issue: this is a gorgeous comic book.  It can’t be said enough that Gabriel Hardman and Bettie Breitweiser are a match made in heaven.  They give the book a fantastic, pulp sci-fi feel that perfectly matches Remender’s outlandish story of underground cities and robot civilizations.  It makes the book feel otherworldly and heavily atmospheric.  Despite being a clearly modern comic, there’s a sense of nostalgia to this book that reflects the science fiction stories of a bygone era.  That said, the world that Hardman and Breitweiser gives us is one that’s dark, dangerous, and constantly threatening with a hint of the weird and the surreal.

And really, it’s a good thing Hardman and Breitweiser bring the goods, because so much of this issue is about atmosphere.  Remender gives us a comic that is as much about the underground city itself as its character.  It’s an issue where the Secret Avengers are constantly hunted and hopelessly trapped in this other world.  Remender, particularly given the ending of last month’s issue, gives us a script where the heroes really seem vulnerable and in a hopeless situation, constantly on the run.

Much as there’s a surreal edge to the artwork, the same can be said for Remender’s script.  It’s fantastic seeing some of the characters run into cybernetic versions of friends, mistaking them for people they knew.  It only makes this world Remender has created all the more threatening and, well, bizarre.  Along with the fact that they’re surrounded by enemies and constantly hunted through dark, dank underground streets, this element of some of the cyborgs looking like old friends only increases the psychological burden that the Core is placing on the Avengers.  There’s a constant vibe that the longer they spend down in this city, the more their  psyches begin to fray along the edges.

Uncanny X-Force #21 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Greg Tocchini (art), Dean White (color art)

The Story: Nightcrawler proves he’s more Sean Connery than Roger Moore.

The Review: You know what, Greg Tocchini? You almost had me. I was honestly beginning to think here that you were using such thick, scribbly lines for an artistic purpose. I thought maybe the messy aesthetic to this book was intentional, and that I was simply too dense to appreciate what you was trying to create. But then I got to the last page, and I had the same sensation I experienced the first time I put on glasses. All of a sudden, everything came in focus. The lines became smooth and expressive, figures became distinct from one another. I actually double-checked the title page to make certain that a different artist hadn’t been brought on for the last page. But no—the same man who can draw such befuddling art for twenty-two pages also drew this last one. What on earth I am supposed to make of this?

I can only assume at this point that Tocchini signed on to this project and discovered too late that the printing schedule for Uncanny X-Force was about half as long as he would have liked, and thus has been forced to turn in rushed, sloppy art. Because honestly, what else can account for this? I can’t say the art is bad, because the layouts are all great and I actually really like the surreality of the visuals. But the lack of detail is criminal. Backgrounds look like mere sketches. Hardly any character’s faces look completely drawn. At one point, I though that one of Deadpool’s speech bubbles had been misappropriated to Nightcrawler because I couldn’t tell, until scouring the panel for minutes, that Nightcrawler was in fact carrying Deadpool’s head. This issue reminds me of some of those late Monets that look more clear the farther away you stand from it. I’m not being glib here; hold this comic at arm’s length, and it looks brilliant. Get a reasonable reading distance though, and it becomes a mess. Dean White deserves some blame for using muted colors that can make it hard to tell some figures apart, but the colors are not the root of the problem. Perhaps Tocchini should have had an inker assigned to him for this arc, or maybe he should have gone with a less ambitious style. Either way, this issue, while having tons of potential for being beautiful, is a visual eyesore.

Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates #6 – Review

By: Jonathan Hickman (writer), Brandon Peterson and Esad Ribis (artists), John Rauch and Edgar Delgado (colors)

The Story: The Ultimates take a collective breath and say, “Oh, f#@&!”

The Review: Goodness, I really love the concept of the Ultimates. I really think it’s fascinating to watch these imperfect men and women try to live up to the impossible ideals they define themselves by; it’s equally fascinating to watch the world react to these super-people in such a realistic manner. Obviously, this was not the interpretation in Jeph Loeb era, but I choose to ignore that run. Besides, Jonathan Hickman has really returned this book to its philosophical roots, and I’m delighted.

This issue opens on a conversation between Nick Fury and the retired Steve Rogers, discussing all the disasters that have taken place in the last five issues. The outlook is grim. Someone has set off a nuclear bomb just off the coast of Uganda; Southeast Asia has been taken over by mutant supremacists; and Reed Richards has conquered 200 square miles of Europe, destroyed Asgard, and now commands forces that far surpass those of SHIELD and the entire US Military combined. In the face of this, Fury asks Rogers to return as Captain America. But here’s the interesting thing: he’s not asking Captain America the super-soldier, because—let’s face it—there’s not a hell of a lot even Captain America could do about this. Instead, Fury is asking for the help of Captain America the political symbol, to reassure the public and to support Fury’s plans. The conversation displays a great understanding of who these characters are, and what values drive them.

The conflict of realism versus idealism is the driving force of this issue. From Stark facing the superrich he suspects of nuking Uganda, to the Braddocks coping with Captain Britain’s catatonic state, to even Falcon confronting his former colleague Reed Richards, the characters are forced to reconcile the way they would like the world to be, and the way the world is. It’s a powerful theme, and well explored. However, because Hickman is taking his time to explore these themes, it also means this is the second issue in a row with everyone just sitting and talking about what has happened. I’m fine with that, given the enormity of what has passed, but characters need to start being active again soon.

Uncanny X-Force #20 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Greg Tocchini (artist), Dean White (colors)

The Story: Fantomex, you’re being tried by a group called the “Captain Britain Corps,” and you have a French accent. Don’t speak in your own defense!

The Review: Last issue, two members of the X-Force were abducted by the Captain Britain Corps and brought to Otherworld: Psylocke, who is Captain Britain’s little sister, and Fantomex. For the uninitiated, Captain Britain (civilian name Brian Braddock) isn’t just an Anglicized version of Captain America. Instead, he is tasked by the wizard Merlyn to protect the Marvel Omniverse. Braddock wants Psylocke to rejoin the Captain Britain Corps to aid them against a massive siege of demonic forces. Fantomex, however, is there to stand trial for the murder of Kid Apocalypse. Yes, that last bit is patently absurd, but I’m not docking the issue points for this yet as there are hints that Braddock may have ulterior motives for holding Fantomex. Once the rest of the X-force notices that two of their number are missing, they embark on a rescue mission.

Remender does a great job introducing Captain Britain and company, though this is a more dickish version of Brian Braddock than you may be used to seeing. Remender also seems to be going out of his way to establish Kurt Darkholme as a different man than Kurt Wagner, though Darkholme’s frustrations at being treated like his doppelgänger are valid and understandable. One thing that continues to distract, however, is the characterization of Deadpool. He is simply not the same person you will find in every other Marvel book featuring him. This Deadpool has convictions and loyalty. He has a moral code and doesn’t constantly break the fourth wall. This Deadpool can say, “I miss Warren,” without a trace of sarcasm [or with nothing but complete sincerity]. It’s hard to accept, initially, but personally I feel saturated with the interpretation of Wade as a running gag, so I can go along with this revisionist take. But if you’re a traditional Deadpool fan, this title just isn’t for you.

But some odd characterization is nothing compared to the problems with the art. Greg Tocchini is a damn good artist.  And he has done fantastic work with Remender before, as Dean noted in his review of The Last Days of American Crime #3. So I’m not sure what happened to make this book look like a mess. Not one person stands in a natural manner. It’s impossible to read body language because everyone is perpetually posing. Captain Britain in particular appears throughout to be attempting to show off his impressive throat musculature, and I defy anyone to tell me what Psylocke is thinking once in this issue without the aide of speech bubbles. Nightcrawler stands out as the consistently most naturally drawn and emotive character, but I can’t award any point for this because his tattoo keeps disappearing.

Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates #1

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Esad Ribic (art), Dean White (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Nick Fury finds himself complete overwhelmed by disasters all around.

What’s Good:  It’s not something I’d have expected out him in particular, but Jonathan Hickman fully nails the “blockbuster” feel of the Ultimates, and in doing so, hammers home just what makes it a distinctive read from the 616 Avengers books.  This is a high-octane book with a high budget feel and one that feels bleeding edge slick and modern.

Despite this, however, Hickman still adds the little touches that keep the book smart and remind you just who is writing the book.  We’ve got what looks to be an ultimate version of “the World” that is the sort of ominous, sleek science fiction that Hickman does so well.

That’s not to say that it’s all high-tech realism however, as one of the major storylines takes place in Asgard, as does possibly the book’s best scene.  Hickman’s portrayal of Thor and the Asgardians as friendly partiers who take disrespect very seriously is one that makes them immediately likable.

That said, Nick Fury is the star of the show this month, and Hickman manages to convey his current circumstances very well.  Hickman overwhelms the reader with disasters and narratives from every angle, which is exactly what Fury is going through.  As a result, we get a real appreciation for the global juggling act that is Nick Fury’s high-risk life.  It’s a taut, dynamic read.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger #4 – Review

By Roger Langridge (writer), Chris Samnee (artist), Matthew Wilson (colorist)

The Story: It’s Boys’ Night Out for the God of Thunder as The Warriors Three drop by to take Thor out for an evening of mass mead consumption.

The Good: Every month, this comic just keeps getting better and continues to be one of the few comics I eagerly anticipate reading! This month’s issue sets a new benchmark in quality for “The Mighty Avenger”, firing on all cylinders to tell a story that was pure entertainment from start to finish. Free from the constraints of continuity that burden its sister titles, this comic is free to flirt and play with Thor’s history as it sees fit without ever being dragged down by it. The Warriors Three are, of course, long-term mainstays in Thor’s world, but here in this comic their appearance feels fresh, yet strangely familiar, like meeting three good friends again for the first time. Here, Langridge writes Thor’s buddies like three older brothers who adore and idolize their younger brother and wouldn’t think twice to throw down with Captain Britain for the sake of their young friend. It’s that well-crafted sense of camaraderie that Langridge executes here that made me view Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg as more than obedient sidekicks, and I like when a comic can get me to look at old characters in new ways.

I mentioned this issue was entertaining, right? More to the point, it was absolutely hilarious, but I suppose that was inevitable in a story about a bunch of guys going out to drink for the night. You know guys like this. You’re probably friends them and have had a few of these nights over the course of your infamous friendships with them. Yeah, they might be gods, but Langridge writes them as a motley crew of loyal friends first, and that’s a quality that we can all get behind and endorse. They’re a rowdy bunch though, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at Samnee’s glorious splash page of the Warriors Three spurring Thor on to beat the crap out of Captain Britain. Samnee’s work continues to captivate me, and I love how easily he can transition from an intense brawl between Thor and Captain Britain to a tender moment between Thor and Jane. His work bursts with energy and emotion in a style that is deceptively simple but always worth a view.

Captain Britain and MI:13 #15 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), Jay Leisten (Inks), and Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Here’s to hoping that Paul Cornell ends Captain Britain on one hell of a high note.

The Story: Pete Wisdom watches his grand plan unfold while he shares a tender moment with his new lady friend. Needless to say, Dracula’s day goes from bad to much, much worse…

What’s Good: You know what’s the best thing about the final issue of Captain Britain and MI:13? It’s that it’s all about superheroes being superheroes. In addition, they are being superheroes in a way that brings some resembling closure to a series that should never have been canceled. In short, it’s pretty much everything I could have asked for. The action is nearly non-stop, the character work is as strong as ever, the dry humor is spot on, and the conclusion leaves the door open for Cornell to work with the team in the future if given the opportunity.

I really don’t want to go into much detail for fear of spoiling anything, but you can rest assured that Paul Cornell and his team make the most of Captain Britain and MI:13 #15. From the incredibly well-written opening with Pete Wisdom, to the chaos that takes place on Dracula’s ship, it’s clear that the creative team is firing on all cylinders. And you know what? That’s the way it should be.

What’s Not So Good: My only complaint is that occasionally the action becomes hard to follow. Does it hurt the quality of the book as a whole? Not really. There is a LOT going on and in all honesty, I’m shocked Leonard Kirk and the rest of the art team are able to keep it in check as well as they do.

Conclusion: The finale of Captain Britain and MI:13 does the series justice. If you’re a fan, there is a whole lot to like about Captain Britain and MI:13 #15.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain & MI:13 #14 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk w/Adrian Syaf (Pencils), Jay Leisten w/Craig Yeung (Inks), Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: With only two issues of Captain Britain left, I hope Cornell and his team really make them count… The under-appreciated series deserves to go out with a bang.

The Story: Unfortunately, I really can’t go into much detail about the issue without wading into heavy spoiler territory.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Since I really can’t say a whole lot about Captain Britain and MI:13 #14 without ruining things, I will keep things short. Paul Cornell overcomes what is initially a disappointing opening with some great character work, awesome dry humor, and clever use of a past arc to bring make the latest chapter of “Vampire State” a very good read. As for the art, it’s absolutely solid all around as Leonard Kirk and his team do a fine job of delivering action that could easily come across as muddled or confusing.  While some of the artwork looks a bit rushed, there’s enough good stuff to make up for it.

Conclusion: You can rest assure that the creative team behind Captain Britain is in no way half-assing the final issues of a tragically canceled series.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain And MI:13 #12 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), Jay Leisten (Inks), and Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: A story about Dracula attempting to take over Great Britain could easily come across as silly unless the tension and drama manages to set the tone both early and often. Fortunately, Paul Cornell is aware of that fact. He proves it by using the story to both raise the stakes of his series as a whole and create opportunities to add more depth to his already compelling cast.

The Story: Captive under the power of Dracula, Spitfire is escorted around the vampire base by her son. She learns some things about Dracula’s grand plan and the preparations that he has made in order to carry it out. Meanwhile, Captain Britain and the rest of the MI:13 team try to find “the head” that may help them combat Drac’s plans.

What’s Good: Simply put, Paul Cornell is writing one hell of a vampire story. It puts the dense mythology about Dracula and his minions to very good use. In addition, the distinctly British flavor of Cornell’s writing keeps things from becoming too serious thanks to a healthy dose of dry humor and clever wit. As for the artwork, Leonard Kirk and his team continues to make sure Captain Britain is as much fun to look at as it is to read. The action hits hard, most of the vampire-related imagery is downright haunting, and each panel is filled with an impressive amount of detail.

What’s Not So Good: My only real complaint about Captain Britain and MI:13 #12 is that a few scenes come across as visually confusing. Either the action is a bit to cluttered or the perspective used for the scene makes things look a bit off. While it is a minor complaint (and some may not find it distracting), I figured it was still worth a mention.

Conclusion: I really can’t recommend Captain Britain enough. The writing is damn near perfect, the artwork is always pleasing, and the stories are a brilliant mix of insane and intelligent. It’s just good stuff all around.

Grade:  B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain and MI:13 #9 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk & Mike Collins (Pencils), Jay Leisten & Cam Smith (Inks), and Brian Reber & Rain Beredo (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: When I picked up the debut of Captain Britain and MI:13 during the Secret Invasion, I never expected it to become a favorite of mine. But nows, I find myself eagerly awaiting each new issue. The latest, the conclusion to the insanely chaotic Plotka storyline, is no exception. It’s a shame that the numbers for the series are so slow, because it absolutely deserves the attention of nearly every comic fan. It’s that good.

The Story: With the majority of the team stuck in one part of Plotka’s dream corridor thanks to Captain Midlands’ betrayal and Captain Britain still trying to find a way out of another part, things look grim for pretty much everybody. But Pete Wisdom has a plan, as does the person studying the trapped Mindless One outside of Cloverfield Estate. Soon the tides are turned and the team goes on the offensive.

What’s Good: Simply all the factors that make this title wildly imaginative. That’s the only way to describe the conclusion of the latest Captain Britain and MI:13 arc. Despite all the crazy magic, chaotic action, and elements of the occult, Paul Cornell and his art team somehow manage to keep everything in line long enough to wrap up one hell of an entertaining story that also plant the seeds for what promises to be another. In short, if you’ve liked what the series has offered so far, you won’t be disappointed what it offers this time around.

What’s Not So Good: There is one “elephant in the room” element regarding the latest Captain Britain arc that has nagged at me from the start. And guess what? It nagged at me a whole lot more while reading Captain Britain and MI:13 #9. Basically the whole thing is so filled with action and chaos that it rarely stops to take a breath long enough to really work through and explain what’s actually happening. Sure it’s a lot of fun to read and look at, but I just can’t help but wish I had a better grasp on the storyline as a whole. It made sense well enough, but I just can’t shake the feeling I missed out on a few things here and there.

Conclusion: Despite being almost overwhelming at times, the latest issue of Captain Britain is loaded with high-quality, high-concept entertainment. And, while it isn’t the greatest jump-on point if you haven’t checked the series out yet, it’s strong enough to make hunting down back issues a worthwhile endeavor. Consider it highly recommended.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain and MI:13 #8 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), Michael Bair w/Jay Leisten & Craig Yeung (Inks), and Brian Reber (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I initially gave Captain Britain and MI:13 a look because of the way it launched as a tie-in to the Secret Invasion. I fully expected to drop the book following the event because, in all honesty, my pull list was starting to get out of hand. But a funny thing happened during only a few short issues. Thanks to Paul Cornell’s writing and some imaginative, vibrant artwork, I found myself quickly drawn into the magical world of the Marvel heroes operating across the pond. Now, seven (going on eight) issues in, I can safely say that I am glad that I stuck around.

The Story: The team, currently without the help of Captain Britain, continues the fight against the demon Plotka and its army of Mindless Ones at the Cloverleaf Estate. Captain Britain, meanwhile, continues to face down his inner demons as a prisoner trapped within Plotka’s soul stealing Dream Corridor. A lot of questions get answered in this action-packed issue, most notably regarding the nature of Plotka, its army, and its ultimate goal.

What’s Good: In all honesty, I have very few complaints about this latest issue. It excels in nearly every area I take into consideration when writing a review. The twisting storyline is wonderfully bizarre and extremely refreshing thanks to the heavy emphasis on magic and the occult. In addition, the writing is laced with dry, British humor that does wonders for both the team dynamic and the overall flavor of the series. As for the artwork, the creative team perfectly compliments the story with some incredibly trippy, kinetic visuals that somehow manage to keep the nearly non-stop action manageable and, for the most part, fairly easy to digest.

What’s Not So Good: My biggest complaint is that series still hasn’t done enough to get those new to the characters (like me) enough information to get totally up to speed. I like the characters enough to keep reading, but I don’t really feel like I know them at all. For a re-launch, Captain Britain is not exactly friendly to new readers.

The other issue I have with the book is that, occasionally, it feels as though there is just way too much going on at once. The creative team does a nice job keeping everything in check for the most part, but I did find myself re-reading sections from time to time just to make sure I understood everything. It’s not a big complaint by any means, especially considering how much is going on, but I feel it’s something worth noting.

Conclusion: A fine package of storytelling, artwork, and character moments, Captain Britain and MI:13 #8 is well worth the cash. Be sure to check it out if you are looking for something from a different corner of the Marvel Universe.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Captain Britain and MI:13 #7 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Penciler), Michael Bair (Inker), and Brian Reber (Colorist)

Captain Britain and MI:13 continues to roll out, and I keep buying it. Though I’m not entirely sure why. Now that it’s no longer part of the Secret Invasion, it feels cut adrift from the rest of the Marvel Universe, and the cast is, let’s face it, a collection of B-listers. Captain Britain is still a goody-two-shoes dweeb, Peter Wisdom continues to confuse me (Is he Peter Pan or not? If not, why should I care about him?), and the Black Knight is still wearing that damn helmet but not the damn armor. I have no problem with superheroes not wearing costumes– I don’t miss Power Man’s yellow shirt, but if you’re going to be getting into sword fights, shouldn’t you wear some protection? As for the Spitfire/ Blade storyline, it is still completely unconnected to anything else going on in the book.

On the plus side, Plokta, maker of the Mindless Ones, is one of the creepiest villains to ever grace a comic book. He’s a white mask floating above a mass of cosmic protoplasm, and he’s not evil as much as completely and unabashedly selfish. His trick is to give his enemies a vision of their fondest wishes and waits until they’re entranced. He then sucks their magic powers to create more of those one-eyed golems that bedevil Dr. Strange from time to time.

The art is pretty good, but the writing lacks the sort of depth that would make me really care about the characters. I have to admit, I haven’t read Captain Britain since Alan Moore wrote him, so a lot of the details of the book don’t mean much to me, but I imagine a lot of readers are in the same situation. Cornell has the rest of this plot line to convince readers that he can make this book work, otherwise I don’t think it’ll be around much longer.

Grade: B-

– Andrew C. Murphy

Captain Britain And MI:13 #4 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Penciller), Jesse Delperdang (Inker), and Brian Reber (Colorist)

Swords are for killing people. They can be ornamental, they can be used ceremonially, occasionally they carve mutton, and once in a great while they are used to cleave the Gordian knot, thus uniting all of Asia. But for the most part their purpose is to separate significant portions of a person’s anatomy in the hope that that person will then stop moving, preferably permanently.

Of course, for a long time killing was verboten in comics. That’s why Colleen Wing was always whacking people with the flat of her sword, which even as a kid I thought was pretty silly. But the old Comics Code rules no longer apply. Now Wolverine can actually gut an enemy, where once he only talked about it. And Ed Brubaker, God bless him, has acknowledged that Cap and Bucky may have actually shot one or two Nazis, instead of just punching them.

So why, why, in the latest issue of CB&MI:13, does Captain Britain set Excalibur aside, saying it belongs to someone who would never use it to kill? What kind of weak-kneed, namby-pamby, in-America-the-neocons-would-eat-you-alive nonsense is that? Especially since Peter Pan (sorry, Peter Wisdom, cough*lame*cough) has just unchained Satannish, Umar, and every other form of unspeakable ancient evil, and they are at this very moment descending upon fair Albion’s shores to turn his countrymen into slaves, corpses, and/or dinner?

Words fail me. I admire high moral standards, and Lord knows the world needs more of them, but this is just about the silliest thing I’ve ever read.

Which is too bad, because otherwise this is a good book. The art is nice. Faiza, the Arab doctor, continues to be an interesting character. The John Lennon Skrull gets one last, very satisfying laugh at the other Skrulls’ expense. And the fight between Captain Britain and Super-Magic-Skrull is pretty cool. Overall, I like the way Cornell has handled the book, giving it its own, distinctly British flavor, while keeping it firmly within the confines of current Marvel continuity.

But that bit with the sword still bothers me. (Grade: B-)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Captain Britain And MI:13 #3 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Penciller), and Jesse Delperdano & Scott Hanna (Inkers)

I had high hopes for this series based on the first issue. I liked the premise (Skrulls invade Britain because that’s where the highest concentration of magic is on Earth), and I liked the characters. Unfortunately, in the issues since, the characters haven’t evolved, only fought. But the plot remains compelling enough for me to continue picking up the book.

Last issue we discovered that MI:13 agent Peter Wisdom was actually Peter Pan (The copyright expired last year. Sorry, Great Ormond Street Hospital, no more royalty checks for you…), and we were introduced to the “new” Tinkerbell, who is 50% Goth, 50% Society for Creative Anachronism, and 100% icky. We also met the new super-magic Skrull, an amalgamation of Dr. Strange, Dormammu, Surtur, Zom, Kulan Gath, Urthona, and—for some damn reason—Mysterio (Check out the ornament on his left wrist).

In this issue, the voices Peter’s been hearing turn out to be from Merlin, whom he frees from some alternate universe, along with Umar and a bunch of other nasties I don’t recognize. Merlin, of course, will be the key to turning the whole thing around. Oh, and the Skrulls are marching on Parliament. That’s about all that happens this issue. Nothing more about why Spitfire is now a vampire, nothing new about that Arab woman who can take people apart… and the Black Knight and the John Lennon Skrull are still doing the same things they were doing two months ago.

It’s almost enough to make me give up the book. Except for the last panel and that bit of classic British understatement: “We just don’t like to make a fuss.”

Heh. (Grade: B-)

– Andrew C. Murphy